Room Review Service Sale Price $35.00 – Interior Design Service Online

Celebrate Our New Look with Sale Pricing!

Join us in celebrating our websites new look by giving your home a new look too. For a limited time only, we are offering our most popular service for a steal. A professional evaluation of your current room! Our Room Review Service is now only $35.00 (regular price $75.00). Take advantage of this sale and let us give you professional interior design advice about any room in your home for a huge savings.

We will analyze your room and help you figure out how it could look better. You will receive a detailed evaluation with three suggestions on what can be improved. The best part is that your full $35.00 will be credited toward the purchase of our Custom Room Design should you want even more design help.

We have had our makeover now it is your turn!

Design Question – Need a Rug Suggestion – Online Interior Design Help

Hello Lisa, how are you? I need now an advice of what color of rug should I use. Thanks a lot I will be waiting for your answer. I will send pictures in the following emails. Thanks, Yoly

Today I received the above design question along with photos of the room in desperate need of a rug. Yoly asked me for some online interior design help with a rug selection, and I am happy help.

20150915_173808

This is for a beach apartment in Panama thus the beach inspired interior. I love the blend of the various shades of blue; from aqua to teal to navy the look is amazing. But I do see how selecting an area rug is now a challenge!

My suggestion is to pull the navy blue from the adjacent dining chairs. The deeper blue will help ground the other colors and the seating area. While the room is visually interesting it needs the depth and warmth of the deeper color. The area rug is just the right location for this color saturation.

My suggestion is a geometric fringed rug from Surya:

http://www.surya.com/rugs/lagoon-(1)/lgo-2003/

This rug pulls together both the living and dining areas and introduces a bit more color to this fabulous room.

If you are interested in purchasing this rug or sending me your own design question, please feel free to message me on Facebook or send an email to Info@InteriorDesignServiceOnline.com!

The Look for Less – Yellow Metal Console Tables

Today’s look for less is one incredible discovery! ABC Home is one of my very favorite sources for unique, high end furniture. The only problem is all their uniqueness comes with an equally high end price tag.

But, today I found a console table from Room and Board almost if not equally as cool as the Uhuru Yellow Console from ABC Home that I have been coveting. The ABC Home console is made of powder-coated steel and costs $1,895.00.

The Slim Console made by Room and Board is also made of powder-coated steel and is a steal for only $219.00.

Please follow me on Facebook and Pinterest to see more interior design ideas for less!

Best White Paint Colors

Lately I have had a number of questions about picking out the right white paint. As an online interior decorator, the most asked question is what is your favorite white? When selecting the perfect white paint and you have hundreds of choices to choose from; making a decision can be overwhelming. Warm whites, cool whites, ultra-whites, creamy whites – it can be hard to see and know the difference when they all look white.

So I have collected my favorite colors from popular paint brands to hopefully help you narrow down your options.

Here are my all-time top five go to white paint colors – in no particular order:

Benjamin Moore / Linen White 912 – Linen White is a warm white with a yellow undertone. I love to use Linen White on walls when you want the clean look of white but still some warmth.

Sherwin Williams / Alabaster SW 7008 – Whether you are painting trim, wainscoting, walls, or cabinets Alabaster is a great option. Alabaster is a crisp yet creamy white with no yellow or antique undertones.

Benjamin Moore White / Dove OC-17 – White Dove is one of the most universal white paint colors ever. It almost always looks great. It is a white with a touch of cream and a touch of gray without being dingy.

Benjamin Moore / Navajo White PM-29 – Not to be confused with Sherwin Williams Navajo White (the colors are completely different), Navajo White by Benjamin Moore is warm and rich. This reads almost like a beige-yellow. If you have a lot of natural light and you’re going for a Mediterranean vibe, this is your white.

Valspar / Du Jour 7002-6 – If you think you want white-white, but are trying to avoid the purple fluorescent look Du Jour may be your color! It’s bright and fresh, fantastic for bathrooms, wood paneled walls, and trim.

Do you have a favorite white to add to the list? Please share! To see some of my other favorite paint colors, please follow my Pinterest Board Favorite Paint Colors.

Online Interior Decorator Finds of the Week from Top Art

So I’ve been looking for art this week to finish up a room design for a client. The Living Room is in a finished basement design in a rustic lodge style. With this rustic style as my interior design inspiration, I was thinking nature, animals, texture. This led me to search for something horse related as a starting point. Literal, I know, but often when shopping for art as an online interior decorator I start with one idea and often end up somewhere unexpected. Art needs to not only fit the design from a theme and color standpoint but must speak to owner.

