“My heart has always been divided between the vestals of constancy and the avatars of change.”

- Yves Saint Laurent, 1936 – 2008

I really responded to this statement when I read it at the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective at San Francisco’s De Young Museum.  It’s true and I feel the same way…to some extent.  I’ve always been attracted to both the new and the old.  The home I grew up in was a constant evolution of modern necessities mixed into its traditional landscape – the exercycle and Apple 2E had to go somewhere!  (Please note, however, I have to question the concept of an exercise bike sharing space with the Living Room for anyone but Lance Armstrong, but my interior stylings were lost to the greater good at that time…)  Today, the interiors I create display an easy marriage of modern function, vintage comforts and a little joie de vivre.  My design sense has been labeled “eclectic”, “beautifully functional,” and “innovative.”  Not a bad mix in my opinion. 

Our eclectic spirit comes from a philosophy we describe as “Freshly Familiar.” What does that mean? We strive to retain the familiar qualities of the past while working with a fresh approach that takes advantage of today’s modern lifestyles.  In our opinion, a true “home” has as much a story as your wedding, your first child or your latest vacation.  These exciting moments were created by a series of events that add meaning to the outcome – much the same way that a home’s story cannot be created by one trip to the local furniture store. 

We start by evaluating the home’s story itself and its main characters – our clients.  This gives us insights as to influential architectural elements, function and necessity.   We address this research with an eye on today’s modern ammenities and a bit of romance for personality. To this, we layer in a mix of hardworking pieces that are meant to last generations and unique vintage furnishings that speak of character and charm.  The result is a unique assemblage of items that speak to each other through both form and function with a few surprises to keep things interesting.   Yes, you can have a home that is “eclectic” and “innovative” yet “beautifully functional.”  

So what do we think of constancy and change?  ”Be not divided between the “vestals of constancy and the avatars of change.  Be united by them instead!”

Take a look at some of the rooms created with our “Freshly Familiar” approach. 

And read more about the creative force who was Yves Saint Laurent at Wikipedia.

photo credit: Philippe Wojazer, AU

There is nothing better than having a kitchen lay out with beauty in style and function. You should be able to effortlessly move, reach, dice and otherwise make a mess in your kitchen without having to hurt yourself (or others) in the process.  Of course, planning ahead for all your desires is the best way to start the kitchen design process, but there are ways to make the best of any situation no matter what the circumstances.  Here are my tips for creating perfect Kitchen Zen.

Counter height depends on genetics.  What height can you use a knife at that does not necessitate bending over in the slightest?  Answer the question and you have found countertop perfection. If you are not able to recreate your kitchen from scratch (designing counter heights to preference,) you can custom order butcher block of varying sizes & heights from 1” to 6”+ in order to bring the “work at hand” into yours.  Ordering custom wood cutting boards to cover a large area (2 – 3’ in length) will also eliminate the need to huddle up over small cutting boards.  These can be left out provided they are maintained and beautiful themselves. 

Upper shelving is for nuts (or other bulk items…)  If you are tight on space and find yourself using every last inch of shelving up to the rafters, consider bringing some items out of the cupboards and out on display.  I frequently use beautiful glass apothecary jars with snug fitting lids to bring dry pasta, oatmeal, dog food and even snack bars into easy reach.  This frees space in the cabinetry for other items and creates interesting displays of everyday items. 

Don’t forget me!  One of the smartest kitchens I have had low cabinetry designed for a children’s cooking area.  Grandmother worked out cookie dough on marble counters, transferring sheets of dough to her grandkids on the counter below where they could cut it into shapes without standing on chairs.  Ingenious!  Who else may be helping out in your kitchen?  Do you need a wine and cheese tasting area that is separate from your main prep area?  This could be at bar height. Is someone in your family using a wheelchair?  They would appreciate lower counters with plenty of access space below.  Varyied counter heights can be appreciated for their function as much as their architectural features.

The person who invented the slide-in range never cooked a turkey.  Have you ever bent over to pull your perfectly browned Thanksgiving bird from the oven and winced as you lifted it awkwardlya as you staggered to the countertop 3 steps away?  Eliminate this unseemly (and dangerous) situation by using a drop-in cooktop and locating ovens at arm height into cabinetry nearby.  Most manufacturers have double oven combinations that fit into wall cabinets and handle everything from popcorn to poultry with ergonomic ease.

Think twice, twist once... Think about adjacencies when you locate your appliances.  The dishwasher should be next to the sink and near the cabinet where you store your dishes!  Hang your pot rack over your sink instead of the cook top or island – you will appreciate letting the pots drip here instead of across your granite counters. The coffee maker should be under the cabinet where your coffee mugs reside, and the refrigerator should always have a landing space next to it.  Grouping related tasks together helps determine kitchen layout.  Planning makes perfect!

Create a kitchen that cooks!  I’ve recently installed an “assembly line” kitchen for clients with a minimal amount of space – 10’ on one wall only.  (See image above and more photos of the project here...)  The clients were clear that they needed an efficient design that really worked, so we designed an assembly line that ran across the length of the entire wall.   This efficient layout starts with a landing space for groceries, moves onto the refrigerator, then to another landing space for items removed from the refrigerator for prep before rinsing at the sink.  (We even fit a custom cutting board into the sink well to further maximize the space.)  After the sink, there is a small landing space for prepped items before they are transferred from sink to stove.  It ends with a final landing space for food ready to serve. It functions beautifully and we did not have to spare any design flare to make it work either.  

Other inspirations.  Rolling islands that tuck into pantry cabinets for extra space (that hides them away when not in use!)  Pull out shelves in lower cabinets and pantries so you can find everything you need.  Include space for a folding step stool into your cabinetry plan. Create deep drawers below counters for plates and glasses you use every day. Use appliance garages to hide clutter and bookshelves for cookbooks under islands.  And, please, no more desks in the kitchen – they are ridiculous.  Tomato sauce has never been a friend of electronics and paperwork and when you are cooking there is no time for distractions!

Please send on your inspirations as well.  We love creative strategies for everyday problems…

Today’s (this week’s, this hour’s…) economy calls for careful consideration when planning your next interior design move.  I can’t stress enough that the best investment today is… longevity.  Use this as your benchmark and impulse purchases will never measure up.  Here are my top 5 trends that will outlast the headlines and position you for brighter times to come.

1. Technology & Entertainment Integration: Thoroughly integrating technology and entertainment can transport digital media anywhere in the house, providing customizable opportunities to enjoy the modern lifestyle to its fullest.  Apple TV and the Sling Box are great products that take full advantage of audio and video downloaded onto computers and DVRs, delivering them effortlessly to handhelds, computers and home stereo systems.  A significant plasma television purchase makes much more sense if it means that screen can become a media center worthy of a science fiction fantasy.  Investing in technology that intelligently adds to your lifestyle will defeat the urge to splurge on every new gadget that arrives as you grow your custom media center.  

2. High and Low Mix:  Today’s modern homes thrive on using eclectic furnishings from a variety of resources.  I encourage clients to splurge on everyday “high touch” pieces like sofas, window coverings, bedding, and dining furniture and home investments such as closet design, kitchen remodeling and landscaping.  Secondary pieces such as extra seating, lamps, pillows, and accessories can come from less expensive sources, providing of-the-moment interest without buyers remorse should styles change just after the dust settles.  

3. Repurposing dated furnishings with modern fabrics & finishes:  Classic traditional furniture in need of TLC and ready for reupholstery is easy to find at terrific values in vintage shops and the family attic.  These pieces have stood the test of time and look great dressed in modern prints and fabrics.  Dusty wing chairs recovered in a modern ethnic print are freshly familiar and instantly appreciated. Their classic form guarantees longevity while the new look brings them into today’s lifestyles.  Most importantly, repurposing is part of our formula for “Greener Living.”  There is nothing better than recycling great vintage furniture. 

