DESIGN TRENDS

When renovating kitchens and bathrooms for clients we often toy with innovative back-splash ideas, but the reality is, when putting a house on the market, the best option is usually the more neutral one. However, this hasn't stopped us looking at creative approaches, transforming the classic tile back-splash into the focal point of a room.

We found a selection of super fun, innovative backsplashes that re-use discarded materials, pattern, natural resources, bright pops of color and wallpaper. 

A new back-splash doesn't have to be expensive or permanent. In fact, as I looked for ideas I stumbled across many blog posts and websites dedicated to providing back-splash ideas on a budget, tailored for renters in particular. Apartment Therapy has some

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Green represents nature, renewal and the Spring season, which is why celery green seems like the perfect color to feature for April. 

Green also symbolizes peace, good luck, tranquility and a sense of calm. Historically, theatres painted rooms where performers waited before their performance in green due to its calming effect. This may be why green remains a common choice of color in bedrooms, dens and offices in particular- interior spaces where people seek rest and relaxation. Because we see green incorporated in nature everyday, this versatile color transitions easily to inside the home as a paint or accent color. The yellow tones of celery green give it a warm, happy vibe making it a favorite choice to energize and invigorate a space. 

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Did you ever wonder what it takes to stage a house? We'll tell you what it takes! Staging a house is not just fluffing pillows and adding vases of fresh flowers to make it look pretty for the open house. When it comes to staging, the Pure Energy design team covers every base, providing everything needed, from furniture, area rugs and window treatments, to linens, wall art, chotchkies and lamps.

We use our interior design talent to transform spaces, creating immediate positive reactions from potential buyers, which helps them form an emotional connection to your home. We have an inventory of thousands of items that we draw from to create warm and appealing accents that coordinate with your existing furniture or to completely outfit a vacant property.

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JUST LISTED! 10603 Inwood Avenue, Silver Spring

When I first walked into this Colonial for a design appointment a couple of weeks ago, it was clear that the house had plenty of charm, but was in need of some updates to transform it into a SUPER charming house that would grab the attention of prospective buyers.

Many of the Colonials in the Chestnut Hills neighborhood of Silver Spring have a smaller footprint- the majority having two levels and no basement. Because of house size, it is important that the interior spaces are well thought out, staged in a functional manner and the presentation is top notch. 

The old half sized oven and lack of counter space made reconfiguring the kitchen a main priority. We maximized the kitchen space by moving the

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Although they fit with the Wintery season, moody blues don't have to convey a sense of gloom and coldness. In fact, when used in home interiors these colors can result in quite the opposite. By nature, blue has a calming, soothing effect, making it a suitable color choice for any room of the house. 
I love how some of the photos featured here have taken stormy blue tones and/or themes and transformed them into something that makes you smile. Yes, I am referring to the adorable rain cloud cushion and head board decor with fairy lights- who wouldn't want that in a nursery or kids bedroom! I think that these blues tones as a paint color would be a welcome addition to any guest room, to create a restful space- the stunning, double-twin bed guest…

Seeing as how we put together a blog feature for the boys, it seems only fair that we have one for the girls too!

As I pointed out in the Boys blog post, there is A LOT of home decor available for girls, but much of it falls into the tried and tired category of pink and purple. There is nothing wrong with using either of these colors, but I encourage you to push the creativity box and use them in small doses. Blues and greens can look just as girly and fun! See for yourself in the photo examples below. 

Many of the bedrooms that caught my eye and I have chosen to  feature in this post are modern approaches to decorating girls bedrooms, as they have adopted gender neutral wall colors and are accessorized with a variety of age appropriate accents.

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Chalkboard paint is something that I never tire of seeing. Even though it has been around for a while now, I am amazed and inspired by the applications people keep coming up with for it around the home. Nothing is off limits anymore! From doors and walls to accessories, it seems that chalk board paint can have a place in any room of the house, either as a practical function or just for a bit of fun. 

The temporary nature of chalk board paint offers the versatility of switching up looks without having to spend anything, as illustrated by the kitchen back splash and bathroom wall photos below. Whenever you feel like a change, simply wipe off the old pattern and create a new piece of art!

For the most part, chalkboard paint is easy to apply, but can

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The Pure Energy design team frequently post photo galleries and inspirational color palettes for various rooms of the house, but I was beginning to notice that these features seems to geared toward the adults, so this week's design blog is 100% for the kids, specifically the boys! Here's why...

I have been noticing for a while now, that in every category of furniture, lighting, bedding and cushions offered for kids, the options offered for girls far outweighs the boys. A recent trip through the kids section at Target emphasized this point. Why is it that boys have slimmer pickings when it comes to interior decor? 

As I began researching the aforementioned items, it became even more apparent that the boys range available is rather limited. For

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This month we feature the Pantone color of the year for 2013.... Emerald! 

Although this is not a typical hue the Pure Energy design team would adopt as a paint color in our client's homes, I am inspired by this color's ability to invigorate and energize a space. Upon researching examples of how emerald is incorporated throughout the house, I was pleased to find many unexpected and fabulous results which I have included in this post for your viewing pleasure.

Emerald fits into the jewel tone category of color groups, and like its counterparts, it exudes the same mesmerizing, lush and rich characteristics. Think the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz, jewelry, Ireland, the stunning array of green shades found in animal scales and feathers and the

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During Winter when the skies are gray and rainy, it gets dark earlier and Summer seems like a distant memory, we can't help but yearn for colors that evoke warmth. So perhaps a little out of season, this month we celebrate a much needed dose of yellow. Lemon, canary, egg yolk, marigold, mustard, butter- these varying shades of yellow all have the same positive effect when used around the home as a paint color, or in furniture and accessories.

Yellow is a color that evokes warmth, sunshine, cheer and happiness, which is why it is a favourite go-to paint color of ours to brighten up darker spaces, particularly in basements.

The versatile nature of yellow allows it to coordinate beautifully with a wide range of colors. A rich, warm look can be achieved

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