Monthly Archives: September 2013

Chandeliers: Classic Furniture With Contemporary Appeal

de0974_rs (2) It’s hard to state how necessary light is to all aspects of life.  It is one of the most important factors in interior design, photography, and seeing.  With poor lighting, a beautiful room set up can be blocked out by the lacking accents that are going unobserved. With great lighting, even the simplest elements in an interior design can become a revelation. Capturing important lighting is important, but equally as important is the light source. And that is why, by choosing a chandelier as a light source, you can significantly increase the amount of enchanting ambiance for whichever room you put one into.

 You might notice the physical design of a chandelier resembles that of a candelabra, which is true. In fact, the word itself is derived from the French word chandelabre, which can further be traced back to the latin candela meaning light. The origins of the chandelier stem all the way back to the 14th century, which gives you a unique representation of classicism when decorating your home.Guy Chaddock

The chandelier itself has a regal design and is unique because of the way it lights up a room. This harkens back to giving your design an ambient light that can enthrall and enchant with a simple flick of the switch.

2--Tier-Medallion-Chandelier (1) When purchasing a chandelier, it is important to consider the style that you want. There are so many options concerning a chandelier design, and this can be attributed to the vast history these light fixtures have enjoyed, that it is important to do some research of the frame and glass types used in its construction in order to choose the best possible design to benefit your lighting needs. It’s also nice to play with the traditions a bit, and hang pendant lights on a bracket over a kitchen table. This is a great inspiration that gives a new feel to a classic look.veiled chandelier

 Once you have picked out a chandelier for your respective room, you are ready to get it set up. In most cases, you’ll want to have the chandelier hanging seven feet from the ground, but this really depends on your ceilings height. You may also want to try smaller chandeliers in closets or bathrooms for an ambient flair of intimacy.It should be noted, however, that having a new light source may require some additional interior design concerning your furniture and mirrors, but that sounds like another fun project altogether, and that’s what the most important aspect of interior design is. Having fun.

 

Hanging Artwork In Your Home

Marbella2So you have just spent the night out at an art gallery and realized that hanging some artwork would be the perfect thing for your interior decorating. You’ve been thinking this for a while now, but it wasn’t until you were walking around a gallery, looking at all of the individual pieces, that it dawned on you. You’ve had a couple photographs or paintings that you’ve wanted to hang and the evening out has just made you determined to make a gallery out of your living space.

It’s important to consider the type of frame that your artwork is going to be in before adding it to your room. You want to make sure that everything you put into your home, has a function and isn’t taking away from any of the design work you have done already

Hanging artwork can be difficult. There many considerations to take when putting artwork up on a wall. The size, shape, architecture, configuration of your house, the color of the walls, the lighting, the size of the artwork, the hardware, and of course the colors, materials, subject and meaning of the artwork matter. No one thing is of more or less importance than the other.

The placement of art on a wall presents an opportunity for a dialogue that enhances, rather than merely showcases, the work. It is an experience controlled by the person hanging the artwork. You control what the viewer sees first, what they see last, what they see across the room at any given time and what they see in their periphery while looking at one piece of work. Subject matter, color, and other visual cues can draw one’s eye from one piece to the next, subliminally helping the viewer make connections in their mind.  When hanging your artwork, consider complementing your artwork with an adjacent mirror, since it will enhance the artworks presence in your room.

A general rule of thumb for hanging work on a wall is that the exact center of the piece lies five feet from the floor, the same rule applies for when it hangs above furniture. You also want to consider the size of the furniture you may be hanging your artwork over. You don’t want the piece to be larger than any furniture it is above, artwork should always be smaller than the furniture it is above, but not too small.

Light should hit the piece just right. You are, after all, showcasing the work. This doesn’t mean work cannot be hung higher or lower, at an angle, salon-style, in a grid or pattern, or abutting several other pieces. The choice is yours to make.

Careless presentation can take away from the art. It can be confusing and detrimental. But, for instance, purposefully engaging the viewer in a visual and physical challenge can be a clever twist to presenting work. The installation techniques of your artwork should neither outshine nor undermine the art, it should simply make sense.

Artwork is hung on a wall because it has a purpose there. It is different than flipping through reproductions of the work in a book, on a screen, or on a table. The same photograph can look completely different on a wall than it does on a computer screen. Each method presents the artwork in a different way, and this is the most important part of hanging art. This should be the case in not just museums and galleries, but in boutiques, coffee shops, office buildings and your own house. It involves a lot of thought, precision, and…math. You want to make sure that people see that you enjoy the artwork you are putting up in your house because it says something about your interests in artwork and creative interior design.

