Red-white-blue interior ideas for the american Independence Day
For 4th July
Archives
Color pairs 6.
Color pairs: blue-green
My project 1.
One of my prior projects: 38 sqm block apartment in calming blue
Further pictures: https://classicinteriors.hu/en/references/21-references/35-references02
Tartan
Tartan is associated with the Scottish heritage.
The pattern itself consists of stripes with different widths and colors which cross each other in 90° angle, this way they create a grid pattern in both directions which has a checked pattern effect. There are same stripes in width and color on both sides of the main stripe in vertically and horizontally also, so the pattern is completely symmetrical. This differentiates tartan from other similar checked patterns. The order of the threads is reversed mixing the two colors with this and „creating” a third one.
On the contrary to the popular belief, in old times rather institutes, regions and families had the same clothes, not the clans. The pattern was connected later to the Scottish nationality and costume. First it was only used on textiles for clothing, these were made of almost only wool and were colored with natural dyes. Artificial dyes became widespread in the Victorian era allowing new color variations to be used.
Nowadays tartan isn’t limited only to clothes, or to the fabrics at all. It appears on objects made of any material, be it paper, porcelain or plastic. Because of this fact, there are many possibilities for using the pattern in interior design: not only on upholsteries but on wallpaper, lampshade, dinner set, carpet etc. The variations of it with red-green color combinations are associated with Christmas mood.
If you also like it and want to make tartan the part of your home, ask for help of an interior designer.
Photos for selling our home
When selling a property, the most important part of the advertisement – beyond floor map – are the pictures taken of it. According to the experience, it’s not quite obvious how to take some such quality photos, which will “sell” the property for us.
Before we start, let’s clean up! It’s a great mistake if we think, that the several weeks old mist or the lack of mopping will not be noticed on the pictures. Another essential task is tidying up. Everything should be put to its place and let’s check, how could be the space even more spectacular. Let’s look at a few interior design magazines and get some ideas from the photos in them: there is no mess, color- and style cavalcade or too many decorations. It’s advised to move from room to room and always prepare the given room for the perfect photo. This can be quite difficult task when the property is inhabited, since the amount of personal objects and furniture should be decreased to a level acceptable by an outsider. If necessary, move the excess chair or commode to another room during taking pictures. Most of the decorations should be placed behind closed doors and the remaining should be arranged nicely. Let’s turn on all the lights even in daylight! Use wide angle lens to catch the most of the room in one frame. Emphasize the good features, such as large window, cozy alcove or the beautiful hardwood flooring. At bathroom and kitchen, the feeling of hygiene is the most important. Here the metal surfaces should be shiny, glass doors and mirrors should be freshly cleaned to show the glamour. If possible, let’s provide a picture of all the rooms to the advertisement.
Some disincentive examples that are regularly appear among property advertising: drying underwear in the bathroom, full trash bin in the kitchen, unmade bed in the bedroom, or dirty clothes on the floor. Although the prospective buyer will purchase the property not our personal objects, yet all this counts a lot with him when deciding, whether he comes to see the apartment or house, or not. In case of a house, choose a shiny day for taking outdoor pictures for the sake of real bright colors. The principle of order still should be valid: tidy up the garden, trim the grass, even stairs and paved parts should be washed up. Take several photos of both the house and garden from different angles.
If you would like to distinguish your advertisement among the lots of others, ask home staging advices from an interior designer for the preparation.
Ceiling
The ceiling is the sixth side of the room which we often forget. In old times, the ceiling was rarely left white, it was mostly richly decorated or colored. Why cannot we evoke this practice?
The style of the room can be highlighted with the color or decoration of the ceiling, it can complement the sight of furnishing or even can be an additional twist for the mood. For these, the first and most important question is: what is the room height? The dark painted ceiling visually gets lower, while the light colored raises the eye. It can be for example coffee brown with 250cm room height also if a cozier mood is required – let’s say in the case of a library – and it can be painted in light blue with 360 cm room height if an airy effect is desired – for example in a bedroom. Note, that the color of the walls is reflected to the ceiling and vice versa. Besides colors, decoration elements can help in emphasizing the ceiling: stuccos, mouldings, rosettes. These can be made of gypsum, polystyrene or wood. Their basic color is commonly white but can be painted to any desired color. Rosettes usually placed to the fixing of chandeliers and pendants. Its diameter should be a bit smaller than the chandelier’s. But this rule can be broken if the oversized decorating element is designed for attracting the guest’s eye upward as entering. Crown mouldings hide the joint of the wall and the ceiling, this way they visually make the room higher. The mouldings are placed on the wall right below the ceiling. If these are painted to the color of the ceiling, the room seems to be lower. Stuccos can be placed in the corners or even around the rosette. The desired decoration is up to the taste. Their effect can be buffered with painting the whole ceiling to a plain, neutral shade.
A similar effect can be reached with hand-painted decoration of the ceiling instead of decorating elements (stencil, pictures, stripes etc.). This is a much cheaper solution but requires great handcraft. Even faux-beams can be placed if the style of the flat/house allows it. They don’t have to be necessarily painted to a different color as the ceiling to be highlighted. Metal tile is a showy solution also.
Get inspiration from visiting old historical buildings, it can be a castle, museum or a public institution in such a building, then ask for help of an interior designer for implementing these in your home also.
Mirrors
In old times mystic power was assigned to mirror, frequently it was thought as a door to other worlds. It still has an important role in our lives, not only in dressing but as a useful element in interior design also.
