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Personalize your master bedroom with inspirational design features and you will no longer want to escape to a fancy bed and breakfast. Your space for rest and relaxation will be right at home.

Here are three fail-proof interior design trends to help you transform your master bedroom into your peaceful sanctuary.

Lighting is a Key Interior Design Feature

One of the most essential ways to achieve a beautiful home design is through lighting because it sets the ambiance. Lighting in the guest room or master bedroom is no exception. Good lighting sets the stage for sinking into a cozy bed for a quick nap on a crisp winter day or relaxing in a comfy chair with a good book just before bedtime.

Choosing the lighting elements in your room is important so that all your personal needs, from dressing and putting on makeup to relaxing and reading, are addressed. Like all good home remodeling projects, start with a plan. First, assess how much natural light you’re getting in your room. Do you have enough natural light from windows? How many and how big are the windows? Are they spaced around the room or on one wall? How much privacy do you need from the neighbors?  

Next, determine your overhead lighting needs. Do you need recessed lighting spread out across the ceiling, a bold chandelier that makes a style statement, or a subtle fixture to showcase other lighting features? Complement your lighting design choices with task lighting for a reading nook and bedside table lamps or wall sconces.

Master Bedroom Design Inspired by Paint Color

Which paint color you choose, like lighting-fixture finishes and fabric patterns, is a personal choice and sets the tone for the purpose of the room. To achieve a beautiful home design, rooms are planned with a purpose and with color.

Neutral colors like shades of white, Earth tones, grays, tans, and softer, lighter scales create a sense of calm and order, perfect for pampering and relaxing; whereas, bolder colors tend to invigorate and motivate.

If darker hues are a favorite, then glossy finishes work better because they reflect light, making the room look bigger and brighter rather than smaller and densely compacted.

Using one main color on the walls along with two accessorizing colors throughout the room is one inspirational design trend we can all get behind. This adds interest and depth to the room. Accessory colors can be found in trim, curtain and bedding fabrics, rugs, throw pillows, artwork, and textiles.  In fact, if you have treasured art or a favorite fabric, start your color scheme from it and choose your three coordinating colors from that cherished piece.

If your heart is set on one neutral color scheme, then create a dramatic contrast with lighter or darker half-tones of the same shade on the ceiling or trim. You could also change out bold red, blue, black, or gold accessories within a soft white room or decorate with darker furniture colors.  Introducing varying textures, materials, and seasonal colors in rooms with neutral white, gray, or tan painted walls will prevent it from becoming stark or boring. Remember, walls are not the only features that wear color.

Layering is an Easy Way to Add Style to Your Bedroom

Layering is an easy way to make a bedroom more cozy and comfortable. Create a layered look that is useful and practical for winter with throw blankets on a side chair, a folded family quilt at the end of the bed, a plush rug on colder hardwood floors to warm your feet, and novels stacked on bedside tables.

In warmer seasons, peel back the heavy layers and replace them with airy, lighter accessories. A light blanket at the foot of the bed for a breezy night; fresh flowers and family photos set on top of a decorative runner; and a pretty garden hat or lightweight sweater tossed neatly on an over-stuffed bedroom chair or well-loved sofa all work together to create a welcoming and inviting sanctuary.

How to Add Layers with a Remodel

When designing your master bedroom remodel or addition with a contractor, work with the designer to choose texture-rich features like a stone wall, fireplace, wood tongue-and-groove ceiling, or enlarged picturesque windows to showcase nature’s earthy features. Ensure you have a wide-enough wall to place your bed, which often is a stylish focal point of a well-designed master bedroom.  Dress it with layered and colorful fabrics to showcase the headboard, whether hand-carved wood or upholstered.

Are you looking for interior design inspiration for your master bedroom makeover? The possibilities are endless when you work with Moss Building and Design. Contact us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com.

Download Moss Building and Design’s Guide to Home Remodeling here.

MOSS Wins Award for Community Service

The Community Relations Team was proud to accept this year’s National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Metro DC Chapter’s 2019 Capital CotY award for outstanding community service. This is the second year in a row the team has been honored with this award.  

