Carole Lee Interiors


Why You Need an Interior Designer

 

When considering on how to best redecorate our living space, we often feel we can do it ourselves.  With the plethora of resources, online ordering options and general advice about interior design in abundance, we often think “Why should I hire an interior designer and incur more cost?”  But, it’s important to remember that professional interior designers are trained experts at what they do and can know what is best for your project. So, it is smart to trust the professionals to do what we only think we can do.  Here are five reasons why you should hire an interior designer.

Save Time

Let’s face it.  Redecorating space requires a lot of work and a lot of time. Extensive background work must initially be completed with regards to the structure and location of the space, the different styles available and many minor details. Carole Lee Interiors will handle all of the details and make recommendations based on 30 years of experience.  As a full-service interior design firm, we provide turnkey solutions and project management.

Better Resources & Contacts

Carole Lee has curated a list of the best and most trusted resources and contacts for small, medium and major interior design projects. With advanced knowledge of construction practices for large scale projects and a network of plumbers, masons, carpenters and electricians our firm has faith that the quality of work we provide will be up to your standards.

A Complete Visual Story

As an ASID certified interior designer, Carole Lee has spent years training and working in her field. While working with you to decide on your décor style and goals, she presents a whole visual story, so you understand the projected outcome of your space before starting the work.  This provides a clear timeline of what to expect from start to finish. Without a designer providing direction your end result may not be what you expected or wanted.

Stick to The Budget

Sometimes we fall in love with an amazing piece of furniture or treasured art we simply must have in our space, only to discover that it is too big or does not go with our room.  That can be a budget buster. Carole Lee ensures this does not happen. Her services include to- the- trade only selections of high-quality furniture, accessories and fabric options to keep your project both within budget, as well as fit in with your style.

A Trained Eye

Carole Lee has spent years perfecting her craft and is trained to look at a space creatively, spatially and practically, paying attention to every detail; from the placement of furniture and lighting, to color palettes, traffic flow as well as what part of the room should be the focus to create the added WOW factor.

We are happy to set up a consultation and let your dream space become a reality.

 

 


What is BESPOKE Interior Design?

 

The word bespoke has evolved from a verb meaning “to speak for something,” to its contemporary usage as an adjective that has changed from describing first tailor-made suits and shoes, and later, anything commissioned to a particular specification (altered or tailored to the customs, tastes, or usage of an individual purchaser), and finally to a general marketing and branding concept implying exclusivity and appealing to a high end luxury market.

For example, when it comes to furniture, bespoke furniture quit simply is custom- made furniture for your home, designed for exactly what you need, where you need it, what you need it for and exactly how you want it to look.  Typically, a quality piece will be commissioned using the materials you want, based on your budget. When talking about kitchens, bespoke kitchens refer to a kitchen that is designed to order, unique in its specification and tailored to the exact requirements of its owner.

These same attributes can be applied to interior design.  At Carole Lee Interiors we look at design as art, and believe exceptional interior design melds style with purpose, and is an aesthetic study in balancing crisp, clean design with the warmth of traditional architectural details. Every project we accept will be custom tailored to your space, your needs and your budget.  Our goal is to enhance the way people use or live in their space and  to create interiors that are truly unique. It is this versatility that is the key to our bespoke interior designs.

We invite you to contact us today to schedule a consultation.


The Return of Wallpaper

 

The Return of Wallpaper

Forget about blank walls, because one of the best interior design trends for 2018 is the use of mesmerizing wallpapers. Installing wallpaper is a great way to add an interesting twist to your dull living spaces.

With today’s tremendous options, the choice of designer wallpaper and the way it is used influences the overall decorative scheme in a big way. Some of the most popular wallpaper designs for 2018 feature landscape scenery, abstract shapes, and colorful geometric patterns.  Below are a few things to know about using wallpaper to design your space:

It Dictates Style:Wallpaper can encourage a mood and offers a visual direction towards a particular style.  A damask print denotes a traditional bedroom while a honeycomb pattern works for a contemporary dining room.

