tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76823781124232394482024-03-05T07:13:43.338+00:00A Design for Life...Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-16632625321304533682018-06-12T11:56:00.000+01:002018-06-14T10:50:15.717+01:00First impressions count….<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br />I thought over the coming months I would explore the concept of ‘beautifying your home both inside and out’. This month I am going to focus on the outside of your home and, in particular, front doors...<br /><br />We often spend lots of time and money making the interior of our homes beautiful but, as a consequence, we sometimes tend to neglect the exterior. First impressions count and nowhere more than your front door. Not only it is it the first thing that greets you when you get home after a hard day at work, it’s the first thing that people see close up when they visit your pad. According to some estate agents (the honest ones), the finest front doors can add up to 10% to the value of a property! So, with that little stat in mind, it seems like it might be worth investing in making your front door a focal point of your home and as grand and welcoming as possible.</span><br />
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<br /> Here are my top tips for making a great first impression with a smart front door; </span><br />
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<li>When choosing a front door, it is necessary to consider the style and size of your home - stating the obvious here, but as an example, you are not going to put a traditional Victorian door on a modern house... </li>
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<li>Door colour is about personal preference, however it is worth considering colours that complement the existing exterior house colours and brickwork. You can really make a statement with your choice of colour, but it is worth bearing in mind that you need to choose something that you (and your neighbours) are going to see pretty much every day. So, while bright luminescent orange might seem like a great idea after a few glasses of wine (and you decide that it would be a great way to find your way home from the pub...), your love for your door might wear off pretty quickly. General rules are that glossy black looks great on a grand stucco building and on town houses, but is much less effective next to red brick or on smaller houses or cottages where soft grays work well. A soft green or blue can look beautiful on your country home because it fits well with the natural surroundings. If you live in a Victorian terrace it might also be worth having a look at door colours on other houses in your street and deciding whether you want to follow the prevailing trend. </li>
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<li>Irrespective of what colour you choose, your front door needs to provide protection against the elements, hence if it is being repainted it requires a primer and undercoat before the gloss (and for a more natural look, bare wood can be varnished or given a finish with a suitable wood preserve). Also, it is really worth spending the money on a very good quality paint to avoid cracking or flaking over time. </li>
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<li>When you are choosing your door colour, you also need to think about your door furniture. This includes the door handle/knob, letterbox, eye hole, door knocker, locks, security chains and doorbell. A smart letterbox and door knob are, in my opinion, a must. Over the past decade polished and brushed chrome had taken over from brass as the discerning choice, however in recent years brass and bronze have made a come back - it's amazing how trends come full circle. It is worth bearing in mind that you may have to buy different bits and pieces of door furniture from a range of suppliers, so colour matching is important to ensure a consistent overall result. Also remember that door furniture will feature on the inside of your home as well so you may need to think about how well a finish complements, for example, your interior door handles and window latches. </li>
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<li>Also consider lighting your porch - this will make it more welcoming for guests on dark nights, but also make both yours and their approach safer. Lighting the path to your front door with floor level lights is another really effective way of creating a great first impression and placing an emphasis on your door </li>
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It amazing how a fresh coat of paint and new door furniture can work wonders on the exterior of your home. I am currently working on the refurbishment of the outside of my country home where for both maintenance and aesthetics we are painting the exterior of the house. I have literally spent hours searching for the right colour to paint the front door, the conservatory, garage, gates and the windows. </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The range of sample pots have been prepared, tested, discussed, compared and colours/finishes agreed with our painter and we are now just waiting for work to commence </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">- I can't wait to see the final look. So go on, give your front door a new lease of life and you never know, those honest estate agents with their stats might just be right...</span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-13340000880661380352014-03-18T11:02:00.000+00:002014-03-18T11:13:46.519+00:00Perpetual motion<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">If you want your business to be a success and have self-sustaining growth, make sure you look after your customers and your suppliers – I know that it sounds like I am stating the obvious, but it is amazing how often this simple principle is forgotten, particularly as you approach the ‘business end’ of a project, or when things get a bit more stressful. As both a supplier of services and a user of suppliers on a regular basis, I thought it might be a useful exercise to reflect on what customers what (at both ends of the chain) – after all, in my experience this is ultimately what results in return business and referrals and is therefore a critical success factor in the growth of any business… <br /><br /> Having been a media consultant in a previous life advising executive boards on their strategy, I thought I would put some of my skills and experience to work and investigate what it is our customers want and what we want from our suppliers. I’ll say it again, the answers won’t be a huge epiphany for most, but having worked in the interior design and construction sector for several years now I am consistently astonished by how many suppliers get the basics so, so wrong. A lot…</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In my view, here is a rudimentary summary of what customers are looking for - by focusing on these simple principles, you will build a critical mass of loyal customers over time that will often result in self-sustaining growth for your business;</span><br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Value for money</b> - Many see ‘value for money’ as being something more significant than just cost or price; customers want to feel that the whole experience has been of value </span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Quality</b> - Higher quality increases customer satisfaction and decreases returns; this is true more than ever in today’s market, where customers still expect quality at highly competitive prices </span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Timeliness</b> - Timely deliveries/installations are crucial in shaping how customers view your reliability – if a suppler fails to meet the promised timescale it negatively impacts the relationship with the client (more often than not because of the adverse ‘knock on’ impact on other aspects of the project) </span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Keeping promises and reliability</b> - Customers want and need to be able to trust their various suppliers/advisors to do the things they say they will do. Where promises are broken, it will have a fundamental impact on these relationships. What is the point in trying to ‘wow’ a customer if you are failing to do the most basic things right? Call when you say you are going to call, do what you say you are going to do and meet the timeframes you have committed to – it isn’t difficult… is it? </span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Customer Service</b> - If customers do not feel that a business is ‘looking after them’ from a service perspective, it is significant enough in itself for them to be irritated – and, just to be clear, this is not just when things go wrong and you need to take remedial action. Irritated customers are not happy customers. Unhappy customers are not likely to remain customers for long. One of the most sustainable ways to grow your business is to have a disproportionate customer focus and aim to meet or exceed customer expectations all the time </span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Employee Attitude and Knowledge</b> - poor attitude and lack of knowledge is a fundamental part of the service experience (and often a fundamentally bad part of the customer service experience in this industry) – if you get this wrong, it can be hugely detrimental to your business from a reputational perspective </span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Ease of doing business</b> - Customers crave ease and simplicity – they want things that make life easier. That’s why we all have iPhones… unnecessary complexity around any product or service will leave customers feeling distinctly unimpressed, more often than not because they see through it in a second… </span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Innovation</b> - Suppliers can make major contributions to your new product development and innovation in the design industry. The good ones will understand your company, its industry, your needs and specific circumstances and, importantly, they will help you accordingly in your new idea execution – bespoke customer oriented innovation! </span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Finance</b> – Boring, but true – suppliers can also be a major and constant source of financing for you. Your payment terms with them can be an important source of cash flow because their extended terms don't usually carry interest… when you have a good relationship with suppliers you can make this arrangement work for both of you…</span></li>
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<br /> Fundamentally, what interior designers want is for suppliers to provide them with a competitive advantage – while we aren’t stupid enough to demand exclusivity, we want you to help us be competitive – in simple terms, this is based on your pricing, quality, reliability, innovation and your knowledge of the industry and our clients. <br /><br /> <br />For the suppliers out there who may be reading this article - look at your own organisation and honestly answer the questions below – I am sure you will find somewhere where there is room for improvement. Are you good value for money? Do you offer good payment terms? Do you deliver ‘great’ customer service? Are you reliable? Are you easy to do business with? Do you recognise the impact that good relationships with designers can have on your business over the long term? – I use many of the same great suppliers on all of my projects… <br /> <br /><br />As I mentioned at the beginning of my ‘soapbox rant’, once you find a good supplier hold onto them and be loyal – as you will have concluded by now, it is an incredibly important symbiotic relationship in our industry. That said, this doesn’t mean you can’t be demanding – however, you must be fair. State your quality and time expectations clearly. Hold your suppliers to their agreements. Make sure they stay competitive. Let them know that you are there for the long term as long as they perform and can keep pace with your growth …and importantly; <br /><br /><ul>
