The Beginning: Part II

In my previous post I showed you my first two Interior Design projects ever. While I had a great time with those, I was itching for more (I always am!). Generally in Design and Architecture classes, you're taught how to use the materials, and read plans and drawings before you create them. Having learned all that previously, I was a bit ahead of schedule.

So the summer came and I was naturally bored. I took it upon myself to use what I'd learned in the last few years to start creating spaces to fulfill my wants and needs. I took the drawings and renderings I had created over the last year and put them to project boards. I played with fabric samples and flooring samples. Decided on paint and trims. I had a blast, and my mess of a room reflected that 100%.

This project board was a complimentary color scheme. I chose green and purple because I always see them together in extremely light tones. So I decided to jazz it up a bit and go for a more elegant look.

A dark wood floor was chosen to anchor the room, as dark wood is a staple in any elegant room. Light walls in a grey-beige were chosen to lighten up the walls, and a light cream was chosen to open up the ceiling. The trim is a traditional glossy white, to add dimensions and frame out the ceiling and walls. The accent wall is a green crepe backed satin, mounted as drapes with the mounting hidden behind the crown molding. To bring more elegance and weight into the room a dark wood bed and nightstand were chosen. A royal purple bedspread was chosen in a shiny crepe back satin, chosen for its durability, washability and luster. Accents were brought in in the form of pillows in the same green as the curtain to balance it out. Texture was brought in with the fluffy accent throw and fuzzy ottoman slip cover. Additionally a night table lamp was brought in to light the room. It is a linen shade with a brushed nickel lamp base, which contrasts very nicely. The light is reflected in a dark wood framed bezeled mirror.

Overall this project was a success. Once again, I'd definitely change some things now, but thats to be expected, as tastes change. I would still love to see this room in person, but now I see that the colors are both a bit muted and may be too matchy in tone. Choosing one dark deep purple and a lighter more airy green would have worked much better especially with the dark woods and dark purple colors chosen.

Once again readers--- Let me know what you think. I really enjoy feedback and would love to answer any questions you may have for me. You can submit them as a comment here or email me at designdepartment.llc@gmail.com.

I look forward to hearing from you all! Happy designing!

Design Department Update

In my nearly 2 1/2 month absence, I've been doing a little soul searching, a little apartment searching, and a LOT of job searching. While both the apartment and job search have yet to be fulfilled I can happily say the soul searching has been fulfilled. First, I'm positive I love design. Frustrated with my lack of job prospects I thought maybe design wasn't exactly what I wanted to do. So my friends, I'll remain unemployed for a bit longer, because interior design was, and is my passion. Thinking about how I got started, and all of the projects on the way made me realize that I've never shared any of my personal portfolio. So readers, over the next few days I'll be posting my portfolio one project at a time.

What you see in a designers portfolio is usually just their best work-- but here readers-- is all of my board work. There are a few stellar ones that I still can't believe were all my ideas, and some not so fabulous designs. In addition to posting my portfolio, I'll explain where each idea came from as well as what worked, what didn't and why. (That was always my big question in school, I recognized when something didn't work, but I didn't always recognize why it didn't work.)

I'll start with my first project. All the way from Oakland Community College's Fall 2006 semester. The assignment was to create a color concept board. Simple enough, or so I thought. Then the class was told to pick a color, no biggie I thought... from the color sample fan deck provided, and the fan deck was upside down. As students picked their colors I saw reds, greens, blues and a very very bright orange, so I was a tad nervous. I reached down and picked a square... prayed really hard for a minute and looked. Utterly Beige. How boring is that?!

Well, I knew the only color scheme to do then was neutral. But I didn't realize that utterly beige didn't have to be utterly boring. So I went home and dug through Elegant Home magazines. Naturally, I came up empty handed the first time around. Then I started pulling my own fan deck. What colors were around Utterly Beige? Did anything other than white work with it? How do I make beige NOT boring? Then it hit me. It literally hit me, someone threw a piece of chocolate at me. Rich chocolate Brown would look fabulous with beige. Brown and beige are technically variations of the same color, so why not. I picked what in design terms would be called a "neutral brown" called French Roast (Benjamin Moore) and designated that as the wall color. It was dark, but very rich, and since the floor color would be utterly beige, I figured it would lighten up the room. I chose a creamy white for the ceiling and a stark white for the trim adding height tho the ceiling and framing out the walls. Then added black accents.

