Your Space Our Design: October 2009

Thank you to everyone that came out to Girls Night out at Kent Home Building Centre in Mount Pearl on Oct 23rd! I hope that you enjoyed the seminar as much as I enjoyed presenting it. It was difficult to try and cram all of the information into one brief session, so it is again in written format. I am also going to add some things that I had to omit because of time issues.
The following topics were featured:
 Color Trends for 2009-2010
 Wall Coverings
 Wall Décor
 As well as Window Coverings

As you may have seen, Kent has a large variety of designer paints available to choose from. They carry SICO and Pittsburgh Paint brands. Both brands come in a washable flat finish which is the recommended wall finish of most interior designers. I almost always recommend a washable flat for walls to clients because it provides the truest color and does not provide any glare or shine. Any type of shine looks unprofessional on walls.

If you must go with a more washable finish, eggshell is the highest ‘gloss’ that I would recommend as semi-gloss or pearl do not add any visual benefits to a space. It is nice however, to achieve some contrast with your walls by painting all of the trim work in the semi-gloss or an actual trim paint. I almost always recommend an off-white trim color to my clients because it allows the eye to focus on the wall color as well as allows for the beautiful trim work to be highlighted more so than with a stark glaring white. You must be careful, however, that you choose an off-white that works best with your wall color(s) and does not fight with undertones; this tends to be tricky so do your research before choosing the trim color.

Colour trends 2009-2010
According to Sico, the theme in paint colors this year, as well as going into the next, is “Expect the Unexpected”. The main idea is to mix rather than match the colours in your spaces. Over the next two years, we’ll see unexpected colour combinations surfacing everywhere in home décor – on walls, furniture, and accessories. This means mixing punchy colours with pastel shades or very dark tones, and complementing them with neutrals. These are combinations of shades that you wouldn’t ordinarily think of putting together, but that actually complement each other very well!

Topping the list of Sico’s most popular paint colour combos for 2009–2010 are:

Vibrant, saturated greens, blues or yellows mixed with dark, industrial tones. This creates a sophisticated and energetic yet tranquil décor.

Soft florals merged with deeper lively colours. This delivers an intriguing, eclectic feel to a room.

Rich green and yellow botanical hues combined with jeweled tones. This create a healing, invigorating ambiance.

Chalky whites and muted shades offset by strong purples and dark slate. This emits a futuristic yet romantic air.

As you can see, color has really taken a turn in the contrast department and low-key neutrals such as beige's and browns have taken a backseat to turquoises and purples! As a designer, I am a huge fan of color, so these pallets are extremely pleasing to me.

If you are afraid to take a huge leap and paint your walls electric blue, you can add accessories to last years brown walls; throw cushions, metallic candle sticks, and wool throws will do the trick. Just make sure that are using enough (up to 3) accent colors to get the point across. I always tell my clients not to be afraid of color but to embrace it. Using accessories that YOU love will make you happy and in turn you will want to spend more time in your spaces!

Wallcoverings

Many interior designers are also recommending and using wallcoverings this year. Actually, wallcoverings have be very popular for the last 5 years or so. Kent has a large selection of contemporary as well as traditional colors and textures of wallpaper. In addition to paint, wallpaper on one feature wall is a fabulous way to add drama and texture to a space while complementing the paint color.

I sometimes recommend wallpaper in a small powder room. I love powder rooms because you can be as creative and free as you want in these small spaces. Because people are not spending large amounts of time here, a wallpapered powder room can feel rich and luxurious, like you just stepped into a chic hotel!

I love to layer spaces, and wallpaper provides one extra layer to the mix and provides texture and warmth like paint cannot. I know what you’re thinking, “wallpaper reminds me of my grandmother” right? Well, think about this, there are many grasscloth as well as damask options that are very contemporary and look amazing on walls. All you need to do is a google search to see how these patterns come alive.

