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Sustainable Interior Design: Creating a Greener Home
In today's world, more and more people are becoming concerned about the environment and looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. As a result, sustainable interior design is becoming increasingly popular. In this blog post, we'll explore the concept of sustainable interior design and share tips on how to create a greener home.
What is Sustainable Interior Design?
Sustainable interior design is all about creating a space that is environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and economically viable. It involves selecting materials and products that are eco-friendly, reducing waste, conserving energy, and improving indoor air quality. By making sustainable choices, you can create a healthier and more comfortable living space while reducing your impact on the environment.
Eco-Friendly Materials
One of the key components of sustainable interior design is the use of eco-friendly materials. These materials are typically made from natural, renewable resources and are designed to minimize environmental impact. Examples of eco-friendly materials include bamboo, cork, reclaimed wood, recycled glass, and natural fibers like wool and cotton.
Energy-Efficient Lighting
Another way to make your home more eco-friendly is to choose energy-efficient lighting. LED lights are a great choice, as they use up to 80% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last much longer. They also produce less heat, which can help reduce your cooling costs during the summer months.
Green Appliances
If you're in the market for new appliances, look for ones that are energy-efficient and have an Energy Star rating. These appliances are designed to use less energy than standard models, which can help you save money on your utility bills while reducing your carbon footprint.
How Beyond Beige Can Help
At Beyond Beige Interior Design, we're committed to helping our clients create sustainable, eco-friendly homes. Our team of experienced designers can help you choose the right materials and products for your space and make sure that every aspect of your home is designed with sustainability in mind. Whether you're looking to reduce your carbon footprint or simply want to create a healthier living space, we're here to help.
Conclusion
Creating a sustainable, eco-friendly home is not only good for the environment, but it can also improve your quality of life. By choosing eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient lighting, and green appliances, you can create a healthier and more comfortable living space while reducing your impact on the environment. If you're interested in creating a sustainable home, contact Beyond Beige Interior Design today to learn how we can help.
Fabrics in Interior Design: Add Texture with Textile
It is impossible to have an interior décor without adding fabrics: drapes, carpets, rugs, furnishings, upholstery, throw pillows, bedclothes, and other fabrics are an inevitable part of every type of interior design. That is why today we’ll discuss the importance of making the right choice for textiles in the interior design process. Using textiles has multiple benefits, but it also comes with different aspects that a quality interior designer knows.
The Importance of Textile and Fabrics in Interior Design
Fabrics and textiles add depth to your space, and they can add splashes of color in a starkly furnished space. Another important aspect of using textiles and fabrics in your area is that they add a sense of livability to the room and affect comfort and practicality.Fabrics and textiles also have an aesthetic component, as impressive colors, designs, and combinations are available on the market today. When used correctly, they can evoke emotion, soften the space and even bring sentimental feelings.Using imagination, any interior design can benefit from various fabrics and textiles, immediately transforming any space. For example, dark drapes or light gauzy window coverings – which one adds brightness to a room? The same goes for every other area where fabrics and textiles are used.
What to Consider when Selecting Fabrics
Not every fabric or textile will work for any design, so there are critical aspects you need to know when selecting these:
- Color – using the right-color fabric can bring forth the right mood for the space and add size and depth. Small rooms can benefit from lighter colors and fabrics but beware of the prints, as these can also affect the overall effect.
- Texture – many fabrics and textiles come with a texture, which adds layers to any space. If you are working with a plain space, then you can add layers with a textured fabric, but if your area already feels cluttered, then it is advisable to lay off the textures as these can also be challenging to maintain.
- Durability – most fabrics used in interior design are relatively permanent, so durability is crucial. You can use more delicate fabrics in places that are easy to change up, like curtains, drapes, or throw pillows, but please note to use durable fabrics and textiles for upholstered items or wall coverings.
- Price – your ultimate choice will depend on the available budget. The good news is that you can use natural and artificial fabrics and interchange one for the other without sacrificing the end result.
At Beyond Beige, we have extensive knowledge and experience executing unique styles that reflect our clients. Also, as one of Vancouver’s top interior design firms, we have a transparent process and excellent results we can check out in our portfolio. Please get in touch with us for more info and a quote for your next project.
Key Elements to Note in Commercial Design
Commercial design is very different from residential design, and it requires many more key elements to keep track of. Knowing how to implement every detail is vital, and the many options that can be implemented all affect the final result.An experienced commercial space designer will know how to balance the imagination, the wishes, and the project budget. Each is critical for creating a safe, functional, and beautiful commercial space. So, let’s get right to it and discuss the commercial design elements that can make your commercial building design stand out above the rest.
