BECKI OWENS

Q + A

Q+A: How to Maximize Natural Light

A question that I am often asked is about how to best update a home on a budget. I think that one of the most important things you can do to refresh your space is to maximize the natural light. And as we move toward cooler months and shorter, darker days, I think it’s even more important to fill our homes with as much light as possible. It is easy to add light if you are tearing down walls or adding skylights, but even without remodeling you can create a light airy space. Today I am sharing five ways to inexpensively maximize natural light.

Use Mirrors to Reflect Light

Strategically place your mirrors to reflect the natural light that you do get in a space. Depending on the room, this could be on either an adjacent or opposite wall.

worlds away capiz chandelier becki owens

In this dining room I placed a mirror to reflect the light from the gorgeous capiz chandelier. It has the effect of brightening and expanding the room.

See More of this Airy Before and After Dining Room

 

Croft House via Rue Magazine

Simple furniture and an oversized mirror emphasize the light in this sun-filled space. The mirror reflects the sunny windows creating the illusion of an even brighter room.

 

Clark and Co

In this windowless butlers pantry, a paneled mirror opposite the open door reflects light from the kitchen and gives the illusion of a light-filled window.

 

Consider How your Paint Color Captures Light and Shadow

A space filled with natural light looks even bigger and brighter painted white. White creates a beautiful fresh space that emphasizes the light. However, in a low lit space, white paint can emphasize shadows for an overall dull feeling room. Choosing a light gray or taupe can disguise the shadows. Or consider a dark dramatic color that embraces the low light for a warm cozy vibe.

Blackband Design

 

deVOL

In the butler’s pantry of this beautiful deVOL kitchen, there is only one natural light source. Shadowy corners would be emphasized by white paint, but this pretty gray absorbs the shadows. You only notice the light that does come in, not the spaces without.

Paper and Stitch

This entry feels airy despite the low light. With the walls painted black, the white trim and pastel door stand out and the space feels bright.

 


 
 

Keep Window Treatments Light and Airy

Heavy window treatments can block natural light and feel oppressive. In my designs I often choose airy white linen drapes instead. Try hanging the drapes above the window several inches to create the illusion of a larger window and maximize the amount of light coming in. A good rule of thumb is at least 2/3 the distance between the window and the ceiling. But sometimes you have to make exceptions to maximize the light in the space. For example,  in my Las Palmas Project dining room (pictured below), I took the drapery to the ceiling, since the distance between the ceiling and the arch of the window was shorter. It’s also important to push your drapers the the edge of the window to allow the greatest amount of light to come in and make the windows look bigger.

Becki Owens Las Palmas

 

Upgrade to Transparent Doors

Solid entry doors block all natural light. Consider a glass door instead. I am loving steel-framed glass doors lately. Read about this trend and see more inspirations in Design Trend: Steel Frame Windows and Doors.

Theresa Rowe and Wilson Fuqua via Coats Home

 

Becki Owens San Clemente Beach House

When privacy isn’t needed, switching out your solid interior doors for ones using glass can be a beautiful way to add character and natural light. Unique bifolding doors in my San Clemente Beach House allows light to flood in to the living room from the attached nook. In the kitchen below glass panes and transom windows bring light from butlers pantry into the kitchen. So pretty.

Humphrey Munson

 

Move your Furniture

Make sure your furniture is not keeping the sunlight from filtering through to the room. Try not to block the light from the windows. Play with your arrangement until you have one that flows while maximizing the amount of light flooding the room. If possible use your furniture to frame your windows or prevent it from covering parts of your windows.

Becki Owens Estillo Project

 

I hope you have enjoyed viewing this ideas for maximizing natural light. By emphasizing the natural light in your homes, you will enhance your spaces, making them feel more crisp, open and updated.  To see more of our Q+A series visit here. Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Xxo
Becki

 
how to maximize natural light

Q+A: Choosing Paint Finish

I often get asked, “What is the easiest way to refresh a space”? The answer is a new coat of paint. Repainting your home leaves it feeling clean and new. It creates a fresh foundation for you to slowly layer upon as you find furniture and textiles that you love. It’s also so doable for those on a budget that want to do the work themselves. I get a lot of questions about paint and have shared my go to paint colors, but today I want to share answers to questions I’ve been getting on what type of paint I use on different surfaces.

