Green interior design takes advantage of recyclable materials, furnishings, and leftovers, to create a one in a million space.  This style uses long-lasting and non-toxic materials, as well as renewable energy sources.  When you redecorate your home with new materials every five years that is the opposite from green interior design.

The heart of green interior design is to restore and reuse everything that’s possible.  Today, there is a great variety of green floor options that allow you to refinish, sand, or paint without employing toxic materials.  The main materials employed in green interior design are cork, bamboo, and eucalyptus, because no destruction occurs when taking them from nature.  In the same way, there are woods that have been approved and certified by environmental groups as appropriate for construction and decoration because they do not carry the devastation of millenary forests.

Green interior design cares to the core.  It even pays attention to what glues and finishes are eco-friendly, since these commonly contain toxic synthetic resins that are extremely harmful.  Green design is all about non-toxic cleaners, polishes, finishes, refinishing, and adhesive products, resulting in better air quality and a healthier environment at home.

The idea behind going green is to use as few chemicals as possible in everything we use and in our surroundings, while living in harmony and taking advantage of the green exterior.  So it is important to use a lot of glass windows, doors, and skylights to let in natural light, helping to lower energy consumption and to avoid moisture accumulation.

Nothing is more in today than concrete floors.  They are used in different colors, textures, polishes, and patterns, and are not harmful to your health because they are free from glues and finishes with chemicals.  Green kitchens, bathrooms and fireplaces also showcase concrete counter tops that give a natural look and appear thoroughly modern.

Now there’s the option of recycled glass.  It is very beautiful and can be found in many colors and forms to match your space and necessities.

Another important aspect of selecting a green design is in the appliances you choose.  Besides budget, it is necessary to think about their functionality, style and energy efficiency.  Select the ones that use less water, and recycle all your old appliances correctly.  Ask for advice if necessary.

Green home designs provide for lots of ceiling and wall eco-friendly insulation throughout the entire house, turning your home into an energy-efficient one.  Look for high performance windows and doors that help preserve energy very effectively.

The current global condition begs for smart choices in home interior design.  Green design is such a choice, resulting in an economic and environmental advantage.  Green enthusiasts think of future money savings, reduced exposure to toxic materials, and living in harmony with the environment, however, living green is not easy. It is a lifestyle that demands deep changes in your life philosophy and priorities, but it is worth it!

If you’re interested in this kind of interior design, research, ask, and learn all you can about it before deciding to implement it. Interior designers in Seattle are a great source of information and guidance, one that you should consider in order to go green all the way and in the right way.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source).

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

Why can’t you do it yourself?  After all, no one knows better what you like and what your budget is, right?

But, be honest, for how long now have you been putting off that decorating project because you don’t know where to start, don’t have the time, or don’t know how to do it?

Now we’re talking!  Here are the most powerful reasons ever for you to consider hiring an interior designer in Seattle to help you out:

1.    Prioritize within your budget
Obviously you have a budget, and the interior designer can help you get the best out of it by identifying the significant changes that can be addressed with your resources and that will make the biggest difference in your home.  The professional will guide you in the best direction to spend your money in the most effective way.  She will tell you what needs to be done, what goes first, and how should it be done.  Big projects can be divided in phases according to your budget, but no matter the size, with an interior designer on board, every project will be carefully planned to make your dreams a reality without spending more than you can afford.

2.    Save money and gain peace of mind
An interior designer will eventually save you money.  They are so knowledgeable about the products out there that they can ensure you choose the right floor covering, countertop, paint, and furniture that will last a long time and will not give you negative surprises.  The interior designer has the power to negotiate for the client with manufacturers and vendors, getting you the best prices and ensuring everything is purchased and installed to meet your desires.

3.    Problem solving
Do you have the common space problems, storage issues, difficult traffic flow spaces, and furniture pieces you don’t know where to put?  The interior designer works with concepts like scale, balance, emphasis, and color that will solve any problem.  She is an expert on space planning, finish selections and combinations, lighting design, and color coordination, assuring first class results in regards to execution and final results.  She’s a neutral advisor, helping you and your family find solutions that work for everyone.

4.    Right to access ‘trade only’ resources
If your wishes include some kind of material that cannot be found anywhere, the interior designer can show you fabrics, finishings, furniture, and accessories that are not available to everyone.  She knows the best of the best in every area, be it woodwork, painting, lighting installing, or cabinet fixing.

