Interior Design Houston – Rustic Design Style  

The roots of Rustic Design Style go back to the westward migration of the early nineteenth century in the United States. Families headed west in search of a better life left cumbersome furnishings behind and, after finding a place to settle, used the natural resources around them to create a home. Rough-hewn timber, stone slabs, and natural fibers are the bedrock of what, I’m sure American pioneers would be surprised, evolved into a major interior design style that also take inspiration from rustic furniture created in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. When the Industrial Revolution made mass production of furniture possible in the late nineteenth century, Rustic Design Style began to take form as a response.  

Rustic Design Style utilizes organic elements such as stone, reclaimed wood, and clay along with natural fibers to create a warm and inviting space that celebrates natural beauty in all its simplicity, age, ruggedness, and imperfection. Some elements you might see in a Rustic Style room include exposed wood beams, brick walls, a stone fireplace, wooden doorframes and window frames, wood plank floors, and countertops with raw edges. 

A warm, earthy neutral color palette paired with copper, brass, iron or pewter metallics is favored in this design style. Accent colors should be muted in hues found in nature. Natural fabrics like organic cotton, linen and wool are used for upholstery, window treatments, and household linens. The use of canvas, burlap and jute along with hand crafted items such as braided rugs and basketry add dimension and warmth to a Rustic Design Style room. 

Furnishings should be comfortable for both viewing and using. In Rustic Design, furniture will not necessarily match, but discrete pieces should reside comfortably alongside each other in the same room, like an old married couple. Comfort is the watchword when furnishing and decorating your rustic home. Accessories can be purely nostalgic or functional, some of each or both combined. Vintage mason jars, for example, are lovely and nostalgic as decorative objects on their own. They can also serve a function while being decorative, like vases, planters or receptacles to hold small items. Nature themed decorations can include grapevine wreaths, antlers, pottery, fur throws and potted plants.  

Rustic Design Style is compatible with several other design styles including its more polished cousin Farmhouse Design Style, as well as Boho, Coastal, French Country and Contemporary. 

Interior Design Houston – Rustic Design Style Living Room  

Rustic Design Style does not have to make your living room look like a hunting lodge or an early nineteenth century homestead; you can use some of the major elements of the design and mix it with other styles to find a blend that suits your taste. Open beams, a natural stone fireplace and wood plank floors will give your space the foundation of a rustic living room. From there, you can select which features you want to include and which to import from another design style.  

The traditional color palette for Rustic Design Style is earthy neutrals: forest green, black, brown and gray. To this you can add white, tan and beige. For a lighter, more contemporary look, paint the walls white and use pale neutrals for upholstery. As you might have discerned, there is quite a bit of latitude in Rustic Design Style. Walls can be log or have the appearance of a log cabin interior. They can be brick which you can paint or whitewash if you wish; paneling or shiplap in natural colors or painted; and depending on the age of your house, plaster or drywall painted in your chosen palette. You may wish to add an accent wall which can be brick, natural stone or reclaimed wood. 

The floors are generally hardwood or wide wood planks. Distressed, weathered or reclaimed wood may be used if you want an authentic Rustic Design Style look. You can add faux animal hide rugs like sheepskin or cowhide, plush wool rugs, natural fiber jute or sisal rugs, or a combination of two or more of these.  

Window treatments, if necessary, range from leaded glass windows to floor-to-ceiling barn door shutters. In between, are choices that include classic sheer panels, gauzy white linen curtains, black and white buffalo check curtains, natural woven Roman shades, and rustic shutters – something for everyone and all compatible with a Rustic Design Style living room. 

The goal of Rustic Design Style is to be a casual, relaxed room that makes visitors feel instantly at home. Sofas and chairs should be soft and comfortable. Natural fabrics are encouraged; leather is a popular choice. Repurpose vintage items like small wall cabinets or small trunks as side tables and an antique wooden chest as a coffee table. Scour antique stores, flea markets, yard sales and your grandmother’s attic for vintage pieces and be creative in utilizing them. Mix modern with vintage, and rustic finishes with plush seating. Layer textures with a faux sheepskin blanket, burlap throw pillows, and a soft wool rug. Lean an old wooden ladder against a wall to hold extra blankets for chilly nights.  

We’ve come a long way from the days of antler chandeliers, although those are still available if that’s your vibe. You can now find a good selection of rustic style pendant light fixtures and rustic/farmhouse style chandeliers featuring natural materials, organic shapes and nature themed motifs. Supplement overhead lighting with simply styled floor lamps with clean lines. Wood, glass and copper or brass are good accents for a Rustic Design Style space.  

You can go all in with the rustic look in your living room, or you can scale it back to a more modern look with a rustic lean. Rustic Design is a flexible style that can stand alone and adapt to many other styles, making it easy for you to have the living room of your dreams. 

