Bathroom: What is Mid-Century Modern? (A short summary)

Not sure exactly what kind of interior design classifies as 'mid-century modern?' Well, you gon' learn today! If you've been a loyal follower of S Squared Design, you've probably seen this term tossed around to describe many projects and pieces. So, what exactly is mid-century modern? 

Obviously, there's an apparent, overarching theme among mid-century modern interiors, but the exact definition of this term is slightly more elusive since styles in this genre can vary so greatly.

 

Mid-century modern design in America developed roughly from the 1930s through 1960s when the middle class attitudes about wilderness, nature, technology, mobility, and city life began to materialize in interior design. To demonstrate, this remodeled master bathroom employs essential aspects of mid-century modern style from monumental design to minute details. (Hint: keep an eye out for tiling, fixtures, patterns, and appliances that bring elements of nature into a highly functional space!)

  

Ceramic, ceramic, ceramic!
With its sleek curves and shiny glaze that disperse light throughout a space, it's no wonder that ceramic is a material of choice for mid-century modern designs. (Look up Heath Ceramics founded in 1948!)

Geometry in Nature

Ever seen honey comb in a bee hive? This tessellation of hexagons patterns the floor in this master bathroom with dark grout and bright white tiles. This contrast emphasizes the shape as found in nature, but the small size of the tiles allows this pattern to subtly complement the rest of the bathroom's design.  

Vintage and the Elements

The white ceramic and silver appliances are of course reminiscent of the 1950s. This vintage design juxtaposed with slate stone tiles is another wonderful example of mid-century modern design: natural elements with the 'latest' technology. 

So, there you have it! A quick run-down of mid-century modern style: where nature meets technology in a sleek, 1950s-esque design!

If you have a project in mind but just don't know where to start, we can help! Contact us! 

Like what you see?

Make sure you never miss anything! Follow us!

Facebook     Website     Houzz      Pinterest

 

S Squared Design

All-American Hotdog: Happy 4th of July!!

Yes, it is national hotdog month, but lets remember what this day is about. Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Thanks Wiki! But in all seriousness it is about remember how we as a nation got to where we are today. But with that being said, enjoy the time with family and friends, BBQ-ing, hanging by the pool or eating some hotdogs and here are so ideas for making your celebration that much better! Happy Independence Day! Enjoy!

 Change up that dusty mantle with some festive decorations.

 Make you front porch standout and stand up for America!

 

 

 

 Having a party, and happen to have a gazebo? Dress it up a little to make it feel special and part of the festivities.

 Can't stand the heat outside? (Here in Houston it is supposed to be pretty hot this 4th)Take the party inside and class up those glass jars you may use for other holidays. Sure Independence Day is usually a casual time but who says it can't have shiny things!

 

 

If you have a project in mind but just don't know where to start, we can help! Contact us! 

 

Like what you see?

Make sure you never miss anything! Follow us!

Facebook     Website     Houzz      Pinterest     Twitter 

S Squared Design

 

 

Lake House Laundry Room Renovation -Before,During,After

One of our most recent projects was redesigning a functional laundry room for one of my favorite repeat clients. Their home is beautiful and has plenty of space but lacked the storage and functionality in a space they used frequently. After several years living with a laundry room that was missing usable storage they finally decided they had enough and it was time for an over-haul.  Now in a room, such as a laundry room,  function is everything. Thinking about how they move in the space and what order they do things; this made them really think about the layout and that is where I came in. 

Here is the project- Before, During and After:

For starters, there is only one little wall cabinet. That is it for storage! And the swing door limited what you could do with the wall on the right.

 For some reason the water supply and outlets were not in ideal locations. So they needed a little reworking for the new layout. Also with lack of storage, items that usually would be out of sight were just sitting on the floor.

 In reaction to not having enough storage, my clients used this make-shift storage shelf be their means to store household items. Brooms and mops just hung out next to it.

