Every Saturday, from October to May, the Farmers Market in Missoula, MT is the place to be.  You can find a wide variety of fresh, colorful produce grown by local farmers, many from the large Asian community in Missoula.  This delicious organic produce is just as good as anything you’ll purchase in your neighborhood supermarket, yet this produce supports local small businesses and gives you the satisfaction and feeling of community that results from a trip to the Farmers Market.

This local farmer, a man named Jerry, grows a type of green beans that you wouldn’t normally see in a grocery store.  With their just harvested taste, all you have to do is slice on the diagonal, add a drizzle of olive oil and a few spices, and stir-fry.   What an easy, fresh, delicious meal!

The Missoula Farmer’s Market also provided props to be used in Ciao Interiors’ upcoming September Parade of Homes house.  This is the house that we have featured several times over the summer, detailing its construction and use of local materials.  Natural props are a wonderful touch that give an organic, lived in quality to the home.  The dried poppies and stalks of wheat will make a fabulous centerpiece for the dining table, and the various vegetables will look great displayed in the kitchen.

If you are ever in the Missoula, MT area, be sure to check out the Missoula Farmers Market.  However, if your travels don’t bring you to the area, there is sure to be a farmers market in your own town with a stunning array of home grown vegetables from local farmers.

With September quickly approaching, Ciao Interiors continues work on the new construction home that will display talented design and local craftsmanship in the Parade of Homes.  We’re in preparation for the lighting to go in and can’t wait to see how these new fixtures will look.  See below for images of where the lighting will go in.

Sconces Outside the Garage

Sconces on the Deck Outside the Living Room

Sconces on the Deck Outside the Dining Room/Kitchen

Front Entry

Interior or Front Entry

Stunning View out the Living Room Window

Dining Area

North Bedroom

South Bedroom

Staircase down with Spots for Sconce and Ceiling Mount Fixture

Bar will have Over the Bar Ceiling Fixture

Bright Family Room with 2 Sconces

With two months to go, we’re anxiously awaiting the completion of this beautiful home.  Stay tuned for more pictures and updates throughout the construction and design process.

A coffee table is a piece of furniture that often does not get a lot of attention in the furniture selection process, and yet it will likely become one of the most used pieces in your living or family room.  You’ll want to go through a careful thought process before deciding on the right coffee table for your room.

• As is the case with any big furniture decision, measure the space.  Allow for 15″ between any seating and the table.   Coffee tables can range anywhere from 11″ to 25″ in height.  If you plan on eating in the living room and setting dishes on the table, then opt for the highest height possible.  If your room is extremely contemporary, then a low 11″ table can be a stunning look.

• Consider the amount of traffic that will be circulating throughout the room. If your living room is always filled with people and action, then you will need to pick a durable table rather than an antique.  A sturdy wooden table with built in storage can be a great option for a busy family.  A large upholstered is perfect if you have family members who like to prop their feet on their coffee table; it can also work in anywhere from the most casual room to a formal living room.

• If you have a stylish rug or beautiful flooring that you want to show off, a glass coffee table will do a wonderful job of showing that off.   A glass coffee table reflects light and makes the space seem bigger as well.

• Go with the opposite look of the other pieces of furniture.  If your sofa and chairs have exposed legs, then an upholstered ottoman can be the best look.  If the sofa and chairs are skirted, then a glass table with metal legs or a wooden table with defined legs will look best.

• Typically, rectangular tables are the most functional.  However, in a space where the other furniture is square and sharp at the corners, a round or oval table provides a nice contrast.  In a particularly large room, a square coffee table provides a huge amount of space for placing books, plates, and glasses.

With a decision based on size and function, as well as materials that best complement the look of the room, your coffee table will become a focal point rather than simply a holding place for books and drinks.

Though typically seen as a country kitchen accessory, pot racks can be taken from the rustic to the sleek depending on the decor of the kitchen.  Pot racks are a great way to get pots and pans out of messy cabinets, cluttered counters, and up to eye level and within easy reach.  No matter what the look of your kitchen, you can find a pot rack to suit your style.  Wooden or iron, simple or ornate, straight lined or organic, there’s a pot rack for your needs.  Invest in beautiful bronze pots for a traditional look or hang your shiny stainless steel.  These pots racks are an attractive and practical look for the kitchen.

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: Elle Decor

Photo: Martha Stewart Living

Photo: Elle Decor

Photo: Elle Decor

Photo: Traditional Home

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: My Home Ideas

With Father’s Day right around the corner, it’s time to give our fathers and husbands a say in home decor.

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: Metropolitan Home

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: House Beautiful

The Design Selection Team at Ava Living has chosen our project from among 1,000’s for this past week’s Canopy Beds featured as Ava’s Choice! Our Mountain Living kitchen is one of the featured projects in Ava’s Choice slide show. The kitchens will be featured until Sunday, June 6th at 10PM PDT.

Ciao Interiors is thrilled to have the opportunity to design, project manage, and furnish a new home for the Parade of Homes in September.  The house is a great example of the beauty that comes from using all locally produced stone and wood as well as expert craftsmanship.  Enjoy the images below for a preview of what’s to come in this new construction home.  The masonry rock on the exterior and interior fireplace is currently in the process of being finished, the structural beams are in place, and the next steps is to hand plaster the walls in the rich colors shown below.  This house will be a wonderful addition to the Parade of Homes of interior design from beginning to end and the details that can be achieved with local materials and hand craftsmanship.

If you live in an area of the country that has pleasant weather  during a large portion of the year, then an outdoor kitchen is a wonderful option to have.  With your guests gathering outside, it is nice to be able to join them as you prepare food rather than getting stuck indoors on a beautiful evening.

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: Cooking Light

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: Cooking Light

Calming blues and earthy taupes are the perfect combination for a relaxing bedroom.

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: Martha Stewart Living

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: Traditional Home

Photo: Martha Stewart Living

Bed drapings can be just as beautiful in your room as window draperies.  Whether you are just looking for a touch of fabric and softness near your bed or are ready to take the plunge into a bed completely swathed in fabric, the images below will give you inspiration for a beautiful draped bed.

Photo: My Home Ideas

For just a small bit of fabric, try one long sheet of fabric draped above and over the bed.  Coordinate with your window treatments to tie the look into the rest of the room.

Photo: Coastal Living

A valance and fabric draped directly behind the bed add color and texture without taking up space within the room.  This look creates a picture frame for the bed.

Photo: House Beautiful

This nautically inspired look uses a curtain and rod draping similar to that on a shower curtain or on a window treatment.  This is perfect for someone who wants the flexibility of easily opening and closing the bed draping depending on the time of day.

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: House Beautiful

These two bed drapings envelope the bed in fabric that is mounted directly from the ceiling.  Creating a romantic, luxurious feeling, both of these looks borrow their inspiration from the nearby window drapery.

Bed drapery is a fabulous way to dress up the bed and tie in the look of your entire room.