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November 1, 2020

Haute Hygge in Plan Three at Indigo at Canvas Park

The Plan Three townhome at Indigo by Brookfield Residential is an exercise in hygge design and decor. A Danish word that’s derived from old Norwegian and loosely translates to ‘well-being,’ hygge is more a state of being than a particular design form. A cornerstone of Danish culture and everyday life, it resides at the intersection of purpose, form, and style, evocative of all things cozy, charming, warm, and extraordinary. In practice and principle, it’s about creating environments that allow us to enjoy all of life’s great moments with the people we cherish.

Indigo’s Plan Three represents the hallmark of hygge philosophy in 1,527 square feet—classic Scandinavian design with its beautiful simplicity, cheerful minimalism, and purposeful furnishings. Working with a smaller footprint makes this sophisticated yet approachable style shine. Uncluttered and open sight lines, abundant natural light, and considered placement of furniture and embellishments work in harmony to appeal to all the senses. White-washed walls juxtaposed with warm woods, folk-style accents, and greenery are welcoming and inspire relaxed and comfortable living.

The tenets of hygge are embraced throughout this charming three- to four-bedroom floorplan. It’s easy to envision a group of friends enjoying a Sunday brunch in the woven rope dining chairs or seated among the soft fluffy pillows on the couch. Living areas are a gentle balance of soft curves, angular lines, and neutral hues. Every piece and feature is carefully curated and serves a distinct purpose, from open floating shelves in the upstairs loft, playful macrame wall décor as the entry focal point in the dining area, and a beaded chandelier in the master bedroom. An open terrace with its cozy seating extends the home’s living space into the outdoors in comfort and style. Plan Three is designed to inspire us to live comfortably, beautifully, and to fully embrace life’s moments.

Photo Credit: Chameleon Design

November 1, 2020

Super Natural Design

Winter is coming and we’ll be spending more time indoors soon, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy nature’s everyday beauty from the comfort of our living spaces. As we balance work-from-home life, children’s’ schooling, holiday planning, and daily responsibilities, the opportunity to bring elements of nature into our homes can help keep us grounded in the present, while establishing a meaningful connection to the outdoors. Material choices are vast and beautifully textural. Dwell among hues of alabaster and cream, warm wood furnishings, leather, stone, brick, or textiles. The appeal of natural design also resides in its versatility. It’s a style that plays well with others, with its soothing neutral color palettes and gentle play of forms and textures.

Mixing eras, motifs, and moods can deliver a sophisticated yet approachable impression, and while the idea of natural design isn’t new, adding an organic theme to every room in the home can be statement making. Create a sense of peace, respite, and retreat by incorporating materials that complement your style and existing decor. It could be as simple as adding a small water feature to your home office for focus and creativity, or perhaps you prefer the rich welcome wood flooring brings to a room. In the bedroom, update sheets with an organic linen set, or add smoothed driftwood or seagrass as a decorative embellishment. And never underestimate the power of natural light to freshen and energize your home. It’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to invite the outdoors into your home, so throw open those window shades!

Photo Credit: Chameleon Design

October 1, 2020

Let’s Talk Tables

It’s time to think beyond the classic cocktail and occasional tables in your living spaces. Consider table grouping or layering for a one-of-a-kind look that’s sculptural and versatile. Their smaller size means more arrangement and use options, like family game nights, afternoon study sessions, or cocktail parties. Table grouping or laying also adds more dimension and texture to a room, providing guests with another place to rest and engage the eye. Tables placed closely together at different heights create more function and circulation space, perfect for townhomes, smaller homes, or those who simply wish to maximize their living areas. The best part is selecting the ideal combination of materials, shapes, and sizes that work with your room’s design and personality! We can’t resist unexpected pairings that work well together, like a solid geometric table with a delicate organic piece, or mixing styles like bohemian and minimalism. Try the same table style in different colors and sizes, or simply add small stools or ottomans that can easily move to different places of the room as needed. With table grouping and layering, flexibility is the design!

Photo Credit: Chameleon Design

October 1, 2020

Calm, Cool, and Collected at Gardens Plan 1 at Lantana @Beach

The team masterfully maximized every inch of this two-bedroom, 1,345 square-foot townhome at Gardens Plan 1 at Lantana @Beach by Brookfield SoCal. A subtle contrast of light and dark accentuate Plan 1’s best features, with hues of soft blue, sand, black, and white. An accent wall and charcoal hexagonal floor tile present a striking greeting at the entry, and the addition of a slim metal console and basket transforms the small space into a functional drop zone. Upstairs, open lines and geometric prints blend with nature-inspired shapes and warm woods for a soothing, tranquil balance. A black impact wall in the dining area immediately draws you into the main living spaces, with its larger-than-life botanicals playfully complementing the organic feel. Layering coffee tables of different shapes and materials is a great way to create depth in a room (see our latest post on this trend here), and we particularly love the organic root wood table paired with the glossy round metal piece for contrast. On the third level, bedrooms receive similar treatment with a combination of cool and warm features by extending the color palette and adding textured bedding, a macramé stool, wood and metal furnishings, and contemporary art. Gardens Plan 1 creates a stylish canvas where homebuyers can easily experience the incredible lifestyle at Lantana @Beach!

Photo Credit: Chameleon Design

October 1, 2020

Say It With Art

What is it about the allure of contemporary art? Everyone on the Chameleon team agrees art is essential to every installation because there’s nothing like the authentic and intimate feel of a thoughtfully selected piece that speaks to the soul of a space. Loosely translated, contemporary art refers to the ‘art of today,’ or art created from roughly the latter half of the 20th century to the present. With no unifying style or ideology, contemporary art is true freedom of expression, with a mix and blend of various styles, movements, methods, and materials. This type of free-range approach and lack of cohesion is part of what makes this style so appealing. There’s no right or wrong way when it comes to contemporary art, only what speaks to YOU.

Art beautifully distinguishes a home and expresses the character and personality of its inhabitants in a way nothing else can. Install a large-scale piece as a powerful departure from a gallery wall, or group several mid-size pieces in similar styles or colors. A collection of abstract art is a great option for our model homes because it brings welcome color, interest, and beauty to a room that’s subject-matter neutral and appealing to most buyers. Research also indicates mental health benefits associated with experiencing art, and we’ve written about the associations between good design, beauty, and happiness (check out our blog post here). Art is as essential to our projects as a sofa or dining table, and our happy clients agree!

Photo Credit: Chameleon Design

September 1, 2020

Sophisticated Bohemian and Modern Flair

White, bright, and full of light, our interpretation of Woodbridge Pacific Group’s Plan 3 at Flair is all about enjoying quintessential Palm Springs vibes. Set in the incredible planned community of Miralon, this mid-century inspired home is desert bohemian paired with modern elements and eclectic embellishments. Bursts of mustard, gold, cranberry, and purple pop against white walls and light tile flooring, with matte black accents offering contrast and sophistication. A geometric lattice screen defines and separates the entryway from the kitchen while keeping sight lines open. In the great room, honey-colored wood veneer wallpaper and camel-toned chairs add warmth, and a low-slung sofa with textured throws maintains the views through double sliding glass doors to the comfortable outdoor living space. Bedrooms are earthy bohemian infused with modern features with retro wallpaper, abstract art, macramé decor, and a balanced composition of texture and pattern in the bedding. Bold geometric prints, contemporary art, texture on texture on texture — this home has it all. Perfect for a vacation or permanent staycation, Plan 3 at Flair is designed for those who plan to live well in contemporary Palm Springs style!

Photo Credit: Chameleon Design

Commissioned by and licensed solely to Woodbridge Pacific Group.

Photo Credit: Chameleon Design

September 1, 2020

Texture and Sensory Design

We’ve all heard the advice, “Add texture to a space,” but what does it really mean? Texture in design can mean different things to different people, but generally it refers to how a surface feels or is dimensionally perceived in a space. Layering materials, textiles, colors, or prints create texture and add dimension and visual interest. Texture in residential design immediately adds character – a touch of the unexpected is a pleasant disruptive element and speaks to the soul of a space. When it comes to adding texture, let diversity be your guide: think outside furniture sets and matchy-matchy and instead opt for different colors that are complementary, mixing materials, or layering prints. A simple swap of accessories, blankets or bedding, and pillows can create a cohesive look that’s interesting, eye catching and balanced. But don’t limit yourself to simple accessories, because creating texture can come from a variety of sources, like wall treatments, drapery, lighting, and rugs. It’s also not exclusive to bold or bright color. Adding texture to a neutral palette, like varying shades of white, ivory, or cream, is a beautifully understated way to create richness and sophistication. Texture adds an element of play to design, and we love using it to help bring even more personality to our clients’ unique spaces.

Photo Credit: Chameleon Design

September 1, 2020

Wallpaper’s Rightful Moment

If you’re familiar with our work, you know we can’t resist great wallpaper as a show-stopping element. Its statement-making impact has the power to completely transform a space, even more so than a coat of paint. From bold to soft or somewhere in between, wallpaper is almost always the star of the show, a true design A-lister that sets the tone of a room. With that, it’s easy to get stuck in planning paralysis when selecting the right color or print. When adding wallpaper to an established space, begin by considering how your choice will look with current furnishings, decor, and artwork. If you’re starting fresh, let the wallpaper choice anchor the space and design around it! Wallpaper is having more than a moment and we couldn’t be happier. Its rebirth is due in large part to the fantastic new producers that are reimagining it for more modern and contemporary spaces. Wallpaper has come a long way the last several years and is an adventurous introduction to color or pattern. New substrates like wood veneer, grasscloth, cork, and velvet create even more opportunities for texture and depth. And when compared to more expensive wall treatments like paneling and stone work, wallpaper is a lower cost and lower commitment alternative. With all of wallpaper’s choices and benefits, let’s make boring walls a thing of the past!

Photo Credit: Chameleon Design

August 4, 2020

Bathed in Blue

When Pantone released its color of the year for 2020 back in December, we couldn’t say we were surprised. Classic blue is a perennial people pleaser and is a harbinger of serenity, security, and stability.

“Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.”

Little did the team at Pantone know what lay ahead of our global community in 2020 and just how much we all could benefit from a world that’s more peaceful and predictable during these challenging months. Our team is seeing more blue hues crop up in interior design this year. With connotations of calmness and creativity, blue tones are universally well-liked and oscillate from light to dark and warm to cool. In color psychology, common associations around blue are reliability, trust, and security (that’s why so many banking and financial institutions incorporate blue in their branding!). Noted for its versatility, blue can be bright and bold or soft and understated, traversing the design spectrum from statement making to accent, depending on the tone and how it’s used. And because it has evolved into a neutral, it pairs well with many color palettes and can be seamlessly incorporated throughout a space. With all of these benefits, who wouldn’t want more blue in their home!

Photo Credit: Chameleon Design

August 4, 2020

Designing Happiness

Can design make us happier? That’s one of the central questions in the field of neuroaesthetics, a relatively new experimental science that studies how beauty stimulates aesthetic experiences in the brain, may help answer.

In architectural and interior design, pattern recognition and symmetry are both visually appealing and can trigger similar brain activity that occurs during meditation or other forms of deep relaxation. On the other side, a disruption of symmetry can create an unexpected imbalance that’s also pleasing to the eye.

Personality-based residential design aims to create a home’s look, feel, and flow to complement temperament and lifestyle preferences. Introverts and extroverts want different things in a floorplan, especially the use of shared and private spaces, and accommodating them in design can create a home that’s balanced and harmonious. While introverts may tend to favor distinct spaces with doors for quiet and privacy, it’s an extrovert’s world in contemporary home design, with open-concept floorplans that encourage interaction.

It has also been well documented that art can trigger the brain’s release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that evokes feelings of pleasure and motivation. Being mindful of color theory and common color associations may also contribute to feelings of contentment and happiness, depending on the desired mood and purpose of a space. A good design team will seamlessly balance a client’s personality or brand with timeless design forms and emerging research to create beautifully functional spaces.