I thought that I would give everyone a little insight into some of the vendors that we carry at Artful Conceptions. Every line that we carry at Artful Conceptions I hand pick. When I go through the process of selecting lines to carry at Artful Conceptions my first requirement is that I am completely Wowed with the product. To wow me it has to be a product line that is not carried by everyone, it has to have the ability to customize, it needs to be a product that I can use in many different clients projects, and I need to love it.
One of my favorite lines that I have picked up in this past year is Surya. This company has a great product line. They supply us with area rugs, ottomans, pillows, artwork and throws. If you have been following this blog you know that I feel the area rug is one of the most important pieces in a room. There are many kinds of area rugs from hand knotted, to flat weaves, to hand tufted, and woven. Surya carries all of these types. Which is a huge benefit to our clients. This means within one company I have a range of rugs that go from traditional to contemporary and luxury priced to budget priced, all with a great look.
Here are some of Surya’s rugs.
Flat weave coral rug
flat contemporary area rug
traditional hand tufted
traditional hand knotted
Hand knotted
Surya also does a fantastic job with pillows. Pillows are a great way to bring color and pattern into a space. Here are some of the pillows that Surya does.
And one last glimpse into our vendor Surya is artwork. We have available to us artwork that ranges from traditional, to worldly inspired to abstract. When ordering we can select the size of the image and it is produced to order. Here are some of the images available.
This has been a glimpse into one of the many vendors that we carry at Artful Conceptions. You now know why I selected them for my company to carry and what they can deliver for our clients. If you are interested in any of the pieces that you have seen please call us for more information.
There are a few things that I feel every room or home must have. These are items that tie rooms together, or are just so great and multifunctional they are a must have.
My first must have are pouf ottomans. I am in love with these items. They can be moved to many different places in the room and can be used as both seating and a foot rest. They can be done in all different kinds of fabrics and textures which add color and depth to the room.
This traditional pouf is great for that sophisticated room.
This transitional pouf can be used in either a casual or formal room.
This is a great pouf for a fun colorful room.
Rectangular poufs in many different colors for great casual seating.
The second must have for every room is a touch of black. Every room can benefit from at least one item with black. This can be a table, a lamp, accessories, or a painting. The depth that the black adds to the room will tie it all together.
And my third must have for every room is an area rug. A room without an area rug is floating. By this I mean that the right area rug will ground the space and tie everything together. When designing a space we want to make sure that the weight of the room is on the bottom. If you have a large painting on the wall and no area rug the room will feel top heavy and not grounded. The other great thing about area rugs is that you can mix styles with them and bring in color to the space. I love putting a traditional area rug with contemporary furnishings. This juxtaposition adds such depth and feeling to the space. Here are some of my favorite new area rugs that we are putting in our clients homes.
These must have will tie your space together and complete the home. The right pieces make all the difference.
One of the many questions I get asked is how to create WOW and peacefulness I the bedroom. This is a space that we want to look fantastic but also need to be able to relax in. So here are a couple of tips that I go by when wanting to add some WOW and have a relaxing space.
Add a chandelier. One of the easiest ways to update a space is to add decorative lighting. My favorite is a chandelier. You can give a laid back space some pizazz, elegance to the casual and funk to the trendy.
Adding a chandelier takes the room from mundane to WOW.
Use multiple layering of neutral colors. Neutral colors allow our brains to relax. It doesn’t mean that you need to create boring but by using combinations of neutral you create a space that you want to relax in.
Using multiple colors in the same family create depth and peace of mind.
Use a fabric headboard. A fabric head board can be a great place to add a softening effect. Instead of the wood headboard a fabric one adds more texture and can be a place to add color.
Add an accent wall. You can create a huge WOW with the right accent wall. In bedrooms I like to create them with soothing paint colors and natural elements such as stone and grass-cloths.
So in summary you can have WOW and relaxation in the same room. Create it with the right lighting, the layering of color families, fabrics and accents.
So it is officially summer. That means that the kids are out of school and a time for a little relaxation. In my world it also means a time for a refresher and new accents that makes me smile when I walk in the door. My philosophy even if I can’t be at the beach everyday in the summer I want to have that feeling when I walk in the door at home. So to achieve that feeling I add little touches for the summertime.
This means changing a bit of the color scheme. New pillows are a fantastic way to do an easy update without a major expense. This is why I recommend that the larger more expensive pieces like your sofa are in neutral colors. This way every season you can change out the pillows and you feel like you have a brand new sofa. For summer I think of yellows, greens, blues, and bright reds. By layering solid color pillows you can give a great deal of WOW and summer color. Or go for a fun crazy pattern in summery colors especially if you sofa is a solid.
Put a smile on your face with a cheerful look created with pillows.
Brighten up your room with bright printed pillows
Another great place for summer colors are in your table toppers. These are things like silk arrangements and decorative objects. One of the things that I love to do is to have glass vases that I fill with colored glass beads. These beads can be changed every season. You can also fill them with candles and silk flowers.
Refreshing your home for the season should not be a big undertaking. And these small updates and changes should have you smiling from ear to ear and feeling like you are in the summer loving mindset.
I get asked all the time what can I do to make my home feel more complete. This is usually followed by I don’t have a lot of money to spend and I want to do it on my own. So I thought I would put together some basic things that any home owner can do on their own to refresh their space.
First get rid of the white walls! The biggest transformation you can give your home is to change the wall color. And if you are trying to complete a home and all the walls are white you will never feel complete. Now this does not mean that all the walls need to be different colors, or that every room needs to be different it just means get some color going. So I know the next question how do I pick the right color? Most people who have lived with white walls for more than a year it is usually because they are renting or they are just plan afraid to make a mistake. First if you are renting make sure you get the landlords approval before you paint. Second if you are really afraid of making a mistake consult and interior designer. Most of us will do a simply color consultation for a small set fee that is a whole lot less that making a mistake. Ok so if you think you can make the decision on your own it is time to look around your space. What color is your furniture? What color are the majority of your artwork and area rugs? How about your throw pillows? In most likelihood you have already made it clear what colors you like and don’t like. So find the color you see the most and select a shade of that color for your walls. If you are nervous start with a muted shade or just ask the person mixing the paint to do it at a 50% saturation.
Style through adding color to the walls
Second major thing you can do to make you home feel more complete decorate your plant shelves, tops of bookcases, cabinets, armoires, entertainments centers etc. Having them bare makes them feel incomplete. This does not mean that every single square inch needs to be covered but at least a small grouping on top of each will make the space feel more homey.
Third have ways to de-clutter quickly and easily. This can be baskets that toys are put in, tables that open for magazine storage, benches with shoe storage, and hooks for hanging coats sweaters and bags. Nothing makes a space feel more unfinished than having clutter everywhere with no place to put it. And the best part is these items can be decorative in nature but give you great function.
A great way to hide shoes and other items.
And lastly have great lighting. The right lighting can make the biggest difference in the world for any space. Get rid of the typical builder lighting and find pieces that fit your personality. This is a great way to change the feeling and give a unique touch to your space.
Great unique entry lighting
So get to it and start loving the space you are in!
Have you ever wondered how two people can like the same things but create a look that is completely different? The same thing happens in people’s homes and offices. By making small changes in the product selected we can create a completely different look while using the same color pallette. For instance the most common thing I hear from clients is that they love earth tones. This is from tradional and contemporary clients alike. So I thought I would post two examples of rooms differnt rooms designed for the earth tone pallette.
Earth tones used with tradional styled furnishings.
Earth tones used with modern furnishings.
Both of these room designs are using the same colors but they have a completely different feeling. Which is more like you?
It’s that time of year again when we have the compulsive need to clean out, redo, or maybe even start new. It’s spring and yes that means spring cleaning. And for a great deal of my clients that means spring redesign. So I thought I would give some easy tips on how to refresh and redesign without major expenses.
First is to get yourself organized. This means doing all the small things like going through closets and getting rid of or donating things you have not used in the past year. One of the major reasons people feel that their home is no longer working for them is the lack of organization and storage space. So once you have gone through and removed all of the old useless things in your closets it’s time to do a little updating. Closets can be drab places but yet are some of the biggest selling features in homes so let’s make it look that way. Find a bright color, doesn’t have to be yellow or neon green, just something that is light and airy that puts a smile on your face and flows with the colors in your home. This is your new paint color for your closet. It should be lighter than the majority of colors in your home. This is usually a small space with few to no windows. We want to make it welcoming. After you have painted the closet in your new upbeat color it is time to address the storage system. At the bare minimum I recommend the investment of matching hangers. The simple fact of having all your hangers matching and facing the correct way without tons of extra empty hangers mixed through your clothes will make a huge change to the feel of the space. If you have the budget the best investment you can make is for closet storage system. It is a pleasure to walk into a closet where there are drawers for undergarments, racks for shoes and ties, a fold out iron board, shelving for bags, sections for dress clothes, fun clothes and work clothes. These changes to your closets will actually make you feel like you have a larger home and give you a better perspective on the rest of your home.
