Posts Tagged ‘Interior Designer’
Consider These Ideas When Choosing Window Treatments
Every home needs something to cover the window; no matter where your home is located you may need to look into choosing window treatments for privacy, warmth or simply aesthetics. However, there are a great many different styles available to choose from and this can make it difficult to choose the right covering. The following tips will help you decide on the right balance of function, style and affordability:
1. Function
The window treatments for each room should be based upon the use of that room. Family areas and entertainment areas will require as much light as possible. This means the window treatments should be light, semi-transparent and kept as far back from the window as possible. Some spaces may also be used to watch films or play computer games; these rooms will want less light as you do not want reflections on the TV. If this is the case then you should use a layered approach; this will mean you can adjust the light in the room depending upon what the room is used for.
2. Location, Location, Location
Choosing window treatments may not seem as important if you are in a remote location without a neighbor for several miles. However, if your home looks onto someone else’s, then the first priority when choosing window treatments in these locations is privacy. You will need a heavier, easy to open and close style window treatment to ensure you are safe from prying eyes.
Location also plays a part in the amount of sun you receive through a window. Windows which face the sun all day will likely heat up the room, light color window treatments can be used to maximize the light in the room while keeping some of the heat out. Blinds can also be good in this scenario.
3. Privacy and Style
This is an important element of any home, you will wish to enjoy a shower or change your clothes without being concerned about who is watching. Bedrooms and nurseries can benefit from heavy, black out coverings to aid with sleep and privacy. Bathrooms, however, need light coverings which will allow plenty of light into the room, without compromising your privacy.
4. Fabric
The material used when choosing window treatments makes a big difference to the amount of light or privacy which your room will receive. Thinner fabrics will allow more light in, but will also decrease the amount of privacy you have. The fabric should be chosen based upon the function of the room and how much light you require. The lighter fabrics will ensure any space feels light and airy while darker fabrics can create a more dramatic environment. Coverings with linings are also useful as they protect the furniture from harmful UV rays while adding an extra layer of insulation to a room.
5. Size
The type and size of window treatment you choose also makes a difference to the feel of the room. Curtains hung above the window and dropping to the floor will create a feeling of height in a room. However, many people now opt to keep the curtain from sitting on the floor; this avoids dust and dirt gathering on the curtain. More dramatic looks can be achieved by bunching the material in front of the window; this means ensuring your curtain is two or three times the width of your window.
6. Color
The color of a window treatment is down to your personal preference. It should match the color scheme in the room, although this does not have to be the same across the whole house. Brighter colors have been shown to assist in brightening the mood of any room; darker colors have the opposite effect…the choice is yours!
Before deciding on window treatments for your home, you should assess your options. First analyze the space you have available, measure the height and length, and go for a color combo that goes with the rest of the décor. Invest in quality materials and your home will have an appeal that you and your guests will absolutely adore. Be original and let your imagination run wild. Don’t hesitate to think outside the box and just enjoy the end result!
By Daniel Lewis and VanessaArbuthnott.co.uk!
Images via Houzz
Are You Looking to Create a Vintage Bathroom Design?
History always repeats itself and vintage bathroom design is back! We are now facing the rise in vintage-inspired decorations and rooms completely equipped in that manner. What makes vintage so characteristic now is that it looks like your grandma passed it on to you (and it’s like that in the majority of cases), which evokes sentimental feelings in almost any person.
When it comes to redecoration, bathrooms are especially tricky. Since they are usually small, you do not have so many things to do but reinvent the wheel. So, if you do not have a grandmother to provide you with necessary equipment, go straight to a flea market in search for these things which will help you turn your little bathroom into the cutest vintage-style one.
Start with Walls and Floors When Creating a Vintage Bathroom Design
The easiest way to start your vintage bathroom design is with the floors and walls. Avoid bright, dashing colours characteristic for contemporary design, and use soothing pastels and gentle white. Find wallpaper or tiles featuring floral or old advertising prints which bring about the feeling of 1920s, 30s or 40s, or some vintage movie poster that can add a distinctive and monochromatic touch to the space.