Throughout 2018, the team coordinated the donation of funds, handyman services, food, gift cards, and other items to over 100 organizations, schools, and other good causes in Northern Virginia. 

“Our team, and company as a whole, is dedicated to making a difference in our community each year. This award reinforces how rewarding our work is for those around us,” said Jennifer Zschunke, MOSS Community Relations Manager. 

The company has been community-minded since its founding in 2001. The hallmark of the Community Relations team’s efforts are HandyMOM 101 workshops to empower women to take on home remodeling tasks. Along with coordinating these workshops, the team works with a variety of organizations to sponsor school groups, food drives, races, and more. 

Moss Team Accepts Award at “Evening of Excellence”

Julia Kilberg and Janice McLaury accepted the award on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at the Westwood Country Club in Vienna, Virginia. The evening, the Annual CotY “Evening of Excellence,” was a blast from start to finish. Here are a couple of photos from the night.

 “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” is all we’re thinking about right now. That’s why we’re getting in on the minimalist design trend!

To help you stay organized before or after a home remodel, Moss Building & Design is offering four hours of FREE help from a professional home organizer.* This includes a one-hour consultation and three hours of hands-on help from Amy Slenker-Smith.

Professional home organizer and owner of Simply Enough, Amy is ready to help you pack up your space before a remodel, or reorganize and declutter after the home remodel is complete!

For nearly 3 years, Amy has been a living simply blogger, speaker on minimalism in the home, and professional home organizer. She’s also a Moss Building & Design customer! Amy has literally been where you are and understands what it takes to stay organized before and after a home remodel.

Getting organized, decluttering, and simplifying your life has never been so easy. Space is limited, so take advantage of our Home Organization Promotion today!

The living room is one of the most functional spaces in your home. It’s used for relaxing, gathering, greeting visitors, and much more. So, how do you make the best of your living room when you have an oddly shaped space?

Follow these tips from Moss Building & Design to maximize your living room layout whether it’s small, large, or otherwise awkwardly shaped.

Small Living Room Remodel

A small living room can be a challenge. You need to make it comfortable without being cramped. You also need to include essential furniture like a sitting area, coffee table, and shelving. The best way to achieve balance in a small living room is by choosing the right furniture and minimizing the amount of clutter. Also, make sure your lighting choices are bright, as dark rooms often look smaller.

This living room in Arlington, Virginia, combines a small couch and chairs with a couple of round tables. The built-in wooden cabinetry was installed to surround a cozy gas fireplace.

Long Living Room Remodel

If you have a long living room, you’re likely dealing with the challenge of the space also being narrow. The best way to renovate a long living room is to focus on different functional zones.

One layout recommendation is to have the sofa and television space in one area with a conversation corner in the other area. An L-shaped sectional can delineate the room without using a wall.

Also, install built-in bookshelves in one part of the room to distinguish that as a reading or library area.

Use Built-Ins To Maximize Difficult Living Spaces

You may have an awkwardly shaped room with spaces you have no idea what to do with. Perhaps you have stairs with empty space underneath them, or your living room is circular. It might also have odd shapes and corners or low ceilings. Creatively using built-in shelves could maximize any of these spaces. Built-in shelves reduce the need for additional furniture and give character to your living room — even if it has a funky living room layout.

This round living room in Oakton, Virginia, embraces its unique shape. The orb pendant chandelier, rounded chairs, and rounded staircase were all room design choices to maximize the room’s shape. Read more about this remodel in our Before & After blog here.

How To Incorporate Farmhouse Doors Into Room Design

When you need separation but traditional doors won’t work, sliding farmhouse doors are a trendy solution.

This Arlington, Virginia, living room is next to an office space. In order to separate the office from the rest of the home, the owner opted for a decorative sliding door that adds to the look of the living room itself when closed.

Start Your Northern VA Home Remodel

If you want to remodel your living room, contact us now to discuss options. At Moss Building & Design, we’ll work with you on your living room design and tackle difficult remodeling projects. Call us at 703-961-7707 or email us at Hello@MossBuildingandDesign.com.

No matter how big your home, there never seems to be enough storage space. Yet, no matter how small your room, there are always clever storage hacks to help maximize space and organization.

