New Zealand Interior Design

In terms of architecture and interior design, New Zealand is a relatively young country when you compare it to the likes of America and England. The design choices, both interior and exterior, have traditionally mirrored that of the countries where most migrants originated from - predominantly the Pacific and Europe. However, over the last few decades New Zealand has developed its own tastes and architectural design elements that blend together the built environment and the unique surrounding natural environment. To compliment this style, interior design has also changed. New Zealand has created its own style that celebrates its heritage, and combined it with modern touches and creative flamboyance.

If you look back to the first half of the 20th Century, New Zealand homes were decorated very sparsely. Traditionally interior decorating included antique furniture, floral print fabrics, fine bone china and sparsely decorated rooms. By the 1940's state housing was predominant and interior decorating remained minimal.

Post-war immigration during 1950's could be seen as a starting point for subtle changes to our interior design choices. New Zealand experienced a large influx of immigrants leaving post-war Europe, including architects who brought with them the principles of the 'modern' architectural movement. At this stage Scandinavian designs were also taking the world by storm - both for exterior design and interior wooden pieces.

The 1960's and 1970's saw the beginning of more Pacific influences in design. Colourful and adventurous fabrics started to make their way into New Zealand homes. These fabrics complemented the new 'open plan' living and 'indoor-outdoor' flow of homes that started to emerge during the 1970's. At this stage New Zealand's distinct design tastes began to emerge.

By the 1980's there were a broad range of architectural styles available - colonial, American colonial, Cape Cod, Ranch, Swiss, Japanese and English country, Mediterranean, to name a few. As a result interior design also started to become more creative, and many consider the mid-1980's as the coming of age of interior design in New Zealand.

Over the next three decades New Zealand homes became truly international. All designs were tried, and architects also started to construct houses to fit New Zealand's unique environment. Homes were built to maximise sunlight with main living areas facing north, allowing more natural light. The open-plan look became the most popular with less internal walls and better flow, again taking advantage of natural light. And New Zealand's popular pastime of entertaining around the barbecue meant the popular indoor-outdoor flow was here to stay.

As a result, interior design changed also. Over the next three decades designers mixed all the cultural influences of European and Asian migrants with Maori and Pacific design, to emerge with what has become a distinct New Zealand style. Many homes started using fabrics and patterns that mixed outdoor elements with indoor décor colours. Interior designers combined different patterns and textures to bring homes to life.

Now you will find a mix of interior design choices in New Zealand homes. Floral, stripes, Maori koru and weaves, earthy tones and bright pacific colours all cleverly blended together to create a unique style. As well as the popular Pacific theme, many modern homes combine classic or antique pieces with modern décor, and retro interiors are also currently in vogue. Fabrics range from classic linen, cotton, and silk to new fabrics such as bamboo, merino and possum fur (sourced in New Zealand).

This comfortable blend of Pacific, Asian and European styles celebrates New Zealand's cultural heritage. Combined with modern touches and creative flamboyance, New Zealand has truly created its own unique architecture and interior design.

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House Interior Design

More than practically any other outward manifestation, house interior design styles can be seen to reflect the world in which they were created. Examined carefully, they will reveal much about the economic state of the people, their aspirations, major scientific developments and even the movement of populations. It is perhaps this fact, together with the amazing standard of craftsmanship and artistry that was displayed so many years ago in early home interior designs, that explains our fascination with traditional house interior design styles.

Researching a particular house interior design style can be a stimulating process in itself. It can involve visits to museums, libraries, historical homes and even trips abroad. A book, play or film might prompt interest in a specific era and involvement with a local historical society could provide valuable background information on the interior design styles you eventually settle on.

The words 'authentic' and 'pure' are often bandied about fairly indiscriminately when describing historical styles. But just as perfectly matched colors can result in a rather boring scheme, so, by being fanatical about a particular period or style, you may be in danger of creating an house interior design style that is totally predictable and rather lacking in character. Feel free, then, to be creative and, every now and then, to interject an element of surprise or an item from outside the period perimeters. Colors, too, can be liberally interpreted as they were in the past when paints would have been mixed by individual decorators.

Cafe Interior Design

In the age of today where there is a standard Starbuck's on every corner of every major city and small town alike, how is an up and coming cafe or coffee shop supposed to compete? It may come down simply to logistics and to the ambiance of the building itself. Cafe interior design is very important. You want your customers to feel comfortable and at home while being offered impeccable service and delicious, quality food and drink. When designing the interior of your restaurant, it is important that the design match the menu. In other words, you would not have candlelight and fine china in a burger joint, would you? Research and intuition will help you in deciding the best route to go for your new cafe.

When you are thinking about your cafe interior design, it is important not to over think the space. Adding too much of something can make the area look crowded and complicated, making for an unpleasant dining experience. Keep things simple and clean with a splash of trend or color here and there. Keeping so low music in the background will also help with the feel. Make sure it is not too loud or too offensive for some patrons. Sticking to jazz or Italian music is always a good choice in a restaurant type of environment.

Kitchen Interior Design

Kitchen interior design is one of the most popular areas of interior design. It is also one of the most expensive rooms to re-design. Many people attempt to do it themselves when it comes to remodeling their kitchen. However, if you choose to hire an interior designer then be prepared to spend a lot more money.

Whether you do it yourself or hire a designer for your kitchen interior design, careful planning is needed to achieve the effect you are looking for in the design. If doing it yourself you must be aware of some of the biggest mistakes made by homeowners when re-designing their kitchen.

One of these mistakes in kitchen interior design is not taking advantage of the storage spaces in the kitchen. There should be approximately forty-eight to seventy-two inches of cabinets for dishes and glasses above your sink and dishwasher for convenience. There should be approximately forty-eight to seventy-two inches of cabinet space near your oven for holding the cooking dishes and supplies. Floor cabinets or base cabinets should be placed near the stovetop for pots and pans.

