Design Inspiration: India Hicks

With most of the U.S. covered in mid-January gray gloom, it's time to start thinking about something a lot more fun: the beach! This time of year, as the "resort" bikinis make their way onto racks at the store, visions of Caribbean jaunts, complete with sunny days and balmy evenings dance in our heads.

We want a pina colada.

This is also the time of year when we look around our houses and think, "Why can't I be more like India Hicks?" Hicks, the host of Bravo's Top Design, creative collaborator with Crabtree and Evelyn, young mom, and former model, is the embodiment of cool, beachy style. The daughter of celebrated designer, David Hicks, India has twisted her dad's style a bit to make it her own, outfitting her Harbour Island, Bahamas home with lots of white, plus splashes of color and patter. She mixes comfortable furniture with heirloom pieces and her one concession to living a the beach is wood floors.

In short, she's great design inspiration, especially during the gray days of winter.

This shot of Hicks' Harbour Island living room shows off her commitment to white mixed with interesting pieces and little shots of pattern. We love those chairs in the back of the room on the left. They provide just the right amount of action in a mostly serene room.

In our own houses, we like the idea of simple chairs, covered in a fun, but understated fabric, like Giraffe in Chocolate and Sand Dollar:

In one corner of the room, Hicks added a bright pink chair. We love the way it contrasts with the lime green plant life (we love that dog, too!) and the shot of color it adds to the space.

At home, it's easy to add that shot of color with throw pillows. We love the Maven pillow in Cream, Pink Berry, Classic Pink, and Tutu:

We love the sunny pink color - it always makes us happy!

In the bedroom, Hicks continues the serene, beachy palate with white linens, white accessories, and a pretty upholstered headboard. We love the addition of bright red flowers, too. Wouldn't they be great to see first thing in the morning?

That gorgeous headboard might be out of our league, but we'd create the same feel with accessories, like the Pamda pendant in Ochre and White. The clean pattern is calming and the simple colors are all about the sandy beach.

We're still waiting for India Hicks' personal invitation to visit her family on Harbour Island. Until that day comes, we'll relax ourselves by incorporating bits of her style into our own homes.

[Photo credits: Hicks home: Domino magazine courtesy of Mimi and Meg. Fabric, lamp, and pillow from Alluminare.]

Design Trends for 2010: Let's Have Some Fun!

It's the end of the year and we all know what that means - lists and predictions. We've seen a million lists predicting all sorts of things for interior design in 2010. Some we agree with, some are no-brainers, some we question. But they all get us thinking.

From now until the end of the year, we'll highlight some of our favorite trend predictions for the design world, starting with this one: 2010 will bring us a lot more focus on fun.

Bright colors, crazy designs, and a devil-may-care attitude will dominate design next year, and the timing couldn't be better. It's tough out there these days, so why not add a little levity to your surroundings?

We'd get the party started with a funky Folk Art pendant lamp, in Caribbean Sea, Coral, Purple and White (at left). The lamp's trippy vibe and cool color scheme would add some peace, love and fun to any space. It reminds us of this energetic space, where pattern and color work together to create a vibrant room perfect for hanging out (whether you're canine or human): Fun need not be confined to the interior either. We love Arakawa + Gins' East Hampton Bioscleave House, an ambitious building, is dedicated to fun both inside and out: We love the Bauhaus elements of the building - it's boxy shape and intense colors. We'd match it with a Commonwealth lamp in Pale Buttercup, Classic Red, and Basil:Strong colors and geometric shapes add up to a fun, modern look.

On the other hand, we're finding decidedly un-Bauhaus inspiration in the stills for Tim Burton's new Alice in Wonderland movie:
The movie, like the story, is sure to have some dark elements, but it also incorporates a twisted shot of fun. We'd recreate it inside with a floral Serendipity throw pillow in pastels (Light Spring Grass, Bab Blue, Pink Berry) with just a touch of shadow (Chocolate Milk):

We like a side of whimsy with our fun, too, which is why we can't get enough of Vanessa de Vargas and her design company, Turquoise (pretty apt name for 2010, too, huh?).

Her spaces are bright and feminine, with cheeky touches, like these fancy silhouettes painted in bright colors on plain white walls. In our house, we'd accessorize with simple, but bright and fun lighting, like the Duo pendant in Pink Berry and Light Spring Grass:

There are a million ways to inject fun into home design - these suggestions are just the beginning. What's your favorite fun design element? Please share in the comments.

[Photo credits: Dogs on sofa from Apartment Therapy, Bioscleave House from Inhabitat, Alice in Wonderland still from Dalliant & Dainty, Vanessa de Vargas rooms from Houzz.com, All lighting and pillow from Alluminare.com.]

Combining Decor in Bathroom and Bedroom

We have heard people say that matching your master bathroom to the decor in your master bedroom is a great way to bring unity to the space. We think that's a great idea and we know what we're doing this weekend!



A great way to bring life into your bathroom (and a great option for incorporating colors from your bedroom) is to bring in a light fixture. Not one of those ordinary bathroom fixtures you pick up at the hardware store either! This bright Pendant Lamp in Caribbean Sea matches the tiles perfectly and will add much needed light in the bathroom.

If your bathroom is what you're designing first (or simply just like better), try taking inspiration from your bathroom to decorate your master bedroom. We are really inspired by these bright glass tiles in the bathroom; and thought this Parkside throw pillow in Caribbean Sea and Charcoal Grey was a great match.

Following in those same footsteps, curtains are usually a must in any bedroom. I chose this custom Parkside fabric in the same colors, just smaller print for the curtains. All you need are a few yards and you'll have great looking curtains that match your throw pillows and bathroom.

Paradise is Waiting..

I haven't taken a real vacation in a very long time, heck, I've never even been out of the country.  This summer season is a first for me, I'm going on three vacations starting next month and July can't fly by fast enough!

First up is Hilton Head, South Carolina.  I've been reading all about this beautiful place because it seems like every home decor magazine I pick up has some sort of feature article.  I'm really looking forward to being in the south again (I'm originally from Florida) and immersing myself into doing.. well, absolutely nothing!  When I think of Hilton Head, I think of reds, blues and tans.  Very preppy and beachy.  If I wanted to bring quintessential Hilton Head into my home; I'd go with Ultra Bloom.

Next up, Puerto Rico!  VIVA Puerto Rico!  Can you tell how excited I am for this trip?  I know I don't need a passport for this trip, but it is technically out of the country.  Anyway! After spending endless hours on Gran Melia's website, I'm super inspired by their tropical decor.  So, if I were to bring my Puerto Rican inspiration into my home (which I am seriously considering) I'd go with Tribeca in orange.  Orange seems to be a staple color in tropical environments; and who doesn't love this sunburst pattern?

Last stop on my vacation filled summer is sunny Florida!  I grew up in Florida and believe me, Florida home decor is not all palm trees and hibiscus flowers.  There's definitely a mod & art decor theme in a lot of the hotel decor and that's definitely a huge reason why I love vacationing there.  This pillow in StopDrop that I picked out screams "I'm on a couch in Florida waiting for you to pick me up!"

Needless to say, I'm extremely excited for my vacations coming up and I hope everyone gets to have a vacation as well.  If you can't, try bringing some of the tropics into your house and you'll realize you're much more relaxed!

Lighting Your Home: Yellow

Yellow can be a real challenge---too bright, and you're regretting it every day, too mellow, and you're finding ways to bring in that pop of yellow you were hoping for. Lighting your home in yellow is one of the best ways to bring in the yellow, and still keep your sanity.