Winter is an ideal time to declutter and prioritize your personal belongings into well-organized and practical storage solutions for stuff you’re not yet willing to part with or still need but don’t use regularly. Here are some creative ways to incorporate storage into your interior design.

Clever Storage Ideas for Small Bedrooms

Rethink what belongs in your closet and bedroom. Store your off-season clothing in clearly marked, breathable containers sized to slide under your bed. Consider subtle darker-colored bins, decorative baskets, or antique suitcases for a textured design element. A bed-skirt will also finish the look and cover the stowage.

If you need additional space, add risers to the legs of your bed frame. You may need more help than these DIY storage solutions can provide. That’s where an expert remodeler and the designers at Moss Building & Design come in.

Vertical Storage Solutions for Small Spaces

Vertical storage provides tremendous additional square-footage options for stylish storage solutions. Built-in or corner shelves showcase meaningful collections in a clean, functional process design element. A recessed wardrobe streamlines a room and limits bulky, protruding furniture pieces. A multi-purpose closet with sliding doors creates another working room within an existing space. There’s always room to convert the space under the stairs into a home-office nook.

Moss Building & Design worked with a homeowner in Oakton, Virginia, to provide a custom addition where the master bedroom features wall-lined floor-to-ceiling bookshelves to house an impressive library of books.

This multipurpose working space is another genius storage solution. The laundry table pulls out to a stainless-steel desk or additional workspace housed between recessed, symmetrical closets showcasing sliding barn doors. This multifunctional storage concept could easily be incorporated into a bedroom.

While renovating a home in Great Falls, Virginia, Moss Building & Design transformed the unused space under the stairs into a cozy nook for a laptop and office supplies instead of a closed-off closet. A similar concept could be designed into a bedroom with dormers to feature a desk and inset bookcases.

Dual-Purpose Furniture is Key

Use furniture that serves a dual purpose and provides additional storage. Instead of a bedside table, use small storage cabinets; install a floating drawer instead of a hook or shelf; and invest in a storage ottoman for linens or sweaters, as well as a place to sit while putting on your shoes.

This tucked-away pantry in one of MOSS’ renovated kitchens is another way to cleverly use storage space and keep your kitchen less cluttered. If you’re looking for help designing a kitchen like this one, we’ve got you covered.

Are you in search of additional storage solutions for all your seasonal clothing, office supplies, sports gear, holiday decorations, toys and keepsakes, books, inherited treasures, or clutter? Moss Building & Design can help you create additional storage in your attic, garage, basement, hidden nooks, or addition. Contact us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com.

BY: JULIA KILBERG

We love home transformations! MOSS worked with two wonderful empty nesters in Reston, Virginia, that were looking to update their home after their kids went to college and moved out West.

To get them ready for hosting family over the fall and winter, this summer-long home remodel started with a bump-out from the front of the house to make room for a bigger dining room.

Northern Virginia Kitchen Remodel

Their original kitchen felt small and cramped. To help make the first floor more of an open concept, we took down a wall between the kitchen and living room. A few functional parts of the kitchen were also shifted toward the back of the home. The bay window/breakfast nook area was transformed with a kitchen island and small desk/workspace.

The renovated kitchen exudes modern elegance from the white subway tiles to the classic white cabinetry. New stainless steel appliances and a wine refrigerator were installed to make the space perfect for entertaining. The completed kitchen now looks longer and more sleek.

Open-Concept Living Room Connects Kitchen With Relaxing Space

Often overlooked changes like flooring and window treatments really complete the look of a remodel. New hardwood floors were laid throughout the first floor of this Reston home. Additionally, window treatments in the living room match the new kitchen windows for consistency throughout the living space.

The kitchen’s new curved island connects the kitchen to the living room. The island and countertops are made of Cambria quartz, a material that looks like marble but is easier to maintain. Two silver eight-inch pendant lights really make the breakfast island sparkle with inviting elegance.

New Paint And Light Fixtures Transform A Room

The dining room, which was moved into the bump-out space, replaced the dated front porch area of the home. It was updated with fresh paint colors and a new, modern, and rectangular chandelier.

The kitchen’s new curved island connects the kitchen to the living room. The island and countertops are made of Cambria quartz, a material that looks like marble but is easier to maintain. Two silver eight-inch pendant lights really make the breakfast island sparkle with inviting elegance.

Powder Rooms Become Statement Spaces

Along with everything in the kitchen, living room, and dining room, we also had the space to reconfigure a new closet and powder room on the first floor. The powder room used a statement deep blue color for added pizzazz.

Since storage isn’t usually an issue in a powder room, the pedestal basin sink with open polished chrome legs are a designer’s dream.

See more photos of this home remodel by visiting our photo gallery on Houzz. You can also check out another Before & After blog for a different home remodel in Reston, Virginia.

Want to learn more about how to start a remodel of your own? Contact us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com.

You can also download our Beginner’s Guide To Home Remodeling by clicking on the button below:

Download The Beginner's Guide to Home Remodeling

By: Julia Kilberg

It’s a new year, and we all know what that means: New Year’s resolutions that will make 2019 your best year yet!

Beyond “eat healthier” and “work out more” resolutions, I took a closer look at what things I could do to improve my family’s daily life as a whole. One of these is to keep our home more organized. We moved to a new house in April 2018 and I feel like, in some ways, we’re still moving in. Add two kids under three years old, and our house is constantly A MESS.

I’m trying my best to unpack, store, or toss items still in boxes somewhere or have been out-of-sight and out-of-mind for the last six months. Once I completely unpack, I’m hoping to add some color to our life. I love 2019’s Color Of The Year, Living Coral, and plan to incorporate that into future home accents.

Read more about the Color Of The Year in our blog.

Prioritizing Home Projects To Make Room For Family

Some members of our MOSS team also shared their home trouble spots and New Year’s resolutions to solve them. Read their New Year’s resolutions below.

“My New Year’s resolution is to spend more quality time ‘with’ my family – instead of ‘for’ them. Our Christmas gift was a pool table, so we’re updating our basement a bit with fresh paint to accommodate this as a new space for our family to spend time together.”
Janice McLaury, Community Relations Associate

“We want to finally fix our mudroom storage issues. It’s not fitted to be convenient for the kids to put their stuff away. We’re going to do what we have to do to make it work this year.”
Jason Hampel, Owner

“I have two resolutions! First, prioritize my health and fitness – like actually block off time on my calendar for it. Second, simplify my life by doing a hard purge of my home. Taking care of too much stuff is weighing me down.”
Jeannine Miller, People Ops Specialist

“Two of my boys share a room, and their closet is in a terrible state of disarray. Shoes, cleats, books, toys, clothes – you name it. It’s in there, and it’s a mess. My New Year’s resolution is to clean, purge, and organize this closet!”
Jenn Zschunke, Community Relations Manager

Resolve To Complete Your Home Remodel With MOSS

Let Moss Building & Design help your New Year’s resolutions become reality this year. Contact us for a free in-home estimate for design and remodeling services at 703-961-7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com.

Request a Consultation

By: Julia Kilberg

It seems like everyone is watching “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” on Netflix to learn how to clear the clutter and to simplify their lives. If you’re inspired by this minimalist interior design trend but don’t know where to start, here’s some design inspiration.

Consistency Is The Hallmark Of Minimalist Home Design

Minimalism in home design is almost exactly how it sounds. It’s an interior design style that focuses on minimal ornamentation and simplicity. Minimalism in art started in the 1960s as a response to consumerism and excess in society.

Similarly, minimalism as an interior design trend encourages you to ditch embellishments, decorations, and extra furniture and furnishings.

When it comes to home design, consistency is a great place to start. Make simple color choices, and carry these choices throughout your home. Start with a neutral pallet, like white or gray, on walls. Choose artwork or simple photo frames that match. Don’t over-do wall decor.

This Chantilly, Virginia, mudroom renovation is a perfect example of how simple changes reduce clutter (or at least hide it from view) and optimize the space. This workspace-mudroom combo hides clutter behind sliding barn doors.

Create Visual Balance In A Minimalist Home

Visual balance in the interior design of a minimalist home is most easily achieved by symmetrically arranging furniture. Make remodeling design choices to achieve architectural balance in your rooms.

