Carpets elseways

Oct9

When we inherit interior design objects, there might be some which we don’t want to get rid of, however we can’t integrate them in our home in its original condition. It’s quite easy to transform, repaint or give another function to furniture. However, it’s harder in the case of carpets. If it is nice, but the size doesn’t match, or it is having a slightly worn condition, or a relative made it by hand, there are some methods to save them.
Put it on the wall instead of the floor. Tapestries and wall carpets were used already hundreds of years ago. Beauty was also important beside their covering and draught-protecting functions. Let’s follow this tradition. The big surface in the living room or the wall behind the bed is a perfect place for the carpet. It will be a great focal point in the room. Use a wooden frame to fasten it to the wall so that it cannot stretch. If it is a longer runner, it could be even a half canopy above the bed.
The woven, softer rugs can be used as bedspreads or laying at the end of the bed as decorating elements. Our favorite reading armchair or the sofa can be „padded” with it, making it cozier and protecting the original upholstery.
Carpet is superb for upholstering also. A pouf, an armchair or an ottoman can be renewed with it. It will be sturdy and the heritage gets a new life also. This way it is easy to bring color to the interior.
Shabbier carpets can be used for making cushions or pillows. The fabric is thick, so it’s worth to leave it to a professional seamstress, who has a proper machine for this. The carpet will be cut to measure with skipping the worn-out parts and the cushion will be made this way. Fringes and beads decors fit well for classic carpets.
Who wants to do a makeover but has no inherited pieces, there are proper beautiful and old rugs in many antiquities. Ask for help of an interior designer for selecting and further usage ideas.

Old postcards 12.

Mar17

St. Patrick’s Day on old postcards

Old postcards 11.

Nov16

Thanksgiving on old postcards

Industrial style

Aug22

Industrial style is a relatively young trend in interior design. It is not really classic, but I think it deserves attention because of preserving old values and reusing antique objects.
Industrial style was born when old factories were transformed to dwelling houses (loft). The characteristic of the buildings gave a special mood, which couldn’t be ignored or suppressed. Accordingly, these characteristics were highlighted and harmonized with the new function.
Main characteristics of an industrial style building are the unplastered walls, concrete/old wooden floor, robust metal girderage, huge windows with metal frames and high ceiling. The space is frequently undivided, so rooms and storey(s) have to be created also. Often the bathroom is the only separated room in lofts. Mostly the bedroom is separated only symbolically from the other space with a blade wall. Living room, kitchen and dining room are in one space, perfectly permeable and visible. Windows rarely have shades. The furnishing reflects industrial style also: tables made of weathered wood, lamps with metal frames (complemented with Edison bulbs are perfect), concrete kitchen countertop, huge furniture, decorating objects made of old piece parts and household objects etc. – basically with masculine style marks. The color palette is fit for this: greys, browns, black, white, complemented with the original objects’ own colors (e.g. petrol blue, verdigris, rust red, mustard yellow). These spaces can be perfectly furnished with classic furniture because of the antique effect.
If you also like industrial style, ask for help of an interior designer for transforming of your home, because this sight and mood can be created not only in a loft.

Special wall arts

Jul4

For decorating the walls, we frequently use simple solutions as paintings, engravings, photos, fabrics in frames, wallpapers or smaller objects. These are very showy and it’s easy to find a fitting piece for the style. But let’s be daring! There are so many objects on flea markets and in our home too, which are perfectly suitable for wall decoration.
Old advertising boards, trade-signs, original boxes, marker letters can be found in many places and are popular decoration elements nowadays. We can choose wooden or metal pieces. They can be grouped by color, shape and theme, fitting to the interior.
Hanging old sporting goods on the wall are perfect solutions for sport-lovers: paddles, golf and tennis rackets, riding equipment etc. Most of them are suitable for both horizontal and vertical arrangements which effects the sense of space.
Let’s examine the contents of the wardrobes from this point of view. Our collections of hats, handbags, fans can decorate e.g. the wall of the living room. The harmony of the colors and materials is important for the sight not to be chaotic.
The most common objects could be decorating elements with a spectacular arrangement and an idea suggested by the room. We can decorate the wall of the kitchen with antique pots. They can have in common their material (e.g. copper, tin) or their type with difference just in the size (e.g. cooking tops, sieves).
Use the old doors, shutters and window frames were judged to throw out during the renovation! They fit for several styles in the original condition but renewed and painted they can be hung on the wall. Mirror can be cut into the window frame instead of glass, this way it will perform two tasks.
There are several other solutions, only our fantasy is a limit. Ask for help of an interior designer for choosing spectacular decorating elements!

Rustic

May18

Truly rustic interiors – neutral and harmonic color palette

Old postcards 10.

Apr1

1st of April on old postcards

Old postcards 9.

Feb12

Valentine’s Day on old postcards

Old postcards 8.

Feb3

Carnival costumes on old illustrations

Old lace clothes

Jan25

Many of us inherited a big amount of lace clothes from our great grandparents and grandparents which they cleaned, stored and starched with ultimate care. These collections contain pieces in several sizes, forms, thickness and colors. What can we do with them if we don’t want to sell them because of the memories? There are many possibilities for reusing them.
Old lace clothes were made of cotton by hand. It doesn’t worth to cut them because they almost immediately unravel. But they are easily dyeable and this way they could be fitted to the color palette of the room.
Let’s stitch the lighter, smaller pieces to each other by their edges and make a curtain of them. It doesn’t matter if the bottom or side of it is not straight. We can make it from even round shaped clothes, the outcome will be more unique. We can decorate the simple, plain lampshade with lace also. The simplest way: stick a narrow shelf stripe lace on the bottom of the shade for the vintage mood. Even the original fabric can be removed from the frame and the lace itself can be sewn to its place, but the lace has to be carefully starched before the procedure.
Let’s sew a patchwork-like blanket from the bigger, heavier clothes. If we don’t have enough for this, we can combine them with any cotton fabric. For example lace inset can be placed as decoration in the middle of the blanket, as overlay on the bottom or as edge on the four sides of it.
Let’s have a glass cut for the coffee table, flower stand or console table and put the showy lace clothes between the glass and the top of them. This way they will be protected from dirt but fulfill their function.
We can hang smaller laces in picture frames on the wall. If we don’t want to alter the white color of the clothes but the wall is white also, we can use colored mat board or ornamented frames for highlighting them.
Handmade objects made of quality materials are always valuable even if they don’t fit to our home. However, we can still enjoy them with a little fantasy, handiness and expending little time. Ask for help of an interior designer for more ideas of reusing them.