It’s always a good idea to have extra seating, but in small spaces, it’s not always easy to make a room arrangement work. Apartments, lofts, condos…pulling up dining chairs isn’t necessarily the best solution. What is a great solution is something low that does not block the scene and can be easily moved to change the groupings.
Footstools, benches, poufs, ottomans…as an ensemble with a chair or a stand-alone piece, the options are endless. Trends are often spawned from necessity or convenience of not change for the sake of change.
Often used for coffee tables – with a tray for stability beneath drinks, benches or ottomans can double as a foot rest or table-like surface.
Something as simple as a rattan stool can be easy to pull-up.
A pair of ottoman frame a seating area. An ottoman never has its back to anyone or anything.
You can seat more than one person on a good-sized piece.
A round one can have guests facing different directions to join in different conversations around the room.
Low in front of a fireplace, tucked beneath a coffee table or a console table, they can easily be pulled out when needed.
They add a splash of color or pattern.
Or they can meld in with the color scheme.
Look at your room and see if it wouldn’t benefit from an extra low-profile seat or two.
When designing for a vacation rental property, the first order of business is to select things that are durable and easy to maintain. This means finishes to furnishings. I know this from practical life experiences and also working with commercial/hospitality interiors. To do so, one needs time to place and receive the orders with enough contingency for mishap. It is also dependent upon the housekeeping arrangements planned for on-going maintenance.
In this recent project, the work began 12 months out – plenty of time you think…but it was all about the physical remodel. We began with the drawings for floor plan re-configuration and specifications for new lighting, cabinets and finishes throughout. The decision to furnish was not made until nearly 10 months later with a deadline to complete in less than 7 weeks. The delay was partially due to an indecision over how many of the 4 units (all on one floor) were to be short-term or long-term rentals. Then a new city ordinance imposed a moratorium, of sorts, on short-term rentals and while that was tossed about over several weeks…more indecision ensued.
It’s a riot to see overnight design projects transform interiors in 24 hours. That’s due to a free-reign for design decisions, a team(s) and vehicles to pick-up/deliver, all trades on deck, a single director calling the shots and an organized chaos that results in a magical finished project – yes, like magic. Open your eyes, be stricken with awe, cry a little and exclaim repeatedly that you “just can’t believe it!!!!”
Real life is generally not like that. Real life has in-put by owners, limited schedule openings by the various trades, little spontaneous decision-making and fleeting time riddled with unwanted surprises and delays. Real life, in this case, was a theme provided by the owner, a preconceived “look” developed in the mind’s eye and scratch paper of the designer during the selection of finishes and floor plan modifications and vacillation for several reasons, of what units to furnish and when. Over the course of a year, leading up to less than the last 30 days, the project was to be fully furnished and finished – ready to rent!
The good news is that with controlled frenzy, changing
availability of products, focused efforts and teamwork, we are pleased to present
the Lobster! Completed all but hanging the TVs by the requested July 1st
deadline, it is beautifully appointed and offers a colorful and a bit
whimsical, spacious, clean and did I mention enviable location- 2 blocks from Pacific Beach
in San Diego?
This entire project, except the move-in this last week, was done long-distance with the owner in Maine, her management company SHORE on-site in California and we the design team in New Mexico. This is not at all unusual, but Maine prompted the owner’s desire to name the unit Lobster. Not your spiny lobster from the local waters, but the New England version from the Atlantic with the classic recognizable form that accompanies the imagined crustacean – including the brilliant reds of the often appreciated steamed version!!
With fond memories of her childhood helping her elders maintain this property, the owner wanted to commemorate the building with an entry plaque visible from the street on the new redwood gate (soon to be completed). In addition, we suggested an individual name/theme for each of the 4 apartments which were all initially designated as fully-furnished short-term rentals – hence the bold identity for each! I designed the new name plaques and had them fabricated by Artistic Bronze in Florida. The backing was built by our talented Enrique Jimenez, in New Mexico, and all shipped to California. Bronze was selected for its timeless presentation, handsome durability and commanding respect. Parisienne was the font I selected which may now be used to identify the property as though a logo to tie-in with the on-site signage. Subliminal cues that are recognized even slightly are effective reminders and triggers for recognition. The idea was intended to offer a fun, but lasting, introduction and identification which was to be reflected in the interiors. The Lobster was the largest unit with 2 bedrooms. It was ultimately chosen to the be one fully-furnished unit and owner’s second home when visiting the area.
