How Current Events Affect Color and Decorating

For the past several years, post 9-11, we’ve cocooned in our homes painting them rich warm cozy colors like dark chocolate and rich rusty red, colors that evoke warmth and safety and home. Lately, we seem to be moving out of that intense color phase and into a new light phase with wall color being [...]

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Camouflage the Neighbors (and other eyesores)

Despite your attempts at diplomacy, your neighbor has decided to park his rusty old camper on your end of his front yard. This predicament is particularly significant if you are trying to sell your house, but it is not pleasant at any time. What to do. If he really will not haul the camper to [...]

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Green Decorating: Shop your local consignment stores

Okay, I admit it. I have the consignment bug. I find it incredibly exciting to hunt for and find an item that is not only reasonably priced but also has a history to it.
I recently purchased an oval mahogany solid-topped dining table that was, admittedly, a little beaten up on the surface, but the base was [...]

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Creating a Peaceful Space

Sometimes you just want to relax. Whether it’s in a bedroom, a master bath, or some other special place like this library, there are times when you want to enter a room and just say Ahhhhh. When planning that relaxing space, start with the wall color. This room is Gentle Gray (Benjamin Moore) and it reads a [...]

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Curb Appeal: Shrubs, Trees, and Bushes

Next time you’re out front, take a good look at your house. Can you see it okay or are there trees and shrubs blocking the view?
It’s especially important if you’re selling your house to make sure potential buyers have a good look at your house from the street. And they like what they see, of [...]

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How to Deal with Bad Furniture Selection

Problem: My brand new sofa now seems too big for the room but I don’t want to take it back. What can I do?
If you’re dealing with a big sectional or other large sofa that dominates your living room, here’s an idea for making it seem a little less imposing. Choose a wall color that [...]

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Creating a Happy House with Light and Color

Unless you’re holed up in a dark room to write a novel, most people like light and airy spaces. They like the feeling of open windows, tall ceilings, and good energy flow. Even if you don’t have a large space, you can achieve that good feeling with a few tricks.
1.  Let the sun in. Open the curtains [...]

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Choosing House Colors that “Fit In”

Lots of homeowners out there are wrestling with what color to paint their house and trim. It is a huge decision because it’s expensive to change your mind half-way through the painting process and even more painful if you don’t like it when the painters are done.
A lot of people paint their houses without any [...]

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Stage Your Own Home

If you are selling your home, or even if you’re not, there is lots of advice out there for how to prepare your house. Television shows like Designed to Sell (HGTV) give you a crash course in updating, but for many home sellers, the thought of redoing kitchens and baths and floors without the benefit [...]

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Choosing the Perfect Green for your House Color

Green is nature’s most prominent color, at least in the spring and summer, and it makes a wonderful color for your house. The challenge is to find the right green, something that appears in nature, does not conjure up images of either toothpaste or lime koolaid, and does not stick out like a sore green [...]

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