Lights, yellow, furniture

Was doing some browsing through online today. And I was attracted by this photo. I love the usage of colours, composition, design, furniture and art. It's so cozy and welcoming. Feels like, you want to wake up every morning and have delicious fluffy pancakes with maple syrup and strawberry. 

This kinda interior really helps to boost up one's mood. Doesn't this image just give you a pleasant feeling. Well, I do. Got this beautiful image from House Beautiful website. I've been following this website for quite sometime as it's a very good home interior ideas-to-get. It's not as if, I have a home like them photos, but it does helps keep me updated with the ID world as I've been ID-less for a long time. *sigh*

If you read the article, they introduce the designers and also brand of the product used in this image. And I did a lil' sneak peek. The colours painted on the walls are from Benjamin Moore. You can only get them in the States. But there's nothing wrong to know, right. :) The colour code for the beautiful yellow is called, Inner Glow 348 Paint. 

" Surround yourself with your color favorites. These timeless, elegant, Classic Colors guarantee beautiful, usable color all the time, every time."

I sure did. Gorgeous yellow. Not to bright, not to neon, just classic.  But you've got to understand, colouring a wall is not the only solution to "I want to make some changes" changes. I notice some faults people make, that they expect a painted wall will make a whole load of differences. Depending. If you have been living in a house that has been a white painted walls and having neon bright furniture, or carpet or any decoration, you can't just pick a colour that "YOU" like. You have to see the harmony of the space and interior. Let your room speak for the perfect wall colour.

Furniture makes a difference too. Now, the kitchen really have a harmonized interior. The usage of everything goes really well. How they compliment each other. Yes. They do. And I'm sure you agree too. The simple yet stylish yellow (or written in the website as "citron") table brings the heart of the space. Like a focal point. So, again I did a lil' sneak peak of the recommended link for the table. It was from HB Home. It's a Retail + Design studio company. I've always wanted to (one fine day) have a company like this. A design + retail + a bakery. Crazy. Again, the company brings in a....

"...furniture collection represents a classic point of view with a modern twist."

Here's some of their beautiful pieces.

Again. Gorgeous!! I get so jealous. I wish I was in the working industry again. * Don't worry, you will. My conscious self speaking to me-self. I will. I know I will. Once we are done and ready to settle home, we will open our bakery + interior. Insy'Allah.

Next, the website introduce us to a name.

"Designer Lindsey Coral Harper turned wire side tables from ABC Carpet & Home into stools..."

And there I go again, snooping around. LCH Interiors an interior designer from Georgia, USA. Studied ID and pursue her careers in NY. Then she moved to London and did her internship with Ralph Lauren and also worked her ways up to work with a decorating firm called Richard Keith Langham, Inc in Manhattan. How I wish I had that kinda experience. 

But working in Malaysia, it is yet to be developed. Maybe the ID industry hasn't bloom that much as in the USA or Europe. But, I am so inspired by them. Even my first favorite designer was DebbieTravis. I first got hooked up to be an interior because of her show, Debbie Travis' Painted House. And I think that was back in 1995...? *Sigh. Good ol' memories.

Back to LCH. She turned the wire side tables into a stool. DIY! How cool is that! Buy a side table and add puffy cushions on it. Voila! ABC Carpet & Home is a all-in-one furniture/jewelry/bed&bath/children & etc store. 

And last but not least. The pendant light. When I went to their website, I was so fascinated by all their designs. It's just beautiful! Robert Abbey Inc. has been a designing and making fine lightnings for homes and offices since 1946. They have about 4-5 designers in their design team. And I've got to salute them!

I've got no more words to say, but check out their awesome, beautiful & excellent design (classic & timeless) lighting. Oh, by the way. The kitchen interior uses R.A's Potter Pendant light.

There you go. In just 1 image, there are many things to explore. And for me, it's a good exploration. I get to know more and expand my knowledge. Hoping that this will help me not stop what I love to do. Interior designing. I hope you guys feel the same way too. Enjoy. 

Wax Paper

This great tip which I found from Apartment Therapy's website :



Rub WAX PAPER on a metal bar to make metal hangers glide smoothly and with less squeaks. The same concept works with a shower curtain with metal rings and rod.



I think we can use the wax paper on anything which uses metal that needs a glide or slide on something...



Enjoy. I sure did on my shower curtain and now it slides like a Slytherin from HP. :)

A good design is R&D

I bought myself an interior design magazine yesterday. And I am so impressed by the designs I see. Jealous. Envious. Full of hatred. :P Nah, I'm just get emotional cause I'm not working anymore as a designer now. But, anyways. Making my story short. I realized something. You can have such a lovely, beautiful, and expensive design. But functionality? Where does that leaves you too? A good design is an interior where everything is there for you without the need to add in anything in the next 10 years or even worst the next day.

