Beautiful hardwood looks best when you can see it and for that reason stairs look wonderful when left bare.  The shine of newly polished wood stairs in any color from a light maple to a dark ebony looks striking and elegant.  Bare hardwood floors may not be the best option, however, if you have children or pets.  Little feet and paws can slip on hardwood and without a buffer, it can be a rather uncomfortable fall.

Photo: Elle Decor

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: Traditional Home

If you don’t want the chore of vacuuming a carpeted stair runner but love the contrast of color against the wood, then a painted stairway is a good option.  The wear and tear in the middle of the stairs where there is the most traffic just adds a shabby, casual touch, however the paint can also be touched up easily.  This can be an advantage over a carpet runner where the entire runner must be replaced.  Look for a floor paint which will be  the most durable and the least slippery.

Photo: Martha Stewart Living

Tiled stairs are an exotic, free spirited look that can look at home in a house with bohemian design or one with much more traditional design if the color palettes complement each other.

Photo: Coastal Living

Photo: House Beautiful

Stair runners are most often seen in family homes because not only do they add a bit of color and texture to the stairs, but they protect the hardwood from constant wear.    A runner provides a bit of traction to prevent falls and buffer anything that is dropped.   Try a sisal or small scale pattern with a border for a stylish yet family friendly look.  Stripes or growing patterns play off stairs and elongate the stairwell.

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: House Beautiful

Consider the look of your home and your family’s needs in deciding whether to cover the stairs or bare the hardwood.  As seen in the images above, both looks can be stylish and sophisticated or homey and casual.  Choose what works best for your household.

The green movement has made reclaimed wood a hit with every design style, whether you prefer modern, traditional, or casual settings.  Rustic barn woods have made their way in to furniture, flooring, and ceilings everywhere you turn.  Check out these inspiring rustic beam wonders, and how wood has made an impact on ceilings!

A modern kitchen is warmed up with reclaimed wood beams that draws attention to the architectural detail.

An antiqued kitchen adds warmth with waxed beams for a ceiling treatment

The bedrooms below add a touch of character with the wood detailed ceilings

A unique twist, wood beams create a pattern on this spectacular ceiling

Even this modern living space adds wood to the ceiling that coordinates with the surrounding elements of the room

These beautiful beams add a punch with their stenciled pattern.

Photo: House Beautiful

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.

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.

Choosing a dining table can be one of the easiest steps in decorating your dining room or breakfast area.  It is a formula driven process that basically leads you straight to the right table!  Below are the tips and tricks that will guide you directly to the perfect dining table for your space.

Photo: Viva Terra

1. Measure your space. Double check the measurements. You should even mark out the size of your desired table on the floor with masking tape. Do not leave the house until you have done this. The worst feeling in the world is to fall in love with a table, bring it home, and find that there isn’t enough room to walk around it.

2. Allow 30-36 inches of space between the table and anything around it, whether it is a wall, a buffet, a cabinet, etc.  This is how much room you need to scoot your chair back or walk through.

3. How many people will typically sit at your table?  Most people are comfortable with about 2 feet of dining space, maybe a little less.  If you have a small family but regularly throw larger dinner parties, consider a table with extensions so that you don’t feel that you are yelling across the table when it is just the few of you.

4. Rectangular tables are much more space efficient than round or oval tables.  There is much less room wasted in the middle (diners only need 14″ depth of space.)  However, round tables are the most conducive to easy conversation with a larger group.  Consider how much space you have and decide accordingly.

5. Dining tops are available in wood, veneer, acrylic, and glass.  Determine the level of durability that your lifestyle requires – think about how often you entertain, how often you actually sit at the table to enjoy a nice meal.

Photo: Mrs. Howard

Children’s rooms are one of the  spaces in your home that you can go absolutely wild with color and design.  They are a wonderful space for whimsy and fun, however there is one large obstacle on the way to creating the perfect space for your child: disorganization.  Children and their toys, games, and other accoutrement are inherently messy, so it’s our job to come up with ways to organize the disorganization and make the space look stylish at the same time.

Use calming, soothing colors like the light blue above.  The less active the color in the room, perhaps the easier the child will relax in the evening and fall asleep.  Accent the relaxing color with bold primaries to keep it kid appropriate.

