The New Academy of Sciences
Friday, April 3rd, 2009
Last night we went to the Academy of Sciences Thursday night event, featuring cocktails, food and a Live 105 DJ. The best part (besides being able to drink a whiskey while watching penguins) was the living roof. Absolutely amazing! Hats off to the architects for this functional and beautiful creation.
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Interior Design Police! Decorating Tips from a San Francisco Interior Designer
Wednesday, April 1st, 2009
While there is no design rule against white after Labor Day, there are a few guidelines to follow when decorating your home. Let’s shed some light on a few common areas of confusion.
Mixing Woods, Oh My! Traditionally, one would choose a certain finish or type of wood to use consistently throughout a room or house. This trend still flourishes today, but in a much more relaxed way. You can mix different varieties of wood as long as the overall look is cohesive. A walnut dresser paired with cherry end tables is perfectly acceptable. Unfinished pine mixed with mahogany is not a good idea. Focus on matching tones of wood rather than types of wood.
Different wood species are mixed together to create a harmonious dining room.
The Track Lighting Debate. Track lighting has earned a bad rap, both for the harshly directed light they provide and for their bulky predecessors of the 1980’s and 1990’s. Fortunately, today there are many sleeker designs that blend in more seamlessly with their surroundings. Track lighting can be a good solution for kitchen areas, offices, or anywhere with the need for task lighting. Keep it to a minimum in bedrooms, living rooms and areas where you want to create a mood. Remember to always install with a dimmer.
Artwork: High or Low? I am always amazed when I go to someone’s house and the mirrors only reflect the top of your head, or a small painting sits alone in the middle of an expansive wall. It seems that there is some major confusion about how to properly hang artwork. For starters, the artwork’s center should be eye level for the average person. Secondly, the artwork should relate well to the objects and architectural details around it. Try to see each area of a room as a composition, adjusting the placement of the artwork according to how it pleases the eye. Always go with what looks and feels right, not with an exact measurement.
A pleasing arrangement of artwork hangs on either side of a mirror. The composition remains well balanced despite the asymmetrical placement.
GENERAL RULES TO DECORATE BY
• Don’t buy all your furniture from one store. Who wants to live in a catalog?
• Try to decorate with timelessness in mind. Infuse your home with small touches of a trend or fad, not entire rooms.
• Function, function, function! Buy furniture that looks good and functions well for your needs.
* Need professional help? Interior Designer San Francisco *
Tags: decorating mistakes, home decor advice, interior design police, interior design rules, interior designer bay area, interior designer san francisco
Posted in Decorating Do's & Don'ts, Monthly Newsletter | No Comments »