Friday 26 August 2016

How To Pick Your Interior Design Style

Look at the style of your home first

If you live in a historic elegant estate going all modern might not be the best choice. Examine the architecture of your home and find a complementary style.

Learn from your clothing style

Looking at your own style is a good way to get inspiration for your space. Are you very professional or are you more earthy and relaxed. Interior design is art you can live in so you might as well compliment yourself and create a space that reflects you.

What type of art do you like

Do you like floral and elegant art or do you prefer geometric patterns and abstract shapes. This can help you find inspiration for fabrics that can match your art preference and tie everything together.

Make it your own

Dont just copy pictures from pottery barn make it your own. Make the art yourself. Figure out what inspires you and reflect that through your space.

For some extra fun check out this Quiz on houzz.

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/25171951/list/houzz-quiz-whats-your-decorating-style

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Houston Design Center Annual Designer Sample Sale

The Houston Design Center Annual Designer Sample Sale gathers design and decorative professionals, interior designers, architects, manufacturers and builders under one roof — all of them offering unprecedented savings on antiques, art, accessories, floor samples, furniture, lighting, rugs, and more.

Showrooms and designers participating in the sale include Bunch & Shoemaker, Charlotte Nail Antiques, Design House, Inc., Jann Wisdom Designs, Johnson Simon Resources, Lighting Treasures, Pride of Persia Rug Company, Postmodern Traditions, Scene One Interiors, Teri Pugh Studio, and other acclaimed industry specialists.

Noted interior designer Ben Johnston kicks off the three-day event on Friday, August 25 at 10 am with “Design 101,” an informative presentation exploring the benefits of working with a design professional. Space is limited; advance reservations are available at www.thehoustondesigncenter.com/sale.

Popular food trucks Bubba’s Texas Burger Shack and Cousins Maine Lobster will be on hand to provide tasty lunch bites from 11:30 am – 2 pm in the Center Gazebo.

EVENT DETAILS

WHEN

8.26.16 | 9:00 am
8.27.16 | 9:00 am
8.28.16 | 1:00 pm

WHERE

7026 Old Katy Rd.
Houston, TX 77024-2154

TICKET INFO

Admission is free.

Originally Seen on Houston CultureMap

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Tuesday 16 August 2016

How To Stand Out as an Interior Designer

Being an interior designer is an amazing career path. But in an industry that is highly saturated how can you stand out and get clients? Well the good news is, it’s a lot easier than you think. Most interior designers are stuck in old ways and habits. Here are a few things Most interior designers don’t do that you can do to stand out and take over.

Pick a Niche

As a Designer it’s a good idea to pick a specific niche. Are you a residential designer? Are you a commercial hotel designer? Are you a Restaurant designer? Are you an event and experience designer? Find one thing and become the expert in that field. Create more content online than anyone else about that specific topic.

Don’t Advertise The Same Way as Everyone Else

The majority of the design community is stuck in the past. Most designers and firms spend their advertising dollars on expensive magazine ads and events.  We think one of the best way to get in front of new clients is through the internet and social media. Instead of spending $2000 dollars on a magazine ad. Take that money and run some Facebook  dark posts. Make sure you have google Adsense set up. Create videos on youtube showing people how you design and make video’s of you actually on the project.

Know Who Your Ideal Client Is

Think about who you Ideal client is. Who are they, what do they look like. where do they work. where do they live? what things do they like. what do they do for fun. If you take the time to put yourself in their shoes. you can figure out how to get in front of these people and how to communicate to them in an engaging way.

Develop a Signature Style

Part of standing out as a designer is being different from everyone else. A great way to do this is to develop a style that is uniquely you. This is not easy and it takes time and experience. but if you can pull it off you will have people wanting to work with you just because you have a style they like.

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Monday 15 August 2016

The Garden of Dreams: A French Chateau Takes Root in Houston

Dreams are what make our gardens grow; imagination crowds the empty spaces with future blooms. Our favorite flower is as personal as our sense of style, and often changes with the seasons. Because Houston enjoys a year-round climate for flower cultivation, rarely are we denied the pleasure of petals.

In addition, there are few flowers we cannot grow in Houston’s temperate climate. Many exotic tropical varieties enjoy the heat and rain, while a great deal of northern-clime beauties will persist in the mildest of years. (To delight in the splendor of spring during the heat of summer, visit the exhibition of French floral painter Claire Basler at The Houston Design Center, organized by Yvonamor Palix Fine ArtsJardin Éternal is on display through August 5, so hurry. Alkusari Stone showroom has created a textural space for the exhibit that transports you to a French chateau and inspires ideas for the garden of your dreams.)

