Last week, Blue Door Interiors sponsored our great Paint Plus giveaway! We're proud to announce the winner is Paul from Edmonton. He will win a $50 gift certificate from Benjamin Moore paints plus a two hour colour consultation with me.
Thanks to all our contest entrants - check back soon for another giveaway.
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I do have another colour article I'd like to share with you but unfortunately, I didn't quite get it finished in time for publishing it this week... So please come back next week for We-Design-Day (Wednesday) at Barefoot Deliberations!
Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
We-Design-Day: Fun with Colour Give-away!
Happy Wednesday, everyone and welcome to my very special edition of “We-Design-Day” –this week I’m SO pleased to announce a brand new giveaway and introduce you to the bold, bold world of colour!
As a designer, I feel understanding some basic colour theory can go a long way in helping you apply colour in your design and make your interiors truly your own. Whether it is furniture colour, wall colour or flooring, colour can truly work to anchor your space. The other great thing about colour is it can be so personal.
Let’s go back to the beginning and look at the basics of colour.
In kindergarten, we learned our primary colours: red, yellow and blue. Primaries are described as the foundation colours – in part because they cannot be created from any other colours.
Then we have secondary colours: green, orange and purple. Secondary colours are made by mixing primary colours.
Next there are tertiary colours – red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, yellow-green, yellow-orange and orange-red. Tertiary colours are made by combining secondary colours. The names I gave above I would class as the ‘technical’ names for the colours, but we know them by many names! Open fan deck of paint chips and you’ll find every colour you can think of – all of which are formed by combining our primary and secondary colours (and of course, adding greys, blacks and whites).
But wait! There is more! To describe colour with reasonable accuracy, three basic properties are used to identify the quality of a colour.
HUE by definition, is the name of a colour in its purest form (red, blue, yellow, green, etc). It further means that no black or white have been added to it. It is the true pigmented colour – primary, secondary or tertiary.
VALUE designates the darkness or lightness of the hue. Usually expressed by three methods: shade, tone, or tint
CHROMA is described as the degree of strength or purity of the a colour. Also refers to the saturation or amount of pigment and how the colour is perceived by the viewer.
In design, we apply colour schemes to a design. Generally, I base most of mine off a typical 12 point colour wheel. A colour wheel is very helpful when trying to figure out your colours. I picked mine up for a few dollars at a sewing store. Quilt shops and art supply stores will likely have them too.
One good thing about having a colour wheel is on the back of most of the ones I’ve seen and used, they have all this information for you.
Typical Colour Schemes:
Neutrals are also a potential colour scheme – meaning colours not found on the wheel - like beige, browns & greys. When I studied, we generally referred to this type of scheme as monochromatic but with the surge in popularity of design; I think it was splintered off because you can combine more than one neutral in a palette.
How was that for a crash course in colour theory? Don’t worry, I won’t leave you stranded! This week, because this is our twelfth week of the We-Design-Day series and because I think the work needs more colour, I’m very pleased to sponsor a very special give-away!
How would you like a $50 gift certificate for paint from Benjamin Moore paints? Want more – there is! In addition to the gift certificate, I’m also offering a private colour consultation for the winner! If you’re local to me, I’ll come to your house and help you out… But don’t fear – if you live far, far away from my Northern home, we can still have our one-on-one colour consultation via email or phone!
To enter, just leave a comment and be sure that I can contact you via your blog or an email link on your profile. If you rather, you can email your entry to brennansbest at g mail dot com. Hurry and enter – the contest closes next Tuesday (February 22) at midnight Mountain standard time.
This contest is being proudly sponsored by Blue Door Interiors Inc. Check us out on Facebook and "Like" our Facebook page and we'll enter your name again in our draw!
As a designer, I feel understanding some basic colour theory can go a long way in helping you apply colour in your design and make your interiors truly your own. Whether it is furniture colour, wall colour or flooring, colour can truly work to anchor your space. The other great thing about colour is it can be so personal.
Let’s go back to the beginning and look at the basics of colour.
In kindergarten, we learned our primary colours: red, yellow and blue. Primaries are described as the foundation colours – in part because they cannot be created from any other colours.
