Jess Wilkerson, Author at O.P. Jenkins Furniture & Design

Posted on March 11, 2020July 9, 2020 by Jess Wilkerson

We designed and furnished this lakefront home for the Home Builders Association of Greater Knoxville’s 2019 Parade of Homes, so it was important that the home be ready-to-show. However, since it was a real home for our clients, we wanted to create a space that would also be functional and livable.

In addition to working in such a beautiful home and with the homeowners, we had the pleasure of working alongside the homebuilder, Mike Stevens Homes. Working with the homebuilder not only allowed us ample chance to design the interior of the home, but it also gave our interior designers the opportunity to plan furnishing and details that truly flow with the core of the home’s personality.

Our interior designers worked with the homeowner and the builder from the start of the process and were able to give advice on everything, including aesthetic choices made in the building process, such as finishes and paint colors.

While homeowners are often eager to move their old belongings into their new home and get situated, our interior designers agree that there is a benefit in having the option to be completely creative and look

at the space as a whole, from the builder’s floor plans. In a blank-slate space, the interior design’s potential is nearly endless and ensures that every detail can be customized to the homeowners’ liking, with colors and textures that suit the space.

Collaborating on this process with homeowners gave our interior designers a full picture of the needs and end goals of the project. We had an in-depth initial consultation with the homeowners to learn how they hoped to use the space, revealing important details, like their desire to have an updated and clean design style, rather than a rustic style that’s often found in lakeside homes.

Initial consultations are an important part of our process at O.P. Jenkins because they allow our friendly and experienced interior designers to establish good communication and develop a clear understanding of the clients’ hopes and needs, minimizing surprises and delays along the way and making for an enjoyable process for our clients.

After the initial consultation, our designers gathered the appropriate resources from the builder, such as floor plans, lighting plans, and samples of all finishes that were going to be used. With resources in hand, our designers began creating the design plan to bring the stunning lakeside house to life.

Because our designers carefully planned the space, all furniture in the lakeside getaway project has the proper scale, functionality, and color scheme. From the open living area to the intimate sitting area, our lake house interior design encourages quality time with loved ones.

Some of our favorite details include the balance in the living room of clean upholstery, like the cream-colored sofa, and natural elements, like the refurbished wood coffee table. This kind of balance doesn’t happen accidentally; interior designers are especially skilled at pulling together different styles, materials, colors, and textures in a way that adds interest — not chaos — to a room.

In addition to boasting a 360-view of the water, this lakeside getaway has new elements that make the space aesthetically appealing. However, a closer look reveals the many antique details that make the space livable for families and any group ready to relax after a long day enjoying the lake.

Posted on February 12, 2020July 9, 2020 by Jess Wilkerson

At first glance, furnishing your home to be warm and inviting seems simple, but if you just moved into a new house and you’re standing in an empty room, trying to imagine the possibilities can feel overwhelming.

From the color of your walls to the pillows on your sofa, it’s the details that make the difference. Homes that feel too cold and stark can be aesthetically interesting, but they risk giving the impression that guests cannot make themselves at home. On the contrary, homes that are well-balanced between beauty and comfort offer an environment that wows guests and invites them to get comfortable.

Are you trying to make your living room a conversation space? Here, our talented interior designers have given a few practical interior design tips to create a space that encourages conversation and comfort.

Creating a Space Plan

Before you decide on a new sectional, coffee table, or accent chairs, start with a space plan. Think about all the different things you want to do with your living room.

For most people, the living room is a place to relax and entertain guests, but you may have other uses, too. Do you want to have a quiet place to read? Is it the central television room for your family? Everyone’s needs are different, and figuring out how you want to use the room is the first step to creating a conversation space that you’ll love for years to come.

Once you’ve decided on how you want to use your space, it’s time to think about where to place your furniture. How can you use your area most efficiently? For a living room, it’s important to consider your layout and traffic patterns. Making your living room easier to move around can have a significant impact on how comfortable and inviting it feels for guests. Obstructed traffic patterns can make things feel cramped and closed off, discouraging people from mingling.

Choosing the Right Kind of Furniture

Your furniture can make or break the atmosphere of your room. If you’re not sure where to start, our interior designers recommend swivel chairs. Swivel chairs make a space flexible and offer a world of possibilities. With swivel chairs, guests can turn from one conversation to another easily.

When choosing a sofa or a sectional, think about how far back your guests will sit. Your furniture should still be comfortable for people while sitting upright to help create a space for conversation. For a deep or extra soft sofa, keep extra throw pillows around for a quick solution to add back support.

