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Something Special for YOU for the Holidays

Bookshelf 2

Interior Design Challenge: How to Keep Bookshelves Looking Chic, Not Cluttered

It’s ok to admit it, when you watch HGTV every night (yes, every night, I know it’s addicting) after work, you get jealous at the awe-inspiring interior design of the houses featured.  Then you see it, a wall-to-wall bookshelf completely filled with books and it looks amazing; it even has a ladder to reach the books at the top!

Bookshelves are a great opportunity to add character to any room.  Here are some ideas to get that ideal bookshelf for your room:

Bookshelf 1

Photo via amberinteriordesign.blogspot.com

Cut the clutter: orderliness is in these days and the best way to have your bookshelf looking organized is to not over-crowd it.  Leave some space between each object on the bookshelf instead of cramming a bunch of objects on the shelf.  Remember, less is often more!

Bookshelf 2

Photo via shelterinteriordesign.blogspot.com

Books books books: This seems obvious (it is a BOOKshelf after all), but utilize books.  They will make any room or space look sophisticated.  Don’t be afraid to arrange them in unique ways too – some standing upright and some on their backs.

traditional bookshelf

Photo via houzz.com

Match styles: If you’re looking for a traditional look, use all traditional objects; it will give the bookshelf a look of unity.

If you’ve finally decided that you want that HGTV look in your Kansas City home’s interior design, contact The Decorative Touch today.

Why hire a professional?

As a professional designer, I follow other professionals in the design industry’s blogs and articles on interior design.  One of my favorite writers is Maria Killam.  I follow Maria’s blog, as I respect her and much of what she has done in the design industry.

I feel she is right on target with her latest blog post on “How Do I Know What My Style Is?” I love this question from one of her readers…as it is one that I get from my clients as well.

Her answer is perfect, and well said… (I couldn’t say it better myself.) …there is a reason one hires a professional for advice in every category of their life.

When you are tackling the interior of your home there is no difference.  Mistakes are costly.  I value the experts who have invested in the time, energy and education to become experts in their field of study.  Interior designers are no different, and finding a good one, is a treasure.

Click here to read Maria’s blog post on the subject.

-Janine

Remodeling Ideas

Great Ideas for Kitchen Lighting

Although it can be an easy element to overlook, lighting sets the mood in a room. While there are many tried and true lighting options, consider taking a step back to consider more unique and impressive lighting options for your home.

Remodeling Ideas

Image via Pinterest

  • Over a kitchen island or large dining room table, nothing quite beats a chandelier. While the style options are endless, make sure to go with one that matches up nicely to the size of the island or table over which it will hang. You don’t want to keep any dinner guests in the dark!
  • Industrial lighting goes well with clean, utilitarian kitchens and really grabs your eye. Mount an industrial sconce on each side of your sink as functional statement pieces.
  • For the ultimate unique lighting experience, go vintage. Elegant and ornate pendants can beautifully highlight any room of the house

While lighting fixtures throughout your house don’t need to — and shouldn’t — all be exactly the same, ensure they work in harmony. If you have an open floorplan or certain rooms that naturally flow together, make sure fixtures line up and have similar styles.

Here at The Decorative Touch  we have been creating beautiful Kansas City interior design for nearly 30 years. Contact us today to start elevating your home’s style.

For more kitchen lighting tips, visit HouseBeautiful.com.

emerald green bedroom

A New Color for a New Year!

Now that Christmas has come and gone, 2013 is on the horizon and it looks as if the color of the year will be Emerald Green, according to Pantone.

Now before you say you are not a fan of green, this is not your ordinary run of the mill green. Emerald green could be classified as a royal hue. It can be sleek and add a perfect shine to your interiors, or you can choose to go with a deep shade that adds a touch of distinction.

Emerald green living room

Photo via adelightfuldesign.com

 

emerald green drapes

Photo via simpleeverydayglamour.blogspot.com

 

emerald green bedroom

Photo via redesignrevolution.com

Where can you see a touch of Emerald green in your Kansas City home?

 

HB kitchen island with stools

Great Updates for A 21st Century Family Kitchen

Four of the hottest trends in Kansas City interior design focuses in on the family kitchen.

HB kitchen island with stoolsWide comfortable stools offer great seating in the modern kitchen. Stools made of hickory with a curved upholstery seat tuck neatly under any island. The stools make eating at the island easy as well as providing seating for casual conversation when someone is cooking.

HB Behind backsplash storageHave you ever thought of tucking things behind a moving backsplash? Adding a television to the kitchen offers entertainment options even when people are cooking. Placing it behind the stove covered by a moving backsplash provides an ingenious option for hiding and protecting it at the same time. This sliding backsplash is a great place to hide other things.

TH hiding appiances behind doorHiding appliances behind “garage” doors is an idea already used in many kitchens. However, automated garage doors is a new trend gaining popularity. The doors lift up to make access easy. Then a flick of the switch closes the doors and cleans up the kitchen.

TH tucked outletTucking outlets under the edge of the counter cleans up the backsplash. It is easy to access the inconspicuous plugs.The cords do not drape over work areas either.

