5 Tips to Perfect Outdoor Lighting

Gardens look beautiful in bright sunshine but at night, a garden needs lighting to look its best. Like indoor lighting garden lighting is a combination of ambient and task lighting. Ambient lighting sets the overall mood of the garden by maintaining the overall light levels. While task lights do contribute to ambient lighting they also light up specific areas. Pendant lights over the outdoor grill or lights along a pathway are common examples of task lighting. Like indoor lighting outdoor lighting also follows a few rules.

Identify Lighting Requirements

Lighting up a landscaped garden isn’t as simple as placing a lot of lights around the garden. Lighting is needed to not only make a garden look better but also to keep it safe. Identify the areas that need to be lit up and elements that can create shadows. Make a note of areas you frequent to make sure they are well lit and dark areas that can by safety issues. Lighting can also be used to enhance architectural features of the garden like trellises, gazebos and steps.

Choose Materials Wisely

When choosing light features for outdoor lighting, materials play an important role. Choose long lasting materials that can withstand natural elements like rust and water. Avoid using lamp fixtures made from materials like iron and instead choose fixtures made of non corrosive weather resistant materials. Copper, stainless steel and brass are the most preferred materials when it comes to outdoor lighting. Though these materials will last a lifetime, be prepared for the gradual patina that will develop over them with time.

Avoid Creating Glares

Lights that create a glare keep visitors from appreciating the beauty of a garden and are safety risks as well. To avoid creating a glare, choose fixtures that shield the light source. It is always better to see the effect of the light without seeing the light source. Place pathway lights below eye level. Also ensure that none of the outdoor lights are shining into a window or glass surface.

Control The Lights

There are two aspects to controlling outdoor lighting. Firstly, lighting must be controlled in terms of when they are switched on and off to make the garden eco friendly. Lighting can be controlled in a number of ways including dimmers, motion sensors and energy saving timers. The second aspect of controlled lighting is to control the direction of the light. When planning the outdoor lighting scheme, consider the next door garden as well and do not let your light overflow into the neighboring space.

Hide The Wires

Solar lights are the easiest to install in a garden since they do not have any wiring requirements. For other lights bury the wiring atleast 18 inches below the soil. For wall mounted lights that have wiring that cannot be concealed pin all wires tightly to the wall in straight lines.

Lastly match the style of outdoor light fixtures with your interior design style. For example, Lanterns and acorn style lamps are ideally paired to classic themed interiors while globe lights are better suited to contemporary styled homes.

PAINT THEM RICH- LET YOUR DINING ROOM WALLS COME ALIVE

There is nothing more indelible than spending time with our loved ones. In this fast paced world,working day in and out,the only time we get to relax and share a laughter is the dinner time,at  the dining table.

Now that having a meal together has become the only chance of sharing your time ,everything about the time has to be special.The food of course will do its bit ,what about the ambience? Cosy and inviting ambience is not something we should look for only when dining at a restaurant or hotel,it is something you deserve at home as well.

Talking about creating a perfect ambience for your dining hall  at home,there isn’t a need to shell out a lot of money.Just the right variety of all the essentials and you have created the perfect atmosphere for a jolly get together.

Walls,in particular ,can do a lot in making a room look more warm and inviting.

Painting the walls in rich ,strong shades in contemporary patterns and designs are now  trending. Gone are the days and craze for subtle,light coloured walls.

Plush purple,crimson red or orange ,choco brown ,sapphire or prussian blue ,bold emerald green have all  become favourite among the design lovers . Different shades of the same colour are being used to create depth to the room.

4 Tips For Your Office's Interior Design

A lot of information about you as a person and a boss and the kind of business you deal in reflects from the kind of interiors your office has. To create a positive impression on clients and other visitors, as well as a nice environment for the staff, classy and modern furniture should be used. The design of your office can subconsciously affect the mood and productivity of your employees. It is only now that companies are realising the potential of great interiors and have now began utilising it. Here are some tips you can use while making the office snazzy:

Furniture which blends: An office will not be an office without any furniture. Really, it will just be a bare room more suited for a yoga/meditation class (if you want to encourage meditation you may keep some bare space for such activities).  Basically, no work can be done without desks, chairs, and cabinets. Therefore, if your company has stocked material that needs storage, then filing cabinets and drawers are important all around the workplace. If the work only requires digital storage and no paper work then make sure the furniture you install holds electronics well. Classic interiors automatically go with the finest wooden furniture like teakwood and mahogany wood. Such kind of furnishings is important for denoting boldness as well as assurance and professionalism as you would expect from a lawyer’s office. If your office deals with something creative like graphic design, copywriting or art, you have the option of playing with bright colour and unconventional furniture (oval shaped desks which are button operated, office desks inside a recycled car and many more crazy but useful ideas).

