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Highlights. Trends. Insights. We’ve got the scoop on everything you need to know about interior design right here in one tidy space!

February 11, 2016

Chameleon Design Featured Project: Aurora at Esencia, Plan 4 // Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Plan 4 at Aurora in the village of Esencia is a 1,500 square foot home with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths.. This comfortable California bungalow styled home is the perfect mix of a clean, tailored look and a coastal getaway. The white painted pieces mixed with modern wood furniture gives it a comfortable feel and the leaf green and azure blue accents throughout give it a coastal feel. The wood plank flooring against the crisp white wall paneling are a great contrast and evoke a fresh and bright feeling.

Kitchen

Family Room

Master Bedroom

Kids Bedroom

February 11, 2016

Complete the Look: Three Tips for Accessorizing

One of the most difficult aspects to master in interior design is achieving the right balance when accessorizing a room. The right accessories can make a room look effortlessly beautiful but too many accessories can make it look cluttered and not enough will make it look barren. Finding the right balance for each room is key. And these three tips will help to complete the look of any room:

Vary height and shapes

When accessorizing tables, bookshelves, or mantels, the best thing to remember is to vary the height and shapes of your items, which will keep the eye moving. Using unique items or items that have meaning to you will also make the space more visually stimulating.

Photo: Erin Spain

Layering

Layering works well for creating depth in a room. This can be done with a variety of pieces, from layering blankets and pillows on a couch or bed, to layering a lamp or vase beside framed pictures. Mirrors are also a great way to create more depth, especially if you layer objects in front of them.

Photo: HGTV

Go Vertical

Maximize your vertical space for shelving, storing, and decorative objects that inspire you. Just make sure you don’t have too many things so the space doesn’t look cluttered.

Photo: Meredith Heron

Pops of Color

Using pops of color in your décor will make the room stand out and add interest. However, be careful to not use too many colors in one vignette, as you don’t want to overwhelm the onlooker with a rainbow palette. If you’re more of a neutral person, a great way to add color is to incorporate plants or some fresh flowers.

January 26, 2016

Home Design Trends // Farmhouse Sinks

The farmhouse sink has been gaining in popularity recently, in part because of its sleek look that goes well with transitional and even modern designs. The farmhouse sink, also known as an apron sink, has a deep basin and evokes an “apron” like feel with its exposed front panel that sometimes extends just beyond the counter top and cabinets. It provides an excellent focal point in the kitchen while still emulating a cozy feel, and is quite handy for avid cooks (or their designated dishwashers)! We love that it is available in different materials and colors, making it a seamless and functional fit for any kitchen.

Fireclay Apron Farmhouse Sink, Randolf Morris

Bria Copper Farmhouse Sink, Signature Hardware

Concrete Farmhouse 3018, NativeStone

Whitehaven Self-Trimming, Kohler

January 26, 2016

How to Maximize a Small Workspace

Whether at work or home, many of us aren’t able to have the corner office with the view that we had dreamed of. However, there are definite ways to make your smaller office space look, feel and, most importantly, function better. Here are a few of our favorite tips:

Lighting

One of the most important things when designing or styling an office is lighting. Whether natural or artificial, make sure you have plenty of it.

Pops of Color

Painting or using pops of color is great for an office, it makes it seem less stale. Certain colors like blue and green are found to enhance creativity and if you opt for some pattern, make sure it is only in a small area or accessory, as large patterned walls or large pieces can seem busy and make the space feel cramped.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Go Vertical

Maximize your vertical space for shelving, storing, and decorative objects that inspire you. Just make sure you don’t have too many things so the space doesn’t look cluttered.

Photo: West Elm

Stay Organized

Organization is key when it comes to making a small space seem bigger. Keeping files, papers, and accessories in their correct places can make the space seem more open. Utilize drawers, file holders, and decorative boxes to make the most of the storage areas.

Photo: Apartment Therapy

Personalize the Space

Make your office space seem like it is yours by decorating with meaningful and inspirational pictures or pieces that will help stimulate creativity. Greenery is also a great way to add personality to an office space, whether real or fake.

Photo: Chameleon Design

January 26, 2016

Chameleon Design Featured Project: Aurora at Esencia, Plan 2 // Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Aurora by William Lyon Homes are a collection of nine buildings with five distinctive plans, surrounded by Esencia’s beautiful backcountry and coastal views. The homes showcase different variations of traditional Americana architecture and offer homeowners swimming pools, miles of biking and hiking trails and easy access Doheny Beach and San Juan Capistrano.

