Design IN REAL LIFE

Tips: The Small Things Really Do Matter, Part 3.

Here are eight more tips (20 in all) on small things that make a big difference in your home.

1.  When it comes to window treatments, DON’T skimp on the AMOUNT of fabric. Volume translates to luxury. Whether they break at the floor or pull  gracefully to the side.  

If a fabric is too costly for the amount you need look further down the food chain to less expensive fabrics such as ticking and burlap.  You’d be surprised at how amazing the least expensive fabrics can look when you use the right amount. With windows, quantity is more important than quality. Both are nice but if you have to choose one, go for quantity. 

2. Use analogous colors in your color palettes to create more interesting rooms.

 When you use two or three colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel (such as a pine green, a grass green, and an olive) you create depth and interest. PLUS you are not tied to a particular shade of the color and it’s easy to introduce other shades and colors.

3.  Leave at least one surface in a room bare.

 Don’t line your tables and chests with haphazard arrays of photos and small decorative objects. Group the photos and/or objects in one or two places in a room. It creates mini-focal points.  The open space gives your eye a chance to rest and REALLY appreciate the groupings.

4. Leave at least one wall in a room bare.

 Same concept as above.  TOO MUCH STUFF (the title of a workshop I just gave) overwhelms.

5. Group like objects together.

 Create collections of similar colors or types of objects such as a line of blue and white pottery or a collection of matchbox cars. It creates a focal point and looks a lot less cluttered.

6. Use living plants as centerpieces.

 Even if you have a brown thumb, a potted plants costs about the same as cut flowers and lasts a lot longer.  And a trio of similarly potted bromeliads will look great on your table or chest.

7. Only buy what you really love.

 Give in to the impulse of getting something you love. Just make sure it fits in terms of size (through doorways and in rooms) and function (no loopy fabrics with dogs and cats).

8. Save up for the grand gesture.

 Often people don’t want to face the fact that they are going to spend money so they dribble it away instead of spending it well. I had a client who would easily spend hundreds of dollars on dozens of  small decorative items but then had a hard time spending the same amount of money for one piece that she really could use (such as a chest to hold all that stuff).

Good living – until my next posting.

The Small Things Really Do Matter, Part 2.

Interior design often starts with the strong statement — the eye diverting chandelier, a fabulous piece of art, or the luxurious 9-foot long sofa — but it is actually the small touches that are design’s workhorse.  Simple, practical and seemingly unimportant details that aren’t on the top of a list when we start a project become incredibly important in how things look and work. Details. Where we place the microwave so we can take hot soup out without spilling it all over ourselves or on the floor or on the dog. Locating a lamp located at arm height by the side of the chair so we can read. The footstools that do double duty as a side table or coffee table.

Good interior design is about paying attention to your world. How you use it. How your family functions and how your environment works. Paying attention to small things can help you live and work better.

Here are 12 tips (I know I promised 20; 8 more are coming in the next blog) on small things that make a big difference in your home:

1. Light where people sit. 

Use the right lighting for the right task. If you have a chair, make sure someone can see well enough to read while sitting in it.

2. Don’t put a toaster or coffee machine under a kitchen cabinet.

It’s way too easy to set your kitchen on fire with an errant ember from a toaster or to warp your cabinetry with the steam of a coffee machine.

3. Avoid buying a bed frame with sharp corners on the footboard.

Oops and ouch. Not much more to say on this.

4. You can never have too many ottomans.

Ottomans can double as side tables (just add a tray) and can be used for extra seating.

5. Use black candle tapers for drama during dinner parties.

Try it. It’s an easy way to add elegance and contrast to your table.

6. Use natural linen for towels and table linens.

You’ll be surprised that you don’t have to iron them. Toss linen lightly in the drier and then smooth flat, dry and fold. Or better yet. Hang them outside on a line. Plus good linens last longer.

7. Planning a new kitchen? Think about installing two sink faucets (with individual hot and cold supplies) on a large sink basin.

That way two people can use water at the same time. Wash vegetables and wash hands at the same time.

8  Give your guests two pillows.

Little luxuries are nice – a soft down pillow and a hypoallergenic, firmer one give your guests a choice and comfort.

9. Frame and hang your kids’ art.

Not all of it. Pick some of the pieces that touch your heart. Frame them consistently (all black or natural wood frames) and hang them as a series.