Then we have secondary colours: green, orange and purple. Secondary colours are made by mixing primary colours.
- Yellow + blue = green
Red + yellow = orange
Blue + red= purple
Next there are tertiary colours – red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, yellow-green, yellow-orange and orange-red. Tertiary colours are made by combining secondary colours. The names I gave above I would class as the ‘technical’ names for the colours, but we know them by many names! Open fan deck of paint chips and you’ll find every colour you can think of – all of which are formed by combining our primary and secondary colours (and of course, adding greys, blacks and whites).
But wait! There is more! To describe colour with reasonable accuracy, three basic properties are used to identify the quality of a colour.
HUE by definition, is the name of a colour in its purest form (red, blue, yellow, green, etc). It further means that no black or white have been added to it. It is the true pigmented colour – primary, secondary or tertiary.
VALUE designates the darkness or lightness of the hue. Usually expressed by three methods: shade, tone, or tint
- Shade Shades are created by the addition of black to the hue (it darkens the hue)
Tone Tones are created by adding grey. Depending on the value of the grey, it can either lighten or darken the hue. NOTE A grey scale is very common in most colour systems. Generally, most are comprised of nine steps – referred to as the “Achromatic Scale”.
Tint Tints are created by adding white, thus lightening the hue.
CHROMA is described as the degree of strength or purity of the a colour. Also refers to the saturation or amount of pigment and how the colour is perceived by the viewer.
- High Chroma Pure, ultimate vividness.
Low Chroma Washed out, less intense.
In design, we apply colour schemes to a design. Generally, I base most of mine off a typical 12 point colour wheel. A colour wheel is very helpful when trying to figure out your colours. I picked mine up for a few dollars at a sewing store. Quilt shops and art supply stores will likely have them too.
One good thing about having a colour wheel is on the back of most of the ones I’ve seen and used, they have all this information for you.
Typical Colour Schemes:
- Monochromatic consists of different values (tints and shades) of one single colour
Analogous colours that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel
Complimentary colours that are opposite each other on the color wheel
Triadic A color scheme in which 3 colors of equidistant distribution on the color wheel are used
Split complimentary colour scheme that includes a main colour and the two colours on each side of its complementary (opposite) colour on the colour wheel. These are the colours that are one hue and two equally spaced from its complement
Tetrad Tetrads (or quadrads) are any four colors with a logical relationship on the color wheel, such as double complements (also referred to as double complimentary)
Neutrals are also a potential colour scheme – meaning colours not found on the wheel - like beige, browns & greys. When I studied, we generally referred to this type of scheme as monochromatic but with the surge in popularity of design; I think it was splintered off because you can combine more than one neutral in a palette.
How was that for a crash course in colour theory? Don’t worry, I won’t leave you stranded! This week, because this is our twelfth week of the We-Design-Day series and because I think the work needs more colour, I’m very pleased to sponsor a very special give-away!
How would you like a $50 gift certificate for paint from Benjamin Moore paints? Want more – there is! In addition to the gift certificate, I’m also offering a private colour consultation for the winner! If you’re local to me, I’ll come to your house and help you out… But don’t fear – if you live far, far away from my Northern home, we can still have our one-on-one colour consultation via email or phone!
To enter, just leave a comment and be sure that I can contact you via your blog or an email link on your profile. If you rather, you can email your entry to brennansbest at g mail dot com. Hurry and enter – the contest closes next Tuesday (February 22) at midnight Mountain standard time.
This contest is being proudly sponsored by Blue Door Interiors Inc. Check us out on Facebook and "Like" our Facebook page and we'll enter your name again in our draw!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
We-Design-Day: Design 101 – A Guide to Interior Design
In conjunction with the changes I’m working on trying to make to my blog, I’ve been working on a couple of serial articles to share. One of which is a regular, weekly feature on interior design. My hope is to provide anyone with an interest a kind of “insider’s look” at small scale design and renovation projects. I’d like to share my knowledge and experience and make it a true ‘how to’ so I can help demystify an interesting and very popular vocation.
