Interior design has always been impacted by fashion trends - both historically and in the modern day. In this article series, "Designing in Style," I explore the meaning of style for interior designers. I draw on my experience working alongside many of London's best-known interior design teams. This first article in my series outlines some of the basic concepts.
One of the first things to note is that we change our interiors much less frequently than we change our clothing. As a result, it is important for the professional interior designer to not design too "fashionable" a room for fear that it might seem completely outdated next year. Certainly it is possible to keep up with furniture fashions - many of which can be seen in London's monthly interior design magazines - but the professional interior designer will generally prefer to focus on furniture fashions that can be easily changed. Examples include cushions, table decorations, rugs and bed linens.
London interior design trends can be very changeable. For example, in recent decades London saw a movement back towards the traditional. The Georgian-style Adam fireplace has seen a major revival, as have other old-fashioned features. Mouldings are very much in style today, and interior designers will commonly include them - whether in plaster or in wood.
Interestingly, the return of the dado (even in some of the smaller London residences) has also seen a re-envisioning of the two-tone wall colour scheme. In keeping with tradition, London interior design professionals will often choose a heavier, darker colour below the dado rail and a lighter colour above.
Fabric coordination is very much in vogue. With the increased availability of bespoke fabric centres in and around London, interior designers will often nowadays choose fabrics that are manufactured to match papers, borders, carpets, ceramics and even porcelain.
Finally, style should always be understood in the context of the available interior design space. No two rooms are identical, and every room has both strong points and weak points. The most experienced interior designers will choose styles that can showcase a room's strengths while hiding its weaknesses. Examples of weaknesses in a room might include some structural re-engineering made by a previous owner, or perhaps an awkward architectural design fault that cannot be remedied today.
In the next article in this series on how interior designers "design in style," I will introduce you to two of London's most timeless design styles - Georgian and Victorian.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Insights into Interior Design: How Designers Select Wall Hangings - Lighting and Mirrors
When interior designers use the term "wall hangings," they are commonly referring to anything and everything that one may hang on a wall. London is a fabulous place to choose wall hangings due to the many active artist communities and the strong tradition of professional interior design. In this third and final article in my series on "How Interior Designers Select Wall Hangings," I will discuss some approaches to lighting and mirror installations that I have seen while working alongside many of London's most successful interior design professionals.
Lighting is an incredibly important part of the art of interior design when it comes to wall hangings. Sometimes it can be absolutely stunning to include a spotlight effect or underlighting to draw the eye towards a particularly fabulous photograph or painted centrepiece. In London, interior designers will normally include lighting elements at the very first stage of their brief. As with so many parts of interior design, nothing is ever an afterthought - the entire design is comprehensive and perfectly envisioned right from the start. For example, professional interior designers will anticipate a need for any wall-hung picture lights and will make sure this is included in the electrical drawings for the electrical contractors to fit a socket at the appropriate height during the early preparation phase of your project. (In most London residences, such sockets heights are non-standard.)
Mirrors can be appropriate for an interior design because they make a room appear larger and can help the resident to better visualise artwork or other wall hangings from many perspectives. This is particularly important for certain smaller London residences which may feature awkward spaces or difficult corners. The professional interior designer will make sure to think hard about appropriate placement of mirrors - whether they are being included for practical or decorative purposes. If a mirror is framed, the interior designer will make sure that the frame is matched or coordinated with other frames or materials in the room.
When using a mirror decoratively, the professional interior designer will always pay attention to make sure that it reflects something of interest. I have seen less experienced interior designers in London occasionally hang a mirror in a place where the reflections can cause annoyance or distraction to someone sitting at a table or on a settee. Fortunately mirrors can be easily re-hung elsewhere, but the most prestigious London interior design consultancies will always take this into account and get it right the first time.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Lighting is an incredibly important part of the art of interior design when it comes to wall hangings. Sometimes it can be absolutely stunning to include a spotlight effect or underlighting to draw the eye towards a particularly fabulous photograph or painted centrepiece. In London, interior designers will normally include lighting elements at the very first stage of their brief. As with so many parts of interior design, nothing is ever an afterthought - the entire design is comprehensive and perfectly envisioned right from the start. For example, professional interior designers will anticipate a need for any wall-hung picture lights and will make sure this is included in the electrical drawings for the electrical contractors to fit a socket at the appropriate height during the early preparation phase of your project. (In most London residences, such sockets heights are non-standard.)
Mirrors can be appropriate for an interior design because they make a room appear larger and can help the resident to better visualise artwork or other wall hangings from many perspectives. This is particularly important for certain smaller London residences which may feature awkward spaces or difficult corners. The professional interior designer will make sure to think hard about appropriate placement of mirrors - whether they are being included for practical or decorative purposes. If a mirror is framed, the interior designer will make sure that the frame is matched or coordinated with other frames or materials in the room.
When using a mirror decoratively, the professional interior designer will always pay attention to make sure that it reflects something of interest. I have seen less experienced interior designers in London occasionally hang a mirror in a place where the reflections can cause annoyance or distraction to someone sitting at a table or on a settee. Fortunately mirrors can be easily re-hung elsewhere, but the most prestigious London interior design consultancies will always take this into account and get it right the first time.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Insights into Interior Design: How Designers Select Wall Hangings - Installing Pictures
When interior designers use the term "wall hangings," they are commonly referring to anything and everything that one may hang on a wall. London is a fabulous place to choose wall hangings due to the many active artist communities and the strong tradition of professional interior design. In this second article in my series on "How Interior Designers Select Wall Hangings," I will talk in detail about several approaches that I have seen while working alongside many of London's most successful interior design professionals.
As a general guideline, pictures tend to work well when arranged in squares or rectangles. London is a world fashion centre, and jaunty mismatched shapes can be interesting for certain highly customised interior designs, but in most cases it is best to stick with simple 90-degree angles.
Second, symmetry is important. Often when the interior designer has one central picture and several others in a set, they will choose some sort of symmetrical arrangement.
Third, a popular approach in London's interior design community is to use the concept of "horizons" against which to align the upper edges of multiple pictures in a group. If an interior designer has an assortment of differently-sized rectangular frames, they may choose to hang an upper row from one "horizon" and the lower row from a different "horizon."
Fourth, London interior design consultancies often talk of "anchoring." This refers to a technique by which the largest images in a set form the corners of an imaginary rectangle or square, while smaller pictures are used to "fill in" the rest of the available area.
Fifth, to add interest and move away from rectangles, certain interior design professionals love to use the cross technique" when they have rectangular frames of various sizes. This requires arranging pictures in the shape of a cross, with the larger pictures below the horizontal line and smaller frames above to balance their mass.
Sixth, London interior designers often focus on hanging the largest pictures at the bottom of a group, along a single horizontal line. This can give a stable feel to the broader arrangement. I have worked with some top London interior design teams who always choose to place the tallest image in the centre of this horizon to draw the eye upwards and accentuate features of the presentation.
In the next articles in this series, I will talk about best practices in the use of lighting and mirrors to highlight wall hangings of various types.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
As a general guideline, pictures tend to work well when arranged in squares or rectangles. London is a world fashion centre, and jaunty mismatched shapes can be interesting for certain highly customised interior designs, but in most cases it is best to stick with simple 90-degree angles.
Second, symmetry is important. Often when the interior designer has one central picture and several others in a set, they will choose some sort of symmetrical arrangement.
Third, a popular approach in London's interior design community is to use the concept of "horizons" against which to align the upper edges of multiple pictures in a group. If an interior designer has an assortment of differently-sized rectangular frames, they may choose to hang an upper row from one "horizon" and the lower row from a different "horizon."
Fourth, London interior design consultancies often talk of "anchoring." This refers to a technique by which the largest images in a set form the corners of an imaginary rectangle or square, while smaller pictures are used to "fill in" the rest of the available area.
Fifth, to add interest and move away from rectangles, certain interior design professionals love to use the cross technique" when they have rectangular frames of various sizes. This requires arranging pictures in the shape of a cross, with the larger pictures below the horizontal line and smaller frames above to balance their mass.
Sixth, London interior designers often focus on hanging the largest pictures at the bottom of a group, along a single horizontal line. This can give a stable feel to the broader arrangement. I have worked with some top London interior design teams who always choose to place the tallest image in the centre of this horizon to draw the eye upwards and accentuate features of the presentation.
In the next articles in this series, I will talk about best practices in the use of lighting and mirrors to highlight wall hangings of various types.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Insights into Interior Design: How Designers Select Wall Hangings - Choosing Pictures
When interior designers use the term "wall hangings," they are commonly referring to anything and everything that one may hang on a wall. This can include pictures, photographs, plates, frames, mirrors, sculptures, reliefs and much more besides. London is a fabulous place to choose wall hangings due to the many active artist communities and the strong tradition of professional interior design.
