Chasworth PlaceHome of the House Whisperer

Tile Terrors

2010-07-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

Tile Terrors...kind of like night terrors. It may sound funny but of all parts of my business the tile store seems to be the place where clients are the most confused and overwhelmed.

Fabric stores, most people have been in one or at least are been in enough clothing stores that they are used to sorting through fabric. Bath and kitchen faucets and fixtures seem to produce an immediate reaction. People have clearer preferences on whether they long deep sinks, knobs or levers, hand held showers etc. I find that it's easier for people to "connect" to a design but tile confounds people.

When a client walks in a tile store, they are bombarded with all kinds of colors and patterns and materials. Do I want stone? porcelain? ceramic? Does this tile have all the pieces I need? What kind of pieces do I need? There's a ton of questions before you even get to the color. How easy is it to clean, what kind of texture do you want? Do you want a solid color or stone look, glass or metal strips? What kind of pattern do you want? Do you want something that you can make a pattern or have it already set on mesh for you? The list goes on and on.

Then there's the issue of budget. You may fall in love with a trim but the cost is scary. Even your regular tile at $5/sq ft may seem innocuous. Most people aren't used to thinking in terms of sq ft and when doing bathrooms and kitchens you are often dealing with more than one surface. So while your floor may only be 60 sq ft, your bath surround is probably that as well when you add in countertops, backsplashes etc., it all adds up.

A good salesperson is a great asset in a tile place and a designer can help you even more. First you should outline what surfaces you need to cover. Find out if you need bullnose or quarter round. Some companies don't have all the pieces but you can often mix and match. If you want it to all be the same you need to make sure that the line you get has all the different pieces. I am not opposed to mixing and matching and sometimes you can actually get a more interesting design that way.

Once you know what you need now you can look at the rest of the decisions. I like to make good use of accent tiles. They are like jewelry. Just like the perfect necklace can make your outfit, the perfect accent tile will have the same affect. I find the accent tiles are easier to fall in or out of love with as well. It's ok to do a more expensive tile for accent. Like your jewelry, it may cost a little more but the impact is huge. You will also be looking at this every day so make sure you love it. Once you have the accent tile, you will find it a much easier job to get a tile to go with it. Remember to keep the tile thicknesses the same as it is difficult to install otherwise. Sometimes the pattern is the thing you fall in love with, which will dictate how you use accents. But if you fall in love a pattern, it will narrow your choices tremendously.

If you are going in a tile store yourself and experience the overwhelm, try to find the accent tiles first and start looking. Ask for a sales person to tell you the best place to look for what you want or better yet, ask a designer to go with you or save yourself some angst and just have them bring you a few selections. This can take a lot of the stress out of the process.

hiring a contractor

2010-07-06T13:07:00.001-07:00

Found this article on hiring a contractor. I have heard horror stories about the contractor that took a ton of cash and then never did the job. I personally had an electrician who blew out my oven in my brand new kitchen and then said he didn't have the money to replace it. Of course, he presumed I did. Fortunately the contractor who hired him was responsible and found one for me. However, I have heard many stories where people weren't so lucky.

http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-109992-5811-2-tall-tales-your-contractor-tells?ywaad=ad0035

The article has some good points. But it missed a few. Ultimately, go with your gut.
If you don't feel like you can trust the person, you probably can't. Do some research, ask for references and see some of their work. I was recently called in on a job to select paint and help with the remaining decisions on the job. There were endless problems on this job and as the kitchen was almost in completion, the contractor admitted that it was the prettiest kitchen he had ever done. Now this is a lovely kitchen and a huge improvement to the client, however, it shouldn't have been his best. Look at the portfolio, ask questions about the pictures, what kind of budget did you have? Did you work within the client's budget? How long did the job take?

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A CONTRACT! ohhh but it's a bother, doesn't matter. It protects you. A hint that you can put in your contracat is a bonus for the contractor if he finishes the job ahead of schedule.

One thing I don't like about this article is that it says you shouldn't have to pay for product up front. While many trades do offer credit, many do not. Some contractors may be trying to pay past bills and if you suspect that, then offer to pay the resource directly. The problem is that credit is hard to come by today as well and many contractors don't have the capital built up to front the money for you. I have seen contractors do exactly as this article says though so it is something to beware of, I just don't see it as a sure sign of a bad contractor. The contractors are cautious as well, they can't do a $10,000 job for $1,000 and then have the client suddenly not be happy at the end and refuse to pay it all. It is important to work WITH your contractor. Be clear on the decisions made and when they will be implemented.

The sound of color

2010-07-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am talking about color again. Several things have happened this week that really intrigued me.

I was driving the other day to the airport - had about an hour on the road. Sometimes I listen to a lesson, sometimes I just listen to the radio, and other times I find an old CD, an old friend, and sing along to songs that inspire me.

So anyway, driving down the freeway and suddenly there's a Pier One commercial. Now if you know me, ads are wasted on me, I can tune them out very easily, and most don't get any attention. For an ad to grab me, it had to really stand out. Pier One did an ad that was the sound of color...they said the word pink and then played the music to go with it, and it instantly brought to mind a pink room. Then Green, then Blue. It was interesting that each piece of music not only brought up a color but even a shade of color. I could see the color they were talking about. Very brave to do that on a commercial I thought, and very effective. It really made me think, not so much about Pier One but about the effects that colors have on us and the fact that you could hear it. I began thinking of how music would describe other shades and how I would communicate it. It reminded me of a class in college on the study of imagination and creativity. We had to make up some music for it, if I could go back, this would be my song, my rainbow song. Create a rainbow of music. Doesn't that sound enticing? It intrigues 2 senses instead of one.

