Incase you missed it- We have been featured in some exciting new articles! We have recapped the highlights for you here.

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COZY BEDROOM TIPS FROM 8 TOP DESIGNER

“At ACD we like to design with an abundance of texture and layers. This becomes more important as the weather cools off. Proper window treatments are a must. We love long drapes in natural materials that appear to blanket the room and create a sense of coziness. In combining textures, we create a warm look by deviating from the existing materials and instead adding leather accessories or boucle upholstered pieces.”

8 TRENDY KITCHEN REMODELING IDEAS FOR 2021, ACCORDING TO DESIGNERS– Written by Camryn Rabideau for Reviewed

Most people have at least one or two small appliances that live on the kitchen countertop—for me, it’s my KitchenAid stand mixer and toaster. However, if you’re tired of seeing them all the time, you can hide them away with this cool cabinet feature.

“We are seeing a lot of people adding appliance garages or pantries complete with electrical so that ugly appliances don’t have to sit on your countertops,” says Anne Carr of Anne Carr Design.

20+ Kitchen Design Ideas for 2021 From Top Designers – By Lynn Coulter for HGTV

Built-In Coffee Stations

Most of us make a mad dash to the kitchen each morning for a cup of wake-up joe. The experts at Anne Carr Design, a firm based in Los Angeles, report that clients are showing a lot of interest in built-in stations for coffee and espresso machines. Blenders, mixers and other plug-in accessories are being tucked out of sight, too. Anne Carr says, “People are adding appliance garages or pantries complete with electrical outlets so ugly appliances don’t have to sit on your countertops.”

Engineered Sinks

Kitchen designers are also noticing a shift away from traditional porcelain sinks, according to Anne Carr. “People are experimenting with concrete or engineered materials. Blanco, for example, makes a sink with a material called Siligranit. It comes in a variety of colors and offers a concrete look without the maintenance.” The manufacturer says Siligranit is non-porous, food-safe and stronger and more durable than other sink surfaces.

How To Turn Your Home Office Into A Den Of Focus And Creativity – By Margaux Lushing for Forbes

Desk Storage

Designer Anne Carr of Anne Carr Design recommends, “Large desks that are open, more similar to tables, and you can buy a drawer cabinet or filing cabinet from the Container Store to place under them.” Their minimal designs are simple and stylish, and almost every item is offered in neutrals, so they really fit into most home office designs.” On-desk storage options for corralling paper clutter include sturdy, cheerful wire baskets and accessories tray by Open Spaces

6 Little Details Everyone Forgets in Their Room Makeovers, According to Pros – By Kelly Dawson for Apartment Therapy

Limited lighting

Sure, it gets dark at night, and lighting helps with that. But only seeing lighting for the need it solves, rather than as a mix of form and function, can ultimately make a room feel disjointed. “Lighting is often looked upon as an optional accessory,” Carr says. That’s why refreshed rooms sometimes keep their original fixtures, or overhead lights are deemed as all that’s necessary. But Carr recommends seeing lighting as a way to enhance a space, not just make it livable. 

“An interesting textural lamp can not only be a piece of needed furniture, but the light will cast a particular mood,” Carr says. “Keep the experience that you want to create in mind when designing your space.”

Make it happen by changing out original fixtures for up-to-date options that match your current aesthetic, and add different light sources throughout. For instance, a floor lamp next to a side chair can morph into an easy reading nook, just as sconces can add a cozy ambiance after sunset. “It can transform the space in shape and size,” Carr adds.

15 Fall Trends Interior Designers Are Already Buying Into – By Megan Beauchamp for My Domaine

Velvet Furniture

“Going into the fall we are seeing the continued interest in bouclé,” explains Anne Carr of Anne Carr Design. “It began last year but mainly only in off whites but now we are seeing bouclés in various shades. There has also been a resurgence in jewel tones especially in rich velvets and mohairs that add drama to any fall décor project.”

