bold design decisions Archives

Don’t be shy! Bring more life into your home and let your personality shine through.

Each year we see some new and interesting ideas emerge on how to liven interior spaces and make them one of a kind. The year 2021 has brought us a bunch of bold trends to take your space to the next level whether that be through architectural details, finish materials, custom furniture, unique installation, or use of color.

Architectural details are often easier to incorporate into a newly built home but nothing is stopping us from a little demolition. A great way to make a statement in your home is to create a focal point through either a monumental staircase or a fireplace. In this first picture, you can see the incorporation of both these trends in a way that is simplistic yet breathtaking. The key to creating a beautiful staircase is to find a unique railing that creates interest. This in combination with a harmonious mix of different materials such as the wood and metal shown here is bound to step up your staircase. As you can see it doesn’t take much effort to transform a fireplace. Bringing the fireplace wall up to the ceiling with just a simple stone or tile not only emphasizes a focal point but opens up the space and makes it feel larger.

Looking for change on a smaller scale? Something a little bit easier to tweak are finish materials. Things like hardware, paneling, wallpapers, paint, and tile. We made a bold move in this new guest bathroom shower by using two minimalistic yet contrasting tiles. The first tile above is your classic linear subway tile in a gray tone while the one below is a freeform pebble-shaped tile in white. Notice how that clean division of the two tiles draws your eye, it’s quite intriguing.

Finding the right piece of furniture to fit your space, your needs, and your personality isn’t always easy. We suggest considering a custom-built piece especially in areas where you spend a lot of time. Incorporating a custom piece of furniture into your home definitely shouts bold and unique whether it be a part of your foyer, kitchen, or office. Take a look at how a small area can be utilized by transforming it into an efficient workspace with a custom built-in desk. A black and white color contrast created with a Caesarstone quartz countertop is what took this desk to a whole new level.

Ever scrolling through social media and discover a design idea that just seems unreal, making you question if it’s even possible? Well, this next photo evokes those same feelings when we look at it. We created a client’s dream kitchen just through a unique installation of their stovetop. This quartz countertop was specifically designed and cut so that the stovetop burners could fit in like a glove making it appear completely seamless. This along with many other new installation processes are turning traditional ideas into bold moments.

Possibly the easiest way to a bold interior is through the use of color. Everyone has a color they adore and it’s totally okay to make that a statement in your space. Maybe you decide to use variations of the same hue such as red accompanied by other warm colors and placed upon a neutral background. Check out “The Many Sides of Red” blog on our page for some detailed information on the color red and how to use it in your home. But you don’t have to just single out a color and stick with it. What we recently began to see this year is the use of different bright and funky colors like yellow, turquoise, pink, green, and blue used altogether within the same areas. This in combination with interesting fabric patterns and abstract artwork creates these striking yet fascinating interior moments that we are living for.

But hold on! Bold moments aren’t always about what can be seen or felt but also the atmosphere that is created. Experimenting with scent is a less thought of way to make a statement in your space. This refreshing trend is one that never goes out of style. Try creating a signature scent for your home by using a mixture of different essential oils in a diffuser. We’ve included a scent recipe below to try out. No doubt your guests will be asking about it when they walk through the door.

Diffuser Blend Recipe

3 drops- Lavender

2 drops- Bergamot

2 drops- Geranium

1 drop- Majoram

1 drop- Citrus Fresh

1 drop- Frankincense

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Zen Spaces

This 2021 trend gives nods towards the growing popularity of plants, neutral shades, and minimalist design. When you combine these, you create a zen space. To really step up your zen, we suggest finding an affordable indoor water feature to help enhance the soothing atmosphere. Here’s a double feature one with candles! A popular hobby right now is the power of rocks, which can something fun to explore and they’ll look very cute on a windowsill. A zen space can be a room or just a corner you have. This will be different for everyone but just focus on decorating with items that give you peace and release stress.

Kalalou Set Of 3 Himalayan Salt Tea Light Holders

Himalayan Salt lamps are a staple in your zen area!

Like we said, even a free corner works!

Traveled Feels

Especially while stuck at home during quarantine, this is the perfect time to relive your traveling memories. If you haven’t traveled a lot or just don’t have mementos, don’t fret! You can always source items that inspire where you want to go. Ordering from small businesses in the towns you visited will make you feel like you were there again and will make a family smile!

