Design Connection, Inc. Interior Design

As technology continues to progress and information is always at our finger tips, the way we work is being redefined. Corporate standards are changing to include workplace flexibility, which means that home office is become a more prevalent room in the home.

Work today is being done in new ways and in new places. If you find yourself working from home on the kitchen table or on a desk shared by kids craft projects, it might be time to carve some of your own space. Design Connection Inc. can help you re-purpose a room, or finish out your basement to include a fully functioning home office.

The facts are in. According to the conclusions of psychologists who examined 20 years of research on flexible work arrangements, telecommuting is a win-win for employees and employers. “We found that telecommuters reported more job satisfaction, less motivation to leave the company, less stress, improved work-family balance, and higher performance ratings by supervisors,.” said Ravi S. Gajendran, lead author of an analysis of 46 studies of telecommuting involving 12,833 employees, reported in the Journal of Applied Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Here at Design Connection, we realize how important this trend is and even more important, is creating that space in your home where you will be working several hours a day. It needs to be clean, uncluttered, ergonomic, and safe. We have the resources to help you make the right decisions for your home office as part of The Office Evolution.

Design Tip: Function first! Make a list of your office needs, the design should evolve around these needs. If the new home office doesn’t accommodate everything you need to work efficiently then you will never be as productive as you can be. If storage is important, then it is key to plan for shelves and drawers and file cabinets. If a big work surface is needed then a large desk will be key. There are may pieces of furniture that can expand and contract as needed.

If you love this idea, but don’t know where to start call us today for an appointment with our professional design team. Our business hours are: 9 a.m – 5 p.m. central standard time Monday – Friday Call Arlene Ladegaard at  (913) 851-8776 or email her at Arlene@DesignConnectionInc.com

(Office examples are courtesy of office-dd.net, sixrevisions.com and femtalks.com)

High Point Furniture Market is the only internationally esteemed Furnishing Industry Trade Show.   High Point Market is the Fashion Week of Furniture Design and it is every bit as fabulous. Retailer representative attend High Point Market to order furniture lines in person from manufacturers to stock in their stores for the upcoming months.  However, the more exiting more relevant purpose of High Point Market is for high end designers and decorators to convene.  They gather in anticipation of seeing the latest designs and to stay up to date on the latest trends in furniture. They find inspiration for their current design projects, compare the quality and design among different manufacturers, and to search for unique and beautiful furnishings for their clients.

Here are some of our favorite fabulous picks from the designs debuted at this years Spring 2012 High Point Fashion Market.

Norwalk Furniture “The new Norwalk Furniture silhouettes are highly stylish, while offering tremendous flexibility in creating a personal look with new combinations of color, pattern and texture.”  -Norwalk Furniture, You Tube Channel

Norwalk Furniture Spring 2012 Introductions

We couldn’t agree more!

Hickory White We love the new Antique and Classic Collections by Lillian August for Hickory White.

“Artfully crafted, with a timeless sense of design, Lillian’s Classics Collection combines modern techonology of reproduction with archival references. Luxurious details like marquetry inlays, marble tops, and eglomise panels set the stage for furniture that will become family heirlooms.”  (2012 Spring Catalogue)

C.R. Laine

The C.R. Laine collection is an “extensive premier collection of frames and fabric/trims touting a very high degree of customized features.” (C.R. Laine Website)

We love that C.R. Laine provides tons of customizing options in over 900 beautiful environmentally friendly organic  fabric choices. http://www.crlaine.com/ShowResults.asp?pg=1&viewall=true

Stanley Furniture

We love the Classic European Cottage Stanley Furniture Collection.  It embodies some of Design Connection’s design aesthetics and principles that we have built over 35 years of interior design experience. A Classic look with European influence will always be in style.

Design Connection, Inc. is an authorized furniture dealer for all of the beautiful collections above.  We buy furniture directly from these and other manufacturers and have built strong long-term business relationships with them to receive manufacturer direct pricing.  The savings from bypassing retail stores or showrooms is passed on to our clients.  To refurnish with some of the design collections you’ve seen here please visit our website at www.designconnectioninc.com or call us at 913.851.8776 to schedule an appointment. We would love to hear from you!

You may love your house today as much as you did the day you moved in, but if it’s been 20 years, it may just be time to update. It’s no doubt, that older classic houses have a certain charm to them, but the interior design could be even more charming with a few changes. This is exactly how our clients felt with their current house. Design Connection Inc. identified some key design changes that would update with an impact and created a home that our clients can enjoy for 20 more years.

The hearth room is usually the heart of the home, where the family can spend time together in a relaxed way. The home already had great wall to wall built-ins, so we decided to keep their existing cabinetry and re-stain them in a darker more contemporary color.

By using neutral wallpaper, we were able to create a nice flow from the hearth room to the kitchen. The client loves this design aspect in their home. They felt like their old design had a different feel for each room, and now they have one cohesive feel throughout the whole house.

An interior designer really helps guide you through the value of updating your home. The kitchen cabinets were a great quality, so we decided to update them as opposed to gutting and putting in a whole new kitchen. This is one way to save costs and be able to spend a little more money in other areas.

Their new kitchen features the newly stained cabinets, a great back-splash, an absolutely beautiful new granite countertop, and a couple new light fixtures. It is said that remodeling your kitchen instantly increases the value of your home. And who is going to argue with that after seeing this lovely new kitchen?

Details are what make our projects look so good. The kitchen and hearth room are connected by an open floor plan. We had to be smart with our transition from kitchen to dining room to hearth room. We used beautiful wallpaper that pulled from the colors of both rooms.

One quick, easy update you can do to your home is the powder room. In our client’s powder room, we replaced the dated wallpaper with a fun, nature-inspired one with their favorite color, red. And after a fresh stain to the existing cabinet as well as a new facet and counter, the powder room is taken from the 80’s to 2012.

Stairs are always a strong and important part of a home’s design statement. Changing out the worn-out carpet was a must, followed with some paint on the railings. We decided to leave the existing spindles but added wood caps for a more modern stair design.  After new caps, carpet and a little paint on the railings, it is a sight to see when you walk into their home.

The library should be a room where you can relax in. With passing time the dated wallpaper became a constant reminder that it was time for an update. We went from a strong blue to a warm and cozy beige. At Design Connection Inc, we can take your project from space plan, to full interior design, furniture, materials and even the perfect placement of accessories.

If you’d like to bring your home into the 21^st century, we are here to help! Design Connection has been creating beautiful homes for years and we offer a full range of services and expertise for your home. Your complete satisfaction is our number one priority. Call us today for an appointment with our professional design team. Our business hours are: 9 a.m – 5 p.m. central standard time Monday – Friday Call Arlene Ladegaard at  (913) 851-8776 or email her at Arlene@DesignConnectionInc.com

This weekend families will be gathering around tables to celebrate Easter or Passover. This is the perfect opportunity to add a bit of style to your table and home. Simple can be fun. A simple tin can with a ribbon and some wild flowers sets an easy and relaxed tone to the holiday. If you want something a bit more formal consider a large vase overflowing with beautiful flowers. This helps set a celebratory tone to your tablescape. For more ideas Click Here to read: “Elegant Passover Table Settings”

Placing holiday inspired decorations around the house reminds everyone that taking a bit of time off to gather with family and friends is an important part of life. Take the time to create a bit of magic for your little ones, or enjoy the traditions that are being passed on by the older generation.

Formal or family oriented – you choose. Here is an example of a Design Connection Inc. home. We updated both the family room and formal dining room. Both rooms are elegant but create a very different atmosphere. One aspect of good design is to have a consistent design statement throughout the house. Click Here to see the whole project.

If your house is ready for an update, and you are ready for a home that reflects your lifestyle and taste, give us a call 913-851-8776 to schedule a complimentary in-studio consultation. Click Here to visit our website DesignConnectionInc.com

Some people think that an interior designer is a magician. We can transform a bare, blank space into something wonderful. Materials make a room more interesting, everything from the carpet, to stone, to fabrics. The shape, size and combination of materials are how an interior designer works their magic.

Part of being able to create fabulous rooms is to stay up to date with trends. Tile is one design element that can date a home. Here are examples of dated tile, do you have any of these in your home?

