Shoji Room Dividers A common feature in traditional Japanese architecture, shoji doors are used to conserve space in homes with small footprints. The doors are made from washi paper on a wood frame, and slide along tracks. Open them all to create one big space, and slide them shut as needed to carve out smaller rooms. Chinese chairs in 3rd floor, Shoji room dividers in TV room
One of the most interesting features that Kedem and his team restored was the original stone structure of the apartment's bones, which was previously concealed under thick additions and construction elements. "The unit was cleaned of all of the extraneous elements and underwent a peeling process that exposed its original state," says Kedem. The structure’s stone walls, segmented ceilings and arches now live alongside contemporary furnishings (like this chair a model perches on) and modern touches.
Design dilemma: “My wood floors are too dark!” Flooring too dark but you don’t want to redo it? One lovely option is to paint the walls pale blue with white trim, hang warm bamboo shades, and roll out area rugs in soft colors to define zones. Another way to work around too-dark flooring is by covering up as much as possible, using room-size area rugs. This works best in low-traffic areas like the bedroom.
Rich wall color and kilim rug. If you crave color, choose a hue you love in a rich, pigmented shade and paint the walls or the back of a bookcase with it. Echo the color in a patterned kilim or other flat-weave rug. The combination of patterned textiles, rich color and dark floors creates a cozy and welcoming feel.
Match furniture legs to the floors. You don’t always need contrast where dark floors are concerned — matching wood furniture as closely as possible to the color of your floors is a simple way to make your space feel elegant and put together. If you are choosing to match furniture to the floors, go with a lighter color on the walls. It doesn’t need to be white, but the wall color should be significantly lighter than the floors and furniture to keep the space from feeling heavy.
DIY solution: For a fast, budget-friendly hallway upgrade, add wall-mounted floating or bracket shelves. Shelves are available in different widths. How: Use a stud finder to locate the wall studs and mark them with a pencil. Using a level and pencil, mark where you want each shelf to be before you begin. Try to attach at least one shelf support on each shelf to a stud — if you can’t get fasteners into a stud, get appropriate anchors for your wall type (ask at a hardware store). Cost: Floating or bracket shelves can cost as little as $5 apiece and up to $100 or more, depending on the size and material. For a semi-DIY option, you can purchase the shelves and then hire a handyperson to install them, at a rate of $30 to $125 per hour. An experienced pro should be able to install a simple set of shelves in about an hour.
Design idea: Add wall-mounted cabinets. Why: Add storage with slim cabinets without building into the wall. Unlike ceiling-height storage, wall-mounted cabinets allow room to hang artwork on the wall above and allow a bit more breathing space in a narrow passageway. How: Off-the-shelf versions can be purchased from local home improvement stores or Ikea, for DIY or pro installation. For tricky spaces or to achieve a specific look, hire a cabinetmaker to design and install custom units. Cost: Prefabricated cabinets for DIY installation can cost $200 to $500 and up. You can expect to hire a handyperson for two to four hours of work for a small to medium-size hall, at a rate of $30 to $125 per hour, depending on rates in your region and the person’s experience and qualifications. Custom cabinetry can cost $400 and up per linear foot, including installation. DIY tip: Before purchasing cabinets, carefully measure your space, taking into account the door swing needed for the cabinets to open.
Hallways tend to be viewed as purely facilitating movement through to other rooms, rather than spaces to be engaged with in their own right. “You could create a simple corridor that has rooms coming from it,” says Smith. “Or you can design an active and dynamic zone that has depth and reason beyond a path to get from point A to point B — for instance, featuring increased width in areas with display shelves, or study recesses.”
45. A contemporary upholstery pattern on this reading chair gives a modern update to the traditional Boston surroundings.
43. Few designs say Dad Chair more than a classic Eames-style lounge chair and ottoman. This white reproduction sits near a mirror-backed Ikea bookshelf holding eclectic accessories.
A simple lounge chair provides an island of calm, surrounded by reflective lapis-blue walls and a fireplace mantel wrapped in pewter-leafed travertine mosaic tile.
Laura Roberts Design SaveEmail 24. A mohair-covered chaise longue and vintage reading lamp no doubt encourage hours to be whiled away in this Austin, Texas, living room.
SaveEmail 16. Custom bookshelves hold dozens of art books near a pair of brown leather club chairs, but this Seattle family room is more about watching the game with man’s best friend.
Park Slope Brownstone Library lights spotlight objects d'art and books in the family room, while a marble fireplace offers the perfect excuse to sit and relax. Photo by Ball & Albanese URL http://www.chango.co/portfolio/park-slope-brownstone/ The TV can be moved so everyone can watch
Bookcase with high ceilings
When it comes to art, the most dramatic impact always comes from a singular, large-scale piece. Splurging on one painted canvas (or an intriguing print) rather than several smaller pieces can give an entire room a sense of drama and color. Transitional Entry by Shirley Meisels Shirley Meisels SaveEmail 4. Expansive Mirrors As with art, the impact of a mirror is dramatically increased by increasing the scale. Plus, a mirror won’t overwhelm a space, but will only make it feel more open. Investing in a large expanse of glass will also double the look of all your other investments.
11. Be bold. Personality is what makes a space great. Make your own statement and have fun. The more you try, the more you will begin to see what works and what doesn’t. Incorporate unexpected elements for drama. The unconventional ottoman seats, library-style bookshelves and oversize chandelier here are all unexpected in a conventional living room, but the result has charisma. Eschew expected pieces and interpretations if you want a room that will really wow.
The sliding barn door that hides the pantry is made of cypress and finished with a natural stain.
Plants and rugs are among Beth’s favorite things, and they’re the perfect foil to warm up the sealed concrete flooring. The couple is happy they went with concrete instead of wood; a bonus, Beth says, is that the concrete floors are easy to clean.
The ceiling light fixture also looks as though it could be vintage but is a contemporary piece. “The look of the light fixture sets the tone for the room,” Hardy says. She adds that when it’s switched on, the lights and the glass spheres make it an incredible illuminated piece. The designer adds that keeping it simple, an old adage, helps decor span the design centuries. “We kept the lines simple,” she says. “Doing it that way doesn’t take away from the architecture.”
She had a mod pattern laser cut into wood panels and then backed the panels with opaque acrylic. This allows the members of the family to have all manner of items on the shelves and close at hand, while visually quieting the room. In addition to introducing a midcentury style, the clients asked Hardy to help them come up with a solution for their bookshelves. The shelves flank the fireplace and are therefore part of the room’s focal point. Though the family loved having the shelves in this location, between their paperbacks, textbooks, CDs and records, the space could get crowded and untidy.Hardy’s plan was simple: Screen the hardworking space with cabinet doors.Armchairs: Younger Furniture Minhnuyet Hardy Interiors The angular pattern is picked up in the pattern on the rug.
These clients love color with brass accents, so Hardy chose blue, gray and brass hues for the room. The gray paint on the ceiling is unexpected. “I wanted the eye to go upward to the ceiling,” she says. “The gold-tone colors look great on gray, and painting the ceiling this color highlights the brass chandelier.”
Design idea: Add a recessed workspace. How: You may not be able to add a recessed desk to a typical hall wall, unless the wall already contains a closet, in which case there could be some hidden space there. Have a contractor take a look to find out what your options are. If your hall is wide enough, you may still be able to add a built-in desk, even if it can’t be fully recessed.
More custom options: If your hall has windows, consider using the space below for built-in window seats, with or without hidden storage. Slender bookcases between the windows can be outfitted with sconces to provide light, making the hall an inviting reading spot. Note that if you will be adding or moving electrical work, you will probably need a permit.
The breakfast area is not just a place for reading the morning paper over a cup of coffee; you are surrounded by the news. “It’s a wallpaper made of recycled newspapers,” Iba says.
Entering the living room, you are struck by two things: the high-sheen orange ceiling and the purple velvet sofa. “It’s very Austin Powers, isn’t it?” says the designer, with a laugh. Her feeling was that an orange ceiling would be young, fun and expressive. The paint initially didn’t seem to belong on the ceiling. “It kept peeling off at first,” says the designer. “High-gloss paint can be hard to work with.” Finally, after she figured out the technique with the contractor and the vendors, the upper reaches of the room took on a warm glow. “Now it’s anything but generic,” says Iba. She describes the purple sofa as a neutral. When an incredulous reporter asked her how this could be, she said: “After we painted the ceiling orange, we decided we needed something to temper it down. We could have used brown or gray, but that would have been boring. Purple does the trick.”
