I get asked all the time what can I do to make my home feel more complete. This is usually followed by I don’t have a lot of money to spend and I want to do it on my own. So I thought I would put together some basic things that any home owner can do on their own to refresh their space.
First get rid of the white walls! The biggest transformation you can give your home is to change the wall color. And if you are trying to complete a home and all the walls are white you will never feel complete. Now this does not mean that all the walls need to be different colors, or that every room needs to be different it just means get some color going. So I know the next question how do I pick the right color? Most people who have lived with white walls for more than a year it is usually because they are renting or they are just plan afraid to make a mistake. First if you are renting make sure you get the landlords approval before you paint. Second if you are really afraid of making a mistake consult and interior designer. Most of us will do a simply color consultation for a small set fee that is a whole lot less that making a mistake. Ok so if you think you can make the decision on your own it is time to look around your space. What color is your furniture? What color are the majority of your artwork and area rugs? How about your throw pillows? In most likelihood you have already made it clear what colors you like and don’t like. So find the color you see the most and select a shade of that color for your walls. If you are nervous start with a muted shade or just ask the person mixing the paint to do it at a 50% saturation.
Style through adding color to the walls
Second major thing you can do to make you home feel more complete decorate your plant shelves, tops of bookcases, cabinets, armoires, entertainments centers etc. Having them bare makes them feel incomplete. This does not mean that every single square inch needs to be covered but at least a small grouping on top of each will make the space feel more homey.
Third have ways to de-clutter quickly and easily. This can be baskets that toys are put in, tables that open for magazine storage, benches with shoe storage, and hooks for hanging coats sweaters and bags. Nothing makes a space feel more unfinished than having clutter everywhere with no place to put it. And the best part is these items can be decorative in nature but give you great function.
A great way to hide shoes and other items.
And lastly have great lighting. The right lighting can make the biggest difference in the world for any space. Get rid of the typical builder lighting and find pieces that fit your personality. This is a great way to change the feeling and give a unique touch to your space.
Great unique entry lighting
So get to it and start loving the space you are in!
Have you ever wondered how two people can like the same things but create a look that is completely different? The same thing happens in people’s homes and offices. By making small changes in the product selected we can create a completely different look while using the same color pallette. For instance the most common thing I hear from clients is that they love earth tones. This is from tradional and contemporary clients alike. So I thought I would post two examples of rooms differnt rooms designed for the earth tone pallette.
Earth tones used with tradional styled furnishings.
Earth tones used with modern furnishings.
Both of these room designs are using the same colors but they have a completely different feeling. Which is more like you?
It’s that time of year again when we have the compulsive need to clean out, redo, or maybe even start new. It’s spring and yes that means spring cleaning. And for a great deal of my clients that means spring redesign. So I thought I would give some easy tips on how to refresh and redesign without major expenses.
First is to get yourself organized. This means doing all the small things like going through closets and getting rid of or donating things you have not used in the past year. One of the major reasons people feel that their home is no longer working for them is the lack of organization and storage space. So once you have gone through and removed all of the old useless things in your closets it’s time to do a little updating. Closets can be drab places but yet are some of the biggest selling features in homes so let’s make it look that way. Find a bright color, doesn’t have to be yellow or neon green, just something that is light and airy that puts a smile on your face and flows with the colors in your home. This is your new paint color for your closet. It should be lighter than the majority of colors in your home. This is usually a small space with few to no windows. We want to make it welcoming. After you have painted the closet in your new upbeat color it is time to address the storage system. At the bare minimum I recommend the investment of matching hangers. The simple fact of having all your hangers matching and facing the correct way without tons of extra empty hangers mixed through your clothes will make a huge change to the feel of the space. If you have the budget the best investment you can make is for closet storage system. It is a pleasure to walk into a closet where there are drawers for undergarments, racks for shoes and ties, a fold out iron board, shelving for bags, sections for dress clothes, fun clothes and work clothes. These changes to your closets will actually make you feel like you have a larger home and give you a better perspective on the rest of your home.
Second major refresh/redesign for the spring time is paint. Over the year the walls have been banged, faded and if you have kids possibly drawn on. It’s time to brighten and refresh those walls that you look at every day. If you love the paint color you have fantastic just touch it up in those neglected places. If you are staring at white walls it’s time to make a commitment to color. Pull out pictures in magazines that you love and hate. This does not just mean the home design magazines if there is a picture of a destination that draws you in all the time that is a great place to start. When you put all the pictures together there is going to be a main color that runs through everything. This is your new paint color. If it’s too bright dial it back to a 50% saturation. Having color on the walls will make you feel like you have a whole new home.
And lastly rearrange your furnishings. If all your furniture is up against the wall move it get it away open up the space. Nothing is more confining than having all of your furnishings up against a wall. Pay attention to how people walk through you rooms. Do they always walk to one spot? Does everyone want to sit on the same sofa? Is there enough room for everyone to sit? Do you have groupings in your main rooms where multiple conversations can be going on? A great way to break up the status quo is to create multiple seating areas. A chair group where two people can sit or read. Swivel chairs are great for these spaces. Then the chairs can always move to different conversation areas without actually moving the chair. Add lighting to your seating groups. This can be done with lamps on console tables behind sofas or end tables or even recessed lighting. Changing the lighting to a space will make it feel brand new and is a small expense for a huge return. Move your artwork around. Just because a certain painting has always gone over the sofa doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work better over a buffet or at the foyer or over a bed. By moving your artwork you refresh it and give the space a facelift.
