Searchmetry wrote an article, “30 Interior Designers show off their best Interior Designs from 2018” which considers Interior Designers to follow in 2019 and the most important factors they focus on. They asked Interior Designers nationwide about their favorite design projects. Northern Lights Home Staging and Design was honored to be one of the designers selected and to receive their Best Interior Designs 2018 award.
We were asked to submit our three favorite design project and discuss why they were our favorites. They then selected 27 designs for the article.
They selected my global design for a Turkish Style living room for the article.
“This Edesign project was one of my favorites because it embodies many of the design trends for 2019, including getting away from gray and celebrating color, mixing colors, patterns, and textures, mixing metals, and mixing vintage and modern styles. This design uses Sherwin Williams color of the year, “Cavern Clay” with modern art and furniture and a traditional rug, accents and lighting.”
Awarded one of the top Interior Designs of 2018 by Searchmetry. Turkish Style Living Room Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
As a result of the article, we all received our badge of honor:)
Northern Lights Home Staging and Design is an award winning company with training in home staging, Interior Design and color consulting. We have won numerous awards for customer service, our blog, youtube channel and Interior design.
Embrace Color with Fractal Art for Interior Design
I recently discovered an art form called fractal art and love working with it to create beautiful pieces that are perfect for your Interior Design project! I love working with the brilliant colors, textures and the incredible detail possible with Fractal art.
So what is fractal art? I do not totally understand it myself. It is a form of algorithmic art created by calculating fractal objects which can create still and moving images. It is a form of computer or digital art developed in the 1980’s. Bottom line? It is abstract art created by math.
Creating fractal art is like traveling through a kaleidoscope that has no beginning or end. When traveling, you find a place you want to stop and stay a while. While there, you can manipulate the color, texture, light, shine, spectrum, hue and other elements around you until you have created the perfect place, and then you save it as an image. Sometimes I go a little too far playing with the elements and I ruin what I have made but can not go back. So I feel lucky when I can capture the perfect image. It is impossible to ever find that place again if I did want to replicate it…it would be like finding a single drop of water within the ocean. That is why each piece is one of a kind.
Working with fractal art is a little like meditation and color therapy mixed together. As a person that totally loves color, I am in my happy place!
So how can you use fractal art in your home? Here is an example of a Bohemian style living room that I created and Edesign for using fractal art for the wall art and pillows.
I am honored that SSP Studio and Gallery in Anchorage reached out to me and loved my work and wanted to carry it in the gallery. The three pieces below are available for sale in a wide variety of sizes and mediums done with high quality printing that can be shipped worldwide. They have beautiful photography that has been modified using various effects to create unique and amazing pieces. If you see other works that you like, use the code NLS5 at checkout to get a 5% discount.
I have also opened an Artist Studio at Society 6, and you can get my fractal art on a variety of home decor products such as art, pillows and bedding, curtains, wall hangings and furniture. Stop by and visit and see if there is anything perfect for your home!
Here are a few examples of some of the products available (not all are shown). For more designs and products, stop by the studio.
If you would like a custom piece for your Interior Design project, contact me and I can design something just for you.
Wondering what your Global Design Style is? Take the quiz and find out!
Ways to Use Sherwin Williams 2019 Color of the Year Cavern Clay
As a Certified Color Strategist, I love color and exploring the latest color trends and how you might use them in your own home. Cavern Clay is a warm, earthy and inviting terra cotta color which is the Sherwin Williams 2019 Color of the Year. An interesting choice!
When I first saw it, it reminded me of the red rock country of Arizona. It brought back memories of Southwestern Indian tribe colors from their rugs and art, terra cotta pots from Mexico and Indian ruins of New Mexico. Sherwin Williams calls it “Ancient, yet fully alive, and Bohemian, yet totally refined”. I could sense the ancient aspect. It reminded me of the colors of a Hopi village where I once attended a ceremony that felt like it could have taken place a thousand years ago. Sherwin Williams says that it goes great with natural furnishings, including exposed floors, wood furniture, leather upholstery and worldly textiles.
