5 Things Interior Designers Want Their Clients to Know

Have you been dreaming about hiring an interior designer to help you transform your home? Are you wondering exactly what it is that they do, besides making recommendations about wall paint, area rug fabrics and furniture arrangement? Here are 5 things that your interior designer wants you to know.

1. They go through in-depth education and training

Interior designers in Vancouver are professionals at whet they do. To become what they are, they must go through a certain level of education and training in order to attain the credentials necessary to become experts in their fired of study. Certifications are just one way that you can check if an interior design company is qualified enough to take on your job.

2. They can pull an entire room – or home – together

Professionals in the realm of interior design are skilled at what they do, and are therefore well trained to be able to pull an entire room or home together skillfully. They are able to work with any client’s budget. While the majority of projects tend to involve the whole home, many designers are experienced at working with smaller spaces and single rooms as well. Home owners shouldn’t be intimidated by calling an interior design company just because they don’t necessarily want to do the whole house.

3. They use the latest and most innovative tools and technology

Designers are creative by nature, and are naturally able to think outside the box and envision how a space can be with certain layouts, furniture and finishes. However, technology also helps a great deal in this business, especially these days where technology just seems to be taking over every aspect of our daily lives. Professionals use tools such as AutoCad and others to help them plan, get a hold of proper codes, and so forth. With the combination of these tools and their skill, interior designers can render up images of a space that is realistic to help clients see what the potential finished product will look like.

4. They make sure the project adheres to current building codes and standards

Building codes exist for a reason – to ensure that any new buildings or renovations are safe. Interior designers have the inside scoop on what building codes are around in your specific city in order to make sure that they are adhered to at all times. If you don’t stick to these codes, not only could your space be potentially unsafe, but you could face penalties from the government if they find out work was done on your home without getting the necessary permits.

5. They help to see your project through from beginning to end

Your interior designer won’t just leave you high and dry after your space has been refinished and refurnished. Instead, your designer will help to oversee a team of workers, making decisions about moving walls, planning a kitchen layout, making the front entrance wheelchair accessible, and so forth.

The interior designers at Lux Design have the skill, experience, know-how and creativity to help you transform your space into an impressive and comfortable one. Visit http://www.LuxDesign.ca today to check out our online gallery of before and after photos so you can see how we can help you!

5 Reasons Why You Need an Interior Designer

Picture it. You’re redecorating or completely renovating a room in your home, or have just recently bought a fixer-upper in the neighbourhood you adore. You’ve got a certain vision for how you’d like the space to look, including the colour scheme, style, and fabrics that you’d like to incorporate in the space. The only problem is, you’re not quite sure where to start, or how to put the entire thing together.

This is where hiring a professional interior designer comes into play.

With their expertise, not only will your mind be kept at ease, but you’ll also have the luxury of keeping within your budget, all while creating the space you love.

Here are 5 reasons why you need to hire an interior designer when redecorating or redesigning your home.

1. Combining Colours Properly

Blending colours comes down to a science. Knowing exactly what colours go well together while blending textiles and furniture is important in order to keep the room looking put together, rather than like a rainbow. As much as you may think you understand colours, it’s really best to leave this realm to a professional, particularly if you’re planning on taking a design risk and going bold. Interior designers such as those at Lux Design in Toronto have access to the finest colourists who do this for a living, and are experts at what they do. Why not utilize this expertise for your home?

2. Access to Wholesalers

In the world of home design, it’s all about who you know in the industry in order to gain access to some of the most innovative and modern items. Interior designers have access to such resources with the best artisan in the industry. If you need to hiring a contractor to install your hardwood doors, your interior designer can hook you up. Same goes for a lighting experts, or a kitchen cabinet installer. Your interior designer has all the connections you need.

3. Stick to Your Budget

That’s right – having an interior designer on your team can actually help you to keep money in your pocket. These experts will help you realize your vision while sticking to your budget. Without working with a professional, you might be more likely to spend your hard-earned money on things that are totally unnecessary, or simply don’t work. Interior design experts have plenty of experience setting a realistic budget and sticking to it.

