We Answer Wednesday - How to mix formal and modern decor styles

"I have inherited a more formal style dining table and chairs.  I like it but my own style is a bit more modern.  How can I use this furniture without completely changing my style?"

This is a great question! And this is something that we are seeing more and more of...whether it's inheriting family heirlooms or the merging of two people - mixing different styles of decor can seem very overwhelming but don't let it stress you out!  What we love about merging different styles together is that you get a different end result every time.  Say good-bye to those cookie cutter rooms - this is where true individuality blooms!

 

Now that you know our own style is more modern, we assume that you have some modern pieces in your space already or you plan to purchase.  You have options how to incorporate this set into you life depending on how open you are to change. When it comes to modernizing a space you don't necessarily have to change the furniture sometimes just updating the pieces around it can be enough!

CHAIRS - .
Upholstery - a traditional set of dining room furniture would have some pretty traditional upholstery on the chairs so to make it more modern, get those chairs re-upholstered in a modern fabric.  You really can do anything - pattern, print, texture, colour - it's up to you! This gives your dining chair a fresh look. You don't have to go totally wild, you could stick with a timeless stripe but in a more current colour way or try an animal print like cheetah, oversized and bright florals can also modern up a more formal chair.


* This old chair gets new life with a tie-dye upholstery in a charcoal and white - so unique, truly a one of a kind piece.

New chairs - adding some new chairs with a more current look with give the whole set a new feel.  Matching sets are a bit more traditional so this one change will give the whole space a modern look.  You could mix up this option with the first option, and have more modern captain chairs and keep the traditional ones with the rest of the set.  Find a common thread between all of the chairs, so this is where upholstery comes into play.


*Look at how modern this room looks! The fresh white tulip chairs with pink seat paired with this dark stained traditional table - so unique! 

Paint - we all know that paint can completely transform a room so imagine what it can do for furniture!  This is a big step, so if this is a valuable heirloom you might not want to exercise this option.  You will also want to get this done professionally.  Painting a traditional piece will give it new life and a whole new vibe in your space. 



*Pairing this China cabinet in a Kelly green gives it a punch and an update in this space.  Also note the mix of chairs and varied prints in the room.  The pops of colour bring the more traditional pieces to life!

LIGHTING -
Statement piece -  so lighting makes a huge difference in a home.  When light fixtures look dated the whole space looks dated.  So to give your room a modern look, update that light fixture and make a statement! A modern traditional table with an interesting light fixture above it will give the whole room a fresh look plus it really shows off your decor style! (Always have your chandelier switch on a dimmer)


 *This traditional table and area rug paired with a more casual chair makes the room less formal in look and feel.  Adding the industrial light fixture and the black and white abstract over sized art really gives this room so much flare.

 WALLS -
Over sized art - this much like the light fixture can really give a room a fresh update.  Something about an over sized art piece not only looks expensive but it also looks fresh and current.  Think about displaying your favourite pieces in a different way - a gallery wall mixing old and new, or a more casual display where you lean and layer.


* sometimes is all about the presentation.  This room would have a very different look and feel if these art pieces were hung as opposed to the layered leaning style on the sideboard. 

Paint colour- to give your dining room a more modern feel look at your wall paint colour.  Is it a mid tone? More modern looking spaces tend to choose a paint tone on either side of the spectrum - either dark or light. Before you pick a side, be sure to look at the items going in the room, like the furniture and the art pieces and of course, don't forget about the light!


 *The light walls allow for the table and the art to really pop in this space.

Wallpaper - adding some visual interest to a wall in your dining space is another way to give that room a modern look.  You can still hang your art pieces over the wallpaper - this will give the space a very designer look.  This is a great option if you don't have a lot of wall space to hang art or if you have traditional looking wall panels that give the room a more traditional feel.


 *In this room, because of the windows, there isn't a lot of wall space for art so wallpaper on the wallspace is a perfect choice.  This also plays down the more traditional wall panels.

