Category: Interior Design

Unlike pillows and throws that get swapped out by the season, window treatments are a design investment. Select window treatments with long-term design goals in mind and don’t hesitate to splurge for what you want. Consider both function and fashion when determining the best options to ensure longevity.

Below are some window treatment profiles to help you navigate their style and design differences:

Woven Shades

Relaxed and casual in design, versatile woven shade window treatments add a natural touch to any room. For full privacy add lining and for enhanced texture choose from wood, jute, bamboo, or flax materials. Consider inside mounting woven shades for a refined look. Inside mounting hides mounting hardware behind trim work making the shade installation appear seamless.

Roman Shades

Casual and super customizable Roman shades offer timeless appeal. Roman shades can be lined for full privacy and are available in a wide-range of fabric colors and textures. Different pleat styles and custom tape designs support unique looks. Motorization for easy raising and lowering is an option too.

Roller Shades

Streamlined and modern, roller shades allow some natural light in for partial light control while still maintaining privacy. Roller shades can also open all of the way to give a full view of the outside world. A variety of fabrics and colors can be used to blend furnishings. Motorization and inside mounting are available options too.

Drapery Panels

Drapery brings softness, color, and texture to a room. With a variety of pleat options, fabric selections, and seemingly endless embellishments — drapery panels are a custom window covering capable of supporting any style. Layer drapes with other window coverings or use them alone. Line drapes for added privacy and room darkening effects. For a luxe look, hang drapery high to draw the eye up. High-hanging drapes accentuates room height which makes the space appear larger. Decorative rods and finials are available in an assortment of finishes allowing drapery to blend nicely with surrounding style.

Shutters

If you’re after a clean built-in look then consider shutters. Easy to operate shutters offer both flexibility and function. They insulate your windows and may even reduce home energy use.  Custom options include varied blade widths for light control, mixed viewing opportunities, and unique finishes. Shutter window treatments are a timeless choice that may also add resale value to your home.

Blinds

Traditional wood, faux wood, and metal blinds offer privacy at a great price point. Their clean streamlined look has a lot of applications complementing many design styles. With a variety of different textures, finishes, and slat sizes available you can easily find the right blinds to fit your needs.

We can help you with choosing window treatments that support both your room design and lifestyle preferences. Let’s chat window goals — contact us here!

Follow us on Pinterest for more interior design inspiration. 

Now that holiday decor is tucked back in storage, things may be looking a little sparse around the house. A clean canvas can be very exciting—embrace the new year with new style goals! We’re sharing 5 feel-good design tips that are both refreshing and easy to accomplish.

Design Tips for the New Year

New Paint

Nothing transforms a room quite like new paint. From a simple accent wall to a whole room, painting walls is an inexpensive way to make a big impact. Corporate paint companies research and launch new “colors of the year” each winter, this is a great place to find inspiration when choosing a color. Nature-inspired selections like petal pinks, cider hues, sea blues, and woodland greens are topping the list this year. Grey isn’t going anywhere though, still a very popular neutral along with white and beige. Kick off the new year with a new palette! 

Toss Pillows & Throws

Holiday pillows and throws are festive, fun, and quite frankly adorable. By now you may be missing the whimsy and warmth they brought to your home. Pillows and throws add a special touch and especially texture to the room. Consider adding faux furs, fuzzy chenilles, soft velvets, and woven sweater pillows/throws to your space this winter and bring back that cozy feeling.

Restyle Surfaces & Bookshelves

Bookshelves and table tops can look particularly bland after holiday decor is packed away. Liven up furniture surfaces and shelving with trays, candles, woven baskets, stacks of books, and potted greenery (fresh or faux, anything goes!). Take bookcases to the next level with a fun print or pop color backdrop. Consider adding peel-and-stick wallpaper or a bold paint color to the back of enclosed shelving for a unique style. 

Declutter

There is no better time for decluttering than the beginning of a new decade. It’s natural to accumulate a lot of extra stuff as the years go by. Resolve to rid your space of items that no longer serve you, have a purpose, or support your style. Clearing surfaces opens opportunity for new additions as your design style continues to evolve. Plus it just feels good to let it go. Make arrangements for donating used decor and make someone’s day!

