Are you afraid to take a risk in your space? These ideas will help you spice up your space but prevent you from going overboard.

It is the beginning of a new year which sometimes makes us more open to change or inspired to mix things up. Sometimes just adding a new color, fabric, or print to your space can give it some added interest. There are various reasons as to why many of us are afraid to take a little risk with our space, but regardless of what those reasons are, we can all change things up in some way or another.


We have a few different ideas for you to add a splash of color or a fun print to your space without it becoming overwhelming. The first is the easiest and most likely the least expensive route to take. Pick one or a few of your favorite colors whether they are solids or in the form of a print to make throw pillow cases out of. This is a great opportunity to add some texture as well. Cut velvets are big right now and can add a luxurious feeling as well. The image below is a great example of a vibrant print on a pillow from Designer’s Guild along with a beautiful throw blanket.

Designer's Guild

Window treatments are something that may not be inexpensive to change but they are something that is relatively easy to change. They can soften up a room, make it more cozy, and definitely add some color. This is a great way to showcase a print you love. The fabric for the window treatments are from Designer’s Guild.

Designer's Guild

Black is often considered a risky color to use especially in larger amounts. Sheer black window treatments can provide a sleek contrast to a room that is very bright without being too heavy.

Designer's Guild

If you love prints, printed sheers can be a great option as well. This is a beautiful sheer from Designer’s Guild used for a window treatment.

Designer's Guild

Wall coverings are back! There are so many new textures, prints, and colors available to add visual interest to any interior. If you have a smaller space such as a powder room, try adding a wall covering to make the space more unique. If you select a wall covering that is slightly reflective it may make the space feel bigger as well.

Laura Casey Interiors, LLC

Color and style trends change with interiors just like fashion does but that doesn’t mean we can’t take advantage of what the current trends have to offer! Hopefully these ideas will help you brighten up your space and bring it to life. Design the life you love!

Could your Kitchen Design be affecting your eating habits in 2012?

 There are many different factors in our environment that affect the way we live. Just like a well-designed office has been proven to increase employee productivity, the design of our kitchen may also affect our behavior when it comes to our eating habits. We have come up with a few strategies in kitchen design that could affect or change these habits.

 

Many contemporary kitchens today reflect more of a “great room” style which combines the living, dining, and kitchen space into one. This serves as the central hub for families and friends. Many other activities often take place here. While many of us enjoy this design, we may not realize that it may actually contribute to more frequent snacking or larger meals being that we never really leave the kitchen.

Image Courtesy of http://www.socketsite.com/



Traditional home design incorporated more of a closed off kitchen design that was used primarily for food preparation. Other than food prep and cleaning up after meals, essentially the kitchen was closed down in between or after meals.



Image Courtesy of http://homesdesigns.net/



As you can see from this comparison, the square footage devoted to the kitchen has definitely changed over the years as well.



Cabinets with transparent panels may also stimulate your appetite by providing visual access to food in your cabinets.



Image Courtesy of http://www.cococozy.com



Last but not least, color may affect your appetite as well. Have you ever noticed how you often find warmer colors such as reds and oranges in many popular restaurants? They often incorporate these hues into their signage as well because these colors have the ability to stimulate your appetite. If you want a strategy to suppress your appetite at home, paint your kitchen blue or green. Blue is calming and can often suppress your appetite, while green has a healthy connation to it which could support incorporating healthy eating habits into your life.



Image Courtesy of http://www.sikamo.com



Image Courtesy of http://www.interiordesignsworld.com

Sneak Peak: White Bear Lake Home Before & After and Exciting News

What a pleasure it is to make a house a home!

This family loved the design work I created in their living room, master bedroom, and dinning room; they have now asked me to remodel and design the rest of their home!

I am honored and excited to once again work with my talent contractor and crew to create this families' life style into their living environment.

Here are a few before and after snap shots:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

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After:

How to Add High Style to Your Family Photographs With Materials in Your Home

I love hanging photographs of my family in my home and office.

I also find myself asking my clients for special photographs to hang in their spaces; as personal photographs adds instant impact and emotional connection.

Here are a few inside designer tricks to add high style to frames with items you may have in your home. This project will take less than five minutes.

I have created a grouping of sailing photos taken over 40 years and backed the images with vintage lake maps. You can also create continuity to a group of unrelated images by using the same backing material.

It is very easy to be inspired with this simple project. I liked the pattern on this shopping bag and cut it to fit this frame.

I like the pattern and shine of this shopping bag.

This image is backed by a piece of fabric.

This image is backed by a piece of wallpaper.

This image is backed by a piece of sandpaper.

Master Bedroom Design Board & Feng Shui

Here is a design board for my current master bedroom project. I am excited to work beside my carpenter to create this modern day canopy. My client wanted lots of rich fabrics and bold patterns. I will work with a subtle wall treatment to balance textures, fabrics, and patterns.

