Archive for the ‘General’ Category
Old Furniture, New House: How to Make it Work
I can’t tell you how many of my clients have moved in the last year—I’ve lost count! And with a new house, of course they want and often need new furniture.
Sadly, with all the shipping and supplier issues we are seeing, wait times are now up to six months or more! Additionally, manufacturers have whittled their lines down to fewer options in order to meet production demand. The right furniture for your space may not be in that limited line.
To put it simply, “new” is just not as reliable as it once was. When people are moving or looking for a change, they need to be able to refresh their old furniture to make it look new again. And I’m going to show you how…
Rework, reupholster and reuse
When it comes to upholstered goods, I always say, ‘a frame is a frame is a frame.’ If you have a sturdy, hardwood frame sofa, it can be rebuilt to look like any sofa. Sure, it’s going to be that size, but it can have rolled arms or straight, a tufted back or cushions, modern lines or curves–you name it!
We used to say it was more economical to buy new. Anymore, you’re probably going to spend the same amount either way, but when you rework and reupholster you don’t have to wait nine months.
While I admit this trend in my business was born out of necessity and demand, there are some benefits I absolutely love. First, we are able to use our talented artisans for this work and keep those dollars local.
Second, it’s nice to be a little more sustainable in this field. In the past it was always, “out with the old and in with the new,” whether it was driven by trends or something like a move. Now, we are using more of what we have and repurposing those items, instead of just adding to a landfill.
Case in point
Casegoods are no exception to this trend. Our design team is always looking at how we can take something old and make it fresh and new again. We may consider changing a finish, updating hardware or taking out glass in doors and adding mesh panels. Just updating the look of a piece and using it in a new way is something we are doing now more than ever with our clientele.
If you don’t already have that perfectly well made piece–it does not mean you can’t have it. If something has good bones you can usually find it in a resale shop or somewhere online like Facebook Marketplace.
We recently moved a client into a new home and barely purchased anything. This particular couple, now in their 70s, remembered some swivel barrel chairs that they had when they were newlyweds. Of course it’s a style that is now popular again and we all love, but they really liked that particular chair. So, she got online and found someone who had two, shipped them here and we reupholstered the pair. They’re exactly like what she had years ago, but in a new fabric that she loves–talk about coming full circle!
But, can it perform?
While we are on the topic of reupholstering, I want to mention performance fabrics. As designers, we have been inundated with information about these fabrics for years, so I’m always surprised when clients don’t know about these options. I had a client in absolute shock that she could spill red wine on her sofa and not stain it!
Most important to note is how far performance fabrics have come in the last five to seven years. They don’t feel like steel wool anymore–they’re actually comfortable! They also have more patterns, more color selections, and even more available types of fabrics–virtually anything from leather to velvet.
Whether it’s protection from spills, crayons, sun or weather, there is a fabric that is able to withstand that threat. So, when you’re considering repurposing and reupholstering that old sofa or chair, don’t forget to look at performance fabrics.
Tell your story
We are always nudging clients to recognize that every home has its story. It should say something about you, what stage of life you’re in, where you came from. We gather all this information when we first meet with clients so we understand who they are, what their story is and how we can make their interiors reflect that.
Adding a piece of furniture that has history in your family, whether it’s your history or even beyond you, brings a certain solace to a room…it speaks more about who you are. Think of it as something that grounds the room and gives it some meaning.
If you love your old dining set, but think it looks too formal or dated, consider using a more modern chair with the old table. There are plenty of easy additions such as art, lighting or even a new rug that can seamlessly blend old pieces with new yet still hang on to those items that tell your story.
We think each design should be as personal as your own signature. Incorporating old pieces in new designs is such an easy way to bring character to your home. So, don’t be afraid to hang on to pieces that mean something to you! After all, it’s part of your story.
Room For Improvement: Our Favorite Home Improvement
Favorite Home Improvement
I don’t think we talk about this often enough: Curb Appeal
It may be easy to turn a blind eye to the outside, but remember it is your home’s first impression.
The perfect time to consider exterior changes is when you’re getting a new roof. You’ll likely need to repaint some areas so it is a good time to change colors on both your house and the roof.
