Timeless Design

Despite the fact that trends come and go, a well designed space can be timeless.

To me, there are 3 crucial elements that make for good timeless interior design. They are the reason why certain spaces make me feel peaceful, comfortable and happy.

The first is to incorporate natural light through the use of large windows and skylights, and through the strategic placement of reflective materials, such as mirrors and glass.

The second is to bring the outdoors in, by maximizing views of nature through proper window placement, and by using natural materials such as hardwood, cork and stone.

The third is to create fluidity within the space, so that one can move freely without obstructions, removing all clutter and sharp corners and making sure that all objects are functional, beautiful and meaningful.

Ultimately, good timeless design is about what speaks to our essence as human beings. We need natural light; we need to feel close to nature; we need to have comfort and warmth; we need a peaceful sanctuary; we need to be surrounded by objects that are useful and meaningful to us.

photo credits: the Wurzburg Lakehouse, www.archimania.com.

Tile Jewelry

In a recent issue of Design Quarterly there was an article about the latest tile trends, one of which involved using accent pieces as "jewelry to dress up the field tile"....I liked that analogy!

Accent tiles are more interesting now than ever before. A variety of different materials are sometimes used in one decor piece of glass, metal, ceramic and stone.

Linear and square mosaics, put together on a mesh are the decor format of choice, rather than the 'listello' bars of a few years ago.

We have a wide selection of beautiful accent and field tiles in our showroom. I look forward to helping you put it all together, so that your kitchen or bathroom will glisten like fine jewelry!

I threw a few mosaic odds and ends into this chest and took a picture with my Iphone G3. Not the best resolution, but not too bad...or maybe I should have held out for the G4:)

Wabi-Sabi Interiors

I recently had beautiful, lustrous Brazilian Oak hardwood installed in my house. I proudly babied it, polished it, admired it....Then came the inevitable first scratch; I was mortified! Scratches and dents are part of life, so why was I vainly searching for perfection? Why did I want to stop the clock? Luckily I soon came to my senses and remembered Wabi-Sabi.

Wabi-Sabi is an ancient Japanese aesthetic that embraces the imperfect, the transient and the incomplete. It reminds us that there is beauty in objects that are time-worn, objects that bear our uniquely personal imprint, that evoke the cycles of nature.

The above picture is a good example of Wabi-Sabi. Note the driftwood table and rustic wood flooring. The room is highly personal: The mismatched chairs suggest there are individuals living here, each with their own seating preferences. The simplicity of the tea setting suggests that there is no need for extraneous ornament and fluff, it would just interfere with the pure appreciation of tea.

These two pictures also illustrate Wabi-Sabi. The man-made is juxtaposed with the organic, the new with the old. Nothing 'matches', but everything works together harmoniously. Objects are pared down to their essence. The idea is if it's beautiful and/or useful then keep it. If not, remove it from your life. Remember, though, that beauty can be imperfect, so appreciate those scratches and dents!

Photo Credits:

1. style-files.com.

2. trendis.com.