How to Make Your Home Office Work for You

Working from home has become more than just a trend, it's the future and will continue to grow in popularity. Whether you're building your business, looking for a quiet space to be creative or working your 9-5, it's important to set-up your office in a way that will work for you! Below are three tips to help get you started!

Find Your Power Position
Position your desk to face either the entrance of the room or where guests would typically sit. This is a good arrangement for anyone who needs privacy or wants to convey the same feeling of when meeting with clients. This placement also allows you to be completely aware when someone enters the room so you can avoid "cubical paranoia." 

Embrace Multitasking
As mentioned earlier, your home office can be used for more than just answering work emails and completing work projects. Set the space up so you can use it for various things that interest you or make your day-to-day tasks easier.

Go for Quiet
Sometimes your work might be silent or more contemplative. Whether you're writing an email or reading one, learning a new subject or preparing for a meeting, it's important to choose a space in your home that allows you to concentrate when needed. A quiet simple spot can be incredibly beneficial to productivity. 

At Design & Manage, we can take any room and turn it into a space to organize paperwork, keep track of schedules, plan events, allow your creative juices to flow, increase work productivity or anything else you can imagine! Contact us today and let's start creating! 

Income Property Design Tips

Want to know how to turn your rental property into an income property? We have design tips to help you receive top dollar from your short or long-term tenants. At Design and Manage, we can manage your property, design it and handle all guest relations - all you have to do is sit back and watch the money roll in! Let's take a look at how one of the largest demographics will effect your design choices.

Millennials make up a large percentage of dwellers, so it is important to understand their rental needs. In doing so, you'll make sure your space is appealing to this group that has firmly cemented themselves into the housing market.  

Did you know that about 76% of Millennials own a cat or dog? So making sure to offer a pet-friendly rental option is very important. What's even more critical is that your space is designed in a pet-proof way. A few options for this would be to use tile or commercial vinyl as opposed to carpet throughout the space; use a velvet kitchen and bath paint (cleans easier) with either a tile base or wall base in lieu of baseboards; add extra HVAC filters on all ventilation ducts. Lastly, add a weight limit for pets.

Millennials also like to cook more and dine out less than the previous generation. Thus, having a modern, updated kitchen can be huge for the 61% of this market that enjoys a home cooked meal! Updated faucets, sufficient lighting, preparation space and an island can go a long way in making your rental more enticing. 

Lastly, Millennials and most of your potential guests/renters will rate your property higher on their list, if you can offer outdoor space. Providing communal outdoor socialization spaces can really help your rental business boom! Not possible in the current space you own? Don't fret! Bring the outdoors, in with adding tons of greenery (e.g., flowers, plants, etc.), let natural light invade your home, and use natural floors and materials. This provides the illusion of a combined indoor/outdoor space. 

We take the guesswork out of interior design and property management. We are a one-stop shop to start and elevate your income property so contact us today!  

Mid-Century Motivation

Mid-Century Modern is a design style that describes mid-20th-century developments from around 1933 to 1965. Like most trends, they come and go, however, this minimalist movement has gone through so many streaks of popularity that it's become a design staple.

People are opting for open-floor plans, less furnishings and more room to breath in their homes. Mid-century-modern-inspired pieces are so versatile that you can pepper them into a room without having to rethink the whole design. So let's see how we can incorporate this into your home!

This beautiful space has all the necessary pieces for a Mid-Century Modern design. A low profile sofa with colorful accents, wooden legs, bold silhouettes, oversized shapes, finished metal, geometric area rug, wooden coffee table with splayed legs, a molded rocker and of course that gorgeous Mid-Century case system or shelving wall unit. Not interested in turning your whole room into this design? Then check out the last two suggestions. 

As noted earlier, the great thing about this design style is that you can drop in pieces here and there since this look doesn't need to be implemented wall to wall. It will look just as great mixed and matched with other styles that interest you. This beautiful chair is low profile with a tufted back and splayed wooden legs. Of course, the addition of colorful accent pillows adds more interest. Still not ready to make the commitment with a large piece of furniture? No problem, the planters below are small and stylish enough to get you started with a Mid-Century Modern design! 

Place these planters with a colored ceramic, splayed wooden legs and personality into any room to switch up the overall look and feel of the space. Although small, they come packed with a huge design punch and are very attention-worthy! If you're reluctant, these are great because they're not as heavy on the retro nostalgia side of the Mid-Century design style. 

With so many options, it can be very difficult to figure out which design, furniture or accents work best in your space. We're here to make your home feel like you! Contact us today! 

Pop Art & Interior Design

When we say, "eccentric and vibrant works of art," possibly many artists come to mind, but none more prolific than Andy Warhol. His iconic works of art connect celebrity culture and artistic expression and we are completely obsessed!

He led the 1960s Pop Art movement and was known for paintings that focused on mass-produced commercial goods (e.g., Campbell's Soup cans). The Pop Art movement aimed to blur the lines between "high" and "low", thus showing that there is no hierarchy of culture. Pop artists believed everything is interconnected, and therefore sought to make those connections literal in their artwork. This style makes for unusual and colorful interior design! Let's take a look at how you can incorporate this bold, daring, and provocative design style into your home.

This design is perfect for all you free-spirited, bold souls who are not afraid to experiment! By blending color with geometric shapes, you present a layout that is varying, yet cohesive, allowing for your own design expression to shine through. 

The abundance of glossy surfaces is normal for Pop Art style in your home. The more reflection that creates three-dimensional images the better. That is what you're looking to achieve when you incorporate furniture such as a mirrored coffee table. 

Sculptures can add an element of surprise and charm to any room. Crazy color combinations and objects are key when you're trying to lock down this style in your home. 

Those are just some ideas that are influenced by the amazing pioneer of Pop Art, Andy Warhol. If you're looking for ways to incorporate this design into your home, contact us! 

Lastly, we wanted to share one of our favorites, which is this amazing Elizabeth Taylor! Let us know in the comments which Warhol pieces speak to you! 

Top 10 Interior Design Trends

Feeling overwhelmed with all the rooms in your home or are you just looking for some inspiration to make your apartment more reflective of your personal style? Then check out this amazing video, courtesy of Washweshny, showcasing the top 10 interior design trends and space saving ideas that will make every guest speechless.

It's always a great idea to take design inspiration to a professional so that you both have an understanding of what you're looking to accomplish with your space. Ready to take your abode to the next level? Then reach out to us today!