Modern living room design ideas by Andreas Charalambous

 

Andreas Charalambous 

Mr. Charalambous is the founding Principal of FORMA Design. He combines over twenty five years of experience in Architecture and Interior Architecture with his deep interest in all aspects of design (Furniture, Lighting, Graphics) and a career in Painting and Photography-with group and individual shows throughout North America and Europe. A Fulbright scholar during his studies at Cornell University, he has practiced architecture in Washington, New York and London, while working for a series of distinguished architectural firms. He has received numerous awards, including awards from the DC Chapter, the Northern VA Chapter, the Potomac Valley, MD Chapter and the Miami Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for Outstanding Achievement in Interior Architecture on various FORMA projects, as well as awards from the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) for excellence in Residential, Healthcare and Hospitality Interiors. He also has been published extensively. FORMA Design was selected to be part of an exhibit sponsored by the American Institute of Architects called 21:4:21, that included 21 architects building for the 21st Century. … read more

Modern Decorating Design By Joshua Foss

 

Josh Foss appears as a contestant in season two of the HGTV reality series Design Star. A 25-year-old native of St. Paul, Minnesota, he received his Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Principia College, and says that he works as a green designer. He also says that he should win the competition because he’s progressive, fun, and has a “green” perspective towards life and design. He believes that a designer’s imagination is his best friend, and describes his design style as boiling down to warm and clean modern lines, with a retro twist. Among his favorite design styles are eclectic, contemporary, and modern.

He states that designers should always focus on quality rather than quantity, and that it’s better to have one thing that you love instead of four things that you don’t. On the other hand, he disagrees with decorating and furnishing a home from a single source alone. His favorite designers are Charles and Ray Eames, whom his father worked for during the early 60s. Foss also says that if he wasn’t working as a designer, he’d be a whale-watching tour guide instead. His favorite room to design is the living room, and his dream design project would be to work on the interior of a hip deli or organic restaurant.

2014 Perfect Kitchen Pantry Design Ideas : Easy to Do

Say goodbye to kitchen confusion. Gather tools for cooking, cleaning , and more, in one streamlined spot. Put the closet door to good use by mounting shallow wire shelves .
Clip takeout menus on the closet sidewall. Dangle hand tools from a series of metal hooks. Store soda cans in wire racks. A plastic wall holder centralizes battery storage .
Slip a wire basket under a shelf to squeeze in extra space for a stack of cleaning towels . Stuff extra plastic bags into a handy dispenser.
A wall mount file sorter can house ribbons and bags for quick gift wrapping. Position a rechargeable hand vacuum near the door for quick cleanups. Add wheels to the bottom of a wood crate to create a rolling cleaning cart. Place frequently used cleaning supplies in a grab and go tote. With a little planning, all your kitchen essentials can co-exist in one small pantry. A kitchen pantry should work for you rather than as a dumping ground for your stock.

Here are the storage essentials you need to keep your kitchen pantry organized. These tools and organizers will bring order to your cooking gear, food, cookbooks, and more. You'll love these ideas to try in 2014!
I hope you find these ideas useful and inspiring to you ... Enjoy it !!!!

Lined Curtains Design 2013 Ideas

Adding a lining to curtains not only enhances the look but also can extend the life of them by protecting the face fabric from sunlight.
There are a number of linings to choose from depending on the location of the window. For example blackout lining for bedrooms and thermal lining for living rooms.
Most curtain headings are suitable for lined curtains including tapes and handmade headings.
Lined curtains should be dry cleaned as the face fabric and lining can shrink at different rates if they are washed.
The following instructions are for bag lined curtains (this is where the lining is attached at the top and sides of the face fabric, with the bottom hems worked separately) with pencil pleat heading tape and a fullness ratio of 2 (double the width of the window).

2014 Smart Storage Solutions for Small Kitchen Design

Smart planning and innovative kitchen design solutions transform these kitchens into storage packed spaces.

You'll love these ideas to try in 2014! I hope you find these ideas useful and inspiring to you .... Enjoy it !!!!

A new desk and banquette bench were added adjacent to the kitchen to provide more storage and a dedicated home office.

An extra row of drawers flanking the refrigerator adds the perfect amount of storage near the door. Cabinetry runs all the way to the countertop to make use of every inch of space.

Pullout racks and utensil organizers were added after installation creating smart storage without the custom-cabinetry price tag.

The island offers prep space, close to the range storage for pots and pans, and proximity to a pullout trash and recycling center. This drawer within a drawer in the island makes it easy to keep pots and lids separate and organized.

The homeowner was determined to infuse the kitchen with rich elements to give it distinction. The Calacatta marble tile backsplash, for example, runs up the wall to meet horizontally oriented beaded-board paneling, which also appears in the adjacent family room. Turning beaded board sideways creates strong horizontal lines that make walls appear longer.

A sink made of the same material as the countertops presents a sleek, clean look. A window ledge provides bonus display and storage space behind the integrated sink and traditional bridge faucet.

A firm believer in open storage, this homeowner uses shelves to keep everyday items easy to see and reach. Shelves next to the refrigerator hold the microwave and wine cooler; the latter frees up space in the fridge.

More open storage opposite the refrigerator wall is supported by shapely brackets. The dark metal complements similar tones in the floor, counters, doors, and window frames, and it adds pizzazz to simple open shelves that provide both display and storage space. The shelves keep items used every day in an easily accessible place, and a top shelf, which might be hard to reach, is used to showcase art and decorative objects rather than kitchen essentials.

The space around the range was smartly outfitted for cooking. A knife drawer on one side of the range features an integrated cutting board for quick chopping.

To the right of the range, a drawer stores spices neatly and out of the light, keeping them fresh and easy to grab when cooking at the range or doing prep work on the counter above.

The small peninsula serves as a bar area, complete with undercounter beverage chillers and a pullout liquor cabinet. A deep, cased archway provides a gracious transition from the dining room to the colorful kitchen.

Store Up High : There wasn't enough space for a walk-in pantry, so the custom-designed cabinetry extends to the ceiling to maximize storage. A library ladder that rolls along a rail provides access to the top row of cabinets. Cleverly concealed pullouts store spices, bottles, platters, and trays. The slim pullout shelf below the pantry cabinet serves as a temporary landing space for items without permanently intruding on the walkway.

A corner pullout unit stores large cookware and avoids wasting space in a corner cabinet. The pullout unit brings the cabinet contents into clear view, eliminating the likelihood of losing items in the recesses of a deep cabinet.

Appliances were also chosen with capacity in mind. Paired refrigerators with stacked freezer drawers blend in with the cabinetry and give the couple plenty of space to stock up on food for a house full of guests. A pullout cabinet beside the refrigerators makes use of an awkward space. The slender dimensions of the unit make it ideal for storing small containers and bottles.

The couple also opted for a trash compactor and two sink areas: one for preparing food and one for rallying dirty dishes. Two sets of dishwasher drawers between the sinks ease cleanup.

The rail above the pantry continues around the rest of the kitchen. Transom cabinets take the place of soffits and are within reach, thanks to the library ladder.

While they were going for a contemporary feel, the homeowners also wanted the kitchen to be a warm, comfortable place, so they opted for wood-look cabinetry. Zebrawood (named for its dark stripes on a light background) was their first choice, but it was also a budget buster, so they went with custom cabinetry finished with a faux-zebrawood laminate. To keep the look of the cabinetry simple, the couple used few door pulls, opting instead for push mechanisms, which make it easy to open the sleek cabinets and access their contents.