Black and White Stands the Test of Time

The color combination of black and white has always appealed to people aesthetically because of the stark contrast of black against white. When you're designing a room in your house, black and white can be extremely appealing because the lack of color gives you the freedom to use it purely to play around with unique patterns and designs. You don't have to worry about matching colors to the existing furniture that already makes a statement in your home.

Used properly, black and white can make your house or office space look chic, classic, and elegant. Careful attention to overall design with a small pop of color will prevent the look from appearing cold or too stark. Here are a few tips for making black and white accentuate the elegant feel of your design space.

1.) Using black and white stripes in a room is a classic choice and can spice up a plain-looking area. You can really accentuate the black and white stripes by keeping the accompanying accessories and furniture simple. By making the black and white stripes the focal point, it's easier for them to command the space.

2.) You can use a traditional damask wallpaper and fun matching accessories in varying amounts of damask pattern to ensure that the things don't match too much. This pattern will really stand out when it's placed next to a plain, white wall. When you do this it also gives you a chance to pair these black and white colors with either red, green, pink or other pops of color in accessories.

3.) If you soften the blacks and whites when decorating with this color scheme, it's a great way to ensure that the colors won't look too cold. Using a black color that isn't the purest shade possible gives the room a chance to look softer and more inviting. 

Contact Design Studio 2010 and let us know about your black and white design ideas.

Like what you see? Then recommend our post and "like" us on Facebook!

February 20th Love Your Pet Day

Featured on Houzz Homepage -- Our "famous" Utility Room noted for sharing the love with pets!

Here's How to Show Your Pet Even More Love http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/22974049/list/Here---s-How-to-Show-Your-Pet-Even-More-Love

Houzz: Best of Remodeling 2014 - Austin (Laundry)

DesignStudio2010's Belvedere Utility Room (shown 14 photos down) gains huge popularity giving the family feline a private place to do their business.

Like what you see?  Then recommend our post and "like" us on Facebook!

Best of Houzz 2014!

Thanks loyal followers, design peers, and clients for voting our Belvedere Laundry Room into the Houzz: Best of Remodeling 2014 - Austin (Laundry). We're honored to be among the Houzz stars!

If you like this, check out the rest of the Belvedere Project at Design Studio 2010, and like us at Facebook too!

Match 'em up!

At Design Studio 2010, we rarely believe in matching.  But here are a few instances where consistency is key.

Grout for tiles.  To achieve a clean and modern look, use a consistent one grout color a room.  But don't feel like you need to match it throughout your home.  If you are selecting grout colors, always have all of the tile samples handy.  Even if you think that an accent tile looks better with a different grout, stick to just one, you'll be happier for it. 

Hardware in rooms.  Along with plumbing fixtures, hardware always looks best when the finishes are consistent.  Be careful though with satin nickel and oil rubbed bronze, often times these finishes different drastically from manufacture to manufacture.  It's always best to order a sample if you are jumping from different vendors to ensure the look you want.   

Most importantly, have fun!  

Like what you see?  Then recommend our post and "like" us on Facebook!

Silver and gold (not "or")

Mixing metals in accessories, furniture, lighting, and even fabrics!  Silver, gold, pewter, antiqued, cooper, the more the merrier!     

Furniture finishes are wonderful to mix-match with other metals.  Have a chrome based coffee table?  Put a soft or antique gold accessory on top of it, add an iron lamp base and a zinc topped table in the adjacent space.  Also, nailhead accents are a great addition to just about any piece of furniture.  Just remember, shinny metals show smudgy fingerprints!

Lighting, mix finishes, they are in different rooms!  Tip:  at Design Studio 2010 love pulling in two tone pieces in secondary spaces, like hallways to tie everything together.  Like these examples below.

Clockwise starting with far left:  1) Mason Wide Hammered Iron Pendant 2) Mason Small Hammered Iron Pendant 3) Nurnberg Chandelier 4) Jarrod Carved Wood/Mirror Pendant 5) Belmont Bronze Verdi Iron Floor Lamp 6) Garrison Vintage Brass/Glass Lamp 7) Ennis Antique Brass Web Sphere Lamp

We LOVE metallic fabrics, and we especially love ones that don't break the bank.  Linens are great for this purpose.  Solids, patterns (woven or printed) don't be afraid to mix them together.  

The exception (in our book): in bathrooms and kitchens.  Because these spaces often have a LOT going on, we like to match the finish of all of the hardware to keep a consistent look throughout the space.  Where often times lighting may have a different finish that picks of a gold speck in the countertop or a silver streak in a tile.  

Most importantly, have fun!  

Like what you see?  Then recommend our post and "like" us on Facebook!

Spice up your bedding

Somewhere along the way, interior designers lost some creativity points and decided that colors needed to match and that multiple patterns was a bad thing.  It's a real shame, because that makes for one dimensional design.  

Where to Mix?

Bedding is a great place to play with mixing patterns and textures.  Start by buying pieces or "taking them on approval" (a fancy term used by smaller, and often locally owned, retail stores when they have a "final sale" policy.  Generally items need to be returned within 48 hours, and you need to put down a credit card for deposit-cards should NEVER be charged though without your notification. This is a great way to try out pieces - bedding and furniture - in your home you may be unsure of) that you like, whether it be for color, texture, and/or pattern.  But keep in mind that you will eventually end up with approximately a duvet/coverlet (or both), 2-3 euro pillows (depending on the size of your bed), 2 standard/king pillows, and one or more accent pillows.  From there, start trying different combinations together and don't be afraid to try combinations.  

Looking for a good basis on where to start?  A safe bet is always to mix texture (read: solids with a good feel) and patterns.  If it seems to plain, add some more texture or color; if it is too much, tone it down with more solids.  Also, there is no rule that says your bedding has to be neutral.  

When Design Studio 2010 prepares for client meetings, we pull dozens of fabrics and options bedding and we try all sorts of combinations to find the options that we love, and even then we take alternate options to client meetings.  There is no "right answer" of bedding, create something that you LOVE, not what someone else tells you is "proper."  

Check out this bedding combinations we did for a Round Rock interior design client. 

Mix it up!  You don't eat or wear the same thing everyday, why should your bedding be matchy-matchy?  Don't be afraid to experiment.  Really what's the worst that could happen?  You might have to return something?  Make the trip back to the store, traffic probably won't be that bad.  

Most importantly, have fun!  

Like what you see?  Then recommend our post and "like" us on Facebook!

Mixing 'n' matching in the new year!

Yes -- You can mix and match in 2014!  Pull in contrasting finishes and textures to add depth and interest to your design.  Whether it's adding rustic or vintage accents to a contemporary theme, or multiple metal tones in a kitchen, clever variety spices up even formal spaces.  Check out the use of rough, reclaimed wood accent as the backdrop of this  modern space.

Or add playful touches like this porthole side table and vintage wood canoe shelf for whimsical functionality.  Design Studio 2010 enjoys bringing in the personality and interests or hobbies of the client with tasteful yet fun accents. And it's the perfect place for mixing 'n' matching.  

Break the rules once in a while, like in this Pool Bath.  Copper, iron and bronze work fabulously together when tastefully combined.

Don't be afraid, just try it!

Like what you see?  Then recommend our post and "like" us on Facebook!