One of the most important elements of wall hangings are pictures. Many interior designers know that pictures are the way to "make a house a home." However, poor positioning of pictures can easily detract from an otherwise well-planned interior design. This is especially important in smaller London homes or flats. Your interior designer will be able to outline the key points that need to be kept in mind regardless of whether you are hanging a recent family photo or an ancient heirloom. In London, interior designers have a saying, namely that "all pictures should relate to something else in the room." This means that wall hangings of this type should never look as though they were included by accident. Pictures should be related via either colour or thematic elements to display tables, armchairs, bookshelves or fireplaces - or indeed to architectural features, such as panelling or mouldings, which can often be quite historic and interesting in London residences.
London interior designers will often elect not to position wall hangings symmetrically (meaning centred on fireplaces or furniture), since this can make the overall interior design seem a little uninspired or "flat."
In London, it is important to remember that the weather is often a little rainy and cool. Therefore interior designers often find it desirable to depict slightly brighter images in their selection of wall hangings. It is also important to group pictures that are related to one another. An interior designer will often place a selection of landscapes close to one another, or they will do the same for seascapes or floral pictures. Another approach often used by some of the most prestigious London interior design consultancies is to group images by colour themes or at the very least by styles of frame or mounting.
In the next article in this interior design series, I will discuss in more detail the practicalities of how to install pictures.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
One of the most important elements of wall hangings are pictures. Many interior designers know that pictures are the way to "make a house a home." However, poor positioning of pictures can easily detract from an otherwise well-planned interior design. This is especially important in smaller London homes or flats. Your interior designer will be able to outline the key points that need to be kept in mind regardless of whether you are hanging a recent family photo or an ancient heirloom. In London, interior designers have a saying, namely that "all pictures should relate to something else in the room." This means that wall hangings of this type should never look as though they were included by accident. Pictures should be related via either colour or thematic elements to display tables, armchairs, bookshelves or fireplaces - or indeed to architectural features, such as panelling or mouldings, which can often be quite historic and interesting in London residences.
London interior designers will often elect not to position wall hangings symmetrically (meaning centred on fireplaces or furniture), since this can make the overall interior design seem a little uninspired or "flat."
In London, it is important to remember that the weather is often a little rainy and cool. Therefore interior designers often find it desirable to depict slightly brighter images in their selection of wall hangings. It is also important to group pictures that are related to one another. An interior designer will often place a selection of landscapes close to one another, or they will do the same for seascapes or floral pictures. Another approach often used by some of the most prestigious London interior design consultancies is to group images by colour themes or at the very least by styles of frame or mounting.
In the next article in this interior design series, I will discuss in more detail the practicalities of how to install pictures.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Notes from a London Interior Designer: Lighting For Special Occasions - Positioning Lights for Waterfalls and Other Features
Interior designers today are highly-qualified multitasking professionals ... it's not just about pretty fabrics and gorgeous furniture any more - design professionals need to understand flooring, structures, plumbing constraints, heating systems, security features, electrical outlets and much more besides. One of the most important parts of an interior designer's job is lighting, and this can one of the most technically challenging and complex elements of the profession. In this four-part collection of articles which I call "Notes from a London Interior Designer," I draw on my substantial experience from working alongside some of London's most celebrated interior designers to reveal the secrets of this fascinating field.
Water and light truly are a perfect match, particularly when the water is dynamic, maybe creating beautiful arcs in the air thanks to a powerspout, or cascading down an attractive rockery. One technique that many interior designers love when illuminating waterjets involves placing underwater narrow-beam fixtures at the location of each spout. The effect is to uplight the arc of water, causing it to shimmer and glisten fabulously. One can either specify an LED lighting system, or one can use a technique pioneered by some of London's top interior designers, namely to install miniature fibre optic light sources in the water jet fixture itself. If you use a bubblejet system, the water outlet will be much deeper and therefore the lighting will make it appear almost as if millions of tiny candles are floating on the surface of the water. If a higher jet is needed for a fountain or cascade, London's Best Interior Designers will choose to install the illuminator next to the jet rather than inside the water fixture itself. The result will be that the light illuminates the entire length of the water spray.
If your interior designer recommends low-voltage illuminators, there will always be a need to situate the transformer in a conveniently hidden place - perhaps next to the water recirculation motor or buried underground. If your interior designer specifies fibre optics, the illuminator electronics must always be positioned as near to the fibres as possible.
his brings to an end my series of articles called "Notes from a London Interior Designer: Lighting for Special Occasions." Thank you for reading!
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Water and light truly are a perfect match, particularly when the water is dynamic, maybe creating beautiful arcs in the air thanks to a powerspout, or cascading down an attractive rockery. One technique that many interior designers love when illuminating waterjets involves placing underwater narrow-beam fixtures at the location of each spout. The effect is to uplight the arc of water, causing it to shimmer and glisten fabulously. One can either specify an LED lighting system, or one can use a technique pioneered by some of London's top interior designers, namely to install miniature fibre optic light sources in the water jet fixture itself. If you use a bubblejet system, the water outlet will be much deeper and therefore the lighting will make it appear almost as if millions of tiny candles are floating on the surface of the water. If a higher jet is needed for a fountain or cascade, London's Best Interior Designers will choose to install the illuminator next to the jet rather than inside the water fixture itself. The result will be that the light illuminates the entire length of the water spray.
If your interior designer recommends low-voltage illuminators, there will always be a need to situate the transformer in a conveniently hidden place - perhaps next to the water recirculation motor or buried underground. If your interior designer specifies fibre optics, the illuminator electronics must always be positioned as near to the fibres as possible.
his brings to an end my series of articles called "Notes from a London Interior Designer: Lighting for Special Occasions." Thank you for reading!
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Notes from a London Interior Designer: Lighting For Special Occasions - Illuminating Water Features at Night
Interior designers today are highly-qualified multitasking professionals ... it's not just about pretty fabrics and gorgeous furniture any more - design professionals need to understand flooring, structures, plumbing constraints, heating systems, security features, electrical outlets and much more besides. One of the most important parts of an interior designer's job is lighting, and this can one of the most technically challenging and complex elements of the profession. In this four-part collection of articles which I call "Notes from a London Interior Designer," I draw on my substantial experience from working alongside some of London's most celebrated interior designers to reveal the secrets of this fascinating field.
Water brings texture, sound and magic to an exterior space - even the most plain dripping garden tap has certain design aesthetics - but interior designers know that only light can truly bring water into its own. London's top designers will use a variety of vessels or modern contraptions to contain and channel water, many with links to history. For example, the Upper Lodge Water Gardens of Bushy Park, near Hampton Court and not far from Central London, were originally commissioned in 1710. The Earl of Halifax was no interior designer, but he did appreciate fabulous pools, cascades, basins and canals - all of which were featured prominently in the Water Gardens. Of course, some of us live in rather more modest London dwellings today, but even if you only have a small garden, an interior designer can help you create beautiful tumbling chutes or conduits, textured to glint in the morning sunshine and to beautifully project the noise of moving water.
Gardens like those of Bushy Park are perfect sources of inspiration for interior designers. Novel structures and accessories let us move and channel water in so many different ways, whether in formal shapes or as random, flowing chaotic forms. Top interior designers may recommend structures that cause water to race across pebbles or stones, shimmering with texture in the sunshine. Some London Interior Designers specialise in introducing water into urban garden spaces, where its reflective, expressive quality can refreshingly balance the overwhelming closed hems of tall concrete or vertical brick surrounds. The delightful sound of tinkling water can also quickly dampen out the sounds of cars and lorries in your neighbourhood.
In the next and final article in this collection which I call "Notes from a London Interior Designer," I will get a little technical and explain how light fittings can illuminate water.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Water brings texture, sound and magic to an exterior space - even the most plain dripping garden tap has certain design aesthetics - but interior designers know that only light can truly bring water into its own. London's top designers will use a variety of vessels or modern contraptions to contain and channel water, many with links to history. For example, the Upper Lodge Water Gardens of Bushy Park, near Hampton Court and not far from Central London, were originally commissioned in 1710. The Earl of Halifax was no interior designer, but he did appreciate fabulous pools, cascades, basins and canals - all of which were featured prominently in the Water Gardens. Of course, some of us live in rather more modest London dwellings today, but even if you only have a small garden, an interior designer can help you create beautiful tumbling chutes or conduits, textured to glint in the morning sunshine and to beautifully project the noise of moving water.
Gardens like those of Bushy Park are perfect sources of inspiration for interior designers. Novel structures and accessories let us move and channel water in so many different ways, whether in formal shapes or as random, flowing chaotic forms. Top interior designers may recommend structures that cause water to race across pebbles or stones, shimmering with texture in the sunshine. Some London Interior Designers specialise in introducing water into urban garden spaces, where its reflective, expressive quality can refreshingly balance the overwhelming closed hems of tall concrete or vertical brick surrounds. The delightful sound of tinkling water can also quickly dampen out the sounds of cars and lorries in your neighbourhood.