4. Metal furnishings:   Interesting and formidable metal tables and chairs can be found everywhere now from high end showrooms to mass market retailers right now.  These sturdy furnishings add to a room’s eclectic layering and are almost bulletproof additions worthy of investment.  Finished in powder coated finishes in every color of the rainbow, they bring powerful life into a design scheme.  Gary Hutton Design has wonderful pieces – some I have had powdercoated especially to be used out of doors when the mood to rearrange strikes.  

5. Functional Accessorizing:  Fashionably functional gets a lot of respect in our office.  When I refresh an interior, I start by removing accessories that clutter a room and add no aesthetic value. (They can bring value, however, through sales at consignment shops!)  Your furnishings live best when they can accomplish two tasks at once – aesthetics & storage, display & serving, etc…  One functional accessory can take the place of an entire table of insignificant objects.  You will be happier in an edited space that works as well as it looks.

Should these ideas appeal to your home economics and you are looking for a partner with the savvy to bring them together for you, contact our studio for a consultation! Our services are yours for the living…www.jrstudiodesign.com

content credit: Joel Robare of JR Studio Design  

photo credit: image of currency of public domain

Interested in knowing more on our thoughts about current design trends, redecoration in today’s economy or making a statement with color?  We are adding links to our website with recent press coverage of our freshest thoughts (and we guarantee they are locally grown and sustainably harvested, too!) We will be adding new articles as they are published.  Check often and enjoy…

Click here for the articles in our “Print” section. 

Decisions, Decisions… People come to us for advice on all things design, and we love the variety of questions that come up during the course of our conversations. Asking questions from those with experience is a great way to start your research and reach a decision (better by far than using a magic 8-ball, entertaining though it may be!)

One question that we hear often is “How do I decide if it is time to work with an Interior Designer.”  That particular query deserves an educated (and unbiased) response.  We warmly encourage everyone to achieve better living starting with a well designed interior, but the very personal decision is really up to you and timing is everything!  Visit our Press Room to read our article, “Are You Ready for a Professional Interior Designer,” and make the decision for yourself.  

Be sure to let us know your results! 

photo credit: flickr.com/photos/80124993@NOO/1246790051

Let me be clear. Color is not a blunt object to be wielded at sporadic intervals whenever the mood strikes! No one should be the victim of painful (and expensive!) color carnage.  Plan for it and make peace with it.  Color should be a confidant with the kind of intimacy that understands you completely and shares your secrets. Use these tips to achieve perfect color sense. 

1. If your walls could speak, most would shout “you are giving me too much responsibility.”  Color should surround you.  Finding a room’s color sense means making a color story out of everything – walls, pillows, countertops, flooring, hardware…the list is as large as the room you are in. Altering the walls alone does not satisfy the need or “paint the bigger picture.”  Take a leap, forget the walls and start with the carpet, maybe the sofa or even the draperies!

2. White is not a color.  We have all seen it, and it is painful.  The most common mistake in the quest for color is to abandon desire for safety disguised as “simplicity.”  White interiors that extract every trace of color create a room with all the appeal of a hospital clinic.  For those finding themselves caught between visions of Indian spice markets and chilling arctic tundras, find comfort in knowing there is a world of color between bold and bland.  (Even a neutral scheme can satisfy if its done with a rich layering of tones and shades.) Don’t overwhelm yourself, start with a favorite and build from there using a few more colors that move you instinctively. 

3. That (insert dramatic color name here) is killing you.  I have heard requests in consultation for the perfect shade of jade, citron, crimson, aqua…  As panic rises, I am given all the juicy details in the frustrating search for the ultimate color trophy.  I must respectfully say, stop the madness – your energy is needed elsewhere.  The perfect color does not exist in a vacuum.  Refocus on planning an entire scheme for your interior instead.  That way, when the endless options of green are presented, you will have a reason to say “this is the one!”  Stop looking for it – it will find you. 