So are your ready to get to redesigning your space? Are you excited or intimidated? Remember the small output for a designer to come in and give you a redesign plan is well worth it. You will know that the design will be functional and give you the WOW you are looking for.
It’s that time of year again where the design and furnishing industry converge on High Point NC to show off the Spring lines. It is the coming of Furniture Fashion Week. So I thought I would give a preview of the things that I am already completely in love with.
For Rugs:
Lemon Yellow Feizy Rug
Traditional beauty by Nourison[/caption
Chairs:
Councill
Taylor Burke Home
Casegoods:
Bold color by Charles Harold
Distinctive beauty by Chelsea House
Art and Storage by Henredon
Antique style by Sarried
Modern lines by Sunpan
Upholstry:
Curves abd comfort by Hooker Furniture
Elegant and fun by Wesley Hall
Accessories:
Orchid love by Distinctive Designs
Spring blooms by NDI[/caption
Are you excited yet? We are it is looking like this Spring Market is going to be beautiful and I can’t wait to see all the new and amazing pieces!
Have you ever fallen in love with a design scheme, recreated it in your bedroom and then found out you couldn’t relax? If so it is more common than you think. There are many times that we designers create rooms in model homes or for sales pitches that really aren’t suited for living in. The reason behind this…..sales are very different from use. So what color palette may intice you to buy something is very different from the color palette for you to relax in or work in.
A perfect example of this is using bright colors in a master bedroom. This is great to bright WOW factor to the space but it is not great for sleeping. For relaxing our brains want muted colors usually on the cool side of the color wheel.
Bright Green Bedroom
Soft Muted Bedroom
These are two perfect examples of a bedroom geared towards the WOW factor for sales one that would be relaxing to live it. In the soft, muted bedroom one’s brain will actually be triggered to slow down and relax getting one in the mood to sleep. While in the bight green bedroom the colors will actually stimulate the brain and keep one more awake. So for bedroom you want to focus on softer colors, neutrals with hints of color on the cool side, think blue, gray, pastel colors, and soft colors on the top range of a color fan.
For work spaces there are two colors that have been studied to make people more productive. These colors are yellow and grey. Both of these colors have shown improved produtivity. The belief is that yellow keeps people in a happier mood, which raises energy levels and in turn produtivity. For grey the thought is that there are no distractions and the mind can concentrate better leading to higher levels of productivity.
Yellow Office
Gray Office
How about dining areas. Depending on the color you select you could find yourself eating more or less. If you want people to eat more paint the room red. If you want to eat less paint it blue. For this to make sense think about the colors of food. Watermelon, stawberries, tomatoes and apples are all red. They are sweet and are food that are good for you. The brain is programmed to see this color and become hungry. Now think about blue food. For the most part if food is blue it is moldy and not something that you want to eat. So your brian is programmed to see the color blue and not be hungry.
So remember that the color that you select for your space will determine how you will feel in the space. And if you are unsure of the color start with small things like pillows or one wall, then if you find it working go big!
So the new year is fast approaching and that of course means time for some introspection. Well for me it also means that it is a time to start putting together what I think will be hot for the next year. For me I take what I saw at markets and what manufacturers are showing, listen to me clients and then of course what I love and here is what I think will be hot in the coming year.
I think that people are tired of the neutral on neutral rooms. I think that you will be seeing lots of pops of color. That doesn’t mean there won’t be neutrals but they are going to be set off with some bright bold color. You will see oranges, deep emerald greens, reds, and pinks. It is not going to be the muted colors and sea-green. It is going to be fully saturated color. For instance if you have a neutral brown, beige and cream room it can be accented with bright wallpaper in an emerald-green and black tables and metal work for the artwork. It is time to start seeing drama back in the decorating industry. The trend for the soft and subtle, warm cozy room is going away. The elaborate, bold and beautiful is on the rise.
Here are some rooms designed with the pops of color that I am talking about. It is bold and fun and elegant all at the same time.
People want to have fun and show off things other than what everyone has. We are seeing a rise in the faux painting and wallpaper. People are tired of the same old same old. They want to have something different from what everyone else has. I am not saying that you won’t see lots of neutral colors but you are going to see them against bright fully saturated color.
Area rugs are also going to be huge this coming year. First let me say that I have always felt that every room needs an area rug. This is a place that people feel they are saving money on and then wonder why a room doesn’t come together without it. You need the area rug. But also there are so many fun different ones that are really hot now and going to be more so in the coming year. This year is going to be about getting back to life and having fun. People are tired of hearing down news, and they are translating the need to get away from it to their homes. They are bringing in the outside, the tropical, the fun. They are making their homes the vacation spot. And it is seen in the accent pieces and area rugs. Bold patchwork rugs, Moroccan styled ottomans, beaded wall hanging and bold large print wallpaper.
This year is all about fun, color and statement! Enjoy it!
Here is a grown up teen bedroom perfect for that girl that is too cool for pink and purple.
Here is a great bedroom that I call a touch of pink. It is perfect for that glam girl!
You may or may not have realized that we have started working with Project Decor. This is a great website where designers like myself can but together room designs that can be purchased directly from the website. So here are some of the rooms that I have designed that are highly textural.
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