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Western Style

Designing for the Western Lifestyle: New Mexico Territorial

Natural materials, old-world craftsmanship and unique architectural elements are trademarks of New Mexico Territorial style. Although most often found in the American Southwest and the Texas Hill Country, the use of reclaimed materials, stone and energy-efficient straw bale and adobe construction create an aesthetic that lends itself to the Rocky Mountain region as well.

The straw bale construction is not only a signature component of adobe-style homes, but its soft lines and undulating surfaces blend beautifully with the reclaimed fir timbers, terra cotta floors and textured plaster walls.

“Nichos” are both practical and decorative elements in adobe architecture and were originally designed to accommodate everything from built-in cabinets to religious artifacts. We incorporated a large arched nicho into the upper hall of this New Mexico Territorial style home to hold a beautiful antique cabinet with a rich aqua painted finish. Native American rugs, like the one you see on the wall, are a great way to blend the New Mexico style into a Rocky Mountain home.

Below is another example of incorporating “nichos” in New Mexico Territorial design.

The use of antique shutters inset into the walls as windows creates both function and interest.

Reclaimed wood bookshelves add interest to the Kiva-style fireplace wall and provide a wonderful framework for displaying a collection of books and pottery.

The shady colonnaded back porch with its colorful Mexican blankets and pillows provides the perfect spot to enjoy the view while staying out of the hot mid-day sun.

Our goal at Home on the Range is to work with our clients to create timeless interiors that reflect their individual tastes and style preferences. Click on the “Like what you see” button on the right to schedule a complimentary consultation or to find out more about any of our projects.

Images: Photos by Tim Murphy; Interior designs by Home on the Range; Architecture by Joe Patrick Robbins, AIA; Builings by Cogswell Construction

Thanksgiving Table Inspiration and Must-Have Products
Design Tips and Trends

Thanksgiving Table Inspiration and Must-Have Products

With Thanksgiving arriving next week, people are already thinking about decorating ideas for their holiday table setting. We want to offer inspiration with a look at some of our favorite decorated tables as well as a list of products perfect for Thanksgiving.

HGTV has put together a wonderful slideshow of “15 Stylish Thanksgiving Table Settings,” and we narrowed them down to our favorite four.

This Tuscan-inspired dining space looks gorgeous.

A turkey centerpiece surrounded by autumnal acorns make this a beautifully themed table.

These white pumpkin place card holders add seasonal fun.

Deep purple works well for fall, and the gourds and pears bring in a bit of nature.

Park Designs has a number of products we love for Thanksgiving decorating. Here are a few must-have items:

A stylish candle holder

Colorful leaf placemats and fall napkins

And a Thanksgiving dish towel that reminds us of what the holiday is all about

Click the “Like what you see?” button on the right to contact Home on the Range Interiors and find out how to purchase these products for your holiday table.

Photos: 1-4 via HGTV; 5-8 via Park Designs

10 Eclectic Furniture Pieces to Add Interest to Your Space
Featured Products

10 Eclectic Furniture Pieces to Add Interest to Your Space

At Home on the Range Interiors, we enjoy designing unique  spaces that are personalized for each client. To accomplish that goal we are constantly on the lookout for fun, interesting new products from around the world. Take a look at 10 of our favorite eclectic furniture pieces that will add interest to your room and keep it from being too serious!

The first four items are from Arteriors because the company has so many unique offerings!

The great design of this chair gives it a sculptural appeal that blends art with function. 

The metal patina on this  Arteriors Costello iron accent table adds a rustic touch to a contemporary design .

Use this Arteriors driftwood table to bring in an earthy, natural element.

The simple lines of Arteriors’ Hugo iron-and-leather X-base bench pair well with  a cowhide  seat – perfect for a Western aesthetic or to add an unexpected touch to any decor. 

Dovetail’s Madeline Console is an environmentally friendly option, as it’s made from reclaimed wood.

This Moderno buffet cabinet from GrassRoots would look beautiful and glam in a rustic dining room.

Enjoy the textural appeal of this wooly stool from Rags Home Furnishings.

If you liked sitting in a bean bag as a kid, this upscale adult bean-bag style chair from Rags is for you. 

This Athena chair from Sam Moore offers a great punch of color.

And this DecorAsian loveseat is a wonderful seat for two.

Contact Home on the Range to find out how we can help add a fun and eclectic vibe to your  home.

Design Tips and Trends

Using Lighting in Design: New Lighting Technology

New lighting regulations set to begin in January 2012 have resulted in an emergence of lighting technology beyond incandescent bulbs. Since lighting is such an integral part of interior design, Home on the Range Interiors has kept up with these changes and innovations.

One New York Times article explains the new regulations as well as the difference in all the bulbs out there in layman’s terms, and we love that the author discusses how this technology fits into home design, pointing out the best options for each room in the house.

Selecting the correct Kelvin temperature is of especial importance since this affects the color of light emitted. So in Western style homes where designing with warm colors is king, light with a lower color temperature—around 3,000 Kelvins—will illuminate a space with a soft glow.

