Interior Design

What's your style?

Home Staging

You've got it...now show it. Need to sell it...stage it.

Economical Options

Get the look. Save the cash.

Tech Talk

Make your life and your home more convenient.

It's Simple

And it's easier than you think.

Art by Form & Function

Art by Form & Function



"Cayman Sunset"
(c) 2008




"She Comes Swimming"
(c) 2012

Above are two paintings of art commissioned by Form & Function for our clients.  As in our blog, "It's All About The Art", we sometimes create custom pieces of art for our clients.

It's All About The Art

Sometimes a design project calls for custom artwork, and sometimes a project calls for budget artwork.  A simple solution to either challenge is to make it yourself.  It may sound daunting, but it's actually easy and can be a lot of fun.  Below are some tips.
   
Supplies:  Inexpensive paints, brushes, and canvases can be found at local craft stores like Michael's.   If you'd like to frame your art with a regular store-bought frame (not a canvas frame, buy flat canvases - they're the least expensive option and often come in packages of three or four.  

Paint Mediums:  Mediums such as gel, stucco, sand, etc., are an inexpensive and fun way to jazz up your art.  Simply mix them in with your paint to give different effects.

Multimedia Projects:  Use a variety of items such as paper, newspaper, beads, plant pieces and leaves, and fabric strips and incorporate it into your art.

Involve the Family:  Make it fun and personal by letting your kids have a go.  Give them a subject or idea to develop into art and see what develops.  Kids make the most exciting abstract art.  One client of ours who has three children wanted some art in her kitchen.  She asked each of them to paint an apple.  She got three completely different images of apples - each child's own interpretation.  Framing each and placing them above the sink together not only makes a cohesive and creative display, but makes her smile every time she looks at them.

Other Options:  If you'd prefer something other than painting, here's a few other ideas.  
  Book Bits:  For a child's nursery or kid's room, find a book with thick, cardboard-like pages with simple graphics, such as animals, drawings, etc.  Find a frame that is approximately 2-4 inches larger than the book page.  Mount it in the center of the frame with double-stick foam tape.  The extra space in the frame acts as your mat,  Deep frames work best and give a gallery-like look.  Mounting multiple pieces from the same book in one area becomes an art display that looks professional and feels cohesive.
  Fabrics & Papers:  If you've got some pretty fabrics or papers, you can frame them as art.  It's a beautiful alternative!  Fabric stores often have small inexpensive pieces of beautiful fabric in front of the large rolls.  Craft stores have fancy papers in the scrapbooking aisles which are inexpensive and beautiful.
  Leaves & Flowers:  First, press under a large heavy book until dry and flat.  For framing, the easiest and most simple solution is to use the board that comes in the back of a frame.  Most are either white or black and are pretty nice, and you can mount them directly to this.  Poster board or cardboard is another option, and you can even cover that with paper or fabric before you place the leaves and flowers.

If you've got any other ideas for making your own art, we'd love to hear about them!

What Exactly Is ReDesign?

In today’s economy, it’s getting more and more difficult to afford to have one’s home completely designed.  Let’s be realistic, shall we?  Wouldn’t you rather get the latest iPhone or streaming television box than pay someone to tell you what furniture you should have or where you should put this or that or what color your walls should be?
Design-related television programs are turning more toward showing people affordable options, people are buying more home products from stores such as Target, HomeGoods, Ikea…but not all of us are design-oriented and we could still use a little help. 

So, where’s the middle ground?  Most of us like to live in a nice place, but don’t necessarily know how to achieve that, and really don’t want to pay a lot for it.  We get that.  So, here's where redesign comes in.

What is redesign?  It’s designing your room or home with furniture, accessories, and textiles (rugs, curtains, etc.) you already own.  It’s adding form and function to what already makes your home comfortable.  It’s bringing in a designer with a fresh look on your room – with design skills, with organization skills – to help you get your home up to your liking.  It works to fit your budget – you can purchase items to add to the design – or you don’t have to purchase a thing.  The designer provides you with ideas, advice, floor plans, and even a list of recommended stores in your area to help you find what you need at a price you can afford.  And the bottom line…our designer’s fees are affordable. 
So try it.  Give us a call.  Let us redesign your home.  Feel the fresh and new…and feel the familiar…all at the same time!