Creating an Organic Feeling Environment

Organic, Natural, Environmentally friendly, these are all the buzz words we are hearing today. But what can you do to bring the organic look into your home? In the ideal world, a large open area with lots of windows would be a great way to bring in the organic look.

Now some of you may have this and some of you may not, so let’s start with the background color. This can make or break the overall feeling in the environment. Make your color scheme consistent with the colors of nature; beige, brown, white, light blues, light greens, stone, and grays. I recommend picking one of these colors for the paint on your walls. Possibly light beige, a color that might remind you of sand. Now, what to do with the rest of the room?

For a dining room, I recommend light colored or painted white woods. The area to pop the other “nature” colors might be on the seat fabrics. Bringing in light greens and blues mixed with white and browns are ideal to make the room pop. Try a beautiful oil painting of a water scene over a buffet or on an open wall. Keep the window treatments light and airy; possibly not use any at all! Soft linen drapes in a white might be a perfect solution, but do not use this color if it is the same color of your walls because a soft contrast is needed here. Repeat the soft colors used in the room through the dishes, glasses and/or vases. And most importantly, don’t forget the table centerpiece! Some soft greens foliage, a bowl with sea shells or stones, possibly even candles may work perfectly here.

As for the bedroom, I would recommend light colored wood, painted white wood, bamboo, or wheat board for the furniture. The bedding would be the perfect opportunity to bring in the beautiful blues and greens found in nature. Texture can also add to the feeling such as using linen or soft cottons. Wood, bamboo, or tile floors would look great in here with a sisal rug. Wall art should be simple with a skinny frame or even frameless, but don’t forget to make sure there is some color! Keep the lamps light, possibly with a glass base and a white shade without any details. Simple picture frames, greens, or candles would be the perfect finishing touch for the nightstands.

Finally for the living room, always look at the largest piece of furniture you will need. Typically this is the sofa and is a great start to building the atmosphere of your room. A beautiful crisp white sofa will bring a light organic feeling to an environment. Then placing colored pillows in blues, greens, beiges, stone or grays is a great start to bring in the colors of nature. For the coffee, end tables, and entertainment console remember to keep the wood light colored or painted in light colors. Simple accessories that remind you of nature are great for adding to the feeling to the room. How about some large coffee table books with photographs of the ocean, lighthouses, or the outdoors? Simple candles can be placed in a large charger with stones or shells covering the bottom. Bowls are a great place to add natural textured accessory balls. Finally, finish off the room with a beautiful seascape painting, photography of outdoor places, or flower prints.

Enjoy your Organic Feeling Room!

Why is Carpet More Sustainable Than We Think?

There is a common misconception that carpeting is not green and is very bad for the environment. That is not necessarily true – the carpet industry has made great strides to become more environmentally friendly. In my opinion, they are one of the leaders in the interior design industry when it comes to sustainability! Here is some important information that would be great to think about and research before purchasing your next carpeting.

Pre-consumer content and post-consumer content can be found in carpeting. Pre-consumer content is often in the fiber, yarn, backing, and sometimes even in the padding and/or cushioning

Post-consumer content can be found in the fiber, majority from PET beverage bottles, backing systems, which is often glass, and padding/cushions.

Much waste is generated during the manufacturing process but they have come up with ways to help reduce it. Backing waste may be used to make carpet cores used during shipments along with the PET bottle caps that are left over when the bottles become the carpet fiber. Yarn waste may find it’s next life in the carpet padding, filler used in building materials or lawn furniture. The high-end carpet pads that include polyurthane foam may have gotten scraps recovered from new mattresses or furniture.

Don’t forget that carpet tiles are becoming more common than broadloom in commerical environments and allows for less waste generated during installation. Replacement when stains occur is easy because you will only need to replace a couple tiles verses the entire carpet in the room. Now that’s sustainable and saves you money!

