WHY DO I HAVE SO MUCH STUFF?

"CLEANING YOUR HOUSE WHILE YOUR KIDS ARE STILL GROWING IS LIKE SHOVELING THE SIDEWALK BEFORE IT STOPS SNOWING."
                                                                                         -Phyllis Diller

A lot of people have the problem of having too much stuff with no where to put it. As a 22 year old student that only works part time, and still lives with her parents, I either have way to much stuff or too little of space. The only place I have to put all my stuff is in my bedroom because the rest of the house is filled with all my parent's stuff. So if you are like me and live with your parents, maybe you have kids in the house (we all know having kids means having a lot of stuff), or maybe you just have way to much stuff in general, this post can help you out. I read "11 Ways to Maximize a Small Space" by Jen Renzi. on www.housebeautiful.com. Even if you are simply designing a space these tips can be useful.

TIP #1: CREATE ZONES

Think about all the things you do in a particular space and create different zones or areas for each activity done. 

http://www.flor.com/blog/how-to-define-many-zones-in-one-space/

TIP #2: EMBRACE CHANGE

Choose furniture that serves more than one purpose. If can save on space help with the clutter. You can also pick furniture that can be moved or collapsable when not being used. That way the room can change when or if you need it to. 

http://minimalist-home-designs.blogspot.com/2010/06/minimalist-furniture-design.html

TIP #3: TRICK YOUR EYE

You can design a space to make it look bigger than it is such as furniture placement, the use of mirrors, furniture scale, the use of window treatments, ect... 

http://primed4design.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html

TIP #4: MAKE EVERY PIECE COUNT

When choosing furniture, keep in mind the function needed in the space and select furniture for maximum functionality. Every little bit of space helps especially if there is a lot of traffic flow. 

http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/ideas/best-furniture-for-small-spaces

TIP #5: USE BIGGER-BUT FEWER FURNISHINGS

Having a few large pieces of furniture is way better than filling a space up with a lot of smaller furniture. By using larger scale furniture, it fills the space up more which than oddly makes the room appear larger. 

http://www.deringhall.com/features/articles/living-large-in-small-spaces/

TIP #6: VISUAL CONTINUITY CREATES CALM

Light Colors help make a room look bigger and creates a calming, soothing space.

http://beachhouseinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/09/room-tour-basement-family-room.html

TIP #7: CUSTOMIZE

By customizing things in a room, such as a bookshelf or desk, it can help you utilize all the space you can. 

http://mikeandmcgee.blogspot.com/2010/07/shelves-and-built-ins.html

TIP #8: CREATE A JEWEL BOX

You can enhance a room's coziness by picking elaborate furnishings/materials. 

http://stylebeat.blogspot.com/2011/02/talking-trade-secrets-with-rod_28.html

TIP #9: THINK VERTICALLY

There's a lot of unused space from the tops of your furniture to the ceiling that can be utilized. You can be creative and think of different ways to use that space.

http://www.123decor.com/eclectic-dash-and-refined-proportions-is-hallmarks-by-architect-skip-srokas-new-home-in-phillips-park

TIP #10: CREATE SIGHT LINES

If it's possible, you can make the room larger by removing walls, putting in larger windows or you can create your own space by putting up screens or shelving that help create better sight lines.

http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/ideas/small-space-design-ideas#slide-10

TIP #11: EDIT

You don't have to keep everything you have out, that's what storage is for. Not every single area needs to be filled in. This is the problem my Grandma has. She feels the need to cover every single area of her house and there is no room to breathe.

http://smartgirlstyle.blogspot.com/2013/03/mint-greenish-aquamarine-in-living-room.html

These tips can come in handy in many different situations, but remember not all of them will work for you. Every house is different and you need to find what works best for you and your space. Don't be afraid to be creative and find alternative solutions to your clutter. 

LIGHTING HAS STYLE TOO!

"There is one fundamental fact about lighting: Where there is no light, there is no beauty." -Billy Baldwin, Ruby Ross Wood

Just like design styles you use when designing a room, lighting has certain styles too. It's important to make sure that the lighting used, matches the style used throughout the space. This blog is all about the different styles of lighting and what to look for in each style. All the information below can be found at www.kichler.com.

ARTS AND CRAFTS / MISSION / PRAIRIE

"Look for rectilinear shapes, thick, solid material sections and flat, stylized design elements. If wood is used, it will typically be oak."

 CONTEMPORARY / MODERN

"Look for the complete absence of ornamentation, clean, uncluttered lines, single tone finishes without texture and an overall light feel in the construction."

LODGE / COUNTRY

"Look for rough-hewn wood, natural metals with forge-like features and heavily textured surfaces. Elements of wild game may also be found."

TIFFANY / ART GLASS

"Look for colorful pieces of glass, set in geometric or organic patterns and wrapped in onyx-colored beading. The accompanying lamp base or lamp (bulb) holding devices are usually rich, deep bronze finishes. Many of the contemporary pieces are finished in brushed nickel."

TRADITIONAL

"Look for elegance, gentle curves, and straight lines all wrapped in restrained ornamentation with simple finishing."

TRANSITIONAL

"Look for bronze or earth tone finishes, warm glass accents or diffusers and traditional lines without heavy ornamentation." 

