Lean – Larson Interior Designs

The Barber Cafe

Lean — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 20:32:02 +0000

The client’s vision was to create a Barber shop for the modern, metro man.

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The Wilds Estate (Phase 1)

Lean — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 20:28:54 +0000

The client wanted to embark on this project in a staggered approach, completing the interior of the house in phases. This, the first phase, consisted of the main bedroom and the guest loo.

The Main Bedroom


AFTER	BEFORE

The Guest Bathroom


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Born 2 Shop Exhibit

Lean — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 20:25:33 +0000

Always wanting to try out the yellow and grey trend, I decided to go for it with the exhibit.

Special thanks

Home Fabrics, for the beautiful fabrics and wallpaper
House and Garden, for the magazines
YC Carpets, for the lusciously plush carpets
Louise from Glass Slipper Communications, for the oh so fabulous bags

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Clifton Penthouse

Lean — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 20:03:58 +0000

This stunning penthouse in the heart of Clifton with its magnificent views of the Indian Ocean was in dire need of an overhaul. The owners spend two months of every year here and wanted their holiday home to feel like an extension of their main home, but with a Hollywood feel.

The Entrance


AFTER	BEFORE

The Living Area


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The Main Bedroom


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Oldest Girl’s Bedroom


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Younger Girl’s Bedroom


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The Baby Room


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Children’s Play Lounge


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The Patio


AFTER	BEFORE

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Fine dining

Lean — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 19:25:37 +0000

Even in a formal dining room you don’t want to be ponderous or gloomy. Eating is really one of your indoor sports. You play three times a day, and it’s well worthwhile to make the game as pleasant as possible.” – Dorothy Draper, Decorating is Fun

Dining rooms are one of those very important rooms in the house that are often overlooked. It is a place to sit and relax and have your meal. That being said, whether your dining room is being used for formal dinners or for family dinners, you should make the dining room comfortable.

Dining chairs can so easily be very hard and ill-formed for your body. It is essential to be able to sit and enjoy your meal rather than wanting to finish as soon as possible to get off the chair.

Dining rooms are also frequently where we continue sitting after a meal as it is a place to have a good chat with friends; some people almost never move to the lounge after a meal.

Dining rooms are also the easiest rooms to decorate, nice table, chairs, end chairs and a carpet and you’re set.

To create interest in your dining room it is always quite striking to have different chairs as your end chairs. They can be much bigger, with a different design and completely contrasting fabric to the rest of the dining chairs. To look at an example of these chairs click HERE and the link will take you to the dining room of one of my recent clients.

So when it comes to your dining room, don’t let it be the last room you look at, make it comfortable and eye-catching and you will be amazed at how much time you spend there.

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Oppulently occasional

Lean — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 19:24:06 +0000

Occasional chairs can be stunning pieces of furniture that can bring a whole room together. Often when you have a sofa, two chairs, an ottoman and end tables the room still looks like it needs something. Just adding one occasional chair to the setup can finish off the room beautifully.

You can also accentuate colour with an occasional chair. For example, if your furniture is covered in neutral colours and the scatters on your sofa are in different shades of blue, upholster the occasional chair in a toned-down blue.

Another stunning look with an occasional chair covered in a neutral fabric, is simply placing a folded throw, vertically underneath the seat cushion and over the back part of the seat.

It also works quite well to have two occasional chairs in your dining room, that, when looked at, is a nice little seating area, but functions as extra seating if needed. This little seating area can also be used by you and your partner for having coffee or a glass of wine after dinner. Small seating areas also work beautifully if you have a symmetrical room, where you can then have a seating area at both ends of your dining table, for example.

There are hundreds of different designs of occasional chairs, which makes it ideal for any themed interior. And by upholstering an occasional chair in your choice of fabric, also makes it a very personal and unique piece.

So if you have a problem with a room that does not feel finished, add an occasional chair and see the magnificent difference it will make.

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A magic carpet ride

Lean — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 19:21:58 +0000

“Carpets are the shoes of a room, if the shoes don’t work the outfit is ruined”

Carpets can make a very bold statement or blend into a room unnoticed – it all depends on what story you want to tell with your carpet. An all-white room can, all of a sudden, have an extreme personality with an in-your-face contemporary geometrical carpet, whereas a classic room can be made to feel more inviting with a toned-down, faded Persian carpet.

There is such an amazing variety of carpets out there. You can literally go crazy with carpets. Here are some guidelines to work around when looking for a specific carpet.

