Kiki Interiors - Decor and Staging

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Colours of Years Past


 

So you've probably heard already that the official colour of  2014 is Radiant Orchid.  Some of you might be asking yourselves - There is a colour of the year?  Who decides what this year's colour will be?  What were the colour of years past? When did this all happen?

The color of the year selection requires careful consideration and, to arrive at the selection, Pantone quite literally combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films that are in production, traveling art collections, hot new artists, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention

Looking back on colour of years past you will see that blue has been incredibly popular in various tints of course.  We have also seen a fair share of reds and pinks.  This year's radiant orchid is a blend of those popular choices. 

For more than a decade, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design. Past colors include:










Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, January 27, 2014

Radiant Orchid in the Home? Yes you can!

So it's official the colour of the year for 2014 is Radiant Orchid!

What is Radiant Orchid?  the shade is a blend of fuchsia and purple and it is said to inspire happiness, confidence and love.  It works well with neutrals like grey, taupe, navy and chocolate brown and looks so fresh and flirty with white.  It can also be paired with turquoise, teal and even light yellow.  And if you really followed the green trend of last year (Emerald green in 2013) don't fret you can pair orchid with shades of green too - I especially love it with lime and olive!

This colour definitely makes a statement and you might be thinking "how can I decorate with this colour?"  "where will this colour work in my home?"

Here are some great ideas to bring this fresh colour into your home this year.

1.  Try it in the bedroom.  You can go really simple with a throw or a few accent pillows to liven up your boudoir space.  Or you can really embrace the trend by adding a wallpaper accent wall (or painted accent wall) behind the headboard, bed linens or a funky orchid chair or bench.  The image below has really embraced the trend this year with bold bed linens in orchid and a splashy headboard in lime, orchid, violet and white.  Don't over look the area rug in a stripe pattern with shades of purple orchid and lime.  the accent wall in charcoal adds even more drama to this bedroom



The image below has taken basic grey and white bedding and added an orchid bench and pillow (and a simple floral arrangement on the night stand) and the room really comes to life.



If you like a very subtle and soft look in the bedroom, check out this bed linen set from Restoration Hardware

This bed linen set has a classic trim in a sift tint of orchid and against the crisp white - so fresh.  the charcoal wall colour adds drama and richness to the room.  this is a bedroom with a perfect balance of masculine and feminine.


2.  Try it in your daughter's bedroom or nursery.  Looking at the softer and more subtle tones of orchid - this colour would an ideal wall colour (or accent colour) for a little girls room.  With the right basics, like a grey or white area rug, you would need to change too much in the space as she matures you can simply add different accessories as her interests change.






3.  Accessories.  Most of us have at least one very neutral room in our home.  And neutrals are great because they are timeless but every room needs a pop of colour now and then, so can this bold colour work in a living room?  Sure!  But just don't over do it - this orchid colour packs a punch and you can make a big impact with just a few pops here and there.




 4.  If you love it - be bold!  Don't worry about what next year will bring...if this colour really speaks to who you are - bright, joyful, loves love and high energy why not make this your statement colour and make an impact in your dwelling.  the bedroom, bathroom and living room are easy starting points to make your mark.  Look at options like: wallpaper, paint, textiles like drapes pillows - mix prints and patterns and layer the tints and tones and rugs, art, wall decals and floral arrangements and even lamps to really take this look to the max!!



Labels: , , , , , , ,

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Terrible Real Estate Photos

I know a lot of people who love to regularly check out the MLS listings just to see what beautiful homes are on the market.

If you would like to see some photos that will make you laugh check out these terrible real estate photos.  And for anyone who is looking at selling their home, you could learn a lot from these images....The photo below is juts a small sample of what you can expect.

This one raises a couple of quite urgent questions: Where did they go, and are they still in the house?

Follow on Twitter @BadRealtyPhotos

Labels: , , , , ,

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Help your home shed those extra pounds!!

So this sounds strange but it is true.  Year after year your home gains weight, not like us but it does accumulate extra clutter which in many ways is just like gaining extra pounds. We over look the clutter because we just get used to it. It's time to get organized again! This weight is easy to shed, too...follow these simple steps and you will be amazed at how much lighter your home will look and feel!

