Most home decorating is a slow evolution of changes. You might paint a different color, buy a new piece of furniture, add some new accessories or art. But every now and then if the budget allows, you create an entirely new-to-you look complete with all the finishing touches.

We recently finished working on such a project in Bartlett. The homeowners contacted us back in the winter. They’d already finished a few things on their ‘want’ list like painting the kitchen cabinets and adding a dramatic, grass cloth wallpaper accent wall in the Family Room.

With those projects completed, we were asked to help pull it all together with new kitchen and family room furniture as well as new, finishing touches like rugs, lighting, art and accessories. Our shopping list included: a new custom sofa & matching love seat, coffee table, side table, chairs for the kitchen table, window panels for the kitchen and family room, hardware, lamps, light fixtures, mirror, artwork and accessories.

Continuing with the color scheme our clients had already started, we wanted to brighten and lighten the two-story family room while keeping it cozy and inviting.

Volume ceilings can be tricky. Too often, homeowners feel the need to decorate too far up into the space. That usually results in nothing more than a lofty, gallery effect complete with craned necks and a lack of coziness. Rather than decorating all the way up, it’s usually better to simply bridge the gap between the two floors. In this case, we added large scale art above the fireplace, a tall wall mirror and floor plant and extra long window panels to do just that.

Repeating colors, patterns and textures in a space help create visual cohesiveness and flow. So, to bring the textural, organic feel of the grass cloth paper into the space we carefully selected a few “organic” pieces. We used a white, carved wood medallion over the fireplace to contrast with the dark paper and compliment the painted stone. We also added a new coffee table/ottoman made from woven banana leaves topped with an oversized rattan tray.

While keeping our seating, window panels and secondary furnishings neutral in grays, creams, tans and beiges, we opted for punches of color in the rug, pillows and accessories. We repurposed the client’s coral-orange pillows. A new area rug with hints of orange, teal, yellow and purple helps unify the space with the rest of the home by repeating wall colors also found in the dining room and powder room.

“It looks like a model home!” summed up our client’s satisfaction with the new look.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with decorating as you go. But sometimes, to get it just right, it’s nice to touch everything all at once from the big items all the way down to the finishing touches. That way you’re sure to get a look you’re bound to love.

Happy Decorating from Decor Designs. 815-245-2433