Most rooms have a distinct vibe. A mahogany table with matching shield-back chairs in a room covered with damask wallpaper will most likely feel formal. A kitchen outfitted with painted cabinets, a farm-house sink and copper accent pieces will exude country warmth. Even small details like a vessel sink paired with glass subway tiles quickly states “this powder room is modern.”
When setting the mood in a room, look for furnishings that speak a similar language. Whether you start with one favorite piece or a blank canvas, adding some type of visual consistency or repetition of patterns will pull a space together.
Like characters in a play, objects in a room have definite personalities that play off of one another and tell a visual story. The leading character in this laid-back setting is the Kona chair by Savannah College of Art & Design student, Emily Carpenter. This reinterpretation of the classic wing chair combines modern lines, colors and fabrics to create casual seating that is stylish and comfortable.
The Kona chair is part of an amazing project in which Savannah College of Art and Design students designed a wing-back chair using BioH®, which is a soy-based ingredient used in foam. Here’s the really cool part: you can vote for the final designs. The winning design will be made by Century Furniture using BiOH® and Ultrasuede Interiors, and the winner will receive royalties for their chair design.
Coordinating in color, but contrasting in shape with the straight lines of the Kona chair, is the Drum Pendant Light in Carioca, an exclusive pattern from Wagner Campelo, available through Alluminare.com. Based on Brazilian Baroque tiles, this large scale pattern is playful while looking retro-inspired.
Inspirational art is a must have when telling a design story. This “retro-realism” Hawaiian travel poster inspired print from artist Kerne Erickson communicates the pursuit of joy in a way that focuses on the beauty of nature. “Surfing Legend” is available online through Pacifica Island Art, Inc. at www.islandartstore.com along with other works of art that celebrate the “hang-loose” island lifestyle.
The vibrant colors of the vintage art become color cues for the rest of the space. A lasting floral arrangement by Diane James Home combines yellow field flowers in a glass windowpane vase. These silk flowers will always look their stylish best and add a pop of designer color. Available through exclusive retailers and designers.
The Mandy Drum Table/Stool provides extra seating in a sunny yellow finish. Covered in a classic fishnet pattern, this piece is handmade of papier-mache from recycled materials by Haitian artisans. Available at PoshLiving.com
More sea inspired accessories like the “Message on a Bottle” recycled glass collection from Wisteria.com add natural whimsy and organic charm. Also from Wisteria, a set of faux books in ocean-turquoise, the Three Stack Book Box, poses non-chalantly on a shelf yet opens up to reveal a hiding space for more personal treasures.
The tall and sturdy Hemnes Bookshelf in a gray-brown finish by designer Carina Bengs for Ikea adds functional storage that complements the pure lines of the the Kona chair. A Crate & Barrel coffee table dubbed The Pacifica also pairs contemporary design with natural beauty and is sized just right for putting one’s feet up. On the floor, the Zottel-Teppich thick shag polar-fleece carpet from Heine adds between-the-toes warmth.
The final design result? A fun and modern oasis in which to kick back and relax.
Link to sources: visit designvignettes on polyvore.com
Article by Yvonne Blacker
Interior decorator, graphic designer and photo stylist who also writes about design. Editor and creative director of New England Finery Magazine (www.newenglandfinery.com)
has written 12 awesome articles for Alluminare.
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