All posts by Beth and Carolina

The Only Playlist You Need for a Killer Cocktail Party

4 Ways to Shake Things Up in Your Home Bar

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The Pulp team is always looking for ideas to shake things up when it comes to interior design, and a home bar is a great way to elevate your home’s decor! We’re heading into the season for most parties and events that are held at home, so why not rethink how you entertain? Here are our 4 pro tips for adding luxe style to your next soiree!

1. Craft an Open Bar

Make every event special by creating a bar that is set up like the swankiest hot spot in town. In the Laredo home above, we crafted bar seating, wine storage, and custom cabinetry to create a look that would be the envy of any professional bartender! With the addition of a fridge, sink, and a marble waterfall surface, this space was designed to accommodate every drink order.

2. Bring the Bling

For your home bar design, don’t be afraid to add a lot of personality! After all, every day can be a celebration if the look is elevated and the drinks are perfectly mixed. In the Dallas home above, we created a custom design with hand-applied muscovite on the bar’s back wall. Even when the bar isn’t in use, this dining room has a style all its own!

How to create the ultimate home bar - Interior Design Tips on How to Style Your Bar Cart

3. Pick Your Poison

To set up your perfect home bar, think carefully about what is most important to you. If you love wine, then you definitely should have a fridge that will store your bottles at the perfect temp. If you’re more into cocktails, then plan the right storage for cocktail shakers, glassware, ice, garnishes and everything else you need. The key is to have everything right where you need it when you need it!

4. Make It Mobile

If you don’t have the space for a built-in bar, or if you like to have the flexibility to move things around, a bar car is the perfect choice, as you can see in the Seattle home we designed above. Sometimes we even use these for clients who want to have more bottle storage in the main home bar, or who need two bar stations when they entertain. Either way, a well-stocked cart can still keep things festive for your next event.

We love crafting the perfect home bar. If you’re ready to uplevel your entertaining, give our team a call!

Creating Cozy Spaces

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We’re just a few weeks from the cooler weather and shorter days of fall. That makes everyone think of getting cozy, especially at home. The Pulp team loves to create moods in the interiors we design, so you know we are all about those comforting spaces. Here are our pro tips for setting the mood!

Use Texture

This one is a no-brainer! Those soft fabrics, worn surfaces, and plump cushions all help to set the cozy mood. We created the most welcoming primary bedroom above in our Seattle project with a textured wallcovering, layers and layers of deep comfort on the bed, and the most amazing soft rug. This is now the perfect destination for those crisp fall nights.

Soft Lighting

Layering your lighting is key to creating a cozy space. It’s about those warm pools of light that create a relaxing atmosphere. Lamps are the key to these spaces, not a harsh overhead light. And the warmer the lightbulb, the better, so avoid those bright white LED bulbs. We like to include dimmer switches so the light can be set from bold to sleepy.

Moody Hues

The right color will always set a mood in your home. Whether it’s a soft and calming blue for a bedroom, a bright white for an entry, or a bold raspberry on a dining room ceiling, each color prompts a visceral reaction. It’s the same for cozy spaces. In those rooms, Pulp looks to a palette of deep browns, darker blues and greens, and even black. In a color like that, the room seems to wrap around you and creates a sanctuary! This works particularly well in larger spaces that need to feel more welcoming.

Those Little Extras

It’s the accessories that really offer a cozy feeling in a room. That includes piles of pillows, extra soft blankets and throws, candles with the best scents, as well as stacks of books to get lost in. Those layers and additions are the real stars of any cozy space!

Are your rooms welcoming your family and friends? Or do they need a major redo? Contact our team to help you craft a cozy style for your home!

6 Ways to Showcase Your Personality in Your Home

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We love homes that offer a sense of adventure, that tell the story of the people who live there, and that showcase what they love. At Pulp, we deliver interiors that not only function perfectly but also offer insight into our clients’ memories, hobbies, and personalities. We want our clients to have homes that are anything but boring, so here are our 6 go-to ideas for showing personality at home!

A Collection of Art

We love Pulp clients who have their own fabulous art collections, but we also enjoy curating art for the interiors we design. The key to having a successful art collection is to select the things that you love, that really speak to you. Original art grabs attention in a room, whether that’s a painting, a series of sketches, or sculpture. It should showcase what you find fabulous, not what you THINK you should collect.

Unique Accessories

Items selected on travels, one-of-a-kind artisanal finds, and vintage accessories are so important for home decor. Not only do they fill in the empty spaces of shelves and tabletops – giving them a polished style – but if they’re selected the right way they will tell a story about the people in the home! The key is to always select things that really do offer insight into what you love, not just mass-produced filler that anyone could buy.

“Story” Books

Pulp loves decorating with books but, just like accessories, the books should tell a story! There are coffee table books for every subject, from art to history to travel, all of which will tell the story of what you’re most interested in. If you’re a collector, you definitely want to showcase your first editions. And if you’re a bookworm, be sure to highlight your favorite authors with a place of pride on your shelves.

Fearless Color

Pulp loves to work with clients who are unafraid to push the boundaries of design. A bold color palette is not only a fearless choice but it also makes your rooms stand out. Deep black can make a room cozy or dramatic. A raspberry hue on the ceiling adds a rosy glow to a dining room. And an olive green can bring focus to a home office. So go bold!

Take an Interest

What do you love to do with your time? There are always chic and stylish ways to highlight that in your room’s decor, too. If you love music, highlight the instruments. If you’re into surfing, an artistic board makes an amazing piece of wall art. Pulp has featured everything from baseball stadiums to wine rooms to game boards in their clients’ homes!

Go Custom

One of the best ways to avoid a cookie-cutter home is to have custom-designed furniture and features. That’s Pulp’s specialty! We’ve created custom tables, beds, sofas, and more, and have crafted jaw-dropping ideas like the hand-applied muscovite wall in the dining room above. There’s no better way to show your fabulous style than with custom design.

Want a look that’s created by Pulp, but is all YOU? Contact our team today!

Put It In Neutral

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Pulp is known for pushing the boundaries of design and creating daring new looks. We love to try new things and go bold for our clients’ homes. But that doesn’t always mean big splashes of bright color! Neutral interiors can be just as stunning and dramatic, especially if you remember our four rules…

1. Watch Your Tone

There are hundreds and hundreds of white paints. And dozens of taupes or beiges. Using layers of neutrals can really give you a gorgeous room palette. The key is to watch the undertones. Every white, for example, has a tone of yellow, grey, blue, or even green. Selecting the right tones and layers will craft a beautiful and complex design.

2. Play with Pattern

There is no way that you would say the bedroom above (full of fabulous Pulp fabrics) is boring, right?! That’s because the overall neutral design is filled with a mix of patterns, from a big and bold design on the walls to the subtle woven pattern in the rug. That gives the room and modern and fearless style!

3. Take on Texture

All of the senses should be addressed in your interiors, and that’s even more important in a neutral room. In the living room above, Pulp used leather fringe, soft velvets, wood grains, and woven textures to add visual interest and to create a feast for the senses!

4. Go Natural

Nature is full of stunning beauty, so bring that indoors! Those natural woods, stone, and colors are perfect for crafting neutral interiors that are bold and beautiful!

Use these ideas to craft interiors that are serene and stunning. If you want expert guidance to create your dream home, reach out to our team!

5 Ideas That Will Elevate a Bathroom’s Design

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The Pulp team is known for having a unique viewpoint that combines luxury design and a flair for the unexpected. When we design a space, we think way out of the box to give our clients personal spaces that are stunning and different. Every room deserves that, even the ultra-utilitarian bathroom. Rather than just thinking of the usual plumbing and tile, there are ways to really elevate a bathroom’s design into a functional and fabulous space. Here are 5 of our top pro tips!

1. Custom Design

The best way to get a bathroom that functions exactly the way you want it to, and is a design that you won’t see anywhere else, is through custom details, like you see in the Dallas bathroom above. That can be tile that you can’t find anywhere else. A stunning bespoke tub. Custom doors that open to a garden or bedroom. Or spa details like extra shower heads or sound therapy. The idea is that you have a beautiful bathroom that also functions exactly the way it should for you.

2. Add a Makeup Vanity

Every time we’ve added a special vanity area to a client’s bathroom, they have been thrilled with how much they use the space. It’s the perfect place to store makeup and toiletries, and it allows you to get ready in the morning in comfort. It’s such a luxe touch, and adds a bit of glam to any bathroom, as you can see in our Kips Bay project above.

3. Make It Steamy

There are so many bells and whistles that you can get in a shower or bathtub today! One of our favorites is a steam shower. It has so many health benefits, and it transforms your bathroom into a spa-like experience. You can also find aromatherapy showers, sound wave therapy for your tub, and built-in music systems. Ask your designer for all the latest tech innovations to help make your bathroom the perfect oasis, like the one we designed in Snoqualmie, Wash., above.

4. Rock the Walls

We always want to add that element of surprise and delight in a bathroom, and one great way to do that is with a fabulous wallpaper. Select a pattern that really packs a punch, like the bold design we chose above for a Seattle home. Paired with black and white, it makes a dramatic impact on anyone who enters.

5. Remember Luxe Details

In a bathroom, the beauty really is in the details, especially if they are functional! The Pulp team always thinks about extras that will make our clients happy, like a towel warmer, heated stone floors, statement lighting and more. Think about the details that will give you an even better experience in this space!

Do the bathrooms in your home just function, or are they fabulous? Give us a call to help elevate the spaces you live in!

5 Ways that Pulp Can Make the Most of Your Project

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For some people, even at the highest income levels, there can be a question of whether or not they really need to hire an interior designer for their project. Usually it’s because they really don’t understand how much is involved in creating a new home or renovating a major space. It’s a LOT more than selecting paint colors and furniture. At Pulp, we are experts at not only delivering beautiful homes for our clients, but also making the most of every aspect of their project. Here’s how!

1. Select the Best Property

One thing that we encourage clients to do is to bring the Pulp team in at the very beginning of their project – when they’re actually looking for their dream home or a property. Because we have the expertise to understand what will give our clients the best value for their money, we can give them invaluable advice on budget, construction, renovation, and more. For a longtime client, we worked together to find the stunning home above. It was the right location and it really had the perfect “bones” for what she wanted.

2. Deliver Beautiful Functionality

One thing interior designers know more than any other professional is how a space is used. The Pulp team spends a lot of time talking to our clients about how they live, what they love to do, and where they’ve had frustrations about their living spaces. Spending all that time getting to know our clients allows us to develop beautiful spaces that also function perfectly for everyone in the family. That can include play spaces, kitchens with a lot of storage, layouts that make more sense, and unique rooms that have every luxe bell and whistle in the right place.

3. Design Creative Solutions

There is no challenge that the Pulp team can’t handle in a home project. And we’ve had plenty of them thrown our way! We’re known for designing spaces that take advantage of every single square inch in a house, like the hidden wine room we created beneath a staircase in Seattle. We also can rework an awkward layout or brainstorm solutions to tricky construction issues. We stay on top of every project to ensure that our clients will have the perfect dream home when we leave.

4. Make the Most of Your Investment

Bringing Pulp onto a project saves time and money for our clients. We know where to invest their money to add value to their home and to make the most of their project budget. We also handle every detail so our clients can live and work without worrying about the project. That includes dealing with the contractor or architect, bringing in our fabulous subcontractors, taking delivery of furniture and accessories, and making job site visits to be sure everything is being done to your specifications.