Another way to utilize space is to outfit blind corners with storage devices such as a Lazy Susan or something called a cookware caddie. Kitchen drawers can be fitted with dividers or full extension glides to make use of their space efficiently as well.

Another big mistake of kitchen interior design is installing an island that is just too big. Island countertops are a great addition to a kitchen but they should only be about thirty six to forty eight inches deep and about thirty six to one hundred and twenty inches wide. If you get into larger size islands they are just harder to use and a lot more work to clean.

One other big mistake that we will focus on is not enough light in the kitchen. Appropriate lighting for your kitchen workspaces would include halogen or fluorescent lighting. Not enough light in the kitchen will make it difficult to do your daily tasks. Kitchen interior designers insist that proper ventilation be added to ensure that offending odors and excess heat is removed from the home. Many do it yourself kitchen re-modelers neglect this important aspect of kitchen design.

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home. It also adds aesthetic and substantial value to your home. Therefore, a good kitchen design is extremely important. In today's fast-paced world, many families only see each other in the kitchen for a quick breakfast or dinner. If your kitchen is not functional then these important family meal times can be functionally difficult. Many people like to entertain and it is important for them to socialize with their family and friends while cooking a meal, which again results in the importance of kitchen interior design. The kitchen should be inviting and serve its purpose of providing a space to prepare and cook meals.

If you are planning on a complete kitchen interior design, whether doing it yourself or hiring a professional, make sure you get your plans in writing before beginning the transformation of your kitchen into something you would see on a television-remodeling program. Good luck with your new kitchen.

Restaurant Interior Design

The interior design of a restaurant is very important as it can draw customers in or it can make them never want to come back. Not only do you have to consider how to best draw in customers you also have to ensure the design allows for productivity of your employees. If the layout is poorly designed employees will need more time to complete regular activities which can lead to poor customer service. Don't leave this to chance. It may be best to hire a restaurant interior design firm to ensure you can meets the needs of your employees while giving your customers an atmosphere they cannot wait to return to.

When considering restaurant interior design and how it will affect your customers, the first rule to remember is that you cannot please everyone. Someone is going to walk in and not like the look of your restaurant and that is okay. As long as the majority of your customers are comfortable you will be fine. The easiest way to do this is to allow the interior to reflect your personal tastes. A combination of ambiance and good food will be sure to bring people back time and again.

When considering restaurant interior design that will affect the customers, there are many areas you need to take into account. Space is important in the dining area. Employees need to be able to move around between tables with ease and customers don't want to be sitting too close to other tables. Yet you need to balance this by taking into consideration that open areas can be overwhelming when the restaurant is not filled to capacity. Don't forget a cashier area placed discreetly by the door. Ensure this does not interfere with normal flow of traffic. By considering all of these things when designing your restaurant, you will be sure to have a layout that is pleasing to all.

Salon Interior

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever". Perhaps this famous line from the poetry of John Keats motivates us to go to a salon. Salon may be a place which makes us look beautiful, but what about the beauty of salon itself? Actually, beauty of a salon lies in its interior arrangement. Beautifully carved salon furniture, manicure tables, accessory carts etc; all of these items induce a magical beauty in the aura of any salon. Designing salon furniture is an exclusive art of creativity.

Furniture designed exclusively for a salon does not only beautify it, but also enable its owners to arrange various equipments and items in a systematically organized fashion. Stylish accessory carts and color racks can be used for arranging different items in a systematic manner. A dashing reception desk is the primary requisite for any salon. Stylish and fashionable reception desk is designed in accordance with the dimensions of a salon. Moreover, the shape, size, color and design of the reception desk should be in compliance with the overall interior design of the salon. Designer shelves, sofa sets and other interior decoration items should also be carefully chosen.

Although, reception desk, racks and accessory carts are some of the necessary items, but the most important furniture in a salon are the chairs on which various procedures and operations are carried out. Technician chairs, pedicure chair and manicure table are the essential furniture required for efficiently handling a salon. Special emphasis should be given on the design of a technician chair; as it should provide the desired level of comfort to any technician; else there may be a decline in the efficiency of various procedures. Pedicure chairs should be selected in accordance with the requirement of the salon. The features required in pedicure chairs and the number of chairs needed, solely depend upon the requirement of the business. Stylish manicure tables add to the beauty of any salon. The shape and style of the manicure tables should be in compliance with other interior items.

Designing of salon furniture requires enormous amount of thought process and efforts. Desired result is achieved only when all the pieces of salon furniture are complementary to each other. A systematic arrangement of all the furniture items and the optimum utilization of the interior space, are the two important specifications which cannot be undermined. In conclusion, it can be said that the beauty of a salon lies in its exclusively designed furniture. In true sense, designing of salon furniture is a creative art of imagination.

Cafe Interior

In the age of today where there is a standard Starbuck's on every corner of every major city and small town alike, how is an up and coming cafe or coffee shop supposed to compete? It may come down simply to logistics and to the ambiance of the building itself. Cafe interior design is very important. You want your customers to feel comfortable and at home while being offered impeccable service and delicious, quality food and drink. When designing the interior of your restaurant, it is important that the design match the menu. In other words, you would not have candlelight and fine china in a burger joint, would you? Research and intuition will help you in deciding the best route to go for your new cafe.

When you are thinking about your cafe interior design, it is important not to over think the space. Adding too much of something can make the area look crowded and complicated, making for an unpleasant dining experience. Keep things simple and clean with a splash of trend or color here and there. Keeping so low music in the background will also help with the feel. Make sure it is not too loud or too offensive for some patrons. Sticking to jazz or Italian music is always a good choice in a restaurant type of environment.