If Downton Abbey still has you in its grips, you will love this next #BlogTourNYC Sponsor!  England-based Barber Wilsons & Co. is a creator of fine plumbing fixtures in gorgeous traditional British style.

Barber Wilsons & Co.’s luxury plumbing fixtures are designed for everything from kitchen and bathroom sinks to showers, tubs, and bidets, all in a variety of traditional designs.  To complete the collection, they also have accessories like lever handles and bath plugs to match.  One of their finest features is a Mastercraft styled thermostatic shower valve, which provides the ultimate control over your shower’s temperature.

This company is the oldest water fittings company in the UK, having been around for more than a hundred years.  They have had plenty of time to perfect their craft and design plumbing fixtures fit for a queen– literally!

In addition to a long and prestigious history, Barber Wilsons & Co. holds a Royal warrant from Her Majesty the Queen of England for at least five years of supplying superb goods or services to her.  The tradition of Royal warrants has been around since the Middle Ages to formally recognize excellent service to the Royal family, and it has very strict guidelines that must be met in order for a business to achieve and keep such an honor.

If you love the traditional style and want fixtures fit for a queen, incorporate these exquisite fittings from Barber Wilsons & Co. into your next bathroom renovation project.  Share your thoughts on these beautiful fittings in the comments below!

Image 1: Barber Wilsons & Co.

Image  2:  Elle Decor

Image 3: Modenus

Stay Inspired!

Home renovations that focus on the kitchen are a favorite among homeowners, and the kitchen is often cited as an area of the home in need of a makeover -both for function and aesthetics.  One way to add style and function to your kitchen is incorporating a large, multi-purpose island to the space. With an endless array of designs and kitchen layouts a large island will instantly improve the overall function of your home’s hub.

• The Everything Island: I really love large islands that serve as the focal point of the kitchen. You can include the sink, counter space, wine storage or microwave if space allows.  Add a few stools and you have the ideal breakfast bar. It adds a distinctive look to a kitchen and welcomes everyone to join in on the fun.

• Plan Appliance Locations Thoughtfully: Managing the traffic flow throughout a busy kitchen requires some careful planning. Space the work triangle so that appliances have ample clearance when open, never open into each other and the cooks have enough space to work side by side.

• Cookbook Storage: If you love to cook like I do, open shelves are a great place to store cookbooks and other kitchen miscellany within easy reach. They will also add some great character and color to the kitchen area.

• Lighting: For a more elegant touch, add glass doors and recess lighting to your island’s cabinetry. This is the ideal spot to display your favorite dishes and highlight your colorful pottery collection.  Multiple layers of  lights are both functional and mood provoking so add dimmers to those light sources.

When designing your kitchen and the island, think about how you really use this room, and how you can maximize the space – and make your island work for you. Are you contemplating a renovation for your kitchen?  I am always hear to help! Connect with me via Facebook or contact me via Interior Makeovers, Inc.

Stay Inspired!

Photo Credits:

Lori Gilder

Ok…. so for the past few weeks I’ve been dying to share a secret.

I have been invited by Modenus along with 13 other designers/ bloggers to join BlogTourNYC next month…and I’m beyond excited!

I am so honored to be among such an amazingly talented group of designers and writers. This is the 2nd year that BlogTour will be gracing the streets of New York and this time I’m one of the lucky ones, invited by Modenus, to visit my favorite City and share all the design festivities with you.  From the Architectural Digest Home Design Show – to various design tours and hip cocktail parties, I will tweet, post, instagram and pin my way through Manhattan keeping you plugged in to #BlogTourNYC with a daily dose of what’s new and fabulous on the New York Design Scene!

I’m also looking forward to meeting this talented group, and making some new friends from the US, Canada and from “across the pond”.

So here we are from L to R:

1. Kate Watson-Smyth: Mad About the House  2. Zoe Brewer: MyInteriorStylist.com  3. Mike Welton: Architectsandartisans.com

4. Irene Turner: Little Bits of Beauty   5. Emily Blunden: Atticus and Finch  6. Marie-Louise Munter: Miss Design Says

7. Gem Barton: GemBarton.com  8. Ricarda Nieswandt: 23qm Stil   9. Lisa Goulet: Lisa Goulet Design

10. Michael Ryan: Michael Ryan Design  11. Louisa Blackmore: West Egg Blog  12. Heather Jenkinson: Living in a Pretty How Town

13. Desiree Groenedal: Vosgesparis   14…..and me Lori Gilder: DiaryofaRenovation.com

Stay Inspired!

