I’m hosting my family for two weeks (until 7/19), and this has translated to blogs that are lighter than usual. I’ll be back in full force next week, but in the meantime here’s the guest house that I covet.

Trip Advisor

Adorable.

via Rinekwall

I’m off to meet my sister for Mexican food and S&TC2 – (I’ll dedicate a margarita to you!) Have a fabulous Memorial Day weekend, and I’ll see you here next week!

via Marie Claire UK

Hey guys, I’m experiencing the above. Namely, my photos are being auto-sized in a very tiny format. Since this blog is visual (duh!), I’m waiting to post until my tech wizard Matt can track the bug and work it out. (He is quite good, so it shan’t be long)….stay tuned!

I would paint (art, not walls).  Looking through some old files, I found a painting I made during the depths of winter in NYC around 2006 — clearly, someone needed a margarita.

Acrylic on masonite

I could just imagine my toes digging into hot sand, and gazing out at the horizon…

While speaking at the Surfaces Convention in Las Vegas last week I talked about my “Homeowner Questionnaire,” and some of my fellow designers requested a copy. Here you go and I hope you find this useful!!

Kim Myles Design

Homeowner questionnaire:

1. Colors you absolutely love?

2. Colors you absolutely hate?

3. Do you prefer strong or soft versions of color?

4. Do you prefer light or dark wood?

5. Do you prefer luxury (shiny, beaded) or natural (woven, organic) fibers?

6. Do you prefer silver or gold tone metal?

7. Are animal products (fur, leather) acceptable to you?

8. What kind of patterns are you drawn to (modern graphics, floral, ethnic prints, stripes, etc.)?

9. How would you describe your style (Helpful terms: Modern, Traditional, Eclectic, Urban, Rustic, Contemporary – please feel free to elaborate and/or create your own terms)?

10. Where (geographically) would you move if you could live anywhere?

11. Favorite vacation destination, and why?

12. Where did your happiest memory take place?

13. How would you like your new room to make you feel?

14. What would you like your new room to say about you?

Another one of my favorite tips when it comes to rental design pertains to lighting.  Lighting is a key element of any design.  Like rugs, they help add that extra ‘pop’ of visual interest – be it with color, shape, and/or texture – which take a room to the next level.  And then, of course, there’s the fact that they serve a practical and necessary function, leading to the obvious question  – what good is a stellar design if you can’t see it?!

More often than not, the lighting fixtures in rentals are old and outdated or super basic and bland, and ultimately don’t lend your rooms any kind of ‘pop’ whatsoever.  When this is the case, the simple solution is to CHANGE IT!  It’s quick, easy, and packs a huge punch that will last the length of your stay.  It only takes about 30 minutes or so to do (if you’re not all that “electrically savvy,” enlist the help of a friend or two!), and the results will leave you wondering why you hadn’t changed things sooner!

These days lighting options are just as varied and abundant as rugs, with beautiful options that will work for any budget.  Or, if you’re feeling inspired, create some fixtures of your own!  Take a look at hardware stores such as Lowe’s, www.lowes.com, and specialty stores such as OCHRE, http://www.ochre.net/en, Z Gallerie, http://www.zgallerie.com/, West Elm, http://www.westelm.com and Y Lighting, http://www.ylighting.com, are great sources as well.  Either way, be they bought or created, your new fixtures will be another awesome layer of your design aesthetic, and a great investment that you can take with you when you decide to leave your rental – just be sure to keep the old fixture handy and to replace it before you leave.

As I mentioned a while back, I want to use this blog not only as a window into my personal life, but as a forum for design tips and ideas for renters – an all-too-often unrepresented group when it comes to design shows.  So this week it’s ‘enough about me, let’s talk about you,’ and dish about rental design!  We’ve already covered our walls, so now let’s discuss floors: How do you revamp your floors when you can’t replace them?

Let’s face it – most of the time, a rental does not come equipped with our dream architectural features, and the flooring might be old, flawed, or just plain ugly.  If in good condition, maybe it’s just not quite to our liking.  In those cases, how do we turn it into something we can live with . . . maybe even enjoy?  Simple answer: rugs.

I’m a HUGE fan of rugs!  Area/throw rugs can be amazing assets when it comes to design.  They help delineate spaces within a room (like a seating area in a large bedroom), and they help to anchor objects within a space (placing a rug under a sofa or a bed).  They lend textural and visual interest to a design, adding that extra ‘pop’ of color or pattern that takes a room to the next level.  And most important to renters, they can cover up what we don’t like – and can be taken with us when we leave.

Rug options are endless, and can be found in almost any shape and size – not to mention color, pattern, and texture.  You can use them to cover trouble spots, or if you just hate the whole thing, you can find one large enough to cover as much hideous flooring as possible!  Admittedly, rugs can be on the pricey side as they get larger, so if you find you can’t quite afford that super-size one you’ve got your eye on, buy several less expensive ones instead and layer them in the space.  Experiment!  Try stitching/tacking several small round rugs together for a pop art look.  Look into carpet squares at www.flor.com.  Also, remember that if there’s any doubt, there’s always that great luxury of returning and exchanging.  The ability to take our rugs with us when we leave our rentals makes them a worthy investment, and sites like www.overstock.com and www.rugsusa.com have endless options at any price point.