Colour Scheme: Colour combination is important in your home as well as your office while doing the interiors. It is a known fact that colours can affect a person physiologically (red invokes hunger hence many restaurants incorporate that colour on the walls or furniture and fixtures). Thus, a pleasant and tasteful combination of colours can create a happy atmosphere for visitors and the staff. The colour combination should reflect the kind of product or services you offer. Pastel shades or predominantly white or off white tones for the walls go with sombre and subdued professions like accounts, law, medicine etc. Whereas for creative workspaces, fun and colourful colour schemes can be used, like yellow or blue and green if you are cool and sometimes even black if you are secretly a Goth.

Bathrooms: This is an important yet understated part of a company setup. People spend a minimum of 6 hours and maximum number of hours can be above 24 in some instances. The importance of a well furnished and good looking bathroom is often overlooked. Even legally, it is mandatory in most countries, for every public building to have at least one bathroom facility for the handicapped or one stall that is usable by the handicapped. Apart from the compulsory features, bathrooms should be regularly cleaned and well maintained as it is a matter of basic hygiene. For that purpose they should be easy to clean with washable surface and regular water supply. No one expects a Jacuzzi, but basic hand bidets, toilet paper and good lighting is essential in every bathroom.

Lighting: Last, but not the least, the lighting of any company plays an important part in its overall look. Be it to bring out the best features of their products or just providing a well lit and soothing atmosphere for the staff. Correct lighting can bring out exceptional results. Any dark corner of poorly lit place can give a feeling of doom and uneasiness which can put off your staff as well as visitors. Like a blooming flower which needs sunlight, we humans also require bright lights. Those are wonderful words of wisdom.

Follow these tips and make your office look less like a jail and more like a productive, creative workplace.

CROATIAN DESIGN

When you fight darkness, do it in style and with a personal touch. The motto of the Croatian design label Grupa Products could not be more suitable for their small but refined range of design products. I have already blogged about design labels from the Balkans here on Happy Interior Blog as well as on Roombeez. And today I want to continue my exploration of Balkan design. Grupa Products was founded and is run by three young and creative Croatian designers and their focus is on lighting designs – hence their beautiful small range of three wonderful lamp designs: ili_ili, Arigato and Model.

The playful and quirky design of the ili_ili lamp is all about getting creative and combining. The lamp design encourages the individual design of a variety of combinations for a unique and personalized look at home. Shapes, colours and sizes vary and it’s easy to design your very own style that fits your interiors.

Arigato is a sophisticated, minimalistic and refined lamp design inspired by Japan’s minimalism according to its name. It is a beautiful and sleek lamp design, ideal for minimalistic and monochromatic interiors, such as Scandinavian interiors. The lamp’s name means ‘Thank you’ in Japanese and materializes the humble human gesture of gratitude through the design of an everyday object. It is available as floor, table, wall or ceiling lamp.

Model, the third lamp design by Grupa Products, invites to think inside the frame. The industrial looking lamp seems to have gone ‘nude’ and highlights its beauty in its simple but stylish framing. Three different frame designs and a colour range to choose from make it a versatile design object for every taste.

NATURAL LOOK FOR THE BEDROOM

Last weekend was a snowy one here in Munich and most time I stayed in to finish a few chores at home. One fun task was to restyle my sideboard in the bedroom which was more or less untouched for a long time. I felt it was time to give it a new look with what I have around and emphasize the natural look with an earthy boho touch in my bedroom. I love everything on the sideboard and every piece was carefully chosen. It is a mix of vintage items and new pieces. And quite a few plants, obviously.

Why have I opted for the natural look in my bedroom? Well first and foremost it is so pleasant to wake up in the morning and be surrounded by plants and a natural vibe. Especially for me who is not a morning person – I need any encouragement possible to get me going in the morning. Moreover the natural look comes with further benefits for the living and sleeping environment: Natural materials do not emit toxic odours and plants purify the air additionally. Did you know that a snake plant is the best option for a bedroom? The snake plant converts CO2 into oxygen during the night thus enhancing the air quality and improving your good night’s sleep.

Any sideboard serves as a good styling playground, right? I have put together some of my favoritevintage ceramics pieces with an earthy touch. Among the pieces is a vintage water/wine jug from Serbiathat reminds me of my grandmother as she used to drink water out of such a jug. This time I have also covered my sideboard’s glass top with a vintage tablecloth. Deep inside I hope this will reduce my dust cleaning activities considerably:-) We will see!

