KMW Interiors Named Best of 2014!

We've been named one of the best design companies of 2014 in the category of "Customer Satisfaction" by Houzz.com! It has been included in a press release as well. Click Here to read the full article.

I'm so proud of this achievement and I'm grateful for the wonderful Houzz.com community for voting for me!

Culver City Staging Project

I've just finished my first project of the year! I staged the cutest starter home in Culver City! It's an adorable home with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a spacious living, dining and kitchen area. It also has a great backyard with an outdoor kitchen and fire pit area.

KMW Interiors has been in the home staging business for just two years and I've been busy almost the whole time. Looks like this will be a busy year as well! :)

 If you're interested in seeing this home, contact Realtor Taunee English for more details.

Post by KMW Interiors.

5 Simple Ways to Add Pazzaz to Your Décor

It’s a new year! Hurray for 2014! It’s time to clear out the old and make room for the new. Thinking about sprucing up your home to kick-off the new year? If so, you’re on the right track. Just a few changes in the home can really perpetuate that feeling of forward movement and advancement. You’ll be surprised how much more eager you are to create new goals and stick to new plans after making simple changes to your living space.

I've outlined 5 easy ways to give your space a new look without breaking the bank.

1. Pick a New Color Scheme
This is the fundamental step and the hardest! Try looking through design magazines and popular design sites on the internet and go with your gut! If you see a room with a color scheme that gives you an automatic reaction, pay attention to that reaction. Think about how you want to feel while you’re in a particular room. What pictures of homes or decorated rooms give you this feeling?

Color Scheme Examples:

Monochromatic

Analogous

Complementary

2. Update an Old Piece of Furniture

I love refurbishing quality pieces of furniture. Let’s say you've finally decided on a great color scheme for each of your rooms, but some of the furniture pieces, i.e. an accent chair, a dresser etc., doesn't quite go well with your chosen new look. Before you get rid of the piece, consider whether or not it just needs a quick color change. There are tons of resources on DIY refurbishing. I've done it several times to old pieces and it can be great fun to watch a great piece go through a transformation. Here are a few examples of refurbished furniture pieces.

3. Change Your Window Coverings

This simple thing can make a space look completely different! Let’s say you have plain blinds on the windows. Try adding flare by installing simple drapes over the blinds. Not only does this add a decor element, it also helps to block light when needed. Installing drapes doesn't need to be a complicated affair. You can find great decorative curtains and drapes at a reasonable price and install a simple rod to hang them. No need for expensive custom work. If you already have drapes, simply change them out to match your color scheme.

4. Add an Accent Wall

I LOVE accent walls! They really help to change the energy in a space and create an anchor for your color scheme. Try picking one wall that makes sense for you and paint it or install wallpaper. Keep it simple! There are many ideas on creating accent walls, but you don’t have to get super complicated to create the change you’re looking for.

5. Add a Plant or Two

This is really simple, but can make a huge difference. There have been many times when I've decorated a space or staged a home and felt like something was missing. Turns out, all I needed was to add a plant. If you’re a really busy person, I recommend getting fake plants. Real plants are a delight to have, but a fake plant is better than a dead plant. If you are good at taking care of plants, by all means, opt for a real one. They add great energy to a home and produce fresh oxygen.

Live in the LA area and thinking about updating your space? Call KMW Interiors! We work with just about any budget. Whether you want to completely redesign your home or simply need a design consultation to get started, KMW Interiors can help! We're your Southern California source for interior design and decoration!

Fun with Christmas Trees!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I LOVE Christmas trees! It's so much fun to decorate them and see all of the interesting ways others decorate their trees. Here are a few savvy Christmas trees I'd like to share you. Enjoy!

Now here is an interesting new trend that's all the rage this year. The Upside-down Christmas tree.

I like the purple and gold theme here. Cute!

Another color coordinated Christmas theme...

Christmas with pink, purple and blue.

Being a Designer is Like Being Fred Astaire

When I get a new client, I rejoice in the process of getting to know them. Their physical space and their dream of how this "space" should look and feel. A house is a house, so, you have the same elements to work with every time. A living room and bedroom, a bathroom, a den etcetera, etcetera...

Yet, no matter the familiarity with the bones of the house, you still have to "dance" with the imagination and desires of the home owners to make it a space that truly belongs to THEM! You have to make it a "home" and not just a house. Every client is different and every dance is different even though the elements you work with are always the same.

This simple truth reminded me of Fred Astaire. You're probably thinking "Whaaaa...". Well, in the video below, taken from the FABULOUS movie "Royal Wedding", Fred Astaire's character is on a cruise ship (lucky beggar) and goes to the gym on the ship to practice dancing (MAN! That's a steady ship!). He has the same tools and space that everyone else would work with. However, he adapts and puts an entertaining spin on how to interact with these elements. Some may get it. Some may not.

My main point is, when it comes to style, beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. And the beholder is the person I'm trying to understand. I want to make the beholder's dreams come true.

FYI, I grew up watching Fred Astaire and I've always gleaned inspiration from his creativity and physicality. Enjoy! :)

Home Decor Illustration

Working in Interior design and decoration in Los Angeles is really fun! Clients in the city of angles love to get pictures and visual aids to help them make their spaces look super stylish. They also like to get lavish items, which as a designer, is a BLAST to work with!

I recently did a couple of perspective home decor illustrations for a client of mine. The idea was to get a feel for his style and make tweaks as the project progresses. We didn't go with this concept and just kinda winged it, but these illustrations provided a great start. I thought I should share them below. You can check out more illustrations I've done for past clients on my Houzz.com page.

Perspective Living Room Illustration

Perspective Bedroom Illustration

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow...

Kita Marie Williams - Owner and Designer at
KMW Interiors

I have to admit, I get a little attached to a home I stage or decorate. Every home I touch feels like my home. Or, at least that's how I'm inclined to treat it. Home Staging in Los Angeles is a very competitive business, and I think KMW Interiors has set itself apart with very professional, personal and rather "sentimental" service. I think it might be the genuine LOVE for my work that adds that special KMW Interiors magic.

This week, I had to pack-up up yet another successfully sold property. I'm glad that my work helps get these lovely properties sold! However, I always have to take a moment, look back, smile and say goodbye before I finally lock-up the property and leave it in the hands of its excited new owners. I'm so sappy...

Looking forward to the next home I get to call my own for a while...  :)

Check out my new home staging solutions presentation!