How to Create a Romantic Ambiance

The month of February is the perfect time to take a break from your busy schedule and celebrate with your loved ones. Romanticizing your living space is ideal for setting the right mood.  Here are a few tips for making the perfect ambiance for you and your Valentine.

The pictures below display Pamela Kofsky’s Valentine’s Day themed work for a benefit at the Marketplace Design Center in Philadelphia.  As you can see, Pamela incorporated all the tips suggested to make a decadent table setting.

Table
Think of setting the table as setting the color.  Incorporate a lot of red since this evokes the most emotion associated with love,  warmth, excitement and energy. Red also is a stimulant, giving your delicious  meal a little more desire.  Don’t forget to include flowers on the table.

Place Setting
Using textures like ruffles, satin, embroidery, and soft fabrics give  the senses more of a dining experience. Accent plates can enhance a place setting along with place mats, cloth napkins, crystal and elegant silverware and dinnerware.

Want further interior design tips and decorating ideas for a flawless intimate setting? Call Pamela Kofsky, founder and designer of Elegant Interior Designs for a consultation.

Hurry…Time Is Running Out!

Claim your tax credit for the purchase of qualifying energy efficient shades.

Certain Hunter Douglas Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades may qualify for a U.S. Federal Tax Credit of up to $500! The federal tax credit is valid on qualifying honeycomb shade purchases made from January 1 through December 31, 2011. You can still purchase before Dec. 31 to qualify for the tax credit.

- Purchase any qualifying energy-efficient Hunter Douglas products within the following collections: Alustra® Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades with certain fabrics and options.

- Don’t forget to save your original purchase receipts for the amount paid for the qualifying Hunter Douglas products. (Measuring and Installation charges are not eligible for this tax credit.)

- Fill out the Hunter Douglas Manufacturer’s Certification Statements and take it along with your sales receipt to your tax professional to determine your eligibility for this tax credit.

DECORATING TIP:  Further enhance the beauty of your windows and also reduce your heating and cooling bill by adding lined and interlined drapery panels with a top treatment.

For more information or to purchase Hunter Douglas products or Custom Window Treatments contact Pamela Kofsky of Elegant Interior Designs at 215-920-9655.

Holiday Space Planning

Tis’ the Season for Giving Thanks! For most of us that is top of mind for the holiday season. Our intentions are to do something special, but we never really get around to it. This year by making it a priority it can be a win-win for your home and your family. Here’s the plan: set aside time to thank people for their time, commitment, support, help and understanding this past year. Host a cocktail hour, dinner, game night or brunch in your home. The fun part will be space planning for your event. Make entertaining an experience for your guests from great appetizers to perfect lighting!

Let’s take advantage of this holiday season and the few weeks we have to prepare. Then we can invite our family and friends and take a time out together to live “in the moment” in your great new space!

Now the question is… How does your home look? Cluttered? Mix Matched? Outdated? Lacking seating? Evaluating a room will not only give it a new look but it can:

• Create Function and Purpose
• Offer Organization
• Improve Seating
• Create Ambiance
• Encourage Conversation
• De-clutter
• Refresh and Renew the Energy in a Space

Underneath your “stuff” is an amazing space. Let’s create your masterpiece.

Elegant Interior Designs offers clients the option for Space Planning consultation from discussing options to recreating spaces. If you want your home to sparkle this season make your appointment now for an easy solution to a fun project!

Top 10 Trends in Interior Design by 2020

Ever wonder what Interior Design Trends will be in the future? We asked ourselves the same question and with a little digging we found a survey with opinions from across the industry. Here is an abbreviation of the survey:

 1. Americans will be living in smaller spaces and with fewer rooms by the year 2020, say more than 76% of IFDA members.

2. Formal living rooms are going extinct, according to an increasing majority of design professionals

3. Dining rooms will become multi-purpose spaces, incorporating home offices, study areas for children and entertainment centers.

4. Separate rooms are disappearing: they are blending into spaces that serve many different purposes, believe 91.5 % of the design experts

5. Furniture also goes multi-purpose with modular, moveable and smaller scaled furniture overtaking built-ins and big pieces.

6. Eat in kitchens will remain a necessity and could replace dining rooms due to the increased interest in home cooking.

7. Spa baths are very likely to succeed.  Luxurious products such as spa showers, high- tech fixtures/TVs are on the rise.

8. High-Tech is here to stay.  Voice and sensor activation will be the norm.  Lighting, entertainment and environmental controls (heating and cooling) and window treatments will be motorized by the general population.

9. Outdoor living with low maintenance is a must.  Low-maintenance landscaping and “functional” gardens with herb and vegetables will be prevalent.

10. The average home size will shrink due to concern over energy costs and the fact that baby boomers no longer need a large number of bedrooms.

The Top 10 Trends were sourced from “20/20: IFDA’s Vision for the Future” survey of the association’s nearly 2000 members across the US and abroad (including Japan). 

For more information about how you can stay a head of the curve and implement any of these trends call Pamela Kofsky, founder and designer at Elegant Interior Designs for a consultation on your project.

Paint with Color – Designer Tips

Did you catch September’s Newsletter? If so, then you must be anxious for the Painting Color Tips by your very own Pamela Kofsky, Color Consultant. Pam does offer a la carte services including a color consultation when selecting wall color for your next room.

Purpose of Space

• What is purpose of the space?
• What mood are you setting?
• Is this a high traffic area?
• Will the kids or pets make contact with the wall?

Selecting a Paint Color

• What is your color palette for your room/space?
• What are the other items in the room or space?
• Are you looking for a solid color or a two toned room?
• Are you looking at a WARM color palette or a COOL color palette?
  • WARM = Red, Orange, Yellow
  • COOL = Blue, Green, Purple

Selecting a Finish
Know your options, each option reflects light differently:

• Semi Gloss
• Gloss
• Matte
• Eggshell
• Flat
• Satin

Antique Shopping in Montreal

While on a recent international shopping trip in Canada I stumbled upon some awesome antique stores.  Looking for the perfect piece with one of the kind quality for a client.  It was an interior designers dream to discover these shops. 

Unique Antique Find

Montreal Antique Shop Window

Lights Galore

Bedroom Bliss: MASTER SUITE

No Kids? Why not treat yourself to a modern upgrade? 

 Is your master suite is stuck in the 70s, 80s or 90s? If you have waited long enough your bedroom might be back in style but it might be time to update the textiles in the room. Yes, you can work with existing furniture in your room and still have a successful makeover.  Focus on items that wear or may be outdated. Consider alternating existing room features: from wallpaper to paint, carpet to hardwood, floral to patterns, mirrors to framed art.  Don’t forget new linens, new wall color and finish, wall art, accessories and even refinishing your furniture a lighter or darker finish.

 Tips for Getting Started:

•  Keep vs. Sell/Donate
•  Create a Color Palette
•  Furniture Placement/Room Layout
•  Flooring vs. Carpet
•  Wallpaper vs. Paint

  Things to Consider:

•   Lighting and Room Ambience – Softer Lights work Well
•  Explore Window Coverings, Shades, Blinds to Control Morning & Evening Light
•  Is there room for a sitting area or an extra room to convert to a sitting area?
•  Can you maximize natural light in your room? 

 Remember: A bedroom is meant to be a place of rest and comfort. 

For Kid’s Room Ideas Check out our Kids Room Blog!

 ** Need help getting started? Seek Professional Help and you can Enter the Summer Room Makeover Contest!

Bedroom Bliss: KIDS

Believe it or not, another school year is just around the corner. As time flies and you may be realizing that your kids are all grown up.  Maybe the dinosaur, trains, or space themed bedroom is outdated, especially now they are entering middle school.  Below you will find tips for updating any bedroom space. Remember when it comes to your child’s room trends come and go quickly. If you are selecting a theme choose carefully unless you are OK with constantly updating the room to fit the age range.

 Tips for Kids Bedroom Makeover:

•  Bold Colors
•  Shapes
•  Patterns
•  Customized Wall Decals (Removable)
•  Window Treatments
•  Reversible Comforter

 For Master Suite Ideas Click Here

 ** Need help getting started? Seek Professional Help and you can Enter the Summer Room Makeover Contest!

TURN ORDINARY INTO EXTRAORDINARY: ACCESSORIZE WITH STYLE

Did you ever look at a room and think it’s nicely furnished but it wasn’t quite right, something was missing?  Well, it’s the accessories that add the finishing touch which can make all the difference. Picture a well-dressed woman wearing a beautiful evening gown, but lacking:

•      any discriminating jewelry
•      coordinating evening bag
•      shoes that compliment the outfit

The same concept applies to dressing a room in your home.  The accessories are the jewelry of an interior.   They add accent and emphasis, and serve to pull an entire design together.

Well placed accessories can make any room come alive by adding interest, texture, shape and color to the design.

Imagine what the addition of an area rug does for a room.  It can:

•    Define and outline the space.
•    Add design, mood, pattern, texture, warmth, with a pop of color.
•     Use in large or multi-purpose rooms to break up the space.
•     Define individual seating groups.
•     Establish a style or theme that other accessories can support.

To have effective placement of accessories consideration needs to be given to proper scale and proportion.  Be careful not to clutter up the walls, tables or the empty areas with “stuff.”

The days of “matching” items in a room are gone.  Today’s look is coordinating and blending colors, fabrics, and textures to create an interesting mix.

This decorating advice was provided by founder and designer Pamela Kofsky of Elegant Interior Designs. These tips will be a sure fire way to spruce up any bare rooms in your home, but don’t forget these tips are the starting point to transforming your space from ordinary to extraordinary

Pamela Kofsky, Featured Speaker at WPN

Womens Power Networking (Greater Philadelphia chapter) featured Founder/Designer, Pamela Kofsky as luncheon speaker.  Pamela spoke about how to accessorize your home transforming it from ordinary to extraordinary with simple design guidelines.

Below you will find a few tips:

• Well placed accessories can make any room come alive by adding interest, texture, shape and color to the design.
• Be careful not to clutter up the walls, tables or the empty areas with “stuff.”
• Adding color and interest to the ceiling creates a more pulled together look.

These suggestions along with our next Blog post, “Turn Ordinary Into Extraordinary: Accessorize with Style” will both be great tips to help you start accessorizing your home.

If you would like help accessorizing your home call Pamela at 215-920-9655.
Your project may qualify for the Summer Make Over Contest.

Pamela Kofsky, Presenter, in Red Dress