It’s true that, of all the rooms in your home, the bathroom is the one used for the most practical of purposes.  Many people think of their bathrooms as a place you go to get ready for the rest of their day or night.  But as your Seattle interior designer will tell you, transforming your bathroom into a design delight is a great way to bring a whole new level of enjoyment to some of your everyday necessities.

Especially in these trying times when folks are opting to invest money into their homes instead of away from them, a bathroom makeover really makes sense.  Bathroom redesign can be a daunting task, and not one to be undertaken without at least the advice of an interior designer.  Here is a brief description of a few of today’s hottest trends in bathroom design.

Tubs and Showers
If space is no concern in your bathroom, there are a wide variety of tubs you can move up to.  From deep soakers to spa tubs, from corner Jacuzzis to modern versions of the claw foot tub, and everything in between, you are sure to fall in love with a cool design.  Nothing beats stress better than a long soak in a tub full of fragrant bubbles or a few minutes of an invigorating massage in your own personal whirlpool tub.  If your space is somewhat more of a concern, free standing showers come in many shapes and sizes, some with walls and doors of clear glass for a really spacious feel.  Showerheads that create a cascade of water and multiple shower jets that massage as they spray can turn your time in the shower into the highlight of your day.

Floors
Long gone are the days of plain old vinyl in the bathroom.  Ceramic, stone and even laminate flooring have become the choice of many for bathroom makeovers. Available in a wide assortment of colors as well as textures, a new floor can really define your new room.  One of the best investments to consider if you’re doing a new bathroom floor is electric in floor heating.  Treating yourself to this little luxury is something you won’t regret!

Faucets and Vanities
A new sink and vanity are sure to be a must for your bathroom makeover.  Cabinets are available in all kinds of finishes and free standing pedestal sinks create a very modern feel.  Faucets, like tubs and showers have made great design improvements over the past few years.  Whether your preference runs to black iron, oxidized copper or brushed pewter, there is sure to be a finish and style to suit your new bathroom vision.

Take a few minutes to really think about what you want in a bathroom before speaking to your interior designer.  Make a list of the things you’d really like to have and prioritize them in case you have to make some concessions. It will be a big project, and you want to be sure that you end up with everything you hoped for!

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The term “aging in place” has been widely used to talk about elderly people who have chosen to live by themselves in their own homes for as long as they can.

The National Home Builders Association and AARP have stated that over the next five years, the aging “baby boomer” population of the United States will have the second biggest impact on the remodeling industry over many other factors.

In these cases, it is necessary to do certain remodeling work in their homes to make them fit these seniors’ changing needs as they get older.

But, once you decide it is time to remodel your home to make it safer and more accessible to age in place, what exactly should you change?  Here is a list of the most important changes a home for the elderly requires:

1.    General floor plan
Of course it is best if your home is a one story building; however, if you live in a two story house, think about building a master bedroom suite downstairs, maybe transform the seldom used dinning room or study.  It is best if you build an adjacent bathroom, because as you age, it will get harder to move around and having your basic needs on hand is crucial.

2.    Bathroom
No matter where the bathroom is, it most definitely will need some adjustments to make it safer for elderly people.  Install grab bars around the bathing and toilet areas, and substitute your traditional bathtub for one with a step in type, which will help reduce the risk of slips and falls.

3.    Kitchen
If as a senior you want to be independent, you will most certainly be cooking and staying active in the kitchen.  This is why it is important to make it a friendly space.  Your upper wall cabinets should be installed no less than three inches lower than they normally are. This will prevent you from making a great effort to reach them or using a treacherous step stool.  The way to the kitchen should be kept open and free of objects or furniture.

4.    Flooring
Get rid of any slippery tile or high sheen surfaces.  Equally, a carpet can be very dangerous if it has a pile deeper than half and inch and is not installed with the appropriate padding.  In any case, to be safe, have any new flooring installed by professionals to make sure it has been properly secured in place.

5.    Exteriors
The exterior is as important as the interior.  There should be proper lighting outside for security reasons, and many people install a flashing emergency light to make sure emergency services find the house easily in case they have to.  Every path should be well lit, and every step should have solid hand rails and anti slip mats.

To ensure a professional, reliable, and safe job, consider talking to a Seattle interior designer; she knows what it takes to ensure your safety, your comfort, and your autonomy once the golden years arrive.