4. Coordination is to die for.  If the color of the wall matches the print on the sofa and the print on the sofa matches the color of the cabinetry what does the room become?  Ordinary.  Was that what you were looking for?  Probably not.  Over coordination is as bad as not having a plan at all.  A little matching is great and provides a cohesive thread that will tie a room together.  The most interesting interiors, however, have moments that catch the eye.  Camouflaging everything in the same color, pattern or texture creates little worth remembering.  Have you ever seen the bride wear the same dress as the bridesmaids? 

5. Raise the roof. A former client had visions of what her home might be like after a tornado (my apologies to those who have experienced the horror) with its roof gone and the contents scattered like a doll house.  She felt that if the pieces strewn about looked as if they belonged to the same house, we would have accomplished something ideal in its interior design.  I agree completely and feel the same about a house full of color.  A home needs to tell a story.  Color is the first chapter, and finding your color story is the first step in the process.  Use this color story to create movement through your house and let it join the rooms together in a way that brings its expression to the surface with grace.  Make color sense not color wars!

Should these tips not be enough and you wish for a color coach, we are available to help even the most color challenged. 

photo credit: Kristine from St. Augustine, USA. Title: colored pencils. 

I am just returning from a trip to Chicago visiting family, friends and (yes) working as well. The Windy City comes alive in the summer and celebrates the season with a spirit unmatched in enthusiasm or outdoor opportunities. Warm summer evenings are made for dining al fresco, and over calamari at Volare, my favorite Italian restaurant and the best-kept secret in Chicago, the topic turned to…design. Another favorite! “What is it about interior design that compels people to settle into something new?” In a hyphenated word, “self-expression.”

I believe that our ability to express ourselves is the greatest talent we possess. There are many avenues taken to accomplish this; fashion, sports, fine arts…but I think the most personal expression of one’s inner voice is the look of the interior workings of their home. Where else could the placement of a sofa be the spring board for riotous joy or wincing pain? Psychologists have gone so deep as to explore the relationships of individual rooms to the ego (Given this I can’t imagine what the overflowing counters in my kitchen might be saying to my inner child. Certainly not “stay within the lines…”) If we can imagine our homes having such power in our lives, what is it about that sofa that means so much to us? It comes down to this – truly expressive interiors are born from searching for a way to provide a sense of foundation, builiding a support structure and reflecting ourselves in our surroundings so that others might have a visual cue of who we are (or who we may want to be.) All of this is valid, as it is one of the important tools in our box that allows us to express ourselves in revealing ways where words and actions might not be enough. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a truly expressive room might just be worth a million. With numbers like that, your sofa is writing its own chapter, and you want to be sure it tells the story correctly!

The quick draw of breath that accompanies your entrance to a room you find beautiful means “I’ve found someplace that speaks to my inner voice.” Think about that when the next beautiful interior speaks to you and you begin to ponder the thought of changing a few things around. Are you looking for an interior that is expressive beyond its surface beauty? You will have to look deeper than catalogs of the latest trends, but you may just find something much more rewarding and personally expressive. This is the appeal of fine design. When a client’s inner voice finds itself translated into an interior that is as meaningful as it is pleasing, it is the pinnacle of perfection for an interior designer. It is what I strive for and what I challenge my clients to expect. In the end, design professionals can not design to MAKE clients any different than they are, but we can provide a background that assists in affirming their inner voice – moulding perceptions and with some effort (and charm) eventually reality as well.

photo credit: 19th century Phrenology chart, from Fowlers&Wells

It’s about living beautifully.  It’s about living in balance.  It’s about living boldly, and it’s about time to start.  In today’s modern world, we could all use a design coach to help us create beautiful moments to live in, challenges to meet with grace and insights to stir the soul.  Are you ready?

Thank you for visiting the latest creation from the minds of JR Studio.  Visit often as we bring you tips and insights into living style.  

Our first insightful post will be up soon, and you can visit us now at JRStudioDesign.com to discover how the concept of “Unparalleled Modern Living” guides us in creating inspired interiors for inspiring clients.

See you there…