No matter what your budget is, you can get the sleek and clean look of a contemporary interior design in your living room. Changing out just a few things like wall art and accessories as well as a little paint can do wonders to your room and these changes do not have to cost a lot!

A vital element when decorating your living room with a contemporary theme is your wall treatments. For this design style the colors can make or break the look – consider adding shades of browns and black or a sharp black and white look to the room. Try using a neutral color paint on the walls, or if you want something different go with a leather or suede wall covering.

Decorative accessories are another important piece in pulling your contemporary look together. Concentrate on getting wall art and pillows that match your contemporary design style. For accent pieces you want the lines to be clean and avoid a lot of clutter. Be certain to add in loads of plain bowls with fruit as well as simple linear floral arrangements and you might even try some black and white photography to get a professional look for your living room. Additional touches such as vintage art déco accessories can help setup your room with a polished decorative appeal, but don’t go overboard because with the contemporary look less is better.

What’s on your floor can add to the decorating style, but if you can not afford new floors in your living room then you can mask your current floors with small rugs with a contemporary design – either a geometric print or a plain sisal rug. If you are lucky enough to be able to afford new floors, check out bamboo floors or slate or clay tile. Sleek lined furniture with chrome accents goes nicely with this look and you might try shopping at consignment stores if you are short on cash.

Lighting is vital in any room and the living room is no exception. To match your contemporary design style, you need to look at light fixtures in terms of both style and type. The majority of living rooms can work with a table lamp combined with recessed lighting. When you will be incorporating a contemporary style, take a look at a chrome ceiling fixture with recessed lighting but steer clear of anything which is scrolly or fancy.

An important decorating area that you must work on when decorating your room are your walls. You can make even the plainest walls look nice by incorporating great wall art and decorative accessories. Try adding simple, plain artwork, tribal masks or abstract art to your living room walls to highlight the modern feel of your contemporary theme.

Putting together a successful contemporary look in your living room can be as minor as just buying new decorative accessories or as involved as replacing everything. So no matter what your budget, you can get a sleek contemporary look that will thrill the whole family!

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A rare opportunity to acquire 3 adjacent properties, being sold together as one, in San Antonio’s elegant downtown King William historic district, close to the River Walk and within a short distance of some of the city’s finest restaurants. Currently in use as a Bed & Breakfast for discerning visitors, the 3 buildings feature a total of 14 bedrooms and 14 baths as well as spacious private living areas for the owner and beautifully landscaped surroundings, including a gated swimming pool. Extensively updated, yet retaining the unspoiled ambiance of bygone days, this is a unique property in a fabulous neighborhood offering a comfortable environment, magnificent architecture and incredible potential.

14 bedrooms total
14 full baths plus 1 half bath total
Stucco exterior with tile roof
Lot size: approx. 0.89 acres
Year built: 1892
San Antonio ISD
House #1: 3 bedrooms / 3 full baths / 1 half bath
House #2: 9 bedrooms / 9 full baths• House #3: 2 bedrooms / 2 full baths
Interior Highlights – Spacious living areas and well appointed guest rooms
Jacuzzi tubs
Relaxing atmosphere in common areas
High ceilings with chandeliers
Hardwood floors through most of the home
Study with fire place Outdoor
Features
Beautifully landscaped surroundings
Pool on the grounds
Off-street parking for 12 vehicles
Close to excellent downtown restaurants
Historic Neighborhood
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22 Albatross Amenities and Property Details
Double Cul-de-sac Lot in Key Allegro, Texas
A/C Sq. Ft – 5919
Under Roof Sq Ft – 9460
6 bedroom, 7 bath
Master suite – includes large private living area, private study, two large separate his and hers bathrooms. Hers features an over-sized Kohler tub, large vanity with single sink, private toilet and large walk-in closet. His features over-sized shower with Kohler Rain, private toilet, large vanity with single sink and large walk-in closet. Natural light abounds in both private bathrooms. Bedroom overlooks large canal and private docks.

Master bedroom – features large double vanity, walk-in closet, private toilet and large walk-in double shower with views of the canal.

