home design

How To Get That Cozy Cabin Feel

December 16, 2018

We’ve all seen those amazing room transformations, typically in a child’s bedroom, where the room is converted into an under the seascape, a pirate ship lagoon or a tropical jungle. It’s pretty unbelievable what a little ingenuity and artistry can make happen.

You, too, can enjoy a mini-transformation of a living space, especially if where you live doesn’t resonate with where you want to live.

Make Your Suburban Home Feel Like a Rustic Cabin

If you live in contemporary suburbia, odds are your home is a far cry from the cabin in the woods you pine for. That’s okay. There are plenty of ways you can bring that cozy cabin feel into your everyday life.

Add wainscoting or painted beadboard to the walls and/or ceilings.

When you think “cabin” you think darker interior wood finishes, right? While it would be cost prohibitive to bring in a bunch of rough-hewn half-logs to line interior walls, you can get a cozy, woodsy feel by adding wainscoting to existing walls.

Traditional wainscoting is installed plank by plank, with a decorative rail at the top, but you can simplify by using prefabricated panels. You can also use prefab beadboard and paint it a rich brown. Whether your ceilings are vaulted or flat, the addition of wood on the ceiling surface will continue that warm, wood vibe.

Choose stone accents

If you’re planning to remodel your home, choose raw stone accents to adorn your fireplace, a pony wall here and there or a pillar. Cabins are set in nature and by bringing natural elements into the space you’ll achieve that same feel. You can even use stone to run the entire expanse of an accent wall or two. Cabins are texture-rich so your interior should aim for the same.

Go the eclectic route

I’ll admit, the last time we skied in Tahoe, the “cabin” we rented was more like a luxury home. However, a true cabin has a rustic and eclectic feel. It’s the kind of place where items are kept and repurposed throughout multiple decades or generations, yielding a fun and colorful mix-and-match of lamps, tea kettles, furniture and so on. Make sure your urban cabin does the same, using a range of furnishings and textiles from eras past.

Look for cabin-inspired furniture

See if you can find a substantial piece or two made from raw wood or logs. A dining room table or a rocking chair, a log-like futon or a bedstead – the rough wood look is automatically reminiscent of a simpler time and place when people made their furnishings with the materials they had on hand.

Use the right accents to add character

As I mentioned directly above, cabins are lived in by people who spend more time at home in nature, and it is from nature that they derive the majority of their diet, furnishings and home accents. Even the typical equipment or tools they use each day are stored inside for lack of extra storage space elsewhere,

Thus, you can use home accents such as lanterns, sets of antlers, antique snow shoes or cross-country shows hung on a wall, sconces that mimic oil lamps – all of these will continue the theme.

Adorn surfaces and furniture with natural or homey textiles

A cabin-like interior design will include homey textiles like braided rugs, Native American woven art as either rugs, wall hangings or upholstery. You’ll probably see a few patchwork quilts on the beds, or folded on wooden trunks that serve as storage at the end of beds or as end or coffee tables. Maybe a home-made afghan or two is at the ready for those who want to cozy up by the fire on chilling nights or mornings.

Make the fireplace a focus

Speaking of the fireplace, it’s the focal point in just about any real cabin I’ve ever been in. Why? Because it used to be the primary heat source. Ideally, your living room will be set up similarly, with couches and seats that frame or are directed towards the fireplace – one with a beautifully decorated mantel.

The Entryway

December 12, 2018

If you could describe your household in a single paragraph, what would it say? What is the basic gist of the colors, energies, lifestyle and values of the people who live there? Now, take a look at your entryway. Is there anything of that paragraph inherent in your entryway design?

Your Entryway Is an Overarching Snapshot of Your Home

In my mind, the perfect entryway is one that not only looks great, and welcomes visitors – it also serves as a single snapshot of your entire home. Not only should its style serve as a precursor to what comes next, the mood, energy and features should reflect the people, creatures and beloved furnishings that call your household Home.

Here are some ideas for creating not just the “perfect entryway” – but for creating the perfect entryway for your home.

Brighten it Up. Even if you are partial to darker shades, the entryway is a place for a little lighter and brighter palette. You want guests to get a burst of energy as they walk in, so use lighter shades that complement your darker interior palettes. That way, the first impression isn’t gloomy or cave-like. If your entryway lacks natural light, consider adding a solar tube or skylight. Change the light fixture out for one that has more reflective or refractive qualities – perhaps a metallic or glass chandelier, for example, that will maximize the light.

Add a Mirror. Speaking of reflective qualities, it’s a rare entryway that isn’t dressed up by a mirror. In addition to enhancing illumination and making a smaller or more narrow space feel larger, it’s nice to give guests a space to take a peek and fix any stray hairs or wardrobe mishaps that may have taken place between their car and your doorstep. Similarly, on the way out, it gives women a spot to reapply lipstick or for men to adjust their coats and ties before heading to their next destination. Again, choose a mirror with a frame that somehow ties into other furnishings in the main living spaces.

Create Interior Design Echoes. Look around at your interior and see if it is echoed by your entryway. Are there similar lines or shapes? What about textures and fabric? Is the entryway formal while the rest of your home is casual? If the entryway isn’t an echo of your home, it can create a disconnect of sorts. Find ways to repeat basic design principles as well as specific motifs, so the entryway resonates with the rest of your design.

Add Personal Touches. Sometimes, people fear that adding personal touches will take away from their “picture perfect” entryway. Quite the contrary. The entryway of this Suburban Oasis in San Francisco is a prime example of why personalization matters. These homeowners hired me to create a transitional design in their new home. The entryway is striking with its high ceilings and fun mish-mash of arches and angles. However, all that open space, combined with a cool color palette and hard surface flooring could easily have come across as stark and modern. Instead, we installed two colorful pots with indoor plants (literally adding life to the space) as well as gorgeous shelves that are laden with family keepsakes and more greenery. It completely changed the energy of space.

Consider adding seating. If you have the space for it, it’s nice to add some seating options. The easiest and most space-saving way to do this is to use a bench that can run along the wall. Not only does it give people a chance to sit down to add/remove shoes or boots, it also gives you a place to display some fun art or collectibles, and provides a spot where guests can place their purses or bags – just be careful that it doesn’t become a clutter catchall.

Once you’ve run through this entryway checklist, the space is bound to be a more personalized and stylish entryway than it was before.

Taking Your Interiors From Summer To Fall

December 6, 2018

If you’re a serial reader of all things home design, you know “Seasonal Design” can actually be pretty labor intensive. Kudos to you if you have the time, energy and drive to paint an accent wall in an autumnal color, or if you’re willing to purchase a new furniture set to ring in the new year.

Most people, however, don’t have the ability to make significant changes to their interiors (or exteriors) in order to honor the changing seasons.

Simple & Practical Seasonal Design Changes to Welcome Fall

Here are simple, practical ways you can change the look of your home’s interiors, taking them from summer to fall. In most cases, a single, large Tupperware storage container is all that’s required to store these seasonal transitions in between times.

