Interior Design | Page 10 of 12 | TAB Associates Blog

Building a Home? Find Space for a Workout Room

If you have an extra room in your house that you aren’t using, transform it to a room that meets your lifestyle needs. One way to do this is to create a home gym.

Add a workout space to your home — Source: TAB Associates

A home workout room doesn’t have to be elaborate. It can be as simple as moving the treadmill from the middle of the living room to an unused extra room and adding a few finishing touches. Here are a few spaces that you can transform to a workout room:

Two-car garage. If you are very health conscious and have a lot of workout equipment, it’s highly likely that your garage would be the ideal gym. Installing a floor-to-ceiling mirror, new doors and attractive wood panel flooring could easily transform your gym space.

Sunroom. The sunroom is ideal for yoga workouts, with minimal equipment or weights.

Bonus Room. If you’re an empty nester or you don’t want to fill your bonus room with toys, transform it into a wellness space. Put free weights and balance balls in one corner, a stationary bike in another, and some yoga mats and blocks for stretching.

If you are designing a home with a workout room, contact us at TAB Associates.

Architect’s Toolbox: Creating In-Between Spaces

At TAB Associates, we love the creativity that goes into our work. Unique, traditional, and modern ideas are what bring our projects to life. One of the architectural design trends great for homes is an in-between space. It is an area that bridges the indoors and outdoors for a place to relax and enjoy the scenery.

bridging indoor and outdoor spaces — Source: TAB Associates’ Website

A patio or balcony is the perfect spot to create an in-between space. The photos show how opening or sliding doors create the walkway. With a table and chairs, you can sit take in amazing views of surrounding nature.

In-between spaces are most ideal in the bedroom because they create a peaceful entry to take in the outdoors.

An in-between space doesn’t have to be large. A small area with just a few feet will do. Something that is simple, yet elegant, can be just the space you need to create a relaxing spot for a good read to simply enjoy nature’s beauty.

Creating an in-between space for a home is a terrific addition, bringing style and comfort. For more information on TAB Associates, contact us online.

How to Work With a High Ceiling

As the ceiling in your home reaches for the sky it can be difficult to determine the proper way to decorate it, and make all the pieces in the room fit together to create a comfortable ambiance. When working with high ceilings, you should consider the following tips:

Working with high ceilings — Source: TAB Associates

To make the room feel cozier, bring elements down from up high. Long curtains, chandeliers and hanging lights should be used to fill the space so that it doesn’t feel empty.

Splurge on carpentry and decorative features. These provide texture and a sense of balance to the room. They also help to break up the space and make it more inviting. Integrating exposed beams, arches, trusses and other elements into the home design is a fantastic way to accentuate your personal style and complete the space. These also bring the virtual ceiling down to a more intimate level.

Use colors carefully. Darker colors nearer the ceiling will provide a sense of depth to the room, while floor to ceiling coloring can be used to create a contrast that gives the room definition.

For the finest home design services in Colorado, be sure to contact us at TAB Associates, Inc. today.

Three Tips for a Successful Basement Renovation

Renovating a basement is an exciting project that can transform the space into a comfortable retreat from the world outside. Here are three tips that will help make the process easier and will all but guarantee the basement of your dreams:

tips for basement design — Source: TAB Associate’s Portofilio

Give the basement some height. By making sure you have enough headroom in your basement, you’ll help open the space up and keep it from feeling like a cave. If this isn’t structurally possible, then use tricks such as lighting and exposed beams to create an artificial sense of height. If you can, add high windows or transoms to the exterior to get deep penetrating light into the space.

Style and Features. Choose a style and features that fit into your lifestyle and will accentuate the space. Basements are fabulous places to install everything from spare bedrooms to pool rooms and home theaters. Decide which elements you would like to add and plan accordingly.

Get creative. Pipes, columns, ductwork, and other structural elements are both unsightly and take up space that can close your basement in. Don’t be afraid to rework these elements and hide them so that they don’t detract from the appearance of the basement.

For more basement renovation tips and suggestions, contact us at TAB Associates, Inc. and we will be happy to answer your questions.

Keys to Designing a Small Bathroom

A small bathroom space can be challenging. There are a variety of ways to make your small space seem bigger.

Traditional Bathroom by Edwards Architects & Designers TAB ASSOCIATES INC via Houzz

When it comes to small bathroom designs windows are an option, if your willing to use heavily frosted glass. However, if your bathroom is located on the top floor, you should look into having a skylight installed. The skylight provides you with natural light and creates the illusion of space. If the skylight is operable, even better. This is the best way to get rid of shower mist. If it faces south it is a great way to get some free heat from direct solar gain. This is especially beneficial during the winter months; otherwise, it may need a shade on it.

If a skylight isn’t an option, you should consider the possibility of having a coffered/tray ceiling placed over the space. This type of ceiling makes the room feel bigger and helps with air flow, if the tray is vented to the attic.

When working with small bathroom designs, resist the impulse to place the bathroom sink right in the middle of your counter space. By utilizing a corner sink, the bathroom will feel less cramped and more counter space will be created. The best sinks will be ones that have deep basin and plenty of under cabinet storage.