How to Make Any Room Instantly Look More Spacious, According to Interior Designers– By Caroline Biggs for Martha Stewart

Keep visual clutter to a minimum.

A small space will feel even smaller when overloaded with a bunch of clutter, which is why Anne Carr suggests keeping décor accents to a minimum. “If you clutter a small room with too many visuals, it will look busy,” she explains. “I also don’t recommend using a lot of patterns in a small room, unless it’s a powder room, for the same reason. You can use different fabrics if they are solid in color, but stay away from busy prints.”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have spent more time in our homes than ever before. With this increased connection to our living spaces,  it has become even more important to create spaces that offer flexibility, comfort, and endless inspiration. In many ways, COVID-19 has positively changed the way we understand space; in the minds of interior designers, it has expanded the possibilities of all that can be done within a home.  At the same time, the pandemic has taken away one of the home’s greatest purposes: entertaining friends and family.  Since we can’t gather with all of our loved ones this year, the holiday season is guaranteed to look different, but that doesn’t mean the holiday spirit is lost. Read on for our favorite decor tips of the year that will bring the magic and warmth of the holiday season into any space!

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Incorporate Seasonal Gatherings 

At Anne Carr Design, we like to decorate for the holidays by incorporating seasonal gatherings that you can find right outside.  To create elegant and natural table arrangements that reflect the season and add pops of color to your space, use foliage like pine branches, pomegranates, pepper berries, and magnolia stems.  

 One of the best parts about using seasonal gatherings is their versatility. Another timeless way to include these natural elements into your decor is through wreaths and garlands.  With seasonal gatherings, your placement and arrangement options are endless, so be creative!  Not only are these elegant décor options, but they are economical and easy to find (pro tip: purchasing seasonal foliage is a great way to save on arrangements year-round!).   

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Keep It Simple 

With the stress of the holiday season, you want your home to emanate tranquility.  One way to accomplish this is to keep your tablescapes simple and refined.  To limit your outings during COVID-19, you can experiment with pieces that you already have at home by adding touches of holiday colors. At Anne Carr Design, one of our favorite holiday trends is to mix neutral and jewel-toned table linens to create table settings that are both elegant and dramatic.  

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Embrace Ambient Lighting 

With shorter days and longer nights, it’s essential to have ambient lighting throughout your home.  From the entryways and living rooms to bathrooms and treading nooks, touches of twinkle lights offer the perfect balance between adding a warm, festive glow and calming energy to any space. If your climate permits, twinkle lights can also be added outside to transform any exterior space into a gorgeous holiday-inspired light show. 

Candles are another decor element that can be used during the holiday season to add warm touches of light and a romantic vibe to your home. The added plus? Your home will not just look picture perfect for the holidays, but it will smell like it too! 

Though the 2020 holiday season is undoubtedly different from years past, these tips will make your home’s holiday decor the most memorable yet.  For more interior design tips and tricks, stay tuned for our next newsletter, and don’t forget to post a picture and tag us on Instagram at @annecarrdesign if you try out these trends at home! From our family to yours, we wish you health, happiness, and lots of light this holiday season. 

With inspiration,

ACD 

There finally seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, but until we get there, we are all still stuck at home a bit longer.

We know all this time at home has some of you itching for a refresh, so we wanted to round up some of our favorite online vendors to get you started.

Citizenry

We are putting this one first because they are truly a global citizen. All of their goods are sourced from around the world from local artisans. If you want your home to have the layered look of a well-travelled collector, then shop here. All products are made with fair trade standards, based on time tested methods. They also do free shipping and returns in the US.

https://www.the-citizenry.com/

Parachute Home

Want the most amazingly comfortable bedding and linens that is also organic? Head to Parachute Home. We recommend their organic cotton linens to all of our design clients, and they come in the dreamiest colors. They also do free shipping and returns in the US.

https://www.parachutehome.com/

ACD

If you are looking for the perfect throw pillows to go with your new bedding, check out our shop! We have a plethora of throw pillows selected by our Principal Designer, Anne. We also have lighting and furniture pieces perfect for your home.

