We were approached by a client who wanted to create a truly eclectic style in her new home. She and her husband purchased a home in one of Portland’s most sought after neighborhoods, replete with tree-lined streets, boulevards, beautiful old homes and an increasingly young and vibrant population. Our client was specific in her design style – she wanted her home to look “collected,” “curated” and “eclectic.”

To begin the design process we looked to different design-related fields to gain inspiration. In our mood board (almost always the start of a great design), you’ll see inspiration from fashion, interiors, our specific locale, global, architecture and even some mid-century elements. Some of our favorite sources for this projects: Houzz.com, pucci.com (fashion), pinterest.com and local home-related shops.

Mood board to set the tone for the room

When the mood (board) is just right, we begin pulling together more concrete ideas as a concept board. The concept board is really about actual pieces, actual layout options, actual design elements. While these may not end up in the room, it’s a good way to help the client visualize some of the eclectic elements we plan on incorporating into the space. For instance, in this project we really wanted to create some interesting moments in the living room with an intimate seating area by a large picture window, as well as mix furniture styles for that collected look. Pictures on the concept board help illustrate these ideas.

Intermediate concept board with some specific details laid out

With the mood defined and solid representations of our concept, we put our final thoughts down on paper as a space plan. These drawings help define final layout of the room and becomes our shopping list (which furniture, what sizes, etc.). This is also the fun part for the client. They get to really see how their space will be transformed with the new design.

Space plan showing specific design details

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Now, my wife is not in the design business, but the composition and meaning behind this photo she snapped with her iPhone really hit me. When Julie showed me this photo it immediately struck home that the designers of Timberline were genius in creating a small, intimate “moment” within this huge, cavernous lodge. Julie simply snapped this picture to remind her of the special day she had on the mountain.

By “moments,” I specifically mean a special, private place in which you can take a breather from the day’s hectic schedule. A moment might be a sitting area within the master bedroom, a window seat on a stair landing or maybe a secluded area within a garden. I hope we all have at least one “moment” in our homes as a respite from the busy world in which we live. I’d love to hear about your moment.

The natural world is a perfect representation of the JBi style – texture and pattern come first, followed by color and subtle details. I hope you’re as inspired by these pictures as I am.

Layers and layers of texture and color

Subtle details abound

The interior structure of a palm species

My favorite plant of all time - Australian Tree Fern

Just a splash of color

Growth happens from the inside - how appropriate

Love the structure of this plant

It's all in the details

Pure inspiration!

A designer friend and I spent several hours in a home that was built as a high society women’s club, converted into a furniture store/showroom. To call this place a store should almost be blasphemy. This is not a store by any stretch of the imagination. This beautifully and tastefully designed/decorated home is a lesson in interior design. Every room has it’s own individual aesthetic and color story, yet the flow from one space to another is seamless. And, the lighting design throughout the space is nearly perfect. While the look is not really the JBi look, there are still individual design elements that speak to me. If you’re ever in the Charlotte area and have an afternoon to kill, take a walk through this fabulous space.

In case you never get a chance to see this in person, here’s just a taste (I snapped all these with my iPhone, by the way).

Sitting room off the main entrance invites visitors to hang out for a while

Hallway vignette - love the dark wall color and dramatic painting

Beautiful bedroom setting

Layers and layers of colors, texture, shape

Amazingly beautiful hand painted walls create pure drama

The view from the dining room into the adjoining hall - perfect symmetry

Deep tone on the walls set the stage in this sitting room

Dining room with upholstered walls and intricate nail head details

Upstairs sitting room with a soft, romantic palette

Seeing a space like this reminds me how we all want to be surrounded by beauty, in one form or another.

Jason spent 6 days walking showrooms to hand select the lines he will be using to create his looks throughout the year. Seeing the products in person is critical to JASON BALL interiors. This allows us to see the quality of the pieces, evaluate the finishes, construction, and durability, and occasionally meet the designer or company owners. Building these personal relationships with the companies ensures that if problems do arise they will be taken care of with urgency and care.

In walking the showrooms, it was clear there are some exciting trends coming up that will likely surprise the design community – marquetry, case goods with sculptural, hand-carved details, upholstering case goods and mixing textures and materials on the same piece. We also noticed that wood tones are darkening up from the lighter woods of the past couple of years. Here is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what JASON BALL interiors saw at Highpoint.

