For our annual Home and Design issue, we turned to two interior design professionals and West Knoxville Lifestyle Partners for insights and recommendations on two home design challenges every homeowner faces.
Paint Colors
Owner/Principal Designer Natalie Clayman, Natalie Clayman Interior Design
A Knoxville native, Natalie started her full-service interior design and decorating firm in 2011, specializing in primary and vacation homes, as well as boutique commercial setting projects (hotel/salon/retail). NCID is known for a touch of the unexpected combined with beautiful textures and bold patterns that wave with the perfect amount of sophistication, innovation, warmth, style and approachability.
Window Treatments
Owner/Principal Designer Sandy Kozar, Decorating Den Interiors | Kozar Design Team
Sandy is an award-winning interior designer, Decorating Den Interiors Certified Interior Designer, and Hunter Douglas® Certified Consultant. Sandy and her husband, Jim Kozar, have owned their full-service design firm for 15 years. The Kozar Design Team has designed many homes throughout East Tennessee and beyond, are published in numerous shelter magazines and books, and have won numerous international design and customer service awards.
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“Color drenching, which we love, is very rich and high-end. If you’re on a budget, it adds great depth to the space.” Natalie Clayman
Color vs. White
To begin with, I don’t love the word ‘trend’ because it doesn’t have longevity and it can scare people away from color. There’s a difference between something being classic and popular because it is good and classic, versus just being trendy. I think people want to live with color, but if they don’t know how, they paint everything white or grey.
That’s where trends come in, such as the modern farmhouse trend with white walls and black fixtures and accents. If people still are afraid of introducing rich tones, instead of white, I like to use tried-and-true neutrals–bone, off-white, cream–that have such depth. But we really try to help people see how color enhances everything. You walk into the room and feel better and you get to enjoy that every day because your home is a sanctuary. Color evokes feelings, often full of nostalgia, like “I grew up with this color!” or, “our ur beach house had that color and it felt so good.”
Some people have an innate talent for using color in their home. Some do not. We encourage people to hire a designer or a decoratorーtake that leap and trust!
Peel & Stick Paint Samples
Instead of painting swatches on walls, we use large peel and stick samples. You can move the color all over the room because each corner is different, depending on house position and how light comes in. You can lighten the paint or go darker–it’s a pivotal process and samples just make it easier.
Open vs. Classic
House style makes a difference. In open concept floor plans, you don’t have a definite cut-offーas you do in classic architecture where you have walls, doors, separate nooks, cubbies, intimate spaces so we have to accommodate that open floor plan in bringing color. I don’t believe in accent walls in homes. There’s no flow to it; it’s an abrupt, stark cut-off. If you have an open floor home, there are creative ways to bring in color–with kitchen cabinets, for example, which can always be repainted in 10 years. Otherwise, we are always thinking of 15-20 years out for clients before redecorating is needed. That’s why we stay away from trendy colors and choose a more classic palette. With classic architecture, once you close the door, anything beyond that door can be its own entity. It will all flow but you can let loose with color behind each door.
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Color Drenching
We’ve been doing color drenching for a long timeーpainting the walls, trim, doors, baseboards, crown, moldings, window frames, and sometimes the ceiling, all the same color. I rarely do a white ceiling. Instead, I often tint the wall color by 50 percent or choose a color or two down on the paint wheel. Color drenching is very rich and high-end, so if you’re on a budget, it adds great depth to the space. For finish, we prefer matte for walls and semi-gloss or satin for trim.
If you prefer high gloss or lacquer, which is another beautiful way to incorporate color into your decorating scheme, hire professional painters. It’s a fine art, a multi-step process, and worth every penny because you’re hiring an artisan. It’s very enduring with the kind of sheen and tones that gives your room longevity. Sometimes when we color drench the walls, we use contrast wallpaper on the ceiling which is so interesting and luxe, adding another layer and more personality.
Color, contrast, texture, pattern It all evokes emotions. Sometimes, it’s not for the faint of heart, but color is very powerful! It’s very gratifying when clients react, “I didn’t realize I could have my house the way I want it, special, catered and designed just for me!”
To schedule a consultation or discovery call, visit NatalieClayman.com
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“We’re seeing a shift away from minimalist window treatments to a richer, layered approach.” Sandy Kozar
Whole Home Motorization
We’re seeing more homeowners installing whole home motorization solutions with the convenience of remotes and smartphone apps. Power options let you set schedules when you’re not home and want it to look occupied, or to open and close shades upon waking and sleeping, or certain times of the day when you want to let the sun in or keep it out for energy efficiency. Motorization is not just a luxury option. If a window is very high up or hard to reach, or offers privacy (over a stand-alone tub, for example), that’s a safety necessity.
Bespoke Details
Our approach to customizing is to create timeless looks and the quality your window deserves. When designing the room, we consider the look you want with the function you need. We base the design on the shape, length and scale of your window and what room it will be in (i.e., a living room treatment might be different in style/function than one in a bedroom). Decorating preferences are transitioning to a more ageless appeal with longevity in mind–less of a constant need to change trends.
We’re seeing a shift away from minimalist window treatments to a richer, layered approach with more colors, patterns, unique textures, and unique trims such as leather, embroidery, glass beads, shells, and intricate braids. Border trims, a tape sewn on top of the leading edge of a drapery panel, often with intricate hand-embroidered details, can truly upscale a custom window treatment. A big part of custom window treatments often overlooked is the hardware (rods, rings, finials) that can be both functional and beautiful, including acrylics, custom colors and designs, in any size.
Multi-Functional Designs
Products used in combination, like a Hunter Douglas® product (who are innovators in shades, blinds, woven woods, shutters, etc.) with a custom decorative window treatment are sometimes the best and most beautiful function of any window.
Layering is coming back, for example, stationary panels with perhaps a shade, or blind or woven wood treatment underneath. We might use a functional shade to filter light, with draperies and then another treatment on top of that. A cornice board, or valance, or a panel with trim on the bottom or a scarf on top of the panel that brings in another kind of fabric, options are limitless to layer for depth and richness. There are so many ways to frame the window without obstructing the view and yet beautifully transform the light in a room.
During our complimentary consultation on the first visit, we ask questions to get to know you, your project, your preferences and priorities in style and function. When doing any design, we actually consider function before doing anything beautiful. Is the view important to you? Are there certain colors you lean toward? Improve energy-efficiency? Absorb sound? Prevent harmful UV effects on furniture, fabrics and floors? Create ambiance?
Sometimes we can surprise our clients with options we present, like, “We did this stationary drape in a beautiful linen, but we just found this lovely trim that might take it to the next level. How would you feel about that?” Sometimes, until they see it, they don’t know. But if they tell me it’s not their taste, I’m listening! And that’s the direction we take to give them the beautiful window treatment they’re seeking.
To schedule a complimentary consultation, visit SandyKozar.DecoratingDen.com