Hiphome Luxury Rug Design

Merry Christmas from Hiphome Luxury Rugs

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:34:00 GMT

Rug Research...

In the New Year we will be doing a few weeks of research through out Europe to help you in your endeavour to find the perfect hiphome rug for your clients. Whether you are looking for a stock rugs or custom developed.... stay tuned, keep posted and look forward to heaps of designer ideas coming to you in the New Year.

In the mean time here is some inspiration to keep you going.

For more ideas or to purchase a rug...click here (or go to www.hiphome.com.au), we deliver quality custom and stock designer rugs worldwide.

Hiphome luxury rugs wish you and your families a safe holiday season and a prosperous 2011.

Christmas Design for your dining table

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 22:23:00 GMT

Interior Designing your Christmas table

This week we a hiphome luxury rugs are showcasing a variety of ways to give you inspiration to dress up your dining table for Christmas from digsdigs. Enjoy and we will have one more blog before Christmas, until then enjoy the silly season.

There are more ideas that one could poke a stick at. We hope you enjoy, have fun and get creative this Festive Season. For more creative rug ideas click here to visit hiphome luxury rugs.

Lonny Online Magazine

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:46:00 GMT

Full of gorgeous ideas for every interior designer

Click here to access Lonny Mag

For some great designer rug ideas go to www.hiphome.com.au

Christmas Interior Design Inspiration

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 11:13:00 GMT

Interior Designing at Christmas

- collation by hiphome luxury rugs from google images

Some gorgeous ideas for Christmas interior design. Just remember it isn't too late to order your hiphome luxury in-stock rugs for your clients in time for Christmas, you must call 1300 hiphome ASAP.

Wishing you a happy festive season
from all of us at hiphome luxury rugs.
visit us at www.hiphome.com.au

Pure Interior Design Inspiration

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 10:59:00 GMT

Oh baby have we found some inspiration for you this week.... it is called the Partay House and has won a phenomenal amount of awards over the last couple of years. Below are some images and the link back to the website where we found it so you can really bask in all its glory... enjoy!

Click here to take survey

Still interested? visit http://www.marciokogan.com.br/#/projects/completed/paraty_house or for some beautiful designer rug ideas visit hiphome.

The most expensive house in the world - with the most expensive rugs

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT

hiphome's luxury designer rugs

We thought you might be interested in looking at the world's most expensive home. It is worth $1 billion (£630 million), is 27 storey tower blow in Mumbai. The owner.... Mukesh Ambani the richest man in India and fourth richest man in the world. Perhaps you will get some design ideas....

Photo Credits: Jay Hariani, 16.09.0B, Mark Fitch, Ajay Viswanathan

We have included some hiphome luxury rugs in amongst the photo's, we hope they give you some inspiration.

Looking for subtle, interesting patterns. Try hiphome pamplona iza

looking for a light coloured rug? try hiphome diva audrey light

Something like a hiphome monterey navy will look fantastic (or you can create your own custom rug).

looking for shades of green, try hiphome coast retreat

for more rug ideas, visit hiphome

More modern than modern, interiors

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:16:00 GMT

More Designer Rug Ideas from hiphome

We found these beautiful modern images at DigsDigs this home was created by some amazing architects at Agraz Arquitectos. Looks beautiful but a bit bare without all those rugs....check out hiphome for some more luxury designer rugs.

For some modern rug ideas (or really any) visit www.hiphome.com.au

Gorgeous bedrooms with designer rugs for the interior designer

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:16:00 GMT

helping you choose hiphome designer shag rugs

Check out the groovy bedroom furniture by Huelsta found at digsdigs. To help you acquire the modern, gorgeous look we have matched some beautiful luxury hiphome rugs.

