2014 Interior Design Trends...Gold mining

Gold is back and coming on strong!

From small doses to all out all over...gold is becoming a scene stealer!

 Mixing metals is no longer taboo...this is a question I often get from my client's  "Can I mix metals?" ANSWER: YES!

Living room by Kimberlee Jaynes Designs Inc.

 I used gold-kissed starburst mirrors traveling up the wall over the fireplace, a gold accented rug and pillows on the chair and sofa to complete the look. Gray,brown and gold look fabulous together ...don't you think?

WOW the gold sofa below is over the top...but it works perfectly in this city apartment with steel gray walls. Like the fashion runway...some of the styles are over the top...you can pull in a metallic pillow or ottoman to freshen your look without overwhelming your current decor. Have fun...go gold mining!

Sofas 101 ... Made Real Simple

As we move indoors from our summer outdoor living...we may decide that some key foundational pieces need to be replaced! A new sofa could be  just what your room needs. Its best to understand the styles and shapes of sofas and the message they send. Then you can choose the right sofa for the feeling you want to convey.

Below is an excerpt from one of my favorite magazines Real Simple. They make sofas 101 easy to grasp.

When I was hired to create a living room for a couple in their early 40's ... Their first words were "We don't want Biege! And we want to be wowed!" So using high contrast colors and designing high backed sofas I was able to create HIGH impact... Just what my clients wanted. Sofas can be a real statement piece in your home. 

Photo: www.kimberleejaynes.com

Do you really need an interior designer?

Do you really need an interior designer?  The cabinet maker measured the master bathroom wall and made the rendering below. I was brought in and made the rendering below it. Yes it is simple but has so much more style and it does not smack of grandma's home!

Rendering made by non design professional

Rendering below by Kimberlee Jaynes Interior Designs Inc.

You be the judge...design professionals can pinpoint the look and feel you are trying to achieve but might not know how to get.  I also saved my client money by using 1/2 slab quartz composite counter tops instead of full slab solid surface material. There are many resources that designers have that can help you save money and get results!

What is my Message? Does your home have an identity crisis?

What Is My Message?

Challenge:  Discovering how you want to live and what message you want your home to convey. There are basic questions I ask my clients; these answers aid me in understanding what they want their home to say about themselves. In fact, your answers to these questions may actually surprise you. This is the section that will help you discover a true reflection of your authentic self. If you want serenity and relaxation, think about comfort; use soft fabrics and soothing colors. At other times you may want to be energized. High contrasts of bright colors and bold patterns give energy to a room. You decide if you want your whole house in one mode of style or just a few rooms. Solution:  Use the space below to describe what identity you want from your home. This will help you personalize your space, since no two people are alike. You will want to pay attention to the answers to the following questions. Do I want serenity, relaxation and comfort? ____________________________________________________  Do I want to be energized by a colorful home? _________________________________________________  Do I want lots of textures and finishes? Some shiny, some dull?____________________________________  Would I like a home that impresses others? ____________________________________________________  If so, what impresses me? ____________________________________________________________________  How do I want to feel when I enter my home? _________________________________________________  What fabric patterns do I like? _______________________________________________________________  What colors do I want to live with? ___________________________________________________________  Do I like touches of whimsy?_________________________________________________________________  Am I sophisticated? Subdued? ________________________________________________________________ You get the idea. Ask yourself the questions that will give you the words that will describe who you are and how you want to live.

The Message

My client wanted color and playful energy in the entry of her downtown loft. Before, it was boring and bland. During our discovery interview, I asked my client what message she wanted her house to send. I had the direction I needed to turn blah into bold and beautiful.  The Red laquer mirror adds glamour and reflection in a dimly lit entry hallway. The animal print and bright solid rug squares create an inviting and playful entry. The metallic gold-backed grass cloth gives much needed w armth and texture opposite the concrete gallery wall. To see lots of before and after transformations visit Kimberlee Jaynes  Exerpt from my DIY eBook Design it Yourself  A Step-by-Step workbook for interior design

COLOR Interior Design Trends 2013

Every year new colors come in and are used in everything from paint, furniture, accessories, to cars and appliances. While other colors become passe'. I know what you are thinking " Oh great now I have to change my look again!!!" Calm down put your feet up sip a comforting drink and read my predictions... there is nothing to be afraid of...there really is something for everyone!

