Navigating interior design options is challenging. Where do you start when so many options are available? Here are some basic tips for your walls and ceilings. Read part 1 of this article to learn about floors. Walls: Paint Most manufacturers have reformulated their paints, claiming to have reduced the toxic ingredients. That is probably true. […]
Juris Zommers, ASID
A longtime Bainbridge Island Designer, Juris Zommers first opened his firm under the name Daina Design in Seattle in 1962. He moved the business in 1974 to Bainbridge Island, where Stephanie Harris joined him in 1980. As Harris/Zommers Interiors, they have worked in all phases of residential design and specialize in window coverings and fabrics/reupholstery services.
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Design Basics, Part 1: Floors
Interior design choices can be overwhelming, especially with so many choices on the market. To help you along in the process, here are some basic tips for your floors. Read part 2 of this article on Friday for more tips for the walls and the ceilings. Carpet The most forgiving material for a floor is […]
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Wood Varieties — Advantages, Care and Use
Last month I sat down with John Steiner to get his thoughts on woodworking — the cabinets and furniture pieces that he builds out of solid wood. Recently, I went back to his shop to discuss those woods. This is not an all-encompassing review of every wood out there, but rather a list of woods […]
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The Art of Woodworking: An Interview with Artist John Steiner
John Steiner and Harris/Zommers Interiors have worked together on client projects for about 40 years. Steiner is a renowned Bainbridge Island woodworker, known for his furniture, cabinetry and other custom work. Before going to measure an oiled-walnut bookcase system for a new client, I sat down with John in his home overlooking Rich Passage. Sharing […]
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Ways to Add More Color and Interest to Your Home
Use Mylar for a Creative Splash This photo shows Tom Piehl, an extraordinarily talented artist, paperhanger and painter, installing large-size panels of Henri Matisse art on the wall from the top of the counter all the way up to the edge where the wall meets the ceiling. The panels also need to fill the wall […]
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Easy Steps for Properly Hanging Your Pictures or Art
If you have just moved into a new house and need to know how high to hang all your pictures, start by holding up an artwork so that the center of it is about 5 feet from the floor. Have a second person judge whether it looks too low or too high. Always favor being […]
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How to Fix Loose Cords in Honeycomb Shades
If you have honeycomb shades, such as Duettes by Hunter Douglas, in some of your windows, try to catch a malfunction before it becomes a major problem. Sometimes one or more of the cords in the pull-tassel will come undone. Stop using that shade until the cords are put back in place. You could call […]
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How to Select the Proper Seat Height for Best Comfort
At a restaurant in Seattle recently, we opted for the privacy and comfort of booth seating. When our dinners arrived, however, we ended up eating with high elbows. As it happens frequently in restaurants, the banquette/booth seat cushions were simply too low in relation to the height of the table. The magic number for the […]
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How to Clean Patina off Your Sofa or Chair
If the arms of your fabric-covered chair or sofa look darker and feel colder than the rest of the chair fabric, it is patina from your hands. Highly admired on old wood but not on fabric. Most of it can be removed with a simple cleaner. Put two or three drops of a clear dishwashing […]