I am happy to announce that after the Covid isolation and further education and experience, I am now a certified Master Gardener! This goes hand and hand with interior design, as clients often ask me about their yard and a good landscaping design. After a long and hard freeze last winter, there are many damaged plants that need some extra love and care. After being inspired by my classes, I have redone my own landscaping including relocating and adding many new shrubs and trees. I have yet to graft a branch from our dear aunt’s 50 year old Camelia, but I’m mustering the confidence to do it! Keep the outside of your home in mind when you are beautifying the inside; all on a budget, of course!
I Promised You This
Last year, I promised you a ‘short and sweet’ decorating plan & I think you’ve waited long enough!
Several of my friends are selling their homes and want some staging tips. Admittedly, the market right now almost everywhere is very low on established home inventory with so much new building going on. But anyone can use these tips no matter what your situation might be.
Set a budget! Then go thru all your stuff & donate or sell anything you haven’t used in a year. Pick an overall color scheme and paint and clean up the floors & the carpet. Start with a fairly clean slate. Then you’re ready to rock & roll.
Remember to have FUN & try to enjoy the process.
Less is more! Where does all this stuff come from anyway!?
Remember the 3 cardinal rules of decorating: Function, Mood & Harmony
Accessories are generally used in odd numbers. Try it! This would include wall decor, & even floral arrangements.
View the project in TOTAL. Design is about wholeness & using individual elements & combining them into a total concept. Always keep one eye on the complete scheme.
Use your color wheel! This will point you in the right direction.
Find a piece of fabric that you LOVE & pull your accessory colors from there.
Start with your “big” accessories & work to the smaller ones. Flooring is 30% of the visual impact of a room and 30% of the budget. Remember to think about your lighting, as light & space are the most precious elements of an environment. With window treatments, “fabric dictates style”. Coordinate your patterns & use many different textures to bring a great deal of interest into your home or the room.
Always save room for a SURPRISE! A treasured heirloom or a crazy garage sale find could bring you some happiness.
Finally, say “Aaaahhh”!! In technical terms this would mean that your design is aesthetically pleasing. But in everyday language, this means that when you look at what you’ve created, you feel relaxed — & there’s a smile on your face :)
Stay tuned for the specifics of the process above.
Check out this laundry room makeover from www.hative.com
Before & After
Beauty is Everywhere
Time has flown by as I have been designing, moving (and decorating those spaces), trying some different projects and spoiling my new granddaughter; and here are some of the results.
Inspired by the food stylist and photographer Anna Pustynnikova in her video with the renowned photographer Karl Taylor, I worked with the locally famous photographer Eric Pound from EricPound.com and began new area of design for me.
We then went on to one of my favorite things - product photography.
Some of the things were packed away in storage or laying around the house. We also did several stock images including some for the holidays.
These images and others are available for purchase on Shutterstock.com and you’ve made it ‘personal’. Now you know the designer and photographer that produced them!
The bottom line to this story is that if you have a talent that you love to use, try expanding it. If you like to cook, you’re probably cooking for yourself & those in you household already. But what about baking your favorite treats & selling them at a farmer’s market or local restaurant? Or making a meal for someone from your place of worship or your employment? I even knew a dog lover that would make dog food supplements & donate them to the local animal shelter.
There are so many outlets for your talents! Let’s get together & make the world a more beautiful place.
Furniture Foible to Beautiful Perfection
Previously on ‘All Things Beautiful’, I described my trials while attempting to save a few dollars on my front bedroom re-do. Here are the amazing results:
First and foremost, I want to give a huge shout out to an AMAZING photographer Eric Pound. He is extremely versatile and look at his use of light! Check out his work on ericpound.com
I got a great amount of satisfaction from this project, once I got over all the frustration.
To complete the room, I did something that I absolutely love doing! I went ‘shopping in my house’. After ordering the comforter, sheets and pillow shams from a college dorm linen online store, I began to scour my home for some useful accessories.
I found some great things, for free of course!
The wooden wall hanging above the dresser is actually a plate charger. There is an antique pedestal candy jar with some brass napkin rings inside. The ‘picture on mirrors’ trio set are courtesy of West Elm. There are some wise and trendy quote cards I got on clearance from American Eagle intending to gift them. Some rearranging of decorative pillows and a Fourth of July basket with a throw inside add to the look. I took the Frenchy Mannequin from the corner of the bedroom and put a small circular grey and white rug in the doorway.
