New Home Owner Interior Design
Posted by in Home Owner Interior Design on June 29, 2011
One of the most essential elements for a new home owner to address is the interior design of their new home. Whether they pay a professional to do a little consulting and help them shop for a few hours or they employ a designer to overhaul their entire dwelling, the designer’s expertise will help them take their home from nondescript to perfect. Interior designers have training that allows them to do research and analyze situations. They, then, take their findings to create beautiful spaces tailored to their clients’ desires.
A trained designer will understand how to integrate various design elements so that a home is both visually appealing and functional. An effective designer should understand a homeowner’s basic objectives regarding their home. The designer should know if their clients enjoy entertaining, crafting, or watching films so they can design with an eye toward those hobbies. Furthermore, their design elements should virtually reflect their client’s neighborhood.
Regardless of whether a home is a ranch in Western South Dakota, a hip condo in North East Minneapolis, or a gem in the world of Chicago real estate, it is important that the designer has spent some time in that area. For instance, if a homeowner purchases a Chicago condo in Gold Coast, it would look out of place if their designer decorated their condo in completely modern themes. The interior design should reflect the classic and historic nature of that neighborhood. Most of the structures in the Gold Coast neighborhood were built after Chicago’s great fire of 1871, and the beautiful Victorian features of these properties should be highlighted rather than subdued.
However, even within the same city, there are a wide variety of interior design elements. If a homeowner chooses to live in a Chicago home in Wrigleyville, their interior design may need to be completely different than what may have seemed right in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. They may want to incorporate some of the themes that have been historically used in the pubs and restaurants in that area. Because that area hosts Wrigley field, many people like to use sports themes. However, employing a sport based theme is not essential as long as the interior design scheme is not fighting with the architecture of the area or of the condo itself. Read the rest of this entry »
French Country Interior Design
Posted by in French Interior Design on June 29, 2011
If you want to put a touch of je ne sais quoi into your home then why not consider the French country style of interior design. The French country style has become one of the most popular styles throughout the world and conjures up images of warm Mediterranean sunshine, sandy beaches, beautiful purple lavender fields, winding country lanes, scenic villages peppered about the countryside, flea markets, and of course the sheer charm and elegance of the cottages and farmhouses not to mention the people themselves. The good news is that you don’t have to go all the way to Provence to bring a touch of rural France back into your home.
If you are stuck for ideas or inspiration you can start by browsing through magazines or do a search on the internet to get an idea of what elements go to make up the French country style. Of course you can always employ a professional interior designer to do the job for you but it helps if you know what you want to start with. Although the French style can vary significantly from area to area, to most people, it’s the area known as Provence in the South of France that seems to spring to mind when thinking about French country style.
The lifestyle in Provence tends to be more casual and so the look matches this which is invariably welcoming, warm, and decidedly unfussy. Think about brightly coloured wooden shutters to keep out the blazing midday sun on windows which are often narrow and deep set. The furniture tends to be rustic with a worn lived in and comfortable look. Imagine copper pots strategically placed next to old stone fireplaces, or the dark wooden beams contrasted against the paler rough plastered walls. The scope is endless so there is plenty of variety to cater for any taste. The following ideas may help to inspire your own interpretation of French country style.
Colours
Colours that fit in with the French country style include warmer shades of bronze, gold, yellow and rust to match the hot Mediterranean climate as well as the cooler ocean colours in different shades of blues and greens, however, bright and vibrant colours do not go amiss either such as strong purple, bright red, and shocking pink. It is the way they are combined that helps to create the final look.
Fabrics and other materials
Probably the most popular fabric associated with the French country style is toile. Toile is generally a repeated pattern on a fabric with a pale background. It literally translates to cloth. However, fabrics in different textures, colours and prints go well and you can include anything from plain cloths to stripes and floral prints to fabrics depicting motifs. Motifs can be found not only on fabrics but also on wall coverings, paintings and ornamental and practical pieces in the home too. Popular motifs include roosters, grapes, lavender, and insects such as bees and the famous Cigale, whose song can be heard throughout the summer in Provence. Read the rest of this entry »