Looking for a shag-a-licious look? Try hiphome's sangria coal - hand tufted art silk with wool & maratex

This golden glow can be achieved by purchasing a hiphome rhumba napa - hand tufted premium
art silk with maratex

If you are looking for more shags - you can try a rhumba vienna 100% premium art silk with maratex

hiphome's boa glaze is such a soft luxurious shag made with 100% premium art silk

allure fudge - 100% premium art silk

For more hiphome luxury rugs visit us at www.hiphome.com.au

Luxury Designer Rugs

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 12:48:00 GMT

Designer Rugs

Last week we showed you some beautiful interior images and an interesting story on why people should use interior designers. This week we are matching some of hiphome's designers rugs to those stylish rugs shown last week. Enjoy and we hope it inspires you...

The gorgeous rug behind the black and white rug could be built as a custom rug using 100% premium art silk (hand woven)

This black and white beauty could be a match for hiphome's semi worsted nz wool with art silk - marquee marakesh.

The glossy shag is a perfect match for our boa tea which is hand woven 100% premium art silk.

This luscious thick shaped shag could be a match for hiphome's sangria light, hand tufted art silk with wool and maratex.

This naturally beautiful toned rug could be replaced with a dolmo silver, hand tufted nz wool blend with art silk.

For more beautiful designer and custom rugs visit www.hiphome.com.au

why your clients need you... an interior designer

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:12:00 GMT

Why your clients need an interior designer...

This week I found an interesting blog on how to determine if you need an interior designer from freshome. It is always important to look at your business and how to improve it. This is the perfect way to look at your business from the outside in, look at it from a clients perspective and why they need you.

Your home should be a reflection of your personal style, lifestyle and attitude towards life. If you look around your home and it is lacking life and personality you may need to hire an interior designer. If you once liked your space, but now you and your family are at a different place in life and need an outsider’s view and touch, an interior designer can help. Some people have the time and know how to put towards choosing décor, colors, and finishes together while others get overwhelmed with the number of available color choices, and styles. Read on to determine if you need to hire an interior designer.

Is your home reflecting you: Anyone can buy furniture, paint colors, and move furniture around a room. An interior designer on the other hand will sit down with you and discuss what your personal style is. They will determine by your family and lifestyle what finishes work best and what will fit your budget. An interior designer can help you plan a space to fit your life, and layout the necessary components to bring it to fruition. If you cannot say your space reflects you, you should consider hiring a designer to take away the stress.

Do you enjoy recreating your space: In your spare time can you visualize how you would like your space to look like? If you were given an all white room with no furniture or finishes, could you pull together the space and be pleased with the results? Many people are good at visualizing in their head, then transposing to paper to articulate, and into the living and breathing space. If you enjoy these exercises and process, you may not need an interior designer. For you may have all the ammunition you need to seek online design inspiration to get started.

Expertise can outweigh price: If you’re weighing the pros and cons of hiring an interior designer, remember the expertise that an interior designer can bring, can outweigh the price of the physical service. Remember your home is probably the most expensive asset you have. The time, energy, trips back and forth to home improvement and furniture stores, and not to mention stress could all be handled with an interior designer. While on television it appears that you can remodel a room in a weekend, the factual truth is there are countless designers, trades people and crew to pull this off. In your home, you may have a few friends, and yourself – make the decision for the right reasons and not only financial.

Talk to an Interior Designer first: Most designers will offer a free consultation to come to your home and assess your design dilemmas and walk through your options. Some designers will have tier pricing where you can do work yourself and then utilize them for a few options, rather than the entire project. This is good for a do-it -yourselfer that doesn’t want to take on everything. If on the other hand you want to sit back and relax, there are always great options for you!

The decision to hire an interior designer can seem difficult, but in reality is not. It will require you to figure out how much help you want, and what you enjoy doing yourself. If your budget permits then hiring an interior designer can be the most rewarding decision you can make for a quality design job of your living space. Use these tips to guide you in your decision, it’s now yours to make!

We hope that you can use some of these ideas to help grow your busines.

