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How to Let Patterns Intermingle in Design

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Incorporating multiple patterns into a single room can go really well or really badly, depending on the colors, size and location of the patterns. But as long as you understand the “rules,” you can let patterns easily intermingle in design for a visually pleasing result. We love Elle Décor, and the magazine offers a wonderful how-to piece on “mixing patterns stylishly.” Here are a few of their suggestions we’re right on board with:

  • You don’t have to use patten in only the accessories. Why not incorporate a patterned chair or ottoman, like we did in the space above?
  • Use patterns of different scales. One big pattern can be complemented with other subtle patterns.
  • Make sure the intensity, or brightness, of colors in the patterns is similar.

If you’re looking for a designer in Johnson County, KS who can bring many patterns into your space with a beautiful, layered effect, contact The Decorative Touch. We’d love to help!

Photo: Interior design by The Decorative Touch

More of Next Year’s Hottest Hues

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We recently told you about the Sherwin-Williams 2012 color forecast, but recent color outlooks haven’t stopped there.

The Editor at Large recently reported that the director of Heimtextil and the president of the Color Marketing Group have given people a glimpse at their predicted color trends, which fall into four distinct palettes. The first is Colour Riot, which encompasses bright shades ranging from warm oranges and pinks to cooler blues and greens. Dark Lux is a palette including deep blues, grays and burgundy, and it has a glamorous edge. Then there’s the Craft Industry Palette, featuring rustic neutrals and warmer tones, as well as the Split Clarity Palette, which interestingly was inspired by not only nature, but also technology, The Editor at Large explains.

Colour Riot, Dark Lux, Craft Industry and Split Clarity

Furthermore, global color authority Pantone has just released its Spring 2012 Fashion Color Report coinciding with New York Fashion Week, and we know the trends will appear in the home design industry as well as fashion. The Pantone report also includes multiple palettes: one for women and one for men.

Pantone's women's palette.

Pantone's men's palette.

So, which of these many 2012 palettes are striking your fancy? Do share!

Images: 1-4 via editoratlarge.com; 5-6 via pantone.com

Predicted Color Trends for 2012

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It’s only September, but Sherwin-Williams has already come out with its color forecast for next year. Curious which shades will be in vogue in 2012? The Sherwin Williams Director of Color Marketing, Jackie Jordan, had this to say:

“Colors that are analogous, or adjacent on the color wheel, are a dominant trend. We discover a fresh array of combinations within color families—be it fiery reds, watery blues, grassy greens or organic neutrals.”

The colors featured in the Sherwin-Williams colormix™ 2012 forecast are sorted by the color families she mentioned above—neutrals, reds, blues and greens. All four of the palettes relate back to nature.

The neutrals tie in with materials like wood, grain and stones, and the reds relate to fire and fresh flower blooms. The blues have a clear tie-in with water, as do the greens, which also refer to gardens and forests. Visit sherwin-williams.com to see the 10 shades in each color family.

I love attending the color forecast seminar that Sherwin Williams puts on here in Kansas City for the design community. Just like you, we interior designers sit on the edge of our seats and wonder what’s going to be the “hot” new thing for the next season!

Jackie Jordon is amazing; not only does she give us great insight, but her presentations are always inspiring and uplifting, allowing designers to leave her seminars with a feeling of excitement for the new season. It’s kinda like getting to open a new “present” at Christmas for those of us who work with color!  I hope you see something that inspires YOU with the upcoming trends in color — remember, paint is a reasonable way to change the entire mood of a room. Enjoy!

Image via kbbcollective.com

Design Inspiration from Keri Russell’s Home

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Keri Russell and Family inside their Brooklyn home

In an article featured in Elle Decor, actress Keri Russell’s brownstone in Brooklyn was spotlighted. We thought we’d share just a few photos of her beautiful home with our readers. If you’re redecorating your home and would like to add a stylish touch to your decor, perhaps these gorgeous photos will serve as inspiration for you!

Inside the living room of Keri Russell’s home, the rug by Shaw Floors, Ochre light fixture, and linen-upholstered armchairs by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams work together to create a cozy and welcome living space.

The chic but welcoming kitchen features a light fixture by Rejuvenation, a kitchen island and cabinetry made out of espresso-stained reclaimed fir, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, and Grohe sink fittings.

