Creating an Outdoor Living Space

Outdoor living is all about comfort and relaxation. It can happen wherever you have outdoor space – in the courtyard or backyard, balcony or terrace. 

Build your outdoor retreat from the ground up, considering flooring, plants, furniture, umbrellas and awnings. There are so many choices in colors, finishes and materials – and most outdoor living elements are now made out of materials that resist degrading in the heat and humidity. 

For your flooring, think wood planks, terra cotta, flagstone, pavers, or an interesting cement finish. Outdoor rugs can soften a hard flooring choice. 

In your furniture scheme, plan for a dining area with tables and chairs, and a more casual lounging area for just hanging around. 

Explore the variety of furniture materials available, including real or faux wicker, teak, faux wood products, powder coated aluminum and glass.

For sun covering, you can use umbrellas, have a shading structure built or install an awning that comes out from the house. Or you can get your shade from strategically planted trees! 

In the foliage category, consider blooming flowers that add not only color, but smell good, too! A lush trellis can add intimacy and privacy. 


For your dining pleasure, use washable cotton table linens or even paper napkins and unbreakable plates and glasses. It’s time to put away the starched table linens and the fine china and take it easy. 

Accent pieces that add to your outdoor ambience include throw pillows, outdoor lanterns, water features, candles and flower arrangements.

And don’t forget the barbecue! Who doesn’t like cooking and dining in the open air? 

According to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, 72% of their Facebook fans say that a backyard barbecue is their favorite kind of summer party. But keep it easy because people also like the easy, relaxing feel of outdoor dining. 

Planning for outdoor living now lets you be spontaneous when the good weather arrives. Please contact us for more ideas or for help with your next design project.

Bring a Wild Touch Into Your Home

Bring a little wildlife into your home with animal accents such as rugs, upholstery, drapery fabric, wall coverings, sculpture, wall art, and more. 

Just one animal accent in a room can become the engaging focal point! 


Very popular right now are leopard and zebra print rugs. Or go outside the box with a pattern that depicts antelope, cheetah, tiger or giraffe. 

Animal print rugs are especially effective in small spaces, such as stairways, powder rooms or foyers – and these small rooms are a good place to start if you’re feeling nervous about adding a large amount of animal accents to your home. And you can even buy animal print rugs in colors that aren’t realistic at all, such as a magenta and black striped zebra rug.

Animal wall art includes the famous Audubon prints or similar etchings or block prints of birds and animals. Or hang photographs of animals that you take yourself or purchase. 

For sculptural animal art, think a decorative birdcage, that can be empty, filled with plants or even housing a live bird! 

Sculptural animal art can sit on floors, mantels or tables – or be part of the table! It can be made from a variety of materials including metal, ceramic, stone or Lucite. 

Take a walk on the wild side by adding a touch of animal accents to your home! Please contact us for more ideas or for help with your next design project. 

Wreaths all year long

Wreaths Can Last All Year Long

Many of us think of wreaths as decorative elements only for the December holidays or for Thanksgiving, but the fact is that a decorative wreath – depending on its style – can add a beautiful touch to your home all year long. 

Wreaths that incorporate non-holiday elements, such as nuts, seeds, seashells, pine cones, citrus leaves, flowers and fruit can be displayed any time of the year. 

Wreaths are not just a visual design element. They can add a scrumptious aroma to your home too! For the holidays consider traditional fir and pine. For all year long, think bay leaves, sage, cinnamon, rosemary and chili peppers. 

Do you have an unusual space where you want to hang a wreath? Wreaths don’t have to be perfectly round. Sometimes they’re oval, square or rectangular, and that shape can add a unique decorative element to your home.

And wreaths can be hung just about everywhere, not just on a front door! This includes walls, windows, above fireplaces, even on a mirror in your powder room! Of course, hanging a wreath on the front door during the holidays is the perfect way to get your guests into the holiday spirit before they even come into your house! 

Add a beautiful wreath to your home this season – for now and into the coming year. Please contact us for more ideas or for help with your next design project. 

Accents of Black

Black Never Goes Out of Style

There’s something about adding one or two elements of black to a room that anchors the room and enhances the other colors. You and your guests may not even notice the touch of black, but it does make a difference. 

Black is a powerful color, so a little goes a long way in adding drama, sophistication, seriousness or masculinity. And one of the best things about black is that it never goes out of style, even as other colors rise and fall in popularity, so your black accents will probably outlast all your other design elements! 

