Category Archives: Design Inspiration

Casual Dining Room

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A casual dining room is not about table shape or size or whether chairs are padded or not. It’s the style of table and chairs, lighting and accessories that define a dining room as casual or more formal.

Take a look at the two dining rooms to the left. Both circular tables seat six comfortably. The dining chairs are padded and both have a chandelier hanging overhead. Let’s compare the two rooms to define casual dining spaces.

Table style: The formal table has a wood top and legs, with a top that needs to be protected from heat and water. The casual table allows both warm foods and wet glasses on it without damage. Notice that the chairs are also wipe-off in the casual room.

Lighting: Both of these rooms have plenty of natural light. The formal dining room has its chandelier hanging lower, making for a more intimate dining experience. The sconces on the back wall provide additional lighting if needed when you use the buffet. The style is also dressy, with a graceful and involved shape and candle-shaped light bulbs. Take a look at the casual chandelier. It is set higher to brighten the entire room rather than just the table and the little shades create a more casual feeling. Its lines are also much simpler.

Accessories: The large mirror, floor-to-ceiling curtains and the items on the windowsill all add to the formality and style of the dining room. In the casual room, accessories are much more limited. This may be because of the position of the room as part of the traffic pattern of the home, and a casual dining space may be used in many ways such as a place to pay bills or do homework. This makes it inconvenient to deal with too many accessories.

When deciding whether to have a formal or casual dining space, make plans based on the type and amount of use it will have, and then decorate it to suit your functional requirements. And remember, with a few candles and fresh flowers, you can make even the most casual dining room something special.

Classic Dining Room

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Well, most of us do not have a dining room that will support a dinner party with 14 guests the way this one does, but the things that make this room work can be used in a dining room serving eight or even four people. Let’s look at the consistent features that every classic dining room should contain.

Space: Make sure every guest has two to two-and-a-half feet of linear space at the table. This oval table provides an additional advantage – it gives the people at either end extra leg space. Also plan on at least two feet of area rug beyond the edges of the table so that people don’t end up bumping off the edge every time they push their chairs back. Did you notice the padded chairs? Just like our contemporary dining room in Monday’s blog, the comfort of your guests is important if you want people to linger to chat after meals during your dinner parties.

Lighting: A chandelier’s height should be about 30 inches above the dining table’s surface, but you may hang it higher to make sure it lights the whole table. With a table this long, two chandeliers would also work, but the wall sconces and mirrors will help keep the room well-lit. Notice the medallion on the ceiling. This makes the light hold a stronger place in the room and works well with the rich display of crown molding on the edges. A medallion is a simple, inexpensive and effective way to emphasize your chandelier or any light fixture.

Tablescape: The crystal in the center of this table echoes the items in the cabinets along the wall as well as the mirrors and windows, keeping everything integrated. Be sure to keep anything in the center area of your table low enough for people to talk across.

Your dining room may not have the size and majesty of this one, but following the same rules for good dining allow you to make dinner parties at your home just as enjoyable.

Contemporary Dining Room

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Contemporary doesn’t mean cold, as this image shows. The colors, furnishings and accessories all combine to create an inviting space for dinner parties and family meals. Let’s take a look at what makes this room work so well.

Color: The dark brown tones, combined with cream and grey, transition well with the stainless steel appliances from the kitchen while creating a warm space for eating. These colors are neutral enough to allow the homeowners to set the table to suit their mood or the season.

Furnishings: The box-like table says contemporary very well, and the wall-mounted buffet and shelf support the clean lines while staying low maintenance. Large rectangular tiles also suit the modern feel. Notice the chairs, however. Although contemporary in style, the padded seats and backs make for comfortable seating, encouraging people to linger after meals for conversation. When choosing dining room chairs, always factor in comfort before style.

Accessories: The choices made are all modern and some are almost sculptural. The bell artwork makes best connecting piece with the bells echoing stainless tones and the background connecting with the dining room tones.

Altogether, this dining room features the best in contemporary design while still remaining warm and welcoming.

Special Bedroom: Charming

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It’s difficult, and expensive, to find this type of unusual embroidered linens if you would like to produce a look similar to this bed. But a few handmade pieces can add immediate charm to your bedroom.

