Budget Is Not A Four Letter Word

We received a guest post entitled “Tricks for Decorating on a Budget”.  We suggest that a better title would be “Establishing Your Design Budget”.  S Interior Design has prospective clients fill out a Client Profile. One of the questions asked is  how much the client is comfortable investing in their project.  A list of ranges are shown to chose from.  Without knowing the level of investment, we cannot make sound design recommendations. Is it an IKEA level furnishing project or a high end strictly custom project? Something in between?

Before embarking on your design project whether a professional interior designer is involved or not, it is a very good idea to assess what you are ready to spend on the project.

Photo Credit: Homebuyers Centre

As there are two sides to everything, the same goes for decorating. On one hand the prospect of having the home refreshed, bathed in new colors and equipped with several new pieces of furniture is definitely a reason for joy, on the other, the preparations are certainly not.

If you have set yourself with a task of redecorating your home and are not in a situation to spend much money, you should know that it can be accomplished according to your wishes and within budget, all it takes is some research, time and taste.

1. Stay within budget. The first thing that needs to be done is determining the budget. Once we know how much we can spend, it is easy to choose within a specific range of items. Things we will pay more for are those that we do not replace so often, like couches, sofas, dining room tables and larger furniture. These are used the most, so they must be of higher quality. However, you can save even on armchairs, dining room and coffee tables, shelves or night stands if you decide to reupholster them.

If there is nothing you can do with your furniture, before resorting to buying retail, you can visit a garage sale or eBay. You can sometimes get a bargin, especially if you go for second hand items which you can transform on your own. (are you creative and handy?)
2. Accessorizing. Guests should feel the owner’s character the moment they enter the home, which is why special attention should be paid to the entry area or hallway. It is easy to stay within the budget by placing a fruit bowl in the hallway or an interesting key stand. Coat hangers, shoe racks, framed pictures or souvenirs from the travels can tell a life story if they are the right color and placed the right way.

Home accessorizing does not have to be expensive. An affordable way of redecorating is using accessories such as cushions, covers, throw blankets, curtains, glass shelves, vases and picture frames for getting the new look of the house.

What is also gained is a possibility to change the interior seasonally or whenever we feel like it without much effect to the home budget. This is easily done by changing accessories or replacing the smaller decor items with the one of different color, but still according to our mood, season or current trend.

Photo Credit: Flickr

3. Rearrange furniture. When people get bored with the furniture they have, instead of starting with redecorating and spending additional money, redesigning the furniture layout is something to consider.

The sense of novelty can be achieved by making one piece of furniture central and organizing other items around it. Changing placement of the flower pots, decorative baskets or paintings from one room of the house to another will instantly refresh the home and give it a dash of originality.

Whenever there is a wish to change something, we can start by changing the focal point of the room. We can also do this by making some other pieces of the furniture stand out through lighting.
4. Renting appliances. If you need a new appliance and you do not have the money to buy it immediately, you can always rent it. With rent to own stores, you have the option of having an appliance for a weekly or monthly fee. There is also an option of signing a contract which will guarantee owning the appliance after a certain time period, with the amount you paid for renting deducted. On the other hand, if you decide that for some reason you no longer need it, it can always be returned.

The reasons why we redecorate are many, from moving to another home or apartment and having a clean start, to just replacing the old furniture with new. However, there does not have to be a reason for redecorating other than indulging the need for creating our private sanctuaries and expressing our creativity.

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High Point Highlights- Spring 2013

Some great design tips and ideas from the High Point, N.C. Market which just passed.
Colors, neutrals, patterns, floral, geometric, organic……….all were represented.  There is no 1 right way to design, there is not the 1 trend to follow.  This illustrates what S Interior Design always tells her clients “the only thing to be aware of is what you like and want,  don’t worry about what is trendy or in.”

Take a look at this video from one of my favorite celebrity designers Candice Olson speaking at Surya Rugs and Textiles.   When stating from ‘scratch’ in a room, beginning with the area rug selection is often a great way to begin the design.

Here is a link to a blog by ‘Design Addict Mom‘ who shows us great images from her time at Market .

 

 

Paint Color 2013

Are you considering doing some painting around your house or office in the coming year?  Here are ideas to consider based on  2013 Color ‘discussions’ by some of the leading paint companies.
In a sentence–“Look for a lot of variety and contrast to be popular in 2013.”