My intent is to share some of the history and principals of interior design and work through the process of a project from beginning to end. Having worked in the field for many years, I can provide insight on the construction process, how to hire a designer and general contractor, what to do when things go wrong and how to make changes on the ‘fly’.
So over the coming weeks, my company, Blue Door Interiors, will be sponsoring the “We-Design-Day ” articles and I’ll take you through the entire process of a (small) renovation project from conception to completion. Along the way, I’ll provide some Design 101 education, answer any questions you have, provide free tips and ideas and I’m planning a give-a-way or two as well!
Without further adieu, let’s get We-Design-Day underway!
When I decided to quit my ‘day job’ and return to school, I was 26 years old. I’d spent my late teens and early 20’s in the retail and middle management jobs and I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life! I had the good fortune of being able to examine what I wanted to be when I “grew up” – I’d worked in a few different fields, had experience in what I liked (and didn’t like) and got to pick my profession. Most people don’t get that luxury so I am very thankful that my delinquent youth proved to be useful for something!
During my education and work experience, I’ve learned a lot about myself, my tastes, and my design style. I don’t follow fashion and I’m not a follower of trends. I firmly believe that the most appropriate solution for the problems I’ve faced in my career are generally the ones best suited to those who seek them.
And by that I mean it is certainly possible to design for today and accessorize with the latest trends and colours and I certainly can make your home look like the page of a magazine. But coupled with my love for interior design is a love for the environment and blending sustainable design with interior design for me go hand in hand – my first school project taught me that (I specified a compostable toilet, much to the horror of my professor)! I’m about function and form and reusing, reducing and even recycling when designing. We all want our homes to be a reflection of us and the way we live – good design can be attained by combining a good understanding of how a space functions and how the people who use the space live.
I’m about real design for real people.
This week, I’d like to share a few staple pieces of interior design information regarding the history, evolution and some definitions. My first year of design was tough. I’ve never memorized so many things in my life! Included in that memorization was the ‘definition’ of what Interior Design is… It only has changed a little bit from what I memorized and I see I’ve been ahead of my time as they now mention “sustainable design” in the definition.
Interior design is a multi-facet profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive. Designs are created in response to and coordinated with the building shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project. Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability. The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and the resources of the client are satisfied to produce and interior space the fulfills the project cools. Interior design includes a scope of services performed by a professional design practitioner, qualified by means of education, experience and examination, to protect and enhance the health, life safety and welfare of the public. Definition provided by the NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) NCIDQ
To find where “interior design” and “interior decoration” started, one must look a long way back in time… One could say it even started when the first people furnished their caves with pelts and painted the walls, although pelts were functional and the paintings area theorized to be everything from trance drawings by Shaman to methods of communication, it still improved the interior living spaces. When the first peoples started building shelter for themselves, it all began to take form. At that time, however, the exterior and the interior were thought of in unison and as “one” space. As we (man) evolved from grass huts, the building envelope (the exterior of the buildings) strongly influenced the interior shape and function of an area.
The common use of the term “Interior Design” was not accepted into popular use until after the Second World War. Prior to the Second World War, and only really dating back to the late 1800’s, the design of an interior was often encapsulated within the architecture of the building as a whole. Any application to interiors was commonly referred to as interior decoration and specifically regarded only the application of surface ornamentation, colour, furnishings and accessories.
After WWII, a divide began to take place between the ornamentation of a space and how the space worked. This split is where the shape of Interior Design truly began to emerge as a valid and respected part of the built environment (and more than just throw pillows and wall paper).
But today, throw pillows and wall paper are all still a part of it! But I think that’s enough information for one week… Come back for the next We-design-day next week when we start down the process of designing your own environment!
I'd like to give a special "shout" to Clever by Design for helping me so many years ago with my logo and company image! I'm so excited to finally be at a point in my life where I can again fly the banner of the Blue Door Interior name!
My intent is to share some of the history and principals of interior design and work through the process of a project from beginning to end. Having worked in the field for many years, I can provide insight on the construction process, how to hire a designer and general contractor, what to do when things go wrong and how to make changes on the ‘fly’.
