Select the link above to read this recent Cincy Chic article by PC Design

Many styles are reworked every few decades.  Does the 80’s sound familiar?  Think; ruffled “Pirate” shirts (or Seinfeld’s “Puffy Shirt” episode).  What was popular 30 years ago…. is back again, in a more updated form.

The same goes with Designing around the Home.

Today’s popular home decorating style is Baroque.  According to Wikipedia…. Italian Baroque interior design refers to high-style furnishing and interior decorating carried out in Italy, during the Baroque period, which lasted from the early 17th to the mid 18th century.   Rococo (less commonly roccoco; pronounced /rəˈkoʊkoʊ/, /roʊkəˈkoʊ/) also referred to as “Late Baroque” is an 18th century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly more ornate, florid, and playful. Rococo rooms were designed as total works of art with elegant and ornate furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and  tapestry complementing architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings.

Modern, Baroque furnishings, design elements and accessories are available everywhere and you might even find that you have something in your home and didn’t know it.

Target, has a whole line DwellStudio at Target geared towards this style; affordable for everyone.

Rugs

Mirrors

Fabric

Lighting

Feminine Baroque

Create a soft feminine bedroom with this combination of Modern and antique Baroque style.

Traditional style Baroque Design

Traditional style Living Room with gilding and heavily ornate furnishings (characteristic of the Italian Baroque style)

Modern Style Baroque Design

Hard graphic prints designed with classic Baroque style and clean edges.

Baroque With a Southwest Flair

Mixing in traditional southwest colors with the classic yet simple Baroque style shown below.

For more information on this and any other style or design….

Contact PC Design llc or email pcdesign@mac.com.

Built-in, Custom and Free-standing bookcases are multi-functional pieces of furniture; and aren’t just for books anymore!

Bookcases anymore should be considered a visual piece of art unto themselves.  They create atmosphere, personality, contrast, and visual pleasure; amongst other things.

From wall mounted bookshelves

To Free-standing bookshelves

To Custom-built-in’s

Bookshelves give the ability to represent past, present and even….future.

They offer harmony to a room’s decor, character in an old home, and function in modern design.  Bookshelves can also act as a piece of ART…

Whether you color coordinate your books…

add a Modern Flair….

Incorporate…

Or use a traditional item…. in a non-traditional way.

Styles range from Modern…

To transitional…

To traditional…

You can use a bookshelf as a station for your home office.

As a piece of furniture to sit back and read.

In your Living Room as an entertainment storage bookcase with a 2-in-1 fabric cover/projection screen.

and…Bookshelves can be used to for traditional purposes such as displaying; art, photograph’s, collectibles, lighting and foliage.

For more information on how to incorporate bookcases into YOUR design…. Contact pcdesign@mac.com.

But the thing is, articulating your style is the key to creating a room that really reflects it. If this sounds esoteric, have no fear: We’ve have some simple steps to help you identify the look you crave, a few visual tutorials to make you a mini expert on design, and dozens of sources to let you shop your style and bring it home. So whether you’re overhauling a mishmash of furniture bit by bit or doing a rapid-fire redecoration, you’ll learn how to make great choices and get cohesive results that you’ll love.

3 STEPS TO NAMING YOUR STYLE

Decorating is an extension of your personal style, but so much better, because it comes without the concerns of sizing and fit. That should make it fun, but for a lot of us it’s incredibly stressful — a too-blank canvas that involves big commitments and potentially pricey mistakes. Aside from the money part, choosing a sofa is not all that different from picking a pair of shoes: It’s all about who you are and what you like on a gut level.

Finding your decorating groove depends on getting in touch with that;  We’ve created a plan geared toward home decorating. Here’s what to do.

1. Tour your home, and really look at your furniture.

With a pad in hand, walk from room to room examining your belongings and make two truthful lists: “Love It” and “Wish I Could Replace It.  Catalog everything you can, including art — and be real, even if it’s difficult.  It’s all based on how things make you feel. Maybe you come across a piece of art that bugs you, but you’ve kept it around because it was your grandmother’s. Pay attention to that — and categorize accordingly.  You can also photograph the room, print out a copy of the photo and cross out what you don’t like and circle what you do.  You can think of that photo, as a bouncing off point and use it as reference when shopping or getting advice.

