Gunkelmans Interior Design Blog

Sometimes words alone cannot describe the significant changes a room can undergo because of good design.   Even though we may think of ourselves as good communicators, as the saying goes "a picture is worth a thousand words".  

So this week we want to become more silent in our words and share with you pictures showing "before" and "after" of several of our projects. Enjoy!

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Submitted by Kari Solyntjes

I've arrived at the moment every designer faces in his or her lifetime, where they take on their most discerning client… themselves.

As I prepare for my upcoming wedding in April, I am thrilled at the thought of starting a new life with my wonderful future husband.   One element of establishing this "new life" has included scouring the Twin Cities for the perfect place for us to call home.

But, I am finding that with every potential home we walk through, I begin to wonder whether THIS house will be reflective of my personal style.  Then, I start to ask myself (gulp) what is MY personal style?  How would I even define it if I had to?

In our line of work, we constantly find ourselves interacting with clients to try and get a feel for their likes, dislikes and personal taste.  Then, it is our job to interpret and translate all that we have learned about them into their interiors – while still maintaining a beautiful aesthetic.   It's a really fun part of what we do, and I believe it's what makes both a successful project and reputable design firm.

Yet, when it's time to turn the tables, and apply these same principles to myself and eventually to my own home, I'm finding that MY personal style is much harder to define.

In reflecting on this topic, I'm beginning to realize that perhaps it's the decisions I make in my every day life that truly are a reflection of my own "personal style".  I tend to favor simple and classic backgrounds that evoke a touch of modernity…but then enjoy a dose of unexpected excitement whether in color or texture.   It's a principle I applied to the details of our wedding as well as the way I look at fashion.

When faced with endless options for brightly colored table linens or exotic floral arrangements, I found myself gravitating toward the simpler things.   For the tables I chose clean lush ivory floral arrangements, muted taupe linens, and a trace of some soft gold accents.   But I also included bridesmaid dresses with a daring pop of regal purple satin.

Similarly, I prefer to keep the basics in my wardrobe fairly simple as well, but take pleasure in dressing up an otherwise classic little black dress with a pop of unanticipated interest.

Perhaps these are obvious solutions, but they seem to continuously work for me.

Therefore, I will persist in my search for the perfect starter home with some timeless architectural bones, but I will relish in the one or two unexpected idiosyncrasies that make the home unique.

I will also apply the same rules when it comes time to paint/decorate/and furnish the home.  Perhaps I will use more monochromatic and understated colors throughout, but throw in bold splashes of color or texture (in moderate doses) in each room to keep things interesting and fresh.  Not to mention, the added perk of this notion is that those are the parts you can always change out when the trends or personal impulse demands it!

Below is a great example of fairly minimalist interiors, with both a traditional feel and classic white paint.   But it's the unexpected apple green chairs that update the look and draw your attention to the otherwise simple room.

This same rule can also be applied by using texture.  Below you can see that by keeping the surfaces in a room fairly flat and consistent, you can achieve something very dramatic and exciting by throwing in textural fur pillows or a rustic cocktail table.

This is not breakthrough in wisdom, nor are these design principles for everyone to live by.  But, it's obvious that in order to make beautiful interiors that you love, and want to be surrounded by every day, you need to apply some Personal Style of your own to keep  you coming back for more.

Whether this is something you investigate and accomplish on your own, (kudos to those of you out there), or whether you enlist the help of some seasoned professionals…in the end, the happiest and most comfortable homes include intimate touches that identify the homeowners Personal Style to the outside world.

I hope you can all find such intimate ways to update your spaces…and wish me luck on finding mine!

Submitted by Marita Spencer