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Saturday, November 3rd, 2018
What element broke the monotony in this room? If you answered the rich, wood flooring, then you’re correct. Featured here is the Brookston King Bed from Fine Furniture Design.
Most people try to counter the cold seasons by using warmer color palettes. You don’t have to be led down the same path. You can, instead, embrace the stark beauty that the upcoming winter season is about to offer.
Keeping a home white and neutral can make a dark space appear illuminated and spacious. And since autumn and winter are seasons that require you to shut the windows, then a monochromatic color palette will definitely work to your advantage.
Now here’s a word of caution; a monochrome home could easily look bland, too, so you have to know how to set up a white-walled home without making it appear this way.
Choose the Right Furniture
The first step in achieving a beautiful neutral home is to pick the right pieces of furniture. In the living room, for instance, the right couch, accent pieces, and chairs can complement even the whitest of white walls. Stick with off-white cotton or linen on your seat fabrics. The right amount of wood elements will balance the starkness.
Add a Dash of Color
Here and there, don’t be afraid to add a dash of color that will balance the whitewashed surroundings. While your chosen style is streamlined and clean, it won’t hurt to add a pop of color that will cap the look.
An example is to put brass or gold hardware in an all-white kitchen. The hanging pendants in that room, if well chosen, should provide the necessary welcoming ingredient to the whitewashed ambiance.
Correct Lighting Only
The Boho chic room should have soft and romantic lighting. Nothing about it should be jarring, as this will only emphasize the unembellished theme that you’re setting up.
The Parisian bedroom is no longer just a dream. You can have this right in your own bedroom when you use twinkle lights along with a rustic wood headboard. Add a pair of warm-colored bed sconces and you have an intentionally stylish place of rest.
The Right Kind of White Please
You might think that whitewashing your home immediately means buying gallons of white paint. A monochrome home can have several layers of shades of the same neutral color.
When you still haven’t decided on the color that you would use to paint your room, be sure to pay attention to the lighting. A room that’s filled with natural light will naturally provide a warm tone. This is the room that needs the cool shades of white with gray or blue hues to balance the whiteness.
In the same manner, a smaller room that needs artificial lighting most hours of the day would benefit from the warmer shades of beige and creams.
Remember that white rooms can easily feel monotonous so know how to break up the zones by adding the correct textures and layers. Layering elements could be wooden logs, bricks, even that cozy area rug that you’ve been eyeing for the longest time.
Be Realistic
It pays to know your home. Not every shade or tint of white can work in your home. Of course, you still have to approach this project with a realistic mind. If your kitchen is a mess each time you end your cooking, then it would be a bad idea to have white walls there.
If you’re an art lover, then you can showcase a masterpiece on a blank wall. This can be that wide space right above the headboard or it can also be that spacious wall in the living room.
Whether you’ve decided to stage a Scandinavian space or just the cute shabby chic details, it’s really up to you. Just know that white is a wonderful canvas but it has the power to break your design scheme, too, so be very careful.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, monochrome, monochrome design, monochrome interiors, monochrome palette, Nordic interiors, Nordic style, Scandinavian, Scandinavian design
Posted in Color Schemes, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on The Monochrome Home These Holidays
Monday, September 17th, 2018
Coming soon is the Hooker Furniture Living Room Amani Spot Accent Table which perfectly evokes the relaxed and modern style of Nordic interiors.
Also referred to as Hygge or Nordic design, this interior style has swept the world with its distinct look. Various magazines and websites featured the simplistic beauty and minimalistic functionality of this interior design.
Emerging in the ’50s, Scandinavian interior design has emphasized the beauty of craftsmanship and muted elegance in many homes. If you want to have this neutral style be the look for your home these holidays, then here are some tips to make it work –
Be Mindful of Lighting
It becomes imperative to think of ways to better light your home with just seven hours of daylight in winter. And since you have decided to make this your style, you should know that light is a huge part of it.
Lighting in Scandinavian design centers on mood building through proper illumination and ample amounts of light. As you would delve deeper into this style, you will soon notice that most of the lighting fixtures are bordering on industrial style. Pendants are also quite common as well as wall sconces.
Candle lighting is also a common whimsical feature. Votives can give you the right ambiance.
And since Scandinavian interiors are big on lighting, why not make illumination more exciting with the Maitland-Smith Accessories Brass Candlestick 8167-16?
Linear Furniture
When it comes to furniture, the way to go would always be clean lines. Whether you’re thinking of getting new tables, chairs or sofas, it is safest if you also refer to the Mid-century modern style.
The round edges that this style offers as well as its natural hues are all welcome inside Scandinavian interiors. The secret is also to be space savvy, meaning, there is a place for everything and for everything there is a place.
Light Hardwood Flooring
If you’re a huge fan of wall-to-wall carpeting, then you won’t find it here. Scandinavian homes are traditionally made of hardwood. Don’t go for dark hardwood, though, as this is against the white or natural-colored flooring that is a staple of Scandinavian flooring.
Whether you’re installing the living room or bathroom flooring, always consider the neutral hues that are the standard for these spaces.