Whether you are planning on wearing them or decorating with them, there is no doubt that stripes make a statement. Using stripes in your interiors presents some incredible opportunities to develop personality and a rich style to a room that would otherwise be viewed as …. mediocre. Stripes can be fun, bold, colorful, and create the illusion of volume and space.

Consider the following for some great interior design inspiration:

1. Use the direction of the stripes, whether horizontal or vertical, to bring attention to items in the room.
2. Stripes bring a feeling of order to a space, compliment this with with solid colors in a geometric method around the stripes.
3. Choosing the right direction of the stripes can make a room appear longer, shorter, taller or smaller.
4. The width of the stripes that you use will also make a big impact on the appearance of the room. Keep proportion in mind….introduce finer stripes in a quaint spaces and beefier lines in more spacious environments. The visual effect created by this pairing results in a bold texture that is stimulating.  
5. Blend stripes on stripes with solids and floral patterns to add more layering and interest to the room.
6. Be selective in the colors that you choose to place. Bright colors will often mute anything else they are near, while dilute colors will make a less bold and more elegant mood.
7. Stripes make an excellent accent to any room and any design style – whether classic, traditional or coastal interiors, consider adding a simple cushion on a bench, or chair slip cover.

If you love the playfulness that can be achieved with the use of stripes but are uncertain of how to make it work for you, I’d be happy to help you design your space.  Just contact me at Interior Makeovers, Inc. for more information!

Photo Credits:

1.) House Beautiful

2.) Elle Decor

3.) Elle Decor

4.) Country Living

I love nature. The natural world provides comfort, relaxation, and a measure of peace. Live plants can bring some of the health benefits and beauty of nature into your home, where you can enjoy the feeling of a spring day even if it’s snowing a blizzard outside. To get the maximum benefit of using live plants as part of your interior design, follow these tips.

Health Benefits of Plants 

Using live plants as part of your decor can help make your home a healthy one. Live plants produce oxygen and help purify the air. Though nobody in my house suffers from breathing problems, some of us do get headaches, and we like having clean air without a noisy filter system. Live plants are also beautiful and peaceful, so they help relieve stress.

Tips for Designing with Plants

Integrating built-in planters within the home creates instant architecture and works with many design styles.  Hanging plants can also create a focal point that sets off a dining space, where a small interior tree can fill an empty corner. Add some lighting from over head or ground up – to accent these plants and trees for some extra drama! Think of terrariums scattered on a dining table or architectural bamboo trees for a sculptural element.

Safety Tips

If you have pets at home, be careful about which plants you introduce. Many are toxic, and you want to try and avoid those if you have pets and small children. Do a little research before you invest and get the right ones for you.

I would love to help you find creative ways to design with live plants in your home.  Contact me at Interior Makeovers, Inc. by calling 310-788-0990 for help with your interior design.

Photo Credits:

1.) House Beautiful

2.) Decoist

3.) Shelterness

4.)

5.) Houzz

If your bathroom is feeling cramped and humdrum, there’s a simple way to add space and style to the area: replace your old tub with an exquisite free standing tub!  I love the drama that free standing tubs bring to a bathroom.  They add an air of  sophistication and elegance and creates an immediate focal point within the room, as if it were a piece of sculpture.

Why Free Standing?
A drop-in or under mount tub built in to a decking is somewhat expected these days, and at times can feel more like a functional fixture than something that is supposed to be comfortable. A free standing tub gives the appearance of a more spacious bathroom and the variety of unique designs available will enhance any style of master bath.

What Type of Tub Should You Choose?
Select a tub that has a unique style that fits your taste and design sensibility. For a lighter and more classic environment, consider a claw foot tub which elevates it off the floor slightly. There are no shortage of styles – from traditional, transitional and contemporary, these functional art pieces are available in a variety of different shapes, finishes and sizes.