5. Tell Your Story

Your home should be uniquely yours! Every room should tell your story and show your personality in the most beautiful way possible. We guide our clients to decisions that will not only give them a home that showcases exactly who they are, but also does that in a fearless and creative way.

Ready to work with us? Give our team a call!

The Best Resolution Rooms, Part 2

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Last week we talked about “resolution rooms,” spaces that will help you stick to your goals. Pulp loves to create these rooms for our clients, to support their lifestyles and welcome them home with fun and stress-free living. We’ve covered home offices and wellness spaces, and this week we’ll talk about game rooms, home bars, and ideas to keep you organized. Let’s take a look!

HOME BARS

Spending more time with family and friends should be on our goal lists every year, and what better way to entertain than with a home bar?! Whether our clients are shaking up signature cocktails or fun-for-the-family mocktails, Pulp offers everything they need at home. In these home bars we’ve designed across the country, we included wine storage, drink fridges, sinks, microwave drawers for snacks, and storage for all the glasses and accessories.

In one Seattle home, we made the home bar an indoor/outdoor space with a roll-up window.

A previously unused space in a chic modern Pulp home above was transformed into the perfect space for crafting cocktails.

Custom cabinetry, a waterfall bar, and super-comfy barstools make the Dallas home bar we designed a sophisticated destination for guests.

A bar sink, wine fridge, and custom storage for drink bottles gave this bar area in Dallas a functional style. And the open plan keeps it all in the family (room!).

GAME ROOMS

Pulp creates unique game and play spaces that little kids love, that even teens will think are cool, and that support game nights for the adults in the home. We’re even in the process of designing a golf simulation room that we’ll unveil in the coming months, so stay tuned!

This large bonus space definitely gets points for style with the bold stripes going straight up the wall. It’s a fun and chic space for the teens in the home!

This Pulp-designed room has something for everyone, whether they like board games, video games, or watching the “big game” on TV each weekend!

One client’s love for table tennis gave us the inspiration to find a stylish table that would be the perfect place for fun.

Organized spaces

When it comes to resolutions (and home design), it isn’t all fun and games. There’s nothing better than having a place for everything, and everything in its place. We spend a lot of time with our clients talking about how they use their homes and what they need to organize and put away. We want to give them the perfect storage for every single item, whether that’s in a pantry, a closet, or even in a home organizing station that keeps appointments and mail where it needs to be.

In a colorful Seattle home, we wanted to add a bit of whimsy to the pantry. A bold orange offers the perfect backdrop to the super-organized shelves.

Staying organized is proven to reduce stress! We know our Seattle clients are keeping cool and put together with the calendar and organizing station we provided in this pantry.

Custom closet design is a Pulp specialty! We want there to a be a specific space for whatever our clients need, from hats to boots to bags.

Now it’s time for you to set another resolution! Get in touch with our team to craft spaces that support your goals!

The Best Resolution Rooms, Part 1

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Now that we’re halfway through the year, how are you doing with your resolutions?? It can be hard to keep those goals in mind, but your home can definitely help. Pulp believes that a home should always support the way you want to live, so we’ve become experts at creating spaces that will help you stick to your goals. In this first installment, we’ll show you wellness spaces and home offices we’ve designed that can definitely make a difference!

HOME OFFICES

If one of your goals has been to write a novel, start a new business, or just work from home more often, having a dedicated space for that all-important goal is key! Pulp has created home offices with plenty of space, desks that tuck into kitchens or bedrooms, and homework spaces for the kids in the home.

In the home above, we added a credenza to help hide electronics, papers, and cords. It keeps things chic and clean.

Tucked into a nook right off the kitchen, this office space allows our client to get work done while keeping an eye on her family.

Adding an office to the guest house in this Seattle home allows our client to have a quiet and productive space that’s away from the busier living spaces.

WELLNESS ROOMS

Personal wellness and self care are always on-trend, so rooms that can support those goals are definitely on the top of our clients’ lists for their homes. That can include home gyms, yoga rooms, spa bathrooms, steam shower rooms, saunas, and even indoor pools.

A sauna in this Seattle home gives our clients a place for stress relief and muscle recovery.

Pulp used a natural and organic design to craft a serene spa-like space in this Dallas primary suite.

It’s so much easier to stick to your exercise goals when the gym is right in your home. Pulp loves to design workout rooms that give our clients’ spaces to support their favorite way to stay in shape.

Bathrooms shouldn’t just be beautiful – they should also support the health of our clients. So we use steam showers, sound baths, heated floors and more to create that spa setting.

Do you need spaces to better support your resolutions? Get in touch with our team!

6 Tips for Kitchen Makeovers

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Nothing makes a home feel brand new more than a fabulous kitchen redesign. It’s the heart of the home and where everyone wants to gather. At the top of most renovation lists, this room needs both a stunning look and amazing functionality. Here are Pulp’s top tips for creating the perfect kitchen.

1. Type Cast

We always start a kitchen renovation by asking our clients what type of cook they are. If they love to bake, then we’re going to deliver specialty storage, cabinets made for their baking pans, and a fabulous range. If they like to order in more often, then their kitchen design might focus more on microwave drawers and easy-access refrigerators. And serious entertainers will want wine storage and double dishwashers. Knowing how you plan to use this room should always be the focus for how it is designed!

2. Island Time

No matter how you use the kitchen, Pulp believes an island or peninsula is a must-have! It creates seating for guests when you’re preparing a meal, a space for homework and crafts, or a second dining area for your family. This one detail creates that hub that’s so important for this “heart of the home.”

3. Light Up

The Pulp team always reviews a lighting plan for every kitchen we design. There should be a layered design here, with bright overhead lights, task lighting, a fixture over the sink or stove, and maybe even under-cabinet lighting. That plan can literally determine whether or not you love your finished kitchen!

4. Be Bold

Take a risk in your kitchen design! It shouldn’t all be about functionality – you’re going to spend a LOT of time in this space, so be sure that it is fashionable, too. There are no rules for which colors should be included in kitchen designs, so think out of the box!

5. Store More

No one has ever regretted including a lot of storage in their new kitchen! Plan the cabinetry wisely and use every available square inch. You can store flat pans at floor level in the “toe kick” molding. You can include specialty storage for spices, utensils, baking necessities, and more. And you should definitely think about where and how you want to store small appliances.

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6. Invest Wisely

When it comes to where to invest in a kitchen, the sky really is the limit! If you want to target your investment, this is the time to think about how you will use the kitchen. Our clients who cook will always go for the top-of-the-line range, for example. So what is most important to you?

If you’re ready for your dream kitchen, give our team a call!

Pro Tips for Improving Curb Appeal

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Some homes just make you stop in your tracks. But what separates a ho-hum house from one with major curb appeal? Pulp loves to work with contractors and architects to create stunning homes and to update those that need a little more chic style! Here are some of our pro tips for upgrading a home’s curb appeal.

To modernize and update the exterior of this Laredo home, Pulp created an entire front wall, brought in oversized planters, and crafted custom doors to create a grand private entry. The idea was to create privacy, but still have a gorgeous welcoming exterior. Now THAT is curb appeal!

For an updated Tudor home in Seattle, a little paint goes a LONG way to creating a fresh take. The dark windows and eaves are complemented by an apple green front door.

We love working with top-notch landscape architects on our projects. It’s always key for Pulp to include gorgeous outdoor sculptures and planters for visual interest, like in the gardens of this Seattle modern treehouse.

For a modern Dallas farmhouse, we created a more functional and entertaining front yard by creating a custom swing and a firepit. Who wouldn’t want to be invited to a fun event here?

For a Seattle lakeside home, the architects created a beautiful modern style that pulled the outdoors inside. Pulp defined the spaces with furnishings that balanced that look without getting in the way of the gorgeous view!

If you want to upgrade your home’s curb appeal, give our team a call!