Pastoral themes are also a great way to (re)introduce an old feel in your bathroom, whereas old recruitment posters can add colour and striking effect to the style you are aiming at; just for a little fun.
Add Some Mirrors to Your Vintage Bathroom Design
Adding mirrors to your vintage bathroom design will create the illusion of it being larger than it really is. You can use this to your advantage if you add old, decorated carved frames. You can either find them separately, or use some old picture frame and repurpose them with a mirror. Frames are a great way to revive the space and even a plastic imitation will do the trick as well and achieve the effect we are aiming at
Bathrooms as we know them today did not used to be a standard part of a house – they were a completely new thing for a Victorian, for example. This is why in old houses they seem kind of off – as if they were not supposed to be there in the first place. So, if you want to achieve this effect, you will have to do some major plumbing installation movement and change the fixtures.
With the help of a commercial plumbing company, you can completely transform any type of room into a bathroom, just like the old Victorians did back in the day when bathtubs and advanced plumbing started appearing.
For example, instead of a shower, you simply have to install a clawfoot or antique tub (movable tubs were a completely normal thing, so why would your tub not be like that as well?), and a pedestal sink instead of a vanity compartment. You can never go wrong with white, distressed wood, and when it comes to fixtures – old-style works magic.
Add Accessories to Your Vintage Bathroom Design
The last thing you can use to add to your vintage bathroom design remodel is accessories. Old hairbrushes are a simple must-have; they used to be packed in old decorative containers, usually with a common theme or decoration. You can also recycle old step ladder or an old chair, repaint them into white and repurpose – use them as towel holders or hangers, for example.
If you have found an old cupboard in your grandmother’s house, you can use its nicely carved drawers as storage containers in your vintage bathroom design. If you have old teacups, you can turn them into flower pots and place them wherever you see fit.
Old houses usually had wealthy owners, so let accessories including lush bath robes, quality towels with initials, and fancy slippers – become standard items in your bathroom. And if you want to spice things up a bit, let an old, carved, wooden chair be the crown of your bathroom – which was a completely normal thing in vintage bathrooms.
Bathroom items can be tricky to work with, but as you can see, if you invest some time and devotion to them, you can do wonders with the slightest changes made. Follow your instincts and take every old item you see, give it a new look and find a place for it in your vintage bathroom design remodel.
Diana Smith is a full time mom of two beautiful girls interested in topics related to interior design and latest DIY projects. In her free time she enjoys exercising and preparing healthy meals for her family.
Images via Houzz
4 Tips to Create a Vintage Bathroom Design
Many people do not realize how important lighting is to interior design. Decorative lighting is one of the major factors that play into the process of creating the mood of a room and creating the meaning behind what you’ve put together. If you’ve just got a plain or flat lighting, you’re more likely to make people who come into your home uncomfortable. On the other hand, decorative lighting can create the comfortable, “homey” feel that you may be seeking in your Orange County Home.
One important function of a decorative lighting scheme is variation. Using various types of lights, different light levels, and sources that seem to focus on what the room is for. For example, an interior designer may suggest that you put dimmer lights in a bedroom (because it is for sleeping), but brighter lights in a family room or play area (because it is for “fun”). Determine what each room is for before starting to work with lighting, otherwise you could end up with some odd lighting arrangements that don’t match the room’s purpose.
Chandeliers are a great option for rooms where you want the lighting source to be a focal point. The objects that are underneath chandeliers become the focal point of the room due to the way that a chandelier diffuses light. You could use a pendant for the same purpose, even though the light diffusion differs. These are just examples of what you could do in your home; any Orange County lighting store can help you determine how each type of light will change the “feel” that your room(s) have.
You can use lighting to create these different moods in miscellaneous ways. Be creative, and see what you come up with while you’re decorating your home. You can find a variety of different lights that will suit your lighting needs at any Orange County furniture store.
If you are looking to redecorate your home and you want the help of an interior designer, there are a lot of options that you have with Orange County Interior Designers. Interior Designers in Orange County and around the world can help you figure out the best look for your home while listening to your thoughts and suggestions in the process. Most of all, have fun! Decorating is supposed to be fun, not stressful, so take the time to enjoy the experience as well.
