Interior Redesign Articles

As They Say, Size Does Matter

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 09:31:21 -0400

Good guides for getting the right size When choosing a new chandelier, numbers play an important role. Use the numbers here to help you decide what is right for your room. � If the room is smaller than 10' by 10', a 17" to 20" diameter chandelier would be the right size. � If the room is about 12' x 12', a 26" or 27" chandelier would look right. � If the room is about 14' x 14', choose a 24" to 36" chandelier. � A chandelier should hang about 30" from the surface of the table to insure no bumped heads and good illumination. � A chandelier should be about 12" narrower than the width of the table over which it hangs. � Total wattage of all bulbs should be 200 to 400 to provide sufficient light. Thanks to: Choosing the Right Size Chandelier From Coral Nafie, www.about.com

Is it Time Yet?

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 09:28:16 -0400

When To Bring In the Stager When realtors or home sellers call in a stager, it's often as a last resort for a house that's been sitting on the market for months. But the greatest potential for getting the most bang for the staging buck is in hiring the stager before the house is even listed. Here are five key reasons to contact a stager to create that critical, truly great, truly FIRST impression. 1. Objectivity, clarity and a professional "buyer's eye" in determining what needs to be done. It's possible your house is a perfect "cream puff" waiting to be savored, but if you're like most people who've lived in a home for any length of time, you've lost some objectivity about its less desirable attributes. A stager can provide an objective consultation and another voice to confirm the importance of tending to the details before the house ever goes on the market. 2. Keeping costs down. Stagers are adept problem solvers who can work wonders with what's available! BEFORE you move out of a house, let a stager assess what furnishings might stay to stage the home, eliminating the need for rented furniture later. A stager can make budget-conscious suggestions about the purchases you might be planning for your new home that could work well temporarily in the staged home, and can usually offer great additions or replacements to furnishings or accessories from their own inventory. 3. Seeing is believing (for sellers, too!) It may be difficult to work up some excitement for preparing a home you won't be living in any longer. But working with an enthusiastic stager can help you see the potential your home holds for a multitude of buyers. 4. Photos worthy of a closer look. Nearly 90% of prospective buyers first look to the internet to peruse the market. A stager can identify a home's most photo-worthy focal points or architectural details, identify critical furniture and artwork misplacement, and bump up the overall appeal of a home so that online photos motivate buyers to come on over for an in-person look. 5. It's all about relationship. Your stager works FOR you and WITH your agent to help you present the most marketable home possible. A stager's success is reflected in the quick sale of the house for the best price possible. It's crucial that your agent feel confident about the appearance of your home and its desirability for a wide market from the first day it goes on the market, and the price an agent suggests for a home will take that confidence, or lack of it, into account. Thanks to: Written by: Kathy Mohr, Begin it Today Design, Trumbull, CT

That's a No-No!

