When you treat your architectural trim like drywall, it’s like putting ketchup on a steak.  It cheapens it – takes it for granted.  Here’s an example:  this is a “before” of a coffered ceiling in a client’s home.  It doesn’t look bad, but parts of it are painted out like the drywall:

Coffered Ceiling As Hamburger

We painted out the coffered ceiling completely in the existing trim color (white) and in the same finish (gloss).  The coffered ceiling now reads high-end, more sophisticated.  Like a nice, juicy steak.

Coffered Ceiling as Steak

Do you need another example to convince you?  Ok, here’s an example of columns that were treated like a hamburger – see the ketchup?

Columns as Hamburger

Columns should not read as drywall – they should read as architectural trim.

Columns as Steak

So, do you agree or no?

Command Central at The Decorologist

Here’s a peek at the organization process.  It’s messy, y’all!  And it’s emotional.  And incredibly liberating.

Organization in Progress

It’s a matter of rethinking and imagining your storage, your space, your entire life.   I know how to make a room beautiful and THAT I can envision  . . . but my previous mindset has been:  out of sight, out of mind.  So you wouldn’t have wanted to see inside my closets, or drawers, or cabinets.  Not so beautiful (except for the drawer liners, maybe!).

An Organized AND Beautiful Office (Lansing Desk by Merridian Home Furnishings)

It had gotten to where I wasn’t feeling very productive in my own office.  Too many visual distractions, too much difficulty finding what I needed.  I still had vestiges of the previous nursery that this room once was (sob, sob), and my children used it to stash their bookbags and school work.  This pink armoire was formerly for clothes storage for my girls when they were babies in this room, and I thought sure I needed it for storage of paint and picture hanging supplies.

A Messy Office Makes Me Nervous!

My Professional Organizer helped me look at things in a new way.  In this case, I actually didn’t need another storage piece.  I needed less, but better-organized storage.  So that messy space above now looks like this:

Fresh, New Space

This used to hold my kids’ books and school work, but now it holds my design and shelter magazines.

Storage Can Be Pretty!

My Professional Organizer helped me determine what I really needed, and what was bogging me down.  Now I know how my clients must feel when I’m helping them decorate their homes! By creating systems that work specifically for me, I know how and where to find all the things I need – and it’s all organized and labeled  in this closet behind my desk chair. And by using things I loved as part of the organizational plan, it looks like me.   I don’t even mind leaving the closet door open!

Newly Organized Office Closet

I try to always speak to functionality when I am designing spaces, but I also believe that if a person feels uncomfortable in a space, it’s functional aspects are simply wasted.  In the past, efforts at organization have not always worked for me because it was not pretty.  If it’s simply organized but not pretty to me, I’m just not interested in keeping it up!

Useful Storage + Nostalgic Attachment + Perceived Beauty = A Happy & Organized Home

A room like the one below is definitely organized, but would you really want to spend any time in it?

source 

This is why we are now offering Professional Organization Services that speak to what works for your life, your aesthetic, and the atmosphere you want to create in your home.  I believe that better and visually-pleasing organization can help you develop an appreciation for your home that you never had before.

 Happiness is Wanting What You Have

My dear readers, this is a game-changer.  If you want help organizing your homelife from someone who understands how to marry organization and beauty, click here for more information about scheduling an appointment with one of my talented Professional Organizers today!

via Pinterest

I’ve decided that since my home is old and I love vintage, it wouldn’t make much since to rip out ALL the cedar and make it feel too “new.”   So,  I’ve decided to rip out JUST ONE wall so that we can update some plumbing and tuck that ugly pipe into the wall.  This is the wall you see when you walk into the closet:

Ugly, Ugly Closet

After the plumbing is replaced, I’m going to put in some wallboard and paper it in something like this:

 via Pinterest

Below is a view to the left as you walk into the closet.  I will paint all the other cedar walls some shade of lavender – I’m hoping Annie Sloan Chalk Paint comes in a similar shade, because then I won’t have to sand or prime before I paint!  Then I’ll cover these crappy wood shelves in more beautiful wallpaper.

 Dark and Dreary Closet

I want to move the pegboard to either side of those shelves, paint them of course, then hang some scarves and vintage purses.  Last but not least, below is the view to the right when you walk into the closet:

Before of Ugly Closet

I’m going to raise this rod a bit so that I can hang another one below it.  Then wallpaper the shelves above, of course.  The  whole thing seems daunting, but after visiting Home Goods this afternoon I am invigorated.  That’s because I found some lovely things to help me organize and beautify my closet!

