Design Insight

Open Versus Closed Kitchens

For centuries, the kitchen was regarded as strictly a workspace. Tucked away, it was never seen as a statement piece in a home. But today people tend to favor a very different approach, making the open concept the more popular choice and turning the kitchen into the heart of the home. However, some homeowners still embrace elements of the past and prefer a closed off layout. At the end of the day, it’s all about choosing what’s right for you. Having a conversation with a designer will help if you’re having trouble deciding. Start with a list of needs and wants, and go from there. In the meantime, here are some initial thoughts to guide you in the right direction:

Open Kitchens

The main reason homeowners prefer an open concept kitchen is because it allows them to spend more time with family and friends while cooking and cleaning.  When the walls come down, the kitchen becomes the main hub of the home- the room that everything else revolves around. This style is particularly popular for families, as it allows for optimal multitasking- parents can make dinner, keep an eye on the kids and help with homework, all at the same time. Another major benefit of an open kitchen is to show off the investment that often goes into it! From counter tops to gorgeous back splashes to stunning appliances, there are many design elements worthy of showing off with an open kitchen in your home.

Photo: Architectural Digest

Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Chameleon Design

Closed Kitchens

While most clients do prefer an open-concept kitchen today, some do still like a closed-off space; it ultimately comes down to personal preference. If you want to leave your smells and mess behind when serving meals, a closed layout could be for you. Some people don’t want to worry about keeping their kitchen clean and organized all the time and would prefer to have their kitchen closed so that it’s not a major focal point in the home.  In those homes, the kitchen can still be a beautiful room, just not a room that’s on center stage. And for homeowners who’d rather invest in other parts of their kitchen, reworking the layout may not be worth it.  When it comes to allocating your kitchen budget, which is more important- an efficient, functional kitchen with better appliances, or an open layout? Don’t forget that you CAN get creative with a closed kitchen, too.  If space allows, a small booth, fold-down table or rolling bar can make a closed kitchen more of a social space.

Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Pinterest

Simple Design Tricks to Make a Small Bedroom Look Bigger

Your bedroom is the one room in the house that should feel like no other.  It’s the place you go to relax and unwind from a long day and, most importantly, to get a good night’s sleep. If you’re challenged with a small space it can sometimes feel cave-like and uncomfortable, but it doesn’t have to. Your bedroom can go from cramped to cozy with a few simple ideas and tips. You’ll find that not only will your bedroom look larger, it will also be more functional. Here are a few tricks to help make the most of the space you have:

Let in natural light: While you should avoid blocking natural light in a small room, sometimes the only place that makes sense for a bed is right in front of the window. If that’s the case, try a low or see-through headboard to make the most of your sunlight.

Use a daybed: A daybed can help create the illusion that the room is more of a small sitting area, instead of a small bedroom that’s been taken over by a bed. Daybeds often have storage built in underneath too — another bonus for a small room.

Paint the ceiling: Painting the ceiling the same hue as the walls can help to erase the shadow lines that visually define a space. A white ceiling against a darker wall immediately shrinks a space — your eye can sense the room’s size right away. When the walls and ceiling are the same color, it’s harder for your eye to tell where the room’s parameters start and end, so the room looks larger.

Install pendants: Don’t take up precious bedside table space with bulky lamps and oversize shades; install pendant lighting instead. Hanging pendant lights from the ceiling creates a focal point while providing task lighting on each side of the bed. Pendants lights are also very on trend and you’ll have no problem finding a wide selection of stylish options.

Find Creative Uses for Storage: To help keep your bedroom clutter free, use decorative baskets in a bookshelf or wall unit to keep small items that don’t need to be seen tucked away. Storage bins under the bed are easily accessible, inexpensive and can store just about anything. And don’t forget to use your imagination when it comes to storage.  A small bedroom benefits greatly from multifunction pieces.  If you have room for a furniture bench at the foot of your bed, opt for one with a flip open seat with storage space inside.

Design Tips for Guy-Friendly Spaces

It can be tricky to decorate a space with a guy in mind. The definition of “masculine” means different things to different people but doesn’t have to mean a pool table, big screen television and brown leather furniture. Design is personal and it’s impossible to narrow one gender’s style down to a handful of characteristics. One thing we do know for sure, and we’ve learned this with years of experience, is that whether a space is designed by a man or for a man, there are always a few things that stand out as being necessary to incorporate. It’s not a catchall for guy style, but here are some tips gleaned from stylish bachelor pads and other guy-friendly spaces that should make designing your masculine space a little bit easier:

Be Functional: Men are utilitarian, as they love to think in practical terms. That’s why functional spaces that incorporate things such as multi-purpose spaces and versatile storage units are the keys to any guy space.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Photo: Pinterest

Define your space with something surreal: Maybe it’s an abstract painting or sculpture. Or maybe it’s turning a Manhattan high-rise into a wood-like setting with forest wallpaper. Either way, adding something outside the box will help give your space character.

Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Chameleon Design

Find the perfect chair: Every guy needs that one spot where he can kick back and enjoy a book, a movie, a glass of scotch or soda, or great conversation. Keep in mind there are a lot of amazing chairs out there that are just as comfortable as a Lazy Boy, but won’t be an eye sore in your living room.

