Category Archives: Design Inspiration

Cozy Lounge

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Cooley-Station-089-web - CopyHaving a living space up on the second floor right by the bedrooms makes sense. This cozy area, from the Sunset model in Cooley Station, provides an inviting space for lounging in the evening, watching TV, or just talking together.

This second-floor lounge is perfect for so many things. Parents with small children can relax here after a long day, taking a few minutes for themselves after the kids are asleep. Yet still being handy if someone has a bad dream or needs a glass of water. Teenagers can hang out here in a space separate from the rest of the house yet close by when it’s time for dinner. Or maybe you need a break from your day. This nook is a great spot to read a book, curl up and watch a favorite television show, or just nap on the sofa.

If you sew or have a hobby, this space is perfect to assign as you wish for working on a project. And everything is upstairs and out of the way of the rest of the family.

The colors of this room, rust and navy, work so well together. Using a strong rust-toned focal wall sets the stage for a space that’s not afraid of color. As a separate area, this lounge provides the opportunity to be daring and bring in colors that may not be part of the rest of your home decor choices.

To see this space in person, we invite you to visit our models in Cooley Station. We think you’ll find a lot to like there.

 

White Cabinets Make a Bright Kitchen

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Cooley-Station-106webThere are as many options for kitchen styles as there are cooks. Many people love a dark Tuscan look, with cabinets in a rich stained wood and darker countertops in stone that echo an old-world look. Others lean toward a contemporary option that includes lighter stained cabinets and a solid-surface counter.

But if you want your kitchen to capture a bit of a farmhouse feel while staying light and bright, you may want to consider painted cabinets. This kitchen’s cabinets are ever-so-slightly off white, which provides a cheerful mood.

Notice that overall this kitchen’s other elements keep the painted cabinets from feeling bland. The rich gold granite countertops add enough interest and contrast to make this kitchen pop. And the darker mosaic over the stove adds another inviting element of contrast.

With this light a kitchen palette, the choice of darker flooring is smart. It grounds the room with its strong contrasting element while encouraging the lighter choices to shine. Maroon leather-topped stools and other maroon accessories also contribute to the sophisticated color choices of this space.

Notice the glass door on the corner cabinet. While many people would rather not have a lot of glass doors in order to hide not-quite-tidy cupboards, one glass door adds a special charm to any space. This is the perfect spot to showcase glassware or nice serving pieces.

So when you’re planning your kitchen, don’t just skip over the painted cabinets. Consider whether they would fit the kind of kitchen you want – light, cheerful and bright on even the darkest days.

Stripes make a Splash

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two-striped-bedspreads-webWhen you’re planning a child’s room or a guest bedroom, patterned fabric provides a great way to add pizzazz without spending a lot of money. And for generations, one of the smartest patterns to choose is a stripe.

This photo showcases two different approaches to stripes for bedspreads and matching pillow shams. With today’s bedding stores and online options, you can pick up a bedspread and sham set, often with a matching dust ruffle, for less than $100.

Stripes are a fun choice. They also offer a lot of flexibility. You can pull out one color for the walls and use the others for accessories. Notice that both of these bedrooms focus on one strong color note drawn from the bedspreads.

On the left, the bedroom captures the spread’s gold and white tones in the artwork, while the walls themselves take that same gold and lighten it to make the space colorful without being overwhelming. This looks like a boy’s room, and most boys won’t be comfortable with too much color on the walls.

The other bedroom is geared toward a girl, and one who is not afraid of color. Notice how the artwork chosen brings out every color in the striped bedspread. While you’re not always fortunate enough to have that happen, take advantage of accessories and other elements in a bedroom to pull the stripe colors into the space.

Now in these two bedrooms the stripes provide the only patterned fabric. But one nice thing about stripes is that they leave the room open to other patterns. You could add several floral-patterned pillows in the same tones to the room on the right and it would still work. Another geometric pattern would suit the bedroom to the left.

When you want to introduce pattern to a room, it’s smart to choose stripes. They provide a safe way to be a little daring, because they always work well.

