Design Connection, Inc. Interior Design

Furniture with an Edge: Sleek, Chic and Unique (like you!)
Kansas City is a sprawling city with a potpourri of various cultures, styles and the people to go along with it. If you look around the midwest, we are one of the larger cities. While some folks think we have cows running in the streets and just managed to gain access to the wonderful invention of electricity, KC is actually very much on par with the times! That being said, with the hodgepodge of big companies intermixed with the small, you’d think it would be easy to find high-style furniture and accessories for your home that are unique. Afterall we are centrally located, surely all the design trends have to pass through Kansas City at some point when they are on their way to the opposite coast, right?  Not so.

Now don’t go thinking that Kansas Citians dwell in the Dark Ages of Interior Design.
Our central location makes it very easy to ship items and it also makes it easy for me to go to shows and further my quest every year to see what’s new on the market to share with my clients. I get a lot of requests for custom furniture from people who simply don’t want to get exactly what everyone else bought off the shelf at the big chain stores (and believe me, we have some seriously big chain stores around KC for furniture). I adore clean, sophisticated and edgy contemporary designs.  If you read my blog on transforming furniture, you’ll know that I’m not afraid of exploring new ideas and you’d be amazed at how well these things can blend in with some of your existing pieces. I delight in discovery, and I wanted to show you some really unique furniture in this week’s post. So don’t fret my pet, I’m about to rescue you from the thought of never finding the furniture that is as unique as you are! If you happen to be around Kansas City and are on a quest for high quality, unique and custom furniture, we happen to have a lot in common. We simply must meet and perhaps you’ll let me help you end your search by assisting you with choosing the perfect piece.  Afterall, there’s no one else quite like you so why should you settle for ordinary? You can find me and Design Connection on Facebook, Twitter, here on my AskArlene Interior Design blog or you can fill out my Contact Form or call the office (913) 851-8776.  See how easy it is to track me down? Now let’s track down your furniture!

Menlo Park Sectional from Jensen-Lewis

Hello Gorgeous!
Would you get a look at those curves? One of the things I love about this sofa is that it’s like a chameleon. With the sectional elements, you can make it a curvy couch, or an S curve among others. With the custom upholstery it’s definitely a centerpiece design element!

Luxor platform bed from Haiku

No worries, just sleep.
With eco-friendly construction and an E1 rating, the planet will be as happy as you are when you sleep in this gorgeous and oh so chic bed from Haiku. Why should you stay awake worrying about the planet when your bed already did it for you? Beats me, but I’d be willing to try in this one.

Contemporary chairs from Saloom Furniture Design

Pull up a chair and let’s chat about furniture!
Not just any chair, mind you. I think just sitting on one of these beauties will up your style ranking by at least 90%. Now introduce them to an amazing table and let the magic begin!

Valentino table from Cattelan Italia

Did someone say “amazing table”?
Clean lines and your choice colors for the marble base make this piece truly unique. Hey and if your name begins with a “V” imagine the possibilities!

Innovative, modern and organic lighting from Aqua Creations

Don’t dim the lights!
What’s not to love? Lights that you can use on your ceilings, walls, tables and floors. Don’t believe me? Check out the inspiring and unlike anything you’ve seen lighting offerings from Aqua Creations. Lit panels of silk to accent your room in just about any configuration. If you ask me, these lights are worthy of someone as unique as you are.

Click on the photos to visit the websites of these fine folks: Aqua Creations, Jensen-Lewis, Haiku, Saloom, Cattelan Italia

“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.

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

What is YOUR favorite Color? You’ve heard the question a hundred times and probably asked it just as many since you learned to talk. It got me to thinking, after our recent blog posts on painting,  why not ask? Find out what colors are on your mind. So we did just that.  On Twitter and Facebook, we posed the question to see what colors people seem to gravitate toward and while the count has my personal favorite, YELLOW in second place, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Green is running high on everyone’s list. Seems fitting with the green movement being so popular these days.  Other colors people mentioned included Purple and Red.

With such vibrant and diverse color preferences on my mind, I couldn’t help but get inspired to go out and find some pictures of some pretty fabulous rooms painted in those colors so that maybe you can be inspired too! Of course all of this ties in to our interactive contest on Facebook to reach out and really get a feel for what inspires you in the world of design, whether it is color, layout, texture or anything in between.  We appreciate the input from everyone and can’t wait to see what other things are on your list of favorites!

In the meantime, check out some truly great photos from a traditional retreat to a rock star’s city pad, we think you will find some rooms and colors to get excited about! If you really want to to immerse yourself in some gloriously creative and inspired rooms (these are really over the top!), you have to take a minute to check out the website for the Hotel Fox in Copenhagen. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Click on ROOMS when you get to the website and prepare to be amazed.

Oh and we want to say a special hello and thank you to Karen S, Karen A, Tierra, Marla, Darryl, Cheryl, Kevin, Kathy, Rachel, Patty, Brian, Kami, Patti, and Keith for taking the time to say hi to us on the Design Connection Facebook and Twitter pages!  Do you have a favorite painted room in your home? We invite you to post pictures on our Facebook page and share. C’mon over, we’ll see you there!

