So it is just about that time again, furniture fashion week. That’s right those of us in the industry are getting ready to descend on the town of High Point, NC and shop until we drop. Ok so we may not be shopping all the time, but what we are doing is seeing all of the new trends and the up and coming designer and companies. We are also going to seminars about how we can be better designer, business people and companies. We are finding out about the newest software to make our lives easier and how to make our clients lives better. But during all of that we definitely have some fun and certainly don’t sleep. It means long days, usually at the first showroom by 8am and working until 8-9pm. We are shopping for clients, showrooms, new vendors and just to keep up with the newest ideas. It is super fasted paced and it is all set in this great town that is the perfect mix of old and new. I say that because you may be in a hundred year old building at 9am and then in a brand new skyscraper in the afternoon and in the courtyard in the evening for wine, cheese and day end review. So how about a little peek into markets past? Here are some pictures of the fantastic buildings and showrooms that can be found at market. And yes this is just a very small slice into what happens at market.
Are you as excited as I am for market? Keep checking in for updates on market as it is happening and my favorites from the show. Market will be from April 18-23, 2015. Almost time!
One of the areas that I am asked questions on regularly is on window treatments. There are so many companies that claim to do window treatments, everything from the big box stores to the handyman but there are very few who really know and understand the use of the right window treatments. So I thought I would spend a little time on one type of window treatments. Roman Shades. This does not mean that there is only one style of roman shade just that it is one option when looking at how to design an home and the proper function. It is also one that I like a lot because although it can run a higher price for a single item it can be a money saving option since you do not need a second decorative treatments when using a roman shade. You can add a second decorative treatment, such as drapery or a cornice, but it is not required. There are other treatments that I would almost never do without a decorative addition.
So roman shades come in a few styles. The most common styles are flat and hobbled, but they can also be relaxed, dog eared, balloon or Austrian. So confusing with all the different names? Well don’t be confused or overwhelmed. Most of them look as they sound to their name. A flat roman means that when it is down the shade it completely flat. Hobbled means that even when completely down it as a soft billow at the fold points. Relaxed roman shades have a soft curve to the bottom. Dog eared is a relaxed shade with ends that look like floppy dog ears. Balloon and Austrian styles are soft and billowy with multiple curves and seem like they are multiple shades in one. If I break that down to a type of shade for a type of style your flat and relaxed shades will be a more modern or contemporary style, the hobbled, dog eared and relaxed are more country, the balloon or Austrian is very traditional and the your transitional style would lean toward flat, relaxed or hobbled. How about some visuals? Here are some romans shades of all types in different settings.
See all the different ways that roman shades can be used. This is why I love them as one of my favorite answers for window treatments. They are great alone or with additional elements. So the next time you are looking at how to complete your room think about roman shades. And call a specialist in window treatments not just that big box store or the person who bought a franchise. As designers when know how to properly incorporate you into the space and get you the right treatments for your room.
In a continuation of the new year theme I thought it was time to address kitchens. This is the number one room in the house that sells a house and is also the one that is most important to function properly. We gather in the kitchen, we make our family dinners in the kitchen and we create masterpieces in our kitchens. So being as important as the kitchen is here are some thoughts that I have about kitchen design.
Keep storage in mind. Go for the pantry wall. Add a great island for storage and for seating. Design your cabinets with all the extras, pullouts, spice racks and hidden storage
Keep function in mind. Go for the double oven. Add a second sink or pot filler.
Keep style in mind. Go for a curve. Go for the fantastic chandeliers. Go for color.
Keep your personality present. It’s your kitchen don’t go for typical, go for you.
Here are some great kitchens for all different styles.
Are you inspired? Are you ready to change your kitchen? We love designing the right kitchen and want to help you love yours.
This week I had a very interesting request by one of my favorite home decor websites. One Kings Lane asked me if I would write a post about jewelery and lighting. Not sure where this is going? Keep reading, this is going to be fun and a bit of an insight into my personal style. The idea of the request was to pair my favorite piece of jewelery with my favorite chandelier. So I thought about it for a bit and there are tons of pieces of jewelry that I love and the same for chandeliers. I love bling and sparkles. I love classic and modern. I love big, oversized and chunky bangles. I also love long necklaces with fringe. However, when I think of my favorite piece of jewelry it has to be my beautiful engagement ring that my husband gave me eight years ago. It is classic and modern, sparkles and is the perfect example of my personal style.
See what I mean. It is just the perfect piece of jewelry. So how does that translate to a chandelier? Well for me that means it has to be classic, stylish and a showstopper. All the things that a chandelier should be. Chandeliers are no longer just for dining rooms. We are using beautiful chandeliers in living rooms, great rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, foyers and even in closets. My favorite chandelier, well it has sparkles (crystals) strength (wood and metal) and an elegant feeling (curves).