Interior Design Houston – Rustic Design Style Bedroom  

When choosing Rustic Design Style for your home, you are choosing to celebrate natural beauty and casual comfort over perfect lines and symmetry, and familiarity over edginess. This style celebrates aged, weathered, reclaimed and distressed pine wood over perfectly smooth, polished mahogany. It finds perfection in a gnarled, knotty tree trunk and charm in a faded, battered steamer trunk, either of which it sees as a viable nightstand.  

The traditional color palette for Rustic Design Style is earthy neutral, but it’s a flexible style with a lot of latitude where colors are concerned. Generally, any neutral palette combined with muted color accents works well with this style. Shiplap and paneled walls can be left in natural wood tones or painted or whitewashed for an airier look. The same goes for brick, but natural stone walls shouldn’t be covered up with paint. If you have drywall or plaster walls, paint them white or an earthy neutral color. 

Floors are sometimes natural stone, but usually they’re hardwood or wide plank. Often in Rustic Style, a weathered or distressed look is desired in a plank or hardwood floor. Rugs can range from faux cowhide or sheepskin to natural fiber rugs made of jute or sisal, to thick, plush wool rugs. It depends on how you interpret Rustic Design Style and what best fits your vision for the bedroom. 

A quick internet search will find many beautiful light fixtures, chandeliers, floor lamps and wall sconces made using wood and aged metal, or in a design that blends seamlessly into a Rustic Design Style space. You can also hang antique or reproduction barn lanterns from the ceiling and place an antique oil burning lamp on a dresser or nightstand. 

Vintage and antique furnishings work beautifully in a Rustic Style bedroom. Antique stores, flea markets, yard sales and family attics are good places to search for a brass or iron bedstead and antique wooden dressers and nightstands. For a true rustic look, leave antique dressers and nightstands in their natural state. When it comes to furniture, Rustic Design Style loves the rugged, the natural, the imperfect and the aged. You can also repurpose a vintage sideboard or even an old kitchen hutch for a dresser and an antique wall cabinet or small trunk for a nightstand. If an antique bed doesn’t work for you, consider building a custom headboard out of reclaimed wood.  

Layers of textiles will soften the stone and wood elements of Rustic Design Style and make your bedroom cozy. A patchwork quilt on the bed evokes instant comfort and warmth, and if it was made by a family member it will also exude love. A thick wool or faux sheepskin throw tossed casually across the foot of the bed projects a casual, relaxed atmosphere. Baskets for storage, burlap throw pillows on the bed, linen or mattress ticking curtains over the windows, and a vintage rug on the floor add more textural layers and dimension to the room.  

When accessorizing your bedroom, make use of odd vintage items you may already own. Antique bottles and vintage mason jars can be displayed as-is or filled with antique marbles, beach glass, small seashells or tiny battery-operated strings of fairy lights. A beautiful vintage vase that no longer holds water can be placed on a rough-hewn shelf as a lovely piece of art or filled with artificial flowers and placed on a dresser or nightstand. In the spirit of Bob Ross, there is no junk, just art waiting to be recognized.  

Pick and choose what works best for you and how you envision your Rustic Design Style bedroom. The most important thing is to keep the vibe cozy, comfortable and relaxed for a room that will inspire sweet dreams.  

Interior Design Houston – Rustic Design Style Bedroom

When choosing Rustic Design Style for your home, you are choosing to celebrate natural beauty and casual comfort over perfect lines and symmetry, and familiarity over edginess. This style celebrates aged, weathered, reclaimed and distressed pine wood over perfectly smooth, polished mahogany. It finds perfection in a gnarled, knotty tree trunk and charm in a faded, battered steamer trunk, either of which it sees as a viable nightstand.  

The traditional color palette for Rustic Design Style is earthy neutral, but it’s a flexible style with a lot of latitude where colors are concerned. Generally, any neutral palette combined with muted color accents works well with this style. Shiplap and paneled walls can be left in natural wood tones or painted or whitewashed for an airier look. The same goes for brick, but natural stone walls shouldn’t be covered up with paint. If you have drywall or plaster walls, paint them white or an earthy neutral color. 

Floors are sometimes natural stone, but usually they’re hardwood or wide plank. Often in Rustic Style, a weathered or distressed look is desired in a plank or hardwood floor. Rugs can range from faux cowhide or sheepskin to natural fiber rugs made of jute or sisal, to thick, plush wool rugs. It depends on how you interpret Rustic Design Style and what best fits your vision for the bedroom. 

A quick internet search will find many beautiful light fixtures, chandeliers, floor lamps and wall sconces made using wood and aged metal, or in a design that blends seamlessly into a Rustic Design Style space. You can also hang antique or reproduction barn lanterns from the ceiling and place an antique oil burning lamp on a dresser or nightstand. 

