Category: redefine home
The Design Therapist is: In
| January 2, 2012 | Posted by Linsi Brownson under Business, Design, design therapy, Projects, redefine home |
Happy New Year! We’re kicking off 2012 with a fun new column where I answer your pressing questions and help rekindle your loving relationship with your home.
Ready?
The first question comes from reader Lauren, who asks:
I have a quandary regarding wood flooring: if an existing space has built-in cabinetry (maple and cherry) along with a few pieces of custom walnut furniture, what type of wood flooring would work best to create a sense of cohesion? We’re leaning towards a darker tone, but there are so many options!
Any thoughts, suggestions, or alternative ideas would be really helpful- thank you!
Well…without seeing the actual built-ins, I’m imagining these as a two-tone combo of maple/cherry – which is not great (sorry, don’t mean to offend). It was popular for a bit in the 90′s but is now pretty dated and definitely can cause some problems with ‘matching another wood.’ Then the addition of walnut creates quite a contrast.
Example of walnut, maple and cherry together
This is indeed a tough question! Here are two recommendations:
1. Don’t use wood flooring. Tile, cork or linoleum would provide some textural contrast and could possibly incorporate all 3 tones that would help tie it all together.
2. Paint the built-ins white (or cream, depending on the style of the space). This opens up your options to whichever wood stain you really like, versus you choosing a so-so shade to accommodate the existing.
If you’re dead set on using wood and leaving the built-ins as they are, I would pick a wood stain that’s a close match to the trim of the built-ins. So, if the trim is cherry go with cherry flooring and if it’s maple go with maple flooring. This will create cohesion and not add any additional contrast in colors. The walnut furniture will look fine on either one.
Hope that helps!
Ask the Design Therapist: leave your questions in the comments below or email me at linsi@inspired-design-daily.com with questions and photos of your troubled spaces. Each month I’ll select 1 reader question – can’t wait to hear from you!
Ps Lauren, since I selected your question for my first column I’ve got an extra something special for you; A personalized Design Prescription for your problem space. Select any room you’d like and I’ll create a mockup sketch, visual board and written prescription to get your space on track. Email me to get started!
Oh, Hey There…
| November 21, 2011 | Posted by Linsi Brownson under announcements, Design, holidays, Home, Inspiration, interiors, redefine home |
I know I’ve been MIA lately – between the craziness of retail holiday planning and a cold I can’t seem to kick, I kind of sort of forgot to write anything. Whoopsie.
Lucky for me I have awesome guest writers to keep things moving along. And I’m excited for another guest tomorrow, but in the meantime I wanted to share something else fun I’ve been working on. It’s a new design service called Design in A Day – where I transform your space in a matter of hours using (mostly) pieces you already have in your home.
It’s a combination of repositioning, repurposing and re-evaluating the important elements of your home (things that actually have meaning to you) to create a space that’s totally functional and refreshed and costs hardly anything at all. When we’re done you’ll feel like you just moved in…but this time around you hired a decorator. This is a really fun service and perfect for the holiday hosting season.
To kick this off I’m doing a giveaway for Orange County readers to WIN this package for the room of your choice. Here’s how to enter.
I’m also running a holiday special for only $399 so if you don’t end up the lucky winner you can still get a great, refreshed space before the holidays! Thanks for stickin’ with us through the writing drought. We’ll be back tomorrow with a great guest – Lauren @MYDStudio.
Holiday Gift Guide 2011
| November 7, 2011 | Posted by Linsi Brownson under art, Celebrate, cocktails, Design, do-it-yourself, Eat, fashion, Gather, gifts, Guest Bloggers, holidays, interiors, Nurture, redefine home, Seasonal |
Decorate: Fresh Finds at Redefine Home
| October 4, 2011 | Posted by Linsi Brownson under accessories, Business, fresh finds, furniture, redefine home, textiles |
Sometimes I think that I started a retail store just to have a legitimate reason to always find new things. Scouting and making new connections are my favorite thing to do (besides opening and playing with new arrivals like a kid at a Birthday party). My next favorite thing is finally seeing them live on the website (my least favorite thing is the tedium of entering them into the site, just fyi). But enough about me, do YOU want to see what I found?
Here are a few of October’s Fresh Finds:
A Kilim Pouf, perfect for feet and butts. It’s made with a patchwork of repurposed kilim rugs and has tons of texture and vibrant (but earthy) color. Loooove.
I love the finish on this Retro Glass Pendant – and I launched a whole new line of mercury glass stuff too.
Sewn from natural linen, our Yoyo Table Runners and Placemats are handmade with pure love for the art of it. They are beautiful pieces of fabric art for your table, and a great holiday hostess gift (just sayin’).
In case you missed it yesterday, I’m all googly-eyed over these new recycled cotton throws AND I’m giving one away to a lucky reader – so check them out here and enter the giveaway here.
Keep it fresh yo.
Stump the Designer
| June 27, 2011 | Posted by Linsi Brownson under Design, redefine home |
Two weeks ago I was a guest on Curbly.com and I asked readers to submit their decorating woes to see if I could lend some insight. I got some great questions that definitely left me scratching my head a few times.
Today I’m back at Curbly to offer solutions with the Designer Q&A, so come check it out.
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