2. Pull together small items you love, including clothes.

Check the top of your dresser, your mantel, your bookshelves, your china cabinet. Sift through collections and mementos. Make a pile of favorites on your bed. Then pull special clothes from your closet. Focus on the items that make you feel beautiful and joyful, the ones that inspire you to stand tall. Take the same eye to your jewelry and accessories.  Open your closet doors and see what colors pop out the most.  You can see which color dominates and use that as a reference point for the “colors” that you are drawn to.

3. Tap your memory and your imagination.

Get comfortable, then close your eyes and think about places you love to be and why you love them — from a local cafe to a faraway beach. Recall paintings, movies, and books that have stuck with you for some reason. Then go into fantasy mode.  Imagine that real-world constraints don’t apply.  Picture your dream home. If you could live anywhere in the world, would you choose a loft in New York? An English manor? A tree house in the tropics?  Then think outside of home:  If you were invited to the Oscars, what would you wear? Include jewelry and shoes.  This moves you beyond the limitations of your own lifestyle and budget and into a new realm of creativity. Jot down your answers.

Now for the hard part. Look for common threads — design, colors, shapes, materials, vibe — among the things you love. You may find yourself attracted to a blend of styles rather than just one. Notice which features appeal to you and which don’t. This will help you translate your taste into smart decorating choices.

4.  When all else fails, call an Interior Designer.

“Style Samples”

SOPHISTICATED CLASSIC

An elegant blend of refined traditional furniture, jewelry-like accessories, and pale hues. Patrician old-world elements pair with cleaner Art Deco shapes. The look evokes a more formal lifestyle. Think Grace Kelly, Tiffany & Co., and Charlotte  from “Sex and the City”.

FEATURES
 Delicate furniture pieces with feminine lines and tapered legs.
 A palette of neutrals and soft colors.
 Grand chandeliers.
 Luxurious fabrics, like silk and velvet.
 Rich dark woods with polished veneers.
 Luxe accent materials, including metal, marble, and glass.
 Symmetrical floor plans.

COZY CASUAL

A warm, traditional look made for relaxing with family and friends. Draws on English and early-American furniture designs, as well as laid-back country, cottage, and farmhouse styles. Weathered, low-maintenance furnishings are easy, inviting, and built for daily life. Think golden retrievers, fuzzy slippers, and just about any movie by Nancy Meyers.

FEATURES

 Plush upholstery, often slip-covered, with roll or square arms and skirts or ball feet.
 Indestructible tables with turned legs, trestles, or substantial pedestal bases.
 Warm wood tones with rustic or distressed finishes.
 Natural fabrics, like cotton and wool.
 Solid textiles, simple stripes, or unfussy floral’s in muted colors.

MODERN GRAPHIC

A fresh, fun, contemporary look that combines urban styling (imagine a downtown loft) with edgy, colorful elements and mid-century design. Simple furniture forms balance out bold accents and patterns. Think the Museum of Modern Art, Frank Lloyd Wright, a Rubik’s Cube.

FEATURES

 Furniture with clean lines and no extra adornment.
 Blocks of saturated color.
 Boxy upholstery with plain legs or skirt-less bases.
 Lacquered finishes and a mix of woods, both light (birch, oak) and dark (walnut, mahogany).
 Geometric or abstract patterns and Pop Art–inspired accessories.

VINTAGE ECLECTIC

A rich, layered look combining flea-market finds, furniture designs from various time periods (including Victorian pieces and 18th-century French styles), and a diverse collection of accessories and artwork. Dusty colors, timeworn or handmade textiles, and collected objects create a lived-in feel. Think Paris flea markets, Granny’s teacups, the film Grey Gardens.

FEATURES
 Furniture with shapely, feminine silhouettes, intricate detailing, and weathered finishes.
 Jewel tones mixed with washed-out, chalky shades.
 Antique and vintage elements interspersed with newer, offbeat items.
 A varied mix of fabrics (on pillows, upholstery, and window treatments), including Jacquards, paisleys, ethnic tapestries, folk motifs, botanicals, and florals.
 Crystal chandeliers and embellished lamps.
 Abundant art and decorative accents on walls and surfaces.

For more information regarding these and other styles, contact pcdesign@mac.com.

