An article from HOUZZ describing the benefits of LED lights and showing some of the most common applications. As designer, I am specifying LED lighting for all of my remodel projects.
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.
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!
Sinks And Color Get Married
Color is back! Kohler one of the most widely known names in bath and kitchen fixtures including sinks, tubs, toilets, faucets, showers and more has partnered with renowned designer Jonathan Adler to launch a new line of kitchen and bathroom sinks in an unexpected color palette.
As stated by Adler in the Kohler Idea book : ” Your home should be happy. You should feel like you’re walking into your favorite song on the radio. Color sets the mood; it’s the first thing you notice when you walk into a room.”
S Interior Design is looking forward to designing a kitchen or bath with beautiful white quartz counter tops and one of these colorful sinks .
In addition to the 4 Jonathan Adler special edition colors, Kohler has 29 other color options to choose from.
Kitchen Back Splash–Do You Have One?
A kitchen back splash is a perfect example of how design elements can be both FUNCTIONAL and LOOK GREAT. Having a back splash will protect your walls from stove top splatter from food and oil and water. Often people will simply add a 4-6 inch back splash in the same material as the counter top. We encourage you to take it beyond that and extend up higher, preferably to just under the wall mounted cabinets and even higher at the cook top wall. Similar principles apply in bathroom design.
I realize that S Interior Design is a big fan of the glass tile back splash as evidenced by the last 3 kitchen remodels we have completed for clients. Here are a few pictures that show 3 options we have used. This illustrates that even within only the category of glass tiles, the choices are many. One of our favorite options is from Oceanside Glasstile as they strive to eco-friendly in their manufacturing processes.
Below is a guest post courtesy of Erin Devine on the subject of kitchen back splashes.
Selecting the Perfect Kitchen Backsplash
Selecting the right colors and textures for your kitchen back splash can be a tricky task when you consider all of the options out there. There are as many kitchen and design choices as there are back splashes to choose from. Fortunately, knowing a few “do’s” and “don’t’s” can make the process much easier.
Keep in mind that busy patterns detract from the rest of the kitchen’s décor. If any busy pattern is to be used, it should contain colors from the kitchen to tie everything in and not create too much of a focal point. Further, the area of back splashes should not be large in comparison to the rest of the wall space.
Glass tile is one of the prettiest types of tile. Glass doesn’t attract mildew or mold, cleans easily, and offers numerous color choices. The reflective property of glass tile makes it one of the most favored of tiles because it offers an unparalleled shine and rich color.
Choose a backsplash to enrich the overall look of the kitchen rather than the space it occupies. For instance, choosing backsplashes one or two shades darker than the cupboards is wise. You can also choose a color similar to the floor in the case where the rest of the interior is of a light color. With that said, choosing colors that do not mesh create an eyesore. Glass tile backsplashes create somewhat of a focal point, however, they should not contrast so much from the rest of the interior that they’re all the eyes focus on.
Backsplashes belong under cabinets and neatly contained between other fixtures. Moreover, back splashes look best when placed underneath the cabinets. On the other hand, if pulled out onto a joining wall without a cabinet to frame them, the look is awkward. Keep back splashes underneath or butting cabinets or choose one in a color one to two shades within the shade of the wall so that it blends in. However, where cupboards frame the back splash, it is safe to go with a darker color.
Avoid drastic colored tiles where the rest of the décor is neutrally toned and colored. Whatever colors are present in back splashes should tie in well with the rest of the kitchen. In the instance of a multicolored kitchen, choose small tiles with each color to create a mosaic or opt for a simple design with a dramatic border.
The idea of back splashes is to accentuate the beauty within the kitchen—to pull everything together. The idea is to add to, rather than detract from, the overall appearance of the kitchen. When things don’t “look right,” people know it. Whether a person has an eye for interior design, colors or creativity, they quickly notice if things are off. Not to mention that home is a place for self-expression, rather than being overly concerned with how others perceive their choice of décor. For this reason, establishing individual preferences is key for any interior project. Back splashes are beautiful and functional and are meant to be enjoyed, so make sure that you choose a back splash that reflects your taste and accentuates the design of the rest of your kitchen.
