Using Warm Tones in Your Design

When designing a space, it is essential to consider the mood you want the room to portray. You can make a room feel more inviting by adding seating, carpet, and even certain sounds or smells. You can, likewise, make a room feel more relaxing by incorporating different design elements as well. However, nothing quite sets the mood of a room, quite like the colors we choose. 

Color Psychology 

All colors have individual psychologies attached to them. If you were to see pink in a baby’s room versus blue, it might insinuate something different. Likewise, the colors we choose in our homes can help depict certain images. Do you want a room to feel creative or sophisticated? Are you looking to make a statement or keep your space feeling neutral? These are all questions you should ask yourself before choosing a color. 

Warm Tones 

Warm tones can make a room feel more inviting. You may want to incorporate these in a room where you plan on inviting guests or hosting company. Warm tones include colors like red, orange, and yellow. These colors can all work together to help create your inviting space. 

Using a neutral tone that complements these tones is also ideal. While beige and tan are neutral tones, they can enhance the power of many warm tone colors. Likewise, grey is a subtle, neutral color, yet may be best used with complementing cool tone colors. 

Using Colors to Set the Mood 

A general color scheme is divided up into the 60:30:10 rule. These are the ratios in which you choose your colors. You can give one color 60% dominance over the room while the other two colors are given 30% and 10%, respectively.  Typically, you would give 60% to a neutral color; however, this is not written in stone. Creating a mood board prior to your design can allow you to envision a finished product of your design and give you more design freedom.

Remember, while colors are influential in your décor, and lighting will also amplify this effect. Be sure to add adequate lighting to help enhance any color scheme you choose. If you’re looking for ideas, be sure to follow us on Pinterest for inspiration!

The Simple Guest Bedroom Approach

If you have a spare room in your home, consider this a pivotal opportunity to incorporate a guest bedroom. A guest bedroom is your opportunity to impress your friends or family who stay overnight and give them a comfortable, homey experience. There are many ways to design a guest room. You can maximize the space, theme it, add charisma, amplify lighting and so much more. With so many design themes popular in this day and era, it can be overwhelming to choose one that will accompany all guests of all ages. One timeless treasure though that is neutrally appealing to all is a minimalist approach. This concept is an open layout focusing on enhancing the space through a neutral color palette and simplicity. Here are several tools to help you achieve the perfect, minimalist guest bedroom in a simple, fun, and easy approach: 

Welcoming to All

With guest being of all ages of life, you will need to have a guest room that can be tailored for all types of people. Minimalist design is perfect because it is a beautiful open design that can appeal to all age groups. Having the room being so universal is the key to creating a successful guest bedroom.

Simple and Elegant

Minimalist design is great for creating a calm, welcoming environment. It provides the perfect remedy with its clean-cut nature that helps the room feel ever-so-elegant with less is more being at the core values. Keep the space from having an excessive amount of furniture and color will help keep the room feeling “move-in-ready for everyone. Make sure you still get enough key components that the room feels complete but never overdone.

Timeless

Another great feature of the minimalist design is how timeless the style has been. It can be low maintenance and easy to keep cleaning being limited on furniture. Sometimes harsh colors can be trendy, but with a monochromatic palette, you have no potential of the room going out of style. You can still add splashes of color but be cognitive of keeping the room from feeling too trendy. Keep the room feeling robust and ambitious but never overpowering and leading towards too harsh of a style. This allows the room to be easily adaptable to anyone. The key to this design is quality over quantity and to make an enlivening room that all are welcome.

We hope you enjoyed these tips and tricks! Be sure to check back for more expert design tips. 

Mixing Metals in Your Interior Design

Timber Cove Model

When it comes to interior design, traditionally, metals were never supposed to be mixed throughout the design. However, interior design is always changing. New generations want to change the traditional styling of their parents and put their own flair on the design industry. While tradition is great, the new trends can bring forth many significant styling advantages as well.

Does your home have a common metal theme throughout it? Perhaps, you have all stainless-steel appliances in your kitchen. Well, if you are looking to change with the times, consider mixing metals in your home’s design. Here is everything you need to understand about metals in order to properly mix them in your home design:

No More Than Three Metals

When it comes to mixing metals, it is very similar to painting a room. The most effective approach is no more than two or three metal variations. You can have one primary metal and choose an accent metal, or you can choose to have two secondary metals and an accent.

The easier approach is two, but mixing three can be aesthetically pleasing as well. Try to use your primary metal in a variety of areas throughout your home. Perhaps, your kitchen has stainless steel appliances. This may be your microwave, sink, range, refrigerator, and dishwasher. Now, consider adding your secondary metal to other areas of the room. Maybe a different metal on the handles on your cabinets and doors while including a coordinating metal chandelier and faucet to the design.

