Design Connection, Inc. Interior Design

Have you ever had to arrange the furniture in a bare room and not know where to start? Well, you are not alone with the many new or current homeowners who are faced with this exact predicament and feel absolutely overwhelmed with the possibilities and insecurities of furniture arrangement. Today, Design Connection Inc,  put together some helpful tips just for you.

If you’re like most families, the living room is used mainly for lounging and Tv-Watching. This is a great space for a sectional sofa. Sectionals offer great flexibility and comfortable seating. Many come in a variety of units, from armless chairs to love seats, ottomans, and chaises that you can mix and match to fir your own personal space. At Design Connection Inc, we often time recommend the sectional because it reflects family living. The big comfy sectional is great for snuggling with your loved ones, or comfortably relaxing with a good book. We carry the furniture line C.R. Laine for their comfort, quality and fabulous style.

An effective room arrangement starts with a focal point. If your living has a fireplace, this step may already be done for you. With a fireplace you can direct your main seating toward it to give it all the attention, or two sofas facing each other, as seen in the picture below, gives a nice conversation area.

If you have a very large space and are having trouble pulling everything together, a large area rug will help unify the room. An area rug can also help with selecting accent colors for your space. In the picture below, notice how they pulled the blue from the rug for the pillows and vases that really pop out from the dark brown sofa and stark white shelf.

Don’t have a living room big enough for the usual sofa or love seat? Our you prefer a more formal layout? Our solution to you is using four comfy chairs! This is an orderly, compact, yet welcoming seating group. You won’t be able to snuggle with your sweetie, but it is a great layout for easy conversation.

Last tip of the day we’d like to leave you with is to create order with symmetry.  You can do this by pairing matching sofas, side tables, lamps, side chairs, whatever you may have.  The symmetry you create imposes a sense of order on the space.  If you feel like this will be too boring or stiff for your taste, introduce some variety like a bean shaped table, or artwork to add blasts of color.

Design Connection, Inc. can take a client’s project from concept, space planning and selections to complete design and remodel. Your end result will be both beautiful and functional. Take a moment to view our online portfolio to see our work. If you would like a complimentary in-studio consultation, you can meet our team and learn more about the process.

The master bathroom is a magical place, where you can close the door and refresh. If you don’t feel the magic when you walk into your own master bathroom, it might be time for an update. Give yourself the gift of design this holiday season, and wake up to a brand new bathroom in the upcoming year. Here are some new trends and technological advances that we, as interior designers at Design Connection Inc. love.

Bathtubs: The bathtub makes a great focal point. The stand alone tub has come a long way since the claw foot tub. Today, you can select a gorgeous stand alone tub in almost any style.  If you still can’t find exactly what you want, we can always frame out the exact shape you desire, using tile or wood surround to capture the style. A great technological advance for bathtubs is the Pure Air feature. Think of a million small and gentle bubbles giving you the perfect mild massage.

If any of these tubs catch your eye, you can learn more about them by visiting Cheviot, Ariel and Jacuzzi

Vanities: The vanity should be beautiful and functional. There are many things to coordinate when designing a vanity. We always spend some time discussing with our clients, what their morning routine is. For women there are many tricks to making hair drying and makeup a breeze. For men an extra outlet for an electric shaver and toothbrush can make all the difference.

Trends in vanities: More people are asking for vanities that have more of a furniture feel. To accomplish this, you could reconfigure a great piece of furniture into a vanity. Or bring in certain details to capture the feeling of furniture into the cabinetry. By breaking up the height of the vanity top you create a vanity with more elements. These smaller elements resemble the characteristics of furniture, which combats the long typical vanity.

Design Tip: As time moves on, so do design standards. Back in the day, vanities were placed at around 30”, but today, we are designing them at 34”-36” which is a much more comfortable height. If raising your cabinets would make brushing your teeth more comfortable, you can do this by resetting your cabinet and adding a filler piece. Consider changing out your countertop, backsplash, hardware, sink and faucet, and raising your existing cabinet. This will create a dramatic new look.

These great vanities can be found by visiting Splash Kitchens and Baths and picking up a copy of Great Baths Collection

Showers: The shower experience keeps getting upgraded as new ideas in fixtures come out. Body sprays and rainheads are the most popular upgrades that people add as they renovate their bathroom. Kohler is a company leading innovation in the way we take showers.