As I was thinking all this, Spandau Ballet's "True" came on the radio. There's a line that just isn't sung, it's sung from the bottom of the heart. "This is the SOOOOOOOOOOUNNNNNNND of my soul". With that one word I connect to my own soul and feel it's uncaged depths. I see a rainbow with that song - the rainbow of my soul.
And while we are singing "it's red and gold and green and" ok, but humor is good right? For this musician, sound is his art form and how he connects to the world so this is very powerful for him. Music is powerful for me but I have not been blessed in that area, music may speak to me, but my communication to the world is through color and design. Creating a story with a home, making it YOUR story and making it a story that has all the exciting things you need, a great hero or heroine, a challenge and the great reveal which makes it all make sense. It's a story that discovers a deeper part of who you are and helps propel you to who you want to be.

Do you know how you communicate to the world? What colors are in your rainbow? What speaks to you, music, the written word, a picture - a little bit of all? How do you show your colors?

Here's a fun exercise, choose the colors and it will tell you a bit about your career path. Don't think a color could say that much about you - give it a try, a color speaks volumes. http://www.careerpath.com/career-tests/color-test/

kitchen counter top decisions

2010-06-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

I saw this article today on the popularity of granite.
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/109831/whats-the-most-popular-countertop-for-kitchens?mod=family-love_money

No matter what surface you choose there are advantages and disadvantages.
Granite is a great staple and will be around for a long time. From a design standpoint, it has become a bit "ordinary" and as designers we are always looking for new things. The nice thing is that each piece of granite is unique and there is a large array of colors and textures.

The quartz is becoming more popular. While we have been having a lot of fun with texture, clean lines, less texture, and more drama are becoming more popular. Quartz also allows for a solid color with limited texture that you don't get in granite.

Concrete is also slowly gaining popularity. One of the great advantages of concrete is that you can mold it to be whatever you want. You can have a continuous sink, like you can with Corian without the disadvantages of Corian or other manmande solid surface products. Concrete can be stained and creates either a very rustic look or a very modern look depending on what you do with the color and texture.

Some people really love the look of marble. While it's pretty, it is porous so if you cook a lot, you need to be aware that it will get damaged. However if you like to bake, it is ideal. Rolling dough on marble is much easier than the other surfaces.

The "Green" movement is also gaining in popularity and it's influence is seen in kitchen countertops. There are several environmentally friendly materials that are made of recycled glass or plastic.

Stainless Steel countertops are also popular as people want "restaurant quality kitchens". It also provides a very sleek modern look.

Another fun option that I have seen at designer showrooms for that special island. It is slate with fossils embedded in the counter. Always a conversation starter.

This is a more expanded list of your choices. There are more....Whenever you do something in your home, don't do it because that's what you saw at the local home DIY center. Many of these other options cost the same as granite and give you many more options as far as the look and function that you want to achieve. Do your homework, ask some questions and decide on what the best product for YOU is, not what is easiest for your store or contractor. Ask a designer to help you with this part if you need it. Counters are very expensive and not something you want to replace very often. Better to be more informed.

color impact

2010-06-01T10:28:00.000-07:00

I love color! I know this is far from a secret but it is incredible.
Thought I would tell a favorite story of the impact that color can have.

I walked into a client's home and she gave me a tour through the home. When we got to the master bedroom, I noticed that there was an extra bed in there for the youngest child who was 7 years old. I asked her about that and she said that kid was too scared to sleep in her room, too many nightmares over the twin towers falling on 9-11.
While that was a day none of us will ever forget, it had been several years since it had happened and I found it odd that a child watching it on tv and no relatives involved would be so impacted by it.

We continued the tour and talking about the daughter. Apparently the daughter had a bit of dyslexia and it was hard for her to study. When I saw her room, I knew what the problem was immediately. Mom had wanted to do something wonderful for her, painted her room fun and girly and wanted to create a fun kids room. She had painted wide stripes and thin stripes on the wall in alternating colors, pink and purple. While it did look like a fun little girl's room it was the worst possible thing for this little girl. First of all, because of her dyslexia, the stripes were always shaking. So in her world, the big purple stripes were a constant recreation of the towers falling. No wonder she couldn't get it out of her head.

The dynamic, bright colors created a lot of contrast and energy in the room that made it even harder for her to think straight. Many studies have been done to prove that yellow can actually enhance learning abilities. So I suggested that we select a yellow that would be helpful to her. Mom then mentioned that she had another room that was yellow and that was where the child spent all of her time.

They painted the room, the child's grades improved, the parents got their master bedroom back and life was improved for all.