Mixing Different Metals

Different metals can influence the tone of a room. Just like colors, there are cool, warm, and neutral metals. Warm metals consist of brass, copper, and gold. Cold metals are aluminum, stainless steel, and silver. Whereas neutral metals can be black metals or cast iron. When adding your accent to a room, select a different value metal to give it more of a pop to your design. For example, if your room is full of gold (warm-tone) picture frames, light fixtures, and bar stools, try adding some silver (cool-tone) accents to the room.

Metal Finishes

Metal finishes can work great in different design styles. There are several different finishes to choose from when selecting metals in your home. Weathered metals can be used to enrich an atmosphere. Hammered metals are great for adding some texture to Rustic or Farmhouse designs. You can even try applying brusheed metals to Eclectic homes. Polished metals are used in many Modern-styled designs and can help enhance yours as well. Yet, a satin finish may be more Traditional. Knowing the different metal finishes and how they affect your home may help you select the right finish to tailor to your design theme.

Mixing metals is becoming more common. Adding a variety of metals to your design can help really add character to your design. There are so many ways to incorporate these tricks into your home, even from decor to furniture. How will you end up mixing metals in your design? Let us know below in the comment section. Thanks for reading!

Using Outdoor Rugs Inside Your Home

Rugs have been a conventional floor covering for over an estimated 4,000 years. Over time, different styles have been invented to handle different applications best. For instance, wool is a great natural solution that is eco-friendly and an excellent insulator. Nylon and polyester are both synthetic fibers that can have great resilience or “bounce back” after they have been crushed while being durable, and versatile. However, some synthetic fibers were designed to withstand rainy environments, humidity, and resistance to sun fading. These polypropylene rugs are great solutions for outdoor environments, but can they be used inside your home? Of course! They actually have many benefits that may be right for your own home. Here are three benefits of why outdoor rugs may be best for inside your home:

Extremely Durable to High Traffic

Polypropylene rugs are made of incredibly durable fibers. They work great inside your home and will not show any traffic patterns. This feature is great for families with children or pets always running around inside the house. They can also handle well against spills or accidents and clean very easily. You can take them outside and hose them off, allow them to air dry, and bring them back inside your home!

Resistant to Mold and Mildew

This factor brings up the next valuable advantage of polypropylene rugs that they have above their competition! Water is typically carpets worst nightmare! However, these outdoor rugs can withstand water daily and are resistant to mold and mildew. This feature makes them very advantageous for rooms with water exposure like kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.

Diverse and Unique Style Options

These “indoor/outdoor” rugs offer a little bit different styling than your traditional rugs. They can give you a large selection of options to browse the right fit for your home design. With a wide variety of colors, patterns, textures, and sizes, you can find a rug for any room in your home.

Expand your vision of rugs and consider using indoor/outdoor carpet more frequently inside your home. These advantages are significant for homes with children or pets!

Three Pieces of Home Decor That You Need

Home décor is the best way to make your house feel like home. What you add to your space is a simple way to tailor your taste in the atmosphere and express yourself. For instance, every time you add a picture, a vase, or a piece of furniture to your home, it gives off energy to help design your space. So when creating your home’s theme, there are three key components you must consider. Here are our top picks to add to your space to help create the atmosphere:

Pictures

A picture is worth a thousand words. Every photo that you add to your home can help become a focal point in your design. For instance, imagine a room with floral pictures on the walls. These pictures can help revitalize the room and add life to the atmosphere. Now, take the same room and add contemporary art. This artwork can make a room feel more modern and edgy. Pictures are great focal points to reflect on when creating your design. One photograph as a focal point can give you colors, expressions, and meaning to create in the design of your room.

Color

Color is also an incredibly influential factor in an environment. The colors you choose to put in your space can completely transpire different meanings. For instance, adding purple throw pillows and violet curtains can feel completely different than a room with a red couch and warm-hued rug. Colors can impact moods and how we psychologically interpret a space. So make sure you understand how and why you chose each color that you use in your home to see how it can change your space.

Lighting

Lighting is great for bringing life and energy to a space. Plus, there are several types of lights that you can consider adding to each room. It would help if you started with your general or ambient lighting. This lighting should be used to cast or blanket the entirety of the space and provide a function to the atmosphere. Next, consider your accent lighting. This lighting can be used to create more ambiance or mood in the room than your general lighting. You should also consider using task lighting to help provide light more focused in areas you will be performing tasks. For instance, if you need a reading lamp, a light in the kitchen for cutting, or even light provide for sewing – this is considered a task lighting. Task lighting can come in many forms. Make sure to balance your atmosphere by adding all three of these lighting options where needed.