Black goes well with so many colors: It looks beautiful with cream and white, but also with bold jewel tones and soft pastels.

Today, some people are even decorating with black as the primary color in their design scheme – but be cautious about using too much black, it can be overpowering. 

Ideas for a touch of black include:
- Window treatments, valances or drapery rods
- Area rugs or flooring
- Frames for paintings, photographs or mirrors
- Side tables
- Lamps or lampshades

More ideas are:
- Upholstery fabric
- Accent wall
- Pillows and throws
- Wrought iron fireplace accessories
- Lacquer moldings around windows and doors

Anchor your home decor by adding a splash of black in every room. Please contact us for more ideas or for help with your next design project. 

Better Sleep solution this school year!

It’s hard to believe a new school year has arrived. How is your family adjusting? It’s hard to get used to being on a strict schedule again, and without proper sleep, the vibe in your household can probably be described as grumbly, at best. Never fear – we have sleep solutions for you that will deliver a better night’s sleep to everyone in your family – including you! e.

 Get rid of distracting light.

Whether it’s coming from a street light on your cul-de-sac, or a favorite device, there’s no place for distracting light in your family’s bedrooms. Take inventory just before bedtime – are passing cars a problem? Is the nightlight in your child’s room too bright? Does the whole room just need to be darker? We can help. From overall room-darkening, to blocking out intermittent light, window shades will offer sleep solutions for a better night of sleep. Not only will your child receive uninterrupted sleep, but getting back on schedule has never been easier than with a darkened environment when it’s time for an earlier bedtime.

Start with a great schedule.

You’ve been on summer vacation, and that means that rules and schedules are pretty much out the window. Routines are key to happy transitions and changes in your family’s life. As hard as it is, getting back on a schedule is one of the most important things you can do. That may mean the kids are going to bed with light still outside their windows. It’s time to set the scene with the ultimate control: PowerView automation. Step One: Use the Scene Controller in PowerView to save just the right settings for a good night’s sleep in your child’s room. Five minutes before bedtime, have it scheduled to adjust automatically – or use the PowerView App to set the scene in an instant. Voila! Sleep solutions are easy with the intuitive technology of PowerView. You can even schedule the window shades to open in the morning, letting sunshine do the waking as you get breakfast ready. Don’t struggle to get your mornings going, let PowerView automation come to your rescue.

Summer vacation has come to a close; school is officially back in session. Make sure this school year is a successful one for your family, as you find sleep solutions to help them start every day rested and refreshed. We can help. Come visit us to discover options for light control and energy efficiency for your child’s room. And just wait till you see what PowerView can do for your lifestyle. Contact our team, at Interior Motives and more..., for a free, in-home consultation.

Window Treatments for Bay, Corner and Bow Windows

 

Window treatments for bay, corner and bow windows are usually standard rectangular window installations. The window treatment panels are independent of one another, which means that you can use almost any product to cover your window. 

                                                                                            Interior Motives and More ... in Huntley, IL offers a wide selection of blinds, shades and shutters for your bay, corner or bow window - see below for some samples. 


contact us to get started with your project.

Custom Bedding and Bedspreads

No matter what your style, we'll make custom bedding that fits your bed and room décor perfectly.
  
Let the experienced staff at Interior Motive and more... help you design and select the perfect bedding - available in a wide variety of styles, colors and fabrics.

We offer custom comforter sets, custom duvet covers, custom linens, custom bed sheets, custom throw pillows, and custom bed covers.

We supply expert design, measure and installation service on our draperies and custom bedding for all of McHenry County and Northwest Suburbs. 

Let our experienced staff help you design and select the perfect bedding to match your bedroom decor. 
 
We specialize in bedspreads, bed skirts, throw pillows, duvet covers, comforters and more. All are available in a wide variety of styles, colors and fabrics.

  

After-Hours and In-Home Design Consultations

We offer after-hours design consultations and in-home visits, just give us a call.
  

Do you need to make your purchasing decisions at a time stores aren’t open?  Or do you want us to meet you in the privacy of your own home to make your decorating choices? 
 
Call us and we can help you move forward with your decorating project. 

We're Open

Monday through Friday 

10am-4pm

We are happy to assist you at any other time,

including evenings and weekends...

  Simply call to schedule an appointment

Interior Motives and more...

11179 Dundee Road

Huntley, Illinois 60142

847-669-3941

Privacy and Light Control for Angled and Sloped Windows

Common in contemporary homes, angled windows bring up some unique challenges in providing privacy and light control and keeping your home energy efficient. 

