Design Lines, Ltd

DLL Blog Has A New Home!

noreply@blogger.com (Hilaire Pickett) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:45:00 +0000

It is official, the Design Lines blog has moved! You can find us by clicking here or by going to the Design Lines website and clicking on the BLOG tab.

Don’t forget to add us to your blog roll favorites, so you can keep up with all the events, current projects, and designer inspirations happening at Design Lines.

Drool-Worthy Weekly: Farrow & Ball Papers & Paints

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:29:00 +0000

If there's one hard-to-find resource at our office, it would be our Farrow & Ball paint decks! It's true, we hide them away, paste our name on them, whatever it takes to be sure no one will snatch them! But it's because we love the colors (or should I say colours) so much! Take a look at one of their color palettes, beautifully displayed on butterflies, above.

With an edited palette of 132 delicious shades, you can't go wrong! Cinder Rose, Drawing Room Blue, and London Clay are shown above. Since the company started in the 1940s in Dorset, England, they haven't changed a thing - they still use the same quality techniques to mix their paints and to manufacture their wallpapers.

Their paints are often used in historic homes, but it's amazing to see how their hues trasition to fit modern spaces just as well.

Down Pipe is shown on a ceiling above, with another one of their wallpapers on the right. Their papers have the most beautiful painterly quality!

Churlish Green is shown above. If you can't decide between all of their lovely shades, maybe reading the description will help. The back of this swatch reads, "A recessive, rustic yellow-green colour, Churlish Green is of the kind of paler green that can be traced through at least two and a half centuries of interior decoration, both in its own right and as a colour behind patterned wallpaper. It has an attractive 1950s flavor - especially when used in Oil Full Gloss."

Drawing Room Blue is shown above. Paired with white, it makes a very graphic, but still traditional statement.

Oval Room Blue is shown above.

A beautiful black and white wallpaper is shown beside a room in Orangery.

One of the best things is that all of their paints and papers are environmentally friendly, and with up to 30% more pigment than other paints, you will get amazing, vibrant, rich colour!

(Images from Farrow & Ball, Apartment Therapy, Living with Style, House to Home, Goredean Blog, Chicago Home Magazine.)

Drool-Worthy Weekly: Barbara Cosgrove

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

The Barbara Cosgrove catalog arrived at our office a few months ago - and I don't think it's made it back to the bookshelf since! We all drooled over the lamps, occasional tables, and accessories, and have pulled many of them for projects! Above, Barbara herself is shown among some of her designs.

Molly quickly fell in love with these Foo Dog Lamps! And I love the casual room scene, shown above.

We were really excited to visit the showroom at market to see these pieces in person - and it did not disappoint! I snapped these two shots of their beautiful display.

(Images from Barbara Cosgrove Online.)

Molly's Find! Market Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

While in the Lee Industries Showroom at High Point Market, I became enamored with their rug ottomans shown above and below:

Lee begins with a selection of rugs, each as beautiful as the next, and then size the ottoman to fit the pattern. I have certainly seen the idea in the past, but usually the Best Arabian Kilims are used on the furniture and only as accents.

This design uses these gorgeous aged looking rugs, bringing the pattern, color, and texture onto a different, unexpected level. It could make a plain room "jump" and would surely be a durable surface for a living area.

Check out our other Fall 2009 High Point Market Posts here and here.

My Very Own Hickory Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:31:00 +0000

My Hickory Chair wing-back was featured on the Hickory Chair blog yesterday! You can read more about the story here. And just today, they followed up with a post on the history of the chair - it's amazing how different a classic wing-back chair can look!

As designers, we love providing our clients with comfortable furniture that will last - and we also love using it in our own homes too! I hope you enjoy reading about the before and after of my chair - it has gone through quite the transformation!

Drool-Worthy Weekly: Animal Instincts

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:24:00 +0000

Animal prints never go out of style! Always eye-catching, they can truly make a room! Take a look at some of our favorites! Schumacher's Giraffe Linen, done in several unique colorways, is shown above.

These classic animal patterns are from Cowtan & Tout.