Some companies have even gone as far as looking at the waste of adhesives used during installation for carpet tiles. This new trend is called Spray-Lock adhesive. It allows for installation that will be instant and troweling is not necessary. A simple spray can contains the adhesive to be sprayed on the floor for an instant bond. It does not allow for shifting of the carpet tile but you are still able to peel off the tiles for replacement. When the adhesive can is empty, it is even recyclable!

Finally, it’s time to think about the carpeting after we are finished with it. The majority of carpet companies have a reclamation program. For a small fee, your carpeting can be hauled away for you and recycled. Most companies will take back the carpeting regardless of who it was originally manufactured by. This helps the carpet companies from having to produce raw materials during production and protects us from filling up landfill space and possibly causing other negative consequences to the environment.

So what do you think?  Do these facts make you re-think what you formally thought about carpeting?

What is an Interior Decorator?

Most people do not realize there is a difference between an interior decorator and an interior designer. The terms are not synonymous.

An interior designer has four years of education, has practiced and then sits for a test to be allowed to practice in that state.

An interior decorator may or may not have gone to school to be trained to decorate. There are programs for decorators where they can learn color theory, lighting, space planning, finishes and textiles (carpeting, window coverings, upholstery, accessories and hardware). Upon completion of their program, they may also sit for a test, which certifies them as an interior decorator. Interior decorators do just that – decorate interiors. They choose the colors and or wallcoverings for the walls. They choose the window treatments. They arrange the furniture so the room can look larger or more intimate. So the next question is, “Tell me again the difference between interior decorators and designers?”

Interior designers are qualified to “enhance the function and quality of interior spaces for the purpose of improving the quality of life, increasing productivity and protecting the health, safety and welfare of the public.”

So if you just want to make interiors warm, welcoming and inviting spaces for people, and are not interested in having to spending 4 years of your life on an expensive education or worrying about building codes or passing a certification exam, then you could begin practicing interior decoration.

My neighbor spent a fortune on window treatments because nothing she bought was right for the look she wanted. She was frustrated and angry. Finally she called a local interior decorator who made a suggestion of draping a sheer material over the top with very decorative hardware and let it drape down the sides of the window ¾ to the floor. It was perfect and my neighbor was thrilled. Every time she wants a new look or purchases a new piece of furniture, she calls her friend to help her out. If you want that lime green wall but are afraid, call an interior decorator. They can help you make all the right choices so your space will be just the way you want it.

Post Modern Design: Expose Your Bones, Uncovering Elements From Beneath the Surface

A lot of post modern design has the defining quality of combining many aesthetics into one space. In post modern spaces, you can have an overwhelming industrial feel mixed with curvilinear furniture with Queen Anne styling. One of my favorite attributes of post modern interiors is their incorporation of “exposed” elements. A few examples of these elements would be brick walls (original to the facility, not made for decorative reasons), HVAC piping, plumbing and industrial lighting. In more traditional settings, these items are concealed inside walls or ceilings. In post modern design, the thought is, “Well, I know these elements exist, they are under the walls somewhere… so why not celebrate them?”

That may sound crazy, celebrating HVAC duct work, but it can be beautiful too. Check out the photo. The HVAC is suspended from the high ceiling, not hidden – not altered, but rather treated as part of the intentional design aesthetic.

Also in this image we are seeing exposed brick walls. This is a space attribute that in the past was seen as a sign of “space unfinished”… but isn’t that kind of relaxing? Why does everything in life need to be so prim and proper? Why do we have to complete everything with a bow? I think this is a very smart way through a “cold” element to make a space feel warm and inviting. It’s relaxing to understand the walls do not need to be perfect in order to be celebrated and made beautiful.

In this space we are seeing a few other exposed attributes. The railing is one that stands out. Why do we have to spend a lot of money to replace existing railings with something ornate or fancy? In this space, the handrail is simply…simple. Why does it have to be more? It doesn’t! And that is the beauty of this design style.

