Interior Design Sense

Got a problem? Need some help? Just standing there shaking your head? Don’t know what to do? You’re not alone. Send us a link to photos of your design quandary and let the Desire to Inspire design crew help you …. that’s you lot … the readers! First problem this year comes from Katie.

I was hoping to get your help with this odd feature of my new studio apartment – a raised, enclosed platform with sliding french doors that houses (literally) just a full-size bed and a small night table. I’m attaching pictures of the studio’s layout and what this “box” (as we call it) looks like. How can I make this thing less of a giant eyesore? I was thinking about refinishing the hardware on the doors, hanging curtains somehow – either around the doors or as a canopy (thoughts?) – and installing some sort of better lighting. It’s bigger than a sleeping nook, but smaller than a bedroom. Help! [previous owner's photos - the box is now a lighter dove gray/purple; doors are still white]

thanks for a short post… I would have had no time for more: I was shoveling the snow myself and lots of it too! Don’t we just envy Jo at times like this? I am glad my little cottage in the mountains is all in warm colours and the all white is outside only. Louise

Marija sent me some photos the other day, for either a ‘reader’s home‘ or ‘pets on furniture‘ post. I knew immediately that I couldn’t just use her pet photos as her home in Vilnius, Lithuania is fabulous with bold punches of colour. Perfect for a gloomy, cold and snowstorm-y Friday. (photos by Anna Stanevičienė and Stanislovas Kairys)

God’s own country! When I lived in Queensland and we would drive down there for the day, we used to say the border needed to be moved. I can’t say that now I live in New South Wales. It’s the perfect spot for us as my husband likes the rolling hills and wide open spaces whereas I’m a beach girl. Pity the prices have skyrocketed in the last 20 years when we first used to venture down this way. Sigh. One day!

Nina is a textile designer (with a background in interior design) based in San Francisco.  Her home is a showcase for many of her fabrics (Swanky Swell is her shop). Here is a bit of info Nina provided: Our home is a “tract home” with few architectural designs. It’s one of those house with similar designs with your neighbors. It has no personality and I needed to give it some. So we ripped the whole carpeted area and replace it with distressed hand scraped hardwood floors. We installed wood stair landing and stained them to match the hardwood floors. We painted the riser white. We sanded the stair post and hand rails then stained them to match the hardwood floors as well. By the end, it has almost this black and white effect through out the whole house. On the favorable side, it has high ceilings, very airy and an open plan. I’m always drawn to a loft style living. I left the wall paint white on the first floor and use them to showcase oversized artworks and objects. LOVE the colours and patterns!

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Marija sent me some photos the other day, for either a ‘reader’s home‘ or ‘pets on furniture‘ post. I knew immediately that I couldn’t just use her pet photos as her home in Vilnius, Lithuania is fabulous with bold punches of colour. Perfect for a gloomy, cold and snowstorm-y Friday. (photos by Anna Stanevičienė and Stanislovas Kairys)

God’s own country! When I lived in Queensland and we would drive down there for the day, we used to say the border needed to be moved. I can’t say that now I live in New South Wales. It’s the perfect spot for us as my husband likes the rolling hills and wide open spaces whereas I’m a beach girl. Pity the prices have skyrocketed in the last 20 years when we first used to venture down this way. Sigh. One day!

Nina is a textile designer (with a background in interior design) based in San Francisco.  Her home is a showcase for many of her fabrics (Swanky Swell is her shop). Here is a bit of info Nina provided: Our home is a “tract home” with few architectural designs. It’s one of those house with similar designs with your neighbors. It has no personality and I needed to give it some. So we ripped the whole carpeted area and replace it with distressed hand scraped hardwood floors. We installed wood stair landing and stained them to match the hardwood floors. We painted the riser white. We sanded the stair post and hand rails then stained them to match the hardwood floors as well. By the end, it has almost this black and white effect through out the whole house. On the favorable side, it has high ceilings, very airy and an open plan. I’m always drawn to a loft style living. I left the wall paint white on the first floor and use them to showcase oversized artworks and objects. LOVE the colours and patterns!

It’s been ages since we’ve featured Messana O’Rorke Architects (here and here) and I figured it was time for another go, especially since I already have architects on the brain (meeting with architect #3 for our house plans went well Tuesday morning – except we discovered we can’t afford him. Bummed beyond belief). Maybe this super talented New York firm wants to whip me up some drawings?