Warm Up To Color

Think of your walls as more than just walls, they are the backdrop to your environment.  They can set the stage for your furnishings and your accessories, while setting the tone of your home. So why would you want to paint your walls any old color?  Why wouldn't you want to give them the respect they deserve.  Give your walls life by way of rich hues and warm colors.  Enhance the place you call home. Give thought to your surroundings.     
Don't be afraid of color.  It is the simplest and most affordable way to spruce up any home.  Go from boring to exciting all with one little paint can.  It is time to shed yourself of those safe colorless walls.  Go from white and beige to Benjamin Moore's Putnam Ivory or Davenport Tan.  Pop some life into a room by painting an accent wall in Cabernet or Warmed Cognac. and if you are really daring you can paint the entire room in Raisin Torte! There are so many fabulous colors out there just wanting to help your walls.

If you want to go the distance but are afraid to make mistakes, then hire an Interior Designer just for a paint consult.  Most designers will do this.  And it will be money worth spending.


Add some excitement to this drab time of year.  Think spring and start painting!

Invest in Your Home!

In these financially insecure times, everyone is watching their spending.  The media is either scaring us or giving us hope depending upon which station we are on or which day we are listening.  Stocks are up, stocks are down!  What is a person to do?

Your home is one investment you can rely on.  It will be there through thick or thin.  So why not make it your haven.  If there is ever a time to invest in your home it is now!  The money you spend creating the interior of your dreams, will give you a substantial emotional return!  

Coming home to an environment you want to be in; an environment you want to share with your family and friends, is one to be proud of and comforted by!

Acquiring beautiful, good quality products that will last a lifetime is prudent. Furniture of high quality is furniture that lasts.  

If you are trying to figure out what to do and how to start...remember...that is what an interior designer is for! 

At Collaborate Design Studio we turn dreams into reality!
Visit us at www.collaboratedesign.com 

How to Accesorize Affordably!

When one shops one is attracted to items for many reasons.  It might be the uniqueness, the quality, or the price!  Whatever the reason, be sure the piece works in your space. Think things through. Often times we bring things home and have no clue where to place them.  If items are on final sale this could be an expensive investment. 
If you are working with an Interior Designer, let your professional guide your purchases.  Keep your floorplan with you and only purchase items that have been suggested or planned for.  Allow your designer to find the right accessories for you.  This way there will be fewer mistakes and in the end you will have spent your money wisely!
Check out the floor samples on sale at your designers studio. 
We have items for sale on our floor on a regular basis...stop in and see for yourself.
Collaborate Design Studio
849 N. Waukegan Rd.
Deerfield, IL

Stay Focused on Your Project

When planning for your space, it is important to stay focused!  Many clients hire designers and then drop the ball. Be true to yourself.  If you have hired a designer, you obviously want to get your project going.  So, allow your designer to lead your job, especially if you are not the kind of person to stay on task. When meeting with your designer make sure you leave with the next appointment scheduled. If you are working with a deadline, the work has to keep on moving.  Decisions must be made and products need to be selected and ordered. Whether for new construction or a remodel, things seldom come in on time, so it is imperative to place your orders well ahead of schedule if at all possible.  This way you won't be disappointed, and your contractor will be able to work at a steady pace.
I have had many clients who ask me to keep them moving, as they know their own personalities and need to be kept on track. When running a job I prefer to schedule a regular weekly time slot for my client.  This better serves everyone as I am working steadily and my client is completely involved and invested.
Even if there are no deadlines involved, it is best to work efficiently.  Once selections are made, orders must be placed in a timely fashion.  When clients cannot commit, they run the risk of items being discontinued or prices increasing.  There is nothing more frustrating than to have to reselect when the perfect piece is no longer available. Although there are always other options, it often becomes difficult to see past the original selection.  So if you love it, go with your gut...and move on!  As you finalize each of your selections you continue to move forward and onto the next step.  Once you have made all your decisions and placed all of your orders, you can just sit back and relax waiting for your anticipated move in date to arrive!
And then you can reap the benefits and enjoy your new environment!

How to Seasonally Update Your Home Environment

Many people love change. 

