Showing posts with label Living room. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Open concept design pros and cons

Great room (Photo credit: Dawn Gagnon)

Most of us hear this phrase constantly on television. Whether it is a real estate show, or a home improvement or renovation show, the phrase is out there. Most of us tend to place a great deal of stock in the words of the hosts of these shows and you can see it now like never before. I am almost positive home buyers were not walking into houses in the 1950's requesting "an open concept" design.

You will no doubt hear words like "great for entertaining, " from people that are house shopping. The question is, do you entertain as much as you think you do to justify the open space? Some may say they will entertain more with an open concept living space, however, this is usually not the case. Frequent entertaining of guests requires a lot of time, effort, and money.
If you are living a busy lifestyle already, that probably isn't going to change just because you have an open concept home. Entertaining may pick up in the beginning because we are anxious to show off our new home, but the time, effort and expense of hosting big parties will typically die down over time.

Not to mention more and more men are adding their input into the design aesthetic of home design and decor these days. I can't even begin to imagine Ward Cleaver saying, I don't like those "window treatments" as opposed to "drapes." I still chuckle a little at this considering many men still need their wives to pick out their clothes for them. However, they are finding their voice in home decor and design, and many have very strong opinions now. It may be in part to the fact that a home purchase today is a risky investment in the short term.

All in all society has been well educated in decor and design to a degree. However, open concept designs do have some draw backs. These draw backs should be considered if you have a lifestyle that tends to be short on time and big on activity. However, that being said there's different types of open concept designs and some work better for families than others.

Pros
You don't have to feel quarantined from the rest of the family while cooking.

Open concepts give the illusion of more space.

Easier for some parents to keep an eye on little ones.

Popular design for resale. Homeowners tend to follow trends and make many choices by what they believe to be popular with the general public. This is often given in large doses to the public via television shows that talk about real estate and home improvement. The media influence is everywhere.

Cons
If your open concept includes no barriers between your living area and your kitchen, you may have to work harder keeping that area of your home clean.

The smelly side of things. An overflow with the dishwasher or a plumbing issue can seep into your living room, and can cause damage to flooring, odors from a backed up sink or garbage disposal can travel throughout the living space.

Not always safer and easier to watch little ones. Homes with small children will have to be a little more cautious of children getting into the kitchen and handling dangerous utensils, touching a hot cook top or even grabbing a pot on the stove. Of course this can happen in any home, but a kitchen that has some barrier between itself and a living space is easier to block off with child gates etc. You will certainly need more cabinet locks, etc.
Big open spaces may take longer to warm up or cool down. Depending on where you live, large high ceilings and open floor plans may be more expensive to heat and cool.

Other ideas on floor plans
Alternative designs that offer some open concept. Great rooms are still a popular facet in home design. These rooms are typically the merging between a dining space and a living space. Some times the kitchen is viewable, sometimes only the dining space is from the living area. Some may prefer not to have a kitchen that is instantly viewable by someone just walking into my home. While the foyer is slowly disappearing from homes today, they do offer some privacy between your private home life and those entering the home. Some homeowners may prefer the idea of someone not walking directly into the living area of their home. A foyer seem to provide that small measure of privacy.

The bottom line is to chose homes and renovations with great care. What works today may not work in the future so give things a lot of thought. A skilled interior decorator or designer will take into consideration your lifestyle needs and family activity. Do you have a lot of visitors? Do you entertain frequently? Don't just follow what you believe is popular in mainstream society. Design what works for you specifically. In some cases open concept may not offer you the greatest comfort or practicality, and isn't that what a home should be about? A comfortable space that suits your lifestyle and your individual needs? Don't be afraid to make your space your own.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Furnishing small spaces

Of all the spaces that offer a challenge in furnishing small spaces are more than likely the most difficult.