It's truly amazing what a can of paint and a weekend can do!

save money with aging in place

2010-05-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

The theme this week is Aging in Place. We don't like to think of ourselves as aging but aging affects us in so many ways....
You may be healthy as a horse but tomorrow you could have an accident and be stuck in a wheelchair for awhile until you recover. It may be someone coming to visit. When I was a kid, we had concerts at our house and occasionally someone would come with a wheelchair. We were able to put in ramps rather easily to get over the front steps which were made low for my mother anyway. But the bathroom was another story. The wheelchair wouldn't fit in the bathroom. This made things difficult. Fortunately, she had limited movement and could get in the bathroom but couldn't close the door. there was a door in the hallway that could be closed to give some privacy.However, if we hadn't had that extra door, it would have been embarrassing for her.

If you had to be in a wheelchair, even temporarily, would you be able to get into your bathroom?

While undergoing major remodel may not be an option...there are some simple things you can do that make life easier and more accessible for everyone. Are you finally getting that dream bath or kitchen. By just adding a few simple things, you can have a space that is more convenient, functional and allow you to stay independent longer. Assisted living costs - can start at $3000/month. A small investment now could lead to a huge savings later.

magical color

2010-04-26T17:39:00.000-07:00

"What made me fall in love with color?"
There are many things but I will never forget the day I found a book at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Bookstore. Tney always had tons of books and all of them were wonderful. I have never been trustworthy in a bookstore unless of course you trust me to buy books. I love books.

There was this one book that called to me and it was by Donald Kaufman and Taffy Dahl and it was called simply - Color. They have such a wonderful approach to color. Many times you see the magazines and the colors scream at you or they may all work together but something seems amiss. I opened this book and I saw none of that. They believe that color should evolve naturally from the environment. Color should blend in with the environment. The colors are magical. The rooms are so cozy and comfortable. I looked at this book for months. It is what I aspire to in my rooms.

Dixie Carter's death.

2010-04-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

So I woke up the other morning and saw on my Facebook that Dixie Carter had died. Many feelings went through me. As there are many design folk on my Facebook, there were several homages to her and many were sad. I have seen Dixie in several interviews and her presence was just as powerful as Julia's. This role was made for her and only she could bring it to life.

Funnily enough, she was not an icon for me in interior design. The show really didn't do that much design...I think I remember 3 rooms that they spoke about. One was about the cat(inspired by Morris) that was selecting wallpaper. One was this lady who had no taste and completely destroyed the style of the house and then there was a house where the couple were having affairs on each other and they got dragged into it. It is amazing what you find out about people when you work on their homes and there is always the inner struggle of do I try to help it or not. My policy is to keep the door open, if they need to talk about it, they will. I do my best to consider all aspects of the design to help them. Although I have never run into something so blatant as that episode either so I don't really know what I would do. I don't think it fully sunk in to me what their job was and I didn't see it as my calling then. Back then, if you asked me, I was going to own my own restaurant and do something pretty unique with the decorations. (Decorating has always been part of my dreams, just didn't realize how it worked in them) I still have dreams of my own restaurant and how I would decorate it but I have no desire to work IN a restaurant, in time, in time.

Anyway, for me, Designing Women was about 4 amazing women and how they dealt with life. At the time, I remember everyone saying how groundbreaking it was and I didn't see it at that time in my life but now I do. It was pretty groundbreaking to have a show full of such amazing women who were in charge of their own lives. But to me, what made it groundbreaking was showing the strengths of all these women. Each in their own way, could make you really take notice of who they were. Of course, we all wanted to embrace the Julia Sugarbaker in us. Always having the perfect thing to say. She could go on a tirade and be so poetic that you almost had to thank her for doing it, even it was directed at you. That's class and so much more. Suzanne had a power in beauty. The "power of the boob" as it's called affectionately by my friends. I never really had that power, but after meeting this new group of friends who did, and seeing how it really worked, I was amazed. There is great power in our femininity. I think that we forget that. That was another earmark of the show, all of those women pulled their power out of their experience of being a woman. Mary Jo could draw - that was enough for me to be in awe of her...lol. But she had had her life turned upside down and she was turning it right side up. She questioned herself like we all do, she got scared like we all do and she did it anyway. These four ladies stuck together no matter what and encouraged each to be all they could be. With friends like that, you could take on the world. Charlene, the eternal optimist. Every group needs one. I think when I watched this I saw that the person I wanted to be was a bit of all these women, Julia's confidence and strength, Mary Jo's courage, Suzanne's pride and Charlene's optimism. This show didn't shape me as a designer, it shaped me as what I thought a woman should be. I think that impact is more important than anything. I was an incredible example of the woman I wanted to be, and could be, and would be, when I did finally have my own company, whatever it would be.

Aging in Place

2010-04-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

Aging In Place
Aging In Place is another version of universal design. When the Americans with Disabilities Act passed they were looking for things that made it easier for handy capable people. They wanted to apply principles, such as ergonomics, to make it easier for people with physical limitations to work.

Today, a lot of the baby boomers are retiring as they are getting into their fifties, sixties and seventies. Their body does not seem to work as well as they want. Many people have lived in their home for fifteen to twenty years or more and they don’t want to leave live in assisted living. Aging in Place is taking the elements outlined in the American with Disabilities Act and putting them into any new constructions to enable you to stay in your house longer.

