Category Archives: Inspiration

Open Floor Plan – Kitchen Pass Through

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With all of the focus on open floor plans and open concept living, walls between rooms are disappearing in new home construction.  The old kitchen that had a wall separating it from the dining room or living room has given way to a more open feeling with sight lines from the kitchen into the other rooms.

 

This living room and kitchen depicts a popular solution for opening up the walls in a kitchen: the pass through.  The pass through is a cutout in the wall between kitchen and typically the dining area or dining room. Pass throughs are named for the ability to pass food and beverages through the opening.

 

The opening of a pass through can be a narrow opening under the cabinets or, as seen in this space, a large opening between the two rooms.  A pass through can be created without too much consideration for load bearing walls and beams if the pass through is not too large.

 

Because both rooms will be visible, you might want to consider matching or coordinating the flooring between the kitchen and the other living areas.  This will create a greater sense of flow in the home and between the two spaces.

Designing a Room from the Floor Up

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If you have wood floors or carpet that you love, you can build a room design from the floor up. Often when designing a room, we begin with an inspiration fabric or accent color. Flooring is typically 30% of a room, so it should be a big factor in the overall design of the space.  Taking flooring into account at the beginning of your design will create a beautiful polished room in the end.

 

Even if you don’t love your existing flooring, choosing your flooring at the beginning of the design process is a good idea. Think of how you will use the space. Kitchens and bathrooms have different flooring needs than living and bedrooms. Do you have pets? Kids? High foot traffic? All of these should be taken into consideration when choosing flooring types and colors.

 

Once you have your beautiful floors selected, you can begin building your room.  Get samples of paint, wallpaper, fabric and accent colors to create a unified design.  When selecting colors for the room, take into account the color and tone of your floors.  Dark or light, warm or cool tones in the flooring will make wall and fabric colors look differently.  Keep floor color in mind especially if you have wood furniture on wood floors. A little bit of contrast between the woods will make the furniture stand out more; similar colors will make the two elements blend together.

 

Remember, if it all seems too overwhelming, involve the help of a flooring professional. They can help you pull everything together.

 

Transform Your Space With Paint

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Paint is one of the most versatile design elements in decorating. It can transform walls, furniture, floors and fabric. Simply painting a wall, one of the easiest DIY projects, can immediately change the feel and look of a room.  But paint can do a lot more than just change the color of a wall, floor or piece of furniture.

 

This room might seem an extreme example of what you can do with paint. The graphic pattern on the wall is very lively yet the look is achieved with just two colors of paint. Creating patterns with paint can make a simple project have a complicated result.  Using stencils and tape can yield a myriad of patterns. Vertical and horizontal stripes can be done with painters’ tape and a level. Stencils can be as simple as a circle or as complex as a lattice print or classic onion pattern.

 

The techniques that are most typically used on a wall can also be used on furniture. Wood furniture should be properly prepped before being painted. Prep work may include puttying, sanding, priming and more sanding before you begin to paint.  Stripes are easy to achieve vertically or horizontally on the wall.  Painters’ tape should still be used to mark off the stripes to prevent the color bleeding through. Stenciled walls can imitate traditional inlay or patterned tiles.  For a large expanse of wall, bigger patterns will feel less busy.

Beautiful White Bedroom Decor

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An all white room can be a bastion of calm and peace. Or it can be a stressful battle against paws and kids. All white kitchens feel crisp and clean. All white family rooms might not be the best choice in decorating. On the other hand, an all white master bedroom can indeed be an oasis of calm and serenity.

 

This all white bedroom is layered with various shades of white from crisp designer white to whites tinted whispers of grey. The layering is what gives this room a finished looking design rather than an unfinished or even boring look of stark white. Along with layering shades of white, texture plays a role in making this design work.

 

Pure white bed linens stand out against more grey tones of white on the bed frame and walls. The subtle contrast between the two whites is enough for the eye to differentiate. The bench at the foot of the bed and the nightstands are also painted in the palest of greys.

 

Texture can be found on both the bed and floor. A shaggy, sheepskin or Flokati rug adds texture to the smooth wood of the floors. Bedding contrasts between smooth cotton sheets and a more textured coverlet. Smooth walls and floors contrast against the texture of the rug and bedding.

 

Uncovered windows to the left of the bed and above it flood the space with natural light. Combined with the snow white palette, this gives the room an airy and light feeling.

Professional Kitchen Designers

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For a full down to the studs kitchen remodel or an update, working with a professional kitchen designer can be a great idea. Professional kitchen designers can help you design your dream kitchen or choose new countertops for a quick update.

 

Flooring, counters, backsplashes, cabinets, appliances and lighting can each change the look and feel of a kitchen. On their own they can update the kitchen; together they will give your kitchen a whole new look. Selecting a single one of these to work with your existing kitchen can be tricky. Choosing a combination of new counters, cabinets and flooring can be downright daunting. Enter the kitchen designer.

 

Kitchen designers can help you select a stone backsplash that coordinates with granite counter tops that also work with your existing cabinetry. Larger guts and remodels can be planned by a kitchen designer to change not only the look of your kitchen but its functionality.  These designers can recommend changes to floor plans that can up the function of your kitchen without expanding the floor plan.  For major projects an in home consultation to take measurements is a must.  Even for surface changes, a home appointment should be done for measurements and color samples.

 

To hire a kitchen designer you can begin by asking friends and neighbors for recommendations who have recently remodeled their kitchens. If there is a local kitchen showroom, visit and ask for a consultation. Get several estimates before deciding to make sure you find the right kitchen designer for your home and budget.

Lavender in the Home

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Lavender is a fragrant herb synonymous with the South of France. The delicate purple flowers contain a heady scent that is valued for its fragrance the world over and has long been used to create perfumes and scent the home. The color of the flowers is also a favorite purple with strong undertones of blue and grey.

 

Lavender as a color is often a more pale, pastel version of the color found in nature. It is a calming color because of all the blue it contains. Because of this lavender is a wonderful color for a bedroom.

 

Shades of lavender can range from a pale whisper to a pastel with lots of grey undertones. Lavender can work as a wall color for a living room and is lovely when paired with silvers and gold. Lavender accents and rugs are a nice way to introduce the color into a space.

 

The herb itself can have many uses in the home. Lavender is one of the herbs in the herbs de Provence blend used for Coq au Vin, the famous French chicken dish. Because of its fresh fragrance, lavender and lavender scents can be used in cleaning and laundry. Lavender is a popular scent for laundry detergents and fabric softeners. Sachets of lavender can be tossed in the dryer to give clean laundry a lovely, natural scent. Cleaning products as well can be found scented with lavender.

 

For freshening up carpets and area rugs, dried lavender can be sprinkled onto the carpet before vacuuming.

Perfect for the Kitchen: Food Themed Art

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At first glance this photograph might appear to be of an exotic type of marble or granite. Or perhaps a marbleized paper or faux painting technique. It is none of those things. It is a cross section of a cabbage shot in close-up. Yes, cabbage.

 

Food based art and photographs can be beautiful and food themed art is also the perfect wall accessory for the kitchen and dining room.

 

Kitchen walls are typically filled with cabinetry and appliances, but rarely is ever wall surface filled. Most kitchens are left with some blank wall space and some more than others depending on the size and style of the kitchen layout. What to put on these blank kitchen walls can be challenging.

 

It is not wise to put original oil or acrylic paintings near a cooking area. Grease in the air can cling to the surface of the artwork. Dining rooms are a better choice for paintings like these that are not framed behind glass. Watercolors, drawings, collages and photographs can all be hung in the kitchen since the majority of time they are framed with glass to protect their surfaces.