We like to take a picture of your exterior and do some renderings to show you different options; Light fixtures, different colors, trim changes and perhaps even architectural changes all can make a dramatic improvement.
We recently had a client buy a home because it checked all the boxes—except for the outside. For this particular project we took out two porthole windows on the front of the home. We had plenty of windows for light and the design was distracting to the rest of the home, so out they went. Removing those prompted the painting of the brick because we had to patch those in (and the brick color was less than desirable) which totally changed the look of the home.
We also took off the rounded copper front porch because it didn’t shelter anything. We built a new porch that came out and gave shelter, and changed the front doors. Removing mullions and reworking a window also modernized the home.
These were big changes—huge, in fact! If you have the money to spend, architectural changes such as these can make a meaningful change to not only your home’s curb appeal but also its value.
Save
Start with your front porch and work your way out. First, clean it. There’s nothing worse than walking up to a home with a dirty front porch. Sweep it off, clean your windows and put out a welcome mat and some planters with flowers. Maybe consider updating your address numbers. These are all simple changes that can have a big result.
In one of our projects the owner didn’t want to replace the concrete on the front porch, so we added a four-foot by six-foot outdoor area rug and layered a welcome mat on top of that. It gave a fresh, inviting look and you can’t even see the damaged concrete now.
Landscaping is another relatively simple change. One thing I run into with people who have lived in a house a long time (myself included) is that things you may have planted 20 years ago may not look the best now. I can barely trim my boxwoods they are so overgrown they hardly have any green on them.
If it’s so large it’s hiding or damaging your home—it’s time to go. Pull out the old and put in something fresh and simple. Landscaping provides the biggest bang for your buck.
That’s a wrap on our July home improvement series! If you happened to miss any, you can catch up on the other two posts here:
Our Most Requested Home Improvement
Our Most Impactful Home Improvement
And if you are motivated to start giving your own home some attention, let’s have a conversation.
Contact our design team online HERE or call the office at (918) 250-1650.
Room For Improvement: The Most Impactful Home Improvement
In the previous blog, we covered our readers’ most requested home improvement. Today, we’re going to focus on the home improvement that will have the biggest impact. It’s a question we get a lot, and while the answer can vary depending on the specific house, we believe there is one clear winner.
Most Impactful Home Improvement
Once gain, it’s the kitchen. The reason is simple: everyone is impacted by the kitchen.
The primary bathroom is another popular area to improve for a return on investment, but really only two people benefit from that space. The kitchen is where all the action happens.
Whether it’s to improve the quality of food or the quality of entertainment, money spent in the kitchen is money well spent.
Splurge
How you cook depends on what area you’ll want to spend the most money on in your kitchen, however, it’s always a good idea to spend money on your countertops. They will last a lifetime and make a big impact.
If you’re an avid home chef, you will want to upgrade your appliances. Lucky for us, the way they are producing appliances now is really impressive! We were thrilled with the outcome of this kitchen install, particularly the refrigerator with its black interior and lit display. It added a touch of sophistication and modernity to the space.
If you like a well-stocked and organized refrigerator, then you likely will want to invest in high-end refrigeration. Fridge and freezer drawers are a great option for extra storage, too, and they can be fully customized to suit your needs. Entertain a lot? Consider adding a second dishwasher. Love to bake? Then you may want to invest in a Wolf range.
A myth to bust is that all appliances have to come from the same manufacturer. No! Choose what meets your needs. Most have their niche anyway, so choose to spend your money where you want the most performance.
Of course I can’t write this blog without mentioning that most of these appliances are six to nine months out, so keep that in mind. The time to start planning (and ordering!) is now.
Save
On the flip side, if you need to save on appliances, I would look at a package. Sometimes a manufacturer will offer you a rebate or free appliance if you buy a whole suite from their brand.
People also don’t realize how much of an impact changing your backsplash can make. Maybe you can’t afford to replace the countertops, but often times a simple change of the backsplash can give your room an entirely different design.
