The 10 Commandments of Good Interior Design

The 10 Commandments of good design according to Stephanie :

1. Thou shalt not select a paint color based on the teeny fandeck colors supplied by paint stores. (Stephanie can order 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of color to tape to your wall).
2. Thou shalt not let an interior designer dictate trends or their taste upon others. Everyone has their own individual taste and their home should be a reflection of them.
3. Thou shall minimize the different transitions in flooring throughout a space. The more different types of flooring used, the eye will stop at each transition and make the space appear smaller.
4. Thou shall always maintain a sense of humor and add something whimsical to every serious room.
5. Thou shalt not allow an interior designer to select artwork for one's personal space. Art is very personal and should be a reflection of oneself. An interior designer should never tell a client (or friend) that the artwork doesn't "go" or "match".
6. Thou shalt not always believe that ceilings should be painted white. Dark colors can add drama, a shade in the same color family can add depth, and ceilings painted in metallics, faux finishes or embellished in painted designs add excitement and sophistication.
7. Thou shalt not only consider interior decorating but exterior decorating as well, especially now that it's summer!
8. Thou shalt not feel the temptation to decorate their dwelling in a hurry or all at once. Take your time, find treasures that you love, decorate slowly and if necessary, in phases, but with an overall design concept in mind.
9. Thou shalt try not to line furniture up along one wall. Angle it, if the room allows, center it in the room and create individual conversation areas.
10. Thou shall think twice about discarding unwanteds. Repurpose, reuse, donate, recycle...everything looks beautiful in the right place. (If not, donate or recycle)

Among all, have fun! CELEBRATE SUMMER!!

Not Just Your Boring Everyday Wall Coverings...



Bisazza Showroom Chicago

  Gone are the days when the mention of "wallpaper" conjured up the image of small country floral patterns paired with coordinating borders for the kitchen walls.  In this day and age, they just keep getting more and more exciting and unique... A plethora of awesome choices awaits the creative decorator. I'm talking about wall coverings here; wall paper and wall tiles that decorate, make statements and allow a room or wall to come alive!

I just had the opportunity to attend Chicago's Neocon, a world trade fair where manufacturers unveil their new products. Wall coverings were hot!
Shown above are gorgeous mosaic designs created with tiles by Bisazza, an italian company known for their unique blends of pattern, design and color varieties. The chest, stools, wall and lamp are all made with interspersed metallic, iridescent and solid tiles.
Glass tiles are so hot now; the color and pattern choices are so vast and they're a recyclable product, another advantage.

Capiz Shell wallcovering by Maya Ramanoff

One of my favorite wall covering companies, based here in Chicago, is Maya Ramanoff Wallcoverings. This capiz shell product gives a wall such an intense iridescence to it, it makes a room glow, creating such a calm beauty to a space.

Candice Olson's Brilliant sand wallpaper

A leader in the interior design arena and very talented product designer as well, Candice Olson adds a beachy feel to this new line of wallcoverings, designed for MDC Wallcoverings, called Brilliant. I think the pattern is stunning and would punctuate a wall in an enclosed porch or sun room beautifully. By pairing this with glass jars filled with shells, it would create such a great summer look.

Bird feathered wallcoverings by MDC Wallcoverings

Yes, these are REAL bird feathered wallcoverings! How do you clean them? Very carefully! The best way is to use a vacuum attachment and carefully vacuum them. For dirt or stains, an extremely mild soap and water solution would work. Never rub, always blot.

FYGI: (For your green information) Vinyl wallcoverings have gotten some very bad press due to their non-green characteristics. Now, the first company to change this material is MDC Wallcoverings. They're introducing new technology built into the product with their "LEN-TEX". They call it Clean Vinyl Technology, or the next generation of vinyl wallcovering. It is free of:
Phthalates, heavy metals, arsenic-based biocide, antimony (used as a flame retardant and harmful!) and formaldehyde. Very exciting news!

Until next month, happy hanging! Please contact me if you need a professional hanger.

                              ~Stephanie