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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!

Holiday Hostess Gift Ideas

We’re heading into the second weekend of December and holiday parties are well underway! We don’t have to tell you that it’s always nice to give (and of course receive) a thoughtful hostess gift. And during the holidays there are so many fun options out there. Instead of flowers, I like to pick up a poinsettia from the market, which tend to have the nicest ones for a hostess gift, And of course wine is always nice. Maybe find a clever way of decorating the wine bottles you give? I also love to give and receive candles, some of my favorites are below.

Remember that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to give something memorable. Another thing to keep in mind is that you want to try to avoid bringing your host or hostess a decorative item for the home. Unless you know their taste well, you don’t want them to feel as though they need to display it, as it may not go with the rest of the decor. Flowers are also lovely to receive, but unless it’s a potted plant such as an orchid, we do not suggest them for hostess gifts. The host is typically busy and you don’t want to bring something that requires their immediate attention such as flowers that will need a vase and water.

Here are some of Chameleon Design’s favorite hostess gifts this holiday season that are sure to bring a smile to the face any party hostess in town. Call us and let us know what you’d like to swing by and pick up!

Minerals on Crystal Blocks
Quartz cluster ($35), Pyrite and Aragonite Stars ($5) 
Glass Blocks ($26.50-37.50)


Tea Light Glass Logs
By Roost ($16)

 

Jardin de Rochelle Porcelain Diffusers
Rose, Peony and Narcissus fragrances ($54 each)
Candles
Cabinet de Curiosites Candle  ($35 )

Flowers for the Home

With a little basic knowledge of the elements of floral design and a bit of creativity, you can create beautiful floral arrangements for your home and decorate with confidence for a party or special occasion. Whether it’s an arrangement on the dining room table or a simple bouquet in

the bathroom, flowers add life to your home and make it welcoming all year round.  When working with flowers, don’t be afraid to to experiment with different styles. Flowers have their own inherent beauty, so you really can’t go wrong.

Selecting a Container
Selecting the container is an important step in designing an arrangement.  Choose a container that will complement the flowers you’re using and fit within with the surrounding décor.  Glass vases are a good choice for a  more formal room, while ceramic pitchers are perfect for a casual kitchen table or counter. A mason jar or mint julep cup are good choices for a bathroom or other small nooks around the home.

Source: Pinterest
Source: Pinterest
Source: CupcakesandCashmere.com

Design
Floral design is based on a combination of elements: form or shape, proportion and scale, texture, balance and contrast.  From the first step of placing flowers in the container, think about the overall shape you want your arrangement to have and place the flowers according to that basic idea. Most designs use larger flowers as a focal point, and build around that.  Hydrangeas, peonies and of course roses are all easy to work with and always look amazing.  Sometimes it’s as easy as placing a few stems into a great vase.

Source: Floral Art LA
Source: ApartmentTherapy.com
Source: Elle Decor

Color
Create contrast by using texture and color. Combine cool colors with warm ones, or light with dark. If your design uses a monochromatic color scheme, add interest with a variety of textures.  Let your own personal taste be your guide in selecting the flowers.   Greens form the foundation of most arrangements. Using two or three different kinds will provide a lush backdrop for your flowers. Be sure to use enough greens to anchor the flowers in place.  Though remember that greens aren’t a must, and a smaller arrangement or a few stems in a bud vase, don’t need anything extra.

Source: Floral Art LA
 
Source: Floral Art LA

Final Touches
This is where you can get really creative. Accent your arrangement with a branch or two of birch or curly willow to tower gracefully above the flowers. Or place some seeded eucalyptus where it will drape over the edge of the container. Fruits and vegetables, river rocks, seashells and glass stones are just a few of the items you can use to accent your design. Just remember to let the flowers have center stage.

Chameleon Design Featured Project: Marblehead Information Center, San Clemente

For this project, Chameleon Design was asked to work with an unbranded developer to help sell the last stretch of undeveloped coastline designated for high-end custom homes.   The catch was that the only structures in place were two trailers!  Not to mention, neither had a view, and that was a main selling point.

