The African interior design style is enriched with the original tribe art of this mysterious continent. The gamma is consist of deep colors which is saturated with the hot African sun. Usually, it is terracotta, brick, sand, and other warm colors. The color combination are based on the dark and light contrast. Black color often act the role of such contrast, which is used for painting the curbs and other furniture elements. The furniture should look simply. In addition, it can be not only wooden but also forged and braided. The interior design is adorned with the wooden dish plates for fruits, exotic sculptures, ritual masks, stylized lanterns, and paintings in true African art. You will transform your home into paradise, if decorate it with the linen napkins, souvenirs made of African stone, and curtains with embroidery giraffe or tiger figures.
Expensive materials are often used in the African style: python, crocodile, lizard leather; zebra, giraffe skin; rosewood, palm, and wenge wood.
Before the creation of African style in the interior, it is necessary to determine the goal: either the task is to introduce a number of African colorful shades in the interior or it will be the most complete repetition of the main features of African homes. When a course is chosen, you can proceed to the implementation of your ideas.
In a nutshell, such features are originality, coloring, dynamic, energy, expression and contrast. On the one hand there is the minimalism and simplicity of forms and on the other we have primitive brutality in the decor and in its texture. With all of this, there is the contrast and brightness of colors in accessories and textiles. Typically, the interior reflects the picture of the world, so it uses natural materials and natural shades. Abundance of decorative African art, which are very primitive, are also welcome.
Since reminder of the scorching sun, the sands of the desert and the jungle can be traced in the interior of this style so the colors should be respectively determined by such shades like sand, brown, terracotta, orange, yellow, brick and even swampy green. It should be noted that the prevailing colors are yellow and brown (tree bark, charred wood, saffron, honey, baked milk, cinnamon, amber and so on). In general, the colors in the interior should be not just warm but hot as the air of Africa itself. You can also meet a mix of a black with fiery red shade as a reminder of the fire, as well as the color of skins of animals living in Africa. Cautious introduction of blue shades is allowed but only in small quantities and as an accent. In other words, it must be remembered that all the used tones should be natural.
What is it about interior design colors that make them attractive? That is because just as the rainbow is attractive in its remarkable wonder, colors create the same flow of unique character to spaces. In the world of interior design, nothing makes a more powerful tool than colors. They can help express individuality and more.
Selecting the appropriate colors takes experience, time, patience, effort topped with creative genius and that’s where professionals like Maul Works come in.
With the right color treatment and combination, any room could be given a natural boost. This is probably the reason why those who choose to become interior designers have made it a point to master the art of colors because with colors, there is an endless possibility of concepts that lead to magnificent creations within any given structure.
When choosing to design the interior of a home or an office, a color swatch may be tested under different kinds of lights to test the effect the light will give once a particular hue is exposed under the beam.
Ok, Ok, Its pretty obvious I’m on a crusade to get you all getting jiggy with the colour vibe. So I’ve decided in this post to get right back to basics. Sharpen your pencils boys and girls; we’re going back to school to learn a bit about the theory of colour. Out there in the wild wicked west of interiors it can feel very daunting when picking out your own colour scheme- which is possibly one of the reasons people go for the oh so obvious neutral shades. I’m cool with that if you a beige type of soul, but if you have an inkling that you’re a color lover- its time to get empowered!
Ok- lets bring out the big guns- the Colourists secret weapon…•drum roll• the Colour Wheel!
The colour wheel is a fail-safe way of working out what works with what- anyone who works with colour; interior designers, artists and architects have all learned the theory. The classic colour wheel is made up of 12 hues- lets call one half the cool colours and the other the warm hues. You’ve then got your Primary, secondary and tertiary colours as you work away from the primary- you keeping up?!.
Hue: a colour or shade. The attribute of discernable colour i.e. red, blue, yellow etc.
Primary Colours: Red, Blue and Yellow
Secondary Colours: Green Orange and purple
Tertiary colours: mix a primary with a secondary, and whaddya get? lime, turquoise, magenta etc.
Add white, black or grey to create a different tint, tone or shade from the original.
Tone: The particular quality of brightness, deepness, or hue of a shade of a colour. The general effect of colour or light and shade in a picture. Adding grey to a colour effects the tone
Shade: A colour, especially with regard to how light or dark it is or as distinguished from one nearly like it: “various shades of blue”. Add black to alter the shade of a colour.
