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Design Tips and Trends

Living Large in Small Spaces

Even amply-sized homes have certain areas where space is tight. Here are tips to help you maximize your space with style.

  • Bunkbeds. Bunkbeds save space and are a great deal of fun. The built-ins in the sweet cottage nook are great for girls. (Top image.) Adults are also using bunkbeds in vacation rentals, with draperies to add privacy. (Bottom image.)
small spaces

Image via Apartment Therapy. Richard Leo Johnson Photography

 

bunkbeds

Image via Enchanted Home. Design: M Elle

 

  • Kitchen desks. Studies and offices are great. But we all know that many thank-you notes and bills are taken care of in the kitchen. So why not have a built-in desk that coordinates with your cabinetry? It will help remove clutter from the kitchen table.

 

built-in desk

Image via Houzz

 

  • Banquettes. Custom cushions make a residential banquette a cozy area where all family members can make eye contact and conversation over cereal or cards. With nooks like these, a formal dining room (though wonderful) no longer feels like a necessity.
banquette

Image via House and Home

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Image 1: Apartment Therapy

Image 2: The Enchanted Home

Image 3: House and Home

 

Design Tips and Trends

Fall Color Trends

Pantone, one of the world’s leading color forecasters, has issued its Fall 2012 Fashion Color Report after extensive market research and designer surveys. Tangeringe Tango, Pantone’s Color of the Year, is accompanied by Titanium, which is popular and tones the Tangerine down. The color mix has surprising additions as well.

fall colors

Image via pantone.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The colors start in fashion, as demonstrated by this sketch by BCBG.

BCBG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then move into home fashion. Those who are a little bit wary of color can sample Fall color trends with a low-commitment item like a tablecloth, coordinated here with vintage chairs that were easily refreshed with lacquer.

fall design colors

Image via Houzz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The old rules regarding seasonal color (dark for Fall, light for Spring) have gotten looser. Vibrant colors are seen in this year’s Fall forecast, and there is more room for a homeowner to express her individuality.

For more ideas of Fall color trends and more, visit our Pinterest page by clicking here!

 

 

 

Design Tips and Trends

Pinterest – Life Curated

One of the best things about this field is that I get to share design ideas and learn about my clients’ tastes and design visions. The social networking site Pinterest is a dream to me because it makes it so easy to share photos and ideas.  I love unwinding at the end of a day by scrolling through photos on Pinterest and finding the places, quotes and decorating ideas that captivate me.  When I am on other blogs or on Facebook, I will often find a photo that stands out enough to me to save to one of my boards on Pinterest.  I love the fact that I can express various aspects of my personality on Pinterest by finding things that inspire me from all areas of life, and not just focus on interior design…although you will see many boards related to color, texture, rooms and accessories.

Inspirations range from architectural details….

architectural details

Beautiful stone fireplace and wood ceiling

To color and texture inspirations….

 

color and texture inspirations

Inspiration from Urban Farm and Gardens

One of my favorite boards is “doors and windows” because I believe doors and windows allow us a glimpse into the soul of a place.

 

A board that gets me excited is “my bucket list” because I love to travel to get new ideas and meet new people, and when I find a place that merits going into that category, I get excited and begin to dream about going there.  This photo from Romania really appealed to me because of its color and old world charm.

Source: flickr.com via Lynne on Pinterest

 

I created a board called “funny, notable and inspirational quotes” where I put anything that expresses my opinions and feelings about life and relationships. I love to go back weekly to read what I have on that board because it always helps me to put things into perspective!  Here is one of my favorites!  It describes a wonderful approach to life

 

 

View my images on Pinterest by clicking here!

Do you use Pinterest?  I’d love to see what inspires you.

Design Tips and Trends,Featured Products

Wunderley Pieces Provide Moroccan Touch

When we were at High Point Market, we purchased some lamps, rugs, and a beautiful inlaid mirror from Wunderley, a company that imports affordable decorative objects from Morocco and other Mediterranean locales. Wunderley’s objects enrich a variety of interiors.

Wunderley

Image via Wunderley

Each of the spaces above has a Moroccan mirror, which is a simple and subtle way to add exotic flair.

Wunderley

Wunderley

Wunderley

Image via Wunderley

 

Wunderley

Image via Wunderley

 

The idea of incorporating Moroccan pieces into an interior has been championed in recent years by Elle Decor.

Moroccan design

Image via Elle Decor. Photo: Simon Upton

House Beautiful published a calm, family-friendly home with Moroccan pieces subtly blended with other international objects.