<li><b>Pay your bills on time</b> - Always pay on time. If for some reason you can't, call up your suppliers and tell them why and when you will pay. Don't play games with suppliers' cash. You'll be absolutely amazed at the goodwill and benefits you will earn by observing this simple rule </li>
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<li><b>Provide adequate lead times</b> - share with them your honest projections of your needs – don’t make unrealistic promises about the volume of business you are going to give them over the long term to get an incremental and often immaterial discount in the short term… </li>
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<br />So, in summary, educate your suppliers around your needs and standards, treat them fairly, be demanding, be loyal, be communicative, and pay them on time – all these are key to the success of your relationship with your suppliers and to ensuring the growth of your business. Almost every company, whether product or service oriented, is dependent on suppliers. You need good and reliable suppliers. When you find them, treat them like gold. They are essential to the health of your business and your growth. Not rockets science by any stretch, but I am sure food for thought for everyone, whether you work in the interior design industry or not….</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Jane Price-Stephens runs her own Interior Design business, to find out more visit: www.janepricestephens.com, follow Jane on twitter @jpricestephens or call 07970 547433.</span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-69327817037170354052014-02-17T12:25:00.001+00:002020-07-09T13:58:33.549+01:00Trends don’t interest me…*<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">…but filtering them is important and it’s still worth paying attention to the macro trends that are typically more pervasive… <br /><br />Trends in home décor change every year (it keeps our industry thriving…). Interior design inspirations sprout from trends seen on the runways. They filter through from high fashion, popular culture and colour preferences and are edited and filtered by the several trend forecasters that exist in the market place. With advances in technology, I think the concept of trends has got a bad name because there is such a proliferation of information on the web and in publications these days – everyone thinks they can be a hipster trend-setter and everything seems to be a justifiable trend (although some are more justifiable than others…). As a consequence, the importance of trend forecasters as editors and filters of the information available to us is more crucial than ever… <br /><br />I think anyone in the trade who believes that trends are not part of their work is in denial. With the competitive nature of every market right now no one can afford to stand still or be behind the curve – clients are more discerning and educated about what they want. I think you need to be continually aware of what has the potential to impact your market area and of everything that is impacting your clients’ lives. The savviest companies and designers will keep ahead and stand the test of time. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br />In addition to listening to trend forecasters, I think it is critical that designers look for inspiration from all around them – through their travels, trade shows, what’s happening inside and outside of the design industry, what’s happening in the economy, what’s happening globally, what’s happening in our own backyard, or what’s happening in fashion—and then interpret it (which is the more difficult bit…). If I go to the Milan Furniture Fair, I’m not only looking at the fair and drinking lots, but also at the streets of Milan, architecture, art and fashion. <br /> <br />However, when it comes to applying trends in interior design I think they need to be applied with caution and restraint. Trends only last so long and it is more important to focus on what you like, and what will look good for a long time. For instance, longer-term colour trends are much more worthwhile paying attention to in my opinion. These trends tend to last 10-20 years. They are what keep rooms from feeling dated, whereas shorter-term colour trends may make a room feel more dated if not done carefully and with restraint. Hence the application of seasonal colour trends in my view should be done in small doses – with a neutral backdrop and incorporating hits of colour through accessories and accents such as cushions, rugs, lamps and artwork. This is a much easier and more realistic way to do so as many of those elements can be switched out fairly easily. Also, painters aren’t cheap these days… <br /><br />On predicting trends - I think we'll see a shift towards chameleon decor. Instead of settling on one fixed look, people will opt for a versatile neutral base and use big-impact accents to easily change the look and feel of any space. Flexible, versatile and fun… <br /> <br /><br />*Manolo Blahnik <br /> <br /><br />Jane Price-Stephens runs her own Interior Design business, to find out more visit: www.janepricestephens.com, http://janepricestephens.blogspot.com/, follow Jane on twitter @jpricestephens or call 07970 547433. <br /><br /> </span></div>
Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-76969788529618454012013-04-16T12:20:00.002+01:002018-06-12T13:28:26.012+01:00Back to the Future...<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /><br />As part of the May Design series, I was asked to consider what the world of interior design would look like five years from now. Here are some of my thoughts on the trends and shifts that will continue to be pervasive in many areas of our lives and will shape the way that we live in the future…<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">How will our living spaces have changed? <br /><br />I see a continuation of the trend towards eliminating formal ‘entertaining’ rooms - traditional dining rooms and sitting rooms will become a thing of the past. Spaces will continue to become much more fluid in how they are designed and used and therefore consistent design themes through an entire house (and anchoring design to a concept image and palette) will become increasingly important. There aren’t as many doors in houses as there used to be… <br /><br />Which object/ product will we be using the most? <br /><br />Smart phones and tablets will not only allow us to work and play; they will also enable us to manage our homes (both while we are in residence, but importantly, when we are not) – lighting, music, heating (including energy efficiency) and security... and, as we have been predicting on Tomorrow’s World for some time, eventually eating, diet and grocery shopping too – smart fridges! In terms of what we will be using less of… plumbed AV wires/cabling are on their way out. Wireless communication technologies mean that everything becomes much easier, particularly upgrading as technology continues to advance… <br /><br />Who will be the next big thing in your industry? (hot talent – one to watch now) <br /><br />It’s not who, it’s what… within our industry we all need to embrace technology and the impact it is going to have on both residential and commercial space in the future… and the associated impact it is going to have on how we think about design. Moore’s law is having a pervasive impact on every aspect of our existence, including architectural and interior design. <br /><br />Who or what will be making a comeback? <br /><br />It’s vintage darling! Completely at odds with embracing technology, contemporary design and a focus on the future, the movement towards sustainability within interiors means that vintage and salvaged items will continue to be in high demand as people seek to find sought after decorative ‘treasures’ for their home in an effort to make them more bespoke and individual (in a world where technology is seen as something that is relatively homogeneous)… blending vintage, cutting edge design/architecture and technology is the recipe for success in our industry for at least the next few years. <br /> <br />What will be the buzzword or catchphrase of the moment? <br /><br />I/we want to live here and love it! A growing emphasis on ‘My House’ – a move from a ‘resale’ mentality to one of ‘quantity and lifestyle’. Homes will be renovated with longer term horizons of say 5-20 years. Homes will be viewed with more of a personal and lifestyle emphasis, rather than just as a monetary investment, which is where we were in the boom years before the onset of the global financial crisis and the associated impact on the housing market/availability of financing.<br /></span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-74655797660159339882013-01-28T14:30:00.000+00:002018-06-12T13:32:45.901+01:00Fifty Shades of Grey… A Tale of Economic Uncertainty, not S&M…<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /><br />With pervasive uncertainty and continuing market volatility for the foreseeable future, it is not surprising that with this ongoing grim economic outlook that grey continues to feature heavily in the coming year – however, on a more upbeat note, it’s now in the form of dependable grey neutrals alongside an injection of something a bit more special. Fortunately there is still a desire to be a little bit distracted from the realities of life and to make our homes feel safe and secure and for there to be an overwhelming sense of well being – and, in short, vivid colours make us feel good. As a consequence, in addition to lots of conservative neutral tones, there are a range of joyous and uplifting complementary colours that are a key element of this years palette. <br /><br />For example, blues are making a huge resurgence in 2013 – although, in keeping with our grumpy outlook this time around and (for the most part) they’re in the form of grey based blues – that said, these colour ranges add an element of oceanic tranquility and well being to our homes… The illustrations below also highlight that texture will play a vital role in making these broadly neutral schemes work really effectively… </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Petra Bindel)</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1F34w8wcntziEG-U6Xv7W11P3ghrrOqRGiTGzMs7Rroi8gAsi1IYfPoO-K0qbkWTZY_QYbBo5EKXv0wgqCNox_aM7adtQXvTZ4lPmsouM1TUlWMa3wlBjYcIMfI_gXV4RNY7617W9EHw/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-12-07+at+18.05.46.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1F34w8wcntziEG-U6Xv7W11P3ghrrOqRGiTGzMs7Rroi8gAsi1IYfPoO-K0qbkWTZY_QYbBo5EKXv0wgqCNox_aM7adtQXvTZ4lPmsouM1TUlWMa3wlBjYcIMfI_gXV4RNY7617W9EHw/s640/Screen+shot+2012-12-07+at+18.05.46.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Getting away from the various shades of grey, this year pink is also the new hot impact colour – not girly (and sickening) pink, but dusty and more muted shades of pink. The image below illustrates how effectively these shades can be mixed with yellow. Although yellow is taking a bit of a step back from its huge popularity last year, it still features strongly – always adding an element of freshness to a scheme.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from 10rooms.blogspot.co.uk)</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small; text-align: start;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I personally love grey (but not necessarily all the Shades of Grey…) and the idea of using neutral tones as the base of the room and then incorporating these more vivid colours to create a sanctuary where you can feel safe and secure – something that makes a bit of a statement. </span><br />