If you need some wonderful interior design ideas go to hiphome's website www.hiphome.com.au and be pleasantly surprised to view rugs exclusive to the interior design industry.

Exterior Designs for Interior Designers

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 09:55:00 GMT

Interior Designs for Exteriors

This week we have something a little different interiors for exteriors; we found this at StumbleUpon. Designed by Andres Remy Architects, this modern above-ground outdoor pool in Devoto, Argentina is truly beautiful! When planning the placement of the swimming pool, the architects carefully studied the path of the sun. The pool is elevated from the ground creating a glass wall that allows views from within and outside. Even people inside the house can see the action in the pool while lounging on the sofa. This project does a phenomenal job combining the best of both worlds: the natural and urban landscape. Enjoy...

For more interesting interior design ideas visit hiphome's website.

How to Place Furniture in a Small Space

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 05:38:00 GMT

Today we have found an interesting excerpt from freshome. No matter what residence that you will be assisting in designing there is always the change that there is one room that is space challenged. The number one problem that plagues small home owners is how to place furniture in their small spaces. Whether your furniture seems too big, there are too many pieces, or the doorways are in the way, there is a solution to your dilemma. Every home has space for furniture but you may need to use multifunctional pieces and be more flexible in your home décor. The following tips will help you realize that even your small space can fit beautiful furniture.

Assess your space: Before you convince yourself that there is too little room, or your furniture is too large, visualize your space on paper or in your head. Rooms that have doorways to another space will need to have a clear walkway through your space and through the doorway. Therefore, do not place very large furniture too close or in the middle of traffic pathways. If you have windows, take into consideration tall furniture that can block views out of these windows.
Assess your furniture size: If you haven’t bought furniture yet, measure the spaces for furniture before you go shopping. Online furniture and mail order catalogs will have dimensions for you to plan. If you buy from a store, take a tape measurer and ask the sales associates for dimensions. If you have existing furniture, size up your largest piece and your largest wall. Continue through this process until your room has adequate pieces and room to move freely throughout the space.

Multifunctional furniture is important: If you’re realizing your furniture doesn’t fit, multifunctional furniture is your answer. A futon can double as a couch or a bed, as can a sofa bed. A dining room table may need to also be your office desk for a laptop and small printer. Small ottomans can hold storage and large ottomans can serve as cocktail tables. Determine your entertaining and family needs and choose the multifunctional pieces that are best for your home.
Consider the big picture: Most people would love to live in a large home that could accommodate all of the new furniture they acquire. The reality is, more home owners are opting for smaller homes due to rising energy costs and a smarter approach to spending money. Determine what pieces of furniture your family need, and then which pieces are for luxury. If your family is comfortable and you can entertain, your furniture is probably perfect for your home as it is.

Obtain furniture from classifieds: If your budget is tight for buying furniture, visit online classifieds and local garage and yard sales. You may be able to furnish one room of your small space for what it would cost for one piece of furniture in a retail store. Do your homework, people are selling furniture every day, and you just have to know where to look!
Invest in a few great pieces: Since you are going to pare down your furniture pieces, why not have a few killer pieces to make your living experience enjoyable? An armoire that can serve as an entertainment center, storage and shelving may be right for your living room. In a bedroom, a gorgeous head/foot board with integral storage or dresser drawers may prevent you from needing a dresser. Living in a small place doesn’t mean you have to compromise for style and function.

Make the most of your small home and embrace the challenge of placing your furniture. Plan out your space and take time to buy furniture that fits the exact need you have. Lastly, don’t be afraid to purge and sell your furniture if you are downsizing to a smaller home. Believe it or not, living in a small space builds character and you’ll be surprised how cozy and personalized a small space will grow on you.

To help you complete your look logon to www.hiphome.com.au for some great rug ideas.