For example, I know a 40 year old lady who just bought a house that was actually built with Aging In Place principles. She had a skiing accident and injured her knee. She could not go up and down stairs for six weeks. Fortunately, the house was built with Aging in Place ideas, so she did not have to go up and down stairs. She could access the second floor of her house via a ramp or drive way going down to the first where she could get into the car. Most of her living space was on the second floor and not on the first floor so it worked out really well for her.
Another person I know did not live in a house that incorporated Aging in Place and, when she had back surgery, she ended up sleeping in the den because she couldn't make it up the stairs. These are the kinds of things we are looking at in new construction to help the Aging in Place.

Another thing that is very big with Aging in Place is door knobs v.s. door levers. This is a very big one. It is so simple and inexpensive to change but if you have arthritis or weak hands turning a door knob can be very painful if not impossible. But if you replaced that knob with the lever you can touch it with an elbow. The arthritis issue is gone. Can you imagine if you've got bad arthritis in your hands and just walking through your house and every time you touch the doors it hurt? You can eliminate that pain just by changing it into levels for only $20.00 bucks.
If you would like to know more about Aging in Place concepts or how you can make your house more comfortable, please contact me.

Many influeces of design.

2010-03-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

Design has many many influences. Culture, music, politics, movies.
I ran across this picture of a mirror called "Camilla's hat". It is modeled after the hat that Camilla wore in her wedding to Prince Charles.

The mirror is a great mixture of simple elegance and natural elements. Designers love to find other uses for items. I love a bit of surprise in an item and this does that very well. It took an article of clothing and turned it into a very dramatic mirror and make a great statement in any room.

Why is paint so expensive

2010-03-12T10:50:00.000-08:00

I attended a seminar this week on paint. It was much more exciting than watching paint dry but about as technical. They talked about the difference between paint qualities and why you should have one vs the other.

There's "apartment" paint. It's not the highest quality and meant to be renewed every few years but that's about how often you have to paint most apartments so it works. Using high quality paint may not be the best use here because it will be repainted over quickly.

The quality of the paint has to do mostly with the bonding agents and how the pigments become part of the wall. Sometimes you have "rub off" with the cheaper paint and that's because the pigments don't stick. The more expensive paint bonds with the wall more and will last longer, so if you want your paint to last a long time it's worth spending a little more money to get something that will last. Just like anything else, many times having something cost a little more upfront can often save you money in the long run.

Another thing that I learned that fascinated me. There is a big emphasis on VOC free, and LEEDS qualified paint. Translation from design vernacular, ecofriendly.
The VOC free is suppose to have less toxins in it and doesn't smell as bad. The "loophole" that some VOC free paint has is that the original paint is VOC free but the tinting pigment that they use to color the paint often is not. So you can buy VOC free paint and then after you add the color too it, it can be just as high, if not higher than non VOC paint. If you want to really go green and be aware of the toxins in your paint, you should ask if the Tint is VOX free. Benjamin Moore's Natura paint fits this bill. However even with this, you want to make sure they are using the Natura pigments and not the regular pigments.

DIY disaster

2010-03-04T09:04:00.000-08:00

DIY DISASTER

So I have been watching some DIY interior renovation shows this week. I
had stopped watching them for awhile but got caught up in these two
shows. It still hurts. I saw renovation I these disasters. New
doesn't mean better. In some cases the mistakes I saw were easily fixed.

I know it's hard to renovate on a budget. I have done it in my house
and I have done it for other people. The trick is that you have to be
realistic as to what your skills are and you HAVE to do your homework.
One show had a couple trying to renovate their kitchen in a week. Well,
let me tell you it takes professionals longer to do that and if they
tell you otherwise, they are most likely lying. There are always
unforseen issues....the oven is backordered, oops there was a mistake
with the cabinetry and they will be 2 weeks later. The handle you
selected is in stock for all but 3 of the knobs you need, and the screws
that come with them are all the wrong size. The light fixture is great
but you need to add the GFI and the electrician is on vacation the week
you want it installed. All real problems, one of them will get you.
Renovation is like a wedding...something is going to go wrong, you just
hope it's a minor something. This particular couple had their cabinets
backordered and I suspect a few more delays although they didn't show
them. There are some things you shouldn't learn how to do on the spot.
Electricity is one of them. Of all the jobs in a kitchen this is one
you want done by a professional. This couple had numerous issues go
wrong mostly because they had gone too far out of their comfort zone in
trying to save money. In the end they had to call in professionals
anyway and they could have saved time, money and stress if they had
decided to use them in the first place instead of having to pay for
"emergency service".

Another job truly just made me cry. The couple spent a good 20k on
their bathroom remodel, guessing by the difference between the before
and after but they really just missed the mark. They used expensive
materials but without a plan and it looked like it at the end. Simple
mistakes that an hour with an interior designer would have fixed. I do
offer consultation services for this type of client. Gather samples of
all your materials and talk to me for an hour or so before you buy it.
It would have made a world of difference in their 20k bathroom. Some of
the mistakes they made were using the same tile in the shower as on the
floor and the same size as well. Large tile can look pretty in a shower
but you have to do it correctly. They had two walls tiled and the other
two were glass. They used 12 x 12 tiles in the shower - a bit big but
they put the two cut ends on the inside corner which made it look like
it was tipping over. If they had done the reverse and put the cut tiles
on the outside edge it would have served as a frame and been more
balanced. Also, if for some reason the budget demanded that they use
the large tile, at least stagger them so that everything doesn't look so
blocky. The human eye unconsciously measures a space with an orderly
tile pattern and it can make it look smaller. By offsetting the tile,
the eye doesn't do this and it looks bigger. It would have also made it
more interesting and more cozy space to be. Typically I don't like to
do the same tile in the shower as on the floor but as this was an open
floor it was a forgivable mistake. The worst mistake though was their
vanity. They bought a VERY expensive countertop and then they put
pewter colored sinks and faucets on it. Really it fought with the
countertop, as did the color and decorative elements of the vanity
itself. If you are springing for an exotic or rich item, you have to
accent the rest with things that work with it and make it shine. It's
like buying a fancy dessert....you want to see the dessert, the whipped
cream enhances it, the chocolate sauce enhances it. You wouldn't put
pineapple on an apple pie and it's the same with design. You don't
just fall in love with one piece and make it work, it has to work with
the whole scheme

