Anne Cummins Interior Design Blog
Welcome to our interior design blog where we discuss topics such as colors, fabrics, architecture and design, travel, and a lot more! We hope you enjoy it and encourage you to sign up for our newsletter if interested in receiving periodic blog updates. We'd love to hear any feedback that you may have.Read more“Form follows function – that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.”
– Frank Lloyd Wright, 1908
Frank Lloyd Wright Quote
To me, I've always interpreted the phrase "form follows function" as meaning that the shape of something should come from its intended purpose and utility, usually as it relates to architecture, interior design, industrial design and the like. According to what I've...
I Love Pendant Lighting!
Pendant lights add a great finishing touch to kitchen islands, peninsulas, dining areas, bar areas, reception areas and retail counters or displays. They take a lighting plan to the next level by adding lots of interest and pop, and they add a little whimsy or...
Natural Woven Shades
I often use woven wood or natural woven shades for living rooms, family rooms, offices, dining rooms or bedrooms, when flexibility for light filtering and privacy is desired. These shades come in a wide array of natural tones, fibers and textures that complement many...
Dark Sky Compliant Lighting
Although I’m an interior designer, I frequently select exterior items for clients including roofing, siding, doors, decking and exterior lighting. An important category for exterior lighting, especially in areas that are home to wildlife such as sea turtles, is “dark...
Small Bath Solutions
I recently worked on a renovation project at a home in a beautiful coastal setting on Cape Cod. The overall space was open, airy and contemporary, with a large family room and dining room, but with small and compact bedrooms and bathrooms. The bathroom sizes and...
Exterior Color Design
As part of the design team on multiple building and construction projects, I’m often called upon to select exterior colors and materials. I work on a lot of new construction and renovation projects with builders, developers and home buyers. For residential projects, I...
Read more“Color is the finishing touch on everything.”
– Marc Jacobs
Color Your World
No matter which project I'm working on, color is a finishing touch. But, it's also part of a conversation and initial concept with clients, and a common thread from start to finish. I help clients discover which colors they're drawn to, and coordinate colors and...
Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
I specify flooring for just about every project that I work on, focusing on the right product or type of material that will look great and prove to be a smart choice. Luxury vinyl flooring has become really popular, and is proving to be a great solution for different...
A Fun Fort Myers Interior Design Project
I’ve been fortunate to work with a new client in Florida for the past six weeks or so, planning paint schemes and furnishings for a move from one very nice home on Sanibel Island to another, equally lovely home in Fort Myers. We started with selecting paint colors for...
Beautiful Lighting Options
For new construction and home renovation projects, lighting such as chandeliers, pendants and surface mounted fixtures (sconces, vanity lights or ceiling lights) can add a wonderful finishing touch to overall project success. A key to lighting design for interiors is...
Read more“The essence of interior design will always be about people and how they live. It is about the realities of what makes for an attractive, civilized, meaningful environment, not about fashion or what’s in or what’s out. This is not an easy job.”
– Albert Hadley
The Essence of Interior Design…
A great quote from Albert Hadley, a preeminent American interior designer (1920-2012). Interior design truly is about people and how they live, work and enjoy their surroundings. Interior design optimally supports peoples' needs, preferences and interests, and creates...
Crisp and Bright White Paint Colors
Paint projects large or small often include selection of whites or off whites for trim. If possible, trim paint should be consistent throughout a project to flow from room to room. The wide array of choices can be a bit daunting but can quickly be narrowed down. A...
Color Forecast for 2018
Each New Year brings new color forecasts or “Color of the Year” updates from paint companies such as Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, and Pratt and Lambert. Although I don’t always embrace or follow “Colors of the Year,” I find 2018’s featured colors, color trends...
Wise Design Decisions
One of my favorite reviews from a client is “Anne is not a design diva.” I like to provide a sensible, practical approach to interior design while also using my creative side, and I’m easy to work with. But, of course, I love to hear how happy my clients are with my...
Simply Beautiful Subway Tile
Subway tile is one of those enduring design classics that works again and again as a smart solution in kitchen and bath design projects. The range of products available in the subway tile category is amazing and lots of fun to explore, and the size and scale is often...
Gray Still on Top, But Beige Making a Comeback
Gray rules! Over the past few years, and for about 80% of the projects I’ve worked on, gray has been the preferred starting point for color schemes. Gray is everywhere – interior paint colors, cabinetry, quartz and granite counter tops, tile, upholstery fabrics,...
Custom Kitchen Design Projects
Here’s a peek at kitchen design projects I’ve worked on recently. Common threads and current trends include tailored, off-white Shaker style cabinets … crisp and clean-looking glass subway tile in various shades of very popular gray....light colored counter tops in...
Beautiful Bathroom Renovation
Here’s a look at Part Two of the bathroom renovation project I wrote about in my previous blog post. The renovation for this bathroom totally freshened up a dated space to create a crisp, tailored look in white with black accents. Glossy white subway tile, white...