interior design blog – Page 2

Interior Design: 3 Tips for Your Bedroom to Live…

November 29, 2019February 13, 2020

Ideas for Visually Expanding Your Bedroom

Choose bedding in a similar color to other finishes. In this tight attic space where our interior design client requested a large bed and nightstands for guests we designed blue green bedding in similar hues to the wall color so the bed would seem to decrease in size even though it took up most of the space. Custom designed shelves and and light fixtures add to the visually larger feel.

Karen Mills' blog — Interior decorating by Karen Mills

2. Add fabrics and finishes with little or no pattern including bedding, walls, furniture, and flooring. In this bedroom tone on tone bedding, solid furniture finishes, acrylic legs on the bench, mirrored nightstands, and a white bed that bounces light around the room help create the light airy feel.

3. Layer in some furniture with legs that show. In this bedroom space, we layered in some furniture with legs showing underneath along with vertical striped wallpaper to draw the eye up and make the room feel larger. Light neutral bedding, a bed, and chair bounce more light around the room visually expanding the space.

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 3 Ideas for Luxury Bath Design with…

November 7, 2019November 7, 2019

Luxurious Possibilities for Soaking Tubs

Ever dream of soaking in a fabulous free standing tub without a care in the world? Read on for wonderful design possibilities for your bathroom

Enhance your tub as a focal point with a fabulous chandelier. In this stunning master bathroom we designed as part of a remodel, we replaced a solid shower wall with a glass open to enhance the view of the tub when entering the space while also adding a soothing blue wall color to enhance the relaxing vibe.

2. Add an accent wall behind your tub to add interest. For this master bathroom, we ran an accent wall of tile to the ceiling to not only make the tub pop but also to show off the height of this grand space. A linen bench and rug help soften the room.

3. Make it Personal In this serene master bathroom area the clients wanted a refuge from their hectic workday so we created a personal spa for them with a wall of candles, teak accessories, white towels, and best of all – a photo of them on the beach.

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Decorating: 3 Tips for Coordinating Mismatched Furnishings in…

October 31, 2019February 13, 2020

Do you have a collection of mismatched furniture that feels unfinished or undone? Read on for my 3 interior designer tips for creating a cohesive look in your room.

1. Repetition – To coordinate two pieces of mismatched upholstery, unify both pieces by repeating a color from one piece to onto another with a pillow or throw. Here the blue green color of the ottoman was repeated in the pattern on the pillows, while the artwork brings everything together including the gray velvet sofa in the foreground and the new tile on the fireplace.

2. Introduce a new design element – A piece of artwork overhead or nearby accessories with both colors can also serve as a way to bring two different colors of upholstery together effectively. Here in this family room the blue center of the pillow is repeated in the blue candle nearby while the white seashell picks up the white upholstery.

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. Normally placing the taller narrower items at back with shorter wider items at the front works best.

3. Layer a rug underneath – Placing a rug underneath your upholstery helps create a cozy grouping of furniture like this living area but it may also pick up colors from one or several pieces of upholstery. Here the brown chair color is repeated on a pillow accent color and coffee table while the yellow and gray hues in the rug are mimicked again on the sofa and pillows.

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Interior Design: How to Decorate a Smaller Living Room…

July 31, 2019July 31, 2019

Because I’ve personally had to deal with the challenges of downsizing from a house to a much smaller maintenance free space I wanted to share 3 ideas for visually enlarging your smaller living space.

1. Lighten up Your Color Palette In this living room we went from dark and heavy furniture and finishes to light and airy. Why? Because lighter colors reflect light instead of soaking it up, creating a lighter room that lives larger. Here we reupholstered the chairs in a light neutral color, installed lighter fireplace tile, painted the walls Shoji White by Sherwin Williams, introduced a lighter rug, and then darkened the floors so the furniture would appear to float in this lovely room just beyond the front door. But if you prefer a darker moody vibe, then as an interior designer I recommend you select wall colors and furniture in a similar darker color that will make the walls disappear.

