Don’t Be Afraid to Go Big with Graphics In Your Home

August 23, 2012 by Suzanne Lasky

Below is a guest post about over sized wall murals and how they can be used to make a statement in your home. I recently used a wonderful full size (10′ high x 7′ wide) wall mural graphic in a client’s guest house casita. They wanted a tropical feeling so the mural depicted a beach scene. So a plain wall became reminiscent of the Caribbean beach in no time at all. These murals are quite a bit less expensive than having an artist paint a custom mural on a wall. Many companies will be able to use your own photography to create a customized graphic for you. Imagine a life-size picture from your last vacation spot, or your wedding photo……..

Giant Graphics are Ideal for the Home

Creating a certain ambiance in your home can be achieved in many ways, but a very trendy, very artsy way to do this is to utilize full wall graphics with custom printed wallpaper. There are particular things to keep in mind as you decide what photo or art piece to use and where it will go. Keep in mind that you want this wall to be a focal point in the room, not the entire room being the wall.

Pick your Shot

Even amateur photographers can have fun with this decorating tool as long as there is one favorite shot to be chosen from a collection. If you had gone on vacation to tour the castles in Europe or just captured the perfect beam of light on your favorite lake in the mountains, you are able to transform that masterpiece into a sizeable work of art. Be sure to carefully measure the wall you are working with to get the correct dimensions. Nothing is worse than having to improvise after receiving the wrong measurements back (and it is your fault).

Where to put it?

Now, you may be wondering, what wall is the best wall to use? Well, it is pretty simple. You want people to notice this amazing piece of art, correct? So if you walk into the room you are dressing up, what wall do you see first? If that one has a window, is there another that might work better? Perhaps you have a short wall, like a wide column that has no function at all. Make that one the statue you snapped a picture of in Cancun, just on a much more impressive, more pleasing to the eye version. Scan that award-winning painting you have stored away and upload it. Avoid using areas that people will naturally turn their back on or never see, unless it is done for your pleasure only. And a real window can ruin the effect a mural has on a wall. Unless it will incorporate your window into the picture, choose a different area. It will cut into the graphic and make it look incomplete. Imagine looking at the sunset on the beach and missing one-third of it. No, just pick a wall that is free and clear of obstacles like doors and windows.

Color…

Color or black and white? That is completely up to your preferences. Personally, I prefer black and whites for personal photos, family shots, if the original colors were rich enough to make the shades vary enough for some depth. Scenery, I prefer to leave in color. They are very pleasing to the eye when they host an array of colors and can provoke emotions when they feel tangible. One of the main reasons people will put a mural up is to make a vacation or favorite place immortal to them…unchanging.

Décor

Now, when incorporating a large graphic such as this, don’t forget that it is a part of your home and decorate the room as such. Unless it is a useless wall that you are coating for effect, place furniture in front of it. I’m not saying to stack bookshelves right through the middle, but a nice ensemble of couch, loveseat and tables that complement the theme of the photo will do wonders for y our sanctuary. It then makes it a part of what is going on and less like a museum artifact. Many put graphics up on staircases because they are so difficult to decorate unless you just do a “gallery” of family photos that no one can see unless they go up your stairs. Something like this can be seen, even in a semi-open concept plan, from the main level and will be the conversation starter for the night.

Be bold when it comes to the bones of your home. If you set the bar with your walls in bright, lively, or serene fashions, the rest of your décor will follow. Your guests will love the atmosphere you have created because they will feel how much you love being there.

Chris Garrett is a large format printing expert and online publisher for the customized wallpaper expert http://www.megaprint.com/wallpaper.php. He frequently blogs on the topics of design, printing, and photography.

Have you Considered Vintage Decor For Your Home?

July 23, 2012 by Suzanne Lasky

I admit, Vintage style decor is not generally my favored style. That said, there are wonderful re-purposed, unique decorating elements to be found in this genre. Just take a look at what a Google search of images for Vintage Decor shows. A search on Pinterest or Etsy also yield some very interesting results.

Below is a guest post on the subject of you guessed it—-Creating a Vintage Feel for Your House

Just when you thought you had seen the last of the flower power wall-paper and funky brass wall art from eras gone by, vintage-inspired design has become a popular theme again. As the saying goes “old always becomes new again” and this is certainly true when it comes to the world of home interior design. So, it’s time to start digging through your grandmother’s attic to find some kitschy pieces to add to your home this year. Here are some fun ideas for bringing a touch of the vintage feel into your home.