My predictions for 2013 are based upon the Pantone released  color matching system. Learn more about pantone here. 

Emerald  is a big color this year followed by purple, lavender and blush. Sea glass greens and turquoise are fresh and timeless. Neutrals ...grays, browns and graphite are perfect for the shy of color. They continue to be strong leaders for the sophisticates. Cuisine inspired curries have replaced orange for the hot new color--YELLOW.  I hope these images inspire you to think about color in an enlightening way sprinkle in the new colors with the decor you already have. Perhaps a pillow or lamp maybe a new art piece. You don't have to change everthing to stay au-current besides I like what renowned designer Billy Baldwin said about interior design:

"Be faithful to your own taste because nothing you really like is ever out of style."  

 Lets get started--LOVELY Lavender ... you can get lost in this combination of lavender & bottle blues. It feels ethereal and other-worldly. Camel colored grass cloth is the perfect foil behind the tufted sofa, keeping you tethered to earth. 

The following photos are from one of my favorite interior stylist Hilary Robertson . She owns a store in New York city. 

Denim paired with lavender also anchors lavender and makes it less girlie.

 Blush is one of my favorite new colors paired with a warm gray it creates the perfect background for your collection of black and white art work.

Glorious Graphite 

 

"If you are a collector, let other people share your pride and joy. Don't sprinkle your collection out of sight in a meaningless jumble. Notice how groups of small objects, when they are well arranged, become important and effective. Remember that repetition is a form of emphasis. Collect what you will, but see to it that you arrange your hobby to its best advantage."
Dorothy Draper 

The soothing influence that very little color has on a space...is magical. collections seem uncluttered...time seems to stand still under the influence of neutrals.

 

"Birds are so much wiser than we! A robin builds a nest for robins. A seagull builds a nest for seagulls. They don't copy each other - or build themselves nests as described in The Birds' Decorating Magazine."  Dorothy Draper 

  From robins egg to Sea glass blue

all blues this season are fresh and forever young. 

                         

                                           

Cuisine inspired colors:Green Tea & Curries... 

                                                      

As I mentioned in the beginning of this post there is something for everyone...with global climate zones...all colors are embraced. Here we have the rich deep palette pleasers. Paprika, rose hip,parsley,cumin, curry and coriander. If you don't want these colors to dominate your decor (like the a settee pictured below) you can use them as accents colors in pillows or in paint colors. 

Kimberlee Jaynes portfolio 

Time to get outside!

Kimberlee Jaynes Interior Designs Inc.  

Timeless Design for Inspired Living

Living on the water has it's advantages...I really love not having to do yard work. Container gardeing is sooo easy!

Colored glass floats at the base of these grasses adds another layer of visual interest. Even the iron candle chandelier hanging over the table in the photo below has a plant in it! Chicken and hens cling to a shell to create a carefree centerpiece. (Very little watering is needed.)

I really love grasses for their drama and again very easy care...I like being free from fussy plants. The flamingos were inherited from my Great Uncle Jim. He brought them back from Mexico in the 1040's. They are made of clay and they look like they are about to take a drink from the bubbling fountain. 

It's fun to have some kitch here and there...along with the pink flamigos on the upper deck these mermaids in their topless bathing attire that I picked up in San Miguel Mexico make me smile evey time I see them. 

Adding statuary, mirrors and  over sized candle holders along with big colorful pottery adds to the mystery and ambiance of your outdoor living rooms. Adding personal objects that you collect from your travels can give your spaces individuality and  personality!

I just bought this reclaimed wooden Adirondack chair today at Bamboo Craftsman Company and I love it! The chair is made from Balinese teak fishing boats that capsized during the tsunami. Very industrious of the people to turn tradegdy into industry.

In keeping with a low maintenance garden I have a lot of perennials. I have very little planting to do each spring. These lovely hardy geraniums bloom all summer long!

The starfish are from our Christmas tree, I thought they were fun turning in the breeze on my potted cyprus just outside the front door.

I hung this painting just under the sign pointing the way to the entrance of our floating home.  My mother painted it of me driving our boat. I hope some of these ideas will inspire you to "Do something different" and decorate your outdoor living spaces this summer with a little something extra!