McLaurin Interiors

Window Treatments Take a Cue from Women’s Fashion

2012-05-16T12:41:05Z

It’s a known fact that the interior design and fashion industries often share trends. Most often, the two share colors and patterns that are expected to be trendy. But it is also interesting to see how a trend that originates in one industry can kick start a trend in the other.

That’s exactly what was discussed in an article we found on The Wall Street Journal. The article, titled “The Comeback Curtain,” notes how window treatments are currently taking a cue from the women’s fashion trend of layering wispy, sheer blouses over tank tops. The result for window treatments is “Translucent, softly layered window treatments…” The Wall Street Journal reports.

We love this look for window treatments, especially for summer, when we want to make our homes feel light and airy. Below are a few examples of this look.

Image from Pinterest

What do you think of the sheer, layered look for window treatments? Leave a comment to share your thoughts!

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The Rising Trend of the Pocket Office

2012-05-14T12:18:39Z

For the homeowner who runs their own business out of the home or has the ability to telecommute, a home office is a necessity. In recent years, though, the home office has taken on a drastic new look. Instead of devoting an entire room as the at-home work space, home offices are showing up in unused corner spaces of rooms, nooks, and sometimes in former closets – any pocket of space that can be developed into an adequate work space. This new trend is appropriately called “pocket offices.”

The LA Times blog cites the National Association of Home Builders as reporting that the trend of pocket offices is one of the biggest trends in new residential design. The post notes that “Given the shrinking size of technology – from desktop computer to laptop and now to tablet – a large home office no longer makes sense for many households..”

In addition to the shrinking size of technological devices one would use in a home office, the post also cited the increase of multigenerational living as a contributing factor to the increase of pocket offices. Spare bedrooms that would have been used as a home office are now commonly being used as a living space for extended family members.

Pocket offices are a great design solution for many homeowners. Below are a few photos for inspiration.

Does a pocket office sound like the right design solution for your home office needs? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

Are you in need of interior design services for your Atlanta area home? If so, please visit the McLaurin Interiors website to learn about our interior design services. You can contact us with questions at 866-927-1991.

Images 1 & 5 from Houzz. Images 2, 3, & 4 from Pinterest. All images linked to the source individually.

Nature-Inspired Design

2012-05-09T13:07:15Z

Nature is such a wonderful source of inspiration for interior design. Our outdoor environment is full of rich colors and fabulous textures that can make a home feel fresh and inviting.

Because we find so much inspiration in nature and gardens, we were instantly drawn to a post on design site Houzz about incorporating looks found outdoors into a room’s design to create an eye-catching look. Below are a few of the looks featured on Houzz that we like.

And below are a few photos of spaces in which we have incorporated inspirations found in nature into our own work.

Do you find nature to be a source of inspiration for your own design style? Leave a comment to share with us!

If you are in need of an interior designer to help bring your design ideas to life, contact McLaurin Interiors at 866-927-1991. We provide full design services in the Atlanta region. Visit our website for more information.

Images 1-4 from Houzz; images 5 & 6 from McLaurin Interiors.