As a designer, one of my favorite tools to work with is color! In a world full of white and neutral "design inspiration", it's always refreshing to pull out an exciting new color palette to play with. While we've all worked with the standard light blues or even a darker green here and there- we love to experiment with color and make bold but luxurious color combinations. Here are some of our top tips for creating unexpected color schemes work in your home! Monochrome   One of the easiest ways to start incorporating color into space is to go monochromatic. If your favorite color is red, a whole room of red may be too much. But using a mix of light pink, red, and even orange made this room feel warm and inviting, but still very open and easy on the eyes. Use the boldest color sparingly, and add lighter tones of the same color to keep the light flowing and still complement your main color.     Complimentary Colors   The next option to try is complementary colors! When you look at the color wheel, pick two colors that are opposite from each other and build from there. This gorgeous Upper West Side Pied a Terre was built off of a color scheme of blue and yellow, and using these two bold colors along with their "color child" a stunning green/teal space feel like a perfect harmony. Of course,...

Fall in the City is one of my favorite seasons. With warm reds, oranges, and yellows decorating the city streets, you can't help but feel cozy and festive- even with a cold breeze. At KCD, we love to incorporate lots of color into our designs - and naturally, this time of year always brings new inspiration. Today we're sharing a few of our favorite fall-inspired interiors, and how you can get the look in your home. Monochromatic Pattern Mixing   In this guest bedroom, we filled the space with tons of warmth in the form of monochromatic pattern mixing. We used a multitude of different warm shades to create a space that was cozy and comforting but still felt luxurious and personal. Layers of fluffy accent pillows in complementary patterns mixed with more subtle bedspreads made for a bedroom that's exquisitely crafted yet highly functional. For accessories, we kept things more simple to balance out an otherwise bold look. This traditional Indian vessel nods to the warm tones already present in the space but adds height and compliments the tall stripes on the headboard beside it. (Take a look at some more styling tips here!)   Cozy Textures and Rich Fabrics   There's truly no better way to make fall-inspired interiors than with lots of soft and cozy textiles. In this master bedroom, we were already limited with space. So we made sure to utilize all we had to create...

During this crazy time, I think we have all come to have a newfound appreciation for spending time with our families and loved ones. Family is so important, so today we wanted to talk about ways to optimize your home for big family gatherings when it comes to design. Take a look! Large Family Dining Rooms I think this one is one of the most important ways to create a welcoming environment for your whole family. Family meals are such a special time- even if it's just a Thursday night and not a holiday. When designing your home, make sure there's space for a long dining table with plenty of seating. For our West Village clients, they wanted plenty of space to entertain and host loved ones- so we made sure to incorporate a dining space that could fit up to 14 people. A long family-style table is the perfect way to make use of any narrower rooms in your existing home. Multiple Living Rooms for Large Family Homes A standard living room can comfortably seat around 6-8 people depending on the layout. However, with large groups, having multiple living rooms can make a huge difference in the comfort and noise level of the home. When designing your home, you can keep these living spaces close to each other to allow for everyone to feel closer- or you can space them out around the home to diffuse noise and have...

Here at Kati Curtis Design, we believe in lifting up and supporting other women in design. Community over competition is a big pillar for us- so we were honored when Love Happens Mag featured us in their article titled "Most Fashionable Women in Interior Design". With so many incredible women on the list, we wanted to share a few of the talented women here in our NYC area that make the design world a better place. Without further ado, here are some of the top female NYC interior designers that we were honored to be included with. Alyssa Kapito "Since founding her eponymous firm, Alyssa Kapito has developed a reputation for creating elegant, bespoke interiors that focus on beautiful textures and clean lines." Celerie Kemble "A graduate of Harvard, Celerie worked briefly in film production before quickly succumbing to what she calls a compulsion for decoration and the creation of thoughtful interiors that “put the person in the place.” Since then, she has spent the past 18 years cultivating a portfolio of much-publicized work that is as unique and diverse as her clientele." Kati Curtis "With a style that’s unrestrained yet very refined, Kati design homes and commercial spaces that are the visual stories of the people living or working there. Kati’s interiors are bold statements balanced by quiet details, the dark accents in a white room, the well-defined edge that contains a surprise of color." Kelly Behun "Labeled by...

Now that we've all been trapped indoors for a while, we're really starting to appreciate the outdoors more and more! Especially living in NYC, green space that's not Central Park can be a bit hard to come by. One of the top requests we get from our clients is "how can I bring the outdoors in?" Today we're talking about some of our favorite ways to integrate the outdoors into your NYC interior design. Take a look. Indoor Gardens Indoor gardens are a great way to bring some nature into your home. Plants can be placed on window sills, bookshelves, or even installed into a vertical wall garden. If you're not exactly a green thumb, take some time to research some low maintenance plants. Succulents, cactus, and air plants give off a more tropical, Southwestern feel. Whereas ferns and ivies are a bit more classic and have an almost ethereal feel to them. You can use plants to bring in some added color, or keep it green and fresh with mainly greenery. Indoor gardens also bring their beautiful fragrance to the home and just add a layer of freshness to space. Take a look at some more great tips for finding the perfect plants for you from Good Housekeeping here! Natural Materials As a LEED AP, I always try to incorporate lots of natural materials into my designs- not just for looks but to make the earth a better place!...