Don’t forget to have a few spare chairs ready, just in case you have a few more guests than you anticipated.

Keeping Drinks Within Arm’s Reach

When you’ve picked your furniture, determine where your guests will place their drinks and snacks.

If the space allows, a communal coffee table is always important, but you may also want to include side tables so that guests can keep things within arm’s reach. Creating extra surface area for glasses, snacks, and lamps ensures guests can relax, encouraging more opportunities for conversations.

Get Advice from an Interior Designer

If you’re struggling to make your living room conversational, we can help. The interior designers at O.P. Jenkins can help you create a great space plan that feels like a natural gathering spot for friends and family.

At O.P. Jenkins, our interior design services are complimentary. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Posted on January 15, 2020January 15, 2020 by Jess Wilkerson

After weeks of staring at paint swatches, comparing eggplant purple to forest leaf green, you finally got up the courage to buy the paint color and put it on the walls.

It was bold.

It was beautiful.

Until it wasn’t.

Suddenly, grey was everywhere. Beautifully designed grey rooms started showing up in your Instagram feed and every magazine you flip through.

Grey looks so fresh, so clean, so simple, but will its popularity last? Is it possible that this clean, soothing color palette could ever become unappealing or even go out of style? Is it worth replacing everything?

In the past decade or so, neutrals have replaced color at the forefront of the interior design industry. Rich red sofas and blue carpet made way for white linen, grey walls, and texture. Neutrals have a relaxing, updated, hotel-like allure to their simplicity.

They’re a breath of fresh air that may be here to stay for a while, but before you whitewash your entire living space, check out these tips from one of our O.P. Jenkins interior designers, Kim Jackson.

Here are Kim’s go-to tips for balancing colors and neutrals.

Neutral Designs Don’t Have to be Boring

In some neutral designs, it feels like something’s missing. Sure, it looks clean, but it’s just not quite right.

Fortunately, a neutral design doesn’t mean “blah,” and working with an experienced interior designer can help make the space more appealing.

“A neutral design can be soothing, clean, and interesting,” Kim says. “But done wrong, it can be stark or boring.”

Ask About Performance Fabrics

Neutral looks fantastic when it’s clean, but if you have accident-prone children or pets, it can be intimidating. One of the most common fears preventing people from transforming their home into a clean, bright space is simply the durability of it all.

But thanks to performance fabrics, you can leave those worries in the past and have a practical and beautiful living room!

“You need not fear upholstered fabrics in light or neutral colors,” Kim says. “There are now wonderful performance fabrics that are stain-resistant, and products professionally applied that can help keep those sticky fingers from leaving permanent stains.”

Neutral Spaces Don’t Have to be Minimalist

Another common misunderstanding about neutral spaces is that they have to be minimalist, but minimalism isn’t always realistic or even desired.

Kim notes that she often creates clean and comfortable neutral spaces. Your interior designer’s creativity and professional expertise is the trick to finding the right balance.

“A clean palette means just the right amount of accessories,” Kim says. “Too many equals clutter. Too few equals not done. The right selection of furniture frames, fabrics, and textures make all the difference in a more neutral palette.”

Mix Warm and Cool Colors

As far as the old “keep color families together” rule? Kim disagrees.

“Warm colors and cool colors can and should cohabitate,” Kim says. “A good interior designer can help you achieve a look that is clean but not cold feeling.”

While neutral color palettes are popular, color seems to be popping up in new designs. Different colors are popular at different times, but the most important thing to remember when you’re choosing a color scheme is to choose colors you love! A good designer can help you achieve the feeling and sentiment you want your home to express.

If you want to love your colorful home for years, get an interior designer’s help. They’re color experts, after all! An interior designer can help you balance your stylish pops of color with a clean, more soothing feel. If you’re nervous, work with your interior designer to experiment with complementary accessories that are easy to switch out.

Want some help balancing neutrals with some of your favorite colors? Visit one of our O.P. Jenkins stores to work with an interior designer and discover a wide variety of quality home furniture and unique accessories that cover the whole spectrum of colors and neutrals.

Posted on December 11, 2019December 11, 2019 by Jess Wilkerson

Quality Fabric is Soft and Flexible

Kids can be rough on furniture. It seems like they like to touch and jump on everything! So you might wonder if it’s worth it to invest in nice, high-quality furniture when there are children (or pets) around? Especially in a kid’s bedroom, are you doomed to cheap furniture?

