Jen's Interior Design Tips

World's Most Uniquely Designed Houses

2011-12-01T19:15:00.000-08:00

There are so many extremely uniquely designed houses all over the world. Some of the houses in this video blew my mind. It just shows that everyone has their own individual design style. Not only does the interior design of your house make an impression, the outside design of your house makes the first impression, which at most times is the most important. To see some more incredible, jaw-dropping homes, check out http://t.co/lJinwKlI

How To Make A Small Space Look Larger

2011-11-29T20:04:00.000-08:00

Are you having trouble designing a small room? Here are a few tips to help you make a small room look sleek and fashionable.

Tips:

1. Use sleek furniture that doesn’t take up a lot of space

2. A large carpet will elongate a room and make it appear bigger

3. Use an ottoman instead of a coffee table to save space

4. Don’t clutter a small space

5. Use a flat screen or plasma tv because it will save wall space

What’s Your Interior Design Style?

2011-11-29T19:50:00.000-08:00

Contemporary

A contemporary design style consists of sleek, clean lines. Neutral colours are offset by bright, bold colours. The main focus of contemporary design is function. Function should come first in your design. Don’t worry about filling every bit of space because it will look cluttered. Items should be strategically placed for style and function.

Traditional

Contemporary is the “new” kind of look while Traditional is the “old/modern” look. Floral and striped patterns and fabrics are used for window treatments and upholstery. 18^th and 19^th century furniture pieces are often used in the space.

Classical

Balance, symmetry, and grand focal points define this design style. Classically designed rooms are focused around a large staircase, fireplace, etc. Furniture and fabric patterns are kept simple to keep the focus on the main focal point of the room.

Country

The main goal of this design is comfort. This style reflects French, Swedish, and American country. All furniture looks or is handcrafted in its natural state. This brings that unique country wood look to the design. Antique pieces are used to design country style homes. Many country homes incorporate animals into their design to make the space feel more outdoorsy and country. Light colours are used to create a warm, cozy feeling.

Choosing A Paint Colour

2011-11-29T18:30:00.000-08:00

Choosing a paint colour can be really tough. You pick out a bunch of paint chips, take them home and hold them up in your room to see if it will look good. All of us know that if a paint colour looks good on the paint chip, if could look horrible once you put it on the wall. I've provided you with a few tips that will help you choose the perfect paint colour for your home.

Tips:

1. Buy a fan deck

2. Match a paint colour to the objects in your home

3. Get matching paint chips

4. Try colours with a hint of gray for a more sophisticated look

5. Choose a white that complements your furniture

6. Use a semi-gloss finish on your trims for easy clean-up

7. Consider the sight lines from room to room

8. Add contrast by highlighting your baseboards, windows and trims with a darker colour

9 Draw attention to one wall in particular by painting it a different colour

10. Experiment with sample boards

Kitchen Interior Design Tips

2011-11-29T18:12:00.000-08:00

When designing your kitchen, look in magazines, on the internet, etc., to get ideas. Show your friends your ideas and ask for their opinion. A really great interior design website is called www.Homestyler.com. It allows you to build your room virtually and place products in it so you can see how everything will look together before you buy anything. Although flooring, counter tops, and appliances are important, don't forget to focus on the fixtures too. Light fixtures, door knobs and handles, as well as the faucet are all very important. If your cupboard handles and knobs don't go with the design of your kitchen, the room will look bad. Your kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your house and you want it to be perfect. Brainstorm lots of ideas and plan out the design really well ahead of time. Plan right down to the smallest details.

Swimming Pool Art

2011-11-28T19:36:00.000-08:00

This is a picture from a very unique house. The main floor of the house has a swimming pool which has a painting on the bottom of it. When you are standing on the second and third floor of this house and look down at the pool, you can see the painting perfectly. Many people have indoor swimming pools but the owner of this home took it to a whole new level by adding the painting. By making the swimming pool into a piece of art, it took the design to a whole new level.

Unique Interior Design Home

2011-11-28T19:28:00.000-08:00

This is one of the many uniquely designed houses throughout the world. It has an open concept design, which makes the home feel larger than it is. This house is located in Palm Springs, California. It has a very clean, sleek look. The designer incorporated large rocks into the interior design to tie in the outdoors. This is a very high end home that has a very contemporary design.

Decorating Your Home For Christmas

2011-11-28T19:19:00.000-08:00

Christmas is fast approaching and many of us get a little overwhelemed with the thought of decorating our home. During the holidays, you are bound to have people over to your home so you want to make sure your house looks outstanding. In this video, a professional interior designer by the name of Rebecca Robeson shows you a few things about how to make your home perfect for the holiday.