Here at Kati Curtis Design, we specialize in globally inspired interior design. Many of the pieces we work on within our styling vault are unique and sourced from all over the world. We feel that a well rounded global influence really makes our designs more personal and exciting. Today we're talking about ways to style some of the more unique finds you may have from your own travels, and how we've used them in our Greenwich interior designs. Colorful Pottery Pottery has always been a staple when it comes to styling. Here at KCD, we love to use colorful pottery in our designs to really bring out some color. One of our favorite ways to incorporate pottery is with books. You can use it on a bookshelf, on top of a stack of books, or to lean books against. We used this vintage ceramic vase as a bookend in our clients' colorful bedroom. See the full project here! Totems and Vessels Totems are really special pieces to use in design. Traditionally, a totem is an emblem or symbol of something in the culture of its origin. They all mean different things and are usually very sacred. This particular totem was found during my travels in India and is one of my favorite pieces. You don't quite know what it is, so it becomes very versatile. You can use it as a lamp base, or by itself to add height. Since...

Our pets are some of the most special members of our family. However, no matter how hard we may try, sometimes our furry friends can make a big mess out of our furniture and decor. As a proud pet mom, I've learned a thing or two about how to pet-proof your home so that both you and your babies are happy. Take a look! Use performance fabrics for the ultimate pet-proof solution Textile technology has come a long way, and now there are so many great performance fabrics out there you don't have to sacrifice design for durability. Here are two happy clients in a Chelsea Penthouse interior design:   I have 2 cats and used to have these Jens Risom chairs upholstered in classic wool fabric. Wool is a FAVORITE for cats to dig their claws into, so I had them reupholstered in a soft DESIGNTEX Crypton velvet. Beautiful and impervious to cat claws!! You can see they enjoy the chairs and they continue to look brand new. There are so many performance fabrics out there now you don’t have to sacrifice design for a pet-proof home. For our client's Westchester interior design, we upholstered all of the seating in performance fabrics. You'd never know that their dogs tear through the family room as this room looks just a beautiful now as the day we installed it and they have a pet-proof home! Built-in Dog Shower In another Westchester...

With the state of the world as it is, many of us are now trying to manage a new normal of "work from home". Whether you've got a designated room or are working out of the guest bedroom- there are a lot of adjustments to be made in order to transition your space for ultimate productivity! With our years of experience in designing commercial offices, we've learned a thing or two about how to make a productive workspace. We've compiled our top tips to design the perfect home office design that will make "work from home" just as productive as being in the office. Sit/Stand Desk Since you're less likely to be taking your hourly stroll around the office, it's important to find ways to stay active and retain good posture. We recommend getting a convertible sit/stand desk to allow yourself a comfortable movement while working! One of our favorites is the Vitra Tyde station. It's not only a sleek, modern option, but it's also extremely customizable and is optimized to work for you. With features such as technical beams, various screens, and CPU holders- you're sure to be set up for success with this station. Sound and Light Control Make your home office work for you! Try installing sound and light control in your home office that you can change via your phone or AI devices (such as Amazon's Alexa or Google Home). In our home office designs, we...

What It's like to work with a Hamptons Interior Designer One of the most common questions I get asked as a Hamptons Interior Designer is, "How does this all work?" For many, this may be their first time working with an interior design team, and there's a lot that goes into the design and installation process. Now, every design firm is different, but today we thought we'd share a bit about what it's like to work with us. (And if you're still trying to decide who to work with- take a look at our last blog that shows you all the right questions to ask!) Once you decide that we're the Hamptons Interior Designer for you - here's an idea of what you can expect from the process. Most importantly, the process should be fun and effortless for you as we're here behind the scenes taking care of every last detail so you don't have to. WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR KICK-OFF MEETING Any documents you have related to the project: floor plans, photos, clippings from things you have saved. A list of what you are looking for in a professional designer - thinking through this in advance helps us better understand your needs and goals. Links to any of your online resources such as Pinterest - be sure to go ahead and have images saved so we can review them together when we meet. If you like, you can...

When it comes to hiring a Greenwich interior designer, there's probably a lot of questions that come to mind. If you've never worked with an interior designer, it can feel a bit intimidating! You want to make sure you have found not only the perfect match when it comes to design, but also in professionalism and their knowledge of the field. Here at KCD, we want our clients to turn into lifelong relationships they can depend on. We've compiled our top 10 questions to ask an interior designer before hiring them to help make the decision easier. What is your process like?  While interior design can seem all fun and creative, there's really a lot of technical work that goes into it. It's so important that the interior design team you work with has a tried and true system in place! Ask anyone you are considering working with what kind of project management systems they use, what types of questionnaires they work with, and how they hold themselves accountable. In interior design, the smallest mistake can be extremely costly and time consuming. For example, one missed letter on a paint color specification can end up costing hundreds of thousands in a new paint job when you show up and it's the wrong color. When you're spending six figures on furnishings and custom fixtures, you can't afford errors. You want to be certain the team you hire is extremely detail oriented...