THE INTERIOR DESIGNER

These days any object be it building structures, packaging, communication gadgets and everything calls out for excellent designs. An excellent design means a good product or an object of convenient function and beauty. Large scale expos and exhibitions devote to design have been booming in recent years. From Ideal Interiors Expo, Kenya Homes Expo to Kuona Trust design related events, also we have world renowned designs shops ranging from furniture, fashions and more opening in the city in the sun. This set denotation that we have a new sense of design and thus why more international designs brands are running to open shops, restaurant and offices. If you are unaware of design, you are estranged from the main stream. Wow! Most of us think old fashioned design should vanish! Nope, quality and technology can’t stand by its own we need art and elegance from old fashioned design. From a wide point of view, design is a tool, not a goal. Seriously we want that I phone 6, Samsung galaxy phones for what they do. Design is a process of innovation to solve current problems combined with art and elegance and not really object just to exist.

  A true designer faces up to a current problem, solves it and imparts elegance and is able to draw out the heart of the solution needed with extras. An excellent designer makes something beyond what users and clients required. A great designer is able to read others people minds, because he or she works for those people.

  Who is an excellent designer? What makes an excellent mind of a designer? Ha! This is especially to my friends who think Interior Architecture or rather Interior Design is that job you just color coordinate and that all! " IYO KAZI YA RANGI NA DRAPERIES" Seriously being an interior architecture is not that simple as people passive it. A true interior designers or designers in general they are educational width, cultural depth, communication capability, listening attitude, wide discrimination, humble care, continuous passion, sense of humor etc. Not only is it hard to learn all these factors, but a designer need to make a lot of effort to maintain them continuously. Interior design is not a walk in the park, I thought that too even architectural student think that too, but that not true. Imagine being given a brief with one word "HOPE" to design a space. Where do you start? Let think differently, this is a field that demands a lot. Interior design is one of the most challeging fields and should be tackled with care, think of making a room airy as a brief given to you and the room is at the base no natural light!......................... To continue...............

INTERIOR NETWORKING FORUM OCT- 16

Dear Sir/Madam,

Following the success of our 3rd Interiors Networking Forum dubbed “Building Synergy in Innovation & Design”, we would like to extend an invitation to you to attend the 4 Interiors Networking Forum.

The Forum is themed “The Role/Place/Impact of Interior Design in Our Economy”.

The session which is organized by Ideal Interiors East Africa in conjunction with Interiors Design Association of Kenya (IDAK) is slated for 16th October 2015 – 6.00pm at Southern Sun Mayfair Hotel Westlands.

Owing to the enormous potential in your organization, you have a chance to secure your delegate seat at the forum whose participants will range from Interior Designers, Property Developers, Architects, High-end Contractors, Home Owners, Building & Construction companies among other players.

We are confident that your participation in the networking forum will enable the broad community of consumers to benefit from your line of products and services. Your timely confirmation will be highly appreciated owing to the great interest that this special engagement has already generated among the industry players.

Follow this link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/interiors-networking-forum-oct-2015-tickets-18862260529?ref=ecount  in order to get your invitation ticket, which you will print out and bring with you to the venue.

We look forward to your positive response.

Regards,

Zilpha O. Musembi

Customer Relations Executive

Tel No: +254 704 580 320 | +254 700 333 888

Location: Land Vale No. 30, Westlands Rd

Email: zilpha@interiors.co.ke

Website: www.interiors.co.ke

African Prints

“I love to be black, black makes me the wow factor in my class, am the darkest tone, now it’s true our brother I mean our fellow black Guy will be jetting soon to his home. Home, away from 1st and 2nd world fancy interiors, mmm can we accommodate the Guy. The answer is definitely big yes! Our interiors are far the best in this world. Obama’s Interiors when he comes I thought was a good tittle for our first  July post, but I will think about it or I call it African Interiors for Obama’s home coming?

It is time to put the vivacious African interiors and its captivating prints, artifacts and designs under the spotlight when Obama comes home. Hoping, hoping, just hoping to be President Obama’s interiors stylist when he comes, this is just a preview of what I can offer to make him feel at home.” 

This was our July post, as we explore our self as Africans we have a rich and  notable interior stuff to offer to world, our consumable traditional interiors includes from Prints,  Yes African Prints have exploded all over the world. Also known as Ankara in Nigeria, and Kitenge in East Africa, it's been introduced more and more into interior design and now found it's own firm footing.

