THE ULTIMATE BACHELOR PAD...bedroom

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You bring your date home, head up to your bedroom in a steamy affair and as soon as the lights go on the needle screeches of the record... not what she expected. The mood is lost as you shove all your clothes off your bed and onto the piles of muck on your floor. She makes an excuse to leave, trips over your laptop cables and concludes your night of 'passion'. Not what you expected right? If you have been in a similar situation as a bachelor I urge you to read on for your own good.

Heaps of clothing strewn about the floor, pizza boxes from last weekend and electrical cables do not qualify for sexy bedroom decor. It's a complete turn-off for a woman to find your bedroom looking like it has been hit by a tornado. Boys, it's time to put order to chaos, to bring sophistication and character to your room and in the words of Justin Timberlake, it's time to 'bring sexy back'.

First things first, you need a comfortable and attractive bed. Have a matching set of clean sheets, duvet and pillows. Four pillows are better than one. Trust me, the extra three pillows will come in handy when having a guest over. Make sure to change the bedding every 2 weeks, (no exceptions) so have 2 or more sets of bedding. It is essential to have a bedside table to place you alarm clock, watch, table lamp etc. Invest in one that has a drawer for storage and in the same style and finish as your bed. 

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Next, tidy up your space. Invest in storage, shelving and laundry baskets. Clear your room of clutter, magazines and cables. Let everything have its place. The floor should be visible and spotless. Also, try to keep your laundry basket in a separate space when having a guest and try to do the laundry as often as you can.

Reflect your personality with your choice of art. There's a thin line between tasteful and trashy. So refrain from putting up posters of naked/practically naked women. This is not to say that there cant be any nude/nude-ish imagery. The key is to be tasteful. If in doubt, go for abstract art. And FYI, pictures of your mom belong in the living room and ex-girlfriend snaps belong in an album tucked far far away from reach.

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As for lighting, the same applies for your whole bachelor pad. The rule of thumb is having more than one light source. Bedside lamps, table lamps and floor lamps are essential in creating a seductive ambiance. Additionally, a dimmer switch or candles would add the extra oomph.

 mood board by yours truly

For those who like color and don't know how to use it, try softer muted shades of grey, cream, blue or brown. Add pops of color with plants, art and  pillows. Tie in strong colors like black, navy blue and silver for a more masculine feel.

It is important to have extras. Throws, plants, curtains etc., introduce a softness to your room and reduce the harsh and neutral feel of the space.

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Now you have everything you need to make your bachelor bedroom 'Man-room' comfortable and seductive. Think intimate, sophisticated and inviting, and it will be hard for any girl to leave. Go on boys, bring sexy back!

xx christina xx

2D-3D... Issey Miyake store, Tokyo

 

Front view of the Issey Miyake store window display

I came across these 2D-3D chair display byYoichi Yamamoto for Issey Miyake in the dezeen magazine. I think they look so cool as window display for the store in Tokyo. The backs of the chairs stand up on the stage and the rest of the chair (legs) are painted onto the floor. From a fixed angle they appear to be in the correct perspective. Contrasting hats then accessorize the intsallation. 

Side view of the Issey Miyake store window display

Below are some of the close-ups of the 2D-3D atrwork. I absolutely love the colour of these chairs against the white floor as well. I also love how the yellows, limes and the oranges pop out of the display. 

 2D-3D installation close up

Installation in use

 Installation in use

Store windows at night

Hope this gives you some inspiration on any 2D-3D projects you might have. And for more images and technical drawings (plans and elevations) of how they did it click here. Be inspired...

xx christina xx

Voilà...le glass jars

Table display from on home design

Varying fillings of fruit, candles, leaves and feathers in various size glass jars makes for a lovely table display. I love the rich combination of colours, textures and sizes. This would definitely make a great display in a kitchen or dining area.

xx christina xx

QUOTE OF THE DAY 15.09.11

"A design isn't finished until somebody's using it."

                                            

                                                                                    Brenda Laurel

TREND: GREEN

Modern Green Living Room Sofa

Green has never been my favourite colour. I've tried to love it and have failed on many occasions. I don't particularly like it on clothing, nail varnish , accessories but somehow I like it in interiors. Therefore I am learning to embrace green and the more I do, the more flexible I feel towards it. And it helps to have inspiration in order to embrace a colour you don't particularly like but works on so many levels. So, welcome to my discovery of green...

 

Green dining room

"Green is a colour that symbolises nature, regeneration and vitality. Green has become the symbol for environmentalism. It is the colour of nature so with our growing awareness surrounding sustainability, colour inspired by our natural environment soothes our minds.

Green brings nature indoors creating a botanical setting filled with tranquillity. In the home, green is perfect for refreshing and revitalising a room. This colour works particularly well where serenity is desired like within bedrooms, bathrooms and living rooms.

