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Interior Design: 7 Secrets to Creating a Dramatic Dining…

September 6, 2018

Designer Tips for Making a Dramatic Dining Space

Karen Mills' blog — Interior design by Karen Mills

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.

Using existing furniture, we added personality to this room by introducing a stunning crystal chandelier by Schonbek along with dramatic art, texture and pattern.

Karen Mills — Styling by Summer Ann of Girlsinmadras.com

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.

Photo courtesy of Hickory White

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 or an antique armoire like shown in this photo, but remember sofa tables, tea carts, and other furnishings can also enhance your room and provide handy surfaces for lamps, platters, trays, or display.

Photo courtesy of Schumacher

5. Introduce a Dramatic Element – A bold element can range from a gorgeous piece of art and beautiful buffet to a stunning light fixture over a painting or interesting chair backs and wallpaper like shown here.

Photo courtesy of Wesley Hall

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 much needed texture.

7. Add lighting – Table lamps on a buffet or sofa table look beautiful behind a dining 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

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Decorating: How to Inject Autumn Orange into Your…

August 31, 2018

Ways to Fall for Orange in Your Home

Injecting fall hues like orange into your home for the season can be as simple as layering in orange toss pillows or artwork over the mantel like this room.

Introducing fall leaves in a glass container or a ceramic vase can also add a pop of orange along with an orange rug and art pictured here.

In this dining room artwork helps create a fall orange vibe along along with velvet covered seats in orange and brown.

But if you want just a pop of orange then you might opt for a couple of toss pillows with orange accents and orange decor on the coffee table like we did here.

Other options might include also 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, read my latest Houzz article here.

then 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!

Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 8 Steps to Designing a Beautiful Space

August 22, 2018August 22, 2018

Commonsense Tips for Creating a Beautiful Interior

Designing a new or remodeled interior design can be both exciting and daunting. Read on for my 8 tips as an interior designer for creating a functional and beautiful space.

1. Decide on an interior design style or mix of styles that will flow with your architecture and existing furnishings you will be re purposing. Start by selecting several photos of room designs you like and make sure any spouse or significant other involved agrees.

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.

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 expert to help.

4. Set a timetable. At this point you might want to bring in an expert to review your design plan/timetable because investing a few dollars for a master plan and viable timetable can help avoid thousands of dollars in costly mistakes or huge delays.

5. Design and order custom furniture and any built in cabinetry after consulting with your interior designer or tradespeople if you’re managing the project yourself. At this point all custom interior design needs 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 needed.

7. Design any custom draperies, bedding, rugs, wall/floor/ceiling finishes or pillows needed along with choosing hard window coverings, light fixtures, and any ready made furnishings. Place orders.

8. Make final purchases including artwork, hardware pulls, lamps, and all other furnishings needed.

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

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: How To Remodel a Small Bathroom to…

July 20, 2018March 24, 2019

From Ugly Duckling Bath to Beautiful Swan

Master bath before remodeling

As an interior designer I think you will find this master bath remodel quite amazing not only because of the transformation of this historic high rise built in the early 1900s but also because of how it lives so much larger in the same space.

When you entered the master bath as shown here the space was chopped up by a walled in shower placed in the middle of the room making the space feel cramped, small, and unattractive.

To the right of the shower was a dimly lit dressing area with a small amount of storage that didn’t function well.

To solve this interior design dilemma we ripped out everything but one small closet and started over. By pushing back the shower we gave the bathroom a bigger sense of volume and were able to expand the vanity to accommodate two people instead of one just like the shower.

As you can see the transformation was amazing! By placing the same marble style tile from Italy on the floor and walls the room suddenly visually expanded into a beautiful timeless space with an over sized shower for two. To help the bathroom live even larger we also eliminated the shower curb and placed a solid glass panel along the front so the shower space virtually disappears.

For the former dressing area I designed a double vanity that included usable top drawers that wrapped around the plumbing for more storage.

The result? A gorgeous bathroom that ended up in Kitchen Bath Design News – the national design magazine for kitchens and baths. Click now to read article!

Looking for more great bathroom design ideas that you can implement?
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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: What to Consider Before Remodeling Your Kitchen

July 6, 2018

If you’re considering remodeling your kitchen or even designing a new kitchen, here are my suggestions as an interior designer to consider before signing any contracts or starting construction to avoid costly mistakes.

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

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, make an ongoing list as you use your kitchen on a daily basis for a couple of weeks.

Next hire an interior designer to show you how to layout a kitchen that’s both functional for your family and beautifully designed. An interior designer will have great resources for contractors, architects, and trades people to help you accomplish your goal, will act as a trusted advisor, and will help create flow in the space along with coordinating finishes, assisting with lighting, and giving advice on storage to ensure your kitchen design looks great!

If you can’t afford an interior designer for the whole project, I would recommend hiring a designer for at least a couple of hours to help you create a master plan that makes sense.

Looking for more great kitchen design ideas that you can implement? Sign up for our weekly interior design blog here

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 3 Tips for Designing a Relaxing Living…

June 27, 2018

Nothing’s better than coming home to an inviting relaxing home. That’s why my focus as an interior designer has always been as much about function as beauty. Read on for three tips for creating a comfortable interior design.

1. Comfortable seating. Select upholstery cushions that are comfortable for long periods of sitting. Plus ensure your feet are able to touch the floor and the seat depth is right for you.

2. Layer in texture Texture can be added with area rugs and/or soft window treatments along with accessories like pillows or throws. And remember each layer of texture creates a cozier feel.