Opt for a loveseat instead of a couch. Loveseats are about a foot smaller than a couch but for a small space it is by far a better choice than trying to put in one large piece. Smaller spaces usually mean smaller walls, so pairing down your sofa to a loveseat may be the ideal solution. Look for straight clean lines and good quality. Over sized furniture will overpower the room and leave you little wiggle room.
Replace your coffee table with a storage trunk or ottoman. We all know small spaces lack storage so any time you can find a piece that serves dual duty you'll be far ahead of the game. Make sure to do this in every space of your small home. Always seek out multifunctional pieces.
Use floor lamps to flank your furniture. Tight spaces can't always accommodate side tables and end tables, however in most cases you still need lighting. Floor lamps can fit into a tight space and offer you the lighting you need.
Opt for one large piece that serves as the only seating. Sometimes more is best depending on the individual layout of the room. In these cases a sectional may prove the best option and allow for the most seating with no additional furniture required. Chose models that have built in storage, and fold down drink holders etc.
Raise up your bed. If you can manage, raising up your bed a little more will allow you to have additional storage underneath. Use luggage to store seasoning clothing and extra blankets etc.
Keep your chest of drawers and get rid of the dresser. While dressers usually come with mirrors, They usually take up far more wall space. Mount a full length mirror to a door or wall and use a chest of drawers in a small space instead. If you are handy, many drawers from dressers can be outfitted with rolling casters on the bottom allowing drawers to slide under your bed for easy access.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Lightening up a dark room

Up lights can do a lot for a dark space

If you are like most homeowners you have at least one “problem” room in your home. Dark spaces can feel dank, depressing and usually wont be used as much. To brighten up these dark rooms there are a few tricks that can be utilized to maximize low light areas.

Paint the ceiling in a semi gloss paint- If it is popcorn, you may want to consider scraping it. Before you do, read: Popcorn ceiling removal.
Paint walls in a semi gloss- Keep in mind that your walls need to be in pretty good shape as with all reflective paints, they will also highlight marks, dings, and scrapes that a matte paint can conceal.
Use “up lights”- Up-lights are cylindrical lightening fixtures that sit on the floor and cast a light upwards into the room. When you paint your ceiling in a semi gloss paint, the ceiling will reflect off of the up lights and back down into the room creating more light overall.
Place mirrors strategically- Mirrors do well to reflect any light source in the room provided you place them where they can reflect the most light. That means trying out different spots in the room, and in some cases placing a mirror opposite of a window, light or doorway.
Use a monochromatic design scheme- While a monochromatic design scheme can't place light into the room, lighter neutral shades give the room a lighter feel and can keep the room from feeling darker.
Use fabrics with a sheen- There are a lot of fabrics out there that cast a sheen, they usually make for great pillow covers,drapes and furniture covers. When it comes to a dark room you have to seize all ideas available to brighten the space up.
Windows- Adding a window to a room can do a lot to brighten it up, however, if you don't have that in your budget, simply use a faux mirror window like the one shown in the Amazon link below.
Metallics- Metallics have a reflective surface and here again, will aid in having light bounce around a space. Using metallic lamp bases, picture frames, vases, and other accessories will all help in chasing darkness from a room. When using metallics in conjunction with the other suggestions listed here, you will increase the light in a dark space dramatically. Reflective wall art done in chromes and silvers can do so much to add more light where there was none, give it a try.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Giving space an identity in your home

Image via Wikipedia

It may be hard to fathom the idea of anyone having wasted space but many homes that are being built today have excess space in the building plans. Many spaces have no defined purpose, they are just there. With so many new home constructions overflowing with rooms and spaces that have no identity it is a challenge to know what to do with the area.

Beware when shopping, this may be just to make the buyer think they are getting more house for their money but when a house has a lot of “dead” space the costs to fill these areas can be costly too, not to mention heat and cool.

All rooms need an identity of some kind. Whether it is a sitting room, a study, a home office, or maybe

has the potential to be extra storage space it is important for the home owner to find a use for it. Why?

Empty space has to be heated and cooled, so it makes sense to find some way to utilize the space. Open spaces with no identity that are viewable by many need to have a use that is visually appealing firstly and functionality is a bonus.

