Archive for the ‘Architecture’ Category

A Marriage Made in Italy…

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

It can be so exciting to take a historical place, filled with opulent wood carvings and history, and fill it with simple, clean-lined furniture.  This apartment in Italy is brimming with whispers of a grand past…and at the same time, screaming of a very current present.  We love that the bones of this amazing structure have been left seemingly untouched, only updated with a gorgeous and modern  grouping of ethereal chandeliers.  The interior designer who selected the furniture for this home did a great job of keeping it simple.  In doing so, they have allowed us to really take in the beauty of marrying current furnishings to a centuries old space.

cattelan-italia-gorgeous-living-rooms-ideas-decor-3.jpg

The Butler’s Pantry – Made Relavent, Again.

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

Traditionally, butler’s pantries have been small spaces, adjacent to the dining room, that house fine china.  They may have a small sink, but don’t get much use.  These days, people (even those who have extravagant homes) typically don’t want rooms that they won’t utilize.  We are living more efficiently today.  Below you will find some examples of butler’s pantries that have been made into prep kitchens.  Imagine throwing a party and being able to conceal the mess into a single room that is accessed through the kitchen, but not in it.  While a prep kitchen is not in every one’s budget, it is certainly a luxury worth dreaming about!

Asymmetry…

Monday, May 9th, 2011

 

Asymmetry is a great way to add interest to any room.  The key is for the eye to really see that the space is kind of out of balance (but in a good way).  The living room below is a great example of how to work in some asymmetry.  What makes this work is the fact that the mantel runs the full length of the fireplace wall.  It is the balancing factor, and it pulls the eye to the fireplace (which isn’t very large…but you probably didn’t notice that part).  Instead, the eye focuses on the wall, in its entirety, which looks grand.

Room With A View…

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Take a look at this breath-taking room in Laguna Beach, California.  Not only are its ceilings glass, but one wall has glass doors that collapse to completely remove the wall, and the adjacent wall is all windows.  This is a most glamorous way to feel like you are outdoors.  The interior design is quite simple and elegant, complimenting the phenomenal architecture.  This room begs for entertaining.  It is a “live” room, because the art of a sunrise or sunset is ever changing…we at Colby Design love it!

 

Contemporary Furniture in Austin.

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

 

Scott + Cooner is a great resource for “all things contemporary.”  Their showrooms are beautiful, and they only show a small fraction of the number of lines that Scott + Cooner carries.

“With an intuitive devotion to function, line, color and balance, Scott + Cooner began as the brainchild of Lloyd Scott and Josy Cooner in May of 1995, when they set out to make the Southwest a more modern place. Today they have over 15,000 square feet of modern furniture showroom space in the Dallas Design District and Downtown Austin. Scott + Cooner represents 70+ lines of classic and contemporary furniture, the top modern lighting designs, and the most incredible European Kitchen Systems in the Southwest.

Drawing on their training in architecture and interior design respectively, they offer over 30 years of combined design experience. With their shared love of classic and modern European decor they have consistently expanded their Dallas Design Center Showroom to exhibit the best of world’s great space designers.

Lloyd and Josy are dedicated to supporting the worldwide design community. While individuals are welcome to peruse the showrooms in Dallas and Austin and avail themselves of Scott + Cooner’s expertise, Lloyd and Josy firmly believe in the value added by design professionals because experience has shown that the client ultimately benefits from the consistent perspective, taste and overall knowledge the designer adds to the task of designing functional, comfortable and pleasing interiors.”

 

For more on Scott+Cooner, visit them at:  www.scottcooner.com

Stairways – An Unexpected Way To Excite…

Friday, April 15th, 2011

 

When most people think of stairways, they think of a way to get to a second floor.  Most builders, architects, and interior designers pay some attention to stairs, making them aesthetically appealing, but you’ve never seen anything like these stairs that follow.  They look like they defy the laws of physics…cantilevered and hovering, like modern art.

Staircase Design

Modular Arts – Innovation for Interior Design

Friday, April 8th, 2011

 

Interlocking Rock by Modular Arts is an amazing collection of products that fit together seamlessly to produce eye-catching accent walls or back splashes.  The joints are invisible and the interlocking system adds to joint stability and accurate alignment, not to mention a quick installation.  The non-combustible mineral modules come in panels, blocks, and tiles, sure to fit any application, and are easily trimmed on-site for easy installation.  For more on this innovative product for your Austin interior, visit www.modulararts.com

modularArts® InterlockingRock® BuildingBloks™

Specialty Glass for Great Interior Design.

Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

 

Bendheim has been supplying architects, builders, interior designers, and home owners with innovative glass for over 80 years.  The application that we are most interested in is their architectural series.  These beautiful pieces of etched glass could look absolutely amazing in your Austin home as a partition, an architectural detail behind a mirror, a shower enclosure, a glass insert into a cabinet front…the possibilities are endless.  These durable surfaces resist finger prints and staining, and are sure to add interest into any interior.

 

www.bendheim.com

Concetto…

Monday, March 28th, 2011

 

Concetto by CaesarStone is “a-one-of-a-kind hand made surface art created from semi-precious stone.”  As far as interior design goes, we just think it is brilliant.  It is available in 9 different stones/finishes and is very versitile.  It can go in homes from the very traditional to the very contemporary…it can even be lit from the underside, showing off its natural beauty even more.  For more on these incredible surfaces, contact us so that we can help you resourse it out of Austin, or visit http://www.concettous.com/.  We would be glad to help!

 

Enkeboll Metallics.

Friday, March 25th, 2011

 

Enkeboll has some of the best architectural woodcarvings around for interior design.  They have every kind of wood trim and onlay available, and they are gorgeous.  Now, they have introduced a metallic line that is sure to catch your attention.  You can select from 9 lustrous finishes and from over 1,000 products, allowing for ultimate personalization of your home.