I would love to help you create a unique bathroom design by using a free standing tub. For more interior design inspiration, please contact me at Interior Makeovers, Inc. by calling 310-788-0990.

Photo Credits:

1.) Leslie Fine Interiors

2.)Decoist

3.) House Beautiful

4.) Architectural Digest

In our last World Tour of Design, we explored the rich and warm aesthetic of Kenyan design.  Since I still find myself occasionally slipping into a British accent thanks to my recent Downton Abbey binge, I’d like to take this World Tour of Design to England.

We have been translating the British aesthetic in the U.S. from our very beginning, giving it an American twist, but classic English decor and architecture still remains as sophisticated and elegant as afternoon tea and biscuits, providing us with plenty of interior design inspiration.

English design, influenced by the Italian and French during the 17^thand 18^th centuries, can be simplified into two major styles: Victorian and English Country. The Victorian style came about as a new wealthy class developed in urban settings due to the Industrial Revolution, and the English Country style was born on large country estates for the landed gentry of that era.

The opulence and drama of Victorian décor calls for bold colors in living rooms and bedrooms. Dining rooms and libraries can go lighter, but they could feature special paint finishes or highlighting textures. Victorian walls are papered in primary florals or earth-toned leaf patterns. Extravagant furniture pieces feature ornate French-influenced scrolls and curved edges or the overstuffed styles inspired by British Eastern colonies.

Comfortable, classic English Country design features dark, autumnal colors that mimic the rich shades of a bountiful harvest, along with wallpaper in intricate floral patterns inspired by an English garden. Create that lived-in look with overstuffed furnishings, brass accents and your favorite collectibles for a slightly more curated interior with a lot of character. Traditional wooden bookcases filled to the brim with books, a cheerful fireplace, and a large leather sofa should give the room a sense of coziness.

For more interior design inspiration or help infusing English Country charm or Victorian opulence into your home, contact me or call 310-788-0990 at Interior Makeovers Inc. I’d love to hear from you!

Photo Credits:

1.) Pinterest

2.) Country Living

One of my favorite things about starting a new year is the influx of new design ideas and trends that come with it.  It’s refreshing to have a wave of fresh inspiration at the beginning of the year, especially when designing a room as popular and important as the kitchen. Luckily, 2013 promises to be another exciting year for kitchen design trends.

There’s been a shift in cultural priorities toward materials and design elements that stand the test of time, so more neutral colors and tones maintain their popularity in kitchen design – particularly on the big ticket items like cabinetry and countertops.  The blending of these neutral tones with varied woods, laminates, glass, metals, stones, even leather and crystal – gives the homeowner an opportunity to showcase their personal design style.   The kitchen is your family’s core……so when you re-design it – think of it as your canvas in which you build the base, then add these layers one by one.

The practical aspects 2013 kitchen design continue with clean lines and modern styling, but with some added warmth from touches of classic country style design.  Kitchens continue to be a part of the popular open floor plan design of homes – where clean lines and warm neutrals help to emphasize the open feeling.

A touch of luxury returns to the trending kitchen features in the high performance appliance choices among homeowners.  It could be due to the continued surge of interest in healthy living and eating or those Food Network cooking shows that we can’t get enough of.

When it comes to appliances, gourmet cooking features are still topping the list with a focus on technological innovation, speed and efficiency.  From the induction cooktop, steam ovens and refrigerator drawers integrating these appliances seamlessly into the cabinetry is a European trend that has finally made its way here.

This is THE year to give yourself the gourmet kitchen you’ve always dreamed of.  I would love to help you design your new kitchen; just contact me at Interior Makeovers Inc. by calling 310-788-0990.

Stay Inspired!

Photo Credits:

1.) HGTV

2.) Houzz

3.) Houzz

The past year has been an exciting one for home design, but now that we’ve ushered in a new year it’s time to take a look at the most popular trends for this year.  Home design trends for 2013 are building on many of those established in 2012, like open floor plans and energy-efficient design, with an overall attitude shifting toward easy, simple living with low-maintenance materials and streamlined design.  Take a look at which home design trends reign supreme:

Outdoor Living Spaces

Outdoor living spaces continue to be popular in 2013, with seamless transitions from interior to exterior spaces.  Outdoor spaces feature everything from cozy seating, entertainment systems, fireplaces or fire pits, to full outdoor gourmet kitchens.  Why not extend the summer  for as long as you can and implement a few of these luxuries into your backyard space?