5.    Professional advice all the way
You just have to tell the interior designer what you want and she will make it happen.  Show her pictures, furniture, take her places, and let her know in detail what your dream space looks like.  She will organize all the information you give her and will create a design to accomplish your wishes without sacrificing the functionality of the space.  She sticks with you till the end, and sometimes beyond, making sure that everything works as it should.  In other words, you get the best of both worlds!

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source).

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

One of people’s main concerns nowadays is to keep up with the latest trends.  Whether it is fashion, cars, foods, or home décor and appliances, every year there is always something new out there, and if you are not in, you most certainly are out!  And it is expensive to be in; even more in times of crisis like the ones we are experiencing right now.

There are many reasons why contemporary furniture is a strong option under this panorama.  The time has come to update your home furniture, but you have your doubts.  After all, it is a big investment, however, there are 5 powerful reasons that may convince you to take the plunge.

Every professional Seattle interior design firm will tell you that contemporary furniture has the power to totally transform the look of your home, and this is due to the following 4 reasons:

1.    This style of furniture, if anything, is flexible.  It can be adapted to any space and place because it fits perfectly with modern environments.  You will have no problem finding a spot for every piece of furniture, since they will always grab the attention no matter where they are located.

2.    Contemporary furniture will definitely help you save money.  Even if you are thinking that it is a big investment for you right now, eventually you will have to do it, and if you go for it immediately, it will most probably fit perfectly once you decide to renovate you home later on.  It will really mean huge savings in the future if you don’t have to purchase new furniture at that point.

3.    This is furniture that works for everyone.  You can be sure every member of your family will be pleased with the change.  It will also awe the visitors to your home who were not so smart as to choose the contemporary style.

4.    Contemporary furniture is synonym of mix and match.  It will easily blend with other things around it.  The different colors work together, creating a space that looks like abstract art and that is, most definitely, beautiful.

5.    This is a style that won’t go away easily.  Contemporary is here to stay for a long time; its clean lines work to support the current tendency of green and simple living, meaning, your home is decorated and adapted for the future.

Contemporary furniture is a worthy investment.  You will be able to enjoy a cozy, interesting, balanced, and unique home that will give you, your family, and your friends, tremendous joy for a long time.  It will add so much value to your surroundings that you will ask yourself why you didn’t go for it before.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source).

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

Interior designers in Seattle have very different work styles, as diverse as the spaces they work on.  To charge for their work, they normally use a combination of methods, depending on the extent of the services they will provide:

1.    The initial consultation
The first meeting is for the interior designer to evaluate the project, show her work portfolio, talk about terms and conditions, see if the project fits her capacity and services, and most importantly, if it inspires her.  It is a good time to give important suggestions based on the first impressions, so that the client can evaluate the designer and see if he or she feels comfortable working with her.  The interior designer may or may not charge for the initial consultation, it depends on her experience, workload, the firm’s policies, or the distance to the place where the project is to be conducted.  You have to consider that a free initial consultation may not tell you all you need to know.  The interior designer may wait until you make a decision to tell you what she thinks.

2.    Retainer fees
Very often, the designer will ask for a retainer fee in advance, as soon as an agreement has been reached.  The fee amount will cover what the professional believes will pay for her time and her employees’ time to plan the project.

3.    A fee based price
The designer will check the project in detail to establish the range of services necessary and will set a price based on the hours of work or square footage, among other methods.  This price may be paid in increments while the project is active, as items are received and delivered, or as services are provided.  As a rule, to get the most advantageous deal for you, discard the lowest and higher estimates and choose from the ones in between.

4.    A square foot based price
In this case, the price depends on the square footage of the space.  This method, as well as the one above, is hard for interior designers to employ, because they have nothing to do with the client.  Between two clients whose houses are near and similar, for example, one may need more services or may be more demanding, and this poses a risk for the designer.

5.    By the hour based price
This applies when the designer is helping you on an hourly basis.  The professional is only called as she is needed, to offer her opinion about the work being done.  The fees vary according to expertise, region, and demand.

6.    Cost-plus
The interior designer is in charge of the design process and is paid to purchase items on a cost-plus basis.  These normally include gains on every charge, including freight and delivery.

7.    Hourly + Cost-plus
Here, the professional charges by the hour when meeting the client, preparing specifications and budgeting, however, she manages the purchase of items through the cost-plus system.

