Galaxy Tile of Princeton

How to Create a Modern and Sleek Bathroom Design

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

Who doesn’t love the look of a modern and sleek room? Experts say it is time to apply this design concept to the bathroom. The bathroom is a space in the home that is often neglected when it comes to design due to the focus on functionality. You don’t have to sacrifice design in order to achieve functionality! Modern bathroom design lends itself to a more peaceful environment because the clean lines create less visual interruptions.
The key to creating a sleek look in the bathroom is simplicity. You will want to embrace minimalism with super clean, chic furnishings. Whether your home’s overall style is more rustic or traditional and you want to dabble with a modern style for the bathroom or your whole style is a modernist fantasy, here are some tips for creating the perfect modern bathroom:

The palette of a modern and sleek powder room is very simple. You will need to embrace a lot of crisp neutrals like shades of white, black, charcoal gray and taupe. You will find that most modern bathrooms use less sophisticated materials like wood varieties, nickel, veined natural stone or porcelain. These materials can be used to accent elements to make a subtle statement rather than overwhelming the space.
If you do not want the space to feel too cold, you can bring in natural touches through warm woods. Be sure to stick to subtle grains in order to preserve the tranquil and clean-lined atmosphere.

In order to really make your bathroom look, feel both fresh and clean, bright and modern lighting choices is essential. Use LED bulbs which provide bright, white lighting without heat or creating yellowish undertones. Often, modern light cast a cool glow. Use lighting above the medicine cabinet to keep the walls super bright, which ultimately makes the bathroom look bigger. Modern light fixtures include styles like a pendant or fixtures that are flush with the walls, which create beautifully illuminated spaces.

Crisp Neutral Colors

Flooring

Walls

There are many flooring choices that work well in a modern bathroom design. There are plentiful options in wood looks in luxury vinyl plank or tile. Natural stone comes in different shapes and styles that can lend to a modern look like hex patterns and linear patterns. Porcelain tiles come in large format sizes that give the look of clean lines, rectified edges create the sharpest, clean lines. Ceramic, stone and porcelain tiles come in high polished finishes or smooth, subtle matte finishes.

Implement Modern Lighting

Minimalist Accessories

Since a modern bathroom embraces a minimalist style, you want to use simple accessories. A frameless mirror will look elegant in such a space especially if it is extended from wall to wall. Use streamlined hardware that originates from one manufacturer that features one solid finish that you can use for the faucet, shower fixtures, and towel bar.

What are your thoughts on modern design? Do any of these ideas inspire you to create a modern designed bathroom?

To continue with the modern look and feel, consider using the wood, tile or stone flooring options above on the walls. Not only will this create a modern look, it will protect the walls from water and bathroom products like hair spray and dry shampoo. Consider tiling the entire wall behind the sink and mirrors. This can dramatically change the look of the room without breaking the bank. Try putting wall tile on one wall as an accent wall. Run the shower or tub tile all the way to the ceiling to maintain clean lines and visually increase the height of the space.

Room by Room Color Guide

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

From the living room to the bathroom, selecting the right colors are crucial because it can make or break your design scheme. Color has the power to produce a variety of effects. It can set the mood, visually expand the size of a room, and create interest inside of bland, boring spaces. So how can you make sure that you pick the right color for each room in your home? To begin, ask “how do you planning on using the room?” When searching for the perfect color for floors, fabric for window coverings or to paint your walls, you should first establish the purpose of the room. Take a look at some of these questions to consider:

Will you be entertaining in this room?
Is this space private?
Will this space be primarily for relaxation?
Are you cooking or eating in this room?
What kind of messes will be made in this room?

Now that you have asked and answered some questions, here is a room by room color guide to help you:

The living room is the heart of the house. It is the room where you will entertain guests, enjoy movie nights with the family and so much more; therefore, you will want to select a neutral color palette in this area. Since the living room serves many different purposes, a neutral color scheme will ensure that it reflects the versatile atmosphere. Some neutral shades include brown, beige, variations of white and gray.

The bathroom is another private space in the house that you want to feel serene; however, do not be afraid to play with colors in this area. Go for pastel designs, pale green, and other cool colors. On the other hand, if you want your bathroom to have a royal look then be sure to opt for gold tones and darker hues.
We hope you enjoyed these color tips and tricks!

Living Room

Dining and Kitchen Area

Bedroom(s)

You can experiment with color in the kitchen and dining area. In fact, you will want the area where you eat your meals to be bright and warm. Consider trying a color palette that uses warm colors like red, yellow, gold and beige. Such colors will definitely give your kitchen some personality. Use complementary colors in the artwork, cookware and other accessories in the kitchen and dining rooms to help tie together the look.

Bathroom(s)

Since the bedroom is a private space, you will want to ensure that it is your relaxing sanctuary. You want your bedroom to be comfortable so that you can be able to relax after a long day at work. Try and select soft shades such as grays, light green, blue and even purple. Neutral tone colors will also work in the bedroom. These hues will create a serene atmosphere.

New Years Resolutions For Your Home

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

Have you already started making your list of things you’re going to improve in 2022?

Get fit/lose weight, don’t commit to more than you can handle, prepare healthy and nutritious meals for the children. Sound familiar?

While you are making lists, we encourage you to make some resolutions for your home as well.

