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colorful seating area with art and vibrant wallpaper

The Secrets of Open Shelving

We’re loving open shelving as a functional design element in minimalist interiors. This trend has grown in popularity in recent months, and it’s easy to see why. Mounted wall shelves, stand-alone multi-tier bookcases, and built-in shelving add personality and modern style to any space. We aim to highlight opportunities future residents have to showcase their own, personalized aesthetic, and these decor elements do just that. The units encourage the tasteful display of each homebuyer’s favorite trinkets and provide easy access to frequently used items. A great, dimensional application is a built-in bookshelf that frames a fireplace or wallpaper feature wall. Shelves help to balance and frame a wall, while also providing space to display coveted accessories like art, sculptures, plants, and vases. This customizable element complements a variety of design styles and has the ability to set the tone for a room’s spatial aesthetic.

white living room with blue suede furniture and checkered rug

A Dash Of Drama ft. Dark Wood

Pristine, white interiors had their moment in the sun, but now we’re seeing dark and moody spaces taking the spotlight. While soft, Scandinavian shades and blond woods have been a favorite in recent years, we’re embracing high contrast interiors with dark wood tones that envelop and welcome you. Deep brown colors evoke sophistication and bravado, and when paired with soothing houseplants, can have a calming effect. This style beautifully complements contemporary aesthetics and furnishings, which playfully aligns with the resurgence of modern home decor. We are careful to ensure the space doesn’t become overly dim by incorporating light, contrasting elements. In a kitchen, dark wood cabinetry looks great in conjunction with a pale-colored island and countertop. However, this effect isn’t limited to cabinetry or any other finish in the home. In our projects, we’ve used porcelain tile with the appearance of natural wood across an entire wall as an accent wall, and the effect it has is showstopping and unique! We’ve also used wood veneer wallpaper to create a feature wall for a similar effect. Dark, dramatic wood undertones stylishly elevate any interior, and provide a handsomely grand vibe.

colorful living room, green sofa, decorative house plants, colorful rug, blue and green lounge area

Hop On the Velvet Love Train

At Chameleon Design, we have a longstanding love for velvet fabric. It’s one of those comfortingly cozy, textural elements that can be used in design styles ranging from modern, to bohemian, and even minimalistic. This dramatic material is often underused and can be seen as heavy and overwhelming, but when incorporated in the right ways, velvet becomes the grounding focal point of any room. While it looks chic and subtle in a neutral hue, it vividly transforms the vibe when chosen in bold, bright colors like vibrant green, cobalt blue, turquoise, or burnt orange. Some of our models with the most vibrant color schemes incorporate an ottoman, sofa, or accent chair in a crushed velvet fabric, and the elegance it adds to each space is unmatched. If we only want to incorporate a small touch of velvet, we tend to do this in the form of throw pillows, alongside pillows in other materials for a fun mix of textures. It’s a delicate balance, but working with this popular fabric is well worth the effort when you see the luxurious results.

bright living room with blue and yellow area rug and colorful throw pillows

Colorful & Groovy at Nova Plan 4

University Park is a new, spirited community by Woodbridge Pacific Group, centrally located in Palm Desert, CA. One of the newest neighborhood additions, Nova Plan 4, takes a nod to mod with its influential design style and bright color palette. Plan 4 at Nova is on trend with groovy, curvy shapes and furnishings highlighted by splashes of turquoise, pink, lime, and black throughout. Pops of color get their moment with the help of contrastingly clean, white walls and flooring. The main living area is a sight to behold with a standout patterned throw rug and matching bright yellow accent chair. Colorful abstract art adorns the walls in the bedrooms, and accent walls of bright blue and green make each room a fresh, new experience. Residents at University Park have access to top-tier schools and amenities like tennis, pickleball, bocce ball courts, and resort-style pools for cooling off in the hot desert sunshine. Take happiness into your hands and experience the beauty of desert living, no matter the season.

