If you’re looking to create a refuge at home and love the calming color of gray, I’m sure you’ll find inspiration in these beautiful new furnishings, fabrics, and rugs just being introduced at market!

Gray upholstered designer custom bed

Of course once again I went absolutely crazy over all the new fabrics at market that will be available soon, especially the ones with a great hand (feel) or shimmer like this sheer pictured below!

New gray designer fabric

Don’t you just love the way the fabric designers are combining cool gray with browns to make the fabric more warm and inviting?  And what about this fabric below that resembles layers of rock formed over thousands of years.

New designer fabric

And finally I came across this delicate leaf fabric, that seems almost real with the textured overlay of leaf imprint.

For more cool new interior design and decorating trends don’t miss Living Large this Sunday at 10AM CST on News Radio 98.1FM and 980AM (also streams live on kmbz.com) as I talk with nationally known interior designer Barbara Barry about how to personalize your interior.

Or if you’re looking for interior design ideas for your flooring and walls, tune into Living Large with Karen Mills this Saturday at 10:30AM CST on Kansas City’s Business channel on 1660AM as I interview interior designer Paul DiMeo from ABC’s Extreme Makeover:  Home Edition show.

(Designer bamboo silk rug pictured above with the most incredible hand ever!)

Bedroom makeover by Karen Mills using existing furnishings

Closetup of bedroom makeover by interior designer Karen Mills

This owner of this master above had a wonderful eclectic collection of found pieces so it was truly a joy to makeover this master using existing furnishings during a local TV segment.  To start I imagined a tropical serene space where all the cares of the day would disappear so adding a palm tree and replacing darker fabrics with lighter feminine touches seemed appropriate along with adding the pampered feel of breakfast in bed.  Just imagine how nice it would be to wake up to this room every morning!

Bedroom makeover before photo

Master bedroom wall before

This owners of this master had begun to create their design previously with this gorgeous raspberry comforter and chocolate leather bed but needed a little help to complete the look of their space.

Since they obviously had a taste for Asian style, I continued the theme by placing inexpensive bamboo shoots behind the bed, layered over a richly textured raspberry designer grasscloth plus custom bamboo blinds to convey a peaceful setting where they can relax at the end of a long day.

Master bedroom wall makeover by Karen Mills

In the master below which is still a work in progress, I snapped a quick photo (sorry about the quality) after we finished installing a custom designed cornice board and beautiful duponi silk draperies along with a  velvet textured taupe wall hanging.  Doesn’t it look wonderful with our custom mohair wingback bed, mirror nightstands, hanging lamps and designer fabrics?!   Pefect for a Hollywood glam space that’s not too feminine.  I’m ready to dive in and spend the day lounging even though the space isn’t finished.  What about you?!

Bedroom makeover currently in progress by Karen Mills

For more great bedroom design ideas don’t miss Living Large at 10AM CST this Sunday on News Radio 981.FM and 980AM KMBZ (also streams live on kmbz.com) this Sunday as nationally known interior designer and French Country author Charles Faudree shares his design secrets along with K.C. native and New York interior designer Marshall Watson!

Plus if you want more tips about furniture and fabrics, tune into Living Large with Karen Mills this Saturday at 10:30AM CST in Kansas City as I interview HGTV’s host of Find Your Style, Karen McAloon plus Christopher Lowell.

Plus join us on Facebook or Twitter!

Casual kitchen by designers Bonesteel and Trout on Cultivate

As you can see, design has progressed towards a more organic undecorated relaxed look that makes you feel right at home.  Some of the ways we as interior designers accomplish this look is through layering materials of varying textures, using organic products/design, keeping simpler lines, and leaning toward a more undecorated  look such as the asymmetrical pillow layout on the striped sofa below..

William Yeoward's new Manton collection available through Osborne & LIttle

For more great tips on how to create a casual look including sandblasted granite, don’t miss Living Large this Sunday at 10AM CST on News Radio 98.1FM and 980AM KBMZ (also streams live on kmbz.com) as I interview nationally known interior designer Charles Allem who created this beautiful island style design below.

Design by Charles Allem

And if you’re looking for outdoor living design ideas, tune into Living Large with Karen Mills this Saturday at 10:30AM CST as I speak with DIY Network’s Billy Derian about design tips for outdoor spaces.

Plus become a fan on Facebook or Twitter now!

Ready to celebrate the best spring ever in your own backyard? Here are some great inexpensive tips to make the most of your outdoor space.

