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How to Design the Perfect Tablescape for Your Holiday Dinner

by Interior Design

With the holidays just around the corner, curating the ideal table decor for your dinner is essential. It lifts our spirits and puts a smile on everyone’s face. Our holiday parties are a little smaller this year, however, not less important. The perfect festive table sets the tone for the party and can be a topic of conversation among friends and family. Luckily, there are some tips to help you craft a table worthy of the occasion.

Here are some themes to consider for a night to remember.

Earthy Modern

Those who seek a fresh take on traditional table decor should experiment with earth tones and pottery. This style has a strong focus on natural textures and materials. Imperfect perfection and earthy ceramics take centerstage. Wabi Sabi bowls and handmade dinnerware goes great with natural and solid-colored black linens. Layer these pieces to add dimension to your tablescape. For the centerpiece, opt for an earthy focal point like real pine garland or pinecones. Any natural wood centerpiece will play nicely on the table. This will create a balanced, inviting atmosphere, perfect for an organic, laid back and festive look.

credit: Decoraid.com

Minimal Elegance

For a table that mimics the beauty of a winter wonderland, consider a simple white-on-white approach. Invest in a white table cloth, white tableware, and crystal stemware for a classy finish. To add a touch of dimension, layer in beige or off-white linens to offset the white-on-white technique. Because this theme focuses on the beauty in every detail, a minimal, modern centerpiece would best suit this setup. Consider adding a few candles to accentuate the elegance of your holiday tablescape.

credit: happyhappynester.com

Holiday Glamour

If you are looking to dazzle your guests with glitz and glamour, this style will be the one for you. Look for tableware with gold or pearlescent detail. You don’t need to be hosting big parties to set up a dazzling tablespace. Treat yourself and your family and Invest in luxury tableware for those special family dinners. This over-the-top style calls for extravagance, so don’t hold back on getting fancy stemware or linens. To achieve the look the glamorous dinnerware can be offset with a satin runner or tablecloth. And when it comes to finding the right centerpiece, opt for big gold objects like a gold candle stick or gilded flowers, feathers and glass baubles to capture the festive essence of the holiday season.

credit: lights4fun/ oliver perrott photography

Designing the perfect tablescape for your holiday party doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Get creative and accessorize your decor to make your look unique to you!

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Architectural Digest Design Show 2018

by Interior Design

Spring is the season for Fundraiser galas, Art exhibits, Fashion and Design shows. These few weeks NYC is booming with all kind of events on all things design. People from all over the world are coming to get a glimpse of what’s new, what’s hot and innovative in interior design and architecture. March 25th was the last day of a four-day annual event for Architectural Digest Design Show 2018.

And of course, I did not want to miss diving into the exciting world of all things design.

It took place at pier 92 and 94 on the upper west side. Two overwhelmingly big trade floors were packed with furniture, fabrics and other design pertinent fixtures. It was buzzing with designers and design lovers going from one booth to another interacting with product designers showcasing their creations. It was fascinating to see how big-name brands and smaller emerging designers all were sharing the same spotlight.

The first notable installation I should mention was an apartment by Drake /Anderson interior design firm.  I had a pleasure meeting Jamie Drake when he was a guest speaker at one of the events at FIT where I was studying Interior design at the time. His sense of style and star-studded client list both are awe-inspiring, putting him on my top list of best-rated designers.

This very moderated, cosmopolitan, contemporary and young apartment added something new to his flamboyant and colorful style.

Some other designs jumped out with flat out funky colors like Smeg and its Dolce & Gabanna print on kitchen appliances.

Finding new talents, of course, is what I came here for, just like every other designer, and wasn’t disappointed.

Some Lighting options were incredible! Table Lamps by Scout design studio were darling with marble like pedestal base. Very soft and elegant. Feyz is another lighting manufacturing company that had a very inventive display and had a leaning flor lamp with a ball in the middle.  There was a lot of inspiring design ideas, but these I thought stood out as a beautiful example of innovative and modern design.

Art was amazing, and it inspired me. Mouthwatering and incredibly sweet displays by Samantha Sandbrook. The pieces looked like paint embedded into thick clear resin making a 3-dimensional  feel.  Cameron R Nelson +Depict had a digital art display which I found exciting and forward-thinking. Some photography by Mark MacKinnon was so beautiful that I had to stop and daydream for a minute.

This display was lots of fun! Sony’s portable ultra short throw projector. I had so many questions, that Jesse ended up doing a full presentation of this gadget for me.

More of art pieces from Christopher Printz. This will add glitz and glam to any place.

And if you are a fan of minimal design, then this chair is a perfect option from Studia Cidra.

An eclectic approach to design, and beautiful chandelier to tie it together, just perfect little vignette.

