Design Insight

Designing With Nature in Mind

With back to school just around the corner and Fall beginning we thought we’d take a look at simple ways to bring a little bit of the outdoors in and create a bit of zen while we’re at it. While it’s true that the long summer days we’ve all been loving will soon be behind us, with these tips we hope that you won’t miss a minute!

Photo: Chameleon Design

1. Natural Textures

Incorporating plants, wood, leather, and other natural textures will lend a sense of craftsmanship and comfort, while making your home feel more cozy. Layering in these materials with your existing décor will add interest and give you an inviting feel just in time for the cooler Fall months.

Photo: Chameleon Design

2. Large Windows

Rooms that invite the outside light in are rooms people want to be in. Not only do they provide great views but natural light as well, which automatically draws the eye. The larger the window, the better: this makes the room feel like you are still able to enjoy the outdoors.

Photo: Chameleon Design

3. Open Concepts

The open floor plan has hit us by storm! This concept not only means shared windows and natural light, but it also creates a sense of togetherness. Larger windows and glass sliding doors extends the space even further, seamlessly transitioning to the outdoor space.

Photo: Chameleon Design

4. Go Simple and Neutral

While you might love some designs, they may not be practical for your family’s needs. Take into account who will be using the room, and what their needs are. Living rooms are less and less the formal, sitting rooms of the past and today people want to make them as functional as possible. One way to do that is plenty of comfortable seating to create a space for everyone who will be using the room. Designing with kids, and even pets, in mind can help you decide which fabrics are best for your design.

5 Rules to Follow When Designing Your Living Room

Selecting a color palette is a must when decorating any room in the house. It will naturally help to give you direction as you’re buying pieces for the room and work to keep things looking cohesive and well-styled. We suggest finding a textile or pattern that you enjoy and using that as your room inspiration. Remember to also accessorize with this in mind!

Photo: Chameleon Design

2. Size Your Rugs Correctly

Having an area rug can add the finishing touch to any room and anchor your design, but choosing the right size is very important. Having a rug that’s too small can make furniture look cramped, while also making the room look like it doesn’t flow properly. The trick is to choose a rug that fits beneath the front legs of all the pieces, which will make the room look well-balanced and cohesive.

Photo: Chameleon Design

3. Light It Up!

Incorporating numerous lighting sources in your living room will not only help with the look of your room but will also provide for a nicer atmosphere than you’d get with just overhead lighting only, for example. Overhead is great but table lamps, sconces and floor lamps will work wonders if you’re able to weave them into your floorplan.

Photo: Chameleon Design

4. Design with Everyone’s Needs in Mind

While you might love some designs, they may not be practical for your family’s needs. Take into account who will be using the room, and what their needs are. Living rooms are less and less the formal, sitting rooms of the past and today people want to make them as functional as possible. One way to do that is plenty of comfortable seating to create a space for everyone who will be using the room. Designing with kids, and even pets, in mind can help you decide which fabrics are best for your design.

Photo: Chameleon Design

5. Mix Multiple Textures

Using multiple textures in a room creates depth and layers to your design. Using pillows, throw blankets and different materials for your furniture can help to achieve this. We love to mix throw pillows, as long as they stay in the color palette!

Photo: Chameleon Design

4 Ways to Design a Small Outdoor Space for Big Impact

Ambiance Lighting

Creating the right feel for your space is key to making it feel not only inviting but also bigger. Lighting is your friend here, as simple things like stringing lights above a seating area will lend a bright feel and open up the space.

Photo: Popsugar

Comfortable Seating

Everyone wants to be comfortable as they sip on a cocktail or enjoy time with friends outside. Having seating that is functional as well as comfortable is a key component of creating a great outdoor space.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Accessorize

Colorful pillows, a throw rug, a great tray to hold food and drinks when you entertain: these are all easy to incorporate into any outdoor space and will make it feel incredibly inviting. Pick up inexpensive pieces on sale from West Elm, Ikea or Home Goods and go to town!

Photo: Harpers Bazaar

Make the Most of Your Space

Even the tiniest outdoor space can be made into a cozy nook for reading during the day or having a glass of wine in the evening. If you don’t have room for an entire seating area, a cozy chair and ottoman will do the trick. The ottoman can also double as a side table or extra seat. No room to grow a garden? Try a vertical planter or bring a shelving unit outside and line shelves with potted plants and herbs.

Photo: House and Home

4 Ways to Update Your Kitchen Without Remodeling

Photo: Chameleon Design

Cabinetry Painted Darker Hues

Cabinets painted darker hues are on-trend at the moment and we’re fans because it can add great contrast to neutral colored walls and backsplashes. It’s also a fun way to make a quick change with a big impact to your kitchen by painting your cabinetry a dark color. If going for the trending dark moody colors isn’t your thing, painting the cabinetry a light color will also do the trick!

Photo: Chameleon Design

Upgrade the Hardware

The hardware might seem insignificant, but swapping it out with something fresh and different is one of the easiest ways to give your entire kitchen a makeover. Lately we’ve been loving gold, brass and copper which pop against dark cabinetry but also look great with white and other neutrals.

Photo: Lonny

Pops of Color

We love an all white kitchen as much as the next person, but adding a little personality with a pop of color can go a long way. Think about accent dishes and other decorative items and make sure you’re using these for personality and color. A ceramic fruit bowl in a beautiful blue or green glaze will pop on an all-white counter top. Also, adding fresh flowers or greenery will always give you a bright and cheerful feel.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Designing a Large Wall

Photo: Chameleon Design

Gallery Wall

Gallery walls have become quite popular over the past few years and for good reason! They are a beautiful way to show off a collection of photos and works of art. Use two or three in a straight line for a clean, modern feel or create a collaged gallery for a visually interesting and eclectic look that keeps the eye moving.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Built-in Shelving Unit

If you have a large, blank wall space, creating a built-in shelving unit can solve a lot of problems and add value to your home. Not only will it provide extra storage, which is great for just about any room in the home, but it’s also the perfect place to display décorative pieces, photos, plants or a treasured collection.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Add Mirrors

It’s a known fact that mirrors make rooms appear larger and will reflect light, making your room brighter and happier. Add some fun to your walls with a large statement mirror or arrange mirrors in a fun pattern. You’ll be surprised at the big effect this small step will have on the room!

Photo: Chameleon Design

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

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

Complete the Look: Three Tips for Accessorizing

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

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

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

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.

How to Maximize a Small Workspace

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

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

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

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

How to Decorate with Neutrals

We love those beautiful white rooms, however it can be tricky decorating with only neutral colors. Here are some simple ways to keep the design of your home interesting and beautiful while using only neutral colors.

Hues

Using varying hues of the same color gives your neutral room personality and depth. Using a broad range of shades from the same palette keeps the look cohesive and ties it all together if used throughout the whole house.

Photo: Chameleon Design

Texture

The more textures that you add, to walls, couches, beds, tables, the more interest you add to the design. Layering textures with pillows and blankets adds a rich element. You can also add textures with ceramics, rugs, and accent pieces.

Photo: Lexington Company

Metals, Woods and Plants

Plants, metal and wood elements serve as a great way to mix up the style while still staying in a neutral zone. Adding live plants to your décor can give a nice pop of color to keep things lively.

Photo: softandchic.com

Architecture

Accentuate architecture or find furniture pieces with tasteful lines and architecture. If your house boasts beautiful architectural features, make sure that you highlight them by styling around them to make them stand out.

Photo: Chameleon Design