The board was simple. Very simple.

The next assignment went hand in hand with this one. It was to complete the room design for this color scheme. So I did. Here it is folks, my first room EVER!:

You'll notice that I did add a pop of red, which I thought worked at the time, actually, it still works, but my personal taste has changed. Now, its a little bright for me. Given the chance to do it again, I would choose a silvery blue-green. A more muted tone than the bright red. I also added some chrome accents. We were given the drawing to color in and each surface had to be covered on the board so a silver hue was chosen to brighten and lighten the space. The fact is, any mirrored surface reflects light, and therefore makes a room seem brighter and bigger than it actually is. With the dark brown on the walls, it worked rather well to open the space. Overall I'm still very happy with this project. I really put a lot of thought and heart into this project, and earned an A on it.

So there it is, my first project... first two projects. Looking back I remember feeling anxious and nervous about turning it in. It was like a baby, I'd worked on it so long and so diligently I didn't want anyone else to see it for fear of it being rejected.... Yeah, I made the right decision, I love design and everything that goes along with it.

To those wondering how the job search is going: I'm still looking, and looking for a job is a full time job in itself!

The Fabulous World of IKEA

Want something quick and easy to set up, of a good quality and cheap? That’s something we all lust for, especially in the design world. Luckily our patience has paid off, and we now have IKEA. The staple of college dorms apartments and starter homes, now offers an extended line of almost everything! Formerly known for their easy to put together, but low quality furniture pieces, IKEA has reengineered everything, while still offering the same style and price. Although still prevalent in college dorms, IKEA furnishings can now be found furnishing high-end boutiques, office buildings and homes across the country.

I’ll admit, I was less than thrilled when I bought window blinds, shortly after IKEA opened in Canton, Michigan. Admittedly they’re still up and completely functional, but the quality just wasn’t there. But in the Spring of 2008, I decided to give them another chance, mostly because I was the college student trying to furnish an apartment cheaply. I found that the quality had greatly improved, and was astonished by the sheer quantity of everything. My favorite part though, was the set ups of kitchens and offices, and one orange bedroom in particular. My apartment that year was fully IKEA furnished. The sofa, chairs, tables, lamps, picture frames, bed, desk and hundreds of other items were showcased fabulously. The photos below are of the living room, which was spiced up with orange and red accents, then halfway through the year softened to blue and brown accents. The furniture was almost completely neutral so I was able to change out the accessories very easily, for a completely different look.

The sofa, was a grab from the AS-IS section, by far my favorite place in the store. There you’ll find floor models, and items 10-70% off retail price, that are still in great shape.

What I like most about IKEA though (besides the macaroni & cheese and endless enjoyable hours shopping) is the fact that almost everything goes together. Each piece comes in four to six different colors, so even if the style doesn’t match perfectly the color of the piece ties it together really well. Additionally, the products generally come in the same four to six colors (shown below), so it’s really easy to pick out a fabulous furniture set.

For those of you craving custom everything, they have that too! Designers in the home office, kitchens and business sections are more than happy to work with you to outfit your space with cabinetry fit for a king (or queen in my case). They have thousands of storage and organizational ideas for those of you that are a bit overwhelmed with clutter, in the kitchen and office sections (downstairs for those of you in Michigan). IKEA workers will help you pick what items best suit your needs, and they're really creative about it too! I never thought of using a flatware drawer organizer to hold my screwdrivers.

Not only is IKEA a quick easy fix for furnishing needs, they've also really taken it to the next level by fixing the quality issues they had a few years ago. In addition they're really active in the community, donating money, food and products to local shelters, schools, religious establishments and so much more. They also organize donation events and have even established an eco-friendly sustainable packaging line. I've seen so many posts about the fabulous things they're doing, I'm jumping into the next one head first, when I find out the information, I'll post it here. In the meantime heres a list of all the great things IKEA is doing: The Never Ending List

Editors Note: I think my favorite IKEA piece is a storage ready piece called the Expedit bookshelf. Its completely versatile. I've stood it on end, laid it on its side and done everything short of hang it from the ceiling, (which I considered for a while) and its held up, and looks great. IKEA even makes drawers and doors and storage boxes specifically for this bookshelf, to hide that clutter!

