Minggu, 04 April 2010

Elements of design

I have mentioned several times how important scale and proportion are to a room. With all interiors, the Elements of Design are successful when there is a unifying theme that runs through out the room. This blends everything together and creates Harmony. Of all the principles of design, scale and proportion create harmony and this is most important. Without this, the room lacks cohesiveness and sabotages any chance for flow.

Sarah Richardson

Harmony is easy to achieve if the scale is correct. The furniture should be in close relation to the rooms size, fabrics should be appropriate for the furniture frame and rooms use, and accessories should be in context to the rooms appropriate size and various elements, such as furniture in the room. One of the most critical elements for achieving harmony is the color palette. Color is a constant influence in our everyday lives. And it is imperative that there be at least one or two common threads of color throughout a room. Just like any good outfit there needs to be common ground and there needs to be an element of organization. It is crucial that there be flow, and connection, so that it creates a beautiful movement around an interior space. Color should reflect your personality and of all things, it accomplishes harmony and flow. When these two things are right, the room feels good, and looks good with ease.

Formaonline.com

Another design element to achieve is comfort, so the room is easy to live in. Comfort is calming, and softens a room so that harmony and balance can be achieved. Comfort brings a restful feeling and provides a welcome accent to your guests.

Lori Dennis

There is little doubt that color is emotional. Every color conveys a mood, thus creating atmosphere. Have you ever walked into a room and felt calm, or uplifted? Colors translate into feelings, and those feelings mixed with beautiful lighting, fabrics, and furnishings evokes atmosphere.

Formaonline.com

Texture is not often grouped with words like glamour, but it is essential to any well designed room. For example, if you choose to deck your entire room out in neutrals, it will fall flat on it's butt without texture playing a major role. Think about this when designing your next room. Think about a room with textured linen, draperies with stripes, marble veining in a table, and hardwood floors with nubby sisal rugs. This my friends is a room rich in design and texture.

David Duncan Livingston

The key to success in reaching your desired design goals, is in the mix.(see photo below) The Elements of Design can be subtle or they can be bold. You can take a slightly varied approach with assorted textures, or introduce many different elements. Always combine things to keep them interesting. Remember the key Elements of Design are:

1) Scale

2) Harmony

3) Color

4) Comfort

5) Atmosphere

6) Texture

Kenneth Brown

This room above achieves all of the elements of design. The scale and proportion are perfect. The colors, brown and white create cohesiveness throughout the room allowing the eye to easily read the room. The slipcovered sofas and side chairs look inviting and comfortable and the linen drapes and lamp shades, the scratched leather ottoman, and the window box fabric on the side chairs gives us the depth and texture we need to create a beautiful flow and atmosphere. Just stunning!

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Jumat, 02 April 2010

Dining Spaces-A gourmet affair or leisurely fare?

Does your dining space reflect your personality and lifestyle? Are your meals a gourmet affair, or a simple family meal before everyone scatters? No matter who's at the table, or whats on the menu you deserve a space that is inviting, comfortable and attractive!

Troy Beasley

When designing a dining room you must put together a plan. Determine what your dining personality is. Don't design a room for proper dining with fine china, crystal and silver if your idea of a gourmet meal is chinese take out, and flip flops. If you are a jeans and t-shirt kinda person then it is safe to say so is your dining lifestyle. Define the space accordingly. Determine if this space should be formal or casual.

Lori Dennis

Once you have developed a plan the design principles can begin. Most dining rooms today are leaning towards the casual side. But that does not mean we forgo all formality. It means that todays formality has a modern twist. We have tweaked it to accommodate our busy lifestyles. What does this mean for you when designing your dining space? It means you have flexibility in building your designing space and it can reflect exactly who you are and how your live~Voila, Lifestyle!

Maybe you like to sit and dine with friends for hours, but you want to do it in your jeans. Great, lets use a sofa as seating, (like the photo below.) There are few rules, so think outside of the box.

Lori Dennis

While there are few rules in designing any room, there are a few tips on designing a dining space that creates atmosphere for great dining pleasure. Use symmetry. Symmetry is easy on the eyes and makes digestion better. When you are comfortable and relaxed the meal is more enjoyable. Add mirrors. They reflect all light in the room (including candle light) which adds sparkle and creates a wonderful and enjoyable mood. Nowadays dining rooms are easy, and pleasant so forgo the fussiness. People are more casual today and fussiness is awkward and uncomfortable. Make it easy on your guests and allow them to feel comfortable and at home. Use durable, but textured fabrics that are easy to clean. You want the meal to be tactile as much as it is comfortable and delightful. Dining is an experience. Let your guests see, smell, taste and touch the experience so that the occasion is engaging, comfortable and satisfying.

