furniture

Design a Balcony, Patio, or Porch that You’ll Love to Use / April 7, 2021 by Margaret Chambers

We decorated this front porch on a Dallas home with faux bois benches by Currey & Company.

Balconies, porches, and patios are enviable design features for a home. But designing an outdoor space comes with its own challenges. You'll need to ask yourself: do you want to design around a view? Create privacy? How will you provide shelter from the elements?

Balconies, especially, are often small. Some people just put out lawn chairs and aren’t sure what else to include. If your Dallas home has an outdoor space that’s a little underutilized, here are some ideas on how to get the most out of it.

General Outdoor Space Guidelines:

A good first step to designing an outdoor space is to research outdoor-friendly furniture materials. Wrought iron, teak, and resin wicker are all common in outdoor decorating. You should also look for cushions that dry quickly and can stand up to the sun's rays.

A lantern chandelier helps to illuminate this outdoor area we designed for a University Park chateau.

Lighting is very important for these spaces, especially if you like to enjoy your balcony, patio or porch as the sun is setting or in the evenings. Look into pendants, sconces, string lights, or lanterns, and remember that bulbs with a warm color are preferable here to bright white.

An easy way to add color to outdoor spaces is to decorate with vases, potted plants, and pillows. Don’t forget to dress up the floor too. A patterned area rug adds comfort underfoot, but graphic floor tiles can introduce a lot of flair too. If privacy is a concern, you may need to add a screen lattice with climbing plants, a tall potted plant, or a shrub.

Tips for Balconies:

Space is premium on balconies, so think about how you’ll be using yours and plan accordingly. If you like to eat dinner out on the balcony, then obviously you’ll need a table; if you’re only going to be reading or enjoying an occasional cocktail, you can get away with just a comfortable chair and a small ottoman or drink table.

Take the opportunity to install built-in seating if your balcony is still under construction. This way, you won’t have to worry about furniture being knocked over by the wind.

Tips for Porches and Patios:

The brown-and-white-striped cushions seen here complement the earth tones in the stone exterior of the house.

As with balconies, consider how you’ve used your porch or patio so far. This is especially important for front porches. Is yours a living space? Or is it a transitional space into your foyer? Either way, it’s important that your outdoor furnishings blend with your interiors and also complement the paint colors on the outside of your home.

An outdoor area, such as this one we designed in Kessler Park, should have a variety of seating options that are all equally comfortable.

Most people who have porches feel like they don’t use them enough. Make sure to buy seating that is comfortable for you and your guests, or else you’ll rarely use it. Porch swings with cozy pillows, deep-seated Adirondack chairs, and rocking chairs give you a variety of options that are both relaxing and durable. Your largest piece of furniture should face outwards, while the rest of your seating in a conversation group should face towards it.

The red painted door brightens this shaded porch and makes it feel more inviting.

A small front porch is still an important opportunity to make a good first impression. If your porch is shadowy, brighten things up by painting the door a lighter color than the rest of the home, then add a new door-knocker. The door should ideally be the focal point of the porch or patio, so flank it with symmetrical plants or furniture on either side. If your door is on the right or left rather than in the center, lead a visitor’s eye to your door with a lineup of potted plants.

A ceiling fan will help the residents of this Dallas home enjoy their outdoor seating area even during hot summers.

Swapping accessories out with the seasons adds a lot of charm to your porch or patio. Include throw blankets on the outdoor furniture so you can enjoy the cooler months outside, too. A ceiling fan is also a smart investment for making your porch comfortable in hot summers.

If you have trouble getting your outdoor space to harmonize with the rest of your home, consider hiring a designer. Despite being called ‘interior designers,’ many of us consult with our clients about their outdoor areas too. A professional will know the best way to take advantage of your space and create a porch, patio or balcony you'll enjoy in all seasons. You can reach out to us by calling our Dallas office at 214-232-9501 or sending an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.

The Ultimate Guide to Styling Your Home Office / December 10, 2020 by Margaret Chambers

The shelving and cabinetry in this home office we designed in north Dallas add lots of helpful storage space.

This year, many of us have found ourselves working from home for the first time, and wanting to design—or redesign—our home office spaces. The best home offices are not just ergonomic and well-organized, but beautiful, too. Read on for some designer tips for home offices, based on things I’ve learned while designing offices for my clients in Dallas.

Pick the Best Room for Your Home Office

The first step to designing a home office is also the most important: choosing the right location. Managing a healthy work-life balance can be a challenge, so it’s crucial to designate a spot that you only use for work. Of course, not everyone has a spare room available. Some other areas for home offices that you might not have considered include the landing, the kitchen, or under the stairs. To create a strong divide between your work and living area within one room, consider using a decorative screen or sliding door to separate the two.

Large windows, such as the ones in this Oak Cliff home office, fill the room with light and promote alertness.

If you put your home office in a corner, choose the corner closest to the window. When you begin to tire of looking at the computer screen, you’ll be glad to have somewhere else to rest your eyes on for a moment. Speaking of eye strain, make sure to install a bright bulb in your lamp for task lighting.

Plan Your Color Scheme

Paint color psychology plays an important role in home office design. Blues, greens, and purples are cool colors that promote relaxation. Since blue is the sleepiest of them all, I don’t recommend it for offices. On the other hand, green is a nice medium between restful and alert, giving the room a refreshing feeling.

Pastel yellow, pink, burnt orange, or dark red can be gently energizing, but bright orange, neon yellow, or fire engine red paint colors will be too overwhelming for most offices. Neutrals such as whites, beiges and tans are popular choices for both commercial and home offices. That said, since this is your personal space and not a cubicle, feel free to include bold accent colors in your décor for more personality.

We used a lot of colorful artwork in this Dallas high-rise home office. The white walls give the eye places to rest.

Shop for Space-Saving Organizational Aids

You’ll definitely want some organizational aids and storage, but don’t buy anything you won’t use. Identify everything you need to perform your job well at home before you shop for office supplies. For example, if you only use one pen, there’s no need to get a pen cup. To save on desk space, consider installing floating shelves on the wall or using a vertical file folder.

A universal design problem for home offices is managing cords. Thankfully, there are products on the market for this exact issue, including desk grommets, cable clips, and cord covers. Power strips can be mounted to the underside or backside of your desk to keep them out of sight.

If you’re going to splurge on only one piece of furniture, it should be your office chair. Ergonomic desk chairs will have a curved back that is firm, rather than cushy, for the best support.

This home we designed had modern architecture, so we made sure that the home office was modern in style, too.

Coordinate Your Office’s Décor With the Rest of Your Home

Generally, a home office should be in stylistic harmony with the rest of the house. For example, an antique writing desk is a great choice for an office in a traditional house, while the furniture in a midcentury modern office should be simple and streamlined. If you’re a plant lover, bring cheer to your space with some potted plants. Art lovers should adorn the wall behind their desks with a gallery of artwork or a stunning patterned wallpaper.

Depending on your line of work, you may need to invite clients into your home office. Include some comfortable seating for guests if you do. Otherwise, you should avoid putting a cozy sofa or reading chair in your office. The temptation to take a nap may become too difficult to resist!

These additional chairs we added offer visitors a comfortable place to sit when they stop by.

When you love your home office, you’ll be more motivated to spend time in it, and keep the area tidy, too. Hopefully, with these suggestions in mind, you can tackle your home office design project with confidence.

The photos in this article are just a few examples from the Chambers Interiors design portfolio. As you can see, our design team has a lot of experience with home offices. If you’re interested in hiring us to design an office that goes perfectly with your Dallas home’s architecture, email us at info@chambersinteriors.com or give us a call at 214-651-7665.

7 Tips for Designing a Stylish, Yet Comfortable Living Room / December 4, 2020 by Margaret Chambers

This living room is from a home we recently designed in Bent Tree (north Dallas).

Living rooms can be challenging to design because they need to be so many things: inviting, comfortable, stylish, and functional all at once. Pristine living rooms that are only for entertaining guests are now a thing of the past. These days, it’s more common to have the living room be both a family space and an entertaining space.

As a designer, I’m also starting to see living rooms be combined into other spaces, including music rooms, studies, and libraries. A good-size room can even be all of these things. Whether you’re updating your home or moving into a newly built one, it’s helpful to think seriously about all the different ways you plan to use your living room.

A bright pink velvet sofa is the star of this living room in a Park Cities English cottage.

Tip 1: Start With the Sofa

The best place to start is with the sofa. Sofas can make or break a room, so if your existing sofa is not the right style for the room you want, or not the right size for your space, unfortunately you’ll probably have to replace it. Take the time to plan your layout first, as buying the wrong sofa is an expensive mistake. Sofas available through designers tend to be built to last longer than those available from mainstream retailers. Another thing to keep in mind is that simple sofas are easier to style than ones with ornate details.

Tip 2: Use the Rule of Thirds

An easy way to make sure the major elements of your living room are balanced against each other is to follow the rule of thirds. For example, your sofa should generally be two-thirds the width of your area rug, and your coffee table should be two-thirds the width of your sofa. While your major furnishings should be timeless in style, you can safely follow trends for smaller pieces like throw pillows, as these probably won’t be a long-term investment.

This zebra rug adds an element of surprise to the living room for this Dallas ranch home we designed.

Tip 3: Choose the Right Rug Size

Most living room rugs will need to be 9-by-12-foot, 10-by-14-foot, or 12-by-15-foot for a large room. If you have a small room and are having trouble finding a rug that’s just the right fit, try a rug with an unusual shape, such as a zebra rug. These kinds of “amorphous” rugs can fit into a variety of spaces.