Sherwin Williams, Dunn Edwards, Benjamin Moore, Behr and Pantone all have published their predictions for what the popular paint colors and combinations of colors will be in the coming year. 

 

 

 

 

 

Benjamin Moore: Intersection– Flow, Cycle, Animate, Connect 

Sherwin Williams: Opposites Attract–Midnight mystery, Honed Vitality, Vintage Moxie, High Voltage

Dunn Edwards: A New Renaissance Influences Palette and Textures–Simply Re-invented, Simply Re-newal, Simply Re-imagined and Simply Re-vival.

Behr:  Watch this short video!

 

 

Pantone   According to the PANTONE VIEW home + interiors 2013 book, there are nine color palettes predicted to dominate interior design and furniture trends in 2013. A mix of muted palettes serve as the new classics while rainbow-inspired colors provoke bolder style statements.     Note:  From the Casa Sugar Blog

Before you begin your  painting, it is always a good idea to try your color choices on several walls in the room.  Different walls have different levels of light reflection and the colors will look a bit different in different spaces due to the levels and types of light they will have.  We recommend at least a 3′-0″ x 3′-0″ square on the wall.  If the wall already has paint color on it, we also recommend priming before putting the new paint color up.

Of course S Interior Design is always available to help in the Phoenix metro area!

Interior Design for the World of Babies and Children

I have said it many times — the children always come first.  When there is a design budget and prioritization needs to occur, 9 times out of 10 the design of the children’s rooms will come before the master bedroom design.

We are fortunate to live in a time where there are fabulous design options available to help us make our little one’s rooms look great.  One of our new discoveries is Pink Taffy Designs.  They have a great on-line children’s boutique where you can find everything from bedding to clothing for your little ones.

They are having a contest to win a set of their hand crafted wall letters. You can use the letters to spell out your child’s name, or a word of choice.  They also make great gifts for new parents.

Here is the link to click on to enter the contest.  Hurry though, it is only available a few more weeks.

 

 

Don’t Be Afraid to Go Big with Graphics In Your Home

Below is a guest post about over sized wall murals and how they can be used to make a statement in your home.  I recently used a wonderful full size (10′ high x 7′ wide) wall mural graphic in a client’s guest house casita.  They wanted a tropical feeling so the mural depicted a beach scene.  So a plain wall became reminiscent of the Caribbean beach in no time at all.   These murals are quite a bit less expensive than having  an artist paint a custom mural on a wall.  Many companies will be able to use your own photography to create a customized graphic for you.  Imagine a life-size picture from your last vacation spot, or your wedding photo……..

Giant Graphics are Ideal for the Home

Creating a certain ambiance in your home can be achieved in many ways, but a very trendy, very artsy way to do this is to utilize full wall graphics with custom printed wallpaper. There are particular things to keep in mind as you decide what photo or art piece to use and where it will go. Keep in mind that you want this wall to be a focal point in the room, not the entire room being the wall.

Pick your Shot

Even amateur photographers can have fun with this decorating tool as long as there is one favorite shot to be chosen from a collection. If you had gone on vacation to tour the castles in Europe or just captured the perfect beam of light on your favorite lake in the mountains, you are able to transform that masterpiece into a sizeable work of art. Be sure to carefully measure the wall you are working with to get the correct dimensions. Nothing is worse than having to improvise after receiving the wrong measurements back (and it is your fault).

Where to put it?

Now, you may be wondering, what wall is the best wall to use? Well, it is pretty simple. You want people to notice this amazing piece of art, correct? So if you walk into the room you are dressing up, what wall do you see first? If that one has a window, is there another that might work better? Perhaps you have a short wall, like a wide column that has no function at all. Make that one the statue you snapped a picture of in Cancun, just on a much more impressive, more pleasing to the eye version. Scan that award-winning painting you have stored away and upload it. Avoid using areas that people will naturally turn their back on or never see, unless it is done for your pleasure only. And a real window can ruin the effect a mural has on a wall. Unless it will incorporate your window into the picture, choose a different area. It will cut into the graphic and make it look incomplete. Imagine looking at the sunset on the beach and missing one-third of it. No, just pick a wall that is free and clear of obstacles like doors and windows.