Watching the DIY shows just proved to me how important my job really
is. Yes, there will still be people who don't think they need us or
that we are too expensive but on a 20k job a few hundred dollars seems
very affordable to me. Where else would you invest 20k and not get some
professional advice? Just brings to mind that an ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure. Go ahead and do it yourself but get a little
advice first.

Hiring a designer for an easier job and to save you money

2010-02-18T09:34:00.001-08:00

People often ask me why they should hire a designer. One of the reason is their resources. A designer may have the greatest ideas but without the proper people to carry them out, the ideas are worthless. Good resources can sometime collaborate with the designer and come up with a better idea to enhance the idea.

I have several great resources. I have one secret weapon in my husband, Mr. Math. He helps me with tile patterns sometimes. I can explain what I want in words and he can draw it in minutes. The math part of him makes him very suited for this in a way that my brain isn't. I can imagine it and see it in my head but takes me hours to put in on paper. But he is a great design assistant and understands what I want.

Another great resource of mine is my stained glass resource. They are true artists and very creative. They are a couple, he is very good at geometric designs, she is very good at abstract designs. They "listen" to the house in a similar way that I do. When I bring them in, I tell them what I want and they are able to produce something truly wonderful.

Window treatments are another key area. I have fantastic workrooms to help. They get the job done quickly, efficiently and correctly.

There are numerous others....but the point is that in every case, I can give them the work, give them instructions and I don't have to worry about it. I know that they will treat my clients well, and that they will do their job well. This makes my job easier and it makes my clients' experience better.

Everyone has had a bad experience or heard of one....a friend just did their kitchen but felt they could be project manager and take care of it themselves. They got all done and oven didn't fit. So now the contractor has to make it work. Not that this couldn't have happened with a designer but your odds go down considerably. First of all, most people do their kitchen once or twice. They aren't aware of the pitfalls. A designer does this all the time and knows what to look out for. Also when you hire a contractor, you hire them once and that's it. The accountability isn't there as much. They may lowball you to get the job and then add more in later, they may use cheaper products or do bad workmanship. Having a designer, they have seen their work, inspected them, and they have a working relationship with the contractor. The contractor gets a great deal of work from the designer and will have a higher level of accountability with them. The best part is that you aren't just pulling someone out of the phonebook, you are getting someone with a track record.

Another way that it helps to have a designer....I had a client have a "design emergency". I had selected all her items for her bedroom but she wanted to do all the work. She had some drapes that needed to be hung and couldn't do it. She was having a party that night and called me, desperate for help. Because of my relationship with my resources, I was able to get someone over there to do the work for her and the party went off without a hitch.

Paying for a designer isn't just a luxury, it's peace of mind. We know how to get things done. We have the people to do it and do it well. We can save you the time of interviewing a bunch of people. Save you the time of answering a bunch of questions and dealing with the project management. Renovation is a big stress, we are here to reduce it in several ways and to ensure that you get the kind of job you want.

Change is worth it.

2010-02-11T20:19:00.000-08:00

Change - that word has so much power. It can be a very exciting word or it can be the scariest word in the English language. It's easy to stay in what you are used to. But how do you know when it's time to change or what you are supposed to change. Too often people don't change until the pain of staying the same is worse than the pain of taking on something new.

In interior design, I deal with the emotions of change all the time. Sometimes there's apprehension as to how it's going to look, or is it right. Then there's the inevitable mess before it gets pretty and so much money has been spent but there's construction and there can be worry as to if they made the right decisions.

But then it's all done and it's beautiful. You love it! It was worth all the pain and angst.

My life has been full of extremes lately....a couple friends have recently had kids and they made the change from couple to family. Pregnancy and childbirth not much different from what I described above. Birth is painful and messy but then there's this beautiful innocent baby with a whole future in front of it. On the other hand I have been emptying a house for a client. The lady who lives in the house is now in a convalescent home. Her life in this home is gone and a new one has arrived. Finding homes for all her stuff: furniture, pictures, china, silver, vases, treasured pieces of crystal and other accessories. This was somebody's life and then it was over. I had to throw out a wedding dress - that was difficult. I never met the lady but here was a beautiful wedding dress, never preserved, fabric falling apart and yet a sense of sadness when throwing it away. Her husband had died awhile ago but throwing away the dress felt like throwing away a marriage. Diplomas, discharge papers, certificates of achievement, all important at one time and now useless. Years of memories only important to people who no longer exist.

Change - yes, my job is very intimate and full of change and I help you to face the emotions that go along with that. If the emotions of facing the memories are too much for you as in the case above, I can face them for you. Separate the important from the unnecessary. It's hard to face the memories. Sometimes you just need to clean the slate and recreate your life. One of my clients called this coming out of her cocoon. The worm has to fight to get out of the cocoon, but without the fight, it doesn't have the strength to fly.

With the right guide, change can be good, it doesn't have to be scary. Most designers will say they are part psychologist. I even had a client hire me instead of a psychologist. Yes, we do help you face your memories, and whatever demons are keeping you from moving forward. It's amazing what changing your house can do to improve your life. We do help you on many levels. I have helped widows move on, newlyweds create a home that fits BOTH of them, executives create a peaceful haven, created more romantic bedrooms and much much more. Yes, what we do as designers is amazing, not just visually, not just practically. We affect the whole person. I love to see the impact of good design on my clients. They are always pleasantly surprised. I am not, I knew that feeling was coming. For me, it's like the doctor handing the baby to mom for the first time. Welcome to your change, welcome to the next stage of your life. Enjoy.

Awesome article from Money Magazine

2010-02-10T11:34:00.001-08:00

6 ways to ensure a remodeling project pays off
money

By Josh Garskof, Money Magazine contributing writer , On Friday February 5, 2010, 7:05 am EST

Just a few years ago you could count on getting the bulk of your money back for almost any home-improvement project you took on. Today merely replacing a toilet seat can feel like throwing caution, and cash, to the wind. According to a study from Remodeling magazine, the average return on value for an upgrade declined from 87% in 2005 to 64% in 2009. But these six new rules will help you maximize your return on your remodeling investment.

Rule No. 1: Repairs get the biggest returns

The smartest money now goes into "undeferring" needed maintenance. That's because while buyers might appreciate enhancements like Jacuzzis and Sub-Zeros, they won't tolerate a house with a leaky roof or antiquated plumbing. "If a property is known to have issues, today's buyers won't even look at it," says Austin real estate appraiser Jim Amorin.

And trying to keep problems a secret can cost you big-time. If buyers discover them during inspection, it's now common practice to ask sellers not only to pick up the tab for the repair but also to pay a penalty to compensate the buyer for the inconvenience of having work done.

So the $20,000 you saved by putting off a roof repair, say, could turn into a $30,000 credit to the buyers at closing, says Amorin.

Rule No. 2: Remodeling beats adding on

McMansions have gone the way of the SUV -- and large additions don't pay off either. "There's been a fundamental shift toward quality over quantity," says Warwick, R.I., real estate agent Ron Phipps.

Having a big, formal living room plus an everyday family room is less desirable than having one multi-use common space. So rather than adding on, you're better off repurposing existing square footage by reconfiguring the floor plan or capturing unused basement or attic space.

Want an eat-in kitchen? Knock down the wall between the kitchen and dining room ($2,000 to $8,000, depending on whether it's load-bearing or contains plumbing). That will instantly create a large eat-in kitchen and give the whole house a more open feel -- without a huge investment to make up at resale.

Rule No. 3: Eco-friendly upgrades can save cash

Some green improvements pay you back long before you sell your house. Install energy-efficient features, such as EnergyStar appliances and extra wall insulation, and you'll see lower energy bills every month.

Add in the federal tax credit of up to $1,500 that lasts through 2010, plus many local rebates and tax incentives (see dsireusa.org), and the work may pay for itself in just five years. Green features are also increasingly a selling point, says Phipps. "Most people in the market right now are first-time homebuyers in their thirties, and they've been raised to care about carbon footprints and being ecofriendly," he says.

The best way to go green is with a while-you're-at-it job: When it's time to replace your furnace, for example, upgrading to super-efficiency might add only $500 (after tax credits), compared with standard new equipment, but it will save you -- and your buyers someday -- $150 or more in annual heating costs.

Rule No. 4: Tech infrastructure trumps cool gadgets

Home electronics seem like a deal, since prices have fallen about 50% over the past three years and continue to drop, according to Stephen Baker, president of industry analysis at NPD Group, a market research firm.

Still, that doesn't change the fundamental problem with expensive built-in technology: Put in a $10,000-plus dedicated home theater today, and something better will come along tomorrow and make your system look as if it's from the Mesozoic Era. With buyers seeking any excuse to low-ball their offers, they're not going to reward you for an out-of-date system.

Tech infrastructure is different, however. Anytime you're opening up walls for a construction project, have cabling and Ethernet ports installed. At about $80 a room, it's a low-cost way to provide the capability for whatever technologies come along.

Rule No. 5: Let the Joneses be your guide

During the boom, you could be the first on your block to have a luxury kitchen, spa bathroom, or in-ground pool and count on others following suit. And even if the neighbors never took your lead, there was plenty of equity growth to cover your costs.

Nowadays that fudge factor is gone. "You really have to keep your house's amenities in line with the neighborhood now," says Kermit Baker, director of the remodeling futures program at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

If other houses on the block have real marble countertops, by all means add one to your house, but if everyone still has faux blue-marble Formica from the '70s, you're not getting your money back.

