How does your garden grow?

Gardens have always beckoned me since I was a girl.  I love the colours, lushness, meandering paths and hidden surprises.  I like looking beyond  or through a  garden to the haphazard backdrops and surprising framings worthy of a painting.  Everyone who views a garden sees it in a slightly different way, just as everyone who reads a poem takes  a slightly different message from it.

Whenever I find a garden  that appeals to me, I always ask permission to photograph it.  Sometimes I keep the photos in my art file, and other times I  share them.  This  well textured garden in King's Cove, Bonavista Bay, NL, lovingly tended by Veronica and Kevin Mahoney was meant to be shared.

 Come along and visit Veronica and Kevin's garden through my eyes.

 Gardens need surprises at every turn. And depending on the vantage points the same spot should have a variety of looks and feels.

 I am definitely attracted to the partially hidden aspects of a garden that you catch by looking through structural elements.  In this case a sparse grove of aspen trees provides interesting framing for the bed beyond.  You can catch a glimpse of a cozy seating area.

 Moving to the left a little brings you to one of my favourite aspects of this garden. A bench nestled in the bank of tree trunks provides a shady spot to sit and look at the plantings beyond.

 A second seating area is hidden beyond a bed of shrubs and perennials.  The lamppost provides a strong vertical focus where almost everything else is the same height. Variety in heights is important for an interesting space.   While the garden has a well tended look it also  meanders  from the cultivated edges to wilder land behind it. This transition really works and makes the garden appear much larger than it actually is. 

 

 And here's the seating area you can just barely glimpse in the photo above.  I like the fact that the colour of this seating doesn't fight with the red bench beyond it.

 

Moving behind another bed and looking the opposite way reveals two more interesting features: a bird bath and an anchor.  At least our  truck blends into this shot.  I didn't have the heart to ask hubby to move it a second time. He's sitting in his favourite spot waiting patiently for me to finish shooting.

 

And how is this for a vantage point?  Even the church on the next property is a part of the garden!

 

Looking toward the house from the bench. Yes,  I love  that bench!

 

 An interesting plant hanger built by Kevin.  There's a second one by the step.

Because the house is on a high hill you have a great veiw of King's Cove harbour and several of the houses surrounding it.

I am such a sucker for looking up when I take shots.  This is a big reward.

 

 When you look up you are greeted by a stunningly refurbished house. The two patios provide interesting views of the garden.

Another bed of perennials creeps up the hill toward the back of the house to a third sitting area just outside the back door. Aren't the variety of stone walls interesting? Here's a closer look.....

 Following a stone path beyond will bring you to the fourth seating area at the top of a hill behind the house.  This provides a totally different feel and view of the whole area.

 

 You can look right out the bay as far as the eye can see.  The houses beside the property actually become part of the composition of the garden.  How great is it to have a yellow  building with  red trim next to your property!  It is such a strong focal point and  it adds additional colour when the blooms disappear. .

While heading down the path again, I was treated to a close up view of  numerous butterflies sailing around a false spirea. 

 

Thank you Veronica and Kevin for allowing us to visit your garden.  

5 garden planning tips  from this garden visit:

1. Consider  what lies beyond your garden and use it to advantage.  It might not be yours, but it can be part of your composition. 
2. Use meandering paths to connect different parts of your space, and use the same treatment for all of them: crushed stone, brick, slate etc. This continuity adds cohesiveness to the composition.
3. Always keep parts of your garden hidden from view and lead the visitor to them by using meandering paths and plantings. 
4. Have several seating areas to provide choice during different parts to the day or  to provide different viewing vantage points. 
5. Have a strong mix of flowering shrubs and perennials if you want to be a carefree gardener. 

Lighting your dining table

The right lighting can make a room sing, but often our rooms are  off key. When you have a house of a certain age (30 years for me) there comes a time when you know you have  to update your look. When I started to change the lighting in my home, I began with the two over my tables because they would have the most impact.

Kitchen table 

When you're buying lighting to hang over a table you should consider these  factors:

 Height of ceiling

A taller ceiling  often requires  larger fixtures; many new home builds in my area now have 9 foot ceilings.

Size and shape of table

Your fixture should complement not overpower your table.  You can also have lighting fixtures that are too small for a table.  I am particular about  what shape fixture I mount over a round table; I like to repeat the shape with a circular format, but that's just me.

Height of homeowners

It is a fact that tall homeowners have a greater chance of continually bumping into lights hung too low over a table when they are setting or removing dishes.  Some people are so tall your would never mount pendants high enough!

Height above table

The specifics of how high to hang your fixture can be confusing because you will find a range of suggestions depending on which sites you consult.  Don't let that deter you.  My adage is "Common sense prevails".

 I tend to think in terms of a range while taking other factors into account including: personal preference, the height of the homeowners, fixture size, style of fixture, ceiling height, task to be illuminated etc.  Read on for examples.

Light Planning and Styling Guide 

The general recommendations for  hanging a fixture over a table is 28 - 32 inches above the table if you have an eight foot ceiling.  This graphic from wegotlites recommends 30 inches from the table for an 8 foot ceiling.   I placed my kitchen table pendant  at 32 inches from the table top so I wouldn't continually bump it when working. It works most times, but when I reach in too far I still bump it.

Art by Mike Gough 

My dining room pendant is 34 inches from the table.   Being able to view my art collection to best advantage in very important to me, so  I moved the  dining room pendant up an additional two inches from the hanging height in the kitchen  so visitors can  view the art over the buffet without disruption while sitting in the living room.  You may not find this consideration in any lighting guide!

Another set of guidelines recommend measuring  from the floor  to the bottom of the shade and suggest 60 - 66 inches as reasonable.  Most tables are 30 inches high.  That would put the height from the floor  to my kitchen  shade at 62 inches, and my dining shade at 64 inches, both are within this guideline.

If you have ceilings higher than eight feet, go up 3 inches for each additional foot above eight feet.

 Size of fixture

 For most applications the diameter of your light fixture should be at least 1/2 the width of your table or even up to 2/3 the width of your table.   My kitchen fixture is exactly one half the width of the table at 18 inches in diameter.  That's the proportion I like.  I could have gone with a diameter of up to 24 in. without it looking too large.  My dining fixture is only 16 inches  in diameter, but looks larger.

Sizing based on room dimensions

Light Planning and Styling Guide 

There is another guideline for determining the size of your fixture. Add the length and width of your room together ( eg., 11 feet +14 feet ) and convert the sum to inches (25in.) and that should be the diameter of your  fixture.

 Of course that is not a hard and fast rule, but it will provide a light fixture that is a focal point for the room.  This formula works better for a statement fixture  in an entrance or stairway.  You can see how it could get out of control in a dining room.  Eg. 15 feet + 20 feet would give a fixture diameter  of 35 in.  That's the width of most dining tables. 

Function of fixtures

The illumination given off by drum shades  is soft and calming,  but  bright enough to provide lighting for an entire room.  When a large drum pendant is hung over a table it not only anchors the vignette, but if placed on a dimmer the fixture can provide brighter light for any tasks done at the table and softer light while dining. While I don't have anything against chandeliers, I don't have any in my own home.I'm definitely into clean lines and a very sparse contemporary feel.

I am planning another post about lighting selection for various rooms as I get ready to replace the fixtures in my summer house.   Stay tuned.  

What variables do you consider when hanging a light over a dining table?

Are you a design rebel?

What's your first instinct if someone tells says you shouldn't do something?

Do you automatically want to do it?  I do! 

 Most people would agree that there are rules/guidelines in interior design. They impact decisions about all sorts of things,  e.g.,  hanging lights, choosing the right scale furniture, selecting colour schemes, etc.   I guess following them is a little like following a recipe - you get a predictable result. Someone else has done all the thinking for you which makes it easy but, you also get a very generic looking space where everything looks controlled.

