Tag: interior design

How to Use Negative Space to Transform Your Home Decor

living space with decor

Does your home feel too cluttered, busy or otherwise weighed down? Perhaps the issue is a lack of negative space, which can be rectified with the right interior elements and working with Vail Valley and Western North Carolina architects! Here’s a look at how you can update your home by effectively using negative space ― defined as the space around objects ― to bring balance to your home.

Invite Imperfection

We want our homes to appear lived-in and comfortable, not sterile or “too perfect”. Even though symmetry is appealing to the eye, placing a mirror, artwork or other decorative objects off to one side, rather than perfectly centered, can give your room a bit of character. Just a touch of negative space can produce this effect, giving your home an inviting look and creative flair.

Harmonize Awkward Spaces

An architectural space that is awkward, such as space beneath a staircase, can be beautifully transformed by leaving the area empty and simply adding the right lighting or paint color ― rather than filling it with furniture or decorative objects. You can achieve an artistic look this way without much effort.

Create Balance

Let pieces of furniture or artwork be the focal point in your room without overwhelming the space with items such as lamps ― that is unless the fixture or other object is perfect for creating a balanced look. This design strategy doesn’t require a simple, pared-down decor scheme, unless that is your aim. You can decorate with the style of your choice, whether shabby chic, mid-century modern or traditional, and still enhance your decor by keeping clutter to a minimum and introducing ample negative space.

A home that looks harmonious invites comfort and relaxation. At TAB Associates, an architectural firm in Vail Valley and in the mountains of Western North Carolina, we have the experience and expertise to help you create the interior space you crave. Contact us to learn more or to schedule a consultation today!

Tips to Design a Room With a View

Interior bedroom photo

When you work with our Vail Valley architects or Western North Carolina architects to develop your dream home, you may find that the architectural design offers a beautiful view from the living room or from your bedroom. The challenge is matching your decor to fit with the view. By focusing on a few key strategies, you can select decor that enhances and improves your space.

Minimize Your Furniture

When you are decorating a room that has a stunning view, you want to limit your furniture. The focal point of your design is the view from your window, so emphasize the outdoor area by minimizing the furniture in your space. If the room with a view is your bedroom, then avoid heavy dressers. Make sure to leave a large open space around the bed. For living rooms, arrange a couch and a few chairs, but avoid cluttering the space with furniture or items you do not need.

Avoid Heavy Curtains

Heavy curtains distract from the view by drawing the eyes away from the outdoor space. If you want to put curtains on the windows, then opt for light and semi-sheer curtains. Alternatively, do not put curtains in your windows. Avoid heavy curtains or curtains with colors that do not fit well with the view. You also want to make sure any curtains you select do not have complicated designs that may distract from your view. The composition of the view does not start at the window, it starts from the interior.

Focus on Neutral Colors

Since the view is the focal point of your space, you want to focus on neutral décor that allows the view to shine. Select neutral, light-hued colors so that any colors outside your window attract the eyes. For example, opt for a basic white, cream or light brown couch.

Designing your space with beautiful architectural balance in Vail Valley or Western North Carolina is a process. For more details about architectural features on a home or to set up an appointment with an interior design professional, contact us today! We are nationally certified architects currently registered in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, North Carolina, and South Carolina. We can be registered in any state, and are willing to work where ever you are located!

How to Create a More Peaceful Environment in Your Living Room

Interior photo of living room architecture and design at Red Sky Ranch

Outside of the kitchen, your living room is likely where you and your family spend most of your quality time together. It’s a place for entertaining, watching movies, reading a good book, playing with the dog — or just hanging out.

As such, it’s important to make this space especially peaceful. By cultivating a calming quality in your living room, it’s much more likely that you’ll genuinely enjoy spending time there.

How to Achieve Peace in Your Living Room

#1 – Get cozy.

Make the space plush and comfortable to be in. You should opt for throws and throw pillows that you’d actually like to cuddle up with. Invest in a wood fireplace. Choose furniture that you can truly sink into. All of these types of elements create the peaceful and inviting environment you want.

#2 – Don’t overdo the knickknacks.

