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Saturday, April 14th, 2018
Hooker Furniture Living Room Citizen Stationary Sofa: Can you identify the layered elements in this room?
The success of interior design is all about getting every element right. Each piece must be able to work with the other pieces while still being able to stand on its own. This entire process is what’s known in the design world as layering. You might wonder why it is not included in the principles of design since it plays a huge role in making a room stand out.
Bringing your home to the next level in terms of design is all about incorporating the correct layers. This is a process that can be learned and followed.
It’s Not All About Clothing
People have a tendency to think about clothing when the word layering is brought up. The world of fashion design considers layering as a dynamic step. The mere addition of a scarf or a necklace can make a huge difference in the ensemble. Clothing is no longer merely utilitarian.
Interior design is no different. Make time to consider the different elements that are used to pull a room together. Each of these design elements plays a distinctive role but altogether, they also need to work to establish harmony.
Layering is the very act of building a room from the flooring all the way up to the ceiling. It is all about taking every design element and putting them to form cohesion. Layering is no less than the secret ingredient to adding depth to spaces.
Design Elements to be Layered
Now that you know what layering means, your next step is to use it to your advantage. To layer effectively means you need to know the function and value of every component that is placed in every room.
The wall covering, for instance, has the wallpaper or the paint as a means to layer. Flooring options include vinyl, wood, and carpet. Tables, chairs, and beds are examples of furniture that can be layered (e.g. the bed can be dressed up using bedding, pillows, pillowcases, duvet, etc.
You can also layer with textiles such as area rugs, blankets, bedding, and pillows. Go ahead and layer the table lamps, overhead lights, and ambient features. As for decorative items, use coffee table books, photos, mirrors, artwork, and flowers.
Consider each of these elements as a separate layer. Every single one of them is a crucial part of the design and, thus, must be taken as a part of the room. Remember to build the room by carefully adding layers at a time.
Use Contrast
Layering is seen to be more effective when it is accomplished with different materials. The beholder must be able to differentiate the key pieces. To effectively separate each piece, you have to learn to use contrast.
Contrasting helps in making your design stand out. This is not a one-size-fits-all type of thing, though. There are also several elements that you need to use to make it happen.
First, you can use colors. Pick opposite shades using your color wheel. As for patterns, be sure to pair the bold designs with a block color. You can also contrast metals with some natural materials. Also be able to juxtapose soft and hard stuff or rough and smooth ones. As for the size, group the small and big items together.
Use Common Threads
Contrast is important but it is only successful when you know the common elements that tie them. Without these things, the room would feel cluttered rather than busy. Layers should be similar enough so that they feel purposeful and deliberate.
As you create each unique layer, think about contrast and commonality. All the others elements should be harmonized. That’s all there is to it.
Tags: layering, layering in interior design, layers, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on What Is Interior Design Layering?
Friday, April 13th, 2018
Can you imagine how this Canadel Living Room Upholstered Seat Bench can make your porch look more welcoming?
Porches are well-known in American history. These are structures in homes that are often associated with outdoor fun and spending time with family. Back in the day, though, the porch is a physical structure that’s literally attached in front of a residence.
The porch is a roofed, low structure that is located at the entrance of a building or a house. This does not have windows but is actually an outdoor encasement. This can also be screened depending on the homeowner’s preference and the area’s extreme weather conditions.
Purposes of a Porch
Porches were built in the early 1900s. Its purposes include –
The porch is also known as the sun portch, balcony or patio.
The front porch is one of the few elements that welcome your visitors to your home. This is pretty much the first impression that you can give so you would want to give it much thought. This can be your family’s next DIY project or you could hire an expert to do it for you.
A porch project must never be short-changed. You can begin by knowing how this part of your home will be used. A few porches are like small portals to the house so people don’t even give it a double-look. Don’t get into this same notion or, worse, ignore this space and turn it into a storage area.
The porch must echo the overall theme. Since this is technically the transitional spot, it must help create harmony. Simply put, you should not decorate your porch with beach accents if you have a traditional home.
The High-Gloss Front Door
Paint your front door with a new coat of high-gloss color. Choose a hue that pops from the foreground. A white house would do well to have a welcoming red door. If you have a mainly gray home, then the door would be a perfect shade of UltraViolet (the Pantone Color of the Year).
The Hardware Change
Change the welcoming look of your home. If the house numbers are already falling off, then have them replaced. Add a beautiful door knocker especially when you opted for the classic look.
Uttermost Lamps and Lighting Nashua 4 Light Wooden Lantern Pendant: Lighting is also an indispensable element of any porch design.
Furniture Placement
It would be nice if you would buy furniture pieces that would transform the overall look of your front porch. Be able to arrange these pieces right where they make the most sense. Even small and seemingly useless pieces can have a huge impact. Keep everything cozy.
Choose a loveseat with upholstery that’s suitable for the outdoors instead of the usual plump piece. You can add two comfortable chairs on each side and a coffee table in the middle to complete the look.
Adding smaller pieces to your seating arrangement can make your porch look like an appealing living space. You can also add an accent piece such as a colorful ottoman or a unique accent table. Just be careful with your furniture additions or you would be adding too many unnecessary pieces.
If the porch is huge enough, still, do not give in to overstuffing it. A workaround to this is to break down the area into small zones. Find a long piece like a counter or an outdoor table as a divider of sorts. Face the couch away from the dining area so that it becomes an obvious section for conversations while the dining set has a zone of its own.
Tags: decorating the porch, designing the porch, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, porch, porch design elements, porch style
Posted in Outdoors Style | Comments Off on Sprucing Up Your Porch in 3 Easy Steps
Thursday, April 12th, 2018
Hooker Furniture Home Entertainment Entertainment Console 84in
Have you ever wondered how minimalism actually began? Visually, it is a simple theme but it can also still be charming and full of personality. If you want to learn how minimalism actually began, you would be surprised to know that there are many versions. One of these versions is during the 20th century Modernist movement. This movement brought about the use of new materials like steel, concrete, and glass.
There are others who believe that the roots of minimalism started much later in the ‘60s and ‘70s. These were the decades when Ellsworth Kelly and Donald Judd ruled with regard to painting. These revolutionary painters deviated from the Abstract Expressionism to embrace an even more extreme use of geometric shapes.
The timeline for this style may be blurry but it is a theme that continues to charm many homeowners. It has become influential in the fashion industry, architecture, art, interior design, and even music. It is fairly common for people to go gaga over Zen-like spaces nowadays. These spaces are light-filled and airy.
Do not think of minimalism as an era such as Midcentury or Modernism. Modernism is reductive but minimalism is a lot more than this. This is all about creating a precise moment, experience or feeling.
If you want to pull off this look in your own home, then consider these five keys –
Neutral Hues
Minimalist interiors are clean and simple. Your color palette of choice must carry through to your theme. This is the perfect time to use a monochromatic palette. If you don’t want your home to be too stark, then consider the warmer colors.
You have to learn to use variety when you’re designing a space using neutral hues. It is important to add just enough so that there’s variation. You wouldn’t want to have a homogenous-looking space or, worse, a house that’s too boring it can’t even be called a home.
Pick a single shade and establish this as the dominant base color for a room. You can then pick the coordinating secondary hue and then the third color as accent.
Central Furniture
Furniture pieces are the most important elements in a minimalist space. These rooms should be built having function in mind. Make your furniture the focal point. Do this by including a lot of negative space. The fewer pieces to draw the beholder’s attention from the furniture, the more prominent this piece becomes.
Since the furniture is a key piece, you should choose the one that’s worth looking at. Do not be afraid to invest in quality items. While you’re considering both quality and aesthetics, you should also remember that minimalism is also all about streamlining and natural materials.
Fuse Textures
With only a few elements to work with, you need to know which pieces can do a double-duty (pieces that are both functional and visually pleasing). As far as the look of the room, you should consider adding enough variety and your secret weapon here is texture.
Texture is all about visual weight. This is also how space feels and looks. It’s not all about the patterns of the rug that’s considered texture, it is its plushness or softness. The texture is the contrasting point in your space.
The Inconspicuous Storage
Minimalism is also about keeping clutter away and stuff out of sight. If your home now has this lived-in appeal, then it is also probable that you’ve accumulated plenty of stuff. The minimalist space could also become such – but this is one thing that you have to be careful about.
Let hidden storage units become your best friend. Experiment with a few pieces of storage units such as a drawer or some shelves. Set up an organizational system for your entire home.