Mosaic Art Backsplash

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Cooley-Station-024-webKitchens are primarily functional, but just a few special touches can also make them stylish and interesting. In today’s homes with a focus on open floor plans, it pays to take the time to make your kitchen stand out.

Choosing just the right tile backsplash is one great way to add style to any kitchen. Your backsplash doesn’t cover a large square footage, so you can select a more expensive tile option without spending a lot of money. The rough-edge subway style backsplash shown adds vintage charm and texture in this kitchen.

Many kitchens take advantage of the generous space between the stove and hood to position a backsplash focal point. You have a lot of choices for this spot. Some people choose a pictorial option, available in both tile and stone. But more often a mosaic adds personality.

Notice the raised framing around this mosaic. It coordinates well with the rustic-edge subway tiles, and the white frame integrates with the painted cabinets. But it all comes to a head with the dramatic mosaic.

The super-small squares combine with a three-tone semi-random geometric design to draw the eye. Its surprising contemporary flavor brings this kitchen into a more modern mood without detracting from the appealing old-world style of the space. It’s interesting how the canisters to the left echo the colors and shapes brought out in the mosaic, providing another integrative element.

A backsplash may seem unimportant, but this kitchen shows the power the right choice can have in making your kitchen uniquely yours.

Touches of Luxury

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touches-of-luxurywWhen you’re planning your master bedroom, it doesn’t take a lot to make it feel like a luxurious getaway. This bedroom isn’t large, but some thoughtful touches help to create just the right place to relax. Let’s take a look at the choices that make this room work so well.

Color: By pulling a number of related neutrals in the room, the look is soft and inviting. There are a few lighter and darker tones for contrast, but the majority of colors are mid-tones that work well together. This is a smart approach for a medium-sized space, creating a unified feeling.

Texture: From the upholstered headboard and matching benches to the curtains, throw pillows and plush carpeting, everything in this room is soft and inviting. This softness encourages you to sit or lie down and rest.

Patterns on patterns: The mix of patterns in the bedclothes creates a feeling of abundance and extravagance.  The mix of large and small pattern florals with the plaid keeps the bedding from feeling too busy.

Matching elements: The nightstands, lamps, and benches come in pairs, setting a symmetrical pose that creates a sense of serenity. Symmetry leads to relaxation.

Mid-tone wall color: A darker wall color makes a room feel cozy and warm. This golden brown keeps this bedroom inviting and ready for sleep in the evening. Windows let in plenty of light during the day when you want it brighter.

How would you like this bedroom for your own? For an in-person look, come and visit Cooley Station. We’ve got some great ideas for your new Fulton Home.

Cozy Guest Room Doubles as Lounge

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cozy-guest-room-doubles-as-loungewIf you have family and friends who enjoy visiting, particularly when the weather is wintery where they live, having a guest room makes everyone feel welcome. But that’s a lot of space to sacrifice for just a few weeks of use a year. Consider using it as an additional lounging space for family members the rest of the time.

This comfy guest room from the Capital model at Seaboard in Cooley Station has everything needed to make a house guest feel right at home. The bed is roomy and set up with a nice quilt and extra pillows and the desk includes a comfy chair for reading or writing smug postcards or Facebook posts to people back home in colder climates. There’s also a nice lamp for reading. The dark brown walls add to the warmth of the room.

Then once your guests are gone, this room can become an extra space for any family member who wants to relax and spend some alone time. Maybe it works for your high-school student who needs to finish a paper or study without distractions or a parent who wants some quiet time before dinner. It might be the right spot for a few of the junior-high set to plan a party or for mom to sit alone while penning a thank-you note to a favorite aunt.

Having an extra space for relaxing, thinking, reading or chatting that’s set a bit away from the rest of the living space can be nice at times. And this guest room is the perfect opportunity to create a room for this type of double duty.

Family Room Uses Brown

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family-room-uses-brownwWith a strong dark grey influence, it would be easy for this family room from the Capital model at Seaboard in Cooley Station to feel cold. But it doesn’t, and that’s because of the careful use of brown. From the light brown/almost beige of the sofa and loveseat to the dark brown leather on the coffee table/ottoman combo, brown pulls in a feeling of comfort and welcome. Let’s look at the design choices that warm up this space.

