Interior design | designed equilibrium

Jul 2

Interiors: Corporate workspace

Goal for this office space –

Maximize natural light. Keep design minimal, functional, and well-styled.

Traditional corporate spaces can be so mundane. Dull or harsh flourescent lighting. Bad carpeting reminiscant of a cheap hotel. Dated upholstery. Vinyl windows. The list goes on.

In all the common areas the orginal poorly lit office ceiling was peeled back to expose concrete. This gave us an extra 24″ of open ceiling space. Concrete beams painted dark to offset the newly exposed ceiling. Floor-to-ceiling 9ft glass walls were installed in the conference room and individual offices with optional roll down shades installed for privacy. Custom architectural wallpaper paried with a ping-pong table in the conference room…..a reminder not to take work too seriously. Cubicles alongside panoramic windows because people are happier when exposed to natual light (duh).

Pre-construction BEFORE and AFTER shots of 2,600 square foot space

Conference Room

Kitchenette

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Entrance from Reception desk

Common area

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Nov 3

2 Comments

Interiors: Neutral Nursery

The goal for this nursery –

Create a calm, gender neutral comfortable setting with durable pieces that can transition into other rooms over the years.

I decided on a dark green, ivory, and light blue color palette and then layered various neutral pieces for dimension. These are colors found in nature and I was inspired by Robert Allen’s Perryhill fabric which was used for some pillows. I wanted to keep the overall feel of the room very light, so I decided to go with a darker ceiling using Benjamin Moore’s Jack Pine. I added some antique hardware to a pine chest that was painted in a high-gloss lacquer with Benjamin Moore’s Greige Avenue. Antique pieces like the oval mirror, regency lamp, and wood carved book ends were essential in adding character to the space.

{Sources for the following items below}

Larkin glider, Bell jar lantern, Fiddle leaf fig tree, Hollywood Regency lamp, Kendall crib, Hyacinth bins, Potted plant artwork, Roman shades

Pony artwork, Jute wall hook, Moroccan ottoman

Oct 18

Interiors: Take a seat

An easy way to add comfort or attitude to a space can be as simple as finding the perfect chair. These would add sleek glamour and sophistication to any sitting room:

The perfect windsor chair can give a kitchen or dining table an element of classic tradition:

Windsor benches can be both modern and antique:

Adding a flare to your upholstered look can give your living room a unique point of view:

Distressed leather is timeless, both in the living room and the office:

Mar 31

3 Comments

Etsy finds: Discovering artists

As I’ve mentioned in the past, Etsy is such a great resource for all things handmade. I love discovering new niche vintage collectors and artists. Three artists and their paintings have recently caught my eye:

Greg Hargreaves does a fantastic job depicting abstract landscapes. You can find Greg’s work via his etsy shop HargreavesArt

Borina Mahailovska has a great collection of abstract figurative art. Using mostly monochromatic palettes, these prints would add a touch of modern to any space. You can find Borina’s work via her etsy shop here.

Clare Elsaesser’s paintings are a ray of sunshine. Her use of vibrant colors and feminine energy would light up any room. You can see more of Clare’s work via her etsy shop ClareElsaesser

Feb 16

Interiors: Wood beam ceilings

Adding overhead wood beams can make a space appear more welcoming and refined. Achieving refinement with something so rustic as an exposed piece of wood is such a great balance to design from. Several types and shapes of wood (including faux wood) can be used to accentuate your ceilings. Whether vaulted or flat, painted or unfinished, the looks are endless. Keep in mind the architecture of your home, you may be able to conceal unnecessary geometric lines (think homes built in the late 80’s and 90’s) or add some depth and symmetry to a large multi-used space in the home.

If the chosen look is a darker unfinished wood, stick to lighter walls in the ivory family. If the choice is a painted wood beam, seek contrast in paint but not too much.

Classic spanish beams via georgiana design. To see previous post on spanish inspired design click here

Rustic and traditional via remodelista

Two toned wood beams and panels

Lighter oak wood used to anchor the living room vaulted ceiling

Wood panels and beams on a raised bedroom ceiling

Jan 25

Interiors: A built-in, 2 ways

Millwork brings stability into a room. You can customize the look by working with paint colors or finishes that aren’t dominate throughout your home. I designed this built-in with the purpose of accentuating character and adding versatility that would allow for interchangeable settings. The paint color used is Benjamin Moore’s, Wrought Iron.

