nbr_Vlg.7- my Architectural Perspective using gridlines

Bedrooms

 

It is quite extraordinary to think that we devote so little attention to the planning of a room where we are likely to spend half our day if not half our life! Of all the rooms in a house the bedroom is perhaps the most important - a private space in which we can recoup and recharge our batteries, ready to face the onslaught of another day.

 We think nothing of spending endless hours on the carefull planning of a kitchen. It may not occur to us that the bedroom requires every bit as much attention. But the positioning of a dressing table and the establishment of the correct depth for a wardrobe are equally as critical for our comfort and convenience as deciding on the height of worktops and a location for the refrigerator.

 Listing the activities that will be taking place in the bedroom is the starting point. Apart from the obvious one of sleeping, we may, for instance, wish to be able to read, exercise, take breakfast, write letters, or play or work on a computer. Chronicling these at the start of your design project will help concentrate the mind - because it is not until these have been established that you can plan for the space, lighting, furnishing and storage facilities each requires.

Furnishings

The bed is the main item of furniture in the room and should always be considered first. It is best sited where there is sufficient room to manoeuvre around it, where there is good natural light and from where there is a pleasant view. Other considerations are the electrical points and, not to be forgotten, in which position will the bed look best when viewed upon entering the room?

 Careful thought should also go into the choice of bead head. Wood and metal are currently favoured materials, but are comfortable only if plenty of pillows are also supplied. A padded type, provided it is covered with a resilient or patterned fabric, may be a more suitable selection. A decorators tip is to attach the bed head to the wall instead of to the bed itself: this will result in a more stable bed head and will mean easier bed-making.

 The most important considerations when it comes to the choice of bed cover are how it will look when in place, and how it will fare when folded. Quilting a fine fabric will do much to give it body and will help preserve its new appearance for longer, and having a suitable receptacle at the end of the bed on to which to fold back the spread will also encourage good care.

Lighting

In many ways the rules applying to lighting the living room can be applied to the bedroom too, but perhaps in a more subtle fashion. It is important to create a calm restful atmosphere and to avoid glare. Light diffused by the addition of silk shades will give just the right soft glow.

 As well as achieving a relaxing mood, it is also vital to ensure that the task lighting is doing its job. Buying a sufficiently tall bedside table is a good starting point and, so long as the light source is at a sufficient height, it does not matter whether this is a free-standing table lamp, a wall fitting or a headboard-mounted lamp. Many consider the angle-arm wall fitting to be the perfect answer. This frees the bedside table space and can be adjusted for reading in bed or swung back against the wall for bed-making. For double occupancy, separate lights to each side of the bed will allow one person to sleep undisturbed while the other reads in bed. These lights, for the sake of convenience, should be two-way switched between bedside and entrance door so that they can be illuminated on entering the room and extinguished from the bedside.

Bedroom requires an overall lighting because its a room where you going to sleep so you wanna make sure that you have control of your lighting. You want your lighting to be warm, you want it to all be on dimmers and its best if you have an element that you can also control right from the bed so that you dont have to get up to close your lights as you're getting to go to bed.

For more Bedroom ideas from Pinterest, click here.

The most important piece in a bedroom is the bed. You have to start with the bed and then everything else will come into play. We want our bedroom to be restfull, we want it to be inviting and calm, so the way you achieve that is to start with things like make sure you have good soft sheets, have multiple layers of blankets, maybe a lightweight cotton one, may be a duvet of some kind, either down or down substitute. You can also throw a little throw or some accessory pillows that just make you feel cozy or a lap blanket on the top if you just wanna catch a quick nap in the afternoon.

For more Bedroom ideas from Pinterest, click here.

When you're doing a room you have to start with some piece of inspiration and in this bedroom, it is the headboard. It is serve as the focal point in the room.

For more Bedroom ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Carpet adds a little touch of elegance and drama. A huge carpet gives it lush feeling on your feet, makes a cozy feeling and may be it helps to buff sound if the carpet covers the whole floor of the bedroom.

For more Bedroom ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Having a seating area in a bedroom is really a wonderful thing because you'll notice that you will actually spend a lot of time in your bedroom and not in the bed and perhaps in a sitting area

For more Bedroom ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Bathrooms

 

The greatest test of a good bathroom is to ask yourself whether you like to linger there. If the answer is no, its time to convert that cold, sad, clinical space into something much more pleasurable.

