September 28, 2011
Ideas for Home Harvesting this Fall
Fall is all about harvesting, nesting and sharing time indoors with loved ones. It is also a time to prepare for all of the upcoming holiday home activities. Here are some new idea’s to get your home ready for the fall and impending holiday rush.
Room Flow – analyze the room flow from the entry of your home. Ensure that there are no bottlenecks or areas in which is cluttered with too much furniture or “stuff”. Rearrange furniture or eliminate some items to create a cohesive flow from room to room.
Area Rugs – if you have hardwood floors, add some new area rugs in the foyer, living room, kitchen or den. Select a geometric or more modern design and color palette than you are used to.
Focal Point – select a new paint color for a focal point in your room. Update the fireplace wall or art wall with a fresh new paint color.
Lighting – purchase a new lamp with a shade with light is facing down. Make sure that the size and style of the shade complements the style of the rest of your room. Use a soft white or pink light blub instead of a bright white blub to create instant warmth to any room.
Visit our website to contact Authentic Home and Kathy Banak to help with your decorating dilemma’s, or give us a call for a consultation quote and appointment. 206.937.3070
September 14, 2011
Don’t Forget the Window Coverings!
During many of my interior design consultations, I meet with clients who do not want to disrupt their view or natural light with window coverings. Logically, I understand this, yet from a creative side I often struggle with this request. Perhaps it has something to do with my upbringing in New England, where we not only used window coverings for aesthetic or privacy purposes, but for warmth during the bitter cold winters? In my opinion, window coverings bring together the entire look and feel of a room and must never be forgotten.
I realize it can become an overwhelming process for many people when deciding on window coverings that meet all of their needs. As an interior designer, we have additional resources to choose from that are not available to retail customers and can guide you through the process to make the right choice that meets your style and design needs. Hiring an interior designer may not fit within everyone’s budget, so I wanted to offer some quick tips and ideas to assist you in choosing the right window coverings for your home.
- Roman Shades – These are versatile and timeless shades that you can add onto years later when you want to change the look of a room again – that’s the beauty of roman shades! Simply put, roman shades are an updated version of the very outdated mini blinds, and sit inside the window frame. Another option is an outside mount roman shade, which hangs above the window and will not interfere with a view if hung inches above the window frame.
- Draperies – There is a lot of flexibility with custom draperies and if your budget allows, I would highly recommend investing in them. Side panels or full drapes with sheers or roman shades underneath provide an instant impact to any room and some warmth on cold damp days. Purchasing draperies from retail outlets is a good idea, yet I caution you to be sure of your exact window measurements prior to purchasing, and allow for additional inches on the outside and above the window. While hung, draperies should hit ½ – 1” above the floor, unless you’d like them to puddle.
- Rod Placement – A rod should be placed as close to the ceiling as possible, especially in older homes with 7’ or 8’ ceilings. More often than not, I see rods attached to the window molding itself or directly above. Naturally, this depends on the size of the ceiling, but the goal is to create the feeling of additional height in the room.
- Drapery Rods – A unique rod can provide a touch of whimsy and flare to the overall effect of draperies. Budget often determines your options with rods, yet I advise investing in continuous rods to prevent breaks or bending over time.
There are a lot of options and guidance available to you in bringing cohesiveness, beauty and warmth to any room in your home with draperies. Let us know if we can help, book an in-home consultation in the Seattle area.
September 7, 2011
Authentic Home COLOR Paint™ Launches More Rodda Paint Stores
Our partnership with Rodda Paint is growing again, we are launching our Authentic Home COLOR Paint™. line in the Puyallup, WA, Kent, WA and Tacoma, WA stores. Look for our display filled with 4 oz color cups, paint samples, quarts and gallons of our superior, high-quality acrylic interior paint that offers a rich, elegant finish with exceptional coverage and durability. All paints are zero VOC base, with low odor and minimal solvents to help maintain a clean painting environment. You will love the way this paint performs!
To find a Rodda Paint Store or other reseller in your neighborhood take a look at our reseller page here…Authentic Home COLOR Paint™ Store
And to read more about our paint, take a look at the AH spec’s page Authentic Home COLOR Paint™
September 1, 2011
Finish and Accessory Trends
I have noticed a trend in home accessories, furniture and plumbing finishes over the past year and would like to share my thoughts with you.
