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.

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If you plan to have a new dining room designed for your home, it’s wise to have a basic understanding of the design options available to you.

1. Size
Small dining rooms feel overcrowded if dressed with heavy furniture, dark walls and heavy drapes. In contrast, large rooms feel empty if the dining table is too small, there are few furnishings and the walls are light-colored. Ideas to enhance smaller rooms include adding an additional window or wall cutout to add new dimensions to the space. Windows that open into the kitchen are particularly useful. For larger rooms, tall plants, rich drapes or extra pieces of furniture, e.g. a wine rack, can be tasteful additions.

2. Formality
Opting for either a casual or formal dining space will impact your design choices. For formal spaces, a heavy wooden table with special finish and a fine china cabinet could be chosen. In comparison, for casual spaces, you might decide on a round glass table and a colorful rug to compliment your room. The frequency with which you intend to use your dining area should help steer your design choices, too. You might choose more opulent furnishings for a formal area used only on special occasions as wear and tear isn’t a concern. For your casual room, you might need fabrics and accessories that are suited for frequent use.

3. Accessibility
If you plan to entertain often in your dining room, it should be accessible to a bathroom and other gathering areas such as a living room or home theatre. Naturally you will want it to be very close to the kitchen. Whether you opt for a formal or informal arrangement, you will also need to plan a dining setting that is roomy enough for people to move around in without having someone else vacate their seat.

4. Furniture
When planning the ideal dining room, having plenty of space available at the table is a must. It may spoil your well-executed decor if folding chairs have to be added to a crammed table. Anticipate how many people may need to be seated at your table and if this varies greatly, consider purchasing an expandable table. Other than a table and chairs, a dining room has very little furniture needs. This means that additional pieces can be a matter of personal taste. Just be sure your choices do not make the room uncomfortably crowded.

5. Lighting
Guests will need enough lighting to eat their food without trouble, but lighting that is too harsh could cause glare to bounce off white dishes. Crystal chandeliers are great choices for formal rooms while generic lamps might suit your casual room best. One good tip to note: avoid western-facing windows if you like to host dinners - the setting sun might disturb your guests’ eyes.

Now you can be prepared to discuss the above mentioned features with your Seattle interior design firm to help you create a beautiful and functional dining space.

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When it comes to arranging your living room furniture, interior designers in Seattle, New York, or LA will tell you there are important rules to follow. Luckily, it’s not rocket science. Apply the following to your room and notice the difference they can make:

1. Choose a focal point
Find something in the room that you want to be the main focal point. This could be something that is already in the room like a fireplace or a large window with a nice view, or you might choose a TV or entertainment system as these will be used often. Whichever you pick, you will then need to arrange your furniture, decorative items and seating around it.

2. Set your seating
If you want your living room area to be a place where those inside it can easily socialize, arrange your seating facing each other - or at right angles to each other - so that the seating space feels intimate. As described before, it should still be in front of or centered around your focal point. You will also have to decide if you wish to place a table or ottoman in the center of the seating, for placing drinks, etc, or if you wish to keep this space clear. If you choose the later, add small tables to the seating arrangement line (e.g. next to sofa ends or in between the squares created by placing the seats at right angles. These squares are also great for adding lamps.

3. Consider balance and symmetry
When you look at your room, are there certain areas which appear cluttered with large objects while others seem awkwardly empty? Try and place items so that there is a sense of balance to the space you have used. Using symmetry helps a room look good too, e.g., placing matching items at both ends of a sofa or hanging the same sized picture frames at opposite ends of a wall.

4. Think about your lighting
If your room doesn’t have ceiling lights, you will need to prioritize the placing of lamp stands or tables that hold lamps. Work out which areas of the room need brightening during the day and place lamps there to maintain a balance of light in the room. Again, when it comes to night, make sure your lighting is well-balanced.

5. Experiment in miniature
Draw a layout of the room on paper and cut out paper miniatures of all the furniture and large belongings you will be placing inside it.  Experiment with moving everything around, choosing different seating layouts, focal points and other arrangements. This will help you generate ideas and allow you to find the most practical and pleasing way to arrange your room.

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The kitchen is the heart of any home.  It is where the family gets together to ask about each other’s days, to make plans and, of course, enjoy delicious home made, hearty foods.  Due to its gathering nature, it is one of the most challenging places to keep organized and clean.

The kitchen is normally used for more than eating.  It is a place to entertain, study, read, and even pay bills, thus, you need a system to help you sort out all those activities in the same space while keeping it clean and in order.

• First, take pictures of your current kitchen.  Do not fix anything, just take a picture and look at it.  You will be able to view it from a different angle and really envision how it can look if you get it organized.
• Second, remember that glimpse you had of your “new” kitchen when you saw the picture? Now is time to really visualize it serving your life in full detail.  Gather the family and brainstorm what you see the kitchen becoming.  Establish rules based on what’s important to all the members of the family but be clear on what the goal is, to clear up and organize the space.  Avoid blaming others for the mess and just look for solutions that will benefit all.  Be open to feedback and discussion and take everyone’s opinion into account.
• Third, do not rush to buy anything, concentrate on disposing.  Get trash bags and label them as: Keep, Donate, Recycle, and Clutter to Cash.  Then, follow the F.A.S.T method to sort things out:
  F- Fix a time.  Choose a time that suits everyone.  This is a family activity and everyone must help.
  A- Anything not used in 12 months… is not going to be used.  Be truly honest about what gets used or not.  Do not make up reasons to keep it and do not move it to another room.
  S- Someone else’s things.  You shouldn’t be saving things that do not belong to you.  Either return it, let it go, or ask for it to be picked up.
  T- Trash.  Have fun throwing away stuff.  Make a contest to see who throws away the most.  The goal is to keep only the things that work for you.
• Fourth, define zones in your kitchen for every activity that takes place there.  This is a great principle used by recognized interior designers in Seattle, California, NY, and many other important locations.  After using each area, it is easier to clean out, as you know where things go.  Always keep surfaces clear.  Never have a junk drawer, only buy food you will eat and check for expiration dates every three months.
• Fifth, take pictures of your new kitchen and save it as a reminder of your efforts and accomplishments.  It will be a great incentive to keep it that way and reinforce order within the members of the family.