Tag Archive for: affordable interior design

Affordable Interior Design in Temecula

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Chaparro BedroomI recently participated in a Home Show Event in a private Del Webb community in Hemet, California. I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of residents at the event. I am always surprised at how people are confused as to how designers charge for their time. Many people are under the misconception that designers are expensive to work with and they can’t afford to hire one. Granted, some top designers in major metropolitan areas are expensive to work with. Many have made a name for themselves and work with celebrities who have large budgets to offer the designer to work with. A designer has to keep in mind the area he or she works in and who they want to target their services to. Designers also have many ways they can charge for their services. They can charge a flat rate, an hourly rate, cost plus for purchases and/or a combination of these.

Working with a designer can actually save you money on your project. Their education and experience in their specialized field qualifies them to create a cohesive design for each project. Designers skillfully combine artistry, project management and knowledge of interior design into one profession. Each project is unique and requires a wide spectrum of ability to complete a wide range of tasks on time as well as on budget. From sketching, designing, researching, shopping for furniture, fabrics, paint, and accessories, coordinating trades, installers and deliveries takes a lot of time and knowledge. Most people do not understand what goes into creating a successful design project. Unfortunately HGTV has given people a false view of our industry. They fail to show all the time, people and actual cost involved with a design project. They simplify the project and lead the viewer to believe that design is a simple process. Anyone who has tried to tackle a project on their own with less than satisfactory results or are left with a room they hate can attest to this. A designer can save you from making purchase mistakes and wasting money. They can also save you money by selling  you items way below retail prices.

For the past twelve years, I have offered affordable interior design services at  Rancho Interior Design. I always ask for a budget before I begin a project so I create a practical design that can be implemented. There’s nothing worse than creating a design that a client can’t afford to purchase. I have been successful at creating beautiful spaces with quality furnishings on modest budgets.  I have different design plan options so anyone who needs help can afford to work with me and my team.

I wanted to blog about this subject after a couple I worked with came up to me at the Home Show (they were the reason I was invited to be featured at the event!). They both individually pulled me aside and said how much they loved their home and how much money I saved them!! I was able to sell them furniture at lower prices than they shopped for anywhere else. They said the amount I saved them more than paid for my services. (Their bedroom is featured here on top of this blog). So I hope I cleared up some misconceptions about how we charge and let you know that yes, Interior Designers can be affordable. Give me a call.

Give Your Tract Home a Custom Look

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Custom built homes are designed according to the clients’ specifications and have a unique style and appearance inside and out. Tract home interiors and exteriors on the other hand are all very similar but can be given a custom look with the help of a design professional, a little imagination and a lot of attention to detail. This can all be done on a modest budget without making major structural changes.

I was recently contacted by a young couple from Virginia, Brittney and Zach Osborne who are purchasing a home in Canyon Hills, Lake Elsinore.  It is very important for me to learn as much as possible about my clients so I can design a home that reflects their taste and lifestyle. I had the couple complete our custom questionnaire so I could learn about their design style, their needs, their likes and dislikes, their vision for the home and very importantly, their budget. Brittney is a Registered Nurse and Zach is a professional motocross racer.  They described their design style as casual and contemporary and wanted to create a custom look for their home that feels inviting and comfortable. They like to entertain and expect to have a lot of out of town guests visit often. They described themselves as outgoing, fairly laid back and enjoy the outdoors. They plan for kids and animals in the future so I had to keep that in mind while selecting fabrics and furnishings for them. They like neutral, timeless, warm colors and modern style furnishings.

We began the design process by choosing the color palette for the entire house. With their lifestyle in mind I decided to give them a “Modern Nature” theme incorporating colors borrowed from nature and natural textures and materials.  After measuring the home I developed a floor plan for each room and selected furnishings, window treatments, lighting and accessories keeping in mind the function, style and mood of each space.

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Watching the house transformation has been exciting for my clients and I was able to make decisions and share the progress with them all via the internet! I will be featuring the finished rooms in their home over the next few months. This month we will look at the Great Room’s design transformation.

The Great Room

The Great Room will be the place where Brittney and Zach do a lot of entertaining. The color palette for this room includes warm beiges, grey, blue and green with black accents. I chose 2 walls to paint in an accent color of Stone Fence (Behr paint). The couple required a lot of seating so I chose a custom sectional sofa in a soft, flannel grey upholstery fabric, which will be durable and easy to clean. A large ottoman in beige ultra suede fabric was chosen instead of a traditional cocktail table and can serve as an ottoman, table or extra seating.  Pillows add color and a nature pattern to the sofa. A wicker side table was chosen and adds another natural element to the space.  A comfy, gorgeous area rug defines the seating area and incorporates all the colors of our palette. Three custom barstools upholstered in beige and grey tweed fabric were chosen for additional seating at the bar. The room had a large open niche where we installed a custom designed Maple entertainment cabinet for TV and components. A rustic console table next to the slider back door provides a drop off spot and can display photos, cookbooks, etc.