Commit to going through each room in your home to clear out items that you don’t use or need. Donate these items to charity. If this feels overwhelming, walk through your home with a laundry basket and try to add a few items from each room until the basket is full. If the feeling is satisfying, make another round!

Each day dishes should go into the dishwasher. Hang up clean clothes each night as well. Put dirty clothes straight into the hamper. Weekly, enlist your family to help you. Have one person vacuum, dust and make the beds. Have another person clean all the bathrooms. Then team up to clean the kitchen and take out all the trash.

Get rid of clutter!

Keep your home safe!

Floors and Mats!

Do a visual inspection for items that could be problematic in the future. Install carbon monoxide monitors on every bedroom floor if you don’t have them already. Test fire alarms and remember to replace batteries regularly.

Work out a plan to keep your house clean!

Take all of the entry mats to your home and clean the dirt and debris out of them. The reason you have them is to keep the dirt and debris from coming into your home. When the mats are full, there’s no room left to catch the dirt.

Rotate your area rugs. Did you know that area rugs need to be rotated? If your home has floors that can fade with sunlight exposure, area rugs need to be rotated on a regular basis to prevent the floors from having uneven sun exposure.

If one of your personal resolutions is to spend more time with friends and family then do something in your home to make it more “inviting”. Rearrange your furniture into conversational groups. Update a room with a new coat of paint. Add new runners, throw pillows or even plants for a fresh new look.

We hope you find these tips useful. These are resolutions that you can actually make AND easily keep. Cheers!

Get your home ready for entertaining!

Ways to Make your Home Cozy for Winter

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

Flannel sheets and a hot water bottle can make for a cozy winter bed on chilly nights. Taking the same idea of flannel sheets and the cozy hot water bottle and applying it to your winter décor will create a cozy home that will keep you warm all winter.

Blocking drafts and cold air from getting into your home is the first place to start. Replacing windows is a big expense but will save you thousands in heating bills over their lifetime. If this isn’t an option, look for products that can block the cold air from getting through the cracks around windows and doors. There is a huge selection of products at the big box home stores.

Adding heavier curtains to windows is an easy way to keep the heat in. Opening the curtains to capture the sun during the day and shutting them at night is something our grandmothers did. And it still works today.

Fight chilly floors by adding warmth through area rugs. Or banish cold floors forever with wall to wall carpet. If you prefer the look of wood, tile or stone floors, look into adding in-floor heating. Obviously this is a much larger expense than a few area rugs, but if you are doing a remodel or new construction, it might be worth the upfront expense.

Small touches like a cozy throw on the sofa, a roaring fire and extra blankets on the bed can fight those winter chills. Flannel sheets and hot water bottles really do make for a cozy winter bed.

Use Fall Colors Trends to Update Your Home

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

If there’s a silver lining to the pandemic, it’s that we are all seeking comfort, especially in our homes that we have spent so much time in. We are seeking comfort in the form of color, texture and layers.

The need to turn a closet or other small space into a home office or homework station has created a need for warmth, comfort and personalization. The more time you spend in your space, the more you need the space to feel like a place you can retreat and spend even more time in.

Do you find yourself gravitating towards soft textures and natural materials like wood or wood looks?

To achieve this search for comfort in your home, below are some ways to incorporate fall into this look and feel!

Add layers of pillows, blankets and area rugs to your space to make them feel cozier and more intimate. Textures that are soft, natural or chunky like cable knit will do the trick.

Choose flooring that has a warm, rich wood tone or wood look. Having the foundation of your room feel warm, rich and inviting will give you a feeling of comfort for years to come.

Decorate with colors that are warm earthy neutrals like shades of terracotta. Neutrals like sandstone mixed with warm, rich colors are appealing and inviting.

Use paint to update and freshen up your space. Maybe you don’t want to paint a wall but you want to incorporate the trendy new Fall colors into your home this Autumn.

Paint a chair. If an old chair frame is in good shape, it can easily be repainted, reupholstered and loved like new again. Paint the back of a bookcase for a pop of personalized color. Add an unexpected splash of color to the inside of your vanity, dresser or nightstand drawers.

Paint your closet doors. Pick up a color from your bedspread or throw pillows. This will make a dramatic difference in your bedroom. Why not also add vibrancy in an unexpected way by not just painting your headboard but the entire bed frame? If you have a four-poster bed this will be especially striking.

Just like any other piece of furniture — a dresser, bookshelf, headboard or nightstand — a secondhand desk can be given the same custom update. All you have to do is look beyond the scratches and exterior imperfections because most can be fixed and covered with a few coats of paint.

Get creative. Get personal. Find what speaks to you and works for you this Fall. Grab a warm drink, a chunky blanket and some peace of mind!

Ideas for Creating a Fall-Themed Front Entrance

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

Have you noticed the days are getting shorter, and the air in the mornings is crisp and cooler? Fall is here, so what better reason to spruce up your front entrance? There are so many inexpensive, creative ideas for this project. We encourage you to join the fun with our favorite easy fall design ideas:

We are sure that you have planters and urns around your home. If not, buy some in varying sizes. Remember you can use these year-round for other seasonal decorations. If they need to be painted, think about fall colors like bunt orange, olive green, dark gray, warm gold or bronze. Planters can be spray painted in no time, making it a quick project.

You may know that now is the time for mum flowers to be in bloom through November. They come in so many beautiful fall colors and are typically inexpensive. When mums have finished blooming in your local area, simply plant them in your yard landscape to enjoy next fall. What a wonderful way to repurpose! Take the mums and place them in the planters and urns for pops of color.

