Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Decorganizing Wednesday: Shoes


Ahh, shoes.

As you may know, in addition to being an interior designer, I am also a closet designer. And every (and I do mean every!) client says "Oh, I have A LOT of shoes!" But what I find funny is that "A LOT" is a relative term. What is A LOT of shoes to you? 20 pair? 200 pair? 2, 000 pair?

There once was an old lady who lived in a shoe...er house....who had so many shoes that she didn't know what to do. So she called me. Seriously, she easily had 2, 000 pairs of shoes covering every square inch of space in her bedroom! Not to mention trash cans full of shoes hidden in her closet. She wanted a place to house her addiction. I, on the other hand, wanted to give her the number of a good therapist.

So after that experience, I find it funny when people with 20 pair of shoes tell me they have "A LOT" of shoes. But whether you have 20 or 2, 000 you must find a way to store them, right? So here goes...

Do you line them up in a row?


Or do you encase them like important artifacts?

Or do you display them like a tabletop vignette?

Or do you have a mini-photoshoot with your footwear and label their boxes by photo?


Or do you just label them?


Or do you have a super creative solution that makes your shoes look like art? Let's face it some of them are! I mean Milano's were not made for walkin'!


Or do you mount them on the wall for easy viewing?


Let's face it, I am not reinventing the wheel here, just showing you some inspiration! But speaking of a wheel, check this crazy-ass thing out....


WTF?

It is like a game show...step right up and spin the wheel to see what shoes you will wear today!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Fresh or Fake Flowers; Yay or Nay?

I am not a snob about silk flowers as long as they look real--the ones that look real are certainly more expensive but think of all the money you save in the long run? A stunning silk orchid will last much longer in your powder room without natural light (well obviously) than a real one.

image Atelier Abigail Ahern

Some say they get dusty and they’re right! That’s when it’s time to toss ‘em!

I usually have fresh flowers on my dining room table or entry but not everyone can afford to deck out the entire house with fresh flowers every week. I don’t know about you, but a tastefully done fake in a tablescape in my living room (for example) makes me happy, how about you?

image Atelier Abigail Ahern

What’s your take on fakes?

If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me for on-line or in-person decorating and colour.

Related posts:

How to Style a Bookshelf without Spending a Fortune

Glamorous White Kitchen

Do you need a Tree for your Interior?

New to this Blog? Click here ; Subscribe to my free Monthly Newsletter; Become a True Colour Expert

Pro or Con: Painted Stripes

I don't know...I am iffy on the circus/prison stripes. I feel like everyone did this like 8-10 years ago. But, I have seen some images lately that haven't looked so dated. Maybe the key is to keep the decor simple? And keep the stripes tone on tone so it doesn't look like a circus tent? Or better to just go for it? What do you think?





I like that they took it to the ceiling. Makes the image above look unfinished. Although I do hear "dodododidaloohooo" playing in my head...(that is "Entrance of the Gladiators" for those of you that couldn't get my humming).




Now stripes on the horizontal...that I could get on board with!!! PRO, PRO, PRO!






Bravo to you Mary McDonald for taking it to the next level!!!


I love you Lonny but if I were a man bathing in this room then I would definitely be scared to drop the soap!

Decorating Ideas For Young Teen's Bedrooms


Decorating children's bedrooms can be fun, but once your kids reach a certain age you may find there are vast differences between what they like and what you like and that includes the cost!

They're no doubt be after the latest on-trend 'must-have' which will cost an arm and a leg, whilst you'll be looking for value for money and hard wearing, durable fabrics and materials!

Neutral walls and flooring will be a better plan than bubblegum pink or primary blue. You have so many options to add colour in where it can be easily changed, such as the window dressing, that it is better to leave the walls and flooring a neutral canvas that will easily blend into new designs later down the line. If your young teen wants hot pink curtains to match their bedspread then go with it, next year they'll probably want lime green curtains and new duvet cover sets!

Besides, try having the final say on decorating your teen's bedroom! The older they get, the more difficult it is to decorate their bedrooms and the more toys/books/clothes etc. etc. they will have to be stored away - making storage a key planning essential. Furthermore, their rooms become multi-functional and not only will they need it for sleep but for entertaining friends, doing their homework and generally to have seek refuge from moaning mums and dads!

Image: Small Place Style

Monday, June 28, 2010

Travel Trailer Chic

According to Triple A, it has been predicted there will be over 35 million Americans hitting the roadways for the July 4th holiday!  While some may be heading to vacation homes, others will be visiting family and/or friends.  There are also many who will be looking for accommodations in hotel suites or vacation villas.  I wonder if the travel experts have done a poll on how many are taking their accommodations with them? 

flying cloud (2)I have to admit . . . I’m not a “camping” kind of gal.  On the few occasions I’ve made the effort, it was either due to meeting the requirement of a Girl Scout badge, (and I have a very funny side tale about that adventure), or it was to appease my spouse, of whom I fondly refer to as “Nature Boy”.  I have done stints in a tent, an overnight sleeping bag trek - under the stars, and stayed in an unusual contraption called a “camping cabin”, which roughly translated:  an abode with no running water or facilities, but by golly it had a cable hook-up for your television!  Yes, I can probably count my roughing-it experiences on one hand, and I don’t anticipate using the other hand for future calculations.

untitled (2) airstream-interstate

(This Airstream,Classic Limited provides cool luxury for a trip through Anza-Borrego Desert in California.)

