Textured Walls

It’s one thing to give your room depth by painting the walls a bright color, but it’s a completely different story if you use real texture! From exposed bricks to ancient walls to crazy installations, textured walls are a beautiful way to make your home stand out among the rest.

Here are some great examples:

http://freshome.com/2012/07/03/giles-miller-surface-design-using-texture-and-reflection-as-a-means-of-illustration/

This wall is so retro! And the owner of it clearly saw that, since he or she decorated accordingly. That’s the fun part about a textured wall – you let that set the tone of the room, and you never know what creative theme you could end up with!

http://freshome.com/2011/02/16/how-to-change-your-interior-walls-with-texture/

 

Geometric shapes go with any color, and these white overlapping squares and rectangles are no exception! With a wall like this you don’t even need to think about painting. And just look how much depth the wall adds.

http://dossierjournal.com/blog/art/la-fabrica-barcelonas-architectural-gem/

 

I love this rustic exposed wall. You never know what hides behind your walls, and in this case it’s something truly lovely!

http://freshome.com/2011/02/16/how-to-change-your-interior-walls-with-texture/

This is another fantastic textured wall that must have been a part of the home already. It certainly gives your eyes something to focus on.

http://freshome.com/2011/02/16/how-to-change-your-interior-walls-with-texture/

 

The waves on this white wall really complement this kitchen, not to mention brighten it up. The shapes bring an energy to the space that might not have come about otherwise.

http://www.krusto.ru/2012/06/13/spalni-v-temnyx-tonax-dlya-iyulskogo-vypuska-zhurnala-house-and-garden-dom-i-sad/

Have you ever seen more glorious exposed brick walls? These are just beautiful, and the simple furniture pieces don’t take any attention away to the natural beauty.

Pristine white walls are so passé. It’s time to add some texture to your home, and the walls are a great place to start!

Five Key Elements for the Perfect Basement Entertainment Space

Gone are the days where basements are simply play areas for the kids. They are now becoming the family room -- a place to entertain. I’m currently working on several basement remodels right now and I’ve seen lots of fun ideas for transforming the basement into a fantastic entertainment space. Here are some key elements:

1. Layout. Make sure you have enough room to seat people for a football game (Superbowl Sunday is just around the corner!) or to crowd around the TV for a good movie. For cocktail parties you’ll need open space for people to congregate, and if you’re lucky enough to have a pool table, make sure there’s ample room around it for spectators. The furniture figuration will set the tone for the entire basement. Here are a couple great layout examples:

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1395759/Modern-Marvel-traditional-basement-new-york

http://www.houzz.com/photos/502520/Basement-Finish-traditional-basement-cincinnati 

2. Wet Bar. Nowadays, what’s a basement without a wet bar? This concept has become extremely popular! If you’re entertaining in the basement you won’t have to run upstairs to refresh drinks or snacks. If you’ve got a wet bar, everything you need to host will be right at your fingertips.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/984606/Great-Neighborhood-Homes-traditional-basement-minneapolis

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1496585/Industrial-Chic-Basement-contemporary-basement-portland

http://www.houzz.com/photos/2184909/May-Basement-Renovation-contemporary-basement-calgary    

3. Lighting. If you plan to entertain it’s essential to have good lighting. Nobody wants to feel like they are in a basement, and you can avoid that by making sure the lighting is great for whatever occasion. Whether it’s bright lights for an intense game of darts or ambient lighting for a movie, make sure you’ve got the lighting squared away.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/997922/Basement-Remodel-modern-basement-minneapolis

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1458014/Modern-Basement-modern-basement-st-louis

http://www.houzz.com/photos/327012/M-J--Whelan-Construction-contemporary-basement-detroit

4. Textures. If you follow my blog you know I’m all about textures. By providing the right textures in your fabrics, colors, seating and flooring, you’re ensuring your guests will have a comfortable experience in your space. The ultimate goal is to provide a relaxing, cozy place for any occasion. Let your guests forget they’re in a basement!

http://www.houzz.com/photos/2369753/stately-manor-contemporary-basement-philadelphia

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1821064/177-white-pine---new-build-contemporary-basement-salt-lake-city

5. Wine Cellar. Where’s a better place for a wine cellar than in a basement? If you’ve got all of the other key elements down, the basement can be a great place to experience a bottle of wine. If you incorporate a wine cellar into your basement redesign it can become a beautiful, integral part of its décor. And the cherry on top

is that wine cellars can store large amounts for big soirees!

http://www.houzz.com/photos/162302/Wine-Room-contemporary-wine-cellar-phoenix

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1816972/162-white-pine---new-build-traditional-family-room-salt-lake-city

http://www.houzz.com/photos/2184889/May-Basement-Renovation-contemporary-wine-cellar-calgary    

So there you have it – the five key elements to making your basement a great place for entertainment!