Vintage and antique furnishings work beautifully in a Rustic Style bedroom. Antique stores, flea markets, yard sales and family attics are good places to search for a brass or iron bedstead and antique wooden dressers and nightstands. For a true rustic look, leave antique dressers and nightstands in their natural state. When it comes to furniture, Rustic Design Style loves the rugged, the natural, the imperfect and the aged. You can also repurpose a vintage sideboard or even an old kitchen hutch for a dresser and an antique wall cabinet or small trunk for a nightstand. If an antique bed doesn’t work for you, consider building a custom headboard out of reclaimed wood.  

Layers of textiles will soften the stone and wood elements of Rustic Design Style and make your bedroom cozy. A patchwork quilt on the bed evokes instant comfort and warmth, and if it was made by a family member it will also exude love. A thick wool or faux sheepskin throw tossed casually across the foot of the bed projects a casual, relaxed atmosphere. Baskets for storage, burlap throw pillows on the bed, linen or mattress ticking curtains over the windows, and a vintage rug on the floor add more textural layers and dimension to the room.  

When accessorizing your bedroom, make use of odd vintage items you may already own. Antique bottles and vintage mason jars can be displayed as-is or filled with antique marbles, beach glass, small seashells or tiny battery-operated strings of fairy lights. A beautiful vintage vase that no longer holds water can be placed on a rough-hewn shelf as a lovely piece of art or filled with artificial flowers and placed on a dresser or nightstand. In the spirit of Bob Ross, there is no junk, just art waiting to be recognized.  

Pick and choose what works best for you and how you envision your Rustic Design Style bedroom. The most important thing is to keep the vibe cozy, comfortable and relaxed for a room that will inspire sweet dreams.  

Interior Design Houston – Rustic Design Style Bathroom

A Rustic Design Style bathroom packs a lot of warm, laid-back style into a small space without crowding or cluttering it. Much of the warmth comes from the basic elements of the style: natural materials such as stone, rough-hewn or weathered wood, exposed beams and brickwork. These lay the foundation for a comfortable and relaxing space. 

The color palette for Rustic Design Style in general is earthy neutral; in the bathroom, the usually muted shades can be lightened up a bit. The palette is enhanced with iron or copper metallic accents and aged patinas. Walls that aren’t wood or brick may be painted or tiled in a neutral color. Dark paneling, shiplap and natural wood beadboard are also options for stylishly rustic walls.  Leave wood and brick walls untouched. You can create an accent wall with natural stone, brick, or wood planks. Floors can be covered in stone, brick or terracotta tile, pebble tile, or a wood effect tile made of porcelain, ceramic or glass.  Exposed beams or an exposed wood ceiling will draw the eye upward creating vertical space. If you are committed to a true Rustic Style, replace the traditional door with a sliding barn door. 

A free-standing bathtub is desirable; a modern oval bathtub will suit Rustic Design Style as well as a vintage clawfoot bathtub. If you opt for a vintage tub, don’t worry about dings, scratches or discolorations; Rustic Design is about embracing imperfections. A vintage clawfoot bathtub covered in copper gilt would make a powerful statement piece while fitting in with the Rustic Design aesthetic.  

Your bathroom vanity can be custom made from reclaimed, weathered or distressed wood, or it can be painted in a distressed style. Look for a modern sink made of rough natural stone and pair it with vintage-look copper-colored faucets. Install roughhewn wood shelving or an antique dresser for extra storage space. Repurpose an old window frame to hold a mirror or scour flea markets and yard sales for vintage mirrors. Hang farmhouse shutters on the windows or cover them with rough linen curtains. 

Rustic Design Style likes to layer textures, so includes a handwoven rug on the floor and a large wicker basket to hold plush rolled-up bath towels. Hang an antique washboard – or even an old zinc washtub – on the wall as art. Install mason jar lighting or hang Edison bulbs from the ceiling and accessorize with potted plants.  

Your Rustic Design Style bathroom should be an inviting, relaxing room with a comforting and nostalgic ambience. 

Interior Design Houston – Rustic Design Style Kitchen  

It’s easy to think that Rustic Design Style is intended only for settings like cabins, chalets, hunting lodges, farms and ranches. Some might think it should only be used in certain regions such as rural or mountain settings, or that it’s intended for the American west, the Swiss alps or the vineyards of Tuscany. The truth is that Rustic Design Style is not specific to any region. It is sometimes about the history of the building itself and sometimes about the type of room in which it is being applied. While Rustic may be the go-to design style for a farmhouse or cabin, a kitchen in the newest, most modern condo is still a kitchen and the design will draw from the history of kitchens instead of the building. In other words, a Rustic Design Style kitchen is appropriate in any building. 

Some hallmarks of Rustic Design Style include natural materials like wood and stone, exposed beams and brickwork, salvaged/reclaimed/repurposed materials, a focus on simplicity and functionality, and vintage decor. Exposed beams are particularly desired in this style, to the point that fake beams made of PVC are sometimes installed. If your kitchen has exposed beams or brick walls, you can whitewash them to lighten your kitchen. A coat of whitewash will not cause them to lose their rustic charm. 

