Posts

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

Castors Deadstock table

Add Marble Accents to Your Home

Marble is such an elegant accent material for upscale homes. Many homeowners typically see marble used for the kitchen countertop, or the bathroom floor. However the The Decorative Touch sees marble as a material for many different uses throughout the home. And we want to show you how. Look at some of the unique ways to use marble, some you may have never seen and all that are eye-catching.

Take notice of the marble pendant lights. This is such a beautiful way to light up your space.

Marble Accents in Your Home

Benjamin Hubert’s Quarry lights

The Castor’s Deadstock table  is made from reclaimed marble from the Bank of Montreal, and the  Benjamin Hubert’s Quarry lights are made from hand-turned marble. Also see that Matter added new lights and tables to their collection that are comprised of marble and stone.

Castor’s Deadstock table

Castor’s Deadstock table

Gabion Table

Gabion Table

Are you ready to redesign your home or office with marvelous marble? Contact the Decorative Touch to start your marble makeover. 913.888.1388

Yellow Wallpaper Brightens Any Room

Yellow Wallpaper Brightens Any Room

Ahh, the color yellow. Doesn’t that sound lovely for spring?

Psychologists say yellow is a color of cheer. That makes this vibrant hue  perfect for waking up in the morning, drawing attention, or helping people be alert. And it’s also a great choice for interior design, especially in a kitchen or a bedroom of someone who is not a morning person.

A great way to incorportate yellow is by putting up decorative wallpaper. Of course you don’t want something overwhelming, so we chose light and beautiful wallpaper the Decorative Touch would use in design.

For instance, this paper called Trellis (in Citrine) is a great example of how yellow on white can make the pattern more subtle and less flamboyant.

Trellis (in Citrine)

Trellis (in Citrine)

I’ve chosen a few other yellow wallpapers to give you an idea of how gorgeous they can be. You just have to let the designer choose which paper best suites the ambiance of your home. The Decorative Touch can certainly help you pick the right look: 913-888-1388

Here are the other options. Let me know what you think by commenting below.

Oriental Tree

Oriental Tree: Yellow Wallpaper

Ringwold

Ringwold: Yellow Wallpaper

 

Lavezzi

Lavezzi: Yellow Wallpaper

Photos via House Beautiful

Design for the Exterior

Design for the Exterior

Since it’s springtime, it’s safe to assume that most of you will spend more time outdoors during the day than inside. Therefore, you’ll be looking at the decor of your home’s exterior a lot more these days,  and you should be thinking of ways to design for outside. Just as important as the inside of your house, the outside of your home is an extension of what you’ve already have designed inside.  Is your interior’s design minimal, flamboyant, colorful or monochromatic? Whatever your flavor, let the outside express your style.

So, with that said, check out some great examples I pulled from an interior design blog called Material Girl. These lovely yards are beautiful from the inside out.

Design for the Exterior

Design for the Exterior

Design for the Exterior

Design for the Exterior

Design for the Exterior

Design for the Exterior

Design for the Exterior

Design for the Exterior

Do you want to design your exterior in an eye-catching, captivating way? Contact the Decorative Touch at 913.888.1388 for ideas for your home.

Photos via Material Girl

Gravel Paito

Perfect Patios and Porches

OK. It’s spring. So why wouldn’t you want to spend lots and lots of time outside? The Decorative Touch designs outdoor spaces that clients just melt over. And trust me, I can do the same for you. Need a little inspiration for design? Let me help you. Below are some outrageously beautiful patios and porches that need no words. The beauty speaks all on its own.

Farmhouse Porch

Farmhouse Porch

Rustic Enclosed Porch

Rustic Enclosed Porch

Boathouse Deck

Boathouse Deck

Gravel Paito

Gravel Paito

Are you looking to recreate your outdoor space? Contact the Decorative Touch , and let us work our design magic.

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 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.

Map Lining in Drawer

Designing with Maps

Map Lamp Shade

Map Lamp Shade

Feel lost when it comes to interior design? The Decorative Touch can help you find your way by incorporating maps into your home’s decor.  Colorful and often unique, maps will guide you to fabulous design and a creative look.

For example, say you’re a big traveler. You can hang pictures from your latest vacation by having a map can serve as the border of the picture frame.

Plus, I can identify special finds in stores that have items with map patterns pre-printed on them. I would use boxes, pillows, or decorative wooden letters with maps printed on them.

Maps can be used to decorate anywhere you can glue paper too, including lining drawers, wrapping presents, and making book dustjackets.

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

Photos via marthastewart.com

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

Jaw-Dropping Staircases

Jaw-Dropping Staircases

I am constantly running across photos of truly jaw-dropping staircases, some in the homes I design and others in different media such as blogs, magazines and books. As an interior designer, I love working with architects who spend  an ample amount of time to create stairs that look so beautiful and allow for stairs to become part of the design process. A popular design blog named Design-Milk.com listed 20 stunning stairwells. Some are uniquely shaped. Others have vibrant colors. Each set of stairs is very unique, yet all are equally stunning.

One of my faves is the ‘wood’ stairwell. Take a closer look. The pieces are not really wood. Italian company 14 Ora Italiana has a collection of wood grain porcelain tiles inspired by the work of famed pop artist Andy Warhol. The Uonuon line comes in fourteen colors.

Uonuon

Uonuon

Also, these days you may see more of the space-planning trend with staircases. Architecture firm Atelier SAD created this modern staircase that also serves as a bookshelf.

Bookshelf & Stairs in One

Bookshelf & Stairs in One

These are only two of the staircases that caught my eye. Make sure to look at all 20 on Design-Milk.com. Plus as always, feel free to leave a comment below, and let me know which is your favorite. Enjoy.

Photos via Design-Milk.com