get the rug right

Many designers start with the rug, and work their way up in a room. The rug can define the palette, or calm it down. It can provide presence with texture without adding much color at all.

Source: countryliving.com via Lisa on Pinterest

I think it’s okay to think of your rug as an investment piece, much like art, if you know you’re going for quality and longevity. But you also have to consider how it’s being used. If it’s going to serve as your runner by the front door, spare the expense and get a hip indoor/outdoor rug like this one.

Source: ballarddesigns.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Always a sucker for the chevron lately. Will I love it as much in five years? I’m not sure, but at this price I know I’ll be happy for at least three! Lately, I’m loving the look of a simple graphic pattern with a workable palette…

Source: dashandalbert.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: surya.com via Lisa on Pinterest

For a recent family room makeover, we’ve selected this rug. It’s providing us with the most beautiful palette inspiration for the rest of the room. I’m excited to see how it all comes together.

Source: surya.com via Lisa on Pinterest

What are your thoughts on rugs? Do you like to play it safe? Would you pony up for a real gem? I’d love to know…

If you want to truly love where you live, please contact me about design services.

For clues to your design style, look in your closet

Getting dressed is easy. You do it everyday without even giving it much thought. Over time you develop a style that works for your daily life. Some of us love getting dressed up and accessorizing to the nines, and others prefer a more casual look.

image by luxemix.com

Think of your favorite outfit. The one you’re MOST comfortable in and you feel best represents YOU. What color is it? What are the textures? Is it dressy, casual or somewhere in between? Are you wearing a flowy black blouse, your favorite jeans and zippy orange flats? Are you headed to the gym in a bright pink sweatshirt? Is your look at work crisp and polished? Go to your closet. What do you see there? Solids, stripes, patterns? Neutral colors? Lots of black? A ridiculous number of jeans?

image from Real Simple

Use your fashion sense to inspire your design sense. (Even if you fear you have none, don’t worry, something internal is driving you to reach for that black turtleneck over the ruffled blouse–or vice versa!) If you’re consistently seeking neutrals in your wardrobe, then don’t force yourself to paint your walls orange! You’re not going to be happy! Trust me, I did this and I couldn't wait to paint over my orange kitchen wall. That’s not to say I wouldn’t want an orange throw pillow on my sofa. I’ve learned to work the color in as an accent, just like with the orange flats in the black blouse and jeans outfit. But that’s MY preference. If you have an orange wall that makes you happy. Keep it!

Recently, my friend said, “I’m afraid to decorate. I just like brown. I wear it, and I like it on the walls, so I don’t know what to do!” I looked at what she was wearing. She was so put together in a soft mocha sweater, crisp khakis and shiny brown leather boots. She had three shades of brown going on and three textures. Here’s how her fashion sense might translate into a room.

Thom Filicia Designer Visions Showcase

Tones of brown is all that’s happening here colorwise, but it’s the combination of textures that make it work. The shiny flooring is juxtaposed with the rough rope banister. The edgy natural wood chair/sculpture contrasts with the clean lines of the stair runner.

Another friend loves color. She’s always wearing a pale yellow fleece or a hot pink hoodie. She thinks she isn’t fashionable because she’s pairing these with the ubiquitous black workout pants, but we disagree. She likes color in her house too. Pale yellows and greens, and deep rich blues. Her favorite room might look something like this.

image from calicocorners.com

The long-winded point here is don’t force yourself into decor that’s not you. Trust your instincts and look to the style you already possess to direct your design sense. If you’re a neutral girl, embrace it and throw in a patterned pillow that won’t break the bank if you tire of the color splash. If you crave color and pattern, swathe your surroundings in it. If you are drawn to fur collars and cheetah prints, work those textures and patterns into your decor. Your home should be your comfort zone, so make it a reflection of you.

If you want to truly love where you live, please contact me about design services.

Do you have A.D.D (&D.)?

Come on, you know you love those Cosmo and Glamour quizzes about how to please your man. Now, take this quick (and innuendo free) quiz to see if you, too, suffer from the affliction we know as A.D.D.(D.)

