A Quick "BEFORE & AFTER" (yay!!)

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One evening earlier this week we finished up an AMAZING project for a lovely client. Last December she hired us to rehab the home she had just bought in a local 55+ community…

And this week we put the finishing touches in place…..

It was dark outside, the cars were packed, and we were ready to go home…but I couldn’t resist taking a photo to share with you:

I received this message the next day:

“I had to pinch myself this morning....it really is real!!!! It's been great partnering with you on this project and it turned out better than I could have imagined 😀”

I can’t wait to share more pictures of this renovation soon, but for now here is how the inviting, cozy rooms looked as we were leaving. So grateful to be able to create this soulful space for my client to enjoy for years to come.

A Space For Your Clean Slate (BEFORE & AFTER)

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I know we haven’t even hit Christmas yet— but if you are anything like me, you may already be thinking of that beautiful clean slate you are longing for in the new year…

SO, I thought it would be neat to share a lovely laundry room we just put the finishing touches on this week— just in time for my dear client to enjoy it as her children and grandchildren arrive from out of town for the holidays!

This was the space before:

It was a long narrow space with the laundry room at one end that had always felt cramped and clunky to my client—but I had a feeling we could switch things around to make things feel brighter and more spacious. ALWAYS a good thing!

Here is the space now:

To create more space, we took the powder room and moved it to the end of the hallway—- and moved the machines to the area where the back door used to be (there is another door nearby that made this possible). Switching the door opening to a double window was an update that gives more light over the washer and dryer, and a beautiful view of the backyard.

The powder room now has a stylish statement of a sink that serves both for day-to-day washing of hands, or for filling big buckets or washing babies if the need arises. :)

The style we chose for these rooms is a fun eclectic mix of patterns grounded with calming neutrals, classic lines, and timeless details. Funky yet amazingly elegant…

At the other end of the hall, we bumped one wall out just a couple of feet, borrowing unused space in the adjacent garage to allow room for a bench—perfect for taking off muddy boots or tying little one’s shoes.

Opposite the bench is a functional and beautiful run of cabinets and countertop, providing much needed storage and counter space for folding all those sparkling clean clothes.

A funky salvaged door hung barn-style (taking away all that pesky door swing that used to eat up so much space) and the fun multi-patterned tile floor are two favorite details that add so much personality.

Here’s to a crisp, clean-slate of a new year, with space for each of us to create all that we dream of.

Your Christmas Tree--Gorgeous? Or Just Kinda MEH.

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The holidays are upon us! 

And since many of you told me how helpful this article was to you in years past, I thought it would be good to put it up again to remind us all of the basics of tree trimming.

 Happy decorating!! :)

Just this week someone asked me the darndest question:

"Can you tell me how to decorate my Christmas tree?"

This time of year, a lot of us are bundling up in our mittens and hats to go pick our tree, while others of us may be hauling an artificial one out of the basement…but what I didn't realize is that many of us never really feel all that satisfied with the way it looks once we have it all trimmed. 

Well, that's not good!

 

SO, I thought it would be fun once again to share some tips and tricks that I use when decorating my own tree as well as my clients' trees that can really help this centerpiece of our holiday decorations to look dazzling and magical. :) So here goes: 

  1. Be Bright-- the first and most important thing you are going to add to your tree is lights, and lots of them. The formula I most often hear for properly lighting your tree is to use approximately 100 lights per each vertical foot of the tree. I know this sounds like a lot of lights, but once you see the difference this makes, you will never go back to a mere two or three strands sparsely sprinkled on the branches! The reason the number of lights is so important is because the glow and sparkle they give is really what makes the tree come alive visually, and gives it that magical twinkle that literally lights up a room. This year, add more lights. Really. It is a game changer.

  2. Be Consistent--In order for your tree to have visual impact, you need to have elements on it that make it look cohesive and consistent. Usually the best way to do this is to use garland and/or ribbon as well as matching glass balls or other large ornaments all over the tree that are all of the same color scheme. Trees that don't have this grounding element can look chaotic, with each ornament different from the next, and nothing pulling the whole thing together visually. Once you have these foundational elements in place, you can comfortably go on to the next step where you can then add a little of the sentimental chaos….:)

  3. Be Sentimental--The part of our tree that makes it so meaningful are the ornaments that we have collected over the years that are significant to us. To be honest, these are NOT the things that will most likely give your tree the "wow" factor…but they are, after all, what we love about Christmas! After you have completed step two where you have given your tree an overall balance and color scheme, the sentimental ornaments should be sprinkled throughout the limbs, between the colored balls and garland, completing the look of your tree!

I hope that these few ideas help you to feel more confident as you deck the halls this year-- AND I hope this year you are able to step back and smile with pride as you look at your gorgeous, glowing, glittering tree!