”You Can Be Your Own Designer” by Genoveva Hossu by Genoveva Hossu

Interior design is, first of all, a social approach bringing together people and ideas, giving us the opportunity of sharing our vision and points of interest in a creative way. Whether you are a novice in this area, or you still tackle and do not know exactly if you want to embrace this job, or maybe you are interested in interior designing for your own home, then this book is for you. I have gathered here the basic principles, drawn both from numerous read books and studies and from the course attended with the famous Kelly Hoppen, but especially from my 10 year experience in this area: DOs and DON'Ts. Inspiration and imagination are the key essential points when you want to start going down this road. Practical / Aesthetic / Cost are also some extremely important elements. Many great and enthusiastic ideas fell because one of these pillars was weak. However, let's not forget that, ultimately, the ability to find creative solutions when they seem to be out of reach is the secret of this world. Hence, a touch of beautiful madness and impossibly strewn down the road will make the trip even more interesting and creative. Each chapter will give you a series of information that will help you get started, then they will help you understand what it really means every step of this process, and, at the end of the chapter, you'll find a case study whose purpose is to substantiate both terms and their applicability. Tips & Tricks: Below you will find a form that will help you to know yourself better and to find answers to the most important questions, when you want to start a project.

Part A â&#x20AC;&#x201C; general information 1. Do you think that the space in question is suitable for your needs? YES

2. If not, what are the changes you would make?

3. How do I think the space will look like when the project will be complete?(visual representation)

4. What is the timeframe for the project? 5. What are the ideas that you thought of so far?

6. What is your available budget? 7. Have you worked with a designer until now?

YES

8. How much do you want to get involved in the project, as not to overlap our efforts?

9. Which are your special needs for the space? If you have any, what other areas are going to be affected? Special needs

Affected areas

10. Do you have any pets? If so, what are they and what do they need?

11. Do you like having guests? If so, about how many people? 12. How often do they come to visit and what is their age range? 13. How do you entertain your guests? 14. What kitchen facilities do you need?

Please circle:

Cooking TV Music Games Other

15. How many people cook? 16. Where do you want to eat? Living table

Kitchen table

Please circle:

Island

17. You need spaces that are specially planned for this? Do you have any ideas?

18. Do you have certain collections? YES

If so, please specify:

19. Do you want to expose them? 20. What are your technical requirements? PC

Laptop

YES

Please circle:

Other:

21. Do you want to create an area dedicated to children?

22. Does any of the family members work at home? If so, what are his/her special needs? (lights/computer)

23. Do you need extra lights? In which room? 24. What type of storage do you prefer? Multiple functions furniture

Closet

Please circle:

Hidden furniture

Part B â&#x20AC;&#x201C; technical information 1. The name of the persons in charge with making decisions:

2. What is the budget for the project? 3. How do you want the works to be organised?

Please circle:

On stages

4. Will the inhabitants of the house be at home during decoration? 5. What kind of improvements do you take into consideration?

YES

All at once NO

Please circle:

Furniture Floors Kitchen remodelling Windows Art objects Accents Bathroom remodelling Taps Interior paints Wall paintings Lights Colour schemes Space planning Wall paper Mirrors

6. Which is your favourite room in the house? Why?

7. What you do not like about your house now?

8. What part of the house you use most? 9. What part of the house you use less? 10. Do you have some pieces of furniture or other items which must be kept?

