Allie Racette

3 Interior Design Tips for Your Outdoor Space

by Allie Racette | Sep 30, 2023 | Interior Design Tips

You’ve finally perfected your home. Every space, from your kitchen to your living room to your primary bedroom, is designed just the way you like it. But there’s one key area of your home you might be forgetting about – your outdoor space. Whether you have a patio, a backyard, or even an all-season room, you should treat this space just like any other room in your home. And interior design isn’t just for interiors. There are plenty of interior design elements you can apply to your outdoor spaces to make them feel like any other room in your home – a functional, beautiful living space for relaxing, entertaining, and everything in-between.

Combine your outdoor space with your indoor space

One of the most important aspects of beautiful, eye-catching interior design is cohesion. Every room in your home might look different, but for a unified design, key design elements – paint colors, textures, finishes – can be carried through from room to room. Your outdoor space is part of your home, so treat it like you would any other room! Here are a few ways you can keep your outdoor space more consistent with the design of the rest of your home:

When choosing your outdoor furniture, pick colors and textures similar to your indoor upholstery (in a fabric that’s more robust to withstand the elements!).
Consider constructing a pergola over your outdoor space to make it feel more “indoor,” or even converting your space into an all-season patio to be enjoyed all year long.
Paint your pergola or your all-season patio walls the same color as the adjoining indoor room, helping your indoor space flow seamlessly into your outdoor space, and vice-versa.

Incorporate “indoor” elements

If you live in a more temperate climate, you have a lot of flexibility with your outdoor space. If you do have to worry about wind, rain, or snow, you can still do a lot – just be prepared to pack away things that shouldn’t be exposed to the elements when winter rolls around. Here are a few “indoor” elements you can incorporate in your outdoor space:

Don’t neglect outdoor lighting. The sun sets earlier later in the year, and you don’t want to be having backyard parties in the dark! If you choose to build a pergola in your outdoor space, hang string lights or lanterns for both visibility and style.
Rugs aren’t just for indoors! There are plenty of options for outdoor-friendly rugs you can use to bring a touch of interior design to your patio. A rug is also another opportunity to pull colors, textures, or other design elements from your indoor space to your outdoor space.

See more of this gorgeous indoor/outdoor space in our PORTFOLIO.

Accessorize your outdoor space just like your indoor space. Add throw pillows to your outdoor furniture, decorate with potted plants, and use decorative objects like sculptures and artwork to elevate the space.

Redecorate with the seasons

Your interior design changes with the seasons, so change up your outdoor space, too. Whether you’re decorating for spring, summer, fall, or the holiday season, here are a few simple ways to refresh the look of your outdoor space as the seasons change:

Switch out your accessories. If you’re changing out your indoor throw pillows to reflect the season, switch out the pillows on your outdoor seating, as well.
If you have potted plants on your patio, consider planting seasonal flowers. Flowers are also a great way to add a pop of color to your greenery and liven up your space.
If you live somewhere you can use your outdoor space through the fall and even into the winter, you’ll want to account for changing temperatures. This fall, consider adding a new heat source to your patio, whether that’s a stylish fire pit or modern-looking heat lamps.

Your outdoor space might not be included in your square footage, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t part of your home. There are plenty of ways to approach your outdoor space with interior design in mind. Comment with some of your favorite design ideas for patios, backyards, and other outdoor areas!

Simple Interior Design Luxuries to Elevate Your Space

by Allie Racette | Aug 21, 2023 | Uncategorized

You’ve finally taken the leap to hire an interior designer and you’re ready to create the gorgeous, custom space of your dreams. When people think interior design, they often think of luxury – from marble countertops to hardwood flooring to elaborate tile work.

But you don’t just want your space to look luxurious; it should feel luxurious, too. At the end of the day, you’ll be the one living in your freshly designed home.

Here are just a few details you can discuss with your interior designer to help you feel like you’re spoiling yourself every day:

Kitchen Amenities

If you like to entertain, you know how important a beautiful yet functional kitchen can be. A few extra amenities can increase both the elegance and functionality of the heart of your home.

A glass rinser can help make doing dishes feel like less of a chore. Along with the convenience, they also help get your glasses cleaner.
If you don’t want to lug a heavy pot full of water from the sink to the stove while you’re cooking, consider installing a pot filler above the stove to save time and effort.
Coffee bars are a classic addition to any kitchen. Treat yourself to that coffeeshop experience in the comfort of your own home by building a coffee bar, and add some cabinets and shelves for extra storage.

Bathroom Amenities

Don’t overlook your bathroom. Bathrooms can be more than just functional; they can be havens of rest and relaxation – like your own personal spa! When designing your bathroom, there are plenty of luxurious amenities to consider.