Voila! Of course, a picture of my grandson Andersen at the beach is the finishing touch.
So if you’re bored with your home or just a room, ‘go shopping your house’. Add a little paint, move the furniture (which lends itself to cleaning behind the big stuff) and rearrange the accessories from room to room.
Someone might even ask you who your decorator is.
Happy New Pantone Color of the Year
The big reveal is over. The 2018 Pantone Color of the Year is ULTRA VIOLET. Check out their announcement from www.pantone.com
Pantone is the world renowned authority and standard on color.
Very interesting. So what can we do with all this information?
My first encounter with the color "purple" when was when I was 13 years old and allowed to decorate my own room for the first time. I chose a pale lilac for the walls and a light purple acetate quilted 'bedspread'. But here is the best accessory:
That could be me standing there!
I guess they eventually made purple plush feet. I had four or five of them starting from the doorway and leading on an angle to my bed. Later when I could drive to the mall I added a black light, and the room was complete.
Good times, good times. But this leaves us with the question, what should we do with Ultra-Violet in 2018?
This is a very bold color. Of course we are free to paint all the walls in our living room or bathroom a shade of ultra-violet. I had a chenille, modern purple couch once that was my favorite sofa of all time (my girls inherited it when we moved).
But that's a lot of 'purple'. When I do a design consultation, I provide my clients with a simple color wheel. A basic rule of decorating is to use the colors next to the one you are using; which in this case would be the blues and maybe some reds. Or to use the colors opposite on the color wheel which would be some yellows and oranges.
Decide whether you want an all over Ultra-Violet look or accent with a piece of furniture or some accessories. As Leatrice stated above, use your inventiveness, creativity and artistic expression that I believe is in all of us; and go for it!
It is so much fun to mix things up a bit, or change your decor completely; especially when using a color that helps you explore a 'greater galaxy' from the comfort of your own home.
Fa La La
No matter how you celebrate the holidays, I think we all want to walk into Home Goods and be “wowed’ with some beautiful things! If you prefer Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Three Kings Day, St. Lucia Day or just want a nice accessory to start out the new year, there ought to be some unusual things to adorn our homes.
In the fall, we can start decorating for Halloween and Thanksgiving at anytime. But with Christmas, we have about 30 days to display our holiday wonders, so we get gypped out of admiring them and are under pressure to take them down quickly.
Is it just me, or are most decorations looking cheaper and very hum-drum? I went completely crazy last year over a large, ceramic one piece nativity scene. But this year, I hunted far and wide to find anything different or with some character.
I only found a few things to share with you.
The first one is a series of serve ware by Better Homes & Gardens called ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ sold by Walmart. It’s not overtly holiday, mostly white and neutral to mix and match with any table setting. It has some cool pieces like a cake stand and a wax warmer. It would also make a nice gift appropriate to give at the holidays for use in the coming new year.
I also purchased a set of 6 red and green votive holders to use alone or spruce up some old decorations. I like them because they are all different, and can be used in a variety of ways from year to year.
If all else fails, go to your favorite thrift store. I have not yet found any exceptional ones here in Charlotte, but when I lived in Florida, the Hospice and Humane Society Thrift Stores contained all kinds of treasures; and you are supporting a good cause in the process!
Hiring a holiday decorator can be a gift to yourself! It should be fairly inexpensive, and the results can be dramatic. Just put a bunch of your holiday decor on the dining room table, and let the designer go to town.
In all the hustle and bustle, don’t forget to enjoy family and friends and what the holidays mean to you; and eat some great food. Which begs the question…..
Does anyone really like fruitcake?!
A Design Challenge
While here in Mississippi for the Thanksgiving holiday, an unexpected design opportunity has presented itself. One which will certainly help as I formulate fresh concepts and plans.
The family of my fiancé, David, were Mississippi farm folk for four generations. I do admire farmers because if I were forced to raise or grow my own food, well, it would be a true starvation diet!
This farmland is only 150 or so acres but of variety, gentle hills and rolling pastures with patches of pines and hardwoods. I have toured it, including the gravel pit and collapsing barns…and one quaint little log shack.
“How about decorating this?” David said. Upon closer inspection, I was sure he was not serious.
It was the old family smokehouse; built sometime in the 1920s by his grandfather with the then-new house. As the title implies, hams and bacon and other meats were hung there to cure over slow smoke. Gaps between the logs are several inches wide now from age and weather, with a small tear in the corrugated roof as a memento of Hurricane Katrina’s passing. If walls could talk…
This nostalgic structure in the shade of an ancient pecan tree, now used only for storing old fence posts and other abandoned junk, is a favorite place for family photos. So, why not take our own new family’s “Save the Date” picture here?
This experience got me thinking about our heritage and our surroundings. To be sure few folk still have access to a Great-Great Grandfather’s homestead, or have standing symbols of the work by lives long-past. But do not doubt, we all have a history worth remembering.
So then, what about doing a little research of family history? Or gathering some long-ago and even mysterious mementoes from your own past?
Yes, some of us feel that there is nothing left to learn or anything good to discover about our ancestors. Perhaps we don’t want to join ancestry.com and spend hours on-line studying to find out things we would really rather not know?!
But how about this? Mothers typically hand down some jewelry. If not worn, display it discreetly. If someone in your heritage was, say, a photographer, hunt down an old or even antique camera for the bookshelf.
Buy an Irish flag, or a picture of one, and display it proudly. Purchase an old dish from Etsy or Ebay with the word “Mangia” on it for your kitchen to honor Italian Great Grandmother Liz and Aunt Rosie. Find a small folding-fan in finely faded colors, or aged ivory item, to remind of those ancestors who crossed the Pacific to work on American railroads a century ago.
Our own family once had a friend that was instrumental in opening a famous museum in Washington, D.C. When I asked why she did what she did, I was told the past is worth remembering…both for better or for worse.
So you don’t have a battered old smokehouse on the family farm? Not to worry. Go antique shopping, find something you admire, and make your modern home a more interesting and personal place.
Just Say "Ahhhh"
I’m sitting in the airport waiting to fly back to Charlotte. And learning about design.
I admit to being an avid people watcher. The more I travel and observe my surroundings, the more I’m learning about how different things are in each locality. Not just the food or the fashion; but the way people live and what they want in their dwellings.
Why do things vary so much? Even in the landscape, there are palm trees in Mississippi, crotons in North Carolina and sweet potato vines in Florida. It makes no sense to me! So I’m trying to find core similarities to identify with people to make my job a little easier and customers a little happier.
I think I found the biggest one.
Everyone seems to be trying to manage their hectic lives. Whether it be their careers, parenting, finances, or just day to day living, we are moving at a dizzying pace.
I once had a friend that subscribed to an email service to assist with the control and organization of your life and actually received 10-12 emails per day! Counter productive.
Since we cannot produce more time in a day, it is more important than ever to have a home that you enjoy; a place where you can disconnect; have some down time and maybe even a little peace.
A place where when you walk in, you look around and say “Ahhhhhh”.
So I’m working on a new design process that can help everyone, regardless of their style or situation, to achieve the look they want in their home with a minimal investment of time and fits their budget.
We’re boarding now. I’m watching people scurry around the gates trying to manage all their stuff; while the airline employees are repeatedly giving carry on instructions and threatening to check their bags.
This airport looks awful. I think airports need some Interior Designers too.
Furniture Foible
If you tuned in last week, you know that I have been in the middle of a crazy furniture project. After ordering 2 pieces of clearance furniture from Pier 1 that were both delivered damaged, I reordered them and one of the pieces was damaged. Again!
I turned my attention to the second desk and carefully unboxed it, and to my astonishment, it appeared to be in good condition.
Now I was committed. I finally got a desk that was not damaged, but I needed to procure the matching bedside chest. As with all clearance furniture, you run the risk of the items selling out. A quick search on the web site showed the chest was still available. But after three disasters, do I run the risk of trying to ship it to my house again?
So many decisions! This is exactly why people buy furniture from Haverty’s and have it delivered in perfect condition and placed appropriately. I’ve only done that twice, but it really was a mountain top experience.
I called the store, and of course, they now know me by name. A salesperson told me that they did have a chest currently in their store and they would check the condition for any damage. I had to get my neighbor, again, to assist me in putting the second damaged chest in the back of my Jeep.
Aren’t you glad you don’t live next door to me? You might hear some muffled screams as UPS dumps the furniture in my driveway; upside down. And I will always need a hand with all my furniture hauling!
Let’s get to the conclusion of this story. I want to give some much deserved credit to a wonderful sales person at Pier 1. Unlike customer service, Nichole is knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with! She put the new chest, single handedly, in my Jeep. And now both Sidney pieces are resting securely in my newly decorated upstairs bedroom.
Even though I had to spend another $200 to hire and tip the movers, I justify it in my mind by thinking of the money I saved purchasing the clearance furniture.
Take aways:
I like Pier 1 for their decorations and accessories, but beware when ordering any larger furniture from them. If you do order some, consider their white glove services, especially if they are running a special. This would avoid all these kinds of hassles; if the price is not prohibitive.
And as always, hire a decorator! It will add some months to your life.
Pictures of the completed room will someday follow.
Trying to Save Money?
Let us continue the saga of the front bedroom redo.
You didn’t see pictures of my front bedroom in the magazine spread because it was just my everyday office. Nothing spectacular; just some furniture from IKEA that I brought with me from Florida. But now I need that office furniture in Mississippi and I decided to make it a real bedroom here in NC.
I had so many points from Pier 1 after ordering all the condo furniture, I was able to purchase the $799.95 Michelle Taupe Trundle Daybed for $50.00! My joy was complete. This picture gave me an idea for a great comforter too; which we shall discuss in a future blog post.
I then turned my attention to the furniture. I found the Sidney natural whitewash chest and desk on clearance for about 50% off , and had them delivered at home for free. Another great find.
When all the boxes arrived, I took them out of the outer boxes (very heavy and a lot of work for me). I hired to movers to unbox them completely, and take all the pieces up the stairs. The bed and the desk had to be assembled, but the chest came as one piece.
As they were putting the bed together, I noticed the middle drawer was lower on the right side. I proceeded to open the drawer, and the whole track on that side splintered and broke! As the movers slid the top of the desk out of the box, it was obvious the whole corner was splintered and broken.
So down the stairs they carried the desk and chest after the bed was put together. I then called Pier 1 Customer Support to exchange the furniture. I was sent an email and I replied to them with all the pictures of the damage. Yet much to my surprise, I was told I needed to box both pieces of furniture up the way they came, and UPS would pick them up. I explained that the boxes had to be cut off and could not be re-boxed as originally purchased; to which she replied they would not replace the furniture unless I returned it to the store.
What part of this scenario did she not understand? I continued to explain the situation to her and requested I receive white glove treatment for the replacement as I did not think it was fair I had to hire the movers, AGAIN, to start this process all over; to assemble and bring the replacement furniture upstairs. My friends at work have informed me there is now a sticky note on her monitor with my name on it to alert and warn her about any of my subsequent calls
Oh, it gets better. Worse, really. When the replacements arrived, the chest box was torn from top to bottom, caved in on one corner; and upon opening the box the whole back of the chest was torn off and most of the screws were stripped. One could only guess what the desk box held.
Unfortunately, this is real life. But don't give up hope yet.
Tune in next week for the conclusion of this exciting furniture foible!
Now It's Time To Live It!
Hello everyone, I’m back! You’re never going to be able to guess what I’ve been up to? I’ve been helping on a design project in Mississippi with a wonderful couple that is redoing their forever home in the country, inside and out. It’s amazing!
They happen to have a brother that I fell in love with, and we’re getting married! We’re planning an April wedding and it’s all very exciting. Remember all that chat about combining design styles? Now, it’s real!
I’ve been fixing up the bachelor pad. I earned so many points from Pier 1 that I was able to take on a redo in the upstairs of my house in North Carolina also. Two long distance projects at the same time; while planning a wedding. I enjoy a challenge.
David has so many wonderful qualities, but as a sports writer he doesn’t have a lot of time for interior design! In a previous blog post he described his style as ‘Tornado Strikes Thrift Store’ or ‘Neoclassical Dorm Room’. Sounds like an interior design challenge, doesn’t it? We had some conversations with statements like, “I need silverware and dishes that match” and “You can pick out all the furniture”. You’ve gotta start somewhere.
