Trends & Tips Archives - Page 2 of 15

Play Rooms

A play room helps keep the rest of your home, including your child’s bedroom, free of toys.

Many parents choose to dedicate one room in the home as a child’s playroom. This is a great way to keep the clutter of toys to a minimum. It also lets you maintain the child’s bedroom as a place to rest and spend quiet time. In other words, a play room helps keep the rest of your home, including your child’s bedroom, free of toys.

Because the primary purpose of a playroom is to give a child a place to have fun inside, the room should be whimsical and inviting. Think vibrant color, ample light, and plenty of space to move around. The playroom must have enough room for little bodies to burn off excess energy. It should include plenty of storage for toys, books, and craft supplies. The nature of a playroom means fabrics should be durable and easy to clean. Adding furnishings that are comfortable for parents as well as kids makes the playroom a spot where the whole family can have fun together.

Whimsical playroom design by Amy Aidinis Hirsch Interior Design LLC.

Playroom by Amy Aidinis Hirsch Interior Design LLC.

As kids get older, the nature of playtime changes. A playroom that grows with your child is ideal. Storage needs may change from places for toys to places for video games and board games. Older kids prefer to socialize rather than just play, so the playroom will eventually become more of a hangout room. Plan ahead for an entertainment system that easily transitions from movie time for toddlers to gaming time for teens. When choosing a location for the playroom, keep in mind you’ll want a balance between supervision and privacy. You should be able to hear your child playing without having to hover around the playroom.

What would your ideal playroom look like?

Exercise Space

Your exercise room can have a decorative element and still be highly functional.

When choosing an area of the home to use as exercise space, so many people go with a basement room. I much prefer the idea of getting out of the basement and into a more engaging, inviting part of the home.

An exercise space should be an environment with plenty of light, not a sheet rock box. If you plan for an an exercise room ahead of time, when building or remodeling, you can curate an area that’s derivative of the rest of the home. Your exercise room can have a decorative element and still be highly functional.

Nice mix of materials in this exercise space. From Elle Decor.

Stepping into a great space makes you feel motivated and inspired. Being healthy and fit is all about feeling good. A great exercise space enhances that experience. Rather than retreat to a forgotten room, create a workout area that you always wan

Exercise in a space you enjoy! From Architectural Digest.

Minimalist design makes the most of the scenery. From Architectural Digest.

Swings

Few things evoke the carefree feelings of childhood like a swing.

Few things evoke the carefree feelings of childhood like a swing. There’s something about kicking up your feet and defying gravity that brings out your inner child. Even gently rocking back and forth on a swing can be so relaxing. There are some great ways to incorporate a swing into your home, inside or out.

Indoor swing by Studio 80 Interior Design.

Open space with swing designed by Alexander Gorlin.

Swing table designed by Christopher Duffy

Not all swings are playthings. I love the idea of a big swing as a piece of outdoor furniture. With comfortable, weather proof cushions, an outdoor swing is a great alternative to a traditional chaise or your typical porch swing.

Indoor swings can take so many forms. You really can take this idea and adapt to almost any interior, modern or rustic. With a cozy throw or a custom pillow, a swing becomes the perfect spot to relax.

What kind of swing would you love to have in your home?

Cover photo via RedAgape Blog

Bold and Graphic Tile

For a truly customized look, you simply can’t go wrong with tile.

For a truly customized look, you simply can’t go wrong with tile. When tiling, you can really splurge on something special. Whether you go with stone, glass, ceramic, cement, or porcelain, tile allows for so much creativity. The choices today for stunning tiles are nearly endless, but I really love the idea of using bold, graphic tiles for an unforgettable look.

Metal Etched Copper Tile Bar — Metal Etched Copper from Tile Bar

cle watermark tile — Watermark Tile from Cle

Porcelanosa Lines Safary White — Lines in Safary White from Porcelanosa

I like tiles with big geometric patterns. Great tiles aren’t just for the floor. Tile makes a fantastic backdrop in nearly any room — it doesn’t have to remain in the bathroom. Bold tiles can be used to create accents customized with a range of different colors. The possibilities are endless! A custom tile design can really evoke someone’s personality — playful, colorful, and vibrant.

Cosmos Nero Tile Bar — Cosmos in Nero from Tile Bar

Some of my favorite patterns have a Marrakech or Turkish kind of feeling to them. Many have Moorish-inspired patterns that evoke a history even when updated with colors for today.

Kitchen design by Amy Aidinis Hirsch LLC

Favorite Things: Holiday Flowers

For dressing up your own home for the holidays or as a hostess gift, nothing makes people smile like fresh flowers.

For dressing up your own home for the holidays or as a hostess gift, nothing makes people smile like fresh flowers. The holidays are a great time to year to add flowers to your decor, whether you use them to add cheer to the mantle or the dining room table. You don’t have to stick with a red and green theme — instead, think white, purple, and green. Rustic elements like branches, pine cones, berries, and luscious greenery also evoke the season. Here are some of my favorite examples of holiday flower arrangements.

Color Obsession: Rum Raisin and Salmon

Salmon and Rum Raisin just marry so well.