While painting cabinets is not easy, nor is it cheap, it is definitely less expensive than replacing cabinetry. You can also consider keeping the cabinetry frames and replacing the style of door and drawer fronts to give your room a new look. And, of course, painting the walls can dramatically change any room.
The kitchen is a room where order and organization are key – both for visual appeal and functionality. A quick order from The Container Store can help bring your kitchen up to par in both respects. With so many cool bins and tools available, you’re sure to find what you need to get your space in tip-top shape.
Make sure you don’t miss the third and final installment of this series where I’ll be sharing my favorite home improvement project (spoiler alert: it’s not the kitchen!).
Room for Improvement: Our Most Requested Home Improvement
From the most requested to the most impactful—and where to splurge versus save—we are giving you the inside scoop this month on all things home improvement. This will be a three-part series starting with our most requested home improvement.
If our workload over the past two years is any indication (hint: it is!), then it’s clear people are spending more time and money on their homes than ever before. This is driven by the fact that people are spending more time at home, and understandably they want that space to be an oasis—a vacation every day, if you will! We always strive to make your home your sanctuary, so I thought it would be fun to take look at the topic from our perspective—hopefully it will spark some ideas to improve your home!
Most Requested Home Improvement: Kitchen Remodel
No surprise here: the kitchen is always our most requested room when it comes to home improvement. More specifically, people want a kitchen with an island. The kitchen is the heart of the home and people naturally want to make it function better. It’s the room where people congregate so clients always ask me to include an island in the design. The reason is quite simple: they want a boundary. The work zone is a traditional triangle, but with so many people gathering in the room, you need to have a place outside your zone for people to eat, socialize or simply spectate. You can cook, and people can come up and talk to you without getting in your way—win, win! If I can’t work an island into the design due to space constraints, then I try to squeeze in a peninsula. An island is ideal, but both options give you that separation from your work space that immensely improves the room’s function.
Splurge
A large island means more cabinetry, more countertop and…you guessed it, more expense. Even so, I typically like most islands to be at least eight feet long. That gives you the balance of a nice size sink, dishwasher, trash on one side and maybe another stack for dishtowels and such. And, ideally, a depth of four feet allows plenty of space for you to wash dishes or cook without getting your guests wet or in harm’s way. It also means you can have a 12-inch countertop overhang for seating and still squeeze in a 12-inch deep cabinet on the back to house dishes or items you may not use on a daily basis. After all, kitchen cabinetry is prime real estate—you don’t want to waste it on Christmas dishes you may use once a year!
Of course there are plenty of ways to up the ante when it comes to kitchen islands. In one of our favorite projects, the kitchen was visible from the living space, so we gathered all the barstools on one end facing each other to create a conversation and gathering space. We were then able to front the island with an inset shelf that we lit, creating an architectural point of interest so people in the living room weren’t just staring at the back of barstools. A waterfall edge is another popular, albeit pricey, way to make a dramatic statement with your island. This is a great option for kitchens that open to more formal living spaces.
Save
Using a different material on your kitchen island countertop is one way to save some money. You might consider putting a more expensive material on your island and using something more cost-effective on the perimeter counters, which typically have more square-footage.
Changing the lighting above an island, or painting the cabinetry of the island are also great, inexpensive ways to give your island a face-lift. These can really give your kitchen an entirely new look for not much money. If you don’t have an island and are looking to add one, consider using a piece of furniture to save money. I’ve found that consoles make great islands, especially if you don’t have a lot of room and need something narrow. It will give you that work zone boundary, and some extra counter space—you’ll be shocked at the difference it will make!
A kitchen update is a great investment for your home. By consulting with a professional, you can be sure that the work will be done correctly and add value to your home. Design consultations are a great way to get started on your next home improvement project. To get started, fill out a design request form HERE.
Make sure to stay tuned for the next part of this series where we will discuss the most impactful home improvement projects.
Modern Ranch Reveal
We’ve been teasing photos of this home for more than a year and now it’s finally time to share this project in its entirety! It’s always fun to reveal a whole house because you get to see the end result as it’s always been imagined and intended by our team.
This particular project originated when our longtime clients came to us with the idea to build a weekend home. Already owners of vacation homes in Florida and Wyoming, they purchased approximately 90 acres just north of downtown with the intent to build a ranch home to entertain family closer to their primary Tulsa residence.
After a couple of months weekending at the new house, they love it so much they have decided to make it their permanent Tulsa residence and sell their home in the city. As a designer I don’t know if there is any greater compliment. Let’s take a look!
Main Living
How a client will use a space dictates our design of it. The number one purpose of this home: hosting family. So, we designed it to do just that! From the fireplace to the kitchen, we designed the home with gathering in mind.
The house is about 4,000 square-feet and every room is large, so the furniture needed to match that scale. It also needed to accommodate plenty of people, which is why you will find so many seating opportunities throughout the open-concept kitchen, living and dining areas.
Our client is a “black-and-white” girl, but in this home she wanted to bring in color to evoke happiness and create a cheerful environment. We found a one-of-a-kind rug at market, which set our design in motion. From there, we chose the sofas and introduced subtle colors and patterns throughout the home that would play off each other. Of course, we kept the background neutral to keep that familiar black-and-white element and to let the colors shine.
The living room’s soaring ceiling features reclaimed wood beams from Timber and Beam, and is adorned with a massive 66-inch-wide Ralph Lauren chandelier. We flanked the black granite slab fireplace with two large sofas and club chairs. You’ll have to look closely to find the TV in this room– we specifically chose the black granite as a way to disguise it above the fireplace.
Coffee Bar
A coffee bar between the living area and kitchen offers an intimate space to gather with four swivel chairs that allow views into both rooms as well as the outdoors. This home may be for large groups of people, but we wanted to create intimate moments too. Any time you can gather chairs together into two to four directly across from each other you tend to have more direct conversation. It’s a great little spot to have a cup of coffee and read the paper or your iPad while enjoying the amazing scenery outside.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, she wanted views out of both sides of the home. The kitchen sink faces the front of the property while the dining area overlooks the back of the home and the pond. The large dining table offers seating for the entire family with a built-in bench seat for grandkids on one side and chairs for adults on the other.
To break up the large space, we chose San Benedicto leathered granite for the perimeter countertops and a durable Bianco Statuario Quartz for the island, which features even more seating opportunities. As the workhorse of the kitchen, and the home, the island is lit with Hudson Valley pendants and painted Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black. The rest of the cabinetry is painted Simply White while a barn door painted Benjamin Moore’s Courtland Blue hides the generous pantry.
The homeowner had beautiful heirloom dishes, so we lit the cabinet shelves and carefully lined up the collection so that each piece would be visible between the cabinetry mullions. We never want our clients to walk into a home that feels like it’s out of a magazine. We always want them to walk into a home that feels like it’s their personal signature. Creating moments like this is what our design is all about.
Choosing high-performing yet attractive materials was imperative. The light wood flooring is actually engineered wood, which makes it really durable for all the in-and-out traffic as well as the family’s large dogs. The dining bench seat is a “pleather” so it’s easy to wipe up spills.
Primary Suite
As with all my designs, the primary suite is meant to be a restful retreat for the homeowners. The oversized room features a stunning four-poster bed at one end, while the opposite end offers a seating area where the couple can relax and watch TV away from the main living area.
The home may be in the country, but we had to include all the modern amenities for comfort such as the remote controlled shades and black out curtains. Imagine waking up, pressing a button and seeing llamas and horses outside—such a dream!
The owners’ bath is spa-like with a large soaking tub, walk in shower and double vanities. We kept the colors muted in here and let the tile design take center stage.
The floor is the star of the show with a stone hexagon pattern and Carrara subway border. A linen closet with antique mirrored fronts adds a touch of glamour and hides necessities.
Guest Suites
The owners have three granddaughters and one grandson, so we planned the guest rooms accordingly. The larger bedroom became the girls’ “bunk room” and the smaller was dedicated to the boy.
We had so much fun designing the girls’ quarters. Four custom made beds line the walls between individual window seats at each dormer window. It’s a precious room that reminds me of the story Madeline where they’re all lined up in their beds.
