MORE DESIGN TIPS FOR A POLISHED LOOK

This post could be considered an extension to my previous post dealing with Dining Room.

Follow good design process

1.    Consider your style preferences - Modern, Traditional, Country,                             Transitional, Industrial, Farmhouse, etc.          

2.    Have a space plan for your room with accurate measurements.

3.    Decide on the mood for your room - cool or warm 

4.    Select fabrics, furniture or area rugs first

5.    Measure furniture before you buy 

6.    Put aside 15% - 20% for accessories

7.    Lastly select your paint colour;  this is the easiest thing to select. There are literally thousands of paint colours as opposed to upholstery selections or drapery fabrics.

Rules when buying Furniture

1.    When purchasing new furniture, measure the space it will be going into.         Take note of all doorways, windows, heating ducts and electrical outlets.

2.    Measure the actual area you want to put the furnishing into.                      Draw a small diagram of the room.

3.    Take a measuring tape and measure the pieces you intend to purchase or      ask your sales rep for a spec sheet with dimensions.

4    At home check the size and if needed, use painters tape to tape out the size   of the furniture on the floor.  Add approximately 1" to the side nearest the         wall to ensure room for bulky padding.

5.    Make sure the scale of the furniture will work in your space.  Do not overstuff a room and always have clear walk areas.

6.   Dining chairs need at 2' pushback space and they should remain                    on the area rug if there is one in the room.

7.   In a sitting area there should be at least 2' of space between your                  coffee table and your sofa or chairs.

8.   Furniture styles should relate to one and other.  That's not to say you cannot mix an antique piece with contemporary pieces, just  follow the 80 % --20%        rule. (80% of one style and 20% of a different style).

A few more important measurements

1.    When creating a tall floral arrangement the flowers should be 2 times the height of the vessel. **Note this does not apply to centrepieces on the dining table.  They should be 2" lower than the eye level of seated guests.

2.    When placing your TV measure the diagonal width of the set and that will help determine the optimal viewing distance.

3.    When considering window draperies, multiply the window's width by 2.5 to determine the width of fabric needed for full looking drapes.  Mount the rod at least 2" above the window frame.  Depending on how much space here is between the top of the window and the ceiling I usually suggest hanging your rod halfway between.  The rod should be extended 6" to 16", space allowing so that the window is not made to look small.

Easy steps to help eliminate Errors

1.    Look through decor magazines for ideas.

2.    Remember not all pictures are accurate - lighting used in photography can distort colour.  This is more prevalent in paint colours.

3.    If you are still unsure you can hire a decor professional and you will avoid costly mistakes and save money in the long run.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts on how to select the best furniture. 

Next posts will go over proper spacing for hanging artwork.

Also, I will be sharing important space information in designing Kitchens & Baths

If you have any questions or topics you would like to see covered in this blog, reach out to me at wisbyjeannette@gmail.com

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

Welcome to 2024 ....

Hi everyone ...

It's here; another year.  I always do a post on the Pantone colour of the year and Trends for the year.  Every paint company selects their own colour of the year which has nothing to do with the Pantone colour.  This year Pantone has selected "Peach Fuzz" a warm and cozy hue. Well it certainly has the feeling of spring which we are waiting for.

Here are some images of how we will see it this year.

Jingle Bells, jingle all the way oopps into - Happy New Years!!! ✨✨

Well here we are,December 31st and I didn't get around to posting some Christmas Decor ideas.

That tells how my time this past fall was. Things are looking up as far as how my time will be.  I hope to get back into keeping this blog up to date with interesting posts. 

Since I didn't post Christmas Decor I decided to make a short video of my home decorated for the holidays. I have never really done this before.  I recall about 15 years ago I did a couple of U-Tube posts but I don't  remember how I managed it?  Anyway I gave it a try this year to highlight my decor in my new home in Dundas, ON.  For some reason it wont load here so if you want to see it go to my facebook page.

My next post will be Trends for 2024

Summertime and The Living is Easy

Yes, its here and came in with a wallop and continues.  We have had hotter days and more rain this year than in past years.  I do love summer.  I have been a little remiss on this post since we are now into August but you still might enjoy it.

It is time to get outdoors ready for some relaxing and entertaining in the coming months.  Whether you have a small balcony, a deck, patio, pool or complete oasis you can take some inspiration from the photos below to bring some excitement into your own space.

Summer is such a colourful and for the most part a happy time.  We tend to be more relaxed and get together with friends and family more than in winter. 

When planning your outdoor space keep in mind how you want to use it.  There are so many factors involved to give the most enjoyment.  I attended a wonderful seminar a few years ago and it really spoke to everything you should consider.  I will add that information in another post.

This being a blog about design and decor, I should share some of the fabulous products that help us enjoy summer.

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 -