Tint: A shade or variety of a colour. Add white to change the tint.
In the modern colour wheel you begin with red, blue and yellow as they are what all other colours derive from. The secondary colours are then made by mixing two of the primaries together…remember doing this in primary school! Tertiary colours are then made by mixing a primary with a secondary to give us lime green, turquoise, magenta, peach, deep purple and so much more. There are boundless tints, shades and tones wheeled out, by mixing different combinations, all called tertiary colours. We are very lucky that our paint manufactures know all this stuff, which is why we have such a mind-boggling choice on offer!
Before applying the original color of choice, know the importance of a primer. It helps prevent a color bleed-through which if not averted may alter the final touch of the actual color. After the necessary preparations, the application of colors will definitely add weight or warmth to a room, make it seem cooler or keep it simple.
Choosing the right interior design colors for your home will give each space its own personality but consider the function before painting. Once you feel certain about the color of choice not only for its aesthetic appeal but for its functionality, then it would be exciting to see the result.
So there we have it- the colour wheel in a nutshell. Now I have never ever designed a room scheme by using a Colour wheel. For all my experience designing rooms, I like to go with my gut- and I’m sure that’s how a lot of designers work. So I’d advise that your next step would be to have some fun with a mood board and some paint chips. Interior design shouldn’t be painting by numbers- you’ll get the feeling when something looks smoking- so have a go…it’s only paint!!!
Here at Maul Works, we’ve been banging on about furniture arrangement for a long time, and it seems we’ve got a lot to say on the topic. Between all the advice, visuals and case studies, there are some gems of information to be discovered. Read on for our top 10 tips for nailing your furniture arrangement.
Arranging furniture can be a daunting task. When you’re faced with an empty room, filling it in a way that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing can seem like an overwhelming task. But over the years, interior designers have recognized a number of simple, easy-to-apply principles that work. Just follow these common sense rules and you’ll find that arranging furniture isn’t so scary after all.
Where you place your furniture in a room will instantly set the tone for how you’ll live in that room.Here are Ten easy must-know tips for furniture arrangement, whether you’re relaxing, watching TV or chatting with friends.
Never underestimate the power of a focal point in a room. Sometimes they appear naturally, such as if you have a prominent window or a built-in fireplace mantel, while other times you may need to create them yourself, as with media units and televisions. Whatever your chosen focal point, make a decision and stick with it. You’ll want to arrange furniture around it as much as possible.
The size of the room will dictate how far you can pull your furniture away from the walls, but even in a small space, you’ll want to give pieces a little breathing room by allowing a few inches between the backs of furniture pieces and the walls. Despite popular belief, this little bit of space can actually make rooms feel bigger. Of course, if you have a larger space, feel free to arrange furniture in such a way that conversation areas are created in the middle of the room, leaving several feet between the walls and the furniture.
People should naturally be able to talk to each other without having to crane their necks or shout across the room. Position the sofas and chairs to face each other (not necessarily straight on, but close), and so they are close enough that people can converse without raising their voices. If the room is too large, create multiple conversation areas.
Balance is always important in decorating, and never more so than when arranging furniture and other items in your living room. Consider both size and placement of the various pieces, making sure not to group all the large or small pieces in one area or to one side of the room, which can make space feel lopsided and a little unsettling. Also make sure there’s variety in the shapes—if you’ve got straight-lined seating, for example, consider a round coffee table.
One of the most important things to consider when arranging furniture in any room is traffic flow. People should not be tripping over furniture, or each other, to pass through the room. Make sure there are a couple of feet (give or take a few inches) between the coffee table and sofa, and between chairs. Create a clear path so people can walk from one end of the room to the other without difficulty.
Area rugs belong under the furniture—all the furniture, if you can manage it. Exposing some flooring around the edges of the room is fine, but when using an area rug, make sure it’s big enough that all the furniture in a seating arrangement can rest on it. At the very least you want the front legs of large pieces to sit on the rug (the backs can be on the floor, if necessary).
When it comes to coffee tables, more often than not, bigger is better. A large coffee table in the middle of a seating area is great for both aesthetics and function. It acts as an anchor for the room and it leaves plenty of space for people to put down drinks or for you to display favored accessories. A large table also offers easier access from the seats around it. That said, make sure to leave enough room between seating and the coffee table for people to pass through (about 18 inches). And if you can’t find a suitable large coffee table, two smaller tables or other coffee table alternative can be a good substitute.
Every seat should have easy access to either a side table or coffee table. Avoid layouts that force people to move from their seats in order to set down or retrieve drinks. When it comes to table height:
lighting is one of the most important elements of any room, and it is neglected all too often. Always use a mix of overhead lighting, floor lamps, and table lamps (and sconces, if you can). A floor lamp looks great at the end of a sofa or behind an accent chair. Table lamps look lovely on side tables, shelves, and even mantels. Lighting needs to be placed at different levels in order to be properly balanced, so use a variety of fixtures liberally throughout your room.
Things that are hung on the wall—whether it’s art, mirrors, or sculptural objects—need to be placed strategically, and in proportion to the furniture. Don’t hang a tiny photo over the back of your sofa, for example; instead, use either a large piece that is approximately two-thirds the length of the sofa, or use a grouping of pieces. If you’re absolutely determined to use a particular piece of art that is too small, put it in a larger frame with a large matte around it so it can hold its own when positioned near a large furniture piece.
When it comes to arranging furniture and accessories, it’s best to plan ahead if your plan involves buying new pieces. Either use an online floor planner, old-fashioned graph paper to sketch out your desired floor plan or call a professional like Maul Works. It’s the only surefire way to know whether or not things will fit the way you want.
Most furniture is manufactured to standard measurement. It makes the process of arranging furniture easier when you know those standard measurements before you buy. Once you know bed or couch dimensions, for example, you can start designing the layout for any given room with a better idea of how the pieces will fit.
These measurements are meant to be a general guideline only. Before you buy anything make sure you measure the piece itself to see whether it will fit well inside your space.
Also, clients love to make their own Custom-made furniture to fit their needs and desire to blend with their interior design style. Custom-made furniture refers to pieces that craftsmen build according to the customer’s specifications. It allows you to decide on the color, type of material used, finish, and design, among other things. Moreover, it still qualifies as “custom-made” furniture even if you only get to decide on one or two of these things.
With the market brimming with different products ,many will get the opportunity to inject their style and taste in the making of furniture selection for their room. if you need a custom-made furniture, manufacturers can mass-produce with the standard size and at the same time incorporate their customers’ input into the standard design. It doesn’t matter if the customization is limited only to color choices or material. Technically speaking, this is a guide of all who are passionate about getting the right furniture for their space.
Although one couch may look very different from another sofa because of style, color, or upholstery fabric, you may be surprised to know that most sofas share the same approximate measurements. This applies to other pieces of furniture living room furniture such as coffee tables and end tables as well. When you have an idea of roughly how big a piece is, you can plan how many pieces to fit in the room, and how to place them, so you have a room that flows efficiently. Here are the standard table and couch dimensions:
Dining room tables and chairs are also usually made according to standard measurements. These have many variations for different kinds of dinning tables. Chairs will slightly vary in size as well. The measurements below are what you can expect to find on average:
The bedroom usually has a bed, one or more nightstand, and a chest of drawers. The measurements for beds are more standardized than for any other piece of furniture, due to needing a standard size of mattress and bedding.
Nightstands and chests can vary, and there are several types of chests. The numbers below are for a basic, small chest:
Home office furniture varies in size. Desks were traditionally larger, but today you can pick from smaller scaled desks and chairs. Office furniture is also adjustable in height. You can adjust your desk into a standing desk, and make your chair go lower or higher. The dimensions will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer because there is an emphasis on office furniture that fits the user’s needs:
Lighting plays a major design role in the overall success of any room décor. Lighting should be layered the same way colors and textures are layered in a room. There are many options when it comes lighting. Adding a layer or two of additional lighting sources gives your room design greater light depth.
The lighting in a home changes the mood of a room just as it does the perceived size of a room. Placement and type are important aspects of interior design, and they work in conjunction with color selections, room size, availability of natural light and furniture selection which I have been discussing on my page . The elements that come together when the right lighting is achieved transform a room into a seamless combination of functionality and style.
