Category Archives: Unique Ideas

Happy St. Patrick’s Day-Inspiring Green Interiors

March 17, 2017 Jigsaw Design Leave a comment

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we are resurrecting a beloved blog on green interiors. The color continues to stay fresh and inspiring! Covering everything from emerald to kelly green we will share gorgeous green ideas in this post proving, it really is greener on the other side.

Summers arrives and everything blossoms, the spring rains usher in lush colors of green and inspire us to bring nature’s most soothing color into our space. The color green, in essence, signifies nature, life, youth, hope and safety. Therefore, bringing green into your formal dining room plays off as comforting yet with a regal twist. Use this lovely shade of green with muted colors for a softer look or make a bold statement contrasting with black and white as seen in these dining rooms that are sure to charm.

Sofas and accent chairs in the living room make a bold statement and create a definite wow factor. A pair of kelly greens chairs with a small gold table for a sitting area is the perfect way to add a pop of color to the room. The Jigsaw designers like mixing grand velvet green sofas with gold accents, charcoal grey and black and white as seen in the images below.

Our bedrooms are our sanctuary, the escape from the world to be completely ourselves. If you are not one for a typical soft palette in your most private space, then the calming color green is the answer. Known for it’s relaxing qualities, it has long been a symbol of fertility and was even the traditional wedding dress color in medieval times. One trend that we are in love with right now that works great in the bedroom is painting walls and the ceiling your favorite emerald or kelly shade.

Green is very striking, it is the symbol of “GO” by all means, so adding it in smaller doses might be just enough for most of us. Green drapes make the perfect temporary green fix. Kick it up a notch by adding a black and white trim or using a fun green and white chevron pattern as seen in the following images.

Green with it’s many meanings including balance and well-being, are actually recommended by color experts in that adding green into your environment will help create a fresh new balance in your life. A lamp, a bench, wallpaper, whatever it takes, just get some green into your space and enjoy the revitalizing and fantastically stylish feeling it gives you.

For more information on color trends and resources visit the contact page on the Jigsaw Design Group website at www.jigsawdesigngroup.com. Someone will quickly contact you with more information. Please subscribe to the blog for more informative articles like these, and check out our Facebook page for more tips and images! Be sure to ‘like us’ on Facebook! Now join us on Googleplus too!

Flooring, Carpet and Rugs, Style, Unique Ideas

Hardwood Floors: Engineered VS. Solid Plank

March 9, 2017 Jigsaw Design 3 Comments

Today, there are so many engineered hardwood floors that look and feel like solid wood, yet these floors are often more durable and cost effective than traditional solid hardwood floors. Besides these obvious attributes, engineered floors imitate solid plank floors so well, even the savviest have a hard time telling the difference. Can you tell which floor is Engineered Hardwood or Solid Hardwood in the images below? Not that easy? Well, image ‘A’ is the Engineered floor.

Image A

Image B

To clarify any misconception, engineered wood floors are actually genuine wood; solid hardwood floors are simply solid planks of genuine wood and engineered hardwood floors are made with a core of hardwood and topped with a layer of hardwood veneer attached to the surface.

While both types of floors are durable surfaces, the engineered woods tend to be slightly more water resistant due to its ability to expand and contract without lasting damage (for the most part). The thick veneer on the surface of the engineered woods offer a reasonable amount of protection making them more stable. However, like solid hardwoods, the floors cannot take standing moisture. The advantage here is, unlike solid wood flooring, you can install engineered wood flooring in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms that encounter spills, steam and heat daily.

Meanwhile, advanced tongue-and-groove engineered systems that are popular today make instillation easy. These floors lock into place instead of being nailed or glued in. These options are usually thinner wood and can be installed over an older floor, concrete, or cork underlay.

Additionally, despite being new to the market, it is believed that the best engineered floors should last the test of time and perform as well as solid plank floors. That said, if you are looking for your floors to last a life time, then buying high quality is the only way to go.

Finally, another factor in the quandary over solid vs. engineered flooring can be cost. Typically, engineered floors are slightly more cost effective running anywhere from $3-$18 per square foot on average.

In the end, your wish list and budget will determine the best solution for your hardwood instillation. The options for engineered wood floors available today are tremendous, from Barn French Oak to Maple, grey wash, distressed, and even hand scraped; the possibilities are endless.

For more information about hardwood floors and the images used in this blog, please leave a comment. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the blog.