For a delicate effect, start with soft olive tones which can create understated living rooms. Calming jades are perfect for bathrooms offering a relaxing environment for you to unwind. Vibrant limes will add some energy to your room and look particularly contemporary when combined with cool neutrals like grey.

                                                                                                                                              

Muted greens inspired by aloe, cactus and herbs offer subtle shades which can be combined beautifully. Calm greens like Watercolour Green and Overtly Olive demonstrate this soft effect and work particularly well in open plan spaces where the garden enhances the soothing colours."

                                                                                                                                          - Dulux

green colour scheme bedroom

Pale green bedroom

 

green floral decor

I think the reason I didn't like green was because I had a particular green in mind that I was totally against but looking at natural shades of green in leaves, in stones and in fruits helped me to discover shades that were much suited to my liking. This helped me broaden my colour scheme.

If you're used to picking the same colours or are a little bit afraid of change, my suggestion is to browse around for inspiration a little bit more than your norm. Trying new things could open you up to amazing possibilities. I can now say that I'm starting to embrace green, I'm giving it a little smooch and I'm deliciously interested in making the most of it.

xx christina xx

Voilà...le rose petals

DIY floral table lamp shades

I really like these floral lampshades...they were made by Brianne from 'The Jones Family Adventure'. They have a full tutorial on how to make the same lamp. I think it's absolutely adorable especially in the pale pink.

xx christina xx

TREND: NEUTRAL

 neutral colour scheme living room

There's something very calm and serene about neutral schemes in a home. They create a classic and ageless style. They often give off a clean, natural and airy feel to a space. Varying hues, tones and textures makes it easy to increase or decrease the warmth of a neutral palette.

It's much more than beige walls and pale white furniture. Its really about natural and subtle tones working together to form an overall image. All one has to do is look at nature for inspiration to get up to date with the neutral trend.

Neutral living room  

"Our growing concern for the environment and its woodlands is reflected in this palette with colours which are reminiscent of cut timber, bark and cork- warm, gentle shades that are easy to live with and relaxing. 

Clay and earth tones express both the natural environment and the natural materials of sustainable craft work for communities across different cultures.

 

Pales and soft off-whites create feelings of light, warmth and serenity but with character. This array of off-whites and greys can be used together to create a layered look that will add depth, dimension and interest.

  

Understated greys allow for maximum combination possibilities with a wide variety of tones from other palettes- try with mustard yellows, corals or teals for a high fashion look.

Deeper shades like clay and slate grey are architectural colours that put over a mood of contemporary chic. They offset warmer and brighter shades beautifully and give depth and definition to pale warm neutrals. "

                                                                                                                                        - Dulux

classic 60's art deco, neutral colour scheme living room

I came across this chart of earth tones and thought this is the direction for a neutral colour scheme. Very subtle hues and very serene colours. 

Earth tones

 If you're looking for neutral, find inspiration from nature and layer all these qualities together for a fresh, light and serene space. So don't think boring, think classic and don't think beige either, think timeless. Go for it.

xx christina xx

QUOTE OF THE DAY 10.09.11

"The only important thing about 

design is how it relates to people."

                                                                                 Victor Papanek

QUOTE OF THE DAY 07.09.11

"Good design is obvious.
Great design is transparent."

                                                          Joe Sparano

S.C.U.L.P.T.U.R.E

         

abstract, african and sport sculptures

Sculptures are to homes as accessories are to outfits; very necessary. These home accents can adorn your home and give it character and style. Decorative busts and wooden sculpture accents can blend in perfectly with both traditional and modern home furniture. Poly-stone and resin sculptures provide great options for both indoor and outdoor decor.

eclectic mix sculptures

Don't be afraid to mix and match styles,materials, shapes and sizes. What I really like about the image above is the eclectic feel it gives. Modern meets traditional. For those who have no clue what style they would like in sculpture,  mixing the styles could help you compare and contrast what suits you better. I think it would be absolutely stunning to have that roman bust on a pedestal in a foyer. The gold lamp sconce would be a great bold statement but the leopard print chair sculpture could be an acquired taste to design 'newbies'.

figure sculpture on pedestal

 

table sculptures

 

Urn sculpture

 Here are some outdoor sculpture ideas. Figure statues often give an air of romance and fantasy to a garden. They compliment traditional gardens and the more they age, the more beautiful they become. For those looking for a better fit for their modern garden, abstract stone or metallic sculptures would create the perfect accent.

 slave girl sculpture, lady in garden, fairy sculpture

abstract garden sculpture

I would recommend looking at the 'Art Gallery Buy Sculpture'. It's a site that makes it easy to visualise the sculptures in the space. So if your looking for an accesory to match your fabulous home, look no further. There are sculptures of all shapes, sizes, colours and materials. Bring the romance and fantasy to both your indoor and outdoor spaces with one or more stunning pieces. Happy shopping everybody!

xx christina xx