Archive for the ‘interiors’ Category
We often neglect our ceilings when it comes to designing a room. We worry about the color of the walls, the furnishings, the floor, but often the ceiling gets short shrift. Perhaps we figure it has to stay the way it was built in the first place, but even lower drywall ceilings may have a little trick up their sleeve. And if you’re lucky enough to have a higher ceiling, or perhaps one that is sloped, you may have lots of options to dress up the plane above you. Wood beams can make a great addition to any of these spaces, giving our ceilings a little character to coordinate with the rest of the decor.
Perhaps you’ve always wanted a wood beam ceiling. There are two ways to go about it without completely rebuilding your floor or roof. The first is to apply beams to the bottom of the existing ceiling. If your ceiling is on the lower side, you might try beams that are shallow (2-3″) and wider (6-8″.) This gives you the look of a beam without sacrificing the height of your room. And if you space them out a bit, say at around 3-4 feet, you will not feel that the height of the room has changed. Your other option is to open up the ceiling, either in full or in part. This may require a bit of shifting of wiring and lighting, but even a small area over a defined space can look great, either by leaving the exposed joists as is and finishing the lower portion of the floor above or the roof, or perhaps cladding the joists to get a cleaner look. These beams can be finished clear, stained, or painted white for a textural look without a shot of additional color.
(above) Whitewashed Beams and Plank Sheathing
Painted Rafters in Kitchen + White Sloped Ceiling
Beams as Ribs + Beams Become Columns
Amy wrote this post. She is the designer and owner of FormFire Glassworks, where she creates modern lampwork glass beads and jewelry, and by day designs custom homes for a small firm in Southern California. You can follow her twitter @formfireglass.
Most of us grow up knowing a standard way that certain things are done. A standard bedroom has a bed and a dresser. A standard living room has a sofa, coffee table and an easy chair. A dining room has a table with chairs, perhaps with armed chairs at the ends. That’s generally what we see when we go shopping for furniture. But one way to create an interesting environment in your home is to get to the essence of what a space needs. And a dining space needs a horizontal surface for serving and eating food, as well as seating of some type. I have spied quite a few non-standard seating options lately that may spur you into thinking with a broader mind when searching for dining chairs.
As gorgeous as your typical wood-frame, lightly upholstered dining chair may be, perhaps an unconventional material like a fiberglass shell may be just the ticket – with either a wood base or a thin metal armature, either way they look substantial and modern. Or perhaps choose a metal chair. These can range from light wire models to vintage industrial pieces. Benches can create family-style seating with a more minimalist vibe. For a lighter look, stools are another great option. They tuck away under the table when not in use, and range from light frames to solid wood or upholstered blocks. Or why not mix and match? There is no rule that says you need to have matching seating options, although that is typically what we choose. Each seat can be a different chair, or might be a mixture of benches and chairs, or may include a built-in seating option to make good use of small spaces. Whichever seating you choose, getting down to the essential requirements can help broaden your possible options.
(above) Fiberglass Shells
Mix and Match + Black and White with Built-in
Window Seat + Minimalist Benches
Amy wrote this post. She is the designer and owner of FormFire Glassworks, where she creates modern lampwork glass beads and jewelry, and by day designs custom homes for a small firm in Southern California. You can follow her twitter @formfireglass.
One of the greatest ways to liven up a space is with paint and a shot of color. Although I have always been partial to stained wood cabinets for the kitchen, sometimes letting floors or ceilings carry the wood finish and letting the cabinets really set themselves apart can be a great way to not let the love of wood overtake your interior space. From a glossy lacquer to a matte finish, painted cabinets can be a great way to make your kitchen look fresh and new. I am especially a fan of painting your kitchen cabinets if you are putting off refinishing them, and they’re really not so hot to start with. A dark or bright color actually focuses your attention on the color itself and not the style (or lack thereof) of your existing cabinets.
And don’t think that you have to paint them all! Or even that all the painted surfaces have to be the same color. Perhaps you have an island area that you want to showcase – paint it a shade that brings it to the forefront. Or perhaps a bank of cabinets at the back that you’d like to recede – dark colors of grey, black or brown may be just the thing. You can even paint either the doors or the frames only! If you’re unsure about the color, take a photo, and use a photo editing program (or have someone else help you) to change the colors in a few different shots to get a feel for it to see if that’s the way you want to go. Remember if you are painting cabinets yourself to prep and prime them well – you don’t want paint to chip and show through!
(above) Dark Grey Flush Face
Kelly Green and White + Shades of Muted Blue
Matte Black and Robin’s Egg Blue
Amy wrote this post. She is the designer and owner of FormFire Glassworks, where she creates modern lampwork glass beads and jewelry, and by day designs custom homes for a small firm in Southern California. You can follow her twitter @formfireglass.
