Re-working the egg

I couldn't resist carrying on the egg theme from my last post.    How about some of these cosy re-workings of the basic egg shape for furniture with a difference ?

Houzzz

 It's a sofa with egg shaped pillows!  Definitely for the younger crowd.

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Do I ever have a spot for this bed!  It could get a little cool though on the edge of the Atlantic in May. I think a room with one glass wall would be a better bet.  New room addition to the summer house maybe?

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You don't have to stretch the imagination much for this bed design. The egg shape  in open cutwork is very pleasing as are the curved legs of the tables.

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This is about as functional as you can get for patio furniture and the lines will fit in with any landscape .

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 If you want a statement piece for you space, look no further.   How could you not like this colourful sofa?  Might have to move a few pillows to the floor.

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Barbara Barry's egg coffee table is a classic. 

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As is this beautiful black tub perched on the edge of a slab of marble.  

If you chose one for you home which would it be?

Elements of Scandinavian Design

 I have lots of love affairs and Scandinavian design is one of them. I developed this passion in my teenage years when I discovered a book in our local library.  Just to put you in the loop, it was a new book then.  It  is  hard to believe that one event can impact one's design aesthetic for life, but that's the case because  I've woven various elements of  mid century Scandinavian design into every home I've  had.

Here's my take on  the elements of  mid- century modern Scandinavian design and how I've interpreted it in my own home. 

Form

•  function is the priority, and then  form is pared back to its simplest statement 
• materials are chosen for their beauty and longevity
• the lines are clean and  minimal , often with sinuous curves or  very "boxy"
• craftsmanship is flawless
• 360 degree design -  looks good from every angle 
•  prominent use of wood , followed by  plastic and metals
• emphasis on nature and organic forms; bring natural materials in

Scandinavian furniture design

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Scandinavian furniture natural tones

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White furniture on light wood

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Check out  other iconic furniture designs in a previous post . So many well known furniture came from Scandinavian designers.

Colour/Light

• emphasis on magnifying natural light
• white and off- white interiors with blue or blue gray or black
• muted  tones,  restricted to neutrals 
• simple or no window treatments

Colour in Scandinavian Design

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 White colour scheme with light wood

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Neutrals with natural wood

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Shape

•  geometric  patterns, free form / organic and florals

organic patterns

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 Bold geometric patterns 

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Love the hint of blue with the black, white and gray in the  geometric rug.  The pop of blue with the throw is inviting and also creates a sense of warmth in the room. 

geometric patterns

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This is such a crisp but inviting room that is made interesting by using a range of textures and patterns.  I love how the striped rug anchors everything.

Lassen Accessories

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 Texture

• wood is highly valued and  used extensively for floors,  walls and furniture
• natural materials in textiles: linen, wool, cotton, hessian, fur (sheepskin)
• glass, pottery is used for many accessories

Texture in Scandinavian design

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This image shows a simple room with  many natural material in one small space: wool, felted wool, fur , cotton and possibly linen.  And great art to anchor the space,.  Wouldn't you love to sit on that chair?

Natural materials in textiles

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Another chair holding  a selection of cozy textiles that you can choose to cuddle up with. 

 Texture in accessories

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There's nothing like a matte inky black vase and natural elements to draw your attention to a corner or an interesting piece of furniture.  This one is so sleek next to the roughly carved  stool. A great mix. 

Knits in Scandinavian  design

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 Nothing is as inviting as knits on a bed.  All that texture, light colour and cuddle potential.

Space 

• uncluttered,  room to rest the eye
• easy to move around

Open design

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 And here's my  always in transition, uniquely Newfoundland,  mid century Scandinavian look at Christmas!

Scandinavian colour scheme

I like minimal window coverings in a south facing window when privacy isn't an issue, hints of black and natural toned birch with lots of white and gray.

Scandinavian design  with a twist

Christmas decorations without the traditional red or green and my new Kubus 4 candle holder  that is quickly becoming my favourite accessory next to  pillows from my sister who knows just what a room needs.    