It’s fun to have photos, paperweights, vases, coffee table books, and other knickknacks as a part of your design aesthetic, but the overall effect can often feel claustrophobic. It’s much better to go with a simple look and avoid cluttering your walls, shelves, bookcases, and other surfaces with too much stuff.

#3 – Pick a few colors but stop there! 

Lastly, you want two to three colors maximum to dominate the space. When it comes to palettes, go with soft, muted colors or dark neutrals. Right now, white, beige, and everything in between (off-white, eggshell, etc.) are extremely popular and offer a peaceful “Zen” feeling. Of course, a trio of black, dark mahogany, and navy can offer a similar effect in a different way.

As you can see, much of realizing a more peaceful environment in your living room is about the architectural balance — designs and settings that are either plainly symmetrical or pleasingly offset and balanced by a keen and seasoned designer.

Achieve the architectural balance you’re looking for by partnering with TAB Associates on your next home remodel project! Our Vail Valley architectural firm has been helping residents achieve the homes of their dreams since 1997. Contact us today to begin planning!

What Is Architectural Balance?

Home located in Red Sky Ranch

In all different forms of design, having balance is key. In regards to architectural balance, this essentially means the balance of design from an architectural standpoint. From the color choices to the shapes and sizes of roofs and pillars, these all help to determine the level of balance between architectural pieces.

How Balance is Used

While there are many factors about architectural design that are different from other pieces of design, balance is a common goal that many designers set out to achieve. It’s important to note that balance isn’t required when designing something. Works of art are very subjective, and they can have multiple meanings. However, studies prove that balanced design is more pleasing to the eye — and that couldn’t be more true than it is in architecture. If you notice a building that isn’t balanced, it probably isn’t too appealing.

Characteristics to Consider

Every building that you see, whether it’s two months old or 200 years old, was probably built with architectural balance in mind. A key thing to remember about this type of balance is that these architectural elements [more than likely] serve a functional purpose too. For instance, a roof might be slanted a certain way for water control, or a window may be placed in a certain location to bring in more light. That being said, these architectural designers not only have to think about what’s balanced from a design standpoint, but how the building keeps that balance while still being functional.  Being functional is of utmost importance.

TAB Associates Can Help

When it comes to sustaining architectural balance, TAB Associates does not disappoint. Our architectural firm in Vail Valley, Colorado and in Apple Valley in the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina, specializes in the design of cozy cabins, functional educational buildings, contemporary homes, large residential properties, and much more! Our Vail Valley and Apple Valley architects have decades of experience creating pieces of art that make dreams come true. Contact our team today so we can help bring your architectural visions to life!

And remember, we pride ourselves in bringing:

  • Balance within design,
  • Balance between design & program,
  • Balance between design & construction,
  • Balance between construction cost and budget.

Use Metal Wall Art and Statues to Elevate Your Interior Decor

Metal adds shine and draws the eye, but it can also bring an earthy warmth, especially in rooms with a larger scale (high ceilings, large square footage) that you want to humanize and add depth too. Small or larger sculptures bring corners to life and can help you divide an open floor plan into sections. Few things bring Vail Valley architecture to life better than decorative touches and flourishes.

Large Rooms

If you want to go big in your larger living area, display Roman, Grecian or Western sculptures in bronze, copper or warm alloys near furniture grouped in the center of the room. The sculpture draws the eye, which then flows to a welcoming seating area. Create other seating areas with two or three chairs paired with a small beverage or side table and echo smaller art in the same metal or sheen to add a cohesive look.

Metal Wall Art

The possibilities here are endless. Natural subjects such as trees and sun shapes bring a peaceful ambiance to any room, and large metal sculptures incorporating plant and animal designs look great on tall or long walls and enhance your home’s architectural balance. If you’re looking for something more modern, try photos or modern art transferred onto metallic bases. These multimedia pieces let you add pops of color and contrast with traditional furniture.

Geometric Art

To add interest to your dining area, try large metal wall art with geometric patterns, such as triangles or rectangles. You can achieve a similar effect by grouping four pieces of the same size and shape into a square pattern. Whether you stick with burnished coppers or brushed nickel or go with a painted metal design, this standout material is sure to draw comments and compliments from friends and family.

