The 5th Wall- Ceiling Design Ideas

September 20, 2016 by Suzanne Lasky Leave a Comment

Below is a guest post on the subject of what can be done with ceiling design. Here in Arizona many of the homes have very high ceilings ranging from 12′ to 20′ or more. Sometimes the builder of the home has thought about the high ceiling height and added architectural details to make it more interesting. Other times the ceilings ares lacking any kind of design attention and can make a space seem empty. If you live in an older home here in Arizona, you may have the dreaded popcorn ceiling texture. It that is the case, the very best and the first thing to do is to have it removed and the ceiling re-textured and painted.

From simple ideas such as paint or wall covering options, to architectural beams and coffers, the options are vast. So look up…..is there something special you can do to your ceilings in your home?

Guest Post:

How to Make Your Ceiling More Luxurious

Never underestimate the importance of ceilings. They have a huge impact on the overall impression your home gives. It’s not just furniture, window treatments and wall decorations that individualize a particular room, but the right blend of colors, décors, interior design ideas, and lighting choices.

Are you under the impression that nobody looks up? Here’s where you are wrong. Even if you don’t intentionally raise your eyes to check out a ceiling, your glance embraces the whole environment the minute you step in a room. Boring plaster finishes with hardly any décor or personalized touches will probably make the entire room indifferent.

There are ways to make your ceilings luxurious. Let’s just start by saying that there are expensive and inexpensive ways for doing so, and so it will depend on your budget, how much you want to spend on a specific room, and whether there are reasons for completely transforming a particular ceiling or not.

by BGLiving

Evaluate the space first

First things first. Look up! What do you see? What’s the height of the room? What’s the current condition of the ceiling? Which room is that? In order to make the right decisions, take one step at a time.

Is your ceiling high or low? And what impression would you like to give?

High ceilinged rooms are considered luxurious because they are impressive on their own, but watch out. They can make the room cold and impersonal. In this case, you have two options: you should either use tricks to lower down the ceiling or take advantage of the height and just make it elegant.

by Zillow

If the ceiling is low, things are a lot harder. Low ceilinged rooms warm up faster and better in the winter and make your life easy when you simply want to change a light bulb. But if the space is not large or it is overcrowded with furniture, and there are no big window openings, it will be claustrophobic.

Are there damaged ceiling parts?

Roof leaks are often more than enough to have catastrophic effects on ceilings. So before you talk about remodeling your ceiling and make the fifth wall more luxurious, it’s imperative that you fix it. If you need to hire a pro to do some ceiling repairs, you might want to consider some extra labor work. This might be your chance to install a coffered ceiling.

Are you interested in improving the looks of your dining room, bathroom, living room, or hallway ceiling?

It’s actually up to you whether you want to spend money on transforming the ceiling of a private space (like your bathroom’s ceiling). If you ask any interior designer, they will tell you that it’s worth transforming any ceiling. And that’s true! The question is how much are you willing to spend? It will also depend on whether you want to change the looks of one room’s ceiling or all of them.

by Accenthaus

In the case of the latter, think smart. Choose inexpensive, but smart solutions for ceilings at private spaces and spend more to transform ceilings in the dining or living room.

How to make high ceilings look gorgeous

Whether you have a vaulted coffered ceiling or a plain, white one, as long as it is high you can do wonders by playing with colors.

Since the space already breathes from the height of the ceiling, you can use intense colors and install ceiling medallions in historical designs.

Use ceiling stencils. There are amazing patterns on the market. You can either decorate the entire ceiling or parts of it. Depending on the design you choose, you can leave the ceiling white or paint it dark red or blue.

by SWZ Architects LLC

If you select dark colors, you bring the ceiling down. So, if you want to give the effect of a lower ceiling, choose dark shades and dare to go for a black ceiling too. Black is back and gorgeous. It will make a greater impression if you install white crown molding. It will bring out the elegance of the black color.

You can also lower the ceiling by using complex patterns in intense colors. Go for coffered ceilings with particular designs. The more colorful the better!

Get inspired by Italian frescoes. If you can afford a modern “Michelangelo” to do some art work on your ceiling even better. It can’t get better than “The Creation of Adam”!

