Green in the kitchen

My husband and I have been thinking about painting our kitchen green (with the approval of our landlord of course).  We both love green and would like to see more color in our home.  Here are a few inspiring images of kitchens featuring green and white.  Currently we have white walls, cabinets and counters.  It's a blank slate!  With our kitchen being a lot smaller than the ones in the photos, we may need to tone down our choice of green so it's not too overwhelming.  

Design Notes: The grass green and pure white create a crisp backdrop for cooking.  Light earthly wood tones pair up nicely with this shade of green.  The stainless steel accents finish off the look to make for a mixture of textures/materials.  A mixture of materials such as wood, metal, glass and stone make for a more practical space as well as more interesting.

Shades of White

I'm noticing layers of white being used in recent interiors and I'm loving it.  White on white creates soft texture throughout a space and places emphasis on wood, metal, and organic elements.  Each white surface is a slightly different shade  than the next.  White could potentially be very boring, but what makes these interiors work is flowing/organic lines are allowed in only certain areas (to create an anchor point for your eye) and the rest is kept clean and crisp.  Also, using dark colored elements in the artwork, accessories or the wood finish on a chair creates a stark contrast between light and dark.  These interiors have so much charm and interest that one might not expect from a sea of white.White on White Interior

Top 5: Affordable Home Decor

I've been thinking of ways to achieve the look and function that I want in my home, but on a budget!  The first course of action would be to shop my home.   I look around for ways I can introduce a new color to a room by simply moving an item from one room to another.

Sometimes this isn't the best solution.  Here are some great places for buying great home decor at an affordable price.

1) Habitat for Humanity-RE-store
-This place is great for new and gently used furniture pieces.  I have seen new sofas there for $300 or less.  A friend just recently purchased one there for $75!  The Hickory, NC location has a nice selection.  They also have great lighting fixtures that need a little TLC but could be painted.  The proceeds go to help build homes for the less fortunate.
2) Target
-Target has fresh colors and design at great prices.  I especially like their kitchen textiles, bedroom textiles, and accessories.  Look for the home decor aisle that is always changing.  It changes about every month or so.
3) Home Goods
-This store has some pretty nice artwork for affordable prices.  I don't get too excited about buying artwork for over $50.  If you've looked at artwork, most of it is well over that price but at Home Goods you can buy it for less.
4) IKEA
-Swedish design and Swedish colors paired with some pretty amazing prices, now that's a good combo.  You can't beat the prices here but beware of the scale!  Most of the furnishings are made for compact living, so measure your space; length and height.
5) Your local furniture store
-These are the people who know furniture and can help you find what you need.  You would be surprised at the range of prices out there.  Don't be afraid to tell the associate your budget!  They are a "free" resource for information, use them!

Some other notable stores are: TJ Maxx, Ross Dress for Less, World Market, Pier One Imports, Garden Ridge, Kirklands

Starting with artwork

Once you decide that you want a change in a room of your home are you someone that knows exactly what you want or is it a long process of figuring out style, color, furniture and accessories?  For most of us, it's a headache to try and figure out what to do.  We have so many choices in home decor and so many images coming our way that it makes even my head spin sometimes.  Every design magazine I look at there are so many beautiful images of homes that have great color and style.  But how do we narrow down the choices and take some of the inspiration into our own homes.  To wrap your head around all the choices I have a few points of advice.

1-  What type of family do you have?  Casual, Formal, Fun/Recreational.  Think about who uses the space and ask yourself if the decor represents those who use it. Choose the decor that is right for your family, right now.
2-What style/mood do you want in the room?  Relaxed /calm, fun /energetic, dramatic/romantic...
3-Color seems to stump most people, and I understand why because there are so many choices.  The short answer: look to artwork and accessories to bring color inspiration.  Pick a favorite accessory, throw, art piece, or favorite apparel accessory (like a necklace, handbag or shirt) and center your color scheme around those colors.
4-Choose decor and colors that you love, not necessarily whats in style.  Think outside the box of mainstream design.

I know, this is easier said than done but it's a place to start.
All of these examples use the colors in the art work as a color palette and to balance everything else off of.  Enjoy!

 

Every color in this room obviously came from the large art piece on the wall.

The artwork is the starting point for the mood and style of this room.

  

Home Storage

A beautiful home functions well. Part of a functional home is how it is organized. Getting organized has a lot to do with how you choose to store your belongings not just with knowing where things are in your home. Getting creative with home storage always gets me excited and gives me a sense of satisfaction when I have re-organized an area in my home to allow more ease of function. Some people may think its a waste of time to get really organized but when you have a small space/home this is very important. Making things accessible and aesthetically pleasing can be a challenge but this is where we can get creative.

Storage and organization can be a life long pursuit. Functions of certain areas change over time so your storage changes. I've watched my Mother change her storage and re-organize areas in her home over the years. She usually focuses on one area at a time.

Which is what I do too. Make a list of the areas in your home that you think might need some work. Tackle one at a time.

Some of my recent areas have included: Laundry closet, I cleaned out all of our stuff to make room for a washer and dryer...what the closet was intended for. Desk Area, to incorporate my jewelry making supplies, our computer, and desk stuff into one area.

There are some common overlooked areas for storage I'd like to share. Get creative!

Back splash in the kitchen: Magnetic Strips for knives and/or kitchen utensils, spice shelf or rack attached to the back splash takes advantage of space.

Above the toilet in the Bathroom: Shelf for over the toilet (this one is a lifesaver for me), or attached wall shelves for towels and other bathroom supplies.

Under the Bed: Pull out drawers on wheels for easy access to extra clothes/shoes or seasonal items.

Under Night stands and End Tables: For end tables that are open underneath, put a basket or box under the table for storing blankets, extra pillows, or sofa bed linens. This one is also a lifesaver for me, keeps all my throws off the sofa.

Side of the Fridge: The fridge can look really cluttered (mine does) but the fridge can store more than just papers. Magnetic hooks for oven mitts, hand towels, or other kitchen utensils. The magnetic baskets and holders that stores have around this time of year to use in school lockers work well for shoring coupons, pens, etc.

Foyer/Entry way: This area can pile up with all sorts of items or it can be barren cause no one ever thinks about it. A storage console for shoes, a charging station for cell phones, keys, book bags, etc. Incorporate interesting art and decor near areas of storage so it doesn't feel like a plain storage area.

Most storage solutions can be found by looking up! Look to the walls and large areas of unused space for storage solutions. And last but not least, ask others for help with ideas. Sometimes we need help with seeing a solution.

The Beginning

With this blog I hope to explore art, interior design, home decor, organization, and all things home. I hope you will join me in learning more. My college career was spent acquiring a degree in Interior Design and a minor in Art. Mostly my college education focused on commercial design and hardly any residential design training. Most of my knowledge of residential design has come from my job experience and the lovely ladies in my family. I hope to offer a bit of advice and ideas for home design and decor while sharing some favorite home designs, display ideas, entertaining, and all things "home".

I would like to show how helpful an Interior Designer can be to assist a person with designing their home. From a whole home to only one room a designer can help at most any price range. Interior Design is still a new profession and many people may not know what a designer actually does.

Shopping for home furnishings can be tough. From the experience I've had in selling furniture, I'll let you in on some tips for furniture/home decor shopping.

House, apartment, trailer, castle or motor home you can have a home that is functional and aesthetically pleasing. A balance between form and function is what makes a good design. Your home should reflect the people who live there and not someone else. We can show the personality of our families not only by aesthetics (color, shape, pattern, accessories), but function too. Everything starts at home, it is the center of our lives.