DESIGN WISDOM

Albert Hadley

"Make your home as comfortable and attractive as possible and then get on with living. There's more to life than decorating."

It's Not the Size that Matters

 Small spaces are a great place to make a bold statement.  Since the bathroom is, generally, very seperate from the rest of a living space it provides a controlled environment in which to make a strong visual statement that is intended to only be experienced for brief periods of time. 

Imagine opening the door to be greeted by any of the above restrooms.  Most likely they are crystallizations of the rest of the space's overall design philosophy- theatrical, ethereal, groovy.  You get the opportunity to be alone with the aesthetics of the space without having to dwell on them (you're in there for a very concrete purpose, afterall!)

Instead of skimming over the design of the bathroom, don't pass up on the opportunity to make it an experience.

DESIGN WISDOM

Axel Vervoordt

"There’s an art to occupying a house. Practical concerns matter above all else. Aesthetic questions enter the picture only at a later stage. The emotional aspect is important. A house should reflect its occupants’ lifestyles and personalities."

Spring is here!!!!! Now what?

Everything gets extremely busy during the spring. It seems that everyone is rushing to commence something. There are graduations, vacation planning and lets not forget the rush at the workplace. No matter what industry you work in, the spring is usually the busiest and the most productive. Such a beautiful time of the year is full of rush, rush and more rush.

You may want to upgrade your home and do some spring-cleaning, but that may seem impossible at this time of year. An easy plan is to start cleaning in late March and commit to a small project every weekend. Don’t try to change everything in your home all at once. Stick to a neutral palette and update with colorful accessories such as pillows, curtains and rugs and fresh flowers.  If you have the time, try a new pop of color on one wall, or an unexpected space, such as a ceiling. Lastly, treat yourself to a new piece of furniture in a springy color. I love the colors of the chairs in the pic.

By mid May, you will be able to come home, relax and sip raspberry lemonade in your beautiful new space.

High End On A Low Budget

This image is such a wonderful lesson in pulling together a high end look using very accessible resources.  The bare bones of this room are very affordable, simple pieces- box store bed, shelves, and lighting with the splurges being the accessories. 

It’s the defined color palate and styling that create the feeling of cohesion and purpose in this space.  Complimentary color schemes provide high contrast and drama but can be hard to pull off.  In this image a complimentary color scheme is used almost undetectably. The blue violet of the walls has been so greyed out and the yellow orange of the unusual accessories comes across more as a visual texture than a color.  The white of the bedding and book covers gives our eye rest and brings a feeling of airiness to the space. 

This room is proof positive that having a clear vision for a project is the key to successfully designing a space.