Upgrading Your Kitchen ~ Where To Put The $$

Did you know that a kitchen upgrade or remodel is one of the best places to put your home improvement dollars? Not only is the kitchen the hub of the home, but an upgrade will also reward you when it comes time for resale. Though there are plenty of men doing the cooking these days, women are the ones who fall in love with beautiful kitchens!

In a perfect world, we could all afford to completely demo our kitchen and rebuild from scratch. That not always being an option, here’s some ideas of how you can freshen up your kitchen for less! When making your choices, think about beauty AND function.

Refresh the Cabinets ~ Depending on what you have to work with, there are a few ways of doing this. If you have older cabinets with plain doors, my favorite advice is to replace the doors and drawer fronts. This is easily done, and provides an instant upgrade. If you can’t match the existing finish on the cabinet bases (which is likely), then refinish or paint everything to match. Replace the hinges and door/drawer hardware, and you’re done!

In the kitchen shown here, the existing cabinets were saved, yet completely repainted for a fresh Country look. Beaded board panels were added to the island cabinet, and new pendant lights installed. A very inexpensive upgrade!

Replace the Countertops ~ No surprise here! Though granite has been the desired surface for many years, there’s a myriad of choices for countertops, and it’s an instant upgrade to your kitchen. And, don’t stop there! While you’re at it, replace the sink too. Most kitchen sinks are under-mount (meaning the edge of the sink is underneath the countertop), so now is the time to put in a fresh one.

Upgrade the Appliances ~ One can rarely afford to keep up with the constant changes in technology, but if you have appliances that are 20 years old, the money to replace them are dollars well spent. Gas cook tops and ranges are usually preferred over electric by avid cooks, and stainless steel has been the favorite finish for several years running.

Check back weekly for more home improvement and decorating tips! If I can give you any assistance with your design or decorating needs, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. Many times a single consultation is all that’s needed to pull your ideas together!

Everyone deserves a home they love ~ Inside and Out!

Is Your Bedroom Less Than Inspiring?

Let’s face it. Life is busy! By the time many people finally end up in the bedroom after a long day, they may not find the inspiration they need for the activities that usually take place there ~ sleep and intimacy. Here are a few ideas to get you moving in the right direction towards correcting that!

Lose the Office ~ Many people have desks or workstations in their bedroom. How are you going to forget your worries about work or bills, when it’s staring you right in the face? Make every effort you can to get the desk into another room. If that’s not at all possible (and I want you to really try!), then how about concealing the area behind a decorative screen? Another alternative is installing a curtain rod that suspends from the ceiling and hanging some drapery panels. Both of these options will achieve the goal, and also add decorative appeal to your room. It’s a win-win!

Rethink the TV ~ This one can be a case for argument, but most designers (as well as many health professionals) are not supporters of televisions in the bedroom. Not only are they a distraction, but depending on what you’re watching, they can keep you from getting a restful night’s sleep. Is watching the negativity on the late night news going to relax you into blissful slumber?

Family Photos Too ~ This is another one to rethink, yet is not always agreed upon. As much as you may like your mother-in-law, do you really want her smiling at you in your bedroom? I don’t! Keep the photos in your bedroom limited to just those of you and your mate, and yes, this means no photos of the children either. Surround yourself with photos that will make you feel connected as a couple ~ you as a couple, not as parents. Worries and discussions about the kids (and we all have them!) can steer you in the wrong direction.

Find Inspiration! ~ Lastly, bring elements into your bedroom that make you feel good … bedding that you love, soft lighting from lamps, candles and accessories that you enjoy, and my favorite indulgence, fresh flowers.

Check back weekly for more home improvement and decorating tips! If I can give you any assistance with your design or decorating needs, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. Many times a single consultation is all that’s needed to pull your ideas together!

Everyone deserves a home they love ~ Inside and Out!

Room Refreshers ~ Fast and Affordable!