Planters are also excellent for creating height in your arrangement, especially if you have pumpkins and cornstalks in the design. Reverse this idea and place pumpkins and gourds in the planters then place the mums on the ground around the planters. Try different arrangements until you find your favorite!

These items are ideal for creating an arch around your front door because they are so beautiful and natural! Plus, these designs can be seen from the street. Everyone should have a supply of zip ties around the house since they are so handy and functional. Attach the limbs and stalks together with zip ties, spray paint the zip ties if they are visible, and place the stalks in a planter or basket.

Also, a fishing line is another item with a million uses. Anchor the limbs together by simply wrapping fishing line from the bottom up to the top. You can arrange the limbs once you have the zip ties or fishing line in place. Just attach the fishing line to light sconces or tap in small nails to secure at the top of your door.

How do you decorate your front entrance for fall? Do you do anything exciting and different? Thanks for reading!

Planters

Baskets and More

Front Door Mats

Everyone has some baskets laying around the house or in your garden shed. If you like the distressed look of patina or the clean, neat look, spray paint works wonders. Simply pick up an old antique bench or chair from a yard sale and begin spray painting. Again, keep it natural or spray paint according to your preferences.

Place dried flowers, small pumpkins, live mums, decorative gourds in the baskets and place on the bench or the seat of the chair. Also, large apple or peach baskets are perfect for placing a planter in the center. Or you can turn the basket upside down and use as a table to display your treasures.

Cornstalks, Tree Limbs, Vines and Willow Branches

Now is a good time to replace your front door mats. This is especially important not only because a worn mat will take away from the work you put in at your front entrance, but because new or regularly cleaned front door mats keep dirt and debris from scratching or bringing dirt onto your floors. Choose a door mat in a fall color or with a cute saying to welcome your guests.

How Color Influences a Room’s Emotion

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

It is no secret that color can be a powerful tool used in interior and exterior design. Color is used all the time throughout every aspect of styling, fashion, clothing, and marketing. In fact, you probably have your favorite color shirt you love to wear or a color car you may prefer. These color preferences can come down to color psychology and how a color can make you feel.

You also can have power on how much a specific color influences a room. For instance, let us explore blue:

Accent: If you use blue as a subtle accent tone in a room, you can create a calm and passive feeling atmosphere.

Monochromatic: Make that room monochromatic and all blue, then the blue may feel overpowering. Overpowering blue can create a lack of emotion, coldness, and detachment from an atmosphere.

Saturation: Y can also influence color through the saturation. For instance, a pastel blue has less influence than a vibrant, bright blue.

These are all little tricks to investigate when creating your space.

How Color Influences a Room’s Emotion

Room Temperature

Warm- and Cool-Tone Emotion

Color has a psychological effect on how we gauge temperature. Typically, we associate colors like blue with cooler atmospheres, whereas a color like red may indicate a warmer environment. Many designers believe that you should use your home’s natural climate environment to choose colors inside your home.

For instance, if you live in the desert oasis where it is continuously warm and surrounded by warm sandy tones, you may want to incorporate cooler tones in your home. Likewise, if you live in a winter wonderland, warmer colors in your home can make your home feel like a getaway retreat.

Dulling or Enriching Color Influences

Warm tones are associated with colors like red, orange, and yellow. Cool tones are associated with colors like blue, green, and violet. Warm tones are used to make a room feel more stimulating and inviting. Cool tones make the atmosphere feel more refreshing and relaxed. Consider what type of influence you want in each room. This factor can help guide you in color choices.

Creating Balance

Ultimately, balance is a vital tool in using color. For instance, using neutral tones can help create balance. If you chose to use colors, create balance to prevent over dominance. You can mix warm and cool tones to help create contrast. Just note whatever color is predominantly used in the room will have the most influence.

Different colors can create different psychological influences as well. For instance, think of using red in a room that you want to provoke a warm and cozy atmosphere. Now use green and you may make the space feel revitalized and earthy. Yet, make a room green and red and your mind will quickly associate these colors with festive and seasonal décor.

It is essential to make sure your colors agree with one another. In fact, many designers will create digital or tangible mood boards to see how different colors work with one another. You can utilize this idea to see how colors react in your setting and go from there.

Living in the Living Room

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

Our living rooms are often more than just a place to watch television and entertain guests. For many of us, we do most of our living at home in the living room. These rooms become a media room, home office, dining room and sometimes even a guest room. While we might not admit it, many Americans eat dinner while watching TV in the living room or family room.

The design trend to open concept spaces that incorporate kitchen, dining and living spaces means more and more of us are spending most of our time at home in one room.

Creating a décor that can work with all these different activities is key. Furniture arrangements, flooring and materials should all be selected to stand up to the heavy use and high traffic of today’s living rooms.

Sectional sofas allow seating for many in a single piece of furniture. Sofa companies are designing pieces that are modular meaning that they can function as typical shaped sofa or the pieces can be moved to feel more like a lounger or bed. Some sofas have chaise lounges that double as seating and storage for games, work accessories or extra bedding.

Now that so many people are working from home, the sofa can become a home office, socializing center and homework space. Having multiple seating options allows different family members to do different activities in the same space while still getting to spend time together.

