Vancouver based Kozai Designs is probably the most unique furniture manufacturer I have seen lately. Their furniture has a distinctly Japanese influence with a touch of Scandinavia which comes together in a series of predominately wood products. Simplistic styles like the Issa solid Walnut low tv stand gets right to the point, free of trendy feature that tend to date modern furniture styles, perfect for a flat screen and a few audio components W57" x D18" x H15". The Konoma platform bed has a distinctive open grid design and twin curved backrests available in Japanese Tatami or western mattress configurations. Konoma features Japanese ultrasuede fabric, American Walnut or Maple construction and optional wing side tables. L 89.5" x W 82" x H 11" x Backrest H 34" And finally the Yuzen solid hardwood sofa featuring curved back and seat, wide natural edge table arms, and spindle back makes a real statement that has longevity in mind. The Yuzen sofa is available in American Walnut and leather or textured fabric in a variety of colors, matching chair and love seat also available. W 90.5" x D 37" x H 34" Seat Height 16"
Nea Studio brings a concrete constructed park bench created by designer Nina Edwards Anker. A great feature about the bench is that it is designed to be cooled and heated as needed depending on the climate. For cooling it can be hooked up to a public water supply. The water in the pipes pulls heat from the bench thereby offering an energy efficient method of cooling. For colder weather, it can be hooked up to an underground pipe system which pulls heat from the earth and pushes it into the bench. This product plans to be ideal in public place designs where extreme weather may be a factor such as bus stations, train stops, parks, schools, and cafes. Available at: Nea Studio.
Authors Note: This article is a follow up to Color Trends for 2008, Part I. Some of the content will assume that you have already read Part I. To view the previous article click here.
In Color Trends Part I, I discussed new color trends and went into detail on colors and how they become fashionable for the year. However, I fear I through in some technical terms and didn't explain them. At the request of some of my readers, I would like to explain basic color theory and schemes:
The Primary Colors are pure hues that are combined in different ways to create different colors. There are only three pure hues: Red, Yellow, and Blue.
Secondary Hues are the result of combining two pure hues together to make a new color. Orange, Green, and Violet make up this category.
Tertiary Hues are created when you combine a primary hue with a secondary hue. The hybrids created from these unions are Red-Orange, Yellow-Orange, Yellow-Green, Blue-Green, Blue-Violet, and Red-Violet.
Monochromatic color schemes are based on one color and are most successful when using light, medium, and dark tones to create a dramatic effect.
Continue reading "Color Trends for 2008, Part II" »
Posted by J. Chandelle, in General.
A reader asked if we could touch upon our experience using decorative window film. We do not have a lot of experience using this technique, but perhaps our other readers can offer their insights. I searched around and found many pictures on the internet. I must confess that many of them were very bad! Decorative window film seems to fall into two categories. One where a frosted film is used to add privacy or provide accent touches to windows. A good privacy example is where the bottom six feet of a window is frosted so pedestrians on the street cannot see in and disturb the privacy of a commercial business. The second category was examples where a window was completely covered up with another design. Often times this was done on purpose to effectively "kill" the window from being able to look outside altogether. There were other samples I ran across where a large image was used to add a unique design, but typically it was for a large bank of windows and most of the remaining windows were not covered by decorative window film. Image source: TorontoGlassFilm.
There are many experts who will tell you how and where to invest your money and give you great reasons as to why you should follow their advice, but it seems that they already assume that you have a home and a mortgage, and don't consider that you may be renting instead. If this sounds familiar, then hold onto your pocket book before doing any major spending.
The break down:
You are renting an apartment, investing in a home isn't really a good choice for you right now, but that doesn't mean you should live with "hand me down" furnishings and poor design. Spending money on what we call "soft surfaces" may be the way to go at this point. Soft surfaces are things like quality bedding, upholstered furnishings, rugs, art, and accessories, anything that can move with you. Make sure you select classic pieces that you will want to own for a long time. Use these mobile pieces to brighten your space and add personality. You will appreciate these items later on when the mortgage, taxes, and home owner's fees start to pile up, and the last thing you can afford to splurge on is a painting or fine rug.
Continue reading "Interior Design Basics for Renters and Home Owners" »
Posted by J. Chandelle, in General.
