Ready to create your own casual style?  Begin by mixing furniture, fabrics, accessories and finishes to create an informal look.  Sounds difficult but it actually becomes easier as you begin to move around items and see what feels more comfortable.  Take a look at some items I just mixed together to create a more casual feel.

Example of mixing materials by Karen Mills

To create a more casual look with the formal chair, I added a leather ottoman topped with a granite tray and filled it with organic materials (sea shells and a horn) along with metal accessories to make the space more inviting and relaxed.

Other ways to bring casual style into your home are through more relaxed design styles such as french country or beach cottage looks.  Charles Faudree, one of my favorite french country designers and authors, does a great job of creating a casual look by mixing materials in his designs.

French Country style by Faudree

Cover of "Charles Faudree Interiors" book

Juan Montoya design

Also love this beach house in the Dominican Republic created by nationally known designer Juan Montoya that was posted on Studio Surfaces blog.

Sofa designed by Michael Payne

And for a contemporary version of casual, check out these new furniture pieces (above and below) designed by former HGTV personality and designer Michael Payne .  That red chair just sizzles!

Chair design by Michael Payne

For more tips to creating a casual look, make sure you tune into Living Large this Sunday at 10am Central on News Radio 980 KMBZ as I talk with nationally known designer and author Charles Faudree along with former HGTV personality and designer Michael Payne.

And for more information about Design Styles, don’t miss nationally known designer Laura Kirar this Saturday at 10:30am on Living Large as we talk about what styles are hot now along with Keitha Kaminski from the Webster House of Kansas City.

Ready to refresh your space for spring?  How about updating  your windows or walls?  As internationally known designer Vicente Wolf says “Windows are the eyes of a space”

Wolfe

Design by Vicente Wolf

Wolfe design

Design by Vicente Wolf

which makes them quite special whether they stand on their own as a beautiful piece of architecture that illuminates the space or are dressed up to add another layer of interest to your interior. 

Now that we have such a wide array of beautiful windows and hard window treatments available, the trend for soft treatments becomes more about enhancing the design and window than covering it up.

But let’s not forget about walls in your space which comprise the biggest surface in an interior, making them an extremely important element in your design.  I have to admit that I’m having so much fun redoing walls for my clients by adding finishes that really make a statement on a focal point or creating a new area of interest because the options are endless. 

If you have a plain wall thats boring, you can change that by adding architectural interest with crown molding or base trim, a niche or a bump out  for example.  Other ideas could include upholstering your wall, adding a different color of paint or faux finish to a focal point, creating a wall of tile or stone, wallpapering or adding paneling among others.

Paneled wall as shown on Remodelista.com

For more great ideas on window and wall treatments, don’t miss Living Large this Sunday at 10am Central on News Radio 980 KMBZ (streams live on kmbz.com) as I talk with celebrity designer Vicente Wolfe from New York along with an editor from Remodelista and Innerworks, a local window treatment showroom.

And for the latest furniture trends, tune in this Saturday at 10:30am Central on Living Large as nationally known interior designer Campion Platt reveals the best pieces to buy now.

Close your eyes for a minute and imagine entering a beautiful restaurant or hotel.   What do you see?   

Lighting Design by Bruce Yarnell

Four Seasons Royal Suite in Washington D.C. with lighting design by Bruce Yarnell of Kansas City

Detail of lighting design by Bruce Yarnell

Lighting design by Bruce Yarnell

Four Seasons Royal Suite in Washington D.C. with lighting design by Bruce Yarnell

Lighting by Bruce Yarnell

Four Seasons Royal Suite

If you’re like most, you notice the great architecture and furnishings, but not the source of lighting for the space.  But that’s not the case with this new Four Seasons Royal Suite in Washington D.C. where the lighting becomes the art in the entry.  And that’s why I wasn’t surprised to hear that Oprah Winfrey was the first on to stay in the suite.  And don’t you just love how the draperies seem to glow and the cove lighting over the bed!

