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Photo: The Decorative Touch

The Colorful Living Room

We love color. And although some homeowners may be afraid of color, it really is a great way to express your personality.

We just met with one of our favorite furniture suppliers last week and learned more about what is up and coming for 2012, and yes, color is coming round the corner in more ways than one.  You will see lots of tangerine, wonderful navy blue like its never been seen before, and even tranquil greyed ocean blue is still so restful, and you will find it hard to resist.  So, as we show you below, don’t be afraid to use paint in different ways and take a chance on color. There are so many gorgeous things out there to inspire you this year.  Be it fabric, area rugs or just a fresh coat of paint dare to be different and express your inner designer.

You’ll see lots of orange in this family room that has been shown before on this blog. This room creates a warm vibrant feeling for family and guests because of the color. We mentioned before how orange (or officially Tangerine Tango) is the 2012 Pantone color of the year. In this space, we used plenty of solid color to set the tone.

Photo: The Decorative Touch

Photo: The Decorative Touch

But as you can see in this living room below, patterns can also infuse color into your space. The color certainly doesn’t have to be a monochromatic theme.

The Patterned Living Room/ Photo: BHG.com

The Patterned Living Room/ Photo: BHG.com

If you do not see adding colorful furniture, think about having an interior designer handpick colorful displays. They can even be changed for the season or time of year.

Darling Displays/ Photo: BHG.com

Darling Displays/ Photo: BHG.com

Are you looking to add color to your living space? We can help you get started in the right direction.  Just contact the Decorative Touch, and we’ll help with the next step.

The Fabulous Foyer: Pretty and Classic

The Fabulous Foyer

They say first impressions are everlasting, so since the foyer is the first impression your home will make on guests, we want to inspire you to create a decor for your foyer. The entryway can be just as creative as other parts of your home.

For example, we were drawn to this foyer because of the design of the chair. This seat has been upholstered, allowing the fabric to keep a relevant, updated feel while preserving the antique ambiance of the chair.

The Fabulous Foyer: Pretty and Classic

The Fabulous Foyer: Pretty and Classic

Photo: HouseBeautiful.com

If you’ve read the last few posts of this blog, you know that we are huge fans of antiques and vintage. The entryway of your home is a great way to let all of your guests know how much you appreciate things of old. In this foyer, antiques included the American hooked rugs. Such a nice touch.

The Fabulous Foyer: The Anitque Entryway

The Fabulous Foyer: The Antique Entryway

Photo: HouseBeautiful.com

This neoclassical foyer uses creamy marble floors, paired with antique Italian commodes that are topped by marble urns. The space is brought together by a Zodiac light.

The Fabulous Foyer: Neoclassical

The Fabulous Foyer: Neoclassical

Photo: HouseBeautiful.com

Are you thinking of redesigning your entryway? We can help you create the foyer of your dreams. Just contact us. We can help you come up with ideas that will match your home’s look and feel.

The Extraordinary Kitchen Island (The Decoractive Touch)

The Extraordinary Kitchen Island

Having a kitchen island in your home can be very advantageous for your living space, assuming that you have an open floor plan. (When you have a small space, a compact kitchen might be the better way to go.)  FreshHome.com says that kitchen islands are a more recent development in the space, and we find that this addition is a great approach when you want the stove to be accessible from many sides of the room. It is also helpful when two or even three people cook together at the same time. And furthermore, if you love to invite friends and family over for food, the kitchen island’s counter top can function as a surface for serving meals. Not only are kitchen islands practical, but they can serve as a beautiful aesthetic to the room as well.  We decided to share a few kitchen islands we find extremely original and divine, with each island creative in its own way. With all of the options we will show you, we think you may have more clarity as to which type kitchen island to include in your home.

 

The Extraordinary Kitchen Island (The Decoractive Touch)

The Extraordinary Kitchen Island (The Decoractive Touch)

Photo: The Decorative Touch

The Extraordinary Kitchen Island

The Extraordinary Kitchen Island

The Extraordinary Kitchen Island

The Extraordinary Kitchen Island

The Extraordinary Kitchen Island

The Extraordinary Kitchen Island

Photos: freshome.com

Please let The Decorative Touch know if you need help deciding on a redesign for the kitchen. We’re always happy to help.

Tangerine Tango: 2012 Color of the Year

A new year means a new trend. The market leader in color Pantone Inc. says the 2012 color of the year is Tangerine Tango, a strikingly warm hue reminiscent of a sunset glowing in the distance. Tangerine tango dethrones the 2011 color of the year, honeysuckle, and brings interior designers a vivacious reddish orange that can add vigor and warmth to any home.

We couldn’t wait to share how you can you incorporate this friendly, inviting color into your everyday living space, giving off a dynamic energy with a few simple touches. Below are three ways The Decorative Touch suggests you can infuse tangerine tango into your home:

Accent Pieces
Accent pieces, such a decorative pillows, throws, or even art on your wall can bring in tangerine tango without over saturating the room. Used with other brilliant hues or neutrals such as taupe, the trend can bring in just the pop of reddish orange that you might be hesitant to utilize in other scenarios.

Patterned Fabrics
Include a simple chair or an ottoman with stripes, dots or even piercing paisleys colored tangerine tango to complement the furniture already in the room. Placing a piece designed with delicate touches of tangerine tango in the fabric makes an awesome transformation simple to do.  You can also buy a slip cover for existing pieces in the room.

A Coat of Paint

If you are a designing daredevil at heart, try painting the room tangerine tango. Whether painting an accent wall or even the ceiling, a few strokes of paint can go a long way. Not to mention, it’s both time and cost effective.

