Dining Areas

Here’s a question do you skillfully blend your chairs around your dining table creating a calming vibe or do you mix and match to your heart’s content. I say do either as both choices look fabulous and chic. I am a big fan of an old rustic table hanging out with some super modern chairs as the contrast between old and new is enchanting.

I spend more time at my dining table than I do hanging out on  my sofa – pre dinner drinks, supper, oodles of paperwork – it becomes a restaurant, home office and chill out zone all at once. The key is to choose furnishings that fit in with your space – either echoing the property’s history or counter balancing it all together. Timeless, beautiful yet magical is the look I am after.

Beautiful -just  adore the green chairs.

Also very cool with a very different vibe. Little low level chairs look super sexy against the table.

How To Refresh Your Kitchen On A Budget

Full scale kitchen reno’s are expensive and a huge hassle (and more on that later…), but before you rip everything out I say you can totally up the style ante with fast, fabulous and inexpensive tricks that will transform your space. These might just make you fall in love with your kitchen again without having to renovate the whole shebang!

CHOOSE AN INTOXICATING HUE

Obvs I’m championing inky dark hues here, but they seriously will make any kitchen feel way cooler than it really is! My kitchen is Crosby, but Mole, Bedford or Hudson Black a la the kitchen above would all be fabulous. If you’ve got bored of your cabinets you can absolutely paint those too, just make sure you prime them properly first.

ADD A COOL BACKSPLASH

A cool backsplash can completely make a kitchen. How about some brass accents, metallic or mosaic tiles, glass – splashes can instantly brighten and invigorate kitchens. I’ve flipped two of my Hampton mirrors over and they now double duty as my kitchen backsplash as well as doubling the space of the room. It’s one of the best things I’ve done in a long while to our kitchen. Oh and speaking of the Hampton mirrors – we’ve sold out at the mo but they’ll be back in stock very soon. Watch this space.

ADD SOME DECORATIVE CHARM

Adding some hand thrown vessels or bowls to counter tops will give the space a beautiful organic edge and up the style ratings. I’m totally obsessed with ceramics right now, they immediately add a touch of wonky charm. Just because the kitchen has to be practical doesn’t mean it can’t be beaituful too – wicker baskets for storage perhaps, or a beautiful platter as a fruit bowl, even cooking utensils can make a statement. Gem recently bought me this incredible Tom Dixon pestle and mortar, and it’s so stunning it takes pride of place out on the counter at all times! Take it one step further and add flowers or plants to soften a sterile kitchen, wicker baskets on the counter, plus art on the walls, a sparkly pendant or chandelier over the island and you’ve nailed it.

HARDWARE

You can dress up any cabinet or door with the coolest doorknobs. I tend to use wall hooks a lot, simply because they’re larger so make an extra big statement! They easily double duty as door handles on cupboards throughout my house. (PS: as they are supersized you will need to put them on a fairly long cupboard or dresser as otherwise they could look a little odd.)

Inside a Sleek Kitchen That Proves Any Space Has Potential

1. DON'T SHY AWAY FROM STEEL.

The homeowner initially chose a panel-ready refrigerator and dishwasher by Jenn-Air but decided she preferred the professional appearance of stainless steel. "She wanted appliances that look like appliances!" says Pankratz. Kohler's Vault apron sink is deep enough to conceal cookware until the party's over. Emeco stools by Philippe Starck.

2. KEEP IT SIMPLE

Caesarstone's honed Pebble surface does double duty as countertop and backsplash, creating a seamless quality and minimizing contrast in this small footprint. To soften what could be a chilly, all-gray environment, Pankratz used Waterworks Keystone basalt stone tiles on the floor for warmth and texture. "It adds a natural, organic feel to the space."

3. CONCEAL WIRING. 

Where does the homeowner plug in her KitchenAid mixer? In a system of hidden under-cabinet outlets and task lighting that keeps the backdrop clean. A dedicated light accentuates the statement wall when the homeowner is entertaining. Lightyears Mingus pendants in a matte gray add needed brightness to the island.

4. MEASURE CAREFULLY.

The client's request: "Everything from my old kitchen has to fit in my new one — but better." Pankratz measured everything, from the smallest gadget to the much-used wok, before ordering the custom cabinets and hardware. Extending the storage to the ceiling ensured that every inch of wall space was utilized. Cabinets in Benjamin Moore's Street Chic.

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.

5 Essentials For The Perfect Bathroom Design

Bathrooms may be among the smaller rooms in your house but good bathroom design is as essential as your living room design or kitchen design. While all of us dream of large spacious luxury bathrooms even small bathrooms can be beautiful when they are well designed. Here are our top 5 tips to keep in mind when designing your bathroom.

Layout

There are two main rules to keep in mind when it comes to planning a bathroom. Firstly, don’t let the toilet be the first thing you see when you open the door. If, your bathroom door is open by accident, whatever is visible through the door will either add to the appeal of the other room or take away from it and there’s no way you want to be watching TV with the toilet in your line of sight. Secondly, treat your bathroom like a room and don’t line up everything along one wall. Ideally, leave space in the centre for you to move about and arrange everything else around that.

Storage

Whether you have a large bathroom or you are working out small bathroom designs; always plan for maximum storage. Use spaces above the door, under the washbasin , behind the door etc. Another way to maximize storage in your bathroom is to a large mirror with shallow storage behind it. Small niches in the wall are also ideal for storing vanity items you use on a regular basis and can also add to your bathroom décor.

Tiling

Along with the pattern on bathroom tiles, it is also important to choose the correct size. Large tiles are ideal for living rooms and bedrooms but for bathrooms it is better to choose small mosaic tiles. This will often work out to be cheaper because of less tile wastage and will also give you a slip resistant floor. Always double heck the size of the tile before confirming an order as some tiles are sold in millimeters and the size of the box may include grout areas.

Ventilation

Bathrooms are almost always wet and hence prone to mould and dampness. As far as possible; design bathrooms to include atleast one window. Ideally the window should be able to stay open without letting in rain, insects or burglers. In addition plan an exhaust fan in your bathroom that leads to the outside of the house.

Light

A bathroom needs both ambient light and task lighting. Depending on personal preferences both white and yellow light suits bathrooms for ambient lighting. When it comes to task lighting for shaving, makeup etc white light is a must. Allow as much of natural light into a bathroom as possible. Not only will this make your bathroom design feel brighter it will also help keep mould away. Avoid ceiling mounted recessed lights in bathrooms and instead choose wall mounted lights above or beside the mirror to avoid seeing shadows.