American Southwest Inspired Design

14 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Jim Klossner, The Home

Tags

American Southwest, desert, design, earthy tones, interior design, Native American, pottery, rustic, southwest design, terra cotta, Turquoise

When I think of the Southwest, I think of orange sunsets, turquoise jewelry, and the neutral sandy colors of the desert. The rich colors, textures, and patterns of the American Southwest bring a feeling of warmth and comfort to any space. Here are some of my favorite accent pieces and design touches straight out of Arizona and New Mexico’s most beautiful homes.

Nature-inspired Color Palette
The Southwestern color palette combines earthy tones such as beige, terra cotta, and browns, with bold splashes of color that are evocative of stunning desert sunsets. Think earthy backdrops coupled with pops of bright red bring warmth into your living space.

Photo Credit: Best Interior Designs

Turquoise is another wildly color choice in Southwestern design, and is also highly entwined with the Native American culture of the region. This cabinet is a great accent piece to your space that also provides an attractive and practical storage solution.

Photo Credit: Great SW Furniture

Pottery and artistic designs are another great way to work subtle touches of turquoise into your living space.

Photo Credit: Etsy

Another great idea that I stumbled upon in my search for beautiful designs from the Southwest incorporates terra cotta tile into this kitchen design. The rich color of this tile contrasted with the cool green tone of the cabinets becomes the ultimate classy Southwestern kitchen.

Photo Credit: Apartment Therapy

Rustic Accents
Another unique characteristic of Southwestern style is rustic textures and accents. Distressed wood furniture pieces are often incorporated into spaces to give them a Southwestern flair, like this armoire and table.

Photo Credit: Taos Vacation Homes

If you are looking for a more drastic change for your space, the beams along the ceiling in this living area are a distinct way to get structural supports.

Photo Credit: Zunetop

Aged leather accent pieces provide a rustic feel and comfortable seating for your family and guests.

Photo Credit: Sesshu Design

Who wouldn’t want to curl up in a chair with a good book and a mug of tea, or just take a nap?

Photo Credit: Wild Wings

Bold Patterns
You can also achieve Southwestern style by adding bold patterns to your living area. I loved the subtle use of patterns on the furniture in this room. The understated design fits right in with the rustic style of the space.

Photo Credit: HGTV

Or maybe you love a bolder design. Adding a statement piece such as this patterned rug creates a unique Southwestern feel in this mountain themed living room.

Photo Credit: Mountain Living

If you really want authentic touches in your space, consider purchasing some colorful Talavera pottery to add to your living room or dining room. It will brighten up any space while adding visual interest and acting as a conversation starter.

Photo Credit: San Miguel de Allende Casa

Clay pots or adobe pots with tribal patterns can also be added for a distinct Southwest style.

Photo Credit: Darla Hallmark

A larger and more dramatic version can be achieved with a pottery mural, like this one.

Photo Credit: Etsy

Finally, if you love Native American patterns and aren’t afraid of a healthy pricetag, I recommend checking out these Navajo hanging wall blankets. These are bright, gorgeous, statement pieces.

Photo Credit: Etsy

You don’t have to live in Arizona or New Mexico to bring a bit of region’s flair into your living space. Distressed wooden accent pieces, nature-inspired color choices, and distinct tribal patterns can be incorporated into your home to add a Southwestern feel. The best way to get a Southwestern influence is to think color, natural influences, and don’t be afraid of anything that helps your home look a little lived in!

Jim Klossner is a home repair professional. Many of his designs are inspired by his travels in the American Southwest and beyond. Click here to learn more about his recent accommodation at the Thunderbird Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Pantry and Kitchen Storage Designs

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Jim Klossner, The Home

≈ 1 Comment

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cabinets, country, glass shelves, Hutches, interior design, Jim Klossner, kitchen, modern, open shelving, organization, pantry, Storage, The Spice House

If you spent a ton of time in your kitchen cooking and baking for the holidays, your pantry and kitchen may be looking as though a hurricane came through (mine is!). Whether you are like me and want to get organized after the holiday madness or you are simply hoping to spice up your space for the New Year, there are a number of great ways to create your perfect pantry or revamp your old kitchen storage. Finding the perfect traditional piece or whipping out an unexpected solution are both smart ways to solve the kitchen storage problem.

Hutches and Country Pieces
If you have some under-utilized space in your kitchen, you may want to think about purchasing a dual shelving unit. A hutch with open shelving on top and hidden storage on the bottom is the perfect solution to free up some space in a crowded kitchen. You can display china or stoneware pieces and store away your old pots and pans underneath. And it adds a warm, country touch to your kitchen.

