Here in AZ ceiling fans are mandatory. They need not be boring just because they are functional. Every design can be represented; from the most basic white to multi-level Tuscan and as seen here, sleek and contemporary too.
Mid Century Organic
Top 5 Urban Kitchen Design Trends
The guest post below is written by an author who lives in London. So often, design trends begin in Europe and then filter over to the United States. With more and more downtown revitalization projects happening across the U.S. metro areas, urban living is once again becoming more popular for younger adults as well as active retirees who want to be close to the ‘vibe’ of downtown living. Take a read of some of the kitchen design trends that fit the urban living profile.
TOP 5 URBAN KITCHEN DESIGN TRENDS
While some homemakers have transformed their kitchen into bistro-style hangouts, others have made them look like art galleries. And even more people have redesigned their kitchens into culinary studios. Whatever style you choose for your kitchen, popular design trends can help you make a bold statement. With the selection of different textiles these days, everyone is going for a ‘transitional’ design rather than a traditional one. So here are my top five urban kitchen design palettes that will help you create a functional and entertaining hangout.
EMERALD
A stark white kitchen with bold hues of emerald is a striking choice this year. You can play with white, shades of grey and incorporate emerald into your seat cushions, a set of vertical drawers or cabinetry, or an accent wall. As a vibrant backdrop, the emerald trend will look refreshing against white walls but also add invigorating warmth to your kitchen.
BLUE SERENE
If you’re inspired by waterfront bars or cafés, you’ll enjoy turning your kitchen into a coastal retreat. This year the colour blue is on everyone’s renovation radar and never fails to impress.
Pastel shades like powder blue can feel smart and sophisticated against a crisp white canvas. Modern details like recessed spotlights, stainless steel fridge freezer, contemporary bar stools and a painted pantry door keep the overall look fresh. Have a look at Wickes doors online for a variety of styles to add doors and dress your windows.
Wooden floors with a woven blue Persian rug, sanded furniture and minimal décor helps you achieve a tranquil atmosphere.
NEON STUDIO
A fluorescent touch is all the hype this year, so if you’re high-tech kitchen could use a splash of colour, don’t be shy to accessorize with neon placemats or even include yellow, pink and green bar stools on a grey backdrop.
This trend complements kitchen technology enthusiasts so you can turn your kitchen into an internet café. A deep stainless steel basin with tall faucets built-in to your marble island counter is a contemporary and practical design. Mirrored sliding doors for your food pantry and suspended single-track lighting like built-in LEDs will enhance the neon theme.
NEUTRAL TONES
Neutrals like shale, flannel grey and pewter also take dominance this year. So if you can find nice suede wallpaper and layer your kitchen with chrome hardware. You can sharpen the overall design of your kitchen with stained, painted or frosted glass cabinetry.
Incorporate wood and copper elements such as tables, stools, frames or décor pieces.
ENERGIZE WITH BOLD GRAPHICS
High energy colour palettes including bright yellow, red chilli and electric blue add character to your kitchen. Install stainless steel cabinetry and a unique countertop like marble, basalt, glass, steel or limestone instead of the typical granite.
Whether its bold geometric patterns or botanical prints, you can create a fun retro space and further experiment with contrasting wallpaper, cushions or backsplashes.
With inspiration from India’s roadside kitchens or Lebanon’s bustling street counters, you can use bold colors like tango orange, purple or green along with printed backgrounds for a lively look. A popular design element is the accent cabinet so you can add a vertical accent column by painting a set of drawers or selecting colo
red cabinetry.
Author bio: Amna Alam is a London-based freelance writer who enjoys film, fashion and interior design.
Bathroom Design Trends
S Interior Design loves remodeling bathrooms for their clients. When we were asked to host this guest blog post on Bathroom Trends, we said YES! Fun, contemporary design ideas to inspire you.
Bathroom Trends: Glass Mosaic Tile (via)
Bathroom trends to me start with the tile work. In this case, one of my favorite examples is the Copper Color Bisazza Glass Mosaic Tile. It gives you that contemporary look and serene feeling to your bathroom. Other trendy styles of tile you should consider for your bathroom redesign project are natural stone, pebble tile, stone mosaic tile and stainless steel tile. If you’re doing budget-conscious remodeling, use designer tile sparingly in the form of cut-out tile accents, to give you that designer tile design cue.
Turquoise Painted Glass Vessel Sink (via)
Vessel sinks are very much trendy these days. Walk into any high-end restaurant’s bathroom, and you’ll likely see a vessel sink. Depending on the style, they can also be very affordable. Personally, I like the above vessel sink made of glass, and painted turquoise.
