Fab Finials- Dress Up Your Windows

So, you've spent all this time and money picking out window treatments and they're finally here!  Then you realize, you've gotta hang them somehow.  We've found that picking drapery hardware can be the hardest part about completing a drapery job.  There are thousands upon thousands of choices out there and if you measure wrong, you're back to square one!

While I can't measure and hang your curtains from behind the keyboard, I can give you some direction in picking the most important part of all drapery hardware- the finial!  Below, I've browsed KAID's library and the web to pick some of the most cutting edge finals out there.  

As always, if you'd like help customizing your windows, contact us at kim@interiorsbykim.com or (214) 500-0600

Trending- Faux Bois Is the New Floral

Who is sick of chevron patterns and florals!?  Well, I'm not quite sick of them, but I must say I'm excited for a new pattern to get some hype!  Faux bois, from the French for false wood, is just that, imitation of a wood grain on different sorts of media (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faux_bois).  

Recently featured in Elle Decor as a hip new print, I will bet big money that it'll be all over the shelves by Spring in extremely awesome hues.  So, luck you to get the heads up!  Go grab some faux bois before everyone has it!  Check out these products I've found below... faux bois oohhh la la!   
 

1.  Fake wood print acryclic accent table- Find it HERE

2.  Faux bois rug- Find it HERE

3.  Printed wood lamp shade- Find it HERE

4.  Velvet faux bois fabric in blue- Find it HERE

5.  Textural fake wood pillow in gray- Find it HERE

6.  "Knock On Wood" Print- Find it HERE

Brass to the Past

Here are KAID, we do a lot of custom pieces because we like things to be PERFECT!  Oddly enough, doing custom pieces is often cheaper and quicker than purchasing from a vendor... who knew?  Anyway, in the process of creating some MAGENTA Louis XIV commode pieces, we needed to find hardware and ormolus for the piece.  Searching all over the internet, we found some great antique ormolu pieces, but finding vintage-esque handles and escutcheons was proving to be nearly impossible.  We did some research and discovered you can age brass...  Soooo, with lots of trial and error, we discovered the most efficient was is as follows:

1.  Make sure your brass pieces are REAL!

2.  Most newer brass pieces have a coating on it.  We got lucky and had the kind of coating that comes off with acetone.  If you have the stubborn coating, you're on your own!

3.  After removing the coating, rinse off the hardware with water and dry.

4.  Once dry, you'll need to submerse the pieces into Brass Darkening Solution J-3499.  Buy it HERE!

5.  It has all the directions on the back of the bottle, so just follow them from there!
6.  If you leave it in too long, all you have to do is polish it up a bit.  We always use Brasso, you can buy it at Lowe's or Home Depot in the cleaning department.

7.  Let us know how this works for you :)

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By Kim Armstrong Interior Design

Bohemian Bedroom and Tone on Tone Theater Room

Here are some room concepts we are preparing to bring to life for a client here in Dallas, Texas.  Kim Armstrong Interior Design developed these spaces through a detailed interview process and a customized questionnaire.  While this images are just a taste of what the finished products will be, these digital designs really help people visualize how the elements will relate.  It's also a lot less time consuming than doing a hand or computer-generated rendering!

Here is a Bohemian bedroom design with focus on having a place for everything.  Organization and clutter free design are always a must no matter what style you're going for.  We created storage in unique ways like putting shoes in the china hutch, using an old vintage desk as a makeup vanity, and attaching lace to ornate frames for jewelry display.

This tone-on-tone media room was designed with a masculine feel, but no woman would turn down watching a movie in this space.  By keeping the color minimal (on pillows and a chair) the rest of the room generates warmth with its color palette of grays, browns, tans, and creams.  Because the space's purpose is to watch movies, the focus should not be the rooms aesthetic, but to bring family and friends together to enjoy movies, reading, and each other's company.

