02.23.09
Posted in Livingroom at 7:38 am by HomeDecor
People use slipcovers for a worn piece of furniture. Sometimes they “inherit” furniture that is in good condition but doesn’t go with the decor. Occasionally it’s nice to just change your look. Slip covers used to be ugly and obvious. Boy, have things changed!
Today’s slipcovers are available in tons of styles and colors and are much better made than they used to be. The photo above is from Pottery Barn and shows the beauty and versatility of slipcovers. These twill slipcovers are washable and don’t wrinkle. I’m thinking we will try slipcovers and let you know the outcome. My search for the perfect slipcover begins!
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02.15.09
Posted in Livingroom at 9:08 am by HomeDecor
Created by Albert Capello
I have always been in crazy love with folk art as home decor. Decorating with folk art is a joy for me because every time I happen to rest my eyes on one of the folk art pieces I have collected, I have to smile.
Folk art is characterized by the uniqueness of each piece which is the expression of the individual who used found objects to create beauty. Folk artists have helped the environment before being green was cool. Often folk artists (even those whose work is very expensive) use items that they find in the trash to make their art. The chair shown here is a perfect example of folk art. Notice that the little birds are surrounded by beads and buttons. I love this folk art chair by Albert Capello. Unfortunately it is slightly out of my price range selling for $3,985.00.
Folk art can be made from wood, metal, fabric, paper and found objects. Albert Finster, a famous folk artist, painted an old television screen and it sold for $30,000. The beauty of collecting folk art and using it to decorate your home is that you can search for a piece you like, get it at a low price and someday it may be worth enough to buy your dream home! Then you will have lots of room to display your collection of folk art!
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01.27.09
Posted in Livingroom at 5:38 am by HomeDecor
A decorating organizer is important when planning a big decorating project which requires you to be organized, make a plan, keep lists of things to do, when to do them, names and addresses of subcontractors, etc. But what about decorating in general? I keep what I call my “everyday decorating organizer”. My decorating organizer is nothing more than an accordion file which is used to file and store documents.
When I get a decorating magazine or catalog and spy something I want to buy (but sadly can’t afford at the time) or something I want to do to my home, I file it in my decorating organizer. When I am shopping and find a swatch of fabric I might want to use for drapes, pillows or to upholster something, I staple a note to it with information about when and where I saw it. This prevents me from either finding it 6 months later and not remembering where I found it or how much it sold for. I use my decorating organizer so much that I now have a decorating organizer dedicated just to fabric, one dedicated to furniture and one dedicated to gardening and plants.
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01.23.09
Posted in Kitchen at 6:56 pm by HomeDecor
Try some of these tips for a quick kitchen “facelift”!
*Make room for freestanding furniture: Repaint an old armoire or dresser and tuck it into the corner of the kitchen. It’s an ideal place to keep linens and cookbooks.
*Add artwork: Your favorite things, a colorful child’s drawing, a memento, a pretty doily…these things and more can be framed and added to the walls to tell a personal story.
*Add or remove drapes: Inexpensive but beautiful drapes can be purchased on-line or at your favorite discount store to add an instant change to the kitchen.
*Rebuild furniture: Rather than buying an expensive island for the center of the kitchen, buy an antique table and add a shelf underneath.
*Look outside: Remove the top panel from your kitchen door and add glass. You will be adding light and if you have a pretty garden, you will be bringing the outside in.
Just look around and you are sure to think of tons of ideas which will cost little money but add a lot of panache to your kitchen!
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01.18.09
Posted in Bathroom, Bedroom, Dinning Room, Entryway, Hallway, Home Office, Kitchen, Livingroom at 2:23 pm by HomeDecor
Painting is the fastest, easiest way to make a huge change in your home interior. It is so easy today to find the right colors BEFORE you actually spend any money on paint. Several of the large paint manufacturers have on-line tools to help you choose your color palette. My favorite is at www.sherwin-williams.com. You can create virtual rooms and paint them.
One of the most important things to remember when you paint a room is how the color will look when you stand in the room and look at other rooms adjoining it. I also have to say, although I register to win it every day and would take it if they gave it to me, the HGTV Dream Home decorators could have used the Sherwin Williams’ tools. Every room is painted a different color. Take the virtual tour and you will see what I mean!
Another tip for finding a color you can live with is to paint several large pieces of cardboard and place around the room. Live with the color for several days and see how the color looks in the morning sun and at night in artificial lighting.
