Outdoor living spaces

Outdoor living spaces are much a part of our homes like the indoor spaces.

Outdoor spaces are an extension of our indoor spaces. They are created to provide an outdoor area that one can sit, relax, dine or cook. Architects have come up with many creative ways to use outdoor spaces. Depending on factors like geographical location, continental location, client taste and preferences, etc., outdoor spaces have been created to provide functions that fit the purpose.

Tropical countries have one of the best outdoor experiences.

Outdoor spaces are better experienced in places with good temperatures. Countries within the tropics have all year round weather for outdoor living if not 8 months a year. Due to this, outdoor functions have been created for relaxation, dining and even shower experiences. This is not only done in hotels but also in residential homes.

A cosy fireplace

Fireplaces are elements that can be located indoors or outdoors. In very cold countries, fireplaces are located mostly indoors because they are used many times within the year. Indoor fireplaces have developed to gas and electric versions. Firewood fireplaces however still remain the most authentic type of fireplaces. For many countries located within the tropics, fireplaces are sometimes located outdoors as they are only in use at night or in few months of the year that are cold. 

Covered courtyard

Covered courtyards are a gem in the home.

They provide an opportunity to sit outside and bask in the sun without experiencing wind. They also enable one to sit and enjoy the stars or the clouds whilst being protected from the rain. Courtyards can be covered with glass or Perspex therefore making the area condusive for plants to grow and flourish. Indoor furniture, rugs and artwork can be used in these places however, recommended fabric to be used should have UV protection.

Covered Porch extension

Covered porches are a favorite for many. This is because, the porch is designed as part of the main house and therefore it’s easy to have adjacent shared facilities such as the kitchen. A lounge or dining can be located at the porch based on someone’s preference. In coastal homes, both are quite common as people prefer to sit outdoors both during the day and at night. Drapery can be hang on the sides and drawn when it gets cold or windy.

Open to sky porch

Porches that are open to sky are enjoyable to use in spring or at night during the summer. One gets to enjoy a clear view of the stars and the sky. The feeling of openness if felt in such. The limiting thing about these type of porches is that furniture must be moved around when not in use to avoid over exposure to sun or rain.

Poolside living

Pools are an obvious centre of relaxation for families and friends. They provide a platform for active and passive activities. Water is a therapeutic element in itself and therefore dining near the pool, doing yoga at the poolside or meditation aids wellness. Pools can be heated or cold based on the owners’ preference. Pools also act as a common facility in compounds with more than one structure.

Multiple use spaces

Most often than not, many people choose to have multiple spaces in their outdoors so as to have a variety of things they can use this space for. Depending on the size of the garden, one can put up a dining area, a lounge, barbeque area, fire pit and even swing bed. All these can be placed facing the best view whether it’s the pool, garden, sunset, mountain, lake, beach, tea plantation, golf course etc.

Inspiration pour le Journee

Great Home Ideas gives ideas on how to build or renovate outdoor spaces. If you’re looking to build your own outdoor share garden, Adam and Jason show you how from start to finish.

Check out video below for inspiration.

The Craze of the Prints

Large prints on wall papers in Interior Design has become quite a craze since 2017. Mediterranean prints with large flowers and deep colours are quite common. Nature based wallpapers are much more popular as there are so many ways to adopt flowers. These prints are majorly used in wall papers but have also been adopted in fabrics.

Flowered wall papers were more common in the 70s and 80s in pastel colours but now pick up all types of colours. These have further developed to geometric and abstract patterns for use in more contemporary Interior Designs style projects.

With modern Interior Design, flower patterns can be adopted as 3 dimension or 2 dimension designs.

Tropical Patterns

Tropical Interior Design is largely characterized by deep pop of colours picked up from tropical forests, flowers, birds, butterflies etc. Wall papers tend to have deep green colour with bright orange, yellow or pink colours.

18^th century inspired wall paper

In 18^th century, pastel colours and water colour prints were quite common. Wall papers inspired by this era are floral with more subtle colour pairings. The entire landscape as a whole can is captured however, part landscape with other elements such as birds can also be included.

Contemporary adaptation

Contemporary designs have picked up more abstracted forms from the flowers. Different parts of plants such as leafs, flower petals, roots or tree bark have been used to make these designs.

Inspiration pour le Journee

Wall paper in a bedroom makeover!

