DESIGN TIPS AND TRICKS AND IMPORTANT NUMBERS FOR YOUR DINING SPACE

DESIGNING YOUR DINING ROOM

The  table size should be determined by the size of the room and other furniture in it. The minimum space between the edge of the table and the wall or a piece of furniture is 30 - 36".Ideally 48 - 60".  This allows for clearance walking behind seated diners.

Seating allowances each diner should have 24 - 30" wide by 16 - 18" in depth and 5 - 9" between diners.

Area rugs in dining rooms must go beneath the table and all 4 chair legs. Dining chairs need at least 2' pushback space.  It is important that when the chairs are pushed away, they are still on the rug and do not go beyond and become caught.  An underpad is a good investment as it will protect the rug fibres rubbing against the wood floors whenever chairs are pushed back and forth.

Chandeliers in a room with an 8' ceiling should be hung between 28 - 34" from the table top and the bottom of the chandelier.  For each foot higher than that add 3".  To determine an appropriate size of chandelier measure the width of the room in feet, double the number and change it to inches.  The width should never be longer than the table.  Ideally it would be 1/2 to 2/3 of your table. Dimmer switches are very important in a dining room as they add ambience.  Wall sconces can also add ambience and should be placed 60" from the floor.

         

Centrepieces & candles should never block the view of the diner.Average eye level for men is 27" from table top and for women it is 19".  It is also of note that candles should not be scented where food is being served.

Drapery brings an elegant mood to a dining room.  This is an area of much discussion.  The correct length has the fabric just touching the floor. The placement of the curtain rod should be half way between the top of the window moulding and the ceiling in most cases.  There are always different options depending the height of the room, window etc.

Dishware looks more cohesive when the style works with the style of your room.  A victorian china pattern would not work as well in an ultra modern space as something clean lined and plain.  Coordinating wallcoverings, drapery, rug, table linens and china does not mean match matchy.  I just means having it flow well and coordinated.

A beautiful Dining room

INTERIOR DESIGN & DECOR TRENDS FOR 2024

I thought I would do a simple list of what we will be seeing this year.

→    A return to the Art Deco look with rounded shapes, curvy pieces,                         details and sculptural moulding, saturated colour in some                                    cases, i.e. accessories

→    Earth tones, natural looking spaces, clay pottery, organic materials,                      warmer

→    Clean look.  Using a stacked tile design rather than a brick pattern

→    Deep colours, bold, jewell especially for accessories. Blue is still                            very popular especially Cobalt blue

→    Overstuffed and comfortable upholstered furniture.  Still many toss                       cushions and many with patterns

→    Patterns in fabric, wallpaper, tiles, carpet

→    We will still see neutral hues in the big ticket items like sofas and                          carpet.  The fun comes with the accessories.

→    Colourful Portuguese pottery will be seen more

→    Wood ceilings

→    Biophilia which is the human connection to nature.  We are drawn to                  living  things especially plants. Plants are known to be beneficial to our                 mental health and our inside environment

→    Open plan living is losing it's appeal and we want individual spaces

→    The all white kitchen is not as popular these days.  We want to                             see more colour

→    Texture everywhere.  Boucle, wood

wood ceiling

wallpaper

biophilia

cobalt blue

rounded furnishings

soft, comfy and rounded

wallpaper

wood ceiling

texture

wallpaper

stacked wall tile

soft and rounded

art deco colour

POWDER ROOMS in 2023

Powder rooms are an opportunity to have a little more fun and step out of your comfort zone. This can be the little jewel box of the home, a perfect space to use  your creativity. Tile can be installed on the walls of a bathroom in place of paint or wallpaper. I worked on a powder room with a client and we put tile on the wall  behind the sink.  It looks beautiful.  Textured, decorative tile is likely to gain popularity in 2023. The shapes add decorative interest, dimension and artistry to a space, particularly for hand-crafted or highly detailed tiles. 

