Clever, Comfortable and Industrial

Found in the archives of Sacramento Street comes a living room and kitchen designed by Beth Martin, Sara Story, Grant K. Gibson and Aurelien Gallent for Elle Decor's Modern Life Concept House. It's a shame I found this because now I will be accountable when I copy every. single. thing. in this place. The dark walls, copious amounts to texture, clean lines, masculine furnishings, and use of art are all worthy of a sigh. They took ALL the good ideas.

I like the contrast between the feminine, light rug from the rest of the industrial, rigid decor.

Don't forget about using art in a space. Use it to further the concept and complete the look.

 Aweessooome lighting throughout

Pages from take out menus are used as the backsplash in the kitchen. Would this be an idea you would use? What would you choose to display? newspapers? old letters? recipes?

I wish I had never found this. I'm smitten.

Principles and Elements of Design

I have no pretension when it comes to my education in interior design. Though a formal education in the subject truly ups your knowledge, I believe that the ability to design your home in a way that is fitting to you can be acquired through your own learning, studying and practice. Yes, I am aware this thought could potentially put me out of a job, but so be it. 


I suppose that in order to help those who find this way of thinking to be all too kind and somewhat naive, I should teach you the basics I learned in ID 104 - no tuition necessary. May I present to you: the Principles and Elements of Design.

Principles

Balance, Harmony, Rhythm, Dominance, Variety, Proportion

In design, balance creates a feeling of equality. It is achieved through the proper use visual weight (of colors, patterns, shapes, and textures) and measurable weight (positioning, size, and mass)

Harmony is created when the separate elements in the room dance together to form a unified picture.

The rhythm of a room is similar to that of music - it has some repetition, some emotional value, it provides the illusion of movement, and provides a "beat" to the design. Think in musical terms - is it legato, staccato, forte, pianissimo?

Dominance is created with contrast, size, placement and line direction. Feature that which is most important as the dominant feature, be it a view in the living room, a bed in the bedroom, a color in the kitchen, etc. Each room needs something to be the foundation for all of the accessories to grasp onto.

Variety in the Elements of design creates visual interest. Remember, Variety + Harmony = Unity.

Proportion refers to the relative size and its physical relationship to other objects. Playing with proportion can completely change the room - compare the grand and proper feelings within a cathedral to the comfort of a treehouse. Playing with proportion, be in in a pattern on a fabric, a piece of furniture or the architecture of your home, can result in a sassy attempt at adding personality.

There you have it, the Principles of Design. Next up, Elements

Elements

Form, Scale, Texture, Pattern, Color, Light

The form is the basic configuration of an object and is typically 3-D. The four characteristics of form are line, shape, planes and volume.

Scale is similar to proportion, but it considers each individual element one to another before the whole proportion is taken into account.

There are two types of texture, 1. Tactile - something that can actually be felt (velvet), and 2. Visual - something like a small pattern on a fabric that gives the allusion of depth.

Patterns are repeated elements within the appearance of the room. Was that obvious enough?

Color has the most control over the feel of the space. Keep in mind that nearly every emotion can be felt through color so choose wisely.

A mix of natural and artificial lighting is preferred in every space, but that is not always possible. Lighting can be used both practically and as a way to add emphasis and helps create the feeling you are going for.

Here is a helpful hint to remember the difference between the Principles and the Elements. The Principles of design are the laws that will create what our eye considers to be the best design possible. The Elements, however, are the things that will help those rules come to life - they are the single ingredients that, when molded and prodded, will assist in creating the Principles.

What is so great about having a knowledge of the Principles and Elements of design is that once learned, they can be applied to any blank room and put into practice. Much like an artist needs paint in order to begin his masterpiece or a violinist rosin on his bow, a person needs an understanding of the principles and elements of design before a room can be completed. And remember, once you learn and accept the rules, you are then qualified to stylistically break them.

Balance, Harmony, Rhythm, Dominance, Variety, Proportion, Form 1, Form 2, Form 3, Scale, Texture, Pattern, Color, Light

Why is this such a secret?

Sometimes when people ask me to do a project for them I think "really? me?"  This quote explained to me exactly why that is the case. I have the potential, but right now I don't feel capable of creating my best. I suppose it will come, like everything, with practice and hard work. I'm excited for the day when my hands are able to create and my tongue is able to explain the things my mind comes up with.

A House Tour: Sheryl Crow

I recently had two interviews with the same company. One of which was a group interview, which is essentially a game of who can sit up the straightest and make all of the good answers fit into one run-on sentence.

I sat up so straight.

In one particular run-on sentence by a competitor she stated that this company was, in a way, that person. That person who always looks tailored, the one who can pull off anything, the one who gets the coolest jobs in the coolest cities and has friends all over the world, but still treats you like you are her best friend. You know, that person. I agreed completely with my competitor and started daydreaming about people I know and places I've been who have those characteristics.

Her explanation reminded me of a house tour I saw recently by Architectural Digest. I suppose I should admit that this is Sheryl Crow's house. I guess it's good that I'm a fan of one thing she's created...don't tell her I said that.

Thanks, Architectural Digest

What I like most about this home is that it looks like a harbor to her collections. It looks like someone lives there and that personal thought has been put into the decor. Not to mention the black and white theme that ties every room together - something I've become more fond of over the past few months. This house, despite it being a Hollywood Estate for a Grammy winning artist, seems reachable. It has elements that can be tied into the home of someone who has never released a studio album. It seems like Mrs. Crow found what made her happy, displayed what she liked, narrowed out what she didn't like, and slowly made her home into a library of furnishings and collections carrying her personality.

Serena Eller Photography

Serena Eller has a really cool job. For one, she gets to be a photographer every day. My jealousy is already raging. But beyond that title, she gets to be a photographer of interiors, which means she gets to spend her time in rooms like these:

Very cool, Serena Eller, very cool.

Interior Design Portfolio Event

In just a few days I have this thing called my college graduation. Hold on, I'm going to faint from excitement just one more time.

In preparation for that, my school held it's Portfolio Event for all the graduating girls. Twenty-three girls put months of hard work, few showers, accidental diets and many sleepless nights into their work and now it was time to display it.  We each created portfolios to hold our 5-10 projects and "homes" to showcase a featured project. Within our binders were projects assigned to us throughout our time at school along with a few extra-curricular projects assigned to ourselves. It was incredibly inspiring to see the final product of my fellow student's and see their humility in all that they had created. I found myself grabbing their business cards (despite already having their contact info, but the cards were too stylish to pass up) and thinking "I want her to do my house when I grow up!" One might think that twenty-three girls spending so much time in classroom 802 would become caddy and difficult, especially in such a high stress major, but it is the polar opposite. Each girl is so supportive and excited for the next girl and has the highest hopes for where she may end up. It has been a pleasure going through school with each of them.

May the angels above bless my mother for selflessly coming to Utah to help me set this up. I would have DIED without her. I am one lucky girl.

I embraced the quirkiness of my initials and happily displayed them as part of my official logo.

A look inside my portfolio
Hotel 8649 - A San Francisco Hotel styled for men - simple, timeless, and industrial
Cresthaven Apartment Lobby - Welcoming residence into a Utah apartment complex with natural elements and modern sophistication
Tingey & Tingey Law Firm - An appropriate marriage of comfort and professionalism
Arch - Using colors, textures and a timeless back-in-the-day feel to create successful, detailed renderings
Oceanside Condo - A mix of old detail and modern clarity
In Motion Dance Studio - Inviting the sumptuous Baroque style into an elegant dance studio

And now, sit back, relax, and think about a company who will hire me as I present to you: my portfolio.