Trendy Shower Doors: Neo-Angle Frameless Shower Enclosures and Glass BathTub Screens
If you couldn’t tell from the glass vessel sinks and the glass mosaic tile recommendations, glass is in style when it comes to the bathroom. One of the reasons for that is because glass allows for the passage of light. That means a lot of glass, opens up an otherwise small looking bathroom, and makes it look more spacious. Also, if you have fancy tile work in your bathroom, there’s no better way to show off that tile work than with beautiful low-iron glass (in which the green hue has been reduced by taking out the iron content).
Nothing looks drabber than cheap, toxic, vinyl shower curtains. In these examples, the neo-angle shower enclosure is the trendiest and most expensive shower enclosure on the market. It’s frameless, so the metal hardware is barely visible.
On the other side, is the glass bathtub screen. These are very trendy in Europe, and are starting to make their way over into the United States. In Europe, people aren’t afraid of a little bit of water splashing out of their tubs. At the end of the day, both a full shower enclosure and a glass bathtub screen are great options for a trendy bathroom.
Granite Countertop (via)
Granite countertops are a popular décor trend both in the bathroom and the kitchen. They provide the perfect backdrop for the aforementioned glass vessel sinks. And if you’re going to spend the “dough-re-mi” for a solid-slab granite countertop, utilizing clear glass vessel sinks might be a good idea in order to better showcase the granite. If you’re looking to save money, you can also do a DIY project and use a granite tile kit, which is a third of the price of buying the solid slab of granite, as seen above. They both provide that trendy, natural, solid-stone look for one’s bathroom.
About the Author
Shahab Shokouhi is a glass design expert at www.dullesglassandmirror.com, an innovative manufacturer of glass table tops, glass shelves, and all other glass and mirror products. Follow Dulles Glass and Mirror on Pinterest or on YouTube to see how they’re changing the way glass products are manufactured, customized and delivered.
Basic Family Room Design
Here is the U.S. we call them Family Rooms or Great Rooms. In other countries they are sometimes called Sitting Rooms. No matter what they are called, it is a space in every home all over the world where families and friends gather on a daily basis. Below is a guest post that speaks to the basic design elements that everyone should consider when designing their Family Room space.
The importance of creating the perfect family room
All family homes need an appropriate sitting room. The room can act as the centre of the household and serve a number of functions. A perfect sitting room should be a space where everyone can get together and spend some time enjoying each other’s company.
Designing the perfect sitting room doesn’t have to be challenging. Individuals simply need to think about their requirements and how to meet them appropriately. The key element is having sufficient seating; there needs to be enough room for all the family to sit comfortably. Individuals who often entertain guests may choose to purchase some extra seating to accommodate them.
The Sofa
A comfortable sofa is of course an essential. It’s important to think about using space efficiently when selecting sofas. Purchasing a stylish corner sofa is a great way to add extra seating to a room. These luxurious items are versatile enough to cater for any situation and don’t look oversized when not being used. A corner sofa can comfortably seat the entire family and create a cosy, warm atmosphere.
Pets
Many people think of their pets as family members, so the perfect sitting room should also cater for their needs. Making room for a basket – or saving a dedicated space on the sofa – is an excellent way to do this. Consider using carpet rather than laminate flooring, as slippery surfaces can cause some pets problems when walking.
TV
Once the ideal sofa has been chosen for the room, the next important item to consider is the TV. This can be a difficult decision. Choosing the right size of screen can make or break the room – if it’s too small, family members will go elsewhere to watch their favourite programmes, and if it’s too large, it will overwhelm the room. Children may also want the capability to play video games in the sitting room, so purchasing an appropriate TV cabinet will ensure that they have somewhere to store the console and games when they are not in use.
Finishing touches
A good sitting room is a place to celebrate the family. Using a bright colour scheme that everyone likes is a good idea, and hanging photos of family members on the wall will help to create a sense of togetherness. A coffee table can make a nice centrepiece to a room, but those with young families may want to leave the space open and obstruction free so that children can play without causing any problems. Storage is also worth thinking about. It is sensible to have somewhere to store toys and books, and furniture that is large enough to keep the room tidy will be required. Don’t focus the room too closely towards young children, however. It should also be a comfortable environment for the parents to relax in.
A well-designed living room will be one of the most popular rooms in the house. For this reason, individuals should prioritize practicality in their design. Making it easy to clean will save hours of time and ensure that any spilt food, drinks and mess can be cleaned up quickly. The perfect sitting room takes some planning, but will benefit every member of the family over time.
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