YES

11. Are there items that must go?

YES

12. How much do you want to be involved in this project?

Please circle:

Much involved (call me daily or weekly for details) Involved (designing and project decisions, but no implementing) Not much involved (call me when everything is ready to be set up) Other:

Part C â&#x20AC;&#x201C; design preferences 1. Prioritise the following design goals for your home, using grades from 1 to 3, 1 being the most important. I want a functional and beautiful home I want the house to reflect more my personal interests I want a house value for money Other:

2. What atmosphere, feeling do you want to get? Warm/comfortable Elegant Contemporary Other

Please circle:

Sophisticated

Romantic

3. Select from the following the materials you prefer. Wool Silk

Plaid fabric Stripes Velvet Subtle models

4. Colour preferences.

Leather Cotton

Bold designs Other

Suede leather

Please circle:

White Orange Blue Pastel Black Red Gold Grey Garnet-red Purple Navy blue Neuter Beige Pink Light blue Earthy tones Warm colours Pale yellow Mint green Cold colours Yellow Lavender Subtle Peach Indigo Wood green Light colours Strong colours

Brown Aqua Olive green

5. What colours you do not like? 6. Do you have a colour theme in mind? 7. What kind of floors do you prefer? Natural wood Combinations

Please circle:

Carpeted floors Laminated Bamboo Cork

Natural stone Concrete

Floor tiles

8. What kind of window treatment do you prefer? Please circle: Normal drapes Other

Horizontal blind

Vertical blinds

Shutters

Curtains

Metal

Introduction

......................... page 2

What do we start with?

................ page 6

Research and creation of a mood board ......................... page 6 ......................... page 7 Space sketch Design project - planning

............. page 8

......................... page 8 Brief ......................... page 9 Planning Budgeting and timetable ......... page 10 Design project â&#x20AC;&#x201C;realization ............ page 12 Architectural components ........ page 12 Design components â&#x20AC;&#x201C; furniture ... page 13 ........................ page 14 Textures ......................... page 16 Lights ......................... page 17 Colour ......................... page 18 Textiles Functional and decorative accessories ................ page 19 Case study

......................... page 20

Conclusion

........................ page 26

01. Research The beginning of each investigation is research. It is compulsory to be able to notice, ask, observe and communicate your ideas and desires. Finally, what truly matters is those bits of you discovered by research, which will be the foundation of the final result. Don't be shy and put in an electronic folder or collect and stick on a board everything you like, even if it has or not direct connection with your project. Create your ideal world in which everything you see you like: from people to fashion, actions, colours, objects, books, holiday destinations etc. Tips & Tricks: Do not use more than 20 items because otherwise they will get to overwhelm you. Choose best of in the final formula and analyse carefully what you chose and why. This analysis will answer the best to your questions you will ask yourself afterwards. I made a mood board which characterizes me. Can you identify what kind of people want to cross the threshold of my house? Try to figure out what location it is. House or flat? I am available if you have any questions or ambiguities regarding this mood board at my e-mail address: office@genovevahossu.ro Start your own mood board!

02. Space sketch Necessary tools: §Paper §Ruler §Tape measure §Attention

A lot of world is scared of everything means space drawing. It is not so complicated if you have the tools at hand – the absolutely ordinary tools above. A space sketch must not be extremely elaborate, but it has to contain the sizes and volumes. The optimal configuration of a space depends on the way in which that space will be inhabited and the circular spaces. The inner design seeks a balance between these 2 components, comfort and harmony are the main qualities underlying a successful indoor. Tips & Tricks: If you are not convinced that the volumes of spaces as they are drawn by you are ideal, you can make some cardboard drawings which have the sizes at soil (base) of items you positioned in your sketch and walk through them. Thus you will realize whether the space is fluid, comfortable and things are in harmony. It's not hocus pocus, it's just focus.

01. Brief Ideal would you to create a NEW mood board, this time more precise, it has to clearly capture the basic idea, synthesized and based exclusively on the inner design choices. I advise you to put things together in a sketch, on the computer and to collect in a basket small parts of wood you have in mind, textiles, finishes and colours from potential suppliers. By doing that you assure accuracy to the final image and the mental tranquillity that you have seen bits of it. It is compulsory to pay great attention of light, to image where it should come from and especially, with what intensity, in order to have an intimate atmosphere or on the contrary, intensely lighted, warm or cold. Tips & Tricks: Do not be scared if you change many times the elements from this basket. This will help you have in the end what really makes you happy; and especially, do not forget that you are doing all these in your free time, so it should be fun.

