Home Decor Blog Archives by ELLECOR Interior Design

Bring the Outside Inside With Design Ideas for Natural Elements in Home Decor

Posted on November 19, 2020November 19, 2020 by Ellecor

Using natural elements in your interior design serves several purposes. Natural elements add life to your interior space, contribute vibrant and fresh colors, and create a cheerful feeling during the dark, cold days of winter. Today’s blog from Ellecor Interior Design encourages you to bring the outside inside with design ideas for natural elements in home decor.

Water Fountain

In feng shui, water fountains symbolize prosperity and wealth. Think of the water as money flowing into your bank account. The trickling sounds of water represent a relaxing mountain stream as you wander through unspoiled wilderness. Your fountain evokes images of a serene natural area.

Home decor choices for water fountains run the gamut from small tabletop designs to large, freestanding structures. Some fountains bring in more nature, such as rocks, wood, or bamboo. Others are much more modern with steel and metal elements.

Plants

Real plants are much like water fountains in home decor. You can go minimalist or all-out. Small succulents fit neatly on a shelf or wall, and they require very little maintenance while adding splashes of green at points throughout the room. Larger plants, such as bamboo palms, make for showier displays of green. Bamboo palms grow anywhere from 4 to 12 feet tall.

For colors other than green, flowers are a great choice. Orchids are tropical plants that need warm conditions and lots of light to grow. Lilies, geraniums, begonias, and African violets are also fantastic choices for indoor plants.

Rocks

Rock and stone are natural elements in home decor that add a sense of strength and timelessness. Consider an unobtrusive fossil that sits on your bookshelf to break up the monotony of book after book. If you love colorful rocks, geodes add hues of purple, brown, and blue. These gorgeous crystal formations range in size from a baseball to a small boulder.

The Beach

We all want a beach vacation at some point in our lives. Bring the beach to your home with seashells, especially in your bathroom. Purchase a dedicated plate or tray, and arrange the shells in your favorite pattern. Shells come in mostly earth tones, but some can be blue, green, or purple.

Sand is another beachy element that works well for natural interior design. Look for a stylish hourglass filled with sand. Better yet, take that dream vacation to Costa Rica or Hawaii, fill a Mason jar with sand, and bring it home to set on your dresser as a reminder of the fun you had. Indoor zen gardens bring it all together thanks to a tray filled with sand, small rocks, and maybe even some moss.

Ellecor & Home Interior Design

Need more home interior design inspiration with your favorite natural elements? The pros at Ellecor can provide many more tips and tricks for your home. Contact us or call (417) 720-2602 to start the conversation.

How to Incorporate Natural Light Into Your Home Decor

Posted on August 3, 2020August 19, 2020 by Ellecor

Natural light does wonders for your home. Not only does it make your home more cheerful, but it can also save on your utility bills by reducing your electrical use for lights and even your furnace during the winter months. Today’s blog from Ellecor Interior Design showcases how to incorporate natural light into your home decor.

Make the Most of Your Windows

When it comes to windows, you have to make the best use of your existing home design. Whether you have ordinary windows, huge bay windows, or a wall of windows, make the most of them in your home decor. If you want a small window to provide extra natural light, consider lightly-colored sheer drapes that gather sunlight and create a warm glow around the window.

Bright or Dark Colors

Bright colors reflect more light and keep a room cooler. Dark colors absorb more light and generate more heat. As such, bright colors will enhance the natural light from your windows and make the interior space look brighter. Darker colors have the opposite effect for home decor. You can achieve either result with paint on the walls, carpeting, or furniture.

Mirrors

Mirrors offer a great way to increase the natural light in your room. Mirrors also create the illusion of more space. The more mirrors you have, the more you can play with the natural light. Wall mirrors work great for this, but you don’t necessarily need a huge mirror to make an impact. A small mirror opposite of your windows can make a difference in your home decor using natural light.

Brighten the Most Occupied Rooms

During the day, the most occupied rooms in a family home are the living room, kitchen, and dining areas. Think about maximizing the use of natural light in these places for home decor. Think bright or sheer curtains, minimal window treatments, and mirrors. South-facing walls are particularly good if you love natural light.

Home Decor & Interior Design by Ellecor

Want to maximize the use of natural light in your home? We have some suggestions! Contact Ellecor Interior Design today or call (417) 720-2602 for more details on what we can do for you!

