Category: Uncategorized

on by
  • Designing the perfect walk-in closet: 5 unfailing rules

Designing the perfect walk-in closet is an art. You do not always manage to keep everything in order, and, above all, you don’t always have an infinite space to exploit.

The project then becomes crucial. 90% of my clients ask to have one at least at home: let’s say it is an almost obligatory request when I approach to study new spaces or if I must define a new storage solution for the room at the millimeters.

Clutters and disorganization in the closet are a sad reality for many people. The wardrobe is one of the most messed-up spaces in the house! Piles of clothes, suitcases, linens… everything you don’t need is crammed (alas) into small spaces.

Designing the walk-in closet

A walk-in closet is generally located in a bedroom or a passage area, such as a hallway. It is a space that you can walk into, surrounded by closed or exposed wardrobes.

The minimum dimensions (indeed, very minimum) to be able to have one at home are 1200x2000mm. 1200mm are occupied by 55-60cm by the cabinet-cabin structure and the rest by the passage. The 2000mm are in length to have at least a minimum practice hanger.

The best closet organizers say that how you organize your wardrobe depends on your habits, your priorities, and your goals. We all have a different relationship with our clothes and have different needs. That said, regardless of who you are, how you dress, or how “minimalist” you want to be, your goal should be to get dressed, on a typical weekly morning, as fast as possible.

This translates into:

A minimum of decluttering (= waste). Take on a challenge: you can donate at least 20% of items of clothing that no longer fit you, are not in harmony with your face, are not comfortable, or have not been worn for more than 2 years. Only after you get rid of the superfluous clutter should you move on to the next step: organize what you want to keep.

Group “the like” (all casual shirts together, all jeans together, all shirts together, all workwear together, all clothes, etc.).

Make sure that clothing and accessories can be visible, easily accessible, and organized so that it is easy to store them in the future. Many forget dresses and sweaters at the bottom of drawers (which then fill up more and more, stratifying the chaos …).

Designing the perfect walk-in closet: the basic requirements

A walk-in closet can be divided vertically into three ideal areas: the upper one, more inaccessible, the middle one, for every day, and the lower one for drawers and smaller items and/or shoes.

It is not comfortable every time to climb to get clothes or sweaters at the top, but it is always comfortable to take advantage of all the space in the height. If you have high ceilings and do not want to give up a full-size walk-in closet, consider that you can use a system capable of guaranteeing an automatic sliding rail for all hangers, even the tallest ones. This system avoids the classic change of season that wastes a lot of useless time.

In the upper part, if you don’t have an automatic system you can always store suitcases or household linen.

Remember that the walk-in closet is not free from dust, so make sure that what you keep is sealed in vacuum bags or create doors if you intend to store things that you will take back after a few months.

Containers not to be forgotten

Remember to always consider the size of the suits and jackets you own. If you have a lot of long dresses and coats you will need more tall hangers to hold them. If you have a lot of sweaters and t-shirts, opt for a good number of shelves or drawers.

Never forget to add drawers!

While they may seem expensive and bulky, they are very useful for storing underwear and smaller items that are impossible to find.

Inside the drawers, you can use dividers to divide the various contents in order.

In a walk-in closet, there should be at least two 80cm per capita drawers for underwear and pajamas.

My design ideas

AC Spatial Design

When I design a walk-in closet, I often outline functional areas by dividing them by seasons or by man/woman and I prefer systems that remain flexible over time. A fixed shoulder with adjustable shelves allows you to change the height and number of shelves, to adapt to use for an extended family.

The project must always be accompanied by a measured drawing. Evaluating “in spans” is not enough if you want to keep everything super defined. I like to make the shoulder a darker color than the shelves and drawers to make the room seem deeper.

As you can see in this project, I like to keep at least one door closed, to store shoes or household linen. This door is covered with a mirror to also have a point to look at in full length.

The right lighting

The lighting of a walk-in closet has two levels: one for the environment, then on the ceiling, achievable through spotlights and/or adjustable spots and a shelf, which allows you to better frame the clothes and not lose any detail.

Especially if small, a walk-in closet can be dark, or some points can remain too dim. For this reason, a certain direction of the lighting bodies allows a good final result.

Another consideration concerns the quality of the light: it is important to choose lighting bodies with a CRI> 90 because, if the quality of the light were poor, it could alter the colors of the clothes and in the mirror, you could look too pale/yellow/orange, which would affect your mood or perception of yourself.

Decorative goodies

If you have a little more budget, don’t neglect the idea of creating a glass door as an entrance door to your cabin. The wow effect is certainly guaranteed because the room will seem larger. But it is possible to obtain it only with transparent, bronzed, or smoked glasses.

However, it does not happen with frosted or mirrored glass, so choose well in the project what will be the look of your bedroom!

Another design gem is the addition of a pouf or a beauty corner inside the cabin, obviously if you have enough space to do so.

Your wardrobe not only contains clothes, but it also has a whole world of other things you need. How many times have you wished that ironing board or the organizer of ties or scarves would make your life easier? Having the right accessories for your wardrobe will make you super organized and save you time dressing up too!

on by
  • Color palette trends 2022: 5 moods for your interiors​

we get to the new year, it’s time to talk about palettes trend in 2022.

The large paint and wall paint companies are unleashing their best 5 for the year to come and today I too will talk to you about what will happen in terms of interior trends in 2022.

You know well that in one year and another there is never a sudden stop for a restart with another style or color that is completely breaking with respect to the past. Trends, on the other hand, tend to consolidate and become real recurring moods or furnishing styles.

Aesthetic taste in interior design has a slow process, it is not a fashion show, so it needs to mature and develop at the right time. After all, building a house is a slow process, it is not just a question of painting a wall, but of creating a real architecture to be experienced.

Although large companies often talk about shocking colors, a little to make people talk about themselves, a little to break the neutral trends that are always in vogue, (almost) no one likes the disco atmosphere of the 70s. Many prefer a more luxurious and modern touch instead.

Comfort is the top priority when it comes to home decor. We want to surround ourselves with cozy and enveloping pieces to help us relax and create a cozy home look.

So let’s see what will be the trends for the 2022 color palettes.

Trend 1: Elegant contemporary

AC Spatial Design

This color palette combines the warmth of wood with a simple and modern mood, giving this palette a rich and sophisticated look, in which everything is in its place. The furniture base is minimal contemporary, with custom-made furnishings and medium / dark textiles. The wow touch is given by the unusual and feminine touch of cream and black.

The furniture is sturdy and comfortable, with curves (eg a table) that break lines that are too rigid or static.

This is a very interesting strategy when you want to guarantee a very simple furnishing base and amaze with an element that is almost completely out of context. In fact, it is not out of context and manages to interestingly complement a most likely mundane design.

Trend 2: calming

Photo courtesy of Poliform

Neutral is the absolute protagonist of this palette that makes the material its strong point.

The desire for tactile experiences is reflected in the design, with the use of natural fibers and materials, such as raw wood, deconstructed linen, and dried plants or flowers.

This palette shines like a reassuring backdrop and refreshes any space. The touch of indigo blue breaks up the warm total look and creates a subtle but surprising shade.

The trend towards a constant balance between hot and cold allows us to embrace growth, move towards a new vision and discover our world.

Instead of blue, it is also possible to use olive green, the color of 2022.

Trend 3: mINDFUL luxe

Photo courtesy of Molteni

Perhaps this look is the most “loved by Italians”. The use of elegant patterns such as marble, combined with metals and parquet manages to spread a sense of sophistication that few other combinations guarantee.

More classic or more modern, it always remains elegant.

The palette is discreetly flat, to support and highlight the unique strength and class that only the grain of marble possesses.

This palette evokes a warm nostalgia and unwavering optimism as we fondly remember the past and look to the possibility of the future by mixing old and new. The walls are almost always neutral, without color peaks, indeed, white is the great protagonist of the design, together with the perfect butter tone when there are different frames or boiserie.

You will love it if your mood is feminine and luxurious while remaining in simplicity, that is, without pomp.

