Thanksgiving Table Settings

Add a Touch of Glitz

For a sophisticated but not over-the-top look, balance the sparkle of metallics with natural elements, like fall branches or fresh fruit. Erinn's Tip: "Metallics add a great modern touch to a fall tablescape. Deep copper and bright bronze are a lovely additional to a traditional table. I prefer to bring in natural, textured elements like these seed-beaded placemats so the table doesn't get too glitzy."

Contrast Materials

A humble pinecone adds an organic touch to each place setting. Have fun with materials; contrast ceramic with glass, wood and gleaming metal. Forgo the old standby tablecloth and opt for glamorous, polished silver chargers and chocolate-brown linen napkins.

Bountiful Centerpiece

Set the stage for an unforgettable Thanksgiving feast with a centerpiece that exemplifies bounty. A ghost-white pumpkin, chunky pillar candles and metallic-painted gourds add sparkle.

Simple Sophistication

This place setting layers basic elements to achieve an extraordinary effect.A set of white plates is a great standard to have for your year-round table. You don't have to get something special out just for the season. It's all in the presentation — a crisp linen napkin folded into thirds and laid under a bronze glass plate topped with a miniature pear sets each guests' plate off with style for very little money, time or fuss.

 

Gleaming Glass Accents

Golds and ambers pair beautifully with the traditional browns and oranges of fall. Glass vases can be found very inexpensively in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes at your local housewares store. They're fantastic for adding a splash of luminescent color to the room. So go wild! Bring a bunch home, try them out and return what you don't use.

My Home/Inspiration

Bring Outdoors In

Instead of buying expensive flowers, try decorating with branches. Even bare branches that have fallen from trees can make a design impact and will last a long time.

Add Pillows

Pillows are an easy to way to add a pop of color or a new texture to a living room. Inexpensive options can be found at stores like Homegoods or Target.

Curtain Illusions

Windows look taller when draperies are mounted high on the wall. The eye will follow the line up, creating the illusion of a larger room.

Arrange by Color

Designer Kim Myles is always budget-minded and one element that didn't cost a thing in this family room is the bookshelf decorations.

Creative Home Decor

Choose Pieces with a Meaning


When Jason and Jill Williams hired a firm to design their home, they clearly stated that the theme was "sparse."

They did not intend to buy things to simply fill the house; they wanted to acquire pieces over time that had meaning, complemented their lifestyle, and reflected their personalities.

While the theme was "sparse," sleek and modern wasn't their design choice. Instead, they mixed furniture styles with rustic, stained, and painted finishes.

Every piece serves a purpose, and each can be used in different ways for years to come.

Design for gathering


Family rooms are gathering places that should exude a relaxed style and communicate warmth and playfulness.

Perhaps the most important consideration for such an active room is how to keep the space's flow while noting its separate areas. Color, furniture placement, and area rugs can help meet this goal.

Here, a U-shaped seating area encourages conversation. Artifacts from family travels reflect the personalities of those who live here, while the fireplace and television anchor the space.

Carry Your Style Outdoors


"Outdoor areas are often the last to receive design attention, but they shouldn't be," says landscape designer Matt Lemos.

"Plan space for your lifestyle by incorporating ample seating, table surfaces, cushions, play areas, eating spots, and sunning areas."

By carrying your design style outdoors, you can turn a patio, deck, or even a balcony into another room of the house.

This sleeping porch, a feature of many Craftsman houses, is updated with contemporary styling and weatherproof drapery and upholstery fabric.


Create Flow

Common colors and materials help connect your living spaces.

Display signature pieces without too much fanfare. Try using one simple but dramatic floral stem or leaf in a chunky modern glass vase.

In transitional areas, brushed nickel or silver works well for frames, accessories, and fixtures.

Find Fabric You Love

 For designer Jennifer Hilgardner, the right fabric is one of the best ways to enhance an interior.

"Find a fabric you love," she says. "Choose a signature fabric with enough design elements so you can pull out colors, coordinate textures and have lots of options for furnishings and accessories."

Here, green and blue accents in the fabric even play off the foliage outside.



Smart Art Display

Include tall and low elements throughout the room to keep your eye moving.

As a general rule, hang framed photos and art at eye level (or a bit higher if the ceilings are high). Keep in mind eye-level may be lower in a room designed for seating.

Here, a lipstick-red wall sets off black-and-white photos and a mix of collected treasures.

Design Cures

Home Rehab

Designer Phoebe Howard of Mrs. Howard and Max & Company worked her magic on this coastal space -- to rid the condo of light-barring walls and cramped, cheerless spaces.

The Quick Fix: Infuse life into a small room by combining a variety of textile patterns in similar tones -- like the polka-dot, honeycomb, and geometric fabrics shown here.

Custom Kitchen Island

The designer installed oak floors stained dark to resemble old European hardwoods, then she enlisted help to design a kitchen island and bath vanities to distinguish the condo from the run-of-the-mill builder's special.

The Quick Fix: Craft your own kitchen island using a favorite antique piece as inspiration. This one was made with a wooden shiplap back and bracket feet.

