Home Decor Expert: May 2014

Updating great room kitchen-living-dining room combo to all neutrals

I started by adding two Ikea dinning chairs to the ends of our already exciting Eyhan Allen dinning room set ! We needed two more chairs because we have a large family and the compliment our white couch and white kitchen cabinets perfectly! What a deal! Similar ones sell at pottery barn for much more money !

Next we finally but in a window behind our dining room table! We have lived in this house almost 7 years and it has been on our to-do list!

We bought white curtains for both sides of the window and both sides of the sliding door. From Ikea for around $30 a pair! That's 2 panels for $30!!! Unbelievable price ! We spent almost $300 on pottery barn curtains behind out couch! Yikes! Never again!!!

Next I swapped out the yellow rug, pillows and accessories for all neutral beige , whites and taupes. Pillows from Serena and Lily ( a little on the pricy side but sooooo worth it!) and the smaller cream and white from pottery barn and etsy respectively.

My father is helping refinish a beautiful piece of furniture in white for under our mirror! We had been using an old desk from target for the time wing but it always bothered me! I can't wait to see it finished!

Here is a picture of the desk/table we have now

Here is a before picture of the beautiful buffet my father is helping me refinish in white ! Can't wait !

Finally I just purchased a beautiful chunky loop jute rug in bleach from rugs usa! They are having a 60% off sale! Use code Sum60! I'm so excited can't wait to see it!!!

Finally my to-do list will conclude with some bookshelfs , lamps and accessories but that may happen a little later! Stay tuned for a room reveal coming soon!!!

Neutral living room for summer

LIGHT NEUTRALS

If you are looking for something to lighten and brighten a room,

try a light neutral.

FINE DINING

A formal dining room in a home is the perfect excuse to get a little

dramatic

Drama in the form of furnishings,

lighting

architecture

color

OR ALL OF THE ABOVE

EXPLORING COLOR: TAUPE

Taupe is often mistaken for other shades of brown. A true taupe has no visible red undertone. It is a cool brown - leaning a little to the blue or lavender side of brown without the traces of yellow or orange you will find in a warm brown or a chocolate.

It is usually grayed down a little - like a Weimaraner. In fact as dogs go, Weims are true taupe - even referred to at times as gray ghosts because of their taupe hues and light eyes

THE BEAUTY OF NATURAL THINGS

BLACK SEA CORAL FAN

Nature is the ultimate artist.

MAKE MY ROOM LOOK LIKE THIS!

Introducing a new service....

MAKE MY ROOM LOOK LIKE THIS...!

I collect photos of beautiful living spaces... they inspire me

Sometimes I find one that is just exactly how I want a room to look.

Or pretty darn close.

THE COLOR YOU CRAVE: GRAY

Choosing a color you are going to live with for a while is intimidating

Especially facing hundreds of tiny squares of color

at your local paint store

via

Throw into the mix lighting, undertones and the fact that the color you see on your computer screen can be completely different than the one you bring home...

Read more »

GARDEN TOUR

I love Spring in Southern California.

Actually, I love Spring anywhere.

I also love gardens, green, flowers, outdoors, outdoor living spaces... you get the picture...

So when my bfs decided to take advantage of one of the Spring garden tours in the area

I grabbed my camera

We invaded gardens from Tustin, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Mission Viejo areas

KITCHEN TRENDS

I'm a little kitchen obsessed right now.

I'm starting my own remodel, and a couple for clients as well...

So, be prepared to drool a little,

(but hopefully not on your keyboard)

and immerse yourself in some truly beautiful kitchens…

NO EXCUSE FOR BORING WALLS

With the abundance of good quality prints both online and in shops

and our own digital cameras and easy to use editing tools,

there is no reason for boring walls

NONE

 We are often drawn to a photo of a room in a magazine or online

without really knowing why

Something about it appeals to you

you may not realize exactly what it is until you look at the room more closely.

WORKING IN COLOR COUNTRY - HOW PERFECT IS THAT?

I just returned from working with clients in St. George, Utah.

ST. GEORGE, was always a town we 'passed through'

or stopped to gas up on the way from California to visit family in Salt Lake.

I am not a fan of the desert,

but our glimpse of the town was limited to the gas station with the easiest freeway access.

Mostly it was hot.

Like a furnace.

CHOOSING COLOR TO GO WITH EXISTING DECOR

When we finally get around to updating our homes,

we usually start with a fresh coat of paint.

Normally this requires finding a current paint color that will still go with our existing upholstery or drapes, while still giving us the updated fresh look we want.