Visit a few antique stores to capture some vintage linen at a reasonable price. You may also have some luck at odd-lot stores such as Tuesday Morning.

Recreating the shabby-chic look of the bed requires some focused shopping for a simple four-poster in dark wood tones. If you paint it with a paint/primer combination that will work on the stained wood, then sand the edges to bring out the dark color underneath, you can easily get a similar effect.

This room is about layering textures until you reach the point where the space has an inviting, cushy feel. There is a sense of gentle abundance about this room, and it is pretty feminine. Notice the ruffled shade on the lamp and the few dark colors introduced by the artwork in the background. Sticking with white and off-white helps the space feel soft and integrated. With a few choice purchases, you can give any bedroom the same gentle charm you see here.

Special Bedroom: Glamorous

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Would you like your bedroom to echo the glamour of old Hollywood? You can create a space to make you feel like a star by using certain techniques. Here are a few suggestions.

Use silver: The cool shiny metallic look provides a mood that resembles Hollywood in its heyday. Look for furniture in silver gilt or something mirrored for a similar effect. Wallpaper like the one shown behind the bed in this image also pull silver into the room. It’s a sophisticated look.

Bring some bling: Notice the sparkly chandelier-type lighting fixtures on either side of the bed. The crystals provide the feel of diamonds in the space. The mirrors on either side of the bed reflect the lighting, doubling the light and the bling. Adding a crystal-laden light or two to your space – either as chandeliers or wall sconces – recalls a past era of glamour and poise.

Take advantage of texture: The soft white rug in this room contrasts well with the silver-coated leather covering the bed’s feet and the headboard. The shimmer of the headboard is emphasized by the old-style tufting provided by the buttons in a diamond pattern. The draperies are ceiling-high and drape gracefully on the floor. The floor itself is polished to a brilliant sheen to add another layer of texture and shine to the space.

Keep colors subtle. Silver, lavender, white and gray carry out the sophisticated theme. The subtleties of the color scheme express the feeling that this room is special and unique. It’s easy to imagine this room as the set in an old black-and-white movie. Make your bedroom a glamorous space and you can feel like a star every day.

Special Bedroom: Luxurious

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In home decorating, often our bedrooms get short shrift. Since they’re only for family or personal use, your focus may be on comfort rather than looks.

With the arrival of chilly nights, this is a good time to snuggle into our bedrooms and make them special spaces just for us. This week, we’re looking at three rooms and ideas you can use to take your bedroom an extra step forward.

It’s the combination of browns and creams that help make this bedroom feel luxurious. Think of it as milk, dark and white chocolate and you’ll understand the appeal. The maroon tones of the floor add just the right richness.

Notice the position of the rug. It’s far enough up to provide a soft place for your feet to land, but by putting it under the bed it doesn’t take over the room. The table and chairs would work nicely for morning coffee and reading the paper. The bench at the foot of the bed would be handy for dressing.

Want to make your bedroom feel more luxurious? Look for opportunities to layer color and texture. The cream rectangle behind the bed up against the dark brown wall, for example, and the brown and cream art over the bed, as well as the ceiling contrasts and the drapes, all provide layers of light and dark.

Layers of textures include the throw tossed on the bench, the rug on the wood floor, and the tray on the bed. Add softness with layers of draperies and throw pillows. With a minor investment in linens and accessories, you can make your bedroom a more inviting and luxurious place to spend your nights.

Winterize your Décor

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It’s starting to get cooler at night and with the holidays coming up this is a good time to create a more wintery look in your home. Here are a few suggestions.

Bring on the sweaters: Create a wintery feel by adding a couple of throw pillows made of old sweaters. If you don’t have any of your own, shop in a thrift store for one you like. Just decide on the pillow size and sew an edge around the front of a sweater about a half-inch wider, then cut. Cut the same size from the back of the sweater to make up the back of the pillow.

Add a few holiday colors with accessories: This room to the right is filled with light neutrals, but by adding a few touches of red, it has an immediate winter holiday feel.