If you have the money to install wood panels, go for it. But make sure the rest of the room’s setting is simple-white-chic. By keeping décors in neutral colors, you bring out the character of wooden ceilings and won’t make the room heavy.

How to give the impression of high ceilings

Low ceilings are practical and make rooms cosy. And yes, they can be extremely elegant, too. Here are some interior design ideas:

by Elad Gonen

How about dressing the ceiling with wallpaper? Just avoid intense colors and complex patterns. Wallpapers on ceilings are an excellent idea for bedrooms. White plaster ceilings look more exotic with some woodwork done on the top.

Use slim stenciled patterns. Make a difference by investing in golden or silver colors. Give an elegant and original impression by petite flowers and green leaves at the edge part of the ceiling and all around the crown molding.

The truth is that most people are not happy with what they have. If we have high ceilings, we struggle to lower them down. If we have low ceilings, we do our best to increase their height. Since you cannot rebuild the house, here are a couple of things you can do to make the ceiling look higher.

Paint the ceiling in high or semi-gloss neutral color. Glossy light shades will deceive your eye in believing that the room is higher.

by Pepe Calderin Design

You can also remove the plaster and expose the initial ceiling structure. This will literally give you a few more inches of space. Avoid installing coffered drop ceilings. Crown moldings will look lovely, but avoid oversized ones.

In your effort to make your ceiling look higher, you will discover that you can change many things in the room apart from repainting the ceiling. Here are the best tricks:

Use striped wallpapers or paint the wall in stripes. Vertical stripes make us look thinner and taller. They have the same impression on our homes, too.

Avoid tall furniture. Keep everything in average size so that items won’t suffocate the room. It’s best to have floor to ceiling bookcases and fill all shelves with books and displays up to the last one at the top.

by Webb & Brown-Neaves

Put framed pictures all the way up to the ceiling and even over door casings. They give the impression that the ceiling is high. Avoid pendant lights and chandeliers.

Paint a diagonal wall stripe to give the impression that there is a staircase going up. It will create the illusion that there is more spaceand give a movement feeling to the space.

If you are interested in installing wainscoting, prefer vertical beadboards that will give the same impression striped walls do. Hang drapes as high as possible and let them touch the floor. Install 1/3 sized wainscots and keep the upper wall side the same color as the ceiling. If you want to add color, paint the beadboard.

by Jeremy Kohm Photography

Go wild with unique ceilings

Not all ceilings are flat. Some are cathedral, some are curved and some are octagonal. You can use thick stripes, intense colors, and Asian inspired stencils or go for more sophisticated solutions like designs imitating Italian art and the Renaissance period.

The truth is that the higher the ceiling is the more things you can do to decorate it. The kitchen and dining room will simply look lovely if is painted blue and complemented by wood boards. Pendant lights definitely give a dramatic effect as they travel all the way down from a vaulted wood ceiling. So, do explore your choices.

by K2 Design

A few tips to get you started

All types and sizes of ceilings can become luxurious. It’s good for you to remember that. The most important thing is to identify the pros and cons of your ceilings, use your imagination, cross check what’s available, and don’t forget to check your bank account before you start planning. So, these are some last tips to get you started:

Spent time thinking of colors. They make the greatest difference. The right shades will add glamour; the wrong ones will be disastrous.

Pay enormous attention to lighting. If you like chandeliers but the ceiling is low, hang one at one corner and over a small table or chair.

Remember that your ceiling becomes more elegant with hidden lighting all around the trim.

by Drewett Works

Don’t forget that ceilings do not stand alone. They are part of the room. The most gorgeous ceiling in the world will lose its appeal if the rest of the room is messy, overcrowded and too colorful.

Use different architectural ideas in each room. After all, all endeavors aim at improving the looks of the entire space and not just the ceiling. Every room serves a purpose and must have a unique character. So, play with variations. Use contrasting colors in the dining room but smooth transitions from wall to ceiling for the bedroom.

Our ultimate advice? Let your imagination travel, stick to your personal tastes and enjoy every minute of it!