4. Think Outside the Box

Many homeowners with little to no experience in the design and decor realm might not have the vision of going a little past the contemporary borders of home design. Many will tend to stay in the ‘safe’ zone, without taking a few risks to really make their space a true work of art. Interior designers are trained to think differently and to see the potential in spaces where others might not find it. They’ve studied all facets of design, from space planning, to window treatments, right down to the trim design.

5. Stay on Top of Trends

Interior designers have their heads buried in the world of home design at all times, and always have their fingers on the home design trend pulse. They’re always on top of the latest in home design trends, and have direct access to trade shows, showrooms and the latest styles that the typical consumer doesn’t. Take advantage of their knowledge of what’s new in the world of home design.

Lux Design has been in the business of designing homes for years, and have the skill, expertise and know-how to transform any space according to clients’ vision, needs and budget. Visit their site today at http://www.LuxDesign.ca for examples of their finished products!

4 Ways to Enhance the Look of Your Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the home. In fact, many home owners consider it the most important one in the house. It’s the place where you prepare all your meals, eat with the family, and entertain guests. The kitchen isn’t just for housing food anymore – instead it’s a room where people gather to converse and spend time with one another, making the esthetics and design of this room extremely important. If you’re considering revamping your kitchen any time soon, consider these 4 ways to enhance its look:

1. Add a decorative backsplash

One of the easiest, fastest and cheapest ways to add some pizzazz to your kitchen is to change the backsplash, especially if your kitchen doesn’t already have one. There are ton of super modern and stylish backsplash options on the market today, all with their own unique design and materials. For example, some of the hottest backslashes today include glass tiles, especially small 1 inch-squared glass tiles in pastel shades like light blue. Other styles include thin and long stone or ceramic tiles that give a home more of a modern feel. Even subway-style tiling is popular these days for use on a backsplash!

2. Change the countertop

Another way to quickly and affordably enhance the look of your kitchen is to change the countertop, especially if you’ve got dated vinyl countertops that are chipping and peeling. Although granite isn’t exactly something new, it definitely creates a completely new look in a kitchen. These days, granite has become extremely affordable, and isn’t a material reserved solely for the wealthy. Instead, granite can be found even in your local home improvement stores at prices quite similar to any other material. On the flip side, you might decide to go with quartz, a new and emerging material that is made from a mixture of both man-made and natural materials.

3. Add a variety of lighting

Adding different forms and layers of lighting in a kitchen can really bring out the best features of this space. Rather than just relying on one central fixture in the middle of the ceiling, consider layering the lighting, and include types suck as track lighting, pendant lamps, under-cabinet lighting, wall sconces, and even pot lights. Doing so can provide you with both functional lighting as well as lighting that is meant as more of an aesthetic enhancement.

4. Change the flooring

You might want to consider changing the flooring in your kitchen, especially if to has become scuffed and dated. Although this might be more work that the first three options, it can certainly be a major enhancement in a kitchen, These days, more and more home owners are opting for hardwood flooring in their kitchens, although the exact type of material chosen should ideally be very durable, textured and hand scraped so as not to show all the nicks that will inevitably be experienced on a kitchen floor. Or else, simply replacing the floor with ceramics and porcelain in a decorative pattern can do the trick.

If you’ve run out of ideas on how to enhance the look of your kitchen, consider calling the experts in home design, such as those at Lux Design. These professional interior designers are skilled and experienced in their industry, and have the creativity and know-how to get the job done right. Visit LuxDesign.ca today to get started revamping your kitchen today!

Create a Getaway in Your Master Bedroom

The master bedroom is the perfect place to retreat after a long day at work. Your master bedroom should be a place of serenity and tranquility – if it doesn’t already exude this type of feel and aura, then perhaps it’s time for a change. Create the perfect and ideal master bedroom in your home with some of these tips and ideas.