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 09:23:13 -0400

We can read books and magazines, watch TV shows, read online articles, and visit decorating showhouses to find all sorts of wonderful advice on things to do to get a beautifully decorated room. But it's hard to learn ahead of time what things to avoid before you even start a decorating project. Here is a list of the top things NOT to do, not now, not ever! 1. Don't Let Someone Make Choices for You Your home is your personal space. Don't let someone else tell you what you should do. If you need help, ask for suggestions. But when the time comes to make decisions, they should be yours. It's your home and you should feel comfortable with the choices. 2. Don't Paint First You can buy paint in every color under the sun. In fact, you can have paint mixed in any imaginable color you might want. Choose fabric, carpet, and upholstery first. 3. Don't Choose Paint From a Paint Chip A small chip of a paint sample might look great in the fluorescent light in the paint store. But a whole wall of it might be overpowering. When you've decided on a color, purchase a quart of the color and paint a small section to see how the color looks in the room with natural light. If you don't want to mess up the walls, paint a piece of cardboard and tape it on the walls in the room where you plan to use the color. 4. Don't Decide on Colors in a Store Never buy fabric, flooring, or paint on your first visit. Ask for samples of paint and carpet and swatches of fabric so you can see what they look like in your home. Check them out in natural light and in the evening with lamps. 5. Don't Settle for Blah If You Love Bold A gallon of red paint doesn't cost any more than a gallon of white. You get my point! If you love color, find a way to use your favorite colors in your home. Choose colors that express your personality and coordinate with things you love. 6. Don't Make Your Favorite Color the Main Color If you love red, you don't have to choose it for your walls. Instead, choose a more subtle shade to provide a background that will let items in your favorite color really "pop." 7. Don't Ignore the Psychology of Color Don't think that you can create a relaxing sanctuary in a room with red walls. Blue and green are more calming and relaxing. Choose red and orange for play rooms or family rooms where the action is. Select a color scheme to create the atmosphere you want in the room. 8. Don't Forget Color Undertones Not all blue is blue. Not all whites are the same white. Look beyond the main color to see if the hue is light or dark, crisp or dull. Choose coordinating colors with the same intensity. 9. Don't Force a Color Scheme Don't "make" things match. Just because you have a red print sofa doesn't mean that it will coordinate with any red stripe draperies. Choose your color family, identify the major pieces, decide what you have that will have a place in the room, and then recover, repaint, and coordinate all the elements. Find another place for or get rid of anything that doesn't fit your plan. 10. Don't Ignore the Focal Point of Your Room Not every room has a focal point, but if yours does, make it important. Arrange the artwork and furniture around this important element. 11. Don't Let Your Furniture Hug the Walls Don't arrange the chairs, sofa, and tables all around the room unless you have no choice. Make groupings of furniture for conversations and pull pieces into the center of the room for a warmer feeling of comfort. 12. Don't Build Barriers Don't put a chair in front of a door or a table in an obvious traffic area. Leave room for easy access and movement within the room. 13. Don't Settle for Cheap Don't choose a piece of furniture because of a pretty cover or fun color. First, see if it's well made, has interesting details or classic lines. If it does, you can always recover the upholstery in a fabric you choose or refinish the frame. 14. Don't Invest in Trends Don't break you budget on pieces that are trendy. Trends come and go. You'll want to spend your precious resources on pieces that will last for a while. If you are attracted to crystal studded or fur-covered furniture, experiment with a less expensive crystal embellished lampshade or faux fur throw. 15. Don't Keep Mismatched Furniture If you inherit or end up with a lot of pieces that don't match, find a way to tie them together in your decorating scheme. Paint odd wooden furniture frames to match or recover pillows and upholstery with coordinating fabrics. 16. Don't Be Extravagant on Useless Pieces If a piece doesn't serve some function and won't last for years, put your money back in your wallet. Save your funds for the necessities unless you just can't resist. 17. Don't Keep Things Because You Think You Should Don't feel obligated to keep a piece you've inherited. If it doesn't appeal to you or it doesn't fit your space, either fix it or get rid of it. After all, it's your home. They'll understand! 18. Don't Allow Ugly Anywhere Of course, ugly is in the eye of the beholder. But don't think you can learn to like something if you really don't. Get rid of it! 19. Don't Display Every Personal Treasure Don't overcrowd your home with collectibles. Make each piece be important. If it isn't or if you don't have room, store them away and change your collection from time to time. You'll be glad when it's time to dust! 20. Don't Forget the Details Don't just paint the walls and put the furniture around the room. Learn about details that make your decorating style unique. Find interesting lamps, arrange books neatly, add decorative pillows to furniture, and include fragrant candles and flowers. Thanks to: 20 Decorating No Nos - What Not to Do When Decorating From Coral Nafie, www.about.com .

