September, 2009 - Browsing by month

 

Properly Lit Focal Point Sparks Interest in Foyers

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Do you have a focal point in your foyer? As an interior design expert I preach the importance of adding light as a critical element in your foyer. According to Rita St. Claire, ”a focal point is usually understood to be a beautiful object that serves as a room’s visual centerpiece. It’s therefore often used to divert attention from a less attractive aspect of the same room, such as an awkward architectural feature.” This is where the element of light comes in. And it also helps to have a dramatic piece of furniture or art to pull the eye. Read more about foyers here.

Dee_05 Console foyer resized

Using decoratively painted furniture can add just the element of drama. Take care and consider the balance and proportion of the visual interest of the furniture to the surrounding areas and art.

photo courtesy of silive.com

As Rita St. Claire notes about this composition, “the photo shows a parrot-green painted cabinet that’s part of Century Furniture’s Oscar de la Renta collection. It would surely be an eye-catching addition to your entrance hall. I wouldn’t display it the way this photo does, however. So lovely a focal point shouldn’t be accompanied by a decoratively patterned tabletop lamp or by a botanical print.”

One of my favorite pieces from Hickory Chair can be customized and create a perfect focal point for a foyer or the end of a hallway. The hand-carved elements of this chest - pomegranate, rosette and lion - are symbols in use since Byzantine times. The pomegranate is said to represent eternity and fertility because of their hundreds of seeds; the lions, strength, valor and courage, and the rosette, royalty. A unique aspect of this solid maple chest is in its flush top which allows grouping of multiple units. (Description from Hickory Chair)

4087-71 From the Archive Collection

What if you had a direction behind your purchase? And accessories. Want to save time and money? Wishing you had a friend in the design business right now? We’re here to help, and fast.

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Harvest Fall - Add Orange Zest to your Interior Design

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As an interior design color specialist, I relish the fall harvest. The colors are magnificent and inspire me to add color accents from the harvest of fruits and vegetables.

vegetable harvest

I love the color of persimmons. According to Tea and Cookies blog, ”today’s persimmons are from China, where they have been grown for centuries and more than two thousand cultivars exist. From there the plants were introduced to Korea and Japan. It wasn’t until the mid 1800s that persimmons were brought to Europe and the United States.”
My accessory color in interiors this season is likely to be this striking color. That’s why I loved the image from Tozai Home of the porcelain vases. Persimmon and orange work well with natural and dark wood tones and they add an upbeat sunny attitude to your home.
Benjamin Moore 2008-20 Claret Rose is a favorite this fall. Need help to get started with color?

DIY-er? Craving one simple, beautiful space? Wishing you had a friend in the design business right now? We’re here to help, and fast.

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Bungalow Fair Continues as Premier Arts and Crafts Exhibit in Seattle

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12th Annual Bungalow Fair in Seattle

On Saturday I toured the 12th Annual Bungalow Fair. It renewed my enthusiasm for the Arts and Crafts Movement. As an interior design expert, this show is both a sensory experience and a refresher course for me and my interior design practice. So what exactly is Craftsman style? Bungalow describes a building type while Craftsman implies a style with design characteristics and decorative elements added to the structure. The Arts and Crafts era began in England and spread to the US in reaction to industrialization. ( 1890-early 1920)

The Glasgow Style: Artists in the Decorative Arts, Circa 1900 Laura Euler

Coincidentally, much like today, features merged outdoors and indoors, emphasized the use of natural materials and shunned excessive ornamentation. Some of my favorite booths showed Batchelder Tile, both original and new. I absolutely find these tiles inspiring.

Batchelder Tile image courtesy of caltiles.com

Learn more about Batchelder Tile and its history here.

Wish you had help picking colors? Would that tiny paint chip really look good on that huge wall? Wishing you had a friend in the design business right now? We’re here to help, and fast.

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Vintage Meets Modern in Design Today

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My expert interior designer eyes see a major trend emerging. Most likely an element of the economic downturn but I think something more.. Excess is out and value is in. The trend I see is the combination of the two elements in our interior furnishings. What I refer to as ‘landfill furniture’ is no more (good riddance). Instead reuse of classic upholstery and wood pieces with true appreciation for their design is the IN. What some interior designers call “transitional” decorating — artfully mixing contemporary pieces with vintage ones — is “the No. 1 featured style in magazines like House Beautiful, and in Elle Decor on a fine level, and in Cottage Living,” says interior designer Mallory Mathison.

Image courtesy of www.silive.com

Image courtesy ehow.com

Image courtesy everythingleb.blogspot

Designer Brian Patrick Flynn says, “There is something to be said about a well-made, 50-year-old piece still doing its job in your present home. A lot of older things were just made better. But mixing those quality older pieces with something new gives them a fresh look.” What matters and is critical for design success? Contrast with texture, maintain proportion, and most importantly EDIT! That modernist art may be the only element needed or the modernist art element may be introduced with a lamp shade and new fabric on an vintage wing chair.

Custom shade Dawn Bassett litshades.com

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Take a moment and check out vintage shops, your parents/grandparents attic and garage sales. Then express yourself.

Craving one simple, beautiful space? Wishing you had a friend in the design business right now? We’re here to help, and fast! Let’s do this!

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Add Color and History to your Interior Design

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As an interior designer, I follow numerous design blogs.. one favorite being Design Sponge. This week Grace featured a headboard with ‘otomi’ fabric. Since I am captivated with textiles, see the Suzanis post, I wanted to share more about this particular textile, Mexican otomi fabric, handmade by the Otomi Indians of Central Mexico. Then I learned about the Mexican Indigenous Textile Project. “Mexican textiles have existed for more than 5000 years, but now in many villages traditional embroidered blouses (huipils) are worn only by the grandmothers. Mexico’s indigenous textile culture is in danger of extinction.” Look for some Otomi fabric in upcoming projects! You can also purchase from Ebay and support the effort to preserve the textile culture.

Colorful bedspreads from www.jacarandahome.com

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Inspiration headboard from Design Sponge

Embroidered coverlets, known as tenangos

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