In the next and final article in this collection which I call "Notes from a London Interior Designer," I will get a little technical and explain how light fittings can illuminate water.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Notes from a London Interior Designer: Lighting For Special Occasions - Mystery and Theatre
Interior designers today are highly-qualified multitasking professionals ... it's not just about pretty fabrics and gorgeous furniture any more - design professionals need to understand flooring, structures, plumbing constraints, heating systems, security features, electrical outlets and much more besides. One of the most important parts of an interior designer's job is lighting, and this can one of the most technically challenging and complex elements of the profession. In this four-part collection of articles which I call "Notes from a London Interior Designer," I draw on my substantial experience from working alongside some of London's most celebrated interior designers to reveal the secrets of this fascinating field.
If you are outside London and have a beautiful mansion with expansive grounds, floodlighting may be a perfect solution for magnificent drama. This can also be a perfect choice for castles or temples and other places of worship. Interior designers will often select mercury-based illuminators, which cast a powerful bluish light into the air. This can be perfect on conifers and it creates a fabulous contrast when used alongside filament-based yellow bulbs. Many of London's best-known interior designers like to recess floodlights down into the earth or tuck them away in a group of bushes in order to reduce glare and make the garden environment more welcoming. These powerful illuminators are often recommended for extremely leafy areas of your garden or for the furthest corners of more expansive grounds.
Candles are magical because of the way the light moves with the wind. Interior designers can install burning garden flambeaus alongside a path in order to draw the eye along an arc. Occasionally, London gardens will have standing water features; I have seen interior designers create concepts that require candle nightlights to float glistening on the water during luxurious soirees. Windproof glass vessels protect the candles and make sure they won't be extinguished if the breeze picks up.
I would be remiss as an interior designer if I did not mention a few safety issues here. Most London Interior Designers are fully qualified in all the latest lighting design codes, but please do remember that open flames should never be left unattended and it is critical to make sure candles do not come into contact with leaves, branches or flowers.
In the next article in this collection which I call "Notes from a London Interior Designer," I will talk about how to bring water features to life using light.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
If you are outside London and have a beautiful mansion with expansive grounds, floodlighting may be a perfect solution for magnificent drama. This can also be a perfect choice for castles or temples and other places of worship. Interior designers will often select mercury-based illuminators, which cast a powerful bluish light into the air. This can be perfect on conifers and it creates a fabulous contrast when used alongside filament-based yellow bulbs. Many of London's best-known interior designers like to recess floodlights down into the earth or tuck them away in a group of bushes in order to reduce glare and make the garden environment more welcoming. These powerful illuminators are often recommended for extremely leafy areas of your garden or for the furthest corners of more expansive grounds.
Candles are magical because of the way the light moves with the wind. Interior designers can install burning garden flambeaus alongside a path in order to draw the eye along an arc. Occasionally, London gardens will have standing water features; I have seen interior designers create concepts that require candle nightlights to float glistening on the water during luxurious soirees. Windproof glass vessels protect the candles and make sure they won't be extinguished if the breeze picks up.
I would be remiss as an interior designer if I did not mention a few safety issues here. Most London Interior Designers are fully qualified in all the latest lighting design codes, but please do remember that open flames should never be left unattended and it is critical to make sure candles do not come into contact with leaves, branches or flowers.
In the next article in this collection which I call "Notes from a London Interior Designer," I will talk about how to bring water features to life using light.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Notes from a London Interior Designer: Lighting For Special Occasions - Setting The Scene
Interior designers today are highly-qualified multitasking professionals ... it's not just about pretty fabrics and gorgeous furniture any more - design professionals need to understand flooring, structures, plumbing constraints, heating systems, security features, electrical outlets and much more besides. One of the most important parts of an interior designer's job is lighting, and this can one of the most technically challenging and complex elements of the profession. In this four-part collection of articles which I call "Notes from a London Interior Designer," I draw on my substantial experience from working alongside some of London's most celebrated interior designers to reveal the secrets of this fascinating field.
For special events, any exterior space - from the smallest veranda to expansive country gardens - can be refreshed and made delightful with a touch of lighting and a stroke of inspiration, thanks to the work of interior designers! Lighting can create a stunning environment for luxuriant large-scale entertainment or an intimate get-together involving a group of girlfriends. Imagine celebrating St. Valentine's Day with a gorgeous picture-perfect outdoor dinner, or re-envisioning a magnificent ice-encrusted wintry pond for New Year's Eve. Interior designers use the term "accent lighting" to reference the transformation of interesting structures or environments into compelling and arresting spectacles of light. Powerful full-environment lighting will create a mood of drama and intensity. Gorgeous coloured illuminators will bring real depth and texture to an outdoor space. And interior designers can use candles to create a stylish, intimate feel. London's top lighting design professionals will rely on water illuminated at night to create perhaps some of the most creative and compelling high-end lighting extravaganzas. With the help of an interior designer, your dream for special occasion lighting can be fully realised.
Focus lighting is often perfect to build a feeling of mysterious magic and dramatic intrigue for special occasions. Interior Designers in London sometimes recommend focus lighting on special historic features, such as vases or plinths, or even on hedgerows and shrubberies. A planter or garden gnome can be stunning, especially with an interposition of light-coloured brightness against more mysterious shaded shrubbery. Some of London's top interior designers will use a tiny shrouded halogen illuminator immediately before a feature to guarantee uniform lighting. A spike-mounted splashlight will serve the same purpose, especially if hidden by flowers or leaves.
In the next article in this collection which I call "Notes from a London Interior Designer," I will talk about how to create mystery in a nighttime garden.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
For special events, any exterior space - from the smallest veranda to expansive country gardens - can be refreshed and made delightful with a touch of lighting and a stroke of inspiration, thanks to the work of interior designers! Lighting can create a stunning environment for luxuriant large-scale entertainment or an intimate get-together involving a group of girlfriends. Imagine celebrating St. Valentine's Day with a gorgeous picture-perfect outdoor dinner, or re-envisioning a magnificent ice-encrusted wintry pond for New Year's Eve. Interior designers use the term "accent lighting" to reference the transformation of interesting structures or environments into compelling and arresting spectacles of light. Powerful full-environment lighting will create a mood of drama and intensity. Gorgeous coloured illuminators will bring real depth and texture to an outdoor space. And interior designers can use candles to create a stylish, intimate feel. London's top lighting design professionals will rely on water illuminated at night to create perhaps some of the most creative and compelling high-end lighting extravaganzas. With the help of an interior designer, your dream for special occasion lighting can be fully realised.
Focus lighting is often perfect to build a feeling of mysterious magic and dramatic intrigue for special occasions. Interior Designers in London sometimes recommend focus lighting on special historic features, such as vases or plinths, or even on hedgerows and shrubberies. A planter or garden gnome can be stunning, especially with an interposition of light-coloured brightness against more mysterious shaded shrubbery. Some of London's top interior designers will use a tiny shrouded halogen illuminator immediately before a feature to guarantee uniform lighting. A spike-mounted splashlight will serve the same purpose, especially if hidden by flowers or leaves.
In the next article in this collection which I call "Notes from a London Interior Designer," I will talk about how to create mystery in a nighttime garden.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Interior Design in London Goes Exterior! - Conservatory to Garden
The work of interior designers professionals doesn't stop at the back door - increasingly, interior design teams are expanding to offer specific garden design expertise. In this four-part collection of articles called "Interior Design Goes Exterior," I rely on my years of know-how gleaned from collaborating with London's finest interior design teams to explore the latest in garden design. This final article in the series discusses how to maximise the lighting impact in a London conservatory.
When your interior design consultancy illuminates the garden, your conservatory will suddenly become a much more welcoming place to sit and read the London evening paper or play board games after dark. Your gaze will be tugged through the window to the much brighter picturescape outside, and the formerly-black glass will suddenly lose its reflective sheen. The lighting within the conservatory should be a little more dimmed-down, in order to make the outdoor garden illumination seem that much stronger. And with London's ever-rising electricity prices, this might just save you some money as well! If your conservatory roof is fully glazed (and most are, in London), your interior design team may recommend a tightened-wire system - this tends to be better than conventional track-based feature lighting, because the tight-wire rail is almost invisible during the daytime. Within the conservatory, wall-washers and table uplighters can be used for local illumination. And when appropriately harmonised, lighting can be used by your interior design consultancy to much greater effect than simply blocking everything off with blinds or windowshades.
