When interior design professionals say "on-wall decoration," they normally mean flat objects that may be hung on a wall. This covers photos, graphics, platters, mountings, reliefs and many other categories. London is a splendid locale in which to work as an interior designer because it is so easy to find fabulous on-wall decorative options from the busy artisan set, who frequently exhibit in galleries and warehouses across the capital.
When I think of on-wall decoration, I most frequently think of pictures. I often tell my interior design team that pictures are critical to making a residence feel personal. Having said that, I will caution that suboptimal placement of pictures can all but destroy even a highly effective interior design scheme. I note that this can be particularly problematic in some of the more cramped London flats. I tell my clients that there is a mental checklist that needs to be filled in - equally applicable for digital graphic prints as for historic sepia-tinted photographs. One of the top rules that I have my team keep in mind at our London interior design consultancy is about "relational picture hanging." By this I mean that everything on the wall should echo or reinterpret another feature in the design. Junior interior designers sometimes fail to put enough thought into this, and the result often looks "accidental" - which of course would be highly unsatisfactory! When I put together interior design concepts, I try to use the colour or content of pictures to make a connection to bookcases, panels, couches or curtains... or even to built-in elements of interest, including dado rails, coving or cabinetry - any of which can be highly fascinating in some of London's more historic period buildings.
I try to avoid placing on-wall decoration in a symmetric configuration (for example, centred on a couch or dresser) because this would risk making the interior design concept feel slightly pedestrian and mundane.
In London, we know all too well that drizzle and cooler temperatures are not unusual during much of the year. As a result, interior designers in the capital will regularly select more cheerful pictures when they choose on-wall decoration. I place significant emphasis on clustering images that are somehow connected to each other. For example, my London Interior Design team might position a series of country scenes near to each other on the wall, or they will take the same approach for pictures of historic factories or waterways. Some of the best-known London interior design consultancies will also cluster on-wall decorative elements that share the same colour concepts or mounting styles.
With the next article in this series on how interior design professionals choose on-wall decoration, I will turn to the hands-on details of how to physically secure pictures to a wall.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Showing posts with label London Interior Design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label London Interior Design. Show all posts
Friday, November 4, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Insights into Interior Design: Designing in Style - Traditional Georgian
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 third article in my series continues my discussion of traditional/period design, with a focus on the Georgian style.
In terms of dates, the Georgian period is generally considered to have extended from 1714 until 1830. It has since inspired one of the most popular traditional interior design schemes.
London interior design was considered world-class in Georgian times - UK craftspeople were highly skilled and uniquely specialised. The wealthiest classes insisted on the highest quality, with exacting standards in terms of dimensions and proportions.
A few designers were particularly famous during the Georgian era. Their names, ideas and concepts live on today in the many homes and residences that feature Georgian-inspired interior designs.
William Kent lived from 1684 until 1748 and was an architect/interior designer who is best known for his tables and chairs which featured extravagant gilt decorations and strong connections to Greek and Roman insignia. Today these traditional designs continue to be used by many London interior design consultancies that specialise in the Georgian style.
Thomas Chippendale is a name famous to many discerning Londoners. This cabinet-maker lived from 1718 until 1779 and designed furniture that was less ostentatious than that of William Kent, consistent with British (and London) tastes at the time, and yet exceedingly graceful and refined. Interior designers today will adopt either Chippendale's original designs or re-envisionments/replicas of his originals.
Finally, Robert Adam was an architect and interior designer who dominated the 1770s with his vivacious use of Roman and Greek motifs, including urns, tripods, and mythological iconography.
Today, London interior design consultancies tend to be cautious with Georgian designs, recognising that this style can look pretentious if too pronounced. Larger, more spacious London mansions with tall ceilings are best suited to the Georgian style of interior design.
The next article in my series "Designing in Style" moves away from historic traditions and focuses in on a timeless interior design classic - the rural countryside.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
In terms of dates, the Georgian period is generally considered to have extended from 1714 until 1830. It has since inspired one of the most popular traditional interior design schemes.