Ways to use Sherwin Williams 2019 Color of the Year Cavern Clay in Global Design such as Turkish Style or Bohemian style Interior Design.
I was working on a design for a Turkish inspired living room, and I noticed how much this color is used in Turkish rugs, pillows, textiles and art. No surprise as Turkey is a place where the land has inspired much of their art and culture, is a place with ancient roots, and Turkish elements are often used in Bohemian inspired design. Turkish style is a global style that is warm, inviting, earthy and exotic.
In the design below, I used Cavern Clay on the walls and mixed traditional rugs, pillows and accents with modern furniture and art.
Ways to use Sherwin Williams 2019 Color of the Year Cavern Clay in Global Design such as Turkish Style or Bohemian style Interior Design.
Interested in trying Cavern Clay in your own home? Be brave and paint an entire room with it, or try the color or similar shades in accents such as a wall mural, pillows, rugs, art, a beautiful side chair or accessory. These can be easily changed over time if you want to try a different color.
Interested in adding elements of Turkish style into your design? Visit Kilim.com to find some fantastic traditional, vintage and modern Turkish style rugs. Most are made from wool and cotton so have the added benefit of being eco-friendly. Many of their pillows are made from Turkish rugs or the same materials. Get 5% discount on anything on their site using the code NLS2019 at checkout.
Get the Look- Turkish Style Interior Design
To get the look in my design, check out the following products. Some contain affiliate links, meaning they give me a small commission but it does not increase your price.
Turkish style moodboard using Cavern Clay. Design by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
I found this great rug at Rugs USA which contains the Cavern Clay color, and inspired much of the rest of the design.
For the following items at Kilim.com, my favorite source for Turkish style products, get 5% off at check out using the discount code NLS2019. Love the colors, textures and unique traditional elements of these pieces, mixed with a modern twist.
At Amazon.com I found some traditional accents such as the Turkish coffee set and the Turkish lamps. Plus, who does not need a magic Aladdin lamp to make your wishes come true?
At Etsy I found the most wonderful modern Turkish art and loved the fact you could get them in large murals. Make a statement! Also, Etsy had some beautiful Kilim pillows as well that looked beautiful with the rug I selected.
For more inspiration on color trends and how to use them in your design, see my Pinterest board on Paint Color Trends and Ideas.
For more inspiration on Turkish style design and other global styles, see my Pinterest board “What is your Design Style” and the board on Turkish style.
Since writing this blog post, this design won an award for one of the best Interior Designs of 2018 from Searchmetry!
Need help pulling it all together? I would love to help you. Contact me for a design or color consultation today! Call 907-362-0065 or email me at info@northernlightsstaging.com.
Northern Lights Home Staging and Design named Best of Houzz 2019
Northern Lights Home Staging and Design is recognized as a 2019 “Best of Houzz” by Houzz.com – the leading online platform for home remodeling and design.
Out of 2.1 million home professionals from across the United States and around the world, Northern Lights Home Staging and Design earned Best of Houzz 2019 in Customer Service. The Houzz website has 40 million monthly users, and the Best of Houzz Service award is based on the number and quality of positive client reviews received in 2018.
“Best of Houzz is a true badge of honor as it is awarded by our community of homeowners, those who are hiring design, remodeling and other home improvement professionals for their projects,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. Homeowners from around the world use Houzz.com to find remodeling inspiration and to connect with top-rated Interior Designers, home stagers or color consultants like Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
“It’s a great achievement and I am really honored to have achieved the award the last four years in a row! I hope if provides peace of mind to potential clients that my work and service is endorsed by Houzz. I thank all my clients for leaving great reviews and making this possible”. Mary Ann Benoit- Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Why not try using black and white as your main colors in your Interior Design? It will make the rest of your colors really pop! Forget the gray; go for high contrast and drama! Whether your room is light and airy with white walls or dark and moody with dark charcoal walls, you will create a dramatic room sure to make a statement.
Get dramatic with black and white to make the rest of our colors really pop and create drama. Get a light, bright and airy space with white walls, flooring and ceiling. Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Create a dark and moody look with charcoal walls.