bright living room with a brown leather club chair, abstract art, and colorful throw pillows

Leather: A Classic Textile

Leather is a classic, timeless textile that continues to build in popularity in 2022, and for good reason. Homebuyers are focusing on natural materials that provide comfort in their ideal homes, and leather accomplishes this goal in a variety of ways. Our designers will often add just one leather element in a space, and its unique, textural contrast makes it truly stand out among the other pieces in the room. Incorporating leather seating at a dining table, or via a barstool, club chair, or ottoman, adds a flair of desirable sophistication and drama that draws in the eye and creates a showstopping effect. This textile, with its variety of textures and colors, can easily be incorporated into a modern, contemporary, or vintage aesthetic. From the typical warm brown tones, to stark black, or even brightly colored hues, there’s a shade of leather to fit every home.

Chameleon Design team raising a glass to 30 years

Raising Our Glass to 30 Years

We’re breaking out the bubbly because team Chameleon is celebrating the firm’s 30-year anniversary! We’ve been on cloud nine this year, as it was on April 2, 1992, that our fearless Founder, Eve Lowey, opened Chameleon Design’s doors with the goal to create an exceptional design firm that catered to homebuilders and residential developers. Since then, it has been our privilege to serve hundreds of clients to help them create bespoke model homes, sales offices, and amenities across the country.

“Thirty years, there’s so much to be thankful for,” says Eve. “Our fantastic clients and amazing team are the best in the business. Chameleon Design wouldn’t be where it is today without them!”

From the beginning, our leadership team sought to create a safe and welcoming culture for experienced and emerging designers, inviting unique perspectives and creativity. We’re constantly inspired by our clients and the beauty of the world around us. It’s from this wellspring that our team raises the bar higher and higher each day and why we’ve been recognized with more than 170 prestigious industry awards and glowing client accolades.

“The Chameleon team is second to none and I could not imagine working with anyone else for our design needs. Their eye for design speaks for itself, and the level of service they provide is outstanding. They push us to take risks, are flexible when we throw them curveballs, and are never satisfied with good-enough. They are one of the most important pieces of the Woodbridge Pacific team and it is a privilege to work with them.”

Bradley Davis,
Marketing Director
Woodbridge Pacific Group

“I’ve worked with the Chameleon team for many, many years and considered them a part of our team. They have an eye for detail, are able to go with the latest trends and have good knowledge of attainable finishes…They really are a force and [I] was grateful to work with them over the years as well as call them my friends”

Tracey Long,
Marketing Manager
Taylor Morrison

“Congratulations on 30 years, Chameleon! We truly value our sales office and model collaborations over the years and thank you for your passion, innovative design and continued friendship. Cheers to your continued success and wonderful designs!”

Caitlyn Lai-Valenti,
VP Sales and Marketing
Brookfield Residential

Chameleon Design has gone on to become an industry design leader in understanding the evolving needs of the modern homebuyer, and a trusted builder partner integral to new home marketing. The last 30 years have been incredible with growth, innovation, and new opportunities. We’re excited to continue expanding and creating spaces that highlight quality and imagination. Cheers to the next 30 years!

Chameleon Design team raising a glass to 30 years

white lips 3D wall art, white bedding with yellow, orange, and blue pillows, wood and white painted bedside table, yellow table lamp, potted plant in bedroom, The QUE

Go Sculptural with Dimensional Art

For many, wall décor is viewed as somewhat of a design afterthought. Here at Chameleon, we flip that idea on its head and turn the wall art into the star of the show. That’s the intention of 3D wall decor– it immediately catches the eye and creates a memorable impression. Dimensional art makes a wall come alive with texture and movement, and adds an element of playfulness and charm. It’s unexpected and super fun to integrate into our clients’ model homes and sales offices. We like getting creative with it to tie together a room’s theme, era, or color palette. A playful lip-shaped art piece, a succulent wall, and an assortment of sun hats are only a few of the delightful objects we’ve used to make walls pop-pop-pop. One caveat we keep in mind when utilizing this design feature- keep nearby elements simple to avoid an overcrowded look. When done right, dimensional wall decor offers endless possibilities to liven up any room. It’s the perfect excuse to really let creativity shine and stray away from the expected!

