Kansas' First LEED Platinum-Certified Home

Kansas’ First LEED Platinum-Certified Home

As a Kansas City resident, I have to say that this made me proud. Our city can now boast of its first LEED platinum-certified remodeled home in Arkansas. To me, this shows that sustainability and stylish design can complement each other like never before.

The  home was completely remodeled since the design literally had not been done since 1968, so the home was outdated to say the least. But we’ve got the ‘after pictures’, following nine months of hard work.

The homeowners made sure to buy items made in the US, designed with upholstered pieces with earth-friendly fabrics, and  chose native, drought-tolerant plants. Look at the photos below, and leave a comment below to tell me if you adore the eco-friendly way.

Kansas' First LEED Platinum-Certified Home

Kansas' First LEED Platinum-Certified Home

Kansas' First LEED Platinum-Certified Home

Kansas' First LEED Platinum-Certified Home

Kansas' First LEED Platinum-Certified Home

Kansas' First LEED Platinum-Certified Home

Kansas' First LEED Platinum-Certified Home

Kansas' First LEED Platinum-Certified Home

Photos via athomearkansas.com

Summertime Kitchen Design

Summertime Kitchen Design

I consider the kitchen the heart of the home. So it’s no surprise that I dedicated this blog to the design and style of the summertime kitchen. When creating and shaping a space for this time  year, I love to embody the essence that this season naturally brings. The lighthearted feel. The airy look. The carefree flavor. It all meshes so well together when it transcends from idea to reality.

To give you a few ideas of what a summer personified looks like, I’ve chosen these stellar photos that do just that: personify the summer. Take a look at what I’ve curated for you , and leave a comment below to let me know which is your favorite. And if you need help molding your summertime design into something divine, just give me a call: 913-888-1388. Enjoy.

Summertime Kitchen Design

Summertime Kitchen Design

Summertime Kitchen Design

Summertime Kitchen Design

Summertime Kitchen Design

Summertime Kitchen Design

Summertime Kitchen Design

Summertime Kitchen Design

Summertime Kitchen Design

Summertime Kitchen Design

Photos via houzz.com

The Decorative Touch Featured in 435 South Magazine

The Decorative Touch Featured in 435 South Magazine

We have some big news to announce. We’re excited to share that 435 South magazine has featured the Decorative Touch in its latest issue. The all-encompassing article is something we couldn’t wait to tell our blog readers. One of my favorite parts of the article is Tips from the Tierstrieps, where we give some tips and tricks about interior design. Some of the tips included:

  • Pull photos
  • Grow your furnishings with your home
  • Add the unexpected
  • Embrace Plan B
  • Take a deep breath

You can read the entire article by grabbing a copy today.

The Decorative Touch Featured in 435 South Magazine

The Decorative Touch Featured in 435 South Magazine

At the Decorative Touch, we’d love to help you integrate stunning, glamorous ideas into your home’s design. Please feel free to give us a call if you’d like to get started: 913-888-1388.

Kansas City Home and Garden: Fit for Family

The Decorative Touch Featured in Kansas City Homes and Gardens Magazine

We are beyond elated to be published in the Jan./Feb. issue of Kansas City Home and Garden. The article is entitled Fit for Family where the editors examine our task of designing the interior of a home adding 5,000 square feet to the already 5,500 square-foot space. The homeowners — who I have had the pleasure of working with a few years before— hired the Decorative Touch to work in tandem with the builder to not only increase living space but also focus on perpetual style that appeals to the family-centered nature of the owners. As the interior designer, I clearly understood the vision for the home, which I reiterated in the article.

“Everything in the house was conceived to enhance family life,”  Janine Terstriep says. “When the homeowners were ready to do a significant renovation to the existing house, they knew exactly what they wanted.”

It takes a great team to achieve this type of result on a home, from architect and builder to designer and homeowner. I was delighted to be part of the talent that made this all come together. To read the entire article, grab the Jan./Feb. issue of KCH&G, or just click on the screen grab below.

Kansas City Home and Garden: Fit for Family

Kansas City Home and Garden: Fit for Family

Photo: Kansas City Home and Garden

Are you looking to establish a new style with your home’s  interior design? We can help you get started.  Just contact the Decorative Touch, and we’ll help with the next step.

Celebrating Decorative Touch’s 200th Blog Post!

We have a very exciting announcement for the Decorative Touch blog: We have been blogging for about two years now, and have reached our 200th blog post! In honor of the occasion, we thought it would be fun to look at our most popular posts since the beginning of our blog back in December 2009. Here’s a look at the most highly-viewed posts so far:

One of the colorful hotels from our third most popular post to date.

