New clients assume that the size of their decorating budget is in direct correlation to how happy I and they are with the finished product.  This is truly not the case.  For example,  I recently completed a one room project for a young woman living in her first house.  She had a spare bedroom that she was using as an office but she wasn't happy with how it functioned or how it looked.  She was interested in moving the desk into the closet so that the rest of the space could be used as a lounge/study.  You can read about and see the transformation of the closet in the blog I posted on April 25th (Converting a Closet to an Office).

Before

Before

A few paychecks later, she was ready to furnish the rest of the room.  My client had a few pieces she definitely wanted to keep: an art-deco wing chair covered in black leather with white piping, some of her artwork, and her pink dress form.  I was happy to accommodate these requests.  I also suggested keeping the hot pink Ikea bookcase. By turning it on its side, we were able to use it as our media console and still have storage for books. A budget friendly solution.

I often consider furniture made for children when furnishing small spaces. In this case, we used a love seat in a light gray fabric with tufting detail from PB Teen. Using a "teen" company allowed us to find a piece that was smaller in scale (just what we needed for this petite lounge).


To go beside the love seat, we found a three tier glass and brass table from West Elm.  The three glass tiers gave us the function we needed without making the space feel crowded, while also relating to our Ghost style chair in the desk area.  A white ceramic lamp from Z Gallerie atop the glass table provides light and some feminine curves. The only other piece of furniture we purchased was West Elm's Martini table in white.  This petite table provides a place to set a glass or the remote but keeps the space feeling open and can easily be moved to anywhere it is needed.

The final touches are what really put this room over the top.  The hot pink and cream toile drapery in a Robert Allen fabric gives a nod to our Parisian mural on the desk wall.  Pillows in the same fabric really pop on our gray couch and bring a little pink to that side of the room.  A few more gold accents were added for sparkle and the client's artwork was hung back on the walls.

I love the way the space turned out and so does my client.  I've had clients with bigger budgets but this room is one of my favorites.  We were able to give her an office and a lounge in 120 square feet, marrying function and style. It seems perfectly suited for a young professional woman.  The pink little girl's room all grown up!

When describing a room, magazines will often use the word “Timeless” to capture the elegant and everlasting quality of a space. How do we design a room to be “timeless”? What is the difference between good design and great design?  In the coming months I will start a series of blog entries on 20th century rooms and what makes them appealing to us today.  I will also suggest changes that could be made to bring the rooms into the 21st century. I hope that this will serve as a guide to anyone seeking to understand how design works, the trends involved, and where things change and where they stay the same. 

Living Room by the late Mark Hampton
Photo by Durston Saylor for Architectural Digest
Published in 1996

Classic pieces are understood to last, but what makes a piece a classic? Trends are best used in small amounts, but where can I use them and still keep my room looking updated and current? This series of rooms will be a fun way to explore these and other questions that a decorator can help answer. I also hope that this will give you general knowledge of some famous designers and what made them great.

Decorating a room doesn't have to be a never ending project, but it also isn't something that we can set aside for years at a time. In these blogs I hope to show you quick ways to keep a space fresh and new feeling, without having to start over every couple of years.

In my last blog about my daughter's rental property, the main living room was unfinished, but on its way to becoming a place that she could call home. In the ensuing months she and I have worked to create a homey feel on a very tight budget. The first thing we installed were her bamboo shades. An inexpensive choice for a room with a large window but also an attractive one. With a little help, my daughter found blinds that she liked on sale, saving her about $200. The shades add texture and color while providing much needed privacy from the street.

The next item on the to-do list was a rug.  Rugs can be expensive with custom rugs costing thousands of dollars. An expensive rug was impractical for a young woman starting out and impossible on a budget from a just-out-of-college job. However, the space really needed the warmth and softness that a rug provides. Instead of a ready made rug we purchased a carpet remnant and had it cut and bound to perfectly fit the space.

Our next step was to add curtains to give this small space some height. I love curtains because they are a great way to add color and pattern and can really make a room feel finished.  We worked to find the perfect fabric.  With a little research and time we managed to find her dream fabric discounted by $15 a yard, saving her around $100 in the end. Having a pair of side panels made is not terribly expensive but they make such a difference! We were careful to make her curtains in a size that would work in any space with 8' ceilings. When she moves onto her next home, she will have curtains that she can use again. I purchased the curtain hardware on clearance from one of my suppliers, saving about 50%.

