June, 2009 - Browsing by month

Walking in my neighborhood I am attracted to the scents of incense drifting out the door.  Last week I also noticed the candles with crisp citrus fragrance in a showroom at the Seattle Design Center. It seems fragrance is a part of civilization and cultures so no wonder we associate certain scents with customs such as religious rituals, special occasions or therapies.  The ancient Egyptians made fragrance use paramount in religious and secular life. Early Hindu vapor rooms were looked upon not only to soften the skin, but also to induce a desirable frame of mind. In 538 A.D., when Buddhism was introduced into Japan from China, an essential part of the religious observances was burning of incense. Fragrance truly blossomed under the reign of Louis XIV during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. In North America, the Indians taught early American settlers to make torch candles from fragrant pine branches.

Using scents in our home is truly a ‘less is more’ moment.  Too much overwhelms just as too much perfume upstages the one wearing it. “Environmental fragrancing should be very subtle; you shouldn’t be knocked out by it,” said Theresa Molnar, executive director of Manhattan-based The Fragrance Foundation and its research and education division, the Sense of Smell Institute. “You should enjoy it when it’s there,” she continued. “It shouldn’t be so overpowering that it’s all you can think of.”

When choosing a scent, Ms. Molnar said, think about the atmosphere you want to create. For example, in an entryway or living room, you might consider an energizing and uplifting floral fragrance, while calming scents like lavender or jasmine would be appropriate in the bedroom. In the kitchen, where there already are food smells, try a cinnamon or herbal fragrances or something fresh like cucumber.

People tend to choose fragrance based on memory perception, according to Catie Briscoe of Crabtree & Evelyn, explaining that scents activate part of the brain related to memory, leading us to choose those we relate to or have experienced. One of my favorite scents is sandalwood, a scent I associate with a trade showroom that shows Asian inspired style. 

My all time favorite scent is one from L’Occitane, Amber.  Here is the description: A voluptuous blend of Oriental scents. The sweetness of vanilla is combined with a bouquet of spices, incense, myrrh and labdanum.

Amber Incense Sticks from L'Occitane

Diffuser

If you want something that delivers fragrance continually, use a reed diffuser.

Whichever way you go, candles or diffusers, floral, spicy, botanical or citrus aromas, fragrance experts agree that how you scent your home all depends on you. Said Ms. Deyette: “It all comes down to individual choice.”

Tags: diffusers, home fragrance, sensory experience
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Why is it that the room used most frequently by guests, the powder room, is often a design challenge?  In my daily design work as a Seattle interior designer, I notice that the younger members of the family frequent the  powder room since is it close by.  And in older homes, the designated powder room can also be the bathroom intended for the occupant of the second or third bedroom ( a teen). Keeping the powder room tidy is problematic.

Historically, the powder room either did not exist or was crammed under the stairs resulting in a tight squeeze for the user and also for all the necessary equipment.  Both in new construction and remodels there is notable placement of the powder room in a convenient location.  Also, since the space is confined, homeowners often take some liberties in the design using unusual sinks, colors or wall paper, lighting and art.

Browsing  showhouses and stories, I was attracted to the design of the powder room by interior designer Stephanie Fillbrandt in the San Francisco Decorator Showhouse.  Her challenge was a narrow space only 38″ wide by 9’6″ long with a 12′ ceiling.  Talk about a tunnel!  She creatively used the narrowness to design a focal point at the wall opposite the entrance. By emphasizing the opposite wall, she actually caused it to seem nearer.

One of the reasons I enjoy participating in a Designer Showhouse is precisely what Ms. Fillbrandt demonstated. A Showhouse is an opportunity to design without compromise.  Observing the work of a designer you see in a Showhouse encourages you to place trust in your designer, put aside fears and allow the designer to exercise his or her creativity.

I enjoy your comments, so please send them with questions too.

Tags: bathroom, design, designer showhouse, Powder Room
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Individual, colorful pieces energize a room  instantly.  Seattle interior designer, Faith Sheridan shares her tips about  adding  color accents and confidently infusing your home decor.

Choose pieces with flexibility. A colorful accent table can sit in the den today, in a guest bedroom tomorrow.

malachite is hot

• Choose a color that’s a personal favorite. You will find a spot for it somewhere because you love it passionately.

• Use a single bright or fun piece in a room with neutral colors or traditional furnishings. Color and whimsy are most effective when they are unexpected.

• Coordinate accent colors with existing colors. Add bright red bar stools to a neutral wood toned kitchen, for example. Or put a black dresser in an aqua bedroom.

• Don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s your home; decorate in a way that pleases you.

• Break some rules, inject your personality. Invite some comments, nothing is more daunting than a perfect room.

• Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. When all you’re adding is a single, inexpensive accent, you can afford an oops! occasionally.

Tags: color, decorating
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In this green design business profile, I salute Carol Sorensen-Baumgartel of American Clay.  I met Carol in early 2006 in Seattle at the Home Show. Carol is the VP of Marketing/Co-founder of American Clay Enterprises, Inc.  Carol studied painting and ceramics, earning a BFA in Ceramics from the University of Denver. In 1980, she entered the world of Interior Design and was President of the ASID New Mexico chapter (1991-93). Specializing in interior finishes for commercial builders, residential builders and architects, putting elements together to highlight the physical aspects of a building – and won some interior awards for model homes in the process.

The impetus to the creation of American Clay arose from the health issues which plagued her son, Croft Elsaesser (now CEO and president) as he practiced his profession of Faux Finisher. The physical illnesses –headaches, skin rashes, breathing difficulties–created by the materials he had been using to create magnificent surfaces for his customers were worrisome. Finding natural alternatives to the paints, sealers and acrylic/gypsum wall finishes became paramount to continuing in his profession.

American Clay Natural Earth Plasters bring the appealing finishes of Nature to your Home, Office, School, Business, anywhere you want to add healthful beauty to your interior walls and ceilings. Manufactured in and using materials from the United States, American Clay uses natural clays, recycled and reclaimed aggregates, and vibrant natural pigments in each of  three beautiful finishes.

Ecohaus in Seattle shares details about American Clay. My project, Casa Montecito, utilized American Clay entirely for the nearly 7,000 square feet.

Tags: American Clay plaster, design, green, home, natural, walls
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Created as a more functional and operationally superior alternative to traditional white boards and dry-erase wallcoverings for office environments, Tabrasa offers abundant opportunities in homes too. Imagine using it in the mudroom or laundry area.  Tots to teenagers finally can draw on their walls without a disaster or a time out! See the illustration of the product here. 

Tabrasa^TM is water based paint that transforms any smooth surface into a seamless, high-performance dry-erase writing surface.   Discover all the options and applications for this amazing product and consider how you could adapt it in your home.

Instead of sticking notes around your home office, choose one of four colors and post schedules, creative ideas or brainstorming concepts on the wall.  Use a strip of wall space in your kitchen and post the weekly menu. 

Let me know how you might adapt this product in your home.

Tags: home, paint, Wallcovering, white board
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