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

Summer is here and whether you work at home on a regular basis or find yourself taking care of tasks at home during time off or on the weekends, it’s important to have a space that functions and flows, especially if you ever want to get anything done. After last week’s post on cramming a lot of function into a small kitchen space, I received a few questions about home office spaces from some teacher friends who are “off” for the summer but end up working quite a bit from home which inspired me for this week’s post. Ready to get some work done?  Don’t let the lack of space cramp your style, we’re here to inspire the office you truly desire!

Grassy Charging Station from ThinkGeek

Give your Gadgets a Rest!
Tidy up those messy cables and recharge your portable devices in style on a fun and functional bed of grass. Not only does it hide cables, it cushions your electronics and might make them feel like they are on a summery vacation (plus it looks cooler than a standard charging station!)

Lax wall desk from Mash Studios

Put it on the Wall!
In a small space furniture can take up so much room so why not put it on the walls? It gets everything up neatly off the floor, creating the illusion of more room AND utilizes the space you might not use for anything other than art and accessories!

Conceal book shelf from Umbra

Got Books? Defy Gravity!
I love the idea of these fantastic and conversation starting bookshelves that convert an existing book into a shelf to make your books look like they are floating on the wall! Not only can you organize your books, they actually can become your wall art!

Wall cleat from Oboiler

Wrap it up
Living in the electronic age means we have lots of cables and things to plug in. Don’t let your cords and cables trip you up. What to do when you’re not using them? Here is a simple and wonderful solution that makes both practical and stylish sense!

Talak LED desk lamp from Artemide

Small footprint, Big light!
Adequate lighting doesn’t always come with the space so if you want to make sure your desk area is illuminated, look no further than a slim LED light that takes up very little space but gives off plenty of light! There are lots of designs in a multitude of colors and even clamp versions in case you’d rather hang your light from a bookshelf and keep the desk area nice and neat!

Charles Pollock chairs from Hive

So much more than just a chair
I am a huge fan of really good seating and task chairs in your home office is no exception, in fact it should be one of your better investments simply because if you plan to spend a lot of time working at your desk, you’ll feel better if you are comfortable (and you’ll get more work done if your neck and back don’t hurt from the strain of sitting in a bad seat!) Ergonomic task seating can be found just about anywhere and you can inject your style  by choosing unique colors, finishes or upholstery to make your seat compliment your space beautifully!

Inspired yet? I have lots of space challenged clients and one of the things I’m a big believer in is space planning. Especially in smaller areas, it’s so important to lay out the room and determine where everything will go and make sure it will all fit before you ever pick up a paintbrush or start making improvements. At Design Connection that’s one of the things we do best, helping take the challenges out of a space and creating areas that our clients can use and love for years to come.  We do complimentary in-studio consultations for interior design in Kansas City, so if you are interested in some home decor one-on-one time with the Design Connection Team members, contact us today. You can either fill out the form, give us a call or come by the office to make an appointment.  We would love to help your optimize your space whether it’s an office, kitchen or other room in your house, design is our passion.  You talk, we listen, you’ll LOVE!

Click on the photos to visit the websites of these fine folks: ThinkGeek, Mash Studios, Umbra, Oboiler, Artemide, Hive

Ahhhh kitchens, the room in the home where we seem to spend more time than we realize.  With open floorplans and multi-use spaces becoming common in homes, it’s easier than ever to hang out and socialize in the kitchen, have the kids do homework, or just hang out while cooking.  It’s casual and comfy and no one seems to be able to resist the lure of food and drink right?  The only problem is that if you have a small kitchen, it might have you wondering what you can do to maximize that space so that everyone can enjoy. I have been working with some clients this summer who have summer lake cottages and condos with limited kitchen space. The question always comes up, how can I make my kitchen seem bigger?

Open cabinet kitchen system from SieMatic

Open and Airy
Creating the illusion of more space are the increasingly popular open front cabinets that boast clean lines and help you clean up your act. With your dishware on display you’ll become more aware of what you do/don’t need and what you need to get rid of which means more space for you!

Expandable drawer organizer from Crate and Barrel

Time to Organize!
Keep your knives and other kitchen gadgets organized and easy to access with expandable drawer organizers that keep them off the countertops!

Chroma wall mounted magnetic knife block from Cutlery and More

Utilize the Walls!
There are all kinds of ways to get your utensils, pots and other sundry items off the countertops and one space where they can be organized AND look great is on your walls. There are some terrific magnetic knife bars out there or if the exposed blades make you nervous, you can go for the look of a knife block but with magnetic properties like the one above!

Preparation sink from SieMatic

Areas that Multitask
I love it when design meets function and this fabulous prep sink is a perfect example of a way you can utilize a standard item, in this case a sink, and make it better by rethinking the design and setting up the space to serve as a food prep AND cleanup station. Brilliant ideas like this incorporated into your home decor mean you need even less counter space!

Corner drawer from Blum

Corner Creativity
I just love this corner drawer system from Blum. How practical for a space that is usually less than efficiently designed.  If you are looking at incorporating some new ideas into your lower cabinets, this is a great way to use those often wasted corners of the kitchen!

Slide Out Blind Corner Shelving Unit by Knape & Vogt at Organize.com

Ready to retrofit?
So you don’t have time for new cabinets that take advantage of those corner cabinets you never use as much as you should? Never fear, you can retrofit with slide out units that will help organize just about any cabinet space in your kitchen. There are a variety of options out there for under the sink, slide outs, lazy susans, pull down or in this case, a pull out unit that let’s you say “Hello Storage” to those formerly unusable areas!

