Decorating With Gray

Gray is the ultimate neutral.  It looks good with just about any color and ranges from cool to warm.  Gray can provide the perfect anchor color and can also be used to offset moldings, flooring and ceiling in a room.  Because gray looks good with just about any accent color you can’t really go wrong!  Check out gray with these hot new color trends for 2010!

Gray and Yellow

Add a little cheerfulness to your gray with a beautiful yellow!  If you have gray floors, gray walls or gray bathroom tiles work with what you’ve got to incoorporate color.

Gray and Turquoise

Turquoise is a hot color this season and will surely make any room pop with color!  Blue evokes a calming emotion and between that and gray this color combo will keep you at ease.

Gray and Orange

Orange is becoming more and more popular these days despite how much your mom may hate it!  If you use it sparingly you might not hate it 20 years later as much as your mom does.

Gray and Pink

So, pink might be a little touchy especially for the guys or if you live with a guy!  Chances are, that you might not get your husband to agree with pink in a common area, but you might be able to swing it in a children’s room or guest bedroom.  However, if you live alone this could be the perfect color palette just for you!

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Fantastic Designers With Incredible Products

Looking for something for your home that is new, different, whimsical, fun and practical all at the same time?  Today I’d like to feature some wonderful designers that you might now know about.  

Kenneth Wingard 

Kenneth Wingard offers a clean, contemporary collection of home accent pieces at reasonable pricing.  While his pieces might work best in a modern style of home it can also add a bit of contemporary feel to a traditional style of home. 

Wall Art

Bardot Lamps

Sunburst Clock

Mobileo

Jonathan Adler 

Jonathan Adler carries a full line of home accessories, furniture and even a line for kids.  The company describes itself as  ”a design company dedicated to bringing style, craft, joy, and a general feeling of grooviness to your home”.  And that it does!  Many of his pieces are a bit “tongue in cheek” or might even make you laugh out loud! 

Horse Tray

Wallpaper

Mrs. Godfrey Chair

Horse Lamp

Inhabit

Inhabit is a husband and wife design team that is trained in graphic design.  They offer modern eco-friendly accessories, bedding and home furnishings.

Bedding and Wall Art

Bedding

Throw Pillows

Wall Flats

Lights Up 

Lights Up is a lighting company out of Brooklyn, NY that carries pendants, floor lamps and sconces featuring custom printed shades. 

Deco Pendant

Weegee Table Lamp

Virgil Low Lamp

Cancan Floor Lamp

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Space Saving Ideas

Looking to get the most use of space out of your home?  Check out these space-saving ideas that are practical, functional and fun! 

Desk Bed

Make your office serve a dual purpose.  These modern desk beds are a perfect space-saving idea.  It acts as your office desk and when guests are in town the desk converts into a Murphy bed. 

Wood Coffee Table With Additional Seating

Glass Coffee Table With Additional Seating

These space-saving coffee tables are a perfect solution for when you need additional seating in the family room or living room.  They are easy to access and when not in use, are conveniently stored under the coffee table and out-of-the-way. 

Office In A Closet

Don’t have a spare room for your office?  No worries!  Get The Container Store’s  office in a closet.  You can have a fully functioning office right in your closet.  And when it is not in use, it stores neatly away behind your closet doors for no one to see your mess. 

Toy Storage

Store kids toys without having it look tacky!  Use a cubed bookcase or partition and insert storage bins filled with your kid’s toys.  Bookcases of all sizes can be found at Ikea or various furniture stores.

 

Closet System

Now this one is not surprising, but the usage of closet systems lets you maximize those small closet spaces.  To do it for less, go to a place like the Container Store, have their associate design a layout on their software program and then take the printout of the parts and pieces you need to Home Depot or Lowes and buy the less expensive system.  It will work just as well as the fancy closet systems!

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10 Economical Home Decorating Tips

In today’s economy everybody wants to save a little money when it comes to decorating, remodeling or redesigning their home.  Here are ten ways to get the best bang for your buck without spending a fortune. 

Paint- Adding or changing paint in a room can make the biggest impact.  Paint an entire room or an accent wall.  Depending on the brand of paint you choose, one gallon can cost anywhere from $12-$30 and can change the entire dynamic of a room. 

Paint

 Area rugs- Area rugs can make a very monotone floor lively again. Area rugs are available in all different price ranges depending on the quality and fiber content of the rug. Choose an area rug that is large enough to cover three-quarters of the floor and look for colors in the rug that incorporate colors from your room. 

Area Rugs

 Accessorize with color- Add a pop of color with accessories such as a throw blanket, artwork, a vase or throw pillows. Consider introducing a new color in the room with the use of accessories.  

Accessorize With Color

 Throw pillows- Add or change throw pillows on your sofa.  Fresh up to date throw pillows can make an outdated room or sofa look modern again. Throw pillows can be purchased very inexpensively at many different stores. 

Throw Pillows

 Wall decals- Wall decals are all the rage these days and can make a boring wall interesting.  With many different designs available and the easy peel and stick application, wall decals are an easy and inexpensive decorating solution. 

Wall Decals

 Window treatments- Add or replace window treatments.  Add a window treatment to a room can make a room appear finished.  Premade window treatments can be purchased inexpensively or can be made relatively easily. 

Window Treatments

 Artwork- Liven up you bare walls with artwork.  Make your own artwork or purchase inexpensive artwork at discounted stores.  Use one large piece or a collage of pieces. 

Artwork

 Slipcovers- If your sofa is outdated and you do not want to buy a new one, slipcover your couch.  Choose a slipcover that is different from your couch and one that is form fitting and not baggy. 

Slipcovers

 Lighting- Lighting is a very important interior design element and can change the entire dynamic of a room. Consider adding a lamp or pendant light over a sofa or chair. 

Lighting

 Indoor plants- Indoor plants can make a room appear softer. Place small plants on a pedestal and large potted plants on the floor.  Use a nice decorative pot.  They will look fabulous in the room once they begin to grow!  

Indoor Plants

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Staged To Sell

Getting your home ready for resale?  Tis the season to sell, sell sell!  In this market it is much harder than it looks, but there are a few things you can do to increase how your home shows as well as get top dollar offers.    

Stage your house!  Only 10% of home buyers can visualize the potential of a home.  Also, professionally staged homes sell over 50% faster and 17% higher than an un-staged home. Even if you are still living in the house it needs to be staged for a buyer.  The way your house is staged vs. the way you actually live in your house are two completely different things.  Unfortunately, your house is not going to be “comfortable” while it is staged to sell.  However, think of it as being temporary and it is a small price to pay to get what you want in the long run.  Keep in mind that staging is about making buyers believe that your home meets all of their needs.  Downplay the negatives and emphasize the positives.    

Entryways

What does a buyer see when they come through the front door?  Ask yourself this question.  The entryway sets the stage for the whole house.  It is the first impression and the last impression of your house.  Keep entryways uncluttered, clean and tastefully decorated.  Add a focal point.    

Living and Family Rooms

The living room is the hub for most family activities and so it needs to be fully functional and ready to use.  Check the fireplace so that it is fully functional and no obstructions in the flu.  Make sure that the flooring in your living room is in good shape, whether it is carpet, hardwoods, slate, etc.  If your floor is not in good shape consider a neutral area rug to cover any marks.  Make sure the paint in your living or family room is neutral.  A buyer needs to be able to picture their furniture going in that room and you can’t go wrong with neutral colors.  Make sure that traffic areas are fully accessible.  Optimize the sight lines and traffic flow into the room.  Arrange the furniture so that potential buyers can get a clear view of everything in the room, including all the focal points and features.  And always remember to declutter and clean.   

Kitchen

Staged kitchens need to be spacious, bright, updated, neutral and clean…and I do mean CLEAN!  Kitchen countertops tend to be the most important feature.  If your kitchen needs updating consider spending some money on replacing the countertops.  When staging your kitchen, remove 90% of what is on top of the countertop.  This will make your kitchen feel as if there is more space to work.  You want buyers to visualize what it would be like to live in your home and use your kitchen.  Make sure that walls are neutral, appliances are decluttered (no magnets or your kid’s artwork hanging from the refrigerator) and window treatments are taken down to allow as much light as possible into the room.   

Bedrooms

Remember that bedrooms are for sleeping and that is how the room should show.  The focal point of the bedroom should be the bed and the dominant piece of furniture in the room which is easily visible from the doorway.  Eliminate personal tastes that will distract the buyer such as strong colors, posters, personal pictures or accessories.  A general rule is that anything with a  nonsleeping or relaxing purpose should not be in the bedrooms.  Keep bedrooms neat and tidy and make it feel like a sanctuary that anyone can relax and feel comfortable in.   

