Design Connection, Inc. Interior Design

If you’re one of the lucky ones who get to work from home, you know how important it is to have a space that feels good but also helps you to become more productive. Last week we talked about how to get the most out of designing a small desk and office space for folks who are a bit challenged in the square footage arena.  This week we are taking another look at home offices but this time we’re looking at traditional ones, an entire room or space in your home that is dedicated office space where you are able to be productive and get your work done. Without further ado, let’s roll up our sleeves, get busy and see how we can motivate you to make your space work beautifully for you!

Conference table from Ital Design Furniture

Everybody Gather ‘Round!
Need to have a group meeting in your home office space? Here’s a fun and functional self-contained conference table from Bernini Modern Classics.  I love how sleek the lines are and how the chairs actually become part of the conference table when they are not in use!

Custom Bubble Chandelier from Artisan Crafted Lighting

Pretty Lights!
Everyone knows that lighting is key in a home office space.  Create artistic ambience with the diffused light from this fun and functional bubble chandelier.  Not only a beautiful centerpiece for your room, a gorgeous overhead light can make your office go instantly from dull to delightful plus soft lighting reduces glare on your computer monitor.

Blu Dot Bookshelf from Hive

Everything in its place
Nearly every home office has a collection of books and of course, like you,  they need a good home.  Bookshelves don’t have to be boring, which is why I love this box unit that gives so much space to display and organize the essentials and yet keep things looking quite spiffy! Bookshelves are also the perfect place to display awards, certificates and your beloved books.

Lauren by Ralph Lauren Avalon desk from Horchow

Form + Function = FANTASTIC
You know how I love furniture that can serve multiple purposes, like this desk that doubles as a display or bookcase on the front. Such a practical use of space and I love the dark wood grain and spacious work area.  If you are going to be spending some time there, might as well make sure your desk is one you’ll love!

From Steelcase, the Leap WorkLounge chair

Your Back Will Thank You
Proper seating is the best way to save your back from the long hours of sitting at your desk. There is an abundance of ergonomic designed chairs to choose from in the marketplace that make your back feel good and your office area look good.

Bamboo Chair Mat from Brookstone

Your Carpet Will Thank You
If your office is carpeted and you choose a rolling desk chair, you might want to consider putting down a floor mat.  Gone are the days of the ugly vinyl mats- enter our friend bamboo! You can get these fabulous floor mats in a variety of colors from different vendors- there are some that are thicker and more rigid or you can buy the ones that roll up for easy shipping. Say hello to your new bamboo floor with a practical chair mat!

These are the basic building blocks you need to have a successful home office space. A comfortable place to sit, a large and adequate workspace, room to store reference items, lighting to see and possibly a space to hold meetings.  There are many more things to consider from the color of the paint on the walls to the accessories and art you use to make the space feel welcoming, hide clutter and file paperwork. I’m thinking maybe I’ll have to do another blog post to address the fun now that we have the function down! Are you ready to redo your home office? You know who to call for the latest trends, help with space planning and an eye for design…that’s right the team from Design Connection! From bookshelves to brilliant lighting, once you make your home office space productive and and a pleasant space to spend time in, perhaps you’ll notice that you’re getting a lot more work done.  Now that’s what I call a wonderful return on investment! If you are interested in a FREE In Studio Consultation, click here and request an appointment. We love hanging out with you online so if you have time, stop by and talk design with us on our Kansas City interior design pages on Facebook or Twitter. We would love to hear what you have to say about the wonderful world of interior design!

Click on the photos to visit the websites of these fine folks: Ital Design Furniture, Artisan Crafted Lighting, Horchow, Hive, Frontgate, Steelcase, Brookstone

We all know that heat rises and in the summertime that can mean expensive a/c bills to keep your home comfortable. By necessity, many of us have become more budget conscious and are looking for ways to save money and energy since they seem to go hand in hand. I was talking to a client the other day who has several large, sunny, floor to ceiling windows and she was saying how amazing the difference was once we added window treatments. She loved the added warmth it gave her room on the inside and the fact that it kept the hot sun on the outside. It’s easy to overlook your windows as a space where you can really make an impact on  your energy bills AND your style which is why we are going to take a look at some hot trends that will help keep you cool as a cucumber!

Sumptuous Silk Panels from West Elm

Silky Splendor
Large grommets make these gorgeous panels slide easily to block the sun by day and look clean, modern and amazing by night.

Alustra Woven Textures from Hunter Douglas

Filtered Light
Taking a cue from the trend toward natural woods and textures, Hunter Douglas developed their Alustra line of window coverings to softly filter light. One extra feature I adore is that you can choose to have them motorized- no more pulling cables, which saves me energy so I can spend more time admiring the decor!