When it comes to tiling the tub/shower space, glass tile is your best choice. These tiles make the space look bigger and brighter than it actually is.

Bring Beauty Into the Home with Stone

There is no denying the beauty of stacked stone walls. Used for both the interior and exterior, the subtle colors and expressive texture of the stone create a visual and expressive design.

Stacked stone is unique in its 3-dimensional composition. Expressive stones of various colors and textures are created as modules, attached to backing and can be installed much like tiles. There is no need to grout dry stacked stones which results in smooth, uninterrupted lines.

Traditional Kitchen by Edwards Architects & Designers TAB ASSOCIATES INC via Houzz

The uses and locations for stacked stone is limitless when creating or redesigning a specific area. The modules make a dramatic backdrop to focal points in the home such as a fireplace or a kitchen stove surround. The stones also serve as a stand alone accent wall to enhance the texture of decorative accessories emphasizing wood, glass or metal fixtures.

Used to create a wall in a luxury bath, stacked stones add an element of relaxation and serenity when coupled with soothing hues from the palette.

From bold stone columns to colored stones that reflect the golden glints from the sunlight, stacked stones add the finishing touch to any design.

Clients can rely on the more than 30 years of experience at TAB Associates, Inc to design and construct projects on time and on budget.

Important Tips to Remember When Designing a Home Theater

Planning out the many rooms of a home calls for architectural balance — knowing the balance within the design itself. One of the best elements to add to a new home is a media room. Yet, home theater design can be tricky when it’s not properly planned.

Here are a few tips to remember when designing your home theater:

Whether you’re redoing a basement or adding a completely new room, consider how much room you’ll need for all of your home theater equipment and how many people you wish to accommodate for a movie night.
Make the room tidy by designating a special storage area for all the equipment — DVD and Blu-Ray players, audio controls, etc. In other words, create a small ‘master control room’ for a streamlined look to the space.
Decide on what kind of seating you like, and stick with it. Keep in mind that some people prefer movie theater-style seating, while others want to get comfy and curl up on a sectional couch.
Decide if you want any special effects for gaming in your room, requiring additional monitors to appear from the backs of the seats and in front of each seating row.

Enjoy having a room dedicated to movie nights and entertainment that’s built to your needs. Use these home theater design tips to achieve the media room design you’ve always wanted in your Colorado home.

The Elements of a Good Mudroom

A big part of good home design is knowing what elements go into each room. There are quite a few considerations for mudroom design — which is often one of the most neglected rooms in the home and needed in almost every Colorado home.

Here are three of the biggest “dos” for designing a mudroom:

Ensure the room is what you need for your lifestyle. If you have pets and children, that will change the room’s function based on their activities and routines. If it’s just a two-person home, the mudroom will take a completely different shape.

Give your area plenty of room to come in and settle down. It doesn’t have to be a sprawling room, but there should be enough space for maneuvering comfortably.

Keep storage space in mind. Coats, boots, backpacks, rucksacks, umbrellas, outdoor and sporting equipment all need a place to go neatly once you arrive home. This means the proper closet space that possibly includes cubbies or built-in cabinets. Make sure you have room for yourself and your belongings so the area won’t look cluttered.

Save your floors and entryways with an excellent mudroom design, and use these ideas to help you get started on placing this crucial home element into your residence.

If you’re looking to add a mudroom, contact us at TAB Associates and we will be sure to answer any questions you have about a new addition to your home!

Moving the Master Suite to the Attic

When you have the luxury of an attic with ample floor space and workable ceilings, it opens up numerous options on how the space can be converted from storage space to a livable environment. With the help of an experienced architect, redesigning your attic can not only add more floor space to your home; it also increases its market value.

The ideas for attic conversions are many. Just a few examples include adding a mini apartment for a college student, a spare bedroom for guests, an at home office, an in-law suite or a craft, hobby or sewing room. Part of the fun is in planning and designing the layout then watching as the attic takes on a life of its own.

Another option for homeowners is to turn the unused space of the attic into a gorgeous master suite. With careful planning, the attic can be turned into an oasis of privacy in the treetops. Utilizing every inch of space, adding a dormer, skylights or large windows, even a small patio, can turn your attic into a luxury suite.

TAB Associates has provided its expert services in planning and interior professional design to commercial and residential customers for over 30 years.

Home Additions That Pay Off the Most

There are many different ways to add value to your home, but sometimes, it’s hard to sort through just which home additions will add the most equity. If you’re sorting through your options, here are a few pieces of advice from the experts on which improvements will pay off the most:

The kitchen may be the easiest room in the house to upgrade in terms of new appliances, wallpaper, paint, and flooring, and it pays off a great deal. Most people consider the kitchen to be the life of the house, so it’s a perfect place to start upgrading.

New additions are also a great value to include. That can be anything from converting the basement into a rec room, to building a new den. An extra bathroom, done well and completely, can just about pay for itself.

A brand new deck not only adds square footage to your home. It also adds an extra area that many people can enjoy, and it adds a great deal of value to your home.

Choose the ways to add value to your home that are the most cost-effective and painless, and reap the benefits of a good payoff when you’re ready to sell your property.