Tools For Design

The Grand Rapids Press out of Michigan recently ran an article that featured several websites that you can use to help you visualize various facets of design projects. Among them are:

www.benjaminmoore.com where you can try various shades and hues of pain on for size;

www.bhg.com that has several tools where you can enter dimensions of your room and then place design features, including furniture, areas rugs, etc. in various configurations, also where you can see various colors applied to your room or your home.

www.designmyroom.com where you can choose a room layout, add color, furniture, artwork, and other options however when I tried to use this tool it froze my computer so I'm not sure how well is works in the end.

www.purecontemporary.com on which you can lay out furniture plans but the room configurations are not quite as free form as the bhg ones.

www.baliblinds.com where you can test drive certain window coverings.

www.daltileproducts.com to check out various floor covering options.

I think my favorites are the www.bhg.com site and the www.purecontemporary.com site because they offer complete room design capabilities and seem to be pretty reliable. The others are good too if you are trying to concentrate on just one item, like window coverings or flooring, or are just looking for some good ideas. But, by now, you know I can never concentrate on one area at a time, each thing leads to the next and pretty soon I have moved from my living room mantel into my office closet. How exactly does that happen?

Interior Design Magazine

You may have noticed I have recently discovered this magazine, Interior Design. It is a little pricey but the articles and photos are fabulous.

Denser Urban Living - The New Cool

Interior Design magazine reports that as the downturn in the housing market deepens buyers dive into more densely populated areas nearer transit, businesses, and other amenities. This prevalent trend bucks what has been popular in the not too distant past. The magazine states that the current popularity in "infill sites" results in a focus on homes that are on smaller lots and positioned closer together than homes located in traditional neighborhood landscapes.

Apparently, potential buyers are making these choices based not only on living convenience but, also with resale value in mind. I guess the old adage, location, location, location never has strayed far from the top of the list of wants and needs when purchasing real property. It just depends on what the chic location is at the time you are considering your purchase.

Showering in the Rain

While on our recent visit to Mexico we lodged in a hotel where our bathroom had all the amenities of an upscale living space: stone covered flooring and walls, solid stone vanity, bowl sinks, frosted glass doors, a dual flush on the commode, a coveted, lighted, magnifying mirror, and a giant shower head that had the best rain feel.

Although the bathtub featured a sliding shower head we all elected to use the giant rain shower head. It is something that I always thought might be great when we remodel our bathroom but this experience sealed the deal. The shower head was at least 12" in diameter and it felt amazing. It was so different for us from our shower at home that when we got home our son, who is seven, came running out of the bathroom after showering and announced that there was something wrong with our shower because the water did not come out well. Upon inspection, the shower was fine it was just the beautiful memories of the gigantic rain-style shower we had all grown so fondly accustomed to.

Someday...

Christmas - The Mexican Way

We were in Mexico over Thanksgiving week and I have to say it was quite relaxing. While we were there the hotels were decorating for Christmas (which is a week long process, or more, in Mexico). Their decorations were quite creative. The hotel where we lodged used artificial Christmas trees and decorated them with ribbon, gourds or coconuts spray painted silver or sprayed with glue and sprinkled with glitter, and other natural articles. It was all so fascinating to watch and I was amazed at how fabulous things looked when they were done.

And since Mexico is a Catholic state and there is no separation of Church and state, as we traveled to the airport on Saturday after Thanksgiving, the transportation department was busily decorating the roadway medians for Christmas.

Now, if I only thought to take some photos...

Decorating for Christmas

I did it!

I successfully decorated for Christmas (well, with the the unending help of my husband and my children). I love Christmas decorations but, every year it seems like such a big deal to get them out (and an even bigger deal to put them away). I guess now that the children are older it is a little easier because they can really help.

So, last weekend we got all the decorations out and my husband, children and I worked for a few hours on Saturday and then I finished up on Sunday morning. I always struggle with the exterior entry or front porch, though, and I ended up getting some things that I'm not positive I like. Well, some I am positive I like but some I'm not sure about. And, I still have my fall wreath hanging on the door because I have not found one that I like that goes with the exterior decorations. What a conundrum!

