Creating Homework Areas That Make Back-To-School Rock

September 5, 2012 by 2 Comments
It’s hard to believe school is back in session. Now is the time to set aside a special place for the kiddos to get their homework done in peace. Here are some ideas for making homework less of a chore, more of a joy.
 
186561 0 4 0611 traditional kitchen Creating Homework Areas That Make Back To School Rock

 
by Lisa Wilson via Houzz.com
 
The breakfast table or dining table is a great place to designate as your official homework area. You can prepare dinner and keep your eyes on your little workers at the same time.  Click here to see the rest of the article I wrote for Houzz.com.  Looks like it will be the last one I do for awhile – something had to give in my busy schedule, so I told my editor at Houzz I needed to take a break and focus on this blog and my design clients.  So please stop over and “like” or comment on my article!
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Home Projects to Tackle Now That the Kids are Back In School

August 29, 2012 by 3 Comments

The new school year has begun for most folks. Whether you are glad or sad about seeing your kids head back to school, this just might be the best time of year for getting some important home projects started.  My youngest has already finished her first project of the school year, as you can see:

DSC 9769 825x1024 Home Projects to Tackle Now That the Kids are Back In School

 

Check out my latest article published on Houzz.com for 9 ideal projects for this time of year!

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/3825847/list/9-Timely-Home-Projects-to-Tackle-During-School-Hours

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Is Staging an Historic House Different than Staging a Contemporary One?

August 15, 2012 by 2 Comments
Staging a home to sell is a somewhat different animal when you are dealing with a historic or period home.  While you want to make it appeal to the widest audience possible, you have to realize that most of the people interested in buying that type of home are attracted to historically decorated interiors.  Most historic homes sell to a specific kind of buyer who is looking for character and architectural details that will make them fall head over heels.
 
1. Choose classic wall colors. If you need to paint the walls, choose a color from a period-inspired palette. Use fresher, cleaner historic options, such as Benjamin Moore’s Palladian Blue, Adams Gold or Georgian Green.  I love the way the homeowner painted the undersides of the sink and bathtub in this vintage bathroom!  This kind of color placement draws attention to the unique selling points of the home.  For the rest of my tips, please check out the last in my Home Staging series on Houzz.com by clicking here.  Make sure you “like” it if you visit – thanks!
 
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Nashville Stager Explains How You May Need to Spend Money to Make Money

August 8, 2012 by 5 Comments
No one wants to spend money on the home they are getting ready to sell, but it can be crucial if you want to sell the house quickly and for the price you want.  Beyond basic  decluttering and cleaning, there are areas where you may need to spend a little cash in order to get your property sold.  Here’s a few things you may need to spend $$ on:
 
451851 0 4 1549 traditional dining room Nashville Stager Explains How You May Need to Spend Money to Make Money
 
 
Painting the walls in updated neutrals and on-trend colors will set your home apart and help home buyers remember each room. Open areas should all be painted the same color — maybe a light griege or muted-down color. You’ll want to skip the dark or intense colors in these areas. Master and guest bedrooms are best painted in muted but distinct colors. Muted versions of blues, greens and yellows are good bets.
 
35795 0 4 1000 traditional bedroom Nashville Stager Explains How You May Need to Spend Money to Make Money

 
 
 
Read the rest of my latest article on Houzz.com to find out the other things you probably need to spend a little money on if you want to get your home sold quickly and for more money.  Again, I did not choose the title of the article (am I a control-freak, or what?)  Just for the record, I’m not a fan of the word “savvy.”
 
In case you don’t follow me on Facebook, here are links to my articles in the Style section of The Tennessean from the last two Saturdays:
 
 
 
 
 
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So Really, What’s the Difference Between Decorating & Staging?

July 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment
As a Nashville Home Stager, I know that selling your home means selling a lifestyle – but not necessarily your own.  In home staging, you’re striving for a look that is fresh and welcoming yet not really taste specific.  If you don’t understand the difference between decorating your home and staging it to sell, you might not sell your house as quickly as you like.
I give you the specifics in my latest article on Houzz.com.  Go check it out and “like” it, share it on Facebook, or leave a comment if you have a moment!
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Staging Your Home for Young Buyers Is Apparently a Controversial Subject!