Contemporary Interior Design Style

2011-11-28T18:43:00.000-08:00

The contemporary design style is always changing. It is defined as what is current now, which means what was considered contemporary 10 years ago, is not considered contemporary today. Contemporary design includes sleek, simple colours. They are fresh and comfortable instead of cold. There are many styles that are considered contemporary: clean simple lines, and minimal accessories are just a few.

To create the framework for your space, use neutral colours. Use pops of colour in your accessories. You can also do an accent wall to add a splash of colour to a room. The contemporary colour palette normally consists of warm shades of neutral colours like white, cream, brown, taupe, etc.

Keep simple furniture that has very little detail to make your room feel sleek and sophisticated. Make sure you have neutral fabrics on upholstered pieces. Very light or very dark wood finishes fit best with a contemporary design. The legs on the furniture should be exposed in order to make the space feel open.

Putting everything together can be the tricky part. You have to make sure your space is clean and uncluttered. Don’t have little knick-knacks sitting out. Contemporary design is simple and sleek and your eye should easily travel around the room.

2012 Interior Design Trends

2011-11-27T16:47:00.000-08:00

In 2012, global design styles will be returning. This includes incorporating various pieces of art and furniture from around the world into your space. In the bathroom, you can use tribal masks, pottery, wooden sculptures, etc. as decorations. Unique one-of-a-kind wall paintings will be a nice feature on your walls. When incorporating global design into your bedroom, you have many more options. A large carved headboard is a great way to add different cultures into your bedroom. Try to find unique pieces that are completely different from what you might see in your relatives' or friends' houses. Some popular global styles include: Southwestern, Aboriginal, Hispanic, Parisian, Caribbean, etc. Carved wooden side tables are also an excellent global design idea. You can find great handcrafted side table from all around the world. Woven lampshades are also unique. You don’t have to stick to one culture when you’re designing a room. Feel free to mix and match for a more international look.

2011 Interior Design Trends

2011-11-26T18:14:00.000-08:00

There have been many interior design trends this year, below are just a few of them.

Wallpaper on the Ceiling

This trend it similar to the feature wall. After the feature wall people began wallpapering their rooms and this in turn influenced people to put wallpaper on their ceiling.

Yin and Yang

We all need balance in our lives and the same is true for interior design. You should have a balance of bright and dull colours, light and dark, etc. This trend isn’t going anywhere soon.

Ethical Flooring

Ethical flooring was very popular this year. Lots of people are going eco-friendly to help the environment so they are choosing to use environmentally friendly flooring.

Decorating Your Table For Thanksgiving

2011-10-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

This video shows you how to decorate your table for Thanksgiving using items you already have in your house. There are many great center piece and place setting ideas. They are fun projects that you can do with your children that will still look classy and decorative.

Make Your Own Halloween Tombstones

2011-10-20T13:57:00.000-07:00

This is a fun, simple way to make Halloween tombstones for your yard. There are only a few steps and it should only take you 5 minutes to make one.

Materials:

- Spray paint

- Hot glue gun and glue

- Wood

- Styrofoam

Decorating Your House For A Halloween Party

2011-10-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

A few must-haves:

1. Jack o’lanterns

2. Candles

3. Cobwebs

Decorating your house for a Halloween party can be challenging but it can also be really fun. You need to strategically place decorations in places that make people look twice at them and wonder “what is that doing there”. You want to place things in certain places so that they look like they don’t belong there. This will give it a more spooky feel.

A few ideas of unique decoration ideas are: place dried up leaves and sticks under tables, place lots of clocks throughout your house, spray paint clown masks white so they look like goths, and place a kitchen knife covered in blood in a flower pot (don’t do this if there will be kids around).

Not only can you decorate inside your house, but decorate your yard and outside of your house as well. Take pieces of cardboard and make them into doors and tombstones and place them in your yard. You can write things on them like ‘RIP’ or ‘burial grounds’.

The most important tip is to BE CREATIVE!!

Top 10 Interior Design Schools Worldwide

2011-10-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

1. Lorenzo de’ Medici School in Florence, Italy

Specializes in language studies, studio arts, liberal arts, and fine arts.

2. Florence Design Academy in Florence, Italy

Specializes in interior design, industrial design, graphic design, 3D animation, and 3D graphics.

3. The Interior Design School in London, England

It’s located in London’s Queens Park and offers a number of classes ranging from one day courses to 2 year programs.

4. Istituto d’Arte Applicata e Design in Torino, Italy

Focuses on visual communication and product design. You can obtain a European Bachelor of Science in Design here.

