Vastu’s 10 tips to better design: #5
#5: Crack a Window
Like art, the proper placement of window treatments can make all the difference. Window treatments are also an opportunity to define a space by emphasizing a room’s features or minimizing flaws. Hang draperies 6” above the window. This increases height visually and creates vertical lines, drawing the eye up, while softening and finishing the room. Lofts with large windows benefit from solar shades, with varying percentages of opacity, which roll up for maximum view. Ripplefold tracks can be gathered at the top or bottom. These modern takes on sheers offer some privacy and surprising style.
Hint: To get more of the limited winter light, lean a long or tall mirror on the opposite wall of a window. It not only reflects the changing light from the windows, but visually widens the room.
#1: Simple solutions, #2: Fabric first, #3: Mixed greens, #4: Art matters
Vastu’s 10 tips to better design: #4
#4: Art matters
Artwork is your chance to personalize a space, by choosing specific pieces that have a history or provide meaning. Using large, colorful, or carefully grouped artwork can give a room the focal point to define and create a mood. Smaller, well chosen items in seating areas draw you and your guests closer and create intimacy in a space. Large items provide visual impact quickly and immediately set the mood of a room. However, even the best furniture in a room or art in a collection can seem wrong with it’s not positioned correctly. The right items still have to be in the right places.
To keep from hanging art too high (setting off the balance and proportion of the room), the center of artwork should be at eye level, or the bottom of art should be approximately 7” above the sofa height. Personal photographs and smaller artworks usually work best in smaller, more intimate spaces, like bedrooms, studies and hallways.
Hint: Art can be seasonal too. Keep your pieces rotating throughout your house, to provide fresh perspectives to rooms as you spend more time inside. Or create an art budget for the year, treating yourself to new pieces throughout the year.
#1: Simple solutions, #2: Fabric first, #3: Mixed green
Flickr finds: On the dot
Vastu’s 10 tips to better design: #3
#3: Mixed greens
Potted plants and flowers in interesting vases add warmth to urban interiors, which frequently do not have outdoor space. Consider nontraditional pots, such as galvanized steel, aluminum, lined wood boxes, to accentuate an urban environment. Pick up a new vase on your way to picking up flowers. Vases can be swapped out to provide new and interesting accents and seasonal floral arrangements are a quick, inexpensive way to change a mood, highlight a time of year or a special event.
Hint: Buying professional arrangements will guarantee that your flowers will last longer. Always describe the feeling you want from the arrangement, e.g. cool, unique, traditional, holiday, modern. And don’t forget to describe its use! Go wide and low for tables, tall and dramatic for entry ways.
#1: Simple solutions, #2: Fabric first!
D’Urso Swivel Chair
Vastu’s 10 tips to better design: #2
#2: Fabric First
Because there are an infinite number of paint choices but limited fabrics, floor coverings and window treatments, plan fabrics first and match your paints later!
Generally, using light shades of neutral color helps to keep rooms light and airy, but don’t be afraid of a patterned wall treatment or a few richly colored walls. These alternative treatments can often push the walls out and make the space look even larger. Sometimes going bold with big stripes and strong colors will give a dull room or bad view that perfect antidote. Fresh white ceilings or crown molding look crisp and clean but also draw the eye up and make the room seem open. A nifty trick for bedrooms is to paint the ceiling a pale blush color, which can flatter skin tones.
New condos that come in white or builder’s beige paint can seembland at times. Add instant warmth and style by selecting an accent color or choosing a few places to make a splash. Place a red bowl on the coffee table, colorful pillows on the sofa, bright artwork on the wall, or dress up a lamp shade. Go tone-on-tone by adding neutral tans and browns with lots of texture to keep a simple palette interesting (woven, grass, stone, leather, suede, smooth and rough).
Hint: Pillows and draperies can easily be changed out for each season if you have them ready for duty. Simply plan your color palette accordingly, and even buy them off season for possible bargain prices. To save space and money, only buy pillow covers to change out!
Vastu’s 10 tips to better design: #1
#1: Simple solutions
Sometimes simple solutions for design problems are the best ones. Often, making a creative change to an existing space is a simple solution that makes a dramatic impact. Think Contrast, Color, Creativity, and Comfort. Look to one of these four C’s to build upon for your space solutions. Examples of simple “C” solutions: Contrast: use smaller, less expensive accent pieces as the visual interest in your space. They’re easy and cheap to change with your mood or the season. Color: painting is one of the simplest and most cost effective ways to change a space. Just remember tip #2!!
Hint: Take Comfort for example…. to help make people more comfortable at standing cocktail parties, place the food at buffet height. Also, use an array of tall candles and lights, or tall glass vases filled with seasonal items, placed on side tables or credenzas to provide subtle up lighting and also elevate your furniture profile.
Designer spotlight: Jens Risom
Jens Risom, (1916- )
Birthplace: Denmark
Knoll Products: Risom dining and low tables, Risom lounge chair, Risom side chairs, Risom stool, Childs Risom Collection
Jens Risom, who designed the first Knoll chair in 1941, received his education in Denmark at the Krebs’ School, St. Anne Vester School, University of Copenhagen and Copenhagen’s Kunståndvaerkerskolen. He worked as a designer of furniture and interiors in the Copenhagen office of architect Ernst Kuhn. After moving to the United States, he became the design director of Dan Cooper in New York and also designed for Georg Jensen. Responsible for designs dating to the mid-20th century, Risom is a trustee of the Rhode Island School of Design and was knighted by Queen Margrethe of Denmark in 1966.
(image and bio via knoll.com)
New Knoll Textiles!
KnollTextiles recently introduced a number of new upholstery textiles. Here’s a peek at some of the items from the new collection…
“Jubilee” Read more
Thanks, Bossy Color, for the Stylish Blogger Award!
Annie Elliot of Bossy Color tagged us for a “Stylish Blogger” award. Thanks Annie!
This award does come with a few rules… We were asked to share 7 things about ourselves and give the award to 10 stylish bloggers. So, here goes:
1. We love sweets. If a sweet treat (especially chocolate) passes the threshold of our door – watch out – because we’re going after it.
2. We have a weakness for 80′s music. While we do try and mix up the music we play for our shoppers, you’ll find the Vastu staff rocking out to some 80′s tunes on occasion. It’s like an all day sing-along.
3. We believe that you should get exactly what you want. Vastu owners, Eric and Jason, work very hard to ensure that the furniture lines they offer give buyers lots of options. We love hearing about how customers plan to use their space and helping them create personalized pieces to get the look they want. Need a 10′ sofa in purple velvet with red contrast welting? We can help!
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