5 Tips for Kitchen Design

The kitchen is a sacred space in your living area.  Whether a house or a studio, the kitchen is the central point of entertainment, the root of any good evening and truly the hub of your domestic life.  The kitchen reminds us of family and togetherness.  Sometimes, the kitchen is a solitary and meditative space, sometimes a wild array of scents and sounds.  Here are some tips for kitchen design.

a beautiful open space for casual evenings

1.  It is Your space, it Should Fit Your Needs
Figure it out:  Do you friends politely smile when you offer to cook or do they tell stories of your meals?  If you're a cook, too much fluff in the room can get in the way. Consider cutting any excess from the design.  Are you looking more for a space to simply entertain?  Well, in that case, go ahead and spruce up the room.  Add a  few extra stools and chairs.

2.  Extra Space
You can't always expand the room, but you can expand your surface area.  Adding an island or a table is a good way of creating space as well as entertaining area.  On the downside, they also consume a good amount of space, smaller kitchens need not apply.  Keep your tables small enough to be conversational, not so long or wide that you can't hear when the tables full.

3.  Multi-Purpose
The kitchen has become one of the most flexible rooms in the house.  Kids do homework around the table, friends drink and socialize, you eat, cook, read.  My parent's kitchen even has a wonderfully nap-able sun-seat.  Unless you're strictly utilitarian with your kitchen, keep the space's multi-purpose mindset intact.

4.  Thematic
There are so many appliances in the world that you can create nearly any ambience you'd like for your kitchen.  Sleek modernism is just as viable as country cottage.  Use the requisite items to set the tone.  Your kitchen will have an oven, stove, refrigerator, etc, use these pieces to create the feel you want.

5.  Small Changes Count
The small tweaks to your space can make a difference.  If your simply a bit board, switch up the handles on the cabinets, find new silverware or plates. Create a different sense of space by installing a chandelier or a hanging pot holder.  A redesign doesn't need to be whole-sale.

Have you recently gone through a kitchen redesign?  What inspired it?  What does it look like now?

Cyber Monday

A bit of backlash to the uber-violent Black Friday mobs, Cyber Monday gives you the chance to nurse the sprained ankle and black eye you got dashing for gifts while maintaining your shopping momentum.  We at Horne want to keep you moving along so we've done something that some have called us crazy for.
15% Off.
"Off of what?"  You may ask.
"Everything."  We respond.
"Eve..." You start.
"Yes." We cut you off, "Everything."

See, we don't like the guided shopping some stores do.  New items off the list?  Nope.  Big pricey things getting smaller discounts than other items?  Nope.  They push you through from one item to another encouraging certain things to be bought for cheap while keeping the things they know you want at a higher price.  We don't like that. 15%  Off of everything.  Get it.
See, we know you're shopping for special people in your life.  We want you to get them the items that speak to their sense of style, that put them apart from all the rest.
Or, you know, when you're tired of all of that, treating yourself to a little something for yourself.
So here's the deal:  Enter CYBERMONDAY at checkout and pull in some excellent new additions to your selection of modern home decor.

5 Tips for Studio Interior Decorating

Space is becoming more and more of a commodity.  Apartments, it seems, are shrinking with the economy and we're forced to cram all of our wonderful design ideas in smaller and smaller units.  Looking to keep your studio up-to-date on modern home decor?  We've got a few tips to keep you living in style without living in a jungle. 

Smart Choices
You're working with limited space.  When you go out hunting for new items, keep in mind that they should feel absolutely essential to the feel of the room you're trying to create.  Don't splurge on simple ornament, make the functional pieces of your apartment the ones that speak most clearly.  Avoid loud, aim for clarity.   
Vicious Editing
Once you've already gotten the pieces you want, you must become a heartless editor.  Slash and burn the pieces that don't absolutely add.  In such a small space, even the slightest excesses create a feel of clutter.  You're looking to create a clean looking area.  Studios look dirty quickly.
One. Single. Theme.
When you live in a multi room space, you can theme different rooms as much as you'd like.  When you exist in a single space, though, it should flow with a single theme.  Not that color variations and hues should not change, but that there should be no confusion of message in the design.  Asian Zen theme?  Go for it, but don't add a dash of Modern Euro into it. 
Define Areas
To give yourself a sense of space, clearly define areas in your room.  Despite it being a studio, there should be a distinct mentality of Bedroom, Reading Area, Kitchen, etc.  If nothing else, you don't want new friends accidentally standing in your bedroom uninvited. 
Use the Room
The space itself will come with its own opportunities and challenges.  Lofted spaces create an easily identified bedroom, window seat areas or odd geometry in the room create their own challenges.  Use the space, utilize dividers to clearly state differences.  Lighting, too, can be a way of identifying different areas in your space.