FLOORS -
 Area rug - this is like art on the floor and it can really help set the tone for your dining room.  The possibilities are endless in terms of design, texture, colour and print.  Find something that you love and paired with a more traditional set this will  really give your room an updated look. One style that we are seeing a lot of is a perfect blend of a traditional rug but the colour has almost an ombre finish - so you get a traditional or even vintage vibe with a modern twist, so transitional!


 *This area rug is the perfect mix of traditional and modern - the ombre effect makes it more current looking and also less formal.  It pairs nicely with the simple art, vintage furniture and modern light fixture 

Don't feel that a more formal or traditional dining set will limit your style or change it completely.  Get creative! Incorporate that inherited piece with some modern elements to give your dining room a look that is totally unique and totally you!

Model transformation: Kristi Blok's redesign on a budget turns contemporary condo into funky, industrial loft

By Anita Murray, Ottawa Citizen February 7, 2014 10:04 AM

BEFORE 

 AFTER

AFTER: Living room, Qualicum Woods Crossing model suite

OTTAWA — The challenge: Bring new life to a one-bedroom condo apartment model to appeal to both first-timers and downsizers, showing how both could make it fit their lifestyle and furnishings.The location: Qualicum Woods Crossing model suite at 2781 Baseline Rd.
The restrictions: Very little time and a tiny budget of $6,000.
The result: A funky, industrial loft look that effectively melds multiple styles in what broker Marnie Bennett calls “design on a dime in only 28 days.” Decorator Kristi Blok of Kiki Interiors explains how she did it.
The living room
Loft look: The biggest change was adding a recycled brick wall to create a warehouse feel. It’s the bold statement that the room is built around and is accented with neutrals inspired by the greys in the kitchen to keep things from competing. “When you live in an open space, flow is really key. If we had introduced a whole new colour palette in here, even though there’s no walls, it would feel choppy.”
Marrying styles: Yes, first-timers can make a collection of hand-me-downs work. Same goes for downsizers paring down and finding a few key pieces to fit a smaller space. The existing contemporary sofa, for example, is paired with a warehouse-style chair (Structube); they don’t match, but they go together. Shying away from adding lots of bold colour and taking proportion and scale into consideration helps link the styles. “That warehouse look, it’s a mix of all sorts of different things and there isn’t necessarily a pattern to it; a lot of it is based on function.”
Balance: The masculine chair is tempered by the more feminine sheepskin throw (IKEA), while the same effect is created with the lamps. The one by the chair “just screamed warehouse” with its vintage-look Edison light bulbs and industrial open cage, yet it works well with the classically shaped end table lamps (all from lampsplus.com).
Pattern plus: You can mix them, but one should be the star while the others play a supporting role. The pillows (HomeSense) play into the layers of grey. Adding a throw sets the scene for those who might be living here.
Breaking rules: An area rug that made the space feel cramped was replaced by one from Structube to spread out the room. It has no definite pattern but is visually interesting without taking over and adds to the room’s random mosaic. It does break the design rule of tucking rug edges under the front feet of furniture, but with a larger rug “you’d almost be building a wall right there at the edge of the sofa.”
California dreamin’: A funky Gus coffee table in the shape of California (fab.com) is fun, functional and fits, being narrow enough to keep from blocking flow while still offering great surface area. The white laminate top and streamlined wood legs lighten the room and provide a link between the heavy wood TV cabinet (new, from Zone) and the existing modern glass end tables. “Personal style is more about putting things together and co-ordinating them and mixing pattern and texture and colour instead of everything just being exactly the same.”

Multi-purpose: Smaller space means things must serve double or triple duty. The reclaimed wood TV cabinet offers storage, can be a serving area or be used for seating in a pinch. “When you live in a smaller space, the pieces that you have in there are going to have to take on multiple personalities, so don’t be afraid to do that.”
Scale: The painting (etsy.com) is large but understated to show off the brick wall. It’s clean and simple since there is already a lot of furniture in the room. The vignette of the sofa, end tables and painting is symmetrical, to which people are naturally drawn.


