Out With the Unused, In With the New
Who says each room can only have one predefined use? Not me! I meet a number of homeowners who have a dining room that is barely used, but they simply don’t know what to do with it. I say we repurpose the room for a better use – something that will become a showcase in your home, rather than an eyesore. I put this Ideabook together on Houzz.com as a “how-to” guide on repurposing your dining room to some other use. And, of course, if you want a little additional design assistance, give me a call. Old Dining Room, New...
read moreCase Study: Remodeling a Condo in NW Portland
JASON BALL interiors has been getting in the condo remodeling business as of late. Compared to remodeling a free-standing home, condo remodeling is a completely different beast. There are all kinds of regulations and rules set by the HOA to be considered. And, given the close proximity of neighbors (and potential clients), it’s important to work with an outstanding remodeling team to manage the entire build process. I teamed up with Olson & Jones Construction this past summer to completely remodel a condo in NW Portland. The story:...
read more9 Ways to Use Rich, Dark Colors
Color plays such an important role in interior design. A room’s entire mood can be enhanced or completely ruined by one decision. The wrong decision can mask interesting design details, help create an uninteresting space or throw everything out of balance. But, when the color is just right, everything comes into focus. Art pops, interesting architectural details are highlighted and drama is created. This ideabook is all about using dark colors. I’m talking about navy, dark chocolate, black, charcoal — all colors we typically shy...
read moreLessons from Amsterdam: Part 1
My wife and I traveled to Amsterdam and Paris over the Christmas holiday. While the trip was mostly a vacation, it also gave me an opportunity to see how other parts of the world approach interior design. While most of the design world is fairly easily available (due to the internet and international design magazines), seeing design (whether interior or exterior) in person is a valuable experience. It also provides a perfect opportunity to gain inspiration for my own work. This is the first part in a series on lessons I learned while traveling...
read moreDesign for a Cause – Serving Up Style
It is rare that interiors designers design spaces for the public (unless you’re in commercial design, obviously). So, when the opportunity came up to work on a public project that will serve some good, I had to jump at the chance. This type of design has both it’s challenges, like building a room in two days, and it’s rewards, being viewed by thousands of show visitors. Serving Up Style: Designers Fighting Lupus is Portland’s premier design event. This year, 12 prominent design teams were invited to create fantastic,...
read moreJBi interview – Making a global statement
I was recently interviewed by KNQ Associates, an interior design firm in Singapore, for their blog Home Rejuvenation (http://www.homerejuvenation.com.sg). Take a peak. I think you’ll enjoy my perspective on design and how I have designed the home in which my wife and I live. www.homerejuvenation.com.sg Enjoy the article!
read moreThe Modern Butler’s Pantry
At least that’s what I’m calling it. Most houses built in the 80′s and 90′s (and probably even still today) had separate rooms which contained the pantry. I’ve been finding that home owners are wanting to bring the pantry back into the kitchen. A common complaint of the separate walk-in pantry is the inefficient use of space. There is often considerable space between the shelves and wasted space above the top shelf. And, that doesn’t include all the wasted real estate in the floor area inside the pantry...
read moreFurniture Remodeling
The current green movement sweeping the nation has inspired the reusing of all kinds of materials through the home environment – from reusing barn floors as headboards or old newspapers as lampshades. What I haven’t seen much of is how to reuse your furniture by remodeling it. I call this “remodeling” in a very loose sense of the word, however. We’re not so much rebuilding as we are changing the style of the piece with some minor modifications. This might be as small as building up the back or taking away extra...
read moreStair Design
Stairs are one of those architectural elements in a home that seem to be forgotten or ignored by most builders and architects. This is especially true in suburban homes where stairs are just stairs. However, stairs can play a much more important role in showing off the homes architecture and style. Stairs give us a chance to bring in different materials, hang artwork, showcase large and dramatic light fixtures, etc. Depending on where a stairwell is located in a home, we can also play with the way light moves through the home and from floor to...
read moreHouzz.com Ideabook: 9 Ways Grout Can Add to Your Design
This is a great article on Houzz.com on the use of grout as a design element. One of Jason Ball Interior’s projects is featured (first one). Notice how I used the medium, golden brown color to tie the white subway tile to the marble frame. 9 Ways Grout—Yes, Grout—Can Add to Your Design Houzz- Kitchen Design, Bathroom Design and More» Find Home Improvement Professionals- For Example: New York Architect · Seattle Interior Designer · Los Angeles Contractor · San Francisco...
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