A detachable shower head, or a shower system with a separate handheld shower, can help you enjoy a more relaxing shower, and make cleaning your shower easier, too.
Some people are doing away with tubs altogether and opting for spacious showers – but for those of us who still love a soothing bubble bath, a soaking tub is an excellent choice to submerge yourself in relaxation.
If you decide you want both a spacious shower and a soaking tub, consider designing a wet room into your primary bathroom. Containing your shower and tub in a beautifully tiled space will really give your bathroom that spa-like feel.

Built-In Details

Built-ins are a foolproof way to make your home feel more custom – and custom feels luxurious. And not only can built-ins help elevate your space, but they’re a great solution for added storage.

Built-in shelving can look absolutely regal, especially when used as an accent wall, to frame a fireplace, or to turn your home office into an at-home library.
If you have a beautiful window in your home you love to sit by, why not install a built-in window bench? With the right accessories, a window bench can feel like something out of a fairytale – perfect for the home of your dreams!
There are plenty of systems and organizers on the market today to help tame unruly closets, but a built-in wardrobe can give you that walk-in feel when you’re short on space. Or, if you’re lucky enough to have a walk-in, customize it with built-ins to create a celebrity-worthy closet experience.

When you think of your home, you should think not just of function, but of beauty and comfort. With a few simple interior design luxuries, you can turn your dream home into a reality.

Visit our portfolio for a look at some of the gorgeous homes we’ve brought to life.

Hardwood vs LVP: Which is Right for You?

by Allie Racette | Jun 29, 2023 | Flooring

Millennials everywhere are tearing up the outdated wall-to-wall carpeting in their homes and – if they’re lucky – finding beautiful original hardwood underneath. Hardwood has become the standard for elegant, timeless flooring. But while hardwood is beautiful, there might be an option out there that’s better for your wallet and your lifestyle.

LVP – or luxury vinyl plank – has become a common alternative to hardwood. While hardwood floors have many benefits, such as longevity, uniqueness, and durability, LVP is an excellent option for homeowners looking for a more affordable option.

Here are three benefits to consider when deciding between LVP and hardwood flooring:

Durability and Maintenance

While hardwood is extremely durable, it does require regular maintenance, such as frequent cleaning and occasional refinishing. When first laid, hardwoods need to acclimate to the home for up to two weeks before they can be walked on. Each time you refinish them, you’ll need to remove all your furniture and avoid walking on them for three to four days – not to mention the strong fumes.

If you have a busy home with active children or lots of visitors, you might have to reseal your hardwoods more often due to the wear and tear of heavy foot traffic. Children and visitors can also mean more spills and more messes. LVP is waterproof, unlike hardwood, and extremely easy to clean. LVP is also resistant to scratching and other surface damage without the need for sealing, making it an excellent choice for busy homes.

Cost and Installation

Sometimes it’s tempting to spend big when renovating a home, especially if you crave that luxury look. Thankfully, LVP looks beautiful, but doesn’t break the bank. Not only is the initial cost of LVP lower than that of traditional hardwood flooring, but you’ll save money on the installation, too.

Here’s a good example: Herringbone is a popular look for flooring right now, but installing herringbone hardwoods is a tedious, time consuming process. It takes twice as long to install as standard hardwood and needs to be hand-sanded to preserve the pattern after installation. Those labor and installation costs add up quickly. With LVP, however, this herringbone effect is much easier to achieve, giving you the same gorgeous look while saving on labor costs.

Variety and Design Options

Many people love the unique look of hardwood flooring. Because hardwood is natural – with wood grain differences, naturally occurring knots, and color variations – no two planks are the same.

For some, this is one of the selling points of hardwood floors. But if you’re looking for more consistency in the look of your flooring, LVP is a good option.

Because LVP is manufactured, the planks are consistent and create a completely cohesive look throughout your home. LVP can also be manufactured in a wide variety of colors and designs to mimic any wood – or non-wood materials, too!

Hardwood or LVP? There are benefits to both, but LVP is a solid choice for busy homeowners with bustling homes searching for flooring that is beautiful, affordable, durable, and easy to maintain. So: the traditional luxury of hardwoods or the simple, family-friendly elegance of LVP – which would you choose?

LVP flooring (above) can be just as elegant and timeless as hardwood (below) with the benefit of lower installation costs and less maintenance.

5 Tips for Spring Cleaning with Interior Design in Mind

by Allie Racette | Apr 29, 2023 | Cleaning, Decorating

We’re all familiar with spring cleaning. Spring is the perfect time of year to open your windows, air out your home, and spend time on some much-needed deep cleaning and decluttering. While you’re refreshing your home, why not refresh your interior design, too?

Here are five simple tips to help you keep interior design in mind while spring cleaning this year:

1. Finish unfinished projects.

Spring cleaning is a great time to put the finishing touches on all those home improvement projects you started – and possibly abandoned – during the winter months. Maybe you were painting your bedroom, refinishing your floors, or changing out the hardware on your kitchen cabinets. Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to tie up these loose ends and finish the little projects that can make a BIG difference to your home’s appearance.

