Blog
Houzz Tour: Elegant and Easygoing in Texas (15 photos)
With their children away at college, this couple were ready to change their lifestyle. They moved from a traditional home in California to a more modern new build in Dallas, close to where one of their daughters attends school. Their new house has large rooms and high ceilings, and they found that much...
What New Holiday Traditions Are You Trying This Year? (3 photos)
Your gatherings this holiday season may be smaller this year, and some of your usual traditions might even be canceled altogether. But each new season in life, even the tough ones, invites us to create something fresh from changed circumstances.
We’d love to hear what new holiday traditions you’re...
We’d love to hear what new holiday traditions you’re...
How to Care for Your Christmas Tree (7 photos)
Artificial trees may have increased in popularity, but for the purist, only a real tree will do. No matter how realistic it looks, an artificial tree can’t compete with the scent and feel of a real evergreen. It’s a living part of nature that, for a short time, we give a place of honor in our homes.
And...
And...
Patio of the Week: Lush Living Wall for a City Terrace (9 photos)
Thirteen stories above the streets of Manhattan, a family’s newly designed terrace garden offers luxurious urban living with a taste of coastal California. Highly detailed high-end features, including a custom pergola of steel and wood, and zones for lounging, dining and cooking create a comfortable...
How to Hang Holiday Lights Like a Pro (14 photos)
Putting up outdoor holiday lights take time, effort and planning. You may want to hire a holiday lighting specialist to do the job for you. Here are tips and tricks the pros use to help ensure that outdoor holiday light displays...
What Kitchen Countertop Color Should You Choose? (35 photos)
These days there are countless materials available for kitchen countertops. But instead of giving you the pros and cons of each material, I’m going to break down six popular color styles so you can achieve the look you want with the material that suits your needs.
Compact Home in the Virginia Hills Looks to Japan (18 photos)
Perched high in western Virginia’s rolling hills, this compact house takes full advantage of its bucolic surroundings. The homeowner first met interior designer Theresa Dorlini in the sixth grade, when they both lived in Japan. After they reconnected years later, he hired her to do the interior design...
How to Keep Your Bathroom Organized (11 photos)
The bathroom is so often a minefield of half-used tubes of toothpaste, unloved bath products and messy makeup. “Inspiring” is probably the last word that comes to mind to describe it. Periodically getting it orderly is one thing; keeping it that way on a daily basis is something else entirely....
Kitchen of the Week: Refaced Cabinets and Fresh Style (12 photos)
Designer Michele Merz has designed a lot of kitchens for clients over the years. But after 15 years of cooking, entertaining and living in her own kitchen, she was ready to give the traditional-style space a facelift. To save money, she refaced her existing white cabinets with new white oak doors, kept...
10 Holiday Gift Ideas to Help Make Home a Little Cozier (10 photos)
Whether you’re looking to splurge on a loved one or need a small but thoughtful gift for that cozy-loving friend or co-worker, this guide is a good place to start your search. With 10 crowd-pleasing ideas to choose from, you’ll have all of the hygge-obsessed homebodies on your list checked...
Before and After: 6 Dramatic Fireplace Makeovers (14 photos)
Fireplaces are a wonderful asset in any home, especially this time of year. But when different looks fall out of favor or don’t suit a homeowner’s personal style, they can be an eyesore. These six fireplace makeovers range from a simple change like painting the bricks to a major transformation such as...
How to Create a Festive Entry for the Holiday Season (one photo)
In this episode of Houzz TV Live, editor Annie Thornton talks with Rick Spence about how to create a festive, welcoming entryway or front porch to carry you through the holiday season. Thornton shares examples of potted evergreens and long-lasting wreaths that add holiday...
Bathroom of the Week: Bright and Airy Design for a Busy Mom (16 photos)
The homeowner who uses this bathroom enjoys the design and remodeling process, and she was ready to embark on a full bathroom remodel when she visited The Kitchen Studio’s showroom in West Chester, Pennsylvania. “She has a great appreciation for design and high-functioning spaces,” designer...
5 Storage Container Materials to Consider for Sustainability (8 photos)
As a professional home organizer, a big (and fun) part of my job is finding the right storage solutions for my clients. Storage must be convenient and appropriate, so that items are accessible as well as easy to keep tidy and organized.
Often, the function of the items and the way in which the...
Often, the function of the items and the way in which the...
How to Choose the Right Depth for Your Kitchen Sink (8 photos)
Maybe it’s because I spent several years living in Texas, but I tend to think bigger is often better. This is especially true when it comes to my kitchen sink. I prefer a wide sink for the ample space it offers for food prep and cleanup. But what about bowl depth? Sure, an extra-deep sink is good for...
Before and After: 5 Patios That Celebrate Outdoor Living (15 photos)
Many people are making the most of their homes today by finding ways to improve their outdoor living spaces — bringing loungeworthy seating, entertainment elements and cooking and dining into the fresh air. These five makeovers show how a patio can transform the look and feel of a...
How to Mix Patterns Like a Pro (26 photos)
Introducing a new pattern to a space adds a lot of life, energy and personality in a way a solid color rarely can. But why restrict yourself to playing with just one pattern? Combining two or more may seem daunting, but if you follow some of these formulas, you’ll be mixing and matching like a pro in...
10 Ways to Enjoy Your Yard More This Holiday Season (11 photos)
Colder weather and shorter days tend to make us feel like hunkering down indoors, but a dose of fresh air can be just what we need this season. Whether you’re looking for ways to get your family outside or would like to escape the house for a bit of peace and quiet yourself, here are 10 ideas for getting...