 

Choosing what food themed art to hang can be based on several factors, including the style of your kitchen, your favorite food and other colors in the flooring and cabinetry of the kitchen. Traditional kitchens would do best with traditional still life style art, while contemporary and modern kitchens could have food art that was more abstract. Be inspired by food photography to take your own shots and frame them.

One Man's Trash

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The saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” has never been more appropriate for decorating than it is today. Design shows routinely feature treasures found at local flea markets, thrift stores and even the curb. One famous designer routinely features these finds on his nationally syndicated design show.

 

What is it about flea marketing, thrifting and local curb scouting that appeal to so many DIY and professional designers? The answer may be as simple as the thrill of the hunt. Once you find one amazing treasure for very little money or no money, you might be hooked. For others, thrifting for decorating their home may be one of budgetary necessity. When buying a new home closing costs, moving and necessary repairs can eat into the decorating budget. Being resourceful and clever means decorating with found objects and pieces rather than buying everything new.

 

Condition is key when converting trash to treasure. A coat of paint can easily transform something that is in good condition but has issues on the surface.  Rugs and carpets should be free of set in stains and strong odors. A good professional cleaning can restore a dirty rug to showroom clean. Found electrical things like lamps and lighting should be in good working order or be prepared to have them rewired for safety.

 

Looking past the scratched surface or ugly paint job to the form of the piece, these clever thrifters and flea market aficionados can turn trash into treasure to decorate their homes.

Farm to Table Inspired Kitchens

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The farm to table movement in food is always influencing the way we think about and design our kitchens.  The return to locally grown produce and farm raised meats has increased the popularity of farmhouse style in the kitchen.

 

Farmhouse style sinks are one of the most popular sink designs in recent years. The farmhouse sink is a deep and wide sink that can work with a number of kitchen styles, including modern and contemporary.  The clean lines and rectangular shape of the farmhouse sink fit in with most cabinet styles as well.

 

Flooring inspired by old farmhouses is also a big trend. Reclaimed wood floors, some from antique barns, gives any kitchen an instant vintage feeling. New wood floors can be found with a rough, hand-hewn finish that gives them the look of reclaimed or antique wood floors.  Wider floor boards are also popular in kitchen floors.

 

Linoleum and marmoleum, a green product, can also work for a farmhouse or vintage kitchen floor. Offered in sheets or tiles, these floors can add color and pattern to a vintage or farmhouse inspired design.

 

Beyond floors and sinks, cabinets and islands are getting the farmhouse treatment.  Furniture that can work at adding storage like an armoire or wood cabinet can take the place of a walk in pantry in a farmhouse kitchen. Farmhouse tables can stand in for a kitchen island.

 

Baskets, bowls and crates for storing and displaying farm fresh produce can be placed on kitchen counters, islands and shelves to add color to the kitchen.

Boy Friendly Home Spaces

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With kids clothing and decorating, the general consensus is that girls are more fun. Girls’ clothes have more options and styles than boy’s clothes. You could go as far as to say the same thing is true for boy’s rooms.  Basic blues and green, brown and maybe some orange accents are typical “boy” colors for decorating boys’ spaces.  This doesn’t mean that boy friendly spaces have to follow the rule or be boring. Creating a great space for your son can be just as much fun as decorating for a daughter.

 

Popular themes for decorating boys’ rooms revolve around common interests for boys: sports; robots; space; transportation; dinosaurs; and comics.   Using a theme from a favorite classic movie or game can be the jumping off point for decorating a boy’s room.  Pick up colors and patterns common to the theme and use them for bedding, walls and flooring.

 

This boy’s room doesn’t have a theme décor yet still feels perfectly suited for a growing boy. Navy and white curtains are a classic pattern in a classic color combination that can outlast the latest obsession with space, boats or sports. Using classic patterns on textiles makes the design more versatile so it can grow as your son grows.

 

Keeping the floors and walls in classic neutrals can also help the room grow with your child for either gender.  Wood floors with area rugs provide ideal surfaces for play, setting up trains, racing cars or making a fort.  Versatility is the key when decorating a kid’s room.