Closet Accessories from Home Goods

I found these gorgeous velvet hangers – I got three shades of purple/lavender and one set in pink.  I had to have the purple baskets and the lavender hat box – just look how great this goes with my bedding (on the right)?  Guess I’m lucky purple is on-trend right now.  I’ll keep you posted as things progress.  Thank you again for all of your input – it really got me going!

via Pinterest

Well, that’s not gonna happen.  But I have been working with a professional organizer, and she’s managed to find a way to rework our storage so that Mr. Man is FINALLY out of the closet! Ok, that didn’t come out quite right . . .   anywho, we are using a pair of armoires in the bedroom that will enable us to shift some clothes around.

Very similar to Mr.  Man’s new closet

The closet isn’t very large, but it’s MINE, ALL MINE!!!   So what can I do to make it fabulous?  I have a few ideas . . .

via Pinterest

I know I want it to be colorful and fun.

via Pinterest

I’d love to paint the interior or wallpaper it.

via Pinterest

I definitely want it to be super-organized.  A place for everything and everything in its place!

via Pinterest

There’s only one problem – or maybe a few.  It’s really ugly,  and I’m not exactly sure how on earth I’m going to tackle it. It’s cedar-lined, but it’s really cruddy looking and stained from past water damage.  If it’s not pretty, I will never be able to keep it organized – that’s just how I am!

Ugly Cedar-Lined Closet

Help!  If you have any ideas how I can make this closet a little jewelbox, please share!  I need to make some major decisions before moving forward – I really hope there’s a happy ending to this closet case . . .

Pull Up a Comfy Chair and Read This Post

You need to paint it.  I know, I know:  your husband says “No way, Jose!”  Men have lots of reasons for leaving wood in its natural state as I expounded upon in my post, “Why Men Fear Painting Wood.”

Men Think Wood Paneling is Sexy, But It’s Not

My clients spent 16 years with dark, dated wood cabinets and wood paneling in their kitchen and adjoining den.   Because their Nashville home is a 1970′s ranch, they honestly believed that they had no other choice but to live in that era as long as they lived in that home.  Not true!

 Before of Kitchen with Dated Wood Cabinetry

Honestly, it took a bit of convincing to reassure my clients that my plan would work and not result in a half-baked result.  They thought they needed to rip out all their cabinetry and start over, which would have been prohibitively expensive.  They were paralyzed by fear and lack of vision.  Once I gained their trust, we began moving forward towards an amazing outcome.  The proof is in the photos.  Get ready for the transformation . . .

 After – Same Cabinets, Painted White

Note how the penisula was really narrow and not terribly functional – that was about to change.  Here’s another angle of the “before” condition of the kitchen:

 Kitchen Before Design Intervention

Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and updated lighting helped bring the kitchen into the 21st century.  But the paint updates really make the biggest impact.  The hutch you see to the left is great addtional storage for a kitchen with no pantry.   It was previously in the dining room, but I encouraged my clients to paint the dated oak piece white and move it into the kitchen.  Notice the expanded coffee bar area with seating – the existing peninsula with an extended countertop created a new space for seating.

 Light and Bright Kitchen After Design Intervention

Shall we turn around and look at the “before” of the adjoining den?  Definitely dated and underutilized:

Wood Paneling Before

Paint your wood paneling, change your life!  The paneling remains, but Benjamin Moore’s Woodlawn Blue transforms the look and feel of the space.

 Painted Wood Paneling

Closer in now, another “before” shot of the adjoining den:

Den and Wood Paneling Before

The addition of black accents including the painted fireplace mantel, bar chairs, and drapery rod add sophistication and gravity to the airy and light room.

Den After

The before looks like circa 1974:

Wood Paneling Before

Dark days are over, now everything’s light and bright!  New furnishings and updated lighting make the den a family-friendly place to gather and watch television.

Beautiful New Den

As an Interior Decorator my job was to cast the vision, specify the right colors, and provide expert shopping within their budget.  These homeowners did most of the work in this lovely transformation themselves:   painting, installing new hardwood floors, and installing the new beadboard backsplash.  Their hands-on involvement resulted in a beautiful home that they can feel happy and proud to spend the next 16+ years in.

Expanded Counter and  Painted Beadboard Paneling

Really, do you need any better proof that you should paint your dated wood paneling?

I began working with a professional organizer yesterday because my life seemed to be teetering on the edge of disarray!   I am really good at making the surface of my home look lovely, but there’s a lot that lies beneath the surface . . .

You have no idea what all is in those drawers . . .

