Posts Tagged ‘design inspiration’

It’s not as easy as it seems to photograph your home. More goes into it than a click and a flash. If you’re trying to show home improvements in before and after shots, it is especially important to photograph the room in it’s best light for the after shot. There are some tips to accentuate the positive changes you have made. These photographs are meant to emphasize what a wonderful job you’ve done transforming the drab to fab!

A side-by-side comparison shows the vast changes you can make to a room.

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Colored pencil fence

Designsponge

Designsponge

Vertigo Interiors

Stylink.nl

Colored pencil shelf

Living Etc.

Dransfield and Ross Velvet Chair

Dransfield and Ross Ribbon Chair

Key West

Living Etc.

Stripe Rug

Apartment Therapy

Poplar Bookstore

We’ll just let the pictures do the talking in this post!

Right now my husband and I are expecting our first child. As soon-to-be parents we’re inundated with information about what to expect, what to do (or more specifically what not to do), and what to buy. And this is all before our little one arrives!

One of the biggest projects expectant parents tackle is getting the nursery ready. Some people take a minimalist approach to baby’s first room…

HGTV

…while others really go all out in creating a fantasy room fit for a little prince or princess.

Project Nursery

We’re waiting to find out if we’re having a boy or a girl – so we have the added challenge of making sure the nursery is “gender neutral.” Don’t mistake gender neutral for boring.  You can use the rainbow of colors available to paint your walls, or maybe use a more subtle all-over hue and then make it pop with stripes, an accent wall or mural!

Photos from: The Design File, HGTV & BabyCenter

Green is actually the most popular color for nurseries. It’s a great canvas for any theme you choose – from animals to characters to simple shapes.

The Design File

We chose to stick with the soft yellow that was already in the room we’re using as the nursery – it was once our office and exercise space.

0944 sunrise glow from Color Is fandeck

It’s similar to 0944 sunrise glow from Color Is fandeck, and is a great backdrop for almost any accent we decided on. The room will soon be filled with black furniture, colorful artwork and black and white accents.

When you’re designing a space for a little boy or girl, it’s great to have the room be able to grow with them. One way to do that is to look at what you put on the walls. Murals and wall decals are a great way to add personality without a long-term commitment.

RoomMates Wall Decals

One tip to remember if you’re putting together a nursery without knowing your baby’s gender: leave a space or two open to personalize the room when your little one arrives. This can be as simple as his or her name in letters or monogram above the crib.

HGTV

Osborne & Little

House Beautiful May 2009

Have you noticed the presence of chevron and herringbone designs in home decor and fashion? Rugs, flooring, fabric, wallcovering, handbags; that zig zag is all over. It knows no boundaries, mixing it up with every style.

Things That Inspire

The difference between chevron and herringbone? From Things That Inspire …a chevron style floor, where the planks are set on the diagonal, and meet in a center line. On the right, the herringbone pattern, where the planks are also set on a diagonal, but interlace.

Things That Inspire and Door Sixteen have some gorgeous chevron and herringbone floors.  The wide plank chevron, ooh-la-la. I don’t think I have ever seen a herringbone or chevron hardwood floor in Minnesota. Are they out there?

Lonny April-May Rubie Green fabric

Thibaut Herringbone Weave

Detail of Herringbone Weave wallcovering

Mary McDonald

Balenciaga

This floor is stained to create a chevron pattern - Coastal Living

Mother of pearl wallcovering from Maya Romanoff - Hirshfield's Design Resource

Arren Williams

Lonny magazine April/May

Benjamin Moore

Ralph Lauren fabric - Hirshfield's Design Resource

Do you have any herringbone or chevron in your home? Share a photo as we would love to see how you are using this pattern.

Decorating kids’ rooms can be creative and inspiring, but also challenging and daunting. You want a room that reflects your child’s interests but can change with them as they grow. You want it to be cute, original, and fun, but not something you or your kid will tire of quickly.

• Search for Inspiration: Some people like to start out by creating a file of ideas and inspirations. When you’re paging through a kid’s magazine or catalog, clip out items you like and put it in the file. Photos may include a dresser, quilt, storage unit, night stand, rug, light fixture, framed artwork, armoire, toy chest—anything that catches your eye. After you’ve collected a number of ideas, you’ll have a good idea of the styles, colors, and trends you gravitate toward. You can get wonderful, imaginative ideas online as well. Search for “kids decorating ideas” and you’ll find a number of pages to visit.

• Take Input From Your Kids: Depending on the age of your child, you can have him or her come up with some ideas. Decide on looks that appeal to you both, or ways in which you can compromise between your favorites. Think about your child’s interests.  Does he love to read? He might want to make space for a cozy nook with a book shelf and comfortable chair or beanbag. Is your child artistic? Think about hanging a framed cork board to display her latest creations. Your child might want a desk or study area, a board for posting pictures of friends, or a place to store or play music.
• Refinish & Reuse: What furniture and items do you already have? Classic, multi-use pieces that are appropriate for kids as they grow might be a good investment. If you’re reusing what you’ve already got on hand, you might refinish or repaint furniture to give it a fresh look.
• Try a Theme: If you like themes, you have almost limitless possibilities. Some cute ones I saw online include: princesses, fairies, gardens, primary colors, under the sea, sailing, sports, jungle animals, a carousel, butterflies, cars or trains, dinosaurs, surfers, bugs, cowboys, and camping and fishing—just to name a few. If you decide on a theme, you might want to have components of the theme be carried out mainly by accents or things that are easily replaceable or that can be painted over (in case your child outgrows it).

• Start With One Piece: You might also base the look of a room around the colors in one item, such as a rug, blanket, or piece of art. When my daughter moved from the nursery to her own “big girl” room, we decided to decorate with a garden theme. The color palette and look was based on a floral quilt that we adored. Based on the quilt’s pattern, my mom stenciled flowers on one wall, and we used a faux white fence for a headboard. We found a bright pink paint that matched one of the pinks in the quilt and painted one wall to add some pizzazz and brighten up the room.

So go ahead and get started on your project. Keep your kid’s interests in mind, think about how they might change and grow in the years to come, and most of all, have fun!

*Photos courtesy of Ohdeedoh.

Small spaces are the perfect place to experiment with color and make a statement without spending a lot of money. And no, in most cases a bold color will not make your space seem smaller.

A small room or hallway can really make an impact when you choose a bold paint color for the walls.

Bedroom featured on "Small Space Style"

Consider a light green, rich burgundy, bright blue or sunny yellow to really show off your space.

If the small space transitions into another room that’s larger, continue the color into that larger space in the form of accessories, furniture or a rug instead of on the walls.

Room featured in "ArchiThings"

This room’s staircase pops with a rich, royal blue. That color is then repeated in chairs and a credenza to tie it all together.

Color can also help you add depth to your home while defining a space.

Better Homes & Gardens

This tiny kitchen featured in Better Homes & Gardens layered blue in a living room, transitioned to a rustic red clay color in the kitchen that really pops against the homeowner’s white cabinets.

Do you need even more inspiration to get started? Designer David Kaihoi lives in a small New York City apartment with his wife and daughter.

Purple Foyer featured in "House Beautiful"

Their home is tiny – but big on color and inspiration. Check out more of the amazing pictures from House Beautiful’s interview with him about using color in the smallest of spaces.

Modern Kitchen featured in "House Beautiful"