Mid Century Danish modern hand crafted

Natural elements Christmas

Margaret Ryall

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What elements of Scandinavian design do you have in your home? 

8 Ways to fill empty corners

The four corners of a room are often a no man's land when it comes to design.  I am not saying that you have to fill up every corner with something, but I am advocating thinking about your space to determine if  it might need to look more "fulfilled". Here are some of my favourite solutions:

Art 

Using Art to fill an empty corner

Margaret Ryall

 Usually you can't walk right up art you place in a corner,  so choose something that can be read from a distance. This lovely matted and framed wood sculpture is stunning for corner purposes.  It brightens up the space, fills it nicely, provides a backdrop for the dark table and lamp base and is a bit of a conversation piece. I was so excited when it was hung on my clients' wall.  

 

 Kristen Rivoli Interior Design

This colourful mid century modern space needs art work to match.   It creates another layer for the space that invites the eye to roam and then return to the equally colourful lamp and chair. 

 Round table and two chairs

Houzz

Round tables are great for corners because they allow you to fill the awkward space and at the same time move your eye around so you don't get stuck there visually. The addition of the lamp provides the third height thus creating a more interesting design.

Tall  floral arrangement

 Jeffers Design Group

 When you have the height why not go for it and use something tall to fill the space.  Again a round table is the mainstay for  this foyer area. 

 Built in bookcase 

Vicente Burin Architects

This beautiful set of bookcases  tucks effortlessly into a corner.  The colour adds to the whole space and the minimal arrangement of objects and books ensures it isn't too busy. 

Chair and floor lamp 

 

 Cravotta Interiors

A round floor lamp behind a chair is a perfect and quite functional solution for a corner. 

 Houzz

In larger spaces the addition of a round table helps to fill the corner and provide variety in heights. 

 A  workspace 

Siemasko + Verbridge

Tidy and interesting  art too. 



  Leslie Goodwin Photography

Or perhaps a larger space to make use of a corner under a stairs.  


 
SchappacherWhite Architecture D.P.C.

Large scale vases/urns

InHouse Design Studio

Sometimes you need a certain something to complete a design and these two large scale floor vases do just that.  Imagine the space without them.  

Flüff Designs & Decor

 This arrangement is not in a corner, but it very well could be.  Rather than bamboo you could use birch sticks if you wanted a more rustic look.

 Corner mirror and two chairs

Tydings Design Inc

Love this solution because it expands the space making it seem like it goes on forever. The glitz and sparkle doesn't hurt either . 

Then there's tall plants, built in benches, screens .... The list is as long as your imagination.  Do you have any bright ideas for filling corners?

Inspired Interiors

Simply painting or papering the walls and filling a house with furniture does not turn it into a home. At the risk of sounding slightly soppy what does create a home is that indefinable something: love. Caring about the home and the way the furniture and fixtures work together means that you will take those few extra moments to make it work by adding small touches that round off a room and complete a theme. Below are some of the areas where a small adjustment can make an enormous difference to both the comfort and the appearance of a room.

Light up Your Life:
 
The lighting in any room is paramount. It has been said before that one bright bulb hanging in the center of a room can create a very harsh pool of light and cast dark shadows into the corners – a very surreal stage-set look, which is not conducive to gracious living! Spread light sources throughout a room, using table lamps and standing floor lamps, concealed up- or down-lighters and soft overhead bulbs. Visit Lights World to see a wide range of lamps. Not only does this spread a diffuse light throughout the home, but you can 'layer' your lights, having them all on for a party or get-together, but only one or two on when watching TV or having a movie night.

Set the Scene:
 
Create small groupings of items, or little displays of items that work well together. These small clusters of eye-pleasing objects are called vignettes and they can go a long way to giving a room an air of polish. An example of a vignette would be to have an occasional table against the wall, a beautiful picture hanging near it, and a small grouping of ornaments, objects trouve and perhaps a framed photo, all capturing the essence of the theme, be it seaside (marine painting, a scattering of polished shells and a photo of the children playing on the beach) or summertime (a summertime print or postcard, leaning against a straw-covered wine bottle.) Be sure to introduce elements of the main theme of the décor into the vignettes to make sure that all the small clusters add up into an overall unit.

