Friday, July 14, 2017

Best Mantel Colour for Red Brick...



This was my clients fireplace the day I measured for her new furniture… nice, pleasant to look at… the art is nice over the mantel… but the fireplaces overall look could be better…



Bless my clients heart, she did not mind me suggesting a new colour for the mantel… as I always do,  I mention to cover it in black paper or black painted cardboard… she used black garbage bags to see what it would look like painted black, whatever works I say…

She said she thought, yes that does look better... time to paint...
Benjamin Moore Onyx 2133-10  its just the nicest black for mantels, doors, windows …
Well this is it… the mantel painted... it looks amazing !


My client loves it, the black just balanced the top with the dark grey black tiles... look how much better the art looks !
Amazing what a quart of Benjamin Moore Onyx 2133-10 can do!



Friday, February 17, 2017

How to Purchase the Right Scaled Art...




Have you ever wondered how an interior designer shops for art ?

She or he works out the floor plan first, knows where the art is going and over what ?
 (sofa, console, dining wall, fireplace mantel)
with this measurement they look for a piece that will go, not the right size they move on,
looking for the right size and look,
but most important the right size...



We shop with the measurements all worked out, when your shopping and see an amazing piece.. your heart skips a beat ... stop and get out your measurements, is it the size you are looking for ?  
Is it in the right measurement range?

 Yes, you are having a good day...

 No, not in the width range...

put it down walk away, do not think about it...just walk away....
it will never make you happy over your sofa !!!

so this is the RECIPE

width or height (of item) divided by 5 = answer
answer  x 3 = width or height  your looking for

So the sofa width is 80"
80 divided by 5 = 16
16 x 3 = 48
your measurement you are looking for is 48" to 50"


this art is very nice... but to small, the sofa wall will never look just right
now it works for the height of the artwork too
Height of the wall, 96" (most homes, but make sure to measure just in case its taller)
Height of the sofa, Laurel in the picture 39" tall
96 - 39 = 57
this leaves 57" above the sofa for the height of the art
57 divided by 5 = 11.4"
11.4 x 3 =34.2
Now the height of the artwork needs to be 34 to 36" high


its an easy calculation to work out the art size

out shopping for this room above

48 to 50" wide X 34 to 36" high

and it is placed 5" above the back of the sofa, centered over the sofa

and your done...


ps, foot note to this rule... if you are looking for more than one piece of art... have all your measurements worked out so if the heart stopping piece you find doesn't work over the sofa, it just might be just the thing for another wall... if you have your list of sizes worked out you will be bringing home the one you fell in love with, a totally lucky day !

Have fun shopping with your measurements in your pocket or purse... working it out in advance will make your day if you find the perfect piece, I promise !!!