For budget and availability, we sacrificed certain durable
features that would have been better long-term investments, resulting in some
knock-down furniture that was never intended for much abuse. Fragile painted
table surfaces – for example – better in laminate, wood or stone…but time
will tell.
The look is clean and fun, colorful and beachy – with a slightly up-scaled twist. Cool aquas accent a few walls in the otherwise crisp white interior. Red punctuates effectively in lobster accent pillows, decorative accessories and the full-wall mosaic glass tile treatment in the kitchen. Yes, once again, we like to treat tile on the walls as not mere back-splashes, but wall-covering full height and width!
Weathered grey toned LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) in the way of interlocking planks were an easy to maintain and durable floor finish. The faux wood adds warmth and is softer underfoot than other hard surfaces. Perfectly matched with all trim pieces, this flooring is fabulous!!
Lighting is key and here we added recessed directional lights to spot the walls and related artwork. Switching was also an important detail to have options for the lighted areas and accents.
The owner found a novel lobster rug with a great textural,
tufted, yarn system that brings fun and great color and warmth to the bunk-bed
room! Busy, colorful bed dressings intentionally selected (over the hospitality
white that is still trending) contrast against the bright white bed frames
stacked for space optimization and a little kid fun!
A cool find in the way of the glass vessel lamp…where
usually the stem with electrical cord feeds down through the center of the base
and of the back, this one feeds from the socket stem with a cork top that
removes allowing the vessel to be filled with treasures – in this case southern
California beach shells and fragments! And for a little more animation, I found
a carved wooden shark to insert cruising above the shells to make the lamp even
more interesting!!!
A pair of vintage photographs of a lobster shack and fishing
boat contributed by a friend in Albuquerque – taken by him in Maine in 1962 –
were enhanced with bright red mats in their original polished silver metal
frames along with a large painting on canvas of a Maine lobster/fishing boat sent
by the owner in Maine provide interest to further perpetuate the lobster theme.
The master bedroom is a comfortable retreat with another
lobster pillow for punch! To give the room the best approach and make it feel
as large as it can be, placing the bed in front of the windows was the
solution. Beds facing the entrance to the room are always preferable to
arriving into the side of them – for visual space and a more inviting
orientation.
The original bathroom layout was all one space with tiny
appointments jammed together…so we removed the tall storage cabinets and sink
vanity allowing more room for the commode beside the tub/shower and added a
privacy door. Then the new cabinets and counter have their own space with
another privacy door resulting in a two-compartment bathroom area for maximum
use and enjoyment. Red mosaic glass tiles were repeated from the kitchen to further
coordinate the theme.
The bold color scheme was thoroughly distributed throughout
the unit which is an intentional design emphasis especially effective and novel
in a short-term vacation rental – where such a thorough scheme might be too
intense for one’s primary place of residence.
Effective design both functionally and visually should be a significant asset in the marketing of rental property. When used consistency in marketing material with logos and repeated features, this and other properties with attention to detail should attract the discriminating guests. Once there, repeated stays are the key to maintaining a strong guest population – of desired visitors.
Please watch for the entire slide show of before and afters of this dramatic transformation in the commercial projects section of our website, in coming weeks, entitled Emerald Green Beach Rentals – Lobster!
Blossoms are bursting forth and spring is near…Flowers have a decidedly feminine bent, but due to their organic nature and natural occurrence as the season begins to unfold, I truly believe that they are a gender-less element of rebirth, warmth, optimism and wonder.
Interior designers welcome floral fabrics as contributing to the pattern mixes, accents and animated offerings amidst other geometric, stripe and solid pieces.
Yet, men don’t gravitate to floral fabrics unless perhaps they sport a tropical shirt in the summer – the uniform of the relaxed, vacay, free and festive escape! You might not find a floral throw pillow on their sofa when batching it. But why not? Spring is spring, flowers are flowers – who doesn’t like them? Embrace your natural instincts! Be brave! Go beyond the aloha shirt and fling a floral throw pillow on your sofa!
Ok – forget the possible gender gap on this subject…
But I did tip-toe outside on the patio tile this morning chilling my toes, to hop across the still dormant grass, in order to take these shots of the first bulbs forced through the crunchy soil to greet the season.
