Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Brown : A Love - Hate Relationship

Yes we know - designers are known for their black clothing and for their love of all things white....and we see sooooooo much brown in Ottawa, we are constantly saying "Too Much Brown".  Really, does this city have color-phobia? Is it our pioneer roots? Our love of the outdoors? The color of our pets?

Actually, we do love brown and all it's shades and tints ... in moderation of course!!

One of our favorite paint colors is C2 Barnacle.  Here we painted a custom-designed floating vanity with this lovely soft brown color :


Another favorite paint color is Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze - another brown!  Here we used it for the Exposure Gallery ceiling : 

And of course, there are the natural brown tones inherent in wood and porcelain tile in this Glebe foyer we designed :


But how much is too much? Well, of course this is subjective, but we believe no more than roughly 50% of visible surfaces should be brown. We also recommend using contrasting browns & materials - in other words, if the floors are going to be brown wood, then the walls, doors and cabinets should NOT be wood, unless the wood tones are contrasting such as bleached oak with dark stained walnut.

Some examples of  TOO MUCH BROWN / WOOD :


Thankfully, there is an area rug and large sectional to cover up the hardwood floor...otherwise this would have looked like a wood insane asylum. CKY IDEA : lighten things up by painting directly over the wood paneled walls with a light to medium tone to match the sofa undertones. The walls will still have the wood texture but not compete with the floor and everything else in the room.  And lower those framed prints down to eye level.

Wow, a lot of money was spent on cabinets for this kitchen. Notice how the undertone of the cabinets sides is yellow-orange and the undertone of the flooring is pinkish. Yikes ! CKY IDEA : instead of wood flooring we would have suggested a porcelain tile.  As a retrofit idea, we suggest to paint out the upper cabinet sides something light neutral with the same undertone as the floor such as Pratt & Lambert China White and paint the lowers the same color as the drawer fronts.

Elegantly appointed with good proportions and scale. But please, this room is screaming out for some color!!  CKY IDEA :  upholster the chairs in a lovely light aqua linen blend, and change the draperies with a similar aqua, brown or cream pattern to tie everything together, such as this one: Villa Vizcaya
Last, paint out all the trims and brown wall to a lighter neutral color, in order to create more spaciousness.


It's so dark and gloomy even with a large window! CKY IDEA : place a large modern area rug with a black or plum pattern on a cream background.

Final notes :  We are not being snobs ! There is a human perceptual phenomenon known as the Ganzfeld effect.  The effect is described as "the loss of vision as the brain cuts off the unchanging signal from the eyes. The result is "seeing black"- apparent blindness" [Wikipedia].  Basically, your vision tires from lack of contrast and thus your brain's neural noise amplifies as it seeks out missing visual signals or differentiations.  All this brown may cause a kind of blindness and hallucinations ! Yikes.

Blogatchalater.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Top 5 Interior Design Faux Pas : Part 1



1. Too much brown. And in this case, too much matchy-matchy naugahyde :



2. Too much furniture....looks like the sofa could actually catch on fire !



3. Sofa at the end of a bed - are you really going to sit here ? Having your back to the bed is just bad Feng shui




4.  Furniture lined up along wall. It looks a little like a flea market don't you think?



5. Too much wood.


ok, this one has many other problems such as clutter, mismatching styles, collectables stuffed up to the ceiling...stay tuned for Part 2 in July !!

Blogatchalater,
YP

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

June's Interior Design Tips : How to Work with an Interior Designer on Your Home Improvement Project.

Let’s demystify the “Design Process”
Without a doubt, the prospect of a home improvement project can be exciting for some, and daunting for others. Naturally, questions abound such as : Who is responsible for what? What does it cost? Do I have to pay for everything at once? etc.
Alas, don’t despair…call a designer! Here is a synopsis of the Design Process which applies to the smallest project [like selecting powder room colors], as it does to a full-scale renovation.


Step 1 – collect your thoughts and bring them to your first meeting.
This is the beginning of the process to help your designer understand what you like, and generally what you are looking for. You will need to bring information about what you have including photos of the existing space, inspiration photos of what you want and your budget range.

Step 2 – your designer and you work together on the “Problem Definition”.
In addition to the above items, your interior design problem[s] will be discussed at the meeting. It could be as simple as “I need a smart way to display my beautiful ceramic collection”. Designing is all about identifying problems and resolving them through purposeful planning and selection of appropriate materials, size, color, construction, etc. Your designer’s first important job is to listen carefully and ultimately play it all back to you in the form of a “Project Proposal”.

Step 3 – your designer translates the project objectives into a “Project Proposal”.
A Project Proposal is a written document which states all information gleaned so far, as well as the proposed design schedule, design fee and how the “Design Concept” will be presented to you. Count on 10-20% of your total budget for the design fee (on the low side of the range for big projects, and the high side for small projects) or an hourly fee for smaller projects . Most designers will require about 1/3rd of their total fee as a retainer – but only after the Project Proposal has been reviewed and approved by you. This is your assurance that you and your designer are on the same page.


Step 4 – your designer works to create the “Design Concept”.
Based on all of your information laid out so far, designers will immerse themselves into your project to formulate a Design Concept. They will measure and photograph your space, conduct research, interact with contractors, suppliers and specialists (e.g. structural engineer, lighting designer, architect etc.) as required to explore the range of possible solutions. They will interact with you to hone their understanding of your likes and dislikes. Next they will draw, brainstorm, create, search, laugh, cry…and ultimately your designer will make qualified decisions and selections for you.
Depending upon the size and complexity of your project, the Design Concept may be presented in the form of computer generated 3D color drawings, 2D floor plans, hand drawn sketches, product brochures/specifications, material samples and more. Your designer will not proceed until you have had time to think about everything they have especially created for you.


Step 5 – refinement and finalization - your designer works to gain your approval!
After you communicate any changes you want, your designer will make the changes to the drawings and specifications. These documents form the “Design Drawing & Specification Package”. This package is used in many ways including to obtain quotes, calculate quantities and get a permit. Once completed and approved by you, the Design Concept is ready to implement !

Step 6 – implementation and realization ...
At this point, either you or your designer can do this. For projects of any complexity, we strongly recommend you retain your designer to implement and manage the project ...so they can handle everything [e.g. purchasing, hiring the contractor, resolving issues, doing paperwork!]. Additionally, they have a set of preferred contractors and suppliers (companies they have established relationships with and hence get better prices from), which ensures the smoothest sailing possible.


Step 7 – enjoy your beautiful new space!
Now it's time to sit down and revel in the beauty of your new space, while sharing the physically and emotionally uplifting benefits with your visitors, pleased with the time and money you have saved, and the great value you have created - all by virtue of your important decision to hire a designer to help you with your project!



Blogatchalater
- Yvonne

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Top 10 "Design Statement" Lounge Chairs


1. Redondo, by Patricia Urquiola























2. Lockheed, by Marc Newson


















3. Willow, by Charles Rennie Mackintosh




4. Tongue, by Pierre Paulin



























5. Egg [and Swan], by Arne Jacobsen
 

6. Crochet, by Marcel Wanders


7. I Feltri, by Gaetano Pesce





















8. Smoke, by Maarten Baas



9. Barrel, by Laura Kirar

 

10.  Platner Lounge, by Warren Platner
 

Sorry, no Starck this time !

Blogatchalater....