URLs to resources used in article

inexpensive ways
http://www.houzz.com/inexpensive-ceiling-ideas

install a coffered ceiling

35 Majestic Decorative Coffered Ceiling

transform ceilings in the dining or living room

16 Impressive Dining Room Ceiling Designs

coffered ceilings with particular designs

21 Incredible Detailed Ceiling Design Ideas From Experts

White plaster ceilings

Plaster Ceiling Design + Architectural Mouldings

installing wainscoting
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/wainscoting-designs

Pendant lights definitely give a dramatic effect
http://www.houzz.com/high-ceiling-pendant-lights

enormous attention to lighting
http://www.ofdesign.net/interior-design/33-ideas-for-ceiling-lighting-and-indirect-effects-of-led-lighting-beautiful-3102

different architectural ideas
http://freshome.com/ceiling-design-ideas/

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Livable Garage Space

August 31, 2016 by Suzanne Lasky Leave a Comment

Below is a guest post on the subject of converting your garage into livable space to then rent out as a source of income. Maybe a good idea , maybe not….but even if you don’t want or need to do a conversion of the garage to lease out, you may still want to use it as additional living space for yourself. Perhaps a teen hang out space? Or a men’s den?

While it is not as easy to do as simply putting down an area rug and adding a sofa, it can be done much more easily than building an add on structure from the ground up.

Converting Garage Into a Living Space

Cities all around the country are experiencing tremendous growth in real estate and asset prices, and people are looking for ways to cope (or cash in) on the recent spike in rent prices. If you are a homeowner who perhaps is recently out of work, or just are looking for another stream of income, then perhaps you should consider converting your garage into a living space.

Perhaps your child has just graduated college and is having trouble finding work. While their old bedroom has been demolished and rebuilt into your new library, the garage is still a viable spot for them to live, with a quick renovation. San Francisco, New York, and other cities in the United States are seeing astronomical rent prices, so there’s a chance that your new rental space could be quite a cash cow, even if it is just a spruced up garage. here are several reasons to consider renovating your garage into a living space. There are several aspects to consider, which we have outlined below.

Remodeling Essentials

When you are remodeling your garage into a living space, there are several key considerations to keep in mind. If the garage is attached to the house, then you will need to think about how the renter will be able to access this space. Will they be passing through the main house to access the space? A detached garage will require more insulation, as it is a separate structure from the main dwelling. Many people are renting out these spaces as “mother in law” units, especially in college towns where students are looking for a cheap place to sleep.

Insulation and Temperature Control

Windows and doors are where the vast majority of heat is lost from a structure, so your first priority is ensuring that these areas are insulated with high quality materials. Insulated windows and doors can do an incredible job on cutting heating and cooling bills, and they are definitely worth the investment. Since a garage door is much larger than a standard door, insulating this door is especially important for temperature control.

Living spaces likely require more privacy than the typical garage, so be sure to install blinds and curtain rods. Likewise, you will want to make sure that the door used to access the room has a lock and is working smoothly. If the floor is concrete, then it can be dreadfully cold in the winter. Installing snap-in wooden flooring is a relatively cheap way to make the space more attractive and livable.

Interior design Considerations

Garages are small, so you should focus on creating utilitarian shelving and storage spaces that allow people to organize their things and avoid clutter. Installing a wooden or vinyl flooring will ensure that the floor is more comfortable and cohesive.

Pay attention to the lighting in the room. A nice floor and new blinds won’t make up for a single lightbulb dangling bare from the ceiling, attached with a bright orange extension cord. Even a cheap overhead lighting fixture coupled with a lamp or two can make a space look much more cozy. Christmas lights are popular lighting choices for students, and they’re quite affordable to boot.

Shelving and modular furniture can be very useful for using a garage as a living space. A futon is another student staple, and the ability to use it as a couch and a bed makes it very attractive for someone living on a small budget. Tables with integrated cabinets and storage can meet a variety of needs in one piece, allowing you to save space and maximize usefulness to the user.

Natural wood materials are very on-trend and also match the rustic charm of converting a garage into a living space. Consider drying a tree stump and using it as an end table. Raw wooden planks can also be painted with bold colors for a more edgy look. No matter what decorative palette you use, it will be a hit as long as the space is inviting and functional. Following these tips will help you renovate your garage a desirable and attractive living space. Renters will be flocking to rent out your space, and your wallet will be much heavier.

