Colorful Room Styles/Part 1 of 2

Nature offers the ultimate color palette. When designing outdoor spaces, keep colors simple and let the beauty of nature take center stage. In this space, mariaferlo mixed white drapes and cushions and added soft color with pillows.

Keep your furniture, floors and walls neutral if you want to highlight colorful artwork. RMS user shortcar hung bold paintings high on the wall, making them instant focal points.

Set apart indoor-outdoor spaces with bold colors that contrast with the exterior. RMS user Val Moore opted for red and black and gave this space an inviting, Asian feel.

Purple is a perfect complement to gray. Add sleek white furniture, molding and an inspiring wall treatment and you've got one stylish office. Design by smoodgie.

 

 

This foyer by Timdreese pulls you in with colorful artwork that pops against white walls and coordinates with a stunning purple accent wall in the living room. A lovely artistic statement.

Decorative pendants and orange place settings add tasteful pops of color in this kitchen. A large window is uncovered allowing the color of nature to shine through. Design by oregonhouse.

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Styles of Lighting

Ambient

Ambient is a hidden source of light that washes a room with a glow. It flattens an interior and creates very little shadow. A wall sconce is an example of ambient lighting, as are paper lanterns. Use of a dimmer can also provide ambient light. Design by Troy Beasley.

Accent

Directional lighting or lighting that adds interest or highlights a certain object or unusual architectural feature in a room. A bulb and some kind of shield to direct the light are all that's needed for this type of lighting. Halogen spotlights and table lamps with opaque shades are good ways to achieve accent lighting. Design by Lori Dennis.

Task

Task lighting is just that; lighting that's used to perform daily activities such as reading, cooking, shaving, putting on makeup, etc. Effective task lighting enhances visual clarity and keeps the eyes from getting tired, so it needs to be glare-free. Design by Alia Meyer.

Aesthetic

Lighting itself can be a work of art. A neon sculpture would be purely decorative and an example of aesthetic lighting. A spotlight illuminating a statue on a pedestal or portrait on the wall is also artistic. This type of lighting also needs to be used along with other lighting types. Design by Andreas Charalambous.

Natural

Sunlight, candlelight and firelight; this is light that moves and is sometimes referred to as kinetic. The quality of natural light, sunlight in particular, depends on many things — time of day, weather, what season it is. Fall has a different light than summer, for instance. The setting sun gives a different kind of light than midday sun. Design by Tracy Morris.

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Bedside Lamps

Glass Elegance

This clear glass lamp and white shade are perfect for a soft color palette.

 

Bold Gold

A unique lamp can make a bold statement. This circular gold bedside lamp offsets the black floral wallpaper and dark wood nightstand to expand the pale colors of the headboard and bedding. Design by Erinn Valencich.

Thin and Simple

A simple stick table lamp works perfect with this bedroom's modern decor. Design by Lori Dennis.

Moroccan Beads

A dark wood headboard and colorful Moroccan-inspired pillows in this bedroom call for taupe bedside lamps to neutralize the deep colors of the accent pillows. Design by Daniel Bodenmiller

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Minute Makeovers

This is for anyone who doesn't have to have a perfectly symmetrical sofa ensemble. Place two of the same square pillows on one end, and toss a wool throw on the other because it gives the sofa a casual, please-sit-here attitude.



Consider contrast when choosing pillows and throws. These larger chocolate brown velvet pillows allow the smaller cream felt ones to really pop. Put a pair in each corner, and then add a round orange silk pillow on one side to keep the mix from looking matchy-matchy. Fold a throw in thirds, and place it underneath one of the pillow sets.



Fill the prime piece of real estate in front of your sofa with the right building blocks. The key is to use objects of varying heights.
This dark wood table is a study in rectangles. Go with the theme, and arrange a shapely collection of accessories (square plates, tall cylinders, and an oval bowl) on top of it. The final result is like a geometry lesson with style.


A two-tiered glass-and-iron coffee table is a great choice for an elegant look. Warm up its sleek surface with a punch of color. Accessories in red do the trick here.



