It’s true that, of all the rooms in your home, the bathroom is the one used for the most practical of purposes.  Many people think of their bathrooms as a place you go to get ready for the rest of their day or night.  But as your Seattle interior designer will tell you, transforming your bathroom into a design delight is a great way to bring a whole new level of enjoyment to some of your everyday necessities.

Especially in these trying times when folks are opting to invest money into their homes instead of away from them, a bathroom makeover really makes sense.  Bathroom redesign can be a daunting task, and not one to be undertaken without at least the advice of an interior designer.  Here is a brief description of a few of today’s hottest trends in bathroom design.

Tubs and Showers
If space is no concern in your bathroom, there are a wide variety of tubs you can move up to.  From deep soakers to spa tubs, from corner Jacuzzis to modern versions of the claw foot tub, and everything in between, you are sure to fall in love with a cool design.  Nothing beats stress better than a long soak in a tub full of fragrant bubbles or a few minutes of an invigorating massage in your own personal whirlpool tub.  If your space is somewhat more of a concern, free standing showers come in many shapes and sizes, some with walls and doors of clear glass for a really spacious feel.  Showerheads that create a cascade of water and multiple shower jets that massage as they spray can turn your time in the shower into the highlight of your day.

Floors
Long gone are the days of plain old vinyl in the bathroom.  Ceramic, stone and even laminate flooring have become the choice of many for bathroom makeovers. Available in a wide assortment of colors as well as textures, a new floor can really define your new room.  One of the best investments to consider if you’re doing a new bathroom floor is electric in floor heating.  Treating yourself to this little luxury is something you won’t regret!

Faucets and Vanities
A new sink and vanity are sure to be a must for your bathroom makeover.  Cabinets are available in all kinds of finishes and free standing pedestal sinks create a very modern feel.  Faucets, like tubs and showers have made great design improvements over the past few years.  Whether your preference runs to black iron, oxidized copper or brushed pewter, there is sure to be a finish and style to suit your new bathroom vision.

Take a few minutes to really think about what you want in a bathroom before speaking to your interior designer.  Make a list of the things you’d really like to have and prioritize them in case you have to make some concessions. It will be a big project, and you want to be sure that you end up with everything you hoped for!

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It is as much a tradition as setting your goals for the New Year.  Every year, the color authority ‘Pantone’ picks the color for the year, amid a lot of excitement and speculation in the interior design industry as to which will be the next year’s color inspiration.

The color chosen for 2010 is turquoise, a color that, according to ‘Pantone’, reflects “thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing”.

It is certainly a very valid and important reason to choose such an important color, one that may bring calm and happiness in such turbulent times we are living in today, but also one that has to be considered carefully in order to use it in the right way.

Turquoise is a very strong color that must be used as a complement with lighter tones so as to not overwhelm the space and to make it look classy and fun.  It can look great in bathrooms, as it reminds us of the beautiful tones of seawater, and it can also be an amazing accent color for living rooms or bedrooms.

We always want to follow the trends in design and fashion, even more so when we start seeing the beautiful décor in magazines and TV shows; however, it is important that you also consider if the trends fit your life and home, because even if it looks great in a magazine, it may not be the right choice for your surroundings.

The best way to go when you want to make a bold change in your home’s décor is to ask for professional advice.  An interior design specialist will help you find the right way to use turquoise in your living space, or any other color for that matter, and she will explain what truly works for you, your family and your lifestyle.

If you live in the area, the Seattle interior design industry is booming with expertise, and is ready to start the New Year with you the right way and with the right colors.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source).

One of people’s main concerns nowadays is to keep up with the latest trends.  Whether it is fashion, cars, foods, or home décor and appliances, every year there is always something new out there, and if you are not in, you most certainly are out!  And it is expensive to be in; even more in times of crisis like the ones we are experiencing right now.

There are many reasons why contemporary furniture is a strong option under this panorama.  The time has come to update your home furniture, but you have your doubts.  After all, it is a big investment, however, there are 5 powerful reasons that may convince you to take the plunge.

Every professional Seattle interior design firm will tell you that contemporary furniture has the power to totally transform the look of your home, and this is due to the following 4 reasons:

1.    This style of furniture, if anything, is flexible.  It can be adapted to any space and place because it fits perfectly with modern environments.  You will have no problem finding a spot for every piece of furniture, since they will always grab the attention no matter where they are located.

2.    Contemporary furniture will definitely help you save money.  Even if you are thinking that it is a big investment for you right now, eventually you will have to do it, and if you go for it immediately, it will most probably fit perfectly once you decide to renovate you home later on.  It will really mean huge savings in the future if you don’t have to purchase new furniture at that point.

3.    This is furniture that works for everyone.  You can be sure every member of your family will be pleased with the change.  It will also awe the visitors to your home who were not so smart as to choose the contemporary style.

4.    Contemporary furniture is synonym of mix and match.  It will easily blend with other things around it.  The different colors work together, creating a space that looks like abstract art and that is, most definitely, beautiful.