4edc These types of spaces generally can be sitting areas, or one can add shelving and convert into a reading room/study or library. Spaces that are not easily viewable by the casual guest can be used as play areas for children, a meditation room, or a “pet area.” Some spaces that are partially exposed can be enclosed and made into a large walk in closet. Consider a second laundry area for ironing and sewing, especially in a two story home that has the laundry area on the main floor, a second laundry area where the family can place hampers, store winter clothes, or iron clothes is handy. Here are a few suggestions for using wasted or dead space in your home.

Art room

play room

study/library

home office

pet area

additional storage

multi media room

meditation room

Craft room

Sewing room

By giving these areas a purpose, you are increasing the functionality of your home. Decorate these rooms just as tastefully as the rest of your home for a finished and welcoming space you will no doubt go out of your way to enjoy and use.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

HGTV helps you become your own designer

If you love interior decorating and designing you will love the HGTV websites newest design tool Style boards. Style boards allow you to use a wide assortment of backgrounds, and accessories to create a style board just like Interior decorators and designers use in their client presentations. These tools will let you put together a dream room, whether it is a new sleek designed kitchen, or a fabulous master bedroom retreat, you are only limited by your imagination. The accessories are expansive, including drapes, candles, chandeliers, area rugs, beds, headboards, etc.

Even if you are not able to purchase the items used in your own custom style board, it can be a great way to visualize your own style, and become inspired to create a space for yourself using the style board as a reference and template for

your real design. Whether you are in the market to renovate or redesign or not, the HGTV style board is a lot of fun to use and a great way to help you understand your likes and dislikes. Once completed, you can "publish" your creation and

have other decorating and design enthusiasts see your ideas.

To try out this fun application, simply visit : HGTV Style board and get started planning your next dream room.

Each of these designs are created at HGTV using their available tools to customize a room to suit your tastes. Even if you can't buy the items used in your creation, the inspiration to create something similar will spark your imagination and get you dreaming of what you can do with your own space.

My examples:

Male Retreat
Bird Of Paradise Dining Room
Carrera Dream
Sophisticated Teen
Soft Elegance

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Tips for shopping for furniture

American Signature Vineyard Manor dining room table and chairs (Photo credit: Dawn Gagnon)

For homeowners and interior decorators nothing feels so great as finding a source for your inspiration that fits your budget, while offering high end quality for the price. South Carolina indeed has many fine furniture stores, however, many have sacrificed wonderful customer service in the process and as a result lose a sale or two as well. When shopping for furniture there are a few key things to look for in a any store you visit.

Knowledgeable staff is key
When you visit any furniture store it is imperative that you have knowledgeable staff to help you in your selections. High pressure tactics, those trying to make you purchase something you aren't comfortable with will only make you regret the purchase and the experience. Explain to the staff what the furniture you need will be used for, whether you have children and pets and how often you will be using the furniture. If you have a professional staff, they will be able to guide you perfectly as to what sort of furniture fits best with your lifestyle.

Make clear what you can afford
Stick to your budget. There is no satisfaction to be gained if you overspend just to make your salesperson happy, while you end up with a purchase that didn't fit your budget. Weigh the factors about what is worth the extra money versus what isn't. Remember also, cheapest isn't always smarter, and most expensive isn't always better.

Solid wood construction
Always look for solid wood construction when purchasing furniture and make sure to ask your salesperson what is the best way to care for your purchase. Heavy solid wood furniture is an investment, but if it lasts 25 years, then you have spent your money wisely in the long run. Take into account the weight of the pieces, most heavier pieces tend to last a very long time. Also consider when looking at living room furniture the fabrics used, along with the shape. Clean lines, and straight edges are usually easier to slip cover, especially if you are trying to preserve your furniture while your children are young.

Tip: Sleeper sofas tend to outlast regular sofas due to the extra construction involved in their manufacturing. If you truly want a lasting piece this is something to factor in and many sales persons won't necessarily tell you this. Not to mention, sleeper sofas are always handy when you have over night guests.