Instead of a coffee table, choose an upholstered ottoman with a crisp white slipcover for a soft, cottage-inspired look. (This piece can also be used for additional seating when entertaining.) A large, low basket adds a stable surface for display.

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NH Lakefront Cottage Renovation

One of our recently completed projects is the renovation of a lakefront cottage on Pleasant Lake, New London, New Hampshire.

The property was subdivided and had originally had two cabins on it. A cabin on “The Point” was torn down to open up the lake view from the other cottage. Some of its materials were salvaged for use in the main cottage renovation.

The new cottage serves as a three-season entertainment area for family and friends with lakeside access and wonderful seasonal views.

Master Planning of the lot for a future primary residence was also completed, accounting for CSPA lot coverage, setbacks and storm water management.

Photos by Great Island Photography, LLC

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Updates In Minutes

Break Up Dining Chairs

Unless you seat 8 to 10 people at your dining table every week, your chairs probably don’t get much use. Steal two from the dining room, and use them to flank a console table in your entry, a dresser in your bedroom, or the sideboard in your living room.

Update Your Lampshades

Outdated lampshades can make a room feel stale. To give your space a more modern feel, trade your pleated shades for simple drum-shaped ones -- they’re better looking and easier to keep clean. If you really want to make a statement, forgo a white shade in favor of something more dramatic, like gray.

Decorate the Personal Spaces

When decorating, we often spend our time, money, and energy on the rooms that we assume will be appreciated by other people. But if you find that you spend more time in your study (or bathroom, for that matter), it should be decorated with the same zeal and enthusiasm as your living room. Take one object you love -- try a lamp, painting, or pretty book -- and move it to a place where you can appreciate it most.

Change Your Light Fixture

Instead of a standard chandelier, try hanging a lantern over your dining room or breakfast table for a less fussy look.

Ditch the Matching Pillows

Many sofas come with a pair of pillows in a coordinating fabric, but the matchy-matchy look can be a bit obvious. Upgrade to down-filled pillows with removable covers in a fabric you love -- and don’t be afraid to mix it up with different patterns. A graphic floral looks fantastic against a small-scale stripe.

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Creative Home Decor

Choose Pieces with a Meaning


When Jason and Jill Williams hired a firm to design their home, they clearly stated that the theme was "sparse."

They did not intend to buy things to simply fill the house; they wanted to acquire pieces over time that had meaning, complemented their lifestyle, and reflected their personalities.

While the theme was "sparse," sleek and modern wasn't their design choice. Instead, they mixed furniture styles with rustic, stained, and painted finishes.

Every piece serves a purpose, and each can be used in different ways for years to come.

Design for gathering


Family rooms are gathering places that should exude a relaxed style and communicate warmth and playfulness.

Perhaps the most important consideration for such an active room is how to keep the space's flow while noting its separate areas. Color, furniture placement, and area rugs can help meet this goal.

Here, a U-shaped seating area encourages conversation. Artifacts from family travels reflect the personalities of those who live here, while the fireplace and television anchor the space.

Carry Your Style Outdoors


"Outdoor areas are often the last to receive design attention, but they shouldn't be," says landscape designer Matt Lemos.

"Plan space for your lifestyle by incorporating ample seating, table surfaces, cushions, play areas, eating spots, and sunning areas."

By carrying your design style outdoors, you can turn a patio, deck, or even a balcony into another room of the house.

This sleeping porch, a feature of many Craftsman houses, is updated with contemporary styling and weatherproof drapery and upholstery fabric.


Create Flow

Common colors and materials help connect your living spaces.

Display signature pieces without too much fanfare. Try using one simple but dramatic floral stem or leaf in a chunky modern glass vase.

In transitional areas, brushed nickel or silver works well for frames, accessories, and fixtures.

Find Fabric You Love

 For designer Jennifer Hilgardner, the right fabric is one of the best ways to enhance an interior.

"Find a fabric you love," she says. "Choose a signature fabric with enough design elements so you can pull out colors, coordinate textures and have lots of options for furnishings and accessories."

Here, green and blue accents in the fabric even play off the foliage outside.