Also, keep your projects design-neutral so they'll appeal to the greatest number of people. Choose neutral colors and traditional electrical and plumbing fixtures unless your house has a modern architectural style.

Rule No. 6: The new payback time is five years

As with any volatile investment, the longer your time frame, the lower the risk. Don't take on a big project if you're likely to move in less than three to five years. There's just too much chance that any money you put in -- aside from necessary repairs or superficial cosmetic work -- could be lost while the housing market continues to meander.

But if you plan to stay awhile, don't delay starting a project. Home improvements are a bargain right now, with contractors bidding 10%, 20%, even 40% lower for the same work than just a year or two ago, says Bernie Markstein, senior economist for the National Association of Home Builders.

Grab them while they're hungry for work and make it clear that you'll be getting multiple bids so they'll be motivated to undercut one another's prices. You'll fulfill the first rule of investing: Buy low. Then hope that when you're ready to move, you can sell high.

2010-02-10T11:34:00.000-08:00

Have fun with your house

2010-01-22T09:06:00.000-08:00

Never underestimate the value of having fun in your home. It's your castle, build it the way you want to live. Maybe it's an atrium that you love, or an elevator so you don't have to climb up the stairs. Maybe it's a beautiful mural that transports you to another place. It doesn't really matter what it is that makes you happy but the value of something that makes you happy is priceless.

There are several companies that do some really cool unexpected things...hidden doors, that lead to secret stairways or rooms. Fireplaces where the backwall turns around and is an entrance to another space. A portrait that opens up to reveal another room.

Another really cool find, a staircase/slide. http://gizmodo.com/009866/spiral-stair-slide. What a great way to get up in the morning...don't take the stairs, take the slide and get some adrenaline going. Great idea for kids too, they'll be going down it all day.

Have some fun! Be daring, adventurous. You're house doesn't have to look like everyone else's on the block. You are a unique individual and your home should reflect the things that make you unique.

Cool Faucet

2010-01-14T09:19:00.000-08:00

The Pasadena Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers is always working towards education and making it's members aware of new products on the market and their benefits. I went to a meeting this week and they had a couple of really fun items. One was a kitchen faucet that you can turn on and off by touching it anywhere on the spout or the temp control. This is neat and techy for many people but that's not the only benefit. Yes, it also makes life easier and makes using your sink faster. However, it is also really great for Universal Design. Imagine if you had really bad arthritis or if you didn't have as much control over your hands, this would be a huge change in your life. It would eliminate a great deal of pain. The faucet is by delta. http://www.deltafaucet.com.

There's no place like home

2010-01-12T20:25:00.000-08:00

Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz taught us all that there’s “no place like home”. There’s great power to the word home. What does “Home” mean to you? Is it a bed, your sink, your shower, a favorite blanket, a favorite picture or vase? We all have something that whether it’s an apartment, a condo, a house or an estate, that something makes it home. It’s what we miss when we go on a trip.

For many people “home” means a house. I remember how excited I was to get out of an apartment and buy MY house. Suddenly something just fell into place, a part of me that had been missing was there. It wasn’t my dream house, but I had a mailbox right on my own porch. It’s the little things that are important. After years of living in an apt and having to walk to get the mail, that was something that I wasn’t going to budge on. The fireplace, attached garage, fancy kitchen all had to go. But I got the mailbox. Next time we will work on the fireplace and attached garage. I did create a fantastic kitchen in this house and that can be done again. For me, a house is about good bones. The colors and fixtures can change. It always amuses me on these shows where they are house hunting and they don’t like the house because the bedroom is a bad color or the bathroom sink is ugly. These are easy fixes. If you like the layout, paint is easily changed. Kitchen and bath remodels are big projects but if the rest of the house has good bones, those can be repaired eventually.

For someone else a dream house could be an amazing view. Some people are very connected to the outside and if there are a lot of windows and an incredible view, other details may less important. However if you put them in a home with no windows, they will wilt like a flower with no sun.

Making a house a home is important. Adding your own personal touch that makes it look like you. Maybe it’s as simple as a picture or your favorite chair. Maybe it’s painting a color on the wall that makes you feel comfortable. Add some draperies, or throw pillows. A room should create a feeling, if you have a busy work life, then maybe you need your home to provide some calm for you. Are you a writer or do something creative? You need a space to inspire you. Do you want a more romantic bedroom? Maybe a living room meant more for entertaining. All of these are possible. Your home should reflect how you live

Our homes are mirrors of ourselves and a place we look for refuge and inspiration. Everyone has a different item that gives them that peace. When the whole room and/or home is designed with these thoughts in mind it is a place that can nourish you, calm you down, inspire you, give you whatever you need to take on the world. So yes, Dorothy, there is no place like home, because home is where your heart is.

chairman of the board

2010-01-03T14:27:00.000-08:00

In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only one
chair. Chairs were very expensive and not everyone could have one.
Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was used
for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair while
everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was
usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit
in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one
sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today in business, we use the
expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.'

