Friday, August 6, 2010

Cool's Modern Home Decoration Ideas

Simplicity : If you were looking for a word that described what modern home decor was then that would be; it is simplicity. Of course, simple doesn’t mean boring and modern decor with its clean lines, neutral color palette and geometric shapes is anything but boring. Instead, modern home decor can be warm, inviting and completely stylish in just about any home. But how do you achieve modern home decor? Obviously, it isn’t as simple as walking into a store and choosing items that have clean lines. There takes a bit more to that and there are several basic ideas that should be incorporated into a modern decoration.

The first idea is to keep it simple. Remember that word that best describes modern design and make sure that you incorporate it into your space. There is no need for the room to simply be four walls and a chair for sitting, we aren’t going to that extreme, but you will want to keep things as uncluttered as it possible. Studies have shown that clutter can lead to stress in your life so keeping your decor simple will help alleviate some of the stresses that you feel.

The second idea of modern home decor is function. Not only should your rooms be simple with those clean lines and minimal artwork and accessories, but it should also be functional. This varies greatly from room to room but when you go into a room, it should be easy to access and use various items in it. So, for instance, a kitchen that is designed with modern decor in mind should have ample workroom and everything should be easy to access.

Technology is the third idea for a modern decor in your home. It is actually a lot more than simply stating “technology” and any electronics that are in your home should work with the space. It is often recommended that all electronics be streamlined, so flat panel televisions, built in DVD players, small flat screen televisions in the kitchen, and computers tied in to a room rather than being a lump in it, are important to keep those lines clean.

Open spaces. If you are going with a modern decor, then you will want to utilize our fourth idea by having lots of open space in your home. This may not be possible in some homes that offer closed rooms instead of an open concept but you can create the appearance of open spaces by using color, fabrics and furniture. You can also keep windows coverings that are light in color and airy in feel to create an open feel in to the room, even if it isn’t.

The last idea for creating a modern decoration in your home is to add a little bit of character to the space. It can be amazing how one splash of color on an otherwise neutral palette can create such an alarming effect to the room. Don’t hesitate to explore your options with color and make the space one that you will enjoy sharing with every.

Creating a modern decor doesn’t have to be difficult and there is a lot of room to play around with your spaces. All you really need to remember are these five simple rules and before you know it, you will have a modern decor that shines.


Simple Decorations Home Ideas for Children’s Rooms

Our children usually don’t have a say in the look of their rooms. Nurseries are created before babies are born, and by time they do have a say, they’re moving off to college! Children’s wall colors and decor ideas have come a long way from the traditional pink and blue. From gender neutral spaces to theme derived walls, here are simple décor ideas to decorate your children’s rooms.

In homes today kid’s rooms don’t have to stick to the ordinary colors of generations past. Gender neutral colors are becoming more popular and lend the opportunity for the space to become multifunctional. Colors like sage green, yellow, red, and chocolate brown can be paired with neutrals white, black or tan to give a modern take on kid’s décor. If you plan to have the room pair with another function, such as an office consider using colors that will not diminish either function. For example, consider pairing dark espresso wood furniture of both office and kids. Then use matching colors in each area of the room. Patterns and materials can be diverse to differentiate the function and use of the space. This technique ties the space together visually, and leaves the space enjoyable for kid and adult.
Kid’s rooms have always been a space where adults can let their creativity shine through. Theme inspired bedroom are a nice way to let children have a place of their own and they can use their imagination to dream. Theme inspired rooms can range from sports, hobbies, or whimsical fantasy lands. Consider using wall murals, stickers, wallpaper, or fabric to bring the theme alive.
Whether it is you grabbing a paint brush, or your kids grabbing a marker, do it yourself décor can save you money and feel rewarding when finished. Coloring book inspired wallpaper in black and white is available for children to color themselves! Painted murals on walls can be as intricate or simple as you like. A simple silhouette painted in a contrasting color to the wall can make the simplest room instantly have character.

