Designing Your Life

As the year progresses, I realize that I am just not posting as much as I wanted to. I think about design in all aspects; my home, my rooms, my wardrobe, and in the work I do every day. The more I contemplate design and blogging, the more I have to say
- there is one important thought I had, that I have to share...

- we should spend more time designing our lives than we do designing our surroundings -

What I mean by that is we need to think about what kind of life we want to lead, what is important to us as individuals, what kind of "footprint" do we want to leave behind, to be remembered as, to be known for. Although it is great to surround ourselves with nice things, beautiful furnishings and decorative homes, our foundation, our core, is who we are as people.

In these hard economic times we find ourselves reflecting on life. Most of us know someone who has lost their job, had benefits cut back at work, or just find themselves stressed over the entire global situation. It is easy to fall victim to being down and blue. I feel it is important at this time to re-evaluate what and who we are, what our dreams were, and how we can go about accomplishing them. Possibly reaching goals that we might have set a long time ago.

Re-design your life!

Take on a new hobby, or learn something you always wanted to know - with the internet, and the help from Youtube, there are millions of lessons online for all sorts of things from faux painting to learning to play guitar, how to plant a successful garden to composting. Join a community group to help others, give of yourself to your community, friends and family. It is wonderful to work on your home, paint a room a new color, change up your surroundings, but it is not the only way to re- design.

Focusing on your dreams and helping others acquire their dreams will ultimately lead you to more beauty in your own life. The glass is half full - design away!

A New Year! Keeping a House Design Diary for your Home

We all look towards the new year ahead of us with hope and sometimes, if you are like most, new ideas; resolutions. Some vow to finally fix the gutters that are hanging off the house, or paint the family room a new color. Others make resolutions to themselves not to procrastinate projects around the house that they, or their spouse, have wanted to address. Sometimes it is just to touch up the paint in the stairwell, or the basement play room. If only you could remember what the color was, or the brand...

Here is an easy way to organize your home design, a house design diary. This is as simple as picking up a spiral or composition notebook, you probably have a partially used one lying around the house somewhere. Get yourself a few post it notes, a pen, and you are ready to get started!
• put the post it notes a few pages apart, like tabs on the side of the notebook paper
• label them with the names of each of the rooms in your house; for example the dining room, family room, or little Lauren's room.
Now you are ready to record.

Making a diary of the paint colors used in your home will be a great reference tool. You can store the paint colors, paint brand and paint finish in this booklet. As you give a room a new coat of paint, write it down in your handy diary. How many of us look at the stairwell in our homes, where everyone's hands ride up the wall, and wish we could remember the color used so we can touch up the area in the middle where you can see all the fingerprints?
How about the many times you see photos in a design magazine that would work great in your house? Tear these magazine pages out and paste them into the section of your new diary to save the ideas for future reference.

There are many ideas you can store in this diary :

• paint chips/ brands and finishes - for future touch ups
• images of furniture you own in each room - to help you when shopping for other items to add to the decor
• magazine pages of looks you love - to help you create the same feeling in your home
• lists of the furniture in the existing rooms and their dimensions- wood finishes, colors which will aid in adding items to the room
• room dimensions- great to use when figuring out how much paint is needed, or wallpaper
• window and door dimensions- also helps with figuring out how much paint or wallpaper is needed, as these dimension will need to be deducted from the total room dimension - but also great when shopping for window treatments!
• even a graph paper layout of the room!

A house design diary is a great reference tool!

Thinking Ahead

As you put the finishing touches on your holiday decorating, it is never too early to think of next year. I know, this sounds crazy, but you will thank me for this advice in the end.

Do you drive past homes where you admire their outdoor holiday decorations? Have you been invited to a friend's or neighbor's home for a holiday get together and love what they have done on their dinner table, buffet, centerpiece or in the family room? Have you always yearned for a tree in every room with a different themed collection?

Now is the time to think about what you feel is missing in your home as all the lights, ornaments, and holiday decor will be marked down to extremely low prices! In this market retailers will be looking to clear out their stock to make their numbers for fourth quarter, so get in on the deals!

Special tips: think ahead, it will save you time and money in the long run!

• Look for the outdoor decorations that you dreamed of having - changing from colorful lighting to all white will give you an elegant and sophisticated look! Colorful lights lend themselves to a more whimsical appearance and can be fun and engaging!

