Posted by MAKMU ta
On Saturday, February 18, 2012
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Traditional yet cozy, this living room pays homage to the golden age of Hollywood, when tastes ran to contemporary, boxy shapes. Clad in neutral textures, the furniture performs a supporting role to a collection of patriotic portraits and etchings.
A warm taupe wall color, espresso brown, and robin's-egg blue collaborate to create this cozy gathering spot, but the whole scheme would look washed out without the black accents. The dark color draws attention to the room's clean lines and provides definition for the browns, allowing them to step forward.
Anyone who loves books will sooner or later run out of shelf space. This small reading nook was one homeowner's answer to that problem. Filling one wall with bookshelf cubbies, an elegant daybed was nestled into the spot along with practical swing-arm lamps.
Muted neutral tones grace all the walls in this home, improving flow between rooms. Color is added through a collection of ethnic and modern art and accessories. Large-scale furniture and artwork fill the roomy space without creating a fussy or cluttered look.
The living room's use of materials including steel, wood, concrete, and slate, adds textural contrast. This is an important design element when creating living spaces that appeal to the senses.
Burnished finishes and muted colors give this brand-new living room a beautifully aged look. Overstuffed sofas and a roomy leather chair provide comfy seating while a stone fireplace adds warmth. Displays of family photos and collectibles are a personal finishing touch.
Chocolate brown walls and white accents set a sophisticated tone in the living room. The wall color was plucked from the ottoman fabric.
Full of shape, texture, and pattern, this living room has a rich, ethnic quality. The warm palette includes taupe and white on the painted walls and architectural trim, with upholstery in shades of brown and khaki. Layers of texture include bamboo blinds, a leather ottoman, and a large area rug.
Slipcovers reflect the easy-living attitude that is crucial to this living room's cottage style. Sewn from affordable canvas, these slipcovers easily slip off and into the wash. Vintage floral fabrics, used to make colorful accent pillows, add amazing design punch. The light-tone hardwood floors add warmth underfoot.
Blending stately architectural features with eclectic furnishing isn't always easy. The keys here were texture, clean lines, and proportion. Objects on the mantel wall are placed from low to high and back down, keeping the eye moving within the room.
It's a little bit Asian and a little bit retro, yet the contemporary clean lines of this style unite a variety of elements in this living room. Neutral walls and furnishings allow the patterned rug and artwork to breathe as they capture the eye's attention.
Posted by MAKMU ta
On Monday, February 13, 2012
Though this kitchen is fairly neutral, the banquette makes a color statement in a mix of blue vinyl (for kid-friendly clean up) and a coordinating fabric on the backrest. The view is dominant so window treatments were eliminated and the chandelier was kept out of the way.
Turn the tables in a dining room by blending designer goods with items from discount stores. In this splashy dining room, a flea market table teams with pricey Louis XVI-inspired armchairs. Bargain-priced accessories justify a few splurges, including a focal-point rug.
This room is a fiesta of color! The blending of styles includes retro, modern, country, and even a little tropical (notice the hint of a pineapple motif in the chandelier), based on the look of Fiesta pottery.
In a small room, space planning is the key to success. To make the most of this diminutive dining room, which shares some of its 200 square feet with the front entryway, an efficient butler's pantry with a glass counter hugs the wall adjoining the kitchen.
Bare wood floors gleam under the 1940s Heywood-Wakefield table and modern designer chairs. Overhead, a trio of pendant lights serves to illuminate the length of the table and supplies a touch of tailored and striped pattern to the otherwise plain scheme.
In this vibrant dining room, a curvy valance adds height and impact to the arched windows. Instead of an expensive arched rod or curved board, the valance is secured directly to the wall by hooks. The fabric is pulled into casual pleats and "horns," then tied with a rope trim that runs the length of the treatment.
A formal dining room is all about entertaining. This dining table seats six for an intimate affair or can expand to accommodate a party of 12. French doors around the room allow dinner parties to spill out onto an adjoining patio. A traditional sideboard, which stores extra linens and dinnerware, can serve as a buffet.
A simple banquet is the perfect solution for a small space dining room. To add a bit of cottage flair, this room pairs a mix of antique inspired chairs with an oak table.
