Interior designers are often asked about the origins of the profession – especially in the context of quality of life versus product. Has our modern quality of life driven our craving for high-quality design, or has design really been more of a primary impactor in defining how we enjoy wellness? In this article, I will draw on my experience in London’s prestigious interior design community to reflect on how the design process works from this perspective.
When interior designers begin engaging with a potential client, they will often ask about function. What is the desired purpose and use of the room or residence? The answer to this question has a profound impact on everything we do. If a client is desperate for luxury high-end London extravagance in the form of a damask settee, we may recommend a synthetic damask fabric instead of cotton or satin for a household that includes young kids and a pet dog. Breathtaking interior designs are always the goal, but only in the context of compatibility with our clients’ unique London lifestyles.
Interior designers will work hard to understand client requirements from the outset. Some professional London Interior Design consultancies will even have a series of highly structured interview questions that they routinely use. The interior designer will offer a free consultation at the client’s home – whether inside or outside London – to discover exactly what the client loves and hates about their current residence. Budget should be a conversation point from the very beginning. It is important to clarify whether the client prefers to be given fifteen different interior design options from which to choose, or just two or three.
One area that can be really challenging for the interior designer is when a husband and wife have different ideas about the desired outcome. This can happen regardless of whether the individuals are happily married or considering an impending separation. The interior designer sometimes gets “caught in the middle,” which can cause real tension.
In recent years, the London interior design community has seen a real upwelling in terms of social media and internet-enabled design opportunities. One of the most positive results is that would-be clients are now much better informed regarding interior design themes and concepts. Londoners read articles just like this one and start to get a sense of the interior design process even before we reach their front door or exchange our first set of emails!
Professional interior designers are expertly trained in the use of lighting features to create breathtaking results. In this four-part series which I call “Colour Me Brightly: Understanding Light in Interior Design,” I draw on my experience in London’s interior design community to explain this fascinating subject. This fourth article concludes my series.
Linear light patterns can focus on either the horizontal or the vertical metrics of a room. A given wall-light technique can create an immersing halo effect, if the interior designer uses concentrated super-bright light at high level that gradually fades out towards the base. Some London Interior Design consultancies specialise in choosing continuous sources, such as a miniature tungsten rack for a soft light or overlapping fluorescents for a cooler light. This is an effect that works very well in contemporary interior designs, where light can be concealed between the wall and the ceiling in a crevice in order to take the place of the traditional cornice.
The best method of illumination for interior designers to use when creating patterns will depend on the interior, and also on the direction of windows (natural light in London can be very seasonal). A smoothly plastered wall can jump into existence with a dappled arc wave from closed-offset down-lighters but if the interior design feature lies in the texture and in the structure or hue of the wall, then a more uniform spray of light will emphasise the wall’s best perspectives. A splashback tile solution at the rear of a shower or bath is a good interior design choice for the arc wave effect, as is a Venetian blind in a London kitchen. A wood-panelled hall or study is often a compelling interior design feature, and accordingly it would be better lit with an even light that does not detract from the feel of the wood.
Shifting from instant to instant and from a London dawn to a dappled full seasonal moonrise, the impacts of illumination and shadow are phenomena we almost disregard. But London’s top interior designers know that patterns of light can actually transform our emotions with respect to the interior forms that engulf us. By bringing to life walls, floors and ceilings with light-focused interior designs, pattern-making is yet another realm of illumination that can brighten our spaces and enhance our quality of life.
There are a variety of decorating themes from formal to informal and everything in between. Which one best describes your decorating style?
Formal Traditional
Furnishings and designs from the Renaissance, Baroque, Early and Late Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian eras. This style is shown with fine furnishings, elegant, refined and exquisite wall coverings, elaborate moldings, formal window treatments and Oriental rugs.
Informal Traditional
The same eras as above but this style has less refined versions of furnishings. There are more touchable elements, more earthy colors, and some urban archaeology without restoration is common. This style is comfortable and inviting.
American Country
This style holds furnishings from the 17th century through the present, all simple with the appearance of hand-crafted work. Two versions are popular today: Upscale Country with the use of more tactile, comfortable elements and very close to Informal Traditional but with a clearly country theme in all the furnishings; and Rustic Country, which sports a reused, recycled quality. The wall coverings and window treatments set the theme and the furnishings have a just-found-it-at-the-antique-market feel.
Country French
This style is exhibited in Classic Rococo, Neoclassic or Empire-inspired country furnishings. Wall coverings include florals, ticking, toile, and moirés depending on the level of formality.
Arts & Crafts
This simple style is also known as Early Modern or Organic Modern. The era focuses on hard, stained oak furniture with simple, straight lines.
International Modern
This is a look of ultra simplicity, hard lines, and smooth surfaces contrasted with abstract patterns and unusual textures.
Environmental
Designs in this theme contain colors, textures and very subtle patterns of the earth.
Romantic Victorian
This style still is a favored theme for rooms with lots of pattern featuring English garden florals in dreamy colors. Both fabric and wall coverings can be patterned, and clutter decorating – especially with accessories – is part of this look.
Ethnic and Primitive
This masculine approach has many faces from African to the American Southwest, from the lodge-look to the South Seas. Heavy or tactile textures coupled with patterns that are charming because of their lack of sophistication fit here.