Do you have a room that you’d love to give a lift, if only you had the time or money? Well, it CAN be done! Many times, a few simple changes is all that’s needed to give a room a completely new look, and you don’t have to break the bank to do it. Just let your imagination run, and have fun with it!

Paint, paint, paint ~ I cannot emphasize enough what a fabulous material paint is. There isn’t one other material that can give the most dramatic impact for the most economical price. As you can see in the “before” photo, the previous owners of this home tried this theory with the blue vanity cabinet, yet in this case, I think they missed the mark. The whole feeling of this room was changed when I repainted it a soft black. Add some new cabinet hardware, and you’re set!

Accessorize ~ Your next best bet for sprucing things up is with accessories. I’ve talked about this before, but there are lots of great retail stores with wonderful selections of stylish accessories at affordable prices (see my blog post “Great Design Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive!”). I purchased all of the accessories for this bathroom from Target, Pier 1 and Michael’s Crafts, and all for about $100! Woo hoo! Instant make-over!

Check back weekly for more decorating and home improvement ideas. If I can give you any assistance with your design or decorating needs, please don't hesitate to call or email me. Many times a single consultation is all that's needed to pull your ideas together!

Everyone deserves a home ~ Inside and Out!

Lighten Up Your Landscape

Is your front or back yard in the dark? Landscape lighting is not only functional, but can make a dramatic difference in the visual appeal of your home. That said, try and consider both of these elements when designing your lighting plan.

Miss the Runway ~ If you’re lighting a walkway or driveway, try and add some uniqueness to the layout. Though lights perfectly lined up along your walkway seem like the natural thing to do, it can appear more like an airport runway than an entrance into your home. Stagger the lights for a more natural effect.

Give the Light Some Shade ~ Think about positioning the lights in such a way that plants will be gently tucked around them. This will soften the glare, but still expose enough light for function. As you see in this photo, there’s plenty of light to illuminate the space, but several fixtures are hidden to where you don’t even see them.

Reduce the Glare ~ Though bright lighting is functional for guiding the way and security purposes, it can be offensive if it’s glaring at your guests upon arrival. The purpose of landscape lighting is to add beauty to your home, and create enough lighting for you and your guests to safely move throughout the space. Of course, there are exceptional times when you may need brighter light for tasks, or if you have people with special needs. For these instances, you can still have the light available, but installed on a switch that’s separate from your main landscape lighting.

Check back every Friday for more decorating and home improvement tips. If I can give you any assistance with your design or decorating needs, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. Many times a single consultation is all that’s needed to pull your ideas together!

Everyone deserves a home they love ~ Inside and Out!

Beauty Without Color ~ Designing with Neutrals

Don’t like lots of color? There are other options! Rooms with a neutral color scheme can be just as appealing as rooms vibrant with color. I find neutral palettes very inviting, and notice that I really focus on the individual details of the room because my attention is not immediately pulled to pops of color.

Neutrals are all shades of whites, beiges, browns, grays and blacks. Neutrals aren’t technically colors, so the theory is that they harmonize with all colors. If you think about it, there is at least one neutral that will coordinate beautifully with any color. Hardwood floors range from very light bamboo to dark walnut, and there is something to complement every color scheme! Here are some guidelines to follow when designing a room with a neutral palette:

Vary the Saturation ~ Saturation of color refers to the value of light-to-medium-to-dark in the colors you choose. Even in rooms where color is present, you need to have a balance of saturation. Notice the variety of shades in the room pictured here. It ranges from dark brown on the windows, wood furniture and picture frames, to medium brown on the chairs and sofa, to dark beige on the window treatments. Soft white walls complete the formula.


Vary the Textures ~ The secret to a successful palette of neutrals is to combine a variety of textures. Because you aren’t using color, the result can be a bit dull and lifeless if you have a room with entirely smooth surfaces. The woven chair and sofa are a beautiful example of this theory, and the linen roman shades add texture to the windows. Even though they’re a relatively smooth fabric, they hang with a billowy softness that brings texture. Live greenery and floral are added for interest, and the little pops of green in the accessories are a perfect complement to the brown/beige palette. Though green isn’t a neutral, it’s prevalent in nature, so goes with just about any color you can imagine. Have you ever seen a leaf that wasn’t in perfect harmony with its companion flowers?