I decided to give you a sneak peak of Judy's master bedroom (shown above left) with her fabulous zebra rug from Stark. I can't wait to show you the rest of the room next week! The bedroom on the right combines animal prints with a leopard pattern on the floor and tiger striped pillows.

Zebra skin rugs are perfect to layer over larger, subtle rugs.

We had this zebra rug from Stark in our entry for a while. (This rug isn't actually from a zebra; the pattern is printed on a hide.)

These tiger patterns boldly address the chair and stairs shown above.

The rug above was designed by Suzanne Kasler for Safavieh. It is shown with the Alexandra Chair from her collection for Hickory Chair.

(Found images shown above are from Apartment Therapy, Domino, CMC Design Studio, Material Girls, Beachy Dreaming, and Blossom Interiors.)

Design Lines Celebrates 30 Years in Business!

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:27:00 +0000

At Design Lines, it's all about a celebration this fall! For our 30th Anniversary Party, we celebrated at Judy's house with current and past clients, vendors, and of course the Design Lines staff! The event was catered by Lip Service. Thanks to Robin and John, everything was delicious! Clients really enjoyed getting to see Judy's elegant home and mingling. Food was scattered in different rooms, with a tent in the front for additional gathering space, and Bill Mann set the mood for the evening with his saxophone.

For the event, Cydney English at The English Garden provided the flowers - and they were beautiful as always!

Brittany's beautiful handwriting tagged each food item on the menu.

Hilaire poses for a picture with our web designer, Bryan Martin of BGM Creative Group and clients Elizabeth and Rob Taylor. (We have also partnered with Rob and his construction company Taylor Building and Development.)

Some of the food is shown above. Laurie poses with our carpet installer Glen Rogers.

Hilaire, Brittany, and I smile for a picture at the end of the night.

Laurie talks with client June Howard in the dining room, while Judy poses with Rick Jacobs in the kitchen.

And finally - the whole Design Lines team! From left to right, Laurie, Lauren, Ashley, Judy, Molly, Hilaire, and Brittany. We had a great time catching up with past clients and talking with vendors and friends! Check back next week for photos of Judy's house! And if you missed it, take a look at Hilaire's post with pictures from Design Lines' early days.

Happy Halloween! Last Minute Decorating Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

With Halloween tomorrow, we wanted to share a few of our favorite Halloween decorating ideas. A few years ago I posted on white pumpkins and gourds. This year, I've settled on an easy, no carving or painting approach and artfully arranged my collection of Farmer's Market purchased orange & white pumpkins of the mini variety on my mantle.

Martha Stewart Online has a plethora of pumpkin ideas:

Don't miss out on this Perforated Pumpkin Tutorial on Eddie Ross' blog. We love how Kravet's holiday party utilized a pumpkin as a punch bowl holder! (Photograph from Kristen Taylor Photo Blog.)

Our clients have become really excited this year, decking their homes from the outside in. Their porches are adorned with pumpkins, ghosts, spiders and webs, and lights. My favorite flourish of Halloween decor was a pair of feathered vultures perched on a client's crystal sconces in the dining room.

For a playful addition of year-round holiday decor, we like the Mick chair from Atlanta-based Bradley-Hughes:

Tell us, how will you decorate for the holidays?

Happy Halloween!

The Inside Scoop on Furniture Market: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:24:00 +0000

Last week, all the designers traveled to High Point to experience the latest and greatest of the design industry. We're lucky that we can arrive after a short drive - many designers and retailers fly in from around the country! Here are some of the highlights from our trip:

Century Furniture had a lot to show off - a beautiful showroom and an extensive line covering many different styles! There's something for everyone! One of the new color trends uses vibrant colors, while another design trend is all about a tribal style. The showroom photo on the above right features both!

But if that's not your style, don't worry - neutral spaces are always in style, and Century had plenty of those too!

We then ventured to the three-story Lee Industries showroom to see their "earth-friendly" upholstery line. The space below is another with bold colors showcasing one of their upholstered beds.

We loved how comfortable everything was. With plush cushion options with names like "Cloud Nine" and "Haven," you can imagine how it feels to sink into these pieces! Below, Ashley sits in one of her favorite chairs. (We always take detailed notes of our favorite pieces, so we can present them to clients in full confidence!)

