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Monday, January 30, 2012

Where To Add Color In Your Rooms











This year there seems to be a lot of color being used in  interiors, and in  clothing. It is always fun to add a pop of color to our homes. 




However sometimes we are stopped from doing any changes because it feels as if it will take a whole transformation to add even a pop of color.

I would like to show you that with just the right color in the right place you can add a whole new look or feel to your room.

With the gray skies, and cold weather of winter we like to cozy into our homes. A few days of this coziness is fine, but after weeks on end we need something to remind of us the promise of Spring. 

This is when I think it is a wonderful idea to infuse a bit of happy color into our homes.


The images I am about to show you will prove it does not have to be a major change. By adding one, or two pops of color in the right area of your room, it will give a whole new feeling to the space.




You can see by adding the pop of yellow in this bedside tray the neutral gray room comes alive. I think a colorful tray in any room would do the same.  Think about what color could you use in your own home.



So many people are painting their furniture pieces all white. Why not pull out your favorite color, paint   the inlay, and make the piece come to life. In this image you will also notice that a simple bouquet of flowers also adds a pop of color.

If you have bookcases in your home think of what color you could paint on the back of the bookcase to give it a whole new look without much effort or money…..







I wanted to show you the above image because it is already bright, and cheerful in it’s own right. Blue and white always give a crisp, and airy feel. Look at the beautiful flowers in a raspberry, if those were all white the room would not have quite the same cheerful feeling that it does now.



A touch of yellow in the pillow,  the spine of the coffee table book, and you have added a cheerful felling to an all white room. Look at the colors of your books, or magazines, and add a color spot on a table in your room.



Simple green water bottles, one flower, and you can’t help but smile.

This next setting is very traditional in feel, but by adding a pop of color in the chair the whole vignette comes to life.



Colorful cobalt spheres really add some character to this vignette.



This bookcase is styled beautifully. Notice how they use book spines for pops of color. We can all do this in our homes. If you are not a collector of books go to your local thrift stores and pick up a few.



 (Notice how the color of the painting is pulled down to the table with the coffee table book!)

There are so many ways to add pops of color in our homes. Sometimes I think we get so stuck with what we don’t have that we don’t see what we do have in order to think outside the box.



When I use to consult with clients one of the finishing touches we would do in a room would be what I referred to as color spots. 

I would explain that we would need to place a color spot in the room in three places to draw the eye around the room. 

Here is a list of elements that we all have in homes or would be easily purchased………..

  • Coffee table books
  • Magazines ( I actually save magazines that have the colors I like for my rooms.)
  •  
  • Colorful vases or glassware
  •  
  • Basket with colorful balls of yarn
  •  
  • Pillows
  •  
  • Lampshades
  •  
  • Area rugs
  •  
  • Fruit in pretty bowls or dishes
  •  
  • Flowers (even one bud in a bud vase can create a colorful color spot.)
  •  
  • Candles
  •  
  • Throws
  •  
  • Trim on curtains or lampshades.
  •  
  • Trays

With any of the above items I have mentioned you can create some color spots in your rooms. 

Now, go into a room, look around. Think of the above list, and add some color to your life!!!!  

I am going to work on adding some Kelly green in one of my rooms! 

What color will you be choosing??


“Enjoy the Process!” Of:

Adding a little color to your life!!

Kathysue
Posted by Kathysue at 8:24:00 AM 23 comments

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Random Ideas To Try On A Saturday!

I often see ideas where people have made their own concoctions for cleaning supplies, liquid hand soaps etc. and I just pass by and usually mumble, “I doubt if that will really work.”

I have succumbed to trying one idea that actually made sense to me. I made my own fabric deodorizer, aka Febreze…….




You take your favorite fabric softener (mine is Snuggles blue sparkle), add  two tablespoons to the bottle and two tablespoons of baking soda (a natural neutralizer.) Fill the bottle with hot water, shake and Voila!!! I made some and sprayed my sheets, and furniture now my house smells like clean laundry. Upside is it is only about $.15 to make instead of almost $6.00 a bottle of Febreze.

Who knows what concoction I will try next? I have my eye on the carpet cleaning solution!

This next idea is so easy and practical. When I saw it I actually thought, “ I wish the wrapping paper manufactures would do this so we would not lose the first roll on the paper roll due to the tape peeling off the paper.



Another use for a toilet paper roll!



For those of you who have children I thought this was a great idea. Fold and place t-shirts vertically so you can see each shirt without having to remove a stack.


This next idea is one of those ideas that I have my doubts that it might work, but I have to try it, just because I am curious…….