Benjamin Moore's Weston Flax is a brilliant shade of yellow. It is pale, yet still delivers. I happen to love it. We have a shade of yellow called "Pale Buttercup" that pairs well with Benjamin Moore's Weston Flax. To punch it up, pair the Pale version with the standard "Buttercup", as we did below. Happy days are returning, the popularity of yellow in the home is proof. :)

Here are my quick picks for yellow lighting. Try any of these in your home or restaurant when your design calls for yellow.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="100" caption="Home Lighting in Buttercup Yellow Tulip Print from UK designer Rachel Cave "][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="100" caption="Home lighting featuring Buttercup Yellow Stripes"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="100" caption="Home lighting featuring Buttercup Yellow Damask from designer Jen Furlotte"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="100" caption="Home Lighting in Buttercup Yellow Mod from designer Libby Unwin"][/caption]

Crave: Mod Rooms

I've been coming across a lot of Mod inspired rooms lately, and I'm getting a little jealous (and inspired!) I may not have been born until after the Mod era, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate it.

We've recently added 'Mod' to our custom materials section; and I'm in heaven. The colors, the shapes, the sizes- oh my!  Our custom design StopDrop would look great in a Mod themed room (shown above).  It's a great design to mix with stripes, and flowers.

The great thing about Mod design is it's all about the colors and shapes.  You can go as big and bold as you want.



Our Tulip design (shown above) would look right at home in this Mod/Asian inspired bedroom.  Pendant lights look great above 4-poster bed frames.  this Mod/Asian inspired bedroom is another great examples of how great Mod themed rooms can be; you really can get as creative as you want with it.

(Images: PorterHouseDesigns.com, Blog.BaxterDesignGroup.com)

Inspiration from Animal Themed Children's Rooms

It seems like themed rooms have sort of fallen off the map in the past few years; but I still really like them for kids rooms.  I've never met a child that didn't have a love for animals (or animal print!)

I found this awesome wallpaper covered ceiling fan that I thought was genius!  Ceiling fans are notorious for being eye-sores, but when covered in an animal print for a kids room; well, i think that's a recipe for success!

If you don't have a ceiling fan to cover, you can always use our custom wallpaper in Giraffe on the walls.  The wallpaper will be a bold statement and also serve as a learning lesson.  Each time your children enter their room, they'll recognize each print and which animal it belongs to.

Another great idea for an animal themed room is by using our new Love Dogs 2 print.  This dog themed design (all proceeds from the sales of this print go to the Kauai Humane Society) looks amazing as a pendant lamp and I really love the idea of pillows too.  I can imagine the lamp right above the bed in this super cute dog themed kids room!


(Images: GreenPeaNursery.com, Raftertales.com)

Can't Decide? Order A Free Sample

Yes, you read that correctly- a free sample color blanket to help you decide which colors you want to add to your home. This is a great way for you to see how the colors are printed. While we have taken extreme measures to make sure the color you see is the color you get, it still is nice to see colors in person.

The sample color blanket contains all colors available for our custom fabric and custom wallpaper, OR you can select up to 10 samples of our stocked materials!

The free samples are only for a limited time, and all you need to do is fill out a quick survey. Once the survey is filled out, you will then be able to order the free sample color blanket with free continental US shipping. If you would like to opt out of the survey, the sample blanket is still available for order, and you will receive a $15 coupon for your first purchase!

How to Select a Base for your Custom Lamp Shade: Floor Lamps!

Last week I touched on pairing custom lamp shades with table top bases. The great thing about the three shapes Alluminare.com has for sale, is that they can all be used in table and floor lamp form. That's the great thing about using classic items in the home.

I chose to pair the 24 inch Drum Lamp Shade with a modern chrome plated intertwined steel tube base. The intertwined steel tubing mimics the drum shape of the shade, and really works well together. The shade is shown in Modern Circles in Black & White. The steel tubing helps accent the simple Black & White color palette on the shade.

Next, I paired the 20-inch Oval Lampshade in Brickell with a tall glass cylindrical base. I'm so inlove with this pairing, because it's so chic and modern. Trust me, I know this look isn't for everyone, but for those daring folks out there, it'll be dynamite. I love the blown up Brickell print, and I chose the color because blues and greens also go great with clear glass.

