Take a closer look

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 The room above works because of its mix of various materials with a neutral palette.   I kept returning to  beauty comma  to look at it over several days.  When you are drawn back to a room it is worthwhile to examine what aspects of it you like.  That was easy for me in this case- everything. 

Why does this room work in my view?

• blond woods are my favourite and have always been since I was in my twenties- no ebony or mahogony for me. I like my wood to integrate with the other elements in a room, not stand out. I like to use wood for its texture, not colour.
• clean lines allow your eyes to move over an object and  on to something else.They create visual flow in a room which works to create a  relaxing atmosphere.  Boxy is better in my view because these lines seem to fit/follow the envelope of a room .  Rectangular shapes can be softened by  accessories and softer textiles.
• sculptural shapes  are added in the lamp, vases, boxes  and rock like structures in front of the window. There are other shapes hiding. Have a closer look. The selection of these accessories were not done in haste because they play perfectly with each other. This room depends on sculpture as an art form.  Notice there are no two dimensional art pieces on the walls. 
• variety in  textiles (pattern, texture) is a must to support a mainly monochromatic room. The play of the striped rug  against the furry one  is wonderful. 
• the absence of jarring colour makes this room a calm retreat.  It is a room I could spend many hours in and still find it interesting because of the texture and shapes.  Less is always more in colour. 
• bringing the outdoors in by minimizing window treatments and utilizing the glimpses of nature as art.

What about this room in comparison?


It has many of the characteristics noted above but a much darker palette.  Texture and sculptural forms are dominant.

Matt Costigan via Decoria

Style like a pro -Texture

 Colour is the most obvious element in interior design because of its boldness or starkenss. Homeowners constantly update their rooms with colour changes, but what about all the other design elements?  For example, have you given your room a texture update lately? Texture is simply using a variety of  finishes in a room and it is easily improved by varying the composition of products in a room, e.g., glass,  woods, metal, plastic, cotton, velvet, lacquer, leather, ceramic. etc. Stop and look around you. How many different materials have you used in your room? What's your room's texture quotient? 

  Texture is the element that gets constantly overlooked  because its effects are subtle. It's one of those things that you take for granted when it is done well, but it's difficult to identify if it isn't , You just know the room looks boring, but you're not sure why. Layering textures gives a room interest and depth.

Jessica Helgerson  a Portland, Oregon  designer, is a master of texture. Many of her designs, typically clean and uncluttered,  rely on the richness of textures for visual interest. 

This mid-century modern split level ranch house takes on a new life under her skillful direction. The overall feeling is restful and outdoorsy. Furniture choices reflect the style of the home. The vintage finds were reupholstered  in light fabrics of varying textures. The coffee table made from salvaged maple is the center piece of the room. Its irregular edges and smooth surface plays well with  the Portuguese eel traps hanging over the fireplace mantel . Glass is prominent in the French demijohn bottles and ceramic Chinese garden stools are tucked into the room.  The woven area rug stands out against the smooth ebony floors.

At the end of the living room, the dining area continues the themes already established. You get a clearer view of the ceramic Chinese stool and the raised texture on the pillows.  The leather chairs work well against the high gloss wood table.  Plants, vegetables and wicker all work to enhance the  this welcoming room.  Metal chair legs show up well against the ebony floors. Glass and ceramic are evident in this room too. One of the musts in texture usage is to play matte and gloss surfaces off each other with one being more dominant -usually matte. The textures and colours of the outside also play an important role in this room's success.

Continuing with the white and green theme, this high contrast  bathroom has a lot of texture punch for a small space, Wood, metal, marble, ceramic, glass,  paper, and fabric are blended seamlessly to produce a room that wows.

And now a little quiz... how many textures are combined to produce this stunning master suite?

5 Window Treatments for Patio Doors

"What can I do with my patio door?" Since I often hear this question  from clients I'm  concluding  that sliding patio doors provide many challenges in home decor. If you are the proud owner of a patio door let's explore your options in window treatments. 

Fully Closing Draperies

Mark English Architects, AIA

 When the door is on an end wall fully closing draperies floor to ceiling and wall to wall looks stunning. This layered treatment has  panels and  sheers with both sets of draperies movable (you can tell from the layered rod treatment).  If you wanted to get a similar look on other than an end wall , place your drapery rods 18 - 24 inches beyond the window surface  extending the visual width but also allowing the panels to sit on the wall rather than over the window. Another way to decrease the cost is to have the side panels stationery and have the sheers movable.