Before you want to do anything, what you need is what the interior really needs. Real needs. Like a good R&D. So, I've got my R&D cap on and asked myself like I'm the customer, which I am. A customer to myself. A guinea pig more like it. hehehehe. I asked what do I want in a space, that won't need any changes in the next 5-10 years.... *imagine thoughts in a white clouds popping out from my head*

Let just say you are living in a 600-700 sqf apartment. I'm just going to list down the areas and explained in each area what is the most essential needs that I think designer/a person who wants to design his/her place, did not take into consideration.

1. Entrance/ Hallway :

• Mirror/Artwork/Console Table
  

If you happen to have a wall facing your front door, it will be great if you could have a mirror/picture frame hanged on it. Not a big mirror, but a beautiful, decorated piece, would be lovely. Have a console table below it. Reason being, that console table could act as a place for you to throw your house keys, phone, handbags, car keys and anything which is the first thing that we human usually want to do once enter a house.

If you don't have a wall facing the front entrance door, I'm sure next to the door there is a wall. Have it at the side of the door. Ain't it easy just to have a table for you to dump your things once enter. Reach out your left or right hand and dump. Hehehehe. The mirror on the other hand, act as a last minute vain-port check up. Or maybe you come home and see how ugly and messed up you are once you come home, you wouldn't want your husband to see you unattractive. Yes?

• Chest of Drawers/ Cabinet/ Stylish Shoe Cabinet

Buy a slim cabinet like with drawers or doors. It also helps to hide smelly shoes from guest seeing it. I have a shoe rack at home now. Which, every time I come home, I wish I can get it covered. It's like exposing your feet, naked and smelly too. Yish. Look at the photos I posted and get an idea on what the heck I'm talking about. Oh, don't forget to throw a stool or a plush pillow for a comfort sitting while wearing those nice looking pumps.

Either you like them traditional, modern or industrial, it's your choice. Be creative. A chest of drawers doesn't mean it has to be used only in the bedroom, right...?

2. Kitchen

Please remind yourself, before you want to design a kitchen, include all necessary appliances which you need. NEED. Invest on it. For it will make you, your husband and family's tummy very happy. Well, mostly them of course, as you will curse your head out because of all the mess that was made plus the cleaning. I hate the cleaning. What a good kitchen need is :-

• A refrigerator
• An oven
• A microwave (If you can have a micro-oven will be ideal - save space or stack them like the photo below.)

• An cooker hood
• A cooker (If you intend to buy a cook with built in oven will be ideal too.)
• A washing machine.

Now a washing machine sounds pretty weird to be put in a kitchen, but I think it's the ideal place to have them because, well, there is NO OTHER place to put them if your bathroom is small, you got no spare room for laundry room and, well - basically no place to have them. Plus it's easier (beside in the bathroom) to locate the water piping for the washer. Not much of hacking/demolishing or ripping off your pocket money. I wonder why some designer leave out a space for and oven. Sad. I wish I had one. I wouldn't even mind not having a washer just so I can put an oven in.

• Cabinets/shelves for dinnerware/ food storage/ container.

This is one of the things that everyone is facing. Space for your plates, pots, cups and etc. For those who stays in a very tight space, and is about to move in, need to list down what utensils, cookware, and others that relates to kitchen properly. List down from saucepan, wok, cook pot, grill pans and so on. Then, when it comes to buying plates, ask yourself, are you the kind of person who entertains everyday that needs more than 4 plates, cups, glasses, fork and spoon type? Limit yourself. I cook most of the time. But I manages to have my grilling pan, wok, 2 saute pan, dinnerware, bowls and etc in 1 drawer, as our other 2 drawers are for our other housemates. See. It helps if you know what kinda cooking you plan to do.

Next, clean up what's inside the cabinet. Label them & stack them if you have spices, ingredients, flour, etc in an air tight container. Arranging them helps to give more space for new stocks to arrive. If you have just bought your box of cereal and intend to have them for every breakfast, then throw away the box and keep your cereal in a container where you can neatly keep them in the storage compartment.

• Movable table/trolleys

This is a cool idea. I wish I can take away our washer and have that empty space for my movable trolley and use it when I need extra table. Check out IKEA's kitchen trolley. Brilliant.

Design by a European brand called Gunni.

Brand by Head Cook Eur195

• Have a bar rail anywhere you can think off. It helps! Have them hang loose.. If ya know what I mean.. Heh heh heh... (_ _!)
  

If you can't go down, go up. That's what I always say. When you don't have enough space horizontally, think vertically.