Incandescent bulbs are often energy inefficient, which has led to the popularity of compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. Now, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are offering even more energy savings, and new technology has led to LED options that can illuminate in every direction, The New York Times reports.  The other advantage to the LED light is that it is green and doesn’t present the same disposal issues as the fluorescent bulbs.

For an excellent explanation of new lighting technology and how it will affect your bulb shopping come January, read this New York Times piece.

If you’d like help illuminating your space to show off its interior design in the best light, contact Home on the Range in Colorado.

 Image  by dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Where Should You Start When Designing a Room?
Design Tips and Trends,Featured

Where Should You Start When Designing a Room?

A great place to start your room can be with an oriental carpet, a favorite piece of art or a fabric that you love. At Home on the Range Interiors, we have even used stone walls as our starting point! Once you have the key element selected, it will become the inspiration for the other colors, fabrics and finishes in the room.

In this Western Mine Style Home, designer Lynne Bier started with the purple moss rock the clients had selected and that was used throughout the house. The fabrics and finishes she selected to complement the rock were blends of the colors in the rock. The soft moss green, purple hues and red flecks of garnet made a beautiful color palette for this home.

In this Pioneer Homestead Home, we began with the colorful rugs and weavings the owner had collected from areas as diverse as Morocco, South Africa and the American Southwest. This bright, bold palette cried out for fabrics and wall colors that were neutral and that would create a backdrop for the colorful textiles. The color was then pulled back out in key furniture pieces.

The vibrant turquoise paint on the sofa table repeats the turquoise color in the Moroccan rug.

Our client in this home is an artist, and we used the piece of art she selected to hang in the entry as the color inspiration for this space.

The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Pick something you love and then create your room around it — give it a try, and let us know how you do!

–Lynne Barton Bier, Owner/Principal Designer, Home on the Range

Images: Interior designs by Home on the Range; Photos by Tim Murphy; Architecture by Joe Patrick Robbins, AIA

Mountain Rustic Bathroom Design Inspiration
Featured,Western Style

Mountain Rustic Bathroom Design Inspiration

At Home on the Range we often use reclaimed wood and rustic materials in our Western designs, as they add natural elements and help warm up every space—including bathrooms. In fact bathrooms are extremely popular spaces to have updated and remodeled, so we thought we’d share some of our favorite rustic bathroom designs—from Houzz and from our own portfolio—to help inspire you.

This rustic wood vanity by Tineke Triggs of Artistic Designs for Living would look fabulous in any mountain home.

A chiseled stone tile wall adds a wonderful rustic touch to this contemporary bathroom by Philpotts Interiors.

Below is an eye-catching mix of woods, tiles and color in this spa bath by Harrell Remodeling!

We love the horizontal application of board and batten paired with a contemporary-style wood pedestal vanity in this rustic bathroom by Andrew Melaragno.

We hope you’ll also get some great ideas from the  Home on the Range rustic bathrooms pictured below.

This Pioneer Homestead master bath features reclaimed beech cabinets paired with a classic clawfoot tub.

A custom-designed concrete countertop rests on a reclaimed timber vanity base in this Western Mine-style guest bath.

The rustic cabinetry in this master bath is made from antique pine and works well with the reclaimed timbers that frame the room .

We incorporated an Oceanside stone and glass mosaic tub face and honey onyx tub deck into this rustic contemporary master bath.

Are you interested in redesigning the bathroom in your Colorado home?  Click the like what I see button on the right to find out how we can help transform your space into a stylish rustic retreat.

Photos: 1 by Tineke Triggs of Artistic Designs for Living via Houzz; 2 by Philpotts Interiors via Houzz; 3 by Harrell Remodeling via Houzz; 4 by Andrew Melaragno via Houzz; 5-8 Interior design by Home on the Range, Photos by Tim Murphy, Architecture by Joe Patrick Robbins, AIA

Do You Need More Glam in Your Life?
Design Tips and Trends

Do You Need More Glam in Your Life?

Style at Home has a great article explaining ways to go glam that reflect the Home on the Range approach to this design tool beautifully. They mention the following lighting and decorative accessories products as ways to add glam to a room:

• Mirrors
• Luxurious fabrics
• Chandeliers
• Candles
• Feathers
• Heavy metals
• Pearlized finishes

This photo from Amoroso Design in Houzz shows how glam can be added to a dining room with the selection of a chandelier and the choice of glass and metal accessories on the sideboard.

The reflective surface of the lamp and the stainless hardware on the bedside table add glam to this bedroom by Jodie Rosen Design that we found on Houzz!

We also love these glam products:

This Schumacher burnished bronze chevron wallpaper and Currin antiqued mirrored sideboard have a rustic-glamorous look.

A dark silver-and-brass end table and a whimsical bronze pendant, both by Arteriors, offer a gorgeous metallic sheen…

…as do these antique silver glass decanters and antique silver nesting boxes, also from Arteriors.

For mirrors and accessories, this antique gold mirror with burnished edges and mirrored panels and these antique silver leaves on a dark background from Uttermost really caught our eyes.

Incorporate some glam into your finishes with glass tiles and light fixtures. Glass pendants, a glass Vitraform sink and glass tile on the walls and shower add glam to this Contemporary spa bath by Home on the Range Interiors.