By night, London's outdoor spaces can showcase an entirely new feel when lit up to provide glisten and shimmer. Interior design professionals rely on the same basic guidelines as for inside your home, in order to build atmosphere and generate drama. By illuminating favourite garden features, Interior Designers in London can create a perfect mood for dining out on the patio, harmoniously complemented by muted general illumination that will guarantee that your garden is a beautiful place to luxuriate both during the daytime and after dusk. With today's fabulous lighting technologies, your interior design consultancy can be more flexible and more creative than ever to answer all your garden lighting dreams.
Well, that brings to an end this collection of articles called "Interior Design Goes Exterior!" Thank you so much for reading!
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
When your interior design consultancy illuminates the garden, your conservatory will suddenly become a much more welcoming place to sit and read the London evening paper or play board games after dark. Your gaze will be tugged through the window to the much brighter picturescape outside, and the formerly-black glass will suddenly lose its reflective sheen. The lighting within the conservatory should be a little more dimmed-down, in order to make the outdoor garden illumination seem that much stronger. And with London's ever-rising electricity prices, this might just save you some money as well! If your conservatory roof is fully glazed (and most are, in London), your interior design team may recommend a tightened-wire system - this tends to be better than conventional track-based feature lighting, because the tight-wire rail is almost invisible during the daytime. Within the conservatory, wall-washers and table uplighters can be used for local illumination. And when appropriately harmonised, lighting can be used by your interior design consultancy to much greater effect than simply blocking everything off with blinds or windowshades.
By night, London's outdoor spaces can showcase an entirely new feel when lit up to provide glisten and shimmer. Interior design professionals rely on the same basic guidelines as for inside your home, in order to build atmosphere and generate drama. By illuminating favourite garden features, Interior Designers in London can create a perfect mood for dining out on the patio, harmoniously complemented by muted general illumination that will guarantee that your garden is a beautiful place to luxuriate both during the daytime and after dusk. With today's fabulous lighting technologies, your interior design consultancy can be more flexible and more creative than ever to answer all your garden lighting dreams.
Well, that brings to an end this collection of articles called "Interior Design Goes Exterior!" Thank you so much for reading!
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Interior Design in London Goes Exterior! - Specialist Garden Lighting
The work of interior designers professionals doesn't stop at the back door - increasingly, interior design teams are expanding to offer specific garden design expertise. In this four-part collection of articles, "Interior Design Goes Exterior," I rely on my years of know-how gleaned from collaborating with London's finest interior design teams to explore the latest in garden design. This article discusses where and how to implement general, task and feature lighting - whether for a compact central London urban garden or for the luxurious and expansive grounds of a grand mansion outside London.
Your interior design consultancy should allow exterior lighting to be controlled using a simple switch. Often the system will be attached to a daylight detector to deactivate everything during daytime hours. Your interior design team will also specify a timer to make certain that the lights go out at, say, 2am (neighbours in some London boroughs can be sensitive about light pollution). If your interior design consultancy implements a more theatrical and expansive illumination scheme, they might alternatively specify a dimmer system to allow for fine-tuning.
Most London Interior Design consultancies will first need to decide which approaches to select for general, task and feature lighting, before specifying products that match the look and feel of the garden. Your interior designer will select a suitable mounting location and will determine whether or not you need extra electrical outlets on the patio (they may also need to consult with your London borough's local electricity supplier). Remember that a garden is seen from inside the house, as well as from outside - both from your own garden and from the properties of your London neighbours! If your residence features a conservatory (or actually any garden-facing feature windows), your interior design consultancy should notify you of the importance of properly illuminating the garden right from the outset.
After dusk, windows generally look very black and will function almost as mirrors, creating bright reflections and sometimes giving residents the feeling of being slightly overexposed. In the next article in this collection which I call "Interior Design Goes Exterior," I will focus on exactly this issue to reveal how top London interior designers create lighting schemes that bridge both inside and outside via a conservatory.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Your interior design consultancy should allow exterior lighting to be controlled using a simple switch. Often the system will be attached to a daylight detector to deactivate everything during daytime hours. Your interior design team will also specify a timer to make certain that the lights go out at, say, 2am (neighbours in some London boroughs can be sensitive about light pollution). If your interior design consultancy implements a more theatrical and expansive illumination scheme, they might alternatively specify a dimmer system to allow for fine-tuning.
Most London Interior Design consultancies will first need to decide which approaches to select for general, task and feature lighting, before specifying products that match the look and feel of the garden. Your interior designer will select a suitable mounting location and will determine whether or not you need extra electrical outlets on the patio (they may also need to consult with your London borough's local electricity supplier). Remember that a garden is seen from inside the house, as well as from outside - both from your own garden and from the properties of your London neighbours! If your residence features a conservatory (or actually any garden-facing feature windows), your interior design consultancy should notify you of the importance of properly illuminating the garden right from the outset.
After dusk, windows generally look very black and will function almost as mirrors, creating bright reflections and sometimes giving residents the feeling of being slightly overexposed. In the next article in this collection which I call "Interior Design Goes Exterior," I will focus on exactly this issue to reveal how top London interior designers create lighting schemes that bridge both inside and outside via a conservatory.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Interior Design in London Goes Exterior! - Sketching out a Garden Scheme
The work of interior designers professionals doesn't stop at the back door - increasingly, interior design teams are expanding to include specific garden design expertise. In this four-part collection of articles, "Interior Design Goes Exterior," I rely on my years of know-how gleaned from collaborating with London's finest interior design teams to explore the latest in garden design. This article discusses how to sketch out a suitable theme regardless of size - whether a compact central London urban garden or the luxurious and expansive grounds of a grand mansion outside London.
Interior design teams will often start by making a sketch to conceptualise the lighting design for a garden. In drawing rooms and reception areas, London interior designers will often choose a favourite painting as a focal feature. Similarly, for garden design it is essential to decide which are the most visually interesting plants, shrubs or flowers in order to create a ranking system for emphasis differentiation. Elements that need extra priority will have to be specifically illuminated - associated lights should all be placed on a single illumination control frame. If the interior design team recommends a soft wash on intermediate bushes and shrubbery, this illumination can be attached to a separate throw-switch. Alternatively, some London interior design professionals will encourage clients to include structural focal points on a separate circuit to the one used for winter, when flowers are no longer in bloom. In the winter, a planter, vase or perhaps an evergreen can be illuminated to increase the level of interest. In the London winter, bare branches and shrubs should be allowed to reside in the shadows. But above all, your interior design team will focus on creating a harmonious balance that is luxurious whatever the season.
Your interior design team will allow the feel of your London garden to be fine-tuned to suit your emotions by building or subduing the illumination levels. In the late afternoon the lighting scheme will be less apparent but after dusk the results will become amazing - perfect for the London summertime. Interior design professionals who are experienced with garden design understand that this natural process basically allows the intensity of daylight to shift a garden's mood almost effortlessly.
When your interior design team plans carefully and places the lighting systems on separate circuits, the ambience of the garden can be controlled across a range of moods. We can move from a minimalist, gentle well of light immediately outside the house - serving to soften the sensation of ominous blackness outside - to a theatrical lighting display that illuminates the entire garden during an extravagant London soiree.
In the next article in this collection which I call "Interior Design Goes Exterior," I will describe how London Interior Designers approach general, task and feature lighting in gardens.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Interior design teams will often start by making a sketch to conceptualise the lighting design for a garden. In drawing rooms and reception areas, London interior designers will often choose a favourite painting as a focal feature. Similarly, for garden design it is essential to decide which are the most visually interesting plants, shrubs or flowers in order to create a ranking system for emphasis differentiation. Elements that need extra priority will have to be specifically illuminated - associated lights should all be placed on a single illumination control frame. If the interior design team recommends a soft wash on intermediate bushes and shrubbery, this illumination can be attached to a separate throw-switch. Alternatively, some London interior design professionals will encourage clients to include structural focal points on a separate circuit to the one used for winter, when flowers are no longer in bloom. In the winter, a planter, vase or perhaps an evergreen can be illuminated to increase the level of interest. In the London winter, bare branches and shrubs should be allowed to reside in the shadows. But above all, your interior design team will focus on creating a harmonious balance that is luxurious whatever the season.
Your interior design team will allow the feel of your London garden to be fine-tuned to suit your emotions by building or subduing the illumination levels. In the late afternoon the lighting scheme will be less apparent but after dusk the results will become amazing - perfect for the London summertime. Interior design professionals who are experienced with garden design understand that this natural process basically allows the intensity of daylight to shift a garden's mood almost effortlessly.
When your interior design team plans carefully and places the lighting systems on separate circuits, the ambience of the garden can be controlled across a range of moods. We can move from a minimalist, gentle well of light immediately outside the house - serving to soften the sensation of ominous blackness outside - to a theatrical lighting display that illuminates the entire garden during an extravagant London soiree.
