Project ideas
Various Colors From Valspar Lovers of warmer colors rejoice; Valspar has you covered. The paint company is promoting a handful of hues over a single “it” color. Shown here are 12 selections for 2020. This assortment veers somewhat traditional, but there’s something for almost everyone. And because most of these hues have a rather toned-down or muted quality to them, they would work just as well outside as inside, especially for people desiring something beyond ubiquitous white, gray or tan for their home’s exterior.
Bold with orange. Here’s another fun midcentury modern hue that I love to bring into homes when I can. This vibrant orange makes the fireplace the clear focal point of the room. by Jennifer Ott Design Jennifer Ott Design I like how the warm wood beams, which have a good bit of orange in them themselves, nicely frame and balance the striking orange fireplace rather than stand out in contrast as they do in the previous example. For a similar look, try Sizzling Sunset from Behr.
Bold with orange. Here’s another fun midcentury modern hue that I love to bring into homes when I can. This vibrant orange makes the fireplace the clear focal point of the room. by Jennifer Ott Design Jennifer Ott Design I like how the warm wood beams, which have a good bit of orange in them themselves, nicely frame and balance the striking orange fireplace rather than stand out in contrast as they do in the previous example. For a similar look, try Sizzling Sunset from Behr.
A small leftover area under the stairs with weird angles gave Merkel a bit of a challenge. “I hate to waste space,” she says. Knowing the small kids like to hang out in the kitchen to read, do homework and make lots of crafts, she worked with an artist friend to add a seat and storage shelves. “I call it a little Harry Potter nook,” Merkel says.
Jhoola Swings Indian yards traditionally had a jhoola (swing) consisting of a slab of wood suspended by ropes from the bough of a tree. Times have changed, and now the swings come in different designs and finishes to suit modern homes. Typically seen in living rooms and on balconies as a part of a seating setup, they are much loved and used in common spaces.
harokha-Style Balconies A jharokha, which literally means skylight, is a small overhanging balcony enclosed by intricately carved screens of wood or stone. Traditionally a jharokha was used in the palace by ladies of the court to keep an eye on the day’s proceedings without being seen. The jharokha has found many current adaptations across India in various materials like wood, marble, brick and concrete. In this project by GoodEarth, the balcony has solid wooden posts as supports and a carved wooden railing.
Bookcases To take a less hypermodern approach, place a TV in a full bookshelf system (rather than free-floating minimalist shelves) to create a more transitional look. Encasing the TV in custom framing helps it blend even further into the casework, so only the essential screen is visible (and not shiny brand names).
Small bookcases. Small bookshelves that can be positioned horizontally or vertically offer the most options. If you have only a sliver of wall space, place the bookcase vertically; if you have a longer wall, or need to fit the shelves below a window, position it horizontally. As with dressers, it’s better to choose several smaller bookcases than a single massive unit that may or may not fit in your next place.
Benzara, Woodland Imprts, The Urban Port Size/Weight W 21" / D 4" / H 57" / 131.02 lb. Materials Fir Assembly Required No
IDEA FOR ROOM DIVIDER, MOVABLE Layered library. Once, in a used bookstore, I happened to be browsing when the owner went to retrieve something from “the back.” But instead of disappearing into a back room, she grasped the nearest bookcase and slid it aside to reveal … more books! Ever since that moment I have wanted my very own secret stash of books-behind-books, very much like the one shown here. Tracks along the floor and ceiling allow the bookcases to slide easily back and forth without tipping.
If you live in a one-room or open-concept space such as a studio apartment or bachelor condo unit, you may feel as though you live in the bedroom and sleep in the living room — or worse, in the kitchen. But there are many ways to create a sense of visual and physical division between the different zones in your home to give the appearance of having distinct spaces without having to put up any walls.
Homeowners Bryan and Jen Danger looked for ways to repurpose as many building materials as possible during the garage’s transformation to a studio apartment, and this included making house numbers out of a box of leftover Robertson screws. The result is a unique house marker that complements the studio’s modern-industrial feel, can be easily seen from the street, and cuts down on cost from purchasing new materials. Great for: Urban buildings, and modern and eclectic styles.
Root Stool
The accent wall above Liz’s desk is a DIY wallpaper-inspired hack where she used a combination of faux ferns and washi tape.
PATINA COLOR ON DOORS This Michigan conservatory has a similar relationship to the house (check out more of it) and is similar in size to the one in previous photo. It also has a soaring ceiling. The slate flooring and the patina on those doors and transoms make a stunning combination. This room also has a dedicated space for dining surrounded by the view.
Another way to create a smoky wood effect is by using a process called yakisugi-ita (also called shou-sugi-ban). This Japanese artisan process is a natural way of sealing wood by burning it. The result is beautiful wood that is resistant to fire, rot and pests.
Add Smoky Undertones With Dark Wood Black is a crisp, dramatic color that grounds a space and creates a contemporary backdrop, highlighting the lines of the home and the structure of neighboring plants. Smoky stained wood makes for a sophisticated facade for this farmhouse, which we also saw in the first photo. Get this look by borrowing the technique homeowner and designer David Devan used. He applied Eco Wood Treatment, a preservative that protects the wood siding from aging but also creates an aged appearance. Following that, he applied a mixture of two transparent stains (one brown and one black) so that the cedar grain would shine through.
Bed posts
10. Oversized: When You Don’t Want to See the Pattern at All If your tile pattern looks like one solid surface, is it even a tile pattern at all? The look of endless slabs of beautiful stone is highly coveted, but you don’t have to have a big budget to get that seamless look. By using the largest tiles that make sense with your budget (24 by 36 inches is a good size to start pricing) laid tightly together with a thin, color-matched grout, you can create the illusion of a solid swath of stone. In many tile collections, there is little to no change in the price per square foot for different-sized tiles (up to a point), so this look may be more budget-friendly than you think.
9. Penny Florets: When You Want to Add Charm Without Adding to the Budget Charming laundry rooms seem so special probably because we don’t see them that often. The place where we do laundry usually isn’t somewhere we want to spend much time, or frankly, much of our budget. But that doesn’t mean it has to be completely ho-hum. Try using small hexagon or circular penny tiles in two colors, using the accent color to create simple florets. It doesn’t add much to your material costs or to the labor, meaning you can have some visual flair in a low-budget room and save the splurge for somewhere else.
8. Bordered: When You Want an Area Rug the Family Can’t Ruin Sure, a classic patterned area rug can make a foyer look beautiful, but can you keep it from getting stained, worn and shredded? If you know the busy traffic isn’t going to be carpet-friendly, consider creating a similar look in tile, with a dramatic pattern set in a border of plain tiles. Using a plain border that approximately matches the wall and trim color is smart if you have a few walls or nooks in odd shapes. You can border out the edges, leaving a rectangle in the center, which is all the eye will see from then on.
7. Inset Stripes: When You’re Already the Perfect Shape Got a space that doesn’t need to be any longer or wider? Congratulations! Why not celebrate it with this breezy pattern that sees thin stripes set between a simple brick layout? One of the best aspects of this pattern is that it can let you use a coveted mosaic tile in a luxe material, but in a small dose mixed between more budget-friendly plain tiles, so you can splurge a little and save a little at the same time.
6. Bands: When You Want a Space to Look Less Like a Tunnel The difference between “stripes” and “bands” is a little subjective. Stripes are usually long and thin, while bands are wide and short, and they have different effects. This bathroom space is already wide and thin, but having the tiles laid in different bands — playing against the length and enhancing the width instead — helps it appear a little less tunnel-shaped and a little more balanced. It also adds some drama to the floor, without being as busy as a thinner stripe, which is perfect for a small space where too much pattern could be overload.
5. Striped: When You Want a Space to Look Long and Roomy Just like in fashion, thin stripes in interiors can be used to create long lines, which creates an optical illusion of extra length. In the case of a striped floor, the result is a space that looks extra large, especially if you have the stripes run along the longest axis of the room. This bathroom is ample already, but with this classic black and white tile pattern it looks positively vast.
