The Cottage Kitchen

Cottage Kitchen Designs

In this blog, we give a special,respected nod to the cottage kitchen. It’s beautifully penetrated kitchen design for years and will do so for years to come. Cottage-styled kitchen decor is not only charming, but has a way of making everyone feel welcome and right at home. Because of its motif, the cottage kitchen is comfortable and inviting: light and bright colors, painted and glazed cabinets, woven baskets, beadboard panels, floral accents. Just mentioning the details sounds so heavenly. At the Decorative Touch, we want you to feel inspired by the ambiance that the cottage kitchen brings. Look at some of the pictures I placed below from myhomeideas.com, and you’ll probably see a few details that you may want to place in your kitchen. We can certainly help you achieve this look. Just start with a phone call. Contact the Decorative to revamp your kitchen to exude impeccable taste from the country side.

Cottage Kitchen Design

Cottage Kitchen Designs

Cottage Kitchen Designs

Cottage Kitchen Designs

Cottage Kitchen Designs

Cottage Kitchen Designs

Photos via myhomeideas.com

Cool Kids’ Rooms

Kids are people too. And they’re people with so much style. So, as an interior designer I love bringing out the personalities of the children by designing their rooms. The challenge for me is to preserve the ambiance and decor of the parents’ home while satisfying the child. It’s a task that I happily take on often.

If you need a little design inspiration for your child’s room, then this blog should help you get started with the creative process. Check out the photos of some of the colorful kids’ rooms that I took a liking to, and use the pics to foster your own ideas.

Let me know what you think of the different looks by commenting below or on Facebook, and of course, when you’re ready give me a call at The Decorative Touch. I can help you achieve any look you desire. Enjoy.

Boat-Themed Boys' Room

Boat-Themed Boys' Room

Cheery and Modern

Cheery and Modern

Pretty in Pink

Pretty in Pink

Rock-and-Roll

Rock-and-Roll

Photos via housebeautiful.com

Flower Mural

Springtime Brings Spring Flowers

Floral decor can definitely liven up your home and eradicate the winter blues. There are plenty of ways to infuse this look for a spring appearance. I’ve listed these creative home decorating ideas will turn your home into a bloomin’ domicile.

Fully Bloomed Wall Paneling
An entire wall papered with flora is a bit overwhelming; however, wallpapering just the compartments of a panel with a flowery design brightens the room with some pizzazz.

Flowered Lampshade
A lampshade with outlined flowers is bold, yet elegant, and when the drum-shaped lamp is suspended over your table, it will be a focal point.

Flower-Oultine Lampshade

Flower-Oultine Lampshade

Flower Folding Screen
A folding screen with a flowered print such as a jasmine vine, makes a statement and a daring one at that. This will contribute some attitude to your furnishings.

Jasmine-Vine Folding Screen

Jasmine-Vine Folding Screen

Floral Lined Cabinets
Using floral wallpaper for the backdrop of open cabinets adds a touch of sophistication to your shelves.

Petals on a Pillow
A plain-colored pillow teamed with some ultrasuede flowers of the same color is simple, but very appealing.

Sun-Print Pillow

Sun-Print Pillow

For more fun ideas on decorating with flowers, contact The Decorative Touch at  913-219-7333. Or just drop by: 14111 W 95th St., Lenexa, KS 66215

The Decorative Touch is Featured on Houzz

The Decorative Touch is Featured on Houzz.com

Master Bath Design by The Decorative Touch Featured in Houzz

Master Bath Design by The Decorative Touch Featured in Houzz

Have you heard? The design work of The Decorative Touch is featured on Houzz.com. The online write up is such exciting news for me, especially since this site has such a mass following, particularly among those who love interior design. Houzz boasts that it’s the largest collection of interior design and decorating ideas on the Internet, including kitchens and bathrooms. And now, the portfolio of The Decorative Touch is part of that beautiful, robust compilation of design pictures.

I’ve included above the picture mentioned on Houzz.com. The feature discusses designer bathrooms, including one by the Decorative Touch, that have small touches that make the master bath very special. Go to the article, scroll to the No. 9 mention and take a look for yourself. Like the readers and editors of this site, get inspired by what we can do to create your dream master bathroom.

Houzz.comSoft surroundings. Swaddle yourself in textiles for utter softness inside your master bathroom. Who says the living room is the only place for draperies, rugs, pillows, throws and upholstered pieces? Adding unexpected levels of comfort creates surprise.

Also, rummage through some other rooms I’ve done for clients found in my portfolio, and contact me to start your interior design project today.

Photo via The Decorative Touch

Kumquat with indigo

Opposites Attract: Complimentary Color Schemes

Color theory is something we’ve always implemented here at The Decorative Touch for a long time, so we were thrilled to see a recent House Beautiful article about opposite color schemes. Photos like these can make anybody complimentary!

Kumquat with indigo

Kumquat with indigo

The chairs above, by Jeffrey Bilhuber, contrast kumquat with indigo, which is almost opposite on the color wheel. Note that the indigo is a little less vibrant than the kumquat; it would have been too bold otherwise.

Color wheel

Color wheel

Image courtesy of Cornell University

The seating area below, by Melissa Warner, balances vibrant color with a more neutral sofa. When it comes to color, neutrals are the pause that refreshes.

Vibrant color with a more neutral sofa

Vibrant color with a more neutral sofa

The Hamptons cottage below contrasts orange with blue. The blue is more subtle than the orange, enabling the quilt to really pop like the piece of art it is.

Contrast orange with blue

Contrast orange with blue

If you are looking to refresh your home with a thoughtfully-planned-out color scheme, contact us at The Decorative Touch or visit www.decorativetouchltd.com

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Things Are Looking Up: Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

A striking chandelier or a stunning light fixture adds the ideal punctuation mark in a well-designed room. I like to think of them as style on high — no pun intended. One of my favorite online inspiration sources is ElleDecor.com. This time when I decided to focus on spectacular chandeliers, these lovely pieces were rich in color and  beaming with style. Take a gander below at the diverse décor. As illustrated no room is complete without the right lighting, adding the special something that each room needs. Below are my faves. But it doesn’t have to stop there. Share with me on Facebook some of your favorite illuminating treats.

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Designing with Beautiful Chandeliers

Are you ready to light up your world? I can help you complete the task with much grace, taste and style. Just reach out to The Decorative Touch,  and we’ll give you a new, bright start on your home.

Photo via ElleDecor.com

Designing an Eco-Friendly Home

Many homeowners are opting for a green lifestyle these days, so what better place to start eco-friendly living than in your own living space? The Decorative Touch  is well versed in what exactly it means to ‘go green’. I understand that green never means you have to sacrifice style.

Designing an Eco-friendly Home

Designing an Eco-friendly Home

Eco-friendly interior design should not only be recyclable but also harmless. In order to successfully complete eco-friendly interior design, natural and organic materials have to be used. That means no particleboard. No chromed metal. And sorry, no plastic. Although you may spend more of your budget to design an eco-home, the natural materials are very durable, good quality, and of course safer.

Nearly every part of your home can be made ‘green’, including wall coverings and paint. Think about river rocks to decorate the walls, or perhaps wood panels, ceramic tile, cork, or wallpaper made of bamboo. For your ceilings, opt for wood panels. Flooring is not an eco-friendly exception.  It can be made of stone or wooden parquet made from European woods, bamboo or cork. The results will be stunning and eco-friendly.  Combine lighter and darker words to create fun shapes and patterns in the room.

Your furniture can come from sustainable forests, be upholstered with eco-friendly fabrics, and at The Decorative Touch  we even like to ‘recycle’ by infusing beautiful antique or vintage pieces to create a unique vibe for your home. Also, accessories can offer great choices for green home decor: glass or clay vases, rocks, wicker baskets, old chests, and dry leaves or tree branches from your backyard.