Solar roller shades from Smith and Noble

Let Light In
Keep UV Rays out and reduce heat transfer with a little technology in your window coverings. This isn’t your Grandma’s fabric!

Woven Wood shades from Hunter Douglas

So Chic!
Window treatments made with natural woods, reeds and materials are very popular right now. The natural textures age beautifully and add a natural warmth and organic feel to a room’s decor.

Pottery Barn's Outdoor Grommet Drape

Bring the Drapes Outside!
Creating a cozy space and providing a little shade, outdoor draperies can lend your deck or patio an intimate air while providing practical protection from the hot sun.

Honeycomb shades by Kirsch

Sweet and Simple
Honeycomb shades have come a long way and options abound in fabrics, level of opacity (and sun blocking) and wonderful combinations of sheer and opaque fabrics like in the picture above. With top down and bottom up options, you can control the view and the light.

In the past year many of my clients have made the shift from traditional two inch blinds towards a softer and more organic type of window covering like you see in the options above. Woven woods are hugely popular with varieties in bamboo, grasses and reeds helping people bring the organic textures from the outdoors in and making their spaces warm and inviting. Another trend I’m seeing is in light filtering with just enough covering the window for privacy but letting natural light in which reduces the need to use lighting during the day and early evening hours. All in all, window treatments can be such a great investment for you from both an energy and design perspective.  We are spending more time at home so it’s important to make sure our spaces suit our lifestyles and budgets ,right? Want to talk about window treatements? If you’re needing help, you know where to find me and the Design Connection Team. We are always willing to spend time listening and helping you with your interior design needs whatever they may be!  Contact us today for a complimentary in-studio interior design  consultation and let’s talk design!

Click on the photos to visit the websites of these fine folks: West Elm, Hunter Douglas, Smith and Noble, Pottery Barn, Kirsch

Turn on the news lately and chances are you’ll see someone talking about the oil spill in the gulf and the effect it will have on our environment and the way we live. Most of you probably haven’t thought about the impact it will have on design, but everything from concept and fabrication to shipping and installation probably factors in oil in some way, shape or form. We don’t know exactly what the results from the spill will be but one thing is for sure, it has made us even more aware of the importance of considering eco-friendly and renewable resources when making design choices. Recently we have featured blog posts on some of the more mainstream “eco” topics such as earth friendly design, bamboo flooring and cork flooring. This week I wanted to take a minute and tell you about other rapidly renewable resources that you can incorporate into your home decor from floors to walls, these are choices you can really feel good about.

Cork mosaic sideboard from Iannone Design

Surprise! It’s cork furniture
Cork isn’t just for wine bottles and flooring anymore. Check out this really cool sideboard from Iannone Design- you don’t have to look far anymore for interesting and stylish pieces made from renewable resources!

Wool carpet from Straw, Sticks and Bricks

The natural choice in carpet
Most carpet used in homes is made from nylon which is derived from oil. Choosing natural fibers like wool not only helps us migrate away from oil dependence, but it also can be better for your health as wool carpets don’t give of any toxic fumes or gases.

Vases from Natural Territory

High style with Hyacinth!
Made from one of the fastest growing plants, these fabulous vases are constructed from the dried stems of the water hyacinth plant. So stylish and you can buy as many as you want, the plants grow so fast they will definitely make more.

Linoleum flooring at the UNC Health Sciences Library

Don’t forget Linoleum!
Often overlooked, linoleum can be  made from linseed oil, pine rosin, ground cork or limestone dust, wood flour, and mineral fillers. Highly durable, in tons of colors and finishes AND you can rest easy knowing that compared to vinyl flooring, it produces less off-gassing.

Buffet table from Sublime Home

Custom Furniture with a conscience

You’d be surprised at the kind of furniture you can find from local artisans with a conscience, like this gorgeous buffet table made of bamboo, palm wood and oak complete with a low VOC finish.

These are just a few ideas for you to look into but don’t forget other renewable resources being used in homes from recycled sunflower seeds, wheatboard, grass and straw, and cotton. I expect them to become more mainstream as we become more aware of how our choices affect not only our planet but our health. As always, if you are looking for a little inspiration on how you can incorporate renewable, sustainable or eco-friendly resources into your home decor, the Design Connection Team is here to help. You can connect with us online on Facebook, Twitter, here on our blog or contact us anytime at the office at 913-851-8776. We would love to hear from you on how you have incorporated any earth friendly materials into your everyday life, so come by and say virtually or in person!

Click on the photos to visit the websites of these fine folks: Iannone Design, Straw Sticks and Bricks, Natural Territory, Sublime Home