Neutral Palette
Speak of neutral colors, Nordic style is definitely a choice of grays, whites, browns, and blacks. These are also often interwoven with the calming and clean interiors popping with dusty pinks or sea green as accent hues.
Walls are typically painted white which allows for artworks and furniture to captivate.
Zero Clutter
What’s a Scandinavian interior if it’s filled with clutter? Since Nordic homes have enough storage spaces, then it is expected that there won’t be unnecessary clutter. Shelves and cabinets are a huge deal in such a home and while less is more, any Copenhagen native will tell you that the furnishings are all intentional.
Warm Textiles
Since Scandinavian homes show lots of whites and neutrals, the only way to balance these is to provide warmth with the mohair, sheep skin or wool cushions and throws. These do not just make your home look more comforting, they can even add to the needed depth provided by texture layers.
It Ain’t Just Tulips for Accents
It is equally important to add living elements to your Scandinavian home. Fresh flowers are the best way to go since they also look luxurious and stylish. Just picture the sidewalks filled with flower shops in Copenhagen and you’ll realize just how colorfully attractive tulips and other flowers could get.
Don’t limit the colors in your home. Make the indoors more flamboyant.
Decorative accents can also be ceramic vases or those cushions with geometric patterns. Explore all the beautiful textures that will balance the canvas that has been set by the style itself.
The Fireplace as the Focal Piece
If you have to make a statement, then say it with a fireplace. Find a corner or the center of the living room where this architectural feature will surely stand out. Then be sure to decorate it according to the Scandinavian design rules and you’re all set.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, Nordic design, Nordic interior design, Nordic interiors, Nordic style, Scandinavian, Scandinavian design, Scandinavian interior design
Posted in Fall Season, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Charmingly Scandinavian
Wednesday, December 13th, 2017
The Century Furniture Living Room Fox Tuxedo Chair AE-11-1068 is made with sturdy Scandinavian leather.
Scandinavian or Nordic style remains to be one of the most sought-after looks by interior designers, critics, and homeowners. It is especially popular this last quarter of the year because of the Christmas season. All things hygge seems to fascinate people globally. But what features totally describe the Nordic look?
Believe it or not, there are some popular myths about this look. If you’re not careful, you could fall into the same trap and end up making your home look like it’s the land of the frost giants.
Myth #1: Scandinavian Style Means All White
While Nordic nations do love white interiors because of its light-giving properties (remember how dark it could get during those long wintry months?), it could also cause depression when not used with care.
You still can use colors, in fact, you have a rainbow of tints and shades to choose from. The safest way to do it is to find the most gorgeous pastel colors. Imagine ice cream flavors and you have pretty much captured what a stylish Scandinavian interior should look like.
Myth #2: Scandinavian Style Is Always Minimalist
Have you seen those Nordic-style homes in interior design magazines? While almost all of them are simple and pared-down, with their unadorned rooms and shades of black and gray, the Swedes, Danes, Icelanders, Finns, and Norwegians are far from unexciting.
In fact, they also have a more exciting side to them. Adding simple potted green changes the monochrome setting in an instant. You can delight your guests with patterns and popping hues taking inspiration from Nordic arts and products.
If you have seen Josef Frank’s patterns, you will surely feel warmer and more welcome as he tries to soften neutral homes.
Myth #3: Scandinavian Style Is All Wood and Organic
Oops, wrong again.
No less than three of the Scandinavian nations are covered with lush forests so it is not a surprise that they are default resources for many furniture and housing needs. While this is true and while organic stuff is welcome, there are many creative works out there that also spell Danish or Icelandic.
Colorful, bright patterns such as flamingos are always welcome.
Brentwood Collection features the Sadie Night Table which offers the light-colored wood requirement for your home’s Nordic look.
Myth #4: Scandinavian Style Is All About Living Close to Nature
Nordic countries are always pictured as idyllic countryside villages with gentle breezes. While there is plenty of woods and the locals do love nature and everything organic, they do not limit themselves to the stunning beauty of nature alone.
A bigger percentage of Scandinavians actually live in cities, metropolitan spaces, and towns. These are urban areas though they may not have as dense a population as New York City but, you do get the picture.
Since they, too, live in an urbanized location, it is pretty common to find the most interesting architectural features.
Myth #5: You Can Shop for Hygge
Hygge has become a catch-phrase of sorts as this has become synonymous with warmth and coziness. While tea, sheepskins, slippers, and open furnaces are the coziest things that you can have in your home, there are other ways to create hygge in your home.
Spending time with your loved ones inside your well-lit home is hygge. This is the Nordic statement for contentment inside one’s own home.
Myth #6: Scandinavian Is All Function
While Nordic style does put its emphasis on functionality, you must never forget about style. Just think of their global designers such as Arne Jacobsen, Poul Henningsen, and Lisa Larson and you would understand that Nordic interiors are far from static.
Now that we’ve busted these six myths, are you ready to redesign your home into a more exciting Nordic theme?
Tags: hygge, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, Nordic interior design, Nordic interiors, Nordic style, Scandinavian interior design, Scandinavian interiors, Scandinavian style, shabby chic
Posted in Color Schemes, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on 6 Scandinavian Design Myths Busted
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