To Fix Or Not To Fix

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:19:37 -0400

Once upon a time when life was simpler and easier to manage (if there really ever was a time like that!) buyers would not place a lot of emphasis on the "little things". You know - those pesky little repairs that don't require a bank loan or a huge bite out of your spare time to take care of. This was partly due to the fear of jeapordizing their chance of having their purchase offer accepted. Oh, the good old days!! Fast forward to 2008 and the real estate marketplace has certainly changed. Certainly, if you are selling your home, you do want to ensure that your home and its mechanics and structure are in good repair and working order. And let's not forget to stage it to maximize its potential! But that is another topic for another time :) Here are a few suggestions that will help you sell your home more quickly. These are details that, if tended to, prevent potential buyers from assuming that conditions are worse than they really are. Often, small, inexpensive repairs are perceived by a buyer as requiring more time and money than is necessary. Consequently, IF they still submit an offer on your house, they will offer less money assuming they will have to absorb inflated repair costs. So, invest a few minutes along with a few dollars to take care of these repairs. Everyone will benefit in the end. . 1. Dripping or damaged faucets, broken or inoperative toilets or sinks 2. Lights that don't work or that are damaged 3. Cracked glass and inoperative windows 4. Damaged screens on windows and doors 5. Damaged or inoperative windows, doors or hardware 6. Leaks; roof, piping, water heater; no stains visible anywhere 7. Flooring that is damaged or badly soiled; torn or damaged wall coverings 8. Heating or A/C systems that don't work - maybe just a matter of replacing a dirty filter 9. Grout and caulking that is missing or has mold and mildew showing 10. Appliances, like stoves, dishwashers, disposals that are damaged or inoperative or just plain dirty 11. Fingerprint smudges along door jambs, cabinet edges and light switches 12. Dead or dying plants I guarantee that if a potential buyer sees any of these situations, they will be led to believe that the rest of your house has been neglected, too. It is so easy to avoid that misconception. So, what are you waiting for? Roll up your sleeves and you'll be signing on the dotted line before you know it. Happy selling!!

Color Trends

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:53:00 -0500

Runways and driveways have long been the inspirational source for home furnishings and decorating color choices. However, consumers� increasing color confidence and personal style makes any color fashionable for 2008. From glass-like blues, botanical greens, dramatic black and white and whisper soft pink, color directions will drive towards individual self-expression, glamorous living experiences or an increasing awareness of important environmental causes. �Go Green� Green may just become the newest �neutral� color. Used as a subtle backdrop to reflect an enhanced eco-consciousness, green will be representative of the growing environmental movement. Mid-tone hues of fern, palm, pine and sage will be used on their own or coupled with clear blue or aqua to create a living space that conjures up a sense of outdoor-friendly living. Sandy tans and warm browns can be intermingled to complete that earthy and eco-friendly feel. While suitable for all areas of the home, these combinations are an especially good choice for bathrooms, kitchens and family living spaces. �Sophisticated Elegance� Gaining popularity in 2008, black and white paint hues will enhance opulent living spaces that are filled with accessories, crystal lighting, mirrors and rich fabrics. Metallics and high sheen finishes along with rich textures benefit from the sophistication of this striking palette. For an unexpected color punch, add cause related hues such as dramatic red or maintain the room�s classic undertones with subtle pink or taupe. Dramatic and sophisticated, black and white becomes the backdrop for today�s glamorous spaces. Master bedroom suites and living rooms are only two of the spaces that can benefit from sophisticated elegance. �Crewel Colors� Many consumers continue to strive for simplicity in their technology overloaded, hectic lifestyles and seek a return to a gentler way of life. The crewel color palette reflects consumers returning interest in crafts, home cooking and family focused activities. Like a rich and color filled needlepoint pattern, these hues add a soulful and personalized feel to any space. Handcrafted items create a sense of stability and security and these warm, creamy rich colors will do the same in your space. Rich cranberry reds, warm browns, along with pumpkin orange help to create a nurturing and caring environment. Mix in deep-toned blue and the tapestry is complete. Crewel colors remain an excellent choice for kitchen or dining areas and can be warming, like a knitted afghan, in family spaces. No matter which hue or palatte attracts attention, consumers continue to have an increased appreciation for paint quality and value. And, why not? It is a personal choice for a personal space�home. - The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute.

Where to Begin? When Does It End?

