March 7, 2013

STYLE FILES – Kitchen Space Savers and Clutter Busters

March 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Portland OR. Interior Design Company

I love a crisp clean kitchen, where clutter is kept to a minimum.  I want clear counters and tools that are easily accessible.  Today we are going to look at some great space savers so you and your kitchen can work together in harmony!

 It’s no secret that I love my morning coffee!  My clients that are coffee and tea drinkers are always happy when we incorporate a“coffee bar” into the design!

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Make your walls do some work!  

Those clunky pots and pans and chunky knife blocks take up a lot of space, so find a place other than the countertops to store them.

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Give your appliances (and trash cans) a home!

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Wasted space in corners? No more!

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Keep all of your cutting boards and baking pans in easy to grab locations.

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Why not turn the “above the refrigerator-black hole” cabinet into a TV cabinet?

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I love these ideas and I love to see my beautiful countertops clutter free!  What are your space-saving ideas? 

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January 1, 2013

DIY – Winter Organization Room by Room

January 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Portland OR. Interior Design Company

As we begin to take down all of our holiday decorations and put our homes back to “normal” I thought it would be a great time to go through the whole house, room by room, and organize.  I always feel so much more at peace when everything has a place and is neatly put away so I thought that today we could go room by room and share tips on how to do a “winter clean-up”

Entryway

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Using hide-a-way baskets will keep you organized without having to see clutter at the front door.

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Living Room

Using baskets and side tables with drawers will keep you organized in the living room as well.

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A storage ottoman in the living room is both functional and pretty.

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Kitchen

Baskets and easy to view clear containers will make the kitchen more functional.

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Keeping foods organized in the freezer by separating with crates will keep you from digging through that cold space and forgetting what you have in there.

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Bedroom

Using rolling drawers for under the bed will not only give you more storage but make it easy to pull out and grab what you need.

Screen shot 2012 12 20 at 2.01.09 PM DIY Winter Organization Room by RoomImage via Martha Stewart

Use an accessory tray in your drawer to keep your accessories neat, organized and easy to find.

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Bathroom

Put a piece of sheet metal on the back of your medicine cabinet and attach magnets to your bathroom containers as well as using risers to create more space.

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Use containers and baskets to separate bathroom needs for easy finding.

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Laundry Room

Create space in your laundry room and keep your cleaning products separated by using a “cubby” system.

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Getting the laundry baskets up off the floor with create more space and make separating easy.

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Mud Room

Especially if you have children, a home command center is great to have as you walk in and out of the door.  Hanging hooks for backpacks, purse, keys, hats, ect keeps everything up and out of the way.

Screen shot 2012 12 19 at 2.50.53 PM DIY Winter Organization Room by RoomImage via iheart Organizing

Let us know your organization ideas for this winter!  Have a great week and happy New Year!

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August 17, 2012

Why didn’t I think of that??

August 17, 2012 by 1 Comment

Brock Designs Portland OR. Interior Design Blog

This is a new section of our blog called “Why didn’t I think of that” with household ideas that will streamline your everyday or occasional occurrences.  Please let us know your “why didn’t I think of that” ideas so that we can share them!

Use a hot glue gun in a zig zag on hangers to keep shirts from slipping

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Use a walnut as a wood scratch filler

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Use a pillow case to dust a ceiling fan and keep the dust contained

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Store bedlinen sets inside of their pillowcases

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Protect wine bottles with kids floaties when packing

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These are just a few of the ideas! We will have more next month and remember to post in the comments any ideas you have to share!

Have a great weekend!

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June 20, 2012

DIY – Organize Your Chaotic Garage

June 20, 2012 by 1 Comment

Brock Designs Portland OR. Interior Design Blog

At my house, the garage can become a catch-all for anything that doesn’t “fit” inside my home.  From gardening and yard equipment, sport equipment, camping gear, tools, you name it, it’s probably in there.  Since we are in “Organization Week” I thought it would be a perfect time to put some focus on the garage and get it looking amazing.

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My very creative daughter Jessica had this idea of using sliding locks to keep her wheelbarrow standing up and out of the way, I had to share!

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I am so motivated to get my garage looking like this, with everything in it’s place! For more on my favorite organizational tips, visit my Organization board on Pinterest.  Enjoy this great day!

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May 26, 2012

DIY – Organize Your Kitchen

May 26, 2012 by 5 Comments

Portland OR. Interior Design Company

Whether you are a daily cook or an occasional one, having an organized kitchen can maximize your time and space.  Here are a few easy tips to get you and your kitchen working in harmony.

