Professional interior designers are expertly trained in the use of lighting features to create breathtaking results. In this four-part series which I call “Colour Me Brightly: Understanding Light in Interior Design,” I draw on my experience in London’s interior design community to explain this fascinating subject. This first article is about patterns.
Ask a London schoolgirl to imagine natural patterns, and she may talk at length of curvaceous seashells, the undulating edge of waves on the shore, the grooves in a gnarled tree trunk. Interior designers know that patterns are all around us. Patterns profoundly influence all interior design schemes, transforming our appreciation of color and texture, adding fluctuations and drifts or promoting harmony and stillness. London Interior Designers will focus on soft, fluid outlines in order to create relaxing patterns. By contrast, bold graphic statements in a wallpaper stencil can be invigorating for a London discotheque or salon. Pattern is a foundational ingredient of interior design, fragmenting overwhelming shapes and plain surfaces while simultaneously lending personality and profundity to a room.
London’s professional interior designers know one big secret: pattern is created not only by fabric and wallpaper. Light also forms any number of patterns through a virtual tussle or rough-and-tumble interaction between light and shadow. Light patterns are foundational to interior design schemes – from snippeted, kinetic and frosted patterns to curvy arcs, spearhead-style lines and theatrical projections of abstract forms.
Patterns of light fall into two main interior design categories. The first is all about objects in the path of light, casting shadows. We draw our inspiration from the natural world where, when sunlight strikes rippling water on London’s famous River Thames, flickering patterns are reflected up into the trees along the water’s edge. Similarly, if an artificial light source is directed onto water – perhaps a pool, fountain or babbling artificial brook – active reflections will dapple the surrounding walls and become an interior design feature. Sunlight may shine through the branches of a tree to create moving patterns of light and shade below, and similarly a low-voltage uplight, positioned behind indoor plants, can create beautiful interior design features on the walls and ceilings. This technique can be stunning both inside and outside the building.
In my next article, I turn to patterns that use perforations and glass.
Posts Tagged ‘Design’
Colour Me Brightly! Understanding Light in Interior Design. Part I: Introducing Patterns of Light
Tuesday, July 12th, 2011Refrigerator for Sweet Home
Tuesday, May 31st, 2011Continue to hold the vertical refrigerator. Do not move sideways or backwards, as this could spread oil to the compressor. Take advantage of the transport dolly, if necessary. Do not install the refrigerator near the other large equipment. This means that the machinery works inefficiently and can cause a fire hazard.
Make sure that there may be enough space on all sides of your refrigerator air circulation. Your refrigerator should be at least a few inches from the wall two inches of leeway on either side. Use a level to be sure your refrigerator is seated evenly and does not tilt or inclination. Increase if necessary (if for example a floor tilts), to be sure the refrigerator is based entirely level.
If the refrigerator is used, it is an excellent time for you to do a thorough cleaning, which includes pulling all the boxes and cleaning of internal services. Do not use an extension of agreements in the refrigerator. Allow the refrigerator to use for about four hours before work, and what you can store perishable foods. Look at the refrigerator temperature generally be sure the level is set correctly for the management of food safety. Consult your owner’s manual device, equipment, installation of water pipes. Ensure that the manual in the refrigerator in the easy way to find. These references confirm that you have installed the refrigerator safely and make sure to give the refrigerator to maximize their effectiveness for many years to come!
Best Options for Design Your Kitchen
Friday, May 6th, 2011You can design it yourself but most cabinet retailers will do the design work for free so it is worth your time to ask. There are three different kind of cabinet retailers, (a cabinet shop that builds cabinets, a cabinet showroom/ dealer that sells national brands, and the big box stores) and having them design it is usually not an obligation to buy. Ask them up front if they charge for the design and estimate.
*Note: Most showroom dealers will do the design so you can see what you are paying for, but will not let you take the drawings until a deposit has been paid.
Many cabinet designers are very good at what they do. Ask for people who have been in the business for a while and request some examples of their work. Feel free to ask for a list of referrals. Avoid novice designers. There is no reason for you to be one of the clients they “cut their teeth” on.
