DIY

Making Spirits Bright With A Beautiful Tree

September 14, 2018

Even if I wasn’t a huge fan of the holiday season, I still think I’d put a Christmas tree in my home and decorate it. In this season where we spend more hours in the dark than the light, there is something so peaceful and inspiring about spending the end of each evening, snuggled up on the couch or in a favorite chair, in front of a beautifully decorated and illuminated tree.

Christmas Tree Decorating 101

Whether this is your first holiday season on your own or you’re simply interested in new tips for designing a Christmas tree that will do your photos justice, the following is a little Christmas (or holiday…) Tree 101 Tutorial that will keep you on track.

Provide a firm foundation

The last thing you want is to put the shining star on top, only to have the entire tree come crashing down…believe me, it happens pretty often. If the tree will be placed on carpet, I recommend getting a large, firm plastic mat or a piece of plywood that is as wide as the widest branches of the tree. This will provide firmer footing for the tree stand.

If you have an artificial tree, do spend time walking all around the edges and adjust branches so they are evenly spaced and positioned. This will help to balance the weight. If you go the live tree route (don’t you love that fresh, pine scent in your home?), then invest in a high-quality stand. The cheap ones are flimsy and they don’t often do a very good job of supporting a medium-large to larger tree.

Make sure you get the tree snug, all the way down to the bottom of the stand. Tighten the clamps enough to securely hold the tree in position. Once the tree is rotated to show off its best branches forward, fill the base with water. After that, I recommend putting in a couple handfuls of ice cubes every other day – or as needed – so you don’t have to crouch uncomfortably and mind the decorations when it’s time to re-water.

Light’s first, then action

If you have a pre-lit, artificial tree, you can skip this step. Otherwise, always put your lights on the tree first, before you add any other decorations. It will drive the kids nuts having to wait patiently as you finish, but the final results will be worth the wait.

The best way to do it is to start at the bottom and work your way out, moving from the inside of the tree to the outside. Make sure each of the major branches is sufficiently lighted. I like to have the lights on while I perform this task so I can keep stepping back and readjusting the lights’ position as necessary. When they’re off, it’s more difficult to tell what the overall effect is. After the lights are in their final position, I turn them off so our household can enjoy our official “Christmas Tree Lighting” arter the last of the decorations is added.

If you haven’t done so already, make this the year that you trade in your old holiday lights for LED versions. Yes, they are pricier but the energy you save and the extra years of shining lights you’ll gain are well worth it.

Unroll the garland

Is your family a garland family? I’ve noticed that some people are and some aren’t. If you are, now’s the time to apply it. If you aren’t, and you have young children, I highly recommend going the old fashioned, plain popcorn and cranberry stringing route. It’s fun, it gets the whole family involved and it looks lovely when added to the tree. The key to keeping your cranberry-popcorn garland from looking too cheesy is to add more cran than pop. You can also add cinnamon sticks, pinecones and other natural fodder to round out the look.

Hang the ornaments

Once it’s time to hang the ornaments, I recommend the following system.

First, hand your very favorite ornaments so they are all guaranteed to have a prime, visible spot on the tree. Balance them out accordingly.
Next, hand the larger ornaments. These ornaments need more space. By hanging them next, you can find all the right “big space” locations so the ornaments fit well. Otherwise, there is quite a bit of ornament re-juggling to be done later in order to make it all look proportional.
Finally, fill in the remaining spaces with your medium and smaller size ornaments.

I can’t tell you how many years I (a professional designer, no less) used to hang ornaments willy-nilly by eye – – and then spent small portions of each day thereafter amending or adjusting. Now that I use the above system, I am typically finished when the last ornament is hung – give or take a few trades here and there.

Making That College Dorm Stylish

August 3, 2018

College dorms are the ultimate “shared design experience,” especially freshman year when you don’t know much about your dorm mates. In many cases, college dorm rooms end up looking like two halves of completely different wholes – with a nearly visible line down the middle. The ultimate goal is to find ways to design your section of the room so that it is comfortable and expresses your own, personal style.

7 Tips for Making that College Dorm Stylish

The following tips will help you make your dorm space your own.

Create a color scheme. If you are in contact with your future roommate(s) and are in conversation with them, ask them what they plan to do. While designing a room together is probably a bit of a stretch, knowing what colors(s) they plan to use can help you choose yours. Are you familiar with a Color Wheel? They are fantastic for determining which colors go the best together.

Using complementary colors (colors directly opposite one another on the wheel) is one approach. Using analogous colors (colors that are side-by-side on the wheel) is another. This Houzz.com article is a good introduction to the process. If you and your dorm roommates can coordinate the colors in your individual spaces using the tenets of the color wheel, your room will look amazing, even if your styles are completely different.

Use impermanent color. While the typical nail holes and scuff marks are expected in a dorm room, most colleges forbid more permanent changes – like repainting the walls. Therefore, you will have to find ways to use impermanent color to keep your space from resembling a sterile, white hospital room.

