The Three Rooms In Your Home To Invest In and Why

Living Well

The Three Rooms In Your Home To Invest In and Why

Your house is one of the biggest purchases you will make and there are three rooms you should invest in when designing your home.

That’s not to say the other rooms or areas should be ignored; it just means these three add more value to the quality of your life and for resale.

So….Here goes-…

The top three rooms in your home to invest in and why

1. Kitchen–

Not only will a beautiful, functional kitchen make your life easier when cooking and feeding your family, it also gives you a great return on your investment if you ever decide to sell your home.

Invest in quality cabinets (believe me, not all cabinetry is the same. Buy the best you can afford and select a cabinet maker/company who truly pays attention to the details), classic finishes, and quality plumbing.

Home investment tips, Dana Wolter Interiors — A kitchen of ours as featured in Traditional Home. Photography by Jean Allsopp

It’s the room that gets the most use, so make yours one you love and one that functions well for cooking, prep, and entertaining.

2. Master Bedroom–

My bed is my FAVORITE place in my house. Yep – I admit it. Great linens, comfortable pillows, soft, soothing colors….. I love to curl up in my bed and relax, and if a book in involved, even better. It’s like wearing a comfy pair of pjs to me.

Dana Wolter Interiors, Photography by Graham Yelton

A cocoon-like feel for this teen’s bedroom. Dana Wolter Interiors, LLC, Photography by Graham Yelton

3. Family Room–

I included the Family Room since it’s where you relax, watch tv and LIVE. It needs to draw you in with comfortable seating that makes you want to kick back and visit with family and friends.

Be sure to include comfortable upholstery (the best you can afford), and soften the room with drapes, a rug that fits the space well, etc… Think of layering this room with things you love to create a collected, personal feel.

I have always admired the layered look of this room created by interior designer Ray Booth

Invest in these three rooms first to create a retreat and a home that feels good to you and your family. If we can ever help you turn your home into one you love, contact us here.

Dana

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Living Well

Inspiration For A New Project

I am working on a new project where the house is a beautiful shell but the interiors are a little tired.

The house was furnished over 15 years ago and it is time to freshen things up a bit. Things have changed-a lot-in the last decade. Children have left the nest in this family and grandbabies are now on the way.

They have hired us to update the furnishings in several of the rooms, and I see this home beautiful and functional for the couple who can easily throw together on a whim a casual dinner party for 20. One that has quality finishes, materials, and details but where the future grandparents don’t have to worry about sippy cups and Goldfish Crackers ruining their pretty things.

I have been asking lots of questions on how they live, what they want this house to give to them.

The answers always seem to keep coming back to the same things- a placing to make really good memories. A place that feels like home.

While we are incorporating their great artwork collection and several pieces that are special to them, I have turned to Pinterest for a little inspiration.

I love the warmth of the old wood with the charcoal doors and clean, crisp walls.

The house is going to have a “collected” feel- a mix of new pieces in with a few new antiques and existing pieces they love.

A cocoon-like feel with draped walls and custom upholstery pieces.

Stay tuned as I will keep you posted on how this home progresses. Have a great day-

Dana

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A Different Kitchen (AKA- A Nonwhite One)

Recently, I blogged about a kitchen here that I designed that is featured now in the Holiday issue of Traditional Home. I love that not only was it custom designed specifically for my client, but that it is a gray kitchen versus a white one like you are seeing everywhere.

Don’t get me wrong- I love a white kitchen because they are clean, classic, and on trend. I recently painted my own a version of this palette and I am enjoying it.

But when I am able to start from scratch and create a space you won’t see in any other house, I am all over making it unique. After all, that is why clients hire us- to give them a space that is classic enough to stand the test of time, but one that is custom and special and different than their neighbor’s.

I kept the colors soft to suit the owners and their style, so I chose Sherwin Williams “Crushed Ice” for the cabinetry and walls. The kitchen is light and airy without having to be white.

color-swatch — Sherwin William’s Crushed Ice

It’s hard to tell from these photographs but we played with the Crushed Ice color. I watered down the color on the wood walls but used the same color in full formula for the cabinets. This kitchen had many details that added warmth and contrast to the design, while remaining bright and airy.

Even though the cabinetry and walls were light, the countertops were a great place to add warmth. The dark soapstone really stood out in this space and helped marry the darker island base. Soapstone is a forgiving material, so it was perfect for this type of workspace. The island countertop is Mystery White marble, and this “clean” material was fitting for this somewhat formal-feeling kitchen.

dana wolter interior photography by Graham Yelton — dana wolter interiors – photography by Graham Yelton

The French white oak floors from Bois Chamois are not only beautiful, but practical as well. With two dogs in the house, they are scratch resistant and won’t show dog hair. The waxed finish keeps the color light, but its gray tones blend into the rest of the kitchen.

dana wolter interiors - photography by Graham Yelton — dana wolter interiors – photography by Graham Yelton

The warm gray charcoal finish on the white-oak island base added contrast, as well as a touch of formality with it’s soft lines and reeded cabinet doors. It became a grounding piece against the lighter cabinets and wood floor.

Classic details, such as mixing metals in the light fixtures and hardware, softly added more warmth through these layers. Keeping these details refined and purposeful is one of the best ways to create a tasteful space.

And, as always, if we can help turn your home into one you think you can only dream about, reach out to us here. We would love to hear from you-

dana

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