Design Trends

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Today’s guest post is from Jessica Cleary of Arcadian Lighting, a website and blog that features the latest in interior design as well as a beautiful collection of lighting fixtures for practically any room in your house. Here, she shares her latest favorite finds: a round-up of beautiful, classic rugs.

Traditional rugs are a wonderful way to add vibrant color, texture and pattern to your home. Don’t feel the need to limit these beauties to rooms with a traditional design scheme, because they’ll work well with almost any design style. One of the perks of decorating with traditional rugs is you can easily switch them out depending on the season or your current tastes. I hope you find some inspiration in these rooms and rugs!

Traditional Rug

The weathered black-and-white rug in this global, eclectic living room provides a beautiful monochromatic canvas for the brightly colored accents. A monochromatic rug is a good grounding element for practically any color palette.

Traditional Rug

Traditional rugs can also be hung on the wall as a beautiful, unconventional piece of art. This very feminine pink-and-blue room features several intricate patterns that work well together because of the all-white walls and carpet. The matching lamps are a showstopping element in the space.

Traditional Rug

The colorful Turkish rug in this kitchen and dining room takes center stage against the neutral palette in the rest of the room. The distressed wooden table and fur seat covers are fun and funky accents.

Traditional Rug

This home office space is instantly warm and inviting thanks to the brightly colored traditional rug and the ombre red and orange curtain. The heavy, traditional desk with distressed white paint adds a touch of vintage to the room.

Traditional Rug

This enclosed porch is perfectly inviting with its colorful rugs and antique lounge. Tip: A safe way to incorporate different patterns throughout a room is to limit them to the ground level, through the prints of the rugs and carpeting. This keeps the pattern from overwhelming the room.

Traditional Rug

The striped rugs in this crisp, minimal bedroom are a fun, modern way to incorporate rugs into your home. The simple stripes add a hit of graphic pattern to the spare space, and the red wall sconce adds a pop of color to the neutral palette that ties in with the red rug.

Traditional Rug

Another all-white room gets a splash of color and texture with beautiful red rugs. The well-worn quality of these rugs is a lovely contrast to the clean white surfaces.

Traditional Rug

Traditional rugs placed throughout a spacious room can establish areas for different activities and help protect the floor in high traffic areas. These rugs are as decorative as they are functional.

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

For more design inspiration and a great selection of light fixtures, visit arcadianlighting.com.

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Decorative MaterialsWhile remodeling a kitchen or bathroom can be a daunting task, a few easy steps can simplify the process. Tile and stone impresaria Margot Hampleman, owner and founder of Decorative Materials, shares her 20+ years of experience with Colorado Homes and Lifestyles.

Find Direction
One of the most important things when revamping a space is to discover what resonates with you. How? Read and rip. Grab a pile of home décor publications and rip out images that appeal to you. Look at materials, layouts, appliances, overall design, design blogs and books. Collect images that inspire you and use them to help give life to the ideas that drive you. Once you have compiled a nice collection of images, scan through them to find a theme. This will help down the road when it comes to meeting with a designer and communicating your vision.

Decorative MaterialsNeeds and Wants
Consider your absolute need from the space as well as what you would just love to have. Is there a certain feeling or function you would like to gain from the space that it did not previously have? Setting up budget parameters as well as the upkeep and maintenance you are willing to put into the space will also help determine exactly what can be done and what might have to give when push comes to shove.

Decorative MaterialsHire a Professional
Many people are hesitant to hire a professional kitchen designer, but trust us, we’ve seen it all, and it is worth every penny. Interview a few designers and find one who shares your ideas and taste, someone who understands the way you live and the space you are dreaming about. Many projects around your house can easily be tackled on your own, but when it comes to kitchens and bathrooms, it is best to trust a professional who can share tricks of the trade and ensure you get the space of your dreams.

When trying to discern whether or not professional help is needed consider this: The most important rooms to bring in professional help are bathrooms and kitchens. There are many technical and stylistic considerations in these rooms, and a design professional will streamline your needs and vision. A design professional will save time and more importantly, money. A designer will take into account your inspirations and needs and hone in on your style and make suggestions you might not have thought of yourself. Your designer will show you things you’ll love but may not have been able to see, find, or buy on your own.

So pull your ideas together and find a designer whose vision overlaps with yours. Visit their favorite showrooms to see the widest variety of surfaces for your home. Our design consultants know the extensive selection of inventory inside and out, and are ready to show you samples, discuss care and maintenance, budget, lead time, and design with you and your designer.

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In anticipation of a new year—and new trends in home design—we spent weeks gathering counsel from the color experts to get the pulse on the hottest colors for 2012. Above, architectural color consultant KD Fikso reveals her favorite on-trend paints—and keep reading for tips on working color into your own space.

