Use Professional Design Tricks to Create Unforgettable Spaces

Everyone loves to visit model homes, design centers and showrooms. You get to see and touch and experience a home you probably don’t live in – but could!  (Who hasn’t envisioned having a gorgeous gourmet kitchen or a luxurious spa bathroom or an adorable themed children’s room?)  

While living in an ultra-designed home may not be on your horizon, you can use some designer “tricks of the trade” to create memorable – and welcoming – spaces in your home.

·                 -Timeless design can be updated or adapted to a growing family.  Beware of anything that’s too trendy. 

           -Make a statement with furnishings, art, and accessories.

·                 -Choose classic finishes and colors for anything permanent (i.e. flooring, wall paneling).

·       Regardless of its design, your home should reflect the family that lives there!

The Kitchen.  While today’s kitchens tend to be 

heavy on large stainless steel appliances, you can soften things up a bit with comfy banquettes, warm wood tables, soft, plush area rugs, and warmer colors like reds and oranges.  Keep a bowl of fruit and a basket of granola bars handy for starving children and guests.

The Family Room. Usually the heart of the home, the family room should be sturdy and comfortable, allowing roughhousing, sleep-overs, movie nights and daily life with equal aplomb. This room needs: comfortable sofas and chairs, squishy, fuzzy, fluffy pillows and throws, durable floor coverings, and lots of personal touches like family pix or kid art on the walls.

The Master Bedroom. Next to the family room, the master bedroom is probably the most common family hub. Kids, pets, laundry, broken toys, stacks of books, art projects… everything winds up here at some point. Yet this space can also be your oasis. Choose serene colors, nice fabrics, an upholstered headboard – anything that can help you find some peace and quiet, while everyone snuggles in your bed at once!

The Master Bath. The bathroom is a great way to give yourself some luxury. Elegant materials like marble and onyx, used in interesting ways, offset with cool blues and greens and interesting accessories, can make your master bath feel like it’s in a 4-star hotel.

The Kids’ Space. Children have obsessions – racecars, panda bears, comic books, outer space, Barbie dolls, singing & dancing, bugs, Harry Potter. Gather one or two special items that feed into their fixation – posters, pillows, lamps, area rugs – and balance it all with some neutrals so it doesn’t get too overwhelming.

The Nursery. Who says everything has to be drowning in pastels? Go for charm and elegance with sophisticated neutrals (grays and beiges), and add a little sparkle with crystal light fixtures and interesting wall art.

Five Ways for Homeowners to Create a “White Done Right” Bedroom!

An emerging decorating trend for homeowners in 2016 is white and shades of off-white. But according to Houzz, even though white goes with anything and everything, it can still be tricky!  Be sure to highlight architectural details, use charming furniture, and add funky accessories.  Here are five of our best tips:

1.     Emphasize architectural details. Texture, interesting architecture, unusual nooks or alcoves. Highlight rustic exposed wood framing or painted wood walls & ceilings. Create a handful of focal points that create ambience. Use organic materials, such as a natural-fiber rug.

2.     Lighting. While it’s true that all white or mostly white rooms will feel lighter, and airier, they still need light — preferably warm white light in order not to feel sterile.

3.     Sheen.  Often overlooked in design choices is sheen, the reflective quality of a surface. Adding shiny metallics or other sparkly finishes to a bedroom can help jazz up plain white walls or ceilings. A little bit goes a long way, though.

4.    Layers of off-white. An easy way to break up an all-white space is to layer in off-white hues. If you prefer a warmer palette, use light tans. For a cooler palette, incorporate light grays. For those who want a little more color but want to keep it neutral, try mixing whites, darker grays and browns. It’s visually interesting and warm, without going over the top with color.

5.     Accessories. If your room isn’t blessed with charming architectural details, you can add appeal with funky furniture and interesting accessories. Vintage chairs, mismatched tables, velvety pillows, chenille throws, modern artwork, burnished mirrors – it’s all about the little details.

Meet your Elite Homes Design Consultants – Lauren & Michelle!

Lauren Anderson is originally from Crescent Springs, KY, and is a Design Consultant for Elite Built Homes. She meets with each buyer to coordinate all the selections for their new home.

“My favorite part about being a design consultant is working with our buyers. I really listen to their wants and needs. And even though everyone’s style is different, each one is trying to achieve the same goal… their dream home!”

Lauren graduated from Western Kentucky University with a BS in Interior Design. After graduation she moved to Atlanta and worked for a cabinet company, designing cabinets, countertops and kitchens. Eventually, she worked as a designer for a semi-custom homebuilder. 

Michelle Heareth has been in the new home construction industry for 15 years, and is currently a Design Consultant for Elite.

“I have filled many roles in this industry, but by far, my favorite is Design Consultant! In this job, I'm able to meet wonderful people who are excited and, sometimes, a bit anxious about their new homes. I enjoy calming their fear of making selections. I help them put the pieces together so that they are able to visualize their new home.”   

Michelle says she loves helping her customers feel more connected and comfortable with their new homes.