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In my bathroom, my mirror sometimes tells me more than I want to know   but nontheless, I love how mirrors transform interiors.  This Seattle  interior designer strategically whimsically locates  mirrors for function, sparkle and a touch of luxury. No matter if your home is older, dark or new and bright, there is a mirror perfectly suited for your taste.

Mirrors are great accessories

• This large, 48″ mirror, replaces artwork in this room setting. Look for large mirrors at antique stores, garage sales and attics of family members.  You can make one if you find a picture frame you love or purchase picture moulding and frame a mirror instead of art.

Mirrored Vanity Trays

•  A few years ago I saw a collection of trays like those in the photo.  These could hang over a bed or in a hallway.

Mirrored Charger Plates

• Add some drama to your dinner by using a mirror as a charger.

Mirrored Hall Chest from Bassett

• Make a statement with a dynamic chest. Modern glamour meets classic design-this gleaming chest from Bassett is a true statement piece. It features mirrored sides and 3 mirrored drawers with faceted glass knobs th a dynamic chest.

Call on the power of mirrors to add sparkle and luxurious design details to your home. And call Faith Sheridan Design Group 206.973.3743.

Tags: accessorize with mirrors, artwork, beautiful interiors, design, interior design ideas, Mirrors, room designs, Seattle, Seattle interior designer Faith Sheridan
Posted in Accessories, Ideas and Inspirations | 4 Comments »

In my Seattle interior design practice, I like to share the importance and benefits of building green. I saw this article on the website of Central WA Homebuilders. 

Here are 10 reasons for Green

1. More Money in the Piggy Bank.  A built green home typically saves $ on operating costs due to efficient energy use, natural daylighting and upfront construction costs.
2. Less ‘New’ Odors and Better Indoor Air. Using low VOC and low toxic interior paints and finishes reduces toxins and improves indoor air quality.  Paints like Benjamin Moore’s Natura and Aura are my favorite choices.
3. Saves Old Growth Forests. Rapidly remewable materials like bamboo, cork, and strawboard can be harvested in a sustainable way. Plastic lumber made from recycled plastic jugs can be used for decking.
4. Happier Salmon. Water conservation using drought resistant plants and porous pavers are both techniques. Erosion control benefits salmon habitats.
5. More Couch Potato Time. Maintenance is minimized with durable materials like decking made of plastic and materials like stone, tile or slate.
6. Reduced Breezes inside the Home. The impact of outside elements is reduced using caulking to seal windows and doorframes.
7. Healthier Yard with Homegrown Topsoil. Topsoil removed for grading can be saved and reapplied for a better soil compositoin.
8. Reduces Dependence on Fossil Fuels.  Local materials reduce transportation costs and the inclusion of pedestrian access to mass transit decrease auto use.
9. Less Trash. Built Green projects recycle large amoutns of scrap materials as well as include recycled content into the building.
10. Promotes Businesses Committed to Green. The supporting member companies go the extra effort and work with one another demonstating committment to a green, healthy home.

Tags: design, green, home, indoor air quality, recycle, Seattle
Posted in Green Design | No Comments »

I live in an older area of Seattle, Capitol Hill, and love my walks in the neighborhoods.  Melding my Midwestern roots and  interior design background, I notice all the homes with a front porch. In Seattle you see lots of bungalows and Craftsman style homes often painted distinctively. I think a front porch invites ‘neighborliness’.  Growing up I fondly recall lots of relaxing evenings and story telling on a porch.  Given our disconnected and stressful lives, I am not surprised that porches are making a comeback.

The front porch trend coincides with a shift to a more casual lifestyle. The porch beckons to our need to connect and share community. And the front porch is an icon for that reason. Today new developments are taking advantage of our desire to interact and designing ‘new urbanism’ developments. These developments encourage walking and discourage cars and foster a sense of belonging.

Curiously, the front porch ebbed in popularity as ranch homes became the rage after GI’s returned from WW II. These homes were very simple and a porch was inappropriate.  The NEW thing was the car not walking. 

Saving the porch is the portrayal of the porch in movies and TV as a symbol of home.  Viewers of this media yearn for that image of home.  Starting in the mid-90′s the porch revived its place in home design. Today, porches are a detail desired to add that connection to our lives. 

Do you have a porch? What’s your favorite memory?

Tags: design, front porch, Seattle
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | 3 Comments »

At least 20 some years ago I witnessed the dramatic impact of adding a piece of Lucite furniture to a room.  At that time, I was a recent transplant to Omaha and made the acquaintance of another designer who invited me to her home.  Carefully and dramatically, she chose to showcase a collection of heirloom quilts in a clear Lucite trunk.

The use of the trunk was magical in her living room.  Since that experience I have seen clear acrylic furniture used in many applications.  I used this ‘crystal table’ from the Mariette Himes Gomez collection by Hickory Chair in the Seattle Street of Dreams home I designed.

Crystal Table from Hickory Chair

For a practical but dramatic accent, consider the Magino stool which does double duty as a magazine rack from Umbra.

Magino Stool or Magazine Rack

The good news is that very often these acrylic furniture pieces will not break the bank!

Send me your comments about this  post.

Tags: acrylic furniture, design, Furniture, Lucite, Seattle
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | 7 Comments »

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
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »