kansas city Archives | Page 18 of 18

Color Trends 2017: A Global Perspective

October 21, 2016October 21, 2016

Screenshot — A sea lion in the Galapagos Islands by Karen Mills

As I’ve watched the the interior design color trends 2017 unfold, I’ve been anxiously anticipating this year’s blog on color trends which I find to be one of our most popular blogs annually! Last year I predicted white as color of the year and it has definitely dominated the interior design scene along with taupe grays and watery blue colors.

But this time instead of predicting my color choice for 2017 as usual, I wanted to give you a more global perspective on color trends 2017 based on my travels around the world including a trip to the Galapagos Islands where I got an opportunity to encounter this wonderful sea lion pictured at top that shows the burst of color coming next year.

Every year seems to bring a slightly broader palette of colors into the forecast and this year is no exception. For 2017 Lea Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute gave a wide range of color predictions, but one of my favorite color groupings for spring is aptly named Florabundant with bursts of fuchsia, green, and purple pink colors.

Karen Mills blog — Lea Eiseman of Pantone Color Institute

Benjamin Moore narrowed their top color for 2017 to “Shadow”, a grayed out amethyst similar to the the purple colors in the Blue Mosque below where I visited in Istanbul. Imagine how sexy that color could look in a dramatic living area or romantic bedroom.

Sherwin Williams decided to play it safe with a wonderful taupe color which as an interior designer, I love because of its ability to adapt to almost any color palette. Sherwin Williams calls it ” modern and classic… a beautiful balance of warm and cool,”

Karen Mills' blog

Of course white will still be popular next year along with warmer shades of red, wine, purples, vintage pastels, greens, blues, and even yellow.

For more great color trends and interior design ideas, sign up for our weekly 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: A Unforgettable Journey Through Turkey

October 14, 2016

Traveling through the remote parts of Turkey in Asia energized and inspired me as an interior designer, especially their bold colors and interesting design. Of course the food was absolutely wonderful, the scenery stunning, and the people more than welcoming.

After we arrived in the Cappadoccia region known for its fantastic lava formations carved by monks and historical biblical significance, we discovered this quaint little restaurant (shown above) while looking for a little adventure on our motorcycle.

That same day we hiked and climbed the lava formations for hours as we discovered home after home carved out of lava formations. Can you imagine life in a lava house?

Karen Mills' blog

Because we both love spontaneity, we decided to immerse ourselves in the culture fully instead of going the typical tourist route making our adventure even more exciting.

Here in remote Turkey much of the seating is covered with hand knotted rugs as you can see above. This small brick paved village called Goreme, known for launching hundreds of balloons at sunrise to float over their volcanic formations, was our favorite village to explore and stay.

As I reflect on this particular evening in Goreme, I’m reminded of an adventure that night which was one of many unforgettable events during this trip.

Lingering too long that night before we met the airport limo around 10:30 pm, we had to run back to the hotel but my sandals were slipping on the bricks so my son ran ahead. As luck would have it, I got lost taking the shortcut through the alleys too so I asked a couple of local men for help.

To my horror, I discovered there were two cave hotels with the same name so I knew drastic action was needed. Taking one of the men up on his generous offer to drive me to the hotels on his motorcycle, we sped off to the hotel arriving just as the limo was starting to pull away.

Of course I would never consider hitchhiking or climbing on a stranger’s motorcycle in the U.S. but this remote part of Turkey somehow felt safe..

Karen Mills' blog

Like many visitors to Turkey we came back with a hand knotted rug and pillows among other items, but also were given handmade items made by a generous Turkish woman including this scarf pictured above next to our Turkish pillows.

This pillow reminds me of one of our interior design projects done in oranges and blues below, plus some of the interior design colors predicted for 2017 which we will be revealing soon!

Join us next week as we journey through Istanbul, Turkey with its fabulous mosques, homes, and open air markets as we hunt for more design inspiration.

For more great design ideas or trends, sign up now for our 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!

Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 3 Budget Savvy Ways to Refresh Your…

October 7, 2016October 13, 2016

If you haven’t updated your interior for 5 years or more, it may be time for a refresh. If your budget doesn’t allow you to start completely over, why not opt for a one day makeover instead?