 The swing door prevented precious wall space from being utilized, so we had to change that!

Construction begins by moving the plumbing and electrical to the left wall and removing the wall cabinet.

 Then the old tube florescent light fixture is replaced with two recessed cans.

 Once all the behind the walls are done we framed out the new pocket door and relocated the light switches to the outside for easy access. This pocket door has allowed us the maximize the cabinetry in this 5'x8' room. Giving us 10' span of cabinets for plenty of storage.

Cabinet installation begins! These are 8' tall and they are full of storage space inside!

 Ta Da! Tall 24" deep cabinets on either side of the washer and dryer, one with pull out drawers and the other to hold a hamper and other laundry items. A cabinet above for less used items.

 On the other 5' wall we did 12" deep cabinets for smaller, frequently used items and left a space on the floor for the dog crate and have a hanging rod for drying clothes. This wall used to be where the swing door sat when door was open, now much more functional with lots of storage!

 

Finished the white cabinets off with hand finished brushed nickel hardware. 

 The pocket door made this room!

 As you can see, yes this room is only 5' wide and we utilized as much space as we could. With 10' ceilings this means think vertical storage, and that is just what we did!

If you have a project in mind but just don't know where to start, we can help! Contact us! 

 

 

Like what you see?

Make sure you never miss anything! Follow us!

Facebook     Website     Houzz      Pinterest     Twitter  

S Squared Design

Clean it Up: Bathroom Edition

A Bathroom is usually where you start your morning once you get the energy to roll out of your comfy bed. Bathrooms are especially important because it gets used everyday. Functionality in this space is crucial and they best way to get the most of our your bathroom is to evaluate your routine. How many people are using it, what times and the order of tasks you go through each morning. These particular bathrooms below are all crisp and clean in white. This can be very relaxing in the morning and keep you calm, rather than stressed.  Some may think an all white bathroom is boring but with the right textures and some lacquer finishes you can create interest without having to introduce any other colors! Let the form of the bathroom fixtures make create the interest. Take a look and let us know what you think! Enjoy! 

Tiling the wall all the way to the ceiling is a great way to give your bathroom more height and with a hot shower your walls won't be sweating they moisture will just run right off. 

Windows at the ceiling line brings in lots of light without sacrificing privacy. Even in the shower you can have a window! 

White Shelves and white accessories make this white bathroom even whiter! Little hints of stainless steel break up the all white bathroom.

The flooring is amazing! Small flat stones give a much needed texture and natural pattern for a white bathroom. 

 Reflective surfaces like mirrors and glass let the light bounce around the space, making it appear as if there is more light than there really is.

Like what you see?

Make sure you never miss anything! Follow us!

Facebook     Website     Houzz      Pinterest     Twitter  

S Squared Design

Color of 2013: Emerald Green

Green has always been a favorite color of mine. I have green eyes which I think was when I first fell in love with green! Although my eyes are emerald green....they are still green! :)

Rich, saturated colors are so bold and make such a statement in a space. Please are naturally drawn to eye-catching things(such as bright colors) and it stimulates the brain and makes people think! That is how I feel about interiors, in my designs I always have elements that standout on purpose! It creates more interest and keep people in that space longer usually. Well I have yet to use emerald this year in my designs but I am sure it will be used soon with all these beautiful examples of the hue! Enjoy!

 Oh my! These tiles are gorgeous! A stunning use of the color, but make sure you are going to still love it for years to come. They even used the tiles in a vertical and horizontal pattern which gives it more of a modern look!

Love the color but not sure where to bring it in to your space? Well a great way is in a small accent piece, such as a nightstand. Mix it with other patterns and colors for a mixed look! 

 

 Want a quick fix for a bland room? Pillows are a great inexpensive way to bring in color. Whether you change your pillows for the season or every year or so this is a great way to keep your home looking fresh!

