White Kitchens

White kitchens are all the rage right now. They are completely elegant and timeless. Plus, a white kitchen can blend into any home type whether it be farmhouse or contemporary. My home is sort of a mixture of the the two.

Really though, I am IN LOVE with white kitchens! I can't even find words to describe why... I guess they just take my breath away! ;) Someday when I have the opportunity to have a bigger kitchen, I'll take some inspiration from these fabulous designs.

This is a Candice Olsen special. I love the sleekness of the island and the brown tones of the wood. If a kitchen can be sexy, this one is it!

Isn't this one fabulous too? I love the nod to classic design details such as the dentil molding and the pilasters in the cabinetry. The sconces speak to the classic style while keeping the space modern. So beautiful.

To me, this is like the Audrey Hepburn of kitchens. The molding is carried up the cabinets to the coffered ceiling which is accented by a gorgeous crystal chandelier. Although the flooring in this kitchen is kept white (looks like marble) balance is achieved with the the dark painted island and contrasting stone top.

I absolutely adore this kitchen because it is so simple but has delightful details. I love the use of the drum shades over {both} the islands. However, I think this only works because the architecture of the room - if the ceiling wasn't so tall, the fixtures would crowd the space.

This kitchen is great because it is very traditional...except that the cabinets are white instead of a deep wood tone. Most people would probably love to have this kitchen but not think to do it in white. I don't think the white takes away from the traditional feel, but rather is a modern take on traditional kitchen design. Elements such as the lighting fixtures, moldings, and the upholstered stools sing a traditional tune while the white keeps everything fresh.

Here's another more transitional kitchen. It still has many elements that today's home buyers are looking for, but in a more elegant and current way. I love the upper display cabinets and the crown molding that finish them off. The white in combination with the wood tone island and butler's pantry acts as an element of surprise.

See. No need to be scared of white! Just take little steps. You can still have the more traditional style you love while keeping things fresh and current.

Mixing Masculine with Feminine

Sometimes it can be a challenge for a couple to agree how to decorate their home. If you're lucky, your husband may not care. But if you are one of the luckier ones, your husband will care, and the whole experience will be a chance to learn to better communicate (among other things) and you will both be even more pleased with the end result.

Usually, men tend to lean toward heavy or more massive pieces, darker colors or neutrals (blacks, grays, whites, browns), as well as clean lines and maybe even geometric prints. But when it comes down to it, they just want to be comfortable.

Women on the other hand, tend to like the opposite. For instance, they don't mind as much if the living room sofa is not optimum for nap-taking. Of course, women tend toward color, curves, prints, textures, etc. The more interesting, the better.

My husband and I recently moved and designed all the rooms in our home. Let me tell you it was definitely more of a task than I was expecting. I thought decorating would be a sinch because I didn't think he cared to much. He is a very "as long as you are happy, I am happy" sort of man. However, I was surely mistaken.

Exhibit A:

If my husband were to have his way, this is what type of sofa he would choose. A sofa plagued with puffiness. You see, this is optimal for afternoon nap taking. And for video-gaming. And for hours of sports watching. The nice leather makes it easy for cleaning spills and crumbs.

Unfortunately, this is what I call a "fat lazy bum sofa." Maybe this style of sofa is why American's are so overweight. Just kidding. But it sure seems as if it enables lazy habits doesn't it? To me, it just doesn't have "style."

Ok. Exhibit B:

Now, if I had my way, I would have chosen something more like this. Luxurious velvety fabric, pretty color, accessorized with silver nail heads on the arms, and set off on a clean-lined base. This type of sofa lends more to chit-chatting, lady-like sitting, and maybe even drinking sparkling lemonade. Doesn't that sound nice?

Well, when you are married, you don't always get what you want so you have to compromise. Here is the actual sofa we compromised on.

It has the more tailored lines that I like, and the cushions that meet my husband's puffiness standard (although now he is saying it is too puffy and not as comfortable as he thought. Poor guy).

