Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Create a Healthy & Gorgeous Home
When you start planning your next home "re-do" - think "healthy". Consider innovative home decor products that are both beautiful AND eco-friendly.
Today we face environmental health threats not encountered by earlier generations. The materials used in the building of today's homes contribute to indoor air pollution that has never before existed in the history of the human race.
Significant changes have occurred considerably with regards to construction and building practices, particularly since World War II and the energy crunch of the 1970's. The modern invention of adhesives, synthetic carpet, synthetic paints, etc., all contribute to a virtual chemical soup within our living space.
Studies have shown that the air pollution found within our homes can be up to 10 times greater than that of outdoor air pollution due to the out gassing process of the materials used and the tighter, more energy efficient structures.
When materials age and degrade, gases are released. These gases are called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Though not all VOCs are harmful, such as water, many can negatively affect our health. (That new car smell is a prime example of out gassing from the synthetic materials used).
We make better choices with nutrition and exercise but fail to understand that food is not the only element being ingested. Through our furnishings alone, formaldehyde, ammonia, insecticides, and many more toxins are breathed into our systems as they outgas.
Many of us suffer the effects without connecting a possible cause. Many symptoms such as headaches lethargy, and anxiety can be traced to out gassing chemicals within our own safe havens, our homes.
The good news is that we DO have choices. Going back to nature allows us more durability and longevity in building and furnishing materials. Fewer toxins create an improved air quality thereby creating an improved quality of life. By acting consciously for a healthier home environment, as we do for a healthier mind or body, we create Home, in the truest sense of the word. And when we start at the heart, the benefits travel outward. Our choices affect our lives and those of our loved ones, and finally, of the planet that sustains us.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Give Your Home Personality
When we think of a person as being dull or bland, we often describe that person as "having no personality". In the same sense, a room or an entire home that lacks personality can also be dull or bland. It is the personality that we create for our own spaces that make those spaces different and uniquely "us".
To create a personality for a single room or entire home, start by analyzing the traits of the people who live there. What are their personality traits? Are they aggressive or shy, gregarious or reclusive, serious or fun loving, practical or impractical, and so on.
Once you have discovered the personality traits, decorate to those traits. For example, a fun "loving person" may prefer a room with whimsical accessories and brightly painted walls. On the other hand, a person that is "serious" may prefer a dark mahogany paneling and uncluttered spaces.
If you are decorating an entire house, you will likely have personality differences between family members. In that case, take the home room by room and decorate each room to reflect the personality traits of the person that spends the most time in a particular room. If the space is commonly used by multiple members of the household in equal amounts - then this is definitely a matter of compromise and trade offs. The best recourse is to create a decorating scheme that uses colors and furnishings that all household members can agree on.
As a final hint, although you may like your neighbor's home, it is not your home. Your home should reflect You.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Good Decorating = Good Planning
Except for the few rare instances of luck or magic, most great rooms started with a decorating plan. A professional interior decorator does not work with a magic wand - they work with a comprehensive plan. Therefore, it follows that a novice decorator really needs a good solid plan before any decorating project commences.
So with that point being made, what exactly needs to be in a decorating plan? Simply stated, you should have everything that is going to be done in the room and everything that is going to be purchased for the room written down on paper.
Common elements to your plan are:
Budget. This is the first step to a feasible plan. You must decide how much you are going to invest in your room and when you are going to be able to invest it. This knowledge will help you move forward on a schedule of priorities until the room is completed.
A floor plan. This is a scale drawing of the room and every item that is going into the room. Yes, that does mean that you must get out your trusty 25 foot tape measure and measure the walls, windows, floors, ceiling and all the furnishings that you now own that will remain in the room. You can use a 1/4 inch scale piece of graph paper to create this drawing, using 1/4 inch per foot as your basis.
A color scheme. The easy way to do this is to select paint chips that you like and compile them into a color palette for the room. Your palette should have a dominant color, a secondary color and an accent color. Keep in mind the size and architecture of the room when selecting your color palette.
A style point of view. The four basic styles are traditional, modern, country and eclectic. Also decide if the room will be formal or informal.
Window treatments. In deciding the window treatments consider not only the aesthetics, but also the function. Consider light, solar heat and ventilation. Is the window view a focal point? Appropriately treated windows are crucial to a successful room plan.
Furnishings. If you are adding new furniture, make sure it is in scale and proportion to the room and its occupants. If you see a piece in a store, measure it, then add it to your scale plan to be sure it will work for you. After it is determined that the piece will fit properly, decide if it fits into your planned style and color palette.
Lighting. Often an afterthought, good lighting is essential. Your room should have sufficient general lighting, task lighting and accent lighting. The lighting needs to be balanced around the room so that there are no dark corners or too brightly lite areas. Mark where your lighting will be in your scaled room plan.
Flooring. What will be on the floor? Carpet, rugs, wood, laminate, vinyl. So many great choices in today's marketplace, but be sure it is appropriate to the function and style of the room.
Accessories. The accessories should be in line with your function, style and color palette. Consider silk plants, wall decor, table top arrangements. With accessories, less is more. Clutter is the opposite of good accessorizing.
Beauty. Everything in your room should be beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If a piece is unsettling or "irritates" you - get it out of the room. It is not beautiful to you.
Now you have a plan that should assure a fabulous and functional room!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Decorating as Art - Principles of Design
When you decorate your home you are, in fact, creating a beautiful piece of art. And, as with many other art forms, certain design principles must be applied by the artist in order to assure that the completed piece is visually pleasing.
The design principles that interiors designers and decorators apply to their trade are very similar to the design principles used by other skilled artists -
balance, emphasis, rhythm, variety/unity, proportion/scale.
Balance is the visual equilibrium of the whole space when all the objects intended for the space have been positioned therein. Balance can also be described as visual weight. A well balanced room has equal visual weight on opposing walls.
Emphasis is often described as a focal point, which is a major point of interest to which the eye is drawn. Although a room may have several minor points of interest, it should only have one focal point. A focal point is often a fireplace, large window or colorful piece of art.
Rhythm is the continuity of objects in a space so that each element of design relates to the other elements in the space. Rhythm can be achieved by
repetition and
progression (flow of movement) of objects. An example of repetition is that the colors of a focal point art piece are repeated in the fabric colors of the sofa and draperies. An example of progression is a series of similar decorative jars graduated in size from large to small and placed on a fireplace mantel.
Variety/Unity are the principles that are used to make the space visually interesting and visually hold the space together. Variety can be obtained by using different textures, colors, patterns and materials throughout the space. Unity can be accomplished by repeating those textures, color, patterns and materials throughout the space.
Proportion/Scale are the principles that deal with the size of objects. Proportion is the relationship of a single part of an object to the whole object. For instance, a table would be out of proportion if the table top was very thick and the legs were very thin. Scale refers to an object's size in relationship to some constant - and in interior design that is usually the human body. For instance, if a room has a 20-foot high ceiling, the room can be visually reduced to human scale by repeating art pieces around the room at human eye level.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Five Elements Make Good Design
Good interior design rarely happens by chance. Whether it was done instinctively or by conscious thought, more than likely a room design is successful because the basic elements of design were considered during the design planning process.
There are five basic elements of design -
space, form, line, texture, color.
Space is the three dimensional boundaries of the area (room) in which you are working. Generally space issues occur when there is
too much space or
too little space. The available space in a room must be carefully considered prior to selecting any home decor products.
Form (or shape) is a three dimensional object or structure to be placed within the defined space (room). A form can be square, triangle, circle, curved, rectangular, etc. For a pleasing result, space should be designed so that there is a variety of forms and is no one form obviously dominates the space.
Line can be straight or curved. Straight lines are horizontal, vertical or diagonal, are considered "strong", and are used to draw the eye in a certain direction. Curved lies are "weak" and soften a space when used in conjunction with straight lines. Straight lines are considered masculine and curved lines are considered feminine. Line is chosen based on the architecture of the space, who is using the space and the use of the space.
Texture is the surface quality of an object as it relates to touch and vision. Texture surface can be fluffy, rough, smooth, coarse, fine or shiny. Floorcoverings, fabrics, paint and wood are all potential sources for texture. Smooth texture is associated with a formal feel and coarse texture creates a more casual atmosphere. For interest, a space should include a variety of textures.
Color is the brain's reaction to the eye's stimulation by light, natural or artificial. Designers speak of color in terms of hues, tints, tones, shades, values and intensities. Color can change the mood and visual architecture of a space. Colors can be warm or cool and can visually reduce or enlarge a space. Choose colors based on the boundaries of the space, the preferences of the occupants and the use of the space.
Monday, July 14, 2008
The Two Parts of a Well Decorated Room
Some of you may have looked at a magazine photograph of a fabulously decorated room and said to yourself "love it - want it - I am going to do the exact same thing in my own home". So you commence your shopping journey with the goal of copying that room. Big bucks and huge amounts of time later the room stands completed - but sadly your room lacks the appeal and zest of the photographed room.
What went wrong? Most likely, the
structural needs and the
decorative needs of your room were very different than the room in the photograph.
Think of your room as a human body - Do we all look good in the same cut of clothes? Do we all look good in the same color? Do we all wear the same size? The rooms in your home are as unique as you are as a human being - so it follows that you may not be able to successfully "cookie cutter" a room from a photograph.
Good decorating is a blending of two parts - structural design and decorative design.
Structural design is the architectural or constructed features of the room. Examples to consider are: Is the roof slanted? Is the ceiling high or low? Are there lots of windows or just a few? Where are the doors?
Decorative design is the combination of decorative elements placed in the room. Examples to consider are: Is the size of the furniture in proportion to the room? Does the placement of the furnishings allow sufficient "traffic flow" through the room? Does the furniture support the user needs of the family? Does the decorative style relate to the architectural features of the home?
Think of your room as a family member or good friend - study it and get to know it well. Chances are your finished room will be just as fabulous as that magazine photograph.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Your Decorating Goal - A Suitable Living Space
Billy Baldwin, a master of interior design, once stated that interior design could be easily described with one word "suitability". In one word, Mr. Baldwin expressed what decorating is all about - that a living space must be "suitable" for all the people who reside there. Okay - good to know - but what exactly does that mean?
A suitable living space has four basic elements: Function, Beauty, Personality, Economy.
Function. Is the home workable? A home must work efficiently and effectively for the family members that live there. An example of a home that isn't workable might be: A family of eight frequently watch television together - and yet there is only comfortable seating for three in the "TV room".
Beauty. Is the home pleasing to the senses? A home must be aesthetically pleasing to the people residing in the home. An example of a home that lacks "beauty" might be: The members of the family all prefer warm colors and a cozy atmosphere - and yet the main areas of the home are all decorated with contemporary furnishings and cool colors because that's the current "decorating trend".
Personality. Does the home reflect the individuality and uniqueness of those who live there?
A home should reflect the style and taste preferences of the people who live there. An example of a home that does not have the right personality might be: The family purchased a fully furnished developer's "model home" that is decorated in Italian Baroque decor, although they all love American County.
Economy. Does the home conserve human energy and is it environmentally sensitive? A home should be convenient to live in, require an acceptable amount of maintenance and conserve energy. An example of a home that is not convenient or conserve energy might be: Although the home gets very hot in summer and very cold in winter, the rooms have curtains that are light and airy rather than window treatments made of insulated energy efficient fabric.