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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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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!

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You have been looking for a house for months, and you have discovered that finding a home suitable for six people and at an affordable price is not an easy task.  But suddenly, one day, an ad catches your eye.  It is a five bedroom, four bathrooms, fireplace, big yard, and huge basement house at a great neighborhood and at an incredible price, however, the last line of the ad reads: “fixer upper”.

So, it’s ok. It’s too good a deal pass up. You know you can convince your family that this is the best option and you can all make some sacrifices to give the place a facelift and to imprint your family’s personality in it.

Many people have gotten into amazingly successful fixer upper projects and you can surely be one of them, however, you have to consider several things:

1.    Is the property worth it?
In order to clearly assess this, you will need a professional.  You can immediately see and feel when a property has potential, and if it does, go see it again with a good engineer, a quality contractor, and a top interior designer.  Why? Because some problems will be obvious, like an outdated kitchen or peeling paint, but the biggest issues, like rotted wood or old plumbing may not be, and only a professional with experience can tell you where to look to find the dangerous weaknesses.

2.    How much will you have to invest in fixing the place up?
If you are really into buying the place, get the professionals to give you estimates of how much the remodeling project will cost.  Add these costs to the house’s price and compare the total with the prices of other similar and better houses in the area.  For example, if the house is listed at, let’s say, $150,000, and others around the neighborhood are being sold for around $210,000, and the remodeling estimates you receive oscillate around $50,000, you definitely have a winner!

3.    Can you finance the fix up?
If you are buying the property with a mortgage, most probably the bank will assess the place based on its current condition, not its potential value once remodeling is done, so you may not receive enough money to pay for the fix up work.  You could research the renovation loan opportunities available in your city, but you will certainly have to work the numbers to make sure you can pay both loans without sacrificing your family.

You will certainly feel it. You will know if the place is ‘home’ even if it is a wreck.  If this is the case and this house is destined to be yours, don’t worry, it will be, energies will align and the right people will find you so as to make your dream a reality.

And if your precious future home is around the Seattle area, here’s your first sign.  Talk to a professional Seattle interior designer; there’s no one better to guide you in the right direction. With her help, you will experience what serendipity is all 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).

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The day finally arrived!  Your child has gone to college and, now, the house is all yours.  As soon as this happens, the first thing many couples do is remodel the house to fit their new life.  Maybe you’ve been dreaming about building a gym at home, or a home office, or a meditation spot, or a quilting room, and now is the perfect time.  You have a spare room where you can design the personal space of your dreams without having to think about the kids’ safety, their primary activities, or even the colors that will show the dirt less.

However, as soon as everything is ready and you are happily enjoying your new space, you get a phone call.  Your ‘little one’ is returning home and your newly acquired liberty is at stake.

For many reasons, one of them being the economic crisis, many kids who left home to study or to live other experiences are returning to the nest.  When adult children or elderly parents move in, the space, privacy, and lifestyle differences can be a huge problem.  In this case, homeowners have to find a way to create two homes in one, and in many cases the answer may be the basement.

Now more than ever basements are being remodeled to become a full living space, an apartment within a house.  This is a perfect way to welcome family members into your home while keeping your privacy, and personal space intact.

There have been many advances in finishing techniques, materials, and trends that help transform basements into amazing spaces, making them cozy, practical, modern, private, and independent.  It doesn’t matter if it is a small or big basement; the project will be successful if you do it right:

1.    You have to know exactly what kind of space you need.  Young and elderly people have very different needs and thus, you have to know for who this space will have to work for, so that it is functional and attractive to them.

2.    Research the local interior designers to find the right professional to guide you.  Yes, you need a professional.  Basement remodeling is a huge project that requires a lot of knowledge in regards to proper insulation, ventilation, lighting, colors, storage solutions, furniture and fixtures that will work by not making the space look crowded, and the practical design of limited spaces.  These are only a few of the aspects that make basement remodeling a task of high level difficulty.

If you want to do it right, if you want the basement remodeling project to add great value to your home, and besides being home to your loved ones, become a source of return on investment if you ever decide to sell, you need to get quality help.  If you hire the help of a Seattle interior designer or someone in your area, you can ensure faster communication and action in case of emergencies with the project, and it will mean great savings in time and effort for you.

Once your project is ready, and for many years to come, the interior designer’s expertise will prove vital for the comfort and economic return it will provide.