Floors in a Rustic Design Style space are usually hardwood or wide plank, sometimes natural stone, and occasionally brick in a herringbone pattern. You can also use vintage look tile, terracotta or terrazzo. Walls that aren’t brick or natural stone can be shiplap, subway tile, antique tile, or painted white or a neutral shade. For a small kitchen, all white subway tiles or white painted walls will make it feel larger. If you want a fully rustic kitchen, remove your pantry door and replace it with a salvaged barn door which may be whitewashed or left au naturel.  

Cabinets should be plain with simple hardware. Shaker cabinets work well with Rustic Design Style. While cabinetry can be painted, warm natural wood tones are preferred. Reclaimed wood may be used for cabinets and for open shelving. Quartz or marble countertops will set off natural wood tones, while wood butcher block countertops will set off painted cabinets. If your kitchen doesn’t have an island, bring in an antique butcher block or table to use for meal preparation. A vintage farmhouse sink is ideal for a Rustic Design kitchen. Appliances may be modern, vintage or modern reproductions of vintage range and refrigerator. Choose whatever best fits your needs and preference.  

Use traditional fabric patterns to cover your windows; gingham print on cotton, retro flour sack patterns from the 1930s on muslin, or a solid rough texture linen. Throw a hand braided rug on the floor and hang a muslin tea towel over the oven door handle. Display copper cookware on a hanging rack above the stove and choose copper colored metal tapware for sinks. You can carry the copper theme to lighting with copper accented fixtures. Select retro-style pendant lights or search antique stores and flea markets for vintage light fixtures. Decorate with potted plants, particularly herbs that can be used while cooking.  

Your Rustic Design Style kitchen will be a comfortable room with vintage decor giving it a feeling of history and a timeless sense of nostalgia that makes everyone who enters feel welcome and relaxed.  

Interior Design Houston – Maximalism Design Style

The modern version of Maximalism Design Style became popular during the reign of King Louis XIV of France and his use of design at Versailles to impress and intimidate both his subjects and his fellow world leaders. It has evolved from weaponized design to a design that fearlessly and unapologetically expresses who you are and what you like. 

Maximalism Design Style is more about a bold mix of colors, textures and patterns than about knick-knacks, although knick-knacks, tchotchkes, souvenirs and memorabilia all play their parts. The opposite of Minimalism’s neutral, less-is-more aesthetic, Maximalism Design Style embraces a more-is-more philosophy that includes more colors and patterns as well as more items. The objects you display should be things you love, things you collect, things that express your interests, so your maximalist room becomes an extension of your personality and tells your story to all who enter. Whether you’re a bibliophile, a world traveler, a gardener, a sports enthusiast, or one of a myriad of other interests and pastimes, choose intentionally what you want to bring into your space and how to display it effectively. 

A Maximalism Design Style room is playful, whimsical, joyful and exciting but not necessarily crowded. It can feature furniture and decor from different styles and eras. Popular prints that can be found in a maximalist room (sometimes all of them in one room) include floral, abstract and animal prints. The color palette is a personal choice, often leaning toward vibrant jewel tones. If you can’t decide on a color palette, find wallpaper you love and allow it to inspire the palette. 

Maximalism Design is a fun and daring style that mixes colors, patterns, textures, styles and periods, customizing itself to your interests. It creates a welcoming room with a lived-in feel that puts guests at ease. It will give you a room that not only brimming with personality, but brimming with your personality 

Interior Design Houston – Maximalism Design Style Living Room

When you look up this style, one word appears repeatedly: Joy. A Maximalism Design Style living room is like experiencing an explosion of joy in your home. It’s a versatile style, tailored to the individual, that encourages self-expression, bold colors, layering everything, and mix-and-matched furnishings, patterns and lighting.  

Bold colors are not a requirement; in Maximalism Design Style there are few requirements. The main thing to remember is to give the room a cohesive look, and color is often the vehicle utilized for that purpose. If you choose this style, the color palette will be your choice. From vibrant jewel tones to monochromatic neutrals and everything in between, in this style it’s “anything goes” where color is concerned. If narrowing down the entire spectrum of color is understandably overwhelming, choose one thing you know you want in your living room and build the color palette around it. Many people choose a favorite painting or print and incorporate the colors into the room. You might choose a piece of furniture, a rug, a favorite memento or a painting; whatever you choose can be used to inspire your color choice. Bear in mind that you are not required to have colors that are in the same family; you can pair warm corals with cool blues or bright orange with muted greens. If you have something that pulls the colors together and provides the link that makes it click, your color combinations will work. 

Floors in a Maximalism Design Style living room are generally hardwood, natural stone, or tiles that looks like wood or stone. This is to ground the room and provide a blank canvas on which to build. As with the color palette, however, there are no rules or requirements for flooring. Place a plush area rug, in a solid color, a subtle motif, or a bold pattern on a non-carpeted floor. Don’t be afraid to layer rugs, with a smaller rug in a different color and pattern placed at an angle across the larger rug.  