Tip 4: Contrast Light Against Dark

The walls of this Plano home are all painted grey. We used black and white accents to create more drama in each room.

A living room that’s all-white can seem too formal and cold. Meanwhile, an all-dark living room tends to feel cave-like, which is an ambiance you might want for your bedroom but not for entertaining guests. The safest color scheme is in the middle: a living room with both light and dark elements.

Tip 5: Shop for Durable Fabrics

If you have young children or pets, you’ll definitely want to choose durable fabrics, such as outdoor fabric lines or Crypton. You should also steer clear of white fabrics that show stains. It’s easy to wipe away spills on leather, but leather also scratches easily, which is something to consider if you have pets.

Tip 6: Mix Old and New

To give your living room some character, try mixing both new and old items. I personally always incorporate antiques into my designs. Including antiques or vintage items is a surefire way to avoid the “showroom” look. Also, mixing different kinds of seating not only makes your living room more interesting, but also gives guests different seating options for their comfort. Make sure to plan your seating around creating conversation groups, rather than have all of the seating facing the TV. Ottomans are one of my go-to’s for extra seating.

Tip 7: Blend Your TV Into The Room

TV’s are a reality of modern life (and sometimes even the focal point in living rooms), so you’ll need to plan around yours. A TV stand is a common solution, but some alternatives you may not have considered include: projecting onto a blank wall, placing a flatscreen TV on a wall and surrounding it with artwork in black frames, or concealing the TV in a large cabinet.

We mixed modern furnishings (art deco chairs) and antiques (incense burners and foo dog statues) in this living room.

If there’s one room in your home that you really need to get right, it’s the living room. Not only does it shape the way guests see your home, but it’s a room you’ll want to enjoy for yourself, too. Regardless of whether you want your living room to be formal or casual, it’s worth your time to plan a space that’s welcoming for family and friends alike.

Of course, not everyone has the time to plan their living room design in detail. Hiring an interior design firm is the best way to ensure your home has that professionally designed touch. Schedule a free consultation with Chambers Interiors by emailing us at info@chambersinteriors.com or calling our Dallas office at 214-651-7665.

Smart Ways to Design a Small Space / November 18, 2020 by Margaret Chambers

This small guest bedroom is from a 1960s Dallas ranch we designed for a couple who were downsizing.

Just because you live in a small apartment or condo doesn’t mean that you can’t go big on style. Designing a small space can present some unique challenges. However, living in a small space also encourages you to be thoughtful and economical about what you bring into it. If you’re looking to get the most out of your apartment or condo, these tips may be helpful.

Identify Your Top Priorities for the Space

To start with, take time to really think about your needs and your routine. For example, if you don’t use your dining table often, you may want to replace it with a table that folds up when not in use. Walk through the apartment and note any blank walls or corners that aren’t serving a purpose. Whenever possible, take advantage of vertical wall space to add additional storage. Tall, narrow bookcases and shelving units are perfect for this.

Daybeds, such as the one seen here, are multi-purpose. They can function as beds as well as seating or lounging areas.

Buy Multi-Purpose Furniture

If you’ve read other small space decorating guides, you probably know that buying multi-purpose furniture is a must. Some examples of multi-purpose furniture include beds with built-in storage, bookcases with built-in desks, hollow ottomans and sofa beds. When you’re decorating your small apartment from scratch, it’s crucial to make sure you’re purchasing the correct scale furniture. A major advantage to hiring an interior designer is that they will carefully measure your space and find pieces that are just the right proportion—or have them custom-made, if need be.

The glass and acrylic game table next to this mirror fades into the background. It also doubles as an extra dining spot.

If you have low ceilings, use short-legged furniture to help your ceilings feel taller. On the other hand, if your ceilings are just the right height, you should consider furniture with longer legs. A large sofa that sits low to the floor can feel extra bulky in a small room. By bringing up your furniture off the floor instead, you’re making it appear as if you have more floor space.

Make Your Walls Feel Bigger With the Right Accessories

One of the tricks designers use for decorating apartments and condos is to buy clear furniture made of acrylic or glass. A clear coffee table fades into its surroundings, making the room feel more expansive. Mirrors are another common solution for small spaces. They add more dimension to an otherwise flat wall, and reflect light into the room. Believe it or not, it’s a mistake to only decorate your walls with small artwork. With artwork, it can actually look better to go bold with a big statement piece.

Use Rugs and Furniture to Create Visual ‘Zones’

Rugs also do a lot of good for a small apartment. They can cover up unsightly carpets and tile, delineate “zones,” or visually expand the space. Speaking of zones, make sure to divide shared spaces with your furniture. An open concept floor plan is not as beneficial to apartments as you might think. It’s better to give the eye places to rest and create cohesive groupings. For example, if your dining area and living room are connected, you can use the back of your sofa to separate the two.

Floor-to-ceiling shelves add plenty of storage space to this small library from a home we designed in Kessler Park.

Most small spaces are square or rectangular. Adding curved furniture can contrast against the angles of your space in an appealing way, instantly giving your apartment some flair. Don’t forget to complement any curved furniture with one or two curved accessories in the same room, such as an oval mirror or rounded lampshade.

Choose Your Paint Color

When it comes to paint color, different designers approach small spaces in different ways. Some say you should paint the walls white to help the apartment feel more open. Others say that a dark paint color gives your apartment a cozy, jewel-box feel. In my opinion, there is no right or wrong answer: instead, you should decide what kind of feel you want your apartment to have, and go from there.

We used a light, green-and-beige color scheme to help this guest bedroom feel more open and airy.

Whether you’re starting with a blank state, or you simply want to rearrange the furniture you already have, this guide should help you make your small space your own. When a small space is thoughtfully designed, visitors won’t notice its size: instead, they’ll admire your great taste!

If you’re still stumped on how to get the most potential out of your small space, consider hiring an interior designer. To schedule a free consultation with Chambers Interiors, call our office in Dallas at 214-651-7665 or send us an email at info@chambersinteriors.com.

How to Decorate These Common Types of Dallas Home Architecture / November 12, 2020 by Margaret Chambers

We decorated this modern Dallas house using a midcentury style, with burnt oranges, earth tones, and simple shapes.

When I’m working with clients who have recently purchased a home, they often ask me: “What’s the right style for this house’s architecture?” This is an especially common concern among people moving into a historic house. No matter how beautiful your furnishings and art collection are, your home won’t come together if your decorating clashes with the ‘bones’ of the house.

For example, an industrial loft with exposed brick will look strange decorated with all European antiques. A colonial home should use a traditional style as opposed to something trendy, like Scandinavian minimalism. In this guide, I’ll discuss the most appropriate interior design styles for four types of home architecture I see often in Dallas: Modern, English, French, and Italian.

Modern Homes

Modern homes can be seen in Highland Park, University Park, and Lower Greenville. This style of house, which is inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School architecture, typically has a flat (or sometimes gabled) roof.

Here you can see an exterior photo of the Dallas modern home featured above.

In a modern home, function comes before form: there is very little ornamentation and few decorative objects, save for some modern art to add sophistication. If you live in a modern home, you’ll need to decorate in either a modern, contemporary, or transitional style. All three of these styles tend to have a neutral color scheme, such as white, gray, tan or cream, with some brown or black accents.

If you do want to include a few antiques, I recommend multicultural works of art. Midcentury modern artists drew inspiration from other cultures (think of Pablo Picasso and his “African Period” of art). This is perhaps why Indian, East Asian, or African art will look natural in a modern setting while European antiques do not.

English, French, or Italian Homes

When you own a home with an English, French, or Italian architectural style, the safest course is to make your interior design consistent with the architecture. Depending on what type of home you have, however, you do have some leeway to incorporate pieces that are in a different style.

The dining room in this University Park English cottage has Chippendale chairs with elaborately carved chair backs.

For example, if I were designing an English home, I would make sure that at least eighty-five percent of the furnishings, fabrics, and accessories were English in style. Chippendale furniture is a very popular choice for today’s English homes. For that other fifteen percent of the house, I might include some French pieces, such as French porcelains. American antique furniture (or reproductions) are another option because American furniture was closely based on English furniture.

The same goes for French and Italian homes. A French home should be mostly French, but can have some English pieces. If you’re looking to add variety to your Italian home, I would go with French pieces, which will blend better with the rest of the home than English pieces would.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there’s quite a bit of difference between French Classical or French Country, or between Georgian and English Cottage. If your home can be described as English Cottage or French Country, you’ll want to fill it with items that are more casual and pared down.

The traditional living room in this French chateau we designed combines elegant furnishings with a soft color palette.

For all three of these styles, you can also feel free to include a few modern pieces of artwork. In Paris, it’s a popular trend to decorate old Parisian apartments with all modern artwork and furnishings. Personally, though, I believe that modern furniture should not be used in a classical French, English, or Italian home. It might look trendy today, but it won’t stand the test of time the same way that a more traditional look would.

As an interior designer, when I work with clients who own a beautiful modern, English, French, or Italian home, I want the final result to remain mostly faithful to the architectural style. That said, when most people move into a new home, they don’t start from scratch: everyone has at least a few items they’re bringing with them. Thankfully, there are ways to incorporate heirloom furniture or prized artwork that doesn’t match the exact style of the home. The key is to identify which of your items might potentially clash with the architecture and which could blend right in.

If you recently moved into a new home and aren’t sure how to bring the best out of the architecture, consult an interior designer. Here at Chambers Interiors, we are experienced in designing and decorating homes with a wide variety of architectural styles. Call our Dallas office at 214-651-7665 or email us at info@chambersinteriors.com to learn more.