KITCHEN DESIGN

Living in a small apartment with a tiny kitchenette can be limiting, especially before holiday seasons like Christmas when you tend to cook it up and spend some time in the kitchen. Whenever I get asked by friends if I cook a lot, I deny it. Because I don’t. But that does not mean I don’t like to cook. I am just too limited in my miniature kitchenette leaving no space for creative concoctions and being scarce with an inviting and inspiring atmosphere. In the past years dwelling in such a small space, I have learned to appreciate the importance of a beautiful kitchen. Not only it inherits the power to boost your culinary endeavors, but it also enhances the quality of life. It is a known matter of fact that for many people the kitchen represents the home’s beating heart and center space.

In order to better understand kitchen design aspects and the variety of materials, I had a look into the showroom of Dross & Schaffer Ludwig 6, an idea lab of creative kitchen designs based in Munich. This is a reall kitchen design studio – kitchen experts who have profound insights about the current trends in kitchen design, materials and kitchen planning. Currently they are exhibiting a brand new kitchen design which definitely caught my eye: Deep, saturated blues combined with grey and natural wood seem to combine a Scandinavian rustic feel with a very urban look. Clear lines, simple shapes and various textures emphasize the richness in kitchen design – natural wood elements, leather handles, natural stone worktops and a combination of matt kitchen fronts and glossy metro tiles highlight the sophisticated design aspect of this kitchen. The kitchen shown here has a worktop made of natural stone, in this case quartzite with a rich deepness and handles made of saddle leather.

The planning of this kitchen took three full months. I am always fascinated by the fact that kitchens are more complex than any other aspect of our interiors. Here, more than anywhere else in our home, it’s of utmost importance to find a perfect balance between functionality and style. It is a task that requires professional, experienced skills. And it is not only the overall look of a kitchen that counts, but it is also about the refined details, many of which were manufactured by local experts within the network of Dross & Schaffer Ludwig 6. It is the mix of styles and materials that sets a very modern tone in this kitchen says Stan Rusch, interior architect and managing director of Dross & Schaffer Ludwig 6. And I can only agree with him. I wouldn’t mind to get creative and rattle the pots and pans in such a stylish kitchen.

Sensualscaping Stairs

These stairs for a residential project (Sensualscaping) took us in an important new direction, harnessing digital production and fabrication to form a seamless and deeply sculptural experience. This page documents a component that we felt was rich enough in detail to merit further exploration and explanation.

The stair is a continuation and intensification of the simple graphic skirting board lines that trace their way through the house. As they turn the corner into the stair void, they expand like a genie released from a lamp, curling and separating and bifurcating from the wall to form the delicate edge of the stair treads, lifting into the air to rise as the veil of the balustrade. This veil hangs gently from above as a series of thin paired threads, softly pulled back at the entry to allow movement past, gently splaying around the corner to meet and carry the arriving visitor onwards & upwards. 

YOUR KITCHEN NEEDS THESE CLEANING TOOLS FOR YOUR SANITY

Setting up a new home can be exciting and nerve wracking for everyone. And if you’re getting ready to set up your new kitchen, here are a few kitchen cleaning essentials you have to stock up with.

Essentials you can’t do without

Whether you’re using natural cleansers, or going the regular store-bought products way for your kitchen, you’re going to have to get the right tools to make your cleaning a comfortable experience.

Rubber Gloves

Your kitchen is not equipped, unless you have your set of rubber gloves ready and armed for use.
They come in colors and sizes and they’re going to be your best friend in the kitchen, and around your home, for a very long time.

Dish Cloth

From patting dry your freshly washed dishes, to wiping a wet counter top, a nice set of clean dish cloth makes working around the kitchen, that much easier.

Scrub, scrub, till it shines!

Scrub Pad Range

Scrub pads come in all kinds, shapes and sizes, and they also wear-out fast. Stocking your kitchen with a good number of spares can save your routine from being disrupted by a worn out scrub!

Floor Mop

You might be surprised by how much you’re going to need a good old sturdy floor mop. Working around the kitchen can lead to a lot of regular spills and a few disasters too, so a set of floor mops stashed away, is going to serve you well.

It’s not always easy to keep your kitchen clean, but sometimes, knowing what works best is a great way to keep the cleanliness on tolerable levels. What are some of the things around the house that you use to keep your kitchen clean? Tell us about them in the comments below!

