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5 Ways to Add Style to Your Staircase

Commonly overlooked, the staircase has a visual presence that can completely change the look of a room. Its placement in a high traffic and high visibility area of the home allows it to make a statement if done correctly. So rather than see it as just a path from one level to the next, spruce up your staircase with these fun ideas:

Replace, Paint or Stain Your Balusters or Spindles

Painting spindles or balusters white will add more light to a dark staircase, while staining wood ones can give your staircase a more rustic feel. If you want to go towards modern style, adding modern horizontal spindles to a staircase can change the look completely.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Add a Runner

If you don’t have the time to do a full stair makeover, taking away full carpeting and adding a runner, or painting on a faux runner, is a great way to add depth to your staircase. This is also a great way to provide a pop of color!

Photo: Vogue Magazine

Wallpaper, Paint or Tile the Risers

Adding a pop of color to risers by using wallpaper, paint or tile will give your staircase a unique facelift that is sure to draw attention to it.

Photo: Camille Styles

Refinish or Repaint the Handrails

Handrails lose their sheen quickly because they are constantly being used. Making sure they are clean and shiny is an important part of a great looking staircase. If they are cracked or wearing, you can refinish, stain or repaint them in your desired shade. We personally love a contrasting dark wood handrail with white balusters!

Photo: Chameleon Design

Change the Newel Post

The newel post, or the end post on a staircase, is what shows the design style of the staircase. Making sure that this piece matches the rest of your style, or changing it and repainting can make the staircase look like it was remodeled in its entirety.

Photo: Utah Style and Design

Chameleon Design Featured Project: Aurora at Esencia, Plan 5 // Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Aurora by William Lyon Homes is a collection of five distinctive plans in Rancho Mission Viejo just inland from San Juan Capistrano. Plan 5 is a 3 bedroom/ 2.5 bath plan with an optional loft. We love the natural modern styling with industrial and rustic accents. The depth of the gray cabinetry and strong masculine furnishings contrast nicely with the natural European oak plank flooring. We continued to have some fun with high contrast and an overall monochromatic color palette: whites and warm dark elements. We love this look and want to move in! We hope you do too!

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Master Bedroom

 

How to Style Your Bed

Who doesn’t love the look of a perfectly styled bed? Beds that are clean and crisp with all the right tucks and folds can make any bedroom look great. The good news is that the look doesn’t need to be reserved for luxury hotels and professionally designed homes! With a few simple steps anyone can easily style a bed like a pro. Here are our tips for creating a bed worth dreaming about:

Invest in a Decent Set of Linens

The basis for any good bed is the linens. No matter how many pillows you top it with, if your bed’s duvet, sheets and pillowcases aren’t dreamy, you may as well stop there. The biggest misconception is that nice linens come with a hefty price tag, which is not so! You can find great sets at Bed, Bath and Beyond (check out their “Hotel Collection”) and companies like Parachute, who offer quality pieces at very affordable prices.

Style Your Comforter

Once you’ve got your linens the next step is putting everything together with style. When it comes to the comforter, there are 3 ways we like to arrange ours:

Partial Roll-Down:

The half way rolled down comforter gives you the option to display sheets or blankets that are typically hidden underneath. If you have patterned sheets or a patterned coverlet, this look will allow for a nice pop of color or texture. If you love the crisp white sheets, this is also a great way to show those off!

Photo: Chameleon Design

Full Roll-Down:

The full roll down, a hotel fave, is best in warmer months and really allows throw pillows and blankets to take center stage. The comforter provides a nice contrast for onlookers by making a band at the bottom of the bed.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Tightly Tucked:

The tightly tucked comforter gives a clean and crisp look, and will show off off a beautiful bed frame like the clean, modern looks that are popular now. This can also be done in combination with the other two styles to give a band of color contrast to the bed.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Pay Attention to the Pillows

Once you’ve got the comforter figured out, the pillows are the icing on the cake. If you skip this step you’ll be missing the easiest way to complete the look. Our favorite tricks with bed pillows are:

Create Tiers:

Arranging your pillows from largest in the back to the smallest in front will create an instantly styled look. We like to have at least three tiers with Euro sized pillows along the back, King, Queen or Standard pillows in the middle (these are the ones you’ll sleep on) and something decorative in the very front.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Go for Color,Texture and Pattern:

When choosing decorative pillows, make sure to use different textures and colors to add variety. If you have a back wall that serves as a focal point of the room, you will want to use simple linens and pillows so as not to overwhelm the room. You can’t go wrong with crisp, white bed linens, which give you a lot of room to get creative with your accent pillows. Select pillows made with fabrics that are different in texture and color from the other linens- this is key in completing the look of a truly styled bed!

Photo: Chameleon Design

Home Design Trends // Subway Tile

Subway tiles are by no means a new look, but they are enjoying a renaissance at the moment and have a timeless quality that won’t ever grow tired. They get their name from the tiles that were found on New York City subway stations in the 80’s. Their rectangular shape can be arranged in a variety of patterns and they come in many different colors and materials including marble, travertine and even glass. Their big appeal is not just their classic look, but their price tag as well, as they’re generally quite affordable and will go with most design styles. What’s not to love?

Photo: Design to Inspire

Photo: Tile Bar

Photo: Smitten Studios

Photo: Better Home & Garden

Home Design Trends // Moody, Dark Walls

Moody, dark wall colors have been gaining in popularity in the design world and we love the luxurious feel this bold look can lend to any room. The glamorous, yet subtly dramatic, feel these shades evoke make us love this rising trend. Here are some of our favorite rooms:

Photo: My Domaine

Photo: My Domaine

Photo: Dulux

Photo: Dulux

Photo: My Domaine

Photo: My Domaine

Photo: My Domaine

Photo: My Domaine

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.

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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

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

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

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.

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

Fireclay Apron Farmhouse Sink, Randolf Morris

 

Bria Copper Farmhouse Sink, Signature Hardware

Bria Copper Farmhouse Sink, Signature Hardware

 

Concrete Farmhouse 3018, NativeStone

Concrete Farmhouse 3018, NativeStone

 

Whitehaven Self-Trimming, Kohler

Whitehaven Self-Trimming, Kohler

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

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

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

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

Photo: Chameleon Design

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