Malaysia’s Interior Design Blog

Stainless steel, especially in the kitchen or bathroom, is considered an ultra-modern addition to a contemporary space. By looking at design trends and images from decades past, you will soon notice a startling fact. How modern is stainless steel if it was a popular idea even during the 1950s? The answer depends on how you look at the idea versus the execution of adding stainless steel to your home. Since the decor from yesteryear focused more on family and personalization and less on depth and perspective, the latter is a great approach to start your stainless steel journey.

In bygone years, stainless steel was found most often on the legs of furniture or in sinks, appliance and other fixtures. Today, it is far more often to be found on appliances or wall decor, which is drastically different than before. In addition, you can find those traditional applications in a whole new light; for example, you may see stainless steel table legs with glass tops or dining chairs made of stainless steel with fabric seats. In essence, the idea itself may not be modern, but the application thereof is very contemporary. The application is what makes it modern, so we can almost ignore the fact that stainless steel was a part of the design styles that would be considered dated today. However, stainless steel used in both retro styles or contemporary designs can give a home sophisticated flair.

In the past, combining stainless steel with contemporary shades, cool colors and unique textures, was rarely part of the design scheme. As a matter of fact, in most cases it was in industrial, commercial and medical settings where sleek design styles were used because of their tendency to impart a clean and sterile ambiance. Many homeowners have stuck with decor options that were warm and inviting, such as cozy neutrals or warm shades like we still see in our grandparents’ homes. Today, we have replaced the warms with cools and noticed that the home still feels like a home regardless of whether you balance the warm shades with cool metals.

The size of the furniture really does make a big difference. Stainless steel options decades ago tended to include chunky furniture on spindly legs, and wall decor normally featured still life photographs or paintings of scenery. It was—and is—an attractive option for traditional decor, but today there are many great options that are modern and interesting. A contemporary design style features clean lines and geometric shapes, driving the decor toward more abstract pieces and sleek furniture instead.

Keep stainless steel in the bathroom or kitchen but not just on the faucets. As before mentioned, stainless steel used to be limited to the bathroom fixtures and in commercial kitchens primarily as hardware rather than part of the design scheme of the room. The modern choice is to utilize it in other areas of the design as well, such as wall decor, shelving, cabinetry, and even portions of the tub or shower areas or in back splashes and hood ranges in kitchens. It looks great paired with glass and all colors of the rainbow, so choosing the rest of the room’s decor is still a matter of personal taste.

Alyssa Davis is the top writer and creative design specialist for Metal-Wall-Art.com. She specializes in designing with coffee cup metal wall art and treble clef metal wall decor.

Have you ever wondered what makes customers flock to IKEA to purchase household items instead of visiting the local furniture stores better known as ‘kedai perabot’? It’s obvious that the local furniture stores can offer better deals and allow you to bargain. Many of the local furniture stores offer free assembly and delivery for large items whilst IKEA charges for these services. From a convenience perspective, the geographical likelihood of one living close to a local furniture store is higher than that of being closer to IKEA.

So what makes IKEA work?

IKEA sells you a lifestyle - people don’t just want products these days, they want a lifestyle and an ecosystem to which they can comfortably identify and live in. IKEA is amazing in this area, showcasing how an assembly of products can cater to spaces large and small. If you are the sort that cannot envision the end state of a space, IKEA is the place to go to get ideas.

Organization – IKEA’s labeling, tagging and pick-up system is simply top notch. If there’s something that catches your fancy at the display floor, just take down the label details and it’ll tell you exactly which rack and aisle to pick up the product from. Customers can also equip themselves with the provided tape measures, catalogues, pencils and paper, which really just adds to a manageable shopping experience

Knowledgeable staff – personnel retention rate in IKEA is high in case you didn’t know. Employees take amazing pride working for this Swedish giant and many of them are well trained and come across as knowledgeable when you need help. I’ve personally gone to IKEA loads of times and each time I required help, I was always guided accurately by personable staff.

End-to-end experience – IKEA pays attention to the shopper’s experience. Smaland is a place you can send your children off to play whilst you shop; the cafeteria offers a place for respite and to snack in between; you never need to look far for a washroom; there are always plenty of stalls to pick up a catalogue, pencil, paper, tape measure, shopping bags.