When I caught the spring fever of the season, I immediately went shopping in my own home to search for extra decor that could be repurposed outdoors.  It’s amazing what I discovered from a bamboo birdcage, a metal candle chandelier, and chinese paper lanterns that will hang from my pergola to shells, a candlebra, a wicker tray and an old sisal rug that will add great texture to my space.

Backyard design featured by House Beautiful magazine

So why not shop your house for hidden treasures too that you can bring outdoors or peruse stores and estate sales for vintage items you can repaint or remake to create a one of kind space instead of buying a matched set of furniture that doesn’t show off your personality!

Of course I’m also a huge fan of hammocks and even though I hadn’t had one for a few years, my son recently turned me on to polyester hammocks that set up anywhere, last longer and fold easily into a tiny pouch allowing you to take them around the world which is exactly what my son plans to do with his as he heads overseas next semester.

But if around the world isn’t an option for you why not take your hammock to you own backyard, the woods behind your house like our family does or even to a nearby park where you can just enjoy the day!

 For more great outdoor living ideas don’t miss Living Large this Sunday at 10AM CST on News Radio 981.FM and 980AM KMBZ as I interview DIY Network’s Matt Blashaw of Yard Crashers as he shares wonderful ideas on making over your backyard along with Traditional Home magazine style editor Krissa Rossbund.

 Clam chairs from Walmart

Or if you’re wanting to makeover your kitchen tune into Living Large with Karen Mills in Kansas City at 10:30AM CST on the KMBZ Business channel on 1660AM as the HGTV Kitchen Cousins Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri share their ideas for remaking your kitchen.

Plus become a fan of Living Large on Facebook or Twitter!

Bathrooms from Realtor.com

toward bathrooms that connect with the outdoors or are physically located outdoors.  Check it out!

Bathrooms from Realtor.com

But that’s not all I’m noticing.  The shower walls in contemporary bathrooms have begun to disappear too.  And along with that we’re seeing exciting new options like this floor level shower tray below by Kaldewei.

For more cool bathroom ideas and trends, tune in this Sunday at 10AM CST on Living Large on News Radio 98.1FM and 980AM KMBZ (also streams live on kmbz.com) as I talk with nationally known interior designer Timothy Corrigan along with the Kitchen Bath Design News editor Janice Costa.

Terrence Conran bath

And you missed the color trend forecast for this year or next, then don’t miss Living Large with Karen Mills on Kansas City’s KMBZ business channel on 1660AM.

Bath by Patrick Ladeau

Looking for the latest wallcovering trends for your interior design?!  Here they are!

Crocodile skin

I can’t believe how far we’ve come with wall tiles like the orange crocodile skin tile featured above!

But don’t forget about wallpaper for your living spaces too like this deliciously rich croc skin wallpaper in purple.

And both of these wall coverings are part of the biggest trend I’m noticing on walls texture.  Imagine squares of supple leather (or faux), snake/animal skins, silks/wools, grasscloth, bamboo, metallic flake, or 3D effects like crystals but with a twist!  And that twist could be an unexpected color, layering, mixing traditional with contemporary or mixing shiny with dull to create one of a kind looks.

Other hot wallcovering trends include bold graphics, bold colors and classical motifs.

For more great ideas on wall coverings or flooring, don’t miss Living Large this Sunday at 10AM CST on News Radio 981.FM or 980AM KMBZ (also streams live on kmbz.com) as I talk wiht ABC Extreme Makeover: Home Edition interior designer Paul DiMeo along with author Frances Schultz and carpet cleaning pro David Kohn with Floorworks.

And if you’re looking for remodeling tips for your home, then tune into Living Large with Karen Mills this Saturday at 10:30AM CST on Kansas City’s KMBZ business channel on 1660AM

Designer only fabric

I’m continuing to see wonderful textured fabrics in natural materials like velvets, linens, wools and basic cottons often with an overlay of metallic or shimmery material introduced in cut velvets, embroiderery, or wovens that are becoming a work of art on their own.  And these fabulous fabrics range from the look and feel of snakeskin to intricate embroidered scenes sewn over detailed backgrounds with stripes or other simple patterns to create a one of a kind look!

Designer only outdoor living fabrics

Designer only fabrics

Can you picture one of these fabrics in your own space and how fabulous it would look each time you walk in the room?

For more great tips on fabrics and furnishings, don’t miss Living Large this Sunday at 10AM CST on News Radio 98.1FM KMBZ as I talk with HGTV’s Karen McAloon along with nationally known interior designer Christopher Lowell.

Plus if you’re looking for tips on living spaces, then tune into Living Large with Karen Mills in Kansas City at 10:30AM CST on the KMBZ Business Channel on 1660AM!

If you’ve been trend watching this year, you’ve noticed the growing popularity of fire and water features outdoors.  But now I’m seeing the trend move indoors which is so exciting.  For years I’ve recommended water features and fire features for indoor spaces to my interior design clients because of the ambiance it creates but haven’t had much selection.  Now the selection is growing by leaps and bounds.

Fire and water feature by Elena Columbo

There’s nothing better than fire and water to create just the perfect ambiance outdoors or in!  But if you can’t afford to add one of these wonderful features, you can still add a beautiful fire feature to your home by buying a container to burn gel fuel which you could place on top of pillars, in urns or other containers.

1.  Refurbish your existing kitchen cabinets.  How?  If your cabinets are in good shape and not too dated, sand, repaint and seal them.  Two of my favorite colors to repaint kitchen cabinets when working with design clients is to repaint dated cabinets in an orange oake color a fresh white or a beautiful dramatic black.  Another look I love is give a vintage cottage look to cabinets by sanding, repainting, and sanding them again for a distressed feel.

But if your cabinet design is really dated, try having them refaced with new doors and fronts, or remove your door fronts and add glass inserts, replace your dated moldings wiht new wood moldings and add crown molding above to completely transform them along with new door hardware.

2. Replace your dated or worn appliances with more updated used ones you can find for less on the internet, replace dishwasher fronts or just prime and repaint appliances with appliance paint yourself.

3. Refurbish your existing floors with stone tile found on clearance and install yourself.  Or try stenciling over dated wood floors to disguise the worn areas and give them some personality.  Of course if you have linoleum, you can replace your flooring with a new pattern that looks like wood or stone for almost nothing.

For more great kitchen makeover ideas, don’t miss Living Large this Sunday at 10AM CST on News Radio 981.FM or 980AM KMBZ (also streams live on kmbz.com) as HGTV’s Kitchen Cousins Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri share their secrets to great kitchen redos along with Nick McIntyre from LifeWise Renovations.

Plus if you want to learn the latest interior design trends, don’t miss Living Large with Karen Mills  this Saturday at 10:30AM CST on the KMBZ Business Channel on 1660AM as I interview and  HGTV’s Antonio Ballatore from The Antonio Treatment.

The color forecast predictions for this year includes Tangerine Tango by the Pantone Institute of Color, Argyle green (along with hues of reds and blues) by Sherwin Williams, and Yellow as a major presence from the Color Association of the U.S.

The jury is still out on how I’m going to use Argyle green but I’m sure I’ll come up with some great ideas now that I now its definitely  heading our way!  As for Tangerine Tango,  I’ve already been using that color for the past two years in projects and absolutely adore it.   Other combos I’m loving include orange with turquoise, fuchsias with turquoise, translucent colors that change depending on how you look at them and combining these colors with beautiful neutrals like champagnes, creams, grays and grayed down browns or taupes.

But looking even further ahead to next year, the hottest interior design colors predicted include  Orange Daredevil and Blue Denim (Sherwin Williams) along with  Pink Peppercorn, New Growth Green and shades of purple (Color Association of the U.S.).

Deep down I think I already sensed the new colors on the horizon because the color schemes  I’ve  put together for my design projects are spot on!  For one design project, I’m combining bold turquoise, bright fuchsia pink, rich whites, champagne and caramels to create a youthful energetic living space.  In  another space, I’ve picked shimmery taupes and browns mixed with jolts of lime green to add some drama.

In another project’s space I’ve combined a monochromatic palette of creamy whites, shimmery taupes, and champagne with pops of brilliant orange that are warm and inviting but with an unexpected injection of color that’s a delightful surprise.  And for another room nearbly I’ve selected  shimmery Tangerine Tango fabrics combined with beautiful hues of blues, champagne and black which is just stunning.

Unfortunately none of these projects are complete yet, so stay tuned and I’ll post them once I’ve got photos!

For more great insight on the color trends for this year and next, don’t miss Living Large at 10AM CST this Sunday on News Radio 981.FM and 980AM KMBZ as Jackie Jordan, the head of color marketing for Sherwin Williams shares her predictions along with Oma Ford, the executive editor of Better Homes & Gardens magazine.

Or if you’re wanting to design a space that personalized to your taste, then tune in this Saturday at 10:30AM CST to Living Large with Karen Mills on the KMBZ Business Channel on 1660AM to hear what the host of This Old House, Kevin O’Connor has to share about create a room that reflects you