Trend 4: dramatic SOFT

Image courtesy of Hanna Trickett

This palette sees the use of black, greys and dark colors for the furnishings and rather lighter greys for the floor, and accessories. It is a sort of industrial look in which the use of color greatly softens the edges and is more suitable for domestic environments.

For the accessories, you can safely use tones such as eucalyptus, teal or olive green, freely ranging between warm and cold.

The interior design of this palette is centered on a powerful desire to go beyond standard industrial/masculine aesthetics, to shape new languages, to create new stories, and to be at the center of one’s home, albeit with a few more colors.

Trend 5: Urban suBTLE

Photo courtesy of Minotti

This look will appeal to those who love soft grays. It is mostly a city apartment palette, perfect for creating calm and peaceful spaces, which is exactly what we all need for the year to come. Dark enough to add color and depth, but it’s also light enough to stay relaxing.

Gray colors such as cement and masculine fabrics such as leather and hide are added to the floor (usually parquet).

Glass and metals help create that sophisticated yet modern look that won’t go out of style. A key role is played by lighting and the use of furniture or design pieces.

What is your favorite?

contact

Share:

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on pinterest
Share on linkedin
On Key

Related Posts

AC Spatial Design

Palettes trend 2022

we get to the new year, it’s time to talk about palettes trend in 2022. The large paint and wall paint companies are unleashing their

on by
  • 10 things to know before calling an Interior Designer

Calling an Interior Designer is an important decision, as it is a creative-technical-professional figure around which there are still (unfortunately) several prejudices and a bit of confusion.

“They’ll make me spend a lot of money”, “I’ll do it faster myself”, “If I don’t have to build a house, I don’t need an Interior Designer”, “I’ve already renovated a house and my husband did it all”, “The Interior Designer of my house can only be me!”.

That’s right. Interior Designer and interior architect in UK and, generally speaking all over the globe, enjoy these “cultural legacies” which, to be honest, are very difficult to unhinge. For better or for worse, the profession of the Interior Designer is so vast and articulated that it is not possible to pigeonhole it in two lines.

An Interior Designer can decide to deal with different design themes, even in a transversal way. Through the professional career, after graduation, they can become a designer of large-scale (urban), small-scale (interior), can deal with product design, can design parks and museums, specializing in sustainable housing, yachts, lighting design, or construction management. In short, you have a vast world to explore.

Unfortunately, my profession is not talked about enough. Many potential clients don’t know how, practically, a professional with a degree in Interior Designer can be useful to them.

Let’s assume that an Interior Designer, an interior architect, an interior decorator, an interior stylist, a lighting designer, or a home stager are not the same profession, do not develop the same expectations, and therefore do not lead to the same results.

AC Spatial Design - Site works

10 things to know before calling an Interior Designer

Interior Designers can draw up plans and technical drawings that are essential to making construction or renovation ideas a reality. They are enrolled in a Professional Association and can help developed bureaucratic documents for institutions and carry out activities of Project Management. But this is not all.

The Interior Designer must be chosen based on empathy

Before hiring your professional, take a few days to choose the right one. Generally, the first point that is important to make is about aesthetic taste. If an Interior Designer specializes in designing ultra-modern minimalist glass-and-steel homes, he probably won’t be the perfect fit for your rustic over-decorated mountain cabin.

This is not to say that he or she won’t be able to do it brilliantly, but that it will probably be more complicated to “communicate” the intent or the design process may be more forced.

If an Interior Designer has his style, his personality that you like, so much the better. It will be smoother and easier to arrive at a dream design.

For some types of construction work, you will need to hire an Architect or Engineer. Renovations, new construction, restorations: in this case, it is unthinkable to do everything yourself it is even counterproductive

The Interior Designer is a creative person: they loves (organized) freedom

If you want to give an Interior Designer gray hair, tell him what he needs to do, how, and why. Some clients show up at professional offices with sketches and do-it-yourself project drawings. In this case, don’t let the professional see them! This is like going to the doctor with a self-diagnosis and a prognosis. What would be the point!

Having an idea does not mean having a solution.

