Friday, November 18, 2011

High Point Market Trends!





hgtv
Metallics!  Metallics are back in a huge way, they're everywhere! We love this gold metallic sconce from Regina Andrew.

houzz
It's true, Peacock is everywhere! Peacock prints, peacock fabrics, peacock accessories, just the color peacock! We are loving it.

circainteriors
Grey is the new beige! Everywhere one turns you see some shade of grey. It's emerging in a big way.



houzz

Sustainable Green Design is in! Reclaimed woods are all the rage!

wgsn
Ikat is it! It covers everything from drum shades as you see here to throw pillows to chairs, rugs, etc. Ikat is it.

wgsn
Intense Colors! Orange, Turquoise, Lime Green, even Purple are huge this market!


wgsn
Vintage Glamour is back! We love this vase from Jamie Young. It's vintage inspired metallic details give it a contemporary twist!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Hot Chocolate Rooms

With the Temps Outside Starting to Drop these 
Hot Chocolate Rooms Have Us Inspired!
maryellephotography

decorpad

lilianritz

cactuscreekdaily


decorpad

southernliving

luxuryforthehome

Monday, October 31, 2011

Haunted Decor

A fun and inventive way to display your candy this Halloween!  -partyideapros.com          
A spooky and creative pathway leading up to your house, enticing those trick-or-treaters.  -thehighheeledhostess.com 
Festive Fall decorations adorn this beautiful front entry creating the perfect haunting Halloween decor that will transition nicely to November harvest decorations.  -pearltrees.com       
We LOVE this creative and fun tree theme painted on pumpkins in this bookcase!  What a fun way to decorate for Halloween inside the home!  -threadscene.com 
Festive and fun decorations inside the home.  -thehighheeledhostess.com
We did say haunted decor.  Happy Haunting!  -gordongossip.blogspot.com


Happy Halloween from CBID!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

COLOR


Out with the beiges and in with some COLOR!  Color is the easiest way to transform a drab space from geek to chic!  Are you craving new color but fearful of what to choose?  First things first, take color cues from your favorite item or items that will be going in the space you are transforming.  Maybe your favorite item consists of a painting, a blanket, a throw pillow, a vase??  Start there and pull out the colors that draw you in the most! From there you can hone in on what will really make the room pop!  Have some fun with it.  Go to your local hardware store and pull paint samples that match the colors you’ve decided to hone in on.  Now see how they look in the space.  Paint a sample area if you can’t choose between a few.  Don't be afraid to experiment with color!!  Here are some fabulous colorful rooms.





 Photo Credit in order of Photo
1) painterclick.com 2) homeslayout.com 3) blog.addicted2decorating.com 4) luxury-idea.com 5) andy-exclusivedesign.blogspot.com

Monday, October 10, 2011

Decorating Ideas with Autumn Leaves

Creative Ways to Bring The Best of Autumn Indoors

 Create fun throw pillows with Fall Leaf Patterned Fabrics!

 Why not add some pattern and pizazz to your walls with this large leaf inspired wallpaper? How cool!

 Stencil stamp some linens to be used for a tablecloth for the fall season!

 Bring the outdoors in!  Create a bundle of your favorites and make a centerpiece.

 This is one of my favorites!  Fill your glass jars with leaves and set them out wherever... perfect for decorating anytime of the year... you can change the decor to fit the season!

 This is a fun project for the do-it-yourselfer! Pick out your favorite leaves from the yard and flatten them in an old book.  Next, make a color photo copy on a photocopier.  Glue your prints to canvas covered boards that you can purchase in any art store and simply hang on the wall! 

Make a wreath with your extra leaves!




Photo Credit in order of Photo:
1, 2, & 3) casasugar.com 4) houzz.com 5) gordongossip.blogspot.com 6) sunset.com 7) favecrafts.com

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Wood Furniture Construction Basics

Do You Know How To Get the Best Bang for your Buck?
Wood Furniture Construction Basics
 If you are set on buying furniture in today's world, you need some education on the subject first.  That's where we come in, to educate you!  It's important to know the difference between low, medium, and high quality.  Whether you are a college student, a newly wed couple, or a business executive, everybody needs to know the basics.  From there, you can make an educated decision to match your life stage and situation.  Here are some key construction points to take with you...
 
What to look for in High Quality Construction:
  • Mortise and tenon
  • Doweling
  • Mitering
  • Dovetails
  • Tongue in groove
  • Frames glued and screwed
  • Floating construction where drawer bottoms are not glued, but instead move freely as humidity changes.
  • Wood is air dried then placed in a kiln to remove as much moisture as possible. This can take months depending on the type of wood.
  • Wood matching for color and grain.
  • Wood is selected for it's merits. Frames are constructed from strong stable woods like poplar with cabinet woods like solid cherry, oak, or maple used on exterior surfaces.
  • The piece should look and feel solid. Try to rock or jostle the piece. It shouldn't squeak or twist.
  • Backs and unexposed parts should be sanded smooth and well fitted. Only the best quality furniture does this well.
  • Dust panels between drawers.
  • Quality built-in light fixtures and lined silverware drawers in hutches, buffets, dining room, or display cabinetry.
  • Smoothly gliding drawers that close square and flush.
  • Doors that close neatly and that are square and flush with the cabinet front.
  • Highest quality hardware
What to Look for in Medium Quality Construction:
  • Frames glued, stapled
  • Floating construction
  • Moderate or low-cost woods such as ash, poplar, or pine
  • Pieced and glued woods like butcher block
  • Laminates
  • MDF (medium density fiberboard) or particle board for unexposed portions of the piece. May be veneered with real woods.
  • The piece should look and feel reasonably solid. It shouldn't squeak or twist.
  • Backs and unexposed parts will probably fit okay but not be sanded smooth or tightly fitted. Probably stapled to piece.
  • Open construction between drawers.
  • Smoothly gliding drawers, however, you may notice minor mis-alignments or gaps between drawers or doors and cabinet face.
  • Doors are square and flush with the cabinet front. Occasional, minor mis-alignments might be noted.
  • Stamped or cast hardware of medium quality.
What to Look for in Low Quality Construction:
  • Engineered kit furniture constructed for easy home assembly.
  • Laminates
  • Particle board or MDF
  • Low-quality woods
  • Build in place and don't blow on it.
  • Backs and unexposed parts are usually composed of fiberboard.
  • Drawers and square doors may show obviously uneven gaps or mis-alignment.
  • Doesn't hold up well over time.
  • Can't be taken apart and reassembled—particle board usually breaks down.
  • Shelving may bow if it is over-weighted with books.
  • Excess humidity or exposure to water can ruin piece.

Now that you know the basic construction components to look for, go ahead and get started and have fun furniture shopping!  Most importantly, furnish your home with the items that speak to you and that you love!
 
 
  Photo & Info Credit In Order:
1) thehome.com 2) studio201furniture.com 3) squidoo.com 4) demesne.info



Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Patterned Flooring!


Veneered Patterned Floors are a classic and timeless design, as shown in the famous Mary Douglas Drysdale's living room at the Richmond Symphony Designer House in the picture above.  BUT... Painted Patterned Flooring is ALL the NEW rage!  And why wouldn't it be?!  It is SO modern!  What a great way to bring a classic element of design into the present with an updated twist.  On a past episode of Million Dollar Decorators, decorator Mary McDonald transformed an office with the use of a painted patterned floor!  Check out these great examples of painted floors we LOVE!





 Photo Credit in order of Photo
1) mynottinghill.blogspot.com 2) designspongeonline.com 3)sheilazellerinteriors.com 4)theresheblogs.blogspot.com

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Fall Fashion


Feel that chill in the air?  Sip on some warm apple cider and bundle up!  Bring on the oversized, chunky sweaters, boots, and scarves because fall is here and fall fashion is going to knock your socks off!  The following pics are some of our favorites.  Keep in mind, layering is key in chilly weather because it not only keeps you warm but in the words of Rachel Zoe, it’s bananas!  This fall is all about warm and cozy chunky knit sweaters.  Pair them with a fitted bottom such as a skinny jean, leggings, or a cargo pant and complete the look with a tall leather boot.  Tall leather boots are the much needed accessory of the season.  Finish off your look with a scarf or chic handbag to complete the layering effect.  






 Photo Credit in order of Photos
1) fashiondesignerbusiness.com 2) myfavorite.typepad.com 3) thisnext.com 4) stylehive.com 5) two-five-five.blogspot.com 
6) thebudgetfashionista.com 7)boards.weddingbee.com

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Born to Shop!

One of the most important jobs of being an interior designer is having an eye for key pieces of furniture and knowing where to get them fast. Time is money!  Ask us to pick furniture selections within your budget?  We'd love to! Here are some of our favorite's for our current Lakeville client.

Wine Tasting Table

Capelle Side Table

Renee Chair

Impromptu Flip Top Table


Preston Sectional