Also in recent history, hard wood floors were even considered “exposed elements”. When beautiful oak was used for subflooring in residential building, it was covered with carpet – and now years later, one of the best things about buying an older home is ripping up the carpet to see what status the hard wood floors are in.

In post modernism, it is nice to celebrate what simply “is”. It’s a green statement too, because why use the building materials to cover what is not necessary to hide? And in addition to that, I think it is a nice statement about humans. If we all could celebrate the flaws and imperfections in ourselves and others like we can with post modern building elements, and see them as beautiful, wouldn’t we be better off?

How do you feel about the post modern design?  Love it or hate it?

Tile Flooring – New trends in Vinyl

Ceramic tile and Vinyl flooring have been considered a thing of the past, often considered dated materials for today’s home. On the contrary, I have found some new trends, particularly in vinyl floor products, that may surprise you.

Vinyl is a great flooring option for the eco-friendly consumer. There is a product that may sound all too similar to the old fashioined linoleum called “marmolium,” which is made up of polypropoline and plastic composites. It is extremely durable and you can find some great colors in the recycled line.

Quite honestly, you can find an ever growing range of colors, patterns sizes and textures. Vinyls have made huge strides in style with custom designs that are available. Check out the Chilewich line for example. This happens to be my favorite source for vinyl! They have created a product that is a woven mesh top backed with rubber and can be installed wall to wall like carpet! It is called their W2W line and may have been hard to find on their website if you didn’t go into the commercial line. I highly recommend using a local source that carries the Chilewich line to provide a recommended installer. As with carpet, seams can be challenging to line up with this product. It will never look seamless, but it will look GREAT! I have used this in powder rooms, mudrooms and play areas. It stands up well to moisture and is extremely cleanable.

Tile is an expected choice for a kitchen or a bath, and it also makes sense in a high traffic entry or family room. It can create a streamlined effect that can visually expand a space and make it appear larger.

Classic Kitchens and the trend in “retro style kitchens” create the perfect backdrop for marmolium. Checkerboard patterns are timeless, and can now expand beyond the black and white combination. Get creative! Try a soft blue and a creamy purple vinyl checkerboard to balance a gray toned countertop with white cabinets. The great thing about vinyl is that if you get tired of it in even as little as 3-4 years, it wasn’t an huge expense and can be replaced!

Finding a Focal Point

Imagine entering into a room and plopping down on a sofa and staring at a blank wall across from you. Now imagine plopping down on that same sofa and looking at a fireplace or an armoire or a beautiful painting. Every seating area in a room should have a focal point that a person is drawn to. In a living room, most commonly the formal room in a home, may have many functions. It is often the place for holiday gatherings, Christmas trees, a decorated fireplace, a Hanukah menorah, decorated for Easter with spring floral arrangements and baskets, etc. In any case, it can be a busy place that is ever changing seasonally and it may be difficult to define a focal point at all times.

By creating your own focal point, you may have an easier time if there happens to be a fireplace or a great big window with a beautiful window treatment. However, some rooms may be architecturally challenged and the focus may be left out of structural components. In this case, you can make up for it with your own creativity.

Use color and scale – large items like bookshelves, art, and mirrors can become a focal point for a gathering of a seating arrangement. Introduce vibrant colors to grab the eye towards a main feature. Focal points may or may not involve furniture; define a conversation area with a beautiful rug or a sideboard to separate seating areas from one another. Enhance the sideboard with a decorative urn full of flowers; turn the rug on an angle for an interesting impact. All of the little unexpected things that you can do creatively will add emphasis and could impact the room largely enough to become the focal point.

Bedrooms may also be challenging, but consider the obvious….the bed. Use interesting layers of patterns or textures in you bedding. Add a euro sham or two to give the headboard area a big punch. Instead of a footboard, consider a storage trunk. Apply the general rule of “looking for the obvious” and enhancing it as a way to define the focal point in every room in your home. I am sure that you will find it easier that you may have anticipated.

Have a great focal point idea?  Send it our way!  And include pictures if you have any!

Do You Prefer Reds, Brunettes or Blondes? Whatever You Like, There is a Wood Finish For You.

Wood tone trends change like the weather. One minute white washed oaks were in, when today, if you open up your favorite furniture advertisement, you are most likely going to find something in a dark walnut. Just like paint or color trends, wood tones change and evolve. However, a unique attribute of wood tones is that they can have traditional “definitions” that will always (I say that lightly) give a little direction on their use. This is not to say that pushing the envelope is not allowed and that they always have to be used in the following scenarios, but these are common perceptions.

First are the red heads, this includes dark mahogany tones and anything from a red toned hardwood family. These tones commonly found in traditional design. When I think of red wood tones, I automatically think of law offices and wing back chairs.

We will cover the blondes next, since they do have more fun. Not to be biased (I am a blonde myself), but out of all the wood tones (at least the ones being discussed right now), blondes are the most versatile. Oak and maples tones can fall into these categories. Oak is found in a lot of hardwood floors and colors for kitchen cabinetry. Maple is very popular in furniture finishes, and all blonde tones actually have the ability to become strawberry blondes by taking on a more orange tone. Amber maple and honey oak would be common names for these finishes.

Finally we will cover the brunette. Brunettes are tricky because they can actually be from the same wood species as red heads and blondes, but darker. By far, it seems that dark chocolate walnuts are the most popular tones right now in the commercial and residential markets. These colors can be the same saturation as the red versions, but missing the crimson hints and are replaced with more black. These tones are very helpful when planning an interior because they really become more of a neutral and do not compete as more yellow or red.

In the end, every wood finish is necessary for a successful interior, it just depends on how you want to define it!  What is your preference?  Do certain tones work more successfully in certain areas of the house?

Reclaimed Hardwood: Great For the Environment, but Is It Great For You?

Last year I was attended NEOCON in Chicago. This is an interior design industry event that brings together various (hundreds, in fact) manufacturers and allows them to strut their stuff for three days. This event is, for the most part, commercially focused, but there are always some products that will cross over to the residential realm.

NEOCON is held at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago right on the river. The building is massive! I have heard that it is the largest building (by mass) in the US, but I am not sure if I believe that or not. Anyway, my firm gave all of us the challenge this particular year of going out in the Mart and finding the best ‘nugget’ we could. This artifact could be anything from a new type of seating, a new furniture system or a decorative finish. My love that day became a reclaimed wood manufacturer and refinisher.

I found Terra Mai tucked away with some other small companies on the 8th floor. I was awe struck by the rich tones and beauty of their wood samples lay over the carpet. I was thinking they were exotic red woods until I learned that they were all reclaimed species. Some of the materials and varieties available were old bleachers from high school gymnasiums. Another, which I fell in love with, was a series that gathered old fishing industry shipping crates, deconstructed them, cleaned, refinished and then resold the flooring. They called the product line “fishtail oak.” I cannot even describe how beautiful this was. It was as if every wood tone became compiled into one floor. There were hints of orange, red slices and yellow highlights. Absolutely gorgeous!

The pricing for such material is comparable to buying new hard wood at a premium. They have to cover the cost of collection, refinishing and shipping. It is also good to keep in mind that the inventory fluxes with what is found or available. There is a constantly updated website that allows for ease of shopping.

Do you think this is gross or something to be celebrated? I like the idea of my floor having a story. So if someone asks, there is a little more to say other than, “I bought it at Home Depot”. You can’t really recreate aged beauty, so why not let your floor have a few words of wisdom?

Carpet Tiles vs. Area Rugs

We find ourselves today being surrounded by hard surface flooring in our homes, such as hardwoods, stained concrete, bamboo, or vinyl, yet the majority of us grew up in homes with carpeting. Carpeting gives many of us a sense of comfort that can feel lost amongst all the hard surfaces. So what can be done to still give the trendy look of a hard surface but include the comfort that carpet can give?