Step-by-Step Guides for Designing Masculine or Feminine Spaces / August 5, 2020 by Margaret Chambers

Pictured is a masculine library with a blue and gray color scheme.

Shown here is a feminine formal living room with a pink color scheme.

Have you ever noticed how some rooms feel more feminine, while others feel masculine? Flipping through an interior design magazine, you can probably point to which rooms fall on either side of the spectrum (along with a few rooms that are a little bit of both). But perhaps you’ve never stopped to think about exactly why those rooms feel “gendered.”

For interior designers, it’s an important skill to know how to convey masculinity or femininity in a room. After all, we design for men, women, and families; we need to know how to make anyone feel at home in the spaces we design. Here are my personal designer tips for decorating the perfect masculine or feminine space.

How to Style Masculine Rooms

When you think of “masculine spaces,” the stereotypical man-cave probably comes to mind: dark walls, sports memorabilia, movie posters, a big TV, and a couch that’s seen better days. But there’s no reason that men should get the short end of the stick in home design.

Maybe you’re a bachelor wanting to give a facelift to your pad. Maybe you’re a wife who’s making sure that your husband feels included in the design process. Or maybe you’re someone who’s always been attracted to moody, gentlemanly spaces and would love to have a whole home that recreates that aesthetic. If any of the above applies to you, this design guide should come in handy.

*The wood paneling in this study is stained black. The dark color gives the space masculine sophistication, while the furniture (which is more on the feminine side) brings balance to the space.*

Step 1: Choose Your Color Palette and Patterns

Most masculine rooms you see in professionally designed interiors will feature one of the following color schemes: black-and-white, warm neutrals, or dark, rich colors. While deep reds, blues, greens, browns, and grays are great choices, avoid painting the walls black, which puts the ‘cave’ in ‘man-cave!’

Pastels, pinks, purples, and oranges are usually associated with femininity, so these should be avoided as paint colors. Deep purple and rust-orange can sometimes be included as accent colors in a masculine room. For your accent metals, try “cool” metals such as silver, pewter, gunmetal, and chrome.

There are few patterns that you couldn’t work into a masculine space, but in general, geometric patterns will be more at home here. Masculine furniture tends to have strong, clean lines rather than curves and ornate details; the same logic applies to patterns, as well. Animal print is another option if you prefer something more organic.

Step 2: Select Furniture

*This den we designed for a home in Kessler Park is subtly masculine with its tonal gray fabrics and angular furniture.*

Something I notice when I study masculine rooms is that everything is a little more massive in scale. The patterns are bigger and the furniture is beefier. Although a masculine room can be either traditional or contemporary, either way, you should select furniture with boxy silhouettes and little ornamentation. Some historical styles of furniture that lend themselves easily to this look include Art Deco, neoclassical, Biedermeier, and midcentury modern.

No masculine space is truly complete without at least one leather piece of furniture. Thankfully, leather can be purchased in multiple colors (including brown, black, or white), making it easy to incorporate into any color scheme. The overall layout of your furniture should be orderly, preferably symmetrical.

Step 3: Add Texture

*The wooden desk, hammered metal chair backs, and leather seats in this study help to give the room its masculine feel.*

Designing a masculine room is a great opportunity to play with contrasting textures. Rough textures such as unfinished wood, brick, concrete, and stone bring masculinity to mind, but so do smooth textures such as metal, leather, and lacquer.

To prevent the room from feeling cold and uncomfortable, add fabrics such as mohair, wool, tweed and cashmere. All of these materials are traditionally associated with menswear.

Step 4: Pick the Right Accessories

A masculine room doesn’t necessarily need to be minimalist. To add character to the room, don’t forget to incorporate accessories such as vintage books, pottery, or small male busts of famous leaders. Another example of an accessory I might include in a masculine room would be a large bowl of alabaster balls.

Add art or photography prints to the walls for a touch of sophistication. Art can also be your method of introducing bright accent colors to a masculine room, if you want them, since your wall colors will probably need to be more subdued.

Before you design a masculine room for the first time, you might feel like your options are limited. But there are many different ways to convey masculinity, just as there are many different ways to be a man. The ideal masculine space conveys strength, sophistication, and warmth—qualities that anyone with great taste can appreciate.

*Black-and-white architectural prints, such as these seen here, are traditionally considered masculine rather than feminine.*

Four Steps for Creating a Glamorous Feminine Space

In the early 2010s, solemn, masculine spaces were considered to be the cutting-edge of interior design. Rooms with floral patterns and lightweight furniture—feminine rooms—were not taken quite as seriously in the art and design world. After 2015, however, designers such as myself began to notice that feminine design was making a comeback, this time with a modern edge.

Step 1: Pick Your Paint Color and Main Patterns

*We painted this formal living room ceiling aqua with a high-gloss paint finish. The rest of the room is filled with softly feminine colors.*

While dark walls are a popular choice for masculine rooms, in a feminine room, you’ll usually want to go for “light and bright.” Appropriate neutrals include beige, dove grey, cream and white. Pastels such as pink, peach, soft yellow, mint green, lavender, or aqua are also options for those who prefer color. To give the room some extra shine, consider using a high-gloss paint finish for your walls and ceiling.

If your heart is set on a dark wall color, rose red is probably the most feminine choice. Dusty pinks are an alternative to pastel pink: they can give your room a mature, classy feel that isn’t too juvenile.

As far as patterns go, florals and damasks are classically feminine. To avoid your room ending up with a grandmotherly vibe, pair these patterns with unusual color combinations. Geometric patterns are not off the table here: some geometrics, such as stripes or trellis patterns, can also be right at home in a feminine room.

Step 2: Choose a Style of Furniture

*This English cottage style home is in University Park, Dallas. The curved lines and glossy finish of the sideboard seen here, along with the pink wallpaper, are classically feminine.*

Western ideas about what constitutes feminine design are heavily influenced by European trends in art. For example, Louis XV and Louis XVI furniture have the curved profiles and carved details that we associate with femininity today.

However, you don’t have to be an antique collector to design the perfect feminine space. Midcentury modern, beach-themed, and eclectic interiors can also evoke feminine delicacy and sophistication. There is no “right” style when it comes to decorating for a feminine room: what’s important is that you find the style that makes you feel the most at ease and comfortable.

While most of the furniture in your feminine room should have curved silhouettes, break things up with at least a couple of pieces with straight lines. Sleek and sinuous objects, like tall, slender lamps can also pair nicely with your other furnishings.

Step 3: Mix in Different Textures

As with any room, your feminine room should have a variety of textures. Soft fabrics, such as velvet, silk, satin, and chenille will give your room a luxurious feel, but make sure to contrast them with other textures. For a feminine room, I recommend smooth textures such as metals, glass, and lacquer.

*The formal living room of the English cottage we designed features both soft textures (the velvet sofa) and smooth textures (the mirror and glass top coffee table).*

Step 4: Find the Perfect Accessories

In a masculine room, you need to be sparing with the details. Not so with a feminine room: the accessories are really key here. For a glamorous look, add crystal, Lucite, mirrors, porcelain or marble. Fresh flowers and decorative throw pillows will also add an instant touch of femininity to any room.

Our clients in this Preston Hollow home asked us to use six curtain panels that originally belonged to the client’s mother. The unusual color combination (apple green, purple, and black) defined the color scheme for the rest of this guest bedroom. T… — Our clients in this Preston Hollow home asked us to use six curtain panels that originally belonged to the client’s mother. The unusual color combination (apple green, purple, and black) defined the color scheme for the rest of this guest bedroom. The still life painting has a dark background to match the black in the curtains.

The kinds of art you’ll usually see in a feminine space include still lifes, portraits, and colorful abstract paintings. In most cases, you’ll want your accent metals to be warm rather than cool—yellow gold, rose gold, or brass, for example. Yellow gold is considered feminine because it is such a popular metal for jewelry.

For your chandelier (because you’ll definitely want a chandelier in a feminine space), scrolled or crystal chandeliers would be suitable choices in a traditional setting. For contemporary, look for something simpler, such as a drum-shade chandelier. Pinch pleated drapes or sheer curtains are both good options for window treatments, depending on how much light you want to let into the room.

Ideally, most of the rooms in your home should be a balance of both masculine and feminine design traits. There are certain situations, however, where a strongly feminine room is desirable. A young girl’s bedroom; an adult woman’s dressing room; or an entertaining space for the lady of the house and her friends, for example. Anyone who is drawn to environments that are calm, comforting, and elegant can benefit from studying up on the elements of feminine design.

Interested in bringing in an experienced design team to help you create a gentlemanly study, an ultra-feminine bedroom, or a formal living room with the best of both worlds? Call us at 214-232-9501, or email us at info@chambersinteriors.com to schedule a free consultation!

All About Downsizing: What to Let Go, What to Bring, and What to Buy / April 24, 2020 by Margaret Chambers

Our clients for this project originally lived in Highland Park. Their kids were grown, so they didn’t need to be in a school district anymore and wanted to downsize to another home in Dallas. After their house sold sooner than expected, they quickly… — Our clients for this project originally lived in Highland Park. Their kids were grown, so they didn’t need to be in a school district anymore and wanted to downsize to another home in Dallas. After their house sold sooner than expected, they quickly found a 1960’s ranch style home and brought us in to update it. Almost all of the furniture and accessories were newly purchased by us. In this shot, you can see a mirrored console table, which adds extra storage.