Do you see it? Classic yet also a modern feel. Curves, definition and some bling. Nothing too much and nothing too little. A perfect combination of high style and tradition. So when you are looking for a chandelier that fits your style think of that perfect piece of jewelry. Think about what your style. Want to know where to find the perfect chandelier? Well, if you can’t find it on my website check out One Kings Lane at https://www.onekingslane.com/lighting/chandeliers to see their great selections. And stay true to yourself and style as your home is a reflection of who you are.
As we continue into the discussion of how to update your home in the new year let’s continue to talk about the bathroom. As much add I love a free standing tub I also love a large shower. And many people are finding they simply don’t use the tub. So that means that old tub is taking up some very expensive real estate. So here are some ideas for bathrooms without tubs.
What do you think? Could you get rid of your tub? It definately makes the bathroom feel larger and adds a whole new feeling to the space. So if your not using it go for function and create a high style design with a super, fabulous shower!
It’s that time of the year where people are talking about their goals and resolutions. And one that I hear on a regular basis is that I am going to get my home done this year. Well let’s be honest there are many ways to complete a home and most of the time it requires construction unless you are buying a brand new home that was just built. So I thought that I would break up those many different projects that people want to do in their homes into a series of posts about the different spaces in the home that most often need to be redone. One of the top wish list areas to be redone is almost always the master bath. There are many ways to redo a master bath but one of the biggest trends right now in master baths is the free-standing tub. This is not really a new idea we have had claw-foot tubs for ages. However, I would like to think that we are redesigning the use of those tubs and also incorporating a modern version of the free-standing tub to a contemporary, updated design. So here are some of the ways that I love to use a free-standing tub in a bathroom.
A modern play on the free-standing tub design. Clean and elegant this creates a perfect state of relaxation.
A free-standing tub in a window nook is great for relaxing and looking out at nature.
Make it a show piece! A traditional home with a unique space planning layout.
Zen baby zen. A Japanese inspired free-standing tub.
A traditional design with a modern feel.
The traditional claw-foot design with an updated feel.
Elegant and refined using the color from the base of the traditional claw-foot to bring the cabinetry to life and unify the space.
Monochromatic is always relaxing when done right.
Elegance, tradition and class meet.
So when you think about how you want to redesign your bathroom think outside of the norm and think free-standing, tubs that is. Not sure how to make the look work for you? Ask a designer, we work all over the country to help you “love the space you’re in!”
So it is just about the start of 2015 and if you are like most people you have decided to get organized this year. This also tends to be an intimidating task for many. There is the question of where to start, how to implement, and of course cost. So I thought I would give you some of my favorite ideas for organizing. These can help with everything from daily tasks like mail and chores to closets and mud rooms.
When it comes to organizing start small. Little changes make big impacts. So start with one space, complete that and then move on. Don’t have time to do it yourself? Call in a professional, designers usually have access to products others don’t and can make sure the project flows properly for your home and how you function.
So start the year off right by getting your home in order.
It’s that time of year when Pantone announces the color of the up coming year. And this year the color is marsala. This is a rich deep tone between red and brown. Think of the wine itself for a good idea on the color. Marsala takes the purple hue from last year in radiant orchid and turns up the maturity and elegance. This is a color that speaks of affluence and grandeur.
So what does this mean for the interior design and furnishings industry? It means lots of great fabrics will be coming out with real depth. This is a move away from the light and airy looks we have been seeing over the past few years. You will start to see darker colors on walls, craftsman styling will see a bit of a resurgence along with deep jewel tones. And all those gold accents you have been seeing recently will go perfectly with these deeper hues. This doesn’t mean you have to change your whole look little changes can make a huge impact, especially when working with this color.
Light blue walls become ultra rich when marsala is added.
Updating with marsala walls gives real depth.
Change out some of your dining chairs to update your look.
Are you feeling it? See how this color makes a space feel warmer and richer? Not your look? That’s ok you can add this color in accents and artwork. Or for something less permanent go for the floral arrangement.
So as you go into 2015 take a hint from pantone and make this year deep and rich for you and your family.
It is officially the holiday season, and that means the kids are home from school. Which means I’m constantly searching for things for them to do. And since it is the holiday season that means crafts, but hey I can’t do just any craft it has to be something different. So this year we decided to decorate glass ornaments. I figured hey we always lose a few every year, either from the animals, kids, or just plan clumsiness. So extra ornaments are never a problem. We decided to try the glitter and floor cleaner method.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about it is pretty simple and you can Google videos if you need to see the whole process. But the basic idea is you fill the glass ornament with the liquid floor cleaner, we used one the smells like almonds which was a nice addition, you swirl it around in the ornament then pour it out. Make sure to not have any bubbles. You then fill the ornament with the glitter of your choice, make sure it’s not glitter glue, swirl it around in the ornament to cover all of the inside. Then pour out the extra glitter. Very easy, and the kids had a great time. It was a little more difficult for Elliana at age three but perfect for Aden at age seven, Aaron at fifteen was too cool to join in.
