Tampilkan postingan dengan label natural. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label natural. Tampilkan semua postingan

Guest Post: The benefits of using animal hides on products and interiors

The decision to make that special purchase – whether it’s for our home, our office, or ourselves, is often made for aesthetic reasons alone. And, while leather and animal hide products or furniture can be undeniably beautiful, there are many other reasons than how it looks to opt for this natural material.

Durability
While other fabrics and materials may stain or tear, animal hide stands the test of time. Even if your little one puts sticky fingerprints on your Chesterfield sofa or you accidentally spill coffee on your leather desk diary, you should simply be able to wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Timeless style
Trends may come and go, but leather and animal hide never go out of fashion. The leather Barcelona chair designed 70 years ago looks just as good today. The cowhide rug you bought for your student pad looks equally at home in your family home. And, the leather briefcase your dad carried to work every day looks just as stylish now that it has passed on to you. Hide products truly are investment pieces which transcend seasons.

Easy care
Other materials may require endless washing and dry cleaning, or even become so stained as to render them unusable. But despite its high end looks, leather is actually very easy to care for. If you have a leather sofa or bedstead, for example, you can simple vacuum it before using a damp cloth to wipe it down.

Versatility
Whereas once leather and hide products may have been produced only in neutral colours and traditional styles, now the possibilities of colour and finish are endless. You could choose to mix the classic style of a Chesterfield sofa with a contemporary colour such as cobalt blue or rich plum. Or, you could choose to use leather or hide in the most unexpected of places – perhaps in floor tiles, or to cover a feature wall.

Natural elegance
Because leather and hide are natural materials, they retain a beauty imbued by Mother Nature, with every piece being completely unique because of its varying natural grain. And it is this naturalness which provides some of leather and hide’s many benefits. It is flexible, breathable and supple, allowing it to naturally repel moisture, retain its shape and resist any damage caused by heat or sun.

Acoustics and warmth
As well as exuding an air of welcoming warmth, leather and hide really do have insulating properties which can actually make a room warmer. They also provide acoustical value, as they absorb sound easily. That’s why they make great choices of material for the home, perhaps as an over-sized feature headboard for the bedroom or stunning floor tiles for the living room or office.

The wow factor
While leather and hide actually offer great value when you consider products and interiors which use these materials are so long lasting, they give a room, a piece of furniture or a product a feeling of richness and opulence. Choosing just one key hide piece can give an area a focal point, providing an impressive, professional finish.
Beautiful and practical, leather and hide are naturally stylish and durable, making them the ideal choice for a myriad of product and interior uses.
Bill began learning his artisan skills in Australia 30 years ago before opening his studio back in the 90’s.  The studio creates bespoke products and interiors for individuals and companies across the world.  Bill can be found in his London studio at Bill Amberg Studio.








Kitchens

We're still predicting a shift in modern kitchen design towards a friendlier feel, away from the gloss white we've been seeing for so long. Gloss white will still be here to stay but we've seen a lot more in terms of softer colours and textures. Here are some kitchens we really like:








Nude

Nude as a colour is a really difficult one to work with - it needs to be warm and natural without encroaching on beige or (especially not) magnolia. Nude is more, in fact, about an atmosphere than about an actual colour. I think these images show that off quite well.







Textile

When it comes to textiles, the designers at Ardesia know what we like and stick to it. The world of textiles is just incredibly saturated with fantastic fabrics and when you get up close and into the fine detail, even just a 100% stonewashed linen can come in hundreds of different finishes. We know what works and what doesn't, what textures to put together and for what use.

Here is a collection of very 'Ardesia' fabrics. ;)








The Return of Colour

Believe it or not but it's true... colour is making a comeback. I have to say that as much as we are the main advocate for simple, natural design, it's quite refreshing to see an outburst of colour - especially in London!

We're predicting a very colourful year at Maison et Objet this September! ;)







Rustic

We love it when we get to design log cabins and chalets in the Swiss alps - the natural materials, warm lighting, live fires and rustic feel. It's what makes the Ardesia style! It's probably why we try to bring that cabin warmness to London by adding small rustic details to the modern interiors we design.