Gold walls: The rich gold-brown tone on the walls creates a cozy feeling. Using darker tones helps draw people to a room, making it feel like a special club. This tone is warmer than the flooring so that together they play on the grey and brown tones that make up the color palette of the space.

Plaid chair upholstery: Plaids have always said comfort, and this windowpane pattern in dark tones brings comfort to the foreground. With the ottoman and curtains, they are the darkest elements in the room, and help anchor it without making it feel dreary.

Area rug choice: The mix of greys has an almost tweedy feel, fitting well with the plaid and maintaining the traditional comfort approach. This is a room made for wearing slippers.

Plants: Houseplants in a room always make it feel fresh and homey. Just a few green plants make a difference.

When decorating your family room, think about the choices you can make in both color and style to create an environment that says comfort, to encourage family and friends to relax and stay a while.

Listelles add Personality to your Tile Choices

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listelle-in-Peninsula-model-at-Queen-Creek-webUsing a listelle that includes glass tile, like the one shown above in the kitchen backsplash, adds a touch of personality to any space.

Listelles, or pre-designed strips of stone or tile, provide an easy way to create a mosaic effect anywhere in your home. The listelle shown above combines the sparkle of glass tile with a soft matte finish cream and dark brown tile to create an interesting and contemporary look.

The Fulton Design Center showcases a broad selection of listelles to highlight your home in stone and tile. Styles range from modern glass pieces like this one to more traditional choices. With the variety of options, you can find just the right choice to fit your taste and style.

By using a listelle, a simple tile placement becomes interesting and unique. Listelles work well on kitchen backsplashes, in bathrooms or fireplace surrounds. Listelles are pre-designed and cut, making them easy to install and ensuring that they look perfect in your home.

Notice the strip of electric outlets running along the top of the kitchen backsplash at the top of the page. Selecting this option for your home allows you to have plenty of outlets without breaking up the lines of your backsplash. While you’re at it, take a look at the under-counter LED lighting to give you great task lighting for your kitchen.

To take a closer look at this, visit our Peninsula models at our Oasis at Queen Creek Community.

Wainscoting Warms up Guest Bathroom

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wainscoting-in-guest-bath-webGuest bathrooms are often the smallest rooms in a home, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t pack a powerful decorating punch. You can take advantage of more expensive flooring and tile choices because the smaller square footage keeps the cost down.

This guest bath takes full advantage of the small space to create an inviting look. Wainscoting makes a room feel cozier and just a bit old-fashioned. That mood is extended by the use of oil-rubbed bronze for the faucet and fixtures.

wainscoting-in-guest-bath2-webThe interesting choice of metallic tile for the border, shown in detail in the photo to the right,
carries the bronze finish further while adding an additional element of style and texture to the room.

Kohler’s old-style toilet and pedestal sink fit well with this bathroom with their retro styling and traditional lines.

Here’s what makes this bathroom really interesting. Although much of the mood captures an earlier time, other elements are more current. The art, for example, has a contemporary vibe, with clean-lined frames. Installing the wood flooring on a diagonal, which makes the room feel larger, is also a more modern approach.

Altogether, this transitional bathroom with its eclectic approach provides an appealing space that speaks well for the style and taste of the owner. You can see this bathroom in person when you visit this and other Fulton Home models at Peninsula at Queen Creek.

The Delight of Extra Storage

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extra-storage-webWhen you invest in a new home, one smart decision involves the choice to install additional built-in storage. Drawers and cabinet options such as this one can be used in so many ways; you will never regret any extra storage you give yourself.

This smart compact storage area can be used to store craft tools, for wrapping gifts, seasonal decorations, office or homework supplies, home maintenance essentials or anything you want. The biscuit-colored cabinetry is enhanced with a caramel glaze, creating an old-fashioned look that is easy-clean and inviting.

This could be space to store platters and bowls for special entertaining – those items that are too large for regular family gatherings. Or maybe it’s the perfect place for treasured table linens inherited from your mother or grandmother. Wrapped in acid-free tissue, they will be ready for special holiday use.

How would you use this storage space? For a closer look, visit our Peninsula models at our Oasis at Queen Creek Community.