Walls can be painted, paneled or papered. Whatever you do to the walls can be done to the ceiling as well, if you wish. Wallpaper with big, bold patterns is a popular choice for an accent wall, or for all the walls in the living room. Painted walls can be dark and moody, bright and sunny, soothing pastel, or neutral to allow other elements in the room to take center stage. In Maximalism Design Style, no wall should be untouched with color, texture, pattern, decorative molding, and/or art. 

While many design styles are associated with iconic furniture styles, Maximalism Design Style has no such association. In fact, it encourages mixing styles, shapes and forms of furnishings. Choose comfortable furniture that you like in colors and patterns that tie in with whatever item you selected to connect your colors. Textures should be varied; think velvet upholstery, satin pillows, knitted throws, and wool rugs.  

Lighting is not immune from Maximalism Design Style’s love of layering. You will want different types of fixtures for general lighting, accent lighting and task lighting. Layer your lighting with a hanging chandelier or pendant light to add vertical space to the living room, add some combination of floor lamps, table lamps and wall sconces. Track lighting and recessed lighting are also options, just a bit subtle for this style.  

Finally, it’s time to accessorize your living room. This is where you really get to have fun. Much of your decor should come from items you already have around the house. Items that you’ve collected, favorite souvenirs, figurines, books, plants, sports paraphernalia... choose things that are important to you, things that you love. Next decide how best to display them – grouped together on shelving, hung on a wall, scattered on surfaces throughout the room, or some other creative method. Displaying your treasures is where you will most likely find the most joy in Maximalism Design Style. 

When you are finished putting together your living room, it should be playful, exciting, whimsical, colorful, and filled with things you love and layers of color, texture, lighting, patterns, shapes, forms, styles and periods. In an interview, Interior Designer Gavin Houghton said, “A room needs to be like a person you’d like to get to know, which means it needs to be interesting and erudite, to have history and background.”  Everyone who enters your Maximalism Design Style living room will be able to see who you are and what you love. Even better, you will get to spend time every day in a room that is customized to your personality and filled with things you love. 

Interior Design Houston – Maximalism Design Style Master Bedroom

Maximalism Design Style is all about layering. A search on the internet will show you layered colors, patterns, textures, fabrics, lighting and rugs. But if you look very carefully, you will also see many instances in which the design style itself is layered on top of another design style, most noticeably by layering patterns. If complete redecoration isn’t doable, don’t be afraid to add a layer of Maximalism Design Style on top of your bedroom’s existing style. 

Current color and accessory trends in the world of interior design hark back to the sixties and seventies, which is perfect for a Maximalism Design Style bedroom. Vibrant jewel tones and bright neon, with groovy hippie era accessories work well with this style. To set your color palette, choose a color that makes you feel happy and create your palette around it. Or choose a painting or wallpaper you love for your bedroom and create your palette from the colors in it. Don’t shy away from bold, bright colors; even if you prefer quieter colors for walls and upholstery, a pop of neon here and there will draw the eye to anything you want visitors to notice. 

Patterns are arguably more important than color in a Maximalism Design Style bedroom. Layer big, bold floral or geometric patterns on the walls with smaller complementary patterns on bedding and rugs. It sometimes helps to think of stripes, geometrics and animal prints as solids when mixing patterns. You can mix those patterns with florals, plaids and other prints. The goal is a fun mix that isn’t overdone to the point of overstimulating you and making it hard to fall asleep. Some Maximalism Design Style bedrooms keep the color palette simple, often using white or another neutral shade with just one other color and incorporating layers of patterns in those colors for a calmer effect. 

Walls in a Maximalism Design Style bedroom are generally either painted or papered and then layered with art. Consider extending your paint or wallpaper to cover the ceiling of your bedroom as well. Paint a mural on one wall or apply a wallpaper mural. Cover one wall with floor to ceiling framed art. Seek out textile wall hangings and retro sunburst mirrors. Floors tend toward hardwood in this design style so you can layer colorful patterned area rugs. Look for rugs with a plush, deep pile or soft shag rugs which are back in style.  

Furnishing your Maximalism Design Style bedroom is especially fun, as this design has no furniture style or era. You can mix vintage and modern, simple and ornate, wood and rattan or metal. A vintage rattan headboard, a mid-century modern nightstand, an antique chair and an ornate mirror can coexist peacefully in one room. Think about lacquered wood surfaces because shiny is on trend. Add bookshelves on one wall and fill them with books, plants and fun accessories. Install a statement light fixture and fill the room with a multitude of funky lamps. Lava lamps and mushroom lamps from the 1960s and 1970s, shiny brass lamps, geometric shaped lamps, fun floor lamps; just make sure they will suit the decor and, above all, that you love them. 

The most important thing about your Maximalism Design Style bedroom is that it reflects your unique personality. Fill the room with the colors, patterns, furniture and objects that you love, to create a space that you will love spending time in. 