Color Inspirations

You can find color inspiration from anywhere. I think this photo is evidence of that:

Photo by Alex Minkin.

Design Finds

While shopping at Target today I cam across a few great finds. I have to admit, although I usually find myself lusting after Restoration Hardware furniture I fell in love with a few of Target’s pieces. First off is a beautiful little side table, a great addition to a dining room or foyer. Or this version with a drawer, perfect for a smaller bedroom or guest room. These tables remind me of old Hollywood glamour, which is back in style with a bang.

Adding a lamp to top these tables will brighten any room significantly because of the reflective mirrored surface. An acrylic base with a white linen shade (see below) would look stunning.

Another piece that really caught my eye was a headboard, also in the old Hollywood Glamour series called the Seville Tufted Headboard. It’s incredibly soft and gives the look and feel of a high style, expensive piece of furniture.

This headboard is even more stunning in person. It comes in Twin, Full, Queen, King and California King.

While I haven’t personally bought any of these (that’s soon to change!), most of the online reviews make a point to mention the great quality, which I’m sure will please everyone.

Another noteworthy aisle I found while shopping was Target’s amazing serving pieces. I was floored by all the beautiful ceramic serving platters and bowls. I especially loved the silver edged set. These are perfect neutral serving platters that will compliment existing pieces nicely. The white rectangular platters are astonishing with a modern set. While the rounded pieces will compliment the more traditional existing serving pieces.

Actually all of the white ceramic pieces are fabulous and incredibly reasonably priced.

One other noteworthy aisle that I didn’t have a chance to hit is the bedding aisle. I recently bought a brown bedspread, and I’m in love with it. Its lightweight so perfect for this in between weather we’re having.

Overall it was a very successful trip to Target. Every time I shop there I find something new and exciting. The most exciting part for me is that its relatively inexpensive, something I can afford, and most of my clients can afford as well. Target is generally a local store, with some great finds, and you’re never too far from one. Check out Target.com for everything I’ve mentioned and more.

Paint the Town Red! ...or pink.

Remember in the first entry when I said one of the biggest changes you can make to a room is paint? Well, its true. Its also one of the least expensive changes, especially if you’re a do-it-yourselfer like I am. A gallon of paint is so inexpensive, usually running between $10 and $25, depending on brand and finish, yet it can give a room new life. I can’t stress enough the impact a small amount of paint can make, especially if the room starts off white.

(I pulled inspiration from this photo for my own bedroom.)

There are, as always, a few things you should know before getting started:

First, if you feel uncomfortable doing this yourself, have high ceilings or a large room, it is best to hire professionals. They are professionals, they know what they’re doing and sometimes that can give you peace of mind you wouldn’t otherwise have.

Second, take the time to look through magazines and books, find something that catches your eye and have the paint store match it. Stores like The Home Depot and Lowe’s also have a great selection of hundreds if not thousands of colors available through the manufacturer.

Keep in mind your existing furniture and artwork. That “Azure Mist” may look amazing in the book, but it might not look so amazing with your rust colored sofa. Of course this would give you the perfect excuse to update all the furniture…

Remember to choose your paint finish according to the room. Bedrooms can be done in flat, eggshell or satin. Bathrooms and kitchens are always done semi-gloss because it can handle the scrubbing much better than a flat paint would. Any area with high traffic, such as a foyer or hallway should be done in a satin or semigloss. Ceilings are almost always flat, and trim finished in a gloss paint.

(I love the vibrancy of this red, and the accent of brown brings the red down a notch.)

A little anxiety over a change like this is completely normal. If you have anxiety over picking a color, go with something a little more neutral. I happen to love a color by Olympic called “Puppy Paws”. It’s a dark tan, which still introduces color into the space, but it’s a neutral and very pleasing to the eye. In fact I love it so much I painted three rooms in my house Puppy Paws! Sherwin Williams also has a color visualizer online, as well as a place to order samples larger than the 1"x3" swatch in the deck.

(The brown black and white decor of this room is incredibly neutral, but beautiful nonetheless!)

I’ve met people that are terrified of anything darker than Navajo white, stating that the room will seem too small. Yes, colors have the ability to make rooms feel smaller, but they also have the ability to make a space feel larger, as well as the bonus of added elegance and implied luxury. For example, dark colors in a small room make the walls appear to recede, making the room look larger. Don’t believe me? Ask Rachael Ray!

(Another tip to keep the room feeling large and airy, choose smaller scale, open concept furniture, but we’ll talk about that another time.)

(I love the grey/tan of these walls and the pop of the teal comforter and accent pillows!)

My point is, when it comes to color, there is NOTHING to be afraid of. There are so many beautiful spaces with unlimited unrealized potential. I've attached photos of some of my favorite rooms, as inspiration. Feel free to take a look and be sure to let me know what you think!

Home & Garden Expo

For those of you in the South East corner of Michigan, or the surrounding area, there is a huge expo show this weekend at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi. I went last night and was surprised to see the number of participants. Upon entering you’re greeted by freebies galore! I picked up some wonderful samples of paint, hardwoods, granite, and so much more.

One of the most interesting things I found was an acrylic tile. It was a digital image of the selected stone pressed between layers of clear acrylic. At first I thought it was just a very thin piece of quartz, but upon examination discovered that it was essentially plastic. The booth manager said that the product was scratch resistant, completely sealed from water (great for shower & bath areas), the product is also fade resistant and comes with a lifetime warranty. It comes in so many finishes, essentially every stone you can imagine and can be arranged into gorgeous patterns too! I was thoroughly impressed by this, especially because it fooled me into thinking it was real stone.

If you get to the H&G Expo take a look, its located in the fourth aisle, all the way down on the right side. The name of the company is Putman & Associates, and they are actually builders and remodeling specialists (if that bathroom needs a total overhaul). The Sales Manager, Mark is the guy to ask for.

One of my favorite booths was the Sherwin Williams corner. I’ve long been a fan of Sherwin Williams, mostly because they’ve always been so great to work with. Once upon a time they came to some of my classes and demonstrated products, and we left with goodie bags filled with paint decks and textured paint examples. To this day I use them on my project boards, and recommend Sherwin Williams to my clients. Their customer service and specialists are second to none. I was given paint samples, product demonstrations, and the manager even gave me a few phone numbers to call for potential jobs and recommendations. The Sherwin Williams booth is located in the second aisle dead center.

While there were tons of design related exhibits, gardens, boats and hot tubs galore, my favorite non-design exhibit was definitely the petting zoo. I have a soft spot for farm animals, and those little ducks just made me melt. They also had rabbits, goats, sheep, an alpaca and a donkey. Surprisingly there were more adults cooing the animals than children playing with them. But I stepped in and got a few kisses from the alpaca, and nibbled by one of the goats.

Overall a very successful trip to the expo. I’m loaded down with contact filing and thrilled about it. Here are a few tips, if you plan on heading down to the H&G Expo this weekend:

Take it an aisle at a time. There are a lot of exhibits there, so its going to be a little overwhelming at first.

Take a map, that way you know where all the booths you want to hit are located.

Take a break and hit the concessions. All that home improvement can make you hungry. Take the time while you’re enjoying your popcorn or candied almonds (they were amazing by the way, and theres a 2 for 1 coupon at the ticket booth) to look over the information you received. That way when you get it home, you have a better collection of thoughts on what you saw.

TAKE NOTES!!! After a while, one booth starts looking like another, and after a while you won’t know which one you went to for what information. So, feel free to bring along a pen and notepad (or stop by the Tallon Construction booth, they’re giving away free notepads) and write down what the vendors tell you.

Its a great experience and only seems to get better year after year. Head out there if you have the time, you won't be disappointed. For directions, vendors and more go to http://www.novihomeshow.com/