Every profession has its own terms that are used often, but unless it involves a hobby that you enjoy or something you deal with on a daily basis, many of those terms can sound like a foreign language to you. For example, our team of talented interior designers at the Lake of the Ozarks may use words that are unfamiliar to you when discussing your new look for a particular room.

Today John Elliott Interiors has definitions for 10 common design terms that you may run into. Some are easy to figure out and mean what you would expect, while others might need a bit of explanation as to how they relate to interior design.   


Contemporary
Rather than being one specific style of interior design, the word contemporary is attached to a style of the present time period. As time goes by, the style associated with this title will change.

Contrast
Contrast happens when unlike things of opposite natures are put together. In interior design, this can be done by using opposite textures like glass and wood, light and dark colors, and solids with patterns for a few examples.

Curated
When an interior designer uses their talent and expertise to create a collection of furnishings for a client, that collection is said to be curated. The pieces have been carefully put together to reflect a particular style or meaning as requested and sometimes has historical tie-ins.

Edited
This is a minimalized approach to the furnishings in a room. Everything is well thought out, organized, and has a distinct purpose, but done in a way that does not feel empty or cold.

Focal Point
This is an item in a room that immediately draws your eye, catches your attention, and generates interest. It can be a special piece of furniture, a fantastic piece of art, or an element of the room such as a fireplace or a large picture window. Generally, the rest of the design will be planned around the focal point.

Layered
This pertains to the many different layers in a room to be designed. From the flooring to the window treatments and art on the walls to the furniture itself and all of the accessories, each of these layers must work together to create a cohesive design.

Rhythm
This is the description used to explain the flow that the room design generates. The way that everything works together to urge your eyes to move around the room in a specific way, touching on one design element after another.

Tailored
This is an element that has been customized especially for a particular space. It could also be used to describe a room that has been customized to match specific wants and needs. 

Textured
This word is often used to describe the different fabrics, colors, and patterns used to decorate a room. All of those things give the space a tactile and visual appeal, giving it the look of being textured.

Well-Appointed
A room with this description is one that is designed with high-end furnishings and outstanding execution of interior design principles. This perfectly describes every room curated by the experts at John Elliott Interiors! We take your dreams and wishes for a particular room and turn it into a reality with our exquisite furniture, unique home accents, and beautiful wall art.


Now when you hear or read these terms while preparing to design a room in your home or office, they will make a lot more sense. If you ever have any questions at all when it comes to interior design, everyone at our luxury home furnishings store at the Lake of the Ozarks is happy to answer them and give you an explanation that is easy to understand.

Remodeling a room, or multiple rooms, in your home is not only a wonderful way to bring new life to it, but the changes can add value to the overall worth of the house too. A home renovation is dirty and noisy, and if you will be living there during the remodel, it will definitely disrupt the regular flow of your day to day life.

The thought of the finished product combined with some wonderful pieces from our luxury furniture store at the Lake of the Ozarks may help you get through the process, but some careful planning ahead of time is the best way to truly get through it. John Elliott Interiors has a few tips for you today that should help you do that. 


Plan Before You Demo
Make as many arrangements for your remodel as possible before any work begins. Set appointments, work out a schedule with the contractor, and make sure the necessary items are ordered and on their way. If you wait until everything is "in the works" to make your calls, you may end up adding additional waiting time before everything can be finished.

Plan For Everday Life
If you will be living in the home while the renovation is happening, it is best to tackle just one project at a time. That way you still have the rest of the house to live in and try to do things as close to your normal schedule as possible. Depending on which room is being remodeled, you will need to make plans to move tasks you regularly do in that room to another one.

For example, during a kitchen remodel, you will want to move things you will need to use to a new makeshift "kitchen" area. A place where you can set up the microwave, toaster, a mini-fridge, etc... If it is a bathroom remodel, you will need to have access to another usable bathroom, and if there are a lot of people in the house, you may need to come up with a schedule for use. If the water will be turned off at any point, have lots of bottled water on hand.   

Plan to Keep Things Clean
There will be lots of debris as things get torn apart and removed, and even more construction dust settling over everything in its path. Speak with your contractor about making sure that all trash that can be removed is taken care of daily, and hang tarps in the doorways leading into the room being renovated to try to contain as much of the dust as possible.

Make sure that electronic equipment, furniture not in use, and other valuables are covered or even packed away if they will not be needed until everything is finished. Every evening you may want to give everything a quick sweep and wipe-down to better keep the mess under control. 

Plan for the Unexpected
No matter how many plans you make or how prepared you are, most likely something unexpected is going to happen to throw a wrench into those well-laid plans. The more flexible you are, the easier it will be to handle any surprises that may arise. Your budget should have enough set aside so that unforeseen expenses won't break the bank. Also, there's a very good chance that the expected timeline for finishing projects will run over schedule. If you expect that the remodel will take longer than planned, you will be ready and a little less disappointed if it does. 

Communication is Key
In addition to planning, good communication during the remodel is extremely important. Throughout this entire process, keep the lines of communication open with your contractor, as well as the other people living in the home. When you know what to expect from each other along the way, there will be fewer "surprises" that could drive you all crazy. The better you work together, the smoother the remodel will go.