Most important to designing a studio is to believe that it is your space.  I personally prefer studios to one bedroom apartments, the unification of the room represents a unification of life.  No areas are seperated.  Whatever you choose to do with your space, own it. 

Warmth

Like Eddard Stark, protagonist of HBO's new drama Game of Thrones, always says:  Winter is coming.  This year, it's going to be a cold and snowy one in Europe and much of the US.  The design world is responding in force with a trend which - at the moment - is very simply being called "Warmth."
Though I'm a philosophic believer in the concepts of minimalism, personally I love a space with more character to it.  As the winter months approach, the appeal of welcoming colors has as well. Wood, rope, tartan and denim are all big at the moment, as well as neutral tones complimented by bolder, warmer colors. 

a classic coffee table brings a sense of home

Eastvold's Classic Coffee Table represents a chic, retro look with modern sensibilities.  Entirely handcrafted in the United States from ethically harvested lumber.  The classic design and dark wood maintain a homey aesthetic.

elegant and classic

This chair by KOI is made of top-grade leathers stitched in italy atopa nickle base.  The real appeal of this chair is it's sheer breadth of range.  The chair can fit in styles ranging rustic or euro-chic to mid-century modern. 

just the right amount of flair to cuddle under

Spun in England, dyed and knitted in Wales, this UK-delight, Donna Wilson does right by blankets.  The variety of colors open the blanket up to tie together disparate parts of the room's design. 

oh-so welcoming

Made from incredibly high quality cowhide from Argentina, these Doppio Cowhide Rugs are precisely the warm, dark tones that your living space craves.

While the weather starts to get frightful, we're looking forward to spending many-a-day warming up from snowball fights in design as welcoming as that cup of hot-coffee.

Gallery Design in Rio De Janeiro

Horne recently recieved an email from Triana Serrano who recently worked on the development of an exhibition in Casa Cor 2011,  Rio de Janeiro.

Like most galleries, the idea was for the walls to be mainly white.  White backgrounds are meant to focus the attention on to the piece.  More than any other color, we see white as a color of neutrality.  Solid choice for a background of a gallery.

The space itself holds a striking minimalistic appeal.  White and black form a sharp contrast on the walls while the sparse furniture and massive open-glass windows form a beautiful and functional space to appreciate the art.  The formality of the minimalist space definitely suits the world of the gallery.

Simple, clean lines counterpoint the glass liner and facade.  

Being form-and-function aware, the glass is Guardian's Climate Guard Light, reducing the damage solar rays can cause to human and art alike.  

Facinating about this space is the darker section of the wall.  Floating 40 cm above the floor, the wall is covered in Corten steel.  The section seems to be suspended in space making it all the more striking. 

The huge appeal of this gallery - also a big surprise - was the mirror-ceiling that increases the feeling of space, expands the sense of light and creates interesting dynamics for the entire artistry of the attendance to be viewed under.  

Advertising and art combined when three meter images were displayed on the glass facade, making them viewable from both inside and outside of the gallery.  

An antique piece of Analdo Danemberg wooden furniture was used to tie the space together.

80-20 in Design

In the past 5 years Pareto’s Principle has become increasingly famous.  Malcom Gladwell’s Blink brought the term into pop culture while more and more industries are starting to recognize how directly the term applies to their field.
The call sign of Pareto’s Principle is 20/80.  The phrasing around those figures has become variable, depending on the field it’s applied to, but the basic idea is that 20% of your effort will generally create 80% of your results.  So if you can parse down on the excess 80% of work you do, you can approach peak efficiency.
Despite a bit of research, I haven’t seen the principle applied to design.  Here are some basic thoughts on how it might be.

Space:
What if we were to look at our rooms and measure it out.  Thinking about a room with efficient space-usage, I wager we’d come up with something closing in on 80% open, 20% decorated.  Even an efficient minimalist space might follow this principle.  Between a couch, bed, desk and shelf, even the most basic studio might follow this advice.  If you’re attempting to find your balance between clutter and minimalism, perhaps looking into using the 80-20 rule might give a good guideline.

Items:
Yes.  You can fill that entire wall with ornaments or make a statement with every single pieces of dishware you own.  Your entire bedroom can be a sensory-overwhelming experience of colour and tone and sharp lines and vibrant sheets.  Yes, you can.  However, for every excessive item you include in your room, you’ll limit the statement each one can make.  A well designed room is like a small group playing a classical piece of music.  Each piece must be allowed the volume it requires without anyone else screaming over it or without being drowned in needless chatter.

Funds:
Let’s simply translate ‘effort’ into ‘funds.’  If you’re attempting to redesign on a limited budget, keeping this in mind might help you from making frivolous purchases.  Working at buying the important pieces of a room while whittling away excess, you’ll save money and create a cleaner, more mature look.  20% of the things you buy might create 80% of your rooms appeal.  Invest in well designed pieces rather than a large number of pieces.

These are just thoughts, what other ways might you find Pareto’s Principle - or any other off-topic principle - affecting your design choices?  What comes to mind as you set about shopping for your design needs?

Design Inspiration: Spain

I just returned from a whirlwind tour of Southern Spain.  Amidst Tinto de Verrano (almost no Spainaird drinks Sangria, but just about everyone in Seville drinks this Lemonade/Redwine mixture) and tapas, I was struck by the sheer beauty of the winding streets and style influences present in Andalucia. 
See, Andalucia was the hub of cultural...exchange...shall we say.  Between the Moorish conquest of Spain and the eventual reconquista, and subsequen centuries of trade and conflict, no region of Spain has had a more profound fusion of cultures.  No region of Spain shows it off quite as much either. 

In Seville, during the medieval ages, the term 'eating iron' came to represent lovers stealing kisses through the wrought iron window gates of their houses.  Wrought iron is still a very popular design element of Spanish interior design.  Wall ornaments abound in tapas bars as well as classically decorated homes.

Inside, Spanish homes are spacious and warm, earthy tones suggest that even villa owners aren't far removed from the beautiful landscapes that surround them.  Terraces inside as well as rough, stucco walls are still in style in Spain as well as traditional Terra Cotta roofing.

What I loved about Spain's food culture was there was a very distinct and tasteful level of style.  While some tapas bars would - like any bar or resturaunt - flood your sense visually, Spanish homes and home-style resturaunts always maintained an earthy, minimalized feel which emphasized the food and company, not the visuals. 
Spain's a country which - seemingly almost conciously - lays low on the international scene.  It doesn't take itself too seriously and it's style reflects a conciousness towards the importance of inner warmth and happiness.

Wedding Style

Fact:  We have a sleek, user friendly wedding registry.
Preston Bailey recently did a quick blurb on it, praising our selection as well as the user interface.  Thanks, Preston.  Weddings can be fretful enough, we try to keep the fun parts fun.
Wedding registrys are a staple of the special day.  A mix of utility and merciful guidance for the gifting impaired, the registry is a nod to the partners new life together - and a chance to get some stellar design pieces.
For instance, some of the favorites selected by Preston were absolute essentials on any registry.
The UrbanCase Emergency bar is a funny play on the essential cocktail corner for any newly wedded couple.  Friends will be dieing to see the new home or flat.  Not to mention, a stiff drink might help when the in-laws come over.

With an eye slightly tilted more toward traditional,  this French Carafe by Royal VKB is an elegant way to enjoy the bottles of wine any newly wedded couple will surely accrue.
Other must-have's include stellar dishware.  These beautiful dishes from Bodo Sperlien will surely be a welcome addition to any new home.

