Simple and Fun Christmas Tablescapes

If you haven't planned it yet, here are some fun and simple holiday tablescapes!! Kim Armstrong Interior Design is all about keeping things low-stress and full of memories, and these examples are great ways of doing so! Also notice the chalkboard table runner on photo #3, great for any occasion!

Sources:
1. http://www.pinterest.com/TheSparkleQueen/christmas-centerpieces-tablescapes/
2. http://www.eatwell101.com/decoration-14-beautiful-table-inspirations-for-holiday-dinners
3. http://findinghomeonline.com/chalkboard-table-runner-night-christmas/

Custom Cookies- Favorite Fabrics as Frosting

It's that time of year again!!  The time for giving, appreciating the little things, and all that is jolly and merry…  Oh yeah, then there's the STRESS of figuring out what to give everyone!

We, here at Kim Armstrong ID, love and appreciate our clients so much, and always want to give them something heartfelt and meaningful.  This year, we dug and dug for a truly genuine gift, and I think we managed to exceed our own expectations!  With the help of Batter Up Cake Shop, located in Plano, TX, we created sugar shortbread cookies with custom frosting applied in the form of our client's favorite fabrics throughout their projects.

Take a look at some of these edible beauties!

Color for the New Year

So, I know we've been gone a while, but it's time again to share our interior design insider knowledge!  Recently, we took a trip to High Point Market, the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world!  We covered (or tried to cover) over 10 million square feet filled with the latest and greatest products in home furnishings.  Needless to say, we were  exhausted and exhilarated by all the new products and upcoming trends we discovered.

As you may know, we here at Kim Armstrong Interior Design are avid color lovers… like we seriously have an addiction to the point that we coined the word, "colordiction"!  So, obviously, the color trends from High Point are the first things we'd like to share with you.

Everywhere we turned, there were variations of blue.  Ranging from aqua to navy, the stunning cool hue definitely stole the show!  Although emerald and kelly greens have been popular for quite some time, it doesn’t look like they are bowing out just yet.  Believe it or not, one of our favorite color pairings were none other than NAVY AND EMERALD GREEN!  Such a fun and classic combo.

Purple, plum, lavender, or whatever you want to call it, was pretty high up on the color radar.  It didn’t rear it’s head quite like the blue shades did, but we expect it to get more and more popular in the upcoming year.  Last, but not least, pops of orange are coming into the forecast.  It definitely wasn’t as prominent as the others, but was used here or there for a fiery flare.

Our Trip to Timothy Oulton- Dallas

KAID absolutely loves finding new and inventive local vendors, and today, we got quite an eyeful of creativity at the Timothy Oulton showroom in Dallas.  We had been contacted several times to come in for a visit and, finally, had some time to swing by.  Kim and my expectations for our visit were high, but, the staff nearly had to drag us off of the sheepskin sofa and kick us out.  To call it a "visit" is an understatement; we had a legitimate experience, complete with espresso, mind-blowing creativity, and, yes, delectable cake balls (which are delivered daily to their full-service coffee bar, complete with a professional barista).

While Timothy Oulton has an amazing website, I would seriously recommend stopping in and experiencing the brand.  At first glance, some of the items come off quite masculine and monochromatic, but they have tons of colorful and soft options to be explored.  Even more impressive is the fact that their items literally possess history.  Most of their products are made from reclaimed materials, and a lot of their accessories are true antiques.  So, take a peek at our photos, browse their website (http://www.timothyoulton.com), then go visit the showroom (make sure to sit and experience the comfort).

Latte art, and cake by The Hospitality Sweet.... this was only the beginning.

Vintage saddles and a plethora of unique blue and white plates.  These spaces really made an impression.

Who doesn't love rugby and bar seating?  Never did I think I would see the two combined, but Timothy Oulton found a way to do it.  The ball is even removable.  To the right is an amazingly comfy chair- stirrups and cowhide included.

Above you can see more of the imaginative items Timothy Oulton has to offer.  Some of our favorites being the reclaimed wood tables covered in acrylic, and none other than the sheepskin sofa.  Nap time?

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