This time of year, it feels like daylight is fading by the minute! With cold, dark days of winter sneaking up on us fast, keeping your home light and bright is so important for productivity and mental health. We’re sharing five of our favorite tips for making your home brighter during these darker days!
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We’ve talked a lot about interior design and the different styles you can incorporate into your home, but we haven’t ever done an overview of exterior design! We decided to do a quick overview of ten of the most common and iconic design styles and their trademarks, so you can identify your favorite style(s)!
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We’re thrilled to open #thelakeloft to you guys! To see sources in the home such as paint colors & light fixtures, and for a behind the scenes tour, head here. Enjoy! www.shoppealma.com
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We’ve talked all about design styles before, and how to determine what your favorite style is! But what if you don’t perfectly fit into one box? Luckily, design styles were made to be mix-and-matched – as long as you do it the right way! We’re walking you through how to seamlessly blend two or more design styles for a home that reflects your personal, unique style. When you’re looking to combine more than one design style in your home, there are a couple different approaches you can take. The first is to blend design styles in every room, and keep it consistent. For example, if your style is a blend of modern boho farmhouse, you’ll keep that theme throughout your home. The other option is to choose a couple main styles (modern, farmhouse, and boho in this example) and vary which style(s) you’re showcasing in each space. There are a few things to keep in mind, regardless of the route you take: Keep a neutral base and a limited color palette If you’re mixing design styles, it can be all too easy to end up with a chaotic space, or a home that ends up looking vastly different from room to room. Avoid this by keeping a relatively neutral base, accented with colors from a limited, consistent color palette. At the Lake Loft, we have tons of black, white, earth tones and wood, but we also included a lot of blue and green tones throughout the house, keeping it cohesive from room to room. Pick a primary style Even if you plan to blend two or even three design styles together, having one overarching design style as your baseline is helpful when selecting furniture, colors and decor pieces. If you want a mostly modern home, you can easily incorporate some farmhouse or bohemian elements. If you love coastal style, minimalistic modern decor can fit well, too. The key is to have a good idea of your baseline style, and work off of that. Choose complementary design styles Along those lines, some design styles, like ultra-modern and cottage, just don’t mesh together. They don’t have any design elements in common, so they’re super hard to mix-and-match. Choosing design styles that more naturally complement each other is a safer bet for an end-result that looks naturally cohesive. Think modern/Scandinavian, modern farmhouse, or coastal/Colonial for styles that easily blend together. Shabby chic and…
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It’s one of the all-time best times of year here in Minnesota: fall! The leaves are turning gorgeous colors, the air is brisk, and pumpkin spice everything is everywhere. It’s also the perfect time to give your house some cozy vibes with fall decor! Here are a few of our favorite looks to bring autumn into your home. Front porch decor We actually wrote an entire post about this last fall, but your front porch is a must for fall decorating! Whether you opt for a full fall display or a couple pumpkins and seasonal flowers, your front porch is the first impression of your home, and should be decorated as such! We’re loving the double-rug look and of course, pumpkins and mums! (Psst!! The photo above is a sneak peek of the Lake Loft! Do you have your tickets for the Artisan Home Tour this weekend?!) Add fall florals Fall floral arrangements are a classic and simple way to decorate your home. Incorporate a seasonal centerpiece on your dining table or a vase with mums or fall branches on a mantle or console table for simple fall style that doesn’t overwhelm your space. Get cozy The temperature cooling down is a perfect excuse for making your home more cozy! Add throw blankets and pillows to your bedrooms and living spaces, focusing on warm fall textures and colors (think earth tones, thick knits and subtle plaid!) Candles and fireplaces are also helpful in achieving a cozy vibe for entering fall and getting through the winter, too. Don’t forget to also make your exterior spaces cozy! Blankets, rugs, string lights and fire pits go a long way to make your yard or patio ready for colder weather gatherings. Gather around the table Fall tablescapes are a tried-and-true way to bring the feelings of the season into your home, and also help you prep for Thanksgiving dinner (even if the holidays may look a bit different for you this year.) There’s no need to go crazy – think simple greenery with candles, some small neutral pumpkins, or simple fall floral arrangements. Don’t forget the fall napkins and place settings! Less is more Like most of our design tips, we always want to stress that with decor, less is usually more. As always, if you start your decor and design from a neutral place, adding in seasonal touches is easy. Also think versatility:…
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