What a great question! The eclectic look is really popular right now. Let's explore a couple of ways to create some thread of consistency and cohesiveness to an eclectic space. We will focus on a few elements that seem to speak the loudest.

Let's begin with Art. Just like any design style art is super important for setting the mood and the stage for the space. Eclectic spaces need eclectic art. Whether it's the way the art is framed or the way it's arranged it speaks volumes to the cohesiveness of the space. Keeping the art "authentic" feeling and not too trendy makes the space leaps and bounds ahead of the smattering of chevrons we are seeing all over. Authentic art feels like it's been collected a few bits and pieces at a time and tells your story more than it does the current trend. For example, the art shown above has similar visual weight and the art on the upper right has similar tonal qualities with the entire space.

Next up, pattern and color. It seems appropriate to sandwich the two together. Notice how the amount of pattern and texture seem to vary little from the standard set from the overall feel of each space shown in this post. The same goes for color. For example the lower image on the left has a deep color palette with pattern on pattern. This sets the stage for what the space will feel like. The image to the right is a little vintage-eclectic, but the same principle applies. The color saturation is much lighter, yet most of the items have a similar depth of color, this creates consistency and grounds the space.

Lastly, metals. This can be the metal on the desk, sconce, chair or lamp. In the images at the top the metals seem to be the grounding influence of the space. Whether it's chrome, brass or bronze using the same metal more than once is appropriate to create a conversation, however, blanketing every metal surface with chrome, for example, will change the feel to be more crisp and modern.

The most important thing for an eclectic space to feel cohesive is finding the common thread that links it together. Is it a rich color palette with international references and brass accents? Or a clean -vintage palette with smaller scale pattern and lots of white? Good luck on your eclectic adventure!

We hope you all have a great Mother's Day weekend. We will be spending time with the influential women in our lives. We loved these sweet cards from Lily & Val on Etsy.

The high gloss white desks are a nice contrast to the rugged brick walls and are a great statement for a creative agency. We also love the upholstered bench that divides the work space and the conference room. The upholstery helps to keep the conference room sound proof.

We really enjoyed working on this project and love the way the space turned out! Thanks Advent Creative!

Here are a few incredible blossoming trees in Oregon! How beautiful! Do you have a flowering tree or secret garden of blooms? We would love to see! Please do share.

Here's to enjoying spring!

We recently finished a project featuring clean lines and well edited spaces. Although the client had lived in their home for six years, they had done very little furnishing or decorating. Rather than reflecting the style of our clients, the home read ‘blank slate’ so we were excited to help put their personal stamp on it.

The first element we changed was the paint color, going from a yellow-based beige to a cool, soft gray (Silver Song 1557 from Benjamin Moore). We also used a darker color called Chelsea Gray (HC 168 from Benjamin Moore) in a few of the rooms. Then we changed the tile backsplash in the kitchen from a builder basic tile to a more contemporary mosaic. The effect was dramatic; exactly what the kitchen needed. We also installed new light fixtures for the main level office and dining nook.

The first element we changed was the paint color, going from a yellow-based beige to a cool, soft gray (Silver Song 1557 from Benjamin Moore). We also used a darker color called Chelsea Gray (HC 168 from Benjamin Moore) in a few of the rooms.

Next, we changed the tile backsplash in the kitchen from a builder basic tile to a more contemporary mosaic. The effect was dramatic; exactly what the kitchen needed. We also installed new light fixtures for the main level office and dining nook.

These simple changes really helped to update the space, and we were ready for furniture, art and accessories at last! The pieces we selected were both beautiful and simple; a nice balance between classic and contemporary. The art and accessories added warmth and visual interest.

This project was successful because the clients feel like their home finally reflects who they are. Thanks to the Lofgreens for being so great to work with!

We love the look of creamy or white cabinets, with a simple, small grained granite that is just a few shades darker. This is a clean and simple look that remains light and fresh. Sometimes it is hard to keep a kitchen feeling light when using granite, but a creamy granite does the trick.

Granite is much better in a kitchen than marble, yet we love the look of marble in a kitchen... So, there are a few select granites that have characteristics of marble, but the durability of granite. We love this kitchen and the carrerra looking marble. How luxurious...