]]> http://www.affordableinteriordesigners.com/blog/2010/04/22/define-your-style/feed/ 1 http://www.affordableinteriordesigners.com/blog/2010/03/01/ebates/ http://www.affordableinteriordesigners.com/blog/2010/03/01/ebates/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:40:48 +0000 PC Design http://www.affordableinteriordesigners.com/blog/?p=939 I’m going to stray from my TYPICAL Design Blog this week and let you in on a little internet secret called “EBATES“… If you don’t already know about it!

I’m a huge fan of saving money for my clients…. as well as myself.

I fell upon Ebates a couple of years ago and fell in love.  I purchase everything through this site, that links to other sites and gives you great cash back offers as well as a significant discounts through those direct sites.

Plain & Simple….. I love this site!

I’m not going to give you copies of my checks, a run-down of my personal account, or a in-depth explanation of how this works… JUST THAT IT DOES!

Click here to check out Ebates on your own

Here are some examples of “Cash Back” offers (that are a percentage of your purchase….

Barnes & Noble: 8% Cash Back

Ace Hardware: 5% Cash Back

Art.com: 8% Cash Back

Brookstone: 6% Cash Back

Choice Hotels: 5% Cash Back

Design within Reach: 3% Cash Back

DSW: 6% Cash Back

Famous Footwear: 9% Cash Back

Lamps Plus: 6% Cash Back

Magazines.com: 21% Cash Back

PetCareRx: 12% Cash Back

Restaurant.com: 15% Cash Back

Snapfish: 7.5% Cash Back

Starbucks: 2.5-7.5% Cash Back

Walgreens: 4% Cash Back

These are places that people shop on a regular basis; and these aren’t even some of the biggest “Cash Back” offers.  I use this when I purchase items for my clients (Art.com, Blinds.com), when I’m ordering business marketing materials through Vistaprint, and even when I’m ordering my little dog “Ollie’s” grooming items.

I have recommended this site to numerous friends and clients (and yes, I get a referral credit) who have been so grateful just to save money on items they HAVE to purchase.  It also encourages them to feel better when spending their money, knowing they are getting a “deal” in return.

Taken From the Ebates site:

Here’s How it Works:

Shop through Ebates, and earn up to 25% cash back at your favorite stores. How? Our stores pay us a fee when you shop. We then share the fee directly with you – it’s just that simple.

Incredible deals don’t end with cash back. We hunt down cut-rate coupons and exclusive offers plus amazing deals on hot products. Unlike any other savings site on the internet, you can layer the deals. Save big by using coupons and getting cash back at the same time! With deal layering, you really stack up the savings.

Best of all, we never charge a membership fee or require mail-in rebate forms. We just send you your cash, no strings attached.

Purchases you make at Ebates stores are only credited if you start your shopping session at Ebates.com or another Ebates service (like the Ebates toolbar) and click to a store via an Ebates link. As much as we’d like to give you cash back even if you do not start shopping via an Ebates link, we have no way of proving you are our member to the store without your click.

If you click through Ebates and make a purchase, then surf elsewhere on the Web and return to that store and make a second purchase, your second purchase will not earn a cash back reward. (You must click through an Ebates link every time you shop at a store site.) If you use multiple windows on your browser, the window in which you shop at the store must have come from an Ebates link.

Spread the word! Tell your friends and family about how easy it is to save big by shopping through Ebates. When someone you refer makes their first qualified purchase, we’ll reward both of you!. Please remember we only allow one account per person, so you can’t refer yourself. Go to our Tell-A-Friend Page for further information.

Every 3 months, we send you a cash back payment for purchases posted during the previous quarter based on the schedule below. But if you’ve earned less than $5.01 cash back, we’ll carry over your money to the next check. Bonus Rewards do not count toward the $5.01 minimum. The term “Bonus Rewards” includes monies earned as a Sign-up Reward or Tell-A-Friend Bonus.

Ebates offers several ways to receive payment and is constantly working on ways to pay you faster. Visit My Ebates to view your cash back setting or go to Cash Back Method to change your setting. Note that you must sign-in to change your cash back method.