2. Swap out linens, pillows, and curtains.

When you’re tackling spring cleaning, you’ll probably take the opportunity to wash the soft finishes in your home that might just get spot cleaned the rest of the year. If you’re already taking down your living room curtains to clean them, why not swap them out for something different? Rotating your curtains, bed linens, and throw pillows is an easy way to keep your home looking fresh and new. It’s also a good strategy to help you remember to deep clean things like curtains, that might otherwise get overlooked!

3. Consider closed storage while organizing.

We all have clutter; that’s just a fact of life. A certain amount of well-staged open shelving can look chic, but leaving everything you own out on display can make a home feel too busy. While you’re decluttering and organizing this spring, consider adding some closed storage solutions to your home. TV stands with drawers and cabinets and built-ins with doors are perfect for hiding away some of the every day clutter, helping your home feel cleaner and more streamlined.

4. Give investment pieces special attention.

Do you have a beautiful, expensive rug in your living room, or an antique kitchen table that’s been in your family for generations? Spring cleaning is the perfect time to invest in maintaining these pieces. Rent a carpet cleaner (or hire a professional) to deep clean your rug and take the time to refinish that gorgeous table. You can also hire professionals to deep clean your couch! Maintaining these key items will keep them looking beautiful so they can elevate your home’s design for years to come.

5. Update your lighting.

Spring cleaning means dusting all the light fixtures – and maybe noticing that some of them have seen better days. Lighting is vital to a well-designed home. If your light fixtures are outdated, consider upgrading them this spring. If you don’t want to replace the fixtures themselves, something as simple as swapping out light bulbs can make a big difference!

Spring cleaning is all about making your home look its best – from dusting the baseboards to scrubbing the floors. Interior design is also about making your home look its best, so why shouldn’t the two go hand-in-hand? Use these tips to help your home sparkle this spring, and tell us in the comments what your favorite spring cleaning projects are!

And if you’re looking for some foolproof spring cleaning products, download our Renovation Prep Guide for our recommendations!

Updating your lighting, embracing closed storage, and regularly maintaining the investment pieces in your home can go a long way toward elevating your interior design.

Choosing the Best Stone for Your Kitchen Counters

by Allie Racette | Mar 16, 2023 | Kitchen Renovations

You’re finally remodeling your kitchen, meticulously selecting every last detail. You’ve chosen your cabinets, your flooring, your plumbing and hardware finishes, your light fixtures – but one decision is harder than the rest. What type of stone should you choose for your countertops?

From marble to granite to quartz, there are many types of stone to choose from, and they each have their pros and cons. While we could compare and contrast every type of stone there is, it’s better to stick to the popular choices. (They’re popular for a reason, after all.)

So, when you’re choosing your countertops, how do you decide – marble or quartz?

MARBLE

When picking a kitchen countertop, it’s important to keep in mind how you’ll be using your kitchen. Are you building a chef’s kitchen because you love to cook and entertain, or are you more interested in aesthetic over function? Marble countertops are a popular choice for their luxurious, elegant look, and honed marble can be a good choice for homeowners looking for a more natural, matte stone finish. There’s no question that marble is a durable stone, but maintaining that durability requires time, attention, and money. If your marble countertops aren’t resealed every three to six months, they can be prone to staining and scratching, and have even been known to crack under high heat. If you’re the type of chef that takes a hot pan out of the oven and sets it directly on the counter, marble might not be the right choice for you.

QUARTZ & QUARTZITE

Quartz and quartzite countertops are popular alternatives to marble – but what’s the difference? While quartzite is natural stone, quartz countertops are man-made, consisting of natural quartz crystals, resin, and pigments. Quartz and quartzite are similar in durability and are scratch and stain resistant, but the resin in quartz countertops can burn under high heat. Quartzite, however, is natural stone, meaning it’s more porous – which also means your quartzite countertops will require resealing at least once a year to prevent staining.

Because quartz countertops are manufactured, they have an advantage when it comes to customization. Quartz countertops can be pigmented and molded to fit almost any kitchen design you can dream up, whereas quartzite countertops leave you reliant on their naturally occurring hue and beauty.

Marble, quartzite, quartz? There are benefits to whatever countertop you choose, from the natural beauty of marble to the low-maintenance durability of quartz. Whatever you decide, you’ll want a countertop that fits both your aesthetic and your lifestyle. Talk to your interior design team – we can help you make the choice that’s right for you and your home!

Want even more information on stone options for your countertops? Download our cheat sheet comparing the most common stone choices!

Quartz (top), honed marble (middle), and quartzite (bottom) are all popular choices for kitchen countertops.