1. Jennifer Aniston’s Stylish Platform Bed

2. Featured Project: Leawood Kitchen Remodel

3. Color Cues from Design Hotels

4. Glamorous Design Ideas for Your Home Office

5. Nursery Style Alert: Birds, Owls, Giraffes, Oh My!

Thank you so much to all of our readers! We hope you continue to follow our updates on interior design news and tips, what’s in style and Decorative Touch design projects. Do you have a favorite Decorative Touch blog post? Leave a comment to let us know your top pick!

Image via casasugar

Don’t Forget The Decorative Touch Customer Appreciation Sale is This Thursday!

We just wanted to remind everybody about our open house and customer appreciation sale, which is coming up this Thursday, Oct. 27! The event will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Decorative Touch Studio in Lenexa, KS, which is located within the Exclusive Interiors Studio and Boutique.

With our open house and sale just around the corner, we thought this would be the perfect time to offer a sneak peek of The Decorative Touch Studio:

And in case you didn’t get our e-vite, here’s a look at the invitation with the details:

With in-store specials, wine and treats, and even a free special gift for the first 50 people to arrive, this is a design event not to miss! We’re so excited not only about celebrating the upcoming season, but also about getting a chance to thank our friends and customers for their support, so we can’t wait to see you here on Thursday for our open house and sale!

Decorative Touch Designer Meets Candice Olson

I was fortunate enough to be invited to an exclusive event where one of my favorite and well-known interior designers, Candice Olson, spoke live about her career, design inspirations and trends. I was tickled pink to be one of about 100 people lucky enough to hear this awesome, genuine and talented woman share her stories. She is not only talented, sophisticated and inspiring, but she is also warm, inviting and a pleasure to be around.

I was more impressed by her humility as a designer who has certainly “made it” to the top. She was willing to share and still listen to suggestions, as she is developing a wonderful line of furnishings with Norwalk Furniture, a line we carry and believe is the best value in today’s market as well.

Take a peek at norwalkfurniture.com to see what Candice has in store for you for 2012!

—Janine Terstriep, The Decorative Touch

Decorative Touch Customer Appreciation Sale Oct. 27

Get ready to mark your calendar because there’s an exciting event coming up next week that you won’t want to miss. We’re having a customer appreciation sale at The Decorative Touch Studio Oct. 27 and would love for you to join us! Please come to celebrate the upcoming season and let us thank you for your support!

This sale will include a number of in-store specials to help jumpstart your holiday shopping, and the first 50 people to arrive will receive a FREE special gift!

The event will take place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 at The Decorative Touch Studio, which is located at 14111 W. 95th St. in Lenexa, KS—within the Exclusive Interiors Studio and Boutique, just west of 95th and Pflumm and beside Pella Windows.

Be sure to arrive early and bring a friend. We can’t wait to see you here!

Pink Swan Project Helps Breast Cancer Research

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and interior designers are helping the cause.

The Pink Swan Project by Suite New York is a really neat example. Essentially, 19 noteworthy designers put their touch on Franz Hansen’s Swan chairs, which are being auctioned this month with proceeds benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, according to Design Milk. The designers include such names as Madeline Weinrib, Vincente Wolf, Alexandra Von Furstenberg and D. B. Kim of PYR for Swarovski. These four incorporated the pink color of the month, so we thought they were especially fitting to share.

Image via Design Milk

But, you can view all 19 chairs on suiteny.com, and the auctions are going on through the end of the month. The Swan chairs are also being showcased in New York City at the Suite New York showroom and the Gagosian Shop.

Want to see more of our updates on the interior design world, what’s in style, decorating tips and The Decorative Touch projects? Simply follow our blog!

A Look at the Future of American Home Design

Luxurious bathrooms are on the rise.

Wonderful design blog The Editor at Large recently reported on the findings of the “2020 Crystal Ball Survey” by the International Furnishings and Design Association, which revealed a picture of the normal American home as it’s expected look in the year 2020. Many noteworthy trends emerged, offering an interesting perspective of how home design will evolve over the next nine years. Expectations include:

  • American homes will continue to get smaller.
  • Formal living rooms and formal dining rooms likely won’t be part of future American homes, as people opt for multi-functional spaces like the eat-in kitchen.
  • Bathrooms will become more luxurious with products like fancy fixtures and spa baths.
  • Home automation will become more popular, including high-tech lighting and audio/video systems.

Interested in other predictions for American homes in 2020? Visit The Editor at Large to learn more about the survey’s results.

Photo: Design by The Decorative Touch