These days, a home has many functions – school room, science lab, spa, hair salon,  gymnasium, office, communications center, cooking, eating, creating, sleeping, playing, learning, teaching.  It all goes on at all hours of the day or night.  Whether your home is large, medium or small, every room and every piece of furniture serves  multiple functions and users of all ages (and sometimes, species).

What are some of the key elements of successful  multi-purpose rooms? 

Flexibility    A dining table can also be a desk,  game board,  sewing station,  mainicure  table,   An ironing board can become a variable height desk, chairs can prop up a play fort, beds become trampolines or massage tables.  The sofa  and coffee table often becomes the dining area ecause the table is covered with homework, computer and office projects.

Practicality   With kids and pets running loose, it’s a good idea to have washable/cleanable fabrics on your sofas and chairs such as solution dyed acrylics.   Created for heavy duty outdoor use, performance fabrics are tough and cleanable but  as soft as traditional indoor fabrics.  Sunbrella fabrics help you create worry-free indoor spaces that do more than simply look beautiful—they redefine the way we live indoors. From sofas and chairs to high-traffic benches and tufted headboards, Sunbrella  offers  durability, comfort and stain resistance. With Sunbrella performance upholstery you can enjoy all the things that make a house a home—family meals, pets, kids, without sacrificing style and comfort.

Durability  Surfaces like floors, walls and countertops get a lot of use.  Choose granite or quartzite for countertops which won’t etch, burn or scratch when the science project goes awry.  Hard surface flooring is easier to clean than carpet and lasts much longer.  On walls, choose a good quality paint, in eggshell or lo-lustre sheen,  that can be washed many times.  On trims and it bathrooms, consider using a semi glass paint because a higher sheen level is easier to clean.  

Personalize  After years of being in and out, constantly on the go, the Stay Safe, Stay Home movement has allowed (forced) us to look at our homes, surroundings and belongings from new perspectives.  Some items that were important have lost their relevance, while the previously inconsequential has achieved monumental staus.  Paper goods are hoarded while gasoline is less expensive than bottled water.  At home, what is important is to make it your home.      Get out the good china, use the tea set, cherish Granny’s crocheted doilies.  It is all part of our history and will be remembered by our children.  While inspiration abounds in Instagram posts and glossy magazines, nothing can compare to making your home a reflection or you and your family.  

There are many different materials available to consumers for kitchen and bathroom countertops.     Natural materials like  marble, limestone,  granite,  and quartzite have been used for many years, and man made solid surfacing, aka quartz,  is becoming popular.    Picking the right material for you is a hard choice.

Marble

Marble has been used for centuries as flooring, counters, and other building materials.  It is beautiful and durable but it is a little softer than granite or quartzite.  Marble and limestone  must be sealed regularly but can still  stain and etch when exposed to certain chemicals like acids or red wine.   Stains and etches can be removed or repaired fairly easily, but scratches need to be honed by a professional.  Marble varies greatly in price, depending on how rare the stone is.

Granite

Granite is the most popular solid surface material for kitchens because it is so durable and less maintenance than marble.  Granite is available in a wide range of colors, from light to dark,and styles from fairly uniform to heavily veined.  Granite needs to be sealed annually but that is an easy process for most home-owners.   Granite is formed from liquid magma so it is very resistant to heat and very difficult to stain or scratch.  Granite varies widely in price, depending on the thickness of the slabs (transportation and labor costs) and how much supply is available in the quarry.

Quarztzite

A new material, Quartzite, has been introduced in the last decade, and is even harder and more stain and heat resistant than granite.  Quartzite often looks like marble but it is stainproof and it will not etch.  Frequently quartzite is multi-colored with  smoothly flowing veins like marble,  and it  can also  have a  pearly look.  Quartzite is a solid crystaline material, harder and less porous than granite or marble.  It may be slightly more expensive than granite.

Man Made Quartz

Man-made quartz is a composition of resin and quartz chips, powder or flakes.  It varies in greatly in colors and styles – some are plain, some look like marble and others try to look like granite.   It is a durable material but sensitive to heat and can be stained by certain chemicals like permanent markers and some oils.  Quartz is not UV safe and must not be used out doors.   It is usally about the same price as granite.

The trend of grey is going away.  No more dreary grey walls with grey marble and dull finishes.  This year’s trend is bright, vibrant color to put us all in a cheerful mood.  Interior decor is all about making home a happy place and the new push is towards strong color..   Color, bright color, is the new trend we are seeing.  Jewel tones with rich saturated hues tempered with white are showing up everywhere. 

The red sofa and nightstands balance the lapis blue velvet headboard,  Texture is also important – the luscious rug invites is to take off our shoes and relax!

The vibrant power of yellow is contained by the little black stripe on the base of the table.

Warm neutral walls help to blend the carefully balanced colors in the area rug, draperies, pillows and glass art.  The Scottsdale living room features vibrant tones of red, magenta, and orange.

It is a happy place!

Many people struggle with making their house look like their home,  Your home should be a reflection of your past experiences, present activities and future dreams.  Most people are eclectic and no single interior design style defines their personality.  The geographical location of your home also plays into the design concept because indoor/outdoor living is so popular.

Working with a professional, certified Interior Designer can help you define your style(s), edit your collectons, and create the look that is an expression of your personality, your life, your dreams.  Interior Designers love it when you say "I don’t like that" or "I really love that" – defining your likes and dislikes is a huge part of the process and gets us closer to the final objective of making you house your home.  No one wants cookie cutter design, or a house with the same tile as the neighbors’, or the same sofa from an on-line vendor.

Good Interior Designers can’t be identified with a certain ‘look’.  Every house is different, every client is different so we strive to use different back grounds, colors, materials, fabrics and furnishings to create a unique environment for each client.   Interior Designers also have skilled, artistic resources such as work rooms, upholstery shops, cabinet makers and these talented people make the high quality,  custom furniture and furnishings that set your home apart.  

Scale is also where Designers can help.  Furniture can’t be too big or too small for the space – it has to be just right.  An experienced Designer can help you find the right-sized sofa, table or lamp helping you avoid costly mistakes.  Designers can also help you find stylish and energy efficent lighting for your home.  The right amount of light  in the right color temperature allows for task and ambient lighting.

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