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Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-84357854740325131502012-10-18T08:44:00.001+01:002018-06-12T13:37:47.954+01:00Oh, what a feeling… when we’re dancing on the ceiling!*<div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">…but it doesn’t have to be a white ceiling. And that’s helpful if you are planning to dance on it fairly regularly. <br /><br />This week I thought I would share some tips for painting your home to create a natural flow within the entirety of the space and to make your home feel bigger… operative word being ‘feel’ – paint cannot actually make your house bigger. In fact, logically, it will make your house millimeters smaller. <br /><br />There are three ways that you can paint your walls and woodwork. <br /><br />1. The traditional (and therefore most common/standard) way of painting our homes is to have coloured walls and white gloss on the woodwork – this is ok and a safe option, but it’s pretty boring… <br /><br />2. A trend that is becoming increasingly popular (which interior designers use a lot) is to swap this around and put the light colour on the walls and the darker stronger colour on the woodwork. By doing this you will create a more impressive impact and the house will feel bigger (and finished to a higher standard) <br /><br />3. Alternatively, another technique that interior designers use is to paint the entire room the same colour (including the skirting boards, dado rail and picture rail) – in the right space this can be very effective and make the room feel even bigger. You have to bear in mind that you may need different types of paint for different surfaces and the accuracy of colour matching is absolutely critical <br /><br />With respect to the ceiling, there are again three ways in which it can be painted. <br /><br />1. Lots of people ignore the ceiling and just paint it white – it makes a very clear distinction with the walls and highlights where the ceiling starts, which unfortunately has the effect of lowering the ceiling – by softening this transition by using a tone of white you will instantly create the illusion of more height <br /><br />2. An effective way of creating the illusion of more height is to consider taking the wall colour over the cornice and onto the ceiling <br /><br />3. A further alternative it to paint the cornice the same colour as the woodwork and then paint the ceiling the same colour as the walls – again, in the right space this can be very effective and creates an impact <br /> <br />If you are renovating your home or simply redecorating a room, choosing the paints can be a daunting task. There are no rights and wrongs (other than hideous taste), but hopefully these tips and decorative styles may help with your choices. <br /><br />*Lionel Richie</span><div>
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Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-91423097800993790272012-10-01T10:10:00.003+01:002018-06-12T13:39:45.576+01:00Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it.*<div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, Design Week is over and my liver (read ‘alcohol processing plant’) is now in full on recovery mode - far too many school nights out on the town in London and Monaco! – enough fizz to sink a ship, never mind launch one… Not great preparation for my imminent half marathon… <br /><br />For me, the real highlight during the past few weeks was spending time on the super yacht that I have been working on for the past 18 months while it was showcased at the Monaco Boat show… and, most importantly, for it to be the talk of the show (you can’t really miss it – it’s huge and the interior is quite spectacular). It was so rewarding to see the yacht looking supreme amongst all the other craft and for it to receive so much high praise (from designers and billionaires alike). Unfortunately I am unable to share any images or tell you what it’s called, which is truly gutting… I can’t even drop any obvious hints… <br /><br />So, given that I can’t show you any images of the yacht, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite finds from design week. Such a super simple idea (the best ideas always are), but such a great concept for displaying artwork and images from books and magazines.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRTcIEF-sNuXkOLHEYmELK1RcQ1G1eiE1YApYJniUBfpygP32LZaY1oUmE3_ZdS7Mth33TwJIpUSq_-sbC5DrW7s9g95sDFAZkJYlktKyp4dWLJvVpL42lvTnxGB26srmNECFxHqxqPs/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-10-01+at+08.20.40.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRTcIEF-sNuXkOLHEYmELK1RcQ1G1eiE1YApYJniUBfpygP32LZaY1oUmE3_ZdS7Mth33TwJIpUSq_-sbC5DrW7s9g95sDFAZkJYlktKyp4dWLJvVpL42lvTnxGB26srmNECFxHqxqPs/s400/Screen+shot+2012-10-01+at+08.20.40.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from www.boox.me)</span></span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<br />The box has malleable foam rubber balls inside it that push the pages of a magazine or book or piece of art against the Perspex front to display the image as if it were floating in the box and on the wall …and the wonderful thing about it is that if you get bored with the images you can simply open the lid and change to another page or publication – you can actually curate your own art collection! <br /><br />Can’t wait for these to go on sale – I think they would be a great addition to my studio to display inspirational and concept images – and maybe the odd picture of a super yacht… By the way, if you are in the process of commissioning a super yacht and need a designer, please do give me a shout (although I don’t really do anything less than 70m…). <br /><br />*David Lee Roth</span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-63737101468617954812012-08-31T08:37:00.001+01:002018-06-12T13:43:15.674+01:00The only paradise is paradise lost*<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br />We have literally just landed from what has to be the most awesome vacation I have ever been on – we have been to the Maldives (a destination not on our list, but the villa, stiltly, water thing is something that has to be done…). Firstly, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking – I have never seen colours so vividly – the turquoise of the lagoon in contrast to the dark blue of the ocean was out of this world…. it was wonderful to see how the appearance of light driven by geography and topography has such an impact on how you perceive colours. <br /><br /> One thing you learn as an interior designer is that colours look very different and work very differently in different types of light and, as a consequence, you have to appreciate how different colours work in different types of environment. This was illustrated supremely in the Maldives where the light from the sea, which has a slight but significant blue to it, had a huge impact on the vividness of the colours everywhere else and, more importantly, on the colours that work. In contrast, here in London the city light is slightly grey and hence, the colours that work in the Maldives won’t necessarily work in city light… furthermore, in the countryside, the light is slightly green and unsurprisingly a totally different colour palette typically works in this environment. It made me realise that as a consequence of the fact I have spent a lot of time designing in London (and hence lots of my schemes have an undertone of grey to work with the light) is was so refreshing to see bold bright colours working so well in the natural sea light of the Maldives. <br /><br /> The Six Senses was beautifully designed and its colour scheme was based on a standard and neutral base colour, to complement the wood from which all the Ocean and Lagoon villas were built - this was then fused with a tropical colour palette of bright turquoises, oranges, pinks, yellows and lime greens… which may well have been inspired by the coral reef that surrounded this private island. These vivacious and bright colours are ideal for locations by the sea where bold decoration looks fantastic and gives natural vigor to an interior. In this instance they had to tastefully reach the appropriate balance between the neutrals and tropical colours to ensure it didn’t look garish or over the top… </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Wonders of Creation and Six Senses Laamu)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">One very practical and unglamorous tip that you can take from this blog is the importance of never trusting the lighting in the store in which are purchasing your paint and fabrics – either purchase a sample pot or request a fabric cutting and check that your chosen paint and fabric work in the lighting of your home – it can be hugely shocking how different they actually look in the location… In addition, if you are lucky enough to own a place in the city, in the country or by the sea, make sure you consider the type of lighting that you use as it will have implications on the success of your scheme. <br /><br />*Marcel Proust <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-65228835894010659962012-08-03T09:28:00.002+01:002018-06-12T13:47:22.000+01:00Only an idiot hangs the Union Flag upside down. Shame on you!*<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /><br />Right then. Where to start… well, the Opening Ceremony was truly awesome (well done Sir Danny Boyle) and, unbelievable as it might seem, we are almost half way through the Games – that said, excitement builds again from today as the athletics commences in the main auditorium later this morning (I hope they have managed to remove the grassy knoll and the smoke stacks). <br /><br /> Yesterday I went to my very first Olympic event… the beach volleyball at Horseguards Parade (obviously my husband’s choice) – in short, I absolutely loved it. The buzz in the absolutely superb temporary stadium they have created (in what is effectively a litter tray for posh horses) was truly brilliant. Supposedly we were the best supporters they have had thus far – we managed a world beating 26 Mexican waves around the stadium I’ll have you know (but I bet they say that to the supporters at all the sessions and by 11pm last night I am sure it was up to more than 30 drunken Mexican waves…). There is also an amazing vibe in the city, with Olympic volunteers smiling and greeting you all the way from the train stations to the event venues (Davy hated this unnecessary demonstration of enthusiasm and had to be restrained at 7.46am yesterday morning). I have to say the whole thing made me very proud to be British and we are definitely putting on a super games that is showcasing our country and our capital in the best possible light. <br /><br /> After a fairly slow start, momentum has built and there have been a flurry of medals, from Bradley Wiggins in the Time Trial (who should be Knighted along with Danny, if for no other reason than he seems to be a decent bloke, likes Scooters, has great taste in music and unashamedly got drunk on vodka tonics after his victory) to successes in the track cycling (good work Sir Chris, with help from that German bloke who said all the wrong things in the post medal ceremony interview), rowing, canoeing and shooting (to name but a few). I can’t wait to go to the Olympic Stadium later this evening to see Jessica Ennis, our poster girl of the London 2012 Olympics, do her stuff… and inevitably win Silver… <br /><br /> 2012 has undoubtedly been a year where as a nation we feel confident saying that we are proud to be British – and given that the Union Jack** has had a spectacular revival as a brand (and distanced itself from imagery associated with football hooliganism and other distasteful groups), I thought I would share a few images of how Union Jack furniture can add s stylish twist to the home… <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<br />* Dr Who… <br /><br />** The current design of the Union Flag dates from the union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. The flag consists of the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England), edged in white and superimposed on the cross of St Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the Saltire of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland). So, begs the question, where’s the Welsh bit? Answers on a postcard please… also, there are competing theories on why it is referred to as the Union Jack… you can Google that on your own time… <br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial";">
