Photo courtesy Lights4fun.
As the summer passes and transitions to fall, there are several ways you can incorporate fun, easy changes to your home style to showcase a sleek, sophisticated style that flows perfectly with the season. Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at Furniture Choice Limited, shares three key décor tips to style a cozy home for Autumn 2019.
Jewel Tones and Inviting Textures
This autumn, let rich jewel tones like deep mauve, sapphire blue and dust pink take center stage. “Embrace the sophistication of the season in all its moody glamour,” says Snowden.
A lush black velvet bed instantly adds elegance to a bedroom and sets a luxurious base to build upon. Layer deep, rich tones via opulent textures like velvet and faux fur to create a lavish, comfortable setting.
Light up the space with distinctive fixtures to enhance the overall ambiance. “Individual pendant bulbs give off a modern, almost industrial feel while sleek, standing lamps are practical and stylish,” Snowden notes. Display fresh flowers for a burst of life or dramatic floral artwork with contemporary charm as final touches.
Photo courtesy LUXXU Home.
Black and Yellow – A Perfect Pair
On a brighter note, pairing black and yellow results in a lighter, modern take on autumn décor. One part dark, one part festive, and altogether stylish. Choose a dark yellow like mustard, in homage to autumn’s signature leaves.
“This trendy color contrasts nicely with a sleek black leather sofa to produce an edgy and seasonal-appropriate palette,” says Snowden. Go bold with a mustard feature wall or start small with yellow cushions, rugs and planters.
With this style choice, Snowden also recommends keeping the rest of the room simple and opt for pieces with clean lines to prevent overwhelming the senses. Add warmth with a soothing accent color like forest green, achieved through incorporating dark green, leafy plants. These not only bring in life but also a sense of freshness, all while contributing to the overall style.
Photo courtesy DelightFULL.
Accessorize
In the spirit of transitioning into the season, get crafty and DIY some autumn-themed accessories. “Metallic accessories are a simple and effective way to add a pinch of glamour and light to any space,” Snowden advises.
Photos courtesy Lights4fun.
When designing a child’s bedroom, the typical idea is to create a space with a bright, happy atmosphere. Finding the line between fun and playful to childish and unfashionable can be a thin one. It’s important to keep this space clean and stylish, without making it too modern or uncomfortable. Here are a few ways to find the perfect balance:
Photo courtesy of Noa and Nani
1. Storage Space
The many toys and games a child has creates the need for just as much storage space to organize it all. To keep the clutter away, choose a bed frame that includes built-in storage underneath. The mess that’s usually found under a child’s bed is now tucked neatly away in drawers, to create a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.
2. A Colorful Canvas
The key to decorating a child’s bedroom is balancing the tones and color schemes, in order to create a happy childlike atmosphere. Look toward colorful pieces to balance out more subtle tones. This way, the space will look warm and inviting while not feeling cluttered and chaotic. A bright, colorful rug like the one below can add a fun, youthful piece to an otherwise modern room. Shelving is also a great way to add color to a child’s room. While not too overbearing in its appearance, the bright color is a modern and stylish way to keep a kid’s room on trend.
Photo courtesy of Go Modern
Photo courtesy of 111 Leroy
Photo courtesy of The Alyn
3. Balance Between Modern and Warm
Designing a child’s room is also finding a balance between modern and functional while creating a warm and welcoming space. The goal is to avoid scattered and outdated designs. A designer’s trick is to use both warm and colorful tones with function in mind. Deep greens, browns, reds, and blues create a sanctuary that’s both stylish and comfortable. In this bedroom at the Alyn, shown below, a neutral color palette alongside other playful elements to maintain the balance.
Photo courtesy of 100 Barclay
Over the past few years, stained glass has gone from a dusty antique item in an old home to modern works of art. With the industry making a comeback into the luxury scene, interior designers are challenging themselves to design a space around the ornate glass. Here are a few different ideas:
Photo courtesy of Bespoke Glass
Photo courtesy of Florence Broadhurst Fabrics
Stained glass can add a pop of color and make your space feel both cozy and modern. The green colors on this partition add a bright finish to the room, making it the centerpiece for all the other furniture to gather around it. While still looking modern, it brings back an old-school style to provide a sense of comfort as well. Nowadays, adding a piece of stained glass to a home brings a unique style unlike any other — one that brings you back in time, while also staying ahead of the times, too.