They’ve obviously given every detail a lot of thought. Heck, they even made the cafeteria food delicious. In fact, I’m heading over there now for some Swedish meatballs.

The word vintage often makes us think about antiques, from furniture to home decor styles, but there is more than old stuff to a vintage look. You do not have to head to the thrift store to get vintage items either, although this is a great place to start looking for items for a vintage, shabby chic or eclectic design style for any room. Vintage does not mean old, although it does lend a classic, traditional, or antique look to the room. Here are some helpful tips:

A vintage look can also mean that the colors or furniture styles look antique, even if they are new. Consider a couch from a modern designer that has a great 1950s look. It is considered vintage in style, but it is a brand new couch still. Colors that are classic choices, such as striking color contrasts like black and white, are also considered vintage, although many contemporary designers use them in all sorts of design styles. Using the word “vintage” in this way indicates that the item looks antique or the color style is traditional or classic.

Vintage can indicate that you bought the item from an antique store, too. The most common perception of vintage is that the item is antique, and this is true in some cases. While many antiques are prohibitively expensive, you can also find affordable antiques at antique and resale stores, flea markets, antique shows, garage sales and from other second hand sources, including your grandmother’s attic!

You can make furniture or accessories look vintage with some creativity. There are a few painting and staining techniques that can give furniture an antique look, which is a great way to decorate with a vintage sense of style without spending a lot of money. Many websites and blog forums are dedicated to painting methods that allow the furniture to look aged but offer a contemporary twist. This is a great option if you want to decorate with a vintage look but do not have a big budget to fund the project.

Do not believe the myth that vintage items are all going to need repair or updating. Whether you purchase something antique or get a great piece from your parent’s attic, a vintage item does not have to be something that needs a lot of work in order to be presentable. This is a misconception that often causes people to avoid shopping for or purchasing vintage items.

You can decorate with a vintage look in any room of your home, not just those that have less traffic. We often see vintage styles associated with bedrooms and living rooms, but you can have a lot of fun with a vintage design throughout your home. For example, vintage dishes and colors can help you create a fabulous dining room table. A vintage coffee table from the 1960s or 70s can look terrific with a contemporary couch and you may be able to pick one up for next to nothing at a neighborhood garage sale. Mix vintage finds with modern furnishing to create unique style.

Designer and writer, Alyssa Davis of Metal-Wall-Art.com, has many ideas for bringing style to your home with coffee cup wall art and trumpet metal wall art.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and it is often the first place homeowners turn when it’s time for a change. Kitchen cabinet refacing can provide the same look and atmosphere as a complete kitchen remodel for a much lower cost. These simple steps can help ensure that you get the most bang for your buck:

1. Do your research. Before you launch into any remodeling project, take an in-depth look at materials, styles, installation costs and time frames. Write down all the information you find and use it to organize your plans later. Though cabinet refacing is cheaper than a complete cabinet overhaul, it is still a substantial investment in the look of your home.
2. Plan out your choices. Now that you have done the research, consider what you want materials and styles you want to use for your project. Plan out more than one design, just in case your ideal plan doesn’t work out with your budget.
3. Choose the right contractor. Once you have a rough idea of what you want, it’s time to look for a contractor to handle the work. Go with only reputable contractors who have plenty of experience. Get two or three bids on your project, and remember that the lowest bid is not necessarily the best.
4. Make the budget work. Speaking of budgets, cabinet refacing costs can vary widely depending upon the materials you choose, the style you want and the size of your kitchen. Custom options will send the price higher. Choose the highest-quality materials you can afford. Keep a little wiggle room in your budget, just in case.
5. Get professional measurements. Once you have decided on a budget, it’s time to set it in stone–or as close as you can get, anyway. Ask your contractor for the exact measurements so you can double-check the budget numbers.
6. Prepare the area for the big day. Get your home ready for the day when the cabinets arrive. You will need to clean out all of your cupboards, clear the countertops and make plans to eat meals elsewhere for a few days. If you have pets, consider boarding them at a kennel or keeping them in a secure area of the home to avoid curious paws getting into the work zone.
7. Be ready for the little extras. Anyone who has ever tackled a home improvement project will tell you that going over budget is almost expected. Remember to keep that little bit of wiggle room in your budget for the small things that can add up, like replacing a faulty piece of hardware or dealing with extra meals out during a cabinet refacing job that lasts longer than you had hoped.