We tackled this project successfully by simply bringing the outdoors in.  There were two distinct buildings, the first being the Sales Office.  In this space we showcased a uniquely expansive topographic map with drawers that house small scale maps, giving the buyer a more detailed look of their prospective lot.   Above the map was a dramatic aerial photograph on a tackable surface, with space for photographs of work in progress.  We went with a color palette of sky and sand, with accessories of stone and a waterfall impact logo overlayed on the window.

 The stone façade seamlessly linked interior and exterior spaces, and made it impossible to believe the bones of the sales office were a prefabricated mobile home.

Outdoor living rooms and modern arbors, expanded the sense of spaciousness.  Everything was designed to launch a new aesthetic away from the Mediterranean and toward the modern, and to capture the rugged California coast with a sense of elegance and modernity.

The second building, the Meeting Center, provided resources for both architects, clients, and builders alike to work or show clients a video of the development.

 

Back By Popular Demand: Eve’s 10 Tips to Get Your Home Holiday Ready

There are so many things that can make the holidays overwhelming, especially when entertaining company. Eve has put together some tips to help make hostessing easier.

Tip #1: Prep so you can have fun!
The holiday season is a time for family and friends. We open up our homes for visiting relatives and festive parties. Did I say complicated? No it can be easy. Remember that the host or hostess having fun is mandatory for the guests to have fun. Prep ahead of time so that you have fun too! I mean it; if you aren’t having fun your party wont be fun.

Tip #2: Make it easier on yourself and call in a professional:
In many cases holiday entertaining means making room for additional guests and that 10′ Christmas tree. Think about having a professional designer come over and do a quick rearrange and editing of your rooms that are accommodating Christmas decorations and guests. Most designers only charge a $100 per hour (give or take) and it is well worth it to get some sound advice! Once the designer has seen the space you can call on them for advice lickety split!

Tip #3: Clean (even though you don’t want to):
Ok, I know you don’t want to hear it but I have to advise to clean, clean, clean! Moving furniture and bringing in extra chairs for parties uncovers dust bunnies and cleaning up thoroughly makes you feel GOOD and ready for guests.

Tip #4: It should also smell like the holidays:
Wash your home with a fresh scent, not something overwhelming. My favorite are Maura Peters candles. They are soy-based candles in tiny tins for only $10. I love the “Twigs and Berry” scent for the holidays. 

Tip# 5: Divide and rotate your ornaments each year:
You are under no obligation to put every single ornament you have out every year. This will not just lead to a second tree, but also a third and fourth. As a mother, I have lots of kid ornaments like Sponge Bob and Disney characters. As an interior designer, I have some very glamorous and elegant pieces. These do not always mesh well together. So I divided up the ornaments with one set of fun and whimsical items and another that is more sophisticated. I rotate these groupings each year and it adds a lot of variety within the existing items you have. 

Tip #6: Light Up the Night:
One of the neglected areas of holiday parties, or parties of any kind, is the lighting. Use votives and tea lights to light stairs, dining tables tops, consoles, bookcases, guestrooms, bathrooms, anywhere! Don’t forget to use candles outside at the entry on the stairs or at the front door. It makes the guest know you are thinking about them before they even hit the door.

Tip #7: Just-In-Case Gifts:
Don’t forget to have a few extra gifts around for unexpected guests or a last minute party invitation. These gifts should be fun for kids and adults alike. Pick things that are unique so they look less like an after thought. 

Tip #8: Guest Gifts:
Everyone loves gifts and playful party favors are great as table settings. Wrap a small gift like a box of chocolate truffles or a fun Christmas ornament.  What a great conversation piece at the table. Don’t forget the guest room—even folded towels with a ribbon tying them can feel like a gift. 

Tip #9: Personalize photos for guests:
Have framed photos in a drawer so that you can pull them out and display them specific to whoever is coming over. Nothing makes a person feel more welcome than a photo of them in your home. Having photos of every single family member out can be too much, so keep them stored for special occasions and then roll them out when you know they are coming! I am telling you, this really works! Chameleon Design offers custom framing to make your photos even more special. 

