Along with numerous other New Year resolutions, many people also resolve to make improvements to their general over all lifestyle.  One of the best ways to increase your feeling of day to day contentment is to give your home a fresh new look.  Investing in home improvements not only increases the value of your home it may  also improve your happiness, and money spent to enlist the help of a interior designer in Seattle will not only make the job less intimidating, it will also ensure that things turn out in reality the way you have them envisioned in your mind.

Each year brings exciting and innovative changes in the decorating world. If you’ve been considering a new look for your surroundings, here are some of the hot trends for 2010 that you might look into:

Coziness and comfort are returning to the decorating scene as people focus on staying home more.  With this trend come the desire for natural fabrics, calm, relaxing colors and plenty of texture.  Hot colors will include grays, lilacs and off whites.  Accent colors will be bold and rich in hues of plum, magenta and even orange.

Environmentally friendly products will be favored in paints, fabrics and accessories, but especially in lighting.  LED fixtures will continue to be the choice for those wishing to save energy, and new bolder, bigger lighting fixtures will emerge.  Particularly popular will be long rail LED lights, and rectangular chandeliers for large dining tables.

Wall murals will be in vogue and designers will offer them in everything from bold geometrics and edgy urban styles to Asian prints and soothing scenery.

Fabrics and textures will be very mix and match for a country comfort kind of appeal.  Focus will be on natural materials such as cork, wool and felt.  Large floral patterns on dark backgrounds may see a comeback.  Interesting color combinations such as a navy and lavender, plum and pink, and even turquoise and tangerine, may emerge in fabrics for window dressings, upholstery and accessories.

Trends in furniture will follow the mood of staying home and staying comfy.  Pieces will be functional and comfortable but elegant at the same time.  Following the lead of fabrics and textiles, furniture pieces will be a mixture of styles and materials.  Formal and casual, vintage and art deco, modern and contemporary will all reside together for an eclectic yet sophisticated appeal.

Woods of choice will include cost-efficient alder and maple, with bamboo being a very popular choice among the environmentally conscious.  Woodwork will be clean and classic with very little if any ornamentation.

These are just a few of the predicted trends for the new year as seen by various designers across the nation.  If some of these ideas appeal to your sense of home, why not give your interior designer in Seattle a call and see how you can comfy up your living space this year?

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).

The most important element of a successful interior design project is a good plan.  As your Seattle interior designer will explain, there are many aspects of a project to consider, such as the wise use of space, the right creation of atmosphere and the creation of a visually pleasing room. Bringing all of that together is, to say the least, a challenge.  In order to arrive at that point successfully, a good interior designer will ask a lot of questions before drawing up a plan for any project.  As a client, you should be ready with answers to those questions.  That is your part in reaching the ultimate goal of that superbly designed space you’ve been dreaming of.   Ask yourself this:

1.    How will I be using this space most of the time? Will it be a room for activity, for relaxing, for working or perhaps a studio?  Consider how it will be used for the majority of the time.

2.    What other uses might I want to include in this space? If secondary uses are planned for this room, list them as well.  Areas for different uses must be incorporated into the plan from the beginning.

3.    Will this be a high traffic area, and if so, how do I envision people moving through this space? Study the location of this space to determine if it can be used as you would like without interrupting a natural traffic flow of your overall space.  For example, designing a sun room sitting area that can only be accessed through the master bedroom may not be ideal if you plan to use the room for entertaining.

4.    Will the overall plan include other rooms as well? If ultimately you want the project to include changes to other rooms, those changes should be laid out in the beginning even if the actual work is to be done at a later date.

5.    What type of lighting do I want or need in this space? Do I need bright lights for games and activity, warm subtle light for quiet times, or perhaps some of each?

6.    Will I need additional mechanical elements such as electrical, heating or plumbing? These aspects tend to be costly and in some cases structurally impossible to install.  It’s best to know right from the start if that’s the case.

7.    Will I need special noise reduction or sound enhancement elements incorporated into the design? For example, for a home theatre you may want to consider using materials that provide for better sound quality.

