Interior Design Scottsdale, AZ by S Interior Design

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Spring Tune Up For Your Home

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Below is a guest posting to which S Interior Design added comments and photos to to augment the message (shown in red color font). We ourselves just enacted many of the 6 suggestions on our home’s back patio. It is now a cleaned up,uncluttered, cohesive design that we are proud of and enjoy spending time in with friends and family.

After a long day, there’s nothing better than coming home and relaxing. But in order to truly enjoy your home, you need to create an environment where you can feel comfortable.

Unfortunately, home decor and design aren’t always at the top of everyone’s priority list. Luckily, turning your home into your own personal oasis can be easy, and even a little fun. Keep reading for 6 ways to make your home environment a priority this month.

1.  Get Rid of Items You Don’t Use

If you’re anything like most people, you’ve probably accumulated a bunch of stuff over the years that you no longer have a use for. Instead of trying to find new ways to organize these things, it’s time to consider getting rid of things you don’t need.

Discarding unnecessary things will make your home cleaner and more organized and can even free up some of your storage space. If throwing things away seems too drastic, you may want to consider donating any items you think could be useful to others.

Have a garage sale or donate your unwanted items to Goodwill or your favorite charity sponsored Thrift Store.

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2.  Make the Most of your Home’s Natural Light

Take down heavy weight window treatments and replace them with sheer fabrics that filter the light.

Add sky lights or Solar Tubes to your ceiling.

Looking for a way to make your home feel bright and fresh? Natural light is the answer. Making it a point to open your curtains every morning is a quick and easy way to get natural light flowing through your home.  Adding mirrors to your home can also help you get more natural light. In addition to making your home brighter, exposure to natural light can also have positive benefits on your health by improving sleep and boosting mental health.

3.  Fix Broken Appliances

Are there any appliances in your home that need to be repaired or replaced? Having broken appliances in your home can impact the overall functionality of your space. Investing in a good home appliance plan can help you save money while also staying on top of routine maintenance.

Sometimes it makes sense to fix what you already have. If you decide to get new appliances make sure they are energy efficient.

4.  Introduce New Colors

The color scheme can really affect the overall feel of a room so it’s important to choose all of your colors wisely. While an entirely new paint job may be a little too much to undertake, you can find other ways to introduce new colors around your home. For example, try bringing in colorful accessories and bold accent pieces.

New throws or throw pillows can change the look of a room entirely. A new area rug can make a big impact too. You can even change out a few pieces of your wall art.

SHERWIN WILLIAMS 2019 PAINT COLOR TRENDS

5.  Organize Clutter

There’s no doubt that having a clean home will give you peace of mind, but clutter is hard to avoid. As you go through your day to day life, it can be easy for things to pile up and get unorganized. Coming up with a way to neatly store all of your belongings can save you lots of time and energy.

You can start by organizing your current storage areas such as drawers and cabinets. Once you’ve gotten some success under your belt, you can move on to larger spaces.

6.  Rearrange Furniture

Have you been feeling a little tired of your home? If so, you’re not alone. But moving isn’t always the easiest or most logical thing to do. The good news is that rearranging some furniture around your home can give your space a completely different look and feel.

Try to re-imagine some of the rooms in your home with a different setup and move things around until you get the look you want.

7.  Turn Your Home into Your Happy Place

Remember to keep these tips in mind, as you move your home to the top of your priority list this month. With a little bit of time and effort, you can create a home environment that is everything you’ve ever wanted. 

Exciting New Tile Options

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As a designer of 17 years time, it seems to take a bit more each year to make me say ‘WOW’. Last night I was invited to an A.S.I.D. meeting at a Scottsdale Arizona vendor – The Tile Shop for a special presentation of the latest product introduction from Ann Selke. Ann Selke is a renowned designer of furnishings including textiles via Pine Cone Hill bedding and area rugs via Dash and Albert. Now she has introduced her custom tile and decorative glass products.

Annie Selke

Consisting of over 200 tiles, the Annie Selke for The Tile Shop collection pushes the boundaries of technology to bring the look and feel of popular Annie Selke textiles, prints and artwork to life. Reflecting the texture of rugs, the sheen of metallic fabrics, the softness of dappled watercolor paintings and more, this inspired collaboration ranges from feminine to bold. Mix and match within the collections to maximize cohesion within a space and from room to room.

I needed to share! A breath of fresh air in the tile world. Besides standard porcelain and ceramic tile, she has coordinated a line of large format glass panels to go along with the tile options if desired.

Glass in Shower

Of course while I was at The Tile Shop I took the time to look at their entire inventory of fabulous tile options. I was happy to see new dimensional tiles, use of color and patterns along with the natural stone classics.

  • Black and Textured
  • Colorful and Geometric
  • Cement Look Encaustic
  • Textural Limestone
  • Not Your Father’s Subway Tile!

Now that my creative juices are flowing I am eager to embark on a new client project that I will hopefully be able to use some of these wonderful new tile finds in the design plan!

5 Home Upgrades You Won’t Regret

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Below is a guest posting about upgrades you can do to your home to increase functionality, update the look and feel and increase your home value prior to selling. Notably the first upgrade the author cites is around smart home technology. It gives even a traditionalist, post 50 year old cause to think about implementing a few more in her home….lights that can change color with our moods? Definitely need to find out more about that one! Enjoy reading this post and more from S Interior Design.

There are many ways you can upgrade your home. From full scale remodels to small upgrades that will impact the way you live in your home daily. We’ve compiled five upgrades you can do in your home that will provide a refresh, and can even help you save money. 

Photo from Unsplash

1. Automating with smart home technology

We are constantly surrounded by technology, and we’re always finding new ways to make our devices smarter, faster, and better. Smart phones and watches, high-tech doorbells and hands-free devices, such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home, allow us to streamline our lives.