 

Accent Chairs and Making The Most Of Your Furniture

42F_702_hiresSay you’re looking to redo the setup in one of your rooms with the hopes of creating a cozy space with lots of charm. You might also be aiming for a room that’s as functional as possible, but you need the missing piece of the puzzle to bring the whole thing together. Then it hits you—a chair. A chair would be perfect. Something for a guest to sit on when hosting company, but that also adds to the room’s ambience when unused. For that, you’ll need something that packs a little more punch than a run-of-the-mill chair. The perfect accent chair that will do just that: accent. Not overpowering, just something to bring together the look of your room.

The first step is an important one. Take a look around the room, notice the sofa, the coffee table, the artwork you’ve selected, and the rest of the pieces present. In your mind, you need to decide what will best add to the look that you have already established. VitaraOnce you understand the aesthetic choices informing your room, you can choose a piece that is going to turn your room from comfortable to cozy. Making the choice need not be stressful, as accent chairs are available to match just about any style.

Figuring out what you want the chair to do in the room is a big help in moving forward. Obviously, the chair offers additional seating, but a metal folding chair will do that. Figure out what else the accent chair needs to accomplish, and choose accordingly. Since you’ve looked around the room, you know what will fit and what won’t.

Consider this: hardwood floors, a light colored sofa, a wooden coffee table, a dining table complementing the color scheme of the floor, and a nice window on the far wall in the room. This scenario suggests charm. The perfect accent chair for this room could be a modern upholstered chair, something with a nice all over print that matches the aesthetic of your room. _MG_14375435_MischaChairCP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Along with that contemporary elegance element, upholstered chairs suggest feeling of comfort and a cozy sense of decoration. As with all things being added into your interior design, be sure to consider your color wheel and palate before making any implementations into your home.264-1

There are many places to put an accent chair in a room. You could put it in any number of corners, in an entryway or hallway, underneath windows, by a fireplace, in a powder room. This is just one chair in one scenario, but the options are quite limitless. That’s why it’s important to narrow down what aesthetic your room is going for. Is a stationary wooden chair the right choice for you? The perfect accent chair is just waiting for you.  Come to La Maison Interiors and let us help you find it!

 

How to Shake (not Stir) up a Room with a Cocktail Table

_MG_4827How to Shake (not Stir) up a Room with a Cocktail Table.

There is a holistic benefit to having a cocktail table—or coffee table as it is commonly called—in a room in your home. It can be the difference between a space that feels empty, and a cozy area destined to draw hours of conversation from your guests, or let you relax comfortably. To pick the right table for your room, you first need to identify the aesthetic you want, and choose a cocktail table to emphasize it. There may seem like a lot to choose from, with many design qualities and factors to choose amongst, but don’t worry! Options are good, and we’re here to help you pick the right table for your home.

Embrace the Math

The first step is measuring your sofa. The ideal cocktail table is 2/3 the length of your sofa, and should be placed 14 to 18 inches from it. Too much table will make a room feel cluttered, while an undersized table can make a room seem a bit out of whack aesthetically. Getting the ratio right impacts your sofa and cocktail table choice, so consider it a good plan to measure first, and then look for the perfect piece.

The “Perfect” Choice

Once your measurements are made, the next step is choosing which style of table you want.

Take glass, for instance. Choosing a glass cocktail table, a popular selection for many homeowners, can add a sleek, modern appeal to a room. The glass table is transparent, so while it offers plenty of functional surface area, it doesn’t seem to take up as much space. It’s also compatible with any color scheme, making it a simple choice for a put-together look that doesn’t put too much stress on color combinations elsewhere in the room.

 Another popular choice is a wooden cocktail table. This choice gives a robust flair to your room. It can also be used to add an element that’s a little more rustic to your design palette. Wooden tables can also add a bit of unexpected comfort to a room.

pg 54 Le Baron Nite Table Imagine this scenario, for example. You’ve chosen to spend a week away at a beach house. You’ve been out frolicking in the waves all morning, but then, it starts to rain. You head back to the house, a bit disappointed that the rest of the day has been rained out. As a consolation, you decide to cozy up with a book and a hot cup of coffee. With your warm beverage, you sit down on the couch, only to notice the wooden cocktail table, light in color and sanded for character, with a striking set of beveled edges. That cocktail table, originally just a place for your coffee, has added an atmosphere of hospitality to the room, and suddenly, a day inside doesn’t seem like such a bad thing after all.

Once Overlooked, Now Central

uc3536_rsAnd that’s the thing with the Cocktail table, once an overlooked component in living-room design, now it’s impossible to ignore. It’s an integral piece in bringing together a room aesthetically.

There really is no wrong answer when it comes to design; whether it be glass, wood, upholstered, a trunk, metal, or even simply an ottoman, each type of cocktail table will bring its own charm and attributes to a space.

The next step is accessorizing a cocktail table, which needs to be done appropriately. But don’t worry! We’ll have a blog up soon on that topic as well. Until then, enjoy your time choosing the best possible addition to your room.