Renovating a Family Space

This is the 3rd and last post in the Design Dilemma series, I hope you have enjoyed the first two posts, TO SEE PART 1 CLICK HERE and TO SEE PART 2 CLICK HERE . Answering these questions takes time and care, just the same as preparing for a design project installation.
I must say I've had a lot of fun! So thank you for your questions. For those who did not make it on the blog, I will continue to answer via email.

Jamie's kitchen, breakfast room and family room is my final Design Dilemma, here is her dilemma.


Design inspiration: we have a rectangular space that our Kitchen and Family room occupy. Between these spaces is a large island which contains our fireplace. I am looking for inspiration for an updated kitchen dinette area (cabinets are cherry and table is currently a matchy-matchy cherry) to integrate into (also) a refreshed FR area. I wanted to freshen up the space for my young family of 4: darker/lighter table, fun chairs (maybe a couple upholstered?) So lost and would love your thoughts!

What a gorgeous home!
The first thing I see is the fab ceiling and classic architectural details, the room has great bones, it seems weird to me that with all the windows, high ceilings and open concept that the room looks so dark and dull. This is not a reflection of your young family!

As in most projects lets begin with 'demo'. The TV cabinet, both rugs and the dining set need to go.... Budget permitting, we can look at new sofas.

First off the walls are too dark, the grey is just bringing in a rainy day. We need to choose a light and bright  wall color, lets bring in a clear blue sky...carry the paint through into the kitchen and include the island.

Willard White by Benjamin Moore

I adore Willard White, it is a soft neutral with a hint of sky! You may choose to dd a little more color...

Grantham Blue by Benjamin Moore

I would also paint the ceiling in the same color as the wall and leave the coffers white, here is an example on how to emphasize the great architectural details you already have!

I was discussing this post on Twitter with @ShelleyHolmes Follow Shelley HERE and @FifthWallDesign Follow Diana HERE . Diana who is an Interior Designer based in Virginia mentioned linking the dividing wall to the ceiling, after a few back & forth this is the very sketchy sketch of the result, I think it grounds the wall, which otherwise looks detached, do you agree?

Replacing the wood media unit in the family room with a built in arrangement similar to the image below will totally transform the area and create good storage, with plenty of charm.

Via DecorPad

Back to the kitchen area where the breakfast area is somewhat tight. Chairs actually take up a lot of space, so my idea for seating would be to design a bench which will back to the dividing wall! The tiles would be covered with a paneled back and adding cushions will make a comfy place to hang out. There is no doubt that kids love banquettes (and so do I! Check out over 70 different Banquettes here: http://pinterest.com/dionnetrifiro/kitchen-banquettes-benches/ ;)

Here is a freestanding bench idea: Love the rattan chair too!

http://pinterest.com/pin/234750199296739491/

Or a fitted bench.

http://pinterest.com/pin/234750199297007806/

It would be lovely if the table was a washed out pine farmhouse style or a simple white one which would carry the white through the space.

http://pinterest.com/pin/234750199296908478/

I think this table would look great and I love the 2 upholstered chairs and the white lantern.

http://pinterest.com/pin/220746819205576773/

The living room needs a new rug, and a hard wearing one in order to keep up with a busy family of 5! A wool mix sisal will be a great option, the great thing about it is that it can be bought off a roll and cut to any size. I recently saw these at Worldwide Flooring. I would go for a light color to brighten the space and also to contrast with your existing sofas.

Worldwide Wholesale Floor Coverings

Last but not least, lets introduce some fabrics in the form of curtains, the bench seat cushion and upholstered chairs will be chosen in tandem with the curtains.

I saw a fantastic curtain today which inspired me to choose these fabrics. The family room really needs softening and whereas we do not want to have the curtains close off the light, some panels in between each window will make a huge difference!

All fabrics available at Calico Corners

Jamie, hopefully I have inspired you and my readers today to make something beautiful!

~D~

For info on any of the above products contact me on dionnetrifirodesignllc@gmail.com

COMMIT TO COLOR ~ If you dare!

With all the fantastic paint colors out on the market, why is it that many insist on sticking to white and neutral colors?

Is it the fear of having a color 'forever' ? I've heard it all:  I like 'simple', I like 'minimal', I like 'traditional classic' beige! All of these are really just excuses because we are afraid, afraid to commit to color.
Let me spell it out for you.. painting a room will cost less than your leather handbag. For a couple of hundred bucks you can refresh, revitalize and restyle your space. With a hit of a paintbrush you will change your mood and reinvent your room. What is the worse that can happen, repainting back to safe old Magnolia?
But what if you love it, which you WILL (because life needs brightening up sometimes) you will be happy and in turn everyone will be happy. Remember the saying 'A happy wife = a happy life"

Choosing colors are hard, I admit. But I'm here to help and happy to answer any questions you may have. (Just leave a comment below or send me an email)
Let me break color down for you, keeping it simple... Stay with me, and finally grasp the basics of color that perplexes most of us. I will help you feel confident enough to discuss and choose colors like a Pro.

Newton's Color Wheel comprises of 12 colors

Primary Colors

Secondary Colors
(Result of mixing Primary colors together)

Tertiary Colors
(Result of mixing a Secondary with the Primary next door)

All color schemes derive from the above colors and color formations:

MONOCHROMATIC scheme is one color used in varying degrees whether it is black to grey to white or various shades of pink or yellow..

COMPLIMENTARY ~ For high contrast pick two colors from the opposite side of the wheel, this creates a balance of opposites where a cool color works with a warm color.

ANALOGOUS ~ Choose two to six colors that sit next to each other on the wheel.

TRIAD ~ For a bold but balanced scheme pick three equidistant colors from the wheel.

Colors have varying depths or HUES. A Hue is a pure color,so  by adding white to a color you create a tint, add black and you get a shade and grey for a tone. 

Now we have covered the basics, how do you choose what color choice is good for your home?

If your room gets little natural light and looks dark, cool colors would be a good option. Cool colors are blues and greens. Think ocean and sky, both evoke calm and tranquility.
If your room leaves you cold, you may want to lean towards warm colors, reds and oranges. Think summer sunset..warm and cozy feeling.

Whether you are brave enough to go bold and paint an entire room or not, the addition of cool or warm colors can be introduced in accents or soft furnishings, bed covers, cushions, throw blankets, rugs or lamp shades.

Do you have an influential color in your room? A carpet or heirloom rug, sofa or curtains? Picking out a color from one of your existing furnishings may be your 'lift off'. You can then decide how you want to approach color.

A Monochromatic scheme is one of the easier schemes to work with, however it needs to be executed correctly. To avoid it turning out 'flat', pick your color and use at least 3 different shades, I would recommend including a different color as an accent to create more interest. Also introducing texture is vital to a successful monochromatic interior, as is lighting.

Maybe you would prefer a dramatic Complimentary color scheme (Color from the opposite side of the wheel), I would recommend you let one color be the more dominant and accessorize with the other.

Many designers including myself  find a piece of fabric or painting that the client loves and base the entire color scheme off of it, this is a great way to plan colors and ensure a well put together room.

Here are some images showing the different color combinations.

Warm Monochromatic Lounge in Fuscia

This very unique lounge/guest room in a range of pinks just rocks! Its the room everybody loves to look at but is afraid to do! I would love to design this scheme for a gutsy client, anyone out there willing to let me transform their magnolia into magical?

Cool Monochromatic bedroom design in Blue

I can vouch for this monochromatic blue color scheme, I had a very similar design in my home in London, some people are not convinced about cool colors for the bedroom. For me it invokes peace and calm. Coupled with fresh white linens, shiny wood floors for contrast and a warm neutral rug, this room is very appealing, what do you think?

Complimentary colors Red & Green

This is traditional living room is a perfect example of a complimentary color scheme, using a near pure red hue on the furniture and a saturated green on the walls. The neutral colors of the fireplace and the flooring keeps it earthy and inviting.

Yellow ~ Green ~ Blue Analogous scheme

Using three colors located next to each other on the color wheel, this analogous scheme mixes yellows, greens and blues in this eclectic and cheerful sitting room. The dark floors and furniture ground the design. As I mentioned  earlier, the best way to make this scheme successful is to select one main color; tones of yellow in this case and use the other two colors as accents.

Triadic color scheme Purple~Orange~green

Full of energy and fun! This room is not for the faint of heart; the green paint chosen for the wall is very bold, but in combination with the purple sofa and orange cushions it works, and that is the beauty of learning how to use the color wheel. There is a formula that if executed correctly is a winning combination.

I hope you enjoyed my post and as a result are a little more confident about choosing color for your home.
Will you commit to color?
~D~

For questions on this post or to hire Dionne Designs for your home email dionnetrifirodesignllc@gmail.com

How you can get the look! PART 2 ~ART TAKING CENTER STAGE~

I really didn't mean to showcase three Master Painters in the last post, it just happened. Things seem to go that way with blogging, as the research gains momentum you never know where that snowball is going to land.
As soon as the works of Picasso, Moore and Monet 'made their way' into the post the rest faded away. I reacted pretty much in the same way I had reacted on seeing these artists work in person, speechless with mouth agape, somewhat unattractive, for me that's really saying something... the speechless part I mean ;) ... I digress.

So I decided that I am going to make it up to you!
In this post I want to show you ideas that don't need zillions of dollars to do and which can create a visual impression. Through a thoughtful combination of postioning, lighting, scale and composition, affordable artwork can take center stage.

Image via Apartment Therapy. Vintage chic  ~ Hung in a seemingly haphazard way, this art collection shows a mixture of framed and frame less art on a brilliant white painted wall.

This image via  http://www.decorchick.com shows a series of pictures hung in well planned order, forming a clean rectangular shape. All the frames are white and the pictures themselves are mounted on white card. This creates a clean contemporary feel in an otherwise classic chic living room.

Image via Apartment Therapy. These series of brightly colored circles are mounted on a no frills white background and are framed in a light colored wood. This gives a fresh and modern almost Scandinavian look to this children's room.

Image via Apartment Therapy. The red painted accent wall sets off  the white grid map which takes center stage in this living room.

I love this crafty picture, it is a series of pinned tickets, it not only gives a great color sense but is also tactile, and is a great way to showcase a collection.

Jan Eleni

Jan Eleni

MY FAVORITE! Collage work by Jan Eleni, introduced to me by Robert Novogratz of http://thenovogratz.com

The two images above are a series of photographs of your child's artwork, miniaturized and made into this amazing art work! Again the white on white leaves nowhere for the eye to wander and keeps you focused on the paintings created by your little ones and preserved in such a fantastic and artistic manner by Jan Eleni.

Till next time.
~D~

~ART TAKING CENTER STAGE~

Christopher Wool

Luiz Zerbini

Callum Innes

Pablo Picasso & Henry Moore

Claude Monet

 Richard Learoyd

I was ready for this write up, ready to give insight to the Artwork and the interiors that showcase them, but as soon as I came across interior designer Michael S Smiths work in Architectural Digest and the Masterpieces within that home, I was immediately humbled.
What can I  say? ... Absolutely nothing!

Scroll back up and enjoy once again before you go on with your day the indescribable Masterpieces of Picasso, Moore and Matisse.

Have a good one!
~D~