Located in New Haven, Connecticut, the Blake Hotel adds a unique style to the space by featuring the work of Bespoke Glass, a studio-based business in Brooklyn, New York. The different shades of blue colors and the glimmer of the glass adding a retro look that transports you to a different time in the past, while also staying current and on-trend. The placement of the blue pieces adds an edgy and one-of-a-kind appearance. Not only is it a partition, but it’s a work of art in its own right.
Photo courtesy of Reed McKendree
Photo courtesy of Bespoke Glass
By changing the designs stained glass was normally confined to in the past, studios and interior designers around the globe are beginning to take out the dusty antiques from their storage bins and create works of art instead. With so many different styles and colors, the possibilities are endless.
KB Home Design Studio is known for working with customers as they are building a new home to help them personalize the space for their individual needs.
“Because each customer is unique with different tastes, we must be able to include choices that reflect many design aesthetics,” says Gena Kirk, Vice President of Design at KB Home.
This method comes readily at hand with a market that is continually evolving, with millennials currently making up the largest share of homebuyers in today’s market. We spoke with Kirk to learn more about how designers and brands like KB Home are staying on the pulse of emerging design trends and what millennials are really desiring in their homes.
What tools outside of work help inspire you while you work?
These are some of the mediums that aid me in selecting the best choices for our KB Home Design Studio customer. In addition to the usual interior design outlets that inspire me, I am also inspired by our supplier partner’s innovative products and consumer research such as Moen’s Magnetix Handheld Shower and Shaw’s Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring.
We’re accommodating a wide variety of customers who are looking to personalize their home at an affordable price so the more information we have about the products being developed and available the better we can provide value products to our KB customer.
Gena Kirk, Vice President of Design
KB Home
Are there some that don’t inspire but help you get away from work?
I am personally inspired by such mediums as home design shows, decorating magazines, Houzz, Pinterest, Apartment Therapy, decorating blogs and following retail furniture trends.
What kind of styles/trends are most prevalent in millennial-bought homes today, and why?
In millennial-built homes, we’re seeing from the KB Home Design studio a few things. For example, they’re prioritizing things such as flexible spaces within the home, an eye towards health and wellness, an interest in technology and a minimalist design. KB Home tracks these interests to make sure we’re offering our millennial buyer what they’re expecting and what they want to make their homes their own.
Millennials are purchasing only the square footage they need verses the biggest home they can afford. This makes flexible spaces very important to these buyers and they want to make best use of that space.
Millennials also have an interest in the home as a source of health and wellness. They have an interest in things like door fixtures that are antibacterial, or no-touch have become popular, as well as Energy Star HVAC that helps not only cut down on utility costs, but also provides clean indoor air.
Lastly, millennials are looking to a minimalist design aesthetic. This also helps maximize their living space and provide a clean, modern look. They will use neutral paint colors, like greige, to warm the space.
What has been your favorite project to work on at KB Home?
My favorite and most rewarding project to work on was designing, creating and building the new KB Design Studio. KB Home was able to highlight our personalization options in beautiful design studios across the company. Our suppliers have their product on display and are uniquely merchandised to promote customer interaction and product sales. Additionally, our customers love the interactive displays and organized choice making the selection process easy and fun!
Was there anything that inspired you specifically?
Designing the KB Home Studio was more challenging than designing a room. I considered the warm and welcoming feeling that I wanted the space to convey, as well as the idea that the KB Home studio needed to inspire our customers and provide them with a creative space to fully personalize and envision their new home.
KB Home Studio. All photos courtesy KB Home.
While dark-colored walls can add a depth to a room, it can sometimes be tricky to style around them. Every dark-colored wall brings a heavy tone with it, and it’s important to know how to design the space so has a balanced tone. While it’s a designer’s challenge, here are different rooms that prove it can be done:
Photo courtesy of Brabbu Design Forces
Photo courtesy of AUDENZA
1. Brighter Colors, Warmer Tones
When designing any room, it’s crucial to look at the colors you’ll be using and make sure they balance each other out. This is especially so for rooms with dark-colored walls. While they add a great tone to the space, too many darker tones can make a room feel cold and uninviting.
The perfect balance of colors involves a mixture of both darker and lighter colors, such as this bright red chair in front of a dark green backdrop. The chair adds a pop of color, making the dark colored walls feel warm and inviting.