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Style, Unique Ideas

Cocktails Anyone: The In-Home Wet Bar

February 24, 2017 Jigsaw Design Leave a comment

Through our design offices at Jigsaw, we deal with interiors for new home construction constantly which makes it easy to spot trends from building materials to architecture design trends. We are finding a growing movement for the in-home wet-bar in new construction and remodels. It’s easy to understand, because people love to entertain. But, not everyone has the space for an entertainer’s bar, walk-in wine cellar or man-cave, so in this post, we’ll explore how to create an attractive wet bar with a smaller space, along with some of our favorite full size in-home bars that are petite yet built for entertaining.

First we’ll explore the small space wet bar. This bar doesn’t require seating to enjoy a cocktail, however, one can still create a defined space that is attractive and inviting. If you have a designated area with a small countertop and bar sink, then you are half way there. Next, adding the backsplash is key. We love the smokey antiqued mirror look at Jigsaw, so the following image is a great way to add a vintage-cool touch to your space. With the open iron shelving to display perfectly arranged barware this in-home bar is one of our faves.

If you want a little more glam, try adding a chandelier and a mirror or metallic backsplash. For something simple and clean, one can never go wrong with crisp white walls and cabinets with open shelving. The white space below gleams with gold glassware and fun accessories, and keeping it simple and uncluttered not only looks great, but is also hassle free.

For you Type A’s that don’t like things showing or think an exposed bar would appear to be clutter, then we have a great solution. A hidden bar can be added to match your built-ins and hidden discreetly behind pocket doors. These doors match your cabinets and slide in toward the wall for an open bar, leaving a seamless look in your space when open or closed. Shown below are two different variations, one on a smaller scale, and one a bit larger with built-in drawers.

Love the bubbles a little too much? Chill all the bubbly you want with a built-in cooler channel right in your island or bar. This couldn’t be more convenient and it’s quite the conversation starter.

While we dedicated this blog mostly to the smaller more discreet bars, we wanted to share a few larger scale in home bars due to their unique details. The first bar in the image below has cozy charm, but what we love are the three built in wine fridges, and the clear liquor cabinets. All the wine is at your fingertips and one is served on a beautiful marble bar with oversized pendants dandling from above. Splendid!

The second full size bar gets honorable mention not only for aesthetics…(Did you see how gorgeous the multi lacquered wood cabinets and bar are?)…But also for the dual microwaves. One may ask, what? Game day is full of dips, queso, meatballs and popcorn…all of which need to be reheated or cooked in the microwave. Therefore, you have your cocktails and warming your hors d’oeuvres right at your fingertips. Simplicity!

For more information on wet-bars or items/images used in this blog, please leave a comment and we’ll reply or get help from a designer at www.jigsawdesigngroup.com

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Unique Ideas

Bathroom Remodel: Adding the Free Standing Tub

February 17, 2017 Jigsaw Design Leave a comment

The most requested remodel projects from our clients are for kitchen and bath. These two rooms make the biggest impact for resale value, and frankly, we spend a lot of time in these two spaces. The kitchen being the hub of the home, and the bath, especially the master ensuite bath is where we both start and finish each and every day. Therefore, creating a blissful retreat to prepare and unwind from our day just makes good sense.

A trend that we’ve previously written about here on our blog is the free standing tub. Since our last post this trend has ramped up significantly. Most new luxury home constructions are installing freestanding tubs in the master suite at a minimum, and almost every remodel we are implementing the clients are ditching the tiled in tubs for a freestanding bathtub update.

The change makes sense. It’s not only nicer to look at, but these tubs are usually easier to work around when bathing kiddos. Believe it or not, they typically take up less space and simply look less clunky.

We love the innovations in design is this market segment. The copper tub for example brings a vintage yet fresh characteristic to the bath.

Another brilliant idea worth considering is placing the freestanding tub in a shower room. In the image below, the larger shower room contains dual showers heads, a gorgeous hammered stainless and copper tub, and a simple teak bench for seating. This keeps the warmth in the room when bathing and minimizes wet bathroom floors.

Just like jacuzzis we are seeing the free standing tubs take on new larger forms. Grand bowl like tubs with more modern lines make for the ultimate relaxing tub…or tub for two if you will. Perfect for larger bathrooms. When remodeling, consider taking out space from a surrounding room for a bathing alcove like the image below. While we love our big walk in closets, our desire for minimizing our excesses is trending…so go ahead and borrow a little space from that super-sized closet just the other side.