</span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-49316651365378141832012-07-20T11:16:00.000+01:002018-06-12T13:49:40.265+01:00A change in the weather is sufficient to recreate the world and ourselves*<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /><br />However, before I start, a general word of caution around predicting the British weather (and by default getting our hopes up due to our pervasive and misplaced meteorological optimism…); <br /><br /> “Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rung the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way... well, if you're watching, don't worry, there isn't…” (Michael Fish). <br /><br /> It’s one of the most famously misattributed quotes in Met Office history (I know that makes it sound terrific but I suspect there aren’t actually many others)… you may need to ‘Google it’ to get the point – put simply, don’t believe everything you hear on the weather forecast – the meteorological boffins won’t actually admit it, but they don’t really know where the jet stream is going wander off to next… <br /><br /> Anyway, and don’t quote me on this, with the weather supposedly set to improve during the course of the next week (just in time for the Olympics, although rumour has it they are also going to seed the clouds with silver iodide in advance of the opening ceremony like they did in Beijing to make it rain and clear the skies), we might all finally get to use our waterlogged outside space and BBQs. This will be a huge relief for my husband who bought an absolutely spectacular Weber BBQ two months ago (which is so big it casts a shadow over our house) and it hasn’t stopped raining since. I and most of our friends have been blaming him almost exclusively for the truly awful summer to date… <br /><br /> Now I know it’s an oft used cliché, but the whole concept of ‘inside out’ – taking your home/living space to your garden – is becoming even more important (and super cool). In short, what’s the point of having a nicely designed home if your garden lets the whole scheme down? Gardens and patios are becoming another important space in the home (particularly in Londinium, where space is always at a premium), with more and more people wanting it to act properly as an additional room in the house – a space that functions as an additional living room, a dining room and a kitchen (but preferably not as a bathroom)… As a consequence, outdoor furniture has come on leaps and bounds in recent years. Now you will typically find that lots of outdoor furniture is barely distinguishable from items that you might find inside your home (but also worth bearing in mind that this stuff needs the care and attention that we associate with traditional outdoor furniture – very easy to forget when it looks like a sofa). More and more furniture is being designed to meet the design brief of ‘an outdoor living room’ and as a consequence the furniture is becoming more comfortable and with higher quality upholstery/finishes (refer once again to the important point on care and attention…). For many clients, the most important factors when it comes to outdoor furniture are comfort and durability. So, forget cheap rattan and painted metal – these are being replaced by more technologically advanced and durable materials and, with the development of synthetic fibers, new sun and weather resistant materials and new advanced molding techniques, the possibilities are almost endless… Just a few years ago, the number of attractive outdoor fabrics was also hugely restricted – again, these have come on leaps and bounds. There are now a number of fabric houses that produce outdoor fabrics that are so fantastic I have on occasion considered using them inside…. in fact, I actually did on the design of a super yacht I have just completed. <br /><br /> Here are just a few images of gardens that I would love to be chillaxing in during the next few days – the days between when the Met Office says that the weather is actually supposed to improve and the artificial downpours created by the silver iodide in the clouds over London… As for the sun, I’ll genuinely believe it when I see it…<br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EpOafk0etruam6twfuOLiaiATPJ0KmUlqrNfgCP6URaPK7ldELjE3C8D5fBY3fVeT1DmTOONbvXlhY4ACSRuDwYqeZR9qnwhVvBO498Zte_L5Kek-Jx-9e2TXRlYjlBbIZH0MAtTp28/s1600/www.foras-studio.com+1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EpOafk0etruam6twfuOLiaiATPJ0KmUlqrNfgCP6URaPK7ldELjE3C8D5fBY3fVeT1DmTOONbvXlhY4ACSRuDwYqeZR9qnwhVvBO498Zte_L5Kek-Jx-9e2TXRlYjlBbIZH0MAtTp28/s640/www.foras-studio.com+1.png" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from www.foras-studio.com)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from www.foras-studio.com)</span></span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from blissblog via aubrey road)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />*Marcel Proust (yet another French novelist…)</span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-45840151812742356072012-07-06T09:19:00.000+01:002018-06-12T13:52:51.528+01:00Tala íslensku? No, didn’t think so…<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /><br />We have just returned from a much needed long weekend in Iceland, which was genuinely wonderful – it is a truly amazing and inspirational country. The landscape is out of this world (literally – I have no doubt it’s where they filmed the Apollo moon landings and are currently scouting locations for the missions to Mars)… from the huge contrasts of inhospitable black lava fields to the glistening white glaciers – it’s just breathtaking…. In addition to the wondrous landscape there was one piece of architecture the really blew me away – a new Icelandic landmark – the Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall, which opened in 2011 and sparkles in the Icelandic sun (which at this time of year shines 24 hours a day, which is pretty awesome in itself – it also makes you freak out a bit so it’s no wonder they’re all mad…). <br /><br /> The initial concept design was developed in 2004 and it is clearly a product of Iceland's recent past… a product of the years of ‘magic money’ rather than the new normal - it definitely arrived late for the party. And in a town where the standard building type is a two-storey house clad in corrugated steel, it really stands out. <br /><br /> When the bank financing the development crashed during the global financial crisis many, if not all, Icelanders took an obvious position – with people losing their homes and jobs and industries across the country dying, an expensive oversized concert hall was not a priority. But its structure was already four storeys out of the ground and, faced with the alternative of abandoning it as an unfinished build and symbol of failure, the government pressed on towards completion. Now the official blurb declares Harpa ‘a symbol of Iceland's renewed dynamism’… Marketing. Bless. <br /><br /> The facade of Harpa is actually the work of an artist, the Icelandic-Dane, Olafur Eliasson (who gets more attention than the architects, Henning Larsen). Olafur Eliasson came up with a tilted cliff face made of multiple hexagonal glass tubes, which he calls quasi bricks – these are stackable twelve sided modules manufactured in steel and glass, with coloured and mirrored panes inserted here and there to break things up and to add contrast. Unsurprisingly, he was inspired by shapes and patterns made by nature - Iceland is rich in unique natural phenomena, such as the crystallised basalt columns, which the quasi brick resembles. <br /><br /> The exterior wall of the opera house is a double wall of glass ‘cells’ – the hexagonal tubes have glass at the back as well as the front, which provides natural depth. It means that light inhabits the facade rather than just bouncing off it. Eliasson's crystals filter, reflect and fragment the light very effectively – they catch it, play with it, animate it and make it move. <br /><br /> Unlike the Sydney Opera House, Harpa is as impressive from the inside as it is from the exterior. Inside, the hexagons continue, forming a faceted and mirrored ceiling to the foyer. Between Eliasson's light and the main auditorium, which apparently has ‘a clarity of acoustic that has reportedly moved performers to tears of joy’ comes the architecture of Henning Larsen, and an inner core of dark concrete (the colour of Iceland's lava fields), which acts as a foil for the exterior and a container for the interior. This inner core stands inside the glass box, and forms the basis for the inner walls, balconies and stairs of the foyer.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from biblionna.wordpress.com) </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from biblionna.wordpress.com)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from biblionna.wordpress.com)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from biblionna.wordpress.com) </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from frankments.wordpress.com)</span></span></td></tr>
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Love it or hate it (many local people think that the Harpa is misplaced and looks like ‘a 64-inch TV inside a caravan’), I personally thought it was an absolutely astonishing piece of architecture… and don’t get me started on the cathedral…</span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-2223312068158084602012-06-22T08:08:00.000+01:002018-06-12T14:09:49.977+01:00Whatever is dreamed on this night, will come to pass.*<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /><br />I can’t quite believe the summer solstice was yesterday (it only seems like 177 days since Christmas…**) – given that the weather has been so unpredictable (read ‘shocking’) over the past few months, I do believe that we all need to be super prepared for alfresco dining when we are fortunately enough to enjoy some summer sun (and that will be in the third week of September if the last few years are anything to go by… and only for one day… typically a Tuesday… and it will end with a spectacular thunderstorm at about 7pm, just when everyone leaves work to go and sit in a beer garden…). <br /><br /> So, in a brief departure from interior design, I thought I would pull together some inspirational images of alfresco dining to inspire you, whether it’s for a fully fledged summer garden party or simply for a lazy breakfast, a tasty lunch or a relaxing dinner…<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jQcF-P2n8lYEjRMTddY2Tq3KQSUNgiCzP7hgzx5VyVCZxSjYgCSS6WOO1UwPiCRxufJ0KWowIQKyvhKZE8tBIMTXR3fSNbb5SsJuaFGyZadIsQqUuJzVBUTLk8rwFdBGS2Q0aWieMu8/s1600/www.amorologyweddings.com+photoed+by+Jill+Thomas+.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jQcF-P2n8lYEjRMTddY2Tq3KQSUNgiCzP7hgzx5VyVCZxSjYgCSS6WOO1UwPiCRxufJ0KWowIQKyvhKZE8tBIMTXR3fSNbb5SsJuaFGyZadIsQqUuJzVBUTLk8rwFdBGS2Q0aWieMu8/s640/www.amorologyweddings.com+photoed+by+Jill+Thomas+.jpg" width="544" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from www.amorologyweddings.com photographed by Jill Thomas)</span></span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Style Files)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Although both these images are set in lush greenery (and in an outside space that we can only dream of within Zone 2 in London), they comprise of a few simple and consistent elements that make them work very effectively and help to create an enticing place to eat – elements that you can easily and cheaply recreate in your own garden. In both images the stylists have focused on statement tablecloths, complemented with brightly coloured tableware, chairs, lanterns, garlands and vases (with flowers in – yep, even in a garden…) – both schemes also include candles to make the setting more atmospheric as the natural light deteriorates later in the day… <br /><br /> I also love this idea for keeping your wine cool - a trough for ice running down the centre of the table. Super simple and truly brilliant, but maybe only cost effective if you actually own the vineyard… and live in a climate where the ice doesn’t melt every five minutes…</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Dwell) </span></span></td></tr>
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<br />Anyway, last night I dreamt about a long, hot summer… balmy days with a gentle westerly breeze in the evening to take the edge off the heat… then I woke up and realised it was the dog breathing on my face. Well, even if it doesn’t come to pass and we don’t get the weather we deserve, we should still make preparations for our one day Indian summer at the back end of September… <br /><br />* William Shakespeare – On the Summer Solstice… A Midsummer Night’s Dream <br /><br />**By my reckoning, it’s 178 days since Christmas Day…</span></div>