I’ve styled the environment around the built-in as both a sitting area and breakfast nook.

First, as a library sitting room. A tranquil place to relax and read:

Next, as a breakfast nook. A casual place for coffee, tea, and breakfast:

Jan 20

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Global Inspiration: Swedish Gustavian

Swedish design in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s brought a touch of femininity and lightness to furnishings. Several antique shops today feature brilliant Gustavian pieces. There are also manufactured retail options that embody this genre in their designs.

Tone on Tone

Tone on Tone, located in Maryland, specializes in 18th and 19th century painted Swedish antiques. They have a large selection of cabinets, chairs, clocks, settees, tables, and accessories. Their website is updated weekly. Here are some beautiful pieces from Tone on Tone:

Cupboards & Roses

Cupboards & Roses, out of Massachusetts, are known for their extensive collection of 18th and 19th century painted furniture from Scandinavia and Europe. They have a variety unique case pieces, mirrors, and chairs as displayed below:

Julie Neill Designs

Julie Neill Designs, out of New Orleans specializes in hand crafted lighting. They use various finishing techniques such as: painting, glazing, gilding, plastering, and antiquing. Their pieces can be customized to order in any size and finish. Several of her designs appear to have Gustavian influences, I am especially fond of her one of a kind sconces:

{ accessorize }

If you chose to create a Swedish inspired kitchen or breakfast room in your home, compliment the light hues with soft blue linens, checkered prints, and patina accents.

Jan 18

1 Comment

Vignettes: Add some artwork

Artwork changes rooms. It’s also a great way to bring color into your vignettes. You can go from contemporary to eccentric, and from vintage to rustic with just the swap of a few key pieces.

Décor Dictionary: Vignette (thedesigntabloid.com)
Learning to Lean…..Creating Vignettes (therentedhome.wordpress.com)
Vignette: styling a shelf (designed-equilibrium.com)
Learning to Lean…..Creating Vignettes (expatstateofmind.wordpress.com)

Nov 24

3 Comments

Interiors: Moulding & Paneling

It’s all in the details with trimwork. Moulding, paneling, wainscoting, and wall framing details can visually alter the architecture of a room without having to tear down walls. After WWII, builders were forced to build faster to meet housing demands and the result was reducing the amount of trimwork in a house to the bare minimum. Unfortunately this still holds true today, so unless youre’ lucky enough to dwell in a pre-1940’s or custom home, trimwork is a sought-after custom addition to any residence.

Wall frame and picture frame moulding adds a little glamour to the wall space – and depending on the shape of each frame, you can create the illusion of higher ceilings or longer walls. Then, you can insert sconces, mirrors, and artwork to create symmetry and focal points within the room.

whiteframe

Box paneling can add depth to a room or hallway

Images via: Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House & Home, Tracery Interiors

Nov 7

Interiors: Charming wallpaper

Wallpaper can add texture & design to a room that otherwise might feel dim and uninspired. You can achieve dramatic impact by covering just one wall, or even a partial wall. If the plunge is scary – start out with a closet, laundry room, or bookcase lining.

Some tips: Minimize the surrounding decor; bringing in competing furniture or rugs will just muddle the wall space and look over-designed. Chose designs that don’t incorporate too much color, stick to 1-4 colors per print. Trim work is a great way to break up the wall space. Textured wall coverings are superb for spaces that aren’t exposed to much natural light. To offset floral prints, use clean lines in your furnishings. On the contrary, to offset geometric and linear prints use more feminine and soft pieces.

I am personally fond of the wallpaper collections at:

Farrow & Ball | Schumacher | Cole & Son | Graham & Brown

| Farrow & Ball takes a unique approach when crafting their wall coverings. Instead of using ink, they use their own custom paints to give unique texture and color to each print |

| F. Schumacher & Co has been creating wall coverings since 1938, still privately held and family owned they offer distinct collections with a wide range of styles |

| Cole & Son, based in London, are known for their historic designs. Their wallpaper lines the walls of Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament |

| Graham & Brown, based in the UK, has launched several locations worldwide. They aim to be the leading experts in providing decorative wall solutions for people’s homes, at an affordable price |