Design Inspiration | Future of the Home Library

I'm working on a Home Library design in a beautiful, traditional home in Denver. Few homes have these beautiful, inviting, bonus rooms, and I fear that even fewer will in the future. Libraries, public and private, really are a treasure. I was recently in New York and had a chance to admire the public library building. How could I be anything but inspired by this beautiful architecture and detail? The woodwork, the windows, the chandeliers... all adding elegance to a highly functional space.

What is the future of our printed word? E-books have outsold printed books since 2010 and the margin grows each year. Will our printed books really go away? I think not. Most people still prefer the touch and experience of reading a real book. What is the future of our libraries, public and private? Whether your library is a proper separate room, or a bookshelf in your office, bedroom, or living room, most homes do have a library. Those shelves tell a brief story of who we are, our hobbies or interests. In some cases our books are artwork, or nostalgia. What is the future of these cozy spaces once designed to house our reading treasures?
  What do you envision when you hear the term "library"? I envision warm enveloping chairs and a cozy environment. The kind of place you really want to curl up and read. Good lighting is essential. Some might prefer a table or work area. And some may require a place to put your feet up. Following are beautiful Library Spaces that are inspiring me today.

 

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Contemporary Living Room by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Lizette Marie Interior Design

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Contemporary Dining Room by Laguna Beach Interior Designers & Decorators Michael Fullen Design Group

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Libraries are so often traditional in design, decor and feel. The space below is a fabulous library of bold and modern design.

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Do you have a library or reading nook in your home? What are the essential elements to you? Share with us here, or on Facebook.

For even more library inspiration, check out my board on Pinterest: Beautiful Habitats - Library & Workspace, or my Libraries Ideabook on Houzz.

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Prepare Your Dining Room for Entertaining

The Holidays are coming, the Holidays are coming! That's right. It's Dining Room season in the world of Interior Designers. It's time to think about that new dining room design if you want to have it ready to go for your holiday dinners, parties and lots of entertaining. Whether you are in need of a full blown make-over, or just a little refresh, I've got some tips for you to consider for your Dining Room Design.

via Pinterest

Table

The foundation of your dining room is the table. I prefer a pedestal table to a traditional table with four legs. The pedestal provides more flexibility when entertaining larger parties.

via New England Home

Don't forget to top your table with a fabulous table setting to welcome guests and set the mood.  

Upholstery

Notice, I said "upholstery", not just "chairs". Dining chairs should be upholstered, whether just the seat, or the whole chair. Dining chairs should be comfortable and invite guest to linger long after dinner has been served.

via House of Turquoise

  

via Pinterest

Lighting

Dining Rooms deserve fabulous lighting and it must be on a dimmer! If you've got a larger dining room or table, don't do a round chandelier in the center or your host and hostess will be in the dark. Take a cue from this Red dining room below - two lights are better than one.

via Colorado Homes & Lifestyles

via aesthetically-thinking

Display/Serving

Do you have a large dining room? Lucky you. This is a great opportunity to beautifully display your pieces, or to set up additional surfaces for meal serving.
 

via Beautiful Habitat

Drapery

If you are fortunate enough to have a window in your dining room, dress it up!

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Wall Treatments

Create a stunning focal point with dramatic wall treatments or artwork.

via Pinterest

via Houzz

 

Don't forget the Ceiling

I love a ceiling with something other than white paint. (see previous posts) Your Dining Room is a great room to add pizazz on the ceiling.

via Marcus Design

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Designing with Bed Drapery | Canopies

Bed Drapery has been around for a long time. It was essential in Northern Europe during the cold winters in drafty homes. Beds were draped in fabrics and woven tapestries to create warmth and privacy. Kings and Queens would receive courtiers at their bed, so the beds were of importance and were lavishly decorated. Just think of the beds in the Palace of Versailles and you'll get the picture. Today, Bed Drapery is a fun way to customize your bedroom design, add more color and pattern, or create a cozy cocoon for yourself and your loved one. And they don't necessarily have to be elaborate or expensive. There are several ways to incorporate bedding treatments into your own dream Master Suite. Today, I'll discuss canopies, both with a four-poster bed and without.