The African look dwells a lot on earth and nature color schemes, fixtures and accents made of metal, and some tribal accents such as Prints. This kind of home interior theme is gaining popularity mainly because it retains a cozy yet at the same time contemporary touch on home spaces, which can be adapted by both big and small homes.

African prints are very versatile. They easily give a pop of color and pattern to any furniture without looking stodgy or out of place. They can be overwhelming to the eyes though, thus they are best used on pillow cases and small rugs as they provide accent and not actual schematic designs.

Eva Sonaike and House of Arike  are two designs houses famed for the use of African prints.

Eva Sonaike.

To all aspiring Interior Designers and those who have Achieved to be one

The interiors design industry is geared to witness an explosion of new ways of doing business with dedicated product suppliers as a result of the Design Bill queued for tabling in Kenya’s National Assembly in about 60 days.

As like minds who would be guided by the forthcoming law, the interiors design sector players comprising; Product Manufacturers and Suppliers, Architects and Interior Designers, Developers and Real Estate Managers, have a chance to hasten the pace of creating interfaces that are business-safe, business-friendly and intuitive to keep customer satisfaction levels high.

In the foregoing, you have a chance to better the interiors marketplace by personally availing yourself to a must attend interiors business networking forum themed: Building Synergy in Innovation & Design.

The session organized by Ideal Interiors East Africa in conjunction with Interiors Design Association of Kenya (IDAK) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards is slated for 31st July, 2015 – 6.00pm at Southern Sun Hotel Westlands. The networking session is lined to host legislators who’ll front the above Design Bill in Parliament.

Owing to the enormous potential in your organization, you have a chance to secure your delegate seat at the forum whose participants will range from Interior Designers, Property Developers, Architects, High-end Contractors, Home Owners, Building & Construction companies among other players

We are confident that your participation in the networking forum will enable the broad community of consumers benefit from your line of products and services. Your timely confirmation will be of great necessity considering the interest that this special engagement has already generated among the industry players.

We look forward to your positive response.

Kind Regards,

Zilpha O. Musembi

Customer Relations Executive

Tel No: +254 704 580 320 | +254 700 333 888

Location: Land Vale No. 30, Westlands Rd

Email: zilpha@interiors.co.ke

Obama's Home Visit Suite Interiors (may be) (vivacious African interiors )

    I love  being black, black makes me the wow factor in my class, am the darkest tone, now it’s true our brother I mean our fellow black Guy will be jetting soon to his home. Home, away from 1^st and 2^nd world fancy interiors, mmm can we accommodate the Guy. The answer is definitely big yes! Our interiors are far the best in this world. Obama’s Interiors when he comes I thought was a good tittle for our first  July post, but I will think about it or I call it African Interiors for Obama’s home coming?

    It is time to put the vivacious African interiors and its captivating prints, artifacts and designs under the spotlight when Obama comes home. Hoping, hoping, just hoping to be President Obama’s interiors stylist when he comes, this is just a preview of what I can offer to make him feel at home.

Going for an African style is all about reconnecting with nature and its unadulterated magic. Unlike many other themes, trying to add an African flavor to the room without using organic and sustainable materials is next to impossible. Wood in its various forms is an important constituent of the African design scheme. You have plenty of choices here with cedar, ebony or African mahogany from Congo rain forest or many other popular local wood types. If you are opting for a full-fledged African look, then artifacts and earthenware are also a great way of expressing the theme in its truest form.

    Vivid colors combined with earth tones are the basis of this modern African interior style. Details such as animal prints further emphasize the splendor of the black continent. Virtual masks and wooden figures giving to the space mystical note. The recipe for this decorating style is simple – in the house you should enter the warmth of the sun and sand, but also the wealth of flora and fauna.

    Kenyans believe interior design is expensive and thus this is for you. The simplest version of the African interior can be done with minimal cost to your budget, all you need to do is set the wall wallpaper African native, rural or animal themes. Another option for editing home in African style is to enter rough and simply wicker furniture with low quality of the surface finish.

    Nothing else makes this interior special and unique such as masks from clay and wood made ​​by local craftsmen, which are so simple made and possess great aesthetic properties. Similar pleasing effect is achieved by using natural leather from zebra in the interior and wallpapers with landscapes of sunsets and sunrises in Africa.

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Bringing Nature to your living spaces by Interiorscaping and Painting It Green

The living space such as lounges, kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms is the spaces where we spend precious part of our days when we are at home, these spaces should be comforting and relaxing spaces where you should feel re- energized, and this is the true meaning of being at home. Bringing nature to your spaces is one way of making your spaces cozy and feels thrilled, this can be achieved by installing interior plants and painting it green.

