Market Matters

Dallas Market Center is a global business-to-business trade center and the leading wholesale marketplace in North America connecting retailers and interior designers. Every year we send out TDF’s Senior Designers to Dallas so that they can explore the latest in home décor, furniture, gifts, lighting and fashion. If you are in the design industry, attending market is a must and here is why!


 

Pictured is Artist, Kelly O’neal, with TDF Senior Designers.

Relationships Matter

Who better to explain a new product line than the vendors themselves. Market gives you the opportunity to talk to the creators of the products and find out their inspirations, how to best use the goods and get energized by the passion of the minds who are responsible for creating the lines. This type of connection in the design industry is very important and we make no exception for our designers! We will have access to these unique artwork, furniture and accessory vendors that set us apart from retail furniture store sourcing. One cannot make this connection staring at a computer screen and this is why we are on our A-game!

 


 

Attending Matters

Assessing the quality of items is a major factor why going to market matters! Choosing items to use in your design, without truly knowing how they feel and what they look like is a tricky guessing game you do not want to play in your project! You don’t want to be that designer who orders an item with poor quality and then sets back a project. We will actually know the scale, feel, and quality of the items before we incorporate them into your custom design!

 


 

Staying on Trend

Be the first to know what is trending in the world of home furnishings. Our clients trust that we are at the top of our game when it comes to the latest and greatest. Imagine a race car driver not assessing his track before he starts a race with competitors, it just doesn’t work out too well.

Style is subjective but we are on trend with all of our clients specific styles whether it is ultra contemporary, traditional, transitional, rustic chic or natural.

The New Casual

Out with the old, in with the neutral !

How do you continue to modernize your home? The answer is you keep up with the most current trends! The present trend in the interior design world is neutral colors. The top neutral colors are beige, ivory, black, gray and shades of white. Neutrals go with anything and everything and anything, and are a great place to start with integrating colours and prints into your lifestyle. Decorating with neutral colors offers a multitude of ways to add personality to your rooms. Learn how to decorate with neutral colors, and how to accent rooms with neutral paint colors. Try one of our many neutral color schemes, and get inspired to on to put together your own neutral color palette. Down below we give you our 5 top neutral colors we love and their meanings!

 

5 Best Neutral Wall Paint Color

  1. Benjamin Moore’s White Dove OC-17: Unerring style defines this classic, softly shaded white. Light and luminous, it is a favorite choice for moldings and trim.

  2. Best Gray: Sherwin-Williams Roycroft Mist Gray SW2844: Mist Gray gives a sense of calm and casual vibe. We love to use this color in an open floor plan and love how you can mix and match different prints and fabrics with it so easily.

  3. Best Greige: Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray HC-173: Are you stuck deciding between grey and beige? Here is your color!

  4. Best Dark Beige: Behr Mocha Foam T15-17: Mocha Foam adds depth to a living room or bedroom without feeling too dark. Pair it with earthy colors such as greens, whites and black.

  5. Best Black: Magnolia Fine Black: Magnolia Fine Black is almost black with blue undertones. If you think black can’t be neutral, think again. Because it pairs well with nearly any color palette, black is actually an extremely versatile paint color.


 

The Psychology of Color for Interior Design

What do neutral colors symbolize?

White, an inherently positive color, is associated with purity, virginity, innocence, light, goodness, heaven, safety, brilliance, illumination, understanding, cleanliness, faith, beginnings, sterility, spirituality, possibility, humility, sincerity, protection, softness, and perfection.

Black is associated with power, mystery, strength, authority, elegance, formality, sophistication, strength, power and confidence.

Beige and ivory symbolize unification. Ivory symbolizes quiet and pleasantness. Beige symbolizes calm and simplicity.

Gray is a cool, neutral, and balanced color. The color gray is formal, conservative and sophisticated.

Brown evokes a relaxed, earthy and grounded feeling. The color induces naturalness and comfort in your home.

See your exact room, expertly designed in 3D custom to your specifications and revisions. Work with an expert TDF designer to bring the interior design of your dreams to life.

2020 Top Gifts

We give you this years top gifts to give to that special someone for Christmas OR you can just use them for yourself…no one needs to know!

FOR STAYING WARM…

We all know Christmas is the time for staying inside or staying warm by the fire. That is why you need this blanket! Apparis is a powerful modern fashion brand that sells 100% vegan clothes and accessories. Check out the cruelty free, sustainable, double sided faux fur Apparis Blanket which will be sure to keep you warm this winter. It provides the luxurious feel of real fur, and is oh so incredibly soft.

