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Design has many many influences. Culture, music, politics, movies.
I ran across this picture of a mirror called "Camilla's hat". It is modeled after the hat that Camilla wore in her wedding to Prince Charles.
The mirror is a great mixture of simple elegance and natural elements. Designers love to find other uses for items. I love a bit of surprise in an item and this does that very well. It took an article of clothing and turned it into a very dramatic mirror and make a great statement in any room.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Why is paint so expensive
I attended a seminar this week on paint. It was much more exciting than watching paint dry but about as technical. They talked about the difference between paint qualities and why you should have one vs the other.
There's "apartment" paint. It's not the highest quality and meant to be renewed every few years but that's about how often you have to paint most apartments so it works. Using high quality paint may not be the best use here because it will be repainted over quickly.
The quality of the paint has to do mostly with the bonding agents and how the pigments become part of the wall. Sometimes you have "rub off" with the cheaper paint and that's because the pigments don't stick. The more expensive paint bonds with the wall more and will last longer, so if you want your paint to last a long time it's worth spending a little more money to get something that will last. Just like anything else, many times having something cost a little more upfront can often save you money in the long run.
Another thing that I learned that fascinated me. There is a big emphasis on VOC free, and LEEDS qualified paint. Translation from design vernacular, ecofriendly.
The VOC free is suppose to have less toxins in it and doesn't smell as bad. The "loophole" that some VOC free paint has is that the original paint is VOC free but the tinting pigment that they use to color the paint often is not. So you can buy VOC free paint and then after you add the color too it, it can be just as high, if not higher than non VOC paint. If you want to really go green and be aware of the toxins in your paint, you should ask if the Tint is VOX free. Benjamin Moore's Natura paint fits this bill. However even with this, you want to make sure they are using the Natura pigments and not the regular pigments.
There's "apartment" paint. It's not the highest quality and meant to be renewed every few years but that's about how often you have to paint most apartments so it works. Using high quality paint may not be the best use here because it will be repainted over quickly.
The quality of the paint has to do mostly with the bonding agents and how the pigments become part of the wall. Sometimes you have "rub off" with the cheaper paint and that's because the pigments don't stick. The more expensive paint bonds with the wall more and will last longer, so if you want your paint to last a long time it's worth spending a little more money to get something that will last. Just like anything else, many times having something cost a little more upfront can often save you money in the long run.
Another thing that I learned that fascinated me. There is a big emphasis on VOC free, and LEEDS qualified paint. Translation from design vernacular, ecofriendly.
The VOC free is suppose to have less toxins in it and doesn't smell as bad. The "loophole" that some VOC free paint has is that the original paint is VOC free but the tinting pigment that they use to color the paint often is not. So you can buy VOC free paint and then after you add the color too it, it can be just as high, if not higher than non VOC paint. If you want to really go green and be aware of the toxins in your paint, you should ask if the Tint is VOX free. Benjamin Moore's Natura paint fits this bill. However even with this, you want to make sure they are using the Natura pigments and not the regular pigments.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
DIY disaster
DIY DISASTER
So I have been watching some DIY interior renovation shows this week. I
had stopped watching them for awhile but got caught up in these two
shows. It still hurts. I saw renovation I these disasters. New
doesn't mean better. In some cases the mistakes I saw were easily fixed.
I know it's hard to renovate on a budget. I have done it in my house
and I have done it for other people. The trick is that you have to be
realistic as to what your skills are and you HAVE to do your homework.
One show had a couple trying to renovate their kitchen in a week. Well,
let me tell you it takes professionals longer to do that and if they
tell you otherwise, they are most likely lying. There are always
unforseen issues....the oven is backordered, oops there was a mistake
with the cabinetry and they will be 2 weeks later. The handle you
selected is in stock for all but 3 of the knobs you need, and the screws
that come with them are all the wrong size. The light fixture is great
but you need to add the GFI and the electrician is on vacation the week
you want it installed. All real problems, one of them will get you.
Renovation is like a wedding...something is going to go wrong, you just
hope it's a minor something. This particular couple had their cabinets
backordered and I suspect a few more delays although they didn't show
them. There are some things you shouldn't learn how to do on the spot.
Electricity is one of them. Of all the jobs in a kitchen this is one
you want done by a professional. This couple had numerous issues go
wrong mostly because they had gone too far out of their comfort zone in
trying to save money. In the end they had to call in professionals
anyway and they could have saved time, money and stress if they had
decided to use them in the first place instead of having to pay for
"emergency service".
Another job truly just made me cry. The couple spent a good 20k on
their bathroom remodel, guessing by the difference between the before
and after but they really just missed the mark. They used expensive
materials but without a plan and it looked like it at the end. Simple
mistakes that an hour with an interior designer would have fixed. I do
offer consultation services for this type of client. Gather samples of
all your materials and talk to me for an hour or so before you buy it.