Color…

Color or black and white? That is completely up to your preferences. Personally, I prefer black and whites for personal photos, family shots, if the original colors were rich enough to make the shades vary enough for some depth. Scenery, I prefer to leave in color. They are very pleasing to the eye when they host an array of colors and can provoke emotions when they feel tangible. One of the main reasons people will put a mural up is to make a vacation or favorite place immortal to them…unchanging.

Décor

Now, when incorporating a large graphic such as this, don’t forget that it is a part of your home and decorate the room as such. Unless it is a useless wall that you are coating for effect, place furniture in front of it. I’m not saying to stack bookshelves right through the middle, but a nice ensemble of couch, loveseat and tables that complement the theme of the photo will do wonders for y our sanctuary. It then makes it a part of what is going on and less like a museum artifact. Many put graphics up on staircases because they are so difficult to decorate unless you just do a “gallery” of family photos that no one can see unless they go up your stairs. Something like this can be seen, even in a semi-open concept plan, from the main level and will be the conversation starter for the night.

Be bold when it comes to the bones of your home. If you set the bar with your walls in bright, lively, or serene fashions, the rest of your décor will follow.  Your guests will love the atmosphere you have created because they will feel how much you love being there.

Chris Garrett is a large format printing expert and online publisher for the customized wallpaper expert http://www.megaprint.com/wallpaper.php.  He frequently blogs on the topics of design, printing, and photography.

Is it Possible to Furnish Your Home Entirely Online?

Wherever in the vast world you reside, the fact is purchasing items on-line is a part of our lives.  Would you feel comfortable furnishing your home or office using only on-line resources?  Do you still feel the need to see and touch furnishings in person?  Many of S Interior Design’s clients are comfortable doing research on-line, but still want to give their seating what we call ‘the tush test’ before purchasing (we highly recommend it!!).  It is also nice to actually see and feel fabrics or leathers that will be used on upholstered pieces of furniture.  That said, many household furnishing items can be purchased on-line with little risk or fear; such as accent pillows, accessories and lighting. We have had good success purchasing area rugs on-line for great prices for many of our clients in the past few years.   S Interior Design offers virtual design services where a full design plan is developed for a client who lives outside the geography we work with in-person.  Included in the service is the identification of   on-line resources to execute the plan.

Below is a guest post that speaks to this subject.

Online shopping is just one of the reasons given for the demise of high streets up and down the UK. For many, purchasing groceries, gifts and clothing online is now the norm, instead of visiting stores. However, it seems that many still prefer to shop in store when purchasing new furniture for the home.

There are a number of disadvantages to furnishing the home through online shopping. For many people, the main one is that they are unable to look and touch the items that they are considering purchasing. For those looking for furniture such as traditional solid pine and oak, they find it easier to purchase online. Not only are colors and styles easily identifiable, the fact that no single piece of wood furniture is identical (because of its grain) means that it is easy to purchase without physically viewing. For those who are looking to replace existing items with the same, or similar, ordering online can also be pain-free.

For those who are reluctant to purchase upholstered pieces or soft furnishings online, a number of companies have fabric samples available. By requesting samples, it allows customers to make informed purchase decisions.

One of the additional expenses of buying furniture is the delivery costs. Local stores can often deliver (and sometimes assemble) furniture for free, whereas many online stores will have a set delivery charge. Couriers often deliver items and they may not be able to deliver furniture into the room where it is required or offer any assembly services.

Some online furniture suppliers are also able to offer complete room solutions to their customers. This means that in the online room design, all of the furniture is for sale. So when selecting a media unit and coffee table, the sofas are available, as well as the soft furnishings such as cushions and curtains. The opportunity to purchase a complete room ensures that when everything arrives in the home, it will coordinate fully.Some shoppers will choose to spend time browsing in furniture stores and then shop online to find the best price deal for that furniture, as one of the main advantages to shopping online is the financial savings and deals. For stores who operate online, they are often able to keep their prices down, as they do not need to employ staff on shop floors. Shopping online is also great for those who work shifts or have commitments that make it difficult to go out shopping for new furniture.

When purchasing online, customers should never be afraid to ring the company and ask for further information about delivery, warranties or any other queries that they may have. How many people are confident enough to purchase their home entirely online is questionable, although the ease that online furniture shopping offers is making it a popular choice for many.

