Simple Options for Renovating Your Home

October 19, 2022 by Suzanne Lasky

Kitchen Remodel by S Interior Design, LLC

Ready to renovate your home? The process can be daunting, but it’s a great way to increase the value of your home and make it look exactly the way you want it to. Whether you plan to renovate your basement, the roof, or other parts of your home, here are some things that you should keep in mind.

Improving and Renovating Your Home

When you decide to renovate, the first thing to decide is what you want to renovate. Do you want to add a home extension? You’ll need quotes from multiple contractors, plans, and approval from the local government. Are you interested in getting more energy-efficient lighting or a better HVAC system? Calling a local electrician or HVAC specialist could be the key to doing renovations right.

While you can DIY some of your home renovations, know that some of them will require professional input. Some areas that you can handle yourself may include your home office, flooring, and interior design. S Interior Design recommends putting a team of experts together to get the best results.

Adding a Home Office

Adding a home office can be as easy as converting a walk-in closet into an office space or as labor intensive as adding walls and building a new room in your home.

When you build your new home office, consider locating it near natural light, which is known to help maximize productivity. If you can’t do that, make sure you invest in overhead lighting so you have plenty of light in the room.

Working on New Flooring

Flooring is one thing most people can do themselves. You have the option to add new vinyl, waterproof, wood, or other kinds of flooring to your home. Note: You need to make sure the substrate you are installing your new flooring over is level! (S Interior Design commentary)

Selecting vinyl roll flooring or vinyl planks is a good choice since these lay down easily in one or two afternoons. Just choose your favorite colors, and you’ll get the look you want in no time at all.

Designing the Interior of Your Home

Another thing you can do yourself is the interior design of your home. Do you have an older home that you want to update? Select new paint colors, change out the hardware on your cabinetry or consider adding a new top to your counters for an updated look.

You can also change the furniture in your home without touching your physical walls or flooring and still make a huge impact. Swapping out dark furniture for lighter furniture, for example, may brighten up your space. Selecting modern furniture instead of traditional styles could make your space look more current.

For professional interior design help, contact S Interior Design. S Interior Design provides services such as paint color and wall treatment selection, design drawings, and more to help you achieve the perfect look for your home.

Get Help Renovating Your Home in Scottsdale, AZ

Changing different parts of your home, like adding a home office, can increase its value and make it stand out. If you’re ready to renovate your home in Scottsdale, AZ, you can handle some aspects yourself but may need to call in professionals for others. For help with interior design, visit S Interior Design.

Eco-Friendly Light Sources

August 28, 2022 by Suzanne Lasky

Tips on Choosing Eco-Friendly Lighting

Eco-Friendly lighting in both residential and commercial buildings remains an important part of living green. The mode of lighting has an effect on our mood and health, in addition to the environment at large. Different elements, such as the type of bulb used, lighting source, fixture, material, and daily routines, determine the environmental friendliness of a room.

Lighting is a very essential quality indoors, and our days will be dull and unproductive without it, because as soon as it gets dark outside, work will be reduced. Therefore, green lighting is of high importance and it will have a positive impact on your health and the environment. Green power saves more energy and is several times more efficient than conventional power sources. Energy-saving bulbs last longer and consume less power than incandescent bulbs. The goal is to help your health and the environment and spend less while doing this. Below are some tips on choosing eco-friendly lighting.

Use CFL and LED Lights

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) save a lot of energy and are more efficient than conventional bulbs. CFLs are available in different shapes, colors, and sizes, and this allows them to fit into different parts of the house for decorative or pure lightning purposes. They are a bit more expensive than incandescent bulbs, but they last way longer (about 10,000 hours) and use only around a quarter as much energy. CFLs emit less heat and are beneficial during the summer. You do not have to worry about changing your bulbs frequently with them, and they help you save money in the long run.

S Interior Design is does not recommend CFLs for residential applications

Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) use less energy and are beneficial to our health. Their longevity and energy efficiency are second to none. They cost more than CFLs by just a bit, but they last longer. It is estimated that an LED bulb can last for 100,000 hours. This is ten times the amount of time that CFLs use. Also, they convert about 95% of their energy into light, and just 5% is emitted as heat. LED lights are the best way to go green.

S Interior Design recommends different temperature levels for LED lights depending on where they will be used.

Purchasing from quality brands such as Louis Poulsen lighting, and other reputable LED lighting manufacturers can make a huge difference for the environment and on the overall electricity bill.

Recycle and Reuse Materials

Lights don’t just stand on their own. They are accompanied by fixtures or lamps to help hold them down and beautify them. You should make use of recycled materials when making or purchasing your lights. This is essential for healthy green living because you will spend less and get more.

Lights made from natural materials such as cloth and wood, as well as those made from recycled materials like glass and plastic, are great options. When you use recycled lights, you help the environment and also save money on the side.

Adopt the use of a Natural Light Source ( Sunlight)

A day is never bright without sunlight. The sun is natural, and this makes it the most eco-friendly light source. A lot of people under utilize sunlight in their homes. You should make the most of it by opening up your windows and drapes during the daytime to allow natural light into every inch of the house. You can achieve your desired intensity and light angle by making use of tinted windows or patterned curtains.

Many houses now have skylights to serve as an extra source of direct sunlight into the home. These fixtures are present in living rooms, dining rooms, and some closets. You can style your house the way you want it to allow sunlight in.

A great way to add natural light to a space is by using Solar Tubes when conventional sky lights are not an option.

Switching off lights when not in use

What’s a more effective way to use lights than to turn them off when you’re not using them? You need to cultivate the habit of switching off lights in rooms no one is occupying. Whether you’re going to another room in the house or out, you shouldn’t leave the lights on.