Freestanding tubs run the gamut in pricing. There are a variety of style and prices points in the market place ranging from $800-$3,000 on average. For example, the copper tub from Signature Hardware comes in about $2800 as well as the Stone Resin Badeloft tub in white.

For more information about freestanding tubs or bathroom remodels, please leave a comment and a designer will get back to you, or find us on our contact page at www.jigsawdesigngroup.com

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Unique Ideas

Digital Trends: LG’s OLED Wallpaper TV

February 5, 2017 Jigsaw Design Leave a comment

The LG OLED Wallpaper TV is an interior designer’s dream. We are continually looking for clever ways to downplay the television in our client’s homes; now LG has helped us get a little closer to solving the eye sore plaguing living rooms across the country.

Remarkably, the W-Series is almost as thin as a credit card. It is also flexible without distorting the picture, thus leading the way to the next step for Oleg in the portable, rollable screen that you can take with you wherever you go.

Mounting the Wallpaper TV is as simple as 2 key holes at top, and two magnets on the bottom corners. Therefore, it is completely flush to the wall with no gaps. No more clunky TVs. So where are all the guts you ask…well, all of the hardware is built into the Atmos Sound Bar. For power, a tiny ribbon cable connects the two, so there is no need for an outlet nearby either.

The Atmos Soundbar seen above contains the Dolby Vision and Sound, and the W-Series runs on 60 Watts of power. Reportedly, the sound the Atmos puts out is spatially very advanced.

LG is looking at a March launch for the OLED Wallpaper product, so you’ll have to impress your friends with this technological dream at next year’s Super Bowl. Coming in with a sticker approximately $8,000, this might just be money well spent.

For more information about LG Oled products leave us a comment and we will get back to you. Be sure to check us out on Facebook for latest news and offers at https://www.facebook.com/JigsawDesignGroup/

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Color Trends, Unique Ideas, Wall Decor, Wall Paper, Art and Frames

Dreaming of Summer: Banana Leaves and Pink Flamingos

January 31, 2017 Jigsaw Design Leave a comment

After New Year celebrations are over, and the new resolutions begin to fade the bright sun begins to show it’s face. Just as the weather, we all feel the mood for a change. The hope of summer is on the horizon. A quirky trends that we are seeing rear it’s ‘pink head’ are funny flamingos and their complimentary banana trees. Think Miami, Palm Beach, and our muse for this post, the Beverly Hills Hotel.

While the ‘Pink Palace’ has recently undergone renvations, the landmark hotel is staying true to color. For those lovers of the old Hollywood era, or the fast life circa Miami Vice, this trend can actually acclimate into ones style more subtly that one might think.

One way to capture the banana leaf vibe is through wallpaper. This motif brings life to your space with the bright layers of green color, along with a fun retro ferver. Ideal for a lively dining room, powder room, or perfectly invigorating for your home office. A note to remember is big prints in a small space can look great, so don’t be afraid of that tiny space you want to make over.

The above photo with the pink dining chairs is a good transition spot to bring in the birds. Combining pink and green colors in the same palette evoke a preppy yet lighthearted feeling in us. The beloved banana leaf and flamigo pink prove a sunny match like the Beverly Hills Hotel Cabana.

Meanwhile, flamingos are beautiful creatures despite the bad wrap they get from those plastic posers people put in the front yard…but hey, even the coolest hipsters are adding these quirky birds to their landscapes these days. We will bypass discussing them for their fine feathered friends in this post however.

Interestingly, flamingos can be used in murals, found as wallpaper, and even a subtle watercolor painting, a Jigsaw favorite. These birds have a great depth of color ranging from the palest pink to vibrant coral, with the perfect splash of black. These gracefully winged friends are a lovely way to add a touch of pink and nature to your space.

For more information on color and print trends, or images and items used in this post, please leave a comment below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog, and please visit our Facebook page for news and offers at https://www.facebook.com/JigsawDesignGroup/

Furniture, Lamps and Lighting, Style, Unique Ideas

Square Dining Tables

January 19, 2017 Jigsaw Design Leave a comment

In our last post we shared amazing photos and ideas to freshen up your dining room by ditching that rectangular shaped table for an exciting new round or oval shape. Today, we will add to that collection of updated dining room ideas with the perfect square.

The square table we’re talking about is not your grandma’s card table she uses for her bridge parties…oh no, it is typically oversized and can seat between eight to sixteen. The Jigsaw designers love bench style seating because it brings intimacy to the dining room like in the image below.

