Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Life

Category: Interior Design

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Selecting the Perfect Backsplash: Tie your kitchen’s look together with these tips

    Don’t let a little water damage make your next backsplash a wash out with these designer tips. Jennifer Adams, our interior design pro, answers this reader’s kitchen remodeling question after a hurricane hit her home.

    Question:  We were flooded during the hurricane and have to rebuild most of our house. My kitchen has bamboo floors, alabaster white cabinets and Blanco Azul granite with black stainless steel appliances and stainless handles. I am trying to figure out a good backsplash to tie it all together. Any help would be great.

    Whether your countertop patterning is dramatic and bold or quieter and more textural, a backsplash that is simple will be better. Oversized rectangular tiles in light tones to match the whites in your granite, along with matching grout, will look great. For a more textural approach, choose a monotone tile mosaic in whites or pale grays. Even classic subway tile with gray grout will bring in a bit of pattern without being over the top or competing with your granite.

    For a finishing touch, tie in the bamboo tones throughout your kitchen with accessories and art in the same color.

    – Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Revamp Your Bathroom with a Modern Touch: See which look is cleaning up in style

    Do you have a small bathroom and no ideas for how to spruce it up? Even compact bathrooms can benefit from this refresh. Our interior design pro, Jennifer Adams, gives you tips to go from small and cluttered to a streamlined sanctuary.

    Question: I am looking for ideas to remodel a small master bathroom. Absolutely willing to look at this as a clean slate – any modern, trendy suggestions would be wonderful!

    As luck would have it, the most modern, trendy look for bathrooms right now is a clean slate! Create a relaxing, spa-like atmosphere with airy whites, soft grays, open spaces, clutter-free surfaces and room to move.

    Choose a pedestal sink or a sleek, wall-hung vanity for a more spacious feel, enhanced by beautiful storage baskets. Use the biggest mirror possible and put lighting on dimmer switches to control the brightness. Consider a roomy shower with clear glass doors or a simple shower curtain instead of a standard tub/shower combo. Add a skylight or window, especially if there is no natural light.

    – Jennifer Adams

  • Ask A Pro Q&A – How to Create an Oasis of Style: Matching brick and wood

    From the walls, floor and ceiling, texture is key to creating a visually interesting home. Interior designer Jennifer Adams shares how to select wood tile that enhances existing red brick.

    Question: I am buying a home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that was built in 1986. The living room and sunroom floors are red brick. The rest of the house has an old and stained Berber carpet. We want to put new wood tile throughout the rest of the house, but I am not sure which color. I am thinking a light, almost creamy white like bleached barn wood. The trim around baseboards and windows is a natural wood. The walls will be a Navajo white. Would love your thoughts on the color of wood tile to choose.

    If the walls, floor and ceiling of most of the house are white, that red brick will be an exciting departure. If you’re planning to keep the original wood trim, consider going with a flooring color that is close to, but a bit darker than that. In tile, your choices might be limited. Go closer to the wood trim color, not the brick. And in the living room, add a natural fiber area rug in jute or sisal that will coordinate with the wood trim. Good luck and send in a photo when you’re done!

    -Jennifer Adams

  • Ask A Pro Q&A – Ceramic Tile or Wood: The best choice for your home

    With so many stylish flooring options, choosing the right one to fit your budget and goals can be a challenge. Interior designer Jennifer Adams shares whether ceramic tile or wood is best for your home with these considerations and tips.

    Question: Should I install ceramic tile that looks like wood floors?

    It depends on your budget and goals for the space! There are a lot of gorgeous tile products that look like wood and can be more durable if you have pets or live in a sandy or wet environment. Even though there are amazing finishes for hardwood flooring these days, if you truly love the look of wood but can’t deal with the floor getting even a little scratched or worn-looking, perhaps ceramic tile that looks like wood is for you.

    -Jennifer Adams

  • Stylish and Space-Saving Small Room Décor Ideas

    Make a small space a place for big living. From tiny houses to studio apartments, these small room décor ideas will maximize any space with both style and storage.

    Less is More

    If you have a small room, keep it simple to make the space feel open and airy. Make sure a room isn’t cluttered with too many decorative items. Pick just one piece to add visual interest instead of multiple items. Embrace a minimalistic mindset by adding only the pieces you love. Adding an oversized painting above the sofa keeps the lines of the room clean and fresh while also giving the room a striking splash of color. Remember, the less clutter, the better!

