Luxe your Life
SEVEN DESIGN TIPS TO ADD LUXURIOUSNESS TO YOUR HOME
I think it’s safe to say that many of us love luxurious things in our homes and condos, whether they’re large investments, or small. It could be a favourite piece of furniture, gorgeous lighting, or a beautifully-appointed and thoughtfully considered accessible ensuite.
Adding and mixing some bling, visual and/or tactile texture, organic materials, or otherwise, adds character, interest, will definitely elevate your space. Consider these seven suggestions:
LIGHTING
Every space needs lighting and depending on a room’s functionality, the mood we want to create and the age of our eyes, selecting the right light fixture will definitely make a space. Consider lighting as a fine jewellery piece - it can add the finishing touch to an outfit.
Other factors to consider when choosing a light fixture are:
-what is the functional requirement for the fixture: ambience, reading, task
-what room the fixture will be installed and what style will suit it best
-what is the optimal dimension, and,
-how the fixture will complement other lighting sources in adjacent spaces.
So, the perfect fixture will be the luxurious result that meets these numerous criteria.
An additional reco is to always add dimmer switches on every lighting source.
This allows you to set the right mood for that space, or the right tolerance for your eyes at any given moment and it saves on energy costs, too.
2. LUXE-ACCESSIBLE DESIGN
A well-designed space makes for an inviting welcome. Even moreso I’d say for designing to accommodate people with disabilities in public spaces steps shows that a business cares. Incorporating accessible interior design principles helps to create a welcoming environment for a client's visitors, customers, and staff. And that can go a long way.
In residential interior design, this photo shows an accessible / barrier-free bathroom that enables my client, who has multiple sclerosis (MS) and relies on using a walker, to easily use it independently. A full renovation of the condo and her ensuite was made to include universal design principles, specifically accessible design features.
As of 2023, almost one in five Canadians, almost 20% of the population, were 65 years of age or older. Many homeowners in this group are making the choice to renovate their homes to give them the freedom of living at home as long as possible.
Accessible design supports the idea of “living in place” (used be known as “aging in place”), and it’s not difficult as it might seem to incorporate.
Some accessible design / barrier-free design examples:
-We designed an ensuite that has a custom-designed vanity with no cabinetry below the sink - to make it easy for our client to roll up to the sink with their walker and eventually a wheelchair, to have leg space underneath for ergonomic comfort and ease of use.
-Choosing cabinet handles that are deep enough, or easy to grab, either using all fingers, or even just by one finger
-Designing sufficient drawers below the counter to store regular everyday items to easily access from a walker and a wheelchair, rather than having wall-mounted storage cabinets.
-Our clients wanted to have a barrier-free flooring which meant having no bumps, or transition pieces between rooms. This meant removing all of the existing flooring and laying down new engineered hardwood and tile throughout. These two materials would be flush where they meet between hallways and bathrooms.
-Installing new flooring allowed the ensuite to have a new roll-in shower without
any 4” high shower curb; also, necessitating a gradual slope to the shower drain.
We design for our clients' individual needs by understanding their functional requirements above all.
3. ORGANIC MATERIALS - It’s been on trend to incorporate natural materials and organic forms into our homes and businesses to counterbalance angles, contemporary furnishings and to bring us back to earth, literally.
Consider nature’s beauty in the form of real wood furniture: walnut is ideal because of its enduring and timeless style, textured woods for accent walls, cocktail and side tables, and organic forms like arches now seen everywhere, from arch details in kitchens, to arched doors on credenzas in hallway details.
Arch detail trending in Interior Design
Think of the numerous ways to utilize one or more of these in your home or business. We can’t forget about wool - nature’s “string” is incredibly strong and sustainable, especially as an area rug. Wool rugs can last 100 years. Each fibre is resilient, stain and moisture resistant and will look the same in 20 years with appropriate maintenance.
4. BIGGER IS DEFINITELY BETTER - with area rugs. Often times, I see rugs that are too small for a space and ironically, it makes the room look smaller. Ideally, in an average-sized living room, for example, 14’ x 18’, the minimum size for an area rug would be
8’ x 10’ and a 9’ x 12’ could possibly be considered. This ensures that the main pieces of furniture, at least the two front legs, will rest on the rug. Additionally, the size will make the room appear to be larger, always a bonus!
Wool rug', hand-woven, 10’ x 12’
5. VINTAGE & ANTIQUE FURNITURE - incorporating one or two pieces of historical furniture adds personality and warmth to a space. It tends to draw one’s eye in to the piece to explore its patina, its form, colour and functionality, sometimes as well.
I remember being amazed at an antique wooden secretary’s desk at a client’s house.
It was about 6-7’ tall, 30”wide and it had many secret compartments and drawers.
It was fascinating, adding tons of personality and was super functional, too.
Eclectic design, some call it, can be more challenging to do successfully, without a room feeling cluttered or truly mismatched. But with a discerning eye and perhaps with the help of a professional interior decorator, bringing in either vintage and/or antique furniture and other items can create an inviting, impactful space.
image by Decorilla
6. “THE ART OF LINGERING” - LUXE BATHROOMS - Who doesn’t love the idea of having their own spa at home? Either having a full renovation of an ensuite, or updating parts of a bathroom to be like a personal spa with luxe amenities and finishes, can make a world of difference to “The Art of Lingering”.
Replacing a bathroom’s fixtures can add definite luxuriousness. Whether you rent, or own, upgrading taps, installing wallpaper, upgraded shower heads, special light fixtures and upgraded door hardware will up your bathroom game - a lot, taking a ho-hum utilitarian space to a sleek, chic and a feeling of “I’ll be only five minutes more, I promise…(wink).
Before photo: Corine Maggio; After photo: Thomas Kuoh
7. YOUR PERSONAL TOUCH - Customize your home with one or more items that might be whimsical, dramatic, impactful, fun, or anything else that makes your heart sing!
Not everything always needs to match, or complement other items in a room. What’s that saying, “expect the unexpected!”.
Message Us for any questions, or design assistance you might need.
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