Bathrooms

Make sure your bathroom is VERY clean and decluttered.  There should be no evidence of primping and hygiene activities anywhere in the bathroom except neatly put away in drawers.  The keyword for bathrooms is “spa-like”!  You want buyers to feel as if they are walking into a spa when they enter your bathroom.  Make a spa basket full of towels, bath salts and other bath items.  If your bathroom needs updating change outdated light fixtures, countertops (no colored countertops) and flooring.  Repaint if necessary, grout tiles and repair caulking.  Make sure there is a lot of light in the bathroom.   

Closets

The rule of thumb with closets is that they need to be only half full.  You want your home to appear as if it has a lot of storage space.  Think about the closet’s purpose and what should go in there.  A bedroom closet should have clothes, a linen closet should have linens, etc.  Your closets need to be decluttered as well.  Make sure your closets are neat, tidy and organized.  This will send the message to potential buyers that this is how you maintain the rest of your home.

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Let’s Cooperate!

Does your house need a little spicing up?  Who says that you need boring walls, boring furniture even a boring  corkscrew!  Give people something to talk about when they come to your house to visit!

KOAP Home (short for cooperative) in Kirkland, mixes mid-century, contemporary, eclectic, funky and vintage.  And what do you get when you enter a store like this?  The most fun shopping experience you have ever had!  KOAP Home is right in the heart of downtown Kirkland and features recognized designers like Alessi, Jonathan Adler, Kenneth Wingard and City Collection, just to name a few.  Walking through the store you will be oooing, ahhing and maybe even laughing at each piece that is whimsical yet excellent quality at the same time.  At KOAP you are not going to find the same rug from Pottery Barn or bowl from Crate and Barrel that everyone else has.  The owner of KOAP does an outstanding job carrying items from new, local and hard to find designers.

If your walls could talk, are they trying to tell you that they are bored?  If so, go to KOAP!

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Baby Room Sophistication with Skyflight Mobles

If you have designed a baby’s room recently or are in the process of designing a baby’s room, you have probably noticed that there are some really unattractive products out there.  And why should you sacrifice style and sophistication just because the room is for a child?  Every room in your house should reflect your design style and if Winnie the Pooh or other various Disney themes isn’t your thing, they why put it in your baby’s room. 

One nursery decor item that really seems to lack a classy, contemporary style are baby mobiles.  After searching high and low for something that wasn’t plush, pastel, attached to a plastic rod or spins and plays music , I finally found the perfect product!  Skyflight Mobiles designed by a husband and wife team out of Duvall, WA, features beautiful, classy, contemporary mobiles with beautiful colors and high quality materials.  The wife, has an art background and a love for nature.  She expresses her artistic ability with these fabulous mobiles.  Not only do these mobiles have to be used in a child’s room, but they can be used as art pieces anywhere in the home.  Skyflight Mobiles is sophisticated enough and suitable for any decor.  Please see their website for retail locations.

Panda Bear

Multi Cats

Birds

Hound Dog

Sea Turtle

Multi Dog

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Using Color In Its Appropriate Context

Green, the color of St. Patty’s Day…but do you really want to wear it?  Well, that might depend on the shade of green and where you are going to be sporting this fabulous color.  A color that you choose to wear should be suitable for your age, your surroundings and if it looks good with your complexion and hair color.  A similar set of rules apply to interior design when choosing a color for the interior or exterior of your home.  Do you ever wonder why someone painted the exterior of their house turquoise or bright purple?  Well if you find the answer, please let me know!

Just because you “like” a color does not mean that you need to smear it all over the inside and outside of your house.  Consider the following when you are deciding  on a color to paint the interior or exterior of your house.

Overwhelmed with all the different paint brands and color options to choose from?  Narrow it down starting with brand.  Quality and price are usually a consumer’s two main deciding factors.  My favorite brand of paint these days is Behr Ultra.  Behr Ultra makes your life a little easier and who doesn’t want that!  This new line of Behr Paint is a primer and paint in one and it was rated number one by Consumer Reports for all three sheens (flat, satin and semi-gloss) where it tests for hide and coverage, mold and mildew, scrubability, fading and price.  Behr Ultra covers very well and you will not have to paint over that red wall fourteen times.  The Ultra line also has a very nice color palette.  There are a lot of mid-tones and earth tones to choose from.  If you are still overwhelmed with color options however, chances are, you can eliminate at least one-third of the color palette.  Consider the context of your house and if bright bold colors will actually work, if not eliminate them.  The color palette of your entire house should flow together.  You don’t want to shock grandma as she walks around the corner and sees something totally out-of-place from the rest of the house like a bright fuschia wall!  If you do want to be a little daring, however, choose bold colors wisely.  Make an accent wall a brighter color that accentuates your furnishings and architecture of the room, don’t paint the entire room that color.  Remember, a little goes a long way!