Rearrange

A new year brings on many new thoughts—some entail how you plan to spend your time in the future. Perhaps 2020 calls for more reading, family game nights, or entertaining. Evaluate your current space and decide if it supports your aspiring lifestyle. Rearrange items you already own to help decide what stays and what must go. You may need to shop or swap other rooms in your home during this exercise. Sometimes simply moving furnishings around revives a room and makes things feel fresh again.

We can help you achieve your design goals in the new year! Our award-winning design team can coach you through DIY design or complete your project from start-to-finish. Contact us to learn more about our flexible services.

Happy Home. Happy Life.

What are your best design tips for the New Year? Share in the comments below or tag us on Instagram @everythinghomedesigns.

We are grateful for another year spent doing what we love—making design dreams come true! To close out 2019 in style we asked our team to submit a sampling of their favorite design finds from this year.

Check out what trends topped the list:

Matte Black and Metallic Gold

Industrial matte black and metallic gold is a timeless combination that continues to make a good impression. Light fixtures, ceiling fans, plumbing fixtures, cabinet hardware, and furniture legs are some of our team’s choice places to incorporate black and gold finishes.

Custom Kitchen Appliances

Vintage made modern kitchen appliances were another standout this year. With over 200 color choices to choose from, retro-inspired ranges and refrigerators are making a sleek and stylish statement in the kitchen. High-end custom kitchen appliances in general stole our designer’s hearts!

Built-in Bar Convenience

Convenience continues to add value to a design, especially around the kitchen. Handy beverage prep and dish drying stations integrated into the bar sink were also a favorite to make hosting guests a breeze.

Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring

We built extra durability into our designs this year with Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring. This stunning floor option resembles authentic hardwood while offering superior wash and scratch resistance. LVP flooring tolerates damp conditions making it an especially wise choice for basement and bath installations.

Bold Floors and Walls

This was another hot year for patterns and prints! Welcome back wallpaper and designer tile. Powder rooms, fireplace surrounds, shelving, and headboard walls were some of our favorite places to incorporate fun wallpaper prints and textures. Additionally, shower walls, kitchen backsplashes, and mudroom floors proved to be interesting spaces for patterned tile installation.

Special Seating

With most new builds forgoing the formal dining room, our team is often tasked with designing a versatile dining experience. In an effort to make a single space feel both casual and sophisticated, our designers incorporated a lot of mixed seating. We like to keep dining design flexible with mix and match chair options ranging from fun to formal.

Ready to jumpstart the new year in style? Contact us to schedule your in-home design working session. May 2020 bring you new inspirations, goals and achievements. Cheers!

Happy Home. Happy Life.

Countertops are a big deal because they are a big design feature in a room covering a sizable amount of space. Cost, durability, and color — just a few of the many things to consider when selecting countertop materials. Let’s explore countertops from planning to pros and cons of today’s most popular picks.

Coordinating Countertops

When planning countertops consider the entire room and all of its elements. Pick a surface material that coordinates nicely with surrounding cabinets, flooring, and other built-in design features in the room. Also be sure that the countertop you have chosen compliments the overall architecture of the home. 

Natural Stone Know-How

Take the time to view countertop materials in person. Keep in mind natural stones may be labeled similarly but can vary widely in color, detail, and visual movement. Know your countertop surface measurements when you shop so you can reserve the exact stone to be used for your countertop. If there is a unique vein or color detail that you particularly like in a stone, you may even be able to request specific placement of that detail when countertops are cut. Islands and bar tops are highly visible places to spotlight interesting countertop characteristics. 

Suited Selection

Select countertops that are best suited for the intended use. Designers prefer granite, quartz, butcher block, and marble in the kitchen. These selections are both highly attractive and able to handle food prep and spills. Granite, quartz, and solid surface all hold up well to splashing making them excellent choices for the bath. More affordable laminate and granite countertop surfaces allow for easy clean up and are often recommended for the laundry or mudroom.

Pros and Cons of Popular Picks

Granite

Pros: Granite is famous for its durability and low maintenance. It is stain, heat, and chip resistant. This natural stone offers a depth of design texture that you simply won’t find in other countertops.

Cons: Natural stone can be difficult to repair if chipped. 

Quartz

Pros: Quartz is super durable and chip resistant. This engineered stone does not require sealing and is available in light colors including white. 

Cons: This material is not heat resistant and is often more costly than granite. Some patterns draw attention to the fact this product is man made. 

