Friday, March 30, 2012

Kitchen Decorating Ideas for Above the Cabinets


The space above the cabinets can sometimes be wasted so adding some decorative elements will add interest. Keep the items that you use on the large scale and not bother with a lot of little things because they will make it look too cluttered and will only need to be dusted.
First check to see if you cabinets are flatted or recessed. If they are recessed, you may have to build the base of your cabinets up a bit with old books to be able to show off your decorative items.
  • Consider urns, baskets, bowls, oversize plates and platters, vintage cookie jars, rocking horses and anything nostalgic or that has an intriguing design or shape, and that captures your imagination. 
  •  Play around with the placement on the counter before you try putting them in place. Turn some of your things on their side for added interest to your composition. Add greenery to soften any hard edges and add drama with soft accent lighting.

    Distinctively Home Interiors, Battle Ground WA.  http://www.distinctivelyhome.com

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

How to decorate with paint color.


Draw Decorating Color Inspiration from Nature

Effective interior designs are those that command attention and communicate some feeling to persons who visit and live in the design environment. Knowing the basic elements of color and understanding how colors work with each other dramatically improves an interior design. Capturing a feeling with specific colors is a decorating how to that improves with study, practice and much experimentation.

To create an effective interior design using cool colors, bright white is a must. Bright white is seen in painted furniture, in upholstery, on baseboards and is the paint color for trim, moulding and kitchen cabinets.
 
Distinctively Home Interiors
Battle Ground Village
 
 

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

We carry Hunter Douglas Blinds!


Distinctively Home Interiors, you'll find many beautiful options in Hunter Douglas window coverings... 

Featuring the exclusive Alustra® line as well as favorites like Duette® Honeycomb Shades, Silhouette® Window Shadings, Luminette® Privacy Sheers, wood blinds, shutters and more. Our fine window fashions will transform your living space into your dream home. Call on us today to fill your window fashions needs!  www.distinctivelyhome.com

Monday, March 19, 2012

Tea Towels - Did you know?


History 
The name "tea towel" originates from England about the early nineteenth century. The tea towel was the linen of choice for the ladies of Victorian England. They often personally used tea towels when caring for their tea ware to avoid anything being broken by a careless servant.

Function 
The tea towel's highly absorbent, lint-free and soft features appealed to ladies requiring the right towel to thoroughly dry their delicate china and serving pieces without scratching or leaving lint behind. The material tea towels are made from also provides a workable background to be decorated with embroidery. The ladies of this period often embroidered their own personal tea towels used during tea time to cover food or take care of any spills.

At Distinctively Home Interior, we have several Tea Towel designs to choose from.  Visit us today!  http://www.distinctivelyhome.com.  

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Join us at Distinctively Home for our Pillow Pillooza 
March 14th through the 21st. 
Buy one pillow and get the other 25% off! 

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Fluff up your decor with Pillows!



Join us at Distinctively Home for our Pillow Pillooza 
March 14th through the 21st. 
Buy one pillow and get the other 25% off! 

Fluff up your decor with pillows: More than just couch cushions!
(Source: Home and Decor Magazine)


Whether you want a seasonal shake-up or you’re looking for a trendy, vibrant change, it’s easy to do with the right pillows. Go with wild patterns, bright colors or flat-out trendy styles to give your home an updated look. Pillows are an inexpensive way to make an impact on a room, and because they’re not a big commitment like furniture or lighting, you don’t have to be afraid to change them often. In fact, you’ll want to – that’s the point. 

More than just couch cushions, have you ever thought of utilizing pillows to display your favorite art instead of filling up your walls? Or transforming your garden patio into a modern extension of your home by adding contemporary textured pillows? The experts at Pillow Decor Ltd.(www.pillowdecor.com) offer the following creative tips for decorating with pillows.

1) PILLOWS AS ART
So many homes now have walls of glass and open plans, so there are fewer walls available for hanging art. Use hand-painted, one-of-a-kind pillows to add original art to your home. You can even try a pillow that features the work of one of your favourite artists. They are easy to decorate with, and don’t leave holes in the wall. Among Pillow Décor’s collection you’ll find hand-painted, one-of-a-kind works of art by up-and-coming designers as well as classic renditions of famous works by artists such as Gustav Klimt, Marco Fabiano and Fabrice De Villeneuve.

