decorating

Picking The Perfect Throw Pillows

June 21, 2019

How many times have you read, “throw pillows are a simple and easy way to add color/pattern/texture to any design…” While this is entirely true, shopping for throw pillows isn’t as easy as it sounds. There is an amazing range of quality, shapes, colors and sizes to choose from. Ultimately, I always advise “taking the long view,” whereby the largest percentage of your selections can be used in versatile ways for years to come, while keeping more stylized choices to a minimum.

Tips For Choosing Throw Pillows For Any Room in the House

Here are some of the tips I use when selecting throw pillows – also called accent pillows – for my clients’ designs.

Invest in quality. By saying you should invest in quality, I’m not saying you should never buy your accent pillows at bargain stores. However, there is a distinct difference between a high-quality and low-quality pillow. The upscale versions are filled with durable filler materials that don’t lump up, bump up or scatter to the perimeters within a year or so. Higher-quality options will also be covered with higher-thread count covers that can hold up to wear and tear. While you might cringe a little at a higher-priced pillow, keep in mind that it will last for multiple years and can be recovered over and over again. So you will wind up with multiple pillows for the price of one. If you opt for cheapies, you’ll be replacing the throw pillows much more frequently.
Opt for pillows with removable covers. I recommend investing in pillows that have removable covers. This makes them much more versatile. Standard square pillow sizes are about 18-inches, larger pillows will be closer to 24-inches. You will be able to purchase pillow covers online or a local seamstress can make custom covers for you using fabric of your choosing. So, for one set of pillows and a little extra for customized covers, you have limitless aesthetic options.
Pay attention to your fill options. Throw pillows always have feather and/or down fills or synthetic fill versions. The former are pricier than the latter but are also softer and squishier to sit or lay on. Thus, pay careful attention to the pillow’s use. If it’s for looks only, save yourself a little money by selecting pillows with synthetic fill. If you plan on resting your head on it, you like to mold your pillows to your back or you use them to prop your arms as you read/work on the couch, pay a little extra for feather- or down-filled versions. If the pillow will be used to prop you up in a reclined position or will be used as a back rest for kids or adults who prefer to sit on the floor, a firmer synthetic-filled option will be preferred.
Think about color, pattern and texture. If you are at all shy about using bold colors or patterns in more permanent interior design features, accent pillows are a worthy tool. They offer a chance to try out bright colors you’ve been afraid to utilize via wall colors or larger furniture pieces. Pay attention to color and pattern – and let the pillows be practice for pattern layering! Also, think about texture. A little fur, embroidery, sequins, beads, tassels or shaggy texture on the pillows will help to round out your design.
Be odd. While there isn’t a rule about this, odd numbers of pillows are usually preferable to even numbers. The two-and-two or three-and-three balance can look a little boring and dimension-less.

Marvelous Mirrored Furniture

June 21, 2019

Mirrors are one of the oldest design tricks in the book. In addition to reflecting whether you’re having a good or bad hair day, or if a particular wardrobe ensemble is a “go”, they can also be used to enhance your living spaces. Usually, when we designers talk about mirrors, we’re talking about the typical mirrors that hang on a wall. However, mirrored furniture also has a place in the home.

Is There Room For Mirrored Furniture in Your Interior Design?

It can serve all the same purposes a traditional mirror would – amplify lighting, double the impact of a particular design feature or to make a room seem larger. The difference is that mirrored furniture does it in a unique way. A mirrored desk, dresser, dining room buffet or other pieces can be a fun way to add a little glamour while taking advantage of a tried and true interior design tip.

Here are some examples:

Go Metallic

Because mirrors are metallic by nature, they can make a dramatic splash in a spot where you already have other metallic accents or mirrors. Look at how classy this mirrored dresser looks with the mirror hanging above and the arrangement of metallic silver framed pictures on top. While this particular example is from a bedroom, I think this idea would work exceptionally well in an entryway – particularly one that is lacking natural light. It would go a long way towards brightening up (what can be) a cavernous space.