We decided on a ‘modern rustic’ design style. Then the work of cleaning out all our stuff began. He has so much meaningful memorabilia, from Media Passes to baseballs and I, well, I have A LOT of accessories!!
I found out he liked copper. So here are just a few things that have been delivered to our house so far:
From the pine TV slash wine cabinet to the silver leather couch from Houzz, there have been constant UPS and USPS people coming to the house. I’m going to bring you along in the journey and let you know how things are going.
Since he is my editor now, maybe my writing will improve.
Back to School
It’s that time of year again, when the kids (and some adults) are going back to school. Just a little learning about the right things can go a very long way.
So, please come along with me on a journey meant to enhance your design skills as well as add beauty to your life. Let’s start with one of my favorite authors and designers, Ilse Crawford.
It is well worth the time to take a few minutes and watch a documentary in the Netflix original series “Abstract” which features her life and work in the episode “The Art of Design”. Her upbringing, life and talent will amaze you!
One might think after watching the program that we common folk could never equal her amazing talent or her accomplishments. Yet this was her gift to the world. We can learn so much from her, not only on the screen but through books she has authored which help us along in the process.
Ilse was the founding editor of Elle Decoration in the UK, which is now known as Elle Decor and considered to be one of the top 10 design magazines ever published.
Luckily for all of us, in 2015 Ikea launched her SINNERLIG collection. Check it out, and don’t be intimidated!
Not only is the collection totally fantastic, take time to read comments her Design Manager Markus Engman wrote about her designs titled “Designed to engage your senses”. Even if her taste is not the exact look you’re going for, the principles will stand true and can provide a fresh perspective on how we decorate.
In 1998 her first book “Sensual Home: Liberate Your Senses and Change Your Life” was published. In these pages she offers us the keys to maximizing the gifts of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. It is strange yet true our senses are often overlooked when we are making our decor choices. You will find informative text and beautiful photography as she covers subjects such as harmony, balance, peace, comfort, texture, space, proportion, energy, spirit, light, shade, sustenance. And love.
“Home is Where the Heart Is” followed in 2005 and was written with the premise that "the more virtual our world becomes, the more we need the physical”.
If you wish to see more of her work, I recommend her 2014 book “A Frame for Life: The Designs of StudioIlse”.
I do hope you will enjoy her philosophy and work as much as I do, and that these concepts can inspire you in all that you do.
Trading "Company"
This blog post is dedicated to my dear ‘daughter-in-love’ Madison who has impeccable taste and is the greatest mother to sweet Andersen that there could ever be!
When recently visiting my grandson in Florida, I asked my family to pick a topic for my next blog post. You know how it feels when someone puts you on the spot like that; you get idea panic. So they were still thinking when….
A large box arrived. I also noticed a different dining room table in their home. When I asked them about it, the following story came forth:
My son and daughter in law decorate in a mid-century modern style with some traditional accents. Their dining room table was a solid wood table that was rather traditional with some tall backed dining room chairs with seat cushions covered in a light floral fabric. Not a great fit for their home, but a much needed ensemble to get started with.
Madison’s family was repainting some rooms and moving some furniture around. When Madison was visiting, she mentioned to her mother that if she ever got rid of her dining room table, they were looking for a new one. Her mother proceeded to tell her that she was looking for a more traditional table. And so the big exchange came to be.
Madison took the more modern wood top dining table with brushed chrome legs to her house and her mother gave some love to the solid wood, more traditional dining table in her home.
Madison then searched for some more modern chairs to coordinate with her new dining room table. Check out these chairs on Amazon.
The effect was dramatic! The dining room table and chairs is in the main sight line in front of the sliding glass doors leading to the outside, so it is a major focal point. All for $84.00.
I’ve been to clothing exchanges; and the last one that I attended morphed into a home accessory exchange, and it rocked! Everyone brought their gently used home accessories that they were tired of looking at, and the items found a new home and became something beautiful to behold in a new setting.
I’m listening to the Beatles as I write this. Let’s start a ‘Revolution’!
Come On In and Stay Awhile - Part Two
In our last discussion we began talking about combining design styles; so let’s continue on that topic and get some more specific decorating ideas on how to do just that.