This very simple gray and white stried granite is simple and gives a great look to the island in this large kitchen. If we had to guess, we would say this is Colonial White granite, one of our favorites.

When using granite as your countertops, white on white gives you a really great look. I love how fresh this kitchen looks, even though there is a bigger grain to the granite than we usually look for.

When you pick the right granite, you can get a unique and beautiful space. Granite doesn't have to mean that your kitchen looks like everyone elses when granite became big. Our main tip - keep the granite light and fresh, dark colors and big veins will weigh down your space and make it feel heavy and dark.

What's your take on granite?

Eclectic style encompasses a variety of periods and styles and is brought together through the use of color, texture, and finish. The mix of these elements is what creates an eclectic style. Spaces decorated in an eclectic style can easily change according to mood, inspiration and budget. The advantage to selecting this style is that you almost cannot make any mistakes when selecting furniture or fabrics to incorporate.

An eclectic look is partly defined by the multitude of fabrics, whether they be patterned, textured or both. The palette can vary, but it's best to stick with a few neutrals to help tie all the elements together. In the sitting room pictured above, blacks, whites, and grays are used to ground the palette so the great design isn't lost among the many hues. Eclectic style is great for highlighting your collections, whether you are an art buff, or have picked up many trinkets on your travels. To incorporate these collections successfully, group objects that work well together to create focal points. Interior Designer, Vicente Wolf’s apartment is a great example of this. We love how he has taken a collection of his favorite chairs and used them to display the photographs from his various trips around the world.

The trick with an eclectic style is using elements and details that have a good conversation together and often times they just feel right together. Or perhaps they have a large contrast in sheen and lines that they make the perfect eclectic statement.

This time of year the blossoms and spring blooms come out and brighten our spirits,

First off today we will explore one area that will increase the curb appeal of your home. The front porch! Above is a picture of a home we are currently working on. The clients are getting ready for a major remodel and addition. We have developed a plan to update the finishes and feel of the exterior.

These are a few of the lovely covered porches we gathered inspiration from. We love how they have green boxwood plants on each side and good lighting. That makes all the difference.

Above is a quick sketch we did of the exterior concept for this house. We love the idea of adding a covered porch with a pergola on the right. The plan is to add shingles and lap board siding to give a charming and classic look. The house is also getting a new architectural shingled roof! We are excited to see the transformation take place.

We have all heard it right? The phrase: "Less is more". To some designers Less is just less, but not Architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, he adopted the phrase as a precept for what many call minimalism. The term minimalism is used to describe a trend in design and architecture where the subject is reduced to its necessary elements. Part of simple living is getting rid of the objects in your life, especially within your home, that are quite frankly: just taking up space.

William Morris, textile designer, artist, writer, and libertarian socialist said, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” As time goes by, you begin to find things that you are not using... not even noticing anymore, but yet, because of their accumulation you start having thoughts like: “We need a new house, at least an addition... I need to spend a lot of money on organizing bins to fit all my STUFF better into my closet... etc.” ...When in reality all you really need to say is, "Goodbye." to the things that have outgrown their usefulness... or maybe never fulfilled your expectations to begin with.

When is the last time you evaluated your house? The scary garage? Or that drawer or counter in the kitchen or office? Or recently for me, one day picking my clothes out for the day I contemplated wearing clothes I hadn't worn in a long time and passed on them. Immediately I realized I didn't know how long it's been since I wore them! I acted and began pulling them off the hangers and donated them. What a liberating feeling. No more stuff just taking up space!

For me, simple living means to focus on the things that matter most in your life: family, friends, health, food, and home. By focusing on these things and finding the most happiness in them, you feel a greater sense of accomplishment and success. So, when I design the interior of my home yes, I don’t over crowd rooms with furniture that I bought cheaply at Target or Walmart. No, I keep items that fulfill the needs of my home, but that are also pleasing to the eye and are made well, so I won't have to replace them. This is easily achieved by quality over quantity. I want to have the objects in my home emanate character and craftsmanship.