2. Select Furnishings That Seem Visually Lighter. In this living space we reupholstered a dark heavy sofa that overpowered this room into a solid light gray color which makes the sofa here work. In addition we lightened up the fabrics on the dark chairs, and layered in a light color rug along with light walls, a lighter ceiling fixture, and fireplace tile. Then finally we purchased lightweight furniture – a coffee table, end table and mirrored cabinet that don’t take up any more space visually.

2. Add lighting – By placing the large taupe sofa in the sunlight against the taupe gray walls it visually begins to shrink in scale, while the white chairs against the window bounce light around the room. A mirrored cabinet in back and several lamps also add light and life to this space.

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Interior Design: 7 Steps For Creating a Room Design

July 11, 2019July 11, 2019

Like any project that involves money, you need a budget or at least a range before you start. Do some research and bring in the experts – an interior designer, contractor/builder, and architect to give an estimated investment. Then follow these 7 steps to create the room of your dreams!

Master bedroom retreat example — Interior design by Karen Mills

Decide on a design style or mix of styles that will flow with your architecture and existing furnishings you will be re purposing. As an interior designer in Kansas City, I always suggest clients select several photos of room designs they like and make sure any spouse or significant other involved agrees. Here in this bedroom we mixed a more contemporary transitional style with a rustic antique look.

2. Determine your color scheme ensuring it coordinates with adjoining rooms and any existing furnishings to be used in the interior design. If you have no idea, take a look in your closet to see what colors you’re drawn too or pull colors out of an inspiration piece such as art, a rug, or fabric. In this living room we selected a white, warm gray, and teal color scheme.

3. Create a floor plan so you know what fits in your space and the sizes you need. To do that go online and use space planning software or get an interior design expert to help.

4. Set a timetable. At this point you might want to bring in an expert – interior designer and contractor/builder to review your design plan/timetable because investing in a master plan can help avoid thousands of dollars in costly mistakes and a reasonable timetable helps reduce stress.

5. Design and order custom furniture and any built in cabinetry after consulting with your interior designer. At this point all custom designs need to be finalized and ordered . In addition permits need to be pulled for construction.

6. Select and order all plumbing, flooring, tile, and general lighting.

7. Design furnishings

Furnishings may include rugs, window treatments, pillows, bedding or other items. Also ensure you select art, finishes, and other decor needed. Here custom made pillow enhance the custom sofa and other decor.

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Interior Decorating: 5 Tips for Creating an Outdoor Oasis

July 3, 2019July 3, 2019

Want to make your outdoor space more beautiful? Here are 5 ideas for enhancing your outdoor room!

photo to explain point — Photo courtesy of B&B Italia

1. Create a cozy outdoor area for lounging or entertaining by grouping seating in a cozy arrangement. Add end tables, coffee tables, outdoor lamps, and an area rug to make it live like indoors. Here in this outdoor area the seating area is centered around the coffee table to create an inviting place to have conversation.

to explain point — Design by Karen Mills

2. Bring in one of kind vintage items to show off your personality. In this outdoor porch area, my clients introduced a table base they found along with stone top for the coffee table to create a one of kind space.

3. Layer in different textures to keep the space interesting such as wood, metal, wicker, or plants. Here in this outdoor room a wood roof and decking provide texture along with wicker seating, fabric cushions/pillows, woven rugs and a metal table to create a visually compelling space.

4. Add a water feature to create ambiance and to reduce outside noise from neighbors or the street with a small bubbler, hanging fountain, or even tabletop fountain. Here in this outdoor a pool beyond provides the water feature that could also include a waterfall or fountains.

shows example — Photo courtesy of Schumacher

5. Add height to your outdoor space. One of my favorite ways as an interior designer to add height to my client’s outdoor spaces inexpensively starts with tall drapery panels on a pergola or porch or a potted tree that can be brought outside for the season.

For my own outdoor oasis, I designed a beautiful outdoor pergola with grand white Greek columns covered with climbing flowering vines and a curved header between snuggled inside a beautiful berm of trees with thick cushioned seating underneath.

Have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July holiday with your family and friends!