Tip #10: Top it off with a few flowers:
If you have a garden, cut a few flowers or just pick up a bunch at the grocery store when you are getting snacks for your guests. I would suggest two small arrangements, one on the kitchen island or breakfast nook and one in the restroom that most people will be using. Add crystal holly berry sprays ($8) or sparkly garland sticks ($8) that we sell to give a holiday touch.

Central Park West Belvedere Plan B1

Chameleon Design Featured Project: Belvedere Plan B1- Central Park West, Irvine

With this project, Studio Chameleon had the exciting challenge of making the interior of this 2nd story flat surrounded by four levels of flats, feel light, bright and desirable.

Our solution was to use a lot of white! White paint, white flooring and a stacked stone wall that was painted glossy white, along with pops of turquoise and red was just what the cave-like space needed to open up and feel fresh.

 Family Room

 Family Room

Kitchen

Kitchen

We livened up the Master Bedroom with an upholstered bed, crystal light fixture and warmer paint color.

We livened up the Master Bedroom with an upholstered bed, crystal light fixture and warmer paint color.

Teenager's Bedroom

Teenager’s Bedroom

Holiday Tabletop Design: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a great occasion to celebrate and enjoy with family and friends. If you’re hosting  Thanksgiving dinner at your home, you want to make sure everything looks great for your guests.  While the food will always be the star, it’s also important to design a holiday tabletop that your guests will enjoy and appreciate. 

Centerpieces
For Thanksgiving, it’s always nice to decorate your dining table with fall-inspired touches and natural components.  And when it comes to decking out the table, sometimes simplicity is best. You can use autumn jewel tones such as gold, deep orange, and burgundy or go even simpler by sticking with neutrals and only small pops of color.  Beautiful pumpkins and gourds are still readily available and make for a beautiful table scape on their own or accompanied by flowers.  And by simply hollowing them out,  you can create festive vases.  Green or white pumpkins, rather than the traditional orange, add a chic and modern twist.  And don’t forget the candles!

 Photo: Pinterest

 

Photo: Pinterest
Photo: DigsDigs.com
Photo: MarthaStewart.com

Place Settings
A nice way to personalize your table is with charming guest place setting tags.  A fresh pear or pomegranate, sprig of fresh sage tucked into a napkin, or mini pumpkin spray painted gold are all very simple to do, and look amazing.

Photo: MarthaStewart.com
 
Photo: ApartmentTherapy.com

 

Photo: MarthaStewart.com
Photo: Pinterest

Kids Table
This idea for the kids table is just the cutest.  Cover the surface with kraft paper and set out little pots of crayons for drawing. Stamp paper for place cards and use a marker to make place settings. And the best thing is the cleanup after, just throw away the tablecloth!

Photo: Sweet Paul Blog

We hope these sweet and stunning display ideas will help you with your holiday table design.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Chameleon Design Featured Project: City Center Seniors Housing, Ontario

City Center is a “Low Income Affordable” Senior Apartment Building with a Clubhouse, Leasing Offices, Theater, Multi-Purpose Room and common areas.   The exterior and interiors were designed with a craftsman-style in mind, and the exterior brick detail was brought inside to the Main Lobby. We chose a color scheme of caramel, greens and browns to reinforce that overall craftsman feel. The seniors who now call this home love how warm and comfortable it feels.

Exterior

Exterior

Main Lobby

Main Lobby 

Media Room

Media Room  

Community Room

Community Room 

Meeting Room

Meeting Room 

Gym

Gym

Fountain Courtyard

Fountain Courtyard

Get Your Home Ready for the Holidays

Holidays are most popular time of year to welcome the ones you love into your home. But at the end of the day, it’s also nice to be able to show it off, right? If you need some extra help this year, book the experts at Chameleon Design for your holiday home decorating.  However…if we’re not coming over to your home to do it for you, we’d like to provide you with a few tips and considerations to prepare for the holidays well before the late November/into December crunch time.