Try tackling one or two of these tasks at a time will keep the de-cluttering stress to a minimum and; you will feel a huge sense of accomplishment after each completed task which will motivate you.  Just a few changes will make a big impact and you will want to do more around the home

Living room
1
Don't cultivate a hospital waiting room aesthetic: recycle your old magazines. Scan design magazines first and rip out tear sheets for your project-inspiration book.

2 Banish kids' toys to the family room, kids' bedrooms - or Goodwill!  I aim to do this in November or least before Christmas.  I know my children will be blessed with many gifts and enough is enough, time to let someone else enjoy!

3 It should go without saying, but if that Christmas tree is still up, evict it ASAP. I try to have the tree down around the time the kids o back to school.  Once you remove your holiday decor you will be amazed at how much decorative stuff you actually have.



Dining room
4
Clear dining room paperwork piles. The dining table may rock as a work-from-home HQ or homework station, but don't let clutter from old projects linger. Recycle, shred, or file away. I also have a corner in my kitchen that accumulates paper, I try to go through it every 2 weeks.

5 Move wool or shag area rugs and/or runners into storage. Opt for bare floors or lighter, coastal-inspired sea grass, sisal or cotton rugs especially in the summer. Get those rugs cleaned once a year, you will feel and smell a huge difference (I usually do this in the spring or summer)

Kitchen
6
Don't just clean your fridge, purge it of condiments you don't use. Even preserves go bad or lose their flavour. If you haven't used a condiment in three months or more, free up fridge space by disposing of it. Be ruthless!

7 Ditch those novelty cups. Chances are the plastic ones - often bearing the recycling numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, or 7 - contain Bisphenol-A anyway, making them potential health hazards as well as space hogs.

8 Donate small appliances you use less than once a year. Sure, you could sell that long-neglected slow cooker for $10 online, but if you donate it to the Salvation Army, you'll gain a donor high worth double that!



kitchen, beams. Gray painted cabinets and stainless steel with light countertops


Bathrooms
9
Clear out medicine chests and cabinets of no-longer-used cosmetics, personal-care items and medication. If you stopped using a product and put it away last year, chances are you aren't going to like it later. Just dump the contents and recycle the packaging. (Medication should never be dumped down the drain or thrown into the trash, however. Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacies accept leftover medication and sharps for safe disposal.

Bedrooms
10
Edit the pile of junk under your bed. Nothing under your bed? Treat yourself to a latte!

11 Clunky table lamps? Swap them for tidy wall-mounted reading lights. Or just give them a good dusting and cleaning treatment.

12 Edit your dresser contents. Make three piles: garbage, donations, keep-and-repair. Make this the year you cultivate a smaller wardrobe of better quality clothes you can mix up with accessories.

 Closets
13
Get rid of those boxes and boxes of kids' crafts and pictures. It's amazing how they pile up! If you're feeling sentimental, hold on to a couple choice art pieces-preferably by framing and displaying, not storing. (And if you absolutely MUST keep an exhaustive record for posterity, take digital shots of everything and archive your images by burning them onto CDs.)

14 Got coats or boots you didn't wear at all this winter? Donate those in good, wearable condition, throw out the rest. (If we all got rid of clothing we didn't wear but were holding onto "just in case," the average home would probably need 50% less closet space!)




Home office
15
Toss the Yellow Pages into the recycling bin and bookmark yellowpages.ca instead.

16 Unload old office electronics - but avoid the landfill. The Electronic Recycling Association repairs and refurbishes old desktops, laptops, fax machines and more. Your hard drives and personal data are irretrievably wiped beforehand to RCMP security standards. The new-again items are donated to community organizations across Canada, while the unsalvageable bits are sent off for environmentally responsible recycling and disposal.

17 Shred old income tax records. Just keep returns and documentation from the past six years - everything else can go.

Garage/basement
18
Throw out your VHS collection. Yeah, that one sitting in a plastic bin under the stairs. It's time to let go.

19 Donate useable leftover paint to your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Paint and varnish can also be dropped off at the Special Services desk at any Home Depot for safe disposal.

20 Get rid of old bikes and large kids' toys. While it's true old toys can increase in value down the road, that usually takes a half century or more! In the meantime, if you clear the clutter, you'll have room to enjoy a new hobby (refinishing flea market furniture, for instance).