Decorating your kid’s room doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. Similarly, to decorating in other rooms of your home, online classifieds are a perfect place to find good deals on furniture. Also consider thrift stores and clearance areas of department stores! These places can be a gold mine. Often times mismatched bedding, and slightly imperfect room décor will make your kid’s room perfect. Also consider antique stores for one-of-a-kind items. Don’t like the color or finish? With a few simple tools, and a new can on paint or stain, you can breathe new life in to an old piece of furniture.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Custom Luxury Home Designs in Los Angeles

Custom Luxury Home DesignsThis custom luxury home in Los Angeles by Marc Canadell is luxury living at its best. Set high above the celebrated Sunset Strip on the famous “Bird Streets", this custom home design boasts five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, one acre and over 9,000 sq. ft. of pure extravagance. This private property is fully decked out from the outside in. A spacious deck with an infinity lap pool and an expansive outdoor entertaining area with a fireplace is a real hotspot, and leads into the home through expansive sliding glass doors. Interiors are contemporary in style, finished with rich custom details. Dark-stained wood floors add drama to each room, offering a formal elegance to everyday spaces. “Everyday” is by no means “ordinary” in this house – just check out the amazing spa-inspired bathroom and the decadent dressing area! Ultra-modern lighting illuminate interiors artfully, which open onto an outdoor terrace overlooking West Hollywood. The amazing luxury home is listed for sale through Mauricio Umansky at a price of $17,995,000. Marc Canadell Design via Contemporist.

Custom Luxury Home DesignsCustom Luxury Home Designs in Los Angeles
Custom Luxury Home DesignsCustom Luxury Home Designs in Los Angeles
Custom Luxury Home DesignsCustom Luxury Home Designs in Los Angeles
Custom Luxury Home DesignsCustom Luxury Home Designs in Los Angeles

Dream Luxury Home Designs Ideas

Dream Luxury Home Designs IdeasDream Luxury Home Designs Ideas
Dream Luxury Home Designs Ideasfor young couples who have a lot of money would want to have a dream house complete with luxurious facilities to live his life in the family, here we present some examples of modern luxury home design complete with all amenities including a family pool.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Home Interior Design

Home Interior Design
Home Interior Design
Home Interior Design
Home Interior Design
Home Interior Design
One of the easiest ways to get lots of home interior decoration ideas is to simply surf the internet. On the internet almost everything is free and in these days every single day more and more new content is uploaded, so if you want to feed your home interiors inspiration the internet is the best place. Now if you want a little more help before you start I would like to suggest two articles that might give you some useful informations 7 Most Important Interior Design Principles and Room Color and How it Affects your Mood. After you have the basic idea, you can start to search for pictures with home interiors to feed your imagination. Now I know that most people have their problems, and I’ve decided to post from time to time a collection of home interiors from different designers. For today I’ve selected Timothy Corrigan a man who started designing houses for himself in his free time, and when he started getting requests for his help from friends, Corrigan recalls, “I decided to follow my heart and moved into that world.”. If you want to see more home interiors by Timothy you can check his portofolio.

modern house designsof indiana architecture

modern indian house design modern indian house interior design architects residencemodern indian house interior stair design architecturemodern indian house living room design

Friday, June 18, 2010

Truth in Design

Honesty in art & design... It's often a very elusive thing to achieve. I find that I'm constantly searching for an understanding of how to create honest, true, "real" designs. It's not an easy task and one that I've made it a goal to get better at through the years.


{Darryl Carter in his DC townhome featured in Elle Decor, photo by Simon Upton}

Much of my design work comes from logic, careful planning & attention to balance, scale, color, harmony... but then the other part of it comes straight from my gut. (I think this is how it is with many people) It's that "gut" aspect that can't be forced. That has to be real & honest and current. It's not a recreation of what's already there, but a new concept... something created or incorporated to spark a feeling.


{Our living room}

In his lecture Some Hints on Pattern Designing (delivered on October 4th 1899) textile designer, artist, socialist, and writer William Morris said, "Every work of man which has beauty in it must have some meaning also; that the presence of any beauty in a piece of handicraft imples that the mind of the man who made it was more or less excited at the time, was lifted somewhat above the commonplace; that he had something to communicate to his fellows which they did not know or feel before, and which they would never have known or felt if he had not been there to force them to it."

