Ava Living | Kimberlee Jaynes' Blogs

From Balnd to Beautfiful
Topic: Be Inspired
Posted by Kimberlee Jaynes ♣ on (Updated 1 month ago)

They had thought that leaving the walls of their condo white would create an art gallery feel, but it did not. Perhaps a color consult was in order.

They were correct.
"The white walls didn't do anything," Jaynes says of the situation she walked into. It's a common belief that white makes everything pop, when, in fact, it often drains a room, leaving the space lifeless and flat.
Jaynes first focused in on the pillows in the living room. Clad in kimono silks of dusty gray and rich rust, the pillows held color that grabbed her eye in two ways: subtle and bold.
First, she had a bold, sassy rust hue splashed across the wall of the living room where Smith placed his campaign-era bookcase/desk unit. The color helped outline the unique lines of the piece and bring its warm tones to the surface. The accent grounded the room as well, adding flavor and gravitas to the overall space.
The cool-yet-strong gray that was pulled from the pillows spread over the surrounding walls, tempering the accent wall yet adding support to that strong statement.
In the master, hints of gray and green, smoothly combined like a fine cocktail, bathe the room in serenity, while highlighting the artwork and a collection of green glass on display.
"This is my favorite of the colors; so beautiful," Wylie says.
Wylie's office, where she was super stuck on the color front, became a feminist statement of soft but strong; understated but correct. Jaynes chose the palest lavender/rose -- a shade several steps shy of pastel -- which made the white lacquer furniture stand out, the sleek shapes taking the eye up and down around the room.
Jaynes found the shade in a painting Wylie had hanging in the office.
"The color looked good on Ann," Jaynes says. "She glows in here. Look at her skin!"
Jaynes, who has been in the interior design business for more than a decade, knows firsthand how difficult color selection can be. One of the issues, she says, is that we have memories associated with color, and this can keep us from making the best selection. Some people would see a lavender shade -- or even just hear the idea -- and think, "No way."

GET THINKING IN COLORFUL WAYS

Choosing a color scheme: Ki Jaynessays to use artwork or an area rug as the springboard for finding a palette.

"While looking at your art piece, squint your eyes. This is an old artist's trick. You can also form a circle the size of a quarter with your thumb and index finger. What dominant colors do you see? Choose three to five colors that can be used for fabrics, wall color and area rugs."

Mood: Different colors convey different feelings. Do you want the room to feel vibrant or peaceful, quiet or playful? Jaynes says artwork plays a role here, too.

"Artwork conveys your strongest message. ... The easiest way to create (a room's mood) is through your choice of artwork."

Continuity: Open floor plans can be a challenge when it comes to switching wall color. Sometimes all you need to do is go lighter or darker in the same hue to make a subtle change. Many paint companies have great online color galleries that suggest companion colors. This is an effective way to see how different colors can go hand in hand.

At a loss for a good combination of colors? Reach for classic combos: blue and white; yellow and green; red and black. Again, think about the mood you want to achieve in the room.

Bold colors: Although dramatic and gorgeous, an all-red room can get boring quickly. Think about a strong accent wall, or using daring colors in the textiles or other accessories in the room.

Tricky lighting: Each wall of a room painted the same color of yellow will appear to be a different shade unless the room is lighted evenly. Try going one shade lighter for darker walls; darker for sun-drenched walls.

Start small: Still a bit wary? Paint something small, such as the inside of a cabinet. See what you think every time you open it. Paint large sheets of paper and hang them in the room. Some paint companies offer large swatches, but there is often a price. Make your own using poster board and pin them up neatly on a couple of walls, lined up next to a window or trim work. Leave them up for a few days and look at them at various times of day to see how light reflects and where it shines.

And don't overlook lighting: "You can have a fabulous floor plan and interesting paint colors, but poor lighting could mean none of your great design will be noticed," Jaynes says. "Recessed lighting is just one layer of lighting in a room. Decorative light fixtures are the next layer and are the equivalent of jewelry; they are the accessories to your room. Using a few high-style table lamps, along with standing lamps and sconce lighting, adds layers of light, and differing light levels are what creates interest in a room."

Find your palette: Just as with clothing, certain colors in furnishings are more likely to appeal to you. This short quiz from Better Homes and Gardens may help direct you to a palette: bhg.com/decorating/color-personality

For a color consult call Kimberlee Jaynes 503 407-9525

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What is my Message? Does your home have an identity crisis?
Topic: Be Inspired
Posted by Kimberlee Jaynes ♣ on (Updated 3 months ago)

What Is My Message?

Challenge:
Discovering how you want to live and what message you want your home to convey. There are basic questions I ask my clients; these answers aid me in understanding what they want their home to say about themselves. In fact, your answers to these questions may actually surprise you. This is the section that will help you discover a true reflection of your authentic self. If you want serenity and relaxation, think about comfort; use soft fabrics and soothing colors. At other times you may want to be energized. High contrasts of bright colors and bold patterns give energy to a room. You decide if you want your whole house in one mode of style or just a few rooms.
Solution:
Use the space below to describe what identity you want from your home. This will help you personalize your space, since no two people are alike. You will want to pay attention to the answers to the following questions.
Do I want serenity, relaxation and comfort? ____________________________________________________
Do I want to be energized by a colorful home? _________________________________________________
Do I want lots of textures and finishes? Some shiny, some dull?____________________________________
Would I like a home that impresses others? ____________________________________________________
If so, what impresses me? ____________________________________________________________________
How do I want to feel when I enter my home? _________________________________________________
What fabric patterns do I like? _______________________________________________________________
What colors do I want to live with? ___________________________________________________________
Do I like touches of whimsy?_________________________________________________________________
Am I sophisticated? Subdued? ________________________________________________________________
You get the idea. Ask yourself the questions that will give you the words that will describe who you are and how you want to live.

The Message

My client wanted color and playful energy in the entry of her downtown loft. Before, it was boring and bland. During our discovery interview, I asked my client what message she wanted her house to send. I had the direction I needed to turn blah into bold and beautiful.

The Red laquer mirror adds glamour and reflection in a dimly lit entry hallway. The animal print and bright solid rug squares create an inviting and playful entry. The metallic gold-backed grass cloth gives much needed w armth and texture opposite the concrete gallery wall. To see lots of before and after transformations visit Kimberlee Jaynes

Exerpt from my DIY eBook Design it Yourself A Step-by-Step workbook for interior design

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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Do you need Visual Vigor for your home decor?

Have you seen it on the runway? Everyone is talking about....Emerald green. It's a new year, do you need a breath of freshness in your home decor? Try introducing emerald green,the hot new interior design color that will have you dancing to a new tune. You don't have to do a whole room like the one pictured below ( although I do adore the high gloss emerald ceiling.) You can add new flatware to your dining room or paint an entry table or chest to add visual vigor to any part of your home!

Shoes, wallpaper, fabrics and accessories are all bathed in emerald green the hot new jewel- toned color.

Black is the perfect accent color with emerald green. It calms the emerald color and gives it a grounding foundation.

Blue and green have an even calmer appeal when used together as pictured below. Emerald is a soothing yet visually vibrant color...this color evokes an interesting mix of emotions. I hope you have found some inspiration to add some fresh ideas to your home decor! If you need help figuring our what color to paint help is a phone call away. Kimberlee Jaynes Interior Designs Inc. 503. 407.9525

Photo credit

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Celebrating the HOLIDAY on a HOUSEBOAT

Festivity comes to our floating home...finally. We have had the tree up for a week now and last night put the lights and decorations on it. That was just what I needed to put some wind in my sails to decorate the rest of the house. This Sunday the annual Christmas Ship parade goes by and we will be hosting Fourteen people for dinner and the festivities.

Add a touch of whimsy to the center of your wreath with a dickens character holding a potted Christmas tree.

Dwight's stocking is the gray one...I didn't need to tell you that did I

Being on the water its all about the view...white walls, white sofas with hints of blue and accents of orange. I love this flocked white tree it blends right in with our decor.

Use vessels you already have around the house and add a touch of greenery or something more glamorous like these bejewled branches kissed with nesting old world blown glass clip-on birds.

Don't forget your powder room...This is sooo easy I threaded old world ornaments through a wide ribbon and draped it around the powder room mirror. And of course add a holiday towel to your towel ring.

I hope you have found some inspiration for your holiday decor...most important ingredient make it easy and have fun!

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Beachy Bedroom Bliss
Topic: Ava's Mixed Bag
Posted by Kimberlee Jaynes ♣ on (Updated 5 months ago)

You live one third of your life in this room ...you start your day here...and end your day here. You relax and gather strength in this room. Before the redesign, this bedroom needed an update and cohesive style.

My client wanted a "beachy light" feeling in the bedroom. The ceilings are extra high so I could use a large carved romantic bed to set the scene. The billowy blue paint color on the walls add to the light and airy feeling my client wanted.

The furniture is has an aged paint finish adding to the beachy feel. These Guy Chaddock hanging iron pendants add another layer

and bring the over sized ceiling down to human scale.

The blue and gold French lamps add a touch of glamour.

This custom chair and ottoman create the perfect comfy reading alcove.

This custom vanity makes it so easy to store makeup and jewelry all in one spot.

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Thanksfiving decor
Topic: Holidays/Special Occasions
Posted by Kimberlee Jaynes ♣ on (Updated 6 months ago)

Thanksgiving decor... hints and tips to get your home ready

Beautiful decorations create a happy party mood, have your neighborhood florist create a citrus wreath or make one yourself!

Photo: Real Simple magazine

Directions for creating a citrus wreath: Cover a wreath frame with citrus or bay leaves.

Puncture 1 end of a piece of citrus with a long nail. Insert a long pipe cleaner into the hole.

Use the pipe cleaner to fasten the fruit onto the wreath. Arrange the fruit as desired on the

wreath, securing each piece with a pipe cleaner. I like using baby kumquats to fill in the sparse spots. Hang over a mirror for double the drama or on your front door to greet Thanksgiving Day guests.

Photo: Real Simple magazine

Hollow out gourds and baby pumpkins and fill with tapered candles.
Be sure to fill your mantel to heaping, tuck a few
magnolia leaves here and there to loosen the look.

Photo: Kimberlee Jaynes Interior Designs Inc.

Remember some of your guests you may not see but once a year...

create visual vignettes on your kitchen counter tops...now is

the time to put away the toaster and fill a silver ice bucket with a colorful

bromeliad and finish with moss. A bowl of fresh fruit and an interesting

piece of art finishes the simple yet striking composition.

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What makes me think I know whats best for my clientst?
Topic: Ava Designer Connect
Posted by Kimberlee Jaynes ♣ on (Updated 6 months ago)

What makes me think I know whats best for my cleints?

I'm an interior designer...what makes me think I know what is best for my clients??? It's scary for people to think a stranger will walk into their home and tell them what to buy. I can understand just how frightening it must be...I dont know if I could do it!

I suppose if I had had a lot of failure in knowing what works for people I would be OUT of the busniness. But somehow with each new client comes a clear message, even though they didn't know exactly how to get to the end result ...when we are finished it is a pleasing out- of -the box design.

There is part of me that is a gambler not in the sense that I like to play loto but in the realm of "I like a challenge" the harder it is the more fun for me. I guess it goes back to my long distant cycling days training for century rides. Out on my bike just me, riding for miles and miles and miles up hills and down trying to beat my time each ride I took. Then on race day giving it all I had.

I wasn't a cyclist when I started working towards long distance racing...I just thought I could do it (like Nike says) I instinctively knew I had what it took to be a cyclist. I started small and worked my way up to more and more miles. Then I worked on speed. And then I put the two together with good nutrition and saw lots of gains.

I suppose that is a parallel for my design career. One of my previous jobs was as a fashion stylist and display artist in Nordstrom windows downtown. I learned what worked. And I instinctively knew what were good design principals. In the 80's we could create our own designs and have them built. The sky was the limit. So I got my start on room vignettes setting the scene for the mannequins to mingle in. I then went into photo styling for commercial photographers, creating rooms for Jeld Wen Windows, Nike, Speedo, Bowflex and more. I loved creating interiors. I was asked to teach Visual Merchandising and Display. So then I needed to put into words what I did and how I did it. (This was great training to later talk to my clients about my designs.) Then an opportunity came up....my mother's friend was building a house on a golf course and she said "Kim I want you to design our home, I know you can do it." So I was all in and that was 18 years ago.

I have developed questions that lead me to my clients wishes. The discovery interview coupled with their style file help me to create the environment that speaks to them. I'm often asked "What is your favorite style?" I don't have one...I love to create something new each time I start a project. Just like my Nordstorm windows no two are alike.

There is a thrill to creating and especially when you don't repeat yourself. I love what I do and I adore my clients ...they have been a true gift to me. I have had the nicest most create clients one could hope for!

I'm very grateful to be an interior designer and I still feel the thrill of creating.

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The Whole 9 yards ...what fabric can do for your home.
Topic: Be Inspired
Posted by Kimberlee Jaynes ♣ on (Updated 6 months ago)

The Whole 9 Yards a Treasure Trove of Fabrics and More

The very talented Amy Estrin owns The Whole 9 Yards a fabric store hosting over 1,000 fabrics! She designed the artful upholstered vintage chair pictured above. Amy is also a painter and shares the same sensibility that I do...everything design related ...starts with art. Pictured below is one of Amy's folkloric flying birds. Her use of color and composition are always surprising and enchanting. She brings her artist eye to the selections of what her store carrys.

I can depend on The Whole 9 Yards for juicy fabric finds out of the ordinary trims, furniture and area rugs and so much more. I used the Whole 9 Yards fabric for the embroidered silk pillows pictured on the cover of my book "Design It Yourself! A Step-by-Step Work book for Interior Design. As you can see this very special unique patterned fabric tied the artwork and area rug together while adding a touch of whimsy. Fabrics make all the difference in your interior design. Not only the color but the texture of fabrics play an important role in my designs.

All fabric draperies used in the rooms pictured are from The Whole 9 Yards. The fabric I used on the draperies pictured above was repeated on the upholstered wall. Upholstering a wall with squares of wood is a great way to soften a room with an oversized ceiling height. It helped to bring the ceiling height down to a more friendly level. You can use fabrics in all kinds of ways. Add drama, whimsy or sophistication. Bring in texture or shine it can all be done through your use of fabrics.

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