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One of my goals for 2024 is that I provide you a blog post every other month. I will focus on design dilemmas, among them perhaps awkward room layouts, outdated finishes, or bad lighting. Let me know in the comments if you have a particular design dilemma I could put into focus. I welcome a challenge!

With less than a week before Christmas, I'd like to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, too! The end of year activities don't typically allow us to rest, but I hope you find moments with family and friends to be uplifting and restorative. Enjoy the montage below of some of my favorite Christmas ornaments on our tree.

From yours truly, Brenda Szarek

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving Day!

During this time of year there are many areas of the design industry predicting their picks for the up coming year. As I review the trends others are reporting, I've been putting together a list of my own. Some ideas match and others don't. The goal is the same - what can we do to make our homes beautiful, functional, and comfortable without looking like we all bought our furnishings and décor from the same store? I have 3 designs that I believe show the trends that will carry forward through 2024. They go from light, airy, and a bit nostalgic for an older elegant era, to natural and organic bringing nature and art together in a more modern style, and finally, to a moody mix of styles that makes you feel grown up and ready to relax and enjoy the home you worked hard to achieve.

Pantone picked their 2024 color of the year to be Apricot Crush. The design I put together above uses the pinks and oranges of a setting sun as inspiration for an elegant boudoir! It is lighter and airier than Apricot Crush, to bring a softer side to a space where you'll want to wind down before you slip into your luxurious bed which envelops you with its padded wing back headboard. There are art deco accents on the dresser and screen along with the lighting and art bringing you to an era where you can dream big dreams well into the night. I picked these elements because we are moving into a time where everyone deserves a little romance to make them feel special and loved. The glamour factor just adds a cherry on top of a great big hug!

As we move from a good night's sleep to a place where friends and family gather, the design above moves out of the 1920's and 1930's influence to a much more modern approach that brings nature inside. Biophilic design has been around for some time, but gains momentum in 2024 as we continue to find more reasons and ways to entertain in and out of our homes. When inside, bringing nature together with artful moments helps generate conversation in a relacing atmosphere. Large tables and comfortable seating are a must. Sticking with neutrals for furnishings, wall color, and flooring make the art stand out. Statement lighting is an option to decorate that 5th wall in the room - the ceiling.

Drama and quiet? Why can't we have both! There seems to be many trend reports that show dark color palettes are still trending well in 2024. Sorry Pantone! The design above is a moody mix of mid-century, industrial, and Asian influences. Painting a room dark, whether large or small, does not necessarily close you in. Think of standing in a large field surrounded by a vast dark sky. Imagine the immenseness! As long as you add in great lighting and light colors around the space, you will just feel the drama of a great night ahead. 

Watching movies outside is such a relaxing, fun way to spend time with friends and family or a romantic partner! I'm working on setting up my own outdoor theater and in doing so found this brief article with great information for all aspects of the setup.

There are so many ways to set up seating for your theater no matter what movie genres you are interested in. The main goal to keep in mind, of course, is comfort.

This set will get you chillaxing in no time! The gray and blue scheme brings on images of sitting by a body of water on a warm summer day. Your checkout link: Click here. 

Next is a set that is very close to what I purchased for the deck at our cottage. I can't wait to get my theater set up so I can curl up and enjoy the outdoors and movies with my favorite guy - my hubby, of course! Your checkout link: Click here.

Finally, this set made from teak wood has some pillow options that would go well with any of these items in the links above. Teak is great for outdoor furnishings because it is one of the strongest and most durable hardwoods. It performs well when exposed to weather conditions such as rain and sun. Your checkout link: Click here.

Sure, you can paint your walls with some great color, add an Ombre affect or tape off a cool geometric design. But how do you get a really great impactful design on your walls or your ceiling? Try wallpaper or a wallpaper mural!

Offering options with an attitude! Black Crow Studios located in Long Beach, CA, has a gorgeous selection of custom murals and wall paper printed on smooth matte wall covering material that is PVC-free. It is definitely not your grandmother's (or even your mother's) wallpaper. Each design has movement and color that will transform your space and set the mood for the rest of your home or give a single space the voice it needs to make it special and appreciated.  Here is an article by Ginna Christensen highlighting their Rebel with a Cause campaign.
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​https://www.blackcrowstudios.com/

Another great source for unique wallpaper is Spoonflower, a global marketplace connecting makers and consumers with independent artists worldwide. Most designs can be prepared on one of four different types of wallpaper offering options for everyone including renters.

• Prepasted Removable Smooth Wallpaper (Fully removable and recyclable!)
• Peel and Stick Wallpaper
• Non-pasted Traditional Pebble Wallpaper
• Grasscloth Wallpaper

https://www.spoonflower.com/en/wallpaper

Wallpaper is not just for walls. It can be installed on a ceiling, carefully crafted on hard furniture as an upcycling project, or framed for a small (or large) piece of art.

