5 Interior Design Styles Part III

Parisian Interior Design 

I'm enjoying putting this series, a tetralogy, together on interior design styles because I'm learning a lot! I've gone from a know-nothing to at least being able to tell the categories of decor apart. How great it is to learn new things! So let's continue with 5 more styles ...

Click images to enlarge - The interior design names follow the images.

11) Parisian - Parisian interior design came about during the reign of Napoleon III (1852 - 1870) when the French Emperor instructed architect Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann to tear down Paris' medieval buildings and replace them with 19th-century buildings that had architectural features of the time. Many of today's Paris apartments still have these Haussmann Era details, which include elegant wall and ceiling moldings, herringbone floors, marble mantel fireplaces, and gilded mirrors. Parisian interior design features panels of painted wood molding. Walls are usually painted a creamy white. Ceiling molding trimmings have a repeat design of leaves, fruits, and flowers with an ornate plaster rosette or medallion in the center of the ceiling and often with a chandelier or modern light fixture dangling from it. The overall look is a mix of traditional and modern minimalism. Furniture has clean, simple lines and shapes that are speckled with a few unexpected bold or daring pieces.

12) Scandinavian - Scandinavian interior design is known for its simplicity, comfort, and connection to nature. It embraces minimalism and modernism. The furniture is functional and multi-tasking, often with hidden storage, but not ornate or purely decorative. Natural materials are favored such as wood or stone. Light, white and soft colors, and neutral hues are used. Cozy textures like wool and sheepskin are prevalent. Natural light is valued as are plants and greenery to bring nature indoors.

  

13. Coastal - This style gets its inspiration from shoreline nature such as the sea, sand, and sky. Just like a beach in the Hamptons -- where the style began in the early 1900s and later spread throughout the USA -- the look is bright, airy, and relaxing. The base color is white or off-white with layers of beige, gray, teal, turquoise, or light blue. Bleached oak, blond maple, or ash furniture is popular. Accessories are made of wicker and rattan (palm). Jute rugs and linen upholstery are signature textiles of Coastal decor. Coral hues and collected seashells finish the look.

14) 14. Farmhouse - Farmhouse style is practical, incorporating traditional with modern design. Old elements are integrated with new pieces for an overall warm and inviting aesthetic. White or earthy neutrals are the main palette with accent colors associated with farms such as barn reds, sunny yellows, sky blues, and grassy greens. Pops of colors can be muted or bold. You can bring in your own shapes as long as the parts keep the totality clean. There's an emphasis on wood in walls, floors, and countertops accented by steel or iron fixtures. Brick or stone fireplaces are widespread and surrounded by cozy couches and chairs. Photographs, paintings, hangings, and swag add personality. 

15) Industrial - Industrial design embraces open spaces, open floor plans, natural light, and stripped-down architectural details like bare bricks, exposed metal pipes, and natural untreated wood. A neutral color palette uses whites, greys, blacks, and browns. Large windows are preferred to let in the sunshine. Coffee tables on wheels, bookcases, and dining tables made from recycled wood are also characteristic. A group of bare lightbulbs hanging as a chandelier; graphic lines including windowpanes; or iron wheels on a barstool are themes. Black metal, weathered leather, and linen work enhance this look. The feel is cozy, neat, and lived in!

Extra Photos of Parisian (top👆) vs Coastal (bottom👇) interior design. I think the bottom↘ photo sans the wicker table also has the feel of Scandinavian decor.

Have you found your own interior design style yet? I'll end our series with 5 final decor choices on Monday. Stay tuned my awesome readers! Enjoy the weekend!

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5 Interior Design Styles Part II

A Modern Style Living Room

As promised here are 5 more popular interior design styles. Expert decorators write books on each one. Allow me to detail several main traits while you consider your favorites ...

Click the photos to enlarge. The interior design names follow the images.

