Scheming with color !

Color selection and color scheming is increasingly important in developing residential and commercial interiors. Design of Residences, office spaces, restaurants and medical facilities all are carefully schemed by designers and architects.

Color combinations or schemes have a major impact on all interiors . Colors enhance and effect mood, work and play habits and contribute a subliminal role in influencing our desires; like fear, passion, anger, anxiety, happiness and more.

Creating a successful color scheme is both an art and a science.

Residential and Commercial spaces alike, including industrial, educational and medical environments often are designed with a color scheme that that is calm, comfortable, and harmonious. They are often inspired by nature, that is to say, posses a gently harmonious, natural and generally neutral palette.

Inspiration from nature is a common starting point for many designers and architects. Desert based designers in Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage are particularly fond of drawing from the rich color palate of the surrounding area.

Desert color schemes Sand tones, light grays, beige and warm browns are a solid foundation for a typical “desert” color scheme. Pale greens, rust and golds may be introduced, adding interest and impact. Use of textural elements like wood, stone and fabric can add texture and contrast, while providing harmony within the framework of the scheme.

Earth tones are colors we see in nature like browns, umbers, terracotta and brick tones. These colors tend to be harmonious, rich in color and depth and impart a feeling of solidity and permanence. Used well, earth tones complement most other color values.

Integrating earth tones into your environment allow a sense of approachability and connection. These tones are part of our everyday lives, they are familiar and comforting. Incorporating earth tones into your environment by using natural materials such as stone, wood, and granites not only introduce accent and texture to color schemes, but integrate warm elements into your living space. Variety with harmonious coordination, adds interest and uniqueness to any space.

Color schemes – Keep it simple

Whatever color scheme is your favorite, here are a few basics to remember:

1. Keep it simple. Combine colors that enhance each other.
2. Evaluate the effect you want to achieve and the use of the space .
3. Use color along with texture to create a balanced scheme.
4. Be aware of which colors influence which emotions.

The key to picking the perfect wall color is finding a color that goes with everything. Think of it as a background to which you'll add more layers or accents, such as flooring, furniture, paintings, fabrics, accessories, plants and lighting.

You should love the colors you live with. So don't live with someone else's taste—pick colors you like! For inspiration look to your favorite paintings, a piece of furniture or, fabrics, pillows or even fresh flowers. These personal color selections will make you happy.

International Style Influcences In Interior Design

The earliest examples of this revolutionary style date to the 1930s , and this style ushered in a bold new approach to architecture that would revolutionize commercial and residential building for decades to come. The movement originated in Europe, emphasizing the use of modern materials and building techniques, and placing function first over ornamentation. Until the advent of this new trend, the practice had been to create houses and buildings inspired by past architectural themes. Proponents considered International Style the most elemental form of Modernism. Architects did away with many traditional classical details, such as decorative molding over doors and windows, eaves, and pediments.

These Modernists designed buildings with flat roofs, smooth facades and generous bands of windows. The most influential leaders of the style were European and brought their ideas to America in the 1930s. Key figures included Le Corbusier in France, Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in

Germany.

In large architect-designed houses, walls were not used for structural support, but rather hung like curtains over a structural steel skeleton. This allowed facade treatments that had previously been impossible. Bands of metal casement windows could now wrap around corners or extend from floor to ceiling. Buildings tended to be asymmetrical, sometimes with rounded corners. Landscaping that accompanied these structures were also minimal.
Glass, steel, aluminum, concrete and plaster were favored building materials. Following World War II, the high-end residential style morphed into a contemporary vernacular that deviated from true International Style, although flat roofs were retained and simple or no detail is a hallmark of contemporary style. Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and Rancho Mirage neighborhoods have many examples of this contemporary style which is also known as “desert contemporary." While much of the interior design projects at William Miller Design fall under this category, we also have produced homes for clients that are Palm Springs Mid-Century Modern and California Tuscan.