Here a beautiful dresser shows the type of hand-carved details seen throughout Highpoint, particularly on bedroom furniture. Compared to the casual feel of the furniture the past few years, these pieces have a certain level of formality. Could we be headed back to a style in which home furnishings are more traditional or formal? Only time will tell.

Dresser with carved drawer and molding details

An intricate, geometric patterned fabric is bordered by nickel nail heads in each door panel. The nickel pull in the center of each door adds a little extra bling.

Console cabinet with upholstered inset panels

Graceful curves of this chest of drawers are highlighted by the two-tone look with a painted finish mixed with stained wood on the same piece.

Chest of drawers with gracefully curved drawer faces

A fabulous headboard with inlaid woods in a geometric pattern – the grain patterns all flow towards the middle of the piece creating a beautiful, natural art piece.

Headboard with inlaid woods

The small Bombay chest is with its asymmetrical flower motif over a lustrous silver finish keeps the piece from feeling too traditional. Perfect as a nightstand, dresser or hallway chest.

Silver finish and hand painted detail on bombay chest

Besides the painted and carved details, wood finishes are also becoming highly stylized and complex. Here a set of occasional tables are first stained a deep chocolate color followed by wiping the piece with a white wash. After wiping the white wash away, the lighter color is left in the deeper grain patterns of the oak, highlighting the beautiful flow of the grain.

Stained wood with white wash finish

We’ve seen the use of mirror gain in popularity the last few years. However, these pieces are usually completely mirrored. The new trend seems to be mixing mirror with other materials. This stunning piece, with it’s arabesque fret work and inset mirror is a real show stopper. We saw pieces in similar fashion but using metal and mirror. Notice the slight distressing of the wood and that same white wash treatment seen previously.

Intricate pattern with mirror

The world of Highpoint International Furniture Market is an exciting one. There are new products to see, new vendors to meet and innovations throughout the exhibition. With some type of event or party nearly every night, this event is where the design community converges to stay connected. From all signs, especially in talking with designers from around the country, the interior design industry is in relatively good shape. It will be an exciting year in the world of interior design.

Be sure to check back often for more exciting news from JASON BALL interiors.

Before: You can see from the before shot of this room that the space was dated, furniture worn and tired looking, and the space lacked a certain amount of character.

After: First, the small changes – new paint, trimmed out all the windows and added a new, larger profile baseboard to give a slightly dressier look to the space. Other changes that we’ll show later: removed a wall to really open up the space, built a new fireplace surround with onyx panels that are backlit and purchased new furniture for the entire space. All in all, a quick transformations for a big impact.

Stay tuned for additional pics of this small commercial project. If you’re looking to transform your office or light commercial, contact JASON BALL interiors to get started. Learn more about our approach to commercial interior design (here).

Wood walls surrounding tub - Design by At-Six Architecture

Choosing Wood Species Based on Inherent Characteristics

When selecting a wood species to use in your next design project, consider both the visual appearance of the wood as well as the environment in which the wood will be used. Some woods are definitely better to use in certain applications than others. For instance, if there are children and/or pets in your household, consider harder woods that can take more wear and tear. Softer woods might be more appropriate for decorative elements, like wood walls or cabinetry. Once you understand or define the environment in which the wood will be used, the real fun of deciding which exact species to use begins!

There are two main characteristics we consider in selecting a wood species ~ grain pattern and stain receptiveness. Some clients have specific likes/dislikes on type of grain or wood colors that we take into consideration. We almost always start with the grain of the wood that will best fit into our overall design. Grain is a term used to describe direction of the natural fibers, such as straight, spiral or curly, as well as fine or corse grain pattern. Second identification is the color of the wood, an especially important considering when the wood will be stained. Knowing the wood’s natural color and how color changes as the wood ages is crucial. For example, birch is naturally yellow to white and does not take stain very well, often appearing blotchy with standard wiping stains. Some woods, such as cherry wood, are naturally suited to take stain due to the structure of the fibers.

