ASID Design Excellence Awards

Everyone at Design Studio 2010 would like to extend a huge thank you to the 28th Annual Austin Chapter ASID Design Excellence Awards for presenting us with FOUR awards.  We are so honored to be recognized by our peers and the design community for our work!  Check out our award winning project below!

MERIT Rising Star - Remodel 

WINNER Rising Star - Product Design / Special Detail

Custom Original Piece

MERIT Rising Star Residence Traditional 

WINNER Shining Star Residence Traditional Small 

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Pumpkins without the mess!

Like most people, here at Design Studio 2010, we love Halloween Jack-o-Lanterns.  Also, like most people, we hate the mess that cleaning out the innards of a pumpkin can create.  

Check out these alternative options below that eliminate the mess!  (click on pictures for links to direct websites!)

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Less accent, more color

There seems to be a rule that you can only have a few "accent" colors in a space.  Fortunately this rule never existed in the first place.  Take the place of Versailles for example, yes it's a little overkill by today's standards (OK - any period's standards) but the designers and architects weren't afraid to use color, and LOTS of it.  Use the same principles in your own designs.  Check out these inspiration photos from recent Austin Interior Design projects.  Click on the photos to see more from each project.

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There's no place like home

With the new school year started, I'm sure a lot of college freshman will begin to get a little homesick.  Check out this website where you can download free state printables to always remind your kiddos that home is where the heart is.  

Don't have kids in college?  These make great additions in hallways, bedrooms, bathrooms, really any place you can think of.  Use where you and your husband have lived, where your parents are from, where your children were born.  Any place that holds that special place in your heart.  

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High Design, Low Prices

We've all seen the designer collections for the big box stores and probably wondered "if this is available here, then why pay the high prices for this designer elsewhere?"  Or, why pay thousands of dollars for a sofa when I could get one for $700?  There are places to surge and places to definitely save your money.  

Accessories:  Target is famous for having designers come in and create collections for them.  Just recently they released a sneak peak of a new line by Nate Berkus that Design Studio 2010 loves.  Frames, candles, pillows, lamps:  these are great places to save some cash, and you won't be feeling guilty in 15 months when you are ready for a change.  

Casegoods:  Tables, dressers, bookshelves, wooden chairs, all great places to save, if you know what to look for.  There is no reason to spend your paycheck on a dresser for a guest room or a entry console that you'll hardly use, but always check for quality.  If you see a dresser for $200, is it made of real wood or particle board?      What kind of hardware does it use?  Slides for drawers?  If it is a dresser/nightstand that will be regularly used, spend a little more to get drawers and hinges that are easy to use.  What does the finish actually look like?   If you see an inexpensive "silver-leaf" table, chances are it will also look inexpensive.  A few trendy finishes to be wary of knock-off are silver/gold leaf, lacquer, and zinc.  Zinc is really hot right now, so if you love this look be prepared to spend some cash to avoid getting a piece you'll be unhappy with in a few weeks.  

Upholstery:  Sofas and chairs are a place to invest some time and money into, because they will be used so often.  If you're planning staying in your home, maybe buy a comfy sectional or a piece that is more specific to the size of space.  However, if you are planning on moving homes within the next couple of years, look for a standard size sofa, rather than a sectional or oversized sofa.  There is no guarantee your new home will accommodate the configuration of section or size of the sofa you buy, so play things safely.  Look for a neutral heavy weight upholstery that still feels soft to the touch, that way, hopefully, no matter where you move your sofa will work.  You can always switch up accent pillows to go with your new decor.  

Bedding:  Spend a little.  Don't go out and buy 1000+ thread count sheets, but don't skimp and buy the 100 thread count sheets either.  Find a happy medium.  Sheets and duvets are items to spend a little more on.  But accent pillows and throw blankets, ie. things that will end up on the floor or in a side chair every night, great areas to save.  

Kid's Areas:  Be smart about it.  Beds, dressers, nightstands, things they will be able to grow with, invest in some good pieces.  But bedding, chairs, and blankets they will grow out of in a few years (if your'e lucky).  Save your money, and get your kid's new accessories as they grow up.  

Finishes:  at this house in West Lake Hills, we refinished existing cabinets and floors to be able to concentrate the majority of the budget on furnishings, window coverings, lighting, and accessories.  See the full project photos here.  