More Americans than ever are looking to downsize for their next home purchase. Downsizing makes sense to people from all walks of life: empty-nesters, retirees, and people who are moving in with, or separating from, a significant other. This article is aimed at anyone who’s downsizing for the first time and looking for practical advice on where to begin.

Now that you know you want to downsize, start the process at least a month early. Decluttering can be an emotionally exhausting process, so pace yourself by focusing on just one room at a time. Starting early will give you time to pause and enjoy looking at old photos and travel mementos. You’ll also have time to research the true value of your collectibles and antiques.

If you’ve already found your next home, now’s a good time to walk through it with a tape measure to see which furniture can physically fit in each room. Everything you take with you to your next home should have a dedicated place for it. If you can, you may even want to mark off sections of your new home in tape to create a floor-plan ahead of time. Choose only the best of the best of your furniture to bring with you. If you are keeping your antique chairs, you can give them a fresher look by reupholstering them with modern fabrics. Almost any kind of furniture can be refreshed with either new upholstery or a new coat of paint.

We updated the upholstery on these antique Victorian chairs with a newer fabric that the clients owned. The chairs once belonged to the clients’ grandparents, and the new fabric was once used on the set of the Sex and the City movie.

A common downsizing tip is to sort your belongings into Yes, No, and Maybe piles. However, I would suggest you skip the Maybe pile. Maybe piles just create an extra chore for you later when you have to look at all those items a second time. An easy way to cut down on kitchen clutter is to identify your duplicates and get rid of them. If you don’t entertain large parties, you probably don’t need shelves and shelves of drinking glasses, or multiple sets of dishes.

Don’t get rid of useful items that you know you’d have to repurchase later, or nostalgic items that are important to you. A good way to narrow down your keepsakes is to ask yourself: if your house were on fire, what would you save? Your family members may want to take some sentimental items off your hands, so reach out to them to see if you get any takers. If you have adult children, give them a deadline to pick up their old things, or offer to ship them. Whatever you do, don’t let your next home become your children’s storage locker.

If you own an entrée table but won’t have a foyer in your next home, consider repurposing it as a breakfast table. This table we bought for our clients is actually an entrée table, but we decided to use it as a breakfast table instead.

Consider selling valuable items at consignment shops, a yard sale, or online. You can also bring your most valuable items to an auction house to see if they’re interested. Yard sales are good for moving items quickly. Online selling on eBay, Craigslist, etc. can yield higher returns, but is more of a time investment, as taking photos, packing items, and creating the listings will eat into your remaining time until moving day.

Of course, downsizing isn’t just about getting rid of things. It’s also about finding new furniture and storage solutions that work best in your new home. If you’re buying a new coffee table, try getting a glass-top coffee table that gives the illusion of extra room, rather than a bulky all-wood table. Free up space by choosing multi-purpose items whenever possible. Instead of having a guest bedroom, you can get a comfortable sofa-sleeper or an attractive daybed with a trundle bed.

The glass and acrylic game table next to this mirror fades into the background. A dark wood or metal table in the same spot would likely make the sitting area look too crowded. This game table can also double as an extra dining spot, making it a mul… — The glass and acrylic game table next to this mirror fades into the background. A dark wood or metal table in the same spot would likely make the sitting area look too crowded. This game table can also double as an extra dining spot, making it a multi-purpose piece.

Downsizing is no easy task, but for many people, the results are worth it: a simpler lifestyle, less surface area to clean, less space for clutter to accumulate in, and lower utility bills. This is an opportunity to give your old things a fresh start, creating a new environment that you look forward to coming home to. If downsizing is in your future, I hope that this article can make your next move as stress-free as possible.

Some of our clients approach us for downsizing help because they’re looking for a second opinion on the items they’re bringing with them. If you, too, would like a professional eye to help you manage your downsizing project, call us at 214-232-9501, or email us at info@chambersinteriors.com to schedule a free consultation.

Designing a Luxury Guest Bedroom / March 25, 2020 by Margaret Chambers

Adding ottomans to the end of this bed gives guests another place to set their bags or fasten their shoes.

Do you plan to host your friends or family this year, but feel like your guest bedroom could use an update? With the right look and the right shopping list, you can recreate the feel of a luxury hotel in your own home. To update an existing bedroom, here are some guidelines for achieving the most comfortable experience:

It’s not uncommon for old, tired bedding sets to be relegated to the guest bedroom. Consider investing in new sheets with a high thread-count. If your mattress is uncomfortable or lumpy, you can put on a memory foam topper or mattress pad to make it feel like new. A thick area rug under the bed will give guests something soft to step on when they rise for the day, especially if you have hardwood floors.

Although this guest bathroom has many different patterns, the cool white-and-gray color scheme helps it feel calming rather than busy.

Sooner or later, most homeowners are tempted to use their guest bedroom closets for overflow storage. If you do, don’t forget to make space for your guests’ things before they arrive. When sheets and towels have been left undisturbed for a long time, they may develop a slight musty smell. Change the sheets and pillowcases, and wash and dry the towels in the bathroom too.

Your room should be well-lit so guests can comfortably read. However, you’ll also want it to be as dark as possible at night so guests can get a good night’s sleep. To achieve this, you can either install blackout curtains or leave a sleep mask on the bedside table.

Just because you don’t have a designated guest bedroom doesn’t mean you can’t create a restful guest space. An attic can be a perfectly good guest bedroom: if your ceiling is sloped, make sure to choose furniture that sits low to the floor to make the ceiling seem taller. To repurpose your home office as a guest bedroom, add a daybed, or include a full-sized bed that is partitioned off with a curtain. Even if you do have a guest bedroom, consider adding a work desk anyway. A small desk, lamp, and chair give your room a “hotel” feel.

Pictured is a seating area from a guest bedroom we designed. With the drink table on one side and a pharmacy lamp on the other, it makes an excellent reading corner.

If you’re designing a guest bedroom from scratch, here are some additional points to consider:

Think ahead about who you’d like to invite over. Will you be hosting couples, or family members with children? Make sure you can accommodate their storage needs and sleeping arrangements.

If you anticipate having families with children over, or a pair of single friends, you’ll probably want to fit in twin beds rather than a single queen or king-size bed. Another consideration: will you be allowing guests to bring a pet? If so, keeping food and water dishes and a pet bed on hand is a thoughtful extra touch.

If you can, include at least one comfortable sitting area or reading nook. Guests will appreciate having a place to retreat to and relax besides the bed that isn’t in a communal living space. Padded benches at the end of the bed are another option: they add a place for guests to sit and tie their shoes or set down their bags.

Guest bedrooms should be as self-contained as possible. Include a TV and full-length mirror if you can. For the ultimate in luxury, look into having heated floors installed in the guest bathroom.

Having a landline phone on the bedside table is helpful for guests when their cell phones are low on battery, or when you live in a remote area with spotty cell phone service. Include some books (preferably light reading) or recently published magazines on the bedside table too. Some people have trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds, and those guests will appreciate having the reading material available. Your bedside table lamp should also be bright enough to read by.

Of course, the best hotel rooms are not only comfortable but tastefully designed. You’ll want yours to be a beautiful room that guests remember, too. A distinctive or unusual headboard is one way to make a statement. Decorative pillows, rugs, and throw blankets are also a good opportunity to add a burst of color.

The fabric on the curtains you see in this Preston Hollow guest bedroom originally belonged to the client’s mother. The purple, apple green, and black in the curtains was a challenging color scheme for us to work with, but ultimately lead us to crea… — The fabric on the curtains you see in this Preston Hollow guest bedroom originally belonged to the client’s mother. The purple, apple green, and black in the curtains was a challenging color scheme for us to work with, but ultimately lead us to create a unique result.

Other ways to add personality to your guest bedroom include decorating the wall with a gallery of artwork, choosing a colorful wallpaper, or picking a theme for the room (nautical is a popular theme for guest rooms). For an extra luxurious feel, outfit your window treatments with rope tiebacks or simple valances. When it comes to color schemes for guest bedrooms, you can either go light and bright for a clean and refreshing look, or dark for a cozy, cave-like feel. To design a romantic bedroom, choose deep, rich colors.

The key to being a great host is to anticipate your guest’s needs before they do. Here is a checklist of items to include that help you go the extra mile:

· Bathrobe, slippers

· Water bottle and drinking glasses

· Fresh flowers

· Luggage rack

· Pen and paper

· Books and magazines

· Note with your Wi-Fi password

· Small clock (make sure it doesn’t tick loudly)

· Hair dryer, travel-size toiletries

· Snacks (such as a bowl of fruit)

· Charging station for electronic devices

· Coffee pot

· Ironing board and iron

When your bedroom is close to complete, stay a night to test it out. Did you sleep as comfortably as you would in your master bed? Were you missing anything?

Inviting guests into your home gives them a glimpse into your own lifestyle. If you keep these design tips in mind, your guests will not only enjoy their stay, but admire your great taste too.

If you could use a professional touch to help your guest bedroom go the extra mile, consider hiring an interior designer. To schedule a free consultation with us, call our Dallas office at 214-651-7665 or send an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.

Solutions to Common Decorating Mistakes / January 9, 2020 by Margaret Chambers

When you work as an interior designer, you encounter many misconceptions about home decorating. These misconceptions can lead homeowners to make unnecessary mistakes and fail to capture the true potential of their home. Thankfully, many of these problems also have quick and inexpensive solutions.

