Home on the Range is so excited to have been chosen as one of Mountain Living’s top 100 mountain interior designers again this year! We love Mountain Living, we love designing in the mountains, and we love having been selected for this honor once again! Thanks Mountain Living!
To see the full list of this year’s top 100, visit Mountain Living online!
No matter where you live, we know that you have heard about the extensive damage caused by the floods “of biblical proportions” that occurred in Colorado two weeks ago. In Steamboat (where Home on the Range lives), we were extremely fortunate to escape any damage, but we know that the rest of our beautiful state was not so lucky. Today we would like to share a post from one of our favorite bloggers/vendors/friends, Dick Gentry. Dick’s company Wesco Fabrics is based out of Denver, and so Dick himself has been a long time Colorado resident. His blog, Gentry Connects, is one of our favorites, and this week he posted a haunting yet inspiring blog that shows not only the destruction caused by the floods, but also the the strong spirit of Coloradoans. We would like to thank him for sharing his post with us to share with you. If you haven’t visited Dick’s fantastic blog yet, today would be a great day to start!
The images in the below post really demonstrate the extent of the horror that folks here are still experiencing, and are only beginning to pick up the pieces.
Image via Gentry Connects
As Colorado’s devastating flood recedes, the extent of the damage in many areas is heartbreakingly apparent. Through this tragedy we witness amazing stories of cooperation, heroism and perseverance. Friends and total strangers join hands to help. A Wesco Fabrics’ sales person, Steve Beard, energized his church in Jackson, Mississippi, to make donations. People from gulf areas hit by Hurricane Katrina are coming to Colorado to help as they remember many from our state who once helped them in their time of need. It will take time to cleanup and rebuild, but we are definitely “Colorado Strong!”
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Image via Gentry Connects
Don’t you just think there’s something about this time of year that makes you want to start settling down and cuddling up? All of a sudden, fires and warm blankets seem a lot more inviting than pools and beach towels, and boots become a much better option than sandals. Now, try to associate that feeling with a fabric.
What do you think of? Is it plaid? That’s what I thought.
While there are some “summer plaids” that do exist in the world, my guess is that in general when you think of plaid fabrics you associate them with things like wool, crisp air, mountain retreats, and, maybe, even Pumpkin Spice lattes.
Plaids are fantastic fabrics that can be used to warm up a cold space and contribute a needed pattern, and at the same time incorporate and bring out the other colors in the room. It can be dressed up for a classy hunting lodge feel, or dressed down for a rambling mountain cabin. You can use it in bedding, upholstery, wall covering, window treatments, accessories and just about anything else you could think of. When it comes right down to it, plaid seems to be the Jack Of All Fabrics.
Here are some great ideas on using “winter plaids” that really show how versatile this print can be.
Plaid Bedding:
I love the colors on this pillow, they look so fresh but still warm!
The greens and browns here compliment the reclaimed headboard and create a unique combination that looks fashionable and comfortable.
Image via Jojotastic
This traditional plaid bedding is perfect for a cabin, lodge, camp, or any sort of mountain escape!
Plaid Windows and Floors:
The dark plaid drapes and walls provide a beautiful contrast to the white trim and furniture, while the yellow arm chair creates a great focal pop of color and style.
Image via La Dolce Vita
What do you think about this custom plaid tile? The combination of fixtures, finishes and accessories look so classy in this powder room!
Image via La Dolce Vita
Plaid Furniture and Upholstery:
This little porch looks all set up for an apres-ski snack! Winter wonderland!
Image via the Sweetest Occasion
I love the combination of this masculine patterned plaid headboard with the more feminine touches in the lamp, pillows and picture frame here. This just looks like a bedroom where you could sleep late whenever you wanted!
Oooh this chair with the dark wood paneled walls! Enough said!
I hope this post has helped launch you into the “fall spirit”! For more seasonal design inspiration, follow us on Pinterest, or like us on Facebook to have design ideas sent straight to your wall each day! Happy Fall Everyone!
Using hair on hide (leather with the fur still on it) in design can be a fun, funky, rugged, rustic or classic way to add style to a room or furniture piece. Traditionally, hair on hide leather is applied to things like chair backs, the exteriors of upholstery pieces, or rugs… but, recently we have seen it used in so many more creative ways! When used in the right way and in the right space, hair on hide can add that exact little bold and catchy “something extra” that you’ve been striving for. Here are seven great examples of creative and traditional ways to use hair on hide in interior design:
1. Hair on Hide Tub: I have never seen anything like this! The hair on hide bath tub gives this bathroom an instantly chic and rustic modern look.
Image via Pinterest
Image via Furniture Your Way
6. The Hair on Hide Dresser: This piece is VERY western, and it would not fit in just anywhere- it would need to find the perfect space and combination of other furniture pieces in order for it not to look over-done. That said, I love the contrast of the dark wood with the light hide, and I also love the nail head trim and ring pulls on the drawers!
