Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with interiordesign

Where can I find attractive powered speakers?

bryanlacksfocus — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:13:21 -0800

Does anyone know of any attractive powered speakers? Ones that look like they belong on a bookshelf and not next to a PC? I'm looking for speakers to put in my living room that I would beam music to through an Airport Express. It could be one speaker or a pair, but they should be powered and stand-alone—I don't have room for a "system" with a separate amplifier. I don't need a radio, CD player, or iPod dock—just a power switch, a volume knob, and one audio input jack. The only powered speakers I'm finding are designed for use with a computer and are, in my opinion, unforgivably ugly—at least for use outside a computer workstation. I'm hoping to find something simple and modern with straight, clean lines—possibly a cousin to this Tivoli or this GenevaSound radio or the wooden-cased (non-powered) speakers our parents had in the 70s.

With everyone doing so much from their computers these days, it seems like these ought to exist! Have you come across any? Any ideas are appreciated!

A place of my own

Iteki — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:10:47 -0800

Calling for ideas on what to incorporate into my den/workroom/lair! Just moved into my new flat, where I have the luxury of having my very own room. It's kinda small, but it's all mine! I have a number of ideas for what I want to do with the space, but I can't possibly ignore the wealth of crazy suggestions available here. The mrs is planning for her room to be a little more traditional, a musicroom/office/guestroom, so I needn't be too practical in my plans, nor should you.

Likes include crafty and techy projects, all forms of gaming from tabletop to videoscreen, computering, reading, toys, pretending to exercise and meditate, hamstering and cocooning.

The room is 4.23 meters by 1.94, here is a layout sketch. That's about 6x14 feet.

Rochester NY decorating services / help?

14580 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:27:47 -0800

We're remodeling our kitchen and adjacent family room and we need help finding someone in the Rochester NY that can help us pick out and coordinate the colors of our walls, counter-tops, rugs and floors. I've been looking at the web sites of interior designers and decorators and I find them very intimating. It looks like they work on $$$$ projects and we have a modest house and a modest budget. Do you have any recommendations or suggestions?

Help me modernize this old space

pilibeen — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:56:06 -0800

How can I introduce some color in my very brown apartment - AND - can you recommend some cheap sources for cool/hip furnishings & paintings? I'm moving into a new place soon with hardwood floors in the living room & bed room, and wood paneling all around. It's very, very brown and drab.

I'm looking for ways to introduce some color into the space, and make it feel less like my grandparent's home and more like one of a 25 year old.

Since painting isn't an option - I'm assuming my only choices are furniture, paintings, lamps, plants, and other decorative items. Unfortunately I'm completely clueless and don't know where to begin looking for (reasonably) affordable furniture and paintings. The selection at the local thrift store and most yard sales seem to just match the current decor I'm trying to get away from.

Just browsing Apartment Therapy - I really like this guy's setup.

Not into the super modern - but I like the funky, hip, vintage stuff which I'm guessing is probably the only feel I could pull off anyway, given what I'm working with.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions....

What should go in this part of my house?

Steve3 — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 07:22:20 -0800

What do I do with this space in my living room? It's perfect for the Christmas tree, but for the other 11 months of the year, it's just empty, and needs something in it. Here's another view, and as much of the whole room as I can get in 1 photo. It's at the end of a relatively long living area, and opposite the entry to the house, so it's very visible when you walk in. The room isn't very well lit, so I don't want to obscure the light from the window. The doorway on the right is to the kitchen/dining area, and off camera to the left is the door to the office and other rooms, so it's a space we walk by often. It's about 6 1/2 feet wide by 4 ft deep.

Any furniture put back there is isolated from the conversation area centered on the rug, but yet it's too central to traffic to be private. It would fit a foosball table quite nicely, but that's already been rejected by my wife.

What would you do with this space?

Please help me determine if an architect is necessary, and if so find one

Herkimer — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:16:44 -0800

Would it be a good idea to hire an architect for this job? Can you recommend one in my northern New England area, or can you recommend ways to find a good one? Any thoughts on how much the job should cost? We live in a house that was built in 1980 and that has been added on to twice. As a result of the additions it has a kind of funky/atraditional interior structure and there are some spaces that are just strange shapes. Also, it was originally built to be passive solar, so a large part of a major internal wall is concrete (to act as heat-retaining thermal mass), and most of the house sits on a very thick concrete slab, which complicates interior renovations.