8.    Do I want and, and is it possible to add extra windows or doors? You may want a window for enjoying beautiful sunsets but the room must be able to accommodate them.

9.    What kind of feeling do I want the space to have? Here’s where paint color, fabrics and textiles can be used in different ways to create the perfect mood for the room.

10.    What is my total budget for the project? It’s easy to get carried away when creating a dream space.  Know your limit and stay within it.

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).

Loft living has become the home of choice for all kinds of people from young business professionals to middle-aged empty nesters to older retired couples.  If you love the feel of open spaces and unique design, then loft living may be for you.  The one thing that all loft lovers do agree on, however, is that the interior design of a loft living space should be left in the hands of a professional, such a Seattle interior designer.  For the amateur home decorator, lofts present issues that can become quite frustrating and overwhelming.  Here are just a few of the design elements that call for a trained eye and creative hand:

• Lofts can sometimes be one open space where individual “rooms” have to be created using just the right elements of design.

• Some lofts have been built from refurbished industrial space leaving steel girders and exposed brick intact.  It can be tricky incorporating these elements into a finished design that works.

• That big open space will most likely mean very few walls.  Most of us are so used to plunking furniture against a wall, we wouldn’t have the first clue how to arrange our furniture any other way!  And how would we ever decide where or how to “hang” our favorite art pieces or gallery of family photos?

• Another thing that loft living doesn’t have is a closet around every corner.  Fewer closets mean less space to hide our “stuff.”  Open space loft living often means a lot more of the things we own have to be either creatively displayed or cleverly stored!

• All of that bare floor space is going to require area rugs to keep our toes nice and toasty.  In a loft, it’s not just a case of buying a 9×12 rug and plunking it down in the bedroom.  Several area rugs are likely going to be needed and much to the dismay of the “decorating challenged,” they will need to be coordinated!

• All of those gorgeous big windows that flood us with natural light during the day have to somehow be “dressed” for the night time hours too.

• Stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops make for a beautiful contemporary kitchen with lots of space for culinary adventure.  But what about the fact that the kitchen, bedroom and living room are actually all the same room?

• And then of course, there is the question of paint colors.  Does one open space necessarily mean everything needs to be all one color?  How do we choose different colors for different rooms when there are no “rooms?”

Most of us who have visited lofts have seen them as they are after interior designers have worked their magic.  These are the professionals who know how to turn that big open space into the exciting and unique style of living space that new loft owners dream about!

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).

There is always a good reason to want more space at home, and during hard economic times, it may be easier and more budget-friendly to add to your current home than to sell and find a bigger place.

However, how do you decide what to do?  Should you finish the attic?  Turn the basement into an apartment?  Build a completely new addition to your home?

The best option will depend on your home, your needs, and the budget you have to work with.  Here we give you a list of the advantages and the disadvantages for the three options mentioned above:

Option one- Basement remodeling
The basement is a very large open space that offers tons of different and interesting opportunities.  Your basement could become a full apartment, a playroom, a guest room, an office, an entertainment center, or a gym, among a variety of options.  The amount of money you have to spend is the decisive factor.

Basements have an important inconvenience: moisture.  Before beginning any basement remodeling, you have to make sure the space is protected against moisture; otherwise, you will have wasted your money and time.  A good interior designer will help you find the best solution for any moisture condition you may have to solve.

Option two- Attic remodeling
Remodeling the attic may be more difficult than remodeling the basement because of the low ceilings.  A very good design is needed to ensure the space is taken full advantage of while making it look beautiful and ensuring it is safe.

Attic floors may require reinforcing or replacing to support the weight of new furniture and regular traffic, and stairs may be needed to make the attic easily accessible.  These are all aspects that may discourage you to pursue an attic remodeling project; however, when they are done, attics turn out to be one of the favorite places for family members to hang around, because they become cozy and beautiful spaces.