About The Author: Ingo Schaer is the President and CEO of Interior-Deluxe.com. He has been in the lighting business for more than 20 years and is holding a bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering. He regularly blogs on a variety of Modern lighting and Interior Design topics, often focusing on practical solutions. You can find him on Google +.
Orange County Lighting and Interior Design
How To Incorporate The Elements Of Feng Shui Into your Home
Incorporating Feng Shui into your interior design brings balance and good fortune to your home. More than just picking attractive furniture and decor, the placement and arrangement of furnishings and accessories, as well as deliberate color combinations, can make a significant difference in the “Qi” or energy of the room.
However, you still want to make sure that your Orange County home is visually appealing and functional, so you will want your Feng Shui interior design to balance the basic beliefs of the Eastern practice along with modern tastes.
Below are a few tips on how to improve the energy in your house and bring luck to your life, while adding the decorating flairs and touches that gives your home personality:
Position Furniture Carefully
This tip is both practical and feng shui-related: careful positioning of furniture improves the energy’s flow throughout the room. Furniture should not prevent free passage through the room as this blocks both your daily path and the Qi from flowing naturally. Ideally, seating areas should be flush with a wall, instead of facing a walkway or another room.
Separate Work and Rest Areas
Avoid setting up a work office in your bedroom. The energy of a work space will prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep if it is set up in the bedroom.
Lighting
Light plays a major role in feng shui, as it is a major source of good energy. Soft lighting is linked with positive energy which wall sconces provide. Without proper illumination, carefully picked color combinations, decor and furniture may not be as effective for a feng shui lifestyle. Our eye tends to be drawn to where the light is shining, so by spotlighting certain objects and areas, you are able to support your intentions. Avoid dark corners, which can absorb and stall the flow of energy, by filling them with a source of soft light.
De-clutter
Clutter is considered to be a major burden in feng shui. De-cluttering is believed to be absolutely fundamental to ensuring balance in the home, as clutter blocks the flow of energy. On a practical level, clutter can lead to increased stress levels.
Remove clutter from all rooms in the house. One of the best places to start is the bedroom, where you want the most relaxation as possible. Create a “keep”, “relocate” and “trash” pile for all the items littered on the surfaces and floors of each room. Then, relocate the items to their proper locations, and throw away the trash. Organize the “keep” items into drawers, shelves or labeled boxes for easy access.
Mirrors
A key accessory in feng shui interior design, mirrors are believed to reflect positive energy and prevent the flow of negative energy. Placement is key, however. Avoid putting a mirror facing the front door, as you don’t want to bounce the positive energy entering the house to creep its way out. Mirrors should also be used sparingly (if at all) in the bedroom. Bedrooms are considered calm spaces with more yin energy; mirrors bring a lot of yang energy, canceling out the calming yin needed in the bedroom.
Live Plants, Fresh Fruit and Cut or Potted Flowers
Indoor plants, floral bouquets and fresh fruit all generate positive energy. Potted plants also represent earth and wood elements (two of the five elements needed for harmony and balance).
However, you should avoid using dried flowers. Dried flowers are considered sources of bad energy in feng shui as they represent something that is dead. Throw away all dead or dying plants, including wilting flowers. The exception is if the dried bouquet is a keepsake from someone dear to you, then the energy associated with it is positive.
Add a Water Feature
Considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity, it is important to incorporate water elements in your feng shui decorating scheme. A water feature is an eye-catching way to add two of the five essential elements of feng shui (wind and water). Whether you choose a water fountain, a water wall or a fish tank, a water feature is a soothing focal point to any room, promoting relaxation. Be careful not to add water features to the bedroom as it can introduce the element of worry.
Mix Up Your Shapes
Each shape represents a different feng shui element: square (wood), round/oval (metal), striped and floral (wood), wavy (water) and pointy (fire) shapes all need to be present in your accessories and decor to ensure balance. Mixing and matching is not only an excellent way to bring harmony into your living space, but it also adds depth and dimension to your interior design.
