Why hire a professional?

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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

Houzz

Houzz Names Decorative Touch “Best of 2013” in Design

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best ofDecorative Touch Ltd. of Lenexa, KS has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” 2013 by Houzz, a notable online platform for residential remodeling and design.  The 28-year old interior design firm was chosen by the more than 11 million monthly users that comprise Houzz’ readership.

The Houzz “Best Of Houzz” award for 2013 is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the community of  users, also known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 124 million professional images of home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via Houzz platforms.

The honor enables Decorative Touch Ltd to place the trademarked Houzz seal on its website and blog.

Houzz features the largest residential design database in the world, articles by design leaders, a community connected by social media tools, and information on more than 1.5 million remodeling and design professionals around the world.

Decorative Touch

3 Inspiring Rooms with Color

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The beginning of a new year is a great time to step up the style in your house. Interior design in 2013 is all about using color to brighten up your home. If you’ve shied away from color in the past, now’s the time to step out of your comfort zone and discover how great it feels to have a room pop with color. Here are a few places to start.

  • A billiard room is already fun, so it’s a great place to play with color. Let the centerpiece of the room — the pool table — set the tone for everything from the walls to the carpet. Let the classic burgundy tabletop play stunningly into upholstered walls, stunning club chairs and patterned carpet.
  • When you gather around the table to enjoy a delicious meal, you want the atmosphere to match the occasion. In the dining room, create that warm feeling with rich golds and browns on Parisian chairs, an elegant mirror, a classic chandelier and hard-wood flooring. Balance out the room with a cooler shade of cream on the walls and window panels.
  • Another room where neutrals work well is the den, a room made for relaxation. Boost the subtlety of the color palate by using exciting patterns on the window panels, carpet and throw pillows.

To revamp your home’s style for the new year contact The Decorative Touch .

Source: TraditionalHome.com.

Decorative Touch

4 Things to Consider in the Kitchen

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It’s inevitable; whether simply you and your family catching up after a busy day or a large group of friends over for a party, people tend to gather in the kitchen. So why settle for a boring, run-of-the-mill design? Here are some easy ways to step up the look of your kitchen.

Decorative Touch

Image via Pinterest

  • The pantry is often a cluttered, catch-all mess, but by taking a little time to use matching containers and keep things organized, you’ll want to leave the pantry door open to show off this beautiful space.
  • Remove some upper cabinet doors to create showcase space for your beautiful dishes, whether a group of matching antique mugs or stunning modern plates.
  • Get organized by painting over part of your pantry door with chalkboard paint to create a visible and easily accessible spot to keep notes and make grocery lists.
  • Granite countertops are a winner because of their classic look and durability. You can make them fit the style of your kitchen by using different cuts on the edges, like playing to a modern room with a straight edge.
  • Deep, oversized sinks work well in kitchens with limited counter space as you can keep dirty dishes and prep items out of the way until it’s time for cleanup.

For help creating a new interior design in your kitchen call The Decorative Touch  today!

Remodeling Ideas

Great Ideas for Kitchen Lighting

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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.

5 Bathroom Trends for 2013

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If you are looking to remodel your bathroom and are in the need of some stylish yet functional interior design ideas, then check out the following 5 bathroom trends that are expected to be popular in 2013.

  1. Stripes – Bathrooms tend to be very static, which is why the use of stripes on the wall can help to add a graphic design element. Stripes in particular help to bring pattern and movement to the space without making it seem cluttered.
  2. Hidden Medicine Cabinets – Medicine cabinets have always been a fixture in most bathrooms; however, homeowners are choosing to hide them behind mirrors to make them blend into the bathroom better. This is an excellent example of a design element providing both style and function.
  3. Bathroom Fireplace –You don’t often see a fireplace in the bathroom, which is why it would make such a unique addition. Just imagine taking a bath with a fireplace in the same room. It can’t get much comfortable and inviting than that!
  4. Vintage Dresser – Use a vintage dresser as a master bath vanity. You can even have it fit with drop in sinks.
  5. Pebbled Floors – The use of a pebbled floor gives the bathroom a feel of a spa. The pebbled texture will help give a therapeutic or relaxing feel to your feet.

Any of these five elements that are expected to trend next year will make a fantastic addition to your bathroom, so call The Decorative Touch at 913-888-1388 to begin planning your design.

Image: House Beautiful

emerald green bedroom

A New Color for a New Year!

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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?

 

Eddie Ross Christmas living room

Quick Holiday Decor Tips

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Eddie Ross Christmas living room

Photo Credit: countryliving.com

With the holidays fast approaching, The Decorative Touch would like to assist in giving you the least stressful holiday planning with these four quick tips below.

1. Don’t overdo it. I don’t encourage the use of too many bells and whistles; things that match and “go together” are comfortable on the eyes – too many contrasting colors does just the opposite.

2. Things in the open are often forgotten. The term “hiding in plain sight” is one of my favorites, and it can apply to home decorating. Windows are often overlooked because some think there’s not much you can do with them. On the contrary, windows can carry wreaths and other plants, supported by adhesive hooks.

3. Don’t ignore other flowers. Poinsettias are a common and overused flower on holidays. White amaryllis can be an alternative that truly stands out.

4. Keep the color wheels spinning. If you have contrasting colors, put a green and blue throw or rug nearby, to keep your design consistent.

For in-depth assistance, call The Decorative Touch for a design consultation in your Lenexa home.

HB kitchen island with stools

Great Updates for A 21st Century Family Kitchen

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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

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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?