Tips For Adding Local Flair To Your Home
Sure, you live here, but how can you make your home say Texas? Barbara Gilbert, founder of Barbara Gilbert Interiors, explains that most Texas homes still have a more traditional and heavy style, even though the rest of the country has been welcoming a more contemporary look. She is now seeing DFW homes move slowly move that direction, resulting in a transitional style that integrates both traditional and modern. Gilbert's tips will have North Texans adding flair to their homes in no time.
Barbara Gilbert Interiors
1801 Royal Lane, Suite 810
Dallas, TX 75229
(214) 641-7897
www.barbaragilbertinteriors.com
1) Accessorize. This is an easy and inexpensive way to add a new look to a room. Work with furniture already there, and just add pops of color. A few great pieces to use are colored ceramic lamps or throw pillows. This year's big color is emerald, but last year's tangerine or a bright red, would all work well to add contemporary style. Pairing them with neutral furniture will result in the trendy transitional look. Wisteria.com has plenty of ideas perfect for pops of color, with accessories in many colors and styles.
2) Painted furniture is popular right now. For a DIY project, use a traditional piece you already have. Change out the hardware for modern and paint it yourself. Already painted furniture can also be found almost anywhere now. The colors range from greys and creams to bright aquas, reds, and greens. Just one painted piece will really brighten a room. Wisteria.com is one place Gilbert likes the selection of painted furniture.
3) Don't forget about the fifth wall. Painting a room is always a way to brighten it, but if you aren't brave enough to paint an entire room, Gilbert points out the power of the fifth wall. The ceiling doesn't have to be white. If you are comfortable with your neutral colored walls, but still want to add some pizzazz, try painting the ceiling slightly lighter to will give it height. A darker ceiling (if it already has height) can warm a room.
4) Clean lines and textures can modernize traditional rooms. If a room is already full of heavy, but you want to add some, find pieces with cleaner lines and textures for a contemporary feel. If you already have nice, heavy framed artwork, you can keep the traditional frames that go with the room, but replace the contents with abstract art for a modern splash . A neutral sofa can work, but should be textured to keep it interesting. Z Gallerie carries contemporary, clean furniture that could be just the addition for a heavy room.
5) Everything doesn't need to match. Something unexpected is good. An accessory made of metal stands out, looks modern and will go with just about any traditional style already in a room. I.O. Metro and Restoration Hardware are a couple of places Gilbert recommends to find something unique to mix into a traditional room. One piece she likes at Restoration Hardware is library shelving, found there in various metal finishes.
About Barbara Gilbert
Barbara Gilbert's company, Barbara Gilbert Interiors specializes in furniture as well as all aspects of interior design from concept to completion. It has been around for seven years and focuses on residential services. Gilbert also keeps a blog on full of more interior design tips everyone can use.
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Emilie DesJardins currently works in Dallas television and worked with KRLD Restaurant Week for several years before that. She is always trying new places around the Metroplex to find the best food and unique things to do. See her work at Examiner.com.
