The residential home is set in the oldest part of Jaffa above the ancient harbour and looks out across the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Although the buildings exact age is unknown it is estimated to be a few hundred years old. Originally in an increasingly dilapidated condition, the home was refurbished and designed to make it a highly attractive and appealing location for anyone to move into.

The potential was always there, with the rustic charm, the ancient and culturally rich surroundings plus of course the absolutely stunning sea view. The central aim of the redesign project was to restore the building’s interior to its original self as much as possible whilst also incorporating certain contemporary features and styles. A combination of the old and the new was then successfully achieved.

The old city of Jaffa is now part of the city of Tel Aviv and lies just south of Israel’s second most populous city. It was therefore known that it would be a highly popular locale for people working in the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo. The architects behind the project removed many of the interior walls to reveal the original beautiful sandstone brick columns.

An urban loft style environment has been gained by the incorporation of modern kitchen fittings, stainless steel furniture and the open-plan space gained from the removal of walls. The modern is seen in the additions whilst the old is reintroduced by the simple re-exposure of the original interior architecture. It works tremendously well.

One of the bedrooms features a transparent glass cylinder shower whilst the bedroom leads out onto an outdoor terrace. The sun rarely fails to shine in this part of the world and so the opening up of the space to daylight ensures a bright and cheerful interior.

The architects behind the project: Pitsou Kedem Architects.
All photographs belong to Amit Geron. (reproduced with permission)
Design team: Pitsou Kedem, Raz Melamed, Irene Goldberg.

Prints

Wall art can influence the ambiance and décor of any room. This is particularly so in the home study or library where existing décor might seem a little boring. Prints make a wonderful addition to these types of room and can echo the type of work or reading material present in the room. For example, maybe you work online from home in a travel related business. If so, you can have prints (framed or otherwise) of famous tourist destinations and cultural scenes from around the world. Perhaps you have lots of books related to dogs, which you own as well, thus making prints showing dogs and related canine scenes, the ideal accessory.

Skylight

Have you ever been attracted to those old and musty book stores seen in movies? I certainly have and one way to do this is to paint your home library walls a dark color such as black, grey, dark brown or deep purple. However, if the windows in the room are too small, this will backfire and create a rather miserable and hard-to-read-in interior. The answer lies in either having big windows, or installing a skylight. This is an expensive choice but can transform a library type room tremendously. Natural daylight will stream into the room and create a delightful ambiance in the resulting cosy and snug reading space.

Old Furniture

New furniture for a home study or office can be very expensive. An alternative is to seek out second-hand furniture shops or garage sales. It’s impossible to count the number of times I’ve found outstanding bargains from these sorts of places and you will too. For a home study, an old wooden dining table will make a perfect rustic working desk which will provide ample space for computers, printers and writing space. You can give the table or whatever you find a lick of paint to breathe new life into it and to help it merge with the existing décor scheme.

Desk with Hutch

One furniture piece that I’ve found can completely transform a room on its own is a home office desk with hutch. These are basically a regular desk with in-built drawers, cabinets and shelving that reach up close to the ceiling. They look attractive and can be found in a range of woods, colors and styles. Their practicality makes them a popular choice and any number of items and accessories can adorn the shelves and surfaces to make the furniture piece even more visually pleasing. They are not all that expensive either.

Check some out here: Top 10 Black Desks with Hutch.

Shelving

The number of books you own will contribute to the amount of shelving and space you need to allocate for in your home library. If you have a reasonably small collection of books then a single corner shelf might well be enough. On the other hand, if you are a bookworm like me and cannot stop purchasing novels, encyclopaedias, design catalogues, history books and a whole lot more, then it might be a case of building wall to wall shelving. Simple square latticework style shelving will suit a modern interior and these can be complimented with unique and original shelving designs which stand alone.