02. Planning A careful preparation is as important as the effective design scheme. How to do it more efficiently? Reserve time for: 1. 2. 3.

Making a list of products and services which will be integrated in your project; Visiting websites, shops and planning discussions with suppliers of products and services which will be part of your project. Making a timetable and clear responsibilities on each item.

This is the most intense stage of the project in which all design elements are structured and are given sizes and labels: walls, windows, floors, ceilings, furniture, colours, textures, electronics and household appliances, lights, electrics and systems. The final purpose is to have from the very beginning a very clear plan, even if it will take the most of your time. Tips & Tricks: Around me I often notice the tendency to go on this trip without knowing exactly what will be the result from the point of view of design and costs, which is absolutely wrong. This process must be a creative and harmonious one, which in the end has the sweet taste of victory, not a fight where you get out hurt and traumatized. I always recommend my customers two things, after the completion of design scheme: 1. Do not change your options along the way. This world of inner design is permanently changing and developing, because any change costs. 2. Do not start to make the first acquisition or hit the first nail until you know how much the whole adventure will cost until it is finished. Tips & Tricks: The most common mistakes people make when an external designer is contracted for different actions are: ยง The purpose of the work he/she has to carry out is not exactly specified; ยง The work is started before signing the agreement; ยง Addenda for any deviation from agreement are not drawn up; ยง The delivery conditions, guarantees, cash on delivery etc. are not clearly specified.

03. Budgeting and timetable There are many great ideas which unfortunately do not have practical finality, because this important stage was skipped. I refer here to items we fell in love with, but which cannot be bought/made at reasonable costs or exceptional items which cost too much, and the investment does not justify itself. I heard many times that expensive things are too expensive or unjustly expensive, but â&#x20AC;Śmost of the times, they are worth their money. I know this is not what you wanted to hear, that is why, from my point of view, a smart budget could sound something like this: 1. Invest linearly â&#x20AC;&#x201C; take products from the same price category and do not excel in investments for living room, to the detriment of the other areas, so that they appear in a sombre light and you live there with horror. The space is all yours, the living room will be admired by a lot of people, it is true, but do you make your house for you or for your guests? 2. Invest in focus points. These are those items which make the difference and for which you feel an extra budget is worth because you like them. But only for this reason. Not because they are expensive, not because you need to have something precious, but because you like them or you think they will be useful. You will find attached below a mini budget scheme and a timetable model if you get stuck on the way. Tips & Tricks: If you like art and beauty, in general, you will probably think that the focus point will be a painting, a statue or textiles. Yes! If you have from where. If not, take them in the order of priorities: mattress, systems, items which will remain fixed, of the kind of floors and installations and only then the nice part. You never know whether you will win the Lottery ticket and with money in your pocket, you will have to demolish the whole house, to change the plumbing. With a couch, curtains, lighting bodies, textiles and scenery objects I think you will get by more easily. Invest smart!

Ofiice@genovevahossu.ro Product description – AREA 1

Supplier

Unit

Quant.

RON

Cost/pc/VAT excl -

RON

Total cost/VAT excl -

RON

pc pc pc pc

1 1 1 1

RON RON RON RON

TOTAL Total VAT included

To-do list Done?

Project 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Due By

Notes

VAT Value

01. Architectural components There are several broad categories of components that can influence your design sketch. Floors, walls, windows, doors and stairways are major architectural components that must be understood and respected as such. The ways in which they can be modified must have professional supervision. If in your design plan changes occur in these areas, or they are extended to installations (of any kind), turn to specialists. Otherwise, you can make major mistakes, generating costs. Types of consultants less known, but present on the Romanian market: § § § § § § § § § § § §

Structural engineer; Installation consultant; Project sustainability issues consultant; Media consultant; Lights consultant; Landscape consultant; Kitchen consultant - exclusively; Furniture consultant - exclusively; Colour specialist; Art expert; Acoustic issues consultant; Decorator