Image via M and M Rustic
7. Hair on Hide All Over: Okay okay, this one’s a little bit over the top… haha, get it? “Over the top?”!!! But seriously, this restaurant takes hair on hide to a whole new level. What do you think about the use of the cowhide on the walls and ceiling? Too crazy or fun and unique?
Image via Pinterest
For more great ideas on how to use hair on hide follow us on Pinterest! You can also like us on Facebook to have design inspiration sent straight to your wall every day. If you would like to find out more about how to incorporate hair on hide (or any other kind of design) into your own home, contact us through our website!
Today’s post comes to us from Robert Bell of VM Media, thanks for the great ideas Robert!
There are all sorts of home theaters in today’s day and age. When you decide to design a home theater for your family, there are some tips that you should follow to ensure that you get the best possible picture, sound and overall experience. You don’t want to forget anything as it may detract from the viewing process.
Choose your TV carefully.
Image via Tumblr
You may think that buying the enormous 80” TV that’s on sale at your local electronics store is the best deal. Once you put it into the space, however, it may be completely wrong. You don’t want to turn your head from side to side to see the whole movie. This isn’t a tennis match, it’s a movie. This means that you have to choose the TV based upon the size of the room.
Control your Lighting.
Image via Pinterest
If you have windows or sliding doors in your home theater room, you are going to have to prepare them appropriately. Light is going to affect the way that the image is projected on the screen. You don’t have to make the room pitch dark. Even movie theaters have some indirect, dim lighting just to avoid eyestrain and so you don’t trip on your way to get more popcorn.
Focus on Sound.
Image via Home Theaters Dallas
As you shop for speakers, learn about what your amplifier is looking for. Ohms and wattage numbers are written on things for a reason. If you want your sound to be top notch, it has to be a good pairing. If the pairing is wrong, your amplifier could burn out or your speakers could be blown – and that’s a lot of money down the drain. Read the owner’s manual to protect yourself.
Hide the Wires.
Image via HTS
You are going to be in the home theater room often. If you have a lot of wire showing on the walls, it’s going to detract from the aesthetics. If the wire is draped across the floor, you also run the risk of someone tripping on it and taking the entire surround system with them. You can hide the wires with rugs, duct tape, and by bringing them through the walls. If the wires aren’t cooperating with you, consider hiring a professional. It will only cost a few hundred dollars and is nothing when you compare it with the other money you are spending.
Tiered-Seating.
Everyone in the room has to be able to see the screen well. If you want to have more than a few people come in, you want to look at tiered seating as it will help you to fit more people into the room. You don’t have to buy stadium seating. If you create multiple levels within the room using cement or wooden platforms, you can then put chairs or couches on them.
Get the Right Content
You have to consider how you are going to get content for your TV. Think about:
– Streaming Video: YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix can all provide a huge amount of viewing options for your TV. Many people have even eliminated cable all together as they find they get enough out of YouTube and Netflix. There are even rumors that YouTube might start streaming football games in the near future.
– Cable – This option is often the most traditional and many people still use cable combined with a DVR to get everything they want out of their TV.
– DirecTV – Currently DirecTV has the most advanced DVR on the market. The DirecTV Genie not only records shows but it can also stream them on your iPhone, iPad, and laptop. This makes for a great provider if you can’t always enjoy your shows in your home theater. If you sign up using www.SaveonTVDirect.com you get special pricing and 3 free months of Showtime.
Some Other Things to Consider
When you design your home theater, try to pick a few features that are just like in the movie theaters. Love how they have lighting along the seating to help you see? You can buy rope lighting to run along the floor to get the same effect.
Want the snack bar? A movie-theater style popcorn machine can be outfitted into your home theater. It will pop a lot of popcorn at once and you can even get liquid butter to pump over top of it – just like you would get at the movie theater.
Don’t waste your money where it doesn’t need to be wasted. HDMI cables are going to be the same whether they are gold plated or not.
The perfect home theater should be perfect for your space and your family. The entire idea behind designing it should be that it fits your needs and your budget.
If you follow our blog regularly, then you know how fond we are of bringing the outdoors in when it comes to design. There is nothing more rustic than the outdoors, nothing that says “lodge” more than the forest itself. One of the most unique and striking ways to bring the outdoors into your home is by using actual trees. Yes, you can ACTUALLY bring the forest inside your house. While you can do this with all sorts of log furniture, flooring, beams, etc, one of the most unique ways that I have seen to do it is by using aspen trees. Aspen trees are gorgeous, and also characteristic of the Rocky Mountains- they are a hallmark of the beautiful place that we call home, so why not make them a hallmark in your own home? Here are some ingenious ways to use aspens when creating your own indoor forest:
Aspen Wall- Okay so this room doesn’t really look like it’s in the mountains, I don’t think you would be wanting to sit under a twig ceiling when the snow started falling! But, I do love the use of aspens as a dividing wall in this space!
Image via Pinterest
Aspen Beams- This may be the neatest thing I have ever seen! I actually don’t know that I’ve ever seen anything similar to the aspen woodwork in this room. The different shapes and textures of the aspen logs make for a beautiful and rugged looking space.