Thanks again, Preston, for your kind words.  We'll keep up the good work on this end.

Eye Candy

Part of me wants to apologize.  It's almost unfair what our trip to Paris is doing.  We're laying out a spread of new products that would be Michelin Star rated.  The talent of these designers is simply outstanding.  When we come across content like this, we remember exactly why we founded Horne on quality modern home design.
David Trubridge is back with a few new pendants.  We love Daivid's work and are thrilled to host a few more of his pieces.
This large pendant inspired by the sea urchins near New Zealand.  The interlocking pattern is similar to his previous designs.  It comes in two tones, black and natural.  Off set a white-aesthetic room with the bold black pendant, or blend in for a more zen experience with the natural tone. 

The folks at Urban Case are firm believers in a minimalist philosophy as well as minimalist design.  They focus on simple designs that combine beauty with functionality without needless flash.
This ledge space by Urban Case is unique and simple, really delving into the idea of function and form.

My favorite part of this one might be it's name, 'The Emergency Cocktail Station' brims with humor and quirk.  A parody of a first-aid kit, it'll always be around in a tight spot - and is a great conversation starter.

There's always more releasing at Horne, keep an eye on our New section to stay abreast of our most recent additions. 

Metal Fall

Fall summons some pretty immediate visuals.  Ember orange rips through the leaves of New England.  New York City breaks out thicker jackets and cute hats dot the streets.  Oh, and pumpkin. flavored. EVERYTHING.  

Fall's one of my favorite times of the year for colors and for fashion.  I love a sharp jacket, a cozy sweater, and a well turned scarf. Traditional tones of fall are earthy, subdued, warm.

But this fall, we're seeing something fun happening in the color world.  Metallics are shining  this season, whether on dresses or in crafty pillows.   

Metallics really add a tone of youth to a space.  While they can be deadly if over used (I think we'd all like to move past some of what happened in the 80's)  metallics in thoughtful deployment create interesting, eye catching pieces.  Metallics have range.  Above you see a fun eccentric display of sheen where as the bottow of the two pictures shows that the color and the metallic can meld in to one.  

So spruce up a bit of your decor or highlight your favorite outfit with a dash of metal sheen.

Final Shots of France

Our trip to Paris reaped some stunning rewards heading your way in the near future.  Sure, we did our wandering, our gallery-going, our espressos and so on.  Horne also brought in some incredible new pieces which are simply incredible.  

Our first major coming attraction is an excellent selection from Lampe Gras.  Gras lamps thrive on beautiful, simple design and a harmony of function and aesthetic.  Lampe Gras has arguably perfected the style.

Super sleek.  Flexible in form and placement.  A product for any room. 

The next reveal we have for you is from our dear friends at Mud Australia.  These handmade porcelain kitchen essentials are stunning, we think you'll agree.

Such a beautiful array of colors, styles and sizes.  Mud Australia exemplifies the heart of customized design.  Look for their material soon to suit your modern home decor needs.

 We did let Ryan unwind a bit, seen here sampling some wines.  But we think you'll agree: every drop was earned.

Look for these products and more releasing soon at Horne.

France

The Horne team may be back state-side, but our minds are still bouncing about in Europe.  I mean, come on, Ryan and Alissa were inundated by phenomenal design and modern decor.    Up to their noses and beyond.

Really.  So much beautiful work.  

   

Oh, and Giraffes.

What's not to love?  Ryan and Alissa definitely want this in their future kid's room.

We're crazy excited to see our friend, Nick Munro, excelling as he is.    We're going to be expanding our selection of his work.  Nick's name is Innovative.  As much an entrepreneur as a designer, Nick's been featured on BBC1's High Street Dreams where he was an expert mentor to budding entrepreneur/designers. 

Everybody loved these:

Ceramic beetles which doubled as vases.  Brilliant.  This whole installation is simply beautiful.  The vivid colors jump right off of the white wall.  They'd blend well in a colorful room as well and leave some interesting options for whatever flowers you might want to fill them with.

