Previously, I’ve used my living room as a template for two interior design companies that offer an online service. You can read my reviews of Designer At Home and and RoomJuice to see their solutions. The upshot is that, while I think this is a growing trend, it can’t yet compare to creating the best interior design solution without actually seeing the space. Read my reviews to see exactly what I mean.

I thought I’d share my interior design plans with you.

Here is the horrid picture of the living room “before”. I know, it’s a sad tale of woe.

I’ll spare you the gory details. But it involves no time and not enough parties. I definitely need to change all of that. Anyway, I did enough interior design work so as not to totally embarrass myself. The art placed along the floor was not part of the plan. I wonder how it got there?

Getting down to business, the major problem with the interior design of this long and narrow (23′ x 14′) room is that the coffee table is out of scale. It’s way too big. Basically, this is called Trying to fit the furniture from your old house into the new one. The sequel is called Then I got too busy to fix it.

The room is long and thin. That makes it very hard to create one seating area without wasting a lot of space. So I divided the room into two groupings.

First, I tossed the curtains. We don’t need the privacy and the windows are lovely by themselves. Next, I bought two Westside loveseats from Duralee and covered them in a taupe fabric from Clarke & Clarke. I tucked one loveseat slightly into the bay window and placed an existing console table behind it. Two small Studio Adjustable floor lamps from Visual Comfort on either side. The other loveseat sits at the opposite end of the room, but not directly across. Don’t be afraid to lose symmetry in a room. The idea is to make it work as a whole.

I’ve placed my McGuire nesting tables to the right and a really cool and inexpensive Palm Barrel table from Waterworks on the left. The coffee table is Pottery Barn’s Moroccan table. I thought a round table would be nice as there are so many square shapes in the room. Mixing geometrics is a good thing. It’s also important to have tall and low furnishing as well. It all creates movement. It’s a great way to create an interior design style that looks terrific.

Who doesn’t love a bargain? I bought the McGuire chair (shown on the right) at a sample sale. Score! It’s covered in the perfect yellow fabric. My antique chair (covered in a Larsen fabric) sits across from it. Behind that is a bookcase I bought 100 years ago. I painted it indigo and covered the inside with Farrow & Ball wallpaper (see below). Yum. We’ll get to my color palette in a minute.

Now for the other half of the room. I have an antique Polyphone, (a sort of primitive “jukebox”) that’s tall and plays giant metal discs. No photo, but it sits behind the loveseat. Opposite is my great grandmother’s writing desk. I mixed all sorts of styles in the interior design of this room. It’s really okay as long as the scale is correct and you mix it up enough. Don’t use all modern with one antique.

The other seating area consists of the same loveseat, a round table and new side table, in the same finish from Milling Road. I went for symmetry here because I was determined to buy these gourd table lamps (in an antique silver finish) from Visual Comfort. I adore their lamps. Anyway, the tables had to be the same height for the lamps to look right. Score! (My husband likes to say that).

Next, I chose the Tanner coffee table from Pottery Barn. The glass creates a sense of more space. That’s good for a small room. Plus, it was inexpensive. You can definitely mix inexpensive with their opposite as long as the cheap stuff is well put together.

Finally, I bought two Carter Club ottomans from William Sonoma Home and had them covered in an awesome red fabric. I’ll add red accessories to tie it all together.

The main fabric attraction is Ellington velvet from Clarence House. It will go on the ottomans. This was my starting point for the rest of the room. It’s so gorgeous I want to marry it. The Clarke & Clarke taupe is on the loveseats. The carpet is Trellis from Godfrey Hirst. And the colors on the side chairs pull the whole look together. Finally, I painted the bookcase a dark indigo and used Farrow & Ball’s Rosslyn paper in the back. The living room mantle will be a darker version – almost black – of the bookcase’s indigo.

Now for the color palette. All my paints are Benjamin Moore. I love their Aura paint especially. It’s scrubbable – no matter how dark you go. The walls are Fog Mist. The trim is Mascarpone. The bookcase is Twilight. I added Drop Dead Gorgeous to the palette because the living and family rooms are open to each other. The red will go on the family room walls.

It’s really important to tie colors together when they’re situated like this. I guess that’s obvious. It’s also a good idea to have your colors make sense throughout your home. You can do this by using at least one color from one room in another and so on.

So that’s my plan. Everything is ordered and I’ll show you the results when it’s complete. I can’t wait!  My living room is finally going to look like humans live in it.

What do you think?

The grey dots represents the recessed lights, or “downlighting” as we sometimes call then in the interior design trade. The first thing that might strike you is that they’re not placed in a grid pattern. You don’t need one because you want to highlight different areas of the room.

