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?

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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.

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Any remodeling project causes interference in a household’s daily routine, but a major one can result in total chaos and even threaten your sanity.  Once cabinets are ripped out, walls come down, and wiring is exposed, suddenly you are wondering why you decided to go through such hell, since you cannot even imagine how the place will look in the end.  You basically trust your interior designer and her experience to get you through the project without going nuts and in one piece.

There is no question about it, a home remodeling project can be stressful; however, the right guidance and the following advice can make the process easier on you and your whole family:

-    Design a plan to keep your daily routine working
Even though you are living in a chaotic environment, you still have to cook, wash clothes, and take a shower.  If staying at a hotel or with a relative is not an option, you have to design a practical plan to live at home while the work is being done, and you have to do this before the interior designer and her crew start tearing down walls.  You could adapt a new temporary kitchen in another room while remodeling is taking place there, or ask a friend or neighbor to allow you to shower at their house if water has to be turned off for several days.  Knowing what you will do when your home is not livable will give you peace of mind.

-    Keep an eye on the clutter
Of course there will be a mess while the project is underway; however, the loads of trash and dust that come out daily should be taken care of immediately.  Before remodeling begins, talk to your interior designer about this, and make sure you have clarity, and that everyone knows, how trash should be handled.

-    Protect your valuables
Even if your interior designer is the best and most careful one out there, dust will surely spread all over your house.  Ensure all your furniture and electronics are well protected against dust, or remove them if necessary.  You can choose a room away from the chaos to put everything for the duration of the project, lock it up and make sure everyone understands that that area is out of bounds.  In this way, you will feel comfort in knowing that your things are safe.

-    Keep an eye on things
Whether you are living elsewhere or at home during the remodeling project, you have to talk to your interior designer every day, and even several times a day, to make sure everything is going smoothly.  This will help you feel in control of what is happening right now and know what’s coming next.

If you live in the Seattle area, contact experienced interior designers in Seattle. You can rest assured you will remain sane no matter how huge your remodeling project is.

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Your home is your castle; you love arriving home at night, after work, to relax, and you also cherish entertaining your friends and family in a place you are proud of and makes you happy, and suddenly, one day, you make the decision: your home needs a makeover.

Of course, your first impulse is to DIY.  Who knows your style better than you?  So you decide to hit Home Depot with a long list of materials, certain that you’ll be able to do it in a flash!  Everything is fine until you face reality; hundreds of choices everywhere, and you end up disoriented amid an ocean of furniture and fixtures that suddenly look exactly the same.

Before you decide to venture into interior design, consider the following aspects and judge for yourself if going solo is the best way to go, for your wallet.  Contrary to what you may think, hiring a professional interior designer may save you lots of money when remodeling your home.

• Interior design requires a great deal of time; do you have the time?

• Have you bought beautiful furniture in the past only to arrive home and rack your brains as to where to put it to match the rest or stand out?

• Is it easy for you to decide between hundreds or thousands of colors or fabrics at a shop?  Have you made choices that ended up frustrating you?

• Have you got a picture of the perfect bathroom, or living room, or kitchen, and yet you don’t know how to make it fit your space?

• Does everyone at home like what you like?

• Are you planning on taking down walls, joining rooms or installing light fixtures?  Do you know someone who can do this for you and do it right?

• Do you need custom furniture or cabinets?

• Do you want your home to be different in its own special way but without spending too much?

• If your home is new, would you like to be sure that what you have in mind works for the space?

These are just some of the many considerations of why hiring an interior designer in Seattle may be the best way to go.  A professional has the knowledge and experience to guide you and stop you from making mistakes and bad choices that will cost you money. She will also save you lots of time, as she possesses the best resources readily available to work.  An interior designer will put a wide array of resources at your service, some of which are only available through them.  Think that you will have all the design selections researched and presented to you before the process begins, ensuring you get the home of your dreams, one that fits your lifestyle and taste to perfection.

Here are three reasons why hiring an interior designer is your best choice in terms of investment:

1.  Big makeover projects require compliance with building codes and federal and state laws; you must know these to avoid expensive mistakes or even lawsuits.

2.  An interior designer is knowledgeable on design theory and its technicalities.  They know everything about technical drawings, materials specifications, construction systems, installations, environmental considerations and safety issues.

3.  A professional, who will present a detailed cost projection that you can adjust as needed, will research your design project.

Interior design can be simple and successful.  Be wise and hire someone who knows, someone who can give you peace of mind by knowing you will get what you have dreamed of for so long.

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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.

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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.

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Have you completely decided that you want your living room to have a Japanese look? Or, have you dreamed of a Mediterranean bedroom all your life? Or still, no one can convince you to forget the idea of an Italian style kitchen?

No matter what look you want your rooms to have, you must make sure it fits the spaces.  And, how do you do this?  Either you ask an interior designer in Seattle for advice, or you search for examples of your desired style in magazines, websites, books and TV programs, and find out if it will work in your home, with its structure, its bones.

Remember, the best way to go is practical, so, forget about a Japanese look in a house with a Santa Fe style.  It is never advisable to have different looks in different rooms; the whole house must have a personality, and it must be sustained throughout every space.   A balanced look will transmit tranquility, harmony, peace and beauty, which is what you desire your home to convey.