 I always think about those generic spaces  as the "Pinterest look" . You know  the rooms, all  beautifully organized, cutely accessorized with whatever is trendy at the time, and perfectly matched.   Does that make them wrong?  Definitely not.  I firmly believe we should all live in spaces that make us happy and comfortable.   What I am saying is that there are options in design that produce interesting, one of a kind spaces that are  usually achieved by playing around with design elements and principles. They are not for everyone.

 Take the room below.....

 

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  Have a close look at this space  and decide what you like or don't like about it.  Check out my thoughts  at the end of this post. There are no right or wrong answers.

 How closely you adhere to rules is dependent on what results you want to achieve, how well you understand the elements/ principles  of design,  and how creative you are at applying them.  You can do anything in decorating, you just need to act bravely, and figure out how to pull it off.  But, before you can break the rules you have to know them.

Can you spot which  rules/guidelines were  thrown to the four winds in these rooms? 

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Here are the results: 

 

1. Stick to one style 

 These spaces show that when you mix traditional and modern the juxtaposition draws attention to both.  If only one style was used the various elements would be lost in their sameness. I particularly like the richness of wood and lots of curves with modern furnishings.  Of course art of any style works in any space.  

2. Use consistent finishes (don't mix metals)

This is definitely a good place to start your little rebellion.  You certainly can mix metals. Just make sure you have some of each one in the space.  Think about a piece of jewellery that uses white gold, pink gold and yellow gold. It works. Check out this post on the topic.

 

3. Pay attention to scale when selecting furniture/objects
I have to admit this is the one I have the most difficult time ignoring because  I am so attuned to scale considerations in drawing and painting.  I think I also have a  thing about objects too large bearing down on me. They make me uncomfortable. Large scale objects make riveting focal points. You can also have objects that are too small in scale, and end up looking insignificant and/or cluttered. Scale is usually the issue when a client tells me there is something wrong with a space, but he/she can't name it.

 

 
4. Every room needs an accent colour
Definitely not! Monochromatic rooms are so relaxing and depend on value changes and texture to wow.  If you want a quiet room, forget the pops of colour.

  

5. Keep wood tones consistent
When you slavishly adhere to this dictate you end up with a very boring space.  Check out this post for ways to mix wood tones effectively.



6. Choose light colours for small spaces
That would be your first instinct, but the two rooms in #6 shows that breaking this rule produces distinctive and very different spaces.  Sorry, but I couldn't live in either of them.  I am a neutral colour gal in my own home. This post provides various options for painting small spaces.

How did you do?

And now back to the reflection pic....

 

There's no doubt this space breaks a lot of rules, but it sure is memorable, and no one could call it boring. 

•  styles are mixed freely, moving from traditional to modern;
•  the colour scheme is monochromatic, no accent colours here;
• scale is manipulated big time in the high back chairs, plant, circular light fixture as well as in the smaller lamp shades in adjoining room;
• wood tones are liberally mixed.

And here's another take on some of the points above and few new ones. Modani modern furniture specializes in modern furniture and accessories.  Check them out online or at their newly opened modern furniture store in Toronto. Remember you can combine modern elements with any decor.

 

How do you feel about breaking design rules? 

Accessories: Making it all work

 Decorators get all kinds of requests for services from furniture layout to full home designs. I like the variety of smaller jobs with  the ones that go on forever.  Two of my favourite tasks are rehanging art to best advantage and providing the last layer of accessories in a home. Sometimes I get to do both in the same house!

Over the next several posts I want to provide a glimpse into the thought processes I use when accessorizing a client's space.   Think about it as adding the icing to an already great cake. If you do it for your own home or as a professional service, the task is really the same. You have to juggle design principles with individual taste (both decorator& clients) and existing elements in the home.

 Sometimes homeowners have  objects  to incorporate in the design and other times you may  start with a clean slate.   As a decorator, I find  a  clean slate  more difficult  because I want to choose accessories that are "sensible" for the homeowner.  By that I mean  I want to select objects that relate to  family composition, budget, existing objects  and  interests.   Here's a little of how it goes.....