Living room flooring should be durable to stand up to all the demands we place on the room. Stain-resistant and stain-repellant are key for carpet choices in high traffic areas. Hardwood and other hard surfaces are durable, but it is nice to have something softer for impromptu lounging on the floor. If you do have hard surface flooring, try adding an area rug.

Another product to consider that is a great product to meet the high demands of living room traffic, the need for stain resistance and ease of maintenance is luxury vinyl. Luxury vinyl allows you to have the look of otherwise expensive hardwood without the cost.

Designing or redesigning your living space with these tips in mind will make it easier for the entire family to spend more time together in comfort and style!

Four Elements of a Hotel-inspired Bedroom

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

Do you love the feel of a hotel bed? For many, hotel rooms conjure chic, calm feelings. When decorating your own bedroom, borrow elements from your favorite hotel rooms to achieve a sophisticated, relaxing look.

Possibly the most important part of a hotel-inspired bedroom is high-quality linens. High thread count sheets, a waffled blanket and a fluffy comforter encased in a sateen duvet will invite you to melt into your bed. Crisp white is surprisingly easier to care for than a pattern or color.

To really achieve the look of a sophisticated hotel room, you’ll need to add a sitting area. The type is up to you! Maybe you need a plush reading chair near the natural light. Or perhaps you’d like a small table and sturdy chair for applying makeup. Even a structured settee can invite conversation in the bedroom.

A bedroom retreat is just what you need to escape a long day of work and family. Creating a hotel-inspired master suite can help you feel rejuvenated in your own home.

White Bedding

Plush Flooring

Blackout Curtains

Most hotel rooms have patterned carpets. This can easily add a design style to your bedroom. If you have hardwood floors or luxury vinyl floors, a place to rest tired feet is essential. A neutral rug, placed on either side of the bed, under the bed, or at the foot of the bed will allow you to step out of bed in comfort. A patterned rug would look fantastic. Add a quality rug pad for a surprising indulgence.

Sitting Area

Deep, restorative sleep can be achieved with the help of blackout curtains. Select a heavy curtain that blocks all light or add a separate panel to the back of an opaque curtain. A dark grey velvet curtain would pop against a neutral wall and your new bedding.

Flooring for Small Spaces

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

Do you have a small room that needs new flooring? No one wants a home or a room that feels small, cramped, or tight on space! So, when you have a home with small rooms, you’ll want to do everything in you can to help open them up visually. This includes choosing the right flooring for the space.

If you’re looking into the tile for a kitchen, bathroom, or foyer and are worrying about what size tile to choose, think big to help make the whole room look bigger, too.

For a long time, the rule of thumb was that small rooms needed small floor tiles. This coincided with a time when floor tiles were rarely found above 8- or 9-inches and never above 13-inches. Unfortunately, instead of making the room look bigger, small tiles merely emphasize the size of the floor. This is due to the grout lines; the more grout lines you have, the more obvious the grid effect on the floor. Therefore, the small tiles just make the space look smaller.

If you really want to open up a space visually, consider using the largest tiles you can fit into the room comfortably. Large-format tiles are available in more sizes than ever. Keep in mind there’s a balance, you need to be able to see more than a few tiles in the entire room.

Unlike smaller tiles, large tiles need less grout and have fewer grout lines. Not only does this make it easier for you to keep the floor clean, it helps visually enlarge the floor. Without that grid that the small tiles form, your eye gets tricked into thinking that the floor is bigger than it is. This in turn makes the entire room look larger.

The one exception to this rule is mosaic tiles. When tiles get this small, instead of forming a grid, they form a pattern on the floor. This pattern helps disguise the size of the floor, which has the same effect as larger tiles do; it tricks you into thinking the floor is bigger than it is.

At the end of it all, If you want your room to look larger, start by thinking big to achieve your goals. And don’t forget the walls!

Taking Your Backsplash from Bland to Beautiful

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:12:57 GMT

If your kitchen needs a little boost in the style department, consider updating your backsplash to create a focal point. Most contemporary kitchens have similar looks that will appeal to a large portion of consumers. While keeping with this pattern is a great method for selling your home in the future, sometimes it can be nice to add a little something different to the room’s color palette.

An easy way to do that without redesigning the entire kitchen is to draw the eye to the backsplash area. Not only is this an affordable upgrade, it is also a simple fix if your tastes happen to change over time. This type of update will give you a chance to let your personality shine through and give the space a more custom look.

While there are some tried and true classics out there like white subway tile, you want to think outside the box to really make the space your own. Try some fun, geometric-shaped tiles. Try some fun geometric-shaped tiles in bright colors! You will still be able to benefit from the easily maintained look of the tile while creating some interest in the room at the same time. Even conventionally shaped tiles with a beautiful running pattern would immediately draw attention to the backsplash area.

If the remaining design of the room is predictable in nature, a patterned tile installation will bring some pizazz to the room. There are also mosaic glass tiles in metallic colors which can help bring out the look of stainless-steel appliances. Rustic homes can benefit from a brick or stacked stone look. If you do love the subway tile look though, try it in a colored glass or faux polished wood version. Presented in this way, it will be sure to turn a few heads.

If you don’t know where to start or don’t feel like you aren’t the creative type, ask for help! That’s what a flooring professional is for – to get you started with some ideas to jumpstart your planning process. Professionals will work with you to make sure that you are properly matched up with the look and materials that will bring out the best in your kitchen’s style. What are you waiting for?