The kitchen

BEFORE



 AFTER




New style: It’s the same size, but most of it is new to give it a more commercial feel, yet it’s warmer to bring in the warehouse element.
Adding depth: A charcoal backsplash (Olympia) in an oversized subway tile is laid in a brick pattern to mimic the brick wall in the living room. It creates depth against the light cream walls.
Toned down: Contemporary high-gloss cabinets with no hardware were replaced with shorter ones in a light texture finish and tube stainless-steel hardware fitted horizontally.
Exposure: Open shelving (IKEA) means everything is at your fingertips, adding to the commercial look.
Hot seat: The island chairs (Zone) are paired with a bench in reclaimed pine (minam.com) that tucks away for more work space. Adding warmth and contrast with its retro aqua blue paint, it can be pulled out for extra living room seating and makes a great conversation piece. “It looks like a piece that somebody’s had for a really long time and it was really loved and passed down.”
Visual pop: Oversized industrial chic pendants (Zone) add visual interest while tying together the kitchen’s new look and providing much needed task lighting.
The unexpected: A white faux lion (whitefauxtaxidermy.com) is both subtle and bold. “If you’re going to put something on your walls it should mean something to you ... and maybe it’s just, ‘This is weird and I love it.’ ”


The den

BEFORE






AFTER




Split personality: A condo den often plays multiple roles — spare bedroom, office, entertainment area. The Murphy bed and work space, which were already there, help show this, but the space needed a lighter touch against all the dark wood. Accessories such as the ampersand bookends, handcrafted horses and oversized wristwatch clock (HomeSense and IKEA) add personality and some light to the space.
Who are you? A mounted trumpet (HomeSense) aims to “show off the personality of the person who might live here.”
Art that works: A gallery wall shows how you can keep and display some of your art collection. The art (HomeSense) can be a mix of different pieces or styles. Here, the gallery wall replaces one big piece of art to balance the space.


The bedroom

 BEFORE

 

AFTER




Toning it down: Pops of red were replaced with calmer, more soothing colours for a more gender-neutral look.

Opening it up: Something as simple as folding up the charcoal bedspread and keeping it at the edge of the bed lets more white show, making the room lighter, cleaner and less formal.
Come on in: Playing around with the pillows (HomeSense) creates a more relaxing space. The blue ties in with undertones in the kitchen greys, while mixing Greek key and cable-knit styles introduces texture and pattern.
Oversized is OK: Ineffective lamps were replaced with larger ones that give off good light, are gender neutral and work well with the drum ceiling fixture already there. Although oversized, if you make everything in a smaller space small “you might start to feel like a munchkin (and) it’s still clutter.”
Seat shift: The bench was moved so that it wasn’t centred under the window. Added pillows (IKEA and HomeSense) suggest a great spot for girlfriends to hang out while you’re getting ready for a night out.
Tips

• 80-20 rule: Have 70 to 80 per cent of your space in one style. The other 20 per cent can be a mix of whatever you want.
• Lighting: Same goes for lighting. Upwards of 80 per cent should be recessed with the rest a mix of floor lamps, pendants, table lamps, even candlelight.
• Your style: Downsizing into a condo doesn’t mean you need all new stuff that’s modern. You may not be able to keep your big dining room table, but maybe you’ll keep some of the chairs and pair them with a slick tulip or glass table for “a really neat balance and combination of traditional and contemporary.”
• Must-haves: You can’t keep everything if you’re downsizing. Pick the top five pieces you cannot live without, but keep in mind they may find a new purpose in a condo.
• Common thread: Open-concept spaces need a common thread, theme or colour palette, something that’s going to bring the whole space together. Introducing new themes in each room makes it look choppy.
• First-timers: Get creative with hand-me-downs. Put your personality into dining chairs by changing the fabric; create a common thread by painting furniture pieces the same colour or adding new hardware.
• Area rugs: They define spaces in an open plan by bringing furniture pieces together without building walls. The key is picking the right size; in most cases a bit bigger is better than picking too small. If you have lots of neutrals and want to introduce colour, an area rug can do that; if you already have lots of colour, choose a rug that’s neutral, maybe with a bit of texture.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

Home Decorating: Mixed Emotions

Decorating your home is so exciting and should be lots of fun but many of my clients get confused and/or bogged down with labels like 'modern', 'contemporary' and 'traditional' and they don't know where they fit or how they want their room to work and usually just stop decorating because they don't want to make a mistake.