Klismos chairs, a modern chandelier, and an abstract painting give character to this breakfast nook in a 1960s Dallas ranch home. A breakfast table such as this one needs ‘breathing room,’ and should not be placed too close to walls or corners.

One of the most common decorating mistakes is pushing furniture up against the walls. People do this to make more space in the center of the room, but ironically it actually makes things feel more cramped! The solution is to bring your furniture closer together to create intimate seating areas. This also allows there to be some “breathing room” between the walls and furniture.

We used a console table to act as a buffer between the two sofas in this Kessler Park Spanish Colonial home.

As you plan your seating areas, consider how foot traffic will flow in and out of the room. You don’t want the room to be awkward to navigate. As a rule of thumb, you should make sure the back of your sofa is not facing the entrance into the room. Entering a room where the main seating area is facing away can feel subtly unwelcoming to visitors. If turning the sofa around isn’t an option, place an attractive console table at the sofa’s back with books or other accessories.

This may sound surprising coming from a designer, but comfort is just as important as style. It’s a mistake to settle for an uncomfortable chair just because you love its look. Comfort is especially crucial for dining chairs: whether you’re sitting down to a family dinner or entertaining guests, you want everyone to be able to relax.

A large room needs a large rug. The unfortunate reality is that a small rug that “floats” in the center of the floor never works! For small rooms, we like to use a rug that leaves only ten to twelve inches of floor space between the rug and the wall. Using a large rug will make a small room feel more expansive.

If you haven’t bought a rug yet, you can use painter’s tape to plan out the area you want the rug to cover. Want to get the most out of the rug you already have? Hide the edges of it under furniture legs. This tricks the eye into thinking the rug stretches farther than it actually does.

Chambers Interiors designed this study hall and dining area for SMU’s Kappa Alpha Theta house. The two separate seating areas here each have their own large area rug. Using two rugs helps to visually break up the space.

You may see an abundance of decorative pillows when you browse design magazines. I’m here to tell you that it’s actually better if you don’t put throw pillows everywhere. Not only will too many pillows look fussy, but you’ll also get tired of moving them to make room every time you sit on the couch. It’s also unnecessary to have all the pillows on a bed or sofa perfectly match.

A pair of decorative pillows add color and pattern to the sofa in this family room. Because there are only two pillows, there is plenty of space left to sit.

Another common mistake is displaying every accessory you own. Generally, the less clutter the better. Reducing clutter on counters or walls gives the eye places to rest, too. Give yourself permission to let go of any decorating items you don’t want to keep anymore, even gifts from loved ones. If you have lots of photos to display, create a gallery wall for them instead of clustering them on mantles and shelves.

Our clients for this home wanted a refreshing and high-gloss look. Lacquered furniture and glass light fixtures, such as the ones seen in this foyer, helped to cinch the look.

That said, it’s also possible to make a room feel too staged. A room without any family photos or other personal items runs the risk of feeling like a furniture store. Another common decorating mistake is ignoring your foyer. The foyer is an opportunity to make a great first impression for visitors, so don’t leave it bare.

Be careful of design fads. Don’t chase any trends that will be expensive to redo or replace later, because there’s always a possibility you’ll get tired of a certain look. Instead, pick trendy accessories that will be easy to replace if they look dated in a few years. Or better yet, pursue classic looks that have already stood the test of time.

This list covers some of the most common decorating mistakes we see. If something doesn’t feel right with a room you’ve decorated, I hope you can now identify and solve the issue.

Have a home decorating problem that isn’t discussed here? We’d love to help you find the solution. Reach out to us by calling 214-232-9501 or sending an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.

How to Capture the Classical Regency Look in Your Modern Dallas Home / January 21, 2019 by Margaret Chambers

“Portrait of George IV of England.” Painted by Thomas Lawrence in 1816. [Public domain] {{PD-US-expired}}

When you think of England's Regency era, a few things probably come to mind. Extravagance, high fashion, romance, and exoticism: any of these words can sum up the national mood and aesthetics of this era.

For those unfamiliar with this period in history, the Regency era gets its name from George IV, who was chosen to be Regent after his ailing father, King George III, was declared unfit for rule. The Prince ruled as Regent from the years 1811 through 1820, when his father passed away and he was named King George IV.

The Cultural Influences Behind Regency Style

As Prince Regent, George IV was a patron of the arts, and had a major influence on the interior design style, fashions, and architecture of the day. The Royal Pavilion in Brighton was built to be his personal retreat and directly reflected the Prince's tastes as well as the changing world around him.

Ancient Empires

Regency style is an extension of Neoclassical style from the 1700s, so columns and domes continued to be popular architectural features. Furniture makers of the 1800's also copied Greek and Roman furniture styles even more closely than Neoclassical designers had. Some of the ideas they borrowed included chairs with animal legs, couches with scrolled ends, and decorative lions and griffins.

This Regency-style convex mirror is sold by English Georgian America and features two gilded serpents. Click here for more information.

Another Regency reproduction by English Georgian America, this mahogany chest of drawers has both lion mask drop handles and lion’s paw feet. Available from their website.

Napoleon's campaign against the English in Egypt created renewed interest in Egyptian art among Europeans. Motifs taken from ancient Egyptian artifacts were incorporated into both the English Regency style and the French Empire style. The most popular motifs were crocodiles, birds of prey, and sun discs.

Asia

Where Neoclassical and Regency style differed was that Regency incorporated more visual ideas from Asia. The British East India Company, established in the 16th century, continued to import goods from China, Southeast Asia and India in the 1800s. Chinoiserie, which we covered in a previous blog, became even more popular in the Regency period.

The Banqueting Room at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton from John Nash's ''Views of the Royal Pavilion'' (1826). {PD-US-expired} Images of Chinese domestic scenes line the walls.

Before the Prince Regent's time, Chinoiserie style was usually reserved for bedrooms and tea pavilions. But that didn't stop George IV from filling his Royal Pavilion with Asian wallpaper, decorative dragons, paintings of Chinese domestic scenes, imitation bamboo, and lacquered furniture. Meanwhile, the exterior of the Royal Pavilion featured domes and minarets based on Indian architecture. At the time, many visitors found the Royal Pavilion's extravagant Asian decor shocking.

Modern Regency Interior Design

Decorating a home in Regency style today might seem intimidating. However, it can be done if you shop with the right kind of furnishings in mind. For those who don't collect antiques, there are many fine reproduction pieces available.

Furniture

During the Regency period, more foreign woods began to be imported to England. These included rosewood, satinwood (which has a bright yellow color), tulipwood, and zebrawood. Zebrawood was very costly, so it was generally used only in veneers and latticework. Brass inlays became a popular feature, as did ormolu, or imitation gold. Regency furniture was also usually finished with beautiful veneers.

When less expensive woods, such as beech, fir, or pine were used, they would be painted in black lacquer. Another popular paint color for furniture was green with a bronzy metal powder coating that simulated the look of a bronze patina.

While English Regency furniture is not as curvaceous as French Regency furniture from the 1700s, English designers did incorporate some curves, especially in the legs of furniture. Some other charming characteristics of Regency furniture include reeding, lion paw feet, and sabre legs. Reeding is a technique in which a wood surface has indentations carved into it to create a series of bands. The result looks a little bit like a bundle of reeds. Sabre legs are exactly what they sound like: furniture legs which curve outward like sabers.

On average, Regency chairs sit lower than modern chairs. Library and dining chairs were usually upholstered in leather, while sofas were richly upholstered in damask and satin. Speaking of sofas, it became very popular to include a sofa in every room in the Regency era.

Above, left: This stunning breakfast table by English Georgian America has an intricate, geometrically inlaid tilt top. Go to their website for a closer view.

Above, right: Black painted furniture is commonly seen in Regency style rooms. This Regency style dresser is also available in white from English Georgian America.

Colors

Neoclassical tended to have understated color schemes, but Regency style was more flamboyant. This is not a style for someone who doesn't love color.

The Royal Pavilion was heavily decorated in reds, pinks, greens, and gold. If you don't want to work with multiple bright colors in a room, pick just one and design the room around that color. For example, you could complement a pair of blue-and-white china pieces with cobalt blue drapes in the same room.

The blue silk pillow on this double chairback settee can add a touch of color to a space. This is another piece available at English Georgian America’s website.

Many Regency homes will have a bold accent wall with an exotic Chinoiserie pattern. Another option is the stately "Regency stripe" pattern, which alternates between light and dark stripes of the same width.

Accessories

An etagere resembling a Pagoda, such as this piece by English Georgian America, would have fit right in with the Brighton Pavilion’s Asian aesthetic. Currently in-stock at their website.

Accessories are another area where you can add a multicultural touch. In a Regency style room, it's not unusual to see foo dog statues, or Roman busts, paired with European style furnishings. Finally, make sure to have an eye-catching chandelier in any room that needs it. The more unique and spectacular the design is, the better.

When you set out to recreate Regency style in the modern-day, there is no need to turn your Dallas home into an opulent English palace. Instead, study the color palettes and furnishing choices you see in modern and classic Regency interiors. By drawing inspiration from what you see in photos, you can rework Regency style into a comfortable environment for yourself or your family.

If you're still stumped on how to combine the many different features of this style, seeking out an experienced interior designer should be your next step. To schedule a free consultation with us, email us at info@chambersinteriors.com or call our Dallas office at 214-651-7665.

How to Decorate with Faux Bois, the Classic That’s Making a Comeback / November 19, 2018 by Margaret Chambers

This garden bench by Currey & Company resembles wood branches, but is actually made of concrete. For more information on where to buy Currey & Company pieces, please contact us.

