Interior Design Reference No. 6 - The Naked Console

I call it the naked console when the floor space beneath a console is left undone. I am not a fan of design clutter, but I am also not a fan of a blank canvas. The most forgotten areas of a design plan are the final layering in of finishing touches and ceilings. This is where the naked console happens. We'll talk about forgotten ceilings in a future post. 

If a console with an open base, even if there is a stretcher, has been chosen for your design plan avoid the naked console by not only considering the design elements that are going to be showcased on the top of the console but what will be layered in below the console. It is like a perfect wine pairing - contemplate the wine notes and how they will affect the taste of its food counterpart. 

Take heart in that the solution to the naked console problem can happen as soon as you are aware the problem exists. Approach this solution just like you would any other by giving it thoughtful respect. It is not something to rush into unless you get that aha moment of clarity that finally, you have found those design elements a place you to reside. 

A well-designed naked console takes a lesson in the art of pondering. The art of pondering is a place where silence, daydreaming and wonderment are welcome and necessary. If you've been around any good designer, you have seen the art of pondering. It can be reflected by their stare is either on the table that holds a project's design elements and inspiration or on a single spot on the wall as they mentally envision.  Their posture is a bit relaxed as they practice the art of pondering. 

Our home is too important to allow undone. Haphazard is not part of your home's completion. There will be naked consoles and other blank areas that are pending. Just have a plan in place and keep these areas on your design to-do checklist. The plan doesn't need to be finalized it just needs to be a plan to complete and we need to be playing around with options we own or sketching out what we thoughtfully ponder as possibilities. 

Design is joy! Remember that. It is learning and choosing what helps us live a life surrounded by design elements that comfort us. It's our Calgon. 

“Don't Just"

Don't just learn, experience.

Don't just read, absorb.

Don't just change, transform.

Don't just relate, advocate.

Don't just promise, prove.

Don't just criticize, encourage.

Don't just think, ponder.

Don't just take, give.

Don't just see, feel.

Don’t just dream, do.

Don't just hear, listen.

Don't just talk, act.

Don't just tell, show.

Don't just exist, live.”

― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

The naked console with its unwritten space underneath is your design biography - it can be a short, simple yet profound story or it can be a story full of illustration. Sketch out your draft, ponder it and then layer in the final vignette. Juxtaposition will become a design triumph. Yes, the design elements can be functional but think beyond that. Think opposites attract. Think contrast. 

Ponder a simpler console surface and clean wall backdrop to reserve the drama for the floor area under the console. Throw caution to the wind and display your collection of busts or blue and white Chinoiserie under the console instead of on the console. Prop the cherished small but mighty painting on the floor under the console rather than hanging it over the console. Ponder, and then ponder again.

A well-chosen basket under a console is fine. Anyone can do fine. Ponder the shape of the baskets, who was the artist whose hands wove the basket? Are the baskets placeholders until your find the right design elements? Remember temporary still needs to be beautiful and be meaningful. Don't opt for ordinary. If it isn't either beautiful or meaningful opt to leave the canvas blank.

Proportion, scale, and harmony are design principles that are vital to the naked console dilemma. Remember it's a pairing. Shoes make the outfit. (Don't take that literally - don't use the naked console floor area as a mudroom to toss your shoes!)

We are rule breakers first so room designation has nothing to do with this naked console discussion. A piece of furniture has no limitations in our home. Where you place your console has no concern over how you layer it and treat the blank floor area below it. A console is such a versatile and wonderful piece that can be placed anywhere in a design plan. Floating, dividing a room, greeting at an entrance wall, in the kitchen holding prized culinary books and the same accessory consideration you'd give it in any other room, at the end of the bed, in the bath. Length, shape, mixed media, embellishment, style, vibe - all factors in selecting the right piece. So that all seems a tad overwhelming but it's not. Just ask yourself why you are drawn to a piece. If you don't know look again until you can answer that question. Find joy in your selections, every one of them. 

 

What a delight it can be after pondering the naked console to find out that you can look for design elements that otherwise may seem too oversized on top surfaces. You have approximately 26-30 inches of height and a horizontal landscape of space that varies depending on the length of the console to design. The depth of the console is a small factor. There is no rule that says what you layer in under your console is limited to the depth of the space - if it doesn't impede on traffic flow and your shins don't curse you color outside the lines. 

I always write and speak about thoughtful design and in this post touch on the art of pondering a design plan. And I am intrigued with the art of hygge the Danish and Norwegian concept that encompasses the feeling of quiet comfort. And I love the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, the perfection of imperfection. These are all great concepts to apply to designing well. And the Brits have a space in their home they refer to as the snug. This is traditionally known in America as a nook, but I love the reference to snug so much better. 

Recently I was introduced to the principles of Japanese ikebana by Vicente Wolf who almost always follows these principles when he is composing a setting. In ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, blossoms, branches, leaves, and stems find new life as materials for artmaking. In contrast to the western habits of casually placing flowers in a vase, ikebana aims to bring out the inner qualities of flowers and other live materials and express emotion. Wolf applies this to a setting typically in a three-part structure that represents the heavens (tallest component), humans (medium component), and the earth (smallest component). 

