Eco-Friendly HolidayWrapping

For me, decorating for the holidays is also about the gift wrapping. I celebrate Christmas, complete with the tree and the beautiful presents underneath. But I also know the gift wrapping is temporary, often ending up in landfills after the holidays. And as a lover of eco-friendly redesign, I really do my best to make sure that happens as little as possible. But without sacrificing beauty. So here are a few of my favorite ideas . . .

HGTV

Wrap your gifts in something useful. For the "paper" use a dishtowel, handtowels, a pretty antique handkerchief. Something that will be used again or cherished for its beauty. Use craft paper decorated with stamps. Get the kids involved as a fun craft project. Go one step further and make your own potato stamps. (Follow this link from HGTV to find out how.) Use pages from books or magazines you no longer want such as coloring books, maps, or old picture books.

HGTV

When it comes to the "bows", use nature instead. Dried berries, evergreens, leaves, and pinecones all make beautiful decorations. Use leftover fabric trim instead of ribbon. In fact, bows can be made from all kinds of material you may have on hand. Try headbands, yarn, string, pipe cleaners. Get your creative juices going!

Granted, these ideas aren't completely eco-friendly. There will still be "remains". But in the process you'll be finding new uses for old things - and having fun doing it!

Make It Yours . . .

It's easy to get confused about the "right" way to decorate, especially if you subscribe to a variety of decorating magazines. One will tell you to keep to a simple color and pattern design or the room will be overwhelmed, while another will suggest mixing and matching pretty much anything under the sun. (Have you seen the "exuberant" work of William Diamond?)

So rather than paying attention to what "they" are saying, perhaps you should pay attention to . . . yourself. And rather than looking at the glossy photos and wondering how to do that, start with looking around at your own home and deciding what you really like, and what you really don't.

Then start with getting rid of what you don't like, What you do like can (almost) always be incorporated, even if the color/style/overall design of the room changes.

I'm an excellent example of this. I was a huge lover of antiques, particularly Victorian. (I know, I know, but I used to live in a Victorian house.) When I lost that love (and left the house), I still had a few pieces I wanted to keep, but without keeping the overall Victorian look and feel. So I used a few simple techniques that I now recommend for my clients:

• Repeat something about the piece(s) you love in other pieces in the room. It could be color, shape, line, fabric . . . something that makes it feel like things "go" together, even if they are from completely different eras. (The 4-poster bed on the right fits right in with modern tables with similar turned legs and contemporary bedding.)
• Use it in a new way, something perhaps a bit unexpected. (In my case, a dining room buffet became a bedroom dresser, with a few minor alterations.)
• Pair it with something au courant. (My gorgeous-to-me split-pedestal dining table is now paired with parsons chairs in a lovely soft beige.)
• Give it an instant upgrade with a coat of paint, modern fabric, a simpler frame, new hardware. (New upholstery give the spindle chairs above an updated look.)

Simple changes like these won't mar the pieces you love, but will help give them a "new" look that will work as your tastes and styles change.

Family Rooms Are For Families

Family rooms.......there's a reason they are called that. It's where the family hangs out. Sometimes it's immediate family only, sometimes it's extended family, and sometimes it's friends who feel like family. Because it needs to work for the family it serves, there aren't any hard and fast decorating "rules" to follow. But here are some ideas that just might make yours a little more fun!

Roger Davies

Have younger family members? Rather than putting their art on the refrigerator, what about framing and using it in place of more traditional art? Simple frames in black or white won't interfere with more colorful art and make switching art projects easy.For art that can change more often, paint a large piece of plywood (make sure it's been sanded) or even the wall with chalkboard paint. Frame it and keep a basket of colorful chalk nearby and the "art" may change daily!

BHG

Need lots of seating? Use poufs as side tables, store small ottomans under console tables for extra seating, use a bench as a coffee table, decorate
with large pillows that transition easily from the furniture to the floor.

