July, 2009 - Browsing by month

Some of the most read posts from this blog are about design with children and makeovers ideas for their rooms. You know that a fresh coat of paint is always a fast makeover especially if you let your children in on the selection process. But always test the color (purchase a test kit or quart) and paint a sample one foot square in several places in the room. These days there a fewer splurges on furnishings and furniture so I offer some options that are affordable to change a bedroom for a child.

Once you select a color the fun begins.. and I want to share a special and unique source. The company is Wonderful Graffiti and I have known about them for many years. Mary McPhail is the co-founder and creative director of the company. The company is best known for Wonderful Graffiti™ transfers. The opportunities are abundant to impart your creative bent with the huge selection on the site.

Considering children’s rooms, I saw a few that would be a great starting point to a unique room for your child. If you ever wanted to use words as decoration, here’s your chance.

From Wonderful Graffiti

Create your own canvas

Use a graphic with a child's name

Have fun and exercise your imagination without breaking your budget. Your child will love it and so will you.

Always eager to hear from you so send your comments or questions.

Tags: design with children, Faith Sheridan, makeover ideas, Seattle, wonderful graffiti
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | 2 Comments »

Still got the Wabi-Sabi bug… so I want to talk about using Wabi-Sabi and in our high tech kitchens. How can we take the edge off the stainless steel and polished stone counters? In Seattle using reclaimed wood is very popular. Adding a table with reclaimed wood is a wonderful way to add something tactile and with history to your kitchen. At my firm, Faith Sheridan Interior Design, I believe it’s a wabi-sabi, recycled material solution that sets a design apart. Or you could shop antique stores for a harvest table such as the one shown in the photo. I enjoy the transition of the kitchen with the simple addition of something old or vintage. It remains clean and uncluttered. While visiting those flea markets or antique shops, look for vintage baskets. Not only are they practical, but they also bring some ‘patina’ to your home.

As regular readers know, I enjoy mixing different sorts of pieces, as long as they’re good looking and scaled appropriately to the setting. A collected look adds and enhances a design. According to Rita St. Clair, “The challenge professional designers face is to make a space look attractive and function well, regardless of whether we share a client’s aesthetics or lifestyle.”

Tags: Faith Sheridan, high tech kitchens, reclaimed wood, Seattle, wabi sabi
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | No Comments »

Lately my interior design inspirations seek some Wabi Sabi. And what’s Wabi Sabi exactly? I like Architect Tadao Ando’s definition, “Pared down to its barest essence, wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature, of accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. It celebrates cracks and crevices and all the other marks that time, weather, and loving use leave behind. Through wabi-sabi, we learn to embrace liver spots, rust, and frayed edges, and the march of time they represent. It reminds me of this rustic cabin I designed which honored the old.

Wabi-Sabi barbeque

Wabi-sabi is underplayed and modest, the kind of quiet, undeclared beauty that waits patiently to be discovered. It’s a fragmentary glimpse: the branch representing the entire tree, shoji screens filtering the sun, the moon 90 percent obscured behind a ribbon of cloud. It’s a richly mellow beauty that’s striking but not obvious, that you can imagine having around you for a long, long time-Katherine Hepburn versus Marilyn Monroe.

It’s the peace found in a moss garden, the musty smell of geraniums, the astringent taste of powdered green tea. My favorite Japanese phrase for describing wabi-sabi is “natsukashii furusato,” or an old memory of my hometown. (This is a prevalent mind-set in Japan these days, as people born in major urban areas such as Tokyo and Osaka wax nostalgic over grandparents’ country houses that perhaps never were. They can even “rent” grandparents who live in prototypical country houses and spend the weekend there.)”

Thanks to Tadao Ando for sharing this description. Would like to live with Wabi-Sabi?

Tags: interior design inspiration, rustic cabin, Seattle, wabi sabi
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | No Comments »

I find clutter a tremendous distraction and irritant. My Seattle interior design clients are no different. Our busy families and households function more effectively and everyone is happier when ‘everything has a place’. A store I frequently recommend and that I frequent myself is Storables. Dodd Fischer (Founder/Owner) became interested in the Housewares/Lifestyle Store concept over 25 years ago. He was drawn to contemporary Italian design and the developing business of ready-to-assemble furniture. Plastic storage containers and organizers began appearing in department stores and the storage goods business was an emerging niche in housewares.

Some Favorites

Browse for your favorite here.

The first Storables opened at Beaverton Town Square, near Portland, Oregon, in 1981. They are committed to stocking a wide selection of quality products and exclusive designs. And they are passionate about organizing spaces. Function and style now play a key role in home organization. When your mission is to create needed storage and organization, this is a great place to go. Need some suggestions, I can help.

Tags: design clients, home organization, interior design, lifestyle store, Seattle designer
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | 2 Comments »

Here in Seattle, we are having a fantastic summer. I see my interior design clients entertaining and considering modifications to enhance the outdoor entertaining experience for their families and guests. In this post I share some ideas from BHG by Kelly D. Norris that you can still tackle to extend the enjoyment of your patio this summer and into the fall.

• Make it Soothing with Water

• Add Cover with a Pergola

• Carpet for Your Patio

• Use Charming Accents

• Build a Fire Pit

• Just add Wind Chimes

• Feed the Birds

Visit BHG for instructions and you can add even more enjoyment to your summer today!

Tags: interior design, Seattle, sizzling summer
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | 1 Comment »