Decorating Articles

Please be sure to bookmark this page as we are always updating our decorating articles. In the meantime, take a look at the decorating articles below and see if you can find the answers to your biggest decorating challenges.

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CENTER STAGE: Make your for-sale home a showstopper.

It's no secret that a few extra dollars funneled in the right direction can bring a big return when selling large-ticket items. Some might "detail" a car before trying to sell it, and now the same can be done to a home, thanks to an emerging industry. Real estate agents have used "home staging" as a marketing tool...

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"Staging" Your Home for a Fast Sale

No matter what the real estate market is doing, homeowners typically have the same goal in mind when selling their house. They are hoping to be moved out of the old house and into their new house fast. It’s a great goal, but what “plan of attack” do they have for getting that home sold as fast as possible?

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Prescription for Room Gloom

As an interior decorator, I have been in many homes. Here's a quick quiz…what do you think is the biggest decorating faux-pas I notice in about 80% of the homes I visit?

a) Too much clutter
b) Color mis-matching
c) Not enough lighting

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Question: When is a patio not a patio?
Answer: When it becomes a summer “room”!

Here in Southern California, we’re pretty spoiled when it comes to outdoor entertaining. We can do it (almost) all year round…and we don’t have to worry about mosquitoes! Other parts of the country are not so fortunate. But they have something we don’t. They’re called...

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BEAT THE HEAT USING COOL COLORS!

When the thermometer is hovering around 90 plus degrees, we are all scrambling for ways to keep cool. Turning on the a/c is a sure fire way to beat the heat, but did you realize that adding few quick color fixes to your home can also help you stay cool all summer?

Transitioning your color scheme from “cozy & warm” to “cool& collected” is...

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BOOST PRODUCTIVITY…PERSONALIZE YOUR OFFICE SPACE!

Let’s get personal…about your office.

Have you ever watched a movie about some high-powered executive who has the definitive office? You know the kind of office I mean: breathtaking views of the city from the walls of windows, oversized desk hand-carved from exotic wood, carpets so deep you have to wear stilts to navigate to a chair, tasteful artwork, bookcases filled with… books, and the only visible item on the desk is a notebook sized computer.

Fast forward to your office. Is it a cubicle chiseled out in a massive room? Is it the small one located in the corner? Is it in your home? Is the view a calendar from your insurance company? Has your desk seen better days? Is it so cluttered with paper and things to-do you can’t see the top of it? Is everything under the sun stacked on your bookshelves …except books?

If your office sounds more like the second one described, it could be...

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Decorate your Holidays…with Nostalgia!

I don’t know about you, but I get all sentimental around the Holidays. I always find myself thinking back to old childhood memories and the joy and anticipation I felt as that visit from Santa approached. Growing up in the Midwest meant snowsuits, ice skating and toboggan rides. A trip downtown to look at the department store window decorations and driving through the neighborhood to look at the colorful lights gleaming everywhere made the season bright. It was a time of excitement as the house was filled with yummy smells and relatives and friends popped in unexpectedly for some Holiday cheer.

Maybe I’m just getting older, but it seems like we need to put some of that nostalgia back into the Holidays. In this fast-paced time of play stations, game cubes and x-boxes, I invite you to slow things down a bit and see if you can capture some of your nostalgic childhood spirit.

No matter how busy you are, or which Holiday you celebrate, here are some easy-to-do, good old fashioned SMART tips to help you Deck the Halls with memories!

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What's your color problem– not enough color, too much color, wrong color?

Selecting the right paint color for your room can be a big decorating challenge. I have a theory that most people love color, but fear it! The biggest fear is that they will make a mistake when selecting a paint color, so they decide to use white because it is safer. Actually, painting a room or your entire house white can give you a big chill.

Your hope is to create a sense of airiness and give an open feeling; when you may be doing just the opposite. White can make a room feel cold and create a stark contrast between walls and furniture. Not convinced? When was the last time you saw white hospital walls? Too sterile; they’re using soft yellows and greens now. Still not convinced white is a cool color? Think about ice, snow, Antartica. You’ve go it now!

Some people love color. As a matter of fact, they love color so much they tend to...

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Turn your GUEST room…into a REST room!

Well, the Holidays are approaching and you know what that means—company’s coming! In all likelihood some of them will be staying overnight at your house to enjoy the festivities. This is usually the time people panic and say “Where will I put them”? Others who are fortunate enough to have a separate room for guests have to get busy removing the craft supplies, clutter and office paraphernalia that has accumulated since the last holiday stay-over. As long as you are making the room ready for guests, why not make it truly special and create a “haven” for them and not just a place to flop for the night?

Now, don’t get me wrong. I know the old saying about fish and guests starting to get a bit brackish after a few days; so you might be hesitant about making the room...

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