The photograph shown here is an example of Asian style of interior design. The wallpaper is from Kent and is called Black and White Leaf.
Notice how the texture, colors, and theme of the wallpaper work closely with the style of faucet, sink, cabinet, and hardware to achieve the overall look and feel of the Asian style. This look would not have been achieved on the same level with paint alone.

Here is another example of wallpaper from Kent. This is a contemporary style of grasscloth wallpaper, as discussed above. The texture of grasscloth is very trendy right now and offers a real sense of nature and warmth indoors. It also reflects a popular hotel theme which is very hot in interior design right now.

Paintable wallpapers are also a great option. These can add more impact to a space then paint alone and they have the added benefit of hiding imperfections in walls and ceilings. They are ideal for period homes because they offer old world charm, as well as an authentic look and feel.
As shown here, when painted in off-white, or even a coordinating color, paintable wallpaper applied to a ceiling can look and feel extremely rich. This design is taken from an antique tin ceiling look http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_ceiling Check out the link for more info on the origins of tin ceilings.
Overall, wallpapers of any kind are a really great way to add impact to a space as they fill up the walls, which means in theory that you do not need as much wall décor. They also add warmth and texture.

WALL POPS
Wallpops are a great way to express creativity and add an element of fun to a space! Wallpops are peel and stick, repositionable, fully removable, and completely safe for walls as they do not leave any marks behind! WALL POPS ZOOWALLOGY line is a contemporary way to add flair to a nursery or children’s room using animals dressed in whimsical patterns! WALL POPS can also be used in living rooms and hallways. You can frame them for a more contemporary feel or arrange them in a group of 9 as shown here. WALL POPS are fabulous because you get high impact without any of the work!

Wall Décor
Though you may be tempted to hang one lonely picture in every empty space of you home, consider that a grouping of smaller pictures offers a more interesting look. In order to achieve a symetrical wall grouping, group prints together with similar frames of the same color. All of the matting should be exactly the same style and color and the photos inside the images should also have a common theme.
For example, as this photo demonstrates, group a series of botanicals in similar coordinating colours. Notice that all of the frames shown here are the same size; this creates a symmetrical look. You can also use similar frames of differing sizes for a more eclectic look!

To compose your own wall grouping, work outward from the central picture or mirror. To maintain a clean look, keep one edge of each piece aligned with the edge of at least one other piece in the group, and space them equally apart.

Here are some tips when hanging wall decor:
 Hammer nails through a piece of tape to avoid making cracks in the wall.
 If using two nails to support heavy wall decor, use a level to make sure that nails are at the same height.
 Pictures should always be hung at eye level, which is considered to be 5 feet 6 inches above the floor.
 In spaces where people are seated most of the time, such as offices or dinning rooms, wall decor should be hung at seated eye level.
 When hanging wall décor above a piece of furniture like a mantle or sofa, make sure that the frame is not wider than the actual furniture.
 When hung in a horizontal line, wall decor tends to make the wall look larger. This pattern works best in smaller spaces.
 For a more formal look, hang wall décor in a vertical line. Such a pattern adds the illusion of height to a room. This works well for low ceilings or any room where drama is desired.
 Darker mats look good against lighter colored walls and lighter mats are best against darker walls.
 Create a bit of drama by highlighting the photos with soft lighting. However, make sure that the light is not too bright and doesn’t produce a glare on glass enclosed prints.

Mirrors
Also consider mirrors. Mirrors can expand a narrow hallway because they double the visual square footage of a room. They also draw sunlight into a dark room. You can also bring the outdoors in with reflections from outdoor trees and the sky.
Make sure that a mirror is reflecting into something interesting like a beautiful piece of artwork on the opposite side of the room and not into something you do not want to see. In a dark space the best effect from a mirror is to place it near or behind a lamp or other light fixture to double the amount of light you normally would have.
Overall, mirrors open up spaces and always make them look larger by creating the illusion of more space and providing a double light source.

