Kristina Wolf's House of Design

Interior Design, Accessorizing, and DIY Tips

home design

Making Your Home Fall Fabulous (…or Fallbulous!)

making-your-home-fall-fabulous-or-fallbulous Yes, summer is a wonderful season. It’s warm, we get to be outdoors and it’s often the time of year we all get to take a much needed vacation. But, there is something magical about fall. We enjoy the distinct pleasure of warm days,  interspersed with chilly nights that allow us to don our favorite sweaters and celebrate the return of the down comforter.

Honor the Change of Seasons in Your Home Decor With These Interior Design Tips for Fall

For interior decorators, fall signals a shift in how we think about our interiors. While outdoor areas will still be used, you’ll be spending more time indoors and will have an influx of guests to observe traditional holiday feasts and rituals. Changing your home with the season means bringing the outdoors in, honoring the changing leaves, colorful gourds and other natural elements.

Here are 8 ways to make your home fall fabulous, or Fallbulous!

  1. Start your leaf collection. Falling leaves are the quintessential symbol of fall and there are so many lovely ways to add them to your interior. Besides leaf-printed accent pillows, dishware or artwork, I recommend using real fall leaves. You can Mod Podge them onto complementary or contrasting pillar candles or the outside of mason jars with a votive tucked inside. The candle glow through delicate leaf tissue is gorgeous. Kids will love stringing autumn leaves on thread so they can be hung across doorway, shelves or book cases. Consider replacing flowers with leaves in your bouquets. Get creative and have some fun.
  2. Don’t neglect the porch. The porch serves as the your home’s initial “Welcoming Party” for guests so use the space to add a little fall cheer. Even a simple autumn wreath will set a more festive tone.
  3. Paint your pumpkins. If you are tired of using the traditional pumpkin displays, change it up by painting your pumpkins. Depending on your desired effect, you can have fun and paint them wild colors or you can be more demure. Using metallic paints is a wonderful way to infuse a little autumnal interest while still maintaining a more stately effect.
  4. Natural vases. Put your glass vases away and carve out pumpkins, gourds or even butternut squash to be used to house floral displays or as candle holders.
  5. Infuse it with scent. Part of the thrill of autumn is the yummy scents that go along with it. Make your interior a multi-sensory experience by using potpourri, essential oils or natural candles that infuse your home with cinnamon, clove, pumpkin pie, vanilla, or other homey scents.
  6. Consider your lighting. Since we “fall back” this season, we’ll have an extra three hours of dark and that requires a lighting adjustment. Beef up your supply of candles, twinkly lights and dimmable fixtures so you can add ambiance when desired.
  7. Display fall branches. From branches of maple leaves to bare branches adorned with acorn ornaments, you can use fresh-cut branches collected on your morning walk to adorn your home with fall inspiration. You can use some of those leaves you collected and thread them with a simple loop to hang on your branches as well.
  8. Top candlestick holders with pumpkins. Haul out every candlestick holder or pedestal and even your cake stands, for that matter. Put them to good use using a mixture of decor from small pumpkins and gourds to acorns, leaves, pine cones or whatever else symbolizes the return of fall for your family.

Updating Your Pantry

updating-your-pantryDoes your kitchen pantry look like a pantry? Or does it resemble a post-tornado disaster scene? Like the guest bedroom storage closet and the kitchen junk drawer, pantries tend to go from tidy and organized, to a big jumbled mess, faster than you can say, “Hon? Have you seen the rice vinegar?”

Kitchen Pantry Update 101: How to Achieve a Sustainably Organized Pantry

Sustainable is a buzzword these days and I’m going to use it here in terms of organization. It’s not just about “organic,” “green,” or “eco-friendly.” The definition of sustainable is, “able to be maintained or continued.” When thinking of it that way, all re-organization projects should strive to be as sustainable as possible.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if closet and kitchen and pantry organization didn’t have to be annual events? Instead, you would come up with a sustainable system, one that’s easy for you to maintain or continue. When you achieve that lofty goal – ritualistic, wide scale, weekend-long organization projects become a thing of the past.

Does that sound appealing? I thought so – let’s get started.

Remove everything and set it all out on the counter

The first step, as you probably imagined, is taking everything out of the pantry and getting it out on the counter. Once everything is cleared out, it’s time to wipe down the shelves. If your pantry is old, grimy and just plain gross – you may find it worthwhile to repaint the walls and shelves using leftover paint from your kitchen cabinets or the most recent paint project you’ve tackled.

While the paint – or the freshly sudsed and scrubbed interior – is drying, begin going through the contents on the counter.

Get rid of anything that’s expired or just plain gross

Now it’s time to toss anything that’s expired or just plain yuck. If your pantry is in desperate need of reorganization, you’ll find a fair amount to get rid of. If you find you have an overabundance of pantry items, donate unopened items to your local food bank. Our local grocery store has a bin out front that accepts items year-round, and homeless shelters are usually receptive to unopened food donations as well.

Re-envision the pantry space

Contemporary cabinet and drawer designs have come a very long way in a short period of time. Pullout shelves, spice-racks, custom-designed drawers – all of these have made kitchen spaces more functional and better organized than the kitchens we grew up in.

Take some of these same cues for your pantry project and evaluate where pantry-specific tools – available at big box stores and organization-centered retail shops – will be helpful. For example:

  • Forget about cutesy wicker baskets – you can’t see what’s in them unless they’re over-full. If you like the idea of removable containers, opt for clear, plastic containers so you can see what’s inside at all times. Plastic organizers are also easier to clean when needed.
  • Purchase affordable wine racks to keep your back supply in the pantry in space-efficient and wine-happy, horizontal stacks. You can put a smaller, higher-end version out on the buffet to display a few bottles for show.
  • Are there certain staples you ALWAYS carry “in stock?” Things like 32-ounce boxes of broth, 15-ounce cans of tomatoes, cans of soup, etc.? All of these are pretty darn standard so establish reasonable, product-specific widths and divide shelves into cubby-like spaces using vertical dividers. This keeps dry goods in their own, designated spots. It also makes it easier to do quick inventories before heading to the grocery store.
  • I also recommend installing pull-out, stainless steel wire racks and bins to hold potatoes, onions, fruit and other items that prefer a little air circulation. I use mine for bags of chips, bagels, rice cakes and other items that slip around or get squished when they’re stored on shelves. Pull-out drawers also work for paper goods, like paper towels, plates, and napkins.
  • Use wire helper shelves to divide tall pantry shelves into more efficient spaces. These allow you to use up more of the available air space and prevents cans from being stacked into towers that block the view of what’s behind them.

Organize it in a way that’s logical and accessible for your household

Now that you have the right equipment, you have the opportunity to install it all – and replace pantry items – in a way that makes the most logical and accessible sense for your household.

  • Have younger children? There’s no need to be their servant. Foster independence and put kids’ go-to snack items, fruit, easy-to-prep foods where they can easily reach them.
  • Put things you use the least at the way-top, the way-bottom, and back corners. Likewise, things you use most should reside in the front-and-center spots.
  • Evaluate the lighting – is it bright enough? Too bright? Change the light fixture(s) if you need to and replace light bulbs with energy-efficient versions, bright enough to allow you to read labels, but not so bright that it’s harsh or glaring.

If you spend the time on the front-end, re-thinking how you use the pantry and what additions make the most sense, you’ll wind up with a pantry that is organized, neat, and stocked with just enough – but not too much. Finally – make a vow to cleanse the pantry on a regular basis, throwing away stale, old or expired food items monthly – instead of annually.

When all’s said and done, your newly organized pantry will be a joy to use and should never require any major re-organization ever again.

8 Misconceptions About Interior Designers

8-misconceptions-about-interior-designersI’ve worked as a professional interior designer for more than a decade now, and throughout my work, I’ve come across a multitude of misconceptions pertaining to the interior design field. Typically, these misconceptions make themselves known at a first consultation, as clients begin to see that they are getting much more than just a decorator or trend guru. However, I also face them as I work with contractors or suppliers who are surprised to see how much I know about their trades, in addition to my own.

Here are 8 of the most common misconceptions about interior designers that I find prevalent as I go about my work each day:

  1. They Just Decorate Homes. Nope! That’s the job of an interior decorator. Interior decorators are for homes what style consultants are to people and their wardrobes. An interior decorator comes into a space that is already finished or built, and works to dress it up in style – using colors, fabrics and accents. Interior designers can do all that and more. An interior decorator is educated in trained in architecture, the history of design and basic construction tenets – as well as all the fundamentals of colors, patterns, lighting, lines, texture, and so on.
  2. You Don’t Need One If You Have a Good Contractor. Unless your contractor is also an interior designer, this one goes out the window as well. While there are “design-build” firms that hire in-house interior designers to work with their clients before the build-out takes place, most contractors are just that – contractors. Their job is to build a home or remodel according to the plans they’re presented by the architect and interior designer. Read, Why Use an Interior Designer For a Remodel or New Home Construction, to learn more about this topic. If you rely too heavily on your contractor for design expertise, he’ll probably tell you to go hire an interior designer!
  3. They’re mostly women. There was an era when interior decorators and interior designers were predominantly women. Those days are over. Today, there is an increasing number of men entering the field each year, especially now that the remodel and renovation realm is so much a part of pop culture. This gender balance will continue to even out over the next decade or two.
  4. Interior Designers Are Too Expensive. There are interior designers for every budget. Sure, some interior designers only work for the high-end clients, but most strive to work within their clients’ budgets – regardless of the clients’ net worth. In cases where prospective clients don’t have enough money to pay for an interior designer’s full attention, we can always be hired to work on a consulting basis, providing suggestions, advice and input for clients along the way. And, in fact, many homeowners find that investing a chunk of money on an interior designer at the outset actually saves them money because everything is done right the first time around.
  5. It’s Their Way or the Highway. Unfortunately, this can be the case for some interior designers, but not most. It’s important to meet with three to five interior designers before you hire one, so you have a chance to get to know them and can select the one with whom you feel the most comfortable being yourself, expressing your opinions and who you aren’t afraid to say, “no thank you,” to if they suggest something you don’t like. While an interior designer may help to broaden your design vision – the finished product should reflect your personal taste and lifestyle.
  6. Interior Designers Live in Picture-Perfect Homes. Remember those old adages about the cobbler whose children walk around in broken-down shoes, or the contractor who lives in a home with a leaky roof? Well, sometimes when you spend all day and night doing something you love, you don’t always have time to apply that passion to your immediate life. Most interior designers have nice homes, but they look pretty darn normal if you catch them unawares.
  7. If You Have a Good Eye, You Can Do It Yourself. Yes, those who are creative and artistic and who have a solid understanding of basic color and design principles may not need an interior designer to create their initial design. However, interior designers have something the average person doesn’t: connections with artists, design houses, showrooms and vendors, so they can get rock-bottom prices that independent DIYers don’t have access too.
  8. Your Home Isn’t “Fancy” Enough For an Interior Designer. There is no home too modest or too small for an interior designer. In fact, the attention from an interior designer can help to take your “modest” home and transform it into a showpiece of sorts. We can make smaller rooms seem larger, we can increase light availability and we can rearrange the furniture and accents you have now to better showcase your home’s best features.

Hopefully this helped to dispel any potential myths you had about interior designers.

9 Ways to Create a Modern Nursery for a Boy

9-ways-to-create-a-modern-nursery-for-a-boyTraditional nursery designs are sweet, but they can also lend themselves towards the feminine. For this reason, I’m noticing more families asking about modern nursery ideas for their soon-to-be baby boys.

The following are 9 ideas that can help to keep your nursery a little more masculine and may also help you to transition your baby’s space into a little boy’s space and beyond with the right planning and color coordination.

  1. It’s never too early for geometry. Skip the cuddly, soft pooh-bear motif and head straight to geometry. Whether you like stripes, checkers, angles or all-of-the-above, using geometric patterns on the walls, via an area rug or for the bedding will add a more modern and mature element to the bedroom, saving you the hassle of a re-design in a couple more years.
  2. Pattern layering. Mixing and matching different patterns is a fun and high-energy way to add a more contemporary design idea into your nursery space. If you’ve never done it before, stick with just a few different patterns and make sure they’re connected via similar color families.
  3. Choose a neutral theme. Instead of teddy bears or bubbly planes, choose a design theme that can be taken into the future. Nature themes or adult versions of trains, planes and automobiles can all be done to suit a nursery space without being too cutsie.
  4. Go neutral in general. This can be especially beneficial if you are a renter or aren’t sure how much longer you’ll be in your general location. Choosing neutral colors, accents and accessories will yield a tranquil nursery space that can be added to little by little as your child develops his own tastes and color preferences.
  5. Use vintage boy decor. One of my favorite things about choosing a vintage design is that there is a hint of the traditional but the result looks modern and hip. The vintage lettering, cool retro dresser and the geometric area rug in this design make for an eye-catching nursery.
  6. Choose fun color combinations. Ditch the more traditional hues, like a pastel or navy blue, and choose slightly more bold and unique color combinations like aqua and orange or green and black.
  7. Add black. Speaking of black as an accent, using black in the baby nursery can be visually stunning and certainly adds a chic and modern touch. There are so many things done right in this baby’s nursery, including a dreamy paint scheme that creates the illusion of clouds and the black window trip and accents that pepper the room. Also, babies see black and white patterns best for the first few months so having a little black-and-white in the space will provide visual stimulation.
  8. Keep it basic. There’s no need to go completely crazy with the nursery. In fact, odds are the baby won’t be spending as much time in there as you think since much of the feeding, napping and changes will happen elsewhere in your home or on the go. This sweet and simple nursery shows that only the basics are required to yield an attractive, contemporary nursery design.
  9. Wall stencils. I am a fan of wall stenciling. By choosing a more generic shape or pattern, like this series of trees, you gain a unique and modern aesthetic as well as a design that can be grown into or will appeal to the masses if you end up selling your home down the road.

The Perfect Color for Your Homes Exterior

the-perfect-color-for-your-homes-exterior

In an effort to save costs, modern subdivision contractors often use a two-color exterior color palette: a base color for the main field and a complementary color for accent and trim pieces. Period. In fact, your home’s exterior can have up to four or more different colors, depending on its architecture and era, to highlight and complement the home’s features and surrounding landscape.

Tips For Choosing Your Home’s Exterior Color Palette

While nobody can say, “Here – use this palette” for your home without an on-site consultation, there are general rules and guidelines designers use when assisting clients in choosing an exterior paint palette.

Opt for three or more colors. Usually, the most attractive and notable homes use at least three colors: one for the field (the main body of the house), one for accents (the main features on the home like window frames, railings, shutters) and one for the trim (this is almost like eyeliner and is often the most bold color used). And, of course, don’t forget to highlight the front door – which may be a stand-alone fourth color.

Consider the architecture. Everyone’s familiar with San Francisco’s Painted Ladies, and those color palettes are amazing. But, put those same colors on a Craftsman Style home, or a modern architectural design and they’ll probably look completely out of place. If your home’s architecture is more or less period-specific, you are best off working with period-friendly palettes.

This doesn’t mean you are restricted by that period’s colors, but you can work within the same number of field/accent/trim color options and choose modern versions of antiquated hues. This will allow your home’s colors to exist in context.

Work with architectural elements that can’t be changed. Odds are, your home has a feature or two that can’t be changed. Perhaps you have a partial brick or stone facade. Your roof shingles or tiles are a specific color that can’t be altered without re-roofing the house (impractical, to say the very least). Thus, the sub-set of the above “consider the architecture” is to find color palettes that complement the shades inherent in unchangeable structural features.

Are those features’ undertones on the warmer or cooler side? Brown or grey? Blue or green? If colors aren’t your thing, a professional consultation is imperative because choosing the wrong colors will look terrible, and you will be stuck having to re-paint all over again – an expensive and frustrating endeavor.

Take a look around the neighborhood. While matching neighborhood houses are certainly boring, there is something to be said for a cohesively colored neighborhood. If the rest of the homes on your block lean towards brighter, bolder or more creative color palettes and you go earthy and subdued, your home may look a bit out of place. Conversely, if your neighborhood largely consists of neutrally painted stucco homes and you go the Painted Lady route, the effect will be comical rather than stylish. And, of course, there are always the Home Owner’s Association’s CC&Rs to contend with.

Imagine your year-round landscape. One fun option is to add an accent color tailored to your home’s landscape design details in a particular season or two. Think about the color palette that exists as your landscape comes to life in different seasons. If there is a tree that changes to a particular shade of crimson in late-summer and fall or a spray of gorgeous blooms that erupts across your landscape in spring or early-summer – these notes may be able to exist in your home’s exterior palette for a dramatic echo.

Having a hard time choosing your home’s paint colors?