So over the coming weeks, my company, Blue Door Interiors, will be sponsoring the “We-Design-Day ” articles and I’ll take you through the entire process of a (small) renovation project from conception to completion. Along the way, I’ll provide some Design 101 education, answer any questions you have, provide free tips and ideas and I’m planning a give-a-way or two as well!
Without further adieu, let’s get We-Design-Day underway!
When I decided to quit my ‘day job’ and return to school, I was 26 years old. I’d spent my late teens and early 20’s in the retail and middle management jobs and I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life! I had the good fortune of being able to examine what I wanted to be when I “grew up” – I’d worked in a few different fields, had experience in what I liked (and didn’t like) and got to pick my profession. Most people don’t get that luxury so I am very thankful that my delinquent youth proved to be useful for something!
During my education and work experience, I’ve learned a lot about myself, my tastes, and my design style. I don’t follow fashion and I’m not a follower of trends. I firmly believe that the most appropriate solution for the problems I’ve faced in my career are generally the ones best suited to those who seek them.
And by that I mean it is certainly possible to design for today and accessorize with the latest trends and colours and I certainly can make your home look like the page of a magazine. But coupled with my love for interior design is a love for the environment and blending sustainable design with interior design for me go hand in hand – my first school project taught me that (I specified a compostable toilet, much to the horror of my professor)! I’m about function and form and reusing, reducing and even recycling when designing. We all want our homes to be a reflection of us and the way we live – good design can be attained by combining a good understanding of how a space functions and how the people who use the space live.
I’m about real design for real people.
This week, I’d like to share a few staple pieces of interior design information regarding the history, evolution and some definitions. My first year of design was tough. I’ve never memorized so many things in my life! Included in that memorization was the ‘definition’ of what Interior Design is… It only has changed a little bit from what I memorized and I see I’ve been ahead of my time as they now mention “sustainable design” in the definition.
Interior design is a multi-facet profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive. Designs are created in response to and coordinated with the building shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project. Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability. The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and the resources of the client are satisfied to produce and interior space the fulfills the project cools. Interior design includes a scope of services performed by a professional design practitioner, qualified by means of education, experience and examination, to protect and enhance the health, life safety and welfare of the public. Definition provided by the NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) NCIDQ
To find where “interior design” and “interior decoration” started, one must look a long way back in time… One could say it even started when the first people furnished their caves with pelts and painted the walls, although pelts were functional and the paintings area theorized to be everything from trance drawings by Shaman to methods of communication, it still improved the interior living spaces. When the first peoples started building shelter for themselves, it all began to take form. At that time, however, the exterior and the interior were thought of in unison and as “one” space. As we (man) evolved from grass huts, the building envelope (the exterior of the buildings) strongly influenced the interior shape and function of an area.
The common use of the term “Interior Design” was not accepted into popular use until after the Second World War. Prior to the Second World War, and only really dating back to the late 1800’s, the design of an interior was often encapsulated within the architecture of the building as a whole. Any application to interiors was commonly referred to as interior decoration and specifically regarded only the application of surface ornamentation, colour, furnishings and accessories.
After WWII, a divide began to take place between the ornamentation of a space and how the space worked. This split is where the shape of Interior Design truly began to emerge as a valid and respected part of the built environment (and more than just throw pillows and wall paper).
But today, throw pillows and wall paper are all still a part of it! But I think that’s enough information for one week… Come back for the next We-design-day next week when we start down the process of designing your own environment!
I'd like to give a special "shout" to Clever by Design for helping me so many years ago with my logo and company image! I'm so excited to finally be at a point in my life where I can again fly the banner of the Blue Door Interior name!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Getting Organized!
I’ve always wanted to be one of ‘those’ people who knew exactly where everything was at any given second. I want to have neat little containers for push pins and paper clips. I want little plastic cases for papers and pencils; I want glass jars on shelves with coloured pasta in them.
