Category Archives: Home Tips

Home Decor – Purple Grows Up

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Purple is becoming a popular decorating color in all areas of the home.  You may have never considered decorating in purple but it is a big trend.  Yes, lavender and pink have been a popular color combination for a girl’s bedroom as long as girls have loved purple, but now purple is growing up.

 

Sophisticated shades of purple from deep plum to whispery silvers with lavender hues are showing up in living rooms, dining rooms and master bedrooms.  This color can work in either masculine or feminine or gender neutral spaces.  It is lovely in a room with a cool, tonal color palette such as this dining room.  Or it can be paired with its cool color sisters of blue and green.  Mix lavender with gold accents for a complementary color palette that feels sophisticated and serene. Plum and browns create a rich, dramatic feeling room.

 

The lavender chairs in this modern dining room have a little more pink or red in the color than the walls and this allows them to pop despite this being a monochrome palette.  The pendant lights have more blue undertones and being a darker hue helps them stand out.

 

Even monochrome room needs a few neutral shades to help balance the color.  The light wood and jute rug in this dining area act as both a neutral shade and a contrasting color because they have yellow undertones that give them some warmth.  Black or white would also work in this space.  A white parson’s table would be great with the modern chairs and pendant lights.

 

Setting the Stage for Good Design: Room Layout

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Creating a welcoming room begins with the furniture arrangement. This living room is a great example of a balanced room layout. It’s easy because the room is essentially a square, which lends itself to a balanced room.  Let’s take a look and see what works in this room, and what could be changed.

 

First, the fireplace is situated between a pair of windows, becoming the focal point of the room.  This way the seating can be set up to face both the view out the windows and the fireplace.

 

Second, the seating arrangement is nicely focused on the fireplace with a pair of sofas facing one another for conversation. Two chairs face the fireplace and are situated in close proximity to each other and the sofas, creating a tight arrangement that is perfect for socializing.  The coffee table anchors the seating arrangement.  It is large enough for drinks, snacks and even board games.

 

These are things the room gets right, but the design stops there.  Finishing touches are missing; the things that make a room feel like home need to be added. Blank walls are begging to be filled.  Accessories need to be added. A rug would center the seating area. The black and white palette could be kept or color could be added in the form of accent pillows, books, vases, objects and throws. Accessories would also add texture to the space.

 

Building off the basics is easy if you get the bones of the room established first.  This is where a drawing of the room can come in handy before you begin moving around the furniture. Plan first—move second.

How to Create a Eclectic Modern Living Room

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Eclectic is a big buzz word in design right now. Seamlessly mixing styles to create a space that feels collected and personal takes a good eye and a sense of balance.  Eclectic is not just throwing together a hodgepodge of things and hoping they work together.  Successfully mixing styles is a matter of creating harmony with elements that do not match.

 

Adding eclectic style to an existing décor can help break up the feeling of a furniture showroom where everything matches.  The furniture showroom look and sets of furnishings for the dining room, living room or bedroom feels a little outdated. Don’t worry if you have a living room or bedroom set, there are easy ways to give your room an updated, eclectic look with accessories and lighting.

 

This living room is a great example of an eclectic modern room.  You’ll notice that the chairs and sofa all match and were probably bought as a set.  The coffee table is also modern and its clean lines complement the sofa and chairs.  These coordinating pieces give the room a strong modern base on which to add eclectic pieces.

 

Accent pieces, lighting and accessories are used to introduce eclectic style in this living room.  The Chinese cabinet brings in a bit of global style. The traditional crystal chandelier adds a formal touch and a bit of glamour. Patterned accent pillows are a great place to bring in patterns from other styles, too.

 

So if you want to achieve an eclectic style, start with what you have as the base. Build on it by adding in accent pieces, accessories and lighting in different styles to make the room reflect your personality and interests.

 

Trend Spotting: Wall Mounted Headboards

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Upholstered headboards are a big trend in design right now. A variation on the upholstered headboard is the wall mounted headboard as seen here. The wall mounted headboard can make a big design statement as well as save space in a bedroom.

