How to Decorate an Empty Wall in Your Home / May 1, 2016 by Guest User

Do you have an empty wall and you're not sure what to do with it?

An art collage or a photographic collection is a unique way to decorate your empty wall with a personal touch. A collage will not only warm up a large space, but also brighten a small room.

Start by gathering all your framed artwork or photographs. Make sure to stay with a similar color palette to avoid visual chaos.

By using the same frames in different sizes and the matting in the same color, you'll achieve a unified look.

For an eclectic look, use a random collection of frames in mixed metal shades with complementary wood finished frames.

A mirror or some dimensional objects like a wall clock or metal iron work is a great way to add visual interest.

If you have some existing frames that don’t coordinate well with your collection, they can easily be repainted.

Whether your style is modern, traditional or eclectic, there are many ways to design a collage. A good rule is to keep frames from 2″ up to 6″ apart, depending on your preference.

Start with an invisible line through the middle of the empty wall or at the bottom of the space if you’re hanging your collage over a bed or sofa. When hanging a collage on a staircase, make sure to follow the lines of the steps by measuring every other step to keep the distance the same between your collage and the staircase.

Begin with a focal point piece and play around with pictures by placing them on the floor using the same measurements of the wall area. You can also use pieces of paper the same size as the pictures. Use painter’s tape to stick them to the wall to get a better visual. Scaling and proportions from right to left is very important. This will help keep your collage cohesive.

If you need some inspiration, you can also begin by drawing from examples within Anna's website and implement them in your own home today .

Elena Neirink is an owner/designer with Anna's Interior Design and Anna's Drapery Shop. She's been a design professional for nearly 30 years. Her specialties include manufacturing and design of custom window treatments, bedding and furnishings. She also provides consultations for new construction and remodeling. Elena has extensive experience in both residential and commercial decorating. You can reach her at 248.245.3505 or elena@annasinteriordesign.com.

What Are Your Walls Saying? / April 1, 2016 by Guest User

If these wall could talk…..

They would have much to say.

From soft hues of white to deep shades of grey, color and trends are continuously evolving in the world of wall covering. Whatever your style or desired shade, wall coverings can either be a back drop for furnishing and accessories or can make a statement all on their own.

There are three main ways to cover a wall. One can use paint, wallpaper, or fabric. These methods provide a countless ability to add color, texture and dimension to a plain surface.

Throughout history, Venetian plaster and hand painted murals have been a way for painters and artists to enliven an indoor setting. Luckily, a look that used to take years of training and apprenticeship can now be achieved with updated materials found at most paint stores and home improvement centers.

For example, sponging and rag-rolling were often used over the past decades as faux finish techniques. Troweling and the use of dimensional overlays are currently a popular trend and add old world elegance to the home. Bold geometric stencils are a new way to add a touch of glam to the modern abode.

Wall coverings can be a backdrop or make a statement. Wallpapering has recently undergone the most dramatic growth in regard to the number of styles to choose. Gone are the days of small floral prints and repeating fruit patterns. Beaded papers, metallic prints and distressed finishes are new ways to add sophistication to a dining room. Parisian script is an example of a versatile print that could either add softness to a cosmopolitan loft or write a story for a shabby chic décor. Grass cloth wallpaper is a way to introduce warm natural texture to any room.

Fabrics, such as velvets and embroidered silks are a stunning way to add texture and sensuality to a room. Fabrication can be the most costly technique, but there are advantages. Textiles provide insulation, they sound proof walls and help you create a truly unique style. As well as being alluring for a powder room, padded upholstered walls or gathered fabric ceilings give warmth to a nursery.

No matter which type of wall covering is used, all three provide limitless design options. A large pattern for a vestibule or closet can open the space. A dreamy damask in a master suite, whether it be wallpaper or fabric, creates a peaceful surrounding. Bold colors or prints for a powder room have a powerful effect. Incorporating the ceiling with paint or paper adds the right touch to a small room. With all of the wall coverings available, we have an endless ability to update any room in the home.

These walls can talk, in many different languages and volumes, and the conversation never has to end.

Behind the Curtain / March 1, 2016 by Guest User

The stage curtains are drawn to begin Act One of an opening Broadway play.

A new and improved product is unveiled when the drape is removed.

Pull back the curtain to reveal the “All Powerful Oz” controlling the Emerald City.

Draperies are often used to signal excitement and provide grandeur to an event. They also have the same effect in your home.

They can frame a “picture perfect” view or allow for sweet dreams in the afternoon. Since the first threads of fabric were woven, there has always been a desire to know “what goes on behind the curtain?”

The decorative drapery can be traced back to the ancient times of the Orient. Asian textiles eventually made their way to Europe by way of early trade routes. Fine materials and fabrics were used as commerce. Portraits from the Renaissance often showed decorative draperies combined with colorful glass mosaics from the early Christian cathedrals of Italy.

In the present-day of interior design, no element is more important than the draperies in a room. It has been said that they are one of the three major elements in home decor; the other two being the furniture and the floor covering.