Decorating Mistakes

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:21:00 GMT

It’s a new year! A new year means opportunity for change! If changing or upgrading your decorating is part of your 2023 plan, we’ve got some tips to help you avoid common decorating mistakes.

If you don’t love it, Leave it! : Do not use something that you don’t love. Just because something has been inherited or gifted and you feel it needs to be used, doesn’t mean you have to use it. If you don’t love something, donate it to Goodwill or another charitable organization. This also applies to larger items like cabinets or flooring. If you don’t love them, start fresh with a new look!

Define your own personal style : You don’t have to decorate according to the latest trend. Decorate around your personal style. You will enjoy your decor much longer if it truly speaks to who you are. Decorating around your personal style gives unique character to your interior.

Clear the clutter, Go chunky : Small accessories tend to make a space look cluttered and unorganized; not to mention the dust they collect. Simplify your accessories by replacing many small items with a few chunkier pieces. Chunky accessories make a space look clean because few are needed to replace many small items. Remember the decorating rule of three when making these choices.

Research Color : Avoid making the wrong choice with color. Different colors spark different moods on a subconscious level. Research what colors you are considering for paint, flooring, fabrics and accessories in order to ensure the right color choice for the appropriate room and its use. Remember that all of these finishes need to work together.

Ask an Expert : If you aren’t sure what to do, don’t go at it alone! Ask an expert. That could be an interior decorator, an interior finish specialist or a friend, neighbor or family member who’s style you admire. You can also get great ideas from social media. Spend some time on Instagram and Pinterest to gather ideas

The most important advice we can give you is “Done is beautiful”. Incomplete spaces look uninviting and affect the people that live there as well as guests. Try not to get caught up in deciding the perfect look for a particular space. Find a way to complete spaces; they can always be modified down the road.

Decorating Tips for the Holidays

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:20:00 GMT

The holiday season is filled with different activities that only come around once a year. Decorating for the holidays should be fun, rather than a chore so check out these tips on successful holiday decorating for the upcoming holiday season and festivities.

Don’t procrastinate : The longer you wait to get your decorating complete, the less time you have to enjoy your hard work. Don’t spend more time planning and shopping than you actually do decorating. Trust your gut and don’t over think your decorating plan. After all, it’s only up for a short time and you can completely change your plan next year! Make your life easy, don’t take it too seriously and have fun! Make putting up and taking down holiday decorations a something the whole family can do together. Put on a great playlist and enjoy
Focus : When decorating, start with a focal point. Rooms naturally have an area that is seen first by viewers due to architectural details and their locations. Larger rooms can have more than one focal point. When you begin, start with decorating the room’s natural focal point (for example: the fir place, windows, built-ins with decorative moldings). Keep in mind that the whole room does not need to be decorated. Focus on what people notice and spend your time on those areas. Don’t create too much work for yourself!
Get inspired : Holiday color schemes are not restricted to the typical red, white and green or Hanukkah blue and white. If you’re looking for something new and different, use creative color schemes with bright colors in combination with a metallic color such as silver and/or gold (for example: green, purple and silver). Fresh new looks are exciting and noteworthy. Have some fun and take some risks!
Holiday Table : Decorating your dining table for the holidays can be one of the most enjoyable parts of the holiday! Browse Pinterest or Instagram to get fun, easy or creative ideas on how to decorate your dining table for the holidays. Don’t hesitate to mix and match colors, patterns, textures or styles when creating your look. There are endless options and styles to choose from so use this opportunity to express your creative style!

Whether you choose to be classic and traditional or funky and fun, make it your own. Enjoy the process and be fully present for the holiday season!

Decorating With Dark Colors

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:18:00 GMT

It does not take a design expert to know that color plays a significant role in your interior. The hue that you select can have a drastic effect on the tone or mood that you are trying to set in a space. It can enhance your mood or do the opposite! In addition, the wrong color decision can make or break the architectural details of a room, creating an uneven balance.

In this article, we are going to focus on how to use dark colors. Rich colors such as dark brown, navy, charcoal, and black are hues that many people shy away from in their design schemes. To help you feel more comfortable using them, we are going to show you how you can use dark colors appropriately. Let’s take a look!

Picking the Right Room

Can’t decide whether you should splash a dark color in a specific space? When picking the right room, you should consider the size of the room and the mood that you want to set. Darker colors instantly create a cozy and intimate atmosphere. This can be particualry effective in rooms such as the living room, bedroom, or foyer.

However, keep in mind that dark colors have the tendency to make a room appear smaller. Avoid using rich hues in rooms that you want to have an open and airy feel like the bathroom where you get dressed in the mornings.

Highlighting Architectural Features

Common architectural features such as crown molding, shutter-style windows, and window trim work well with darker tones. You can create contrast with these features by choosing your favorite dark, rich hue and using it as a paint color on the walls around it.

Accent Wall Color

If you are interested in creating an accent wall in a specific room, you can drench the walls in a dark hue. For instance, painting an accent wall charcoal gray and leaving the opposite walls a lighter color will make the room feel a bit bigger while still keeping the dramatic accent wall.

Advantages to Dark Flooring

Choosing floors that are dark in hue can make the room feel more grounded while leaving other areas lighter as not to make the room feel too dark overall. Think about when you’ve seen dark and rich wood floors and how they bring warmth and stability to the entire room. Think about dark carpet in a cozy master bedroom and how warm and inviting it might feel. As a bonus, dark floors hide most types of household dirt. They don’t hide all dirt thought! Light colored things like lint will tend to show up more on a dark floor.

