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.

Amazing Outdoor Room Inspiration

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Since our post a few weeks ago on the new Robert Allen outdoor fabric collection, paired with the hope of upcoming days filled with the sun’s rays we’ve been completely enamored with the design of outdoor rooms. We love everything about them from the fact that you can comfortably relax in nature, extend the interior design of your home and use all the bright colors you’ve been too modest to try indoors.

Have you been thinking switching up the design in your outdoor room? If so we have some amazing designs that are sure to be a healthy dose of inspiration. So sit back, relax and take a look at these gorgeous spaces…

Images from House Beautiful and HGTV

Are you suddenly itching to redecorate your outdoor from bottom to top? If so we would be glad to help. Give Janine of The Decorative Touch a call at 000-000-0000 to begin discussing design ideas.

Design Your Room with Multiple Styles

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Have you ever found yourself completely enamored with the look of traditional interior designs in your favorite shelter magazine and immediately decided that you would have your room decorated just like them, only to turn the page and fall head over heels in love with a modern design? If you find yourself coveting the looks of various design styles we want you to know that you can in fact have your cake and eat it too. By infusing multiples styles you can please both of your interior design tastes while creating a unique space.

We found a beautiful example on coco+kelley of a room that features traditional and modern elements. Together the styles create a colorful space that still manages to exude an air of elegance. Take a look at the design and let us know your thoughts.

Images from coco+kelley

The contemporary art piece clearly is the defining element of this room. This is such a great presentation of how just one gorgeous and fun piece of artwork can set the entire tone and mood for the whole space.  It might strike your fancy, or you may look for you personal inspiration elsewhere, but the concept of just one great piece is surely shown in this fresh and whimsical space.

Need help infusing two design styles together in your home? Call The Decorative Touch at 913-888-1388.

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

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.

Trends in New American Style for 2011

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It’s safe to say that the American style of interiors has evolved over the years in an extremely good way. Whether discussing the design in the kitchen or the family gathering room the new American style is much more relaxed, inviting and personal while continuing to exude a simple elegance. A group of designers recently sat down and shared their take on the top trends in new American style for 2011 with House Beautiful and they came up with…

Using bold colors to freshen traditional furniture.

Livable great rooms that are both open and intimate.

Dining alcoves for gatherings that are cozy and dressed-up.

Mixing multiple design styles together in one space.

Modern interiors that also feature the look of a soft design.Images from House Beautiful

Which of the new American Styles would you like to see in your home? To begin designing and planning your new American style interiors call The decorative Touch at 913-888-1388.

Inspiration for a Colorful Spring Home

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The countdown to spring is finally over! Now that spring is officially here we can’t stop daydreaming about transforming winter interiors into bright spaces. While looking around for a little colorful, spring inspiration we found a few images of interior designer and watercolorist Ruthie Sommers’ Los Angeles home. Each and every room in her home is full of bold and bright contrasting colors. Although they seem busy by hearing how much color they feature, the rooms are anchored with white helping them maintain a light and airy feel.

We think her home is the perfect celebration of colors and truly an inspiration for color-filled spring designs. Take a look for yourself and in the comments box let us know which colors you would prefer to brighten your home with this spring.

Images by Victoria Pearson for House Beautiful

If you are ready to design your home for spring call Janine of The Decorative Touch today at 913-888-1388.

Blue and White Dish Decor

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We’ve all visited a friend’s house or passed through the fine china section of a department store and gushed over the classic blue and white china. If you’ve been contemplating adding the timeless dinnerware to your home now is the time. The classic blue and white color combination is heavily in demand and probably not in the way you think. Instead of displaying your dishes in a china cabinet decorate your home with them.

By displaying the dishes whose colors represent the serene sky and sea throughout your home you can bring in a true feeling of warmth and comfort. You can arrange the dishes in a mosaic to be featured on the wall or as part of a vignette to be displayed on your coffee or entryway table. Not crazy about the idea of using dishes to decorate? Take the design and color of the dishes and translate them into your room instead. Check out these examples and let us know what you think!

Images from shelterpop

The New Kitchen Island: Oversized Dinner Tables

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Aside from the every day appliances what is the one thing you will more than likely see when entering a home’s kitchen? An island. Ever since kitchen islands broke onto the scene they have been a kitchen staple. Many include various features such as storage, cooking space, and additional amenities. As interior design has evolved the kitchen island has taken on a new form and function. And depending on your lifestyle you may find them to be more functional than ever before.

The new kitchen island is something we’ve seen before, only on a larger scale. Kitchen islands are now imitating the design of oversized dinner tables. They can be seen featuring leg forms commonly found on tables with less storage space if any. The classic dinner table design is even more exemplified when seating is include on multiple sides.

Take a look at a few of the new kitchen islands we found and let us know what you think!

Images from houzz