8.    Retail or commission
This means designers earn a commission based on the volume of products sold and offered by certain manufacturers.  The commissions are included in the price of the items.

A professional interior designer in Seattle is worth her experience. She will help you improve your choices and avoid expensive mistakes.  She leads you to the best options and works to blend you choices into a meaningful and practical space.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source).

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

Successful interior design in Seattle considers the entire living experience of a household, including people and pets.  The art behind interior designing is to take its principles and blend them with the magic of life to experience it through the ‘S’ word, the Senses, the five mysterious and magical gifts every human being possesses and more often than desired, underestimates: Smell, Taste, Touch, Sight and Sound.  This is the way in which a space reaches someone’s soul, through sensations, and it is the difference between a house and the place we call… home.

Through years or study, research and practice, a professional interior designer reaches a place where her own senses rule her actions, this is, she lets her soul lead the way.

Smell- The nose is as good an attractor as the eyes.  We are repelled by unpleasant smells, and magically attracted to delicious ones.  When it ‘smells like home’, it is a hit!  Smells have the power to transport us to places we loved, to remind us of people who touched us, and to make us relive the happiest times in our lives.  Every home has a fragrance, and even the laundry detergent and home cleaning products have a place here.

Taste- Of course a home has taste!  Bringing green inside the home, through fruits, vegetables, and herbs like cilantro, rosemary, parsley and mint, will create a mouth-watering environment impossible to resist.

Touch- A good designer feels a lot more than fabrics and coverings when she touches textures, she feels comfort, coziness, intimacy, pampering, love, care, well-being, innovation and happiness in silk sheets, fluffy pillows, cotton linens and towels, plush sofas, down comforters and chenille throws.  Her hands will tell her what’s right; it’s all in the feel.

Sight- The vision of beautiful things brings happiness to the soul. This is why a beautiful home is so inviting and magical.  It could be through vibrant colors or neutral ones; the true secret is to match the client’s personality so that the environment has meaning and power.

Sound- Someone’s home is his or her oasis, the place where they go for shelter, relaxation and dreaming.  Soothing sounds transform the body and mind.  A happy home is free of harsh sounds, of stress and startling experiences.  The right interior design in Seattle will find the best ways to isolate a space from the rough city reality and take the client to a land of peace and tranquility.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source).

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

Any interior designer in Seattle who loves working on small spaces truly knows her job.  Small spaces are commonly a challenge; most people think the furniture and color options are limited, but nothing is further from the truth.

As for any other type of space, there are important principles that pertain to small spaces, and the art resides in knowing how to get the best out of them and use them in creative and unique ways.

1.    A professional interior designer knows where to use light colors within a small room.  By using monochromatic schemes on covers, walls and main furniture pieces, the designer makes the space flow without obstacles

2.    If anything, small spaces offer the opportunity to experiment with new or interesting materials, such as glass and acrylics, putting aside the more common ones like wood.  Light-appearing materials open up the space, and create interesting and surprising sensations

3.    Have you ever seen a piece of furniture and wondered what is it that makes it so cool?  That’s a secret interior designers know very well, they know how to pick ‘floating’ furniture pieces.  The design of these pieces helps the floor appear larger than it actually is.  Normally, clean and lean lines do the trick, but size is also important.  Today, there is a big variety of furniture sizes to fit current dynamic and practical lifestyles, so the options are indeed, endless… if you know where to look

4.    And still on the floating principle, knowing how to increase the practicality of a space using wall shelving without crowding the “skies”, is an art in itself, one that a professional interior designer knows too well

5.    Virtually any color will work well in a small space if the light is abundant.  Good interior designers are magicians of light.  They can make a space shine through the strategic location of light fixtures and the use of effective light reflectors, like mirrors.  Never underestimate the power of a well-located mirror to enlarge a room

6.    Last, but not least, a professional interior designer must know her client, understand his or her personality, taste, and most of all, his or her lifestyle.  Through this knowledge, she can surprise the client with a room full of furniture that will work to simplify the client’s life.  Multi-purpose furniture can solve storage, sitting and even serving issues that could arise in a small space, and selecting the right one depends mostly on the client’s needs

Yes, small spaces can be frightening, but every space has huge potential if put in the hands of the right interior designer in Seattle with the right vision.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source).

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email: