Seems like a simple question right? Well, for those of you who have asked yourself this question, you probably know that the answers aren’t necessarily quick and easy to come by.
Indeed the ‘simple question’ is a very complicated one. As an interior designer, I often get asked this question by my clientele. For me, the answer is easy. I always explain to my clients that my personal design style is not important, however understanding their preferred styles and desired functionality is vital. To that end, I have all new clients fill out a Client Profile that I developed to assist in finding out more about what they want to see, and how they want to feel in their newly remodeled and/or designed spaces. I ask that all household members answer the questions either together or separately.
Everybody in the household will be impacted by interior design changes, and it is essential to consider their input before those changes are implemented. To those who say “Oh, I really don’t care, it is my wife/husband’s project.” I respond, “You may care less, or differently, however for me to do the best job possible for you, it is important that I get your input also.”
Often house mates have different interior design style and functionality preferences. The interior designer (or whomever is doing the design work) should have a good understanding of what those differences are, so that everyone’s needs and desires are addressed. When each person individually answers the Client Profile questions, it is much easier to identify the key differences, and most importantly, the similarities between people. S Interior Design clients are also asked to pull out magazine pictures that appeal to them. This is another useful way to gain an understanding of what the desired outcome of the interior design project should be. Often it is difficult to articulate what is wanted, but as the famous quote goes “A picture paints a thousand words.
Important information to gather includes the answers to questions such as:
# Where is the majority of waking time spent in the home?
# What activities are being done in the different rooms that time is being spent in?
# Do you entertain? How often? Large or small groups? Casual or formal style? Indoors or outdoors?
The answers to these questions can often lead to additional questions. For instance, if one person likes to spend the majority of their evening time watching TV, it would be helpful to know if they like to sprawl on a sofa (would indicate a certain style of sofa is needed for comfort), or whether they would love a recliner chair. If someone is an avid reader, where do they do their reading? In common areas of the home such as the family room? In bed before going to sleep? In this instance, lighting and back support are key design considerations.
Without a doubt, putting in some time up-front to best understand what you want your interior design project to turn out like will pay off!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Interior Design With Pets In Mind
Living with our four legged children brings happiness and some unique challenges when it comes to the way our homes look and smell. With some upfront planning and smart choices, you can minimize the potential stress of keeping your home looking and smelling great.
Here are 5 secrets for interior design with pets in mind:
1.Skip the wall to wall carpeting-pet fur gets trapped and pet oils get embedded
2.Don't use flat finish paint-when your pets rub against the walls-the paint will come off with the dirt you are trying to clean off
3.Match the color of your upholstery and bedding to your pets fur color-yes, the fur will still be there, but it won't show as much 4.Buy attractive, patterned area rugs that are easy to clean-the pattern in the rug will hide the fur better. This isn't an excuse not to vacuum regularly, but it may reduce the frequency.
5.Most importantly, make sure your pets have places and spaces to hang out in. For example, give your kitty a good view of the outdoors in a sunny preferably high up spot. Make sure your dog has appropriate chew toys (all dogs need to chew) so your furniture legs aren't tempting.
Pawprint Design™ Case Study #1
S Interior Design was asked to complete a total makeover of a busy families’ living room and adjoining dining room. The makeover included replacing all of the 25 year old furnishings in the rooms. The homeowner was concerned that Hunter, their 8 year old Beagle would have a negative reaction to the fact that his favorite ‘nesting and resting’ place, an old barrel style chair, was going away. Recognizing that Hunter’s world is dominated by the sense of smell (dogs smell 20 times better than people), S Interior Design placed the seat cushion from the old chair in an out of the way corner in the family room. Hunter adjusted with ease since his favorite cushion wasn’t gone, but rather put in the room where his human pack members spend the majority of their waking hours. Over time, the cushion was replaced with a more aesthetically pleasing dog bed and fleece throw. We made sure that the family imprinted their scent on the fleece throw so Hunter would accept it. Happy Hunter, happy home!
Pawprint Design™ Case Study #2
S Interior Design was asked to assist in the remodel of a kitchen and adjoining family room. The family in this case includes two small dogs; Diego and Barry. In the old kitchen design, Diego and Barry’s food bowls were placed in a corner near the dining table and had the tendency to get knocked over when the chairs around the table were moved too quickly. Their dog food was stored in the kitchen under a small desk area in a functional but unattractive plastic container. To address these challenges, S Interior Design customized the toe kick (the area under the cabinetry) at the far end of the kitchen so it slides in and out and the dog bowls can be placed inside of it. When the bowls aren’t in use, they can slide in and out of site. A custom hinged bin cabinet that flows seamlessly with the rest of the cabinetry was included to store the dry dog food in. Diego and Barry also got new dog beds upholstered in high performing Cryptonite fabric that coordinates beautifully with the new window treatments and seat cushions.