Rugs can be the solution! Area rugs can be a beautiful addition to a room. They come in many shapes, sizes, colors and styles. Rugs can really pop colors found throughout the room on the walls, accessories, wall art, and furniture.

Another “rug” solution that is less common is carpet tile. Carpet tiles are a great solution to odd shaped rooms. Typically the size of each tile is 18”x18” or 24”x24”, which then allows you to build the size rug you need. Small adhesive dots are provided that stick the tiles together to form a rug. Carpet tiles can be especially great for people who move often and don’t know the size of rug needed in the future. Also, rug tiles can be a huge advantage if you have children or messy adults living in your home. If something spills on a tile, the tile can be lifted up and cleaned. In the instance that the stain doesn’t come out, simply replace it with a backup tile you have stored away!

When placing a rug within a room, there are several key factors to consider. Hard surface is beautiful, so don’t stretch the rug from corner to corner – let it show. Making sure the rug is not too big or too small is key to making a room work. At the very least, the rug should be able to be tucked under the sofa and/or chair legs. Letting the rug hang out far behind the sofa will typically not look right unless the room is very large and the rug is being used more to weigh out the room.

Too small of a rug can look lost amongst the weight of the furniture found in a room. Patterns and colors can also help balance out the weight in the room. Darker colors and patterns are going to weigh more heavily than lighter solid colors. You should keep these things in mind when picking an ideal rug or carpet tiles. In the end, whatever your needs will be, enjoy the comfort that rugs or carpet tiles can bring. For more information on carpet tiles, visit FLOR.

Slate Endeavors!

Slate tile is a natural material making it ideal for flooring, roofing and other applications. It is a natural alternative to typical ceramic tile flooring and works well in high traffic areas such as entryways and mudrooms. It also works well outdoors for patios, stoops and steps.

Slate tiles are available in small or large sizes and in a variety of thickness. In my area, a common application for slate is found in stairs, where the thickness of each slab exceeds 1 1/2” -2 1/2” on average. It is charming and gives older homes, which may have once had concrete steps, a new and improved contrast to the exterior façade of their homes.

Historically speaking, slate has been used for generations as a roofing material, but also performs well as cladding and in stone floor applications. The many benefits of slate tiles include longevity, beautiful appearance and energy conservation. Lately, due to high demand, is quarried by (Rococo-Setimar/Sayao Brazil) located in Minas Gerais State, in Brazil. Today, most Slatinia Slate is sold in the United Kingdom and other European countries. This is because of the porosity and it’s durability that Europe demands because of the damp weather in the autumn & winter months.

Minerals and impurities in the silt and clays create a wide range of colors in natural slate. You can choose from a dark charcoal black, rust red, greens, grays, maroons, and mottled mixtures of these colors. The most popular texture for flooring is the natural cleft, which is a plus because its inherent quality is moderately rough giving the slate fantastic slip resistance. Slate can be sanded or honed as well. These two finishes are smoother, giving the slate a soft sheen look.

I am about to install a slate floor in my breakfast room in my own home and have been forewarned of the Do-It Yourself application with this particular stone. Cutting slate must be done with a standard hacksaw or a wet diamond blade saw because it has a tendency to flake off along the rigid cleft line. You can’t score and crack slate like ceramic tile. And grouting slate can be very tedious. The natural cleft face can trap grout and make for a long, unsatisfactory process. When using slate indoors, there are a variety of sizes in slate floor tile – rectangles, patterns, and multi-colored designs. Slate is installed in a similar fashion as any ceramic flooring material. If you think that this is the right selection for your home, please shop wisely for your tile. The more places you visit, the more color selection you will find. Remember that it is a NATURAL product; therefore, every tile will be different and may have entirely different colors from one to the next. Again, this is part of the natural beauty of selecting a natural material.

Look here for a variety of slate flooring options. Enjoy!

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