Detail showing cherry wood cabinetry ~ design by Jason Ball Interiors

Selecting a Wood Species to Work with Your Design Style

Saying that certain wood species are more suited for specific design styles (contemporary, traditional, etc.) is likely to cause some conversation (and I would love to hear what you think on this topic). Even-grained woods, like walnut, rich birch, and cherry provide a more uniform appearance and consistent grain patterns easily adapt to both traditional and contemporary designs. Grainy woods, like ash and oak offer more of a casual look than elegant. Some grains can add a very dramatic feeling to a room, such as Hickory with its tight grain and usually some knots. Hickory can work well in country settings, as well as modern settings. Darker colors are most often used in formal or traditional spaces, while lighter colors work best in country, casual and contemporary settings. Walnut and cherry are popular dark wood choices. Other woods, like teak, have interesting gradations of color from light to dark all in one. All that said, there is also something to be had for throwing a more “casual” wood species in a contemporary setting.

As an example, in one of our recently completed projects, we designed a fairly contemporary kitchen with a small black walnut trim detail. As an added design element, we used the same species to create a live-edge window shelf. This rustic element balances nicely against the structured detail in the rest of the space.

Black walnut detail by Jason Ball Interiors

Here’s another example of using a more rustic wood, hickory in this instance, to create a mid-century modern look. Additional wood species are used as well to create a nearly wood-clad kitchen ~ reclaimed walnut counter, pine ceiling and beams.

All wood kitchen ~ design by Susan Jay Design

When all is said and done, selecting a species is really about preference. What do you like (or not like)? Work with professionals who understand the characteristics of wood to create an interior environment you’ll be proud of. Once you discover your wood style preferences it may just be the key element in your next design project.

Specific Species Characteristics

Here’s are some helpful tips for some of the common wood species.

Alder
Color: Very consistent in color – pale pinkish-brown to almost white.
Grain: No distinct grain pattern
Characteristics: Good working properties, moderately lightweight, low shock resistance.
Finishing: Finishes smoothly and takes stain well

Ash
Color: Nearly pure lustrous white, ranging through cream to very light brown.
Grain: It has an attractive, straight, moderately open, pronounced grain.
Characteristics: Heavy, hard, strong and stiff excellent bending qualities.
Finishing: Because of its large pores it is seldom painted but takes all other finishes very well

Birch
Color: Cream or lightly tinged with red.
Grain: Fine grained (often curly or wavy).
Characteristics: Heavy, strong, hard, and even-textured.
Finishing: Birch takes paints and stains well.

Cherry
Color: Rich, reddish-brown. Cherry darkens considerably with age and exposure to sunlight.
Grain: Straight-grained and satiny. Small gum pockets produce distinctive markings.
Characteristics: Light, strong, stiff and rather hard. Cherry’s grain is more subdued than some other hardwood species, with very interesting character.
Finishing: Cherry is unsurpassed in its finishing qualities-its uniform texture takes a finish very well.

Hickory
Color: White to tan to reddish-brown with inconspicuous fine brown lines.
Grain: Fine grain.
Characteristics: Extremely tough and resilient, even texture, quite hard and only moderately heavy.
Finishing: The grain pattern welcomes a full range of medium-to-dark finishes and bleaching treatments

Mahogany
Color: Varies from light red or pale tan to a rich dark deep red or deep golden brown, depending on country of origin.
Grain: It is generally straight grained but is prized for its figures which include stripe, roe, curly, blister, fiddleback, and mottle.
Characteristics: Extremely strong, hard, stable and decay resistant
Finishing: Finishes and stains to a beautiful natural luster.

Maple
Color: Cream to light reddish-brown.
Grain: Usually straight-grained and sometimes found with highly figured bird’s-eye or burl grain. Bird’s-eye resembles small circular or elliptical figures. Clusters of round curls are known as burl.
Characteristics: Heavy, hard, strong, tough, stiff, close-grained and possesses a uniform texture. Maple has excellent resistance to abrasion and indentation, making it ideal flooring as well as cutting boards and countertops.
Finishing: Takes stain satisfactorily and polishes well.

Oak
Color: White Oak- ranges from nearly white sapwood to a darker gray brown heartwood, Red Oak-ranges from nearly white cream color to a beautiful warm, pale brown heartwood, tinted with red.
Grain: The grain is distinguished by rays, which reflect light and add to its attractiveness. Depending on the way the logs are sawn into timber (rift-cut, flat sliced, flat sawn, rotary cut, quartered), many distinctive and sought after patterns emerge: flake figures, pin stripes, fine lines, leafy grains and watery figures.
Characteristics: Heavy, very strong and very hard, stiff, durable under exposure, great wear-resistance, holds nails and screws well.
Uses: Flooring, furniture, cabinets, ships and decorative woodwork.
Finishing: Oaks can be stained beautifully with a wide range of finish tones.