London interior design was considered world-class in Georgian times - UK craftspeople were highly skilled and uniquely specialised. The wealthiest classes insisted on the highest quality, with exacting standards in terms of dimensions and proportions.
A few designers were particularly famous during the Georgian era. Their names, ideas and concepts live on today in the many homes and residences that feature Georgian-inspired interior designs.
William Kent lived from 1684 until 1748 and was an architect/interior designer who is best known for his tables and chairs which featured extravagant gilt decorations and strong connections to Greek and Roman insignia. Today these traditional designs continue to be used by many London interior design consultancies that specialise in the Georgian style.
Thomas Chippendale is a name famous to many discerning Londoners. This cabinet-maker lived from 1718 until 1779 and designed furniture that was less ostentatious than that of William Kent, consistent with British (and London) tastes at the time, and yet exceedingly graceful and refined. Interior designers today will adopt either Chippendale's original designs or re-envisionments/replicas of his originals.
Finally, Robert Adam was an architect and interior designer who dominated the 1770s with his vivacious use of Roman and Greek motifs, including urns, tripods, and mythological iconography.
Today, London interior design consultancies tend to be cautious with Georgian designs, recognising that this style can look pretentious if too pronounced. Larger, more spacious London mansions with tall ceilings are best suited to the Georgian style of interior design.
The next article in my series "Designing in Style" moves away from historic traditions and focuses in on a timeless interior design classic - the rural countryside.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Insights into Interior Design: Designing in Style - Foundations
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.
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.
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.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
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! - 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 - 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.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
A Top London Interior Designer, What Do You Feel?
Interior designers sometimes get asked about the hottest colour trends. And this season, we have a confession to make: white is the new black! White interior designs are hip and trendy once again, and in particular those sterile white kitchens are now all the rage. This is particularly true in London, where the dull and gloomy skies can make clients cry out for a touch of bright white interior design freshness.
When you walk into a beautiful white kitchen designed by a top London Interior Designer, what do you feel? Many of us are overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions. We feel carefree and almost as if we are floating on air. The pervasive whiteness brings to mind age-old simplicity, sanitary freshness, contemporary impact, and a roomy, playful outlook. The interior designer will use the white kitchen as a philosophy to evoke a sentiment of purity for food preparation and to empower boundless chef-inspired inspiration.
Many interior design consultancies use white as a fabulous background for the presentation of magical colours and textures. For example, one top trend today is to use deeply varnished wooden joists to contrast with sharply-defined white architectural surrounds. Colourful interior design accents really "pop out" in this context. Alternatively, the quiet pastels of a London autumn can make for a classic and sophisticated interior design scheme.
The newest London kitchens may be white today, but the true home of the white kitchen has got to be Sweden. Just like London, Stockholm has short days and long nights for much of the year. Homeowners naturally crave interior designs that maximise the amount of reflected internal light in these climates. Swedish interior designers will create themes that are inspired by the widespread use of wintertime candles and sconces.
Returning to less northern cities like London, a simple white kitchen works well with dramatic black accents. A very dark or bold interior design element, used rhythmically in the kitchen, creates balance and interest. Contrast in tone and color is the underpinning of what might otherwise be experienced as a "simple' or "flat' kitchen.
Is a white kitchen "classic' in the sense that it can "fit' into any interior design? Certainly not! Understanding design context, and especially the architecture of all the elements, the proportions of color and tone, and a true balance with the surrounding interior spaces, are essential for the presentation of a visual logic, a "whole'. Top London interior designers recognise this, and their efforts have made the white kitchen philosophy a real winner today.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
When you walk into a beautiful white kitchen designed by a top London Interior Designer, what do you feel? Many of us are overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions. We feel carefree and almost as if we are floating on air. The pervasive whiteness brings to mind age-old simplicity, sanitary freshness, contemporary impact, and a roomy, playful outlook. The interior designer will use the white kitchen as a philosophy to evoke a sentiment of purity for food preparation and to empower boundless chef-inspired inspiration.