This is an outdoor light fixture hanging underneath an outdoor umbrella. It is made out of a hula-hoop and two strands of icicile lights. 

The hula-hoop is painted and the lights could be wired on or they suggested duct tape. I think that might show and look a bit tacky. I wouldn’t have this up all the time but if I were having a party I think this would be so pretty at night.




This is a handy chart to have. it would help when it came time to figuring out how far apart the shelves in your pantry needed to be placed.



I love this idea and I think I need to have my hubby make one of these.




For all of you DIYer’s I think this would be so fun to do. This could really make a plain lampshade more special. it would look great in a child's room.







We all have had left over pieces of wrapping paper. I always feel guilty when I discard a piece that is too small for a gift. This would be a way of utilizing those left over pieces……..







This last idea is something I ordered and actually have used and love it.......





Spice jar clips ordered from amazon, just click on the link under the picture and you can go to amazon if  you would like to order them too. I highly recommend these!



Just another random post for a Saturday. I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. Now don’t forget to try the homemade Febreze, it really works!



“Enjoy the Process!” Of :

Trying some clever new ideas!

Kathysue
Posted by Kathysue at 1:00:00 AM 21 comments

Thursday, January 26, 2012

What Do You Unknowingly Collect?



While blog hopping yesterday I took a look  at some of the blogs that I follow. One of my daily reads is,  “The Zush,” written by the talented, and beautiful Sue!!

If you are not familiar with her blog, be sure and visit! She also has an on-line shop that has some amazing pieces for purchase.

She showed several star themed elements in her home, and noted that the theme just sort of evolved over time.  She posed a question to her readers…….

Picture 368

…..My house is star studded (as captured recently with instagram).  It's not like we intentionally set out to have stars in all shapes, forms and sizes in our home, these were just accumulated over time.  It seems like a lot when grouped together here, but in real life it's really quite subtle.  My love for this shape even extends right into jewelry and clothing as well! Do you have any running themes or motifs in your home or wardrobe?  If so, please share!
  
There are several things I love about her  post:

The collection of stars evolved over time.  

The star elements were not placed in one vignette, but  scattered throughout her home in a subtle manner.   

The collection started subconsciously, beginning with a love for the shape of a star.


All of the above reasons will produce a home that is interesting and it will truly reflect the homeowners personality.

I think often times when we try too hard and get too thematic in our design process we create a very contrived, and uninteresting look or feel.

I left a comment on Sue’s post where I stated that I have a love for stripes not only in my home but in my wardrobe. You can see by the images below of my home where I have my stripes.


Family room summer look May 2011 023 (800x600)_thumb[3]

I have always had an affinity for stripes. I have written a few post on my love for stripes. You can go Here to read one of my post on stripes. My Pinterest boards will show how much I love stripes for my wardrobe, you can go Here to see them.


finished porch 018 (800x719)_thumb[4]

Because I tend to always analyze the why and the wherefore, I realized it was my need for order that drew me to stripes.


fINISHED PLAYROOM Guest room 008 (800x600) (800x600)_thumb[2]

They are all lined up like neat little soldiers, and that feels so comfortable to me. I love when they are paired with white. The crisp contrast fulfills my need for a fresh,and airy look in my home.


fall dining 2_thumb[3]

I have another element that has evolved over time in my home. Come back for my next post to see what that is!

So dear readers as Sue posed a question to her readers I will do the same to YOU…..

Do you have a collection of shapes or elements in your home that evolved into a collection before you even realized you were collecting them?

Are you more deliberate in your collections and you purposely started a collection merely because you just love the element or shapes?
 
Please share and leave a comment so we can all read what you have to say!

 "Enjoy the Process!” Of:

Discovering a collection in your very own home!

Kathysue
Posted by Kathysue at 1:00:00 AM 18 comments

Monday, January 23, 2012

I Need Mine To Be Pretty!!


Do you ever find yourself wanting to do something, or at least kind of wanting to do something, and you can talk yourself out of doing it because of all the made up reasons that will give you an excuse to not do what really needs to be done?



(Oh My! In my dreams!)

For instance, like organizing your closet, but you convince yourself what is the point because your closet is too small, you don’t have matching hangers, pretty shoes boxes, or other containers to make it look like the image you have in your head.

Before you know it you have totally talked yourself out of doing anything productive, and feel like the loser of the day!!!



Now how would I even be able to relate to such a thought process?? Have you heard of the saying, “Been there done that!?”  Yes, indeed, I too have had these thought processes more than once, or twice in my life. In fact I would venture to say I am a master at this type of thinking from time to time.