I have been so obsessed with the color salmon lately. This color has feminine appeal and,when paired with a deep, rich, sultry color as plum or rum raisin, it pops with energy. The beauty of salmon is that it can swing towards a pinkish tone picking up on rose gold, which you can introduce as hardware or a lush orange palette. When paired with rum raisin, there is a yin and yang, light and dark effect that I love. The two colors marry so well. Rum Raisin adds depth with out being too close to black for the perfect level of impact.

1. Fashion by Christian Lacroix

2. Coral Reef 012 by Benjamin Moore.

3. Christian Lacroix Houte Couture

4. Softline Swivel Chair from abc carpet & home

5. Sergio Rossi Suede Pumps

6. Carina Lang, Tree and Cloud 3

7. Agra Fort, photo by BhuddaMountain

8. Photo by Guiliano Bekor

Housepad App

I really appreciate the Housepad App as a communication tool and an all-in-one resource for seamlessly maintaining a home on so many levels.

When touring this year’s Kips Bay Showhouse, one of the things I found really interesting was a display on the new Housepad App. Developed by Michael Bruno, founder of 1st Dibs, the Housepad app is an excellent tool for homeowners who want to stay organized and take a proactive approach to running their household. It puts a number of resources at your fingertips.

I know when I leave a client’s home after completing a project, it won’t look the same the next time I return. Little things like the arrangement of cushions or the placement of accessories may be off and I find myself wanting to fluff pillows or tweak other details. With the Housepad App, the homeowner can create room by room lookbooks so everyone from the kids to the cleaning staff knows how a room is meant to look. It’s a simple way to communicate in order to consistently have your home looking its best.

Another feature of the Housepad App is the ability to create to-do lists. These lists can be shared and assigned to family and staff who are then able to send notification when each task is complete. For a large household or one with an extensive staff, this can be a valuable time saver that keeps everyone on the same page and ensures important tasks are finished on schedule.

One of the most thoughtful features of the Housepad App is the ability to create a catalog of household items and appliances complete with invoices, warranty information, and instructions. So much more efficient than searching through files or binders if an appliance needs repairs! Additionally, you can store household emergency contact information, including details such as the location of shut off valves and fire extinguishers. The App even allows you to control a Nest thermostat, schedule maintenance calls with Handy, and keep a master shopping list with one-click Amazon ordering or just as a reference. All of these tools can be shared with members of the household from family to pet sitters to cleaning staff.

I really appreciate the Housepad App as a communication tool and an all-in-one resource for seamlessly maintaining a home on so many levels. It’s such a smart solution!

Design Seeds

Design Seeds is a site that celebrates colors found in nature.

Design Seeds is a site that celebrates colors found in nature. Created by Jessica Colaluca, Design Seeds is a unique site that lets you explore color palettes based on stunning photos of everything from flowers to interior vignettes. Jessica uses her own photos or images submitted to her and creates custom color palettes based on those photos. Unlike automatic color generating programs, Jessica digitally creates each hue herself.

In addition to being visually quite beautiful, Design Seeds is a great resource for a variety of applications. Comparing the many palettes is really inspiring. It’s fascinating to see the images deconstructed to individual colors and to think of the many ways to incorporate them into an interior or other color scheme. Jessica has made the HEX code (a way of specifying color using hexadecimal values) available for each color, making it easier to digitally recreate a hue you may want to use. A good paint store should be able to match shades printed with a well calibrated printer.

Design Seeds is a great resource. I love to browse through the site and feel inspired by how different colors are paired. It’s a fascinating way to create a palette as well as a helpful visual tool to exemplify a vision to a client.

Color Obsession: Nautical Blue

To me, Nautical Blue brings to mind a more lush, sophisticated take on summer.

The word nautical typically conjures up images of novelty items like anchors, gulls, and sailboats. To me, Nautical Blue brings to mind a more lush, sophisticated take on summer. It’s a strong, bold color that reminds me of growing up on the water. Nautical Blue makes me think of the ocean, reflections, and the places where I find inspiration. As part of an interior, you can do a play on a nautical theme in a subtle way by using nubby fabric or a blue and white stripe. The interpretation of this shade and theme doesn’t have to be literal.

1. Togo Sofa from Ligne Roset

2. Commodore by Sherwin Williams

3. Cushion cover by Shibori

4. Chanel

5. Hexagon Range from Geometric Carpets

6. Blue Note Blonde, oil on canvas, Matt Story

7. Fabric by Ferrick Mason

8. Shoulder bag by Prada

Favorite Things: Desks

A desk can be very practical or more streamlined; it all comes down to how the piece will be used.

I recently went on a scavenger hunt for a desk for a client. This endeavor got me thinking about desks in general and how the choice of a desk is very personal. Individual people have different needs and, like people, desks come in all manner of shapes and sizes. A desk can be very practical or more streamlined; it all comes down to how the piece will be used. For example, if the desk is in a room custom fitted with plenty of storage, then it can be minimal as opposed to something with a variety of drawers and shelves. Men and women tend to have distinct preferences as well. Here are some of my favorite examples of desks:

1. Ana Casa Interiors: Yves Desk by Baxter

2. Big Boss Desk by Piergil Fourquie