We chose a rosy pink as the predominant color. From the Pinecone Hill bedding to the custom pink sconce shades, everything is soft and subtle, but still very colorful and cheery like the client wanted. The carpet is neutral with a window pane pattern that really helps it stand out. The patterns all play so well off each other.
A barn door painted in Benjamin Moore’s Eraser Pink opens to reveal a secret hideout with a sectional and TV. For now, the girls use it to play and watch movies, but it is large enough to accommodate air mattresses for even more guests.
In the girls’ bathroom, we did the opposite of the primary bath. While the floor is black and white, we added color all over the walls with Caitlin Wilson’s ultra-cheerful Penelope wallpaper.
The same soft pink of the bedroom is repeated in the tile for the “princess bath” shower/tub combo. Instead of one glass partition we used two shower doors atop the tub so you can open both when bathing and not feel totally enclosed.
The grandson’s bedroom has a distinctly masculine tone. It’s arguably the most neutral room in the house with black, white, grey and taupe comprising the color palette. A wooden chandelier hints at a rustic element, while the oval metal nightstands add an industrial feel. The showstopper of the room, however, is the bed, which features fabric stretched over a wood and pipe frame.
The en suite bath echoes the neutral theme with grey being the predominant color. While it may be monochromatic, we still managed to add visual interest with a mosaic penny tile on the shower floor as well as a vertical accent stripe on the shower wall.
Outdoor Living
Cedar posts, pine ceilings, batten board siding, black frame windows and metal roofing give the exterior of the home a farmhouse feel, but with a level of classic sophistication.
The wrap-around porch is meant for about five different opportunities for outdoor gathering. There’s a fire pit seating area overlooking the pond, a cozy daybed swing for afternoon naps, a huge outdoor fireplace for chilly nights under the stars, a dining and grilling area, and the lounge area just off the primary suite. We even hung some swings from the cedar beams on the porch for the grandkids.
One detail I love is the brickwork on the porch floor, which is laid in a herringbone pattern. We paid close attention to details and worked with the brick layers to make sure that whatever direction you’re walking is the direction the herringbone pattern is laid. Many people don’t know that is the way you’re supposed to install it—almost like a little road map.
This is one home and property that will be explored and loved for many years to come. We are so grateful we were able to help bring it to life—and share it with you!
How to Make Your Outdoor Living Area Blend Seamlessly with Your Interiors
Outdoor living is all part of the home experience and people are more invested in their homes now more than ever. Recently we had several clients who have existing outdoor living spaces contact us to help plan an expansion. People clearly love being outside and want more space to enjoy the seasons! One of the reasons I love outdoor living so much is because it does offer a great way to extend your home’s living and entertaining spaces without actually adding on to your home. And with our weather in Tulsa, outdoor living is very doable!
All One Space
Even though we are “interior” designers, we are always looking and thinking about what is right outside your window and how it reflects back into your home. A good example of this practice is when we determine what furniture to source for your outdoor living area. If I have a living room that has sofas and sectionals in it, and there is an exterior living space off this room, I would not typically put a dining table there. Rather, I would put a gathering of chairs so the living room continues to look like a living room all the way through to the outside. But, be careful to note you don’t want only one type of seating in all these spaces. If the interior living space has a grouping of chairs I would put sofas in the exterior living space so that it serves a complimentary function but offers enough difference to keep it visually interesting.
Along the same lines, we often have to ask, what is going to look good and serve your needs. Many outdoor living spaces, especially with newer home build design layouts, have access to the outdoor living from both a living space and the primary bedroom suite. I wouldn’t want to walk out of a bedroom to an eating area; I’d prefer a place to relax and lounge, so the choice to make a cozy seating area seems obvious. And, if you have access and views from the kitchen—that’s the place for your dining table, especially if you are lucky enough to have an outdoor kitchen.
Color Connection
Complimentary colors need to flow from the interior to the exterior. If I have a fairly neutral living space indoors, but I want a bright color by a pool then I usually sneak in a bit of that color in the living room to tie it all together. Similarly, I wouldn’t want a blue/green/yellow motif inside if an orange and red color scheme are on the porch. The two spaces have to work seamlessly together. One of my favorite ways to get color outdoors is through the use of interesting end tables, whether that’s a ceramic garden stool or another material such as stone. In the same vein, if you prefer a more monochromatic look, an interesting end table can add much needed texture to the space. End tables really add a lot of character in an outdoor living space.