Glass and metal candleholders are perfect accessories that are a great investment. Here are some glass and brass metal ones that I’ve seen recently and adore!
With the holiday season approaching, we like vases with metallic finishes, specifically the mercury glass-inspired designs. Why? For starters, they can be dressed up for formal presentations or dressed down to complement the more rustic finishes you’re seeing in medium high-end catalogs and retail stores right now.
While the variations are many, the hues poised to dominate in 2011 are warmer, more casual and more natural than the topcoats you’ve seen in recent years.
Rather than hide the species of wood under layers of paint and finish, a new crop of furnishings is favored because it honors wood grain and naturally occurring markings.
Why the transparency? For starters, consumers are more cautious about how they spend their hard-earned dollars. As a result, there’s been a swell of demand—across many product categories, including home furnishings—for what’s real and genuine.
There is an environment-friendly theme to these products, too, as many are made from reclaimed woods, discarded byproducts of the harvesting process, and renewable plant-based materials such as bamboo.
In fact, according to a 2010 survey of recent home furnishings purchasers (by World Market Center Las Vegas and the Sustainable Furnishings Council) half of respondents said they would be “definitely interested” or “very interested” in buying green home furnishings, if they liked the style of the product and it cost about the same as other options.
The warmer finishes trend is most evident in the contemporary and transitional furniture categories. Gone are dark espresso and wenge finishes that begged for only chrome and polished silver complements. Instead, wood tones are softer, more Mid-Century Modern in color and shape—think “Mad Men” meets today’s modern loft. In both the contemporary and transitional style categories, walnut veneers guide the trend.
Solid brass electroplated with chromium – more commonly referred to simply as chrome – became the standard for faucets in the 1930s and remains one of the most popular looks today. Sophisticated, tarnish-resistant and durable, chrome replaced nickel-plated brass as the faucet material of choice.
The menu of faucet choices now available includes a smorgasbord of silver-tone finishes, as well as gold, bronze, mixed metals and brushed and hammered options. Read on for a few tips on using the different finish styles:
Polished chrome is a classic finish that coordinates beautifully with a wide variety of fixture styles and types of décor. It works particularly well for evoking a nostalgic look, as in a 1920s- or other vintage-style bath, but also complements contemporary styles.
Shiny like chrome, Vibrant Polished Nickel can be used in most of the same styles of décor, and is a favorite of Portland, OR, designer Sandy Hayes of Hayes Designs. “Polished nickel is a really sophisticated look that goes well with elegant furniture,” she says. It works well with both traditional and contemporary styles, and can add an elegant touch to the bathroom.
Brushed nickel has a warm appearance that appeals to homeowners looking for a bit of softness in the bath. It looks classic against white and coordinates well with granite or slate countertops and backsplashes.
Matte finishes such as brushed nickel don’t show water spots or fingerprints as easily as some of the polished finishes and that’s why it is so popular!
The rich look of Vibrant French Gold can provide a dramatic contrast to brilliant white fixtures. It goes well with period styles and complements decorated sinks with gold accents. Gold fixtures can add a luxurious accent to your bathroom. Yes gold finishes are back!!
Vibrant Polished Brass provides an elegant note to traditional-style baths, and adds a rich feel to modern or transitional faucet models as well.
Chrome, bronze, nickel, gold or a combination of metals – how’s a homeowner to choose? Keep these things in mind when choosing a faucet finish:
Choose a finish that is appropriate for the style of your fixtures, whether they are traditional, contemporary or transitional.
Think about the big picture. Consider not just how the faucet finish will look against the color of your sink or tub, but also how it will look against the backsplash and the colors or patterns on your walls. This is especially important if you’ve chosen a faucet style that installs on the wall instead of to the sink.
Coordinate your faucet finish with lighting and accessories. If you’ve already chosen bronze lighting fixtures, for example, it’s a good idea to choose bronze faucets and towel racks.
Get what you want. Polished chrome is the most popular finish because of its ageless appeal and flexibility in coordinating with many different design styles—and also because it is least expensive. But if chrome isn’t your favorite finish, remember that the faucet is something you’ll be using every day. It’s better to opt for a look you’ll really love.
Subscribe via RSS Feed
