Monday, October 25, 2010

Collections

Many of us are collectors. We may collect one like item such as pottery or glass. We may have several collections throughout our home. I wanted to share some tips about how to display your collectibles in a meaningful and organized way.

Design Sponge Online

Collections tell a story about a person, couple or family and items that are of meaning should be given a place of value and respect in the home.

New Gallery

I am a collector of glass bottles. I love their history, shape and color. I am also the mother of a two year old and as such most of my glass collection is stored away for obvious reasons.



However, when I bring my collection back out  for display I am going to give the bottles a more prominent place in my home after all, they have meaning to me.




  1. Less is more. If you have a large collection you don't have to put it all out at one time. You can divide the collection in to quarters storing 3/4 and displaying 1/4 - rotating seasonally. This way your display always seems fresh.
  2. Place your collection in groupings and display them through out your home. If your items are grouped together they seem more important, organized and will be noticed by your guests.
  3. Small items such as stamps or postcards can be matted, framed and hung on the walls throughout your home. You can add them to a gallery wall or devote a single wall only to these items.



Postcards

beach vintage

I hope I have given you a few ideas to help you organise your collection, cut down on the clutter and display them with confidence!

What do you collect? How do you display your collection in your home or office?

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

J'adore Orange

As I type I can see our beautiful oak tree with its beautiful, vibrant orange leaves swaying in the wind. What a glorious fall day, and what inspiration for a post!

I love the color orange- in small doses. I find orange is one of those colors that can be overpowering. I think one of my reasons for loving fall decorating so much is for the hit of orange it gives my home- otherwise it is an orange free zone. As I looked at pictures of rooms infused with various hues of orange it has caused me to rethink the use of orange in my home. I might just have to add me some orange!

I want to share a few photos I have found that show a great use of the color orange:
color combos - orange

How beautiful is this room? The orange is the absolute perfect shade for the room. I love how the orange plays off the green on the walls and curtains.

color combos - orange

The room is one with a very neutral palette but the shot of orange really brings energy to the space in an unassuming way.

color combos - orange

The color palette in this room is AH.MAZ.ING!I love the watery blue tone on the walls with the hit of orange on the drapes and pillows.

Hermes Orange Staircase (via Colour Me Happy) eclectic staircase

By adding the orange to the stair case it took it to a whole other level don't you think? How bold!

Noe Valley Three contemporary living room

Another option, if you really like bold color is to paint an entire accent wall in orange like you see here. By keeping the rest of the room neutral, the orange didn't overpower the room. Great use of color!

A few tips on decorating with bold colors such as orange:

  • add hits of bold color in your drapes, pillows. area rug, art, lamp bases, or picture frames. Try to use the color at least twice in your space.
  • If you are nervous about buying a large item in a bold color, add it in an inexpensive way like on a vase, bowl, or blanket. That way you don't have to invest a lot of money and if you decide you don't like the color anymore you can easily change it out-guilt free!
  • If you are someone who is not afraid of color add it to an accent wall or above wainscoting in a room. I love the look of a vibrant color against crisp white of mouldings.
  • Add black or deep brown to the space in some way to ground your eye otherwise, the room can appear busy or loud. You can achieve this in the furniture, lamp bases or even picture frames.
 Do you have any orange in your home? What is your take on orange? Love it or hate it?

Monday, October 18, 2010

Organizing Is A Beautiful Thing!

I am in the process of gathering inspiration for my office makeover. One thing that I will be adding to my space is a bulletin board. I am re-using a board that has been in our garage at The Rustic School House for a while and let me tell you, this board is not tiny! Since we all know how U.G.L.Y bulletin boards can be - in my mind they are a great item to have, so I wanted to show how a little imagination and some fabric can turn a regular bulletin board into a piece of art.

Check out my ideabook on Houzz by clicking on the following link:

Houzz Ideabook by Kelly Day Interiors

Do you have any bulletin boards around your home? Have you jazzed them up or do you like the look of them in their original state?

Saturday, October 16, 2010

White in Design

I really love the color white. Before I became an interior decorator I though white was white. Little did I know how wrong I was! There are so many variations on the shade of white. Depending upon the shade of white you choose for your space, your room can have a cool feel or a warm feel.

Check out the following link to my idea book on Houzz. The photos I have included show that a space does not always have to be infused with bold, vibrant color to make a statement.

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/103928/list/White-in-Design

What is your take on white? How do you use white in your space?

Is Your Ceiling Boring?

Most of our ceilings are white and lacking in architectural detail. I am going to show you a few personal favorite ceiling styles that I hope will give you some ideas to vamp up your ceiling.

I like to look at a ceiling as a fifth wall. Quite often when we are designing a room we put so much effort and thought into the color for the walls, the type of flooring, style of draperies, etc. and the ceiling doesn’t even enter our thought process. We paint the ceiling white-there done! But there really are so many other options for us to consider. In design we are seeing some really beautiful detailed ceilings everything from coffered to textured even mural paintings!

Drop Ceilings

Drop ceilings are also known as suspended ceilings. You see these types of ceilings primarily in commercial spaces however they are being used more often in residential. My house has this type of ceiling. If you read the “about” section of this site you’ve read that my house used to be a schoolhouse. We did the renovation ourselves, Mr.RSH is a carpenter by trade and since we knew we couldn’t hang a drywall ceiling all by ourselves we chose to install a drop ceiling which we could (and did!) install ourselves. I really like the unique look it gives our home. Yes its white, but it has texture and pattern, it’s not your basic drywall ceiling.