About the author: Suzanne Lasky, Allied ASID is the owner of S Interior Design. S Interior Design makes homes harmonious, functional and beautiful for families with 2-legged and 4-legged members. Suzanne has an M.B.A. and an A.A.S. degree in Interior Design. Suzanne offers years of real world experience, giving her clients the peace of mind to know that their projects will be professionally handled from start to finish. She is an experienced residential and small commercial interior designer and is the exclusive provider of Pawprint Design Services™ ‘Stunning Interiors with Pets in Mind’.
Here are 5 secrets for interior design with pets in mind:
1.Skip the wall to wall carpeting-pet fur gets trapped and pet oils get embedded
2.Don't use flat finish paint-when your pets rub against the walls-the paint will come off with the dirt you are trying to clean off
3.Match the color of your upholstery and bedding to your pets fur color-yes, the fur will still be there, but it won't show as much 4.Buy attractive, patterned area rugs that are easy to clean-the pattern in the rug will hide the fur better. This isn't an excuse not to vacuum regularly, but it may reduce the frequency.
5.Most importantly, make sure your pets have places and spaces to hang out in. For example, give your kitty a good view of the outdoors in a sunny preferably high up spot. Make sure your dog has appropriate chew toys (all dogs need to chew) so your furniture legs aren't tempting.
Pawprint Design™ Case Study #1
S Interior Design was asked to complete a total makeover of a busy families’ living room and adjoining dining room. The makeover included replacing all of the 25 year old furnishings in the rooms. The homeowner was concerned that Hunter, their 8 year old Beagle would have a negative reaction to the fact that his favorite ‘nesting and resting’ place, an old barrel style chair, was going away. Recognizing that Hunter’s world is dominated by the sense of smell (dogs smell 20 times better than people), S Interior Design placed the seat cushion from the old chair in an out of the way corner in the family room. Hunter adjusted with ease since his favorite cushion wasn’t gone, but rather put in the room where his human pack members spend the majority of their waking hours. Over time, the cushion was replaced with a more aesthetically pleasing dog bed and fleece throw. We made sure that the family imprinted their scent on the fleece throw so Hunter would accept it. Happy Hunter, happy home!
Pawprint Design™ Case Study #2
S Interior Design was asked to assist in the remodel of a kitchen and adjoining family room. The family in this case includes two small dogs; Diego and Barry. In the old kitchen design, Diego and Barry’s food bowls were placed in a corner near the dining table and had the tendency to get knocked over when the chairs around the table were moved too quickly. Their dog food was stored in the kitchen under a small desk area in a functional but unattractive plastic container. To address these challenges, S Interior Design customized the toe kick (the area under the cabinetry) at the far end of the kitchen so it slides in and out and the dog bowls can be placed inside of it. When the bowls aren’t in use, they can slide in and out of site. A custom hinged bin cabinet that flows seamlessly with the rest of the cabinetry was included to store the dry dog food in. Diego and Barry also got new dog beds upholstered in high performing Cryptonite fabric that coordinates beautifully with the new window treatments and seat cushions.
About the author: Suzanne Lasky, Allied ASID is the owner of S Interior Design. S Interior Design makes homes harmonious, functional and beautiful for families with 2-legged and 4-legged members. Suzanne has an M.B.A. and an A.A.S. degree in Interior Design. Suzanne offers years of real world experience, giving her clients the peace of mind to know that their projects will be professionally handled from start to finish. She is an experienced residential and small commercial interior designer and is the exclusive provider of Pawprint Design Services™ ‘Stunning Interiors with Pets in Mind’.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Course On Interior Designing And Home Modelling
Skilled interior designers are highly sought after professionals and can therefore earn quite a lucrative income so if you are thinking about taking an interior design course with the intention of becoming a professional interior designer afterwards, then it is a good idea to know what it involves.
A professional interior designer can be more or less described as someone who has the necessary education, qualifications and experience, as well as the imagination, creative talent and artistic flair to enhance and transform interior rooms into spaces that are aesthetically pleasing and at the same time functional. They also have to bear in mind and consider health and safety laws, building standards, their clients' taste and of course their clients' budget. No two projects will be the same either and each one will bring its own individual issues and challenges.
