Pro Tips
A matching pair of side chairs like these will always have a use in your home. In the short term, they may complete your living room suite, but in the future they might travel to a dining room, den or home office, or be broken up into different rooms, which will bring a sense of consistency and connection to disparate spaces
A compact leather sofa can be a perfect lounging spot for one person now and a cozy part of a den or family room later on. Leather will age well as it develops a patina, and it will coordinate easily with other fabrics as it moves from the star of the show to a supporting role in a bigger seating arrangement.
A set of two to four sturdy outdoor-appropriate chairs can be a dining set today and patio furniture tomorrow. They’ll also have many other possible uses, such as in the bathroom (at the vanity or next to the tub), as a desk chair in a guest room or even as a casual nightstand. Look for metal or polypropylene with openings in the seat or back so rainwater can drain instead of pooling
A dining chair doesn’t have to be upholstered to be comfortable, especially if you usually have a short meal and then retire to the living room to lounge. There are many classic models of dining chair that are comfortably shaped and durable and that can work just as well indoors as out, making them highly versatile.
Illuminated mirrors are like their regular relatives but on steroids. Thanks to LED technology, these clever inventions mirror your reflection and simultaneously light up the room. Models like the one in this photo have motion sensors that allow you to switch them on and off, hands-free. As a bonus, the LED lighting consumes less power than many traditional light sources.
We’ve all heard that mirrors can transform any space from gloomy to glamorous, but there are a few tricks. First, bigger is always better when using mirrors — the larger the reflective surface, the more light it will bounce around the room. And second, your mirror needs to reflect a light source. This mirrored wall sports an antique finish that is reflective (and large) enough to brighten up the bedroom, but textured enough not to mirror your every move.
A central courtyard could naturally light your home from within.. These tranquil indoor-outdoor spaces are best surrounded by windows, glass louvers or glass sliding doors to let light shine from the courtyard into adjacent rooms. Consult an architect, an interior designer or a builder for advice on how to maximize light penetration on your site, and remember that even a small interior courtyard can make a big difference.
Sometimes there is no alternative to walls for structural or screening reasons. However, if you want to delineate a space rather than divide it and create a solid barrier for privacy, consider using a room divider instead. They come in countless creative forms, including glass blocks and laser-cut screens, so the only limits are your imagination and site restrictions. This design borrows natural light from the windows beyond, which then penetrates the entrance.
These ingenious inventions capture sunlight through a small dome on your roof and funnel it down a reflective tube and through a skylight-like opening in your ceiling, which diffuses light throughout the room. They amplify natural light, do not cause homes to heat up and in some cases are capable of capturing solar energy to light rooms at night. Most can even be installed in rooms with no direct roof access, using angled reflective tubing to channel light into hard-to-reach spaces.
We can’t always puncture a wall with a window at eye level, but clerestory windows can be equally effective in brightening up interiors. Clerestory windows sit high in your wall, and because they are positioned above your sightline, they rarely compromise your privacy. They are also especially effective in letting light into dim, excavated rooms.
Can’t afford to lose valuable cabinet space by replacing your wall-mounted kitchen cabinets with a window? Try using a window for your backsplash instead, as natural light will illuminate your countertops and provide important task lighting for cooking. Window backsplashes are possible when your kitchen butts up against an exterior wall. If yours runs along an interior wall, try using a mirrored backsplash instead.
This home uses a series of interior doors to borrow light from adjacent rooms. The transom windows (which crown the tops of the doors) and the sidelight windows (which flank the opening) more than double the aperture and maximize the amount of light that travels from room to room, and can usually be retrofitted with relative ease.
10. Be choosy about the little things. Make it a goal to have less stuff overall but more things you love. This doesn’t need to be an all-at-once activity. Instead, gradually let go of items you don’t love, and take your time choosing when you need to buy something new. Having just the right teacup or footstool is worth the wait.