Pick Accents with Care
Lastly, choose your accent pieces wisely. Don’t be fooled into thinking that minimalist spaces have no need for accessories. The key here is to master the placement of each piece. The best pieces to begin with are the nightstands, bookshelves, and dining tables.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, minimalism, minimalist design, minimalist interiors, minimalist space
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Functionally Minimalist
Wednesday, April 11th, 2018
Queen Sleigh Bed from the Fine Furniture Design’s Antebellum Collection: Notice how the area rug is cleverly placed on the stone tile flooring. A combination of two materials is often seen on the most beautiful floors.
Picking the right flooring material to use for your home is a great decision. You see, you have to consider the cost of materials, the schedule on which the project will be finished, and how it will be maintained in the long run. These are the factors that make homeowners reluctant in taking the plunge.
You might have found yourself in a similar situation and so you’re now anxious on how to begin. Here are some guidelines to help you get started –
Consider the Function
You need to consider where and how the flooring will be. Knowing these in advance will help you determine which materials are most suitable for high-traffic areas and which ones are not reliable when it comes to wear and tear.
Let’s begin with vinyl. This is made of synthetic polymers and the color is later added. It is a material that you would want if you want a low-maintenance sort of flooring. This is the natural pick for functional spaces like laundry rooms, kitchens, and mud rooms (a casual space that serves as a place to store footwear).
The tile, on the other hand, is either porcelain or ceramic. It is water-resistant and also easy to clean. This is the typical choice for those who are not enamored with vinyl. Tiles are more aesthetically pleasing, hence, it is used to improve the looks in bathrooms and the kitchen. Stone and wood finishes can also be used in the living area.
Composite or engineered wood is another type of flooring material that often sits under a thin hardwood layer. This can be installed over any kind of subfloor. This is a wonderful material to use in any room that is moisture-free.
Hardwood is no less than the gold standard when it comes to flooring materials. This is as durable as durability could get. If you love traditional and classic themes, then this is the go-to flooring material.
When all else fails, then you can have carpeting installed. This is often made of polypropylene, polyester or nylon. This is the default material for living areas and bedrooms.
Think About Maintenance
There are many homes that have more than one flooring material. Since this is so, you need to know how to take care of the materials that you ended up picking. It is easy to clean up vinyl and tiles. As for wood, you need to be able to sweep away the dirt. As for mold and stains, you need to mop the floor now and then.
Replace the wood every 5-10 years depending on how you maintained the floor. As for carpets, you should know what your manufacturer suggests. Other than this occasional professional cleanup, regular vacuuming would be good enough.
Establish a Budget
Of course, any interior design project must have a set budget. Pick the material that would be suitable for your budget. Vinyl ranges from about $2 to $4 each square foot. This can also be bought in large sheets. As for tiles, they are generally pricier. These can be bought at $12-19 a square foot.
Composite or engineered wood is your alternative to hardwood. Every square foot is priced at $7 to $11. If you want the real deal, then install hardwood. Real hardwood is priced at $10-15 each square foot not including the installation costs.
If you decide to go with carpeting, then be ready to shell out $4-$6 for every square foot. Usually, you would also need to pay for professional installation.
Conclusion
Don’t let shopping for flooring become a stressful event for you. This is a huge investment, sure, so you would want your project to be perfect. Just follow the considerations and simple guidelines and you should be fine.
Tags: flooring choices, flooring options, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, shopping for flooring
Posted in Flooring Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on The Only Flooring Guideline You’ll Ever Need
Friday, April 6th, 2018
It’s hard to miss in terms of design when you choose classic pieces such as this King Mansion Bed from the Antebellum Collection of Fine Furniture Design.
You have probably heard people complain about having hired interior designers that cost them a lot of money. When you take the time to scour the price tags, then you’d realize why design can cost quite a lot. However, this doesn’t need to become your reality. Don’t fear that design or remodeling projects can never be done with a cap on your budget. Your project’s success rests wholly on you making smart decisions.
Splurge on Remodeling Projects
Whether you’re trying to flip a zombie home or would just want to increase the value of your property, then you need to understand that you should curb your desires to cut some corners. The bottom line here is, the more you skimp on this kind of project, the more that your home might not end up the way you envisioned it to be.
Always remember that cheap remodels end up wearing and tearing much faster. You could end up with the laminate floors bowing, the walls chipping or the tiles falling off. Undertaking a remodeling project means you have to do it right and doing it right requires that you shell a little budget.
Splurge on Classic Furniture
There’s simply no way around this. If you want your home to look classic, then you have to fill it with classic pieces. The greatest furniture can be costly but they are the right pieces plus they are not expenses – these are actually investments that can increase the value of your home aesthetically and commercially.
Splurge on Artwork
Art, especially wall art, is a thing that represents who you are. Don’t just be enthralled by a piece because it was created by artist so-and-so. Splurge on artwork that truly titillates.
Wall arts add the wow factor to your design. Just imagine if you’re just going to live in a house with nothing but bare walls. Ho-hum…the boring and bland ambiance is simply hard to ignore.
Now, it’s time to spice up your design by adding well-chosen black and white framed photos. Use the photos with black edges and sleek designs. Play with the different sizes and shapes, of course, not forgetting balance.
You want to be more inspired by your displayed art? Then display a portrait or a bust of a beloved family member. You can also use trophies atop the mantel of your living room fireplace. Hang paintings where they come as a surprise such as the entryway. The possibilities are actually endless.
Save on Accent Hues
While color does play a huge role in coordinating other design elements and in visually uplifting the style, it does not have to be used forever. Remember that each year, another color becomes the color of the year. This year it’s UltraViolet, next year, it could be something that’s completely the opposite of this hue.
Use accent colors that are trendy if you want to play with different colors as seasons progress. Changing your accent colors can happen yearly especially if you decide to use bold accents. Switching your hues now and then could prevent your design from becoming very last Tuesday.
Save on Textiles
Take a careful look at your throw pillows, blankets, bedding, and area rugs. These can effortlessly create the most stunning rooms. These are the pieces used in layering and creating a visual complexity in any space.
Remember that patterns and colors do change. Unless you invest in a neutral, well-made piece, then you’re good for a number of years. It is highly recommended that you use textiles that are affordable so that you can easily switch to another style, pattern, texture, and color anytime that you feel like doing so.
Tags: interior design budget, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on To Splurge or To Save – What Path Should You Take In Interior Design?
Thursday, April 5th, 2018
Coming very soon: Hooker Furniture Dining Room Miramar Point Reyes Voltaire Display Cabinet.
You have probably heard many horror stories from your friends who have hired interior designers. Working with experts can be a real pain in the @#$ sometimes but you actually have the power to change the game. If this is your first time to become the client of an interior designer, then you need to know a few expectations and concerns that could come your way.
Be Realistic with Your Expectations
With that said, don’t expect your home to look like the posh home of a Hollywood celebrity with limited budget and time. Those reality TV shows have hurt many designers because, now, they are expected to deliver quality despite the tight schedules that are given to them. In the real world, those techniques just might not work.
Remember that those house flipping shows that you see on TV often have a team of designers and laborers who work hard behind the scenes. The salaries of these people are paid for by the show, hence, the recipients of the homes that they create just need to pay for the cost of the materials plus some labor costs. Of course, adding more people to help you with the project can help expedite the schedule.
Remember that each project is diverse. Your best shot at having a lovely home according to your liking is to anticipate your budget as well as the project duration. You also need to sit down and be upfront with the designer about what you want from the outset. Of course, you also need to listen to their advice as some of the things that you want might not work aesthetically.
Shop for the Right Expert
Just as not all homes are created equal, not all designers are also the same. Every designer has his or her own quirkiness, personal preferences, and business practices. To ensure the success of your project, it is crucial that you and the designer agree on what will be done. It is important to interview the candidates before you sign anything.
In the world of interior design, this interview is what’s referred to as a consultation. As you consult with the experts, try your best to meet with them in person. Know also if their visit is paid or unpaid. Use this consultation to ask them about their past projects, business practices, as for as for their preferred billing and communication methods.
This is also the right moment to tell the designer about what you prefer. Feel free to show them a few photos of your preferred styles. Ask them to use these as inspiration for the project. Don’t be shy to admit a few quirks of your own. By the end of the consultation, you and the designer should have already arrived at an agreement.
Discuss the Bill
This is a necessary part of every interior designer-client consultation. Most of the interior designers work with a contracting company while there are also those who manage their own businesses. With the latter, they are free to create their own business structures, hence, you have to know if they charge hourly or by project.