Create a See-Thru Effect

Lately, I have seen acrylic and glass furniture making a larger appearance, especially in contemporary interior designs. They are great for maintaining a more integrated look but they aren’t for everyone. Mirrored furniture can be a good alternative for those who aren’t 100% sold on clear acrylic or glass options, especially because the entire piece doesn’t have to be mirrored. In the case of a desk or buffet, you can have a single mirrored panel or two set in a beautiful piece of wood, which can give you the benefit of the “see-thru” effect while still maintaining a traditional look.

Open Up a Smaller Space. Have a smaller bedroom, office or den? Use mirrored furniture the same way you would if it were hanging on the wall. A non-mirrored desk or nightstand squished between a bed and the wall can look cramped. The same desk with a mirrored surface reflects the space back at you, creating the illusion of openness. Now, that same “squished” corner looks decidedly more spacious.

In Lieu of the Real Thing

Sometimes, a room just doesn’t have enough space to accommodate all of the furniture you want it to while leaving enough space for a nice-sized wall mirror. Guest bedrooms with a large window or two comes to mind. Choosing a mirrored armoire is a great idea because your guests still have a mirrored surface for dressing purposes and you get to keep your well-proportioned layout.

Just Because

Finally, I offer the “just because” reason. There are times where the mirrored look is stunning. Take a look at how this mirrored buffet steals the show. The mirrored panels are tucked behind that beautiful dark wood in geometric designs. It is like an optical illusion of sorts – is it glass or is it mirror? And the reflections that wink back at you from the geometric cut-outs add a visually interesting element to the space.

Not sure whether or not you want to take the mirrored plunge? Start small with a single piece and see how it strikes you.

The Perfect Guest Bedroom

June 10, 2019

Isn’t it a treat when you stay in the home of a friend or family member who has a wonderful guest bedroom? There is such a difference between a trundle bed that has been wheeled out into the home office and a bona fide guest bedroom that takes your comfort and needs into consideration.

7 Tips for Creating the Perfect Guest Bedroom

Perhaps this is the year you can begin focusing on transforming the “spare bedroom” into a haven where guests can relax, sleep well and feel honored in the luxurious space you have created for them.

Provide a comfortable bed. Let’s face it, the bulk of guest beds out there are really just the cast-off mattresses from other bedrooms in the house when the residents purchased new ones. Ditch the old mattress and invest in the most comfortable bed you can afford. Consider it a bonus space for your own sleep needs when a spouse is ill and needs the bed to him/herself or when a night of obnoxious snoring is making you a crazy person. It’s a win-win situation for both you and your guests.
Make it clutter-free. The guest room is often the “Catch All” when you de-clutter the rest of your home. Now, it’s time to de-clutter your guest space. Spend a few hours clearing out everything that isn’t used frequently enough to justify keeping it and donate what you can. Purchase a small desk, an armoire, or a beautiful dresser. These furnishings will help to keep the things you do need to store out of the line of sight.
Choose a soothing color palette. Odds are, this space will be used most often for sleeping, preparing for outings or for those few hours here and there that guests may want to have a bit of quiet time or reading time to themselves. Choose a soothing color palette, but don’t be afraid to throw in a fun print or a colorful accent wall for interest.
Create spaces for guest storage. Odds are your guests will have their own things to store, and the more usable space you have for them the better. Consider spaces for them to store clothing, including ample closet space for dresses, pants and jackets so they don’t have to remain folded and wrinkled in the luggage. Purchase a luggage rack or clear enough space in the closet for them to store emptied luggage pieces. Include room for shoes, spaces for jewelry and other what-not items, all will be appreciated for your guests and will keep the space tidy during their stay.
Toiletry items. Don’t forget to leave out the toiletry basics so they don’t have to hunt. A basket filled with a towel set, robe and extra personal care items is always welcome.
Do a test run. You don’t want your guests to find out their bedside lamp bulb is burned out or the space heater doesn’t work after you’ve already retired for the evening. Do a test run to make sure everything works well and consider the little extras, like a backup bulb in the nightstand drawer, fresh remote control batteries, etc., so guests don’t have to disturb you once the lights are out.
Provide entertainment. You don’t have to offer a television (although a small flat screen that can be tucked away won’t go unappreciated), but do offer some interesting reading material, artwork, cards or games that might get used when they are left to their own devices. These come in handy when time differences make for early rising times or later sleeping times until internal clocks have adjusted.