Fabric and Wall Covering Themes
This is a wonderful way to decorate – by selecting a great fabric or wall covering that inherently features a theme. Some examples include sea and shore, sports, outdoor recreation, kitchen or domestic elements, juvenile elements, feminine floral themes, exotic designs from far away lands, and more.
When working with windows, you will likely need a ladder for installation. Before you begin, make sure that your ladder is strong and secured. It may be a good idea to have someone to hold the ladder while you are working. This will ensure that the ladder will not sway and will give you a better sense of safety when someone that you trust is helping. Check to make sure that the ladder is not broken or the steps are not weak. If nails are protruding or anything appears damaged, fix it immediately before attempting to climb up.
Selecting Windows
When selecting the perfect windows for your home, consider purchasing a product that has a warranty and always purchase from a reputable dealer. Ask questions and never leave the sales floor until they are all answered with certainty.
Installing New Windows
Be sure that you purchase the windows that you want to install prior to making the opening in your wall. Windows fit in the rough opening of the wall framing, which should be slightly larger than the window to allow for a good fit. Your new windows should have detailed instructions, which dictate the size needed for an opening and other important information. Be sure to read the instructions carefully prior to beginning installation of your windows.
The first thing that you will need to do, when purchasing new windows, is to make sure that they are not cracked or broken. When you’re ready to begin installation, determine the width that you need for an opening with a measuring tape. Mark every stud in that area, which should allow for the opening between them. Mark the top and bottom of the rough opening and cut through the studs while being careful not to cut into the sheathing.
The next step is to cut the opening by drilling a hole into each corner. You will need a good pair of safety goggles, dust mask and possibly hearing protectors. Carefully proceed to make the opening. Again, following your instructions, carefully build the opening using the same size lumber as the wall studs.
When you’re ready to put the window into place, check to make sure the measurements of your opening match with that of your windows. It helps to have a friend of family member help by holding one side of the window while you work on securing it to your home. Level the window before tipping it away from the opening just enough to add professional quality caulking and pressing the window against the wall.
Now that you’re window is in place, secure it with nails into the corner of the window and into the wall. Next, plumb the window. Once the window is straight, secure it with another nail. Install the sashes and confirm that they are working properly by opening and closing them several times. Follow the steps and continue nailing your window until secured. If the sashes are not working properly, the window may need to be positioned differently.
Once you’re ready to seal the window, begin working around the outer edges while filling the gap with caulking. Seal the gap between the jambs and rough opening and get ready for interior casing.
Replacing Broken Windows
Replacing broken windows is an easy project and one that can be done in about an hour. Begin by removing the old putty with a putty knife while being careful not to damage the wood. Once the glass is out, lightly scrape the wood underneath the glass until it’s clean of any material. Prime the surface, which will help to keep moisture from getting into the wood and weakening your work. Next, create a cushion for the glass using glazing compound and mold it with your fingers. Gently press the glass into the compound and secure it with a putty knife. Finally, place another line of glazing compound to seal the window and allow it to dry before adding new paint.
Is your living room a place for show, only used when you’re entertaining? Living rooms, as their name suggests, should not only reflect who you are to the outside world, but they should also be lived in. Here are some suggestions for making your living room warm and inviting for guests as well as functional and comfortable for family members.
If your living room is large, divide it into smaller areas through the positioning of furniture. You want the “conversation pit” to be cozy — a couch and loveseat and a couple of chairs around a large cocktail table will seat many people, yet they’ll all be able to hear what the others are saying. A great place for family meetings as well as for entertaining. Make sure all seats are within reach of a table — someplace to set down those drinks and chips!
Face the couch to an architectural focal point, such as a fireplace or a large window that looks out to your garden or the city lights. If you don’t have an architectural element to work with, create one by hanging large pictures or a mural on a wall. This allows people to admire the art and it’s safer than hanging anything heavy right above the seating (especially in areas prone to earthquakes!). Hang cloth wall hangings or small pictures on the wall behind the couch. Don’t, however, hang a mirror where people will see their reflection all the time. Not everyone is thrilled by his or her image.
If you divide your living room in two or three seating and/or dining areas, use rugs to define the conversation grouping, another under the dining table, and another to set off a place to exhibit the Buddha you brought back from Thailand or a wall of bookcases that not only hold your books but also display your collection of antique toys or Bennington pottery. Area rugs work well over waxed hardwood floors or neutral, wall-to-wall Berber-style carpeting.
A decorative room divider, such as Japanese shoji screens, can be used to separate a large room into a living room and a TV room. In a smaller place, face the couch to a wall unit that holds the television — it’s sure to become a favorite gathering spot for the family.
The days of covering the “good” living room furniture with plastic are over! Leather or the new microfiber fabrics are easy to clean, look great, and can survive guests, kids, and pets. If the furniture is in neutral colors, add colorful decorative pillows. Remember to keep a few throw blankets around to stay cozy on cool nights.
If your living room walls are painted in light neutral shades, you’ll be able to change the furniture and decorative touches easily. Other ways to change the look of your living room are by adding tall plants or a silk tree, a permanent flower arrangement in a basket or tall vase, or even a fountain and small pond in a large enough space.
Don’t forget about lighting! Floor lamps, especially in dark corners, can brighten large areas, while table lamps can provide good light for your favorite reading/knitting chair. An arrangement of candles on the mantelpiece or a table adds ambiance to your living room. Now go ahead, live in your living room!