Erin Devine is a guest writer for Floor & Décor Outlets, a flooring and tile retailer with a do-it-yourself attitude and an eye for style. She loves writing and maintaining her own interior design blog, DIY Home & Floor.
Wood Floors-Basics You Should Know
Wood flooring is more popular than ever. In Arizona, I have more clients requesting wood flooring over tiles which were the prior go to flooring option for most. There are so many options not only in how the wood floors look, but how they are constructed and it can get a bit confusing . S Interior Design thinks that this guest posting will help take away some of that confusion. If you love the look of the wood floor, but your budget doesn’t allow for that, there are also some good alternatives available; wood look laminates (have come sooo far!) and even tile that emulates wood planks.
Until just a few years ago your options when fitting wood flooring were very straightforward. Equally they were also limiting, as wood in its natural form does not fit outdoors nor does it fit well in areas that experience humid and damp conditions such as the kitchen, bathroom and basement. So what has changes and what are your options nowadays?
Types of Wood Flooring: Today you can choose between two types of wood flooring technology, each offering its pros as well as cons. The two are engineered wood and solid wood.
Engineered Wood Flooring – Each planks is made of three syntactic materials and a layer of solid wood. The use of solid wood on the top means that they look exactly like traditional wood flooring, however the use of syntactic materials underneath means that engineer type does not inherit the limitations of wood.
Typical Uses – If you intend to fit wood flooring in a potentially humid area such the bathroom, your only safe option is engineered wood. If you intend to fit the floor yourself, it is possible to fit these planks in a floating installation so glues, nails and staples are not required and it therefore makes engineered easier to fit.
Solid Wood Flooring – Each planks is made from complete natural wood. These are the traditional types that until a few years ago were also your one and only option.
Typical Uses – If longevity and durability are an issue, such as in commercial properties, solid wood offers a service life potential of 100 years. Additionally, the surface can be sanded and coated again every few years thereby making the floor look brand spankin new.
Grades Of Wood: Both solid and engineered types are made from solid wood. Made completely from solid wood in the case of solid floors or as a top layer in the case of engineered floors. The solid wood is divided into levels of grade. It is an indication to the visual side of the plank, nothing to do with quality. Your choice of one grade over the other depends on your design taste and budget, as the higher grades will cost slightly more.
Prime grade – Prime grade wood flooring are cut from the middle of the tree which means that the floorboard will have the least amount of colour variations between the planks and knots are very few in between.
Select grade – Select grade wood flooring are cut from the second ring from within the core of the tree which means that the floorboards will show some colour variations between the plank and some knots can be expected.
Natural grade – Natural grade will feature sapwood and black knots of up to 30cm in size. Compared to the previous two grades, price difference will become more substantial making this grade very popular when fitting wood floors on a tight budget.
Rustic grade – Floorboards will feature sapwood and black knots of 35cm. There might be unlimited colour variation between the floorboards. Rustic is the most affordable option.
Colours Of Wood Flooring – Another changing aspect of wood flooring are the colours of the planks. In the past the species of wood (e.g. Pine, Walnut, Oak etc) would have determined the colour of the plank. While this is still true, flooring technology has allowed for special colours to cover the planks and thereby meet the precise shade to compliment your interior. Examples of bespoke colour include:
It is always a good idea to consult with professional interior designers prior to fitting wood flooring. These options and considerations make wood flooring less straightforward than it used to be. However, it also means that wood can fit more interiors than ever before as well as suitable across more areas in your home or commercial property.
Guide and images by Oak Flooring company Wood and Beyond. London based company of solid oak flooring, engineered, decking and worktops. Its woods are FSC sourced (stands for Forest Stewardship Council).
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- …
- 10
- Next Page »