So, maybe this weekend because I have completed my Christmas shopping, I will have time to seek out the perfect wreath. We'll see...

Oh, and I have not taken any photos yet but I will post them after I do this weekend. 'Tis the season!

Holiday Decorating

It seems like I barely got my Halloween decorations down and it's time for Christmas decorating. That is the plan for this weekend, so as soon as I get that started I will post some pictures.

In the meantime, stay safe and enjoy the holiday spirit!

Holiday Decorations

I cannot believe that Christmas is almost upon us, with Thanksgiving next week and all. After Thanksgiving, Christmas decorations will be in order. Check back for my progress.

Another Mantel Idea

I love this look (and my walls are almost identical to the color of these)!

I have been obsessed with finding a new mantel, or I guess any mantel since we do not currently have a mantel and I really like the look and feel of this one. I think though that the side pieces that hold up the mantel might be a little ornate for my taste but, I really like the detail on the top shelf part of the mantel. Now I can't remember where I found this so I cannot even see if there is something like it or not.

The search goes on...

Life is a Commode!

Or something!

I was reading an interesting article today about all the new advances in toilets. I was interested because seeing as that all of our commodes are approaching twenty years old we are looking into getting some new ones. But why get new toilets when you can get a new bathroom to put it in? We may not be able to do a new bathroom but toilets are doable, and necessary.

There are so many options now when it comes to toilets, heated seats, nightlights, dual mode flush, air assist flush, and so many other choices. But, my favorite was the "green" alternative, can you guess? Well, it's a toilet that comes with a built in rinsing mechanism, both low and high powered depending on need. This is sold as a *green* alternative because they claim you do not need to use toilet paper saving approximately $125 a year on toilet paper. Okay, I get the rinse thing, don't want to have an entire discussion about it because I'm not quite sure where it will go but, I wonder after you rinse do you just drip dry? I would think you would still need a little toilet paper.

Oh, Mickey!

Today's New York Times has an article on the new marketing prospects of Disney. It seems that Disney is starting market its brand in apparel, art and furniture without the character connection .

In 2006, Disney began a venture with Drexel Heritage, The Walt Disney Signature collection that features retro or modern inspired furniture, the kind which you might have found in Walt Disney's office or home when he was alive. Drexel Heritage describes this line as follows:

Streamlined shapes and sleek textures accentuate this collection of furniture inspired by Walt Disney. These superbly crafted furnishings for every room of the home feature decorative veneers, multiple finish selections, brushed nickel accents and fanciful shaping reflecting an Art Moderne style that has been carefully edited & outfitted to appeal to today's tastes.

They have pieces for any room, dining room, living room, bedroom, or even your home office, truly something for any room. And wall art too. It really looks enticing.

What Kind of Mantel Do I Need?

Now that the shutter is complete in our living room, I am starting to focus on the mantel. This is a picture of our, as yet, untouched mantel in all its glory. Now, the picture that my husband hung for me that is way too low, but it's there. I don't have a photo to show you but the wall that that fireplace sits on is very tall and the room has a cathedral ceiling which makes the wall appear even taller than it is. We are lucky in that the fireplace is not just hanging on the wall like so many are these days until we finish them off but, actually already had a nice marble tile surround that I think I'll keep intact. So, the trick for me is finding the perfect full mantel in the right size and for the right price.

I keep waffling back and forth between stone and wood. I think I want a lighter color, like a creamy or whitish color and that is why I think a stone or faux stone mantle would be nice. I think any wood color might look funny but, it also might tie in nicely with the wood floors from the dining room and pull the two spaces together.

Now, if I am able to just focus on one space, the mantel area, I actually might be able to get something accomplished.

Here's the fireplace up close. The marble part is 64.25 inches wide by 43 inches tall with an 18 inch apron and the fireplace is centered in the marble tile at 40 inches wide by 31 inches tall with the actual opening starting at 6.25 inches from the bottom. I think I'd like to remove the doors and just have a screen there and maybe even just put in the fake logs so we can have a fire without polluting the environment.