Lounge Chair & Ottoman, Eames

Hans Wegner, Papa Bear Chair

Learn to Love Your Home

Loving your home doesn’t mean it has to be perfect. We all have things we’d like to change, but sometimes being happy with your house isn’t about perceived shortcomings, it’s about learning to appreciate the small things. A fresh coat of paint in a different shade, new pillows on the couch, a lovely scented candle and fresh flowers are all small things that attribute in a big way to how happy you feel in your house. Start with the small things and before you know it, you’ll have a happier, healthier, calmer or more energizing place to live in. Here are some easy and inexpensive ways to take a new look at your house so that you’ll enjoy it even more.

Get Organized
Plan for the storage of things you know you’ll be accumulating, such as family photographs, your kids’ artwork and financial records and find a tidy way to tuck them away. You’d be surprised by the storage areas you can find in unexpected places around your house. Consider bins that tuck underneath a bench or console for gathering household items like shoes or toys. Woven baskets are a nice way to collect children’s toys, while cutting back on clutter and clean up time.

Photo: Architectural Digest

Make it Personal
Whether you live in a custom-built home, a townhouse or a rental, you can make it feel like you. Honoring your tastes, as they relate to decor, art, paint color, etc., will allow you to stay true to yourself and make your home beautiful too.

Photo: Kimberley Genevieve

Create a calm place
What makes a home peaceful? We know as soon as we see or feel it, but creating it in our own homes can be difficult. Most peaceful spaces share certain things in common: serene color palettes, filtered light and plenty of easy-to-implement tidiness tricks. Try integrating strategies into your own home for a simply calming space.

Photo: Pinterest

Pare down 
Simplifying your life can give you more time, space and happiness. This doesn’t mean giving up all of your favorite furniture. It’s about embracing what you really love and learning to let go of the rest. Work on creating simple systems that work for you and your home and stick with them!

Photo: Architectural Digest

Bring the Outdoors In
Plants and flowers are an absolute must for any home. Pick up fresh flowers at the market with you’re doing your weekly shopping, stick them in a vase and take note of how much you enjoy them throughout the week. Plants will last even longer and keep the air clean! If you don’t have a green thumb, try succulents. Their colors are soothing and soft and they can go for weeks when you forget to water them. Simple touches of nature  can make a big difference and an easy change.

Photo: Pinterest

Presentation Board: High Demand Color & Pattern Trends

A presentation board is a standard way for designers like us to show clients our vision for a space. In addition to many years of experience, there is a tremendous amount of thought and creativity that goes into creating a conceptual plan for a home. The board may look like just a collage of pretty colors and ideas, but it’s actually a science and skill to be able to learn how to appeal to the target buyer. From a young professional, to a first time buyer, to a family, to an empty nester, each buyer is going to be looking for something different and it’s our job to know what that is!

Once we know our demographic, we start by developing a color scheme. We’re able to draw inspiration from all over the place but magazines and mail order catalogs such as West Elm, Restoration Hardware and Crate & Barrel are excellent sources. They have new pieces always being introduced and they won’t hesitate to drop items that aren’t selling. This gives us a good idea of what’s “in,” and what people are responding to, as well as trends in the marketplace. Fabric manufacturers are also helpful in determining trends and getting new ideas. From color schemes to patterns, if we’re seeing something being used by a variety of manufacturers, it definitely catches our eye.

Here are some photos we snapped of four presentation boards, each for a different plan in the Roundtree housing development. You’ll see things like fabric swatches, wood and tile samples and photos that

will eventually come to life in the model!

The Z Gallerie Collection

The West Elm Style

The Pottery Barn Classic

The Williams-Sonoma Home

Essentials in Bathroom Functionality and Design

The bathroom may be the smallest room in your home, but that doesn’t mean it should get less attention than all the others. And you of course would like it to be as functional as possible for the specific needs of you and your family. Be it your master bathroom or a guest bathroom, aesthetics and functionality are essential to a space you use on a daily basis. So if you’ve been feeling like your bathroom could use a face lift, go for it knowing that it’s an excellent idea and good place to invest. It’s a small update but can add to the overall value of the home, while boosting efficiency and functionality. There are many factors to consider when it comes bathroom design, but we’d like to cover the top essentials to give you an idea of where to start:

It’s All in the Details: The bathroom should be treated the same as every other room in the home, though many people forget to decorate it! Something as simple as hanging a nice picture on the wall will make it feel more comfortable and inviting. When looking at counter top options, select a material that is durable but one that also reflects the rest of the style in the home. As always, make sure your home design is consistent from room to room- and that includes the bathrooms!

Photo: Elle Decor

Photo: Elle Decor

Form Follows Function: When designing your bathroom, it’s important to think about the intended function and purpose of the space and design with that in mind. Consider how many people will be using the bathroom regularly. Maybe you’d like his and hers sinks. Shower heads and toilets are another major element to put some

thought into. If water conservation is important to you, there are great options for both that won’t use a lot of water. If you’re more concerned with having something that looks and feels great, but maybe doesn’t skimp on the water output, you’ll find plenty of options there as well. Just make sure to do your research before you buy!

Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Pinterest

Light up the Room: Lighting is very important in a bathroom for numerous reasons. The obvious one is that you don’t want it to look like a dark cave, as a bright and inviting room is always nicer to spend time in. Also, women use the bathroom to apply makeup and get ready and they need to see what they’re doing! If possible, a mix of natural and artificial lighting is best. Skylights are a great way to bring in gorgeous natural light that will brighten up the space.

Photo: Eric Olsen Design

Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Pinterest