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Decorative Touch

3 Inspiring Rooms with Color

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The beginning of a new year is a great time to step up the style in your house. Interior design in 2013 is all about using color to brighten up your home. If you’ve shied away from color in the past, now’s the time to step out of your comfort zone and discover how great it feels to have a room pop with color. Here are a few places to start.

  • A billiard room is already fun, so it’s a great place to play with color. Let the centerpiece of the room — the pool table — set the tone for everything from the walls to the carpet. Let the classic burgundy tabletop play stunningly into upholstered walls, stunning club chairs and patterned carpet.
  • When you gather around the table to enjoy a delicious meal, you want the atmosphere to match the occasion. In the dining room, create that warm feeling with rich golds and browns on Parisian chairs, an elegant mirror, a classic chandelier and hard-wood flooring. Balance out the room with a cooler shade of cream on the walls and window panels.
  • Another room where neutrals work well is the den, a room made for relaxation. Boost the subtlety of the color palate by using exciting patterns on the window panels, carpet and throw pillows.

To revamp your home’s style for the new year contact The Decorative Touch .

Source: TraditionalHome.com.

What Inspires Martyn Lawrence-Bullard?

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We’re sure you’ve heard the name Martyn Lawrence-Bullard before? After all we’ve featured a few of the designs created by the interior designer to the stars. One of the reasons we’ve chosen to highlight Lawrence-Bullard is because of his uncanny ability to effectively convey his clients’ personalities through his designs. I too strive to infuse the interior design of my clients’ homes with their personality, considering that their home is ultimately a reflection of them.

Today we are going to share a few of the spaces Lawrence-Bullard finds the most inspiring. The designs he finds inspiring serve up a wide range of styles from disco glamour, Mediterranean architecture, and dramatic luxury in addition to many others. Take a look at what inspires Martyn Lawrence-Bullard?

Elton John’s Master Bedroom

Kid Rock’s Kitchen

Cheryl Tieg’s Bedroom

Ellen Pompeo’s Living Room

Tamara Mellon’s Media RoomImages from CasaSugar

Which design do you find to be the most inspiring?

The Classic Characteristics of Traditional Kitchens

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Have you always favored the look and feel of traditional styles when it comes to the interiors of your home? Traditional designs are often a popular choice because of their ability to withstand the test of time, and their versatility. A traditional kitchen can be rustic, country, eclectic, old world, and even contemporary with the use of high tech appliances.

The Decorative Touch

If you are considering redesigning your kitchen to feature a traditional look consider adding these classic characteristics compiled by Apartment Therapy:

  • Recessed panel cabinets or raised panel cabinet doors
  • More texture and variation, less sleek uniformity
  • Handles and knobs (as opposed to handle-free doors in modern kitchens)
  • Use of freestanding furniture
  • Country or rustic elements, such as farmhouse sinks or weathered woods
  • Natural materials, especially hard wood and stone like marble
  • Upper cabinets and storage
  • Glass or open cabinet
  • Skirting boards
  • Crown molding
  • Neutral tones and white
  • Antique or vintage elements
  • Natural or oriental rugs

The Decorative Touch

If you are in the Lenexa, KS area and would like to discuss the interior design of your kitchen call The Decorative Touch at 913-888-1388.

Glamorous Design Ideas for your Home Office

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Given your busy lifestyle and the latest innovations in technology are you able to work from home a few days a week? As more people begin to take on work duties from their house home offices are on the rise. And we don’t just mean a room with a desk and a computer, but a completely functional and well designed office. You may not realize how important the design of your home office is until you try to working in one with completely bare walls, or better yet from the kitchen table. To keep you motivated and excited about working from home consider these glamorous home office design ideas…

  • Create an accent wall with the help of a decorative wallcovering, or bold paint color.
  • Include an equally stylish and comfortable office chair.
  • Use creative home accessories to store office supplies.
  • Use a chic desk lamp to provide task lighting.

FEMTALKS

Material Girls

creamylife

The Design Fairy

After working for two different design centers for about 10 years, my small design business started right in my old dining room. I know first hand how important it is to stay focused on work even when “at home”. Creating your working world is incredibly important, and having everything at your fingertips is critical. It didn’t take long before my business expanded right into my living room as well, and then into my entire lower level…and then….into our current design studio.
The bottom line is surround yourself with what makes you happy, inspired, and organized. You really don’t know where you might go. Maybe you will find yourself expanding right out of your home as well! Give us a call at 913-888-1388 and let us create a chic home office space for you to work in.

42nd Symphony Designers’ Showhouse Set to Open

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For 42 years the Kansas City Symphony Alliance, a nonprofit volunteer organization which promotes an interest in classical music throughout the Kansas City area, has hosted their annual fundraiser the Symphony Designers’ Showhouse. Known as Kansas City’s biggest home makeover project the showhouse is the place for the latest in interior and landscape design.