The luxurious master bathroom inside Keri Russell’s home a Victoria + Albert claw-foot tub that has Samuel Heath fittings; this tub looks perfect for relaxing in!

Inside the master bedroom, there is a sheepskin rug by IKEA adorning the floor and a chandelier found at an antiques fair serving as the bedroom light fixture. The bed features bedding and headboard fabric by Matteo, and the bedside table was created by Shane Deary, Keri’s husband.

Images courtesy of Elle Decor

Decorative Touches that Gwyneth Paltrow Can’t Live Without

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Gwyneth Paltrow

Elle Decor featured an article spotlighting a few of Gwyneth Paltrow’s favorite things that she just cannot live without, including decorative touches found inside her beautiful home in London, where she resides with her husband Chris Martin of the band Coldplay and their two children. Check out these photos of just a few of her favorite things for design inspiration inside your home.

A well decorated with gorgeous hand-painted wallpaper. This wallapaper by De Gournay is featured on one wall inside Gwyneth Paltrow’s living room.

Seasonal flowers in single-variety arrangements. Gwyneth Paltrow likes to casually arrange flowers like white lilies, peonies, and hydrangeas and place them around her home.

Beautiful, majestic photography featured as artwork inside the home. Gwyneth Paltrow has photography by Darren Almond (like the photo above) featured inside her home.

Whimsical star lanterns hung from the ceiling. Star lanterns by Charles Edwards, like the one seen here, hang at different levels in Gwyneth Paltrow’s stair hallway, so that Gwyneth and her family can gaze at them on their way up to bed at night.

Great Tips for Decorating and Decluttering Your Kitchen

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Are you redecorating your kitchen inside your home? Do you want to add style to your kitchen but also keep it organized and maintain its functionality? This was the charge given to us for the kitchen shown here.

This customer wanted a taste of french country, and yet a classic kitchen.  She and I were delighted with the finished product!  She doubled the size of her kitchen and was able to enjoy the use of this wonderful new island!
When you do a room addition or renovation, you are so happy to complete the project, that clutter and “things” left sitting around will be a thing of the past!
Here are a few tips on helping you stay tidy…

Courtesy of iVillage, check out these excellent tips that are perfect for decorating and decluttering your kitchen.

  • Keep the top of your refrigerator clear of clutter, unless you’d like to feature a modest display of your favorite (and most beautiful) cookbooks. Make sure you add bookends to offset your display.
  • Set up a creative display of your glassware in your kitchen. Feature your pretty glasses on the second shelf in your cabinet, while keeping the glasses you use every day on the bottom shelf, if your cabinets have glass panes.
  • Install a rack underneath your cabinet, and use it to hang and display your beautiful wineglasses.
  • Change up the decorative items (aprons, tea towels, potholders, picture frames, knick knacks, etc) you have inside your kitchen each season. Reflecting the time of year with your decor is a great way to decorate.

Let Janine Terstriep and the staff at The Decorative Touch help you create a kitchen that meets your needs for both style and function.

How to Add Style to Your Laundry Room

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Are you thinking about sprucing up the decor in your home? Perhaps the rest of your house is beautifully decorated, but your laundry room, as so many laundry rooms often are, has been neglected and left undecorated. Did you know that you can add a little style and beauty to your laundry room, while still maintaining its functionality? Check out these great tips, courtesy of Apartment Therapy, on how to spruce up your plain old laundry room.

  • Decorate the wall of your laundry room with wallpaper. Here’s your chance to put up that funky wallpaper you love and didn’t want to use in the rest of your house!
  • Jazz up your laundry room with a cute light fixture, like a chandelier or some other fixture you wouldn’t normally find in a laundry room.
  • Hanging artwork, like vintage laundry signs, make for a great way to spruce up your laundry room’s walls.
  • Swap out your plain laundry baskets for cute and colorful laundry baskets!

Image courtesy of Apartment Therapy

How to Make Your New Home Look Vintage

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Designers like me spend lots of time looking through magazines to get inspired and make sure we are staying up to date!  This particular photo caught my eye, not because it was so trendy, but because it was so vintage and it just gave me a sense of comfort of days gone by.  No matter what your style, there is always a piece of the past that feels good to us.  I like to incorporate a special something of my clients “past” in their decorating whenever possible, even if subtly…photos of grandparents, treasures of old books…it says vintage in your own small way.

Photo credit Southern Living Magazine

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.