Guest Rooms are great spaces for dark, rich colors.  They make the room cozy and invite you to nestle in.

WEEKLY NEWSCAST

DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

With the change in the sunlight and some cooler nights, my morning glories are thriving.  I recommend planting these tiny seeds and letting them climb up railings, columns, fences...wherever you want a spots of color.  While other plants are finishing their season, these are in full swing and will bloom all the way until frost.  They make my exterior spaces as lovely as my interior spaces.

WEEKLY NEWSCAST


DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

Well, in the redoing of my living room (photo posted last week), it seems it was not quite finished.  With the addition of one bright red wall, I think we can settle down and enjoy the new modern look.

WEEKLY NEWSCAST


DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

We have just finished redoing our living room...and it has turned out wonderfully, but it was not done without worry.  I experimented with a much lower sectional sofa in two shades, beige/gray and soft white and going from standard 18" high seating to 15" high seating was a little nerve wracking.  But I was so much more comfortable on the tight tufted bench style seats than I was sinking into down filled loose sofa cushions.  The room is ever so much more spacious.  And it passed it's first test on Saturday night when we had friends over and they were comfy, too...no problem getting down to that seating height.
So my tip for this week is:  Expand your horizons!

Living Room #1

 

 

LIVING ROOM # 2

 

 

Weekly Newscast

DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK
My creative energies are outside during the summer.   We removed the railings from our deck (it was at ground level on three sides, so we took down all but one of the railings) and changed the paint from a reddish brown to a gray/brown and it is much quieter and blends in with the yard.  Plus the flowers are now enjoyed without having to look between the railings.

ROOM OF THE WEEK:

WEEKLY NEWSCAST



DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

Painting a new color on the walls is the most "budget friendly" way to change a room.  Going from light to dark or vice versa will make the art work look brand new.  And the furnishings will also have a  new flair.  Then add new throw pillows or a new area rug and the transformation is complete.



ROOM OF THE WEEK:

 

 

 CHANGE THE WALL COLOR TO "COFFEE WITH CREAM"

AND CHANGE THE RUG TO ONE WITH DEEP COLORS

AND THE ROOM WILL TRANSFORM

 

 

WEEKLY NEWSCAST


DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

No matter how well we design and organize  our offices,  our desks get "in a mess", covered with our projects...but don't lose hope and always laugh.  Look at my cat convincing us that "he fits perfectly in this small basket"

 

 

And here's one of him supervising the printing

 

 

WEEKLY NEWSCAST

DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

It is springtime and the iris, azaleas, and peonies are in full bloom.  I love to cut some, put them in a vase and they completely transform my living room.  And window planters filled with petunias add beauty both inside and out.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK:

 

WEEKLY NEWSCAST


DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

Changing the color of your walls can change the entire look of a room.  I recently painted my bedroom a deep golden yellow with hints of peach.    When I bought my house it was painted  a so-so green, not disturbing, but not thrilling.  I lived with it for a year while we redecorated all the other rooms and then I fell in love with this warm golden color, a  deeper tone  than I would normally select for a bedroom.  I took a chance  and I really enjoy being "enveloped" in this color.


ROOM OF THE WEEK:

The  gold silk background of the draperies in this dining room is  complimented and enhanced by   the Oriental Screen with it's gold leaf background. Also increasing the unity and flow of this room is the use of  the  black dining room chairs with  the black frame on the screen.

 

WEEKLY NEWSCAST

DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

When hanging pictures I'm very careful not to hang them too high.  It creates a more unified and smooth flowing room if the pictures are lower and more connected with the furnishings.  I'm also careful not to hang small pictures by themselves  on large walls and instead make a grouping of several small things.  But if I have only one small picture that the client wants to use on a large wall I hang it off center and low so that it creates  a more interesting composition and does not look lonely.



ROOM OF THE WEEK:

This was an all white breakfast room that my client's were not enjoying.  They had three school age boys at the time and we created this almost authentic "Diner" so the boys could do their homework in the booth, the family could eat pizza and play games and  have parties and enjoy the custom designed bar. 
It was great fun designing this with them focusing on the small details that give this room it's authentic look.  From chrome auto strips used to accent the  chair rail and ceiling moldings,  to a diamond pattern painted on the ceiling to draw your eye upward. And we kept all the lines strongly horizontal which enhances that "railroad car" diner look.

 

WEEKLY NEWSCAST


DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

I think that soft aqua or gray wall paint ... with white trim... just can't be beat for bathroom colors if you are wanting to achieve the "spa" look.  Cararra or creme marfil  marble vanity tops and floor/shower tiles, medium wood tones for cabinets, chrome fixtures...all give that clean and refreshing look.  And I like the vanity cabinets "floating", wall hung,  to increase the visual floor space and  the toilet in a separate water closet, or also wall hung if in the main bath area. Clear glass for the shower walls is also a visual space stretcher.


ROOM OF THE WEEK:

WEEKLY NEWSCAST


DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

When selecting paint colors, even when I don't want the rooms to be all the same color, I select colors that flow well from one room to the other...that have the same undertones and compliment each other.  And I do like  using accent walls painted a deeper or brighter color, much like wearing a gray suit and  the bright spot of color is provided by a scarf or necktie.


ROOMS OF THE WEEK:

This is a modern 5 story house named "The Tower"...It overlooks the city and has great views, inside and out.  The rooms feature custom selected finishes and furnishings in keeping with the "James Bond" approach to design...elegant but minimal.

This is a custom designed kitchen using maple cabinets with three different stain colors.  The floor is cork and the walls have accents of a deep red in triangular shapes.  The hood is from Italy and the applicances are stainless steel. 

WEEKLY NEWSCAST


DESIGN TIP OF THE WEEK:

I recommend adding flowering plants to your kitchen/breakfast room table. I force Amarylis and hyacinth bulbs and their brightly colored blossoms help dispel the dreariness of winter.  I also bring in my flowering begonias and they keep blooming for a long time, so my table looks like spring even though the trees outside are bare  and the days are gray and dark.



ROOM OF THE WEEK:

Doesn't this room look inviting in the winter?