Even if you’ve never heard the term, “faux bois,” you’ve almost certainly seen it used in interior design. Faux bois means “false wood” in French. It can be any kind of decorative item, but when people talk about “faux bois,” they usually mean the cement, stone, or cast iron furniture that is shaped and patterned like wood. Though faux bois fell out of favor for a few decades, interior designers here in Dallas and elsewhere are seeing it make a comeback.

The first example of faux bois was a garden bridge created by Joseph Monier, a Frenchman, in 1875. Monier layered concrete and sand over metal rods and sculpted them to look like wood branches. In recent years, faux bois has remained an important tool for interior designers as certain woods have become more rare and expensive.

Examples of Faux Bois

We decorated this outdoor patio with faux bois benches by Currey & Company.

Faux bois furniture is traditionally used for the outdoors. For example, faux bois is a great choice for patio furniture, bird fountains, gardening tables, planters, and more.

The latest trend in Dallas and elsewhere is bringing faux bois inside to pull a touch of nature into the home. A popular accessory is the faux bois mirror, which is bordered by interlocking imitation tree branches.

Other examples of faux bois can include dinnerware, wallpaper, lampshades, and fabrics with a painted or printed wood grain pattern. Even glass can be crafted to have a distinctive wood grain look.

Faux bois cement pieces are much more durable than real wood, and can last over 100 years. Unfortunately, newly produced cement faux bois is becoming rarer and rarer. If you want to buy antiques, you can start by looking at the differences between European and North American faux bois and decide which style you like best.

Faux Bois Furniture Traditions in America

The frame of this mirror is surrounded by faux bois branches and leaves, which resemble carved wood.

In the 1920’s, Mexican-born artist Dionisio Rodriguez developed his own take on faux bois. The Mexican style of faux bois is called “El Trabajo Rustico,” or ‘the rustic work.’ Trabajo rustico furniture were usually tinted and given highly naturalistic details such as lichen, peeled bark, and knotholes.

Today, Rodriguez’s largest pieces are kept in the Brackenridge Park in San Antonio. Carlos Cortes, Rodriguez’s great-nephew, continues the tradition using steel-reinforced concrete in his studio in San Antonio.

Another designer who made faux bois a hit in America was John Dickinson. In the 1970s, Dickinson’s design collection included faux bois lamps and mirrors with cast concrete “twigs.” He used a distinctive chalk white finish for many of these pieces. John Dickinson’s furniture and accessories command high prices from collectors today.

Now that it’s the twenty-tens, faux bois is probably enjoying another resurgence in popularity because of Martha Stewart, who fell in love with Rodriguez’s pieces in Brackenridge Park and released her own line of faux bois bath items.

Faux Bois Design Tips

Because faux bois has been around for such a long time, you don’t need to worry about it being a passing fad. It also has the advantage of blending with either rustic, shabby chic, or upscale contemporary rooms.

This accent table by Currey & Company is well-suited for the indoors, too.

If you want your faux bois pieces to have their maximum impact, limit them to one or two per room. Visitors will enjoy the surprise of seeing tree stumps as low tables, or wood branches as hanging rods. You can mix these pieces easily with real wood and other organic textures, such as a sisal rug.

Introducing a bold graphic wood-grain print is one example of how faux bois should be used in modern interior design. Faux bois wallpaper can come in playful colors, and there are a variety of options for the scale, texture, or subtlety of the pattern too. One smart way to update your kitchen cabinetry is to find a painter who’s experienced with a faux wood painting finish.

Our design team at Chambers Interiors in Dallas has personal experience decorating with faux bois. Whether you already own faux bois and could use some creative ideas for decorating with it, or you’re interested in buying faux bois furniture for the first time, Chambers Interiors can help you bridge the gap between your vision and your next home.

Incorporating Mirrored Furniture Into Your Home / January 11, 2017 by Margaret Chambers

If you've ever shopped in Dallas and seen mirrored furniture on display, you may have wondered: is mirrored furniture in style? Or out of style?

Back in the 90's, mirrored furniture was overused in interior design, so it went out of style for awhile. However, mirrored furniture started to come back steadily in the early 2000's. Most interior designers now believe that it's a trend that's here to stay.

To some people, mirrored furniture has a classic look that will always bring a touch of glamour and elegance to a room. Others believe that these pieces work best when they're used with restraint. By following some basic guidelines, you should have no trouble finding the perfect place for these pieces in your home.

History of Mirrored Furniture

This 3-part mirrored desk by Bungalow 5 commands quite the presence with its high shine and ample storage space. If you’re interested in purchasing Bungalow 5 products, please feel free to reach out to us.

The earliest examples of mirrored furniture date back to the 18th century. At that time, mirrored woman’s dressing tables were especially popular. However, most of the new mirrored furnishings you find today are actually inspired by pieces from the Art Deco period in the 1920's and 30's.

That's why when people see mirrored furniture, they might think of old Hollywood interiors. Mirrored furniture can feel both glamorous and retro at the same time, so it works best when mixed with other styles.

Pros and Cons of Mirrored Furniture

One major benefit of introducing reflective surfaces into a room is that it gives the illusion of extra space. While a wooden armoire with dark staining feels visually "heavy," the same armoire with mirrored panels will actually "recede" by reflecting what is around it.

Although mirrors can bounce light around a room, they also make a room feel cool instead of warm--much like metal furnishings. The high sheen of this furniture can serve as a bridge between classical and contemporary elements in a room.

Bungalow 5 has also released this stunning 7-drawer storage piece. Its overall structure takes inspiration from Italian midcentury design, while the rippling wave pattern is a stylish addition.

The downsides to owning mirrored furniture include their cost of repair. Fixing any damage made on mirrored furniture can be a challenge. Also, keep in mind that you'll need to wipe away fingerprints, dust, splashes, and stains regularly. While cleaning may be frequent, however, it is also much easier to clean than wood. For instance, a wet glass that would leave on ring on wood furniture wouldn’t do the same on mirrored furniture.

Where to Put Mirrored Furniture in Your Dallas Home

Pictured above is the Cecilia center/dining table by Bungalow 5. It is made of wood with a mirrored surface.

The best kind of mirrored furnishings for bedrooms include wardrobes, chests, side tables, and dressing tables. A bed with mirrored frames makes an especially dramatic, mmirrore contemporary statement. For your living rooms, consider having a mirrored coffee table, end tables or sideboard. Mirrored folding screens can also add a touch of style to a large room.

Of course, you don't have to commit to a large statement piece. Chairs with a band of mirrored glass around the frame, or a small mirrored bedside table, can also add just a touch of sparkle.

On the other hand, you'll want to avoid putting this kind of furniture in busy rooms that already have a lot going on. A good rule of thumb is to have no more than one or two pieces in the same room.

Don't forget that mirrors can also be made with gray finishes to tone down their shine, while antique patinas give mirrors a unique "smoky" look. Unless you're after an antiqued patina, there's no need to track down real period pieces, however. Antique mirrored furniture was often cheaply made, since it's easier to glue on mirrors than staining or carving a wooden piece of furniture. We have the ability to help you find newer pieces that have this same, antiqued look.

As you can see, mirrored furniture is surprisingly versatile. When placed with care, these captivating pieces can make the whole room feel larger, bridge the gap between classical and modern, or add a glitzy shine. If you want to make sure that you're bringing out the full potential of your mirrored furniture, here at Chambers Interiors we often use mirrored pieces in contemporary, transitional and traditional spaces. If you're starting from scratch, we can also help you locate a wide variety of mirrored pieces in the Dallas Design District that are perfect for your interior.

Swedish Design and Decor Tips / August 18, 2016 by Margaret Chambers

Achieving the Swedish Design 'Look'

When most homeowners in Dallas hear the words, "Swedish interior design," they probably think of the internationally successful furniture chain, IKEA. Of course, there is more to Scandinavian design than just modern-style furniture.

Among interior designers, Swedish style is known for its soothing colors, painted wood furniture, and lack of clutter. This style became more popular in the US during the 1950s, because it shared traits with midcentury modern design. Today, Swedish design style still has plenty of fans. Younger homeowners are often attracted to the style's marriage of "shabby chic" and traditional elegance.

The Style of Swedish Interiors

Swedes live with long daylight hours in the summer, and long, dark nights in the winter. During the winter especially, they want to bring as much light into their homes as possible. Floor-to ceiling windows, crystal chandeliers, and gilt mirrors help reflect light around the room and make winter days a little more cheerful.

Another design choice that helps make Swedish interiors feel more open and airy is wood flooring. The wood is almost always either white, pine, or birch. Carpeting is nowhere near as common in Swedish homes as it is in other styles that can be found in Dallas.

Although Swedish design is best known for its palette of whites and grays, many Swedish interiors have an accent color as well. Robin's egg blue is a popular color throughout Scandinavia. The preference for blue is one thing that makes Swedish style stand apart from American midcentury modern.

Swedish Antique Furniture

To design a Swedish style home, especially a traditional or transitional home, it helps to know about Swedish antique furniture. These pieces are often referred to as "Gustavian furniture," named after King Gustav III, who reigned in Sweden from 1771-1792. Gustav spent a lot of time in Versailles with King Louis XVI, which is where he was exposed to the neo-classical style growing popular in France.

Gustav loved what he saw and brought elements of it home with him. Swedish handmade furniture produced during his time borrowed forms from the French and English, but left out hand-carved Rococo details. The result is furniture with artful, but clean lines. Gustav's taste trickled down to the gentry, who in turn influenced the lower classes. Swedish country homeowners would paint their wood furniture because they could not afford the expensive woods Gustav used in his palatial homes.