Colour Ways:
 
Often we choose plain or neutral tones for large items of furniture and carpets, and this is absolutely acceptable and even sensible. However, it can mean that a room can look a bit like porridge – dull and greyish brown! Lift the mood of the room by adding in some small but lavish splashes of colour. Crimson silk and navy brocade cushions can transform an oatmeal or beige sofa into something splendid and elegant. Metallic flashes also add greatly to the texture and depth of a room and can take the form of a practical clock, extravagant curtains or cushions or frivolous and whimsical ornaments.

Bring in a Bit of Nature:
 
Well-tended pot plants look wonderful, especially set in a corner or forming part of a vignette. Choose large plants with only a few broad leaves to avoid a cluttered appearance and for ease of maintenance – those broad leaves just need a quick wipe every now and then to return them to polished glory. Fussier plants with a multitude of small leaves can also look great, but will require more work as the leaves fall off and twigs and branches grow unevenly, while ferns always look great and last very well.

See the Big Picture First:
 
Plan your décor before you start. Draw scale diagrams of the room and plan out colour themes, vignettes, all the furniture you will need and decide between paint and wallpaper. If the latter, spend some time looking at the various ranges of offer as wallpaper can come in an amazing variety these days! Look online at furniture sites to get ideas of what is available and how well it will fit in with your rough diagram, choosing all the furniture items before you buy. Shop4furniture has an excellent range, sure to have furniture to please everyone's tastes. Once you know the effect you want to achieve you are more likely to buy only what you need and you will be very happy with the effect it all creates when put together.

These hints and ideas will help you to put your home together in a way that is sure to satisfy the whole family. It will make all the hard work, and investment of time and money, seem worthwhile when your family and friends express their admiration for your decorating skills!

A Charmingly Crowded Home

Some people like empty-looking, minimalistic home décor. And why not? Such homes are certainly easier to clean, organize plus they can look beautifully refreshing.

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On the other hand, homes full of furniture and decorations charmingly filling almost every corner of each room can give their owners a feeling of warmth and safety.

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There are yay’s and nay’s for both types of approaches to home decoration. Whichever style you choose, you’ll be equally at risk of making wrong decisions and ending up with a not such a pleasant place to hang out.

Charmingly crowded homes: Problem No 1

As mentioned earlier, cleaning can be a great problem in a home with many dust-catching objects. Remember the word “cleaning” when you unleash yourself on yard sale objects. All those shelves, lamps, chairs, tables, unidentified objects formerly known as sofas, etc. will not magically stay shiny and clean all by themselves. Think about how many chairs you actually need in a home and don’t overdo it.

Obsession with certain objects can potentially work sometimes, but not often

If you have an idol or a hobby you love, like Spiderman (if you’re five years old) or boats (if you are an ex-captain), you might get away with crowding your room with objects connected to your fascination. There could be some charm to something like this:

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Though filled with boats and drawings of boats, this room emanates devotion and true joy at spending quality time with dear objects and ideas. But try pulling that trick with flowers or hearts (if you’re a fan of romance) and you might end up with a very dull and/or annoying room.

Colours aren’t always our friends:

Another way to go wrong when trying to create a warm, cosy place is to become too enthusiastic about mixing wall paint colours in a way that hurts the eyes. Though colour blocking is very IN these days, even this type of colour-matching adventure has rules that you should follow. So, definitely nay to extremely bold wall paint colours.

Choose every piece of your home lovingly

The key to a safe, happy place that feels like a bear hug is to choose and place objects in your home with care and attention.

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Don’t shy away from “crowding” your home with plants, photos, DIY vintage photo frames, candles, books, oriental rugs, flowers, paintings and even five lamps in one room (if that makes you happy), but do it with style, some common sense and an instinct for the aesthetic. Most importantly, do it with love. Without the love ingredient, you might struggle to create the effect you are hoping for.