Pine
Color: Pale cream color.
Grain: Has a distinctive grain pattern.
Finishing: Takes most finishes well.

We hope you found this article informative and educational. Feel free to share any tips, tricks or example projects with us. We’d love to hear from our readers.

To see more examples of JASON BALL interiors‘ interior design work, visit the Portfolio page. Be sure to follow JASON BALL interiors on Facebook and Twitter.

One bathroom design element I’ve been using lately is the place the vanity lights in the mirror field – either on the mirror or as pendants in front of the mirror. This helps reflect light back into the room and properly “throws” light onto the face (especially important for make-up application). The other light sources are placed in strategic locations depending on the function of the space. Even in a smaller bathroom, having more lights is always better. Here is a the plan for a smaller master bathroom currently in construction.  The colored dots show the three distinct light zones. You can see they are spaced out and provide light for very specific functions. For further flexibility, dimmer switches are used throughout.

Plan for small master bathroom showing light zones

A great example of how to properly place pendants in front of a mirror.

Pendant lights as vanity lights - design by Artistic Designs for Living

Sconces installed on the mirror face. Notice the small recessed lights above the vanity as an additional light source.

Sconces installed on mirror face - design by Sullivan Design Group

In a project by JASON BALL interiors, we designed pendant lights and installed them along side the vanity mirrors. A recessed light was placed directly above the sink to provide additional light.

Custom pendant lights by JASON BALL interiors installed just in front of vanity mirror

Careful consideration is taken in each space to ensure the amount and level of light is just right for the clients’ needs. Working with an experienced interior designer guarantees the lighting design will take all uses of the space into consideration. Feel free to contact JASON BALL interiors to get started designing your perfect master bathroom.

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The design is clean, contemporary and comfortable. And, in traditional JBi style, we have some really special moments planned for the space. More to come on those as they continue to develop. The two design boards below show the overall scheme – luxurious, durable fabrics, rich surfaces and unique lighting/accessories for a beautiful interior.

On “install day,” it’s all about managing the chaos and getting everything in it’s place. JASON BALL interiors works with Lion’s Pride delivery service because they are simply the best in town. Each piece of furniture is carefully wrapped and stored after being received at their warehouse, just waiting to get to it’s final destination. As each piece comes in from the truck, it’s carefully unwrapped, inspected one more time and then placed in position.

Occasionally, we get to really personalize a space beyond just selecting furniture or fabrics the clients love. In this case, the wife is from Vietnam and we worked with a local muralist to paint a Vietnamese coastal scene behind the master bed. Clear glass nightstand lights, cream leather headboard complete the contemporary look.

Once the day ends, we’re all exhausted, but pleased with the way it has all come together. Next step is finalizing the accessories and other little details. More to come…

Visit JASON BALL interiors’  portfolio for more inspiration or to get started on your own project.

Painting headboard in the Arthur Frommer Hotel, Amsterdam. Upholstering a picture printed on canvas is an easy way to create a cool design element.

This wall-sized painting of an archangel at the Archangel Hotel in England shows the drama a large painting can have in a space.

Pastoral wall mural in this home office adds depth and color to the space - Interior design and construction by Witt Construction

Clever placement of an Eiffel Tower mural with Seattle's Space Needle in the background - interior design by Janof Hald Architecture

A series of large canvases together for a long, horizontal piece of art (by Jason Rolf) adds a mural-like quality to this space - interior design by Philpotts Interiors

As an interior designer, it’s a pleasure to take lessons I’ve learned from travels abroad and implement them for our clients. In this project, our clients are a young couple expecting their first child (actually children – twin girls). Since their life is about to change in a dramatic way, it was important that we create a romantic and personal master bedroom. We worked with a local muralist to create a mural of the Vietnamese coastline (the wife’s homeland) behind the headboard. To really create some drama, we even took the sky up onto the ceiling, adding height to the room and a peaceful environment.

Mural of the Vietnamese coastline behind the headboard for a personal and romantic touch

Have you ever thought of using a mural in your home. I would love to hear about it.

Check out JASON BALL interiors for more interior design inspiration (link).