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Chameleon Design Featured Project: Crossing at TurnLeaf, Plan 3 // Jurapa Valley, CA

The Crossing at TurnLeaf are new one and two-story homes with 3-5 bedrooms, perfectly sized for outdoor living and entertaining. Plan 3 is the largest of the 3 plans, with 5 bedrooms, including a guest suite, and 3.5 baths. For this model our design theme was “Natural Simplicity,” and we used a color palette of creams and caramels with pops and blues and turquoise. Cabinets were done in rich espresso and tile floors have a wood look that offers a nice alternative to actual wood. We incorporated natural textures throughout such as rattan chairs and light fixtures and reclaimed wood.

 

Kitchen

Family Room

California Room

Master Bedroom

2nd Bedroom

Bonus Room

Front View

Simple Tricks to Modernize Your Interiors

No matter how old your home is, modernizing the look of the interiors can be a challenge. If renovations aren’t in your plans or maybe not even necessary to get the job done, we’re happy to tell you that your home can easily be modernized with some small aesthetic touches.  Here are some simple tricks to bring your home up to date, without breaking the bank!

Make a Statement
With mid-century modern design, less is more. This is especially true when it comes to choosing furniture. Instead of cluttering a room with countless items from the era, choose one statement piece that will serve as the room’s focal point. Perhaps you can splurge on an original Eames chair or set of Eero Saarinen tulip chairs?
Photo: Herman Miller

Photo: Herman Miller

Hang Contemporary Art
The look that contemporary art juxtaposed with the architectural detail of a traditional home is very cool. Seek out artwork with colors that complement your existing furnishings, and you’ve got a foolproof combination. If a new art collection is not in your budget,  you can simply change the way your existing pieces are framed. Choose clean-lined frames in wood (stained or painted) and recycle the gilded molded frames into a mirror for another time.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Photo: Chameleon Design

Mix it Up
There’s nothing wrong with mixing styles and if done correctly this can give your rooms an exciting and modern look. For example, if you have an antique dining room set, keep the beautiful table and replace the wooden chairs. Buy some modern chairs to juxtapose the look of the table and you’ll be shocked at the result.

Chameleon Design

Photo: Chameleon Design

De-Formalize Your Rooms
Formality makes most people feel like they can’t touch or sit, which doesn’t allow for a welcoming or comfortable home that you can live in. If you can’t bear to part with grandma’s Victorian loveseat, put it in the living room, but re-upholster it in a bright, new fabric and maybe even throw a patterned rug underneath.

Photo: ngocminhngo.com

Photo: ngocminhngo.com

Avoid Symmetry
The key to creating a modern look is balance over symmetry. Details and accessories, like table lamps and side tables, will look better if they don’t match. In the large scheme of things, this applies to the ratio between styles as well. Adding a little bit of one style to a lot of another makes more sense than dishing it out 50/50.

 

Chameleon Design

Photo: Chameleon Design

Pare it Down
I often tell my clients that “modern” does not have to be white walls, floors and furnishings and a stark environment. However, modern is clean and clean is pared down. Delete the clutter and choose the accessories, whatever style, carefully.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Photo: Chameleon Design

 

Chameleon Design Featured Project: Coventry at Turnleaf, Plan 5 // Jurupa Valley, CA

Plan 5 at the Coventry at Turnleaf is 5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. We designed the model to have the look of “clean and modern simplicity,” which we created with a mono color palette composed of rich browns and crisp white. Textural accents such as grass cloth wallpapers and paneled walls keep everything warm and grounded. Cabinets were done in a rich espresso wood with creamy quartz countertops and natural stone tiles make up most of the flooring. The natural element is repeated with accessories such as fossils framed as art.