Other benefits? Lower maintenance costs, less energy usage, higher levels of occupant satisfaction, and lower Co2 emissions.

Seem like a big task? That’s what The Decorative Touch is here for. Just reach out to us, and we’ll give you a new, fresh, green start on your home.

Photo via stagetecture.com

Rope Bathroom Decor

How to Use Rope for Design

I want you to look past the practical uses for a rope, and start to embrace the concept of using it in your design. As you know if you read my blog on a regular basis, I’m always looking for new, elegant ways to infuse the avant garde into luxurious homes. Ropes help me do just that. I understand rope would normally be considered a utilitarian necessity and not an attractive decorative element. But I’ll show you with the examples I’ve collected below that rope can really add a fresh feel and shine in many rooms.

A wonderful illustration of rope design used in the home is the bathroom. A rope-based towel holder is not over done but adds obvious style.

Rope Bathroom Decor

Rope Bathroom Decor

A living room often needs lots of light to brighten the space, and what better way to do so than a rope lamp?

Rope Lamp

Rope Lamp

A plain pair of wooden stools gets a brilliant makeover by adding simple coils of rope.

Rope Seats and Stools

Rope Seats and Stools

Are you ready to transform your space with a little rope? I can help you successfully and tastefully achieve this dynamic look. Just contact The Decorative Touch to get started today.

Photos via marthastewart.com

The Convertible: The Kitchen Office

The Kitchen Office: A Creative Use of Space

At The Decorative Touch, we want you to make the most of your space without giving up your personal style. So, we’re always attempting to show you ideas that give you a two-in-one solution with the space you have. The latest idea we came across was the ‘kitchen office’. Sounds kind of like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? But it certainly doesn’t have to be. If you’ll open your eyes, and take a good, long look at your upscale home, you’ll see that your kitchen may offer you more workspace solutions than you ever thought. Take a look at some of the pictures I spotted below on the Web. They are the paradigm of this convenient concept for the working adult.

For example, situate a desk extension at the end of a long counter top. Instant work space.

The Convertible: The Kitchen Office

The Convertible: The Kitchen Office

For those on the go, a stand up station might work best.

Stand-up Station: The Kitchen Office

Stand-up Station: The Kitchen Office

Plus you can add storage to augment a new work area.

Bonus Built-in: The Kitchen Office

Bonus Built-in: The Kitchen Office

Are you looking to optimize your living space? We can help you get started in the right direction.  Just contact the Decorative Touch, and we’ll help with the next step.

 

House of Turquoise: Living Room

House of Turquoise

When reading a few online blogs recently, I came across a design philosophy I wholeheartedly agree with: design to celebrate life.  To help homeowners celebrate life, I have to know how my clients truly function in their homes — their reality — and still design a space the incorporates how they’d like to live — the fantasy. The combination makes for amazing results. Many times, I’m asked to include an outgoing color pallete into a home. I love challenges like these, figuring out the line between tasteful and tacky when infusing lots of color. Turquoise is a very lively color. But can it be used in a practical, real-life environment? As a design expert I say it can, and I’ve got the pictures to prove it. This cheery Cape Cod-inspired home I’ve featured below is a beautiful blend of turquoise style and function. (To be precise, the color is called Stratoon Blue.)  Glance at the photos, and be inspired to splash some exuberant color throughout your home.

House of Turquoise: Living Room

House of Turquoise: Living Room

House of Turquoise: Kitchen

House of Turquoise: Kitchen

House of Turquoise: Home Office

House of Turquoise: Home Office

Are you thinking of redesigning your home with an outgoing touch of color? I can help you design the home of your dreams. Just contact me at 913-888-1388 or decorativetouchltd@yahoo.com. Also feel welcome to stop by in person at 14111 W. 95 Street , Lenexa KS. We can help you come up with ideas that will match your home’s look, feel and style.

Photos via houseofturquoise.com