Highlight Other Design Elements

You can also use darker tones to highlight design elements such as the cabinetry in your kitchen. Painting your kitchen walls with a charcoal gray or navy blue will enhance your white cabinetry and marble counters. You can also use a darker wood variation on your floors to complete the look.

Maximalism

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:16:00 GMT

New trends are coming to fruition as we see old-time classics fading. While design trends come and go all the time, minimalism was extremely popular during the last decade. However, maximalism also had a long run many years ago. Maximalism was used in many European stylings to add more character and exaggerate value in designs. Now we are seeing more and more furnishings and décor being added. Generation Z is getting older and becoming of age to buy homes and decorate. Their influences have different from their parent’s designs and brought a new age: The Era of Maximalism!

Busier Designs

Maximalism is all about being very expressive and adding more designs and patterns to a space than prior designs. Maximalism promotes the use of more than a single pattern in space. Perhaps you add floral patterns through wallpaper while incorporating striped curtains and polka-dotted throw pillows. While these patterns may not complement each other, they give everything in the room their own individuality. This concept can help make a design feel more expressive and help add a dramatic effect.

Extra Details

With maximalism, it is all about flourishing your design with extra details. Everything is helping to take the design to the next level. No wall is left blank. Wallpapers, different colors, pictures, décor, lamps, and everything in the room are all there to add intricate details. The details of these design themes help bring more value to the space and allow them to flourish.

Eclectic Color Palette

It is not uncommon for many of Generation Z’s designs to add more color than ever. We see a more diverse color palette being used every day. Since color has a significant impact on a design, more colors are being used in every detail of design with maximalism. This eclectic style allows for different color chairs, unmatching sofas, or even all different colored walls to be used in a home.

Since maximalism is coming back into style, you can let this eclectic styling create a more expressive design tailored to your home. Plus, we are excited to see what other influences Gen Z brings to Interior Design!

Combining Different Decorating Styles Between You and Your Partner

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:14:00 GMT

Moving in with your new partner or spouse can be a giant milestone in life! You get to spend more time together, learn each other’s habits, and can help each other grow. So, no negatives, right? Of course not! You will constantly be having to learn to give and take and compromise when adapting your different lifestyles. So, what happens when you both disagree on how you want to decorate the house? Perhaps, you both have two very distinct decorating styles and just cannot come to terms on which will work best in the house. Keep reading!

First Things First

Approach with compassion and in times of changes, proceed slowly. You both live here. It should be a sanctuary for both of you. It’s not about who is right and who is wrong. It’s about finding the balance of what works for both of you. Listening to each other is the best way to get what you both want.

Each Choosing Several Rooms to Decorate

Say one of you loves Shabby Chic, and one of you loves Contemporary. You both have two distinct design styles you love; however, the two designs do not blend together well. You have both established a fair share of furniture and décor to complement your own design style; however, these two styles clash in your new home. Instead of creating a battle over the two designs, break the house down into different sections. Allow each another to decorate different rooms/spaces in the home. Maybe you find a floor that you both agree on and have that be the consistent thing that ties everything together. Keep in mind that open layout homes can become more challenging. You may need walls or doors to create barriers, where rooms start and end.

Mixing the Two Designs

Perhaps you love Modern, and your partner loves Rustic. Consider blending the two designs. Many design styles help create guidelines. You may use more earthy tones and raw materials in your Rustic themed home while the Modern home may have more clean-cut lines. You now have the privilege of creating a new design. Learn what works with each other. Find a way to help your designs complement each other while decorating your home. This is an excellent way to grow together and learn to work with each another in your new home.

Finding a New Design That You Both Like

Maybe your significant other adores Art Deco, and you choose a more Southwestern Style of living. You just cannot seem to agree on splitting the design, and the two styles do not blend well. Spend some time together exploring Pinterest and the web to find a style you both agree on having in your home. It may not be your favorite or your spouses’ number one choice, but finding a middle ground, you can both appreciate it. Plus, it helps tailor your home to you two as a couple.

Designing with someone else can be challenging! Do your best not to let it be a source of stress. Just like in life and business, approach it as an opportunity for growth, assume positive intent and proceed with kindness and compassion.

Use Architectural Influences to Guide Your Design

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:13:00 GMT

New spaces can be a great time to reset and renovate your design theme. What may have been your old-style choices may have changed over the years. Since design trends come and go, your new home or newly designed home can be a great place to revamp your design style. However, with hundreds of great design themes to explore, it can seem nearly impossible to select the best one for you.

If you are looking to create a new design theme, there is no better place to begin than by using your architectural influences to help guide you. Your home’s architectural influences include your home’s layout, blueprint, location, and unique features. These features are foundational and make your home its own individual, unique space. In fact, these architectural elements are great tools to use to help create your design. Here is how you can use your architecture to create your next design theme:

Layout and Blueprint

Look at your home’s blueprint and layout. What was the intentional design for your home? Is your home Southwestern or Mid-Century Modern? These architectural layouts are designed specifically to complement their partnering interior design style. If you have an open floor plan, look for design styles that work with this. Perhaps your home has more closed spaces and feels intimate and cozy lending itself to other design styles.