{portrait of Willian Morris by George Frederic Watts}

I haven't been able to get it out of my head because it's just so true. The words "I'm so excited about..." come out of my mouth (and often onto the blog!) pretty regularly... (Hence the overabundance of exlamation points you're used to seeing here ;) Now I'm not saying that what I'm necessarily excited about is anything new to anyone else, but to me it's new, and the potential for beauty I see is exciting to me... My goal with every project I do is to create something that is new for my clients & provokes a feeling that they would not have without my design... To spark a feeling, to create a mood, to set the perfect (in the realest sense) backdrop for my clients' lives.


{Women's Shelter bedroom by me & Rebecca Ilgenfritz}

To do this, a design has to be true & honest. It can't be a copy or an imitated-version of another room. Anyone can do that and I wouldn't want to pay someone to do it for me. Because each person, each family is different, their homes should reflect their uniqueness. One of my favorite parts of meeting new clients is helping them figure out their personal styles. And then taking that style and applying it to the mood of a room, because even someone with a self-described "casual elegant" style may want a room that makes him or her feel happy or a room that makes him or her feel alert or relaxed or calm or whatever. There are different goals for different spaces in a home, and I love figuring out the desired mood/ feeling in a space and to set about making it a reality. Again, to create a truth or an environment that did not exist before the design came to life.

There are so many different levels and depths to decorating/ design. So many goals and so many desires. Some people's desires are more surface-grazing: a beautiful room that they and the people who visit their home will love... It's well-designed and often complimented. Others want a home that is updated and comfortable: Does it have hardwood floors? Check. Does it have granite counters? Check. Does it have my favorite color? Check. Does it have 'art?' Check. Pretty and comfortable furnishings? Check. Is it "pulled together?" Check. And this is totally okay!



... But there are others who want something deeper. Honestly, it's what I'm after. I want a feeling... It has a "pace" or "speed"... a level of motion or a "pitch" if that makes any sense. (See synesthesia if this isn't clear) My desires for the feeling I want in a room change failry regularly... often seasonally. But the essence of it remains.

{Our foyer at Christmas}

It can be a new observation or true appreciation for a type of art or a fabric. When we laugh out loud because of a movie or something we're reading, we often find ourselves saying to ourselves, "that's so true." (Think of Seinfeld... observing life's daily monotonies and saying the statement/ observation out loud. We laugh because of the truth of what he's saying.)



We also feel other emotions when presented with truths like these in stories or movies, songs, or to sum it up in all types of "art." Honest representations have meaning or truth behind them.


{Iwo Jima by planetware.com}

Like many things there's the cheeseburgers and the prime rib... (I think Stephen King said this??) But sometimes you are in the mood for a cheeseburger and sometimes you're in the mood for prime rib. Although prime rib is widley regarded as "better" than a cheeseburger, the best cheeseburger in the world is better than a poorly cooked prime rib. Think of design/decorating like that. In honesty, in creating what is "real," you can create the perfect cheeseburger, and isn't that better than making a crappy prime rib? My point is be what you are. When you design, design for the space and the client at hand. Beautiful things like crown molding exists, and when used in the correct spaces, are perfection, but just because crown molding exists and is beautiful and you can do it, does not mean it is right for every space and will necessarily make your space look beautiful. (The same applies especially for granite countertops!! ;) Honesty in design is appropriateness. Do what you do and do it well. Don't worry about it being what everyone else is doing or what's "in" or "out." It needs timeless appeal to you and/ or your client.


{image from babble.com}


Our house is a cheeseburger and we've tried to make it the best cheeseburger ever for us: which would be one with lots of garlic and basil added into the meat, and even sometimes carrot puree. A lot of people might not like all that stuff in their burgers... So, even the "best" cheeseburger for us isn't necessarily the "best" to others and might not have mass appeal, but we love it and we live here.


{The Something's Gotta Give Living Room via Cote de Texas}

However, many of the rooms that we (design-lovers) do fall in love with, are seemingly personalized spaces, because we appreciate how perfect and appropriate the space is for the people who live there. (Think of the Something's Gotta Give House, above. People (me included) feel head over heels for this it!!) We appreciate the honesty in creating a space that's both highly personal and beautiful. We take inspiration from these rooms and cherish our magazine tear pages. The inspiration should translate into learning, reinterpretation, personalization and creating... not necessarily copying if we're trying to actually create something new, something with its own soul.... something that wouldn't have existed if we didn't create it.


