Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Christy Provides More Tips on Lighting

"Mirrors, lamps, sconces, chandeliers, and windows have all become more than just light sources," said Vidicom CEO, Christy Ferer. These light sources have been reinterpreted and revolutionized. Light can be manipulated by mirrors, semi-gloss or glass paints, even by the color and size of a light bulb. Indeed, with a plug and a light bulb anything can be made into a light source.


Monday, October 28, 2013

Christy Ferer Shares Tips on Lights

Vidicom CEO, Christy Ferer, says the way a room is lit determines how we feel about it and how we see everything in it. Tectures, color accessories, all are sculpted by the type of lighting we choose. Lighting highlights and accents. Or, by its absence, it diminishes. Lighting strongly affects the ambience of a space. The brighter a light, the more exposed we feel. The softer it is, the more protected and calm.

To Bette Midler, "Light is everything. Light, light, light...gotta have light.... I can't stand to live in dark places." Midler is a huge fan of Swedish painter Carl Larsson. "He brought light into Swedish home plunged into darkness by short days," she says. "His use of light was magical and it inspired me in how I decorated and lit my house."



Friday, October 25, 2013

More Choices in Flooring

Christy Ferer says the following about floors:

  • Ceramic tile is synonymous with Spain. Glazed in bright colors, such as yellow, red, and blue, and polished to a high gloss, they are often arranged in tight, highly decorative patterns.
  • Leather is the greatest extravagance possible for flooring. Leather "tiles" are made of steer hide cured with vegetable tanning and dyed. They can be embossed or printed with pattern. The gaps between the tiles are usually filled with Carnuba wax.
  • Cork is soft, warm and available in many colors and grain patterns. It is sold as tiles that are laid over a sheet cork underlay.
  • Mosaic tiles can be played with to give a new take on tradition. Bette Midler uses mosaics to "paint" Hawaiian designs and sayings like "Aloha" in her house.
  • Glass blocks can be set in concrete to make a honeycomb pattern. Or round, lenslike glass blocks can be set in a polka-dot pattern. Glass is used to open up a space and bring in light from the level below.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Floor Choices from Christy Ferer

Vidicom CEO, Christy Ferer, says the following about floors:

  • Concrete floors can be warmed up with paint, polish, or stenciling. They also can be scored with patterns or set in intricate patterns with tiles (or flat-backed clay or beads, or bits of broken tiles or dishes).
  • Rug Remnants can be finishing with piping.
  • Turkish and Persian rugs have been prized in the West for centuries, since Marco Polo brought them back with him from his travels. Add a modern twist to these timeless rugs by casually layering them.
  • Terra-cotta tile, a favorite flooring in the Mediterranean, Mexico, and India, can be configured in many patterns. Sets of squares, diagonals, or herringbones can be made with square, rectangular diamond, hexagonal, and octagonal tiles. Once the tiles are set and grouted, they can be left naturally rough, polished, or sealed to resist moisture and stains. For a European look, place hand-painted tiles at intervals to act as accents.

Monday, October 21, 2013

More Floor Tips from Christy's Book

Vidicom CEO, Christy Ferer, says that "Wood isn't for kitchen floors. Use the title instead." This rule has led to lots of aching backs. While ceramic tile is beautiful and easy to wash, it's very hard. It doesn't give. This makes it tough on the legs and back when cooking for long periods of time. It is also cold (something to think about if you have young children). She suggests going with the grain. Woods like oak, maple, and birch are durable, hard-wearing and have enough play in them to make them easy on the body.


Saturday, October 19, 2013

Christy Ferer Shares More Floor Rules to Break

Christy Ferer, CEO of Vidicom, states that "Redecorating means a new floor." Or revitalize your existing floor. As in all decorating, sometimes what you think you need is already there. Sand down and reseal your wood floor. Stain or dye your carpeting, or cut it into area rugs and have the edges bound. Paint or stencil existing tiles.


Friday, October 18, 2013

Vidicom's CEO, Christy Ferer, Floor Rules to Break

"Linoleum and rubber flooring are for high-traffic rooms only." Linoleum and rubber are big news again. Their terrific variety of colors and their durability make them attractive and practical for any room," says Christy Ferer.