These two paragraphs are a long definition for thoughtful and meaningful design but there is no other way to explain it in the context of the reverence it deserves. 

Travel to a place, wherever it may be, that allows you to shut out the things like design rules, design trends that are not your aesthetic, shiplap, color of the year, traditional, transitional, modern. Now with a clear mind start dreaming and pondering what you have seen and felt that brings you joy and translate that into your design plan. It's a mood, a vibe, that's your home. Journal all these things, sketch these things, photograph these things. Congratulations you have just started your design file. 

The art of pondering will catch you having read this post looking at consoles differently. You will hear how that empty space under the console, the naked console cries out for its moment. Your design file and journal will become simply extraordinary filled with hygge, wabi-sabi, ikebana, and the importance of snug. A blank canvas will become your thorn. You'll want to transform, feel, act, and live your design plan in a new way. This is the fun of design. Dance it out, you've found the joy of design.

Be inspired to become familiar with blank canvases like the naked console. The concept of layering will be like pulling on that favorite sweater. Hello friend I'm here to take your hand and finish your design plan for this home.

Sources (in no particular order): 1st Dibs, Glass of Bovino, Architectural Digest, Arteriors, Atlanta Home, Decor Pad, Habitually Chic, House and Home Magazine, House Beautiful, Instagram, Materia Designs, New York Social Diary, Pinterest, Tumblr, Simple Details, Nathan Turner

Interior Design Reference No. 5 - Bookcase Anatomy

 

Bookcase anatomy is studied best with an open mind for breaking the rules, kind of. The design theory for setting up a bookcase using a geometry format like diamond or triangle shapes can come in handy but don't get stuck on that theory or you might find yourself a bit on the anxious side. My suggestion is to block out some time, acquire a good bottle of wine, and put on some Frank Sinatra, start the process of loading your bookcases and then when the wine is gone you are done for today. Repeat another day with a fresh block of time, a pitcher of martinis and more great music until you have aced bookcase anatomy. 

Yes, the geometry theory of organizing a bookcase is a good rule of thumb but it is not necessary to abide by this theory for every shelf, in fact I advise against it. Why? It's too repetitive and lacks personality. Afterall our bookcase is our story - the books we read, the trinkets we cherish, the art or photography we love - how we display it all is our biography. So, let's talk about breaking the mold with my bookcase anatomy theories like redefining a bookend, placeholders, overflow, showcasing, creating a backdrop, hanging with flair, illumination, and what to say no to. 

My Bookcase Anatomy Theory No. 1 - Redefining a Bookend. As a matter of fact, can we either get rid of the bookends or if they are really cool keep and use just one of a set. Anything can be a bookend. Anything! A wooden artist sketch model is one of my favorites - this guy can be manipulated into so many different poses to create an attitude and deserves a shelf on any bookcase. What about your kid's clay creation from last year's summer camp, that is a great bookend. Try anything and see if you like it, if you do that's your bookend for that shelf. And remember it can just be horizontally stacked books holding up the vertical stack.  

My Bookcase Anatomy Theory No. 2 - Placeholders. Bookcase anatomy finds us either having more than enough bookcase storage or not nearly enough. For those that have more than enough placeholders are important when styling your bookcases. Empty shelves are a no-no. This doesn't mean we just fill them with stuff. Ponder and very thoughtfully select placeholders. Placeholders are those elements that hold shelf space for future library acquisitions. Be sure that these placeholders don't even resemble something temporary. You might be surprised to find that what was a placeholder remains and finds its niche in bookcase anatomy. 

My Bookcase Anatomy Theory No. 3 - Overflow. Welcome to my world. This bookcase anatomy theory is for those that have bookcases that are full or that one who doesn't yet have any bookcases. If your bookcases are filled and yes, you've crammed to the brink of clutter but somehow maintained a passing grade in bookcase anatomy. How do you handle the overflow? This is where a great piece of occasional furniture comes into play, propped up against your bookcases. A handsome chair with a shape that could be considered a piece of art becomes another bookshelf. A vintage gateleg table is an additional bookcase shelf stacked with overflow books that doubles a romantic place to win an impromptu game of go fish with a night cap in hand. A long hand-hewn bench with a worn leather cushion becomes another library shelf and provides a perch to sit and peruse the other shelves for our latest read. 

For those of you that have yet to acquire any bookcases are just mastering bookcase anatomy backwards. You are already using clever well-selected occasional furniture pieces as bookcase shelves around your home to hold stacks of your library. You've created a well-designed way to handle the overflow until bookcases are in the budget. Bravo! 

My Bookcase Anatomy Theory No. 4 - Showcasing. There are books and bookcase elements that deserve to be showcased and only you know which ones they are. This is where your dissection skills come into play. You might find that it works best to gather these elements you want to showcase and place them at random on shelves then work other things around them. It may take some strategic chess playing moves to get it just right but keep dancing on that checkered game board, it will all fall into place. Another way to showcase elements in bookcase anatomy is to hold these items until the end then listen carefully, they will tell you where they belong. 