Interior Design Houston – Maximalism Design Style Bathroom  

The bathroom is a fun room to furbish in Maximalism Design Style. It’s the perfect place for a fun theme; think toucans or turtles, fish, frogs or flamingos. If you want a less whimsical theme, try trees, flowers or oceans. Not that it’s necessary to have a theme, but it helps when deciding on a color palette, wallpaper and accessories. A theme of woods or trees begs tree or leaf print wallpaper and a color palette of greens, browns and perhaps yellows. A palette of pinks with black accents goes with a flamingo theme. You get the idea. If you don’t have a theme, you can choose a palette of bold, saturated colors, pastels or contrasting colors (orange and brown, pink and turquoise, purple and green are just a few examples). 

Walls provide the main canvas for artistic expression in a Maximalism Design Style bathroom. You can paint or tile the walls using a color from your palette. Accent solid-colored walls with intricately patterned floor tiles. Stack subway tiles on your walls and cover your floor with tiles placed in a herringbone pattern. Hang brightly colored and patterned wallpaper or opt for whimsical wallpaper. Install geometric patterned tiles on an accent wall. Use beadboard or paneling with picture frame molding on lower portions of the wall and paint, paper or tile the upper portions. Apply wallpaper to the ceiling. You can choose to paint trim and molding in neutral shades or bright accent colors. If you can’t afford a complete bathroom refurbishment, keep your “dated” fixtures and hang bold wallpaper for an instant shot of Maximalism Design Style.  

There is a lot of latitude for fixtures and furnishings in Maximalism Design Style. There is no set style or era in this design; it’s a highly personalized style. It’s also a style that likes to combine vintage and modern elements. So, you can have a vintage clawfoot bathtub and a modern vessel sink, or a modern oval bathtub and a vintage style sink in a vintage console vanity. You won’t go wrong if you just choose whatever appeals to you. A wooden vanity can be painted or left in natural wood tones. If you decide to paint it, consider using an unexpected color like hot pink, bright blue, mint green or a color that complements your palette or theme. If possible, include a unique piece of furniture such as a honeycomb shelving unit painted a cheerful color in your Maximalism Style bathroom. 

For lighting, search for a vintage chandelier or pendant light, preferably one with crystals to catch and reflect the light. Look for unusual or ornate wall sconces to frame the sink area. It’s okay to have a statement ceiling fixture and statement wall sconces, so don’t pass up fabulous sconces just because you already have a fabulous chandelier. Maximalism is an over-the-top design style that allows an abundance of fabulousness. 

Bring art into your bathroom by creating a gallery accent wall. Brass accents in metallic fixtures and fittings will make your design sing. Also include some brass in your accessories. A brass-colored tray holding small antique bottles, vintage perfume bottles, a collection of small elephants or giraffes, beach glass or whatever interests you. And that is the point of Maximalism Design Style, making it all about you and your unique personality. 

Interior Design Houston – Maximalism Design Style Kitchen  

The bright colors and bold patterns of a Maximalism Design Style kitchen make a cheerful room where family and friends love to congregate and, more importantly, where you will enjoy cooking. In this style, you choose the color palette. Choose a color you love and build your palette around it, or choose a painting, print, piece of China or some other object you love that you want in your kitchen and use the colors in it for your palette. Whether you use cheerful bold colors or soothing pastel hues, it’s okay to use unexpected colors and to mix them up. A bright green wall with turquoise cabinets, pastel pink with pale mint, cherry red with sunny yellow, bright purple with neon green – there are no rules when it comes to color in this style. The same goes for patterns. Mix geometric with animal prints, stripes with florals and botanical prints with just about anything.  

Maximalism Design Style loves bright colors and bold patterns, especially in wallpaper. Don’t be afraid to paper your walls in big, bold patterns. You can combine painted walls with tiled or paper walls. The backsplash can be an intricate design tile pattern, mirrored tiles, pressed tin or subway tile in vibrant jewel tones. Let your creativity run free!  

Floors are generally either wood or geometric tile. Wood floors can be traditional hardwood, hardwood in a herringbone pattern or wood plank. Knotty pine works well for Maximalism Design Style flooring. Lay out tile floors in a checkerboard pattern, choose a block tile pattern with a 3-D effect, or opt for a complex geometric design tile. Whatever your floor choice, toss a plush, colorful rug on top of it. 

Window treatments can be simple white sheers, but Maximalism Design is an over-the-top style, so don’t limit yourself. Try vintage print or retro flour sack fabric curtains, brightly printed Roman shades, or even stained glass. Consider adding a hanging shelf in a window to hold potted herbs. 

Make the lighting in your kitchen a statement with a vintage or modern chandelier or striking pendant lights. Brass and copper tones will stand out amongst the colors and patterns of Maximalism Design Style; use brass or copper accents in lighting and decor.  