Finished Basements and Attic Spaces

Developing an unfinished basement or attic is fast becoming a smart and sensible remodeling project. Renovating and finishing undeveloped space that already exists in your home, instantly increases your home’s square footage and its overall value! When craving that extra space it makes good sense to finish these undeveloped rooms rather than adding onto the home. Basements and attics are ideal spaces for creating media rooms, offices, studios, or that much needed extra bedroom.

Open Floor Plans

The open floor plan is a trend that is here to stay. It has been increasingly popular over that past few years and will continue well on into 2013 and beyond.  Open spaces floods natural light throughout your home, facilitates conversation between rooms. allows for greater flexibility in the use of adjacent spaces and makes your home feel that much larger. If you don’t currently have an open floor plan, consider removing a wall or two to improve the flow.  You’ll be glad you did!

Energy Efficiency and Improved Air Quality

Energy efficient home building continues to grow in popularity, allowing home owners to live more comfortably and save money.  Consider replacing old windows, furnaces, and water heaters with new energy efficient models and incorporating automated systems to continue improving the efficiency of your home.  New HVAC and solar heating technology can also improve the efficiency and comfort of your home.

Quartz Kitchen Countertops

Granite has been dethroned by quartz in 2013.  The countless color options, its high durability, and low-maintenance makes quartz surfaces highly appealing to homeowners.  The colors and finish options are endless and are ideal countertop solutions for any kitchen or bath design style.

Bathroom Remodels

Bathroom remodeling was huge last year and is fast becoming as popular as kitchen renovations.  We are seeing a distinctive touch of luxury returning to master baths. This is becoming the most coveted space – a retreat to escape to at the end of a hectic day.   Free standing tubs, walk-in showers with frameless glass, and European style wet baths are trending this year.

Hardwood Flooring

The timeless natural hardwood floor returns to popularity in 2013, trending this year are the lighter shades and stains.  The salvaged look is also hot, with hand-scraped wide planks.

Which home design trend are you most excited about seeing in 2013?

Stay Inspired!

Photo Credits:

1.) Houzz

2.)  Southern Accents

3.) Houzz

4.) GreenPlanetBuilding.com

5.) Caesarstone.com

6.) House Beautiful

7.) Houzz

In my last post, I discussed the home design trends for 2013.  Even if you don’t want to invest in a large renovation project, you can still update your home’s interior with this year’s hot home decor trends.

Eclectic and Collected Interiors

As we become more globally connected through the various social technologies that have become more and more widespread in recent years, our home interiors begin to reflect this global influence.  Trending interior decorations are inspired by travel and cultures around the world.  Coupled with this trend is a nostalgia for the past, evidenced in the increasing interest in vintage and retro furniture.  Estate sales and flea markets are great places to search for these decorations, as are online resources like One Kings Lane and 1stdibs.

Metals and Mirrors

Reflective surfaces are trending in 2013, including bright brass and copper finishes in everything from furniture to light fixtures.

Industrial Accents

Pairing nicely with the vintage and retro furniture trend is an interest in industrial design.  Exposed brick, concrete floors, and accents made of metals and woods are becoming more popular in 2013.

Patterns and Textures

We will be seeing more patterns, from chevron to animal prints, in upholstery, pillows, rugs, and wallpapers this year.  Textured walls using grasscloth or textured panels are trending, as is textured wood cabinetry and textured lighting fixtures.

Gallery Walls

More people have enjoyed expressing their interests through collections of art and photography.  One of the best ways to showcase a diverse collection of art, photography, and collected objects is in a gallery wall.  It can make a powerful and personal statement in your home, especially if you fill it with meaningful images.

I would love to help you design your home with the trending home design and decor of 2013.  Contact me at Interior Makeovers Inc. by calling 310-788-0990.

Photo Credits:

1.) Martin Lawrence Bullard

2.) Circa Lighting

3.) Pinterest

4.) Houzz

5.) Elle Decor