Flickr

It does not matter how you dine. It does not matter that the occasion is informal or formal. What matters is the personality of the space in context to the host. A dining space can be a room or nook in your home. The most important factor is the food, family and friends, conversation, and most importantly the experience you endow on your guests. Make it memorable and enjoyable so that it feels right.

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Rabu, 31 Maret 2010

How to update your interiors effortlessly for this Summer season

As the snow begins to melt, and the stormy, 30 degree skies turn bright and sunny, most people get the itch to redecorate. I often tell clients to style their homes with versatility in mind, especially when they start making purchases. But keep in mind that if you redecorate your home during a particular season, such as Fall, you will often choose fabrics, colors and accessories that are warm in color, and heavy in context.

Kenneth Brown

And if you redecorate in the Spring or Summer, most often you will choose fabrics that are light and bright, furniture that is easy, and colors that cool and calming.

www.avraminteriors.com

This is perfectly natural. We are attracted to the things that bring us the most comfort. So when it is 20 degrees outside, and we are redecorating, we have a tendency to be drawn to warm colors of burnt orange, warm sage greens, and deep reds. And when it is 90 degrees with 80% humidity we will gravitate towards colors of soft aqua blue, mint green, pink, and white. It just feels refreshing.

So what can you do to adapt your home sinuously into this upcoming Spring and Summer season? Add pops of fresh bright colors like orange, and yellow, such as the photo below did.

Judith Balis

Change out dark lampshades, of brown or black, (like the ones shown below) to crisp white, or cream. Choose lamp shades without boning or ribbing to keep them more casual, which is perfect for summer!

Shelly Riehl

Always design with flexibility in mind. Whether you do your purchasing in the Spring or Fall there are things that can be thought of ahead of time, for the upcoming season. For instance, when you purchase a sofa, or a chair, find out if it is available in a slipcover. If it is, you can have two looks for the price of one.

Make custom draperies reversible. This allows versatility for the seasons, and they can easily be switched around for a fresh new look thats blends gracefully into this upcoming summer season.

If you have an open floor plan in your home, can the dining chairs become a part of the family room seating? If so, do you typically entertain more in the Fall or in the Spring? Choose dining chairs that work for the season you entertain in the most. If you do more entertaining in the Spring and Summer then purchase chairs that are light and bright. (such as the captains chairs in the photo above. The side chairs are neutral, but the captains chairs are bright and fun and they would work beautifully in a family room for extra seating; such as the family room pictured below.)

www.beasleyandhenley.com

Updating your home for this Spring/Summer season can be easy and effortless. With the help of a few key pieces your room can be transformed in a matter of minutes. My top items for updating a room for this Spring/Summer are as follows:

1) Bright and colorful toss pillows (preferably with down inserts)

2) Add a lightweight throw in a crisp summer hue.

3) Accessories in pops of orange, green, blue and white.

4) Scented candles in fresh scents of jasmine, cilantro, lemonwood, or gardenia

5) Colorful artwork in blues, whites, greens, pinks, and orange

6) Fresh plants such as succulents, orchids, or wheat grass
7) And flip those reversible draperies over

Just a few easy items and your family room will look smashing! One of my favorite books that has an enormous array of inspiring photos for spring is the Domino book of room by room decorating! And Amazon currently has it on sale for $20 bucks! Does it get any better than this? Happy Spring to you!

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Senin, 29 Maret 2010

#1 question of an interior designer~What exactly do you do?