Here is an example of a room with both masculine and feminine touches.

The balance of light and dark are equally balanced, keeping the room warm while still bright and airy. The furniture has tailored lines and is very practical. The textures are not too fussy, but rather clean and simple. The draperies have a more feminine quality to them and help prevent the room from being too sterile. Also, the greenery and flowers are a feminine element, but because they are branches, trees, and white flowers, it's not overly feminine and speaks to the masculine love of the outdoors.

There are so many ways to merge these two seemingly opposite styles. The trick is to simply communicate and compromise. It may take more time, but it will certainly be worth it. When all is said and done, accommodating for male and female styles can lend itself to something truly unique and original, something you both can take pride in.

Cutest Baby Room EVER

Ok. So I found this photo and just think it's probably the cutest most luxurious baby room I've ever seen. I'm not really into the cartoon-y, graphic-y stuff like they sell at Wal-mart or Target. I mean, that stuff is ok, it's nice... but really, this is way better design right here. Of course my taste tends to to be expensive... so unless I get lucky, I probably won't have this type of room for my babies... in fact, it will probably end up being baby target, but you can dream right?

White

I love white rooms because they allow other pieces to pop. Whether the pieces have a pop of color or an interesting form, they stand out and appear crisp and clean against the white background. For those who live in a space where painting isn't an option, you still can have a luxe look by choosing pieces that will stand out. Here are some lovely examples:

I love, LOVE white kitchens with dark floors. I just think it looks very clean and not fussy. But see how the paintings, the apples, and the flowers on the kitchen island just pop? I think these accessories warm up the space just enough so that it feels fresh and clean rather than stark.

This room is great for many reasons -- solid furniture arrangement, great use of textures, fabulous use of line. But, it's in this post because of the way they've used white. I think the biggest thing that pops is the greenery outside. Honestly, I don't even know what to say because I just think this room is so breathtaking! I love the contemporary pieces juxtaposed against the more traditional. Notice how it doesn't feel cold or stark because of the few finishes that warm it up - the wood floor, the dark wood legs and tables, plus all the natural light. This space overflows with peace, elegance, serenity. I would copy every element in this room if I could. Simply gorgeous.

Don't be Afraid of Wallpaper!

I'm really into wallpapers. Not really the kind that over-load the room, but the ones that help strengthen a focal point, such as in this room. This room has several beautiful elements. Even if the style isn't quite yours, you still can appreciate what's going on here: crisp wainscoting all along the lower part of the wall with anything but flimsy looking crown molding; the mirrored nightstands are stunning while almost invisible - lightening up the room; the metal lamps add contrast to the Queen Anne style sofa; the linens are fresh but still the darker colors add warmth; and lastly, the wall print is simply fabulous!

The print on the wall does so much to complement this room. The image of delicate orchids is scaled to a perfect size. It's very important when choosing a wallpaper that its scale match the room. It is totally something that you just have to look at and use your best judgement. I would say this print is medium scale. The room is big, the bed is big, but the accessories and complementing pieces are relatively small, hence, the medium scaled print used to make the everything flow together. Also, the colors in the print are more muted, joining the dark wood tones and the dark tones in the bed with the light colors of the walls and upholstery. Additionally, there's a bit of metallic in the print. Can you see it? It's very clever because it helps the more industrial inspired lamps to to fit in more with the romantic style of the room.

My Latest Inspiration

I just love this room.

I LOVE the wallpaper behind the bed. I love how traditional is mixed with contemporary. The acrylic chair legs and the bedside nesting tables with the glass lamp base are stunning. The baseboards and crown molding are gorgeous. I would have NEVER picked that bed, but it's fabulous in the room. I would say this room is the epitome of harmony - unity in variety. The room is fresh, clean, cozy, luxurious, serene...perfect.

Principle Five

Ok. So the last principle of design is Rhythm. This element can be
implemented in all sorts of ways, from furniture, to accessories, to even structure. Three techniques are used to utilize this principle of getting the eye to move through the interior of a space.

