DESIGNER TIPS

Your Home is a place to invest money and energy. Be open to change and inspiration. Decide which changes will make the most impact and give the most pleasure.

Make a Design note book with paint colors, fabrics and pictures of things you love. Use blue painters tape to outline the shape of the furniture on the floor or wall. Mix old and new things for depth and contrast. Curtains should break ˝” to 1” on the floor. Mount rods up high to let in light and allow windows to breathe. Enjoy candlelight and fresh flowers – use small votives everyday. Once a week purchase flower even if just a single stem. Fill bowels of fresh apples, lemons or pomegranates. Dress up pillows, curtains or lamp shades with ribbon trim. Create “Architecture” with crown moldings, mantels or bookcases. Use fine hardware to make a room feel Grand.

:: Color Explore your inner color wheel in your closet. Your clothes tell you what colors you like to be around day after day. Paint is the quickest way to bring color into your home. It’s not expensive and simple to change. Try something bold. You can experiment until you are satisfied. Stick to neutral tones with larger items like sofas, rugs and wallpaper. Save patterns and colors for quick pick accent pieces like towels, pillows and pottery. Use pale gray or light blue to make a small space seem larger. Paint ceilings white to draw the eye upward. Use the same color or slightly lighter or darker shades of a color in painting spaces that open up from one to another so the area flows overall and the spaces don’t seem disconnected. Four colors is a magic number. Create a layered palette of four choices to use for example for 1) Walls, 2) Trim & Moldings, 3) Fabric / Sofa, 4) Accent pillows or rugs.

:: Lighting Putting all light fixtures on dimmers, even in the bathroom, allows you to alter the mood of a room instantly. A pair of table lamps will cast a more pleasing light than a single bright light source. Paint the inside of a non-fabric lamp shade the palest pink – it will make everyone look a little younger.

:: Tricks to Avoid Clutter Edit ever yday Recycle every day Stop buying junk! Invest in quality Avoid trendy buys