4. Fish Scale: When You Want Your Space to Feel Like a Vacation Retreat The “fish scale” pattern is practically ancient but always feels fresh and even a little exotic or nautical, depending on the materials used. It gives a sense of motion because it creates the look of semicircles that appear to be overlapping like actual fish scales, which makes it look energetic and a bit whimsical. It can be achieved as a mosaic of tiny tiles (great for giving a shower floor extra anti-slip grip) or with tiles specifically cut into a scale shape that is designed to interlock this way.
3. Hopscotch: When You Want to Celebrate the New and the Old A classic “hopscotch” pattern creates the illusion of swirling angles but only uses squares in two sizes. The large squares are a bit offset from each other, which creates space for a smaller accent square, almost creating the appearance of a sprinkling of confetti. This pattern is great for transitional spaces, especially in homes with traditional elements such as attractive moldings because it feels classic and contemporary at the same time and looks interesting without needing to be trendy.
2. Hexagonal Circles: When You Want to Take a Relaxing Bubble Bath Every Day Hexagon tiles can be high-energy and dramatic, but they can also produce very interesting optical illusions, such as these tiles that create the appearance of interlocking rings. These bubbly circles are perfect for adding fun and interest to a bathroom while also maintaining a light, peaceful air. The way a hexagon tile breaks up the grout patterns helps the grout visually disappear, compared with a square tile with grout lines that all line up. The result is seemingly seamless, and perfectly relaxed.
1. Hexagons: When You Want to Feel a Little Less Square Kitchens tend to be very square spaces. With plenty of rectangular cabinetry and appliances, and little to no furniture, a typical kitchen may not have any curved or angled lines at all. Using hexagon tile for the floor helps break up these stiff right angles, adding a new visual twist that gives the room lots of interest. Bonus points for having your adjacent flooring material custom cut to meet the hexagons in such a fun way as shown here.
storage shed Buchanan Custom Builders pulled out all the stops in designing this storage shed in Massachusetts. It’s a clever tribute to the Deck House Co., with the clerestory windows highlighting the exposed roof beams and decking.
Make over your stairs. Is your stair carpet looking tired or is the surrounding millwork chipped? Consider giving your staircase a lift this early spring by transforming its coverings. It can help to turn your hallway into an “event,” rather than a functional corridor. A striped runner is a classic or, if you really want to express yourself, go for a DIY painted finish, as seen here.
Because of the steep pitch, the new staircase needed to be a space-saving one, hence the unusual staggered-step design. “You get used to it very quickly,” Scott says. “We can run up and down it now!”
This table-bar in the living area of a custom-built tiny house is easily folded up when not in use.
Fold-down table bar. Want a fold-down table to use for drinks or food when you’re entertaining? Or even as an alternative standing desk? But not quite willing to sacrifice the space for a permanent structure?
Barrel shower. This shower is an old oak wine barrel that’s been sawed in half. Not only does it look cool, it’s incredibly space-efficient. After each shower, the owners rinse it out with fresh water and remove any extra water with a sponge to keep the unsealed wood in good condition.
Stairs with storage. If you do want the comfort of a full set of stairs, you can use the staircase for extra storage. Storage doesn’t need to be limited to built-ins or cabinets. Make use of the hidden empty space in less obvious places, such as shelving under stairs or understair cabinets or drawers.
Space-efficient stairs. If you don’t like the idea of climbing up a ladder to your loft bed, perhaps try space-saving stairs. In general, staircases can take up a lot of space, so smart designs like the one pictured can be a genius idea. Or if you don’t want to put your bed up high, you could consider storing possessions you don’t frequently need to access up in a loft instead.
Make sliding Shutters on rollers for Storm Shield. Sliding shutters on rollers on the outside can close off the top floor to help winterize the space if needed.