It’s been a while since the last studio tour and I am insanely pumped to be bringing it back today because I have an INCREDIBLE space to share: the workspace and gallery of Erin Kate Duininck, also known as The Orchard Art House.
I have known Erin for well over a year now and although we’ve never met in person, she is one of those people that I feel like I “know”. She is beautiful inside and out- a total talent with a clear passion for the arts. And I am really excited to be sharing her jewelry line, studio, and gallery here today…
1. Let’s start with the basics…how would you describe your work in 3 sentences or less?
My main objective is to create pieces that are empathetic and sincere. My most life-giving projects are custom pieces for women working out real life issues and choosing to memorialize or mark an event, epiphany, or person. I also try to create pieces on the opposite end of the spectrum with levity and a touch of the idiosyncratic. Balance in everything, yes?
2. And same question (only this time for the gallery)…How would you describe The Orchard Art House?
The gallery is a mixture of selfishness and an attempt to be selfless, as most of my prayers and petitions are. I am surrounded by my favorite artists’ work every day and am blessed to experience that beauty free of charge. And the goal of the gallery is most definitely to connect my favorite artists with the right audience without taking a commission from their hard work. I grew up with parents who had to literally “sing for their supper” so I am acutely aware of the monetary challenges involved in artistry as vocation.
3. Where are your studio and gallery located?
The Orchard Art House used to be a ramshackle guest house on our property. My husband gave it to me for my 30th birthday and we tore it apart and then employed an artistic builder to completely give the place new life. It’s located in a sweet throwback of a small town, Excelsior, but just outside of Minneapolis. Our property is right on a small lake and it’s a couple acres, so visiting the Art House is (hopefully) like a mini retreat. Get the address and super cute map here.
4. The photographs of the gallery and your workspace are stunning, but its difficult to tell from the photos whether your workspace is actually a part of the gallery. Is that the case or are they separate? And if they are in fact in one in the same, how do you balance your workspace with the gallery and keep everything organized and presentable? It looks amazing!
The Orchard Art House is divided into three spaces; the front is the gallery, the back is my studio, and the loft is where I try to convince out of town friends to come stay. Keeping things tidy is not my strong suit, but I do make a concerted effort to keep the gallery section looking bright and clean. The struggle is always my workspace, as I’m completely artistically A.D.D. and tend to throw things around. My clients are so sweet and appreciative; we joke about the colorful clutter.
5. Back to the photos for just a second…You mentioned in one of our past conversations that the photographers behind the lens at this shoot had a super cool project to share. Can you tell me more about it?
Oh, man. I am so obsessed with Paper Antler. They are the cutest couple you’ve ever met and so sneaky talented. I’m thrilled to partner with them and to shout from the rooftops about their amazing idea: wedding photography + social justice = the fifty nifty! And the video is totally worth watching as well. Watch the video on YouTube now.
6. So cool! Thanks for sharing those links to Paper Antler. Before we start to wrap things up, lets get back to a few more questions I have about you… How long have you been pursuing work as an artist and gallery owner?
As I find a way to mention all too often, my parents are professional artists/musicians so it’s been a lifetime thing by default. They found me a silversmithing apprenticeship when I was 14 and had me onstage singing songs I’d written the same year. I got serious about my music a few years back and started playing out a lot and then as my life circumstances changed and I needed to be at home more for my daughter and new husband (and keep regular person hours), I ramped up the jewelry and sewing. The Orchard Art House opened a little less than a year ago and was a reaction to my granny (and great friend) dying and that age old realization of the brevity of life; the seemingly obvious epiphany that nobody else is going to make my dreams come true and that, truly, clocks have wings.
“…nobody else is going to make my dreams come true…clocks have wings.”
7. Now, I love asking this next question because each one of us defines success in a different way. So, here it goes… What has been your most exciting / noteworthy event or happening in your work (or the gallery) recently that you interpret as a success?
Honestly, every time a new person walks through the door I have to pinch myself. It’s exciting over and over again. But getting my work into The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis is the one thing that my mom can tell her friends and have them know what on earth she is talking about. That was a great moment!
8. What artist or artisan would you most like to work with on a project in your lifetime? And why?
Sabrina Ward Harrison’s body of work is exceptional. She is raw and honest and has such integrity. I value those traits in beautiful artwork above all else.
9. What advice do you have for other artists who may be just starting out or are struggling to be seen?
My advice is to be your truest self and to let everything else go. Think of others first and don’t try to control outcomes. Be a very, very hard worker and radiate love. I know it sounds like I grew up in a hippie commune (I kind of did), but I think it’s the most practical advice I could give. What goes around comes around.
