Kalu Interiors Blog - All About Interior Design

Mention Worthy

March 8th, 2010

The stunning interior of the Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi - Contemporist

Love this “Acrylic Bathtub on Wenge Stand” - Trendir

So cute…..PAD pod planters - Whorange

What a great bathroom reno! - Design Ties

Usually Neiman Marcus is associated with high fashion for clothing but did you ever think to look for furniture there?! Turns out they have some fabulous finds at some reasonable (and some at not so reasonable) prices. I was especially drawn to their chair collection because they have so many fun styles. I admit I love using a modern or fun fabric on a traditional piece to give it a more eclectic feel. You see alot of that kind of style here and it gives the furniture a more “custom” look. Many of their chairs would be great as a “feature” piece in a living room or as an unconventional desk chair.

I’ve selected a few of my favorites to share with you!

Sequined Zebra Chair - $1829 USD.

Cottage Grove Chair - $2299 USD.

"Birds on a Wire" Chair - $999 USD.

Crewel Blue Chair - $1999 USD.

Suzette Metallic Chair - $1999 USD.

Paige Chair - $2649 USD.

Summer at Restoration Hardware

March 8th, 2010

Image from http://www.kaluinteriors.com

I’ve spent this morning drooling over Restoration Hardware’s new patio collection. Yes, it does seem premature to be thinking about Patio Furniture but you know how it is……if you wait until the weather is actually ready and it is nice out, everything will be sold out by then! Have a deck or patio to construct or furnish? Now is the perfect time to start ordering.

Here are some ideas for you from Restoration Hardware……especially love the Stone Fire Table from the St. Barts Collection!

Belvedere Collection

St. Barts Collection

Provence Collection

Leagrave Collection

Spartan Daybed

Hang It Up!

March 5th, 2010

image from www.apartmenttherapy.com

Living in an condo has taught me many things…such as the fact that space is always at a premium! And for many of us city dwellers, we are not blessed with the luxury of things such as entry closets and foyers. Therefore, we are at the mercy of finding alternatives such as wall hooks, slopp’n coats on the arm of a sofa or chair, and coat hangers! For me personally, whatever that may be, it has to look fantastic while serving its function as there are very few pieces I can actually introduce into my space. I thought i’d dedicate this post to some of the coolest coat hangers i’ve come across. Funky, innovative, and artistic are just a few adjectives to describe the following examples- of which all wont fit your taste but I hope you can atleast appreciate!

image from www.bonaldo.it

ILLUMINATED BATTISTA by Bonaldo Italy

image from www.bonaldo.it

TREE by Bonaldo Italy

image from www.stilsucht.de

PITCHFORK Design by David Olschewski for Stilsucht

image from www.craphound.com

FRAME HANGER by &Design

image from www.diamantinidomeniconi.it

image from image from www.diamantinidomeniconi.it

BELLEVILLE by Diamantini Domeniconi

image from www.bonluxat.com

TREE by Michael Young and Katrin Petursdottir

image from www.fiamitalia.it

ELIX by Fiam Italia

Tsunami!

March 5th, 2010

image from www.tsunamiglassworks.com

I was introduced to this designer not too long ago at a Trade Show where she displayed these beautiful, unique, and truly sculptural pieces of glass artwork. I found her work so intriguing as it brought so many aspects in function and form to glass that I would never had imagined before! The colors, textures, forms, applications, and compositions has truly taken my breath away! On top of all that, she’s Canadian!!! From decorative and functional vases, to wall plaques, to suspended glass fixtures, to tile- she has done it all! Check out Eva’s truly inspiring pieces at Tsunami Glassworks…

image from www.tsunamiglassworks.com

Eva is the creative director for Tsunami Glassworks. She designs primarily the decorative and sculptural glass product line for the company while collaborating with her partner Kris on design projects. With a passion for bright colors, organic, fluid forms and tactile objects, Eva’s design sensibility is unmistakable. Eva began her creative career in commercial photography before pursing glassblowing at the Sheridan College School of Arts and Design. Eva was a previous resident in the glass studio at Toronto’s Harbourfront Center, an instructor for glassblowing at Sheridan College and a singer in a punk rock band.

image from www.tsunamiglassworks.com

Mention Worthy

March 3rd, 2010

Les Aventuriers House by Shun Hirayama Architecture - Contemporist

Wow…..this gummy bear chandelier is crazy?! - Curbly

Some beautiful patio furniture at Inform! - Informed

Modani Furniture….baroque with a modern twist! Love it! - Trendir

New Delight wallpaper from Mod Green Pod - Design Sponge

Kitchen Reno Anyone?

March 3rd, 2010

Image from http://www.counterpointkitchens.ca

Anyone out there looking to do a kitchen renovation this year? The kitchen is typically the most expensive room of the house to reno but it is also the one that will add the most value for both living and resale. Because kitchen renovations are usually bigger jobs that require much attention to detail, there are many things that can easily go wrong. Make sure to educate yourself before you start so that you know the in’s and out’s of what to expect for your reno.

I came across these top 10 tips for a kitchen renovation on the Style At Home website. I found the information to be quite informative and thought I would share!

1 Use quality materials.
-quality drawer slides and hinges mean cabinet doors will stay closed and drawers won’t stick. Stay away from drawers that are stapled together or made of particleboard. For cabinet interiors, wood veneer is more durable than melamine, laminate, MDF or particleboard.

2 Determine cabinet heights.
If you have eight-foot ceilings, choose cabinets that go to the ceiling. They offer more storage, enabling you to use extra wall space for artwork or open shelves. If your ceilings are higher than eight feet, leave 15 to 18 inches above the cabinets.

3 Decide whether to paint or stain.
Though stained-wood cabinetry is forgiving, most finishes date quickly and aren’t easily altered. Brush-painted cabinets can lend a unique personality.

4 Select an elegant countertop.
White Carrara marble (honed or acid washed and sealed) and stained wood add elegance and warmth. We also like honed Kirkstone slate, soapstone and Wiarton limestone, and plastic laminate with a wood edge for a sophisticated look.

5 Install an island that works.
Beware of placing a bulky cube in the middle of the room. We like islands that have an open, airy look. Ideally, an island should be unencumbered by appliances, but if you want it to house a dishwasher-sink combo or a cooktop, try to maintain the light look of a leggy harvest table.

6 Don’t overdo the details.
Design accents such as pediments over stoves and plaster mouldings on cabinet fronts can represent decorative excess. Remember that the style of your kitchen should be compatible with the rest of your home.

7 Avoid maintenance nightmares.

Natural surfaces with inherent texture — slate, terra-cotta, brick and tumbled marble — are more difficult to clean but camouflage the odd crumb. Smooth surfaces in light colours, such as white laminate counters or ceramic floors, are easy to clean but show everything. And as much as we love stainless steel, it’s not easy to keep smudge-free.

8 Stick to basic appliances.
Instead of lots of appliances and gadgets, consider selecting a few reliable basics. For example, a commercial-quality stainless-steel range makes an interesting focal point and takes up less space than separate wall ovens and a cooktop.

9 Incorporate an adjacent dining room.
A clever design, plus the appropriate lighting and furniture, will let you adapt the room’s atmosphere to suit any occasion. Consider a banquette design combined with slipcovered chairs for an efficient use of space.

10 Add interest.
Your kitchen should reflect you, not look like a showroom. Before designing the space, search for a piece of unique furniture and use it in your design — a room full of floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall kitchen cabinets looks boring and uninspired

[via: Style At Home]

Pillows, pillows, pillows!

March 3rd, 2010

I’m always looking for an excuse for new pillows……now that the Olympics in Vancouver are over (*sniff sniff), and spring is in the air, what better time than now to give your rooms some new life with new pillows! I love pillows because such a small detail goes a long way. By changing out a few pillows, you can change the look and feel of a room without crippling the wallet!

Here are 10 of my favorites for Spring 2010:

X-ray Orange - CB2 - $29.95 USD.

Tea Time Afternoon - Cush Potatoes Pillows - $62.00 CDN.

Chakra Pennywhistler Little Modern Birds - Nimli - $60 USD.

Chakra Pennywhistle Little Modern Birds - Nimli - $60 USD.

Beads Pillow - West Elm - $29.00 USD.

Yellow Tuscany Pillow - Square Feathers - $158 USD.

Dune Old Adobe Pillow - Koko - $83 USD.

Moroccan Blush Pillow - Cush Potatoes Pillows - $50 CDN.

Spring Lark Pillow - West Elm - $29.00 USD.

Spring Lark Pillow - West Elm - $29 USD.

Fern Cream + Peacock - Amenity - $89 USD.

Atrium Zoey Pillow - CB2 - $29.95 USD.

Mention Worthy

March 2nd, 2010

Cooking up a “Sustainable” Storm!!! - Re-Nest

DRAMA in the bathroom- Apartment Therapy

Mies van der Rohe REVAMPED!- Dezeen

A LOG Cabin like never before… - PicoCool

Simply Simple, a bulb within a globe- LikeCool

Feeling the BEAT!

March 2nd, 2010

image from www.tomdixon.net

Typically in lighting design you will find maybe 2, possibly 3 maximum variations of one style whether it be in design or size. When it comes to finishes or colors, there might actually be many options but this does not drastically change the effect of light fixtures in most cases. This goes for pendants, lamps, chandeliers, wall fixtures etc… but if anything most of the time you’ll come along only one available option for any given design. Therefore, creating dynamic, layered, and impactful compositions with lighting can become very challenging without making it look “hodge-podge’ or too busy when using multiple designs! The new BEAT by Tom Dixon helps to overcome this challenge by taking elegant and organic forms to create a series of completely interchangeable fixtures. Where one curves in-another curves out-where one curves up-another curves down. Through also keeping a consistent finish: black painted exterior with a hand-beaten brass interior- the focus becomes the shape & form, truly allowing for you to express and create a dynamic composition playing with height variations, asymmetry, positive/negative space, light, and even dropping some pendants down to the floor!

Available for purchase through: Y-Lighting