Decor
Coziness Pieces spaced evenly over the whole surface lose their connection to one another and may end up looking as if they are set out for a garage sale. Snuggle them up to one another and let some of them touch. If your vignette is on a central table, check it out from all angles and tweak anything that looks awkward.
An “A” Formation Assemble your pieces and then superimpose an imaginary “A” or triangle over them. Use this visual structure to prevent a long skyline effect, which would scatter focus, and to carry interest around the frame. Positioning the shortest objects toward the outer edges will help form your “A” shape.
“C” Is for “Commonality” Give the members of your vignette a reason to be together. Relate them by color, texture, theme, shape and/or pattern. When one or more of these elements is repeated, the eye travels enjoyably around the vignette. This is one of my favorite vignettes — a picture in green, white and natural wood. I love how the floral theme is made intriguing by the scale of the close-up in the background. It makes me want to lean in for a closer look.
WIGGLE SIDE CHAIR BY VITRA $1,140 Designed by Frank Gehry in 1972 Frank Gehry is well known for his use of unusual materials. With his "Easy Edges" furniture he succeeded in giving a new aesthetic dimension to such an everyday material as cardboard. Despite their appearing baffling simple, the "Easy Edges" are nonetheless constructed with an architect's care and are extremely robust and stable. Made from corrugated cardboard, edges made of untreated hardboard Dimensions Wiggle Chair H 34.25" x W 13.75" x D 24" Side Chair H 32.25″ × 13.75″ × 21.75″
WIGGLE STOOL BY VITRA $625 With the furniture series Easy Edges, Frank Gehry gave a new and surprising aesthetic dimension to cardboard, an everyday material. Although they look amazingly simple, the pieces in Easy Edges pieces owe their robustness and structural stability to the architectural quality of the designs. The Wiggle Stool is vaguely reminiscent of traditional African stools and — like such predecessors — makes an attractive accent in any interior. Dimensions 16"H x 15.75"D x 17"W
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Blue Tangerine Art SaveEmail A mixture of paintings, photographs and sculpture collected over time and travels weaves a layered tapestry about one's interests and aesthetic. Think about which medium you prefer and where your tastes lean before you start shopping. The goal is to pinpoint pieces that mean something to you, not simply choose decor to fill wall space.
Go for salon style. Start with the largest piece of art. Center it in the middle or just off the middle, and then place the rest of the art around it in a way that pleases your eye. You can decide on a layout by laying the art on the floor until you find a solution that works or by cutting out the shape of each piece of art in brown craft paper and taping it to the wall to test out ideas.
Art walls can be great places for improvising. Think you don’t have enough framed artwork to fill a wall? Try mixing in other objects, like Grandma’s needlepoint, a crayon drawing from your own childhood or a trio of badminton rackets. If you give yourself permission to think outside the box, you just might come up with something even more interesting than just framed pieces.
Create a gallery wall. You may have some art pieces that have been out of rotation, are leaning against a wall on the floor or haven’t been framed yet. Now’s the time. Gather a stack of your favorites, clear out a big spot on the floor, spread them out and experiment until you find a composition that makes you happy. Tip: Creating lines can help; run a straight line with a piece of tape along the highest spot they’ll hang from and align the tops of the highest pieces along it. If you like, you can do the same at the bottom of your gallery wall space. You can also align a few pieces vertically to create a pleasing arrangement.
They just don't make suitcases like they used to. They may be lighter and easier now, but they aren't as great looking. If you have a few old clunkers lying around, consider stacking them for a side table. Hint: Spray paint them first if they are ugly, mismatched or dirty. You can screw them together to prevent toppling with a few small bolts and wing nuts.
Depending on the climate, the connection between inside and outside can be even blurrier, such as with this shower and tub sharing an external space in Brazil. A courtyard like this could also be enclosed from the elements (a glass or plastic roof above the structure) to make it usable in other climates.
Crown molding. At the top of the wall, where wall and ceiling come together, is the crown molding. Just like other trim items, the choice of profile and size are almost unlimited.
The scallop trim around this ceiling bridges the gap between gingerbread and modern beautifully. So sweet. Love the faux curtain and the bear.
If you don't have the woodwork you want, you can always paint it on. This ornate door frame gives a real boost to this boxy little room.
Like the flow of the pictures.
Interesting wood hanging outside window.
Stylish Ways with Trays Not even on a good day has my desk ever looked this tidy, but a girl can dream. Trays on a desk can organize paperwork or things you want to look at while you work. Keep desk basics, like a cup of pens, a tape dispenser and a stapler, from shifting about with small trays.
Stylish Ways with Trays With the popularity of soaking tubs came the tub tray. Use it to hold soap, a candle or a book. I like a teak tub tray that contrasts the clean white of the tub. With a tray holding all your bath necessities, soak awhile and finish that book.
Stylish Ways with Trays Utility is a part of life. If you are short on cabinet space, use a tray to store kitchen essentials like bowls and flatware. There are no rules for storing and displaying things we use daily; make your own rules and use what you have to make your routine work.
Stylish Ways with Trays No need to let all your jewels lie around where they can be lost. Use a tray to hold boxes or bowls where you can store all your treasured pieces. Line the bottom with wallpaper or fabric to coordinate with your bedroom’s palette.
Stylish Ways with Trays ere’s a fun tip for a little bedtime variety. Place a beautiful tray on your nightstand, add a beautiful lamp and fresh garden roses for some peaceful, homegrown aromatherapy. Three roses that are wonderfully fragrant are Mister Lincoln (red), Yves Piaget (deep pink) and Just Joey (apricot).
Stylish Ways with Trays Jennifer Grey Interiors SaveEmail The gourmet food that comes from the kitchen happens because you have culinary talent and you’re organized. Keep cooking essentials neat and tidy with a tray used for storage right beside the stove. No need to fuss with putting it all away — this look is tray chic for your countertops.
Stylish Ways with Trays Having a swanky dinner party with some fabulous friends? Display beautiful glasses and other bar essentials out in the open on a large tray. A tray can serve as a temporary bar for those who don’t want liquor out all the time.
Style That Credenza Make room for major art. Have a serious piece of art to hang above that credenza? Keep the arrangement on the surface of your credenza simple and low so it does not compete with the main attraction. Try lining up three or more low stacks of coffee table books, and place a few slender candlesticks at one end.
Style That Credenza Master the layered look. The key to layering artwork is using framed pieces in a variety of sizes, with some of each orientation (landscape and portrait). Hang or lean the largest pieces on the wall first, then prop up the smaller pieces in front, alternating portrait with landscape. If a small frame looks lost, try propping it up on a stack of books. Add interest by interspersing a few tactile objects like pottery, small plants and sculpture. And don’t worry about having every inch of every piece of art visible — hidden elements are part of the charm of the layered look.
Style That Credenza Distract from the TV (Take 2). Fill in free space on the credenza around your TV with vases, candlesticks, and other objects roughly the same height as the TV. Use the stair-step technique (see No. 1) to arrange the items on each end. Then fill in the wall space above and around the TV with gallery-style art.
Style That Credenza Distract from the TV (Take 1). With the wall painted a rich, dark hue, the TV and credenza here are already less noticeable. Draw the eye up and away by hanging a bold sculpture in white or an eye-popping color on the wall above.
Style That Credenza Two ends of a scale. To arrange objects on a long credenza, it helps to think about it as a big old-fashioned scale. But instead of balancing the physical weight of your objects, you will be balancing their visual weight. In the space shown here, the lamp, books and plant on the left side would have looked heavier than just the bar tray on the right side — the round lamp placed off-center to the right brings visual balance.
Style That Credenza Artfully mussed. A useful display, like a turntable and records or a bar tray, is most inviting when it looks like it has been used recently. If you are displaying stacks of art books, leave one open. If you’ve set up a self-serve bar, set one empty glass aside on a cocktail napkin and pop a pretty stir stick in it.