Check back every Friday for more decorating and home improvement tips. If I can give you any assistance with your design or decorating needs, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. Many times a single consultation is all that’s needed to pull your ideas together!

Everyone deserves a home they love ~ Inside and Out!

Staging Your Home for Everyday Living

Have you been on open house tours and seen beautifully decorated homes? Many of these homes are staged with furniture and accessories brought in by professional stagers or designers, but some are not. What they all have in common though, is changes have been made to maximize their appeal, and not with the furnishings alone. You can have your home looking beautiful too, and on a daily basis!

Clear the Clutter ~ This is the easiest thing you can do! Have you ever done the run-through before having a party? Look at your home with that mind-set. See what functional items need to be put away, and display only the decorative ones. Keep countertops free of the week’s mail, bedroom floors void of dirty clothes, and bathroom counters clear of toothpaste tubes and hair products.

Reduce the Furnishings ~ I see so many homes that simply have too much furniture! Overstuffing a house with furniture can greatly reduce the flow of your rooms, meaning there’s not a natural, easy progression as you move through the house. Many of us have pieces we’ve acquired here and there over the years, and it’s tough to part with them. Well, maybe it’s time! Walk through each room in your home and make an honest assessment of every piece of furniture, no matter how small it is. Are you using it? Perhaps you are, but is it really necessary? If you removed it, would the room be more spacious and inviting?

Reduce the Accessories ~ What applies to furniture, also applies to accessories, and then some! Less is more ~ so reduce the number of accessories that clutter countertops, dressers and hutches. If you’re a collector, keep your displays concentrated in one area and make them a focal point. Remember the rule of odd numbers when putting your displays together, and err on the side of conservative. Displays of more than 5 items can get too busy and appears too cluttered.

Check back often for more decorating and home improvement tips! If I can give you any assistance with your design and decorating needs, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. Many times a single consultation is all that’s needed to pull your project together!

Everyone deserves a home they love ~ Inside and Out!

Flat or Gloss? Choosing a Paint Sheen

Spring has arrived, and along with it, home improvement time! Nature has refreshed itself with bright leaves and blooms, and many of us find ourselves wanting to refresh our homes as well. The most dramatic change you can make to your home, for the least amount of money, is with paint, and it's also a project that many homeowners can tackle themselves. That said, choosing paint can be a daunting task for some, and one of the questions I’m frequently asked is, “Which sheen should I use, and for which areas?”.

Flat ~ Commonly used on walls and ceilings, this paint has no sheen. Though it is washable, scuffs and smudges don’t remove as easily as they do from paints with sheen, and you might even take some of the paint along with the smudges. I rarely recommend flat paint for walls.

Gloss and Semi-Gloss ~ This is a matter of personal preference, but either of these two sheens are typically used on trim (baseboards, doors, crown molding, etc.), though semi-gloss is the most commonly used. These paints are highly washable, and very easy to maintain.

Pearl, Eggshell, etc. ~ These paints have a lower sheen than gloss and semi-gloss, and each paint company has different names for them, as well as several levels of sheen which vary only slightly from one to another. Because any paint with sheen is more washable, I always recommend a low-sheen paint on walls. Not only does it make them easier to keep clean, but they produce a “richer” appearance and have a better saturation of color. Some painters are even recommending low-sheen paints for the exterior of homes too! Though dust and cobwebs remove more easily, be careful about using a sheen on the body of your house. It can be tricky, depending on the color you choose.

Next week's blog will talk about Alkyd vs. Laytex. I'll tell you the difference between oil-based and water-based paints, and where to use them.

Remember, great design doesn't have to be expensive; it's how you put it together!

Everyone deserves a home they love ~ Inside and Out!