Sliding Panels 

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Sliding panels  are a good solution for patio doors in a more contemporary setting and are available in a variety of colours and textures to match your decor. The panels slide under each other when open and you are left with one panel width at the side.  The vertical panels can range from 11 to 24 inches; the more panels the less glass  is covered when  they are open. Sliding panels are available in a wide range of materials  providing  varying degrees of privacy and light control. 

Sheer verticals

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If you want to combine the traditional look of sheer draperies and the functionality of vertical blinds choose sheer verticals. The under structure is a vertical blind but the  sheer fabric that covers the vertical vanes brings this treatment to a new level. By simply rotating  the vanes you can go from light filtering to complete privacy.

 Sliding Shoji Screens

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This is an unusual solution for a patio door but it is  a functional one.  A shoji screen has a wooden gridded frame with translucent paper inserted between the grids. Check out Shoji Design Inc. for beautiful designs.

 Plantation Shutters 

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Bi-fold plantation shutters are hinged together and fold against each other, similar to a closet door. You can choose between panels that are free hanging or ones used with a track to guide and support them. Bi-fold panels can be configured to open to one side or to both sides of the window. 

 

Dressing problem windows - 1

Not every window is perfectly sized  or perfectly placed, and when they aren't  it can be a challenge to decide on window treatments. This is the first of several posts on this topic.  If your window solution isn't here there's more to come.

Corner Windows 

Tracery Interiors

While corner windows are fantastic for views they often cause problems depending on how they meet in the corner.  This setting allows enough space for panels  to hang on the sides and in the centre, but they do not appear to be fully closing.  
 

Linda Donnelly

Roman shades are a good alternative in corner windows if there is enough room for the shades to meet in the corner. An inside mount would alleviate that problem.

Houzz

If privacy isn't an issue you can keep is simple with a mock roman valance that runs the width of the two windows.

Two different style windows in same room

 Amoroso Design

When you  have two different style windows in a room one solution is to put a roman shade on the smallest one.  You can use the same fabric to coordinate the look.

Mark Newman Design

If you have a layered treatment on the large window you can use the interior solution (blind, roman shade etc. ) on the smaller window. 

 High, small  basement windows

 Canadian House and Home

 When a window is set high in a wall it is difficult to know what to do with it.  My approach is to blend it into the wall rather than make it an accent.  That means keeping what you add as a treatment close in colour and value to the walls.  One of the simplest solutions is to use small tension rods and make a fitted curtain from translucent material .  In that way they can stay in place and still create some privacy.  Another option is faux wood blinds or sheer weave roller blinds that stay down.

Lu Tapp

 Shutters always work well in a basement because they can be easily opened and closed on a hinge which allows you to fold them back on the wall when you want optimum light. 

Kimberly DesJardins

Placing a bed below a basement window and then framing both with side panels  pulls a design together. Keeping the window treatment and the bed the same colour adds to the cohesiveness.

Privacy Issues

Elle Decor

Window film  is a practical solution when privacy is an issue in window treatments.  Some have patterns others are matte. When you buy large sheets of matte film it can be cut to create various geometric designs which add a little creativity to the solution.  This pattern is by Emma Jeffs.

Cary Bernstein Architect

One of my favourite window treatments for bathrooms and kitchens  is a roller shade.  They have a clean, no nonsense look, are easy to raise up and down and come in a wide variety of  patterns, textures and colours. If you want to see the view in the daytime they roll up completely under the cassette/valance.   

Claudia Martin, ASID

Top down bottom up cellular shades are very versatile and solve many decorating problems.  They can be dropped from the top or pulled up from the bottom. You can have privacy and light at the same time.   Check out Levelor.  

Displaying family photographs-2

Continuing with ideas for displaying family photographs...

Use a photo ledge

Alexander Johnson Photography

 

 Roger Hirsch Architect

I like the photo ledge, but I love the sofa/chair. 

 Make them part of a larger arrangement

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How fresh the white and black photos look on the blue green wall. The tall tree like plant adds to the overall arrangement, however I find the photos a tad too close to the window trim.   

Print on large  canvases

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Michelle Hinckley

 A grouping of squares always hang nicely together- much more interesting to my eye than rectangles.

Display without frames

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These frameless photographs are mounted on sturdy art boards and linked by small tape hinges  to create an accordion structure. This project displays well on a mantle, bookcase etc.

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Don't these photos just beg to be handled/sorted/ looked at?  The crispness of the hurricanes and white cloths are a great juxtaposition with the untidy, "I just landed here" look of the photos.