What do you think? Do you have any good sources for mantels? If so, I'd love to hear them.

Comfortable Country French

I found this article that describes Country French decor as "comfortable" and as I read the article I thought that that is exactly what I like about it. The colors are peaceful and calming, the minimal simple accessories with the curvy, yet simple, lines of the furniture all make me feel very relaxed.

Fung Shui The Easy Way

I have heard so much about Feng Shui and never really read or studied it. One day not to far in the past I decided I would do a little search on Amazon for good books on Feng Shui. Of course, being the person that I am I wanted something that I could easily understand and a good read. So, I settled on Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life : How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money, Respect and Happiness.

Here are the basics of Feng Shui. The basis of Feng Shui is that your home, room, car, or whatever other space you can imagine is divided into nine areas. So, whatever space you are thinking about Feng Shui-ing (is that a word?) you would place a grid with nine squares in it, or a bagua, overlaying your space. Each of the nine squares stand for an area of life with the nine areas being Prosperity or Abundance, Fame or Reputation, Relationships, including Marriage and Love, Creativity and Children, Helpful People and Travel, Career and Lifepath, Skills and Knowledge or Wisdom, Family, and Health and Other Situations. So, the bagua looks like this:

The idea is that you need to stock items with certain elements of water, earth, fire, and metal to balance your space and, therefore, your life. There is so much information to digest that it is impossible to go into in one post but if you want a great overview, I highly recommend this book, Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life : How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money, Respect and Happiness, for a great overview of Feng Shui.

Modern Furniture, Is It Your Thing?

As you undoubtedly know by now, modern designer furniture does not fit into my design scheme but that's not to say that I don't think its sleek lines and color choices are not intriguing.

I like this Baroque Low Table that is available in seven color options, one for any color scheme you are working within:



In the right space, I love this table and actually all of the elements in this design. I think what I really like about modern designer furniture is the simplicity of it. Generally modern design elements carry clean lines, usually with some circular element thrown in for interest and movement. Also, the color scheme used in modern design is either monochromatic, different shades of the same color, usually neutrals, or black and white with some pop of red or other vibrant color.

Now, I need to buy a second home so I can employ some modern design elements while still keeping my Country French style intact.

Small IS better!

I bet you never thought you'd hear that!

Several months ago I was watching television one night and saw a spot on the new rage of tiny homes that is starting to grip the US and the world. The homes I saw looked like miniature homes with all the amenities we currently enjoy, except excess space. These tiny houses were only about 100 square feet more or less, that is less than the size of my family room.

Then today I see that Oprah has done a special on small houses so I do a little poking around. It seems you can but the plans for these small homes for less than $1000 from Tumbleweed Tiny House Co. Not only that, it seems that you can even get a book, Tiny Book of Tiny Houses, that is all about the cute little homes.

I think that these tiny homes are becoming so popular because they are billed out as being "green." That makes sense because you don't need an entire forest of trees for the wood nor do you need all the other materials you'd need to build a much larger home. The average size is around 100 square feet, they can fit just about anywhere, and some are even mobile. Peak your interest?

It peaked mine enough to perform some searches to gain some more understanding, I concluded that the buzz about these tiny houses is so popular there is even a blog about it.

Here are some examples of these small homes for your viewing pleasure. They are so cute!

Bracing for Furniture Deals

The High Point Market is underway in North Carolina and the furniture manufacturers are bracing themselves for a brutal forecast, Forbes reports.

If you have never heard of it, the High Point Market happens only twice a year and is the "largest furnishings trade show in the world," according to the High Point Market website. At the High Point Market you can find 188 buildings packed with furnishings and accessories, with over 12 million square feet of showroom space and more than 2000 exhibitors. Every six months approximately 85,000 people gather to see tens of thousands of new products unveiled. The Market says, "if you can't find it in High Point, it probably doesn't exist." With all that space, I hope they are right.