Make sure that all the storage bins coordinate.  Try an earthy wicker, painted wooden bins, or a durable plastic like the ones above.  These are an easy way to bring a sense of order to a child’s room.  Even if there is chaos within the bins, the outside appearance is one of harmony.  Storage can be incorporated almost anywhere.  Find a bed with room for storage bins or turn the bottom shelves of a bookcase into storage disguised by a curtain.  The more colorful and playful that the storage looks, the more likely your child is to look forward to cleaning up.

Photos: House to Home, Ruby Beets, Real Simple, Real Simple, House Beautiful

If you are building a new house or just renovating your kitchen, one of the big decisions to be made is what type of flooring to put in your kitchen.   Tile, wood, vinyl, and stone are all appropriate choices for different people.  How do you know which is the right one for your home?

While it will not last for generations, vinyl is  a good option for those looking for an option that will be inexpensive and easy to install yourself.  Vinyl can be tricky around the edges and at seams of a pattern.  You will have to take great care to cut very carefully and match the repeat of the pattern perfectly.  Vinyl is best for those looking for an interim flooring that will last them until they are ready to make a bigger investment.

Tile comes in a wide variety of looks.  You can get tile to look like almost any type of stone and in any color imaginable.  Make sure to have a professional installer measure so that you buy the exact amount that you need.  Dye lots can vary in color from day to day and if you come up short, it could be difficult to match your tile on a future trip to the supplier.  Tile is extremely durable and if a tile does become chipped or break, it is possible to replace it.  Installation can be expensive but is worth it because of the precise nature of laying tile patterns.  Glazed tile will stand up to stains much better than unglazed, so it is a better option in the kitchen.

Stone is one of your most durable options for the kitchen, and though it can be expensive and installation must be done by a professional, it will last for generations.  It is a beautiful, timeless look, but is not the best option for children or the elderly because when it becomes wet, it becomes extremely slippery.

Wood is a wonderful option because it can often be carried over from the other rooms in the house and contribute to an open flow throughout your home.  Wood is an extremely strong, durable material that will last the life of your home as long as it is kept in good shape and refinished when necessary.  One of the drawbacks is that it will show wear and tear in the finish in high traffic areas.

Each type of flooring has pros and cons, so it is important to make a decision based on your ability to invest at this time and just how durable of a floor you will need in your kitchen.

The kitchen table is often one of the most used pieces in our entire home.  It is truly the definition of a multi-tasking piece.  From science projects to bills to catching up with friends to actually eating, the kitchen table takes us from morning to night.  Because we spend so much time with this one piece of furniture,  it is essential to choose a table that meets both our needs and our style.  With practically unlimited choices in aesthetics and size, how does one begin the process of selecting the right kitchen table for their own home?

Photo: Martha Stewart Living

Measure the size of your kitchen or breakfast nook.  You will want at least on each side of the table where there will be chairs.  Anything less makes it difficult to push the chair out.  Ideally, you will have more in the range of 3 feet, but this is not possible in all spaces.  A small round table fits nicely if you have a large, open kitchen and plan to break the space up with the table towards the middle.  A rectangle is nice when you are trying to separate a living area from the kitchen.

Photo: House to Home

How many people will typically dine at your kitchen table?  A small round table is a nice look, but is only practical for very small families.  If you have more than four people dining on a regular basis, then you should consider a rectangular table.  Do you need ample room for serving dishes in the middle of the table?  This will be an important consideration when choosing a table width.  Remember you can always get a table with additional leaves if large groups occur, but are a rarity.

Consider what kind of activities will be taking place at the kitchen table on a regular basis.  If you have children that will often do their homework, crafts, and playing at the table, then you will want to pick a table with an extremely durable top.  There are tables with marble, tile, and polyurethane coated woods that will stand up to all sorts of marks and spills.  If you have a contemporary style, you could even go for a plastic or metal style.  Whatever material you choose, you just have to remember that you do not want to buy a table that you have to tiptoe around.

Photo: Veranda

Lastly, you will want to decide on a style.  There are endless options available on the market today.  Depending on the style of your kitchen, you could do anything from a rustic, farmhouse table, to a french country pedestal table, to a contemporary, clean lined plastic table.

Photo: Hickory Chair

As one of the most versatile pieces and biggest investments that you will make in your home, it is worth sitting down and giving thought to the considerations that go into choosing the right kitchen table.  You’ll end up with an attractive and functional table that takes you from morning to night and from reading the paper to sneaking a late night snack.