Does it get any better better than wallpaper???

Oh sweet wallpaper! You my think we are crazy but in the world of design, wallpaper can set the complete tone of the room with just some great pattern, texture or both on the walls. Everyone these days is looking to make a great impression in their powder room, entry or dining room. It’s best to get the most bang for your buck by putting wallpaper in a highly exposed room. We have had so much fun picking out wallpapers and pushing out clients to get a bold as they can go with fabulous papers. They may be hesitant at first but no one has ever said they are happy with the finished product. As you can see in this photograph to the right that we used a very traditional wallpaper in a more classic deco residence in the heart of Cherry Creek. The client was hesitant but trusted us and was ecstatic and to this day drags his guests into the space to enjoy it. As we mentioned in our March blog that you can combine styles and this is one fabulous way to do so. So you may liked a damask pattern in your grandma’s house or in an old hotel but don’t feel that that works in your contemporary space, but I happy to say you are sure wrong. A tone on tone damask in a modern bathroom or dining room is just what it needs to bring warmth back into the space.

If you are worried abut a bold pattern or just too much of a good thing in wallpaper you can use a chair rail to break it up. You can use paint above or below the chair rail while using wallpaper but you can also use two coordinating wallpapers as well. Another great place to use wallpaper so it doesn’t take over the space is in the back of a bookcase. It adds interest and depth but is less visible and therefore more livable. The point is if you have a space that needs to be brought to life wallpaper is the way to go.

If you don’t now where to get cool wallpaper you can do the research or you can contact your Interior Designer. There are many great websites you can explore such as Cowtan & Tout, Maya Romanoff, Designers Guild and Donghia. Also our own local design magazine is featuring in their current issue of Colorado Homes & Lifestyles about fabulous wallpapers. Enjoy these websites and free your mind of any preconceived ideas of wallpaper because it can bring a space to life. If you need to find a good installer in the Denver or Boulder area’s please don’t hesitate it get in touch with us. Enjoy the fabulous world of wallpaper!

Things to Consider When Designing a Child's Room

Things to Consider When Designing a Child's Room

Have fun with it! Don’t go with the obvious. It’s an expression of you and your child!

Push the limit on your color palette; baby blue and pink aren’t always the answer.
- Children love bright colors and interesting textures
- Rugs, lighting, furniture, fabric, bedding, window treatments, wallpaper, murals and paint…so many opportunities for the WOW factor!

Remember that you the parent will be spending a lot of time in the space, so select things that will please you as well.

Plan ahead ordering and delivery can take time (often 6-10 weeks). If you’re a first time parent you don’t want the room to bring stress, you have enough to think about. If it’s an existing child’s room, plan to put them in a guest bedroom for a little while.

The room doesn’t have to be led by a theme, color or pattern can be the inspiration! Even sophisticated colors or ideas can be made to look very child friendly.

It is important to keep in mind the following items while designing your baby or child’s room:
- Safety
- Soft lighting
- Comfortable feeding area
- Play area
- Changing area
- Music & Books
- Mobiles/ Interesting Toys

Use Real Baby as your great local independent source for innovative furnishings, bedding, art and more. Let Atelier Interior Design take it to the next level! We will take the stress away from you by offering complete interior design services for your child’s room.

Denver Magazine, Article: "fresh look"

"fresh look"