If you can afford it, a great place to start with lighting would be to emphasize the focal points inside your home such as a  fireplace, dining area or master bed for example.  On the ceiling above your  fireplace, consider adding a small directional pin light that showcases the artwork over your mantel or a flanking  a couple of beautiful sconces on your fireplace for a little drama.  Then in your dining room, add directional pin lights on each side of your chandelier that showcase your table’s centerpiece and in the master, consider adding cove lighting over your bed.  But that’s just the start because I haven’t even begun to talk about emphasizing your other architectural features or how to wash your walls with color so the room glows. 

 

Catalina lamps by Brenda Houston

 

 

Sharon lamp by Brenda Houston

Now its time to begin to think about adding more accent lighting with lamps in a diagonal or triangular type layout.  But don’t stop at just two or three lamps in your living space or think that you have to use standard lamps.  Look for lamps that speak to you or relate to your style like the Catalina lamp pictured above made from a real ammonite shell or the Sharon lamp made from a mineral.

 In my own great room, I usually have a mininum of four to five lamps spread throughout my room along with candlelight, a lit fireplace, up lights and furniture that can be lit to create a wonderful ambiance. 

Now that you’ve created a wonderful ambiance with the interior of your home, why not extend the ambiance to your exterior too? 

Outdoor Lighting design by John Pletcher of Kansas City

For more information about lighting design and how to create a beautiful ambiance in your home, don’t miss Living Large this Sunday at 10am CST on News Radio 980 KMBZ (streams live on kmbz.com) as I talk with top lighting designers from around the country (work pictured) about the secrets to great lighting plus check out my Designer’s Eye column on lighting at http://www.karenmills.net/designerseye/lightingdesign.htm

And if you would like to know the latest trends in flooring, tune into Living Large Saturday at 10:30am CST on Classical 1660 KXTR (streams live on kxtr.com) as I talk with nationally known designer Frank Webb of White Webb design.

Plus don’t forget to become a fan of Living Large on Facebook by clicking on this link! http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=217431843107#!/pages/Living-Large/217431843107

What a perfect time to talk about decorating bedrooms, especially for Valentine’s Day!  I love all the possibilities of decorating the master suite for Valentine’s Day whether its tossing  rose petals on your bed, floating candles in the bathtub or playing soft music in the background just remember its all about engaging your senses and creating a fabulous ambiance. 

The Goring Hotel in London

And I can’t think of a better place to create an inviting atmosphere than your bedroom, where you can transform it into a personal retreat or escape at the end of the day. 

When you’re ready to begin the design of your bedroom, just remember that your bed is the focal point so that’s  a great place to start when you’re ready to purchase furniture.   Then once you’ve selected a great bed that fits you and your lifetstyle, think about how you can embellish it with wonderful bedding, pillows, lighting, wall treatments, ceiling architecture or artwork for example. 

afrikboutik

Bedroom design featured on afrikboutik blog

The options for bedrooms are so exciting now because the focus has become more about casual comfortable fabrics in everything from natural cottons or linens to bamboo and washable silks along with multifunctional furniture such as end tables prewired to accomodate electronic devices and case pieces that hold disappearing televisions.

To learn more about bedrooms and design, don’t miss Living Large this Sunday at 10am Central Time on News Radio 980 KMBZ (streams live on kmbz.com) as I talk with nationally known designer Alexa Hampton along with local experts who share the latest trends.

bedroom

Bedroom design by Alexa Hampton

Plus if you’re looking for tips on accessorizing, tune in Saturday morning at 10:30am to Living Large on Classical 1660 KXTR as I talk with Bravo network designer Jonathan Adler.

And if you’re on Facebook, make sure you sign up to be a fan of Living Large where we post additional information and photos!

Isn’t it exciting to see the kitchen start to meld into the rest of the living spaces?!  And why not!  The kitchen is the place where everyone ends up, whether its just the family or a bigger gathering.   And with so many high tech appliances being introduced, the kitchen’s now become a new place to show off the latest technology to friends and family making it even more popular.

Kitchen from Better Homes & Gardens website

Kitchen from Better Homes & Gardens website

To make that transformation complete, we just need to make some changes so the functional part of  the kitchen becomes less apparent such as removing upper cabinets or hiding less attractive appliances behind cabinetry or inside separate furniture pieces. 

 

As you’ve probably noticed all white kitchens are appearing everywhere in magazines with a crisp clean new attitude that’s still feels quite welcoming.  White marble countertops are especially popular right now, but can stain and get a worn look that’s not always appealing so weigh in the benefits and downsides of marble before you rush out and have marble installed in your kitchen.

Ever feel overwhelmed with all the talk about how to be sustainable?  You’re not alone.  For me, living more sustainably is similar to keeping our bodies healthy.   God only gave us one body and its our responsiblity to maintain it  by eating nutritious food, drinking plenty of water, exercising and reducing stress.  

Living Green with Karen Mills- green design condo on Plaza

Living Green with Karen Mills episode on World Goin Green Video Internetwork

(Click this link to watch one of the Living Green with Karen Mills episodes on World Goin Green. http://www.worldgoingreen.com/?p=58)

The same principle holds true for earth and and its resources.  To maintain it, we need to take care of what we’ve been given and focus on how to reduce, reuse and recycle when possible.    And if you’re unsure how to tell if a product is green, simply add together three important factors; the resource needed to mine a product, the resource or energy needed to ship a product plus the renewability of the product.    

But if that formula seems like way too much effort,  then think first before you make a purchase, throw away an item or use natural resources.  For example, a few years ago, my mother shared with me a great tip that I still use today.  Try and plan all your appointments/errands on one trip where you go in a loop around the city and make it to all of them in one day or schedule appointments when possible that are close together in the same trip instead of going to each destination separately, which will not only save energy but also money! 

For more great tips on sustainable living, make sure you tune into Living Large this Sunday at 10am Central (streams live on kmbz.com) on News Radio 980 KMBZ as I interview the U.S. Green Building Council’s Vice President of Residential Market Development, Nate Kredich along with other green experts who are going to reveal a brand new rebate for photovoltaic systems (solar) that could result in thousands back in your pocket, plus a free new training program that’s just been implemented for green jobs, so make sure you don’t miss it!

If you’re looking for more design tips on your living spaces, then make sure you tune in to hear nationally known designer Thomas Pheasant  sharing great design information this Saturday morning at 10:30am Central on Living Large on Classical 1660 KXTR.

And don’t forget to become a fan of our new Living Large fan page on Facebook by clicking on this link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Living-Large/217431843107#/pages/Living-Large/217431843107?v=wall

Have you noticed in the last few years how interior and fashion design have begun to overlap?  Fashion designers are developing furnishings and interior designers are creating fashion, quickly blurring the line between the two industries.  So now translating a favorite dress or necklace into a room design is much easier!

And speaking of overlapping, look at how designers are mixing together different design styles and textures in fabrics and finishes for everything from the floor and wallcoverings to furniture and decor.  

Laura Kirar

Laura Kirar design

Hollywood Pied-A-Terre design by Donna Livingston

 Some of the most popular ways to mix design styles is to take a classic ornate piece you love and mix it with something more contemporary with straight lines  so your furniture complements, instead of competing.  

 And as designers we understand that straight lined pieces often transition easier into new design schemes later.  Plus you’ll notice in many modern spaces now that  they are often warmed up with color or a few traditional pieces to create a more inviting look.

For more information on design styles, what’s hot and how to mix it up, don’t miss Living Large this Sunday at 10am Central on News Radio 980 KMBZ as I talk to nationally known designers Laura Kirar and Donna Livingston along with a local antiques buyer.  And to see more examples of Kirar’s or Livington’s work,  just click on the pictures above that are linked to their website.

If you’re looking for kitchen and bath ideas, then tune in this Saturday at 10:30am Central on Living Large as I talk with HGTV’s Lauren Lake about the latest kitchen trends.

And don’t forget to sign up for our new Living Large Facebook fan page where you can listen to some of the interviews and get more information by clicking on this link:  http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=217431843107&share_id=394951595386&comments=1#/pages/Living-Large/217431843107

Wondering about the latest trends in furniture before you start making purchases?  For most designers and homeowners, its about having the right mix of new and antique /vintage furniture plus knowing how to combine traditional with contemporary or modern to get just the right look.  And if you notice a little Asian furniture in the mix, don’t be surprised because that style gained more popularity again with the Bejing Olympics and its an easy style to mix with other styles of furniture.