Turn to places you dream of living at for inspiration on furnishing!

Look towards unique prints representing where you’ve been.

Vintage Bird digital collage sheet Old paper textures instant image 4

Vintage Bird collage is a fun, quirky idea for this trend

Statement Pieces

This trend is exactly what it sounds like, statement pieces! We love it when our clients decide on a bold, unique piece of furniture or artwork that really represents them. It is always a great conversation piece at gatherings too. We see a lot of bold statements in furniture, like a turquoise sectional, or a retro shaped coffee table. This trend can either be taken small, like some funky vases on a mantle, or bigger with an abstract lighting piece above the living area.

In a client’s bedroom, they went bold on this accent chair!

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Everything in this yells “statement.”

Currently obsessing the mix of patterns and color here!

“Grandmillenial”

Grandmillenial is an ode to traditional interiors while incorporating bold patterns and trendy colors. It is a rebellion against the minimalist, all-white everything obsession of the past couple of years. Patterned upholstery, busy wallpaper, and rich wood-tone furniture are the trademark in this blast to the past. But, of course, this generation is making it much more Instagrammable than your grandmother’s living room. This style is so full of personality and very versatile, it is bound to stay around for a while. Homeowners are free to choose the color palette; we love a room full of different shades of blue or picking an analogous color scheme with this trend. Using either of these tricks ensures you can choose a pattern that speaks to you while having a better chance of it all blending together. We are seeing some modern pieces of abstract art and structures incorporated as decor too to keep the area fresh and youthful.

A precious entryway scene!

Keeping it airy and traditional!

A fresh take on your grandmom’s sunroom.

Clean Surfaces

A clean home makes for a happy home, right? Especially going into this new year, we are more aware of the germs we come in contact with every day and how we can keep them out of our homes. But we don’t just mean clean surfaces from bacteria, we also mean clean sightlines. Hidden storage and geometric forms make these homeowners squeal on the inside. Often very modern designs, clean surfaces promote minimalist living with a luxurious feel.

We remodeled this staircase to have far sightlines to the massive window and pleasing symmetry!

IKEA, of course, is a great place to achieve the sleek Scandinavian look.

Sleek and Modern with reflective surfaces

Earthy Shades

Earthy shades have always been there, but now we are experimenting with them more. We know the used grays and beiges, now being replaced with navy and deep green. They are becoming the new “neutral.” This is from the unrefined feel they give a room by reflecting natural elements. These are perfect for calming bedroom presence or peaceful office space. It will help you feel connected to the Earth while inside. It also adds a subconscious splash of color that may highlight the appearance of a room, like putting a deeper color on a far wall to make it seems further. Be careful using these though, they work best in rooms that already get lots of sunlight. If that is a concern, choose a lighter clay color. Or we always love a millennial pink if you’re bold enough.

One of our latest projects, they wanted a relaxing, resort-like master remodel. We used navy, grey, and brass to bring in earthy tones.

Emerald is a growing trendy color

Urban Outfitters Light Brown Duvet Cover

Exposed Industrial

Exposed Industrial interiors have been trending for a while now, and we don’t see them going out of style any time soon. There are a lot of specific routes you can personalize with this overall theme too. Some may choose to pair exposed brick with white-was walls and sleek furniture. Others may emphasize the grunge and rustic characteristics with worn-in leather and exposed piping. A key characteristic of this style is the different contrasts space offers in color and texture. Either way, you can achieve the trademark New York apartment look with some brick, light wooden tones, and Edison bulb lighting. Accessorize with some bold artworks and sculptures that represent your personality for an individualized look and you’re good to go for entertaining friends in this chic space!

A recent favorite project of ours, modernizing industrial!

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Clean walls but raw concrete flooring

The Nordroom - A SoHo Loft with Exposed Brick and Subtle Color Touches

You can take it as modern as you want!

Abstract Placement

Abstract placement could be described as placing a piece of interesting furniture or artwork in a spot you wouldn’t at first think fits. This can be helpful in too-square rooms to help draw the eye in a certain direction and break up the mundane sightlines. An example of this could be a bright yellow circular ottoman against a rectangle sectional. Or a diagonal bed sitting out from the corner of a bedroom. If the space allows, this could help liven the room and create notable spaces for purposes.