Don't be afraid to give furniture a thorough inspection
Most furniture is attractive in the furniture store. Retailers use accessories and staging to optimize the appeal of the furniture they sell. Sit on the pieces, look underneath the dining room tables, and the chairs and see the construction with your own eyes. This goes also for mattresses. Always test them out. Be on the look out for squeaks, noises, uneven chairs and table legs and things that suggest shoddy craftsmanship. If your family are larger than average people, make sure you explain this to your salesperson. Buying cheap, lightweight furniture that looks pretty in the showroom is a waste of money if your larger family members can't sit comfortably in them. Bring your measuring tape and your measurements from your home to ensure that each piece will fit in the intended space. Nothing is quite as aggravating as buying pieces that are out of scale with your home, the room or can't fit where you need them to fit.

When in doubt stick with traditional
It is easy to get caught up in the chic styles that are out there today, however, the traditional pieces that you grew up with in fine woods like Cherry, Mahogany and Maple will last a lifetime and tend to never go out of style. Good quality pieces should have hidden screws, and tight joints. Always inquire as to the warranties of the furniture you select beforehand.

Related articles by this author:

Defining spaces with an open floor plan

Interior design color trends of 2011

Defining fabrics commonly used in interior decorating

Pulling together a room design with your local Pier 1 Import store

Monday, February 28, 2011

Choosing the finishing touches for your newly built home

Normandy Park New Construction Townhomes

Image by burienundressedblog via Flickr

Many home builders out there offer a wide range of upgrades that will enhance a buyers home for years. In some instances, the choices of wood finishes, hardware, and counter tops is limited, along with paint colors, while others run the gamut. There are a few things to remember during this process.

1. Take your time and research-
Just as important as pleasing your color pallet, it is important to know what upgrades are worth it and what upgrades aren't. This is an investment opportunity, and in some cases, making the wrong choice in finishes can be costly mistake later.

Image by thepatriotcompany via Flickr

2. Wood finishes-
Try to match your wood finishes in your new construction- Flooring and cabinetry look best when they are the same. Some may argue that this seems to be too much of a good thing, but to counter that is the fact that mixed woods are distracting to each other. Also know that trend wise, Oak is on the lower end of the totem pole, with more desirable woods falling under Maple, Mahogany, and Cherry. All of which can be finished in different stains, so try to at least keep stains similar. Contrasts are nice in a home, but you can easily bring in contrasts via paint colors and in decorative elements.

3. Hardware-
Make sure you don't mix your finishes in the room. While some designers will think it a bold move, most of the time from a visual stand point, having brushed Nickel and Oil Rubbed Bronze in the same setting just doesn't jive well. There are metals that flatter each other that you can mix, such as Oil Rubbed Bronze, antique bronze, and Copper, or Brushed Nickel and Pewter. Do not forget your cabinetry hardware when planning your fixtures. Lighting fixtures, faucets and cabinetry should all go well together. You can go a little creative, but this isn't the best area to be daring in. A pulled together room will always have a professional touch to it, and the way to achieve it is when you carefully match your finishes throughout.

Image via Wikipedia

4. Paint color and type-
There are two schools of thought with regards to paint colors for you new home, one is to paint before you move it, which is a great way to avoid getting paint on furniture and allows you the ability to move about freely from room to room. The other school of thought is wait to paint until you move in the home for a while so that you can be certain that the color choices you make will work well with your furniture and decor. Another consideration is that if you move into your home first you will have the opportunity to examine the effects that lighting cause in each room. Perhaps you want to capitalize on a rooms natural light by picking a color that will enhance the natural light. There may be a room that receives little light that you may want to paint a brighter color, or use a semi gloss to redirect what light does come into the room. One thing you want to remember with regards to painting is to keep the same color family in any areas that are connected, or open up to each other. When several rooms are visible from one viewpoint, you can stay in the same color family. You can make distinctions by going with a varying shade of the same color. Make sure to go with the correct type of paint in kitchens and bathrooms. Kitchens usually do not fair well with flat paints as even small grease particles can eventually be seen on your walls. Bathrooms need a paint that will have waterproofing characteristics and also be mold resistant. See : Sherwin Williams Bath Paint.

An example of solid wood flooring with a top c...

