Picture Hanging

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

DESIGNING WITH LOVE

Welcome Back Blog Readers,

With Valentine’s Day only a few weeks away, today’s blog will feature the subject of designing your bedroom with your ‘sweetheart’ in mind. When I ask couples, both married or unmarried, what they are looking for in a master bedroom design they almost always tell me that they like the look of a simple master bedroom. By this they mean not busy wallpaper and the popular choice is a simple tone-on-tone geometric or an extra-fine grass cloth texture. Another request is a master bedroom that encompasses straight lined furniture and not over crowded. When it comes to the fabric for the bedding not too over-printed, simple and plain fabrics with lots of texture are the top choice. With respect to the window treatments, I like to suggest a tailored look for example, roman shades or simple panels with a stunning rod and decorative finials. When selecting the area rugs almost always something with a printed geometric design is always easy to live with. An area rug with a dash of color keeps the master bedroom design interesting!

Basically, today’s master bedroom suites are always designed with a peaceful and restful existence in mind. It is my belief with today’s busy pace almost all of my clients request ‘simple yet stunning’. When this design concept is used it results in a sexy master bedroom suite. Remember… “Simple can be sexy!”

And, as I always say, “Don’t be afraid to decorate!”

Best always,


Robin




 
(Landry & Arcari - area rugs)


(David Hicks - wallcovering)

(Kravet - fabric)

Monday, January 9, 2017

Go With The Flow

Welcome Back Blog Readers,

Hope that everyone had a fantastic Holiday and New Years! Today, I would like to talk about a common design issue that I see all too often when I am working with my clients. This concept is the color and design flow from one room to another, as well as the colors involved in various rooms in one’s home. As an interior designer a flow in any room involves the following basic elements of design: they are naturally color, scale, texture as well as pattern and balance. Light in a room is of the utmost importance because, it can throw off color elements in any room decor. I always suggest to my clientele that the rooms should flow it should not feel disjointed and when you look from one room to another I suggest to add and drop color from room to room, so each area of the home is not repetitive. If you like a few colors, keep to them and do not add too much color, as a room can get too complicated. Remember, the colors of your home are a personal choice. Do not get swayed by living with a suggestion from a friend or even your own interior designer!

Because the homes today are built with an open floor plan this flow concept is critical to a successful interior design layout.

When the element of wallcovering is used, for instance in a hallway, it is best to continue the same pattern throughout so that you keep the space continually flowing. It you stop at the corner of a hallway and add paint as the continuing factor it will look like you ran out the wallcovering and the total look will be unfinished. Accent walls with wallcovering, are a planned application and are a fantastic design choice when used with the correct coordinating paint color.

Lastly, your fabrics and furniture selections should also have a flow. You should be able to take your dining room chair and bring it into your living room space if you’re entertaining and run out of seating. The upholstery fabric should meld into the room. Please don’t misunderstand me, “you don’t have to match your dining room to your master bedroom fabrics!” Being too matchy-matchy is not a good look either! The key is to look at the entire picture.

So remember folks, in the dictionary the definition of flow “is to have a smooth continuity.”

If you stand in the hallway of your home and the colors, fabrics, wallcovering, and scale of furniture feel to move smoothly to your eye then your home has a design flow!

So, as I always say, folks, “Don’t be afraid to decorate!”

Best Always,


Robin






(Photo courtesy of Houzz)

(Photo courtesy of Candace Olson)