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As days get shorter and nights get cooler, we naturally shift from icy drinks to pumpkin spice lattes. It’s a change we feel.
When the time is right, we instinctively know it, whether it’s a season of the year or a season in life.
And we want our personal spaces to reflect the season we’re in.
Coming Home to Earthy Tones
“In Kansas City, we’re seeing warm and earthy colors inspired by the Colorado mountains along with blues and greens that suggest the ocean,” says Belgian-born Karin Ross, the owner of Karin Ross Designs. “These colors suggest serenity and homecoming. They make you feel settled. And a great way to incorporate these colors in kitchen and bath design is through tile and cabinetry,” she says.
Pumpkin spice—suggesting a russet or coppery color—might also turn up on a bar stool, a light fixture, or a vent hood. “There are all kinds of ways to get the feeling that you want from a kitchen or bath,” says Ross. “Art, decorative elements, tableware, linens, can all inject color and personal touches, but keep the overall look timeless.”
Multi-generational Living
Perhaps the season we’re in involves multi-generational living with elderly parents or young adults all living under the same roof. “Now more than ever, what you put in your home will add value—if it is done right,” says Ross. “You don’t want the feel of your home to be too old or too young. A designer can help you create that balance so that everyone feels like they belong there.”
Multi-functional Spaces
The key to a home that grows with you is the ability to adapt it to your differing needs. A family with young children will grow into a family with teenagers, empty-nesters, and then a family who welcomes visiting grandchildren. A designer can look at your kitchen and bedroom space, and perhaps a warren of nearby rooms, with fresh eyes. Ross suggests the idea of multi-functional spaces. “A kitchen nook is just a place to sit and have a quick meal,” she says. “But an island can do more. You can prep and cook and still have people seated around the island. It’s a better use of space. Reconfigure the layout for better flow. Every house has a way. You just have to find the way.”
Similarly, in a house with four or five bedrooms and a hall bath, reconfiguring the space could yield two primary suites, each with a bath, plus an office space, says Ross.
A Kitchen for the Season You’re In
“Your needs are different at 30, 50, or 70,” says Ross. “You want a kitchen that works for you instead of you working around it.” Perhaps you’re entertaining more and could really use storage. Maybe you have a young adult who needs a dedicated coffee station. Maybe you have a family member with mobility issues.
An extensive questionnaire for the clients and an onsite visit begin the process. “We get to know our clients and their home first, then present them with several design options and solutions,” says Ross, “after I have done all the research.”
“We try everything we install before we put it in a client’s home,” says Ross. “We try it in our home or in our showroom. That way, there are no surprises.”
There are no surprises, either, during the installation. Karin Ross Designs keeps products in stock, so no waiting. And Nick Ross, Karin’s husband, does the installation work with his team. “Our clients know we will take care of it all,” she says.
A New Kitchen for the Holidays
When you feel the change coming, it is the perfect time to get started on that new kitchen, the re-designed bedroom suite, that space that needs to be multi-functional.
“Get ready for the holidays and have your kitchen or primary suite just the way you want it,” says Ross.
Learn more at https://karinrossdesigns.com/