Choose Colors Carefully
Intentionally choosing the right colors for each room is key in feng shui, as each color and color combination represent different types of energy. Green is linked with hope and nature, yellow with power and red is considered auspicious. Orange helps create an atmosphere of ease and promotes conversation in large groups of people, making it an ideal color for living rooms and other areas where you plan on hosting guests. Blues and greens can also help promote a calm atmosphere, which are perfect for bedrooms and other locations designed for relaxation and rest.
With these simple feng shui tips, you can improve balance and harmony in your home and life all without having to invest in crazy interior design schemes or busts of Buddha and other auspicious statues. Just keep in mind the importance of the flow of energy and incorporate a few well-chosen and well-placed accessories to fully reap the benefits of feng shui.
Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer, yoga enthusiast and business owner in the Los Angeles area. In addition to incorporating feng shui into her yoga and meditation room, she also includes the elements of feng shui throughout the rest of her home. Follow her on Pinterest today!
Some Inspiration for using Turquoise and Orange in Your Interiors
There’s nothing like the combination of turquoise and orange to make a room come alive. Although not a color combination you see every day in the interior design world, if you want that pop of color, this just may be the color scheme for you. These two colors tend to take me to the beach. They also remind me of a Caribbean trip I took a few years back to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico with the vibrant exteriors of the homes there. So whatever it is, I’m drawn to it and when I find my perfect dream beach bungalow (pictured below…I wish!)…these two colors are going to get a room all to their own.
Turquoise and Orange on the Beach
What a life! Can you imagine waking up here and having your morning coffee!? Here are a few beach inspired interiors using turquoise and orange…
I love the pale blue walls in this room with the black and white artwork. These two colors work great as just an accent against the bright white wainscoting and sofa. Gives it such a crisp and clean look.
This is a color palette from design-seeds.com. This is a great website to come up with some beautiful color palettes. This butterfly fish has all the colors in it to inspire and create a colorful beachfront retreat.
This is so beautiful! I’m liking the color of these walls too…with the embroidered sea fan on a piece of burlap in a shadow box as artwork. The driftwood gives it a natural and organic feel.
Another color palette inspired by a grouping of seashells.
This vignette has such an eclectic feel with the combination of unique pieces. The orange elephant legged console table stands out beautifully in front of the aqua blue and white striped walls. The seashell lamps give just a touch of a coastal feel.
A modern take on coastal interior design with the streamlined white lacquered console table and frames showcasing sea fans. Walls in a dark brown faux linen finish makes these lighter pieces really stand out.
Asian Fusion Interiors using Turquoise and Orange
This bedroom design uses the color combination in a bold and vibrant way. Compared to some of the other interiors that go on the lighter more subdued end of the spectrum. I like both, and this room has a zen-like Asian flare with the use of the figurines and the pagoda style lamp base.
Here’s an Asian inspired living room design, but this palette is much softer and serene looking. The Chinoiserie throw pillows are set atop a classic french style sofa covered in a casual burlap style fabric. The gold bamboo coffee table adds another element to the interior design.
Bedroom Interiors using Turquoise and Orange
This bedroom design uses the blue on the walls and accents with orange pillows and drapery. Just enough without overdoing it.
This bedroom has a lot going on but I love the dark brown walls and the striped ceiling. It has a tropical feel with the palm linen print headboard and drapery, white caned bench at the end of the bed and the zebra rug.
A complete contrast to the previous bedroom design, this bedroom sets off the colors using the bright white walls and floors. Very clean, crisp and fresh!
This vignette brings the ocean inside with the use of shells on the table. The zebra ottoman introduces an African flare. Kind of a juxtaposition of styles but it works. Where’s the turquoise you ask…I know…so we’ll just say there’s a drop of blue in the wall color! 😉
I absolutely love the color of this door! This is the type of vibrant color you see in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Again, I used the “Chip It” button to create the palette for this photo.
Another vibrant combination of these colors. Most of the rooms using this color palette do the turquoise on the wall but if you want to get bold try reversing it. This room looks like it wood be on the other side of the door above.