Choose casual fabric like this simple stripe to add to the cottage feel.
Mix and match wood types in the room for a more rustic approach.
Search flea markets for antique chandeliers like this one or your local home improvement stores for a replica.
Drenched in red and gold, this dining room looks like a million bucks. Tinted plaster mixed with marble dust coats the walls, buffed to produce a soft sheen. Dining chairs upholstered in gold damask are a soft touch against the wood table. A large area rug brings color underfoot and gold drapes tie the palette together.
A blue Asian-style rug contributes fresh color to an otherwise neutral dining room. Though all of the room's woodwork was painted white, none of its linear quality or substance has been lost.
Family-friendly wicker chairs surround this homeowner-crafted farmhouse-style dining room table. Nearby sits a 400-year-old carved chest with hand-forged hardware.
The neutral floor and area rug duplicate tones of the wood and wicker.
Loosely fitted chair cushions can be cleaned or updated as needed.
Touches of iron are repeated in the wall sconces and chandelier.
A dramatic painting gives this sunny dining room its punch. The other elements in the room are kept clean-lined and neutral to balance the powerful focal point. Chairs covered in washable white duck surround the simple farm table. The light-tone wood floors are left bare.
Posted by MAKMU ta
On Monday, February 13, 2012
Oriental-style dining room
A low table with floor cushions in vibrant prints creates a relaxed dining area. Used on a small scale, different fabric patters can be mixed to great effect.
Relaxed diningChoose natural materials where possible for a more relaxed mood. Refectory-style dining tables and a mix of seating, including a bench and dining chairs, are ideal.
Modern oriental
A chinoiserie-inspired wallpaper is the starting point for this vibrant scheme. Benches in turquoise linen and a sleek table act as a foil to the flamboyant pattern and encapsulate this modern take on a classic style.
Sophisticated shades
Keep the look elegant by choosing accessories in shades of moss green, lime and deep purple. This harmonious palette brings a sense of intimacy to the table, which is reinforce by the detail in the place settings. Here, cutlery has been decorated with berry sprigs and tied with ribbon, while beautifully scripted place cards add a welcoming touch.
Nordic elegance
Sleek, light-reflecting mirrored furniture, combined with warming berry hues, gives this Swedish-style scheme a contemporary feel. Delicate floral wallpaper adds further interest and helps soften the look.
Smart dining
Lacquer has a rich, indulgent feel and sets off elaborately patterned damask perfectly.
Afternoon tea
Choose favourite pieces of tableware and linen in a palette inspired by the soft pastels of sugar candy. Mix old and new styles of china to give afternoon tea a more informal and relaxed feel. To compliment the tablecloth design, use small-scale ginghams in matching colours for the seat cushions.
Fresh and functional
Keep the dining and study zones together to create additional workspace. For a cohesive look, use one accent colour.
Grey stripes
Panels of wallpaper in contrasting tones create a strikingly graphic effect in this contemporary dining room. The mixture of subtle stripes adds definition to the room and can be seen in the simple upholstery of the dining chairs and the colourful tableware. An elegant pendant light completes the look.
Seaside colours
Seaside coloursNautical stripes in blues and greens give this Suffolk dining room a suitably coastal look
Light and bright
Here, tablecloths from Greece and vintage crockery create an inviting dining area. An adjustable rise-and-fall lamp
Perfect symmetryUse architectural details, such as the strong lines of these windows, to accentuate a vertical symmetrical theme, mirroring the scale with a chunky table. Pretty glassware and lighting softens the effect. Lundy table and benches,
The Conran Shop. Jeanette chandelier,
Laura Ashley. Vases,
Carden Cunietti. Paint on window frames, Down Pipe by
Farrow & BallMARCH 2005 
Plain and simple
Soft tailoring and understated accessories combine to create a chic, easy feel. Experiment with different weights of linen for a more textured, layered look and choose muted colours for a contemporary feel.
French-style kitchen-diner
Create a relaxed French-style kitchen with open shelving and freestanding furniture. Wirework chairs and overhead lamps for the dining table are authentic French touches.
Posted by MAKMU ta
On Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Posted by MAKMU ta
On Wednesday, September 14, 2011