Use what is important to you

Re-use objects from other rooms

Mix shapes and scale

 This is a perfect example of  how existing objects  can  form the backbone of a great vignette.  The crystal vase was a wedding gift and  the lamp was in another room, but the scale was too small for that space. The homeowners had the mirror from their previous home.  When I saw the silver cut edged design in the frame that  mimicked the cuts in the crystal, I knew it would work.  I have to admit I am a firm believer in giving  new life to "previously loved" things.

There is  variety  in the  shapes in this vignette.  The major objects (table and mirror) are rectangles,  the bottle, vase and lamp are cylinders, the ceramic bowl a softened square.   Spheres are introduced in the top of the bottle and the floral shapes.  The leaves serve to soften all the shapes with their lovely droop.

 Have a mix of warm and cool tones

The homeowner wanted something to put keys in so the soft white ceramic bowl with a  coppery/bronze interior was chosen.  If everything is silver why add  warm tones ?  I like to mix metals for interest.  The jar behind  the bowl is mercury glass and it has a bronzy metal top- both work with the warm tones in the orchids.   So three cool tones and three warm tones.   I always mix warm and cool. 

Choose an accent colour from other objects or art

Move the accent colour around the vignette and the  larger space 

 Pay attention to the geometry in a space

Move  colours around the vignette.  This is a must for success.  When you have a mirror and a small space you can depend on what is on the opposite wall to add to your vignette.   You can see glimpses of  the opposite side of the porch  in the mirror. 

Choosing an accent colour
All the walls on the main floor are a cool blue gray.  You already know I like to mix warms and cools in any scheme, so I wanted a warm colour to offset the cools.   The first thing I chose for this room was the art. The pillow was second. The art was chosen based on what I observed hung in the home on my first visit. Two of the pieces had orange as a primary colour and both had elements of  landscape in them.  This is a more interpretative landscape which is also usually  a safe purchase.  The lines of design in the painting  bring the viewer in an up thus adding depth and height to this small space. it works well with the scale of the bench and the the nine foot ceiling.

I couldn't pass up the repetition of the back shape of the bench in the pillow.  It serves to break up the dark in this small space and moves your eye around.  I also love how the diamonds duplicate the linear quality of the trees but in a more complicated way.

 Choose items that can work in several formations

 If you choose your objects wisely you can move them around and add seasonal items to the decor when needed. And most importantly of all do not get over stressed when things mysteriously get bumped or shoved off centre as the table in the above shot!  People live there.   

And that is why homeowners call a decorator!

Those Canadian Bloggers

The finalists in each category for the Made in Blog (MiB)  Best Canadian Blog awards  as determined by reader voting have been announced.  

This is the first year I participated in the  awards process ( Home Design category).   Thanks to everyone who voted  for this blog because you helped Designing Home make it to the top ten.  A panel of judges will now decide the winners in each category.  Stay tuned for that big announcement. 

One of the advantages of my participation was an introduction to other Canadian blogs that I didn't know. Perhaps there's a blog or two in the list that you might like  to check out or follow.   Click  here see the  top ten  list for home design.

 You might also like to check in on  A Pop of Pretty, another St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador  blog that's also in the top ten for home design.

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Kerri  of A Pop of Pretty is currently participating in a Canadian Blogger Christmas Home Tour.  There are loads of close up photos of all her decorating efforts for this year's French Inspired Christmas Theme.  As she says in her blog description she loves all things pretty and there's no doubt that comes through in her space.

 If you'd like to see what other Canadian home owners are doing to get their homes ready for the festive season you can begin with Kerri and then link up to other open houses in blogland right across the country.  The link list is at the bottom of her post. 

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As I followed the links myself,  I found another local blog Adventures of the Uncommon Common Law  from St. John's.  I thoroughly enjoyed  seeing Becki's take on a modern Scandinavian  inspired Christmas. And why wouldn't I?  Her space has lots of neutrals, textures, clean lines, and white- a graphic delight.