My husband and I would like to put in a third bath, upstairs laundry room (there is a laundry, but it's currently downstairs), and renovate the main bath. We would do most to all of the work ourselves, spaced out over time; we can't afford it otherwise. But, due to the funky interior, as well as the complications associated with running water lines or ducts (because of all that concrete), I think it could be helpful to hire an architect as a consultant. I envision him/her helping us plan the work: where to place fixtures and storage, where to run water/ducts, and so on. I don't think we would even need drawings; I would just like a professional's input on how we can make the best use of our space and address the challenges it presents.

We tried hiring a contractor for a similar job back when we owned another house, and I was not at all happy with the results; he didn't tell us anything we didn't know already. However, I believe an architect is much more trained in this kind of question.

I don't know anyone in the area who has hired an architect, and there are no recommendations on Angie's List.

Several questions:

1) Is this something an architect would indeed do?
1a) If not, who would?
2) Can you recommend one in my area?*
3) Or can you recommend any ways to find a good one?
4) I know the specifics of the job will affect the cost to a great degree, but I am interested in any thoughts on how long the job should take, how much it should cost (per hour), and/or how much it should cost total?
5) Have you done anything similar yourself? Is this a strange request or a common one? Anything else we should consider that I haven't thought about? Is there a different way we should approach the problem?

* My approximate location should be visible to MeFi members. Please let me know if it's not.

Thank you!

Help me bounce in style!

Glitter Ninja — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:39:36 -0800

Where can I find tasteful, simplistic chic seat covers that aren't too plain? The engine in my mustang died- it's a sad day. I just received a '94 camry LE, but no one gave me the chance to totally clean out my car, so a lot of things, including my (cheap but) very effective seat covers and a ceramic flower-embossed disk on a ribbon that you would load up with essential oils is now long gone. It's tied with a red ribbon and came in a gift set- if you remember those, by the way, can you tell me where you got it?

I've been searching the web all night, but the majority of seat covers I see are one-colour, unappealing fabrics, animal print, or camo. I'm still searching amazon without much luck. Is there somewhere I can find chic, elegant, not loud-ugly and not terribly expensive seat covers for my car? Velour-style fabric is fine, but I don't want any fabric that's actually textured, or pink zebra print, or decorated with Tinkerbell. Some things I like are organic and circular patterns with soft coordinated colours- the inside of my car is mostly dark grey and I'd like something to compliment, but not match. Does anyone have a good source for tasteful auto interior decoration? Your help is much appreciated!

It took me three years to decorate the mustang the way I wanted it- I'm hoping it won't take so long this time :)

I Can't Get No Satisfaction

Fairchild — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:39:59 -0800

How to you curb your desire for material goods? I'm pretty good at not succumbing to shopping for things I can't afford or don't need. Lately I have been wanting to buy, buy, buy! I want new things for my house. I want new furniture and artwork and other expensive things that are not in the cards right now. I'm not broke, it's just not in the budget.

My house is pretty nice and I don't need anything. I have a lot of new things that I bought last year. How can I stop wanting to purchase even more new things? I have a problem with never being satisfied. If I bought a beautiful print or piece of furniture, next week I would want something else. If I redid my kitchen I would hate my bathroom, etc.

Can you point me to blog entries, articles, and advice that inspire simplicity? Intellectually I know things can't make me happy but I still want and have anxiety that things aren't as nice as they should be. Bonus for tips and advice to change or improve rooms with very little cash. Thanks.

Sliding Walls.

arha — Sat, 09 May 2009 20:55:34 -0800

Can anyone point me to good examples of the use of sliding partitions in an modern residential space? I know there have been a few recent apartment designs that have utilised sliding walls to partition up the space in a flexible way, but I'm having trouble tracking them down. Is anyone able to point me in the right direction?

