Tag Archives: home design and decor

Decorating For Fall

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Put away the white linen, beach towels and cool toned accessories. It’s fall and it’s time to breakout the corn husks, pine cones and other harvest decorations. Here are a few simple ideas:

Decorate a bookshelf with pressed leaves and pumpkins.

Hang a corn husk wreath.

Display green apples and acorns in apothecary jars.

Spray paint pumpkins silver and white. Make sure you use a variety of sizes. Display them on your mantle with pine cones. This is a very elegant look.

Decorate your dining room table by placing a row of pumpkins and gourds. Add a tall vase filled with wheat.

Fill your votive candle holders with pumpkin or squash seeds.

Make leaves out of decorative scrapbook paper. Glue them to branches for a whimsical look. Display the branches in tall glass vases.

Fill an old tool box with candles, clementines and pine cones.

Hollow out gourds and use them as vases for fall flowers.

Put single leaves, either pressed or fresh, in small glass vases or use old lab beakers — look for them at antique stores. Replace leaves as they brown.

Put together a colorful outdoor fall display using a sturdy wheelbarrow as a base. Fill the wheelbarrow with ornamental cabbage and peppers, grasses, chrysanthemums, flowering zucchini and other seasonal plants. Fill the wheelbarrow with soil and insert the plants loosely, or tuck containers into the wheelbarrow, making sure to fill in the gaps with more plants.

Nuts are as easy to decorate with as they are good to eat. Anchor a candle inside a hurricane lamp. Experiment with different varieties of nuts and a selection of clear containers.

Nestle a candle in popcorn kernels or other seasonal materials such as candy corn or colored clear round stones.

Don’t forget to break out the rich, warm colored throw rugs, pillows and rugs. Light a fire, pour a glass of wine and enjoy autumn.

Happy Fall Decorating!

Special Guest Bathroom Design

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guest-bath-vanity-webThe guest bathroom generally gets the least amount of attention in a home. It’s the smallest room in your house, and your focus when you’re planning your new home is on your kitchen first, and then on your master bathroom and other areas where your family will be spending a lot of time. It makes sense to place the guest bath at the end of your list of priorities.

But if you think about it, chances are almost every visitor to your home will see your guest bathroom at some point. So it has a direct affect on how they view your home. And this is actually the most cost-effective room to create design drama, because the space is so small. A minimum investment can provide the maximum design impact. Let’s take a look at some of the guest bathroom designs in recent Fulton Home models to get some ideas of approaches you might want to take to give your guest bath some extra style.

First Impressions:basha-legacy-powder-room-3-web

Think about what your guest bathroom will look like from the hallway. Even if your visitors don’t actually use the bathroom, they will probably walk past and glance in. That first impression will have an effect on the entire hallway.

In this photo to the right, the eye is automatically drawn to the copper artwork on the far wall. Other features such as the tile and the mini-chandelier come into focus later. Altogether this is a luxurious and well-integrated guest bathroom.

This first bathroom involves a serious investment in options to create a feeling of luxury. This was appropriate as it was part of the Legacy series of homes, which was a luxury line. But you don’t need to invest as much in options as was spent in this model to create drama.

view-from-hall-web

Take a look at the guest bathroom to the left. The vanity is nice-looking but fairly straightforward with a sink embedded in the countertop. The tub and surround are a solid surface which is less expensive than tile. But the tile chosen for the flooring and the coordinated tile inset added to the solid surface in the tub surround makes this bathroom pop.

In this case creativity and thoughtful style take the place of expensive options to make this bathroom stand out. Add an interesting coordinating shower curtain and some towels to emphasize the contrast and you have a guest bathroom that shows your personality without a big investment.

Lighting:basha-legacy-powder-room-2

Because of its small size, smaller light fixtures can have a big punch in a guest bathroom. And if you want to take a chance with a different look, a guest bath is a great space for experimenting. The simple wall sconce on the right adds a touch of charm in a guest bathroom. After all, this is not a space where you need bright lights, and a gentle glow is flattering when people look in the mirror.

