Creating a Fun, Functional Home

Creating a Fun, Functional Home

Your house is your sanctuary, your castle. It should bring out the best in you and set you up for success.

Here are three insider tips on creating a functional (and versatile) home:

      1. Clear the Clutter

This is obvious. Clearing your house of clutter is one of the best and least expensive ways to purge the stress and chaos in your life. Clutter makes a home look dated and cramped. Donate those age-old knick-knacks and thingamajigs – start fresh! It’s important to fill your home with things that bring up your energy, make you feel good and inspire you.

The best trick is to find stylish, closed cabinets and side tables to hide messes. Out of sight, out of mind.

2. Prepare for Guests

For us busy professionals, a small dinner party can be an ENORMOUS time suck, and so we get into the habit of letting others play hostess. Family and friends are so incredibly important. Show off your beautiful space and invest the time in those you love most by setting up a home that’s conductive to a night of peace, or a get-together. It can be as bit as a kitchen remodel, or as small as adding some plant life and rearranging your living room.  My tip is to prep you space for conversation and togetherness, instead of television watching – not every piece of furniture needs to revolve around the television.

3. Be Different!

Lastly, life’s too short not to have a little fun! Take chances with color, pattern and accessories. Step out of your comfort zone and be bold. The best way is to change up your current color palette. Add splashes of things that inspire you, make you happy or bring back a sense of imagination. This is what is going to benefit both your work and home life. Being conventional is so last year. This year, make your place a work of art.

Pops of color change the vibe of a room. Choose some that tell your story.

Makeovers are good for the soul! Visit kellytiveyinteriors.com for more ideas.

Cheers!

Kelly Tivey

Tips for Making Over Your Home Office

Tips for Making Over Your Home Office

Here at Kelly Tivey Interior Design, we create spaces that help Bay Area professionals escape the hustle and bustle of work.

Working from home is becoming more and more common, and sometimes it can be difficult to leave the “home” out of your home office. Office set-up and organization may not sound like scintillating topics, but not having a fantastic home work space can be absolutely detrimental to your professional life and sanity. 

If this sounds all too familiar, let’s talk makeover! Here are some tips to making over your home office:

Tip 1: Re-Evaluate your Space

Before you begin imagining your fancy new office, start by measuring your space. What kind of furniture will you absolutely need to begin? Take a small table and try working in different corners of the room. Which space has the best lighting for all periods of the day? Once you have the answers to these questions, it’s time to look into some new furniture. Make sure to measure each piece you buy, and see where and how it would fit into the space. Find a solution that suits your work style, and looks beautiful in the space.

 Tip 2: Shelving and Storage

Now that you have your layout set, consider storage. Do you have a beautiful collection of leather-bound books you’d like to display, or nightmare worthy stacks of magazines you’d like to hide? Wall shelving is perfect for displaying beautiful collections, colorful binders and fun accessories to liven up your work space – all while keeping your desk clutter free. Combine with some drawers and cabinet space and you are set for success.

 Tip 3: Design, Meet Functionality

It may be tempting to take one of the above designs verbatim, but I don’t recommend it. Instead, make a list of what you want, need, and how you work. In what kind of environment do you work best? What inspires and motivates you? Those are the things you should incorporate into every decision you make. Don’t base your design on who you want to be – know yourself and your work style. Then, let the design showcase your best self and set you up for productivity. 

Want to give your home office a new face? Contact me today! ktivey@comcast.net

Kelly Tivey

www.Kellytiveyinteriors.com 

A Case for Marsala

A Case for Marsala

Pantone’s new color of the year has been a MAJOR conversation piece in the design industry for 2015. Yes, for some of us it brings back dreary “vintage” memories of old hotel conference rooms, but there’s a million ways to use a color. As designers, it’s our job to create beauty out of “old dictionary” red.

A positive twist on Marsala…

Look at it with new eyes, and you’ll begin to see earth, wine, and rustic elegance with a potential modern twist. Marsala may seem outdated or bland to the naked eye, but it’s actually deep, dark and dreamy (don’t laugh). Marsala, like most things in life, is what you make it. 

Beautiful photography and interiors via Pinterest.com

Use it correctly, and you forget those 80’s associations, and instead you get a modern, yet uniquely bohemian color that makes a great accent tone in any room. Why not try your home office? The relaxing, earthy feel is perfect for a work space.

Get creative! When in doubt, consult a professional. 

Kelly Tivey

kellytiveyinteriors.com