Abstract Art by Julie Chapman / http://topart.com/abstract-art-73820gg

I did find a horse piece I absolutely adore! It speaks to me about the relationship between a mother and child. This piece did not work for my current project but nevertheless it caught my eye. While this was not right for my lodge style basement design, I bookmarked this great piece and will be sure to find a home for this beauty in someone’s home.

Somewhat as I expected, there is no horse art anywhere in the final design. Here is what I did find, in lieu of horses, which is perfect for the room design:

Gilded Tree II / http://topart.com/gilded-tree-ii-61756fn Gilded Tree II By Megan Meagher

If you have never heard of Top Art, I encourage you to check out their amazing selection! One of the best features they have various sizes and framing options for their art. Plus, they are offering our readers 30% off and free shipping. At checkout, please use code: I<IDSO.

“Reupholster or replace?” Online Interior Design Help

Today’s online interior design help question is “Hi Lisa, I really like my current sofa but it is in sad shape. My wife thinks I should we should get something new but I really love this sofa. How do we decide if we should upholster it or get a new sofa? –Nolan.”

My tips for making the reupholster or replace decision are below.

Reupholster your current sofa if you can answer yes to all of the following:

Your existing sofa fits your space

You and your family find the sofa comfortable

The sofa has the correct style for the look of your room

If you answered yes, then let’s take about the next steps:

Select a new fabric (the cost of the new fabric is often a surprise)
Find a good upholsterer (ask for a referral from a friend or neighbor)
Ask your upholsterer to quote you the amount of yardage needed
Carefully rethink the design details of the sofa
- For example, do you want a skirt?
- Welting?
- Add a nail head trim?
Arrange for the delivery of the sofa
Be without a sofa for 2-4 weeks while it’s getting worked on
Bring your newly upholstered sofa home!

When the process is complete you can be confident that you sofa will look new yet will still have that great comfort you have come to love.

http://www.hickorywhite.com/catalog_detail.php?id=1001&model=CMSS-EBD&page=1&results_per_page=9999

Buy a new sofa if the following are true:

Your sofa is uncomfortable

The size and scale of the sofa looks wrong in your room

The sofa style no longer works with your style

Or, you simply do not want to undertake the reupholstery steps mentioned above!

How does the cost compare?

Surprising to many, re-upholstering a sofa ends up costing close to what it would cost to purchase something new. Therefore the cost should really not be the determining factor in your decision. I suggest that you go through the pro and con list outlined above. After you this, I am confident that you and your wife will land on the same page (sitting side by side on your new or old sofa).

The Look for Less – Modern Leather Swivel Chairs

Great interior design ideas come in all budgets! There are so many cool furnishings available online but not all fit in your budget. My recommendation is to start by discovering your “dream” piece and then finding the look for less.

https://www.rhmodern.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod7590994&categoryId=cat7140242

This week I absolutely fell in love with a classic, modern swivel chair from RH Modern while working on a project for a client who lives in a loft apartment in Chicago: Luke Leather Chair in Italian Milano Leather in a color called velum. The swivel base is in polished stainless steel and the lines are classic. This chair would be a show stopper in a modern living room! But, sadly, this beauty was nowhere close to fitting in the budget with a price tag of $3,225.00.

http://www.overstock.com/Office-Supplies/Modern-Faux-Leather-Wide-Seat-Lounge-Chair/9039953/product.html

I was able to find an awesome alternative at Overstock. With a chrome base and similar lines to my RH Modern crush, this chair is a bargain! Granted we have replaced the Italian leather with a faux leather but at a fraction of the cost ($214.19), this chair allows my city apartment dweller to have the right look and still pay the rent.

Visit our blog on Interior Design Service Online or follow us on Facebook for more interior design ideas and knock off finds each week!

Paint Color “Brush Out” – The Interior Designers Key Step in Color Selection

Paint color is a key element in a room! Whether you go neutral, light or bold – getting the paint color just right is essential to a room design.

A “brush-out” is a term that means a sample of the actual paint color painted on a wall or a sample board in the designated room. I recommend this step on every project whether it be an in house client or an online client.