Many interior design consultancies use white as a fabulous background for the presentation of magical colours and textures. For example, one top trend today is to use deeply varnished wooden joists to contrast with sharply-defined white architectural surrounds. Colourful interior design accents really "pop out" in this context. Alternatively, the quiet pastels of a London autumn can make for a classic and sophisticated interior design scheme.
The newest London kitchens may be white today, but the true home of the white kitchen has got to be Sweden. Just like London, Stockholm has short days and long nights for much of the year. Homeowners naturally crave interior designs that maximise the amount of reflected internal light in these climates. Swedish interior designers will create themes that are inspired by the widespread use of wintertime candles and sconces.
Returning to less northern cities like London, a simple white kitchen works well with dramatic black accents. A very dark or bold interior design element, used rhythmically in the kitchen, creates balance and interest. Contrast in tone and color is the underpinning of what might otherwise be experienced as a "simple' or "flat' kitchen.
Is a white kitchen "classic' in the sense that it can "fit' into any interior design? Certainly not! Understanding design context, and especially the architecture of all the elements, the proportions of color and tone, and a true balance with the surrounding interior spaces, are essential for the presentation of a visual logic, a "whole'. Top London interior designers recognise this, and their efforts have made the white kitchen philosophy a real winner today.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Breathtaking Interior Designs Are Always the Goal
Interior designers are often asked about the origins of the profession - especially in the context of quality of life versus product. Has our modern quality of life driven our craving for high-quality design, or has design really been more of a primary impactor in defining how we enjoy wellness? In this article, I will draw on my experience in London's prestigious interior design community to reflect on how the design process works from this perspective.
When interior designers begin engaging with a potential client, they will often ask about function. What is the desired purpose and use of the room or residence? The answer to this question has a profound impact on everything we do. If a client is desperate for luxury high-end London extravagance in the form of a damask settee, we may recommend a synthetic damask fabric instead of cotton or satin for a household that includes young kids and a pet dog. Breathtaking interior designs are always the goal, but only in the context of compatibility with our clients' unique London lifestyles.
Interior designers will work hard to understand client requirements from the outset. Some professional London Interior Design consultancies will even have a series of highly structured interview questions that they routinely use. The interior designer will offer a free consultation at the client's home - whether inside or outside London - to discover exactly what the client loves and hates about their current residence. Budget should be a conversation point from the very beginning. It is important to clarify whether the client prefers to be given fifteen different interior design options from which to choose, or just two or three.
One area that can be really challenging for the interior designer is when a husband and wife have different ideas about the desired outcome. This can happen regardless of whether the individuals are happily married or considering an impending separation. The interior designer sometimes gets "caught in the middle," which can cause real tension.
In recent years, the London interior design community has seen a real upwelling in terms of social media and internet-enabled design opportunities. One of the most positive results is that would-be clients are now much better informed regarding interior design themes and concepts. Londoners read articles just like this one and start to get a sense of the interior design process even before we reach their front door or exchange our first set of emails!
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
When interior designers begin engaging with a potential client, they will often ask about function. What is the desired purpose and use of the room or residence? The answer to this question has a profound impact on everything we do. If a client is desperate for luxury high-end London extravagance in the form of a damask settee, we may recommend a synthetic damask fabric instead of cotton or satin for a household that includes young kids and a pet dog. Breathtaking interior designs are always the goal, but only in the context of compatibility with our clients' unique London lifestyles.
Interior designers will work hard to understand client requirements from the outset. Some professional London Interior Design consultancies will even have a series of highly structured interview questions that they routinely use. The interior designer will offer a free consultation at the client's home - whether inside or outside London - to discover exactly what the client loves and hates about their current residence. Budget should be a conversation point from the very beginning. It is important to clarify whether the client prefers to be given fifteen different interior design options from which to choose, or just two or three.
One area that can be really challenging for the interior designer is when a husband and wife have different ideas about the desired outcome. This can happen regardless of whether the individuals are happily married or considering an impending separation. The interior designer sometimes gets "caught in the middle," which can cause real tension.
In recent years, the London interior design community has seen a real upwelling in terms of social media and internet-enabled design opportunities. One of the most positive results is that would-be clients are now much better informed regarding interior design themes and concepts. Londoners read articles just like this one and start to get a sense of the interior design process even before we reach their front door or exchange our first set of emails!
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Thomas Chippendale - Work And Styles Influenced The London Interior Design Community
Thomas Chippendale didn't grow up in London (in fact he was born in Leeds in 1718), but he did move to London at the age of 31, after he had already gained recognition as a premiere furniture maker and cabinetry-focused interior designer. His work and styles influenced the London Interior Design community then, and the Chippendale aesthetic continues to extend its impact well beyond London even today.
Chippendale's fluent, natural and sophisticated style developed after the promotion of his furniture and interior designs in "The Gentleman and the Cabinetmaker's Director" in 1754. Chippendale continued to make iconic contributions to the field of interior design until 1790. His furniture came to be manufactured as far afield as Philadelphia in the USA.
Chippendale drew on three key interior design inspirations for this work - namely French, Asian and Goth. In the USA, Chippendale's work was interpreted as a re-envisionment of the Queen Anne interior design style. His furniture was often heavily ornamentalised on the feet and uppers, with beautiful heritage-inspired scroll tops on taller units. Yellow Birch and Mahogany were often used, undersupport was rarely employed, and the rears of seated furniture were covered with plush fabric or otherwise left as shaped wood, perhaps as tessellated piecework with ornamental sculpting and Asia-inspired cross-strips. To round out his own personal interior design style, Chippendale would also include delightful finials and varnished shellac features.
Enthusiasts and professionals alike were very taken with Chippendale's work, lauding him as a master London cabinetmaker and a household name of eighteenth-century furniture-focused interior design.
Harewood House is a popular Leeds tourist attraction, located about 4 hours' drive from Central London. The famous building features a magnificent collection of Chippendale library furniture that was originally ordered during the 1760s. The interior design style reflects Chippendale's ideals throughout and showcases his focus on both form and function.
Today, London's interior designers are often called to reconstruct period rooms in traditional mansions or luxury residences. Often Chippendale furniture will play a major role in such interior design concepts. Chippendale-inspired furniture designs such as those of Henrietta Spencer-Churchill may also be ideal for certain settings. However, the fresh lines of many Chippendale pieces also lend themselves to contemporary interior design concepts - many interior designers will use some of the more extravagant Chippendale pieces to offset some of the more frosty and unforgiving modern furniture elements.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Chippendale's fluent, natural and sophisticated style developed after the promotion of his furniture and interior designs in "The Gentleman and the Cabinetmaker's Director" in 1754. Chippendale continued to make iconic contributions to the field of interior design until 1790. His furniture came to be manufactured as far afield as Philadelphia in the USA.
Chippendale drew on three key interior design inspirations for this work - namely French, Asian and Goth. In the USA, Chippendale's work was interpreted as a re-envisionment of the Queen Anne interior design style. His furniture was often heavily ornamentalised on the feet and uppers, with beautiful heritage-inspired scroll tops on taller units. Yellow Birch and Mahogany were often used, undersupport was rarely employed, and the rears of seated furniture were covered with plush fabric or otherwise left as shaped wood, perhaps as tessellated piecework with ornamental sculpting and Asia-inspired cross-strips. To round out his own personal interior design style, Chippendale would also include delightful finials and varnished shellac features.
Enthusiasts and professionals alike were very taken with Chippendale's work, lauding him as a master London cabinetmaker and a household name of eighteenth-century furniture-focused interior design.
Harewood House is a popular Leeds tourist attraction, located about 4 hours' drive from Central London. The famous building features a magnificent collection of Chippendale library furniture that was originally ordered during the 1760s. The interior design style reflects Chippendale's ideals throughout and showcases his focus on both form and function.
Today, London's interior designers are often called to reconstruct period rooms in traditional mansions or luxury residences. Often Chippendale furniture will play a major role in such interior design concepts. Chippendale-inspired furniture designs such as those of Henrietta Spencer-Churchill may also be ideal for certain settings. However, the fresh lines of many Chippendale pieces also lend themselves to contemporary interior design concepts - many interior designers will use some of the more extravagant Chippendale pieces to offset some of the more frosty and unforgiving modern furniture elements.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
The London Interior Design Aesthetic Has Evolved Over Generations
The London Interior Design aesthetic has evolved over generations and has expanded in a multitude of ways over the centuries. Today, a new brand of interior designers from London and from across Europe are starting to approach their profession from a new stance - the "sculptural" aesthetic. The broader supporting industry for interior designers has started in recent years to develop fascinatingly imaginative and perceptually thrilling sculptural furniture pieces, illuminators and embellishments. Devolving away from age-old approaches, interior designers are increasingly choosing new textures, new fabrication processes and focusing on the "feel" of design rather than just the "look."
Nowhere is this more apparent than in some of the most innovative commercial interiors. London is a world heritage city for interior design, and recently the UK government invested substantial sums of money in the brand new Terminal 5 at London's flagship Heathrow International Airport. The architecture is breathtaking thanks to its apparently effortless design. The wave-inspired interior overhangs, accessorised with bowstring arches, serve to create a perceptually gentle wavy sculpture, shored up by spoke-style pointed structures. The designer talks of this design as "branched" - two different types of ceiling window (circles and egg shapes) allow natural light in from the London sky, tastefully illuminating the interior design schemes below.
London's Heathrow Terminal 5 used bridge construction techniques to create a massive, open-plan structure that truly is an interior designer's dream come true. The pure-wave effect is made possible by the use of twenty-two steel box rafters, supported along each side by eleven pairs of massive steel support abutments. The same astonishing 'strand-jacking' technique was used to lift the London Eye from horizontal to vertical and to erect the famous arch of Wembley Stadium. Key interior design elements visually carry the eye from the exterior features to the inner details, initially giving a sense of overwhelming openness and then landing on subtle touches and accessories.
London Heathrow's Terminal 5 is just one example of how architecture and interior design are deeply intertwined in modern buildings. It is an expression of today's modern interior design aesthetic, and the positive emotional response is a real boon to busy travelers and their families.
Today's new generation of interior designers continues to forge ahead, seeking a creative spark while at the same time sparking the imaginations of the public we serve. As a member of London's professional interior design community, I pause to reflect that it is all about living well - design has the power to transform what we believe, to open our eyes, and to lift our mental energy.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in some of the most innovative commercial interiors. London is a world heritage city for interior design, and recently the UK government invested substantial sums of money in the brand new Terminal 5 at London's flagship Heathrow International Airport. The architecture is breathtaking thanks to its apparently effortless design. The wave-inspired interior overhangs, accessorised with bowstring arches, serve to create a perceptually gentle wavy sculpture, shored up by spoke-style pointed structures. The designer talks of this design as "branched" - two different types of ceiling window (circles and egg shapes) allow natural light in from the London sky, tastefully illuminating the interior design schemes below.
London's Heathrow Terminal 5 used bridge construction techniques to create a massive, open-plan structure that truly is an interior designer's dream come true. The pure-wave effect is made possible by the use of twenty-two steel box rafters, supported along each side by eleven pairs of massive steel support abutments. The same astonishing 'strand-jacking' technique was used to lift the London Eye from horizontal to vertical and to erect the famous arch of Wembley Stadium. Key interior design elements visually carry the eye from the exterior features to the inner details, initially giving a sense of overwhelming openness and then landing on subtle touches and accessories.
London Heathrow's Terminal 5 is just one example of how architecture and interior design are deeply intertwined in modern buildings. It is an expression of today's modern interior design aesthetic, and the positive emotional response is a real boon to busy travelers and their families.
Today's new generation of interior designers continues to forge ahead, seeking a creative spark while at the same time sparking the imaginations of the public we serve. As a member of London's professional interior design community, I pause to reflect that it is all about living well - design has the power to transform what we believe, to open our eyes, and to lift our mental energy.
Interior Design London - Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
London Interior Design
Insights into Interior Design: Designing in Style - Modern/Contemporary
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 fifth and final article in my series moves on from countryside styles to modern/contemporary - a major focus of the London Interior Design community today.
Modern or contemporary design is all about simplicity. Interior designers tend to focus on fresh, clean lines, together with simple colours and basic shapes like perfect circles and rectangles. But the question I hear again and again from my interior design students in London is, "How to make a contemporary/modern design interesting and unique?" This can be a real challenge - interior designers always want to give their clients something special, but within the constraints of very simple, almost minimalist, design briefs, this can require some serious creativity!
My recommendation to interior design students is always to use extra imagination in the details. In London, wealthy homeowners tend to be very focused on subtle extras. To add interest to a standard modern/contemporary scheme, the interior designer can consider highlights, trims or accents in the colour scheme. Even if one only has a monochrome palette to work with, perhaps a white piece of furniture would look stunning with a beautiful bespoke black throw. Or maybe a hint of pink can be introduced into a grey tone to create a really "interior designer" look for a room? There are all sorts of possibilities, and in London's most prestigious districts today the most important thing for interior designers to keep in mind is that the label of "modern/contemporary" is just a guideline. If the client has a favourite piece of furniture or artwork that doesn"t quite fit the "modern/contemporary" label, use your interior design creativity to figure out ways to incorporate it into a scheme. You really can"t go wrong if your "modern/contemporary" design is unified and classy - and in London many clients are very sophisticated, with an eye for beauty and detail. If their needs are met, the interior designer has done their job!
Well, that closes out my series on "Insights into Interior Design: Designing in Style." Thank you so much for reading - I hope I have been able to give you some perspective on the many different styles that are and have been popular with London"s interior design community over the decades.
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 fifth and final article in my series moves on from countryside styles to modern/contemporary - a major focus of the London Interior Design community today.
Modern or contemporary design is all about simplicity. Interior designers tend to focus on fresh, clean lines, together with simple colours and basic shapes like perfect circles and rectangles. But the question I hear again and again from my interior design students in London is, "How to make a contemporary/modern design interesting and unique?" This can be a real challenge - interior designers always want to give their clients something special, but within the constraints of very simple, almost minimalist, design briefs, this can require some serious creativity!
My recommendation to interior design students is always to use extra imagination in the details. In London, wealthy homeowners tend to be very focused on subtle extras. To add interest to a standard modern/contemporary scheme, the interior designer can consider highlights, trims or accents in the colour scheme. Even if one only has a monochrome palette to work with, perhaps a white piece of furniture would look stunning with a beautiful bespoke black throw. Or maybe a hint of pink can be introduced into a grey tone to create a really "interior designer" look for a room? There are all sorts of possibilities, and in London's most prestigious districts today the most important thing for interior designers to keep in mind is that the label of "modern/contemporary" is just a guideline. If the client has a favourite piece of furniture or artwork that doesn"t quite fit the "modern/contemporary" label, use your interior design creativity to figure out ways to incorporate it into a scheme. You really can"t go wrong if your "modern/contemporary" design is unified and classy - and in London many clients are very sophisticated, with an eye for beauty and detail. If their needs are met, the interior designer has done their job!
Well, that closes out my series on "Insights into Interior Design: Designing in Style." Thank you so much for reading - I hope I have been able to give you some perspective on the many different styles that are and have been popular with London"s interior design community over the decades.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
London Interior Design
Insights into Interior Design Blog by Global Interior Design
Insights into Interior Design: Designing in Style - Foundations
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 rail (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.
Insights into Interior Design: Designing in Style - Foundations
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 rail (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.
London Interior Design
Insights into Interior Design Blog by Global Interior Design
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.
I will talk about best practices in the use of lighting and mirrors to highlight wall hangings of various types.
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.
I will talk about best practices in the use of lighting and mirrors to highlight wall hangings of various types.
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