Have no fear! As we mentioned in our blog about investing in high-quality living room furniture,

Most furniture companies offer fabrics that really are kid-proof. Similar to the technology of outdoor fabrics, but soft and flexible without a feeling or smell, cryptons are the magical fabrics that repel liquid (i.e., stains) and are uniquely woven to resist stretching, tearing, and scratches. With a crypton, even the most high-end chair can be your child’s favorite spot.

Your Bedroom Furniture Comes in Smaller Sizes

As far as bedroom furniture for children, many quality furniture companies make kid-sized furniture that looks just like an adult line, only smaller.

While it may not be displayed in-store, a designer can show you kids’ line catalogs from favorite companies that offer beautiful, unique, and durable cribs, dressers, and kid favorites like bean bags and blankets that will last.

Another consideration for durable furniture in a kid’s area is how it’s made. If it’s well-made, it will likely be heavier and thus less likely to get knocked over or banged up the way that a cheap online piece would.

Get Quality Furniture With the Help of Our Design Team

Our interior designers love to bring the unexpected into well-designed spaces, so they love creating uniquely styled kid rooms and nurseries that make mom and dad happy, too.

Soft colors and simple art-work can still be soothing and fun for children and will be more easily transitional when your baby gets bigger and wants a different room design.

Wherever you’re wanting to make your home beautiful, all of our O.P. Jenkins designers stand ready to help you to update your home with durable and stylish pieces. Contact us today for your personal and complimentary interior design consultation!

Posted on November 9, 2019February 12, 2020 by Jess Wilkerson

Living room, family room, den. Whatever you call it, the struggle is the same. How do you merge practical and beautiful in a place that everyone spends so much time in? Fine furniture and beautiful glass lamps can be intimidating in a room where people eat, drink, and kick their feet up. How do the two come together?

While beautiful pieces make a space, any good designer knows it is most important to give a client realistic pieces. Luckily, at OP Jenkins, beautiful can be realistic, too! To pick the best furniture and accessories, usage of the room is key. A great design plan is all about your priorities. OP Jenkins interior designer Stephanie Montgomery weighed in on how she creates a livable, beautiful room.

“Formal living rooms are a thing of the past!” says Montgomery. “Now, you can have fun with it. One of my favorite ways to add interest in a living room is by mixing and matching styles. Mix textures like concrete, metal, marble, etc. Mix skirts and legs, and alternate sizes of pieces to create balance in the room.”

Do you have kids or pets, or frequent red-wine spills?

“It’s important to use textures that hide dirt,” says Montgomery. “Crypton and revolution fabrics, (which are advanced and comfortable) are my absolute go-tos!”

One of the first orders of business for any interior designer is determining how the room is going to be used. The purpose of a space and the kind of activity that will happen within it will directly determine what type of furniture and accessories need to be placed within. If a space is beautiful but not functional, it may end up being a waste.

“Make sure you know who is going to use the room and how it will be used,” says Montgomery. “That will guarantee a space that will be as enjoyable to use as it is to look at!”

Posted on October 15, 2019February 12, 2020 by Jess Wilkerson

The bedroom: the area of your house the fewest people see, but perhaps matters the most. It is your sanctuary. Did you know you spend 30% of your life asleep? It’s worth investing in an area you spend so much time in but can be hard to justify putting time into it to look good for guests. A good night’s sleep can make all the difference in a good day and good health, so there are a few key steps you can take to make your bedroom a sanctuary.

A Quality Mattress

Your mattress is covered with dead skin, hair, and sweat that your body discards every night in your sleep. Back problems, allergies, and snoring can all be drastically improved with the correct mattress with the correct build of foam, boxspring, and adjustable base. Many mattress companies offer a chance to sleep on your mattress for 30 days to determine if you like it.

Bed Frame and Complete Bed

A good mattress is worthless without a bed frame. It was cool to have a mattress on the floor in college, but if you want to elevate both the look and feel of your bed, put it on a frame and add a complete bed. You’ll be shocked at how quickly a complete bed can make a bedroom look finished.

Pillows and Bedding

Nothing says comfort like the right pillows and covers after a long day. Throw out the cheap fleece blanket layers and invest in a high-quality duvet or quilt.

How do you dress a bed?

Pair any complete bed with a beautiful pair of nightstands and lighting on either side to tie the look together. Otherwise, think about how you use your bedroom. Do you get dressed in there? Buy a floor length mirror. Do you have lots of clothes that you fold? Maybe a bigger dresser would solve your “chair full of clothes” problem.