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For the windows and French door I chose off-white Roman shades which I love. They are pretty, stylish and provide diffused light and privacy. The slider was treated with a functional grommet top drapery fabricated in a beautiful iridescent blue fabric.  To be sure we had adequate lighting in the room we added six recessed ceiling lights and under cabinet lighting in the kitchen and a modern fan was installed in the center of the room.

The most important finishing touches in any room are accessories. For art we chose a pair of canvas prints which feature soft tree branch images in tones of beiges and greens coordinating with the area rug colors perfectly. A modern clock, silver tree sculpture and inspirational art are featured over the fireplace. Family photos will add a personal touch throughout the room.

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The finished room carries out the “Modern Nature” theme with relaxing colors, natural materials, and nature images. The room offers ample, comfortable seating and plenty of room for entertaining guests.
Remember that details in design, including custom paint colors, custom cabinets, upgraded flooring, lighting, window treatments and furnishings all help to achieve that custom look for any home.

Cynthia Champness Cuellar is the owner and principle designer of Rancho Interior Design.

Contact her at 951-956-0661 or ranchointeriordesign.com

 

 

Vintage Items Add Beauty To Modern Homes

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windows2One of the most popular design trends happening now is incorporating vintage pieces in the home. People are finding interesting furniture and decorative items from the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s, basically Mid-Century and incorporating them in their modern homes. It’s not about just using old furniture, however. The new twist is giving them new life in some way by re-painting, adding to or re-purposing the piece. For example 50’s chairs are given new life by painting them in a bright color such as orange or reupholstering them in a geometric fabric pattern. An old pantry can become a kid’s room shelf. Old windows can become a collection of wall art. A lot of stores are popping up around the country featuring vintage furnishings and accessories. So have fun and go find some old treasures to enjoy in your home. It’s an inexpensive way to spice up your rooms and add a touch of nostalgia, style and fun. www.ranchointeriordesign.com

Virtual Interior Design-Affordable way to get design help

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Rancho Interior Design now offers Virtual Interior Design services . Virtual Interior Design is a fairly new design service that some Interior Design firms are offering. The use of the term “virtual” means that your design can be done without ever meeting the designer in person so it can be done from virtually anywhere you live. It is a great alternative for do-it-yourselfers, that is anyone who prefers to do all of the labor and shopping themselves and also for people working with a small budget. You get the benefit of working with a designer at a fraction of the cost of a traditional design project.

Although design shows such as the ones on HGTV are entertaining and we enjoy seeing the designers transform spaces, the shows are very misleading to the public. Most shows fail to show us the entire behind the scenes work, additional designers, assistants and trades people and actual costs of the projects they tackle. These shows lead people to believe that interior design is simple and anyone can tackle any project and achieve the same results.  In fact, designers and decorators have many years of education and experience in their trade. Of course there are those out there who are naturally talented and can plan a beautiful room all by themselves. But most people find themselves stumped when they set out to begin a project and do not know how to do a space plan, where to begin, where to purchase materials or how much the project will actually cost them.  This is where a Virtual Interior Design plan can help.

Like any design project, the process must begin with learning about the client and the space they want to design. Rather than meeting with the designer in their home, the client communicates with the designer mainly by email. They begin by completing a questionnaire. The questionnaire will have questions such as: How do you describe your style, What is the function of the room, What colors do you like, Do you entertain often, Do you have kids or pets, and What is your budget? These answers will help the designer plan a room that reflects their style and fits their needs. Clients are given instructions on how to measure the space and take photos of the room and any furniture that will be included in the plan. Then the questionnaire, measurements and photos are sent to the designer via email. Once the designer receives all the materials, she can begin her research to design the perfect space for her clients from her studio. The design plan will include all the elements for a complete room including; construction/remodel suggestions, floor plan/furniture arrangement, photos, sketches, color palette, furniture suggestions, wall treatments, window treatments, accessories and lighting, and a  resource list of where to purchase all the items for the room including retail prices. This information is then sent to the client via email or regular mail for them to implement the plan. So if time and budget are considerations, Virtual Design is a great way to benefit from the experience and knowledge of a designer for a modest cost. You will feel confident that the plan you are embarking on will be within your budget and be properly designed with your personal style and needs in mind. If you are interested in having us design your room for a very affordable fee, please call or email us anytime.

Creating Interesting Ceilings

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I came across this article from Houzz and wanted to share it with my bloggers. It has some good ideas so I hope you enjoy it. Just follow the link below to see the article. I welcome your comments.

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2239846/list?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u98&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery0

Virtual Interior Design

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Rancho interior Design is now offering Virtual Interior Design! Now no matter where you live, we can help you design your space. Complete a design questionnaire, measure your space and send us photos of your rooms. We will provide you with a floor plan, color suggestions, furnishings and accessories suggestions, window and wall treatment ideas and sources for purchasing every product. All for a modest price. Call or email us today to get started.

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Happy Spring Re-Design

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The first day of Spring 2012 is here! Spring cleaning is a tradition for most of us. Spring is

also a great time to look at your home and decide what re-design ideas you’ve been wanting to tackle. We at  Rancho Interior Design are often asked, “What small changes can I make to my space that will change the look of my room?”  There are several changes you can make to impact the look of your room. Start by researching new trends in color and style. Consider painting your space. Color can instantly transform a room. Accent walls are popular as well as wall decals that come in a myriad of designs and can create a beautiful focal wall. Look at this room. A purple accent wall with decals becomes a great accent wall in the desk niche. they also added accents of purple in the room to carry the color theme through the room. Window treatments are the next consideration for your space. Decorative window treatments help define the style of the room and can add color and texture to your space. Add accessories such as area rug, throws, pillows and creative art to complete the room re-design. If you need some help contact Rancho Interior Design.  We offer a Virtual Design  service where we can give you ideas for your room design simply by sending us your room measurements and photos. It’s a great, affordable design service that we offer to anyone via the internet. Happy Spring Re-Design.

Color Forecasts for 2012

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We here at Rancho Interior Design are always excited to see the color trend predictions  each new year. One resource, Brentano Fabrics has made their predictions for 2012.  Brentano Fabrics is an internationally represented textile manufacturer, manufacturing everything from upscale textiles to affordable residential fabrics. Their design department looks back on the success and trends of 2011, considers client requests and what they have observed lately in the world of design.

Based on their research, they have come up with six colors which were singled out for 2012 including updated neutrals Paper White, Graphite and Linen, and bold and jewel toned hues.

Marine- A continuation form 2011, marine is a navy that plays up the rich jewel toned aspect of the color blue-a classic color for interiors.

Sprout-This bright yellow-green shade is perfect for livening up an atmosphere. Use it for accent pieces to give interiors a pop of color surprise.

Tangerine-A reddish orange that works well with neutrals.

Paper White-A true white getting away form the creamier neutrals, pure, clean, crisp and luxurious with any color.

Graphite-Grays have been strong and now we see grays shifting to darker charcoal that looks beautiful with deep yellows and purples as well as neutrals.

Linen-Linen looks beautiful as a crisp white or in its natural  unprocessed form. It works well as a neutral and perfect for a subtle palette.

Watch for more color and design trend predictions in upcoming blogs.

 

Window Treatments Can Make a Room

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One of the most important elements of a room design is the window treatments which play an important role in defining a space and completing the design of the room.  Windows allow natural light into the room which affects the way everything appears in the room at different times of the day from colors on the walls to fabrics on your furnishings. Window treatments are categorized as functional and decorative. Thousands of fabrics from classic to contemporary can be used to create your window treatments and there are just as many custom drapery options. Choices range from simple fabric panels that complement blinds or shades, to multi-layered treatments that add beauty and drama to formal rooms.

 

It’s important to determine what functional treatments you require first. Examine the lighting in the room at different times of the day in relationship to the furnishings in the room. Consider where you want privacy, need to avoid glare (where is your TV located), where you need natural light for reading and performing tasks (like the kitchen, bedroom, office), and harsh sunlight streaming into a room that can ruin fine fabrics (a window over your sofa). Once you determine which windows need a functional treatment, decide which product suits your needs and style best. There are many functional window products to choose from such as shutters, blinds, cellular shades, Roman shades, woven wood shades and panel track shades.  They all serve the same function of providing privacy and controlling the amount of light in a room however remember shades can only go up and down unlike blinds or shutters that have vanes that can be adjusted to let different amounts of light in.

 

Decorative treatments can be draperies, panels, valances, cornice boxes, or lambrequins. The clean lines of an upholstered cornice or the elaborate detail of a valance can add just the right touch to any window. Drapery panels are a beautiful way to frame your windows especially when you have a functional hard treatment. They soften and complete the window design. Drapery panels can be fabricated with different headers from French pleats to grommet tops-formal to casual and contemporary. Your design style will determine what type header you choose. You may opt for a full, functional, traversing drapery that covers the entire window.  Full draperies are a nice choice when a hard treatment is not required or can be combined with fabric shades in a formal room or with woven wood shades or blinds in a casual room. Properly scaled hardware is just as important as the fabrics you choose. Remember the fabrics and hardware should complement your style, décor and room color scheme.

 

If this sounds overwhelming, consult a professional Interior Designer for advice.  Your choices are endless but the final result will be beautiful and functional window treatments you can enjoy for years.