Marble

Pros: If you are after a luxe look, marble does the job. This natural stone is semi-heat resistant, available in light colors, and timeless in design.

Cons: A softer stone that easily absorbs stains, oils, and acidic based products, so regular maintenance like sealing is necessary. Marble is often more costly than granite.

Butcher Block

Pros: Wood offers a warm, natural look and is more affordable compared to stone options.

Cons: Butcher block is easy scratched, dented, and damaged. Sanding, oiling, and other maintenance is required to avoid heavy distress. Wood does not hold up well to direct heat, so hot pads must be used under hot items to avoid scorching. Knives can also cause damage so using a cutting board for food chopping is recommended. 

Less popular countertop materials include soapstone, solid-surface, stainless steel, ceramic tile, concrete, and laminate. Due to product availability, durability, and/or installation requirements these materials tend to be used less often.

Countertops can be costly, so think of them as a design investment. Everything Home can help you to make the best choice! We think beyond trends when selecting countertops — our team considers design, durability, and duration to make timeless picks that serve clients for many years. Contact us today to learn more about our uniquely custom interior design services.

Happy Home, Happy Life.

Open concept floor plans make for easy living but can be a challenge to decorate. With so much space to fill, it can be intimidating.  Step back and consider ways to design rooms within the room. Use space defining area rugs, cohesive color schemes, repeating hardware finishes, and smart placement of furnishings to make large spaces feel both more intimate and functional in the home.

Pro design tips for an open floor plan:

Defining Space

Creating vignettes within a large room helps to define intended use. Area rugs are champions of zoning large rooms. Start with an appropriately sized area rug and build a room within the room from there. Layer in furnishings that help describe the space. This may include seating, storage, tables, and accent furniture. Additional floor lighting and table-top lighting also help to designate zones.

Repeating Elements

Pattern brings unity to spaces both small and large. Repeat favorite elements in a room for instant design harmony. Textures and finishes are an excellent place to start—picking light fixtures, legs on furniture, and cabinet hardware of the same finish family is an easy way to bring consistency to a design.

Cohesive Color

Connect design colors used in an open floor plan design. A cohesive color scheme can include gradient colors progressing to achieve an ombre feel which subtly and seamlessly moves the eye from space to space. Contrasting color use can also be considered cohesive if the colors are complementary and attractive, yet different enough to sharply highlight special zones—like a bold fireplace wall in a neutral living space.

Pro Placement

Take the same five furnishings and arrange them five different ways, and you will have five completely different designs—that is how important placement is! Anchoring furnishings to a wall is common, but open floor plan designs shine through unique placement. Don’t be exclusive to the perimeter, consider room dividing placement of bookshelves, buffets, and other furniture pieces to establish room function boundaries.

Related article: Considerations when placing flooring

Multi-Functional Furnishings

The kitchen table can serve many purposes, from dining to DIY crafting, it is popularly a dual-use furnishing. Similarly, end tables in the living room hold anything from lamps to late-night snacks. Consider your lifestyle when selecting heavy-use furnishings, choose function over fashion for long-term use.

Yearning for a truly custom design experience? Contact Everything Home to learn more about our signature services which include mood board visioning, furnishing sourcing, and white-glove installation—our talented designers make design dreams come true!

Happy Home. Happy Life.

Looking for more design inspiration? Follow us on Pinterest!

What are your best design tips for an open floor plan? Share in the comments below. 

Hiring an interior designer is undoubtedly a big decision, and an exciting one! With so many design styles and processes available it can be daunting to pick the right design firm and designer for you and your project. Asking some important questions upfront will help you make the best choice.

Here are some questions Everything Home is frequently asked, with our responses:

What is your design process like?

Our signature process is both interactive and enjoyable. Clients have an option to proceed through our three design steps as they wish—making working with an interior designer as easy as one, two, three.

Step one: working session. Clients have an opportunity to sit down with an expert designer for 2 hours to discuss their design wishlist. This step concludes with a consultation summary to guide clients towards achieving desired design.

Step two: design development. Get started with an in-home visit from your designer, measurements and photos are then added to your design portfolio. From there, scaled drawings, mood boards, visual renderings, and price estimates are developed and shared to fully communicate style recommendations. You can choose to DIY the design or proceed in the process.