Create a Relaxing Environment With Smart Use of Lighting

Your bedroom doesn’t necessarily only have to be the place where you sleep for 8 hours a night (if you’re lucky!). It should also be a place where you can relax and unwind in a peaceful environment. In order to create this type of space, one of the first things you can do is use lighting in a specific way to create a peaceful ambiance. Toronto interior designers like those at Lux Design have a number of ways that they use lighting in a space in order to create the perfect ambiance. Warm up the space with the use of low-wattage light bulbs, and avoid fluorescent or blue-hued bulbs. Instead, go for ones that have a yellow hue to them.

Instead of placing lights in the standard spots in the middle of the ceiling, spread the lighting all over the room for less concentrated light and a more subtle lighting. Make use of wall sconces or track lighting to achieve this effect. Don’t forget to make use of candles around the room, and let in some natural light by opening blinds to the windows!

Define a Calm Space With Colour

Your body, mind and spirit can be effectively calmed with the proper use of colour. Certain colours evoke specific emotions, so select them wisely before placing them in your bedroom. Interior design firms like Lux Design know a few things about the use of colour to create a specific feel. You don’t want to use overly-stimulating colours like bright yellow, orange or red. These types of colours evoke feelings of passion, which is a high-energy emotion you don’t necessarily want when trying to create a peaceful space. Instead, use colours like pale blue, green or violet, which have a tendency to bring out feelings of calmness and purification.

Get Rid of Clutter

Nothing can over-stimulate the senses and create a feeling of uneasiness more than piles of clutter scattered about a room. Toys, clothes, laundry and other clutter can take away from the relaxing oasis you are striving for. Keep up with clutter on a regular basis in order to avoid things piling up, which can create more work from you and totally take away from the serene space you are trying to achieve.

If you are looking for some expert ideas on how to create the perfect master bedroom that you can retreat to whenever you need to unwind and chill out, contact Lux Design in Toronto. Their team of experts will be happy to come into your home and give you some effective ideas to transform your space to give off the relaxing feeling you are looking for. Go online at LuxDesign.ca today and check out their gallery of redesigned spaces!

Tips For Decorating Your Home With Zen

If you’re looking to eliminate some stress from your life and invite some serenity instead, consider decorating and designing your home with some zen inspiration. Zen is all about meditation, introspection and highlights the natural beauty and harmony in our surrounding nature. If this sounds interesting to you, why not create a zen inspired home to incorporate some added peace and tranquility to your life? Here are some ways to do just that:

Using Natural Elements

Decorating in a zen fashion involves emphasizing natural elements and bringing them from the outdoors to our interior spaces, as many Toronto interior designers will tell you. Things like water, earth, wood and metal provides some form of serenity that is found in our natural habitat. Organic materials should be highlighted and used instead of synthetic, man-made items like plastic and laminate. You can showcase the earth by using specific colour schemes and plants to reflect it. You can represent water in your space by using a decorative fountain or a bowl with leaves in it. Using natural elements such as these can help you feeling like you’re constantly surrounded by nature.

Using Light

There’s nothing less serene than fluorescent lighting in a small, enclosed space. Zen will involve using much less wattage and more natural light to eliminate any tension that artificial lighting can produce. Instead of using a spotlight effect, try to spread the lighting across the entire room instead of it glaring in one spot. Professional interior design firms will make use of task lighting, since it works really well, as long as you keep the wattage low. And of course, there is no substitute for natural light from windows!

Keep It Simple and Uncluttered

Simplicity is key with zen design. Less really is more with this type of decor. Everything from your colour scheme, to furniture, to accessories and rugs should have clean lines. The minimalist effect can be done with things like unpatterned floor coverings, simple vases, and simple wood furniture. Don’t bother with anything ruffled, feathered, frilly or fancy – you want the total opposite of this. Forget about busy wallpaper, paint patterns or bold murals. Instead, let the room’s items be pleasing and easy on the eye without creating over-stimulation. Nothing should really stand out in a properly decorated zen-inspired space.

Streamline your environment by keeping the clutter to a minimum. Don’t leave out too many artifacts and accessories – this will only cause business and distraction that goes against the aim of zen design. Make sure to leave only the bare minimum out as far as decoration goes, and make sure to keep things that are not in use stored appropriately so they are out of sight.

Get Some Professional Design Help

To create the perfect zen inspired home, look to professional Toronto interior designers to help you create the look to give your home the serenity you long for. Lux Design is a design company that has been transforming all sorts of spaces, including homes, condos, and even office spaces. Their designers are top-notch and have the skills and experience necessary to create the perfect space for you and your family. Visit http://www.LuxDesign.ca today!

Dress Up Your Living Room For Less

The living room is one of the spaces in your home that is most often used by everyone in the family. It’s where family relaxes and unwinds, and where guests congregate when over for a visit. Using the room so often can make the space seem dull and boring after a while. Perhaps a makeover is called for on occasion. Here are some tips and strategies to give your living a face lift without breaking the bank.

Rearrange Your Furniture

Rearranging the furniture is a completely cost-free way to give your living room a fresh new look. If the space permits, you can dramatically change the flow of the room simply by placing pieces of furniture in completely different spots.

Create a Focal Point

One of the major design strategies that interior designers use is to create a focal point in the room. If you have a high quality or expensive piece in your living room, then use that as your focal point and decorate around it. For example, an antique hutch or an eclectic TV unit can be used as a focal point in your space. Pieces such as these will be able to carry the weight of being a focal point, which can help breathe life into your space without necessarily going out to buy different furniture and decor to create a new look.

Change the Focal Point

If your living room already has a focal point, then change it. Doing so can provide the room with a totally unique look. Changing the main feature of your living room can make the space look entirely new, which provides you with an opportunity to create a fresh look. You can even alter the main feature without changing it completely. For example, instead of switching from the window to the fireplace as the main focus of the room, simply alter the window by changing the drapes and treatments.

Paint Furniture Pieces

You can add a dramatic splash of bold colour by simply painting one piece of furniture a completely new and unique colour that will be sure to stand out. For example, paint your end table a steel blue, or your console table a pale yellow. Making dramatic changes only to one piece can help to enhance the look of your living room without too much drama. It’s also a cost-effective way to make a decorating adjustment to any space.

Use Pieces From Other Parts of Your Home

You don’t have to go far to find new pieces to add to your living room. Look around in other rooms of your home to see if there is anything that can be swapped.

If you’re in need of other tricks and ideas to spruce up your living room, have a professional interior designer Toronto help you. Lux Design is a Toronto based firm that has helped numerous clients transform their homes and condos into sophisticated, classy spaces. Visit www.LuxDesign.ca and get in touch with one of their Toronto interior design professionals today!

6 Big Design Ideas For Small Condo Spaces

Big Ideas For Small Condo Spaces

Just because you are a little short of space doesn’t mean that you have to compromise your ideas or imagination when it comes to furnishing and decorating your unit. Here are 6 big ideas for small spaces:

Desk by Day, Dining By Night

During the day, you can use a desk/table for all your office needs. Do your paperwork, let the kids do their homework, and even throw a few newspapers on the desk throughout the day. At night, this same table can turn into a dining table where your gourmet meals can be served for you and your significant other. This is one way in which one piece of furniture can be used for two completely different functions to save space and money.

See-Through Furniture

Instead of placing boxy, opaque pieces of accent furniture throughout your space, consider placing furniture pieces that you can actually see through. For example, you can use a coffee table with an open metal base so you can see right through it, or an end table made of glass that is completely transparent. Pieces like this provide an airy and light sense, which is important when trying to create the illusion of a more open space in space condos.

Decorative Storage Boxes

It’s pretty common for condo owners to have open bookcases and shelves that are used to store a host of different items. The problem with this is that if the items stored on these shelves is not placed in a strategic way, you can risk making the shelving look messy. The best way to counter this problem is by storing your items first into decorative boxes, after which will be stored on theses bookcases and shelves.

Fabric “Doors”

Many large closet spaces might use bulky dividers or slider doors which can take up a lot of space and make the area look chunky and broken up. Instead, you can use wide linen panel covers over long closet openings. Doing so will be advantageous on a number of levels: it’s cheaper, takes up less space, and creates a cohesive look when the hues of the fabric are blended well with the colour on the walls.