In preparing for our next appointment, my head is spinning thinking of all my collections and what she is going to challenge me to part with.  Of course, this gets me thinking that I need to be even more mindful and creative in making those collections functional and beautiful, otherwise they may be headed to Goodwill!

source

I love cake stands and use them for parties and decor, but I recently found a few inspiring images for even more ways to use them creatively.  A cake stand is a perfect fit for this vanity area – it corrals perfumes and pretty bottles with style.

via Pinterest

 Even soaps and detergents look nicer on a small sink-side cake stand:

via Pinterest

I have so many vintage frames and vintage framed art that I don’t always have the wallspace for all of it them.  I LOVE this idea for repurposing a pretty frame as a vanity tray.

via Pinterest

There are waayyyy too many paint cans in my home, what with trying out paints and creating sample boards for clients.  It only makes sense that a Color Consultant should repurpose a few paint cans to use in her office!

via Pinterest

I featured this image a long time ago in this post about stylish storage, but I love it so much that I have to share it again.  Even vintage teacups can be functional if you can think outside the box a little.

via Pinterest

Ok, I’ve got to go and get ready for the next area of my house we will be organizing – my bedroom.  Stay tuned for exciting news about The Decorologist’s expanding services!

via Pinterest

If your room looks too light and sweet, a few black accents make the room feel more grounded, more grown up.  It also covers up a multitude of orangey wood furniture!

via Pinterest 

Have you ever considered painting the backs of your bookcase black?  Just see how great it looks:

 via Pinterest

Paint a dated light fixture black, and there may be no need to replace it after all!   Unite a photo grouping  (like I did in this post) with a simple can of black spray paint.  Paint a mismatched chair black, and now it seems to belong after all. Need I go on?

via Pinterest

Of course, I also love it on interior doors (see this post) and even on window trim (interior or exterior).

via Pinterest 

Come follow me on Pinterest to see what other things I want to paint black!  What would you paint black?

Design by The Decorologist

The idea was to convert the former den into a bedroom for the two oldest daughters so the baby and toddler could each have their own rooms (very necessary for successful naptimes!).  They already had twin beds and wanted to make a list for the upcoming trip to the modern decor mecca, IKEA, in Atlanta.  We took measurements and worked up a solid furniture arrangement, determining what the girls needed and what would fit into the new space perfectly.

IKEA Malma twin bed in birch

The kicker was determining the perfect color for the room.   In the end, the color scheme was  a compromise that met the desires of both daughters and momma.

 Before – Room as Den

You see, momma is NOT a pink kind of girl.  Of course, that’s the paint color the daughters were begging for!  Initially, everything was pretty much beige on beige – beige carpet, beige walls, beige sofas.  Here’s the “before” of the area where the beds would ultimately be placed:

These cutie-pies obviously favor pink!

The answer to the color conundrum was obvious – a warm, neutral wall color plus the perfect pink on the ceiling.  Below is the same area of the room “after.”  The darker brown makes the pink more sophisticated and keeps it from being tooo bubble gum sweet.  Although, it’s still pretty sweet for two sweet little girls!

 Pinkalicious!

One trip to IKEA for everything on the list, and we were ready to set up the room!  All the furniture in this design is straight from IKEA – the bedding and curtains are from the Dwell line at Target.  The butterflies that flutter around the room are the Umbra Papillon set from Target.

 Dwell Studio Polka Dot Bedding & Curtains

The walls were painted Benjamin Moore’s Alexandria Beige HC-77.

Benjamin Moore’s Alexandria Beige

This is the ideal space for homework!

 IKEA Desks and Chairs

The ceiling color is Benjamin Moore’s Rose Blush 037.

 Polka Dots & Butterflies!

Starting with careful measurements and a good plan, everything fits in the room perfectly.  I’m happy to say, mother and daughters all love the new room!  Let’s just hope we don’t have to convert the dining room into a bedroom next . . .

notice that the dog matches the chair

We had decided to create a family photo wall for her back stairwell – it’s in the entrance where most family and friends enter the house.  She pulled out tons of photos for me to arrange and hang.  Believe me, that can be a bit overwhelming!

 photos and more photos

We decided which photos were most important to include (mostly her decision) and which sizes, shapes, and orientations we needed (mostly my decision).   My client had done her homework and spray-painted most of her frames black to unite the grouping I intended to create.   Here is the stairwell – I typically start in the middle.

 the family photo wall to-be

The idea was to create a grouping that could grow over time.  She can add a photo here and there as time goes on.  A couple of hours later, the family photo grouping is complete (for now).

 Stairwell Family Photo Grouping

The trick is to create a grouping that appears random, but actually has some planned structure to it.   There’s definitely a balance between the art and science of hanging art or photos.

 Making Family the Focus

By the way, this stairwell was previously painted a darkish gray-brown that felt a bit depressing to my client.  I helped her choose the colors you see here on the walls and ceiling – these colors flow through into a large office area at the top of the stairs, as well.

 Finished Family Stairwell

This makes me happy just looking at it!  Family memories make a house a home, and family photo groupings can also make it truly beautiful.  Click here on The Decorologist FaceBook page for the paint colors for these walls and ceiling.