ANTECHAMBERS are transition spaces leading up to and just prior to a room's entry. These subtle areas bridge one larger space to another. They are most effectively defined by creating an element of surprise when walking through it's passageway. Usually the antechamber will have a dropped...
Read MoreWant to make a space look taller than it is? Even an 8' high ceiling can look taller! Here is a trick of the trade: a ceiling will look higher if the ceiling prior to it's entry is dropped. That is, drop the ceiling of...
Read MoreBy not intruding onto valuable floor space, BUILT-IN CABINETRY is a perfect space saver. Because they are built-in, these cabinets are recessive and, thus, inconspicuous. In effect, they are part wall, part furniture. As an extension of the walls to which they are connected, built...
Read MorePOCKET DOORS create magic by disappearing into walls and economizing space. They save on space because the extra clearance space that a regular door requires is here not necessary. Adding an average of ten square feet of floor space, these doors are perfect for a...
Read MoreGreat design involves knowing about the spacial relationships between a home's different rooms. FLOW is successful when the interior rooms move smoothly between each other. The living room flows into the dining room, the dining room into the kitchen, and so on. A good architect /...
Read MoreDraperies enhance a view. Opposed to popular thought, if designed correctly, they do not obscure, but rather frame the windows, highlighting the outside vista. This is accomplished by placing side panels on the outside of the window frames and the rod or valance above...
Read MoreIn terms of FURNITURE PLACEMENT, it is usually best not to align the furniture with the longer direction of the room, thus emphasizing it's disproportion. Instead of making the room look imbalanced and the furniture look even longer than it is - like a tunnel,...
Read MoreIn addition to casting light in a consistent, yet focused stream, SOFFITS create the illusion of an all-over light dispersion. This is because the light looks mostly hidden within the dropped ceiling cavity. This directional downward light is recessed into the ceiling, beaming a light...
Read MoreA most effective space enlarger is the HALF-WALL. While it conveniently defines a space, it simultaneously creates a light airy feeling through its openness. It is a wall that rises up, but not all the way. This typical sheet rock partition, though firmly rooted, seemingly...
Read MoreBig isn't always better. Ask your pet! They know it feels much better to nestle up to a corner or wall. People like points of reference. Large rooms can make a person feel uncomfortable, feeling almost lost in space. The humanist architects had an intuitive...
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