Light & Lighting
The light and lighting are both responsible for the mood the space conveys. Adding enough light and brightness is essential for optimizing the work environment, as it can inspire employees and make visitors feel welcome. The opposite can have an adverse effect on the appearance of the commercial space: a too-dark commercial space can feel uninviting and negatively influence employee productivity.
Space & Traffic
Maximizing the commercial building space is vital for the final result – a layout just right for the tenants' use. Advance planning is handy here, as planned blocking of interior spaces with special applications can help create a good design.The commercial space’s application is essential to know beforehand, as the expected foot traffic needs to be taken into consideration in the planning of the commercial design.
Usability & Functionality
A functional and organized space helps the business leave a good impression on employees and visitors. Keeping an open mind is essential, as is the implementation of versatility – the option for easy and convenient change in the future, one that will not require anything more than the physical rearrangement of the workspace but will allow a reconfiguration of the space that can save a lot of money in the long run.Are you planning on designing, building, or renovating a commercial space in Vancouver, Kelowna, Pint Grey, Squamish, Whistler, Kitsilano, Victoria, The Fraser Valley, or the Okanagan? Well, Beyond Beige is the designer you want, as we have long-term experience in new builds and renovations and have the portfolio and awards to prove it. Contact us today, and we’ll arrange a meeting and discuss your design needs.
Interior Design Color Palette and How It Affects Your Business
Yes, you are reading the title correctly, as the color palette, you select for your commercial space significantly impacts your space and brand. You can see it from a business perspective, the consumer’s perspective, and the interior designer’s perspective, but there is no doubt that color has power. How you use it in your interior design strongly reflects your brand and can even significantly influence how your customers perceive your company.
Color Allows Differentiation
Have you noticed how some brands stand apart from others, and you can instantly recognize them? Well, this is because they have used colors and designs to attract attention and stand apart. It becomes evident that color is essential if you want to stand apart, and this does not only stand for your products – your commercial space needs to reflect your brand. Thus, using color in the interior design of the commercial space is vital for your brand.
Color Is Emotion
Colors elicit emotions and can influence the mood, so you should be careful when selecting your interior design colors for your commercial object. These can affect the customers and even motivate your clients. Establishing an emotional connection with your customers is a foundation on which you can build trust and cultivate friendly relationships that later reflect on brand trustworthiness and your bottom line.
Color Reflects Personality
The colors you select to represent your brand also reflect your brand personality; you should select the color palette concerning the emotion and personality you wish your brand to convey. This is inherently linked with your primary business goals and the basic premise of what the brands stand for.Are you opening an organic food café? A space that caters to a more mature clientele? A dental office? What is your target customer base? Do your customers like to feel relaxed? Happy? Laid-back? Eco-friendly? There are many more questions we can ask here. The color palette you decide on with your interior design should reflect this, not only in your product portfolio but in your commercial space as well, as the first impression when your clients visit your space is always the most important one that sets the tone to the entire business collaboration.At Beyond Beige, we have a collective experience in designing residential and commercial projects measured in decades, and we can help you with any design you may need. Feel free to contact us for a consultation for any designing job in Vancouver, Kelowna, Kitsilano, Shaughnessy, Point Grey, Whistler, Victoria, and the Fraser Valley.
Best Floors for Commercial Spaces
The thing that gets the most wear and abuse in a commercial space is usually the floor, which is also often overlooked when designing a beautiful, efficient commercial space. Here we’ll cover the top commercial flooring options and share which one may be the best for you, as Beyond Beige has an experienced team ready to tackle any commercial project and bring you impressive results. Without ado, here are the top commercial flooring options we suggest:
Tile
Commercial tile floors are an excellent option for a commercial floor that gets a lot of use and needs to be easy to maintain. Tile comes in plenty of variations like porcelain, natural stone, ceramics, and more, and in an impressive array of colors and textures. Tile floors are costlier to install, but they are among the most durable, practically maintenance-free commercial floor options that are affordable in the long run.
Carpet
Commercial carpet comes in a wide array of designs, patterns, colors, and ultra-durable loop fiber weave. The carpet creates a comfortable and inviting space that is affordable and easy to install. Most commercial carpets come in rolls or tiles with an adhesive backing that stays in place even in high-frequency areas. The downside to carpet is the maintenance, as carpet attracts oils and dirt and needs to be cleaned regularly.
Laminate
The commercial laminate floor is an excellent substitute for wood floors, as it is a manufactured flooring alternative. Laminate flooring comes in plenty of styles, textures, and finishes, most often wood imitations. It is straightforward to install and is quite durable and easy to maintain. Still, laminate floors tend to make a hollow sound and are not waterproof, so you should avoid using them in high-humidity areas.