6) Modern - According to the Spruce, modern homes "are comfortable and inviting spaces built for relaxed family time and casual entertaining." Living rooms contain ... "ultra-comfortable seating, built-in TV walls, and a focus on natural light." Design elements include natural, earthy, or monochromatic hues along with clean, sleek, and functional furniture. You'll see plywood, concrete, fiberglass, and acrylic paired with steel, stone, wood, bamboo, and leather. Geometric, abstract, retro, and grid patterns are favored. 

7) Modern Mid-Century  - Simplicity is the mainstay of the MMC style. The furniture has clean lines, soft curves, and functionality. There's no clutter, accessories are minimal, sleek, and serve a purpose. Earthy color palettes dominate. The focus is on natural textures and wood, especially teak, walnut, or oak. The mood of the room is warm, cozy, and calm. Pops of color, geometric shapes, or vintage lamps complete the look. While Frank Lloyd Wright is the most influential architect of the period, George Nelson is the father of MMC design since he created some of its most iconic designs which are still with us today. Onto ...

8) Contemporary - This style evolved from modern design in the 1970s and continues to grow today. I'm posting not 3, but 4 examples of it as it means "now"! Key features include sculptural lights; exposed construction materials such as steel pillars, wooden beams, brick, or concrete; minimalism of form (for example windows replacing walls); and the use of eco-friendly materials such as bamboo, cork, recycled plastics, glass, aluminum, or clay. These new materials gave what is called "a visual edge'' to contemporary design. An additional influence may come from traveling to Asia, South America, or continents not your own. Therefore there may be a mix of cultures in a room. Colors found in nature including (1) stone grey, (2) sandy browns, (3)  charcoal black, and (4) cloudy whites are commonly brought into a home with color accents of (5) leafy greens and (6) rich jewel tones. Artwork is often prominent and pleasing without being overly ornate like a featured wall or a standalone statue. Contemporary design also loves open interiors with less division. An example is a "great room," a combined living and dining room that flows out from the kitchen. 

9) Glam - This distinct style falls under contemporary. "Glam is an interior design style that's ornate and extravagant, striking the perfect balance between excess and elegance. Using elaborate detailing, high contrast, and luxurious materials, glam style is for those who love a more-is-more approach with a sense of sophistication and plenty of shimmer," quoted (because I like the wording!) from Signature Hardware.

According to the Spruce, texture and shine unite to create a glam room. Mirrors and mirrored tables give the space a glitzy, upscale feel while silk, velvet, and fur fabrics add texture and interest to the space. You might see crystal chandeliers, sequin lamps, or metallic candlesticks. The main palette color tends to be a sophisticated neutral like white, ivory, cream, grey, or black while pastels and jewel tones bring pizzazz to a room along with crystal, marble, gold or silver, velvet, fur, silk, and spectacular light fixtures.

10) Maximalism - is another design style with a more is more mentality. The look embraces bold uses of color, pattern, and layering to create a space that celebrates excess. Although the style champions an exuberance of colors, patterns, textures, shapes, and objects, it works because it's as intentional and curated as any other interior design type. Think of maximalism as mindful over-the-top playfulness. It avoids clutter, messiness, and neutrals. Bright show-stopping colors are a must. Design elements mix patterns with contrasting themes like animal prints, geometric shapes, and florals. Expect to see chandeliers, statement pieces, ornate accents, or unique wallpaper. Maximalism, well done, shows you the unexpected by skillfully linking unrelated elements together. It's surprisingly warm ... I love it!

Photo of Maximalism style by Meagan Hopp - NYC Project 

I hope you enjoy this series on interior design styles as much as I do! Some choices in our trilogy (or maybe it'll be tetralogy?), I didn't know a lot about before outlining them. How about you? Learn anything new?

Stay tuned: On Friday I'll publish 5 more Interior Design Styles Part III.

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5 Interior Design Styles - Part I

A gorgeous example of a traditional style

Have you ever been asked what the design style of your home is? I have and it makes me ponder. Occasionally I've asked friends to tell me the answer. I know what my style isn't but I can't exactly define what it is. Usually, guests describe my decor as classic modern which I agree with, and yet perhaps the description is too general for a decorator. Why don't we outline a few popular interior decorating styles over 3 blogs this week? I'll briefly depict 5 per blogpost...

Click to enlarge photos. - The interior design names follow the images.

1) Art Deco - Art Deco began around 1910 in Paris and became very popular throughout Western Europe in the 1920s - 1930s. Its longer French name is Arts dècoratifs. The style has its roots in the Industrial Revolution. Symmetry is key. Geometric shapes, shiny metals, mirrors, and acrylic are common. Typical patterns include chevrons, zigzags, waves, and sunbursts throughout a room.

2) Bohemian - Sometimes shortened to Boho style is a free-spirited look that mixes culture, color, patterns, metals, woods, textures, animal hides, and trinkets while placing an emphasis on organic motifs and nature.

3) Traditional - The style is timeless and welcoming. You can mix vintage and antique furniture with a few of-the-moment pieces for a look that never goes out of style. Layered in color, pattern, texture, and history, traditional style often includes silk, linen, and velvet upholstery. Patterns include florals and stripes, and there can be ornately detailed dark wood inspired by the 18th and 19th centuries in a room. Traditional design can embrace formal and cozy together. 

4) Cottage - This style uses natural themes and airy colors to infuse warmth and comfort into any space. You see pillows and throw blankets piled on sofas and chairs, weathered knickknacks, wicker baskets, and woven fabrics throughout the home.

5) Eclectic - William Carroll Pahlmann made vogue the eclectic style in the 1950s. It's about harmonizing unlike elements such as time periods, color, texture, or shapes. Oh, what a fun style that when mindful is not messy!

Have you found the tone of your home yet?

Part II with 5 more interior design styles will publish on Wednesday. Stay tuned!

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Cook's Country Drop Meatballs

Never in my life have I made meatballs. Too much trouble! Always I brown ground beef and onion in a skillet and then add my spaghetti sauce. At times I've turned crushed tomatoes into pasta sauce, but frankly often use Whole Foods 365, Barilla, or another commercial brand of tomato sauce ... I'm not gonna lie!

After watching an episode of Cook's Country I'm now interested in trying its easy (Philadephia-inspired) recipes for drop meatballs and homemade tomato sauce. There's no bread to break up and no browning of the meatballs! Despite the simplification of steps, the dish is fancy enough to serve dinner guests, so I'm putting it on the blog with plans to invite friends over for a taste test!

Here's the episode and below is the recipe written out for our convenience  ...

Cook's Country Drop Meatballs and Pasta Sauce

Ingredients for the meatballs:

22 square saltines

1 cup milk
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Fresh chopped basil.

Directions for the meatballs:

1) Crush the saltine crackers using a rolling pin with the saltines inside a sealed plastic bag.

2) Empty into a mixing bowl and add a cup of milk. After the crackers soften mix it together into a paste.

3) Add the 2 lbs of ground meat and 2 oz of grated Parmesan cheese to the cracker-milk mixture.

4) Toss in the garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. 

 

5) With your hands combine the meatball mixture but don't over mix or the meatballs will get tough. No eggs are needed because the hot sauce will provide the structure for the meatballs to hold them together.

6) Form into 24 - 1/4 cup size meatballs.

7) Skip the browning. Instead put the meatballs in the refrigerator while making the tomato sauce.

Ingredients for the tomato sauce:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (28-ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions for the tomato sauce:

1) Mash 10 garlic cloves and toss into E-V olive oil in an oven-safe-pot. Turn on the stovetop and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes until the garlic is golden brown on both sides. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds. Next, add salt and pepper.

2) Retrieve the uncooked meatballs from the refrigerator and lay them one by one in the sauce which is still in the pot.

3) Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover and place in a preheated 400-degree oven to cook for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven. Top with fresh chopped basil if you wish.

