Design Connection, Inc. Interior Design

The “to-do” lists seem to make us a little frazzled around the holidays, so much to do and seemingly so little time.  Depending on your list, you may be done or nearly done with the decorating, baking, shopping and planning but have you had time to think about preparing for your out-of- town guests? As we put a dent into our holiday “to-do” lists, we started thinking about what we can do to make our guest rooms warm and cozy for our holiday guests within the next week or so and decided to share some of our ideas with you.

Quick Design Help for your Guest Room

Warm and Cozy is the goal and we can have you well on your way to surrounding your guests with comfortable bliss  in 3 easy steps.

1. Some TLC and Tidying up:  Go through the room and do a thorough cleaning, vacuum and dust. Guest rooms seem to be a catch-all for odds and ends since they are often out of sight, out of mind.  Clean out the clutter for an instant good impression.  If you have time, a fresh coat of paint can do wonders for sprucing up a guest room and making it feel brand new.

2. Ambiance & Aromatherapy.  Easy and inexpensive to do, find a pretty vase or a festive mug and fill with fresh flowers for the room.  Comfort has as much to do with sight as it does with smell. Add to the appeal of the room by burning candles for a soft glow and a welcoming scent or try a decorative diffuser for aromatherapy without the flame.  Don’t forget the lighting of the room can add to the atmosphere. It is important to have good lamps in the room so your guests have a place to retreat and read or relax away from the family when needed. For that extra-special something that will make your guests smile with delight, leave them a small box of chocolates or some holiday candies with a note welcoming them to your home for the holidays.

Some great locally made candles in Kansas City can be found at these links:
AJ’s Country Cottage
5B & Co. Candlemakers
Creative Candles
Indigo Wild

3. Good Bedding Equals Bliss. Especially around the holidays, we all appreciate a good night’s sleep. Ensure your guests have good, soft sheets and warm blankets for their bed. A down mattress pad is an inexpensive way to give your guests a great rest and if you can, incorporate a mix of two down and two regular pillows to choose from.

Design Connection Bedroom at The Ravello

Cindy, our office manager loves to entertain and her guests are welcomed with a glass of wine and a wonderful guest room retreat using the many of tips we’ve shared with you. She says her secrets for keeping her guests happy are fresh flowers and wonderful bedding. We’re thinking we want to go visit her too!  We hope you are able to use some of our quick holiday design tips to get your guest room ready for company. From the team at Design Connection, we wish you the best and hope you enjoy the festivities of the season with your family and friends!

We love the things in life that are easy to do, so we wanted to share some great ideas for holiday centerpieces to dress your Thanksgiving table without the stress!

Think simple.  Whether your approach is casual or sophisticated, sometimes less is more. When you’re out getting your staples for dinner, why not pick up some small to medium sized pumpkins or gourds for your table? The fall colors look fabulous and you can group them together or spread them out along the length of the table and alternate them with some small votive candles on a beautiful table runner. Not into the less is more look? If you want to get creative, consider hollowing out a couple small pumpkins to hold candles or a combination of beautiful fall flowers and leaves. Minimal effort for maximum impact!

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Design Connection Inc. was recently honored with two ASID awards (American Society of Interior Design). We are proud that we can deliver high quality results. Below is a description of the project and how we approached the design.

The client hired us, after viewing our work and realizing his style meshed with our style of design. The client a bachelor wanted a turnkey project which the designer could act independently of the client. He lived out of town and wanted a residence in Kansas City where his children lived. We furnished everything from paint colors and wallpaper, to a complete kitchen which included dishes, pots and pans.

This residence was a condo space that had many angles interesting architectural features, but left you feeling cold. So, Warm tones and neutrals were selected to create an inviting space and to help support the custom art work in making a fresh, bold statement.  The linen drapery panels were hung using a satin nickel drapery rod to create a masculine feel; across the room the client’s desk is topped with granite and flanked with file drawers.  A wonderfully soft fabric was used to upholster the sectional sofa, where the client enjoys relaxing and entertaining.

The furniture floating in this area reflects the angles and the ten foot ceilings allow the space to feel ample.  The walls and ceilings are painted the same neutral khaki and the base boards are an even darker khaki.  When walking into this room the view is fabulous, with no furniture obstructing the line of vision.  Our client loves to spend time enjoying television, using his computer, and just hanging out!

If you like this look, click on the links to view the websites of  Stanley Furniture  C.R. Laine and Z Gallerie

To see the full project visit our website portfolio

Children’s bedrooms are great fun to design. Kids want a space to express their personality. In our featured project the daughter had a beautiful collection of Barbie dolls that we showcased. And accented her walls with paisley shapes with strong bright colors. 

My advice is to pick a theme or color that will tie the whole look together. Then start with the furniture, replacing the big pieces first. Click here to get started with Young America for ideas and direction. Make sure to measure your room, you want the furniture to fit well, and not overwhelm the space.

DesignTipsKC: A room with lots of shelves and cubbies can help a child organize their belongings. A couple of shelves can be dedicated to displaying their crafts and trophies.

 We always have a lot of fun designing children’s spaces. If you want help with your space contact us! http://www.designconnectioninc.com/

Have you thought about adding some new fall colors to your home now that you are going to start spending more time indoors?  I found an intriguing I-Phone application that actually helps you select paint colors.  See attached link to Benjamin Moore for a high tech way to get paint color recommendations for your home.  As “cool” as this sounds if you feel more comfortable discussing paint with an experienced interior designer who has actually seen many paint color options applied to various settings and lighting conditions, please give me a call and “ask Arlene” about paint for your home.

www.DesignConnectionInc.com

When creating a unique and special room you should consider using host and hostess chairs.  Using host and hostess chairs helps lend a presence in any room of your home.  These chairs can be used at the end of a dining table, or used as an accent in any room in your home.  The advantages of using upholstered host and hostess chairs can be the addition of another important fabric to the room, which then can enhance the overall scale and color.  The scale of the chairs themselves are very important as proper clearance is needed for arm chairs, especially if  being used at a table.  Host and hostess chairs can give great detail to any room.

Lately, people have been talking of nothing else but the economy. We have also been talking about it at our own office, both professionally and personally.  I have never been about budget decorating, but about the value in doing design that is classic in styling.  It is about a beautiful environment and creating a home that will withstand the years of use by both pets and children, yet still look great.  Trends come and go, and if we buy what’s in style today, and not think about how it will look a few years from now, we often will ask ourselves “What were we thinking?”. When we invest in design pieces that are classic in styling, we will generally love them today and tomorrow.

I dated a man in the eighties who had a home with a lime green shag carpeting.  It was definitely installed in the early seventies and looked dated.  I knew I wasn’t moving into this home with the lime green carpeting.  If the carpeting had been a great neutral color, which could range from any beige, brown, whites or grays, I wouldn’t have remembered the carpet to this day and would have been happy to live with what was there until it could have been changed.  It was a deal breaker for me.

What I am recommending today is to stay neutral and play up the trends in wall color and accessories.  Feel good this year, and buy a few pieces of beautiful classic furniture or simple drapery with beautiful lush fabrics.

I am ready to turn the page from last year to this year.  We want to wish all who read this blog a healthy and happy New Year and a year that is calmer and has hope for peace.

Arlene

visit www.designconnectioninc.com