Dabbieri Blog

How to Get Your Dream Basement

As more homeowners envision increasing the living space in their homes, they’re starting to look down to the basement to transform this vision into reality. How you renovate or remodel your basement all depends on what functionality you want the room to serve. We’ve rounded up our favorite basement trends to help you get inspired to start the journey to your dream basement. Once you see these ideas, you’ll know that yes, a dream basement is a thing.

For the active homeowners, you’ll love bringing a home gym to your basement, and thanks to waterproof luxury vinyl or interlocking tile mats, you won’t have to worry about your floors one bit. Be mindful of your lighting, as you don’t want your gym to feel like a dungeon. A basement gym works very well if you have windows to allow natural light to come in, otherwise make sure to use bright, cool white overhead lighting.

For those looking to have fun, turn your basement into a game room. If you expect to have a pool table or darts, make sure that your floors are durable and scratch-resistant to withstand your competitive games that ensue. You could also create a theatre room for Friday movie nights or football games on Sunday. Need a few hours free from your kids? Turn on a movie and enjoy your cup of coffee in silence.

Walk-out and open-concept basements are also becoming increasingly popular as it adds both value to your home and convenience. Turn part of the space near the door into a mudroom and you can keep all outdoor elements downstairs. You’ll also notice that basements look like a typical room on the main floor of your home. Just because it’s the basement doesn’t mean you can’t have a stylish room.

What would your dream basement look like?

Cozy Up Your Home With Woodland Colors

Get cozy this winter by giving your home a facelift through bringing the woodland theme to your décor, furniture, and walls. Not only cozy, woodland colors, which we’ll get into down below, can really create a sense of warmth, and give you a peaceful place to retreat to at the end of a long day.

Now let’s talk colors. The main colors that you’ll want to use are soft green and warm shades of brown. These two colors will be used in larger doses, but secondary colors for accents can include orange, grey, red, gold, and a light blue. Thanks to a wide variety of accent colors to choose from, you’re left with endless options for your room design. No two rooms will look the same.

In regards to décor, you’ll see a lot of wood furniture and accessories, such as wicker baskets holding thick throw blankets and rustic wooden accent chairs. Other common décor staples include faux fur throws, ceramics and pottery, and greenery. Metal and wood is often used in fixtures and furniture to bring about a rustic and woodsy look.

And for those feeling bold and creative, bring woodland-inspired wallpaper to your walls, as seen in the bedroom below.

What aspects of woodland décor would you bring into your home?

How to Make a Small Laundry Room or Bathroom Appear Bigger

No one enjoys having a small room, but when it’s the bathroom or laundry room, things can get cramped very quickly. These aren’t the most ideal spaces to be small, but thanks to a few great design tips and tricks, you can easily make your small room feel a bit bigger and brighter.

When it comes to design and space, color plays a large factor in how a room will look and feel. For that reason, the best colors for a smaller room do tend to be on the lighter side, ones that can provoke a feeling of serenity. There’s nothing stopping you from using bold colors, but just make sure to balance bold colors to prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed.

If you do want either of these rooms to have a bit of depth, we love the idea of incorporating wallpaper in a fun pattern. In the laundry room below, you’ll notice that the zebra wallpaper adds a great deal of visual interest and makes the room feel more spacious.

A wall-mounted or pedestal sink can certainly make your room look and feel larger by freeing up space on the floor. Keep in mind that you might need to rely on a linen closet in a bedroom or hallway to store your essentials.

Light-colored floors are also optimal for creating a sense of a larger space. The lighter your floors and walls, the bigger the space will feel.

Make sure to take advantage of wall space for any type of storage unit, but don’t let the storage unit pile up with items. A minimalist approach will be your best option. In a laundry room, take advantage of the space above your washer and dryer to store baskets, cleaning products, and any other type of miscellaneous items.

What are your tips for making a small bathroom or laundry room feel spacious?

These Colors Will Be Popular in 2020

With the end of the year almost upon us, it’s time to discuss one of our favorite topics; trending colors for the New Year. We will talk about trending colors throughout the year, but for now, we are sharing our top colors that will have a large impact in 2020. There’s a deep sense of balance in the colors that we will see dominate interior design, as they reflect wellness and nature.

Naval Blue

Voted as being the color of the year by Sherwin Williams, Naval is best described as a rich shade of navy blue.  Think navy blue mixed with slate grey. This rich and elegant color works well in the living room, dining room, and bedrooms, thanks in part to being one of the most relaxing colors.

For a bold look, we love seeing this deep shade of blue on the walls, but it works just as well on furniture and accent pieces. In the kitchen, try painting your lower cabinets a beautiful grey-navy with white upper cabinets. Or in an all-white kitchen, add a patterned navy blue backsplash for a bit of personality.

Meadow Green

Muted earthy colors have become the new neutral, and a hot neutral for the upcoming year is a muted meadow green. A softer more feminine take on olive green, pair this shade with white, brown, charcoal, and darker shades of green to complete the look.

Pale Pink

Flirty, feminine, and soft, pale pink is quickly becoming a mainstay in interior design. Not just in the rooms of young princesses, we’re seeing this color more and more in living rooms, bathrooms, and even adult bedrooms. To make pink a touch more masculine, mix in metal accents.

Burnt Orange

Reminiscent of cider and clay is burnt orange, which hits on the earthy, natural trend that is ever popular in the home. Pair this shade with shades of brown and white for an immediate pop of both color and personality. 

Which color are you most excited about?

Introducing the Emily Morrow Home Line for Louis A. Dabbieri®

Inspired by journeys that trace the footsteps of history, is Emily Morrow Home, an exclusive hardwood line for the International Design Guild’s Louis A. Dabbieri® Collection. The Emily Morrow Home collection features longer, wider planks that are designed to be unique and detail-oriented. The luxury hardwood offers styles that reflect Morrow’s travels to the most beautiful places on earth.

The collection offers the highest level of quality hardwood floors, which boast superior durability and stability, making for a more dent-resistant floor. Even better, the floors are kid and pet-friendly thanks to OMG Proof protection, which covers spills, splashes, and scuffs.

The exclusive collection features 12 hardwood styles that are 6”, 7”, or 9” wide planks ranging from light oaks to chocolate browns.

Far and Away is a 7” plank that brightens the home with its fresh, clean light taupe planks, featuring beautiful graining and a smooth finish. Crafted of white oak, this flooring can be paired with neutrals and metallics for a glam look.

If you’re looking to add vintage charm to your home, the Atocha style is perfect for you, thanks to its light gray tones that include subtle shades of taupe.

Atlas Herringbone is a contemporary plank style of hardwood that will instantly add cheerful warmth to your space, thanks to its mid-tone browns and subtle copper notes mixed in. When paired with light, crisp walls and darker cabinets, this floor will elevate any kitchen.

For subtle variations in coloring, the Constellation hardwood can add a stunning visual to your space. Constellation boasts striations of golden grey hues that add both texture and dimension to your home. When paired with muted neutrals in a bright room, your room will completely transform into a peaceful retreat.

To see more of the Emily Morrow Home line, visit https://www.emilymorrowhome.com/flooring/louis-by-emily/.