Q+A: Choosing the Right Paint Finish

Q: Should you use the same paint finish in bathrooms and kitchens or do they need to be different?

las palmas bathroom

Las Palmas Project

A: Both bathrooms and kitchens get a lot of traffic and need a paint that can stand up to humidity and use. Although each paint company differs slightly, most have 5 categories of paint finish: matte/flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. The higher the gloss the greater the durability, but glossier paints tend to show imperfections in walls and woodwork. For this reason, I use an eggshell finish for the walls in both kitchens and baths. It’s durable but does not have noticeable sheen.

lucia-project-kitchen-rug

Lucia Project

Q: In an all white kitchen, how do you know which finish to use on the walls, trim, and cabinetry?

Classic Modern Kitchen

Estillo Project

A: Picking paint in your all white kitchen depends somewhat on the look you are going for. I always use eggshell on the walls but have used both satin and semi-gloss for cabinetry and trim. Semi-gloss really creates contrast between your wood work and your walls, but if you are painting old cabinets, it will highlight any imperfections in the wood. Lately, I have been loving the look of less sheen and have been choosing a satin finish for the cabinets and trim.

Q: What are your favorite white paints and what finish do you use?

black, white and brass kitchen makeover

Ledgewood Project

A: My go to white paints are Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace, Simply White, Plain White (no pigment), or for something a little warmer, Swiss Coffee. To read more about these white paints, read my Q+A: White Paint and see my quick reference guide below.

Q: When painting in dark tones, like black or navy, which finish do you use?

SC cove project becki owens

A: Dark moody walls look pretty in a matte finish. But in family homes, practicality still trumps. If you have kids and they will be using the space, I would still do my dark walls in eggshell and dark cabinets in satin. I used a black satin paint for the kitchen cabinets in my SC Cove Project and they are beautiful. To see some of my favorite dark painted cabinets, read my post on deVOL kitchens and my cabinetry paint guide.

I hope that this answers some of your paint questions and helps you as you start your projects. Good luck! New paint is always worth it!

Xxo
Becki

white kitchen paint finish

white paint guide becki owens

CLIENT FAVORITES

Best of Blog: Marble Countertops


It’s no secret, I love marble countertops and believe they are a great choice for updating a kitchen.  Even with a full house, marble counters can be beautifully cared for and maintained. I’ve posted a couple articles on this topic that are great resources for anyone who is considering marble in their kitchen:

1. A guide for selecting marble countertops.

2. A Q+A on how to care for and maintain marble.

Sometimes it’s fun to know what goes on behind the scenes. Today, I’m showing marble maintenance in action. In the pictures below, the marble is being cleaned and polished, preparing it to be resealed by Alpine Marble. This is a 15 year sealer called Dry Treat. They also have a product called Daily Cleaner that is my favorite solution for cleaning my marble countertops.

Cleaning and Polishing Marble Becki Owens Cleaning and Polishing Marble Becki Owens
/ Pendant Lights / Colorado Gold Marble /

Marble really is a beautiful stone to work with and gives my designs a the fresh, crisp and clean look that I love. There are a few marbles that I consider my go tos. Here is a guide of my favorites.

marble guide becki owens

I hope these resources are helpful to you as you are brainstorming your own projects. Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Xxo
Becki

 

This Week’s Q+A: White Paint

New designs always call for new paint. I often start with a white paint. I love how white immediately freshens up a space. It’s an instant update. When I start with a white foundation, I can have fun adding pops of colors with rugs, art and textiles. I’ve been getting several questions about what color paint I have used in some of my most recent designs. For today’s Q+A, I’m sharing some of my favorite whites from my projects and a white paint guide for you to use as a resource.

Q: I hear you refer to “white white” paint. What does that mean?

modern eclectic dining room Becki owens
/ Gold Chandelier / Table / Wishbone Chairs /
A: In this dining room of the Cido Project,  Nicole Davis and I started by painting the walls a fresh “white white.” This means a white paint with no pigment. We used a semi gloss finish on the walls in the dining room and eggshell throughout the rest of the house

Updated Kitchen Nook - Becki Owens
/ Drum Pendant / Chairs and table Restoration Hardware /
Sometimes a space calls for a warmer white. This cozy kitchen nook looks light and bright with Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee.