This needs to be clarified before the first nail is driven in, so to speak. You just have to be aware of the services that you are going to pay for.
Talk of Communication
Another aspect that you need to clarify is how you can establish good communication. Let your designer know that you might not know a lot about design but your preferences should be considered highly during the project completion.
The best designers are not afraid of decisive clients. They, in fact, feel that their jobs become tons easier because they have someone to help set the tone for them. Also, designers who are willing to listen to their clients tend to end up with happier clients.
Tags: hiring an interior designer, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, searching for interior designer, working with interior designers
Posted in Interior Design 101, The Interior Designer | Comments Off on To the First-Time Interior Design Client (Here’s A Guide)
Wednesday, April 4th, 2018
The Stanley Furniture Bedroom Bachelor’s Chest is beautifully accessorized with a flower vase and a lovely wooden box.
Every interior designer on the planet knows that the sum of their design only becomes beautiful if each piece placed into its conceptualization plays its part well. Every element used in a room, whether the wall paint or the furniture, plays a crucial role in making the overall theme work. Even the smallest knickknack displayed conspicuously can also make a difference.
What’s A Décor?
More often than not, when you are asked to evaluate how a design element works in a room, you stop to consider its value in both aesthetics and function. Décor pieces, however, are only placed into a design to improve the aesthetic needs of a room. These are pieces that add to the stylistic value of that room.
Since this is so, décor, thus, plays a huge role in making a design work (or not). These small pieces keep the space from looking too functional, therefore, making the room appear three-dimensional. These are the very things that tie and balance all the other design elements to the declared theme.
Décor or décor pieces are often called accessories, trinkets, knickknacks, etc. They exist for the sole purpose of bringing a visually pleasing environment. Usually, these small items are bold and dramatic.
As you’re thinking on to add décor pieces to your own home, just keep in mind this one important rule – every piece must be eye-catching and should be connected with the rest of the design elements.
With that said, here are the tips that can level up your home’s style –
Experiment, Mix, Match, Heterogenize
So what are your options for adding visual interest? First, remember to be free yourself. Do not limit your perspective to what’s obvious. In choosing textiles, don’t just go for the usual area rugs. Go an extra mile by adding colorful throw pillows and blankets where needed.
Feature your memorabilia, collections, and your figurines. Fill an accent wall with artwork or lovely tapestries. Don’t forget to place the coffee table and fill it with flowers in vase or fruits in a bowl. Candles are great for creating a romantic and warm ambiance.
Instead of just matching items, try to mix different style. Be heterogeneous in terms of stylizing.
It’s All About the Placement
Buying the décor pieces is just the first step to creating a lovely home. You also have to consider how each piece should be displayed. On top of that, you need to find anchor pieces that will tie your decorative pieces to the design.
Here, you need to have a sense of proportion. This is an artist’s innate gut feel for certain designs. This is also you trying to learn how design elements should blend.
Always begin by gathering the textiles and wall art. You can then move on to the styled surfaces. Remember that coffee tables, buffet tops, and walls are all ready for your accessories. These are the natural homes of many decorative pieces.
As soon as you have all the accessories in place, never be afraid to edit your work. Just take a moment to step back and perceive the room as a whole unit. If you feel that something seems to be out of place, then, chances are, you are correct. Just make the necessary adjustments as you progress.
Second Fiddle No More
Too many times, the décor pieces take the backseat when it comes to planning. Don’t brush them aside anymore. These are not optional pieces that you can just add as an extra step once everything is done. Just like the major furnishings in the room, you need to carefully think through the décor pieces that you will use.
Remember, décor pieces have the power to make or break your home’s theme.
Tags: decor, decor pieces, decorative pieces, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Accents, Accessories, Decorative Elements, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Small Décor, Larger-than-Life Style
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2018
Here’s a Bamboo Dresser from the Summer Home Collection of Fine Furniture Design.
Living in an eco-friendly home may be the hottest lifestyle to hit the world these days but there’s a lot more to this than just being cool. Through an eco-friendly home, you can actually make a huge contribution to Mother Nature’s preservation. With more and more people wanting to help, don’t you think it’s time that you consider changing your lifestyle, too?
Just imagine if more homes would sign up to become a green habitat, with everyone signing up to cut down on their power consumption, manage their wastes, and conserve water, and such. What a peaceful planet we would have.
