Design | From the Floors Up

Expert Tips for Refreshing Your Living Room

June 17, 2020 By creatingyourspace Leave a Comment

Whether your style leans more towards traditional, modern or even bold, you should love the way your living room looks. After all, it is the place where you will most likely be spending quality time with the family and entertaining guests. What many people do not know is that there is an art to decorating a living room. Before you tackle the task, check out these few expert tips:

1. Contrast Neutrals. If you enjoy a traditional style living room, neutrals are probably your go-to when comes to decor. While hues like white and black add an air of sophistication, contrasting neutrals is the key to making this space feel warm and welcoming. Using colors like white, beige, grey or other neutral shades within the same room will help bring out the undertones of each color.

2. The Right Mix of Dark and Light. Achieving the right mix of dark and light is crucial. When a living room is too dark, it can bring down the mood and feel like you are hiding in a cave. On the other hand, if the space is too light, it will come off as unapproachable. Achieving the right balance will help to create a dynamic look with more depth and dimension.

3. Say Yes to Wood Accents. A living room just is not a living room without wood accents. Adding hints of wood instantly adds a sense of warmth and there are so many ways you can do that. You can introduce wood through side tables, carved artwork, entertainment console etc. The warm details of the wood will help to bring back comfort and coziness to your space.

4. Mix Upholstery. Having trouble deciding between a leather or linen sofa? Why not both? You will find that most furniture stores give you the option of purchasing an entire sofa set with matching upholstery; however, you are not required to do it. Welcome in a mix of furniture in different fabrics and shapes. This will help to give your living room a more trendy look.

5. Durable Fabrics. The living room should not only be comfortable but you will also want to preserve it. This is done by opting for fabrics that are durable and that can be easily maintained. This is especially important if there are pets and small children in the household. Just be sure to find a fabric that withstands your household’s activity levels.

We hope you enjoyed these expert tips! Be sure to check back next week for more expert advice.

What Décor Does Your Design Style Demand? | Part Three

April 10, 2020 By creatingyourspace Leave a Comment

Interior design is a science and an art. It balances aesthetics as well as functionality. Some styles and themes have been created throughout time, which have mastered not only the look but the functionality. They are thoroughly created with guidelines and structure yet give homeowners the freedom to create and design their own version themselves! The structure and guidance can create a science where the freedom to express and break the rules can come down to your own artistic touch.

When designing a room, there are many elements used to create the space. From colors, flooring, lighting, furniture, and even architecture, we see many design themes that flourish with these features. As we have seen in some of the prior themes, the décor you choose can help express yourself while also enhancing your overall design. We previously looked at some of the most popular designs and saw how some styles could use fine details to capitalize on our design themes. Well, we realized there are still many popular themes to explore. Here are several more themes that you may have in your own home:

Southwestern

Southwestern design is a blend of Latin American culture and West Coast styling. It uses earthy tones and accent colors of turquoise, reds, oranges, and yellows. With enriched textures and upholstery, this design prides itself on traditional Latin American styling. Help enhance your space by adding clay vases, culturally-influenced patterns, and vibrant accent colors to pop against your earthy toned atmosphere.

Eclectic

This style can be the easiest yet the most challenging. Eclectic is a style that blends and mashes many designs together to create a unique, artsy styling. From the most contemporary elements to the eldest antiques, every piece of décor has a purpose and meaning. All colors are welcomed; however, this design can be the most challenging to prevent from becoming too chaotic. Additionally, it is not uncommon for a dining room table to have several different, unmatching chairs. The pride of every piece’s individuality works together to create harmony. Remember, nearly all décor is welcome, yet understand how everything works together and flows.

Traditional

Traditional interior design was inspired by the 18th and 19th centuries. These designs have very bulky and ornate furniture. While these pieces can take up a lot of space, they are very well-crafted and made to last. This design is a very orderly and relaxed environment. Symmetry is at the forefront of the styling. Two matching chairs, two matching end tables with duplicate lamps are very common. Keep this in mind with your décor. While nothing is really a focal point, focus on balance and symmetry with your antiques to master this style.

Interior design themes are great to use in our own homes. We all love different styles for many different reasons. So, make sure you get the most out of your designs by adding the right décor since it is the best way to express yourself in your design.

What Décor Does Your Design Style Demand? | Part Two

April 9, 2020 By creatingyourspace Leave a Comment

As we explored in Part One, every style gives us different guidelines that we can use to keep our styles focused. Different themes have become staples in home designs for their abundance in popularity and versatility. What creates a design theme are not only the colors, furniture, and flooring we select, but also the décor we use. Décor can be your way to give a personal splash of taste to your own design. So let us take a look at several more common design styles and what decor pieces each one needs.

Shabby Chic

Shabby Chic is a very airy, feminine design. This design uses antique and distressed furniture. Usually, its woods can be painted with distressed or whitewashed colors. Colors added to this design are done through pastel tones. These muted tones are pastel pinks, turquoises, and greens. Whether pastels or antique woods, both are great accent choices to enhance your décor.