9. Create an outdoor sanctuary. To design an outdoor space that is calming and restful, think about incorporating privacy, lush plants, good smells and pleasing textures. Rather than focusing on activities like grilling and dining, make this a place for quiet chats and solo reflection. Encourage feathered visitors by including pollinator-friendly plantings, and consider offering a fresh water source in the form of a birdbath or bubble rock.
8. Carve out some breathing space. Whether you use the space to meditate, do yoga or just sit and take a few deep breaths, having a space where you can get away from the bustle of daily life is worth the effort. If you don’t have an entire room to spare, get creative: Take over a corner under the eaves, in the guest room or beside a sunny window. You don’t need much stuff — in fact, it’s the absence of stuff that will make this little corner so relaxing. Try a floor cushion, a candle on a tray and a potted plant for starters.
7. Soothe with the sound of water. A softly burbling fountain can bring the sound of nature to a city apartment, add a soothing soundtrack to your garden and mask the sounds of noisy neighbors. And fountains don’t need to be large or expensive to make an impact — choose a small tabletop version or make your own using the vessel of your choice and a basic fountain kit.
6. Hide your tech. Nobody wants to stare at a tangle of cords. Thankfully, we have more options than ever for keeping our tech devices hidden away. When possible, choose smaller, wireless devices that look less obtrusive even when left out in the open. Tie up cords in a media center so they are not visible, and dedicate a single drawer to storing all of your chargers, power cords and small tech devices when they’re not in use.
5. Get the light right. Natural light is always preferable to artificial, so during daylight hours keep window treatments open — or, if an unattractive view is an issue, opt for sheer curtains that let the light in. As the light begins to fade, reach for the soft glow of string lights, candles, lanterns and lamps rather than the glare of overhead lighting. Especially at bedtime when you’re beginning to wind down, keeping the lights low will help ease you into a restful sleep.
4. Use plenty of closed storage. Visual noise is anything you can see that stresses you out — reduce this, and your space will immediately feel calmer. Use closed cupboards, drawers and closets to hide most of your belongings, and be discerning about what you choose to keep on display. For instance: an open shelf with a bud vase and an art print, a cleared table with a single bloom in a bowl of water, or a row of seashells on the dresser.
10 Ways to Make Your Home an Oasis of Calm 1. Opt for solids and subtle patterns. Busy patterns have their place, but if you’re aiming for calm, then solid fabrics are your friends. Don’t be afraid to include subtle patterns, though: herringbone, tone-on-tone stripes, and tiny dots can add textural interest without competing for attention.
If some of your bed sheets were bargain buys and the comfort shown in this photo is a million miles from your scratchy reality, try this remedy, which relies only on what’s in the pantry. Wash the offending linens with about 1 cup baking soda and one-half cup white vinegar. Then feel the softness when you next slip between the sheets.
How to Achieve a Polished Industrial Style Give industrial materials a new finish — polish a concrete floor or sand rough reclaimed wood, for example. Preserve the best architectural bones, such as ceiling beams and divided-lite windows, but freshen them up with paint. For example, paint an exposed brick wall white — or all of the exposed pipes black — for a more uniform look. Add refined details such as polished natural stone tile, marble-like quartz countertops or traditional woodwork. Layer soft textiles in the form of rugs, pillows, throw blankets and upholstered furniture. Mix in traditional and transitional furniture. Use an updated version of a classic industrial element such as elongated subway tile or an industrial-style pendant with a glossy finish.
This English dining room features a thoughtful mix of traditional, industrial and modern style. Industrial. The hefty steel table base, reclaimed-wood tabletop, metal-frame doors and glass and metal pendant lights lend industrial flavor. Polished. Classic millwork on the walls and the tufted leather banquette cushions are sophisticated and classic. Polished industrial. The luxe wool and nylon rug has a rough wood grain pattern.
Consider window film. Curtains (particularly in dark colors) narrow windows, while Roman shades decrease their height. Window film, however, provides privacy but lets in all the light available — perfect for a room that doesn’t need to feel cozy, such as a bathroom or kitchen.
Hang mirrors in recesses. Even the brightest rooms have dark spots, with alcoves the biggest culprits. You can combat these problem areas by painting the walls in pale colors that recede (instead of dark ones that advance) and by hanging mirrors in them to increase the feeling of depth and to reflect the light.
Consider reflective wallcoverings. If you’re opting for wallpaper for your room and want the transformed space to be light, choosing a design with a pale background will do the job. You can increase the brightening effect even more by picking a metallic finish that will make the wall shine and reflect the light.
Go for low furniture. It stands to reason that the taller and bulkier your furniture is, the more light it will block, so choose low-slung pieces to make your room feel brighter. What’s more, your ceiling will automatically feel higher too. Pick light-colored pieces to enhance the effect.
You can increase the light level in even the brightest of rooms with floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall mirrors. The best place to put them to bounce light around and create a space-enhancing effect is on an adjacent, rather than opposite, wall to the window.
Similarly, choosing furniture and built-ins in mirrored glass or a high-gloss metal helps bounce lots of lovely light around (though, in already bright rooms, be aware of the aforementioned fingerprint issue). Such furniture’s light-reflecting qualities also give you the freedom to introduce moodier shades elsewhere in the room without compromising the light level.
It’s no secret that a white ceiling makes a room seem higher, while white walls make it feel larger. Add a white floor to that equation to maximize the lightening, brightening effect. On a budget? White-painted floorboards are an affordable option, plus the lines of the boards add pleasing texture and create a space-stretching visual effect. If you choose a floor paint in a medium sheen, the floor will reflect lots of light and be relatively easy to keep clean
You can boost your light level and make your room feel sunnier. First things first: Abandon thoughts of bulky curtains, unless you can pull them right past the window frame and over the wall. Ditch Roman shades too — they block valuable light from the top part of the window. Shutters are a fabulous choice, but pick ones in a pale or warm color, so the daylight that filters through glows.
Natural light coming from above is brighter than that coming from conventional windows, so if there’s an opportunity to install a skylight or light tube in a room, don’t hesitate. Then maximize the light with surfaces (such as cabinet doors and countertops) in pale colors and a medium sheen. Avoid high-gloss finishes in a top-lit room, as every smudge and fingerprint will show.
Save Mix-and-match accessories. When it comes to pieces such as throw pillows and blankets, it may feel as though you can never have enough. Keep an eye out for deals on pillows and other trendy accents to update your look with minimal investment. Don’t be afraid to choose pieces that don’t perfectly “match.” Instead, pick up on a family of hues or add a new design element altogether. If you want to change the look down the road, you can move these pieces to a different room or store them away for a season.
Splurge Tailored window treatments. Whether you opt for fully custom draperies or prefabricated panel curtains, there’s one thing you should splurge on: a bit of tailoring to make sure the length of the panels is just right. Floor-to-ceiling draperies make a room look polished, but this effect goes away if the fabric is excessively pooled on the floor (possibly even sweeping up dust) or hanging several inches above it. Splurging on having your curtains professionally hemmed will ensure a correct fit for a priceless, sophisticated presentation.
Save Shaded table and floor lamps. What’s the first thing you notice in this room? It’s probably not the pair of table lamps flanking the sofa. You can find many artistic and striking table and floor lamps on the market, but if you already have other points of interest in the room, all you really need is a source of light that can blend in. Simple table lamps with classic drum or cone shapes are timeless and mix into any decor seamlessly.
Splurge Dazzling suspended lights. Suspended lights, such as pendants and chandeliers, are natural focal points. They hang down close to eye level and radiate light, so they tend to command attention. Splurging a little here can elevate the look of the whole room, as you’ll naturally focus on them instead of other, less-exciting pieces.
In fact, a boxy or rectangular nightstand can create a pleasing counterpoint to plush bedding and other soft accents, so why not choose something simple and functional? Find an option with an open shelf and you can easily style it with a few books to create a casually elegant look.
Save Functional nightstands. You can find all kinds of fancy nightstands these days with built-in chargers or stunning decorative features, but an inexpensive nightstand in a simple shape does the trick perfectly well.