In other words, a professional interior designer has to develop and use a variety of skills to produce a standard of work that is not only acceptable, but also fully embraced by their clients and to do this they have to be able to anticipate, understand and deliver their clients needs as well as their personal preferences. So the first step to gaining the education and the qualification would be to take some sort of interior design course.
There are also many people who want to take an interior design course simply to learn the skills that will enable them to practice interior design in their own homes. Fortunately, there are many different interior design courses available throughout the country and whatever your interest in interior design, there will be one that is suited to you and the following list will give you an idea of where to start looking.
UCAS
You can search for suitable interior design courses at www.ucas.com where there are details of over 50 universities and colleges across the UK offering interior design related courses. UCAS is the central organisation that processes all applications for full time undergraduate courses taking place in the UK so if you want to study at this level; UCAS is a good place to begin.
The Interior Design School
The school, which is situated in London, provides a number of different courses, which include day courses, professional diploma courses as well as summer and evening courses enabling you to learn the necessary skills you need to practice interior design professionally or within your own home. You can find out more at www.theinteriordesign.school.co.uk
The American Intercontinental University School of Interior Design
This university enables students from the US and from other countries including the UK, to embark on a career relevant degree programme and also offers some students the opportunity to work towards an American and a British Batchelor's Degree at the same time. Students can opt for an Associate of Arts in Interior Design or a Batchelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design. On completion, students are automatically entitled to become International Interior Design Association (IIDA) members. There are certain criteria that a student has to meet before being accepted at the University but full information is available at www.aiulondon.ac.uk
KLC School of Design
The KLC School of Design situated in London offers comprehensive training in Interior Design and also Garden Design with a Diploma or Certification on successful completion. The courses are run on a full time, part time, and open learning basis and are delivered by professionals in the industry. They claim to be the only school of design accredited by the British Accreditation Council and the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council. If you are interested in learning more about the KLC school of Design then you can visit their website at www.klc.co.uk.
British Interior Design Association
Membership of the British Interior Design Association is open to students who are studying Interior Design or Decorating to Degree or Diploma Level or who are studying towards a professional certificate or who are undertaking a professional level home study course. Membership is valid for a year and after they have completed their course they can apply for associate membership.
Conclusion
A good course will help you unlock your own potential as a designer, will teach you the basic philosophies, the industry standards, the key elements of interior design and naturally through the course you would be exposed to what works and what doesn't and would learn hints, tips and tricks to create a certain look or feel to a space. After that of course whether you use your imagination, cultivate your own artistic flair and develop your own unique style is completely up to you, no course can teach you that.
A professional interior designer can be more or less described as someone who has the necessary education, qualifications and experience, as well as the imagination, creative talent and artistic flair to enhance and transform interior rooms into spaces that are aesthetically pleasing and at the same time functional. They also have to bear in mind and consider health and safety laws, building standards, their clients' taste and of course their clients' budget. No two projects will be the same either and each one will bring its own individual issues and challenges.
In other words, a professional interior designer has to develop and use a variety of skills to produce a standard of work that is not only acceptable, but also fully embraced by their clients and to do this they have to be able to anticipate, understand and deliver their clients needs as well as their personal preferences. So the first step to gaining the education and the qualification would be to take some sort of interior design course.
There are also many people who want to take an interior design course simply to learn the skills that will enable them to practice interior design in their own homes. Fortunately, there are many different interior design courses available throughout the country and whatever your interest in interior design, there will be one that is suited to you and the following list will give you an idea of where to start looking.
UCAS
You can search for suitable interior design courses at www.ucas.com where there are details of over 50 universities and colleges across the UK offering interior design related courses. UCAS is the central organisation that processes all applications for full time undergraduate courses taking place in the UK so if you want to study at this level; UCAS is a good place to begin.
The Interior Design School
The school, which is situated in London, provides a number of different courses, which include day courses, professional diploma courses as well as summer and evening courses enabling you to learn the necessary skills you need to practice interior design professionally or within your own home. You can find out more at www.theinteriordesign.school.co.uk
The American Intercontinental University School of Interior Design
This university enables students from the US and from other countries including the UK, to embark on a career relevant degree programme and also offers some students the opportunity to work towards an American and a British Batchelor's Degree at the same time. Students can opt for an Associate of Arts in Interior Design or a Batchelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design. On completion, students are automatically entitled to become International Interior Design Association (IIDA) members. There are certain criteria that a student has to meet before being accepted at the University but full information is available at www.aiulondon.ac.uk
KLC School of Design
The KLC School of Design situated in London offers comprehensive training in Interior Design and also Garden Design with a Diploma or Certification on successful completion. The courses are run on a full time, part time, and open learning basis and are delivered by professionals in the industry. They claim to be the only school of design accredited by the British Accreditation Council and the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council. If you are interested in learning more about the KLC school of Design then you can visit their website at www.klc.co.uk.
