Designer Blog

Wood flooring is by far the most popular choice in the greater Appalachian Mountains for both residential and commercial projects.  There are so many different choices on the market today making it difficult for the average homeowner to make their minds up.  In addition to the aesthetic choices, there are so many different construction methods […]

How exciting to be building a new home!  Do your homework, due your due-diligence, “get educated” on your building options, your liabilities and warranties provided in all these options.  Being your own Builder:  In Georgia, homeowners can build their own homes without a license.  However, there are stipulations.  Many do this thinking they will save […]

One of the final details added to our projects are window treatments.  Whether to add window treatments or not to home with beautiful architecture and spectacular views always creates a debate with our clients.  During the daytime, everyone wants to maximize the views that our area is abundant with.  But when the night falls, with […]

The pros, cons and costs of renovation vs a new rebuild

Style and design editor Cindy Trimble offers ideas on how custom designed bunk beds can make cabin life easier.

Style & Design Editor Cindy Trimble Considers Aging in Place and How we Can Begin to Prepare Doors and Pathways: It is best to make all doors and hallways at least 36” wide. Avoid thresholds whenever possible. Doors to the outside should be step free, including front doors and doors to decks and patios. There […]

Why Gray is a Fantastic Backdrop for Almost any Accent Color Interior Design trends come and go. Trends are driven by shapes, materials, colors and other elements. Of all elements, color trends have been very dominating. Do you remember the olive and gold look of the 60’s and the mauve and gray in the 70’s? […]

Pets are Just as Important to Clients as Designing for Kids Anyone who has visited my studio knows we love dogs and have met our corgis. My assistant Kit Miracle and I both live and work with our dogs as do many of our clients, friends and business associates. The health benefit of living with pets […]

First Impressions Really Do Count Have you ever arrived at someone’s house and wondered, “Where is the front door?” Creating a warm, inviting front door and entry to your house is so important. It needs to scream out “Here I am – enter here!” When we are working on budgets for the overall house, I […]

The New Rustic Home Rustic Mountain Homes have experienced a huge shift in design! Many think of a rustic mountain home as a log or timber frame home in the woods. That’s what Daniel Boone and our forefathers lived in! Their homes were simple, there were few “creature comforts” incorporated that our generation is addicted […]

Mountain Meets Modern New designs dominated the recent Fall High Furniture Point Market – one of the largest furniture markets in the world. Manufacturers from around the globe showcase their goods from furniture to lighting, rugs and linens and much more. We spent 4 days there combing the buildings searching for new products for our […]

Framing a Mountain View Windows in mountain homes provide views of the breathtaking mountain environments we enjoy so much. So why do we need window treatments? During the daytime, mountain home windows are framed pieces of living artwork of spectacular views. But once the sun goes down, the windows becomes cold, black holes on the […]

Use Vintage Pieces to Add Interest & Bring Back Cherished Memories A A desire to live in a nostalgic environment has attracted many homeowners to the log and timber design styles. Living in a world where change is constant, the design direction for retirement and vacation homes is leaning more towards “the way things use […]

The Tricky Job of Lighting Our Rustic Mountain Log Homes. Lighting design is the one element of interior design that can make or break a beautifully designed interior space. Lighting provides so much more than a simple glow. Subliminally, lighting impacts how we feel and impacts our emotions, our comfort level and our ability to […]

A desire to live in a nostalgic environment has attracted many homeowners to the log and timber design styles. Living in a world where change is constant, the design direction for retirement and vacation homes is leaning more towards “the way things use to be.” Log home living is a wonderful way to experience older […]

What is the difference between hiring a professional, educated, certified interior designer or hiring your local furniture store to design your home? Lots of reasons as stated in a recent NY Times article on interior design. Buyer beware of being sold services that may end up costing you more money, time and resulting in a […]