House Beautiful

Image via House Beautiful. Photo: William Abranowicz

Which pieces add spice to your interior? Let us know in the comments section below!

Design Tips and Trends,It's All in the Details

Custom Turnkey Installation

Like the perfect wedding gown or made-to-measure suit, a turnkey installation is a full-service process where a designer listens to your vision and then creates a home that perfectly fits your style – down to the last detail.

Lake Catamount House by Home on the Range Interiors

Lake Catamount House by Home on the Range Interiors

Turnkey installations are perfect for second homes and busy homeowners who don’t have the time to spend on researching products and pulling the finishes together.  We use the term custom turnkey installation for the ultra-full service projects that we design because the homes look like the family that lives there. Our goal is to have our clients be overwhelmed with joy as they walk into their dream home. And it is their dream — Home on the Range is an experienced team of designers ready to take care of schedules and design details so that our clients can focus on what matters most to them– family,  friends and daily life.  All you have to do is describe your vision, and Home on the Range does the rest. On a set date, you are handed the keys and walk into a space where music is playing, candles are lit, and every detail is taken care of, down to the last hand-towel. The only thing you have to worry about is bringing clothing and a toothbrush. Time is valuable, and a custom turnkey installation saves you time and eliminates stress, at the same time providing you with a home where every detail is coordinated and well thought out.

 

Lake Lodge master bath complete with towels and accessories

It takes a knowledgeable staff with trusted trade resources to perform large turnkey installations in a relatively short period of time. Fortunately, the experienced design staff at Home on the Range has an efficient system that has enabled us to perform many custom turnkey installations over the past several decades. Best of all, each of these projects is fully customized, timeless, and unique.

Master bedroom with rugs, throws, sheets and bedding

 

We even set the dining table!

Do you have questions about custom turnkey installations? Contact us at Home on the Range so we can hear your vision for your unique home.

 

Architect:  Joe Patrick Robbins, AIA

Photographer:  Tim Murphy

All photos courtesy of Home on the Range Interiors

Porches for Relaxing and Congregating
It's All in the Details,Western Style

Porches for Relaxing and Congregating

Mark Twain once wrote that sitting on a porch gave him “a deep sense of comfort and contentment.” The bard of American letters was not alone. Porches used to be where the family would hang out in the evening and visit with neighbors and watch the kids play in the yard.  It was a way to catch the evening breeze when there wasn’t any air conditioning.

porches for relaxing

Mark Twain. Image via Historic Saranac Lake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Porches still make inviting places to congregate and watch the world around you, which is why Home on the Range Interiors brings interiors outside with seating areas for conversation or for quiet contemplation.  Here are a a few porches from our varied projects.

This inviting porch off of the master bedroom wing provides a great place to relax and get some private time. Western Homestead Ranch - interior design by Home on the Range Interiors

 

 

 

Western Homestead Ranch Porch

This rustic ranch porch is the place everyone congregates in the evening as the sun goes down and the lake below the house glimmers in the evening light. Western Homestead Ranch - interior design by Home on the Range Interiors

 

Home on the Range Interiors

This screened in porch overlooking a meadow of wild flowers and Lake Catamount has both a dining area and seating areas for relaxing and conversing. Pioneer Homestead Ranch -interior design by Home on the Range Interiors

 

 

Cozy seating around an outdoor fireplace makes this lake cabin porch an inviting place to sit on a cool evening.

 

Here are some great porches I found on Houzz that are a little more “East Coast” than the porches we have in the mountains of Colorado but that have the same universal appeal.

I can just imagine sitting on this porch below reading a book or sipping an iced tea in the day or a mint julep in the evening as the neighbors stop by to chat!

porches for relaxing

Photo: Mark Lohman for Tumbleweed & Dandelion. Image via Houzz

 

 

Here is another great porch with a fireplace to take the chill off of the evening so friends and family can gather together after a busy day of hiking, fishing and boating.  It’s perfect for a lake environment because it is screened in to keep out the pesky mosquitoes!

porches for relaxing

Photo and design: Lands End Development. Image via Houzz

 

 

This reminds me of an old farmhouse porch where ma and pa would sit and rock in the evening after the chores were done.

porches for relaxing

Photo and construction: Witt Construction. Image via Houzz

 

Twain noted that “Each season brings a world of enjoyment and interest in the watching of its unfolding.” And what better place to gaze upon nature than a well-designed porch?

Which porch is your favorite?

 

Photos 2-4 via Home on the Range Interiors – Photographer: Tim Murphy Architect:  Joe Patrick Robbins,  AIA  Photos 5-8 via Houzz 

Bonfils Blood Center Helping Denver Victims
The Allure of a Home on the Water
Featured,Western Style

The Allure of a Home on the Water

The allure of water is universal. Water views seem to soothe away stress and encourage contemplation. A shoreline interior should begin by considering the setting.

The first step is to ensure that views are visually accessible, and that exterior doors can be accessed. The two rooms below, by architects on Houzz, each have two focal points–the water and a hearth.

 house on the water

Window treatments can soften a space and are often necessary to control light. But they should not take away from the view.

house on the water

An outdoor conversation cluster is a gathering spot, a focal point, and a destination to move toward throughout the evening. This applies to traditional, transitional, and modern homes alike.

 home on the water

house on the water

 

home on the water

The homes below are nestled into the landscape, with natural materials and understated scale.

 home on the water

home on the water

house on the water

What is your vision for the perfect home on the water? Contact us at Home on the Range and give us the opportunity to meet with you and discuss your vision.  We are based in the Rocky Mountain area but have designed homes on the water and in the mountains nationwide.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Style Homes
Featured,It's All in the Details

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Style Homes

Home on the Range is currently working on a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired home designed by Architect Joe Patrick Robbins, AIA in Houston,Texas and we will be sharing details from the home throughout the construction process.  Wright’s appreciation for natural materials and the landscape make his Prairie Style homes timeless.  I am constantly amazed by the details he used 100 years ago that are currently popular in contemporary design.

Few individuals in history have had the honor of creating an architectural style. Frank Lloyd Wright changed the American landscape with Prairie Style, which he developed at the turn of the 20th century. The first Prairie Style structures were designed to “reflect the  long, low horizontal prairie on which they sat with low-pitched roofs (and) deep overhangs,” according to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.  The other transformation attributed to the Prairie Style was the change from dark chopped-up rooms to open interior spaces with more light.   Below is one of the first Prairie Style residences, Wright’s Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago (1908).

Robie House

Robie House image via gowright.org

The home’s understatement and harmony with the landscape is quintessentially American. Another Prairie Style home with these characteristics is the Avery Coonley Housein Riverside, Illinois (1907). The landscape designer Frederick Law Olmstead did a wonderful job of further integrating the home into its surroundings.

Coonley Gardens

Coonley Garden

 

 

We find an overlap in style between Arts and Crafst style, Mission and Prairie style and will be using elements of all three in the Houston home.  Below are pictures of some of the inspirations we are using for cabinet design.

Arts and Crafts style shoji sideboard

Prairie style sideboard design

Prairie style sideboard designCraftsman Ceramic Tile Alchemy tileYamagiwa light fixture

Hardware example

 

Yamagiwa light fixture from Oak Park Home and Hardware

Examples of the Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie Style homes can be found throughout the United States.

Be sure to watch for the following key Prairie Style elements in our future posts on the Houston house.

  • Low-pitched roof
  • Overhanging eaves
  • Horizontal lines
  • Central chimney
  • Open floor plan
  • Clerestory windows
Cozy, Rustic Attic Bedrooms
Western Style

Cozy, Rustic Attic Bedrooms

Attics have captured the imagination of children for centuries due to their cozy scale and intriguing character – did you ever go on a treasure hunt in an attic when you were young, or play hide and seek under the eaves?  Here are images which demonstrate how attics continue to inspire us with their nooks and crannies even as adults.

  • RUSTIC – from western to shabby chic, the rustic spaces below delight the senses with the patina of the reclaimed wood ceilings, the interesting textures and the charming furnishings:
rustic attic

Image via Archilook

 

rustic attic 2

Image via Arcilook

 

rustic attic

Image via Arcilook

 

rustic attic

Image via Arcilook

CLEAN-LINED.  The attic rooms below have a cleaner, lighter, more modern look which is achieved by using either white painted wood or white bedding.  The addition of architectural detail or wood elements keeps them from looking too stark and maintains a hint of “rustic”.

attic bedroom

Image via Arcilook

 

attic bedroom

Image via Arcilook

 

attic bedroom

Image via Arcilook

Attics provide not only a bonus room but also an escape. Though there may not be a treasure chest hidden in these spaces, they are still quite rewarding.

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Image source: Archilook

Image