Design
Trendy vs. Timeless: Getting the Balance Right
As far as decorators and designers go, I would definitely place myself on the more conservative, practical end of the spectrum. I value beauty and bling as much as the next pro, but I run everything – and I mean EVERYTHING through my very fine filter of how a family would use it, if they…
Read MoreMaster Class in Using What You Have
Designer Liz Caan (who happens to be based right here in Newton, MA) has been on fire lately. I swear, every time I open a national or regional shelter magazine – there she is! Well, sometimes she herself is not pictured, but her creative, colorful and comfortable interiors are. Naturally, Liz’s work has also taken…
Read More“Secret Cove” Decorator Show House in Kittery Point, ME
Of course, I had to pick the only rainy day in July for my visit to coastal Maine. But the soggy weather and my directly-related bad hair didn’t put a damper on my day – I was there to see the “Secret Cove” Decorator Show House in Kittery Point. Presented by, and supporting Museums of…
Read MoreOld House Love
With all apologies to the eponymous Young House Love bloggers, I just have to write a bit about some Old House Love – for the one my husband and I now own. We haven’t moved in yet, but the prior owners moved out this week. I have to say, now that the house is completely…
Read MoreHigh Point Spring 2013 Color Roundup: GREEN Edition
As a color-oriented decorator, I tend to see color first and other details like line, scale, proportion, etc. after that initial impression of hue. Since color is an important element in retail and showroom design, it was a pretty good bet we’d see some great combinations and palettes at High Point Market. And we did.…
Read MoreFamily-Friendly Finds at High Point Spring 2013 Market
I attended High Point market this past weekend for the first time. Although I was only there for a whirlwind day and a half visit, I can’t believe how much I accomplished, learned, saw, enjoyed, and was inspired by. It is an experience like none other! One of my primary objectives in going to market…
Read MoreMy Custom Upholstered Chair – Concept to Reality
If you’ve been reading the blog for awhile, you’ve probably heard something about the drama surrounding our *almost* purchase of a new construction house, which ultimately fell through for a variety of reasons. This was after nearly a year of specifying and negotiating every finish and detail in the house. I even started decorating and…
Read MoreCountdown to High Point
High Point Market is just two weeks away! Since many (probably most) of my readers are not designers, I first need to explain what High Point Market is, exactly. It’s the largest home furnishings industry market (or, trade show) in the United States. It happens twice a year in High Point, NC, which is…
Read MoreHow To Paint A Dark Room
Chances are, you have at least one room in your house that is a “dark room” – meaning it lacks sufficient natural light during the day to illuminate the room to your satisfaction. There is something wonderful about a space in which you can leave the lights OFF during the day, and only turn them…
Read MoreMade You Look
I love designs that work on multiple levels – that look like one thing, but act like another. It’s a way of having the best of both worlds – whatever those worlds may offer! The design world seems to be brimming with such products these days – some dating back to ancient decorative traditions, and…
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