In previous spring seasons, I have written about cutting
branches before they bloom in order to “force” the blooms for early bouquets
indoors…and inasmuch as several of the flowering trees have begun to burst,
including Bradford Pears, our is close,
but not quite there.
The forecast for the Washington DC cherry blossom peak is early April.
My personal pick for a fabulous floral pattern this season is Pindler’s Cherry Blossom. Floral patterns for Spring – and all year round! I like this one for its linen texture and loose watercolor style. It is relaxed and yet can be crisp – a very versatile print and fabric. It comes in 5 different color-ways and therefore offers many opportunities to incorporate in your interior schemes.
Artistic accents always a great design detail. We have samples of these fabulous finds at PATRICIAN DESIGN. Come visit our extensive design library for terrific trends, resources, ideas and inspiration!
Colors for fashion, interiors or a composing a bouquet are like the many ingredients, spices and herbs selected for great food. Creating dishes with fine flavors and visual appeal, by selecting the right combination, is good culinary design. So we see the spices and ingredients of design everywhere!
The art is in gathering the right combinations, textures, colors, flavors,…ok – maybe edible bouquets…Well, we’re not tasting the interiors – but some are scrumptious! Ooh – good enough to eat! And the fashion – yes, we’ve seen edible fabrics…generally not attempted in draperies – but who knows? The sky is the limit in design!!!
Inasmuch as edible couture and creating fabrics from edible materials is fascinating, I digress…the actual point of my story is to recognize the common denominators between gathering materials for all forms of art – the assemblages result in the creative finished products. In this instance, interiors and their color schemes which bear likenesses to beautiful foods!
Color is the most apparent ingredient of most artistic design endeavors. It is the most obvious and first to catch your eye. Assembling an interior is usually grounded by a desired color. The foundation of a room begins with deciding a direction with color. This might seem to be contrary to the concept that form follows function – but I believe that the designing for the two are often concurrent events. The vision occurs while the function is simultaneously examined. Most people visualize in color.
I often write about color. It is an ongoing fascination to discover who prefers what color(s) and why. It offers the beginning of the visualization of a concept. As the framework is discussed – such as programming a kitchen. Inevitably, in the early stages, colors and materials are discussed. They might change. They might not end up as first imagined, but color aids in the visualization and process of design.
Look around your world and consider color. Why did you choose your interior colors? When selecting a color for the surfaces, fabrics and finish materials what would you do differently and why. Taking care not to merely react to trends, what colors will bring you joy? Trends often tempt. They are enticing and new, but they move along…It takes thorough examination to determine if a trend is truly applicable or merely a passing temptation. The validation of design is the approval of the occupants or function for whom/which it serves. Not just the feature of a new trend.
So have a little fun seeing these interiors
paired with edible color schemes as dishes are correlated to interior schemes.
What interior might look like a spicy platter of festivity?
Perhaps bold wall colors sprinkled with myriad decorative accessories and
functional art.
Imagine creating a creamy white-sauce mushroom pasta with
velvety texture and soft finish. The ingredients you would reach for would be
the cream, pasta, white pepper and perhaps a touch a sherry. Sautéing the
mushrooms in butter for a luscious golden brown.
An interior that captures a similar feel derived from the same palette of colors…
From creamy, soft and warm to cool and refreshing…
An interior possessing similar colors – the perfect ingredients to create a stunning design!
Ready for reds?
Mix it up. Gather the
ingredients that will bring you joy and result in a deliciously creative
interior!!! Come see and feel these fabulous fabrics and furnishings from
Duralee/Robert Allen in our comprehensive design resource library at PATRICIAN
DESIGN! Call us and we will send samples!
With all the New Year buzz about the new color forecasts…I started taking notice of the seeming non-color, white. It is often considered the absence of color when in fact it is a very complex color of many shades and values. Just try to select a white and you will know what I mean.
When you look at white paint samples, you will notice the nuances. There are pink whites and blue white, grey whites and yellow whites. Each white is off-set and contrasting to another. You see the differences by comparison and by context. You think you have just the right white until you place it against another sample and see that it is grey or cream and then second guess yourself again…and again…How do you know which white is right?
To intentionally design with white is bold. To have the confidence, to decide that white IS the color and that white IS the scheme, is challenging. To effectively design with white, you not only have to select the right white(s), but you have to know just how much of anything else might be effective yet not detract.