Looks Built-In

The Quick Fix: Customize a kitchen corner with a tailored piece like this banquette that looks built in and saves space.

Versatile Palette

For the homeowner's requested palette (Brown, yes; wicker, no), Phoebe took a cue from the faux wood screens and incorporated natural-tone furnishings spanning from bleached driftwood to stained teak. "It's amazing how warm and cool brown can be, " Phoebe says of the anchoring color. "That's perfect for a family who uses a space year-round."

The Quick Fix: Enliven a plain-Jane drywall surface with a textural faux-bois wallcovering. Its vertical lines create the illusion of height within the 8-foot-high space.

Slimming Shutters

"In Condos like these, you have to work a little magic to make the space seem wider and taller. Sort of like when you want to look thinner -- you put on stripes that are going the right way." -Phoebe Howard .

Graphic Print

Beef up plain drywall with heavy trim, and let a bold geometric print be the starting point for a room's entire color scheme.

Mirror Magic

In this all-white master bathroom, the cabinets get a special treat with glued-on mirrors which reflect light in a windowless room.

I love these rooms and the palette used is calming. via

Backsplash Ideas

Incorporating one material throughout a room is a great way to unify the design and establish a distinct focal point. For this contemporary kitchen, Herzlinger used large slabs of marble to create a monolithic look, thus allowing the dark cabinetry and floors to pop.



A backsplash can also be used to separate one area of a room from another. In this modern home, Herzlinger brought in stainless tile to designate a butler's bar within the oversized kitchen.
A smaller budget doesn't have to mean a sacrifice in style. Graphic designer Jen Ramos selected honed Carrara marble for her backsplash, which she found at Home Depot and installed via independent contractor.



For designer Jamie Herzlinger, a backsplash is the finishing touch that can make or break the room. "So often I come across backsplashes that aren't in sync with the rest of the kitchen," laments Herzlinger, "and that's a missed opportunity to make a big statement." For this space, Herzlinger chose a mustard yellow and oxblood red pattern to accent the Mediterranean decor.



Design blogger and fine artist Nicole Cohen had her work cut out for her when she took on a gut renovation of her apartment. She selected miniature stainless steel tiles for the backsplash, which gave an industrial edge to the Calcutta countertops and white lacquer cabinetry in her kitchen. A twist on traditional subway tile, the metal is modern and easy to keep clean.

Headboards

Trash to Treasure

A headboard made from salvaged materials can add tons of charm and unique style to a bedroom. In this space, an old door found in a burn pile was paired with a vintage gate — reclaimed from a dump and brightened up with a mist of white spray paint. The end result is a whimsical, one-of-a-kind headboard with enough substance to balance the king-size bed. Design by Funky Junk Interiors.

Industrial Chic

Who knew metal roofing could be so stylish? Designer Kara Paslay created a rustic yet glamorous headboard by cutting an ornate shape out of corrugated tin, bringing out its subtle sheen and wavy texture. The silhouette may be traditional, but this headboard is anything but ordinary. Best of all, this DIY project only cost about $30!

Rustic Romance

In this airy bedroom, a headboard made from a pair of reclaimed doors adds visual weight and a hint of ruggedness to an otherwise dreamy space. The weathered doors retain just enough white paint to complement the room's crisp bedding and sparkling chandelier. Design by Dreamy Whites.

A Good Sign

After a thorough scrub and a bit of paint to touch up the faded lettering, this reclaimed convenience store sign looks as good as new and makes an eye-catching backdrop for a daybed. Not only does the vintage sign provide a theme and color palette for the room, but its historic significance also makes it an exciting conversation piece. Design by Funky Junk Interiors.

Organic Element

Sometimes, an unexpected headboard can be just what a bedroom needs. In this modern loft bedroom, a slab of roughhewn wood adds a natural touch and warms up the industrial-looking space. Design by Daniel Bodenmiller.

Soaring to the Ceiling

To make the bed the focal point in a small studio apartment, Rate My Space user 4oclock created a striking headboard by securing 1-1/2-inch MDF pieces to two strips of iron. A headboard that extends all the way to the ceiling creates visual interest and defines the space.

Coastal Chic

Shutter headboards are a perfect fit for a beach house or cottage-style bedroom. To give new, unfinished shutters a weathered look, paint them with a "dry brushing" technique, then sand the outside edges and the front edge of the louvers.

Pallet Perfection

Echoing the navy-and-white stripes painted in the closet, a headboard made from wooden shipping pallets is a standout feature in this nautical-themed boy's bedroom. To create a coordinated look, designer Lakeitha Duncan paired the pallets with two wooden nightstands in a natural finish.

Country Goes Contemporary

Who would guess that this modish headboard was once a barn door window? The window was first fashioned into a mirror, which designer Jessica McKay of Birdhouse Interiors frosted to reduce distracting reflections. With a modular look and monochromatic color scheme, this formerly rustic window now makes a distinctive, modern headboard.

Bonus Shelving

This salvaged door not only serves as an attractive headboard, but also provides a small shelf above the bed for displaying vases and other accessories. Even against a bold, custom-painted harlequin wall, this headboard makes a statement. Design by Suzanne Lasky, S Interior Design.