The Reminiscent Living Room
Love to entertain guests ala “Mad Men” style? Head for your nearest thrift stores and flea markets for some serious sixties finds. Start with a redesign of your seating arrangement with a comfortable couch with glamorous wooden legs, paired with two vintage Eames-era chairs. Cover with plenty of class in velvets, rich brocades, and patterned fabrics. Go for hues of gold, green, orange and browns for a vintage touch. Create throw pillows and pinched window drapes in coordinating fabrics and textures. Use impactful artwork on walls, and include at least one large piece of metal art or a mirror painted in your favorite metallic shade. Add a vintage bar set to your coffee table or a console table nearby.

The Vintage Kitchen
If your favorite space in your home happens to be the kitchen, then a vintage-y kitchen should be your starting point as you decorate. Try taking cues from your Great-aunt Betty’s kitchen with plenty of bright colors inspired by the outdoors. Grab a classic Formica top and metal leg table, and vinyl seat chairs from a local garage sale or vintage shop. Pick your favorite rooster canisters for storing coffee and other staples. Add a big metal wall clock in a flower or star shape. Upgrade your kitchen cabinets with wooden painted doors, and add some counter top paint in a bright shade of orange or green. Then get yourself vintage inspired appliances to grace counter tops.

Vintage Inspired Bedrooms
The vintage bedroom is a romantic and soft place for privacy anytime you need to unwind. Make yours stand out with a large upholstered headboard, with matching drapes in glamorous silk brocade. If your walls need it, add a fresh coat of a soft pastel color to them. Think powder pink, light violet or teal. Then add a chenille bedspread and pillows to your bed. Replace dressers and night tables with retro-look pieces that give the look of your parents’ bedroom from the 50s. Add lamps that are old fashioned with paper shades, and an Electrolux alarm clock for the final touch.

Bathrooms with Classic Appeal
Love to spend hours in the tub soaking with a good novel from Sylvia Plath? Then a vintage bathroom should be on your list. The vintage bathroom usually starts with tile”¦lots of it. Add tiles to your bathroom vanity back-splash and around your tub and commode “” any color will do but pink or yellow is a favorite. Replace your old shower with an over sized cast iron bathtub, complete with ceiling hanging shower curtains. Add crisp cotton window curtains and monogrammed towels to complete the look.

Your vintage home can start with little things that you collect over time, or you can go big with a complete home overhaul. Remember, to have fun and add charm and personality to your home with the vintage look.

About the Author: When she’s not goggling over her new vintage-styled remodeled kitchen, Jillian Watkinson is sitting out in her backyard hammock enjoying a short nap or a lemonade.

Is Clutter an Avenue to Creativity?

June 5, 2012 by Suzanne Lasky

Here is a guest post with an interesting twist on de-cluttering your closets and cabinets. Think of the de-cluttering process as a treasure hunt, a way to find items to work with to design ‘creative displays’. If you need inspiration, Pinterest is an excellent site to search through. While you are there, don’t forget to check the S Interior Design Pinterest boards

Here is the guest post. So if it is too hot outside, start cleaning out your closets and think off the ‘hanger’.

How to De-Clutter Your Closets and Cabinets and Put Up Creative Displays

The small storage areas in your home, your closets and cabinets, can easily become cluttered. As a part of your overall home organization efforts, you should try to de-clutter these areas in both conventional and innovative ways. In addition to regularly getting rid of excess items in your cabinets and closets, you can also do things like put up creative displays in your home. If you’re wondering how you should go about putting up displays, here are some tips to guide you through the process:

1. Search for hidden treasure in your closets and cabinets –

Look through your closets and cabinets for things you might want to put on display. For instance, that vintage electric guitar you’ve had stowed away in your bedroom closet for ages would look pretty cool on your living room wall. Additionally, your stainless steel pots and pans would look great on a hanging rack in your kitchen. Pick out a few items from each of your closets and a couple of items from your cabinets that you want to put up on display in your home.

2. Invest in some racks, hooks, and shelves –

You’ll need to get some attractive racks, hooks, and shelves to use to put up displays throughout your home. You can get these at most home improvement stores, and they’re usually pretty easy to put up with yourself (if you’re adept at following written instructions). Additionally, you may want to purchase attractive racks for your kitchen and shelved furniture at a department store. Take your time searching for attractive and sturdy racks, hooks, shelves, and other furniture for your displays. Remember that details always matter in the realm of interior design.

3. Don’t go overboard –

Covering your walls with displays isn’t necessarily the best strategy. Putting up creative displays is a great way to clear out some extra space in your closets and cabinets. However, it’s not the ultimate solution to clutter in those storage areas of your home. Regular organization and getting rid of excess belongings is the best way to de-clutter your closets and cabinets. Putting up a few, tasteful displays throughout your home should only be a part of your overall organization efforts.

