Designing Spaces with Simplicity
Traditional ginger jars are reinvigorated in this age of simple design. Their finishes evoke old elegance while they are functional in the most modern sense; as art for your living room, that you can carry away and enjoy at home if you wish.
How do we create a vivid and minimal space at the same time? The perfect beginning is to see that all essentials are available. Just think of your home as a blank sheet–what could it be for your life? Maybe it could tease one’s eye with the sight of oversized armchairs, so beautifully shaped to hug you or a neat nook where the afternoon sun plays hide and seek with lazy bees flying around.
In this regard, lighting is your secret weapon. As lighting mood setter, incidental toucher and reminder of both the day’s brightness and night’s quiet, it cannot be replaced. Invaded by natural light, rooms take on the warmth of a smile. Properly placed lamps however give them a sense of intimacy and individuality. Lighting too plays growling, though silent conscious and active part in every action: from directing our energies for productive work through whispers late one calm evening on a stormy sea (how beautiful!) to tales told in dim light on shortened winter days.
Do not neglect the textures and materials. A wood coffee table contrasts with gleaming metal lamps: it is an interesting synthesis of elements. Think of silk on stone or wool against glass. These sensuous experiences enhance the stark simplicity of your home without drawing too much attention to themselves.
Storage and display furniture of clever design may tend to be undervalued though they often play an important role. Don’t hide away your favorites; take delight in them instead. An open shelf could be used as a place where old books or travel keepsakes are kept, giving personality and background to the room without being intrusive.
Today’s world is crowded with technology. We are tempted to buy the latest gizmo or gadget. However, a simple design approach points in another direction. Choose things that bring joy or are useful. Remember that everything you welcome into your home should have its own function.
And then there is color. A scheme doesn’t have to scream at you to be heard. Picture subtle grays, blues that remind one of the sea’s edge, earth shades that bring a sense of calm akin to walking through wooded glades.
Let us not be unaware of the power of nature, flowers. Adding these–we can introduce tall plants or short evergreens–to a room promotes life. Not only as decorative items but also as friends who pay a visit in person. They are able to provide cleaner air and a touch of peace.
Ginger Jars in Neutral Harmony
Have you ever looked at a space and felt it was just missing that one little point which is you but is missing without it what exists?Well that’s exactly where ginger jars come in handy. Overlooked in many cases but these ceramic wonders–if we think of their splendid heritage–have crossed that part of the world to bring something exotic right into our living rooms. Originally designed to hold spices and herbs, nowadays ginger jars are all about looks.They are indeed the chameleons of decoration. They can blend in anywhere nor do they ever fade from sight. Whether you re just drifting through a Saturday afternoon or due to awaken from another midnight of insomnia, the glamour of ginger jars never fades. It has its own allure.
Why should we stir these perennial form saucers into the work of neutral textures? It’s like comparing fine wine to gourmet cheese. Fresh white, off-white and pale grey tones–these draw up a serene background. Ginger jars strut their stuff against this complex of colors, adding historical value, craftsmanship and bold form without having to worry about calling excessive attention to themselves. Imagine a lightly shaded room with a cobalt blue ginger jar. It’s just like watching fireworks in the quiet of night.
Take my friend for instance. She redecorated her living room recently in a minimalist style. But having changed everything–the furniture, repainted–she was at a loss as to what to do next. She rang me up complaining about her ’empty picture’ dilemma. A little chat and a few cups of coffee later, I suggested she could add a couple of ginger jars. After talking it over she was still hesitant–decorating wasn’t really her strength. Following me, however (don’t ask me why), she placed some classic blue and white jars on the mantle. Lo and behold, the whole room came alive.
Each jar has a story to tell that is itself so intriguing. They each seem in our imagination like a page from a journal in foreign lands narrating stories of distant markets and whispered sweet nothings. They offer muted splendor–a blend of design contradictions.
This is the intriguing thing about ginger jars. They have the most remarkable ability to change their moods subtly depending on who can see them. Put one under a gentle golden light, and it talks gently of elegance. Chuck this against some lively investment green leaves, and off it goes into rustic charm. These jars don’t have to scream for you to know they are there. They whisper just enough to be truly heard in their own special way.
On the subtle variations in texture, however style-driven the pairings are not limited to any particular era. A few months back, while browsing through an interior decorating magazine, just engrossed in the modernism–straight lines clean whites–here was a living room with one solitary ginger jar set off in time–an absolute modern-day study. It was stunning and not a little exciting, like meeting a long-lost friend again in a new city.
So what do you add to these jars? Don’t go overboard. A few simple vases, a couple of books–or even an occasional string light will all do wonders. Think of opposites. A wool blanket nonchalantly flung over the couch contrasts the smooth, high-gloss finish of a ginger jar in perfect balance.
