As you prepare for a redesign of your home, the color and style isn't the only thing you have to think about. One of the most important steps is going to be clearing any clutter so you can start with a clean slate. Every room will require a different level of decluttering, but it's important to take a few steps to make sure it's done right. Here are a few tips to help you stay organized and get rid of the clutter before bringing in your new decor.

Think About Your Space

A redesign can provide a great opportunity for really looking at your space and deciding if it's working the way you want. If you are redecorating an office, does it function properly, or are other rooms bleeding over into it? The same can be said of your bedroom, kitchen, living room and more.

Once you decide what you need this space to do, you can evaluate whether the items in the room are fulfilling their purpose. Exercise equipment in your bedroom or lounge chairs in your kitchen are probably not making the space all that it can be. The same can be said of office supplies in your media room - if you find that things don't belong in a room, start by moving them where they belong.

Evaluate Your Belongings

Now it's time to evaluate what you have in the room. If you find that you have a lot of clutter, now is a great time to go through it. Stacks of papers, piles of books, too many office supplies, overabundance of pillows - all of these are items that you may not need because they aren't adding to your space. There are many methods for decluttering. Some say only to keep what brings you joy, while others have you pull EVERYTHING out of the space, and only put back what you want to keep. Find a strategy that works for you, and stick with it!

Decide How You'll Get Rid of Clutter

Sometimes, you'll find that items need to be thrown away or recycled. Those items that are broken, papers with sensitive information, or things that have been used up (like old pens that don't work). Other times, you'll find that the items are in great condition, you just don't use them. These items could be clothes you don't wear, organizational supplies that don't work the way you expected, and decorations that aren't your style anymore. Those items could be donated to a thrift store or shelter, or sold in a garage sale or online marketplace. Figure out the best way to get rid of the items, and put a date on the calendar to get rid of them.

Redecorate!

This is not only where we come in, but also the FUN part! Redecorating a Lake of the Ozarks home is a fun excuse for decluttering, and a great way to add new life to a space. If you aren't sure where to start, our interior decorators at the Lake of the Ozarks would be glad to help. We can help you find the right colors and pieces of furniture to make the most of your space. Even if you already know what you want to do in your room, a walk through our furniture showroom at the Lake of the Ozarks can be a great way to get some inspiration as well! Stop by and see us sometime, our team would be honored to help you make your house a home.

Your coffee table can either be a place to showcase your sophisticated style or it can be a place to gather all of the papers and items from the day. At John Elliott Interiors, we know the value of an attractive coffee table display, so we have a few tips to help you when creating a designer look for your home.

Use the Grid System

Especially when you have a long coffee table it can be hard to decide what to put on it and where. If you divide your table into grids and place something in each grid it can help create a balanced design. A stack of attractive books, a candle and knick knack, and a tray with a plant can all make an organized arrangement that is also stylish and uncluttered when each is in its own grid.

Bring It To Life

Even if you don't have a green thumb, adding a plant that's easy to care for can be an attractive way to spruce up your coffee table. Simple plants that don't need a lot of care are going to be your best bet. Ferns, aloe vera plants, and the like are simple plants, but extremely attractive and can add some fresh life to your coffee table.

High and Low

The goal of your coffee table accents is to incorporate high and low focal points. If everything on your table is the same height, it can be hard for the eye to pick out just one thing to admire, and it all blends in together. Choose a tall lamp or vase with flowers, a shorter statue or candlestick, and a short trinket or small stack of books. This can help keep things diverse, while also allowing the eye to admire everything together and separately.

Look From Every Angle

It's important to create the right aesthetic, and that can only be accomplished when you view the coffee table from every angle. Consider how your decor looks from every angle and multiple vantage points. Think of picture frames, for instance, they are only attractive from one side, so save those for the walls or shelves where the back isn't visible.

Swap Out For the Season

The most interesting and fun part of the decor for your coffee table is that you can change it out every season. In the spring you can accent with tulips and soft figures, in the summer you can add a large shell to a stack of books to capture the fun lake lifestyle. In the fall you can incorporate rustic colors and pumpkins, while in the winter you can accessorize with metallic shades, holiday textures.

Interior Design at the Lake of the Ozarks

If the idea of accessorizing your coffee table is intimidating and you don't know where to start, count on your design team at John Eliott Interiors. We believe that your home should reflect not only your personal style but the luxurious lifestyle that you love. Come visit our interior design store at the Lake of the Ozarks to see the types of accessories we have for your home, and come away with a fresh inspiration - and a few fun pieces to use in your home!

Almost everyone has a favorite color. Have you ever wondered what your favorite color says about you? Most of us have preferences and are naturally drawn to certain colors, and interior design is no exception. John Elliott Interiors uses color to help express our client's interior design desires. We want to share some insight into the meaning of color and how to use them in your house - from adding energy to creating calmness, learn about the basics of color.

Blue: One of the most popular colors in the world, blue can be used to create an atmosphere of efficiency and relaxation. The color blue has been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate. It can be used in light shades to make a room appear larger, or cool a space with too much sun and heat. 

