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One of the things I look for in good interior design is if and how the designer has installed any works of art and how well it works with the interior design. One of these that caught my attention was the interiors of the Crowne Plaza in Athens. Having taken over the ex-Holiday Inn, the renovation and metamorphosis of the building is exceptional. The artist Markellos Galanos overlooked the interior decoration providing the hotel with his works of art that lay the foundation for the rest of the interior schemes.
The five hotel suites are decorated in shades of blue exuding a sense of calm that is injected with vibrant energy with Galanos’ paintings. The lilac blue walls and dark wood furniture are an ideal backdrop that show off his works and accentuate his use of bright, energetic colours.
The lounge is decorated in wenge that creates a neutral backdrop for his works featuring the three main colours that make up the overall colour scheme. The grey neutral carpeting is also neutral so as not to compete with t he bright colours and works of art. Soft led lighting creates a warm, luxurious atmosphere. ref: “Office” magazine, 2010
This beautiful Chinese scroll painting is by contemporary artist Wenda Gu, owner of this beautiful home. Notice how he has used the same colors found in the fireplace stonework and the black characters repeat the black metal fireguard. I would’ve liked to see more photos of this living room showing the fireplace and scroll from a different angle to see the full effect. Nevertheless, it is impressive and a wonderful marriage of Asian and Western. You can see more photos of Wenda Gu and his interior designer wife Kathryn Scott’s home here. I frequently browse Better Homes & Gardens (get their newsletter actually) and these two makeovers stood out for me as I was browsing the mag this morning…. Bathroom redo This bathroom belongs to a 1928 house, measures 5×8 ft and was desperate for a redo. Everything was old, outdated, worn and provided no storage. However, the bathroom was brightened up with white beaded board and classic tile all the way up to the ceiling. The new vanity made of pipe and limestone slab with a drop-in sink provides a focal point to the room. The cheerful lime green paint (a favorite of mine) and fresh fabrics bring in a whiff of fresh air to the bathroom. Finally, a new double-hung window was installed dressed with mini shutters and cafe curtains.
Kitchen redo Although decent enough this kitchen craved character, the cabinets were in need of repair and the thin veneer finish was bubbling up, the hinges were falling off and a pair of stools at the island were the only eating spot for a family of four. The owners wanted and needed a more mature and functional space to match their lifestyle. I love the way they used a combination of wood and white cabinets that maintains the rooms brightness. Some wall cabinets reach to the ceiling to provide additional storage and display and a banquette was added next to the kitchen island to free up counter space and provide additional dining space for the family.
I love the way the carpet works in this sunny bedroom from bhg. The foral wallpaper is busy but the solid green bedcover and white headboard and skirt keep things calm and quiet. Although the carpet is contemporary and bold in colour and design it is secondary to the wallpaper but works really well. The black trolley/night table adds accent and definition. The yellow table lamp repeats the yellow of the rug. The last few weeks I’ve been researching beds and in particular, headboards for my daughter’s new bed. So this is a great opportunity to show you some of my favourite show stoppers. I think you’ll find there’s something for every taste and style here below. Which one is your favourite? Photos above from House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, and designers Geoffrey Bradfield & Ghislaine Vinhas.
Apart from the stunning headboards in these bedrooms from House Beautiful I want to draw your attention to the carpets and how well they match and complement these interiors without overwhelming. The true focus of both these bedrooms is the beds and their headboards so the carpet should not be too bold. The black and white carpet in the left bedroom picks up the black and white of the cushions, the grey and black upholstery of the wingback while the black trimming on the bedcovers outlines the bed while the black lampshades & the black velvety throw anchor the scheme. With such a bold coloured bed in this rich red velvet the effect of the rug is to soften and add romance to this bedroom. The bedroom on the right is lighthearted & features a Beauvais carpet in Kanpur cotton and chenille that is a quiet geometric repeat that again softens the lines in this bright bedroom and carries the blue of the headboard to the floor. The black nighttables either side of the bed repeat the black trim of the headboard and this is continued with the stool at the end of the bed. Notice even the table in the foreground has black trimming. One last thing, the carpet finishes about 30 cms from the walls leaving a border revealing the wood floor that creates a floating effect and adds warmth to the room. when looking for a theme and colour scheme for a room what better source of inspiration can you get than from art……and in this case, street art….an explosion of colour with murals from muralsdirect.co.uk….I would love to design a room around these!
I couldn’t resist a post on one of my favourite colours that is proving both Pantone and Global Color Research people’s predictions for winter 2010 as being spot on. Call it what you will: turquoise, verdigris, opal, teal. They all belong to the delicious colour synonymous, to me, with summer, clear, inviting waters, coolness, relaxation, tranquility, a deep calmness. Turquoise is a colour that can be combined with so many other colours to create anything from a soothing, quiet environment to one that jumps at you with a punch. Consider these combinations: each give quite a different effect, don’t you think? what about these:
and then of course, pattern creates another mood:
But back to interiors. The following are some images of interiors featuring this beautiful colour…..by the way, this colour featured extensively in art deco interiors…..