An Interior Designer works well when he has data and requirements on the table when he has been given a budget and a timetable (albeit an indicative one in this historical moment). The Interior Designer works badly when the client is nagging, when he often changes his mind, when he doesn’t have enough budget or when he hinders the design process with a thousand useless anxieties. And above all, when he does not see the light in a logical process, that is, when the client never realizes.

The Interior Designer is not a magician or a seer

Communication between client and professional must be clear and simple. The client must make his needs as clear as possible, just as the Interior Designer must ask him questions and explain the pros and cons of the layouts he presents, the choices he makes, and the expected results. It may cost them extra work but presenting an extra layout or an unconventional solution sometimes saves both their lives.

If the communication between the parties doesn’t work, the idyll jams and you risk sending a good design overboard. If you live by false expectations, you will surely be disappointed. Ask questions and get answers. Make appointments, but make sure they are not endless. Even the contract between the parties to be signed before starting must be as clear and comprehensive as possible.

The “you didn’t tell me this six months ago” is no excuse for anyone.

AC Spatial Design - Concept Development 3D Study

The Online Interior Designer Pros & Cons

Since the lockdown, there has been a proliferation of professionals offering design or consulting services online only. It may seem like a quick and easy solution, but that’s not always the case.

It depends on what you need to accomplish (whether you need to build a house, remodel, or just redecorate a room) and your way of being. In general, a renovation can’t happen completely online. There is a need for an additional professional to fill out the paperwork and submit it to the municipality, as well as an on-site Construction Management. An online Interior Designer can help you in several ways, all of which are valid, but you have to take into account that he will not be there physically with you when you have to buy the kitchen or choose the matching walls.

For some clients, managing the project remotely can be a great compromise, but for others, it can be a nightmare. It’s up to you to decide which solution best suits your needs, and it’s up to the Interior Designer to specify what his or her skills and activities are for each project to limit frustrations.

Not all Interior Designers are the same

You might consider calling any Interior Designer to help you with the design of your remodel. What you shouldn’t underestimate, particularly when you think it’s “just minor changes,” is how difficult it can be:

Organizing the space
Matching colors
Choosing all the coverings (Tiles / Floors)
Deciding on furniture
Choose the lights and design the ceilings
Define the furnishings
Arrange the garden or balcony
Design custom furniture in detail
Plan wallpapers and paints
Adapt existing furnishings and mix them with new ones

Don’t assume that just any Interior Designer can handle interior furniture choices and the entire list above. Many don’t, limiting themselves to the study of space and fixtures.

It is good to clarify this before hiring a professional.

The Interior Designer helps you manage the (endless) details

“But what does an Interior Designer do to ask me for a fee like that?”

As I mentioned, some clients may have a slightly distorted view of reality. For example, they underestimate the fact that there are a thousand and one choices to be made on a building site in a short space of time, which often confuses them because they don’t have a clear idea or are overwhelmed by the doubt of doing things well without wasting money.

Among other things, customers:

Don’t know that facilities exist and can be modified or decided by them
They are not prepared to go over budget, so they choose very expensive materials without knowing their real value
They fail to enforce deadlines
They are surprised if alternative decisions must be made on a construction site for a thousand reasons, especially cost or availability of materials.
They get nervous because nowadays raw materials arrive with a crazy delay, so construction sites are at a standstill for a long time.
They don’t know that some companies don’t carry out the work to the millimeter and must be controlled in steps
They have no idea of the general timetable and supply, so it is difficult for them to fit things in, and the construction site takes forever.
They often don’t have a great imagination and want to “see” how a project will be done before it’s done
They don’t know that many furnishings can be custom made, that some companies sell the same things at a different price, that different materials give a different value to the house.

AC Spatial Design - Development visualization

If you go over budget, it’s not always the Interior Designer’s fault

You may hire an Interior Designer only to find that your dream home costs twice your budget, even after investing many months in design and planning. Before you start designing, put 3 priorities on the table from the beginning: style, budget and timeline.

An Interior Designer works in phases. Be prepared to approve things in the design process and don’t imagine going into the house after two months like in the (unreal) TV shows.

The more complex the project, the more operational phases there will be. It is not very smart to jump from one pole to another, also because in construction there is a precise order of intervention. The budget is one of the pillars of design and it is impossible to think of building Hollywood houses with a few thousand euros.