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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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Lighting is seldom taken seriously when decorating a room, and this brings about thoughtless decisions.

In reality, lighting is one of the most fundamental elements to create a space, to make it come alive and inviting to those who enter it.  It must be considered along with planning and decoration of the whole space, as it impacts directly in the way in which a specific space is perceived.

The most beautiful decoration will be lost if it is not lit correctly to convey its message.  Poor lighting diminishes color and neglects textures, making a room look worse than common.

The lighting in a room is so powerful, that even the simplest design can look complex and a stroke of genius when the right lighting is applied.  And, as important as it is, it can also be very simple to achieve, however, in some cases, it is best to ask for professional help, be it a Seattle interior designer or even a friend with a sixth sense.

If you are undertaking a special decoration project and need some help with the lighting, here are some general considerations that work well for new and existing spaces.

- The first thing to understand about the lighting within a room is that it requires shadow; otherwise it will lack stimulus, turning the space boring and flat.

- Be careful with direct lighting over textures, as it may make them disappear and neutralize their beautiful visual effect.

- Every feature in the room must be treated in a special way in regards to lighting, as the light will bring out the best in them and will make them stand out within the room.  Lighting accentuates design; it brings out the forms in a very positive way.

- The lights on pictures give these an important position within the space and they help define the perimeter of the room.

- When thinking about the lighting for a room, think about the mood you desire that space to convey, what are the activities performed in that room, and what decorative pieces you want to highlight.  As a general rule, any inviting space requires between five to ten light sources, but it will depend on the colors in the room.  Dark colors absorb light and thus, a dark painted room will require more lighting than a light colored one.

- Today, you can find complete matching lighting collections to use within one room in order to achieve unity and save time.

- To add interest to your space, vary the light source’s heights; this will add depth and interest by creating different areas of light and shade.

- Very important also, is to play with the intensity of light.  Utilize dimmer switches, three-way bulbs and alternate switching patterns between general lighting, task lights, lamps and accent lighting to create a specific mood.

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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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Flea markets and vintage furnishings shops are a very good option to find that piece of furniture or design item we have been looking for so long, which was either hard to find, or simply too expensive. Flea markets are the ideal place to shop when your budget is limited. You could find some lovely treasures. Patience and cleverness are the keys to a successful transaction.

Flea markets owe their name to the fact that people usually look like fleas from a distance. Also, some believe that the name originated from the fact that the pieces of furniture bought actually came with fleas. This is not so much the case nowadays. Flea markets and vintage furnishings shops have come a long way. Now everything is much more organized and regulated, and in many flea markets you can even pay with a credit card. Also, many modern flea markets have delivery services, so the pieces of furniture you want can be delivered right to your home.

In Paris there are a well established and very famous series of such markets called Les Puces.  Here both permanent booths as well as an ever changing weekly array of sellers come together to offer things from frumpy to fabulous.  The markets are  hundreds of years old but began more officially in their current form around 1880.    Many a treasure has graced the covers of famous international magazines which began its voyage in these humble and jumbled beginnings.  The thrill is in the search and many make the pilgrimage on a weekly basis. I myself have spent many days on each of my trips to Paris combing the markets for both fun and treasures.  On one such trip, I fell deeply in love with a beautiful crystal chandelier.  Amazingly, I was told that it had just been sold…as luck would have it to a colleague of mine from right here in Seattle of all places.  Great minds think alike…even in the Puce in Paris.

The idea is to take all the time in the world, to thoroughly check the pieces of furniture you are interested in. If they are damaged, they could probably be repaired by a carpenter, and for a small fee, you get to save thousands of dollars. Also, if you’re handy repairing things, it is known to be great work therapy, to relieve stress. Wood is a very noble material to work with; if you are kind to it, it will respond beautifully.

It is crucial that the piece you acquire does not carry larvae of insects. Some insects feed on wood, and if an infestation occurs, it can very well end with your home’s foundations. The wisest thing to do is to leave the piece in quarantine, in the garage, for instance, before granting it a place inside your home.

Tables, chairs, sofas, armchairs, beds, closets, mantelpieces; you name it. Any L.A., New York, Miami, or Seattle interior designer would agree that the right item could be a stylish addition to your home; some may even give it the right touch of distinction. Patience and a keen eye can prove to be very useful when it comes to the search for the perfect design item.