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The photo on the left shows another fun way to use lighting in a guest bathroom. By adding a light under the vanity, the room doesn’t have a blinding glare when a guest hits the switch, and the look is unusual and interesting. In this case the sink is also translucent – notice the photo at the top of this blog – so the light also makes the sink glow. This choice gives you the opportunity to add some drama to your guest bathroom while not taking up any additional space.

Tile Trim:basha-legacy-powder-room-1

Whether you choose a simple row of tile to outline your vanity or expand your tile choices to cover an entire wall, tile has a special place in many bathrooms. In the photo to the right you can get a closer look at the Legacy bathroom we visited above. In this case a full wall of tile is complemented with a rich row of glass tile trimmed with a darker border just above the vanity, serving as a backsplash. It provides the feeling of wainscoting and pulls every element in this room together. The border also adds some welcome contrast.vanity-cropped-web

You don’t need to use this much tile to have a design impact in a guest bathroom. Take a look at the vanity on the left. The countertop uses a simple tile pattern to create a charming rustic feel. Then a six-inch backsplash of narrow rectangular tile picks up the tones of the vanity’s wood finish to create an integrated design element that makes this guest bath memorable. The oil-rubbed bronze hardware with its rustic flavor makes so much sense with this look.

Finishing Touches:bath-2-web

Don’t stop with the design elements. Once you move in, take the time to find the right art and accessories to complete the look in your guest bathroom. In the photo above, the design of the bathroom is enhanced by the choice of shower curtain, towels, art and accessories.

Notice that although the design itself is neutral, it left the homeowner open to introduce color into the room. By bringing in orange-red and the grey-blue, the neutral elements actually connect with the color palette. While you don’t need to be afraid to pull color into your design choices, if you would rather keep your permanent options neutral, think about what colors you will want to bring in with more temporary elements later. You may want to bring some of those colors with you to your design appointment.

Above all with a guest bathroom, have fun! It’s the smallest room in your home so it’s OK to take a few chances. And those extras aren’t going to break the bank with the minimum square footage involved. So as you wander through the Fulton Design Center, if you spot a special sink, faucet, tile design or light fixture you can’t resist, why not consider the guest bath for its home?

 

The Fun of the Fulton Design Center

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fulton-design-centerWhen you’re choosing your home builder, the model homes are only a starting point. It’s important to see what a builder provides to allow you to make your home your own. A rich selection of options makes the difference between a stock home and a home that feels fully customized. With the Fulton Design Center, you have 13,000 square feet of choices.

Take the time to review the kitchen vignettes. They give you a wide selection of styles and moods, providing a good conceptual overview of what different kitchens will look like when finished. Not sure what you want in a bathroom? Just wander through the bath section to get ideas.

The most recently updated area is the smart home section, where you can learn about the latest in security systems, whole-house sound and home theater choices. The Fulton Design Center is regularly updated so you have a chance to see and select the latest in home options.

A range of kitchen appliances are on display, giving you the opportunity to explore which type of refrigerator or oven you would prefer. Be sure to check out the awesome Bertolini Gas ranges – they quickly become the focal point in any chef’s kitchen!

We all dream of creating the perfect home. Thanks to the Fulton Design Center, that dream can really happen. Visit during one of the browse nights and see for yourself. The Design Center is open the first and third Thursdays of every month from 5 to 8 p.m.

Choosing the Right Carpeting

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design center 3What factors are important when choosing the right carpeting for your home? Most people want a lighter tone so that it doesn’t make their home feel too dark. But you don’t want to go too light so that it doesn’t show the dirt too easily. But beyond that, what should you look for? Here are a few things to consider.

Stain resistance: Will the carpeting have to stand up to children or pets? If so, look for something that will recover from spills with an easy wipe up. There are special carpeting techniques that include overdying and stain-proof coatings that make carpeting almost completely stain-proof. Talk to your designer about the specifics of the maintenance requirements of whatever carpeting you choose. It may be worth a higher price to get carpeting that will withstand the onslaught of a tough audience.

