Tag Archives: Arizona home builder

Comfortable Interiors: Comfort Food for the Home

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Some rooms feel like the interior design equivalent of chicken soup or a casserole—in other words, comfort food for the home. Creating a room that envelopes us in comfort is more than just having comfortable seating. Rooms that succeed at making people feel instantly at home and comfortable are designed that way.

 

Comfortable interiors are all about inviting someone to sit, relax and enjoy the space. They can envelope people like a big blanket. Furniture and lighting play a big role in establishing a comfortable design.  Lighting should come from multiple sources and preferably not be overhead light but floor and table level. Overhead light can be too harsh and tends to wash out the room if it is too bright. An overhead light like a chandelier that can be dimmed is a good idea if overhead lighting is a must.

 

Comfortable furniture can take many forms. Straight back chairs and stiff sofas do not lend themselves to comfort as easily as a club chair or overstuffed down sofa. Materials for the filling of furniture should be soft and pliable, molding to the body rather than stiff and unforgiving. A mix of down and foam is a good choice for pliable cushions that also hold their form.

 

Flooring is another area where comfort can be incorporated into the design. Soft carpets and thick pile area rugs invite bare feet and lounging on the floor.  Accessories like pillows and throws can make a warm, inviting place to snuggle on the sofa for a nap or watching a favorite movie. Relax and Enjoy!

Design Inspiration: Mid Century Glass

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Mid century glass is a beautiful collectible that can inspire an entire room.  Mid century glass refers to glass created between the 1940s and 1970s. This renaissance of glass making, often done by hand-blowing the pieces, took place all over Europe and America.

 

Some of the most famous mid century glass comes from Murano, Italy, which is an island off of Venice. Murano has been known for centuries as a glass century. In the 1950s and 60s their iconic swirled glass, often flecked with silver and gold, was brought back to the States by post-war American tourists.  Ashtrays, bowls, and vases, easily imported in a suitcase decorated shelves and coffee tables in chic American homes in the mid 20th century.

 

Other mid century glass centers included the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Scandinavian glass is known for its more simple shape and translucent colors and was both hand-blown and molded.

 

Because of the beautiful colors, patterns and shapes of mid-century glass is great inspiration for a color palette and décor. Rugs, carpeting and pillows can make colorful accents based on mid-century glass. A collection of mid-century glass on a table, shelf or console can be grouped together by color for a strong pop of color in a living room or dining room. Shelves lined with pieces or a single piece on a coffee table, mid-century glass is a beautiful addition to modern, contemporary or transitional space. The popularity of mid-century glass means that copies can be found new at national home décor stores and major retailers.

Stripes in the Kitchen

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Kitchens tend to be neutral color spaces with wood or neutral colored cabinets, neutral wood or tile floors and neutral stone counter tops. All these neutral colors can be gorgeous in the kitchen since they play off one another in both color and textures. A nice pop of color and pattern can help add a little more pizzazz to the neutral kitchen.

 

Stripes are a fantastic pattern for the kitchen. Stripes are a gender neutral pattern so they won’t make a kitchen, or any room, feel too feminine or masculine. They add great graphic pattern and can also be done in multiple colored stripes for a burst of color in the kitchen. White and a single color stripe creates a crisp, classic look that will work in kitchens from farmhouse to contemporary. Multicolor stripes are more lively but can also work in most kitchen styles.

 

Stripes can be used on curtains, valances, shades and cafe curtains in the kitchen. Striped runners, like the one seen here, make a great rug for in front of the sink or stove, or between the island and wall of cabinets. Striped tea towels and dish cloths continue the possibilities of stripes throughout the kitchen. Of course there are also striped glassware and dishes if you really love stripes.

 

As with any pattern you will want to monitor how many stripes you use in the kitchen. A single striped pattern is great but stripes of different sizes and colors used in a single space can make the room feel very busy.

Home Decor – The Power of Citrus

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We all know that citrus is healthy for us. Experts have been touting the power of Vitamin C for years. Beyond being a good source for vitamins, citrus can also be used to freshen up our homes as well as inspire colorful designs.

 

Citrus oils capture the fresh scent of orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit. They can be used to freshen up the air after cooking in the kitchen or combat other household odors.  A few drops of citrus oil can be added to unscented cleaning products, especially homemade cleaning products, to add a clean fresh scent.  

Beyond the scent of citrus, the colors of the fruits can also serve as design inspiration. Bright splashes of yellow, orange and green, combined or on their own, can add a touch of citrus to any room. Patterned fabric with slices of citrus makes a lively table cloth or tea towels in a kitchen. Kitchens are dining rooms are both great places to decorate with food themed décor.  The easiest way to incorporate citrus into these rooms is a big bowl or even cylindrical vase filled with citrus.  Using the actual fruit to decorate a tablescape is an inexpensive way to add color to the table.

 

Citrus is not only good for you, it can be good for your home and your décor too.