If you are looking for even more great organizing ideas, check out Better Homes and Gardens Storage and Kitchen and bath ideas.  I used their special interest issue on storage last year and it was full of incredible ideas, probably the best $8.99 I have ever spent

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Celebrity Style - Kid Rock

I noticed recently that this amazing home is up for sale ( not my price point) but it is absolutely stunning....and the seller of the property is Kid Rock! It's back on the market for $12,750,000, or 10 percent more than he paid. Located in Malibu, California,8,305 square feet and has five bedrooms and five bathrooms plus a guest cottage  - it might not be what you would expect from the outrageous rocker.  It is full of polished hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, high-ceilings, arched doorways, and multiple fireplaces.  There is a wrap-around terrace, a state-of-the art kitchen, a large dining room, and an office, exotic treasures, beautiful photography, a tranquil colour combination mixing light airy whites and deep rich espresso tones, organic textures paired with industrial touches. Kid Rock worked with designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard on the interior design.

Photos: Kid Rock's Malibu home


I love the easy and calming exterior of this home.  it actually reminds me of a villa I once stayed in in Jamaica. The clean and crisp white exterior with lots of open entertaining space is just one thing that I love.  The gardens are pristine but not stuffy and formal.  The clean lines of the pool keep everything in balance too.



I love the mix of textures and tones in the space.  The leather, wood, and sea grass add a luxurious yet casual feel.  I love the pops of print too.  But the art displays are truly unique and really reflect the interests of the owner.   The mix of medium and deep rich tones really pop against the clean white walls.

The kitchen and dining space is perfect for entertaining.  The openness of the floor plan  allows for flow and the extra large windows let in a breeze and lots of light.  I love the mix of the large plank floors, the white walls and the industrial stainless steel accents in the lighting and in the kitchen. 

 Photos: Kid Rock's Malibu home


The master bedroom continues the theme of  contrast, texture and pattern.  I love the canopy bedding it's romantic and a bit exotic.  A truly romantic space....



Labels: , , , , , ,

Monday, January 13, 2014

Clean House - Cleaning the things we forget to clean

Is one of your New Year's Resolutions to keep a cleaner house?  I find at the start of every year I try to improve the condition of my home with better organizing, more maintenance, updating, DE-cluttering and more thorough cleaning. 

It's easy to forget certain areas of the home, we just simply over look them but even just cleaning the small stuff makes a big impact

1 - What state are your lamp shades in?  Check out this great tip for a quick and easy clean for your lamp shades

 

2 - Get rid of those yucky coffee stains from the bottom of your mugs with this easy peasy tip using a baking soda recipe.

3 - Start sterilizing your sponges this year, not sure how?  Click here to find out more

4 - I have cleaned my mattress with baking soda but I know many people have not, try this lavender and baking soda recipe to get your mattress nice and fresh

5 - Make those faucet sparkle and shine with a simple combo of : vinegar and paper towel.

6 - Baskets are great for easy storage but they do get dusty, check out this tutorial to learn how to get them dust-free

Labels: , , , ,

Friday, January 10, 2014

Spice up your kitchen walls!

Paint is pretty and a perfect (and easy) way to transform any wall but check out these unique accent walls in the kitchen....


Tile has so many possibilities - flooring, counter tops and back splash so why not take it to the next level and create an accent wall in the kitchen with tile.  Tiles comes in so many different styles ranging from modern to traditional, a tile accent wall can add visual interest to any space.  Mosaics can add both pattern and colour, glass can add sparkle and shine and textured tiles can give a 3-D effect to your space.....

 ceramic, tile, glass, mosaic

Nature lover?  Bring the outdoors in with natural tumbled stone like Sonoran stone (seen below).  It adds a lot of visual interest to the room with texture and warmth.  The tones in the stone really compliment the wood stain in the kitchen and the accents of black in the lighting and the seating give a bit more depth.  The contrast of the rustic elements and the streamlined furniture and cabinets. This stunning kitchen is warm and cozy and almost takes you away to an Italian villa

 stone, terra cotta, marble, cherry


Classic and timeless and so luxurious....marble.  The marble backsplash in this kitchen has been carried right up to the ceiling and over to the window giving the entire space an elegant look and feel.  the soft grey veins in the marble have been accented with stainless steel elements like the over sized hood fan, stools and light fixtures plus the charcoal quartz counter top gives a bit of depth to the colour palette. The floor to ceiling marble gives this classic kitchen a slight modern (but timeless) edge.

