Small entrance hall

Oct26

The entrance hall is a frequently neglected area in an apartment. It is often meager for getting the rest of the flat/house bigger. Although our gests see this first, so the apercu is given by this, we frequently don’t pay enough attention to it. It is rather a dump or a transition zone which doesn’t seem to be important. How can we make this room – which reflects our style – brilliant?
Let’s think it over for what purpose we will use it: taking on shoes and coat before leaving and taking them off at arriving, putting down keys and bags, storing wet umbrellas, welcoming guests. For these we will need: seating place, a smaller table or chest of drawers, umbrella stand, shoe store and a durable rug. Using space well is the most important. There is not always enough space for a wardrobe that hides everything. What can we do then? An entryway bench built with a hanger could be a perfect solution. Shoes can be placed at the bottom of it behind doors. Coats go to the hangers, hats and caps go to the upper hat-rack. We can get on our shoes sitting comfy. A mirror can be put on its back if there is no space for it elsewhere. It’s practical to order it custom-made for getting the best furniture for the circumstances. An umbrella stand can be placed in any corner. The easy-clean rug provides the transition between inside and outside. A wall shelf is suitable for holding keys, coins and other whatnots.
If we have enough space, a console table is a useful piece of furniture. Used shoes fit under it, whatnots can be put on it and there is enough space beside it for a chair and also the umbrellas.
A shoe cabinet provides place to put things on it, not only for the storing of shoes and home slippers. A wall mounted hanger could be enough accessory for it.
In Hungary the house designs without a hall is rare, in this case we arrive directly in the living room or other frequented room. If this is the situation, don’t be embittered: we can solve it with a folding screen to create a separate place for the arrivers. A hanger and an indoor mat help storing coat and shoes.
Does your hall need a refreshing? Would you like to be proud of the first sight of your home? Ask for help of an interior designer for the makeover.

Feng Shui

Apr13

The philosophy of Feng Shui based interior design is to establish the balance between the individual and the environment. Its essence is the harmony of energies and objects, the elements and styles. Much more complex and more serious interior design trend than generally considered.
When it comes to Feng Shui, most of the people associate colorful mandalas, choking smoke and Buddha statues, nevertheless, this knowledge is known to look back on a long history. Feng Shui is independent to location and style. These energies work the same way in a minimal or a baroque interior, in Japan or Hungary also. Basically, there are two different aspects of an apartment or house:
Considering the rooms as separate units is the essence of space management, since Jin or Jang characteristics, colors, forms, materials and motifs are assigned to each of them. This is the primer method of harmonizing the environment.
Using the Bagua map, the home is considered as one unit. The total floor area is divided into nine equal parts, where all sub-units has its own characteristics based on the map. In this later case, orientation has an important role. The given areas should be intensified or weakened, deficits should be fulfilled depending on the required result.
Whichever we choose, we have to keep in mind: the theory is general, but the methods and tools used may have different meanings in different cultures or even countries. E.g.: dolphin as motif has a different meaning in a region, where such animals really live in the wild, from another region, where they are not organic part of the environment.
When applying Feng Shui, we have to be careful with the relation of objects used, spaces and the people living in them, so ask help from an interior designer who hase massive bases in the area.

Basement

Dec16

The basement is usually an unused space. With clever transformation, we can increase the value of our estate implementing comfortable and useful living space from it. Some aspects should be considered anyhow:
Most simple mode of usage that needs the less transformation efforts is moving the garage, wine cellar or store here. If we need much more, it can be playing room, guest room, workroom, DIY workshop, laundry room, gym, etc. In case of greater area, more of them can be realized simultaneously.
Since great part of the basement are located underground, the isolation should be excellent. Not only the temperature is the main issue, but the soil moisture protection. Let it be done by experienced professionals. Second important issue is light. Let’s implement more windows to provide natural light. Parallel we may need a great amount of artificial lighting. Probably the ceiling height is lower then the average, so the most practical solutions are spot and LED lights. Heating appliances should be planned at the very beginning of the project. In case of more separate rooms, the heating appliances should be placed properly. The stairs leading to the basement should be as safety as any other stairs in the house. For flooring, let’s choose materials that can bear the mist well. Walls and ceiling should have been painted with light colours and low furniture has to be applied to increase the sense of space.
If you have a reasonable space in the basement waiting for be transformed, but you don’t know how to use it the most advantageous way? Ask for help from an interior designer for planning and arranging.

Water tower as home

Dec12

Special and cosy apartment can be conjured also in a water tower

Level-offset

Dec6

Don’t be afraid to furnish level-offset spaces

Church as home

Dec1

Who is drawn by open spaces and high headroom, can live even in a church

Lofted room

Nov23

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

Train as home

Nov21

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

Built-in attic

Nov8

Building in the attic is one of the best methods for increasing the useful floor space of a house. Such a reconstruction raises not only the value of the property but very comfortable living space can be created with applying some rules.
Pay attention to the quality of insulation because it can largely affect the costs of heating-cooling in the future. Take care of the latter, because these rooms have to be more intensely heated in winter and cooled in summer. The livability of the attic depends on the proper amount of light. If it is possible, more or bigger windows should be built in. If they can be placed only on a high level, let’s choose pieces with handles on their lower part. Since sunshine can be a problem in summer, proper shading should be provided. Mostly roll-up blind or light-reflecting window-foil might be the solution but common curtains shouldn’t be neglected either because of the sloped roof! It can be just as elegant as in an ordinary living room or bedroom, with clever solutions. Attic might be darker in winter than other rooms, so the proper implementing of artificial lighting has to be attended already at the beginning of the works.
A built-in attic can be suited to several functions. In the case of a bedroom, the bed shouldn’t be placed under the skylight because it can disturb the calming rest. If the wardrobe will be here, dehumidifying is a very important task. In the case of children’s room or playroom, safety is a must, especially if there is a balcony also. It’s worth to use additional sound-proofing in the case of a movie or TV room. The proper darkening can be solved here easier. This kind of space can be good for a hobby room or home office also. Take care of placing the desks for avoiding hitting the sloping roof when standing up from the chair. A wider tabletop can be used for this.
Always ask for help of professionals for building-in an attic. Consult with an interior designer for optimizing the final furnishing and for the best usage of the space.