Glass Panel Doors

Frosted glass panels that separate spaces and rooms can provide an influx of more light, both natural and artifcial. Light has a way of opening up a space, making it feel larger and more airy.

Expand Your Living Space Beyond the Interior

If your condo comes with a balcony, you might want to even expand your living space to the outdoors. For example, you can turn your patio off your bedroom or living room into a sitting room, using furniture geared toward outdoor use. The fabric can be waterproof, and the area itself can be shaded using an extra large pivoting umbrella.

Call Experts in Condo Interior Design

For more ideas on how to make the most of a small space, call the experts in condo design at LUX Design, who have plenty of experience in designing condo spaces. They have a vast portfolio of units they have worked on, which have literally transformed an otherwise tight, boring space into one that feels free and fully functional. Find out more about these Toronto condo interior designers today at http://www.luxdesign.ca/ !

Simple and Affordable Condo Design Ideas

Designing your condo’s interior can be both challenging and exciting at the same time. For those who have a creative flair, decorating and furnishing a small space can have a great number of advantages. After all, you won’t have to spend as much to furnish a smaller space, leaving you with extra money to use towards adding really unique, high quality and eclectic pieces to make your condo a real showstopper! Here are some easy and affordable ways to make your condo a sophisticated space to live.

Make Your Condo Entertaining

If you love relaxing in front of the TV after a long day to catch some of your favourite shows, are are a real movie buff who waits for the newest DVD’s to come out, then consider making a large screen TV a focal point in your living room. Make sure you get a TV that is large enough to stand out, but not so large that it’s uncomfortable to watch from such a short distance away from the screen.

Place some paneled art pieces around it to act as a frame, and even place a lot of shelves for storage around the TV. Not only with this make the TV the focal point, but it will provide you with a really unique way to decorate your wall and use it as space for plenty of storage.

Use Non-Permanent Methods to Make Your Apartment Your Own

If you are renting the condo, there are many things that you probably won’t be able to alter, such as replacing sinks or ripping out flooring to place modern hardwood. In cases like these, there are still ways for you to make your apartment your own and adapt it to suit your needs and tastes. One of the things that many older apartments have that many renters are not too fond with are old, outdated bathroom sinks. Although you may not be allowed to replace these sinks, you can enhance their appearance by doing things like hanging a decorative and moderate fabric skirt around it to act as a vanity behind which you can store some bathroom necessities.

Turn Your Dining Area Into a Chic Space

If you are one to throw a few dinner parties here and there but have been guilty of cramming your dining area with an over abundance of bulky chairs and tables, then consider making a few changes to make your social gatherings much more enjoyable. Rather than using traditional chairs that are better suited for typical detached home kitchens, use chairs with a much more dainty frame.

Better yet, select chairs that are transparent, so that they create the illusion of taking up much less space and limit the odds of the space appearing cluttered. To match, use a glass top table to add more sophistication to the space. Finish off the look with some classy wall sconces that provide just the right amount of ambient lighting without taking up any space.

When in doubt, enlist the experts in condo interior design and get your space up to par with the right furnishing and decor to really create a stylish and comfortable space. LUX Design is a Toronto based interior design company that has a team of experts that will help you go from start to finish in planning your condo’s interior design. They will ensure that you work within your budget to achieve the perfect space for you! Visit www.LUXDesign.ca today!

Experts Solutions to Your Condo Living Space

Solutions to Countering Your Small Condo Living Space

Condo living is highly attractive and convenient, but also comes with some decorating and furnishing challenges. This is not something that only condo owners have to deal with, however. Even larger detached homes can pose some of these challenges, considering many of the small spaces that these home have as well, like hallways or awkward areas of a specific room. Allow low in square footage, condo living doesn’t have to mean you have to be low in style, function and sophistication. Here are some expert solutions and ideas to combating tight spaces, which can be done with the help of a professional interior designer like LUX Design!

Multi-Functional Furnishings

When it comes to maximizing the functionality of a small space, one of the first things you need to consider is the type of furniture that you are using to furnish your condo unit. Using lots of unnecessary furniture will only clutter a space, which is not the effect you want to go for in a small space. Often this added furniture serves no purpose, as more seating space can be achieved with much less and smaller-framed furniture.