 

This wall mounted headboard features an ebony wood trim around a central panel that is upholstered and tufted with buttons. The headboard has a clean modern look with its black and grey colors and clean lines.  If you are using wood on a wall mounted headboard, you may want to coordinate it with other wood furniture and the wood on the floor. Having a dark, ebonized wood headboard with light wood floors would not look as polished as having both woods be in the same tone.

 

Wall mounted headboards can be done in a number of upholstery types and sizes. If you don’t want the permanence of a wall mounted headboard but you like the look, you can hang fabric from a rod behind the bed.  Another less permanent option would be to stretch fabric on a canvas stretcher and hang that above the bed for a similar effect.

 

When choosing an upholstery and finish for a wall mounted headboard or any upholstered headboard, select a fabric that you can live with for a number of years. Solid colors may stand the test of time more than the latest pattern. Choose classic colors and neutrals and update your bed linens to follow the trends to make the most of your investment.

Silver Hues in the Kitchen

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Silver is the choice for metal surfaces in the kitchen. Cool silvery hues like stainless steel, chrome, and nickel continue to be popular finishes for ranges, hoods, sinks, faucets and hardware in the kitchen. The influence of commercial kitchens with their stainless steel surfaces can be the source for this popular metal in today’s residential kitchens.

 

Stainless steel appliances set the tone for all other metals in the kitchen. When your largest appliances like the fridge or stove are stainless steel, they demand that other metals in the kitchen coordinate with them.  Of course you could add other metallic finishes to the room like oiled bronze or brass, but using silvery finishes with stainless steel gives the room a more unified appearance.

 

Silvery chrome and nickel work well with stainless appliances and sinks.  Chrome and nickel come in a number of finishes including satin and polished.  The more shiny the finish, the more the metals will stand out and sparkle in the space.

 

Silvery metals also work with any number of cabinet and floor choices. Dark wood cabinets and floors get a pop of sparkle with silvery chrome or nickel pulls.  The silvery pulls are like sparkling jewelry against the wood, like a sparkling bangle or necklace is against a little black dress.

 

These metals also look great with glass front cabinets and marble counters veined with grey.  Using silver against grey and white is a sophisticated look for the kitchen. It is also a great look for a bathroom.

Bringing Color into the Kitchen

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For kitchen design the reigning option for cabinets has been white or wood for years. We are starting to see more colored cabinets showing up in contemporary kitchens and even traditional kitchens. For contemporary kitchens with just upper cabinets we’ve seen the lower cabinets painted or finished in soft to bold colors.  If you are redoing your kitchen cabinets, you may want to look into adding color to your cabinets. If you are not doing a major kitchen remodel this year or in the foreseeable future you there are other ways to bring color into the kitchen.

 

Maybe you are tired of your existing kitchen cabinet color. You could consider painting them a soft yellow or navy to update your kitchen without doing a major remodel. Upper cabinets could be done in white and the lower cabinets in a soft shade of color that works with your counter tops and flooring.

 

If you love your kitchen cabinets, add color to the kitchen with accessories and counter top appliances. Depending on the style of your kitchen you might want to have one or several colors as your accent colors. You can carry the wall color onto towels and runners, or choose a color that contrasts to your walls and floors.

 

Counter top appliances are another way to add pops of color to the room. Most counter top appliances come in a range of colors these days as well as the standards of stainless, black and white. Even a tea kettle is a place to bring color into the kitchen.

Make your Bathroom Standout

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New construction is a wonderful opportunity to customize a home to suit your needs. Upgrades can add up and you might not get every upgrade you want due to your budget. Often the second or third bathroom in a home is lower on the list of builder upgrades than the kitchen or master bathroom. If this is the case and you have a builder basic bathroom, there are simple tricks you can do to give it the look and feel of an expensive upgrade.