Of all of them, I would like to talk to you about the decorator. Nowadays, we are often under the impression that the architect is a designer, the designer is an architect, and we all are decorators. Most clients, who manage to distinguish the difference between an architect and an interior designer, are not yet familiar with the profession of decorator. Even if the line separating these two professions is almost invisible, it still exists. The similarity between a designer and a decorator is that both create aesthetic and functional spaces. The difference, however, in short terms, is that the decorator, unlike the designer, does not touch interiors from the point of view of the structure. He decorates rooms, spaces, by choosing interior colours, wallpaper, lights, decorative textiles, furniture and flooring. He goes even further, by advising the client in choosing the works of art, accessories and other decorative elements that complete a space.

02. Design components â&#x20AC;&#x201C; furniture Furniture plays an important role in any interior design project. There are so many styles and finishes in question, that is no surprise that when I ask my clients (for my own amusement, to be honest) which style they prefer, they are so scared that look to one another, waiting to be rescued. Then I give them the big news: Today, interior design is a world open to all styles and all names. You can even invent your own style. I really think that, ultimately, even in the past, it was all about own styles and interpretation of one's personality, but probably the variants and access to them was more difficult to achieve. So: What is your style? When you choose your furniture is very important to let yourself guided by your own principles. It would be best for them to have as purpose comfort and utility. If they have other purposes, such as causing a sensation or minimalism, it is fine, as long as they are assumed from the beginning. Each piece must complement the final picture, not to load the space. Balance and harmony, both of volumes and finishes, are, again, very important. Furniture can highlight the owner's character and it is also a medium or long-time investment. Therefore, furniture must fully correspond to our needs, even if this means higher costs than we would have expected. Tips & Tricks: To avoid mistakes or letting yourself influenced by furniture dealers trying to get rid of stocks, it's better to know, before going to the furniture store, what you are looking for. If you like shiny surfaces, to the detriment of the natural ones, it's important to know the disadvantages such a surface could have and to assume them. I want to let you know that there will always be a spot that will be visible right after you finish polishing the furniture. Custom-made furniture, even with a simple design, can generally cost 20% more than a directly purchased standard size furniture. This difference, in the long term, does not justify the extra storage and comfort that comes with customization and space effectiveness.

03. Textures If the wood has been discussed above, there are several other components that can be found in design, which can have spectacular results: concrete - element widely used in recent years, stone, metal, glass, ceramics, composites and plastics. Do not be afraid of these "different surfaces" because nowadays there are specialists working very well with them, and their price is not so high. The characteristics of each texture are expressed by colour, surface at touch, finishing, pattern, weight and response to light interaction. These features do not only influence how the final product will look like, but also the way in which it can be processed or not and how it will last in time.

Stainless steel, embossed diamond

Gritstone

Travertine

04. Lights Often, in insides, natural light is ignored. Hard to control and estimate, it is nonetheless amazingly important in the space we live in. Studies show that the presence of natural light in a space can considerably increase the wellbeing and the working power. It is difficult to manage, but nevertheless it is exceptional. Therefore, do not forget to take into account its power: both of light and heat. When entering in breath-taking spaces, there is a high possibility that a large part of what you are seeing is influenced by artificial light. There might be a show or not, so I advise you to pay particular attention to this chapter. Artificial light can be best described by the functions it must respond to and can be described as an ambient light - focal accent or technique â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it responds to clear tasks. Tips & Tricks: It's not necessary for the light to come only from above. Think about the effect it might have from any other angle. It is important, once again, to sketch out how many light sources you have and from where they can be turned on and off, so that everything is comfortable and at hand.

05. Colour Colour remains the most controversial and challenging aspect of interior design. Its applicability and colour mixing represented the basis of numerous studies conducted by famous scientists, artists and designers. Colour influences the psyche and has deeper echoes than the perception of the human eye. Used correctly, colour can bring weight to a space, it can neutralize the proportions of a room, it can bring calmness or strength and extravagance. The furniture can be highlighted by using colour in a room. Tips & Tricks: An example could be the apartment below. Painted in a bright colour, it provides calmness, lightness and light to the space and the furniture stands out strikingly.

06. Textiles Textiles are one of the most versatile aspects of an interior. For me, they represent a secret weapon of my designing. Textiles are a key factor when we define the design scheme. They have a wide applicability in this regards: from walls and ceilings, furniture, upholstery, light fixtures, drapery, decorative accessories to bed accessories. Textiles are part of a very special area, involving all the senses in the moment you start working with them. I like to call them small works of art because each and every one of them has its own story and its particular way of being, and, moreover, they are versatile and always reinterpret their story. I adore them!

07. Functional and decorative accessories In other words, the details that make the difference. Functional accessories include the items which serve a certain need. Well thought, but, with a little bit of creativity, they could also have an aesthetic value. Decorative accessories are my favourite, because they speak the most about the man himself. These decorative accessories include: collections of objects, memories, family photos, flowers, plants, any dear object that we consider to be a part of us. Minimal versus Crowded? Tastes in terms of interior accessories vary dramatically. Starting with a minimalist decor, where there are few objects - preferably qualitative onesâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; and going up to incredibly crowded interiors, that make you think about the Victorian era. This area says a lot about the man behind the interior. Overall, successful interiors are those located in one of these poles, never in the middle of them. Balance, in this case, is out of the question. Tips & Tricks: Collections are never complete, as they evolve just as we do, as human beings. Maybe that is why I love so much this side, it is versatile, it moves, it tells stories and, ultimately, it defines us as individuals.

01. Research and creation of a mood board Simple and practical needs were the starting point of this residence. Storages and evenings dedicated to peacefulness and socializing were a requested criteria, along with a particular element that came up during the discussions, since the beginning: passion for Provence!

02. Space sketch

04. Brief

04. Planning

05. Final design project Storage a practical matter, as I said above, can be a source of inspiration for the design solution. The dressing, thought neutral, covers two walls of the bedroom, but, because the walls have ivory shade wallpaper, this is not noticeable in terms of volume. The sliding doors make the access easy and, at the same time, they eliminate the need for door opening space. This solution was required because the bedroom sizes were quite small.

Lights A game. A few inexpensive but bold items can generate that smile: above the kitchen table there are two glass pots. Practical and creative.

First impression When you enter the room, the Provencal air hits you. You can immediately notice the discrete details of lavender, pure white or white painted wooden elements that welcome you. Even if it is a 2 room apartment, it can tell whatever story you want. But it is important to be your story.

Customisation As I previously said, it is important, especially in houses that have a limited useful space, to use the space you have to the maximum. The only way to do this is to customize it. You can see how simple shelves, placed above the radiator, can combine usefulness with pleasure, literally becoming storage spaces. Biscuits, pasta, candy, it does not matter. The important thing is to be full, clean and to have a certain rotation of the contents. In this case, I called it candy bar, because in this house there is not so much cooking, so chocolate must always be A girl's best friend.

Textures The mix of natural and demanding textures was the starting point of this project. Cotton prevailed, but the accents came from embroidered silk and velvet.

Colour (The Color Scheme Bible - Anna Starmer)

Creativity With a great view, but nevertheless an apartment, I thought of the summer evenings and a prosecco or â&#x20AC;Ś. a Provencal morning coffee. So Lulu and Lula have made their way in the tiny balcony, which, suddenly, became the most interesting terrace in the area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not to mention, private.

I have gathered in this e-book certain key points in order to give a personal touch to your house decorating project, so that it could truly represent your personality and style. If you liked this e-book or if you believe that we can improve it, please write your questions and opinions at office@genovevahossu.ro. Also, do not hesitate to share it with your friends. When you want to start a decorating or redecorating project of your home and you need a guide in this regard, send me an e-mail to make an appointment for an assessment meeting.

YOU CAN BE YOUR OWN DESIGNER.