Kitchen

Family Room

Dining Room

California Room

Master Bedroom

Child’s Room

Guest Room

Front View

Great Room

Great Room

Kitchen

Kitchen

Dining Room

Dining Room

California Room

California Room

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Home Design Trends // Textured Walls

We all know that paint or wallpaper can transform the look of a room, but so can one of the latest new trends in home decor- textured walls! Whether you go for wood planks, stone or grass cloth, any of these materials will add amazing texture and depth to your space. Textured walls also offer interest without closing in the room with too many accessories or bright colors that you’ll likely grow tired of. Consider creating a textured focal wall in your entry, living room or master bedroom as seen in some of our recent projects below:

Chameleon Design

Chameleon Design

Chameleon Design

Chameleon Design

Chameleon Design

Chameleon Design

Chameleon Design

Chameleon Design

Infuse Pattern Into Your Home Decor

Patterned furniture and décor should not be left to professional designers alone. Infusing pattern into your space is a great way to tell your story and make your home cozier and more lively. Pattern is very personal and the best place to start is by finding the ones that you really connect with. Think outside of the box and explore the world of pattern a bit before you buy. Living in a world of solids can be boring, but the pattern doesn’t need to be crazy to stand out: artwork, pillows, and fabric are easy ways to incorporate pattern into any space! Start small and build so you don’t get overwhelmed. Here are some of our favorite ways to bring pattern into your home:

Artwork
One of the easiest ways to add interest to any room is through artwork. Artwork can be intimidating for many people but really, it’s all about displaying things you love and you want to look at. It’s about exploring those interests, and seeing how they relate with one another.

Chameleon Design

Pillows
Pillows are another great way to update any room – bonus: just change out the covers if you already have inserts! Swapping out the cover seasonally or when the mood strikes is an easy way to change the feeling of a room. You can also move pillows from one room to another to give them new life without buying a thing.

Chameleon Design

Chameleon Design

Rugs
Next to accent pillows, area rugs are our best bets for adding pattern without overwhelming a space. A classic stripe in tonal colors is an easy place to start adding texture and personality to your home. Still worried? Ease into it with a runner or small rug in a kitchen or entry, and work your way up to something larger in the bedroom or living room.

Chameleon Design

Chameleon Design

Wallpaper
You have a few options when it comes to using pattern on your walls.  Wallpaper, of course, is the traditional way to go, and gives you a variety of choices.  However, you might also consider temporary wallpaper, which you can switch out with your changing decorating tastes or new furniture pieces.  You might also replicate part of a pattern by painting it on a large scale.  The drama of a large pattern can even make a small space seem bigger.

House Beautiful

Window Treatments
Introduce print to your home’s vertical planes without committing to wallpaper by opting to use a patterned fabric for your shades and drapery. A bold-colored print will enliven any neutral space and is a nice contrast to organic textures. A textural shade in classic colors is a good bet for any space where you’d like to project a serene vibe.

Chameleon Design

Chameleon Design

Tile
Tiled backsplashes, floors, and bathroom walls are the perfect way to add personality to utilitarian areas. Both the tile itself and the price of installation can be costly, so definitely consider your choice carefully before proceeding. A tonal installation in a classic pattern is an ideal place to start, while a bold geometric design will certainly make a lasting statement.

Better Homes & Gardens

Ceilings
A patterned ceiling is a fun and unusual way to add interest to a space. Whether in the form of painted stripes or tonal wallpaper, an eye-catching ceiling is unique and chic. We especially love the look in kids’ rooms, where it can be easier to get away with a more unusual color combination or bold design.

Domino Magazine

Domino Magazine

Great Park Neighborhoods, Sharestream // Irvine, CA

Chameleon was asked to help create an “Information Center- on wheels” for an amazing master planned community that will take years to build out. Our client wanted something that could be pulled around to a local soccer game or coffee shop to create a memorable buzz and interaction with the public.  We all decided that a lounge- feel would be best for their needs, so everything was taken out of an Airstream trailer and we started with a shell.  We added a fridge and a pop-up window that  can be pulled up to hand out cold drinks. We also built in a banquette and sectional for people to hang out and watch the video on what’s upcoming at this great community.  Sharestream was a memorable project that we’re so excited and proud to have been a part of!