With some time, effort, and a little bit of luck, the space came together to create a modern room for a young woman. The final result is a comfortable, custom-looking space that my daughter is proud to call her first home and we didn't bust the budget!

Decorating, like any other creative endeavor, goes through changes as styles and tastes change.  Today I wanted to write about trends that I am currently seeing in decorating.  Most of my clients want their homes to be current but not too trendy.  For big ticket items, I prefer classic and timeless choices.  I save the trends for smaller and easily updated items.  The trick is to know the difference between a trend that will soon fade and a new classic with longevity.  Here are my thoughts on some of the newest decorating styles.

1.  Ikats. You may not know what it is called but you have most likely seen this textile pattern in design magazines and at retailers. Ikat, pronounced e-cat, is an ancient pattern that has become very popular in today's interiors. The graphic nature of this pattern makes it work with many different styles and it is available in a wide range of color combinations. My recommendation is to use ikat patterns to update your decor but use them on items that are easily changed: throw pillows, small chairs, window treatments, etc. Although I expect ikats to be around for a few more years, I see them as a trend.

2.  Quartz Composite Counters. For years the go to material for countertops has been granite and other natural stones. Quartz composite is changing that. A man-made material, available in a wide range of colors and patterns, it is more durable than granite, doesn't require sealing and is relatively 'green'. I was quick to jump on the quartz bandwagon, first using it 10 years ago, and I still love it.  This is a trend with real staying power.

3.  Gold metals.  Silver has been the metal of choice for hardware, light fixtures and accent pieces for many years. But now I am seeing a shift from silver to gold. For those of you who are shuddering and having laquered brass flashbacks, don't worry. The new gold finish is much softer, often with a more satin or burnished finish than what we saw in the 90's. The good news for everyone is that it is perfectly acceptable to mix metal finishes so if everything in your house is silver, you don't need to start over to embrace this trend. You can introduce gold in a lamp, a vase or a picture frame.

4.  Gray. If you don't know already, gray is the new beige.  After twenty years of beige being the 'go-to' neutral, gray is coming on strong. Just like beige, gray comes in many shades and can work with a wide range of colors in a wide range of environments.  The only caveat I would offer is that it is hard to introduce gray into an all beige environment.  Gray will be here for a while so consider it as an alternative to beige or white.

5.  Outdoor Living.  Over the last few years, furnishings for outdoor spaces have become more and more like their indoor counterparts.  Outdoor fabrics are now almost indiscernible from indoor.  Fully upholstered outdoor pieces offer comfort and quick drying features.  Water and electricity usually don't mix but there are lamps designed for outdoor use.  Overall the line between indoor and outdoor spaces has blurred giving our homes more usable square footage.  I expect this trend to continue.

If you want to freshen up your home, try adopting one or more of these trends.  Just invest your money wisely and if you need help, you know who to call.

You've painted the walls, re-arranged the furniture, and moved all of your DVDs into your media console, but your room just doesn't feel done. Why? Normally when a client asks this question it's because their room still isn't done. What makes a room feel finished and purposeful in its design? I would say there are a couple of key items that push a room from "yawn" to "Wow!". Specifically, every room needs: window treatments, art and accessories.

Window Treatments:

Window treatments frequently come with your home in the form of blinds, shades, or something equally functional and utilitarian. These are fine in that they keep the sun out of your space and allow you some control of whether or not you're going to be sleeping in on Sunday. But a room doesn't really have that finished quality until the windows have been thoughtfully dressed. Be it a tiny valance in your bathroom, or formal drapes in your dining room, window treatments can be the difference between bland and beautiful.  Fabric treatments are a great opportunity to add color, pattern, and softness.  I love installing window treatments because of the reactions I get from my clients.  They are usually amazed by how much difference they make in a room and how it elevates the whole design of the space.

Art:

Sometimes I go into a client's house and find art or pictures on every single available wall space, but more often I go into a space and find that there is very little art. Art is one of the last things we place in a room, and it is oftentimes the most personal. Family portraits and your art choices give a sense of the people who live in a house. Choose your art carefully, art is one of those things where quality shows.  So buy the best art you can afford, buy something you love, and hang it up!

