Adue Interiors / Design
February 1, 2022

MIX IT UP!

FEBRUARY 2022  |  ISSUE NO.14

Dear Friends and Clients,

I’m excited because mashing up different interior design styles is such a huge trend now! I guess I already thought it was a trend as I’ve long enjoyed mixing styles in my own design practice. 

Interior Design Mashup is exactly how it sounds: mixing up and incorporating different genres, periods, or design styles. And more and more people are embracing this methodology to help them project their unique personalities. In addition to expressing your personality, blending is great for when you and your spouse want to combine your different design preferences or for figuring out where to put your grandmother’s antique sideboard without re-decorating the entire room. 

Now, mixing interior design styles yourself may seem hard to do without royally messing it up. Still, it’s a lot simpler than it looks, provided basic design principles are followed. And when done right, you’re left with a beautiful space that’s harmoniously balanced and genuinely represents your own personalized aesthetic. 

Read on to learn more about how I approach mixing it up and how you can too!

A Perfect Mix of Old and New

Personally, when I mix styles, I use vintage or period furnishings whenever I can. From a design standpoint, they have the most tremendous power to influence the storytelling and direction of a room. The patina of a vintage or period piece brings a touchable texture and warmth to every space, not to mention a sacred sentimentality and heirloom quality.

Rare antiquities are also stylishly sustainable because what is old becomes new again. By repurposing the old, the damaged, the jagged into something new, we’re reducing our footprint while bringing a rich sense of history and spirit into a space. With shortages in the supply chains and a stronger focus and care for our environment, sourcing vintage is practical, and you often see details not present in modern designs.
Ett Hem Stockholm, a favorite boutique hotel (above), having fun with combining period architectural casework with modern furniture and a fireplace to create an inviting atmosphere. 

The Red Thread

One of the fundamental design principles when blending periods is making sure all the elements of your space come together to pull off a unified look. In interior design, or in any creative work, we sometimes call this the “Red Thread” or “röda tråden” – a Scandinavian expression that means to find the DNA that holds a creative piece together. The Red Thread always provides cohesion and balance, no matter how eclectic a room is.

So how do you follow or find the Red Thread? 

Unifying all the elements together by using a single color is an easy way to develop the red thread of a room. For example, the color black is the Red Thread in the image above from the Ett Hem Boutique Hotel. Modern and traditional lines come together in perfect harmony with period architectural elements thanks to black accent lighting, a modern play on traditional black and white striped fabric, and black accents in the modern Dhurry rug. The black accents tie the room together to create a dynamic space. 
Now in the image above, there are so many colors and shapes, but it works! Gold is the red thread here and it ties the soft and saturated grayed seafoam built-ins with all the other elements in the room. The gold tones in the wood door, the vintage stool, the burled coffee table, the brass floor lamp, the golds in the framed portrait over the mantle, and the gold books all help tie the room together!

Another easy way to follow the Red thread is by adding similar materials to your space. Suppose you have a traditional Carrera marble fireplace in your modern living room. In that case, you could follow the Red Thread by adding a modern coffee table with a marble base. Then to bring more balance, complete the space with a stone sculpture reflecting the beauty and materials of the fireplace.

 

 

Tip to Keep Your Marble Countertops
Looking Great — or Not!

QUESTION: How do you prevent marble staining?  ANSWER: I don’t! (Sort of)
 
Here is my philosophy: Let your marble become a metaphor for your life—perfectly imperfect! Marble is a natural material, and that’s precisely why it’s so damn beautiful! So yes, get real marble, and don’t be afraid of cooking on it, spilling anything on it, staining it, or having ring-marks. These are simply the sign of life in your kitchen, and truthfully you can only see all the flaws with light hitting the stone at a certain angle. 

That said, sometimes bad stains happen and we need extra help. I use these two products to help with those stains and try to let life do the rest:

The moral of the story is this: You choose what you want to focus on, the beauty or the mess. But really, it’s always a little bit of both!

INTERIOR DESIGN FOR INSPIRED LIVING

Invite me to work with you and I promise to be unswayed by the passing dictates of fads. I will incorporate my love for the arts and the richness of color along with your vision and deliver an eclectic, yet balanced sensibility to your interior. Tell me about your project!

Book A Chat
November 1, 2021

THINK REGENERATE

NOVEMBER 2021  |  ISSUE NO.11

If the Earth Is Not Held in Your Hands, Then Who Holds It?