As you do them you can have fun and mix different colors together and create swirl designs or rainbow ornaments. After a few the technique is really easy and the final protect is really nice. And the best part is that with the glitter on the inside it shouldn’t crack and flake off over time. If you are going to let the kids do the decorating be prepared to have glitter everywhere, and vacuuming just doesn’t get it all up.
Here are some pictures of our finished ornaments and my son Aden decorating.
These will make great gifts for teachers, additions to the tree, and perfect to fill vases and hang for decorating. So don’t leave the kids out when decorating for the holidays, let them join in and have fun together as a family!
As the holidays get closer the kids start to really get into the spirit. Which means they love to start doing things around the house to bring the season into the home. So today we worked together to create a few arrangements to place around the house. I try to do little bits at a time so that it is not overwhelming and doesn’t take all of the weekend. Here are our projects from today.
Eucalyptus mixed with cinnamon scented pinecones and candles on a copper tray.
Evergreen branches in a hurricane vase with scented pinecones, glass beads and glitter branches.
Glitter branches, eucalyptus, seeded branches and glass beads in a vase.
All simple pieces that will work for the entire holiday season and that make the house smell amazing. Holidays are about family so have fun and enjoy the time spent together.
It’s that time of year again, holiday times. That means company and parties and sometimes lots of stress over how to get it right. This year I thought I would give you some tablescape ideas centered around three items. These three easy to find and use items are ornaments, candles and flowers/greenery. These items are all around this time of year which means you can get them inexpensively and have many to choose from. Remember when you are designing your table to have fun, be unique and don’t be afraid to be different.
Here are some great starting points to begin with and then make your own.
Candles mixed with crystal and greenery.
Candles and crystal – elegant and simple.
Candles and flowers – have fun with the colors.
Traditional candles and greenery
Flowers and traditional colors
Traditional holiday flowers
Succulents as holiday decor
Ornaments can make the perfect pop of color
Have fun! Use all the different ornaments with tons of color for a whimsical tablescape.
So hopefully I gave you some great ideas to reduce your stress this holiday season. Remember, the holidays are about family, friends and gratitude don’t let a need for perfection stress you out.
+ decorating, fabric, furniture, Interior design, Interior Design Trends, Redesign, Uncategorized, wallpaper
What Style is that?
I am asked on a regular basis to define a certain interior design style. I believe that this happens so much because many styles of design blend together and of course because us designers love to combine styles. So when I think about interior design styles there is of course the main ones that most people think of which are modern, contemporary, traditional, and country. But inside each of those styles there are many other styles that take bits of each style and blend it together to create a new look. For instance if you are into a beach look you may take bits from country, traditional and modern to achieve that comfy, airy and relaxing beach look. If you love a West Indies look you are mostly using traditional pieces mixed with some modern and lots of texture. How about the ever present Tuscan look that people are still talking about? Well that is traditional pieces with warm color choices and lots of stone and wood accents and touches of country. Creating the right feeling and design in a room, home or office is about knowing the client but also knowing how to mix and match to achieve a great look. So how about some pictures of different styles and you tell me whether you can if you can see where the items cross over and how simple changes take a piece from one style into the other.
English garden country with the traditional table and chairs mixed with floral designs and plaid wallpaper.
Farmhouse, traditional and country combined.
French garden country.
Mid century modern and contemporary mixed.
Traditional farmhouse kitchen in a refreshing white finish.
Tuscan design from French styled furniture in traditional fabrics.
French country with all of the contemporary colors and traditional styles.
Contemporary and modern combined.
Tuscan design created from provincial and traditional elements.
Contemporary design mixed with European elegance.
Modern made from the unexpected high style elements.
A country design with ultra traditional and provincial elements.
Country design using traditional and beach style elements.
Tuscan and some west Indies combine for a warm design made with all traditional and farm style pieces.
Some Bauhaus elements mixed with traditional that creates a modern feeling.
Modern and contemporary created with rustic and traditional elements.
A contemporary look using a mix of traditional and mid century elements.
A clear modern look that has contemporary pieces along with art deco and mid century design.
Modern elements mixed this traditional items to create a beachy feel.
A Tuscan design that uses traditional, modern, and provincial elements.
A beach design with modern and textural elements.
So have you found the elements that have repeated throughout the different styles? Do you know which ones draw your eye? Can you see how the same piece can look traditional in one setting, contemporary in another and country in even another? So before you decide that a certain style in completely set but certain specific pieces see how you can adjust them to work within many different styles.
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