Mirror, Mirror on the...

Ah the mirror, so many uses, yet you don't want to cover every surface with it right? In today's design world mirror furniture, accessories and tile are bring made of, you guessed it, mirror!  You love the way it makes a small space feel larger, a dark room feel brighter, and is great for getting ready in the bathroom. Although, it seems like an easy to use material, it can be tricky to know just where and how much to use in a room. Don't worry, I am here to help! Here are a few examples of how to tastefully use mirror and integrate it into an existing design or if you are doing a remodel how to use just the right amount. Enjoy!

A mirror backsplash is a great way to introduce a nice reflective surface in a kitchen. This particular one is a irregular mosaic tile, that allows light to bounce around under the cabinets instead of a place you would look at yourself.

Parsons tables are always a popular table style, but what happens when you cover it in mirror? It looks that much better! This is a less "permanent" way to bring mirror into a space.

 

 The closet, a place were most people need a mirror. Instead of buying one of the slim cheap ones from your local hardware store, think about integration. If it is something that will make you everyday life a little easier, why wouldn't you do it! Closed storage with mirror doors, functional and looks great too!

 Do you just want to try in out for a little? To see if you like it? Small accessories, such as a tray, is a great way to introduce this wonderful material. After some time, if you decide it's not for you, at least you didn't invest a lot into it! :)

 The wall mirror is what started this whole movement! How about a really interesting wall mirror? One that says "hey I'm not just a mirror, I'm a piece of art too". Try to get creative with it, think outside the square, rectangle or circle, irregular shapes can add interest and still give you the functionality that you need.

The bathroom mirror, pretty much every bathroom has one, and if it doesn't something is wrong! Think about not only the mirror above the sink, but introducing a full length mirror as well. This is another place in the home that it will come in handy while getting ready.

 And for all of you who had homes built in the 70's probably had a mirror somewhere in there, it's ok, you can leave it now that mirror is back in style. Can you imagine this dining room without the mirror? Would probably look much smaller.

If you have a project in mind but just don't know where to start, we can help! Contact us! 

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Design Tip: Adding Accent Colors to a Neutral Palette

Color is a difficult thing for many people when designing a space. They know what they like just maybe not the right shade or don't know how much to use.  It is your home, so do what makes you happy but for those of you who don't know exactly how to pull together a space with what makes you happy, here are some pointers! Enjoy!

 Let there be one dominate accent color. Lots of blue on the wall and a single object in red.

 Don't want too much color? Try a neutral palette with a few pieces in a bright colors. Also this makes it easy to change your color scheme when you feel the need.

Bright white is always a great choice when adding really bold colors in a room. It lets the accents speak up. 

 Want to use more than two colors? Of course you can!  Make sure they have enough contrast and are given a neutral background.

Bold wallpaper is always a great way to introduce a color. Make sure to leave the rest of the room neutral enough so the wallpaper is the focus and nothing will compete with it.

If you have a project in mind but just don't know where to start, we can help! Contact us! 

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Lake House Laundry Room Renovation -Before,During,After

One of our most recent projects was redesigning a functional laundry room for one of my favorite repeat clients. Their home is beautiful and has plenty of space but lacked the storage and functionality in a space they used frequently. After several years living with a laundry room that was missing usable storage they finally decided they had enough and it was time for an over-haul.  Now in a room, such as a laundry room,  function is everything. Thinking about how they move in the space and what order they do things; this made them really think about the layout and that is where I came in. 

Here is the project- Before, During and After:

For starters, there is only one little wall cabinet. That is it for storage! And the swing door limited what you could do with the wall on the right.

 For some reason the water supply and outlets were not in ideal locations. So they needed a little reworking for the new layout. Also with lack of storage, items that usually would be out of sight were just sitting on the floor.

 In reaction to not having enough storage, my clients used this make-shift storage shelf be their means to store household items. Brooms and mops just hung out next to it.

 The swing door prevented precious wall space from being utilized, so we had to change that!

Construction begins by moving the plumbing and electrical to the left wall and removing the wall cabinet.

 Then the old tube florescent light fixture is replaced with two recessed cans.

 Once all the behind the walls are done we framed out the new pocket door and relocated the light switches to the outside for easy access. This pocket door has allowed us the maximize the cabinetry in this 5'x8' room. Giving us 10' span of cabinets for plenty of storage.

Cabinet installation begins! These are 8' tall and they are full of storage space inside!

 Ta Da! Tall 24" deep cabinets on either side of the washer and dryer, one with pull out drawers and the other to hold a hamper and other laundry items. A cabinet above for less used items.

 On the other 5' wall we did 12" deep cabinets for smaller, frequently used items and left a space on the floor for the dog crate and have a hanging rod for drying clothes. This wall used to be where the swing door sat when door was open, now much more functional with lots of storage!

 

Finished the white cabinets off with hand finished brushed nickel hardware. 

 The pocket door made this room!

 As you can see, yes this room is only 5' wide and we utilized as much space as we could. With 10' ceilings this means think vertical storage, and that is just what we did!

If you have a project in mind but just don't know where to start, we can help! Contact us! 

 

 

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Coastal Living at it's Finest!

Coastal living has always been sought after for relaxation or to get away from your everyday routine. Some people chose to live on the coast full time and I am sure they enjoy every minute of it. If you choose to build a waterfront home make sure the views are first priority! From every part of home you should see a stunning view, no acceptations. Now, here are some tips when you decide to make your dream retirement home or just have a love for water. Like I said before, the views are priority, why else would you live there, right? The main living areas, kitchen, bedrooms and even the bathrooms and laundry areas should have a view. even if you can't put a huge picture window, think of how you use that space and position your windows accordingly. Here are some rooms that take advantage of their amazing views without sacrificing functionality.  Enjoy!

 Ah the first view you have when you awake. Stunning right? For a bedroom you always want the view to be facing the bed so when you rise and shine you instantly feel refreshed. Also a great way to start your day. Adding a stone fireplace to blend with the natural rocks outside is a great way to blend the inside and out nicely. Also think about native materials when choosing them for the interior.

 Now you always want to have a water friendly area accessible from the outside, And this sitting room is just that. You can relax in a more casual space that you can sit in your wet swim suits. When the weather is nice this is a great feature to have a wall of doors that fully open to the deck. Then you can enjoy the view, be "outside"  and not get sunburned all from a comfortable seat.

  What a comfortable looking room. The picture window and door give you living art that changes with the seasons. Who wouldn't want that! People tend to steer away from light color fabircs but using indoor/ outdoor fabric, such as Sunbrella, can allow you to get the crisp, clean look you want and still be able to clean it if something happened.

  Who needs lighting when you have this much natural when putting your make up on in the morning! Most people like a mirror in the bathroom and this is great application so you don't obstruct the wonder beach view.  With plenty of storage this bathroom has all you need and much more!

Hope you enjoyed this week's inspiration! Get ready for summer and enjoy! 

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