Setting the Mood
Lighting is a big deal on exteriors. Again, think about the function. You’re not trying to read a book outside, right? You’re there to gather and socialize, enjoy the fresh air or stoke the fireplace. Outdoor lighting is all about creating ambiance. Well, that and deterring bugs! If I can find a way to get indirect light away from the seating area, then bugs will go towards that and not be a bother for your gathering space. Ceiling lights and lighting around the perimeter of your space are both great ways to accomplish this goal.
Screen Season
Everyone loves the folding accordion doors, but in Tulsa you have maybe a total of six to seven weeks that you can truly open the indoors to the outdoors. Beyond that you have to consider the pollen, which you definitely don’t want in your home. My solution to this is always screens, which help protect against pollen and, perhaps worse in some cases—bugs!
We recommend and use Tulsa Area Screen Co. These screens are usually mounted on the outside of your patio and give you filtered air, privacy and protection from bugs. They are incredibly advanced—they come in different materials and can easily raise and lower to suit your needs. If you have the protection of screens, then you really can have those patio doors open a lot in Tulsa.
Creatures of Comfort
To truly enjoy your outdoor living space as many days out of the year as possible, you’re going to need a little help maintaining the ideal temperature for maximum comfort. This can be accomplished with fans and outdoor heaters. There are some very stylish freestanding heaters or there’s also the option to put them in the ceiling where they can be virtually out of sight.
Fireside
Fireplaces outside are the ultimate. Not only are they beautiful, they also can serve as a screening for areas you don’t want to see. As if that wasn’t enough, they offer the opportunity for a wood-burning fireplace, a feature you may love but not necessarily want the mess of inside your home.
Fire pits are also a hot trend. For one, they are less expensive and two, you can typically accommodate more people around one due to the 360-degree seating opportunities. Some are even freestanding so you can move it around as desired. The one thing to consider is a fire pit or fire table (which uses gas) needs quite a bit of air circulation to operate safely. It is not uncommon for me to have a client whose home already has an outdoor fireplace request to add a fire pit, often somewhere more secluded in their yard. It creates its own little gathering area and, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love an excuse for s’mores?
Bathing Beauty: A look at the latest in bathroom design trends
We are now more than two years into the pandemic and people are still cocooning. It’s almost as if we are still realizing the volatility we had in our lives that caused us to go home in the first place. People are seeking to make their homes life-friendly. Just as we want our bedrooms to make us feel like we are in a hotel on vacation, we want our bathrooms to feel like a spa—a truly luxurious retreat with top of the line design and finishes. So, let’s take a look at the latest interior design bathroom trends.
Tile
Probably one of the newest trends out there is the use of large formatting porcelain tile. They are now manufacturing porcelain tile in five-foot panels, essentially slabs. We are able to use this in shower walls, wainscoting, you name it. It looks like marble for a fraction of the cost and its performance is incredible—it won’t chip or shatter.
Speaking of tile, we aren’t using as much of the 12×24 size, as people really are looking for more visual interest. That could be through use of a classic retro black and white floor tile or perhaps something that pays homage to our past like a terrazzo type tile. Likewise, we are seeing a lot of patterned floors which allows us to really make a splash (no pun intended!) and use some truly bold and unusual tile designs.
In larger bathrooms, one easy way to give visual interest and break up the area is to do a border tile. We recently completed a job with a very large master bath. Had this particular bath been wall-to-wall white tile it would have been overwhelming. By creating a border with the floor tile it brought interest to the design and helped define the spaces within the room.
Another way to bring a break in the color of tile, especially in the shower, is to add a vertical stripe with an accent tile. Also think about balancing out your countertops, floors and walls with different tones. A dark charcoal floor balances light walls nicely and vice versa, a dark marble vanity top is easily balanced by white floors.
