Design Classics from an Online Interior Decorator

Sometimes a piece of furniture or other home furnishing is so good that it becomes a design classic. These no fail online interior decorator selected, go to elements, give a home a classic touch and work with a wide range of design styles.

Here are 18 timeless designer picks that blend with almost any décor:

1.)     Tolix first introduced these stools in the 1950’s and they remain a design classic. These metal barstools are a staple of an Industrial Modern look yet fit in well in almost any design style. Fun, classic and retro!

 

Online Interior Decorator

 

2.)      A stripe rug is always a good choice. The wide stripes and perfect color palate (navy and grey) allow this rug to work anywhere from a kitchen to a child’s bedroom or even under a dining table.

Online Interior Decorator

3.)      White slipcovered furniture is a foundation of Shabby Chic interiors yet there is no need to limit this look to only one style. White slipcovered furniture is crisp and clean looking and can fit into almost any style from contemporary to traditional to shabby Chic, all based on the shape and lines of the furniture!

Online Interior Decorator

4.)      Way too pretty to be left out in the in the rain! A bench with classic (hint of British Colonial lines) works incredibility well in an entry to welcome your guests in classic style. Adding a gorgeous long lumbar pillow softens the feel and can tie the bench back to your color scheme.

Online Interior Decorator

 

5.)      At first you might see a glass pendant light and think dated and done but not these fixtures! The cube shape and antique bronze (almost a black) finish options help these pendant work seamlessly in most interiors. A set of three small fixtures hung over a large island creates a lovely composition.

Online Interior Decorator

 

6.)       Need a way to hide your television when not in use? A Ming style armoire is just the right piece. Timeworn, this type of armoire becomes a quiet focal point in a room.

Online Interior Decorator

7.)       Warm and inviting. Nothing says family and home like a large well-worn round dining table. A trestle table is an element that helps a house look like a home.

Online Interior Decorator

8.)     Swivel chairs are both functional and cool, and in a rounded tub shape are design classics. I love to add swivel chairs to large open space so you can turn toward different sections of a room creating an easy of conversation and great use of space.

Online Interior Decorator

9.)     Botanical prints work in almost any room. Classic black and white botanicals are even better. For a modern look in a bedroom pair with grey walls, white linens and warm dark furniture.

Online Interior Decorator

 

10.)     If given the choice, I would typically select fresh over faux but there are some really good artificial plant options now available. I adore a long planter of succulents on a table. They give an organic, earthy touch to a home.

Online Interior Decorator

 

11.)      Natural fiber rugs are always a good look and they typically cost much less than wool counterpart. These rugs morph their look to fit almost any design style based on how they are used. One of my favorite ways to use a natural fiber rug is with a hide or sheepskin placed on top.

Online Interior Decorator

 

12.)      White matelassé bedding evokes timeless luxury! Working into countless color scheme, white matelassé bedding is a chameleon of sort; add punches of bold accent color or softer color touches to completely change the look. This bedding will never go out of style.

Online Interior Decorator

 

13.)      A starburst mirror is not just for Mid Century Modern interiors. This iconic style mirror can be used over a fireplace, above an entry table or anywhere you need a bit of unexpected coolness.

Online Interior Decorator

14.)      Glass waterfall tables vertically disappear in a living room allowing your rug underneath to shine. Even with this quiet presence, the glass waterfall table is certainly a table not to overlook.

Online Interior Decorator

15.)      Red and navy wool rugs in a traditional slightly ethnic style will never get tired looking. Seek rugs with an aged, antique look to work as a backdrop in a room.

Online Interior Decorator

16.)      Unrefined yet elegant, glass hurricanes always work well in design. These seeded glass hurricanes can be placed on a dining table of coffee table giving a soft glow and a touch of rustic to a room.

Online Interior Decorator

17.)      A perfect pairing with a solid, floral or even Ikat pillow counterpart. Stripe pillows are like a neutral – they go with just about any other pattern.

Online Interior Decorator

18.)     No online interior decorator list of classic design elements would be complete without an arc floor lamp. Timeless and modern these lamps are one of the best ways to add classic design to a room. Don’t limit yourself to using the arc floor lamp only in a Living Room. Why not bring into a Dining Room to light a table in an unexpected yet awesome way?