4) Meanwhile make 2 lbs of spaghetti pasta. You'll need 4 quarts of water, 1 tablespoon of salt and to boil the pasta for 7 - 8 minutes for al dante noodles. Also after draining the water, put a spoonful of tomato sauce into the pasta and mix to keep it from sticking.

Plate your food and eat! The recipe is for 2 pounds of pasta. Feel free to make one pound of pasta and freeze half the tomato sauce with drop meatballs for another day.

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Surprisingly Effective Hair Tamers

I'm wearing my hair longer than usual. Penny, my longtime hairstylist retired, and I've been slow in finding a new hairstylist. Luckily the Rapunzel hair trend is on! You don't get the bounciness of should-length hair, yet longer hair is easy to care for requiring just a tad of extra conditioning to maintain its health. 

Years ago I stopped buying special hair smoothers to tame my hair. Often the additional products left an undesirable stickiness, stiffness, or residue without really improving my hair. You do need a good hair conditioner after shampooing ... and on days I style my hair with the hot air of a blow dryer, I also spray on Tresemme Thermal Heat Protectant which leaves strains clean.

So what do you use to slick down those flyaways?

Two surprisingly effective hair tamers are, in fact, skin moisturizers that are not marketed as hair treatments. But when used in moderation they do an excellent job of calming frizzies while leaving your locks of hair clean. I use them every morning after showering.

1) CeraVe Moisturizing Cream (with hyaluronic acid and ceramides). Why it works on hair: It's light, oil-free, and fragrance-free. By dabbing a dime-sized amount on the ends of my hair, the cream combats dryness. It also reverses the negative charge in your hair that causes flyaways and frizzies.

2) Body Oil - Try coconut oil, baby oil, or any light oil you use to lock moisture into your skin after showering. Why it works on hair: It's heavier than a strain of hair. I use just the residue left on my hands after putting it on my skin. A little goes a long way. Avoid your scalp and focus on the middle and ends of your hair. Don't use more than a tiny amount ... or you'll weigh down your hair for a greasy unwashed look.

If you think about it, the ingredients that go into moisturizing your skin are many of the same ingredients that go into products that tame your hair, namely water and conditioners. You can simplify your life by finding effective personal care products that multi-task for your skin, hair, and nails! Skin moisturizers are cheaper than hair moisturizers and come in larger sizes also.

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Taaffeite Is A Rare Gemstone

Taaffeite is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. It was first discovered as an already cut, polished, and misidentified "spinel" in a Dublin, Ireland jewelry shop by gemologist, Richard Taaffe who bought a cluster of gems in October 1945.

Taaffe noticed some inconsistencies in his "spinel" and sent a sample of the stone off to a London lab which in 1951 verified that its main components were beryllium, magnesium, and aluminum, making the hexagon crystal a newly found mineral later named taaffeite (BeMg3Al18O16).

Unlike spinel, which is only singly refractive (like diamonds and garnets), Taaffeite is doubly refractive (it blends and reflects light in all directions). Taaffeite is a transparent gemstone with a vitreous shine (like glass in appearance or physical properties).

This beryl forms in carbonate rocks in Sri Lanka and Southern Tanzania (alongside the gemstones fluorite, mica, spinel, and tourmaline). Some poor-quality taaffeite has also been discovered in China. 

Because of its rarity, taaffeite is only used as a gemstone. Registering an 8 - 8.5 on Moh's Scale of Hardness, the jewel comes in colorless, violet red, pink violet, red, light green, and mauve. Taaffeite costs an average of $1,500 - $2,500 per carat, although top-grade taaffeite can fetch $35,000 per carat. The best quality taaffeite gets bought quickly. Pink is the rarest and most expensive color.

This beryllium-magnesium-aluminum-oxide mineral is clean of inclusions, and the red is gorgeous. Imagine ... a jewelry lover wearing it would bling all over the place!

Have you ever heard of taaffeites?

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