First, you must have proper ambient light. That means enough light so you can see. I’ve accomplished that pretty much with the lamps (in blue). Recessed lighting, set to their own switch, can add more if you need it.

Now for the most important part of your overall design of the room – the placement of your recessed lighting. You want to create drama! You may want brighter light on a rainy day. But you definitely want a romantic feel for parties and… well, use your imagination. Do this by putting you recessed lights on dimmers. This is essential! It might be the art, or it might be the seating.

Next, spot different areas you want to highlight. These can be things like artwork and separate seating areas, as I’ve done here. Set your switches so you can control what you want to highlight. Let’s take a look a few essentials.

On the left, I’ve installed three adjustable recessed lights to frame a large piece of art (in green). Lighting art obviously, brings more attention to it. The same goes for another adjustable recessed light over the mantle. By adjustable, I mean you can aim the lens at whatever you want. They’re not facing straight down.

Now, think of walking into a gently lit room for a party. The recessed lighting is focused on the seating and, therefore, highlights the people. There, again, is focus. That’s really important to creating a romantic and dramatic feeling. (Please note that the placement of my recessed lights aren’t perfect. Have your interior designer or a lighting expert plan the placement)

Here are a few tips  to think about

Don’t place the recessed lighting directly over your guests’ heads or they’ll look like Frankenstein. Use a professional to help with the placement.

Step away from the grid! I promise you, no one will notice the recessed lights. They’ll be looking at that hot guy sitting on the love seat.

Use small, 4-inch recessed lights. The giant 6-inch “cans” are so last century.

Note that there a variety of adjustable recessed lights. You want the ones that don’t fall below the ceiling height. Halo makes a good product.

Don’t buy your recessed lights from the big box stores. They’re not the quality you want and a few dollars more will be money well spent. Go to a local electrical supply house. Or have your electrician buy them for you.

Have any questions, comments, photos you’d like to share? Ask away, comment away, and email your photos to me at designholeonline [at] gmail..com. Caio for now!

The typical straight lines and black and white colors that we think of when it comes to contemporary furniture are still on hand, but say hello to soft pastels and vibrant colors. They were everywhere and not just in lighting and accessories. Color is a major trend in furnishings.

Patricia Urqioula’s Klara Collection for Moroso. This was one of my favorites. I love the soft pink and the knit pattern.

More pastel colors, a soft blue, were a hit with me. I love that toile in the background. The juxtaposition with the contemporary against the classic is terrific.

Another super, super favorite were these antique carpets found everywhere. These are from Roche Bobois. I also saw them at Moroso and elsewhere. They’re bleached and then re-dyed using vibrant color. Again, color rules everywhere.

Lighting makes a colorful presentation from Norman Copenhagen. Bau pendant lamp takes its design from Calder, don’t you think?

Moroso has teamed up with Diesel to create a line of furnishings designed for hipsters (like me of course!). The soft lines of this sofa bed and the shock of color from the tables and carpet are awesome! Totally. More about this line later dude.

These vibrant tables come Carlos Pellicer, a student from Mexico’s Centro Diseño Cine Television. Good work. Maybe one day, The College for Creative Studies, where I studied, will have a booth. Are you listening Rick?

These creative chairs called Reversible, hail from a young designer, Nicola Staubli. The covers can be changed out as you like. Blue one day, Orange the next. The frame also comes apart to create an upright or low-rider.

Her’es another look at those awesome carpets. But let’s look at the colorful Paper Plane chairs designed by Doshi Levin.Again, we’re seeing pastels, soft brown and the traditional black.

If you’re thinking that you’ll never be able to afford these haute couture originals never fear. They’ll be restyled a bit and find their way into more affordable lines. Be patient.

And that’s it for today. Stay tuned for another major trend later this week. Tah for now!

Emeco has created one of my top favorites – forgetting the eco-friendly element. Each of their new 111 Navy Chairs, is made from 111 plastic bottles, 65% recycled PET plastic and 35% glass fiber and pigment. This year, the chair has diverted 3.5 million bottles out of landfills. 111Navy is made in the United States, beginning in Tennessee and molded in North Carolina. Love it!

I’ve always loved the soft, buttery woods from 1920R. A few years ago, they had a small, lonely space. This year, their space was huge and business was booming. Their Briccole di Venezia collection was the star of their show. Made from Briccole, the posts standing in the lagoon from time immemorial. The old posts are replaced every year and 1920R is using those to create some beautiful tables and chairs.  Venice is my favorite. See the rest on their site.