10. Float your furniture.

It makes a room look more comfortable and larger if you don’t place your upholstered pieces hard on a wall. Float them an inch or two from the wall.

11.  Don’t match colors exactly.

It looks too cookie cutter and makes it hard to introduce new pieces into a room at a later time.

12.  Buy two.

Even in an asymmetrical room arrangement, you need some symmetry and balance. Buy two matching lamps. Buy two matching pillows. Or buy two matching armchairs. Not all three. Pick two of the preceding.

Next — another eight inside tips.

Good living.

Holidays & Houseguests: Where to Put Aunt Tildy?

It is that time of year when households suddenly expand. Ours grows from two people to our original five and then balloons up to a festive 20 with visits from out of town family and friends. The kids are home from college. Their friends come in and out. Grandparents are expected. And then there is always Aunt Tildy who may or may not come depending on the weather.

So where do we put everyone? I asked myself that question a few years ago when Aunt Tildy decided to leave the cold Northeast and her childhood home to settle in Florida. After retirement, she proclaimed her snow plowing days were over and gave up cherished mahogany and velvet for sunbrella and rattan. I got her old map chest. What do I do with a map chest? Where do I stash it? It isn’t like some little knick-knack you can hide in a cupboard until she comes. It is a cupboard. So I got creative. For years, it housed my art supplies and paintings. Now it’s in our dining room or rather what I refer to as the Gathering Room as we dine there, work there, and even read there. Some of us with books, others with Nooks, Kindles and iPads. 

But back to the question of where to find room for extra houseguests? It’s a basic design question: the puzzle of working out often limited amounts of space to accommodate people and the things they do. (I hope you didn’t think design was just about pretty things).

If you’ve run out of beds, consider these options:

• Ikea. I sing the praises of a quick bed ala a futon fold out from Ikea. Good-looking and double functioning. Look at PS Havet, a single bed chair fold out on wheels and PS LOVAS.

• Skip the folding portable beds and try a mattress made for camping.  They store easily, provide a fair degree of comfort on a hard floor, and can be used for camping. Therm-o-rest Base Camp mattress available at REI goes from $79.95 to $99.95 and gives 2-inches of foam/air support. I like these better than the standard air mattress that frequently deflates during the night or get pierced by some stray earring.

All of these can be added to an existing bedroom or family room. And over sized chairs with footstools are also great for younger children. And then there is always the attic room. Seriously, we have used a very small attic room or walk-in closet to make an office or make-shift bedroom. Oh, so there isn’t a bathroom. Well, we don’t want Aunt Tildy over-staying her welcome now do we? (After all, she was the one who brought me up with Poor Richard’s aphorism about the merit of fish and guest after three days … ).

Good living – until my next post.

Gifts: To Buy or What to Buy

While I love to spend money, I absolutely hate to waste it and gift giving is no exception. As I sit in my favorite chair warmed by a fire on a chilly night, here are some of my thoughts.

1. What about a gift certificate? It’s an easy way out. But it shows little imagination and with the exception of teenagers who only want money, the rest of us want to know you care. Gift giving is an art and some people are naturals but it is a skill that can be learned.

• Think about what they use and how they live. Things to consider:

            - Media driven: Accessory hardware and/or apps are indulgences many of us love.
            - Entertainer or homebody: Bring a little luxury, sparkle or comfort with a fun or dramatic accessory like a pair of special champagne glasses, a breakfast tray, or a personal pillow.
            - Jewelry: A very personal item. But everyone likes a little gem now and then. Just get a gift receipt.
            - Sports: When they’re avid athletics, equipment and clothing wears out fast. New stuff is always appreciated.

2. Just because you want it doesn’t mean they do!  I.e. that means a high-end latte machine may not be the perfect gift for a tea lover!

3.  Think about what they hate and pick the opposite. Gifts don’t always involve money.
            - If they hate paying the bills, offer to automate their banking.
            - If they hate to cook, give them a meal.
            - If they hate to … well you get the idea.

4. Never give with the idea of getting a gift of equal value or meaning back. Give to find the joy in giving. When the perfect gift crosses your path, seize it. Give it. And then make sure that next year they read my blog!

Color challenged?

Need some help turning good into great color schemes? Thursday, November 17. Two sessions 10:30am and 7:30pm. Email us for a spot info@designInRealLife.com.

Bring your color questions. Color Pro Workshop. Learn the basics of choosing paint color palettes.