• Think about your holiday table settings - do you wish you had wine markers or serving dishes with a holiday theme? Now is the time to get it!

• Don't wait for next year to first think about it, after all, you have to pack up all this years decorations, might as well add to the mix now, and be ready for next year!

• Add a second or third tree to your home - decorate it in a new style - maybe your family room tree is traditional; add a fun whimsical theme in the living room, a French Country or Victorian theme to the kitchen!

For all who celebrate Chanukah, there are great deals for you as well! Great paper goods, beautiful jacquard tablecloths and more. Even though the decorations for this holiday might now be as grand, you can find a bargain on a new menorah, manual and electric, and those unusual candles that are way over priced earlier in the season are probably half priced now!

Let's not forget holiday greeting cards, they are all available now at half the price!

Have fun! Enjoy the Holiday Season and have a Wonderful New Year!

Holiday decorating the easy way!

This time of year we are all so busy shopping and running around to get ready for the holidays. There is a sense of urgency to get the best deal, to be "done" and ready for the season. People feel this need to update their rooms with a fresh look, so their family will oohh and aaahh over how nice everything looks when they gather together. We all want an updated look in our homes, as we spend more time indoors.

Special Tip: give yourself a break! Adding a bouquet of fresh flowers or plant to a room will give it new life!

It is not important to spend a lot of money or time to renovate your home just because company is coming. Rearranging the furniture will give a room a new look and might even lend itself to a better layout for entertaining. I would not take on any large projects, even if they seem easy and small at the time. Painting a room can be the best way to add new life to a room any other time of the year, but for now, it is too much pressure and stress to add onto yourself at a time of year when these emotions run high anyway.

Here are a few ideas:

• Add a new centerpiece to your dinner table, or foyer.

• Make name placards for your guests that follow the theme of your holiday.

• Use silk flowers to make new napkin rings for each setting. This is much easier than you would imagine! Or buy ribbons and tie them around your cloth or paper napkins to follow the holiday color story.

Anything you do to add to the holiday cheer will lighten up your surroundings and give friends and family the sense of warm, inviting atmosphere.

After all, your guests are there to see and celebrate with you....

The Beauty of Photoshop

As a designer I have come to love all the tools that are available to me, tools that make designing easier.  The tool I am referring to today is Adobe Photoshop.  This is a computer program that allows you to retouch photographs and images.  It allows me to take a photo of an existing room and retouch ideas. This new image can give the client a visual preview of how their new room could look.  I also use this program when creating catalogs for my company to create unique sell sheets, or to just take reflections out of items we shoot for an ad.  The changes you make and the images you create, can be saved in files to open at a later date and edit or use for print ads, or reference when shopping to finalize a room.  Photoshop allows you to save and reopen your ideas.

Today, as I was preparing for work, putting on my makeup, applying concealer, foundation, shadow, going through my typical morning routine, I felt like I was "photoshopping" my face.  How I go through this same routine every morning.  I then thought how nice it would be if I could "reopen and apply" an already created file titled "Morning Makeup" and it would be done - a saved image.    Then I thought about if you work so hard on a room you love in your home, then move, and want to recreate the same look and feeling in your new home, how nice it would be to open the file and reapply - 

Design; just a click away ....  the ease of application!  Wouldn't that be nice?

Your very own easy button; as quoted by Staples  " that was easy ".

The excitement of new projects!

I recently had the pleasure of receiving a call to inquire about design. A past client shared my name with a realtor whom in turn passed it to her client. I was very excited at the idea of a new project. This family just moved into their dream home and it is a blank canvas, a clean palette for them to do with as they want. The best part is that they have a vision, and I was asked to help validate their ideas and add knowledge to the design questions that came up; color, placement of furniture, removal of existing built in units, flooring, etc.

I have a hard time deciding the best part of working on interior design, the fun and challenge of the project, or the wonderful people I meet!

This day led me to call and reconnect to the original client to thank them for sharing my name and to go back and look again at the work we accomplished together in their home. One thing that I am really lax in, is that once I finish a project, I am so glad that the clients are happy, and so happy myself with how it all came out, I forget to take the after shots! So here I will share with you some shots from this project that I love, and feel added to the flow and feel of this home.

