How To Turn Your Space Into An Industrial Masterpiece

June 29, 2018 by Suzanne Lasky

Below is a guest post from a provider of epoxy flooring (full disclosure….). S Interior Design agreed to share the post because it contains good ideas on how to introduce the style of industrial design into your home.

The Industrial Revolution is the age of steam engines, smoke-belching machines, and large factories. When companies started moving their operations elsewhere, these large factories were left to rot. To make use of these wide spaces, some people chose to convert the warehouses and offices into homes. This was the birth of industrial interior design.

The industrial interior design focuses on taking notable shapes and features used during the Industrial Revolution and turning them into something modern. This does not mean that that your entire place should look like a warehouse, instead, interior designers will strive to add a modern twist to the industrial feel of a room.

If you’re wondering how you can do this without the help of an interior designer, then follow these tips.

Find your inspiration

The Industrial Revolution brought a lot of mechanical pieces to the world and you can add them to your home. But before doing this, it’s best to know the inspiration behind a room. What do you plan to do with the room? What is it supposed to be? How is it supposed to function?

Once you figure that out, you can search for inspiration online or from magazines about the industrial interior design. You don’t have to copy them piece by piece, but you will at least have an idea of what kind of industrial feel you want to portray in your room.

Design your floor

One of the most notable parts of your room is your floor. If you want an obvious industrial look, then you might want to change the type of floor you have. Usually, an industrial look has a cement floor with an epoxy coating to make it shiny and flawless. An epoxy coating adds extra protection as well.

You don’t also have to stick to the color of cement. You can paint your floor the shade of gray you want to resemble a metallic look or you can go for monochromatic colors of black and white. Tip: if you don’t want to change your floor, you can paint the walls instead. You can either have a bricked brown wall, or a silver-painted one.

Mix and match metal and wood

When it comes to mixing modern and industrial styles, you don’t have to be cautious about having metal and wood in the same room. Some people think that these two do not go together as metal items give a sleeker look to things. However, with the right match, you can still make use of that old wooden table you may have.

Keep it minimalistic

Despite having accessories on your wall or mechanical clocks and lights, an industrial interior design is still supposed to be minimalistic. This means that you have to shy away from over-decorating your space or adding too much fluff to it. As a guide, always ask if it’s bulky or the color scheme is too loud.

Put these tips together and you can already design your own industrial-inspired room. If you are having a hard time, you can get cut-outs of the things you want to put and try putting them together to know if they will look good in the space you have.

New Year – New Interior Design Ideas

January 2, 2018 by Suzanne Lasky

It is officially 2018- year of color, year of clean, simple design lines with a touch of cozy via faux fur throws and highly textured textiles. Here is a link to a nice concise post from Fresh Home – and another that shares listings of the upcoming 2018 Furniture Design Shows.

Enjoy!

https://freshome.com/new-years-design-resolutions-2018/

https://freshome.com/international-furniture-design-shows/

9 Tips To Create A Home Office You’ll Actually Want To Work In

June 29, 2016 by Suzanne Lasky

When I saw the title to this post we were being asked to share with our readers I thought ‘Wow, great timing, I could use a bit of inspiration in my own home office right about now!”

Home offices can be a blessing and a curse. You get to work at home, avoid a stressful commute and really work in a space that you make your own.

At the same time, I think that if you don’t have a space that you enjoy working in, it can make you unproductive or leave you unmotivated.

So, if you are looking for some home office design ideas to make your office a dream to work in, take a look at some of my easy and fun tips to achieve a home office you will actually look forward to working in.

1. Use a Theme
I know what you might be thinking, that themes are tacky are won’t work for a home office. But let me just tell you, it’s not true. Themes can work well for an office space and give you easy design rules to follow for a beautifully put together space.

One of my personal favorite themes to use is a coastal theme. This one works particularly well in a home office because it focuses on lots of white furniture, lots of light and wooden accents.

Image source

2. Decorate functionally
I know that looking at Pinterest is good for inspiration but don’t forget that the room needs to be workable as well.
Of course you can still choose a well-designed space but don’t forget to include practical items like a filing cabinet or lots of desk space.

Image source

3. Embrace natural light
I think we all know that no-one wants to work in a dark and depressing space so make sure you are making the most of the natural light that you have in the room. Use white curtains or blinds to let the light through. If you want to, you could get rid of the curtains completely to make sure that you get as much light in the room as possible.

I know that this might not be possible for everyone, and if your home office is lacking in natural or direct sunlight, you can achieve a similar effect if you add lamps to your home office. It’s not quite the same as the real thing, but goes a long way to helping you create a bright and airy home office.

Image source
4. Add comfortable elements
Adding a lounge chair or armchair can be a great way to relax when you need to read over some papers or simply just want a break from your desk.This is particularly important because it means that when you want to sit somewhere comfortable you don’t need to leave your office and you remain in work mode.

Image source

5. Optimize Storage
When it comes to storage you need to really make the most of the space you have with an organized and efficient storage system. Make sure that you have a place for everything and that everything goes back into its place.