Cabinets in your Maximalism Design kitchen can be natural wood tones or painted. Be brave and paint them vivid colors, either solid, rainbow colors or a geometric pattern. Or install interesting cupboard doors, such as wood and cane. Instead of built-in cabinetry, scour flea markets, antique stores and yard sales for antique cabinets. Mix and match different styles and paint them in bright colors. Another option is to source vintage or modern reproduction metal cabinetry in bright or pastel hues. Repurpose an antique dresser for kitchen storage. The table and chairs can be modern, vintage or antique with mismatched chairs. As with all other elements in the room, choose what you love and tie it all together with coordinating tea towels, potholders, placemats, curtains and tablecloth. A retro farmhouse sinks or a modern apron sink and quartz, marble or butcher block countertops complete the furnishings. 

Personalize your Maximalism Design Style kitchen with accessories. Make a gallery wall with framed vintage food ads, paintings or photographs. Hang copper cookware on the walls or on racks suspended from the ceiling. Paint your knife block, hang a vintage sunburst clock on a wall and bring in potted plants.  

The kitchen should not be a room you dread to enter. With Maximalism Design Style, your kitchen will be a happy room bursting with color, design and texture that puts a smile on your face, a spring in your step and a song in your heart.  

Interior Design Houston – Mediterranean Design Style Master Bedroom  

Imagine waking up in a lovely bedroom with French windows leading out onto a balcony overlooking the white sands, sun-drenched landscape and sparkling turquoise of the Mediterranean coast. You can have that feeling even if you live on the other side of the world with a Mediterranean Design Style bedroom. You will awaken to an airy, uncluttered room with whitewashed or neutral painted walls and gauzy linen curtains billowing softly in the breeze. What a wonderful way to start a brand-new day! 

Your bed will most likely be a wooden four-poster with an ornately carved headboard, although, if you have more modern taste, it might be a modern black metal canopy bed, with or without a canopy. The bedding consists of several layers of natural textiles that may include organic cotton sheets, woven wool blanket and a linen duvet cover with a handcrafted blanket throw draped across the foot of the bed. Your first step of the day will be onto a luxuriously soft faux sheepskin rug which may be laying atop a jute rug on a stone, terracotta tile or hardwood floor. The rest of the furniture in your Mediterranean Design Style bedroom will probably be dark wood dressers and nightstands, and seating surfaces upholstered in leather or plush neutral fabric.  

The walls of your bedroom can be traditional stucco or textured to appear like stucco using special painting techniques. You can make an accent wall by painting one wall a dark earthy color, making a natural stone wall or covering all or part of a wall with Spanish mosaic tile. Hang paintings, prints, photos, baskets or textile art. 

Lighting should be layered, with a woven or wrought iron hanging fixture, sconces with wrought iron or brass accents, floor lamps with sleek silhouette, and table lamps with pottery-like bases. Use light bulbs that emit soft, warm light. Accessorize your Mediterranean design bedroom with handcrafted baskets, pottery and ceramic pots. Use the ceramic pots to hold plants. Fill your room with plants of all sizes, from tiny succulents to small lemon trees or palm trees.  

Beginning your day in a Mediterranean Design Style bedroom should fill you with contentment and positive energy; ending your day there should be a peaceful, relaxing experience.  

Interior Design Houston – Mediterranean Design Style Bathroom

A bathroom in Mediterranean Design Style should have a spa-like ambience. The ideal is an airy room with an open and functional layout, natural light, good ventilation, and a French door leading onto a private patio or courtyard. Not all of these things are feasible in a modern home, but you can make a few changes to your existing bathroom to create a Mediterranean atmosphere. 

A Mediterranean Design Style bathroom, like other rooms in this style, begins with an earthy color palette. For the bathroom, choose shades of beige, terracotta, olive green and azure representing the sand, clay, flora and water prominent in Mediterranean coastal regions, and offset these colors with warm neutral shades.  

Tile floors are favored, either terracotta tiles or intricate Spanish mosaic tiles with geometric or arabesque patterns. Natural stones such as travertine can also be found in some Mediterranean Design Style bathrooms. Walls can be painted, whitewashed or limewashed in a warm neutral color, covered in natural stone, or tiled. You will often see niches carved into Mediterranean style bathroom walls as decorative storage spaces. Arches are prominent in Mediterranean architecture and interior designers will often try to incorporate arches somehow in the room’s design, such as an arched mirror or an arched shower entrance. If your bathroom looks out onto an enclosed private area, leave the windows uncovered to allow a maximum of natural light into the room. If you are doing a complete renovation, install large arched windows, French doors to the outside, and perhaps a skylight.  

A rustic wooden vanity with ornate details is perfect for a Mediterranean style bathroom. If you cannot find such a vanity, repurpose an antique dresser or sideboard. Hang a wood framed mirror above the vanity, the fancier the frame, the better, and install a modern vessel sink in copper or brass tones. A marble countertop and a modern square or oval soaking tub with black or bronze tone faucets for both sink and bathtub will complete the look.  