What a great painting to backdrop this white sofa. This is inspiring me to get out my canvases and paint! Just in case you’re not inspired yet, here are a few mood boards to get you going…
Turquoise and Orange Inspiration
Love the drapery in this room with the coral border design. Pillows with a great pattern and some gerber daisies to complete the look.
Turquoise and Orange Fabrics
These fabrics are from the Indoor/Outdoor Taza Collection…a lot of great designs for your outdoor furniture.
So with all of this turquoise and orange inspiration, I know I’m ready to start a project using this color palette. Have you used these two colors in one of your projects? I’d love to see what you’ve done using these two beautiful colors.
Image Sources: Pinterest, Houzz, House of Turquoise, Morgan Harrison Home, Lonny, EJ Interiors, Emily Followill, House Beautiful, Design Seeds, Elle Decor
Do you know what Search Engine Optimization is?
Well don’t feel bad, we didn’t either until a few months ago. So let me give you a brief introduction. Basically, SEO means that a website or pages on a website are created and optimized so that search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo can find them when someone is doing a search for a specific keyword. Proper search engine optimization of your website over time will generate more potential clients and leads to your business by reaching a higher placement in the search engines when a keyword is searched. For example, since I am an interior designer in Orange County California, we had our site optimized using specific keywords like “Orange County interior designer” and incorporated these words into the content and tags of the pages on our website. Not only did this help the search engines find our pages easier, but the pages were “optimized” so that our page lists at the top of Google for a particular “keyword”.
It is important that you focus on a list of keywords that are relevant to your business and to the market you wish to attract. There is a science to this that continues to change and evolve based on the search engines algorithms and formulas. There is a lot to learn about all the different strategies used to get you listed on page one of the search engines for a specific keyword. That is why our design firm turned to SEO for Interior Designers for some help. After doing a bit of research, what we realized is how important it is to keep a website constantly changing and evolving with new content. This will keep our customers coming back to our site to find fresh and new things. We selected SEO for Interior Designers over many other companies simply because they tailor and customize websites and SEO campaigns especially for the interior designers and architects. Click on their logo below to learn more about the company we can’t stop raving about.
They research relevant keywords for our design firm and create “Search Engine Optimized” pages using those keywords. These keyword optimized pages have driven more traffic to our website and business as they are designed to rank in the top 10 spots on Google searches.
They also trained us to manage our own website. We used to have to call our web designer to update everything. We couldn’t add or delete a product or even a photo to our portfolio. Because of the difficulty in making these changes, our website became stagnant and outdated. For many years our website was simply lost in cyberspace and really only visited if we handed out a business card with our web address on it. Now after a few training courses, we can blog, add and delete content and keep things new and exciting for our customers. In just a few months you can see the amount of traffic that we have generated. As a matter of fact our visitors have doubled every month since we began 3 months ago and leads and phone calls have followed. From nothing 3 months ago to now 3,039 Pageviews!
Check out their services which offer affordable internet marketing and web design for interior designers nationwide. They’ll help you get your website generating leads…it worked for us and it will work for you!
Coastal Interiors and Decorating with Giant Clam Shells
As an interior designer in Orange County, California, I have worked on several beach homes along the coast. During this time, I’ve grown to love many of the materials and colors used in coastal interiors. One of my favorites uses of sea life is decorating with giant clam shells. I’ve been collecting and clipping photos of these and today decided to share some of my findings. I have always loved some of the applications for their use in interior design and last year when I started a project in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico overlooking the ocean, it only made sense to bring some of the vibrant blues and varieties of sea life into the home. I really wanted to incorporate one of these giant clam shells into the interior of the home. As I began my search I found the price of these giant clams to be quite costly…up to as much as $900 for half of the shell! I used the giant clam shell on the side of a large spa like bath tub and put sponges and towels in it. In my search I came across several different uses for these beautiful giant clams from sink vessels to planters. Below are some of my favorite photos that I collected during my search. Have you done any decorating using giant clam shells in your coastal interiors? I’d love to hear what you think and would love to see some of the different applications you’ve used!
Below are Photos of Coastal Interiors and Interior Designers Decorating with Giant Clam Shells
This is a bathroom by Barry Dixon. I love the neutral colors, zebra ottoman and giant clam shell in the shower.
