Our Award-Winning Project

Design Connection Inc. was recently honored with two ASID awards (American Society of Interior Design). We are proud that we can deliver high quality results. Below is a description of the project and how we approached the design.

The client hired us, after viewing our work and realizing his style meshed with our style of design. The client a bachelor wanted a turnkey project which the designer could act independently of the client. He lived out of town and wanted a residence in Kansas City where his children lived. We furnished everything from paint colors and wallpaper, to a complete kitchen which included dishes, pots and pans.

This residence was a condo space that had many angles interesting architectural features, but left you feeling cold. So, Warm tones and neutrals were selected to create an inviting space and to help support the custom art work in making a fresh, bold statement.  The linen drapery panels were hung using a satin nickel drapery rod to create a masculine feel; across the room the client’s desk is topped with granite and flanked with file drawers.  A wonderfully soft fabric was used to upholster the sectional sofa, where the client enjoys relaxing and entertaining.

The furniture floating in this area reflects the angles and the ten foot ceilings allow the space to feel ample.  The walls and ceilings are painted the same neutral khaki and the base boards are an even darker khaki.  When walking into this room the view is fabulous, with no furniture obstructing the line of vision.  Our client loves to spend time enjoying television, using his computer, and just hanging out!

If you like this look, click on the links to view the websites of  Stanley Furniture  C.R. Laine and Z Gallerie

To see the full project visit our website portfolio

Tile: Not just for floors anymore.

Tile is not only for floors anymore

Tile is not only for your bathroom and floors anymore. You can use tile to create some pizzazz in your bedroom by creating a mosaic tile headboard. This is a fabulous way to create an interesting and unique focal point. By keeping the headboard frame understated and sleek, we let the color and texture of the tile do all the talking. And what a special statement it is making! We hope that as you begin any design project you consider using traditional materials in a creative way.

 Tip: When working with an interior designer, communicate your ideas and wants clearly, but give the designer room to take your project to the next level. www.designconnectioninc.com

For great tile selection and ideas visit  Daltile 

 

A New Room for the Holidays

This cocktail table can be added to most rooms to add interest or focus.

We get a lot of clients who come to me thinking that their furniture has to match. Nothing could be further from the truth. When every aspect of your room matches, it becomes very boring. Our approach has always been to combine quality pieces that make a statement individually, but work with all the other items in your room.

If you are planning on updating or redesigning your home for the holidays, now is the time to order your new furniture, drapes and custom pieces. We can ensure your holiday delivery date if you order by September 30.

The table shown is a John-Richard cocktail table. You can see more furniture by visiting www.johnrichard.com. You can order this furniture line from our office.  www.designconnectioninc.com 

How To Address Seating Around A Fireplace

An interesting furniture layout is to face two chairs directly in front of each other. You can put a small coffee table or an ottoman in the center. The perfect distance from the firebox is a personal preference, if you like it warm and cozy slide the chairs closer but if that is too hot, slide them away. You can add an accent throw to add color, which can be changed out throughout the year.

Don’t block the view of the fireplace with the chairs, rather,-flank the fireplace so that it becomes a visual focal point in the room and use the chairs as elements to frame the view.

We have done some really interesting things with fireplaces; check out the projects in the portfolio section for ideas. www.designconnectioninc.com

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.

Host and Hostess Seating

When creating a unique and special room you should consider using host and hostess chairs.  Using host and hostess chairs helps lend a presence in any room of your home.  These chairs can be used at the end of a dining table, or used as an accent in any room in your home.  The advantages of using upholstered host and hostess chairs can be the addition of another important fabric to the room, which then can enhance the overall scale and color.  The scale of the chairs themselves are very important as proper clearance is needed for arm chairs, especially if  being used at a table.  Host and hostess chairs can give great detail to any room.

Get the correct size of furniture

Furniture placement is often very difficult. I always put a room into a scale drawing to see the relationship of pieces and what sizes look and feel the best. But what is most challenging is to make sure the sofa size is not too large or too small. I find that sometimes the pieces of furniture can measure the same, but look very different in the space.

A coffee table should be no more than 15 inches from the sofa so that it can to used to place drinks or put your feet up. Side tables should be the same height as the sofa arm or slightly lower.

There can be really neat accent pieces or perhaps a great leather ottoman. Side tables are much more interesting if they do not match. Look for fun unique pieces that make a space interesting and make it uniquely yours.

 

 

Design Connection, Inc.

913 851 8776

www.designconnectioninc.com

New President – New Values

We now have a new President and with that the country has new hope and enthusiasm. I believe that if we all work together we will again have the United States of America that was once the envy of the world.

I lived in Europe in the ’90s for 7 years. I was happy to be an American, but realized that we, as a country, and consumers, behaved very differently than the Europeans. They were proud to be French and loved their own culture as well as did the Italians, Swiss and the Germans. The Europeans have sales in all their stores 2 times a year and nothing in between. They may not purchase a lot, but what they buy is good quality and will last a long time. “Less quantity, more quality”. They find value in having less.

I believe we as a country are now headed in that way too. We now value more what we purchase and are buying less. In making purchases for your home, it is when I returned from living in Europe that I had the philosophy that it is often best to have a smaller home that you could afford and have it nicely furnished with quality pieces, good appliances and carpeting that would last. This was not the popular philosophy at that time. I believe that is where we are headed as a country and I am excited to see the change.

Design tip:

To cut down a paint color instead of having the formula cut down by the paint store, you make take a cream colored paint and cut the mixture in half or three quarter yourself. You then take the mixture you have created to the paint store and have it custom matched to this color. It works great.

visit www.designconnectioninc.com

Arlene Ladegaard IIDA

Allied Member ASID

Certified Interior Designer

Design Connection, Inc.

www.designconnectioninc.com

Office  913 851 8776

Mobile 913 593 6919

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

My Presentation at the Central Exchange

I gave a seminar at the Central Exchange for 50 women last week. The topic was “Help, I Want to Decorate My Home, But how can I do that in today’s Economy?” I gave many of the design tips I give in my blog. I had many of the women contact me to say thanks. I gave them concrete ideas and gave them much to think about. I know that we all want to make changes in our homes, but we are not sure that we can do them to the extent we would have a year ago. We can have a design plan and budget, and know which direction we want to go, and make the changes slowly. For instance, we do not have to change all the appliances at one time. We can change them slowly as they no longer work or serve us in the way we would like them to work. When we lived in Europe, the philosophy there is that you loved what you purchased and you lived with it for a long time. They purchased good quality and they were both happy and proud of what they bought. We paid cash for every purchase and therefore planned a long time ahead for every major purchase.

With my clients I would prefer to wait and have the budget and styles designed & specified and then make the purchases over a period of time. It is easy to go out and buy cheap furniture because we want it now, but it does not last and many times we realize that if we had waited and planned and saved we could have purchased what we really wanted. I remember my father saying to me “We don’t remember what the cost difference was; we remember that we didn’t get what we really wanted”.

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Have a great Thanksgiving,

Arlene