Place less emphasis on the television by having lots of games handy. Store them in an armoire or in baskets or bins, but make sure they are easily accessible - and there is room to play them.

Family rooms should have family memories. Keep a basket on the coffee table of photos from family vacations through the years. Or cover the coffee or side table with photos, then cover with a glass top to preserve them. Or decorate with treasures picked up during these trips. Fill a glass jar with seashells collected while at the beach, make a collage of leaves found during a fall foliage tour, or hang a map of the state, the country, or the world and put a decorative pin in all of the places the family has traveled.

Whatever you do, make it yours. Family rooms are all about families, so make sure yours reflects the love of the people who live there........and inviting to all those who visit. And if you would like more family room ideas, check out my board on Pinterest!

Preparing to Sell.......or Stay!

Two years ago my husband and I decided to downsize, so we made some upgrades to our  home. And guess what happened? We decided we really liked what we had done, so we were going to stay a little bit longer. This spring, the downsizing idea came around again. So we started making a few changes and........we'll see what happens, but it's looking pretty nice around here. So why didn't we do some of these things earlier? Good question. So in case you're considering selling - or staying - here are a few inexpensive (and mostly) easy ideas that will help you enjoy whatever time you have left in the house. And make a good impression on your potential buyers when the time comes to sell.

Paint the grout. We have an off-white tile in our foyer and kitchen which originally had an off-white grout. But over the years the dirt built up, making the floor look old and dated. Rather than regrout, I cleaned the old grout with a special cleaner, then used a combination grout paint and sealer to bring back the old color. For a fraction of the cost of new tile the floor looks fabulous!

Paint or cover dated tile. If you're selling your home, dated kitchens and baths can be deal-breakers. But removing dated tile is very expensive. Instead, try painting it. You need to cover the tile with a 2 JANE. They offer some solid colors and some patterns - with a frequently expanding selection. I've used them for staging clients and have just ordered some for my kitchen backsplash.
special adhesion primer, then use an epoxy-based paint on the tile. If painting tile is a bit more than you want to do, try Tile Tattoos from

Paint the brick fireplace. You can do this one of two ways. To simply tone down the color, use a rag to lightly cover each brick, which will tone down the color but not cover it completely. If the fireplace is really unsightly, use a color that matches the walls.

Paint the cabinets. Talk about an instant update to kitchens and baths! Change the hardware and you've got a whole new - and updated - look!

Paint paneling. Nothing dates a home faster than old, worn paneling. For a simple update, use a milk-based paint to cover the defects. To get rid of the wood-look completely, fill in the cracks between the panels, then paint when dry. Hard to tell it's wood.

Use vinyl tile. If you have a floor that really needs updating, vinyl tile may be an easy, inexpensivesolution. Now available in many different styles, it looks like the "real" thing, as you can see in this sample from Armstrong.  If you are putting it over an old floor, just make sure doors can still open and close properly.


If this seems like a lot of work, break it into manageable chunks. The results will be well worth it!

Yellow is the Color of......

Yellow usually brings to mind the sun, happiness, energy. I remember sunny yellow kitchens of my childhood, with cafe curtains blowing in the breeze. I have friends who painted their yet-to-be-born babies' rooms yellow thinking it was a good solution when the sex was unknown. (Unfortunately it wasn't as yellow has too much energy for babies, keeping them from sleeping soundly.) But yellow has moved into the 21st century, becoming a sophisticated version of it's happy-go-lucky 50's self.

Because it's a primary color, it can be used with almost any other color, depending on the look, feel, and mood you are going for. Want to pair it with tried-and-true blue? One of the other primary colors, so of course it works! Orange? Wouldn't be a color without yellow! What rooms can you use it in? Whatever rooms you want! It certainly still works in kitchens. Look at this beauty from BHG! The style of the cabinets and the shade of yellow tells you this isn't your grandmother's kitchen.And the pop of orange shows you how well those two colors blend.

Courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens

And despite the high energy nature of the color, you can still use it in the bedroom. If you want serious yellow, you may want to select the guest room, where you can go all out. But even in the master bedroom yellow works very well, although smaller doses may help you sleep a little better. Why not pair it with something soothing like brown? The brown wall makes the room cozy while the yellow makes sure you'll face the day bright-eyed and bushy-taled (as my Grandmother used to say). And the white pulls it all together, bringing a sense of calm to the space.

Do you like yellow, but aren't sure you want a room built around it? Then use it as an energetic accent! This bookshelf adds just the pop this room needs! Seeing the neutral wall color behind the shelves keeps the room from feeling jumpy, while the yellow accents on the shelves and the table keep your eye moving. And there's that new take on "traditional" blue and white!

What if you do have your grandmother's furniture? Yellow can give it just the pop it needs to make it a focal point of the room. This beautiful Victorian chest looks wonderful when painted two shades of yellow. And it can be used in any room of the house! Certainly a bedroom, but what about an entry hall?What a way to welcome your guests! It would also work in the dining room as a small buffet, or in the kitchen to hold your linens, in the bathroom to hold your towels........wherever you use it, it's sure to bring a smile. Because that's what yellow does.

Want some more ideas about decorating with yellow? Check out my new board on Pinterest Not Your Grandmother's Yellow

Pillows - A Definite Decorating Statement

A design tip I often hear (and use) is to make a quick but dramatic change to a room, change (or add) pillows. As we move into spring and summer, using this tip can move a room from drab winter into bright sun. These beautiful pillows from Company C will brighten any room! The colors are divine.......and will go with almost any neutral. In fact, with a solid fabric, you can use them all together to bring summer sun into a room. Are you working with a lot of pattern in the room? Then use them to keep the color story going, while toning down the pattern.

Do you prefer patterns to solids? If the background is solid, don't hesitate to mix and match different patterns to create interest. See how these patterned pillows from Pier 1 in various shades of green enliven a beige sofa? To keep things from getting too busy when you have lots of pillows, try using a pair or two. Just keep the pairs at opposite ends of the sofa or on different pieces of furniture in the room.

Even outdoor furniture needs pillows. While it's probably a good idea not to compete with the landscape, simple pillows in subtle colors can add softness, comfort, and interest to outdoor furniture. Look how these pillows make this seating area more comfortable and cozy, while blending with the beautiful view.

Just a few simple "rules" to follow: odd numbers of pillows are usually a bit more interesting as are pillows of different sizes. Just don't have too many different sizes - two usually works fine. And don't forget about texture! Vary the textures of the pillows with that of the fabric they are on - and with each other. Then sink into the sofa and say "ahhhh". And if you like these ideas, visit my Decorating with Pillows board on Pinterest!

Mix It Up a Bit!

While I can't really say that contemporary decor is prevalent in the northeast, it is certainly true that clean lines are making quite a statement. And I love mixing a more contemporary look with furnishings that are a bit more traditional.

Jackson 2-Piece Chaise Sectional

Olivia Cocktail Table

I'm also thrilled that West Elm has opened a store in Westport, which means I no longer have to drive to Massachusetts to shop for reasonably priced clean-lined furniture. Their beautiful Jackson sectional fits with contemporary furniture as well as more traditional. Change the rug and pillows for something more traditional, switch the coffee table for something like this one from Ballard Designs and voila! A fabulous blend of contemporary and traditional. What's not to love?

Barrel Cbair

Sometimes all it takes is a statement piece.  Regency Shop has some fabulous furniture to do just that. Add one of their beautiful contemporary pieces into a more traditional room and you've got an interesting room, one that looks as if it's been put together over time.  This Barrel Chair ( a take on traditional Mission style) would look wonderful in a room with leather furniture, wouldn't it? Or what about this very contemporary Bertoia Chair surrounding a farmhouse table? Wouldn't that make a statement?

Bertoia Chair

So don't be afraid to mix it up! Add a little tension, a hint of edginess, and you've created a room that feels good, looks good and reflects you!