This  year the interiors and landscape of the showhouse were designed by 28 professionals located throughout the Kansas City area that include craftsmen, designers, manufacturers, and furniture builders to name a few. Aside from touring the showhouse and viewing the creative designs other events will accompany the tour. Thursday nights will feature live music, food and drinks. If you are in need of design inspiration and entertainment swing by the Symphony Designers’ Showhouse for a taste of both.

As an interior designer myself, and having participate in this event, I know how much work goes into making these rooms look grand enough to be on tour.  I love to walk through these stately homes and see how they have been transformed in a very short time…it is truly magical.
Grab your best friend and have a girls-day-out, it is a treat, and you never know what inspirational message you just might find around the corner!! If you are inspired by the tour just give The Decorative Touch a call and let us help you further develop your ideas!

Visit Historic Homes Tour for Antique Design Inspiration

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Are you interested in historic architecture and the look of antique filled interior designs? If so you can gain inspiration this weekend at the Fort Leavenworth Historic Homes Tour. The tour, which is an annual fundraiser for the Friends of the Frontier Army Museum, will feature eight of the most historic homes in Fort Leavenworth. Tour participants will be able to view the architectural features of the homes, as well as the current interior designs. Many of the homes are decorated with a nod to the past with antiques and historic heirlooms on display, so if you are looking for antique design inspiration for your home the Fort Leavenworth Historic Homes Tour is the place to be.

Need help bringing your ideas of how to infuse antiques into your interior design to life? Call The Decorative Touch, we would love to help!

Image from the Ft. Leavenworth Lamp

Add Sparkle to Your Kitchen Design with a Chandelier

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Does your kitchen seem to be missing that little something extra? If you’ve been finding the design in your kitchen to be slightly drab lately we have the perfect pick-me-up. New lighting can always transform the look of a room, so why not add sparkle to your kitchen with a chandelier? We know you’re probably thinking chandeliers are typically found in more formal rooms, but work just as well in kitchens.

No matter the design of your kitchen be it formal or casual, a chandelier can bring the slightest taste of elegance, and not to mention a unique look. If you favor over the top design go for a large, elaborate chandelier. If you prefer a more simple design you can achieve the look with two mini chandeliers.  Take a look at these well executed designs and tell us what you think.

Images from houzz

Would you like to add sparkle to your kitchen design with a chandelier? Let Janine help you find the perfect one by calling The Decorative Touch at 913-888-1388.

From the Runway to Your Walls

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What happens when a fashion designer and former color consultant with her own line of paint team up? You get paint colors inspired by runway fashions. Fashion great Cynthia Rowley recently teamed up with Devine Color founder Gretchen Schauffer to create a paint palette based on her fall 2011 ready-to-wear collection. We love seeing how fashion translates into interior design and vice-versa, so we were thrilled when we came across the news of the pairing.

The palette of 10 paint colors, the “Devine Color Curated by Cynthia Rowley,” offers the same richness, decadence and luxury seen in her clothing.  Rowley used the palette to celebrate the timelessness and beauty of rich colors, feminine confidence and limitless self-expression. And although the palette took inspiration from Rowley’s fall line the mix of colors are perfect to use no matter the season. Take a look at a few examples from “Devine Color Curated by Cynthia Rowley,” would you take inspiration from the runway for the walls in your home?

Images from ShelterPop

exclusive-interiors

Remember to Stop by for Customer Appreciation Day

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exclusive-interiorsWe tell you all the time that we appreciate you and now we want to show you. We mentioned that we would be hosting a Customer Appreciation Open House a few weeks ago and we want to remind you to stop by. Exclusive Interiors will host the Open House beginning tomorrow morning at 10am and continuing until 7pm.

We know it’s April’s Fools but we aren’t foolin’ when we say that ALL in-stock designer samples will be 20% off. It’s an unbeatable deal if you are looking to freshen up the design in your home for spring. In addition to the designer sample sale Norwalk Furniture and CRLaine Furniture will be supporting us with a factory authorized custom upholstery sale. This sale also presents 20% off your personal choice of any special order furniture.

We are well aware how much of an appetite you can work up taking advantage of such good deals, so we will be serving refreshments throughout the day with a wine Happy Hour from 4pm-7pm. Come fool with us tomorrow and let us show you just how much we appreciate you!

For additional information contact The Decorative Touch at 913-888-1388.

Accenting your Gray Rooms for Spring

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Did you jump at the first mention of the “gray as a neutral” design trend and now have gray hues throughout your home? Although you may love the use of gray in your home you may be finding it slightly drab now that spring colors are popping up everywhere. There is good news; you don’t have to eliminate the gray in your designs as we enter the brightness of spring. All you have to do is accent your gray with vibrant colors. Since gray is one of the latest neutrals you can pair it with any bright color of your choice. Take a look at these rooms designed around gray hues and how the colorful accents immediately liven them up.

Country Living

zgallerie

Chicago Home Magazine

decorpad

houzz

Fixture World

Let us take the guesswork out of picking the right accents to highlight the gray in your rooms, call Janine of The Decorative Touch at 999-999-9999.