Focus On What's Important

I was recently interviewed on a local television program and was asked what room in the house I thought people neglected the most. This is a no brainer.......the master bedroom. We usually focus on the rooms people will see, rather than the room where we spend the most time and need the most to rest, relax, and get a good night's sleep.

I understand why we all want to make our public rooms pretty. But it's very easy and not expensive to have a warm, inviting, comfortable bedroom. And I think it's important to our overall mental health.

Photo Courtesy BHG

The first thing to do is remove clutter. Waking up every morning to the laundry that hasn't been put away, yesterday's clothes on the chair, and disarray on all the surfaces isn't the best way to greet each day. Not to mention making it difficult to sleep at night because of the guilt. Don't make your bedroom the catch-all room. De-clutter once, then spend a few minutes each day making sure it stays that way.

Keep your bedroom the place where you rest, relax, and retreat. That means remove the exercise equipment, office/work area, and - dare I say it - the television. If you're addicted to watching television from bed, I probably won't get far with that one. But there are many, many studies that equate watching television from your bed is not a good thing for a number of reasons. But it that's not a change you're willing to make, do what you can about the other two. Get creative about using other space, especially for your office. What about a staircase landing? Or adding shelves and a desk to a little-used closet? If it has to stay in the master bedroom, at least make sure it's in an area that can be separated from the rest of the room, if only by an attractive screen. I purchased a great Shoji screen for a client at a very reasonable price from Target, which has plenty of other styles to choose from as well.

Add some texture. Bedrooms are lots of hard surfaces, other than the bed. So add panels at the window (make them stationery if you don't need them for privacy), An upholstered chair is always a wonderful touch if there is room (as long as you don't use it to hold yesterday's clothes). And so are decorative pillows, a throw, and a live plant. Even round shapes can soften the hard lines, so change your lamps or bedside tables to
softer lines.

The bottom line? Find the peace you deserve in the room that matters the most. And without breaking the bank.

The Decorations Are Down......Now What?

I realize there's still a week to go before Christmas - and two for New Years. But I'm already not happy about the holiday decorations coming down. All the beautiful lights, shiny baubles, gorgeous trees.......and then the bleakness of winter. But there are a few ways I have found to combat the blues that come with January. In case you feel the same way, you might try a couple of these ideas.

One of my favorites is to bring nature inside. Of course, this is often a decorating strategy for the

BHG

holidays as well.So keep those pine cones in a beautiful bowl on the coffee table - and add some fresh evergreen. Or fill an apothecary jar with nuts, pine cones, cranberries or even pieces of bark for the dining table or on the mantel.

 While lights on a ficus may not be the answer, what about keeping bare branches decorated? Cut them from your yard, place them on the floor or the mantel, and line
them with white lights or silver balls for a beautiful effect, sure to warm the winter.

And just because Christmas is gone doesn't mean your wreath has to be. Substitute the holiday wreath with one made from herb leaves for look and smell to last through the winter. Not to mention the wonderful cooking opportunities!

So don't let the end of the holidays end your creative decorating. Keep the winter warm and inviting with a few of nature's gifts!

And So It Begins......

When my clients move into a new home, I frequently suggest they hold off on choosing paint colors right away. Rather, live in the space for a while, see how it feels, so how and where the sun hits the room, how it looks in the dark. But did I take my own advice? Of course not!

Don't get me wrong. The paint colors in our new-to-us house were not bad. In fact, the family room and kitchen were already the color I would have chosen - Benjamin Moore's Pittsfield Buff. It's a nice neutral that's not boring. And it has a hint of yellow-gold, something this house with lots of trees in the yard (making the rooms a bit dark) needed. I knew it would look very nice carried through into the living and dining room.

But the real issue for me was the woodwork. It was all a darker honey stain that had been badly polyurethaned, with lots of drips everywhere. I wanted it changed NOW! And it needed to be painted white to help bring in light.

So I made the decision to paint right away. Painting the woodwork meant also painting the walls, so I chose the colors after only living in the house a couple of months. I should say "we" chose the colors, because my husband does have a good eye for color and did have a say in the decision. And right now I'm thinking it was the right decision.

Here's the before with the stained woodwork.

After: Woodwork is painted as is the front door.

I'm very pleased with how light and airy the living room feels. The wall color is very similar, but with just a hint more yellow. It definitely makes me happy.

So to my clients, do as I say not as I do. Unless you're feeling the same way I was. Then make sure the choices you make are ones you can live with into the future. And be willing to paint again if you get new furniture, or find out the way the light hits the room in the summer is very different from the winter and the color you selected just doesn't work. But if you stick with interesting neutrals for the walls (please, no white) you should be able to live with them for a while. Then once you really know the house, you can make a different decision, if necessary. But if you're careful, you just may not need to change the colors for a long, long time.