White design can be cold or warm. Depending upon the desired effect, mood or function of the space, the whites need to be carefully selected. This is true with lighting as well. Warm whites or cool whites…what gives you the desired result?
Knowing when to add color to a white scene to achieve an intentional POP is an art. The color itself, the amount and placement is all part of the success of a good design result. From the fine black detailing in the previous shot of La Leche to this still-life composition of a tropical cocktail that I propped the other day, the minimal punctuation of color is key.
The bench which served as the backdrop for the coconut cocktail is a dramatic serpentine sculpture of site furniture that plays with the white-on-white of the tile and grout.
Beach settings using white materials compliment the white sand and greenery of the tropical plants. From wood frame platform cabanas to the sprinkling of umbrellas, white is a wonderful, fresh color for a crisp clean scene.
The soft creamy off-white folds of fabric offer a soft, inviting scene.
Architectural color and texture of surfaces is a moving target. A recent discussion about a white building with black detailing would not have proved right for this particular use of white. The hard, commercial read would have been too severe for the intended effect. Yet that same project, with a warm white and an ochre accent, will be just the right combination to achieve the desired result. Watch for this project to be featured in a few months.
Architectural surfaces incorporating tones and textures of white provide interesting opportunities
White in design is an exciting selection. Knowing how, when and why to use it is a test of your creativity. Picking the right white is the challenge.
So the next time you think white, think a lot about it. Study the context and what you are trying to accomplish. Feel freed by the fact that white is a color to express and enjoy.
Are you drawn to pet adoption events? Do you wander over when you find the dog adoption people parked, out in the open, along the side of the road, in the corner of a parking lot or even at the pet stores themselves? I don’t. I avoid them like the plague. I know that given just one sweet look or mournful expression or happy eager wag, I would have a problem.
I rescued my Rockford about 30 years ago. He had been kept chained to a tree in a backyard with a choke collar that he had very much outgrown.
I absolutely cannot allow myself to be tempted knowing that my resistance would be weak and my resolve would be challenged. I don’t need a dog at this time in my busy, crazy life. However, I would certainly go that route, if I were in the market.
Little Mini was passed from house to house until the fit was just right!
We all know that adopting a pet – dog or cat…or other…is such a wonderful gift – to them and to the lucky new owner! And I feel the same way about furniture and home decor. Yes, I see a direct correlation between “thrifting” and pet adoption. Funny?
Whether it is a early start on the garage sale circuit (not my bag, but very worthwhile) or estate sales (also not my thing as I get too emotional, about the family not wanting the treasures) or scouting consignment shops and thrift stores (less emotional because the context of the pieces are not so personal) it’s all about treasure hunting. It’s a growing trend for sure!
But like pet adoption, I see salvaging a previously owned piece, over buying new, just like giving a fresh start to a neglected, even forgotten, treasure. And, as you know, they say “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” and I so believe that statement! That same phrase could be said about your newly adopted pooch! Your new “treasure.” As well as that fabulous hand carved chair – your new treasure!
Bring it home, get it cleaned up, play with it around the house and get it some new clothes – oh – am I talking about the new four legged family member or that awesome new chair??!! Interesting similarities are shared by the adopted pet and the adopted furniture find!
All dressed up and ready for a party!!!!
From Victorian through mid-century modern, reupholstering gives a fresh new outfit to that fabulous piece that has been left sporting a shabby suit.
Threadbare but still fabulous – what a great save!
See beyond the existing condition – “You can’t tell a book by its cover.” And you will see beyond the surface focusing on the lines, bones and details.
This Winged Victory of a sofa was ripe for re-purposing!
New suit and shoes and this was a great save!!!!!
Discovering great pieces is soulful. Eclecticism is interesting. Balance is better achieved when you have a mix of interesting things. Buying all new is not as creative and can result in a monotonous look that is immediately dated. You’ll know what year THAT room ensemble was created!!!!! Furthermore, re-purposing, recycling, up-cycling trends provides an opportunity to employ the talents of the local upholsterers and refinishers – support local talent!
To a void that pitfall – be brave and seek your pieces. Assemble them with care and embrace unique things. If you love them – make them part of your world. Find potential and then enhance it. Context enhances. Mix new with old and give new life to old pieces. It will be a satisfying and rewarding experience.