Last week I decided to check out the Mission Road Antique Mall and found some interesting discoveries I wanted to share with you.

Pair of Asian statues

 

Asian altar table

Furniture at Mission Road Antique mall

Table base of carved horse heads

Chairs with carved horsehead arms

To learn more about the latest furniture trends and mixing furniture successfully, tune into Living Large on News Radio 980 KMBZ this Sunday at 10am Central as I talk with nationally known architect and designer Campion Platt about furniture among others.

And if you would like to create a more inviting space, then don’t miss Living Large this Saturday morning at 10:30am Central as I talk with nationally known designer Juan Montoya about how to create an inviting interior.

Sign up now to become a fan of Living Large Facebook fan page! Click here

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Napoleon and Josephine ottoman, chairs and coffee table by Campion Platt

 And check out this amazing dual purpose furniture by Campion Platt that when taken apart becomes two chairs and a coffee table (see wood piece in the center). 

Chair from Napoleon and Josephine set by Campion Platt

White Webb design

White Webb design

What do you envision when you think about flooring?  Do you see nicely aged wood floors with different sized planks, gorgeous natural stone tiles with radiant heating or just a simple stained concrete floor?    All three flooring types have become popular choices. 

Wood flooring design

Wood flooring design

Bubinga wood floor

Bubinga wood flooringBrazilian Rosewood

African paduak wood flooring
African padauk wood flooring

 

And speaking of wood flooring, I  love beautiful quartersawn planks that are known for their stability plus the more exotic options available now including African padauk, Bulbinga and Brazilian rosewood for example.  

We come a long way since the days of dirt floors and straw thresholds or having to use different size planks because that’s what the tree we cut down yielded haven’t we?  Now the choices are limitless.  We can buy everything from aged wood planking, bamboo grass, cork, rubber, natural stone, man made stones or vinyl that looks like natural pebbles or whatever our imaginations can conceive.

In the future I believe we will continue to show interest in sustainable products as long as they’re beautiful, along with flooring that we can personalize to our taste plus products of higher quality that ultimately are a better value.

Chinese Multicolor slate from Bedrock International

Chinese Multicolor slate from Bedrock International

White Webb design

White Webb design

And you would like to create a comfortable space then tune into Living Large this Saturday at 10:30am on Classical 1660 KXTR as I talk with the queen of comfortable, Bunny Williams, who is a nationally known designer and author.

Plus if you’re on Facebook, make sure you sign up to become a fan of our new “Living Large” Facebook fan page that just launched!

Does your interior feel “blah” even though its filled with furniture?  That could be because your room lacks the final touches to make it come alive and feel inviting such as  strategically placed lamps, rugs, window treatments or accessories.   

Two of the biggest things I often find lacking when walking into a new client’s home are ample accent lighting, especially lamps and wonderful accessories.   And to compound the problem, most of us buy small accessories which tend  to make our space  look cluttered.   Instead we should look for a balance of accessory sizes with more emphasis on large than small. 

Another key to successfully accessorizing includes selecting colors, styles, and textures that will enhance your design and grouping accessories together to create vignettes or  points of interest throughout your space.  

Pillow design by Jonathan Adler

Pillow design by Jonathan Adler

Vase design by Jonathan Adler

Vase design by Jonathan Adler

Interior Design by Timothy Corrigan

Interior Design by Timothy Corrigan

David Jimenez design posted on House Beautiful's website

David Jimenez design posted on House Beautiful's website

For more tips on accessorizing, click on the “Designer’s Eye Column” link on the front page of my website at http://www.karenmills.net and select the article on accessorizing, plus this Sunday at 10am Central, don’t miss Living Large as I talk to top designers Jonathan Adler from Bravo network, Timothy Corrigan and David Jimenez about how they successfully accessorize a space.  (To see more pictures of their work, just google them and pull up their websites)

And for the latest trends in bedroom design and decorating, tune into Living Large this Saturday at 10:30am Central as I talk with ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition designer Tracy Hutson.