A beautiful clam planter filled with an array of succulents. This would make a great center piece on top of a buffet or dining table.
Speaking of center pieces, this giant clam serves as a planter with greenery in this black and white dining room.
Beautiful outdoor vignette showcasing a giant clam with succulents and surrounded by an array of stone accessories and accents.
In this powder bathroom the clam is used as a vessel sink on top of a mirrored vanity. The backsplash is mother of pearl tile and the mirror is framed using small shells and starfish attached to the frame.
Try decorating with giant clam shells in your coastal interiors
There are many advantages of working with a professional kitchen designer…
When you are looking for the perfect kitchen design, it should be well thought out and planned. Before you begin your project, spend some time looking through interior design magazines and books to gather all of the ideas you’d like to see incorporated into your kitchen design. Once you have a clear understanding of what it is you’re trying to accomplish, look into consulting with a kitchen designer. They will be able to help you work through the interior design process, bring ideas to the table that you hadn’t thought of and in the long run prevent you from making costly mistakes.
Get a Free Interior Design Consultation with Orange County Interior Designer Chris Givan
Christopher James Interiors is one of the leading interior designers in Orange County, California. The firm has been helping homeowners turn their dreams for a beautifully designed home into reality since 1994. Whether it’s new construction or a remodel, we will design your home to match your taste and lifestyle. Our team is devoted to understanding your individual needs and ideas to ensure that your vision is realized from the design conceptualization stage to the final installation and construction of the project.
Orange County Interior Designer, Christopher James Interiors, Provides the Following Services:
- Interior Design/Decorating (all rooms)
- Exterior Design
- Remodel Design
- Home Staging to help sell your home
- Custom Furniture Services (placement and selection)
- Custom window treatments/drapery
- Commercial Design
- Space planning (perfect for small business)
- Hospitality Design (hotel and restaurants)
- Paint Services (selection of colors, faux finishes, murals, venetian plasters)
- Flooring – wood and tile (selection and installation)
- Electrical/Lighting Services
- Art/Floral Arrangements (selection and placement)
- Wall units/Cabinetry/Built-ins
Our team is made up of licensed professionals who provide top-of-the line, reliable, and guaranteed services while offering competitive bidding. Please Visit our showroom or Contact us:
Take advantage of our complimentary interior design consultation and see how easy it can be to turn your design dreams into reality.
BEFORE AND AFTER:
“We love our home and could not have done it without you! You truly understood our lifestyle and taste and turned it into more than we could have imagined.” Kris J., Villa Park, CA
Chris Givan, Owner and Head Interior Designer of Christopher James Interiors. “Customer satisfaction is not only our priority, but what we thrive on. I will make sure that this is accomplished in your project by maintaining a high level of communication with you through every step of the Interior Design Process. I welcome you to visit our showroom or browse our website to to learn more about our firm and the services we offer. Our design styles include contemporary, transitional, Cape Cod, traditional, French country, Tuscan, California Ranch, Montecito and the currently popular Tommy Bahama look. But it’s always a style interpretation that’s unique to each homeowner. Please visit our Portfolio to view more examples of our work and our Products section for specific items for your home.”
Thanks for stopping by and we hope to be working with you very soon!
Additional services we offer: Interior design, interior decorating, new construction or remodels, room design, furniture selection and placement, custom furniture, wall units, built-ins, accessory and art selection and placement, floral arrangements, silk plants and florals, custom bedspreads, children’s rooms, home staging, kitchen design, offices, libraries, conference rooms, paint selection and color consulting, painting, faux painting, murals, wall paper, floor coverings, tile, marble, travertine, wood floors, carpet, custom area rugs, lighting, window coverings, window treatments, shades, blinds, shutters, custom draperies and valances, verticals, kitchen remodels, bath remodels, granite selection, stone and ceramic tile, exterior design, environmental design, landscape design, retail, restaurant design, commercial design and small business design, Venetian plaster, Venetian plasters, home staging to sell home, drapery, interior decoration
A $125 value – Call us today and set up an appointment at 714.542.5213