I am a perfectionist at heart, and I once read that we perfectionist are the worst procrastinators. We feel if we don’t have everything we need to do the job perfectly we can not do it.





My one saving grace is I am  a relatively positive person so I will allow myself  a few days of this type of thinking and then I say, “Enough of this, now get in there and get something accomplished!” I then start to work with what I do have, I start being thankful I even have a closet, and clothing to put in it !! I start looking at this task  as another way of being a creative,  designing woman!

Sometimes it is hard to admit the ugly truth, but I want to share this with you all because I can’t imagine that I am  the only one who does this, or at least I hope I am not alone in this process!

Whew!! I am glad I got that out of the way! Now let’s get on with the reason for writing this post………

I had a little set back in the process of cleaning, and purging my closet due to a knee injury, but I am almost all better, and ready to get back to my closet.

While not being able to actively work on my closet I did a little more analyzing of myself (I know this surprises you all, that I was analyzing myself.) 

The one question that always crops up is, “why doesn’t my closet STAY this organized once I get it done?”

There are some obvious answers like:

  • I am being lazy, and undisciplined.
  • I have too much stuff.
  • I don’t have a place for everything.
  • I don’t have the proper types of storage for items.

While thinking about this in depth I discovered one more reason that might contribute to my closet not staying organized.........

I have to have visually pleasing elements around me. Even in my closet it needs to look PRETTY to me.

Last year I took the first step of making it pretty by having hubby paint it a  color of blue that I love to look at. I purchased some pretty boxes to store things in along with some garment bags to hold special occasion clothing, and sweaters. The problem is  I also have some not so pretty elements in my closet.

 I have some large plastic storage bins to hold out of season clothing, and some plastic shoe boxes. I know that sometimes it has to be practical, but I started to think of ways that I could make things look a little more pretty, or pleasing to my eye.

Before we start looking at some of attractive/pretty ways of storing items in our closets we all need to come to terms with what is our, organizational style type? I made these  types up, so there is no scientific data to confirm what I have claimed here just merely my own observations in my life.




The Stacker: One who likes things out in the open in stacks so they can find them, or not forget about them. They tend to add to their stacks happily until the stack falls over, and then their stacks becomes a mess!( You know who you are!)










The Thrower: This person will throw things in an open container more readily than they would if they had to open a box, and place an item inside the container. 
This is not a bad thing as long as the item actually belongs in the container. Where the problem can occur is when they just throw anything, and everything into any container just to get it out of sight.(Sound familiar?)









The Do it later: This person is a combination of a thrower, and a stacker, the problem with this person is they will store different categories of items in their stacks, or container.  They swoosh up messes, and just stash them. Out of sight out of mind is their motto.









Everything in its place person: This is the person that we all wish we were like. They will have the proper place, space, and container for everything in their life. ( I could almost hate them if I did not admire them so much!)



The reason it is important for us to understand our organizing style is that when we go to purchase a container, or organizing tool we  know  we will truly use it. Otherwise it will  be the pretty covered basket that is hidden underneath the stack, or jumbled mess of clothing, or shoes. We had good intentions when we bought it, but we are bound to fail because it did not fit our organizing style.

It would be pointless to buy a closed container for a stacker, or a thrower. They would just wind up stacking, or throwing things on top of the container. An everything in its place person will thrive using a closed container. They will take the time to open the container, and place items neatly inside,closing the lid behind them.

We can have different styles of organizing for different items, for instance you could love your sweaters neatly stacked, but you like your shoes in containers, yet your scarves will be thrown in an open container, but you know this about yourself so you will purchase the right container for the different articles in your closet.  If we do this I think it will be much easier for us to keep our closets orderly.

Now that we have an idea or our organizing styles lets look at some pretty/attractive ways to organize our closets…….



I wanted to show you this closet first because it is done on a budget, and in a small area. Yet it is still attractive, and functional at the same time. There are so many ideas that anyone with any size of closet could use.





By taking an old picture frame and painting it a pretty color it becomes a wonderful framework to hang jewelry. If you are going to hang your jewelry on a wall, why not frame it like artwork?!














































Did you figure out what organizing style you prefer for the different items in your closet? I know I have figured myself out pretty well.


Since the purging process is all done, and everything is back inside of my closet, I now need to figure out which containers I want to get to make it look just  a little more pleasing to my eye. 

Hopefully this will help me keep it in order for the next year.  To be continued………



“Enjoy the Process!” Of:

Cleaning and Decorating your closets!

Kathysue

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Posted by Kathysue at 3:30:00 PM 25 comments
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