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Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-41395123069197273412012-06-07T09:14:00.000+01:002018-06-12T14:12:18.597+01:00Any subject can be made interesting, and therefore any subject can be made boring…*<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br />A palette of neutrals might strike you as irrelevant and boring, but these colours can in fact be the hardest colours to get right. <br /><br /> Before we begin, a quick educational supplement… Neutral colors are colours that lack hue; usually they are very light colors such as gray, beige and taupe (brownish-gray). Neutral colours are usually dusky in nature and may be called “achromatic”. <br /><br /> Defining true neutral shades is tricky because a large number of colours we know as neutrals have undertones of other colours like red, blue or green. However, neutrals are a colour family in their own right and are now extremely popular in interior and fashion design. <br /><br /> Neutrals have become so well loved due to their amazing versatility and flexibility in making spaces look more contemporary or classic, chic or cosy – delete as appropriate. They are easy to live with and provide the perfect canvas for all the things that you love. Neutrals are often used because of their ability to provide a relaxed atmosphere in your home – based on everything I have described above, by default they are undemanding and very easy to live with shades. <br /><br /> Neutrals are often split into two types; warm neutrals, such as brown, tan and beige, and cool neutrals like white, silver and grey. <br /><br /> Decorating entirely in neutral colors can create a space that is soothing, sophisticated and warm, but only if it is done really well. A lot of people are afraid to use bolder colours because they are worried that they will get it wrong so, as a consequence, they end up with all neutral colors by default. But, when I say done well, what I mean is that it takes more than a lack of colour in a space to create a successfully executed neutral palette. <br /><br /> Some people claim that any neutral colors work together, but I don't actually think that's true. Here are a few points to be aware of when you create a neutral color scheme in your home; <br /><br /><br /><br />1. Use many different shades of your neutral colour <br /><br />2. Use multiple textures that contrast well <br /><br />3. Use high-quality texture <br /><br />4. Use beautiful and interesting shapes <br /><br />5. Use a combination of interesting materials and surfaces <br /><br />6. Incorporate pattern <br /><br />7. You can mix your neutrals <br /><br />8. Add black (or almost-black) for punctuation <br /><br />9. Include elements from nature for interest and warmth <br /><br />10. Don't be afraid to add a little bit of colour to your neutral palette in small doses <br /><br /> A neutral color combination can look pretty boring and monotone if there is not enough contrast. You might want to use some really crisp, bright accent colours to keep the look fresh. For example, white gloss paint on window frames and baseboard, milk-white walls, or curtains and cushions in a light neutral color, or a crisp light pattern on a darker ground. <br /><br /> I think most people equate neutral with beige, and that’s no surprise. Neutral seems to suggest for most “void of colour”, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Below are a number of a soft, low-key colours that when mixed together could create a neutral palette while actually using expressive colours. <br /><br /> Neutrals go with most colors, but success is made easier if you stick to one colour family. 'All-white' schemes often look great with just a hint of colour, such as a mix of pale grey/blue/green. Colours look their most vibrant against a background of white. Even a little color will have a significant impact.<br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVLB1TY2egO-QL6OSGMFOxiyQVQOq9GrFiFhdM-rQeRxfsu-3jqr3nDtmnsoQxq96D4D9Vllcgb1sK7owcj7dIa9uXF5TpTuiTr4riasPL19ypQATnQ3UK3S9z5pQACJF6_FcJs684UI/s1600/Benjamin+Moore+paint+colors.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVLB1TY2egO-QL6OSGMFOxiyQVQOq9GrFiFhdM-rQeRxfsu-3jqr3nDtmnsoQxq96D4D9Vllcgb1sK7owcj7dIa9uXF5TpTuiTr4riasPL19ypQATnQ3UK3S9z5pQACJF6_FcJs684UI/s400/Benjamin+Moore+paint+colors.png" width="336" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Benjamin Moore paint colors)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">A neutral colour palette creates a great unifying element in a home. Every room can have its own selection of added colour, but the neutrals anchor the overall look. And if you believe Belloc, anything can be made to look interesting, even neutrals… <br /><br />*Hilaire Belloc (Anglo-French writer. Dead at time of writing.)</span><!--EndFragment--></div>
Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-19173536953502573412012-05-25T08:07:00.000+01:002018-06-12T14:23:38.178+01:00Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts*<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /><br />Today is my favourite event of the year, The RHS Chelsea Flower Show - a day where I get to spend quality time with my Mum, sip ridiculously expensive champagne, eat seafood platters and wander around looking at the fabulous displays of flowers, all of which both relax and inspire me. It is always fascinating to see what colour trends are being used in the gardens at Chelsea as there is usually a fairly consistent theme that emerges… a theme that may pervade into other aspects of design. <br /> <br /><br />On Monday this week I also went to the launch party of Kasthalls new rug collection, created by their chief designer, Gunilla Lagerhem Ullberg – like Chelsea, this is also an event that involved imbibing copious amounts of champagne (I think I will have blown my units allowance for the next month by the end of today)…. Now I know I always bang on about concept images, but this collection was truly beautiful and is inspired by Gunilla’s interest in flowers and gardens. She has created a series of images using flowers that she had collected herself, pressed and arranged in multiple layers to create kaleidoscopic geometric patterns. </span><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjdQf5LCBskoRLFpJ42QOGUsX1O63iBI1rnUUjbKd4o3FRh5c8YU8G7yfUXh79QsYah0SJHCtqmNY_TxQkblbMgzeAHxsplUhmDSz6_3VOKswyHvVaWjrm2KfffOGVV2GDyIxVf2WxEg/s1600/Herbarium+7_Gunilla+Lagerhem+Ullberg_2011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjdQf5LCBskoRLFpJ42QOGUsX1O63iBI1rnUUjbKd4o3FRh5c8YU8G7yfUXh79QsYah0SJHCtqmNY_TxQkblbMgzeAHxsplUhmDSz6_3VOKswyHvVaWjrm2KfffOGVV2GDyIxVf2WxEg/s640/Herbarium+7_Gunilla+Lagerhem+Ullberg_2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Kasthall - Gunilla Lagerhem Ullberg)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzBI3FuKw_ds4EPe3jnTiK9poZjb7Zf2Oefjg_rVtjBA13_sHlK5WdcGt-ED2YLnFKmLU9umUOF-vn-OMyRUPmn3bEj8Q_zfxQdLEuyj76ji5ZMq1SdHFJYSBynDi6TdWqWe5WxF0ZbI/s1600/Herbarium+3_Gunilla+Lagerhem+Ullberg_2011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzBI3FuKw_ds4EPe3jnTiK9poZjb7Zf2Oefjg_rVtjBA13_sHlK5WdcGt-ED2YLnFKmLU9umUOF-vn-OMyRUPmn3bEj8Q_zfxQdLEuyj76ji5ZMq1SdHFJYSBynDi6TdWqWe5WxF0ZbI/s640/Herbarium+3_Gunilla+Lagerhem+Ullberg_2011.jpg" width="636" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Kasthall - Gunilla Lagerhem Ullberg)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9YXrU8ntzVjc-xREMHPJR27zrS0Q2KjHZgsAA2c4B-_7jFJlLM6Wf0ChO7iniHUyHLC3nnH8TeQM74A7Zem1bfSe9qBwMB5N2Zqglu6tW4HDAxxBMO7UYydfuf7u0NOxu55XmXIwrNw/s1600/Herbaruim+2_Gunilla+Lagerhem+Ullberg_2011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9YXrU8ntzVjc-xREMHPJR27zrS0Q2KjHZgsAA2c4B-_7jFJlLM6Wf0ChO7iniHUyHLC3nnH8TeQM74A7Zem1bfSe9qBwMB5N2Zqglu6tW4HDAxxBMO7UYydfuf7u0NOxu55XmXIwrNw/s640/Herbaruim+2_Gunilla+Lagerhem+Ullberg_2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Kasthall - Gunilla Lagerhem Ullberg)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />It is a truly classic example of the power of concept images in providing direction in the colours and textures that are applied in the work of a designer. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzBDNhtvmYOveWNAy5vhcrpczo-wCKG_cNosvL_m5zUMlpXI00QY15fDDo9K332krwDmEkwCszv7dNH4TdIo_1Yv9S4U-F8g7LYscTRglqqWwB5lc_2DJAnWku7jNH0GAlCVtb1oOo6w/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-05-24+at+08.35.59.png"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzBDNhtvmYOveWNAy5vhcrpczo-wCKG_cNosvL_m5zUMlpXI00QY15fDDo9K332krwDmEkwCszv7dNH4TdIo_1Yv9S4U-F8g7LYscTRglqqWwB5lc_2DJAnWku7jNH0GAlCVtb1oOo6w/s640/Screen+shot+2012-05-24+at+08.35.59.png" width="432" /></a></div>
<br /><br />So, ready for a solid dose of relaxation and inspiration I am off to Chelsea for my lovely day of the year. Perhaps if I drink enough champagne I will begin to see geometric and kaleidoscopic concept images of blooms in the award winning gardens... and if I do, maybe it’s time to drink some water. <br /><br /> *Sigmund Freud</span></div>
Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-5420197969858525402012-05-10T21:04:00.000+01:002018-06-12T14:32:57.557+01:00Money for nothing…*<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /><br />In the current economic climate it’s hard to make money (unless you are a hedge fund and/or speculate aggressively around the volatility in the markets), but what if you could make even the most basic financial thingamajig, for example, a ten pound note into something that has intrinsic and sustainable value. That is the essence of design. It may also be the way to sort out Greece and the rest of the Eurozone, but we’ll need lots and lots of paper.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO2QjN9O8bT4Sl3ZynVp2SXRM3-Vc_g2xvh9OPsSm6EcVXs8LdtHmR7CoS0NhJNLazCN9SaZibemriuXy-rjgKafiwKBvEakhfdhbrY_JHyCZAFh3FrLt005dMkgx7rWLvz-6Z1tHAqo/s1600/agrablewski+5.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO2QjN9O8bT4Sl3ZynVp2SXRM3-Vc_g2xvh9OPsSm6EcVXs8LdtHmR7CoS0NhJNLazCN9SaZibemriuXy-rjgKafiwKBvEakhfdhbrY_JHyCZAFh3FrLt005dMkgx7rWLvz-6Z1tHAqo/s640/agrablewski+5.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Agrablewski)</span></span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<br />Origami is simple, it’s intricate and it uses the most basic of materials to create spectacular and desirable outcomes – in 3D – and let’s be clear, 3D seems to be a hot trend at the moment... <br /><br /> A supreme example of design excellence from basic principles is how origami was used at the heart of NASA's space programme – it was used to help structure and engineer the unfoldy, solar panel bits (the bits that make satellites look like pretty flowers)… There is nothing more cutting edge or enduring in design than a satellite that is up in space for up to 30 years with these superbly simple unfoldy bits… <br /><br /> So, what’s the point of my blog this week? – It’s simply to say that design is about more than just having lots of money to splash out on the latest designer stuff - the best design is about focusing on the detail, the intricacy, the effort, the beauty and the intrinsic value of the finished product... or you could just make a paper plane… <br /><br />* Dire Straits <br /></span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-57591359145753276012012-04-27T08:32:00.001+01:002018-06-12T15:00:05.371+01:00Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that…*<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />Lighting can have a huge impact on the ambience of a space, both positive and negative – effective lighting can open up a space, make it a welcoming space (or not…), emphasise key features (both architectural and furniture/artwork) and, ultimately, bring an entire design to life. That said, many designs do not capitalise fully on the role that natural and artificial lighting can play as part of the overall design. Of course, there are many, many different ways that you can light up a space – in this blog I am going to focus on one of my favourites… One way to create a dramatic statement within your home is by using pendant lighting. These days there a huge number of pendant lights available, from what can be simply described as ‘the standard’ to the weird and wonderful – it’s those that fall into the latter category that can be used to make a design statement. And, just to be clear, I am not talking about attaching a pendant to the light fitting over the bed (i.e. in the centre of the room) – the fitting that builders typically wire a building to be able to support – this is about thinking cleverly and more creatively about how you can use pendant lighting within a space as part of an overall design. It’s worth bearing in mind that just because you have preexisting light fittings within a space, you don’t necessarily have to be constrained by them…<br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNrfb1Fx3kmFWfIAikXNUudU6av_YrbzcMwKMm0E64Ke1UiSCmtiTrZXfbt2rQOFzDxpEkO0KfJgBifFEbmpj6YkOctkURrJohe2ga8adUWzlvep9jCl8qxP75YottfdfuAIvNk-kvVU/s1600/Marie+Claire+Maison,.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNrfb1Fx3kmFWfIAikXNUudU6av_YrbzcMwKMm0E64Ke1UiSCmtiTrZXfbt2rQOFzDxpEkO0KfJgBifFEbmpj6YkOctkURrJohe2ga8adUWzlvep9jCl8qxP75YottfdfuAIvNk-kvVU/s640/Marie+Claire+Maison,.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Marie Claire Maison)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from vartnyahem.se)</span></span></td></tr>