Home decorating suggestions for a belly dancer?

velvet winter — Sat, 02 May 2009 19:48:49 -0800

Creative inspiration for bohemian home décor in a tiny, rented studio apartment? It's time to decorate, and I could use some inspiration! My apartment also serves as a meditation/altar area and practice space for my main hobby and obsession: tribal style belly dance. So I’m facing several decorating challenges:

1) Need to keep the central area completely open so I have enough room for dance practice
2) Can’t paint the white walls
3) Can’t hang anything from the ceiling, because of the radiant heating pipes
4) Can’t hang curtains over my L-shaped corner windows (with standard-issue white miniblinds)
5) No balcony, and precious little storage space
6) Beige wall-to-wall Berber carpet
7) Limited budget – lots of DIY projects and thrift store purchases, though I’m not averse to spending good money for quality

Within these considerable constraints, I'm doing my best to deck the place out in style with a funky belly dance theme, but I seem to have reached a creative block and don't know what to do next.

The look and feel I’m aiming for is nothing short of a sumptuous feast of texture and color – a place that inspires me to dance! Think crushed velvet drapes in rich jewel tones, lots of plush overstuffed pillows, saris from India, Turkish lanterns, Moroccan tea sets, fringed tassels, canopy beds, paisley prints, Persian rugs, beaded lampshades, gothic arches, mosaic tiles, candleholders, and so on. Think cavelike and cozy, with lots of inviting nooks and crannies. (The collections section of this site contains some good examples). I want my home, humble and eclectic though it may be, to be a sanctuary where I can set aside the demands of the mundane world.

To that end, I’m seeking recommendations for blogs, photos, books, and periodicals I could use for decorating inspiration. Even better if they feature meditation areas, altars, tea rooms, or other spiritual themes, or if they offer fresh ideas for dealing with the many restrictions that come along with being a renter.

I’ve checked Apartment Therapy, Design*Sponge, and the LiveJournal Saucydwellings community, and while they’re helpful in a general sense, a lot of the styles are more modern or minimalist; there don’t seem to be too many examples of the kind of style I’m after. Any suggestions? Can I really pull this off while I'm renting a tiny studio, or am I just kidding myself? I love my place, and don't want to move!

Thanks, MeFites!

What Are The Best Interior Design Reference Works For Color?

Lipstick Thespian — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:28:22 -0800

What Are The Best Resources To Study Color From An Interior Design-Specific Perspective? I've been coming up with a palette for my apartment, but in the process discovered I'm insanely infatuated with the mechanics and psychology of color.

I'm curious to hear from professional interior designers on Metafilter who can point me to the best ways of studying color, understanding it's uses, and also some of the problems you face when designing homes. Ideally, any books you consider essential to color and ID, reference works, barring the usual "go to paint store site and play with the software therein" would be very appreciated.

I realize there's a lot of askme threads on this, but I'm ideally hoping I can hear from interior designers specifically about this topic. References to room approaches, color psych, light effects, etc. are most welcome.

if you design it, they will come.

ms.jones — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:44:29 -0800

Fellow baristas! What would your ideal bar set-up look like? Opportunity has knocked. I may be in charge of designing the cafe of my dreams! I know what I like, but I need the opinions of you other java-slingers. If you've worked in a cafe, what things worked really well? What things did you wish management had thought of, i.e. placement of hand sinks, to make the flow as efficient as possible?

I'm talking ideas about everything here...syrups located on front counter or against a back wall, refrigeration underneath counter in a small unit or a large one over to the side?

Help me make this a place where other people will want to work!

You paint me right round, baby.

Glitter Ninja — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 12:38:56 -0800

Where can I find a small number of vinyl records (20 - 30) inexpensively? Alternately: other things to spray paint and throw on my walls! I'm trying to turn my childhood room into a music-themed but grownup room suitable for a college girl. Part of this involves taking down all the Redwall posters from the books I loved as a kid, and packing them up. Once we repaint the walls, I'm afraid everything will be terribly bare and it seems I can't function without some sense of clutter in my surroundings. Can anyone reccomend shops online, or in the Columbia SC area, where I'd be able to find records to spraypaint and hang? Being on a college student budget, I'm trying to dish out as little money as possible.

