THINK LIKE AN INTERIOR DESIGNER

I cannot help but examine whenever I walk into a space, it can be any space, a new hotel, restaurant I am eating at, home etc. I love taking in all of the different elements and I always ALWAYS look up, which by the way not many people do… really there is a ceiling? Lots can be

achieved when it comes to a ceiling. I love touching walls and often feel like a bit of an odd ball when I secretly try and feel the wall to see what kind of finish it is, especially if it is a wallpaper, 

material, metal or timber… I cannot help it, it is built in.

When it comes to renovating and designing a home, these are kind of details that we as interior designer think about when planning. We also very much consider how the space is going to be used and experienced. It is a pretty difficult skill but if you can get it right and nurture it, you can 

become a real pro at understanding how to best use a space and how to make the most of what 

you have.

Here are my top five favourite things to look and how to think like an Interior Designer when you are knee deep in your next renovation.

1. Symmetry 

2. Zoning 

3. Light 

4. Scale 

5. Little Details 

INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE

Today has been a day that has been a bit all over the place, waiting forever this morning to try and get my mac book looked at because of course I am having a few technical issues... even though it is pretty much brand new. Sometimes you can't just cut a break with these things! Oh well, it meant I got a few hours to myself and could walk around looking at fashion which I definitely needed to catch up on. I had a lovely conversation with a girl this morning which has inspired this post today, so I wanted to share a little inspiration for all those who are struggling with the ever popular modern open planned space.

Open planning has a whole heap of benefits but at the same time you get left with a huge space that is meant to "house" several different purposes. What does one do? How do we go about making a space that has a kitchen, dining and living area work all in harmony? Well, it is all about zoning the space and utilising furniture pieces to create those zones so the space doesn't look empty as well as allowing you to create some sectioning off or partitions. A great way to also achieve this in a simply is also through the use of wall space, artwork and large mirrors work wonders in grounding a space as well as opening it up even more. Adding these elements assists to make the space look useful, complete and all the elements work together. It is also important to layer things and when I say layer, I mean you may have a book shelf, but think about different elements to showcase on it as well as adding a chair, which instantly becomes a reading area. I searched through Pinterest today to get some inspiring imagery to help get the creative juices flowing when it comes to thinking about how you can zone your open plan as well as giving certain areas purpose in smart and easy ways.

Have you had trouble with your open plan space? How did you solve your styling dilemma? I'd love to hear from you.

All these images have been sourced from Pinterest.

You can follow me HERE! 

PAINTING THE FLOORS

We were talking last week about flooring and the importance of having good floors in your home. This post was actually ment to be showcased last week, but due to being extremely time poor these days ( which is a good thing but also difficult at the same time ) it did not make it up in time. A great way of doing up your floors if you are on a tiny budget and have a good base such as old floor boards or  concrete, you will be happy to hear that painting them is a really inexpensive and actually fun way of adding a new look to your interior, even if it is just one particular space. Using patterns in a home or different features I believe allows one to zone particular spaces to a designated use, even if it is just a simple entry way and you want it to make an impact. Instead of just applying it to your walls and or furnishings, think about how your floors can assist in making this kind of feature happen for you.

To be completely honest with you, I have not attempted painting floors myself nor have I had the right project or client adventurous enough to want to do something like this, but I really think it is important to think a little outside the walls at times to assist in bringing environments to life. Painted floors are also a great idea for office spaces and retail environments, it allows interaction and customer participation in certain scenarios. I really like the look of white floor boards and the crisp, natural vibe it gives off and think it would be great to be able to bring this feeling to an interior I get to design one day.

I wanted to inspire you all with some lovely images from my Pinterest that demonstrates how painting a floor or giving it a pattern can really make a space. Check out the really crazy bright neon looking floor! It is actually amazing in application and would make for a very interactive interior... not particularly for residential use, but in another context. I do love how they have continued the theme and design through to the wall panelling and colouring... a very good design tip in that.

JDZ Designer tip of the week: Remember to think about your floors, how they serve you and how you can use them to zone and orientate your interiors. Is it by marking it off with a good looking rug, or placing your furniture in a particular way, or applying a pattern or different texture to the room next to it. P.S: Porters Paints make a good paint made just for flooring. 

All images sourced from my Pinterest. Make sure to follow me by clicking the "P" in the tool bar.


JDZ x

STUDIO SPACE PT2

Yesterday I was discussing work environments and the importance of having them be comfortable and inspiring spaces. Today I want to give you some direction towards making that happen through some great images I have sourced through my own personal research. Seeming as I have now turned what was my once study now into my working home office, it is really important to have it be as organised as possible. Being organised means having as much storage and desk space as possible. If you are a creative person like me you need all the room you can get because spreading out images, colours, textures, patterns is so much more enriching to your imagination that being cramped in a pile of butter paper and samples. So here are my thoughts on what you should do to maximise your space in your home office or studio to make it as inspiring and comfortable as possible.

- Displays! If you have images that you love, quotes, even if it is boring paper work and invoices that need to be paid, having a vision board or upholstered backdrop that acts as a pin board behind your desk or along a wall is a great way to display things. Have those 'To Do Lists' in your face so you do not forget what you need to get done. Think about displaying fabric pieces even, beads, books or tools in a unique way that allows them be a feature in your space. By having them hung up or displayed opened on floating shelves in neat boxes or visible also solves the problem of where to store them. So really it is a win win situation. Do not be afraid to show your work or have your process of work on display. Even though you might feel, ' it is messy' it important to have your environment show how you work.

- Colour! Sometimes as much as we would like to be able to achieve our perfect space through structural changes we cant because we may be renting a studio space or it is just not feasible at the time, so think about using a particular colour that you love which can act as a way of grounding your work zone or creating a bit of a theme so that it is not just a series of computers, printers and paper work. You can also bring in colour through your task chairs and lighting. Offices and work spaces do not need to be boring, they can be full of personality especially if it is the personality and identity of the business.

- Chalkboards! Paint a wall or a section of your space with chalk paint, allows for you to brain storm, write those 'To Do Lists' and random ideas etc. Combine a vision board with a chalkboard wall and you are minimising use of paper and all the post it notes you write your quotes on.

- Zoning your space! Giving your office specific task areas is really important. Even if it is Desk at one end and client meeting & work table area at the other. This also gives you an opportunity to move away from the computer at times, because it can be a real drag sitting in the one spot all day.

- Storage! Think about storage in a fun way, which brings me back to my first point displays. Displaying things that are aesthetically appealing in a unique way can solve storage issues, but sometimes this cannot be achieved if it is a whole box full of invoices. Maximise under desk space with portable draws and or open cube shelves that can be arranged in multiple different ways. Think about what you actually really need at your desk and in your office vs what you really do not need. You will be so surprised what you end up getting rid of, especially if your space is zoned in different task areas.

Here are some inspirational images of spaces that I feel represent some of the things I have discussed today in studio space part 2. All images are sourced from HOUZZ, Pinterest and a beautiful blog a friend discovered and showed me today, The Beautiful Soup.

Eclectic Home Office by Mill Valley Interior Designers & Decorators Jute Interior Design

Eclectic Home Office by Vancouver Interior Designers & Decorators The Cross Design

Eclectic Home Office by Philadelphia Interior Designers & Decorators Caitlin Wilson

Eclectic Home Office by Santa Monica Interior Designers & Decorators Annette Tatum

Eclectic Home Office by Houston Interior Designers & Decorators Laura U, Inc.

Eclectic Home Office by London Photographers Beccy Smart Photography

So many images I know, but I could not narrow it down!

Are you all looking forward to Feature Friday tomorrow? Because I am!

 JDZ x

STUDIO SPACE PT 1

I don't just love designing residential spaces because being a good designer is really about being able to apply your knowledge to any given brief and thinking outside the floor plan. It is really important when designing spaces to understand what you need from a practicality point of view vs what you would love it to be like. More likely than not you will be able to create a happy medium between the two and have an end result that is better than you ever could have imagined. I have actually been meaning to blog about this amazing fashion labels office space for sometime and finally today is the day. This is going to be a HUGE post because I have so much to say so it is going to be in two parts.

To all you lovely women out there who are in the corporate world or just love the elegance and sometimes quirkiness that is Cue Clothing will appreciate this post. 

Where you work often becomes pretty much your second home, it is where you spend majority of your time during the week, so really it doesn't make any sense to me that an office environment or studio space would be boring, dull, not be inspiring and comfortable. Work despite what you do, seriously despite what you do, even if it is to a certain degree, needs to be inspiring and motivating. If you don't have that and don't have good people working with you, how the hell do you keep moral up? I have been fortunate enough to work in really good environments and it just really cements the fact that comfortable and inspiring spaces are a must when it comes to work. 

An office space or studio allows you I believe to express the personality and identity that is your brand. It can be done in the most unique ways as well and does not really have to be in one specific way. It can be carried through the entire design, concept and scheme. Zoning, good work space & lighting is imperative especially if you are a creative studio. Zoning allows you to create different sections in your space dedicated to specific tasks or parts of your business. Keeping inspired & motived through good imagery, colour and lighting is also really important, but more about that tomorrow. 

I love Cue and I also am in love with their office space. It is very unique and would be such a great space to work in. The interiors is by Geyer a strategic Interior Design firm that specialises in developing unique working environments and enhancing activity based workplaces. In 2011 they designed the HQ for Cue Clothing and it is amazing. It is the perfect combo of bringing the inspiring brand alive in a workplace. It also shows how zoning allows for different activities to take place in the one environment and the importance of colour and inspiring desks that are filled with natural light. 

Lounging area where brain storming and critiquing of designs
can occur. 

Large work benches and desks makes for great design and
spaces for cutting patterns and samples

This is an amazing light installation designed by
Jonathan Jones. 

Front of house, dark, moody and elegant. It is very innovative
as well which I feel reflects Cue's fashion forward mission and style.
How great is the polished concrete? 

Design studios, part of the office but also creates areas for
privacy and quite. I love the use of opaque glass boxes that is
used to define the enclosed studio space from the rest of the office. 

Inside Design studio spaces. Neutral tones and great task lighting
creates a comfortable and inspiring environment to enhance creativity. 

Great open individual offices and desks. Great use of bring the interior
and exterior together with natural light to keep spaces light and motivating.
Also with lots of storage.

Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow where I will be talking about how to inspire yourself to create a studio space or office space that is full of personality and practicality with colour, organisation, lighting and zoning. 

All images in this post are sourced from this article about the design. 

You can find out more about Geyer by clicking here. 

Happy Wednesday, 

JDZ x