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 10:12:37 -0500

Where to Begin? When Does it End? It has been awhile since I have posted an article here. Having one�s own website does not necessarily mean life remains in perfect order and allows for a predictable schedule and therefore a �perfect� online presence. Life is life and we are all honored to share in it � the good, the not so good and the in between of it all. As most of us can attest to, our occupation with the change in seasons, holidays, jobs, and family matters seem to swell during this time of year. As the New Year approaches, it is nice to have a few leisurely moments to sit here at the screen, sip some coffee and transcribe a handful of thoughts. It is even nicer to translate them into design concepts. Doing so always makes life easier and more enjoyable; for me, anyway. Home truly is where the heart is. As changes take a foothold in my life with the addition of my Mom to our household, a new love in my son�s life and the challenge for me to continue building my business, the place where I can best bring all of the pieces together is in my home. This is why it is so important for my family and I to surround ourselves with all of the details that comfort, inspire and protect everything that is sacred to us and in us. As our lives evolve, so does the space around us. I have mentioned in a previous article that patience is so important in setting up our homes and making decorating decisions. Unless your wish is to live in a model home, or prepare it in order to sell, allow the layers of time and your experiences dictate your choices of what your home looks like. How better to create a home that is uniquely yours? With the approach of a New Year, new priorities may arise. Or perhaps you�ve established new goals for yourself whether tangible or not. Life changes may evolve that require some re-thinking of how your home can serve you and your family. Life is chock full of surprises whether they are positive or not. In the end, I believe it is all positive as these are opportunities for introspection, creative thinking and continued learning. Reach outward to your loved ones. Reach inward to your strengths. In the process you will create the perfect space called home. And your home will return the favor by helping you be the best you can be. Have fun and enjoy the process! May the New Year bring every blessing of abundance into your lives!

Staging Your Home When Selling Is More Important Than Ever

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 07:02:35 -0400

Staging Your Home When Selling Is More Important Than Ever The real estate market is one of those things that ebbs and flows like so many other markets in our economy. Lately it has come to the forefront more than ever due to the turmoil in sub-prime lending practices among other circumstances. The bottom line, however, is your bottom line. In spite of all that is going on, you still have control over certain aspects of selling your home to help it stand out from your competition. From my experience in staging homes along with those of other professional stagers, there are two major areas where most homeowners tend to need extra coaching from either their real estate agent and/or professional home stager. 1. Being too emotionally attached to their homes. Most folks have lived in their homes long enough to have created special memories there. They have also put their heart into fixing up and decorating this very personal space. When it comes time to sell, it is difficult to no longer view their homes as extensions of themselves and their families. Once their house is on the market, it becomes their biggest commodity that needs to be presented in ways different than they are accustomed to. Their home is now a house that is essentially open to the public. As hard as it may be to swallow, not everyone will be endeared to their choice of styles, colors and furnishings. The kids can no longer have their artwork hanging on the refrigerator. Family pictures or that collection of salt and pepper shakers are not going to be viewed as assets. In fact, they serve as distractions and need to be packed away, ready to be displayed in their new home. A seller needs to pack to move anyway, so they may as well do it now. 2. Being unwilling to invest money to stage their homes. It is human nature to look ahead to our future goals and actions. When people have their homes for sale, their focus is usually on when they will move into their dream home, where it will be located and how wonderful it will be to live there. The mindset of not wanting to spend any more money on a house that they will be (hopefully) leaving soon is common. However, if they were to compare selling their house to selling themselves on a job interview, the perspective easily shifts. Yes, they would look forward to how wonderful it would be to have that new job. But would they compromise their chance of getting that new job because they are only concerned with having that new job? I don�t think so. They would do whatever it took to present a clean, polished and impressive image. Perhaps they would buy a new outfit, new shoes, and get a haircut and manicure. It takes some investment to accomplish those things, doesn�t it? It is no different when selling a house. Not only does investing in staging a home bring a greater return on that investment it also addresses the psychology of the buyer beyond visual appeal. When a typical buyer sees a feature in the house that needs repair or updating they will always overestimate how much time and money it will cost to take care of. It is so important to hire the expertise of a professional home stager. S/he will advise on cleaning, de-cluttering, repairing and updating in order to make a house as move-in-able as possible. Their trained eye and design skills will showcase the home in a way that makes it appealing to potential buyers by beautifully highlighting the features of the home. Statistics reveal that an investment of 1-3% of the asking price typically yields a return of 8-10%. They also tell us that investing more than that does not necessarily yield a greater return. The 1-3% formula is a reliable guideline to follow regardless of the home�s asking price. Now, doesn�t it make sense to spend a little money in order to make a lot of money?