Commercial vinyl sheet floors come in various looks, finishes, and colors, and most have impressive durability. These come in bigger thicknesses than residential vinyl sheets and can withstand the heavy traffic of commercial objects. Also, installation is straightforward, as the vinyl sheets only need to be glued down. The downside is that these are difficult to replace.
SPC Vinyl
SPC stands for Stone-Plastic-Composite vinyl floors, which are suitable for high-traffic areas as they combine a layer of stone, layer of plastic, and vinyl for an impressively durable floor covering. SPC vinyl floor coverings can look like wood, tile, or stone and is a fully waterproof floor covering. Installation is effortless, with a click-and-lock system, and it absorbs sound. Still, SPC vinyl is pricey and is not as comfortable as other floor coverings.Contact Beyond Beige if you are looking for a creative team to start your new interior design project, renovate your commercial or residential object, and bring you an interior design you will be proud of.
Tips on Choosing the Best Interior Designer for You
When it comes to selecting an interior designer in Kelowna, you should not simply go and hire someone without thinking things through first. You should be able to trust them and have them align your needs and personality to their personality and abilities – it is kind of like dating, only with a different goal.It is the interior designer’s job to provide decorating assistance and structural design expertise; the interior designer also provides design guidance in the architectural planning stage of the space, and during the construction. A great interior designer is also experienced in working with every involved party: they work with you; your architect, and your builder, ensuring the desired design and aesthetic are kept in every step of the build.Here are several tips we’ve prepared for you when looking to hire an interior designer for your next project in Kelowna:
- Recognize your style and look for a designer accordingly, as each designer has their signature style, but the really good ones can adapt to the client’s preferences. Check Pinterest for inspiration, and collect ideas as a starting point, so the designer can get an idea of your style and see if you can work together.
- Check the interior designer’s portfolio before you hire them, as it is a way to learn their style better, see their past projects and imagine if you could live in the spaces they’ve created.
- Arrange a budget and check the interior designer’s rate to see if you are on the same page. Some designers charge by the project, and some charge by the hour, so you need to check for the one that works best for you. Be honest about your budget beforehand, and know how much you can go over budget.
- Meet your interior designer and ask as many questions as possible; meeting them face-to-face is important to see how you can work together. Ask questions on various topics, from contacts for referrals, qualifications, experience, and the services you can expect from your designer, and jot down all the vital facts on paper so you don’t forget something.
- Sign a contract and make a plan with your interior designer. After you arrange everything and decide on an interior designer for your next project, you need to sign a contract and start planning your project.
Beyond Beige is one of the best interior designers in Kelowna, but we are also serving a wide area including Vancouver, Kitsilano, Shaughnessy, Point Grey, Squamish, Whistler, The Fraser Valley, Victoria, and The United States. Our services include residential new builds, residential renovations, décor, furniture, and commercial projects. Contact us today and book your consultation.
Key Things for Commercial Interior Design
There are significant differences when it comes to designing a residential space or a commercial space. While the residential space can be more private and is used by fewer people, the commercial space has so much more to offer, which the interior designer must include in the initial plans. Thus, the better the interior design team, the better the overall result, and the better the user experience people will get from the commercial space.
What Is Involved in Commercial Interior Design?
When we talk about commercial interior design, we mean designing and planning a commercial space like a school, hospital, office, hotel, restaurant, reception area, store, lobby, or commercial business.
The commercial space relies on specifications, build standards, and codes, so creating a commercial interior design that will meet all the patrons’ needs and wants is not easy. The main requirements for commercial interior design are practicality, style, welcoming effect, and of course, to provide the commercial business with the most significant opportunity for profitability.
Thus, when creating a commercial space, the interior design team must have all the requirements and work closely with the architects, contractors, and engineers. The finished commercial interior design will be functional, trendy, and profitable, so the owners and users will appreciate it.
Key Elements of Quality Commercial Interior Designer
Commercial interior design is very different from residential interior design. Both have specific demands, but commercial interior design is more demanding in terms of specific requirements, understanding the businesses’ needs, budgeting, planning, scheduling, and defining the scope of the space and the overall project.
A quality commercial interior designer should be skilled and share the client’s vision for the space. Here are the vital considerations of a quality commercial interior designer:
Experience
A good interior design company needs a diverse portfolio which you should check before hiring them. Look for an interior design company that has done work similar to what you are after, so you can be sure they provide all the services you need.
Personality
A quality interior designer will listen to your ideas and wishes and feel what you are after. They should be able to incorporate your feedback into a space that your business will be proud of, and your clients will enjoy.
Credentials and Reviews
Always check the credentials of the interior design company you are thinking of hiring to do your commercial interior design. Also, check the reviews and ask for referrals. Check their previous work and see if what they’ve done for previous clients is something you are after.