FOR SHARING…

Okay, serving trays are a must! Who doesn’t entertain with a cheese board appetizer? Williams Sonoma White Marble Board is the perfect gift to give this holiday season. Give to a friend or a family member right before the holidays and this board will definitely be put to use. It’s half marble, half wood, making this cheese board totally sleek. The wood can be used for cutting and slicing while the marble can keep your foods cool while your guests slowly munch.

FOR ENTERTAINING…

The newest, hottest trend right now is the Ring Light. Ring Lights are used for portraits (selfies, duh!), glamour shots, and one subject videos. But wait – It’s even better! Urban Outfitters has a 10” size Ring Light Set , which makes your photo taking sessions easy. Here at The Design Firm, our team uses the Ring Light way more than we’d like to admit. It’s the perfect setup and lighting for recording videos or taking pictures on the go. Our team couldn’t live without one; we highly suggest this gift to a friend or family member this holiday season because it’s just as fun as it is worth it!

FOR DECORATING…

It’s about that time when you invite or are invited to family and friend gatherings.This lighting is a minimalistic decor for your own home or a gift for someone else’s! Not only does West Elm have a variety of housewarming gifts but tons of useful, functional gifts for Christmas. West Elm describes these Lanterns as a sophisticated decorative centerpiece that gives off the perfect warm glow display. You can never go wrong with a gift from West Elm!

FOR THE COFFEE TABLE..

Coffee table books are essential for a clean, styled living area. It’s a functional accessory when you have family or friends over. Havenly states, “Coffee table books are the crisp white shirt of interiors. Their versatility and utility make them a must-have piece for every design wardrobe. They’re simple yet inherently stylish. And with their beautiful covers and graphic spines, they provide color and personality to almost any flat surface in your home.” Its purpose is to be displayed, while serving to inspire conversation throughout your space. Pottery Barn has a wide variety of coffee table book topics. As an interior design firm, we choose Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People. Although, any selection from their site would work perfectly.. whichever interests you and best fits within the space.

Top Design Tips

Kara Wuellner has been designing homes for over 40 years. Originally from Illinois, the multi-talented designer, who’s now based in Houston, TX, takes pride in creating living spaces that speak to the personality, preferences and experiences of her clients.

Below, Kara shares her top design tips she has learned over the years!

FOLLOW A COLOR SCHEME:

Pick no more than five colors. A balanced interior typically consists of three hues: dominant, secondary, and accent. You can base these on which tones make you feel good. What rooms are you working with and how do you want to feel when you’re there? Numerous studies and articles discuss how the power of color affects our mood and feelings.

i.e. Beige symbolizes calm and simplicity. Yellow signifies joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard and friendship. Dark Blue: Symbolizes integrity, knowledge, power, and seriousness. Purple symbolizes quality, luxury and royalty. Red is a very hot color. It’s associated with love and passion. Orange is a very vibrant and energetic color. In its muted forms it can be associated with the earth and with autumn. Because of its association with the changing seasons, orange can represent change and movement in general. Orange is also strongly associated with creativity.

HANG ART CORRECTLY + TALLER DECOR FOR A TALLER ROOM = HEIGHT ILLUSION

Make sure your artwork is the correct height. Ideally, the main piece should be eye-level. However, when you’re working with high ceilings, taller artwork might defy this rule.

Tall decor leads into height illusions when working with lower ceilings. To gain visual height in your home, vertical lines from tall to slim furniture, or wallpaper, can create the illusion of the ceiling to look higher than it actually is. Adding tall elements in your low ceiling space will ultimately make your home look and feel luxurious and expensive.

LAYER LIGHT + HOW TO CHOOSE LIGHTING:

Add three levels of light: tasks, ambient, and accent. Layered light is functional and adds depth and atmosphere to your space. When layering light, you’ll have to choose from soft white, cool light, and daylight. Warmer light can make a room feel cozy, while cooler hues are more ideal for offices. Also, updating light fixtures is one of the easiest things you can do to change up the overall feel of your space. By simply adding a beautiful statement light, you can boost the visual appeal of your home without a lot of hands-on effort. You can even double natural light by placing a mirror on another wall beside a window. This is an easy trick that helps maximize artificial light with reflective surfaces.

CUSTOMIZE CEILINGS:

Look up! We tend to forget that we can play around with ceilings. If you decide to go bold on the ceiling, make sure to balance the room by complimenting the ceiling design with toned down elements in the rest of your space. In your bedroom, living room, or hallway – a decorated ceiling will be the wow factor in the room.

The Design Firm is known for our beautiful hand painted faux finishes. A faux finish is a custom hand painted design to your wall. If you thought faux painting was passé, think again. Faux decorative finishes are making a resurgence in the world of high-end interior design, and it’s easy to see why. Faux finishes break the limits of ordinary wall paint, offering a wide range of gorgeous, custom surfaces that achieve a new level of luxury.

We understand that designing your dream home can be a handful. From choosing the right furniture, textiles, patterns, to sizing – we are here to help you every step of the way.

We hope you enjoyed our professional interior design tips.

Thank you for choosing The Design Firm for all of your interior design needs!

Penthouse Party

There are 4 elements of design that this space needed in order to accomplish the perfect penthouse. Space, comfort, entertainment and luxury-these are the perks one gets with The Design Firm. Space planning is a must in your home. Have you ever heard of positive and negative space? Negative space is a good thing and every room needs it in order to function, to offer visual balance and to zone spaces…. Positive space = the space that’s taken up with actual “stuff”; furniture, lighting, artwork, accessories, etc. With a space this big and open.

 

Welcome to our Penthouse Party 

Elegant black and white color scheme flows through the living room of this classy penthouse apartment located in the heart of Houston. Spacious rooms and the overall open floor plan, in combination with the double story ceilings, highlights the architectural characteristics of each space. We didn’t want to take away from the views of the skyline, so our designers incorporated unique sculptural art in place of wall art in this modern, metallic inspired living room.

 

DINING ROOM

The sculptural dining chairs and dramatic chandelier in these penthouses are sure to catch anyone’s eye, especially with the Houston skyline behind it. The client selected these silver dining chairs because of the similarity to skyscrapers. There’s nothing like matching interior decor to external objects outside of your floor-to-ceiling windows! Cool metallic tones such as silver, nickel and steel bring a slick, modern aesthetic whilst warmer tones gold, rose gold, bronze and brass are inviting, flattering and subtly glamorous. A mixture of the two metals offers a unique look – modern with a touch of glamour and minimalism with an inviting appeal.

GAME ROOM

A game room is a must have for your penthouse party. The dark tones and wall art really make this room comfortable, fun, and inviting for you and your guests. The black abstract rug was originally a carpet, then made into a rug. A rug, with a bold pattern, adds fun detail in almost any room or hallway and is not as big of a commitment compared to traditional carpet. The black and gold wall faux finishes are hand painted, making this hallway one-of-a-kind.

KITCHEN

You can’t have a party without any space! This daring deep red kitchen, with modern bar stools, dining table, chairs, and finishes, really makes this the perfect kitchen for a penthouse party. The living room has decorative pillows that introduce color to a neutral living room design, with a touch of red to match the kitchen scheme. The living room is an open concept space, and was designed to have plenty of seating – made to entertain guests!

MODERN DAY PENTHOUSE

This penthouse was designed with a focus on the simple, clean, and airy vibes. Although, white is definitely  a trend, we made sure to add decorative pops of color throughout the penthouse. Pops of color create a focal point and grab your attention, without being overwhelming in the space. We built around simple, clean lines because strong horizontal and vertical lines in modernist architecture should be echoed in furniture and décor designs.

Penthouses are the perfect spaces for elegant designs, which means a more sophisticated home to entertain in! However, the structure of these luxury apartments requires well thought out design – only because of the size, large windows, and layout. Dream penthouses without proper equipment, lighting and decoration can quickly feel cold and a little uncomfortable. But with a few tips and tricks from The Design Firm, the living space can be used in an optimal way to create a warm but sleek atmosphere.

West U Remodel

Welcome to a 20-year-old Home Transformation

Before photos are show at the bottom.

How to make a 20-year-old West University home the house everyone talks about? Open the space, update the kitchen, and daylight! By mixing warm elements such as woods and golds with soothing colors and hues of blue, we were able to create a space which feels sophisticated yet inviting.

Light Filled Entryway

Introducing daylight demanded an architectural element to change. So, we installed a custom iron and glass archway and door. This allowed daylight to flood the entrance and reflect beautiful soft light off of the newly stained wood floors. The entrance to your home is your chance to make a big first impression.

 


 

MASCULINE, CLEAN AND FUNCTIONAL

The new 2020 home office was inviting, functional and bright. Dark stained wood walls were painted taupe to give the room spaciousness and turned this dark room into a bright delightful workspace.The taupe walls and new transitional furnishings brought it to life. Not to mention, a new tailored chandelier.


 

COUNTRY CLUB

This room was designed so that the emotional experience of wine selection and opening of each bottle could be accomplished in one cohesive and personal space. Now that their children are gone, there were opportunities to reuse unused areas in the home. A private room at a country club was the inspiration behind this new room; a new area specifically for guests, wine tasting and good music. The room was designed around the custom wine built ins because the selection and opening of each bottle could be shared. This made the room a truly emotional experience.


 

Coco Chanel Powder Room

When finished, this powder room felt like a New York hotel suite. We lost the white toilet, painted the cabinets, installed a metallic gold bowl, added polished black granite, and mirror to the ceiling with shaded silver and gold sconces. The walls were custom faux painted with glass beads. Every surface in this room was changed.


 

COOL TONED FAMILY ROOM

To create a strong focal point, the fireplace was updated into clean transitional stone and the bookshelves on each side were ripped out. The focal point was strengthened by the symmetrical furnishing mirrors and blue backdrops on each side. Natural light was lacking in this space therefore we added floor to ceiling windows. The gypsum stone coffee table allowed for storage and gave this room more volume. A grey leather accent chair was incorporating in this look because it gives a masculine touch and is great for an everyday use.

 


 

Open Kitchen

The previously enclosed kitchen was opened to give reflect a sensibility of transitional elegance that meets functionality. Pops of blue were added to coordinate with the color scheme of the living room. The gold lighting incorporates mixed metals so that the kitchen stays more current for a longer period of time. Basically, never going out of style! Accent chairs replaced a traditional kitchen table. The clients wanted a comfortable sitting area to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning . Storage was practically non existent before we incorporated it into this space. Space planning is one of the most important aspects of interior design. Storage is a crucial element to a happy, healthy and organized life. Before, our client was storing her kitchen ware in places other than the kitchen. We added built-ins with beautiful porcelain countertops into a walk in pantry room.

Overall, West University Transitional was transformed into a classically current and functional home.

PATIO PARADISE

houston interior design
interior design

Sunny skies call for pool parties and outdoor barbecues. This is why you need a backyard retreat. Upgrade your home and have your guests never wanting to leave your patio paradise. The Design Firm can transform your outdoor space into a comfortable, stylish, and inviting area. As much as you love lounging on the couch or in your bed, a backyard is the true sanctuary. With the right design touch, you can have yourself an amazing outdoor retreat.


 


 

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to pick out colored furniture.

 


 

Flowers aren’t the only way to bring colors to the patio. Add some contemporary landscape art and bring life to a space.

 


 


 

Take your wine night to the next level with this inviting outdoor space. Lounge around the fire and enjoy your beautiful backyard ambiance.

 


 


 

Here are a few reasons to call The Design Firm and get your patio-party ready!

  1. Engagement Party

  2. Yoga & Meditation

  3. Barbecue Party 

  4. Pool Party

Beach Condo Flip

Living Room Interior Design Showcase

Take a before-and-after tour of our renovated condo at Diamond Beach in Galveston, Texas. See how Kara Wuellner, the CEO & Creative Director of The Design Firm, flips her own personal oasis. For over 30 years, the Wuellners have sailed off to Galveston for a weekend getaway. After finding their dream condo with beautiful structure, they knew that The Design Firm Remodel Touch was all that it needed.

The Wuellner’s love to entertain which means ample seating. Therefore, a rearrangement of furniture placement was a necessity. Next came, creating a feature wall. Project Manager Bilal stated, “Because we don’t like to design a room around the placement of the tv, we needed to create a feature wall. By covering the back wall in brick, we were able to add visual interest without compromising design.” The goal of the living room was to maintain a white color palette with pops of color.

Tropical Bistro

 

From basic builder kitchen to bistro beach masterpiece, Kara had the brilliant idea of opening up the wall by the kitchen to expand the space. All the cabinets were painted in a white finish and paired with acrylic pulls, which truly are the jewelry for your cabinetry. The light fixtures imported from India are one of a kind. Their unique construction allowed us to alter their shape to create our perfect arrangement.

Master Bedroom Oasis

 


 

Before

Before the renovation started, space planning was a must. The layout of the room did not give ample privacy and in order to combat that, the bed was shifted. The back wall was mirrored to achieve the illusion of a bigger room. Additionally, all the grass cloth wallpaper was removed and replaced with an updated coastal look. What was added was Serena & Lilly feather wallpaper, elements of rope and coral art.

 


 

Taking our cues from the already glamorous marble countertops, we opted for a can of Bright White by Sherwin Williams and durable vinyl, which is the new powerhouse in flooring. The icing on the cake has to be the fabulous teardrop light fixture that is the jewel of this beach spa bathroom.

 


 

paradise powder bath

 

The powder bath in any home is the one spot where drama has no limit. This one of a kind Milton & King wallpaper adds visual interest to a rather ordinary space. Opting for a divided glass screen vs. your average shower curtains adds the modern touch.

 


palm springs guest suite

 

A node to vintage poolside glamour, this guest suit exudes nothing but vacation mode. Capitalizing on the grass cloth texture walls, we chose to give it a new life by painting the walls with a simple can of paint. With all the comforts of home and tow, this wanderlust inspired bedroom is designer approved and guest ready.

 


 

cabana in the sky

Rounding out this beachfront oasis is an open air affair with enough space for both living and lounging. Comfortable seating surrounded by a high contrast pallet and crisp color, present an intimate setting for enjoying southern sunsets. This 16-foot-long patio is the perfect cabana in the sky.

 


 

Your residence is an extension of yourself and an expression of personal individuality. Whether it’s your home, a condo, a loft or an apartment, our interior design services approach spaces in a way that compliments your lifestyle. Enlist The Design Firms interior designers to help you with your remodel project today.

RIVER RENOVATION

 

There is something wistful about a riverhouse. If you love rustic elegance and comfy vibes, then you’ll love this project. Designed by The Design Firm, this contemporary riverhouse in Seguin, Texas features beautiful rustic elements and an oversize scale throughout. The use of woods, metals and greenery help to draw in a warm and comfortable feeling of home. Continue on further inspiring look at the rest of this beautiful home.

 


 

Entryway

 

This rustic and traditional entryway is the perfect place to define this home’s style. By incorporating earth tones and outdoor elements like the cowhide and wood furniture, guests will experience a taste of the rest of the house, before they’ve seen it.

 


kitchen and dining space

With a dining room table that fabulously seats 12, this house can hold a larger than life dinner party. Entertaining family and friends will be the peak of the weekend getaway at the Seguin River House.

 


 

Living room

Big windows are another extremely important feature of this rustic contemporary getaway. In fact, the client wanted to feel as close to the outdoors as possible, therefore, an easy sightline was top priority throughout the design process.


bedrooms

Bedroom designs that awaken your senses. We used a natural color pallet throughout and injected it with pops of rich color.


 

The scale of this house adds a heightened elegance to Seguin, Texas. Everything is oversized, from the floor plan to the furnishings. It’s true what they say, EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS!

WORK FROM HOME

 

When home becomes your new office

We are in the midst of a huge shift in the way we work. Our current unprecedented times have led us to work from home. For anyone not used to home distractions and isolation, it can be very frustrating. Normal noises and traffic in your home now have become distractions.

The Design Firm wants you to be able to work at home in a space that you love. As interior designers, it’s our role to create a space that is as functional as it is beautiful.

It’s likely that you’ve already examined aspects of your house and have a general idea of what you want your work space to do. Like so many of us all, you’ve been spending a lot of time at home. The pandemic has led us to work at home, leaving many families feeling overwhelmed from having to turn their house into an office.

Now is the perfect time to create a beautiful AND functional home that you and your loved ones can enjoy together.

The Design Firm invites you to come experience our 5,000 + sqft. showroom. You’ll see many styles and selections which will easily translate into ideas for a functional workspace. We can’t promise that you won’t get addicted. Each of our 13 rooms has a totally different feel which allows you to experience hundreds of ideas. We want you to say to yourself, “ Yes, I really can have a great place to work”.

 With pen and paper in hand, we can accompany you through the showroom and talk about new ideas for your home. Let’s get in touch and start your project today!

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