Design Connection, Inc. Interior Design

When the temperature takes a dip, people tend to turn up their thermostats and focus on keeping the warm air inside. Did you know that as much as 50% of your homes heating can escape through your windows? That is not a comforting thought! I have the perfect solution for you that also looks great!

Insulating Window treatments! We carry Hunter Douglas in our office because of their superior quality. They have a fabulous product called Duette Honey Comb shades. They are shaped in a particular way with an inner lining that creates air pockets to increase energy efficiency. To learn more about this great product visit their website www.hunterdouglas.com

I know when you think about technology you don’t immediately think about window treatments, but you would be surprised! Motorization of window treatments is a great way to add convenience and safety  to your life. Power Rise, Power Tilt and Power Glide are only a few options.

Window treatments can add so much style to a room and the options are endless! We can help guide you through the best option for your particular room. Visit our online portfolio to get some ideas!

Here is an example of a combination window treatment. We used the cellular shades because of their versatility for privacy and insulation. Then added colorful side panel drape to complete the look of the room.

If you love this idea, but don’t know where to start, connect with us  Click Here to e-mail Arlene

Let’s be real, the family lives in the hearthroom! And your space should be comfortable and flexible so that everyone can enjoy spending time in the room. When updating a space, you will get the most out of the room by adding special touches that reflect your family’s lifestyle!

Subtle and refined this beautiful hearthroom was transformed by a cozy sectional and accented with suede pillows and fun, black and white patterned pillows. Soft and wonderful underfoot is this great looking silk rug, you almost have to walk on it to believe it. This client had beautiful crystal family heirlooms that we featured on the glass coffee table, candles used in the evening make this space appear magical. The crystal lamps with linen shades are very much up to date. We loved the steel table, though twenty years old, we found it was timeless and worked in our new update.

Design Tip: Accessories can transform a room, but you don’t have to get them all at once. Your collection should tell a story about your travels and interests. Don’t overdo it; consider the quality of the item and its placement. Change out your objects as the seasons change, and if you need a change in the space declutter!

Furniture is an investment, and my clients trust me to guide them through the options, so that they can enjoy their furniture for many years to come. Check out our portfolio to see examples of our projects. Please feel free to ask us questions or schedule our complimentary  in studio consultation at 913 851-8776. You can also connect with us through  Facebook

Many of our clients think that wallpaper is outdated. Not when it looks like this! Powder rooms are a great space to insert great style. Here we used a gorgeous snakeskin suede wallpaper to set an elegant tone. A great shaped mirror is the dramatic focal point along with the modern fixtures. A crystal chandelier above cast a wonderful glow in this jewel box powder room.

If you have a bland and boring powder room, it might be hard for you to visualize the possibilites. Here is a great example of a powder room transformation. Design Connection Inc. gave it some pizzazz! To create this ‘jewel box’, we faux painted the original cabinet, added a granite countertop with a glass vessel sink and updated faucet. The mosaic tile covering the entire wall makes a dramatic statement – Wow

If you love this idea, but don’t know where to start, connect with us and we will help you create a space that you will absolutely love. Click Here to e-mail Arlene

Reminder – It’s Time to Think About the Holidays Now is the perfect time to begin the process to ensure that your spaces will be finished before your family arrives for the holidays. We welcome everyone into our studio for a consultation. This is a great way to see our space and meet our team and learn all about the design process that can transform your home! 913-851-8776

Who needs to go to a hotel when you can have a master suite like this? A master bedroom suite is your private space, where you can truly be yourself. It is a room that should reflect your personal style so that you can rest, relax and rejuvenate.

A Design Connection Inc Master Suite Transformation

Thirteen years ago, when I first put together my master bedroom suite, I was a bit out of touch, I had been living in Europe and pickled furniture was all the rage, before we left California. Arriving in Kansas City was certainly culture shock and lo and behold, pickeld furniture was still in style, along with big floral prints.

Before - Master Bedroom Suite - Featured in a national magazine in 1998

Last summer, while I was recovering from my foot surgery, I spent a lot of time in my bedroom. It didn’t take me long to decide that it was time to treat myselft to a new and updated look.

New furniture was purchased, the color of the walls and ceilings was deepened and extra lighting was added. Hickory White furniture was chosen because of its rich and beautiful finishes. The dramatic custom fabrics and bedding were provided by Eastern Accents. Comfortable chairs with a matching ottoman give great seating to watch a new 55″ flat screen tv.

The elegant color scheme is carried into the spacious master bathroom, where fabrics from the bedroom are repeated for a continuous flow.

Are intrested in updating your bedroom?

Complimentary In-Studio Consultation By By Appointment

913-851-8776  |  www.DesignConnectioninc.com

We were honored to win a Design Excellence Award for Interior Kitchen Design from KC Magazine. We are proud to deliver award winning projects for our clients. This is the second award that this kitchen design has won. If you would like to view this project and others, click here for our online portfolio. We also have an awards section on our website. If you would like to see what an award winning project looks like then click here!

A little about the project! The kitchen has a reputation as being the hardest working room in the house. With this project we also transformed it to also be the most beautiful room in the house. Our clients came to us because our team could take the project from design concept to material and fixture selection, through construction management. Our client purchased this home, built in 1926 and wanted to create an updated and functional living space. The style of the home was traditional but their personal style was contemporary. We helped them achieve the look they wanted and incorporated the things that were important to them, all the while respecting the original style of the home.

Here is what the client had to say!В  “In reviewing options for our remodeling project, we encountered many contractors and designers that also have distribution relationships for specific cabinet companies and other vendors. We wanted a seasoned design professional with knowledge of multiple vendors that could help us first create the vision and then match us with the resources best suited to deliver our vision.

- Scott W, & Miriam H.

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I recently read an article about using stripes in interior design, and thought I would share with you how I have incorporated stripes into some of my projects. I believe that stripes offer two great design solutions. One they can seamlessly blend color combinations and two, they visuallyВ add height to a room.

Stripes are easy to work into almost any room. When I am introducing a more serious color palate, I like to use stripes to complement the look. In this bedroom, I found a great striped fabric that incorporated all the colors of the room. Scale is very important to consider, a thin stripe can handle the multi-colors more appropriately than a wide stripe. You want to use wider stripes on larger pieces of furniture, drapes and on walls.

Stripes also offer a magical solution for helping a room feel taller. By placing vertically striped window treatments in a room, they draw your eye up and make the windows seem taller. In this elegant bathroom I used the window treatment to bring in a pattern and focal point. Because there is no door between the bathroom and bedroom, I repeated the stripes on the pillows to create a cohesive flow between the two rooms.

I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about creating a unique space in your home. To view these projects please visit my online portfolio. As a professional interior designer, I enjoy introducing uniqueВ design options. www.designconnectioninc.com

Connecting withВ us is easy, feel free to ask us questions 913-851-8776, comment on our Facebook read our Blog or touch base withВ Twitter!

What Makes A Comfy Chair? If I had to answer this question with one sentence I would say that – One Size Does Not Fit All!

There are many beautiful furniture options out there – and many people have a love at first sight reaction, when they see a glossy example of the perfect room. It is my job as a professional interior designer to help guide you in making sure that perfect piece of furniture is also perfect for your body size. A petite woman will want a different seat height than a man of 6 feet.

When I begin to select the best chair for my clients, I think about the back height of the piece. Some people like to rest their head against the back of the chair, but it bothers others! If my clients have long legs, I will look for a higher seat height and depth. For shorter visitors the solution is simply a fabulous extra cushion behind one’s back. Some like a firm seat while others like a gentle comfy sink. These are all questions that I ask and answer during the design process, before we commit to purchasing the perfect chair.

Furniture is an investment, and my clients trust me to guide them through the options, so that they can enjoy their comfy furniture for many years to come. Check out our portfolio to see examples our projects and the many great chairs I have provided along the way. www.designconnectioninc.com

It felt a bit like déjà vu, as I walked the halls of High Point this year. I kept seeing furniture with a “pickled finish”. It is interesting how trends can be reinvented every few years. The old pickled look has been given a new name, and is now known as a Blond Finish.

Pickled wood furniture was popular in the 1950s and many of the pieces are now collectibles. It is no wonder that furniture lines are bringing in this interesting finish that gives furniture a light color option with a rich depth to it. You can play this finish up and create an elegant focal point, or play it down for great decorative charm.

I especially like linen headboards and they are the rage right now. I can pair the blond finish with a great fabric for an old world feel that also feels very modern and relevant. Stanley Furniture introduced a new farm bed with great finish options. The old world distressing gives it a timeless look and the finish options give it character. I love the heavy rubbed through white finish, that offers close to the wood matte finish with a cream colored accent glaze.