   Paint, the other quick fix for adding color. Keeping your furniture neutral is a great way to add accents elsewhere in the room. Like the wall for instance, and a can of paint makes a statement and is easy on the wallet!  

   Bathrooms look great in white but sometimes white can be lonely, which is why a friend is nice to bring in.  Here the emerald is paired nicely with the crisp white on the walls and a few decorative accessories.

 

Hope you guys enjoyed today's inspiration! Fell free to leave a comment.  Tell us what you liked and if you are in need of inspiration and its not here.....we will find you some!

Like what you see?

Make sure you never miss anything! Follow us!

Facebook     Website     Houzz      Pinterest     Twitter 

The Color Red: Happy Valentine's Day 2013!

Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with passion, desire, and love. Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure, also, makes striking interiors in a home! In a bedroom it can be for love or a dining room it can be for romance. Where ever you have red it stands out and give you a feeling of passion for sure! This Valentine's Day think about the color red and how it makes you feel! Today we share with you some interiors that focus on the color red, reflect on them and how they make you feel! Enjoy!

Hope you guys enjoyed today's inspiration! Fell free to leave a comment.  Tell us what you liked and if you are in need of inspiration and its not here.....we will find you some!

 

Like what you see?

Make sure you never miss anything! Follow us!

Facebook     Website     Houzz      Pinterest     Twitter 

Picture Perfection in Your Own Home

Why do we share more pictures on the internet than we do in our own home? Let your home share your story! These wall displays make your photos cohesive so you can tell your story in a way that is just as unique as your own life. Enjoy!

 No one wants a 'hole-in-the wall' place! This unique photo rack lets you display many pictures without putting more holes in the wall. Show off your sensibility and sophistication with this sleek setup. 

This arrangement reminds me of mountains and their reflected image from a still lake. I love the visual line that splits the upper and lower photos in the display- it lengthens the wall in a creative and subtle way. 

 Mix and match! This display definitely took a lot of advice from my previous 'Mix and Match' post. Notice how the photos seem random, yet cohesive? It's important to keep even spacing between frames, otherwise this could affect the display's balance and flow. 

Don't let your photos go haywire! Instead, hang them on the wire! This display allows you to easily swap photos and slide frames to keep your memories fresh and fun.

   Life is one big balancing act, and it shows on your wall! Even though this wall is not covered entirely by picture frames, the panoramic photos maintain balanced by symmetry. Again, I love the classic nostalgia that black and white photos give!

  Keep your photos in line! This display is simple yet sophisticated. The clean lines offer order while the black and white photographs portray timeless charm and class.

Hope you guys enjoyed today's inspiration! Fell free to leave a comment.  Tell us what you liked and if you are in need of inspiration and its not here.....we will find you some!

 

Like what you see?

Make sure you never miss anything! Follow us!

Facebook     Website     Houzz      Pinterest     Twitter 

Dislplaying Art and Photos Creatively

Walls are the perfect location to display your memories, your art, family photos, even your kid's artwork! But sometimes these areas get over looked or they are just too large of a space to work with...well here are some DIY examples to get you over your fear of hanging art correctly and creatively! Enjoy!

 Black and white are the classic color combo and this is because it is easy to add any color to them! These floating ledges are prefect for many various frame sizes and you can rearrange easily when you want to update your decor or photos! The overlapping frames give the idea of chaos but the colors give the feeling of order.

 This grouping of single photograph is a great way to display your most recent photos! Easily changeable, and if you have photos with a white boarder if gives a gallery effect.

 Don't think you have a well balanced group of artwork? Think again! Scale and balance are what makes this display work. Centered on the wall and making smaller groupings to balance each other works wonders.

  Bands of flat canvas strips hung in a grid formation lets you displace your kid's more recent works of art! Use metal clips to hang the art! This will also allow your kids to hang the art themselves!

Evently spaced out, mixed frames are always a great choice for a home. It gives a collected feeling. Also very east to continue to add more frames as time goes on.