1. Light versus Dark
Balancing the lighter and darker tones can be a challenge, since having too much of one can overwhelm and wash out the other. These baths represent the perfect balance of tones. The darker walls counteract against the polished bathtubs and light fixtures. This not only adds a great balance, but brings a rich and inviting depth of color to the room.
Photo courtesy of Garden Trading
Photo courtesy of Original Style
Photo courtesy of Original Style
3. Allowing Tones to Stand Out
When it comes to dark-colored walls, an immediate response may be to counteract the heavier tones with lighter statement pieces. While this can create a beautiful design, it’s important to allow the rich, dark colors to stand out. In this kitchen, there are minimal pieces that are lighter in color, allowing the walls to be full in color and provide a warm and cozy atmosphere.
An often underrated way to style a room with is the flooring, which often ends up as a simple hardwood or tile design. While adding neutral tones to floors can allow other statement pieces in a room to pop, sometimes a bold flooring can be just what the space needs.
With that, here are some tips and tricks to designing a room around a bold floor or rug:
Photo courtesy of Lithos Design
Photo courtesy of Chaplins Furniture
1. Matching Colors
When wanting to design a room with a statement piece, it’s always important to choose the piece that will pop before designing anything else. This way, you’ll know the colors and fabrics involved with the statement piece, and can design around that. In terms of flooring, a bold rug can make or break a room. Choosing the bold rug before anything else can ensure whatever you choose for the rest of the room will complement it.
With this space, the bold rug has two main colors, with gold being its secondary color. Instead of choosing another blue for the chairs, the designer chose to use the rug’s secondary color. This way, the blue rug still adds a pop, rather than being one of pieces with a similar color in the room. By using one of the more minor colors on the floor, there is still a wide variety of hues to have a creative and comfortable style.
Photo courtesy of RugSociety
Photo courtesy of WOW Design
2. Sleek and Airy
By allowing the bold floor pattern to be the centerpiece of the room, the designer creates a light and airy atmosphere. Instead of cluttering the room with more designs and colors, the simple designs allow for the bold floor to stand out. The minimalist look along with various plants adds a sleek and refined style to the room while also adding just enough color to keep it vibrant.
The chevron floor interlocking tile and hardwood floors adds a one-of-a-kind design for the individual to enjoy. With the only other colors in the room being a hint of black and green, the minimalist design keeps the style interesting while also comforting in its simplicity. Keep this design in mind if you’re looking for a minimalist style with an added statement piece.
3. Eclectic Style
Don’t be afraid of flooring that gets colorful and different. When styled correctly, this can be the selling-point of the home. Its uniqueness never fails to impress those who are looking for something different yet clean and airy.
While this tile may look busy and complicated close up, take a step back and see the beauty it adds to the home. The mid-century modern design adds a flair unlike any other, while also staying sleek and refined.
Photo courtesy of Lithos Design
High ceilings have become a statement piece in homes and apartments across the nation, and buyers have responded. The National Association of Home Builders conducted a survey in which 67 percent of respondents in 2018 said they would be willing to pay more money for ceilings higher than 8 feet on the first floor of their home — and with the percentage steadily increasing over the past few years, it’s clear that high ceilings are a great addition to any home.
With so many different benefits, high ceilings can become the selling-point of the home. Here are some benefits involved with designing a home around high ceilings:
Photo courtesy of 90 Morton
Photo courtesy of THREE MARKS
1. More Space
By adding more vertical space, high ceilings offer a spacious atmosphere for the individual to live in. The additional space adds a grander feel to the room, elevating the standard of luxury homes.
At 277 Fifth Avenue in New York City, the 13.5-foot ceilings provide a sense of grandeur and elegance, bringing an elevated sense of luxury to the residence. The light and airy curtains hanging from the top provide a sleek and stylish addition to the grand floor-to-ceiling windows.
1. Dazzling Views
In apartments and residential homes across the country, high ceilings can allow for even more windows, and therefore add spectacular views. With the potential of higher ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows can provide spectacular views of the landscape before them.
At Summit New York, a private residential building located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the 15-foot ceilings allow for gorgeous views of the Chrysler building with the rest of the city in the background. The sheer height of the ceilings allows for a larger view, adding a dazzling feature to the home.
Photo courtesy of Summit New York
Photo courtesy of DooArchitecture
1. Creative Design
Although high ceilings include great benefits just by themselves, they also have added benefits for interior designers everywhere. Higher ceilings allow interior and architectural designers to get creative with the space they have available to them. Rather than creating a simple, high ceiling, designers have used their creativity to create spectacular pieces that can be the centerpiece of the space.
By using different materials and an eye-catching design, the designers have created a statement piece in the Ritz-Carlton Residences in Miami, Florida. They not only add a spacious and airy feel to the room, but its design allows for an artistic interpretation of the classic high ceiling.
Photo courtesy of DooArchitecture
1. Wellness-Booster
Adding natural light and creating an uncluttered, airy atmosphere, high ceilings with tall windows can increase the wellness of the individual. And with wellness becoming a hot topic in the industry, high ceilings and tall windows can become the selling-point of the home. By 2017, the wellness industry was worth $4.2 trillion, according to the Global Wellness Institute — a jump of 12.8 percent from 2015. And as the industry’s worth only increases, higher, grander ceilings have the potential to be a decisive element to the home.
Photo courtesy of Turnberry Ocean Club
Photo courtesy of Turnberry Ocean Club
By creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, the fireplace can always become the centerpiece of the home. With so many different styles, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make decisions based on the look of the room. Here are different styles that can be used to complement your own personality and the atmosphere of the overall home.
Photo courtesy of THE OLD CINEMA
Photo courtesy of DelightFULL
1. The Classic Grand Fireplace
For a more refined look, the grand fireplace will do just the trick. The gray and white colors in this living room add to the polished atmosphere, bringing luxury to the forefront of the space.
If the style of the home is more traditional and elegant, this is the perfect fireplace for any room. Although it will blend in with the character of the rest of the home, it can still be grand enough to catch your eye. With its intricate detail and sheer size, it is certain to be the masterpiece of any home.
2. The Simple and Sophisticated Fireplace
If you’re looking for a fireplace that warms the atmosphere without taking away from other statement pieces in the room, head in the direction of a simpler, sleek fireplace for your home.
For a more sophisticated style that blends into the background, look toward matching the color of the fireplace with the dominant colors of the room. Tans and light greens dominate the following space, with the chandelier in the center being the main statement piece of the room. To avoid taking your attention off of the chandelier, allow the fireplace to blend seamlessly into the rest of the room.
Photo courtesy of John Cullen Lighting
Photo courtesy of Brabbu Design Forces
4. The Avant-Garde Fireplace
For the more eclectic, a fireplace can also become a piece of art. Instead of a simple or elegant design, tough material such as metal and less-common designs can add the perfect conversation piece to any room.
This fireplace in this living room adds a bold style that is not just a functional piece of the home, but a work of art in it of itself. The layers of metal that are perceived to have been peeled back to open up the fireplace, which adds a unique addition to the piece. With a bold wallpaper in the background and dramatic lighting, this style is for the most creative and eclectic individual.
3. The Space-Saver Fireplace
For those who live in apartments or are simply looking to save a bit more space, don’t rule out the possibility of having a fireplace in your home. For a more eclectic style while also saving space, look toward the stove fireplace. This style blends seamlessly into older-style apartments or spaces, and can add a pop of old-world flair to more modern rooms as well.
Photo courtesy of Ludlow Stoves
Whether you’re organizing that shoe collection that keeps on growing, displaying your endless accessories, or if you’re striving for a clean, minimalist style and feel, a little extra storage never hurt. Even pricey and luxurious apartments in places such as New York City aren’t offering much space.
Get inspired with these storage tips and find the perfect place for everything in your home.
Photo courtesy of Lola & Mawu
Photo courtesy of Lola & Mawu
Be bold and embrace your own style. Even if you are working toward a more neutral style with clean lines, it’s okay to introduce a few pops of color. Your storage is the perfect place to try new color schemes and patterns because they are easy to switch out and adjust with your growing taste and the changing seasons.
Portable, movable storage is the best kind of storage. The convenience of wheels should never be overlooked. If you’re hosting an event, entertaining guests, or simply looking for a fresh feel, storage that can be moved make the process of change seamless. Simply wheel a fun, stylish cart into the next room for all of your storage needs.