Home Decor Essentials for Your Living Room

Posted on March 2, 2020April 29, 2020 by Ellecor

Whether you are moving to a new home, remodeling your house, or renting an apartment, there are design elements that are essential for your living room. The right elements will help to make the room feel cozy and complete without overcrowding. In today’s blog, Ellecor Interior Design shares our top-four living room decor must-haves.

Related Post: 4 Benefits of Custom Furniture

Coffee Tables and End Tables

Coffee tables and end tables are perfect for creating extra surface-space without adding bulky furniture. Remotes, books, snacks, and drinks often call the coffee table home while you are relaxing on the couch. End tables are the perfect place for a lamp, a decorative plant, your favorite books, or happy family photos! Need extra space? Stop by Ellecor Interior Design’s custom furniture store to find your newest home decor piece.

Wall Artwork

Wall artwork is an opportunity to bring out your personality. Adding photographs, paintings, or home decor pieces helps brighten up the room and make it feel truly your own. When looking for new wall artwork, find something that matches the color palette of the room and complements the arrangement of furniture.

Pillows

Every couch, loveseat, and chair needs to have at least one pillow to add a touch of color and comfort. If you have a monochromatic piece of furniture, adding a few accent pillows will immediately increase the coziness of your living room. Accent pillows come in all shapes and sizes, so choose pillows that are a comfortable fit for your furniture.

Sentimental Decorations

Your living room should represent your personality! After all, it is one of the best gathering spots in the home for family and friends. Choose decorations that are sentimental to you and then put them in a special place. Whether you want to display family heirlooms, your family photographs, or your favorite books, let your personality shine through!

Transform Your Living Room Design With Ellecor

Need help designing your living room? Ellecor Interior Design is here to help! Our interior designers are experts in transforming your space to make it the living room of your dreams. Ellecor offers many services to ensure all of your interior design needs are covered. We can help with color selection, custom home furnishing, living room design, and much more, so contact us today to get started!

Must-Haves for Your Bedroom Design

Posted on January 17, 2020 by Ellecor

Your bedroom is one of the most important spaces in your home, so it should also be one of the most comfortable. All too often, bedrooms can become a clutter of messy clothes and overstuffed dressers that make the space feel cramped. When designing your bedroom, there are certain things you need to include to create a calming and restful space. Bedroom designs need to express your style and your personal sense of comfort. Read on in Ellecor Interior Design’s blog to discover tips to make your bedroom your own.

Cozy Bedding

Obviously, your bed is the most important design element in your bedroom. It needs to be the locus of comfort in your bedroom, with the right patterns, fabrics, pillows, and more. Properly preparing your bed sheets and comforter makes your bedroom feel structured and comfortable, preventing the cluttered and messy feeling of a disorganized bed. Look for bedding accessories like a fluffy duvet and patterned pillows to add comfort and cohesion with your other design features.

Warm Rug

Waking up in the morning and starting your day by walking on a soft, plush rug can make all the difference. Your bedroom should be cozy and warm, and with the right rug, you can take comfort to a new level. There are a wide variety of materials, patterns, and colors you can choose from; however, the rug needs to match your desired aesthetic. You will immediately notice a difference when you walk into the bedroom with a perfect rug in your design!

Discrete Storage

Convenient storage is needed to prevent that cluttered feeling. Features like built-in furniture pieces, an open bookshelf, or a large dresser can be practical yet stylish focal points of your bedroom design. Modern features like floating shelves and a bedroom bench help break up space in a large room while also giving you more control over functionality. If you find yourself running out of storage, we’ll help you choose a new desk or dresser for your bedroom design!

Comforting Decor

You will spend about half of your time at home in your bedroom, so the decor needs to create a soothing and homey feeling. Items like wall artwork, lamps, mirrors, and bedside accessories are all must-haves in your bedroom design. These help to make the space your own! After your bedroom is designed how you like, look for home decor pieces that match the rest of your bedroom features!

Find Your Style at Ellecor Interior Design

Whether you are redecorating, remodeling, or starting from scratch, Ellecor Interior Design is here to help you with your bedroom design. Our expert team of interior designers are some of the best in the industry and continuously bring fresh ideas to the table. We know what it means to have a cozy bedroom, and at Ellecor, we can make that happen. You can check out some of our favorite bedroom designs in our gallery. Contact us today for more information!