Dear Friends and Clients,

Many leaves have fallen off the trees and lie in golden, red, and brown piles on the ground–a reminder of what once was there but now is gone until next year when it all starts over again. As the season transitions, you may find yourself turning inwards to evaluate your expressions and actions in order to regenerate or make changes that bring about new growth. 

I’ve been contemplating the concept of regeneration lately and have some thoughts to share with you. Bringing awareness to regeneration is important to me because not only does it allow us to renew ourselves, but it creates a more sustainable future. So come along for the ride as I grow myself in these concepts!

Regeneration is the engine of life; it’s what our bodies do and what Earth and all living things do. We work, play, evolve, and turn inwards to reflect, but we are never separated from this universal force. Everyone has a part to play when it comes down to how we live and what we do on planet Earth together. 

Becoming more aware of regeneration is a great strategy to help our planet Earth because it empowers us to create a natural system of renewing, evolving, and thriving. As a result, we are better stewards to ourselves, others, and the planet. 

The beautiful advantage of regenerative systems is that they are almost completely self-sufficient. You can have an environmentally responsible home and lifestyle without sacrificing budget, style, or comfort. 

We’ve overlooked the significance of our role as citizens and

stewards of the world.

5 Areas of Earth Partnerning In Our Own Homes
1. Heating and Lighting – A great way to cut down on energy use while also keeping the cold out is to add thermal curtains, insulation film on windows, or put down rugs as space allows. Approaching spaces with lighter colors naturally makes them brighter and reduces energy consumption. Additionally, you can invest in LED bulbs and smart energy-saving devices like smart thermostats and smart power strips (which work by cutting off power when devices are in standby mode). 

2.  Select Materials with the Lowest Environmental Impact – Choose organic materials that are quickly renewable (such as fast-growing bamboo) and that are extracted in an environmentally responsible way. For example, an FSC label on wood products ensures that all wood used in the product was sustainably harvested. 

3. Upcycle Your Things – Instead of discarding ‘’old-fashioned’’ objects while they are still functional, work to come up with creative ways to give them a new life. Reupholster and repaint an old chair; Sew a cable knit sweater into a pillow; Make craft gift tags out of old maps. Make a practice of not throwing something useful in the dumpster! Belladue (our sister biz) will also happily take care of any of your upcycling needs by doing it for you (like the chair pictured)! 

4. Designing for longevity – Design durable and timeless spaces by choosing quality over quantity, classics over trendy, and simplicity/functionality over embellishments. Using flexible elements like modular carpets and area rugs has the added benefit of being easy to clean without requiring a lot of cleaning products. Suppressing the urge to completely change your interior or renovate every couple of years also reduces waste and promotes sustainable longevity. 

5. Home Energy Audits – An Energy audit, like the kind REenergizeCO conducts, is the single most important tool to improve the energy efficiency of your home in a cost-effective way. A certified auditor will perform a comprehensive analysis of utility use by mapping out your home with special equipment and then recommend ways to improve utility savings and comfort while reducing the amount of energy lost.

You hold the Earth in your hands. 

Every small action you take in your home to

turn from WASTE TO REGENERATE
helps our Earth in a huge way.
Believe It!

Interior Design For Inspired Living

Invite me to work with you and I promise to be unswayed by the passing dictates of fads. I will incorporate my love for the arts and the richness of color along with your vision and deliver an eclectic, yet balanced sensibility to your interior. Tell me about your project!

Book A Chat
October 1, 2021

COLOR YOUR WORLD

OCTOBER 2021  |  ISSUE NO.10

“Colors are the smiles of nature” — James Henry Leigh Hunt

Dear Friends and Clients,

When it comes to choosing the right color palette for your house or building exterior, you have thousands of options. It can be overwhelming knowing what colors work best together while also fitting into the neighborhood when surrounded by other homes, and keeping a natural appearance at the same time.  Simply stated, my philosophy is that nature always provides the inspiration for color. Nature constantly refreshes us with positive energy and when you start considering nature as color inspiration for your built environment, illumination and joy are sensed in the deepest parts of yourself. 

Witness Nature’s Cues For Your Color Inspiration

When developing a nature-based color palette, it’s important to connect colors that bring you alive while letting the natural environment inform your direction. Your palette should regenerate your well-being and give you an endless supply of inspiration each day. Once you learn the color direction you’re being pulled towards, this regenerative effect will naturally happen which is literally movement and creativity that continuously regenerates in your entire being!