Designer Dorm Rooms for Guys and Girls

It’s that time again; tons of young adults are venturing off to college…  a place they’ve dreamed of and worked for FOREVER.  While most students walk onto campus ready to live it up (and of course study away), the dorm rooms are often a cause of severe disappointment.  Creating warmth in a sterile box containing bunk beds and vinyl tiles can present quite a challenge.  KAID has a couple of tricks to make the dorm days unforgettable.

**Make sure to layer.  For instance, layer your bedding by starting with your foundation of sheets, a duvet, and shams, then adding decorative pillows and a throw.  It's also fun and trendy to layer rugs, such as adding a neutral sisal as the base then topping it with a smaller Indian woven. 

**Be creative with storage.  You can try floating shelves, decorative boxes, and even under the bed storage.

**Avoid being too "matchy".  Because dorms are relatively small, if you go buy everything from the same store, it will look like everyone else's, and very unoriginal.  Be creative and research the internet before shopping, then you can find things that coordinate rather than match.

**Lastly, don't forget to use fabrics and textiles to soften the hardness of your "box".  Yes, boys, even you guys need some curtains and a rug here or there.  It's amazing what a little texture, color, and pattern can do to a space.

For the Ladies...

Here's an example of a fun, eclectic dorm room concept for a color-loving girl.

1.  This is temporary wallpaper that won't mess up your walls- www.modcloth.com

2.  A fun, colorful lamp because dorm lighting can be really dull- www.potterybarn.com

3.  Here's comfy desk chair that emulates an antique- www.pbteen.com

4.  Creative jewelry storage.  Buy some cool mismatch hardware, and make it yourself- http://www.kidspacestuff.com/blog/2012/03/teen-girls-room-vintage-storage-vintage-jewelry/

5.  Floral rug- www.anthropologie.com

6.  Bright coral drapes- www.anthropologie.com

7.  Use cool indian baskets for storage- http://www.ffcais.com/indian-baskets.html

8.  Choose neutral bedding so you can be bold in the rest of the room- www.ikea.com

9.  So I know you have hundreds of Instagram photos.  Why not make them into pillows- www.stitchagram.com

For the Guys...

Here's a masculine design for a dorm room with pops of color.

1.  Two-toned bedding- www.westelm.com

2.  Two-toned drapes- www.anthropolgie.com

3.  Orange accent pillow- www.yliving.com

4.  Striped, orange accent pillow- www.yliving.com

5.  Coordinating rug- www.ikea.com

6.  Decorative storage box- www.yliving.com

7.  Graffiti trash bin- www.crateandbarrel.com

8.  Funky orange futon- www.target.com

9.  Bar code accent pillow- www.yliving.com

10.  Side table for storage- www.ikea.com

11.  Cool desk lamp- www.arteriors.com

Interior Design Online

As we all know, it's 2012 and the internet is taking over pretty much every industry out there.  From ordering pizza, clothing, groceries, etc., a consumer can pretty much get whatever they want from the good ol' world wide web.  Interior design is not exception!  Tons of designers are evolving to the technologic changes, therefore, marketing towards online interior design.  One of those design firms happens to be yours truly!

While we primarily do the hands on approach with design, we have been implementing some designs digitally.  This process comes in packages depending upon the details of the project.  So, here is a step-by-step system of how we design online.

1.  We ask you a series of questions through e-mail
2.  We have you measure the room and your existing furniture, etc.
3.  From looking at the measurements you sent us, we create a floor plan
4.  We tell you where to take pictures from.... You will have to take TONS of pictures because we won't be able to see it in person
5.  After those initial steps, we get started on the preliminary design concept
6.  We will first send you several digital design board options through e-mail
7.  If your project is more than furnishing and require demolition or customizations, we can help you find tradespeople in you area.
8.  Once we've figured out the perfect design for you, we will help you in ordering product and getting everything completed properly.

While it is more hands on for you, the client, it will usually be less expensive and you can do it all from the comfort of your own home.  Also, you don't have to live in the Dallas area, or even the Texas area, because we can assist you wherever you are!

Here are some examples of digital boards we've done!!  If you like any of these boards and/or would like more information on KAID's Online Design, e-mail us at kim@interiorsbykim.com.

