Design Tip Round-Up: Great Ideas for Every Home

Getting ready for a little refresh around your home? Maybe just stuck on how to style a shelf? Well, wonder no more, friend! Our amazing designers like to roll out their latest tips on Tuesdays but in case you missed some recently, here are some of our favorites.

HEALING POWER OF NATURE

While we can’t always be outside, adding natural elements to your space can warm the soul.

The texture of wood can bring the outdoors in easily. Natural walnut is a gorgeous wood that can bring depth and warmth to your dining area.

You can also add elements like birds and florals. Birds will always be a classic add – It is just a matter of not crossing the line into a flock.

CHOOSING A GREY

It never fails. You pick a grey paint in the store. Paint the walls. Take a look and see the grey was more blue or brown than you had hoped. How do you prevent that?

When looking for a color, step back a bit from the paint sample wall display and see that it is divided into color families. The basics: red, orange, yellow, green, purple, blue. Even the whites will fall into these categories.

As you work your way down to the (typically) bottom of the paint samples, the colors are muted and look grey. Put them next to each other and they will show their ‘true colors.’

Our favorite greys are from Sherwin Williams:~ Mindful Gray-SW7016~ Pavestone-SW7642~ Dovetail-SW7018

TONAL PATTERNS

Working with patterns doesn’t mean a busy design. Go tonal!

Tonal solids and patterns can create depth without adding too many elements to the mix.

Start with a fabric or pattern you love, pick a color, and stick in that color family. Stores generally have their fabric selections set up in color families, so they are simple to pull together.

Super easy!

TRIANGLE GROUPING

Global Views, one of our accessors, created this great display to help people understand triangle groupings, and we love sharing this design tip!

Some of us naturally do groupings this way because it is so pleasing to the eye. But, if you don’t have that ‘eye’, thinking about any display in your home (knick-knacks, tchotchkes, dishes, vases, picture frames, etc.) in a triangle form, makes it a whole lot easier.

Just like lining your kids up for a family photo or stacking items in your arm to make it all in one trip, it naturally forms into a triangle. It just works and is one of the easiest ways to pull together miscellaneous items in a group.

While an individual triangle display may not hold all of the items you wish to show off, you can always layer triangles of different sizes and styles.

Sharpen up on your geometry! Do you remember the triangle names? (They told us we would use it “when we grew up” right?)

TEXTURES FOR THE WIN!

We see so many monochromatic color schemes in homes and while they are easy to work with, they are at risk of falling flat. Luckily, textures are a great way to add some dimension to a space and can be displayed in all sorts of ways.

~ Throw blankets~ Down pillows with woven textured fringe (adds dimension because they aren’t ridged poly-filled pillows)~ Textured fabrics (furs, trimmed/cut patterns, etc.)~ Wall art – and not just flat framed canvas anymore. Wall plates and sculptures can add a casual or glamorous feel.~ Baskets such as a beautiful woven floor basket, come in all shapes and sizes and are perfect for storing your extra throws, pillows, and magazines.

MULTI-USE GATHERING CONSOLE

Want to make the most out of your living room space? A Gathering Console may be just the right fit.

Try a gathering console that is complete with a multi-step design. The lower ‘level’ includes a power source with a USB port. (Gone are the days searching for power for extra power!)

The height is very close to the most popular selling sofa heights so users from the sofa side have easy access to the power source as well as an extra tabletop for drinks, appetizers, and other devices.

The top-level is counter height and can fit three stools for snackers, home workers, and game night players. It is ideal for bridging the space between the kitchen/dining area in the home and the living/family room!

Need a little extra table space at a convenient level or some dual-purpose seating options? Try a lift top coffee table or rolling ottomans for extra seating or to rest those tired dogs.

Aren’t these some great tips? Keep your eyes out for more from our super talented designers.