Window Coverings
There is a wide variety of choice when it comes to window blinds at Kent. There is also a large selection of pre-fab and custom blinds available and many of the blinds are custom cut free of charge. Kent also offers in-home installations on most of their blinds so please a sales associate for more details on installation.
Here are some examples of the blind styles that Kent offers:
 Matchstick Roller Blind
 Roller Blind
 Pleated Shade
 Sunshade
 Roman Shade
 Bamboo Woven Blind
 Wide –Slat Blind
 As well as the Shutter

The first thing to consider when shopping for blinds is functionality, so ask yourself the following questions- do I need:
Full privacy: if so, try shutters or wood Venetians; fully operable roman blinds or roller blinds.
Partial privacy: Try sheers or sun shades.
And If privacy not an issue: Try Stationary roman blinds – or you may need nothing at all depending on the look you are trying to achieve.

Layering blinds and drapery is very important in achieving a warm and cohesive feel in the home. Let’s take a look at some drapery options that Kent offers.
Draperies.
It is my professional opinion that a room is never quite finished until the draperies are hung, and Kent carries many varieties of drapery!
Shown here are:
 Pinch Pleat
 Grommet style
 Rod Pocket OR Pull Top panels
 As well as Reverse Pleat

Here are some tips on choosing draperies:

Length: Measure the distance from the top of the rod to the floor.
If you are using drapery rings, subtract a few inches to
account for them, then choose the look you want from the
following options:

For a Classic style Drape:
Subtract 1inch from your rod-to-floor measurement so that the panels just skim the floor.

For drapes that just break at the floor:
Add 3 to 4 inches to the rod-to-floor measurement.

For a pooling effect:
Add 6 to 8 inches to the rod-to-floor measurement.

Here are some designer tricks of the trade:
1. To accentuate the height of a room, hang the drapery from floor to ceiling. This will create drama and add visual height to any space.
2. A drapery panel with a wide vertical stripe will accentuate the height that much more.
3. If you have crown moulding that you want to accentuate, hang the curtain rod just below the crown molding.

Choosing Drapery Hardware
Drapery hardware should be selected prior to measuring for drapery length. The finished length will vary depending on the style of rod selected. Brackets are usually positioned at intervals of 45 inches or less across the window, preferably into a stud. You can use a stud finder to easily hang the brackets.

Keep in mind when purchasing drapery hardware that it is the jewelry of the home. This means that whatever style of drapery hardware you choose, should reflect your style of furnishings and accessories, the same as jewelry would with an outfit.

When choosing a drapery hardware color scheme, I usually take my Q from the flooring and accessories. For example, if a client has beautiful ebony hardwood flooring, I may decide to go with a thick wooden ebony rod with large wooden rings.
This emphasizes the flooring and accentuates the windows. Then I may choose a coordinating ebony solid blind, or a bamboo style blind with the ebony color running through it.
Following this, I choose my drapery panel color based on the wall
and/or floor color depending on what type of look I am going for.

We could also go another route and that is metallic:
For example, a highly traditional interior, as shown here, should have drapery hardware that looks consistent with the space.
So if the accessories are all silver or nickel, then the drapery hardware should also carry this theme throughout the space.
Finials are the decorative accessories that fit on the then ends of the rod. These should also reflect the feel of the space. In this case, I might want to go with a nickel style rod with a glass finial to highlight the sparkling accessories of the room.

Overall, windows should be layered with blinds and drapery to create a warm and finished look and feel. Blinds, drapery, and hardware should always compliment one another.

To summarize, a great starting point to designing any interior, is to go with a color scheme that you love. You can take your Q from current trends in home and fashion, or from a magazine photo that you admire. Once your color scheme is achieved, either through paint or wallpaper or a combination of both, then you need to select wall décor and window dressings based on your themes.
As you can see, establishing a scheme for your interior is pretty simple and I hope that this information has inspired you to start a design project of your own!