Interior walls became simply partitions, which permited much greater flexibility in room layouts. Former emphasis on specific rooms gave way to a much looser sense of overlapping spaces. Thus was the birth of the “open floor plan”. On walls surfaces became smooth and un textured- wall surfaces bare, and colors tended to be in black, white, gray or beige. The monochromatic color scheme was the fashion of the day. Travertine marble and polished stone were favored for interior surfaces. Furnishings were stark and low with accents of chrome, glass a the newly fashionable Lucite. Upholstery and accents were simple in keeping with the architectural trend.

Outdoor Is IN!

In the Palm Desert and Palm Springs area, the feeling of summer is in the air. Interior design styles this summer highly influence outdoor living and outdoor furnishings. Popular pieces such as lounges, chaises, armchairs as well as dining tables and lounge chairs are striving to be more unique in their use of materials and sense of style.

This year in outdoors interior design all things outdoor are taking on a whole new look, texture and shape. From traditional to contemporary all types of styles are emphasizing “style” as the operative word. Materials in outdoor furniture range from teak craftsmanship to woven resin. Meanwhile, outdoor living moves beyond the expected to present unique pieces to enjoy outside.

A very popular style is the woven resign fiber look in a dark chocolate finish. Many companies such as Brown Jordan and Dedon are manufacturing beautiful and durable pieces in their collections from dining sets to lounge furniture.

Outdoor fabrics have also made huge strides in their look and feel. Companies like Kravet fabrics with their extensive “Kravet Soleil” line offer everything from plush chenilles to tailored prints, all perfectly water resistant and sun fast for the rigors of summer and the intense light associated with the season. Consumer desire to bring the indoors outdoors has prompted the availability of outdoor chenille. Companies such as Chella offer a plethora of comfy outdoor chenille in an endless variety of colors and weaves.

Outdoor furniture is not your average aluminum and vinyl straps anymore! Materials such as woven resin, mesh, teak frames with upholstered seats, and even molded acrylic are catching the eyes of many savvy consumers this spring.

Creating A Model Home!

Construction leaders are interested in driving sales and creating interest from potential homeowners to increase their sales per square foot and produce greater profit.

The persuasive art of creating desire is the key to achieving success in creating interest and driving increased sales at all economic levels.
Special features in interior finishes, such as upgraded custom lighting, designer wall finishes and large scale stone floors help create the livable

and luxurious feel. However this is not the key to “creating desire” from a merchandising standpoint. Builders and developers want to capture the buyers emotions and reach them on a “feeling” level.

So what are some of the tricks of the trade? William Miller Design located in Palm Desert does several model homes a month as well as fully-furnished, turn-key homes throughout the Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs area as well as other Southern California Cities. The photos that accompany this article are of an

award-winning model home project- Brava- in Palm Desert, California, which William Miller Design completed for Family Development.

Creating an ambiance that make prospective buyers “feel at home” is the key to effective merchandising. Here is a short list of key components to effective model home design:

Know who your target market is….Who are you designing for ?

Who is the potential buyer?

Create a scenario (or a theme) that buyers can relate to….

Keep it simple yet well accessorized.

Make things look custom-made but not overdesigned

Select colors that are popular but not over used…

Set a mood that the buyer can visualize themselves in…

Select colors, textures and finishes that are appropriate to the natural setting of the home.

Use interior finishes and details in ways that are unexpected.

The Difference Between Animals and Humans Is Our Ability To Accessorize

Nothing gives our homes more character than the accessories we put within them. These accessories reflect the personalities of the individuals using and living in the space.

Creating compositions with interior accessories is often perceived as an “intuitive” art, but it is also a skill which can be developed. To create compositions, organize what you already have into meaningful collections, which can be showcased in the space. This could be color, or shape.

Artwork, family pictures or even the color of the frame may be that single unifying element. Symmetrical or asymmetrical arrangements can be used in placing accessories. Each of us has our own innate preference for this. If we see an asymmetrical relationship, our brains automatically feel a

need to fill it the negative area. Others find symmetry too predictable and feel comfortable in “skewed” and non-balanced relationships. Variety and height can play an important role. Aligning items in a straight line will have very little interest and not be “readable” as a grouping. Vary heights, place items close to each other and even overlapped them slightly. Creating pleasant, compositions allow “clustering “or groupings of accessories

The brain will fill in what it does not see. Most importantly, leave areas of negative or empty space. By following some of these simple principles to creating compositions for accessories, you can enhance your collections, provide visual interest to your home, and provide those special areas, reflective of all those who live there.

