design

How to Define your Design Style

Tell me if this sounds familiar: You just moved in or are looking for a new home, you started shopping around online, you made Pinterest & Houzz inspiration boards, you bookmarked all your favorite items, you watched reruns of HGTV shows, you took notes from a YouTube video on how to DIY everything, and you have been stock piling coupons for Bed Bath and Beyond like nobody's business. You did the research and you gathered inspiration but where do you start? I’m here to tell you how in this blog post!

7 Important Details to Consider Before your Kitchen Remodel

There are 7 important details to consider before your kitchen remodel. Renovating a kitchen is a major undertaking for a homeowner to take on alone. It requires strategic planning both, financially and aesthetically. Based on my experience, I recently completed a kitchen renovation through my online interior design services, many of these points were brought up during the project and I thought it would be beneficial to share.

From Outdated to Updated Modern Master Bathroom

When new homeowners called on me for help with their modern master bathroom, I saw the potential beyond the outdated interior and cracked ceramic tiles. The young couple had style and their current bathroom didn't reflect their minimalist modern inspiration photos. Through the process of my edesign services, I came up with a proposed design concept for the space. I was inspired by the client's bright and crisp design inspiration photos plus the natural lighting that they already had beaming into the bathroom. One of the items on the client's "wish list" was a rainfall shower head.

Teen Bedroom Update

A full room transformation is not always necessary to make a room feel new again. In a recent project that I have completed, I transformed a teen bedroom with accessories, bedding, and new window treatments. Before I started the project, the room lacked a functional layout. The desk was shoved into a corner and their was no vanity area for the teen girl to get ready for school. Plus, the only lighting available was from a floor lamp.

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By centering the bed on the window, there is now more floor space in the center of the room - giving the illusion of a larger space. It also makes the bed a focal point. I also centered the desk on the window as well. The desk doubles as a vanity area too by adding a storage organizer for curling irons and brushes. A navy storage cabinet was added next to the desk to hide away hair products and make-up.

The polka-dot wall decals were removed, but the wall color remained the same. The window treatments and bedding were all updated. New lighting, the white fluffy area rug, and accessories were added to the space.

To display Medals and Ribbons, I added blue and white ceramic decorative hooks to hang all the teen's accomplishments.

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A little updating can go a long way. Does your space need a refresher? What can you switch out or add to make your space feel "new" again? Need help with your space? Send your photos to info@byamadesigns.com and we can discuss your space.

Want more design inspiration? Sign up for The A-List and receive monthly issues of my E-Magazine, The Designed Life which is filled with inspiration for the home and life. Receive a Free Design Guide when you join the A-List.

How to Shop for Furniture

Are you ready to redecorate your space but not sure where to start? Well - I am glad your here! In today's Tip Tuesday post you will learn how to shop for furniture, how to assess your needs, what to look out for when shopping for new furniture, and how to avoid mistakes.

How to Shop for Furniture: Where to Begin

Assess Belongings - Before you go shopping, create a note of what existing items are staying, going, and what new items are needed/desired. Assess what is worth keeping and what items you are ready to let go. Also keep in mind the furniture that is in good condition but may need to be freshened up by reupholstering or refinishing with a new coat of paint.

Create a Cheat Sheet - Goto the store prepared by bring clippings of paint colors, fabrics samples, and pictures of items you are working with. Bring inspiration photos to glance at while shopping to remind you of how you want the end result to look and feel. Shopping can be overwhelming and it's easy to get distracted. Bringing a cheat sheet while shopping keeps you on target.

Plan Ahead - Measure your existing space and items that you will be keeping. Draw the general shape of your room and see if you could reconfigure the layout in a way that works best for you. Now is the time to nail down the details of what size furniture works best.

* Side Note: Measure all important doorways/entrys and hallways to confirm furniture can fit into the space. Nothing worse than buying furniture that can't fit through the door.

Scale - This ties in with measuring... A piece of furniture may look great in a showroom with high ceilings but when you bring it back home, it may overwhelm your space. Measure the space and tape out and block the furniture on the floor to make sure it fits in the room before you buy it.

Budget - Create a spending plan of how much you want to spend in total. Do not forget to factor in additional fees such as warranties, protection plans, installation/assembly, and inside deliveries.

Additional Tips:

- When purchasing upholstery, upgrade seat cushions to foam wrapped with down. Invest in pieces that are most important (i.e. the sofa) instead of rarely used items. The heavier the cushion, the longer it will last.

- Furniture is a large investment. Select furniture that is timeless and transitional.

- For case goods, look for dovetail joints in the corners of drawers for long-lasting quality.

- For upholstery, lift up a corner and shake it, if it feels light or wobbly; skip it.

Want more design tips? Join "The Designed Life" monthly e-magazine, filled with tons of inspiration for the home and life. Also, receive a free Home Design Checklist when you join.

Receive a free Designer's checklist to help you prepare for your first shopping trip. Get your free checklist, here.