Desk Lamps

When working late at night, as I often do, I like to keep the main lights down low and work from the light given off by a strong and attractive desk lamp. I find it helps concentrate the mind and makes the atmosphere more conducive to work. Of course, not everyone will enjoy working this way in their home office, study or studio. Desk lamps are vital items of equipment when it comes to computer work, writing letters, completing homework and sorting through those ghastly bills. Luckily, there are thousands of different desk lamp designs and selecting one that suits you can really add character and decorative splendour to a home office.

If you’re a bit of a traditionalist and have a fondness for old American crime thrillers, then the classic green banker’s desk lamps might make a perfect addition to a sturdy oak wood office desk. In the same way, if you want a more contemporary feel then there are lamps which look like they have come straight from NASA or a passing UFO. These will have excellent quality light effects and come with many various features the older lamps just don’t have.

Mirrors

Hallways tend to be narrow spaces and can feel a little cramped and dark. One great answer to this problem is the addition of mirrors. The reflection from the mirror will make the space look larger as well as add extra light to the interior. This will make your hallway more cheerful and a lot more welcoming to friends, family and visiting guests. You can either place one large mirror on the wall or alternatively, a series of smaller ones in different locations.

Be Unique

The first area of your home a guest will see is the hallway. If you want to make a good first impression, then this is the space in which to do it. Show who you are and express your personality with the décor of your hallway. Add some expressive, unique and even funny items that will get your visitors talking, smiling and even laughing. There are thousands of accent piece possibilities for the wall or small tables that will represent your tastes and interests. If you like cats, then why not find some artistic cat wall decals to attach to the walls, perhaps leading towards the staircase and up.

Storage Bench

A storage bench fulfils two roles in one. If you have long sought a way to add extra storage space to the house for blankets and towels, then an attractive storage bench in the hall is the perfect solution. Hallways with windows and a lot of light can be wonderful places to situate a seating furniture piece in which to quietly enjoy the ambiance, chat with friends or sit whilst waiting for family members to get ready. They come in a variety of materials, colors and designs, including with in-built coat racks.

Flooring

The flooring in the hallway is a highly important aspect of home décor to get right. After all, it is the place where we enter and exit the house the most and thus must withstand the daily wear and tear of outdoor shoes. Carpet is a popular choice here and this brings comfort, softness and a welcoming feel to the entryway. That said, it does have to be looked after, especially during the wet winter months. Rugs make a great addition and go a long way in protecting the existing flooring from stains, damage and scratches.

Funky Doormat

Get a funky doormat to show visitors what they might expect to see when they have entered your home. There are literally thousands of fun and interesting doormat designs, for all themes, occasions, styles and personalities. Plain versions are of course suitable for understated hallways but if you want a bit of a lift, then select one which will bring a smile to your visitor’s faces. Some come with humorous quotations or phrases whilst others are based on a theme such as animals, US states, flowers or sports teams.

Home-made Craft

Why buy something when you can make it yourself? If you’re handy with a needle and thread, then make some handmade items to adorn the walls. You can frame an embroidery piece and place it next to the front door so it can be seen when entering and exiting. Maybe you are fond of calligraphy, in which case you can create a welcome message or an inspiring quote to go somewhere in the hallway. Other home-made possibilities to be situated in this area include baskets, pottery, illustrations, textile arts, woodcarvings and of course, your own oil or watercolour paintings. Nothing says more about you than that which has been created by your own hand.

Coat Hooks

Hooks for coats, scarves and umbrellas usually fade into the background. This needn’t be the case however and with a little searching, you’ll be able to find coat hooks that almost seem to jump out at you. Like with doormats, coat hooks can be found in a myriad of styles and sizes, ranging from the classically ornate through to the wild and wonderful. Coat racks also vary in design and hooks can be found in sets of one, three, four and more. One of my favourite coat hook racks is the “Hang-It-All Wall Rack” which comes with painted circle hooks and is by one of the most famous of 20th Century design teams, Charles and Ray Eames.

Don’t worry, your kitchen is like many across the nation that have not seen a lick of paint or a new interesting design element since the turn of the century, or even since the war. However, it’s not all that difficult to rejuvenate a kitchen interior and turn it into something inviting and inspiring.