3. Create a Cozy Seating Area for Conversation

When interior designers put together a floor plan for a living area, they focus on designing intimate seating areas like this one pictured.

Looking for more great ideas that you can implement? SIgn up for our weekly interior design blog here

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: Kitchen Remodel – From Ugly Duckling to…

June 22, 2018June 22, 2018

Remodeling a historic high rise kitchen

When updating a historic high rise apartment like this one on the renowned plaza area in Kansas City, there’s much more to consider than the interior design of your home.

First you must find out the building’s requirements for construction from time of day limits to how the construction is completed. Next you need to know building structure limitations (especially for a 1931 historic building like this one) and if your finish materials or products will fit whether it’s up the elevator or via another method.

When I first entered this kitchen in Kansas City I knew as an interior designer it was going to be one of our more challenging interior design projects which was exciting because I new the change would be dramatic and could see the new open space in my mind almost instantly.

To start the process I got a barely legible copy of the 1930’s blueprints and immediately went to work creating an interior design that was an open floor plan. For the kitchen I had the wall between the maid’s room and kitchen torn out along with the wall between the dining room and kitchen.

In addition we right sized the windows from the maid’s room and kitchen to flow together and added layers of lighting. The result?!

A beautiful airy light filled kitchen that now opens to the hearth room (formerly a dining room.

Much of this high rise apartment had original wood floors so we weaved in new wood flooring in the kitchen to make the space live larger and feel more cohesive.

For the stove area we squeezed in a beautiful custom wood hood and beautifully lit glass cabinets flanking the hood to create a wow factor when entering the hearth/kitchen area. In addition we designed inset cabinetry drawers and doors (flush with cabinet frame) to create a luxurious look along with mixing it up with pulls and knobs.

At the end of the kitchen (formerly maid’s room) we designed pantry area that hides a permanent slanted wall and to provide much needed storage which includes cabinet doors that open up to reveal both a coffee station and appliance garage.

The thick mitered island counter by Cambria was juxtaposed against the light airy mini chandeliers for a perfect composition.

The bar area includes a wine cooler, bar sink, and lit glass cabinets to hold glassware along with a hidden washer/dryer area.

Overall as an interior designer I was thrilled with the outcome of this remodeled kitchen especially now as I’m reminded of where we started.

Looking for more great remodeling ideas that you can implement? SIgn up for our weekly interior design blog here

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 3 Remodeling Tips for Making Your Bathroom…

June 16, 2018

If you’re tired of your cramped small bathroom, here are 3 tips to help your bathroom live larger when you remodel or build!

1. Increase your floor space – Start by swapping out an existing vanity cabinet for a floating vanity/sink or pedestal style sink. In this guest bath we designed a vanity with legs to make it appear lighter and visually smaller in size while also decreasing the normal depth of the vanity.

Also consider installing your toilet tank in the wall if budget allows or wall mount your vanity like the space here where we remodeled a former closet into a tiny powder bath.

2. 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 like a light neutral to give it a fresh clean look and bounce existing light around the room. In this master bathroom shower we removed walls while covering the floors and walls in the same large scale tile to create a space where its more difficult to tell where the walls start and end.

2. Reflective surfaces – To visually enlarge your small bathroom, use mirrors or glass to reflect light and give your space a light airy feel. By adding tall mirrors to this master bath we visually doubled the size of the room. Shiny vanity pulls and vanity lights reflected in the mirror also add to the airy feel that expands the space.

Other great ways to enhance your small bath? SIgn up for our weekly interior design blog here

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 3 Ways to Spruce Up Your Outdoor…

June 6, 2018

Taking Your Outdoor Room From Blah to Beautiful

I love this time of year – warm weather, food on the grill, and great parties outdoors! But when its time for outdoor parties sometimes our outdoor spaces need a little boost to get them ready for guests so here are 3 tips for taking your outdoor room from blah to beautiful!

1. Add a pop of color with pillows

On this porch we helped clients design we started by layering in fun pillows with a beach theme in a beautiful blue color to remind them of the ocean, one of their favorite vacation destinations while also providing some contrast against the chairs. To see more about this fabulous porch design, watch my TV segment below.

2. Layer in textural decor

Texture in a space is critical – it softens the hard surfaces and creates interest. In this photo the large blue green vase on the hearth adds a pop of color while the branches inside add texture along with the orange flower and napkins.

3. Make it Personal

When you’re decorating or designing a space its important to add your own personal touches that show off your personality. In this porch the client had a painting done on wood and picked up an iron table base to give this outdoor room a one of kind look.

The same holds true for this outdoor patio space where a vintage trunk on wheels has been re purposed as a coffee table. Other personal touches on this patio include a vintage candelabra and wrought iron table that was handmade. To see more about this patio design, click on the TV segment below

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

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Porch TV segment (click here)

Patio TV segment (click here)

Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: 3 Savvy Ways to Makeover Your Living…

June 1, 2018June 1, 2018

One Day Makeover Tips

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?

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!

Interior design by Karen Mills

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 plus a table lamp and/or tabletop decor.

In this room 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!

3. 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.

In this living area, the client wanted to keep an existing coffee table that had been passed down through her family in the interior design of this living room so we had to ensure we had similar warm hues – the outdoor fireplace beyond, to create a cohesive feel with the antique table.

Interior design by Karen Mills

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. In this great room the client wanted to keep the mermaid art over the mantel so we tied in the furnishings to the art by layering in orange and blue pillows along with luxurious blue drapes beyond.

Looking for more great budget friendly decorating ideas that you can implement this summer? SIgn up for our weekly interior design blog here

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