I had an appointment with a new client, Diane, in Tatum Ranch. Of course I was super excited and couldn’t wait to tell her all about the show. She was excited too. After working with her on her decor for a few hours Diane told me of a good friend of hers that had just moved to the east coast.

She told me her friend had a beautiful home in Cave Creek which was decorated in the Southwest style and now on the market for sale. Her friend didn’t want to take anything with her and told Diane she could have anything she wanted. Diane suggested that I could help her on another occasion by visiting the house and selecting pieces she could use.

Due to the fact that I was already in north Scottsdale, I suggested we do the visit now if she had the time. When I walked into that house I was stunned. We talked over a few items and then I got a brainstorm. I asked if she thought her friend would let me use the house for one of the redesigns on the show. Sure she said, I’ll call and ask her.

Well, the very next morning I received a call from her friend back east and she readily told me I could do anything with the house that I wanted to do! I was floored! I was given a key too! You can imagine the real estate agent’s face when a few days later he arrived at the house and I was there planning on how to handle the redesign. Too funny!

At the beginning and end of the show we needed a few words from the home owner. My client, Diane, stepped into the roll and made her debut on HGTV the same day I did! It was a blast as you can well imagine. You can send for the clips of the show by going to our contact page, filling out the form. Check the box HGTV videos.

Note: To see the video clips featuring the three Arizona home Interior Redesigns I participated in, go to the Contact button on our site and fill in the form; check HGTV film footage. The link will be emailed to you.

HGTV’s program, Decorating Cents, currently no longer on the air, featured an interior redesign segment in the middle of each program. Interior redesigners were required to submit a two minute personal video tape for the producers to review in hopes of being selected for a chance to be featured on the show.

The way I got on the show was through a unique chain of events. While most of the shows were taped in the Midwest, (the show is produced in Minnesota), the producer wanted to tape a few shows in Arizona so she could be near her actor husband who was cast in the play Mama Mia at Gammage Theater.

Thus began the search for someone to tape three shows in the Phoenix area paired with an interior redesigner brought in from Boston, Jackie Davis. After a series of phone calls, “who do you know in Phoenix that’s cute and fun to work with?” the producers of the show called me! Even so I had to produce a video tape, which took all night to prepare and send off to be evaluated. I then received the second call; they liked me!

Now the hard part; I had one week to come up with three homes that needed a redesign. Yikes! So I called in my markers and suddenly I had three great houses lined up. Homes were selected based on the ability for us to show off our talent as redesigners as well as make for an interesting show.

All three houses have a fun and unique story behind how they came to be our redesign homes for the show. I will create each story separately over the next few blog postings. So, stay tuned for the story of each unique adventure.

and that is write a blog based on an article I read in the newspaper this morning. I was inspired by columnist Karina Bland’s article entitled, “Coming clean: No need to impress guests”. We all know that having overnight guests or just for a few hours spurs us on to getting things done that are long overdue.

I too recently had guests in my home and realized I needed to get a bunch of little things done that had been bugging me for a really long time. Never mind that I have a husband. He is totally not the go-to-guy when it comes to home repairs much less painting. I called in the best handyman and he spent most of the day fixing and correcting all the little things that had been bugging me.

Which brings me to one item on her list: she needed to repaint her hall bathroom. I had to laugh out loud when she confessed that when she painted the room turquoise, she had hit the ceiling with the roller about 17 times. So she just painted the ceiling the same color.

I actually was in a client’s home once and saw just this kind of thing, roller marks on the ceiling. And they just left it that way! I was appalled! People if you insist on painting yourself, and I don’t recommend it, would you please not be a slob and correct your mistakes? If you do paint I recommend having a small bucket of water and a white terry cloth towel handy to immediately remove the stray paint and redo it. You’ll feel better about yourself in the long run.

The month of March is now over and I accomplished a ton of little things that were on my to-do list. But the month of April is still a good time to finish any projects and begin a plan for making your home more beautiful. A good plan is all that is needed and soon you’ll be living a better life because of it.

Then as I was listing them in my mind I realized something: I AM your biggest resource!

Here’s the point of this posting. Recently within a matter of a few hours two clients called to tell me of a decision they had made on their own after soliciting an opinion from a person in a retail store. They thought they were doing the right thing, asking someone who is a professional in their field. They both asked me to come to the house and take a look. After seeing the look on my face they knew – they had made a mistake.

Actually, I think both parties already knew they had made a boo-boo and that’s why they called me. Sortofa cry for help! I couldn’t help myself and just had to ask, “why didn’t you call your decorator??” That’s me! Remember? – the person that has been your source of ideas and information? The one you originally called to make a plan for your décor? The gal you have been working with?

People please, never hesitate to call me. You know that I know your home and your intentions for decorating better than the person at the retail store or the contractor! You are never a bother; I want you call me. Never, never hesitate to call me with a question as I am your biggest resource. I can tell you if its right, if it makes sense and save you time and money.

I’m not writing this to make anyone feel bad.  There is a valuable lesson to be learned here and I think we all got it.  So glad to get this off my chest, thanks for listening, reading that is and for goodness sake, call me!

Clutter is not always what you think it to be. It is not just piles of papers or stuff that needs to be weeded out and most likely thrown away. Clutter can also be too much of a good thing! The “more is better” approach we take to the objects we love can easily lead to over accessorized rooms. Clutter in truth is another word for confusion.