Examples of dated tile

When I walk into a space, I pick up on cues about a client’s lifestyle and preferences. The potential of the room becomes an image in my mind, and I can’t wait to begin to pull all the different materials together to begin to create the feel and look we are going after.

I love to use tile as a design element. And tile is a great way to create interesting focal points without breaking the bank. We usually pick our base tile that will set the tone for the space, then spice it up with a fabulous accent piece, feature strip, or boarder.

A foyer update before and after

Here is an example of Design Connection Inc project. We took a plain vanilla bathroom and transformed it into a gorgeous and modern Tuscan bathroom. We focused on using different size tile to divide up the space. We also switched the direction of the tiles which creates and interesting balance. We used slate in this bathroom.

A Vanilla bathroom transformed into a Tuscan retreat

Other cool trends in tile are textures. There are many more shapes available to us these days which allow us to create a lot of drama on a wall. My suggestion is to use this as a focal point and not for the whole space because too much texture can be overwhelming. A great local source we use is RBC Tile and Stone (http://rbctile.com)

I love to use mosaic. Here in a powder room, we created a lot of drama by accenting a wall with mosaic tile. It really gives this powder room to feel of a jewelry box. A fun new product is a mixed mosaic, where glass and stone are combined in one. The mix of colors allows for a greater range of blend between other materials in the room. These tiles also make great transition features. Another great local source for us is  Sunderlands. (http://www.sunderlands.com)

At Design Connection we have a beautiful design studio which includes meeting spaces, design library, fabrics, upholstery, area rugs, tile and carpet samples, all hand selected to ensure our clients the most up to date materials in the Kansas City area. This allows our clients to complete their projects without the confusion of traveling from place to place.

Design Connection, Inc. can take a client’s project from concept, space planning and selections to complete design and remodel. Your end result will be both beautiful and functional. Take a moment to view our online portfolio to see our work. If you would like a complimentary in-studio consultation, you can meet our team and learn more about the process.

It’s March Madness time and with Kansas City’s gorgeous weather the past couple days, I’m going mad working inside all day! Everyone needs to get out of the office and out on the patio. And this is Kansas City, home of great Bar-B-Q, so you better get to grilling! And Design Connection is here to make your backyard the best on the block! If you’ve been wanting to re-vamp that back deck or just want some help picking out the most comfortable lounge chairs you and your family enjoy, give us a call.

Who doesn’t love to BBQ -If an outdoor kitchen or patio is on your list of things to do here are some fun design ideas to consider. Here are 5 great tips for mouth-watering BBQ from the Stone Soup blog. For a more local source check out http://www.bbqfans.com BBQ Fans has everything for the perfect night outside from grills to tools to spices and rubs! Everything you need to make a perfect meal for the family

1. Don’t cook cold meat. Make sure meat is at room temperature.

2. Preheat properly. The grill should be nice and HOT before you throw on your steaks.

3. Don’t poke & prod Only turn meat once or twice. And definitely don’t squash everything down as this forces the juices to run out and leaves you with sad dry meat.

4. Rest. It’s all about letting the muscle fibers relax and take back the juices after the  intensity of the heat.

5. Clean your BBQ. Enough said!

The simple pleasure of enjoying your outdoor furniture, hosting a barbeque or watching a sunset can serve as a fantastic escape and lead to a calmer, more peaceful life. An outdoor space is not complete without some comfy furniture that can stand the elements. Design Connection Inc. Can help you space plan the perfect layout for you deck, porch or patio. We carry many lines of amazing and durable furniture.

It has definitely been a very mild winter here in Kansas City.  And with that come a fast approaching spring! Whether you’re ready or not, it time to start thinking about putting all your winter décor away and begin spring cleaning. As you clean and re-organize for a new season, you may also want to change out a few things, invest in new spring-inspired furniture, or even paint a few walls and as always Design Connection Inc is here to help.

Entryway Transformation via Real Simple

One easy weekend project is painting. Sometimes a drastic change can be so exhilarating and it definitely gives the room a whole new look. In this foyer, the family decided to go with a vibrant tangerine color. Adding a new floor runner, some white furniture and couple lamps, the space went from blah to fun, inviting and very functional. For more ideas visit Real Simple online, then call us to see how we can make this an easy and wonderful reality in your home here in Kansas City.