Finding Mr. Right - We all know that important things can take a lot of time. There is going to be a lot of thinking, looking, arranging and even some returning of items in this undertaking. But very well worth it! Think about how much time you spend in your home and how much you will enjoy it when it is finished.
Set a Date - And set a budget. You don’t have to accomplish the combo all in one week, but do set a target date for completion and keep moving forward. If no goals are set, nothing much will get accomplished and you might be living in a mess for awhile, which is never fun.
Look Before You Leap - You are probably going to make some purchases when redecorating, and some of those purchases can be a ‘capital expense’. If you are interested in something from a showroom, visit it several times and measure, measure, measure. Large furniture is not easily returned and there is almost always a non-refundable delivery charge. I am a fan of Wayfair and their customer service rocks, but I do not recommend buying a sofa without actually sitting on it! The shipping costs to return the item might be prohibitive.
Made for Each Other - These are obvious things that look good together. Remember, gone are the days of ‘matchy - matchy’. Instead, try to coordinate and associate everything in the space to give it an interesting and unique look with some contrast.
Opposites Attract - Ok, this is where it gets really fun. Some of the greatest surprises in design are taking two opposite things and placing them together in the same room. In a master bathroom, designer Paolo Moschino placed a 19th-century English secretary in a traditional bathroom. It also added a lot of needed additional storage. Check out the AMAZING results:
Give Something a Second Chance - When arranging the space, place things according to the plan you had in your mind, something you liked on Pinterest, or the way you sketched it out on paper. Don’t worry if it is not exactly right the first time. When I arrange things, I keep moving everything around until I get it exactly the way I want it. I think my record for moving an accessory is 13 times!
Come On In and Stay Awhile - Part 1
There is much talk lately about how to combine design styles. And for good reason. Our lives are always changing, and that process is sometimes the only thing in our world that stays the same. Yet we always keep the best of what we have gained and learned.
Perhaps you are inheriting prized possessions. Maybe the family is downsizing and letting items go. Or friends are giving away furniture as they are relocating. Theses are tangible items of vastly different sources and styles, not to mention stories!
What of more personal changes, such as starting a new relationship? Congratulations! This is a new beginning, the start of a new story. Sure there is always a ‘moving’ tension as great as changing a job or an address. But it is to be FUN (well, and a little work). So remember that communication is key. Find each other’s currency; the likes, dislikes, priorities. Maintain your attention on things which matter - the things of real importance and significance. The final result will be much better that way.
Wait, what does this have to do with combining design styles?! What if one person’s style is ‘Tornado Strikes Thrift Store’ or ‘Neoclassical Dorm Room’ and they are moving in with an Interior Designer? Why, the principles are the same. Styles can be vastly different yet ‘communicate’ when done well together.
So, first things first. You will tire of hearing this from me, but CLEAN OUT YOUR STUFF. Big and little stuff. Not the things that matter; just stuff.
This is all the more important when you are trying to combine two spaces into one larger design. Know what we like when we visit model homes, or study magazine spreads? Look again: there is no personal clutter in sight. Of course you will want to make ‘your’ space your own as it reflects yourself or your relationship. This does not mean leaving prescription bottles out in plain sight!
Let’s address our personal attachment to things, be they furniture, accessories, pictures, whatever. There is no one more sentimental than I am. I have had the experience of losing all my furniture and most of my possessions. Do you know what I discovered?
They were just possessions. Objects, things. No one can take away your memories and over time you are also free to make new memories and to acquire new or different decor. And to fuse and form the new styles they represent. So when combining spaces you, yes you are in control of the new choices and fresh combinations.
So, have a family recliner that you can’t seem to part with? Take a picture of it and maybe a swatch of the fabric and put it into a memory album. That way you’ll always have it to refer to and it takes up no space at all.
Next, pick a design style. How about, say, ECLECTIC?! I was in high school in the ‘70s, and the only acceptable look was to be thin with straight hair. I was neither. So no wonder I love how almost anything goes now, without artificial barriers. The most important thing is to have a PLAN and be deliberate and thoughtful with your choices and placement of objects. Think outside the box. Or the basket, jar, shelf….
Maybe everyone won’t love your combined style. They can admire the heart put into making it work and feel the love.