Image via Pinterest
Aspen Bed- These full sized aspen trees (minus the leaves) add a rustic sense of depth and height to the room, while the chandelier helps keep it classy and remind you that you are in fact in a bedroom and not the woods.
Image via Pinterest
The Aspen Hall- Look at this one! This might be one of my favorites! Covering an entire wall in your home with aspen logs would be a bold step, but if you were willing to take the leap it would be a beautiful statement!
Guess what? We have some special news to share! One of our projects was featured on Wall Street Journal’s “House of the Day” earlier this week! The house, which is being sold by Peachy and Shel Johnson and is listed by our dear friends Darlinda Baldinger and Chloe Lawrence was not only a favorite project of ours, it was also an award winning project. Lynne won an ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) Crystal Award for the beautiful library hallway in the home.
The project was a team effort on the part of Joe Patrick Robbins, AIA, Ken Kruse, the builder, and Lynne Bier, the interior designer, who all worked together throughout the entire planning, designing and building process to pick finishes and interior furnishings. We will miss the Johnsons greatly and are sad to see them go, but we wish them luck and are proud to have had our work featured in such a well known publication as the Wall Street Journal!
While we can’t deny that summer is inching ever closer to its end (here in Steamboat we’ve had a sudden uptick of rain, cold nights and chilly mornings), it’s not time to pull out the winter clothes just yet! There’s still time for one last hurrah, and what better way to do that than with an outdoor celebration? And, where better to have an outdoor celebration than in an outdoor living space with an outdoor kitchen? We love the outside, and during the summertime in Steamboat there is nowhere else we’d rather be- I bet you feel the same about where you live! Outdoor kitchens make outdoor living and entertaining a convenient and inviting option.
Most outdoor kitchens include some sort of cover/roof, a grill, counter space, and a sink… after that the possibilities are endless! There are outdoor kitchens with ovens and stoves, kitchen islands, wet bars, fire pits, refrigerators, you name it! Here are a few of our favorite outdoor kitchens of all shapes and sizes!
I love this kitchen because it mixes the indoors with the outdoors. This space has all the features and coziness of an indoor kitchen, but is completely open on one side!
This western outdoor kitchen is just adorable! This would be a great “chuck wagon” style outdoor kitchen for a ranch or a Western Cowboy style home.
Image via Nora and Nick
Can you guess what I love about this one? The built in fire pit of course! Kebab and marshmallow roasting has never been easier!
This one is great because it is detached from any other building, and the kitchen is a little area all its own. How much fun would it be to enjoy breakfast out on that patio?
Image via Pinterest
Here’s another pergola covered outdoor kitchen- this one has a more eclectic feel to it. My favorite thing about this kitchen is the round butcher block table/island, and my second favorite thing is the tile backsplash!
Because heaven knows, we could all use a more organized kitchen. I really love some of these ideas, some are rustic, some are modern, and some are just plain practical!
These built in open shelves and plate holders make it easy to stay organized, but show off all of your beautiful china at the same time!
Image via Houzz
Oh my goodness, wouldn’t you just love to have your own coffee stand? Not only does this add a great visual element to the room, but it also frees up space on the counter, as well as in cabinets where you would normally keep all of those coffee cups and sweeteners!
Image via For the Love of Coffee
This “spice drawer” idea is a perfect way to store all of those teeny bottles that just don’t seem to fit anywhere else! Just make sure all of the lids stay on tight or you will be vacuuming cumin out of corners for days!
Image via Houzz
I don’t know about you, but I think this might be the cutest and most creative way to hold and organize kitchen utensils that has ever been invented! Take the head of an old/antique rake, hang it on the wall, and bam! Perfect utensil holder!
Image via Pinterest
Here’s another great storage idea- whether you you have a pantry, a cupboard, or just some shelves, these glass canisters are a fun way to keep your cooking supplies organized.
Image via The Farm Chicks
A basket or wooden crate is a great method for on-counter organization. Large, low boxes or baskets allow for a lot of different items of different sizes and heights to be organized beautifully in one spot, without creating a vision of clutter.
Image via Nell Hill
Finally, another great way to organize your kitchen AND your life is this pretty list board. You can make one of these with an old frame (with glass). Line the area behind the glass with burlap, then use a dry erase marker to write lists and reminders on the glass- it makes for a lot prettier picture than millions of notes stuck on the refrigerator!
Image via Jill Ruth
For more great organization ideas, follow us on Pinterest, and stick around for our Ask the Designer posts, where we answer reader questions about interior design, organization and more!
Image via Home on the Range
How exciting! We have been featured in another publication this month! This time, Lynne was asked to choose a favorite light fixture and describe what she loved about it and how she had used it in design. The interview is featured in the “Bright Ideas” section of the magazine, along with a picture of Lynne, and a photo of the room she used it in. Thanks so much for the opportunity Larger Than Light, we love publicity, and sharing our favorite things with other people! To see the article, click on this link. You will find the Bright Ideas piece on page 5, but the rest of the magazine is also worth a read!