No I’m not talking about the exercise you get from moving the paint roller back and forth or climbing up and down a ladder as you reach near the ceiling! I’m talking about that hot topic these days of non-toxic paint. Commonly known as zero or low VOC paint, the VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds- which is basically the stuff that compels you to open a window after breathing a few too many fumes.

The chemicals in traditional paint have been linked to health conditions such as cancer and asthma by way of emitting toxic chemicals even years after a wall has been painted. With interest in air quality and subjecting our bodies to as few chemicals as possible, environmentally friendly and non-toxic paints have gone mainstream and with good reason. Afterall what could possibly be more important than your health? Personally, I’m a big fan of Benjamin Moore paints and so it’s no surprise to me that they have taken up the green banner and designated a section of their website specifically to explain about environmentally friendly paints, the standards and what it means for you, the consumer.

If you are considering painting, now is the time to learn more about low VOC paints and the impact using them can have not only on your style, but your health.

Have you ever painted a room with a color that looked great on the paint chip you picked up from the store only to find you hated it once it was on your walls? Have no fear, the Kansas City interior design team at Design Connection is here to give you some easy ideas to make choosing color a little less intimidating and a lot more fun!

It doesn’t take much to scare people away from color and running right into the arms of comforting neutrals. Just stand in front of a display at a home improvement store…if the incremental shades of color start to blur into one another as your pulse begins to race, RELAX. There’s no need to run screaming into the parking lot with a can of standard eggshell paint to ease your troubled walls, instead start grabbing some color chips and head home to contemplate!

A BRIGHT IDEA…
The lighting in most home improvement stores is usually fluorescent and lends a cool hue to the chips- effectively altering your perception of the color. Better to take the sample paint chips home and stick them to the wall of the room you want to paint and see how it looks in natural light. No time for that? Then walk outside and look at the colors, chances are you’ll notice a difference in the warmth of the hues and any subtle color undertones simply because you are now viewing the color in a more natural light.  The lighting in your home and type of bulbs you use can also affect how a color looks. Also if you wear tinted contacts or glasses, that can  affect how you perceive the color (in which case you might want a second opinion from someone you trust or an experienced interior designer).

If you are still undecided, we’ve noticed a trend in most major home improvement stores where they are selling sample size containers of many paint colors. These are perfect for you to test the color on your walls BEFORE you commit precious time and energy to painting the entire room. As an added bonus this will enable you to truly see how the color looks in daylight, nighttime and everything in between.

A QUICK HOW-TO…
If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, one of the most important tools (besides a good dropcloth) for painting a room is a really good trim brush. Often the most difficult task when painting a room is getting the trim right. You can tape it off with green or blue low tack painter’s masking tape (time consuming but effective if you wait for the paint to dry and carefully score a line along the edge before you peel it off) or you can be brave and paint it freehand or utilize a paint guard that you slide along the wall as you paint.  The most invaluable tool I’ve found for painting trim is a really good angled trim brush. That is the one thing I spare no expense on when I tackle painting a room myself. Personally, I’m a fan of the short trim brushes with the rubber handle that can fit easily in the palm of your hand.  It makes the job of painting so much easier for me.

WHAT COLOR SHOULD I PICK?
Ahhh that’s the million dollar question and one we’ll visit in a future post.  In the interim, you can check out some great tools from industry leaders Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore. At the Sherwin Williams site, they have a fun Color Visualizer tool that lets you upload pictures of your room and experiment with color that’s pretty nifty.  Benjamin Moore takes it further with a free iphone app called Ben that you can use to find a color palette based on a snapshot or use their Paint Calculator that lets you determine how much you need to paint your space.  Lots of resources out there to make painting less tedious and a lot more fun. Let Design Connection help you with your color choices if you need a hand, we do color consultations and help you bring it all together with the latest styles, colors and accessories!

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.  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.  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.  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.  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!

It is winter and more often than not, you look out your window and see…gray.  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,  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.  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.  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.  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?  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.  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.

So there you are, you have done everything right, you researched and hired a designer and they are working to transform your space and you hit a roadblock. The “My Way or the Highway” approach seems to work for some designers but let’s face it, it’s your home and you have to live with it which makes it important to find a qualified designer who will collaborate not quarrel.

In Kansas City, I recently assisted a client who had traditional furnishings we were working around. Upon meeting with him, I found out he really wanted something very contemporary. I was off base, we worked together from a new starting point and voila he was happy! He even sent me a follow up e-mail thanking me for taking the time to listen.

It made me start thinking about the fact that not all designers will listen and just how important that is. Granted, I may not think that sentimental family piece should be incorporated back into your room but if you love it so much, I’ll find a way to work it in as best I can. The goal is to make your space perfect for you. At Design Connection, we do listen and cater to the needs of our clients because we think that’s important. Afterall our motto says it all, You Talk, We’ll Listen, You’ll LOVE!

We’d love to hear what you think- if you’ve had an experience (good or bad) that you’d like to share feel free to speak up! We’re listening…