Calling All Guys
I know you’re out there!
When I asked a male friend of mine what he would like to see on my blog, he suggested talking to the guys about their spaces. You may think you have no decorating talent, but I don’t believe that is true. You might be a data analyst or a plumber, (or a nurse!) but there is a creativity to every job and all you need is a little inspiration. Ok, maybe a lot.
First of all, if you are the only one that lives there, you have no one to please but yourself (easier). So let’s do it in 5 easy steps:
- Go through your stuff!! Cleaning everything out is the all important first step.
- Get a PLAN - for the WHOLE space! If you like gray, plan your place around that. If you’re a Red Sox fan, make sure you’re gonna stick with them no matter what, and design around that theme and their colors. Pick something you love and keep it simple.
- Make a budget. It’s harder to enjoy something that puts a strain on your lifestyle.
- Pick your favorite items that are in keeping with your plan, and recycle the rest. Remember, you do not have to do this all at once! One room at a time is fine, too. I’m a firm believer that things come to you. So take some time and don’t be in a major hurry.
- Then the order: paint, furniture and rugs, accessories and art. Big to small. Remember, LESS is MORE. You will be much more pleased with the results with less stuff in the space.
- Ok, 6 steps. Hire a designer! Consultations are not a capital expense, and it will save you so much time and money in the long run. Make sure to hire one that listens to you and makes it your home; and teaches you how to decorate along the way.
In the past the term bachelor pad conjured up all kinds of ideas of a messy space with remotes and leftovers, a couch from college and some sports memorabilia. No longer! Step up your game and you never know what could happen. Here's my friend Eric's new place; click here to check out his photography.
Love What You Like
Did you ever see that Pier 1 commercial that says “Find what speaks to you”?
I’m just like that. Something “speaks to me”, or I see something, and to use a southern expression, I “have a fit over it”. Most of the time it’s an accessory, but it can really be anything. A comforter, a cool piece of furniture, or some lighting.
Here is the latest thing that I could not resist - porcelain constellation hurricane and tea lights from West Elm. And you should see them in the dark! When you want to bring the stars inside…
These are easy things to incorporate into your home or office. But when you are decorating, it would be impossible to fall in love with every single thing in the space. If you took months and gathered a room full of furniture, rugs, pillows, window treatments and paint colors that you were crazy about, they probably would not compliment each other and would not bring about the look you were going for.
So what’s the solution? Love what you like! If you have a couch that you found on Craig’s list and had it recovered, and now it’s outrageously beautiful, you might find some throw pillows that showcase it. Maybe the pillows are not your fave by themselves, but they make the couch look even better.
Pick out the top 5 things that you can’t live without, and like the rest. Be infatuated, swoon, and crush over the other things. Then when those feelings wear off, there’s still a romantic feeling about the space. Design is a little like relationships - you never know when you’re gonna fall in ‘like’.
Get Lost in Art - Part 2
Ready for another beautiful journey?
Last time we discussed some great sites to purchase quality art, like West Elm and Minted. Now, let's drop in on some different artists on Etsy, which happens to also be among our favorite sites for shopping in general.
I’m more of a modern art person, Happily one can find any variety of art we could look for on Etsy.
My powder room is small and rather dark, and I have pondered over what to do with the walls for years. Well, one tip in picking out art is to think of something you love in life; your favorite color, a character in a book or movie, perhaps your favorite flower. In my case, I’m crazy about hydrangeas.
When searching for them once, I met Jan Ironside of IronsideImpastos. Impasto is a technique used in painting where paint is laid on the surface very thickly making the strokes and the painting three dimensional. Jan uses oil paint and a palette knife.
This texture adds additional visual interest, and another dimension to my powder room where there is no furniture. Jan paints numerous kinds of flowers, and do check out her HOLIDAY paintings! Who wouldn’t want at least one?
My personal preference for my home's art is rather abstract, modern art. If you prefer this too, look no farther than Linda Donahue. Her art draws inspiration from the San Francisco Bay area where she lives. “Request a custom order and have something made just for you”. I bought two of her beautiful paintings for my living room. Here is the beautiful result:
As I choose to believe each one of us is a work of art, why shouldn’t our living space reflect this? Just don't make rash decisions. An investment in art, any art, is not one of the things that you will change frequently or casually. Take the time to look at many art sources, including friends and family. Oh, and do think about taking a painting class yourself! That’s what I did, and even though this picture is hanging in my guest bedroom, it surely was a lot of fun (and some wine was involved too).