With these three key components, you can master tailoring your space to your design needs. They are all great ways to customize your home and make it feel more expressive of your style. What are some of your favorite ways to customize your own home?

There’s Still Time to Refresh Your Design for Summertime!

Whether you are just moving into your new Fulton Home or planning on sprucing up your current home’s design this summer, there are thousands of avenues to take for home improvements.  Some projects can help improve your space with simple décor pieces and other smaller investments, whereas a full-out remodel can really allow you to let your home shine.  Whether you are redecorating, remodeling, or renovating your home, we gathered some different projects to help refresh your design and embrace the effortless look of summertime. Let’s take a look!

Focus on Flooring

To quickly spruce up your flooring, you will want to invest in an area rug.  You can find all kinds of patterns and colors to match your home’s design.  If you are looking for a specific sized piece, you can order or select a carpet that can be bound into the perfect sized rug for your home.  You will be amazed by how effective an area rug can change the dynamic of any space.

Count on Countertops

Do not miss out on the opportunity to style your gorgeous countertops with decorative pieces. By adding decor to your countertops, you can highlight their beauty without taking away from them. Add colored fruit (real or faux) in clear jars or a bowl for a refreshing look and pop of color. Use trays or slabs to display groups of decorative items. Remember the decorating rule of three’s – and don’t forget to create different heights.

Color Me ‘Refreshed’

Another powerful tool you can use is paint.  Color is one of the most effective ways to convey a feeling or mood into an atmosphere.  Consider using wall colors that will keep a neutral feel and pops of color as accents while helping to brighten up your home. They will reflect natural light and help your atmosphere to feel soft and open.

Refresh Your Atmosphere

Refreshing your home’s atmosphere can include simple tactics to spice up your interior design. They do not need to be elaborate investments or changes to the blueprint of the house for them to be worthwhile.  To help you find the perfect balance for your own home, we broke it down into several categories to look at when refreshing your space.  Try adding some of these to your home to enhance the summer appeal.

‘Wall,’ Hello There

An easy way to refresh your space this summer is by adding pictures to your walls.  Pictures can say a thousand words and can help enhance a theme in a room. If you already have images, you can swap them out with summertime classics to captivate the free-spirit, effortless vibe we admire about summer days. Simply store your winter/fall photos in a bin, and swap them out with light and airy artwork for a fresh look.

Delightful Décor

Let’s be honest; we all love décor.  Whether it is scented candles or soft throw blankets, every homeowner leans more towards a particular piece. But if you find yourself limited, try adding flair to a space with homey decor pieces. Curtains, throw pillows, and shelving décor can give a room a theme and make the design feel deliberate.  Just be sure to find a common theme and allow your décor to complement each other.

With all of these design elements, your home can embrace the light and airy vibe that we admire about summertime while encapsulating the homey attributes you always wanted. Thanks for reading! Check out our Summertime Pinterest board for all things related to Summer including yummy recipes and activities.

The Positive Psychology of Color – Part 2: Light Colors

How to use color to convey in interior design

In Part 1, we began our discussion about the psychology of color. Using color to expertly influence the way people experience a space is a very powerful tool. Have you ever visited a model home and been stunned by how serene the bedroom is or how welcoming the family room is? That’s because professional interior designers know exactly how to use color to create a room that makes you say, “This space is absolute perfection!”

Now you can give it try too, by using our handy guide to what colors mean. Have fun with it, and try to get creative by thinking of ways to combine colors for an overall effect. For example, rather than just choose light pink because you want a room to feel youthful, combine it with aqua so it also feels dreamy! The possibilities are endless, have fun!

Light & Medium Colors

White – innocence, purity, clean, new

Amethyst – restorative, protective, peaceful

Aqua – water, refreshing, cleansing, young, cool, dreamy, soft, light

Ivory – classic, neutral, soft, warm

Light Blue – calm, quiet, patient, peaceful, cool, aquatic, clean

Light Pink – romantic, affectionate, compassionate, soft, sweet, tender, delicate, innocent, youthful

Light Yellow – cheery, soft, sunny, warm, sweet, easy going, pleasant

Light Green – calm, quiet, soothing, airy

Peach – nurturing, soft, funny, delicious, fruity, sweet, fragrant, inviting, warm, comfortable, modest

The Positive Psychology of Color Part I

How to use color to convey in interior design

Have you ever thought about deciding the color scheme of your home based on the psychology of color? Certainly, it’s perfectly fine to go with your favorite colors, but one of the great things about knowing how color affects the way people experience a space is that you can create an ideal setting.