Look for wrought iron light fixtures or rustic pendant lights and sconces and use light bulbs that give off a warm friendly glow. Recessed lighting can be added to brighten shadowed areas if desired. 

Textiles should be plush and colorful. Roll up Turkish towels and store them in a large basket. Hang luxuriously soft robes on hooks. Place a Moroccan rug on the floor and jute mats beside the bathtub and shower enclosure.  

Accessorize your Mediterranean Design Style bathroom with wrought iron hardware, hand-woven baskets for storage, lavender scented reed diffusers, wind chimes, candles, lanterns, ceramic pots holding live plants, and tapestries or paintings of Mediterranean landscapes.  

You will never want to leave your beautiful, relaxing, spa-like Mediterranean bathroom. 

Interior Design Houston – Mediterranean Design Style Kitchen

The warm colors, rich textures and natural materials found in a Mediterranean Design Style kitchen are rooted in the history, lifestyle and landscape of the countries located on the Mediterranean coast. Curves and arches that are ingrained in traditional Mediterranean architecture may echo in various ways throughout the kitchen design, even if you lack arched windows, doorways and alcoves.  

The beginning of your kitchen transformation is the color palette. Choose warm, earthy colors that can be found in nature along the Mediterranean coast, such as warm brown, rusty red, sandy beige, olive green, terracotta orange, golden yellow and the azure of the sea and sky. Include black and creamy white or off-white to highlight the rest of the colors.  

Think about how to incorporate wood, natural stone, and terracotta into your kitchen. For example, you can install a wood kitchen island, build an arched stone alcove for a cooking area and use terracotta tiles on the floor. Exposed wooden beams and natural stone or brick walls are perfect for this design. 

In a traditional Mediterranean home, the walls are stucco. If you want to replicate the appearance and texture of stucco, there are special paints and painting techniques you can use to achieve it. Otherwise, you can paint drywall in one of your warm earthy colors or a neutral shade, you can tile the walls with subway tile or Spanish mosaic tile, you can apply natural stone tiles, or you can panel the walls. You can also make an accent wall of tile, stone or wood and a tile backsplash. 

Floors are traditionally stone or terracotta tiles (Saltillo tile is preferred). Many modern Mediterranean Design Style kitchens have hardwood or wood plank floors. Lighting is usually comprised of a chandelier or hanging pendant lights with sconces in shadowed areas. You can also add recessed lighting for times you need extra brightness. Look for metal fixtures and sconces of either brass or wrought iron and make sure to use soft, warm lighting in eating areas. 

The ideal for windows and doors is what you find in traditional Mediterranean architecture; arched windows and doorways, French doors that open directly to a patio or courtyard, and unscreened French style windows that allow sunshine and fresh air to pour into the kitchen unimpeded. Where this isn’t viable, install oversized windows left uncovered. If privacy is an issue, plantation shutters or gauzy curtains are options that allow natural light in while still allowing for privacy.  

Cabinetry tends toward rich, dark wood tones or, if you need a bit more brightness in your kitchen, painted creamy white or off-white. Curved cabinets are a nod to Mediterranean architecture. While Mediterranean Design Style leans a bit toward minimalist chic, there is no need to settle for simple shaker cabinets. Ornately carved wood and intricate wrought iron hardware are more in line with a Mediterranean look. Countertops can be pretty much whatever you want, from natural stone (marble, granite, quartz) to natural wood butcher block countertops. For a shot of Mediterranean pizzazz, Spanish mosaic tile countertops add color and artistry to the kitchen. If that’s too much pattern for you, use stone or wood countertops throughout the room, and Spanish mosaic tile on the kitchen island.  

Appliances can be the most modern, sleek, energy-efficient models on the market. Black, white or stainless steel will blend in well with Mediterranean Design Style. Stainless steel is more adaptable to any changes you may want to make to your kitchen in the future. A farmhouse sink adds to the traditional Mediterranean flavor of the room. Modern apron sinks are also a good fit and come in a variety of styles that may enhance the kitchen design. The range hood should be large, painted to accent your color scheme, with suggestions of arches and curves in the design. 

The finishing details in your kitchen add a personal touch and give the room its warm, welcoming atmosphere. Start with a plush Moroccan rug on the floor, jute mats in front of the sink and stove, and Turkish dish towels. Hand-woven baskets holding napkins or other kitchen necessities and small stoneware crocks filled with wooden spoons and other utensils can sit on the counters where they are easily accessible when needed. Ceramic pots containing kitchen herbs are both decorative and functional. Hang landscape or still-life paintings on the walls. Make the room your own. 

A Mediterranean Design Style kitchen is filled with warm colors, vibrant patterns, rich details, glowing light and the cordial, casual ambience of the Mediterranean coast. It is the perfect style for the heart and soul of your home.