{Domino}

I am still learning and know it's a lifelong process. I know there's still so much more to know. There's a potential that I hope to reach and I know I'm not even close to it. I don't say this to be vain, but because I'm sure you feel it too. We all have this potential we're striving to reach... to learn to create a truly honest design.

Sorry to get all heavy on a Friday but I just had to get some thoughts out. :) See you Monday and get excited about the weekend!! ;)


xoxo, Lauren

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Outdoor Harvest Table

Last week my husband, Dave, surprised me with a huge truckload of weathered old barnwood.  A barn nearby had fallen down and the owners were looking to unload some of the wood...  And he made a massive (15 plus feet) outdoor harvest table!!



We currently have no place to put it but are working on a gravel or stone patio to put underneath of it asap.  (This is why I didn't take any full shots-  it's not so pretty right now but I promise to get some good ones as soon as I can! :)  We simply picked out the pieces we wanted and screwed them together and set the table top on 3 steel sawhorses.  Besides the thing weighing a million pounds, it was a really simple project and doable in only a few hours. 

Hope you enjoyed and can't wait to share pretty pics of it!!

 xoxo, Lauren

Monday, June 14, 2010

So pumped

I'm so excited about this Victorian wing chair I found at Miss Pixie's in DC.  I have been meaning to get there for the longest time but just haven't gotten out.  Several clients of mine have mentioned that I "had to go" and I'm so glad they did!  Just last week a client sent me a link to Miss Pixie's website for a possible piece in her own home and as I was scrolling through the items for sale, this chair caught my eye and has since come home with me:


Although I think the current fabric is pretty, it's not what I'm going for and so I'm having it reupholstered in something else for a new project of ours that I'm working on. 

{Of course I love that green velvet in back!!}

Will keep you posted!! 

xoxo, Lauren

Friday, June 11, 2010

Hosta in the House and Some News

warning: please ignore water drops & baby formula powder on counter! It's been a typical morning here! ;)



As you might know, I'm all for easy, simple prettiness.  I love using what we have to make the house feel good, and right now, we have some massive hosta leaves.  My mom gave the plants to us last year from her garden, and fortunately, they've gone wild!  Hostas give me a good feeling, reminding me of summertime at my Grandma Maestranzi's lake cottage as a little girl.  I used to love "popping" the purple blooms which are just now budding at out house.  I love using them to freshen up rooms, so I thought I'd share a few pics with you.  I placed a few leaves in the vintage drink shaker that used to belong to Dave's Great Aunt Stella.  I've always loved it for parties (so handy with recipes right on the glass!) but wanted to bring it out even when we're not partying because I think it's fun and happy-feeling.  In the background (below) you can see one of my favorite cut glass vases also filled with hosta leaves.

{How cute are the little martini glasses on the shaker?!}

Below, a chemistry beaker holds some more leaves on the lucite table in the living room.  (I know how this must surprise you! ;) ;)



I am crazy about this beautiful antique pitcher I found recently and I love its romantic lines in contrast with the modern-feeling hosta leaves.  I don't even mind the bug-munches:


One last more photo I couldn't resist taking because Ashby (below) wandered in to my "photo shoot":

{Poor little girl just want some loving}

Anyway, I just love the fresh, modern, summery feeling the hosta leaves have brought into our house, so if  you're in the mood for simple greenery, just grab some hosta.  It's so easy.

Have a great weekend!!
xoxo,
lauren

ps-  I wanted to let you know that I'm opening an online shop for my vintage & antique finds called "Pure Style Home."  I'm just working on getting the site up and running and can't wait to share it with you!!  My motto for the shop is "If I love it so much I want to keep it, it's worth parting with."  I am always out and about falling in love with things that I can't justify buying for myself, so I've tried to think of a way to share the finds and I think this is it.  Each & every piece will be something I want myself.  No exceptions. 

Can't wait!! :)