The eye and the brain need organization. Clutter limits the ability of the brain to focus and appreciate our surroundings. That is why we use the work clutter to identify such a situation. Good organization and therefore lack of clutter is what makes a room feel soothing to the senses, really, to the brain. Again, creating balance and harmony is the key to reducing clutter and making the most of the objects you are so fond of.

On occasion I have worked in a style which calls for, “more is better” and that is Country French. Still, the organization of an over abundance of objects, by most people’s standards, must be managed in order for the room to be comfortable to its inhabitants.

Next time we’ll talk about another key to good decorating…

Q: I have seen you make minimal adjustments to furniture placement that result in a big impact?  Can you sum up in one word how this can happen?

A: If I could use only one word it would be balance.  All other factors can be put under that one topic – balance. Sometimes just moving a sofa a couple of inches is all that is necessary to bring it into balance. The redesign process takes into consideration; size, proportion and harmony of objects, all against the room’s architecture. It all adds up to balance.

Q: That’s it, just balance?

A: Think about it. Without balance you couldn’t walk across the floor. We are built for balance, two arms, two legs, two eyes, ears, etc. Balance is natural to the brain and without it the atmosphere seems off. That is one the major problem with a home when a client says, “there’s something wrong with my room and I don’t know what it is”. I know what the answer is and how to fix it.

My style…

Q: How would you describe your own personal style in your home?

A: I consider my style to be “classic eclectic”. I am somewhat traditional but certainly not in the Ethan Allen style. I like classic, easy and comfortable lines in my furniture, and art and accessories that exhibit color and detail. Some of my pieces would fit into any style home. That’s what makes them easy to live with for years.

Q:  How long have you owned some of your furniture?

A:  Interesting question! I have owned my dining room table, chairs and server since – well if I answer that question precisely then I am giving away more than I want to! Let’s just say it is the only dining set I have ever owned. I see no reason to replace it. It’s a Drexel Heritage and I purchased it from a well known furniture store in the Detroit suburbs for my first home which was really small. A few years ago I added a buffet that I found at a consignment store in central Phoenix. It’s a Henredon piece and when the woman said Henredon I knew I was hooked. When they delivered it I thought, what made me hesitate? It’s a great piece, great storage.  I have added new pieces to my home over the years as my taste has developed and my living space has grown.

Stop by some day and I’ll give you a tour!

Anyone who has ever worked with me knows that I have a vision for the décor in my head before we begin selecting the elements that go into the final product. You will have it too; the vision.

I do on occasion have a client that wants to know specifically what the lamps should look like, or what the area rug should look like, or what the drapery fabric should look like. The answer to such questions is shopping. There is no way to specifically describe these items while standing in the middle of an empty room!

Every decorator goes shopping for your décor. Most of them do it without you; you never see the process or have any input. I do it right in front of you! It works better for both of us if you see how the elements are being pulled together and I have your input.

I built the room décor in a specific order selecting each item for appropriate size, style, color and texture. You will see me pass up item after item and then suddenly I see “it.”  I get excited. I stop and exclaim, “That’s it, that’s it!” In my heart I know it when I see it. Decorating is a wonderful fun filled evolutionary process to be enjoyed. And that’s the way it really should happen.

They think that painting the walls is the place to begin the decorating process when actually painting is one of the last things you should do.  A more effective and successful way to decorate is to select your furnishings first. Again, knowing the color palette in the fabrics in the room will tell you what colors to use on the walls.  Walls painted with color selected to compliment your furnishings will give the room a custom finished look.

The colors you use should also suit your personality. You want your home to be beautiful and easy to live in; so what’s trendy, “what’s hot and what’s not” does not always apply here. If red is the new hot color for the season and you don’t like red, then what’s the point?

The Color of Paint is a six-part series. Read Part I.

The bad news is the “do-it-yourself” homeowner often relies on magazines and newspaper articles or television shows for information about current trends in decorating including how to choose a color palette for the walls of their home.

I say bad news because of my firm belief that much of this information can be misleading and can leave the homeowner feeling confused. These sources often suggest color palettes that are trendy, that are not easy to live with and the recommended applications simply do not make good decorating sense. I prefer a practical, sensible approach to selecting and applying color to our walls.

Here’s the Truth

The walls of your home should be painted with colors that enhance the color palette found in your fabrics and furnishings. Wall color should not detract from your furniture, art and accessories but take on a supporting role in your decorating scheme. In other words, when you walk into a room your eye should take in the entire room as a complete package. You should see the furnishings first and wall color should be seen second.

The Color of Paint is a six-part series. Check back soon for updates!

I digress; the photo is more the point of discussion. It showed a contemporary room with leopard carpet. It happens to look fantastic with this style décor. For most people, though, carpeting an entire room in leopard would take guts.

If you aren’t one with enough intestinal fortitude for this move, I have a solution or two for you. Simply add an area run in leopard with a border to your tiled or wood floors. We have rugs made to order all the time. It’s not an expensive investment and we can get the exact size your room needs. In other words, take it in small doses. You can always move the rug to another room such as a bedroom if you get tired of it in the family or living room.

My second solution is to hint at a leopard pattern by adding it with throw pillows. Go back to the home page and check out the pillows on the sofa. Who would have expected to find leopard throw pillows in this room? Thinking out of the box is what makes this room so inviting. Don’t be afraid to add the unexpected. It’s easy to swallow in small doses.