It would have made a world of difference in their 20k bathroom. Some of
the mistakes they made were using the same tile in the shower as on the
floor and the same size as well. Large tile can look pretty in a shower
but you have to do it correctly. They had two walls tiled and the other
two were glass. They used 12 x 12 tiles in the shower - a bit big but
they put the two cut ends on the inside corner which made it look like
it was tipping over. If they had done the reverse and put the cut tiles
on the outside edge it would have served as a frame and been more
balanced. Also, if for some reason the budget demanded that they use
the large tile, at least stagger them so that everything doesn't look so
blocky. The human eye unconsciously measures a space with an orderly
tile pattern and it can make it look smaller. By offsetting the tile,
the eye doesn't do this and it looks bigger. It would have also made it
more interesting and more cozy space to be. Typically I don't like to
do the same tile in the shower as on the floor but as this was an open
floor it was a forgivable mistake. The worst mistake though was their
vanity. They bought a VERY expensive countertop and then they put
pewter colored sinks and faucets on it. Really it fought with the
countertop, as did the color and decorative elements of the vanity
itself. If you are springing for an exotic or rich item, you have to
accent the rest with things that work with it and make it shine. It's
like buying a fancy dessert....you want to see the dessert, the whipped
cream enhances it, the chocolate sauce enhances it. You wouldn't put
pineapple on an apple pie and it's the same with design. You don't
just fall in love with one piece and make it work, it has to work with
the whole scheme
Watching the DIY shows just proved to me how important my job really
is. Yes, there will still be people who don't think they need us or
that we are too expensive but on a 20k job a few hundred dollars seems
very affordable to me. Where else would you invest 20k and not get some
professional advice? Just brings to mind that an ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure. Go ahead and do it yourself but get a little
advice first.
So I have been watching some DIY interior renovation shows this week. I
had stopped watching them for awhile but got caught up in these two
shows. It still hurts. I saw renovation I these disasters. New
doesn't mean better. In some cases the mistakes I saw were easily fixed.
I know it's hard to renovate on a budget. I have done it in my house
and I have done it for other people. The trick is that you have to be
realistic as to what your skills are and you HAVE to do your homework.
One show had a couple trying to renovate their kitchen in a week. Well,
let me tell you it takes professionals longer to do that and if they
tell you otherwise, they are most likely lying. There are always
unforseen issues....the oven is backordered, oops there was a mistake
with the cabinetry and they will be 2 weeks later. The handle you
selected is in stock for all but 3 of the knobs you need, and the screws
that come with them are all the wrong size. The light fixture is great
but you need to add the GFI and the electrician is on vacation the week
you want it installed. All real problems, one of them will get you.
Renovation is like a wedding...something is going to go wrong, you just
hope it's a minor something. This particular couple had their cabinets
backordered and I suspect a few more delays although they didn't show
them. There are some things you shouldn't learn how to do on the spot.
Electricity is one of them. Of all the jobs in a kitchen this is one
you want done by a professional. This couple had numerous issues go
wrong mostly because they had gone too far out of their comfort zone in
trying to save money. In the end they had to call in professionals
anyway and they could have saved time, money and stress if they had
decided to use them in the first place instead of having to pay for
"emergency service".
Another job truly just made me cry. The couple spent a good 20k on
their bathroom remodel, guessing by the difference between the before
and after but they really just missed the mark. They used expensive
materials but without a plan and it looked like it at the end. Simple
mistakes that an hour with an interior designer would have fixed. I do
offer consultation services for this type of client. Gather samples of
all your materials and talk to me for an hour or so before you buy it.
It would have made a world of difference in their 20k bathroom. Some of
the mistakes they made were using the same tile in the shower as on the
floor and the same size as well. Large tile can look pretty in a shower
but you have to do it correctly. They had two walls tiled and the other
two were glass. They used 12 x 12 tiles in the shower - a bit big but
they put the two cut ends on the inside corner which made it look like
it was tipping over. If they had done the reverse and put the cut tiles
on the outside edge it would have served as a frame and been more
balanced. Also, if for some reason the budget demanded that they use
the large tile, at least stagger them so that everything doesn't look so
blocky. The human eye unconsciously measures a space with an orderly
tile pattern and it can make it look smaller. By offsetting the tile,
the eye doesn't do this and it looks bigger. It would have also made it
more interesting and more cozy space to be. Typically I don't like to
do the same tile in the shower as on the floor but as this was an open
floor it was a forgivable mistake. The worst mistake though was their
vanity. They bought a VERY expensive countertop and then they put
pewter colored sinks and faucets on it. Really it fought with the
countertop, as did the color and decorative elements of the vanity
itself. If you are springing for an exotic or rich item, you have to
accent the rest with things that work with it and make it shine. It's
like buying a fancy dessert....you want to see the dessert, the whipped
cream enhances it, the chocolate sauce enhances it. You wouldn't put
pineapple on an apple pie and it's the same with design. You don't
just fall in love with one piece and make it work, it has to work with
the whole scheme
Watching the DIY shows just proved to me how important my job really
is. Yes, there will still be people who don't think they need us or
that we are too expensive but on a 20k job a few hundred dollars seems
very affordable to me. Where else would you invest 20k and not get some
professional advice? Just brings to mind that an ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure. Go ahead and do it yourself but get a little
advice first.
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