From a design standpoint I love to bring in fun touches of design in the shower space. From boarders, to pops of color, the possibilities are endless.

Bathrooms are spaces that you can pack a lot of design into. I love working with my clients to design, space plan, renovate or update their master bathrooms. If you are ready to tackle your project, call us. We have the experience and industry connections to bring your project to reality, on time and on budget. Take a moment to view our online portfolio to see our work. If you would like a complimentary in-studio consultation, you can meet our team and learn more about the process.

We all have TV’s, and as an interior designer, I am always coming up with solutions on integrating televisions in a space. Some of my clients want to showcase them all over the home and others prefere them to be hidden until in use. Luckily there are great ways of dealing with both prefrences and today I wanted to share some solutions with you!

Have relaxed space with modern flare? The easiest way to keep a TV that you want visible at all times is a wall mounted unit. Not only does it provide you with space below but by mounting your flat screen to a panel rather than a wall gives you the ability to move the unit without having to patch your walls. This unit blends the warmth of antiques with a cool contemporary appeal. This great wall unit comes from a line which Hooker Furniture provides. Click here for more info on this unit.

Love to have your TV in the room to but want the space to be sophisticated and your flat screen hidden? Then a lift console is solution to your problem! A 3-piece console combines contemporary styling for flat panel TVs with a rich traditional dark cherry finish. Features: remote controlled lift, ample storage for audio-visual equipment and accessories, interchangeable door panels of wood, or speaker grille. You can find all the options for this unit at Sunrise Home Furnishings Click here for details.

If you are looking to add drama to your space, using a dark large unit not only adds contrast to the room but make a statement that will be worth your money. Features include one canister light with touch switch, one adjustable wood framed glass shelf, two adjustable shelves, one solid wood panel door, one adjustable shelf behind the door and adjustable levelers at the base. You can even choose an optional cloth door for added design flexibility. If you love this you can find out more at Stanley Furniture.

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 http://www.designconnectioninc.com/portfolio

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!

I would like to make a fresh start in my bedroom. I have always had traditional furniture and bedding, but, this time I want to create a fun, colorful bedroom. What are your suggestions?

-Karen Stark

Who said a bedroom had to be stuffy and beige? You should feel great when you enter your bedroom. If color inspires you, go in that direction. I just returned from High Point Market, the largest furniture trade show in the world. I was thrilled to see bold pops of bright colors in fabrics and furniture.

I recommend starting with a neutral wall color; it blends well with many color pallets and allows the fabrics and accessories to make a bold statement.

When it comes to furniture, the bed is usually the focal point. There are many lines of ready-made custom bedding, which allows for a custom look without the custom price tag. As an example our client requested a refreshing and fun bedroom. So I selected a lime green and aqua color scheme, balanced with a transitional charcoal color. By subtly repeating the fabrics around the room, you can create a balanced feel without being matchy matchy.

If the bed is the statement piece, approach the other furniture in the room as the supporting cast. Clean, elegant and interesting bedside tables along with great shaped lamps add ambiance to the room, rather than compete with it.

Think outside the box. Instead of using a traditional bench, two fun ottoman cubes do the trick. Instead of a reading chair, consider a chaise with a great fabric pattern!

A room is never really finished without accessories. Remember less is best in today’s streamline style. Enjoy your new room!

I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about creating a unique space in your home. To view this project please visit my online portfolio. As a professional interior designer, I enjoy introducing design options I find outside of the Kansas City area. www.designconnectioninc.com

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.В  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!

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.В  I love how sleek the lines are and how the chairs actually become part of the conference table when they are not in use!

Pretty Lights!
Everyone knows that lighting is key in a home office space.В  Create artistic ambience with the diffused light from this fun and functional bubble chandelier.В  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.

Everything in its place
Nearly every home office has a collection of books and of course, like you,В  they need a good home.В  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.

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.В  If you are going to be spending some time there, might as well make sure your desk is one you’ll love!

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.

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.В  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.В  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.В  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

Spring is just around the corner in the midwest and looking out my window at Design Connection, I can see the beginnings of spring flowers preparing to burst forth into the sunshine after a cold and snowy winter! I have flowers on my mind and thought I would treat you to some visual candy with some really gorgeous rooms that incorporate flowers into the overall aesthetic to bring a bit of the outdoors in!