5. Visual College of Art and Design of Vancouver in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Specializes in interior design, web design, graphic design, fashion, and animation.

6. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, New York, U.S.A.

Specializes in fashion, design, art, business, and communications.

7. Academie Grandes Terres in Paris, France

Specializes in interior design (decoration, furniture, and design), commercial art (graphic and illustration), and styling (textile design and model).

8. New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury in New York City, U.S.A.

Focuses on design and architecture, engineering, computer sciences, arts and sciences, medicine, and management.

9. Creapole Ecole de Creation Management in Paris, France

Specializes in product design, multimedia, fashion, visual communication, video game animation, interior design, and art design.

10. University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Architecture in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.

Focuses on architecture, dental medicine, law, engineering, hotel administration, and design.

Eco-Friendly Design Products

2011-10-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to make your home more eco-friendly, from shutters to furniture to paint. Below are a few eco-friendly products.

Wall Panels: These ultra-textured MDF wall panels made by Architectural Systems, Inc. in their Sculptured Collection are packaged in completely recycled cardboard. They are made with no-added-urea formaldehyde. You can get the panels in either unprimed wood or primed in white.

Shutters: NewStyle Hybrid Shutters has GreenGuard Indoor Air certified, extremely energy efficient shutters. The shutters come in 11 frame styles and either stained or painted finishes. They have the same grain pattern and color as real stained wood and they have the stability, strength, and uniformity of manmade materials.

Dining Room Table: Henry Hall Designs has designed a dining room table made of 100% recycled aluminum. It has a zinc plate patina finish that is very durable as well as FSC-certified teak wood. The Cast Outdoor collection also includes chairs, smaller round tables, and benches.

Fireplace: Morso has created an eco-friendly wood-burning stove that is energy efficient. Advanced purification systems and refined combustion technology reduces particle emissions when the woodstove is burning. The woodstoves are made from 98% recycled material.

Paint: Mythic paint is the only latex paint that doesn’t contain VOCs and is non-toxic. It’s available in 1,232 colours and in satin, matte, and semi-gloss finishes. It is also available in primer as well as paint.

Creating An Eco-Friendly Bathroom

2011-10-05T11:23:00.000-07:00

There are many things you can do to design an eco-friendly bathroom. Below are a few eco-friendly bathroom products.

Toilet: One of the best ways to help the environment is to save water. This can be done by using a toilet that has smartflush technology which uses less water than a regular toilet. Caroma’s Invisi Series II saves 330 gallons of water per person per year. This toilet hangs on the wall so it also saves space.

Towels: Sina Pearson Textiles has great eco-friendly bath towels. Their Global Village Collection uses a moisture repelling polypropylene fabric. The fabric is completely recyclable and will not harm the environment in any way.

Vanity: The newest eco-friendly trend is a wood substitute called Kirei Board. It is strong and durable while remaining lightweight. It is being used for different types of furniture such as cabinetry and other case goods. Kirei Board is made out of a material called reclaimed sorghum straw as well as formaldehyde free adhesive.

Bathtub: A company called Sonoma Cast Stone creates Earthcrete bathtubs that are made from recycled concrete-like material. This material is more light-weight than regular concrete. It doesn’t use any river rock and uses an impressive 87% less delta and river sand. By doing this, local waterways are not impacted as much.

Design A Small Home

2011-09-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

Many people find it difficult to design a small home/apartment. It is especially difficult to design a small apartment in New York City, for example. This video has some great tips to help you organize and design your small home. Organization is a key component to designing a small space. Using cupboards is a great way to tuck everything away when you're not using it.

Design DIY

2011-09-23T13:19:00.000-07:00

Do you want to redesign your home but don’t have the money to do it? Well, why not pick up a hammer and start your own “Do It Yourself” project?

Here are a few little tips that will help you with your DIY projects:

1. Living Room: If your furniture is still in good shape and doesn’t need replacing, use a slip cover or get your couches and chairs reupholstered for a whole new look. Just by changing the colour and pattern of your furniture, your living room could look like a whole new room. You can also make new drapes by purchasing fabric and sewing them yourself.

2. Kitchen: Your kitchen should be all about style and function. A great layout is the key to a great kitchen. The main parts of a kitchen are the sink, stove, and fridge. You should start by placing those three key pieces into the right place. They must all be easily accessible. Once you have done that, you can change up the wall colours and lighting. New light fixtures give the room that subtle change that you have been looking for.

3. Bathroom: Bathrooms are now being designed to be luxurious and relaxing environments. They are no longer seen as just a basic utility. In order to create a luxurious bathroom, try adding rich tiles and dramatic lighting.