In addition to using furniture specifically designed for condo living, consider using furniture that is multi functional. For example, buy a coffee table that has roll-out footstool for extra seating and comfort, or kitchen tables that also provide storage space underneath. Having such multi-functional furniture can maximize both the space and function of your condo.

Using Floor to Ceiling Space Efficiently

Make use out of every square inch of your walls to clear up floor space in your condo. Rather than storing everything n the floor – leaving a lot of bare space on your walls – don’t be afraid to use every spot available, from floor to ceiling. Floating shelves make great storage areas, and wall sconces can provide your area with adequate lighting without occupying the limited floor space with floor lamps.

Having Convenient Closet Space

Adjustable rods and shelving in closets can provide you with the ability to easily adapt to any seasonal changes. For example, if you have a lot of long, wooly sweaters during the winter months, you’ll need you rods to be placed a bit higher up in order to allow for the length of your clothing to hang without dragging on the floor. You can adjust your shelves and rods as you see fit in order to fit as much as possible in your closet, and maximize space.

Make Use of Sliding Doors Where Permitted

If possible, consider replacing your swinging doors with sliding doors. Swinging doors take up a lot of space and require the space in front of the door to be free and clear of furniture. By using sliding doors instead, you can literally save a few feet of space that you can use to place furniture or anything else you desire.

When you need extra help determining the right look for your condo, visit www.luxdesign.com for assistance in creating the perfect space!

Lighting Ideas for Your Condo

Light Up Your Condo

Large metropolis centres often favour the development of high-rise and low-rise condominium complexes in order to maximize the space and keep the gentrification of the city’s residents centred around the core of the city. Condos offer an economical and affordable opportunity for people to enjoy a comfortable and convenient lifestyle, that allows them to both live and work within the same vicinity. However, a large portion of condos seem to have a cookie-cutter feel to them, and often lack any unique character.

Luckily, there are ways to counter this, with the use of creative paint colours and blends, as well as unique furniture pieces laid out in a functional and sophisticated manner. Another great way to bring out the best in your condo space is the functional use of lighting.

Using Lighting to Open Up Your Condo Space

Proper, effective use of lighting can help to bring out personality, space, openness and charisma to an otherwise dull and tight area. It’s also a great opportunity for you to be able to draw attention to specific areas or artifacts in your unit, and make the space seem larger than it actually is. One of the great things about the use of lighting to accentuate your condo unit is the fact that just about any budget will do. Whether you are capable of spending thousands of dollars, or can only spare a few dollars is almost irrelevant. Regardless of your budget, you can truly transform a space with appropriate use of lighting in your condo interior design plan.

Ambient lighting provides a room with a general overall illumination. Whenever possible, ambient lighting should be provided predominantly from natural sources, such as from large windows, skylights, and glass-paned doors. Artificial lighting sources can also provide this general lighting that is necessary for functionality within the space. Pot lights – or recessed lighting – provides an unobtrusive and modern source of lighting, which is quite popular among home owners.

For overhead lighting sources, dimmer switches provide an excellent opportunity to be able to control the brightness of the space, and to alternate the brightness from one spot to another. Such dimmers can give you a chance to create a specific type of ambiance or aura to your space. The simple lowering of the light’s brightness is a great way to change to mood to suit your needs.

Accent lighting is a great way to provide a light source in areas that don’t necessarily require a great deal of illumination. Desk lamps and under-cabinet lighting are great examples of these light sources. Having a variety of types of light sources within a condo unit is a great way to provide the necessary light, as well as a way to open up your space and make it appear bigger than it really is.

If you really want to send a blast of light and openness to your condo, consider hanging a variety of mirrors on walls throughout your unit. Doing so will reflect the light, and will really open up up your space.

There are plenty of ways to brighten up and open up your condo space – lighting is probably the best way to achieve this effect! Get creative with your condo design Toronto and you can truly have a warm, comfortable, functional and open space.