No one EVER came to our front door...

I am sure you have had the experience of going to a new friend's house for the first time and as you approached the front door, had a conversation with yourself that went something like this: 

"I hope this is the right house. Which door should I go to? Are they expecting me? Is the front light on? I can't see the front door from here. This path is awfully hard to walk on…I hope I don't track mud into their house.  Does the doorbell work or should I knock?"

For our guests, our entryway is where we welcome them and show them a little bit of our personality and hospitality. For us as homeowners, our entryway should welcome us home each day and make our life easier the minute we walk in the door.

So is your home's entrance more like a warm smile with hand extended, or a disinterested glance over the shoulder accompanied by a gruff grunt?

In my own house, it was a long-time frustration that our front door didn't face the street. Our historic house faced the main road when it was built in the 1800's, but when the land around it was developed in the 1980's, our house didn't relate to the neighborhood that now surrounds it. 

During our early years in our home, guests NEVER came to our front door, because there was no way to get to it. As a result our house was confusing to visitors and not welcoming at all--a problem we fixed as we renovated in the early 2000's, making the front porch a focal point at the end of a circular driveway, delivering visitors right to where they should enter the house. 

Author and architect Sarah Susanka, in her book Not So Big Solutions for Your Home, states it so well:

"The Key is to think of entry as a process, not a thing. A good entry is a sequence of places, not simply a door...A well-designed entry provides a gradual transition from the outdoors to the indoors, with attention paid to visitors at every turn...is there a place for them to stand, to take off their coats, and to adjust to being inside before they step into the living spaces of the house?"

So, here are a few things for all of us to think about as we consider the entrances to our homes:

As the person who comes through that door every day, it is most important that the entrance is welcoming and functional for YOU, not just impressive for guests. Do you have a place for all of those things that are dumped upon entry? A table for mail, a hook or dish for keys, a hanging spot for your coat? Do not take up precious storage space here for things that aren't used frequently or needed as you walk out the door.

Take a few minutes and think through what you want guests to experience when they come to visit. How do you want them to feel as they enter your home? Cut flowers and/or a special piece of art can be a welcoming addition to the space that also shows a bit of your family's personality. Outside it is easy to overlook leaning brooms, piles of leaves, dead flowers, cobwebs, and tattered welcome mats as we walk past them each day. Look at the approach to your house with fresh eyes and see what might need to be spiffied up, making things look better for you and your guests. 

AND ANOTHER THING: If you own a business, creating a warm welcome can directly impact your bottom line--when people can graciously transition from outside to in and feel good about what they expect once inside, they will feel comfortable. When they feel comfortable and welcomed, they will trust you and the service you provide and want to come back again and again.

Visiting Old Friends

We walked along in the cold morning air-- George the dog needed to stretch his legs and take care of a few things before all of us were to start our busy day.

My cousin took a route along the streets of her hometown that George was certainly familiar with, but one that was totally new and full of wonder for me. 

I had a long drive ahead of me that day (returning home to Philadelphia), and starting my morning taking in so many beautiful houses--some in good condition, some under construction, some in complete disrepair, but all retaining most of the original architectural detail from the Victorian Era--was such an inspiration. 

You see, historic buildings are often the victim of updates over the years that are less than sensitive to their original design aesthetic. Many well-meaning people renovate these old structures, removing elements that are of higher quality than you could get today (unless you are willing to have something custom-made by a craftsman) and replacing them with inferior components that are mass-produced using lesser materials. 

Sadly, in this process, the character of the house is altered or lost entirely. 

This pox that has marred many a quaint old building is known as remuddling.

Remuddling is defined as misguided remodeling-that is, an alteration that is insensitive to the architecture or character of the house. (Image and definition compliments of Old House Journal.)

When a city or town understands and honors the history of its buildings, stunning, one-of-a-kind neighborhoods rich with character are the result--as is the case, thankfully, in Providence, Rhode Island, where we were enjoying our morning walk with George the bulldog. 

This building below, even though it has stood vacant for some time, was saved by the city which recognized its architectural value. 

I am so happy to say that this structure is in the process of being renovated and will be put to innovative new use. 

Turns out this house, originally built in 1875 & known to locals as Barnaby Castle, has quite the history--even including a murder! You can read more about it here.  :)

These buildings feel like old friends to me, and I am so grateful to all those whom have taken the time and effort to preserve them so that we all can enjoy them for years to come.  

Because we all need a little inspiration sometimes...

One of the most important tools I have in my arsenal as a designer are photographs of beautiful rooms. A stunning photo can spark an idea in me, can help my clients to clarify exactly what speaks to their soul when it comes to creating a space for them, and can be the essential insight needed when selecting elements for a room.

Because looking through images can get your creative juices flowing and help you to see what is possible, I wanted to share an online tool that I can't live without these days: Houzz.com

SO, if you are looking for some inspiration, (and who isn't these days as we are in the lingering grey days of winter!?)--take some time to page through the beautiful rooms featured on Houzz, and drink in all the beauty and possibility.

If you want to, you can even start to collect your favorite photos in an Ideabook there, so they are all gathered right at your fingertips when you are ready to roll up your sleeves and get started redesigning your space.

Get started by checking out Revealing Redesign's little corner of Houzz, and then go on to look at the over 6 MILLION high definition home photos on their site.

Have FUN!

A Sensory Experience

With the cold, grey days we have at this time of year, it is easy to think that there isn't much around us to savor. 

But maybe we are wrong.

As this little sparrow proved to me a few winters ago, as he would sit outside our family room window and sing his little heart out day after day...

maybe we need to pay attention to things in a whole new way. 

When I think back to the winter days days when my children were very small--even though we were often stuck inside our little old house as the winter winds whipped outside-- it was still a delight to see the world through their eyes as they experienced sights, sounds, smells, textures, and tastes for the first time.

It is a bit sad to me that as we "grow up" we become removed from the joy and wonder of our senses. It can be restorative to remind ourselves to pay attention to each one of them once again.

To be mindful of each of our senses, one at a time, is a great way to slow down and really appreciate all that is so good around us. And where better to do this than in our homes?

Maybe the things that we love about where we live has become white noise to us, things that we no longer take in or appreciate. 

When I take the time to pay attention, it is amazing how many simple yet wonderful sensory joys are present each day in my home. Here are a few favorites that come to mind for me:

• Hearing--birdsong, Mozart, the quiet of the house after everyone has gone to bed....
• Sight--family pictures, treasured artwork, green daffodil shoots emerging outside, the faces of those I love.
• Smell--freshly washed towels, favorite meals cooking in the kitchen, coffee in the morning.
• Touch--our comfy family room chair, soft blankets and sheets on the bed, my dog's velvety ears.
• Taste--any meal I didn't have to cook :)...oh, and a glass of wine.

What are your favorites?? Please be sure to write some in the comments!~Can't wait to hear them!!!

How To Pick Paint Colors??--Not A Black or White Issue

Painting, inside or out, is truly one of the fastest ways to totally transform your house.

But to fully take advantage of all of that bang for your buck and achieve the transformation that you want, colors are needed that will pull everything together and make the materials of the building or space sing in harmony.

Sounds daunting, doesn't it?

But really it is tons of fun, and one of my favorite things to do!!

As you can see, the house's facade had stone detail with BRIGHT white siding and black trim, which was stark and cold next to the earth tones of the stone. I was excited that my clients were game to change their color palette, and knew that we could achieve a much more cohesive and inviting look...

Using the tones in the existing stone, we worked to pull out the warmth and depth that was already there.

Even with new vinyl clad windows finished in bright white, I felt it was important to choose a different trim color for the other "white" areas of the facade (porch trim as well as window casings, etc.) that didn't just match, but rather gave depth to the bluish white of the new sashes. The warm white of the trim would smooth the visual transition from the new materials to the old in a subtle and graceful way.

It may be hard to see in this photo below, but the trim around the windows is this warm white, which adds detail and richness to the overall look. Going with the bluish white of the vinyl would not have had the same results...

The door color was chosen by pulling out a dark grey green tone also found in the stonework...

& the same color was used for the garage doors as well...

Now that the colors and materials of the house's exterior are working together, the house has a more unified appearance and extends a warmer welcome to all!