June, 2010 - Browsing by month

Over the past year in my Seattle interior design practice, I’ve reacquainted myself with settees. In one project, I have a 100+ year old one ready for upholstery after a total restoration of the frame and cushion. (Photos later). The same clients have another settee with arms which is being put to use in the kitchen area. To finish a condo foyer, I am using another settee as a landing spot for sitting to put on or remove shoes. So I am enjoying the versatility of this piece of furniture.

Smaller than a standard sofa, a settee usually accommodates two people, which accounts for its sometimes being called a love seat. The versatile size permits placement in tight spots, and in large rooms, a settee might be part of a secondary grouping. From Elle Decor, The Top Ten Settees, here are some ways to make use of the adaptable settee.

• A pair of shallow settees provide a welcoming anchor for an entrance hall
• At the foot of a bed for reading or putting on shoes ( like my idea for my client’s foyer)
• A settee arranged with a couple of chairs and a table is a breakfast nook/banquette for dining
• Two placed back-to-back, with a table in between, expands the seating possibilities in a small living room

I have some favorites and check out the Elle Decor link for the top ten from Alexa Hampton and Thom Felicia.

Deco Loveseat Julia Gray

Verhalen Banquette Hancock and Moore

Need a friend in the design business? We’re here to help! Call Faith Sheridan Design Group 206.437.8000 or send a note design@faithsheridan.com

Tags: elle decor, Faith Sheridan Design Group, How to use settees, Seattle interior designer, versatile seating
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As a Seattle interior designer, I know my clients love their sunshine and many have large window surfaces for all that sunlight to enter their homes. But it comes with a tradeoff. Very quickly your home can become a hothouse and more like a sauna. That makes you sticky and uncomfortable. So what to do? Read this article and call us for advice.

A great solution for windows with abundant sunlight is to install solar shades. I prefer them to be installed on the inside of the window for a clean appearance and minimalist look. In a more traditional or formal room, drapery panels add another layer for a softer look.

These shades reduce glare and will actually absorb heat while you enjoy all the abundant light and views from your windows. In Seattle, my resource for solar shades is Iris Windowcoverings for all the details and knowledge.

Need a friend in the design business? We’re here to help - so call us today 206.437.8000.

Tags: Faith Sheridan Design Group, how to beat the heat, Seattle, Seattle interior designer, solar shades, windowcoverings
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In my Seattle interior design practice I frequently place nesting tables in space challenged interiors. Nesting tables are always a design standard for many reasons. They are space efficient and multifunctional. Two to three tables are sold together and nest in one another. More recently I find tables that stack a fresh alternative. With the popularity of ottoman cocktail tables, the stack table can move to the ottoman for drinks or food and then return as a side table. See the images below as examples:

serenaandlily.com

Both the Alexa Hampton Asian inspired stack tables and the colorfully exotic hand-painted tables from Serena & Lily offer a fresh alternative to the tried and true nesting table.

However, there remains a place for the nesting table. Since the smaller tables slide under the larger tables, they don’t take up any more floor space than a typical end or lamp table. For this reason, they are a great alternative to side tables, as they provide small tables, great for nights where you are entertaining guests, or simply want to enjoy a meal in front of the television. Another application is beside your bed as you can stagger lamp, books, cups or candles.

Do you crave one simple, beautiful space? Wish you had a friend in the design business? We’re here to help.

Call Faith Sheridan Design Group 206.437.800 or send a message design@faithsheridan.com

Tags: Alexa Hampton, Faith Sheridan Design Group, Holly Hunt, nesting tables, Seattle interior designer, Serena and Lily, small tables, stack tables
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A tip from a Seattle interior designer, scents make memories. As scents are inhaled, the smell travels across the olfactory nerves located inside the nose and then up into the part of the brain that controls our moods, our memories and our ability to learn. What this means is that smells engage our mind and emotions.

Do you want that first impression of your home to be pleasant, appealing, curious and memorable? No burnt toast or last night’s dinner. I discovered a new resource in April… La Lozerie en Provence. From my friend and store owner, Kathy Dessonville, linensanddown.com, I love this candle scent. Amazing.

Made in France of organic soy with bee’s wax, this candle’s cotton wick burns smoke free. This candle from La Lozerie en Provence “From my garden to your home” comes in fragrances not widely available — choose from alpilles fig tree, wild lavender and candied orange. 40 hour burn time.

Want a friend in the design business? We’re here to help. Call 206.437.8000 or send a message, design@faithsheridan.com

Tags: candle scent, Faith Sheridan Design Group, first impression, fragrances, Seattle interior designer
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Call it perfect or WOW but a stunning powder room begins with a focal point. As a Seattle interior designer who’s designed many a powder room, my experience tells me it can be a sink, cabinet, mirror, wall-covering, color. It is something dramatic that immediately creates emotion. Powder rooms are made for statements so exaggeration is allowed. In a previous post about powder rooms, I shared an image from a San Francisco showhouse showing a very narrow powder room. In the photo below is a dramatic glass sink placed on a counter of reclaimed wood from a Street of Dreams I designed.

Faith Sheridan Design Group

Another fabulous sink on reclaimed wood by my good friend and fellow designer, Laurel Quint of Q Interior Design

An eye catching vessel sink makes a big statement

One final image but I think you have the idea by now-

Sinnotandco.com

Are you craving one fabulous powder room? Wish you had help? Wish you had a friend in the design business right now? You do! We’re here to help. Call us 206.437.8000 or send a message so we can discuss your project. design@faithsheridan.com

Tags: Faith Sheridan Design Group, focal point, glass sink, Powder room ideas, reclaimed wood, Seattle interior designer, vessel sink
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