 Why the bathroom should be given such low priority by most people and why architects and developers pay so little attention to this vital room is a mystery. Often allocated the meanest of budgets and constructed from what little space remains after all the important rooms have been decided upon, the typical bathroom is frequently small, misshapen and possessing the very worst of views (if, indeed, it has a window at all). From this it can be deduced that we need to be very skilful if we are to create a warm practical room that invites us in.

 Conventions dictates that the bath should run along a wall, but why not be adventurous and place it coming out into the room from a wall or even position it in the centre of the room? Not a new idea this - some of the first baths were so placed to be near an open fire. On which subject, if you have the opportunity to retain an existing fireplace or to construct a new one, think how cosy this could make your bathroom.

 The bathroom is a perfect place for incorporating fitted furniture. Not only will it help to hide away much of the engineering, but it will also give your room a smarter, more tailored appearance. Incidentally, never overlook the view that you will get while sitting in the bath - from that low level much that is not particularly attractive (the underside of the basins and so on) is revealed.

 Some bathrooms need little more than a face lift. In such cases the addition of co-ordinating towels, the introduction of a carpet or the adjustment of lighting systems can sometimes transform at little cost. Sometimes a bathroom can take on a new lease of life if you simply clear away the clutter. Enclose the basin in a vanity unit or attach a wall cabinet and much of the bathroom paraphernalia can be stored out of view, greatly improving the overall effect.

 When it comes to thinking about the decorative details, a tired palm, fluffy seat cover and a dish of broken shells will not suffice! Not only are these features hack-neyed, but they bear little relation to each other and add up to nothing short of a mess. Instead choose a theme for your room and follow it through.

Bathrooms are becoming Tub obsessed, warm soothing soak in the tub.

 Tubs are the star of the room, its the feature or focal point in the room.

For more Bathroom ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Round mirrors are trendy and functional. it creates the illusion of more space, it helps to break up the rigidity of the space. Round elements calm the mind and create a serene atmosphere, mirror are also a great way to add lights to a room.

 A backlit mirror sends out a subtle illumination over the bathroom countertop.

For more Bathroom ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Floating sinks or vanities. The look of a floating slab of marble or granite, its so beautiful and simple minimal design.

 It certainly lose a bit of storage in a bathroom that has a floating countertop. But they are stunning and really make a different look. Floating vanities make the space feel larger and its great for easy cleaning.

For more Bathroom ideas from Pinterest, click here.

New trends and key features of technology for bathroom were clear lines smooth surfaces and wall mounted installations to eliminate nooks that make it difficult to clean.

For more Bathroom ideas from Pinterest, click here

Kitchens

 

The kitchen has taken on a much more strategic role in modern times. Once purely an engineering room, it is now more often regarded as the social centre of the home. In line with its new function a typical modern kitchen is more likely to be decorated in an altogether warmer, homelier style. Gone are all traces of laboratory lighting and outhouse floorings and in their stead have come a wealth of living-room attitudes.

 This does not mean to say that the primary purpose of a kitchen-cooking - can now be ignored. Food preparation must of course be at the forefront of any design decision made for this very important room. One of the most difficult rooms to organize (mistake will irritate on a daily basis), it requires loads of common sense and fore-thought to eliminate wasted energy and to make the room a pleasure in which to work and play.

 If you are starting from scratch, choosing the right-sized room for your kitchen can be critical. Too small a room and you will have difficulty in accommodating all that you require. Too big and the preparation of each meal will involve you in a marathon. Sometimes the use of two inter-connecting rooms can provide the best answer, the main one being reserved for cooking and the secondary one for food storage, laundry, dining, or other activity.

 Typical Kitchen Layout

For more Kitchen Layout and plan detail ideas from Pinterest, click here.

 It is always a good idea to start by listing all the activities you wish to cater for in your kitchen. Apart from the obvious ones related to cooking, you may wish to launder and iron clothes, arrange flowers, serve informal meals, store party equipment, accommodate a central-heating boiler, provide space for a child to play and so on. If your kitchen has a door to the exterior, you may also need to allocate space for the storage of outdoor clothing, and if there are pets in the house, finding them a corner in which to curl up may be a priority. When you have completed your list, its time to draw up another detailing all the equipment and storage requirements necessitated by the various activities you have listed.

Easily forgotten is the matter of waste disposal. A small skip might be appropriate in some kitchens, but a more practical solution may be the combination of large swing-bin and a waste disposal unit attached to the sink. A waste compactor will also help minimize the volume of waste for disposal. Ventilation is another aspect easily overlooked: do you really want to be reminded of what you ate for dinner last night? There are various solutions - a vent in a window or exterior wall or an extractor system over a hob that recycles the air through filters. Best of all, however, is an extractor that wafts kitchen vapours directly to the exterior.

