Designs By K

The Many Uses Of Succulents

By Josh Pickering, Lead Design Assistant

Using Succulents in Floral Arrangements

Whenever it comes to greenery, few plants are as versatile, offering multiple stylistic opportunities, as succulents.  In nature, succulents can provide sustenance in extreme conditions.  So, if they can bring life to a desert environment, why shouldn't they do the same in your home?  The thickness and vibrant colors of the foliage can help to offer vivacity to an otherwise stagnant space.

In rustic designs, Succulents can be paired with yucca and cacti, as well as other greenery to create a more literal interpretation of the regions where these plants thrive.  An especially important detail to point out in regards to rustic design, is the fact that the idea of moisture and life can be evident in a style that can easily tend towards dry and colorless when done wrong.  In this regard, succulents can be used to create a lush oasis to soften and enliven a room.

Succulents have often been used in contemporary design for their exotic shapes and colors.  Their simplicity and vibrant nature can bring calm to a minimalist space or energy to a colorful, trendy room.  Set in colorful groupings, exacting rows, or peaceful flourishes, a simple floral of these amazing plants can be the finishing touch when creating a fresh new look.

When designing a traditional room, few people think to use succulents in their floral arrangements.  Some tend towards using ivies or whatever greenery typically accompanies whichever flowers they select.  In doing so, floral décor can become overstuffed and dated dust collectors.  The simple thickness of the foliage itself offers richness in succulents that could hardly be achieved in "usual" greenery, not to mention their interesting shapes and varying colors.

Today, most people have a personal style that is some mixture between various styles and trends.  This tendency towards an eclectic blend can easily be supported by spots of succulents.  There are few plants that bring such versatility that will work to unify a space while mixing well with other plants.  Succulents can play a star role just as easily as they can take a second seat to another focal plant.  If you haven't thought to use succulents in the past, allow the Designs by K to help you make a new step to something different.

Revisiting the 60's, 70's, and 80's in interior design…

Interior design, like fashion, often borrows ideas from prior generations. It seems like every year, a "new" trend emerges. We say "new" because we, like many of you, remember when this trend first appeared… Maybe it was on a dress we wore in high school or on a poster of our favorite band.

Recently, a big trend in interior design has been the return of the graphic print. Many graphic prints from the 60's, 70's, and 80's are making a big comeback. We have seen these prints in many of our new fabrics, on wallpaper (yes, it's coming back too!), and in artwork.

What's right about them is that they are abstracted from their originals. Color palettes are bold and fresh, textures are varied, and scale is exaggerated. These "new" graphic prints are appearing with bold stripes and checks, making a big impact in any room.

Bright green (like a Granny Smith apple) and paler aqua is a color palette we have noticed lately in current interior design. When that color palette is represented in a graphic print, the designs of yesteryear become fresh and inspired. We've also noticed a resurgence of black and white, but this time, it's paired with gray accents.

We think that the variety in texture in these graphic prints is the best part of their current reappearance in interior design. Canvas with metallic prints, raised chenilles, and spots of faux fur add depth and interest to the original designs.

Teeny tiny prints and extremely overtly large shapes are evidence of the exaggerated scale in current graphic prints. Pairing oppositely exaggerated scales with each other in similar or exactly the same colors can create a perfect balance in any room.

Designs by K doesn't mind revisiting interior design trends from the past, as long as they present new twists. We have embraced the graphic print revival as evidenced by the design of our new Southlake studio! Prints that mimic the ones on this website are painted on our walls in varying scales and appear in our rugs and artwork.