Galley kitchen featured on kitchens.com

Think Clean
Bright light colored backsplashes, clean countertops and minimal clutter help to make a space feel much bigger.  This small galley kitchen may be small in size but it’s definitely big on style and notice the lack of cabinet hardware and things on the counters which adds to the impression that this kitchen is bigger than it actually is!

Even if you aren’t ready for a complete kitchen remodel, you can take some of these ideas to tidy up your space and make it feel bigger simply by starting with organizing! Once you’ve tackled that,  you can take a look at larger changes like paint, cabinets, countertops that will help to make your smaller kitchen seem bigger than life. If you’re ready to start planning your kitchen you have got to come in and talk to me. We do space planning so that you will be able to see exactly how your kitchen could be made more efficient but also how it will fit into your existing home’s design and layout. Whether it’s retrofitting or starting from scratch, Design Connection is here to help!  Call or contact us today and take advantage of our FREE in studio design consulation and take a step closer to the kitchen of your dreams!

Click on the photos to visit the websites of these fine folks:  Siematic, Crate and Barrel, Organize.com, Cutlery and More,

You say “Tomato” I say “To-mah-to”
It’s not uncommon to have clients who come to us with completely different ideas in regards to the type of design and style they prefer. That was exactly the situation we had recently when we had a fantastic young couple come to Design Connection looking for an interior designer who understood and could finesse the task of merging their two very different tastes, traditional and contemporary.

We love a good challenge and were definitely up to the task of making this couple’s first home together into a place where they both could feel comfortable and enjoy their surroundings.

Before/After pictures of the Hearth Room and the Space Plan. We made sure that the furniture would fit and allow plenty of room to move about.

We painted the walls in variations of the same color of green which really brought out the personality of each room. With the white woodwork and trim, the addition of bold color really made their spaces match the vitality and youth that that we felt personified this couple.

In addition the contemporary light fixtures – especially in the entryway- added a bit of style and whimsy the minute you walked into the house!

The right color and furniture can make all the difference. Now our happy homeowners can dine in stylish bliss with their new furniture and accessories from Design Connection!

We had a clean slate to work with for their lower level  and wow what a difference from the before and after pics!

The husband dislikes clutter and too many accessories, so we opted for neat, crisp and clean design to create a phenomenal space for them to entertain on their lower level.

From painting,  electrical work, and space planning to the furniture and accessories,  we took care of it all and kept everything on schedule for our clients. They were thrilled with the end result! We really had fun with this project and the challenge of combining their styles to enable them (and their individual style preferences) to live in harmony!  I want to give a special thanks to my husband, Ed, for his assistance in helping with the final touches and hanging things on the walls for me.   If you want to give us a challenge to design your space, please feel free to contact us at 913-851-8776 or fill out our Contact Form online and we’ll contact you.  Don’t forget to say hi to us on Facebook and Twitter, we love to hear what you think of our work, the things we talk about on our blog or just design in general because that’s what we love!

“I just wish this room was BIGGER.” Have you ever said that to yourself? Maybe it was after you ran into the edge of the dresser for the thousandth time as you made your way toward the closet, or as you sat at your desk feeling like the walls were closing in on you. Sound like you? Read on my friend!

One of the challenges I’m faced with often is how to get the maximum livability out of a minimal space. For my clients this often involves a great deal of space planning and perhaps pairing them up with some great looking furniture that can serve multiple purposes. When space is at a premium, who wouldn’t love having furniture that becomes WHAT you need it WHEN you need it? So without further ado- I felt compelled to share with you some pretty cool, practical and unique pieces of furniture that you could incorporate into your decor that enable you to have space that works for you instead of the other way around.

Hello- you gorgeous table, you. I mean loveseat, I mean desk…
This triple threat piece of furniture is to die for if you are especially space challenged. You can use it as a desk, it extends to form a dining table OR you can use it as a loveseat. Plus it’s environmentally friendly  made of reclaimed woods with a low VOC finish from EcoSystems. I think I’m in love…

It’s an ottoman…it’s a bed…wait, it’s an ottoman!
Pressed for space but expecting guests? If you like them, let them sleep on the ottoman! Introducing the perfect compromise and it’s outfitted in gorgeous leather. From Gump’s San Francisco (I just love them- if you can’t check out their store in San Francisco, treat yourself to their website.)

It’s a door no more.  Anyone up for a game of ping pong?
Having a little fun with doors and design.  When you have a small space, sometimes you have to get a little more creative when it’s time to play. So why not turn your door into a ping pong table? This design by Tobias Fraenzel is what I consider to be fabulously fun design!

Can YOU turn a couch into a Bunk Bed in a matter of seconds?
The folks at Resource Furniture can make it so that you can do exactly that. If you don’t believe me you should check out this video. Who said only cars can transform on video? Proof that couches can do it too!

Don’t forget about Fluffy or Fido!
Fur sure, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. I couldn’t do a blog post on transforming furniture without paying homage to the king of space saving furniture- the Murphy Bed.  Except this one from Solutions is for your favorite little four legged companion!

Stylish Seating or a Hip Place for Eating?
From inmod- the Futaba table. Another fun and funky table that you can actually sit in not just on!

Wasn’t that fun? Even if transforming furniture isn’t perfect for you, making sure your furniture fits your space is something everyone should be interested in. Afterall, no one likes bumping into furniture just to make their way around a room. So if you need help with that, give us a call at (913) 851-8776 or fill out the contact form on the Design Connection website.  We just happen provide some rather excellent space planning services! Of course, if  you’re looking for contemporary interior decorating and design services in Kansas City we offer a Complimentary In-Studio Design Consultation for your convenience.

Click on the photos to visit the websites of these fine folks: Gump’s San Francisco, EcoSystems, Tobias Fraenzel, Resource Furniture, Solutions and inmod.