 Once all the important planning decisions have been made, its time to decide upon the style you wish to adopt. Perusal of kitchen magazines and brochures plus visits to showroom should fill you with inspiration.

Typical standard size and dimension for kitchen cabinet.

For more Kitchen Detail ideas from Pinterest, click here

One of the favorite trends is a dark graycolor with a combination of natural wood and white.

the natural wood and white color helps to harmonize and soften the space creating a perfect balance with the dark color. And include some greenery to add some contrast. Dark color tends not to look heavy, its just has a little of masculinity into the kitchen.

For more Kitchen ideas from Pinterest, click here.

A kitchen cabinet with open shelve and glass fronted cabinet allow the design to reveal the contents with these place of unique artistic vision. A full height of backsplash creates real focal point in the kitchen.

For more Kitchen ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Using the same material on the countertop and on full height backsplash creates a timeless, modern and elegant looking kitchen. lighting located under the cabinet and the full height backsplash also adds and create an accent into your kitchen.

For more Kitchen ideas from Pinterest, click here.

A workstation sink is a beautiful, unique and functional to develop in a comfortable way your time of spending in a kitchen.

For more kitchen ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Lighting

For far too long lighting has been bracketed with accessories in the overall scheme of decorating - an afterthought to pretty-up a room once all the real business of designing has been completed. But lighting is far too precious an asset to misuse in this way. if it is given too little thought, all the effort put into selecting expensive fabrics, stylish furniture and radiant colours is wasted. utilized properly, it can double the value of all those elements- the colours, shapes, patterns and textures- that you have included in your scheme.

 In the past it was considered extremely daring to rely upon any fittings beyond that wonderful thing which dangled from a rose in the centre of the ceiling; that most ugly and in-the-way of lights, the standard lamp; and the odd table lamp the size of (and frequently the shape of) a melon. The result too often was that the room took on a flat one-dimensional quality, it felt unwelcoming and even a simple task such as sewing was impossible in anything other than daylight.

 These days we have no excuses. The range and sophistication of fittings available, principally as a result of developments in the commercial world of shopfitting, gallery illumination and stage-lighting, allow us to recreate in our own homes the most magical of effects. We should think of lighting as a wonderful tool that can bring our rooms to life; a magic pot of light into which we are going to dip our brush - only to drop it in pools around the room.

A string of downlighters recessed into a specially constructed cornice highlights the important features in this stylish living room.

Particularly effective is the lighting of the over-all furnitures against the enclosed area.

 For more Lighting trends and Lighting fitting ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Wall lamps above the vanity unit yield extra value when reflected in the many polished surfaces of this marble bathroom.

For more Lighting fitting ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Selecting the right fitting

Once you have established your lighting aims it is time to choose the fittings which will help you achieve your plan. The most important thing to remember when setting on a style of lighting is that the performance of a particular fitting has to be considered first and foremost rather than the decorative value of the lamp itself. Will the light cast be of a suitable quality and will it fall in the right place?

 Another problem to be faced is whether or not it is acceptable to mix lighting styles within the same room. Can modern fittings be introduced into a traditional interior, for instance? The answer depends very much upon your own personal preference. Generally speaking, provided that the modern fittings in a period interior are discreet (and preferably recessed into the ceiling), these will not conflict with older elements in the room.

 A point frequently ignored when planning light levels is the effect of the chosen colour scheme. A predominant pastel scheme (especially one that incorporates white walls and a white ceiling) and one with shiny surfaces will require less light wattage, as light is reflected off the various surfaces, than a darker scheme or one which has matt surfaces, where light is absorbed. In the case of the darker scheme, you may need to double the wattage or number of fittings.

Types of Fittings

There are many types of fittings available, and these are categorized below.

Ceiling Lights

Ceiling lights can be classified as: traditional pendant, chandelier, fluorescent strip, lantern, spot, downlighter and wall washer, the last three of which may be recessed, surface-mounted or track-mounted.

 A useful source of overall lighting, the pendant is probably the most common of all fittings. It tends to cast a rather deadening light, but this can be overcome by installing a dimmer switch so that your scheme does not rely so entirely on this one source but on others dotted around the room. Spotlights, downlighters and wall washers can provide a wonderfully focused beam to highlight precious pieces, but care must be taken to avoid glare from the bulb (especially in low-ceilin rooms). The selection of bulb is critical - the colour of light produced and width of beam vary enormously.