This white hutch combines a ton of space with a design that can fit in with almost any preexisting look and feel.

Photo Credit: House Beautiful

A beautiful two toned version, based on traditional Irish Tipperary Dressers, provides a great backdrop to display antique plates, crocks, or collectibles.

Photo Credit: British Cottage

A built-in hutch stands almost flush with the wall and provides an elegant storage solution without taking up too much floor space.

Photo Credit: Daily 5 Remodel

Glass Cabinets and Other Approaches
If you don’t have the space available to add a large storage piece like a hutch, maybe it’s time to rethink how your cabinets are arranged, and check some new home designs.

Changing out the cabinets can give your kitchen a quick facelift. These glass shelves create the sense of space, and allow you to showcase your favorite pieces.

Photo Credit: House Beautiful

This extremely modern approach to cabinets combines storage space with beautiful recessed lights for a practical effect.

Photo Credit: Digs Digs

This take by Lago completely reimagines what kitchen cabinets are supposed to be, and allows you to make a really personalized statement on what kitchens can look like.

Photo Credit: Fresh Home: Design & Architecture

Open Shelving
Open shelving is another practical option for organizing your pantry or adding a new, functional design element to your kitchen. You can opt for floor to ceiling shelves to maximize your storage space, or simply hang a few open shelves above your table.

Photo Credit: House Beautiful

Partial glass covers create a shared cabinet and open shelving feel that totally functional, but with a beautiful design.

Photo Credit: Apartment Therapy

Free hanging wall shelves can be combined to create any combination of storage necessary for your particular kitchen set.

Photo Credit: Remodelista

Vertical Storage
I also stumbled across another innovative storage solution that I would never have thought of but absolutely love. This vertical storage option is a pole with a wide base that can be placed on a center island or countertop. And the best part is that it rotates, similar to a display that you’d see in your favorite store, so that you can easily access whatever you need at your convenience.

Photo Credit: House Beautiful

An interesting arrangement of wall hangings allows for vertical storage of pots and pans.

Photo Credit: Contempoo

Vertical drawers are great places to store plates, platters and other dishes, in this slide in example that you can work into existing cabinet space.

Photo Credit: Shelterness

This variation offers a vertical spice storage solutions that’s brilliant, and takes up no space at all!

Photo Credit: Home Edit

Whether you are hoping to get organized or would like to achieve a different look for your space, you can accomplish your goal with these innovative storage solutions. Your kitchen will be gorgeous and have your stuff put away in no time!

Jim Klossner is a home improvement professional and amateur chef who needs lots of storage in his kitchen! You can find Jim reviewing products online for The Spice House. Visit their site to see some of his favorites.

Designing the Perfect Study Space for Kids

05 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Jim Klossner, The Home

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baskets, ceiling light, children, coloring, craft, desk, diy, Funky Furniture, glass globe, hanging shelves, home, homework area, interior design, Jim Klossner, kids, Lego inspired, minimalist, modern, Natural Sunlight, open shelving, pegboard, polka dot chair, reading, Storage, study, Study Space, supplies

Designing the perfect study space for kids can be the key to getting them to focus and finally get good grades. It’s a bit of an art and science: striking the right balance between creating a space that’s bright enough to stimulate them without being so busy it distracts them.

Smart Storage
I loved the following idea of using a colorful pegboard to store supplies for my children. They will have everything they need right in reach and we can also hang up their artwork to inspire them during study time. This idea will help eliminate the inevitable, “Mom, can you help me find this?” question that I seem to hear all too often.

The wide, two-seat table is also a great idea that will fit into our small den space where I’m planning the new homework area. It’s a good idea to consider whether your children work better independently or as a team when designing your study space.

Photo Credit: Houzz

Free hanging shelves and boxes can also be used to create a highly personalized and practical design.

Photo Credit: Rexohome

Another great idea that I stumbled across in my search incorporated baskets and open shelving into the design. This space is much larger than ours, but I loved all of the storage space and the personalized chairs added a special touch.

Photo Credit: Linxwest

Funky Furniture
Another fun touch that gives color and energy to a space is interesting furniture. Ideally, pieces that are kid-sized!

A minimalist desk combines with an inexpensive futon for reading, coloring, and other activities.

Photo Credit: The Lux Home

Simple touches such as a polka dot chair to match a rug and artwork can give a study space an interesting visual feel.

An ultra-sleek and modern look combines chic lines with an uncluttered workspace for a lot of productivity.

Photo Credit: Home in Cast

Natural Sunlight (or the Next Best Thing)
One of the greatest benefits of our new study space is that it has two large windows that let in the afternoon sunlight. Let’s face it, we all feel a little more inspired when we’re working in a space immersed in natural light.