Take that a step further with cozy built-ins and loads of pillows. How sumptuous this space looks for an evening with friends over a great meal and fine wine.

Meanwhile this industrial square table gets a touch of mid-century with the Eames chairs and glam sputnik-style chandelier. The square table balances the space so beautifully.

Get the above look at Living Spaces with their Tahoe II square table. It’s ultra versatile and rings in for a very reasonable price of $995.

Dress up a simple square table with tufted chairs and benches, or a dramatic chandelier for big impact.

Looking for something simple and modern? Calligaras makes a brilliant mod table in glossy white lacquer. This Italian made beauty comfortably seats up to eight guests for the perfect dinner party.

For more information about dining table trends or items used in this blog please leave us a comment. Have a favorite square table? We’d love to hear about it.

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Furniture, Lamps and Lighting, Unique Ideas

Round and Oval Table Trend: Dining Tables with Curves

January 11, 2017 Jigsaw Design Leave a comment

The dining room gets updated with fresh curvilinear table shapes. While classically rectangular, we are seeing more exciting table options in the round and oval categories.

The common misperception is that the rectangular table can seat more guests. However, think about how many weddings or galas that you’ve attended and what shape most of the tables typically are…round. Formal dining comes in all shapes, but the round table allows as much or more space due to lack of corners, yet more importantly its just a more fluid position for dinner conversation. Additionally, considering we are all constantly dialed into to our devices, dinner conversation is finally our chance to actually engage live. Let’s make the most of it. In the formal dining image below, a party of 12 can dine comfortably together at a large round table. For this post, the Jigsaw Design team will walk you through a variety of round table options and styles that are piquing our interest.

Size does matter. We are loving the oversized round tables like the Concorde table in marble and oak…an added bonus is the spinning tray for self service. Here you see a party of 8 with plenty of room and exploding with style. Highlights being the marble top and elegantly designed legs.

Meanwhile, smaller round options for city dwellers or breakfast rooms seat 4 to 6 perfectly. Even these petit options can set the tone for a swoon worthy space. Add character and style to a classic antique wood table when pairing with oversized art and dramatic chairs. Get quirky with geometric wallpaper as a backdrop to a simple glass table amped up with an abstract brass base like the image below. How cheeky!

The iconic mid-century round table by Saarinen for Knoll at DWR is probably the perfect white modern table. Its simple and pure, plus with the white marble craze we are living in this table is like a chameleon that can fit into most styles of home, beach bungalow, modern, Hampton’s craftsman, you name it. The beauty of this timeless treasure is the availability in so many different sizes, starting at 35” and stretching up to 60”. That coupled with the ability to customize the table top and base colors help you create the perfect look for your space.

Though we could go on and on about our love affair with round tables, we have to mention the oval as well. She’s curvy and oblong adding flair to a space that might just be too tight a squeeze for a perfect circle.

Additionally, we love the curved bench style seating for the oval table like the image below. This creates a cozy and intimate space for lingering over meals with friends. For a sleek and chic oval, the uber-cool Emmemobili UFO lacquered modern round white dining table has the corner on this market.

Deserving honorable mention is the Bonsai table that can be put in a category all its own. We couldn’t resist sharing this avant-garde piece that’s part oval and part geometric. All of your artsy friends will reel it for weeks after your next dinner party.

For more information about fresh dining table ideas or items used in this blog, please leave a comment or reach us on the contact page at www.jigsawdesigngroup.com. Please visit us our Facebook page for other news and offers.

Stay tuned for our next blog on square dining tables…coming soon!

Furniture, Lamps and Lighting, Unique Ideas

Staged to Sell: Tips for Staging Your Home to Sell for Top Dollar

December 30, 2016 Jigsaw Design Leave a comment

Proper staging is essential to generating buyer interest when selling your home. Therefore, Jigsaw reached out to local real estate expert John Corrales to inquire about how the professional staging trend has affected his marketplace. “This period in the real estate luxury space is one of the most interesting markets, because the final sale price of homes has such a wide range. Making the investment in high-end staging is vital, because we are seeing the emotional aspect for buyers translate to $100,000 or more for our sellers in many purchases,” states Corrales, realtor for Forbes Corrales in Manhattan Beach, California. http://www.forbescorrales.com In this blog, the Jigsaw Designers will show you how to increase the selling price of your home through simple staging tips.