“Radial balance radiates outwards in a circular pattern, from a central focal point (like a chandelier, skylight, round table, or centrally placed decorative tile),” according to an article on Hunker, an online design resource.

Should you choose to renovate or remodel certain rooms in your home or embark on an addition or whole-home renovation project, consider ceiling and electrical choices closely to achieve this balance. A radial chandelier in the living room becomes a focal point and the central pillar for a symmetrical space.

Commonly, you also see symmetry in double vanity bathrooms like in this Fairfax Station, Virginia remodel.

By: The MOSS Team

The New Year is here! It’s time to start thinking about home improvement resolutions. These fabulous home improvements from MOSS add value to your home and improve quality of life for you and your family.

Paint Attractive Colors

Paint colors affect mood and emotions. A gorgeous coat of paint is an excellent way to tie together your interior design ideas and make your home a brighter, more cheerful place.

If you’re not sure which paint colors are right for your home, check out the most popular paint colors on Houzz for inspiration. When in doubt, go with tasteful, classic neutrals like soft gray, gray-blue, and greige.

MOSS Tip: Paint small strokes as samples on the walls before making your final choice of paint.

Upgrade Furniture

Out-of-date furniture makes your home look shabby and aged, especially if the furniture is worn in from family movie nights and puppy playdates. Replace your most beaten-up pieces with new upgraded versions. The best thing about furniture is that no matter where you move or how you remodel your home, these design pieces stay with you.

MOSS Tip: Not sure what kind of furniture to buy? You can’t go wrong with solid wood. It’s a classic, elegant material that fits into almost every design style and for every piece of furniture, from coffee tables to chairs to bookshelves.

Install New Flooring

New floors make your home look freshly remodeled, even if nothing else changes. Hardwood planks are a super popular choice among homeowners. Dark hardwood flooring is also a safe bet and looks best when combined with bright, creamy paint and simple furnishings.

Install New Flooring

How’s this for an optical illusion? Cluttered walls actually look like they’re caving into your home. Remove clutter room by room, starting with the most visible parts of your home. Here’s a quick list of tips:

1. Recycle or file old bills in your home office.
2. Move seasonal knick-knacks to garage or basement storage.
3. Get bins and low-hanging shelves for your children’s playroom to organize art supplies, books, toys, music, and more.
4. Remove everything from the living room floor that isn’t a piece of furniture or rug.

As you declutter and organize, don’t forget about less visible areas. Move to your coat, bathroom, and bedroom closets. Add shelving and custom storage, including a built-in shoe rack, heavy-duty shelves, and small baskets to organize everything.

If you’re in need of more storage space, work with a remodeling contractor like MOSS to expand your closet and make it the walk-in closet you’ve always wanted.

To round out your organization efforts, organize storage spaces, and get rid of anything that’s dated, broken, or too used.

Lighten & Brighten

Natural light pushes back walls and makes rooms look more airy and spacious. Remove heavy curtains, and replace them with sheers. Replace dark blinds with light blinds. Clean all blinds regularly to make sure dust doesn’t inhibit the flow of natural light.

When spring comes, clean your windows and window screens with off-the-shelf glass cleaner. All these tips help lighten and brighten your home naturally – and help you save on energy costs.

Hire A MOSS Handyman

You probably have a long list of home improvements and repairs that you need to make. Whether it’s fixing little holes in the drywall or replacing the broken knob on the front door, these repairs are important. Make a list of everything that needs to be done, then hire a MOSS handyman.

With help from a remodeling professional, you’ll have your home fixed up quickly, and you can be confident that your home repairs will be done right.

Remodel

It’s time for a kitchen or bathroom remodel. A good remodel improves your home’s resale value and quality of life. Work with a remodeling contractor like MOSS to create custom storage, install new flooring, replace countertops, and install new lighting fixtures.

Ready To Get Started?

If you want a home to remodel in the New Year, contact us now to discuss options. At Moss Building & Design, we’ll work with you to improve your home and tackle remodeling projects next year. Call us at 703-961-7707 or email us atHello@MossBuildingandDesign.com.

Request a Consultation