Technology and the future of Interior Design?

Lately I have been giving some thought as to how much the world of technology will change the future of interior design. I believe all the advances that have been made in the last few years can have a very positive impact on the interiors of our homes. 

Most of us now own ipods, laptops, blackberrys or iphones, e-readers or kobos. These new electronics greatly reduce the amount of space we need to store data.  The ipod can hold massive amounts of music in a very small unit.  It has almost eliminated our need for cds and dvds.  Everything is uploaded to these devices and because there are docking stations available for them, a stereo is also no longer necessary.  Listening to the radio online is another option.

Due to the kobos, we could theoritically do away with all bookcases and cd towers.  Photo albums will also be redundant as we can load all the images onto cds.  Think of how much less space storing photos on a cd takes up versus in a photo album.  

Movies are downloaded to memory sticks or rented through programs such as Netflix.  Physical copies of movies arent required, so there is no demand for vcrs or blu ray players.

 

So what does all of this mean with respect to the interior of our homes?  Most likely the elimination of some furniture pieces and less clutter.  The trend of large open spaces in homes will benefit from this with a more streamlined look.  Maybe these changes will make some people gravitate towards minimalism.  Those who prefer the more transitional or traditional styles may find increased importance of the fabrics and wall art used to prevent the look from becoming too stark. 

We will have more freedom to choose what goes in our rooms. Decisions to include pieces such as media consoles, bookcases etc will be based on our desire to include them, not necessity.  If we want to feature a bookcase because we still enjoy turning the pages of a paperback so be it.  Otherwise we can use that extra open space to display some sentimental items we dont always have room for.     

freshfurniture.net

Although many of us still appreciate having tangible photos, cherished collections of old movies, cds or even records, we are slowly embracing the flexibility the improvements in technology can afford us.  The constant innovations that are being made are sure to bring many more changes in our way of life, leisure, and the interior of our homes. 

Illumination - What are the trends for 2012?

After visiting some design shows in Toronto recently it became apparent that lighting is continuing to have a very glamourous look.  The dominant colour scheme seemed to be white, cream and lots of sparkle.  The lamps shown here at the cgta (Canadian Gift and Tableware Association) have an elegant but understated lampshade. 

Ceiling fixtures were also very sophisticated. Most of the small pendant lights had simple lines, but were made of bubbled glass in different shapes.  The larger ones were embellished with crystals or shiny trims.  Installing a chandelier such as the oval one shown here would be an easy way to update an otherwise tired dining room. 

Even pot lights were being adorned with crystals.  There are now kits available so that its possible to attach a string of clear or coloured gems to existing pot lights.  Usually used in bathrooms they will certainly add a surprise element to the room.

franklite.net

If you would like to add some dramatic lighting in your home, try adding it in a powder room.  Since this is not a bathroom used for shaving or applying make-up, it is a great place to push the style boundries a bit.  Even if you use a soft glow of light in this area, it will be sufficient for the purpose of this room.

If you would like some assistance renewing the look of your rooms, please contact me at linda@changesinteriordesign.ca

Thanks for visiting!

Welcome to Renew your rooms!

Thank you for stopping by! 

My goal here is to share some ideas to inspire you.  I know I am not the only one fascinated by the world of interior decorating.   Judging by all the sites on the topic, many of us are searching for that "little something extra" to add to the look of the rooms in our home. 

I have spent many hours captivated by the before and after photos of rooms we so often see.  I appreciate how things such as room layout, colour choice and just the right accessories can make a dramatic difference to a room.   

primroseandplum.co.uk

After spending many years obsessed with changing the look of rooms, I finally decided to follow my passion and make it a reality.  I am now a Certified Interior Decorator.  While I was attending classes I found that instead of just looking forward to graduating, I was truly enjoying the journey. 

Attending a few of the Interior Design Shows in Toronto just fuelled the fire!  There are so many possibilities for the interior of your home.  I am always curious about the newest materials, trends and colour palettes.   

 
So here I am sharing my interest in Interior Decorating with anyone who will listen....I am hoping you will respond by posting comments or photos of your favourite finds.  It will only result in the exchange of ideas and expand our knowledge. 

Having said all that – let’s move on to the good stuff, photos, ideas and links...

Stencilling

Many of you may be thinking of the stencils from years ago - a border placed just a few inches beneath the ceiling around the room, but I have found and some new ones that work quite well.  They are great used on an accent wall and look amazingly just like wallpaper when complete. 

Here using the hourglass stencil added just the right amount of interest to an otherwise plain wall.  The stencil is large (approx 2 x 3 ft) and easy to use with a trim roller.  There are a large number of other patterns at cuttingedgestencils.com.  They range from traditional to contemporary. 

Some other examples:

cuttingedgestencils.com

cuttingedgestencils.com

The nice thing about the stencils offered on this site is that the choices are not only limited to doing an entire wall, but also wall art such as this:

both images from cuttingedgestencils.com

Of course you are in no way limited to using neutral colours.   Bold colours such as those used in this example really make a statement.

cuttingedgestencils.com

The combination of colours and patterns are virtually endless. Using these as an accent wall works really well, but doing an entire room such as a small bathroom would give it alot of wow factor.  

In the past few years wallpaper has increased in popularity.  These stencils are a great alternative to wallpaper if that is not your forte.  Is there a wall in your home that needs a some new life?  A stencil could be the answer. 

Thanks for visiting!  I will be launching my website very shortly - please have a look when its up!

If you would like some assistance with renewing the look of your rooms please contact me at linda@changesinteriordesign.ca