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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