Brittany and Judy pose for a picture in the McApline Home section.

With beautiful furniture, fabrics, and an eco-friendly mission, I don't think you can beat Lee for the price! For pictures from their outdoor line, check out this post.

We finished our morning with a delicious lunch at Swaim and enjoyed walking through their showroom. They have very elegant, well-made furniture, as you can see below!

I tested one of their curule stools - and it was surprisingly comfortable! Form meets function.

That wraps up our morning at Market, but look for Brittany's post next week on our afternoon adventures in High Point!

Drool-Worthy Weekly: Outdoor Upholstery?!

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

While we were at High Point Furniture Market, we spotted a great new find at Lee Industries - outdoor upholstery! Sure, there are many products out there with Sunbrella cushions, but I'd never seen fully upholstered outdoor furniture before. The chair and sofa below look like they could sit in your living room!

With outdoor living so popular today, why not create a space with furniture just as comfortable as what you have inside?

But how do they do it? And can you really leave this furniture outside? Surely you need to cover it, right? I was a bit skeptical at first, but we learned that the frames are made with marine wood (like what boats are made from), so it won't rot if it gets wet. You might think the foam cushions would act like a sponge, but actually they are porous and allow rainwater to flow through. With so many outdoor fabrics to chose from today, you can get just the look you want! If dirt collects on the upholstery, you can simply hose it down to clean it.

We loved the clean look of the dining area shown above. The chairs feature slipcovers which would be perfect for switching up the look from summer to fall.

So, what do you think? Personally, I'd love to have comfort like this in an outdoor living space!

Design Lines Celebrates 30 Years in Business!

noreply@blogger.com (Hilaire Pickett) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:17:00 +0000

At twenty-six and with only $500 in her pocket Judy Pickett had big dreams. In the fall of 1979, Judy opened the doors at Design Lines, Ltd. in a little yellow house off of Glenwood Avenue. (pictured above) and (pictured below, is Judy outside the Peace Street office.) This location was our second home until about 6 years ago when we move into our current space off of Jones Franklin Road.

Today, we celebrate those big dreams and the thirty-year journey since the yellow house. Now with seven employees, Design Lines, Ltd. has established itself as one of the première design firms in the Southeast, gaining clients with our abilities to leverage collaborative efforts and create design that positively impacts people’s lives.

(Above Molly and Judy head-shots from the earlier years.)

From the beginning, the design philosophy has always been about the client. So, it is with this history that we celebrate our clients, our partners, and our friends!

Check back next week to see a complete slideshow from the 30th Anniversary Party Celebration and even pictures of Judy's house!

Drool-Worthy Weekly: Trikeenan Tileworks

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Take a look at these wonderful products from Trikeenan Tileworks! Not only are they beautiful, featuring original designs created by the owners, but Trikeenan is commited to a sustainable philosophy. They offer eco-friendly tile options and all of their products are hand-made by artisans in the US!

Tile molds are shown above, ready to be filled with clay to make decorative tiles. The heat-fired process creates tiles that are very dense and durable, perfect for floors or even outdoors!

The photo above shows off tile from their Glass Windows Collection featuring tiles made of 100% recycled glass and ceramic.

Whether your taste is more modern or traditional, they've got tiles to fit the look you want. I love how the tile in the photo above combines smooth and rough tiles to juxtapose modern and natural elements.

Decorative tiles can be used for custom mirror frames.

Shown above, unique shapes like the hexagon tiles are combined with subtle finish variations. The look allows you to have new tiles that fit right in with the character of your home!

But the pictures just don't do these fabulous tiles justice! Head to Triangle Tile & Stone of NC, LLC to see them in person! For previous posts from Triangle Tile & Stone, click out a profile of the company here and tips for selecting tile here. (Pictures shown are from the Trikeenan website.)

Off to High Point Furniture Market...

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:11:00 +0000

This season's cache pot of high point furniture market sneak peek postcards is full...which means it's time to go.