Everything for the home is available online, even paints and wallpapers, but for those who do not feel brave enough to furnish their home entirely online, they should consider purchasing soft furnishings such as Dunelm-Mill .

From this, purchasing a new room is just a few clicks away.

 

Is Clutter an Avenue to Creativity?

Here is  a guest post with an interesting twist on de-cluttering your closets and cabinets.  Think of the de-cluttering process as  a treasure hunt, a way to find items to work with to design ‘creative displays’.    If you need inspiration, Pinterest is an excellent site to search through.   While you are there, don’t forget to check the S Interior Design Pinterest boards

Here is the guest post.  So if it is too hot outside, start cleaning out your closets and think off the ‘hanger’.

How to De-Clutter Your Closets and Cabinets and Put Up Creative Displays

The small storage areas in your home, your closets and cabinets, can easily become cluttered. As a part of your overall home organization efforts, you should try to de-clutter these areas in both conventional and innovative ways. In addition to regularly getting rid of excess items in your cabinets and closets, you can also do things like put up creative displays in your home. If you’re wondering how you should go about putting up displays, here are some tips to guide you through the process:

1. Search for hidden treasure in your closets and cabinets –

Look through your closets and cabinets for things you might want to put on display. For instance, that vintage electric guitar you’ve had stowed away in your bedroom closet for ages would look pretty cool on your living room wall. Additionally, your stainless steel pots and pans would look great on a hanging rack in your kitchen. Pick out a few items from each of your closets and a couple of items from your cabinets that you want to put up on display in your home.

2. Invest in some racks, hooks, and shelves –

You’ll need to get some attractive racks, hooks, and shelves to use to put up displays throughout your home. You can get these at most home improvement stores, and they’re usually pretty easy to put up with yourself (if you’re adept at following written instructions). Additionally, you may want to purchase attractive racks for your kitchen and shelved furniture at a department store. Take your time searching for attractive and sturdy racks, hooks, shelves, and other furniture for your displays. Remember that details always matter in the realm of interior design.

3. Don’t go overboard –

Covering your walls with displays isn’t necessarily the best strategy. Putting up creative displays is a great way to clear out some extra space in your closets and cabinets. However, it’s not the ultimate solution to clutter in those storage areas of your home. Regular organization and getting rid of excess belongings is the best way to de-clutter your closets and cabinets. Putting up a few, tasteful displays throughout your home should only be a part of your overall organization efforts.

Author’s Bio: Author’s Bio: Lisa is a blogger at Self Storage Deals who writes on the subjects of home storage, home organization, and self storage options. Professionally, she splits her time between helping people organize their homes and helping people organize their storage units, specifically storage units in Colorado Springs and storage units in McAllen. “

Transformative Power of Art

 Trans-formative Value of Art

Below is a guest post about what I will call ‘the power of art’.

S Interior Design uses a generous definition for the word art.  We believe that art should make you smile   when you look at it. So, that said a nicely framed picture of a vineyard you visited could indeed be great art, as could a child’s drawing.  The key is in the presentation—don’t expect a poster thumb tacked to the wall to be pleasing to the eye.  Invest in the proper mat board and framing and you will be amazed at what can happen to your child’s painting from 5th grade.

Guest Post

Although I’ve always been a big fan of interior design it has only been recently that I’ve truly begun to have a full appreciation for the trans-formative values of art. I must confess, I always thought ill of those overly proud of their new painting, sculpture, or art. I was an avid fan of contemporary styles, with a minimalist approach. I was of the opinion that the sleek look, along with sparse furnishing and sharp lines, gave a real clean, organized, powerful aura.

Recently however, I’ve come to appreciate an appropriately placed piece of art. It can add true depth to a room, granting reflection and meaning where previously there was blank space. Whether you feel the way I once did, or share my current views, here is why I now consider art to be a trans-formative agent in a room.

The greatest way in which a piece of wall art transforms living space is adding a depth of reflection. Artwork inspires reflection for various reasons. Mainly for these three:

The art was made by a human being, and you can’t help but reflect on the thoughts of the human behind the art.

