Interior Design & Decor

First of all, the key is to select an end table that goes well with the rest of the furniture in your room. Do you like modern furniture? Then I suggest a sleek ebony wood end table. Do you like traditional? Then an end table with more details or carvings would be great in a cherry or mahogany. Whether it is round, oval, square or rectangle depends on the area in your room you will be placing it. If it is in a corner, a square or rectangle end table may fill the space more evenly.

Have you ever had one of those days where every flip of the radio station creates another trip down memory lane? You could be minding your own business and all of the sudden you are thrown into a totally different mindset or mood by what you are hearing. Well, color can have this same type of affect on you only through sight instead of sound. Advertisers can even use color as a form of subliminal messaging.

I have always thought that color trends were a peculiar concept. A few immediate questions come to mind. One, who on Earth is the grand decision maker of the hot color combinations for the next season or year? When is this decision made? Is there a secret color trend summit in an undisclosed location? Because it seems to be every manufacturer rep will come into my office with the same colors for the next update to my design library? How do they all, at the same time, know what colors are in?!?

I think cork has quite a few positive attributes, but at the same time it can be the biggest pain! So what exactly is cork? Cork is harvested from the second layer of trees, under the bark, but before you make it to the hard interior rings. We most likely first interact with cork in a classroom on a regular cork board. Maybe your mom had one mounted on the wall of your kitchen for bills and shopping lists? Nowadays cork is used for flooring as well as tackable surfaces.

Have we all become a little too dependent on Google? Or maybe we think only the best of choices can be made standing in the aisle of your favorite Do-It-Yourself mega store? If you are a “research before execution” or an “inspired by what I see on the display” person, there are a variety of ways to make visualization become reality nowadays.

I remember being home from grade school sick and getting to watch Bob Ross on public television. In case you are a younger member of generation Y and you are not familiar, Bob Ross was a painter who specialized in landscapes and fan brushes. He had this ability to make art look easy. He would start with basic techniques while teaching about shading and highlights and before you knew it, the hour was up and he had created another riveting nature-focused awe inspiring piece of art.

I happen to have a friend or two (perhaps more) who live in close quarters: city dwellers. Actually, they also live in some of what I call the most remote areas of “rural Vermont.” All of these people happen to have these lofted structurally embedded habitats in their homes/apartments.

I may not be a disaster recovery specialist, but I do know a few things when it comes to water damage. The mainstay statement that I will never forget is that water takes the path of least resistance. Yes, it can be an absolute nightmare. I can remember my very first attempt on a job site which had suffered severe water damage during a flood, thinking to myself…where do you begin?

During these current economic times, we are all thinking of ways to save. As a designer, I feel the constant need to “reinvent the wheel” even when it comes to my own home. I am always changing furniture layouts, trying new things…and have recently discovered that paint can be one of the most economical introductions to updating FURNITURE. Wood furniture that is, and more importantly, I should stress that these items may have found their way out to the curb otherwise

Many new construction homes, or those built post-1990, have a tendency to introduce these large series of arched windows commonly seen in a two story foyer or great room. I often find myself in client’s homes who really like the shape of the windows, but are stumped when it comes to treating them. This becomes especially problematic when you factor in light exposure.

Have you ever thought really hard about how to maximize your space and use it to the best of it’s advantage? I find that in my profession sometimes the most joy I get is solving these types of puzzles. I feel rewarded when I find just the right purpose for the smallest of spaces. We are all multi-taskers who live busy lives and sometimes our lives can be very much reflective of how we live in our homes.

One of the big trends right now is saving energy. Everywhere you look, shop, and open the newspaper, it’s all about being “green!” So the most important question on everyone’s mind is, “How can I save the earth and save money at the same time?” Let’s face reality – most people will not change their habits unless it benefits them in some way. So, one of the easiest things you can do is change out all your incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescents.

Are you looking to replace flooring in your home or workplace? Do you find yourself wondering what the most sustainable option is? We all hear about bamboo flooring, but is that really the best choice for you?

Investing money in an interior designer to work in your home or office is a huge decision. How do you begin your search? Well, you are lucky because there are some key things to look for before making a decision.

Looking for a fun, inexpensive way to brighten up your room to this year’s latest trends? Have you considered taking one of the key walls in your room and painting it a bright trendy color? Such as the wall that’s immediately in front of you when you walk into the room. Do you have a small angled wall that your fireplace is on? Or what about the wall your beds headboard sits against?