 After visiting the homes of all these young energetic bloggers here's me- the grandmother blogger-   ill prepared right now for the festive season.

 I have no home tour to offer, but  I will have a Christmas post or two when I get the hang of my fancy new camera.   My decorating efforts,  as you may know from past posts at Christmas, are  a bit understated and usually consist of recycling and rearranging what I currently have.  I've begun to pull things out, and I'm happy to report my husband made me a lovely trough box (from recycled wood, yet to be painted) for an arrangement.

 I'm feeling nostalgic this year and thought my granddaughters would enjoy seeing my collection of wooden Santas I've painted over the years. Until more exciting things happen here,  I'll leave you to enjoy the links above. Have fun.

Am I the only one who needs to get moving on Christmas?

Trend predictions with staying power

In late 2020 I wrote a post about  2019 trends that I thought would have great staying power.  Several days ago I reread that post, and if I do say so myself I definitely hit the bullseye with my predictions.
These are still going strong:

• simple geometric patterning 
• nature inspired motifs (birds, feathers, florals, plants, etc. )
• lighter woods in furniture and  floors
• gold toned finishes 
• open walls in kitchens 
• backsplashes to the ceiling
• mixed colours in kitchen cabinets
• reclaimed/eco-friendly materials 

In addition it seems that there are variations of these trends that will also have great staying power.  
Consider:

More geometric patterning 

Not only will you see geometric patterning used on textiles and rugs, it has moved to furniture  and lighting as frameworks, overlays and inlays. 

Sculptural light fixtures

Yes,  still going strong and branching out a little from the  large scale, voluminous fixtures seen in 2018 to a whole new skeleton/wire look that will be big for 2020. This look is also strongly influenced by geometry.

The wire/ skeleton look also extends to furniture especially tables.  

Global inclusiveness  

No longer is travel the instigator of interest in the products of other cultures. As the world becomes a smaller place because  of technology, homeowners are exposed to a range of products and looks from different countries.  Access to these is as easy as a keystroke.  Rather than a themed look, think about integrating special pieces  with  what you already have.  

Any of these pieces could be easily added to any decor unless you are averse to yellow!

Patterned tiles

The geometric trend is popular in  wall and floor tiles as well as textiles. The new looks range from herringbone designs  to elegant parquets in one or two hues. 

 Even rugs have taken on a tiled look. 

Mixing up warm metals 

Yes we know that silver finishes are being overtaken by the golden tones of mellowed brass, but the orange glow of copper isn't far behind.    Mixing metals is a trend that will be a safe bet for years to come.  Just think how long the silver tones have been popular, that will be the staying power of mixing things up for variety.  

Marble is hot 

One noticeable trend for this year is the the use of marble in everything from backsplashes and furniture  to lamp bases and accessories.   It isn't only  white marbles either, think black, blue, golden and champagne. 

Mixing materials 

In furniture and accessories designers are playing with interesting combinations of materials.  Raw woods and lacquer, glass and concrete, metal and marble, wood and fur, resins and metal, glass and filagree metal, the list is long and the look is interesting. 

Statement art /walls 

Go big and bold in artwork, splurge on a hand painted mural or a whimsical wallpaper.  Think about a wall of texture.   Large and textured is definitely in. 

Focus on hand made and recycled

Anything that shows the hand of a creator is a sure bet for home decor.  It reads as unique, honours natural materials, and supports artists.  Such products are usually sought out, well considered and support local economy.  All good and very trendy right now-  if such sensible choices can be  trendy.
 Think about woven objects, hanging sculptural forms, pottery and ceramics, fibre art.

 If you are handy yourself consider the upcycling of objects.  There are enough  ideas on Pinterest to keep you going indefinitely. 

And there you have it, what's trending for 2015 that will be a safe bet to invest in for the coming years.  What are your thoughts on buying into trends?