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My Mother & Sister's Visit

My Mother & Sister's Visit

Some do it only for others, or just to entertain.  Some do not  get why they should do it at all -- and probably never will.  For those, I feel sad.  They do not know what they are missing.  What is this thing?  It is the ability to enjoy your own surroundings.  You can turn your home into your own original work of art by layering in all of your favorite things.  You can "paint it to life" with your favorite colors.  You can even showcase all of your loved collectibles and cherished heirlooms.  Now --- don't forget to enjoy it yourself!

When my own Mother and sister visit, there's one thing I can count on...

Pleasing Mom & The Little Miss Both

Pleasing Mom & The Little Miss Both

A recent job hit so close to home for me.  A  Mom hires me to help update her darling daughter's bedroom.  My first thought:  This could be deadly.  Can I possibly please a mom and a feisty pre-teen?

Gearing up for a fabulous Summer Retreat: Part 2

In our last Honest Blog article, "Gearing up for a Fabulous Summer Retreat," we mentioned perfectly lovely rooms that "Got No WOW."  In this article I will share a few tips on introducing into your space some vintage flair...

Re-think common or vintage items. 

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Gearing up for a Fabulous Summer Retreat

 

Have you ever walked into a fabulous room with a "summer personality," or seen one in a great

magazine, that makes you go WOW! Do you ask yourself, how do they achieve such a look? Would your first thought be re-sale shops, estate sales, antique stores, flea markets -- even a next door neighbor's yard sale? Hidden treasures are everywhere; you just have to discover them.

It's not hard.

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Don't let updating an existing space overwhelm you

Decorating a new home from "scratch" can be overwhelming. However, it can be just as daunting to give an existing space an update. There are many reasons for updating an existing space: We desire fresh new colors, our furniture tastes have changed, etc. In my line of work I find very often that updates are needed simply because certain beloved and cherished aspects of that room have just become worn. In some cases, worn out!


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Achieving Magnificent Color Pops

Last week we discussed using tantalizing "color pops" (aka tertiary colors) to enhance and bring new life to a tired, yet timeless, color scheme. Before we get into that, I would like to share with you some background on color use in design. A decade or so ago the decorating rage was about playing the basics off of each other all nicey-nice. Remember that time? The red-with-green, the blue-with-yellow, la-de-dah... All of the major fashion houses were doing it, from the traditional Ralph Lauren, to the breathy and floral Waverly, to the quirky and fun United Colors of Benetton. I really hate to spill their beans, but they were simply using two opposing colors on the color wheel to make a statement. (Colors located directly across from each other on the color wheel.) Colors opposite of each other on the wheel do contrast, yet they actually complement each other very nicely.   (continued....)