Here is some information on how to make your paint color selection just like an interior designer:

1. Always do a small “brush out” of any paint color prior to painting the entire room. This helps make sure that the color that looks so great on your computer screen or even a paint store swatch will actually look as good on your walls. I recommend painting a brush out even if you really like the color or have seen it before. The reason for this is the light and other elements in a room or home can dramatically change the look of paint colors.

2. Most major paint manufacturers now sell sample size paints. If your color is not available in a sample size you can purchase a quart of each paint color that you are considering using from your local paint store. This may seem like an expensive way to test the color but it is much less costly to pay for a quart of paint than it is to repaint an entire room.

3. Paint a 3’ by 3’ square on the wall and let it dry completely. If you have a dark color already on the wall or you are sampling a deep paint color, you will need to paint several coats on your brush out to ensure that you have the true color. Once the color dries, look at the paint in different lights of the day to really get a true sense of the color. What may look yellow in the morning may look greener in the afternoon light.

4. Take a look at online color viewers. Some of my favorite paint manufacturers have easy to use online tools for painting a sample room online. Take a look at Personal Color Viewer Benjamin Moore and ColorSnap Visualizer by Sherwin-Williams to get started.

Doing this type of color study is the best way to trust that you are going to like a paint color prior to painting an entire room.

Online Interior Decorator Find of the Week – Floor Lamp by Stray Dog Designs

As a designer, I am constantly looking on the web for the best home furnishings. And then there is an ah-ha moment! I find something incredible and special, and it makes my heart sing!

Here is this week’s online interior decorator find that might peak your interest too:

http://www.rosenberryrooms.com/455-otomi-floor-lamp.html?pp=1

I first spotted this lamp, designed by Stray Dog Designs on Rosenberry Rooms. If you are familiar with Rosenberry Rooms then you probably know them for their amazing selection of furnishings for little ones. But, think outside the box. This incredibly cool and fun floor lamp would be a great addition to a home office or could add some color to a Living Room.

This is decorator love!

Please take a look at my growing collection of other designer finds here on Pinterest.

Online Interior Design Help – Gray Walls

Ever wish you could ask an interior designer a question? Now you can! You ask the question and I will do my best to answer your question in my weekly blog.

Let’s start with a request I received for some online interior design help this week:
Hey Lisa – I just moved into a new construction home. Our builder painted every wall gray (which I love) but it just isn’t working with my furniture (everything looks dull). Any ideas to liven up the look? FYI – I am on a tight budget. Thanks – Jessie
Gray is everywhere right now so I am not surprised to hear that it is the color used in your new home. There are lots of ways to work with the gray walls without feeling like your home is boring and drab. Here are a few budget friendly suggestions:

tassel-stripe-pillow-cover-pale-harbor-o

Image West Elm: http://www.westelm.com/products/tassel-stripe-pillow-cover-pale-harbor-t2133/?pkey=cpillows%7Cpillow-covers%7C4294963733&group=1&sku=9056727

Blend in the Gray

There are many colors that look lovely with gray. For example, you can go for something soft and calm yet still introduce color. Pale blue or aqua blue mixed with white can be incredibly sophisticated on the backdrop of gray walls.

Decide which direction you want to take you color palette. You can then repeat these colors in different saturations, variations and portions throughout your home.

There are creative ways to tie the gray back to your selected colors. Something simple such as throw pillows in a multi-color pattern can marry the gray to other colors in your furnishings. An area rug that blends gray with your other colors can pull together the scheme.

Warm up the Gray

Think outside the box and use a color palette that adds warmth to the gray. I have used gray walls with a camel leather sofa and brass light fixtures. You can’t get much warmer and richer looking!

Liven up the Gray

One of my favorite is indigo blue and coral mixed with gray. This creates a bold and vibrant look!

Lighten up the Gray

As the color of shadow, gray can sometimes look dark and drab. Solves this by adding multiple light sources to avoid a shadow look. Overhead fixtures will give lots of clear lighting. Adding lamps to the overhead lighting creates a layered look and lightens the feel.

Enjoy the Trend

Yes, I do believe that gray is a trend and just as it came in it will go out. Therefore, I suggest that you think long term. If you invest in something like a new sofa, consider a light neutral color that works with gray but can also work with another color scheme. This way, when the trend goes, your sofa does not need to go with it.

Please feel free to submit your design questions just like Jessie did! You can read more about my online interior design help and services: Interior Design Service Online.