I have modern furniture. Now what?

burnmp3s — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:36:38 -0800

Help me find some modern accessories to go with my modern furniture. I ditched my old furniture and went with a modern style (lots of glass, steel, and shiny plastic). Now I want to continue that style with the rest of the decor. I'm looking for lamps, clocks, coasters, art, etc. Basically anything that isn't a table or something to sit on.

Please point me in the direction of stores or individual items that would fit. I'm located in between Chicago and Milwaukee, but I'm expecting that I'll probably buy a lot of it online.

Style at home in Hong Kong?

phoenixc — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:45:33 -0800

I'll be arriving in HK tomorrow for a few days and will be in Shenzhen for one. Any recommendations on places to shop for home decor?

Miss Pettigrew, where are you?

DenOfSizer — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:15:41 -0800

The apartment in which the action of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is an amazing Deco spread to die for. I'd like to find out whether it was a real apartment or house, and if so, learn more about it, but IMDB can only take me so far. Ideas?

Searching for wall mounted bookshelves.

aladfar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:02:59 -0800

Searching for the perfect, wall mounted bookshelves: As I live in San Francisco, I'd like some books shelves that are adjustable and readily anchored to the wall. The Treku Bookcase from DWR is perfect, but (as with much from DWR) a bit too expensive. Any other suggestions? There's a knockoff at CB2 called The Helix, but the shelves aren't adjustable and it isn't available in a color that works for me.

What does an insomniac do with his bedroom?

Tomorrowful — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:26:03 -0800

One of the most common recommendations for insomniacs is to not use a bedroom for anything but sleeping (and sex, though I suspect that's a compromise to reality). And that's helped a lot. But... now I've crammed my entire life into my living room, because I have a one-bedroom apartment. And it's cramped! Right now, my bedroom consists only of bed, dresser, and a couple of bookcases that wouldn't fit in the living room. My living room, on the other hand, has to be my office (desk), library/study (bookshelves/comfy chair), entertainment space...

So: How do other insomnia-fighting folks deal with the fact that we're not exploiting the bedroom's space as much as other folks might?

I could make it a kind of storage-space, putting all of my shelves and such there, but I really want to have books 'on display,' because I'm a bibliophile and having visible shelving is a key part of 'home' for me. I'm not sure if putting up a big divider in the bedroom, and using half of it for an office, is viable - has anyone else tried that and found it to be a sufficiently 'different' space to still get the anti-insomnia benefits?

NB: I recognize that, ideally, I'd only live in apartments with very-small bedrooms and larger living rooms, or multiple bedrooms, but I wasn't able to find anything quite like the former, and my budget prevents the latter. Maybe in a couple of years...

I'd like to develop an eye for room design...

blahtsk — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:50:36 -0800

Books, blogs, or tips for an interior design newb? The HGTV shows make it look so easy! Any simple, instructional books or blogs on interior design you can recommend? Apartment Therapy is really neat... but not that instructive. I like the show "Design on a Dime;" the solutions are affordable, there are some do-it-yourself projects, and they give prices and some simple instructions for getting great results. I guess I'm looking for more of that. I think I need to see and study a lot more detailed-but-straightforward before and after scenarios to really "get" how things are put together in a room...

I know some about putting complementing colors together to design a website, but it doesn't seem to work the same for a room. I know some about lines and focal points from photography, but applying it to a room seems like a whole new level.

Thanks in advance!

Prairie-style interior design suggestions?

BirdD0g — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:59:25 -0800

My wife and I are building a small, prairie style home later this spring and while I'm a designer of sorts, I'm terrible with interiors. In what ways can we accentuate the home's prairie style while keeping the interior fairly contemporary? We both love the craftsman color palette which I'm sure we'll employ, but haven't thought of much beyond that. We've got a kitchen, two large open living spaces, and multiple baths to figure out. Specific suggestions would be great.