Some of our favorite postcards shown below:

The gorgeous 13" Payne Street bowl that we've stashed them all in- it's for sale by the way.

Tomorrow we have an all day excursion to High Point Furniture Market and we're looking forward to spotting the new just for you...

Read about our previous trips to market here & here and look out for our post market perspective later this week.

Celebrating With "The Best Practices Network" Launch of New Website

noreply@blogger.com (Hilaire Pickett) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:35:00 +0000

Along with the other nation’s top interior designers within the Best Practices Network (BPN), Design Lines is pleased to announce the launch of the theBPN.org website.

The BPN is an exclusive membership organization for interior design professionals to gain up-to-the-minute knowledge on business management and technology practices. The goal of this website is “to educate the general public as to why it is essential to evaluate the business skills of an interior designer--and not just his or her portfolio--before making an
investment.”

With at least a 1,000 interior designers within the state of North Carolina there are exactly 6 designers who belong to the BPN and it is through this membership that understanding the latest business strategies only enables the Design Lines team to serve our clients better. That's you!

It is with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement that we share this website with you! Do you think your investment of hiring a designer was worth it? We would love to hear your thoughts!

Click here to see the complete press release by David Sheppard, the BPN Executive Director.

Drool-Worthy Weekly: Top 5 Ways to Top off a Space

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

After talking about floors two weeks ago, today I want to talk about another surface that takes up just as much space - the ceiling. Ceilings are often the most ignored surface in the room, but I would love to show you how much impact they can have!

#1 - The first, and easiest, way to top of your space is with paint. We used a contrasting color in this bathroom at the Birklands to highlight the curved ceiling. When the wall color is carried onto the ceiling, it creates a seamless look that adds to the relaxing feel of the bedroom pictured above.

#2 - Wallpaper is the second way you can treat your ceiling. At a home tour, I once saw metallic wallpaper with lips applied to the ceiling in a teenage girl's walk-in closet - it truly made the room!

# 3 - If you are building your own home or doing an addition, a vaulted ceiling is a great way to make a space feel larger. Shown below, vaulted ceilings can be highlighted architectural details.

# 4 - Exposed ceilings are another way to draw your eye upward. This current architectural trend shows the structure of the space and can have an industrial feel.

# 5 - Last but not least, decorative treatments like coffered ceilings bring interest to any space. The ballroom at Prestonwood Country Club is shown to the bottom left, where a combination of coffers and silver-leafed vaulted domes add elegance.

I'll leave you with one more inspirational photo - also from the Birklands section of our portfolio.

ASID Carolinas Fall Conference at the Coast

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:22:00 +0000

Last weekend, we headed to Wrightsville Beach for ASID Carolinas Chapter Fall Conference. The weather was absolutely beautiful! We spent time taking continuing education courses, meeting with vendors, catching up with old friends, and relaxing by the pool. The Gala on Saturday night featured an awards ceremony, which we've been looking forward to since entering the competition!

Ashley, Lauren, Molly, and Judy pose for a picture just before the gala.

We're proud to share that we took home an award for our work on the model at Balmoral Estates! Our work was selected among submitted projects from interior designers in North and South Carolina.

Brittany was unable to be there to recieve her award as she sat for the NCIDQ (the professional exam for interior designers). On the right, Judy accepts her award from ASID Carolinas President Emily Walser.

The Living Room we designed at Balmoral is shown above. To see more photos from the competition, click here.

Drool-Worthy Weekly: Deck Your Walls with Art

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

With the holidays quickly approaching, what do you need to finish your gathering spaces before your family arrives? Deck your walls with new artwork. These pieces from Soicher-Marin are sure to stir conversation!

Their offerings include a fabulous collection from Suzanne Kasler including architectural drawings, framed pieces of coral, and even horse bit details (shown above left).

When you are thinking of how to display your artwork, consider layering it against the wall or hang a collection of pieces, like these insects, in an orderly way to have more impact.

The image below is of the front display area in our studio, featuring a beautiful architectural photograph by Mariette Himes Gomez for Soicher-Marin.

Last but not least - some of our favorite pieces from their collection are these plaster coins. They give the look of a beautiful collection, without any of the work.

