What are your design needs?

You see all those do it yourself shows and they make it look so damn easy decorating a room. Trust me, you are not alone if you find it difficult. If you are like me, you are attracted to so many different styles how do you know which one is right for you? Mid Century Modern, Scandinavian, Traditional, Contemporary, Transitional, Country (American, Brittish, French…). Aaaahhh, I love them all!!!!!! Relax, there is no right or wrong style BUT does the style match your lifestyle? This is what I had to ask myself prior to decorating my home.

This is where a decorator can help. We sit down with you and discuss your tastes, your likes and dislikes. Most importantly, we discuss your lifestyle (how YOU really live), because, a design isn’t going to work if it is totally opposite of your natural lifestyle.

Take a look at the rooms above, it's a clean streamline look that can be bold or subtle. What do you think? Do you like it? Some o you may not. It might come across as cold. I like it!!! To me it’s calming. However, this would NEVER work in my house. When I get home from work, I put my messenger bag on the floor next to a chest of drawers that I have in my foyer and plop the mail down on top of the chest. My kids take off their sneakers and put them on the floor next to my messenger bag. Drape a coat on the back of that sofa, pile mail and newspapers on the dining room table, or put a tote bag or a laundry basket on the floor at the foot of the bed and you will have disturb the blance of the design! This pristine style works when everything is in place. I love these rooms…mm mmm, but it’s not for me and my family!

How do you really live? Be honest and don’t let outside forces sway you. We have been programmed since birth how a house should be decorated. Times have changed and so has lifestyles since Victorian times or even the 50s, so why do we cling onto these old fashioned decorating rules?

When was the last time you used your dining room? I can guarantee the holidays or maybe a family members birthday. After that, your table is abandoned to collect dust for the remaining days of the year. As you probably read in many blogs, people are turning their dining rooms into libraries. Why not? Go grab your laptop and now it’s a home office, too.

The spare room, designated for guests. All fine and dandy if you have out of town friends or family members from other countries constantly visiting. If you’re big on crafting, why not turn it into the ultimate crafting room. No more lugging items back and forth from storage bins every night.

Have a closet that you don’t use? (I know I don’t but I’m sure someone out there does), turn that into an office or sewing room. Believe it or not, I knew somebody who turned two double closets in her upstairs hallway into a spare room for her grandchildren. When the kids are not there and closet doors closed, it looks like a regular hallway closet, but open the doors and you will find bunk beds and storage drawers. Each bed with it’s own reading lamp. I thought it amazing.

Interior decorating is an art not a science and there are endless design possibilities in your home if you really just dig deep inside and see what you truly need and like.

If you have any design questions contact me or your local designer for help.

Do you need a day at the spa?

Yesterday, I attended the book launch and photo exhibition of photographer/artist Tasja Keetman's new book entitled PURA VIDA at AFNY (suppliers of kitchen and bath supplies). Visit Keetman's work HERE.

I'm sorry, although I found Keetman's work fascinating I couldn't help but drool over some of the soaker tubs and steam showers. If I could, I would have found the largest soaker tub, turned on the water, undress and soak my day away right then and there. Lucky for the other guests, there are laws for indecent exposure in public places.

I haven't been feeling well lately but continue to be on the go, so I definitely can use a day at the spa relaxing and being pampered. Unfortunately, I cannot dedicate an entire day of being spoiled. I just don't have the time. Do you?

Forget about time, how about the cost for a day spa? I can soak every day at home if I wanted to but I can't go every day to the spa, I just couldn't afford it. So, bring the spa to your home and have that spa experience in the comfort of your own home at any given time!

Soaking in a tub not your thing? How about a steam room? Why not both? Above is Duravit, the multipurpose luxury steam-shower cabin. This one can be converted from a bath to a steam shower by folding the two seats to form a full length bench and switching on the steam generator. The unit can be loaded with many additional features, such as, built-in sound and touch-display controlled via a remote control or the LED activated chromatherapy and aromatherapy to make your bathing experience all the more soothing and relaxing.

Don't know how to get started? Don't think you have room in your bathroom to turn it into a luxurious bathhouse? Can't afford it? Think again and contact me or your local designer to help plan your new bathing sanctuary out.

As a designer, I have access to "trade only" suppliers that offer large discount on their products, so you can afford to bring the spa experience to your home and be pampered in your space, on your own time and on your budget.

Everything old is new again! Do you redo?

Reupholstering an older well made chair or couch may be more cost affective in the long run than going out and spending money on less quality furniture every couple of years. You say it's outdated? Freshen it up with a modern or bold print. with so many fabric choices, make it your own one of a kind piece.