The above two photos are of the foyer at Trinity College Dublin decorated in Art Deco style
The above pictures seen at Colorzizzle, House of Turquoise and, below, a personal favourite of mine by designer Thomas Britt.
Are you feeling overwhelm at the task of finding the best and most suitable interior designer/decorator for your project, let alone the enormous design &/or decorating job that lies before you? One of the most important factors in finding your most suitable designer is knowing what you want as regards the type of project at hand. First of all, do you need an interior designer or decorator? An interior designer can (and in most cases, should) be involved from the initial build/planning stage, providing valuable advice and insight into the arrangement of interior spaces that will improve the functionality of the interior and be the most suitable for your needs and lifestyle. A lot of people find it difficult visualizing a space before it is built, and only then do they see that perhaps they could have done things differently. An interior designer, however, can provide you with 3d images and walkthroughs of your building interiors helping you to make any alterations before the actual build. Much cheaper don’t you think, than making the alterations afterwards! An interior designer will be needed if re-designing a pre-existing building where major changes are likely to occur, for example, removing walls or creating new ones, extensions, interior constructions, for example, built in bookcases, fireplaces etc. Having said that, when major alterations are likely to take place a responsible interior designer will cooperate with either an architect or civil engineer, acquiring appropriate planning permissions from local authorities, should they be necessary, but most importantly, assuring the stability of the building is not compromised. If, however, you are looking for someone to help you with just furniture and lighting arrangements, upholstery, window treatments, colour schemes, surface treatments, for example, wallpaper, tiling, stone cladding etc then either an interior designer or decorator can help you. Don’t hesitate to interview several interior designers &/or decorators before making your choice. Not all designers are the perfect match for their client. Making the right choice for you will ultimately provide you with the best result. Why is it so important to find the right designer or decorator? Apart from the above-mentioned aspects, it is important to realize that the design process will require you to spend a lot of time working & discussing the project with your interior designer or decorator so it will be easier and much more enjoyable if you like the person you’re working with. Therefore the right professional will be someone with whom you will feel comfortable with as they will with you. Can the interior designer cope with the scale of the project? The right professional will understand your needs, even if you don’t, and should be totally honest with you as regards their capabilities. A professional (and responsible) interior designer or decorator will tell you whether they can or cannot take on your project and will refer you to another professional should they not be able to. Does the interior designer’s/decorator’s style suit yours? Look at their portfolio and inspirational images of interiors that reflect their, and your, style to gauge both your tastes and preferences. Your designer/decorator should be open, communicative and willing to accommodate your preferences and taste combining their interior design knowledge, skills and creative talents to produce an interior that’s perfect for you. lena blonsky …creating beautiful interiors for beautiful lives……. email: lena@interiordesigners.gr mob: +306937327645
The following article was sent to me by Andrew Orange of House of Orange, a retail outlet and trade catalogue for Orange Lighting Ltd, suppliers of high quality lighting. Andrew has been offering the best of British design and manufacturing ever since he joined Kevin McCloud in 2000 (known best for his Grand Design’s programmes on Channel 4). As Kevin’s Designer and Sales Manager, he served the design community from Chelsea Harbour’s McCloud Lighting. Andrew kindly granted me permission to post his article on my blog as I believe it will be of interest to many. I thoroughly recommend you visit his site and peruse his wonderful collection!
When you specify and light a dining area whether it be a commercial or residential space; the importance of illumination and its affect upon human experience is paramount. Beyond basic sustinance, eating is (intentionally) a pleasurable experience and the interior scheme requires the designer to maximise the dining ambience – particularly with a mind to the life blood of any successful restaurant or cafe – the favourable reaction of paying customers – both new and returning! Dining tables are intimate spaces of meeting and sharing. Focus the light over the table with a low glare low voltage downlight with a tight beam of light. The lamps that go into downlights can be chosen with degrees of spread – to cast the light widely or more tightly focussed. Glare comes from exposed lamps so minimise this uncomfortable experience by choosing a recessed downlight, and even consider the option of a honeycomb baffle to shield the source from the eye. Ideally the table should be the highlight – with darkness around it for an intimate mood. A pendant over a table brings a visual focus and emphasises this place of meeting and sharing into something special. It’s can be an opportunity to make a real statement. This sophisticated black shaded pendant focuses the light down onto the table through the glass spheres and also acts as a form of uplight by restricting any other illumination. Sophisticated and sculptural. Around the perimeter of the room, an accent light does help bring a balance to the illumination of the space so that not all the light is from the one source at the table – particularly in a residential dining room. Picture lights are a neat way of achieving this effect. However, be careful that fluorescent sources can be difficult to dim so choose an incandescant lamped picture light that will allow dimming or at least make sure you use a warm white T5 lamp. Whatever the dining sensation you want to achieve the lighting solution is out there – amongst the jungle of alternatives so drop me a line and I will point you in the right direction. Call or email Andrew for an appraisal of ideas – without obligation. t. 01279 812350 e. studio@andreworange.co.uk |
 
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