This antique shop in Yangon, Myanmar has an inviting and exotic feel. When looking for ideas for your own decorating plans, spend some time walking through stores that you enjoy. You may be surprised at the ideas they give you.

This shop nicely balances modern and old, exotic and familiar, to make a whole that invites attention while creating interest.

To start, let’s look at the flooring. A mid-tone wood parquet floor fits the antique pieces while still serving as a comfortable backdrop to the space. When furniture and art are complex, choosing a simple floor pattern in a material that supports the age of the elements in the room keeps the space integrated.

The walls are painted a warm cream that allows the art to stand at center stage. To provide a setting that helps show off older oils, the black screen with a natural wood frame sets the pictures at an advantage. Art can handle a dark wall as long as the framing and the art itself has enough light. Notice that the darker unframed pieces are placed on the cream wall.

The luxurious Oriental rug ties everything in the room together. Additional splashes of red throughout the room connect the corners with the rest of the space. The right rug can really make a room reflect a certain style. In this case the antique Oriental piece fits perfectly with the rich selection of antiques.

Of course this is a store, and so it has an overabundance of pieces with personality. In your home, just a few elements, some related art and a coordinating rug and you will be able to recreate the same mood.

Even a very small kitchen can be truly charming if you take chances with your design. This kitchen uses splashes of color to invigorate the small space.

It may seem daring to use red for the cabinets, but that choice sets the mood for the room. All of the other colors come from accessories and art. The extensive use of white minimizes the strong impact of the red and makes this small space feel larger.

The rectangular space just above the sink is brightened by the row of greenery in water. Using matching vases turns the area from just a row of plants to art. If you want to have plants in your home or even grow herbs in your kitchen, look for matching containers with a nice design aesthetic to create three-dimensional art as well as an inside garden.

The dark wood floor fits well with the kitchen’s design and would also work with any contemporary space. Keeping the floor consistent in an open floor plan such as this one makes the entire space feel larger.

Notice how the stainless steel finish on the sink echoes on the square stainless steel tube outlining the boundaries of the kitchen and the metallic tile covering the lower part of the island. The bar-height snack chairs and wastebasket also sport that stainless sheen. When space is small, repeating colors or textures helps keep it cohesive without getting too busy.

Do you have a small kitchen opening out into the rest of your living space? What have you done to help it stand out and become an appealing place to make dinner?

“The shortest way to Paradise is the stairway to the wine cellar for good wine raises one’s spirits…” – Jacques Chevignard of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin

A wine cellar in your home is a must for wine enthusiasts and aficionados alike. When you are ready to move up from a wine fridge and wine rack, designing an upscale wine cellar for your home is the next step.  High end custom wine cellars are modeled from the ancient cellars of Europe and feature architectural details and inspiration from Europe as well as Napa.

An upscale wine cellar should be custom built for the space it occupies. Whether this is a walk in closet or corner of the basement, the wine cellar should be climate controlled for optimal storage. Custom wine storage racks as well as tasting tables and seating, if the cellar is large enough, can be designed to fit the décor of the rest of the home.  French, Tuscan, Spanish and German wine regions can provide European inspiration. Or for a California style home, Napa style that has a Tuscan flair would be ideal.

If a basement isn’t a possible location for an upscale wine cellar, a bedroom or large walk in closet could be converted to wine storage.  Stone floors and architectural details like crown molding and arches along with custom bottle storage make this cellar top notch.  Lighting is just as important in an upscale cellar as in any other room.  Lighting on dimmer switches can highlight bottles for easy locating as well as create dramatic lighting moods.  As with a basement wine cellar, climate and light control are important technical issues in the design of the wine cellar.

Open floor plans continue to be the popular choice for new homes and renovations. Opening up walls so that kitchen, living room and dining room flow into one another or occupy one large space can make these areas feel larger and more functional.  Choosing colors for the open floor plan can present a challenge that traditional floor plans do not encounter. Is an open floor plan one space or is each zone seen as a separate area within the open space?  Color and most importantly, paint can help delineate or blur the lines in an open floor plan.

When an open floor plan includes the kitchen, there are many color choices to be made, including stone, tile, counter material, backsplash and appliances.  As seen in this French-inspired open floor plan kitchen and family room, a monochrome color palette unifies the space. A warm cream ranging into yellows and tans makes the entire room feel cohesive, despite the disparate functions.  The color allows the two areas to seamlessly blend into one another.

A single color on the walls of an open floor plan can also unify the space. Painting the dining area in this open floor plan room would separate the dining area and make it feel more like its own space. Not only do wall colors flow throughout an open floor plan, but furniture and accessories should share a common palette in an open floor plan.

When choosing colors for the open floor plan home, consider the new neutrals like gray, blue and green. Vary shades throughout the space for a monochromatic palette or carry one color through the open floor plan to tie the various functional spaces together.  Come visit  one of our showrooms and see how we can help create the perfect color palette for your home!

Would you like to live in the time of Hollywood in its heyday, with people like Loren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn gracing your parties? Well, that is no longer possible, but you can create a room with that long-ago glamour.

Take a look at this room and its approach to décor. Basic black combines with white for the patterns in the space – all of them large florals.