Set Up a Working Water Management System
Your journey could begin with a water recycling unit. This can take a huge amount of time to plan but it’s going to be worth it once it’s up and running. A reed bed system works in countries such as India. There are many DIY water recycling units on the Internet, here’s one – http://www.ashwidea.in/2013/07/our-diy-grey-water-recycling-system.html
Don’t Cut Down Trees
People usually cut down trees when they build homes. Instead of wasting a grown tree, why not build around it? Your apartment can be nestled in the beauty of a lovely tree, just ask your architect or your builder to retain this lovely natural art. You don’t just get to save a tree as you do this, you also find yourself a uniquely-designed home.
Choose Solar
What can be more renewable than the power of the sun, right? So go ahead and tap this renewable energy source. In the process, you get to reduce your electric bills while improving your grid security. And since you have chosen to go green, then you also reduce your impact on the environment.
The greater news is that solar fixtures are now more affordable. More and more organizations are now enabling homes to install solar panels.
Pick LED
While choosing solar panels to gather energy is already energy-efficient, you could take a few more steps further when you make the right choices on your lighting fixtures, too. LED lighting or solar-powered ones are more energy-efficient. Buy only the cost-effective electronic appliances and be sure to maintain each one of them.
Other options for artificial lighting that can still help you save are fluorescent lights and halogen lights. These tend to last longer plus they are great in conserving energy.
Segregate Wastes
This nation is a nation of increased landfills and mountainous trash. But just like any habit or learning, everything begins at home. Tell every family member to segregate the dry from the sanitary wastes. Be sure to separate the bins and have them color-coded as much as possible.
Bring In the Greenery
The greenery will not just improve the air circulation in your home, it can also visually improve your habitat’s aesthetics. Having potted plants and flowers indoors is also useful especially during the summer.
If you live in an urban jungle where homes do not have the luxury of terraces, then you have to learn to construct vertical gardens or just bring in a potted plant or two.
Use Space and Architecture Efficiently
The efficient use of interior spaces can keep construction materials to a bare minimum. You can ask the interior designers to work on doors and windows that can optimize energy efficiency. Use wood flooring from renewable sources such as bamboo. Install water-saving toilet and other such environment-friendly materials.
Smaller houses are also known to be more energy-efficient. So if you’re not a huge fan of expansive houses, then you might as well do tiny house hunting. Here’s a bonus – smaller homes are a lot more affordable, too.
Tags: green home, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, sustainable home, sustainable living
Posted in Interior Design 101 | Comments Off on The Green Home – Why Sustainability Is Hot
Monday, April 2nd, 2018
The Wesley Allen Bedroom Daybed 4320 is a great solution for small spaces.
Okay, so you know that you can’t own one of those stuffy furniture pieces since you live in a small space and you also know that there are ways to design your tiny home, so what now?
Living in a tiny space such as a studio apartment has its downside, sure, but having a fresh perspective can also make a huge difference. This tiny spot which is now a mere small structure can become your home if you do things a certain way.
So, yes, there are rules to design this small habitat and here are some of the major ones –
Enclose the Bed
You should do everything in your power to keep the bed separate from the rest of the furnishings. Since you do not have a bedroom, then the best way to do this is to find a closet that the bed can fold into during the morning. If not, then have some curtains set up so there is, at least, a semblance of privacy for that spot.
Raise the Bed
Even the smallest beds can still take up a huge amount of space. You can easily double the square footage by just raising your bed. Add a riser so you can have under-bed storage space.
Hang Stuff
If there isn’t enough floor space, then look up. Now you have lots of space! Never let those ceiling and walls go to waste. Install pegs or hooks onto those walls for additional storage or display spaces. As for your kitchen space, use the ceiling to hang pot racks.
Use Aptly-Sized Furniture
Going back to that big furniture, it is not necessarily true that small apartments cannot be the home chunky furniture. See, having many small pieces sprinkled throughout the small space could make your apartment look cluttered. To avoid this, just add a few smart, bigger furniture pieces so your place can feel airier.
Make good use of glass furniture. Not only do they seemingly widen the space because of their clear surfaces but they can also help bounce light around the room.
Enough of Drama
Small and dark homes do tend to look dramatic but they could also look gloomy. Add more light to make your place appear more spacious. Lighting has the power to make spaces look bigger. Add to this luminance by cleaning your windows, too, and taking away any of the stuff that can obscure the natural light.