If you prefer white walls and neutral furnishings…

Opt for just a touch of color. “Try painting the inside of cabinets and bookshelves or niches so you get a peek of color,” recommends Sonu Mathew, senior interior designer with Benjamin Moore.

Go bold in a smaller spacelike a powder room, foyer or guest room.

If you like splashes of color throughout your home…

Create colorful vignettes. “Celebrate a trend in your home by displaying some of your favorite accessories in a grouping that reflects the ways colors are being combined,” architectural color consultant KD Fikso says.

Paint a piece of furniture. “Maybe it’s a painted chair that sits in the office area of your kitchen,” Fikso says, or a period piece that’s brought up-to-date with an unconventional hue.

If you’re ready to go BIG with color…

Paint the ceiling. “Color doesn’t have to be on the walls,” Mathew says. “You could have a neutral room and apply a bold trend color to your ceiling.”

Redo the kids’ room. “Talk about trendy; kids are changing every couple years,” says Fikso, who suggests children’s bedrooms as the perfect place to experiment with playful hues.

For more expert tips on decorating with color, click here, and to browse our roundup of home furnishings in the hottest colors of 2012 (spicy persimmon, tried-and-true blue and modern gray), click here.

 

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We’re coming to the end our marvelous closet makeover, and we’re all so pleased with how it turned out: what was once a poorly planned, disorganized room is now a gorgeous, functional and dreamy space! Our endless thanks go out to our founding partner, Closet Factory Colorado, and all of the sponsors and contributors who made this incredible project possible.

And while we can’t show you the finished closet here (you’ll just have to wait for the January/February 2012 issue to see the entire transformation!), we can give you a little sneak peek:

Clockwise from top left: a Palecek Capiz shell-encrusted mirror from Ashley Campbell; a "top-down, bottom up" Roman shade from Blind Corner and Curves; Sun Mountain Door's poplar sliding doors with "Rain" glass inserts; a Thomas O'Brien for Hickory Chair bench from Ashley Campbell (topped with a Lacefield pillow).

And here are the highlights of the home stretch…

Once the carpet was laid, Sun Mountain Door installed the sliding doors. “This door was a good choice because we were able to custom manufacture exactly what the designer requested,” says Thad Walton of Sun Mountain Door, “and achieve her specific look all while staying on budget.” The poplar doors were painted white and fitted with textured glass panels that allow light to flow through while still keeping the closet separate from the master bath.

Then the team from Ashley Campbell moved in to add the final touches that make this closet as pretty as it is practical. “Everyone needs a full-length mirror,” says designer Shannon Harris, who chose a glamorous Capiz shell-encrusted mirror from Palecek. Another special addition was the sleek, leather-upholstered Hickory Chair bench—definitely a luxurious spot to tie your shoes! Other accessories, such as a recycled palm vase and small trinket boxes, add style.

Why so much thought and attention to a closet? As Closet Factory Colorado president Polly Lestikow always says, “You start and end your day in the closet; wouldn’t you want that space to be calm and organized?” We couldn’t agree more.

CH&L Thanks our Messy to Marvelous Founding Partner:

Closet Factory

Sponsors:
Ashley Campbell Interior Design
Robert Koelbel Homes
Sheryl Hadley, Professional Organizer, NAPO
Mile High Style
Builder Appliance Center
Blind Corners & Curves
Floor Coverings International
CAPCO Tile
Sun Mountain Door

Contributors:
Aspen Design & Fabrication

Destiny Electric Service
Illuminations by Design
South Valley Drywall
Rocky Mountain Painters
Rocky Begano (wallpaper hanger)

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Clockwise, from top left:

Farmhouse Sink Redux

Concrete has become a go-to material for those looking for modern, eco-friendly countertops. Now Waterworks is using a sustainable concrete material to reinterpret the farmhouse apron sink: Made from post-industrial waste materials, the charcoal bar sink is available with or without a drain board. waterworks.com

For the Love of Food and Art

Stylish, high-tech range hoods have been all the rage for several years, but Italian manufacturer Futuro Futuro, known for its innovative, high-end hoods, has upped the ante with The Murano Collection. These designer hoods feature a wraparound, illuminated glass cover infused with unique patterns, such as “Autumn,” pictured above. futurofuturo.com

Smith on Style

Legendary designer Michael S. Smith—the man who transformed the Obama White House—is sharing his genius with the rest of us in his new book, Michael S. Smith Kitchens and Baths. Readers will get an in-depth look at Smith’s process through three case studies—Beach, City/Urban and Country—and dozens of spectacular examples. rizzoliusa.com

Kitchen Couture

After years of collecting vintage 20th-century aprons, Helena Steele decided it was high time to refashion the garment as a hostess must-have. Along with her daughter, Claire, Helena started Jessie Steele (named for her grandmother), an apron design company offering retro yet modern pieces in graphic, colorful fabrics. jessiesteele.com