Gold was an overwhelming detail that showed everywhere, even this cowhide by Nourison. The chair was a restoration piece from Adrian Pearsall chaise lounge by Forsyth. Beautifull work and attention to detail.

This amazing furniture company is worth mentioning as it stood out to me with the innovative and modern design. Don’t be fooled by that simple cube side table, it’s a storage bin as well as laptop table!

Lots of beautiful work and inspirational forward-thinking designs overall! Incredible day, exhausting, but worth it for trade professionals and design lovers alike.

There is a great deal of design shows coming up, but few are not to be missed, like ICFF NYC may 20-23, and Kips Bay Decorator show house which will be open to public May 1- 31.

See you there!

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Brownstones heart and soul

by Interior Design

New York City is notorious for its beautiful brownstone-lined streets.

It is the most coveted home for any New Yorker, and a must-see for travelers.

But not all homes are brownstones

Brownstones are a row house, with a little twist of added sandstone to a front face of it.

They were massively built by developers to accommodate a rapidly growing middle class. It was a quick rise and fall of the trend in late 19 century. As it turned out the sandstone was frail and needed constant repairs, which was not a great investment option.

Today you can find them in Harlem, West, and Upper East Side as well as in Brooklyn, Park Slope, Caroll Gardens and Brooklyn Heights for people fleeting crowded Manhattan and looking for sanctuary and space.

Sandstone was mined around New York City, and neighboring states and because it was cheap and readily acquired a lot of houses were decorated with it. The color slightly varied depending on the quarry.

What sets them apart?

The most notable distinction for a brownstone, besides the stone used, is its stoop.  It looks charming when you see those front steps going up to the first floor. Lined with very impressive stone rail. Oddly enough those were built to elevate the first floor off the ground, so the smell of garbage lined streets would be tolerable to the residents.

Sadly, the sanitation was an issue back then, and that was an efficient design decision.

Another design distinction is that the brownstones are wider than a regular row house, to accommodate the layout of the space inside. Increased square footage is also a significant contributing factor in its high price tag today.

Space and layout.

Most covetable in the brownstone was and still is the favorable layout.

First floor or parlor floor divided into two sections. One side is taken up by a staircase and another a large parlor area, mostly used for entertaining guests and parties.

The interior lined with 8 to 11 inch-high base moldings, wainscoting, intricate freeze details at ceiling made of plaster or wood, which honestly looks magnificent with elaborate parquetry hardwood floor detail. The fireplace detailed and decorated with marble. And the focal point was the staircase. Some were so ornamented and detailed, that you would instantly know that that woodworking is an art piece by itself.

Going up were the bedrooms, first the master, then kids and then everyone else who had quarters at the house.

The ground floor was taken up by a kitchen and used as a secondary entrance for staff.

Types and design

Façade of the Brownstone is what steals the show. As you walk past them, none of them look alike. The styles were so mixed that it is not possible to put them into one category. In Brooklyn, there is a lot of Italianate styles, also, some Greek and Romanesque revival.

Italianate style indeed came from Italian farmhouses, but on the road to America went through some changes, and here it is now mostly seen on this continent. Perfectly symmetrical and repetitive. With its softly arched and richly decorated windows, stoops and doorways.

Romanesque was its fancier cousin with doors and windows rounded into complete arches, and over the top, maximalist decoration. Straight and rectangular windows and doors could identify with Greek revival.

Go on, take a stroll through a brownstone-lined street on a sunny day and immerse yourself in its rich history.

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Rug obsession

by Interior Design

There is a growing trend of Oriental or Persian rugs being used in interior design.  We all remember our grandmother’s heavy patterned rugs. If you have been thinking about getting that carpet from your grandma’s house, well, now is the time.  Don’t worry if you don’t have that grandmother’s heirloom; stores are brimming with colorful prints and patterns that are just delicious.

Persian rugs are coming to us from Iran, which used to be known as Persia. The colors are usually red and earthy toned. This is excellent, considering the color palette was moving steadily into naturals and earthy toned hues last year. However, there are plenty of modern twists and new approaches to that traditional design. We see plenty of blues, yellows, and greens too. Some cleverly been muted and washed out to give it this aged look all together.

Carpet quality

Choosing a quality carpet is more vital than the pattern. Rugs will most likely make up a sizable portion of your budget, and if you are investing your money, you should invest in quality. I hear a lot from my clients and friends that it has to be of natural fiber, preferably wool. Yes, without a doubt silk and wool rugs are beautiful and will stand up the test of time. Wool rugs will keep that warmth, and as a bonus have low flammability. But not all rugs are made equal.  If you are on the budget a lower grade wool will not have the same qualities and will fall apart pretty soon. My preference is always a mix of wool and nylon. It keeps the cost lower, and your rugs will last longer and still look great!