One option is through Repetition or Alternation. If you incorporate pieces, shapes or colors that repeat or alternate, your eye will follow it.

For example:

These hanging lanterns in the hallway are used in repetition to give the eye something to follow as it travels down into the living area and out the emphasized bay window.

Another option is through Progression or Gradation, meaning elements or pieces of the room gradually go from small to large, large to small or in other words, stair step in order of size.

These nesting tables are a simple example.

The last option to create rhythm is simply through the use of line to create a Transition - something like crown molding that joins or unites one room with another. Or it could even be stripes, or lovely horizontal paneling.

I really like this room because rhythm is really

subtle but is still recognizably present. Repetition is in the windows and draperies (They go all the way to the ceiling and are not tied back! Whoo! That has nothing to do with this principle, but I just have a certain...thing... for draperies hung properly. If you haven't noticed). Gradation is found in the coffee table. Horizontal line can be seen between the French doors and the transoms above that connect this space the with its neighbor just outside of the picture frame.

Principle Four

Look at this room. It has stunning architectural details, ornate finishes and classic furniture. The colors are soft and cozy. The french doors are gorgeous.

But does something seem... off? Do you feel like the bed is not in scale or proportion with the room?

To me, it looks like a miniature bed. The ceilings are at least 14' high, so the main focal point (the bed) should have relatively the same scale. If the bed were bigger, maybe a taller four-poster bed, or even a canopy bed, it would be more in tune with everything else going on in the room.

The principle of scale and proportion does not only apply to furniture within the whole room, but it also should be considered within each individual piece of furniture (Are all the parts of the piece in proportion with the piece as a whole?), or even in hanging art, (Are the spaces in between each piece of art equally and appropriately spaced?)

There's something called the Golden Section or mean. It's a principle used from the time of the ancient Greeks to describe the most perfect, beautiful relationship between dimensions --- 3:5:8: 13 or 62%. Think of dividing a line in half, and then dividing the half into 2/3, that is the magical point.

For example, imagine you have just hung a curtain panel and you want to add a tie back. Which one feels best to you?

Top tie back?

Middle tie- back?

Lower tie back?

Did the first two seem a little strange? In the third image, the lower tie back is placed at 2/3 of the half. For some reason, this proportion is traditionally the most eye pleasing.

In essence, remembering to consider the golden mean (scale and proportion) in all aspects of your space is crucial for good design. It will help all the other elements come together and really shine.

* Note on Curtains -- use tie backs sparingly, they can cause your room to look...dare I say it...like Grandma's. But of course, if Grandma's house is your taste, by all means, go for it.

I'm sorry. That's probably a little too harsh...But really, just use them sparingly and if they match the style you're going for. If you are going for some type of classic historical style (such as in the above picture), use them. If you're going for a more modern, contemporary, transitional, up to date style, please do not use tie backs they are just NOT necessary and will probably take away from your room.

Principle Three

Have you ever walked into a room that just didn't feel right? One reason could be that the Harmony is off. A room NEEDS to have an underlying unity in variety.

Does that make sense?

If unity means there's a sameness to everything, and variety means there's differences, it may seem like an oxymoron.

However, remember that you can have unity and variety in a space if you always ask yourself "What song is this piece singing?"

Some pieces sing more than one type of song, which makes seemingly different pieces work - creating unity in variety.

BUT BE CAREFUL! It's easy to get too many pieces, with each piece trying to be the loudest singer. What you get is a room singing so loud you can't even hear yourself think!

For instance:

Songs being sung in this room:

Log walls: "Home on the range"

Wicker furniture: "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-ah"

Industrial coffee table: "New Years Day"

Maybe I'm wrong... What do you think? To me, this space just is too loud. It's got so many songs, stories, textures --- just TOO much going on.