We worked in the kitchen, all the cabinets are new - glazed white cabinets, with a beautiful granite in a rich rust palette. The clients wanted a Tuscany feel to the room. They had purchased brightly colored hanging glass lighting they loved, a little more contemporary than rustic. To tie in the look of old world and the newness of the bright colors I designed a motif for over the stove and back splash incorporating tumbled marble and glass tile. The tumbled marble added texture and interest in a monotone palette without taking away from the granite or the glass tile design.






Here I have shots that show from a distance the cabinets with the tile, center design over the stove, under the hooded range. You can see the smaller motif of the glass tiles in diamond clusters strategically placed around the tile for accents. The next image is a closer shot and the last the close up of the primary design, the 'piece de resistance'. I mixed the glass in a bright rust, to highlight the coloring of the granite and tie into the colors of the bright glass fixtures. The metal tile in the center and frame go back to the hardware on the cabinets and add that rustic feel... a real eclectic mix!


Another fun design detail we used in her home was in putting in a marble foyer, we added a great point of interest; a large marble motif. This is a pre-made tile and is available in many designs. The biggest question for the home owner was placement. The foyer is large, but the entry door is not in the center of the room. This same question arose when addressing the lighting fixture. We carefully chose a chandelier that worked well with the colors and curlicue/swirl design in the marble tile. The placement came naturally - center of the doorway - this is the first thing people would see when they entered the room. We had the contractor place the tile on a diagonal to create flow into the house. The fixture we chose had a dark metal finish, was about the same diameter of the tile on the floor and the size, the height of the fixture filled the window above the doorway, so it could be seem from outside as a real centerpiece.




Just a note for all who love this color... you know I love the Benjamin Moore colors. This one is Waterbury Cream HC-31 - a soft buttercup color. The trim is Atrium White. This combination is great for a soft, elegant atmosphere. It is a great combination and carried nicely into the kitchen, creating a consistent look throughout the downstairs, working with all the colors in in each room.

I love design - it is all in the details, as they come together so perfectly, you can take such pleasure in the little things in life - and in the smiles on the faces of the people in whose homes I have made a difference. Thanks!

What you need to paint your room, yourself!

When writing the last entry, I felt there was so much more to say about the supplies you need before you start to paint a room yourself. So many little tricks I have learned about being "ready". I wanted to share these with you. Some may seem like common sense to most, especially if you have painted before. To others, I think these notes, these TIPS, can save you a lot of heartache.

Sometimes reading is a better way of learning than from experiencing it yourself, learning the hard way is over-rated! What I mean is just knowing to have paper towels and a damp rag in the room can save a lot of trouble. Imagine you are painting a room, you have taken all the steps to tape the ceiling seam and base moldings. You have painted the trim, the area at the corner where the wall meets the ceiling. You are ready to get the roller and do the wall. As you roll, you are humming along to the music you put on (another tip) and the roller touches the ceiling beyond the tape. Now there is a mark of the wall color on your nice white (or whatever color) ceiling. If you didn't have that damp rag, you would be running around, looking frantically for something to use, and by the time you get it, that small amount of paint is dry. Now you will have to re-paint the ceiling! With a damp rag right there, there is no issue! Get off your ladder, take the rag, wipe the paint and viola, it comes off. No one is the wiser.

So, take a look at this list of tools/ supplies that I recommend you have when you start painting a room - who knows, it may save you more time than you think, and make the process more enjoyable!

Blue tape - as I have said before, blue tape is your friend. You should use this on all moldings, around windows and door frames, and base or ceiling moldings. You will need to press down the edge so that paint will not seep underneath the tape.

Trim brush - there are many sold in the paint and large hardware stores. I like to use a 1" or 2" angled brush for trim - it allows me to get into the corner without a mess and allows me a nice clean edge when I dare to cut in with color and not use tape ( you should not try this if you haven't done it before, or you do not have a steady hand.... it is very difficult!) You do not need the most expensive brush on the wall - but the least expensive is not good either, as the cheapest brushes tend to shed bristles and not last very long. Be sure to clean up your brush as soon as you have completed the painting. If you take a break for an hour or less, you can wrap the brush in plastic, but I would recommend cleaning the brush if the break is longer. When using latex, simple soap and water will do. Be sure to get all the paint out of the brush, squeezing it until the water runs clear. This will add to the longevity of the brush.