Image via Wikipedia

5. Flooring-
Ideally using the same flooring through out your home is playing it safe and for most a wise route. However, you can mix flooring if you are doing different materials as long as the colors meld well with each other. For instance, Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors will look perfectly fine in your living room, but you may wish to have stone tile in your kitchen. This is perfectly acceptable if you go with a stone tile that embodies the same warm red, gold and tan tones found in the Cherry flooring. Do not mix hardwoods with other hardwoods, example, an oak floor in your living room should never butt up against a mahogany floor in your dining room. This will make the areas look choppy and your flooring will appear to be an afterthought. In some cases it even suggests that part of the home is older, or has an add on. It just doesn't look pulled together. Tiled stone flooring shouldn't be a mix of styles either. The exception perhaps in bathrooms.

Granite Installation, Santa Cecilia Countertop...

Image by granite-charlotte via Flickr

6. Counter tops and Vanities-
Make sure you go with a pattern in your counter top choice that will accommodate a change in color scheme. If a granite counter top has several color variations, you will have an easier time at a later date, should you grow tired of the paint color in the room. For the same reason, you may want to chose a Vanity top that can easily go with any color.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Pulling together a room design with your local Pier 1 Import store

Pier 1 Imports Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Luckily for those living in South Carolina, we have a plethora of furniture stores to chose beautiful furnishings from. Pier One Imports currently has 9 stores located through out South Carolina and other states, check the website for one closest to you.

The Sofa

This sofa is moderately priced, and has great lines that add immediate style to the room you are outfitting.
See Abby Sofa. Resist the urge to always buy living rooms, dens etc in bulk packages.

Arm chairs

This matching arm chair repeats the same clean soft curves as its sofa counterpart for $499.95.
See: Abby Arm Chair,

Lighting

Lighting in a room is also an important decorative factor. This lamp is a lovely compliment to the Abby sofa and Arm Chair. See: Orient Bird Lamp This lamp picks up the great dark finish of the coffee table.

Coffee and End Tables

The soft curves found in the Abby sofa and Abby Arm chair, as well as the lamps suggested here will compliment this coffee table that also has soft curved legs and a bold anchor color that looks great in a neutrally furnished room. See: Dexter Coffee Table also from Pier One Imports. Also see: Dexter End Tables

Wall décor

Finding wall décor that will compliment the living room suggestions listed here in this article is easy if you remember a few key things. The big pieces are neutral, soft curves, the lamps are also curved with a leaf motiff, and the tables are softly curve with a dark finish. So naturally wall décor have has curves, a dark finish and a floral feel to it can only add to the style going on in this room. See Scroll Burst wall décor

If you are in the mood for pops of color, try this for a great compliment to this living room by adding this lovely wall art, see: Hand Painted Plates Wall décor

Pillows

Pier 1 Imports Green Ombre Paisley Pillow

Most sofas look lovely without them but for decorative purposes pillows can go a long way to help a room have some additional personality. These pillows add soft color that is reflected in all the decorative pieces chosen for this room. Green Ombre Paisley Pillow

Area rug

Looking for a super cool area rug to pull it all together? There are two schools of thought here you can either pick up the bold colors from the vases, plates and pillows with this: Blue and Brown wavy rug
This rug will pick up the lovely colors found in the accents for the walls and in the pillows.

Or anchor the room with this simple area rug...

This rug will pick up on the dark finish of the coffee and end tables featured in this article beautifully.
Wool Border Jute Rug

More suggested accents for this living room ensemble

Multi Metal Urns

More wall art...