Lastly, the 12-inch Square Shade in Parkside is so chic and classic and would look great in just about any home. It's versatile in color and shape; it'd fit right in in a modern or country home. The tall, sleek, brushed aluminum base is perfect for a square shade. And the 12-inch square shade is a great mirror image to the 6 inch square base.

New Designer Pattern: Suzani by Jennifer Mitchell

Click here for an entire gallery of fabulous starting points using Suzani.

Hand-drawn and high-end, our newest pattern is graciously contributed by Jennifer Mitchell at DesignHole (the fabulous, on-trend design blog). Suzani is a traditional pattern, with roots in the Silk Roads that connected Europe, Turkey and China with the Muslim world. Suzani draws from the natural world of plants, animals, and the stars to visually describe the beauty of nature.

Custom wallpaper, custom fabric, lighting fixtures, lamp shades, and pillows are all available in a huge range of colors and you can even change the scale of the pattern. Even if you don't buy anything---it is a great way to spend the afternoon!

We had a chance to talk with Jennifer about her lovely Suzani pattern and hope you enjoy reading about Jennifer's lovely Suzani pattern and its origins as much as we did!

[P.S., would you like to send us your pattern? Add a comment or touch base with me on Twitter.com/Alluminare ]

What inspired you to make this pattern?

Aside from the fact that I love Suzanis, my inspiration came from a practical matter. I was working on a bedroom project for a client and thought a Suzani would be the perfect thing for curtains and a matching bedspread. But the perfect thing (at least to my designer's eye) was not to be found. It was a bit of a Eureka Moment when I learned that Alluminare was looking for new patterns. I especially liked the fact that my design could be made into wallpaper, fabric and pendant lamps.

Have you used it in other projects before? If so, how and why?

I used a couple of Suzani pillows as an accent on a client's bed. The pattern's colors pulled the other elements of the room together. It was the perfect finishing touch.

Why do you love Suzani?

My forté as a designer is color. I love playing with using color in unconventional ways, like painting ceilings red. Suzani prints are often very colorful, so I'm naturally drawn to that aspect. But they're also organic - with all the motifs going this way and that. Although Suzanis have been around for centuries, there's something about them that seems very contemporary, which is why they're an emerging trend. Suzanis can be used on just about anything: curtains, bedding, accessories and wallpaper. They're playful, colorful and fun.

Anything else you would like to share about your Suzani pattern?

I think your readers would be interested to know that Suzanis are very old and come from Central Asia - Uzbekistan in particular, which was part of the Silk Road. The traders spread the design beyond the world of the nomadic people who made the original Suzanis. Their lives were hard and bleak, so the women decorated just about everything, including rugs, tents, saddlebags - all the things they used in everyday life. They also made wall hangings. Original Suzanis are embroidered, woven and appliquéd.


About Jennifer:

Jennifer Mitchell is an interior designer from Detroit, Michigan. She also writes a popular blog called Design Hole. Jennifer's design work and blog are dedicated to showcasing her unique and creative perspective on beautiful living in the 21st Century. Jennifer studied at The College for Creative Studies. Design Hole has been featured twice in The Washington Post, and her work as been published in Detroit Home and Metropolitan Home magazines.

Yellow Paint Colors: Which is Better? Bold vs. Safe

We study consumer preferences all the time at Alluminare. We like to call it "Alluminare Labs" - our behind-the-scenes look at what people prefer. Our approach to Alluminare has always been to let people be the driving force of our product development (not just what we think is cool). And now, we are starting to share this information with anyone who wants it.

So in this week's Alluminare Labs study, we decided to look at Yellow paint colors. Why? Well, Pantone(TM) has released it's Color of the Year (Mimosa), and with Spring coming up, we're seeing a ton of bright, cheery yellow out there. And we wanted to see what 100 random people thought. Would they actually like it in their homes?