With the proper approach and patience, cabinet refacing can be much more affordable and easier than a complete kitchen overhaul. The new look will brighten up the room and you can brag to the neighbors about how you saved a bundle.

I recently saw the Fujiaire’s commercial on Youtube featuring their 3 year full body warranty on air conditioners. What impressed me was that this concise 11 second commercial was able to promote their warranty feature using a really cute angle.

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YouTube

The ad features an adorable baby elephant wearing oversized earmuffs, letting out a sneeze. Immediately, two large ears rise from either side of the calf, covering it completely. You then realise the calf was in fact sitting atop its mummy all this while. A very poignant way indeed to portray Fujiaire’s 3 year ‘full body’ warranty.

The ad actually got me thinking on the following points:

1. Air conditioners are a critical fixture in Malaysian homes – living at the equator line simply translates to a year long tropical climate with high humidity. I cannot recall being in a home without an air conditioner installed. In fact, what amazes me is the volume of air cons installed in small homes these days, denoting families’ reliance on this appliance to convert the localized tropical climate into a more temperate one.

2. A while ago, I read somewhere that external temperatures have a direct effect on one’s state of mind and moods. I then recalled that Lee Kuan Yew kept strict temperature regiments as it was believed that the temperature of a room directly impacted his performance and wellbeing. His offices were kept at a constant 22 degrees Celsius and he slept in a room where the temperature was always 19 degrees Celcius. He was always a very scientific and research oriented person, hence he must have had empirical reasonings for needing to keep cool. A simpler litmus test to prove that temperature affects moods is simply to pay attention to the number of times you feel agitated, aggravated and simply irritable in a place which was stuffy and warm. I’m sure its happened to most of us at some point.

3. Back to air conditioners in homes… most units are used heavily – daily, for hours at a time. Hence, reliability and after sales support becomes a critical purchase consideration factor. As the industry matures, performance parity is being achieved, making after sales support and warranty a key differentiator with competing brands. Whilst some brands may offer extended warranties, you need to be careful especially to ‘what’ is actually covered by the warranty.

All Fujiaire air conditioners come with a standard 1 year warranty that covers all parts and labor. However, if you register online at www.fujiaire.com.my within two weeks of purchase, you’re entitled to an extended warranty up to three years that covers parts only. It’s great to see a local brand doing something out of the box to differentiate themselves from the competition and showing consumers that they care about after sales support. I also assume the Fujiaire folks must have high confidence in the quality of their product in order to be able to promote such an audacious warranty! A win-win for consumers either way you look at it.

One of the smaller details that I appreciate if that they’ve simplified the warranty registration process by doing away with manual registration. Registration can be done self-service online by simply submitting your purchase online to enable the warranty. Fujiaire seems to be moving in the right direction by focusing on the consumer experience.

For many designers, dark kitchen cabinets are oppressive and unappealing, so they avoid them during remodeling projects and remove them during the demolition phase of a renovation whenever possible. It is true that it can be hard to balance dark kitchen cabinets, and it takes the right color palette to balance the darkness and add a light, open feeling to the space. The following designs offer the right colors for making dark kitchen cabinets work:

Striking Color Contrasts

As mentioned in other articles on this website and many others, striking color contrasts are a great way to introduce drastic color differences to a room. This is especially true with really vibrant shades, such as red or yellow, and sometimes the only way to tone down vivid colors is to add shades from the opposite end of the color spectrum. When you want to use dark kitchen cabinets, by choice or by necessity, a striking color contrast is a great way to incorporate the best of both worlds.

Subtle Color Shifts

Another color palette that works with dark kitchen cabinets, subtle color shifts create an easy to follow transition from light or neutral to dark. One example of this color palette would be using the lightest shade of the same color on the floor, then the medium shade at the backsplash, and the darkest shade on the cabinets. Follow the flow into the eating space by utilizing the same shift from top to bottom, whether the dining area is joined with the kitchen or a completely separate room.