Attendance at the market is free but you must register and the catch is that you must have a resell license that shows you are in a furniture related business. (If you order Kimberly Causey's book, that I talk about here, you can be in the furniture related retail business if you follow her lead.)

Both the Forbes report and the High Point Market industry report state that sales of furnishings are expected to be slower than "normal" until at least the later half of 2009. I hope that if these reports are right that will bode well for the consumer in search of better than usual deals.

You know how I dislike paying retail prices for furniture and accessories and the not so rosy forecast may just be my lucky break.

Roche Bobois Puts the French in Furniture

One of my downfalls is that I really like stores like Roche Bobois. I count that in and of itself is a drawback because they have the best furniture styles but at the absolute (okay, yes, I have seen more expensive, don't ask) high end of the scale. In addition to that their showrooms are few and far between.

I am not really a modern person for my own home but I do like the Roche Bobois style. My favorite of their collections, though, has to be Les Provinciales collection. This collection has the traditional French lines and many choices of furniture pieces. I love to go into the showrooms and just browse. Call me crazy but it gives me many ideas, many which I cannot afford to implement, I might add. But that does not mean I cannot look.

Now, maybe, just maybe, when I receive the updated versions of my books from Kim Causey at Smart Decorating I can swing a designer's discount there, too. Have I mentioned that I cannot justify paying retail prices for furniture and accessories?

My Halloween Decor

The air is crisper and fall is settling in, therefore it must be time to think about some kind of holiday decorations. Here is my bare front porch that desperately needs some attention.

So, I grab my twins last Saturday morning and convince them to help me decorate a little for Halloween. Mind you I have one boy and a little girl so the decorations cannot be too scary. As one of my friends pointed out to me, if I had only boys the decorations would be much more scary or my boys would refuse to live there.

These are the decorations on one side of the door (and the little houses have LED lights in them that turn different colors when you turn them on). The Boo sign was something that I could not live without, one of those things I saw and had to have.

And here's the view from each side of the porch.

And the view coming up the stairs.

I think I need something with some height so I am not quite done yet but I like the look so far. I will update my post when, or should I say if, I find exactly what I am looking for to add some height.

Happy Halloween! Boo!

Exterior Painting Again!

We have not painted the exterior of our home in about eight years so the time is coming that we will have to decide what to do and when. As you probably have noted, I like to research our options regarding various projects prior to jumping in with both feet. So, while looking for ideas about color for our home's exterior I found this website for something called the Coolwall system for exterior painting. Apparently the paint has some sort of special reflective properties to it that causes your home to not absorb the solar heat. I'm not sure how or if it works but it sounds pretty cool. In addition, it is billed out as a green (environmentally friendly) product and has some backing from the Department of Energy.

The product comes in some 570 colors so there must be at least one for everyone. The colors seem to range from neutral to bright and most everything in between. And, if you have any CCRs, like we do, I'm sure there are some colors that would earn approval from your neighbors and the board.

We have not tried this Coolwall system paint so I cannot say whether its claims are true about heat reflectivity that reduces energy usage but when I was explaining it to my husband he seemed intrigued, and that's saying something!

Angies List Experience

I'm not sure how but, I received some kind of advertising for Angie's List sometime last year. I performed a few searches and found out that the list had quite a few businesses rated in our area. I'm not sure how you go about finding out about businesses and service companies but I usually plug a search into Google, some thing like, "[business name] opinions" or "[business name] ratings" to see what I can find. I often find nothing and, depending on the service, I am often reticent to move forward without some further information.

Well, as I was looking for the shutter that I have so often spoke of, I checked Angie's List and I was hooked. Not only did I find the company that installed my shutter, I found I could sit here all day and search for companies by name or by service sector of keyword, if you will. I really had no idea about all the things I "needed" until I was able to easily access information about providers in my area.

If you dare, try it, Angie's List - Where thousands of consumers share their ratings on the local contractors and service companies they hire. Learn more.