Please don't miss Ashley's recent post on what to do with all of your kid's artwork! And as always, check back next week for more products and inspiration worth drooling over!

Our Blog Turns 2! (Featuring Your Favorite Posts!)

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:56:00 +0000

It's hard to believe we've been blogging for two years now, and I think we've only gotten better along the way! We hope you've enjoyed reading about our favorite things, inspirations, and projects as much as we've enjoyed sharing them!

Without further adieu, here are your Top 5 Favorite Posts (based on number of views):

#1 - Guest Blogger Series: A Conversation with Stark's Tim Cohen

#2 - Drool-Worthy Weekly: Tile From Walker Zanger

#3 - Launch of the Design Lines, Ltd. Summer Color Event

#4 - Brittany's Favorite Paint Selections for Summer '09

#5 - Hickory Chair University: Lauren's Perspective

If you've been with us from the beginning, you've seen our blog evolve, but the biggest change is yet to come! Our blog is getting a makeover! After our website was redesigned, we couldn't leave the blog to standard blogger templates. Check back in the coming weeks for the big reveal! Thanks to BGMCG for their hard work! We can't wait to show you the result!!

In the future, you can expect to see more inspiration, unique finds, current projects, guest bloggers, and Design Lines' happenings from your favorite designers!

Drool-Worthy Weekly: Painted Wood Floors!

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I've seen so many rooms in magazines like this - they are bright, airy, and almost ethereal! Sure, the photographer may have captured the picture at the perfect time of day - when natural light fills the room. But do you notice anything else different? Maybe that the wooden floors are painted? That adds a lot more surface to reflect light!

Wooden floors are very popular today - could you imagine covering them up with a coat of paint? But there is something nice about them - in the way that the texture of the wood shows through the paint, making this floor look much different than a checkered tile floor!

Wide plank wood floors made of pine were popular in the early 19th century - but they were either left to be polished by generations of feet - or painted!

The pictures above show a more modern take on a painted floor with graphic patterns stenciled on.

These bold statements were created with painted wood floors! The one on the right features a painted geometric pattern that still shows off the stained wood.

These photos show a painted border and then another checker board pattern that looks perfect in this cottage!

I'll leave you with one last image from our portfolio. In this Dining Room, instead of using a rug we painted a border over the wood floors! If you look closely you can see the detail that we used in the corners.

So, what do you think: would you do it? Would you paint over your wooden floors? They can always be sanded later, so why not go for a unique look?!

Lego Crazy

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Thompson) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:48:00 +0000

Who says you can't use your talent from elementary school to create a masterpiece?

A British television host, James May, decided to build a two story house out of Lego's. The house took 3.3 million Lego's, that were donated.

The house was supposed to be apart of the nearby Lego land amusement park but the deal fell through at the last minute.

The 3.3 million donated Lego's boxed up and ready to be used for the house. The house structure is made from wood, but the exterior is all Lego's.

This is a picture of the house completed. Because the deal fell through with the amusement park, if the house was going to stay intact, it would cost someone $82,000 to relocate it.

Nobody came through, so the two story Lego house had to be demolished. On September 22, the house came down. The Lego's were donated to charity.

"What to do with all your kids artwork."

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Thompson) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:49:00 +0000

One of our clients follows this blog http://www.homeworkshop.com/ where they feature challenges. Challenge #17 was "What should you do with all of your kid's artwork?" Want a great idea? Everyone knows that they store it under the bed or in closets, pulling it out when they are spring cleaning and then it goes right back into storage.

Here is what they suggest:
(1) Take all the artwork and snap digital pictures of each piece and keep it separated by kid.
(2) Download pictures and make a grid collage in Photoshop.
(3) Print the collages out or you can take them to Kinko's based on size.
(4) Put the collages in decorative frames to create a collage on the wall!

(Digital pictures taken of the kids artwork.)

This is how they used it on the wall. How creative and interesting is this? We give it two thumbs up!

Drool-Worthy Weekly: Lovely Linens

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Looking for a easy way to update your bedroom? Try changing the linens! These images are from some of our favorite bedding companies - Lulu DK, Sferra, and Leontine Linens. Allow these to guide you if you are looking for a new way to dress the bed!