To keep to that black and white theme, the floor is primarily white tile with some darker tones added for personality. The area rug also has a black and white floral pattern, shown off by the glass-topped coffee table. The black loveseat provides drama and a background for two black and silver throw pillows.

Silver comes in on the buffet, with old-style candlesticks and a bowl. More modern picture frames and small tables are covered in silver leaf to carry that theme further. Then crystal steps in with a dramatic column of beads lit from underneath, adding sparkle throughout the room. Notice also the glass room separator etched with white in a large design. This is not expensive, but it adds drama and style.

If you want to add glamour to one of your rooms, never underestimate the power of silver. Lighter and brighter than yellow metals, it’s the perfect connection between white and black, as this photo shows. Throw in a few crystal elements, and before you know it you have a place that Lauren and Katherine might have enjoyed.

This is an unusual kitchen thanks to a designer who looked beyond the traditional to create something that really works with this home.

Although the space is limited, imagination wasn’t. A number of decisions open up the room and make it a practical and inviting cooking area.

The most important addition comes from the light provided by the large window along the wall that houses the sink. Add to that the openings on the other three sides and you have a kitchen that feels connected to every common living area in the house.

The next smart decision was limiting the upper cabinets to two extra-tall glass-surrounded areas. Although you need a stepladder to get to the top shelves, it’s worth it when you look at the view and counter access gained. The rounded counter to the right is deep enough to provide a snack bar and extra space for large cooking or baking projects.

Long cylinder shapes from the range hood and two yellow light fixtures link the ceiling with the kitchen itself while adding almost sculptural elements to the space. The floor is a delightful pattern that echoes the shapes and colors of the rest of the room.

Everything works together to create a kitchen that would be a joy to work in and fun for entertaining too. This room demonstrates that good design can overcome a limited space.

The strongest player in this room’s design is the light. Thanks to the shutters, the room feels light-filled without any glare. Instead, soft shadows make corners and accessories more interesting while still allowing the room to retain its spring/summer style.

This lovely corner creates a mood of soft comfort. The white-on-white choice for chair, walls, shelves and shutters is an open and undemanding palette for the space. Light yellow-green carries its color role well, creating a cool environment.

There are just a few additional touches of color. The pewter-shaded oval labels on each corner shelf add a touch of French style to the space, while the turquoise-colored box makes a simple modern statement. Altogether, this design invites you to pull up that chair and enjoy the day.

The adjustable louvered shutters enable you to appreciate the benefits of a window at any time of the day. By moving the louvers to adapt to the sunlight, you can maximize light and privacy while minimizing glare.

Are you ready to make choices about new window coverings in your home? Possibly you’ve grown tired of what you have, or maybe you’re still dealing with sheets covering windows in a new home. Take the time to look at shutters. The simple design suits both modern and more old-style tastes, and there are a rich variety of colors and materials. Custom shutters work on any window shape or size. Visit our showroom and one of our salespeople will share insights into how shutters can make a difference in your home.

Wouldn’t you like to sit and enjoy the sunset in this outdoor space? What is it that makes this spot so inviting? It’s more than the view; it’s about planning your outside space with the same attention you give to the inside your home.

The foundation of the space comes from the defining flooring. As you move under the cover, the surface changes from a large rectangular stone surface to a mosaic of smaller lean rectangles in a variety of stone types, creating the impression of a rug. The powerful personality of this flooring sets off the main entertainment area immediately.

The next choice with impact comes from the lighting. Sconces and a couple of table lamps provide a rich and cozy tableau. The star of the lighting show, however, is the chandelier over the outdoor dining table. Its crystalline structure sends an abstract pattern of light onto the ceiling, drawing the eye to the table from every corner of the patio.

With today’s amazing selection of materials designed to handle the weather, a patio can look like an indoor setting with just a little thought. The patio structure would keep the pieces away from the worst of the weather, allowing even more design flexibility. From the dramatic carved southwest-style dining chairs to the patterned sectional sofa in the background, this space provides the view and atmosphere you can only get outdoors with the comfort you expect when inside the home.

Making your outdoor space special and stylish is about the right setting and the right furnishings. Consider both as you plan your outdoor entertaining.

This stairway’s personality owes a lot to the tile decorating the risers. By choosing two different patterns that coordinate in color and style, the stairway has added charm at a minimal cost and effort.

Do you have a staircase, or even a few steps, in your home that could stand some additional interest? This simple solution provides color, style and a unique look. Because of tile’s tolerance for weather, you can reproduce this look both inside and outside your home.

Start by visiting our tile showroom to determine the color and style of tile that would work best for your home. If you have tile or stone floors already, look for riser selections that will complement your home. Because of the small amount of area to be covered, this is an opportunity to choose more expensive tile or stone without going over your budget.

If you are adding tile risers in a less formal area of your home such as a patio, you might want to be even more daring by choosing different styles of tile for each riser. By staying with the same style and color family, you can add interest to a previously unimportant area by adding a few tiles.

This concept can be extended beyond staircases. If you have built-in benches or planters on a patio, adding decorative tiles under the seats or outlining the edges can add style to your outdoor space. In a small entryway, replacing baseboards with decorative tiles that relate to its flooring or other design elements can help integrate the space.

Think beyond the horizontal with tile, and you may be surprised at the places they can spark up your home.