Smart Art Display

Include tall and low elements throughout the room to keep your eye moving.

As a general rule, hang framed photos and art at eye level (or a bit higher if the ceilings are high). Keep in mind eye-level may be lower in a room designed for seating.

Here, a lipstick-red wall sets off black-and-white photos and a mix of collected treasures.

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Quick Style Fixes

Group Shot

Rehang your art. Group small pictures together for maximum impact. It can give your room an instant facelift. This is easy to change and fun to arrange! Also, it's much cheaper than buying a large piece of art.

Musical Chairs

Rearrange your furniture. Assess what’s blocking the flow of traffic through your house and move it to a more convenient location. This will make the room appear more organized, and you might just find that long lost remote once you move the couch.

China Cheer

Hang mismatched antique pieces of china on a wall instead of a painting. Buy discarded china plates at any local flea market or thrift store. Pick colors in the china patterns that coordinate well with your room and buy plates in a variety of sizes and styles for more interest.

Eating Nook

Pull up a bench to the dining table. Not only will it create space for extra guests, but it will also add a casual note to your decor. This is an especially great solution when kids are among the guests.

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Design Cures

Home Rehab

Designer Phoebe Howard of Mrs. Howard and Max & Company worked her magic on this coastal space -- to rid the condo of light-barring walls and cramped, cheerless spaces.

The Quick Fix: Infuse life into a small room by combining a variety of textile patterns in similar tones -- like the polka-dot, honeycomb, and geometric fabrics shown here.

Custom Kitchen Island

The designer installed oak floors stained dark to resemble old European hardwoods, then she enlisted help to design a kitchen island and bath vanities to distinguish the condo from the run-of-the-mill builder's special.

The Quick Fix: Craft your own kitchen island using a favorite antique piece as inspiration. This one was made with a wooden shiplap back and bracket feet.

Looks Built-In

The Quick Fix: Customize a kitchen corner with a tailored piece like this banquette that looks built in and saves space.

Versatile Palette

For the homeowner's requested palette (Brown, yes; wicker, no), Phoebe took a cue from the faux wood screens and incorporated natural-tone furnishings spanning from bleached driftwood to stained teak. "It's amazing how warm and cool brown can be, " Phoebe says of the anchoring color. "That's perfect for a family who uses a space year-round."

The Quick Fix: Enliven a plain-Jane drywall surface with a textural faux-bois wallcovering. Its vertical lines create the illusion of height within the 8-foot-high space.

Slimming Shutters

"In Condos like these, you have to work a little magic to make the space seem wider and taller. Sort of like when you want to look thinner -- you put on stripes that are going the right way." -Phoebe Howard .

Graphic Print

Beef up plain drywall with heavy trim, and let a bold geometric print be the starting point for a room's entire color scheme.

Mirror Magic

In this all-white master bathroom, the cabinets get a special treat with glued-on mirrors which reflect light in a windowless room.

I love these rooms and the palette used is calming. via

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Decorative Napkin Rings

Linen Lessons

A simple, ruffled red ribbon makes a holiday setting even more festive. Roll the napkins, secure them with ribbon, and place them on a simple cake stand so that guests can help themselves.

Natural Sparkle

On a plain linen napkin, tie a bow with sheer metallic ribbon and attach "bells" of milk chocolate kisses. This will give family and friends a sweet treat to remember the gathering.

Bright Bows

Fold your napkin in a square, and tie it like a package with pretty silk ribbon.
Tip: Make the bows really pop by using wire ribbon. It's available at crafts stores and is inexpensive when you buy it by the roll.

Festive Finery

An embellished napkin deserves a refined ribbon.
Tip: Be sure to use extra-sharp scissors so that your cuts are crisp and clean. Save the ribbons and reuse them for all your holiday entertaining.

Stocking Stuff

A miniature stocking filled with sprigs of fresh herbs makes an unexpected napkin ring. Other holiday stocking stuffers include candy canes, cinnamon sticks, or swizzle sticks.

Simple Sprig

Dress up your table with this no-brainer idea: Tie a sprig of a pine branch onto the napkin with a red satin ribbon.

via

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