At Beyond Beige, we have extensive experience working on creating impressive commercial interior designs that our clients are happy with. Schedule your consultation, and you can learn more about our services.
Top Mistakes to Avoid When Furnishing a Home
Maybe you think you have a carte blanche when furnishing a new place, but we advise you not to rush into anything, as it is easy to make a mistake that may cost you a lot of money, headaches, and regrets. This is especially true for people who’ve never furnished or styled a space.We’ve compiled a list of the most common mistakes people make when furnishing their homes. When you read through these, you will see how hiring an interior design professional is not always a luxury but often a necessity. Interior designers come in handy as they take your needs, wants, and ideas and translate them into a space that you’ll be happy to call home.
1. Not Understanding Your Actual Needs
You walk by a furniture store and see a staged room and think it would look good in your house. It is a nice feeling but is the curved glass designer coffee table really the thing you need or is that white sofa a good idea with three small children wreaking havoc at home. When furnishing a home, you need to consider your needs first, and your wants later. The needs will set the bar, and you can plan the space based on them and add the furniture that best works in the space. It is the only way to fully utilize all the available space and not worry or regret your choices later.Also, avoid asking other people like your friends about how to furnish your space. You and your immediate family will be the ones living there, so the space should reflect only your needs and style.
2. Buying Furniture Without Measuring Your Space
You’ve fallen in love with a lovely Chesterfield sofa and decided you must have it, but when you get home, you realize it does not fit your living room – this is a common mistake among novices furnishing their homes. Before you go and look for furniture for your home, you need to take exact measurements of every room and confirm it’ll fit the general layout.Having the dimensions and layout will allow you to look only for pieces of furniture that will fit your space and will not obstruct anything like a window or outlets. It will allow you to utilize all the available space without overcrowding or underusing available space.
3. Not Considering Quality and Longevity
It is critical to invest in quality pieces right from the start. It is easy to go for the cheaper items and think you’ll upgrade later on, but this rarely happens and you are left with the annoying, poor quality furniture for much longer than expected.
To save yourself the trouble and the extra expense later, you should consider investing in high-quality furniture from the start. That way, you can enjoy it much longer and don’t worry about the chairs giving way every time you sit down to dine.Also, All of these mistakes can be easily avoided if you hire professional help. At Beyond Beige, we are an award-winning interior design studio guaranteed to help you avoid every beginner’s furnishing mistake and create a space you and your family will enjoy.
Top Mistakes to Avoid When Furnishing a Home
Top Mistakes to Avoid When Furnishing a Home
Maybe you think you have carte blanche when furnishing a new place, but we advise you not to rush into anything, as it is easy to make a mistake that may cost you a lot of money, headaches, and regrets. This is especially true for people who’ve never furnished or styled a space.We’ve compiled a list of the most common mistakes people make when furnishing their homes. When you read through these, you will see how hiring an interior design professional is not always a luxury but often a necessity. Interior designers come in handy as they take your needs, wants, and ideas and translate them into a space that you’ll be happy to call home.
1. Not Understanding Your Actual Needs
You walk by a furniture store and see a staged room and think it would look good in your house. It is a nice feeling but is the curved glass designer coffee table really the thing you need or is that white sofa a good idea with three small children wreaking havoc at home.When furnishing a home, you need to consider your needs first, and your wants later. The needs will set the bar, and you can plan the space based on them and add the furniture that best works in the space. It is the only way to fully utilize all the available space and not worry or regret your choices later.Also, avoid asking other people like your friends about how to furnish your space. You and your immediate family will be the ones living there, so the space should reflect only your needs and style.
2. Buying Furniture Without Measuring Your Space
You’ve fallen in love with a lovely Chesterfield sofa and decided you must have it, but when you get home, you realize it does not fit your living room – this is common mistake among novices furnishing their homes. Before you go and look for furniture for your home, you need to take exact measurements of every room and confirm it’ll fit the general layout.Having the dimensions and layout will allow you to look only for pieces of furniture that will fit your space and will not obstruct anything like a window or outlets. It will allow you to utilize all the available space without overcrowding or underusing available space.
3. Not Considering Quality and Longevity
It is critical to invest in quality pieces right from the start. It is easy to go for the cheaper items and think you’ll upgrade later on, but this rarely happens and you are left with the annoying, poor quality furniture for much longer than expected.To save yourself the trouble and the extra expense later, you should consider investing in high-quality furniture from the start. That way, you can enjoy it much longer and don’t worry about the chairs giving way every time you sit down to dine.Also, All of these mistakes can be easily avoided if you hire professional help. At Beyond Beige, we are an award-winning interior design studio guaranteed to help you avoid every beginner’s furnishing mistake and create a space you and your family will enjoy