It's just a figure of speech

2009-12-30T12:52:00.000-08:00

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either
sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him
standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed
both legs and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many
people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms
and legs are 'limbs,' therefore painting them would cost the buyer more..
Hence the expression, 'Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg.'
(Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint)

Heritage Square Museum

2009-12-29T10:22:00.001-08:00

Heritage Square Museum....this is a little of what we did. The idea was that each home was set in a different time period. This house was built in the late 1800s but we were given 1930 as our time period. There were a lot of constraints because of the historical element. This little nook was wonderful and the PERFECT place for the tree. We updated the draperies which were sorely needed. As light was an issue, we kept sheers on the windows but this little nook just screamed for some extra attention. We used silk drapes to dress the nook and interlined them to add some body and elegance. Interlining is one of those "design secrets" to beautiful drapes. They usually don't do that in readymade draperies. Lining on draperies is very important and often overlooked. It affects the "hand" of the draperies or how they hang. You want to make sure that you pay attention to the lining, especially when buying "off the rack". The lining will protect your draperies from sun damage and it can also lower you heating and cooling costs by limiting the elements coming into the room. Draperies aren't just pretty, they are functional on many levels. Look at your needs, a little extra money could save you money in the long run and improve your quality of life.

designer tree or memory tree

2009-12-21T11:04:00.000-08:00

How to decorate your Christmas tree can be a big decision. You go to the store and you see those magnificent trees and think...why can't my tree look like that? I guess I just don't have any talent. Not true.

The secret to those trees is that they are made up of similar ornaments. All the parts of the decoration are selected at the same time. Most people don't do that. You get ornaments as presents, one will speak to you here or there and you buy it. Your tree is a memory tree. Hallmark has done a great deal to encourage these kind of trees by creating ornaments that resemble those memories.

It is much harder to add to a "designer tree" year after year. I actually set out a few years ago to have a designer tree. I fell in love with some gold plated leaf ornaments but there wasn't enough for a whole tree so we bought a smaller tree that year. As the years have gone by, I have found things that add to it and now it's a beautiful tree and full height- well, at least as tall as me...lol. That's tall enough. If you are going to do this though you need to concentrate on keeping similar colors and themes in order to make it work right. There's no room for little Johnny's homemade ornament though.

Memory trees are wonderful too and a great place to put those handmade ornaments and gifts from treasured friends. If you are a teacher, ornaments are a common gift and a great way to remember how much impact you have on your students.

Remember it's your Christmas, celebrate the way you want to. Put memories on your tree or dress it up to the 9s in designer style. But enjoy it either way.

beautiful bed

2009-12-18T08:29:00.001-08:00

This lovely British Colonial Bed is filled with squares and Xs. Squares ground a room and diagonals create drama. The mix of these two create a wonderful restrained drama. It has a modern feel to it but is very elegant as well. It's fun to be creative with your bed, just use elements that you love to make it work for you.

christmas trees around the world

2009-12-17T19:17:00.000-08:00

You may have seen this in your email but it was so pretty I wanted to share.

Christmas Trees From Around The World

What's really interesting at the end is the real meaning of the 12 days of Christmas - I didn't know that..."

Christmas Trees From Around The World

Seasons greetings to all!

Make sure you go all the way to the bottom of the e-mail, the picture and information about Arlington Cemetery in the winter, before Christmas is beautiful!

Subject: Christmas Trees 'Round the World

The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington, D.C., is decorated with 3,000 ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S. schoolchildren. Encircling evergreens in the 'Pathway of Peace' represent the 50 U.S. states.

The world's largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy's Umbria region. Composed of about 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the 'tree' is a modern marvel for an ancient city

A Christmas tree befitting Tokyo's nighttime neon display is projected onto the exterior of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka.

Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague's Old Town Square, and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava mountainsin the southern Czech Republic.

Venice 's Murano Island renowned throughout the worldfor its quality glasswork is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. Sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is a modern reflection of the holiday season.

Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks beforehand, the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost's arrival on his magical troika with the Snow Maiden. He and his helper deliver gifts under the New Year tree, or yolka, which is traditionally a fir.

The largest Christmas tree in Europe (more than 230 feet tall) can be found in the Praa do Comrcio in Lisbon, Portugal. Thousands of lights adorn the tree, adding to the special enchantment of the city during the holiday season.

'Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree': Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany's Karwendel mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.

Ooh la la Galeries Lafayette! In Paris, even the Christmas trees are chic. With its monumental, baroque dome, plus 10 stories of lights and high fashion, it's no surprise this show-stopping department store draws more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower

In addition to the Vatican's heavenly evergreen, St. Peter's Square in Rome hosts a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.

The Christmas tree that greets revelers at the Puerta del Sol is dressed for a party. Madrid's two-week celebration makes millionaires along with merrymakers. On Dec. 22, a lucky citizen will win El Gordo (the fat one), the world's biggest lottery.

A token of gratitude for Britain's aid during World War II, the Christmas tree in London's Trafalgar Square has been the annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947.

Drink a glass of gluhwein from the holiday market at the Romer Frankfurt's city hall since 1405 and enjoy a taste of Christmas past.

Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy firs, a rainbow trio of Christmas trees lights up the night (location unknown).

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

This week, I found out.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.-

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.'

Merry Christmas Everyone

CHRISTMAS AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY

I wonder why the press hasn't enlightened the public about it??

Arlington National Cemetery

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.

Know the line has held, your job is done.

Rest easy, sleep well.

Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.

Peace, peace, and farewell...

Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.

Please share this with everyone on your address list. You hear too much about the bad things people do. Everyone should hear about this.