RUGS: choosing the magical one.

Do you know how in a group of friends there’s always one that is the mediator and brings balance and cohesiveness to the group? That’s what area rugs are to any room of your house. They have magic powers; they extend their fibers and attract all the other elements in the room to bring them closer together in a friendly embrace. Area rugs can add color and interest to an otherwise bland room, help divide larger spaces into cozier areas -especially in an open plan living space, give comfort to your tired feet and ultimately offer a sense of homeliness that just speaks warmth.

There are many aspects to take into account when finding the right area rug(s) and properly placing it into your space along your existing or new décor and furniture. Deciding which one is right for you involves several key considerations. Below are five points to take into account when out shopping for your magic rug.

1.     Materials. There are many rug materials to consider: wool (hand-knotted, hand-tufted, hand-loomed, machine loomed), natural fibers (sisal, jute, sea grass, bamboo), Silk, Cotton, Hair-on-Hide and Synthetic.

2.     Style.  The possibilities are endless. From the all-time traditional Persian rugs or classic European styles that feature medallions, flower and vine motifs. Dhurries & Kilims a type of flat-woven rugs that have no pile (no squishiness to it for those that are new to the term), Ikat rugs that use a weaving process that gives the rug a tie-dye effect.  Moroccan rugs which have a myriad of designs and colors depending from the region that they are from, etc. There’re also modern and contemporary alternatives with bold florals, and more bold geometrics as well as natural fibered rugs like jute and sisal.

3.     Patterns. Rugs come in a many different colors and patterns. They are like artwork but for the floor.  If you have a neutral palette going on with your furniture and walls it would be a great idea to add pizzazz with a bold, fun and colorful rug! On the contrary if you have patterned upholstery a solid rug can have a grounding, calming effect. Balance is key!

4.     Sizes. The room’s shape, as well as your furniture, dictates your rug size, its shape as well as its orientation within the room’s layout. The most common mistake is buying a rug that too small for the space. To avoid this pitfall, arrange your furniture to your liking, measure the area where you want the rug to lay and use painters’ tape to mark the edges of where your rug would go. Measure and then look for a rug that is close to those dimensions. TIP: Laying down a large, room-sized rug that will cover the majority of the surface of the floor, for instance will give the room more of a “wide open” feeling, this option works well in rooms with high ceilings.

5.     Position. The general rule of thumb is to allow approximately 18 inches of exposed floor space around the perimeter of an area rug; however, the overall size and location of the room should also be taken into consideration. Keep in mind that a rug that’s too small in the space can make the furniture in the room look uncoordinated. Definitely when it comes to rugs; bigger can be better. In a living room go for rug that is large enough so either all the furniture sits on it or at least the front legs of all major furniture rest on top of  it.  Tip: Avoid smaller rugs as it will make the room look cluttered and smaller. A larger rug will for sure make the room appear more streamlined and spacious.

Rugs are commonly overlooked as a must in a room but floors also deserve to have artwork adorn them! Hope these tips have helped you purchase the perfect rug for your space! Share you new rugs with us@2112design and use: #arerugswith2112DS

Shelfie Styling on Point

Built-Ins are my all-time favorite. They are a great way to display your collected treasures, while also adding a lot of character to a space. I love walking into a friend or client’s home and discovering their cherished memorabilia, it tells so much about the them and their interests.

Be it built-ins, a group of shelves on a wall or a bookcase, make it fun, your options are endless! 

The key points to getting your style game on is balance, a curated color palette and remembering that less is more -edit, edit, edit! There’s no exact science of how to get your “shelfie” style cohesive, it takes a lot of placing objects, standing back and starring, and rearranging until it feels just right. Below are seven helpful styling tips to get you started and excited!

1.    Blank Slate. Start by taking everything off your shelves. This will allow you to re-set your view and let the creative juices flow freely. Make sure you are not in a rush, take your time to enjoy the process!

