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The Design Inspirationalist

~ Inspiring Ideas | Spectacular Creations

The Design Inspirationalist

Category Archives: The Home

Guest Post: Texture and the Color Red Used in the Bedroom

11 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Guest Posts, The Home

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

bedroom, bedroom decor, blinds, color, curtains, decor, drapes, fabrics, flowers, harlequin, house of frasier, lighting, linea, linen, linens, london, pillows, red, sanderson, texture, toile, vases

This is The Design Inspirationalist’s first guest post, written by Michael Turner, an enthusiast in home improvement, technology and design. Enjoy!

Bedroom decor is a challenge in itself, aimed at creating an interesting yet relaxing ambience at the same. The play of color, texture, and lighting will all have to be precisely balanced to set just the right atmosphere of calm and intimacy, neither too minimalist nor too ornamental. Muted shades of color, diffused lighting, and soft textured fabrics characterise the ideal decor of the bedroom. How exactly does a bold color such as red, fit into this picture without really being loud? Red does make the space more attractive when used in discrete splashes and unique textures.

Guest Post: Texture and the Colour Red Used in the Bedroom

Shades of Red

Different shades of the basic red color can be used either by themselves or in combination with other shades of orange, yellow, white or beige to simply break the monotony of an otherwise vibrant color. Patterned or differently textured quilts, headboards, and wall papers spruce up the space to make it more interesting. It is certainly not advisable to paint all the walls red, unless one is confident of toning down the color by alternative design ideas.

Decorative Pieces

Red colored vases, flowers, designer lamp fixtures with shades of red all add to the glamour of the room. The placement of decorative objects and the lighting will have to be carefully planned to avoid a sense of clutter.

Guest Post: Texture and the Colour Red Used in the Bedroom

Guest Post: Texture and the Colour Red Used in the Bedroom

Blinds and Drapes

Delicate or heavy blinds, drapes or curtains, either patterned or plain ensure privacy of the space while also adding to the intimacy of the setting, especially when in shades of red. Choice of fabric serves to accentuate the atmosphere.

Guest Post: Texture and the Colour Red Used in the Bedroom

Guest Post: Texture and the Colour Red Used in the Bedroom

Bedding

Beds and bed linen obviously form the focal point of the room and hence it is essential to choose the right shade of red, and preferably a luxurious texture such as silk or micro suede for the linen. Personal preferences on the texture, prints and styles play an important role in the selection of bed linen.

A comfortable array of throws and pillows, ideally of different shades of red or other complimentary colors add a neat yet cozy look to the bed. Pillows of different shapes and sizes add variety to the space, and pillow covers made from fabrics such as paisley, velvet or chenille too can serve to incorporate texture variations to the setting.

Guest Post: Texture and the Colour Red Used in the Bedroom

Guest Post: Texture and the Colour Red Used in the Bedroom

Traditional yet simple wooden bed frames, or wrought iron frames and sleek furniture pieces compliment the looks of a bedroom that showcases red as the predominant color.

Guest Post: Texture and the Colour Red Used in the Bedroom

Guest Post: Texture and the Colour Red Used in the Bedroom

Guest Post: Texture and the Colour Red Used in the Bedroom

Red, though a bold color, is indicative of energy and vigour and when used intelligently in a bedroom setting can make the space relaxing and exciting. Feng Sui also favors the use of red in bedroom decor as it is considered a symbol of energy, passion, luxury and richness, representative of the power of fire, which has both positive and negative impacts. However, it warns against an overdose of red because it can cause restlessness and anger, disturbing the calm of an otherwise intimate space.

Experiment with red decor in the bedroom by using simple decorative pieces and move on to more elaborate use of the color only when it improves the ambience.

Spring Sweetness – A Backyard Makeover

06 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Great Outdoors

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

backyard, cherry trees, colorful flowers, dusty miller, flowers, fruit, garden, gardening, gorgeous space, grass, greenery, hydrangeas, iris, leaves, nature, nice weather, patio, peonies, plants, rose bushes, roses, spring, summer, trees, vegetable garden, weeds, wildflower seed

Now that spring is here and summer is right around the corner, Dan and I have been working on our backyard so it looks beautiful for the warmer seasons. From our garden to the patio, we have transformed the space with the determination and love. When we moved in this past February the backyard was a great example of neglect. It was sad how people could let such a gorgeous space go to ruins. Then we came along and gave it life.

So here is a little preview of what it was like before. I know fall was coming to an end but there were leaves everywhere and dead bushes and plants all over. The fence they put up around the patio seemed silly and just blocked the beautiful view. The whole yard needed work for sure.

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Then slowly we did our magic and turned this backyard disaster into our heaven. Even though there is a little more to do, we are so happy with how it has turned out. Since the nice weather is here we were able to get more done and now that the wedding is over we can dedicate more time to making it perfect.

As soon as spring came around, the weeds came popping up! So the first step was to get everything pulled out and cleaned up. But it sure looked nice with actual greenery showing its face.

Spring Sweetness

The end of our yard is beautiful on its own. We love the overgrown greenery and pretty rose bushes and flowers that love blooming for us to see. It reminds me of the secret garden. This is where we plan to have our vegetable gardens next year. So excited! Our cherry trees are finally showing some fruit as well.

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

The next step was to pick out various flowers and plants that would thrive in our garden and bring life to the space. We chose hydrangeas, hollyhocks, tulips, peonies and other tiny colorful flowers. We already had roses and iris which was a nice bonus. For some green and other color we added some small bushes, my Grandmother’s hosta, dusty miller and low foliage around the edge.