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Kitchen Remodel-Big Investment, Big Pay Off

August 17, 2016 by Suzanne Lasky Leave a Comment

Below is an article published by Pulte Homes on the subject of 5 Kitchen Design Trends that home buyers are interested in. The article shares some great ideas to think about if you are planning a kitchen remodel. S Interior Design likes that their design is not only focused on the look, but also the functionality aspects. Your kitchen is the most functional area in your home and if it doesn’t work well, it doesn’t matter how beautiful it looks.

Kitchen Design Trends that Improves a Kitchen’s Beauty and Functionality

A kitchen is the heartbeat of a home so it’s no wonder that the kitchen is the number one consideration in choosing their next home.

Pulte Group’s Interior Designs Team will merchandise about 425 homes in 2016 and the models they decorate reflect the hottest design trends and interior innovations.

“Today’s home buyers are willing to spend more in the kitchen – from energy-efficient appliances to quartz countertops,” says Janice Jones, PulteGroup’s national vice president of interior design, which effectively acts as one of the largest design shops in the nation with 33 design professionals. “We continuously conduct consumer focus groups to best understand what they want in their kitchens and are constantly refining our kitchen designs and its elements to ensure it delivers on functionality, creative design and easy maintenance across all our buyer groups.”

Jones says that in 2016, five kitchen trends are emerging as must-haves when consumers are planning a kitchen renovation project or if they are looking for some easy kitchen updates. These design trends can already be seen today in new Pulte homes being built throughout the country.

The “Wow” Factor: Bold and oversized lighting choices add drama to the completed space. Decorative lighting is key in the kitchen and adds dramatic flair as well as functionality to the kitchen, especially over the kitchen island.

Transparency: Consumers love to personalize a space. By switching out some cabinet doors with glass doors, you extend visual boundaries while displaying “a few of my favorite things.”
Bridging the Gap: Consumers say you can never have enough storage, especially in the kitchen. Double stacked cabinets extend to the ceiling, which maximize storage space for those special occasion items.

More drawers, less doors: The functionality of drawers outweighs doors. These designs are emphasized through the use of bold hardware.

Mixed marbles and metals highlight gray wood tones. Materials are being mixed, colors contrasted, and styles interchanged to create a unique and personalized point of view.
To see more kitchen designs, visit www.pulte.com.

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Green Remodeling Trends for 2016

July 8, 2016 by Suzanne Lasky 2 Comments

Below is a guest post on the subject of how to incorporate environmentally friendly features and materials into your home. One they left out that S Interior Design recommends is to switch all light bulbs to LED type.

Green Remodeling Trends for 2016

By Mary Sauer

Each year, the green building industry makes major advances, increasing the availability of green home products while decreasing the associated cost. And that’s why there’s no better time than now to switch to more environmentally responsible products for your home. This is especially true if you’re already planning to make small updates or do a major home remodel. Here are this year’s most popular green remodeling trends to help you plan for a home that’s as stylish as it is green.

Home Automation

Smart home products have been around for some time, but only recently have they become an accessible and affordable option for homeowners of all budgets and lifestyles. With the help of a smart thermostat, you can easily regulate your heating and cooling system from any internet enabled device, including your smartphone. Not only is it incredibly convenient to be able to control the temperature of your house from anywhere, it allows you to make changes that will reduce your use of your HVAC unit. Even the smallest changes, like bumping your temperature by a few degrees while you are away, can greatly reduce your overall consumption of electricity and cut your monthly utility costs.

Additionally, through the use of automated lighting you can control when your lights are on or off with the click of the button. Simply by scheduling the lights in your home, you can avoid the energy waste that so often occurs when we leave home in a rush and forget to power off the lighting throughout our homes.

Solar Appliances

For many, making the switch to solar power feels unattainable due to the overall cost of making the switch. Because of this, more homeowner are making smaller switches to solar, choosing solar appliances as a more realistic option for their budgets. One of the most popular solar appliances is the solar water heater, which has an average cost between $1,500 and $4,500. Some heaters can be purchased for as little as $500, especially if you plan to install one yourself. Homeowners who make this investment not only reduce the carbon footprint of their home, but also see an estimated 50 percent drop in their water heating costs. Other popular solar appliances include solar powered refrigerators and solar powered chargers for electronics like smartphones and laptop computers.