But here's a super simple and easy concept to follow when decorating a space.

"How do you want it to feel?"

By asking yourself that questions you will see yourself start to gravitate towards pieces, colours, textures that will evoke that feeling

So think about how you want your bedroom to feel - sexy, tranquil, soothing, exciting, romantic....

Your living/dining space - high energy, zen, calm...

Now if you want to have different 'feelings' in your home you can do that.  The easiest way to make that transition is  rooms that have a door you can start a whole new look or feeling, in the spaces that are open either combine various pieces (follow the 80/20 rule) or just stick to one and add other emotions in other rooms.



I always recommend to have some common thread from room to room especially if you live in a small space like a condo apartment.  So think about things like  streamlined furniture in neutral tones or similar window dressings, these 'standard' elements keep fluidity in the overall theme

Keep in mind that colour is a great and very easy way to tap into the emotion you want to use as your inspiration.  Darker colours tend to be rich, sophisticated and dramatic but can also be very sexy.  Bright colours are full of energy and enthusiasm, and softer tones are more soothing and calm.

Don't get caught up in all of the labels and  get stressed about what to do and how to decorate.  if you follow your heart and use your brain you will get the perfect space for you and don't forget to enjoy!

Boy meets girl...his style meets her style...

So, boy meets girl ... they get along well for a few months (or more) and well, they then decide to move in together....probably not the way most of our parents would like to see us meet our match but that's how it is happening for many of us.  And the days of having the big splashy wedding shower where friends and family outfit your new home with everything you've ever dreamed of....that seems to be a way of the past as well.

More and more couples are choosing to live together before marriage and some skip the 'marriage' thing all together and start having children.

OK, so what in the world does this have to do with home decor??

Well, people are meeting their life partners later in life.  Many of us are living on our own and have our own places before we find that special someone.  Which means we have our own stuff and when our stuff meets his/her stuff it can be a tricky combination.

In my opinion, this is where and why we are starting to see new styles emerge.  We can no longer really put labels on a couple home decor like contemporary or country, it's more like this...rustic elegant or modern vintage. 

So how do we make different styles work together under the same roof?  Well, balance is so important.  Balancing out the elements of each style in a room.  so instead of having a rustic 'let's go to the lodge' looking living room and 'glamour in Paris' looking dining room in the same house.  You mix the styles together and create a style that reflects the both of you.



So take this image for example, the combination of the industrial chairs and light fixtures are a nice counter balance to the soft and subtle wall colour and table linens.  The table has a rustic top but again the cream base softness up the look of it.  The glass elements and the greenery add some feminine touches too.  the big clock wall feature has a 'found design' look and it makes a bold statement.




Another great mix of styles...There are more than 2 styles here.  You've got a modern coffee table, a contemporary streamlined sofa in a grey felt, modern photography mixed with a traditional mirror and a rustic rug but all together it really works and this is truly a person with a sense of style



I call this style - rustic elegance- see how the wood and the clean and sophisticated elements balance each other out.  They are opposites but they work well together.  The combination of the white on white, the upholstered chairs, the mirror, the candles and the floral arrangements mixed with the cast iron, the reclaimed wood with lots of character and depth, make this room truly special.

So here are some tips to mixing your styles:

- you need balance in the room, so be sure that the main two are featured.  If you have too many in one room and not one is really standing out - it looks like a garage sale, aim for an 80/20 mix.  80% being one style (the dominant) and the toher 20% can be another style or a mix of other styles.

- use the items you love and the stuff you don't donate or toss. If you love a piece you will always, always have a space for it.

- be willing to compromise with your partner, so if she really wants the ultra modern glass dining table then you should be able to hang your cabin inspired wall art

- think about how an item could be re purposed....a wild paint colour or fabric can make a traditional piece more modern, a country inspired art piece can look really modern and fresh once it is re-framed, so keep an open and creative mind

Yes - you can work together to get this done but remember decorating a space to reflect your personal styles and tastes takes time, so enjoy the journey and don't forget it is fun to buy some pieces together!