Combining metal art and sculpture with other natural materials, such as wood, helps you craft an interior design in tune with nature and your personal style.

If you’re looking for an architectural firm in Vail Valley or Western North Carolina, schedule a consultation with TAB Associates to learn how we help you achieve an open floor plan in your existing home.

3 Finishing Touches That Add Polish to Any Family Living Space

Not everyone can afford a home with a separate Family Room.  If you’re like many modern homeowners who are raising a family, it’s essential that your main living space is kid-friendly — and this sometimes means that style and polish need to be sacrificed in favor of functionality. Fortunately, those who find themselves longing for a bit more of a “pulled-together” look have design options available! The following are just three of the many ways that you can retain the kid-friendly aspects of your living room while cultivating an ambiance pleasing to adults.

Use Hidden Storage

The presence of toys, puzzles, games and books make any living room look messy. Hidden storage provides a place for these items to be quickly put away when the time comes for the adults to use the room. Chairs, couches, end tables and coffee tables with drawers under them are doing double duty. Baskets hung on the wall or a nice chest contribute to an attractive aesthetic while providing a place to stash toys and other items. All of these make it super easy to transform the play area into an adult living room in just a few minutes.

Create an Open Floor Plan

An open floor plan provides ample room for kids to play and is easy to clean up once the fun is over for the day. It also allows everyone to be in the room at the same time without feeling overly crowded. Pull it together with an overstuffed sectional sofa, which serves as a focal point and is easily rearranged when the occasion calls for a different seating style.

Include a Gallery Wall

Kids love to see their artwork hanging in family living spaces, but just slapping it up haphazardly creates a sloppy look. A gallery wall where artwork is organized provides polish to your living room and allows budding artists an area to show off their work! You are not limited to the front of the refrigerator, by any means!

Our Vail Valley and Western North Carolina architectural firm helps homeowners create balanced living environments on a regular basis! Please contact our office for more information.

Making Your Mantel a Stunning Focal Point for Your Room

decorate mantle

Your mantel is not just a place to hang holiday stockings. In fact, your mantel can be the center of attention of your room in any season once you understand a few tricks of the trade that transform your mantel into a stunning focal point for your room, like those listed below.

Decorate in Layers

Many people make the mistake of keeping their mantel decorations one dimensional. The rest of your room has multiple layers. Think about it. Your sofa probably has throw pillows and blankets to add layers of color and texture. Should your mantel offer anything less?

This means you can use multiple layers, front to back, to create depth and generate interest in what’s happening on your mantel. In other words, it draws the focus from your family and your guests.

Draw the Eye Up

One of the great things about creating a mantel focal point is the height that’s available to you. Take advantage of all the extra height by using it as an opportunity to draw the eye up!

Use a stunning piece of art, a larger-than-life family portrait, or even a massive clock to fill the space high above your mantel and take advantage of the visual space available to you.

Showcase Who You Are

Ultimately, you’re the person who lives in your home, day in and day out. Let your mantel become a showplace for the things that appeal to you, whether it becomes a photo album sharing your memories or a collection of pretty objects that appeal to you.

It’s your mantel, and you’re the one who will spend more time than anyone else looking at it. Make it appealing to you. Let it tell your story to any and all who would listen.

Finding balance for your mantel and your home often requires a specialized touch. When the time comes to build your home, you need the services of the Vail Valley and Western North Carolina architectural firm, which focuses on building with balance. Contact TAB Associates today to learn more about bringing balance to your mantel and your home.

Use Color to Your Advantage to Achieve Architectural Balance

architectural balanceThe effective use of color can elevate the design of your home and help you achieve true architectural balance. Your ability to apply the right hues and shades can have a tremendous impact on the cohesiveness of your design. Innovative color application methods give your interior design a wow factor that makes it stand far apart from the rest. Here are a few ways to use color to your advantage in your interior design.

Perfect Your Palette

A strong color scheme with both complementary and contrasting colors can create a guiding palette for your interior design. While working with neutral base colors, look at the undertones to decide how to best pair different tones to create your ideal palette.

