Seattle interior design expert - ...Browsing by tag

What is an “al fresco” design inspiration? Interior design expert, Faith Sheridan interprets her client’s wish list.

My clients found a home in the Madrona neighborhood of Seattle and quickly embarked on a major remodel of the main floor including a custom kitchen. An overriding desire to connect the kitchen to the outdoors results in an eight foot window instead of traditional upper and lower cabinets. Peeks of garden foliage and abundant light from all four directions via the stairwell and other windows unify the main floor remodel of this Madrona home with an open theme. My clients prefer a Zen-like concept of clean lines, sleek surfaces and minimal clutter.

I located all refrigeration undercounter and customized storage throughout the remodel with pullouts that organize recycling, tableware, glassware, cookware and spice storage. A wall of cabinets 24″ deep collects small appliances, baking supplies, linens and other kitchen essentials.

The use of horizontal Wenge and horizontal rift-cut white oak veneers maintains a recurring horizontal design element throughout the home as do the simple cabinet pulls parallel to the grain. The Basalt counter material continues to the floor on the island and maintains smooth, continuous lines.

Enjoy the before images and the transformation. Learn more about Faith Sheridan and her team.

Tags: contemporary kitchen remodel, custom kitchen remodel, kitchen essentials, Seattle interior design expert, Seattle interior designer
Posted in Before and After | 1 Comment »

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.

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.

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)

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.

Tags: decorate foyer and entry hallways, furniture with visual interest, Seattle interior design expert
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | No Comments »

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.

Tags: arts and crafts movement, batchelder tile, Bungalow Fair in Seattle, craftsman style bungalow, Seattle interior design expert
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | No Comments »