Kick up your Home Decor in Extraordinary Ways

I am taking the opportunity this week to answer some readers’ design questions. From a kitchen that needs freshening, to a home that just needs a few added accessories to really make it look great, there are simple solutions for everyone. So let’s roll up our sleeves and get into it. Katie has a small, [...]

The Powder Room – Your Chance to get Really Creative

Last week I shared the experience of a budget-friendly update to an outdated kitchen. Now it’s time to address the client’s old and drab powder room. The powder room is a perfect space to really let loose and get creative. Generally, guests spend less than five minutes in the powder room, so they don’t have [...]

Rescuing A Kitchen From The Grips Of Bad Decorating

One of my first and dearest clients told me she was finally ready to tackle a much-needed update of her kitchen, which had last been remodeled in the early 1990s. Two years ago, when we first discussed the idea, our plans for the kitchen were grand! But since then, the economy has tanked, and my [...]

The Dog Days of Summer – Time to Spruce Up Your Home!

I recently received a call from a friend who was at wit’s end with her adorably small, but dingy apartment.  With the heat of August came a restlessness and the urge to do some serious sprucing up in her apartment.  She wanted to make her environment productive, peaceful and beautiful. With the desperation of Princess [...]

Make Your Guests Feel Like They’re At Home

Every summer, without fail, there is a steady stream of visitors to our house. This means we have a revolving door when it comes to our guest room.  There is nothing more thoughtful than offering up a nice retreat for your visiting friends and family. With this in mind, and a few extra little luxuries, [...]

Design Budgets And The Diet Of Spending

Sticking to your design budget can be as difficult as sticking to a diet. That gorgeous antique console you discovered and just can’t live without is the equivalent of a double fudge brownie staring back at you from the bakery case. And it could blow everything if you indulge. It gets tricky managing a design [...]

The Perfect Outdoor Room

Summer is here and you can almost smell the barbeques and grills all over town working on overdrive. The ritual of summer entertaining brings together friends and family to share a meal, enjoy some cool drinks, and swap stories and laughter on a warm afternoon or evening. If you’re hosting an outdoor meal, it’s fun [...]

Don't be Afraid to Mix It Up

I love walking into a room and finding a design scheme that is completely unexpected. Sleek, modern pieces mixed with traditional antiques and fabrics can be lively and fresh.
In fact, one of my favorite dining rooms is in a modern home with floor-to-ceiling windows, modern art decorating the walls, and the owner’s ornate antique Chippendale dining chairs paired with an IKEA all-white surfboard-shaped dining table. It’s fabulous and clever, all at once.

Designing With Pets

I admit it. There have been times when I’m so fed up with pet hair, I’ve considered dropping the idealistic notion that my house will ever be pet hair free. With all the dogs and cats running around our house, it can be overwhelming keeping that pet hair under control on upholstery, and sometimes I [...]

Think Outside the Boring, White Box

We’ve all been faced with the dilemma of choosing a paint color for a small room. Whether it’s a bedroom, a den, or even the living room, the challenge seems to be brought on by the desire to make a room feel larger. Common theories on making a small room seem roomier have brought many [...]