The craft begins

When I went to school to be an interior designer, it never crossed my mind that for the next 12 or so years of my life, I would spend a good portion of that time explaining what it is I DO. I think as designers we take for granted or assume that people know what our job entails. I was recently inspired by an article that Tom Beasley wrote on his blog pertaining to this very subject. In addition to this articles points, I think it is also very important for consumers/potential clients to know how valuable our creativity is. If it wasn't valuable then no one would ever hire us for help. Our intellectual property is worth it's weight in gold. And the more years a designer has, the more valuable that gold is. (keep this in mind when you are evaluating a green pea fresh out of school at $25 an hour versus a seasoned designer of 10 years who charges $100) Fees are all relevant to level of experience, and competency. For example, a few years ago a green pea that I was mentoring came to me and said she wanted me to take over one of her projects. Unsure of the reasoning I contacted the client. They were exasperated. After 10 hours of work with her they felt they has accomplished nothing. I went in, determined the issues, developed a plan, set up my trades and solved the problem, all in 2 hours. So at first glance I may seem more expensive, but my competency saves you time and money.

flickr

Not only do we evaluate blueprints, specify fixtures, meet with builders, architects, and cabinet makers, build space plans, select furniture, design window treatments, select fabrics, choose paint, evaluate reflective ceiling plans, act as purchasing agents,... and many other services- at the end of the day, we creatively and cohesively put together an original vision, unique only to your home.

Hilsa Beck

When my mama comes to town she always comes to the office with me. (she has no choice) She is completely taken away at hard we work, and how many INFINITE details we take care of in my office, to make your house into a home. "I could NEVER do what you do!" she says to me. "Well, I could never do what YOU do!" I say to her. (she is an E.R. Nurse.yucky!)

Tracy Morris

I know that interior design mystifies a lot of people. I know that creativity eludes many people. But what we do is pure magic. (can you hear the angels singing?) When you approach us with your project, it is as if we are looking at a blank canvas full of potential. Often times we can see that project six to eight months down the road completed in all it's glory and beauty.

Flickr

Interior design is an art form. It takes great talent, consideration, and organization to do what we do, and it is a business. Our time is valuable, and our ideas are our enterprise. We do what we do because we love it, and the creativity keeps us alive. But remember that the intellectual property that we hold is not just for good merit. What is it that we do, you ask? We are entrepreneurial tycoons, promoting and dealing our trades, multi tasking, design mavens that hustle on your behalf to twist, tweak and skillfully accomplish with absolute expertise ~ design magic! So that when you start your day, and end your day, there is a smile on your face because your home makes you genuinely happy!

Jumat, 26 Maret 2010

Nashville decorator on Family rooms. How to make them versatile.

Family rooms are the most versatile rooms in our house. Whatever your lifeSTYLE, they can be used for watching a movie, entertaining guests, doing homework, listening to music or quietly reading a book~assuming you have purchased the right sized lamps!

Troy Beasley

The most important thing when putting together a family room is a PLAN or as I like to call, the Design Diarys. Whether the space is big or small, the right furnishings will put more STYLE, personality, and function into your room.

Gregory Augustine

When designing a family room it is important to capture your STYLE, so the room lives and breathes the way you do. For example, if the room will only be used for entertaining and music then there is no reason to spend thousands of dollars on an entertainment unit that holds a TV. You will put yourself at ease by following your design diarie's and tailoring the furnishings accordingly.

Kenneth Brown

Once you have determined HOW the room will be used, select fabrics that function appropriately for it's use. Obviously if kids will be involved the fabrics need to be prepared for combat. Different fabrics express different levels of formality and they need to sync well with the rooms purpose.

Ammie Kim

Always dress your windows with draperies. Draperies play a major role in building your STYLE, and they too can determine the formality of the room. Windows without draperies look naked, and the room will look unfinished. BUT make sure they are the correct SCALE, don't throw some Bed, Bath and Beyond draperies up for the sake of having your windows dressed. As a rule of thumb remember, GO BIG or GO HOME.

Troy Beasley

Tell a story with your furniture. Don't select the entire suite from the furniture store. Choose pieces that speak to you and your personality. Stick to your diary, and choose items that read closely to your rooms function without sacrificing the end goals. This will give you your STYLE!

Lori Dennis
Lastly, design with flexibility in mind. Always have lightweight options, like stools, that can be easily moved around. Or leave open space so that chairs or other seating from other rooms can be added. Small tables are lightweight and can easily be moved for different settings.

Troy Beasly
Mix it up have fun, and remember, stick to your diaries so you don't lose your STYLE!

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Selasa, 23 Maret 2010

Style-Does your home reflect who you really are?

How well do you know yourself? Do you know what the elements of your style are? How exactly does one find or create S T Y L E ?

www.omniartedesign.com

Your home is a snap shot of who you are. A reflection of your personality, your likes and dislikes. Does your home really show you off? Often times when I go to a potential clients home it is like stepping into a 20 year time capsule of their life cycles instead of their life STYLE. Strolling through an ill assorted casket of treasures from the cherished to the unknown. I find it funny how so many of us "hang on" to something from when we were "in college", "first married", or "just because". And we are ALL culprits of this mentality. We ALL do it. But does it really show us off? Show the unique, extraordinary individuals that we are?