Denver Magazine

April 2009

Pg. 28-30

written by Dana R. Butler

photography by Jason Jung & Scott Hasson

When the owner of Vain Salon first contacted Katie Schroder of Atelier Interior Design about turning her space into something special, she said she wanted "a colorful, warm, Dr. Seuss" look. Still, when Schroder and her team suggested a very bold color palette, the salon owner was a little wary, but the owner was wild about the finished product. So wild, in fact, that when Revive Day Spa moved in to the other half of the building, the owners asked Schroder to work her magic in their space as well.
Photo 2: Schroder chose strong paint colors and stained the concrete floors. The front desk is made of metal, hand-ground to create the pattern seen here. The circles are of colored resin, and the desktop is espresso wood.
Photo 3: Schroder went with a selection of custom fabrics for the pendant lamps that hang over the reception desk and for the large drum lights seen throughout the space. The "Vain" sign and the color-blocked wall were done by Kerry Aufderheide of Blue Table Studio.
Photo 4: Drapes of white eyelet from Pollack add length and light to the mani/pedi room. The walls here combine a springy avocado color with floor-to-ceiling tufted white vinyl above the built-in pedi chairs. At right, a bamboo pattern painted directly on the wall was more cost effective for the project than a similar wallpaper. The floor lamp at left is from West Elm. The manicure table is a custom bentwood piece. The armchairs are from the Hammer Collection, upholstered with another Pollack fabric.
Photo 5: The Revive reception desk is fronted with tufted white vinyl for texture, and all the furniture in the greeting area is custom made. The wall behind the desk is another creation of Blue Table Studio. The faux wood panels are softened by the zen-inspired branch motif. The wall sconces are from Fine Art Lamps. Other walls are white to give the space crispness, and then Schroder added pops of avocado for color. The 20-foot ceiling soars overhead, and the Atelier team painted it chocolate brown to offset the height "” in addition to ordering lots of extra arm for the pendant lamps.
Issue: April 2009

How to Use Color?

In our opinion, fashion dictates much of that. We all know how fast fashion changes and of course, it is seasonal too. For home décor, a color palette needs to be timeless but inspirational. In general, we like a palette that has a good amount of highs and lows and we enjoy colors that have a high amount of saturation. What we mean by saturation is the intensity of the hue. A common mistake is wimping out and being very bland about the chosen hue. When the color lacks intensity, it tends to look very institutional and uninviting. Unless you have amazing architecture that can hold its own and does not require color to embellish it or you are a severe minimalist, the color does not need to be that strong. We do not subscribe to painting small rooms a light color. Embrace the coziness of an intimate space and surround yourself with warmth and color. Mirrors and lights are better way to make a small room feel bigger.

Fabric is another great way to bring in color. If there is a busy pattern picking out a color from the pattern can pull a whole scheme together. It is wonderful to spread the small nuances of color that is in a pattern throughout the room by using it with different materials. Let’s say you have a pillow that has a green base with a pink and orange paisley pattern, pick up the pinks and oranges with accessories and draperies and then use a strong base color for paint. With a strong color scheme, we suggest using a natural, neutral. For example, orange pairs beautifully with a warm gray and deep browns can settle down any palette. Black can be the answer to make a more serine palette pop and of course white is a fresh touch that can be a relief to the eye.

Above & Beyond

Atelier considers your ceiling as a fifth wall, as important as any aspect of your room. Our design experts look at the ceiling as the umbrella or canopy that covers your living space. We can add depth and interest, giving your room an amazing feel by creating visual impact and accentuating your room. Attention to your ceiling can change a space from great to show stopping fabulous!

We ask you to just stop and look above you! What do your ceilings look like? So you think you rarely notice what is over your head? Au contraire, what is above and beyond has a huge influence on your space. You may not be aware of what is overhead but there is a subliminal affect of ceiling décor that can really enhance and finish a room.

Following the advice of Arcwest architect Kevin Anderson who often brings the color of the ceiling down 6-15 inches onto the wall (depending on the room size and ceiling height) to add architectural interest. According to Anderson you can use molding or just a clean, straight paint line as a transition. “Using the same color paint beyond the corners of the ceiling onto the walls humanizes the height of the walls in a room, veritably marrying the wall to the ceiling,” remarks Anderson. “The contrasting or complementary colors of the ceiling softens the transition of the horizontal and vertical planes which is more pleasing to the eye.” Traditionally crown molding was used to connect a tall ceiling with the walls but now a more contemporary solution is the use of different paint tones to add warmth, interest and detail. Molding on the wall where the two colors merge is another option, leading the eye from the wall to the ceiling.
There is no design rule that says that you have to paint your ceiling white – with color, the sky’s the limit! In fact, Atelier prides itself on breaking the perceived rules since by adding drama in design we can truly make your space sensational. We want to go beyond the ordinary and mundane to transform your spaces beyond your imagination. A colorful ceiling can make a big difference in a room. Adding a harmonizing hue to a ceiling is a simple, effective and economical design technique, enlivening the area and balancing the rest of the room’s colors and textures.