I use basic feng shui principles in my design practice. I like to use the color red in master bedrooms. The color red carries the energy of fire. Fire represents the energy of sun, life, excitement, joy and sexual desire. Red ignites passion- which in turn adds stimulation to a lack luster relationship.

The color also signifies richness and luxury. I use caution when working with red as can be over stimulating. I find the feng shui principles with the color red are easily achieved by designing and decorating with red accessories, linens, and small furnishing rather than a wall color or large furniture.

I will post photos of the finished master bedroom.

Do-It-Yourself Elegant Granite Entertaining Platter

Summer Entertaining is One of My Favorite Ways to Spend Time with my Loved Ones.

This project came to me while shopping for granite counter tops for one of my clients. While I was deciding on color and texture, I asked the store owner if I could buy a few granite remnants to help me make my choice. The store owner was very generous and told me I could just have the remnants. ( I am not sure this would be the case for all stores. I had made a very large purchase the week before- other store will sell pieces for under $20.)

After my client and I decided on the granite for their home, I had two lovely pieces of granite to put to good D-I-Y use.

I decide to make entertaining platters with the remnants.

This project's cost was under $10. I purchased craft glass glue and four rubber stoppers from Michael's Craft Store. I recommend putting the glue on the bottom of the stopper and then hold the stopper in place on the underside of the granite for a minute.

Photography By: Keith McKenna

Chandeliers In Unsuspected Places Throughout Your Home

Chandeliers add Glamour and an Element of Surprise- When Added to Area of Your Home Beside the Dinning Room. Please View Some of My Favorite Ways to add a Chandelier to Any Space:

Creating Impact With Mirrors

Mirrors add style and sophistication to our homes. Here are a few design tricks that outline why I enjoy working with mirrors:

Shine A little Light

A mirror hung to reflect a window gives the illusion of another window in the room. The space will look bigger and, depending on the weather report, brighter.

Add Space

Prop up a large mirror (at least three-fourths as tall as the wall). It’s a classic interior decorator’s trick to create instant―square footage.

Bring the Drama

Venetian mirrors — which have designs etched into their surface — glam up any room: bedroom, bathroom, entryway, and even dining room.

Illusion and Impact

Break up a mirrored wall with moulding or hang smaller square mirrors evenly from ceiling down for a polished look and to create the illusion of more space

Holiday Cheer Without the Tinsel

I am passionate about constantly reinventing and revamping existing pieces in my clients' home.

Do you remember the urban vegetable garden I planted on the Calhoun Beach Club balcony?

Well, I wanted to make use of the beautiful ceramic container and the vibrance that plants add to the space.

I spoke with my cohort gardener and she said that to keep a ceramic container outside in a Minnesota winter, I must remove the dirt from the container and place the plants in a separate smaller cardboard liner. I added packing peanuts around the smaller container to keep the smaller liner stationary.

The end result is seasonal without the tinsel and bows that so often time are used in holiday decorating. I am inspired by the beauty of the outdoors. I try to decorate with natural materials as much as possible.

I also brought one of the smaller ceramic container inside to add a little holiday cheer to an entry way. I choose plants that are hardy and do well without a lot of sunlight or watering.

Clothing Boutique- Uptown, Minneapolis

We had the excitement of turning over a commercial space in just two days!

The clothing boutique called upon Opulent Interiors' design style to prepare for a re-grand opening celebration, complete with a full reggae band.

There were many challenges with this project. One of the biggest challenges was time constrains; we needed to work during non store hours.

We creatively and very strategically spent a small budget on projects that would create a large impact. We took inspiration from the stores' business card and implemented the logo throughout the boutique.

I am very pleased with the large custom sign as I feel it amplifies the stores style aesthetic.

****UPDATE****

The Boutique owner and I recently spoke and he mentioned he has seen a noticeable increase in his sales since the re-design.

Autumn Color Palette

I love creating environments for my clients to enjoy year round. I particularly, like these images of the condo space I designed that welcome Autumn's colors and crisp air. This condo's interior design transitions easily by simply adding seasonal accessories. The warm textured pillows and throw suggest that the home owner relax on the sofa with a warm beverage and book. As this home owner loves the outdoors, I brought nature's beauty inside as coffee table decor.

Statement Walls

I created a statement wall in my loft by using two bold paint colors and a simple paint treatment. The whole process was created in one afternoon.  Here are a few photos that demonstrate how effortless style can be when you take risks in your wall color choices.

I also layered a lot of textures in fabrics and home accessories.  It is fun to reinvent traditional ways art is displayed.  The woven footstool is actually a piece of art that I have from time to time hanging on my wall.  I also enjoy resting art against mirrors and on top of other larger pieces of art.

Enjoy!