Organized Pantry Using Designated Canisters

Screen shot 2012 05 20 at 11.38.23 AM DIY Organize Your KitchenImage and Free Printable Labels via BHG.com

Using Chalkboard Paint on Pantry Doors for Grocery Lists and Menus

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Using Curtain Tension Rods in a Cupboard or Under the Sink

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Using Metal Towel Bars to Store Lids

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Measuring Cups and Spoons with a Conversion Chart

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Kitchen Cabinet Organizers for Pans and Lids

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Using Angled Shelving in a Drawer for a Spice Rack

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Using a Shoe Organizer in the Pantry

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Happy organizing and have a great weekend!

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January 5, 2012

DIY : Organize and Simplify Your Laundry Room

January 5, 2012 by 1 Comment

Brock Designs, Portland OR. Interior Design Company

 

On Tuesday, I hopefully inspired you with some pictures of luxurious laundry rooms.  Today, I am going to give you some fabulous DIY and organization projects that you can easily get done over the weekend and still have plenty of time to relax.

The first project is a washer and dryer pedestal like the one pictured below.  This is a fantastic way to get those pesky laundry baskets out from under our feet and all over the house as well as to keep it easy and organized to start a load or two, not to mention raising the machines to make it easier on the back!

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You can get the shopping list and detailed instructions to make this wonderful pedestal here.

This “Drying Rack” (a painted ladder) gives you so much space and saves you from throwing your clothes over the top of the door to dry!

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Image via Little Lucy Lu

So simple right?  Just paint an old wooden ladder, attach chains to it and the ceiling and voila….a perfect place to dry your delicate attire!

Or you can add a simple closet rod from wall to cabinet like this one.

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A effortless shelf mounted above your machines will create the space you need for all of your detergents and miscellaneous items at an arms reach…and what a beautiful wall color against the white cabinetry!

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These perfect little baskets with mini chalkboards on them (which can be made with small pieces of wood and chalkboard paint) are great for those items that you need on hand for whenever they are needed.

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For those of us that keep all of our cleaning supplies in the laundry room, here is a great way to keep them organized and easy to find.

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These “towel rods” and hooks can be found at Ikea…simple!

I hope that these simple little projects will motivate you to get up and get organized and make some more space for yourself.  I know what I am going to be doing this weekend and I cannot wait!

Make it a great day,

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January 3, 2012

STYLE FILES: Lovely Laundry Rooms

January 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Brock Designs, Portland OR. Interior Design Company

 

In this new year, I am craving to get organized, a “winter” clean if you will.  I decided that the perfect place to start is in the laundry room.  It’s the place where we spend much more of our time than maybe we would like to.  Why not create a space that we’d actually enjoy working in?

Screen shot 2012 01 02 at 7.35.48 PM STYLE FILES: Lovely Laundry RoomsImage via remodeling therapy

I love this beautiful and aesthetic laundry room.  The red machines pop against the steel grey cabinets.  The center island with the sink is a perfect work space.

Screen shot 2012 01 02 at 7.42.36 PM STYLE FILES: Lovely Laundry RoomsImage by Haute Box via Houzz

Natural light is a bonus in any work area.  If you are lucky enough to have a window, treat it with beautiful fabric and choose a paint color for the walls that will make you happy.  The stacking washer and dryer are a great way to save space and have been proven to be less noisy.

Screen shot 2012 01 02 at 7.54.57 PM STYLE FILES: Lovely Laundry RoomsImage by Frog Hill Designs via Honey & Fitz

Oh the storage!  These custom cabinets allow for all of the extra needs for a laundry room, including a fold out ironing board, cleaning centers with doors to hide it all away.

Screen shot 2012 01 02 at 8.01.06 PM STYLE FILES: Lovely Laundry RoomsImage via Swagalicious

I just love this wonderful laundry area.  The storage space and marble enclosure makes it not only beautiful but very functional.  Add an under the counter TV to watch your favorite show or listen to music while you work.

Screen shot 2012 01 02 at 8.16.08 PM STYLE FILES: Lovely Laundry RoomsImage by Spinnaker Development via Houzz

This grand laundry room is magnificent!  The custom antiqued cabinets provide plenty of extra storage – so organized and beautiful.

Screen shot 2012 01 02 at 8.21.31 PM STYLE FILES: Lovely Laundry RoomsImage by Charlie & Co. Design, Ltd. via Houzz

I know this isn’t exactly a laundry room but I would be remiss if I didn’t add in this gorgeous mud room where each person gets their own “cubby” area for their belongings.  What a great way to keep the rest of the house from the clutter!

I hope that these pictures inspire you as much as they did me!  Make sure to check back the rest of this week for DIY projects and organization ideas for your laundry room. I am ready to get mine looking luxurious….are you?

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