This is one of the most powerful ways art makes one reflect. Art, whether through beauty, abstractness, or sheer uniqueness, makes one wonder. To consider that a human made this piece of wonder causes a further wonder that someone was not only able to, but had deeper motives. Humans, being naturally curious, can’t help but reflect and consider what might have been the motivation and thoughts behind the creation.

The wondrous qualities of the artwork itself.

This is often the initial way that artwork causes us to reflect and wonder. It draws the eye, pulls us in, and suddenly, before we know it, we’re standing and reflecting and staring. Thinking about the amazing, unbelievable qualities of beauty, strength, power, subtlety, or whatever aspect the painting best personifies.

The depths of your own imagination.

A surprisingly large portion of artwork plays off the imagination of the viewer. Almost all abstract art relies on the viewer to draw their own, deep conclusions based upon what can actually be surprisingly simple. This leads the perceiver to wonder and reflect at the depths of their own imagination, and reflect upon not only what lies in the depths of imagination but also what in the artwork causes such a visceral reaction of thought.

To help capture the attention needed for reflection, and further add to the trans-formative value of artwork, one should attempt to subtly orient furniture toward artwork. Many people will throw a painting on a wall and be happy. Or, if someone is over proud of their new painting, they’ll frame it, hang it up, throw a light feature on it, and attempt to force everyone to stare at it. This can, in ways, be worse than hanging art without accentuating it.

Artwork should be subtly brought to attention. To do this, try placing it somewhere where people usually face. For example, place it somewhere it can immediately be seen upon entering the home. Or, if in a bedroom, have it facing the bed. Somewhere where the eye will naturally happen across the artwork.

I still firmly believe in a minimalist approach to interior design. However, I believe with the right piece of art a room gains much-needed depth. Try including a medium-sized piece of art alone in a clean, uncluttered room. Enjoy the reflection, beauty, and depth added. Everyone must follow their own heart’s guidelines when making their own living space, but I hope you have appreciated my own thoughts on the trans-formative properties of art.

Author Bio: Edward Stuart is an interior design aficionado, and follows all things design and fashion. He is an online publisher for the framed art expert www.framedart.com and blogs on the topics of interior design, home decor, and fashion tips.

Desert Wonder-Artwork Concepts

Woke to get the newspaper (yes, I still read an actual newspaper) and was greeted by a phenom known as night-blooming cactus.  I wanted to share and suggest use of the wonder of nature as artwork in your homes and offices.  I show you 2 pictures:

1- straight shot from my iPhone
2- altered slightly in Adobe Photoshop

Imagine printing this out and surrounding by a colorful mat board and thick frame–You get unique artwork with a very small dollar investment!

101 Designer Secrets–#4 and #5

The May issue of House Beautiful magazine has a 4 page spread of 101 Designer Secrets.  We read them and decided to share along with some commentary.  Not all 101 will be shared, but you can click on the link above to HB, or subscribe to their hard copy magazine to read them all if you wish to.

SECRET #4:  

The hang up–where to hang my artwork?  I’ve found that 63″ on center above the floor is a perfect viewing height for most pieces-Hunter Kaiser

Commentary by S Interior Design–

It is definitely one of the most common faux pas —hanging the artwork too high on a wall.  If the person doing the hanging is 6′-3″ their perspective is different from someone who is 5′-5″.  This is a good rule of thumb to begin with, 63″ above the floor.  Variables to consider include whether the art is above a piece of furniture and the height of that furniture.

When the art is not being hung above a piece of furniture, the guideline changes.  I like to ‘own the wall visually’ if that is the only element being placed.  Then lower placement and stacked art work higher on the wall often makes more sense.

This artwork is 78"x78" and the ceiling is 12'-0" high

SECRET #5

When you are hanging a series of pictures together, keep the gap between them 2 to 2 1/2″ to really utilized the wall space, and keep a minimum of 9″ between the art and the tops of sofas and chairs-Milly De Cabrol

Commentary by S Interior Design-

Agree and then a small disagree.  Yes to the gap between pieces of art being hung together, but we generally keep the space between the art and tops of sofas and chairs to 7″.  Again, style of the furniture, height of the ceiling and the composition of the art being hung are variables to be considered.

 

Summary-

There are good rules of thumb but all situations should be evaluated as unique to determine the best way to hang and display your artwork.