5 Home Decor Trends That Are Making a Comeback

Posted on October 18, 2019May 27, 2020 by Ellecor

There are some elements of interior design that are simply timeless, so they keep coming back into style decade after decade. Design trends from the 70s and 80s are making a major comeback as we move ahead into 2020. When you draw inspiration from classic designs that never go out of style, you can dramatically change the dynamic of your home. In today’s blog, Ellecor Interior Design lists five home decor trends that are a blast from the past.

Textured Wallpaper

Wallpaper is making a resurgence and becoming much more popular in modern interior design. Rather than settling for monochromatic paint, wallpaper allows for fun and intricate designs that can transform a living space. Millennials are the ones to thank for this comeback home decor trend. There are textured wallpapers like bamboo, silk, and linen that will make any room stand out among the rest.

Wood Paneling

Wood paneling gained its popularity in the 50s and wasn’t considered ‘outdated’ until the 80s. At one point, you could find wood paneling in just about every house across America. This 60-year-old trend is back with a new, modern approach. Wood paneling has more of a rustic, farmhouse feel than it did in the past. There are endless options for wood finishes these days — from traditional cherry stains to distressed pastel paints — so you are able to incorporate lots of subtle color in your wood paneling. If you are looking for an interior design utilizing reclaimed wood, look no further than Ellecor Interior Design.

Wicker and Bamboo

Home decor trends come and go, and trending styles in furniture change too! A great example is the renewed popularity of wicker and bamboo in modern trends. From Bohemian bungalows to Minimalist penthouses, bamboo and wicker are making a comeback. From deckchairs to headboards, from bamboo bonsais to wicker storage baskets, these natural elements are making a big comeback!

Retro Appliances

When you are redesigning your home, you want efficient and reliable appliances for your kitchen. If you want the vintage appeal of antique appliances with the reliability of the 21st century, you are in luck! Many mainstream appliance companies are beginning to design products with vintage styles that also offer all the benefits of modern appliances.

Metal Accents

Copper, brass, and stainless-steel are becoming more common in home remodels and home decor. This metal trend can be seen in kitchen cabinets, light fixtures, doorknobs, and even in modern furniture pieces. Out of all of the metals that are regaining popularity, brass is the most intriguing. This clean and bold material can add flair to any design, for a modern style with vintage appeal.

Envision Your Style With Ellecor Interior Design

If you are looking for a home design transformation, Ellecor Interior Design can help. Vintage home decor ideas are making a major comeback, and they offer endless inspiration for amazing designs. So contact Ellecor Interior Design to create something truly special. Our gallery gives a great look at the transformations we have completed, and we want yours to be next!

Interior Design Tips for a Cozier Bedroom

Posted on May 22, 2019May 27, 2020 by Ellecor

Your bedroom is meant to be a place of rest and respite, so you want it to be as comfortable and as cozy as possible. There are plenty of interior design techniques you can use to turn your bedroom into your own personal retreat. Today in the Ellecor Interior Design blog, we’ll give you some tips for a cozier bedroom.

Use the Right Colors

When it comes to making your bedroom cozier and more peaceful, your color palette will play an important role. You don’t want any loud, statement-making tones. Save that for areas of your house where you plan on hosting a lot of guests.

In your bedroom, you should aim for soft, earthy tones or even pastel tones if you’re looking for something a little brighter. Colors like blues and greens instill a sense of calm. Dark greens and browns also bring out that soothing, earthy feel we mentioned. Pastel colors can give your bedroom a soft, airy feel if you’re looking for something more like that.

Use the Right Lighting

Creating a cozy atmosphere requires the right lighting. If you have overhead lighting, consider changing them to lights with dimming functions. Lights should be soft and low. You can even do away with overhead lights entirely by strategically placing lamps, lanterns, and even candles all around your room.

Add a Rug

If your bedroom isn’t carpeted already, a rug can add a real sense of warmth. Get a soft rug that you’ll love to step on when you get out of bed in the morning. Even carpeted rooms can benefit from a good rug. It ties the room together and can add some color or complement existing colors in the room.

Decor

One of the most important aspects of making a bedroom feel cozy is making sure it feels like your bedroom. You want to add decor that gives your bedroom a personal touch and makes you feel at home. Just make sure to not go overboard with wall art or other types of decor. Making your walls and shelves too busy can take away from the comfortable atmosphere you’re trying to create.

Choose Ellecor Interior Design

If you’re looking to redesign your bedroom, or even your entire home, Ellecor Interior Design can help. We specialize in creating custom spaces that are perfectly tailored to your style. Contact us today to get a free estimate and get your new design underway!

Types of Faux Painting

Posted on May 17, 2019May 27, 2020 by Ellecor

A new coat of paint can really bring life to a room. Sometimes, you want that fresh coat of paint to be something unique and eye-catching. Maybe you don’t even want it to look like paint at all. That’s where faux-painting comes in. Faux painting is a type of finish you can use on your walls to make them look like a different surface entirely. Today in the Ellecor Interior Design blog, we’ll talk about the different kinds of faux paints.

Granite

Granite adds a touch of elegance to a room, but the stone itself can be expensive. Using a granite faux paint technique can give you that unique patterned look of granite that’s so desirable. You can even choose between several different colors for your granite look.

Concrete

You can use the faux painting technique of concreting to give your walls a more modern touch, without feeling too industrial. Whites and grays help to give your walls the appearance of concrete.

Strie

This technique is used to create streaks of color on a wall that are fabric-like in appearance. This can give your room a softer, more relaxing atmosphere.

Marbleizing

Marble is certainly a luxurious material, but not everyone can afford marble walls. You can create the appearance of marble with the right faux-painting technique. Marbleizing can be difficult, so make sure to follow a guide or video on how to do it.

Stenciling

Stenciling is another popular faux paint technique. Using painter’s tape, you can create the exact patterns on your walls that you want, paint the wall, take off the tape, and voila – you have a patterned wall. This is a great way to add some personality to any room and make it your own.

Distressing

Giving a newer piece of furniture a distressed, antique look is a great way to add a rustic touch to any room. By using a sander and different colors of paint that are similar in shade to the original, you can give your newer piece of furniture a worn-down look that adds a lot of personality to your room design.

Rag Rolling

To make a big impression in a room, you can use the rag rolling technique. You roll your paint using a rag, pulling it off and pushing it on occasionally, to create an effect that adds a dramatic touch to any room.

Choose Ellecor Interior Design

These are just a few of the faux painting techniques out there. There are plenty to check out and try to see what’s best for you and your home. If you’re looking for a professional interior designer, choose Ellecor Interior Design. We do everything from one-room designs to entire homes. We even have a furniture store to browse. Contact us today for more information and to start designing the space of your dreams.

Decor Tips for an Elegant Dining Room

Posted on April 22, 2019May 27, 2020 by Ellecor

Your dining room is the heart of the house where you enjoy delicious food with your family and friends during regular meals and special family gatherings. A formal dining room gives you the chance to make your creativity stand out, whether you prefer classic touches, modern amenities, or anything in between. Today in the Ellecor Interior Design blog, we suggest a few options for creating an elegant dining room.

Furniture

The table forms the basis of your dining room’s interior design. A wide range of styles and materials are available, from sturdy wooden harvest tables to smaller lightweight acrylic pieces. Beyond the table, find a matching hutch, buffet, or corner display to fill out the rest of the room. Dining room furniture is both practical and beautiful.

Table Decor

A seasonal centerpiece combines with a matching tablecloth and place settings to draw the eye. Table decorations can contrast, complement, or match the rest of the room. The point is to make your dining room festive!

Lighting

Overhead lighting is an obvious choice for a dining room. Chandeliers offer several points of light, from four bulbs up to several dozen. Chandeliers range from ornate traditional designs with carved metal supports, candelabra-style bulbs, and embellishments to modern designs with hundreds of glam crystal pieces. Don’t be afraid to add a matching floor or table lamp in a dark corner. A window represents a great way to let in natural light.

Windows

A window treatment adds splashes of color. A valance may match your wallpaper border. Stylish blinds or blackout curtains let you control the natural light level in the room. Consider curtains that complement the rug, wallpaper, or walls.

Walls

Walls are more than just paint or wallpaper. Crown molding creates a vintage look. A wallpaper border might add floral or lace patterns, a contrasting color, or some other effect you’re trying to achieve. Wall art, such as paintings or prints, can stand out from other colors while seasonal selections may complement your table decorations.

Floor

The floor surface should be resilient enough to handle the frequent movement of chairs. Feel free to add an area rug layer to bring a cohesive color scheme to the room. Find a rug with multiple colors that complement the wallpaper, window treatment, and furniture.

Let Ellecor Interior Design Help

At Ellecor Interior Design, we love helping you create the home of your dreams. Our staff can assist you with room planning from start to finish, whether you want an elaborate dining room or a simple, functional style. Contact us today for more information and to get a free estimate.

First Impressions: How to Decorate Your Foyer or Entryway

Posted on March 25, 2019May 27, 2020 by Ellecor

If you want to wow guests from the moment they walk into your home, you need to have a beautiful entryway. This will be everyone’s first impression of the interior of your home. Not only that, but who wouldn’t want to come home every day to be greeted by an elegant, functional entryway? Today in the Ellecor Interior Design blog, we’ll give you some ideas for decorating a foyer or entryway.

Storage

The foyer is actually a great place for some extra storage space. While storage doesn’t sound too stylish, it can actually be both beautiful and functional. If you have kids, you can add some built-in hardwood cubbies for them to keep their backpacks, shoes, coats, and more. As an alternative, you can have some hooks or a unique coat rack for you or your guests to hang their coats.

Brighten Up the Space

A bright entryway feels welcoming. There are a few ways you can brighten up your entryway. The best way is to get natural light from windows, so make sure to use sheer or light-colored window treatments. Of course, it’s also good to have some chic light fixtures to add a little extra light and create some variety in the decor. You can also use accent mirrors to make the entryway seem both brighter and bigger than it actually is.

Flooring

You can make an entryway more unique by implementing a patterned hardwood floor. Or, if you want to keep it more traditional, you can go with regular flooring and add an elegant runner to elongate your entryway and make it feel more like a grand entrance.

Decoration

Your entryway is the introduction to the rest of your home, so make sure it reflects your style. You can include some furniture in your entryway, like a comfortable bench or a side table. You should also add some wall decor, whether it be family pictures or paintings. Typically, with an entryway, you don’t want to make the decor too busy. Keeping it fairly clean and minimal will lend an air of elegance to your entryway without sacrificing your unique style.

Choose Ellecor Interior Design

If you need an interior designer or interior decorator, choose Ellecor Interior Design. We offer a full range of personalized interior design services, and we specialize in creating beautiful, functional spaces that you’re sure to love. No matter which room or rooms you want to work on, we can help. Contact us today for more information.

Interior Design for a Basement

Posted on March 18, 2019May 27, 2020 by Ellecor

A finished basement is typically a large, open area. Having a good interior design plan is essential to giving it a cohesive look. When coming up with a design for a basement, you have a lot of flexibility and options, so it can be a little overwhelming. Today in the Ellecor Interior Design blog, we’ll give you some tips for basement interior design.

Create a Media Room

One of the most popular uses for a basement is creating an amazing media room. A basement is the perfect place to set up a big screen TV, sound system, and comfortable furniture for movie nights and watching the game. Basement media rooms are practical and functional, but they can also be very stylish. Using an open concept design can make the space feel open and airy.

Include a Mini-Bar

Since there’s so much space available in your basement, it’s common to have a bar and a kitchenette. This is especially useful if you’re planning on using your basement as an entertainment area. The best part about mini-bar design is you can make the space as unique as you are.

You can go elegant, with bistro lighting, granite surfaces, and stainless steel. You can go sporty, with hardwood surfaces, mounted TVs, and pennants from your favorite teams. Or you can go professional, with a wine cooler, a draft beer system, and all the accessories of a real cocktail bar.

Family and Play Area for the Kids (or Teens)

Another good way to utilize a basement is by making it the primary play area and family hangout. This contains most of the kids’ mess downstairs so you can keep the upstairs clean and tidy. With all kinds of organizational built-in options for storage, you can keep your basement area relatively tidy. Family play areas are great for all sorts of fun, such as video game systems, board games, toy boxes, and all the other activities you and your family enjoy. You can even throw in a pool table or foosball table for more entertainment value.

Related Post: Design Ideas for a Kid’s Room

Fitness Area

If you have extra space in your basement, you can always make a fitness area. This keeps all of your workout equipment downstairs and out of the way. This works best when you have a separate room so you can keep it out of the main design while also giving yourself a quiet enclosed area to focus on your workout.

Choose Ellecor Interior Design

No matter which room in your home you’re looking to design, Ellecor Interior Design can help. We offer a variety of personalized home decor and interior design services. We strive to create beautiful spaces for our clients that perfectly fit their personality and lifestyle. Contact us today for more information.