Hickory White Archives

Interior Design: How to Use Black and White in…

April 13, 2018

Karen Mills' blog — Photo courtesy of Wesley Hall furniture

Who doesn’t love the classic combination of black and white? Timeless and classy, black and white bring a punch to a room like nothing else. And the best part is that you can add touches of your favorite color to completely change the look like this living space that has a warm neutral color added to calm it down.

In this space the designer punched up the drama with black walls that visually disappear behind the white upholstery. Pops of red add to the bold look.

The best feature in this room are the black painted over sized windows that showcase the height of the room, while drawing you into the space. White and red upholstery add to the drama while the white drapes and walls help soothe the living space.

Because the majority of the finishes and furnishings in this room are white, this space takes on an ethereal feel that’s calms the senses while the touches of greenery help bring the room back to earth.

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 7 Steps to Designing a Dramatic Dining…

July 14, 2017

Who doesn’t love the thought of a beautiful dining room where you can have dinner parties, a romantic dinner, or just intimate family gatherings. Read on for how to design your own beautiful dining room.

1. Select Your Personal Design Style – If you have no idea what style you are start by finding inspiration photos online or in print. Then notate your favorite elements from each room to get a sense of your style. In this room a transitional glam style sectional is combined with a more traditional style chair and artwork.

2. Pick a Color Scheme – Most of us don’t spend much time in a dining room so have fun in here and pick colors you love. Bolder colors can go on decor, rugs, chairs, or even walls but if you like to change up your style often, you might consider neutral walls and floors that give more flexibility when you want to change your color scheme. Here the yellow green chair fabrics repeat one of the colors in the art while the buffet and tabletop add a dark contrast to the bold colors.

3. Add Dining Table and Seating – The dining room table and chairs along with the items directly behind them are the focal point of your room. Begin by determining how many people you need to seat and ensuring you have room for the table you want. Plus remember that your chairs don’t need to match your table, just enhance them.

If you opt for a dramatically styled table, then consider simpler style chairs and backdrop. Or if you go with a simpler style table, you might bring in drama with a wall covering or beautiful buffet with art above.

4. Consider Including Additional Furniture – The majority of dining rooms benefit from functional storage furniture like a buffet and curio cabinets shown in this photo, but don’t forget about sofa tables, tea carts, and other furnishings that can enhance your room and provide handy surfaces for lamps, platters, trays, or display.

5. Introduce a Dramatic Element – A bold element can range from a gorgeous piece of art like a sculpture or painting to wallpaper or beautiful buffet/curio to a stunning light fixture.

6. Layer in Texture – Adding texture softens all the hard surfaces of the table, chairs, buffets, and hard flooring. Texture can be introduced with an area rug, drapes/window coverings, fresh flowers, live plants/trees, or textural decor. In this photo fresh flowers on the table and upholstered furniture add texture.

7. Add lighting – Don’t forget about lighting because it creates much need ambiance and light when necessary. Table lamps on a buffet or sofa table look beautiful behind a table along with a stunning chandelier and/or sconces on the wall behind.

For more great ideas and photos, sign up for our weekly interior design blog here

Plus become a fan of Kansas City’s interior designer and former host of the Living Large design show, Karen Mills, on Facebook or Instagram here!

Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 3 Ways to Successfully Mix n Match…

June 23, 2017June 23, 2017

As an interior designer who’s designed or decorated over 1100 homes, I understand how overwhelming it can be for a homeowner to bring together their disparate furnishings to create a beautifully designed interior. Read on for 3 steps you can take today to created a more finished look.

1. Repetition – To coordinate mismatched furniture or accessories I recommend tying them together by repeating a color from one piece to onto another like the pillow, rug, and art in this photo that helps unify the furnishings to create a beautiful interior design. The branches, rug, artwork, and cloth fabrics also provide a welcome contrast to the hard surfaces of the floor, windows, walls, and table.

2. Opposites Attract – One great way to combine furnishings is by juxtaposing shiny finishes with dull, textural with smooth or formal with casual to give your room life and keep it interesting. The upholstery, branches, stone formation, and rug contrast beautifully against the hard surface of the tables while the brown pillow on the sofa marries the sofa to the chair.

3. Size (and shape) Matters – When creating vignettes of accessories in your space whether its for a tabletop or shelves, try to place objects of various heights, sizes, texture, and shapes together to create a cohesive whole like this photo, while keeping taller items at the back for a graduated look. Pillows, artwork, and blue accessories bring together the color palette, while the yellow vases provide an unexpected pop of color.

