I’d like to share with you a recent installation that we did in the Frisco area a few months ago, where I incorporated a few ideas that fall just outside the box!
First, I’ll share with you what the room looked like when we started.
Of course there isn’t just ONE Color of the Year, in fact, all the top color giants pick their own color every year, and it’s always fun to see the varied spectrum of colors that are chosen. This year, with the exception of Benjamin Moore’s “Metropolitan” (a very neutral light gray), all the choices are deep, warm earth tones. Probably an indication of people’s yearning for more warmth and comfort amidst all the challenges of today’s outside world. I’m liking this palette! Continue reading…
When you decorate the home of an artist, the traditional design rules become more nebulous, and you become more open to exploring the bohemian. At least that was the case with this artistic home of a dear client.
Like me, red is her favorite color, so it’s no surprise that she chose these 2 canvases from her many originals to display in her main living area.
Every year during this time the three “Giants of Color” announce their picks for Color of the Year. These colors will aide the design industry, the fashion industry, the floral industry and many other consumer-oriented companies to guide their designs and planning for future products. This year the 2015 colors are:
“Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness. This hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors. Continue reading…
Today, a home office is practically a necessity in most homes. Even if you don’t work from home, you’ll probably spend many hours a week in that room. As such, this room provides a unique opportunity to decorate with things that you love and that inspire your creativity.
That’s exactly what this home owner had in mind when she asked me to design a home office for her husband; a man who loves everything sports, and has accumulated a variety of sports art and memorabilia. This was the room before we started, a basic 11′ X 12′ room. Continue reading…
When my dear client asked me to revitalize her formal dining space, her requirements were simple…
We were to use the existing furniture and a few art pieces that were important to her. The room needed to look well put-together and feel comfortable and inviting. But mostly, she wanted to display a variety of family pictures that she had gathered specifically for the room.
These goals were accomplished beautifully with the additions of a few key items. Continue reading…
I have found that one of the biggest decorating challenges is how to decorate around the flat screen TV.
For years now, the TV has been as necessary in the home as a computer or a phone. And for years now, it continues to be an often unsightly item in any decor! But there are ways to decorate around it which help to camouflage the big black box and draw the attention away from it.
How you decide to decorate your TV wall will depend on several things…what the TV sits on, the size of the TV, and the size and shape of the wall. Here are a few ideas that might inspire you to think outside the box.
Hanging multiple frames is one of the best ways to surround the TV. The trick is to create a cohesive gallery which includes the TV. The frames can house family pictures, art, or both.
Introducing: LusterStone®
Recently, Craig Favors of Inside Expressions did this amazing faux technique for a client of mine. It’s gorgeous!
Lusterstone ® from Faux Effects, is a decorative architectural trowel-on coating, which produces a numer of beautifully dimensional but smooth finishes.
Its a shimmery plaster finish that can be manipulated to provide specific dimensional patterns. It’s very durable and shows VERY rich and elegant. It comes in a variety of colors that can be used alone or layered on a wall to create a truly unique and impressive finish. When you look at it from afar, the matte parts look like velvet. It’s exquisitely textural with lots of depth and movement.
My clients absolutely love it…as do I. Craig does a fantastic job and takes amazing pride in his work.
We brought the same technique into the master bedroom, where a single accent wall transforms the entire room…
…making it a favorite spot for the ENTIRE household!
Hope I’ve Inspired You!
Till next time,
Alba
For the dining room, cutlery is always appropriate, and in this case, the larger the better. Usually, the larger the decal, the bigger the impact.
Of course, bedrooms see more decals than any other room.
Decals can help create atmospheres ranging from tranquil to energized. They’re a fun alternative to traditional wall art. A single monogram creates a big statement in this room. It’s a perfect complement to the classic simplicity of the decor.
Children’s rooms and nurseries are particularly fun environments for wall decals.
If you Google “wall decals” you’ll get many sources and options to choose from. Most websites have a video showing how to install their decals. So if a particular area in your house has been lacking pizzazz lately, consider adding a decal.
These are three of my favorite sources.
As always, if you find you need a little assistance with your decorating needs, give me a call. I’d love to help.
Till next time,
Alba
In my March 2011 newsletter, “5 Unique Decorating Ideas”, one idea was about hanging a picture gallery. A couple of months ago, during a consultation with a wonderful client of mine, I suggested this idea to her…and she just ran with it! I took this picture on a recent visit back. Her gallery is on a long wall that is partly a hallway, so this placement of the frames is perfect because it follows the shape of the wall. It looks STUNNING!…clean, cohesive and organized. Not at all cluttered and chaotic. Great job!
To display a successful picture gallery, you definitely need to do a little planning and a little measuring. They need to have a defined shape or flow. Otherwise, they can appear haphazard and contribute more to clutter than the decor. Here are a few other suggestions for picture galleries.
As you can see, the frame is the unifying feature. They don’t all have to be identical, but they DO need to be similar…all black, all silver, etc.
Of course, a picture gallery can be more than just family pictures. A collection of sketches.
Fortunately, there are companies out there that make this look very easy to achieve. Like The Perfect Picture Wall. It’s an all-in-one system that includes the template AND the frames. If you watch Candice Olson, you’ve seen her use this type of system in her designs. It’s as easy as 1, 2. 3!
So if you’re considering a family picture gallery, or even if you have one already, take the time to change out the pictures, maybe paint the frames all the same, and try something different. A fresh configuration can go a long way in energizing the room.
Till Next Time,
Alba
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