We all know my favorite color is yellow so it’s only fitting that my favorite bloom is the Daffodil. So pretty and fresh. A beautiful bouquet is an instant pick-me-up for your room and your spirits!

Whether it’s on the walls or in simple accessories like a throw pillow or simple arrangement, flowers brighten any room.

Sweet and pretty dreams await when you incorporate floral patterns into your bedding.

Dramatic more your style? Fiber optic wallpaper is here and what do you know, the pattern is floral!
From traditional to modern, there are florals out there to suit anyone.

Have a seat! Gone are the days of your grandmother’s busy (and sometimes ugly) floral patterns on the furniture!

A colorful and modern twist on the floral pattern from the floors to the windows!

Fun and whimsical, cherry blossom branches that will light up a room with a dash of floral color! So whether it’s the lights, the floors, the walls or the doors- you can and should bring a bit of the outdoors in with some wonderful florals. What inspires you? I hope you’ll share with me your thoughts on florals in interior design on my Facebook or Twitter or even here on my blog!

Click on the photos to visit the websites of these fine folks: Old House Gardens, Architectural Digest, Wildcat Territory, Designers Guild, Lovehome.co.uk, Camilla Diederich and Graham & Green

It is winter and more often than not, you look out your window and see…gray.В  It’s not just the weather, it’s your mood too and while you may think to blame it on the weather, take a good look at your surroundings. Your mood is likely being affected by your environment in addition to the weather and the happenings in your life. I talked about “out with the old and in with the new” in a previous post,В  but I think this is definitely a topic that can and should be revisited a little more. Especially during tough economic times, we often forget how simple things can have a profound effect on our lives and how we live each day.

It’s All About Balance.
When the going gets tough, the tough start cleaning. I’m talking about cleaning in both a literal and a metaphysical sense. Clutter takes energy to maintain. Whether you have lots of clutter in your home, office or personal life the idea is the less clutter, the more room you have for prosperity and good things to come to you. For instance, think of how you feel when you have a room in your house where everything is exactly how you want it.В  Doesn’t that make you feel good?

You Light Up My Life.
Finding balance in your surroundings doesn’t have to be difficult. You can start with something as simple as cleaning and re-arranging furniture or get dramatic with a fresh coat of paint.В  Did you know that color and light can affect your mood and outlook on life? Think of how you feel when you’re outdoors in the sun after you’ve been stuck indoors for a week. Now imagine being able to carry that feeling with you everyday.В  Look at adding some gorgeous lighting to brighten up a drab room or introduce a new color palette with accessories to ease you out of the winter doldrums and into the freshness of spring. How about some flowers in a colorful vase?В  If you have a green thumb, a vibrant plant can make a huge difference in cheering up a room.

The point is, eliminating things from your surroundings that you don’t need, will help you create a harmonious and efficient space. Get rid of items that are broken or outdated. If you don’t love it, donate it. Make space for good things to come.В  So, go ahead and redo that room in the house! Feeling at peace and relaxed in your surroundings will help you welcome new possibilities and that ever elusive concept of balance in life and home.

I’d like to introduce you to an old friend of mine. Reader, meet Neutral. Neutral, meet Reader. Yes, you read that right, I consider Neutrals to be my friend. Now, before you go picturing a boring room done up completely in beige, I beg you to reconsider. Neutrals (like Wallpaper) seem to get a bum rap and with the variety of colors, materials and textures out there it’s easy to overlook what is typically considered a safe and oftentimes boring choice. I beg to differ because Neutrals are always in style precisely because they are neutral!В  They go with ANYTHING.В  So when I have a client who is hesitant to choose or commit on color, I introduce them to Neutrals.

Textures like wool and silk look wonderful in neutrals and compliment a variety of woods and metals. You can have a classic and sophisticated array of neutral furniture that you can dress up with colorful walls, rugs and

accessories like pillows art, and plants. A bright orange couch might go out of style fast, but a neutral one? Never! Just paint a wall, change the rug, get some colorful new accessories and you’ll have a new look.В  Now that you’ve gotten to know neutral a little better, I’ll bet you’ll be fast friends too!

A fantastic neutral room that I love that was done by J. Robert Scott, click the image to view more pics on their wonderful website

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.В  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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