Some other smart home features include smart televisions, which are more streamlined than an entertainment center full of modems and they’re more stylish with an unobtrusive screen and beautiful screensavers.

You might also look to smart lighting by adding a lamp that can be turned on and off via an app. Smart light bulbs also exist with color-changing options that can coordinate with your mood.

There are even smart oven options now that allow you to monitor your cooking and food temperature while being away from the kitchen. Imagine, picking up children from school and extracurricular activities and still arriving home to a delicious, homemade meal.

Photo from Unsplash

2. Painting or redecorating

Take a look around your home and consider your current color palette. How long has it been since you painted your living room or kitchen? Determine if a fresh coat of paint will help refresh a stale space. Consider neutrals or the color of the year (“Living Coral”) to update a room in your house.

Other ways to refresh a space without a full remodel include utilizing some of the 2019 home design trends. Some examples you may consider include a full tile backsplash in the kitchen to refresh the space or repainting your cabinets with a white or cream to brighten the room without the expense of replacing cabinets. Also, in living spaces, consider a mix of fabrics to add depth and textures.

Photo from Unsplash

3. Replacing old appliances

Upgrading your 13-year-old washing machine or your finicky dishwasher to a new, high-tech appliance could save you money in the long run. Modern appliances are energy efficient and conserve more water than traditional models, so you’ll be saving on your utility bills in no time.

They’ll also boost the resale value of your home if you’re planning on moving in the next few years. If any of your appliances are on the fritz, you could be eligible for a brand new replacement through your home warranty, which is also considered to be a great marketing tool during a home sale.

4. Getting more out of a small space

We all have a small room in our home that isn’t being used to its greatest potential, and it’s often a bathroom. Fortunately, there are ways to make the most of the space you have.

First, consider the lighting of the bathroom. If it is possible, consider bringing in additional natural light by adding a skylight or solar tube. If that isn’t an option, add recessed lighting in addition to the vanity lighting. Clear clutter, go vertical with storage and consider adding a floating vanity. With a small footprint use all the space available by going up.

Photo from Unsplash

5. Preparing for resale

Selling your home is a stressful process. You want to show it in its best possible shape, but you also want to avoid putting too much money into the property you are selling.

Start with a home critique from a real estate agent or potential buyer. Getting a fresh set of eyes into your space can provide feedback on things you may not see, and may also show trouble points you weren’t aware of.

Once you have received feedback consider repainting and reflooring the interior. A fresh coat of neutral paint helps provide a neutral backdrop that potential buyers need in order to imagine themselves in your space.

Also, consider the condition of your flooring, especially carpet. Dirty and torn carpet may need to be replaced, or at minimum a professional carpet cleaning works wonders.

These are just a few tips and upgrades we know you won’t regret when considering changes and additions to your home. 

BY: Paige A. Mitchell

2019 Design Trends

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Thank you to HOUZZ for compiling a nice list of what are being considered the design trend ideas for 2019! Enjoy reading this but always remember the most important thing to consider when re-designing your home are your own personal likes, dislikes and functionality desires.

Smart Technology That is Revolutionizing Modern Homes

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Below is a guest posting on the subject of the technology options that are changing the way we live in our homes.
As an Interior Designer I need to be aware of the ever changing technology options that can have an impact on the overall design and functionality of a space.  With the rapid pace of change we are experiencing in this area it honestly can be a part-time job in and of itself to keep abreast of it all.  That is one of the reasons S Interior Design welcomed the opportunity to learn more and share it with you! Thank you Jackie Mason for writing the article and sharing it with us.

Make sure to click on the links imbeded in the article to get the full story.

The Smart Technology That is Revolutionizing Modern Homes

Over 40% of American households use smart technology, with an average of 3.5 smart devices used in each home. Smart technology often appeals because of the convenience and time saving it provides. A lot of smart technology also offers a way of updating your interior design easily without any major cost. The stylishness of many of today’s emerging gadgets makes it easy to see why so many people are incorporating them into the design of their homes. Here are just a few examples of the kind of smart technology that can give your interior design real style and added functionality.

 The stylish and unobtrusive television screen

When it comes to home living, you can ‘go smart’ anywhere in the house. However, one of the areas of smart technology that people are drawn to most is home entertainment. Television screens are becoming more and more streamlined and multi-functional. The transparent TV is particularly worth a mention. Still in the early stages of development, the TV shows high-definition images when switched on and can blend into the background as a transparent screen when turned off. This means that you can have the sought-after high quality as well as discretion; the television doesn’t have to dominate the room. LG takes this combination one step further with its roll up and down television screen. The TV screen can be wound down when you don’t want to watch it or would rather it was out of sight when not in use. The screen size and aspect ratios can be adjusted to suit different uses – whether that be for television, computing or photograph displays.

 A kitchen that aids cooking

Research shows that the kitchen is the most important room to homeowners when it comes to interior design. This has led to a rise in the number of smart kitchen gadgets entering the market – and potentially people’s homes. These include smart ovens: gone are the days where you have to slave away over a hot stove after a day’s work. Smart ovens can link up with your smartphone, registering the food that is in the oven and making recommendations on cooking methods. The technology involves means that you can monitor the cooking away from home if you want to, carrying on with other tasks in the meantime. The result is a tasty meal that was stress-free to make.

 Smart lighting for the home

Lighting design has evolved with an environmental focus, with many companies using efficient LED lights. This is not at the cost of style and functionality, however. Examples of smart lighting in the home include SmartLamp, which is controlled by its own app and allows you to change the color of the light, depending on your mood. You can also choose a color to accompany music you are listening to, making SmartLamp an effective tool for entertainment and creating ambiance.