20 Feel-Good Fireplaces to Warm Your Spirit (20 photos)
Since the dawn of civilization, gathering around a fire has been a way to keep bodies warm and spirits high. The following 20 fireplaces span the style spectrum but provide a sense of comfort that’s universal. Let us know in the Comments which ones warm your heart.
Colorful Milan Apartment Inspired by Le Corbusier (13 photos)
Architect Betti Sperandeo transformed this 1939 apartment in Milan, Italy, into a “pictorial project” for her sister’s family, employing a clever and measured use of color to imbue the spaces with life and harmony. The beautiful chromatic balance seen in the zones of the apartment was inspired by Polychromie...
Top Cold-Hardy Evergreens for Container Gardens (9 photos)
Stalwart shrubs like boxwood, dwarf conifers and cotoneaster can happily live in good-sized containers for years, providing year-round interest and cutting down on the need to repot from season to season. In warmer months, they can act as green backdrops for seasonal flowers tucked in around the base,...
How to Have a Fun and Festive Holiday This Year (14 photos)
It’s safe to say that the holidays are going to look different this year. And though our gatherings are likely to be smaller and may involve more video screens than ever before, there’s still much we can do to make our celebrations feel special. “Since personal interactions currently have a lot more...
Are You a Manager, Micromanager or Hands-Off Remodeler? (8 photos)
When you’re planning a remodel, there is plenty to think about. But one thing that might not be on your radar is your level of interaction with the process and, by extension, with the pros involved. How this plays out can impact everything...
New This Week: 6 Fresh Family Rooms That Feature a TV (6 photos)
A TV often poses a significant design challenge for design pros and family members. Should it be the focal point or a secondary element? Should it hang up high, down low or off to the side? Here, design pros on Houzz share details on six stylish family rooms and how they determined TV placement in each....
Designer’s Family-Friendly Kitchen and Great Room (one photo)
In this episode of Houzz TV Live, designer Amy Elbaum of AE Design gives a virtual tour of the open-plan great room in her recently renovated 1960s ranch home in Sherman Oaks, California. In the family room,...
8 Secrets of People With Beautifully Organized Homes (11 photos)
We all have friends or family members who live in tidy, well-kept homes despite having full, busy lives. No matter what the occasion, nothing appears to be out of place. You might wonder how seemingly ordinary people with jobs, partners, children and pets can maintain a tranquil, clutter-free...
Kitchen of the Week: Light and Airy With a Bright Backsplash (10 photos)
Bryan and Heather Kurey looked at their dysfunctional kitchen and considered moving into a new home. The aging oak cabinets, oversize breakfast area and lack of countertops didn’t create a welcoming space for a couple who love to cook. But they soon realized that most of the homes they considered buying...
Simple Pleasures: A Cozy Home in Cold Weather (11 photos)
There is a certain squirrel-like pleasure in stocking up for cold weather — and potential power outages — from the regular essentials, like flashlights and warm socks, to the fun essentials, like bottles of wine and new board games. Knowing you have all you could possibly want tucked tidily away is a...
Should You Get a Freestanding or Built-In Bathtub? (20 photos)
For me, there’s no better way to relax than with an evening soak. When my husband and I remodeled our starter house, I made sure to have a small jetted tub installed in an alcove in our master bathroom. We inherited a larger, deeper built-in model when we moved to our...
7 Ways to Get Your Container Garden Ready for Winter (9 photos)
Summer and fall containers probably are winding down as winter approaches, but that doesn’t mean you need to put your container gardens away for winter. Some plants will need to be removed, while others, like evergreens and hardy shrubs, may just need a boost to keep on looking good through the winter....
Apr. 7, 2020
New Decorative Metal Accents for Tried-and-True Mouldings
Mouldings have been a Designs of Distinction ® product for decades. We offer mouldings in various sizes & styles – ranging from decorative Base Mouldings to Crown Mouldings, to Light Ready Light Rail Mouldings ® . We’ve introduced dozens of hardwood moulding insert designs – including inserts like Bijou, Infinity, and Baroque, and Classic Revival. […]
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Apr. 2, 2020
Brass Gallery Rail – your guide to an inexpensive way to update your Kitchen & Bath
Our new Brass Gallery Rail components provide an inexpensive way to achieve a luxury look. Manufactured from solid polished brass, you are able to completely customize how you want your new Gallery Rail to look, and where you want to install it. Versatile Design & Style The Brass Gallery Rail can fit almost any design […]
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Apr. 1, 2020
New Bun Feet!
We’ve been working hard at Designs of Distinction to bring more high-quality furniture components to the market. Cue, bun feet with pre-installed 5/16″-18 hanger bolts. As usual, our bun feet with hanger bolts will come unfinished & hand-sanded to perfection – ready to stain or paint right out of the box. Uses for Bun Feet […]
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Mar. 25, 2019
Small Spaces: Unique Uses of Wood Brackets
When you live in a small urban apartment, like me, often times the apartment does not come with much overhead lighting, and if it does come with overhead lighting, it’s overbearing fluorescent light from the 70’s that provides no ambience or hygge.
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Jul. 4, 2018
New Cut-to-Size Decorative Grille Program!
Take advantage of Designs of Distinction’s cut-to-size decorative grille program! No minimums and quick-ship! Our beautiful steel grilles are hand woven in 8 styles and available in 6 finishes. Builders, designers and manufacturers can now specify the exact opening size of their door panels and receive the pre-cut panels, ready to install
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