British Interior Design Association
Membership of the British Interior Design Association is open to students who are studying Interior Design or Decorating to Degree or Diploma Level or who are studying towards a professional certificate or who are undertaking a professional level home study course. Membership is valid for a year and after they have completed their course they can apply for associate membership.
Conclusion
A good course will help you unlock your own potential as a designer, will teach you the basic philosophies, the industry standards, the key elements of interior design and naturally through the course you would be exposed to what works and what doesn't and would learn hints, tips and tricks to create a certain look or feel to a space. After that of course whether you use your imagination, cultivate your own artistic flair and develop your own unique style is completely up to you, no course can teach you that.
Making The Best Designer Homes
Long gone are the days when only Interior Designers are asked to decorate a Model Home to sell. Builders are now seeking out other resources to perform the same task for less money. Who are these people? Home Stagers!
Home Stagers specialize in transforming cold, uninviting and unsold houses into warm and welcoming homes. They do so with an acquired skill set of knowing what a potential buyer is looking for and will design the home accordingly. The result, homebuyers saying, "I love it, this is the one!"
As a Home Stager myself, I have encountered many home builders that simply cannot afford the previous traditions of hiring an Interior Designer or a Model Home Decorating company to get their homes show ready. These companies have extremely high markup for their designer appeal. By nature Home Stagers are forced to be extremely resourceful, as they are used to working with a home seller's small budget. They know the best places for furniture and accessories and come armed with designer discounts to boot.
It's important to remember that the point of preparing the model home is to sell it. There is a big difference between decorating a home to taste and staging for the largest group of potential homebuyers. Home Stagers have an edge in this area. They look at all areas of the home and seek out the best features to emphasize and the other aspects that may need to be downplayed to catch the buyer's attention. Stagers also pay attention to demographics so they know whom they are staging the house for. It must appeal to the largest potential audience or it is useless.
Whether it be a large luxury homes, town homes, condos, or smaller single-family homes, Home Staging is where it's at for providing the most appeal for the least amount of money. With the market slowing down, especially in Florida, now more than ever is the time to save money and sell homes!
Karla Davis is the owner of Florida Home Staging & Redesign, a company that specializes in transforming unsold housed into inviting homes. She serves the Orlando and Central Florida area educating her clients on what buyers are truly looking for in a home, and creating spaces that appeal to a large group of potential buyers.
Karla is a notable speaker praised for her exciting and informative seminars, and has been inverviewed on radio shows nationwide. She was a featured speaker at the Orlando Home show speaking on "Home Staging for the Serious Seller!" Her articles have been published nationally and in newspapers as well as the web.
Home Stagers specialize in transforming cold, uninviting and unsold houses into warm and welcoming homes. They do so with an acquired skill set of knowing what a potential buyer is looking for and will design the home accordingly. The result, homebuyers saying, "I love it, this is the one!"
As a Home Stager myself, I have encountered many home builders that simply cannot afford the previous traditions of hiring an Interior Designer or a Model Home Decorating company to get their homes show ready. These companies have extremely high markup for their designer appeal. By nature Home Stagers are forced to be extremely resourceful, as they are used to working with a home seller's small budget. They know the best places for furniture and accessories and come armed with designer discounts to boot.
It's important to remember that the point of preparing the model home is to sell it. There is a big difference between decorating a home to taste and staging for the largest group of potential homebuyers. Home Stagers have an edge in this area. They look at all areas of the home and seek out the best features to emphasize and the other aspects that may need to be downplayed to catch the buyer's attention. Stagers also pay attention to demographics so they know whom they are staging the house for. It must appeal to the largest potential audience or it is useless.
Whether it be a large luxury homes, town homes, condos, or smaller single-family homes, Home Staging is where it's at for providing the most appeal for the least amount of money. With the market slowing down, especially in Florida, now more than ever is the time to save money and sell homes!
Karla Davis is the owner of Florida Home Staging & Redesign, a company that specializes in transforming unsold housed into inviting homes. She serves the Orlando and Central Florida area educating her clients on what buyers are truly looking for in a home, and creating spaces that appeal to a large group of potential buyers.