Know your tools for a spanking clean kitchen

Would you try these?

Now that we’ve taken you through the basics, we thought we’d lighten up the mood by introducing a couple of really strange cleaning products that can be found around the world.

The Magic melamine sponge eraser 

You know the tableware we use at home, a lot of that is made of melamine, so this little white melamine sponge really caught our attention.

But the sponge by itself could be passable is it weren’t for the fact that it’s also known as a magic eraser. Why? Because it cleans out all the dirt and tough stains only with water and needs zero detergent!

Sounds like a handy buy doesn’t it?

Multi-Purpose Cleaning Set

We’ve certainly heard of tools that can make life easier, but have you ever heard of a multi-purpose cleaning set with EIGHT changeable functions?

That’s correct! This cleaning set comes with all your essential cleaning brushes with a light-weight telescopic handle, and what seals the deal for us is the 2 extra functions we’ve never heard of before.

Not only does this multi-function cleaning set clean your kitchen and home, but it also comes with two different tool to CHANGE LIGHT BULBS!This set, has one tool to change light bulbs with, and another to change flood lights! Definitely a must-have for your kitchen, isn’t it?

Balcony Pools in Mumbai

Cyber architect James Law designed an unbelievable skyscraping residential complex for real estate company Wadhwa Group in Mumbai, India. One of the most outstanding and eye-popping features of the facility includes a series of swimming pools placed within each balcony. These pools appear like floating gelatinous molds extending at the edge of each apartment's balcony.

Known as Aquaria Grande, it's comprised of two 37-story towers that boast modern and unique architectural design with several high-end amenities. With over 200 apartments, each unit features three-sided natural light which also allows for cross-ventilation. There is an indoor club house that includes a gym and sauna, three levels of vehicle parking space, and a sustainable podium garden. Making eco-friendliness a priority of the towers' modern design, the structures include energy efficient glass facades to reduce energy consumption.

Backyard Office for People Working from Home

The ability to work from home is a trend that is here to stay. Technology allows it, legislation permits it and employers often now encourage it.

An OfficePOD provides a working environment that is separate to home life. The hassle free OfficePOD service deals with everything from site survey and installation through to customer services and POD relocation in the case of moving house or employer.

Optimum size (2.1m x 2.1m)  does not require planning consent in the greater majority of cases.

It’s modular design enables speedy construction even in gardens with the most difficult access.

Defrosting a Frozen Building

Looks like an ordinary building, right?

This cold storage facility in Chicago may not draw your attention from the outside, but had you entered the building a few months ago, you’d be surprised to see what was inside. After nine decades of cold storage and lack of proper maintenance, the whole interior was full of cave-like stalagmites and stalactites. Once the Fulton Market Cold Storage Company, which was renting the premises, decided to move out, it was sold to a bike component manufacturer SRAM. However, in order to use their new space, SRAM had to defrost the building first.

Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture were hired do the work, however, such sight couldn’t go unarchived. This is why photographer Gary Jensen was asked to photograph this indoor ice age phenomena. The video at the end of the article shows the defrosting process, where you see the team using propane heaters to dissolve the ice crystals.

This is how it looks from inside

Artist Installs a Sandbox in his Living Room

Loving your work is already greatper se, but managing to erase the line between work and vacation is a next step. A 30-year-old Massachusetts-based art assistant Justin Kemp managed to do this by literally placing his work desk in the beach sand. His “Surfing with the Sand Between My Toes” idea consists of a wooden box that’s got plastic lined on the bottom and is filled with sand. Thus the sandbox gives Justin the feeling that he is actually working on the beach.

Known as the “the chillest bro in the valley”, Justin gives the best explanation about his unconventional work place: “The sand is relaxing, but for me, its more a symbol of my permanent vacation.  It’s the design of a lifestyle where ‘work’ becomes so satisfying that vacation and retirement become undesirable.  It’s a permanent state of chill.” Brushing his feet, though, could be a good habit to pick up, as Justin says he’s got sand all over his place now. Hopefully he doesn’t own a cat, which could get a wrong idea about the massive sand box in the middle of the room!

Chandelier Turns a Room Into a Forest

Different lighting can completely change the look and feel of a room, but this incredible chandelier from Hilden & Diaz will take you straight to the jungle with just one click! Created by Thyra Hilden and Pio Diaz, “Forms of Nature” chandelier is a beautifully designed bundle of white tangled branches, casting shadows on the walls that look like forest trees. As the light bulb is placed in the center of the chandelier, it projects a 360 degree shadow formation on every wall and the ceiling.