We offer a wide selection of blinds, shades and shutters for angled windows that help to enhance the beauty of your angled windows, whether the shade is open or closed. Customer favorites include:

Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades
Heritance® hardwood shutters
Palm Beach™ polysatin shutters
Silhouette® window shadings
Vignette® Modern Roman Shades

We will help you choose the right solution.

Whether your style is classic and elegant, funky and modern, rustic and country or sleek and contemporary, our experienced design professionals will work with you to find the best window treatment solution for your angled or sloped window, all within your budget.

STORE HOURS

Monday through Friday 

10am-4pm

We are happy to assist you at any other time,

including evenings and weekends...

Simply call to schedule an appointment

Interior Motives and more...

11179 Dundee Road

Huntley, Illinois 60142

847-669-3941

www.interiormotiveshuntley.com

Motorized Drapery Track Systems

Motorized Drapery Track Systems

Rely on our motorization experts to design the best automated solution for your drapery tracks. 

We can help you protect your interior against heat and sun while maintaining your view or assist you in operating drapery tracks that are in hard-to-reach places.

Our range of motorized solutions include hard-wired and battery-operated choices for remote operation. 

We can help you protect your interior against heat and sun while maintaining your view or assist you in operating drapery tracks that are in hard-to-reach places.

Our range of motorized solutions include hard-wired and battery-operated choices for remote operation.

STORE HOURS

Monday through Friday 

10am-4pm

We are happy to assist you at any other time,

including evenings and weekends...

Simply call to schedule an appointment

Interior Motives and more...

11179 Dundee Road

Huntley, Illinois 60142

847-669-3941

www.interiormotiveshuntley.com

  

Beautiful Fabrics

Consider beauty and function when you make your selections. Natural fabrics include cotton, leather, linen, silk, suede and wool while synthetics include acetate, acrylic, microfiber, nylon, olefin, polyester, rayon and vinyl. Synthetics tend to be more durable than natural fibers, but not always. A lot depends on the finish applied to a fabric or the weave that’s used, as much as the inherent fabric itself. The most obvious initial decisions are: - Fabric color family - Whether fabric is solid color or has a pattern - Fabric texture and weave - Whether fabric is woven, crocheted, knit or pressed Select fabric first for beauty since the look of your home is paramount, but also, consider how your fabric will be used so you’ll be happy with your decision over the long term. For example, the nature of fabrics that are optimal for a heavily-used great room sofa will be quite different than those for a seldom-used decorative chair in your entry. Always think about durability and stain resistance if you have pets or children. Also, consider how much damaging sunlight enters a room. Your fabric choices create the underpinning of your interior design plan and are critical to the beauty of your rooms. Consider carefully and get professional advice before you buy.  STORE HOURS Monday through Friday  10am-4pm We are happy to assist you at any other time, including evenings and weekends... Simply call to schedule an appointment Interior Motives and more... 11179 Dundee Road Huntley, Illinois 60142 847-669-3941 www.interiormotiveshuntley.com

Clean Simple Design

The look of your home can give you peace of mind.

SImplicity and order can provide a sense of calm. Simple doesn’t mean plain or unattractive. Simple design can create a sophisticated, traditional, elegant look or a modern, minimalist feel. The bottom line is reducing chaos and over-decoration, and minimizing clutter and confusion. - Plan only one or two focal points per room, so you can really “see” the beauty, rather than having a hodge podge of color and design elements. - Limit the number of colors in your design and stick with gentle colors, rather than bold primary colors. - Make color transitions gentle. Avoid making too strong a statement between dark and light colors, such as black and white. (However, keep in mind that you may want energizing colors in a room; for example, in a kitchen or home office where you’d like to be engaged and active.) Once you’ve created a simple, clean design, enjoy it! Allow yourself relaxing time to read a book or watch your favorite TV show, without answering the phone or responding to text messages. Spend time with your family or friends in a quiet way, without over planning your activities. Achieving a calm and simple home environment can help you find peace of mind every day.  Smooth, simple surfaces add a calm, zen feel. Gentle color transitions feel serene and comforting. STORE HOURS Monday through Friday  10am-4pm We are happy to assist you at any other time, including evenings and weekends... Simply call to schedule an appointment Interior Motives and more... 11179 Dundee Road Huntley, Illinois 60142 847-669-3941 www.interiormotiveshuntley.com