Posts

Island Style

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Typically you can find kitchen islands in majority of today’s newer homes. Many people are even remodeling and adding islands to their kitchens. With the high demand, islands can be found to match every personality and design theme. If you prefer intricate crown molding, you can have what is already displayed throughout your home incorporated into your island. It can be simple, detailed, modern, rustic and whatever else imaginable. You can even have your island flow into a bar, seating area or  have extra cabinetry for storage. With the endless options, here are a few unique island styles we like.

Kitchen Island

Make Your Bathroom POP

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Looking for a way to breathe life into your dull bathroom?  Simply add small items of bright bold colors.  Try a bright bar of soap on a contrasting soap dish or small ceramic plate.  If classic bar soap isn’t your thing, look for your choice of colored liquid soap and store it in a clear dispenser. Vibrant colored washcloths layered upon others will also bring personality and a fun element to your bathroom. For small bathrooms it is best to only use one or two bold items.  A more spacious bathroom can balance multiple bright pieces spread throughout.

Turquoise soap on orange dish

Janine’s Tip of the Week #8: Buying USA Made

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To my friends and clients alike, the more I learn about furniture the more I am amazed about how important the “buyer beware” concept becomes. How do you know what really lies beneath the beautiful fabric on that sofa you are about to purchase? Well with Norwalk Furniture you know.  Norwalk is made in Norwalk, Ohio and after visiting the factory I can tell you first hand, I was impressed!  The folks at Norwalk are truly dedicated to the “made in the USA” concept and you can be proud to know you are buying quality, custom furniture.  We are proud to carry several of their pieces on our studio floor so come in and try Norwalk Furniture, you will be glad you did.
Norwalk Furniture
Janine

When Design Collides: West Elm & Patch NYC

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If you don’t know Patch NYC, you really should check them out. They are these great New York City designers/artists who according to Apartment Therapy, recently partnered with West Elm. Their original art drawings will appear on West Elm’s new line of artwork, pillows, ceramics and totes. Aren’t these pillows so pretty?

Decorative Accents: Sunburst Mirrors

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You have probably seen these mirrors everywhere. But did you know that sunburst mirrors have been around for centuries? In fact, Louis XIV is said to have started the trend. If you are looking for an interesting wall piece, a sunburst mirror might be just the right accent. Whether placed above the bed or a piece of furniture, they can add texture and interest to just about any space. Just check out a few examples below.

Photos: Z Gallery, This photographer’s life, Decor Pad,

Décor Double Take: Mr. & Mrs. Smith

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Another great movie and home Mr and Mrs Smith with our friends Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Who knew where they would go from here? But how about this house? Although the exterior seems very colonial and has southern charm,  when you open the door, a bit of the city and urban flair rings loud and clear.  I think the production crew did a great job reflecting the actors personality in this home.  It’s swanky and upscale. Just take a closer look at the living room and dining room. The light fixtures set the tone for a contemporary, transitional, risky performance–not always expected in such a true colonial, but they pulled it together beautifully. Just another movie where I had a hard time keeping my eyes off the wonderful “design” of the home.
If you are looking for more about the decor in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, also check out this post by Hooked on Houses.

Difficult Spaces: The Hallway

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The hallway can be a challenge to decorate. Often they are long and narrow, which makes placing furniture difficult–if not impossible. A great way to make the most of your hallway is to use it as a gallery. The long lines of the hallway make it an ideal space to display family photos or your favorite artwork. Not sure how to place the photographs? Consider a grid-style configuration like the one in the photo below. Also, by placing photos in the same style of frame, the viewer is drawn to what’s in the frame instead of the frame itself. Who wouldn’t stop to look at the photographs when walking through this hallway?

Jennifer Aniston’s Stylish Platform Bed

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Sometimes I run across something so interesting that I can’t wait to share it with you, and this is one of those moments. A friend who follows this blog sent this to me and this bed is such a beauty. This is Jennifer Aniston’s very-own platform bed, just was featured in the March issue of Architectural Digest. Isn’t it great?

What really makes this bedroom so great are those oversized lamps and the tile headboard. The bed is enormous, so you would have to have a large enough bedroom to accommodate such a large piece of furniture, but it sure makes a stunning focal point. A bedroom like this is clean and sleek, without the look of old-fashioned “matching” furniture. It’s just another way to think about the bedroom as a true haven!

Janine

Janine’s Tip of the Week#7: No Space for a Dining Room?

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After having recently read this post on Apartment Therapy, it reminded me of a project a did a while back for one of my clients. My client wanted to create a dining space, but just didn’t have the room for a formal dining area. To modify the client’s small space into a more functional dining area, I had a contractor build-in a long bench that could accommodate more people at the table. My client’s breakfast nook was wide but narrow, so we built in a 10’x18″ bench that also doubled as a great storage unit. The contractor made it with 3 compartments that have hinged openings that she can hide any rarely used kitchen items, and it really created a win-win solution. Now her kitchen table nestles into the nook, and she has 4 other seating spots around the other sides and a large “bench” that could seat as many as 6 in that family. The finished result? A functional dining area that this family can really enjoy!

Janine

Decorative Touch Featured in Kansas City Home and Garden Magazine!

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I am thrilled that I was recently featured in Kansas City Home and Garden Magazine’s March/April issue. Here is a copy of the published article: