How much light do you need in a room?

I come across homes all the time that have inadequate lighting, lamps and fixtures. It's a bit like getting dressed up and forgetting your jewelry.

Calculate the amount of light needed in any room by multiplying the length times the width of the room (in feet). Then multiply that number by 1.5. This gives you the number of watts required to provide ambient lighting for the room. If task lighting is needed, multiply the square footage by 2.5 instead of 1.5 to find the wattage. Ceiling fixtures should be at least 7 feet above the floor.

Examples:
1) 12’ x 16’ = 192’ square footage
192' x 1.5 = 288watts
Therefore a 12’ x 16’ room would have ample lighting with two 150-watt table or floor lamps
(2 x 150 watts = 300 watts) or an 8-light chandelier with 40-watt bulbs (8x 40 watts = 320
watts).

2) For specific task lighting within a space (for example, the light needed on a kitchen island ), multiply the square footage of the island (8’ x 4’ = 32’) times 2.5. Two 40-watt mini pendants would do the job (32’ x 2.5 = 80 watts).

Other links & sources:
Massive Lighting - an average (in Watts) in order to have good light
Common Kitchen Lighting Mistakes
Lowes Lighting Tips
Energy Saving Lighting Tips

SF Silk Trading Company Closing

The Silk Trading Company is closing their store in S.F. Not exactly sure when but they are either having or will have a blow out sale of 50%-80% off items in the store. This is a great opportunity to get ready made panels, fabric by the yard and pillows.

The Silk Trading Co.
1616-A 6th Street
S.F.
415-282-5574

Also, check them out online for great sales on discontinued fabrics and premade drapery sales.

Tanell - Spruce $25/yd

Jacoby- Terraza $29/yd

Kendrar $10/yd

Ribbon Overlay $76-98/panel

Thomas Paul Fabrics Available to the Public

Thomas Paul has a great line of fun, graphic fabrics which were exclusive to Duralee a trade only resource. However, you can now get these fabrics at Calico Corners. They range in price from $15-45/yard. Here's the crazy part...they are cheaper at Calico Corners than I can buy wholesale at Duralee. Great for the public...kind of sucks for me as a designer!

Check out the Thomas Paul site for other items that coordinate with his fabrics. You can get art, rugs, lighting, pillows & dishes.

Color for 2009: Purple, Blue, Yellow, & Coral

Thinking of painting or bringing in a new accent color? You won't go wrong with one of these colors.

Purples, especially reddish-based purple but you can also incorporate the palest lavender to more saturated tones.

Blue is our new green. We'll continue to see lots of greens just because of the "green movement" but more blues too from water blues, sky blues to aquamarine blue which works well with yellow.
Yellow is a hot accent color. Especially citrus yellows. I've been watching it make it's way from the fashion industry for a couple years now. It also combines quite well with blacks, whites and grays.
Coral is another color that has been seeping it's way back into design. Just look at Pottery Barn.

All pictures from the Better Homes & Garden site.

Furniture Layouts

I often create Room Layouts for clients, which can be a vital step in the decorating process. Typically I create 2-3 layouts per space/room. A floor plan helps define measurements, furniture sizes, traffic patterns, etc. Each layout I create comes with a detailed list of furniture & sizes, and it may include pictures and sources. After a client and I settle on a layout, either I implement the plan or the client can then do the footwork themselves. A Room Layout saves time, frustration and helps prevent costly mistakes.

I've included two samples of the same game room, in which a client wanted to include a pool table but also wanted a lot of seating. Pool tables take a lot of floor space because you must allow square footage for shooting with pool sticks. After putting together 4-5 plans, it became clear to the client they weren't getting as much seating with a pool table. It's up for debate, but most of the family thought the pool table should go into the garage.
Layouts may include: windows, doors, walls, appliances, flooring, measurements, lighting, furniture, rugs, etc.

What's Your Personal Style?

Take this fun quiz from Sproost to discover your style.

My personal style was always a 3 way mix but the mixes were not the same...ahhh that's OK it's just plain fun anyhow. I took the quiz 4 times. I tend to be a French Eclectic, Modern Elegance, Classic & Hollywood Couture. What I'm not - southwestern, lodge or asian.

a little of my french

a little of my modern elegance

a little of my hollywood couture

Have you heard? Mauve is Back!

What does it mean? Well, as always it's all about a fresh spin and making an old color look new. See below how mixing mauve with browns, blues or greens keeps it fun & fresh. Keep you eyes open because you will see mauve leaning any where from pink, purple, gray or to brown.

According to Funmum.com this season’s hottest colours straight off the catwalk are contrasting brown and mauve and they have managed to work that trend into this beautiful top.
Here's an interpretation of that mauve & brown combo in bedding by Elizabeth Allen Atelier.


I love how Elizabeth Allen's bedding is paired with this golden headboard. The barrel lampshade adds a fresh modern style, which also helps this new country look stay fresh.


Here Elizabeth Allen's mauve colored bedding is paired with a luscious apple green. The classic, clean lines of the headboard, popped with green and mixed with classic, mauve flower pattern still feels fun. It's all about what you pair together.

Back in December '08 I put together a young girls room in a monochromatic mauve color scheme. Remember this Glamorous Girl's Bedroom?