Many interior designers associate Swedish style with white and gray painted furniture, however some true antiques were actually painted in pale blue or green. Blue and white gingham was the usual pattern for upholstery and linens.

There are a few furniture styles that were unique to Sweden. One of these designs was the iconic Swedish Mora clock. Mora clocks were produced in the town of Mora, in the Dalarna province, from the late 1700s through the 1800s. Some desks were produced with a built-in Mora clock on top, but these are hard to find today.

Buying Swedish Antiques

Be warned that Swedish antiques can be difficult to authenticate because some of them look newer than they actually are, or have been repainted since they were first built. That is why having an expert in antiques and buying from the best dealers is so important. If you do want to start collecting authentic, high-quality Swedish antiques, connecting with a dealer in Sweden can help you secure them.

At Chambers Interiors, we offer a European buying trip service called Tour Decor. We use our close relationships with top dealers overseas to help you find the best antiques at wholesale prices. With an itinerary just for Scandinavia, Margaret Chambers works alongside her partner, Lea Barfield, to find the perfect pieces. If you are interested, visit Tour Decor's site to learn more and see photos from our latest trip - www.tour-decor.com

Collecting American Antiques / May 4, 2016 by Margaret Chambers

Get Started Collecting American Antique Furniture

Given the popularity of contemporary interior design, it might seem like now would be a odd time to start collecting antique furniture. Many new homeowners in Dallas are choosing to sell their family heirlooms and start over with brand new, factory-made furnishings. However, it is actually because of this downward trend in antique collecting that savvy collectors are finding amazing deals.

American antiques, which are the most valuable and collectible in the world, are selling for historically low prices. If you've long admired the craftsmanship of antique furniture, but feel like you need a degree in art history to navigate the marketplace, this guide can help you get started.

Why Buy Antiques?

Since 1890, furniture in America has been made by factories rather than by hand. If you want handmade furniture that was built to last generations, you'll want to buy antiques. These days you can potentially get a high-quality antique with a unique patina and character for the same cost, or less, than you would pay for a mass-produced piece with a "distressed" finish.

Because design trends run in cycles, it's likely that these low prices for antique furniture won't last forever. The popularity of different kinds of furniture also fluctuates over time. For example, in the past ten years many kitchens were designed with an "open" plan, connected to dining and sitting areas. This made formal dining room sets less desirable. However, more recently we are seeing separate dining rooms come back as homeowners decide they don't want their guests to see dishes piling up near the sink.

Learning about American Antiques

The American antique period starts in the mid-1600s, with very simple and utilitarian furniture, and ends in the late 1800s with the Aesthetic Movement. An antique is by definition at least 100 years old, so any furniture created after this period would be referred to as "vintage" instead of antique. Since America is a "young" country with only 300 years’ worth of handmade furniture to go around, American antiques tend to command higher prices than European or Asian antiques.

Periods of American furniture:

William and Mary:

Produced from 1680 to 1730.
Named after William III of Orange and Mary II, the co-regents of England in the late 1600s.
Usually made of maple, pine, oak or walnut woods. These early pieces of American furniture were characterized by a Baroque look with intense curves and turnings.

Queen Anne:

Produced from 1730 to 1760.
Named after Queen Anne of England.
This era saw the introduction of the cabriole leg. Other features of this style include decorative shells, scroll shapes, and curved chair crests.

Chippendale:

Produced from 1755 to 1780.
Named after Thomas Chippendale, who published a book of furniture designs called The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director.
Chippendale furniture features a lot of carved accents and ball-and-claw feet.

Federal:

Produced from 1780 to 1820, during the Federal period of American history.
This period was inspired by Greco-Roman architecture and featured motifs such as swags, garlands, columns, and urns. The furniture had straight legs, inlays, and simple lines without many carved details.

Classical:

Produced from 1820 to 1840.
Inspired by the French Restoration period.
This is the last period of handmade furniture in America. The furniture often had veneered surfaces with little decoration.

Egyptian Revival:

Produced from 1861 to 1865, which was during the Civil War.
While Federal furniture had taken inspiration from Greece and Rome, now furniture makers were looking back to Egypt.
Sphinxes, obelisks, and pyramids appear as motifs. The combination of black and gold furniture detailing also draws inspiration from Egyptian art.

Renaissance Revival:

Produced from 1850 to 1885.
Inspired by Renaissance architecture.
During this period, you see a lot of walnut wood furniture with square forms, tapering legs, plaques, and medallions.

Aesthetic Movement:

Produced from 1860 to 1890.
The Aesthetic Movement was a wider cultural movement that promoted the idea of “art for art’s sake.” According to aesthetes, not all art needed to be functional and utilitarian.
Aesthetic furniture features simple lines, marquetry, and inlays. Often these pieces were painted black and had brightly colored detailing, calling to mind lacquered goods from Japan.

Buying antiques as an investment

If you're buying antiques as an investment, spend your money on a few high-quality antiques rather than on a large collection of inexpensive pieces. Antiques will always rise and fall in value. But when prices fall, the value of high-quality pieces will be affected the least. Also, remember that it could be at least 10 years before your prized antique appreciates in value significantly. So make sure to buy pieces you will actually use, or at least enjoy looking at in your home.

When an appraiser evaluates a piece, he or she assesses how close the item is to its original condition, its provenance (history of ownership), size, rarity, and quality of construction. Contrary to what you might expect, most antique collectors desire an aged and well-used surface to a refinished one. It's a furniture's patina that gives it character and history, so even a cracked and fading paint job is preferable to stripping the original paint away.

Refurnished pieces sell for much lower, even if the repairs were necessary or desirable. For example, new feet on a desk can reduce its price by half or more. If you're not buying to invest, and just want an antique you will enjoy for its own merits, you can get very nice refinished furniture for very low prices.

Keeping Antiques

Many collectors today mix and match antiques from different periods. You can easily bring these antiques together by choosing matching wood tones. Small antiques should be grouped together as a collection, rather than scattered throughout the house.

If you want to keep an antique in the best condition, research the best ways to take care of its wood and finish. Beeswax is considered the best polish for antique wood. Carefully dust the piece-preferably with a soft cloth or brush rather than a feather duster-- before applying any polish. If a piece of the antique breaks, hold onto it until you can find a repairer to restore the piece for you.

A professional interior designer with experience in traditional design can help connect you with respectable antique dealers in Dallas. At Chambers Interiors, we have our own collection of antiques for sale, and we also offer private antique buying trips to Europe. Whether you're interested in American antiques or those from the Old World, an interior designer is a valuable resource for locating the best pieces at the best prices. Call our Dallas office at 214-651-7665 or email us at info@chambersinteriors.com for more information.

How to Mix Different Wood Tones and Finishes / February 4, 2016 by Margaret Chambers

As a Dallas interior designer, one of the questions I sometimes hear from homeowners is, "How do I mix and match different sets of wood furniture?" Gone are the days when everyone bought complete sets of wood furniture in the same finish, sometimes even matching their hardwood floors. Today, it is more common - and economical - for people to layer different furnishings they have collected over the years. If you're a Dallas homeowner who finds the idea of mixing different woods daunting, here are some suggestions to get you started.

First of all, if you do have one of those "all-matching" sets, there's no need to throw it all out. Consider painting one or two of the pieces to create variety. You should also distribute the pieces throughout the room instead of putting them together on the same side. Imagine a room with a set of light-colored wood on one side and a dark set on the other. The room will surely feel "unbalanced" to anyone who enters. To combine two different kinds of wood, you will need to break things up.

One of the ways interior designers balance different woods in a space is by creating visual buffers. For example, if you have a large table in one wood, and floors in a different wood, the contrast between the two can be jarring. Place a rug under the table to make a softer transition. White paint and exposed wood are a classic combination: spacing out your wood furniture between white areas can either break up a matching set, or create calm between contrasting woods. If you suspect that you might actually have too much wood in one room, introduce more hard surfaces like metal, glass, and acrylic.

What if you want to actually highlight the differences between your wood furniture? A key point to remember is that some contrasts are more 'acceptable' to the eye than others. Interior designers usually contrast light versus dark, or smooth versus rough, but not 'warm' versus 'cool.'

A warm-colored wood will have undertones of orange, red or yellow. Meanwhile, a cool colored wood will usually have a grayish cast. If you have trouble identifying a piece's color, find the lightest tone in the grain, or try looking at the piece from a distance. Generally warm colored woods, like yellow pine or dark red cherry, will go together better than they would with gray woods, regardless of finish.

This master bedroom has a very harmonious color scheme, but on closer inspection, there is a good deal of contrast introduced in the different wood finishes and colors.

If you have a wood furnishing that you want to highlight, like a coffee table, armoire or buffet, you can surround it with a different kind of wood to turn it into an impact piece. Besides color, texture is an opportunity to create contrasts between woods: smooth versus rough, painted versus unpainted, or fine grain versus large grain. The shape of wood furniture pieces can also create cohesion or contrast. Smooth lines contrast against curves, while simplicity contrasts with carved details.

The checkered wood floor provides a striking geometric contrast to the ornate curved furniture over it in this French Country home.

If you're building or remodeling your Dallas home and haven't chosen your hardwood floors yet, here are some things to keep in mind. Generally, a lighter wood will make for neutral flooring, as long as it isn't too red or yellow. The advantage of neutral flooring is you can introduce medium or dark-toned woods without worrying if they will clash too much. Similarly, dark toned woods without a strong color can help to ground a space.

