In the dining room of a family’s Houston home decorated by Miles Redd, the graphic floor steals the spotlight. Agustin Hurtado custom painted the Patterson Flynn Martin sisal. Photo : Thomas Loof Source : https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/interior-decorating-ideas-color-blocking
Colour blocking, a technique that involves pairing two or more bold colors together, is a popular trend in interior design.
When done correctly with balance in mind, it can bring life and vibrancy to a once neutral interior.
SM Design. Vibrant sitting room utilizing saturated paint and upholstery colors. Cobalt Blue velvet lounge chairs are juxtaposed against Sherwin Williams (Cashmere Low Luster) Invigorate Orange painted walls.
Photo : SM Design
Project : Vibrant Texas Hill Country Estate in Farmwrs Branch
SM Design. Color blocking can represented in kitchens very easily by selecting contrasting materials for the Upper & Base Cabinets. The Bardiglio Polished Marble Tile we selected for the backsplash, creates another block of contrasting color while highlighting its natural stone texture.
Photo : SM Design
Project : Bock Corporate Breakroom, Dallas, TX
If you are interested in renovating a just a portion of your home or planning on updating a few finishes in a room, I recommend that you consider the overall style/design of your home to ensure there is a smooth transition between the updated space and the rest of your home. Color blocking is a great way to facilitate continuity between spaces. Especially in areas where you have a view line into multiple rooms.
This intersection of spaces created several view lines to take into consideration. The use of color blocking on the walls created a vibrant layering of colors.
The painting placed at the end of the hallway created a vibrant focal point which pulled all of the colors together.
A kitchen island is one of the most used workspaces in a kitchen. Most often, an island isn’t strictly used for food preparation but is also utilized as an intimate seating area, extra kitchen storage, display, and an opportunity to create a unique focal point. Personally, I love designing kitchens that highlight a multifunctional island.
Below, I highlight one of my favorite kitchen island countertop materials : Stainless Steel.
Stainless Steel Countertop Advantages
Stainless steel countertops are extremely durable and resilient to almost anything : water, heat, stains, etc., and can be disinfected easily. A stainless sink can be integrated seamlessly into this countertop which makes this an easily maintained solution. Besides all the functional reasons one may choose a stainless steel countertop, they age beautifully! (See the first photo in the section.)
Even though stainless countertops are mostly popular in modern and contemporary kitchens, stainless steel kitchen islands can also be introduced in a traditional or transitional décor. In this case, I recommend this product be used with a wooden base, maybe with a vintage or rustic design, to balance the coldness of the metal.
SS Countertop Installations
The first stainless steel island I designed was for a client in 2010. His home was in the style of “Modern Texas Hill Country”, thus the stainless island was perfectly balanced by warm highly grained kitchen cabinets and floors.
This stainless countertop just had it’s 10th birthday! You can see how beautifully this type of countertop ages. We designed this countertop to have a double stainless sink integrated seamlessly into the top.
I am infatuated with this floating geometric stainless steel island designed by Hacin and Associates. It’s integration into the wood supports is genius! https://www.hacin.com/
This island top is a mixture of Corian and Stainless Steel. You can see the stainless steel units are on wheels, integrated into the island, making for an extremely versatile kitchen island.
Cleaning and Maintaining Stainless Steel Countertops
Stainless steel is extremely easy to clean and maintain. To clean, spray down with any countertop cleaning spray. (I enjoy using the Mrs. Meyers Lemon Verbena Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IQ9R37E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_VUe7Eb52B5PCA ). Wipe down with a soft cloth or paper towel.
If you are looking to add a brilliant shine to your stainless countertops, you can follow up with a Stainless Steel Cleaner or olive oil. To apply the olive oil, sprinkle several tablespoons of olive oil to the countertop and massage into the surface in a circular fashion. Follow up with a dry cloth, wiping and then buffing the top into a brilliant shine.
Note : Stainless steel, over time, will scratch and age. Most people find this weathering and aging a benefit of this beautiful material.
I’m loving the modern glam look of The Ghost Chair in all forms! I can’t currently think of another chair that brings such a whimsical and glam look to a room. Most of these chairs are made out of a clear (or semi-opaque colored) acrylic. Easy to clean and even easier to find a place for one in almost any space in a home.
Place set of 6 of these jewels around a rustic looking wood dinning table for an eccentric mixed look.
Try a ghost chair with wheels in your home office to glam up your space.
I also love these chairs in bar stool form set in a traditional-styled kitchen.