Get Lost in Art - Part 1
I confess…I’m an art snob.
Oh, not about where good art is to be found. I love big museums and small galleries equally as sources of original art. But a serious search is time consuming, and the purchase can be quite pricey.
I was looking at the result from the magazine shoot of my home. Honestly, I already knew the walls needed more art. Seeing the pictures again lit the fire to get it done and hung! So take the journey with me from the before to the after.
I believe this looked nice enough. There is just no ‘wow’ factor. Fortunately I had seen some very unique items at West Elm. The decision was made: obtain some of this hand crafted Paper-Mache wall art. Check it out:
“Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Founded by an entrepreneurial husband-and-wife team in 1990, this papier-mâché workshop is dedicated to creating sustainable jobs in Haiti through innovative design. Their papier-mâché pieces are handcrafted almost entirely from locally-sourced, recycled materials such as cement bags with the glue made from yucca paste.”
They were not very expensive and even better required no framing. On top of this we can feel good about supporting the artist(s) too. So, feast your eyes on the finished product:
It doesn’t get much better than this!
Of course you will need help hanging those pictures. Kevin hung these pictures on the stairs in a flash! (He is very patient too). So if you’re in the Charlotte region, give him a call. His list of services include: minor home repairs, painting, clean-up, hauling, furniture assembly (Yay!), shelving, landscaping and honey do lists. Here's his contact information:
2-A-T
Kevin Mace
704-251-9078
ifixit2at@gmail.com
The next step was moving on to the master bedroom. I already was pleased with what was hanging on these walls; some metal art and West Elm mirrors (and they are gorgeous). What I knew was needed were “pictures” and I honestly could never decide on anything.
That’s when I discovered Minted.
I knew they did stationary and invitations, but never realized they are promoting new artists for wall art and even throw pillows and fabrics. Their framing service also is the BEST. Why, you can even have a print signed by the artist.
I do love looking at our nighttime sky, and did some searching out of this topic. I found ‘Intergalactic 1 & 3’ and fell in love, contacting Laura Rodil for a commissioned piece. She was a delight to work with! Here are the results:
Before
After
So this first arts journey, from the Caribbean islands to the sea of stars, has brought a new look to my walls. Go out exploring and see what beautiful things you can find; add them to your walls and you will never regret it.
Confused by Color
Are you sometimes confused by color? Then you’re not alone. There are so many words used to describe color - hue, tint, tone, value, shade, intensity, chroma and so on. We have color harmony and color psychology, which all has it's proper place. But don’t worry about any of those things, because that’s my job! Besides, don’t most of us women choose a color because, of, well, the color? If we like the NAME of the color or we don't? Funny, because no one will ever appreciate the time it took to pick a well named color.
Of course I know you all will agree that color is HUGELY important. It’s not just the walls, but every single surface within the room which serves it's own purpose.
Let’s take for example the Pantone color of the year - Greenery.
What do you think? Are you a trendy person and want a whole room painted that color? Go for it!
But perhaps you aren't that type. Paint certainly has become more pricey. Painting takes our time and energy away from other demands. Well, then, consider accenting with the color; the most logical accent for greenery being......PLANTS!
Real or artificial, they can be grouped together or scattered in a bookcase. They are even a good investment because you can move them all over the house or space, upstairs or downstairs, and make things look different every time.
Then there’s the green accent wall. Always a good idea with a dramatic effect. How about a green front door?
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Or, try a green rug.
A beautiful green towel in the bathroom.
Or a green table runner.
You can get away with almost anything on your dining room table, it’s easy to use and so enjoyable too.
But here is the BIG TIP on decorating with color. Choose a PALETTE! Yes, choose a palette of colors - it’s as simple as that.
Look CLOSELY at the color palette at the bottom of the above picture - isn’t it beautiful? The palettes we have to choose from today are getting more daring; being mixed in novel combinations and so giving a new and fresh approach to decorating.
Here's an example of a more neutral paint color palette:
Now run to the paint store and get a brochure of a color palette you love, and create something beautiful!