These floor coverings, which are all made from the natural fibers of plants, blend with any period or style. They have an earthy, timeless appeal that gives texture and, sometimes, pattern to a floor. Contrary to rumor, most of them are soft, easy on the feet, and very durable.


Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Another Tip on Decorating Floors

"Industrial-strength materials being used today such as steel and rubber have a high-tech look that can instantly update an interior," says Christy Ferer, Vidicom CEO. Marvelously sensuous underfoot, leather flooring is the height of luxury. I layer carpets of woven plastic, one over another, mixing patterns and colors. There are more choices than ever. You can even design your own rug on the Web with a few mouse clicks.


Monday, October 14, 2013

Christy Ferer Shares a Tip on Decorating Floors

Vidicom CEO, Christy Ferer, says as the largest uninterrupted surface in any space, the floor sets the tone of a room. Warim it up with texture and color. Cool it down with hard surfaces and steely or transparent neutrals. Treat it like a blank foundation on which to showcase your moveable parts--the furnishings and accessories that are going to make your tableau. But whatever you do, know that the floor can be manipulated to contrast or complement your design scheme.


Friday, October 11, 2013

Rules to Break When it Comes to Walls

Vidicom CEO Christy Ferer says, "Carefully sand and prime walls before painting them." There is beauty in imperfection. Play up a wall's flaws and blemishes. Exaggerate them. Celebrate, don't conceal, cracks. After stripping wallpaper, think about leaving the wall as is. Leave the traces of past paint jobs or the wallpaper glue. This creates age and character, gives lineage, and hints at past lives. A compulsively prepared wall can end up looking lifeless. She says if you're painting, try scratching up the dry paint with a steel wool or fine sandpaper to add a little world-weariness and turn up the charm.


Thursday, October 10, 2013

Advice on Walls


Christy Ferer, Vidicom CEO, says, "Walls really do talk--about you. What you do with your walls reveals a lot about the kind of person you are. Are your walls loud or quiet? Playful or serious? Are they cushioned with fabric or coated with copper? What can you do with a naked wall? It is the largest blank canvas in your home, personal envelope waiting for your stamp. She says that today's walls are more versatile than ever before. They are able to open and close, lower and raise up, light up and cool down.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Turn Up the Texture

"Turn Up the Texture" is a section in Vidicom CEO Christy Ferer's book, "Breaking the Rules." Below are a few texture tips:
  • Give punch to a boxy room with a richly patterned rug, sofa, or upholstered wall.
  • Small accessories like plates, vases, and tabletop sculptures create movable pockets of texture and pattern. Rotate them as the spirit moves. Make your home a living environment that reflect your mood.
  • Lacquer and satin finishes give textures to walls with their sheen.
  • Opposites attract. They bring out the best in one another. Soft with hard. Shiny with rough. Patterned and plain. A one-note perfume is never as intriguing as a daring blend.


Friday, October 4, 2013

Read Christy Ferer's Texture and Patterns Rules to Break

Christy Ferer, Vidicom CEO, says "Richly textured materials, such as Oriental rugs, brocades, damasks, and jacquards, beling in formal rooms."

Formal is a label and labels are restricting. Learn to live without labels and watch what happens. Favorite fabrics can be everywhere you go so you can enjoy them. I've filled my beach house, for example, with a mix of rich fabric pillows. Persian rugs look wonderful layered over sisal or terra-cotta. Velvets and brocades complement rattan furniture. Conversely, cottom ikats on antique mahogany chairs break the formality of a dining-room table.


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Texture and Patterns

Christy Ferer, Vidicom CEO, says you might not realize that texture and pattern are related, but pattern gives a grain event to a smooth surface mimicking roughness and nap. Pattern in area rugs, vases, paintings, decorative boxes, wallpaper, drapery, slipcovers, and pillows give richness and intensity to a room. Textures like chenille, velvet, corduroys, bamboo, sisal, and sea grass come with "built-in" pattern. Use these textures to contrast with a cool sleekness of wood, glass, leather, or stone.