After all, a boring kitchen will inspire boring cooking and this leads to poor diets and avoidance of healthy foods. That’s a shame for cooking should be entered into with the same passion one enters a love affair. Good food is vital for your health and for those of your children.

The following tips present to you a variety of ways you can change the very heart and soul of your kitchen from a boring, slovenly and snore-inducing interior to a lively, exciting and stimulating cooking arena. All this achieved with a relatively small budget as well and no large and expensive refurbishments.

Spatulas at the ready! Let’s proceed.

Add Mirrors

The addition of mirrors in the kitchen can make what was previously a small and dark interior look decidedly lighter, brighter and more spacious. The reflection of ones movements in the space also bring a dynamic element to the scene thereby enlivening what was once a motionless and stagnant room.

Mirrors can be added to cabinet doors or alternatively to spare wall space. Some mirrors come with decorative borders which will appeal to different tastes and can fit in with a general kitchen design theme.

New Wall Tiles

Adding new tile backsplashes is a great way to spruce up a kitchen. Plain white is a good neutral tone that goes with the majority of décor but it’s boring! It’s made even worse if the rest of the décor is so mundane it resembles an autopsy lab.

Tiles come in literally thousands of different styles, patterns, shapes, sizes and materials. With this huge range on offer, it won’t be difficult to find a few tiles that will add some interest to the backsplash behind the cooker, microwave or sink.

Do you like spirals and circle shapes? You’ll find some tiles matching this style. What about dolphins, bears or cats? You’ll find those too. More traditional patterns can also be found, as well as materials you perhaps might not have thought about before.

Transform the Cabinets

The kitchen cabinets are one of the most noticeable features in a kitchen due to their abundance and important functional qualities. In order to add some interest to these doors, a number of possible decorative adjustments can be made which will impact on the rest of the room.

Painting the cabinet doors and interiors different colours can change the cabinets into more contemporary and interesting features that can match other decorative elements nearby. The addition of mirrors, as noted previously, can bring reflective refreshment to the scene. The addition of glass doors instead of standard wooden versions can allow the items stored within to be the focus instead (although it’s important that the storage jars, canisters and boxes are attractive in themselves). You can even remove the cabinet doors altogether and have open shelving.

For artistic homeowners who like to get their paintbrushes out, then stencilling is a creative and highly personal way of decorating the cabinet space with pretty and unique images and patterns.

Add Table Lamps

Let there be light! You don’t want to be confusing those fresh tomatoes with chilli peppers, especially when your elderly mother-in-law is visiting.

In all likelihood, your kitchen will have enough lighting to see what you’re doing in the all-important food preparation areas. That said, the kitchen as a whole can often benefit from more locational and accent lighting which will also boost the overall brightness of the interior. Table lamps placed on space surfaces here and there can add interest and visual stimulation during the cooking process and make the room more appealing.

With a bowl of fruit or nuts nearby and perhaps some stainless steel utensils hanging on a wall behind the lamp, the resulting light will enhance colours, textures and reflective qualities. The kitchen will look like a new room.

Add Fun Gadgets

Gadgets don’t have to be electrical or expensive to have an exciting impact on a kitchen interior. Some of the best designs are very simple yet eye-catching with their originality. One of the most renowned companies that make exciting kitchen gadgets is the Italian design factory called Alessi. Their fun kitchen accessories include highly original kitchen timers, cheese graters, orange peelers, tea sticks, citrus squeezers and vegetable choppers, to name but just a few.

Some of these items placed around the kitchen will encourage friends and family members alike to have a go at a bit of cooking and make the interior as a whole more interesting, modern and engaging.

Add Baskets

Is your current kitchen all straight lines and little else? Does a plank of wood have more curved edges than your cooking space? If so, consider the addition of wicker baskets as storage items for dried foods, towels, utensils and the various other bits and pieces found in the kitchen. Baskets bring a touch of the natural world to an otherwise industrial looking kitchen and can transform of atmosphere as a result.