For more Lighting Fitting ideas from Pinterest, click here.

For more Lighting Fitting ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Wall Lights

Wall lights may take the form of: traditional bracket, uplighter, downlighter, picture light, strip light or angle-arm.

 Modern or traditional, they can be chosen to throw light up, down or out. There are various theories about what is the best height for positioning wall fittings, but as a rule eye-level (say, around 1.5m / 5ft) is a good starting point. Because of their prominent positioning, care should be taken to select fittings that are attractive in themselves. Picture lights, on the other hand, should be a unobstrusive as possible, blending with the picture frame. By attaching the picture light to the frame itself (rather than to the wall) and running a cable behind the picture to a small wall socket, you will have greater flexibility should you decide to substitute the current picture for one of a different size.

For more Ligting Fitting ideas from Pinterest, click here.

For more Lighting Fitting ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Floor / Table Lamps

The floor/ table lamp category covers such fittings as the standard lamp, uplighter, table lamp, desk lamp, angle-poise.

 As these lights are not fixed to floor, wall or ceiling, they offer the greatest degree of flexibility. The traditional standard lamp has come of age - it is now available in a streamlined version, usually made of brass and with a weighted base for stability. Some types even have a telescopic stem, which allows the height to be adjusted - an altogether ideal lamp for use where there is little space and no convenient table upon which to stand a lamp. Table lamps provide a convenient source of decorative lighting, while at the same time introducing a soft (filtered by the shade) pool of light. What better way to illuminate a group of related objects or a flower arrangement on a table top?

For more Lighting Fitting ideas from Pinterest, click here.

For more Lighting Fitting ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Dining Room Projects

The primary design considerations will always apply - the size and shape of the room. But consider the dining area as a cross between these contrasting aspects - your public and private space and your personal as well as your would-be guests' needs and preferences. Make it personal yet welcoming. Infuse the room with what you and your family need and want, but think about who your frequent guests will be. Family and close friends? Business partners or colleagues? Dining is essential to entertaining and that’s why it is your guests’ space as much as yours.

At best, your dining room should be more functional than whimsical. 

With your bedroom or living room, you can go for wider assortment of options, but not so for the dining area. Next to the kitchen, it is a magnet for house pests and insects unless well maintained and well kept on a daily basis. This requires finishes that are easy to clean and maintain.  A very basic example of this would be your choice of floor finish. The reason why carpets are rarely fitted for this particular area is of course pretty obvious, food and liquid spillage. And it goes the same with your choice of furniture. Remember that dining chairs are frequently moved which makes the floor prone to scratches. These limitations can toughen up based on the primary end-users, your family; e.g. toddlers or children and elderly. 

But don’t feel disheartened yet! While it is true that the dining area is less open to your whims, the market is more replete than ever with all types of finishes (minus those that won’t work!) and furniture so there is no reason to fret. These are just some reminders for you to keep in mind. Let the pictures below help you in your decision making once you have identified your needs.

You can't help but love how this dining area is so versatile and so well ventilated naturally. On fair-weather days, having a view of the exterior  can bring on endless conversations over dinner or coffee. The wooden flooring is a favorite in dining rooms because of the natural feel it exudes but notice how the chair legs are provided with protector shoes or pads to prevent from leaving scratch marks on the floor.
For more dining room ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Preppy and pretty and snug but functional! The space might be a little confined but it shows you how busy this dining room cum TV room cum study room can be all day. If anything, it works! And that splash of yellow transforms this simple setup from dull to vibrant.
For more dining room ideas from Pinterest, click here.

This is how you elegantly fill a space and fit it to a T. Any other shape and size would likely be inappropriate for this  french windows and angled walls. The bluish gray wall paint is all the color the room needs to provide a soft contrast to the white wall trimmings and dining chairs, and the matching white chandelier, while natural light floods the room.
For more dining room ideas from Pinterest, click here.

      

Let's face it, some of us just want a dining room for dining, no long talks and off to the next chore!  The raw, nicely polished all wood table is  so charming and is perfect with the freshly hand-picked flowers. But that bench without back support and those cold, cold chairs are not the ones you will wish to sit on for  long, lazy talks. Still, with the picture wall and classic chandelier, this paints a pretty picture for a a dining room set-up.
For more dining room ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Homey and warm is definitely the best way to describe this. It has a touch of country style yet contemporary. The best thing about dining rooms is to always open it up to adjoining spaces and make sure that as much as possible, you have natural air and light ventilation.
For more dining room ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Liven up your Living Room!