 

Wall color is the first place to start. Choose a paint color that works with your cabinetry, floors and tile colors since those are more expensive to change. If you have builder’s beige bathroom, change the wall color. It doesn’t have to be a major change from beige to bold color. Even a deeper neutral like warm grey can make a big impact. If your vanity or other bathroom storage is off white or cream, you might want to avoid crisp white. If you have wood cabinetry, the white will highlight the natural beauty of the wood.

 

The large plate of mirror that is standard in a newer construction bathroom is another builder grade staple that can be change. You can put a frame around the large mirror to give it a more finished look. You could add a cabinet in between two sinks to divide the mirror in two. There are many fantastic tricks and ideas on dealing with large bathroom mirrors on design blogs.

Boldly Colored Home Décor

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Sometimes design rules should be broken. Today’s design trends are turning traditional design rules on their sides. One of the most followed design rules is to purchase large investment pieces in neutral colors of grey, white, tans, browns and blacks. Breaking this rule and purchasing seating in bright, bold colors can be the perfect decision for some decors.

 

In a neutral decor, a red sofa, like the one pictured here, will be the star of the space.  Any brightly colored piece of furniture will be a focal point in a room with a neutral color palette.  Aqua, green, yellow, purple or red are bold colors that can work well with neutral colors and not feel too feminine or masculine.  A pink or fuchsia sofa will feel more feminine while a navy or royal blue might work better in a more masculine space. A boldly colored headboard is a great way to highlight the bed in a bedroom.

 

Boldly colored furniture in a colorful room that features bright colors on the walls and floors should either contrast with the wall or floor color or blend in with the other dominate colors of the room. Having more than three colors in a room can make the energy in the room feel too intense. White rooms with a boldly colored sofa or chair is a nice way to add pops of color.

 

With a custom made slip cover in a white or other neutral color, the boldly colored chair or sofa can be covered up should you tire of the bright color.

Modern Design for Today’s Living

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Although mid-century design is now over sixty years old, it still feels fresh and modern in today’s interiors. Modern style can often be confused with contemporary style. Modern refers to modern mid-century design and style while contemporary is current to today’s time period. Both styles prefer clean lines and simple forms.  The icons of mid-century design that were popular sixty years ago are even more popular today.

 

Some of the mid-century design icons include pieces by both American and European designers. America and Scandinavia were the capitols of mid-century modern design movements. Vintage pieces from American and Scandinavian mid-century designers are highly collectible, and the master works can often fetch tens of thousands of dollars at antique shows and design shops.

 

Among the most iconic and popular mid-century designs is the Tulip table designed by Saarinen, a Finnish designer. The streamlined design works with both mid-century modern style chairs as well as more traditional chair forms for an eclectic look.

 

Other design icons include a coffee table and rice paper lanterns designed by Noguchi; bentwood chairs design by husband and wife team Charles and Ray Eames; and starburst clock by George Nelson. These are but a few of the designs from the mid-century that are popular today. Textiles, shag rugs, china, pottery and glassware as well as furniture from this era are popular for today’s interiors.   Color palettes from the mid-century are also being reinterpreted for today’s homes.  These designs are so popular that many of them have been released in new editions or copied.

DIY – Brighten the Room with Flowers

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There’s nothing more appealing and inviting than a bouquet of fresh flowers. Be inspired and create your own flower arrangement!

Start with the container. Do you have a favorite vase or pitcher that you think would look especially appealing filled with flowers? Take a good look at its shape and measure its height. You will want your flowers to reach about 1 ½ times higher than the size of the vase. So if your vase is six inches high, you’ll want your flowers to run at least 6-9 inches higher than the top of your vase.

If you have a reliable grocery, discount or warehouse store that sells flowers, you will find the best values there. If you really want to indulge yourself, visit a florist and pick out each flower individually. You will pay more but chances are you will find more variety and choice. At a florist, you could even bring your vase and ask for help in choosing the best flowers for it.

Bring your flowers home and take your time arranging them. If you plan them for a coffee table, look at the arrangement from all sides. If it will be against a wall, make sure you showcase the best side.

Spring is here so bring an extra bit of fresh-flower brightness into your home for everyone to enjoy.