1. If you found a $100 bill on the street, you would indulge yourself with

• a) a bonus contribution to your 401K.
• b) that pair of shoes you’ve been coveting.
• c) new throw pillows for your sofa.

2. It’s a great day for mail when you receive

• a) your tax refund.
• b) an invitation to a bash. (Hmm… not an evite, must be a wedding!)
• c) the latest issue of House Beautiful.

3. Your perfect pre-dawn morning is

• a) a 5:30 am spin class.
• b) Pre-dawn? Never heard of it.
• c) everyone else sleeping, steaming cup of coffee, and your DVRed episodes of Candice Tells All and Sarah 101.

4. Your ideal Saturday is spent

• a) carving fresh powder.
• b) sleeping in, with a high noon rally for Starbucks.
• c) on a road trip to IKEA.

5. You find yourself at an antiques market, you

• a) look fervently for the nearest fried dough vendor.
• b) are mesmerized by the jewelry and drop $20 on an antique brooch.
• c) contemplate renting a trailer for all of the loot you want to bring home.

6. The website you visit daily for eye candy is

• a) Wells Fargo.
• b) Perez Hilton.
• c) Apartment Therapy.

Tally your score by giving yourself 1 point for your A answers, 2 points for B answers, and 3 points for C answers.

If you scored 6- 10 points, you’re all set for your retirement, have a sweet pad in Aspen and a nice tight butt. (We’re kinda jealous.)

If you scored 11-14 points you wish you were a celebrity, have a killer wardrobe and a busy social calendar. (We’re kinda jealous, especially of the amount of sleep you get.)

If you scored 15-18 points, girl (or dude), you’ve got it bad. You suffer from A.D.D.(D.) which is known in the psychiatric shelter journals as Always. Dreaming. (of) Decorating. (Disorder.) You probably spent last night dreaming that your family room would look much better with a fresh coat of paint, new coffee table and window treatments. (It would.)

Image courtesy of myhomeideas.com

You’re sure you could get a lot more accomplished if your home office looked like this. (You could.)

Image courtesy of Southern Living

And your laundry would practically do itself if this was your laundry room. (It’s a proven fact.)

Image courtesy of Cottage Living

Don’t worry, you’re in good company. We’ve got it bad too.

If you want to truly love where you live, please contact me about design services.

living room zones

I have a new client with a big new living room addition. There are a few focal points (fireplace, tv), and some pathways to contend with...from the front foyer to the outside back, and then a separate one to the mudroom/ so I've been thinking a lot about creating zones within a big space. Here's a pretty traditional variation on that theme with the wingback chairs in the corner ready for a private chat or quiet moment.

Source: bhg.com via Lisa on Pinterest

I love how the chaise functions as a kind of room divider in this room. The picture hints at 2 seating areas.

Source: houzz.com via Lisa on Pinterest

This chaise design also functions as low profile seating, so it defines the space in the room below, but doesn't block it visually the way the back of a sofa might. I think it's a more inviting look.

Source: sampleboard.com via Lisa on Pinterest

I'd love to be at a cocktail party in this room. Can't you just see a group of ladies whispering on the curvaceous banquette in the corner? It's such a cozy and inviting use of that space, and having two seating zones does make this room appear to live larger.

Source: housebeautiful.com via Lisa on Pinterest

I like the idea of the unexpected seating option...chaise or banquette...to offer more zones in a room. Lots to think about. I'll keep you posted.

If you want to truly love where you live, please contact me about design services.

client color update in kitchen and living room

Sara and her husband bought their home several years ago to accommodate their small family. Four kids later (that’s right, FOUR!), they came up for air, looked around and decided their kitchen, dining and living rooms could use some sprucing. Sara envisioned a sophisticated palette of grays and blues, but was stumped on fine tuning her ideas. Of course, we were happy to help!

Sara’s kitchen is huge with enviable storage, but her cabinets were wearing a dated paint effect and the walls were a yellow that just wasn’t working. Here is another view from the opposite direction.

That small desk in the kitchen picture above just wasn’t making the grade. Sara wanted a bigger workspace for the back wall to use as her command center and home office. (The white door leads to the foyer.)

Below are two shots of the living room. We love the gorgeous antique sofa and chairs that Sara inherited from her grandmother, and the fireplace and built-in bookcases have uber potential.