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01.17.09
Posted in Livingroom at 6:38 pm by HomeDecor
Want to change the look of a room with just a little money? Here’s a great idea…throw a THROW PILLOW PARTY!! Get together with friends who also want to brighten up their decor and swap throw pillows! Yes, it’s true! You might not like what you get! You may not get the color you want…or the style you want…or the designer you want…but what you will get is an innovative way to stretch your imagination and decorating style. Throw pillows aren’t like painting…they aren’t messy, you can stuff them in a closet if they really creep you out and they aren’t expensive. Bend a little and try it. You will be surprised what a different perspective you will get when you look at your room with a new punch of color. You need at least 5 friends for this project and each should bring at least 3 coordinating pillows. Then just draw numbers from a hat. No..you can’t keep your own..you have to use someone else’s pillows. Try it! It just may inspire you to re-do your entire look.
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01.13.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:00 am by HomeDecor
Office Art
Glisson Boughton study
Those who work at home usually have created an office space from which to work. What is necessary for a home office space to be functional? Assuming that your home office contains a computer (and let’s face it, even if you knit sweaters as your home business, you have to sell them somewhere), comfortable office furniture is a must, everyone would agree. Also it’s important to have the best quality office equipment one can afford. But what about the rest? What additional things are important for a home office?
It’s my opinion that art work is an important component of the home office. Often, the right artwork will inspire us and remind us of our purpose for sitting in that home office for 8 hours a day. In addition to the right artwork, I have found that a treat jar (important for the happiness of my assistants, be they canine, feline or human), a television with cable (to keep abreast of current events which may affect my business–not for watching cheesy movies, honest), and a bulletin board with my latest bank statement prominently affixed (to remind me of why I am sitting at my computer for 8 hours a day) are also important features of the successful home office.
As you can see from the photo of my home office above…nah…just kidding! The photo of the home office above was taken from the HGTV website (www.hgtv.com) and was designed by Jackie Glisson, an interior designer whose company is “Just a Decorator”. The website for Jackie is: www.justadecorator.com. You can see that art plays an important part in the decor Jackie has created for a home office. Jackie’s home office design is a little more upscale than my home office but the principles are the same. Surround yourself with items which inspire and give you enjoyment, and you will be happier and more productive.
The “Blogging” poster (my personal fav), is from Despair, Inc. Thanks to them for their continued inspiration. Oh, and you’re welcome to visit my home office any time–I have a treat jar!
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12.16.08
Posted in Bedroom, Home Office, Livingroom at 7:56 am by HomeDecor
Antique Tulips & Swags
Red and Green Rose
Whig Rose
Decorating your home or office with antique quilts is a hot new trend favored by upscale designers. Beautiful antique quilts are not only wonderful for decorating, they are an investment in handmade folk art that will appreciate with age and proper care.
Antique quilts can be hung on a wall for color and visual impact or thrown on the back of a sofa or chair. A collection of antique quilts can be folded and placed in a hutch or on a shelf and will add warmth and ambiance to your decor. Many designers choose to use antique quilts as table staging placing a sheet of custom cut glass over the quilt to protect it.
You can still find gorgeous antique quilts at a reasonable price at estate auctions, flea markets, antique stores, at online auctions like eBay or perhaps you are lucky enough to have inherited a wonderful quilt made by someone in your family. The antique quilts shown here are beautiful examples of applique quilts which are among the most valuable type of quilt. Quilts are often purchased for their colors or for their geometric designs. Be sure to do some research if you are buying for investment purposes and have your antique quilt appraised.
Take a look at the amazing variety of quilts available on the market today and start your collection. Discover for yourself what is creating the buzz with top experts in the field of home decorating and enjoy the versatility of your work of handmade art.
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12.11.08
Posted in Bedroom, Dinning Room, Livingroom at 1:44 pm by HomeDecor
Gorgeous
Great home decorating starts with the things we love. I keep a notebook which I fill with pages torn from my favorite home dec magazines which includes only things that I would buy if I had the money and/or space to put them. I’ve taken to saving photos from shopping sites of things I love also. It’s my “virtual” home dec scrapbook. So bear with me for a few posts and I’ll show you the things I like and then show you how to tie them together to decorate a room - even though they may not seem to go together. And yes, I will be telling you where I found these wonderful items.
The first picture I want to share with you is this fabulous sculpture by UK artist, Amanda Brisbane. She does sand cast sculpture and her work speaks to me. I see this piece and I’m transported to my perfect imaginary house by the beach. I see this piece and I feel summer and water and clean. I found Amanda’s work at Horchow.com, one of my favorite “day dream” places to shop.
Visit me again soon and see more of the pieces I choose for my home decorating inspiration list and how we put these together to decorate a room. I would love to hear your comments and to know the places you like to shop and why. So please contact me any time! Who knows, I may even have some give-aways for you!
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