Easy ways to do this include:

Creating a large wall board with favorite pictures, posters and memorabilia from back home.
Using colorful, decorative throw pillows on your bed – which also serves as a chair, couch and hang-out space when more than one friend stops by.
Hang tapestries or wall hangings that add both color and texture to your room.
Choosing an attractive bedding set since your bed will always be in the spotlight when your dorm room door is open.

Read, Adding Color Without Adding Paint for more fun ideas for how to add style and color in your dorm space.

Upgrade your “home office.” Your desk is going to be your home within a home over the next several years so you might as well make it as stylish and comfortable as possible. First, make sure you set your desk up in a way that supports ergonomics so you aren’t compromising your physical health by typing in crazy positions. Then, add a little color via desktop organizers, pen/pencil holders and don’t forget an indoor plant or two to add a little life.

Keep that closet organized. Part of keeping any space stylish includes keeping it free of unnecessary clutter. That’s no easy feat in a dorm room, so an efficiently organized closet is key. Dorm closets are notoriously small but you’d be amazed what a difference an efficient closet design will make. The more organized your closet is, the less of its contents will spill into the rest of the room.

Bring the bare minimum with you to start since you’ll only be adding to it as the year progresses. If you live there for a few weeks/months and decide your missing some essentials, you can always have them shipped out. Visit a home furnishings store to find closet organizers that work in both your dorm room and future closets.

Making A Student-Centric Study Area In Your Home

July 9, 2018

Time flies doesn’t it? One minute you’re helping your baby learn how to walk, the next minute she’s in Kindergarten and before you know it – homework becomes an everyday event. One of the best things you can do to foster a reverence for learning is to create a customized study area for your children.

Not only does this begin to build an academic culture in your home, when done right, it also creates a soothing and distraction-free area where children can focus on their studies.

Your study area can arise just about anywhere, as long as there’s enough room for an uncluttered working space. Perhaps you’ve decided to add a message center or small home office space in the kitchen, or maybe you have a corner of a living room or the child’s bedroom that you can carve out.

I’ve found that creating a small work or study space in a guest room space can be a good idea. Getting the child out of their room and into a quieter, “special” space can help them focus on their work. In any case, here are the basics for making a study area where your child can get to work.

Study your child. We are all very different when it comes to how we work and study best. Make sure you create a study space that is tailored to your child’s needs, and not your own. For example, some people work best in absolute quiet and silence, while others actually do best with a little background music or hubbub around them. Some need to sit still while others (kinesthetic learners and higher-energy children) need to wiggle a bit. Your child’s learning style and studying preferences should lead the way.
Choose the space. Obviously your home will be a great predictor of where this space will be. If you have a small townhome or apartment, using a spare room is probably out of the question. But your goal should be to find a space that can accommodate a small desk or work surface, an appropriate chair or yoga ball (more on that later) and the essential work tools. You also want to take things like sound and lighting into the equation.
Choose the furniture. Make sure the workspace is ergonomically comfortable for your child. Typically, the work surface should be about waist-height and the chair should be one that fits your child well (no dangling feet!). If your child likes to wiggle, consider using a yoga ball or swivel chair, so they can move a bit as they work. Motion anchors thought for kinesthetic learners and many younger, active children – so if they can’t more or wiggle a bit while they work, they’ll have a difficult time concentrating and staying on task.
Eliminate clutter. Clutter is the enemy in any home design. It’s distracting and confusing. It tires the eyes and the mind. Your child will be particularly susceptible to clutter so a designated homework station should house only the necessary items – paper, pencils, pens, dictionary, and the homework at hand. Even markers, staplers, tape, glue, etc. should be stored in an accessible drawer or cupboard until they are needed.
Keep supplies stored close. If you use a table, rather than a desk, make sure the cursory homework supplies are stored within arm’s reach, if possible. Every time your child has to leave the area to get something, or get up to ask you where something is located, takes his/her mind off the task at hand.
Create space for organization. For the most part, organization is a learned skill. You can facilitate that skill in your children by teaching and implementing organizational tricks. Use a large wall-calendar to track and organize homework assignments and test days. If the homework area is in a family room or living room, you can use a desktop calendar instead so it doesn’t take up wall space. Make sure there’s a large, easy-to-read clock somewhere close so they can keep themselves on schedule. In and out boxes can help both of you keep on track of what needs to be looked at and/or signed and what is ready to be returned to the teacher.
Sanctify Homework Time. Finally, you lead the way and set the tone, so do your part by making homework time a sacred time in the household. The TV should be off, cell phones should be placed on silent (the child should not have access to their cell phone until homework is complete), social media interactions are put on hold, older or younger children should be equally beholden to respecting the homework space and quiet time, etc. The less distractions the better so you child can really sink into the work and do their very best.

Creating Space In Your Bedroom Closet

April 5, 2018

Is your bedroom closet beginning to look like one of those Sunday morning cartoons – you open the door and a pile of stuff comes crashing down on your head? Or, maybe you’re just tired of standing in front of a cramped, crowded hodge-podge of “stuff” that prevents you from being able to see the forest for the trees. In either case, finding a way to create more space in your bedroom closet can pave the way for a more functional and organized space.