Getting that Glow
Lighting in general has changed a lot with the LED influence and the bathroom may be the biggest room in the house to benefit from this advancement. We are using indirect LED lighting all throughout bathrooms to create a really pretty indirect light. We have used LEDs under floating vanities, in a shower niche, to backlight a mirror or around the entire perimeter of a room.
If we have room to add a source of light on the vanity wall, we always recommend doing so as it directs the light towards your face and does not cause shadows. Recently, however, we have been using more hanging pendants in place of sconces as it can be positioned in the same height and still cast a flattering light. Larger hanging fixtures and chandeliers are still popular, but we only use them if the room is large enough to properly accommodate them.
It’s All in the Details
People are looking for character so we are constantly looking for ways to add a little something extra to their spaces. A great vehicle for this is always the bathroom vanity cabinets. Our goal is to make them special, in other words they should not look like your kitchen cabinets! We have recently used rift cut white oak slab for a vanity which was absolutely gorgeous. An all-time favorite of mine was a scalloped door pattern we did for a client, and don’t underestimate the power of a simple applied molding pattern to dress things up and make the bathroom unique but always functional.
Half Bath, Full of Design
People often want to make a statement in their powder baths. That may be as simple as staying on trend with a matte black finish on the faucet or perhaps something more daring like a wall of tile behind the vanity. Wallpaper is definitely back and the powder bath is a great place to put it to use. It’s the place where you can go bold or do something different and it’s not overbearing throughout the house. But, even though it’s a small space, people often get overwhelmed with choices. I tell people to think about dressing your powder bath just as you would think of putting an outfit together. If you’re putting on an outfit of full color, black and white is always a classic to go with it. Then, think of the sconces as your earrings. It’s such a small space and so individualized that you can actually make it have a look all its own that’s really well coordinated.
Bath Time
As I like to say, we are having a lot of “bathtub moments.” The freestanding bathtub has been back for years and is still going strong, with a few updates. It is now possible to have a deck mounted faucet for your freestanding tub, which thankfully causes the cost to go down considerably. Remember when I said people are still cocooning? We are seeing the resurgence towards curves and soft lines in all areas of design from furniture to bathtubs. It’s directly related to our desire to cocoon! Whereas we used to install more rectangular tubs, we are now seeing most with a curve in bathroom design.
It’s Official – We’re Moving!
I have a confession to make. I’ve been keeping a big secret and I think it’s time we let the cat out of the bag…Kirkendall Design is moving!
Our new home will be located just off Highway 169 between Mingo and Garnett, in the space many of you will recognize as the former Grogg’s Green Barn. Not only will the new location be more convenient for our clients, but we are also very excited to be close to so many of our local vendors including Prosource, Emser, Tiles & Stones, Tulsa Winnelson and Ferguson Lighting.
In this case, bigger is better. The new building offers us 3,700 square feet and trust me, we will put every inch of that space to good use. I always like to say we help our clients get the most and best out of their homes, so now it is time to practice what we preach and do the same for ourselves and the community. With an acre of land and a full size kitchen already on the premises, I am certain the plans we have in store will excite you as much as they do me.
When we design, one goal we have is to complete the whole experience of living in a beautiful and functional home. The new space will allow us to offer a place to do just that and so much more. Tulsa has never seen something quite like what we have planned and I can’t wait to open our doors and share this vision with all of you.
I’ll be revealing more details in the coming months so stay tuned!
How to Pull Together a Vacation-Worthy Bedroom
Have you ever thought about the fact that we spend nearly a third of our lives in our bedrooms? We invest in a quality mattress so why is this often the last room we choose to design?
I’ve noticed when clients do request a redesign of their bedroom, it’s usually prompted by travel. They stay at some of the nicest hotels in the world, but when they come home it’s apparent their everyday bedroom experience is less than ideal.
When it comes to your primary bedroom, think about what tone you want the room to have. Typically our clients set the design plan in motion with their requests, whether for a spa-like room, a romantic retreat or, in rare cases, a room with a lot of energy. Knowing what feel you want the room to have will help give you a baseline to anchor your decisions.