Boho

Bohemian design is very lackadaisical and carefree. This style is colorful and loves to put comfort first. The décor is more spiritually-influenced or features textile patterns. This look is a great style to use tapestry or other unique textiles like carpets and throw pillows. Flourish your Bohemian style with patterns and repetition to help create a more uniformed space.

Industrial

Industrial or Urban style designs are typically found in lofts or inner-city areas. Unlike other designs that push more elements of nature, Industrial design is all about finding the beauty in the architectural structure of the space. Exposed beams, brick walls, pipes, Edison bulbs, and concrete are common styling influences. The raw, exposed construct is featured as the main highlight in these designs. Edgy, colorful artwork is perfect for these environments. You can also choose furniture that is more unfinished and exposed. Additionally, metals play a massive role in Industrial styling! Be creative and consider adding artificial décor pieces made from metals or repurposed goods.

Every design theme brings different visual and functional effects. Fully understanding how to accomplish a theme can allow you to decorate it properly. Try using some of these tactics in your own home to help better emphasize your preexisting design themes.

What Décor Does Your Design Style Demand? | Part One

April 8, 2020 By creatingyourspace Leave a Comment

Interior design is a way you can tailor your home to the aesthetics you love and need. Different themes have been created in interior design over time. A theme is an idea that encapsulates a work of art and creates a particular setting or ambiance. There are hundreds of themes we use today, which can give us great guidelines for creating a beautiful atmosphere. Interior design themes develop strategies to help you successfully balance any room.

Several of the most common themes today consist of Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian, Rustic, Shabby Chic, Bohemian, and Industrial. While thousands of styles are still available, these are traditional concepts that have lasted the test of time. With these guidelines, each style has décor that will work for it and décor that can clash with it. Let us explore each theme and what décor can best go in each design to help tailor your décor to your home!

Mid-Century Modern

Mid-Century Modern is not to be confused with Contemporary. Mid-Century Modern is a style that was used in many home designs during 1933-1965. This style offered an open layout, streamline furniture, and a light, airy color palette. When adding décor to these spaces, pay attention to the lines. Most furniture in Mid-Century Modern is very simple, prioritizing functionality. Minimalism is the core root of this style, so décor should be minimum but impactful. Look for unique, simple décor that can pop and make a statement, yet not rob the room of its simplicity.

Scandinavian

Scandinavian is the design theme you see with Ikea furniture. This style is a very simple color palette with white, beige, grey, and black being nearly as colorful as it gets. If you were to add color décor, keep it very muted with pastel colors. Scandinavian design always uses light-colored woods. This feature can work great with accent décor as well! Another important characteristic is comfort. Comfort can be achieved with cozy textiles like throw pillows or other variables of comfort.

Rustic

Rustic design is naturally influenced by natural stones, hardwoods, and other components of nature. Many of the furnishings take pride in the rough, more gnarled-size wood has to offer. This look can be a great tactic to use in your design. Galvanized metals, wood trinkets, forest-influenced décor, and candle lighting are all tremendous, authentic tricks to put into this styling.

Every design style has its own guidelines, which can help create the style. Knowing your style and some of its criteria to enhance it can help you master your design. Remember, interior design is expressive and only works if you love it. These strategies can help you master your own design and take it to the next level. Make sure to check out part two to explore even more common design styles and décor tactics.

Choosing a Theme Style for Your Home

March 11, 2020 By creatingyourspace Leave a Comment

Now that you have a new home, you can officially begin designing it. However, you may quickly realize that there are hundreds of design themes. How do you choose the right one? Rustic, Contemporary, Mid-Century Modern, and Shabby Chic are all great styles. Yet, choosing the right one can be hard. There are several great tools to help you narrow down the right choice for your own home. Here are the best ways to help guide your theme selection:

Personal Touches

Cabinets, flooring, and countertops are already tailored to the look you want! Instead of dwelling on what style will work best, simply add your own personal touches. Vases, pictures, throw pillows, wall art, and décor are all great ways to make a house your home. Interior design is expressive and a chance to individualize yourself. Take advantage of the opportunity and embrace your internal design desires.

Architectural Features

Another significant guiding factor in designing your space can be complementing your architectural influences and home’s surrounding environment. For instance, many homes in Arizona are designed with southwestern design themes. This factor is a great design style to emphasize your own design and help bring to life. You would want to try to incorporate rich textures and earthy tones into your atmosphere. Woven fabrics, suedes, and leathers can also be facilitated to amplify this effect. These are some great tools used to create a Southwestern atmosphere.

What You Already Own

You should also allow your current furniture and belongings to help guide your theme. What kind of preexisting furniture are you bringing into your new home? What colors, fabrics, rugs, pictures, and décor did your old design have? If you did not have a very balanced design, you could begin to look for what works together and creating a design. Perhaps, you have had a very eclectic design but notice many earthy tones in half your furniture. This factor is a great start in transforming your space into a Rustic design theme. You can slowly replace the odd and unmatching décor and furnishings to create a new theme.

Designing your space should be fun and expressive. In fact, it is the best part of making a house your home. What design tricks do you plan on using in your new home? We would love to hear from you! Let us know below in the comment section.

Expert Tips for Refreshing Your Living Room