Costco Connection - July 2008

for your home

Superior interiors

Versatile accent pieces add style and storage

By Stephanie E. Ponder

INTERIOR DESIGNER and Costco member Erinn Valencich has a few core beliefs about interior design. She believes in mixing up styles and that there are no hard-and-fast rules to follow.

Valencich has been running her own Los Angeles–based interior design firm (www. omniartedesign.com) for three years and has hosted several shows for HGTV. Recently she shared her thoughts with The Connection on creative uses for some of the accent pieces available at Costco this month.

Benches. Benches work well on a covered patio, in a mudroom or in an entryway. To help reduce clutter, look for one with storage bins so that each member of the family can have a place for his or her shoes. Outdoors they can be used for storing gardening tools or toys.

Chairs. You can never have too much seating. A chair with clean lines will look good whether a house has a traditional or contemporary design scheme. Set a chair in a corner with a lamp and a small table to create a nice vignette. Or place one in the bedroom for extra seating or to catch clothing if, like me, you have trouble deciding what to wear in the morning.

Lighting. Lighting is very important and can change a room dramatically. It’s important to use mixed sources of light to avoid having dark corners. If you have a room you don’t go into often, think about why. Chances

are you don’t like the lighting; adjust the lighting to brighten it up. Lamps can be scattered throughout a room or used as a pair in opposite corners to add elegance to functionality.

Mirrors. Instead of hanging a mirror, lean a large one against one wall. It will open up the room and add sparkle. Also, if you place a mirror across from a window it will help bring the outdoors inside.

Ottomans. Ottomans are great all-purpose pieces. An ottoman with an upholstered top can serve as a good footrest; an ottoman with built-in drawers can serve as a convenient place to store magazines and remote controls. When you’re entertaining, ottomans also offer a handy surface for placing a tray of drinks or appetizers. Instead of drawers, some ottomans have hinged tops and can be used in a guest room as a place to store extra blankets and pillows. Used in a kid’s room they create extra seating and storage for toys or papers.

Ottomans look great tucked underneath a console table.

Tables. Placed at the back of a sofa, a table is a good place to add lighting or display family photos. Place one against a wall to bring life to a dead space or in the entryway as a place for stashing keys and the mail.

Another trend in tables is the bar-height table. Waist-height or taller, square versions of these tables are great for smaller spaces such as apartments or condos. If you have

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room, they’re also a fun seating option for a game room.

Half the fun of
being an adult is
the freedom to
decorate however
you want. The
only problem is
figuring out what
you want.

Shelves. Open, sleek shelving is great in any space because it doesn’t look heavy. In an office or bedroom, shelves are a great way to make use of a blank wall. To make the most of shelves, don’t stuff them full. Displaying just a few photos, books or plants will help create a beautiful display.

Room dividers, especially with shelves, serve a practical purpose while adding to a room’s style. Room dividers can be used to break up a large space, or use one to separate an eating area or a home office space if it’s part of a bedroom or living room.

Miscellaneous pieces. Entertaining is so much fun. A small bar set with storage for stemware and bottles would be a great addition to a dining room. Look for a marble top for easy cleanup and to take the worry out of spills.

Whether you’re entertaining guests or your family, aside from the couch, the TV console really sets the style of a room. If you want to update a room’s look, a TV console with clean lines is a good choice. C