Design the life you love by Tiffany Hanken Design: March 2013

Friday, March 29, 2013

The Rise of Urban Gardens

Who says you can’t have a garden just because you live in the city? Urban gardens have been sprouting up all over the world, and if you’re an urban dweller and like to get your hands dirty, you should do it too! There are plenty of ways to bring some natural greens into your life. From the rooftop to a brick wall to your front steps, gardening can be done in even the most urban spaces.

These two rooftop gardens below are absolutely stunning. While this might be the toughest type of urban gardening to get away with, it’s possible to look for apartments that offer rooftop space for it. If it’s that important to you, there are ways to make it happen!

http://inhabitat.com/a-starter-guide-to-urban-gardening/

http://www.pampai.com/fantastic-green-urban-gardens-of-home-inspirations/

If the rooftop isn’t an option, there’s almost always a little bit of space by the front steps of brownstones. Look how beautiful these bright flowers make the entrance. It’s a great idea if you’re predominately interested in adding some flowers to your home.

http://imgfave.com/view/2180014?r=pin

A wall is a totally unique but great way to make room for gardening. It’s like skyscrapers in the cities: if there’s no room on the ground, build up! The two walls below have enough space to plant several different types of herbs and flowers … and they look good too!

http://www.flowerstreeturbangardens.com

http://florafocus.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/city-garden-design/small-urban-gardens-29/

And finally, if an outdoor garden really isn’t an option for you, you can always bring your garden inside. As long as it gets enough light and water, you can really have a garden anywhere, even in a big city.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Mixed Metallics

A new trend that I’ve become a big fan of is mixing silver and gold. Have you seen much of that yet? You could have a silver couch with gold pillows, or a gold table with a silver lamp on it. It sounds peculiar, but if you check out these pictures you’ll see just how cool mixed metallic can look! Even if it’s the same metal in different shades, the contrasts of the colors and materials can look really fantastic if done right.

We’ll take it room by room:

Kitchen:

http://pinterest.com/pin/36732553183209430/

http://ohbythewayblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/beauty-interior.html

See how much the shiny metallics brighten up the kitchens? A kitchen is a great candidate for mixing metallic because so much can be made out of metals: refrigerator, cabinets, dishwasher, etc …

Bedroom

http://www.mimiandmegblog.com/2012/09/interiors-that-demand-attention.html

http://www.dooleynotedstyle.com/2012/03/silver-gold-all-that-shines.html

You can give your bedroom a beautiful flare either by making the furniture metallic or having silver and gold fabrics, like this one above.

Bathroom

http://www.thedecorista.com/2010/06/art-of-livingdecorating-with-silver.html

http://www.lauracaseyinteriors.com/blog/2011/12/12/accessorizing-with-silver-and-gold/

Bathrooms are also great candidates because you can do so much with the shelving, mirrors, light fixtures and faucets! If you go silver and gold, you could even add in pops of another color you love.

Living Room

http://www.dooleynotedstyle.com/2012/03/silver-gold-all-that-shines.html

http://www.thedecorista.com/2010/06/art-of-livingdecorating-with-silver.html

Bonus:

http://www.dooleynotedstyle.com/2012/03/silver-gold-all-that-shines.html

Metallics don’t have to just be a part of the furniture; they can be little decorations like these above! You could place these in any room in the house.

Whether it’s your fabrics, appliances, shelving or even mirrors, consider mixing some metallics for a fresh take on any room!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Bring Back the Black!

The common opinion of black is that it’s just too dark to bring into the home. Not anymore! Black is making a resurgence in kitchens, living rooms and offices, and I want to show you just how amazing it can look!

Kitchens

http://pinterest.com/pin/118430665172986265/

If you jazz up your kitchen with some bright appliances or décor, black cabinets can look incredible. See how beautifully the dark cabinets contrast with the lighter floor and cream walls? It’s a beautiful juxtaposition.

http://mechantdesign.blogspot.com/2011/12/jm-palisse-photography.html

This kitchen is taking black to a whole new level. And yet, it works fantastically! I love the bold move of black on black, as the cabinets, appliances and the walls are dark! This one’s not for everybody, but it sure looks cool.

http://www.desiretoinspire.net/storage/allpostphotos/bydleni.idnes7.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1361008306292

I love how the white brick walls contrast with the black counters, faucet, cabinets and light fixtures. This is very mod and would look great in a city home.

Living Room

http://www.desiretoinspire.net/storage/allpostphotos/bydleni.idnes7.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1361008306292

Black couches, black rug, black shelving … what a dream of a living room! It doesn’t feel quite so dark because of the great lighting coming from the oversized windows. The best thing about black furniture is that almost anything goes with it!

http://www.housetohome.co.uk/living-room/picture/modern-living-room-snug

Many people wouldn’t necessarily think to put a black pillow on a black couch, but look how well it works! Especially with medium colored walls and a light blanket and carpet. This living room has just the right mix of hues!

https://brightnest.com/posts/walls-buh-bye-lead-paint-back-to-black/

Remember when black walls were highly discouraged? Not any longer! This black wall only adds to the gorgeous wall art, and it complements the colors of the rest of the room. I adore this arrangement!

Offices

http://www.styleheroine.com/page/23/

This is another black on black on black room, and I love it. You’ve got the floors, walls, ceilings, and even the shelving is black! Look how much the darkness accentuates the punchy red!

https://brightnest.com/posts/walls-buh-bye-lead-paint-back-to-black/

Almost as cool as the chalky black wall is the over-sized picture leaning up against it! If you don’t feel like going all black like some of the examples, you can easily brighten it up with lighter art or furniture.

https://brightnest.com/posts/walls-buh-bye-lead-paint-back-to-black/

The dark shelving and ceiling look lovely against the black and white carpeting in this office. Again, the wall is brightened up by an oversized piece of art. If it’s still too dark for you, try loading bookshelves up with bright colored books, or even flowers or bright picture frames!

Black does not have to mean dark. In fact, it provides the perfect backdrop for bright appliances, pieces of art and furniture! Dare to go dark – it’s the new trend!

Friday, March 8, 2013

Fantastic Floors

If you’re doing some remodeling – or even starting from scratch – I urge you to consider jazzing up your floors! When the flooring has colors, designs and/or textures, decorating the rest of the room is a piece of cake. Fancy floors allow for the utmost simplicity to fill the rest of the room. So while the floors add a ton of personality, the walls can be more calm and open. There are limitless options for every room in the house.

I follow a pinboard on Pinterest that has the most incredible collection of floors ranging from marble to travertine to mosaics, and I want to share some of my favorites for the home with you. (Then you can go peruse the pinboard on your own if you’ve got some spare time!)

I hope these give you inspiration to spice up your space in a unique way next time you do some remodeling.

Bathrooms: