Monthly Archives: June 2014

Gather Friends & Family at the Kitchen Island

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When designing kitchens for frequent cooks, I like to add elements that make preparing meals and entertaining easier and more stylish than ever. A kitchen island is one of the most important features in a contemporary kitchen, and today I’d like to highlight their unique value.

This island/table combination offers generous space for preparing meals or displaying finished dishes. Round or curving tables seat people more comfortably than rectangular or square tables, and this one creates a sense of intimacy. The beautiful custom design makes this island perfect for hosting an informal dinner or festive spring brunch.

I left ample open space behind the chairs to offer plenty of clearance. This way, guests can easily exit the table without tripping over each other or bumping into appliances. For big parties, the chairs can be moved elsewhere and the table used as a designated area for hors d’oeuvres, beverages or desserts. The ample counter space is the perfect spot to place main dishes as well.

Bi-level islands, like this one, are ideal when you want an island/bar combination for casual entertaining or a place for breakfast. The lower food preparation surface is set closest to kitchen appliances, and the bar faces the rest of the room. This creates a separation between the kitchen work area and the dining areas, while keeping the space open and welcoming. If you entertain frequently, you know that guests tend to congregate in the kitchen. This layout offers them a place to watch and converse with the cook, while remaining out of the way. The built-in sink’s location on the opposite side of the island means that the host need not turn away from guests while washing produce or cleaning up.

Bi-level islands also offer practical food prep areas set at an appropriate height, while the bar is elevated, which adds visual interest to the kitchen design and helps differentiate the eating and drinking section of the island.

I love designing kitchens and would love to help you discover the best style for your needs. Contact me at Paula Berg Design Associates to learn more about our services.

Stylish Media Room Designs

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Better technology means that we have access to more sophisticated entertainment options in the home than ever before. For this reason, media rooms have grown in popularity. When designing these media rooms for mountain style homes, I stayed true to the contemporary rustic flavor, while providing space for the best new technology. Here is an example of how a well-designed media room combines style with function.

A media room need not be hidden away in a basement or spare room. In this open plan home shown below, it connects with an adjacent bar and dining area.

I chose seating with both comfort and beauty in mind and arranged them in a semi-circle to stimulate conversation when the large screen television is off. Extra throw pillows add a colorful and fun touch.

In keeping with the media room theme and mountain style, I used a customized entertainment center with a warm wood finish. The television is placed naturally at the center and at a comfortable eye level. Illuminated compartments surrounding the television provide perfect spaces for displaying valued art, which adds important visual interest to the room when it’s not used for viewing media. The closed cabinetry at the bottom serves as a storage area for the sound system, DVDs, television guides and other related items.

The angle shown below accentuates how roomy this media room really is. Nevertheless, it still retains a sense of intimacy and separateness from the dining area. While the spaces are clearly differentiated, I maintained design cohesion by making sure the wood finishes and furniture styles blended harmoniously.

A scenic view offered by the windows enhances the expansive feeling, while the furniture arrangement and use of natural colors keep everything cozy.

Even in an open plan when the dining area is close by, surfaces to place snacks and beverages are important in a room designed for entertainment. I included a large wood coffee table and an end table for this purpose.

Let us bring you the best in media room design to match your lifestyle. Contact Paula Berg Design Associates today to learn more.

Create a Cozy Bedroom Seating Area

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Cozy seating areas give master bedrooms a suite-like, cozy ambience similar to a five-star retreat. Even if the seating area is rarely used, it softens the space and creates a more relaxing atmosphere. Here are a few examples of how I’ve used simple seating arrangements to enhance bedroom designs.

A fireplace makes any room extra cozy. Adding chairs enhances this warm, cozy feeling even more. Here, I placed a stuffed chair with an ottoman in front of the fireplace, making sure not to obstruct the view from the bed. This chair offers a place for relaxing with a good book before retiring for the evening.

In this room, we added an over-sized chair and ottoman and angled them towards the bed rather than the fire. The fireplace is still in view from the chair, but this arrangement allows easy conversation between someone seated and someone relaxing on the bed. This arrangement also creates a graceful curve, increasing the room’s aesthetic appeal.

I used a small but comfortable chair to add a flexible seating option to this small space. The pale yellow-green upholstery connects with the bedding and curtain to create a balanced design. A padded bench at the foot of the bed provides elegance, as well as additional seating for slipping into shoes or slippers in the morning.

This room’s scenic view entices its occupants to linger. In the corner opposite the bed, I created a small conversation area using two stuffed chairs and an oversized decorative lamp. The resulting area is perfect for enjoying a beverage, having a quiet conversation, or spending some time reading and enjoying the view.

This built-in window seat is like a pillow-laden nest, ideal for taking breaks away from a busy modern life. I placed a chair in a corner space, illuminated by a larger lamp, to provide an extra place for reading or conversing. This arrangement is space saving and keeps the rest of the room open.

If your bedroom or entire home needs a fresh new style, let my interior design firm in Park City, UT and Scottsdale, AZ help you achieve your dream space. Contact us at Paula Berg Design Associates today for more information.

Host a Dinner to Remember

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Sharing a delicious meal and warm conversations can create fond memories to last a lifetime. This is only one of the reasons why dinner parties are so popular and why attention is paid to hosting the perfect one. The right kitchen and dining room design is essential for such events, which is why I’ve combined both aesthetic and functional appeal in these designs to facilitate the best experience for hosts and guests.

An ideal kitchen bar has ample space for creating cocktails and convenient storage for all related supplies, including glassware. I designed this one with those features in mind and made sure that it was accessible, yet separate from other kitchen and dining areas. This layout permits drink preparation to be unhindered by other kitchen activities. The absence of doors is practical, as it’s difficult to navigate a door when carrying drinks to a dining area. Plus, this layout promotes a seamless feeling to the design.

Floating shelves and glass-front cabinetry provide a place to display fine drink ware, while closed cabinetry below provide sufficient storage for blenders, bottles and other similar items. Installing lights beneath the top cabinetry helps illuminate the countertop, offering plenty of lighting where it’s needed.

The dining area should be easy to access from the kitchen bar, and it should be as comfortable as it is beautiful. While I add unique elements to each space, I make sure to maintain design continuity and stay true to the home’s style.

Large windows in this dining area provide a breathtaking view and ample light during the day. For extra illumination – vital for evening events – I used a rustic chandelier and candles, as well as lamps and other supplemental lighting.

The solid wood table comfortably sits 10 people, and the wood design fits in with the interior’s mountain style. Good seating invites guests to savor the meal and helps stimulate conversation. I also left a generous amount of open space around the table for easy navigation.

For the best in mountain home interiors, contact Paula Berg Design Associates in Park City, UT or Scottsdale, AZ today. We can help you achieve a kitchen and dining room design that will allow you to easily host dinner parties your guests’ won’t forget.

Prepping Your Powder Room

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Sometimes, a powder room is treated only in terms of its function as an extra bathroom. However, since guests often frequent this space, aesthetic appeal is very important. I always keep this in mind when designing these hidden jewels.

Powder rooms in mountain homes can easily reflect a warm, inviting style. Here, a stonewall offers rustic luxury that’s enhanced by a wood vanity. A touch of greenery atop the vanity brings a splash of color, while a mirror flanked by two decorative lights makes the room feel open and airy.

Although a powder room may be small, lavish design elements used inside and out can make a big statement. For this mountain home’s powder room, I added an ornately carved doorframe to draw the eye and add the right amount of rustic appeal. Upon opening the door, the elegant vanity, mirror and fixtures are immediately revealed.

One way to make a small powder room feel more welcoming is to add decor that represents nature. Earth tones, leaf and branch patterns can easily fit into a mountain home’s signature look. These, combined with natural wood finishes, bring the rich aesthetic of mountain landscapes indoors.

While earth tone palettes are used in many rustic style powder rooms, no two rooms look alike. The combination of colors and this vanity style has a tremendous impact on the room’s appearance. Since the vanity is the most prominent feature in the powder room, I choose them carefully. This one has clean lines that fit seamlessly into the powder room’s corner. Despite its position, the vanity’s style and colors remain interesting, while the mirror and candelabra enhance the mountain aesthetic.

Often, small rooms lack space for many decorative elements. Here, we chose a vanity that makes a design statement on its own. Heavy wood keeps the vanity grounded, while the mirror above enlarges the space. The rustic candelabrum above maintains the room’s design flow.

If you’re looking for personalized, professional interior designs, turn to Paula Berg Design Associates, or contact us today with your needs and questions.