Q: Which color did you paint this living room?

bohemian living room Becki Owens
A: This space is Dunn Edwards, Foggy Day in eggshell. I loved how it looked soft and pretty, creating a beautiful palette for the rest of the design.

white paint guide becki owens

I hope I have answered some of your questions about which paint I love to work with and this paint guide will be helpful to you as you are making upcoming decisions. Have a wonderful Monday!

Xxo
Becki

Q+A: Open Shelving – An Affordable Kitchen Update

One of the biggest trends in kitchen designs is open shelving. Many of my favorite inspirational kitchens incorporate them in some way. I’m a big fan. Sometimes they can seem a little scary or unpractical, but I believe open shelving adds a unique element to kitchens while still being functional. For today’s Q+A, I want to take a closer look at open shelving as a beautiful and affordable way to update your kitchen.

Q: What’s a good way to update my kitchen affordably?

butlers pantry remodel with open shelving Becki Owens
A: Incorporating open shelving to your kitchen is a great update and is cheaper than new cabinetry. For smaller spaces, open shelving can be a great solution as well. You may not have the option of knocking down a wall or maybe you have a galley kitchen. Open shelving will make your kitchen space feel bigger and fresh. Tight spaces like a butler pantry can feel light, airy and decorative with open shelving. With a little paint and some new open shelves we transformed the butler’s space above. You can see before and after pics here.

open shelving

Via Merchant Design

Q: If I want to use open shelving, what is the easiest way to incorporate it into my kitchen.

A: One of my favorite looks in a kitchen is open shelves on either side of the hood. This is a great way to update your kitchen with a fresh look, without having to spend a lot of money doing the whole kitchen. You can replace the existing cabinetry with simple wood boards from Home Depot and paint them, or find beautiful reclaimed wood for a more rustic look.

natural wood open shelves

Via Popsugar

A: Another great place to install open shelving is in a small corner or dead space in your kitchen. In this kitchen above, the open shelves were installed at the end of the cabinetry. This is a more affordable solution than decorative glass cabinetry and it gives a more clean, modern look. It’s amazing what painting your cabinetry and adding a few open shelves will do to update your kitchen.

Q: Is adding open shelving something I can do fairly easily?

open shelving white kitchen

Via Ala Mode Maven

A: Adding open shelving can be a great DIY project. There are some really good resources for how to install opening shelving into your home, using supplies from your local home building stores. For example, Lowe’s has a great how to article here. I recently redid my pantry, using a mix of open shelving and cabinetry. For the shelves, I like to use 1 1/2 -2″ thick wood boards that are about 12″ deep. You can have them cut the wood for you at the store in the dimensions you need. Subway tile, new painted drywall or continuing your backsplash to the cabinet height or ceiling, will finish it off. I personally love the look of a counter to ceiling subway tile wall like the kitchen above. It’s so crisp and brightens up the space.

Tip: If you are designing a new kitchen with open shelving, have a little fun with it. The space with open shelving can become an amazing, decorative focal point for your kitchen, like an accent wall. I love the beautiful blue and white tile seen in the kitchen below. If you decide to go with a more minimal all white look, you can add a stack of dishes or a row of glasses in a pretty color to create an element of surprise. This leads to my last question…

blue and white tile backsplash open shelving

Via Domino

Q: Does open shelving make my kitchen too high maintenance? Now everything will always have to look perfect.

A: No one wants a messy, unsightly kitchen. And sometimes when life gets busy it’s hard to maintain a perfect clean space. This is why adding open shelving to only a portion of your kitchen might be the best solution. I believe open shelving will only add to the beauty of your kitchen, but it’s important to be strategic about where you place it based on what will be displayed. Open shelving works great for everyday dishes and serving ware. Try to organize your kitchen so these dishes are displayed in a way that is practical for everyday use. I love to use mainly all white dishes in these spaces, but you certainly can be creative with your own collections. The key is to make the space usable while still keeping it simple, consider decorating them with just 2 or three colors.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Q+A on open shelving. I would love to see pictures of your projects if you decide to use them. Below are some of my favorite choices for dishes and accessories to style your open shelves. I hope you have a great Monday!

Xxo
Becki