Second major refresh/redesign for the spring time is paint. Over the year the walls have been banged, faded and if you have kids possibly drawn on. It’s time to brighten and refresh those walls that you look at every day. If you love the paint color you have fantastic just touch it up in those neglected places. If you are staring at white walls it’s time to make a commitment to color. Pull out pictures in magazines that you love and hate. This does not just mean the home design magazines if there is a picture of a destination that draws you in all the time that is a great place to start. When you put all the pictures together there is going to be a main color that runs through everything. This is your new paint color. If it’s too bright dial it back to a 50% saturation. Having color on the walls will make you feel like you have a whole new home.
And lastly rearrange your furnishings. If all your furniture is up against the wall move it get it away open up the space. Nothing is more confining than having all of your furnishings up against a wall. Pay attention to how people walk through you rooms. Do they always walk to one spot? Does everyone want to sit on the same sofa? Is there enough room for everyone to sit? Do you have groupings in your main rooms where multiple conversations can be going on? A great way to break up the status quo is to create multiple seating areas. A chair group where two people can sit or read. Swivel chairs are great for these spaces. Then the chairs can always move to different conversation areas without actually moving the chair. Add lighting to your seating groups. This can be done with lamps on console tables behind sofas or end tables or even recessed lighting. Changing the lighting to a space will make it feel brand new and is a small expense for a huge return. Move your artwork around. Just because a certain painting has always gone over the sofa doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work better over a buffet or at the foyer or over a bed. By moving your artwork you refresh it and give the space a facelift.
So are your ready to get to redesigning your space? Are you excited or intimidated? Remember the small output for a designer to come in and give you a redesign plan is well worth it. You will know that the design will be functional and give you the WOW you are looking for.
It’s that time of year again where the design and furnishing industry converge on High Point NC to show off the Spring lines. It is the coming of Furniture Fashion Week. So I thought I would give a preview of the things that I am already completely in love with.
For Rugs:
Lemon Yellow Feizy Rug
Traditional beauty by Nourison[/caption
Chairs:
Councill
Taylor Burke Home
Casegoods:
Bold color by Charles Harold
Distinctive beauty by Chelsea House
Art and Storage by Henredon
Antique style by Sarried
Modern lines by Sunpan
Upholstry:
Curves abd comfort by Hooker Furniture
Elegant and fun by Wesley Hall
Accessories:
Orchid love by Distinctive Designs
Spring blooms by NDI[/caption
Are you excited yet? We are it is looking like this Spring Market is going to be beautiful and I can’t wait to see all the new and amazing pieces!
Have you ever fallen in love with a design scheme, recreated it in your bedroom and then found out you couldn’t relax? If so it is more common than you think. There are many times that we designers create rooms in model homes or for sales pitches that really aren’t suited for living in. The reason behind this…..sales are very different from use. So what color palette may intice you to buy something is very different from the color palette for you to relax in or work in.
A perfect example of this is using bright colors in a master bedroom. This is great to bright WOW factor to the space but it is not great for sleeping. For relaxing our brains want muted colors usually on the cool side of the color wheel.
Bright Green Bedroom
Soft Muted Bedroom
These are two perfect examples of a bedroom geared towards the WOW factor for sales one that would be relaxing to live it. In the soft, muted bedroom one’s brain will actually be triggered to slow down and relax getting one in the mood to sleep. While in the bight green bedroom the colors will actually stimulate the brain and keep one more awake. So for bedroom you want to focus on softer colors, neutrals with hints of color on the cool side, think blue, gray, pastel colors, and soft colors on the top range of a color fan.
For work spaces there are two colors that have been studied to make people more productive. These colors are yellow and grey. Both of these colors have shown improved produtivity. The belief is that yellow keeps people in a happier mood, which raises energy levels and in turn produtivity. For grey the thought is that there are no distractions and the mind can concentrate better leading to higher levels of productivity.
Yellow Office
Gray Office
How about dining areas. Depending on the color you select you could find yourself eating more or less. If you want people to eat more paint the room red. If you want to eat less paint it blue. For this to make sense think about the colors of food. Watermelon, stawberries, tomatoes and apples are all red. They are sweet and are food that are good for you. The brain is programmed to see this color and become hungry. Now think about blue food. For the most part if food is blue it is moldy and not something that you want to eat. So your brian is programmed to see the color blue and not be hungry.
So remember that the color that you select for your space will determine how you will feel in the space. And if you are unsure of the color start with small things like pillows or one wall, then if you find it working go big!
Recent Comments