I have talked a lot about Veranda Magazine. Now, I found that at Amazon you can get a two year subscription for $20. Seeing as I paid more than that for a one-year subscription last year I am pretty excited.

What I like about Veranda are all the ideas that the pictures help me generate. In addition, I look through the ads and then look up the vendors that I particularly like on the Internet to see what their other options are. Sometimes I book mark those sites for reference and sometimes I decide that the advertisement was not representative of their offerings and I move on. But, all the while, I am building a library of things I like so I have those resources for reference when I get there. The getting there part is the hard part for me...

Back to the Dining Room

Now that our beautiful shutter is in place I am trying to focus my attention back into the dining room. I think I have some kind of issue that does not allow me to concentrate on one area very long, or long enough to complete it. So, I'm back with a focus on the dining room and the next step is a roman shade to go between the existing Silhouette shade and the drapery, see below.

I'd like to bring some red into the shade and I have found some fabric at Pierre Deux that I really like. However, I have not been able to convince myself that I should pay their exorbitant prices for the fabric. I started a fabric quest and have not been able to find anything I like as well or better. That's the problem when you start at a high price point.

So, today I did a little searching about how to obtain designer pricing without becoming a designer (I have already procrastinated a long time and a few more years just to get the discount seems hardly work it!). And to my surprise there is really nothing out there. I have an old book that was published in 1995ish about how to buy furniture and accessories at designer prices called, The Insider's Guide to Buying Home Furnishings, but the material is a little dated at this point and, to my knowledge, has not been updated. I see, though, that the same author has a newer book out, Furniture Factory Outlet Guide 2006 (Furniture Factory Outlet Guide), so maybe I will order that book and find out if it is equivalent (Do you see another post coming soon?).

I'll keep you posted on my decision but, for now, I am thinking on it.

A Potential Furniture Source

Last week when I was groaning about finding good deals on quality furniture and accessories I came across this website, The Elysee Collection, that has many great finds that may not fit every style but, as the name suggests, many of their offerings fit my style just perfectly. I like the bookcase that I show, above.

Now that I have clicked around the site I see that they are wholesale only, well if I follow the process outlines in Kimberly Causey's book, The Insider's Guide to Buying Home Furnishings, I can buy wholesale but in the meantime I checked for a store near my home and there are none. However, I have the option of buying online at The French Mix which unfortunately went out of business as of June 8, 2008, which is unfortunate because their web site, at least, looks quite intriguing. The only other option is Layla Grayce that carries many home accessory items as well as furniture. While the offerings on the site are not the usual fare, the furniture prices seem to be a little pricey.

I think I'll wait...but at least there is some food for thought here.

Shutter Complete!

So, last weekend we had out beautiful shutter installed and it is really lovely. This shutter changes the entire look and feel of the space. Here are before and after photos so you can see:

This is the before photo

These are the after photos, first with shutter open, then closed

The installation of this shutter has made a much larger impact that I had anticipated and has gotten me primed to get the remainder of my dining room and living room complete. Next is the fireplace mantel, valances for the windows that flank the fireplace, new base boards, then I am ready for furniture (you can see that we use the space for furniture storage at the moment) to complete the look. Maybe within a year or so the living room and attached dining room will finally be complete.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

I found this light fixture and thought it to look pretty cool. If would not work in my dining room because I have the wrong decor going on for it but picture it with a modern table and chairs, something very sleek. I think it would really look great. And lit I bet the throw from all the crystals make a great show.

A Party Idea

I went to a party at some friends' home and the idea they had was fabulous. They used gate-leg tables as console tables then when they have parties they pull the tables out into the room and open them up for serving or seating. I have never seen this done before and I thought it to be a fabulous idea. They are much more sturdy than a card table and you can leave them in the room in the folded state when not in use for entertaining. Since I am always troubled about how to accommodate everyone when entertaining I really latched on to this idea. Now, the implementation, that's a new nut all together.

I Shutter to Think About It...

All right, you are right, that is a bad pun. But I have to say that our shutter is finally on order. Actually we ordered it several months ago but because they were doing a custom color match we had to approve the color. The first sample was too grey, the second sample was too yellow, so we got out our can of paint (Kelly Moore Ice Cream WS 11) and stirred ti up with a paint stick, let it dry and shipped it off. Low and behold the third time was a charm, it matched perfectly! So now that we have the correct color approved, the shutter should be read in about 2 weeks. Then our gigantic, West facing window can be covered to keep the summer heat out and the winter warmth in. I'll post a photo when it's installed but for now I'm just so happy we are almost there and just in time for Indian summer.

Where in the World?

I found this cool quiz on the Architectural Digest website. It shows you pictures from various countries and gives you three choices for each picture of where the photo was taken. The photos are beautiful and the hints, well, they are non existent. I'm embarrassed to say that I only got 2 correct! Now that's embarrassing. If you take the quiz, let us know how you do.

Laundry Quandry

My laundry room is a room inside my home but is has no windows and only one door. I have always wanted to make it a special place by doing something interesting like maybe a cobblestoen floor and painting the walls and cabinets an exciting color then painting a window scene on one wall to make it appear like you are looking out a window onto a quaint European street somewhere. Then I found this:

And now I cannot make up my mind between the scene which is totally unuseful but really cool, or this drying rack. Any thoughts?

European Dining Flair

As you probably noted from my dining room in process shot and my previous entries, I love this European style. I like the casual elegance noted in this dining room but I'm not sure that the draperies are a fit for me. I think I'd like to see something a little more provincial, some color. Without that it seems a little boring. All that aside, if you are looking for reasonably priced furniture and accessories you might try Ballard Designs. Each time I receive their catalog or an email from them I have to check out their new offerings. I get so many ideas from them that I cannot possibly implement them all. Have fun!

Country French Accessories

Do you like the Country French look? I do but I do not necessarily like the prices of Pierre Deux. I was in Boston a few weeks ago and stumbled upon a little store called Comptoir de Famille. They have a wonderful selection of accessories and furniture at most reasonable prices. Their candles smell really nice and they have a lot of linens, glassware, pottery, pewter, etc. I, of course, bought a few accessories and had them shipped home.

To Paint...Or Not To Paint?

I'm sure you've heard a million times that painting is the least expensive but most dramatic design element. There are hundreds or thousands of colors and one thing you will grow to know about me is that I love red! I think I mentioned earlier that my husband painted one wall in my dining room red, we used Dutch Boy's Lady in Red color custom mixed at Kelly Moore. The other walls are a light but true yellow color but I have a heavy buffet and a rather large window treatment on two of the walls in the dining room that needed some balance. So, painting a wall a deep, rich red was an inexpensive way to balance out the room, here's the look.

So, first let me apologize for the photo as I think I said before, I am not an artist and photography is definitely not my strong suit, as the above photo proves. But, you get the idea of what I am talking about. The room is no where near complete, still needs roman shade under the existing window treatment, custom chair covers, trim work including crown and base, new chandelier, accessories, etc. So, please ignore all the work that needs to be completed, I just wanted you to get the feel for the weight the red wall has. But now I have my red to work with.

First Things First - Determine Your Likes

Everyone has a good idea of what they like and what they don't. As you wander around the mall, the boutique shops and into your family, friends and acquaintances homes you've for sure had various reactions based on your sense of style.

If you are not sure what your style is, don't run right out and hire an interior designer or decorator, first try this. Browse through various catalogs and magazines and tear out pages of things that appeal to you, like fabric, pattern, furniture, room layouts, etc. Compile all of the cut out material into a folder or a binder and keep it for your reference. As you decide to design a specific area in your home, pull out the folder and flip through it. You will be surprised how many ideas will come to you as you do this. This collection process may save you the money you would spend on assistance and if it doesn't then it will give your decorator a place to start.

Decorating is a process and can be overwhelming but my advice is to take it slow and have fun with it. You will be amazed at what you can create on your own.

What A Home Should Have

Architectural Digest has an interesting series on its site that highlights "10 Things Every Home Should Have." The article is a slideshow of 10 pictures with quotes from 10 different designers about the topic. Most of the designers suggest a comfy chair with good light is a must (I agree). Then Mariette Himes Gomez suggests that you need "a place for everything and everything in its place...."

That got me thinking, I try really hard to keep my home up and looking like a picture perfect home. But, I never can quite get there because we actually live in our home. Have you ever wondered if people really live like the pictures we see in such magazines as Architectural Digest, Veranda, etc.? And if so, how do they keep it that way? Extremely organized, trained relatives, hired help? I'd really like to know because no matter how hard I try there is always something that does not have a proper place or is not in its proper place if it has one.

I think I just found myself another research project....

LED Lighting, Now or Futuristic?

LED lighting is apparently coming of age. It uses very little power per watt, even less than fluorescent.

We know because we have a soffit in our family room ceiling that contains the light source. Currently, the light source is fluorescent tube lighting that does not really matter because you cannot see the source only the light reflecting out of the soffit. We rely on the light from the soffit as our main light for the room so it must remain fairly bright. Of course, as our home gets older, the fluorescent tube fixtures get older. As the fixtures get older they get worn and the florescent tubes will not shine bright for very long. Instead of replacing the old fixtures with new fluorescent fixtures we thought it would be interesting and economical to replace with LED lighting.

We did a little research and this is what we found out: LED lighting is up and coming but not quite here yet, unless, of course, you want to pay an arm and a leg. In order for us to get the amount of light we have now in our family room we would need between four and six LED lights per foot at about $30 each light. Our soffit measures more than 30 feet, so if you do the math that's about $10,000 for a family room light fixture!

Needless to say, we decided to wait. I can limp along for a year or two while the technology becomes more mainstream and more economical.

Color by Art

One of my favorite artists for her whimsical illustrations of French scenes is Ellyna Berglund. She also does many other themes but her scenes of Paris and other French cafes are favorites of mine.

Where do you start? Redecorate!

I love the elements of design but sometimes I am so overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of the task ahead. So, I try to break down my projects into many parts, once one is accomplished I can move on to the next. I have checked out so many websites for information and many of them are forthcoming about how to approach your project in their book or materials that you must purchase, but not a lot of "how to" information out there for free. Here's where I can help, of course you will also have to wade through my trials and tribulations in my own design and decor projects. I am a big believer in doing is learning. If you try and it does not work out, you can always try again. That is why I like the idea of starting with redecorating instead of all out decorating from scratch.



Redecorating uses the items you already have in your home to mock up your space. If you place items where they fit and look good, then you can get a much better idea of how your space will look. That does not mean that the couch you borrowed from your family room will not ever go back to where it was, but you may ultimately decide you like it better somewhere else in your home and you will buy a new one for the family room or do without because it was never really right in the family room anyway.



To redecorate you must remove everything from the room or space that you are working on (yes, that means whatever is on the walls, too). Once you have the space cleared you can start moving pieces back into the room, starting with the largest (usually a couch) and working your way down by size until it looks good and is comfortable to you. After all, you have to live there so it must be comfortable for you!



Then after you have placed all the furniture that the space needs you can place accessories and hang pictures and other wall art. Here's a hint: The best placement for furniture in normally not against the walls (notice I said normally and in some cases that is the only place for some furniture). Do not be afraid to borrow furniture and accessories from other places in your home, you can put it back where it came from you are trying to get a good feeling for what you ultimately want your space to look and feel like.



After you are done you can assess wall color, whether you need some new furniture or accessories, lamps or a rug. It will all come together.

Zensational

I'm not usually a huge fan of Asian architecture but something about this photo really caught my eye. The simplicity in the symmetry is pleasing. It seems simple yet has many small details that make the interest level peak.

I found this photo when I was looking for something else at Architectural Digest magazine's website. I do not subscribe the the magazine because it seems a little pricey for me but it is a beautiful publication. If you check out the website, they have many resources, photos and articles that were published in past versions of their Digest. I like to look there for ideas.