Tips for Organizing and Creating More Space in Your Closet

The following tips can help you to cleanse, organize and create more space so your bedroom closet is actually useful again.

Take everything out. Forget about flipping through item by item. If your closet is a jumble, it’s time to take everything out and re-think how your closet is organized. It’s also an opportunity to remember that you haven’t worn that particular outfit in more than five years (dump it) or that as much as you loved those maternity items, you really aren’t going to have another baby (it’s probably time to donate them to someone who will use them)…and so on. Cleansing the closet of unused stuff, and the clothing and accessories that no longer suit you, can be an immediate space-gainer.
Be ruthless. When it comes to cleansing, it’s easiest to be ruthless. The one-year rule is the best one; if you haven’t used it or worn it in a year, you don’t need it. If this is hard for you, create a small “3-month” section and put a reminder in your calendar. If you use an item from the “3-month” section before the calendar reminder, add it back to the main closet area. If you haven’t, bag what’s left in there and donate it.
Contact a contractor or design professional. There may be available space via soffits or interior wall recesses that can be gained with a minimal amount of construction work. If you want a larger closet, contact a professional contractor or designer and begin exploring your options. This might literally gain you more space.
Think about your closet proportions. Most professional closet design companies use no more than two-thirds of a closet space for stacked, hanging rods. The rest should be dedicated to shelving for folded clothing, organizer baskets, shoe holders and accessory drawers. You can replicate this model on your own. Closet rods should be mounted at least 12-inches away from the wall and the bottom rod should be just over three-feet from the ground. Limit shelf heights to no more than 10-inches so things can’t get jumbled up.
Move seasonal items elsewhere. If you don’t already have an extra-large suitcase available, purchase a cheap version. A large, plastic storage bin will also work. Start rotating seasonal clothing, like sweaters, most of your sweatshirts, heavy pants, boots, etc. with their opposites. Throw in some lavender sachets to keep things smelling fresh. Then store the out-of-season clothes elsewhere – in the rafters of your garage, under the bed, in a guest room closet etc. Your closet space will open up considerably.
Use a professional closet organizer. DIY closet organization is an affordable option but nothing beats the use of a professional closet organizing company who can come in, evaluate what you have and then design specific storage spaces to accommodate it. It’s a design modification that will make a major impact and will continue to be useful years down the road.

Creating The Perfect Gallery Wall

February 27, 2018

Adding a gallery wall to your home or office is a wonderful way to add interest, color, pattern and emotion. If you’re an art collector, it provides a way to highlight your collection; if you are a globe-trotter, it provides a way to display favorite scenes or memories from your travels. Many gallery walls combine art, photographs and mementos – however, there is a fine line between a well-executed display and one that comes off as a bit cluttered or messy.

Create a Gallery-Worthy Wall in Your Home or Office Space

The following tips will be helpful to keep in mind when assembling your own pieces and formatting the layout for a gallery wall.

Place the furniture first. One of the keys to preventing a cluttered look is to keep things in proportion. For this, you must have a clear understanding of the dimensions you’re working with, and that requires prior furniture placement so you know exactly how low or wide you can go with your pieces. Keep your wall gallery on hold until you are sure about your furniture placement, then you’ll be able to space and place your collection accordingly.
Pay attention to light. Natural light is gorgeous and a bonus to any interior design, however, it will take its toll on wall hangings, photographs and art. Pay attention to how the light spills into your room during the course of the day, and place the smallest groupings – and least important of your pieces – in areas that receive the most sunlight to reduce fading.
Hang the most important pieces first. Determine which of your pieces are the most important and hang those first. The rest of your collection and placement should be considered in relationship to your focal pieces. Your focal piece(s) should be the center of the display, everything else should move out from there.
Find a unifying theme. Perhaps it’s the frame, a specific color or symbol, or a particular genre of art – in most cases, an attractive gallery wall will have some type of unifying theme. If your art does not, consider using the same types of frames to avoid distraction. This being said, it’s a good idea to hang an atypical frame here and there, perhaps for your focal pieces, to avoid monotony.
You don’t have to measure exactly. Contrary to the mathematical formulas you may have found online, you don’t have to measure exactly. Quite the contrary. That being said, you should leave a few inches of white space between two frames to (you guessed it) prevent clutter, but also to provide each piece with a hint of independence.
You should think about a level. There is nothing more frustrating than unintentionally crooked lines. Do use a level to keep the pieces relative to one another and to spare your Type-A and decorator friends from the irrepressible urge to straighten something that can never be straightened without starting over from scratch.
Step back and view from different angles. As you go, do step back every few frames or so and walk to different areas of the room. This will help you determine if your plan is working out as you envisioned it, and will highlight any red flags so you can make changes before you’ve gone too far.
Don’t be afraid to layer or prop. Some of my favorite mantels and bookcase displays involve larger canvases that have another, smaller piece of art propped off-center on it’s surface. Simply propping a canvas against the wall adds a modern, avant-garde touch.