You should help your loved ones learn the efficient use of light till it becomes a habit. Turning off lights when they are not in use has no disadvantages but helps save energy and reduce heat in the house.

Motion Sensors and Dimmers

Motion sensors are really great for eco-friendly lighting. They turn on the lights in your room when you are present and turn them off when there’s no one in the room. This is a great way to save energy and money on electricity bills. With these sensors, you can avoid unnecessary expenses on lights and bills.

Dimmers are amazing choices for green love. With them, you can set the light in your room to the brightness you need. They are great for conserving energy because when you reduce the light being emitted, less voltage is used and more energy is stored. This will help you save on electricity costs and also help the bulbs last longer in the long run.

Invest in Green Power

“Green power” is electricity produced from natural sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydro. You can reduce or totally avoid a carbon footprint by using green energy because it comes from natural sources and is completely renewable.

Solar energy is the most eco-friendly energy source, and when you implement it in your home, you will be enjoying more light while saving a lot on electricity bills. You can also sign up for green power with your electric utility.

Invest in Creating a Smart Home

Eco-friendly lighting is essential for smart homes. Who wouldn’t want to have a house that can control the lights and temperature according to how they like them? If you can afford it, then it’s a great choice to go for. Smart homes record information in the house about rooms you use and those you don’t, in addition to your preferred temperature according to the general weather.

You can have everything in your house on autopilot, from the bulbs to plugs, thermostats and more. They will detect when they’re not being used and switch off themselves. When you are ready and available to use them, they will turn back on automatically. This is really great for green living as you will only use the energy you need every time. Most excesses are cut off with smart homes.

Summary

Eco-friendly lighting is energy-efficient and very sustainable. The low impact it has on the environment is very important for the planet and one’s health. With the low power consumption and low cost of acquiring some eco-friendly lights and fixtures, you can save a lot on electricity costs and bills.

Follow the above tips to make an excellent choice when choosing eco-friendly lighting.

Home Remodels Gone Wrong and Lessons Learned

March 16, 2019 by Suzanne Lasky

Guest Post for S Interior Design
By: Paige A. Mitchell

There’s nothing worse than a botched DIY home remodel. But what if you were able to know what not to do before you dove into a home remodel on your own? Here are some prime examples of mistakes to avoid during a home remodel, in hopes that you will be wiser before jumping into the deep end.

Not Planning Ahead

Jumping into a home remodel without a distinct plan in mind is a recipe for disaster. For all intents and purposes, there is no such thing as “over planning” for a home remodel. Make sure you know exactly what you want to remodel and you know why you want to remodel it. Then, make sure you have planned everything as completely as possible, from the budget to the materials to the daily schedule. Leave no stone unturned.

Trying To Stay With The Trends

Everyone gets a little excited when they want to dive into a DIY remodel and the first place they turn to for inspiration is Pinterest. The problem? Going crazy with what the current home trend is, only to have that trend expire after a month and you be left with a less than desirable kitchen filled with Spanish influence. Be sure to pick a look for your home remodel that fits your personal interest and is also timeless. That way, you won’t feel that remodel itch a month after you complete your project.

Running Out Of Budget On The First Day

In the same vein as making sure you plan your home remodel ahead, make sure you completely map out your home renovation budget before diving in. That means making sure you have a realistic budget in mind with real-time numbers for all your materials and labor planned out. Just because you are performing a DIY home remodel does not mean you shouldn’t take labor into account. Even if you are able to perform the entire remodel on your own, which is hardly ever the case, you have to take into account time lost while doing that work.

Did you use paid time off at your work to perform the home remodel? Are you missing out on projects that could have earned you money? Your own time will play a factor in your budget. Along with that, make sure you know exactly how much supplies you need and how much it will all cost you. There is nothing worse than stopping at your home improvement shop only to get to the register and not have enough money for your supplies.

Measuring Once, Cutting A Hundred Times

Measure your work, then measure it again, then measure it again! The last thing you want is to measure your flooring or wood for your patio, get ready to lay it all out, then realize you mis measured and have to cut everything all over again. What could be worse than that? Ruining your materials because you cut too much and have to start from scratch. Check, double check, and triple check that all your measurements are correct so that you only have to cut once.

Going Cheap And Suffering

You’re already saving money by performing your home improvement project on your own. Make sure that when you do spend your money, you are purchasing items that are so cheap that they will fall apart in less than a year. If you are trying to DIY a home appliance, considering instead saving money on a home warranty and have the experts come in to make repairs. The last thing you want is a puddle in the bathroom because you thought you could fix the sink. Make sure you are being frugal in the right places and splurging when you need to same. Same with buying the right materials, know your limits. If you are even slightly unsure about performing a task, hire a contractor.

Design Cues from Nature

April 22, 2015 by Suzanne Lasky

Today is Earth Day. I thought it relevant to talk about how nature can provide fabulous direction for Interior Design.

Early this morning I dug up some beets from my raised garden bed. I took the time to really look at the marvel that had been produced from a tiny seed. The color of the beets are very on trend right now.
They are the color of Marsala–Pantone’s 2015 Color of the Year.

And nature shows us what other colors work beautifully with Marsala–a rich organic green is the perfect complimentary color. After all, red and green are compliments on the color wheel and the two tones of those colors are the same saturation level.

Beyond the color of the beets, their stems, and leaves, I also took the time to examine the contours and shapes of the beet and it’s stems and leaves.

I have often said the easiest way to check it color combinations will work well together is to look to nature. Flowers, trees, shrubs all seem to magically grow and bloom in just the right colors.

Fabric Stories

August 9, 2013 by Suzanne Lasky

S Interior Design loves to create what we call ‘fabric stories’ for rooms we are designing.

Referencing our prior post on Design Inspiration Boards for two guest rooms we are re-designing, here are some of the wonderful fabric stories we are working with.