Darker colours are coming back. You'll notice richer, warmer wood tones paired with dark, more saturated finishes. Lots of textures will be showing up in all ways. Saturated colour is really happening now. I love to do a super moody powder room and paint the trim, ceiling, and wall all one color. A deep jewel-tone green or blue is stunning for this. Wallpaper in a bold, fun pattern or wainscoting throughout the room work well too. In my last home I painted my powder room black.  It was very dramatic.

Clients are typically more willing to go darker and stronger in a powder room space and take chances with wall colours. We don't spend much time in a powder room so it is easy to accept something a little more daring.

The modern powder room for 2023 is packed with glamour.  We are seeing powder rooms loaded with extra thick floating countertops and fluted walls in gorgeous marble accented by anything from intensely patterned wallpaper to super subtle grasscloths, and always a dose of statement lighting.

Additionally, adding some nice art really raises the bar and of course lighting which I will touch on in a future post. You will notice that the mirrors and lighting are like jewellery in the room.

Here are some gorgeous powder rooms -                            

    

 

 

BATHROOMS FOR 2023

 2023 Bathrooms

We are really bringing bathrooms to a whole new level by creating tranquil, peaceful, luxurious spaces that are both functional and a relaxing with a spa feel. We now want to utilize our bathroom as a place to get away from it all.  Today’s homeowners are seeking bathroom designs that make them feel perfectly pampered exceptional spaces that exude luxury and unique flair.

The focus on wellness and wellness technology in the bathroom is being considered these days.  Extras – heated floors, steam shower, shower rooms, aromatherapy, high quality lighting, towel warmers, special makeup mirrors, large format tiles, well organized storage solutions are in demand.

Freestanding tubs have been around for a few years but now they are replacing drop in tubs. There are so many styles to choose from.  The bathtub is naturally one of the centerpieces of a spa-like bath. For that reason, we have seen an increased desire for freestanding tubs, particularly ones with a view. Combining the bathtub and shower as a wet room is becoming more popular.

I think Carrara marble with chrome metal accents will always be timeless because it is a clean and simplistic look that still feels chic and luxurious. I also love a herringbone pattern and don’t see that going out of style.”   It is important to use honed floor tiles to reduce slipping.  Beautiful stone like marble or marble look a-likes in porcelain which is more affordable and easier to maintain.

Black, white and gray is the most tried-and-true color combination of all time. With that simple, reduced color palette, you can go in so many different directions and still have an abundance of drama with linens and accessories in different colour schemes.

Blue and white palettes are gaining more popularity.  This can be done with wallpaper, wainscoting, window treatments and tile. In thinking of wallpaper, it has come a long way from the 80’s and is gaining more popularity. The most important thing to consider is a wallpaper that can exist in a moist area.

The other option we see is texture,  which provides the warmth in a room made up of hard surfaces that people are currently looking for in their homes.”

Custom Showers

The Schluter system, Kerdi Base, Kerdi Drain and Kerdi Waterproofing. However there are other ways of preparing a room for a custom shower. The base can be made out of cement as well. Walls can be protected with water resistant drywall, cement board or Denz-Sheild.  Glass doors are double swing allowing for easier access to the shower.  Curbless showers with same flooring as main bathroom area are being used more.  Having no curb offers a safety affect in that there is no tripping and if someone needed to bring a mobility piece it can move easily.

Heated Floors

The price for heated floors depends on the size and shape of a room. The two popular brands are Flextherm and NuHeat. Flextherm is a cable that is ran over your sub floor around cable holders provided by the flextherm company. Nuheat is a mat that comes in certain sizes and can be custom made to fit a particular room; however the custom mats can be much more expensive. This is secured to the sub floor with a Thinset cement. Both types of heated floors would then be covered with self leveling cement and then the tile is installed over top.

 One of the most important items is the lighting. We will see more pendants and sconces as well as ceiling chandeliers.  When talking about chandeliers in a bathroom code dictates that they cannot be hung over the bathtub.  This is a safety concern. There are so many beautiful lighting that are both functional and create a soothing atmosphere. 

The white spa look has always been popular over recent years but the use of more wood or wood look elements is becoming more popular for a moody look.

Here are some gorgeous bathrooms.  It is a good way to see what you like or not and pick some of the elements from each bathroom that could be used in your next reno.

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