Canopies and Drapery on a Four-poster Bed

The first way to achieve Bed Drapery is with a proper four-poster or canopy bed. Using the bed as the base, drapery can be added in many creative ways.

via Abode Love

via Pinterest

 

via Elle Decor

via The Enchanted Home

via House Beautiful

Faux Canopy

A second way to add Bed Drapery, is to fake a a four-poster bed by adding a drapery at the wall, ceiling, or both. One of the easiest ways to do this is hang drapery rods from the ceiling and drapery at the corners make a convincing look of a four-poster bed.

Via Tobi Fairley

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A second way to create the look is adding Drapery at the ceiling that falls behind the bed as in these bedrooms featured below.
 

via Splendid Sass

via Design Tripper

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

Next time I'll cover 2 other types of Bed Draperies: Half Tester and Corona. More inspiration for your own beautiful master suite design. Are you inspired to add bed drapery to your bedroom design?

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Beautiful Habitat Has Moved | Sneak Peek

We've moved! To a new house, that is. You'll still be able to find Beautiful Habitat right here and on Facebook and Twitter. You may recall my post about the new house and all the photos before renovations began. Well, some renovations are wrapped up, others haven't yet begun, but we are now residing in the new abode. I wish I had photos of the final beautiful rooms to share with you. Alas, we are living like this in more than one room.

Time and hard work will continue to pull this beauty together. And you can rest assured that I'll be sharing with you as soon as it's ready! Until then, here is a sneak peek. Enjoy!

 New Kitchen Cabinets and Hardware

Do I see Open Shelves in the Kitchen??

New Carpet - a custom dyed shade of gray. When they don't have a color you like, custom dye is always an option.

Gold On The Ceiling... Because Gold is staging a comeback and I am embracing it!

New floors - ebony-stained wood with a new graphic rug (and my camera-shy pup/assistant.)

A few finishing touches are in place, but much more work to do. And a coat of new paint - Sherwin Williams "Anew Gray".

To see more about the journey to the new home:

• Designer's Home| Welcome to My New Digs
• Things I Really Love About My House

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Love it or Leave it | One Pattern Everywhere

Some argue that using one pattern on multiple surfaces in a room creates an optical illusion of spaciousness. But I want to know, would you Love it or Leave it? Do you have a tiny room? Would you try this to create spaciousness?

All Photos via Pinterest

What are your thoughts: Love it or Leave it?

Check out other Love or Leave it Ideas and Posts

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

I've said it before: ceilings are the most neglected surfaces in any room and in the realm of Interior Design and Decorating. Think about it - have you ever painted a ceiling? If so, did you paint it anything other than white? Hove you ever even thought about your ceilings from a decorative aspect? You should - and I'm going to help you! There are several benefits to treating your ceiling in part of your interior design plan. If you've got a shorter room or low ceilings, adding ceiling interest can draw the eye up and make the room feel taller. (Find an example in this post: Designer Tips: Using Bold Wall Color). Conversely, if you've got a very high ceiling, a darker paint or more dramatic treatment can help to bring the ceiling down and add a cozier feeling to the space. And simply by adding interest to your ceilings, you just add something special and unique to your rooms and your home.

Painted ceilings

I've blogged before about the most simple ceiling treatment: a coat of paint that is anything but white: Painted Ceilings

Here are some additional inspiring paint options.





Papered Ceilings

Wallpaper and metal leafing are great options for adding interest and texture to ceilings.






Special Treatments

Whether with paint, paper, other materials, or a combination, here's where we get really creative with ceilings. I'm so inspired!





And, my personal favorite of this particular collection, with both coffers and a special design treatment:



If you'd like to see even more of these great ceilings, or to get additional information on those ceilings featured here, check out my Pinterest board appropriately titled Ceilings Need Love Too.

If you'd like advice on where to start with your own ceiling project, read these previous posts with Interior Design Tips: To Paint or Not to Paint... The Ceiling. Before & After: Choosing Wall Color, Designer Tips: Using Bold Wall Color.

And if you do add some interest to your own ceiling, please do share it with us! You can email me directly, share here, or share on Facebook!

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com