Don’t assume that the expensive looking showroom is out of your budget. Many of them are competitive with the big box stores (Lowes, Home Depot, Direct Buy, etc.) Getting a design from the big box stores can be hit-or-miss. Some of their designers are seasoned veterans, others are brand new having only sat through a 1-day class (avoid these folks!).
Consider getting a design by a third party. These are usually true kitchen designers…CKD’s (Certified Kitchen Designers certified by the National Kitchen & Bath Association – NKBA)
You will have to pay for this (typically $200-$800) but can run in upwards of $1,500 to $2,000, and the advantage is they will design a kitchen that you can then take to several cabinet dealers and get competitive “apples for apples” quotes on. It will also save you the time having to meet with several designers and go through the same routine each time.
*Note: Not all good designers will be CKD certified, but are very good at what they do because of years of experience. Ask to see examples of their work and prior customer references.
What you will need.
Once you have decided which route to take, there are certain things a designer needs in order to design your kitchen the way you want it and what will function the best for you and your family.
Most cabinet shops and dealers will come to your house or jobsite to field measure, but some rough design and pricing can be done just from a sketch with some measurements. If you are building a new home, bring a copy of your house plans, and leave them with the designer for a few days if possible.
Appliance specifications, and your preference as to where they will be placed in the design is one of the first things that you and your designer will need to determine. Sometimes the placement of appliances and sinks will be determined by the layout of your room, windows, etc.
Pictures are always helpful. Try to find pictures in magazines that reflects the style and feel that you would like your new kitchen to have. Most good designers will take your likes into consideration, but they will also look at the overall design of the house and try to design something that does not look out of place.
Budgets can be very helpful to the designer. Remember that most of the time, your new kitchen will cost more than you originally thought, and having a good budget for the designer to work with helps you get a kitchen you will love. Some people are reluctant to tell the designer the budget, especially if they are pricing the cabinetry, because they think that they may get a better price if they don’t share this information. Usually it has a reverse effect. You go over everything you would like to have, choose a cabinet and door style, and then get a price that is two times your budget. But, if the designer knows the budget before hand, they can direct you through the selection process and stay closer to your budget. This allows you to get the very important things, while eliminating the things that are not necessary for you to have a beautiful functioning kitchen.
Schedule. A time schedule is very important. If you are doing a new construction, ask your builder when the house will be ready for cabinetry. Most people wait until the house is framed before they start looking at cabinets, but it is better to first talk to kitchen designers when the house is first started. This gives ample time for them to design and price everything, and for you to make any changes. Nothing is worse than having a great idea about your kitchen, only to find that it is too late to change it because your cabinetry has already been ordered or made.
Get A Contract. One very important thing that you should get is a contract that lists everything you are getting with the final price. Sometimes things may change a little before the project is completed, such as add-ons, or deletions, but this gives you something to stand on if you do not get what you bargained for, and helps guard against any unforeseen disagreements or misunderstandings that may arise.
With remodeling, scheduling is even more important. Get the design work done, cabinetry ordered and delivered before you start tearing old cabinetry or sinks out. This way you are without your kitchen for the least amount of time as possible. It is no fun having to do without a kitchen for 6 to 8 weeks.
Deposit. Most cabinet retailers will require a deposit before your cabinetry can be ordered. This amount can vary depending on the size of the project and the retailer, but most require a 50% deposit. Before giving them a deposit, make sure they are legitimate business with proper insurance, (general liability & workers compensation).
Installation. You may want to do the installation yourself, but if it is more than just a basic kitchen I would recommend letting a professional installer do it. Most local cabinet shops do their own installation and is included in the price, so ask them about the installation so there won’t be any misunderstandings when that time comes. Kitchen showroom dealers do it different ways. Some do their own installation, and some contract to an independent installer, but may include this in the total price. Most all big box stores contract all of their installation and is not included in the price of the cabinetry.