Interior Design 101

Think grammar school.  Pencils, check. Erasers, check. Graph paper, check.  Tracing paper, check.  Architectural scale, check.  Glue stick, check.  You get the picture!  I finally bit the bullet and enrolled in an interior design class at a local college.  I think this is the first time I have taken a class and really (and I mean really) just enjoyed it.  It felt natural although intimidating because I have no experience, but that is why I am there, right? 

The last 30 minutes of class, our instructor handed out her favorite design shelter magazines and told us to browse them and rip out anything that inspires us.  I was like, for real?  I mean this is what I do for ultimate pleasure and now I get to do in class!!  Love it!!

The instructor, an established interior designer, shared a lot of 'sound' advice and many of her sources or as she calls them her "secrets".  It was fun and I'm looking forward to going back next week. 

For homework, we need to pick a room in our house that we want to re-do and the sky is the limit (in terms of budget).  Do you know how foreign that is to me?  I am so use to sourcing items that are budget friendly, I think I am going to get over-whelmed with all the beautiful and amazing furnishings out there. 

All photos from At Home in Fairfield County

But, hey, I'm not complaining.  This is going to be so fun!!  I picked our dining room!!  Woohoo...

High Gloss

I have to agree with Julie, I wasn't sure what to expect given the recent influx of online shelter magazines, but the ladies from High Gloss really hit this one out of the park!  The interiors were fabulous!  Congrats High Gloss and keep up the fabulous work!

Before and After: Kitchen Flat Roman Shade

This year I resolved to add some final touches to our kitchen.  One of the things I wanted to do was to add a flat roman shade to our kitchen window.  Not for privacy -  I just wanted to add a dose of color and pattern.  Here is my kitchen now with my new flat roman shade:

Don't you love it?  I bought the fabric at an awesome price from LGN and was contemplating doing the shade myself.  Even though I got the fabric for a great price, it was still more than I would usually pay and I didn't want to risk messing up the fabric.  So, I opted to have the roman shade done by Windows by Melissa (found via 6th Street Design). Melissa does custom window treatments.  Here is another shot:

Melissa did an amazing job and the shade was super affordable compared to how much custom shades run.  I am extremely happy.  Just so you can get the real effect, here is the before shot:

And, another before shot:

A big difference, huh?  I think the shade makes the kitchen and now every time I walk into my kitchen I smile!  Thank you, Melissa!!  It was great working with you!

Sidenote: I made my post column wider and so now I can post larger pictures.  I think it looks a lot better.  Here is a great tutorial if you need one!

From Formal to Relaxed...In No Time.

I read an interesting article on Oprah's website (O At Home) which discussed how accessoricies can really transform the feel of a space.  Now for all you designers out there, this is not new news, but for a lot of stay at home moms, new home owners or design enthusiasts, there are some key tips here that can be carried forward to fit any space.  The above is a picture of a family's dining room.  They loved it, but the truth be told, it wasn't practical especially for their toddler aged children.  They quickly realized that they needed to change things fast so their whole family could enjoy it.  So, they hired a stylist to help. 

So, what did the stylist do to make this space more relaxing?  First, he started with the rug and drapes.  Do you notice the sisal rug? - a family friendly option that brings instant casual chicness to the space. He then added  linen shades which immediately softened the room.  These 2 subtle changes transformed the space immediately.  Then, he added a linen PB table runner, an oversized centerpiece to break up the intimidatingly banquet - like dining room table and a lot of greenery.  Yes, plants do bring life to a room!  Personally, I also like how he broke up the symmetry and hung a painting below one of the wall sconces; it immediately adds interest and brings down the formality a notch.  The lucite console brings in the fun factor and modernizes the room while keeping your interest level up!! All in all, I think it is much more inviting and welcoming room. Let's take a look at their living room, shall we?

Beautiful furnishings, but a little sterile, huh?  Let's see what the stylist did to add some life to this space.

Ahh..much more relaxed!  I like it....again, he started with the rug and window treatments.  He decided to add a geometrically Jonathan Adler patterened rug on top of a sisal rug.  The sisal rug brings in the casualness and the geometric rug adds interest.  He hung linen shades to soften up the room.  He changed the coffee table which is a better fit scale-wise. Notice how he hung abstract paintings  below the sconces?  It adds more depth and sophistication to the room.

My favorite part is that added some animal prints to bring some 'fun' in the space.  The great things about animal prints is that they are great neutrals and will look in a lot of spaces. The room was given a more "lived in feel" by adding a couple more pieces of furniture - the Stella shelves by Oly and a Jonathan Adler floor lamp. 