Our survey showed two very simple walls. One with a bold color to mimic the Pantone Mimosa color, and one to mimic Benjamin Moore's Weston Flax paint color (a butter yellow that is quite popular)--- A "bold" and a "safe" option.

Here's the survey we sent to 100 people this week:
Which wall color do you prefer for a living room?

Safe

Bold

Why do you prefer it?

We also asked respondents to tell us where they lived (urban, suburban, rural, etc.) and age/gender.

Results of the Yellow Paint Color Survey

The results were surprising. We watched them as they came in, and at first, it looked like nearly everyone selected the "safe" butter yellow paint option. But then, we started seeing more and more go for the "bold" yellow paint option. We were stunned to see that the "bold" color option received about the same number of preferences over the "safe" color option.

All respondents
52% favored the "safe" butter yellow option
48% favored the "bold" yellow option

Men
52% favored the "safe" butter yellow option
48% favored the "bold" yellow option

Women
52% favored the "safe" butter yellow option
48% favored the "bold" yellow option

Suburban
47% favored the "safe" butter yellow option
53% favored the "bold" yellow option

Urban
44% favored the "safe" butter yellow option
56% favored the "bold" yellow option

Rural
57% favored the "safe" butter yellow option
43% favored the "bold" yellow option


Men and women were split in exactly the same ways. Urban dwellers preferred the "safe" option slightly: We had assumed that urban dwellers would be more willing to take the risk, but it seem that suburban dwellers are more likely to favor the daring, bolder yellow paint option. Rural dwellers preferred the "safe" yellow paint option by a larger margin than any other domicile grouping

In the final analysis, we'd like to go back and survey a larger sample to see if we can get a bigger preference differential. If we decide to survey a larger sample, we'll post the results here.

Comments from respondents

Here are some comments we were interested in:

"It is more alive, and would still match with many furniture sets." (Bold, Suburban, Male, 34)

"I like to relax at home, in the living room. The bolder color would rev my nerves up more, after awhile. The safe color is bland but soothing." (Safe, Suburban, Female, 37)

"With the white couch, the bold color really makes the couch pop out. I can imagine then using some bold color pillows and accessories to really liven things up. I think also with the gloominess of the recession, a bold color lifts my spirits."
(Bold, Urban, Female, 57)

See for yourself

We've posted the raw data on our server. Go ahead and pull it down and take a look at it yourself. It is in .csv format so you can import into any software you wish.
Download it now

Have a topic you want covered?

We have a team of scientists on deck at all times just waiting to study something. Just let us know what topics interest you and we can work them into the schedule! (Just kidding about the team of scientists, but feel free to post a comment with your request.)

Pep up your room with color

Does your room feel drab and uninspired? Plain gray walls are common in modern homes; while you could spice them up with a fresh coat of paint, adding too much color can be dangerous.

According to the 1961 Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book (one of our favorite Eames-era guides), "A little bit of bright color may look alluring, but on your walls it will just jump at you. The larger the amount, the more intense it will seem.... You're probably be more comfortable and 'at home' with your color scheme if you select soft neutrals or grayed tones for the largest areas in your home -- the walls and the floor."

Where bold, vivid color can best be used is in accent pieces, such as your lighting fixtures. This can add life to your room and help to pull a color scheme together. Bold colors will sharply contrast with the gray wall, emphasizing your lighting as a focal point; if you use them in a pendant over your dining table, your family and guests will be subconsciously pulled to gather around it.

If your room is sunless or the primary source of light during the day is your pendant fixture, add warmth with red and orange; these suggest "the friendliness of a campfire, the warmth of the sun, the natural 'belonging' or rich soil and rock and sand... these colors will give you the same comfortable feeling of warmth and friendliness." If, on the other hand, your room is already sunny, you may want to cool it down with blue and green, the color of water and trees. In either case, don't be afraid to be bold!