”Be a very, very hard worker and radiate love.”
Love it! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions Erin. Before we go, as promised, I have a ton of photos of your gallery and workspace to share (photos c/o the lovely folks at Paper Antler)…
Thanks again Erin for showing off your amazing space and answering my questions! Please visit Erin at her jewelry shop on Etsy and The Orchard Art House. And if you pick up anything from Erin’s Etsy shop, be sure to use the code ”heymrpostman” at checkout to receive FREE SHIPPING on your purchase.
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Last week’s look at window seats led me to another type of hidden space within the home, the niche. A standard niche could be any area carved out of a wall surface, often just a shelf, but niches can be so much more. Niches can hide reading areas, office desk space, even beds. They are a great way to use the leftover spaces under stairs, above a floor level change, or at a low roof area. You may not be able to use that space for a full-height room, but putting the right niche in that space can turn it from extra to useful space in a snap.
One great way to do achieve this is to convert a closet area. My home office has its desk area set into what was a guest bedroom closet. And building out the face of a closet area can create a niche that is deep enough for a bed, a great way to open up what would otherwise be a really small room. Niches can even be closed off to become a private little getaway area. Don’t underestimate the power of tiny spaces!
(above) Thick Wall Reading Niche
Bed Built into Wall Unit + Reading under the Roof
Trimmed-out Bed Opening + Raised Bed Alcove
Amy wrote this post. She is the designer and owner of FormFire Glassworks, where she creates modern lampwork glass beads and jewelry, and by day designs custom homes for a small firm in Southern California. You can follow her twitter @formfireglass.
Last week’s look at the summer home got me thinking about lounging and relaxation areas within the home. Although we tend to lounge around in bed or on the sofa, a great place to spend time thinking, reading or just taking it easy is a well-appointed window seat. This space offers both comfort and a connection to the outdoors – light to read by, and possibly a bit of a breeze. Window seats come in all shapes and sizes, although they typically top off at around 18-20 inches off the floor for the easiest use. The seat can span from wall to wall, or just sit within the confines of the window. Typically you would include either a cushion or some pillows for comfortable seating. Any style is possible here, from down-home country to rustic simplicity to sleek and modern, it all depends on how it’s finished.
Window seats can be built into the architecture of a space, carved out of a thick wall, pushed out from the main space, or just added as a bench area. One great way to create a window seat area along a straight wall is to frame your window with shelving or cabinetry. This can be floor to ceiling, or just a mid-wall height, something that will be able to visually enclose the window space. Then add a bench-level seat between – it can be a slab piece suspended between the two, open shelving, drawers or lift-up storage. Add something soft like a cushion or pillows to make the space really inviting. If you have the room, your window seat can be nice a deep to accomodate a twin mattress, and double as a sleeping area! Any way you make it, a window seat is a cozy, inviting addition to your modern home.
(above) Rustic Stone and Plaster
Amy wrote this post. She is the designer and owner of FormFire Glassworks, where she creates modern lampwork glass beads and jewelry, and by day designs custom homes for a small firm in Southern California. You can follow her twitter @formfireglass.
The end of summer always makes me want to extend that time just a bit more, even though the hectic nature of my life doesn’t really change throughout the summer months. But it reminds me of family vacations, going to camp, or staying in a cabin. I reminisce about those times when we live more simply – you know that little twinge when you’re at the beach, lake or mountains without all your ‘stuff,’ and realize that you really don’t miss it much at all. Our closets are pared down, our kitchen is basic, and we tend to live according to the sunrise and sunset, actually enjoying all those moments in between. Truth be told, those times always make me want to chuck all my stuff out the window when I get home. There is a kind of rusticated austerity, a fundamental simplicity to that type of space that you can bring into your home, even mixing those pieces with your current favorites.
Think simple construction – thick pieces of wood, exposed hardware and spaces limited to just those items that are a necessity. Metal accents, especially in an imperfect finish, make a great accessory, in chairs, tables and decor items. Natural finishes and rougher textures keep these pieces warm and inviting. Try scaling back a little – pick a room and take out a piece or two of any size. It can be something cluttering a bookshelf, or it might be as large as a piece of furniture. Try moving it out, and see how you feel about it. If you miss it, it might be worth keeping, but then try another. See if you can do without all those extras. Try living more simply and recapture the ease of those summer times.
(above) Picnic Table
Cot on a Deck + Wood Bench and Hooks
Stool as Nightstand + Bench Blocks
Amy wrote this post. She is the designer and owner of FormFire Glassworks, where she creates modern lampwork glass beads and jewelry, and by day designs custom homes for a small firm in Southern California. You can follow her twitter @formfireglass.