Another accessory you can employ to add character to your interior design scheme is decorative pillows. You can realize a use for pillows in any type of room, in particular bedrooms and living areas. Pillows can be coordinated to your design scheme and may be made in fabrics or patterns which are coordinated but not necessarily identical. There are also so many wonderful trims, cords and fringes available to give your accent pillows character. Incorporating decorative pillows on your sofa or chairs will add color, texture and style to the furniture.

Keep it simple and you're sure not to miss a beat. Here are some simple rules of thumb for interior design that are put to work daily at William Miller Design, and are not only applicable in the Palm Desert and Palm Springs settings, but work anywhere in the world!

Shapes Are Oppositional

If your table is square, put something round or cirular on it. A rectangular tray or a square dish on a round table is interesting and creates contrast.

Stick To Odd Numbers

This works every time: on a side table, place 3 items. Here's one classic solution: a vase, some stacked books and a picture frame with family photos. 3 , 5 , 7 are magic numbers that give the eye a pleasing reaction.. Designate a focal point or two. These will be your “starting points”, from which you can work outward. As you place your items, it is best to keep clusters to odd numbers, namely, three or five items. More than five items will most likely loose the “readability” of the grouping.

Bring In The Outside

Greenery or your favorite flowers add some life and lighten your space. Don’t have a green thumb? Permanent botanicals are now an alternative to a quality look. They can look so real, you have to touch them to know the difference.

Look to materials and contrast of textures

If you have a glass table, put a glass bowl might get lost in the shuffle. A great place to balance materials is with accessories. You can fill in any missing gaps. See if you can get wood, metal, glass and ceramic in the room. Too much of one material, and it wont feel balanced.

Green With Envy!

Recycled materials are much more chic in the design industry than they once were.
William Miller Design recommends this VivaTerra Railroad Tie Coffee table duo.
It has an elegant, rustic quality that would look great in both traditional and modern rooms. Its organic qualities and simple lines make for a great transitional furniture arrangement,
and this grouping can even be used outdoors! The matching railroad tie side tables are also atractive, adding an earthy accent to any interior

and are affordable! These tables are made from reclaimed barn wood.

So what makes this furniture “green”? The wood is actually from reclaimed railroad ties, made out of teak, pine, and other hardwood. VivaTerra has even preserved the weathered look and filled the railroad-track holes. http://www.vivaterra.com/






Another perennial green favorite is Wallteriors wallcovering http://www.wallteriors.com/


This fantastically beautiful wallpaper is produced with recycled paper and hand painted with no toxic dyes and pigments. This wall treatment can be installed in a number of different ways- 18” overlapping squares with torn edges is my favorite. There are many choices of patterns available and Wallteriors is open to custom designs as well. Wallteriors wallcovering is available through William Miller Design.

Everything But The Average Sink

In Palm Desert, California and throughout the Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage area, more homeowners and interior designers are focusing on individualizing their personal spaces with unique and creative ideas and products.

Powder rooms and bathrooms in particular can be a location within one’s home to express the unique individual personality of the owners. Of all the fixtures in these rooms, sinks are becoming more of a sculptural feature than simply a functional fitting. The materials of these objects of fine design can range from the standard stainless steel to precious metals; from vividly coloured hand-blown glass to high-quality hand-thrown ceramic. The limits on what shapes and heights can only be limited by the designer and the homeowner’s creativity.

The pedestals for these stylish basins can be as beautiful as the fixture themselves or be on the minimalist side to highlight the beautiful glass, ceramic, or stone vessel that is used for washing. Lighting in this room can also highlight the basin in addition to providing light to the function of the space itself.

In simply changing a ho-hum bathroom sink to a handcrafted artistic basin, one changes a bland feature in a room designed for utility into a small jewel in a beautiful room that users enjoy viewing.


So when you think of bathroom sinks, think unique !