Attracting Butterflies To Your Garden

June 3, 2019

Where are your favorite places to hang out? Odds are, you flock to places with scenery you find attractive and where the food and drinks are scrumptious. Butterflies are no different. These fascinating, ephemeral, winged creatures enjoy gardens that offer a variety of brightly colored flowers, tasty nectar or plants that protect and feed their larval young.

Plant Your Garden With Butterflies in Mind

Visual beauty is typically the first thing on a homeowners mind when planning spring and summer gardens. Before you go too far planning a perfectly synchronized bloom palette, take a little time to learn about the plants and flowers that attract butterflies. You’ll still be able to paint your outdoor canvas with a rainbow of colors, while simultaneously providing pollinators with choice edibles.

Watching butterflies is hypnotic, and planting the flowers and shrubs they prefer provides hours of enjoyment for you, family and friends. In addition to butterflies, you’ll also enjoy the presence of other pollinators such as bees and hummingbirds. I recommend purchasing a copy of Stokes Butterfly Book : The Complete Guide to Butterfly Gardening, Identification, and Behavior, which is a wonderful companion to keep by your side for further information on attracting and identifying common North American garden butterflies.

Now, on with a list of plants you should add to your landscape to delight in butterfly revelry. All of the following are California natives, which means they are the exact plants resident butterfly species have evolved with and adapted to. Plus, the wide majority of them are drought tolerant – another major bonus.

Indian Mallow and Flowering Maple (Abutilon palmeri). This isn’t a stunning plant, but it is hardy and subtly sweet. It’s used to hot, dry rocky slopes, but still manages to look green year-round and produce gorgeous bright yellow to yellow-orange flowers all spring and early-summer long.

California Buckeye (Aesculus californica). Flowering trees are butterfly favorites as well, and the California buckeye is certainly one of their preferred species. Especially attractive to the larvae of the Echo Blue Butterfly, buckeyes prefer partial shade and sun and will grow to about 15-feet high.

Beautiful Rockcress (Arabis pulchra var. gracile). The name says it all. It is, indeed, a beautiful perennial plant with stunning purple blooms. It’s a favorite to a wide variety of native butterfly species. It loves the sun and does quite well in rock gardens.

Sunset Manzanita (Arctostaphylos hybrid). This type of manzanita is a shrub, rather than tree, and will top out at 3-feet tall and 6-feet wide. It’s a great drought tolerant groundcover for front and backyards, and looks beautiful against the backdrop of a redwood fence. Sunset Manzanita is also a favorite hangout for more than a dozen butterfly species, including Monarchs, Mourning Cloaks, Red Admirals and California Tortoiseshell butterflies.

Marsh Baccharis (Baccharis douglasii). Butterflies aren’t the only reason you’ll want a Marsh Baccharis growing in your garden. This plant is an entomologist’s delight, attracting a range of interesting flies, beetles and other insects and bugs. Marsh Baccharis has bright green leaves and tiny, cream-colored blooms. It isn’t a focal point to speak of, more like a nice background plant.

California Lilacs (Ceanothus). If I had to pick a favorite flower, lilac would be a contender. They are as stunningly fragrant as they are visually attractive, and they continue to flourish for decades once established. It’s hard to believe that a plant this evergreen and profuse in its blooms is also drought tolerant.