OK. Now this one:

Wall and venting: "New Year's Day"

Painting and rug: "Walk On"

Sofa: "Stuck in a Moment"

This is how they made this room warm and comfortable (which is often hard to do in these industrial loft type spaces):

-Sofa hints to modern lines, but still has some puff and almost sits all the way on the floor--screaming casual contemporary.

-The glass table and lamp add some sparkle.

-The Barcelona chairs play off the sparkle but still speak to the contemporary-ness of the space itself.

-The geometric and funky prints merge the casual comfort with the modern stiffness.

The point is, too much of the same thing is not always a good thing, so be careful! Sometimes it's really easy to just go too far.

Principle Two

Every room should have a focal point, if not, the viewer may easily get lost in the room. Rooms with EMPHASIS on a certain aspect ground the viewer and draw their eyes to it where they can then be visually led through the room by other elements.

Often, we may think of a focal point as one particular object, such as a vase of beautiful flowers or a painting on the wall, but often, focal points are usually groupings of other things, such as a fireplace and mantel with accessories, or even a furniture grouping.

Every room will have a primary focal point with secondary focal points. So that being said, when designing a room, think about what you want to foremost highlight. A beautiful view? A grand piano? Great Grandma's hutch? Sometimes the primary focal point is predetermined such as in a dining room where the dining table is the center of focus.

One way to begin your design is to pick the primary focal point or object you would like to emphasize and then build and play off of that.

Here are some good examples.

What do you first see? The first thing I notice is the fabulous view out the back of the room. Notice how the view is highlighted and framed with stunning floor to ceiling drapes? I love it.

The next thing I notice is the funky chandelier. Isn't it fabulous! I would not expect that in this type of room but it works. From the view out the windows, my eyes are drawn to the chandelier and then down to ground level where my eyes are then led to the secondary focal points--the huge painting and the fireplace.

What about this one? Are your eyes drawn straight to the oval mirror above the sofa? Here, emphasis is achieved through color contrast. It is interesting too, that the gradation in color leads

your eye from primary focal point to secondary focal point. You have the dark framed mirror near the sofa with less intense colors, surrounded by elements of white and cream. Of course, this is a Sarah Richardson interior, she has this principle down to a T.

This lovely room is grounded by the gorgeous large scale painting over the fireplace. See how the designer has taken the fuchsia out of the painting and used it in the upholstery? They picked their focal point and then played off of it. Be careful when doing this though, sometimes it can cause a room to be over-bearing.

Principle One

I believe that one of the most important principles of design is BALANCE. For a room to feel good, it must have equality or equilibrium between pieces, colors, space, etc. By manipulating these aspects of the room to properly balance, the space will simply... feel right.

Of course there are various ways to achieve balance. One way is radially.

This room exemplifies radial balance in the way the round table and the chairs seem to emanate from the chandelier, like concentric rings in water.

Balance is also achieved symmetrically.

Notice how the mirrors on the left wall are identical, but mirror each other? Also, they are centered with the dining group and positioned above the baseboard about the same distance as the baseboard is tall.

Note, you can also achieve balance in your decor asymmetrically.

The back wall showcases a buffet table and a large scale painting. This grouping balances out the wall of mirrors because it is of similar scale.

Think of symmetrical and asymmetrical this way:

Symmetrical: Pieces are the exact same on both sides of a center line. In this picture, identical sofas opposite the coffee table, as well as identical chairs opposite the coffee table in the other direction.

Asymmetrical: In this example, to balance the mass of the sofa, upholstered chairs and a small round end table were grouped opposite the main sofa. Different pieces, but equal mass.

I am a sucker for balance. If the balance is off in even the tiniest of ways, it can throw the whole room out of whack. Symmetry between the placement of pieces is key even in the most ordinary of rooms. I know some are the type to enjoy things at a skew, but not me. To me, symmetry means rightness, order, peace, stability.

If you use this principle of balance in all aspects of design, from furniture arrangement to accessory placement, your room will come together in a positively cohesive way - even if your taste is "mix and match flee market finds."