Even though the majority of my time as an interior designer is spent on custom design and remodel projects, when I have a spare hour or two I love helping enthusiast homeowners style their space using existing furnishings in their home to create a fresh new look.

In this photo above our interior design firm reupholstered an existing sofa and chairs to freshen up the space along with refinishing the kitchen table top and updating the room’s finishes including the floor, light fixtures and walls.

If you’re ready to refresh your space, here are my top three tips!

1. Create an inviting floor plan that emphasizes your focal point whether its a fireplace or bed, for example. If you don’t have a focal point, design one yourself by grouping items together such as a sofa table or chest with a piece of artwork overhead and a table lamp and/or tabletop decor, for example.

In the room pictured above the client started with a favorite piece of art over the mantel and we replaced the fireplace tile along with upholstering the existing chairs and ottoman to create a fabulous new look!

2. Shop your entire house for furniture/furnishings you can use in your room. Keep those items you discover in mind as you start to put together your room, bringing ones you think might work to a staging area nearby.

As an interior designer I often re purpose items to make them work in a space such as using a bench or a set of small end tables for a coffee table. Or I have a piece of furniture repainted to give it new life.

3. Add a pop of color with accents throughout your room with pillows, art, drapes, decor or an area rug. Remember, you can repaint or re purpose items to use in your refreshed room too.

For example, a chest could repainted and moved to your entry, used as a focal point in a living space, or even placed behind a sofa. Ottomans can be upholstered and tucked under a sofa table for extra seating, used as a coffee table or pulled up to a comfy chair.

Looking for more great budget friendly decorating ideas? 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 design show, Karen Mills, on Facebook here!

Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: Secret Recipe for Successful Kitchen Design

September 29, 2016August 22, 2020

If you’re seriously considering remodeling your kitchen, read our suggestions here first before tearing out walls or hiring a contractor because your kitchen will be a huge investment that can cost thousands of dollars to correct or years of regret if you rush into it and hire someone who’s not reliable or does a poor job.

First as an interior designer I recommend that you look for design inspiration in interior design magazines and online to get ideas of what you like so you can effectively communicate your vision to the team you assemble.

Next make a list of items you absolutely must have in your kitchen and another list of things you would like to have. If you’re not sure, start making a list as you use your kitchen everyday so your new kitchen will meet all your requirements.

Luxury Italian White Kitchen Designs - Kitchen Design Ideas & Inspiration — Luxury Italian White Kitchen Designs – Kitchen Design Ideas & Inspiration

Then hire an interior designer to show you how to layout a kitchen that’s both functional for your family and beautiful! An interior designer will have great resources for contractors, architects, and trades people to help you accomplish your goal, can act as a trusted advisor, can help create flow in the space, coordinate finishes, assist with lighting, and can advise on the latest storage options to ensure your kitchen design looks great! And if you can’t afford an interior designer for the whole project, I would at least hire an interior designer experienced with remodeling for a couple of hours to help you create a master plan.

For more great information on designing kitchens, sign up for our weekly interior design blog here!

Best Modern Kitchen Wall Colors Furniture Modern Kitchen Designs Ideas With Fascinating Interior - Bee Home Decor — Best Modern Kitchen Wall Colors Furniture Modern Kitchen Designs Ideas With Fascinating Interior – Bee Home Decor

Plus 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: 3 Secrets for Small Baths to Live…

September 23, 2016October 13, 2016

Karen Mills' blog

If you’re tired of your cramped small bathroom, here are 3 tips to help your bathroom live large!

1. Monochromatic color scheme – One of my favorite tricks to make a small bathroom look bigger begins with using one color on all the walls, furniture, floors, and decor such as bright white to give it a fresh clean look and bounce existing light around the room.

2. Reflective surfaces – To visually enlarge your small bathroom, use mirrors to reflect light and glass to give your space a light airy feel like we did in the shower below.

3. Increase your floor space – Start by swapping out an existing vanity cabinet for a floating vanity/sink or pedestal style sink. Consider swapping your swinging door for pocket doors or barn doors like the bathroom we recently completed above.

Or install your toilet tank in the wall along with more shallow sink vanities or floating vanities.

Other great ways to enhance your small bath? Add bold wallpaper on all the walls!

For more fabulous bathroom interior design tips, sign up for our blog here

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