  

 

 

Chameleon Design Featured Project: Skyridge, Plan 3 // Riverside, CA

Skyridge Plan 3 is a 5 bedroom home with 4.5 bathrooms. The interior merchandising style is California Ranch with beautiful stained wood furniture pieces and pine accents. We used textural upholstery with ikat and batik pillows to help accent the indigo, sand, crisp white and mocha color palette. This home is perfect for an active family who loves to be outdoors since the large windows and slider opens up to allow for 3 additional places to entertain. A covered California room allows for a full dining table, comfortable sectional and TV and an outdoor fire pit works perfect for making more out of your family time.

 

Great Room

Great Room

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Bonus Room

Bonus Room

California Room

California Room

Front

Front

Home Design Trends // Wallpapered Ceilings

When we’re decorating our home, one of the last things we likely think about is the ceiling. However, your ceilings can be used to make a major statement at a relatively low cost, if you just add wallpaper! Wallpaper allows your ceiling to become a fifth wall and will draw the eye upward, in turn making the room feel larger. It will also add an unexpected surprise, not to mention character, that can truly transform a space.

Kelly Deck Design

Kelly Deck Design

Photo: Greg Natale

Photo: Greg Natale

Photo: Honey & Fitz

Photo: Honey & Fitz

Photo: Kathryn Ivey Interiors

Photo: Kathryn Ivey Interiors

Add Some Style to Your Dining Area

When it comes to creating an inviting  and functional space for your dining room, while also keeping it stylish can sometimes be a challenge. Formal dining rooms with traditional tables and chairs have become less and less popular, with families wanting something more casual to match their lifestyle. But rather than eliminating the dining room all together, we need to re-work those old ideas by using more modern thinking. From mix and match chairs to statement lighting, below are some simple ideas that you can do now to inject more style into your space.

Mix up Your Chairs
The simple art of swapping out some of your matching seats in your dining room set with some different chairs can really add some interest to your dining room. With many dining rooms lack any real personality, you may be surprised to find out just how much of an impact you can make by getting rid of the repetition around your dining room table.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Photo: Chameleon Design

 

Stick with a Simple Color Palette
However, if you are adding patterns into the mix try to only introduce a single pattern as to prevent the set-up from becoming too overwhelming. Also, keeping seat heights the same is a great rule to keep in mind, and to keep variations in height to a minimum.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Photo: Chameleon Design

 

Consider Alternative Seating
Think about other options for seating around the table, other than the traditional dining room chair. Benches, settees and wing back chairs can all make bold and beautiful additions to your dining room table. You can also crate a combination to add some interest. Think about the statement you want to make and go from there.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Photo: Chameleon Design

 

Anchor the Table with a Statement Light
You can bring a lot of personality into your dining area simply with the addition of a statement light above the table. This will anchor the room and naturally draw people around the table. It’s also a fun opportunity to do something a little different that adds some flair to your decor.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Photo: Chameleon Design

 

 

Chameleon Design Featured Project: Skyridge, Plan 2 // Riverside, CA

Skyridge Plan 2 is a 5 bedroom /3.5 bath home, perfect for an established family who is looking to for a move-up opportunity. We designed this plan with an “updated traditional” style, giving it a modern touch without losing the cozy, family-home feel. Shades of bright tangerine, fresh lime and sea salt made up the color palette and were paired with neutral linens throughout. Crown molding and waincot brought in a traditional element and provided a nice contrast to some of the modern furniture pieces. The bonus room with homework stations is one of our favorite rooms and the guest suite for visiting family is a bonus in itself!

Family Room

Family Room

Kitchen

Kitchen

California Room

California Room

Bonus Room

Bonus Room

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Guest Bedroom

Guest Bedroom