H&H’s Reiko Caron shows us how she turned an out-of-date bedroom into an edgy yet pretty retreat for Kylie Miller, lead guitarist in The Beaches band. The spacious room was featured in House & Home magazine in 2002, and hadn’t been renovated since. Now, 15 years later, Reiko gave it a complete overhaul with versatile furniture from Structube, choosing pieces that Kylie can easily take with her when she eventually moves out into a condo. Reiko started with a dramatic moody floral wallpaper mural, and then centered a glossy black low-profile bed in front of it. As the room has no overhead light fixture, she opted for task lamps, a marble-base table lamp and a modern black floor lamp. A glass console table doubles as a desk and make-up vanity thanks to the arched mirror above it. Reiko also created a chic sitting area complete with a gallery wall, green velvet couch and a cozy arm chair. Accessories like a faux fur throw bring in a Hollywood glam look, and ready-made drapery panels neaten the open closet. Throughout the room, the combination of black, pale blush pink, deep green and creamy white create a sophisticated vibe.

Check out video below for inspiration.

Pop of Colour

Pop art is an art movement that began in the 1950s in Britain and United states. The movement was inspired by the pop of colours in print media such as advertisements and comic books challenging the traditions of fine art. Artists such as Andy Warhol demonstrate this in their famous pieces Portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Portrait of Mao Zedong.

Pop art picked up in other areas such as Interior design and fashion.

In Interior design, Pop art is considered to be very emotional and energetic and so is particularly close to young people who are ready to live in perpetual motion. The style is characterized by use of bright and contrasting colours. Different textures can also be used to bring out contrast.

 

With good use of balance, contrasting colours do not necessarily have to clash.  

Pop the Main Entrance

In modern interior design, main entrance pop has become quite common. Use of bright coloured doors against white or black walls on entry makes the entry pop. Solid wood doors with bright laminate finish and view glass panels can be used. To highlight this feature, one can also use a different coloured frame. This type of design works well in duplex developments or gated community estates where homes are generally the same design and colour. Having pop of colour on the different doors brings character. The colour can be picked based on the users’ personal interest or from surrounding elements such as flowers, furniture, rugs etc. or in signage as in the case below. Use of blue colour on doors and windows is largely observed in hotels in Greece, Santorini.

Pop the Entry way

The entry way is always the main point for meet and great. A while back, entryways were just a hall to walk through to the lounge but nowadays, they are a huge point of interest. They also serve an enormous role in final touch up and dressing before getting out of the house and also undressing while getting into the house. Hall tables have been designed specifically for this area. Hall benches can also be used for one to sit while prepping. To create interest, one can use a brightly coloured painting against a bold coloured wall with a black or white frame to highlight the art piece. Large patterns on the rug or carpet can also be used picking the same colour element as in the painting.

Pop the Staircase

The staircase is always one of the most difficult areas to design in the home. Its main function is like that of a corridor; to go through. In hospitality design, staircases are designed as features rather that a stump of concrete sitting in the middle of the reception. Decorative balustrades and marble or tile treads are used to make it stand out. In residential design, pop of colour on paint can be used. Patterned wall paper can also be used to accent one wall and create an interesting feature. A staircase carpet runner with bright colours makes a good feature as you walk up and down.

Pop the Lounge Area

The lounge area is one of the spaces where people spend most time in. Modern interior design appreciates pop art. However in spaces like this, toned down pop of colour is preferred as opposed to bright colours. The lounge area is used for entertainment, conversation or relaxation and therefore good choice of colour is very critical. Colours used should create an interesting set-up but should also prevent colour noise to serve its purpose adequately. Blue and mustard is always a winning combination. For balance, one should use bright colours on one item and tone down on the rest.

Pop the Kitchen

Interesting enough, the kitchen is one area people like to keep bright and exciting. Pop of colour can be used on paint colours, cabinet finish or back splash tiles. High gloss ceramic tiles are quite common and in fact is a current trend at the moment. Wall paper and paint are the easiest element to pop because they are the easiest to change when one gets tired of the colour. Toned down counter top and cabinet door finish should be used to keep the colours toned down. Decorative vases, mugs and crockery can be placed on open shelves to add interest.

Pop the Bathroom

Invention of water proof wall paper may be one of the most genius developments. Designers are now not limited to tiles and paint. Interesting dreamy wallpaper designs have come up to keep the bathroom interesting. Currently, tiles are only used within the shower cubicle and with proper extraction, paint and wall paper used on other walls.  With wall paper, ideas are limitless. Lining wall paper with texture is also a good option as one can paint their preferred colour on top.

Inspiration pour le Journee

A dull front hall gets a fresh update with paint!

Stylist Reiko Caron shares quick and easy tips on how to make a front entryway pop. Reiko instantly updated the space by painting the interior of the front door with Sherwin-Williams Refuge (SW 6228) — a grey-blue that’s traditional with a hint of country. The casual, laid-back shade brightened the space. Reiko also painted a large console table in Sherwin-Williams Nugget (SW 6697) — a sunny citrus hue — for a vibrant accent. An Aztec-inspired runner, greenery and a large painting completes the look.

Designing with patterns

Patterns are created when one or more elements of design such as lines, shapes etc are repeated.  Fabrics form one of the largest components in Interior Design. Together with rugs, they are considered as softs. Fabrics may be Synthetic or Natural depending on their raw materials. Natural fabrics are made from plant and animal-based fibres. These fabrics are silk, cotton, bamboo, linen and wool. Synthetic fabrics also referred to as “man-made” fabrics are made from chemical-based fibres. Such fabrics include nylon polyester spandex etc. To read more on this, check out my blog Fabric and its application “Fabric and its application “

 

Over 20 types of fabric patterns exist. These patterns can be floral, geometric or abstract.

Patterns on Window treatments

Windows and doors form a big part of the Architecture. More often than not, these elements are selected and decided by the Architect as they form part of the building structure. As interior designers, our job is to decide on the framing or the treatment to be done. For residential houses, the most common type of window treatment is curtains. In most cases, curtains are used together with sheers but sometimes can be used alone. Sheers also can be used alone depending on the type of design style one wants to achieve. As windows can be large, curtains are a strong feature and therefore need to be carefully selected. Beautiful patterned curtains can greatly improve the Interior Design of the home.

Patterns on Furniture

Fabric pattern and design can also be appreciated on furniture. Most of the time, designers run away from patterns when selecting upholstery fabric. This is because, patterns easily become outdated and will be difficult to change if upholstered to a sofa. Plains are always more practical and if desired, patterns can be brought in on other elements such as scatter cushions.  However, in certain styles of design such as African and Victorian, patterns can be used because they form part of the design elements and will never become outdated.

Patterns on scatter cushions

Scatter cushions are the easiest elements to implement when using patterns. They are smaller, more geometric and can be moved around. Rectangle, square and diamond are the most common shapes however bolsters and round pillows are sometimes used. Scatter cushions can be used on the couch, armchair, sofa bench, hallway bench, bed, and even on outdoor chairs. The size of scatter cushion can determine the size fabric pattern. Fabrics such as Ikat have big patterns and therefore look better in larger scatter cushions such as 600mmx600mm as opposed to 200mmx600mm or 450mmx450mm cushions.

Patterns on Throws (Throw blankets)

Throws are ideally the “cherry on top" when designing and styling homes. Throws can be decorative or functional. On brightly coloured sofas, throws are used to protect the headrest area from dirt brought about by hair oils. They can also be placed on the arms to protect them from food spills . Throws can be woollen, satin or even cotton. In luxury homes, fur is considered. Fur is by far one of the most expensive fabrics in Interior Design. Throws are also used on the bed as a design element or as a spare cover for cold nights. 

Patterns on Rugs

Rugs come in both large and small pieces and can practically be used in every part of the house. The beauty of rugs is that they can be used to decorate the empty spaces in the home such as corridors and entry halls. Rugs are used both indoors and outdoors. As in the case of scatter cushions, rugs can easily be changed if need be or can be moved from room to room if the style changes. One can also easily get rid of them and bring in new to uplift the ambience of the space.

Patterns on Wall art

Canvas paintings and photo frames are the most common type of wall art used. As creativity has no boundaries, beautiful fabrics have sometimes been used in photo frames or wrapped on frames and mounted as wall art. The beauty about these types of wall art is that they are limitless and can be used as very large pieces. The variety of patterns, prints and fabric composition also brings diversity. In bedrooms, one can use large fabric mounts as headboards for box beds.

Inspiration pour le Journee 

Textile designers enjoy coming up with new patterns. World trends influence patterns; the reverse is also true. Fabrics are one of the first things that interior designer Anne-Marie Barton uses to see what her clients like and to help decipher their design style. Watch as Anne-Marie gives you a tour of her own home and client projects, sharing her favourite fabric selections and the three elements that she always keeps in mind: colour harmony, texture and pattern rapport.