tonal gray hexagonal wallpaper, wood desk, matte black bookcase, cream and black area rug in home office Allevare

Bold and Beautiful: Wallpaper Accent Wall

When someone says “accent wall,” does your mind instantly gravitate towards paint? If so, you’re not alone, because most people would say the same. And understandably so – paint is a great low-commitment way to transform a room. However, there’s another great way to create a high-impact accent wall. We’re all about choices here at team Chameleon, and we’re looking at you, wallpaper. We’ve been singing wallpaper’s praises for years, so you know we love incorporating it in our clients’ model homes (they love it, too!). The right wallpaper has the design superpower of creating a bold focal point and setting the tone for the rest of the room’s design. It acts as a foundational base for other layers like color, texture, wall decor, and even greenery.

Wallpaper as an accent is about captivation and drawing the eye into a room in an unexpected way. It can add an upscale feel to model homes and unify a room’s theme. A wallpaper accent works especially well in kids’ spaces, acting as a narrative design element that tells a story, like the adorable woodland and insect-themed rooms our team created below. When incorporating an accent wall into a space, we’re always intentional and strategic about which wall gets the full wallpaper treatment, and which elements work best alongside it. It’s a delicate balancing act, and our clients and their home buyers love the results.

cream sofa with yellow and cerulean blue pillows in living room Indigo

Pillow Talk

Never underestimate the power of a throw pillow to pack a serious design punch in your model homes. We’re all about creating BIG moments in rooms using small accents that add personality. Throw pillows accomplish this in spades because they deliver comfort, texture, and color in equal measure. They can take any living room, bedroom, or even a hallway to the next level. Pillows can elevate an otherwise neutral sofa – we especially enjoy layering several for intrigue (plus, who doesn’t like that cozy feeling of lounging in pillows!). For our clients’ projects, we love mixing pillow patterns, textures, and sizes while threading in the room’s theme or palette to unify the design. Don’t forget your patio or deck area — throw pillows in UV and water-resistant fabrics will help create the outdoor living vibe that’s so popular right now. An especially playful way to “speak” to homebuyers is by incorporating pillows with fun words, phrases, and graphics. It’s all about creating opportunities for buyers to see themselves in the homes and adding those special touches that stick with them even after they walk out the door.

living room with blue rug and fiddle fig Townes at Magnolia Plan 2 Melia Homes

Townes at Magnolia Reinvents SoCal Style

The perfect southern California experience awaits at Townes at Magnolia, a collection of 3-story contemporary townhomes in Anaheim, California. With bountiful amenities such as fire pit gathering areas, BBQ grills, recreation areas and more, residents can always make the most of the blissful California sunshine. In a central location near Disneyland and Angel Stadium, and with the beach just a short drive away, adventure and fun are a weekend staple for residents, both in and out of this Melia Homes community.

Despite the OC locale and enticing proximity to the beach cities, buyers desiring their own coastal haven can find it in Townes at Magnolia Plan 2. This 3-bedroom model home offers much in soothing chic aesthetic and unique accents. Upon walking into the home, potential buyers will be delighted to find a memorable painted barn door leading into the guest bedroom. Serene blue paneling and beach-themed artwork make this space a calming paradise. The serenity continues throughout the home on the upper levels, with azure blues and beiges throughout the living areas and trendy furnishings with plenty of natural materials. Each room has something to catch the eye, whether it’s a paneled accent wall, blue, textural tiling, or a pop of colorful paint. The result is a casual and breezy atmosphere that leaves a buyer dreaming of taking a vacation right in their very own Anaheim home.