How To Avoid A Frumpy Dated Home

Recently I had a reader reach out to me because she has recently moved, and she is trying to incorporate her beloved pieces from her travels into her new home.

Several questions came up but one thing she really wanted was to NOT look old fashioned, frumpy, or dated.

This is a touchy subject because sometimes there are pieces that are OLD that we absolutely love.

When I was consulting that is one of the first questions I would ask my client......

"What pieces do you want to eliminate and what pieces are a must keep!"

Who am I to discard Grandma's rocking chair where she rocked all her Grand babies.

I might not put it in a main room or make it a focal point but I will find a spot for it if the client truly loves it and can not bear to not see it in her home. As a decorator or designer sometimes it comes down to what is the least of two evils for some clients.

Kind of like Tim Gunn, " Make it Work!"

So what do you do, where do you start when trying to refresh a room, or maybe you just moved into a new home?

Here are a few pointers that I have found that have worked for me and others.

1.  When starting out, onnly put your main pieces in the room first and get a cohesive furniture arrangement. 

Once you do that, add the larger pieces next, lamps, plants etc. It is like layering, next the smalls, or accessories. I will often wait until the end to add the artwork once everything is in place because it becomes part of a vignette in certain settings.Notice how the picture is part of the entire vignette in picture below.....

2. If you find one piece is making you rearrange the entire room to try and make it work, chances are that piece just is not what the room needs. Eliminate it!

3. Vary your textures, shiny, rough, matte. A room without varying textures looks a bit off. It might look good, but it can't look great without varying the textures.

4. Add some life with green plants or real flowers. I find it helpful to have at least one or two areas where a vase can be set so you can always have a fresh bouquet.

Did you notice I said REAL flowers!? There is nothing that can age a room more quickly than faux flowers. I know they USE To Be all the rage, but the operative phrase is USE TO BE. Let's face it, that was an 80's epidemic.

5. Remember my mantra, "Less Is More, Big Is Better!"

Too many little things sitting around will age your room as well.

If there are too many things to look at you see none of them, it just creates chaos on the eye.

6. If you choose to have a vignette on a table, use three items, varying textures and heights. If the table is large like a coffee table use the same rule but us more items in an odd amount.

By Studio McGee

7. Remember not every area on your tables or walls need to have something on them.

By Katie Marker

Interesting wainscoting and wallpaper instead of things hanging on the wall can be enough.

8. If you want someone to stop and look place something there, if you just want them to pass by, leave it empty. This really applies to wall areas.

Michele from Hello Lovely blog hallway draws your eye towards the one single lovely piece of artwork that she painted.

I see so many people put things on every little slice of wall and it just looks cluttered and meaningless.

9. The eyes need a place to rest, a void before seeing  more color, pattern and pieces.

Hello Lovely Studio blog

Do you ever go into a home and feel a bit nervous and quite can't figure out why? It might just be the amount of clutter in the space.

Then there are other places that you go into and you immediately feel a sense of calm and peace. That probably has to do with the use of serene colors and the environment is not cluttered and beautifully appointed.

Architectural Digest

10. A good rule of thumb is, "If you have had it for more than 10 years, and it is not an antique, classic piece, or an heirloom, you need to get rid of it!"

I know we can't all afford to replace everything, nor am I suggesting that, but if you have pieces that you are questioning, think of when you purchased them and maybe, just maybe it is time to think about getting something new.

Colors and styles change and it is impossible to stay on trend, but you CAN and you SHOULD try to freshen up your homes decor.

There is nothing better than mixing an antique with a more contemporary piece when done well. It is not an easy combination to get right so be very careful.

 An eclectic room can be beautiful and interesting, but when not done well can look like a hot mess. Read this blog post which explains further. HERE

If you are having a difficult time deciding on making some changes, updates and getting rid of things......

.....Think of it like your own personal style. You probably don't wear the same clothing that you had 10 years ago except for the classic basic pieces. I bet your hair has changed and your makeup as well.

Our homes need to be 

refreshed as well. 

Now go into your room with new eyes and be honest about what truly looks dated to you, or is just clutter and what is dragging your room back a decade or two or three!

Always, always......

 

 

My Summer Decorating Continues With Some Sparkle!

My summer decorating has continued and I am pretty happy with it all so far. 

There is one exception though and that is my dining room, but to be honest what I have done will do until we can DO what I really would like to do in there. More on that on another day!

Today let's talk about what I have done. Last report to you all was all about my pillows, which I am in love with.....

I couldn't be happier with the cool, crisp look of our room for the hot days of summer.

There is an area below our TV where I have a  3ft. long nickel plate tray sitting and it has 3 clear glass bubble balls sitting on it. I got this years ago at Restoration Hardware, so I am not sure they still carry it.

I decided that this tray needed some more glass balls/fish floats.

Luckily a nice reader told me that Pottery Barn had just what I was looking for so that very same day I ordered 2 sets of 3 balls. I think I might need one more set though.

They actually came with two blue and one clear.

The table is 5 ft. long and the tray is 39 in. long just to give you a frame of reference. You know one of my decorating mantras is BIG is better and this tray definitely falls into that category!

 I think a few more balls might be in my future. I just sit and stare at these sparkly spheres. I love them especially when the afternoon sun comes in the windows.

I am really happy with the outcome!!

Every room needs a touch of sparkle! 

Remember vary your textures to keep the room interesting.

Next I am looking for a stack of baskets for a bit more texture in my room. I will place them next to the black and white spool chair.

A decorators work is never done, and this one is still going to continue to.....

 

 

How To Know When It's Just TOO MUCH In A Room!!

   

First I have to say this, "Design Is And Will Always BE SUBJECTIVE!" What is just right for one is not enough, or maybe too much for another. 

Throughout this post you will see images that are pleasing to me that represent my design aesthetic. These are images I have on my pinterest boards and some are years old.

To be honest there is a lot of trial and error involved until you come up with the perfect formula and outcome for your own personality.

I have always been a less is more girl and big is better in my book of tricks, but that look is not for everyone and I realize that.

It is important to know just how far you can push the envelope. Since I was a consultant for many years and tend to be very analytical I am very in tune with what works for me, and also spent a great deal of time with my clients to get a true feel of what they truly loved and needed. I would always try to stay true to who they were. After all it was their home, not mine.

There is one little test that I call, "The Morning Test," that has proven to work for most people. This is how it works.

When you are rearranging, or maybe you just purchased a new piece that you are trying to incorporate in your room, place the new piece where you think it works.

Sleep on it and when you wake up, first thing the next morning how does it feel to you? If it feels perfect then you will be able to live with it for years to come, but if you have to analyze it, talk yourself into it, DON'T do it. It will just become a costly mistake in the long run.

I find it is so much easier to see things clearly first thing in the morning when you are fresh and your mind is not cluttered with the details of the day. 

As the day wears on we will tend to over think and analyze situations and that does not always make for the best outcome.

Something else I always recommend when adding or changing accessories in a room is to take everything out of the room except for the main pieces and start by layering in the biggest pieces  first and then layer in  the smaller pieces last.

If you find that you have to change everything that you already love to make one piece work, chances are, that ONE PIECE is your problem child and it needs to be eliminated.

I hope some of these little tips might help you out when you decide you want to add or rearrange things in your home. They sure have helped me and my clients over the years.

Happy Decorating! And Remember......