Using black and white is a timeless classic, gives a modern look and can satisfy your love of color or your desire to have little color while creating a beautiful space.
Why does it work? Because of the high contrast! Alone, black and white bring the ultimate contrast with each other. Any color you bring in against either the black or white creates high contrast. For the boldest design, use saturated bold colors such as jewel tones as accents. Bring in pops of color in your accessories, art or a colorful accent chair. These are also easy to switch out over time to give lots of variety in your design when you are ready for a change.
Create a beautiful focal point with an amazing rug or wall art and build the rest of your room design around your focal point. Take a cue from the style of the rug or art to build the rest of the room. For example, a Moroccan rug is a great start to build a bohemian style or global style room. Find a rug or art that has some black and white in it, to help pull everything else together.
For example, in the mood board below, I used the Moroccan rug as a the focal point to create a global or Bohemian style Interior Design with a modern twist. I used some the ethnic pillows, the chandelier and the lamps to add to the global/Bohemian vibe. I selected a modern abstract painting with lots of color to add that pop of vibrant color I wanted to contrast with the black and white. From the colors in the art, I selected two modern comfortable chairs in the red color from the art, and the accent bowl for the table to pull out the beautiful the blue in the art. I selected simple modern coffee and end tables with black finishes and marble tops in black and white. I loved the black and white abstract art, so simple and clean to use on the adjacent wall and coordinate with the modern touch both pieces of art bring to the room. And finally, when I saw the dancer within the black circles, I thought it would be the perfect accessory piece. Being a dancer myself, I am partial to dancer art! In any case, it expresses joy, which I hope is what you feel when you see this room!
Get Dramatic with Black and White! Try some of the following design elements to get the look. Click on the picture to find out more.
If you like some of the pieces in this design, you can click on the picture to go to a pin I created on Pinterest which links to most of the products I used. Click on the picture or here to find out more about the items. While you are on Pinterest, feel free to check out other great ideas and additional products for your black and white design in my Interior Design and Home Staging Products I Love board. Follow me on Pinterest to get great ideas each month.
If you would like help pulling together a dramatic room, globally inspired or Bohemian style Interior Design in your home, feel free to contact me and we can work together in person or online using Edesign to create the perfect space for you!
Click on the picture to find out more about the best training class on color available, the Four Pillars of Color!.
What’s Your Global Interior Design Style- Greek!
Greek Interior Design Style Elements
The colors of Greece. Photo of Santorini by MariaMichelle from Pixaby.
Greek Interior Design is simple and elegant, inspired by nature, and looks light, bright, airy and clean. If you like lots of white with beautiful vivid blue, green, fuchsia and gold accents, and a clean, de-cluttered, rustic look, Greek Interior design might be perfect for you! Designs tend to be simple, symmetrical, classical, and relaxing. Less is more.
Greek Style Living Room- Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Color- Lots of white with beautiful vivid blue, green, fuchsia and gold accents.
Design elements- whitewashed or exposed stone walls, blue shutters, Greek key pattern, columns (Ionic, Corinthian or Doric designs) incorporated into architecture, furniture or accessories. Moldings with classical details.
Accessories– Antique oil jars, glazed pottery, colorful glass. Greek columns holding sculptures or statues, plants or framing architectural elements.
Fabrics– Lightweight, sheer and white or neutral colors. Hang sheer white curtains on the windows or use sheer white fabric as a canopy over a bed. Varying shades of blue, often incorporating the Greek key pattern or stripes.
Architectural elements– exposed wooden beams, stone walls, columns, and arches.
Flooring- stone, marble or limestone, ceramic tile, stained concrete. Area rugs with stripes, flowers or the Greek key patters are common.
Furniture-wooden furniture with carvings and soft simple lines. Modern furniture often incorporates the Greek key pattern.
Greek Interior Design Style Elements to Try
To get the look, you could go all out and incorporate all the elements of Greek Interior Design, or you can add some key elements to your existing decor. Try lamps, pillows or rugs incorporating varying shades of blue reflecting the colors of the sea and the sky typically used in this style. Incorporate art using shades of blue that have natural elements related to plants or the sea. Try furniture, accessories or rugs with the Greek key pattern. Here are some products you might like. Click on any of the pictures learn more. Some contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase, they give me a small commission but it does not change your price. This allows me to take time to curate these products for you for free.
Are You Inspired?
These are just a few ideas of how to capture this beautiful style in your home. For help in putting it all together, other options to create this beautiful style, or help with your Interior Design or color needs, call 907-362-0065 today for a design consultation. Find out more about my services.
Wondering what your Global Design Style is? Take the quiz and find out!
Color Tip of the Month- Using Pantone’s Living Coral
Pantone’s “Living Coral” is their 2019 Color of the Year. It is a warm, peachy orange that is bold, earthy and inviting. What can you do with this color? Well, you could be brave and paint an entire room with it, or try it in smaller doses a powder room. If it is not a color you can see yourself living with in large doses, why not try using it in accents such as a wall mural, pillow, rug, art, a beautiful side chair or accessories. These can be easily changed over time if you want to try a different color. This color would work nicely with walls that are painted in a neutral color such as a light gray. Click on the picture below to go directly to my Pinterest pin, which has links to the products in the picture so you can find out more and purchase if you like (contain affiliate links). All should go nicely together.
I think these items together with some neutral off white sofas would create a clean, fresh, beautiful room in the Bohemian style with a modern twist.
Ideas for products you can use to incorporate Living Coral- Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year into your Interior Design or decorating project.
If you would like help selecting paint colors to go with Living Coral, or pulling it all together for your Interior Design project, give me a call for a color or design consultation today!
So why did I pick these items? I love global design styles, such as Bohemian, with lots of color but with a little more elegant and pulled together look. I think of it as “Elegant Bohemian”. This look can have touches of modern, vintage, industrial, farmhouse or other styles to make it unique. I think these items give it a modern touch. Colorful, but still light, clean and airy.
See the descriptions below. If you click on the picture it will bring you to the site where you can purchase them if you like. These contain affiliate links, meaning they give me a small commission for sharing their product with you but it does not affect your price at all. This helps me share some free design tips with you:)
Set the stage with WITHIN THE TIDES CORAL DAWN Wall Mural by Monika Strigel
This original art on wallpaper is 8×8′, is printed on self-adhesive woven polyester fabric panels, and is easy to stick on and off. Support an artist and set the palette for the rest of the room. Beautiful! She also made the pillows you can put on your sofa to help tie it all together.
WITHIN THE TIDES CORAL DAWN pillow by Monika Strigel Moroccan Shag MCS-2301 Area Rug from BoutiqueRugs
I love this Moroccan shag rug for giving that Bohemian vibe and giving lots of colors to work with to pull in with your furniture and accessories such as the deep rich teal and light blue.
What can I say, can this pillow be any cooler or go any better with the rug?
Garima Pouf by Dovetail
Nothing says Bohemian like a pouf and this one has the perfect colors. Take a cue from some of the colors in this for any wooden furniture you may add to the space.
Coral Glass Bud Vases from World Market
I just love these, clean, fresh, light, pretty and the perfect color. Light shining through beautiful colored glass is one of my favorite things.
Some of the pillows I selected above have gone out of stock so I found these new ones below that I think would work beautifully with the rug and mural.
Ready to Add Some Amazing Color to Your Space?
Try one of my online Color or Edesign Consultations today!
Wondering what your Global Design Style is? Take the quiz and find out!
When I painted the exterior of my house, it looks gorgeous, like a new house. Then, I was inspired to repaint and redecorate the inside so there would be harmony between the outside and inside.
The thought of decorating makes me happy.
I know it will take time, work, and money, but I don’t care because I know decorating will make me feel great!
Why is that? What is it about decorating that is so good for our minds, our hearts, our souls? Why do we want to do it? Why should we do it? I can think of nine reasons, and when added together, the end result is bliss!
It’s Refreshing
One of the first steps in redecorating is getting rid of the old, excess, or unwanted things that are taking up space. Taking stock of what we love and what we don’t or haven’t looked at or used in years is a good first step.
This allows us to make room for new things and provides space to highlight the things we love most.