In the meantime, I do have to say, I’m a bit enamored with the Airstream Travel Trailer.  Maybe because it’s heyday falls in the same time-period of Mid-Century Modern design.  The sleek, rounded body hasn’t veered too far from it’s origins.  Interestingly, it was first created in the late 1920’s, by Wally Bynam.  He began by building trailers out of Masonite, in his LA backyard.  Eventually, Airstream trailers were manufactured in the trademark aluminum shell, so many of us recognize, today.  There is a long and fascinating history of events, of which I’ll economize on words, by having you click onto this link to read the rest of the story.

I’m truly impressed by some of the beautiful interior fittings I’ve seen in some of the recent models.  I also have an affinity for a little bit of the kitsch, associated with the vintage Airstream models.  It conjures up thoughts of diners, driving on historic Hwy Route 66, and of all things Americana. 

Let’s hit the road, together!

163_news090519_02z victorinox_special_edition_airstream_trailer interior_view airstream-vict4jpg

This is the Victorinox Swiss Army Limited Edition, made in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Swiss Army Knife.  How many of these are available?  You guessed it!  Only 125 were produced at around $61,000 each.  It’s just like the knife - the epitome of function and sleek.

5-26-09-airstreamNeed something a bit softer?  The owner of this vintage Airstream added some femme touches – pops of pink and a crystal overhead fixture.

airstream_hall caravel1

Although vacation really means leaving your work behind, this Airstream version is outfitted with the executive in mind.  Upon completing your day, there is a light at the end!

byron bay 1

byron bay   lthse1

If you aren’t quite ready to run out to purchase one of these beauties, there are many areas where you can actually rent an Airstream, on location.  The version, above, provides a beach bungalow vibe in the exotic locale of Byron Bay, in New South Wales, Australia. (Excuse me while I sigh a little.)

I’m still pondering what I’ll be doing, during the July 4th break.  It will more than likely be something a bit closer to home.  I’m not one who loves being in the thick of the mass exodus on the roads.  It could be a great time for creating a backyard barbeque, churning some homemade ice cream, and finding a display of fireworks to enjoy.  If I did have the option; however, this sure looks like the ticket . . .

airstream-beach Happy July 4th!  Let freedom ring!

Experience the best about design, at home or on the road!  Wanda

Sunday, June 27, 2010

2 Questions to ask before you Renovate vs. Decorate?

As a homeowner, your list of updates is long and sometimes it’s hard to prioritize which one to tackle next.

imageCredit

It could be a list that could look something like this:

1. Painting, this of course creates the biggest bang for the buck!

2. Flooring (it’s the one that’s the easiest to change—well relatively—for the second biggest impact)

3. Kitchen or bathrooms—countertops, flooring, cabinets, plumbing fixtures

4. Fireplace mantle/tile/stone

5. Additions, balconies, sunrooms, etc.

6. Landscaping

image Credit

The list goes on and on but unless it’s falling apart and truly decrepit, here’s what I would ask before you start demolishing your kitchen or bathroom (for example):

1. Can it be painted? Backsplash tile, cabinets, even countertops can be painted to get you through until the renovation really needs to be done.

image Victoria Hagen

2. Is my living/great room decorated?

One of the participants from my True Colour Expert Training said one of the many things she came away with in my course these last 3 days was to take one room and finish it (the great room or living room—the one you spend the most time in and your guests see) instead of spreading your money around to a bunch of rooms/areas in your house and not getting anything finished.

When you do that, you still can’t walk into any room in your house with any kind of satisfaction and enjoyment because there’s always something else you’re looking at that you know needs tweaking or updating.

image Credit

I know I sound biased because I am a decorator but unless your new kitchen is going to completely transform your great room, I would not spend my money there until I had spent some money (first) on creating atmosphere in the main areas of my house. And how do you achieve that? With new furniture, lighting and accessories—that’s how.

The rental I’m in now has peach kitchen cabinets that I will eventually paint (instead of a weekend away I would rather buy paint and love my space then worry about the money I’m spending on a rental plus this is what I do, I cannot live with apartment beige) however that is last on my list because my living/dining/entry is my first priority. There’s only so much you can do to a kitchen or bathroom to create atmosphere—these spaces have have very little opportunities for creating softness and colour with fabrics and lighting.

imageStephen Gambrel

I know I’ve said this before but I’m saying it again here. Before you start installing crown molding or replacing the doors and closets in your entire house, hire a designer to help you or at the very least a consultation to get you started in the right direction in terms of furniture colour, style, space planning so that you can create your very own slice of heaven and get happy every time you walk into your home!

If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me for on-line or in-person consultations.

Related posts:

Danger Zone; The First 24 Hours after you Take Possession

Atmosphere; The one Thing you Cannot Buy

How to Create a Tablescape

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My Latest Hunting Trip

As I mentioned before, I went to my cousin's wedding in Statesboro, Georgia. As we pulled into town there was nothing but farms and farmland until "what to my wondering eyes should appear"...but antique stores galore! But with a weekend packed full of wedding and birthday activities there was just no time. Absolute torture!!! But I have been doing some junk store hunting lately and thought I would share some of my current finds....


I like your yellow outfit but I would 86 the vinyl and do a knubby linen instead.

This kitchy seahorse would be a cool doorstopper at a beach house or in a little girl's bedroom.

This pen and ink of a train would be so cute in a little boys bedroom!

I would give you a turquoise or green mat and a new updated frame.

Too bad they didn't have another "L" (get it? LOL)

I am a sucker for old foundry parts as art on a wall, tabletop or bookshelf.

Saw this at Habitat in Mt. P for you local folks who covet a campaign dresser.

Or desk. They might look ugly now but they can look like this...



I SO want to paint you a fun color and put you on my porch!

I would give you a new outfit. Maybe something like this...

Trina Turk Santorini Print
for Schumacher


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