Accessories:

Like art, sometimes I come into a home and every available surface is used for display, often this gives the impression of clutter. More often, however, I go into a home and find that there are empty bookshelves, bare coffee tables, and empty cabinets. Just as the right earrings or a great pair of shoes can make an outfit, great accessories can take your room to the next level.

When working on your home remember not to stop at furniture, or paint, but to finish what you have started. A home is a place you spend time in, raise a family in, and live life in, it should be a place where you feel happy and complete.

In light of the upcoming holiday, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge fathers.  When it comes to home decor, men often take a backseat to the women in their lives.  When it comes to family, men have a very important and difficult role to fulfill.

I am fortunate to have many wonderful men in my life who have taken on the role of a father and done it well.  First and foremost is my own father.  I know from speaking to other women, and personal experience, how important being loved and accepted by the first man in your life is to your self-esteem.  I am blessed to have a father who makes me feel special, loved, and accepted everyday of my life.  My husband, the second important man to enter my life, has been a devoted father to our two (now adult) children.  From sporting events, camping trips and family vacations to everyday dinners at the kitchen table, he has made his children a priority in his life.

My husband brought two more wonderful men into my life, my father-in-law and my son.  I appreciate the love and support my father-in-law has always shown me.  He welcomed me into his family and into his heart and I will always be grateful.  It remains to be seen what kind of father my son will be.  I am confident that with the positive examples he has grown up with, he will continue his legacy of love and devotion.

So, thank you to my father, my husband and my father-in-law for enriching my life.  I know I am blessed to have you all.  Happy Father's Day to you and to good fathers every where!

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How to Use Mirrors In Your Home

Why do we keep the flat, sheet mirrors that our contractors install? And why do we buy the mirror that matches the dresser?  I find that clients imitate what they see in the furniture store, or do what the previous owners of their home did. But, why? There are so many creative and interesting options. Today's blog is about the many uses of mirrors in your home and how the mirror you choose can reflect you and your style.

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A small bathroom (1) can be a tough place to create a sense of space, but I've found that a couple of impact pieces can lighten these sometimes cramped areas considerably. A good place to throw in  a great accent piece is over the sink. Mirrors come in all shapes and sizes and finding the perfect one can be difficult, but when you do it can bring about a great result. For example, this powder room is near the entry in the more formal part of the house. It had to be sophisticated but also bright and welcoming. The use of a Venetian style mirror brings reflected light and glamour.

Traditionally people think of bathrooms as the place where we have mirrors, but a mirror in the bedroom is a useful and beautiful tool. This bedroom (2 - 3) had a cozy feel with the fireplace lit, and plenty of light with a wall full of windows, but

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with a fireplace as a centerpiece and an equally strong focus placed on the bed with a patterned comforter, the mantel was a place to introduce calm. The mirror reflects the focus of the room, the bed, and is simple enough not to detract from the fireplace, but to enhance it. With a gilt frame, this mirror complements the elegance of the room without overwhelming the homier touches.

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It's true that bathrooms are the traditional location for a mirror, but often people overlook the different styles of mirror that they can place in a bathroom. The simplicity of an oval shaped mirror can make a bathroom stand apart. This one is off of a cozy family room. We combined classic fixtures in an updated brushed nickel finish with a quartz countertop and added a gorgeous antique wooden mirror. Because of its simplicity, a piece like this can be used all over your home, and can be moved about for a quick change to your décor. The wood finish allows it to fit in informal spaces like a bedroom, while the brass inlay gives it enough style to work in more sophisticated areas like a formal living room.

Oftentimes when buying a mirror, clients go for the trendy, or "in" piece, a practice I don't disagree with; however, there is a way to be trendy while still buying a piece that will work, even when the trend has passed. To work with the popular sunburst mirror trend, I chose a mirror that may still technically be "sunburst" but is a little more unusual. This gives the trendy vibe we wanted for this family area without the downside of having a statement piece that will be out of style in a year or two.

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The almost brutalist style of the mirror brings texture and sparkle to the chocolate brown wall.  Using a mirror over the sofa allowed light into an otherwise dark area.

When working with mirrors remember, you don't have to go with what is "expected"or part of a set, but you can instead pick what you feel works best in your space as well as what makes you feel like this house is your home.