If you have the opportunity to take advantage of the sunlight when you are planning your design, you may find that your child is more motivated because they will be in a better mood and be able to feel the fresh air as they do their work.

Photo Credit: PB Teen

If you can’t get a lot of natural light, here are some interesting choices.

This DIY craft approach converts an old glass globe into a scholarly light.

Photo Credit: Wired

Drum shades give a distinct look and feel to any boring old ceiling light.

Photo Credit: Shades of Light

These Lego inspired LED lamps will be loved by the budding engineers and scientists in your family.

Photo Credit: Inhabitots

The first step in designing a study space for your kids is putting their needs first. Think about their work styles and what inspires them to do their best work. Whether your children would be best suited in an environment where they can work together or if they’d thrive in a space that would allow them to work independently, there are a number of functional and beautiful design options available that would meet the needs of family study space!

Jim Klossner is a home improvement professional and single father of 2. He has enjoyed putting his skills to use, crafting the ideal study environment for his sons’ success. Click here for info on the study materials he recommends!

Unique Door Designs for Your Home’s Exterior

29 Saturday Dec 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Jim Klossner, The Home

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design, double doors, exterior doors, front doors, garage doors, home, Jim Klossner, non traditional, visual impact

We spend so much time decorating the interiors of our houses. When we tackle the exterior we change the siding or shingles, paint and trim, and relentlessly landscape until the lawn is the right shade of green and the flowers are just so. But how often do we actually pay attention to the door that we’re walking through? Much less, it turns out, than we should.

Our exterior doors not only add or detract from our overall look and feel, but they represent the gateway between the outside worlds we’ve so carefully architected and our beautifully decorated nests. When it’s time to look at your exterior door, here are some of the most stunning examples we’ve seen for inspiration.

Non-traditional shapes make an interesting visual impact
Ask any child to describe a door and they’re likely describe a rectangle to you. But many innovative doors have other shapes, from elegant and stately curving archways to more abstract takes.

Arched doorways really stand out, especially when they are accented by stained glass or other glass features.

Photo Credit: Nicks Building

This is an understated and somewhat antique looking approach to an arched oak doors for your home that fit into a variety of settings, including urban buildings.

Photo Credit: Trustile

And here are some interesting abstract doors – incorporating everything from unique materials to shapes and accents.

Photo Credit: Wishka

Photo Credit: Kuhl Doors

What frames and accents the door is as important as the door itself. When we’re thinking about doors, we often overlook the idea of the entire door – including the frame – as an installation. The entire door space can create an artistic impact in your overall design.

This beautiful craftsman door features a striking frosted window with small ledge, and matching panels to either side that create a special look.

Photo Credit: Door

Here are some others with small details and bold frames that stand out for being unique or memorable.

Photo Credit: Art Factory

Photo Credit: Wishka

Photo Credit: Vision Glass

Double doors are distinctive
Some of the designs above were double doors. It’s not the first thought you have when picking an exterior door, but in addition to some practical advantages (bringing in a giant sofa, for example), the look is a stand-out. Here are some of our favorites:

Photo Credit: Art Factory

Photo Credit: Vision Glass

Don’t overlook the garage
When considering exterior doors, it’s easy to not give the garage another thought. But residential garage doors are another great way to work some flare into your home design. The good news is that the options for garage doors go way beyond the gray industrial versions you might be thinking.

Here are some great non-traditional multi-door options:

Photo Credit: Bay Area Overhead Door

Photo Credit: Sweet Marias

Photo Credit: Jay Andre Construction

Colorful garage doors are another way to lend individuality to your design efforts.

Photo Credit: Attention to Detail Greenville

Unique Door Designs for Your Home's Exterior

Let a little light in
Finally, if you’re looking for doors that will let tons of natural light come streaming into your house and give you the chance to enjoy your yard or view more, there are plenty of beautiful French doors that will do the trick.

This floor to ceiling model is ultra clean in its look and lines, and almost brings the feeling of being outdoors right into the home (same effect screen door models – at The Screenmobile).

Photo Credit: North Jersey

Paneled French doors fold back to literally become a collapsible wall, which is perfect for summer barbeques on your patio or kids running in and out of the yard.

Photo Credit: Appliance in Home

There are also classic interpretations that blend seamlessly with a more traditional house design.

Whether you’re replacing your front door or looking for the perfect piece to integrate into a grand design, paying attention to your exterior doors will give you a leg up on achieving your overall desired effect.

Written by Jim Klossner