Fitting it right

The rule of thumb when placing a carpet in the room, it should be big enough for furniture to be on it.

It’s a big no-no having your rug smaller than the conversation area it is meant to be. You can cheat by having heavy furniture like couch have only one set of front legs on it. The rest should be entirely on the rug. If you are placing it in the dining room, make sure all the chairs are in the rug area and at least 12-24 inches behind them.

How many rugs?

The most common question I hear is, “Can I have two rugs in the same room?” And the answer is yes, you can, but this is where it gets tricky. Try mixing the colors and keep it in one style or vice versa. It makes sure that the carpets relate to each other and don’t get boring. I also like the idea of layering with lighter and smaller rugs on top of heavier ones, like kilim or hides. It looks luxurious and fun.

Taste and style

Rugs are great tools to use to tie together or to separate different areas in an open floor plan. There are many positive aspects of having a carpet and appearance is a significant factor.

Whether you choose to mix your Persian with modern décor or use it in a traditional space, it will undoubtedly be a focal point that is worth the investment.

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Easily Created Contemporary Spaces

by Interior Design

Shopping for furniture is fun, but sometimes could be overwhelming and seem like an impossible task. We want our home to look airy,

open and not cluttered. And when after all we do get that sectional into our apartment, it feels empty and unwelcome.

Somehow we strive for our interiors to make us feel as if they had been like this forever. Just like a pearl in its oyster, as If years had gone

by and created just a perfect way to live.

How do we solve this problem without overwhelming our spaces with unwanted furniture pieces, and keeping it clean and finished?

Here are a few tips: 

Scale & Proportion

Start with creating a composition with scale and proportion. “Scale” here would represent how an object relates to another element or

object, and “proportion” of an object or a furniture piece depends on its association with the elements surrounding it.

In other words, take into consideration the surrounding architecture such as the size of the windows or door openings.  You have floor to

ceiling windows or wider entryways into the room, it’s  ok to use bigger furniture pieces, but when you have smaller windows

and standard 3-foot hallways, it is almost always better to consider less conspicuous furniture in size as well as color.

When building a minimal, contemporary space, always try to apply  “less is more” principles, important is to understand that the fewer

objects we have in the space the stronger presence it makes.

Fill in the box

Think of your room as a box that you need to fill in. When choosing your decor don’t forget the walls, ceiling, and space in between.

a sectional propped up against the wall by itself could leave your space feeling empty. But adding an oversized painting behind will lead

your eyes up and create an interest. Adding a chandelier or pendants will also do the trick.

Balancing light and dark

Having a dark couch in the light colored room will also add heaviness or value to it, and often times it will not give us the desired look unless

you balance this with another item. It could very well be an ornamented chandelier that draws our attention elsewhere.

Understanding how to make up a composition is not a small task, but it helps when you think if it as one space, the interior planes interlocking

with each other, and like a musical dance complimenting space around them.

 

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How to choose a perfect fine art for your wall

by Interior Design

Art is one of the most important elements in Interior design. We look at all the magazines and hi-end design on its pages and wonder what makes it so stark and covetable. It could give a  space definition, edge and often character.

Art moves us, regardless of whether you are an art person or not. It doesn’t have to be something popular or well known. We all had those moments where we pass by a street artist and an image somehow jumps at you and you stop for a split second, before walking by, waiving away that fleeting feeling of amazement. This is what I’m often looking for, not all images that I like is Da Vinci’s Madonna, some are so silly, that I often laugh at myself for liking it, never the less the art had achieved its purpose, it made me feel.

An Important moment to decide here would be what you want your space to achieve, Art could calm down the mood or energize the space with its presence.

Step two will be to educate yourself. Try to explore as much art as you possibly can. With the abundance of art available on the internet, you shouldn’t have the problem, just don’t look at all of it in one place.  If you can, visit some art galleries. It doesn’t cost a dime to look through some work of aspiring artists, and you can make it into a wonderful Sunday stroll and delicious brunch.

This will definitely help you sort this into categories, whether you like the traditional art, contemporary or modern.

It is also a good  Idea to choose the art last, this way you can enhance the room with its presence, and add to it.

Choosing color first will not be a wrong move,  after all, it is a part of the decor. Pull your colors from the fabric of your furniture, fabric patterns, and textures. Try and see if going the opposite direction will work for you rather than a match with the decor. as An example, if you have blue and beige interior a pop of red and black and white could be just what the doctor ordered.

The size in most cases should not be bigger than the size of your couch or credenza if it’s hanging above it.

It’s a great Idea to allocate a portion of the budget for it, as the cost will often be more than you would initially expect. The cost of an oversized modern canvas print could run you a couple of hundred dollars.

Art is an expression through color and contest, There are no wrong answers when it comes to style.