My Private Place: Pottery Barn

Showing posts with label Pottery Barn. Show all posts

Friday, 18 May 2012

Arrange Accessories

Accessories are expressions of your spirit and can make a room come alive. They can also be both decorative and practical, introducing accents of color into a room, enriching it with pattern and texture, or infusing a familiar setting with renewed energy and style.

Changing your accessories offers a simple and affordable way to evolve your style over time. Change can be simple: switch lamp shades to alter the atmosphere; try adding a slipcover, some vibrant pillows, and a colorful, unexpected throw to renew a sofa. Or, simply rotate accessories within the room, or from one room to another.

Often it's the arrangement of accessories, as much as the items themselves, that creates a strong impression.

Pair items of differing colors, textures, and provenances to draw attention to them. Creatively grouped accessories not only hold their place in a large room, they also arouse curiosity and make you want to draw near, whether to touch a translucent alabaster bowl or to sink into an inviting heap of pillows.

Accessories can change and evolve as you do, chronicling your interests like a three-dimensional scrapbook. Don't be afraid them to change them up or add to them on a whim. Shelves offer opportunities to present interesting vignettes. Use them as you would a shadow box to combine the personal and the familiar with more exotic items: a postcard from a friend propped against a small painting, or leather-bound books comfortably arranged beside a modern vase.

A room should never be just a place to pass through. Use accessories to lend character to your space and offer a reason to stop and linger.

Tuesday, 17 April 2012

Pottery Barn Media Systems

I love Pottery Barn designs and the way they display and storage every little thing. Their media systems always come into my mind when I do my media room planning.

very multi-functional, classic design and most importantly, a wonderful storage without any messiness

Sunday, 25 March 2012

Choose Furniture for Living Room

Furnishing your living room with comfort and style is simple: use furniture that has good lines and bold shapes; add unique pieces and heirlooms for wit and soul.

Furnishing a living room is like filling a wardrobe with things you might wear every day. As with clothing, basics come first. When selecting main furniture pieces – sofas, chairs, armoires, and side and coffee tables – classics are always best. Start with a generously proportioned sofa, which is versatile and timeless like your favorite cashmere sweater. Add a comfortable armchair or leather club chair – the equivalent of a well-made suit. Once you have easy-to-live-with foundation pieces, you can begin to dress up your living room with details that add personality, intrigue and interest.

Proportion

When choosing living room furniture, keep the proportions of your space in mind. Oversized furniture in a small room can be overpowering and can compromise traffic flow, while pieces that are too small produce an environment where the space, rather than the people in it, dominates. Create a sense of balance by choosing furniture that is the right size, shape, and scale for the room. For example, a love seat and a small club chair are well-suited for a small living room, while a grand living room needs a sectional or two adjacent couches plus an armchair with ottoman. Play with your space and hand-picked pieces to create your perfectly balanced living room.

Harmony

Dissimilar pieces can be visually linked by grouping them closely together, or by relating them to a common line, such as along a wall or the edge of a rug. You can also arrange living room furniture in relation to a backdrop – a large painting or an archway or other architectural element. Think of groupings of furniture as islands you can occupy for different purposes: socializing, watching TV or writing letters.

Format

You can group pieces in your room symmetrically, asymmetrically, on the diagonal, or radiating out from a specific point, to create different effects. By finding core pieces that work in many orientations, you're free to reinvent the room later without entirely starting over. Shapely basics that adapt easily are the best building blocks to accomplish this. They'll see you through many years, rearrangements, and changing style trends.

Organize Your Entryway

A family entryway often leads a double life: it's part loading zone, part living room. It's where you and your family land after a busy day, drop your gear and head for comfort. It's also where you greet guests, and the place from which you launch yourself back into the world the next day.

Because it's so heavily used, an entryway's organization and storage systems require careful attention to function smoothly every day. The goal is to equip this space with furnishing and containers that are easy-to-use, intuitive and attractive.

Take stock and sort. The first step in setting up effective storage in an entryway is taking stock of what lives there and how it's used. Are the items small or bulky, used daily, occasionally, or just seasonally? Or, you can sort items by owner, providing separate storage areas with hooks, shelves or cubbies for each member of the family.

Turn your entryway into a communication center. Take advantage of the entryway's strategic location and transform it into a household communication command post. Notice your family's traffic patterns and daily habits, and set up creative systems for sharing keys, sorting mail, and keeping belongings in place. Borrow an idea from wayside inns and use an old hotel key cubby as a family mailbox.

Store at every level. To make the most of your entryway space, place storage at every level: hooks to hang hats and jackets, a table for mail and keys, a bin for boots on the floor, a side table to receive a briefcase or backpack at the end of the day. A bench provides a place to sit and remove wet boots, while the space beneath can house bins and baskets.