Today we want to share Traditional Style, a style that celebrates classic shapes, elegance, plush fabrics and details. You would recognize this style in spaces like the White House, and other historical homes around the country. But don’t be fooled, traditional style has come a long way in the past few hundred years.

There are quite a range of traditionalists we admire. Let's begin with Mark Hampton. As a team we read "Mark Hampton on Decorating" for our most recent book club. We love the eloquence in which he describes the feeling and reason behind a decision or design selection. He is famous for his beautiful little watercolors of spaces. The bobbin chair above designed by Mark Hampton, is carried through Hickory Chair. It's not only traditional, but still feels fresh today.

So what does a traditional space look and feel like? Characteristics of a traditional room include carved moldings, fine woodwork, finely crafted furniture, and soft, plush fabrics. Color palettes rooted in beige, ivory, or cream can be balanced with fresh floral tones to create an unfussy modern feel. You don’t need antiques or dark wood walls to enjoy this style. Keep it simple with classic art pieces and photos framed in gilt frames, and an emphasis on symmetry, lend a room a proper traditional feeling.

The spaces above are designed by another favorite, as you've heard us mention on several occasions, Phoebe Howard. She captures traditional elements in a fresh way.She uses the same basic lines and elements, but the color palette or fabric patterns put off a fresh twist on traditional.

We couldn't leave out mentioning an architect. Robert A.M. Stern is a favorite traditonalist. He does the eastern traditional style well. With wonderful windows to molding, balance and focal points he creates beautiful houses.

Do you have a favorite traditionalist? What style do you gravitate towards in our series thus far? Make sure to check out last week's Mid- Century Modern post.

Last week we shared a bit with you about Craftsman style, today we wanted to share a new style called Mid-century modern. It is a style of furniture design, product design, and architecture that began after World War II and continued into the 1960s. Think “Mad Men” or “retro.” The style is characterized by materials like wood, metal, or plastic, and is very simple with clean lines and organic forms. Color is used quite a bit in furniture and product designs that came out of this style.

Mid-century design flourished in Europe, particularly Scandinavia, and prominent designers from this period include Finland's Eero Saarinen, American pair Charles and Ray Eames, Florence Knoll, and Vernor Panton. Many of the iconic designs are still being manufactured for sale by brands like Kartell and Design within Reach, so it’s quite easy to incorporate the style into your home today.

We are thrilled to announce our newest designer to the team. To read Hannah's full bio see our about page.

This weekend we will be the featured designer at the Salt Lake Home and Garden Show. Check out our guest post on the Salt Lake Home and Garden Show blog. We will be teaching a class everyday this weekend. For more information see the schedule. Our class is titled "Design Rules you can Break".

We are hosting a warehouse sale! We are clearing out a lot of inventory! From sofas to accessories we are selling all kinds of items for your home! It's on Monday March 11th from 2-7 pm. It's at our warehouse: 367 W. 1600 S. SLC, UT 84115.

Craftsman style is a decorative and architectural style that began in the last years of the 19 th century. William Morris, Gustav Stickley, and Frank Lloyd Wright are just a few famous names that come to mind when you think about this style. It is called Craftsman because the movement emphasized the hand-made over the mass-produced.

Craftsman homes are quite prevalent in older American neighborhoods, because it was the most popular style of affordable middle class homes built in the United States between 1900 and 1930.You can recognize them by features including low-pitched roofs, broad eaves, substantial front porches and exposed structural wood. Some trademarks of Craftsman style are strong horizontal and vertical elements seen in windows and cabinetry details. And a gentle arched bow shape, similar to the shape on the base of the island, and exterior archways in this home pictured above.

Here are a few examples of how you can pull Craftsman style elements into your contemporary home. Simple details like the mullions in the window panes, or casings around the doors and windows reference the style in a simple modern way.

We are currently working on several projects with clients who arewilling to try something new and break the mold of "solid door fronts" on the cabinets. The image above is an example of a streamlined praire style kitchen we designed. We used glass fronts with a grid when possible to break up the potentially overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by all white cabinets. Using glass shelves and a light kit inside the cabinet gives a nice ambiance and shows off the "always perfectly styled" cabinets.

Isn't the scale and height of these cabinets great? It's beautiful how they carried the fret work design down through the second row of cabinets.

A lovely "X" marks the spot! This is our inspiration for a project we are working on. Hopefully we will have details and pictures to show soon. The "X" on the base cabinet is a modified shaker style door front.

This kitchen may be small, but it doesn't lack in detail! The base cabinets below the sink are another example of a modified shaker style door front. The small bead around the styles and rails of the door is a nice touch and dresses it up from a basic shaker door. The image above shows flat panel doors. The opposite is a raised panel door. Right now we are seeing very little raised panel doors. To be quite honest a flat panel door or shaker looks more classic and updated. A door with an arched raised panel is a dead giveaway to the 80's or 90's. Simple is always a safe way to lean in cabinets. Especially since they are one of the most expensive ( if not the most) things to replace in a house.

Happy kitchen remodeling!

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1. Empty your sock drawer onto your bed. Immediately sort pairs together. Discard any single socks, any socks you no longer wear, any frayed or 'holey' socks. Arrange like colors/types together and put them back in drawer. Bid the others farewell!

2.Keep Your Lid On! Today your task is to tackle all those disposable plastic storage containers that you have in cupboards and drawers in your kitchen. Get them all out onto the kitchen counter. Discard any that don't have matching lids, that the dishwasher has mangled or that are stained. My rule: no more than 15 plastic storage containers!

3. Remote Control! Sort through your remotes, game controls, cords and technology in the family room and clear out what isn't being used. Then find a tray or box that will look nice in your space to house all the remaining remotes.

4. Romance & Calm: Grab your partner and head for the master bedroom. Spend ten minutes TOGETHER gathering up and removing anything from the room that doesn't belong there or doesn't help create a calm, romantic haven for you both.

5. Don't Throw in the Towel! Spend 10 minutes pairing down your bath towels, kitchen towels, and cleaning rags. Get rid of the dingy ones and fold nicely the remaining bunch.

6. The Unmentionables! Last week it was the sock drawer so don't tell me you didn't see this one coming! Your ten minutes today is dedicated to your undies drawer. Get all your underwear onto your bed - discard the old, soiled, ripped, "I'll-never-wear", Bombay bloomer or blown-elastic models. Sort the rest and commit today to wearing some of those classier undergarments.

7. Paperwork Part I Sort through a pile of mail in your house, get rid of old bills, sort into stacks what needs to be kept. Now, find a way to make it appear organized or a box or tray to hide it away in.

8. Paperwork Part II Clear off your desk! Only keep things that need attention now - keep them in a tray or folder.

9. Platters, Muffin Tins, Baking Trays - Back to the kitchen today and ten minutes collecting any platter, tray, muffin pan or baking sheet. Get rid of damaged, chipped, rusted, warped or never-used items and open up some space for these larger items in your cupboards. Be tough and brutal - say goodbye to anything you no longer need, use or want!

10. Revisit the linen closet: Today's the day to tackle all of the bed linens and other items that are lurking in your linen closet.

11. Clear the Closet Take 10 minutes and take out of your closet all the clothes that no longer fit you, are soiled, are ripped, or you never wear. You should only have clothes in your closet that you love, that you look good in, and that you wear!

12. Spice it up! Today's the day to alphabetize your spices. A quick and simple challenge that you can definitely nail. And while you're at it, be sure to get rid of anything that's been in there longer than two years, or that's been with you for the last three house moves!!

13. Tackle the T's: Everyone has more T shirts than they need and today's the day to tame them! First, look at the piles of folded T's in your closet - chances are that the bottom third of the piles are shirts that you don't like that much and seldom wear. Let them go! Put like colors together, fold them all uniformly and be sure only to hold onto the T's that you love!

14. Being organized is all about creating a peaceful life, a happy life. Being organized means less stress. So take 10 minutes just for yourself and do something that makes you happy!

15. That Mysterious Top Shelf in That Mysterious Closet: It's your choice today. Pick any closet in your home and tackle the uppermost shelf.

16. Diving for Condiments: Today it's all about those condiments hiding in the dark recesses of your refrigerator. Throw out the ones that have expired or that you never use.

17. Under the Kitchen Sink - This is one of the toughest but most rewarding challenges. Drag everything out from under the kitchen sink. Discard any old, never-used, damaged or not-wanted items. Gather like things together. Consider using a plastic tote for cleaning products and a spare baking tray or similar for keeping other items together and off the floor. Consider hanging a tension rod for squirt bottle storage too. Show that space who's boss!

18. A Huge Challenge: Today we're tackling magazines .... one of the most common hurdles I encounter in decluttering homes. I know this will be tough for many but it has to be done. Gather all the magazines in your house into a pile. Notice how much space they take up! Now clear out as many as you can!

19. Flat surfaces: Small or large, flat surfaces seem to attract clutter! Today I want you to choose just one flat surface in your home, spend ten minutes getting it in order, and then COMMIT to keeping that space clear and uncluttered.

20. Conquer the kids Toys! Remember to focus ONLY on those toys that are no longer age appropriate for your kids. Box up any toys that are too young for your kids or they are no longer interested in. All the toys shouldn't be out at once.

21. Take Your Medicine: Today I want you to tackle your medicine cabinet. Pull everything out. Wipe down the shelves. Group like things together. Collect out-of-date medications together for return to your pharmacy (don't flush or put them in the trash!) Use plastic containers to keep like items together.

22. Pot, Pans and Small Appliances: We're back in the kitchen today decluttering pots, pans and small appliances. Be tough .... open space in the kitchen will make the room more inviting and motivating. Put under the counter any appliances you don't use regularly and get rid of old pots and pans!

23. Tackle Your Car: So far all of the challenges have been inside your home. Today it's your motor vehicle. Clear out all the junk in the trunk! Only keep in the car what you really need. Organize it into a bin in the trunk or a hanging container on the back of a seat.

24. Kitchen Utensils: Today's the day to thin the herd of kitchen utensils. Pull out all the kitchen utensils on the counter and organize the drawer they go in. You don't need 7 whisks and 13 spatulas, just keep the ones in the best shape or your favorites.

25. Today It's About Your Shoes: I'm hoping that wholesale panic doesn't set in today! Just sort through your shoes and eliminate the ones covered in dust that you no longer wear, or the ones that don't fit. The pair of shoes that are so scuffed up that you have lost love for them. Pair down the shoes!

26. How Many Belts Do You Own?: It's time to tighten your belt(s) by seeing how many you own and letting go of those you no longer need, use or want.

27. Digging Into Your Kids' Closet: Today's challenge is for you to spend ten minutes going through your kids' closets to find any clothes that no longer fit them or that they just don't wear. Grab as many as you can in ten minutes, throw them into a trash bag and take them to Goodwill as soon as you can.

28. Pens and Pencils: I so wish I was a fly on the wall in your home to watch you tackling this fun challenge. Grab a box. Hunt down those pens and pencils wherever they live in your home. You know what you have to do!

29. Let's Look at Your Books: This will be tough .... I know. Don't be overwhelmed. Set the timer for ten minutes. Do what you can in that time to find any books that you no longer love and want in your home.

30. Make a list of 5 "10 minute challenges" that you want to tackle in your home. Keep the momentum going!

31. Enjoy your clean home!!!

We kept the accessories simple and conducive to life with little ones. The lovely master bedroom pillows are from Caitlyn Wilson. The striped curtains are the statement making element in the dining room.

Gold is the go to metal finish for emerald. We love the rich and sophisticated way the two compliment each other. Along those lines a buttercream yellow works well as well! Accents of black are strong and statement making for the bold look.

With a classic and regal approach Emerald green looks great with the grayed out opal color seen above. Who would have guessed we would love the way that looks together?! A close cousin to this scheme is gray. Though both can be considered neutrals they can really pop.

You may be thinking Turquoise is a blue, you just mentioned that one above. We know. It's quite a different feel with a brighter Turquoise and even a navy blue. A fresh color palette is really created with strong accents of white and dark ebony wood.

The color palette options are numerous with emerald green. What's your favorite? Will you be introducing a few splashes of the color of the year in your spaces? Please, do share!