Author’s Bio: Author’s Bio: Lisa is a blogger at Self Storage Deals who writes on the subjects of home storage, home organization, and self storage options. Professionally, she splits her time between helping people organize their homes and helping people organize their storage units, specifically storage units in Colorado Springs and storage units in McAllen. “

Transformative Power of Art

May 9, 2012 by Suzanne Lasky

Trans-formative Value of Art

Below is a guest post about what I will call ‘the power of art’.

S Interior Design uses a generous definition for the word art. We believe that art should make you smile when you look at it. So, that said a nicely framed picture of a vineyard you visited could indeed be great art, as could a child’s drawing. The key is in the presentation—don’t expect a poster thumb tacked to the wall to be pleasing to the eye. Invest in the proper mat board and framing and you will be amazed at what can happen to your child’s painting from 5th grade.

Guest Post

Although I’ve always been a big fan of interior design it has only been recently that I’ve truly begun to have a full appreciation for the trans-formative values of art. I must confess, I always thought ill of those overly proud of their new painting, sculpture, or art. I was an avid fan of contemporary styles, with a minimalist approach. I was of the opinion that the sleek look, along with sparse furnishing and sharp lines, gave a real clean, organized, powerful aura.

Recently however, I’ve come to appreciate an appropriately placed piece of art. It can add true depth to a room, granting reflection and meaning where previously there was blank space. Whether you feel the way I once did, or share my current views, here is why I now consider art to be a trans-formative agent in a room.

The greatest way in which a piece of wall art transforms living space is adding a depth of reflection. Artwork inspires reflection for various reasons. Mainly for these three:

The art was made by a human being, and you can’t help but reflect on the thoughts of the human behind the art.

This is one of the most powerful ways art makes one reflect. Art, whether through beauty, abstractness, or sheer uniqueness, makes one wonder. To consider that a human made this piece of wonder causes a further wonder that someone was not only able to, but had deeper motives. Humans, being naturally curious, can’t help but reflect and consider what might have been the motivation and thoughts behind the creation.

The wondrous qualities of the artwork itself.

This is often the initial way that artwork causes us to reflect and wonder. It draws the eye, pulls us in, and suddenly, before we know it, we’re standing and reflecting and staring. Thinking about the amazing, unbelievable qualities of beauty, strength, power, subtlety, or whatever aspect the painting best personifies.

The depths of your own imagination.

A surprisingly large portion of artwork plays off the imagination of the viewer. Almost all abstract art relies on the viewer to draw their own, deep conclusions based upon what can actually be surprisingly simple. This leads the perceiver to wonder and reflect at the depths of their own imagination, and reflect upon not only what lies in the depths of imagination but also what in the artwork causes such a visceral reaction of thought.

To help capture the attention needed for reflection, and further add to the trans-formative value of artwork, one should attempt to subtly orient furniture toward artwork. Many people will throw a painting on a wall and be happy. Or, if someone is over proud of their new painting, they’ll frame it, hang it up, throw a light feature on it, and attempt to force everyone to stare at it. This can, in ways, be worse than hanging art without accentuating it.

Artwork should be subtly brought to attention. To do this, try placing it somewhere where people usually face. For example, place it somewhere it can immediately be seen upon entering the home. Or, if in a bedroom, have it facing the bed. Somewhere where the eye will naturally happen across the artwork.

I still firmly believe in a minimalist approach to interior design. However, I believe with the right piece of art a room gains much-needed depth. Try including a medium-sized piece of art alone in a clean, uncluttered room. Enjoy the reflection, beauty, and depth added. Everyone must follow their own heart’s guidelines when making their own living space, but I hope you have appreciated my own thoughts on the trans-formative properties of art.

Author Bio: Edward Stuart is an interior design aficionado, and follows all things design and fashion. He is an online publisher for the framed art expert www.framedart.com and blogs on the topics of interior design, home decor, and fashion tips.

Desert Wonder-Artwork Concepts

May 5, 2012 by Suzanne Lasky

Woke to get the newspaper (yes, I still read an actual newspaper) and was greeted by a phenom known as night-blooming cactus. I wanted to share and suggest use of the wonder of nature as artwork in your homes and offices. I show you 2 pictures:

1- straight shot from my iPhone
2- altered slightly in Adobe Photoshop

Imagine printing this out and surrounding by a colorful mat board and thick frame–You get unique artwork with a very small dollar investment!