A subtle approach is one of the more popular options in the kitchen, and this contemporary idea requires only a working knowledge of dark, medium, and light versions of the same color. White, gray, and black is a good example, but shades of brown are also easy to coordinate in this way. You can use other colors as the medium shade, such as adding silver in place of gray, so long as the color coordinates with the rest of your design style.

Blended Transition

Finally, blending the shades in the middle creates an opportunity to add dark and light in the same space without seeing a striking color contrasts as described above. This is usually accomplished in the kitchen on the countertops or backsplash, although some people find other ways of blending the colors for the transition space. Multicolored tiles are the easiest way to create a blended space that utilizes both shades, but be sure that middle shades or neutrals are also included to make the transition attractive and practical or you are still stuck with contrasts.

Countertops are another way to make the transition, such as a marble finish that features several shades of your cabinet color, so long as they coordinate with the flooring too. In modern kitchens, marble, slate, granite, or faux versions are the most desirable amenity, making this addition a valuable asset if you want to add value to your home. It offers a great return on investment for a kitchen renovation and it is usually worth the slightly higher initial investment.

Alyssa Davis, is a design specialist and writer at Metal-Wall-Art.com, and she offers many suggestions and unique ideas for designing with Tuscan metal wall decor and coffee cup wall art.

Setting up your first home can be an expensive business. If you’re renting you have to find the first month’s rent and the deposit at the same time, and pay for any new furniture you might need.  Buying a house is of course, even more of a stretch, as you sign up for 20 years’ worth of mortgage payments.

Whatever way you’re doing it, you’ll need to get a few bits of furniture, even if you keep it to the bare minimum to start with, and then add more things as you can afford them.

So, the base line of things you’ll need is a bed, a cheap dining table and a couple of chairs, a fridge and an oven. Anything else is a bonus.  After that, you can start collecting bits of furniture little by little.

Depending on your funds, you can start off by begging and borrowing from friends and family.  If you ask, you’re bound to find someone who’s got a spare sofa or a wardrobe they no longer need.  Sure, it may not be the style you want, but don’t forget the old adage ‘beggars can’t be choosers’.  Live with hand me downs for a while, even if they don’t match. It’ll save you having to go into debt for a few bits of furniture. You can always disguise a sofa you’re not so keen on with a throw or liven it up with some cushions. As long as what you’re offered is functional, accept with open arms and gratitude.

In a couple of months’ time, after you’ve paid the rent and the bills, you’ll have amassed some spare cash and then you can go down to the sofa sales and pick up something a little more your style.

Pink is often a color choice associated only with girls, although it is also paired with holidays such as Valentine’s Day since it is the color of gentle love. However, pink also has a strong effect on feng shui. Pink can create a soft, gentle look that contributes to a feeling of peace as well. It has often been used as a way to lessen aggression in various groups, and pink can be paired with different colors to give a different feel to the space.

Pink in a Master Bedroom

Most people assign the color pink to a little girl’s room in the home, but the color pink can be used in a variety of ways in other bedrooms. The color pink is a great addition to a master bedroom in the form of accent pillows or other accent pieces. Pink can be paired with black to create an elegant, romantic feel for the master bedroom. Pink can also be brought in by using pink bed linens paired with a solid color bedspread and matching pillow shams. Feng shui doctrines state that pink soothes the energy in a room with its delicate vibrations, although too much pink can create an overabundance of passion and chaos.

Pink in the Kitchen

The kitchen is the one room in a home that most people would shy away from when decorating with pink, but it is actually possible to use the color pink in this space. Pink mixed with orange gives the kitchen a bright and cheerful makeover. Coral, the color result when pink and orange are mixed, gives the kitchen a fun yet sophisticated feel, and it makes the kitchen a lively room filled with a joyous energy. Coral can be paired with golden yellow for a summer-like décor that is beautiful.

Pink in the Living Room

Pink is typically considered off limits for the living room or den because it is “too feminine.” However, when paired with golden mirrors and throw pillows, pink is a perfect accent color for the living room. Pink can give a living room the feel of royalty, and may be paired with browns, in addition to gold, to give a rich atmosphere that feng shui believes lends itself to the well being of your own personal finances.