There’s so much to learn about color and color placement in architecture, but here’s a start. This example below is a client who loves the outdoors and we were inspired by the colors of early morning winter light for the exterior of this home. The structure sits alone on a hill and is super funky, so we took some creative license to have fun! (In progress images) 

Here are some tips for you DIY’ers

1. Immerse yourself in nature. Go on an adventure with your camera to capture moments of the natural environment that inspire and resonate. You can also find images online

2. Place your building images next to your nature images. Notice how it feels and informs you.

Don’t think about the process, just select colors within the nature images that you love. You’ll find out later if they work.  

3. Pull color chips at the paint store that match the prefered areas of your nature images. Don’t worry about choosing too many –you’ll adjust later.

Outdoor natural light can’t be controlled, so color selections need to be viewed at different times of the day. Paint large samples of the colors you love, then view colors close up and at a distance on the building, from morning until dusk. This round-the-clock perspective will guide you to the color decisions you’ll love.

4. Allow yourself to go through the process of elimination, eliminating the colors in your palette that don’t resonate or look natural in the outdoors. The eliminating process peels away the unnecessary surface and gets to the heart of beauty.

3. Pull color chips at the paint store that match the prefered areas of your nature images. Don’t worry about choosing too many –you’ll adjust later.

Outdoor natural light can’t be controlled, so color selections need to be viewed at different times of the day. Paint large samples of the colors you love, then view colors close up and at a distance on the building, from morning until dusk. This round-the-clock perspective will guide you to the color decisions you’ll love.

Whether you desire a tranquil or more energetic appearance,

let nature color your world with beauty, joy, and

inspiration!

Interior Design For Inspired Living

Invite me to work with you and I promise to be unswayed by the passing dictates of fads. I will incorporate my love for the arts and the richness of color along with your vision and deliver an eclectic, yet balanced sensibility to your interior. Tell me about your project!

Book A Chat
August 1, 2021

MINDFUL TRAVEL

AUGUST 2021  |  ISSUE NO.8

Dear Friends and Clients,

As the world slowly opens up and the pandemic starts turning into a distant memory, we all want to travel to exotic locations. We’ve been stuck at home for months on end so it’s only natural that our minds wander off into dream-land with thoughts of faraway places.

I always approach travel the same way I approach interior design: Mindfulness. 

For me, mindful travel is more than just an escape from the daily grind and a new place to explore. It’s about seeing a new way to approach and relate to a newly inspired sense of beauty. It’s fully integrating yourself in experiencing not only your destination, but experiencing it with an open mind and heart — making space for new ideas and perspectives.

With these ideas in mind, come with me in today’s newsletter on a mindful journey to New Orleans and some of it’s hidden gems…

Destination is never a place, but a new way of 

thinking –Henry Miller

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities, and it’s not just the French influence that makes this place special. It stands out from other American cities because it has a rich history of unique architecture that you can’t find anywhere else in America!
ms, like this shotgun house in the Garden District. With Mardi Gras beads strewn over the iron-wrought fence, you know that New Orleanians are proud to keep their rich heritage alive!
During our last visit to shop for Belladue, Adue’s sister biz, we serendipitously stumbled upon the most perfect French Antique store on Jackson Street. Not only is parler francais welcome there, but the delicacy of the French style along with the bold strength of color makes me feel like these old pieces are dancing in front of me.
The use of primary and secondary colors along with white, cream, and gold on this old french antique furniture is my color dream. It’s like being surrounded by the most delicate pastel blossoms in springtime!
Inspire Your Home Decor With Wanderlust

Forget shopping online the next time you want to add something deliciously unusual to your living space, because this is a task that needs hands-on exploration! Surrender yourself to the experience of wandering wild and free to inspire your home décor. 
You’ll be surprised by what you stumble on when given the chance to look and touch everything in person.
These one-of-a-kind classic pillows caught my eye during my own wanders down Magazine Street in New Orleans. A mother-daughter creative duo delicately removes decorative pieces from remnants of old uniforms and hand sews them onto new velvet pillow fabric bringing new life as exquisite pieces unlike anything else! 

Well what are you waiting for? Go explore!