Kitchen Amenities
Two full size Sub-Zero refrigerator
Double Sub-Zero drawer freezer
Dacor – 8 burner gas cook top
Dacor Vent Hood
Dacor Microwave
Dacor Convection Oven
Dacor Warming Drawer
Hoshizaki Under Counter Ice Maker
RO water
Large service island with sink and disposal
Double sink and disposal with Bosch Dishwasher
Large walk-in pantry
Granite counter-tops
Home Details
Complete to the studs remodel in 2006. Common area flooring is Bamboo. Custom cabinetry throughout constructed of Bamboo. All bath’s feature granite finishes and custom tile work.
Stainless Steel hardware used throughout
Imported Ultra-Marine Blue glazed Barrel Roofing Tile on a white stucco exterior with full length copper gutters and downspouts
PELLA impact windows and doors
Recessed lighting, both low and high voltage used throughout.
Tray and barrel ceilings on second floor of main house and private master wing.
Property wide entertainment system with integrated hard drive server and WIFI remote
Elevator services primary living area
Two-Car Garage
Custom Salt Water pool with Hot Tub, numerous fountains and water features, swim-up bar, tanning shelf and shallow wading area and in-pool dining table with Umbrella stand. In pool lighting with Fiber Optic accents throughout the pool.
Sitting Fountain in the front yard with fiber optic lighting accents
Extensive landscape lighting
Separate drive on Master Wing side of house that services the tackle room and boat dock. Perfect for keeping boat trailers and water toys out of sight.
Over 250′ of water front accessible by large decking
Shore power and water to service a fishing yacht
Powered boat lift for bay fishing boat and powered boat ramp for small craft
Fish cleaning stand and live bait well
Exterior grill station plumbed with natural gas connection
Large interior tackle room with separate entrance

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Most aspects of large-scale, luxury kitchen design are not something a layman should take on, says certified kitchen designer David McNulty, who has designed and produced kitchens for 16 years.

“I still run into trouble on some technicalities, 400 kitchen designs later,” he says. “When you’re working with dramatic carvings, custom stove hoods and other items you can’t buy pre-fab, it’s really beneficial to work with the experts who can do the work for you, people who specialize in kitchen design.”

David worked with any number of those experts when designing this elegant kitchen for clients in this Chicago North Shore neighborhood, adding luxury touches such as a hand-carved frieze, hand-brushed glaze and crystal knobs on the cabinetry. He recommends having specialists do the work, but only after the client and the designer set the tone.

“On this job, I worked so closely with the clients to really personalize the space that we became friends,” he says. “Now my wife and I go out with them every couple of months and I’ve done many more projects for them since that kitchen because I’ve gotten to know them so well.”

David has these tips for those approaching (or just dreaming about) a luxury design:

Think luxury, hire locally: “The idea behind hand carvings like the molding I used in this kitchen is to employ an art form that you like or enjoy. It’s not something you can find at a mass merchandiser,” says David. “You can browse carvers from all over the globe on the Internet, but you really want someone in your area to do your work, a local craftsperson who is up to the challenge. I recommend calling five or six designers near you to get their recommendation and soon you’ll start hearing the same names over and over and you can narrow the choice that way.”

Safety first with stove hoods: David executed a lavish frieze right on the stove hood in the kitchen, but he emphasizes that even the most creative kitchen implements have to be mechanically safe and sound. “The biggest thing with a decorative hood is making sure you have the right type of blower, the proper ventilation source,” he says. “It also needs a liner big enough to support it. I tend to have the stove hood made first and then hire VentaHood to fabricate a custom liner and lighting for it. I would only rely on a company like VentaHood that specializes in that type of design.”

You can’t outdo Mother Nature: “I have never done a linoleum floor and rarely have I specified it,” says David. “Instead I recommend mostly stone products, or wood because it’s so seamless — anything that comes from God’s green earth. Natural products are the key to creating an enjoyable space … tranquil, no two pieces alike. I’m a believer in raw goods. Man-made patterns on the floor? I don’t get it.”

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“Our master bath had only a slender shower stall, and I was desperate for a bathtub,” she explains. In a moment of inspiration, she saw Cinderella potential in the backyard shed.

The 9- by 11-foot building was not in good shape, but it had charm. Kathryn and her husband, David, cleaned and painted it, put in a new terra-cotta tile floor, added schoolhouse (awning-type) windows, and trained Boston ivy on the outside walls.

Now it was ready to house the longawaited claw-foot tub, which the couple found at a restoration supply store.

Kathryn painted the shell of the 6-foot-long tub a soft gray-green to complement its satin nickel claw-and-ball feet. She added a floor-mounted faucet and handheld spray head from England.

Furnishings were selected for their patina of age and their ability to blend with the green tub and white walls (a hint of orange was mixed into the white to warm it up).

A tall mirror-door wardrobe serves as a linen cabinet; towels and washcloths are stored in its glass-fronted drawers. An upholstered chair from Italy, a weathered side table covered with jars and vases, a small washstand, and a potted timber bamboo plant provide rustic comfort with personality.

Outside, the ivycovered walls change with the season― soft green in spring, vivid red in fall, and skeletal brown in winter.

“It’s where I soothe away the stress of the day―and all our guests want to try it out too.”

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