Hickory White offers discerning furniture with some great new finish options. I love that moment in a project, where you decide which piece will become the statement in the room and which design elements will complement it. The more finish options I have to work with the more creative I can get. You can call it Blond or Pickled, I can make it look fabulous in your home! Click Here to view our portfolio to get inspired about how we can help you transform your rooms!

As the seasons in and around Kansas City surely change, so do our styles and tastes.В  It’s one of the reasons why our clients hire us, to transform their spaces and keep them up to date and gorgeous! Interior Design is what we do and we love nothing better than a fabulous makeover which is why we are so excited to introduce you to our Brand NEW website!В  While we’ve been busy making our client’s spaces stunning, we have been also working on updating our website where we showcase those projects for you to review and become inspired.

A fresh new color palette and design, our new website is built to be easier to navigate and find the information and ideas to put to work in your next Design Connection project! We will be highlighting key points of our exclusive C3Design Strategy so that you can see how the process works for each space and how it can work for you. You asked for it, so we made our portfolio photos nice and big so that you can see all the beautiful details in the spaces we design from the faux paint to the custom furnishings and textiles.В  We hope you like what you see and think you’ll agree the website is beautiful which we felt was the perfect compliment to the stunning rooms we showcase from our clients. Let us know what you think, feel free to comment here or drop us a line on Facebook or Twitter! Hope to hear from you soon.

It’s Thanksgiving week and I was lucky enough to have spent the past few days on a tropical retreat in Hawaii soaking up the sun before returning to winter in the midwest. I don’t remember ever appreciating being able to take a vacation as much as I am appreciating this one. It has provided a much needed break to rest and rejuvenate before the beginning of another new year as well as providing me with some quality time with my dear husband, Ed. In a time of economic difficulties for many, it has caused us- individually and as a society -to take a hard look at the things that are really important and begin to really appreciate the things that matter most. With that thought, this week’s blog is dedicated to you and all of the wonderful things I am deeply grateful for.

1. My Clients And Their Spaces – One of my biggest joys is to meet new clients and help them achieve a space that they love. From remodels to furniture, I am grateful for the opportunity to meet such wonderful people and to be able to do for them what I love to do most, interior design.

2. The Wonderful Design Connection Team – Teamwork is a big deal for me and I am so grateful to have such a supportive and talented staff to work with everyday. I am so very thankful for all the work they do behind the scenes to make sure our projects go smoothly. Words cannot begin to express how much I appreciate having them on my side. Love you guys!

3. My Vendors – From the people who provide extraordinary furniture and accessories to the faux painters and craftsman who take my visions from paper to reality, I am so fortunate to have such an amazing array of resources to draw on for every possible need. You make me look good and I am so honored to be able to work with all of you in the world of interior design!

4. Awards and Kudos – Knowing the work you do is great is one thing but it’s such an honor to receive an award from your peers recognizing the quality of your design work. I am so grateful for the awards, articles and compliments I’ve received this year from my peers, area publications and in client testimonials. It just gives me warm fuzzies at the end of the day to realize that I was able to make a difference and that there’s a smiling client out there with a spectacular room that I helped create!

5. Good Health - I was dreading my foot surgery this year and while recovery has been painful, it is such a delight to be able to walk on both feet AND wear shoes again. I’m so appreciative of the fact that I am able to get about on my own once again!

6. Friends and Family - Having a successful and fulfilling work life is nothing without friends and family to share it with. I am so thrilled to be able to call so many of my clients, “friend” at the end of the process and thankful for the support and love of my family who make everything worthwhile.

NOTE: Our holiday contest is still underway and I hope you take time to participate for your chance to win! CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS All you have to do is “like” us on Facebook! Easy as pumpkin pie!

The contest gives me an opportunity to give back and say thank you to one lucky new friend this holiday season! I would encourage all of you to share your thoughts and input on my facebook, twitter and even here on my blog if and when the mood strikes. I love hearing from you and it’s always nice to be able to interact with new friends and faces!

My wish for you this Thanksgiving is that you have a wonderful day with those you hold near and dear and can take a moment to reflect on your year and be grateful for the good things that came out of it. If you can’t be with those you care about in presence, be sure to spend some time with them in thought. It really does count!