„The shadows engulf the room and transform the walls into unruly shadows of branches, bushes and gnarled trees. Mirrorings are thrown out upon the walls and ceilings and provide weak Rorschach-like hints of faces, life and flow of consciousness. Diming the lights transforms the installation and one senses a weak fire burning deep in the center of the forest,“ describe Hilden and Diaz.

There’s seems to be already a line waiting for this concept model to be put into production, what about you?

20 Tips for a Better Kitchen

Today's kitchens are often the heart of the home. Therefore, careful planning is required to ensure a kitchen that's both beautiful and highly functional. Here are 20 tips to consider when designing your kitchen.

1. Eliminate wasted steps. Think about how and where you use items. Store breakfast foods and bowls near the breakfast table. Keep wraps and plastic containers in one handy spot near a work surface for wrapping leftovers. Locate dishware and flatware near the dishwasher to ease the process of unloading.

2. Design wide walkways. Paths throughout a kitchen should be at least 36 inches wide. Paths within the cooking zone should be 42 inches wide for a one-cook kitchen and 48 inches wide for a two-cook configuration. When planning, adjust kitchen islands and peninsulas accordingly.

3. Direct traffic. For kid-friendly kitchen designs, keep the cooktop out of traffic areas so children don't catch handles and cause spills when running through. Also, make the refrigerator accessible to both passersby and people working in cooking and cleanup areas.

4. Stay clear of corners. To make cabinet and appliance doors fully functional, plan space for the door's clearance and swing direction in your kitchen design. Keep appliances away from corners, and make sure doors won't bang into each other if open at the same time.

5. Find the right height for the microwave. The correct height and location for a microwave oven may vary depending on the chef or the kid-friendly character of the kitchen. For adults, 15 inches above countertop level is a good microwave height. For kids, a below-countertop setup may be safer and more suitable.

6. Determine the island's function. When it comes to kitchen islands, form follows function. If you want to cook and eat on kitchen islands, plan enough space so the cooktop is safely separated from the dining area.

7. Plan landing space. When designing your kitchen, allow 15 inches of countertop on each side of a cooktop and refrigerator. Landing space is also important near the microwave.

8. Consider the countertops. Chefs who like to cook require more counter space -- ideally between the range and sink -- than those who cook infrequently or who prepare simple meals. In addition, incorporating two countertop heights makes baking easier and helps kids who are involved in meal preparations.

9. Double up. A second microwave oven and a mini refrigerator or refrigerator drawer positioned at the edge of the kitchen work centre can keep snackers out of the cook's way. Add a snack bar with stools for an after-school spot for the kids.

10. Arrange the range. Place a shelf beside or behind the range to keep cooking oils, utensils, and spices handy. Place S-hooks on the side of the range hood to hang frequently used pots and pans.

11. Fill it up. Tired of lugging water-filled pots from the sink to the cooktop? A swing-out tap -- also called a pot-filler -- installed near the cooktop fills pots near where you heat them. Or you can install an extra-long hose attachment on your main faucet to fill pots on the cooktop.

12. be sharp when storing knives. Hang knives on a magnetic strip tacked to the backsplash. This makes it easy to spot the right knife for a job and keeps dangerous items out of children's reach.

13. Make recycling easy. Equip a cabinet with separate containers for glass, plastic, and metal. A spare drawer could hold old newspapers.

14. Think short. Put kids' favorite dishes and snack foods on shelves they can reach.

15. Add a message centre. Establish a message centre near the kitchen telephone. Put a bulletin board, chalkboard, or whiteboard on the wall, and store a calendar, notebook, and writing utensils in a nearby drawer.

16. Plug it in. Install multiple outlets along the backsplash and on the island so you'll have electricity wherever you need it.

17. Cut cleaning time. Careful design decisions make cleaning easier. Glass refrigerator shelves catch spills that wire shelves let through. Flush-set or undermount sinks don't have a crumb-catching rim to worry about. Matte finishes don't show dirt as much as glossy ones do.

18. Break up cabinetry blocks. Avoid boring, heavy blocks of doors and drawers by adding interesting details such as glass doors and display shelving. Or try wine storage or windows.

19. Use light colors in a small kitchen. Dark color schemes shrink an already small space and make it less inviting. Use soft shades on kitchen cabinets and natural light to visually expand a small room.

20. Find a focal point. Splashy tile, fancy floors, sizable range hoods, bright kitchen cabinets, and busy countertop patterns give the eye too much to look at. Pick one focal point in your kitchen design and complement that area with a few other quieter, eye-catching details.