2) SEASONAL MAKEOVER
Update the look of your home seasonally with new pillow covers and accessories. It’s the quickest way to give your home a makeover. Most pillow covers have zipper closures, so you can put lighter-colored pillow covers on your existing pillows for a fresh look. Just store your fall and winter pillow covers flat in the linen closet. Choose lighter-weight silks with a slight sheen to capture the light and add sparkle to your room. You can also switch pillows and accessories from room to room for a quick change. Pillow Decor makes it easy by enabling you to buy just the pillow cover, or the pillow cover with your choice of a polyfill insert or feather insert.

3) MIX FABRICS LIKE A PRO
Professional designers combine different fabrics, shapes and sizes for a layered look. You can easily pull this off yourself by mixing florals, stripes, textures and solid-coloured pillows. Traditional themes feature pairs, balance and symmetry, but modern and contemporary decor is known for odd numbers and a more eclectic, collected look. Resist the “matchy-matchy” impulse, and build a collection of different fabrics to add colour and personality to your home. Unify your open-concept décor with fabrics that reflect and tie together the colours in the room. Study magazines to see how the professionals do it.

4) INEXPENSIVE UPDATING
To modernize an outdated room or sofa, pick new pillows in a color you are moving towards. You will be able to test out the new colors in the room, and begin the transformation. You don’t have to redo the whole room at once, just do it piece by piece as budget allows. Reupholster that sturdy reading chair and ottoman. Throw in a cozy chenille. Combine rich textured dupioni silks and modern solid colored metallic pillows for a clean look that is versatile, so that once you decide on the furniture and flooring, your pillows and accessories are already in place. For a final touch, add patterned pillows that incorporate the colors of the sofa fabric.

5) BRING THE OUTDOORS INSIDE
Botanical and floral-print pillows will bring the feel of the outdoors in. However, it certainly doesn’t have to be your traditional floral imagery. Pillow Decor offers a wide variety of contemporary, subtle botanical styles. Combined with textured fabrics, you’ll feel more connected to the Earth even, in the heart of the city. There are many color schemes to choose from, including gold and silver. Add a few coordinating striped pillows for a masculine touch. Use a digital picture from your hike in the woods, have it printed in a poster size, and place it beside a leafy new plant near your Earth-inspired pillows for a great look!

6) TAKE THE INDOORS OUT
Decorative pillows offer an ideal way to help transform your outdoor living space into a comfortable continuation of your home. Whether it’s a kitchen, family room or bedroom that opens up onto a deck or poolside patio, try using throw pillows that pull from the dominant color of the adjacent indoor room. The transitional effect will create harmony and continuity between your indoor and outdoor living spaces. Don’t hesitate to use designs that might typically seem unfitting for the outdoors. Go with pillows that feature bold circles, stripes or colors not standard of nature, such as black and white. The pillows will stand out amongst all the earthy greens and browns and really spice up that outdoor space!

7) KEEP THE PEACE
She wants mauve florals, he wants green and orange geometric pillows. Compromise with pillow covers in each color scheme and theme, and alternate them occasionally. Or try finding some common ground with a coordinating pair that combines the Yin and the Yang. Your room will feel new, and the change will be refreshing. Everybody’s happy!

8) DRESSING UP A CHILD’S ROOM
For the kid whose room is never tidy, solid color pillows will help create a less cluttered look. If texture and pattern is what you are after, you can add wide wale corduroy or striped pillows to a boy’s room, and wavy or florals for the girls. You want soft durable pillows for a child’s room made from microfibre suede – the microfibre fabrics are so tightly woven that they are tougher and more durable than most other fabrics. Spills just bead up and roll off, and they can be wiped clean with a damp cloth. Try 24-by-24-inch box-edge faux-suede pillows, which are practical and fun for floor pillows in a child’s or teen’s room. These pillows are very soft; perfect to sprawl on while reading a book or playing a game. They come in a wide variety of bright cheerful colors, and while the superhero or princess themes will soon be passé, these durable pillows will have staying power.