4. Bedroom: This is the most important room for YOU! The bedroom must be a place where you can go when you get home from a long day at work and just be able to relax. It is very important that you choose a light, relaxing wall colour; something that will help you sleep easily. When designing your bedroom, focus on your personal style. Use your favourite colour as the dominant colour. Add some personal items to your room. Place pictures of your family and friends around your room. Maybe even dedicate a whole shelf or wall to things that you are into.

5. Basement: You must first decide what the main purpose for your basement is going to be. If you decide to make it a games room or home theater for example, decorate your room accordingly. Remember to keep the room well ventilated because basements tend to get cramped.

5 Simple Design Tips

2011-09-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Everyone wants to feel comfortable in their home, so here are a few tips to help you make your home stylish while maintaining that level of comfort that belongs in a home:

1. Colour: The colour scheme is a very important part of the whole design. You need to choose colours that reflect the vibe that you want in your home. Bright colours give off a more fun vibe, while lighter, more pastel colours give off a quiet, relaxing vibe. Choose your colour palette that corresponds to the vibe that you want to give off. In order to get a better night sleep, it is best to use light, relaxing paint colours. Neutral colours as well as pastels work best.

2. Flooring: Choosing the right flooring is also very important. It can tie a whole house together. Try not to switch types of flooring too many times throughout your home. If you stick with a common material (hardwood, carpet, tile, etc.), it will look more sleek and stylish. Keep in mind that the colour of the flooring will affect the brightness of the room. A dark hardwood will make the room look darker whereas a light hardwood will brighten up the room. Also, remember to choose flooring that is functional, not just fashionable. Don’t get really expensive flooring for a high traffic area that will most likely get ruined.

3. Walls: Choosing the perfect wall décor can be a challenge, whether it is paint colour, wallpaper, or artwork. You want artwork that will represent your personality and also ties into the overall design of the room. The wall décor will help add to the whole environment.

4. Kitchen: The kitchen is the busiest room in your house. The design of this room is very important. It must be functional above all things. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be fashionable. When choosing cabinets and countertops, make sure the colours go together. Most people spend a significant amount of time in their kitchen so you want to make sure that the design of it is functional. The most time and effort should be spent on this room because a great kitchen will also add value to your home.

5. Bathroom: Bathrooms are also important because along with the main functions of a bathroom, you need to make sure that you have storage. You should keep the design clean and sleek in the bathroom. This will make it more functional and easier to clean while still being stylish.

6 Ways To Choose The Right Design For Your Home

2011-09-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

Who wants their house to look like everyone else’s house? Nobody. Each person has their own unique style and design taste. Here are a few tips that will help you when decorating your home:

1. Do not coordinate your house. This means that you shouldn’t match your window treatments, flooring, and upholstery. You don’t want everything to look the same. Mix different patterns and fabrics to give the space a bit of texture. Make sure everything still flows together though.

2. Select original pieces of art to display throughout your home. Paintings and sculptures are good examples. Having these pieces distributed around your home will show your personality and taste.

3. Stick to a set theme throughout your home. Do no take this to the extreme and decorate your home to resemble your favourite book, movie, etc. You want to keep your home classy, yet personalized.

4. When choosing a paint colour, purchase a sample of paint. Paint a portion of the wall to see what the true colour is and how it looks with everything else in the room. It is the only way to truly know what the paint colour will look like in your room before painting the whole wall. Keep in mind that some colours, especially darker ones, will appear darker the more coats you put on.

5. Reupholster furniture instead of purchasing new furniture. Many times it is a cheaper way to change up the design of the room. If you really love your couch that you have had for a few years but the colour of it doesn’t fit with the new design of the room, get the couch reupholstered. This way you still have that comfy couch that you love and it now goes perfectly with your newly designed room. If you have a valuable antique piece of furniture, do not get it reupholstered if it will lose value from the change.

6. When choosing flooring, keep in mind budget, personal taste, as well as the use of the room. For example, you may not want to put really expensive hardwood flooring in a high traffic area where it will most likely get ruined. An easy way to change up the look of your flooring is to lay down a rug. This can also be used to protect your floor too, not just as a design change.

All of these tips are just general tips that may help make designing your home easier. At the end of the day, it is up to you, as the home owner, to choose what you like. Don’t put something in your house because it is “in fashion”. You ultimately have to live there at the end of the day so make sure you choose colours, furniture, flooring, etc. that you love. There is nothing worse than decorating your whole house and then a month later realizing that you don’t like it.