Get A Goode Start Decorating

There can be many different reasons for downsizing – but moving is probably the most common. Well, I’m not moving, but the older I get the more I get annoyed at all the stuff I’ve accumulated over the years. Does this sound familiar to you?  In the past, I would move to a different home every four years. And every time I moved, I would sort through my stuff, donating lots of bags to the Salvation Army, Purple Heart and Goodwill. As you can tell, my love of shopping for clothes, shoes and decorative items has always gotten me in trouble. However, now that I’ve been living in the same house for the past five years, my “stuff” has been multiplying exponentially. Not only is the crawl space under the house filled up completely, but we now have a garage that has no more extra room – especially for a car. And it's migrating to my two spare bedrooms and the closets are bulging at the seams. I'm really tired of the piles which seem to grow on a weekly basis. And even more fr...

Happy Holidays to all! If you're ready to start decorating your holiday tree, here are some hopefully useful tips: Beginning the task: When decorating your Christmas tree, put lights on first, then the garland, and finally the ornaments. I think of my tree as a three-dimensional painting. Do you have a color scheme or theme that you want to follow? Sometimes having a plan for your tree makes it more fun to decorate – at least in my opinion. You can spend all year collecting items for your tree – but a good time of year to find bargains is, of course, the post-holiday sales. Ornaments: Begin by hanging "filler ornaments" and evenly space them around the tree. They could be basic solid color balls that are easily found at discount stores in a wide range of colors to coordinate and enhance your decorating scheme. You'll need about 20 "filler ornaments" for every two feet of Christmas tree. Don't hang all your ornaments on the tips of the branches...

Are you dreading the holidays because you are bored with your living room and dining room? Want to add some new life to your   rooms before the holidays?   If   your answer to both questions is “yes,” I have some budget-wise decorating ideas to transform your sofa and chairs and   make you feel proud to welcome family and friends for the holidays!   - If your budget doesn’t include buying a new sofa or chairs, consider slipcovering them instead. You can buy stretchable slipcovers at departments stores, such as Walmart, Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond. For even wider selection, check out Surefit, J.C. Penney or Pottery Barn slipcovers online.   -Can’t find a ready-made slipcover to fit your sofa?   A new, colorful throw draped over your sofa can hide some of those worn out or stained spots.   -If you want to add some punch to your “new” sofa, buy some new accent pillows . Believe it or not, adding some colorful throw pillows c...

I recently had the priviledge of being one of the few interior designers chosen to design a room in Baldwin Home's Maryland Green Designer Show Home, located in Gambrills, Md., just outside of D.C. and Baltimore. Since this is the first show house I ever designed, I was a little nervous.  But as soon as I heard that 100% of the proceeds will go to charities - Hospice of the Chesapeake and Make a Wish Foundation -I knew I was doing the right thing.  I bid on the guest bedroom, but they asked me to also decorate and design the adjoining guest bathroom.  Designers purchase all the furniture and accesories for their room as well as design any special features, such as wall and window treatments. There were nine local interior designers who were chosen by Baldwin Homes to design the interior of their beautiful, environmentally friendly home. It was a wonderful experience, and I met some great people while working on my rooms.  This team effort culminate...

It is common nowdays to see interior designers mix patterns and designs in decorating a room - just check out the decorating magazines and websites online.  It's fun to be adventurous, but as a decorator for more than 25 years, I would keep these things in mind: stick to the color scheme in the room; limit the types of prints or patterns to three or five at the most (in decorating “three” is a magic number); and keep proportion and scale in mind. So here are some tips to remember for the beginner: 1. First, visual your room as a large picture on canvas. Key colors in the room should be repeated throughout the room, in your upholstery, your throw pillows, your window treatments, in your artwork, on the walls and on the floor. Select a dominant color, a secondary color and up to two accent colors to anchor the palette. 2. Choose one multicolored pattern as your primary print and pull different colors and textures to compliment it. All the colors in the patterns/pri...

It's August already!  And it's that time of year again when the kids will be going back to school! For a lot parents, you're breathing a sigh of relief that the kids will be back in school again. But if you have a son or daughter who is going away to college for the first time, you may be feeling some trepidation. Most teenagers are anxious for a new adventure and to be free from their parent's watchful eye. However, they may also be feeling a little uneasy about being away from home for the first time. If this is the case and your teenager wants to make his/her dorm room more cozy, here are a few tips on making their new abode feel more like home: 1. Purchase a twin-sized comforter in their favorite color or design -- most dorm room beds are extra-long twin beds; 2. Buy rod pocket curtains for the windows (of course, color-coordinated with the bed comforter!); 3. Buy a spring curtain rod (it fits inside the window frame - no need to drill holes in the window frame...

This summmer has been so very hot ... actually, too hot to enjoy the great outdoors unless you're in the water! When it's this hot outstide, it's hard to even think about decorating your outdoor spaces. You have to consider things like... what can help us keep cool in this heat? What plants can endure this kind of heat? When considering plants for your outdoor spaces, I'm a big fan of geraniums and succulents. They seem to be able to withstand the heat and sun better than other plants. Geraniums can add a lot of color to an outdoor space - especially bright red, coral or pink. While succulents can add the touch of green and a tropical feel to your space. To keep things cool, consider running an extension cord and put a fan on your deck or patio. When designing your space, remember to include some shade, such as an umbrella, pergola or awning. For a bit of ambience, remember you can add string lights or paper (battery powered) lanterns to your outdoor space too. ...