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Decorating: Fall Decorating Ideas From Your Backyard

September 28, 2018September 26, 2018

Tips for Creating Fall Arrangements Using Items from Your Backyard and More

A couple of weeks ago I did a live TV segment on Fox4 TV where I shared tips for fall decorating using natural items from outdoors from the perspective of an interior designer. Of course the foliage hadn’t started to turn yet here in the mid west so I had to inject some rustic color foliage from the store to create the look of what can be done.

To recreate this lovely fall decor piece start with a container you have around the house that coordinates with your home. Then cut some evergreen branches and fall color leaves from nearby trees along with other interesting additions you find along the way.

I added a couple of mangoes that I already had on my counter for additional color along with a beautiful white pumpkin that my friend Marilyn Beebe decorated for me a couple of weeks earlier.

Here’s another of Marilyn’s fun creations.

Here’s a closeup of the fun tabletop decoration we did. First I grabbed a clear vase and filled it with barren branches I got from the woods. Then I placed the vase of branches on an existing tray and filled the bottom with pieces of a decaying log and pine cones I discovered while traipsing through the woods and topped it off with leaves and berries.

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: How to Inject Autumn Orange into Your…

October 20, 2017

Injecting fall hues like orange into your home for the season can be as simple as fall leaves in a vase or a ceramic pieces like this entry we designed in orange.

Other possibilities for layering in the warm color of autumn could include toss pillows like the great room here, a throw, or even a rug underneath.

And if you’re a big fan of orange, why not make a bigger commitment like painting one accent wall with orange or installing drapery with orange hues.

Simpler options might include pumpkins or oranges grouped together in a clear glass container or orange decor.

For more great ideas about how to inject orange into your home for autumn, click here to read my latest Houzz article – https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/92328651/list/7-rooms-that-fall-for-orange

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Interior Design: Why White Kitchens Stand the Test of…

September 29, 2017

If you’re like the majority of homeowners around the world, you love the ethereal feel of white kitchens, especially warm inviting ones with layers of texture and interest like this kitchen photo where the table top, formerly a door, was refinished in gray and leather chairs were slip covered in a washable fabric.

Some of you I know will disagree about the appeal of white kitchens but this kitchen has been featured repeatedly in the news, both in national print and on television, plus its a favorite of our clients. And I think its because of its simplistic, light, classic design and marble counters even though existing cabinets weren’t replaced during the remodel.

As an interior designer who specializes in remodels I believe we secretly crave these airy white spaces to work and play in because they not only feel clean and fresh but also reflect light from outside and around the room, enhancing the way we look and often feel when entering the space.

One of the other reasons I believe white kitchens are popular is because can go with almost any accent color and can easily be changed to another color scheme when we tire of the original one.

Interior design by Karen Mills

But if you’re looking for something different besides a simple white, you might consider having your kitchen cabinets painted with a white that has been tinted with a favorite color like this photo where cabinets and walls have a hint of green.

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Interior Design: Falling for Autumn Red

September 22, 2017

As fall descends upon us I’m drawn to it’s beautiful rich colors, especially autumn red. Vacationing in Breckenridge, Colorado last week was a reminder of how much I love autumn with its brilliant changing leaves beginning to create an explosion of color on the mountains, hills, and valleys.

So this week I’m compelled to write about autumn in all its splendor, and how to apply it to our spaces. Read on for great ideas for injecting red into your home whether its in a temporary fashion like fresh flowers, fruit/vegetables, or decor or in a more permanent way with wall coverings or furniture.

Here in this entryway, the red platter, leaves, and stunning artwork showcase simple ways to introduce autumn red into your home.

In this living room, we placed red toss pillows and a custom blown vase to add a fall feel to the room. The dark wood furniture and taupe drapes also add to the autumn ambiance.

Other simple ideas for introducing fall re could include red delicious apples in a bowl or clear container, a warm throw, an area rug with red or decor items layered into your room.

For more fabulous ideas on how to introduce autumn red into your decorating, read my latest article from Houzz here titled 6 Ways to Inject Rich Autumn Red in Your Living Room.

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