This simplified illustration calls out the key elements that must be considered in staircase design. Two extremes are presented: a very steep stair with 8-in. risers and a gentle stair with 6-in. risers. Critical is the run of the stairs. Clearly shorter risers will require much more space. Most staircases fall somewhere between these two extremes. For example, a staircase with 7-in. risers and 11-in. treads creates a comfortable ascent for most people.
“The perfect nook must possess a certain something that draws you in and makes you want to be there,” says Williams. “Otherwise it’s just a cramped spot that’s impossible to furnish.” So choose something that captures your imagination — a cupboard under the stairs, a place for hiding with a good book — and you may find that your nook becomes one of your favorite spots in the house.
Or perhaps you could turn wasted space under the stairs into a Harry Potter–style sleeping nook. With a nightlight and a curtain as the door, this would make a fun spot for visiting youngsters.
A larger-scale nook can even house a bed. In this space a built-in daybed acts as seating during the day and as snug guest quarters by night with the curtains pulled shut.
Known as an inglenook, a bench around a fireplace provides a welcoming spot for warming up on a chilly winter’s day. In this inglenook plush cushion-topped wooden benches are surrounded by built-in shelving, making it the ideal spot for whiling away the afternoon with a good book.
SaveEmail If you want a desk in the bedroom, a nook with a built-in work surface can be a smart solution. When you position the nook wall on the bed side of the room, the desk is nearly invisible from the bed, so you won’t have to look at your work when it’s time to sleep.
Small nooks in the kitchen can be quite useful — the key is to have something built to fit the space precisely. Here a small desk and shelving come together to create a handy command station for dropping mail or working on a laptop.
SVOYA studio SaveEmail A nook in the entryway can act as a mini mudroom, corralling coats and shoes, and can provide a seat. A rich wall color, like the plum used here, brings focus to the space.
Because of its small scale, a nook can be a great place in which to experiment with color, pattern and texture. Opulent fabrics and great lighting make this banquette nook the focal point of the room. Consider what you can add to your own nook to make it feel special — “maybe a bold paint color that you would never commit to in a larger space,” suggests Williams. “Maybe you build in a small wall-to-wall sofa, upholstered in a fabric that’s too expensive to put on a full-sized sofa. Maybe it’s a keyhole-shaped door opening and a barrel-vaulted wood-paneled ceiling.”
Accessible only by ladder, this reading nook is a magical spot where kids or grownups can get lost in a book. And just think how easily this sliver of space could have been forgotten. Instead of being filled with dusty decor, it is a useful sitting spot, complete with bookshelves. “All of us hate wasted space, and if you have a nook with no charm and no usefulness, it usually ends up being a repository for castoffs,” says Williams. “Boxes that never made it to the attic, clothes you’ve been meaning to donate, the exercise bike that you were definitely going to use every day … those things love nooks, too.” The lesson? Come up with a purpose for your nook. And make it as inviting as possible.
Framed by a pediment and flanked by bookshelves, this sunny window seat with steps leading up to it is perfect for escaping to with a mug of hot tea. Bare windows make the most of light and views, and a plump pillow and cozy blanket invite relaxation. “Creating a cozy, comfortable getaway is really a very romantic notion when you think about it. What is more luxurious than quietly escaping the business of the outside world, even if just for a little while, curling up in a beautiful little gem of a space that is just for you or maybe you and somebody special?”
The homeowners wanted the almost-200-square-foot space to be a bit edgy and colorful. The existing oak hardwood floor and the light gray paint on the walls provide a neutral backdrop for the layers of color. “We knew we were using vibrant colors elsewhere, so we wanted the wall color to give the eye a place to rest,” Rowell says. “It was a color pulled from the range of neutrals in the wallpaper.”
To make the dining area feel distinct from the rest of the room, Ginevra used white bedsheets from Ikea, this time in white, to create a window and wall treatment. Trompe l’oeil (French for “deceives the eye”) wallpaper by Maison Martin Margiela creates the illusion of a door between the wall treatments.
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