Lonny Magazine - Oct/Nov edition

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 23:34:00 GMT

Click on link below to open the latest Lonny Magazine.
http://www.lonnymag.com/

Pixilated Bathroom Design Made With Custom Mosaic Tile

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:06:00 GMT

We thought you might enjoy this blog from Digs Digs - something a little different to stimulate your design brain cells. For more great rug ideas visit hiphome's website at www.hiphome.com.au

Pixilated Bathroom Design Made With Custom Mosaic Tile

We all know that with mosaic tiles we could created very beautiful wall design in bathrooms and kitchens. Although usually only simple patterns come in mind. De Meza + Architecture+ Interiors created much more interesting bathroom design for 2010 San Francisco Decorator Showcase. Pixilated walls that they created with black and white mosaic tiles looks more like an artwork than a simple pattern. In order to create this really complicated pattern Spec Ceramics created 12” x 12” mesh sheets with tiles that was much more easy to install later.

The back wall of the shower, draws inspiration from a photo of a French staircase that used tiled words on the risers. The floor and adjacent wall pattern was designed to create movement in the space and to also draw attention to the back wall of the shower. In the result, designers have got a modern design that live within a traditional envelope. Check out a more detailed description at HomeWorkshop.

How to Navigate Design by Committee

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 02:51:00 GMT

We found this interesting article on design by committee from author Andrew Follett at http://sixrevisions.com/project-management/how-to-navigate-design-by-committee/

The phrase "design by committee" evokes a range of emotions from designers, mostly the kind you save for an arch-nemesis (think Lex Luthor) or expend on your Windows-based PC. A quick search will uncover a variety of articles and jokes bemoaning the process, and with good reason; it has long been the Achilles’ heel of many a designer’s creative freedom.

However, as enjoyable as it can be to slam the design feedback process, there are steps you can take to make the most out of it — because let’s face it — you usually don’t have a choice to design on your own (and if you do, consider yourself lucky).

In fact, there may even be situations when design by committee (when managed effectively) produces better results than a single design dictator could produce on their own. Like the old proverb says, "two heads are better than one," which can result in additional experience (knowledge of what has worked and what hasn’t in the past), combined creativity, unique viewpoints and efficient error checking.

Before we continue, let’s examine why design by committee exists and why it so often fails.

History of Design by Committee

Design by committee occurs anytime more than one person is actively involved in a design project. For most designers, this is standard operating procedure. At times, a committee might consist of a boss or client weighing in on the design, but more often than not, it can encompass your co-workers, managers, clients and even outside opinions (think spouses, children and pets). Oftentimes a committee is established to make everyone feel involved in the process, or to provide a "safe and often anonymous process for finger-pointing down the line," says writer and graphics artist, Speider Schneider.

Design by committee is nothing new. On July 4, 1776, a design committee was established to design a seal for the new American nation. Members of the original committee included well known historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. After numerous variations, three separate committees and six years of revisions, a final design from Charles Thomson was approved.

Since that event, which certainly was not the first, thousands of other designers like Thomson have dealt with design committees. And while we may be able to consider his final product a success, the process itself (6 years in the making) most likely was not.

Hopefully, the thought of participating in a multi-year, government-run design committee makes your situation seem a little more manageable.

Why Design Committees Fail

There is never one clear reason why design by committee fails. Usually it is a combination of factors that plague the project from the start. If you haven’t read Matthew Inman’s How a Web Design Goes Straight to Hell, it is the one of the most entertaining portrayals of design-by-committee-gone-wrong to date, along with Stop Sign Designed by Committee. Gary Hartley at The Floating Frog describes a typical design by committee outcome:

Susan loves it
Clive hates it
Malcolm gives his thoughts 2 weeks later that contradicts his original changes
Mike wants it how it originally was
Clive’s wife adds her two cents
Two members of the committee fail to give feedback

Sound familiar? Most committees end up in this kind of circular, unproductive feedback loop because the group operates on many or all of these principles:

Lack of a clearly stated objective
Suggestions based on individual opinions
Absence of a strong leader
Disorganized feedback process
Personal or political agendas

Despite the obvious pitfalls of design by committee, there are effective strategies for navigating the process that can produce positive outcomes. When done right, the product of a well-run design committee will satisfy all parties involved and produce a better design than if just one person were in control.

How to Successfully Navigate Design Committees

There are several approaches you can take next time you find yourself in a design by committee situation. One option is to never give in, ignoring the suggestions of others and stubbornly standing by your creative decisions. This tactic — if it doesn’t get you fired — will certainly label you as "defensive" and "insubordinate."

On the other end of the spectrum is the doormat approach, yielding to everything and trying to be a crowd-pleaser. This approach may be more favorable for your immediate career prospects, but eventually it will catch up with you, resulting in subpar, generic work.

Fortunately, there is a third way, an approach that will keep your client happy and allow you to maintain your creative integrity. Outlined below are the principles of this approach.

1. Clarify the Objective

A successful design starts with a well-defined objective that everyone understands and supports. Without one, it’s nearly impossible to complete a design project on your own, let alone as part of a large group. Be sure you also define and agree upon the target market, business objectives and criteria for success. Once you begin the feedback process, having a clear set of goals will help keep feedback on track and make it easier to disregard suggestions that are not in line with the objective.

2. Use the Right Tools

Meeting face to face to discuss a design proposal is often the most effective route, but when a meeting is not an option, it’s important to use the correct tools to facilitate an organized and productive discussion.

For example, collaborating via email often leaves a confusing string of comments and attachments which are difficult to manage and will lead to frustration.

Services like Private Feedback from Concept Feedback offer a secure environment where teams can exchange feedback in an organized and visual format (for more options, here are other feedback/critiquing tools).

3. Ask Good Questions

Instead of asking "What do you think?" which often elicits a long-winded emotional response, try to ask questions that require the participant to consider objective factors, like business goals or the end-user experience (i.e. "Does the design meet our stated business goals?").

Make sure to challenge personal opinions by asking questions that dig deeper and expose the core of the issue. Simply asking "Why?" can start the process of determining whether or not the opinion is valid and relevant to the objectives.

4. Defend with Reason

Make sure there is a purpose behind each element included in your design, and be prepared to articulate each of them. Having a well-reasoned response based on design principles and real world experience will be much better received than a defensive, emotional reaction. You should also know when to pick your battles. Some aspects of a design just aren’t worth arguing over.

5. Filter Feedback

A design committee is made up of a variety of personalities. Some people are there to see the project succeed and provide educated feedback, while others are just there to argue or add their fingerprint to the process.

Determining who is who from the outset can help you effectively manage the feedback process and focus on the suggestions and discussions that will contribute to the success of the project. If at all possible, try to limit the size of the group and only include key players to avoid added confusion.

6. Use Real World Testing

Internal discussions can only take you so far in the design process. At some point, your committee will run in to disagreements. Testing with real world users can often help resolve these disputes and determine a solution that not only works on the drawing board, but in a production environment.

Here are several tools to consider which can be used throughout the design process:

Concept Feedback – Best for testing mock-ups and wireframes (pre-launch).
UserTesting and Feedback Army – Ideal for testing websites in staging or production (pre or post-launch).
Google Website Optimizer – Best for testing web page variations with real users (post-launch).

Summary

Design by committee is a fact of life for many designers. Despite the many negative connotations, when approached with the proper tools and strategies, design committees can be a satisfying experience for everyone involved, producing quality projects and happy customers. However, the responsibility is on you, the designer, to create an environment that produces results.

Have you had a design by committee experience of your own, whether good or bad? Let us know how you handled it in the comments below.

Case Studies

Read about some projects designed by committee.

Design by Committee: The U.N. Headquarters
The Perils of "Designed by Committee" as a Pejorative
Design by Committee: W3C
Designing the Great Seal of the United States