• Dish Drainer - A place to dry up you dinnerware/utensils/pans and pots. (Since no more money or space to buy a dryer.)

Make sure there is ALWAYS a space for drying. Unless, you are a clean freak like me, who dries every one of my plates/pots and etc. right after I used them. But, sometimes, I do get tired of it, so I leave them on the dish drainer. Everyone who can't afford a dryer, should have a hip, cool and stylish drainer. Unlike mine, my Suami bought from IKEA (the cheapest of them all) and took half of the space. Plus, we need to share them with 2 other housemates. There are some cool ones from IKEA, but you just need to see the situation on how to place them. It's a "MUST-HAVE" kitchen item. Hellooooo...!

Some of the selection which I like very much. And within the budget. :P

Brilliant idea for recycle water, but where can I put my wok?

Creative design called Dish Drainer by Geo. But this maybe fit in a boutique hotel.

black + blum's High&Dry dish drainer.

What I usually do, since it's pretty annoying to see the dripping water from washing it drops on the counter top, I lay a cloths beneath it. I use only a 'Good Morning" towel. Been laying it underneath the drainer for 5months, and there isn't much stained or mark on it. Plus the summer is quickly drying it off for me before I even get to be pissed off. Some have a tray at the bottom, but it doesn't seem to solve the problem. Problem is, water drops and water stays. So, having a tray, not only catches the water droplets, but it also accumulates it and end ups having a pool fiesta going on. And to wait for it to dry up..? I rather use a cloth.

But I always come to a problem when it has to do with the large sauce pan or pots. Where to dry them. *Sigh*

My god, just the topic of kitchen can go up to a whole damn page. I'm going to stop right now. Tomorrow I will try to continue with the basic essential needs for a good home living. Good night, readers.

Next, I will talk about Movable Kitchen. Yes, movable kitchen.

Have a good weekend.

Signing off,
The Mrs.

Crazy Ideas for Kitchens!

Why haven't I thought of this. Reused low cabinets example: TV cabinets, bedside cabinets, etc; and mount them on the walls and used it as a kitchen cabinets instead! It's super functional, cheap and super cool idea. If you think the colour of the cabinets are dull, re-paint them with your own choice. It's pretty much DIY, but when money is concern, who wouldn't want to be creative. I sure would!

I got my inspiration from a link I stumbled upon. She uses IKEA's bathroom mirrored cabinet (or I usually call the Medicine Cabinet) and mounted it on one part of the wall in the kitchen she designed. It's mirrored, so it gives the illusion of space. Smart eh? And you can usually DIY things from IKEA. All because you have to assemble your own things. Unless you pay the person who is in-charged of assembling it. But then again, you pay more. Right? So, why pay more. Make it a "weekend project" with your love ones or friends, or whoever.

I tell ya, once I get my hands on my own cheap, run-down apartment, I will use my (I hope its magical) magic hands, and spur me house like it cost a bomb, baybeh! heh heh heh.

Back to reused & being all creative. You see, IKEA cabinets always have its legs separated. Correct? Therefore, don't use them. Save them and used it on other things. Take those legs off and mount it on the wall. Now, mounting it, is another chapter for me to research. I'm sure there's many ways to stick them on the walls. Make your kitchen more funkier by adding tiles, which you can buy them easily at any tiles shops. You don't need them a lot, but measure the area you want them to be, and calculate the quantities/pieces needed. Not only that, buy those funky mirrors and lay them behind the cabinet wall to give it a little more depth and of course style.

I think its a great idea to make your own DIY kitchen. More like attaching them piece per pieces. Draw them (you not need to sketch it perfectly like a designer, just a rough idea) out on a sheet of paper, look at the product at the store which you think suits the design. Colour it, if needed to and figure out a way to attached them.

Here I've posted some photos of ideas you can cheat/copy to make your kitchen looks like it cost you a bomb! heheheheh.

Idea 1:
Idea 2: To be updated. (Now to tired and sleepy)

Love this!!

Ever since my baby sister bought this DIY calender from Kikki.K, I feel in love with it. And since we Suami & I went to Aussie last week, my sister brought us to see the shop. And BAM! It's tha' bomb place. I bought myself a DIY Perpetual Desk Calendar. The best thing is, its date/month/year is not written. Therefore we get to write/stick to our own likings. Well, basically according to what year I am in. Duh. Heh heh heh..

Its an interesting, creative and very much a wonderful gift shop. And also a 'I-Am-A-Freak-Organizer' place. Love it, love it, love it!! Hooojyeah! Check out their link attached below. Sadly, they only have their stores in Aussie & Singapore. Oh, come to Hong Kong please...!

Kikki.K Stationery & Gifts.

Enjoy your browsing. You will definitely love it. I sure do. :)