Baskets are also great alternatives for shelving and can be stacked neatly one on top of another in a corner or on a kitchen counter. Some of the most popular materials that baskets come in include rattan, straw, cane, water reeds, raffia, oak and bamboo. You can even find some that are painted in different colours which are perfect for overly white or metal kitchen décor schemes.

Grow Herbs

You don’t need a garden in order to grow your own herbs. Equally, you don’t have to be particularly green fingered to successfully cultivate some delicious herbs for future family meals. There are a whole host of herbs that grow perfectly well indoors. Growing herbs is also a wonderful way to bring further elements of the natural world into the home and the addition of greenery in the kitchen can inspire and awaken creative ideas you never knew were possible.

Different herbs suit different types of settings. For kitchen windowsills and counters that attract a lot of sunlight, then herbs such as chives, oregano, lemon thyme and rosemary will be perfect. For darker and more secluded areas of a kitchen like on the top of a cabinet or next to a bread bin, then herbs such as wild rocket, chervil, French parsley and red mustard will be more applicable.

Be Creative

Turning a boring kitchen in a lively, inspiring and welcoming interior will not be a difficult task with a modicum of creativity. Take time to browse through interior design magazines and websites as well as watch decorating programs on television. Be aware of the world around you whenever you set foot out of the door. In just ten minutes of mindful observation when taking a stroll through the countryside or a cityscape, you’ll come across dozens of images and items that will press a creative switch in your brain.

Don’t be boring! Be aware of everything around you and in no time at all, you’ll have a kitchen to be proud of.

See also: 5 Ways to Stop Your Kitchen Making You Fat.

Organizing and Removing Clutter
The first thing on a priority list for somebody when redecorating is to remove items that don’t need to be there. Cleaning out the spaces and organizing books into bookcases will help make the room look much cleaner. Many people like to lighten up their space by taking out heavy or bulky items and replacing them with light, airy pieces. Displaying smaller collections can also help make a room appear less cluttered.

Rearranging Furniture
One of the easiest ways to make a difference in a room is to move the furniture around. Relocating the couch to another space and placing a bookcase in the other corner can completely change the look of a room. Considering the natural light filtering in and the fact that the fireplace will not be needed can help somebody determine where the furniture should be placed.

Exchanging Linens
A good place to start to help filter in some natural light is the windows. A lot of homeowners use dark linens during the winter months, but this could have a negative effect in the warmer months. Replacing curtains with light, airy curtains allow natural light to come in and make a room appear much more open. Taking off old throw pillows or sewing accents to them can help brighten up the space. Bright floral pillows are always a good choice for spring and summer, along with using just vivid colors, like fuchsia, orange, or yellow. Rolling up an old rug and placing a new one is a much brighter color can also help brighten up the space drastically.

Decorating the Wall
Taking down old pictures and replacing them with fun graphics and art work can brighten up a room almost instantly. While some people like hanging strictly photographs, adding ones with some color and fun elements can make a room appear much lighter. Depending on the interests of the person, the options are almost limitless to what is placed on the walls. Some people love the look of fun plates on the walls, while others are fans of traditional color photographs.

Adding New Accessories
Depending on how the room is decorated, there are a lot of things that can be added to make a change. A dining room can look drastically different with the addition of new placemats in fun colors and an interesting centerpiece. A bowl of lemons bring in some color to a table, while still being functional. New towels in a kitchen or bathroom can add some color and help bring the room into a more festive state. Using fun patterns and colors will help add some punch without being too out there.

Redecorating a room during the change of seasons can help lighten somebody’s mood right away and help the space feel just right. Exchanging linens and rearranging the furniture to allow in natural light can help open up the space. New towels and pillows can add splashes of color and help bring old pieces of furniture into the new season. Taking the time to check out the existing accessories will make a big difference in the room and help it appear much brighter with the right amount of flair.

Deborah Petersen is a content contributor for Design 55, a designer and online retailer of Design 55 Modern Furniture.