There are a few more tid-bits of our trip we'd love to share with you.  After we pull through all of them, we'll break down some future developments here at Horne and highlight some of our favorite aspects of the trip more in depth.  For now, keep browsing Horne for all of your modern home decor needs.

Minimalism Interview with Josh Millburn

Josh Millburn runs the blog The Minimalists with his life long friend, Ryan Nicodemus. Minimalism as a philosophy has gained huge momentum in the e-space. Hundreds of blogs discuss as many niches on the subject yet Ryan and Josh are the undisputed torch holders of the field.

Josh is an avid fan of minimalism in design as well as the field of thought. We took a few minutes to get his thoughts and check out what the essayist's living space looks like.

Horne: Describe the convergence of Philosophic minimalism and design minimalism:

Josh: For me, they are one in the same. Minimalism is about eliminating the superfluous in favor of what's important. I attempt to apply minimalism to all aspects of my life, be it my apartment, my clothes, or my conversations with other people. Doing so allows me to focus on what's important and live a more meaningful life.

Horne: Do you think the two are mutually exclusive?

Josh: I've actually had this argument with minimalist architects before. Some minimalist architects tend to think of themselves as "true minimalists." One guy told me go goes by the dictionary definition of minimalism, which only includes art and architecture. I told him I subscribe the broader, encyclopedia definition of minimalism, which also includes "living simply," among other aspects.

Horne: With so few items, each one has to stand out. What do you look for in furniture?

Josh: Function and beauty. I like things that are aesthetically pleasing but also serve a purpose.

Horne: How about clothing?

Josh: Similar to furniture, I like things that are functional, aesthetically appealing, and comfortable. I also enjoy variety. It is my belief that a minimalist wears his or her favorite clothes every day. Most days I wear jeans, a teeshirt, and a pair of Toms shoes. Or, when I feel like it, I wear a crisp white button-up shirt, jeans, a blazer, colorful socks, and a clean pair of dress shoes. And I avoid logos for several reasons (although I still have a couple shirts with a small horse logo).

Horne: Many minimalist blogs as well as minimalist lofts and spaces seem to emphasize a simple color pallet. Does Minimalism need to be stark white and black?

Josh: I like stark white, but it's certainly not necessary. A splash of color can speak volumes about a person.

Horne: What does living in a “Minimalized” space do for you?

Josh: It allows me to focus on what's important. From a practical standpoint, it doesn't take much time to clean—which time can be better spent other something meaningful.

Horne: Before you “converted,” what was your apartment like?

Josh: I owned a three bedroom house. Why? Because society told me that bigger (read: impractical) was better. Two of the bedrooms were empty. There was a lot of unused space. Ironically, the most used room was the unfinished basement, where I stored myriad boxes of unused junk—junk that weighed me down mentally and added unnecessary stress to my life. Once I embraced minimalism, I got rid of the house, and the stuff, and I have so much less stress in my life because of it.

Thanks, Josh, for your thoughts. Check out Josh's work here and all your modern home design needs at Horne.

Minimalism

The financial crisis brought commercialism and spending to the forefront of everyone's mind. Style imitates life, so it's no surprise that a minimalized style came back into chic. It wasn't long until minimalism was all over modern home design. Interior designers working in apartments started recommending less and less.

Minimalism in design seeks to strip us down so that we are the focus, not the room around us. The few bold pieces in a truly minimal environment make bigger statements. Art is devoid of excess lines, clothes lack flair. Confidence stems from this simplicity.

Minimalism often seeks to create a sense of spaciousness by removing unnecessary barriers and highlighting functional pieces. The lack of excess flourish allows the center of attention to be the room itself. I like to say that it takes the attention off the things and onto the person.

Minimalism isn't about being boring, it's about being tactical. We don't want the pieces to battle for attention, we want each to strike out in it's particular way. Traditional concepts of minimal style seem to imply that the style suffers. Not at all, the style itself is highlighted by removing the noise around it. By removing the noise around you.

Minimalism in design also has some interesting social implications. First, it asks that designers produce quality, not quantity. Secondly, it generally uses eco-friendly materials and design habits. Small companies benefit as interesting, handcrafted wears become more and more important.