Powder rooms and laundry rooms are great places to make a bold statement using wallpaper given they are usually relatively small spaces. Beware of putting up wallpaper on your own in these spaces. Although they are small, all the fixtures and corners can make installation complicated. (I know from personal experience!)

Where would you entertain the idea of putting up wallpaper?

Every year I like to take a look at the buzz among interior designers, architects, and home builders about what they see as the trends for the new year as it relates to interior design. Since 2020 I've encapsulated it into a mood board that I refer to throughout the year as a way to check in out of curiosity while following trends and as a way to guide my designs for my clients. Every client is definitely different, but there are always elements that you can draw on to keep your spaces fresh and up to date without compromising your true design style, Keep reading to find out my view of interior design trends for 2023.

But first, here is a look at the last 2 years...

​One year deep into the pandemic left us all hoping for a calm, orderly  existence. Comfort and style were scrutinized and we wanted a home that was restful with elements from the outdoors brought inside in our furnishings, accessories, and easy-breezy window treatments.

​2022 began with a continued focus toward comfort with modern furnishings, textured walls and wall coverings, homey art, fun lighting, and warmth throughout including our flooring. 

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​The 2022 color palette began with soft pale neutrals, then as the year progressed it turned to darker neutrals and moody tones. Mid-year I changed up my trend board to contrast the light and airy trends with Steampunk style which trends darker and more toward maximalism.

I won't make you wait any longer. Here it comes - 2023 whether you are ready or not!​

I picked 5 focus areas to concentrate on what is coming:

Curves - Not just for the voluptuous! Furniture, lighting, and accessories will boast large round contours that either envelope you in a comfortable bubble or send you figuratively in a spin.

Sustainability - We need to focus on our world and find ways to retain resources. Reusing materials, upcycling, repurposing, mindful and responsible manufacturing, and even using nature only when it is abundant. (I've been looking for ways to reuse all those pine needles at our cottage, but I'll leave making artful bowls like the one pictured to the experts!)

Old Meets New - What better way to reuse/recycle/repurpose then to bring in a few old, well loved pieces along with the newer items. You'll get a much better livable look that won't go out of style so quickly. On top of helping the world, you are building your own personal style. Who else has Grama's old side table and Uncle Fred's Mid-Century media cabinet?

Patterns and Textures - I've heard it said that Maximalism is trending. I don't think that applies, or should apply, to everyone. Adding pattern and texture, however, should. Without pattern and texture, your rooms will look flat and untouchable. Patterns can be found in fabrics, tile placement, murals, and more. The same can be said of textures. Have fun, remember to repeat 1 or 2 times throughout the room, but know when to stop. It can be tricky to pull off a highly patterned theme without adding chaos and stress, but you can have fun experimenting.

A Burst of Color - Let's not forget color! Be bold. Use what you like. If it turns out you picked an overpowering color you can't handle, either repaint or add loads of white in other elements to lighten it up. Try to stick to 2-3 main colors in any one space adding neutrals, woods, and metals to bring it all together. If one room has a burst of a certain color in a large area, try using the same color or shades of it in an adjoining room on smaller pieces. Remember that lighting will play a major role in how your colors work, so ask an expert (me!) if you need some assistance.

I hope this helped give you some inspiration as we move into 2023. The possibilities are endless. Don't let that overwhelm you. I can help you bring responsible style and comfort to your home whether you own or rent. I will guide you through the process and provide you with a design you'll love. Feel free to contact me via email, phone, or my contact form on this website.

From Autumn Light Interiors and yours truly, Brenda,

It's been a while since my last blog post. I've been building a tree! Why? What? Are you crazy? ...you ask!

This was not just any tree. It was a little hideaway for the students (and staff!) at Common Threads Family Resource Center in Madison, Wisconsin. As a design team member of the Design for a Difference movement in Madison, I chose to spend a lot of my summer and the start of fall bringing nature (an 11 foot tall tree to be exact) to one of the spaces where Common Threads will bring students for sensory exercises and a chance to calm themselves.

This is not my first contribution in the creative build department for a non-profit. I built a very large wall clock for the Wil-Mar Neighborhood center in 2019.

Common Threads is a non-profit organization that brings many services to neuro-diverse individuals. They have a school program and a clinic that serve this special community via staff that are professional and so very kind, loving, and talented. They deserved the great makeover worth approximately $450,000, fully donated by designers, trades, and others providing materials, time, and definitely talent. The space I helped pull together is called the 'alcove', a space off the main cafeteria area which leads to a quiet 'take five' space designed by another team. There were several teams that worked together to provide great spaces for the students and staff. There is a short video of the reveal at this link. 

​For this blog post, I wanted to share my work on the tree itself. A bit of a departure on interior design? Yes. Once I committed to creating a tree, I worried all along whether I'd be able to pull this off on my own. I had offers of help, but bringing others in didn't fit into my schedule so I plodded along and surprised myself in the end. I'm proud of the result and kind of miss my tree now that I've handed it off to Common Threads!

Let's start at the beginning. I built branches out of foam core, pool noodles, and a lot of masking tape. 