Before you take on this task I would recommend making sure you have all the files, boxes and storage items you need to efficiently organize your office.

6. Green Touches
This is one of my favorite tips, as not only does adding plants improve the air quality of the room, it also gives the room a fresher and more alive feeling.
If you want to keep your home office closed on the weekends, keep in mind that you need to choose plants that don’t need watering all the time.

Image source

7. Personalize
I love to personalize my house with photos of friends and family, and a home office should be no exception. Use photos and mementos of friends, family and good times to personalize your office space and add a familiar touch.

Don’t forget to rotate them so they don’t get too boring and familiar.

Image source

8. Keep it clutter free
This might seem like one of the most obvious tips for creating a home office that you actually want to work in, but I think it’s one of the most important.
Keeping it organized and tidy can really help you work better but also keeps your motivated to work there, no one wants to work in a messy office.

Image source

9. Stock up
This one is an easy one to follow but makes all the difference. Making sure you have all the things when you need makes sure that you are efficient use of your time and you aren’t having to run out to the store all the time.

This also has the added advantage of being able to make use of bulk discounts, ultimately saving you money which is never a bad thing!

Image source
So there you have it, some easy tips to make the most of your home office space. If you are looking for ways to create a home office that you actually want to work in, give one of these ideas a go and I promise you will be loving your home office in no time.

Hannah Hutchinson
Being passionate about beautiful interiors and architecture, I also have recently begun to write and contribute to this knowledge ecosystem. I strongly believe that the place we create around us has a strong influence on our personal well-being. Follow me for my inspirations and musings at @hannahhutch5 and Pinterest.

Modern Staircase-10 Reasons to Use Glass Railings/Balustrades

May 7, 2016 by Suzanne Lasky

Below is a guest post from an Australian writer on the subject of glass railings; balustrades as they are referred to across the pond.

Ensure the Safety of your home with the Designer Glass Balustrades/Railings

If you have started with a new home construction, or of you want to renovate your home, or else, if you are the owner of a shopping mall, spa or parlor, then you can include glass balustrading as part of your interior decoration, as these make your staircase look attractive, sleek and contemporary. There are numerous designs available in the market, and you can search from the online portals to get your glass balustrading done in the perfect manner. Balustrades that are usually made with toughened glass last long, and they are scratch and corrosion-proof:

Initially balustrades used to be manufactured of stone or wood, but now, these traditional and archaic materials are no longer in use, and glass stands for the luxury and superiority when it comes to using your balustrades for a long term purpose, or for enhancing the aesthetic and the retail value of your property.
When it comes to make a sustainable and eco-friendly landscape in your home, glass balustrades have no other alternative, as they are not heavy as marble or stone balustrades and they do not rust like the steel or the metal balustrades.

Know about the top 10 benefits of glass balustrading:

Glass balustrading looks sleek and stylish and it adds to the charm of any existing building or a new construction. If you are the owner of a corporate set-up, you can impress your clients with the décor and functionality of the glass balustrades. These also enhance the resale value of your home.
Glass balustrading does not block the entry of sunlight into your rooms, as it filters the light and lets it enter, so that the interior remains warm during winters. If you have a swimming pool, you can easily install the frameless or the semi-frameless glass balustrades to ensure that the view of the space is not blocked.
Glass balustrading involves no hassles while cleaning and maintaining these. It is very easy to clean the glass balustrades all by yourself, and you do not require any professional help for maintaining your balustrades. You can use a quality glass cleaner, or else, if there are scratches and dents over the balustrades, then you can simply use the polishing methods to bring back the balustrades into the original form.
Glass gives the illusion of a larger space. This cannot be achieved with metallic, iron or stone balustrades.
Glass is a versatile option, when it comes to choose from a large number of designs, shapes and layouts. You can customize the designs depending on your needs, or else, you can go through home design catalogues to get an idea about how to install the balustrades. You can also choose from different frames, or go for the frameless options.
Toughened glass is not brittle, but it shows an excellent durability even when you compare it to stone or metal balustrades. There is minimum aging related to glass, so if you use good quality glass balustrading, it will not chip, wear out or break off. In case you have children, aged parents or pets at home, you can install these tough balustrades without worrying about any accidents.
Glass balustrading costs less than the traditional stone or marble balustrading, and these are also quite easy to install.
Glass balustrading is strong and safe, and made of unbreakable glass, so that these can withstand huge pressure.
Glass is an eco-friendly option, when it comes to choosing the best interior layout for your home.
They are the best safety providers which do not let people fall down from stairs or balconies.

So now, you can call to the glass balustrading companies and get a quote from them and install the best glass balustrades in your home.

Flat Packed Furniture

December 18, 2015 by Suzanne Lasky

Is FLAT a ‘4 letter word’ ?? When I received this request to share this guest post at first I was put off by the subject matter. Isn’t flat packed furniture cheap? Flat packed furniture may be a good option to consider in certain circumstances. First apartments, second homes, kids rooms, home offices are a few places that using flat packed (R.T.A.-ready to assemble) furniture may make sense. The article below shares some pros and cons to consider.

[Read more…]