“It’s not wise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you waste some money, that’s all. When you pay too little, sometimes you waste everything, because the thing you bought is incapable of meeting the needs for which it was bought. The law of business balance says that you can’t pay little and get a lot – it’s not practically real. If you’re dealing with the lowest bidder, think twice about adding a slice for the risk you’re taking and, if you do, make sure you have enough money to back up the work done twice.” John Ruskin, author/economist 1819 – 1900

More professionals are possible for a single project

It’s no wonder there are multiple professionals on a single job site, quite the contrary. The Interior Designer is not the only actor on a project. To give an example, the other day, on site for a renovation of a single-family house for a briefing we were: the client, the surveyor who takes care of the practices and directs the work, me (the Interior Designer), the thermal engineer / plant engineer, the general contractor (company), the plumber, the lighting designer, the garden designer and the furniture maker. Each with a specific task and each with different professionalism.

Sometimes the Interior Designer is called upon to range between the professions, adapting to design small gardens, interior lighting, drywall and other spaces, but if you want to go big, it’s best to call on multiple specialists.

In that situation, my presence was as a “director” because I had to balance the design and all the requirements into one figure.

The Interior Designer’s process is important to not go crazy

A home designed by an Interior Designer will be more valuable [in sales] than one that isn’t, and an Interior Designer also allows you to open more options to get what you want. Whether it’s zoning permits or hiring contractors, everything can be a minefield if you don’t know what you’re doing.

The Interior Designer with an established process works much better than one who doesn’t. Generally, the phases of work are as follows:

Phase 1: Planning/Concept
The homeowner and the Interior Designer discuss the requirements of the project (how many rooms, the function of the spaces, etc.), checking to see if they match the homeowner’s needs, wants, and budget.

Step 2: Schematic Design
The Interior Designer prepares a series of drawings, known as a schematic design, showing the general layout of the rooms or building site. Some Interior Designers also prepare 3D models to help visualize the design (not all, however!). The client approves one or more of these layouts before proceeding to the next step.

Phase 3: Design Development
The Interior Designer prepares more detailed drawings to illustrate other aspects of the proposed project. Floor plans show all rooms in the correct size and shape. Specifications are prepared that list major materials and room finishes.

Step 4: Prepare construction documents
Once the homeowner has approved the design, the Interior Designer prepares detailed drawings and specifications, which the contractor will use to establish actual construction costs and carry out the project. The drawings and specifications become part of the construction/renovation contract.

Step 5: Hiring the Contractor/Company
The homeowner selects and hires the contractor. The Interior Designer may be willing to make some recommendations or make site visits to unite the intent and explain the work. In many cases, clients choose from several contractors (maximum of 3 typically) to whom they have asked to submit the estimate. The Interior Designer can help you prepare bid documents, as well as invite firms he knows to prepare bids and estimates.

Step 6: Construction Management/Creative Direction
While the contractor will physically construct the home or renovation, the Interior Designer can assist the owner in making sure the project is built according to plans and specifications. The Interior Designer can make periodic site visits or even actual Construction Management to oversee construction and generally keep the homeowner informed of the progress of the project. The Contractor is solely responsible for construction methods, techniques, schedules and procedures.

The most important quality of an Interior Designer is …

… accuracy? … creativity? … technical skill? … empathy? … problem-solving? … their portfolio? … cost?

It’s up to you to decide your Interior Designer’s most important requirement. There is no instructional bubble behind a design job and there is no single possible outcome. Those who complain that “the Interior Designer has provided me with nothing but disasters” often evaluate the situation only from their perspective.
Sometimes, a client can become unmanageable, overly pretentious, obstructive or even demeaning. From heaven to hell is a snap, I assure you!

From my perspective, I can tell you that good communication between the parties saves lives…and wallets!

AC Spatial Design - floating staircase completion

Share:

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on pinterest
Share on linkedin
Contact us
On Key

Related Posts

AC Spatial Design

Palettes trend 2022

we get to the new year, it’s time to talk about palettes trend in 2022. The large paint and wall paint companies are unleashing their