What I love about this family's living and dining room transformations is that it has gone from formal traditional to casual tradition by just adding accessories.  I mean how easy is it for all of us to take away some of these tips and apply it to our own homes?  The best part of the article was when the client said she is 'shedding' her textbook ideas of how a house should look!  Amen, to that!  A living and dining room is not just for company - it is a place where your whole family can and should enjoy!

Cafe Curtains

Southern Living

Simply Seleta 

Phoebe Howard 

Simply Seleta 

CHH 

Urban Grace Interiors 

Have been making a comeback.  Everywhere I look, they keep popping up.  When I think of cafe curtains, I somewhat cringe and think of really bad window treatments 10+ years ago.  But when I see these, I smile.  Really smile!  If I had a larger kitchen window, I would absolutely consider cafe curtains - a great way to inject a dose of your favorite fabric!

Pelmet Boxes

In my last post , I mentioned I was tired of the current state of my office and it needed some sprucing up.  So, I've started to make some changes.  Very slowly.  First, I want to state that this room isn't solely my office.  Let's be realistic.  We live in a 1450 square foot cape cod, so this room does overtime duty as my office, my son's room to store his toys (b/c we don't have a playroom) and the guest room.  And, to top it off, the room is merely 13 feet x 10 1/2 feet (130 square feet).  When I saw Betsy Burnham's office, I really liked a lot of the elements.  One thing that caught my eye were her window treatments.   

I like the scale of the pattern and the black and white color scheme.  It reminded me of some black and white fabric I bought not too long ago on clearance from Pottery Barn.  The scale is different, but it is B & W.  I believe it is called 'Bailey'.  Here is a picture of PB's lewis bench slipcovered in the bailey fabric.

After my husband and I got married, I moved into 'his' house, now 'our' house and he had these pelmet boxes on his windows.  He made them (he's very handy) and used them for the guest room.  Well, I just took those same boxes, ripped off the old fabric (kept the batting) and reupholstered them.  Here are some shots of work in progress.

Here is a before shot of my 'office' window without the pelmet.

Here is the 'after'.  Mind you, I need to get a new lampshade on my lamp

More office shots to come soon as I finish sprucing up.  Also, I'm open for feedback so let me know your thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc.  Thanks!

Window Blinds or Curtains

How To Make The Decision Between Blinds And Curtains For Your Windows
Author: Gregg Hall

When it comes to choosing a window covering that will meet the various needs of your rooms, there is no one formula to use or refer to. Both selections possess their own set of advantages, as well as disadvantages. Final decisions should be based upon your personal preference. After all, you are the one who is going to look at them every day.

Throughout the years, curtains have been a popular choice. You probably grew up as a child with curtains shielding your living room activities from the sun, as well as delivering a certain level of privacy. Curtains have always been known to provide a satisfying addition to room decor through the many available colors and designs. The setback with choosing to use curtains throughout your entire home is that there is no way of acquiring one pair to match up every window throughout your household.
Sometimes, curtains deliver the best option for the particular look you wish to accomplish throughout your home.

Choosing the right curtains is a must or you will be left with undesirable results. For instance, if you are dead set on putting up sheer curtains, you should know that your privacy levels have gone down a considerable amount of notches. If privacy is important to you, shades that allow you to shield yourself from outsiders may be an option for when you don't want others to be able to see into your house.

For extra privacy, select curtains that are thick. Also, when it is dark outside and you have the lights on in the house, curtains will allow others from the outside to see what is going on inside. You will also have to remove your curtains from their position, so that they may be cleaned. This helps to retain their appearance, but is often a bothersome task.

As for choosing blinds for your home, you should know that you will most likely receive a versatility look that offers a nice level of privacy. With blinds, you will also be able to enjoy the luxury of added control. For example, you can determine how much light you wish to let into your home by adjusting the length of your blinds. If it is a variety or style that you seek in your blinds, you will be disappointed. The farthest you will get in terms of style are a wide range of colors.

Maintenance of your blinds is rather easy. All that is needed is soapy water and a cloth. In minutes, a simple rubdown has them looking like new. For added style, pair blinds with attractive fabric draping or valances. This allows you to tie in the style or color scheme of a room. Often, you will find that blinds by themselves are quite unappealing. This tends to reflect a look of not being completed or poor design taste.

Sometimes, the two worlds are blended and both curtains and blinds are used for each and every window in a home. This means that you can have your privacy, as well as be able to experiment with a variety of design concepts. You will also be able to enjoy the freedom of adjusting the light within a room while matching the fabrics of your home decor. Alone, each selection has its ups and downs. Together, you may be dealing with a match made in heaven.

Article Source: http://www.content4reprint.com

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