Now I Know How It Feels

I realize I have been absent for a while, at least when it comes to blogging. I was very involved with the Association of Design Education conference in beautiful Lowell, MA. We had a wonderful time learning, growing, and sharing. I particularly loved Friday at RAW Furnishings 
owned by the very talented designer Debbe Daley. Her store is beautiful - here's a glimpse of it surrounding Sy Mahfuz (one of our great speakers). While you can't see just  how charming it is and  how many great things she has, I hope you can get a feel for it.

But more than just conference, in between my clients I've been working on our new-to-us house. It's proven to be quite the learning experience. While we certainly did a lot of work on the old house, because we bought it when it was being built, we made a lot of decisions during the building phase. Sure, we changed paint colors over the years, and did some updating. But it has been a very long time since I moved into a house and began making changes. Not necessarily big construction projects, but we've  had a houseful of workers nonetheless.

So rather than ignoring my blog, I've decided to share with you some of my experiences. I'll also share photos to get feedback and to show the results of my selections. So stay tuned. And let the journey begin!

Use Those Rooms!

I've been reading some interesting articles about the changing wants of the home-buying public. It seems it's not just baby boomers who are moving  into less space, but 20- and 30-somethings are also interested in using more of their space. While this doesn't necessarily mean the end of the McMansion, it just might mean reconfiguring current rooms so they are actually used.

Dwell Magazine

Dining rooms are often at the top of the list. Unless people entertain weekly, this is very often a little used room. They of course can make a great office space - and sometimes without making them less effective than a dining room.Bookshelves can add interest to a dining area. And it may not be necessary to have a separate desk. With the mobility of office equipment, using the dining table as a desk may work just fine, provided there is storage for everything when it's  not in use.

HGTV

And what about guest rooms? Like dining rooms, they are often used sporadically. Of course they can make good offices as well, but what about other creative uses for a little-used space? They can make good dens, television rooms, or playrooms. To keep them functional as a guest room, use a sofa sleeper for sitting. Have furniture that easily moves (like this coffee table on wheels) and have a piece that has a duel purpose as a table and dresser.A mirror may also be a good idea.

The bottom line.......creative use of space is here to stay.And I for one I'm delighted! What creative ways to you have for your little-used rooms?

Cool Summer Decorating

While summer is lovely, sometimes as we go into August the heat of can be oppressive. Unless you have a great vacation home or live on the water, you may feel hot, cranky, and just plain unmotivated. And all those great backyard get-togethers? I don't know about you but they lose a bit of their appeal on the really hot dog days of summer.So I've found a few things that help keep me cool, helping me enjoy those wonderful, relaxing, slow time of the year.

I've found having a water element nearby is very helpful. It may be something as simple as a birdbath, so you can take delight in the birds as they splash in their "pool". And you can make it a fun project by following instructions provided by HGTV. Who wouldn't feel cooler with one of these cuties in their backyard? And you might consider taking it a step further and putting in an outdoor shower for your own use. You can purchase kits in the camping section of your local sporting goods store. A great way to wash away the heat of the day!


 Since evenings are usually cooler, set up your porch or patio so you can enjoy them as the light fades. You can keep things simple by putting candles in mason chairs with a little sand to keep them straight, then putting them everywhere to light the night. Or  you can go all-out and bring out the, lamps, rugs, pillows......whatever it takes to make you want to relax in the night air.And you may find that it feels so good, you might just invite a few of the neighbors over for a cool drink.

Where Should the Money Be Spent?

It's getting close to move time! We will be in our new home shortly after the 4th of July. It's been a long while since I moved into a new home........16 years to be exact. I've been implementing suggestions I've used with my clients. And what better way to prove them true! Here are a few I've shared that are also working for me.

First, when buying new upholstered furniture, particularly the largest and most expensive pieces (such as the sofa) stay with neutrals. That means not only a neutral fabric, but also a neutral style. Neutral doesn't have to be borrowing, but it does  have to be something that can easily change as your tastes change. So when you want to change from the mod colors above to something a bit more formal and subdued, you can do so without having to spend a fortune on a new sofa.Or in the room below, plan for when the kids get older and their artwork is replaced by something more adult the sofa will still work. Simply change the coffee table and end table for something a bit more sophisticated and you have a new room - with the old sofa!


Keep window treatments simple. If you need privacy or light control, something classic and practical like Hunter Douglas Silhouettes or the rattan shades in these photos can be used alone. Ready for a change? Add stationery panels in fabrics and colors that give  you the new look and feel you are after. A much less expensive alternative to new custom draperies with all the bells and whistles. And an instant update to the room!

And finally, use area rugs to give you the color and texture you need, but don't spend a fortune. That way when it's time for a change in the style of the room, the rug can be a part of that change - and one you won't feel badly about.