Metal Plates Votive Sconce

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

How to Keep Your Living Room Neat When You Are in a Hurry

Image by dawnella66 via Flickr
Do you lead a pressured life? Perhaps you are a working mom who has to leave the house
two minutes after the kids in the morning and only gets home again in the evening. Or
you are a doctor working long shifts at unusual hours. Or you may be a home worker, and
even though you are physically in the house you are so busy with your work that you
don’t get a chance to do any of the standard household tasks that need to be taken care of.
The uniting factor between all of the individuals mentioned above is that they probably
do not get too much time to do the housework. One option is, of course, to hire household
help. But anyone who has children will tell you that the nice, tidy living room that is left
does not stay that way for very long. Unless you hire a live-in slave, you will therefore
have to at least fill in the gaps between your cleaner’s visits.
So how do you keep your living room looking neat when you have so little time
available? Here are some useful tips to help you:
- Tidy up as you go. For example, if your child has been playing a game in the
living room you must make sure that every single piece is picked up as soon as
they have finished. And depending on the age of the child, he or she should be the
one to pick it up and put it away. Don’t leave it till later, or the mess will only get
worse!!!
- Every single thing needs a home. Therefore, there should be a rack for magazines,
a shelf for books, a drawer for papers, and a bin for garbage …
- Similarly, educate your Significant Other to hang coats or jackets on pegs or
hangers, rather than on the backs of chairs because this always looks untidy and
also creates the “have you seen my best jacket” scenario that most of us try to
avoid.
- Create a list of things that you will always make sure are done before you go to
bed at night. For example, this could include making sure that any dirty cups left
lying around are washed and put away, that the table is clear, and that the sofas
are left with nothing on them. These are small tasks, yet they make a huge
difference to how a room looks.
- Write down in your personal calendar one day a week when you do a thorough
clearing up of the living room. Again, if you have been trying to keep basic order
through the rest of the week, this should not take too long or be too difficult.
Here, tasks would include vacuuming the carpet flooring or
washing the laminate flooring, dusting surfaces, clearing out the mess
under the sofas and in the corners, and making sure that the bookcases and
sideboards are orderly and clear. You can also make a bi-weekly list that would
include cleaning the windows, and a monthly list that would include washing the
drapes. Planning is everything, and just as you plan a business meeting, you can
also slot certain household tasks into your personal schedule.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Definition: Great room

Many of us have a general idea of what a Great room is, and even what a Great room isn't in our homes. Loosely defined, the Great room is a room that usually is multi purpose, combining atleast two specific rooms into one open space. It may or may not contain high vaulted ceilings. This is in part because not all homeowners loved the high ceilings due to the added expense of heating and cooling a large room with a high ceiling. Construction companies soon offered both vaulted and standard ceilings in their home designs.
The great room was part of a construction design to modernize the living spaces in homes to accomodate casual living with multiple functions. As more and more families sought out open spaces, the Great room did away with the formal living room, and/or the formal dining room in many cases to combine a large open space ideal for large families, and casual entertaining possibilities. In some cases the great room replaced the Den in the home. People were migrating away from dark, heavily wooded rooms that were usually on the back of the home, instead opting for Great rooms and bright, sun filled Sun rooms, also known as Florida rooms.

Things to consider- If you are building a new home and are interested in having a Great room there are a few design factors to take into account. Great rooms are wonderful ways to open up the space in a home. However depending on what type of a layout you opt for, a Great room can be inconvenient. How so? Well if the Great room is a combination of living space and your kitchen,there will be extra effort involved with keeping your kitchen presentable. That doesn't present a problem to everyone, but if it does there are ways to work around this. Consider an alternate design combining perhaps a dining area with the living area keeping the kitchen out of the instant path of vision. Many newer home constructions today are eliminating formal dining rooms that are seperate from the living spaces. In most cases it will come down to what the home buyer and builder can work with.

Following trends- Its not always a "win" when home owners follow currently trending cycles in home design, but the Great room has in fact been around a long time, and will not likely fade from the current trends any time soon. There are some home features still on the table as to whether they will fade out or stay. The Foyer, Theater/media rooms,dens come to mind. That doesn't mean these aren't desirable in the eyes of the home buyer, it really is a question of what they are willing to pay to have them. The den is also being phased out as people are opting for seperate home offices. The latest craze in all things electronic is where we have seen such a huge interest generated in media/theatre rooms. While they are wildly popular, it is yet to be determined whether they will become a part of the standard home builder package in the future. The Foyer, although still being built in many new homes today, many home buyers simply see it as a waste of space in the home. Its still visually speaking a nice touch, but again, not the most functional use of space in homes today.