Step one is obvious and that is to declutter your space. Let’s be clear, this doesn’t mean just putting the stack of mail out of plain site, this is full court press…organizing under your cabinets, replacing 10 framed photos with a small grouping of images, and please no family photos. This allows the potential buyer the ability to visualize themselves actually living in the space. Meanwhile, hide the toaster, the ironing board, the kids finger paintings, and yes, do this in every room. The key is to let each space express its individual function and be clearly defined.

Another major component to selling a home is storage. Decluttering your closets, especially in the master bedroom and kitchen are of the utmost importance.

Before/After

Next, is maximizing space. One easy way to show off or give the illusion of a larger space is to float furniture away from walls. Grouping furniture into conversation groups and creating an easy flow for traffic shows off how the room can easily function. Some fun grouping ideas could be to create a space for drawing, wine tasting or playing a musical instrument. In the following image a Jigsaw designer simply added a bar cart for a cocktail area to create the illusion of more designated space when staging this small condo.

Meanwhile, lighting is another key component to staging your home to sell. When placed properly, lighting can create a warm and inviting environment for your potential buyers. Make easy updates by hanging pendant lamps or placing appropriate watt lamps on tables or in corners to enhance the mood for your shoppers. Pairing table lamps on both sides of your bed in the master suite brings balance to this {often shared} space.

Threes please…this tried and true design rule of placing accessories in groups of three are pleasing to the eye. Dotting a table with three candelabras or vases make for a clean modern aesthetic, or placing different items in a triangle shape with the larger items in the back will make a balanced ensemble appealing to buyers. Be mindful to vary the height and style of your items to keep the look more personal versus looking like a showroom floor.

Finally, kitchen and bath are always a top priority for buyers. If budget allows, updating the drawer pulls and cabinet doors will increase the appeal of your home. Other simple fixes like painting dated cabinets or tile in crisp white will leave a clean palette for the new buyer to visualize their ideas for the space. Minimize visible tools like espresso machines and mixers in the kitchen, and add special spa-like touches to the bath with candles, cloth hand-towels and updated accessories. And of course, clean out and declutter your bathroom cabinets. Buyers like to see what they are buying so they will inevitably take a sneak pique.

For more questions and tips about staging your home to sell, please leave a comment below or reach a Jigsaw designer on the Jigsaw website. www.jigsawdesigngroup.com. We love hearing from you. Check us out on Facebook, Pinterest and Google+ for more fun ideas! Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe to the blog for weekly blogposts.

Style, Unique Ideas, Wall Decor, Wall Paper, Art and Frames

Sliding Barn Doors with a Fresh Perspective

December 17, 2016 Jigsaw Design Leave a comment

The Westedge Design Fair is one of Southern California’s premier design shows which is held in Santa Monica. Standing out among this winter’s many delightful design ideas were the steadfast sliding barn doors with quintessential exposed hardware.

While this is not a new trend per se, the style has however settled into a category that we’ll keep seeing long-term. And why shouldn’t this unique touch be a perfect option to the traditional door? Complements to it’s space saving benefits and fashionable twist, we believe, these doors will go the distance.

What caught the Jigsaw design team’s eyes were the fresh take on this typically more rustic style. Modern sliders were seen in laquers and glass for the contemporary or transitional home. Even clean lines paired with champagne or rose gold colored hardware were noteworthy combinations for the more contemporary space.

So…you’re sold on the idea, but does it make sense in your space? Well, with the wide range of options, a sliding barn door can be worked into most spaces from a design stand-point. Factor number one however, is there room for it in your space? There must be enough space on both sides of the opening for the doors to slide over. Next, one must consider the type of door being replaced, preferably one that doesn’t need to lock. A few examples would be a closet, kids playroom, home gym or pantry.

Then, get creative with your door selections. The possibilitites are endless, antique doors, reclaimed wood, chevron patterns, white or black lacquer, and even metal. Balancing the look of the room will be important once the doors are selected. If the doors are your focal point, then a neutral color palette will allow for that to remain the focus. Or, the door can be painted the same or similar color to the walls if one prefers the doors to simply blend in, yet add interest to the space.

Whatever the case for your interior sliding barn doors, this style is highly functional and adds a special touch to any home. For more information on how to select a sliding barn door for your home, office or place of business, then please leave a comment or visit the contact page at www.jigsawdesigngroup.com to speak to a designer. Be sure to subscribe to the blog and like us on facebook!

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