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These images illustrate that you can break the deeply ingrained and accepted rules about lighting and achieve a fantastic and impactful outcome - whether it’s asymmetric ceiling pendants in the bedroom, feature lighting in the kitchen or multiple ceiling lights in the living room… <br /> <br />*Martin Luther King (used completely out of context in this blog… sorry.)</span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-32122120646025888942012-04-16T08:20:00.001+01:002018-06-12T15:02:29.161+01:00The new high tea – take it at 2pm instead of 4pm. Cake for lunch, basically….*<div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">A Design for Life (my blogging adventure) is a year old this month and to celebrate I thought I would go for Low Tea at one of the many fabulous hotels around central London – it transpires that, according to the Sunday Times Style Magazine, the New High Tea is Low Tea and it is to be taken at ‘2pm instead of 4pm – cake for lunch basically’ – and apparently it’s super cool again… loving it! The image below might not accurately represent the somewhat rarefied experience of tea at the Dorchester or the Ritz, but it is a wonderfully glamorous illustration and the colours are amazing…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Images from French by Design and Lushush via The Reluctant Fitness Princess)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">On several occasions during the past year I have highlighted the importance of concept images when either selecting the colour scheme for a home or as the inspiration for the overarching style of the space. At the moment I am designing several houses and, to be perfectly honest, I couldn’t stress more the importance of having a clear understanding of the concept behind the design – the concept that is the basis for how you want the entire space to look and feel and to ensure that there is a flow between all the rooms. And, most importantly, so you and your clients have a clear understanding of and consensus around the design ambition you are trying to achieve. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> <br /> It can sometimes be quite scary to play with colour schemes when designing a space, particularly when you are dealing with some of the bolder statement colours – but the above images prove that by rooting the design in a concept image you can actually demonstrate how the colours will work together (which will hopefully give you confidence to be braver when combining them…). Now, I’m not saying that every concept image works… practical design sensibilities still apply in all circumstances… but a concept image that you love and one that really works can be the basis for a very successful design… a design that may help to push the boundaries of your comfort zone as a designer. <br /> <br /> *Sunday Times, Style</span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-53361176265014093292012-04-06T09:53:00.000+01:002018-06-12T15:03:37.501+01:00“I am the Resurrection…”* - well I’m not, but you get the idea…<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />It’s Easter and the start of new beginnings for all of us (unless of course you were ‘the big JC’). This time last year was the birth of my blog, ‘A Design for Life’, which is now one year old and still going from strength to strength (although in recent months I have decided to write shorter more punchy articles rather than the huge tomes that were a characteristic of the blog during its early days). I recall the nervous anticipation when I sat down to put pen to paper (or ‘fingers to keys’) for the first time – after quite some effort, redrafting, editing and polishing, the first blog was published/uploaded on the 11th April – and a year on, I still love doing it…. Not only does it force me to proactively keep abreast of what is going on in the industry, it also keeps my mind and brain switched on – these babies don’t write themselves – they involve quite a bit of research, particularly when searching for images to support the subject matter (this blog possibly excluded). <br /> <br /> The past year has absolutely flown by and my blog has gone from very humble beginnings to being selected as a finalist in the Decorex Bloggers competition and then becoming the official blog for UK Interiors. Not only has it received recognition as a blog in its own right, it has also resulted in several large projects that have kept me busy during the course of the past year. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDrXKkAm7bZTzAKDHtIZcTKZcE7Bu1Tz4w_fbKDVRm4HqNGRJlGlTPSNQiVuqR7WgIcxXaLiIB3I9D5pByuoJpfcLIj-hHZ5aRzlSboTzq8_sn_PPdgxQwpOAgu7qe13NyY9CfCQzwEM/s1600/www.marthastewart.com+7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDrXKkAm7bZTzAKDHtIZcTKZcE7Bu1Tz4w_fbKDVRm4HqNGRJlGlTPSNQiVuqR7WgIcxXaLiIB3I9D5pByuoJpfcLIj-hHZ5aRzlSboTzq8_sn_PPdgxQwpOAgu7qe13NyY9CfCQzwEM/s640/www.marthastewart.com+7.jpg" width="526" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from www.marthastewart.com) </span></span></td></tr>
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<br />I personally think Easter is a great time in the year to start something new, so why not set yourself a challenge for the year ahead and get cracking next week. You never know what it could lead to… I couldn’t have imagined the success of my blog when I came up with the idea… all part of my ongoing quest for global domination. <br /> <br /> Wishing you all a wonderful Easter break… <br /> <br /> * I am the Resurrection, The Stone Roses</span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-83636258508825266112012-03-30T08:13:00.000+01:002018-06-12T15:06:36.864+01:00“I have tried to be as eclectic as I possibly can with my professional life, and so far it's been pretty fun.”*<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />Eclectic design can be quite daunting and overwhelming, particularly when you take into consideration all the discrete elements that contribute to an eclectic scheme. Although it can often look like it has been thrown together (which it sometimes has, depending on the experience of the designer), it actually takes considerable skill to create something that works really well in practice. The core skill at the heart of eclectic design is being able to understand how a completely different and diverse variety of stuff can be mixed together to deliver a cohesive scheme. <br /> <br /> There genuinely is no right or wrong when it comes to eclectic design, but there are a number of basic design principles that you can take into consideration when creating an eclectic scheme to make sure that it works as a whole… or, from a theoretical Gestalt perspective, to ensure that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts… <br /> <br /> Fundamental to achieving a successful and effective eclectic scheme is understanding the visual relationship between elements in a space. These guidelines provide a sense of order that aid the design – they are not intended to restrict it. Two really basic principles that are very powerful and effective are symmetry and asymmetry in a room. </span><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBaDSxwSTH2I53hgLxcUWpenZboUQ1iCq-hiAomrafOFS2__96nPrBfx1_sO0ipS1elfQOB-PXoxOFg7-VQ2aTKN9rjj5mk3SyXXBHDwySbJ_uogFOQsSGQigId-HlkX0k3CsMW7naZc/s1600/3_living-room-decorating-ideas-ss46.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBaDSxwSTH2I53hgLxcUWpenZboUQ1iCq-hiAomrafOFS2__96nPrBfx1_sO0ipS1elfQOB-PXoxOFg7-VQ2aTKN9rjj5mk3SyXXBHDwySbJ_uogFOQsSGQigId-HlkX0k3CsMW7naZc/s640/3_living-room-decorating-ideas-ss46.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Elle Decor) </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> Also, by organizing dissimilar (and sometimes very different) design elements in close proximity they are viewed together in the scheme as a group. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLRzzyxnW8ercxPdSqtPy-RWnP3RREmtVWQKuLPZnKOyLVcwFuH6q-9008hqQl-g2Q1DPKVJ18cbc4-n00VuJUc0MQKC0mgIg90CAFTGopAfSay0MG2wjNK5l2OmngHsnNBsdRrjbDmE/s1600/3194950410_11ebb6ddba.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLRzzyxnW8ercxPdSqtPy-RWnP3RREmtVWQKuLPZnKOyLVcwFuH6q-9008hqQl-g2Q1DPKVJ18cbc4-n00VuJUc0MQKC0mgIg90CAFTGopAfSay0MG2wjNK5l2OmngHsnNBsdRrjbDmE/s640/3194950410_11ebb6ddba.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Living Room Decorating)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /> Finally, the repetition of colour, pattern, shape, texture, etc. causes the viewer’s eyes to see a rhythmic continuity of movement within a space… </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4uRE2ZUXuD_aCdT4vaJSlhZ9Rzi3aaJ6RTvUa1-H3rFGr1cmHA2o4oOp_Uvx3hixDtXfelkBenuICGnonySjQxWukbixeSbfXwHatcATNASi6ZNyix5Vr-BV7k-u8zXr5Dlk-YTiJ8Y/s1600/livnig-room-decorating-ideas-silver-gray-decor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4uRE2ZUXuD_aCdT4vaJSlhZ9Rzi3aaJ6RTvUa1-H3rFGr1cmHA2o4oOp_Uvx3hixDtXfelkBenuICGnonySjQxWukbixeSbfXwHatcATNASi6ZNyix5Vr-BV7k-u8zXr5Dlk-YTiJ8Y/s640/livnig-room-decorating-ideas-silver-gray-decor.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Living Room Decorating)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, there you go – a beginners guide to eclectic design. If you have always wanted to create an eclectic scheme but haven’t really been sure where to start, just think about using these really simple principles... and then go and buy a book about Gestalt Psychology and the Theory of Visual Perception... no, not really... <br /> <br /> *Roland Barthes (dead French literary theorist/intellectual – don’t worry, I had to Google it...) <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </span><br /><!--EndFragment--></div>
Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-20138848987361999922012-03-23T07:41:00.000+00:002018-06-12T15:09:21.355+01:00“The spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where dem birdies is?”…*<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Spring has officially sprung (according to the BBC Breakfast weather forecast and this does not necessarily include Northern Ireland or Scotland) and I am loving the lighter, brighter mornings and longer evenings and the fact that the daffodils are out. Before the clocks go forward this Sunday and the stupidly bright retina burning mornings disappear again for a few weeks, I thought I would share some inspirational images of interiors that make me feel like spring has arrived, i.e. uplifted, fresh, new, virginal, full of hope, inspirational and all that nonsense. I love how fresh and bright these interiors feel – this has been achieved very simply by a completely neutral colour scheme injected with pastel colours – brilliantly fresh and uplifting.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltbNiYtu_05e8ODa45kyZ8sdBb-_QCD5miOVsL5KEo4eXNX3Vv72oPrOJWXnFru4nbPDn8L01Vml98-5VvvSoioE6aFvAffu0W46dAaPprIqOVZo3-w7HqgMnKqwnSGSbpjg3E9pn_wQ/s1600/frenchbydesign.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltbNiYtu_05e8ODa45kyZ8sdBb-_QCD5miOVsL5KEo4eXNX3Vv72oPrOJWXnFru4nbPDn8L01Vml98-5VvvSoioE6aFvAffu0W46dAaPprIqOVZo3-w7HqgMnKqwnSGSbpjg3E9pn_wQ/s640/frenchbydesign.png" width="518" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from French By Design of Vanessa Bruno's Home)</span></span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7WvVJC5TSSXLpfOt5dKjXpV5TqRYc_yOvyUvKGm7HZjdww6-tUFlZ8IwuQ6kMm0DrcRjbs94tlByjFbeQGYlaDn7TBs3EpGEVGmix7vh5zb1UZAfGYJqiubH6fbLVzhyK-QZO-B7E-c/s1600/style-files.com+Vanessa+Bruno%E2%80%99s+Home.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7WvVJC5TSSXLpfOt5dKjXpV5TqRYc_yOvyUvKGm7HZjdww6-tUFlZ8IwuQ6kMm0DrcRjbs94tlByjFbeQGYlaDn7TBs3EpGEVGmix7vh5zb1UZAfGYJqiubH6fbLVzhyK-QZO-B7E-c/s640/style-files.com+Vanessa+Bruno%E2%80%99s+Home.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from style files of Vanessa Bruno's Home)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3y6iHST36X8XyVlSfWw6xGaN4R8c1xmrkOpjlHG5pmruFrPmtBF1M9iiY5KX5unG6yucFrYNz0wzLjuiqXUAcUCrSsIR3YuTOR9m02xs9hBW1nd6GXQG53iDsT5JDIs2SHl3x-O_o7jQ/s1600/style-files.com+Vanessa+Bruno%E2%80%99s+Home+1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3y6iHST36X8XyVlSfWw6xGaN4R8c1xmrkOpjlHG5pmruFrPmtBF1M9iiY5KX5unG6yucFrYNz0wzLjuiqXUAcUCrSsIR3YuTOR9m02xs9hBW1nd6GXQG53iDsT5JDIs2SHl3x-O_o7jQ/s640/style-files.com+Vanessa+Bruno%E2%80%99s+Home+1.png" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from style files of Vanessa Bruno's Home)</span></span></td></tr>