Gym – Get those abs moving baby! A home gym provides the family with an easy to access work-out room. It can be an uncomfortable experience visiting a public gym especially if unfit or overweight and so a basement fitness area is a great alternative. It’s also more likely to get the family keeping fit as travelling to a faraway gym can easily end up as a good enough excuse just to quit a fitness regime altogether.

Games Room – Men love to get away from the hectic schedule of work and a weekend with the wife by relaxing in a room with a snooker table, arcade machine or dart board. In fact, the basement is the perfect place to hold card games with friends as well as other table based games like chess and backgammon. With the addition of a television and video games console, it might be difficult for the women of the family to get the men out of the basement at all.

Bar – A home bar will likely be an addition which will go well with the above games room. For skilled carpenters, putting together a bar with matching shelving and stools shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Bars for the home can be bought online and come in a variety of styles, sizes and materials. A major plus of a basement bar is the natural sound-proofing the ground surrounding it provides. This allows for parties and mini-discos to go one for longer and to be a lot more vibrant without disturbing the neighbors.

Movie Theatre – Movies are a big source of entertainment for families right across the world. Everyone has a favourite film and a fond memory of going to the cinema as a child. A small movie theatre in the basement is a wonderful way to bring the magic of the cinema into the home. Going to the movies can be expensive and waiting for the right movie to come along inconvenient but with a home movie theatre, any film can be watched at any time by friends and family in an intimate setting. Again, this can be combined with a home bar area as well as with a games room.

Wine Cellar – For devoted wine connoisseurs, finding a good place to store their expensive wine collection can be a hassle. However, if there’s a basement with nothing much in it, then this is a perfect environment for wine bottles. Wine needs a storage area which is not prone to wild temperature changes and which is dry. With proper ventilation, damp-proofing and climate control systems, a home basement will provide the perfect spot for bottles, even barrels, of wine.

Meditation Retreat – Buddhism and related Eastern philosophies are an increasingly popular practice amongst many Westerners. Meditation rooms are therefore a much sought after type of interior in some homes and the basement is an ideal location for one. Qualities of this area of the house which are conducive to meditation practice include quietness, solitude, privacy and a sense of earthliness. (See also: Wooden Buddha Statues).

Model Makers Heaven – There are thousands upon thousands of model making enthusiasts across the United States who love to build model railways, historic battlefield scenes and model towns and villages. Understandably, lack of space is an issue which affects most model makers but with a newly refurbished basement, the dream of building a mini-New York or recreating the famous Battle of Gettysburg will become a reality. Model railways makers will have more than enough space to fit a number of tables into most basement interiors and have plenty of access space to spare.

When deciding upon the new use for your neglected basement, consider how the whole family can benefit from the space. The lowest level of the house, whilst often thought of as a rather spooky place, thanks to horror movies, can in fact become the most welcoming and cosy setting in the entire home. Just because it might not have windows, doesn’t mean it can’t become a light filled and attractive interior with the use of ambient lighting, mirrors, art work and decorative touches.

The Novogratz duo have been designing and decorating homes for over a decade and their unique style has found wide and positive acclaim. This book is the result of years of experience as the pair present a guide on how to create elegant and beautiful interiors from scratch. Part of the book is comprised of practical guides whilst the rest is filled with inspirational images, tips and humorous anecdotes about their past experiences in home decor.

For anyone who loves to find bargains in flea-markets, garage sales or boutiques, the book gives advice on what to look for and how to use what one finds in the room design scheme. You’ll also want to add your own distinct personality to your interior decor and again, ‘Downtown Chic’ goes into this. You’ll also discover the best ways to update old furniture and how to appeal to children when decorating their bedroom or playroom.

The book features ten projects which cover a variety of different interiors ranging from a New York City town-house to a beach home in the South American country of Brazil. The very popular ‘before and after’ pictures show the reader what the room looked like before and what it looks like afterwards when the intended design has been achieved. It’s often hard to believe how such an unpleasant little space can become a stunning and light-filled sanctuary. For inspiration and practical guidance, this book is very much recommended.

