How to make your guest feel right at home making your home not only a pretty one but a gracious one. There is so many times that we end up with guest over the holidays, summer breaks or even a surprise visits that having a pretty simple list of essential will make it easy for you to have a welcoming home that makes your guest feel right at home every time.

From my experience as a designer and home owner who has many friends, and family visiting, I have found that these tips have always work for me, not only makes it a comfortable stay for my guest but it makes it easy for me to entertain without worrying that my guest have everything they need. I am sure if you follow these steps prior to having visitors, you will have many visitors wanting to come back for a visit. Read the rest of this entry »

I find in almost all cases that the process becomes a learning experience for the client; their view is broadened as they are shown new and different solutions from those they are used to. Usually they experience an “aha” moment, for better or for worse. “Trendy always changes and always look dated”. Even within the realm of modern, people can make choices that remain timeless.”

I want it to be inviting and comfortable, but I also want it to have an exciting edge and be infused with color. I learned not to fear color but to embrace it. Some people think it is sophisticated to banish color. It is not.

It is important to see how they live, to know their likes and dislikes, because that tells you more about them.We create an environment that is uniquely appropriate for the client. My company is not short of ideas and all of our projects are custom- tailored to our clients.

Clients today want something looser, more comfortable, not so tight. The ability to instantly email photographs from buying trips is one of the main changes in technology. All small details of any project helps make the space feel really special.

Initial meetings are spent defining their dislikes, whether their thought processes are technical or artistic, how they interact with family and friends and the possessions (music, books, art) that surround them. An understanding and integration of all these factors into a design determine its success.”

Life is complicated and we want our clients to come home to something fresh and crisp and clean but at the same time, lots of little touches add warm feel to the place.

Home is where life HAPPENS.

Whether it’s contemporary art, neoclassical antiques, pop art photography, a garden full of flowers or in my family case a house on the lake: if it brings you and your family pleasure over the long term, it’s an investment that will never tank.

The secret to creating a dream home is all about having the confidence to express your personal style. Homes should reflect the story of your life, not just your sense of style, not that there’s anything wrong with that! But our goal has always been to help you get a home you love to share with family and friends, and to make it easier for you to relax and enjoy life.

Here’s to a happy and healthy 2011!

Big, bold, breathtaking, and beautiful that’s how I would describe Europe. After traveling in five countries it is hard to single out my favorite. But one thing that I can tell you, the architecture is old and full of history, the people are cool and modern, food was fresh and delicious.

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Although design trends normally take their leads from the fashion world, not every trend is as fleeting. In the interior design industry, the trends tend to stay a little longer, allowing them to evolve and catch on, such as the way “going green,” was one of the hottest trends a few years ago, and is now an industry standard.

Since design tendencies generally reflect our social and economic mindsets, some key factors influence the current trends for 2010, and they include: an interest in ‘going green,’ global connectivity, and our economic climate. Our environmental focus, preserving the past, a return to family and casual comfort all converge to create an eclectic and inspiring design scheme for 2010-2011.

One of the most obvious ways we see this theme playing out is in the global influence of the color palettes across the world­­—mixing earth tones of browns, grays, and greens, with vibrant uplifting global accents of pinks, blues, oranges, yellows and purples.

This year’s overall trend is about mixing it up and an “anything goes” attitude. In addition to mixing bold accents with neutrals, by mixing and matching colors, styles and textures, you create a more unique design that better reflects your personality. In our quest for simplicity, we strip down the traditional, replacing formal fabrics with casual, less complex, textured fabrics; and use distressed wood finishes to reflect a feeling of the past. The “less is more” approach creates the simplicity we seek out, without losing the glamour.

This year, we will be looking for bolder design decisions, in the form of bolder prints—geometric, botanical and paisley, effectively used in pillows, curtains and rugs, but which also work nicely with traditional pieces. Additionally, there is a strong interest in artisanal works, whether one-of-a-kind, handcrafted, or handmade pieces, rather than the all too homogenous looks of the past. The yearning is for more warmth and comfort and more natural materials to be brought into the home.

Layered flooring and wallpapered are among some of the design trends that resurfaced recently, and intended to make your room feel cozier and more intimate. By overlapping several lightweight rugs with similar patterns and complimentary colors—several of the same rugs layered for uniformity, a bold print over an existing carpet, or a blend of similar prints and colors with varied placement, they add richness and warmth to a room. Wallpaper adds visual interest as well, you will find the traditional designs patterns updated in modern color combinations.

As our strong eco-awareness continues into 2010–2011, we seek out natural materials, and organic and environmentally friendly products for the home, such as non-toxic paints and natural fabrics—and with this trend, comes the natural imperfections of these materials, whether in the patina of woods and metals, or rust, water marks and natural distressing. This wear and tear on these pieces adds tremendous character, as well as tells a story.

With all the focus on natural materials, you can bet that texture will be big, with lots of unusual techniques, woven, crocheted, inlaid and recycled materials to create rich textural interest. You will see these techniques incorporated into furniture, accessories, curtains, rugs, fabric and even lantern lighting, another big trend this year.

Found objects, vintage pieces, and antiques are key elements for the home this year. As our fascination with industrial modernism grows, it allows us to reinterpret a seemingly unuseful historical piece and give it a new twist.

All in all, this year is about embracing the mix of key elements. It’s about diversity, contrast, color and texture, and how when combined, make you feel good and bring you a whole lot of comfort.

Most people who are thinking about changing their interior environments aren’t lacking in taste or style. In fact, they usually have fantastic ideas about what they want. What they don’t have is the expertise to make the vision into a reality. They lack the know how to pull it together, and are overwhelmed by the myriad of options to choose from.

By hiring a professional designer, you will get their seasoned advice and guidance as well as access to all of their resources that would otherwise be unavailable to most consumers. A designer’s ability and knowledge will prevent costly mistakes and provide solutions to the challenges that often present themselves in every project no matter how big or small. Read the rest of this entry »

Color’s power to shape the way we feel about a room is almost magical. Consciously or unconsciously, very often it’s the first thing we notice. Going on step further and using decorative finish adds a whole new dimension. A dry brush can produce a look of raw silk, faux finishes can simulate everything from marble to fine woods and something as simple as an over scaled stencil design to a series of stripes in contrasting colors can fool the eye and create interest.

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