As a rule of thumb, you should not use more than three kinds of wood per room. The "80/20" rule we interior designers use can be useful here. 80% of the wood in your room should be of a similar color or finish, while 20% can be a contrasting accent wood.

Hopefully you can now look at your wood furniture with a more exacting eye, and see combinations - or potential contrasts - that you couldn't see before. Otherwise, an interior designer can always help you bring out the fullest potential of your wood collections.

Asian-Inspired Interior Design Trends / December 9, 2015 by Margaret Chambers

Many interior designers and homeowners in Dallas today look to Asia for stylistic inspiration. "Asian-style" can refer to interior design with an East Asian (Chinese or Japanese) influence or South Asian (Indian) influence. Asian decor continues to be popular for a few reasons. Asian accessories or design elements can instantly bring tranquility into a room. Japanese style also blends very well with contemporary rooms, since both styles emphasize clean lines, open space, and neutral colors. Meanwhile, Chinese accessories, with their sense of history and craftsmanship, are well suited for traditional homes.

Characteristics of Chinese Interior Design

Curved, intricately detailed furniture is associated with Chinese style rather than Japanese. In a traditionally decorated Chinese home, it's common to see furniture with gilt details, hand-painting, carvings, and ornate handles. If you own a statement piece with these features, make it the center of attention by surrounding it with simpler furniture.

Oriental rugs, fine silks, and tasseled draperies are also characteristic of this style. When you're picking fabrics or patterns for wallpaper, keep an eye out for common Chinese motifs. Fish, flowers, dragons, monkeys, and tigers are all examples. Unlike the soothing earth and gray tones in Zen homes, Chinese style homes are more dramatic, with gold-painted walls or patterned wallpaper.

A traditional oriental rug can still belong in a contemporary setting if its colors and pattern complement the rest of the room. The mirrors in this bathroom are also inspired by Indian design.

Some Asian accessories, such as blue and white china and chinoiserie, are also at home in a traditional room. Blue and white china pieces were imported to Europe as early as the 15th century. Chinoiserie, a French-term for "Chinese-esque," are traditional decorations that draw inspiration from Asian art. Examples of Chinoiserie include paintings, pottery, textiles, wallpaper, and decorated furniture that depict a fanciful version of China.

Blue and white china adds refinement to this transitional home in Plano.

A Chinese design philosophy that is sometimes utilized by Western interior designers is feng shui. Feng shui, when applied to interior design, is a very exacting style. Every piece in the room must serve a purpose. The choice in natural materials becomes incredibly important, as wood, water, fire, earth, and metal-- and the furnishings associated with them--create their own distinctive energies. By hiring an expert in feng shui design or studying up on it yourself, you can carefully reconstruct the emotional quality of each room.

How to Incorporate Japanese Influence

If you enjoy modern design, but also appreciate traditional rooms with a sense of culture and history, Japanese design could be the best of both worlds for you.

Japanese-style rooms are often described as having a 'Zen' quality. A Japanese school of Buddhism, Zen teaches that its followers must experience enlightenment for themselves, rather than simply memorize a list of teachings. Living a simple life, experiencing the here-and-now, and disciplined meditation in a calm environment are said to be the path to results.

When it comes to interior design, Zen-inspired rooms usually feature low furniture, natural materials, lots of light, and very little clutter. Common natural materials include stone, bamboo, rattan, earthenware, and dark woods. Designers will often recommend neutral cream and beige for the walls and restricting dark colors to the furniture. Red and black accents-- such as lacquer pieces-- can add a dramatic touch to an otherwise even-toned room. Furniture should also have clean, simple lines, as in modern and contemporary design. Avoid pieces with ornate details and asymmetry.

Whether you're adding Asian influence to a traditional or a modern home, you don't want to overdo it. Including even just one or two Asian symbols or accessories transforms the entire feel of the room. For example, a Buddha statue brings with it a whole history of cultural and religious associations. Paper lanterns, silk screens, and lacquer jewelry boxes will also immediately give your room an Asian feel for visitors.

Small Buddha figurines are just a few of the multicultural accessories we used in this eclectic downtown Dallas highrise.

Because of this, Asian can be an inexpensive style to emulate. Swapping in red accent pillows, a calligraphy scroll, or a religious icon can all help you achieve the style. A very casual room can still benefit from the surprise and cultural flair East Asian design brings. Try adding potted cherry blossoms or bamboo window shades to bring both nature and an Asian influence to your informal setting.

Tips for Designing an Indian-Inspired Home

If you've ever wanted to incorporate the beauty of Indian patterns and furnishings into your home, here are a few suggestions.

When you think of India, certain colors probably come to mind. India has culturally embraced an abundance of colors, including both jewel and burnt tones. Burnt oranges, terracotta reds, and ochres can all be main colors. If you prefer something more understated, warm neutrals like taupe and sand will work too. Pure white is a color associated with mourning in India, so you will not see cool whites in traditional Indian homes; however, westernized homes will often incorporate warm and creamy whites.

As for jewel colors like turquoise, green, purple, and magenta, these colors are usually reserved for accents. Common Indian accessories include statues of Buddha or Hindu gods, mirrors with carved or forged frames, and ornaments covered with small pieces of mirror or tile. Don't forget to fill your sofas and beds with lots of colorful embroidered pillows. For a truly traditional Indian look, you should use lamps, sconces, and lanterns for lighting rather than chandeliers.

An Indian room isn't complete without furniture made of exotic woods such as ebony, rosewood, and teak. Antique pieces will feature beautifully intricate carvings, but Indian furniture is not dainty-- these are sturdy pieces meant to last a long time. Seating tends to be low, and a sitting area will often feature an ottoman or pouf. That said, you don't need to buy a whole new set of furniture to get an Indian look.

You can also layer Indian throws, rugs, and textiles over what you already have. Consider using silks or even a sari as a sofa throw. Tablecloths patterned with woodblock prints and bedspreads with beading or metallic thread will immediately bring India to mind. Common Indian patterns for wallpaper and textiles include paisley, floral, swirls, birds, and elephants.

Regardless of whether you're only including a few Asian accessories, or having a designer redo your whole home according to Zen or feng shui design philosophies, Asian influence will add culture, harmony, and worldliness to your home. Here at Chambers Interiors, our team has a lot of experience sourcing multicultural antiques for homes. To schedule a consultation with us, call Margaret Chambers at 214-232-9501 or email us at info@chambersinteriors.com.

How to Update a Home with Antiques / October 6, 2015 by Margaret Chambers

There are many reasons Dallas homeowners today love their antiques. Original antiques are usually hand-made with high-quality craftsmanship; with proper care, an antique can last for generations. Antiques also bring their decades, or even centuries, of history into your home. Ask any antique seller about their wares and you'll hear the story behind each piece. And unlike many other used furnishings, an antique will only go up in value over time.

That said, the most popular styles of interior design today are contemporary, modern, and transitional. Rooms are increasingly becoming simple, light, and airy. Some collectors worry that filling their home with antiques can make the space feel too dated. If you've been meaning to update your traditional interior design, here are some tips to help freshen things up.

We incorporated antiques into this University Park bedroom while also using simple drapes, clean lines, and neutral tone-on-tone colors. The result is a room both classical and refreshingly modern.

If you have heavy drapes with ornamented rods in your home, it's probably time for an update. The current trend is to use very simple rods with little ornamentation. Curtains and drapes should be in solid colors or subtle tone-on-tone patterns, with simple trim. Meanwhile, antique upholstery with solid color fabric, or a geometric design, will fit in better than upholstery with a traditional pattern.

An oriental rug with vividly contrasting colors will usually be out of place in a modern home. Roll up your older rugs for now and replace them with sisal rugs, which are popular for their textural quality, or muted oriental rugs.

This sitting room features a sisal rug with a geometric design.

Lamps should have clean silhouettes and simple shades, preferably in white. Lucite bases are also a popular choice for lamps in contemporary design.

White, tan, and gray are common neutral wall colors, but if you prefer color, go with pastel shades. Lacquered walls with bright colors are a bolder new trend, and wallpaper is coming back as well. Make sure to choose a contemporary, graphic print for wallpaper instead of a traditional pattern.

For today's transitional and contemporary homes, decluttering is key. Pare down your collections to your favorite statement items, displaying only one or two on each surface. You can always put away your other collectibles and cycle them back out when the seasons change.

You can highlight the craftsmanship and classic design of your antiques by contrasting them with modern pieces. A brightly colored piece of contemporary art will play off wonderfully against an antique chest, sofa, or mantelpiece beneath it.

This contemporary painting in a downtown Dallas high-rise matches the earth tones of the items and chest of drawers beneath it.

If all of these suggestions make you feel overwhelmed, try looking for inspiration in magazines. Save photos of rooms that combine antiques with modern design, focusing on your favorite elements. Instead of updating one item or area at a time, plan out your overall color scheme for each room. You can then use your color scheme as a guide for picking wall colors, fabrics, accents, art, and rugs.

In this process, you will probably find that you cannot keep all of the antiques in your collection. Hold onto your favorite and most valuable pieces, then store, pass down, or get rid of those that are too dated. You can always reupholster furniture to update its look. Also consider that some styles of antiques will fit in better with modern surroundings than others. Asian, Swedish, and Neoclassical antiques are currently in style, for example.

Even if contemporary and transitional interior design are all the rage, antiques add just as much charm and classical detail to a room today as ever. An experienced designer will know how to incorporate your best antiques into a room, while appealing to modern day design trends.

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