Take a Look
Before you take your holiday decorations out of storage, begin by making a plan. Look around your house and determine the areas that need décor. This will allow you to fill in any holes with new purchases, and also keep you from going overboard if you have too many decorations. Once you have your plan figured out, let the decorating fun begin!

Key Areas
The key to creating an inviting home during the holidays is to concentrate on making social areas as warm and welcoming as possible. Key areas in most homes include the foyer, living room and powder room.  Focus on them and be assured that your home will look and feel holiday ready.

Front Door & Foyer:
Your guests’ holiday experience begins at your front door. Set the stage with a beautiful wreath, lights or greenery. Your exterior holiday decor should also reflect your interior decorating style, giving your guests a sample of what they will find inside.  The foyer is the first thing people see when they step inside your home. A beautiful, green garland on the stair railing is a sure fire way to bring a holiday spirit into your home that guests will feel moment guests step inside.

 Photo: Martha Stewart

 

Photo: Martha Stewart

 

 Photo: Elle Decor

Living Room:
Friends and family will spend a lot of time socializing and relaxing here, so comfort and style take priority. The living room is a popular place for a Christmas tree, though many homes now have multiple trees. If this is the case in your home, keep the living room tree more formal and classic. That leaves room for a fun tree in the family room- one that the kids can help decorate with brightly colored ornaments, flocking, rainbow lights or whatever they prefer.

 Photo: Elle Decor

 

Photo: Domino

Powder Room:
The guest bathroom is always a high-traffic space that everyone sees. Wear or tear has nowhere to hide in this small space, so give it a facelift if needed. A sleek, monochromatic palette creates a beautiful look and a little holiday décor can easily be added with a candle and sprig of greenery.

Minimalist
If you’re not big on holiday decor, sprigs of greenery, pops of red or over-sized Christmas bulbs tucked around the house are some ideas to keep it modern, yet festive.  Pick a theme and color scheme that complements furnishings. Don’t be afraid to incorporate nontraditional holiday colors, such as gold, bronze and copper. Lime green, orange, purple and pink are also hot.  Less is more. Use a few striking festive items, and pare down the knickknacks.

 Photo: Pinterest
Photo: Martha Stewart

Special Touches
Every family has special things that they like to display during the holidays. These items are important so definitely don’t leave them in the boxes and forgoe them for new decorations! You want your family to feel that your home is not just decorated for guests, but also for them to enjoy.

Collections:
If you have any sort of collection such as Nutcrackers or Nativity Scenes, these are lovely to display during the holidays and also very special as each object tells a story. Make your collection at home with your other holiday décor by creating one area for them to be displayed. Scattering them around the house can be overwhelming and take over your décor, but finding a mantle or credenza where you can set everything up in one place will look best.

 Photo: Pinterest

Ornaments:
Special ornaments that have been saved over the years or that the kids have made should most definitely be integrated into your décor. Hang them on the tree in the family room, or if you have enough, you can dedicate an entire tree to the one of a kind collection.

Christmas Cards:
Many families cherish the Christmas cards they receive each season, and some even save cards from year to year to showcase their family history. The mantle is the most traditional place to display cards but there are other creative ways to consider.  Below are a couple ideas we came across.

Photo: Decor8
Photo: Pinterest

Good luck and happy decorating!  We hope these tips will help, but don’t hesitate to give us a call if you need an extra hand.

Chameleon Design Featured Project: The Welcome House- Colony Park, Anaheim

The Sales Trailer for Colony Park in Anaheim was designed to feel like someone’s living room. With all the technological advances that are showcased in this trailer, Chameleon Design felt that it should also feel like the name- “The Welcome House.” The idea was for potential home buyers to come inside seeking more information, but do it while putting their feet up and watching the master plan amenities on the flat screen, or sit on a bar stool and interact with a computer.

Welcome Home Exterior

Welcome Home Exterior  

Main Area

Main Area 

Impact Wall

Impact Wall 

Coffee Bar

Coffee Bar

Closing Office

Closing Office