Once again, pillows add warmth. Look for colors that add warmth while working with your home. Consider adding a throw on your sofa to coordinate. Bookshelves are a great place to add holiday items. Small toys and accessories can be placed right in front of books.

Take most or all of your normal accessories off your coffee table before adding Christmas items. That way you are ready for the holidays without having your home look cluttered. If you keep all of your holiday items in the same color theme, they will all connect and make your home’s

Setting a Lovely Thanksgiving Table

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For most people, Thanksgiving is about food and family – generally in that order! But with a few extra minutes of time, you can also make it about the beauty of the season.

There’s a saying that people eat first with their eyes, and building a Thanksgiving table that captures attention and represents the best of autumn can make even a rather dry turkey taste better.

The photo to the left shows a fully-planned table. With fresh sunflowers, votives, tablecloth, plates, napkins and napkin rings all coordinated to create a Thanksgiving feeling, it looks like a decorator was hired to fix it.

If you have the skills, budget and time to put something like this together, that’s wonderful. But many of us don’t have the Martha Stewart gene, and are rushed just trying to get the dinner on the table let alone make it look this fancy.

Instead, consider something like the photo on the right. A simple gold tablecloth, one or two interesting candles, a pumpkin or two and some apples and pine cones and you’re finished.

White or neutral plates allow you to decorate for any season without needing closets full of dishes. Add the good silverware and some nice glasses and you have a beautiful table with minimal time and effort.

If you’re going to present Thanksgiving buffet-style, how about a simple display among the dishes? A few fall leaves, a couple of candles, one of those mini-pumpkins and some nuts and dried plants and you quickly add charm to your buffet table. Walk through your yard or visit a hobby shop and pick up just a few special items that you can use and rearrange every year to make your Thanksgiving table as special as the holiday itself.

Thinking about Walls: Pattern

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Wallpaper seems like an old-fashioned concept, but today’s patterned walls are anything but dated. Take a look at the image to the left. These oversized leaves create a dramatic and original accent, which is emphasized by the more traditional art.

In most homes, walls serve as a background to the furniture and accessories, but your walls can play an active role in your decorating plans. You are only limited by your imagination.

The room shown to the right demonstrates how walls can take over a room, creating the basis for the total design. This is difficult to do well, but in this case everything works.

To begin, every bit of architecture has its own highlight. The coffered ceiling receives special attention thanks to the dramatic large crystal chandelier. The window nook also has its own wallpaper; the black, grey and white offer an effective but curious contrast to the soft beiges 0n the walls in the rest of the room.

One thing that makes this wallpaper feel more contemporary is the large format of the patterns. The two choices on the back wall – separated by some white molding – complement each other because of the size of the patterns and the colors. Using two different wallpapers emphasizes the separation created by the molding.

Notice how the simple furniture keeps a focus on the walls. The clean lines and pure light tones allow the patterns to shine. The only other pattern comes from the cushion and rug in the foreground – which are also large format and bring some pink and green into the space.

How do you feel about bringing pattern into your home this way? Are you willing to be this creative with your walls?

Thinking about Walls: Dark

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How daring do you want to be with your walls? Would you risk painting your walls this dark?

As you can see, it’s a dramatic look that works very well here. Let’s take a look at the choices that make a midnight black wall work in this room.

To start, plan to paint multiple coats to get this rich a tone. When you choose a dark shade, at least three coats are generally needed to build depth of color. You may be able to get away with two if you use a tinted primer, but don’t hold back – an extra coat or two will really make a difference.

Next, take advantage of contrast. The bright white sofa and chair upholstery help the walls pop and make the room feel light. Take a look at the mirror frame and the curtains. Once again, the pure white works well with a dark, dark wall. Adding the brown pillows provides a contrast on top of contrast. This contributes to the drama of the space.

Make sure the lighting lets the space feel open and inviting. During the day this space stays well lit thanks to the two large windows. At night, look for lighting options that pull light into corners and highlight the shine on this luscious floor.

Notice that we’re working with white, black and brown here. There are a few plants, but they play as neutrals rather than color because they are living elements rather than accessories. A splash of color – yellow, red or orange – would make a fun element.  Are you ready to take a chance?