“Wonderfully Fun” is Just the Way We Like It

It is indeed a fortunate person who can make a living doing something he or she loves. And that’s pretty much the case for everyone at Leslie Saul & Associates.

Leslie and her crew get to sketch pictures, stroke luscious fabrics, test out really cool sofas, have deep discussions about light fixtures, look at lots of colorful and shiny things, meet really interesting people… and sometimes even make the world just a little better.

We couldn’t ask for more.

And at the end of a project, there’s nothing in the world more satisfying than seeing a smile on the client’s face.

Aviva Sapers, CEO of Sapers & Wallack, had some very flattering things to say:

“Leslie is incredibly creative. She is able to design spaces that fit your budget, keeping construction costs as close as possible to what you planned. I’ve found her a pleasure to work with and wonderfully fun.”

What a lovely testimonial!

(The “wonderfully fun” comment is the best part.)

Leslie Saul & Associates would love to take on your next interior design or architecture project. Let’s talk.

Give us a call at 617-234-5300.

Photo (cc) Andrew Morrell Photography

The Most Ancient of Design Features Still Warms Our Hearts

We’ve been talking about warmth recently here on the blog.

One day in the distant past an unnamed hunter-gatherer suggested moving the fire from deep inside the cave to just outside the cave opening. That way the cave would stop filling up with smoke. Plus, the neighbors wouldn’t be able to see everything they were doing inside the cave after dark.

And that was the birth of the interior design profession.

Fireplaces seldom now serve the original function of heating homes or providing heat for cooking, but there is no more potent design feature to create a sense of comfort, coziness, or emotional (as well as literal) warmth.

When it comes to designing a home, the living area is the first place we think of to include a fireplace.

But fireplaces work well in other rooms, too.

A fireplace  also provides opportunities to add different materials and textures to an interior. And, as in this case, a fireplace can add vertical drama to the room.

Nor does a fireplace have to be inside. (You’ve seen this fire pit before.)

Nor do they have to be particularly traditional.

If you have an idea for a fireplace, or just the warm atmosphere you want to create in your next design project, let’s talk.

Call Leslie Saul & Associates at 617-234-5300.

Let the Sun Light the Space

We’ve talked here about how light really sets the tone for an interior space. Light has the power to energize or comfort. And even if the lighting of a space isn’t the main visual element, it’s the light that carries the colors and textures of the space to your eye.

The very dynamic use of light– much of it from the sun– is what sets the headquarters of the International Fund for Wildlife Welfare (IFAW) apart from other corporate spaces.

Light from outside interacts beautifully with nature and animal themed images in the IFAW headquarters.

The American Institute of Architects named the IFAW building a Top Green Building for its eco-friendly design.

The blinds in the upper part of these gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows block the harshest and hottest of the sun’s rays, while still allowing lots of light into the building.

Placing corridors next to the windows and using reflectors on the ceilings greatly reduces the need for artificial lighting. This is one way the design achieved LEED certification.

The building took over a once polluted field in Yarmouthport, Massachusetts.

This project was spectacularly successful at reflecting the mission and values of IFAW.

 

Fire Pits, Saunas and Pools

It’s been quite a winter. It’s hard to avoid daydreaming of warm days lounging beside a pool.  Let’s warm up a bit with two recent projects Leslie Saul & Associates worked on recently.

This pool takes full advantage of the beautiful setting. Including even just a few natural stones and adding texture to the concrete invites the natural surrounds into the pool area.

Adding a fire pit means you can enjoy the pool almost year round. Even if it’s too cold to swim, you can stay warm next to the fire.  It also adds the basic element fire to the water of the pool and the earth of the stones.

Note the blue in the stone work and in the cushions. What element does that make you think of?

This pool relies more on geometry to create strong visual impact. The unpainted wood of the bathhouse adds warmth that tempers the straight lines.

A sauna and expansive shower in a Boston waterfront condo.

Feeling warmer?

We’d love to talk to you about your next design project. We’re experts in residential, corporate and institutional and senior care design.

Give Leslie Saul & Associates a call at 617-234-5300.

Create a Magical Interior with Cove Lighting

Lighting is sometimes the last thing some people think about when imagining a new living space, but light is the visual foundation of a room. It’s the light that brings the room into our eyes, after all.

Cove lighting is a particularly effective way to create a warm atmosphere that’s always at least a little magical.

The idea of cove lighting is that is often above the eye line and often even hidden, so that the glow of the light is what’s infusing the room, rather than direct rays.

Even a sun room can benefit from cove lighting to warm the room.

This sort of indirect lighting isn’t intended for reading. But it can create an overall feeling of comfort and serenity that is quite effective in a work space.

Cove lighting doesn’t have to be warm.

Nor does it have to be subtle. The LEDs in this kitchen change color, putting on a veritable light show.

We’d love to discuss your next interior design project.

Give Lesile Saul & Associates a call at 617-234-5300.

Beautiful Lighting Creates a Beautiful Mood

The right light creates the right mood

The designers at Leslie Saul & Associates understand that light is perhaps the most important design element in establishing a mood in an interior. Light actually affects our emotions and energy levels.

Leslie Saul works closely with clients to discover not only the image an interior is intended to convey, but also the actual function and level of activity the room is intended to support.

And office space designed to create a cheerful, energetic and creative environment will, of course, tend to be brighter, while more subdued lighting is called for to create feelings of comfort and security to balance more stressful activities.

Of course, more goes into the lighting design of a room than merely, say, including some tracking lighting and moving on. The materials, textures and colors of the room must work with the lighting choices. In one environment shiny surfaces can add a delightful, sparkling accents, while in another too much shine can create an uncomfortable dissonance.

Leslie Saul and her designers have the experience and sensitivity to combine creative lighting with all the other elements of good design to create a comfortable and expressive interior that supports what you do.

Please give them a call at 617-234-5300 so they can start on your next design project.