Option three- Room building
To add an entirely new area to your house may be, by far, the most expensive option; nevertheless, it is the one that will add more value to your house if it is done right.

One of the preferred ways to add more space to a home when building a new room is by building a sunroom or enclosed patio, which offers a different and pleasing option of family room or place to throw parties.

If you decide to build a new room, you will most definitely need the help of a professional interior designer, because no matter where you live, there will always be permit issues and construction standards that you will have to meet.  Interior designers in Seattle take care of everything for you; they ensure your project runs smoothly in the practical, technical, and creative sides.

The most important thing after making the decision is doing it right, thus, find the right help, and make your home a better place to live.

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).

Saving energy is becoming a priority for everyone these days.  The world is going through a decisive period, where everybody has to do his or her part in order to save and restore what we have so irresponsibly wasted in the past.

This year 2010, choose to favor life, and your budget, by following these 8 tips to save energy and to contribute to the world’s wellbeing:

1.    Get compact fluorescent bulbs
These are the saving alternative for traditional light bulbs, because they will save lots of energy and money annually.  Try to use the lowest watt capability that you need for each light’s purpose and you will save even more.

2.    Change the thermostat
If you have neglected changing your thermostat, it is time to do it.  Get a programmable thermostat, install it, and please, don’t forget to program it; you can save over $100 per year.

3.    Prefer low flow models
Take the time to replace your shower and toilets for low flow models that use much less water but work just as well as the traditional ones.

4.    Wash clothes with cold water
It is no longer necessary to use the hot cycle, because the new laundry detergents work perfectly with cold water, helping you save tons of energy and money.

5.    Clean the lint filter
If your dryer’s lint filter is dirty, it will lose efficiency and will be forced to use more energy to perform, thus increasing your bill.  Cleaning the lint may take you about two minutes or less, so there is no excuse.

6.    Reduce the hot water heater’s temperature
Set it to 120 degrees instead of the normal 140.  You won’t feel the difference, guaranteed!  Well, that’s not completely true; there will be a difference… in your bill.

7.    Unplug appliances
If you leave appliances plugged, even when they are not in use, they are consuming a lot of energy.  You can save as much as $160 a year if you unplug your plasma TV every night. Do it for other appliances as well and be pleasantly surprised every time your bills arrive.

8.    Replace and repair
Replace old technologies for new ones that are designed to save energy, for example, the water heater, windows, and exterior doors.  Repair the appliances that are worth it; you can very easily save a lot of energy and money by doing so.

Talk to your interior designer in Seattle and ask her about the best ways to make your home energy-efficient without sacrificing the homey feeling that makes it so special.  It is absolutely possible, completely necessary, and amazingly satisfying.

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).

It is as much a tradition as setting your goals for the New Year.  Every year, the color authority ‘Pantone’ picks the color for the year, amid a lot of excitement and speculation in the interior design industry as to which will be the next year’s color inspiration.

The color chosen for 2010 is turquoise, a color that, according to ‘Pantone’, reflects “thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing”.

It is certainly a very valid and important reason to choose such an important color, one that may bring calm and happiness in such turbulent times we are living in today, but also one that has to be considered carefully in order to use it in the right way.

Turquoise is a very strong color that must be used as a complement with lighter tones so as to not overwhelm the space and to make it look classy and fun.  It can look great in bathrooms, as it reminds us of the beautiful tones of seawater, and it can also be an amazing accent color for living rooms or bedrooms.

We always want to follow the trends in design and fashion, even more so when we start seeing the beautiful décor in magazines and TV shows; however, it is important that you also consider if the trends fit your life and home, because even if it looks great in a magazine, it may not be the right choice for your surroundings.

The best way to go when you want to make a bold change in your home’s décor is to ask for professional advice.  An interior design specialist will help you find the right way to use turquoise in your living space, or any other color for that matter, and she will explain what truly works for you, your family and your lifestyle.

If you live in the area, the Seattle interior design industry is booming with expertise, and is ready to start the New Year with you the right way and with the right colors.

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).