Pretty Chill

Elevate your wine to an art form while keeping it cool with The Element Wine Chiller by Snowmass-based ceramic artist Michael Wisner, whose works have appeared in museums throughout the country, including the Smithsonian. Limited edition set: $400 for the chiller and four coasters. michaelwisnerpottery.com

 


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This weekend, do not miss the Denver Modernism Show! This fabulous event at the National Western Complex begins with the VIP gala on Friday night from 5-7, and then continues until 10pm with the preview party. This is a highlight of the year for me, and I can’t wait for the vintage fashion show on Saturday at 2. There are so many great booths featuring art, furnishings, glass, low-tech…you name it from the mod perspective, and it is there! Don’t miss the Miss Moderism Pageant, plus:

Tiki Lounge / Art Gallery / Sunday Car Show / Vintage Airstreams

Live Bands / Entertainment / Lectures / and Loads More!


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Messy to Marvelous closet makeover contest

After sifting through dozens of pictures of wonderfully messy closets, we are excited to announce Janet Brophy of Greenwood Village as the winner of our “From Messy to Marvelous” closet makeover contest. Congratulations to Janet!

Janet entered the contest after reading about it in a CH&L weekly e-newsletter. “Our closet is totally disorganized,” says Janet, who shares the master closet with her husband Peter. “I’ve wanted to redo my closet for a long time, but it’s always been overwhelming to me in so many ways. So when I read about the contest I thought, ‘why not?’ I feel so grateful to have won.”

Messy to Marvelous closet makeover contest

A self-proclaimed “clutterhound,” Janet says she’s looking forward to the help she’ll receive in sorting through her clothing and accessories and “getting rid of things I need to get rid of.” But most of all, she’s excited about working through the design process with professionals. “I’ve always been fascinated by design. I love, love looking at fabrics and colors and such, but I’m happy that I’ll be guided and won’t feel so overwhelmed by all the choices.”

The first step in the process will be a two-day “clean-out” marathon with professional organizers Sheryl Hadley and Kim Link. Sheryl is the owner of Boulder-based Organization & Relocation and 2011 President of NAPO Colorado.

“The first day will be about getting acquainted, asking questions, and then getting rid of stuff the Brophys don’t need,” says Sheryl. Day two will involve categorizing and organizing what’s left.

Stay tuned as we follow the Brophys through the process of creating a beautiful, stylish and functional closet—and pick up lots of tips and advice for sprucing up your own closet.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

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Lulu’s Home & Decor is offering love for sale. Just purchase a “Sweet Deal” voucher for $25. It entitles you to a $100 discount on any custom furniture order AND a free 1/2 hour in-home design consult.

Created as a “one-stop shop” for consumers and designers, Lulu’s Furniture & Decor offers a fabulous selection of classically hip furniture and accessories at reasonable prices.  Their sofas, chairs, tables, pillows, candles, picture frames, glassware and dozens of other items come from many different manufacturers, including several that are uncommon in the Denver area.

Offer expires 2/28/11. Custom furniture order must be placed by 3/15/11. In-home design consult limited to homes within a 15 mile radius of store.
lulu’s Furniture & Decor
2553 South Colorado Blvd,  Denver  CO  80222
Tuesday – Saturday, 10-5

Look at us, on the Christopher Guy website, right between Ralph Lauren on Arch Digest and the Pope. We were highlighting the Christopher Guy mirrored sofa from Objets Ltd in the Denver Design District… The Goods is a must-see in our January/February issue, on newsstands now!

Ripe One, Mark Penner Howell

The Denver Art Dealers Association (DADA) and art collector Dana Cain are launching a new type of art lecture series this month – where the consumers have the final say. The new monthly Art Collectors Summit series lets the collectors talk about what draws them to a particular artist, why they collect the work, how it’s displayed in their homes, and how living with the artist’s work impacts their lives and their environment.

“Typically, galleries host an Artist’s Talk,” says Cain. “Or the gallery owner will talk about the artist’s work, which can be enlightening. But I’m more interested in how the artwork impacts its audience. What makes someone buy a piece of art? What flips the switch? And, how does living with lots of original art impact a collector’s life?”

The monthly Art Collectors Summits will each focus on a different artist, and feature a small group of his/her collectors, each talking briefly about why they collect the artist. Much of the time will be devoted to audience questions, and collectors will show how the work is displayed in their homes with slide presentations.

The series launches Friday, January 21, 7pm at Space Gallery, 765 Santa Fe Drive, with three collectors of Mark Penner Howell’s work. Penner Howell, who’s current Space Gallery show, “The New Normal” opened earlier this month, has won numerous local awards, including Westword Best of Denver’s 2010 “People’s Choice” for Best Solo Show.

The event coincides with the Art District on Santa Fe’s monthly “Third Friday Collectors Preview” night, and many other galleries will be open in the District.

Admission is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For information, contact Space Gallery, 720-904-1088.

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