Time to Get ORGANIZED

WELCOME TO 2015!!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to start this new year feeling organized in your home, office and life in general?  Sometimes easier said than done. My best friend is a professional organizer (Get Organized with Bridges).  She is consistently busy with clients.  We have become a society of collectors and sometimes even hoarders.  Like playing a sport without the right equipment, it is nearly impossible to obtain and maintain an organized life without the proper tools to do so.

S Interior Design has gone on client design consults where the very first step before any changes to the design of a space can be made, is purging and organizing by the client.

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Below is a guest post from ‘across the pond’ supporting the idea of having additional storage space at your disposal.

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Kitchen Trends that Aren’t Trendy

Brought to you via HOUZZ–great article about kitchen design for today’s home owner.

Pallet Creativity for Your Home

I was asked if I would guest post this unique article about how to use pallets for home furnishings. Loving an upcycle project as much as anyone, I was happy to do so!

Crowesawmills  Infographic

Hand Rail Design- Inside and Outside

The timeliness of this request to share a guest posting on he subject of handrails was very good. S Interior Design is designing a contemporary 8,000 sf home from the ground up and the exterior and interior handrail design is a very important design element to be determined.

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Contemporary Handrail Designs

While installing a handrail on a staircase may seem like a minor part of home design, the appearance and functionality of a railing can make a significant difference to the overall mood and style of your home. The following four types of handrails offer contemporary styling and many unique applications.

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Wooden Hand Railings

While wood has been used in traditional handrails for years, this traditional material has taken a modern twist with the way it is being used today. Designers coupling natural wood with industrial materials like metal and stainless steel have made wooden railings popular again. Pair your favorite metal with wood for a fresh and contemporary look.

Metal Railings

Metal has become the material of choice for many designers because of its visual and functional appeal. Stainless steel handrails are one of the most alluring material choices for the many benefits they offer. While stainless steel is commonly implemented in public places, many homeowners have turned to this unique metal for its low maintenance and long-lasting durability. Because it is not porous like wood, it can be sanitized and doesn’t hold bacteria as easily. Stainless steel is easy to install and can be customized with paint or designed to create a one-of-a-kind look every time.

Special Materials

Contemporary style is all about being unique and out of the box. To create a truly contemporary staircase, use a unique handrail material for eye-popping color, shape, or function. A designer or do-it-yourselfer should look for special materials that can withstand everyday wear and tear. Some unique materials include LED light tubes, brass, or glass. The possibilities are limitless when you look beyond the expected.

Outdoor Handrails

Contemporary handrails expand past the realm of interior design and are often necessary features to create a beautiful garden or outside area. Using a contemporary handrail design on the exterior of your home can create a lasting impression of your unique style while adding the functionality needed for walking paths, porches, and decks. Stray from the traditional by using metal handrails that go in horizontal patterns. Unlike vertical bars, a horizontal metal baluster can make a home or landscape look larger and more spacious. Play with textures, patterns, and materials to create an eye-catching design that compliments your home’s exterior.

Making your home match your personal style is easier than ever with the many materials and design options available in today’s handrail market. As you look to install a handrail that offers contemporary style, modern functionality, and bright bold appeal, reference these handrail types and materials for a more comprehensive look at today’s railing options.

The Rule of 3- By Fresh Home

Great article about the pleasing use of  ‘3′ items, colors, fabrics etc. when decorating and designing.

The rule of three is a guideline that can be bent. Essentially, it was put into place so that people understand that a odd-number of items is more interesting than an even-number of items.  So, yes, you can arrange 5 items or 9 items into a grouping and still achieve the same visual interest.

Rule of 3modern-bathroomThen again there are people who absolutely love a symmetrical design layout  and 2, 4, 6 will work better for their eye.

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.
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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.
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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.

The Vignette–Every Successful Design Should Master This!

Great share from HOUZZ about design vignettes.  About 15 years ago I tried explaining ‘The Vignette’ to my husband who insisted it was a description being used incorrectly.  For those of us in the professional design industry, it is a very commonly used phrase–read the article below and try your hand at creating new vignetttes in your home!

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How To Bring the Outdoors In

Here in AZ it is finally time to throw open the doors, slide open the windows and enjoy time outside.  The following infographic describes some easy ways to create visual and functional flow between the inside of your home and the outside spaces. (please ‘click’ on the image to get a larger, more readable size)

Shutter Co-Outdoor_IG

http://www.shutterco.ie/

Symmetry in Design

I wanted to share a wonderful article published by Fresh Home about why our brains feel innately comfortable with visual symmetry in design plans.

Use balance to help bring a balanced look to your interiors. Image Via: Culligan Abraham Architecture

Use balance to help bring a balanced look to your interiors. Image Via: Culligan Abraham Architecture

Here is an excerpt from the full article:

“We all know an example of good interior design when we see it. In fact, most of us can make that judgment almost instantly. Have you ever wondered why that ability seems to come to us so instinctually, even though we may not be professional interior designers?

It all has to do with symmetry, or a sense of balance, that has been achieved within a space. Symmetrical design cues effect our subconscious, even when they are too subtle to be consciously acknowledged with our first glance. All of us are drawn to balanced images and tend to think them more aesthetically pleasing than their off-kilter counterparts.

As for why we love symmetrical spaces so much, you’ll have to read on to find out. Plus, you’ll discover how to bring a harmonious feel into your own interiors, regardless of your personal style.

A place to store and a place to sit

A place to store and a place to sit.

S Interior Design LOVES multi-functional furnishings such as the storage ottoman fabricated by Pacific Manufacturing. Great in a family room, master bedroom or guest bedroom to store a multitude of things you want or need close by, but don’t want to see out in plan sight.