There will very likely come a time when you will need to leave your home for a day or two. When that happens, plan to make a mini-vacation out of it. That will give you a refreshing break after all of the construction you have been living through.

Once the rooms are completed and brand new, head on over to John Elliott Interiors to find the home furnishings to dress up those gorgeous new rooms. Our Lake of the Ozarks interior design team can put the finishing touches on the new room you have long been waiting for. Then you can sit back, look around, and know that all of the "hassle" of the renovation was truly worth it. 

A wonderful way to keep your interior design fresh without a complete redesign is to change out a few of the items in each room to match the season. (Of course, if you're ready for an entire room makeover, we've got a lot of choices waiting for you inside our luxury furniture store at the Lake of the Ozarks!) Here are a few ways that you can quickly and easily give the rooms in your home a warm, inviting fall feel.


Add Warmth
The days will gradually get colder the further into autumn that we get and you'll be spending more time indoors than you do in the summer. Having a home that exudes a warm feeling will make it a cozy haven where you're excited to spend more time. This can be accomplished by switching out summer fabrics with pillows and throws in rich shades and luxurious, plush fabrics.

Plaids and checked patterns are perfect for this time of year, and metallic accents in a warm copper tone add a nice effect. You can literally add warmth, as well as color and fall scents, with the addition of lots of candles around the room too. 

Fall Accents
Bringing the outdoors inside is always a great idea. This time of year, instead of the brightly colored fresh flowers in vases you may have displayed over the summer, consider filling those vases with cut branches. Beautiful bowls filled with pinecones and seasonal produce like apples or gourds also add a lovely touch.

It's a good time to switch out your wall art to a piece that reflects the way the upcoming season makes you feel. You might also consider changing framed family photos to pictures that depict fall and winter holidays. It adds a touch of the season and brings back wonderful memories.


Refresh Focal Points
You should always have a main focal point in each room's interior design. You can accentuate the fall season by making a few updates to these focal points. For example, a fireplace will begin getting more use soon. It's time to dress up the mantle and display firewood in a decorative way. If large windows are a focal point in our home, consider putting up new drapes to perfectly frame and compliment the scenic autumn view. 

Don't Forget Your Exterior Design
Don't forget about the outside of your home too. Curb appeal is an important aspect for any house, plus fall has lots of fantastic things to put on display. Seasonal florals like great big colorful mums are gorgeous in front of a house. Straw bales with pumpkins sitting atop them can be displayed all the way until the end of October. (You might consider decorative ones instead of real if you truly want them to last that long.)

This is also the perfect time to fire up those firepits and get a few more weeks' use out of your outdoor furnishings. You might want to fill an outdoor chest with a few cozy blankets to use on chilly evenings.


Every season gives you the chance to give the rooms in your home a fresh look. John Elliott Interiors has the beautiful home accent pieces, drapes, pillows, wall art, and more to help you bring the look of autumn inside. When you're ready for a bit more than just switching out the decor, our interior designers at the Lake of the Ozarks can help you find all of the luxurious pieces that will give you the home of your dreams.

This week our Lake of the Ozarks luxury furniture store is going to take a look at the different versions of country-inspired interior designs. As with most general terms, there are a lot of different branches that stem from this look, and John Elliott Interiors will explain the differences between them for you in today's blog.


Country
There is more than one type of design considered "country," as you can see by the additional paragraphs below. For this first description, we are talking about a look that has a more handmade, simple quality about it. You will see lots of wood, handmade pottery, baskets, and possibly hand-forged metals.

There is an old-fashioned elegance in a country style. Often there is an extensive use of white wood paneling and soft floral patterns. Checked and striped fabrics also fit well into this type of design. Colors are often more muted, with an antique look to them. 

French Country
This style is heavily influenced by farmhouse inspiration. Warm, earthy colors are utilized, and heavy linens are incorporated like handmade quilts. This look, while still Country in style, uses more ornate designs on wooden furnishings. Ornate porcelain dishes are a wonderful addition too. You may also see materials used like stone and brick around the room. 

English Country
English Country has more of an obvious feminine influence. Lush rose patterns and lots of greens, reds, and blues will be used. This design also incorporates ornate, finely carved wooden furniture but adds overstuffed pieces with tufting, as well as skirted furniture. Lots of decorative antiques may be used to finish out the overall look.


Rustic
This particular style draws much of its inspiration from nature, using lots of raw and often unfinished elements such as wood and stone. Coming from the outdoors, the overall look often has a wonderful warmth to it. As for the room itself, vaulted ceilings, reclaimed wood flooring, and wooden beams offer the perfect setting for rustic-style home decor. 

Western 
This takes Rustic to an extreme with a rougher, more raw look. Very cowboy-inspired, worn leathers are perfect for this style, and those can be softened slightly with cozy plaid fabrics. Nature is also evident throughout this design, and the furniture is much larger in scale.


There is a quick explanation of the differences between these "Country" types of looks for your home. Our talented interior designers at the Lake of the Ozarks can go into more detail for you when you come into the John Elliott Interiors showroom to have a look around. Many different styles of interior design are represented in our showroom and we would love to help you discover the perfect one for each room in your home.