 

Interior Design For Inspired Living

Invite me to work with you and I promise to be unswayed by the passing dictates of fads. I will incorporate my love for the arts and the richness of color along with your vision and deliver an eclectic, yet balanced sensibility to your interior. Tell me about your project!

Book A Chat
July 1, 2021

YOU ARE THE RAREST OF JEWELS

JULY 2021  |  ISSUE NO.7

Dear Friends and Clients,

Do you ever look at something beautiful, stare at it in wonder and think, wow, how did you become so beautiful? When you stop and think about it, you’re experiencing this wonder of beauty because there is something within yourself that is inherently beautiful, and you’re touching that beauty.

Every person has a different sense of beauty and that’s what makes my job so wonderful…finding that, which is beautiful to you. Beauty is beyond skin deep. It’s not just about a “look,” it’s about a special feeling, a special presence, an awareness of what brings you joy.

Guess What, You’re Beautiful!
What brings you joy can come to you in the smallest of ways, like saying hello to a neighbor, a found piece of furniture with just the right character and a perfect fit in your home, or a commissioned piece of art painted just for you that turned out better than expected!
Adue’s sister business, Belladue, has the tag “re-appreciated jewels.” We take dusty old broken down pieces and find its new expression. 

We’re about to refinish this circa 1940’s solid oak, three drawer dresser. Its six glass pulls are in perfect condition which is rare, and a curved serpentine top adds a nice flair to the piece. We might sand then give it a good clear finish, or modernize it with paint.
Three quick color schemes popped into my head, and Adue’s graphic designer, Gabbi, photoshopped the images to help visualize a change in perspective.

Painted in our signature Bella Blue color with creamy white to outline and frame, it’s a perfect piece in the bedroom as an undergarment dresser, or a large nightstand where you want to add weight to one side of the room. You could also mismatch and add a nightstand of a totally different style.
Painted in this more glamorous color scheme using vine green for the drawers and a black forest green for the outline, it could be a dining room sideboard for table linens or a great lamp table with storage in the living room. 

I love this approach of giving it some pizazz and elegance, and creating some flexibility for its location. We can’t wait to see how the actual finish turns out!
Give a shout out if you see a vision for this piece in your home and let’s create together!
Most of all, enjoy your July and remember to let the colors that show off your greatest beauty be revealed!

Interior Design For Inspired Living

Invite me to work with you and I promise to be unswayed by the passing dictates of fads. I will incorporate my love for the arts and the richness of color along with your vision and deliver an eclectic, yet balanced sensibility to your interior. Tell me about your project!

Book A Chat
August 10, 2020

AT HOME – FOR NOW

AUGUST 2020  |  ISSUE NO.2

Adue Interiors Newsletter – Helping Our Community

Client Home Office – A window view provides the feeling of expansion and gives opportunities to rest the eyes on objects in the distance.

BRING SOME COMFORT AND VALUE TO YOUR HOME OFFICE
WRITTEN BY DREW SORRELLS
Dear Friends and Clients,
I’ve missed seeing you so I’m reaching out to connect in a fun way with news and tips from time-to-time. I love taking this opportunity to provide beauty in practical ways, along with helping our community. The focus today is on bringing simplicity and function to your Home Office.

5 TIPS FOR YOUR HOME OFFICE
1. Get a Damn Good Desk Chair.  Your body is important, and an ergonomic chair supports the health of your body. Pear Project Services sells recycled / upcycled office furniture with brand names like Knoll furniture at a fraction of the cost.

2. Eye Protection. Protect your eyes from blue rays which cause digital eye strain from using our computers for hours. I use Gunnar Glasses to block the blue light and ease the tension in my eyes.

3. Too much Clutter? If your office feels cluttered take all tchotchkies (accessories) out of your office and put them back one at a time, but stop when it starts to feel cluttered again.

4. Bring The Outside In. Step outside and explore your garden! Flowers and branches bring texture and organic real-ness to your office. Snip a bit from your garden to enliven your office.

5. Separate Your Office. Your home office needs separation from day-to-day house-hold shenanigans. It’s nice to shut the door for a zoom meeting or privacy. If there’s a bed in your office it can double as a day-bed. Remove the bed pillows and toss some throw pillows on it instead with a nice coverlet!

Pear Project Services
Questions about current inventory? Call Jessie: 
(303) 667-3007

 

 

Invest in a high quality desk chair for a fraction of the retail price!

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