Purchases Posted Between	Big Fat Check Sent
Jan 1-Mar 31	May 15
Apr 1-June 30	Aug 15
July 1-Sept 30	Nov 15
Oct 1-Dec 31	Feb 15

If you still aren’t convinced…. then I’m convinced, you don’t like to save money.  For those of you who need the last push to check it out…… Here is the link:

EBATES.COM

**HAPPY SHOPPING!

Too often, little thought is given to a ceiling’s contribution to the overall room design, which is typically just coated in some ubiquitous white paint.

Look at your ceilings from a new perspective. Color, sheen, pattern, and texture (not the stipple or popcorn texture that contractor’s use because they are too lazy to finish a ceiling properly) on the ceiling can transform the entire look and feel of a room.

Create a warm… cozy environment…

If you have a large room with high ceilings, consider using a darker, deeper color up there.  Use this theory if you have a lot of darker furniture and need to balance out the “bottom” of the room – considered the floor, with the top, so it creates a balanced effect.Take a look at all the furniture that occupies the floor and the fact that there is nothing to draw your eye upwards.  By creating a darker ceiling effect, you are giving your eye a smooth transition from top to bottom.

Adding Jewelry….

Most women won’t leave the house without their “face” on.  Why would you leave the ceiling, or the “5th wall” bare as well?  Just because the 5th wall is located up from the other’s doesn’t make it any less important.  Remember…. you want to consider the whole room from TOP to bottom!

When you add a chandelier, think about adding architectural details around like a double crown moulding,

or add a ceiling medallion situated around the chandelier mount that is proportionate to the size of the chandelier and the room.

Keep in mind that these can be painted to match or coordinate as well.

Try using a a glaze mixed with the ceiling paint.

You can create a metallic/pearlescent finish and a nice design element by adding this to the paint and a little bit of “Sheen” to the ceiling as well (which will also draw your eye upward).

Plaster is also something you could add,  but consult a professional before trying this yourself, the experiment could turn out horribly wrong if not applied correctly.

Some other options:

Wallpaper

Tin

Fabric

Mirrors (venetian, colored, distorted)

Sink faucets have come a long way in recent years. Current models offer detachable sprayers, hidden soap or lotion dispensers and touch-sensitive, knob-free operation. Faucets also come in a wide variety of finishes and styles, from formal Victorian to ultra modern, making it easy to coordinate the faucet with your home’s decor.

Painting your existing cabinets is an inexpensive update that even a newbie DIYer can handle. Some sandpaper, paintbrushes and a few gallons of primer and paint are all you need to give your kitchen a fresh, new look.

Every kitchen could use more storage. This cleverly concealed drawer provides the perfect place to keep cooking necessities within easy reach of the stove. Built-in storage like this can be a costly addition. To keep costs down, check your local hardware store for pull-out storage kits and drawer organizers that will fit your existing cabinets.

In addition to improving the overall look, the right lighting also makes a kitchen more functional and appear larger. Brighten up by adding under-counter illumination, task lighting above work surfaces and ambient lighting, such as recessed lights. This kitchen uses all three to great effect.

Adding a tile backsplash, even trendy glass tile, is a relatively simple DIY project. Many home improvement and tile supply stores offer free, hands-on classes to teach you the basics.

New flooring can change the feel of your kitchen. Hardwoods lend a warm, traditional look while natural stone, such as marble or travertine, adds a polished vibe. This kitchen mixes the two for a modern finish.

An island provides additional cabinets, a handy location for a sink or stove and the perfect spot for a casual meal or keeping an eye on the kids while they finish up homework. This cottage-style kitchen beautifully combines vintage-style details with a modern, open-concept layout.

Appliances are more than just your kitchen’s workhorse, they also add to the overall look. Professional-grade stainless steel continues to be the most desirable. Also hot are retro-look appliances from the ’20s – ’50s.

Replacing the kitchen cabinets offers a great opportunity to customize them based on your lifestyle. This built-in hutch and buffet provides an attractive space for displaying treasured dishware in the glass-front cabinets while the countertop below can be used as a buffet when entertaining.

If your budget allows, a complete kitchen remodel is the way to go. New flooring, electrical, cabinets and plumbing allows the opportunity to create a more functional layout. Although it can be costly, removing walls separating the kitchen from adjacent living spaces is a popular option for those desiring an open floor plan.

http://www.hgtv.com/kitchens/kitchen-updates-for-any-budget/pictures/index.html?nl=HGDeco_v065_60

To read more stories related to this article by HGTV.