This doesn’t mean you have to forego colors you love, but the meaning of color is so effective that it actually changes with the intensity of the color. For example, the color blue can be light, dark, bold, pastel, etc, and each of these is a little different. Selecting a certain shade allows you to create a very specific effect! Intrigued? Keep reading Part One – Dark Colors. Then check out our other blog posts that explain additional options!

Dark colors:

  • Amber – multi-cultural, mellow, abundant, original
  • Black – powerful, elegant, sophisticated, mysterious, bold, basic, classic, strong, expensive, magical, night, prestigious, stylish, modern
  • Brick Red – warm, earthy, established, strong
  • Charcoal Grey – reliable, responsible, accountable, conscientious, resolute, restrained, conservative, professional, classic, sophisticated, enduring, mature, business
  • Chocolate Brown – scrumptious, rich, robust, appetizing
  • Deep Blue – credible, authoritative, basic, conservative, classic, strong, reliable, traditional, service, nautical, loyal, confident, professional, clarity
  • Deep Purple – visionary, wealthy, royalty, prestigious, subdued
  • Dark Green – nature, trustworthy, refreshing, cool, restful, stately, mountains, hushed, woodsy traditional, reliable, money, prosperity
  • Foliage Green – natural, fertile, healthy, balance, life, growth, soothing, harmony, restful, restoration, lively, spring, renewal, lush
  • Teal – serene, cool, tasteful, sophisticated, confident
  • Vibrant Dark Orange – fun, whimsical, childlike, happy, glowing, sunset, hot, energizing, active, gregarious, good natured, spontaneous, optimistic, talkative, jovial, sociable, self-assured, persuasive, animated

Decorating the Nursery

Most parents-to-be today find out the sex of their baby before the baby’s arrival.  However, there is a strong minority who wait to know if they are having a boy or a girl until he or she arrives. Whatever camp parents-to-be fall into, decorating the nursery for baby is an exciting process.  And with all exciting projects, it can also be a little daunting.  Do you choose classic pink for a girl? Blue for a boy?  Or do you decorate in a more gender neutral color like yellow or green for future babies who may occupy the nursery? What if you have fraternal boy/girl twins?

While pink for girls and blue for boys continue to be the most popular choices for nurseries, there is a rise in gender neutral decorating in the nursery.  Princess pink can be replaced by yellow with gray and white accents.  Baseball blues might be exchanged for purple and apple green.  There is no limit to the colors you can choose for a baby’s room.  Keep in mind that it is easier to change paint color than replace flooring so you might want to stick to neutral carpet colors or wood floors for the nursery.

If you go neutral on the walls and floor, you can always bring in feminine and masculine touches with the crib bedding, curtains and accessories.  Toys and games as well as art are great ways to personalize a space to fit baby’s personality as well as gender. Neutral will also allow the room to grow as baby grows into a big kid.

What do color choices say about your home? Part II

Your color choices in your home can say a lot about you and the overall environment. Therefore, knowing when and where to use colors can help you master how each room feels. Combining colors can help influence different feelings as well. As we explored in five colors in part one, we saw how different colors can have significantly different impacts on an environment. Today, we will look at several more common colors used in design themes. Let’s get started!

Purple

Purple is known as a mysterious yet spiritual color. It is a compassionate color; however, it can make for a more calming atmosphere. Using purple is a perfect way to create a luxurious or imaginative environment while being very versatile.

White

This crisp color can make any room feel clean and spacious. White is a heavenly color that is pure and feels very refreshing. It pairs best with cool tones more than warm tones, which is vital to know when designing your space.

Green

If you are trying to add more life to a room, green is the color of choice. It can help revitalize and energize a space. Also, it subconsciously reminds us of plant life, which can help invigorate any atmosphere.

Gray

Gray can steal benefits from both white and black. While sophisticated and classy, it can also keep a room feeling more open and spacious. It is still neutral and leans toward black for more benefits, or you can go light to explore more white inspiration.

Yellow

Yellow is a creative color to use in a room. It is very eye-catching as it is used to capture attention. It will radiate throughout the room, making it feel more optimistic and charming. In essence, you can add more energy to a room by using yellow.

What colors do you use in your own design? There are so many ways we can add color to our homes to help give them life. Knowing these characteristics can help you tailor a room to your specific needs.