The fact of the matter is, I’m a “piler” – a word so evil in the English language that even the most renowned spell checkers can’t actual verify if my spelling is correct… Yes, folks, I “pile” stuff - everything from tin cans in the cupboard (with the labels helter skelter) to piles of unopened mail. I pile books, cd’s and bags of pasta. I pile clothes on a chair in my room and metres of unsewn fabric in my craft room.
Ladies, gentlemen: my name is Corrie and I’m a piler. It is sometimes also known as a ‘stacker’ – but that is just a junior title… In order to be a true piler, you must create piles so high and so deep that even your best friend or husband won’t venture into your office to rummage through your things to find the book they lent you or the receipt for the kid’s bike.
The other qualifier to being a ‘piler’ is to be able to – at a moment’s notice – go to any stack in the house and find exactly what you’ve been asked to retrieve (give or take a pile or two). I never ceased to amaze (and annoy) my coworkers with my ramblings of “have you seen…?” followed by “Oh! Here it is – it was in a different pile!”
I know this is my flaw – I do and try as I might, I just can’t seem to hold my various attempts at organizing together long enough to do any good. Eventually, and rather quickly, I might add, my organized desk goes back to a disorganized stack of piles. I’ve cleaned my sewing room/office up so many times that I don’t think my husband believes me any more when I speak about ‘getting organized’ in there so that I can work on the mountains (the graduated form of piling) of projects I need to accomplish.
So – why am I writing about getting organized? Well, because like so many things in my life, I think if I make them public and attach some accountability to my attempt, it may keep me on track and on target! So over the next few weeks, I will be organizing and making a true attempt to remain organized as I move forward into a new phase in my life.
We are on a tight (hear "no") budget for this. I want to do it as cheap and green as possible but reusing, repurposing and revitalizing things I can find already in my house or get for free from local recycling places.
The readers of my blog are my judges on this journey and you are also the ones I will be accountable too... In the form of a monetary reward if I fall down on the job! Leave a comment and and check back June 1 and I will do a random draw for a $25 gift certificate from Ikea (as who better for home organization than Ikea?).
First stop... My kitchen!
The fact of the matter is, I’m a “piler” – a word so evil in the English language that even the most renowned spell checkers can’t actual verify if my spelling is correct… Yes, folks, I “pile” stuff - everything from tin cans in the cupboard (with the labels helter skelter) to piles of unopened mail. I pile books, cd’s and bags of pasta. I pile clothes on a chair in my room and metres of unsewn fabric in my craft room.
Ladies, gentlemen: my name is Corrie and I’m a piler. It is sometimes also known as a ‘stacker’ – but that is just a junior title… In order to be a true piler, you must create piles so high and so deep that even your best friend or husband won’t venture into your office to rummage through your things to find the book they lent you or the receipt for the kid’s bike.
The other qualifier to being a ‘piler’ is to be able to – at a moment’s notice – go to any stack in the house and find exactly what you’ve been asked to retrieve (give or take a pile or two). I never ceased to amaze (and annoy) my coworkers with my ramblings of “have you seen…?” followed by “Oh! Here it is – it was in a different pile!”
I know this is my flaw – I do and try as I might, I just can’t seem to hold my various attempts at organizing together long enough to do any good. Eventually, and rather quickly, I might add, my organized desk goes back to a disorganized stack of piles. I’ve cleaned my sewing room/office up so many times that I don’t think my husband believes me any more when I speak about ‘getting organized’ in there so that I can work on the mountains (the graduated form of piling) of projects I need to accomplish.
So – why am I writing about getting organized? Well, because like so many things in my life, I think if I make them public and attach some accountability to my attempt, it may keep me on track and on target! So over the next few weeks, I will be organizing and making a true attempt to remain organized as I move forward into a new phase in my life.
We are on a tight (hear "no") budget for this. I want to do it as cheap and green as possible but reusing, repurposing and revitalizing things I can find already in my house or get for free from local recycling places.
The readers of my blog are my judges on this journey and you are also the ones I will be accountable too... In the form of a monetary reward if I fall down on the job! Leave a comment and and check back June 1 and I will do a random draw for a $25 gift certificate from Ikea (as who better for home organization than Ikea?).
First stop... My kitchen!
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