Bohemian Living Room... If you like it, let us know!!

Funky Formal Dining Room

Masculine Office Space

Chevron and On and On....

While taking interior design CEU classes at Metrocon, a large conference for designers in Dallas, Texas, I noticed a ton of so-called fashionistas roaming the halls.  The ladies, and occasional dressed-to-the-nines man, who stood out were the ones dressed in black and white chevron patterns.  The most eye-catching of the chevron trenders were the ones who paired their black and white zig zag with an equally bold accent color.

Because I LOVE chevron patterns used in interiors, I thought, what better way to connect fashion and interior design than to blog about this pairing.  It's no secret that home design and fashion trends go hand in hand, just ask the chevron expert, Missoni, whose patented chevron clothing and home goods were and still are a craze.  

Just for effect, I've put together some images displaying the coalition of chevrons in home vs. chevrons on body.  Remember, this doesn't just apply to the chevron pattern; keep an open mind to translating interiors to fashion and vice versa.

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If You Can't Find It, Make It

KAID prides itself on never settling for something that just works; we strive for perfection.  Having these kinds of standards often makes it really hard to find what we are looking for.  In order to create what we see in our heads, we have to go to our many great vendors and resources and have it made.

Here are some photos of a couple custom things we've done.  If you are interested in customizing your home or space, you know where to go!  www.interiorsbykim.com

We created the "Madhatter" chair and the drapes.  The photo is BAADD, but we will get you some good ones soon.  Custom is just what it takes sometimes to create that brilliant concept sitting in your head.

Another iPhone photo, but notice all the great pieces.  The two club chairs, pillows, sofa, and drapes are all custom made.  Also, the amazing striped chairs are, you guessed it, custom-made for the space.

Hand-carved French daybed and custom pillows and upholstery.  Turned out so beautiful.

Custom host chair made of a Ralph Lauren wool  We wanted to keep it a modern shape with a traditional, masculine print.  You don't see this everyday.

Just Wallpaper It

Wallpaper, the keystone to creating a bold and vivid space, is making a dramatic comeback.  We, here at Kim Armstrong Interior Design, have a bit of a fetish for our statement-making friend.  Here are some simple tips and examples that can give life to any space. 

Below are two photos of a room we recently designed using bright pops of pink and gray.  As you can see in the “Before” photo, the room seemed nearly complete, but there was something not quite right.  Finally (in the “After” photo), we concluded that the back wall needed a pop of pink in order to tie in all the blocks of color from around the room.  The paper we chose was a subtle pink with a geometric pattern in a sheen.  It doesn’t steal attention, it creates a better opportunity for all our custom pieces (like the headboard, bedding, and daybed) to be noticed. 

BEFORE 

By Kim Armstrong Interior Design
http://interiorsbykim.com/

AFTER

By Kim Armstrong Interior Design
http://interiorsbykim.com/

In this next room, the wallpaper sets the tone of the entire space.  It is apparent that whoever designed this loft fell in love with the paper, and then designed around it.  The space, while it looks complexly designed, has a flawless and easy formula.  They picked the deep purple paper as the inspiration, chose a soft gray as their main color, and added pops of a brighter purple for interest. 

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Here’s another example of keeping things simple while creating a to-die-for look.  They chose a foil based paper with a contemporary print; it reads pretty neutral which leaves opportunity for color to be incorporated.  In keeping the bedding and décor modest, this allowed for bright pops of yellow from the lamps, which really grab your attention.

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Now that you’re an expert, I’m sure you can see the formula used here.  The theme here seems to be what I would call “colorful calm”.  With the focus being on the green bedding and big tufted headboard, the paper acts as the subtle accent, pulling the space together.  Serenity at its best.

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To sum it up, use a wallpaper which anchors the room’s eye-catching details.  Some words of wisdom for picking that perfect paper: if you know you want a big colorful print, pick it first so you can build around it.  If you know you want to stay in the neutral sector, develop a room concept first, then pick the paper.