Kid’s Rooms From Blah to Boom!

Children’s bedrooms are great fun to design. Kids want a space to express their personality. In our featured project the daughter had a beautiful collection of Barbie dolls that we showcased. And accented her walls with paisley shapes with strong bright colors. 

My advice is to pick a theme or color that will tie the whole look together. Then start with the furniture, replacing the big pieces first. Click here to get started with Young America for ideas and direction. Make sure to measure your room, you want the furniture to fit well, and not overwhelm the space.

DesignTipsKC: A room with lots of shelves and cubbies can help a child organize their belongings. A couple of shelves can be dedicated to displaying their crafts and trophies.

 We always have a lot of fun designing children’s spaces. If you want help with your space contact us! http://www.designconnectioninc.com/

Mirrors Are A Great Design Feature

Mirrors are a great accent in the interior design of your home

Decorating Gods vs. the Real World

There is an ongoing battle in the design world of trends vs. things you love. Many times we are shamed by decorating gods pushing trends and themes. You go back into your home and look at the things you love and wonder if you need to get rid of them. No you don’t! I feel very strongly about mixing in elements that you love with good design.

Many people chase trends, and become vulnerable to what stores and magazines advocate. But that only leaves you with an overexposed purchase, meaning that you are likely to run into your same lamp at a couple of neighbors and friends homes.

Your life, home and family are unique and your design should reflect that in a comfortable way. If you like a certain look, material or texture, go for it! A designer will show you how to mix and utilize it in a balanced way. We believe in the value of design that you love and one that lasts.

Neutral Colors and Classic Pieces

Lately, people have been talking of nothing else but the economy. We have also been talking about it at our own office, both professionally and personally.  I have never been about budget decorating, but about the value in doing design that is classic in styling.  It is about a beautiful environment and creating a home that will withstand the years of use by both pets and children, yet still look great.  Trends come and go, and if we buy what’s in style today, and not think about how it will look a few years from now, we often will ask ourselves “What were we thinking?”. When we invest in design pieces that are classic in styling, we will generally love them today and tomorrow.

I dated a man in the eighties who had a home with a lime green shag carpeting.  It was definitely installed in the early seventies and looked dated.  I knew I wasn’t moving into this home with the lime green carpeting.  If the carpeting had been a great neutral color, which could range from any beige, brown, whites or grays, I wouldn’t have remembered the carpet to this day and would have been happy to live with what was there until it could have been changed.  It was a deal breaker for me.

What I am recommending today is to stay neutral and play up the trends in wall color and accessories.  Feel good this year, and buy a few pieces of beautiful classic furniture or simple drapery with beautiful lush fabrics.

I am ready to turn the page from last year to this year.  We want to wish all who read this blog a healthy and happy New Year and a year that is calmer and has hope for peace.

Arlene

visit www.designconnectioninc.com

Decorating for the Holidays

It hardly seems time for the Christmas holidays. We have been busy delivering furniture and putting in drapery for the holidays. The colors in the house are so festive. I love the trees that reflect the years of a family collecting ornaments. I myself have a neutral palette in my home. The red poinsettias in my home look beautiful and the color adds such a warm feeling. I love to change the florals and plants for the coming season. After the holidays I will switch to white orchids and white gladiolas. The orchids will be real, but the other flowers will be great looking silks. 

I want to wish everyone a great holiday season, and enjoy the time with family and friends. 

 Arlene

 www.designconnectioninc.com

Accessories

We saw so many different lines of accessories during our recent trip to the High Point market. We were able to establish some different lines that we have not seen here in Kansas City. The color black was big in accent pieces and so was white. We also see the comeback of black and white mixed together. It was great fun to see the spring colored accessories that are geared for this time of year.

At the beginning of each of our projects we think about what type of accessories and accents we will be placing in each of our projects. Interior designers generally wait until the end to think about the accessories and accents they place in their clients homes. We will plan and budget them in the beginning and that helps with the total theme of our projects. We have found that our clients often run out of money at the end and they never truly get the homes they set out to have when they hire a decorator or designer in the Kansas City area. We think that accessories are not something that gets attached at the end of a project as it is one of the most important parts of the project. It is what makes a house unique and feel like a home.

Visit DesignConnectionInc.com

Arlene