Size Doesn’t Matter
I recently attended KBIS (Kitchen and Bath Industry Show) and IBS (International Builders Show) in Orlando, Florida where the latest innovations in the interior design industry were shown. At these shows, I took special notice of three different houses of three different sizes. Read below to see my favorites, as well as why size doesn’t matter when it comes to home decor:
The New American Home
The creators of this $6 million home spared no expense to combine an indoor-outdoor living experience in which the line between inside and outside the home is blurred. At 8,200 sq ft, this home is grand in size; yet, the design has it looking even grander. For example, the large windows surrounding the courtyard create an inclusive vibe that feels as though the courtyard is an extension of living space, rather than outside grounds.
We saw this concept throughout this home; every room had a view of the rest of the house and to the surrounding nature. The styling and décor are simple so that the outdoors truly becomes the highlight of each room. The tall windows create the illusion that this living area is trill outdoors.
This concept of combining the indoor and outdoor is continued into the bathroom with only a large window separating the bathtub from the palm trees.
This home also brings the outdoors back inside in a completely new way that any golfer would appreciate. Homeowners can play a virtual game or practice their swing on this simulator, all while feeling like they’re actually on the golf course.
The Tiny House
While the multi-million dollar mansion is magnificent, I also had the opportunity to tour a Tiny House. Tiny Houses are gaining popularity in the housing market for their self-sustainability and low maintenance costs. These homes are classified by their petite stature (500 sq ft or less!). See what that size actually amounts to in the picture below.
Even though these houses are tiny, homebuyers are not forced to compromise. Specifically, tiny homes are designed to be completely equipped with fully functional kitchens and bathrooms.
Often, a Tiny House features a lofted sleeping area to utilize the horizontal space, with the slanted roof to create an illusion of a higher ceiling.
55+ Model Home
Window of Opportunity
Time to Get Nauti(cal)
Bring the Outdoors Back In
Not a fan of these bronzed fish? No problem- swim into a new style with these decorative fish wall pieces that add a splash of personality to any room. The nautical-inspired bright colors give a warm, summer feel while the eccentric patterns are unique and lively.
This picnic-inspired table pictured is also a great addition to bring the outdoors back inside your home. The exposed wood evokes a feeling of nature, and will be sure to serve all of your needs, like being a place to set down a cold beer!
Paint color is an easy way to bring summer fun into your home, especially with a bright color like lime green. The color of paint can set the mood for any room, so whether you are aiming for a kid-friendly area or an enjoyable entertaining space, paint the walls a bright, solid color that creates drama before adding the appropriate décor.
Naut Your Average Room
Continue the fun, funky flare of your room by adding a nautical-inspired piece of artwork to an empty wall. These worn paintings give a vintage vibe that is sure to elicit a longing for the beach.
Whether you want a home so hot it will melt your popsicle, or a cool room to relax in, contact me via phone or email.
Still feeling Nauti(cal)?
This nautical bedroom has many exciting elements. The oar headboard creates a dramatic effect and serves as the perfect statement piece in any vacation home or child’s room. The combination of athletics and creativity produces an aesthetically pleasing piece.
The ottoman, alternating between white and various shades of blue, offers a pop of color that ties in with the hues of blue throughout the bedroom. Blue seems to be the base color of this room, ranging from the navy striped duvet to the turquoise cabinets to the blue tray accessory at the end of the bed. However, this room is not simply blue! There is much contrast with fun patterns like the striped pillows.
Looking closer, you can see that this room truly fits our nautical theme with the detailed cabinet that is made up of aligning flip-flops. Even the side table and lamp portray a colorful school of fish to finish off this look.
For more inspiration, check out the rest of the website, or contact us with your design dilemma.
Shades of Grey Can Transform Your Space into a Romantic Playground
Burlesque Table
Fifty Shades of Grey paints an opulent portrait of a steamy sexual relationship, but you don’t have to desire your own “red room” to incorporate some of Christian Grey’s lavish lifestyle choices into your personal space. The fact is, just about all the décor you see in the industrialist’s lofty apartment is available from Elegant Interior Designs and can help set the right mood for romance.
A sensual space arises from a combination of furnishings, fabrics, art, layout, lighting, and colors. Curved lines, like those of the Desire Sofa and Chair seen on-screen, can evoke the contours of the human body and deliver comfort, visual appeal, and a sense of extravagance. Circles and amorphous shapes, maybe best illustrated by Grey’s Burlesque Table subliminally promote a free-flowing environment…one in which anything can happen.
Desire Sofa & Chair
Lighting, for its part, should be provocative rather than harsh, and if you can dim those lights, all the better. Strategically placed floodlights and accent lights can create a climate conducive to seduction while putting the focus on other design elements. Decorative sconces, such as the ribbon-like Chloe sconce seen in the film, can also add a dramatic flair to a subtle form of lighting.
Chloe Sconce
And dark, tasteful colors can provide aristocratic elegance to any space. Grey is the new black, and shades of gray can create a mood that no white can duplicate. Greys also make a dramatic backdrop for colorful art and other decorative pieces.
Vivre Sconce
Finally, don’t let your desire for desire overshadow your personal tastes. Your style might run toward the flamboyant – like Christian Grey’s eye-catching Guilt Mirror – or the more staid, epitomized by the Sinful Cabinet. You might go for spare seductiveness, embodied by the Exotica Dressing Table seen on-screen, or something more statement-making like the hexagonal Hypnotic Chandelier. Other Grey-like pieces that can inject your individuality include the captivating, industrial Vivre Sconce or the nature-evoking Sequoia Table.
Most of us aren’t kinky titans of business, but you can implement these design choices; all you need is a romantic’s sensibility and an eye for things that make you feel good. Many of the furnishings seen in the film are also available in a variety of fabrics, colors, or materials, so you’re not bound by some Hollywood set decorator’s vision of sensuality.
Of course, a creative designer can help you put it all together. And if you just have to have that exact piece you saw on screen, Elegant Interior Designs can help with that too.
Seductive Outdoor Spaces
Trending now is not only creating amazing outdoor spaces but integrating luxury and amenities such as fireplaces, fire pits, built-in grills, outdoor kitchens, tiered spaces, and pergolas, to name a few. These amenities can be so awesome and would be ideal for anyone that enjoys kicking back, relaxing, and enjoying life with the added benefit of increasing the value of your home. Let’s fall in love with fall and each season all over again with these seductive outdoor spaces.
Mediterranean Patio by Washington Interior Designers & Decorators Sroka Design, Inc.
Friendly warning if you want to do it yourself…
A New Story Being Told
Having just celebrated 10 years in the business I think now is the perfect time for my own makeover. Watching trends come and go, colors fade in and out there has been a common thread among my clients and projects… fantasy. Each client has a vision of what their space should be and that usually includes a WOW feature, accessory, and amenity. A room redesign is no longer just a color change on the walls and new pillows but it’s about the transformation of a space from fantasy to reality. Our new mission and tagline at Elegant Interior Designs is the following:
Elegant Interior Designs makes fantasy a reality by bringing a space to life with award-winning interior designs, allowing your life story to unfold, one room at a time.
Elegant Interior Designs curates the spaces for your story to unfold.
What does this mean for my designs? The options are limitless and always have been. But now I am encouraging you to think outside the box. Let me make your fantasy a reality – nothing is off the table and nothing is impossible. So share your home fantasy, is it:
- A Rainfall Shower for Two
- A Dressing Suite with Walk-In Closet
- Chef’s Kitchen fit for a King or Queen
- Ultimate Playroom for Kids
To tell your best life stories start with the best setting – Elegant Interior Design will make your fantasy a reality one room at a time.
The Design Story Behind the 2014 COTY Award
In 2013, I partnered with Tom Hawks, owner and contractor of Total Home Solution on the award-winning residential bathroom project. I wanted to share my design journey with the family and Tom to create this award-winning bathroom.
Elegant Interiors Designs’ winning entry in collaboration with Total Home Solution involved a long checklist: double sinks, a vanity tower, a sitting area for hairstyling and make-up application, pocket shelves, a toiletry shelf, a larger shower with multiple shower heads, a soaking tub, and a separate room for the commode. The design details were evident throughout the bathroom from the artwork to shades and even in the functional accent items in the pocket shelves.
MASTER BATHROOM GUT & REDO
CLIENT: “Mr & Mrs H” a young ambitious married couple. After purchasing a new home 2 days after the BIG MOVE the bathroom remodel started.
TIMELINE: Mr & Mrs H had a baby on the way in a month. This created a firm deadline of fewer than 30 days.
CLIENTS MUST HAVE LIST: Lots of storage, sitting area at the vanity, his and hers basins, and a large mirror to accommodate two simultaneously.
Read More...Main Line Bachelor Pad Transformation
Philadelphia Main Line bachelor contacted Pamela Kofsky of Elegant Interior Designs to help him transform his new home which included his Great Room, Master Suite, Study, Breakfast Nook, Office, and Guest Room. The client requested a contemporary farmhouse look with all-natural products. Some of the inspiration pieces to be incorporated into the design would need to include: natural products such as reclaimed wood, stone, leather, metal, and brick. He liked the simplicity and an uncluttered look. The transformation of the space was very masculine and reflected his personal taste and lifestyle.
In the photos, you can see a combination of a natural color palette with fabrics and a few subtle pops of color. The fabrics consisted of natural fibers – linens, cotton, hair on hide, leather, and some leather accented with nail heads contributing to the masculine feel. The color palette was earthy with taupe, beige, camel, and cream. The rugs were made of natural fibers including jute, sisal, and wool throughout the home.
Great Room
The Great Room had a custom-designed sectional with a complimentary armless sofa accented with natural linen pillows. As you enter the room there is a cast stone top console table with an old wooden base on the right. The occasional chair in the far corner is a natural wood with a woven raffia seat paired with a carved wood side table. The coffee table is a reclaimed wood top with a metal base. The custom looped wool area rug adds interest and unifies the seating area. The fireplace wall, a room highlight, was redesigned with reclaimed wood panels and fabricated by TR Risk. A local Philadelphia artist, Nancy “Weezy ” Forman’s oil on canvas giclee of an old truck in a wooded setting completes the fireplace wall.
Bachelor Master Suite
Essence of the Man
What makes a man, a man? Is it his style, hobbies, musical taste, career, personality, passions, or a combination of everything? You can tell a lot from a man’s living space, bachelor pad, office, and/or man-space. Does your space reflect your personality and interests?
Your idea of a typical ‘bachelor pad’ might fall into one of three popular categories: simple and minimalist, sports fanatic, and outdoorsman. My passion is to create a space that is specific to you from the overall look to the last detail that will complete the room or entire home. Here are a few man-inspiring ideas to take your space beyond typical.
WALL STREET MEETS THE 9th HOLE
When you think ‘Wall Street’ it usually suits and ties with an NYC Studio with minimalist and simple décor. Popular colors tend to be black and grey with luxury mixed with comfort. Not all finance guys are into a modern style and vintage is making a comeback for accent and statement pieces. Nautical looking works well for these guys too. Their decorating style is very classic, giving the All-American look.
This personality tends to enjoy a home that reflects the relaxed setting while adding a degree of sophistication. The color palette extends to navy, greys, and camels. They enjoy relaxing after a hard day at the office with a cocktail, perhaps a dirty martini, from their custom-designed home bar.
Golf and business mix well with so many businessmen taking to the greens. Why not bring the green home with an indoor putting green or a manicured sod outdoor putting green. Unwind and practice in the privacy of your home and don’t forget the cocktail from the custom bar.
ALL BETS ARE OFF IN A SPORTY SPACE
Watching the BIG game should be on a large screen with ultra-comfortable furniture and plenty of space to kick back. A sports enthusiast that likes to host on away game days will need to have a space complete with all the fixings including a full bar, a kegerator to keep the beer flowing, and a refrigerator with a high top. Their home theater is their haven for viewing all sporting events. These guys need an awesome space for hanging out with their friends and having fun – often times the family man will transform the basement into a man cave. Sports fanatics also tend to be into home automation, all-in-one remote controls or apps, and pre-programmed music, lights, and window shade control. Since boys like their toys, we can’t forget arcade games, pool tables, and foosball for these guys. The right fabrics, comfy furniture, and accessories can pull the entire look together.