UTILITY

"Look for familiar shapes, no ornamentation, unencumbered light output."

THE ESSENTIALS OF LIGHTING

Hello Everyone! It's been awhile since I've talked with you all, it's been a pretty busy summer. I had an internship at Light Expressions by Shaw which I am finishing up this next week. I have learned so much these past two months and I cannot wait to share some of it with you. For today, I am going to stick with the lighting basics every designer and home owner should know.

http://www.hinkleylighting.com/dynamic/idea_center.aspx?cat=lighting-101

Above is a chart that can be very useful and come in handy when picking out lighting. It's a brief outline that goes room by room and explains the standard sizing of lighting needed. Now these guidelines may not always apply depending on certain situations. Below is a breif description of lighting fixture sizes that can be seen on the chart above.

OUTDOOR LIGHTING

For outdoor lighting, fixtures should hang 66" from the ground as a general rule of thumb. The size of the fixtures should range from 1/4 to 1/3 the size of the door. 

http://www.lowes.com/cd_Why+America+Loves+ReliaBilt_1269617520_

FOYER LIGHTING

When deciding on a foyer light you need to keep in mind the height of the ceiling. The fixture in the foyer should be at least 7' off the floor to avoid the door swing if the fixture hangs right above the door. So if the ceilings are 8' you will probably have to do a flush mount. If there's a window above the door, it's common to have the fixture hang in the middle of the window.

http://huskerdreamhomes.blogspot.com/2011/02/bright-ideas-for-your-home.html

BATHROOM LIGHTING

Bathroom fixtures are usually based on the certain vanity in the bathroom but are generally placed 75"-80" off the floor if it is being placed above the vanity and usually no more than 24" wide. If sconces are being used on either side of the vanity they are usually placed at eye level and are 36"-40" apart. It's also typical to have down lighting in bathrooms because it's a task area so it needs better lighting.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,403815,00.html

http://www.pegasuslighting.com/7-tips-to-improve-your-bathroom-lighting.html

BEDROOM LIGHTING

Lighting for bedrooms vary depending on the type of lighting you want and how big the bedroom is. There is almost always a central overhead light that lights the room but there can also be task lighting such as sconces on either side of the bed. When getting into bedroom, living room, or dining room lighting not everyone wants the same thing. Some people might want a ceiling fan in their living room while others want a chandelier. So you can't really have standard sizing guidelines for these rooms but you can have standard guidelines for each type of fixture. We are going to start with chandeliers.

http://bedroomist.com/2012/10/what-must-be-considered-on-constructing-master-bedroom/master-bedroom-photo/

CHANDELIERS

When sizing a chandelier, you have to base it on the size of the room it's going in. So to get the size chandelier you need, you have to take the length and width of the room and add it together then take the total and convert it to inches which gives you the size you need. If the chandelier is hanging over the dining room table it should be 30-32" off the table.

http://theenchantedhome.blogspot.com/2011/07/30-ways-to-rock-chandelier.html

CEILING FANS

When deciding on a ceiling fan you have to think about the room size also. As shown in the Minka-Aire catalog, if the room is approximately 6' x 8' or 40-60 sq. ft then your ceiling fan should be 26"-42". If the room is approximately 8' x 10' or  70-90 sq. ft then the ceiling fan should be 44". If the room is approximately 10' x 12' or 100-150 sq. ft then the fan should be 52"-54" and if the room is approximately 12' x 15' or over 160 sq ft, which is typically a great room, then the ceiling fan should be 60" to 72" or have multiple fans. Another thing to remember is that the height of the room is important also. Ceiling fans come with down rods and the length of the down rod is based on the height of the ceiling. If you have a really low ceiling than you want a hugger mount which means you don't have a down rod.

8' ceiling-standard down rod (3 1/2")

9' ceiling-6" down rod

10' ceiling-12" down rod

11' ceiling-18" down rod

12' ceiling-24" down rod

13' ceiling-36" down rod

14' ceiling-48" down rod

15' ceiling-60" down rod

16' ceiling-72" down rod

18' ceiling-96" down rod

As seen in the Casablanca Fan Company Catalog

Ceiling Fan

http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/fans-cooling

PENDANT LIGHTING

Pendant lighting is really popular over kitchen islands and should hang 30" from the counter top. Typically pendants are 12"-24" apart but it really depends on the length of the island and the size of the pendant. Typically you can take the length of the island and divide it the number of spaces you are going to have. So say you are going to have two pendants than you take the length divided by three because that's how many spaces you will have. Also, there should be 12" to 15" from the edge of the counter to the pendant as a rule of thumb.

http://kitchenextra.com/kitchen-ceiling-lights/

http://www.home-style-choices.com/home-lighting-design.html

LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

Landscape lighting really makes the exterior of a house look fantastic and has many purposes. It can be for security reasons, to light a walkway, to highlight tress or bushes, ect...There are so many options for landscape lighting.

http://www.livinglandscapes.net/id67.html

OTHER LIGHTING BASICS
When it comes to lighting you should know the terms ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. According to Hinkley, ambient lighting is the main lighting that lights up the whole room, accent lighting is lighting that is used to highlight things such as artwork and has to be brighter than the ambient light, and task lighting is for a specific area where a certain task is performed such as cooking, doing homework, reading, ect...