Karla is a notable speaker praised for her exciting and informative seminars, and has been inverviewed on radio shows nationwide. She was a featured speaker at the Orlando Home show speaking on "Home Staging for the Serious Seller!" Her articles have been published nationally and in newspapers as well as the web.
Friday, February 29, 2008
A Career In Interior Designing And Home Designer
Interior design students fresh out of school mostly want to enter the field of home interior design. The career of a home designer is very exciting and involves plenty of interaction with other people. When people purchase new homes they want to start designing almost immediately. This is where the skilled home designer can come in to render services to these new house owners. These designers will give their clients instructions that will affect the outlook of the new home for a long time to come. A bold color on the walls will require that the furniture in the home also gets coordinated and organized accordingly. Sometimes it may even entail the purchase of new furniture. A lot of people try to paint their walls a neutral color and focus on changing their design plans later on. It is quite easy to delve into your imagination when all you have is an empty room ready for decorating.
Students involved in interior design will find out that so many things have changed in the field of interior design. Wallpapering isn't the popular decorating option that it used to be years ago. People don't like the hassle that comes with removing wall paper after it has been put up. Rather than choosing wallpaper for a new home interior design, you can choose a creative wall finish. These creative wall finishes may include faux finishing, stenciling or sponging. Selecting finishes like these will easily add texture to your house walls. Such finishes are also easier to remove than wallpaper, if you really think you have to use wallpaper make sure that you use a border as well.
Any design of a new home interior will involve various simple tips and tricks that all students can learn from. If a room is small then you can try a light wall color. Larger rooms should have contrasting colors as well as textures. If accessorizing is top on you list you can use accent colors instead so the room seems modern and great to look at too. Choosing proper placement in your situation of mirrors and wall hangings will also make your home interior design plans complete. Make sure that you refrain from over crowding and cluttering your walls make sure some key focal points in the room are established which will server to complement the entire design outlay of the room being designed.
Most likely the sizes of the rooms in your new home will be different from the home you had before. If this is the case it is absolutely essential that you plan out the design themes of this new home. A tape measure should be used in order to start measuring the various dimensions of the room as well as the furniture and the doors to the rooms. A box spring won't easily go up the stairs if you have a winding staircase. This will mean that you have to create a main floor bedroom. It can be fun to design new homes but it can also be quite stressful and expensive for a potential client as well. Designers will therefore be tasked with the responsibility of sticking to the budget for the design and delivering a great service too.
Types Of Decorative And Designer Homes
Decorating a living room shouldn't be too extravagant and expensive. If you are in a tight budget, you can always do it yourself instead of hiring an interior designer; but if you can afford to hire a good designer, then why not. You can plan ahead and check for designs on the internet or magazines to visualize the effect on your actual living room.
Below are some of the popular living room design ideas that you may find on the internet and in various home design magazines:
1. Classic-Modern Design is one of the most common living room design ideas. Homes that have Classic-Modern style design enjoy mostly the relaxing feel and texture of the living space. If you have a very geometric or sharp edged space, toning and softening it with textures is the way to do it.
2. Hawaiian-inspired Design is not so difficult to achieve. Always remember the key elements: hand-made native ornaments and accessories, woven furniture, bamboo and of course the signature bold floral prints. If you love the Hawaiian sun, sea and flora, you can incorporate these aspects when planning for your living room design.
3. Modern Zen Design is made to relax and bring comfort into your living space. This living room design idea is quite popular nowadays especially for folks who wanted to have balance and comfort in their home. Having a focal point in your living room and accents to balance the style are the key ingredients. Incorporate a natural feel by opening up the room and letting in some natural light completes the Zen feel.
4. Tropical Style brings in the outdoor color pallets. The lush greens and yellows of natural flora are just two of most common colors you can find in a tropical living room design idea. Choose colors that are found naturally like the color of trees, plants, flowers and fruits. Think of a tropical forest or a market full of tropical fruits to inspire your design.
5. Victorian Style living rooms are plush and classy. You would normally find Victorian Style living rooms in Victorian style homes and hotels. The key here is classic sophisticated style with a splash of color and texture. Victorian style living rooms speak of opulence.
Whatever living room design idea you have in mind, make sure that it will fit your needs and lifestyle. Make sure to consult from a designer who knows how to handle a tight budget and complies with what you want. And always remember to choose the design that you will enjoy for a long time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)