Curtains can be made from an infinite combination of textures, patterns and colors. From casual linens to elegant silks, there are hundreds of fabrics from which to choose.

There are beautiful prints for any style and lush solids in almost every color.

For windows of all shapes and sizes, the curtain can provide the finishing touch. Whether they accentuate a frame or dress a window for privacy, draperies have a way of bringing everything in a room together.

Color, pattern and scale are major elements to be considered when designing window coverings. Not only does the color need to coordinate with the room, but the scale of the pattern also needs to be considered in relation to the design of the drapery and to the size of the room. For example, you would not use a small scale pattern for a large window treatment. This would be considered “busy.”

Many designs are made by combining fabrics. There must be a balance between all fabrics used. Embellishing the curtain with a luxurious tassel fringe, beading or braid is another way to add allure and incorporate multiple textures.

The manufacture of window treatments is also an important element of the overall design. The use of proper threads, lining and materials for a specific fabric type will enable the drapery to hang properly. This is also very important regarding the durability of the treatment.

Lastly, by using a professional drapery installer this will ensure that the treatment looks beautiful. A proper hanging and steaming can make all the difference!

Shopping for draperies can be intimidating, considering all of the possibilities available. Having a knowledgeable designer who combines experience in the crafting of the drapery along with a passion for design will ultimately lead to a stunning success!

In the end, a perfect drape often depends on “what goes on behind the curtain.”

Red / February 1, 2016 by Guest User

A designer's love poem In honor of Valentine's Day...

Red with blue

Red with green

With all the colors

In between

Luxurious on velvet

Soft in a sateen

Sprinkled in a room

Red dares to be seen

Sultry in the bedroom

Appetizing when dining

Red even makes a splash

Hiding as a coat's lining

Seductive on the shoe

Elegant for a dress

When red enters the room

She will be a success

Red powers the suit tie

And brightens the lips

It adds the right touch

To our finger tips

Red is our blood

And heart's desire

We can feel the warmth

As it fuels the fire

Giving love to some

And joy to others

Red is the mother

Of all colors

Elena Neirink is an owner/designer with Anna's Interior Design and Anna's Drapery Shop. She's been a design profession for nearly 30 years and her specialties include design and manufacturing of custom window treatments, bedding and furnishings. She also provides consultations for new construction and remodeling. She has extensive experience in both residential and commercial decorating. You can reach her at 248.245.3505 or elena@annasinteriordesign.com.

World of Fashion Inspires Interior Design / January 1, 2016 by Guest User

The world of fashion has long been a source of inspiration for interior design and vice versa.

After all, fabric is fabric no matter how you cut it—just like Scarlet O’Hara, who famously pulled down her velvet curtains to make a head-turning dress so she could look like a queen.

Throughout history, real or dramatized, trends have been shared between fashion and design. We have recently seen a casual, comfortable style permeate the two worlds. Comfort is equally important when it comes to our clothing and living spaces. Casual Friday has become the norm in many office environments, and relaxed interiors are gaining in popularity.

For example, the distressed, reclaimed wood furnishings in shades of bleached pine or silvery painted finishes that can be found in your popular furniture lines as well as your local resale shops. Reclaimed wood pieces can be given an old-world look with hand distressing, wiping and dry brush techniques. When paired with industrial recycled metals, it provides a relaxed contemporary style with rustic charm.. Not to mention, it is very eco-friendly. For an elegant, casual design, combine the above trend with neutral linen fabrics.

A more dramatic effect can be achieved by adding a metal nail head trim to any sofa or headboard. Tufted upholstery on curved pieces will provide softness to the angular lines of a living area while antiqued mirror accents add a touch of romance to a room.

Seaside chic is another, casual versatile design with broad appeal in both fashion and interior design. To capture the soothing rhythm of the ocean, one can accent with shells and coral. Of course, the emphasis is on the blue color palette in shades of navy, cobalt, turquoise and teal. This will make a soft and serene statement. Blue is known to widely appeal to both men and women, and it also looks good on all skin tones. Shades of taupe, gray, citron, and tomato in ikat patterns and nautical stripes add an eclectic mix to help transform your home into your own oasis.

Colorful florals and geometric prints that are all the rage for athletic wear are adding the same vibrant pops of unexpected color and supply a versatile complement to many decorating styles. A boldly patterned chair is a commanding presence, which can bring an element of surprise to an otherwise stately room. Dynamic color combinations, like leafy green and pink hues, create a fresh look with a whimsical twist.

Whatever your inspiration may be, fashion or interior design, you have the ability to create a sanctuary in your home— a space that exudes your personal style while providing a calm retreat from the daily grind, a place where you can get away from the world, a home where you can relax and get centered.

Elena Neirink is an owner/designer with Anna's Interior Design and Anna's Draper Shop. She's been a design professional for nearly 30 years. Her specialties include manufacturing and design of custom window treatments, bedding and furnishings. She also provides consultations for new construction and remodeling. Elena has extensive experience in both residential and commercial decorating. You can reach her at 248.245.3505 or elena@annasinteriordesign.com.