Plan 2 is approximately 1,400 square feet and boasts 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a 2-car garage. With modern furnishings and one of a kind furniture pieces, this inspired eclectic modernism designed home makes you feel like you have traveled the world and finally found home. With grass cloth wallpaper walls, grey wood looking tiled floors, and neutrals of stone grey mixed with ethnic prints of black and cream creates the perfect eclectic inspired style in this home.

Kitchen

Family Room

Master Bedroom

Kids Bedroom

January 12, 2016

How to Decorate with Neutrals

We love those beautiful white rooms, however it can be tricky decorating with only neutral colors. Here are some simple ways to keep the design of your home interesting and beautiful while using only neutral colors.

Hues

Using varying hues of the same color gives your neutral room personality and depth. Using a broad range of shades from the same palette keeps the look cohesive and ties it all together if used throughout the whole house.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Texture

The more textures that you add, to walls, couches, beds, tables, the more interest you add to the design. Layering textures with pillows and blankets adds a rich element. You can also add textures with ceramics, rugs, and accent pieces.

Photo: Lexington Company

Metals, Woods and Plants

Plants, metal and wood elements serve as a great way to mix up the style while still staying in a neutral zone. Adding live plants to your décor can give a nice pop of color to keep things lively.

Photo: softandchic.com

Architecture

Accentuate architecture or find furniture pieces with tasteful lines and architecture. If your house boasts beautiful architectural features, make sure that you highlight them by styling around them to make them stand out.

Photo: Chameleon Design

January 12, 2016

Chameleon Design Featured Project: Aurora at Esencia, Plan 3 // Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Plan 3 at Aurora in the village of Esencia is a 3 bedroom/2.5 bath home designed with a transitional style, including accents of rustic woods that enhance the updated Farmhouse styling at Aurora. Warm wood flooring was taken up the walls in the living and dining rooms and offset with beautiful porcelain tiles on the floors in order to not have too much wood in the decor. The master bedroom has a soothing feel with creamy linens and whites, while the little boy’s room has pops of golden maize. The girl’s room is adorable with a bright persimmon wall and accents of white and maize.

Family Room

Dining Room

Master Bedroom

Girls Bedroom

Boys Bedroom

January 12, 2016

Home Design Trends // Exposed Wood Structural Accents

Though usually hidden behind drywall and paint, when wood structural elements are left exposed, they can be a beautiful added benefit to your design. Bring in a natural, organic feel to any room by making it a statement piece, not just a structural element. Here are some of our favorite examples:

Photo: Magicdreamlife.com

Photo: Design Mom

Photo: Chameleon Design

Photo: Live Simply by Annie

December 22, 2015

Happy Holidays from Chameleon Design!

Gift Wrapping Style

If you’re in need of some fun ideas for wrapping gifts we have you covered! Here are some of our favorites that you’ll find underneath our Christmas tree this year:

Ornament Toppers
This is really two gifts in one and the options are endless. We love using simple and inexpensive brown kraft paper so the ornament stands out as the star. Another thing to note is that ornaments are typically on sale the week of Christmas.

Photo: Little Market

Go Green!
Google a how-to video on the Japanese art of Furoshiki (fabric folding) to wrap up your gifts. You can use anything from vintage napkins, scarves or fabrics to wrap the most beautiful (and simple) presents using this technique and the best part is that no paper will go to waste.

Photo: Green Living Ideas

Trim Your Tree:
Since we’re nearing the end of the holiday season, I’m sure your tree won’t mind lending you a few snippets of greenery to deck out your gifts. All you need for this idea is some simple paper, twine, string or ribbon and some greens to place on top.

Photo: Odessa May Society

December 10, 2015

Chameleon Design Featured Project: Artisan Collection, Lot 11 // Ladera Ranch, CA

Artisan Collection, by William Lyon Homes, is a collection of 14 homes nestled in the guard gated community of Covenant Hills. With Plan 11, you get the old world charm that is quintessential Provence style, updated with warm materials that will make you so at home you’ll never want to leave.

This home is all about the details! From authentic curved walls with a cat face finish that are trimmed with stained wood casings to wood-paned French casement windows to replicate the original. There are also hand forged iron railings and one of a kind handpicked chandeliers throughout. At the entry you’ll find a subtle patterned French limestone accompanied by French oak planked floors that run through the rest of the home. The interiors spaces flow right out to the exterior living spaces which creates a perfect place for entertaining. Upstairs you’ll find the kids rooms and a large loft-style retreat where they can kick back. There is a private suite for a nanny as well, with a separate entrance from outside. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, climb one more flight of stairs to the “Sky Room” which is really the parents retreat. It makes a great place to relax and enjoy the perfect sunset or even view the ocean on a clear day.