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Rustic, Traditional, and a Touch of Modern Décor

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You’ve heard the old mantra, “Opposites attract.” Believe it or not, this saying couldn’t be more true than in interior design. In fact, I love the mix  of rustic and traditional, with just a bit of modern style infused. I saw a lovely home in the magazine Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles that was the ideal paradigm of this concept. These photos illustrate  a great mix of styles, merging today with yesterday and modern with timeless.
Are you thinking of redesigning your home? We can help you design the home of your dreams. Just contact us at 913-888-1388 or decorativetouchltd@yahoo.com. Also feel welcome to stop by in person at 14111 W. 95 Street , Lenexa KS. We can help you come up with ideas that will match your home’s look, feel and style.

5 Tips for Making a Lasting Impression with your Foyer

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It has been said that upon meeting someone that the first impression is a lasting impression and the same follows for your home. The first thing someone will notice when walking into your home is your foyer. Being that they are in a new and unfamiliar place they will surely look around and take in everything, and attempt to develop a feel for your personality and the rest of your home. And because your home is a reflection of yourself you want it look its best and represent you well.

Consider these five tips on making a lasting impression with your foyer:

  1. Take into account what is surrounding your front door on the outside.
  2. Incorporate a mixture of light fixtures to create the right layer of lighting.
  3. Add visual interest to the floor with a mosaic flooring design or an intricate rug.
  4. Use pieces of furniture, or accessories that are both functional and decorative.
  5. Personalize, personalize, personalize.

entrywayImage by Stacy Zarin-Goldberg

entrywayImage by Angus McRitchie

entrywayImage by Michael Graydon

entrywayImage from House Beautiful

If you are in the Kansas City area and  would like to redesign your foyer with the help of an experienced interior designer call Janine Terstriep of The Decorative Touch at 913-219-7333.

Color Palette Influences from San Francisco Showhouse

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Are you currently considering a new color palette for a room in your home?  Well recently came across some images from the San Francisco Decorator Showcase which opened a few weeks ago and we must say it is a very good influence. One of the main things that can be used as an influence are the color palettes featured in the various rooms. Each room includes a mixture of colors ranging from neutral, bright, dark, and earthy. And just as any good design follows they each have their own distinctive style, yet they work together as a whole.

If you are looking for a new color palette for your interiors allow yourself to be influenced by those from the San Francisco Decorator Showcase…

Hayes Valley

Philpotts Interiors

Josephine Fisher

Kathleen Navarra

Matt Murphy

Images from casasugar

If you would like help incorporating any of these color palette ideas into your home call Janine of The Decorative Touch if you are in the Kansas City area.

What Inspires Martyn Lawrence-Bullard?

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We’re sure you’ve heard the name Martyn Lawrence-Bullard before? After all we’ve featured a few of the designs created by the interior designer to the stars. One of the reasons we’ve chosen to highlight Lawrence-Bullard is because of his uncanny ability to effectively convey his clients’ personalities through his designs. I too strive to infuse the interior design of my clients’ homes with their personality, considering that their home is ultimately a reflection of them.

Today we are going to share a few of the spaces Lawrence-Bullard finds the most inspiring. The designs he finds inspiring serve up a wide range of styles from disco glamour, Mediterranean architecture, and dramatic luxury in addition to many others. Take a look at what inspires Martyn Lawrence-Bullard?

Elton John’s Master Bedroom

Kid Rock’s Kitchen

Cheryl Tieg’s Bedroom

Ellen Pompeo’s Living Room

Tamara Mellon’s Media RoomImages from CasaSugar

Which design do you find to be the most inspiring?

The Classic Characteristics of Traditional Kitchens

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Have you always favored the look and feel of traditional styles when it comes to the interiors of your home? Traditional designs are often a popular choice because of their ability to withstand the test of time, and their versatility. A traditional kitchen can be rustic, country, eclectic, old world, and even contemporary with the use of high tech appliances.

The Decorative Touch

If you are considering redesigning your kitchen to feature a traditional look consider adding these classic characteristics compiled by Apartment Therapy:

  • Recessed panel cabinets or raised panel cabinet doors
  • More texture and variation, less sleek uniformity
  • Handles and knobs (as opposed to handle-free doors in modern kitchens)
  • Use of freestanding furniture
  • Country or rustic elements, such as farmhouse sinks or weathered woods
  • Natural materials, especially hard wood and stone like marble
  • Upper cabinets and storage
  • Glass or open cabinet
  • Skirting boards
  • Crown molding
  • Neutral tones and white
  • Antique or vintage elements
  • Natural or oriental rugs

The Decorative Touch

If you are in the Lenexa, KS area and would like to discuss the interior design of your kitchen call The Decorative Touch at 913-888-1388.