9) WHAT’S HOT NOW
The hottest new pillows are the versatile rectangular shape, sometimes referred to as “lumbar” pillows. They can be used in so many ways, to add back support to children and petite people, to add color to an armchair, or nestled against each arm of your sofa. Layer them in front of larger, square pillows in the corner of your sectional, or on a window seat or daybed. Add one in front of pillow shams to give your beds a decorative touch. On a low-backed, clean-lined sofa, place one at the back of each seat cushion.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Decorate with the color GREEN!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day why not re-visit the color of GREEN?  

Nature's Hue

    Green, in almost every shade, is tied to nature and gives off a decidedly fresh vibe. Spring green mixes with sky blues and earthy browns to create a sophisticated, yet casual atmosphere. Have confidence to decorate with green. It can be relaxing or overwhelming - make green decor work for you.

    Bring the outside in with green touches

    Imitate the natural world with fresh plants for an instant mood lift or invest in lasting leaf prints.
    Look to nature for inspiring color schemes; the oranges and greens in a bird of paradise or red, blue and greens in a macaw are wonderful color combinations!

    Got a small room or cramped hallway?

    The color green creates an illusion of space. It gives the impression of receding and so tricks the eye into believing a room is bigger than reality.

    Paint your hallway green and add a stripey green runner! Critics deem green to be the color of money so it will lend a prosperous air to hallways!

    Thursday, March 15, 2012

    Choosing the Right Table Lamp for Every Room

    The Living Room 
    Think of living-room lamps as one part light and one part sculpture. They should be lovely to look at whether on or off. Just make sure they don't block the view or get in the way of conversation.

    Height: Most living rooms can handle a lamp that's 26 to 34 inches tall.  To see if your lamp is right for a given table, sit on the sofa or the chair next to it, she says. The bottom of the shade shouldn't fall higher than eye level.

    Base: Even a skinny, candlestick-style base should be substantially weighted so those who talk with their hands don't rock the lamp if they bump it accidentally.

    Shade: A fabric shade gives a warm, flattering glow. In general, drum shades look more modern; conical ones, more traditional. A shade should never extend past a table's perimeter.

    Bulb: If you intend to use your lamp for reading, make sure the bulb is at least 60 watts; a three-way bulb or a dimmer will modulate the brightness.


    At Distinctively Home we offer a wide variety of lamps with a variety of shades to light up any room  Visit our store today located in Battle Ground Village!

    Click here to visit our website!

    Wednesday, March 14, 2012

    Decorating and Accenting with the color RED!

    At Distinctively Home Interiors we have man wonderful RED accents to add warmth to any room. From lipstick to paint - there are enough hues to suite any taste and it's adventurous spirit will never go out of style. 

     

    Create a lasting backdrop

    Trends may shift, but a traditional red is sure to last. A classic RED shade is just the thing for those with changing tastes.

    Grab attention
    Bright red captivates and immediately catches the eye. Use that to your advantage by showcasing prized possessions with a backdrop in the hue.

    Create contrast
    For a bold contrast, pair one strong other color to compliment your red pieces. 

    Tuesday, March 13, 2012

    A large mirror makes a room look larger because it creates an illusion of depth. It tricks the eye into thinking there is more space than there really is. The optical illusion occurs as the mirror reflects light and color across the room. Our eyes perceive the bouncing reflections as increased volume, making the room look bigger.

    Physics can explain why a large mirror makes a room look larger. According to the law of reflection, an angle approaching a mirror will equal the angle that it reflects. Scientifically put, the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. A larger mirror has more surface area to allow for more angles of incidence. With more angles of incidence, there will be more angles of reflection---the mirror will reflect whatever amount that approaches it, so a larger mirror will reflect a bigger amount and make a room look larger

    At Distinctively Home Interiors we have a wide variety of mirrors to choose from!  Pay us a visit and start creating space.

    http://www.distinctivelyhome.com  

    Monday, March 12, 2012

    The Important Role of Texture in Interior Design

    Texture is a design element which is generally overlooked when decorating a home. However it has the ability to add a powerful, albeit subtle dimension to a room's interior. In fact, it is one of the secret tools which are used by the professionals to really make an impression on a space.

    The word texture refers to how the surface of an object feels. This implies that texture is merely a tactile consideration. However, when you see something which feels rough, even if you don't directly touch it, your mind still recalls all of the times in the past when you have touched rough objects, and in a small way you relive those experiences. This means that texture has an effect not only on the way a room feels, but also on the way it looks.

    Using texture allows you to add another whole dimension to a space. No longer confined to visual elements such as line and color, now you can actually determine the way the space will feel to your visitors. By branching out to use this new device you are able create an impression in a whole new way, making your artistic design that much richer.
     
    At Distinctively Home, we believe everyone deserves a living space that is comfortable, inviting, and reflects his or her personal style. With Distinctively Home’s full menu of design and décor options, you are sure to create a wonderful living space that is unique to you while matching your lifestyle.

    Interior Design Services include:

    Space Planning
    Color and Paint Consultation
    Window Treatments
    Custom Bedding and Pillows
    Special Orders
    Finish Consulting

    Call us at 360-666-9539 to schedule your consultation.

    http://www.distinctivelyhome.com

    Friday, March 9, 2012

    Textiles can change the look of any piece!



    Want an instant makeover? No need to redo the entire living room. Just add a decorative pillow (or four). Check out these decorating ideas! 

    Build a Collection


    Textiles can change the entire feel of a room.  A wild mix only works when there's balance — pairs, and colors of equal intensity. Black anchors the other colors, and the throw makes it all cozier.

    Try Texture
    There is nothing more beautiful than creams and whites. But when all the shades are similar, you need a mix of textures to keep it visually interesting.Adding a textured pillow can spruce up any look.

    Play with Color

    Pillows are one of the easiest and quickest ways to experiment with color. The blue and plum are an atypical combination, but they unexpectedly complement each other.

    Join us at Distinctively Home for our Pillow Pillooza 
    March 14th through the 21st. 
    Buy one pillow and get the other 1/2 off!

    Thursday, March 8, 2012

    In Between Season Decorating

    From January through April, we tend to see a lot of ideas for how to decorate for Valentines Day, then St. Patrick’s Day and then Easter. Lots of cute ideas! But what if you don’t really like overt themes or it is past Valentine’s Day and maybe too early for your bunnies? 

    How DO you decorate when you aren’t quite feeling ready for full spring decorating but a snowy winter mantel or table-scape feels a bit out of place too?

    Add hints of life and bits of spring! Some branches, a few springy flowers, some plants and maybe some moss. At Distinctively Home Interiors we have all kinds of items to accent your decorating ideas.  From Vases to Accent Furniture we have a variety of decor for you to choose from.  

    Why not add some newly budded spring branches to one of our tall standing vases?  Arrange staggered amidst a scrunched table runner, throw in a few light candles and you have a stunning, new look for your table!  Visit us today for some pre-spring decorating ideas.

    Monday, March 5, 2012

    Decorating Tips for your Bedroom.

    A gallery of simple ideas to make your slumber zone dreamy.

    Pile on the Pillows 

    Pile on the pillows, and don’t shy away from mixing patterns. Combine large prints with small ones, florals with geometrics.

    DIY Artwork Hanging 

    a graphic quilt is an easy solution to the “big blank wall” issue. Complementary bed linens pull the decor together.

    Put Pattern to Work 
    A printed bedspread, like this distinctive botanical design, does a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to décor.

    Incorporate Prints on Accent Pieces 

    But prints aren’t reserved for the bedcovers. They’re just as arresting when set on a modern-shaped lampshade.

    Work the Walls 

    Nightstands and adjustable lamps affixed to walls smartly save space in a small room.

    Reveal a Personal Side 

    Your bedroom should express your personality (not just design principles), so feel free to go a little off-center, as with the art here.