As for your wall colors, your options should be within the light color spectrum. Avoid dark, patterned, and textured pieces because these can just add to the visual bulk.
Use Mirrors
A leaning mirror on a wall could reflect a lot of natural light. You can add bouncing lights around the small space by also hanging some more mirrors. Just like glass furniture, mirrors are a great tool for brightening up space.
Use Dividers
But use these with caution. Too many dividers could also chop up the room instead of making it look visually divided. The wrong divider setup could also make the place claustrophobic.
The key here is to use dividers that are just high enough so that light could still go through.
Double It Up
Seek out furniture pieces with double purposes just like the Jessica Charles Living Room Dare Storage Ottoman. This seat doubles as a storage space standing at 21 inches and 48 inches wide. Just think of the many stuff that you can place inside this 24-inch deep storage unit.
As for the chairs, you can go for the stackable types which can double as living room and dining room seats. A daybed is also another piece that you can use.
Jessica Charles Living Room Dare Storage Ottoman 81-SO
Tags: designing a small apartment, designing a tiny home, interior design for tiny homes, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, small apartment design, tiny home
Posted in Apartment Living, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on What To Do With A One-Room Apartment
Saturday, March 31st, 2018
Where do your eyes automatically go to? Naturally, Summer Home Collection’s Platform King Bed is an effortless star.
Any room’s focal point is the most important element in that space. Simply put, it is no less than the star of the show. This is the very spot where the viewers’ eyes would go to the moment they enter the room. Since this is so, you have to learn to recognize, pick, and use a focal point to your advantage.
Recognize the Focal Point
Pinpointing the architectural element or furniture that’s the room’s focal point isn’t easy. Sometimes, it’s easy to spot it because it is an obvious featured part of the room. More often than not, though, you could actually stage something to become the focal point.
So let us begin with the obvious focal points –
Fireplaces. This is the very anchor of a bedroom, living room or dining room. The key to making the most of this focal point is to arrange the seating units all around this architectural feature. As much as you can, hang a bold art piece right above the mantel.
Vaulted ceiling. This is one architectural part of the home that does not beg for extra design. Even so, you still have to make sure that it is always freshly-painted and, yes, cobweb-free. If you want to ascertain that the vaulted ceiling won’t be missed, then hang a lovely lighting fixture for everyone to appreciate. This can be a crystal chandelier or a unique pendant light.
Windows and picturesque views. If your home happens to be blessed with eye-catching views, then you won’t have to put much effort in highlighting those focal points. Again, since these are naturally beautiful views, eyes will naturally travel there. Make sure that the windows are unobscured so that everyone gets to see the lovely scenery outdoors.
Angled walls. You can make one of these as a focal point if you create an accent wall. There are many ways to achieve this type of wall. You can go dark and be dramatic or you can offset the neutral colors of the other three walls with a bold, vibrant hue. After all, who wouldn’t want to look at an orange wall?
Another way to create a focal wall is to use wallpaper. Find a pattern or design that coincides with the rest of your home’s theme while being able to stand out from the other walls.
What about here? The Console Estrelas from Fine Furniture Design (Deco) houses the focal point which is this interesting work of art.
Choose Works of Art
Other than architectural parts of your home, you can bring in some works of art that are big enough to be referred to as a statement. This statement art can be replaced by a mirror but rather than go for the traditional or default mirror, why not hype things up a bit and place something that will excite the viewers’ senses?
In determining which artwork to use, you might want to go outside of the usual painting. While big, bold paintings are wonderful focal pieces, they are far too common. This time, find a lovely bust that you can display and highlight.
Buy Unique Furniture and Learn Furniture Placement
While you are advised that your furniture choices should primarily be practical, this does not mean that you can no longer create a sense of excitement with your choices. A unique piece that has a bold pattern, fabric, or shape can readily steal the spotlight from other design elements in the room.
The natural focal pieces include the sectional, a large couch, the bed, the dining table, and the china cabinet. Be sure to use placement techniques that work. For instance, if you want to highlight a decorative lamp, then be sure to place it right at the very front and center of a console table.
Tags: focal point, focal point recognition, focal points, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, recognizing a focal point
Posted in Architectural Elements, Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on How to Make Focal Points Work
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