Color! Color! Color!

This is a wonderful time to add a little color to you life! It is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to change the look for your home. If you live in the Northwest like I do, there is no better time or place to add some color to our gray days! Check out the wonderful line of Devine paint (originally made especially for the northwest) at www.devinecolor.com and add some color to you life today!

Decorative Pillows

A simple way to add a touch of drama, color or change to a space is by adding some decorative pillows. This can be done easily by purchasing a variety from a local decor store (one of my favorites is TJ Max) or to have some custom made. Most of these were custom made for the client, with a mix of store bought ones. Instant drama!

Budget Makeover

We were featured in the Everett Herald a couple of weeks ago, check out the article at
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090205/LIVING03/702059932 The article is about a clients home where we did the space on a budget re-using many of their own items, but making many changes to the space! Enjoy!

Add Some Architectural Details

Many of the newer built homes don't have the attention to detail that older homes have, meaning they don't have the "architectural details" of homes of the past. This can be accomplished by installing crown moulding, chair rails, bead board, larger baseboards; anything like that adds character and detail.

I live in a newer home, but I am really drawn to older things such as antique furniture and old homes. So, instead of living in an old home, I have chosen to be creative in my new home. I have antique furniture (some are family pieces, some items were acquired through garage sales). This picture shows an old stained glass window, so I added detail with this. I placed five of them at different heights in my living room that has vaulted ceilings. It adds some detail and sense of "old" to my new home. The best thing is-I can take it with me when I move!

Items like this can be found at antique stores, thrift stores and re-use stores. Finding these wonderful items is a lot of fun!

Organizing a Bookshelf

I love bookshelves, they bring order and sometimes drama to a room. And they aren't just for books! Sometimes clients get overwhelmed with how to arrange the small accessory items or how books should be arranged (by height? by color?).

The first thing I recommend is to completely empty out the shelf and start fresh. Determine what things stay and what goes, and if there are other items from your space that you'd like to display then bring those out at this time as well.

The final look should showcase your books and accessories and be restful on the eye. There are many ways to arrange books; by color, size, type, etc. I unusually arrange by the type of book first, (gardening books in one area, for example) and within that I'll arrange by size. For pops of color I will stack a grouping of red books horizontally and place an interesting accessory on top.

I like to alternate books with accessories or pictures and play around with it until the "balance" looks right. In the end, your shelves should have an organized, balance feel, and feel cohesive to the eye.

What to do with a Long , Dull Wall

Color is a big thing right now. It is a wonderful way to change the look and feel of a room for not a lot of money or time. Sometimes clients ask me what I would recommend to do with a long, dull wall. This client had a 30'long wall! Wow!

They really weren't interested in displaying a collection of art, so we painted it a beautiful calm salmon color that really is treated like a neutral-as most anything goes with it. Then, we added architectural detail by framing out three large rectangles with a crisp, white moulding. This helps to draw your eye down the length of the wall, and becomes a focal point, nothing else is needed.

An Alternative to New Furniture

I often have clients who want a new couch or chair and aren't sure if they should re-upholster or purchase a new piece. I have some criteria for this; If the piece is built well, (it has "good bones") like so many of the older pieces..than that is a great candidate. Also, if it's a family heirloom, like this clients' chair to the right, than often it can be brought back to life with new foam, new springs and of course new fabric!

Fabric comes in a variety of colors and patterns, and can be customized to your specifications. You will also need a good reliable upholsterer.

Bear in mind that reupholstering can cost as much as buying new, but if it fits the criteria than it is well worth the cost, and hopefully you'll enjoy it for years to come!

Shopping Made Easy

Do you ever have difficulty shopping for that one particular home decor item? I find that many of my clients get stuck and can't figure out how to bring home that perfect lamp or rug. I have a philosophy that can help make it an easier process.

Recently I was shopping for a new rug for my home. I had brought home two rugs that weren't right. I probably could have eliminated them at the store, but sometimes you just have to try it out in the space before you can decide. I finally found the perfect one recently as I happened to be walking by it in the store, not even thinking about looking for the rug. That seems to happen, "when you least expect it" as they say.

This time I knew it was right. How did I know? It fit my new found shopping criteria; now I ask myself these four questions;

1. Is it the right size?
2. Is it the right shape?
3. Is it the right color(s)
4. Is it in your price range?

This rug for me fit the bill on site, and I knew it was the right rug even before I got home. The answers to all four of my questions were yes! So, I knew I had it right. Sure enough, when I got home and unrolled the carpet, my family all agreed it was the perfect fit! Yea! Job accomplished! This form of questioning can be applied to all home decor items, by the way, not just rugs.

Happy shopping!