Painting green is one of the ways you could make your living room more enjoyable by implementing the color green in the decoration. You can do it in various ways, for example with some details such as curtains, pillows, or rugs. Especially if you are feeling skeptical, this way you can give it a try and change it easily if you don’t like it. Or, if you do like it, then you can do something more permanent, such as buying furniture in this color or painting the walls.

Why decorate your living room in green? Green is the color of life and energy, and it symbolizes renewal, freshness, harmony and safety. Just by looking at this color, our minds rest and relax, and this color’s soothing effect is well-known. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that this is the most frequent color in nature, so when we see this color, we feel as if we are surrounded by nature, and that makes us feel peaceful and calm. It is also said that this color helps enhance vision, as well as alleviate depression and anxiety. Green makes us feel hopeful, calm, energized and relaxed. It increases optimism and it looks youthful and lively.

Installation of interior plants is another way of bring nature into our living spaces. Most of us know instinctively that being close to greenery makes us feel more at ease with our surroundings. We experience less stress when there are plants around us. Buildings are quieter and more relaxed but, at the same time, more stimulating and interesting. A substantial body of academic research has shown conclusively that interior landscaping has dramatic effects on the wellbeing of building occupants and thus play big role of making any space cozy.

Particular benefits of interior plants include:

v  Reducing carbon dioxide levels

v  Increasing humidity

v  Reducing levels of certain pollutants, such as benzene and nitrogen dioxide

v  Reducing airborne dust levels

v  Keeping air temperatures down

Contemporay Home In Lima, Peru

Can you have past and present? “Yes! Simply, it’s past that make present and in design world it’s the past that create room for new ideas and source for inspiration that drives the present designs.” [Lawrence Wangui , Senior designer at Orenz Designers an interior design firm]

For our June post we explore a Casa Blanca Residence in Lima, Peru that brows from both Classical and Contemporary styles of interior design.

 A massive white block excavated to make room for living spaces is seemingly the residence concept, envisioned and implemented by Architect Martin Dulanto Sangalli. The interiors core design scheme which is visible from outside a bright orange staircase which set a dynamic ambiance tone.
 A Contemporary design scheme includes a mix of the past and present, a touch of the personal and is, above all else, comfortable.  The residence impressive bright orange staircase which is the focal point for the rooms, connect all the three levels of the building. Focal points are traits associated with Classical themes. The other items within the rooms are placed in order to enhance the look of the chosen focal point. The bright orange color of the stair case commands attention adding focal point intensity; it’s symbolic of endurance, strength and ambition. Orange is said to also have the cheerful

The modern home offers an optimized indoor-outdoor connection and plenty of opportunities for socializing and leisure. It has cozy seating arrangements to encourage conversation. The couches and chairs are cushiony and covered in durable, soft fabrics.

 Residence is structured on three levels: the basement, first floor and the upper terrace: The basement is connected with the exterior by tall windows, which allow plenty of sunlight and cross ventilation for every bedroom. 
The social area on the interior is located in the first floor. It is incorporated by a glass closing, which allows a total integration of the living room, the dining area, and the kitchen. A central patio integrates the house, and allows a full connection on its three levels, while providing plenty of natural light and ventilation.  Contemporary is all about making a space a comfort zone, not a show place but here both aspects have been achieved.

The lighting design is used to accent artwork in the ground floor, mostly LED luminaires have been used (mostly ceiling mounted). [Photography by Juan Solano]

INDOOR PLANTS that purify the air around you.

Orchids

Orchids have a bad reputation as being finicky and difficult to grow, but really that not the truth.  Orchids actually love to be neglected and most people end up killing orchids with kindness (too much water and sunlight). Aside from being easy to take care of, orchids rid the air of xylene—a pollutant found in many glues and paints—so they make wonderful housewarming gifts for anyone who recently moved into or renovated a new space. Unlike some other plants, orchids also respire and give off oxygen at night, so they’re great for the bedroom.

Palms

The palm family of plants is extremely popular and it’s easy to see why. These hardy houseplants are easy to grow and perfect for lifting people’s spirits and distracting from otherwise drab surroundings, and they’re also known to be natural air purifiers. Palms specifically target and remove formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide (which are especially helpful if someone in your household smokes cigarettes).

Peace lilies

The peace lily, a.k.a. spathiphyllum, is an ideal plant to have in your home if you love flowers but don’t want to buy bouquets that die after a few days. Spathiphyllum thrives in the shade in temperatures below 55 degrees F, and removes harmful toxins like acetone, ammonia, benzene, ethyl acetate, formaldehyde, methyl alcohol, trichloroethylene, and xylene.

Ferns

Ferns have a reputation for being a bit mundane but most people don’t realize that they’re actually fascinating plants that have survived since Prehistoric times! They’re favored for their soft, feathery leaves, and it’s those same large fronds that help rid the air of pollutants like toulene and xylene, which are found in many paints, nail polishes, and glues.

Anthuriums

 Anthuriums make a perfect gifts because of their exotic-looking blooms, but they aren’t just a pretty face! Their large, dark leaves suck up ammonia, formaldehyde, toluene and xylene, so they’re a thoughtful present for a workplace (especially around copiers, printers, or adhesives).

Song of India

As versatile as its name is poetic, Dracaena reflexa or song of India is easy to identify because of its telltale green, lime, and yellow leaves. These plants are easy to grow in both high and low light and absorb undesirables like formaldehyde, toluene, and xylene.

Pothos

Pothos is characterized by its golden, heart-shaped leaves and is extremely popular in North America. It’s a hardy plant that can survive in lower light and colder temps and is great for offices and homes since it rids the air of carbon monoxide and formaldehyde.

Massangean Cane

The Massangeana plant may be hard to pronounce but it’s easy to love. Native to Africa, it has a wild look that makes it ideal for decorating your home, and it also sucks formaldehyde from the air.

Philodendrons

Philodendrons are easy-care houseplants that need very little attention. Their unique coloring makes them an attractive addition to your home and they’re known to ride the air  of xylene.

© Orenz Interior Landscapers

Orenz interiorscapers supply residential, office and commercial plants and also design custom interiorscaping designs for you. We are happy to be associated with the interior pulse blog.

INTERIOR LANDSCAPING (interiorscaping)

Interior landscaping or interiorscaping is the practice of designing and caring for living indoors plants to enhance interior environment of a building. Research has shown that indoor plants have many benefits.  Hundreds of scientific papers have been published showing how plants can make a major contribution to the health and well-being of people; reduce energy costs and increase productivity and profitability.  Complaints of Sick Building Syndrome are frequently reduced when interior plants are installed in workplace and homes. 

Live interior plants benefits workplaces and home interiors by:

•   Beautifying and enhancing common ares, such as reception ares,    foyers living rooms, and washrooms.
•   Contributing oxygen and humidity to air.
•   Absorbing and diffracting undesirable sound frequencies.
•   Reducing fatigue, headache, dry throat and coughing.
•  Complement a design and architectural flow of circulation spaces and  also it helps make a statement and leaves a good first impression on       visitors.

COLOR TREND 2015

GUILFORD GREEN is Benjamin Moore Color of the year @ 2015

"A neutral that's natural. A silvery green that works with, well, everything. No worries. No second thoughts. Just a brush, dipped in a can, whooshed on a wall, and a whole lot of happily ever after."

--Ellen O'Neill, Creative Director, Benjamin Moore

 Marsala is Pantone Color Institute Color of the year @ 2015

Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness. This hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors.

The Versatility of Marsala

• Equally appealing to men and women, Marsala is a stirring and flavorful shade for apparel and accessories, one that encourages color creativity and experimentation
• Flattering against many skin tones, sultry and subtle Marsala is a great go-to color for beauty, providing enormous highlight for the cheek, and a captivating pop of color for nails, shadows lips and hair.
• Dramatic and at the same time grounding, the rich and full-bodied red-brown Marsala brings color warmth into home interiors
• An earthy shade with a bit of sophistication, texture is the story in print and packaging. A matte finish highlights Marsala’s organic nature while adding a sheen conveys a completely different message of glamour and luxury.

“This hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors.” Leatrice Eiseman Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute

akzo nobel color of the year 2015

Warm and surprising, Copper Orange reflects a more positive outlook on the world while representing a new emphasis on the concept of sharing.

Selected by an invited panel of independent design and color experts, it has a depth which combines perfectly with pinks, neutrals, whites and other orange hues, as well as metallic colors and wood tones.

The overriding idea for 2015 is that people are finding new ways to add color to their lives and developing a warmer and more caring environment for all.
Copper Orange perfectly captures this mood, reflecting our relationship with each other and our environment.

Blue Paisley

Blue Paisley is one of the featured colors presented in Possibility, a collection of four new color palettes showcasing the 2015-2016 color trends for the PPG The Voice of Color® program. While Possibility is an endless term, our color stylists from around the world collaborated to form the overarching idea behind the four new palettes – setting the tone for the entire year ahead.