If you need help putting these trends into your Kansas City area kitchen, contact The Decorative Touch.

 

Images: traditionalhome.com
Showhouses 3

New Design Books offer Great Home Interior Inspiration

Just in time for the holidays (and, by extension, winter home projects and spring remodeling), a big batch of new home design books are just being released. These books are by and large very affordable, and chuck full of great ideas for remodeling your home in the Kansas City area.

American Beauty home design book
First on the list is American Beauty, published by Crown Publishing Group and written by Thom Filicia. This beautiful, artful book is half memoir and half decorating book.  Thomtakes you through every step of remodeling an older American home, and has created rooms that feel classic and modern at the same time.

Showhouses 3Part of an impressive continuing series, “Showhouses 3,” by Jeffrey B. Snyder, features more than two hundred color photos of recent interior designers’ contributions, which were showcased at Decorator Showhouse events around the U.S. The showhouses in this book offer several hundred design ideas, literally.

STUFFFinally we also like “STUFF,” a look inside the lives of passionate collectors. This very interesting read was penned by Carey Maloney, and comes with an interactive digital recognition technology, which lets you read deep into forty different topics, with cyberlinks to great museum collections.

For more information on new design books, visit editoratlarge.com.

Where do you get your home interior design inspiration from?


Christmas Decorations in Dining Room

Color Coordinating for Holiday Decorating

If you have not already started, now is the time to get those holiday decorations up in your Kansas City home. You probably have your staple traditional items that must go up like the wreaths, candelabras, lights, candles, and such. Right after the Thanksgiving holiday is when the Christmas decorations are ready for placement. It’s safe to say that with the Christmas holiday, we tend to let our children ‘run wild’ with the decorations. But this year, try a different approach. It’s easier than you think to create a beautiful holiday decorated home that is perfectly sophisticated for adults and absolutely enjoyable for the kids. The trick is in the colors.

 

Use Complementary Colors

Complementary colors christmas tree

Photo Credit: traditionalhome.com

Take a look at the sparkling jewel tone decorations. The jade and purple complement the  green of the tasseled velvet sofa quite nicely.

 

 Green and Gold

Christmas Decorations in Dining Room

Photo via houzz.com

Green and gold are a great color combo for a grand traditional dining room. Take special note of the gold ribbon and greenery hanging from the chandeliers.

 

Solid Color Christmas Lights

solid color christmas lights

Photo via athomearkansas.com

White Christmas lights are great for keeping the home festive as well as color coordinated! We know the kids love the multi-colored lights, but hang those outside or in their bedroom instead.

What are your favorite holiday colors?

 

Country Home Open kitchen

Country Design Elements for a Quaint and Comfy Home

If you grew up in the country or have ever visited a quaint country setting, there is one element that is evident, a sense of familiar history. In today’s modern home, we have to be careful not to get too sucked into the idea that technology rules. Yes, it is wonderful to have a few modern conveniences in the home that make it more efficient and help it to run like a well-oiled machine. However, don’t give up those country touches that add the feeling of family, warmth, relaxation, and comfort to your home. Take a look at a few country elements that will bring in a touch of quaint and comfortable country living to your Kansas City home.

Furniture Style Kitchen Cabinetry

furniture style kitchen cabinetry

Photo Credit: bhg.com

Custom furniture style built-in cabinetry is wonderful for the kitchen. Not only does it create great looking storage, it gives your kitchen a classic farmhouse look.

 Vintage Furniture and Decor

with-flying-colors-simplistic-armchair

Photo Credit: Lucas Allen via CountryLiving.com

A linen-upholstered antique armchair placed under a beautiful white cuckoo clock creates a great country-esque vignette for a modern home.

 

Add Rich Color

Country Home Open kitchen

Photo via Houzz.com

The glossy warm-colored hardwoods look great with the rich green cabinetry and high back arm chairs. This open kitchen space is warm, inviting, and charming, like a quaint country space should be.

How are you incorporating country style interiors into your Kansas City area home?

 

 

 

High Point Market orange

High Point Market Hot Colors Trends

Just a few weeks ago, the High Point Furniture Market featured many innovative furniture pieces and interesting designs that captured the look of 2012-2013’s hottest interior design trends.  Among these trends was an array of hot colors that took the ordinary to extraordinary. Take a look at a few great colors that were featured at the market.

Ice Blue

High Point Market blue

We still love bold blue, but now a fresher, ice blue is on the scene. Bright blues create a nice unexpected pop on free-standing cabinets and drawers.

Orange

High Point Market orange

For some orange can seem a little overpowering, however, the trick is to use it as an accent color then pair it with a few mixed neutrals.

Purple

High Point Market purplePurple was seen in all shades at the Market, from soft shades of lavender to neon purple, this color definitely will have a strong presence in 2013!

Are you interested in bringing more life to your Kansas City home with color? Contact The Decorative Touch Ltd. and visit our studio to see our wonderful furniture and accessory collections.

 

Source and Images:blog.hgtv.com

 

 

 

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