Displaying family photographs - 1

We all have them, they keep increasing in number and often seem to get out of control. We could just keep them on the computer or in a box , but shouldn't someone else be able to see them?  Without thought you can easily end up with  every square inch of the tables and bookshelves in your house overrun with family photos. Perhaps these tips can make  photo display a little easier and  more polished.

Hang to create one unit

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Using the same colour frames and hanging them so they touch gives the impression of one large unit.  When we want to join anything well in our house the answer is always 'Liquid Nails'  construction adhesive.  Including coloured papers in tones that work with the images  provides a resting place for the eye, highlights the photos, and creates colour cohesiveness.  Put some thought into where you place the colours and also keep arranging  the photos until you have a pleasant composition. If you have access to Ikea frames they work very well for this type of project.

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What a great idea for a headboard.  I also like the fact that it keeps the photos in a private part of the house.

Use one type or colour  of frame to unify collections

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 Nothing looks as sharp as black and white photographs displayed in a grouping.  While the sizes and thicknesses of frames vary, the colour provides cohesiveness. The overall rectangular shape formed by the frames adds a professional look of the grouping.

 

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While this may look like a more haphazard arrangement on first glance, a closer look reveals order. 

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This set up is more visually ordered. Lining up the bottoms and tops of photographs  through the middle of an arrangement produces a strong graphic element that draws the eye. 

Charlie & Co. Design

I guess you can tell which type of arrangements I like.  I seem to have quite a few examples of grids!

Group on a table or mantle

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Fluegge Interior Design, Inc.


Do you have a favourite way to display family photos?

Decorating a dining table-2

Perk up your dining room table by making centerpieces  using  everyday materials from flowers to sand.  You are only limited by your imagination. Perhaps you have a special occasion or a  themed dinner party, perhaps you just want a lift in the middle of a spell of bad weather; whatever your reason you can adorn your dining table. Here are some of my favourite ideas  I've collected for various occasions.

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This has all the markings of success for me.  It combines circular motifs, lime green plant and the sea.  Perfect! Put  the stem of the plant in a tall water glass and fill in around it with silica and shells.

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Forget the trifle and fill your bowl with shells and water and float candles on top.  

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A little red spray paint and birds from the dollar store adorn this white and red table setting.You could spray the branch any colour to match your decor. 

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Float flowers with stems removed in water that has been tinted with food colouring. You can colour coordinate your themes with little effort. 

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Beach rocks, orchids and floating candles in water in three vases of varying heights looks smashing .  Quick and very easy.  Substitute orchids with , roses, peonies  and change the candle colours to match. My preference is always  white . 

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 Cut chunks of lemons or limes, keep some whole and float in a covered container.  This is a great touch for a brunch.Of course finding interestingly shaped jars is the challenge.

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Tulips and jellybeans are perfect for an Easter centerpiece. While I love the look of this the logistics of it are confusing me.  I guess you don't eat the jelly beans after -this would not be a great choice with kids around.

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How Martha to use simple white paper lunch bags to enclose glass vases giving  this floral arrangement a playful twist. 

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 A mirrored tray is always a useful prop for table centerpieces.  Candles, mirror and flowers always pair up well.

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The yellow flowers are paper and you can learn how to make them by clicking on the source above.

 

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Reuse is always a good beginning to any design.  I'd skip the bedding of greenery and just use the starkness of the bottle shapes.  Think about those beautiful blue bottles used for some white wines with white callas. For a more informal and less expensive approach use daisies. It's the massing of different heights and shapes while keeping the colour constant that makes this design work.

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Partly core a green apple and presto, you have a table arrangement. Check out other ideas on this site.

Anything can be used to make an arrangement as I frequently prove at my summer house.  As fall approaches there are no flowers left in the garden or meadow so I resort to greenery and buds from the nearby woods.  

 

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And what about that china you never use?  Pile it up in interesting ways and add small scale flowers in appropriate colours to complete the arrangement. 

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Save those interestingly designed tea cans, they have many uses. You don't need a large grouping like this one to create interest.

 

 

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Check your cabinets.  Do you have a collection that never gets seen?  Arrange it along the centre of the table and use one of the containers as a vase.  Doesn't white always work?

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I couldn't resist showing these.  The pom poms are styrofoam balls covered in shredded paper.  I've used shredded paper to build up textural layers in my art work , but I admit I never thought about using it in this way.   Adapt the idea and  make varying sizes of  "snowballs" to put in a large glass or silver bowl. 

Do you have a favourite?