     

    Paint Walls White

    Two words of advice for wall color: use white. White paint on the walls and floor makes any room feel more expansive. Having a light color scheme also offers the flexibility to play with decorative items, throw pillows and bedding, which can be changed as frequently as you wish.

     

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Choosing a Timeless Kitchen Hue

    Kitchens are the heart of the home. By selecting the right color, you welcome guests and express your style.  Interior designer Jennifer Adams discusses the best options for cabinets and a refreshed look.

    Question: Which are the most classic kitchen cabinets that will not look dated?

    I’m assuming you are talking about the door style. For a truly classic look, simpler is better! A look that never goes out of style and blends with any decor is a solid slab-style door without any panel or embellishment at all. But that look can be a little boring if it’s finished with plain white paint. To add some timeless interest to cabinet doors, choose an inset Shaker panel for the larger doors and drawers, with a slab style for small drawers.

    -Jennifer Adams

  • Three Classic Dining Arrangements

    Explore how to make every meal a pleasant experience with these three dining arrangements. No matter the placement, a dining table and its accessories must function to make meals enjoyable and allow for loved ones to move around freely. As such, chairs should be placed around 18 inches apart for ample elbow room. Additionally, rugs should extend 18 inches beyond the back legs of the chairs with the dining table in the center.

    Use windows as the focal point

    For sunshine-filled breakfasts and a view to set the ambiance, move the dining room table next to windows. Casters will make this rearrangement doable if this only works for weekends or special occasions. While Mother Nature may be the best accessory, the right type of window treatments will make your décor shine. Roman shades offer a casual style with minimal fabric. Corniced and woven blinds enhance the color and pattern of a dining set when the sun hits it. These blinds also give off a sense of continuity and provide architectural interest. Swags generate a luxurious feel for traditional dining rooms. If you are seeking an unexpected treatment, consider going asymmetrical or creating depth and a dramatic mood with black curtains. Dashes of pink create a whimsical glamour, while traditional draperies in any color provide privacy and light control.

    Invite every loved one

    Thanksgiving and other holidays are the perfect reason to invite a large number of guests to celebrate at your home. Don’t worry about having enough space for everyone; placing your dining table in the traditional position at the center of the room is ideal for a formal atmosphere or large groups. To make any shared meal extra memorable, focus on crafting the perfect tablescape. Gorgeous linens will ground your feast and express creativity. If serving a meal with sauces as part of the piece de résistance, consider darker colors and laundering tablecloths as soon as possible. Try patterns such as paisley in seasonal colors for an inviting look on a large or small scale. While florals for spring may not be groundbreaking, you can select unexpected hues, such as gray or Pantone’s Color of the Year, Ultra Violet. Fabrics can include burlap or velvet for any occasion. Think about layering or using a runner to set the right tone for your gathering.

    Serve the perfect meal on a grander scale

    For a buffet service, push the table right up to the wall. This will leave ample room for traffic in the center of the room. As the host, consider the following etiquette tips to put guests at ease. Serving a bounty of food offers the opportunity to sample a wide variety of dishes. Give guests a tour of the food stations beforehand or while placing dishes on the table. Ensure that there are plenty of tongs, spoons and serving forks to fend off the use of fingers. Encourage guests to place all serving utensils in their original dishes to avoid cross-contamination and allergic reactions. Keep in mind that spills happen. Provide plenty of napkins or paper towels to keep guests from feeling embarrassed. Handle any mess graciously and discretely if it requires more than a few wipes. Announce whether guests can start eating as soon as they are seated or if you would like for everyone to wait until a prayer is said, speech given or guest of honor is seated.

     

    Serve meals in any of these three arrangements to create a memorable feast that were inspired by the September 1958 issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine.

  • Cozy and Inviting Dining Room Interior Design Ideas

    Transform a bare or outdated dining room into an inviting, modern space with just a bit of design inspiration. Explore a collection of dining room interior design ideas to ignite a spark when it’s time to plan a perfect place for eating and gathering.

    Lanterns

    Instead of a traditional chandelier, consider hanging lanterns over a dining table. Lanterns feel much less formal and add a unique lighting touch that will start conversations.

     

     

     

     

    Floral drapes

    Create a relaxed dining room with floral drapes in bold patterns. Go big on color, too. Think turquoise, emerald green, bright yellow and even hot pink.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Coastal dining room

    Use rattan accents in a coastal-inspired dining room, such as on chairs and for table settings. You might even drop a rattan light fixture over the table or hang rattan artwork.