Living in a seasonally changing climate is an automatic schedule for changing the climate inside the home as well.
In the spring and summer we enjoy being outdoors more.  There are many more colorful options awaiting us outside in the natural plants and flowers at this time of year. And not only are the days longer, but they are also brighter as well.  So why not bring these brighter and more colorful elements inside.  If we have solid colors and textures on our sofas and chairs then add a colorful mix of accent pillows in bright summer colors and patterns. Use lighter fabrics like simple cottons, crisp linens, chintz and silks.       
In the autumn and winter we watch the leaves falling off the trees, the lighter and less hardy flowers and plants start to fade away leaving the deeper and darker colors of fall to thrive. The days get shorter and just a little less bright!  Just as we have added a brighter mix of accent pillows for spring and summer we can do the same for fall and winter.  Follow the palette of your favorite fall colors and textures to shake up the feel of your home. Remember to add the heavier, thicker textures of chenille and corduroy, velvet and mohair for this time of year. You can even go further by changing with the fall themes from thanksgiving through the new year.  Using the rich browns, deep rust and gold colors of the harvest from September through November and then transition into a palette of winter whites for December and January.

Another simple way to make some changes are to purchase covers for your dining chairs to create a different feel at your dining table.  Slipcovers made in different fabrics for an accent chair can be easily stored and used to update a chair from one season to the next. 

Don't be afraid to create interest and change for your space which can enliven your spirit during different times of the year.

If you are unsure as wo how to make these changes happen, you could always contact your interior designer.  He or she will know just how to help you get the seasonal look that you are after.

How To Help Your Home Sell

About to list your home for sale? You know it needs work, but you don't know where to start?
You can hire an Interior Designer.  Really we love to help people "Stage" their homes! 

Remember, this has been "Your Home",  so it is only natural that it is filled with family photos, children's artwork, and old memorabilia that you love.  Unfortunately, the potential buyer cannot see past those things when trying to envision their personal stuff in your space.  So that is where the staging comes in.

First of all you will be directed to clean up...and by that we mean take away most of the pictures, artwork and memorabilia.  Box it up and store it.  You will have to pack eventually, so why not start now.  Remove as much of the clutter as possible.  All those cute things on display on your shelves and counters...must be packed up.  Don't forget to label when you pack, so you know what is in those boxes!

The next thing to consider is the general shape of your house. The walls and the flooring set the overall tone of the home.

Does the paint look tired?  Are there cracks that are visible to the eye?  Will the colors in the home be difficult for most to work with?  If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you should find yourself an inexpensive painter, get some help in selecting the best color, and repaint!

If your carpet is simply dirty, then cleaning it might just be the solution! However, if the carpet is extremely old and worn, you will need to replace it. Select a neutral tone that is warm and inviting, and remember there are many inexpensive options to choose from.  If you have hardwood floors beneath that old carpeting you could consider removing it and leaving the wood exposed.  The wood might need to be lightly sanded and resurfaced to give it some life, but the result will be quite appealing to most!  

The only other area to think about is the correct placement of your furniture.  When Collaborate Design Studio stages a home, we often position furniture simply and cleanly.  We will sometimes ask a client to remove a piece that is too large or overpowering in the space.  But whenever we can, we simply shift things around to better utilize the space and help your home appeal to others.

How To Manage the Construction of a New Home

You've hired a reliable Builder and an outstanding Architect and are about to start the process to build that new dream home.  So now what? 

The architect will come up with a fabulous design that will meet your needs and design style and the builder will ensure that your home gets built to specifications and codes.  But what about the interior?  While the architect will design an amazing structure, he is not always considering the interior elements of your new home, such as the actual use of your space and interior details that may enhance your lifestyle.

Many hire an Interior Designer at the beginning of a project as well.  This way you can benefit from all your professionals working together for you!

Often elements, especially windows while aesthetically pleasing to the exterior architecture of the home, end up causing difficulty for interior use of space.  An Interior Designer will ensure that the architect creates interior spaces that are functional and that furniture will fit and good placement is possible.

Many finishes for this new home will have to be chosen.  Flooring, cabinets, doors, trim details, tile, lighting, plumbing, appliances, counter tops and paint colors will all have to be selected by you.  Your builder will need to know all these interior finishes in a timely manner in order to keep the job moving on schedule.  Your interior designer will help you make all of these selections and show you the complete picture, so that you will understand what the interior of your home will look like when completed.

If these elements are discussed at the onset and worked on throughout the process,  then the team of professionals you have hired will ensure your home is everything you dreamed of!