Online Interior Decorator

Like these suggestions? Please follow me on Pinterest and Facebook for other design inspiration.

Last Minute Gift Idea! Interior Design Service Online Gift Certificates!

inteiror desgin service onlineNeed a last minute gift idea? Been struggling to find the perfect gift for the person that has everything only to realize you are almost out of time?

Interior Design Service Online can help. Order a gift certificate for any of our design services and we will email the certificate to you or directly to your gift recipient before Christmas. Even on Christmas Day if you find yourself in a pinch!

Gift certificates can be used for any of our great services such as a Custom Room Design, Mini Room Design or even a Room Review Service. Our services come in every size to fit every budget with options as low as $35.00. Visit Interior Design Service Online to learn more.

Yes, you can finish your holiday shopping today!  You might even think of a holiday gift to yourself – a beautifully designed home!

Reasons You Should Consider Interior Design Help Online

Interior Design Help Online

Almost 10 years ago, I had a hunch that  interior design help online was the next big movement in interior design. After working as an interior designer is San Francisco and Santa Barbara, I was ready for a change. At that time, I started researching online design services and, to my surprise, found that this service really did not exist.

As a professional interior designer it made perfect sense that this was the next direction to go for homeowners. And my next professional adventure! Not to toot my own horn too loudly but it turns out I was right on this one!

Here is why going with an online interior designer or design firm is so good for homeowners:

Cost: Online interior design can be affordable. Pricing runs from a few hundred dollars to a bit more per room but when compared to the hourly rate plus commission that most in house designer’s charges, this is a bargain! For me, I can keep the cost low yet still offer my clients a beautiful custom design and excellent customer service by keeping my overhead low. This is a win-win for both designer and client.

Accessibility: This goes back to cost. While using an interior design once felt like a luxury only for the affluent, online interior design literally brings design to all. Whether you need a little advice or a lot of help, there is something out there for almost everyone and every budget. Interior design help online can be a fit for most projects and budgets.

No Judgment: I cannot tell you the number of times I enter into a client’s house for a design consultation and the client immediately starts apologizing: “I did not have time to do the dishes” or “my two-year-old has toys all over the living room, please overlook”. This fear of designer / homeowner judgment is uncomfortable for us both. Certainly, you cannot believe that my home is spotless 24/7? I have children and pets too! That is exactly why I would never have this expectation of a homeowner. Online design eliminates this concern as you the home owner only show me photos of the room in question.

Convenience: Busy professionals can now use the service of a designer at any time they see fit. No more trying to schedule an after-hours evening or weekend appointment. Access a professional designer at your leisure.

No Pressure: With the right online design service, you will not feel pressured to purchase product from the designer. With Interior Design Service Online we do offer a Trade Discount on some items but that is only if a client in interested. No need to purchase a piece of art or table simply because the designer brought it to your home and tells you it is fabulous. You decide what you love and what works for your home! Please be aware that if the cost of the online design is really low and product sales are encouraged, you can be pretty sure that the goal is the selling of product and not your design.

After being one of the first online interior designers, the arena is now saturated with competitors. The beauty of this industry is that there are lots of options now for you! What keeps my company going strong is the relationships that are made. First time clients become repeat clients. Repeat clients become friends. I am not a turn and burn type online design firm; I actually care that my customer is pleased. I want the design to work for you and I want you to love it. This is why I love online interior design.

 

 

The Look for Less – Leather and Acrylic Bench

Wallis Leather Bench

Horchow Wallace Bench

A bench that is both masculine and feminine, modern and classic and with a high and low price tag is a true find! Whether used in an entry under a mirror or painting or at the foot of a bed, this bench makes a statement and tops the list of good interior design ideas.

The Wallis Leather Bench from Horchow costs $1,399.00. While I love the bench I am not sure I love the price. This sent me off searching for something similar, something within the budget of my current project.

And, look what I found! Coleman Furniture has a nearly identical piece called the Envy Leather / Acrylic Bench. Any envy I do. This incredible find only costs $349.00. Now that is a true score.

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

Envy Leather Acrylic Bench

Coleman Furniture Envy Bench

 

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

Celebrate Our New Look with Sale Pricing!

 online interior design

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!

Best White Paint Colors

online interior design services

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:

BM Linen White 912

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.

 

SW Alabaster 7008

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.

 

BM White Dove OC-17

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.

BM Navajo White OC-95

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.

 

du-jour

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.

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

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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.

Your design package

“Your design package arrived today for my game room re-design. OMG! I LOVE what you have designed and suggested for balance of Furniture, fixtures and paint, and so does my wife.Your services, talents and skills are amazing compared to what I am use to. Thank you for taking the time and interest to leave us with a design that I have been looking for your years for that space.”

Have you discovered Pinterest yet?

For all of you that have already started pinning you know what I mean when I say I am in love.  It was actually love at first sight and I cannot get enough of this craze!  For those of you that have not discovered this gem, let me tell you a little about it.

Pinterest is a new social media type website in which users create visual boards of images they find and like from the web and other Pinterest users.   To quote from the Pinterest website “Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.”

This is the ideal place to organize your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration for your next home design project. 

Follow Interior Design Service Online on Pinterest to see what we are pinning.

Accommodating for Limited Space / Written by Sam Marquit

Not everyone has the luxury of a palatial home in the suburbs or a large country estate. For those who live in small spaces, specifically in small urban apartments, decorating can sometimes be a challenge. From first-hand experience, a majority of the Manhattanand NYC Apartments that I’ve done projects on are very limited in terms of space and design. Even the home I live in currently doesn’t exceed that of 1000 square feet.

But with many homeowners picking up on the new-age green movement, and industry professionals pushing the same ideals, it’s not unreasonable to think that folks would pursue small home investment. Sustainability is becoming an increasingly powerful factor in decision-making, so if you’re faced with the challenge of decorating small spaces, may I suggest a few tips that can help?

1. Organize. Organize. Organize.
One of the biggest enemies of a small space is clutter. It is essential that clutter be avoided and that organization is the key starting point in decorating and maintaining a small space. Because of this, organizational furniture and strategies should be at the top of your list.

2. Let the light in.
Bright outdoor lighting can make even the smallest space feel airy and inviting. When planning your window treatments, choose treatments that do not block outdoor lighting. If you do not have good outdoor lighting in your small space, then invest in adequate overhead lighting to brighten up the space you have. A small bright space is always preferable to a small dark space, unless of course you are a bat.

3. Choose furniture that makes your space look bigger.
It is remarkable the magic you can work in a space merely by choosing the appropriate furniture. One simple piece of advice is to buy furniture that does not have arms whenever possible. Armless sofas, living room chairs and even dining room chairs will streamline your furniture and lessen the bulk. Bulky furniture makes a small room look even smaller. 

Another way to open your space is that when choosing a sofa or a loveseat, make sure it has legs. Getting furniture off of the floor makes a room looks larger. So, when buying furniture, especially a sofa or loveseat, make sure it has legs and is not directly resting on the floor of your space.

Since your space is limited, dual-purpose furniture that doubles as storage can be a lifesaver. Ottomans that open up to store blankets and pillows are an excellent choice for your living room, and kitchen benches with storage under the seat are also a good option. Additionally, many people looking to maximize bedroom storage invest in a bed with ample storage possibilities or built-in storage underneath.

4. Use colors to and accent pieces to make a room appear larger.

Contrary to some opinions, small rooms do not need to be painted neutral colors. In fact, small rooms can benefit from the use of bright cool colors that refract light rather than absorb it. Also, do not be afraid to use bold colors to create accent walls or dramatic entrances.

In addition to colors, mirrors can do wonders in acting to increase the size of a small room. Some people choose to have one dramatic mirror as their focal accent piece, while others choose to place several mirrors together to create a focal point. When choosing mirrors as a space enhancing accent piece or pieces, be careful not to overdo it. While some mirrors do wonders to create the optical illusion of larger space, too many mirrors may serve to make your living space resemble a circus fun-room.

Finally, the right wall shelving is indispensible when decorating a small space. Narrow shelving can be used to display photographs and small knick-knacks without protruding too much into your living space.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to space-saving and creative ideas to enhance your small space.

Sam Marquit is a entrepreneur, home improvement specialist, and part time blogger. Fee free to visit Sam’s blog, and don’t forget to connect with him @fmarquitv