The main feature of mirror is reflecting the light and doubling the sight of the objects. This is exploited when a space is furnished with it. If light can’t be brought in a room, for example an inner corridor or hall, hang bigger mirrors on the wall, even opposite to each other, this way the light will be reflected to and from between them. This is the solution if the space is narrow also. Even one single big mirror can multiply the sense of space. They can be used as decorations instead of pictures. Let’s hang old faceted mirrors in different sizes on the wall in a desired arrangement. They will be as elegant as paintings.
However, some things have to be considered when placing them. In a bedroom a mirror should be placed only if it is not visible from the bed because in the other case we would react to every single movement of ourselves and falling asleep would be harder. In the dining room it should be placed on such height that the guests sitting at the table couldn’t see themselves in it while eating. It is practical to hang a full size piece near the entrance door, this way a last checking glance on the dress can be done when leaving.
It is a decorative solution in a kitchen to put antiqued mirrors in the doors of the upper cabinets instead of glass. This can be a good option for the backsplash also between the two cabinets instead of tiling. Pieces in floor to ceiling size can be placed in the gardrobe, home fitness room or bathroom.
If you think that some mirrors could renew your home also, ask for help of an interior designer for choosing and placing the proper pieces.
Neutral colors
Natural, neutral colors are considered as the base elements of interior design. Many people think they are dull and impersonal, although they can be used versatile – resulting really wonderful interiors.
Some of the most well known natural colors are beige, taupe, creme, light hues of grey, egg shell, sand, ecru, lightest hues of brown, etc. Both cold and warm tones. Nature provides them ready-made. Let’s think about different stones, raw linen, wooden materials and sizal.
Nature colors are excellent background for vivid colors. They weaken strong, warm hues and strengthen the cold ones. If we are uncertain, which colors we would like to see in our home, let’s paint the walls first with the colors mentioned above and apply neutral fabric for larger furniture. After it, this base can be decorated with more intensive colors we like, e.g. on cushions, curtains, accessories. If we don’t like the result, the color of the decoration can be changed easily until we find the proper ones.
Neutral colors have calming, eye-relaxing effect. They fit to almost every interior design styles, we can use this palette bravely. They are perfect choice for French country style, Gustav style, or seashore style. Even the warm hues widen the space, since they are regularly light hues. For a more characteristic effect, darker tones also can be selected. Combining different textures, the view can be even more exciting.
Although using natural colors is considered to be a safe solution, it’s not easy to select them properly to get a really nice result. Ask help from an interior designer for reaching the optimal.
Carpet
Carpet has an important role in interior design. It gives warmth to the room, defines areas, can be a focal point and mutes sounds.
Wooden floor or a floor paved with showy stones are beautiful, however they are cold for the feet and it can be tiring standing or walking on them for a long time.
The main role of the carpet in a living room is defining the area. Furniture almost floats in the room if not connected to each other by something. When choosing a carpet, pay attention to the size. It is an elegant and classic solution if at least the front legs of the chairs, armchairs and sofas are on the carpet. When gathering for watching TV or around the fireplace, the carpet gives the frame for this. We can seat there comfortably even without slippers because of the warm and soft textile, or we can even sit on the floor.
Let’s choose a carpet in the dining room with a size that the legs of the chairs shouldn’t slip down even if the guest stands up and pushes it back.
Wall to wall carpet is quite good in a bedroom, however not everyone likes it. It can be a good solution if the carpet is placed only under the bed or at least smaller rugs on both sides of it, this way the feet don’t touch the cool floor when getting out of bed. This provides a more comfortable feeling and the day begins better.
It is worth to place a smaller rug on the kitchen stone floor where we walk or stand the most, for example at the front of the sink. It should be made of an easily cleanable material with looped and not cut threads, as far as possible.
In the hallway, through the corridors, we can guide our guests with the carpet.. Let’s put it inside from the entrance door to draw attention to the shoes should be taken off. Since these are the most frequently used areas of the house/flat, it is practical to buy one here which bears well the harder usage.
Don’t place rugs in bathroom and toilet. Let’s use here a so-called bathmat designed right for this purpose or lay down a towel.
Looking for a warm, welcoming and comfortable space? Ask for help of an interior designer for choosing the proper carpet for your home.
Autumn
Autumn is here again, the weather turns a bit colder and rainier. The nature prepares for winter time but before this, it provides a colorful sight. Almost everybody likes the warm, inviting colors of autumn landscape. The leaves of plants have thousand shades of yellow, orange, red and brown, beside the green spots. Claret, dark purple and ochre can be also found among the ripe colors of fruits. Walking on the soft leaf-litter feels good. The blue color of the sky becomes a bit grayish but bold colors flash under the autumn sunshine.
This season is the easiest to bring into our home. The mellow, warm colors aren’t hard to harmonize and making the space cozy. The brightness can be well blunted with beige or off-white walls, furniture get big emphasis at the front of it. If a daring total effect is desired, let’s paint the walls color mustard, brown or even claret or deep purple. In this case, furniture can be lighter, for example coffee brown, grey or darker beige. Brown leather sofa, wooden floor and natural wooden furniture are perfect choice for an autumn interior. Wool, chenille, velvet and thicker woven textiles can be used. Leaf, tartan, damask and paisley patterns fit for this very well. Woven baskets, glazed ceramic vases, wrought iron or wood decorating objects in the mentioned colors look good as accessories. Put autumn flowers (e.g. rose, lily, aster) or berries (e.g. wild rose, cotoneaster, sorb) or leafy branches in the vases. Put a bowl full of chestnuts and walnuts in the middle of the table. The luckier can lit the fireplace also, which light gives additional warmth to our home. Rather table and floor lamps and mood lights should be used instead of central lighting.
Resort to skills of an interior designer for implementation if you like such a friendly, cozy mood in your home during the whole year.