Do You Have Rhythm?

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 09:36:19 -0400

Music is something I appreciate and enjoy. My husband, a musician, says I have great rhythm. Mmmm, maybe. I can keep an acceptable beat. However my rhythm definitely keeps a steadier beat when I am working with design concepts than in his music studio. Rhythm in design refers to the sense of movement provided by the elements in a room. It helps the viewer understand and appreciate the room's design as a whole. When there is no rhythm, our focus is immediately drawn to one spot only. Usually this spot is the eyesore of the room, or the huge decorating faux pas element such as that infamous lamp in the Christmas movie classic "The Christmas Story". Remember that female mannequin leg in a fishnet stocking and black high heel shoe lamp base? Not many people are that extreme in decorating, but I think you get my point. So, what elements in a room contribute to its rhythm? There are many. However, they can be neatly categorized into the following: REPETITION of any design element creates flow and cohesion. For instance color, shape, line, texture or patterns are all design elements. Often the repetition of one of these will also help to create a theme; a style such as bamboo (texture) gives an earthy, woodsy, and informal look to a room. So you see, one design element can achieve more than one result. The repetition of color throughout a room will keep the eye moving around the room. This movement creates rhythm just like the rhythm in music which is created by repeating a pattern of musical notes. As in my example of texture and theme in designing a room, the same applies to music. A particular arrangement of repeated notes and beats will determine the style of that music. A rock and roll rhythm uses all of the same musical principles as classical music. I am sure you would agree that their results are quite different. GRADATION is the gradual flow from a low point to a high point. In music I am reminded of a crescendo where the rhythm and the volume starts slower and softer and gradually builds up to being loud and bold with the crashing of cymbals perhaps. Visually, think of a mountain range and all of the different peaks and valleys. Successful rhythm in this area gently leads the eye from the lower placed furnishings and accessories to the higher placed ones. This is done by mingling the various heights so that one area in the room is not full of the low pieces and the opposite side is full of the high pieces. That would create a very out of balance look and feel. Again, think of gently rolling hills and the ease in which one hilltop flows into the next. This type of curvilinear flow leads us to the next category - TRANSITION is the ease in which your eye travels from one element to the next through the use of repetition or gradation. RADIATION is when a pattern of elements surround a center object. Sounds complicated? Just think about your dining room table and chairs. Some people prefer to have the chairs that surround their table be identical to one another. Others like a more eclectic look created by having each chair be a different style and/or color from the next. Both approaches are opposite yet they use the same principle of radiation. Your crystal chandelier utilizes this element on a grand scale. The more crystals that surround the center of the light the more presence it creates. The less that surround it, the simpler it is. Both providing different looks and feels to a room. A musical composition can be short and sweet and written in a very basic scale of notes. Or it can incorporate more complex scales and tempos. However, both are both centered around a key note. OPPOSITION can be very successful if done properly. The use of black and white is quite common and makes a bold statement. Yet it doesn��t alienate or confuse the viewer. Combining traditional and modern in one room has become popular and can be very striking as long as there is, once again, rhythmic placement of these pieces. Textures of opposite looks and feel compliment each other very well. A soft, fuzzy throw blanket over the arm of a smooth leather chair, for instance, balances each other nicely. As you can see, one element rarely, if ever, exists without the other. By using one element one way you create another. Use it another way and it can lead into a totally different look and feel. That is why design possibilities are literally endless!

What's Your Style?

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 13:19:28 -0400

As many of you know, there is a new show on the HGTV channel, hosted by designer Karen McAloon. It is called Find Your Style. It is a great show as it comes from a unique persepctive compared to many of the other design shows on the air. Well, here are Karen's10 tips to help you find YOUR style. 1. Multiples. Do you have multiple items of the same color, shape, or style around your house? This is one big "tell" I look for as I look through clients' home. A kilim rug in the front hall, a kilim rug in the bedroom, another one in the living room? That means that you like Kilim rugs! It sounds way too simple to be that easy, but most people stop seeing their style even when it's right in front of them. 2. Form over function. Do you work on a desk that is too small, but can't bear to replace it? Have a couch that is crazy uncomfortable, but it's still in you living room after all these years? That broken clock that's still up on the wall? Take a good long look, because this is a dead giveaway to your personal style. There is something you love so much about this piece that you have chosen its form over your need for function. 3. Where you shop. Do you browse the same store all the time, even when you're not looking to buy? Does a good flea market make you heart pound with excitement? Where you look for your furnishings speaks volumes about your style. New, used, found, handed down from family; where your furniture comes from represents your style! 4. Art. What you have chosen to hang on your walls says something about you. Art is purely personal, not tied to function or need and therefore is usually the best indication of your style. A vintage movie poster means you probably like classic lines in furniture, while an abstract lithograph likely means that modern design is your bag. Flea market oil painting of someone else's relative? Eclectic is your style. 5. Most recent purchase. A French country dish towel that caught your eye in the store, or an impulse buy of a Tiffany-style lamp that you thought you'd never like, but do. The last thing you bought for your home is a fantastic indicator of what your style is, especially if it is design departure for you. 6. What unites your stuff? Do you have terra-cottas, rusts and warm yellows all around your house? These are the sun-kissed colors of Mediterranean design, so you should look for rough-hewn wood tables, terra-cotta lamps and vases to polish up your style. Does all your furniture have lean, sharp lines, and you don't have a single thing on your mantel? Your style is thoroughly modern. Whether it's color, scale, shape or era, the uniting element in your home is the best place to start when looking for your style. 7. What's your favorite hotel? This is my secret weapon in finding a client's design style! Always stay in cozy country B&Bs? Like the modern city high-rise hotel? Or do you go more for the traditionally furnished places? Hotels have clear design styles, so use them to help you find YOUR style. 8. Odd man out. When there is one piece different from everything else in your room, take note! Chances are, this is one style you like, but are afraid to fully venture into. 9. Travel. Where you chose to spend your vacations, and what you bring back with you are great style indicators. Always go to Mexico on your holidays and have a full set of cobalt-blue wine glasses? You like the hacienda look. Love your family vacations at the beach, and have jars of seashells in your bathroom? Coastal cottage is your style. 10. Best room in the house. What's your most fave room in your home? Look to your best design work and repeat it! There is nothing wrong with having all your rooms designed similarly. In fact, it can bring a calm and serene feel to your house.

Great Issue of Oprah this month!

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 11:43:31 -0400

Oprah's magazine issue this month caught my eye immediately! The major theme to the cover articles was about Redesign and Staging! Yes, folks, these design areas have certainly come to the forefront of people's awareness. My favorite article in this issue was written by a woman who helped her friend stage her home for sale. For those of you who may not get the chance to buy the magazine, I'll briefly describe her narrative. After they spent just a few hours clearing out clutter, cleaning and re-arranging furniture, the homeowner became quite sad. She realized that the reason she was selling was so she could move into a more elegant and functional space. As she looked around at her home she realized she already had that! She no longer wanted to move. Sure, as is typical, the day after the staging was done, she received an offer. Her agent was thrilled but she wasn't. Fortunately for her and unfortunately for the agent, the financing fell through. She feigned dismay when her agent "broke" the news to her. But after she hung up she quickly invited her friends over to celebrate her 'new' home!!