Location

Your location is also a vital indicator of how to design your home. Where is your home located? Are you in the middle of the woods or deep in the center of a city? Do you have a beach house or reside on the side of a mountain? These can all be specific ways to help target the best design theme. Your location probably attracted you to the home you bought. Why not take more pride in your location by allowing your design theme to complement it as well.

Unique Features

Lastly, does your home have unique features? For instance, consider a circular window in a round room. This feature is not very common and is a unique feature that is specific to your home. This room may be best suited with a radial symmetrical design theme that facilitates round furnishing and d�cor! Does your home have high ceilings and huge windows that let in a lot of light?

Using these tactics can help you hone a design theme that is best suited for your house. Remember, interior design is a personal expression and can be creative; however, some themes work best in different applications. Start with your favorite architectural element and see where it takes you. Pay attention to some of these tactics when designing your home and you’ll feel more connected to your new design style.

Carpet or Hardwood for Bedrooms?

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:11:00 GMT

Are you building a new home, a first time or move up buyer, or simply renovating your current home? If you’re debating between carpet and hardwood for your bedroom, you’ll want to consider the pros and cons of each.

The bedroom is your personal sanctuary and should reflect your style and taste. Often, we are guilty of choosing the perfect paint color, bed, bedding and furniture, but overlook flooring. Technically, choosing your flooring should be one of the first choices you should make. Think of the process as building from the ground up.

Considerations for your flooring choices should include design, function and individual lifestyle needs. Think about your daily life, do you only use the bedroom for sleep, or do you spend a lot of time in your bedroom? Do you have small children? Do you have pets? Do you eat meals in the bedroom?

Keep in mind that in your bedroom, the first thing your feet touch in the morning is the floor, and the last thing they touch in the evening. What do you want to feel first thing in the morning and at the end of the day?

Carpet

Carpet is still very popular for bedroom flooring. Carpet offers many color, style and pattern choices that can determine the overall look and feel of the room. Benefits or carpet include that carpet is soft and cozy with many styles, designs and color options to choose from. Carpet feels great underfoot and is an excellent choice for reducing sound, especially if the bedroom is upstairs.

When choosing carpet for your bedroom, keep the carpet cushion or padding in mind as this will affect how the carpet feels underfoot.

Some drawbacks for carpet are that carpet requires frequent cleaning to keep it beautiful and properly maintained. While carpet is less expensive than hardwood, it doesn’t last as long and would need replacing sooner than hardwood.

Hardwood

Hardwood is a popular choice for its inherent beauty and style. Hardwood offers many choices based on style, design and color whether traditional, pre-finished or distressed looking hardwood. Benefits of hardwood include the timeless look and feel, durability and easy maintenance. Another benefit of hardwood is that it is very desirable for resale.

Some drawbacks of hardwood floors are they can be expensive, can scratch, aren’t as soft underfoot and do not insulate against noise as well. If you have pets, you’ll need to factor in that pet hair can be more visible on hardwood on a daily basis depending on the color of the wood in relation to the color of the pet hair.

If you love the look of hardwood, but like the feel of carpet, there’s a solution to get to enjoy both! To soften the look and feel of the bedroom, place an area rug on top of the hardwood! This allows you to add an additional design element of color, texture and defines the space, especially for a large bedroom.

We hope this information helps you feel more informed about whether carpet or hardwood is right for your bedroom!

Seven Ways to Make Your Small Living Room Look Larger

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:07:00 GMT

Are you tired of your tiny and cramped living room? Decorating a small living room can be challenging especially when you have your eyes set on furniture pieces that would never fit in the space. Don’t worry! By employing these easy design tricks you can create a living room that is larger than life. Here are seven ways you can make your living room feel much bigger than it actually is.

Oversized Mirrors
Using mirrors to visually expand a space is the oldest trick in the book. However, it actually works. Professional interior decorators use oversized mirrors in small rooms because they reflect light which makes the room appear bigger. A unique way to apply this theory is to select architectural mirrors which provide the illusion of a window or door.
Trim and Ceiling
When painting the living room, homeowners tend to leave the ceiling and trim white. Since these architectural features are just as important as the walls you should harmonize them with the rest of the space. You can use a lighter shade of a consistent hue that you’re using throughout a design scheme or the wall color on the ceiling. Apply a slightly different shade on the trim.
Multifunctional Furniture
When decorating a tiny living room you should take advantage of multifunctional furniture. Consider purchasing a double duty coffee table that serves as both a table and extra seating. An upholstered storage ottoman can double as additional storage and seating.
Mount the Television
Instead of a television stand, mount the television on the wall to save space. You can put a decorative spin on this by surrounding the flat panel television with artwork.
Properly Fitted Rug
A rug that properly covers the living room floor is important for creating a unified look. If a standard size rug won’t always fit you can always have a patterned carpet cut and bound into a custom area rug.
The Right Flooring
When designing a small space, the size of the flooring can make a huge difference. Most people think that small tiles or narrow wood planks are appropriate for small spaces. Look at using larger tiles or wider plank hardwood, laminate or luxury vinyl floors to make the living room feel larger. The less lines the eye has to visually separate, the larger the space will feel.
Plan the layout
It’s important to plan out the traffic flow in your living room. Section off different areas of the living room according to their function. For instance, set aside zones for working, eating and lounging.

We hope some of these tips will help you enjoy your living or family room more! Try different options and techniques and see the difference it makes in your space!