Choosing the Right Tiles - An Article by Milena

Bathrooms require more durable materials than the rest of the house as they are constantly under strain from water. So far, the most popular materials for these rooms are stone, ceramic, porcelain, and glass. All of these materials are beautiful, strong, and come in a variety of shapes and colors.

To narrow down in size and material you need to know exactly where the tile will be placed. Most commonly, stone, ceramic, and porcelain are used for counters and floors. Glass is mostly used for walls and backsplashes.

Ceramic tile are tiles made from thin slabs of clay or other inorganic materials, hardened by oven firing and usually coated in a glaze. They are a good fit in bathrooms or other moisture-rich environments, as well as in kitchens as they do not harbour bacteria. They are easy to clean and install, waterproof, sturdy and great value for the price.

Porcelain tile is actually a subtype of ceramic tile and now a very a popular choice for bathroom floors. Porcelain is a denser, more porous, and harder option that offers greater stain and water resistance than ceramic tile. The manufacturing process of porcelain provides many more design possibilities than ceramic tiles. As a harder tile, it is also harder to wear down.

Ceramic tile vs. Porcelain tiles
These two types of tiles might often look the same but below the surface lies a world of differences. The main difference is hardness rating and porosity. Ceramic tiles are made from natural compounds and therefore, are softer and easier to cut than porcelain. Porcelain tiles are much harder to cut and due to their low porosity, they require a special compound for setting. Although porcelain bears the perception of high quality, it is not always the best choice for a residential application and tends to work better in commercial settings, as its toughness is unnecessary for domestic kitchens and bathrooms.

Glass tiles are a common choice for bathrooms today because they are easily recycled and come in a wide variety of colors and finishes. Mosaic tiles are usually shaped in rectangles, squares, or "pennies". However, in terms of installation costs, they are more expensive to fit and also harder to maintain as there is a lot of grout, which means a lot of area that can get cracked or stained.

Natural stone wins in durability and its natural beauty, and since no two stones are exactly alike, a natural pattern will emerge on tiled floors or walls. Natural stone requires more maintenance than ceramic, porcelain or glass. A smooth stone works better in kitchens, where surfaces will need regular wiping, but a textured stone floor will help prevent slips on a bathroom floor. Attention must be paid to the cleaning products used on natural stone as some chemicals will stain or bleach tiles, but natural stone requires regular, careful cleaning to prevent limescale and other residue build-up.

How much do they cost?
Tiles vary wildly in price range, from £10-£15 per square metre for very basic tiles, up to 100's of pounds per square meter at the luxury ceramic and porcelain tile end. For a good mid-range tile, you should look at spending anywhere between £35-£50 per square metre.

How to find a good tiler?
A bathroom fitting company who are providing a tiling service within a full bathroom refurbishment is likely to charge you much more for installation than a sole trader / independent tiler. However, whether you will get the same guarantees from a sole trader is debatable. A good tiler will give you a written quote detailing all the specifications. It also mentions the time required to finish the job, number of tiles needed, additional materials required, and so on. The best is to compare the quotes offered by the three to five recommended tilers in the area and choose the one that suits you best. If you are working with an interior designer, your designer will take care of finding the best tiler based on their experience. 



 Limestone tiles laid in a herringbone pattern



Natural blue slate tiles



Ceramic tiles 'folded' from Italian supplier Mutina



Ceramic tiles printed with patterns to imitate
encaustic concrete tiles



Glass tiles as a kitchen backsplash



Porcelain tiles from Mandarin Stone






Kitchens

The modern kitchen is changing. Full-on, gloss white kitchens are slowly being phased out for a return back to something more casual and comfortable. Rustic is coming back but only as an accent - in essence, the new modern kitchen should feel warm and friendly with simple cabinets (matt colours are back) and a touch of nature, such as a wooden or stone countertop.









Langganan: Postingan (Atom)