Bathroom remodel with reclaimed materials

In this rustic country bathroom a hint of modern styling accents the re-claimed eucalyptus used to fabricate the custom vanity and cabinets. The iron and wood insets were salvaged from an old door that was found at a local antique shop adding further ethnic flavor to the door fronts. The vanity top is anchored by rich gray concrete for the counter-top, accented with bright blue concrete vessels.



The soft white tumbled stone flooring from Italy compliments with the crispness of the vanity contrasting it's furniture details at the cabinet base.



The handmade tile in the shower has an earthy, organic pattern and when used as an accent against the smooth surface of the modern concrete wall tile, it gives back beautifully. The white concrete tile in the shower has the look of velvet and the smoothness of silk. Concrete is one of the most durable of materials and can be used for flooring, tile and counter-tops.



The handmade tile continues onto the custom shower bench and onto the floor of the shower. The clear glass enclosure has a hinged door for easy in and out access and keeps the shower space light and bright.

Inspiration | warm gray and white

The warm gray family of colors is very big for 2009. These are not cold in feel, but quite the contrary. A waltz through any of the following rooms gives you the feel of peaceful serenity. This first example has a rich boldness yet with the balance of white maintains a comfortable lightness to the room.




The warm gray in this environment is of the palest variety, imagine a white with a touch of gray, no more. The softness of the wood flooring gives just the right amount of contrast and works beautifully with the soft neutrals of the upholstery.



A play on texture and softness describes this style approach, everything is white on white. When you are creating this feel in an room, color is of the most subtle yet there are many tones. The crisp white floor, fireplace and moldings tie together and play down the architecture in the room, thus creating the canvas for the off-white upholstery.




The warm gray flooring anchors this room at it's base, allowing the walls and ceiling to rise up from it. This creates the bottom layer for additional layering of gray to black. The baseboard in a similar shade of gray becomes attached to the floor and the result will make the room appear larger.



From this viewpoint you can see how the low black media storage ties the space together with the graphic pattern connecting and giving the feeling of height. This repeats the strong architectural feel of the tall bookcases previously featured throughout an otherwise neutral room.

Images from Livingetc.com

Turquoise!

Turquoise is hot in interiors, this not quite blue not quite green tone really brings a visual sense of energy to a room. Getting the right shade is a huge start, remember the walls in the sex in the city movie, now that was the perfect turquoise. When you use such a strong tone in a room, you need to temper it with clean white though the red sofa here works just fine.




Turquoise can be tamed by adding a rustic flavor to the space, the brown log wall adds a soothing though extreme contrast to the initial feel of this room. The bright turquoise deer head accent adds a level of tongue in cheek to this space, determined to not be taken too seriously.



Turquoise with greens... classically soothing when mixed together in pale tones though with the bold approach above, what you get is energy. The bright greens bounce your eye around the room but soon settle in on the violet sofa and charcoal gray. This artful approach uses not only colors that are next to each other on the color wheel but also compliments. Thus creating all of the stunning visual activity.

Decorating with pink

Pink and magenta is associated with romance and I'll admit a wash of pink is the bedroom is quite nice though that is not the only place for this thoughtful shade. Hot pink is especially vibrant when mixed with coral and lilac, this is not for the color weary.



A peaceful approach, you can have pink without allowing it overpower the room. This is very soft yet feminine and uses warm gray with white to balance the space.



Pink looks fabulous with rich taupe and white, it creates a splashy, modern style but in a very understated manner.



This traditional sofa with it's white legs has been upholstered and finished to feel modern. By painting the claw feet in white laquer you loose some of the detail in the carving and the foot becomes more graphic in style.



Hot pink draperies and pillows make their mark in this soft modern environment. By inserting various shades of pink together such as the carpet, pillows, and drapery, the color scheme becomes monochromatic. This color approach softens and relaxes the spirit. Love the modern style fireplace.

Mosiacs | Influenced by Classic Fabrics

So much of what we see in Interior design is fashion inspired, the following stone mosaic collection from AKDO pulls this off seamlessly. Think argyle socks and sweaters, this classic pattern carries itself very well in the form of natural stone. This pattern will work very nicely as a backsplash for your kitchen.



Classic menswear tweeds, this pattern with all of it's subtle tones can carry a large surface well. Think wainscoting with a dark finished edge running at the top and at the base.




Plaids like the classic above have embellished Burberry raincoats, bags, shoes, etc forever, now your floor can look smashing as well. This classic pattern comes off as geometric and modern in stone, use this one in your bathroom.



Classic Houndstooth. This is exciting to see as a floor pattern in stone, we are already seeing it in carpet. Another great choice for a bathroom floor, this will give a classic design approach a huge dose of fashion.

For more information on this beautiful stone go to; http://www.akdo.com/products_collection.asp?collid=27

Hallways

Hallways can be great spaces to show off artwork. A large ethnic rug is a great way of bringing color and interest to a hallway. Hang it length ways for the biggest impact and keep the rest of the space neutral so it doesn't feel too cluttered.




This entry hall takes advantage of the space by placing a smart console with room for extra storage. This is a great way to keep clutter hidden and to only show the decorative pieces you want to see.




Draw attention to original features while maintaining a modern feel by painting woodwork and paneling in a soft gray eggshell paint. This gray works well with the black and white color scheme especially if you prefer a softer feel. For a more edgy, modern color approach, paint the wood molding in a rich satin charcoal and accent the picture molding in a rich, hot magenta, would be very hip!




This hall uses an interesting console that has some decorative detailing which when placed against a stark white wall creates some interest. The pattern on the carpet along with the art really help to make this hall space active yet crisp.

A mediterrean gem | full of color inside and out

The exterior of this Mediterrean style home was faux finished with a sponge, a large brush, and an old rag. I wanted to create the feel of an Italian villa right here in California. The house has exquisite details inside and out which really helped my cause. The original French windows are still intact which is lucky for an old home such as this, circa 1927.



The living room has a large barrel ceiling and is finished around the top with plaster crown moulding. This is something you never see in modern built homes of today. The walls were faux finished in three tones; two shades of yellow, and a transparent saddle brown. The crown details are glazed in taupe, red and burnished golds. The sconces on the back wall were found at a local antique store now closed and are stamped with "made in Czechoslovakia", a clue to how old they are. The beaded shades are new.



The dining room still has the original chandelier and fortunately has the same plaster crown but in a slightly different design. The walls were painted is a rich apricot and accented with a pale blue ceiling, and burnished gold crown. All of the parquet wood floors are original throughout the house.




The old-style kitchen (which I am not showing you at the moment) is in need of a gentle remodel. The walls are a pale terra cotta color with soft creamy trim throughout. The floor is from Italy. The rest of the kitchen has plenty of room for the table and chairs and has a lovely view off the back deck. The chandelier is vintage Italian and was found locally at another antique shop.



Here is just a peek at the master bedroom palette. The walls are pale yellow-green with a magenta ceiling, gold crown and base at the floor. The drapery are custom and are in a pale green silk taffetta underneath with a sheer silk organza overlay. More to come on this later.



A peek at the garden just off the back of the house. The concrete patio has a custom painted floor and is fitted with vintage garden furniture from assorted antique finds, re-sell shops. There are many levels of gardens throughout the rest of the yard.

Baroque wall tiles

I came across the most beautiful wall tiles, very bold yet very elegant in style.








For more inspiration go to http://www.irisceramica.com/ceramic/tiles-collections/

A home on the island of Filicudi, Italy

The typical Eolian house consisted of modular cubes constructed from indigenous building materials such as stone, lava, and pumice. Almost all houses have a large outdoor terrace, usually shaded by grape-vines and flowering vines.



The delicate palette of salmon, pale creamy yellow, soft pale green are typical for the area.


(images by Adriano Bachella)

The houses, balconies and terraces are mostly decorated with brightly patterned terra-cotta tiles, a throwback to long-ago Spanish conquerors.