Pink, Pink Everywhere!

The color pink can be used in any room in the house because it is found in a variety shades and can be mixed with several different colors to give a completely unique feel in each room in the home. Add pink in a variety of creative ways for passion and romance, from floral arrangements and flowered wallpaper to throw pillows, wall hangings, and other accent pieces. A striped pattern incorporating pink, denim blue, orange and brown, for example, is not necessarily feminine. Pink is a versatile color that is given so little thought due, in part, to the fact that society thinks of it as overtly feminine, but it is so full of life and energy that it should be part of every home.

Senior staff writer for Metal-Wall-Art.com, Alyssa Davis, offers design advice on decorating with coffee wall art and guitar metal wall art.

Armed with a RM150 budget, I decided to go to IKEA on the morning of my birthday. Why, you ask? I simply had to take advantage of IKEA’s advent deal of the day - Sundvik chairs at RM49 each.

It was a family occasion. We took the whole family there and started out at the cafe for breakfast. Ryan enjoyed the french toast and the fact that the children’s corner wasn’t crowded for once (he’s never been to IKEA on a weekday). After breakfast, we headed directly over to the children’s section to find out where to pick out the Sundvik chairs. Being fair parents, we decided to get a chair each for Ryan and Lauren. The RM49 deal only applied to white Sundvik chairs – a little disappointed but heck, a saving of RM50 per chair made color a negligible factor. There definitely won’t be post purchase dissonance here.

This left me with RM52 from my budget to spend. We decided to get the MULA crane with blocks for Ryan as he was pretty intrigued by it. I knew this would blow my budget by RM7 but hey, in the larger scheme of things, it keeps my little boy happy and that’s more important really.

When we got home, Ryan helped to assemble both the Sundvik chairs. You know the folks at IKEA have definitely gotten it right if a 2 year old toddler is able to put the pieces of the chair together. Daddy only had to help him made sure the screws were tight.

Having no way to differentiate the chairs because both were white, we decided to do a little ‘hack’. We had some leftover decals and some lettering that was adequate to spell RYAN but not enough for LAUREN. Good thing my wife’s super creative side kicked in and she started hacking at the unused letters to come up with a way to spell Lauren for her chair. Each chair had the name of one of our children and Ryan’s had four little extra fishes along with a green clover whilst Lauren’s had a nice silhouette of a cute monkey motif.

Ryan uses it daily to do his art and craft and Lauren uses it often as a walker. There’s more to the Sundvik than just being a chair!

We’ve all currently got Christmas on our minds, and rightly so, as it is next week. Yes, next week. If you haven’t started buying gifts, now’s the time. But what about after Christmas? When the decorations go down and the family departs, there’s still work to be done in the house. There are still interesting design trends to look for, and one of the big trends of 2012 is shared right here. I doubt you’ll guess it or expect it, but wooden blinds are making a comeback.

The variety and choice of them has grown immensely. You can get them in cherry wood, walnut, bronzed or medium oak, maple, and even mahogany. They can be painted in black, white, light blue, jade or sandwash.

Because of this choice, they can be matched with any décor and interior design. This has led to their standing within the interior design community increasing in a positive manner. As well as the fact that exuberant patterns on roller and roman blinds is becoming less popular, and more rustic yet elegant styles are becoming ever more trendy. The whole image of wooden blinds is turning from old fashioned to luxurious and homely. A strange combination admittedly, but it works and looks great.

Speaking of trends, having a green, green as in environment friendly green, home and interior is highly relevant for the coming year. This trend started with solar panels on the outside of your house, now it’s to use biodegradable material inside your home. Cellular shades and bamboo blinds are the most popular of these eco-blinds, but wooden blinds in general have the edge on the more commercial plastic or cotton window treatments.

Of course, their main benefit is the fact they don’t let light in. Or only let the amount of light in that you wish to wave. Plastic and cotton blinds often still let in a slither of light, you may not want, and with the time, the material stretches and the blind therefore droops. Not an issue with wooden blinds.

Finally, they’re easy to clean and tough. So, even if your cat decides to climb them, they will withstand the urge to disintegrate. Hope you found this small intro into 2012 fun.

Written by Sarah Oxley