Environmentally Friendly Flooring

Reducing the energy consumption in your home is great first step, but it isn’t the only factor to consider when remodeling. Another element to consider is how the manufacturing of your home and building products impacts the wellbeing of the earth—something that we at Modernize are passionate about. Conventional carpet has been found to release volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, into the air, which reduces overall air quality and negatively impacts our health. And traditionally harvested hardwood flooring can have a devastating effect on our world’s forests. That’s why we encourage you to look into more environmentally friendly flooring options such as reclaimed wood, bamboo, or cork flooring, and low VOC carpeting as a healthier and greener option for your home.

If you are new to the world of environmentally responsible living, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of change that’s needed to improve the future of our planet. But every improvement you make matters, and you can begin reducing your carbon footprint by making even the smallest of environmentally-friendly home improvements for a greener future.

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Let The Outside IN!

June 15, 2016 by Suzanne Lasky Leave a Comment

Below is a guest post on the subject of sliding glass doors for homes. As an interior designer in Arizona, I place and re-place quite a few doors like this since one of the goals for those of us who live here is almost always to enable indoor / outdoor living environments both visually and physically.

That said, we live in a world where security is of concern so the glass doors need to have reliable locking mechanisms. No reason to compromise between beauty and security. So if you are in the market for new glass sliding doors, don’t forget the security component.

The author of this guest post from Australia is promoting secure sliding glass doors.

Top 6 Reasons for Getting Sliding Security Glass Doors for Homes

The popularity of sliding security doors is being realized by both homeowners and businesses. Sliding glass doors are mostly used by people as entrance to the garden or patio. Security doors prevent burglaries and protect homes from intruders. Besides security reasons and aesthetics, they are installed for greater visibility and air flow. When it comes to locking system, there are various options available. You can choose central lock system or side lock system. You can buy different varieties of sliding security doors from different online shops, but you must also buy a material that can be cleaned and maintained very easily.

6 main reasons for installing glass sliding security doors!

When compared to the traditional doors, sliding security glass doors offer an added security since they are swung open with the hinge. Sliding security doors are secured with the latch, making it difficult for intruders to meddle.
If you install sliding doors, you will enjoy more space inside the building premises and house. It increases the space available as it narrows down the obstruction both indoors and outdoors.
When it comes to sliding doors, there are various options available in the market. More and more manufacturers have embarked on the production of glass sliding doors in different styles and patterns. These doors are the ideal options to choose when you consider doing your office renovation, or of you want the perfect office fit-out at a reasonable price.
Sliding doors are much easier to clean and maintain. Do-it-yourself cleaning solutions are available to remedy the glass if anything happens to it. Glass cleaning solutions can be availed at budget friendly rates.
The sliding security doors comprise glass material can give the room an instant facelift. The door offers a chic and modern look to the interior. The once drab room can become elegant and beautiful in no time.
With glass doors, you can have a better look of your landscape area or patio. The home will also enjoy natural lighting. One can also use curtains and drapes to dim the light.

Get rid of the traditional doors!

Those who crave to get rid of old-fashioned and traditional look of their home; they can install glass sliding doors. Find the best sliding security doors to match up your needs. Check the internet or pay visit to a hardware store to see the variety of gates sold. It can add it to the curb appeal of the home while making it modern.

Traditional glass security doors and modern security doors!

Modern glass security doors have a huge advantage over the traditional ones. The major change in the glass panels is the reason for installing modern doors. When traditional doors used only a single panel, the modern security door has multiple panels of glazed glass. These doors are also the best for your garden area, as you can regulate the entry and exit into your garden, with these security sliding doors.

Enjoying the outdoor view!

You may be having a beautiful landscape area and willing to enjoy the outdoors from inside your home. If you want to see the outdoors from the interior, while not compromising on the safety of the family, then you should choose sliding security doors made up of glass to enjoy a clear view. Make sure nothing is visible from the outside.

At the big box hardware store, you can find hundreds of choices with respect to sliding security doors. Have a look at the frame of the door since that needs to be factory constructed in different styles. Choose an appropriate one for your needs.

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