Spring Into a Bright New Look

As the weather in Chicago turns from gray skies to bright, vibrant colors, we can take inspiration from the cues of nature to add some joyful color to our own homes.  Depending on your level of commitment to adding color to your home, there are several ways to do this. The first way is to add colorful accents like pillows, floral arrangements and bold, colorful art.  Many people believe that once you have completed a room that it should never be changed, but art and accessories can rotate seasonally to reflect the weather, similar to how holiday decorations add a festive feeling.  Check out our One room, two seasons page to see how Deb transformed a room for different seasons.

One great place to add some bold pops of color and pattern is in a powder room.  We love bold powder rooms- they are the perfect canvas for interesting textures and cool wall treatments.  Even a home that is all neutral can add some colorful sophistication in this small room.

If you are looking to add some permanent color to your home, a great way to do so is with your kitchen backsplash.  With so many gorgeous colorful mosaics on the market- why not try one?  Our high rise city beach house project is one great example.  We used a gorgeous mosaic from Ann Sacks which incorporates several interesting stones for a subtle drama and infusion of gorgeous color.

Here are some others we love!

Wishing you a colorful spring!

Exquisite Powder Rooms

People often ask me as a designer what they should do to add a unique touch to their homes when they are nervous to use bold colors or wall treatments in their spaces.  The answer- the powder room. Powder rooms are typically small spaces so they are a perfect place to test out an exciting wallpaper, a bright color and a bold vanity.  Because they are always defined with their own door, powder rooms do not need to match the rest of the rooms in the house.

Take a look at some cool powder rooms we love.  Maybe it will help you to get some inspiration for your home!

Are you feeling inspired?  Tell us what you think!

Hot New Trends in Bathroom Design

This past week we had the privilege of attending the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show.  It was great to see the hot new trends in plumbing, tile and cabinetry.  We saw everything from 3D tiles from Ann Sacks, to amazing new quartz products from Cambria.

One trend that we noticed repeatedly was the addition of an LED light bar in bathroom vanities.  Aside from its cool appearance, this is also a functional element, acting like a night light for those middle of the night trips to the bathroom.  In the past, this would have been hard to do as traditional light sources can be large or get very hot, creating a fire hazard.  Now with the new LED lighting technology, the components are small and the diodes emit almost no heat, allowing the electrical components to be buried.  This eliminates that danger of being near water as well as they are able to remain completely separate.

Check out the cool ways they are incorporating lights into vanities below.

Designing Cool Kid's Spaces That Parents Will Love

One of the big challenges in the interior design world is designing gorgeous spaces in homes that are occupied by young children.  Between sticky fingers, crayons and markers, and messy spills, it is hard enough to design grown up spaces the whole family can enjoy.  For many the design savvy client, good design must continue into kid's only zones like playrooms and bedrooms.  So many of the kid-focused products on the market are cheesy and too childish or colorful for a sophisticated home.  So what is a design minded person to do? Cedarworks, a custom wood playground company located in Rockport, Maine, has come up with the perfect solution with their rhapsody line of products.  Featuring indoor playgrounds, play houses and cool beds that double as interactive play areas, these are sure to be loved by children.  The natural wood, beautiful carvings and whimsical designs will appeal to their stylish parents. By incorporating slides, artist easels, chalk boards and educational toys into the design of these wood pieces, there is no need for the brightly colored plastic products.

Check out some of the fun options!

"Hot" Fireplace Designs!

As a designer, I get emails from vendors trying to sell me their wares on a daily basis.  Much of what I see are different versions of the same thing, but once in awhile something very special and unique comes through that I have to share.  Today, I received an email from Focus Contemporary Fireplaces showcasing their incredibly special and unique fireplaces.  Focus is the brainchild of Dominique Imbert, a French chef, ethnologist and literature professor turned sculptor and fireplace designer.  After many different career attempts, Imbert settled on designing these unique pieces after he created a fireplace for himself and quickly received commissions to create more. I have seen tons of cool fireplaces that are made to look like art or that seem to defy gravity; but while they all use an electric or gas flame, many of these are actually wood burning!

Check out the wonderful images of these amazing fireplaces.

I look forward to incorporating one of these special pieces in my designs in the near future!