Splurge A cozy and comfortable bed. As it’s often said, we spend about a third of our lives in bed. So it makes sense to splurge on a bed that will properly support your mattress and a headboard that can help you read in comfort while anchoring a focal point for the room. It’s easy to fill out the rest of the decor with basic accents like paint or a single wall of wallpaper and let the bed be the star of the show, so go on and splurge a bit here.
If you want a vanity with more personality, you still don’t necessarily have to spend much. Look to refurbished-furniture stores for wood cabinets and chests that can be turned into a vanity by adding a vessel sink. This will cost a bit more than a prefabricated unit, but if you shop creatively, the result will be more luxurious-looking than the sum of its parts.
Save Sleek vanity cabinets. Most bathrooms are fairly small, so often all you need is one dramatic element to bring the space to life. Use an airy floating vanity cabinet to keep the room feeling open and to free up your budget for something more exciting, such as dramatic floor tile.
Splurge Time-tested plumbing essentials. When it comes to your plumbing, cutting corners is risky. A poor-quality fixture can be responsible for a leak whose repair costs far outstrip any up-front savings, so it’s definitely best to invest in a quality piece. Essential fixtures such as toilets don’t change quickly with trends like some other home goods, so there’s no reason not to choose a well-reviewed model from a reputable brand that has stood the test of time. Ask around for personal testimonials and recommendations rather than hunting for the lowest deal.
Save Classic wood dining chairs. Wood chairs come in a range of prices, are timeless and suit any decor style. They also hold up better to dropped food than upholstered chairs because they’re so easy to wipe clean. This is definitely one area where you can look for low-cost options without a significant drop in quality.
Splurge A well-crafted dining table. The dining table, like your sofa, is a key piece of furniture that sees a lot of use — and suffers a lot of spills. White laminate tables are trendy but, depending on how they’re treated, can start to show wear and tear quite quickly. An elegant wood or stone dining table can suit any decor and can last for decades.
Another smart, low-cost backsplash option is to use a short band of your countertop material, which can often be made up of offcuts from the same slab. This will provide enough wall coverage to catch splashes, allowing you to leave the rest of the wall blank.
Save Elegantly simple backsplashes. A backsplash doesn’t have to be busy to be beautiful. Simple subway tile or other functional porcelain tile arranged in a geometric pattern with a thoughtfully chosen grout color is an affordable way to enliven any kitchen.
This is true regardless of the style and finish you choose. Even white cabinets should be chosen in a hard-wearing material that will hold up to repeated use. If possible, avoid laminated finishes that show obvious seams at the corners, as this is where materials can start to separate. Real wood cabinets are refinishable or repaintable, so they’re always a good bet.
Splurge Hard-wearing kitchen cabinets. A good kitchen remodel can add value to your home, but not if it’s falling apart by the time you sell. If you skimp on your kitchen cabinets (especially the doors and drawer fronts), you may find things looking rough around the edges sooner than they should.
Save Airy occasional tables. If your beautiful sofa is the star of the show, don’t hide it behind chunky tables. Leggy versions (like the barely-there side table shown here) give you a place to set a drink or book without taking up much visual real estate or a lot of your budget.
Often, budget fabrics will cheat on durability, perhaps looking stylish in the showroom but not lasting through the wear and tear of real life. If you don’t want to replace your seating in five years, splurge a little up-front to get a well-constructed piece from a reputable manufacturer.
Where to Splurge and Where to Save When Decorating Splurge Durable, upholstered seating. Your primary sofa, sectional or other plush upholstered seating should be comfortable, durable and beautiful, and that formula tends to require an investment. Quality fabrics with tight weaves made of natural fibers (or high-grade synthetics) will feel nicer against the skin and be able to resist soil, even in lighter shades.
SHOWN HERE - Multitone engineered flooring installed in a herringbone pattern The advantages of engineered wood. Engineered wood flooring is available in a wide range of wood species, including oak, maple, hickory, birch, cherry and walnut, as well as exotic woods like African mahogany and tigerwood. It comes in a variety of widths ranging from slim to wide planks and is offered in specialty looks such as multitone, shown in this photo, or hand-scraped, shown in the previous photo. All wood products — both solid wood and engineered wood — are prone to damage from flooding or standing water and should not be subjected to large amounts of water. However engineered wood is more stable than solid wood due to having multiple layers in its core, making it less likely to expand, contract or shift when exposed to moisture, humidity and temperature shifts. Its stability reduces the potential for warping that comes with all solid wood and particularly with wide planks of solid wood. The stability of engineered wood makes it a good choice in places where solid wood should not be installed, such as over concrete floors or radiant heating systems. Since this material is available in more thic...
This was just the tip of the tile-style iceberg this year. Also coming our way: amazing glass mosaic tile, such as this wood look; shimmering metallic tile; and popular shapes like hexagons and fish scales. Why go faux? At this point, you may be wondering why you would want to use realistic porcelain tile instead of the actual materials. This is a personal choice, but there are a lot of answers in the pro column for porcelain. Tile is durable, it’s easy to clean, it’s hypoallergenic (pollen and dust mites have nowhere to hide in porcelain tile), it doesn’t emit volatile organic compounds, and it’s mold- and mildew-resistant. Aesthetically, choosing tile to represent certain materials is part of a larger polished-industrial look that’s trending now. This is an industrial-inspired look, but with finishes that are more user-friendly, polished and clean.
Dark blues. Navy, denim, midnight, indigo and other inky blues are trending as classic and edgy alternatives to charcoal and black. Square tile, once dumped for subway, is making a comeback. It never really disappeared in Europe and is gaining in popularity in the U.S.
Creams and off-whites. Those creamy neutrals that you may have thought had been forever tossed aside for 50 shades of gray didn’t really go away. They were just taking a little break, and now they are rejuvenated and ready to rule again.
These earth tones showed up in digitally printed porcelain tiles that look like concrete.
Earth tones. Saturated tones inspired by nature — blues, terra cottas and ochers — are becoming more popular in Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain, which are among the top-five tile importers to the U.S. This photo shows tiles in a matte finish, which is also trending in Europe.
2018 Trend No. 5: Colors Beyond Black, White and Gray One trend expert I talked with at the show estimated that American tile purchases are about 50 percent white and 50 percent every other color put together — sounds about right. While tile in black and white (and gray) is still very popular around the world, other colors are resonating with designers and homeowners.
In this bathroom vignette, the natural stonelike pattern extends from the floor to wrap the vanity and sinks, and then continues up the walls.
Here the wood-look tile on the floor extends up the walls to the ceiling.
2018 Trend No. 4: Seamlessness Tile companies have responded to our desire for a seamless look from indoors to out and from floor to ceiling. This means that they are producing the same tile patterns in the different thicknesses required for different purposes (for example, outdoor flooring use requires a thickness of about three-quarters of an inch, while indoor flooring requires only half that, and large-format slabs for walls can be ultraslim). Now you can continue the same tile pattern from the patio across the living room floor and up the kitchen island or the walls.
Textile inspired. Tile designers are taking inspiration from textiles, including tartan and houndstooth. The inspiration was not just in pattern but also in three-dimensional textures inspired by fabrics like linen and burlap.
2018 Trend No. 3: Playful Digital Printing Surprise. This porcelain tile that looks like oriented strand board was one of the cheekiest tiles at the show. There’s something ironic about bringing the look of this subflooring material to the surface and celebrating it but giving it a smooth finish. But it’s good irony.
Cor-Ten steel. Digitally printed porcelain tiles can bring the rusty coloration and patinated look of Cor-Ten steel to floors, walls, countertops and fireplace surrounds, indoors and out.
Concrete. The industrial look of concrete is still going strong, and its look is widely available in porcelain tile in a range of sizes.
Terrazzo. There were very convincing terrazzo-look tiles all over the show.
Lighting do's and dont's in the kitchen
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