https://anne-carr-design.myshopify.com/

Chairish

There is finally a place to easily shop for vintage and antique pieces online. You can also find beautiful handpicked contemporary pieces on Chairish too. It is truly a one stop shop for any interior design enthusiast.

https://www.chairish.com/

Lostine

If you have a thing for leather goods like we do, you’ll want to check out Lostine. All of their furniture and accessories are unique and embody true craftsmanship. Lostine sells interesting lighting, leather drawer pulls and artisan made furniture. The hand stitched leather framed mirrors are an Anne Carr Design favorite. While their shop is open and running but please note there could be some shipping delays. 

https://lostine.com/

School House Electric

American made lighting and hardware. Each product is simple, unique, and built to last. Some lights reminiscent of what you would see on a schoolhouse or firehouse.

https://www.schoolhouse.com/

Saffron + Poe

A great source for woven leather chairs and beautiful hand-woven baskets. Saffron + Poe is based out of California, so for those of you CA residents you can support your in-state community here.

https://saffronandpoe.com/

Cle Tile

In case any of you need a larger refresh/ remodel, reach out to us at ACD for a bathroom or kitchen remodel.  Their website is not only visually appealing, but also easy to navigate for an online tile shop. We used Cle tile in our most recent Interior Design project (Click the image above to check it out on our website). Sign up for their newsletter they will send you three free samples!

https://www.cletile.com/

Happy Shopping!

I don”t know about you, but I cannot think of anything I want for Mother’s Day. I haven’t gotten out of yoga pants in two months so clothes are a waste of money. A lot of purchases seem like a waste except of course the one to make your house more homey! A family brunch is what I want but it wouldn’t work because we are spread out all over the country. I also really want a walk on the beach, to go out to dinner or even just a hike on my favorite trail. Alas, none of this is possible during the quarantine, at least not in my state of California. So, we have compiled a few things to lift the spirits.

So what can we send our mothers.? I found this really clever wine tasting package.I would be so excited to receive this because it’s also an activity if you order for two. Let’s face it everyone will need to go on the wagon after quarantine, but not a day before they open up the flood gates. Visit Vinebox https://www.getvinebox.com/collections/shop

Fragrance activates the senses and can elevate a mood. This is an ACD office favorite.

https://www.lelabofragrances.com/santal-26-392.html?size=60g#

Maybe your Mom can’t get off the organizing bandwagon and has discovered she needs more storage. The baskets by Citizenry are useful and stylish. In fact, we use them all the time in our staging projects. The Citizenry

This one isn’t going to make it by Sunday but an IOU is sometimes expected, especially if you have teenagers.

Every Mom deserves a throne. Am I right? Why not have a place for one, that’s also chic and cozy.

We are in the middle of a pandemic, life seems to have dramatically slowed down, and there is so much stress and confusion that surrounds us. While it is difficult to maintain a positive outlook, we are trying every day to appreciate the extra down time. It is with this time, we can reflect on all of the things we might have breezed over or pushed off while life was a different kind of chaotic and we were running around Los Angeles from site visit to site visit only taking breaks to hastily pick up our mobile ordered Starbucks. This was the old “normal”.

We’ve posted pictures of our finished projects many times but have not spent much time showing our followers the before & after series. We want to use this time to share the full transformations. After all, seeing the before shots allows us to appreciate the after shots that much more.

One of our most-shared projects is the Medio house or the “Pink House” (you can see from this before image how we got the name).

The house was closed off & compartmentalized, but our talented Principal Designer, Anne, had a vision. She opened up the space, creating a balanced flow throughout the house.

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There was also a serious need for access to the patio, so she added beautiful Fleetwood doors to truly bring the outside in.

The house desperately needed a master bed/bath revamp. The existing master bath was cramped and uninviting and the master bedroom hadn’t been touched since the house was built in (the 1940’s.). Anne decided to add on and create a true master suite with a walk-in closet to die for (formally a guest bedroom).

