White

Nov26

White merges all of the colors in itself. This can be easily recognized if white light passes through a prism: the result will be a rainbow of colors. As its physiological effect, it replenishes our body, gives a light and airy feeling, and meanwhile it decreases stress. There are mainly positive thoughts assigned to it in symbolism. It means, inter alia, innocence, purity, perfection, faithfulness, salvation and peace. In religions, it represents generally gods and their attendants (e.g.: the dove of Holy Spirit, the elephant signaling Buddha’s birth, the dress and wings of angels). In China and Japan, white is obituary color.
White has cold and warm hues, but generally it is considered as a cold color. At home decoration, it can be used practically everywhere. In the bathroom and kitchen, it provides sterility and cleanness. This color reflects light the most, making the interior shiny and light and spacious. As flooring, we use it carefully, as it cannot give a stabile base resulting a feeling of floating. If we are uncertain about the style, let’s leave the walls and ceiling white, this will provide the proper background for everything. Adding different materials and textures, white spaces can be real exciting. Of course, white furniture is fastidious, there cannot be a mess and the cleaning should be excellent. White can be combined with practically any colors. It soften warm colors and strengthen cold ones. It fits perfectly to e.g.: French country, coastal and Scandinavian styles also.
Feng shui connects white color to metal element. This is the color of the Jang, the male side, associated to the 7. chakra (crown).
In business life, all organization can use it, where cleanness is important, such as hospitals, food processing factories, laboratories, charity organizations, cosmetics firms.
White interior can turn to rigid, “hospital style” easily. To create a cozy and showy white living space, ask a color advisor.

Lofted room

Nov23

A well thought-out and choosy implemented loft doesn’t diminish the sense of space

Animals in our home

Nov22

Having an animal means great responsibility, therefore we have to think, how will we get along with it before getting one! From the aspect of interior design, primarily cats and dogs are considered, since they can move freely in our home.
In a typical city apartment without garden connection, pets usually use all the territory. After walking, we can clean the paws of our dog, in case of wet weather we can even wash them, to prevent the floor being muddy. This is important if we want to use carpets or floor mats. Only the period of fur shedding can cause a trouble, mostly at longhair cat and dog breeds. Even this could be eliminated by frequent vacuuming the carpets and furniture upholstering and by training the pet to use its own lying place.
Having a garden connection lets our pets walking in and out freely – this makes the problem really tough. Wooden and stone flooring are easy to clean from muddy footprints and hair. Practically these should be applied in every room pets can visit. In case dogs that like to dig, or larger dogs, a smaller part of the garden should be separated, where they can play and run without harming the plants or vegetables. To protect the vegetation, we have to clean up after our pets frequently.
Important to provide an own place for pets (mostly for dogs) where they feel comfortable if we are not at home. Let’s train them to accept and use it. Their laying place should be comfortably soft, large enough and having a look not disturbing the haromony of the interior. Nowdays a lot of „design” cat and dog accessories can be purchased in pet shops, from toys to laying baskets. If we want real special, we can order built-in or tailored, classic style solution from a carpenter.
It’s recommended to keep the feeding and watering bowls and cat litter in a separate place, where guests cannot see them, e.g. in loundry room, pantry or any other hidden corner. In case of a bigger house, they can be placed in the garage or basement. It’s a question of individual approach, in which rooms can be visited by our pets, what is allowed for them in the apartment and what not, but it’s practical to train our pets in an elegant interior not to cause any damage, which is very time-consuming or costly to repair.
If you would like to modify your apartment or house to provide optimal place for your pets, or just considering having a cat or dog, ask for help from an interior designer.

Train as home

Nov21

A railway carriage can be conjured to a cosy home in classic style

Dotted

Nov20

Dotted materials are in fashion again in interior design

Library at home

Nov19

Each real book lover dreams of an own library. Well, placing several hundred books in a smaller house or even in an apartment is really not an easy job.
The most fortunate ones can arrange a separate room for this purpose. This is the ideal situation. We can stand bookshelves in front of the walls up to the ceiling, the pitches can be adjusted to the different book sizes. The best solution is the tailor made and built in furniture, which can be highly customized. If the room is not North oriented, curtains or blinders should be applied to the windows to prevent the books from direct sunlight. In the middle, a comfortable armchair can be placed with a small table and a lamp. Walls and ceiling can be painted with dark hues – the room will be a perfect “nest” for reading.
Our collection can be exhibited in the living room as well. Generally, this is the most used room in a flat, frequently visited by the whole family. Pay attention for the safety of the books if eating, drinking, partying, or children are playing here. Practical solution to purchase bookshelves with a closed cabinet at the bottom. By this, the books can be placed up from above 80 cm. Even more safe, if the bookshelves have glassed door panels: the books are securely stored and even the view remains. Since window blinding is not too practical, place the bookshelves on the wall near the window. The situation is the same, if the library is placed in the dining room.
General solution is placing the books in the workroom. A desk with the necessary accessories don’t require too much place, the free wall surface can be used to store our books. Eliminating direct sunlight is also a problem here, it must be solved at least we are not in the room.
In a one-room apartment the books are practically in the bedroom. It is changing by people, who finds this disturbing, or relaxing when preparing to sleep. In the first case we can store our books in a closed cabinet with cathedral glass or wooden door panels. Don’t place bookshelf above the bed!
It’s important to take care of the books. Once a year they have to be dusted. They have to be stored in horizontal position, not too close to each-other. Protect them from dust and direct sunlight.
You have collected a lot of books, but you don’t know how to store them a way, that is decorative and safe, using the space available optimally? Ask help from an interior designer for planning and implementing.

Dressers

Nov18

Here is the revival of dressers

Purple

Nov16

Purple is derived by mixing to primary color, blue and red – by this, we call it as a secondary color. The complement is yellow.
Physiological effect: strong hues of purple release energy, help creativity and memory. Pastel hues are relaxing, provide the feeling of protection, work against insomnia. In symbolism, it is associated to knowledge, mystique and wisdom. In movies and storybooks, dark hues are often displayed on the clothes of wizards, while light hues can be seen on dress of fairies. Reminds us to splendour and richness. Long ago it was a color of mourning of the French royal house.
Purple can be cold and warm color depending on blue or red component predominates. Relatively new color in interior design, nowadays it is very popular. Darker and stronger hues can be perfectly combined to white, black or grey. Light hues look good with crème or light green. Combining purple with silver results a luxurious effect. It can be perfect in bedroom, child-room or playing room (light hues), or in wardrobes, home office or movie room (dark hues). Lavender is a favourite color of romantic, country styles. Since it is not a food color, we can use it carefully in kitchen, dining room, maybe on the accessories. Purple is the most loved color of 75% of the children under the age of 13.
According to feng shui, purple strengthens in changes and provides spiritual help. Assigned to the 6^th chakra (third eye).
Since this color is a little bit “too much” in itself, and it can have strong, dramatic effect, for implementing a tasteful purple interior, ask help from an interior designer.