Style That Credenza Pyramid. Start with a matching pair of objects — lamps or ginger jars work well. Hang art, either framed or a combination of framed pieces and sculpture, centered on the wall above the credenza. Fill the center of your credenza top with stacks of books, a vase of flowers or other small items.
“When I hang photos myself, I use an easy trick,” says Mughannam. “I arrange the photos on a big sheet of kraft paper. When I have them as I want them, I trace them. I tape the paper to the wall with painter’s tape and use a nail to mark the spot where I want to place my hangers. I take the paper down and nail the hangers into the wall. It works great!”
This trick works! “When I hang photos myself, I use an easy trick,” says Mughannam. “I arrange the photos on a big sheet of kraft paper. When I have them as I want them, I trace them. I tape the paper to the wall with painter’s tape and use a nail to mark the spot where I want to place my hangers. I take the paper down and nail the hangers into the wall. It works great!”
Wall mirror behind a chest. Sneakily suggest there is more space than meets the eye in a small apartment by lining a wall with mirror and scooting a chest in front. The effect is subtle but very glamorous.
Like the door
This demonstrates a fabulous use of the space over the john. Propping a smaller piece of art against the larger hanging one makes for a powerful composition.
Don’t think your shelving must always cover an entire wall. Just a couple of shelves placed artfully can make an impressive statement.
Fill unavoidable open gaps with shelving. Even when you’ve done your best to maximize your home’s storage potential, there will still inevitably be a few gaps here and there. Don’t let them go to waste! Do another walk-through and keep an eye out for small, unused gaps that could be filled with a bit of shelving: a tall, narrow opening beside the washer and dryer, for instance, or 6 inches of space on either side of the kitchen door.
Antonio Martins Interior Design SaveEmail Decide on a material. Don't box your project in by thinking wooden shelves are your only option. Metal can be shaped to whatever dimensions you wish and can add a hip, industrial vibe. Here the metal shelving system is as much part of the art display as the artwork itself. With the accent color added to the wall, the shelves and their contents take on the attitude of the chosen hue.
Morse Remodeling, Inc. and Custom Homes SaveEmail Though shelving can't actually make a room larger, over-the-door shelving provides useful space in a spot that may have otherwise gone untapped. Take this loft balcony, for example. The pony wall that's needed to keep people from falling doubles as a well-stocked library. In turn, the top tiers of books that may have taken up valuable floor space somewhere else now add extra character — and perhaps the convenience of being able to reach the top shelf from the second level.
Decide on a color. Wooden shelves against Sheetrock present an opportunity to use color to either highlight the shelves and/or wall, or let them blend in. This built-in unit follows the room's colors and molding detail for a cohesive look. Tip: If you're looking to add a shelving system that looks like it was always there, use the same molding (or a slimmer version of the same style) to frame the entire feature.
Try a sepia tone. Seamlessly blend old with new by altering some new photos to give them a sepia cast, and hang them alongside real vintage family photos. Oversize letters from the craft store in your initials are another great way to add a personal touch.
Try a sepia tone. Seamlessly blend old with new by altering some new photos to give them a sepia cast, and hang them alongside real vintage family photos. Oversize letters from the craft store in your initials are another great way to add a personal touch.
Like the pictures wrapped around the corner Use family history as free art. Letters you sent home from camp, an image of your family crest printed out from the Internet, postcards relatives sent you from around the world and, of course, photos can all make worthy additions to your art wall. And they don’t cost a dime.
Create a visual vacation. Vacations tend to be some of our most treasured memories. Keep the good vibes at the forefront of your mind by displaying a small selection of your favorite vacation photos and memorabilia clipped to a string. Using tiny clothespins will make the display especially easy to rotate, so you can swap out the photos for some from a different vacation whenever the mood strikes.
Yup, salon-style galleries and art hung in a grid work well centered at eye level, too.
Sliding art panel. This living room design employs a similar solution on a larger scale. A large panel slides across a track over the TV to hide it. Art is mounted on the panel so it’s not just an expanse of white.
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