Coffered/Tray Ceilings

I am totally smitten for this type of ceiling, it is so beautiful. What a unique architectural feature these type of ceilings give to a home.






Barn Board Ceilings

You cannot beat the rustic nature of barn boards. I love them used as an eco-friendly flooring option and I love them as a unique ceiling option. I’m a nature girl at heart so I would love to have barn board anything! Maybe in our cabin??







What’s your take on the great white ceiling debate? Do you have a unique ceiling in your home?

Wallpaper Rocks!

Hi friends! Have ya heard? Wallpaper is back!

Yes, the design industry is again embracing wallpaper-big time! Now that I have struck fear in everyone who has ever dealt with trying to remove the stuff in years past, let me say-the current papers are nothing like the 1970′s versions with bad patterns, colors and evil glue!



There are so many choices out there now for wallpapers. You can either paper an entire room or use it on one accent wall of a room to really add pop. I also love to use it in hallways for interest in a space that it often overlooked in design.

Wallpaper adds a dimension to your space that you won’t achieve from paint. Paper also is a good option for a room that has less than perfect walls. As with everything, wallpaper cost varies tremendously based on quality, pattern, and amount you require.



If your budget is on the slim side but you found a pattern that you love you can frame it as art, or apply it on a drawer front of a side table. With wallpaper it doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and in many cases less really is more.

In my designs I always choose a fabric that I love and base my color scheme from it. When decorating a room with wallpaper I do the same thing. More often than not wallpaper is my jumping off point because often times it is a dominate feature of the room.



      (image via Sarah Richardson)

Depending upon the style of the room I like to paper an accent wall only. This is a great option when you want to add texture and pattern to a room without breaking the bank or making the room to busy feeling.



    (image via House & Home)

Sometimes keeping the rest of the room calm and adding one shot of texture and color is what you are looking for. Framing paper as artwork  is a great option.

 

          (image via House & Home)

Adding wallpaper to a hallway or a ceiling can add a sense of whimsy and color that would be otherwise unexpected. A personal fave of mine is grass cloth. Grass cloth adds color and texture with a subtle pattern.




      (image via House & Home)



           (image via Apartment Therapy)

You can use a traditional pattern of paper for your room such as these:



            (image via House &Home)



         (image via Ballard Designs)



         (image via Country Living)

or you can decorate outside of the box and bring the great outdoors in



             (Image via Apartment Therapy)

As you can see, wallpaper in decor has never looked better and I hope this post has given you pause to rethink using wallpaper in your decor.

Are you a fan of wallpaper? Have you papered a room recently? What was your experience?

Eco Friendly Flooring Choices

Although many things in design are considered trendy – environmentally friendly is here to stay. We are more informed and educated now regarding how things are being manufactured and disposed of.  What was acceptable practice 25 years ago, in many cases is not acceptable now. As the saying goes, “when we know better we do better”.


A term we are hearing a lot today with reference to interiors, particularly with paints, is low VOC. What does this term mean? VOC  is an acronym for Volatile Organic Compounds. Everything from new furniture to wall coverings all emit toxins into the air that can have a negative effect on our health. Purchasing products with low VOC’s minimizes the compounds that are being released into our environments and ultimately into the air we breathe.



I wanted to write about eco-friendly flooring in this post because quite often when working with clients, flooring is one of the most difficult decisions to make. There are so many different materials, finishes, stains, price points, etc. Although hardwood is a personal favorite of mine the following  materials that I am going to introduce you to rival any hardwood in my book!

Bamboo

Did you know that Bamboo is actually not a wood but a grass? As a result it takes 3-5 years for a bamboo plant to reach full maturity compared to hardwood that takes between 20-120 years! In many cases Bamboo is harvested without the need to replant because the root system is left intact . Bamboo is very comparable to hardwoods with its strength, durability and great looks. It is available in planks from 3″ to 6″ wide, is water-resistant and anti-microbial.



Cork

This type of flooring is made from removing the bark of the cork oak tree. When harvested correctly it will not harm the tree. Cork is naturally anti-microbial, and has excellent heat retention which ensures it is comfortable under foot. Cork flooring is covered with UV resistant acrylic to seal the floor and help prevent fading. Cork although a soft material does “spring back” preventing any imprints in the floor which may occur as a result of furniture being placed on it. Cork is prone to scuff so I do not recommend using it in high traffic areas such as hallways.


Marmoleum

Made from linseed oil, pine resin,wood flour and is jute backed this product is often a go to choice for architects and designers in commercial applications due to its durability and eco-friendliness. Marmoleum comes in a variety of designs and has recently gained popularity with home owners and is used primarily in kitchens and playrooms. It is available in either 1×1 tiles or 2 meter wide sheets that can be cut to your specified length. Marmoleum is biodegradable and boasts a 40 year life span!


Reclaimed Hardwood

Oh be still my heart! Reclaimed hardwood is “harvested” from old barns, factories and century homes. Its naturally distressed patina means it only looks better with age. This flooring is water-resistant, durable and will practically last forever. I can’t think of a more beautiful or unique option than reclaimed wood.

                               (photo sources: apartment therapy,woodfloors.org,teragen.com)

Eco-friendly does not have to be boring or basic. It also does not have to be expensive-prices range on these flooring choices from $ 2 per square ft to $ 13 per square ft uninstalled depending on the option you choose. As we all try to make more conscious choices for ourselves and our families knowing that environmentally friendly flooring choices are widely available and are definitely a good investment for years to come.

What is your take on all that is Eco-friendly? Do you have any of these flooring options in your home? What has been your experience with them?