In between everything I planted some wildflower seed bombs we had left over from the wedding in hopes they would help to fill in the space. Although it needs some time to all grow in, I think its a huge improvement! I wanted it to feel whimsy, pretty and romantic while also looking wild and free. This is why I chose a number of delicate bushes and flowers along with some that are lush and elegant.

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

The patio was our next project and we were excited to get it ready for summer. First, we took the fence down which was an improvement all by itself. Then we cleaned it up and painted the cement gray. As soon as we purchased our patio set (from West Elm) we worked our butts off to bring beauty to the space.

With the addition of some greenery and flowers, the patio now looks like a patio. We chose to surround the space with nature and border it off with a small cedar garden fence. We also through in some solar lights and created a small path into the yard with slate stones the previous owners left behind. The dirt area has been seeded so we are crossing our fingers grass shows its face soon. Add in a charcoal grill and we are good to go!

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

Spring Sweetness

I hope this project will inspire you all to get our there and make Mother Earth shine even brighter. Even if you have a small space to work with there are tons of things you can do to enhance the look and feel. I know as the days pass by it will look even better in our yard so I plan to post photos for all of you to see the progress. Happy Gardening!

My Future Kids Rule

06 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Decor Ideas, Everyday Design, The Home

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

antique, artsy, children, crafty, design, future kids, home, inspirations, kids, mid century, shabby chic, style, toys, vintage

My Future Kids Rule

Dan and I definitely plan to have a family and are both excited to have kids. Even though we are going to wait a little while that doesn’t mean I can’t start wondering what I will surround them with. Art, design and music of course! Here are a few inspirations, items and ideas that remind me of my future kids. Enjoy!

My Future Kids Rule

My Future Kids Rule

My Future Kids Rule

My Future Kids Rule

My Future Kids Rule

My Future Kids Rule

My Future Kids Rule

My Future Kids Rule

My Future Kids Rule

My Future Kids Rule

Pinterest - My Future Kids Rule

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

28 Monday May 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

balance, color, design, interior design, nature, rugs, small spaces, space, texture

Redefining Space

Here is another collection of ideas that will help you redefine spaces in your home. Sometimes it just takes a few tips to get you started and then you are set to go. There are easy and simple ways of accomplishing successful design. You just have to keep the space in mind and figure out what works best.

Have a stairwell in need of some love? Hanging photos or artwork on the walls will usually do the trick but what about the corner of the stairwell? Don’t think you can’t do anything with them just because it is a small space. Shop around for a corner piece of furniture or place a plant on a plant stand. Two ideas that will solve the problem and look beautiful. You can also dress up the stairs! Get creative and have some fun.

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Corners in a room are very important. In my previous apartment I had glass bookshelves in the corner which looks great but still seemed a little empty. I happened to have a big branch that I found in my backyard that I felt would be perfect for the spot. I already had it in an oversized vase on the floor but it wasn’t doing much where I originally had it. This corner was the ideal spot. Not only does it fill up the space, it brings a natural and whimsical feel to the room.

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Bringing natural elements into your home is one idea I always recommend people do. The Earth is such a beautiful place and it gives us so much to work with. This is one thing you can take for granted because most of the time it’s free and best of all, it enhances your everyday life in the process.

For natural elements, look around your local parks or even around your backyard. Remember not to settle with an item just because you want to get the project out of the way. Bringing in plants and flowers will always brighten up a room. Your home is an extension of who you are so allow it to represent your style and personality to the fullest.

Another problem I feel people have with defining space is understanding ways to open it up. If you have a small room, you shouldn’t bring heavy, dark furniture into the space. It will just make it look smaller. That doesn’t mean you can’t use browns and darker colors, it just means you should watch how you combine the elements in the room. It should always feel balanced. Knowing your measurements should help solve that problem.

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

You can have a big, lofty room and still have it feel relaxing, airy and warm. If you want to fill up the space nicely and can use large furniture, then go for it. For big spaces you can choose from many colors that are warm or cool. It’s just a matter of how you want the space to feel. Color plays a big part as well. The warmer the hue (reds, oranges and browns) the space will seem cozier. The cooler the hue (whites, creams, blues and grays) the space will feel more open and airy. But as long you have a nice balance between color, furniture and texture, you can create the space of your dreams.

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

For my living room, I chose a cool blue/gray palette on my walls and included a lot of white. I balanced that out with metal and dark gray furniture. Although its nice to have  a lot of light neutrals in the space, there should be some weight to help balance everything out. This is why I chose darker gray metal pieces with a mix of wood to fill in areas.

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Textures also play an important role when balancing a space.  Again, if you are stuck with a small room, brighten it up with a high textured rug but don’t hide it with a heavy coffee table. To show the rug off you want to purchase a table that you can see through or has a very light feeling.

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

Try to be creative when it comes to furniture. You don’t always have to buy something already made. Make it yourself! A year ago I purchased several crates from Etsy and stacked them to make shelves. Once I placed some of my vintage accessories on them, it stood out brilliantly. Keeping a collection together is more dramatic than spreading it around so try to pair up pieces by style, form or color.

Redefining Space – Design Ideas for Your Home

For vintage crates and things of that nature, stop by garage sales in your neighborhood. You never know what you will find. There are a lot of things in my home I found at yard sales and for a very good price. Don’t forget about antique shops too! Get creative and work with the space you have. It’s all up to you to make it functional and beautiful.

Hope you all have fun playing around with some of these ideas. Remember, it’s easy to design your space and balance it out. Just keep these tips in mind and DIY your way to brilliance.

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