Lori Dennis

Our homes are our havens. Our refuge. A place to come home to after a long day of work, or a place to work from. It is by far THE largest investment that we make in our life times. Our homes bring us peace, security, comfort, and they support us through all our moods. Our homes see the best and the worst of us. They verifiably see and breathe our authentic selves. The old saying of "if these walls could talk" is truest to life. So why is it we allow ourselves to live in life cycles rather than a life STYLE?

www.omniartedesign.co

Lifestyle Caravan
(This is a Travel Trailer)

So often consumers want to rush out and BUY as much as possible-ALL AT ONCE! The idea of instant gratification. This is not a lifeSTYLE. This is making a lot of unwise buying choices all at once, and one of two things will happen. 1) You hang onto it for 20 years (for reasons yet to be understood) or 2) After a few years you realize the choices were made in haste, you hate everything, and all those dollars are thrown down the drain, and you start the life cycle over again by running out and making more unwise purchasing decisions. ~insert hiring a Professional Interior Designer here~
Lori Dennis

Creating a lifeSTYLE isn't as perplexing as Martha Stewart's inability to age. It is about making wise purchasing decisions, and having a plan. (Don't know where to start? Try reading my post on Designing a Room, where to start. )A lifeSTYLE is all about living your best life. Living amongst things that bring you the most joy. Is that inexpensive Ashley sofa really bringing you joy? Or was it appropriate for that particular life cycle two years ago?

You want your home to be a genuine representation of who you ARE, not who you have been or were 20 years ago. Your home should bring a smile to your face and give you undeniable bliss. Don't allow it to become a junkyard of days past that may have been difficult. Our lives are complicated enough. We need to be surrounded by things that are pleasant and agreeable. Things that bring us pleasure whether they be simple or complex. When you live in a life that surrounds you and supports WHO YOU ARE, you become even better. You perform at your best and become your best. This is a lifeSTYLE.

So the next time you want to rush out and make a quick buy to update your room ask yourself these questions:
1) Is this a part of my plan?
2) Do I LOVE it? Does it bring me joy?
3) Am I looking at the object or am I looking at the price? (If you are looking at the price you are being sucked into your pattern of life cycle. This will only add to the junk yard casket of treasures)
4) Does this fit my lifestyle? My personality? Does this add to living my best life?

We can all use a little less stuff in our lives and add a little more
STYLE!

Minggu, 21 Maret 2010

Contemporary Interior Design

Contemporary Interior

Contemporary Interior Design
Contemporary interior design has added excitement to homes and offices worldwide. Designers working on these projects are new and specific challenges when working with clients. Advanced features in the homes need to accommodate massive computers and entertainment centers. Contemporary interior designs must also pay attention to other office equipment and facilities for special events, such as video conferencing.

Contemporary Interior Design
There are good examples which show that those who meet contemporary interior design has created some wonderful examples in homes and offices worldwide. Designers who are responsible for modern interior design are included in the project because they are built, and these designers are also involved in the renovation of properties that have been around for centuries. Different types of properties present serious challenges at times for specialists in contemporary interior design. These designers are also involved in working with clients to produce the next generation of grand estate living and working in the modern world. The globalization of world society and poses a significant challenge for those working in contemporary interior design.

Contemporary Interior

Designers face challenges even implied by their predecessors during the last century. There is a new emphasis on environmental protection. Projects completed by designers today could have an impact on communities for years to come. Contemporary interior design must show sensitivity to environmental issues. Using beautiful wooden one contemporary design can be an important factor for those who work to interior design beautiful properties.Contemporary interior designers can now shop for toiletries and pay special attention to the amount of water used by different models in the market.

Contemporary Interior Design
A designer may want to create an exotic atrium with fountain, resulting in soothing sound of water. This creativity must assess the proper use of water involved in this endeavor. The interior designers of the past are unlikely to have the same problems. Contemporary interior design has some new challenges, but this area has some new benefits. New products such as granite countertops, which add texture and sheen of contemporary cuisine. Paints come in colors that were not available several years ago. Interior designers work in a dynamic world filled with exciting tools and overcome obstacles.