Does the color you chose coordinate with the rest of the environment?  With interior paint, choose a color that coordinates with your furnishings, carpet and moldings.  These are the big things in the room that will most likely not be changed.  With exterior paint, choose a color that is appropriate for where you live.  If you live in Seattle for instance, earth tones are very pleasing and coordinates well with the natural environment.  Rarely, does a hot pink house look good in the Pacific Northwest!  However, bright bold colors are more common and appropriate in the south.

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Headboards Galore! Creative Headboard Solutions

Lets get a little more creative with headboards, shall we?  Enough already with the boring headboards that come with the bed and lets spice up your room!  A client of mine contacted me and told me that he and his wife were given a queen sized bed frame and mattress for one of their guest bedrooms.  And since the bed doesn’t have a headboard, he wanted to know what some options would be for creating one.  When you are designing your room, consider making the headboard the focal point.  What does the viewer see when they walk in the room?  Hopefully something exciting that compliments the room!  Here I have posted some ideas for fun and creative headboards that are sure to spice up any boring bed frame.

Art Headboard

Consider using pieces of art to use in lieu of a headboard.  Choose art pieces that are nicely framed that fit the room’s style.

Painted Headboard

Painting a headboard on your wall is a very inexpensive way to add a trompe l’ oeil effect.  Draw a template on the wall first and then paint in the headboard.

Shelf Headboard

A shelf can offer a casual headboard solution as well as provide a space for accessories.

Wallpaper Headboard

A wallpaper headboard can be just as inexpensive and easy as the painted headboard.  Find an interesting wallpaper that you like that compliments the room, make a template and then attach it to the wall.

Fabric Headboard

Wrap a piece of plywood with fabric and attach it to the wall.  Consider using several different fabrics to add more interest.

Curtain Headboard

Use a curtain and a curtain rod to act as a headboard.  Attach the curtain rod to the wall and let the curtain fabric drape behind the bed frame.

Unique Headboards

 

 

 

You can use just about anything for a headboard.  A framed chalkboard or even recycled pieces of lumber.  Make sure that whatever you use it creates interest in the room and acts as a focal point.

 

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Seattle Home Show 2010

So, let’s talk about the Seattle Home Show!  The Home Show was one week long, February 20th-28th.   As always, it was overwhelming and a lot to see if trying to do it all in one day. This year I found that there were not a lot of companies showcasing their latest and greatest products. So if you went to the Home Show trying to find the new “it” product to include in the remodel of your home, you were probably disappointed. I noticed that there were a lot of remodeling companies, at least one or two every time I turned the corner. Many of them specializing in kitchens and baths, and eager to talk to you about your next remodeling project. 

 

One company in particular that I found interesting as far as new quick and easy remodeling is Flying Dormer.  The owner, who is originally from Holland, has adopted a remodeling concept from his country.  He found that here in the United States our remodeling methods are not the most efficient.  He offers pre-fabrication offsite to the customer’s specifications, and then transports the addition to the home where it is then lifted by crane onto the prepared location and installed in one day.  The interior finish work is then completed on site.  This method offers the customer a custom quality product without the disruption to their life.  Now why didn’t we think of that!

 

Overall, the Home Show is a great way to get information from many businesses on your next home project in a little amount of time.   Just by having a brief conversation with a few companies you can quickly determine if they offer the services that you are looking for.  So, consider going to the Home Show if: 

1) You are considering doing a big remodel, especially kitchens and baths

2) You need some fresh ideas for your new house or remodeling project, including landscape design

3) You want to find and possibly get bids, from several companies to do your remodeling project or build your new home

4) You are looking for the perfect hot tub that will fit 12 of your closest friends, have the perfect beer holder and has lights that change color to beat of the music on your iPod! 

 

If you are interested in attending the Seattle Home Show, the next one will probably be in the fall.  If you attended the home show last week, what were your thoughts about it?

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