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One of our more recent projects is the Pacific house. The kitchen was dated and dark, and our clients wanted to modernize the space, for their busy home with two growing boys. One caveat, the house needed to be finished in six weeks. Although we can’t take all the credit, the homeowner really cracked the whip with the subs. We decided to add sleek light grey cabinetry with black hardware, stacked variating glazed tile with grey Ceasarstone countertops too compliment. Finally, we found some beautiful natural wood and leather stools to warm up the space.

Our Chateau Lee project is another one of our favorite kitchen remodels. Located just a few blocks from the beach, we wanted this kitchen to feel light and airy. We incorporated beautiful mixed metal accents, textured countertops, and patterned Fireclay tile to complete the look.

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And finally, Our Mandeville Canyon Project. This kitchen faced the most beautiful backyard, so we opened it up to accentuate the view.

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Stay tuned for next week’s blog post!

Our principal designer, Anne Carr, was recently quoted in the article “The First Thing You Should Buy for Your New Home, According to Interior Designers” by Sarah Lyon on Apartment Therapy. Check it out in the full article below!

Moving to a new space isn’t easy—you’re unpacking and sorting through boxes, trying to determine which of your former furnishings will fit in your new place and which will need to be replaced. Once things have calmed down a bit, you’ll likely want to spring for some new decorative accessories, accent pieces, or maybe even a big ticket item like a new mattress. But where to start? We spoke with five interior designers to gather their opinions on what to buy first when settling into a new space, and here’s what they had to say.

Furnish Your Living Room With New Essentials

Los Angeles-based designer Anne Carr advises investing in a high quality, comfortable sofa. “Sofas can last forever if they’re good quality, and they can be re-covered when styles change,” says Carr. She’s also a proponent of a good rug, which always makes a room look finished and cuts down on noise. Given that some rental buildings have rules about how much floor space must be kept covered, a rug may very well be at the top of your list! When in doubt, a bigger rug is often your best bet, notes Ginger Curtis, owner and lead designer of Urbanology Designs. “A lot of people make the mistake of getting an 8-foot by 10-foot rug when their room really needs a larger one to ground the space,” says Curtis.  

Like to entertain and need to hold onto your current sofa for budget or practicality reasons? A club chair is a great secondary pick, according to Carr, since it can breathe new life into your former living room furniture setup. And don’t shy away from custom pieces if you’re so inclined, notes Curtis. “Something well-made, special, and designed to fit your home perfectly can go a very long way,” she says.

Make Your Space More “You” With Art

A house might not feel like a home if it’s void of color and charisma, so go ahead and think beyond just the functional pieces. “Whether it’s fun and whimsical or moody and dramatic, artwork is not only a great way to style or decorate your home, but it also can reflect your fun and unique personality,” says Curtis. “I personally love portrait paintings! Artfully Walls is a great place to source artwork and see how it will scale in your space. Antique malls and thrift stores are other great places to score something special.”

While artwork doesn’t always come cheap, there’s never a need to shell out major cash until you’re absolutely ready. “Even if it’s your first home, it’s great to start your collection early on,” says designer Michelle Gage of Michelle Gage Interiors. “You can acquire new pieces as the years go by, but it’s best to start sooner rather than later.” For starter homes, try shopping affordable prints on Etsy, Society 6, or Minted.

Get Your Kitchen Up and Running

A high-traffic space like the kitchen is another area you may be inclined to tackle right away. But what to purchase first? Focus on swapping out those builder grade finishes with new overhead lighting and cabinetry hardware. “Where budget is an issue, I would say pendants and barstools,” recommends designer Yvonne Christensen. “These will 100 percent give your kitchen a finished feeling, and the kitchen is where most of my clients say they spend most of their time as a family, so it’s worth investing there.” Plus, according to Christensen, your bar stool style can really set the tone for the rest of your room’s look because they are such a focal point, if you’re lucky enough to have a kitchen island.

Start Off On An Organized Foot

To avoid chaos down the line, you’ll want to keep clutter under control right off the bat. “For a first home or even for your existing home, home organization tools are a must,” says designer Victoria Holly of Victoria Holly Interiors. “You may find when unpacking for a new home or just going about the day-to-day in your current home, there’s always that ‘junk drawer’ with batteries, or the laundry room is just a collection of unorganized cleaning products.”

This is where baskets, bins, and other receptacles are key, Holly explains. “Our advice when it comes to storage pieces is to keep it simple and clean,” she adds, noting that options like acrylic or white wooden bins are always a solid choice. “When you start in your new home with storage solutions, it makes unpacking way easier and a little less miserable,” says Holly. “You can now go through boxes quickly and easily because you have a container to hold random cords and a place in mind to put a given object.”

The Do’s, Don’ts & What If’s Revealed

Remodeling your home is much like building new – only you get to live in the mess as it happens. Yes, there will be dust, but you will also have the benefit of watching a new version of your home unfold before your eyes.

Thousands of decisions must be made before and during a renovation.  While this is nowhere near a comprehensive guide to your pre-remodel strategy, it covers the three main pieces that are most crucial to a successful remodel. 

Believe it or not, these three elements are also the most forgotten, and that is why we’ve chosen to focus on them.

1.CREATE A PLAN

Whether remodeling an existing footprint, adding an addition – or both – you must start with the end in mind. As you ponder your ideal remodel, keep in mind that functionality is key, from traffic patterns through the kitchen and living areas to the usability of each room. Adding square footage can be advantageous in certain areas of the country, especially for resale purposes. But a renovating is an undertaking so it’s better to remodel to increase your home’s function, use, and accessibility. Not only will your future self be grateful, but so will any future homeowners (as will your wallet when your home sale pays you back several fold). If you feel overwhelmed by creating a floor plan, selecting materials, or scheduling and managing the project, please keep in mind that we offer this service to our clients.  There is absolutely no reason for you to suffer undue stress before or during your remodel. Let us take the burden off your mind from the very beginning.

2. CHOOSE A CONTRACTOR

Finding the right company to demo, prep, and remodel your home is no simple task. We suggest you start by asking for referrals from friends or family members who have recently had their homes remodeled. If nothing else, do an online search for remodeling contractors in your area and thoroughly inspect their portfolio images and reviews.  If a contractor catches your eye, ask them for two or three referrals from past clients. Be sure to ask those referral sources about the contractor’s timeliness, professionalism, and ability to problem solve. Many times a contractor moves on to a new job as your job is culimating, therefore another important question should be whether or not the contractor was available towards the end of project and if they tied up all lose ends. Contrary to popular opinion, time and money are not the most important pieces to consider when choosing a contractor, but accuracy and integrity are most certainly.

3. REVIEW ALL AGREEMENTS

Don’t sign any contracts, work orders, or installation agreements until you’ve read every word. While it is rare for a vendor to sneak in a clause or two that would hurt your project, homeowners are often caught off guard if their project goes south and they discover that they are responsible for much more than they had planned. Never assume that a contract or agreement is in your best interest. Keep a paper trail and don’t move forward based on verbal agreements. As an interior design firm, a large part of our service is acting as a liaison between the contractor and the homeowner. We can help you navigate the paperwork, timelines, budgets, and backorders with practiced ease.

DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS

Closed Concepts

In the past, remodeling meant taking down walls. One design “trick” we use is to enlarge doorways. In that respect, you have still delineated the space with an airier feel. 

DESIGN TIP OF THE MONTH

Invest in Flooring

Because flooring is the most difficult to replace, and often quite expensive, we suggest taking care to choose materials that will function beautifully according to the levels of traffic in your home.

The cloud sofa. Is one of our most requested items. But why?  As more designers cater to the laidback California style, incorporating casual furniture pieces is becoming increasingly popular, and the first piece that clients think of is the “RH cloud”. Yes, RH designs pieces that embody laid back luxury, but I would like to point out that Cisco home (among other local upholsterers and companies) have been making sectionals like this for much longer than RH. I wonder, Is it their marketing reach? Or did they manage to subliminally insert themselves into the “Netflix and chill” trend. Personally, I think it’s the ten-pound catalog they still mail out… But seriously, RH does always seem to be on trend with today’s consumer …at least in the sense of what people want in the design of their homes.

But for my clients who ask for “the cloud” or a close facsimile, I would like you to know that 40% of RH products are made in China.  Not only should you be aware of the lack of integrity in their pieces, but also of child labor practices, and the lack of regulations regarding materials and other toxins on their fabrics. Studies have shown that Glyphosate and Formaldehyde are two of the most common restricted substances found in furniture and finishes shipped from China. What’s worse is that most of the manufacturing companies that these pieces come from can’t even show documents proving regulatory compliance.

While I know that buying from RH is easy and convenient, I would like to propose a change. Just how people have moved towards only buying organic/pesticide free produce and appreciate farm to table dining; it’s time to buy furniture from makers who not only embody fair labor, but who can also trace all materials to their original origin and speak to the quality of each individual piece.

BUY LOCAL.

The visual aspects of your bedroom, including light, are critical to how fast you fall asleep, how deeply you sleep, and how long you can sleep for uninterrupted. Good sleep protects your health, keeps your mind sharp, and boosts your attitude. One of the most important aspects of bedroom design is lighting.

Here is what to keep in mind when revamping your bedroom.

1 – Dark at night is important

How well you sleep is driven in large part by your body’s circadian rhythms. Light and dark trigger your body to wake and sleep. You’ll sleep best in total darkness. That means when you decorate, skip nightlights and anything that illuminates at night. If streetlights or floodlights stream in your windows, room-darkening drapes might be needed as part of your bedroom décor to help you rest.

2 – Light in the morning wakes you

The downside to room darkening curtains is they block morning light. Have you ever overslept because you fell asleep wearing eyeshades? That’s because you prevent light from triggering your wake rhythms. Ideally, don’t use décor that blocks Eastern facing windows that would let in the morning sun. That means no heavy curtains unless you must. If you must have dark drapes, add a wake light alarm clock.

3 – Artificial lights affect sleep

When decorating your bedroom, consider all the sources of artificial light in your room. Overhead lights aren’t ideal close to bedtime. An hour or two before you want to drift off, you should start dimming the lights. Overhead lights with exposed bulbs can wake you. Ensure you have ample indirect light sources like lamps with soft light that feature depleted blue light spectrum (the type of light that wakes you).

4 – Don’t forget light from electronics

Increasingly, digital devices are part of room décor. Your TV, cell phones, cable box, and device charging stations are all standard features in the bedroom that give off light that can disrupt sleep. Ideally, having no TV in your room is best. Phones, TV, and tablets emit blue light that wakes you and can aggravate insomnia and delay sleep. If you can, banish digital devices from your bedroom for better sleep.

Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary

Because light is a key determiner in how fast you fall asleep and whether you sleep uninterrupted, it should be an important part of your bedroom design choices. Think of your bedroom as your sanctuary of sleep. That’s the most important function of the room.

When designing your bedroom, remember these aspects:

• Comfort is critical – The foundation of good sleep is a great mattress. Don’t skimp on this piece of décor, since you’ll spend one-third of your life on it.

• Clear the clutter – A crowded room is chaotic and not conducive to rest and relaxation. Stick to necessities and keep your bedroom clean and tidy.

• Minimize furnishings – A streamlined, simple space is restful. You need a bed, side tables, and a dresser, perhaps a chair. Don’t crowd your bedroom with non-essentials.

• Choose neutral colors – Finally, go with soothing neutral colors for your walls, blankets, and accessories. Visually exciting choices aren’t calming and restful.

Written by Amy Highland