At Design Studio 2010 we love mixing and matching price points, and we honestly love help our clients save money where we can.    

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why not white after labor day?

We all know that you're not "suppose" to wear white after Labor Day, but if you love those white pants, you probably wear them anyway.  Also, I'm sure you've been told that white is boring or plain when it comes to your home.  

White done right, a latest trend in modern design is to leave rooms white instead of painting them.  And using color sparingly as accents, rather than as the basis for design.  Instead, texture and lines shape rooms and spaces flow together as a cohesive design.  Use black and grey to add contract and color sparingly as accents, or not at all.

Black and white are especially popular to bring a modernize a more traditional design pattern.  Schumacher Wallpapers and Fabrics introduced a collection of wallpapers that feature modern black and white color schemes in traditional and modern patterns. See the full post here. We use Schumacher wall coverings within a lot of our interior designs in Austin! As you can view see here, our interior design services for the Westlake residence. (Image 10 reflects a graphic Schumacher wall covering). 

All this month we will be breaking the "rules" of design.  After all, rules were meant to be broken.  

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a big thank you

I would like to extend a big thank you to Ole Decor, who published one of our newly completed remodel in their Summer 2013 issue.  It was truly an honor for our project to be featured.  

The extensive condo renovation in South Padre, Texas was inspired by the clients' avid interest of fishing and hunting.  This retreat reflects coastal influences throughout the interior design, while bringing in a balance of classic furnishings and modernized material finishes.  We started by taking the condo down to the studs, replace all finishes with intricate design details with cool tones, translating to a light airy feeling.  The furnishings and interior decor are a blend of traditional elegance and fresh coastal accents. The clients interests were highlighted though his collection of elk mounts, bronze hunting statues and redfish displays.  We succesfully created a fine blend of the clients interest, style, and island vibe.  

To read the full article, click HERE.

For more pictures, click HERE.

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not your grandmother's wallpaper

There are so many wallpaper choices out there that the excuse “I don’t want my home to look like a grandmothers” is no longer valid when choosing not to explore wallpaper.  Design Studio 2010 has thrown together a little cheat sheet for anyone looking to venture into the world of wallpaper.

Non-traditional floral:  I love floral wallpaper, but the not type you’re probably thinking of.  While traditional wallpaper is often floral with an abundance of color, I prefer a more modern take on it.  Look for abstracted patterns with 3-5 main colors, preferably all similar color tones (black and white do not apply) to keep a clean and modern look.  This master bedroom has an abstracted carnation in gold over an orange background, keeping the bedroom updated and modern with a nod to traditional patterns.  

Geometric:  These are always a great choice, but keep a few simple rules in mind.  If the pattern is more angular then it can be larger, busier, and more complex, because the hard edges inherently make the pattern more modern.  But if softer scrolls and sweeps are more your style, stick to simpler pattern to keep the wallpaper it modern.

Stripes:  Always a timeless classic, though I suggest not papering the entire room in stripes.  Do an accent wall or add a wainscot at the bottom to break it up!  We love all stripes, tone on tone, single color on white, or multicolor. 

Grass cloths:   Definitely the new hit wallpaper, a few gentle reminders.  Grass cloths can get really expensive really quickly, but a lot of the time, there is a more economical option.  Grass cloths may need to be shopped a bit more than other wallpaper to meet your price point.  Also no matter how expensive your grass cloth is, you will be able to see the seams; it’s just the nature of the product.  However, if you choose a grass cloth with a tighter weave, it will be less prominent but still noticeable.   Finally, because grass cloths are comprised of natural materials, they will fade faster than other wallpapers with sun exposure; consider putting them in an interior bathroom, or a north facing room if this is a major concern. 

Scenes:  We have all seen twall wallpapers and you either love them or hate them.  If you are someone who loves them, go for it.  We suggest using a single color twall to keep the design fresh and timeless.  Try using a bright fun color; with a more traditional design the color can be more daring. 

Tiles:  Another new hot trend in wallpaper.  Often tiles are out of capiz shell or wood veneers adhered to thin foam padding and have about a sixteenth of an inch in depth.  These are a great alternative to a faux finish and help give warmth and texture to a space.  Don’t necessarily shy away from tiles because of budget restrictions, a single accent wall (like a vanity wall) makes a huge impact on the space. 