Drop cloths - most people cannot completely empty a room of furniture to paint - like they do on those great shows on HGTV and TLC - (I love those shows!) It is best to try to get all you can out of the room. The rest, try to get into the center, and be sure to cover with a drop cloth, just for protection of spattering paint. Better safe than sorry here! For the floor, you will want to use a drop cloth that has a plastic side, or thick canvas, so that any drips or spills will not soak thru the cloth to the flooring below. Many people do not think of this until it is too late, and use a simple sheet. This may be ok for the furniture, for spatters from a roller, but not for spills. And don't think they can't happen to you, that would be your first mistake.

Paper towels and damp rag - these are great to have, hopefully not needed, but if you need them, you will be soooo happy you had them handy! These are great to wipe up errors (as dramatized above) or to wipe the paint can after pouring into the roller tray, or to place the brush down in case you need a place, or for wiping each others faces when the paint gets on you!

Brush holder/cup - this is a great tool for when you are painting the trim. It is best to have a handled cup to put paint in for your brush so that you do not have to keep getting up and down the step ladder to re-load your brush. It is also great so that when working with a partner, one can do the trim, and the other can follow behind with the roller - this always makes for a quicker painting experience! This tool can be a used plastic container you once got from the Chinese take-out food, or you can purchase this tool, made especially for this purpose that has a place for the brush built in right next to the cup with a handle.

Step ladder - one with two steps works best for one story rooms - if you are painting a vaulted ceiling or a room with higher than 8' ceilings, you will need a regular ladder. It is best to use a ladder and be right at the area you are painting, than trying to reach. Most times the reaching will be a sure way to make a mistake or get hurt ( by falling off the ladder). Safety is most important when painting or doing any home projects.

Roller handle - when painting walls in the room, the easiest tool to use is the roller. Longer poles are available to attach ( screw into the end of the handle) to the roller handle and many people prefer to use this than get on a ladder. Beware of the end of the long pole when re-loading the roller with paint, as it may knock over some things in the room, or knock into your partner! This is tool you will have, to be able to use again and again, if taken care of.

Roller pads - these are the pads that cover the metal roller on the handle, that hold the paint. There are many types to use. Be sure to buy the one that best matches your circumstances. For example, if you are painting a stucco wall or popcorn ceiling, you need a thick padded roller. The roller pads are identified by the thickness of the pile. If you are unsure, ask the salesperson, whom in most stores is very well educated in the supplies you will need. This is a tool that you will most likely want to replace each time you paint. Cleaning a roller pad is a messy job, and for the cost, I always feel it is best to start new for each job and paint color. Like with the paint brush, you can cover the roller AND tray with the paint if you need to take a break. I would not however, ever take a break in the middle of a wall- get to a corner! When doing 2 or more coats of the same color, you can cover the tray and roller in plastic bags, and return to them later in the day, when the first coat of paint has dried. You can even come back to it the next day, IF it is well covered with plastic to keep the air out.

Roller tray - this is the metal or heavy duty plastic tray that holds the paint. There are different sizes and depths available. Be sure to match up the tray with the roller handle you have purchased. This is tool you will have, to be able to use again and again, if taken care of.


Roller tray liner - you can use these inexpensive liners to eliminate messy clean up. They are not the 'greenest' idea, as you toss them out when you are done, but can save you the mess. Be sure when purchasing the liner the size is the same as the roller tray your purchased.

Paint - this is a given - you have learned all about how to choose your color palette, the types of paint available - now you need to figure out the square footage of the room to determine the amount of paint you need to purchase. The easy way to do this is measure the room - multiply each wall width by it's height, then add all walls together - subtract out the measurements of the doors and windows ( I don't do this step, as I do not think it amount to much for a basic room, and do not want to be caught short on paint, so I leave those numbers in)- this will give you the square footage of the room. Most gallons of paint cover approximately 400 square feet. Be sure to check the labels, they will advise what each brand will cover. Also keep in mind that you may need more than once coat of paint - this was reviewed in an earlier post. The darker the color, the more likely you will need two or more coats; or if you are going over a difficult color with a lighter color... you will definitely need 2 or more coats - keep this in mind when figuring out the amount of paint to purchase.

and last but not least...
Music! You may want to have music to listen to - it can make it a much more enjoyable project!

If you have gotten this far, the rewards are just around the corner - you have invested a lot of time in choosing the color palette, purchased the supplies you need, the music to play and in no time you will have a new and rejuvenated room!