Paint Your Ceilings a Lighter Hue

If you want to beautifully open up the space in your home, paint all your ceilings a slightly brighter or lighter hue than the walls. The lighter ceiling color will help guide the eye upward and effectively expand its perceived boundaries.

Stripe With the 50/150 Rule

To create beautiful stripes on your wall or ceiling, always utilize the 50/150 rule for mixing paint. To follow this rule, create a paint color that is 50 percent lighter and another that is 150 percent darker than your base color. Use these tones to create subtle stripes as a focal point in the room.

Blend Patterns and Solids for Architectural Balance

Although accent walls are divine, a mix of patterns and solids go much further in creating a balanced aesthetic. Consider creatively utilizing paint to create patterns on a single wall area to add texture to your interior design.

When you put color to use for you, it is possible to achieve architectural balance. For assistance in elevating your home design, contact your trusted architectural firm.

Best Interior Decorating Secrets to Highlight Your Home’s Architecture

interior design secrets

If you’re like most people, chances are you like to update the interior décor of your home every once in a while. Unfortunately, as you may know from experience, interior decorating is often much harder than it looks. While you may have a good idea of what type of look you’re going for, you may be uncertain in terms of how to achieve this look. Here are two of the best interior decorating secrets that will make your life a lot easier.

Layering

Professional interior designers know rich and interesting spaces tend to feature layering, or pieces of décor on top of other décor. A common example of layering is having framed art lean on top of other framed art. An interior designer may also pair stacks of books with small trinkets to add more layers to a room.

When it comes to layering, a common concern that homeowners have is that there’s no point in putting things in a space if you can’t see them in their entirety. However, one major point of layering is to create a sense of mystery in a space. Don’t be afraid to obscure almost the entirety of an art piece by placing a lamp or plant in front of it. Not only will it make your guests eager to explore your home, but it may even make you feel as if there are things you have yet to discover in your own home.

Negative Space

The power of negative space is another interior décor secret that many professionals take advantage of. Believe it or not, the empty space in a room can be just as important as the actual décor.

The main goal of designing a space is to make it feel and look as balanced as possible. While it’s important that you don’t skimp on furniture, accessories, and art so that a space doesn’t feel exciting and full, you also want to avoid using so much décor that a room feels stuffed and overwhelming.

Taking advantage of negative space and layering is a great way to achieve design balance. For more information about the best architecture to complement your design ideas, don’t hesitate to reach out to our architects here at Tab and Associates!

How to Use Stacked Stone in Kitchen Styling

Stacked stone in a kitchen gives a room character and dimension, and it’s become a popular choice when it comes to remodeling a space. You can buy stone in a variety of textures, colors, and shapes to customize the look you want, though it helps to understand stacked stone and its decorative properties before jumping in.

Composition and Tone

Stacked stone won’t give you smooth, polished walls, but it will give you a multi-dimensional kitchen with real charm. The stones have varying colors, sizes, and depths to create an interesting focal point in the kitchen, and they provide a rustic quality (similar to what you might on the outside of a storybook cottage.) They can be made from a variety of natural elements, such as quartzite, and are roughly shaped like bricks. The color variation of each stone can be high, so it’s important to be on the lookout for stones that don’t fit your palette.

How to Use It

Most people use stacked stone in a single part of their kitchen to highlight a specific area. We typically use it to surround major appliance pieces, such as cooking ranges.  Decorators will tell you it works best if the stone is set closer to the ceiling to draw the eye upwards, but it can also be used between cabinets or as a backsplash. Under-cabinet lighting can be an excellent way to call attention to the wall, while decreasing potentially dangerous shadows at the same time. Stone will last for quite some time, even when under constant duress, but it will need grout and sealant for reinforcement and protection.

If you’re looking for architects , it’s time to give TAB Associates a call. It’s our pleasure as architects to help you discover the right type of stacked stone for your kitchen. This material is not only inviting and warm, it’s also a lot of fun to style. Let us help you figure out the best route to your dream kitchen today!