There is, alas, one flower that cannot call Houston home, and that is the perennial peony. The peony is not only beautiful and the subject of great works of art; in addition, it possesses a sublime fragrance. The flowers are native to Asia, Europe, and western North America, and In China, the magnificent bloom is regarded as the king of flowers. It symbolizes wealth, good fortune, and happiness. The scientific name, Paeonia, originates from Greek mythology. Paeon was the physician of the Gods and had marvelous curative powers, including the ability to bring the dead to life. Parts of the peony are still used in traditional herbal medicine. To delight in the fragrance, one must travel north into colder climates. My first experience of the lovely bloom and stunning fragrance was in June last year in Toronto.

As an avid gardener and botanical writer, the most common question I receive is, what is your favorite flower? When I answer, my response is often frowned upon, because my flower of choice is the rose. I second-guess myself every time, and quickly mention more unique and unusual specimens. But the truth is, I love roses. My grandfather grew roses for my grandmother, and when I was young, the fragrant blooms stood higher than I could reach. My grandfather had to pull the magnificent blossoms from the sky for me to catch their intoxicating scent.

Roses are a favorite flower of poets, painters, and gardeners. Many people shy away from growing them, however, because they’ve heard that roses are difficult to grow. I have found the opposite to be true; the less I mess with my roses, the better they grow. First, roses need full sun all day. Second, do not spray water directly onto the plant; instead, water at the base of the bushes.

During the hottest days of summer, I water once a week, maybe twice during drought conditions. Finally, prune and fertilize at the end of summer for a fantastic fall flush, and again around Valentine’s Day for spring blooms. Remove spent blooms to encourage new flowers. (And be sure to visit the display of antique and climbing roses in the McGovern Centennial Gardens at Hermann Park.)

To meet Claire Basler is to meet a true naturalist. She speaks French, and I, English, but we both are fluent in the language of flowers. Looking at her series of paintings entitled Ombelles Sur Ciel, I asked Basler if the umbel in the painting was dill, Anthem graveolens. She nodded and smiled. No longer did we speak different languages, but a universal tongue, that of nature.

Dill is a wonderful addition to a Houston herb garden. You’ll love the the flavor of the delicate foliage, and its texture and height enliven any garden bed. In addition, spring pollinators love the lacy florets. Cooler weather in autumn is the ideal time to plant seeds or store-bought plants. Summer’s heat will cause the herbaceous annual to bolt or produce seed quickly and not live a full life cycle; wait another six weeks to plant the seeds, and by early winter your dill weed will be rising to the sky.

Closing ceremony and party celebrating Claire Basler in Houston, “All Things Beautiful,” happy hour, Friday, August 5, 5:30 to 8 pm. The public is invited: The Houston Design Center’s Alkusari Stone, 7026 Old Katy Road, Suite 229.  

By Jennifer Trandell. Originally seen on PaperCityMag.com. Jennifer Trandell is a native Texan. She has journeyed to more than 25 countries and lived in Asia, Australia, Europe, Hawaii, and Mexico. She holds a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s degree in art education from Lesley University. Follow her travel adventures here.

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Saturday 13 August 2016

4 Secrets of Interior Design

Start with the color scheme

When you start with a color scheme you narrow down the choices of furniture and the style. This makes things a lot easier.

Fake height with low furniture

Make a space feel instantly more open and large by making the furniture low to the ground compared to the ceiling.

Mirrors are your best friend

Mirrors can be used in so many creative ways and they always make a space feel more open. They go with any style from modern to traditional.

use silver and gold

Metallic finishes already add a lot of sparkle. but silver and gold usually go with most designs and they give you the sparkle without being too gaudy.

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Friday 5 August 2016

5 Clever Ways To Add Color

Match the pattern

Look at what patterns you are using for the furniture or accents and try to match it. This can create contrast and people will also notice the effect you are trying to pull off which can create some sophistication.

Think about the season

Drawing inspiration from the seasons and surroundings can emphasize the feeling associated wit that season. So whites, light blues and bright yellows make things feel bright and open and work well in summer.

P1010082

Use many hues of the same color

pairing a paint color and a material with the same hue can really make a dramatic effect.

Get creative with accessories

emphasize the room color by using accessories. I love accessories because you can really add perfect slashes of color where you need them.

Mismatched rooms.

If you do this right this can create a fun and unique dynamic.

Rustic-Dining-Room

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