Instant Room Part 2 of 2

Interview with Designer Joe Nye (Continued)

Babylone in Lin

"I've never been a big fan of embroidered fabrics — many sins have been committed in their name — but this one changed my mind. It has a particular elegance, and the luminous flowers add a note of glamour. They're in various pleasing shades of taupe, so it's not a screaming floral. The billowy quality of the linen background makes it great for curtains

Power's Court in Antique Green

"A dressy taffeta like this would be stunning on a bergère or fauteuil. I'm nuts for them, I use them in every room in every house. They're like jewelry."

Recamier Taffetas Stripe in Bleu Vert

"My favorite silk stripe ever. It adds richness to a room. I'd do two squishy down-filled sofa pillows with an extravagant fringe — this is your frothy moment."

I LOVE how this stripe pulls in all the colors from the floral. Joe really knew how to compliment the floral. This is how I design......great job Joe.

Semis Montrichard in S157

"I'm sitting on this right now in my living room! It has a quiet elegance, and it's great on a pair of slipper chairs pulled up to a coffee table, Billy Haines style."

Eaton Plain in Leaf Green

"It's got a watermarked strié, almost like a subtle moiré, that sort of shimmers. Dress up a club chair with it. The bonus is that it's hardy and easy to maintain."

Colorado in Anis

"To offset the shininess of BABYLONE curtains, upholster walls in this coarse-weave linen. The flat finish brings the dressiness down."

Indochine in Champagne

"I see this on a pretty, tufted round ottoman with lots of silk-covered buttons and a dressmaker's skirt — wide 6-inch pleats — that goes to the floor."

From the eyes of a designer, this is a good example of how it is done from our minds eye to reality!!!

Instant Room Part 1 0f 2

Interview with Joe Nye

Los Angeles-based designer Joe Nye creates a room inspired by florals from Manuel Canovas's latest collection, and McKinnon and Harris furniture: "Using outdoor pieces inside — in a sunroom or even a living room — is fun and fresh."

Curtain Lining:
"I chose VANESSA'S FOLLY to line the striped curtains. Most people get lazy and just do white lining, but a contrasting color has a more finished, couture effect — like you thought about it."
Chairs:
"BEAUVOIR is the key fabric in the room, the starting-off point. You can pull lots of colors from it. But you have to be careful not to overwhelm the room with it — it's not a timid pattern. I see it on a pair of duVal Club Chairs."
Sofa:
"BRASILIA is a divine color, a wonderful mucky green, and the texture is really cushy. It's comfortable to sit on, even when you're in shorts, so I'd use it in a big way, on a sofa."
Curtains:
"Striped curtains are always a winner, and a turquoise lining would really kick off the bright raspberry. With a bold stripe like ELOI, I wouldn't do much in the way of trim. You want to keep it fresh, not fussy like silk curtains."

Beauvoir in Fuchsia

"These colors are loud and brash — but in a good way!" Nye says. "The pattern is a new take on an old standard, the Jacobean tree of life. It's fun, but it's busy, so it could get dizzying if you used a lot of it. The trick is to use it in a restrained way. On a pair of chairs, it would look special — it would be the focal point of the room."

Cotton Club II in Framboise

"It looks like a coarse sailcloth, but it's so soft you want to put your head on it. I would make two 22-inch-square pillows with tiny French pleats, one for each end of a sofa."

"I'm crazy for animal prints, so chic! They never seem to go out of style. I'd use this for a skirted table. It's a stylish way to add punch to a room

Eloi in Fraise

"Because it's all cotton, Eloi looks informal and canvasy, like a tenting stripe. For curtains in a sunroom, it's exactly the right look

Vanessa's Folly in Turquoise

"I use this all the time to line curtains — it comes in so many colors. I'd do pillows with it, too. Repetition is good — it ties a room together

Design Touches

Add Seating

A chaise longue (French for long chair) is a relaxing addition to the bedroom. Designed for reclining, they're the perfect spot for reading a book or catching a quick snooze.

Creatively Use Space

A converted  seldom-used attic was transformed into a sprawling master suite complete with a spa-like bathroom, entertainment lounge and bedroom proper. The suite's three areas are clearly defined yet still feel connected, courtesy of partial wall dividers like the floor-to-ceiling draperies separating the bedroom from the rest of the suite.

Opt for Old World Elegance

A custom canopy and rich drapery panels make the bed the dramatic centerpiece of this luxurious master suite. Certainly a high-end look, a bed crown is a relatively easy project to accomplish. Simply attach a fabric valance to a wooden shelf to create a cornice, then suspend the drapes from a cafe rod mounted within.

Don't Forget the Ceiling

Often overlooked, the ceiling is a room's fifth wall. RMSer kblalock gave hers the custom treatment with coffers, tray molding and recessed lighting.

Create an Escape

True, we can't all have an oceanfront view, but we can take a few cues from this laid-back, coastal style. Add a touch of the tropics with a seagrass rug, exotic accessories and gauzy sheers surrounding the bed.