We all look for those great moments when we stay at a hotel, and the truth is you can create all those at home. With just a little bit of effort, every day can be a vacation—I’d call that a worthwhile investment!
Now, let’s get started…
The Focal Point
The first question is, “where does the bed go?” A good rule of thumb is that the bed should be placed on the largest wall and ideally the wall opposite the entry to the room. Often those aren’t the same, so you may have to choose which option is best for your space.
The best way to make a room feel special is by painting or accenting the wall behind the bed. Recently we fully upholstered a wall behind a client’s bed. She really wanted a wood headboard, but also liked the softness and texture that an upholstered headboard brings to the room. Bedrooms frequently will have an upholstered headboard against a panel wall, but in this case we did the reverse. Whether it’s wallpaper, paint or something more elaborate, creating a feature wall will help set the tone for your bed and your bedroom. This also may be a good place to introduce a subtle accent color such as navy or blush.
Walls of Art
An easy way to make the room feel pulled together is by adding art to the room. This could be as simple as posters you have printed or a collage of pieces that you may have collected. Generally, I do not put photographs of people in bedrooms—they can bring good memories to mind, but they can also bring up sad memories and in a space where we want to feel relaxed sometimes it is best to keep the feeling as neutral as possible. Besides that, who wants to be watched while they are sleeping?
Let There Be Light
To tackle lighting, you first need to determine if a ceiling fan is a must-have item. Most men want a ceiling fan, but if you can get away with a floor fan or one of those sleek Dyson fans, do so as it will allow you better lighting options. Most ceiling fan lights are simply down-lights, which won’t bring as much ambiance as a beautiful chandelier.
If you absolutely must have a ceiling fan, be sure to provide a lamp for each side of your bed (keep in mind they don’t have to match) and if you have a spot across the room for another lamp (floor or table top), do it. Three lamps is not too much. Having that soft light will be crucial to the room’s feel.
Finally, don’t underestimate mirrors. In the bedroom where we did the fully upholstered wall behind the bed, that room only had natural light on one end of the room, so we used mirrors to bring in more light. Sure, mirrors help make a room seem larger, but I also was taught that mirrors act as windows. You should always look at mirrors as where you could add a window in a room.
Furniture Finding
Bedside tables can be anything from a bachelor’s chest to a round table you put a cover on (a trend from the ‘80s that is making a comeback!) and, once again, they do not have to match. Dressers can be varied as well. You don’t have to use a typical chest of drawers—it can be a sideboard or a large piece of furniture, ideally positioned across from the bed. Consider storing off-season clothing here—this can free up valuable closet space so you can keep your clothing in one location and simply rotate seasonal items. If you have the space, it’s nice to add some sort of seating to set things down when you walk in or just enjoy a quiet spot in the house to relax.
Explore Your senses
For me, nothing is more exciting than to be in a home, and walk into a room that looks good and smells good, where the lighting is great and the textures are wonderful.
One of the ultimate luxuries when it comes to bedrooms is always a quality set of sheets. Peacock Alley is a staff and personal favorite and can be found locally at The Dolphin in Utica Square. While this may not necessarily help your room look pulled together, you will certainly feel the difference. Think about different layers and materials, such as velvets and sateens, for each season. This will not only help keep you comfortable, but the different textures will add visual interest to the room. If you want to use patterns, remember less is more!
One of the senses that does pull a room together, however, is smell. Bedrooms can have a stale scent, but there are a lot of simple solutions for this problem. Sheet sprays (spritz these on your sheets when you make your bed in the morning, otherwise the scent can be overpowering as you’re trying to sleep) and room diffusers take care of this problem and more as you can customize them with sleep-aiding essential oils.
If you have hardwood floors adding a rug is the best way to warm up the space and help with noise control. If you have a king size bed, you’ll need a 9×12 rug to go across that width. Then again, some people really prefer to have two smaller rugs on either side just where you step in and out of bed—a trend now revitalized by the modern farmhouse look—and that works, too
Last but not least, window treatments will add texture and help with sound, but most importantly they will help with light control. The absolute best way to block out or filter light to your desired level is with draperies. I recommend layers. Start with shades and then add drapes for the highest level of control.
