Life After Neutrals

Once you grow tired of neutral walls - and I hope everyone does at some point in their lives, there is a whole new world to explore. The world of color! Take a look at how these rooms come to life with the use of color . . .

So, how do you keep the room from looking like a box of crayons? You can go back to neutrals on the furniture - which is why I love to use color on the walls in the first place! It's much cheaper to paint a room another color than to buy a new sofa. By keeping the main furniture pieces neutral it allows the walls to have color as well as the accessories. As your tastes change you have options that are easily affordable. A gallon a paint and some throw pillows are an easy fix and won't break the bank.

Intentionally Random Lighting

Sometimes inspiration comes from unexpected places! This light installation in Houston, TX is a great example of Intentionally Random design. Notice the unifying elements with the identical color, type of shade and suspending cords used to create Intentional balance in the design. Then there are the Random shapes, sizes and heights used for a great look.

The Corner on Cabinets

Storage in a bathroom is something we can all use more of. This bathroom in Frisco, TX takes storage to the max by utilizing the corners of the room for both function and style. 
With great space planning and the right Interior Designer (Me!), you can have storage and beauty in your bathroom.

50 Shades of Gray

No, I'm not talking about a certain book . . .  I'm talking about the actually COLOR! Gray. It's everywhere. In fashion. In Interior Design. In automobiles. The list goes on and on. Nowhere is gray more exciting than in Interior Design! Why? Gray isn't just "The New Black". Gray has become so popular, even vital, for one very important reason . . . . .  HARDWOOD FLOORS.

Gray is a great neutral that I think the public embraced after being WORN OUT with all things beige. Gray was necessary because Interior Design needed a color that is still neutral yet can live with hardwood floors in a way much more interesting than beige. As opposed to stained hardwood floors which have warm tones (oranges, red and yellows), the color gray is cool. Mixing warm and cool tones in a space creates a beautiful balance. As hardwoods take over the rooms of our homes the look can be WOOD OVERKILL. Painted surfaces are becoming more and more popular, with gray taking center stage.

Picture by Houzz

I for one am happy to see gray take such an important role in homes and commercial spaces. I LOVE gray! Although beige will never go completely out of style, there is plenty of room for this cool neutral. And I think gray is here to stay.

Need more information or want to reach out to me: Email me at twingatedesigns@verizon.net or check out my Website: www.twingatedesigns.com

Mirror! Mirror!

Mirrors are such a great designs staple! There are so many styles, prices and types of mirrors. I LOVE to use them in nearly ALL the rooms I design. But, not all designers - both professional and novice agree. I have heard fellow designers and some of the top DIY shows give some really BAD design advice. I've heard,

"Mirrors should only be placed in a room when they have something beautiful to reflect." 

What???? That is CRAZY!!!!!!!!!! Although I think that what a mirror reflects should be taken into consideration, mirrors are vital in a room for more than reflecting pretty things.

My favorite use for a mirror: bouncing light around a room, especially in a small space! In the picture below, the otherwise narrow hallway is given light and the illusion of additional size. It also helps to tame the busy wallpaper. Artwork would have been too much. The perfect solution was a mirror - although it reflects nothing of huge interest.

Picture by Houzz

In this living room, the mirror reflects little given its elevated height above the fireplace. It could have reflected a chandelier and been quite effective. However, I think the impact is still as strong. The beauty of this mirror is the mirror itself. It has style and charm. I love it!

Picture by Houzz

Do you have a great mirror you want to use in your space? GO FOR IT! Hold it against several walls to see where it has the most impact. The answer may surprise you! Have questions? I'm here to help! Email me at twingatedesigns@verizon.net or visit my website: www.twingatedesigns.com

Anything Goes!

Really . . .  anything goes??? I say YES! When you have furnishings that have nothing in common it's easy to want to toss them all and start from scratch. DON'T!!! Using my Intentionally Random design, you can mix and match all the furnishings you love. You just need a Common Thread (that's the Intentional) with the pieces you love (that's the Random) for a GREAT look!

Picture by Houzz.com

You already have pieces you love. So, the final step is finding - or making - a Common Thread. These are the easiest to work with:

• Color (They may not be the same color now. But, what if you paint one? Or recover one?)
• Texture (The room above uses similar texture on the fireplace wall, ottoman and the rug.)
• Shapes (Use striped drapery to define a strong line in the room or a round ottoman to tie in circles.)

Look at your furnishings in a new way. You may fall in love with them all over again! Have questions? I'm here to help! Email me at twingatedesigns@verizon.net

Toss the Pillows!

Every now and then I hear "professional design advice" that just makes me cringe. That's what happened when I heard a salesperson say (not an exact quote): Let's select pillows for the sofa in the sofa's fabric so the pillows look "tied" to it. I'm sorry, what????????

As an Interior Designer, that just won't do. Just like jewelry, pillows can help or hurt the look of the sofa - and ultimately the room. You want the pillows to make sense in the room but not be identical to the sofa. Hmmm . . . . . . that sounds Intentionally Random? YES! It is!

Here's my advice: TOSS THE FREE PILLOWS!!!! If you are going with a ready-made sofa that comes with matching pillows, use them on accent chairs or give them away. Typically the free pillows have no fringe or embellishments and are otherwise just plain boring. Think of what these sofas (below) would look like with pillows if they were simply the same fabric and their sofas. NO BUENO!

Pictures from Pinterest and Houzz.com

The best way to make a sofa look LESS ready-made and more custom is to use coordinating and contrasting pillows. If you are choosing a custom or semi-custom sofa ASK if you can choose another fabric for pillows. The answer may be: YES! This will save you the expense of buying what you don't need. If you can't choose another fabric, consider using the stuffing (aka: the pillow inserts) from the free pillows in your new pillows for a GREEN design option. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Have questions? I'm here to help! Email me at twingatedesigns@verizon.net