Tips & Trends - Design
Backyard Basics: Outdoor Rooms
Feeling a little confined within the four walls of your house, apartment or condo? Expand your horizons by creating livable space in your back yard, patio, porch or balcony. As the weather turns warmer and daylight hours lengthen, this is the perfect time to set up your outdoor living or dining room.... Read more »
Ideas for Refreshing your Space
As nations of people pull back from their hectic lives in light of the worldwide novel coronavirus pandemic, they turn inward to stay safe and healthy. Billions of people anticipate spending more time at home. This is the perfect time to refresh your space to brighten your day and lift your mood. You don’t have to start from scratch; it won&r... Read more »
How to Choose the Right Shabby Chic Furniture
Informal yet elegant, shabby chic design blends several different types of decor to create a cozy atmosphere. Pastel color schemes, vintage accents and ornate traditional furnishings with weathered finishes are all key components of this look.... Read more »
How to Decorate a Rustic Home
When most people think of rustic style, their minds usually conjure up a cozy log cabin in the woods or a home filled with antique farmhouse decor. Although these are good examples, there are many different ways to incorporate rustic elements into your design by bringing the raw beauty of nature indoors.... Read more »
Choosing Mid-Century Modern Furniture
When you picture mid-century modern design, words like "retro," "mod," and "vintage" may come to mind. That's probably because this style originated in the mid-twentieth century, and remains popular to this day. Mid-century furniture combines elements of minimalism with futuristic flourishes, showcasing geometric curves, daring hues, and wood finis... Read more »
What is Industrial Design?
Industrial design is all about our connections to the places we live. Bold but elegant, organic yet engineered, this style mixes modern and rustic vibes to surround you with a rich history. Treasured antiques, salvage finds, and new favorites all have a role in these visually striking yet highly functional homes.... Read more »
Understanding French Country Decor
If you prefer a cozy look with a touch of elegance, consider French country decor. Homes in this style mix the opulence of traditional French design with natural elements, a subdued color palette, and airy fabrics to create a graceful yet lived-in appearance. Clean lines and plush furnishings combine to make these spaces warm and appealing.... Read more »
Embracing Coastal Decor
If you love seaside vacations and the crash of ocean waves, coastal design may be the perfect fit. This style showcases open layouts, chic color schemes, and nature-inspired accents. The result is a space that's soothing, breezy, and clean.... Read more »
Interior Design 101: Contemporary Home Decor
If you prefer a look that's understated and chic, contemporary design may be the right choice for you. Versatile in range and elegant in its simplicity, this style values clean lines, sleek shapes, and simple form. All of these factors add up to a space that is simultaneously comfortable and sophisticated.... Read more »
Make a Statement with Oversized Wall Art
While some modest pieces of wall decor are designed to add subtle nuance to a space, oversized artwork commands immediate attention. Whether in bright colors or muted tones, including artwork that is sized 48" or larger in your room creates a presence in your space that can show off your personality, style aesthetic or color scheme in a unique and ... Read more »
Trend Watch: Geometric Patterns
Trellis, latticework, quatrefoil, and Moroccan tile motifs make a huge impact on interior design. These engaging patterns have a geometric quality that creates a bold statement, yet they are graceful enough to take the edge off of stark spaces.... Read more »
Color of the Year 2019: Living Coral
Fresh and expressive without any sense of overbearing … the 2019 color of the year as determined by the Pantone Color Institute is Living Coral. This color will enliven any space while still imbuing a relaxed feel.... Read more »
What We Love About: Bombe Chests
Distinct with their delightfully curvy lines, these exquisite accent pieces originated in 1700’s Parisian design. With a plump, bulging shape they gain their name for the French term for bomb. Bombe chests are also referred to as bombay chests, though this alternate name can lead to confusion as it is not in reference to the city of Bom... Read more »
Decorating a Bookcase
Whether built-in or freestanding, bookshelves and bookcases offer endless opportunities to add personal touches to your home decor. While the shelves themselves can add to your modern or traditional decor, the collection of books, objects and keepsakes you choose to place on them can elevate your home’s individual style.... Read more »
Decorating with Mixed Wood Finishes
If you don’t buy all of your wood furniture at the same time in a matching set, it’s nearly impossible to perfectly match the finishes. The addition of wood floors and other built-in details further complicates the issue. The good news is that mixing wood finishes can create interest, depth and definition in any space.... Read more »
Coastal Inspired: Seaside and Nautical Decor
For those who are lucky enough to reside beachside or those who like to surround themselves with a relaxed reminder of distant crashing waves and seagull calls, there is a lot to love about coastal casual decor.... Read more »
Trend Watch: Mixed Materials and Finishes
Mixed materials can describe anything from a contemporary lamp crafted of marble, brass, and canvas to a rustic wood coffee table with slate tiles and scrolling iron legs. On a larger scale, it refers to the way you pull together an individual collection of furnishings with a mixture of finishes and materials that complement rather than match each ... Read more »
Decorating with Textures
There are infinite ways to use texture to make spaces inviting, interesting and unique. Choosing the right ones will add dimension to a room and provide a strong element of contrast. It can make furniture pop with personality and complement existing design elements.... Read more »
All That Glitters - Adding Sparkle to Your Room
Brighten up your space with a sprinkling of sparkle. Adding light-reflecting surfaces like metals, glass, mirrors and crystals to your room adds brightness, dimension and interest to your space. Interior designers equate it to adding jewelry to your ensemble.... Read more »
Mixing Modern and Traditional Styles
People assume that modern and traditional styles are like oil and water – that they will never mix. However, with a strategic approach, you can blend the two with ease, creating a room with interest, grace and character.... Read more »
Tips for Designing a Room
When decorating, it's important to remember that each room in your home is a reflection of you. To create a space that you'll love living in, equal emphasis should be placed on form and function. Every space should have its own unique mood while a coherent personality is maintained throughout the home.... Read more »
Bringing It All Together - Furniture, Walls, Rug, And Artwork
Looking for inspiration to create an interesting and cohesive room? Start with one thing that you love and build around it. Your inspiration can come from any number of places – an area rug, some artwork, the fabric on an accent chair or accent pillow. Any of these sources are great places to stimulate inspiration.... Read more »
Design Tips for the Teen Room
As your kid enters his or her teen years, they will probably want to change their bedroom to reflect their stage in life. While their room will still be a place to sleep and dress, but now instead of using it for nap time and playing with toys, they will need a place to study and crave a place to relax on their own. To transform your child’s ... Read more »
All About Pillows
While many people view them as small detail, a few throw pillows can actually transform a room. These simple accents may bring in new hues or highlight existing ones, make bold statements or add quiet warmth. They brighten up solid-colored couches and add visual interest to beds, breakfast nooks, and chairs. More than anything, however, pillows add... Read more »
Decorating on a Budget - Retro Modern Style
Retro modern furniture blends mid-century and 21st-century aesthetics. The style focuses on contemporary patterns, natural materials, and muted colors, such as beige, aqua, gray, burnt orange, and cream. These concepts are integrated into pieces featuring clean lines and gentle curves, and the result is often furniture with a futuristic feel, like ... Read more »