2.    Gather Your Treasures. Gather the items that you want to display. The ones you took off plus anymore that you would like to incorporate. Books, pottery, bowls, vases, pictures, art pieces, candles, plants (real or faux depending on your green thumb!), wooden pieces, letters or monograms, small mirrors, etc. I like to collect more items than I think I’ll need so I have options to choose from. Tip:Group like items together, that will help you visualize and most likely you will notice you have a color palette already going on. Edit anything that doesn’t work within the color scheme.

3.    Color Scheme. Keeping the color balanced is essential to achieve cohesiveness. Two to three colors are a good rule of thumb. When placing your items take a moment to notice where you are putting them in relation to others. Are two same colored items next to each other? Move it to the opposite side to balance them out.

4.    Books.These will be the base of your masterpiece. Like all the violins in an orchestra, they help the leads shine. Group books in odd numbers, stack them and lean them. Stacking will be helpful to give height to smaller accessories. Alternate from left, middle and right sides of the shelves so the books fill in a good portion of blank spots.It will help move your eye around the space and make everything look pulled together. TIP: Don’t like the cover of your book? Think about repurposing them with designer fabric and have a set that are in the same color family. Don’t like the spine? Take the cover off or just turn it around so the spine faces the back.

5.    Variety. Having a healthy variety of accessories will keep your shelves looking interesting and add dimension to them. Mixing and matching is key to well layered “shelfies”! Take a chance at the quirky object! Sprinkle in some heirlooms if they fit the styleand don't be afraid to flip something on its side for a unique view.  Lean baskets or bowls with pretty insides against the back as well as your frames or small mirrors. Our eyes tend to like groupings in odd numbers, so working in three’s is a nice start. Tip: Unless it's in a group of like items, accessories that are smaller than your fist should not be displayed as they will feel lost in the space and look like clutter. 

6.    Greenery. Be it real, faux or some dry foliage, greenery is a must as it brings life and movement to your shelves! Don’t forget to remove your plants from the built-ins when watering them. Avoid getting water marks on your gorgeous shelves!

Take a step back as you move along and check to see if your shelves are feeling balanced. If you aren't sure, take some things off and look at it from another angle. Avoid overcrowding, having air between accessories is ok! Keep on adding and subtracting items until you love it! Remember a good “shelfie” takes time, it’s a labor of love! These tips are a get-you-started-guidelines, have fun -pour yourself a glass of wine and remember: it’s your home and display whatever your heart desires!  

I hope you found these tips encouraging.  Share your “shelfies” with us: @2112design and use: #shelfieswith2112DS

Paint Your Space

The moment has come, you’ve made the decision to paint the room(s) in your home. You are focused on getting the job done and head over to visit a paint store. As you stand there in true combat mode: color chips vs. you time comes to a stop; you feel the color hue quicksand sucking you in. Confusion sets in as the options take over your focus and determination. The endless shades of gray and array of “off whites” - that seem all the same yet have proper names like: Powder Sand, Cotton Balls, Simply White, and Ice Mist, turn you off into a sea of self-doubt. “Dash out and leave it for another day” seems like the best color name at the moment. But do you really want to just leave? That unfinished room or your peeling home exterior paint will be there greeting you like a faithful friend on your return! So…Let’s grab the “navy bull” by the horns. Below are seven tips, to getting your paint hues fired up!

1.    The Space
My first question to any client: How do you wish to feel in your space? Focused, efficient, creative? Secure and at ease? Passionate and optimistic? Is this a social space or sleeping quarters? Once you know how you want to feel in the space and what its function is, the color will come to you with ease.

2.   Undertones
Let’s say you want a white as the neutral for your walls. White comes with many undertones. If you put Benjamin Moore’s Sand Dollar White next to its Pure White, the first one will have a red undertone to it. As opposed to the latter one that has a blue undertone to it. Keep that in mind as you feel and look at the colors.

3.   To Trend or not to Trend
That gray you saw on the HGTV magazine that is trending looks perfect! Before running to purchase all the forty and something dollar paint cans take a moment to feel if that color works in your desired space. Does it coordinate with your furniture and the other existing spaces? If you are only painting one room, will it flow well with the adjacent rooms?