In the past few years, minimalism has really taken off as a philosophy as well. Bloggers have turned huge followings into leverage-able incomes off their musings on the topic. To that tune, on Monday we'll see some thoughts of the current torch-holder of Minimalism, Josh Millburn. Josh co-runs the blog The Minimalists and frequently published deep, thought provoking essays (something he distinguishes from Posts or Blogging).

Ombre Patterns

As the fertility of summer leaves fades away, Mother Nature is gradually remodeling her leafy color schemes to those of varying degrees of reds, ochres, and hazels.

To echo the rustic integrity of nature, one may integrate the style of Autumn Ombre tones as bringing a cozy and naturalistic setting to any home.

Ombre-the gradual fading affect of colors- is shown through the sunsets and sunrises, ocean and beach decors that come to radiate an almost perfectionist simplicity despite its gradual array of colors.

A Martha Stewart Ombre Pendant lamp is formed with layers of cotton to create a gradual and warm translucence. The simple structure forms a centralized fixture combined with a sleek and cylindrical shape to maintain a prosaic balance. However, the ochre pattern commands a presence that reproduces the invigorating sepia glow of sunlight through autumn leaves.

The fluctuation of single or various pigments can create an effervescent environment with the space in which you live. Complimenting ombre patterns with similar hues in other household objects can create a sense of balance in an entire room, but it will also magnify the prominent variety of shades. Antiques embellished in ombre can not only enhance the natural flow of color, but give an aging and rustic pulchritude a modern elegance.

While some may like to vary the dimensions and vibrancy of some patterns, ombre fluctuates smoothly from each changing color to create a mood of tranquil evolution in a given object’s design. The patterns and color ranges from a minimalist one toned hues to an inventive take on nature’s ever changing qualities of seasons.

Light up the Room

Form and function. No fad, trend, or passing fancy can ever deny the style of functional piece. Gaudy eras still had breathtaking lamps. Modern home decor minimalism maintains the importance of a hanging light.

Lights are an integral part of your room and you choice of their prominence and placement has huge consequences for the space in question.

Lights like a desk lamp are often at their best when they attract little attention. Your desk is a space for you to concentrate, so a sleek design and user friendly mobility should be the focus. For such brilliant utility, turn to the KR W081t1, a 2 arm Task Lamp with a name as technical as it's design is simple.

Or you can opt for something a bit more quirky. For instance: this design classic, the Block Lamp, adds an icy light to any space. Set a few on the table for some quick ambiance.

Flexible, sleek, efficient. The Loft Floor Lamp exemplifies form and function in modern home decor. Made to rigorous standards, the design was originally conceived in the 50's as the penultimate work lamp. 60 years later, we're sold.

Lamp varieties are nearly limitless. Wall hangings, desk lamps, pendants. You name it, there's a light for it. Browse our wares to find the one just right for you.

Take a Seat

When I was younger I had a cousin who was huge on philosophical debates. We’d go off on various tangents, disproving and counter-pointing.

Chairs, for all their variety, became our calling card for relativity and perfection. Sentences beginning with “everyone likes…” or “No one…” would be cut down in their infancy with a crack about a chair.

Our point? No one can ever define or design the perfect chair. Some chairs are made for me, some for you. I’ll like recliners, you’ll like swivel chairs. What is a perfect chair anyway? Throw tree stumps and big rocks into the mix and we’re all scratching our heads.

These designers had a go at the question (though they avoid stumps and stones).

This sleek re-imagining of the recliner has mild hints of 1950’s and a small, easy-fit frame. The Cloud chair rests low to the ground but is more than comfortable enough for even your taller friends. The clever reclining mechanism even let’s you shift which end is back. But, then again, What is a back?

Before we get off on that tangent, check out this pouf which throws all convention to the wind.

The Fatboy is like the bean-bag-chair who dusted away the Doritos and went pro. Like the Cloud chair, it fits about anywhere and is as versatile as you please. It comes in a huge variety of colors (camo, anyone?) so any room can fit a Fatboy.

Do seats fit to the sitter? Or do we fit to our seats? Regardless, finding the perfect comfy something special for that certain special spot is key to making somewhere a home.