Lighting is an important piece of the interior design and interior designer don’t downplay the role it plays. Lighting design plays a very big role in how you experience a space. A successfully-designed room needs a mix of three basic types of lighting. The three major categories of lighting used in interior design are namely – ambient, task and accent. One is essential ambient lighting that provides practical lighting needs. Another addresses task lighting requirement and the third one gives accent lighting options. Some lighting choices have more than one type of application, making them versatile and valuable lighting options.
A living room with layers of the ambient, task and accent lighting
This guide explains the different types of lighting – ambient, task and accent., how to use them effectively, and which light fixtures to use create your desired lighting
Ambient lighting is the basic type of lighting that provide general lighting to an interior. This is one of the most common types of lighting. Ambient light is a soft glow that blankets your space just enough for you to function without causing a harsh glare. In photography and cinematography, ambient light is considered the “natural light” within a room. In décor, ambient light is very similar, except you create the ambient light by making the room’s lighting as natural and flat as possible. The goal of ambient lighting is to provide even, overall light to a room. This is most often accomplished with recessed lighting or a beautiful chandelier. Wall-mounted lighting like a sconce also provides ambient lighting.
Atmosphere: When used correctly, ambient light creates a fantastic environment to relax from an overly stressful day or to have a warm conversation with an old friend. Ambient lighting is often referred to as mood lighting. Always use dimmers with ambient lighting! This way you can adjust the lighting level based on the time of day or mood you’d like to create. You can have multiple circuits in a room so you can dim some lights while keeping others brighter.
Some ambient lighting choices include:
Ceiling lighting at the centre of a bed room
Recessed lighting arranged orderly in a living room
Task lighting is necessary for tasks that require more light than ordinary ceiling lights can provide. Task lighting is beneficial when you’re working. This is a smaller more concentrated light. In fact, some people call it office lighting. Task lighting is meant to help you see when you’re doing projects in which you need a finer light, such as, reading, cooking, writing, sewing and many other things. Task lighting only works well when it is used as a contrasting light.
Atmosphere: Task lighting helps naturally stimulate your brain. The contrasting light allows you to be more alert and concentrated. This will help you see more details as you work, creating higher quality results. This is why many businesses choose to use task lighting in their offices.
Some task lighting choices include:
Pendant lighting placed right above kitchen countertop
Floor lamp at the corner of a living room
Accent lighting is used to highlight specific areas, artwork, or various sections of a room. This is a very concentrated light with the intention of drawing the eye to its focal point. Accent lighting is a way of adding style and drama to your home. Accent lighting brings added visual interest to a room by creating different focal points and is another important element of lighting design. This will help you illuminate the pieces you want on display, while shadowing dull areas. Accent lighting highlights specific objects like art, sculptures, pieces of furniture, collections and bookcases. It can also be used to highlight a textured wall, or other architectural features. Outdoor accent lighting is when you highlight parts of the architecture of your home or yard. This is very popular during the holidays, especially Christmas and New year.
Atmosphere: Accent lighting is one of the types of lighting that creates a very sophisticated atmosphere. It evokes feelings of meaning and importance to the images it displays. This lighting type is used a lot for museums, historical buildings and art shows. Some accent aren’t made to shine on a particular object, but are themselves a piece of art with a self-contained light source. They serve as a piece of functional décor for a home.
Some accent lighting choices highlight specific areas, artwork, or various sections of a room:
Track lighting focused on art work
Landscaping lighting showing the beautiful architecture of this mansion
By layering these three types of lighting (ambient, task and accent) in your home you will create a perfectly lit space. For multiple types of lighting options consider using a light dimmer. Dimmers help achieve any mood or look you’re looking for at the push of a button.
In any space, lighting is one of the essential components to making it functional. We at MAUL WORKS weigh in with some important aspects of lighting in interior design for each space in the home. The lighting in a home changes the mood of a room just as it does the perceived size of a room. Placement and type of lighting are important aspects of interior design as they , and they work in conjunction with colour selections, room size, availability of natural light and furniture selection. The elements that come together when the right lighting is achieved transform a room into a seamless combination of functionality and style.
Lighting is an important aspect of interior design that gives the room a special look and transforms it into a seamless combination of functionality and style. Besides playing a functional role it creates a visually dynamic space. Lighting can make or break the ambiance of a room. Hence proper lighting is an important element of decorating your homes.