My Bookcase Anatomy No. 5 - Creating a Backdrop. This theory is actually two-fold. Creating a backdrop inside the bookcase itself is one option. This is where a bit of boldness comes into play. Remember dissecting that frog in class? It was either the smell of formaldehyde or the first cut that got us, alright maybe both but we persevered and did it. So, suck it up buttercup and get through this theory of creating a backdrop. Not all bookcases need a backdrop, but it needs to be explored. A bookcase backdrop is simply treating the backwalls of the bookcases with either a wallpaper or a few coats of paint to give the illusion of depth and/or eliminate starkness. The need for a backdrop depends on your bookcase anatomy and only you can decide if it's necessary. 

Some of the best wallpaper backdrops are organic textures like natural grasscloth, tortoise shell, and papers that mimic bookbinding all in neutral palettes so as to not compete with the bookcase contents. The set-and-go backdrop at the academy awards never competes with the actor's fashion so your backdrop shouldn't compete with your bookcase anatomy.

The other option to creating a backdrop in bookcase anatomy is when the bookcases themselves are the backdrop. This becomes the option when your bookcases are creating a backdrop to a seating arrangement. If your best room layout is placing your sofa or other seating in front of your bookcases, do it. It is important that you remember to leave enough walking space behind the seating arrangement to enjoy reaching for your next read with ease. 

My Bookcase Anatomy No. 6 - Hanging it With Flair. Defiance at its best. Hanging art or a mirror where it shouldn't belong. True bookcase anatomy is all about defiance. You are the author, and you are writing your bookcase anatomy biography. This theory is especially obvious when your best room layout places a sofa or other seating arrangement in front of your bookcases. While the books and other elements on your bookcases provide an attractive backdrop to your seating area, hanging a piece art on the bookcase directly over the seating can create a dimensional affect that is worth considering. Hanging art or a mirror directly onto your bookcases isn't reserved for this placement though you can do this regardless of the placement of your bookcases. Trick of the trade when installing art right onto the bookcases while still having access to your books without removing the art from a nail or hanger is to install using hinges along the side of the art frame. When installed this way the art works as a door, swinging open when you need to get to shelves behind the art.

My Bookcase Theory No. 7 - Illumination in all the Right Places. Just as understanding the principles of lighting in a room plan it is important it is a must to know how to illuminate bookcases. Selecting the proper lighting for your bookcases can depend on where they are located in your design layout. Lighting will enhance the function and appearance of the bookcases. In bookcase anatomy ambient, task, or accent lighting can all be options and your design choices are vital. 

My Bookcase Anatomy Theory No. 8 - Bookcase Don'ts. You know those last few pages of that fashion magazine where the models either donned a big red "X" over their photo or they didn't? The fashion do's and don'ts. I have a few bookcase anatomy don'ts. Keep mind that these are mine and you don't have to adapt them to your bookcase styling. 

Don't use artificial greenery if you have the right natural lighting for live plants to thrive and you have a green thumb then use them. If you don't, please do not use fake plants to fill your bookcases - not on the shelves and not on the top of the cases. 

Don't use a pair of bookends, it is too contrived and outdated. If you have a cool pair of bookends, consider using just one of them and give the other one away. 

Don't color coordinate your book covers. This is contrived and tacky. Bookcases are for book lovers, people who love to read about things they enjoy. They can be books about travel, self-enrichment, fantasy, autobiography, childhood stories, classic literature. They are meant to be individual and unique not chosen because they have the right jacket cover. 

Don't display your books backwards. When you see this in a showhouse or photograph it is a staging technique not real life. 

Don't put limitations on your bookcase anatomy. Your bookcase can be a double agent. It can be a bookcase for your books and other elements, and it can be a place for your mini bar or record player and album collection. 

A favorite of mine in bookcase anatomy is to know that any special trinket or element can have a place of prominence on a shelf. As I mentioned earlier, I don't have the luxury of bookcases...yet, but that doesn't stop me from picking up things that make me say, "this would be great on a bookcase". Just looking around me as I'm writing this blog, I see my vintage wooden camera slide lens, a pewter labyrinth with its crystal tipped wood pen, the smallest carved turtle I have ever seen that has been with me for many years, my collection of busts and phrenology heads, my zebra hair on hide round lidded box, and my vintage crystal inkwell - all great elements of bookcase anatomy.  

Are you ready to study bookcase anatomy and show what you've learned in class? Be inspired to look at styling your bookcases in a whole new way. Cheers!

Sources: Instagram, Nikki's Plate, BHG, Alice Lane Home, HGTV, Carla Aston, A Touch of Grace, House Beautiful, Elle Decor, William Sonoma, My Notting Hill Blog, Nashville Interiors, Tumblr, JB Architect, Decor8, Parade, Leanne Ford Interiors, Pinterest