Venus Thistle (Cirsium occidentale venustum). Here’s another fun addition for your rock garden. Thistles may look hostile, but their nectar is a favorite of both adult swallowtails as well as hummingbirds.

Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata). This is a grass, not a flower. It looks like a Bermuda grass and behaves like one too. Saltgrass is a favorite home for multiple species of butterfly larvae and can handle seriously high traffic areas.

Buckwheat (Eriogonum spp.). There are many different species of buckwheat and virtually all of them are attractive to pollinators. One of my favorite species is called sulfur flower (Erigonum umbellatum), which blooms bright yellow and grows just 3-inches tall, making great groundcover. Do be aware that it prefers cooler climates, with partial sun.

Penstemon “Margarita BOP” (Penstemon heterophyllus). Penstemon is gorgeous in all her different species but the “Margarita BOP” is a good one. It blooms sky blue and becomes purple, remaining evergreen when not in bloom. It also does well in high-traffic areas of the yard or garden.

Western Azalea (Rhododendron occidentale). Have a poor-draining area of your yard? Try planting some Western Azalea and see how they do. These plants thrive in moist, bog-like environments. Their leaves are deciduous and they have bright white blooms with swatches of golden pollen to attract our winged friends.

This list could go on and on but the following should get you started. What are some of your favorite butterfly-friendly plants?

What’s Your Interior Design Style?

May 15, 2019

Some of us know exactly what we want and how we want it when it comes to a remodel or interior design overhaul. Others, not so much. While you know you need a change, and you admire the pictures you see on websites like Houzz, your likes and tastes may run all over the map, which makes it hard to decide on what particular design style. That’s okay!

With a little inward focus and assistance from a professional interior designer, your personal design tastes will be revealed to you.

6 Steps You Can Take To Figure Out Your Interior Design Style

Take a look at your life. The first step is to take a look at your current interior. Walk around and put small post-it notes on any items that you Love (based on aesthetics, not sentimental value). Once you’re done: What do they have in common? What’s different? If you’re lucky, you may see right away that you love bold bright colors or that neutral beach cottage themes are more your style. If not, no worries. We’ll just keep on going.
Take a look at the world outside. Take a walk around your neighborhood. Which homes catch your eye? Do you like modern, Frank Lloyd Wright-style homes or do you tend to wax nostalgic at the ornate Victorians? Snap pictures or start a written tally of the architectural styles that make your heart happy. This might not mean anything to you but it will be an informational gem for your interior designer.
Be snoopy in the homes of friends and neighbors. Start inviting yourself over to your friends’ and neighbors’ houses so you can really check out their interiors. Which ones are your favorites? What stands out about them to you? Are they peaceful or full of energy (the decor, not the people)? Are they minimal or ornate? Do they have lots of clean lines and hard edges or are there lots of curves and soft spots? Would you call them warm or cool? All these clues lead the way to your own personal style.
Describe your ultimate vacation getaway. What does the setting look like? If you love the idea of a cabin in the woods, surrounded by trees, meadows and the sky – you may prefer a more neutral interior with natural color accents. If your idea of a vacation involves lots of days lying on a tropical beach, listening to marimba bands and consuming drinks with umbrellas, your style may be a little more upbeat and colorful.
Make a collage. Yes, yes – digital design books are awesome but when you’re trying to determine your interior design style, you’re better off with a hands-on activity. Put a pile of home design magazines together, sit in a comfortable spot and start tearing out the pictures that capture your attention. Try to keep your brain out of it. Don’t analyze or judge, just rip it all out. Then you can start to create a collage – weeding out anything that doesn’t dazzle you the second time around. This is an immensely helpful tool for you to bring to your designer the first time you meet for a consult.
Take online quizzes. These things can kind of be addicting – and they can also be visually overwhelming – so take them in the right moment. Like the collage idea, always go with the first reaction your body gives you with out analyzation. Try Style Engine or What’s Your Signature?