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<br />Why not consider whether you can rejuvenate your home for Spring by simply changing some accessories – for example, cushions, lighting and throws – to inject some bright and fresh colours. <br /> <br /> * Winnie the Pooh <br /></span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-33916419597290671592012-03-16T07:28:00.000+00:002018-06-12T15:19:09.783+01:00We went to a house. A very big house in the country…*<div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">This time last week I was on my way to my romantic weekend getaway with the man that I love (my husband for avoidance of doubt) at Babington House, the country cousins of media hangouts, Soho House and Shoreditch House. When they took ownership in 1997, Babington single handedly kick-started the march of metropolitan cool into the countryside. <br /> <br /> With all the hype surrounding Babington house and having wanted to go there for over 10 years, I was just a tad concerned that it wasn’t going to live up to my excruciatingly high expectations, but I needn’t have worried. After what has been an unbelievably busy year for us both it was fabulous to have the opportunity to simply relax is this super spectacular and calm space. It was a weekend of indulgence… drinking, eating, drinking, spa treatments, drinking, the odd swim in both the indoor and outdoor pool, drinking, Six Nations rugby (!?!?!?!). By ‘indulgence’ I do of course mean expensive, but it was worth every penny. <br /> <br /> Its first cousin, Shoreditch House, is one of my favorite places in London to spend a Friday or Saturday night. Imagined by Tom Dixon’s design team, I just love the design of each of the areas; from the pool and outside eating areas on the roof, to the huge tables for communal eating, to the pink and black chairs in the sitting room and the amazing chandelier in the entrance hall (which I have actually just specified on a project – lucky, lucky people…). <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7ze8mE-5kUF3kO5jGtgMTeXlLoQsYTK2wPpXGN68N1yTncNnq502inLcnHjXA-krCCVXExAG-ivsdaHZ6-QrxUT5bBkXJV7F0KkEfJGPWeKFnp6z6Fmt8dAHlbhpz4CisRqyq00mGNo/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-03-15+at+20.17.04.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7ze8mE-5kUF3kO5jGtgMTeXlLoQsYTK2wPpXGN68N1yTncNnq502inLcnHjXA-krCCVXExAG-ivsdaHZ6-QrxUT5bBkXJV7F0KkEfJGPWeKFnp6z6Fmt8dAHlbhpz4CisRqyq00mGNo/s640/Screen+shot+2012-03-15+at+20.17.04.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from www.shoreditchhouse.com) </span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdFZ_kRGJerdxFFwRHp1zLwfdCIIfCh0-wpKSqxYsITQmjGBHoHeYa1Dvurqu7qw0HPQno2lrZqMcpMEcO5enQiqZRTdY3hZT0AM6DyjLECKroYu8wfavlv4K-OYyrdSiVbsxxGhcyUk/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-03-15+at+20.17.54.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdFZ_kRGJerdxFFwRHp1zLwfdCIIfCh0-wpKSqxYsITQmjGBHoHeYa1Dvurqu7qw0HPQno2lrZqMcpMEcO5enQiqZRTdY3hZT0AM6DyjLECKroYu8wfavlv4K-OYyrdSiVbsxxGhcyUk/s640/Screen+shot+2012-03-15+at+20.17.54.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from www.shoreditchhouse.com)</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEaOOfRX05uYZsdyj2oiAicxKkjbDiWL6K3TLvfk6b93fFMTqpWHpV1n5-t0deQReumRYPmL59cWgcfNQhJ7USs8ZEzX4dJYplTcAeMK8zlPY9uIPfcJd3EmVkW2wfX0mTnlPcc40Zzw/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-03-15+at+20.18.25.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEaOOfRX05uYZsdyj2oiAicxKkjbDiWL6K3TLvfk6b93fFMTqpWHpV1n5-t0deQReumRYPmL59cWgcfNQhJ7USs8ZEzX4dJYplTcAeMK8zlPY9uIPfcJd3EmVkW2wfX0mTnlPcc40Zzw/s640/Screen+shot+2012-03-15+at+20.18.25.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from www.shoreditchhouse.com)</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN1Sn6vjcJFDGbfP41R0WohWpJ8iwDFgi8jypKKNtUrBWPgT4I0G3j4M1Jtnzmr3DkoRgmaSxhUJTkK9h4slBhaCUqQqPCBc-r8DdKdDH6_XnACrwHcX4UuDsT0pxYNQU6Jpvsyq66TE/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-03-15+at+20.17.32.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN1Sn6vjcJFDGbfP41R0WohWpJ8iwDFgi8jypKKNtUrBWPgT4I0G3j4M1Jtnzmr3DkoRgmaSxhUJTkK9h4slBhaCUqQqPCBc-r8DdKdDH6_XnACrwHcX4UuDsT0pxYNQU6Jpvsyq66TE/s640/Screen+shot+2012-03-15+at+20.17.32.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from www.shoreditchhouse.com)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">We had such an amazing and relaxational time, my husband has started to contemplate whether we should become ‘all house’ members of the Soho House group so we can access all the amazing spaces that are part of their portfolio – I am gently nudging him in the right direction in this respect. The only problem is that Shoreditch House is way over on the other side of London and unless a miracle happens and I manage to get my husband to leave the shire at the weekend (imagine a precise 150 metre radius around our front door), I think it might be an indulgence (read ‘expense’) that doesn’t get used as often as it should…. Unless of course we use Chiswick House, the Soho House first cousin in west London… <br /> <br /> *Artistic licence applied to lyrics from a Blur track… </span><br />
<!--EndFragment-->Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-21541913294592901722012-03-09T09:33:00.000+00:002018-06-12T15:24:17.805+01:00‘Flying isn’t particularly dangerous. It’s crashing that’s dangerous…’*<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br />Helicopters maintain a precarious equilibrium when they are in the air – and it’s the most beautiful thing to look at when it works... when one of the elements that comprise this equilibrium changes it has an impact on all the other elements and either something changes (altitude, pitch, direction, speed) or you need to compensate to maintain the status quo or to make the entire system work more effectively. However, when just one thing goes disastrously wrong, the whole thing just comes crashing down. So, where am I going with this and why are helicopter crashes just like interior design? I’ll start at the beginning… <br /> <br /> My husband and I are in the process of deciding whether to embark on a total refurbishment of our home – finally!!! So, as you might imagine, we are currently debating the upheaval this will potentially cause (particularly for our very large and stupid dog and our very large and eccentric cat), working out whether we have sufficient funds in the coffers to do the work and, ultimately, deciding whether we should move out of our home while the works are taking place. <br /> <br /> Now, given that my husband is going to be my client on this project (and I suspect he may be a very demanding client), I think it is important that we decide early (i.e. before we commence work) what our priorities are in terms of cost, time and quality. This is where I was going with the helicopter bit. Bear with me. <br /> <br /> So, as you might imagine; <br /> <br /><br />The time refers to the amount of time available to complete a project <br /><br />The cost refers to the budgeted amount available to fund all aspects of the project <br /><br />The quality refers to the quality of the final build and finish<br /><br />I have seen several projects where the client has not fully appreciated the significant interrelationship between these three fundamental elements of a project and therefore makes decisions relating to one without appreciating the consequential impact on the other two. The time cost quality triangle is a useful concept to bear in mind throughout your build and you’ll find that, once you are aware of it, it will pop into your head in all sorts of situations – because it illustrates in a very simple and practical way the inherent tradeoffs in any project. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from oneresult.co.uk) </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /> This triangle illustrates the fact that the three fundamental elements of a project are interrelated (one side of the triangle cannot be changed without impacting the others) and it is not possible to optimize all three – one will always suffer. In other words, you have three options; <br /> <br /> 1. Design something quickly and to a high standard, but then it will not be cheap <br /> <br /> 2. Design something quickly and cheaply, but it will not be of a high quality <br /> <br /> 3. Design something with high quality and cheaply, but it will take a long time to either manufacture or install <br /> <br /> It is generally accepted that it is only possible to achieve two of the elements at the same time, so you can have a high quality build and you can get it done quickly but it is going to cost you more. Ask any builder (and always add at least 50% on to the time estimated to complete the work – builders operate very naturally, yet consistently in their own space time continuum). <br /> <br /> The triangle also works on the principle that as more emphasis is placed on one element less is placed on the others. These constraints are often competing, as a tight timeline typically means increased cost and reduced quality, a tight budget could mean increased time and reduced quality and increased quality typically means increased time and increased cost. <br /> <br /> Pinning down your key objectives in relation to each of these elements is absolutely essential for the planning phase of a project. By having these opportunities, constraints and compromises/tradeoffs in mind during the course of a project it allows for better project decisions and will ensure alignment between the build team and the client. <br /> <br /> Having said all the above, I personally think that instead of viewing the time, quality, cost triangle as a straight jacket that constrains a build, the best projects are those where the project manager not only uses one or more of the axes to shift the emphasis of the project, but juggles all three like hot potatoes and makes decisions every single day to manage the trade offs and the precarious balance that must be maintained to deliver the project successfully… time vs. quality vs. cost. <br /> <br /> So, during the course of this weekend, my husband and I will be defining and agreeing the priorities for our build - fingers crossed his priorities are the same as mine… <br /> <br /> *Helicopter pilot that my hubby flew with. Name unknown. Now deceased. RIP…</span><!