In the next article in this collection which I call "Interior Design Goes Exterior," I will describe how London Interior Designers approach general, task and feature lighting in gardens.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Interior Design in London Goes Exterior! - Installing Garden Lights
The work of interior designers professionals doesn't stop at the back door - increasingly, interior design teams are expanding to include specific garden design expertise. In this four-part collection of articles, "Interior Design Goes Exterior," I rely on my years of know-how gleaned from collaborating with London's finest interior design teams to explore the latest in garden design. This article discusses the practicalities of installing light fixtures in a garden.
Installing exterior lighting is often more expensive than installing interior illumination. If your interior design team is completely redesigning your garden, then it is best to install lights at the earliest possible time, as some earth-moving may be necessary. A cable that carries electricity to the illuminators should be protected or housed within a special waterproof channel - let's avoid London's rainy weather ruining our electrics! All cables must be at a sufficient depth to make sure there is no risk of them being dug up during regular gardening work. Interior designers will recommend sealed connectors, with additional fuses or circuit breakers to guard against electrocution if there is a flooded channel. All wiring should be performed by a qualified technician - call the electricity provider for your local London borough for more information.
If your garden is already well-grown, your interior design team may recommend installing cabling in the autumn or spring. This minimises damage to greenery and other wildlife. Many London Interior Design teams prefer to attach trunking boxes and transformers to perimeter fencing close to the ground, where they can be readily concealed by shrubs or bushes. Low-voltage illuminator terminals can be distant from the transformers - just use a set of long cables for this to work. If your interior design team follows this approach, contractors will often be able to "work around" the existing vegetation without wrecking your favourite flowers, shrubs or bushes. This can be really important even for smaller urban-style gardens in central London. Occasionally London contractors can be a little heavy-footed, and the last thing you want is a year-long garden growback period after your interior design team has long since departed. Your interior designer will want your garden to look as fabulous as your residence itself on presentation day!
In the next article in this collection which I call "Interior Design Goes Exterior," I will talk about how to sketch out a garden lighting scheme.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Installing exterior lighting is often more expensive than installing interior illumination. If your interior design team is completely redesigning your garden, then it is best to install lights at the earliest possible time, as some earth-moving may be necessary. A cable that carries electricity to the illuminators should be protected or housed within a special waterproof channel - let's avoid London's rainy weather ruining our electrics! All cables must be at a sufficient depth to make sure there is no risk of them being dug up during regular gardening work. Interior designers will recommend sealed connectors, with additional fuses or circuit breakers to guard against electrocution if there is a flooded channel. All wiring should be performed by a qualified technician - call the electricity provider for your local London borough for more information.
If your garden is already well-grown, your interior design team may recommend installing cabling in the autumn or spring. This minimises damage to greenery and other wildlife. Many London Interior Design teams prefer to attach trunking boxes and transformers to perimeter fencing close to the ground, where they can be readily concealed by shrubs or bushes. Low-voltage illuminator terminals can be distant from the transformers - just use a set of long cables for this to work. If your interior design team follows this approach, contractors will often be able to "work around" the existing vegetation without wrecking your favourite flowers, shrubs or bushes. This can be really important even for smaller urban-style gardens in central London. Occasionally London contractors can be a little heavy-footed, and the last thing you want is a year-long garden growback period after your interior design team has long since departed. Your interior designer will want your garden to look as fabulous as your residence itself on presentation day!
In the next article in this collection which I call "Interior Design Goes Exterior," I will talk about how to sketch out a garden lighting scheme.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Interior Design London - Bathroom Design Explained - Designing for Retirees and the Infirm
Professional bathroom designers are expert at combining purpose and aesthetics to craft astonishing designs. In this four-part collection of articles, "Bathroom Design Explained," I rely on my know-how gleaned from collaborating with London's Finest Bathroom Designers to explore this dynamic profession. This article discusses design for retirees.
Are the years finally starting to take a toll? Are you encountering difficulties in getting around your home? I have worked extensively with seniors and with the disabled in London, and it is always so rewarding for me to be able to transform homeowners' familiar spaces into wheelchair-accessible dream bathroom designs. I love to eliminate clutter, refresh the layout and install stairlifts. Every time, I am so excited to see the looks of amazement on the residents' faces when they meet their new bathroom designs. And even if your budget isn't big, the payoff absolutely will be when you re-design your London bathroom from drab to fab - the wheelchair way! A splendid, accessible new bathroom design can be essential to creating a contemporary, disability-safe home environment that Social Services will instantly approve.
Even a worldly, hip, student-filled city like London has plenty of residents who are retirees or who suffer from limited mobility. England's population is growing older all the time, and as a consequence bathroom designers are seeing many requests to envision fabulous bathrooms for older or less mobile individuals. The ideal solution will be 100% compatible with Social Services' accessibility guidelines while also guaranteeing a dash of stylish extravagance. Many older residents love to luxuriate soon after getting up by taking advantage of a peaceful bath hour, enjoying a fragrance-filled pot of tea, and watching the morning television chat shows at their leisure. Accordingly, the perfect bathroom design for an elderly couple or widow may feature glittering porcelain toilets, smooth and well-lit surfaces to use when applying beauty treatments, and easy-open cupboards that can hold a kettle, coffee maker and home audiovisual equipment equipped with an induction loop for the hard of hearing.
Retirees complain of arthritic joints and painful tendons all too often. Bathroom designers may recommend high-end baths that incorporate massage whirlpools, together with height-limited bathtubs that promote ease of entry. In more spacious London houses, we may recommend a deck adjacent to the bath. This great solution allows a retiree to sit down before slowly levering themselves into the bubbly warm water.
Individuals who are constrained to wheelchair-only mobility will often benefit from the addition of a sizeable roll-in showering area. Bathroom designers will recommend an easy-grip detachable shower head in addition to a wall-mounted in-shower bench. This combination guarantees a luxurious morning wash that can normally be performed unaided - rivalling the most extravagant London spas and salons.
Well, that brings to an end this collection of articles on "Bathroom Design Explained." Thank you so much for reading!
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Are the years finally starting to take a toll? Are you encountering difficulties in getting around your home? I have worked extensively with seniors and with the disabled in London, and it is always so rewarding for me to be able to transform homeowners' familiar spaces into wheelchair-accessible dream bathroom designs. I love to eliminate clutter, refresh the layout and install stairlifts. Every time, I am so excited to see the looks of amazement on the residents' faces when they meet their new bathroom designs. And even if your budget isn't big, the payoff absolutely will be when you re-design your London bathroom from drab to fab - the wheelchair way! A splendid, accessible new bathroom design can be essential to creating a contemporary, disability-safe home environment that Social Services will instantly approve.
Even a worldly, hip, student-filled city like London has plenty of residents who are retirees or who suffer from limited mobility. England's population is growing older all the time, and as a consequence bathroom designers are seeing many requests to envision fabulous bathrooms for older or less mobile individuals. The ideal solution will be 100% compatible with Social Services' accessibility guidelines while also guaranteeing a dash of stylish extravagance. Many older residents love to luxuriate soon after getting up by taking advantage of a peaceful bath hour, enjoying a fragrance-filled pot of tea, and watching the morning television chat shows at their leisure. Accordingly, the perfect bathroom design for an elderly couple or widow may feature glittering porcelain toilets, smooth and well-lit surfaces to use when applying beauty treatments, and easy-open cupboards that can hold a kettle, coffee maker and home audiovisual equipment equipped with an induction loop for the hard of hearing.
Retirees complain of arthritic joints and painful tendons all too often. Bathroom designers may recommend high-end baths that incorporate massage whirlpools, together with height-limited bathtubs that promote ease of entry. In more spacious London houses, we may recommend a deck adjacent to the bath. This great solution allows a retiree to sit down before slowly levering themselves into the bubbly warm water.
Individuals who are constrained to wheelchair-only mobility will often benefit from the addition of a sizeable roll-in showering area. Bathroom designers will recommend an easy-grip detachable shower head in addition to a wall-mounted in-shower bench. This combination guarantees a luxurious morning wash that can normally be performed unaided - rivalling the most extravagant London spas and salons.
Well, that brings to an end this collection of articles on "Bathroom Design Explained." Thank you so much for reading!
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Interior Design London - Bathroom Design Explained - Kid-Approved Design
Professional bathroom designers are expert at combining purpose and aesthetics to craft astonishing designs. In this four-part collection of articles, "Bathroom Design Explained," I rely on my know-how gleaned from collaborating with London's finest bathroom designers to explore this dynamic profession. This article explores how to design for households with children.
Being a tiny child is quite a unique experience! Do you recall how it felt? It can be seriously difficult to create bathroom designs that are 100% kid-approved. But with London's constantly increasing population, my clients are now requesting kid-approved design alternatives more than ever. The first question that I always ask myself is: how to envision a bathroom design that can grow as the kids get older? I'm sure you can appreciate how a design that is perfect for a 6-year-old at a London pre-prep may well seem inappropriate when the child turns 8 and enters prep school.
Children from every culture and on every continent are fascinated by the world of colours. However, London's finest bathroom designers realise that sometimes we have to put the brakes on! One fabulous approach is to preserve a neutral envelope by selecting ecru, snowflake or ivory for the walls and floortiles. Hints of colour should be included by choosing appropriate bathmats, taps and stylish extras. Certain well-known London Bathroom Designers will routinely choose cucumber, daffodil or ultramarine for a child's washtub ... critically, these hues are not as overwhelming as (say) raspberry or ebony.
In terms of kid-approved bathroom design specifics, smaller children must always have enough room to explore and move. This is non-trivial in the case of some of the more space-constrained London flats. I have seen some designers incorporate a step-up/step-down pedestal support that allows younger children to reach the lavatory. Importantly, this can easily be pushed out of the way when its use is no longer required. "Electronic eye" tap systems minimise the extent to which little arms have to reach forward for handwashing, and bathroom design experts can even lock the temperature control in advance to make sure kids will never get scalded.
Last but by no means least, one fabulous approach involves giving the bathroom design a sense of character by gathering the resident kids' paintings or crayon sketches and tacking them onto cupboards or mouldings. I have personally visited London residences where the kids have themselves coloured one tile in the bottom corner of the shower cubicle as a fun project. Alternatively, the bathroom designer can give them permission to add glitter and varnish to a mirror frame. This definitely makes the kids feel like the bathroom is all their own ... and who knows, it may inspire some to become bathroom designers themselves in the future!
The next and final article in this collection called "Bathroom Design Explained" turns to specialist designs for retirees and for people of limited movement and dexterity.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Being a tiny child is quite a unique experience! Do you recall how it felt? It can be seriously difficult to create bathroom designs that are 100% kid-approved. But with London's constantly increasing population, my clients are now requesting kid-approved design alternatives more than ever. The first question that I always ask myself is: how to envision a bathroom design that can grow as the kids get older? I'm sure you can appreciate how a design that is perfect for a 6-year-old at a London pre-prep may well seem inappropriate when the child turns 8 and enters prep school.
Children from every culture and on every continent are fascinated by the world of colours. However, London's finest bathroom designers realise that sometimes we have to put the brakes on! One fabulous approach is to preserve a neutral envelope by selecting ecru, snowflake or ivory for the walls and floortiles. Hints of colour should be included by choosing appropriate bathmats, taps and stylish extras. Certain well-known London Bathroom Designers will routinely choose cucumber, daffodil or ultramarine for a child's washtub ... critically, these hues are not as overwhelming as (say) raspberry or ebony.
In terms of kid-approved bathroom design specifics, smaller children must always have enough room to explore and move. This is non-trivial in the case of some of the more space-constrained London flats. I have seen some designers incorporate a step-up/step-down pedestal support that allows younger children to reach the lavatory. Importantly, this can easily be pushed out of the way when its use is no longer required. "Electronic eye" tap systems minimise the extent to which little arms have to reach forward for handwashing, and bathroom design experts can even lock the temperature control in advance to make sure kids will never get scalded.
Last but by no means least, one fabulous approach involves giving the bathroom design a sense of character by gathering the resident kids' paintings or crayon sketches and tacking them onto cupboards or mouldings. I have personally visited London residences where the kids have themselves coloured one tile in the bottom corner of the shower cubicle as a fun project. Alternatively, the bathroom designer can give them permission to add glitter and varnish to a mirror frame. This definitely makes the kids feel like the bathroom is all their own ... and who knows, it may inspire some to become bathroom designers themselves in the future!
The next and final article in this collection called "Bathroom Design Explained" turns to specialist designs for retirees and for people of limited movement and dexterity.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Interior Design London - Bathroom Design Explained - Hues
Professional bathroom designers are expert at combining purpose and aesthetics to craft astonishing designs. In this four-part collection of articles, "Bathroom Design Explained," I rely on my know-how gleaned from collaborating with London's finest bathroom designers to explore this dynamic profession. This second article dives into the use of hue and tint in bathroom design.
When thinking up fresh hue and tint combinations, most London Bathroom Design professionals begin by reaching for their colour wheel. This can be critical in selecting melodic integrations of different colours - the wheel is an important tool, whether the concept is hushed and calm or theatrical and engaging. For instance, certain more spacious London bathrooms are well-suited to an el evated-contrast complimentary scheme. This approach incorporates two hues from opposite parts of the wheel, perhaps drawing on a lemon background together with a midnight accent for a real wow factor. By contrast, cramped London cloakrooms may simply not be suitable for this bathroom design approach because the results may be too overpowering for the residents. Given this fact, a monochromatic scheme that utilises a single tint but with multiple different hues to add charm could be just the ticket. Think of the exact same bathroom design I mentioned above, but let's substitute robin's egg blue instead of the lemon ... keep identical layout and accessories, but the mood will feel totally different. Such a scheme could be ideal for an East London banker's apartment or a basement bachelor pad in Central London.
Well-heeled Londoners will sometimes feel a real yearning for the spa/retreat combo that has become such a hit in recent years. Bathroom designers can recreate this feel by relying on fresh, calming hues, perhaps with a focus on aquamarine and jade. Consider matching these up with the ivory-and-nickel taps and trims that are often a feature in high-end London spas and beauty parlours.
Since at least the 1500s, London's upper class ladies have relied on cosmetics to accentuate their finest features while rendering invisible even the most miniscule blemishes. In the same way, tints and hues can elevate a bathroom design to stratospheric heights - maybe by highlighting historic wall mouldings, unique dado rails, or other structures.
Back in the day, bathroom design lecturers at London's top schools used to tell their students that washing a small bathroom with a dark tint is undesirable because it can create a claustrophobic mood. By contrast, today's best bathroom designers have learnt otherwise. By incorporating a multitude of shades of a deep colour, designers can actually make a smaller bathroom feel much larger. By including interesting textures and patterns within paint or on wallpaper, we can create extra dimensions and add bathroom designer style.
In the next article in this collection "Bathroom Design Explained," I'll discuss what to do when you have a child in the house! Up next: kid-approved design.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
When thinking up fresh hue and tint combinations, most London Bathroom Design professionals begin by reaching for their colour wheel. This can be critical in selecting melodic integrations of different colours - the wheel is an important tool, whether the concept is hushed and calm or theatrical and engaging. For instance, certain more spacious London bathrooms are well-suited to an el evated-contrast complimentary scheme. This approach incorporates two hues from opposite parts of the wheel, perhaps drawing on a lemon background together with a midnight accent for a real wow factor. By contrast, cramped London cloakrooms may simply not be suitable for this bathroom design approach because the results may be too overpowering for the residents. Given this fact, a monochromatic scheme that utilises a single tint but with multiple different hues to add charm could be just the ticket. Think of the exact same bathroom design I mentioned above, but let's substitute robin's egg blue instead of the lemon ... keep identical layout and accessories, but the mood will feel totally different. Such a scheme could be ideal for an East London banker's apartment or a basement bachelor pad in Central London.
Well-heeled Londoners will sometimes feel a real yearning for the spa/retreat combo that has become such a hit in recent years. Bathroom designers can recreate this feel by relying on fresh, calming hues, perhaps with a focus on aquamarine and jade. Consider matching these up with the ivory-and-nickel taps and trims that are often a feature in high-end London spas and beauty parlours.
Since at least the 1500s, London's upper class ladies have relied on cosmetics to accentuate their finest features while rendering invisible even the most miniscule blemishes. In the same way, tints and hues can elevate a bathroom design to stratospheric heights - maybe by highlighting historic wall mouldings, unique dado rails, or other structures.
Back in the day, bathroom design lecturers at London's top schools used to tell their students that washing a small bathroom with a dark tint is undesirable because it can create a claustrophobic mood. By contrast, today's best bathroom designers have learnt otherwise. By incorporating a multitude of shades of a deep colour, designers can actually make a smaller bathroom feel much larger. By including interesting textures and patterns within paint or on wallpaper, we can create extra dimensions and add bathroom designer style.
In the next article in this collection "Bathroom Design Explained," I'll discuss what to do when you have a child in the house! Up next: kid-approved design.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Interior Design London - Bathroom Design Explained - Creativity
Professional bathroom designers are expert at combining purpose and aesthetics to craft astonishing designs. In this four-part collection of articles, "Bathroom Design Explained," I rely on my years of know-how gleaned from collaborating with London's finest bathroom designers to explore this dynamic profession. This article discusses how to envision magical and fresh new creations.
