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

Curve Appeal




Did you ever stop to wonder if you're a geometric, straight, linear design kind of person, or a curvilinear, more rounded type? Well, me? I love anything curved, loopy, rounded, swirled...you get the idea. I do appreciate geometrics and linear design elements, however, for me to find balance in it, it must be infused with some type of rounded element. Take a look at some ways I've added curve appeal to my interiors that I've designed (and an interior that I just love, but didn't design):





Photo by Artografi
Custom carpet designed by me and fabricated by Luzern Carpets. Installed by Floor Decor, Lindenhurst, IL. The installer inset the  wavy patterned carpet into an installed stone tiled border. The faux finish on the wall is a painted frame around a framed piece of art. Artist is Art View, Wheeling, IL.



Photo by Artografi
Custom area rug that I designed and had fabricated by Custom Carpet Artistry, Arlington Heights, IL. The hand carving and curved edges mirror the scalloped sheer draperies. Private residence.







 Photo by Stephanie Nickolson

Bedroom furniture and decor at Christopher Guy showroom, Winnetka, IL. I didn't design this room, but ask me about how it can be yours! Take a look at their other collections at www.christopherguy.com     gorgeous stuff!

Photo by Stephanie Nickolson




 Another custom carpet that I designed and had Custom Carpet Artistry fabricate and install on a staircase. Private residence.







Photo by Artografi
Same artist, Art View, painted a curved faux finish accent on wall to delineate the office/loft area. 

Photo by Stephanie Nickolson
As you can see, I do have a lot of fun with carpet~ Same designer, same rug fabricator!


And now, I'm running out of time and I haven't mentioned anything GREEN in this blog, so here's FYGI: (for your green information) I attended Chicago's Green Festival this past Sunday and it was really a great show. So many products were labeled as "fair trade". To define what "fair trade" really means, it's products that were produced under socially, environmentally, environmentally and economically sustainable conditions. TransFair USA is the only independent, non-profit certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S. The Fair Trade Certified label provides a way for consumers to know that these products meet these global standards. Oh, and yes, I bought a cool, curvy cuff bracelet!

Happy Spring!







Celebrate Earth Day in the outdoors!

This is a really exciting time for me now; this month marks the 2nd anniversary of my design blog on my website. I first started blogging the week of Earth Day, how apropos. Even though it's cold and rainy here in Chicago, almost all of the snow that fell the other day has almost disappeared and the first flowers of the season are optimistically trying to lift from the ground. The season of lounging around outdoors in the sun is looming ahead. Thoughts of entertaining friends and family, eating delicious grilled food, sipping festive drinks and the music of chirping birds fills my mind. Whether acres of land surrounds your home or you live in a dwelling with a small patio or deck, there are so many ways to celebrate spring and decorate your exterior sustainably and comfortingly. The white furniture shown above is newly introduced and
available through the company Trex. You may be familiar with this company, as it's known for it's outdoor decking products. Recently, they've introduced outdoor furniture into the marketplace. It's made of 90% recycled content, incorporating the use of recycled milk jugs and laundry detergent bottles.

Shown above is a rug to add pattern and color to your deck or patio, giving a warm feeling of indoor coziness. It's offered in two colorways; Rust (as shown) or Aqua. These decorative rugs are reversible, handcrafted by Thai artisans who receive fair wages for their craft and made 100% of recycled soda bottles. They're durable, just need to be hosed down to clean and come in sizes 4' x 6' or 6' x 9'. They are available through http://www.gaiam.com/

Also through Gaiam, is a line of furniture which is actually made from recycled wine barrels. The chair shown here is part of that collection.

Who wouldn't want to be enveloped in the hammock shown above? (OR any other hammock for that matter) This hand-woven option is available through The Hammock Company and is called Pawleys Island Presidential Size Hammock. This, along with other eco-friendly styles, can be seen at http://www.hammocks.com/ I would love to be resting here right about now!

How ever you choose to decorate the exterior of your home, whether it be a living area, fully furnished with furniture, rugs and a hanging light fixture, or it includes an outdoor kitchen, fully equipped with a stove, or you simply use a grassy area and punctuate it with a small bistro table and chairs, it's the season to be outdoors and celebrate time with friends and family.

Are you into gardening? A great book titled "Organic Garden" authored by Christine and Michael Lavelle (shown in photo above) offers great tips on this topic. It also makes a great coffee table book!

What ever way you choose to celebrate Earth Day, I hope it includes some outdoor activity or something that includes being kind to our earth. Please share your ideas, questions or thoughts on how you'll be celebrating it.

Until next month, CHEERS!

~ Stephanie

Spring Forward...Fall Back Into RETRO!

Pendant light fixture by Nuevo

Rug offered by The Rug Market, Kathy Ireland Young Attitudes, "Love Safari Ivory Coast/Sandy Beach"

Butterfly Chair by RALPHLAURENHOME, called " New Safari Camp Chair"

Bar stool by Nuevo

Fabric by Mod Green Pod Wallpaper by designer

While we've all sprung forward, let's take a moment to roll back in time. I love some of the old design eras, including the one from the '50's that evokes a feeling of happiness; simple floral designs (ones that I used to doodle on paper when bored) sunbursts and overlapping large-scaled geometric shapes...flourescent colors were trendy during this era; shades of yellows, greens, turquoises, oranges and pinks were all hot...

According to Urban Dictionary, the term retro is a style from the past representing something nostalgic such as an article of clothing or decorative item. It gives me a warm feeling, thinking of these sunbursts and floral motifs, a period of time that I enjoy revisiting...

These products are all retro, cool and current. They can be intermixed into different styles of design as a focal point or as an accent.

* FYI: The Butterfly chair was created in 1938 by the architect Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy and was originally called the Hardoy chair. Now, the popular style's frame can be covered in everything from hot pink faux-fur to polka-dotted and canvas fabrics. I really like this Ralph Lauren version of distressed-rustic-goes-great-with-turquoise look.

A lot of these products look great in teenager's rooms as well as rec rooms or basements. Pottery Barn does a great job of offering these products for teens. Check them out at: http://www.potterybarn.com/

* FYGI (For Your Green Info): Mod Green Pod manufacturers fabrics and wallpapers that are ALL eco-friendly. Check them out at: http://www.modgreenpod.com/

Red, White or Honeysuckle??

I'm a bit behind schedule with posting my blog, but it is still February, so this is all about the color choices: Red, White or Honeysuckle? Check out Pantone Color Institute's color of the year, 2011: Honeysuckle... This leader of the world's color trends, PCI, has chosen this hue to create a calming effect on the public's psyche after all of the economic challenges that we've seen the past few years. This color is popping up everywhere; from the fashion runways to appliances as well as home decor. I'm also quite sure that a lot of companies are pitching in to raise breast cancer awareness by selecting this color for their products. They'll usually donate a portion of their proceeds to go towards cancer research and/or treatment.



For all of the men reading this; do not be afraid to wear or use pink! It will make you so in style...



I LOVE this dog wallcovering, left photo; it's a bit over-the-top but great for a child's room or "pet room" ;-) Any veterinarians out there??

The "birdcage" light fixture, above photo adds whimsy also to any room in the house. It especially goes well in a four-seasons room or porch.

This chair is a great look for a living room, family room or reading area. I would incorporate it into a contemporary setting, eclectic or traditional. Pair it with a zebra print, a chocolate brown leather piece of furniture or a white flokati rug and you've created a fabulous look!

For those of you who in live in the Chicagoland area, the magazine House Beautiful is hosting a pink chair giveaway from February 26-28. They will be dropping 20 different chairs off in different locations in Chicago. The first to grab them gets to take them home! For additional info, you can read more at http://www.housebeautiful.com I've decided to wait a few months to showcase my newly recovered furniture, as the process takes a bit longer than I had anticipated...stay tuned for some exciting pieces that will be available for purchase.

I'm still blogging for Natural Home magazine. If you didn't have a chance to read my posts, here are links to the past few:

http://http//www.naturalhomemagazine.com/green-decor-and-design/healthy-green-design-man-cave.aspx

http://http//www.naturalhomemagazine.com/green-decor-and-design/healthy-green-design-decorating-pebbles-rocks-stone.aspx

Would love to hear from you: What do you want to learn about? Please share your design dilemmas and questions!

~FYGI (for your green information) A great site to search for green information and products is: http://www.green.yahoo.com/

Welcome 2011...and reflecting on 2010...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, here we are, 2011. I haven't made any "resolutions" per se, but I've rather focused on a few goals that I hope to have accomplished by year's end. They're both room renovations in my home; both powder room and kitchen. I've pondered, reflected and eventually zeroed in on ideas, now they just need to be implemented. Results and progress to be posted as we go along.

As we move forward into 2011, I like to reflect on the past year... what did I want to achieve but didn't quite complete? What would I have done differently?

Along with these thoughts on reflection, I'd like to spotlight one of my favorite companies: Christopher Guy, a manufacturer of fine furniture and stunning mirrors. They are shown above (single mirrors, not fireplace setting) You can view more of them at http://christopherguy.com/

According to Webster, reflection has multiple meanings: 1.the fixing of the mind on some subject and 2. the throwing back of a surface of sound, light, heat, etc. This seems appropriate as a New Year's topic, as it is a time to reflect on life and "fix the mind on" goals, as well as come up with ideas of how to beat the winter doldrums, ie; how to brighten up an interior with metallic or reflective items.

With winter upon us, here are some bright ideas to add sparkle to a room. By adding metallics and iridescence to a space, it creates openness and alters a mood from drab and flat to shiny and having depth. Walls painted an all matte finish can make a room appear drab and boring. Just as adding textures creates warmth and interest, by throwing in some fringed metallic accent pillows, it gives a sofa or chair dimension. Mirrors always give the illusion of space as well as add that reflective quality to a room and make it appear larger than it actually is.

Another idea is to wallpaper an accent wall a light metallic or pearlized choice which infuses an effervescent quality. You can even stripe it by painting an alternating high gloss/matte finish in the same color family. I would recommend larger stripes, about 6"-8" wide, to open up the space. Placing clear glass bowls or tall vases on a cocktail table with metallic colored balls in them is very festive and also another way to incorporate metallics in a room.

In closing, I'll share an old Ugandan proverb with you that I love: the task ahead of you is never as great as the power behind you...

~ Wishing you all success with your reflections and goals for the new year...

~ Please check back next month where I'll start featuring refurbished furniture with funky, fabulous new upholstered fabrics that will be available for purchase. ~