Office Declutter via Real Simple

The home office is a reality in most homes. Whether you just pay your bills or bring home work overflow, an organized space is a more efficient space. Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to get organized? Well if you’re like many out there, you haven’t quite checked this off your list yet.  A simple file cabinet and magazine bins will only help you out a bit. But the right piece of furniture and cool space-saving shelves will make a difference. Don’t forget the matching rug and chair help to pull the whole room together.

Kids Room via Real Simple

Kids! We’ve all got them and it is important to realize that the whole house does not have to be the kids space. Pick a dedicated spot for the kiddos and recapture the rest of your home for yourself. Next, know that the playroom doesn’t always have to be the “junk” room as this “Before” picture so perfectly portrays. With a full wall of cubbies clearly marked for toys, markers, paints and books, you can create a space that is clean and safe for your kids to hang out in. Design Connection Inc can help you make some smart and strategic decisions to create a transitional space, that will grow along with your kids.

Fun & Fashionable patios via Better Homes & Gardens

The end of winter means that we can finally start playing outside again! I bet you even picked up an issue of Better Homes and Gardens, the same source as the pictures we featured above. This is your chance to convince your spouse to get that outdoor set you’ve been eyeing since November. Fun accessories and a fire-pit will make your backyard THE hang out space of the neighborhood. Design Connection Inc, carries several lines of amazing outdoor furniture sets. And we can select the fun colorful pillows and interesting accessories such as candles, wind chimes and fountains as well.

Spring trends via Martha Stewart

Sometimes the small things are the ones that make the most impact. Try switching out your dark-colored pillows to bright pops of color for your sofa. Add some flair with some flowers. Or even one side chair in a lively color will help take the room to the next level. Martha Stewart put together the above trends, but Design Connection Inc can make them a reality for you. So get up and let winter know we are done being cold! It’s time to get out in the sun and get a little color. And your home deserves a little color too, don’t you think? And if you need some help Design Connection Inc is just a call away 913-851-8776.

This kitchen hearth room had not been updated in twenty years and our client was ready for the space to reflect her personal style. She worked with Design Connection Inc. previously to transform her master bedroom suite and was now ready to address other areas of her home. We created a cohesive and contemporary design that carried from the kitchen into the hearth room and dining room. The client feels comfortable and happy in her gorgeous new space.

Design Connection Inc, provided space planning, cabinet faux painting and glaze, furniture, window treatments, accessories, lighting, and area rugs.

Let’s face it, today’s fashion is not going to be the same in 5, 10, 20 years from now.  And with a family’s changing needs, an interior designer can be an invaluable asset to help you create that perfect space for your needs. Designers will work with you, taking into consideration your own personal tastes and lifestyle and can transform what was once a very fashionable space to an environment that truly expresses your own personal style.

Our first step is a space plan to help us analyze your space flow. We care about how you bring in the groceries, how you really use your dining room, and where is your favorite spot in the house, to sit and relax in. Designers have access to specialty products and services only offered to the design profession. Design Connection has countless product lines to obtain extraordinary and exclusive products not available in retail stores and we can attain the perfect fabric, furniture pieces and other custom items you desire. Luckily, Arlene also works with the best vendors in Kansas City. On this project, we had the cabinets painted/faux finished for a much needed facelift!

Hiring an interior design is an investment that will pay you back ten-fold! An investment in time alone should be the selling point for most working adults. Life is busy. And time is worth money!  Arlene spends a couple weeks each year to travel all the way to High Point, NC to attend the biggest furniture market showrooms in the US, The High Point Market. With over 10 million square feet of exhibit space, it is a time for Arlene to hand-pick those unique pieces she brings back to families in Kansas City. Some of those chairs can be found in this home!

Sometimes, what you think are the simple decision are actually a lot more important than you think! Take window treatments for example. Some people think, “Well just hang a couple panels and that’s good enough.” But if you have several windows in your space, window panels are not going to make the lasting impression you want. With curtains, valances and cornices, this step could actually be the most overwhelming part. Arlene has access to just about everything and with a little customization, we can take a great fabric and tie your whole room or even whole house together.

