Shelley Scale Blog



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Author:	Shelley Scales	Created:	7/11/2009 3:21 PM
Vancouver Interior Designer Shelley Scales blogs about the problems most people have in decorating and solves with tips, dos and don'ts.

The ABCs of Planning an Interior Design

By Shelley Scales on 6/20/2011 8:52 PM

A designer's hint on how to spend less and get more. How? Find out the three essential steps that have to take place BEFORE planning even begins. Follow the example scenerio to find out how to stay on track on your interior design and get professional results.

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Where do interior design trends come from?

By Shelley Scales on 3/12/2011 5:43 PM

Are you curious about where interior design trends come from?

Los Angeles Art and Design Center in West Hollywood is the most distilled way to see the trends in design on the west coast. I visit the centre every year to gain insight into what are the strongest trends in design. This month LA was gracious and friendly. The Pacific Design Center with its glossy green, blue, and red glass and the Avenues - Melrose, Robertson and Beverly Boulevard, is home to the who's who in the design world internationally - and it’s all open for view to designers and venturous art seekers for their clients. Showrooms are pristine and concise and filled with an abundance of design ideas I want to share with readers.

There are three apparent trends going on in the west coast design world

1. Moroccan theme

2. Design Around objects of nature

3. Mid Century Modern Furnishings and Oceanic themes

Mid Century Modern and Oceanic Themes:

Sublime and colourless - mid-century furnishings need textural accessories to add layers to the basic mid-century modern.

Shell motifs on fabrics, crustacean covered lamp bases, or scale-like mother of pearl wall covering. Wavy shapes, coral skeletons and organic shaped tableware - see Donna Karon Home Collection lenox.com - are the stock in trade for this trend. In the kitchen you will see sleek cabinets in high gloss over exotic woods.

With shimmering and flat weave fabrics for drapes and upholstery this trend is the vision of luxury.

Design Around Objects of Nature:

A strong trend of found objects in nature include the coffee tree, which when dried and stripped bare of its bark stands 7' tall and has a canopy of curly light wood branches. Rough slabs and stumps of wood sculpted into tables and benches, you will find woods such as teak, walnut or even some rare reclaimed woods canal Zapatero.

Natural pieces contrast sleek and clean lines of modern architecture In LA DOA. is the design showroom on Beverly Boulevard that deals in natural treasures.

The exotic shapes of wood roots, woven and curly. Irsesistable!

Moroccan Theme:

For me, anything in bright colour was eye catching as it is a thankful relief from the sea of colourless and neutral colour schemes of the modern looks. This trend uses Arabic shapes and colours of Marrakech, Morocco and embroidered detail of saris of India. Area Carpets, fabrics, pillows, wall paint in hot pink and red was popping up like dandelions. Robert Allen Fabrics - a well-known Design Center staple was showing the trend off in rich red and pink fabrics in their foyer display.

I hope you enjoyed this short interior design "trends report” presented by Shelley Scales Design Associates. We want to inform you and help you make decisions for long lasting investments for your projects.

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Trends in Wood Stains

By Shelley Scales on 3/12/2011 5:38 PM

There is a wood stain colour for every taste!

One of the most challenging things for a homeowner is getting the wood floor and the cabinets coordinated.

It seems that the concept of matching the floor to walls of cabinetry is too much of a good thing for some, but they don't know how to venture into another stain colour.

Rule of thumb is that the cabinetry and trims and doors and floors in the home can all be the same colour stain or paint. But what if you want to mix it up? What works?

What works?

Basically wood stains are in the brown tones - but there is actually a broad variation in the hue of the stains. You need to look at which is the dominating hue the wood stain i.e. yellow, red and even dark blue can dominate the brown tone of the stain. Then use the colour wheel as per above. A brown can have a lot of blue in it. Wenge stain is a dark bluish purple brown. It takes a trained eye to note it. Stains with dark blue tones recede and make the room larger and warm toned reds and oranges advance and closes in the room.

Another thing that makes it more difficult to choose the right wood and stain is that there is a grain in wood - the lines created by growth rings in the tree. Dark stain covers the grain - light stain shows the grain. Grain is like pattern - it adds activity to the colour scheme. There are some exciting exotic grained woods such as zebra wood available. If you like the grain look - use a light stain. Trends are to have little grain as its calmer hence darker woods are popular. See the gallery at www.perveco.com for some great ideas for wood floors I like these wood floors the best because of their excellent patented top coat.

When selecting stain always look at an actual sample on the wood you are choosing. One stain will appear different another shade on different woods.

It seems like a no brainer but work with wood samples at the same time as doing the colour and paint scheme for the whole room to get all the colours working together.

Quality wood products are a lifelong investment when cared for with stains that both condition and beautify. Get it done right the first time with this knowledge and or with a knowledgeable designer!

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Lighting Your Kitchen

By Shelley Scales on 3/12/2011 5:10 PM

Pauline: Can you give me some ideas on how to light my new kitchen? (Pauline is presently having her kitchen renovated)

Shelley: I agree your ceiling mount light is tired an inadequate. We have already improved the lighting by having a 20 watt xenon puck light installed into the bottom of your upper cabinets These may be put on a dimmer by your builder. The western natural light coming in through the window over the sink and the lights on the hood fan are also good light sources.

You should have up to 5 different light sources in your kitchen since this is an area that has so many functions. The ceilings light are for nights, dark days and clean up. Pot lights can be installed - each 5 inch 50 w halogen throws about a 6 ft. beam spread - when 8 feet off the floor - your 9 x 12 kitchen needs only two pots min.-I would add one over the sink and one over the fridge as well. This will require a licensed electrician pulling new wires from the panel for the additional power.

Another solution with even more flexibility is a three or four head track light with 50 watts each. This will give you plenty of light and you can use the existing wiring. Your builder can hook this up.

The key to the light improvement project is that the quality of the light will improve not only ease of seeing, but it improves the look of the items it lights. The halogen filters out the red rays and gives a more realistic rendering of colour - not tinted by yellow of tungsten (normal A lamps) and the blueness of fluorescent. The Halogen is a hot light and though LED has not been perfected, it and fluorescent is a more efficient light. By using a number of light sources, it enables you to control the moods of the lights. The only down side is - you and your friends may never want to leave the kitchen!

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2009-2010 Projects

By Shelley Scales on 12/12/2010 1:57 PM

Thank you for all the Quality Team Players and Colaborators in the past projects. You are the Fabulous Design Associates in our name Shelley Scales Design Associates.

The following is a short list of our more recent achievements.

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How do I clean my stainless steel easily?

By Shelley Scales on 6/1/2010 11:50 AM

Sometimes people have misconceptions created about the cost and care of practical and modern choices. I assist clients daily in homes and showrooms helping make major decisions on choices for appliances and cabinetry. Here are a few myths that come up time and time again.

Shelley Scales Blog

How do I clean my stainless steel easily?

By Shelley Scales on 6/1/2010 11:50 AM

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How do I chose the right paint colours?

By Shelley Scales on 9/8/2009 10:46 AM

Its easy to get the right paint colour if you follow a few guidelines. But don't feel bad if you don't have to have this skill. If you don't feel confident there is nothing wrong with getting a little help from an expert. I am really bad at taxes so I don't mind giving this job to my Accountant- its just too complicated. Colour schemes can be like that too so give me a call if you are really needing some help.

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