Decades ago, bathrooms were not flash and fancy. Often the most fabulous part of a London bathroom was a good read, some rudimentary illumination and a washbasin full of bubbly warm water. Then professional bathroom designers arrived, and that scenario was swiftly transformed. Now in 2010, with Londoners finding themselves so busy and increasingly overwhelmed, the bathroom has started to transform into a retreat space. Homeowners are engaging bathroom designers because they crave singular, luxury specials that bring a hint of extravagance to the mundane.
The professional bathroom designer begins with heaps of creativity. Modern designs are different from anything seen before - in London, the beauty bathroom, the hideaway/sanctuary bathroom, and the home entertainment bathroom (replete with LCD TVs and whole-room speaker systems!) are just a few of the most sought-after designs. Every one demands its own bathroom design accessories, from spa-style hot tubs to in-tile thermals to slide-out heated storage for washcloths and linens. Even the washbasins and toilets have become surprisingly creative and elegant. Imagine bathroom designs that feature silent-flush toilets, touch-sensitive bath jet controls and theatrical mood lighting. Imagine as well resort-themed bathroom designs. Some quarters of the interior design field are seeking to completely abandon ordinary factory-built cabinets and standard towel rails. London Bathroom Design today is starting to focus on contemporary vessel washbasins and textile-ensconced seating options. Resort-type coffee makers and minibar-style refrigerators are being requested by clients for installation literally within bathroom walls or cupboards!
Modern entertainment engineering plays a role in many of London's high-end designer bathrooms. Entertainment concepts that incorporate slimline televisions and multidirectional speaker systems are now seen as the norm. Certain bathroom designers will inconspicuously sneak a Blu-Ray system and high-def TV into cabinetry above the towel rail. Splendid for busy London professionals who crave the latest updates on oil trading prices from Sky News as you start your day!
In the next article in this collection which I call "Bathroom Design Explained," I will talk about the importance of tints and hues in the London bathroom design landscape.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Decades ago, bathrooms were not flash and fancy. Often the most fabulous part of a London bathroom was a good read, some rudimentary illumination and a washbasin full of bubbly warm water. Then professional bathroom designers arrived, and that scenario was swiftly transformed. Now in 2010, with Londoners finding themselves so busy and increasingly overwhelmed, the bathroom has started to transform into a retreat space. Homeowners are engaging bathroom designers because they crave singular, luxury specials that bring a hint of extravagance to the mundane.
The professional bathroom designer begins with heaps of creativity. Modern designs are different from anything seen before - in London, the beauty bathroom, the hideaway/sanctuary bathroom, and the home entertainment bathroom (replete with LCD TVs and whole-room speaker systems!) are just a few of the most sought-after designs. Every one demands its own bathroom design accessories, from spa-style hot tubs to in-tile thermals to slide-out heated storage for washcloths and linens. Even the washbasins and toilets have become surprisingly creative and elegant. Imagine bathroom designs that feature silent-flush toilets, touch-sensitive bath jet controls and theatrical mood lighting. Imagine as well resort-themed bathroom designs. Some quarters of the interior design field are seeking to completely abandon ordinary factory-built cabinets and standard towel rails. London Bathroom Design today is starting to focus on contemporary vessel washbasins and textile-ensconced seating options. Resort-type coffee makers and minibar-style refrigerators are being requested by clients for installation literally within bathroom walls or cupboards!
Modern entertainment engineering plays a role in many of London's high-end designer bathrooms. Entertainment concepts that incorporate slimline televisions and multidirectional speaker systems are now seen as the norm. Certain bathroom designers will inconspicuously sneak a Blu-Ray system and high-def TV into cabinetry above the towel rail. Splendid for busy London professionals who crave the latest updates on oil trading prices from Sky News as you start your day!
In the next article in this collection which I call "Bathroom Design Explained," I will talk about the importance of tints and hues in the London bathroom design landscape.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
The Outdoor Room: How Interior Design Companies Illuminate Gardens - Part IV
Some prestigious London Interior Design companies refer to urban garden concepts as "outdoor rooms.” If you are considering employing an interior design company to renovate both your indoor and your outdoor spaces, this four-part series of articles will help you understand how lighting can be used to create a sense of garden drama. I draw on my experience working with some of London's best interior design companies to reveal the secrets of this fascinating speciality design area.
In my previous article, I discussed how to illuminate soft elements. With this article, I will talk about how interior design companies light up structural features in gardens. Often a small spiked spotlight, masked by ground-level shrubbery, will be recommended by your interior design company because this solution will output the perfect amount of light. If a replica of an historic London statue or garden flowerpot is centred within a grassy zone, a 100% recessed adjustable uplighter may constitute a subtle, trouble-free solution while ensuring that the lawn can still be safely mown. For fabulous results, your London interior design company may choose to uplight a trellis, not only illuminating any plants or flowers that may grow up the wooden struts, but also drawing the eye towards the structure. Flowerpots and vessels are perfect to hide the source of the illumination. Your interior design company may recommend alternating narrow and wide bulbs for versatility and interest. Neon illuminators are best when the scheme requires the introduction of a new colour. The soft upward glow can help define vessels, statues and other structures. Your interior design company may position a neon lighting system below a frosted glass panel, with a standard planter (available from any London garden furnishings store) immediately above. The result will be that the coloured light emphasises the shape of the planter, instead of the flowers, shrubs or plants inside. Alternatively, your interior design company may recommend white light for a softer, less dramatic result.
With the help of a London interior design company, and with detailed planning, your inspirational ideas for your garden can become a reality! Your long-term vision for the garden is critical, and your interior design company will provide guidance so that you can look beyond the present: bushes will grow, and views will transform from season to season and from year to year. Top London interior design companies prefer to use low-voltage fittings, attached to a spike and forced into the earth, because these can be moved as planting schemes change over time.
Thank you for reading this article series on how London's best interior design companies illuminate "outdoor rooms."
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
In my previous article, I discussed how to illuminate soft elements. With this article, I will talk about how interior design companies light up structural features in gardens. Often a small spiked spotlight, masked by ground-level shrubbery, will be recommended by your interior design company because this solution will output the perfect amount of light. If a replica of an historic London statue or garden flowerpot is centred within a grassy zone, a 100% recessed adjustable uplighter may constitute a subtle, trouble-free solution while ensuring that the lawn can still be safely mown. For fabulous results, your London interior design company may choose to uplight a trellis, not only illuminating any plants or flowers that may grow up the wooden struts, but also drawing the eye towards the structure. Flowerpots and vessels are perfect to hide the source of the illumination. Your interior design company may recommend alternating narrow and wide bulbs for versatility and interest. Neon illuminators are best when the scheme requires the introduction of a new colour. The soft upward glow can help define vessels, statues and other structures. Your interior design company may position a neon lighting system below a frosted glass panel, with a standard planter (available from any London garden furnishings store) immediately above. The result will be that the coloured light emphasises the shape of the planter, instead of the flowers, shrubs or plants inside. Alternatively, your interior design company may recommend white light for a softer, less dramatic result.
With the help of a London interior design company, and with detailed planning, your inspirational ideas for your garden can become a reality! Your long-term vision for the garden is critical, and your interior design company will provide guidance so that you can look beyond the present: bushes will grow, and views will transform from season to season and from year to year. Top London interior design companies prefer to use low-voltage fittings, attached to a spike and forced into the earth, because these can be moved as planting schemes change over time.
Thank you for reading this article series on how London's best interior design companies illuminate "outdoor rooms."
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
The Outdoor Room: How Interior Design Companies Illuminate Gardens - Part III
Some prestigious London Interior Design companies refer to urban garden concepts as "outdoor rooms.” If you are considering employing an interior design company to renovate both your indoor and your outdoor spaces, this four-part series of articles will help you understand how lighting can be used to create a sense of garden drama. I draw on my experience working with some of London's best interior design companies to reveal the secrets of this fascinating speciality design area.
Gentle but appropriate focus lighting can make even a small and cramped central London garden look spectacular. At the very least, your interior design company may recommend lighting for a few specially-selected features in order to provide optical cues that mark a pathway through your nighttime garden. In a very tiny space - such as an urban garden at the back of a set of London row houses - your interior design company may simply elect to uplight a garden gnome at the furthest point in order to create a feeling of classy theatricals.
Your London interior design company will explain to you that outdoor focus lighting includes both soft features, such as a small topiary or bush, and structural elements, such as a well or fountain. It is critical to first select which elements or zones are to be lit and then to hide the illuminator such that only the effect but not the hardware remain visible. Your interior design company will think carefully about the preferred viewing angle - whether that be from indoors, through a window, or from the garden itself. London interior design companies will select different illumination approaches for either soft or structural features.
