Adjusting Our Expectations For Paint

Cozy Sleeping Nook by Stephen Gambrel - via Interiors For Families

I will be the first to tell you that paint is one of the most, if not the most powerful tool in a decorator’s bag of tricks. It is one of the best ways to change the whole look of a room, and to make it appear fresh once again. But I want to argue…

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Master Class in Using What You Have

Liz Caan's Living Room | via Interiors For Families

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…

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10 Great Accessories for Floor and Tabletop (for Families!)

Surya Pouf

If you are a parent, does this sound familiar? “The baby is pulling up/walking/running! We need to move everything off floor and the tables to make the house safe for little Junior”   Thankfully, child-proofing does not mean you need to live without decorative accessories in your home – even when the baby can “get…

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Slipcovered Furniture: Family-Friendly or Not?

Slipcovered Sofa - Brand New

I see it all the time. Furniture retailers and designers (famous ones, too!) alike lauding the merits of slipcovered furniture as a great solution for busy households with kids and pets.   source You know what I’m talking about – best typified by the many slipcovered sofas and chairs at Pottery Barn. Is a slipcover…

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Black + White Bathrooms

Black and White Bathroom

Bathroom projects are among the most common renovations people undertake in their homes. They can be exciting, but also stressful. Aside from possibly having to adjust your everyday personal hygeine rituals during the course of construction, and dealing with ballooning budgets and slipping schedules – you’ll need to commit to specific not-inexpensive and not-flexible materials…

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Countdown to High Point

Norwalk Furniture - Copley Square

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…

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How To Paint A Dark Room

Elizabeth Gordon via Houzz

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…

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A Change Of Plans

You may have noticed I’ve been away from the blog for awhile. I’ve been on writing hiatus while we’ve been focusing on some personal business. For months – heck, for nearly a year I’ve been blogging about “our new house,” and the process of designing and decorating it while construction has been ongoing.  I’ve spent…

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Made You Look

Hacienda Farida Outdoor Rug - Rugs USA

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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