4.    Location.
Take a look at your windows and see what direction they are looking out at, north, south, east or west facing. Depending on your home’s cardinal location, light will impact differently the color on your walls. South-facing windows allow the most winter sunlight but not as much direct sunlight during the summer months. North-facing windows have a relatively even, natural light. East and West facing windows provide good daylight, although in South of Florida the West sun most likely needs proper shading as it is the most intense hours of sunlight in the afternoon.

5.  Base Paint & Accents Colors
Stick to a neutral palette for all walls and ceilings and then add a few accent walls here and there. I personally love an accent wall. It brings in a pop of color and visual interest. Take into consideration if you have furniture with bold colors or textured fabric, avoid pairing a strong piece like a blue sofa with a bold accent wall, as they can neutralize each other and neither will stand out. Neutral does not have to be necessarily a white, beige or gray it’s just a lighter version of any color.

6.   Samples and the Process of Elimination

Take home some sample chips from the paint store. Try to make a pre-selection or you can order a color fan online and have it delivered to your door step. Select three base colors, order over-sized color samples or purchase some quarts of paint to sample on a foam board. This will give you a better grasp of what your color selection will feel like. Move the color boards around to each wall and get a sense of how the light will bounce off the color. Bright natural light will wash out colors, so you might have to go a shade darker.

7.   Our Favorite Whites.

Benjamin Moors Whites: China White, Cotton Balls (yellow undertone), White Dove & Decorators White.
Sherwin William’s: Pure White, Cotton White, Alabaster (warm undertone), Creamy and Westhighland.

I hope these were some helpful tips that have guided and inspired you through the paint selection process!

Five “Great Room” Tips to Make it Great!

Five “Great Room” Tips to Make it Great

Recently I have had several clients come asking me to help them transform their Great Rooms into a more personal and put together space. They all shared the common ground of how they were immediately drawn to purchase their homes based on the exhilarating feeling that these soaring ceiling and generous square footage spaces gave them. I agree that these open, airy cathedral -type awe inspiring-rooms can be the deal maker of a new home. Yet when having to inhabit and decorate them, we can end up having a space that feels impersonal. Great Rooms that are larger and more open than your typical living room can be daunting to design and decorate. Let me share five Great Room tips that will unleash their greatness.

1.    Create A Focal Point. Consider having a floating furniture plan where it is positioned away from the walls and centered around a focal point. A fireplace is a natural focal point but in most living spaces the TV is the true center of attention, to keep them from competing, pair them up. Don’t have a fireplace? A beautiful view or a stunning piece of art can also serve as a room’s focal point.

2.    Furniture Layout. Great Rooms are living rooms meant to gather people. Since great rooms are more spacious, break the furniture layout and consider having two or more conversational group environments for a more comfortable and intimate feel. Remember that you can have accent chairs and ottomans that can be pulled into the different groups as needed.

3.    Lighting. As you enter a great room with high ceilings your eyes and your body feel immediately pulled upwards. As you sit in the living room you want to feel more intimate for a conversation to take place. A way to lower the scale and feel more grounded is to use an over-sized light fixture/chandelier to anchor the space and create a second visual ceiling. Add lighting layers so a relaxed comfortable mood is created. Table lamps that beam their light down onto the seating area will send the welcoming message to sit and enjoy.

4.    Area Rugs/Artwork. Have you ever heard how in a great room with high ceilings and grand space the noise seems to reverberate? That’s why mass in cathedral’s makes you feel elated. But when it’s your kids crying or the TV blasting, we need to get rugs pronto. Why? Because rugs absorb sound! Yes, you’ll need the big 8’ x 10’ or bigger rugs as they are in a Great Room. Remember that you can always group multiples of the same rug together for a custom look without the custom price. Same goes for your walls. Place artwork -go over-sized- as it will make your room feel more personal and additionally help mitigate sound.

5.    Molding/Decorative Trim. Great Rooms have walls for days. An excellent way to add visual interest and to lower the height and make the space more intimate is by adding decorative molding. And, did I mention it also adds architectural character?! Don’t by shy, explore the variety of profiles out there. It’s time to make a statement.

I hope all these pointers help all those Great Room lovers and owners that adore their space, but feel stuck on the next step to take in order for their rooms to feel Grand yet personal and inviting.