Photo courtesy of Lime Lace
Photo courtesy of Melody Maison
There’s no shame in falling in love with storage space that is not the most functional. A few stacked baskets with a playful touch of fringe is a nice addition to your bedroom or bathroom. The layered look adds complexity and style to your room, and it can still be functional for small items and accessories.
When in doubt, try under the bed. The space below your bed was made for storing blankets, shoes, winter sweaters and more. Built-in storage is even less noticeable under your bed and ensures that you’ll always have a little extra room to stash your bulkier items or less used items. These clever built-in draws will help clean up any bedroom.
Photo courtesy of The French Bedroom Co.
Photos courtesy of Melody Maison
Multi-functional is never a bad thing. Side tables, ottomans, benches, and other furniture that offer a hidden storage section is a dream come true. Forget searching for bulky storage options that take up space and ruin your decor. Find a charming side table that serves as a storage unit to declutter any room.
Photo by Giacomo Maestri.
New design brand LATOxLATO, founded by the young architects Francesco Breganze de Capnist and Virginia Valentini, presents its first collection of furnishings and objects that strives to tell a story of true passion for Italian design. Exclusively made in Italy, LATOxLATO uses the finest materials and refined techniques, all built on a search for the best artisans and craftspeople.
“LATOxLATO comes from the wish of bringing the artisans’ knowledge passed down across generations to the public,” say designers Breganza de Capnist and Valentini, “and make people realize that in Italy we still have a great tradition of true masters of the art that mold one piece at a time with their hands … Our mission is to show the consumer everyday objects in a different way from the one they are used to seeing them, freed from the constraints of the usual trends through the constant dialogue between art, aesthetics and functionality.”
The duo is usually inspired by day to day life, taking their personal memories as well as the architecture of Italy and transposing generalized design concepts into household pieces. For those looking to outfit their home, both designers say that these pieces help to “tell a story about [the] owner.”
“Each product has a unique and recognizable identity and is meant to embellish its new home and also bring value to its new owner. The goal is to give the consumer the chance to own a very unique piece that tells a story about him, what he likes and what are his dreams.”
There are several pieces in the collection, varying in look and purpose. The Fourmosa storage chest draws on the clean formal lines of classic Italian design from the 1950s, updated for the modern age.
The piece is in varnished oak, with masterfully carved sharp edges bringing a sense of continuity to the surface. Designed to fit together in infinite combinations, these pieces create a dynamic, personalized piece that can even be expanded over time.
The trapezoidal modules easily lend themselves to various free combinations, without the use of joints.
Photo by Matteo Imbriani.
1950s design also provided inspiration for Aracne, an unconventional coffee table with an unexpected eight-legged silhouette. Its round glass top seems to float atop the elegant zoomorphic structure, solid and airy at the same time.
Its eight wooden supports, with rounded edges that allow the top to nestle into place with a natural elegance, create an evocative visual rhythm, interacting with its surroundings by projecting delicate threads of shadow into the light.
Precise woodworking and organic design make Aracne an elegant presence full of personality.
Photo by Giacomo Maestri.
Candleholders, vases and a centerpiece are a tribute to the Italian art and architecture that inspires their form and character.
The Vestalia candleholder boasts the natural elegance of the most precious marbles, from Carrara White to Carnico Gray and Imperial Green.
A complex process of water-jet carving, entrusted to historic Venetian ateliers, brings out the stone’s edges and veining.
Their design, rich in tactile emotions and interactive possibilities, makes them objects of compelling sculptural presence.
Photo by Matteo Imbriani.
The arched ceramic vases Marcello, Massimo and Vittorio offer a subtle allusion to Italy’s Palladian villas and palaces and to the perspectives of Metaphysical art.
The detailing in precious 24k gold or platinum creates reflections of light and motion in perspective.
The pure white of the surface showcases the precious glaze finish and the imperceptible differences in intensity that come from handmade artistry.
Left photo: Marcello; Right photo: Massimo
Both photos by Giacomo Maestri.
The beauties of artisanal ceramic return in the Sophia table centerpiece, inspired by the great piazzas of the città d’arte, Italy’s “Cities of Art.”
A meticulous study in proportion, Sophia presents itself as a scale model of the arches and porticoes of Renaissance architecture.
The result is an abstract geometric form, rich in sensory character and vibrant with luminous details that enrich the pure white of the ceramic.
Photo by Matteo Imbriani.