Orange: Expand your thinking with orange. This vibrant hue may reduce self-consciousness and inspire confidence. Use it in your home to create a feeling of youth and celebration. Orange accents make a excellent addition to children's rooms and fun spaces.

Green: The psychological effects of green are similar to those of blue. Green is perceived as calm and soothing. You can use green to create a relaxing atmosphere in your home. Green is the color of fresh starts and growth and is the primary color of nature. In an interior, green can be combined with several different colors. Use silk trees to incorporate green and mimic nature.

Red: Bright red is a stimulant that promotes courage and fearlessness. Like orange, use this color when you want to increase self-confidence. Use red with caution, as too much may make you feel over excited or agitated. Red is also known to increase your appetite, making it a popular color to be used in the kitchen. 

Yellow: This cherry color can give a bright and optimistic feeling to your home. Yellow can also be used in spaces where you want to increase your focus. It can help stimulate conversation and clarify thoughts. 

Purple: The effects of purple depend on the richness of the color. Light purple can enhance spirituality and encourage compassion, while dark purple can create a luxurious and expensive looking environment. From serene and calmness to demanding attention, purple has a long-standing reputation of royalty and power. 

Grey: A trending interior color, grey can give a formality that is subtly elegant. Gray color effect can depend on the shade you prefer and comes with multiple undertones. A beautiful shade of grey on the walls can create a clean and refreshing appearance in your interior spaces. 

White: The use of white in creating clean fresh looks in a home has long been popular. White can be used to create an airy atmosphere and can give the impression that rooms are larger or taller than they are. White can work well as a backdrop to emphasize other colors or blended in a neutral interior.

Choosing colors for decorating should be done with much consideration. Avoid color catastrophes by hiring a professional to help you combine colors that look great in your home style. At John Elliott Interiors, our designer are standing by to create a home or business interior that reflects your taste and is stylish and unexpected!

A new year has arrived, which means now is the time to conquer the home design projects on your to-do list. If your home is a hot spot for entertaining, consider upgrading the guest rooms with a trendy makeover for 2017. Hosting guests in your home this winter should be fun and stress-free, and John Elliott Interiors is here to help you create a warm and inviting spare bedroom your guests will love. Here are some cold-weather inspired design trends that will turn any lackluster bedroom into a cozy space for winter.

Chilly-Weather Inspiration

To put your spare bedroom to good use for winter guests, just look outside - winter itself can be a great inspiration. From the icy blue and white of the sky to the branches and bark of the visible trees, consider wrapping your room in touches of winter. Add blue bed coverings and window treatments and incorporate a vase of branches or twigs on the bedside tables. Metallics and nature-inspired details work well in accents like throw pillows and candles.

Rustic Hospitality

We're seeing rustic accents used to add winter warmth to interiors, bring the trend into your guest bedroom by adding country style accessories to your room. Bring in an iron bed and cover it in warm flannel. Add trendy menswear fabrics in the way of pillows and throws - a playful mix of antique patterns and textures throughout the room will envelope your guests in warmth.

Luxurious Layers

When the winter chill sets in, we layer sweaters with jackets and jackets with scarves. Similarly, layering textiles on your bed and furniture will cozy up any winter-inspired bedroom during the colder months. Ensure your guests stay extra-warm by layering blankets at the foot of the bed. Think, cable-knit blankets and soft cashmere throws.

Silver for the Season

For a glamorous touch, bring on the silver. From chrome hardware on your furniture to elegantly displayed mirrors, silver brilliantly reflects the winter light coming in through the windows and adds sparkle and style to your sophisticated guest room.

Winter Wonderland with Artwork

Add causal elegance to your guest room with a collection of framed artwork reflective of the season. Photographs, prints or paintings of winter landscapes will create a focal point that is to the point...and that is creating a winter wonderland your guests will enjoy.

To put a fresh, cold-weather spin on your guest bedroom, use winter as your inspiration. Whether you want to add a few accessories or do a floor-to-ceiling makeover with touches of winter, John Elliott Interiors will be your guide. Our Lake of the Ozarks interior designers are full of ideas to turn your guest room (or master suite) into a warm and trendy haven.

Do you need help defining your design style? It may be easier to identify the look you're after than you think. Let John Elliott Interiors assist you by making a few suggestions that may be key in creating a room that reflects your design style. Follow these steps and you'll be able to articulate your exact design expectations the next time you visit John Elliott Interiors design team!

Does the thought of decorating your lake home overwhelm you? If the answer is yes, don't worry, you're not alone! Many find decorating a home daunting but with the professional help John Elliott Interiors offers, we're able to assist you with difficult design decisions and make the process fun and exciting. Whether you're starting out or starting over, these steps can help you navigate the often difficult process of decorating a home at the Lake of the Ozarks. Let us begin by highlighting a few things to think about before you get started, once you've crossed these off your list - you'll be ready to invest in the right furniture pieces from John Elliott Interiors.