Design Connection, Inc. Interior Design

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?В  Don’t let the lack of space cramp your style, we’re here to inspire the office you truly desire!

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!)

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!

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!

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!

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!

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 styleВ  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.В  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.В  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.В  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.В  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.В  It’s casual and comfy and no one seems to be able to resist the lure of food and drink right?В  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 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!

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!

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!

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 Creativity
I just love this corner drawer system from Blum. How practical for a space that is usually less than efficiently designed.В  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!

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!

Think Clean
Bright light colored backsplashes, clean countertops and minimal clutter help to make a space feel much bigger.В  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,В  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!В  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:В  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 levelВ  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,В  electrical work, and space planning to the furniture and accessories,В  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!В  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.В В  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.В  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 friendlyВ  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.В  Anyone up for a game of ping pong?
Having a little fun with doors and design.В  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.В  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.В  We just happen provide some rather excellent space planning services! Of course, ifВ  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.

As shocking as the numbers were in our blog last week about the time spent in our bathrooms, can you imagine how much more time you spend in your bedroom?  Maybe that’s why Master Bedroom remodels are hot right now.В  We are looking for a place to retreat, relax and rejuvenate and what better place than where we sleep? From start to finish, remodeling a master bedroom can be a greatly rewarding experience if only for the fact that you’ll probably sleep much better once it’s done! But where do you start?

Your bedroom should be a place where you can shed the stresses of the day and surround yourself with comfort, both visual and tactile.В  A master bedroom remodel can range from major to minor depending on how much change you intend to introduce. Whether you are gutting the space for a complete redo with new windows, walls and flooring or taking a less dramatic approach with changes in paint, window treatments, linens and accessories, your room should convey a warm and relaxing message. Above all else, that space is where you should be getting a good night’s sleep!

Once you have decided about the structure itself and whether you are going to make any adjustments with the walls, floors, fixtures and electrical, the next step is to think about how you are going to furnish the space. Do you have existing furniture to use or will you buy new? What about storage? Making sure that furniture and your belongings will fit in the space is key. No one likes to have a cramped bedroom where there is no room to move around so take a hard look at what goes where. Having a space planner to show you exactly where everything will go and how it will fit can be a lifesaver!

Creating a Space You’ll Never Want to Leave!
Nothing has more impact in a master bedroom than a fabulous and inviting bed that you’re just dying to jump into. Think big fluffy pillows, soft bedding and cozy coordinating throws to pull the look of your room together with panache. Add in a plush rug, some soft lighting, art and accessories such as cushions, candles or a comfy chaise perfect for unwinding with a book at the end of the day.

Let’s Talk Bedroom Design from A to Zzzzz’s!
When you plan your master bedroom, using a skilled interior designer to help you plan your space down to the last detail is so important. At Design Connection, we have the resources you need to help you reach remodeling nirvana with the least amount of stress. We can assist with your space planning, decor and remodeling projects big and small. If you are in Kansas City, we will be at the Remodeling Show Feb 12-14, 2010 at the American Royal. Come by booth 1034 and meet the Design Connection Team and let’s talk about your remodeling plans and how we can help!

Not ready to tackle a whole-house or large room remodel just yet? If that sounds like you, then you are probably considering doing something new with your bathroom. Sometimes it’s better to start small. Bathrooms are one of the most used rooms in the house, a quick google search yielded some surprising statistics. Apparently we spend an average of 210 min per week in the bathroom. (Yes you read that right!) That adds up to about 10,920 minutes per year, 182 hours or 7.58 days.В  So considering that we all generally spend quite a bit of time in the bathroom, it is only natural that the idea of remodeling that space is so appealing. In an economy where some people are hesitant to commit to a larger project, a bathroom is the perfect place to start.

Showering you with ideas!
Having a spa-like experience everyday is something many of us dream about. Beautiful and heated tile floors, a towel warmer, maybe a gorgeous sink and shiny new fixtures to compliment the ultimate bath or steam shower…ideas and options abound. The key is taking the ideas you want and working them into the existing space that you have in a way that is not only eye pleasing but livable. We love comfort and beauty but we also like convenience of surfaces that are easy to clean and maintain. When you plan a bathroom remodel you need to consider whether you are wanting to do a partial or full remodel. Partial might involve replacing existing sinks, baths and toilets with newer models but keeping the same layout. A full remodel could include gutting the entire space and restarting from scratch. Depending on your lifestyle and your budget, you can and should work with an experienced interior designer to plan out your space. Not only can they introduce you to the latest products that are on the market, they will ensure that the choices you make
compliment each other to give you the spectacular bathroom you deserve.

Ready, Set, Remodel!
If you are thinking about remodeling, you are in luck! The Design Connection Team is going to be at the Kansas City Remodeling show February 12-14 at the American Royal. We would love to see you there and talk to you about your ideas and show you some of the great remodeling projects we’ve done in Kansas City, including bathrooms that we love.В  Look for our booth at the show. We will post details closer to the event on our website but you can always ask questions here, or on the Design Connection Facebook or Twitter pages. Looking forward to seeing you at the show!

Furniture placement is often very difficult. I always put a room into a scale drawing to see the relationship of pieces and what sizes look and feel the best. But what is most challenging is to make sure the sofa size is not too large or too small. I find that sometimes the pieces of furniture can measure the same, but look very different in the space.

A coffee table should be no more than 15 inches from the sofa so that it can to used to place drinks or put your feet up. Side tables should be the same height as the sofa arm or slightly lower.

There can be really neat accent pieces or perhaps a great leather ottoman. Side tables are much more interesting if they do not match. Look for fun unique pieces that make a space interesting and make it uniquely yours.

Design Connection, Inc.

913 851 8776

www.designconnectioninc.com