Light and bright spaces

Check out my most recent post about making your room feel light and bright: http://michellesdesigninspirations.wordpress.com/

- Michelle -

New Blog!

Hi everyone!

Check out my new blog at: http://michellesdesigninspirations.wordpress.com/


Thanks for reading!

- Michelle -

"Funky Living Space" Design

Hi everyone!

I decided to do a Polyvore set today to inspire some design choices for my readers: "Funky Living Space" designed by me! An eclectic style with funky accents and fun colors.

Check out my other Polyvore sets here: http://mmurphy37.polyvore.com/

Thanks for checking out my design!

- Michelle - 

Design Inspiration # 1

Hi everyone!

I love using the website Polyvore to create interior design inspirations and fashion designs. I want to post some of my designs on my blog here to inspire others with color and design.


This is an interior inspiration I did a little while back. Organic and rustic with a funky flair.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/54746951691187078/

Thanks for reading!

- Michelle -

Creative Use of Space #2 - Fireplaces

Hi everyone!

I have had clients and friends ask what they should do about an unused/broken fireplace. You don't necessarily have to do anything, but it is nice to consider a decorative look or different use to accent that feature of your space. I have come up with some different uses of an unused/broken fireplace that can add a nice touch to your space.


1. Candles - A nice arrangement of decorative candles (can be lit or not) will accent the space and create a feeling of warmth.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/442248/Kewamee-transitional-living-room-orange-county

2. Make it an accent piece - Even if you can't light a fire in your fireplace (broken, etc) you can still make it look beautiful. Put some nice logs arranged beautifully and add decorative accents on the hearth or mantel. The example below is decorated for the holidays, but you can do anything that works well for your style and space.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/2235562/Linden-Hills-Farmhouse-farmhouse-living-room-minneapolis

3. Fireplace screen - Putting a nice decorative fireplace screen in front of your unused fireplace will create a nice finished feel and accent the fireplace as a beautiful feature of your home, not as a broken eyesore. This example also has nice decorative accents on the hearth and mantel to finish off the look. 

http://www.houzz.com/photos/590499/Lake-Keowee-Smith-Private-Residence-living-room

More tips to come in the future!

Thanks for reading!

-Michelle-

Pops of color!

Hi Everyone!

Color is an amazing design tool, but can also be the most challenging part of design. What colors should I use? How many should I put together? How much is too much? There isn't necessarily a "color rule" as to how many or how little color you should use in a space. In my designs, I tend to stick with threes (3 really is my favorite number). I like to pick one base color, something more neutral like gray, cream, or taupe and build off that with two richer colors as accents. It varies from space to space, client to client, but threes are a good way to design for yourself.

Gray is a very popular neutral. There are so many grays out there and it is a great grounding color for a room. It creates a nice even and balanced space to work with. Just be careful about undertones of other colors in grays (they are sneaky!).

Once you pick your solid base color, add some pops!

Here is an example of a gray base color with blue and green pops of color.

http://www.decoist.com/2013-05-23/decorating-with-green-inspiration/

Here is an example of cream with purple and yellow.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/manja-swanson/a-colorful-living-room-de_b_4032991.html

It is also okay to add more neutrals. Gray and white are paired all the time because they work well together. You can have two or more neutrals with one pop of color or even one neutral with one pop of color. I would't suggest going with more than two pops of color because the room starts to look busy. There are bends to this rule though. For instance, a patterned rug with 3+ colors in it with a gray sofa and white walls is fine. Pull out one or two of those colors in the rug to use as your pops of color. Just don't overdo it by putting 4 accent colors in your room based on the rug pattern. 

Here is an example of two neutrals with a pop of color.

http://www.pinterest.com/raelynnok/gray-white-yellow/

Here is an example of a colorful rug and pulling out those colors as accents.

http://icoupie.com/compact-waterfront-house-to-withstanding-tsunamis-and-wave-actions/energetic-living-room-contains-soft-gray-sofa-two-gliders-white-coffee-tables-orange-stools-on-colorful-rug-a-fireplace-wall-mounted-tv-and-wooden-book-shelves/

**Michelle's Post Wrap-Up** - Don't be afraid to use color. Grays, creams, and browns may seem boring, but they are wonderful colors. They are the base to your room, grounding your space and design. Start with these neutrals and add your pops. 

Thanks for reading!

- Michelle -

Creative Use of Space #1 - Under your Staircase

I want to start daily/weekly posts with creative uses of spaces in homes to inspire others to think creatively about how to design your tight bathroom and or small nook in your home. Sometimes it seems as though small spaces are wasted with clutter or homeowners just don't know how to make such a small space work.

Here is my first "Creative Use of Space" post which is about how to design that small space under your staircase! I'm sure many of you readers have seen closets under staircases or maybe even have one yourself. Why not create a small powder room? If you need a powder room for your guests, this could be a perfect space. Make sure you have enough room before you decide to tackle this in your own home. If the space under the stairs is too small, another idea is to create a small home office. A small desktop with some wall shelving is a great use of the small space.

 

http://designhomes.pics/bathroom-under-the-stairs-design/6/bathroom-under-the-stairs/

http://www.houzz.com/photos/648577/Burlington-Cloakroom-set-traditional-bathroom-london

http://groovexi.com/perky-stair-storage-solutions-lovely-dwellings/impressive-small-home-office-using-white-corner-desk-utilize-under-stair-space-area/

** Michelle's Post Wrap-Up** - No space is too small. Think creatively! Even a small wall niche could be a great little bookcase or a spice rack. 

Thanks for reading!

- Michelle -