With soft features, your interior design company will evaluate the dimensions of the plants and the colours of the foliage. London's seasonal changes are important. Deciduous plants look very different from winter to summer, while gnarled bark offers a firm vertical accent that can be uplit any month of the year with excellent results. London interior design companies tend to recommend tungsten halogen bulbs to focus on flowers as they come into bloom - the white illumination from these bulbs will showcase the true colours of the petals. Small trees, perhaps clipped for ornamental purposes, will create striking silhouettes when the wall behind is lit. Your interior design company can offer advice as to whether uplighting or downlighting is best for your particular wall and foliage configuration.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Gentle but appropriate focus lighting can make even a small and cramped central London garden look spectacular. At the very least, your interior design company may recommend lighting for a few specially-selected features in order to provide optical cues that mark a pathway through your nighttime garden. In a very tiny space - such as an urban garden at the back of a set of London row houses - your interior design company may simply elect to uplight a garden gnome at the furthest point in order to create a feeling of classy theatricals.
Your London interior design company will explain to you that outdoor focus lighting includes both soft features, such as a small topiary or bush, and structural elements, such as a well or fountain. It is critical to first select which elements or zones are to be lit and then to hide the illuminator such that only the effect but not the hardware remain visible. Your interior design company will think carefully about the preferred viewing angle - whether that be from indoors, through a window, or from the garden itself. London interior design companies will select different illumination approaches for either soft or structural features.
With soft features, your interior design company will evaluate the dimensions of the plants and the colours of the foliage. London's seasonal changes are important. Deciduous plants look very different from winter to summer, while gnarled bark offers a firm vertical accent that can be uplit any month of the year with excellent results. London interior design companies tend to recommend tungsten halogen bulbs to focus on flowers as they come into bloom - the white illumination from these bulbs will showcase the true colours of the petals. Small trees, perhaps clipped for ornamental purposes, will create striking silhouettes when the wall behind is lit. Your interior design company can offer advice as to whether uplighting or downlighting is best for your particular wall and foliage configuration.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
The Outdoor Room: How Interior Design Companies Illuminate Gardens - Part II
Some prestigious London Interior Design companies refer to urban garden concepts as "outdoor rooms.” If you are considering employing an interior design company to renovate both your indoor and your outdoor spaces, this four-part series of articles will help you understand how lighting can be used to create a sense of garden drama. I draw on my experience working with some of London's best interior design companies to reveal the secrets of this fascinating speciality design area.
Roof terraces are becoming increasingly popular in London today. Often these will be accessed through a set of French windows. Decorative wall lights to either side of these windows will generate a soft, general light. Your interior design company may select recessed or slimline low-voltage spiked up-lighters, which are particularly stunning when reflected off pale adjacent walls. This option will guarantee a gentle, beautifying illumination throughout the seating area. If your roof terrace has adjacent walls, your interior design company may take advantage of this architecture to mount a spotlight with a tight, 5-degree beam about five metres up to focus on the table. This mirrors the traditional approach used by many London interior design companies for focus lighting in a dining room. In the absence of a wall or similar tall mounting point for your roof garden, your interior design company may recommend electric candles or storm lamps to achieve the same goal.
Some of the newest London roof terraces are large enough to allow for balanced lighting, which is the preferred illumination method when feasible. Your interior design company will work to balance the lighting on the roof terrace with illumination a few metres away, perhaps using a lit grille or illumination through bushes to avoid a sensation of exposure. Illuminating a single feature in the distance can also generate visual focus and enhance the interest level of the entire scheme.
An interior design company in London normally relies on lighting from below to illuminate your roof terrace. Up-lighting through Perspex cubes implanted within wooden crates can be used to generate a theatrical radiance, and illumination that is cast up through skylights from indoors can be used to great effect with shrubs and flowering plants. If you are based in a London borough that permits barbecues on roof terraces, your interior design company may deliberately position grilling equipment such that the glowing charcoal embers will contribute another type of comforting, self-contained light that perfectly complements the rest of the scheme.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Roof terraces are becoming increasingly popular in London today. Often these will be accessed through a set of French windows. Decorative wall lights to either side of these windows will generate a soft, general light. Your interior design company may select recessed or slimline low-voltage spiked up-lighters, which are particularly stunning when reflected off pale adjacent walls. This option will guarantee a gentle, beautifying illumination throughout the seating area. If your roof terrace has adjacent walls, your interior design company may take advantage of this architecture to mount a spotlight with a tight, 5-degree beam about five metres up to focus on the table. This mirrors the traditional approach used by many London interior design companies for focus lighting in a dining room. In the absence of a wall or similar tall mounting point for your roof garden, your interior design company may recommend electric candles or storm lamps to achieve the same goal.
Some of the newest London roof terraces are large enough to allow for balanced lighting, which is the preferred illumination method when feasible. Your interior design company will work to balance the lighting on the roof terrace with illumination a few metres away, perhaps using a lit grille or illumination through bushes to avoid a sensation of exposure. Illuminating a single feature in the distance can also generate visual focus and enhance the interest level of the entire scheme.
An interior design company in London normally relies on lighting from below to illuminate your roof terrace. Up-lighting through Perspex cubes implanted within wooden crates can be used to generate a theatrical radiance, and illumination that is cast up through skylights from indoors can be used to great effect with shrubs and flowering plants. If you are based in a London borough that permits barbecues on roof terraces, your interior design company may deliberately position grilling equipment such that the glowing charcoal embers will contribute another type of comforting, self-contained light that perfectly complements the rest of the scheme.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
The Outdoor Room: How Interior Design Companies Illuminate Gardens - Part I
Some prestigious London Interior Design companies refer to urban garden concepts as "outdoor rooms.” If you are considering employing an interior design company to renovate both your indoor and your outdoor spaces, this four-part series of articles will help you understand how lighting can be used to create a sense of garden drama. I draw on my experience working with some of London's best interior design companies to reveal the secrets of this fascinating speciality design area.
Some popular London garden elements include a terrace for al fresco meals, well-lit safety-approved doors, steps and pathways, and the optical interest of a chosen showcase item or a panorama enhanced with light. The key goals of garden lighting are the same as for an interior, but the way your interior design company achieves these objectives will vary - not least because of the absence of a ceiling. In previous articles I have described the "tools of light” that are available for interior design companies to work with. These include general, task and focus lighting, all of which can be combined to build dramatic but coherent styles. Garden-certified interior design companies will rely on up-lighting, spotlighting and silhouetting for these purposes. For example, some London gardens feature brick walls around the perimeter - these can be glanced with illumination for a more pronounced texture. Shrubs can be backlit for dramatic shadows. One general rule which your interior design company will explain to you at the outset: in the garden, there is no need for strong general lighting, and it is preferable to use more subtle highlights for ornamental focus. In particular, the outdoor tennis court approach - with overwhelmingly bright floodlights of the type that are often seen in London's public parks - can be disastrous. Your interior design company in London will work to create a fabulous, magical effect - expect small wells of light that emerge from a dusky background, with heaps of atmospheric mystery thanks to the interplay between the illuminated and shaded areas of your garden.
Your interior design company will often recommend a terrace with garden seats and a table to serve as the centrepiece of a London garden on a summer evening. Many interior design companies will rely on soft background lighting together with focus lighting over the table. Your interior design company may also provide an option to enhance illumination levels at the outskirts of the garden. With this lighting scheme, a standard London terrace can become a perfect spot for entertaining guests or business associates.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Some popular London garden elements include a terrace for al fresco meals, well-lit safety-approved doors, steps and pathways, and the optical interest of a chosen showcase item or a panorama enhanced with light. The key goals of garden lighting are the same as for an interior, but the way your interior design company achieves these objectives will vary - not least because of the absence of a ceiling. In previous articles I have described the "tools of light” that are available for interior design companies to work with. These include general, task and focus lighting, all of which can be combined to build dramatic but coherent styles. Garden-certified interior design companies will rely on up-lighting, spotlighting and silhouetting for these purposes. For example, some London gardens feature brick walls around the perimeter - these can be glanced with illumination for a more pronounced texture. Shrubs can be backlit for dramatic shadows. One general rule which your interior design company will explain to you at the outset: in the garden, there is no need for strong general lighting, and it is preferable to use more subtle highlights for ornamental focus. In particular, the outdoor tennis court approach - with overwhelmingly bright floodlights of the type that are often seen in London's public parks - can be disastrous. Your interior design company in London will work to create a fabulous, magical effect - expect small wells of light that emerge from a dusky background, with heaps of atmospheric mystery thanks to the interplay between the illuminated and shaded areas of your garden.
Your interior design company will often recommend a terrace with garden seats and a table to serve as the centrepiece of a London garden on a summer evening. Many interior design companies will rely on soft background lighting together with focus lighting over the table. Your interior design company may also provide an option to enhance illumination levels at the outskirts of the garden. With this lighting scheme, a standard London terrace can become a perfect spot for entertaining guests or business associates.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
