dwellings and décor

I am really loving spaces that are mainly black and white with rich wood tones throughout. The decorator did a really nice job with the design of this house and I really like how they incorporated both modern and traditional elements in a nicely balanced way. For example they placed a mid century modern Wassily chair next to a traditional looking fireplace and built-in. In the bedroom they chose a vintage white iron bed with a Hollywood glamour mirrored console. How fabulous is that? They did a great job in the kitchen and I love that they painted the flooring white in there but kept it in its natural state for the rest of the house. I can really imagine myself living in a space like this because its realistic yet so well put together.

Images from Shoot Factory

The inspiration image below provided so many elements that inspired me to design a room around. First of all the colors are soothing and interesting and the textures are elegant and sophisticated. I started my inspiration board by finding a drapery that is similar to the texture of the backdrop in the inspiration image. I also wanted to incorporate a soft pop of the red color of her gorgeous hat and a diamond shaped mirror and decor that reflected the jewelry of the model in the image. To tie it all together I added a clean lined sofa in the same fabric and color choice of the dress and also a rug in the same texture and color as her jacket. After all clothing fashion and home decor relate to each more than most people think. The fashions usually follow each other and you are still working with the same elements of design.

Rug: West Elm
Table Decor: Beach Dwelling
Mirror: Morris at home
Pillow: West Elm
Drapery: The Shade Store
Sofa: Room and Board
Inspiration Image: Conde Nast Store

As you may have noticed this season is all about purple whether it be in fashion or home decor. Below are some wonderful examples of living room spaces with the right amount of deep purple to make it elegant and timeless. From wall color to pillows you can find the right inspiration image to introduce the deep purple into your space. Enjoy!

Clockwise from top left: 1. Amanda Nisbet Design 2. Urban Pad 3. Jezebel 4. Sarah Kaye

Clockwise from top left: 1. Mary McDonald Inc. 2. Irina Graewe 3. Borastapeter 4. Graham Brown

Clockwise from top left: 1. Janne Peters 2. Jessica La Grange 3. SPG Architects 4. Kenneth Brown Design

One of my favorite looks right now is black and white with rich woods. I think it is so stunning, clean, modern and chic. The black and white give the space a clean minimal look and the rich woods really help to make the space feel warmer. I love how the warm wood tones with the clean black and white give the space such a beautiful balance.

Note: I believe that this Apartment isn’t in the state Alaska, its in Alaska somewhere near London.

Images from Shoot Factory

For this Room in a Book I decided to go with this beautiful burgundy color to warm the space up and tie it with her cherry cabinets in the kitchen which is the adjacent space. I previously designed her kitchen and she went with design 2. Click here to see her Kitchen Room in a Book. She just recently painted and put in the wood flooring and she also had a large black leather sofa I needed to work with. She also picked out the dark sleek ET Center which balances nicely with the black sectional. She has a young child so I chose a dark rug to hide possible spills. I also chose an adjustable table lamp so the user can create adequate light for the space. I came across the artwork first while searching my Aunt Paula Scaletta and the rest of the decor followed. My aunt is a well known graphic designer and her artwork can be found in most major stores like target and art.com. All in all I think the design came out lovely and the client is pleased which is most important. Check out Room in a Book for more information.

Click on images to enlarge

I also want to let everyone know about my new group I created in Flickr called Digital Mood Boards. Check it out here and add some if you have any. Have a wonderful weekend!

Below are some photos from the wonderful interior inspiration site Shoot Factory. This House in particular is one of my favorites and it is located in Kempe, England. These photos show the beautiful autumn light and I am in awe of the small details throughout the home. Some of my favorite elements of this home is the hand painted shoji screen, the clean and relaxed feel of the linens and upholstery, the hand sketched framed artwork above the sofa and the cute little shoes under the mirrored armoire. Another aspect of this home that I love is that there is such a fluid and smooth transition from one room to the next. Colors, style and the feel of the rooms are consistent throughout the home. Click here to see more images.

Images from Shoot Factory

These interiors show great examples of how to use the color red in living rooms. Red is such a lively and vibrant color and its easy to go overboard with it. Red also tends to compete with other colors so I like to tone the red down with neutral colors like browns and beige’s and compliment the red with black and white. If you are considering painting your space a lively red I would suggest only doing an accent wall or add white wainscoting to tone it down. Not quite ready to paint your space red? Add red in accents like pillows drapery and artwork to bring in red tones. A red sofa can also make a huge statement. If you need assistance on designing your space with red please contact me at rachel@roominabook.com.

First Row: 1. Halley Resources 2. Kendall Wilkinson Design

Second Row: 1. Jonathan Adler 2. Tod Hunter Earle

First Row: 1. Ingrao 2. Zanotta

Second Row:1. Faucher Artists 2. Turquoise

First Row: 1. Mark Seelen 2. Coastal Living

Second Row:1. M Design 2. Mark Schomisch Design

I found out about Tori and Dean’s home through the blogoshpere. I actually havent even seen the show but I heard good things and kept seeing comments about the set design of the home.  I love all the color and cohesiveness of the house and whoever designed it has great style. Here are some images I found from the Oxygen website and I made little notes of my fave items from the show.

This is a special feature today because we get to look inside the home of owners of Auto and inside the store and their products. The owners of Auto Renata Bokalo and Roman Luba own this very chic and posh “mini department store” in New York City’s Meat Packing District. Their home is located upstairs from the store they own and work. I am sure many New Yorkers envy them because not only do they own a beautiful shop they are a staircase away from where they work. I have always thought that this would be a great way to live and its very environmental or some might say old fashioned. There does seem to be some disadvantages. Renata says that she can hear the music in the store when she’s upstairs and feels like she can’t get away from work. They decided to build an office to try to seperate all the zones. They also commented on the fact that they tried to make their home look different than the store. For instance they used darker colors in the home and they implemented more decor that come from their Ukrainian heritage. The auto store carries many different types of items ranging from pillows to jewerly to purses. It is known to be a one stop shop for anyone. If you are in the neighborhood you should defintly check it out and if your not they have a great website. http://www.thisisauto.com

Images from www.thisisauto.com and The New York Times

Q. I just bought a beautiful true red sectional for my living room. I want it to be the only red because it is big. My furniture is dark brown by Broyhill. What color should my walls be and what do you recommend for curtains/drapes?

A. Congratulations on your new purchase. I have attached two collages to show you a couple of color schemes I would go with. The first one is more neutral and I chose a dark brown drape with a tan color for the walls. (tatami tan from Sherwin Williams in nice) The second collage has a light blue gray for the walls and a burgundy drape. Hope this helps and good luck.

I recently came across this first tropical living room image from EKB Interiors and it made me want to go through my large library and find other blue and green spaces. Blue and green are my favorite colors so naturally I am very drawn to these dwellings. I especially like when blue and green are with white; it gives the room such a clean and fresh look. You will notice many of these interiors have a tropical style to them but not all of them. Blue and green can work beautifully in traditional settings as well. In fact I think when you add blue and green in traditional style interiors it gives it more of a playful feel instead of feeling too stuffy or pretentious.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Scott Sanders 2. EKB Interiors 3. Anyway Artists -Paul Whicheloe 4. Domino Mag

Clockwise from top left: 1. Keith Scott Morton 2. Megg Braff 3. David Hicks 1970 4. Light Locations

Clockwise from top left: 1. Frank Roop 2. Wish.ca 3. DPS Interiors 4. Timothy Kolk

When architects make a beautiful old building into a stunning new building you cant help but notice the character, warmth and class that it gives. Below are images from a villa in Positano, Italy. The villa was first built in the eighteenth century and was reconstructed in 2004 by Lazzarini Pickering Architteti. You will notice that the floors, walls, and ceiling are all neutral but there is still so much color and texture in the fabrics and furniture. What is most striking to me is the large ornate wood piece that extends from the living room into the dining room and into the kitchen. It can be rare to see such exquisite architecture and interior design in one place.

Images from Yatzer

I was shopping for new Interior Design Magazines and I wasn’t to thrilled on alot of the American issues but when I came across this french magazine Cote Sud I was ecstatic. This article on a french artists home caught my eye and it is the reason I bought it along with many other fabulous finds. I love how there is spats of vibrant color throughout like on the dining chairs and large canvases. It is almost as if her home is a clean white canvas and so when adding furniture she can go with traditional Louis chairs and crystal chandeliers plus modern Bertoia wireframed chairs and Saarinen tables. Love Love Love this space!

Having a tall living space can give you a feeling of grandeur but often times it can be difficult and intimidating to decorate. Being able to create a nice sense of balance along with making it feel cozy is the hardest part. I have gathered up some tips and suggestions to inspire you to decorate your large open space below.

Furniture: Large in Scale

• Tall Armoires, Bookcases & ET Centers
• Oversized Sofas with High backs and feet Large Area Rug to make the space feel “grounded”
• Pedestal with Plant
• Decorative Screen
• Baby Grand Piano
• Large Floor Lamps

  

Paint & Trim: Warm and Dark

• Warmer colors will make the space feel cozier
• Adding a wainscoting or chair rail will break it up
• Darker colors on ceiling (1-2 shades darker than wall)
• Large Crown Molding (small will feel out of place)

  

Wall Decor: Large and Balanced

• Hang artwork and décor in relationship to the furniture
• Large Tapestries or Rugs
• Multiple shelving
• Ironwork Art
• Large Mirrors or Clocks
• Mural
• Multiple Framed Art scattered around wall in a tasteless fashion

  

Image Sources from top: 1. Halley Resources 2. Edge Reps 3. House to Home 4. Eric Roth 5. Big Blue Photography 6. Jeremy Samuelson 7. Ingrao

As a designer it can be difficult to decorate a room for all seasons. I always try to avoid designing spaces that are christmas tree green and Santa Claus red and the same goes for the red white and blue flag colors. These interiors have used red white and blue but in more subtle tones and they look absolutely fabulous.

Rachel Mallon
www.roominabook.com

Clockwise from top left:

1. Flores Vianna 2. Glenn Gissler Design 3. Thom Filicia 4. M Design Interiors 5. Domino Mag

A dark blue Living room can be a great place for relaxing and meditating and it can also enhance the same feeling that you get from the ocean and looking up at the sky. Cooling and calm blue can balance beautifully with rich wood tones like mahogany and cherry and work great with reddish leather. When applying blue to the walls you want to make sure you are getting enough sunlight into the space because it can feel depressing if not used properly. More than any other color blue is affected by the materials it surrounds. For instance reflective materials like glass can intensify blue and shiny materials can make blue look frosty. Blue is also a very mature and timeless color so it works with traditional to modern styles. It is especially used in coastal homes because it helps bring that calming feeling from the ocean into the home.

Rachel Mallon
www.roominabook.com

Clockwise from top left: 1.House to Home 2.Domino 3.Metropolitan Home 4.Preston Lee Design