My other fave is their Aukland table made from Kauri trees that have been buried, due to earth quakes, under the earth for centuries. The wood has been preserved, not fossilized. Super cool. You can see a number of their Kauri designs here.

Are you sick of the green cast from your fluorescent light bulbs? I am. Say hello to LED bulbs. Alessi really went for the design aspect of their bulbs. LEDO’s are pretty cool as well. LED bulbs save 80% over incandescent and halogen bulbs. They create less heat and they last for years.

The U2Mi2 was designed by Frederic Gooris. The Flame was designed by Giovanni Alessi Anghini and Gabriele Chiave. Alessi’s range of bulbs ran from the cute to the sublime. You won’t have to hide them under a shade. They’ve created fixtures to show them off as well. You can see them here.

I’m kicking myself for not taking better photos of these rugs. They are probably my most favorite new design item I saw. I’m sort of nuts about them. They’re made from old, beaten up oriental carpets. They bleach out part of them and add new, more vibrant colors with natural dyes. The effect is a rug that looks old and new at the same time. These are from Moroso, and it’s hard to see exactly how cool they are. I’ll write more about them (complete with how-to’s and better photos) later. Love these!

Pendants are his forté. Here: Bud & Biba.

But you will also find floor lamps and scones. Cuckoo comes first and I LOVE Luau (right). Need one right now.

Knotty and Molly are equally lovable.

To find out more about these awesome products, contact Chris Reiter at usa@kennethcobonpue.com. Or, just send me an email and I’ll give you a price and lead time. I have an old price list. When I get the new one (Monday?) I’ll add retail prices.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Fortunately, Apartment Therapy has done all the work for you and me. Here’s a link to their awesome post about the best string lights. Personally, I like the ones pictured above. They’re from Napa Style. I know a soon-to-be bride who might be interested in some of the others!

First up, I adore the floor lamp by Plis ($2,392). I wish the price weren’t so steep because I would buy at least two and turn our patio, which takes up most of the backyard, into a summer living room.

I don’t own a pool, but if I did, I’d want this floating lamp designed by Hector Serrano ($396) bobbing in it. Lighting in the pool can create a soft romantic glow or add life to the party. Just turn it on and serve the cocktails.

The Uto pendants ($613) would look terrific hanging on either side of the front door – 2 on each side. They’ll remain looking clean if installed under a porch or other overhang.

We’ve taken care of the lamps, now we can address some garden lighting. This Pod Lens Systemy from Luceplan (starts at $149) are so versatile. Hang them from trees, tuck them in the shrubbery. Use them to light something special to create drama.

I used to laugh at these sorts of lights, but I’ve changed my mind. The key is to place them in just the right spot. I like the light-as-seat, on the left, in particular. Lite Cube, as its known ($600), would be fun at parties as extra seating. Or, place your floral decorations on them for an up-light effect. The Ouvo egg-shaped light by Fontana Arte is attractive, but hideously overpriced at $1,017. You can’t buy just one egg. You need three to make any sort of dignified statement. But I included it here because, despite the price, it’s a beautiful light.

Tips!

1. As with all lighting, you need to start your plan with enough ambient light for whatever you do outdoors. Dining, swimming, etc..

2. Add accent lighting to create mood. Dim the ambient light and pop some lights in trees, behind and in pots, around the pool.

3. Fairy lights aren’t just for Christmas or parties. String them inside umbrellas, lace them in trees.

4. Create a summer tent on tall poles. Hang a pendant or candle lantern in the middle and fairy lights on the sides. Move some furniture outdoors for the summer. And take a nap.

I’m curious to know if anyone has created an outdoor living room during the summer. I think of these as Asian. Have you thought of putting up a temporary awning or tent? I think if it didn’t rain too much it would work. What are your thoughts?

The fixture is composed of a polycarbonate tubular framework encrusted with tiny double corolla transparent flowers. Got that? There will be a quiz. There are three single-colours for the lamp: total transparency and opaque white for a refined ethereal effect, plus a sexy pink and black mix. A series of bulbs positioned along the internal framework diffuses beams of light through the petals and reflects off their surfaces radiating a thousand reflections.

I don’t have information on pricing, but Bloom will be available later this summer at Kartell’s shops and at Y Lighting.

Tip!

A beautiful light fixture can completely transform room. Just turn it on, or attach a dimmer to it.  As with Bloomy, there’s nothing like cast shadows to give a room real drama. When you’re shopping for lighting, always turn on the fixture and look at it all lit up (okay, no double entendre comments please).