1000 interior details for the home and where to find them by Ian and Geraldine Rudge is the perfect book. It’s published by Laurence King, is available in softback and can be found on Amazon.

It’s designed to be dipped into and browsed through since there is so much to look at and enjoy. In fact, there’s far too much to absorb in just one reading.

The book is divided into seven chapters, covering walls and floors, doors, windows and stairs, heating and cooling, kitchens, bathrooms, lighting and home technology. This book however is by no means your usual interior book. Designed to appeal to anyone interested in improving their home environment, this book will appeal to amateurs and professionals.

There’s one page of text introducing each category, in the form of an interview with a leading architect or designer who has specialist knowledge of the chapters subject.

The best feature about the book is that the products selected all come with a where to buy website, which ensures that all the products can be easily sourced. The book was published in 2009 and includes some of the newest and most inspirational ideas for every space in your home.

This was a guest book review by Nerys Irving-Jones.

Dorothy Draper was brave and determined which led her to become one of the first women to move into the male dominated world of construction and interior design. Draper was a member of American high-society and became close friends with Eleanor Roosevelt. Many rich aristocrats, impressed with her bold designs, commissioned her to re-design their expensive homes. Her career took off and an impressive body of work followed.

New York’s Hotel Carlyle re-design was one of Dorothy Draper’s major projects. She also did makeovers for Washington’s Mayflower Hotel, World’s Fair Terrace Club, Hollywood’s Arrowhead Springs Hotel and the Palácio Quintandinha in Petrópolis located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In later years she also designed car interiors and did work for groups like the Packard Motor Car Company and the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation.

However, Dorothy Draper is probably most well known for one of her books which achieved massive popularity during the mid 20th Century. Decorating Is Fun!: How to be Your Own Decorator was first published in 1939 on the eve of the Second World War. Believing that the home was a place of sanctuary in times of strife, Dorothy Draper’s book deals with creating an cheerful refuge where guests can be entertained in a colorful environment away from the troubles of the outside.

In 2004, after 60 years, the book ‘Decorating Is Fun!’ was republished in its entirety for a new generation of home designers to enjoy. Whilst it might seem old fashioned in a number of ways, the sales of the republished book as well as the positive reviews have shown that there are still many lessons and ideas to be gained from Dorothy Draper’s expertise and flamboyance. I recommend this book if you are looking for a Dorothy Draper biography and a collection of her designs.

The warm climate and colorful way of life in the Caribbean, also known as the West Indies, lends itself perfectly to interior décor and the creation of a vibrant kitchen scheme. Strong colors and simplicity are the key elements to interiors of this style. Rooms which catch the sun a lot are particularly suitable and mimic the glorious weather found in the Caribbean pretty much all year round.

One of the main colors you will need for a Caribbean kitchen is yellow. The beaches and sandy nature of the Caribbean islands is reflected in this color. If you have a wooden skirting board on the lower half of your kitchen wall, then this is a great place to paint a rich yellow color. White is also a very popular tone in the Caribbean and if yellow is a little too much for you, then white is a great alternative.

To contrast the yellow or white, it’s a good idea to go for color combinations found in nature. Again, like the yellow of the Caribbean sand, so the rich blue of the sky can be mixed with colors such as purple and cyan. The key here however is to soften the effect of the darker color buy using techniques such as lime-wash scrubbing. A rag soaked in methylated spirits can also be used to rub away some of the paint thereby creating a cloud effect much like seeing faint wisps of cloud in the blue summer sky.

Further colors can be added to the mix but with a little more restraint. Greens, oranges and natural wood tones can be used as accent pieces whether as part of furniture, table accessories or wall hangings. Older wooden furniture pieces in such woods as pine will look particularly good with the Caribbean kitchen style. Try to avoid the more polished mahogany which will look out of place.

These are just a few suggestions for color combinations if you are looking to design a Caribbean themed kitchen.