Focus on fall colors. Perhaps the single most defining feature of autumn is the changes in color that happen as the result of shorter, cooler days. People from the west coast and interior U.S. travel long distances to enjoy fall colors on the east coast. Warm golds and oranges, rich crimsons and browns – all signify the changes taking place outside. You can bring these same colors into your homes via pillar candles, center pieces, wreaths and garlands.
Switch out your accent pillow covers. I always recommend clients purchase high-quality throw pillows and an array of pillow shams that can be changed from season to season. It takes very little storage space to house the seasonal pillow covers in between seasons and only a few minutes to remove one season’s covers and replace them with another. Make sure to vary colors and textures – and look for accent pillows with gold, metallic embroidery or materials here and there, which add a nice shimmer as well as a golden glow when your fire or candles are lit.
Bring out the throws. In our neck of the woods, we’re fortunate to enjoy the best of both worlds when fall comes around – warm, sunny days and cool crisp nights. Throw blankets are the perfect solution to those quick fluctuations in temperature. They also add a splash of fall cover when draped over the arm of your couch or the body of a favorite wing-back chair.
Adorn the mantel. Your fireplace (which may be coming to life this season) is a focal point in your home and the mantel is the crown. Look for pillar candles in fall colors, use garlands made from fall foliage or adorn the top of the mantel with fall leaves, colorful gourds or a cornucopia. Perhaps you have a still life of a bowl of fruit or an outdoor scene that boasts fall colors elsewhere in the house; move it to the mantel and let it rest casually against the wall.
Use fresh flower arrangements. Summer bouquets are filled with roses, daisies, dahlias, and peonies – all in reds, blues, purples and yellows. When autumn comes around, arrangements can take a different turn – filled with chrysanthemums, Gerber daisies and autumn leaves. Garden color palettes are less varied, which leaves room for creativity – incorporating greenery, berries and fresh herbs as well. A dining room, corner or entryway table can serve as out-of-the-bustle locations where flower arrangements add color and life to your decor.
Change the bedding. Just as you switch out your accent pillows and throw blankets, fall is a great time to change your bedding. Heavier quilts or a down comforter with a seasonal duvet signify the change in seasons, a different color scheme and a cozier night’s sleep.

What are some of the ways you welcome fall into your home each year?

9 Ways to Create a Modern Nursery for a Girl

November 27, 2018

There’s plenty of inspiration out there for those who love the traditional and antique-inspired nursery for baby girls, but what about those of you who prefer a more modern look? The tenets that categorize modern design – cool, clean, streamlined and low-profile – aren’t necessarily synonymous with the soft, cuddly and nostalgic emotions associated with newborn babies.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to decorate a baby girl’s nursery without having to suffocate in ruffly bassinets or first-edition prints of Precious Moments artwork. Here are 10 ideas for keeping a baby girl’s nursery on the modern side of things.

Stripes on the walls. Look for striped or geometric wall paper prints in colors that you like. Or, if you are feeling truly inspired and brave, you can opt to paint them yourself. Even one single accent wall will add a modern aesthetic and it’s something your baby girl can grow into.
Stay away from soft pastels. One way to bunk the traditional girl’s nursery is to stay away from the softer pastels and, instead, choose slightly bolder versions of the same color(s).
Use a non-traditional color. I love this baby girl’s nursery that used a beautiful deep dove gray, almost charcoal, for the base color and then added swatches of a dusky pink as the contrast. It’s decidedly modern but maintains a completely girlie aesthetic.
Use stencils. I think stencils are a wonderful way to jazz up any room in the house. Using a relatively generic stencil, like a tree, a paisley, or some other gender-neutral shape, allows you to glam it up girlie for now but also leaves room for interpretation for potential future buyers or should you convert that room into a study or guest bedroom later on.
Mirrored furniture. Metallic finishes and mirrored furniture and furnishings are trending right now. Look how the mirrored dresser/changing table in this nursery keeps the softer elements of the design from going too traditional.
Enjoy a mix of patterns. You have so much room for pattern opportunities in nurseries and children’s bedrooms. Kids are high energy and fun – and their bedroom designs can reflect that. Mixing patterns can be a bit of a challenge but a nursery is a great spot to begin experimenting.
Use black. Black is both modern and chic – and it’s rarely used in a nursery design, especially a girl’s. Choosing to use black furniture and accents in your little girl’s nursery will certainly put you on the cutting edge and the results can be visually stunning. Plus, babies don’t see in color very well at first, so you’ll be doing her a visual favor as well.
Choose an atypical crib. Keep your eye out for a more uniquely shaped crib. This circular crib is modern in its design and allows for a whole different furniture layout in the nursery since the crib can be placed in the center of the room, or off-center – freeing up a significant amount of wall space.
Go neutral. Perhaps the most modern idea of all is that girls and boys don’t have to align themselves with gender-specific colors. A neutral nursery provides the opportunity for you to create a soothing space, filled with books and toys that all children love. Your daughter can pepper her nursery-slash-bedroom with accents of her choosing as her tastes grown and evolve on their own.

Throw Rugs

November 26, 2018

Do you have hardwood or another type of hard-surface flooring? Are you struggling to create some sort of boundary between different areas in an open living space? Are your feet freezing when they hit the ground, or is the sound of your dogs’ clickety-clack driving you crazy?

Answering yes to any or all of the above questions is a sign that you need a little more throw rug in your life.

Throw Rugs Offer Amazing Solutions To Basic Design Dilemma

That subtitle may seem like a bit of an overstatement – but it’s not! Throw rugs offer solutions to a myriad of design – and even lifestyle – issues that crop up along the way.

Let’s address some of the ways you can apply throw rugs to improve your day-to-day life.

To add warmth and warm up a hard-surface floor

Personally, I’m a big believer in hard-surface floors. You only have to tear up carpeting – and the pad underneath – one time in your life to know why wall-to-wall carpeting is a bad and risky enterprising. Ever had allergies? Ever had mold? Ever wanted to live amidst layers of dust and particulate matter that can’t be eliminated no matter how much you vacuum? ‘nough said.

Even so, life with hard-surface flooring requires the application of a throw rug here and there. Firstly, they break up foot after foot of the same surface. Secondly, they’re much warmer on bare feet – especially in the winter months or first thing in the morning. Finally, throw rugs add visual warmth, because even an area rug in a traditionally “cooler” color will add a softer look to the hardness, and that translates as “warmer” overall.

Show us what you meant by your furniture arrangement

In a traditional home, with segmented living spaces, area rugs are usually the central stars – located underneath the coffee table, for example, or perhaps as a runner in a long hallway.

These days, however, area rugs have a more important role to play; they anchor space in open floor plans so we know what each of your furniture groupings means. Aaah! That one over there anchors the reading and conversation corner, while the larger area rug over there is clearly meant to define the TV zone. The rugs create visual boundaries that may not be as visible otherwise, and it makes our brains happier to see all that nicely organized space.

Note: Size matters in the world of area rugs. Being too small or too big will cause problems. Try to find rugs that are large enough for all of the furniture legs to fit on or none of the legs to fit on. Only the front end of a couch or chair is fine too in a pinch. It shouldn’t wrinkle or bunch up because it doesn’t lay nicely along a wall edge (try to leave at least a few inches there) or an adjacent furniture piece.

Give us a little texture or pattern to sink our eyes into

When you look around at your interior design what do you see in terms of texture? Wall, floors, and tables are all hard surfaces. Even certain couches – particularly the contemporary, shiny leather versions – can appear more “hard” or “sleek” than soft. If this is the case in your home, area rugs are a very simple way to add texture.

You don’t have to get a high-pile shag for this – even a woven jute rug will suffice. The point is to bring something texturally different into the space to balance what’s there already.

I’m including a pattern in this category too because patterns can add texture as well. Patterns, particularly geometric or viny/floral patterns can add a different dimension to the space. If you’re someone who’s less comfortable adding patterns to a room, let your area rugs do the work for you. Patterns on the floor can be diminished a bit if part of the rug is covered by a couch or a chair and they are less intrusive than when they make an appearance via upholstery or wallpaper.

You can also layer your area rugs – using a larger, patterned rug on the bottom and then a solidly-colored rug on top – a smart choice if a pattern is attractive but feels too bold or too busy for your taste.

Don’t forget to think about comfort and safety

I like to use area rugs for comfort as well – in the kitchen where I stand to work (designer outdoor rugs work great for this because they’re attractive but durable and easy to clean). I use them underneath my favorite reading chair so my feet can rest on a soft, warm surface. Consider placing them in front of your bathroom vanities, and to protect stairs and hallways from wear-and-tear.

That being said, area rugs can be major trip or slip and fall hazards, so make sure to use the anti-slip mats underneath them to prevent them from sliding out from underneath you. Also, get rid of any rugs that curl up around corners or edges; it’s only a matter of time before someone trips and falls. In the dining room, be thoughtful about how they work – or don’t work – when chairs are scooted out and back in so nobody unintentionally tips over.