--EndFragment-->Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-35936064398270621022012-03-02T09:02:00.000+00:002018-06-12T15:29:05.395+01:00There is no such word as can’t…<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br />…well, actually, there is and it works quite effectively in statements such as ‘I can’t possibly kill that person’ – anyway, you’ll understand what I mean by the title when you read the blog… <br /> <br /> The Roca showroom (which is right on my doorstep – not literally as that would be impractical for all parties – it’s quite near our house) designed by Zaha Hadid Architects recently opened and on Tuesday evening I had the opportunity to be part of a guided tour hosted by the architects and the construction company – and, in summary, it is quite simply a magnificent thing. During the course of the evening I heard about their fascinating journey from the original concept, through the design process and into the practical realities of constructing this cutting edge space. <br /> <br /> The overarching concept for the space is the movement of water – and, as a consequence, it looks like water erosion has created the internal cave like formations throughout the building. In fact, it looks as though water has sculpted and defined each and every detail in the space, from the lights, which look like droplets of water, to the reception and meeting desks, to the tiles on the floor, which look like rippling waves (there are 1200 unique tile shapes!). <br /> <br /> In terms of the space itself, it is a jigsaw puzzle of epic proportions. The whole thing is formed of glass reinforced concrete and gypsium elements – 272 unique panels in total – these all slot against one another with visible seams. Interesting factoid – the original 3D design model had no seams – this meant that the entire team of architects, designers and construction engineers had to work together to determine how to make the space buildable. <br /> <br /> The size of the concrete panels and hence the position of the seams was also restricted by transportation and installation issues – straightforward practicalities such as getting them onto a truck and into the building… hence, the panels used to construct the space had to be restricted in size to 4m x 2.2m. It was also amazing to hear them talk about the detailed design process that was required before any of the concrete panels could be produced – the position of every light fitting, electrical socket and display blot had to be determined so they could be drilled in to the concrete panels before they arrived on site. <br /> <br /> It was also fascinating to hear them talk about the beginning of the project, when no one really knew how to achieve the desired design (as it was quite simply pushing the boundaries of design and everyone’s capabilities and knowledge). As a team they worked together to find solution after solution and created what is a truly magnificent space and one that you should make an effort to visit. Through this space they have demonstrated that there is ‘no such word as can’t…’ (well, actually, there is… but you get the point…).<br /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.zaha-hadid.com</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.zaha-hadid.com</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYu53VXlvNuG1Ajs6sHz8uleU4rn5WZrPbFZdKxzfEeCmeuQd_ebBX1ksfTaiaPXgqOWDDVpRM27nKjsOIqwwZAemWNohYjzf5RGEIodRjNlkNVi88Xu4AKH6DqZnFv9AG0OX3CJesv4/s1600/www.zaha-hadid.com+6.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYu53VXlvNuG1Ajs6sHz8uleU4rn5WZrPbFZdKxzfEeCmeuQd_ebBX1ksfTaiaPXgqOWDDVpRM27nKjsOIqwwZAemWNohYjzf5RGEIodRjNlkNVi88Xu4AKH6DqZnFv9AG0OX3CJesv4/s640/www.zaha-hadid.com+6.png" width="634" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.zaha-hadid.com</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVO5Q1VGHN1S9uNEZSo9wQ9xVgiUPJcxC-4tHGYkaLmQ8BdwyX7NciG1I2zYhjrxdEc4D8PP3V7Y4_9vwKWcToEL5uswOC3cak1Pm4eBZoaSHJHOb9oXof-vVB_OngzUyGZosKubm-1kE/s1600/www.zaha-hadid.com+3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVO5Q1VGHN1S9uNEZSo9wQ9xVgiUPJcxC-4tHGYkaLmQ8BdwyX7NciG1I2zYhjrxdEc4D8PP3V7Y4_9vwKWcToEL5uswOC3cak1Pm4eBZoaSHJHOb9oXof-vVB_OngzUyGZosKubm-1kE/s640/www.zaha-hadid.com+3.png" width="514" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.zaha-hadid.com</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUQuEQSrU9nr1OpCtHurVRNOezsed_gOMl1eVwDC9bj3rvqnAwRIzK_uF0gvgkJhrzhpXmAeZ5jSmiU2QV1qdPdysyyS2wHo9QuB9GTm1MESiu6viIFPqbzUFWV1pbf5b3un4fHs88Kk/s1600/www.zaha-hadid.com+2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUQuEQSrU9nr1OpCtHurVRNOezsed_gOMl1eVwDC9bj3rvqnAwRIzK_uF0gvgkJhrzhpXmAeZ5jSmiU2QV1qdPdysyyS2wHo9QuB9GTm1MESiu6viIFPqbzUFWV1pbf5b3un4fHs88Kk/s640/www.zaha-hadid.com+2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.zaha-hadid.com</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;" /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: start;">www.zaha-hadid.com</span></span></td></tr>
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Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-32898547092367141222012-02-24T09:15:00.000+00:002018-06-12T15:33:37.464+01:00“Is someone getting the best… the best, the best, the best of you?”*<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />This week I have seen some of the best and some of the worst of human nature – what do you expect I hear you cry… you live in Londinium – I have just summed up everyday life in this city… and while idly browsing the WorldwideInterweb yesterday evening I came across this well known quotation - it really resonated with me, the week that I have had and it reinforced (at least in my own mind) my philosophy around how I aspire to behave towards others (husband excepted, but he knew what he was getting into…) - ‘What goes around comes back around’.<br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHc5NJWp33JYjfGiB2ejemhX3trk0A21FA0vmZrjYROgBEd-DVRI6GgIZkoixm8xKS54uVT-H0gAyydnsviW9XkVhNSfOhHJDCCSPLhcvCYOKxsvk-CGCUrJ4SOuIGmRgSDSwR1buZEw/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-02-24+at+09.05.48.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHc5NJWp33JYjfGiB2ejemhX3trk0A21FA0vmZrjYROgBEd-DVRI6GgIZkoixm8xKS54uVT-H0gAyydnsviW9XkVhNSfOhHJDCCSPLhcvCYOKxsvk-CGCUrJ4SOuIGmRgSDSwR1buZEw/s640/Screen+shot+2012-02-24+at+09.05.48.png" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Murray Mitchell) </span></span></td></tr>
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<br /> The best this week - people helping strangers and demonstrating genuine kindness – aiding someone smack bang in the middle of rush hour who is struggling with a push chair or on crutches (or, perish the thought, both at the same time), to handing in designer sunglasses that someone has left in the toilets in an art gallery. Also this week (it’s been busy) - returning a purse left on the back seat of a taxi or helping someone struggling with their suitcases at an airport – these acts of kindness are little things people will remember, tell other people about and, most importantly, it will make them smile…. I also heard an unconfirmed rumour this week that my husband shared half of his remaining beer with someone in the pub who had finished their pint more quickly than him – this one I don’t actually believe to be true… I have just reread this paragraph and had a truly horrible thought… maybe having lived here for 13 years I have just lowered my expectations… <br /> <br /> I have also seen some awful behavior this week – people treating clients and customers rudely and bosses bullying employees (and don’t get me started on James Corden at the Brits…) – I personally think that there are some behaviours that are completely unacceptable (and interrupting Adele is one of them). One of the reasons I set up my own business was to ensure that I don’t have to deal with people like this (as often…) and it means I can exercise a degree of control over who is part of my circle of colleagues, suppliers and clients. <br /> <br /> As I said at the outset, one of my aims is to treat others, as I would like to be treated myself and I do honestly believe that what goes around comes back around at some point in the future... Now, if we all bought into this philosophy, wouldn’t the world (and the cosmopolis that is London) be a truly lovely place… So, why not make a conscious effort to be nice to people and maybe we can turn some of those London frowns upside down. Even if you don’t manage to change the world, it really freaks people out when you smile inanely at them on the Tube… <br /> <br /> To try and cheer myself up after my bout of self induced grumpiness I thought I would continue to explore my own personal style – I found the pictures below, which I just love. So when I eventually get around to doing my own home, I may use some of the images below for inspiration… (that’s the interior design bit this week). <br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from lottaagaton.blogspot.com)</span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from Desire To Inspire)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyJxeygwP5QdDCaLZZnkDyPop1lb1EZrM99meu3YP1SUEWXfC3qv750hyt6-fWe_isS1fvKL2nopJ2vvStKwOEg-_kVpMBVPrNlMKx7PSjA2U3eZ56yfwuNxwquMeQ8E5yuKbSzigMgM/s1600/e-m-b-e-r.tumblr.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyJxeygwP5QdDCaLZZnkDyPop1lb1EZrM99meu3YP1SUEWXfC3qv750hyt6-fWe_isS1fvKL2nopJ2vvStKwOEg-_kVpMBVPrNlMKx7PSjA2U3eZ56yfwuNxwquMeQ8E5yuKbSzigMgM/s640/e-m-b-e-r.tumblr.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from e-m-b-e-r.tumblr)</span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /> To conclude, a final top tip from my husband on this subject – “If you are on the train (or Tube) and you make the decision to get up in front of all the other passengers and offer your seat to a pregnant woman, you need to be absolutely, positively, 100% sure that she is in fact pregnant”. Oops. <br /> <br /> Here endeth the lesson… <br /> <br /> *Foo Fighters, Best of You <br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682378112423239448.post-18779357824678754742012-02-17T10:50:00.000+00:002018-06-12T15:36:24.182+01:00Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"*<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />Okay, I know you shouldn’t wish my life away but I am so over the UK winter – yes, I am perfectly aware that it has been one of the driest and warmest on record, but it is dark by mid afternoon and we’ve had at least one day of widespread chaos caused by a few flakes of the wrong type of snow. I have also been ‘full of the cold’ over the past few weeks (unpleasant to see and hear) and now I just want spring to arrive. Just so you can start your countdown, there’s only 31 days to go until the official first day of spring (so we’ll either be under seventeen feet of snow or basking in balmy Mediterranean temperatures – your guess is as good as mine…) and I can’t wait to see the crocus and daffodils stating to come through again… (as they did make a brief appearance in December). So, to make me feel better for the next month or so, I have decided I am going to pretend that spring has sprung and inject some colour into my life… <br /> <br /> When thinking about colours for your interior you can draw inspiration from anywhere and everywhere – for instance, I love this image of spring flowers – an image that provides the basis for the colour scheme in the interior below… <br /> <br /> Remember, concept images can be used very effectively as a guide for combinations of colours that are guaranteed to work successfully together… and if you find these images on the WorldwideInterweb, they are colour schemes that you can get your hands on for absolutely zero earth pounds… <br /> <br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0fXbST5rTJkhjrTMDGctctohgNy5vmqiAa3zRHTNZYUUeIgfcleFlEDQO-GiBRRDEeYJHDE6ApEtlaev4uP2O6NvAWP0FxYeCMurNwd4-DLQQMfS6fzduohaRwZ-qtpetXjfwFyEiU0/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-02-16+at+19.51.07.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0fXbST5rTJkhjrTMDGctctohgNy5vmqiAa3zRHTNZYUUeIgfcleFlEDQO-GiBRRDEeYJHDE6ApEtlaev4uP2O6NvAWP0FxYeCMurNwd4-DLQQMfS6fzduohaRwZ-qtpetXjfwFyEiU0/s640/Screen+shot+2012-02-16+at+19.51.07.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Images from Style me pretty and Houzz)</span></span></td></tr>
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<br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So go on. give it a go –with London Fashion Week in full swing there are designer concept images everywhere – search for the images that you love, images that add an injection of spring colours to your life, and consider whether you could use a new colour pallet in your home… T-minus 31 days and counting… <br /> <br /> *Robin Williams <br /></span><br /><!--EndFragment-->Jane Price-Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06313440806769239946noreply@blogger.com0