Interior Decorating In CT

Come visit the largest Home Show in CT at the Hartford Convention Center on October 7-9, 2011. There will be many vendors there for all types of home improvement projects including myself, featuring interior design and staging homes.

Hi all
I have recently opened up a facebook page for All About Interiors. Check it out and click on “like”!!! www.facebook.com/allaboutinteriors

Hello there,
Well, I finally joined the 21st century and added my business to Facebook. Check out facebook under All About Interiors

Hi there,

Spring is the time for rejuvenation and to bring in the new and purge the old.  Look around your home and see if the space planning makes good decorating sense.  Are the colors dated?  Is the couch worn out and old looking?  If you are not sure… ask a professional designer!  We spend the most time in our homes (most of us) and we should feel good while we are in them.

For more information on the topic and good design tricks of the trade, check out www.allaboutinteriors.org

Happy decorating!

It’s that time of year again… to think about a new and fresh look for your home. Spring is around the corner and with that comes rejuvination.
Come check out the Hartford CT Spring Home Show at the Expo Center this weekend to get ideas and meet me in person. Say you saw this on my blog and you will recieve a free room redesign make over consultation.

1. Link adjacent spaces with the same color and flooring. Keeping to one color makes rooms look bigger. However, if you do need to change flooring materials it is wise to stay in the same color family.

2. Use light colors or neutrals throughout; as they are space expanders and provide a neutral background for furniture and artwork.

3. Using cool colors will make the walls to visually recede.

4. If you have large windows with beautiful views bring outside colors to your room to unify outside world with inside and expand the look of the space.

5. When adding draperies to the room, keeping them in the same color as walls or lighter will help avoid contrast and add more light to the space.

6. It is best to avoid unnecessary details, such as ruffles in furniture and window treatments. Use simple paneled draperies or shades.

7. Using smaller prints or plain color fabrics and rugs will create a single, unified effect and visually expand the room.

8. Do not use large patterns in a small room, as it creates an over stimulated feeling.

9. Let as much natural light as possible into a room as it opens up space and gives it a character.

10. Installing an oversized mirror or a set of smaller mirrors will add extra light, sparkle and make a small room appear larger.

11. Consider using multifunctional furniture, such as ottomans, which could be used as coffee tables or sitting area.

12. Using ottomans, window seats, armoires, and bookcases with enclosed compartments is a perfect solution for hiding everyday clutter.

13. As a rule of thumb, scaled-down furniture will make the room look larger, however, fewer but larger pieces of multifunctional furniture will help avoid clutter created by small furniture pieces spread out in the room.

14. Consider adding a floor to ceiling and wall to wall bookcase. This trick will create an impressive focal point and visually expand space by pushing the walls and ceiling out.

15. Sofas and armchairs that are raised on legs create a sense of light and space; therefore they are more preferable for small rooms.

16. Folding and stacking pieces of furniture and furniture on wheels can be pushed out of the way when not in use, as a result creating more space when needed.

17. If possible, remove as many doors as possible to increase the sense of space.

18. Unclutter the space. Try to dispose of everything you have not used for a year. Do not get attached to furniture. Get rid of any item of furniture that is not adding to the look of the room. Create organized storage wherever possible.

19. Do not fill up every shelf in a room; leave some of them half empty and spacious for an airy and more dramatic look.

20. Light scented candles daily for a relaxed mood and a pleasant smell.

Holiday Tablesetting

Hi There,

Since the holidays are right around the corner, I thought I’d write about some of the “rules of decorating” when it comes to the holidays.  Let’s start with the outside and work our way inside.  Don’t overdue it with Santa Claus and or reindeer in the front yard it can look a bit cliche and cheesy.   You want your friends and family to have a warm welcoming feeling when they pull into your driveway.  A lit pathway, some classic wreaths  in the windows or garlin surrounding the door is always nice.   Either all white lights (my preference) or colored ones on some bushes or if you are lucky enough to have a Christmas tree in your yard… do it up holiday style.

Don’t forget the entrance way… lots of people concentrate on the Christmas tree which is usually not positioned directly when you walk in the door.  Make sure your home says “holidays” when you walk in the enterance.  Put out a clear glass vase with some sticks in it and hang a few bobbles from the branches or bling.  Use garlin on staircases with bows and ribbon swagged up the stairs.  If you are celebrating Hannukkah, you can decorate with Paper Dreidels or Menorahs.  This will give your stairs a welcoming and warm, festive look. 

Hang ornaments from the chandelier or ceiling fan to draw the eye upward.

Decorate your house with one motif in mind.  It could be just about anything but repeat it throughout the house.

Decorate in Threes!!!  Group odd number of items together so that they eye has a “middle ground”.

Rather than rushing out to buy expensive new china, glasses and silverware for a holiday get-together, consider renting it. No matter where you live, chances are there’s a party rental store near you. The prices are reasonable and by renting rather than buying you also avoid having to store the items year after year.

A simple way to give your holiday decorations a professionally decorated look is to stick to just two or three colors. Deciding on a palette before you shop makes the selection process quick and easy.

Adding a vintage element, such as homemade gingerbread men, hand-strung popcorn or a cranberry garland to your holiday decorations lends a sentimental, old-fashioned feel.

To cover an unusually shaped or extra-long table, simply drape it with fabric from the bolt. Measure the length of the table keeping in mind that 36 inches is equivalent to one yard. Add a few inches to each side to allow the fabric to puddle on the ground — no sewing required.

A lit fireplace is beautiful but can quickly heat up a room filled with guests. To get the look without the warmth, instead fill the hearth with lit pillar candles.

Keep it simple and classic and you won’t regret spending so much money since you can use those items year after year.  If you like trendy… mix a few trendy pieces with mostly classic to make the look updated.

Go Rustic!  Use nature as your inexpensive tool to decorate.  Pine branches garnished with ribbon, cranberries and a bow for example is a great decorative piece.  Branches spray painted white (or silver or gold) in a vase is beautiful.  Use pebbles or nuts in the bottom to ground the branches.  You can even use one large spray painted branch laying  on your fireplace mantle.  Use fruit as a centerpiece for your table and dress it up by using some decorative pieces such as cranberries, pine branches and candles to complement eachother.  Use artichokes in a glass bowl for a centerpiece which gives color and texture to any table

As long as I’m discussing tables…. don’t ignore the table setting.  Make sure you have all your plates, utensils, napkins glasses etc… set aside the day before so you are not scrambling to find what you need the day of entertaining.   

Use a white or red plant/flower in the room that you wouldn’t necessarily associate with Christmas.  It works just as well.

Use the same color gift wrap as your tree decor to make a statement under the tree.  Use ribbon to spruce up the packages.

Ribbon is a very inexpensive tool to decorate with.  I like to use it everywhere… on the mantle, the tree, railings, wreaths, gift wrap, centerpiece etc…  get the point?

I hope this information was helpful in preparing for your holiday.  I wish all my readers a very healthy and happy holiday season.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL ABOUT INTERIORS GO TO WWW.ALLABOUTINTERIORS.ORG

some of the above information was obtained from HGTV and Country Living

Hi there,

Thanks for reading!  The fall home show was a huge success and look forward to the spring one as well.  For those readers who are interested, I also do hand made cards and gifts.  The holidays are only 47 days away and hand made holiday greeting cards are much more impressive than a store bought card.  Check out www.handmadecardsandcrafts.com to order.

Til next time…

Hi,

I just wanted to let my blog followers know that All About Interiors will be showcasing their work at the Home Show at the Expo Center in Hartford, CT Friday-Sunday November 5,6,7th.  Stop by booth 922 if you can to meet me in person!

Happy Decorating!

AAI Client Bathroom (After Picture)

Stuff happens!  Mistakes are inevitable especially in building or remodeling.  While it’s unlikely that any of our remodeling mistakes will not be as big as the BP catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, we should not ignore the impact that even minor mistakes can have on your wallet.  What can we do to minimize mistakes?  Here are a few (hopefully helpful) tips;

1- Hire a knowledgeable contractor with a good reputation, qualified referals and years of experience in the industry.  You can also google or check Better Business Bureau for any lawsuits pending with their clients.

2-Ask Questions and lots of them…   Familiarize yourself with the different products that are available and once you chose a few you like, learn more about the product and how it will fit into your plans.  Do your homework and get involved, after all, it is your home.

3-If you are doing the work yourself, measure twice (or more) cut once.  Also you may want to research either by going on line or through “do it yourself” books on different methods to do the work.  You may find one method easier than another or learn something new.

4- Keep your project small.  Start in one room, concentrate on just that room and then when finished completely, move to another room.  This way, you are not overwhelmed, confused or choosing too many materials that don’t work together.

5- When in doubt, hire a professional decorator or designer to minimize your costs on mistakes.  They are trained to know all kinds of different materials and products, what colors, fabrics and patterns coordinate well together and how to maximize your space with the right size furniture or space planning.  The fee of a decorator/designer is far less than a costly mistake.

For more information on All About Interiors and our services see www.allaboutinteriors.org  

I hope this information prevents a costly mistake… Happy decorating!