A room with a high, formal ceiling can feel cozier when topped with a warm or dark color. Lighter ceiling shades visually enlarge a space, which is a great trick for a small room! But even a dark ceiling in a small space can add a needed element of excitement. When selecting a shade for above, Atelier considers the size of the room, especially the ceiling’s height. A high ceiling painted with a darker color can make it appear lower and more intimate. For lower ceilings Atelier suggests choosing a high-gloss sheen or even metallic paint such as Benjamin Moore’s “Egyptian Gold”, which will reflect light and make the space appear larger.

Ceilings emphasize and add warmth to your room and a dropped paint line gives any space a more comfortable and human feel. Be brave, be bold and try some color on your ceiling . . . we promise you will be thrilled with the stunning end result!

Colorado Homes & Lifestyle Article "color you can use"

Atelier Interior Design's Katherine Schroder was recently published in Colorado Homes and Lifestyle's article called "color you can use" on page 31 of the April 2008 issue of the magazine. This is a great little article about using Red. Here are a couple pointers she spoke about:

* Don't do just one accent wall. Instead, if you don't want four red walls, paint the top halves of the walls red, add a chair rail and paint the bottom halves a warm neutral.

*Mix red with white trim for a classic look. Or pair red walls with a metallic ceilings (consider Benjamin Moore's Studio Finishes) to give the room a comtemporary feel.

Luxe Magazine Color Editorial

Following is a list of color tips from Atelier Interior Design, which was an interview with Luxe Magazine, The Colorado Home Redefined. See Atelier Interior Design, in print in the Design Minded Section on pages 304 and 308, Volume 4 Issue 1.


1.Bright & bold colors are wonderful to use as accents. Vases, pillows, rugs and lamps act as the jewelry in the room. Often people are timid about using garish colors because they do not consider them to be natural and they fear they will grow tired of a certain hue. The truth is that all colors are natural. Deep red roses, the plumes on a tropical bird or a beautiful gem are all examples of incredible deep rich colors that people never grow tired of. People are finally taking the plunge and embracing color by making a strong statement in brightly colored cabinetry or a large piece of furniture and using that as an anchor instead of a neutral. Neutrals can now be seen as the trim rather than the bulk. It depends on what the person wants to convey, bright and bold or cool and serine.

2.People always feel good in colors that look good on them. Just like clothes, you should be appealing in your own space.

3.To avoid over saturation of a color select a hue that is slightly muted or “off” in color. These colors are often, more appealing and less shocking to the eye.

4.Pairing bold colors with neutral tones calms the color down but allows the bright to have its punch. Subdued colors pop with a deep chocolate brown, the dark and light are a nice contrast.

5.Monochromatic rooms are a great way to invite wild patterns without overwhelming the space. Bold and big damask or brocade patterns have appeal when the overall space has a simple color scheme. Stripes are also popular when used with tone on tone colors. Painted on the wall stripes can be a stunning backdrop that still allows fork strong pattern.

6.Black and white has come back with the popularity of retro designs and Hollywood glam. This resurgence works well when great old design lines are brought back with simple colors like black and white. The true essence shines with a contemporary twist. We love pairing black and white with the boldest of colors like hot pink, Kelly green, turquoise or orange. Another route would be to use only neutrals that vary in deepness like grays and tans. Always be intentional and whatever you are trying to achieve will be a grand success.

7.Green design has really popularized natural color schemes. Several clients have conveyed that they want to achieve a spa feel. Browns and greens that bring the outdoors in paired with stark white gives a fresh feel that is both rejuvenating and calming. Using ultra contemporary lines makes the earth tones feel more uplifting.