5.    This is a style that won’t go away easily.  Contemporary is here to stay for a long time; its clean lines work to support the current tendency of green and simple living, meaning, your home is decorated and adapted for the future.

Contemporary furniture is a worthy investment.  You will be able to enjoy a cozy, interesting, balanced, and unique home that will give you, your family, and your friends, tremendous joy for a long time.  It will add so much value to your surroundings that you will ask yourself why you didn’t go for it before.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source).

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There comes the time when we feel we want a new look in our home. Sometimes we can’t really put a finger on it. We don’t know if new furniture or accessories will suffice, or if we’ll need a more dramatic change.  We just know we want something different. When you consult professional interior designers, you may obtain lots of great ideas, whether it is to reuse items around the house that you already have and simply give them a little bit of a facelift, or tear down walls for a completely different look. Most of the time, these simple ideas could indeed make big changes in the décor of your home.  Here are a few basic changes you can discuss with your interior designer:

Repaint It
A fresh coat of paint can breathe a whole new life into any piece of furniture.  If a piece has previously been dark, your interior designer could have someone lighten it up with a lighter shade or a washed old-fashioned look.  You can even take a modern piece and give it a distressed look to take it from contemporary to country with hardly any effort or cost.  If you’re doing a child’s room, consider taking that old dark heavy furniture that’s been stored away in the garage and giving it a coat of high gloss paint in a bright primary color. Presto!  You have a completely new kid’s room.

Accessorize It:
So what can you do if you like the finish on a piece and you don’t want to paint it but you’d like to give it a bit of a new look?  Well, one thing you can do is simply change up the hardware.  You will be amazed at the selection of knobs, handles, pulls and hinges that your interior designer can supply you with.  An old chest of drawers takes on a real look of whimsy just by changing the old round knobs to pretty hand painted ceramic ones.

Rearrange It
Another alternative to either paint or hardware when you want a new look, is simply to ask your interior designer how to rearrange the pieces you have as they are.  You can bring an old piece back to life simply by giving it a new purpose.  For example, an unused chest of drawers from the spare bedroom makes a great linen chest in the bathroom for storing extra towels, facecloths, cleaning cloths and even extra bedding.  Put a fancy basket of sweet smelling potpourri on top and your chest has a whole new look!  Another great idea is to bring an unused blanket box out of the bedroom, fold a blanket on top and use it as a handy bench in your hall or entryway.

All of these decorating ideas are the perfect complement to more dramatic interior design efforts. However, you must understand that this level of redecorating has its limits. For a more professional, dramatic makeover, consult your local Seattle interior designer and you’ll achieve a look that will surely breathe some fresh air into your home.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source.

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Have you ever had the feeling that one, or several, of the rooms in your house does not feel quite right, but you have no idea why?  It may be because the room is out of balance.

Maybe you feel the room is tipping to the side because there are many heavy pieces of furniture on that side, or it could be that the artwork or accessories are imbalanced.

If you are experiencing this very common situation and a Seattle interior designer is out of your budget, follow these simple tips to get your room to the right balance equation:

1.Large vs. large.  If you place a heavy piece of furniture on one side of the room, maybe a bookcase for your big collection of books, place something large on the other side too; it could be a cozy sofa with a big art piece on top.  This will balance the room by adding height and visual weight to both sides.

2. Separate.  Split bookcases and entertainment centers to achieve balance.  Place one of the sections in a different place inside the room, next to the sofa or fireplace, to make them look less heavy around the space.  Sectional sofas can be too large for a certain room, making it feel too heavy or cramped, thus, place the sections one in front of the other, as you do with sofas and love seats.

3. Symmetry.  This means both sides of the room are identical.  The symmetry, matching furniture, gives a very formal visual effect and is easy to create.  Two matching chairs on either side of the sofa or matching candlesticks on each side table; may do the trick.

4. Asymmetry.  Yes, opposite to the above one, but incredibly interesting.  The trick here is to put together comparable, but not matching, pieces.  Look for pieces in different sizes, shapes and colors, and work a gorgeous asymmetrical arrangement, like for example, a huge vase on one side in contrast to three smaller candlesticks or an interesting lamp on the other.  These arrangements may need a little more knowledge or feeling to create, because you have to perceive the visual weight of each piece, and they create informal settings, alias, more cozy ones.

5.Think lamps.  These are great balancing pieces.  Place a floor lamp on one side of the sofa and a table lamp on the other; you can even put books under the table lamp to make it look a little higher.  You can also put two different table lamps on each side of the sofa; or even think of placing two different side tables on each side.

6.  Plants.  Place a tall potted tree across from a big bookcase to balance its height; vertical mirrors also work.  To balance both sides of a sofa, place a potted plant on one side and a table lamp on the other.

7.  An eye on art.  To complete furniture that is too short or too narrow for the space, hang one or more art pieces on the wall above it.  Color is a great balancing tool too.  Darker and stronger colors are heavier than lighter ones, so think about this when you are placing art in front of a big piece of furniture like an armoire, bookcase or entertainment center.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

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