I added plywood at each end of the two bottom sections and on one end of the shorter top section, plus some wood boards to keep it pulled together.  I wasn't convinced that would work well with the strong resistance of the boards and the tiny screw heads, so I added several toggle bolts and wood boards along the seams to ensure more surface was covered to keep the cylinders closed and sturdy. I lined the bottom section with indoor/outdoor carpet generously donated by The Home Depot along with most of the supplies for this tree. This hard board fought me hard! I must have drilled my fingers 3 or 4 times getting the cylinders built.

There was a scary time when I cut out the hide-away opening because I wasn't sure if it would all snap apart. It worked well even doing it after I lined the inside! My garage housed the tree and all my supplies for a couple of months as I worked on this. I added the branches temporarily to ensure I could do it and that it looked like a tree. (Bottom section is shown upside down.)​

Time to start adding shape and texture to the cylinders. Again, pool noodles to the rescue along with a couple of cases of expanding insulation foam!  I also used Durham's Rock Hard Putty and leftover ready mixed joint compound to fill in the gaps left by the foam. When I realized I would need buckets and buckets more of this stuff, I just stopped. The majority of texturizing happened on the bottom cylinder.

I started painting by hand, then moved to using my paint sprayer (duh! should have started with that!). I finished up with more hand painting as there were still lots of groves to cover.

Finally, after finalizing how this would all get put together, I realized that there was one doorway I hadn't measured to get this into Common Threads! I held off tears until I could measure. I originally had an extra base of plywood that the tree 'roots' expanded onto, but thankfully all I had to do was remove that to get it in the door. This could have been a terrible mistake on my part, but it worked out fine.

Onsite after a test measure, I added the branches before putting each cylinder in place again. Then added more putty and foam to texturize the seams and finally lots of paint touch ups. I had the help of many to get this secure and in place.

It was hard work, but well worth it. Adults and kids tried out the hide-away space and we all agree it is comfortable as well as enchanting.

Don't you just love dining al Fresca? There are some beautiful table linens and coasters that work well in an outdoor setting.

​Click on the pics below to see a few options I found to be unique and stylish.

The perfect way to use your tableware is by experiencing these refreshing mocktails from Nat at The Mindful Mocktail.  Here are two of my favorites. Enjoy!

Do you have a corner desk in your home office? Is it facing the corner? That may seem like a silly question, but really, who puts baby in the corner?! 

A desk like the one above (available at Target) may work well in the corner, but what does it do for your esteem? Wouldn't you rather feel like you are at 'command central' facing the world head on rather than the corner walls? Do you want the first thing you see when you walk into the room to be the underside of your desk? Take a look at the layout and examples below for an alternative that just may increase your productivity and creativity, as well as your self esteem.

These corner desks face toward the door. One Feng Shui principle for a home office is to place your desk in a position of power. You can view who is coming in and also take advantage of the natural light entering the room without adding glare to your computer monitor(s). 

One challenge with this layout might be the endless amount of cords you have to have for all your components. You don't want to see spaghetti when you walk into the room, so organizing your cables is key to a tidy and professional look. Here are some great ideas for getting control over those cables...click on the pics for links providing more information on the products.

This is just one dilemma some of us face. Let me know what design dilemmas you have and I'll get straight to work on a solution for you.

At the beginning of this year, this picture represented my prediction for interior design trends.

Thanks to my latest clients and my daughter's interest in unique corset tops, I started looking at the Steampunk genre and how it can apply to our interior décor. I modified my 2022 trend mood board to explore that very idea. It's a little darker, a little shinier, and a whole lot more dramatic. I like it. Do you?

For lighting, I'm still seeing the mash up of fun and function. The gears and cages in industrial lighting emphasize both concepts. Colorful Tiffany style lighting brings in the Victorian scene where Steampunk is often based.

The colors and textures are from the Victorian era - deep jewel tones, velvety richness, and very tactile wall coverings be it grass cloth, murals, or any fabric application. Accessories can be used to corral small items or be purely decorative. Our iceberg filler (ball) is reminiscent of a hot air balloon. The theme of travelling all ways is another underlying Steampunk concept, so don't forget decorating with maps.

The wood flooring is more rustic, but the area rugs are decadent. Fading is acceptable and adds to the well travelled look. 

The overall style is quite liberal to the individuals' preferences. It represents a historical view, creativity, science, romance, and mystery. What more can one want! Steampunk style leans toward maximalism, but can be interspersed throughout other styles - Victorian (of course) and Mediterranean styles can take the layers of rich color and added trinkets. Industrial, Farmhouse, and Rustic Southwestern are good baselines for rustic wood expression. Mid-Century, Scandinavian, and Coastal are harder sells, so I won't go there! Oh why not! Add a bird cage pendant light and a rustic steamer trunk table to your Coastal vibe and I think you will have a one of a kind look that blends the ocean scene with a slight node to Steampunk.

I hope this trip down a different path from my usual stylings gives you a worldly perspective into the many faces of interior design. It's art with function. Or is it function as art?