Beaded and Velvet:  These have been out for a few years, but are still relatively new.  Beaded and velvet papers give richness to the space by added additional layer of depth and texture to walls.  We love textured papers for dining rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and even nurseries! 

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many thanks

A month ago, The Austin American Statesman wrote an insightful article about incorporating pet areas into areas of your home, featuring one of Design Studio 2010's laundry rooms!  We incorporated a cat's litter box and a dog's kennel into the design so these, often unsightly items,  would not be eye sores.  

At DS2010, we feel that pets are like family, and welcome challenges that come with having pet-owner clients.  The most important things are to make sure that also meet your needs as well and to have a back-up plan should your pet have other ideas.  This homeowner planed to convert her dog's nook into more cabinet space if Jazzy had hated it.  

For more from this beautiful home, please click here!

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Buying Your Bedding

Everyone wants to be comfortable when they sleep, but comfort and fashion are not mutually exclusive and your bedding should also look good. Here's some helpful tips to keep in mind with starting your search!

Comfort First

When starting to look at bedding, it can be overwhelming.  Take a breath and figure out what you’re looking for and don’t let your opinion be swayed by a pretty picture.  If you sleep hot and live in a warm climate, that velvet duvet cover probably isn’t for you.  Consider the weight, as well as feel, of the bedding.  When shopping online, see if the company has a local store or showroom that has samples.  Local showrooms are knowledgeable about the lines they carry and can typically answer any questions that may arise.  Also, stay in your financial comfort zone.  Don’t spend a fortune on a silk coverlet, when you can get a cotton blend coverlet or quilt that will complete your look.  Shop sales and discount stores, often times last season’s bedding is reduced to almost 50% of the original retail costs, and bedding and home goods do not go in and out of style with the change in seasons. 

*Helpful hint–check the return policy of locally owned businesses, because bedding may not be returnable.  Instead ask if they will let you take the bedding out on approval for a limited time. 

Pile on the layers

The easiest way to make your bed look fabulous is to layer your bedding.  Use different size decorative pillows.  For a king, we recommend 3 euro pillows (26” x 26”) or “super euro” pillows (30” x 30”), 2 king sized pillows, and a decorative accent in front.  For queen and full beds, we recommend 2 euro pillows, 2 standard pillows, along with smaller throw pillows.  Even twin beds should have multiple pillows; add a euro pillow behind a standard pillow to dress up kids’ beds.    There is also an added benefit to layering, it gives you the added advantage of being about to change your bedding with the seasons.  Folding a duvet on top of a coverlet or blanket doubles as a functional and pretty addition – use it instead of an extra blanket during the winter, and it provides richness and fullness to the base of your bed. 

Consider your lifestyle

Think about your habits.  Love making your bed?  Go ahead and get those 5 extra throw pillows.  Only make it when company comes?  Add a larger accent pillow instead; select a showier pillow with a fun color or pattern to complete the look of your bed.  Also consider where you’ll place these pillows every night.  Will they go in a chair, on the floor, or on a bench?  Make sure that these pillows won’t be in your way when not on your bed.  

Use Texture & Pattern

To create a sophisticated look, use varying texture and pattern.  There is no rule to how elaborate or simple your bedding has to be.  At Design Studio 2010, I look to the client’s personal style when selecting bedding.  Love the look of an all white bed?  Use varying textures to achieve the look without it being boring.  When use a bold pattern and pull accent pillows from the individual colors within the pattern.  There is also no rule of using too much pattern, just make sure that all of the patterns work together and complement each other, rather than compete and fight for attention. 

*Helping hint:  Love that duvet cover but don’t want a coverlet instead?  Lay it on your bed unfilled.  This tip works best with duvet covers that are thicker and heavier. 

Between the Sheets

There are all sorts of information with sheets out there.  There are a few things to keep in mind.  The higher the thread count, the softer the sheets, but also the faster they will wear out.  You don’t have to get sheets made of Egyptian cotton to have soft sheets, news flash – there is nothing different about cotton woven in Egypt than anywhere else, they have just been doing it longer so it is seen as more luxurious.  There are other content options besides cotton:  bamboo sheets are extremely popular right now because they are durable and soft; however that they are generally more expensive than cotton sheets but they generally last longer.  Lastly, don’t limit yourself to white sheets – don’t be afraid of colored sheets or even a patterned sheet if it will complete your look. 

So go ahead, love your bedding and leave your bedroom door open!

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