“These ‘house rules’ are a piece of family humor,” Lecouflé-Vinet says. “I bought them online as transfers and carefully applied them to the wall. Some of the smaller letters were a bit tricky, so it was a two-person job! “The children didn’t realize what the last line said until they learned to read,” she adds with a laugh. To give a finished edge to the aubergine wainscot, Lecouflé-Vinet topped it with a line of washi tape.
Utilize the wall behind the sofa. Installing a shelf for books, art or accessories is a smart way to use the often forgotten wall behind the sofa. Run it across the room for maximum impact, or double up with a couple of picture ledges, one above the other, for twice the storage.
Frame the TV. It can be tempting to hang a TV on an unadorned wall, but if you’re tight for space, this is a wasted opportunity. Think about framing the TV with shelving instead. In addition to offering multiple storage opportunities, shelves also can help blend a TV into the room’s design scheme — beneficial if you’re concerned about it standing out too much on a blank wall.
Get the most from a nook. With a bit of creativity, you could squeeze in another living room function by tucking an office into a fireside nook. Here, a small desk, with two shelves above it, makes a stylish workspace, neatly zoned off from the main seating area.
Consider custom built-ins. This tricky-shaped corner could easily have been wasted space, but by building in bench seating and shelving, the homeowners have created a beautiful and practical design feature instead. If you have a similarly awkward corner in your living room, talk to a carpenter or builder about a custom solution, and see whether you can use a sloping roof or angled corner to your advantage.
Maximize slim alcoves. The clever storage choices in this slim alcove ensure that no space has gone to waste in this living room. It would have been tricky to install full-height cabinets in such a shallow spot, so a single row of closed base units that slightly extends into the room has been built instead. Narrow shelving for displaying smaller items covers the rest of the wall. Now everything — books, ornaments, even fireplace logs — has a home.
Use vertical space. Think you don’t have room for a bookshelf? These homeowners tapped into their apartment’s vertical space by installing metal shelves on this concrete pillar to support a tall stack of books. This is an idea that could work in any sliver of wall space. Book towers like this one can be pricey, but compact metal bookshelf brackets are a reasonably affordable option and can be attached to the smallest of wall spaces to create instant shelving.
Go up and over. How often do you think about the space above the doorway in your living room? Probably not that often. But this underappreciated spot can be a handy place for adding storage. Here, the homeowners had narrow shelving units built above and down the sides of the doorway to maximize the wall area.
Book Case design
Door
Pincus designed this built-in to hold media, game consoles, games, toys and photo albums as well as to display the homeowners’ favorite knickknacks and family photos. She also left them room around the TV to upgrade down the line. “He dreams of a big TV, but I had to tell my client that we were stopping him at 70 inches,” she says of the TV box’s dimensions.
Magical molding. If you still prefer a white ceiling, perhaps adding a little texture to it instead of color might be for you. This room’s geometrical molding adds a modern appeal and connects to the white sliding doors in a similar pattern.
Tantalizing tin. Aside from adding retro style and texture, tin tiles on a ceiling have a shimmer that creates a mirror effect, helping to open up a space.
Reclaimed Towel Rack
Kim Gatto Interior Design Save Email Gatto wanted to avoid going too rustic with the wood, so she paired the door with a chrome track and decided not to use handle hardware for a clean, contemporary look. “That way, when closed and looking at it from in the room, it would look like an interesting art piece, not just a door,” she says.
Slatted Wood Wall Problem: You want to add dimension to a wall, but the reclaimed-wood look is too rustic for you. Solution: We’ve seen plenty of reclaimed-wood accent walls, and they add wonderful texture and depth to a space. But if you’re looking for something cleaner and more contemporary, a slatted wall could be for you. While its lines are crisp, the wood adds warmth and dimension to this modern nursery.
David Scott, the grandfather of a friend of Van Hecke’s, made the towel rack from copper pipe and rocks gathered from the nearby Tsolum River.
STEP UP STORAGE Another suggestion is to create a raised platform by building up a higher level of floor. “You’ll need a few steps to get onto it,” Leach says. “Then, within the depth of the platform, you can conceal all sorts of storage solutions. It’s a good way to hide a bed or kids toys — or anything really.”
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