It Adds Drama:  Designer wallpaper is a great way to enhance a room design with a bit of “ wow” factor, without the big investment of expensive art or lighting.

It Covers Doors Creatively: Get creative by using wallpaper on door panels or outdated sliding mirrored closet doors for a varied look.  Cover them with removable adhesive wallpaper as a modern alternative.

It Invites Accent Walls:Offer another layer of color and pattern wallpaper on a prominent wall, a niche, or chimney wall for added interest. Textured wallpaper goes above and beyond with another design element added.

It Acts As Art:  Designer wallpaper itself can act as a work of art. Whether covering an entire wall or framed in pieces, this is a way to infuse a room design with decorative beauty.

To learn more about today’s wallpaper trends, contact Carole Lee at Carole Lee Interiors today!


How To Mix Patterns Like A Pro

Den

For many people, there is one design dilemma that continues to cause headaches when trying to decorate a room. Mixing patterns.  Using more than one pattern in a room can seem daunting at first, but once you become more familiar with some basic rules, it can actually become quit easy.

Not too long ago people would use matching patterns throughout an entire room.  Curtains would match a sofa, which would match the pillows, which would match the lampshade and so on.  Thankfully, that look is over and mixing patterns is the way to go.

When it comes to mixing patterns, trust your instincts, but her are a few tips that can help:

  • Use at least three patterns in a room and vary the scale.  Combine one large, one medium and one small.  Or use one large and two mediums.
  • Try to use colors that are the same intensity.  For example, don’t mix jewel tones with soft pastels.  Different patterns can work together if they are the same hues.
  • Distribute patterns evenly throughout the room. If multiple patterns are on one side of the room, the room will look unbalanced.
  • Avoid using the same scale and pattern combination next to each other.  For example, for a window treatment you may want to use a larger sized pattern, where as on throw pillows the pattern would be much smaller.
  • Don’t place too many patterns on top of each other or the space will feel chaotic. Add some solids in the mix to break up the space so the eye has a place to rest.
  • It is not necessary for patterns to be of different colors.  Tone-on-tone patterns can add character while remaining elegant.
  • Consider the texture of a fabric. Some textures will provide more “pop” and enhance the effect of the pattern.  Mixing and matching textured fabrics is not as important as color and scale, but it is worth taking into consideration.

Get started on you next project today  by calling Carole Lee Interiors!

 

 

 

 

 

 


Making Smaller Rooms Feel Larger

 

 

People sometimes think we only work on very large houses or large rooms, but that is not always the case. We are sometimes tasked with working in smaller spaces such as compact office spaces or townhomes.   As a professional interior designer we are expert at designing three-dimensional spaces for a living and are adept at manipulating space to make smaller spaces feel larger than they really are.  How do we do it?  Here are six tips.

Light Walls

The lighter the walls, the larger the space will feel.  Light walls reflect light, which helps smaller rooms feel larger.  With the abundance of white or off white paint colors available you are sure to find one that is perfect for your project.

Six Sides Alike

Remember, each room has six sides, not four.  Don’t forget the floor and ceiling.  By having all six sides either light or dark helps to keep the room from looking chopped up. Good design will use either all light colored walls, floors and ceiling or all dark colored walls, floors and ceiling.

Mirrors

This is a fairly obvious tip since we all know that mirrors can make a room feel larger.  However you need to consider what the mirror will be reflecting.  If it is not something you want to see, then don’t use mirrors.

Simplify Your Materials and Finishes

Use a limited number of materials to make your space feel larger. The more surfaces in a room, the more the room will feel chopped up. Each time you change materials you define where one surface ends and the next begins, which can make the space feel smaller.

Scale

Remove oversized furnishings.  In small rooms, small-scale furniture will make a small room feel much larger.

Good Lighting

Good lighting has an enormous impact on the feel of your rooms.  Sadly it is often cut from the budget.  Plan to include 10% of your budget on lighting, especially in small rooms.