Oceanside glass mosaic tile adds a shimmer to the wall of this Rustic Contemporary master vanity by Home on the Range.

How will you add glam into your life?

Click on the “I like what I see” button on the right to find out more about any of the products pictured here – or to see how the designers at Home on the Range can help you add glam to your home!

Photos of Home on the Range projects by Tim Murphy

Designing for the Western Lifestyle: Mountain Lodge
Western Style

Designing for the Western Lifestyle: Mountain Lodge

Mountain Lodge style can range from a European ski lodge to a rustic cabin. Mountain Lodge evokes the scent of pine trees and the warmth of a cozy fire. Mountain Lodge décor brings the outdoors into the home with the use of color and materials found in the environment around the house. When designing with any of the Western Design styles, it is important to stay away from what is trendy and focus on timeless design elements.

In this bathroom by Home on the Range, we painted the cabinets and walls with a pine green. Birch bark mirrors and pinecone accent tiles bring the feeling of the outdoors into the room. Naturally shed antler handles were used to accent the doors and drawers of the vanity.

The custom twig light valance on the bookshelves, the use of reclaimed oak floors and the rawhide chandeliers from Hammerton Lighting add rustic mountain touches to this European lodge home.

Chinked timber walls and a random-lay stone floor are used to create a mountain cabin feel in this lakeside home. The antler wall sconces from Sua designs add another touch of the mountain lodge feel to the entry, and the feathers in the vase complete the look.

Old Hickory chairs and antler candlesticks add the lodge accents to this European-style kitchen.

You can use any of the accent ideas highlighted in this blog to add a touch of mountain lodge to your home. Press the “like what you see” button at the right, and we can send you photos of, and pricing for, the accessories pictured in these homes. Watch for the conclusion of the Designing for the Western Lifestyle series when we will showcase individual finishes and products used in these homes and show you how to purchase them.

Images: Photos by Tim Murphy; Interior designs by Home on the Range; Architecture by Joe Patrick Robbins, AIA

Breast Cancer Awareness: Color Psychology
Events and Happenings

Breast Cancer Awareness: Color Psychology

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so the design community has taken to helping the cause in a variety of ways.

The first is by developing a number of pink products with partial proceeds going to breast cancer research, including BoConcept’s “Running Ribbon” cup and the Pink Swan Project by Suite New York.

Another way designers are getting involved is by volunteering time and materials to redecorate chemotherapy rooms. RoomsThatRock4Chemo is a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization that is devoted to creating positive and uplifting spaces that spiritually support cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy by revamping bland spaces into vibrant, warm and peaceful environments.

Breast cancer patients should be surrounded by things that soothe and promote relaxation, including color, and greens and blues in particular tend to be calming. In fact, one article notes that green “carries associations with nature, growth and recovery,” and another says that in chromotherapy, “blue was believed to soothe illnesses and treat pain.”

This color psychology explains why we’ve seen blue and green appear in many chemotherapy rooms, whether in the furniture, fixtures or walls themselves.

So, where pink helps raise money for cancer research, greens and blues help in the breast cancer treatment and recovery phases!

We love that people are supporting the cause by purchasing pink décor for their homes and that the interior design industry is instrumental in working with other colors that can also help pink in its fight against breast cancer – staying involved is the best way to make a difference!

Photos: 1 via shorehealth.org; 2 via lauranell.com/life/the-chemo-journey-begins

Color Use Across the Centuries
Design Tips and Trends,Featured

Color Use Across the Centuries

I have always been fascinated with color and it’s use in design, so on a recent trip through Europe I began to take pictures of eye-catching color combinations that repeat themselves in every country.  I hope you’ll enjoy these photos as a visual reminder of how color use transcends both time and space.

This vibrant combination of red, blue and green adds life to what must have been a dreary existence in the Tower of London.

Exquisite stained glass and colorfully painted columns – also in the Tower of London.

Great use of the red and blue again on shutters and awnings in the Montmartre area of Paris.

Bookstall on the Left Bank of the Seine in Paris.  Postcards from the Moulin Rouge show the same vibrant colors being popular at the turn of the century

Below are a number of houses on the fishing and lace-making island of Burano in Italy – the houses on Burano are painted in every color combination you can imagine, and it all works beautifully!!

Another favorite color combination across the centuries has been purple, pink, blue and green  – enjoy the below examples of these captivating combinations!

A shop window in the Latin Quarter and a Venetian glass chandelier.

Sign on a children’s shop in Paris.

Windowsill and flowerpot on a house in Burano, Italy.

Color inspiration is everywhere in our daily life, and, as there are endless combinations of colors, there are truly no right or wrong ways to combine colors. Each combination evokes a different emotion and the psychology of color is something we will be exploring in other posts such as our post on color in breast cancer treatment this month.

If you enjoyed this post, watch for future posts on such topics as color in Mexico and South America, the use of inlaid marble in Venice, unique staircases in Europe and things that make me smile!

And don’t forget to visit us at Home on the Range in Steamboat Springs or click the “like what I see” button to find out more about what we do.

—Lynne Barton Bier, Owner/Principal Designer, Home on the Range Interiors

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