Home Builder Developer, Interior Renovation and Design

STERLING A down economy means vintage items are in, Dixon interior decorator Karla Cannon-Boyungs said Sunday afternoon.

The small-business owner was one of 25 businesses showcasing their wares at Sterlings Northland Mall over the weekend during the Sauk Valley Home and Garden Show.

I wanted to create awareness about the services I have, Boyungs said. Theres not a lot of interior designers in the area.

She took over what is now Karlas Custom Interiors 6 years ago. Besides decorating, she also sells products such as fabrics and window treatments.

Although the housing market hasnt rebounded, there has been a trend in people upgrading the homes they already own, putting a new roof on or installing new cabinets.

The other trend right now is vintage items, Boyungs said. Its common in times of recession, when people dont have as much money to spend on stuff, they take old pieces and they redo that.

Ryan Wille of Morrison sees people responding in a different way: investing in patio furniture.

If you have a patio that your friends and your family enjoy coming to, instead of going out for dinner or seeing a movie, it really pays for itself in the long run, he said.

Wille is the lawn care division manager at Sisson Lawn and Landscape.

Regardless, Wille said, the good weather has gotten people ready to move back outdoors.

See more here:
Dixon decorator says vintage items in

Joseph is a successful investment adviser who occasionally works from his home office. His wife, Nicole, also works on her own household projects in the same space. The two of them were tripping over each other in a main-floor study that was crammed with files, papers and general chaos.

Joseph, whose clients sometimes visit him in the home office, wanted a strong, masculine room, but Nicole envisioned more of a lighter, feminine feel. My challenge was to design an office that would allow both of them to get down to business.

First, I took stock of the space.

With a high ceiling, lots of light from five tall windows and a beautiful hardwood floor, I could immediately see that this room had a lot of potential. But the popcorn ceiling had to go easier said than done, because it had been painted with an oil paint, making it impossible to scrape off. The only solution was to cover it with fresh drywall, which was an unexpected blow to our project budget. But it was certainly worth the time, effort and money.

After we added some gorgeous moldings, recessed pot lighting and fresh white paint, you'd never know that a dated old popcorn ceiling lurked beneath that polished new exterior.

We topped off Joseph's old desk with a new white quartz work surface, and placed it in the center of the room, facing the doorway. To accommodate storage needs, I designed custom-built-in cabinetry to run down one entire wall, with another file cabinet positioned behind Joseph's desk.

In addition to holding the printer, books and other occasional pieces, the full wall of cabinetry also incorporates a long, built-in work surface for Nicole. Here, she has room to spread out family photos, household accounts and various other projects. A custom-designed pin board runs the length of her work space, and the cabinets surrounding her desk provide ample storage space. An elegant and feminine white chair adds that extra touch to make this space all her own.

To invoke a masculine influence, I introduced leather pieces. We kept Joseph's original desk chair and leather blotter, plus my plan called for a tufted leather sofa. At least, that's what it was originally supposed to be. But, because of the extra work on the ceiling, we had to make budget cuts elsewhere and the leather got the chop. Instead, we sourced out a polyvinyl fabric that, I must admit, I was totally prepared to dislike. But, when the sofa arrived, I was shocked. It looked good! I have never ordered a vinyl couch in my more-than-20-year career. But this sofa certainly proves that you can never say never

Since Joseph's desk is the focal point of this room, we positioned a new chandelier directly above it, to provide lighting for his work surface, but also to add a touch of understated elegance. Two black chairs for clients are placed prominently in front of the desk. We mounted a TV on the wall for presentations (and the odd hockey game) and behind Joseph's desk antique mirrored doors conceal a pin board.

One of the most unusual touches in this room is the black-and-white bookshelf wallpaper. It actually looks like library shelves, and it immediately adds a touch of knowledge and authenticity to the office.

Visit link:
Home office that means business