What you see in a thrift shop is one thing – seeing beyond it to a new context that celebrates it and features it with other things you love is the personal magic that makes YOUR interior uniquely yours.
This tired but handsome piece came to us in need of a face lift!
Multiple fabrics add pizzazz! Find just the right fabrics and you have a custom masterpiece! And the lumbar pillow for this one is still on it’s way, for a third pattern providing even more interest!!!!!
Give new life to old pieces and it will be a rewarding experience. Then go out an adopt a dog!
Finishing touches are always the beast to tame at the end of the hunt. Yes, you’ve hunted, you’ve searched, you’ve gathered, you’ve assembled and stood back and observed your work. What’s needed? What’s missing? When is it finished?
Just the word finish sets up a mental block for many. It’s like decisions period. Once you make a decision, you’ve lost your choices. Losing choices can be a dilemma in itself! So, from Pinterest to HGTV and the internet at your fingertips the choices and options are endless, but what do YOU want to do, to call it “done? It’s all in the details…
Schumacher offers details right down to the trim on the draperies! This bold key design makes all the difference!
And inasmuch as you can’t seem to GET it done, you WANT it done – just can’t seem to get there from here. How do you decide what you need to add for those incomplete finishing touches – to be FINISHED? Know though, that to have the feeling that it is finished is a good thing. Yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t change it – sooner or later!
We interior designers have jobs because our clients need to do things, change things, finish things. It seems that with all the options presented on TV and the internet, people are jumping in with inspired ideas, making decisions, buying things and doing things – then coming to a screeching halt! “HELP!” is the cry when everything seems to be too much – or not enough – or too uncertain and overwhelming – or not just right.
As if your own self-imposed frustrations and pressures are not enough, your partner rants…”Just finish it – will you? Be DONE with it!!!” Not everyone loves a DIY project. Most people don’t even like the disruption of a professional team coming in and tackling the job. Alas, “you have to break an egg to make an omelet,” some wise person once said.
Whether you’re changing paint colors for the third time in a month or tossing throw pillows around the room, to no satisfactory avail, there’s something missing…something is not quite right…it’s not there yet.
Have you removed everything from the walls and lined them up waiting for inspiration as to how and where they should be placed and grouped – maybe re-framed?
What about a mirror to add depth? Is it an installed mirror – the illusion of space without calling attention to the mirror itself or should I hang a framed mirror that makes the statement in its entirety? Do I lean it against the wall or is that a trendy affectation?
Uttermost is one of our favorite sources!
Studied nonchalance is an art form. How to achieve that intentionally unpretentiously naturally relaxed look is a challenge. Just writing about it here is an effort in describing that which is supposed to be effortless!!!!
Perhaps it is a monotony of height. Do you need a tall piece among other lower elements in the room? Maybe a tree in the corner is the answer or a statue of some vertical art statement, to add interest and height. Perhaps you might consider hanging something, from the ceiling – a mobile or origami bird or even a light fixture, to draw the eye up from the otherwise low furniture pieces.
Robert Allen presents perfect fabrics for colorful pillow accents…and there’s that tall plant for height!
Speaking of light fixtures…how does your almost finished, but not quite there yet, room look at night? Are there dark pockets and corners that would benefit from some concealed up-lights – indirect lighting can be quite effective and enhance a spooky, dismal space.
LOVE this before & after! Check out John Cullen Lighting for some great ideas and inspiration!! https://www.johncullenlighting.com/
Spooky is the season and, with the holidays approaching, the need to get things finished before guests arrive or you leave to visit… or just the hectic nature of the baking, gift-buying and wrapping, shipping and other communications aspects of the season are upon you – pressure you to want to get things finished!
Brunschwig and Fils by Kravet offers an amazing collection of prints – mix and match!!!
Have you consulted with a friend? Do they rise to the invitation of critiquing your present state of affairs and offer design ideas that further serve to confuse you? Better yet, ask two friends and get two different options for finishing your space and then what? Pick one and the other’s feelings are hurt that you didn’t take their advice – even if they are not aware that your decisions moving forward were offered by another friend.
From the rug (thank you Company C for your “Colorful Living!” to the table accessories and all the things, pieces, fabrics, details in-between – finishing touches FINISH the job!!!
A designer is a problem solver, a tie-breaker, a marriage counselor, a creative who extracts your needs and – evaluating all options – offers the best solutions to get your job finished!