Big Home, Big Challenge

Saxon Henry has written for a variety of design magazines, including Home, To The Trade, Womans Day and Better Homes and Gardens.

INTRODUCTIONChapter 1: THE BIG SPACE CHALLENGESetting the stage for the rest of the book, this chapter outlines and explores the challenge of designing livable large spaces. Questions will be addressed, such as: How much will it cost? How long will it take? Who will I need to hire? Tips for organizing renovations, decorating, and building projects will also be included.Chapter 2: SITE & SCALE: THE THEORY OF RELATIVITYWhether indoors or out, the design and size of a house must relate to the human figure. This chapter explores how both the inner and outer workings of a house must be in scale. Examples demonstrate how a house should be situated in relation to its locale, and how to use certain props such as landscaping, outdoor furniture and statuary to help the house appear welcoming. Inside the hierarchy and relationship of rooms to one another will be covered.Chapter 3: DEMARCATION: DEFINING SPACE BY FUNCTIONHere we demonstrate how large, open rooms can be made accessible by dividing the space up into task-oriented areas (e.g. dining room/library, living room/home office). Tips for creating a successful multifunction spaceinclude what types of tasks go well together, and how to best map out the areas.Chapter 4: ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS: IF YOU BUILD IT, YOU'LL HAVE WONWhether renovating, building from scratch, or just decorating, some of the best solutions for toning down large sized spaces are architectural. In this section we profile winning projects that physically alter the space by erecting walls, lowering ceilings, raising floors, or using mouldings (such as chair rail, dado, or horizontal paneling).Chapter 5: OPTICAL ILLUSIONS: THE MAGIC OF PAINT & WALLPAPEREvery woman knows not to wear horizontal stripes (unless shes Twiggy), for fear of looking large. As with fashion, so with interiors there are innumerable tricks that one can play using color and pattern to achieve certain looks. In addition to stripes (both horizontal and vertical), wallpapers come in a multitude of designs, such as checks, dots or toile. And todays paint market is flush with thousands of colors in many finishes. Techniques for using wallpaper and color to visually alter the size of a room are explored.Chapter 6: DECORATING DETAILS: FURNITURE SELECTION & LAYOUTThe size, style and arrangement of furniture are critical to the overall feel of a space. Experts in furniture selection share their tricks of the trade. Advice includes when and what to use, how to mix and match, and where to shop.Chapter 7: THE RIGHT STUFF: ART & ACCESSORIESIt is the personal items, artworks and collectibles, which transform a house into a home. It is these same personal items that (when displayed correctly) will transform the look of a room helping to create a more intimate space. Large paintings punctuate expanses of otherwise uninterrupted wall; collections of artifacts add interest to a standard furniture grouping. This chapter offers techniques, from purchasing to hanging, for utilizing artworks effectively.Chapter 8: ILLUMINATION: THE WELL LIT CHALLENGEA large house can potentially be a dark house. With a basic understanding of photometrics, designers demonstrate a host of successful lighting plans. Various types of light sources, including artificial and natural, are combined for dramatic effect.Appendix A: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSAppendix B: RESOURCES "A designer is only as good as his or her resources." This chapter will focus on the resources that were used in the projects (and listed in side bars). Text will consist of short bios of craftsmen, photos of products, and company descriptions.