Everyone needs lighting, from the college freshman who buys the $20 floor lamps from precise lighting, beyond lights or the fam0us Alaba Market to the billionaire who purchased that Marie Therese chandelier or Astoria Grand Or Crystal chandelier from oversea be it china or dubai for millions of naira. But what about the rest of us in between? How do we go about deciding what type of lighting is the best fit for our space?
The first step in finding the right lighting is determining the function of the room. As our i always says, “You definitely want to consider where in the space the light fixture is going. Will it be above a table or surface, or over an open space? Is it meant to highlight a particular architectural or artistic feature? Or perhaps you need task lighting for a work surface?” The way you use a room is the biggest determinant of the lighting, so before you make a purchase, picture your day in a room and where you need brightness.
Since different rooms have different functions, each room in the home has a combination of lighting that is ideal for the setting. When mixing and matching for a space, designers at MAUL WORKS tells us, “Lighting is broken down into three categories: ambient, task, and accent. Ambient light illuminates a space, task lighting is meant for specific work (reading, writing, etc.) and accent lighting highlights a focal point in a space (such as artwork). But there is no one right answer for what type of lighting works best in a given room.” Here are some important aspects of lighting that we have listed for your pleasure.
The use of lighting can add to or subtract from the overall colors of a room or from only those surfaces the light is meant to enhance. Darker colors make a room feel smaller and cramped, while light-colored walls do the opposite. The illusion of space is defined by light reflected off of the surfaces of the walls. Some types of lighting help with this illusion by further illuminating the walls. In addition, directional lighting, such as a track light, can soften the wall colors. There is also recessed can lighting, which has a soft, downward glow that illuminates the floors, not walls. This is opposed to lights hung from the center of the room, which provide ambient illumination, or wall lighting. In both cases, this can affect how light or dark a colored section can appear.
The lighting in a room either provides illumination for the entirety of the room, or it highlights very specific elements. Track lighting is the perfect example of positional lighting. Hung from the ceiling, the adjustable necks and lamps can be pointed at specific elements, such as a wall painting, the vase of flowers on an entryway table or the bar top or kitchen island. Consider mounting them on the walls, also. Special picture and mirror frames also have built-in lighting to highlight specific areas on a wall. Recessed lighting can be used in floors and ceilings to create vertical beams of light as opposed to an overall glow from central light fixtures hanging from a ceiling.
One major role of lighting in the interior setting is functionality. Lighting needs to serve a purpose, or it simply wastes electricity. Chandeliers are not only used in large, open foyers, entryways and rooms because of their centrally themed placement but also because they provide excellent illumination for the room. Wall lights add length and size, visually, to an entryway hall, as well as light the way. Consider the style of lighting you want to ensure you get the best directional or luminescent type for the setting. Look into task-specific lighting for desks and other work areas where functionality is more important than overall room illumination.
Both natural and man-made lighting help with the illusion of space. For a darker room, find ways to bring in more full-spectrum natural light. If the room does not have sufficient lighting, it will feel cramped. This is worsened by close-proximity furniture arrangements, such as coffee table, end table, sofa, chair and love seat combinations in a smaller setting. Corner lamps, wall sconces and centrally hanging lights on the ceiling help brighten a room if natural lighting is not available and help create a visually larger space. This applies to any setting — home or office. Natural lighting is preferred above man-made lighting because it shows off colours better and adds to the visual space of a room by bouncing off reflective surfaces. Consider skylights or large windows if you want more natural light, or use sheer drapes and curtains to allow the maximum amount of light from your current windows
Lighting is an important tool in interior designing and should never be overlooked. The way in which you incorporate lighting into your home interiors define the mood of the user of the space as it has a great impact on the perception. Employing a good interior lighting designer can increase the brightness of a space and create ideal mood sets.
Without proper lighting interior architecture cannot be experienced to the fullest. Good lighting assures a warm, inviting and functional atmosphere in your home. Hence selection of proper lighting is the key element in interior design as it enhances everything in a room – from the furniture, flooring, fittings to the finishes and textures. Creative use of lighting can in fact embellish your decorating project. Implement different types of lighting to make your home a beautiful showcase. The light fittings and lamps chosen to compliment the style and décor of the room have a potential to give life to the space. Yes, selection of the right lighting can help you achieve a perfect balance between style, comfort and practicality in creating aesthetically beautiful yet functional interiors.
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