Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

SUNNY SIDE UP

I'm currently working on a project where I am designing a built-in bench for an office break-room. While looking up construction details and inspiration online, I came across tons of killer breakfast nooks with built-in benches, banquettes and booths. What's the difference? A bench is not upholstered, it may have pillows or a detached cushion but the actual furniture piece is made out of wood or metal and in most cases it's not fixed into place. A banquette is long built-in seating, most commonly against a wall. For dining; tables and chairs are pushed against a banquette. A booth can be U-shaped, double-sided and at the end of a row you can find a one-sided piece. In restaurants you typically see banquettes and booths with a back height similar to a sofa but in night clubs they can reach as high as the ceiling or as low as an arm rest.
I love seeing built-ins like these in residential design! There are endless options in making a built-in breakfast nook custom to your taste; starting with the base (exotic woods, trim work to match the room, built-in storage, completely upholstered) and finishing with the details (tufted, channel back, no back, pillows). It's a great opportunity to save space and show some personality. Check out the range in style in these built-ins below.
1. Palmer Weiss Interior Design  2. Better Home and Gardens  3. Better Home and Gardens

1. Amy Bergman and Linda MacArthur  2. Jill Johnson via Elements of Style  3. Harry Braswell Inc via House of Turquoise

1. Hustler of Culture  2.Marmol Radziner via Remodelista  3. Bloom House by Gregg Lynn

1. Better Home and Gardens  2. Pinterest via Shirly Nudelman  3. Mix and Chic

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

THE LIGHTING SWITCH-UP

Last week I took a photo from Elle Decor and showed you how switching up one furniture piece would change the whole mood of the room. When I look at a photo of a room I can imaging the particular person or family it was designed for, by switching a focal piece it's like you are switching out the inhabitant of the photograph. The person becomes a little more refined and traditional or they have a wilder sense of humor or a taste for modern art. Each piece of furniture in a photo tells a part of a story, by shaking things up slightly you may alter the ending.
Today's beautiful dining room photograph is from Pintrest.com. Lighting is such a important part of design and the options are endless! Below are a few chandeliers that would impact this dining room greatly if switched.

pinterest.com


I really like the staircase in the background of this photo and I thought by adding some warm bronze to the for-ground it would make the carpet on the staircase pop. The fixture I picked is a crystal globe from Restoration Hardware. I was hunting for something in this color palette and this one was a clear winner because the globe shape plays off of the arched doorway, the drapery pattern and the chair back pulls. Because of the form and finish, it would add formality, antiquity and tradition to the room.


This funky fixture is called Knotty Bubbles and it could take on a lot of different rolls depending on it's environment. This dining room is transitional and the current fixture reminds me of British Colonial Palms (a popular style in the South). If we switched it with the Knotty Bubbles it would steer away from "Southern Plantation" and straight towards "New England Shoreline".  This nautical inspired fixture would look beautiful against the grey and sea-foam color scheme and would add a slight touch of rustic charm. 
The Josephine Queen Chandelier by Metalarte has become a pretty iconic fixture (that few can afford). It's a really sexy and modern take on a traditional form. The shades also come in acrylic but I like that the linen option brings it back down to Earth a little. The curved lines and traditional form suite the room well, while the material and color transform the room into something young and daring.

metalarte



This fixture is my personal favorite of the bunch! I love mixing traditional and contemporary pieces and this chandelier from Y Lighting is a big jolt of excitement in a very mellow setting. The dark bronze finish would accentuate the dark details in the room, like the rot iron railing and the dark chair legs. Because it is a skinny fixture, it wont add too much weight to the setting.





About Me

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As a lover of all things creative, I've created this blog to inspire and admire crazy good design. I own Kayte Designs, a small interior design firm with a focus in Hospitality, Residential and Office Design. We are based out of Atlanta, GA.

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