 marble, stone, natural, Carerra


 Want to take the industrial look to a new level?  How about covering your walls with corrugated metal?  Texture and shine plus it's easy to clean and maintain.  Paired with over sized pendant lighting and reclaimed wood gives this kitchen a warehouse look and feel.  This would really suit and open layout in a loft space.  This could also work nicely outside of the kitchen in a modern design home.



 tin, corrugated metal


 Looking for some natural yet modern edge to your kitchen?  Stainless steel is great but how about wood panels, modern wood panels.  The natural grain add visual interest and wood adds a lot of warmth to any space. Paired with the white cabinetry and dining chairs and anchored with black counter and floating shelves this kitchen is sleek and chic, minimal with a touch of retro



 wood, paneling, wainscoting, Victorial, retro, plywood





 Here's a kitchen with lots of bold pop!  A Kelly green island with butcher block, over sized commercial grade stainless hood fan with a marble back splash and a floral wall paper accent gives this kitchen a ton of character.  A little eclectic but lots of fun!









wallpaper, white cabinets

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Hot, Hot, Hot...Paint Colour Trends for 2014

If you have been doing your research on what will be trending for 2014, I'm sure you know that colour is huge!  Colour is an easy and inexpensive way to express your style.  And paint will be no exception...2014 will be full of fresh colours, mainly inspired by nature.  Here are some of the top picks

BEHR has taken a lot of their inspiration from nature and in particular the seaside. Calming but fresh turquoise tones are emerging this year, some favorites from the Behr collection: Ocean Liner T14-1 South Peach T14-2 Miami Weiss T14-3 Edgewater T14-4 Sky Blue T14-5.  Try pairing these shades of turquoise with white and sandy beige for a true beach inspired space. Ideal in a room with lots of windows that's airy and well lit, see below.



colour-2014-paint-trend-1.jpg


Dulux is sticking with the green trend from last season. Ranging from jewel tones to soft mint. Green is full of optimism, energy, and vibrancy. the greens of 2014 will be more yellow based than blue and they will work best in open spaces/layouts, kitchens and family rooms.Sea Isle (10GG 57/307) by Dulux is a perfect example of a soothing yet vibrant green just like this contemporary dining room

colour-2014-paint-trend-3.jpg

Benjamin Moore is embracing the blue tones too but taking a softer approach.  They have found their inspiration through the air. Benjamin Moore is featuring softer and paler shades in 2014. Breath of Fresh Air 806 is a perfect example of the new neutrals that we will be seeing this year.  This colour is great for bathrooms and even a nursery or any space that is decorated with a bit of a country feel see image below.

colour-2014-paint-trend-5.jpg

 Farrow & Ball took their inspiration from the sea as well but with a classic twist.  These richer tones pair well with basics and neutrals.  This workspace is a bit more dramatic with the deep wall colour but it still has a timeless look.  Paired with painted furniture in neutrals or even stained natural wood give balance.  This would be an ideal colour for a study, master bedroom or a teenage boy's room. In this image: Walls: Stiffkey Blue™ No.281 Estate Emulsion, Floor: Hardwick White™ o.5 Floor Paint, Skirting: Light Blue


colour-2014-paint-trend-6.jpg

Beauti-tone has embraced Shades of Grey (not the erotic novel, the colour) in 2014.  They are layering their grey tones to get a rich and sophisticated look.  In the image below, I love how they display a warmer grey and just an accent of a cooler grey, the linen grey upholstery carries the theme and the warm sea grass and sisal really add texture, what a relaxing space! I love this look in a family room or a cottage but it could also work in a less formal living room, too.  In this image: CZ3-0 My Favorite Sweater, CZ4-4 Hearth Stone, CZ7-0 Let's Get Cozy, CZ5-0 White Lite


colour-2014-paint-trend-7.jpg

PARA Paints has gone in a very different direction for 2014, they have really gone with brights.  their signature this season has a tropical flair.  Yellow - symbolizes optimism, happiness and sunshine.   Plantain Chips (PF52) is a perfect accent for greys and whites, great for painting walls but also for furniture

colour-2014-paint-trend-8.jpg

Labels: , , , , ,

<data:blog.pageTitle/>

This Page

has moved to a new address:

http://kikiinteriors.com

Sorry for the inconvenience…

Redirection provided by Blogger to WordPress Migration Service