Bookshelves........Not Just for Books

Bookshelves play some sort of a role in most homes. Sometimes they have a simple function of, well, holding books. Strictly utilitarian, but very important. But that doesn't have to be the case. Why not add a little spice?

Bookshelves can be a great place to display collections - and not just family photos. Collections have more of an impact when they are displayed together, so why not distribute them throughout the shelves? Incorporate books as display stands, pay attention to colors and textures, and you can have a bookshelf as beautiful as this one designed by Emily Henderson.


Feel like your bookshelves are a little boring?Why not decorate the backs of the shelves with paint or wallpaper? Books and accessories will stand out beautifully and voila - no more boring bookshelf.

Design by Emily Henderson

What about making use of the front of the shelves as well? While you don't want to forget the function of bookshelves, hanging a piece of art on the front of shelves can be interesting - and can perhaps hide some of those not-so-pretty items stored there. Or better yet, perhaps this is an interesting place to showcase an interesting collectible. While you may not have anything quite likethis around your home, think creatively!

And don't forget about children's bookshelves! While these can provide invaluable storage for toys and books, make them colorful and fun.

Just a few tips to keep in mind when styling your bookshelves. It's a good idea to keep the  heavy items on the bottom. This keeps the bookshelves from looking like they may topple over. Put the prettiest books and accessories at eye level. These are the things you want people to really notice. If you have paperbacks, put them in baskets rather than displaying them on the shelves. And finally, if you have side-by-side shelves, try making the width of the shelves on each side vary just a bit. This can keep things interesting, as long as there isn't too much disparity.

Like these ideas? I've posted photos of my favorites on Bookshelves I Love on Pinterest so check them out!

Is Now the Time to Paint?

After the  holidays, our decorating often focuses on filling in the bare spots left by the removal of our holiday decorations. What about taking into consideration the paint colors on our walls? While we may not think winter is the time to paint interiors, with the wonderful variety of low and no VOC paints, there is very little odor involved. So you don't need to spend time in your beautiful new space inhaling paint fumes. And now you also have the help of a lot of websites, including Benjamin Moore. With their Color Stories, you can see a variety of tints and shades of colors you love put together in a beautiful gallery. Look at these gorgeous blues!

Color Pizzazz

Neutral Nuance

Sherwin Williams also designs Color Palettes for different styles of homes and lives. Here's their beautiful take on an upbeat passion for life called Color Pizzazz. Or if you prefer something a bit calmer, check out Neutral Nuance.

And there are plenty more colors, ideas, and websites to help you with your choices. What's important is that you love the colors surrounding you - and the paint colors you choose are a big part of that. So have fun - and make the colors surrounding you a reflection of you!

Outdoor Decorating

We can finally start spending some time outside! Gardens are a wonderful backdrop to outdoor living, but I love to take things a step further and truly LIVE outside!

For me, that begins with the furniture. Some outdoor furniture, while attractive, just doesn't offer much comfort. And I want to be just as comfortable outside as in. Furniture I love usually has cushions, which not only make it comfortable, but add color and texture to the overall look. And chairs with ottomans are even better, which is something I adore inside.

Plis Outdoor Lighting shown in a Homedit blog post by Simona Ganae

I also want furniture for each of the functions of the outdoor space, which generally includes conversation and dining. Just like indoors, I don't want to be seated around my dining table when I am having drinks with your family and friends. But I do want to eat at a dining table, so two separate areas are important.

Then the touches to make everything complete. That may mean outdoor lighting like these lamps. I first saw these in a beautiful newsletter by Wendy Wrzos of the blue giraffe and knew I had to share. Isn't this a lovely picture?

Plants and flowers are the "accessories" as well as pillows and throws for chilly evenings. And don't forget a rug! Just like indoors, rugs help ground the seating area and bring in additional color and texture. Just make sure your colors don't compete too much with the natural colors surrounding you. Ahhhhh............

From Martha Stewart Living at Home Decorators Collection