Getting rid of excess stuff always makes me feel refreshed. How about you?
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
It Brings Serenity
Going through the de-cluttering process often brings on a frenzy of organizing as we create more room for all our things.
This always helps me feel like I have a little more control over my life, my destiny, my time.
I feel more relaxed after getting rid of things and reorganizing what’s left.
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
It Celebrates Good Memories
Once the decluttering is done, there is more room to re-arrange what is left, display cherished art and accessories in a new way, and highlight objects with memories of travels, friends, family, and our history.
Our story comes to life for us and others to see and enjoy.
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
It Allows Us To Express Our True Selves
Once we have decluttered, organized, and started to display the things most meaningful to us, it is time to take stock of what new things to bring into our space.
If you haven’t done this for a while, lots of things are probably looking dated and you may be bored with them.
Maybe your style and likes have changed and what you have doesn’t express your taste anymore.
It is time to what serves you now and to bring it to life. Express yourself!
We always feel the most comfortable and at home in a space that truly reflects who we are.
Does your home make you feel that way now?
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Color Brings Us Joy
Whether you love bright, bold color or revel in calming and serene neutrals, color has a big impact on how you feel every day.
Changing the colors of the walls or accessories can make the space look fresh and new and change your mood…for the better!
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Beauty beats Chaos
What an amazing feeling to walk through your rooms and let beauty, rather than chaos wash over you.
Imagine how much better you would feel every day.
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
It Creates Connection
When we are not proud of the way our space looks, we tend to be less likely to invite friends over to socialize and connect.
Once your space looks beautiful, you want to show it off! Decorating helps make us more likely to entertain friends at home and spend time relaxing and connecting.
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
It Creates Renewal
Creating our perfect space or sanctuary to retreat to during our busy lives renews our energy and gives us the space and peace of mind we all need.
Well-being is the highest state of mind you can achieve. Our surroundings have a big impact on that feeling.
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
It Creates Excitement
Redecorating is exciting, a journey of discovery.
We may not be sure exactly what the end result will be.
It can be like a treasure hunt for all the right pieces of a beautiful puzzle that tells our story. Sometimes the end result may surprise you!
Edesign by Northern LIghts Home Staging and Design
Does the Process Bring You Joy?
I realize, the process may not be fun for everyone and you might need a helping hand. You may struggle with the de-cluttering and organization, how to arrange things, figuring out your style, finding new items to complete the space, selecting paint and other colors, and more. That’s what I am here for. And I am would love to help you find your bliss.
The first step is to create a plan with an Aligned Design consultation. I take a holistic and transformative approach to Interior Design, aligning art, science, and energy to develop a great plan for you. Then we work on the details of implementing it with my in-person and Edesign Services.
See all my Edesign Services here.
Curious about your design style? Take my quiz to find out more about what brings you joy.
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
My Top Ten Home Staging Tips
Here are my top ten home staging tips to help you appeal to the greatest possible pool of prospective buyers so you can sell fast and for the price you want.
Get a Home Staging Consultation with a Professional Home Stager
First, get an “objective” idea of how buyers may view your house. We all have problem areas that we no longer “see” because we live with them every day. Also, consider who your likely “buyer” is and what they want. A consultation with a professional home stager and advice from your realtor can help you determine and appeal to your “target market.” A home staging consultation can give you that objective view and great advice to either do the home staging yourself or enlist the help of the home stager to do it for you.
Make it Spotless
Make it spotless. The most beautiful house, if dirty, will turn off potential buyers. It is worth it to hire a professional cleaning service if you do not have time or desire to do it right yourself.
Paint Neutral Colors
Paint neutral colors to make everything look fresh and new. Neutral colors will go with most buyers’ belongings. Buyers that think they will have to repaint will offer less. Sherwin Williams “Accessible Beige” is one of my favorites for home staging.
Paint neutral colors. This room uses Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige. Home Staging by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. Photo by DMD Real Estate Photography.
De-clutter
De-clutter so you only have about half the items that you normally live with. Cluttered rooms or too much furniture will make your space look smaller than it is. A consultation with a home stager can really help here before you get started. Home sellers often remove too much or the wrong things in their de-cluttering efforts. The things that remain and their arrangement are critical to making that emotional connection with buyers.
Remove Personal Photos
Remove personal photos for your own security and to help buyers visualize their family living there. As a buyer, it is hard to “move in in your mind” if they are looking at your family pictures.
Repair to Make it Move in Ready
Repair needed items. Most buyers want a property that is move-in ready.
Don’t Sell it Vacant
Don’t leave it vacant. Buyers will focus on the flaws since they have nothing else to look at! When buyers make an emotional connection and can see themselves living there, the house will sell. It is hard for buyers to visualize how their belongings will fit, or to make that emotional connection with a vacant property. It is worth the expense to stage a vacant property. It is cheaper than your first price reduction, which will likely happen as your home sits on the market for months. If actual staging is not possible, try virtual staging so buyers at least have an idea of how it could look and how their belongings could fit in the space.
Don’t Sell your listing vacant.
Virtual Staging by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Replace Old Carpeting and Outdated Lighting
Upgrade outdated lighting or old carpeting. Your stager or realtor can advise you on which upgrades will provide a good return on your investment in the final sales price. Old lighting can shout “dated” faster than anything. Old carpeting is filled with years of dirt… and no one wants to buy that! The examples shown below were from a house that sold the first day on the market after home staging.
Replace outdated lighting. Before home staging.
Replace outdated lighting. Home Staging by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. Photo by DMD Real Estate Photography.]
Replace old carpeting. Before Home Staging by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Replace old carpeting. After Home Staging by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. Photo by DMD Real Estate Photography.]
Create Great Curb Appeal
Clean and maintain your yard and make the front door area look welcoming. Great curb appeal will assure buyers make it inside to see your beautiful house.
Make sure you have good curb appeal. Photo by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Get Professional Photos
Get professional photos! Most buyers shop online and will decide about viewing your house in a few seconds. Great photos are critical. See my article on “Preparing for your Photoshoot”.
Get professional photos! Home Staging by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. Photo by DMD Real Estate Photography.
Prepare for Showings
Finally, when showing your house, make sure all lights are on, curtains are open, toilet seats are closed, and personal items are out of view in the bathrooms. Remove all evidence of pets.
Online, in another state, far, far away, I saw this listing for a house for sale. It is the perfect example of how not to sell your house! If you don’t want to sell fast or for more, follow this advice!
Make sure every room is so cluttered with objects and décor that buyers are totally distracted with your stuff and can’t see past it to the house!
2. Make sure it does not appeal to the greatest number of buyers by making the colors and décor so personal that it only appeals to people with taste just like you.
3. Overwhelm buyers with colors and patterns.
4. Put too much furniture in every room so the house feels small, regardless of how big it is.
5, Add as many personal photos as possible so buyers are distracted by who lives in the house now rather than envisioning it as their house.
6. Keep the decor dark and heavy, rather than light and airy, clean and modern.
7. Increase your price to 60 times more than the estimated value of similar homes.
While “Zestimates” are often wrong and can be off quite a bit, they are usually not off by 29 million dollars!
To have a quick and profitable sale, make sure your house is easy for buyers to fall in love with and visualize themselves living there. To make that happen, make sure it is clean, move in ready, well maintained, light, airy, modern, decluttered, inviting and warm yet not too personal, priced right, and marketed well. Don’t forget curb appeal. Grab buyer’s attention with great photos and a reasonable price, get them to the front door with great curb appeal, and get them to fall in love with it once they are inside.
A professional home stager can help you make it all happen and increase your sales price with professional staging.
Get Your House Staged by a Pro Today
All home staging starts with a consultation. From there, you can take the information and stage it yourself, work with the stager to get it done or have the stager do everything for you. Every home (especially the one in this article) can benefit from a home staging consultation!
Home Staging Consultation- In Person or Online- Learn More
![Replace old carpeting. After Home Staging by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. Photo by DMD Real Estate Photography.]](https://northernlightsstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/1467958608963__kwipfn17_17_.jpg)