What are some cool sites for ethnic decor?

hazyspring — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:58:55 -0800

I am looking for sites that specialize in atypical (not chinese or japanese) ethnic decor, furniture and/or art. Think: Turkish, Moroccan, or Indian home decor. I've found a ton of sites focusing on East Asian decor, but not very many other options. I know it's all over the map, but I've just been looking for some places that I can find individual pieces.

Cheap Interior Design Ideas in Manhattan?

Maias — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:58:19 -0800

I am clueless about interior design. I see lots of things I like-- but I have no idea how to get my apartment from here to there. It may require renovation. I definitely need artwork. And shelves. Lots of shelves. So, I'm wondering how much would a consultation with an interior designer cost in Manhattan and does anyone have any recommendations and how do I choose one?

Phoenix, AZ interior design needed.

Optimus Chyme — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:27:46 -0800

I'm looking for interior designers who specialize in commercial spaces in Phoenix, AZ. My company is moving offices and looking to attract higher-end clientele. To that end, we are going to be leasing a much larger space and tricking out the lobby, which will also serve as a conference room. The rest of the building is a functional production area; all we need is for one room to be contemporary, stylish, clean, and impressive.

Can you recommend any interior designers or design firms (professionals only, no students please), or, failing that, help me figure out where or how to find a good one?

What do I do now that I've graduated?

grablife365 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:55:21 -0800

Please help me figure out what to do with myself now that I've graduated. I have tons of questions and may be over looking all the obvious answers. Like so many others, I have no idea what to do now that I've graduated college. I'm 21, will be 22 in February with a B.S. in Dance (graduated this past December) and for a while I've wanted to study physical therapy and possibly get a masters in it. I have a family friend who also has friends and soon I will be observing them in different settings to get a feel for it. I'm happy with this set up but now that I have so much other time, I've been thinking about all the other interests I have. Would it be unwise of me to take this year or the next few years to get a job, develop my hobbies and not worry about heading right off to grad school?

Questions:
I've always wanted to design clothes, accessories and household items for both adults and babies and would love to sell them. What skills do I need for this and if possible who do I contact if I want to have them made? I also need fabric company recommendations if possible. Is it smart to get a name trademarked even though nothing is set yet? I want a certain name and don't want it taken before I get something set up.
I've sketched out designs (as best I can), have a sewing machine, chosen names just need a little more help getting them from idea to sold on a website or in a store.

I also make jewelry and would love to know how to make jewelry that involves plastics, wood, metals and other materials on a larger scale. I don't know where to look for information on techniques and production.

I'm thinking about getting a certification in pilates and yoga prenatal and otherwise. There is so many websites and companies that I'm not sure which one is good. Is there anywhere in TX or anywhere else for this that possibly includes a home course of any sort? I don't mind traveling out and may possibly be moving to Houston at the end of next month or california next year.

I also want to study nutrition and diet and fitness. What certification(s) do I need if I wanted to own a business helping people with weight management? How do I find out about this? Does anyone know how I can become a wellness coach? Its similar to life coach but the focus would be on wellness.

I've studied photography for almost 3 years and have been printing 8 X10s this past semester at school. Now that I'm done I would like to continue taking pictures but would like to have them printed larger by someone else so that I can mat and sell them. Who does this? Is kinkos any good?

How does one get involved with interior design? What books can I read, courses can I take? Ty Pennington and Nate Berkus do work thats just about what I want to do. How can I learn this? I did a kitchen makeover for my mother and I'm planning to remodel an apartment. I would like to learn how to make things, rewire things but how?

I know for sure that it looks like I bounce around with my interests and I do, its just that I want to find something among these that I can see myself doing for a while. Possibly combine them. I've been doing all of these on and off for the past few years but really want to work on and explore them now instead of wishing I could if/when I head to grad school for about 3 years. I've looked through some other threads on here but haven't been through them all. Sorry if these questions have been asked too many times.

Help me find an interior design blog.

geoff. — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:00:48 -0800

What are some interesting, smart interior design blogs to follow? I enjoy modern contemporary design, but I'd like to develop my range beyond strict minimalism. Focusing on actual apartments and houses would be great, rather than just focusing on a chair, couch or design piece.

Also, I know about MoCoLoco and Apartment Therapy.