Archive | July 2017

Minerals, semi-precious stones

Crystals, semi-precious stones and gems always enchanted people. Their shine, bright colors and rarity make them desirable. They come into view nowadays thanks to esotericism, horoscopes and naturopathy. By Feng Shui and horoscopic space organization, they broke into interior design also.
Beautiful colors of various crystals culminate by their light transmittance and light-reflecting features. Many people fell in love with such a color and want to choose it for their walls, furniture or accessories at home. But these objects – thanks to their materials – reflect light quite differently and definitely don’t transmit it. That is why it’s very hard to give a semi-precious stone color to other surfaces. Close to the perfect result can be reached by putting the crystal on a matte surface, first on a light, than a dark one, far away from direct light. Let’s match the color chart with it and choose the more compatible color with the real sight.
Various minerals can be bought in several shops in wide assortment according to their size and elaboration. It’s easy to decorate with semi-precious stones this way, but their price is relatively high.
We can be creative using them in addition to put them on the shelf, coffee table or mantelpiece. For example, make the handles of chest of drawers unique by gluing small semi-precious stones on them. We can also decorate a mirror, napkin ring, storage box, pot, curtain fringe etc. Buy pendants with small metal rings and sew them on cushions making beautiful accessories.
Ask for help of an interior designer creating a home (even esoteric) befitted for you.

Color pairs 27.

Jul28

Color pairs: yellow-brown

Bar carts

Jul26

Bar carts are in fashion again, even in unusual functions

Bulbs

Jul24

Bulbs have to be separately purchased when buying lamps. The manufacturer shows some details of the recommended bulbs on the box of the lamp. However, there are features which have to be chosen by us. In a classic interior, the lighting has to be fit, so its accessories have to be chosen with care.
Threaded socket has two types: E27 (27 mm diameter) and E14 (14 mm diameter). Implicitly, only one of them fits for a given lamp.
The performance of the bulb is defined in Watt. The manufacturer displays instructions on the box maximizing the performance of the used bulb. Ordinary bulbs are between 40 and100 W, compact fluorescent lights are 5-20 W and LED bulbs are 0,5-15 W.
Flux (Lumen) is not given, we have to decide about it. This means, how strong the light of the bulb is. Bigger value means bigger flux.
Color temperature is also displayed on the box of every bulbs. It is given in Kelvin. The sunlight is about 5000 K, which is definitely cool light. Choose much warmer bulbs at home or else the output will be too rigid. The warm white light is 2700-3000 K, natural white is 3500-4000 K and the cold white is above 4500 K.
The shape of the bulbs is also important. For example, candle shaped bulbs should be chosen for a classic chandelier without lampshades. They can be purchased in opalescent white finish also. Spiral, energy-saving bulbs can be placed in chandeliers with opaque, closed bells. These need about 30-60 seconds from turning on to reach full light. If the lamp has open lampshades, choose bulbs fit inside the shade. Classic type bulbs can be purchased in LED version as well. The lifetime of these is longer.
So called Edison bulbs form a separate category. The filament is perfectly visible through the glass after turning it on. Its flux is low, it is suitable only for mood lighting. The color of its light is yellowish orange.
Specialists can always help, but it can be entrusted to the interior designer also.

Open porch

Jul21

Sitting on the open porch is a pleasing pastime on warm summer days

Headboards

Jul19

Bed headboard shapes have their own names either. For example: Belgrave, Cleveland, Portman

American country

Jul17

The American country style has several faces: farmhouses with shaker origins, seaside bungalows, Victorian houses of the south states, mountain log houses etc. They have common characteristics by which we can evoke their mood.
Usually the kitchen is in the same open area with the dining table and the living room, separated by a kitchen island. Spaces are wide and open, the ceiling is high. Visible beams and fireplaces are frequent accessories. In the case of a multi-story house, bedrooms and bathrooms are at the first/second floor, communal area, guest bathroom and home office are at the ground level. The house has a garage or car parking, front- and backyard garden and a porch.
Natural materials are the base of furnishing: hardwood floor, painted walls, wooden and wicker furniture, cotton and burlap fabrics, sisal and rag rugs, animal leathers. Ornaments, accessories are frequently antique pieces in original conditions. They can be metal-ware (e.g. trade sign, milk-can), hand-made products (carved box, bedspread) and treasures of nature (shells, driftwood).
Using the national-flag-motif and its colors (red, blue, white) as decorating elements is also a characteristic of the style. It provides high contrasts softened by browns and beiges. Black is a common additional color. Also, the flag is the base of the striped and star patterns. Unique, hand-made, often inherited objects have role. E.g. patchwork and quilted blankets and cushions are typical.
Ladder-back Windsor chairs, rocking-chairs, shiplap covered walls, sofas with soft cushions, reused objects, feeling of nature deepen the country mood.
Ask for help of an interior designer creating a cozy country style.

Summer details

Jul14

Summer is in the details

Blue-white chinas

Jul12

Antique blue-white chinas are perfect inspirations for classic interiors

Separating kids’ room

Jul10

It’s not rare in a family that two children share one room, so not everybody has an own room. Commonly it is not a problem until they are 4-5 years old, even if they have different sexes. But after an age the children desire an own snug, in the case of a boy-girl couple it is more urgent to solve the separation.
If the size of the room is big enough, the separation can be solved easily with placing some wardrobes in the middle of it. Half of them with doors facing to one side, the others facing to the other side. This way both children will have enough storage space. The back of the wardrobes can be wallpapered, even with a unique wall-poster, fit to the style of the kid’s room.
In the case of a smaller room, the room separator could be a curtain, for example. Fix the curtain rod to the ceiling and choose a fabric which has weight to avoid the moving by draught. Panel curtain is perfect for this also.
Another solution is a unique partition panel, which is only one-two centimeters thick. Made of cut MDF sheets it lets the light through but separates the space visually. It is fixed to the floor and the ceiling also. The fixing can be a rail-system, this way they are rollable beside each other, with this the two areas can be united again.
If the room is really very small, let’s paint it with two colors (fifty-fifty) fit for the taste or hobby of the two children and decorate them separately. Although the room remains common, they will feel that part one of their own. If they can compound in a common color instead of the two, it’s much easier.
In the case of a high ceiling, the problem can be solved with a loft. If there is enough space for only a bunk-bed, that part can be split into two with painting the wall two-colored horizontally beside the bed. The turned/offset bunk-bed levels provide bigger separation feeling for the children.
Ask for help of an interior designer for planning the kids’ room.