The combination of patterns (shown above) brings a modern look to the bed.

The zebra patterned bedskirt (shown below) draws your eye in this room. I love the detail of the pleats!

Bedding is one of the key pieces in a nursery - how sweet are these linens?

To see some of these linens in person, visit Lavendar & Lace at Cameron Village or Oppulence in Cary. And for more bedroom ideas, check out a recent post on upholstered headboards here.

What TV? Eliminating the black box

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:04:00 +0000

Finally- we can almost eliminate the elephant in the room, aka: the television. I'm not ready to give up the occasional Seinfeld or necessary weather update- but these solutions for the housing of the television truly do minimize the aesthetic distraction of the "tube" right down to the image on the screen- which is all we really want to see.

Our local "glass & mirror guys" at Carolina Glass & mirror have used this TV Majestic Mirror

(shown below as a mirror, then the tv) with great success on a recent project in downtown Raleigh.

You can also try creating a shallow recessed area in Sheetrock to embed the television into a wall- very neat & clean!

This living room designed by Newell Turner featured in House Beautiful showcases the TV on an easel!

Scheme of the day: Donald Kaufman's Palette for Fall

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Design Lines' mailbox was graced with this Donald Kaufman color postcard this week. I promptly pinned it up on my inspiration board. I love this palette for fall- it feels so new and fresh. The earthiness of chocolate, navy, and taupe, mixed with the playfulness of pink and a periwinkle of a purple- different than the fuschias and grapes of the falls of '07 and '08 respectively.

Don't miss out on the DK Color website- his theories and philosophies focus on "nature as the ultimate source of every palette"- and the images are eye candy, for sure.

What are your new favorites for fall color?

Guest Blogger Series: "Top 5 Tips When Selecting Tile" By Triangle Tile & Stone of NC, LLC

noreply@blogger.com (Hilaire Pickett) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:00:00 +0000

As promised, Design Lines has brought back Triangle Tile & Stone of NC, LLC to give you some important tips to keep in mind when selecting tile. For a profile on the company click here.

1. Utilizing the services of an interior design firm can be crucial in gaining valuable direction and advice to achieve the most satisfactory end result to your project. The established relationships these interior design firms have with reputable vendors can guide you towards the best selection and pricing available and help you save money in the end. Be proactive in calling ahead to set up a design appointment with a design sales consultant at the tile and stone showroom. With the knowledge of the inventory and product offerings they along with your hired interior designer will be instrumental in making product/design suggestions and very helpful in generating the necessary paperwork that your builder/contractor/installer will need to price the job for you.

(Image from image Google.)

2. Come prepared for your meeting at the showroom by bringing approximate dimensions and pictures of your space if doing a remodel or a floor plan if new construction. This will help the sales consultant see the space you are working with and better guide you with design and patterns. Also bring inspiration pictures you have clipped out of magazines or colors/fabrics in adjoining spaces that may dictate undertones for your new tile selections.

(Image from image Google.)

3. Porcelain or Stone? The maintenance involved is very different for each of these products. It is wise to start thinking ahead of time about how much maintenance you would be willing to do for your space. Natural limestone, marbles, and travertines while beautiful, are porous and require regular sealing. While not a difficult process, it is necessary to keep up the beauty of the products. Porcelains do not require sealing and are therefore fairly maintenance free.

4. To accent or not to accent? That is the question. Accent tiles are a great way to break up the tile design in a space. The one item to consider when contemplating an accent is whether or not you will like it in the long term. Mosaics are always a very cost effective way to accent because many smaller strips can be cut from the larger sheets and used as borders. This way you get more bang for your buck.

(Images are from a recent client project, for more information about the project click here.)

5. Checking out samples and taking them home to view in your lighting is crucial for making that final decision. Most showroom lights do not represent how the tile coloration would look inside your home. Taking the pieces home gives you time to view them during all times of the day to ensure they are working with the other elements of your home.

We hope you enjoyed these tips and if you have any thoughts or experiences yourself, please do share!