     

  • Go Bold with Color in the Kitchen

    Unexpected and bold hues in the kitchen express personality and creativity. The hub of conversation and entertaining is the ideal space to do experiments, both culinary and stylistic. Kitchens can be style standalones, even though white has been traditionally used for cabinets, appliances and walls. If going a bit more daring leaves you hesitant, stick to accents like tiles, seating or counter décor, or simply start over by repainting. Enhance your new hues with multiple sources of light such as recessed ambient lights, pendants and under cabinet lighting. Read on to see which of the following four bold hues will make a statement in your kitchen.

     

    Get tickled pink

    Don’t blush while thinking pink. In the 1950s, pink kitchens were quite popular. The vintage-inspired look can update any modern kitchen with blocks or pops of the versatile color. Pink works by itself or when paired with other hues as a base. When matched with blue or green, the effect is cool and restful. With cherry red, pink transforms into a vibrant shade.  Brave souls can go bold with fuchsia or you can go softer with trendy millennial pink. A pink island in any shade can be delightful, as can backsplashes or retro-style refrigerators. This bold kitchen color may be the blast from the past you need to look toward the future of style.

    Cozy up to turquoise

    Blues in the kitchen can create a welcoming atmosphere by softening stainless steel appliances or lending a splash of ultramodern sophistication. Turquoise goes well with any color. Yellow, black and white are also “go with” colors for turquoise. The centering hue matches well with any wood tone for flooring and cabinets. Team up with red, orange, purple, pink, magenta, deep blue, dark green or beige for an unexpected yet cozy look. To start the transition to this cool hue, consider rugs, tiles, towels, or painting the ceiling.

    Burst with yellow

    Bring the sunshine indoors no matter the season with bursts or blocks of yellow. Forget black and white – pink and yellow might be the perfect color combination. A yellow sink with a pink backsplash can be fun and bold. When pairing yellow with other colors, only emphasize one hue to give the color scheme a base. Sandy yellow can create a rustic atmosphere with darker wood. Mustard or canary can balance out an industrial-styled kitchen. Citrus hues can accent windows and pale yellows can subtly bring life to the most used room in the house.

    Add sophistication with charcoal

    Charcoal is a trendy neutral that announces refinement. With the gray hue, coppery surroundings and accessories gain warmth. The high-style combination of Dresden blue, charcoal and white is ultra-sophisticated. Charcoal does absorb quite a bit of light, so make sure there is plenty of lighting. Natural light is best. However, for north-facing windows or rainy climates, large chandeliers or Edison pendant lights will open up the space. Given its versatile nature, this hue highlights accents such as seasonal flowers, vibrant window treatments and rustic exposed beams.

     

    Make a color statement that lasts the test of time with these bold kitchen hues that inspired by the September 1957 issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine.

  • Mid-Century Modern Décor Ideas

    Mid-century modern décor is having another moment. You may have noticed the Danish sideboards and colorful sofas gaining popular. Arguably, the style may have never fully left the design sphere.

    Although the official movement has long passed, people are still obsessed with the clean lines, sleek structure and inspiring color palettes associated with mid-century modern décor.

    The aesthetic is by nature minimalistic, with the form being inherently functional. When done right, mid-century modern is organic, fluid and universal. Executed the wrong way, it can look like a Brady Bunchesque nightmare.

    The key to maintaining the proper mix of history and modern – to recreate a version of the perfect abode that incorporates comfort, beauty and ingenuity – is to understand the core tenants of mid-century modern. To realize that the style that grew out of early 20th-century modernism and spanned from roughly 1933 to 1965 is based on simplicity, creative use of materials and a strong (but artistic) connection to nature.

    The mid-century modern design movement encompasses architecture, interior design, industrial elements and graphic design. Made famous by designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, Richard Neutra and Harry Bertoia, mid-century modern focuses on small spaces, expansive use of glass, multi-purpose furnishings and other elements of design that are clean, contemporary and creative.

    Less is more

    You can incorporate mid-century design principles into your home by adhering to the “less is more” concept made popular by Mies van der Rohe, a German architect and leader in the movement. By adding thoughtfully and subtly crafted pieces, like marble-topped tables and molded Eames chairs to kitchens, dining rooms and living rooms, you’ll present a contemporary and classic vibe that is straight out of the 1950s.

     

    Clean lines and natural hues

    Mid-century modern furnishings have clean lines and neutral colors. Often, wood pieces made from teak are used to showcase natural beauty in a home. A mid-century modern dining table with teak legs or frame topped with a simple sheet of clear glass is a beautiful addition to a home.