Depending on your needs, the living room can be dedicated solely for entertaining guests and for lounging around; or it can serve as space for a multitude of other tasks. Always, when you embark on a design project, start by identifying your needs and the space you will work on.

For your living room, consider the following:

• How much space do you have? Tip: Don't opt for huge furniture if you have a tiny weeny area for the room. 
• Besides the living room essentials, what other activities/things, if any, will the room serve? e.g. study corner, prayer wall, space for your collectibles... Tip: For small spaces, integrate secondary tasks with main tasks. E.g. a floor lamp can serve as study lamp on one side of the living room sofa. 
• What is the shape of the room? What are the limitations or flaws that need to be dealt with? Examples of this are: ceiling too high;  irregularly shaped room; long and narrow rectangular room. In one of my succeeding blogs, I will write about the appropriate design treatments to visually diminish spatial limitations. Tip: Vertical lines create the illusion of height while horizontal lines create the illusion of width.   
• What over-all look and feel do you want to achieve? Formal, prim and proper? Relaxed? Soft and warm? Feminine? Masculine? These can well be a hundred options. Tip: Choose what is closest to your heart that will translate to the theme you have in mind. 

Take a look at some pictures below that will inspire the designer in you.

Looking at the picture,  it appears that the grays step back a bit to give way to the focal point of the room - the sofa and the center table in varying shade of brown. With the neatly stacked bookshelf behind, you get the message that this is a no-nonsense room and the only way to sit up is to be prim and proper.
For more design ideas, click here to go to my Pinterest board.

Think soft and warm and relaxing and you have it right in this living room! It's a neat, small space that really works and bonds the spaces together. Notice the choice of center table which will not only hold coffee but it will also let you do your homework right there! Its one genius trick to opt for light and uniform hue as it creates an airy feeling without defining spatial limits.
For more design ideas, click here to go to my Pinterest board.

Both minimalist and masculine; this living room is down to the the most basic furniture and no frills. The only accents are the choice of lighting fixtures in varying sizes and shapes and mounted on the right spots. If anything, the black kitchen almost frame-like cupboards make a nice background for the whole set-up.
For more design ideas, click here to go to my Pinterest board.

Here is a small chartreuse green room, nicely packed to the brim where every corner is put to good use. The printed rug and the photo wall successfully transforms the cramp stair space into an interesting transition area. On the main living area, a miniature 2-piece coffee table, all the space could fit, takes the place of a center table. A matching green chair is pushed to the wall leaving just enough space to walk by.
For more design ideas, click here to go to my Pinterest board.

Entrance Porch Design Ideas

The entrance porch is the first area that greets you into a home, yet sometimes it is easy to take for granted. The reason is because it is not part of the main home, thus considered not essential. Most of the effort and budget is allotted for the more important spaces. And the porch? It becomes the recipient of left over materials here and there. But really, having an interesting porch can be all you need to create that warm and welcoming first impression. And here's the catch - it does not have to be expensive! It just need to be well thought out.

Here are some cool ideas to help you with your porch project.

In this contemporary theme, the 3 main blocks of the exterior facade are clearly defined and left true to its own color and texture. Even the door is subtly merged in the wood-finish middle volume. What actually brings them together to create the porch is the black solid canopy above, and the layered almost-floating steps below. Note how the lighting treatment is introduced in both elements which solidifies the look.
For more design ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Want some added flair? This porch is all dolled up in random lines on its door and front wall. Additional texture is injected by the rough stone that goes up beyond the porch canopy to define the space. Sleek, solid, wooden walkway is complemented by the random plants on pebbles to soften the whole look.
For more design ideas from Pinterest, click here.

Classic, cute and very personal; and all it really takes is your favorite color to make that door on your porch standout! Putting together plant pots in different shapes, a rugged mat, a comfortable seat,  all together in complementing colors, add to the unique personality of your small porch. You by it, reading your favorite book or snacking on homemade goodies will paint the perfect picture.
For more design ideas from Pinterest, click here.

But if you are bold enough to paint your entire porch wall in that color you really love, then take the challenge! This charming blue wall sidings is all you need to make your front porch the focal point of your residential picture and what a lovely, warm sight!  For more design ideas from Pinterest, click here. 

If your house is leaning on rustic and you love to be greeted by lush greenery, this should inspire you. Those horizontal and vertical lines perfectly blends with the elaborately carved door, all in the same color hue, which makes the green standout. The solid light-colored rocks that cuts through the unstained wood floor completes the rustic, organic look.
For more design ideas from Pinterest, click here.