You want to be within a space that calms you, welcomes you and protects you, while welcoming visitors openly and in a friendly way.  Within every home, there is a natural flow of powerful, good energy that expands to its inhabitants when each room communicates with the other in terms of style.  Of course each room should have its own personality depending on its purpose, but always blending with the rest of the house, and forming a bigger and unique whole.

Likewise, there are many ways to incorporate a style or look within the rooms in your home.  If you have furniture in a particular style, you can make use of the colors of that style or era to bring out the pieces and be creative with a look.  Color can really make a special piece stand out and it is very efficient to achieve an eclectic look.  If you have lots of beautiful furniture pieces, keep the background simple and plain so that these become the center of attention and the space doesn’t look overloaded.

Most importantly, be certain that you love the look you choose, do not just select it because everyone else is doing it.  Remember you will be living there, and you must be able to enjoy it for a long time.  Your taste is the only thing that matters.

Again, make sure you investigate prior to deciding on a certain look, there are many options today, and you may end up finding another one you like more or that complements your life much better!

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Have you ever had the feeling that one, or several, of the rooms in your house does not feel quite right, but you have no idea why?  It may be because the room is out of balance.

Maybe you feel the room is tipping to the side because there are many heavy pieces of furniture on that side, or it could be that the artwork or accessories are imbalanced.

If you are experiencing this very common situation and a Seattle interior designer is out of your budget, follow these simple tips to get your room to the right balance equation:

1.Large vs. large.  If you place a heavy piece of furniture on one side of the room, maybe a bookcase for your big collection of books, place something large on the other side too; it could be a cozy sofa with a big art piece on top.  This will balance the room by adding height and visual weight to both sides.

2. Separate.  Split bookcases and entertainment centers to achieve balance.  Place one of the sections in a different place inside the room, next to the sofa or fireplace, to make them look less heavy around the space.  Sectional sofas can be too large for a certain room, making it feel too heavy or cramped, thus, place the sections one in front of the other, as you do with sofas and love seats.

3. Symmetry.  This means both sides of the room are identical.  The symmetry, matching furniture, gives a very formal visual effect and is easy to create.  Two matching chairs on either side of the sofa or matching candlesticks on each side table; may do the trick.

4. Asymmetry.  Yes, opposite to the above one, but incredibly interesting.  The trick here is to put together comparable, but not matching, pieces.  Look for pieces in different sizes, shapes and colors, and work a gorgeous asymmetrical arrangement, like for example, a huge vase on one side in contrast to three smaller candlesticks or an interesting lamp on the other.  These arrangements may need a little more knowledge or feeling to create, because you have to perceive the visual weight of each piece, and they create informal settings, alias, more cozy ones.

5.Think lamps.  These are great balancing pieces.  Place a floor lamp on one side of the sofa and a table lamp on the other; you can even put books under the table lamp to make it look a little higher.  You can also put two different table lamps on each side of the sofa; or even think of placing two different side tables on each side.

6.  Plants.  Place a tall potted tree across from a big bookcase to balance its height; vertical mirrors also work.  To balance both sides of a sofa, place a potted plant on one side and a table lamp on the other.

7.  An eye on art.  To complete furniture that is too short or too narrow for the space, hang one or more art pieces on the wall above it.  Color is a great balancing tool too.  Darker and stronger colors are heavier than lighter ones, so think about this when you are placing art in front of a big piece of furniture like an armoire, bookcase or entertainment center.

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To kill a space, there is nothing better than strict rules, however, there are certain ‘crimes’ in decorating that not even the boldest interior designer in Seattle will dare to commit for the sake of originality or fame.

Crime #1: Neglect Editing
The rule that states that less is more is sacred.  An overcrowded room, full of furniture and trinkets, diminishes its main purpose, which is to showcase you and anyone else meant to enjoy it.  Be brave and get rid of half the furniture and everything else inside your rooms; keep what you truly love, donate what you think is beautiful, discard what doesn’t work, and allow for pure and positive energy to flow around every corner.

Crime #2: Shut Your Ears to the Room
Listen to the empty room before you decorate it.  Feel its proportions, its surfaces, textures and colors; check the quality and the direction of light, and let its function guide the design.  The furniture for a room must move places according to the space it was designated for.

Crime #3: Follow Trends Mindlessly
Forget about copying the minimalistic or Asian style presented by the top interior design magazine.  The best room is the one with a unique identity, where you go in and immediately feel its special energy and balance because it shows your personality; the room is you!

Crime #4: Settle For What’s Common
A room decorated with certain objects or style just because that’s what’s normally done, is a loser.  Your imagination is the limit as to what your special room can become.  Let it surprise you with your unexpected side, allow it to show you how confident and unique you truly are.

Crime #5: Not Make It Fun
Have you heard the advice: don’t take yourself too seriously?  Well, it applies to decorating too.  There is always, and there always should be, room to be ironic, clever and interesting in a funny way.  Good taste should be a personal principle, not an established rule.

Crime #6: Dread Color
Color is the cheapest and fastest way to imprint personality into a room.  A well-selected color completely transforms a space and opens it to the senses from the inside out.  Want to laugh, dream, dance, or rest fully in your home?  Paint it with vibrancy and let bold colors speak about you.  Never fear it!

Crime #7: Being Too Formal
Long are gone the days of formal dinning as in the XVIII century castles.  Today we enjoy using and mixing our best china every day.  At home, you want to actually feel at home; feel free, relaxed and be casual.  You want your guests to feel at ease and special.  You want to live your life at home!

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