Durability & finish: Are there certain rooms that will have to withstand heavy traffic? If so, certain types of carpeting handle that demand better than others. For example you may be tempted by the soft feel of plush carpeting, but its tendency to show every footprint means that in a high-traffic area you will find yourself vacuuming constantly to keep it looking nice. Instead, you may want to choose a more forgiving option.

Color: Although most people select a neutral tone, carpeting often has an underlying color. Make sure your choice works well with other colors you may use in your home. Be sure to bring your final choice into natural light to see how the color looks in daylight and with your tile, paint and cabinet selections. After all, you will be living with your choices for a long time. Make sure everything coordinates well together.

Layers in Decorating

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wWarner-Groves-at-Morrison-Ranch-052 - CopyWhen you’re planning to decorate a room, it’s easy to focus on the furniture and accessories, but there’s much more to consider. Let’s take a look at this photo and consider all the elements we see.

The view: From this angle, the first thing our eyes focus on is what’s outside the house – the backyard. In a way, the focal point of this space is actually the trio of waterfall fountains in the back yard. It’s nice to have this kind of special view from your back windows because it adds so much not only to the yard itself but to your home too. But even if you don’t have a view like this, be sure to think about what people will see when they look outside. Plan your landscaping with the view in mind and keep the yard free of clutter.

The window treatments: This room has curtains framing the back window that capture the accent color in the room – yellow – as well as shutters behind the sofa where drapes would be awkward. When you’re choosing window treatments be sure to consider how furniture placement will affect your choice.

Lamp and accessories: Notice that the shape of the jar on the side table echoes the base of the lamp. That creates a comfortable consistency that makes the room feel well pulled-together. The colors also work well together – staying in the background rather than pulling too much attention to that corner. And the curves flow with the soft upholstery and throw pillows.

Altogether, the layers of this room work well to make the space feel integrated and well designed. This makes the room a pleasure to spend time in and share with family and guests.

Gold Tones Warm up Family Room

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wWarner-Groves-at-Morrison-Ranch-072 - CopyWhen you want to create a warm living space, consider choosing gold as the primary color. The hue fills a space with warmth. It also lends a sense of light.

In Renaissance times, furniture and accessories were often covered in gold leaf, creating a sparkle to any space. Today gold leaf is less common, but the choice of a blend of gold tones still works in any room.

Let’s start with the gold sofa. This sectional is the primary piece of furniture in the room, and it sets the feeling for the entire space. Every other element is built around it. The pillows provide a strong contrast with the sofa and also introduce the darker and lighter elements present in the room – navy blue and a bright yellow-gold.

The cocoa color on the back wall really helps the sofa to pop, and complements the mid-tone gold carpeting. This medium shade for the carpeting is a smart choice – not too dark but dark enough to maintain the mood in the room. All of the major elements hover in a mid-range, but then the pops of dark and light tones in the artwork and accessories keep the room interesting.

Notice the artwork. It depicts a natural scene with enough bright colors to draw the eye. Pieces such as that and the bright yellow bottle on the coffee table help make the room shine.

Decorating a room with a single color makes it restful and inviting, but be sure to add those color surprises to help the room sparkle too!

A Welcoming Way Into Your Home

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Warner-Groves-at-Morrison-Ranch-webHave you ever stopped and just taken a look toward your front door from the back of your house? Most of us walk in the garage and then keep going, focusing on what we’re trying to accomplish rather than taking the time to really look around our homes.

Well, it’s worthwhile to take a break and look around as though you are a visitor in your own home. Here are the key areas you should check out – those places you rarely see but guests see all the time.

From your front door: Since most of us enter our homes through the garage, it’s rare that we actually walk in our own front doors. Start by standing just outside the front door and see how everything looks. Does your home give a nice first impression? Make any changes you need to make sure that it does.

Facing your kitchen: You probably tend to stand in your kitchen and face out. Take a look at how your kitchen looks from the other side. Too cluttered? Too dull? What can you change to make the most of that view?

From the back of your home facing front: This is the view you see in the photo above. What you see in this Fulton Model in Warner Groves at Morrison Ranch is there are lots of interesting things to the left and less going on to the right. But in this case artwork, built-in cabinetry and details such as the arched doorways along with the white trim against the darker walls keep things equally interesting on the right side.

As you plan your new Fulton Home, be sure to think about how it will look from all angles – those you will be seeing and those visible for your guests.

Granite Adds Color to Kitchen

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If you’re drawn to painted cabinets in a kitchen but worry that there won’t be enough color with your choice, take a look at this option, from the Surfliner model at Cooley Station. The cabinets are white, the appliances stainless, but this kitchen is anything but bland thanks to the dramatic granite countertop.

With every Fulton Home, granite countertops are standard in your kitchen. This choice is perfect with white cabinets. First, there is enough light color in the stone to connect the countertop with the cabinetry, yet there is still enough contrast to be effective. The natural brown and gold elements warm up the space, filling in the tones normally provided by stained wood cabinets.

Notice how the tile work stays light, but adds a rustic charm to the space with its beveled edges and trim. The dark mosaic tile elements over the stove and along the middle section of the island add an interesting dark contrast.

The dark flooring brings out the darkest brown visible in the countertop, connecting everything in the kitchen together. A few touches of black – the sink, the burners on the stove, and some accessories – pull in some additional strong dark tones.

This kitchen doesn’t really need a lot of additional color. A bit of maroon from the bar stool cushions and coffee cups are all that it takes to finish off the look.

Is this the kitchen of your dreams? Come take a look at this choice and more at our model homes at Cooley Station. Visit FultonHomes.com to learn more.

 

Finishing an Empty Space

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finishing-an-empty-spacewWhen you move into a new home, you may find that there are walls or corners in a room or at the end of a hallway that feel empty. Take advantage of those spaces to create a mood that matches your personal style.

Maybe you have a yearning for retro furniture and accessories. Or possibly there’s a secret ultra-feminine girly girl inside you that would love to hang a wreath of dried flowers and stack antique hatboxes on a spindle-leg table. Or you may go in totally the opposite direction with a contemporary sculpture sitting on a sleek mirrored dresser. This photo shows one interesting choice from the Capital model at Seaboard in Cooley Station. Let’s take a look at the design decisions made here.

Dresser: This piece of furniture might have been used in a family bedroom once upon a time and is no longer needed. Or it could have been purchased at a consignment store. The finish might be original, but if you found a piece and liked the lines it wouldn’t be difficult to refinish or paint something like this. Another option would be to decoupage the front of the drawers with old maps, flower plates or other images. It’s also easy to change out hardware to get just the look you want.

Mirror: A mirror is always a good choice when finishing up an extra space. Everyone appreciates the chance to make sure they are looking their best, and mirrors add light and space to every room. This mirror has extra interest thanks to the framing. It has the appearance of an oriel window, which makes it inviting and worth an extra look.

Accessories: Chances are you have some extra items that you would like to display. Look for a mix of heights, colors and textures that will suit the space.

Finally, consider all the extra storage you’re giving yourself with those drawers. That might be the perfect place to store table linens, extra towels or out-of-season sweaters. We can all use extra storage. Above all, have fun with these surprising spaces and make them your own.

Balance Formal Casual Traditional Contemporary

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balance-of-casual-and-formal-traditional-and-contemporarywIs this dining room formal or casual? Traditional or contemporary? Actually, it has elements of all four. Let’s take a look at how it’s put together and why it works so well.

Formal: The basic chandelier has classic lines, even crystal pendants, to maintain a formal traditional theme. The table also shows its formal roots with the dark-wood finish, turned legs and detailed edging around the top.

Casual: the choice of placemats and napkins in bright colors and patterns rather than the more classic white tablecloth approach says casual. Also, choosing a simple fabric for the dining chairs’ upholstery maintains a more casual feel.

Traditional: The dining table and chairs as well as the chandelier’s basic lines are classic and traditional but…

Contemporary: Choosing the circular frame around the chandelier takes it out of the last century and bumps it firmly into this one. The stoneware is also modern in line and glaze.

Overall, this dining room combines many design approaches into one cohesive whole. It works for several reasons. The proportions fit well together and there is a nice mix of dark and light. It takes courage to blend these different approaches to décor together, but when it works – as it does in this case – it is a pleasure to see.