Using Color in Your Home

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:06:00 GMT

Using Color in Your Home

Adding color to your home allows you to personalize your space. It does take careful thought, however, to include color wisely. Here are a few suggestions before you dive into color options for your décor.

Get to know the color wheel: Choosing a color palette can be difficult, but you can set yourself up for success by knowing the basics of the color wheel and how colors work together.

For example, colors that sit directly across from each other on the wheel, such as orange and blue, green and red or yellow and purple, are called complementary colors. Using a complementary color scheme creates an arresting look that can be overwhelming. On the other hand, sticking with similar color choices – next to each other on the color wheel – can quickly become boring.

Learn more about the color wheel here: https://www.fromthefloorsup.com/2010/03/the-color-wheel/

Use the principle of 60-30-10: Select a dominant color and use it for 60 percent of the color in a room. Use 30 percent – or half as much color – for your secondary color choice. Finally, add accents of a third color for the final 10 percent. For example, you could select red for a dominant color in a dining room, painting the walls and including some red in the rug on the floor. Brown as the secondary color might include the wood floors and a buffet and dining table. For a daring accent choice, use a yellow-orange for the dining chair cushions and table centerpiece.

Color Advice

It may be tempting to stick with neutrals when decorating, but the careful selection of colors that work for you can help make your home as inviting and welcoming as you are.

Neutral does not equal beige: Yes, beige is a neutral, but there are many other colors that can play as a neutral in your home. Take a look at a soft shade of lavender or a mushroom-toned off-white. Neutrals balance warm and cool tones and fall into the color background of a room. Avoid over-trendy choices for substantive pieces: You may love the newest and hottest color, but use it as an accent wall color or in throw pillows. Wall colors and accessories can be easily switched out, but when purchasing furniture, choose shades that will stand the test of time.

Lighting

Understand that lighting changes the look of colors: Something that seems too bright under fluorescent lights will shift in strength and hue under natural or incandescent lighting. Be sure to select and match colors under natural lighting first and see how each color will look in the room during different times of the day.

Think Fashion!

Don’t overload your color palette: While a mixture of colors can be beautiful, too many or the wrong shades together can be disastrous. You might want to start by finding a fabric that offers a good selection of two or three colors and use it as the basis for the color design of your space. Decorating your home is very similar to wearing a well put together outfit.

Finally, for a good idea of colors that you can live with, take a look in your closet. Chances are if you love a shade enough to buy it to wear, you will enjoy it in your home also. With just a little thought, you can take the leap into color and help make your home reflect your style and personality.

Spring Projects: Embracing the Blooming Season

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:04:00 GMT

Spring Projects: Embracing the Blooming Season

With the soon-arrival of the blooming season, homeowners may find themselves busier than ever. Are you getting ready for your annual “spring cleaning”? The term is derived from the fact that our homes will need a little more TLC since we are transitioning from colder, drearier months. During winter, we put these home projects on the backburner until the weather begins to warm. Therefore, the opportunity to tackle these must-needed home projects is almost here. And to help you prepare for the day, we have created a list of four spring projects that you may want to start this season. Let’s take a look!

An Effortless Landscape

When you take a step inside, does your house feel underwhelming? If so, you may be in need of some new floors. In fact, flooring can set the stage for your design. So this spring, take some tips from the light and airy season by renovating your floors with this year’s hottest trends, including light-colored floors. From hand-scraped to wire-brushed trends to marble looks, the design possibilities are endless in 2022. Plus, with innovations in the industry, you do not have to settle for only one type of flooring in your home.

A Delightful Addition

Since spring embraces new plant life, we think that there is no better way to highlight your countertops than through the use of plants and flowers. In fact, plants can help provide greenery and life to a space while adding to the overall aesthetic. However, if you notice that your countertops are not as pristine as they once were, you have two options. One option is that you can have your countertops replaced. The renewing season of spring is the perfect time to refresh your design, especially when it comes to countertops. If you are looking to refresh your countertop design this spring, currently homeowners love the natural, one-of-a-kind beauty of marble and quartz countertops. Marble countertops feature an authentic, beautiful veining that is unmatched by any other countertop. However, if you are looking for a more durable & low maintenance countertop, quartz is a great option, you can opt for beautiful quartz countertops. Quartz is composed of natural crystals, which makes it an insanely gorgeous countertop option. Plus, quartz countertops are perfect for homeowners who love to cook because they are scratch-, stain-, and heat-resistant.

A Sweet Escape

With the weather warming, there is no time like the present to upgrade your backyard. If you have not created an outdoor oasis yet, you can simply add items that make you happy. For instance, you can incorporate some comfortable seating for entertaining, build your own firepit for warmth, hang decorative stringed lighting for creativity, or make a beautiful paver pathway to and from your house. The options for your outdoor retreat are truly endless – just remember to add items that will have you coming back for more.

A Warm Welcome

Nothing says “welcome home” quite like curb appeal. Plus, spring is the perfect time of year to spruce up your front yard. For instance, you can replace your house numbers, repaint your front door and shutters, add potted plants to your porch, incorporate a new welcome mat, and swap out your mailbox. Much like our backyard projects, our front yard projects are all about your personal preferences. Start with whatever you currently dislike about your curb appeal and work from there.

With these simple spring projects, you can create an inspiring, noteworthy design that is ready to take on the new year. We hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading!