What type of lamps and where to use them?

I love lamps in a room. We are moving away from the canned lighting in the ceiling and using decorative table lamps that have great style and unique sconces on the walls. Whether reading a book or watching television, lamps and lighting are necessities for a room, and why not make them beautiful?  Even though lighting is not a dominant feature in a room, it makes a big statement. I am amazed when I put a great lamp in a room; it set’s the style and mood for the space.

Lamps have become cleaner in style and we don’t see the beads and trim on the shades. They are using a gentle glaze and more unique styles in the design. I love the crystal or glass style lamps that are simple in style and have great shapes.

I have noticed that as our spaces become less cluttered the shapes of the lamps are more noticeable and certainly the style creates a different feeling. I make sure that as I select the style of furnishings for the spaces I design, I place the lamps and the style in the project books. It helps our client’s understand the style and concept of the space we have designed. I have scanned a few lamps for you to understand what I am talking about.

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Arlene Ladegaard IIDA

Allied Member ASID

Certified Interior Designer

Design Connection, Inc.

Inexpensive tips to remodel your home

Countertops can make a huge difference in updating your kitchen. There are many materials besides granite that still give a rich look. When you change out the countertops you will also be required to replace the sink to an under mount style and often change out the faucet. You may use a tile backsplash or like I choose to do in my office a solid slab backsplash to give a more integrated look.

Another instant upgrade is to change out the appliances. I love stainless appliances and I have them in my own home, but they are a lot of upkeep. I still specify black appliances, but I have not used white in about eight years. The new colored appliances are fun, but are they going to look like the avocado and harvest gold of the the seventies.

Paint is about the least expensive of the remodeling and redecorating tips I can recommend. I am always amazed when we change the trim color and the wall color to deeper tones how cozy and wonderful my client’s home will feel. We have also been refinishing the floors to a much deeper tone and that sets off the new deep tones on the walls,

What I love most about my job is that each client’s home is different and every new decorating challenge is fun and certainly not like the last project. Our client’s have all sized budgets and we can accomplish a new look using many of these decorating tips.

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Arlene

Arlene Ladegaard IIDA

Allied Member ASID

Certified Interior Designer

Design Connection, Inc.

www.designconnectioninc.com

Office  913 851 8776

Mobile 913 593 6919

New upgrades to make your home look new with simple remodeling tips

Upgrade your staircase by adding new iron spindles. They come in bronze, pewter and black. I myself had the white wood spindles with a light stained hand rail. I had black iron spindles installed and faux painted my hand rail to a dark walnut stain and it looks beautiful. In my client’s home’s I often remove the carpeting from the bottom step and add one wood tread and it gives a new look.  Another thing you often see on the stairs is an oriental runner or flat cut loop carpet with a pattern.

I receive calls almost weekly around outdated cabinet color. I suggest adding a molding top and bottom and faux painting the cabinets to give a great new look. I do have a kitchen in my portfolio section that we kept the cabinets, faux painted them, added new countertops, tile backsplash and added a new island with additional storage and the right size for the kitchen. The clients were thrilled and we saved about $30,000 in the kitchen itself.

Replacing all your cabinet hardware throughout could cost less than $1000.00 and make a big hit in updating your home. I also find by  changing  out the door hardware is something that by clients often can install themselves and cost less than $1500.00 depending on the size of their home.

I am on vacation at Lake of the Ozarks. It is hot and I am off to the water. I will have more about inexpensive remodeling tips soon.

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Arlene