Do YOU Wish You Could Start Decorating All Over!

 

When it comes to your home's rooms, have you ever said,

" I wish I could start all over!"? 

If we are being honest we probably have all said that at some point, but the reality of the matter is most of us do not have the budget to do that.

So what CAN we do?

Actually there are a lot of things we can do, but first we need to have a plan so we spend our time, energy and money wisely.

I am talking about a plan that will help you  work with what you already have with a few new additions.

STEP ONE

Remove all elements except your main furniture pieces from the room.

Now step back and ask yourself a few questions:

1. Is there a good flow in my room?

2. Do I need all the pieces in the room? If the answer is no, remove the unnecessary piece right now.

3. Arrange furniture pieces for the best flow, and use in the room. Don't be afraid to take pieces from other parts of your home. Shop what you already own.

4. Be creative, think outside the box. 
 

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STEP TWO

Look around to see if you have enough lighting in the room. Here is a formula for you to figure out just how much you need...

1. Now that you know how much lighting you need place necessary lighting around the room. Keeping in mind to use floor lamps, table lamps, sconces and over head lighting.

2. This is a good time to make a new purchase if you need to brighten up your space, and update the style. Try getting something that is a bit more modern in shape and a lighter color or a reflective metal.

 

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ALL UNDER $300

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ALL UNDER $100

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STEP THREE

Look at your walls do you need a fresh coat of paint? Where do you need to add mirrors or paintings?

1. Mirrors are wonderful to reflect more light in a room and they can also enlarge a space.

2. Keep in mind the shape, color, style and size of the mirror you are using. Your mirror can introduce style, texture and color if chosen carefully. Don't be afraid to add a floor mirror, it is like adding an extra window.

3. It is very important to remember that not every wall needs something on it. If you want someone to stop and look at the wall then put something on it, otherwise leave it empty. 

Many homeowners make the mistake of adding something to every little sliver of wall that they have. It is not necessary!

4. All rooms need a place for the eye to rest so having an area without something placed there is a good idea to keep the eye flowing around the room.

5. When selecting a color for your walls, be sure to bring home the color chips and then decide on which three you want to get a sample pint. Get some poster board and paint a large sampling on the poster board using at least 2 coats so you get the full pigmentation of the color.

6. Place your sample board in the lightest area and the darkest corner to see how it looks before making a decision. 

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STEP FOUR

Every room needs something that is alive, plants or flowers will fall into this category.

1. Choose 2-3 areas where you might add a plant or a floral arrangement. Use real whenever possible. Nothing can look as tired as a dusty artificial arrangement of unrealistic flowers or plants. I like to add a live plant in corners to bring life to an otherwise dead spot in the room.

2. It is nice to have a certain area that you always have fresh flowers. Remember you can add greenery to a vase from you yard and it can look beautiful. Fresh flowers are so inexpensive at your grocery store just about anyone can have them in their homes.

 

STEP FIVE

Time for accessorizing. Decide if you are a less is more person or a more is more person. Look around to see where you need color or texture.

1. Only bring back the elements that you absolutely love. Sometimes it is time to retire certain elements in our home. Remember you can always rotate them in and out of your room.

2. Vary the textures in your accessories, mix up rough, shiny, dull and smooth textures. By varying textures you will have an interesting room.

3. Freshen up the fabrics on your pillows this can be done seasonally as well. It is fun to bring in new pillows to change out a rooms look.

 SPRING

WINTER

 

 CHRISTMAS

 SUMMER

If new purchases need to be made I always like to choose the least available pieces first. This would be area rugs and main furniture pieces.  Once you have those pieces then you are ready to choose the others.

Sometimes all we need to do is make a few purchases to freshen things up. 

One mistake some homeowners make is they just keep adding the new with the old  without editing the room first. That can be a big mistake and you just might end up with a hot mess of a room if you do that.

Before making a purchase first you have to be attracted to it, and then ask yourself where you will use it. Place it there in your minds eye. If you think it will work go for it!

Instead of thinking about what you can't do now, think about what you CAN DO!!

Enjoy The Process of:

Making your room look like a new room!!

 

 

Time To Add A Touch Of Spring To Our Homes!

 

Spring has definitely arrived in California. 

We have had some glorious Spring weather this week!  

So what does that mean?

Time to bring out some touches of Spring in the house. I am still waiting on some pillows to finish up the room, however I just could not wait to add some yellow to the room.

Here is my vision for our room.....

This is what it looks like so far....

Notice I got my touch of  pink in the room without having to use pink pillows.

LESSON TO BE LEARNED:

If you love a color think about using it in small increments in the room in 2-3 areas.

If I were to have used a blue and yellow book the composition would have looked contrived, by adding a different accent color such as the pink it gives a better visual flow and keeps the eye moving around the room effortlessly.

I still have to find my piece of interest for the top of the book. I have a few things in mind.

If you noticed there is not one matching pillow in this whole room, yet it works. If you keep in mind the scale, colors and patterns being used in the room you can make it go together without actually matching.

Being somewhat of a traditionalist myself, and loving symmetry I find it hard to not do matching bookend pillows, yet over the years I have learned when to match, and when to vary my patterns. I think not matching, but coordinating makes for a more interesting room.

 So when you decide to change up your pillows, keep in mind the placement of each pillow and where you need to add certain colors in order to not make the room looked too contrived.

KEEP IN MIND!:

1. Use varying patterns and scale in the fabrics.

2. Coordinate fabrics,you don't necessarily have to match them.

3. Use a different color accent in 2-3 places in the room in order to not make the room look too contrived.

Now go and....

"Enjoy The Process Of:

Making your own room look like SPRING 

 

 

What Should You Put On Your Coffee Table?

 

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When it comes to styling a coffee table there are lots of different methods. Some like a more is more look and others, like myself like a less is more look.

 

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No matter which look you prefer there are some guidelines that will help you to decide what to use on your table.

 

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I think Phoebe Howard dissected a table vignette in a very easy applicable manner for most home decorators....

   

I have read many different formulas and I found hers to be the easiest to follow and to duplicate. Plus, I love her design aesthetics.

 

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In her formula she is telling you what type of objects make a good composition on a table.

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I agree with each element she says to use for a nice display on the coffee table. Let's look at each individual suggestion.....

1. Something tall, or varied Heights: Keep in mind the heights of each element. You should have varied heights making an up and down wave. Tall, low, tall, or low, tall, low. 

 You can also go from high to low, the point is to vary your heights to keep the eye moving in order to see the elements as one composition. Never jolting to the eye but a nice  visual flow.

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Also keep in mind the textures that you add to your composition. Try to vary them with shiny, smooth, dull, or rough textures. This will make for a warm and interesting display.

2. One oddball object: Something of interest, sculptural or organic. In Phoebe's compostion she literally did use a ball/orb as her oddball item. As she states this is a good place to show your personality. Use something that you love to look at, that speaks to you personally.

3. Something Fresh: This will give your room life, it can be simple fresh flowers in a vase or a plant. Anything that is green and alive.

4. A stack of books: Books can promote conversation, or give your guest something to look at. She is actually using hers as a lift for the glass obelisk. This is also a place you could add your personality piece, or odd ball as she calls it. 

 

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 In addition to this simple formula there are a few other elements that can be useful in making an interesting display on your coffee table.....

covered boxes

candles

trays to corral objects

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Decide how many objects you can handle on your table and the approximate sizes you will need and have fun treasure hunting. 

 

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Whatever your style of home, furniture of coffee table there are so many resources for each individual element listed I don't think you will have any trouble finding what you like, and in the end you will have a beautifully styled coffee table!! 

 

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Remember all of the above information is just a guideline, never let a formula stifle your own creativity. The whole object is to have fun and enjoy your home!!

 

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Homework assignment: Now that you have read this entire post, go back and look at each coffee table I showed you, and see if it has all or some of the elements mentioned above. Notice what they are, where they are placed, and how they are connected to the other elements in the composition.

Enjoy The Process Of:

Creating your very own masterpiece!!