Step three: project management. Design logistics like ordering, tracking, and storing furnishings are coordinated and white-glove installation is implemented by your designer during this final phase. Everything Home completes the 3-step experience with an exciting reveal day!

Learn more about Our Process here. 

How involved does a client need to be in the process?

Our design process if flexible, we invite clients to be as involved as they would like to be. Hands-on or hands-off we can accommodate your design approach.

How do you communicate with clients?

Most Everything Home correspondence will be by way of email; however, staff and designers are also available to clients via phone. In-person meetings are part of the design process and will be scheduled as necessary.

What kinds of projects does your firm take on?

Our diverse portfolio includes refresh, remodel, and new construction design projects alike, all focused in residential design. Schedule a 20-minute exploratory phone meeting to see if Everything Home is the right fit for your upcoming design project.

How will you manage my project so we stay on time and on budget?

We know being on-time and on-budget is crucial to our clients. Our experienced design team and support staff provides a valuable experience with their subject knowledge, refined eye, trade resources, and transparent guidance moving projects seamlessly from start-to-finish.

What types of issues could cause a project to be delayed or go over budget?

Everything Home makes every effort to understand a project fully to provide accurate timelines and budgets. Sometimes delays are unfortunately unavoidable, especially when unexpected structural or utility changes are identified mid-project. Unplanned changes could result in budget changes too.

What design styles can you execute?

Everything Home is known for luxe yet livable design. Our eclectic design team executes styles from traditional to transitional, contemporary to coastal, modern farmhouse to mid-century modern, and everything in between.

Can I see completed projects and speak to one of your previous clients?

Absolutely! We are happy to share client contacts so you can contract with confidence. You are also welcome to tour one of our model homes for a live preview or peruse our online galleries available on our website, Houzz, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

Contact us with additional questions and to learn more about how we can help you achieve your design dreams!

Happy Home. Happy Life.

There is no statement in a room as weighty as wall paint. Wall color is the backdrop to all room decor decisions. From beige to bold, wall color sets the tone for finished room design. Color is a powerful tool, capable of creating more than a style—it also embodies a feeling.

Consider the following interior paint points:

Curated Color Palettes

Picking a color can be intimidating. It is hard to narrow down favorites with all the tones, shades, and hues available today. Take advantage of years of professional experience and use curated color palettes available at the paint store when choosing colors. Do your research and look for marketing materials that show colors in consideration painted on a larger scale or finished project. Color palettes are often curated to support unique design styles. Rustic, vintage, organic, modern, traditional, or timeless—keep your style in mind when searching palettes.

Smooth Transitions

You are probably familiar with those little paint strips at the paint store with varying shades of the same color on a card. They are super handy! Once you find a color you really like, use the ombre’ color card to pick coordinating colors for nearby paint applications. Go a shade or two lighter or darker throughout the house for easy color transition.

Paint that Pops

Painted walls don’t have to be boring, use painter’s tape to create shapes and custom designs. Both tone on tone and complementary colors will yield unique graphic expressions. Color-painted ceilings are another opportunity for stand out design. Use soft neutral colors on the ceiling for a soothing feel or dark bold colors for dramatic design overhead.

Quality Finishes

Paint technology is getting better and better and finishes are becoming more of a preference than a principle. Evaluate the space to be painted and consider both design and durability when deciding on an appropriate finish. Quality paint sources now boast washable flat paints, which is an exciting innovation since it’s a favorite for wall applications. Flat paints are easier to touch up after wear than paints with sheen in the formula. Low-sheen matte paints are still a better choice than flat paints for concealing water marks in damp bathrooms. Semi-gloss paints are scrubbable, making them ideal for use on doors and trim.

Color Assurance

White paint is no longer just plain white—there is creamy white, pure white, snowy white, chalk white, lacy white, and so many more ideas of virtually the same color. And yes, it really does make a difference. All those little variations do equal different results. Don’t skip the samples, take the time to paint a large cardboard panel with sample colors and hold it up to the wall to ensure that your paint selection is the perfect one. Evaluate the sample board during different times of the day before committing to a larger pail of paint. Changes in natural light from sun up to sun down can make a noticeable difference.

Tap into a valuable resource by consulting with interior designers at Everything Home for your next paint project. Let a professional eye guide you towards choosing interior paints with intention and make a lasting impression. Contact Us, we would love to learn more about your next paint project!

Happy Home. Happy Life.