Keep it accessible. Because entryway storage is mostly short term – the things you use every day – the key to maintaining order is to make it easy and automatic. The more conspicuous and accessible storage is, the more likely it is to be used. Open receptacles are easiest for people to make use of without having to stop and think; car keys go in the blue bowl, cell phone in the white one. Provide enough appropriate containers – and enough broad hints – and things will find their way to their respective homes.

Create A Frame Gallery

When it's also a place for valued collections, a dining room can be far more than a place to enjoy food.Favorite objects extend a sense of welcome as soon as you walk into the room.

Start with a neutral backdrop and use it as a canvas to express your inspirations and memories. All white walls and ceilings, which are often favored by art galleries, recede into the background and help highlight displays of all kinds. If white is too spare for your taste, use light colors like bisque or tan, then layer frames, pieces of art and found objects on top.

Displays don't need to be large or valuable to be fascinating. Any size photograph, type elements, or even swatches of a favorite fabric, gain presence when they're set in an interesting frame. If photos are what you love, you can display them on just about any size wall or on any amount of shelf space.

A collection of black-and-white photographs establishes an elegant scheme. A symmetrical arrangement on the wall, with each picture hung equidistant from the next creates an atmosphere that's soothing and serene. Planning such a layout is easy.

Decorate A SMALL Entryway

No matter how small, an entryway should be organized, intuitive and stylish.

Choose flooring

A foyer seems bigger than it actually is when the same flooring is used in the entryway and in the rooms it adjoins. Wood is warm, beautiful and classic, but it requires periodic refinishing and protection in wet weather. Porcelain tile is made from a special mix of clays and minerals that are fired at an extremely high temperature, yielding a dense tile that resists stains and scratches. Textured stone is a versatile option that adds instant luxury and is durable for everyday use. Terra-cotta tile offers a rustic look, however, because the tiles are unglazed, your floor may require sealing.

Choose furniture

Space is limited in a small entryway, therefore it is important to choose furniture that can provide multiple solutions. The entryway system shown here utilizes hooks, cubbies and drawers to make the most of a small space. Where no defined entry to a room exists, create a sense of a foyer with a freestanding unit like our Brady Entryway System.

Choose accessories

An artful arrangement of a few beautiful objects brings personality to a small entry. Here, woven baskets add rich texture to the smooth wood floor and furnishings. An unusual arrangement of faux leaves in a decorative ball adds dimension while drawing the eye upward, giving the room an elevated sense of height.

Choose The Perfect Lighting For An Entryway

One of the most necessary, elements of a welcoming entry is the right amount of light. Good lighting enables activity, enhances color and — most importantly — gives an entryway a sense of warmth and life.

Light interacts intimately with all elements of design, so choose bulbs that impact the colors and textures of your room in ways that best establish the mood you desire in your home. Keep in mind that incandescent, fluorescent and halogen bulbs each offer a different quality and temperature of illumination. Think like a painter: by adjusting the light palette, you can change the whole appearance of your small entry.

Accent lighting: This type of lighting allows you to create dramatic spots of light as well as efficiently illuminate an entire entry. Typically, using narrow–beam light bulbs lets you direct the eye to those objects or places in the room you find most visually appealing. Create atmosphere around artwork or photographs, as we have done here with our track lighting system. A flexible line–voltage design lets you place multiple pendants and spotlights anywhere along the track with 10" in between. Sconces are another option for a small entry. They attach to the wall, so no surface or floor space is used.

Overhead Lighting: Recessed ceiling fixtures are ideal for an entry where there is probably not enough space for lamps, and you need to be able to turn lights on easily when coming home in the dark. Recessed lights can be fitted with wall–washer bulbs or with spots that call attention to an architectural feature or a work of art. A small chandelier or lantern hung overhead can be a dramatic focal point that casts a warm glow. How big should an overhead light fixture be? Add up the length and width of the room and the number you get is, in inches, your guide for the fixture's diameter. For example, a 15–by–20 room would need a 35–inch wide overhead light.

Choose Storage Solutions For An Entryway

A beautiful entrance to your home is about reconciling its two different uses: one as a well–trafficked area for daily comings and goings, the other as a decorative statement. The key is to create a system that makes storage easy and automatic.

Cubbies, Bins & Baskets

A variety of storage systems makes the most sense in an entryway. Keep seasonal or rarely used items in closed storage, like a closet or trunk. Wall–units with built–in cubbies for baskets keep items like shoes, scarves and gear at the ready and neatly stowed. Open receptacles, like buckets, bins and baskets, are easiest for people to use without having to stop and think; sports gear goes in this basket, mittens and gloves go in this bin. Grouped together, a row of matching woven baskets is incredibly useful and keeps the entryway looking stylish.

Hooks & Small Storage

Entryway storage is largely for the short term — the things you use (and don't want to lose). For optimum efficiency, place storage at every level: hooks to hang hats, jackets and umbrellas, a table or shelf to place pet leashes and mail, and a series of small containers for keys, cell phones and loose change. Dividing storage vessels by contents, or dedicating one to each family member, makes them much more likely to be used. Remember that out of sight is usually out of mind: any receptacle left in plain view is far more likely to be filled than one hidden from sight.

Storage as Display

Creative display and clever storage for an eclectic gallery of objects finds a home in the unused wall space above a bench. This vintage–styled cubby organizer can just as easily be used for a combination of personal mementos and to sort mail, hold keys and cell phones, bowls for loose change, and much more.

Arrange Accessories

Decorate the entryway

The entryway is the first impression friends and family will have of your home. The room should be filled with accessories you love — photographs, found objects and treasured books. Back–to–back benches placed across from a wall lined with more benches separate the entryway from the rest of the house while providing the perfect introduction to the rest of your home.

Create a gallery wall

To create a gallery wall like the one here, hang photographs in varying of shapes and sizes in a grid that is pleasing to the eye. Plan the layout of your frames before hanging, either with Kraft paper on the wall or by arranging them on a workspace or floor. Smaller frames have more impact when grouped together; a large frame may stand alone. Place your frames at eye level, usually five feet from the floor. Hang them higher if your room has high ceilings.

Choose bold wall colour

The entry is your chance to experiment and try interesting colors you might not consider in other rooms of your home. Keep in mind, however, that you need to choose a color that makes a smooth transition to harmonize with adjoining rooms. Consider continuing the entryway color into the living room as a directional clue. Here, Bennington Gray from Benjamin Moore, pairs beautifully with the furnishings and accessories, creating an adaptable backdrop for the room's rich mixture of shapes and colors.

Since an entryway is the first look into your home, fill it with accessories you love — photographs, found objects and treasured books.

Choose Furniture For An Entryway

The entryway creates a first impression and sets the tone for the rest of the house. It can be a stylish greeting, a formal welcome, or a casual room to display favorite objects.

Rule #1

When furnishing an entryway, the same rules apply here as with any other room in the home. Start with the basics and select the furnishings you will really need: a system for organizing outdoor gear and accessories, a comfortable chair and, a system for sorting mail, leaving daily reminders to family, or even keeping keys and leashes handy. Add in personal touches to create useful solutions that will make great first impressions for your guests.

Rule #2

Making your space work efficiently begins with selecting great storage solutions. Hang hooks on the walls and use a sturdy coat rack for coats and hats, provide bins and a shoe rack for wet boots and umbrellas. Baskets are great to conceal gloves, scarves and other articles that often accumulate in this area of the home. A chair or bench, like the one shown here, is a thoughtful addition. Designate a place, such as a wall-mounted organizer, to set packages, mail and keys.

Rule #3

In an entryway, keep accessories simple and cohesive so that the room does not look over cluttered. Hooks and pegs turn coats, hats and other belongings into an artful display. A stylish rug looks beautiful and provides the space a certain amount of visual and actual warmth. Choose an accent, like a lantern or color scheme, that hints at the decorative style to follow in the rest of your home.

Choose A Wall Colour In The Entryway

From a gracious front foyer to a well–organized mudroom, the entryway is a place of first impressions. Paint color is the key to smoothing the transition to and from this highly trafficked space. Neutral tones are always a good choice, but if you prefer a bold paint color, take the lead from the palette of an adjoining room. After all, the entryway is a transitional space.

Dark neutrals — chocolate brown, hunter green, gray, such as Philipsburg Blue HC–159 — have a confident, stately quality that suits a more formal entryway. They are paint colors that also provide a good retiring backdrop for art and collectibles.

Pretty powdery blues and greens are welcoming, restful paint colors that set a tranquil mood after coming in from busy outside activities. This heavenly shade of Arctic Blue (2050–60) is pale enough to widen a narrow hall and serve as an ideal backdrop for a photography display.

Staying neutral by using an earthy beige or brown is the simplest way to bridge the indoors to the outdoors. Using Monterey White (HC–27) allows an adjacent space to move equally easily into a cool or warm palette, offering maximum flexibility.

Red greets guests confidently and warmly in an entryway. Paint with earthier red hues, such as cinnamon, ocher, and cranberry, such as Dinner Party (AF–300), to avoid an overpowering effect in small spaces.

A monochromatic palette helps keep everything from becoming too busy.

Create A Frame Gallery In An Entryway

Create a personal gallery by displaying frames of varying shape and size. Plan the layout of your frames before hanging, either with Kraft paper on the wall or by arranging them on a workspace or floor. Ensure your frame arrangement is horizontally centered on your wall space to create balance.

Achieve the proper balance between your wall space and the frames. Smaller frames have more impact when grouped together; a large frame may stand alone. Place your frames at eye level, usually five feet from the floor. Hang them higher if your room has high ceilings.

To create an interesting gallery effect, visit a local copy center or use your home computer to change favorite color photos to black-and-white or sepia-toned images. Hang frames in both horizontal and vertical orientations to add interest.