Glamorous Design Ideas for your Home Office

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Given your busy lifestyle and the latest innovations in technology are you able to work from home a few days a week? As more people begin to take on work duties from their house home offices are on the rise. And we don’t just mean a room with a desk and a computer, but a completely functional and well designed office. You may not realize how important the design of your home office is until you try to working in one with completely bare walls, or better yet from the kitchen table. To keep you motivated and excited about working from home consider these glamorous home office design ideas…

  • Create an accent wall with the help of a decorative wallcovering, or bold paint color.
  • Include an equally stylish and comfortable office chair.
  • Use creative home accessories to store office supplies.
  • Use a chic desk lamp to provide task lighting.

FEMTALKS

Material Girls

creamylife

The Design Fairy

After working for two different design centers for about 10 years, my small design business started right in my old dining room. I know first hand how important it is to stay focused on work even when “at home”. Creating your working world is incredibly important, and having everything at your fingertips is critical. It didn’t take long before my business expanded right into my living room as well, and then into my entire lower level…and then….into our current design studio.
The bottom line is surround yourself with what makes you happy, inspired, and organized. You really don’t know where you might go. Maybe you will find yourself expanding right out of your home as well! Give us a call at 913-888-1388 and let us create a chic home office space for you to work in.

From the Runway to Your Walls

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What happens when a fashion designer and former color consultant with her own line of paint team up? You get paint colors inspired by runway fashions. Fashion great Cynthia Rowley recently teamed up with Devine Color founder Gretchen Schauffer to create a paint palette based on her fall 2011 ready-to-wear collection. We love seeing how fashion translates into interior design and vice-versa, so we were thrilled when we came across the news of the pairing.

The palette of 10 paint colors, the “Devine Color Curated by Cynthia Rowley,” offers the same richness, decadence and luxury seen in her clothing.  Rowley used the palette to celebrate the timelessness and beauty of rich colors, feminine confidence and limitless self-expression. And although the palette took inspiration from Rowley’s fall line the mix of colors are perfect to use no matter the season. Take a look at a few examples from “Devine Color Curated by Cynthia Rowley,” would you take inspiration from the runway for the walls in your home?

Images from ShelterPop

exclusive-interiors

Remember to Stop by for Customer Appreciation Day

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exclusive-interiorsWe tell you all the time that we appreciate you and now we want to show you. We mentioned that we would be hosting a Customer Appreciation Open House a few weeks ago and we want to remind you to stop by. Exclusive Interiors will host the Open House beginning tomorrow morning at 10am and continuing until 7pm.

We know it’s April’s Fools but we aren’t foolin’ when we say that ALL in-stock designer samples will be 20% off. It’s an unbeatable deal if you are looking to freshen up the design in your home for spring. In addition to the designer sample sale Norwalk Furniture and CRLaine Furniture will be supporting us with a factory authorized custom upholstery sale. This sale also presents 20% off your personal choice of any special order furniture.

We are well aware how much of an appetite you can work up taking advantage of such good deals, so we will be serving refreshments throughout the day with a wine Happy Hour from 4pm-7pm. Come fool with us tomorrow and let us show you just how much we appreciate you!

For additional information contact The Decorative Touch at 913-888-1388.

Accenting your Gray Rooms for Spring

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Did you jump at the first mention of the “gray as a neutral” design trend and now have gray hues throughout your home? Although you may love the use of gray in your home you may be finding it slightly drab now that spring colors are popping up everywhere. There is good news; you don’t have to eliminate the gray in your designs as we enter the brightness of spring. All you have to do is accent your gray with vibrant colors. Since gray is one of the latest neutrals you can pair it with any bright color of your choice. Take a look at these rooms designed around gray hues and how the colorful accents immediately liven them up.

Country Living

zgallerie

Chicago Home Magazine

decorpad

houzz

Fixture World

Let us take the guesswork out of picking the right accents to highlight the gray in your rooms, call Janine of The Decorative Touch at 999-999-9999.

Inspiration for a Colorful Spring Home

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The countdown to spring is finally over! Now that spring is officially here we can’t stop daydreaming about transforming winter interiors into bright spaces. While looking around for a little colorful, spring inspiration we found a few images of interior designer and watercolorist Ruthie Sommers’ Los Angeles home. Each and every room in her home is full of bold and bright contrasting colors. Although they seem busy by hearing how much color they feature, the rooms are anchored with white helping them maintain a light and airy feel.

We think her home is the perfect celebration of colors and truly an inspiration for color-filled spring designs. Take a look for yourself and in the comments box let us know which colors you would prefer to brighten your home with this spring.

Images by Victoria Pearson for House Beautiful

If you are ready to design your home for spring call Janine of The Decorative Touch today at 913-888-1388.