Image: Interior design by The Decorative Touch

Dazzling Holiday Decor Raises Money for Breast Cancer

This time of year is the season of giving. The Holiday House, presented by Traditional Home, keeps this tradition alive and well. Back for the fourth year, breast cancer survivors and advocates created a holiday-themed designer show house to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The 2011 participants were some of the top names in interior design, and visitors viewed many rooms inspired by several different holidays, including Christmas, Mother’s Day and the Chinese New Year. We were galvanized from the showcases and decided to share some of our favorite rooms this season.

Chinese New Year by Inson Dubois Wood

Chinese New Year by Inson Dubois Wood

 

Christmas by Bradley Thiergartner Inc.

Christmas by Bradley Thiergartner Inc.

 

Mother's Day by Ally Coulter Designs

Mother's Day by Ally Coulter Designs

 

The 2011 designers and participants included:

  • Aline Matsika Interiors
  • Ally Coulter Designs
  • Avram Rusu Interiors
  • Audio Command Systems
  • BITTT Networking Group
  • Bradley Thiergartner Interiors
  • Bryant Keller Interiors
  • Charles Farruggio LLC
  • Charles Pavarini III Design Associates
  • Cooper, Robertson & Weatherly
  • Deb Landis Design
  • dineen architecture + design pc
  • Duneier Designs
  • Eileen Kathyrn Boyd
  • Felicia Zwebner Design
  • Gordon Photo Ink
  • GRADE Architecture + Interior Design
  • Hite Construction
  • Inson Dubois Wood LLC
  • Isabella Garrucho Fine Art
  • James Rixner Inc.
  • Jolie Korek & Co.
  • McCollum Interiors
  • Metamorfaux
  • Michael Rosenblum
  • Modello Designs
  • Niki Dankner Photography
  • Pompanoosuc Mills
  • Potterton Books
  • SFERRA
  • Suzanne Eason Interiors
  • Traditional Home

Proceeds from the event  benefited the Greater New York City Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an organization dedicated to fighting breast cancer. For unique ways to decorate your home for the holidays, contact The Decorative Touch.

Photos: The Holiday House

4 Great Gift Guides Featuring Décor and More!

If you’re looking for gift ideas for your stylish friends and family, you’re in luck. We’ve seen numerous gift guides all over the web lately, and we thought it would be nice to bring together our favorite four so you can find all the best goodies this year. Check these out to find something for everyone on your shopping list!

Are you interested in even more ideas for getting you in the holiday spirit? Check out our posts on “Beautiful Table Decorating Ideas for Entertaining” and “Decorating for Christmas: Ideas and Inspiration.” And to continue seeing all our updates on interior design tips, style, projects and more, simply subscribe to the Decorative Touch blog!

Image: Naito8 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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

3 Big Trends in Home Decor

Are you wondering what’s going on in the world of interior design? An array of new home furnishing products were introduced at the recent High Point Market, an important industry trade show. We were very excited to see the “Fall/Winter 2011 Market Style Report,” which includes information on all the latest trends in design. Here are a few of the big home decorating trends you should know about (interestingly, many of these are also big right now in fashion design):

  • Furniture and accessories are putting a modern spin on older styles, including glam Hollywood, midcentury modern and Venetian
  • Circular patterns are big, as are those resembling latticework
  • All shades of metallics are gaining traction, adding subtle sparkle to home decor

Visit the High Point Market website to learn more. Which of these interior design trends are you most excited about? Leave a comment to let us know—we’d love to hear from you!

Image via highpointmarket.org

Decorating for Christmas: Ideas and Inspiration

Even with Thanksgiving behind us, we’re still in the midst of the holiday season.  One great thing about the holidays is that they give you a chance to channel your inner “decorator” and really enjoy entertaining your guests.  I love thinking about creating a little Christmas feel in every area of my home; my half bath has a “Fraser fir” candle burning that smells just like a real Christmas tree!  I hope my favorite photos from this Houzz ideabook inspire your decor as you are undoubtedly stringing your Christmas garland and lights!

Happy decorating!

–Janine Terstriep, The Decorative Touch

Photos via Houzz

Designing the perfect Thanksgiving table

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, you likely have your plans all set. Maybe you are heading out of town (lucky you!) and someone else will be doing the cooking. But if you are in charge of the meal this year, you are probably starting to wrap up all of those last few to dos and are making a few of those important last-minute meal decisions like should I brine the turkey or baste? Scalloped or mashed potatoes? Pumpkin or Pecan pie? Hey, it’s hard choosing this time a year!

One thing that may be last on your list is table design. It’s easy to just throw on the same old table cloth, add a few candles, and call it done. But why not do something a little different this year that will surprise your guests? While you might be a little hesitant to try and pull off something too extravagant, you really don’t have to go overboard with the design. In fact, some of the best tablescapes are simple (you pretty much already know the color scheme) but it’s the details, like these adorable pinecone place cards, that can make the biggest impression. Just look at how the pumpkins in the image below make quite a visual statement.

Photo by Amanda Parker and family

There is nothing like Thanksgiving to make me take note of all the wonderful blessings in my life.  First and foremost, my children, as they are blossoming into adults; I grow more proud of them daily and enjoy spending as much time with them as they will allow!  My own family, as God has blessed me to be born into a richness of caring and loving people.  My career, which is ever changing, ever challenging, but the most rewarding and fulfilling place to spend my days.  And of course, my clients…for without you, I would not grow, learn and succeed.  You are the reason I do what I do, and I love my job.  Thank you all for your support!  I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving Day…

It’s all about family, friends, great food, and finding time to stop and treasure our blessings….Thank YOU!