As you can see from all of the tearsheets on the floor, Sara had done her research. She knew exactly “the look” she had in mind. Although she didn’t have beaucoup bucks for new furniture, we knew that some affordable updates could really get her started in her visual pursuits for these rooms.

Since we’re all about frugal fabulousness here at simple-e-design, our recommendation was to update Sara’s kitchen with the biggest design bang for her dollar: paint.  We recommended painting the upper cabinets in the corner area and the doors and cabinetry on Sara’s pantry/appliance wall in Benjamin Moore’s Simply White 2143-70 with a semi-gloss finish. Once we committed to that white “color” (to read more about that topic, click here), we continued with the Simply White semi-gloss on all trim throughout the three connecting rooms for consistency.

Since Sara’s kitchen is so big (JEALOUS!), we decided to ground the potentially overwhelming sea of white cabinetry by painting the base cabinetry a darker color. We used Sara’s existing granite countertops to direct our color selection and decided on Stone (BM 2112-40), also in a semi-gloss finish. We find that the semi-gloss finish works well on cabinetry since messy splatters and spills wipe off more easily.

In an effort to improve the visual flow from room to room, we recommended that Sara paint all three rooms the same wall color. We chose Iced Cube Silver (BM 2121-50) in an eggshell finish for it’s serene and sophisticated gray/blue tones. The eggshell finish will stand up to sticky fingers, but contrast with the shiny white trim for the classy effect Sara was craving.

Here is Sara’s gorgeous kitchen after.

Isn’t it an amazing transformation?! The white paint on the cabinetry, pantry doors and trim pulls the whole space together, and the darker shade on the base cabinetry grounds the central kitchen area. Sara reused her existing cabinetry hardware and still longs for a new backsplash, but had to splurge on new double ovens instead. Priorities! The family must eat!

Remember Sara’s puny desk on the other side of the kitchen? Well, this well-deserving mom upgraded to some stylish and functional desk furniture that’s more worthy of a busy domestic diva who is managing four kids and working from home.

In the living room, we suggested that Sara enhance her already stylish bookcase displays by using the leftover Stone paint on the interior backs of the built-ins. Now her collections really pop.

On the opposite end of the room, we eliminated the red tones that the bricks were introducing into the room by painting them the same Simply White. Now the fireplace wall has that smoky, sophisticated look Sara was seeking.

Sara’s inherited antiques are framed beautifully by some glamorous yet affordable silk dupioni drapery panels in platinum. A pair also hangs in the dining room, connecting the two rooms in an elegant fashion.

Impressively, Sara did most of this styling on her own with only minimal online consulting from us. She just kept playing around with different configurations until she settled on arrangements that work.

Sara still has her wish list: a living room rug, a sleek coffee table, new light fixtures, a hipper kitchen backsplash, but we can all agree that with these budget friendly updates, she’s well on her way to achieving the sophisticated, stylish space she had in mind all along. What do you think?

If you want to truly love where you live, please contact me about design services.

Trends on Trim Color--Which White is Right?

Last month, I posted on Choosing the Right White for trim. It’s been one of my most popular posts. I promised a follow up on which whites trend yellow and which trend gray, so here it is.

First, let me reiterate that if you have a “fixed white” in your room, for example a tile, appliance or other white feature, please choose a white that is the closest match. I made this mistake in my kitchen and regret it every day. I had always heard that White Dove (BM OC-17) was the perfect white for trim and had used it with great success time and time again. I like its creaminess versus a stark cold white. So it was a no brainer when I needed to select a white for our kitchen cabinets. Of course, I went with White Dove. (To read more on that project, clickhere.) The problem did not present itself until we were hanging the cabinet doors between the new refrigerator and stove which are also white. These new appliances (our fixed whites), had bluish-gray undertones. It became obvious, especially at night, that the whites of the new appliances were not a match for the freshly painted White Dove cabinetry. Ugh! What to do?! Buy new appliances? No. Repaint the cabinetry? No way. Live with it and hope no one notices? Yes! That’s what we’re doing, so please don’t look too closely when you come over. Can you see the difference in this picture?

So, lesson learned. Now we know that if we want to go with a white that has more bluish, gray cool undertones, we should lean toward a trim color like Chantilly Lace OC-65 or White Diamond OC-61. If your walls are painted in rich, deeper hues, a trim color with warm yellow undertones such as Mayonnaise OC-85 or Cream Froth OC-97 would be excellent choices.

That’s not to say that popular trim colors like White Dove or perennial favorite, Cloud White OC-130, should not be options. They’re just not the right choices EVERY time. It’s worthwhile to find the right white for trim AFTER you’ve made other color decisions on finishes, walls, etc.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the options for “white”, or have trouble seeing the undertones, the best way to compare them is to put them side by side. When you have several whites together, it becomes clear right away which whites have cool vs. warm undertones as in the picture above.

If you’re still stumped, I would LOVE to help you choose the right white.

If you want to truly love where you live, please contact me about design services.

Katie's Gender Neutral Nursery

Who doesn’t find out the gender of their baby these days? Sure, all the baby bedding and nursery boutiques out there claim to have "gender neutral" products available, but it sure is tough to find something cute and unique for your precious little one that doesn’t scream BOY or GIRL! Katie is a mom-to-be that wanted to wait for the big surprise when the baby was born and we were thrilled to help because waiting for the big day to hear the news is the best way to find out! 

Dear Lisa,

I have been scouring the internet and the usual baby stores and boutiques for cute nursery ideas, but am having a really hard time finding items that I like that are not too boyish or girlish because I’m waiting to find out what I’m having. I can’t go white neutral because my two dogs, and frankly, my husband, would make the room look a nice dirty beige before the baby even arrives. I also want to avoid the traditional yellow neutrals, although I am okay with some green. I need to find bedding, a chair, rug and some accent pieces to go along with the white crib, daybed and dresser I already have. I’m okay with a couple of “splurge” items, but would love it if they could make the jump to a toddler or guest room. I also need some paint color options for the room. Look forward to seeing what you come up with! ~ Katie

Katie, we pulled together some punchy pastels for your little bambino on the way!

1.  Given Katie’s aversion to yellows, we recommend going with a green and blue palette.  To avoid baby-boy blue, we suggest a bright aqua packed with a little lime punch. Benjamin Moore’s Emerald Vapor (BM 845) is a light and fresh hue that will go perfectly with all of the pink or blue blankets she will inevitably receive. We suggest adding a brighter green as an accent color, perhaps to molding or dresser knobs, such as Stem Green (BM 2029-40). Finally, you can’t go wrong with a plain white trim, like BM’s Decorator’s White to make the colors pop.

2.  A comfy glider is a new mom’s dream seat. We want Katie to feel like she’s sitting on a cloud when she’s up in the night with her wee little one. This glider in aqua from Restoration Hardware is bright and cheerful enough to provide a little energy boost for those late-night visits to the nursery.

3.  There is an abundance of unique artwork out there for children’s rooms.  We fell in love with these alphabet flashcards designed by Patricia Zapata. The best part – the whole set is downloadable for a mere $7.99!

4.  Our latest obsession in the nursery and bedding arena is Serena and Lily. Just looking at their web site makes us want to redecorate every bedroom in the house. These pillows will easily transition from the nursery to a toddler or guest room – definitely worth the investment!

5.  This lampshade, from PB Teen in mint and light blue, will offer some cheerful, soft light for the nursery. To keep it safe for tiny hands, we recommend pairing it with a sturdy, white wood base.

6.  We hit the nursery-bedding jackpot with Carousel Designs!  Seriously, their web site is incredible; it allows you to design your own crib bedding in a neat-o build-it-yourself online feature. We love the lime stripe and polka-dot combo to compliment the aqua chair and pillow for Katie’s nursery.

7.  Every baby needs a soft rug for crawling and playing. This chenille oval rug from Pottery Barn Kids will fit the soft and gentle bill, and the color should help hide any rogue dog hairs from Katies’s pooches.

Here's Katie's after pic!  It was a GIRL! :)  Congrats and thanks for sending in your picture! xoxo!

If you want to truly love where you live, please contact me about design services.