When looking for a carpet for a bedroom, it is very important to look at texture, it is absolutely dreamy to take off your shoes and step onto a carpet that feels like you’re walking on clouds. For bedrooms, look at soft, luscious carpets as these will make the room more inviting.

When searching for a carpet for living areas you should always consider wear and tear, carpets aren’t cheap and having to replace a beautiful carpet after a year can really break the bank. Ask the retailer about easily washable carpets and carpets suitable for high traffic areas.

The carpet supplier I regularly use for my clients has most of their carpet designs in different qualities, this not only works for people on tight budgets but also works for the purpose of having a carpet that is easily cleanable.

When looking from a design point of view, get a feel for the room you want to buy the carpet for, decide whether you want the carpet to disappear and just add a soft touch, or whether you want the carpet to be a focal point. Also keep in mind that classical architecture does not necessarily mean that all the rooms should be decorated to be classical. The same goes for modern or contemporary homes. You can also go for the opposite, a classic room can be very interesting with a contemporary carpet and a modern room can be very interesting with a soft toned-down Chobi.

These are guidelines to follow. Play around with carpets – most retailers let carpets go on appro, so you can really get a feel for a carpet over a weekend, and see what it does to your room.

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Conversations through collections

Lean — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 19:18:59 +0000

“If you are a collector, let other people share your pride and joy. Don’t sprinkle your collections out of sight in a meaningless jumble. Notice how groups of small objects, when they are well arranged, become important and effective. Remember that repetition is a form of emphasis. Collect what you will, but see to it that you arrange your hobby to its best advantage” – Dorothy Draper, Good Housekeeping

Many collectors have stunning collections, but they generally have them hidden. Displaying your collections (whatever they may be) creates focal points and conversations. They will ultimately make you smile and feel proud of what you have accomplished.

There is no point in having these magnificent collections that are so dear to you, without being able to appreciate them every day.

There are a myriad of ways to display valuable collections, whether monetary or sentimental, but many people are afraid that their collections might get damaged. Stamp collections, for example, can be beautifully displayed in a simple yet elegant Perspex box.

If you have a vast amount of sports memorabilia and would like to display it on or close to your bar area, why not have a unit custom-made to fit with the theme of your bar or surrounding area?

Special works of art can be hung over a fireplace, or you could create a feature wall by either painting the wall a darker shade of the existing colour on your walls, or simply wallpapering that one wall. When looking at wallpaper, make sure to choose something simple, like a stripe, as this will not divert attention from the artwork, but will still enhance the effect of the wall.

There are many ways to display and appreciate your collections, and as I mentioned in my previous blog about accessories, Personality through accessories, they make your home your own and gives a personal touch to any room in which you choose to display them.

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Colour your home happy!

Lean — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 19:15:36 +0000

“The best colour in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!” – Coco Chanel

In your home it is very important to have colours that you love (irrespective of what your family or friends say). If you love fuchsia pink, but you are too scared to use it as upholstery on an occasional chair or any other piece of furniture, bring the colour in with your accessories.

Accessories can be so much fun, and these days they can change the whole look of a home without breaking the bank.

There are so many options for accessories readily available, you can get a candelabra finished off in pink duco or interesting printed pink cushions, and they will look fantastic.

The single most important thing to remember is that it is your home, you should feel comfortable there. So when you are looking for your colour accessories don’t think about what other people would think. It is all about you!

Where less extravagant colours like blue are involved, you can use different shades of blue. Buy a deep blue chair and add a turquoise cushion to it, with light blue vases on a side table.

The possibilities are endless, all you need to do is know what colour you love and go shopping!

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Personality through accessorising

Lean — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 19:13:40 +0000

“All the necessary elements of a room should not arrive on installation day. Rooms should always be left for the things we will acquire…the objects we cannot live without.” – Charlotte Moss

Accessories, I can almost say, is the single most important item to make your home your own. I don’t like quoting my clients on accessories as I believe it is too personal. I like making a date with my clients and going shopping with them for accessories.

Accessories should speak to you in some way, it should say something about your personality but most of all it should be something that attracts you.

Don’t be too hasty when you acquire accessories either, you can spend a lifetime collecting accessories and at the end that is what makes your home personal. It is also so much fun when you are travelling and you find something that you love and you know exactly where you want to use it.

So, if you want your home to be more your own don’t try to fill all the spaces as soon as you can, take your time and you will be amazed at the outcome!

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