Home Sweet Gnome

Now that it is officially Summertime, we're spending a lot more time in the garden and outdoors! Finding the perfect flowers, furniture and accents for your outdoor spaces can be tricky.  You want the areas to be comfortable and function according to your needs, but how do you accent the spaces to highlight your unique personality and style?  We are here to tell you, Gnomes are where it is at!

Gnomes have been a staple in Scandinavian design since the early 16th century.  They protect the animals and guard your garden from birds eating all of the fresh produce and seeds.  I am the first to admit that when I told my hubby I wanted a gnome end table he said "NO WAY!".  Gnomes have always been portrayed in a more cartoon-ish, hokey light, but we are here to show you how to design with gnomes in a more classic setting.

Gnomes are no longer just for the garden (although that is where we prefer them). As you can see, people have started to incorporate them into their living rooms and bedrooms as side tables or quirky bookshelf accents.

Designer Phillipe Stark's take on the "modern gnome" design for tables and stools is my favorite!  The designs are agreeable and humorous, but also with an eye to practicality: the hats of the gnomes, in fact, are flat and circular specially to be used as a worktop or as a stool. Suitable for indoor and outdoor use!

We also  love the solid-colored gnomes that add some  pizzazz to a space, & feel the most modern.

If you love the gnomes, but don't know how to bring them into your own home, we are here to help! We would love to assist you in any interior design needs you may have.

Gnome Product details from above Moodboard (from top to bottom, left to right):

1. Gold Gnome - Kartell // 2. White Gnomes - West Elm // 3. Blue Gnomes - Loll Design Studio at Dwell on Design Exhibit // 4.  Group of Gnomes - Ikea // 5. White &  Gold Gnomes - Fox & Monocle // 6. Gnome Table/Stool - Kartell // 7. Gnomes Live Here - Sunshine Ceramics Etsy // 8. Orange Gnome - Urban Poppy // 9. Kartell Gnome Table - Hive Modern

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5 Tips for Picking a Ceiling Fan

5 things to consider when looking for the best ceiling fan for your room:

Ceiling fans...are they a necessary evil or a stylish accent to the room?

We all know how hot it gets in the Texas Hill Country summers!  To get some relief, many of us rely on ceiling fans to keep our homes comfortable.  Running a ceiling fan can make a room feel about 5 degrees cooler than it actually is.

If you are ready to upgrade your existing fan or looking to add one, here are 5 things to keep in mind before you make the purchase:

1. Size of your Space

It is easy to underestimate the size of the fan you need.  A 48" fan may sound big but if you install an undersized fan you won't get the air circulation you need to cool off.

A good rule of thumb is:

• Rooms less than 150 sq. ft. - Use a 42-48" diameter fan
• Rooms 150-350 sq. ft. - Use a 52-56" fan
• Rooms greater than 350 sq. ft. - Use at least a 60" fan or you can purchase 2-48" fans

Below is an example of a large open-concept living, dining & kitchen space, where this 8 ft. Big Ass Fan serves as both a cooling unit and a WOW factor.

2. Ceiling Height

When selecting a fan for your space, know your ceiling height.  If it is an 8' ceiling, your best solution is a ceiling-hugger style fan.  If your ceiling is 10'+, you may need to add additional down rods to accommodate the extra height.

The typical rule of thumb is for the blades of your fan to be 8-9 feet above the floor. As you see in the photo below, we added a 12" down rod to our fan to accommodate the 10' ceiling--placing the fan at the perfect height for this bedroom.

3. Type of Installation 

Another critical factor to take into account when shopping for a new fan is: sloped or flat ceiling?

Some fans include adapters for sloped ceilings, but not all have this capability. Some adapters can be purchased separately, but can have restrictions on the angle it will accommodate; so it is important to know these details if you have a vaulted or sloped ceiling.

Sometimes the best solution isn't a ceiling fan at all. In the image below, we used a wall-mounted, oscillating fan to blow the smoke away from the bar-b-que area.

*Make sure to look for a damp or wet rated fan if installing outdoors*

 4. Lighting

Light kits have gotten a bad wrap over the years and for the most part we agree.  Lights on fans are usually unattractive.  This being said, the fan companies have heard our plea.  Many have begun integrating lights into the fan itself making for a more complete and attractive look.

Which look do you like the best?  If you know you want a light, certain fans have customized options for you to pick the shape and globe style you want. Also, some fans that do come with a light, come with a cap in case you decide you do not want to use the light kit.

In the living room pictured below we capped the light because we loved the fan design, but the recessed cans in the room provided plenty of general lighting.

5. Style

Just like light fixtures, there are a wide variety of ceiling fan styles. To start with, there are contemporary and traditional fans. There are fans that have multiple blade material options--from clear acrylic, all the way to woven rattan.

Many times fans blend in to the ceiling because they are thought of as utilitarian, but there are plenty of styles that can take your fan from Blah to Tah-DAH.

Below is a unique example of a ceiling fan we used in a bedroom that is just as much art as function.

What ceiling fan is right for you?  What will fit best in your space?

Do you want to go from Blah to Tah-DAH with your lighting in a new or existing space?  We are here to help with great ideas and friendly purchasing advice.  Give us a shout to help transform your space.

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All Things Green

In honor of St. Patrick's Day we wanted to post about one of our favorite colors...Green! Green is the color of balance, growth and harmony.  Whether turning a room green or only putting in a small accent, green has earned its way into the "neutrals" area of the color palette.

One of our design goals with every home is to tie the interior of the home to the exterior in some way.  We call it "bringing the outside in."  Where an architect strives to seamlessly blend the home to the natural site, we take it one step further by pulling colors from the lands, lakes and vegetation and make them part of the home.

Below are images from various home interiors that we designed with green in mind.

As seen in the photos above, green can be used as a paint color for an entire room all the way down to onion grass accents on a kitchen shelf.

Green makes you feel relaxed, restored and happy. Some even believe that green is a sign of new beginnings.  The shedding of the old and introduction of the new.

If you are interested in updating a room or two, or even your whole home, but are not sure where to begin, give us a call.  We will help you find YOUR new beginning.

Green Product listing:

 Color Swatches are all Benjamin Moore Paint Colors - from left to right - Guilford Green, Meadow View, Castleton Mist, & Split Pea

Stone Swatches are all from Pacific Shore Stones (in the left corner) - from top to bottom - Rainforest Green Granite, Green Onyx 

Tiles are all from Walker Zanger (in the bottom center) - from left to right - Skyline Tile, Chelsea Art Glass in Spring

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