So has it been awhile since your home was updated? Do you need a little, or a lot of help? Design Connection is your answer to the professional difference in the creation of your beautiful and functional space. We will work with you to develop your custom style that reflects your personal taste. Let Design Connection be your contact for space planning, cabinet faux painting and glaze, furniture, window treatments, accessories, lighting, area rugs and countless other design services.

Have you ever had to arrange the furniture in a bare room and not know where to start? Well, you are not alone with the many new or current homeowners who are faced with this exact predicament and feel absolutely overwhelmed with the possibilities and insecurities of furniture arrangement. Today, Design Connection Inc,  put together some helpful tips just for you.

If you’re like most families, the living room is used mainly for lounging and Tv-Watching. This is a great space for a sectional sofa. Sectionals offer great flexibility and comfortable seating. Many come in a variety of units, from armless chairs to love seats, ottomans, and chaises that you can mix and match to fir your own personal space. At Design Connection Inc, we often time recommend the sectional because it reflects family living. The big comfy sectional is great for snuggling with your loved ones, or comfortably relaxing with a good book. We carry the furniture line C.R. Laine for their comfort, quality and fabulous style.

An effective room arrangement starts with a focal point. If your living has a fireplace, this step may already be done for you. With a fireplace you can direct your main seating toward it to give it all the attention, or two sofas facing each other, as seen in the picture below, gives a nice conversation area.

If you have a very large space and are having trouble pulling everything together, a large area rug will help unify the room. An area rug can also help with selecting accent colors for your space. In the picture below, notice how they pulled the blue from the rug for the pillows and vases that really pop out from the dark brown sofa and stark white shelf.

Don’t have a living room big enough for the usual sofa or love seat? Our you prefer a more formal layout? Our solution to you is using four comfy chairs! This is an orderly, compact, yet welcoming seating group. You won’t be able to snuggle with your sweetie, but it is a great layout for easy conversation.

Last tip of the day we’d like to leave you with is to create order with symmetry.  You can do this by pairing matching sofas, side tables, lamps, side chairs, whatever you may have.  The symmetry you create imposes a sense of order on the space.  If you feel like this will be too boring or stiff for your taste, introduce some variety like a bean shaped table, or artwork to add blasts of color.

Design Connection, Inc. can take a client’s project from concept, space planning and selections to complete design and remodel. Your end result will be both beautiful and functional. Take a moment to view our online portfolio to see our work. If you would like a complimentary in-studio consultation, you can meet our team and learn more about the process.

If you’re like many homeowners, somewhere in your house there is a closet stuffed with everything and anything you can imagine, all in disarray! We’ve all been there: Just got home from work or picking up the kids from soccer practice, and as soon as you walk in the door, everything is thrown in the entry closet. Then when you go back in the closet to find one particular thing, it seems like a hopeless task since everyone’s lunchboxes, coats, gloves, purses, boots, and even the cat gets stuck in there every once in awhile.

Family Closet BEFORE

This Design Connection Inc project features a family with just that problem. As you can see from the before pictures, this cluttered closet needed a major face-lift. This mother of two wanted something sophisticated that would hold everyone’s “stuff”. The solution we went to her with was a new, more functional boot box.

Design Connection Inc Space Plan

We totally removed her old boot box and closet and replaced it with new boot box that houses 4 separate spaces, one for each of the 2 kids as well as one for mom and one for dad! After removing the existing boot box we needed to update the flooring. We were practical with our choices in selection a tile since mud and dirt is tracked when entering through the garage.

As a professional interior designer, I help you analyze your lifestyle so that you can get the most our of your home. We make function look beautiful – that’s our job. If you are ready to see how to better use your space, give us a call: 913-851-8776

Other options are to use a closet system to better organize your items. Kansas City Closet Company is a great resource! Click Here to visit their website.

If you don’t have the space to build in a boot box, consider a piece of furniture. We can help you select the perfect piece that looks fabulous and really works with your home.

Design Connection, Inc. can take a client’s project from concept, space planning and selections to complete design and remodel. Your end result will be both beautiful and functional. Take a moment to view our online portfolio to see our work. If you would like a complimentary in-studio consultation, you can meet our team and learn more about the process.