Click here to watch one of my recent TV interviews with Gina Bullard on Better Kansas City on KCTV5 about how to create rooms with staying power

http://www.kctv5.com/clip/13418623/home-design-with-staying-power

plus sign up for our weekly interior design and decorating blog here

and become a fan of Kansas City’s interior designer and former host of Living Large design show, Karen Mills, on Facebook here!

Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 5 Secrets to Buying a Quality Sofa…

May 19, 2017

If you’re like most buyers, selecting a sofa is confusing and overwhelming because you have no idea how to select one that’a high quality, the right size, and a style that will last. Read on for my five secrets to selecting a quality sofa with staying power that’s just right for you.

Pick the right size – Before shopping start by taking measurements of your room and the other furniture to be used. Then create a floor plan that allows ample space for walkways (3-4 feet) between furniture groupings and walls. Also take into consideration the height or scale of your room along with the other furniture to be used. In addition all of us are unique in our proportions so selecting a sofa that fits your body is key to being comfortable long term on your sofa. Considerations include sofa height, seat height, seat depth, and length if you’re planning to take an occasional nap.

Choose a style with staying power – The sofas with the most staying power often have simpler lines and less trendy details. Avoid trendy looks that may look dated quickly.

Photo courtesy of Baker furniture

Quality construction – Sofas of high quality often have similar attributes in how their frames, suspension, and cushions are made that not only helps them last longer and hold their shape but also be comfortable. Such attributes may include frames made of kiln dried hardwoods, 8 way tied springs with several coils for suspension that you can feel under the seat cushion, corner blocking for frame reinforcement, mortise and tenon joints, fabric patterns that line up at the seams and much more.

Interior design by Karen Mills

Opt for a solid or tone on tone neutral color- By opting for a solid fabric with little or no pattern, you’ll not only tire of the sofa less quickly but you’re also more likely to be able to re purpose your sofa as you change homes or interiors.

Select durable fabric – High performance fabrics are becoming a big hit with interior designers because they won’t fade quickly and spills just bead up. Other durable fabrics can include wool, velvet, some cottons or linens, acrylic, and some blends of natural/man made materials.

Photo courtesy of Bernhardt furniture

For more information on how to select a quality sofa for you, contact a qualified interior designer that serves your area.

For more great tips sign up for our weekly interior design blog here

Plus become a fan of Kansas City’s interior designer and former host of Living Large, Karen Mills, on Facebook here!

Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 3 Ways to Warm up Your Contemporary…

April 28, 2017April 28, 2017

Karen Mills — Photo courtesy of Design within Reach

One common complaint I often hear as an interior designer is that contemporary rooms are cold and uninviting. But these spaces are becoming more popular because of their simple lines and often calming effect. Below are 3 ways to warm up your contemporary style room.

1. Color not only warms up an interior but can also add drama like this room above where the lime green pillow provides a dramatic contrast against the blue sofa. The live branches also warm up the room.

2. Live Elements are wonderful because they add life and energy to a space whether its a plant, flowers, fruit or other element. As an interior designer, my favorite way to bring life to a space is by introducing flowers, especially exotic ones like orchids that can last for months.

3. Texture can be layered in throughout your room in a variety of ways. Here above the pillows, wall finish, and hanging branch warm up the room nicely along with the warmth of the area rug underneath. Other creative ways to add texture include wood ceilings/walls, rustic finishes, draperies, and/or furnishings with a textural component.

For more great ideas and photos, sign up up for our weekly interior design blog here

Plus become a fan today of Kansas City’s interior designer and former host of Living Large, Karen Mills, on Facebook here.

Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: Trending in Winter White

December 15, 2016December 15, 2016

The color white has ruled the interior design market for 2016 and I don’t see signs of this dreamy color dying out yet. In fact there’s nothing I personally love to wear or be surrounded by than white because of the way it bounces light around the room and how fresh it makes me feel.

Believe it or not the majority of my new projects as an interior designer are still requests for whites and cool light neutrals with a pop of color even in the midst of winter.

So today I’m sharing some winter whites that inspire me and giving more insight into this fabulous color from the color experts.

According to former Living Large show guest and color expert Kate Smith color affects us physically in the following ways:

Aids mental clarity

Encourages us to clear clutter or obstacles

Evokes purification of thoughts or actions

Enables fresh beginnings

But that’s not all. The nation’s leading color expert and former Living Large guest Lea Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute states in one of her books, “White also signifies innocence. It is a recall of youth and simplicity, and a longing to be young again.” No wonder I love white!

For more great ideas and photos, sign up for our weekly interior design blog here

Plus become a fan of Kansas City’s interior designer and former host of the Living Large design show, Karen Mills, on Facebook here!