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Gray is the New Beige

Bye bye beige! The plain neutral tone that has had a stronghold on homes throughout the 2000s is officially passé. Walls, cabinets, and accessories are now being renovated in cool, collected gray.

Beige was a nice base color for walls. It allows accessories and accents to pop. It doesn’t have much personality of its own, which is great for allowing furniture or paintings to stand out more. It also hides dirt and wear-and-tear very well. But as everyone slathered their entire home in beige, beige really got boring.

Gray is much more versatile.  It has a wider range of shades and tone without being overwhelming. It’s easier to get a complementary gray tone to go with wood floors and tile backsplashes. Gray is also good all on its own; a gray wall is neutral, but not boring to look at.

The best areas to use gray are living rooms and kitchens. They’re high-traffic areas that are greatly used for entertaining. They’re the heart of the home and should also be the focal point.

A good tip for using gray; don’t be afraid to go dark. Light gray walls and furniture looks like dingy, dirty white. If you’re too nervous to go full gray, white walls with a gray accent wall will still make a statement.  

<a href=“https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/family/neutral”>Sherwin Williams</a> has a wonderful gray palette. Benjamin Moore has produced <a href=“https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/hc-154/hale-navy?color=HC-154″>Hale Navy</a> which is the most fashionable color this season. Browse their online gallery and find your perfect shade.

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Kitchen Backsplashes are Crucial

Water damage is almost an inevitability in a kitchen. The purpose of a backsplash is to protect the drywall behind a sink and stove from mold and rot. It also covers up the unevenness that most walls have. The backsplash is something people normally skimp on, but a proper one will keep your kitchen clean and beautiful.

The best materials to use for backsplashes are tile or stone. Molded metal is also becoming more popular. Not only are they protective, they are easy to clean. Cleanliness cannot be overstated in a kitchen. What’s popular now is a square tile pattern with varying colors. That adds some color to the kitchen without being overwhelming. Marbled cuts of stone are also beautiful, especially if one is looking for a more organic and subdued feel.

There are many cuts and patterns to choose from. Pencil tile is common, but it's limiting. Instead, try smoothed brick, penny tile, or molded metal. Ideally, the backsplash should start at the counter and come up to the bottom of the cabinets. The material and color should complement the cabinets. It can be the same or similar to the counter, but having a contrasting backsplash adds a lot of personality.

All in all, backsplashes are an easy way to add value to your home.

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How to Pick the Right Wallpaper

Wallpaper is coming back in style. Long gone are the days where it was considered cheap, old-fashioned, and tacky. Contemporary wallpaper can come in any style, from geometric prints to to damasks to florals.

Wallpaper as we know it was first made  in 1785. Christophe-Phillipe Oberkampf invented the first machine for printing colored tints on sheets of wallpaper. By 1799, Louis-Nicolas Robert patented a machine to produce continuous lengths of paper. Before these two inventions, wallpaper had to be stenciled or painted by hand on custom sheets of paper. The price of wallpaper was dramatically lowered, so it became more common in households.

Wallpaper is best utilized in small spaces, or on one accent wall in large spaces. The point of wallpaper is to make a stylish impact, one that you cannot get from plain paint. One of the most common rooms to wallpaper is the bathroom.

The style of the wallpaper shapes the atmosphere of the room. If you want to go romantic, try small damasks or florals in light pastels.  The Amalia Gentle Floral Garden by Fine Decor is soft and lovely.

If you're looking for something more contemporary, large geometric prints and bold florals with high gloss are very stylish right now.  The Marina Modern Geometric Black and White Trellis by Brewster is fun without being overwhelming.

If you want to keep things traditional, you can't go wrong with classic stripes and intricate damasks.  Classic Damask Navy and Gold by Patton Wallcoverings is regal and sophisticated.

All in all, wallpaper opens up many opportunities to be fun. It can be difficult putting it up,  but it's worth it. BB Designs and Remodeling, LLC, offers clients access to contractors with experience in putting up wallpaper. Let us help you pick your perfect paper.

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We love shopping at the Washington Design Center in DC! This is the best place to shop for high-end interior design. With three floors of stores, you can find everything from carpets to curtains to furniture. We were looking for rugs, and were we ever lucky!

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Postmodernism in the Home

We’re currently in the midst of the Postmodern revival, and it is wonderful.

Postmodernism first emerged in the late 1970s as a direct answer to the Modernism of the 1940s-60s. Where Modernism focused on innovation and geometric rigidity, Postmodernism prized renovation and organic fluidity. 

Postmodernism borrows and re- appropriates old elements. For example, old hardwood flooring can be reclaimed and made into a table. There is also Home Postmodernism gets a lot of its elements from DIY culture and antiquing. Nothing is to be wasted; what is broken gets fixed, and what is newly bought is from a second-hand store. It’s about taking something old and giving it a new life.

The defining point of Postmodernism is to combine traditional architectural elements with newer and more playful forms. Having non-matching seats with a reclaimed wood coffee table and antique rug would make for a very chic room. 

If you’re not ready to take the plunge into true Postmodernism, a safe way to experiment is through accessories. A statement piece on a coffee table or shelves can do wonders.  Houzz has some magnificent products, ranging from clocks to vases to throw pillows.  At BB Designs and Remodeling, LLC, we love to work with you to help develop and cultivate your style. 

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The Evolution of the Loveseat

The loveseat is a darling piece of furniture for a smaller room. Modern loveseats provide seating for up to two people, without dominating the entire space. It’s a perfect place to hold a casual conversation. However, when first invented, the loveseat was actually meant to seat only one person.

The first loveseats started popping up at the end of the 17th century. The popular myth is that the loveseat was created by merging two chairs together, so that lovers could be closer. In actuality, the loveseat was meant for one woman wearing a large, fashionable dress. The dress styles of the day dictated that women should wear multi-layered petticoat dresses, and eventually hoop skirts. Most seats in the 17th-18th centuries were single chairs, and the sofa had not yet caught on with the lower classes. The single chairs were uncomfortable for a woman in a dress to sit on, because her fabric took up so much space. The trendiest solution to this problem was to just make bigger single person seats, rather than smaller dresses.

Originally, loveseats didn’t have much cushioning. They were made of solid, heavy wood, and were not meant to be luxury seats. But as they caught on, more cushioning and padding was added. The frame also diminished in weight. Loveseats even became larger, and were able to seat two people. By the late 1800s, they evolved into the comfortable pieces that are popular today.

The modern loveseat is lighter, more cushioned, and more comfortable than its predecessors. The standard loveseat has two seat cushions, a padded back, and a light wooden frame. However, like most furniture, there are plenty of variations to suit your style needs. Ethan Allen offers beautiful pieces, such as the more conservative Conway Sofa to the flashy Evette Settee. There’s a loveseat for every home, and every home deserves a loveseat.

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A standalone, elegant tub is perfect for relaxing.

Bathroom by bbdesignsdc.com

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A shower with a built-in seat is essential for a master bath.

Bathroom by bbdesignsdc.com