Choosing an awning for your home and mine.

Awnings come in all shapes and sizes. Continuing with the theme of outdoor spaces,  I have been exploring getting an awning for our own home and have discovered there is a lot to consider.

 Once we decided that an awning would solve some of our rain and sun issues, I have noticed awnings everywhere.



I like the style of these awnings. The color of the house is similar to ours and this would look nice. I also like the scallop and contrast banding. I like how they are mounted high above but still come down low enough to give protection. But would I like looking at the dark red from the inside? Would the open sides shield us from the rain on our windows?

Stripes are so classic.

Blue is pretty but the straight tight bottom is a bit plain and better for a contemporary look.

I always thought a patio sheltered by an awning was charming. Add drapery panels and it becomes a really special outdoor room, instantly.

 



In doing some research I have found so many different styles, from contemporary to traditional.

 When I looked up awnings on www.Houzz.com, I expected to find a variety of canvas awnings but it turns out that awnings come in a lot of materials.

     

Although my focus is on canvas awnings this style with barrel tile is the perfect accent to our Mizner style home.  It would be permanent and we would not have to worry too much about it blowing away in a hurricane, nor would we have to take it down beforehand and have it rehung afterward.  Still cost is a consideration.


                                             


In addition to looking on www.Houzz.com I did some real life research by driving through local neighborhoods and found some excellent examples of what I am looking for.

 

We have a clerestory window above our sliding door in our living room.  We have been plagued with leaks for years but we think we have it licked.  However since we have no overhang on our roof on that side of our home,  a contractor said that there is no guarantee that we wouldn't have another leak at some point down the road.  Our goal in installing an awning is to ward off the rain, which, in South Florida, can  blow sideways! A secondary benefit is that it will keep out some strong sun too.

I like this awning because it lets in light but it is not practical for our situation, is it?

But, I must confess, this whole project is also going to allow us to replace our old carpet with beautiful new hardwood floors!  And that will be followed by another decorating project, our living room. 
It is also important to think about what the awning will look like from inside the house.  I will miss looking up at the palms, blue sky and starry night sky, but I must keep the my eye on the prize..... our new hardwood flooring. 

A lighter color makes the room inside brighter. A stripe  could work if it was not too bold, and though a darker color might look better from the outside, would it make the living room too dark?  And how would stripes look from the inside?

 

These awnings are retractable which is a great idea but would not work for our project.
They are not rated for winds over 40mph when open and are very pricey.
We are only considering a 3 foot awning to cover about half the height of the upper window so as not to block too much light.

Here are a few more awnings I spotted on a driveby shoot on a rainy day.  I am now very taken with awnings on houses.  I never realized how popular they are and so charming too.

 

This one actually creates a front porch. and the next one becomes a covered entry.

 

 The house on the right has two styles. The lower makes a covered entry and the upper windows are covered by Bahama shutters that not only shield from the sun but can be lowered completely for storms.

Below the green awnings highlight a sun porch and really add charm to the style of the house.
And what about those yellow awnings!  How fabulous theylook.  Even on that rainy day they brightened up everything.  But I wonder if they give a yellow glow to all the rooms inside kind of like when you put a yellow buttercup flower under someones chin.  If it reflects yellow it means they like butter! 

These last three pictures above show a nearby home in a light gray color, sparkling white roof, shutters and front door.  The awnings are white with gray banding set slightly above the edge.  I really love that look.  What do you think?  Would that work for our house? We could have white awnings with beige or even terracotta banding.  It would be simple, and classic and would probably pass the architectural committee's approval.

Here are photos of our patio and the subject window and slider.  What do you recommend? What color and style do you suggest?  Solid with a trim? A stripe? Dark or light? The house is beige, the roof terracotta barrel tile, the patio is terracotta and the window trim, columns in the front and front door are white.

I look forward to your comments and suggestions!

 

 

Outdoor Living Spaces

  "Summertime and the living is easy."

Why are we so attracted to  dining outdoors? Perhaps it reminds us of picnics at the park or in the backyard when we were kids.  It's a puzzlement to me, like why food tastes better when it is cooked outside!  Just another mystery of life, I guess.

  I am inspired to share some outdoor living spaces that evoke lazy days and relaxing with family and friends, places to rest and restore or cool off with a cool drink or curl up with a good book.

One of the first images that delights me  are those of outdoor dining rooms.  I love tables set in gardens or in greenhouses, like this one above. This table is set up right in the middle of a garden of raised beds.  It could not be more charming. 

This elegant but simple outdoor dining table is beautifully coordinated with the colors of the flowers and surrounding landscape.


Outdoor dining does not have to be elaborate, in fact the simpler and more impromptu, the better, like in the  image below.  Just pull up a few Adirondack chairs and enjoy!

One of the most fabulous settings for outdoor dining is in a greenhouse....should you be lucky enough to have one you might create a special place like one of these greenhouse dining rooms.





This dining room is filled with the richest light.  I don't know where this is but I want to be there.  Do you know where this might be located?

 

Anyone can create an intimate garden dining room with just a couple of chairs and little table.                                     

 Bring them outdoors from your home or from the patio to the garden....don't have a garden full of lavendar?  Anywhere in your yard will do.
Where will you set up your own outdoor dining room? How will it look? Will it be large or small, formal or informal?  Who will you share it with?  What kind of food will you serve?  It is just lovely to think about isn't it?

Treat your windows right and they will delight you!

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Monday, June 10, 2013

 The following is a post from my Picture Pretty Interiors
blog that you might find interesting and maybe inspiring too.
 Stay tuned for more posts on navigating the world of
window treatment design.  Enjoy!

Window Treatment Design Portfolio

Over the years we have been challenged by many types of window treatment dilemas.  There is no one perfect treatment for a window!  It all depends on style, budget and the client's desired results.

 Of course the size and shape of the window and door, the price of the fabric and trim and hardware are also influential in the design of the finished window treatment.  Another factor may be the function that the window treatment needs to provide.  Do you need privacy? Light control? What about heat or cold?
Are you looking to create a focal point or enhance the overall design of your room?

As you can see there are many things to consider when choosing your window treatment design.  Here are a few examples from our Picture Pretty Interiors Portfolio.

 

 

Whether elegant or simple, traditional or contemporary the choices are endless and sometimes overwhelming.  Bay windows, arches, French doors and more offer oppotrunties to be as creative as you like.

 

Whatever window treatment challenge you are faced with there are always unique and beautiful solutions.  We will continue to post new photos to our window treatment porfolio.  For a complimentary on line consultation please email pictureprettyint@aol.com

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French Bistro Style Kitchens

Have you ever been to France and been charmed by the ambiance of a French Bistro?
I have often dreamed about that myself but having never been there, I certainly could create one in my own kitchen.  Why not?

What would it look like?  What elements of that style would I need to recreate that feeling?

The first thing I think about when looking at the outside is an awning.  Then I see colors like this rich gold and red.

  Or maybe blue?  I see little woven chairs and tiny round tables.

 Many have outside seating and are adorned with pots of flowers and herbs.

 

Color is strong on the inside too.  This saturated red is dramatic and fun.  Did you know that the color red also stimulates your appetite?  Red is a wonderful color for a dining room.

 

  Another design element might be a pretty tiled floor and dark woodwork.

Check out the Idea Book (website shown below) from  Houzz.com.  It is full of kitchens done in the French Bistro style.  What a fun project it would be to create one in my own home. 
 This stimulates my appetite for a new kitchen. What do you think?  How would you add touches of French Bistro style to your kitchen?

Oooo La La! and Bon Apetite!

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/7338673/list/9-Ways-to-Conjure-a-Parisian-Bistro-in-Your-Kitchen

Monochromatic Color Schemes

A monochromatic color scheme is one where everything is the same color or shades and tints of the same color.  You might consider a room done in all one color with one neutral as monochromatic,too.

The tricky thing in this one color design is to keep it from being blah.  Once I had a client whose room was all beige and she said she felt like she lived in a bowl of oatmeal!

Here is a living room from House Beautiful Magazine that is an example of a monochromatic blue scheme.  Blue is a restful color, hence if you wanted to create an exciting vibrant feeling, blue would not work.  Here the color enhances a relaxed and calm space.

You can see there are subtle changes in tones of blue.  For that matter, even if every blue were the exact same they would not match because each texture is different. 

What makes this work is the variations in texture and surfaces, including the reflective glass top cocktail table and light wood tones of the tables, and woodwork.  The pair of lamps, end tables, pillows, plants and chairs demonstrates a formal arrangement but the room is not stiff.  It is quite inviting.

I love the large window with light flooding into the room.  A blue room would feel a bit dreary if the window was facing north and did not get much light.

If I was going to make any change in this room it would be to use a mirror or neutral painting or sketch above the sofa.

What do you think?   What changes, if any, would you make? How would you use a monochromatic scheme in your home or next project?

Designing with color

Color is such and important element of design, but how and where it is used can be challenging.  Sometimes just a dash of color is all that is needed to add your personality to a room.

Look what I came across the other day at the Design NS Leather showroom.  It just jumped out at me and said  "look at me".  It actually made me smile.  It reminds me of a court jester both because of it's bold color and curl of the wings.

The color is fun and the overscale design is dramatic which make this chair  both playful and formal at the same time.  What a statement this pop of color would make in any space.

I can see four of these grouped around a cocktail table or a pair in a tall bay window.  They would look fabulous in the lounge area of a fashion designer's salon, too.  What if they were combined with bold black and white striped wallpaper or a black and white chevron patterened rug.  Wait, I see it in an all white room resting on a fluffy white Flokati  rug, surrounded by colorful artwork and a bouquet of brightly hued flowers.

 Where can you imagine this amazing chair?