July 18, 2012 by 23 Comments
Educating my clients about the audience they will be marketing to is one of the most important things I do as a Home Stager.  When you put your home on the market to sell, you should know that the next owner will likely be younger than you are.  That’s why you should stop thinking about what you like or want in a home and start thinking about what your most likely buyer will want.  In my most recent Houzz article, this is exactly what I address.  And it seems like I touched on a nerve with many who don’t agree with my advice!
 
 
803106 0178 w422 h634 b0 p0 contemporary living room Staging Your Home for Young Buyers Is Apparently a Controversial Subject!

 
 
 
Surprisingly, Home Staging is something that many homeowners are passionately opposed to.  I experienced this about 2 years ago when one of my blogposts was featured on the infamous Ugly House Photos – one dude was so very offended about what I said in the post that you would have thought I was standing in his home and personally criticizing him.  If you want to  see what everyone’s so up in arms about, click here to read my article on Houzz.com.  And if you have some time to spare, do yourself a favor a spend some time on Ugly House Photos.  Believe me, it’s jaw-dropping fun over there.
 
 
 
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So Much Decorating, So Little Time!

July 10, 2012 by 17 Comments

How are you guys doing this week?  I’ve been go-go-going like crazy lately, so I thought I’d catch you up on some fun stuff in decorology land!  I sometimes forget that the tidbits I share on my Facebook page never get to my readers on the blog.  Maybe you need to be following me on Facebook here!   Over the weekend, my “Front Porch Makeover” was featured in a 1 1/2 page spread in The Tennessean.

DSC 7703 So Much Decorating, So Little Time!

 The Decorologist’s Front Porch Makeover!

 

 Good thing my kids were in the East Tennessee mountains running from bears and bungee jumping (who has grandparents that cool???) so that I could focus on making over a front porch in record time and 105 degree weather (yes, after 2 hours of styling a porch in the boiling heat I posed for a photo that ended up in the Style section of The Tennessean).  

bungee 001 So Much Decorating, So Little Time!

My firstborn and my neice about to take the plunge

 

In spite of my being a hot mess (literally), the fabulous Shopping Diva, Cathi Aycock, made my week by telling me she had a total girl-crush on me.  That’s a compliment I’ll take!

cathi aycock So Much Decorating, So Little Time!

The Tennessean’s Shopping Diva, Cathi Aycock

 

Last Tuesday evening, I spent the evening with about 30 of my newest friends to share 2 hours chocked-full of color advice at my first “How to Choose Just the Right Paint Color” class at Kirkland’s Floor to Ceiling here in the Greater Nashville area.  

  MG 0583 So Much Decorating, So Little Time!

The Decorologist’s Color Class - photo by Matt Barker

 

I had sooo much fun and am pretty sure my students did, too!  I hope to do another class like this sometime in the fall.

MG 1154 So Much Decorating, So Little Time!

Benjamin Moore Color Class presented at Kirkland’s Floor to Ceiling – photo by Matt Barker

 

As you may know, I’ve been writing for the premier design and remodeling website, Houzz.com, for the last  couple of months.   Check out my latest article on how to create an awesome hallway with pattern here.

550505 0 8 5961 contemporary staircase So Much Decorating, So Little Time!

 

In addition to all these exciting things, I have continued to meet with both new and ongoing clients working up new color palettes for their homes, better furniture and art arrangements, and shopping for just the right items to finish out their design plans.  Of course, I hope to share some of those results with you here soon.  I’m totally exhausted just thinking about the last couple of weeks.  Maybe I need a vacation???

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How to Make Your Home Feel Like YOU

July 6, 2012 by 11 Comments
Too many people want their home to look like someone else’s.   Shouldn’t your home reflect who you are and what you love?   Well, of course it should!   If you’re not sure how to express yourself through your decor, here are some ideas to give you the confidence you need to do just that.
 
558997 0 8 6706 eclectic bedroom How to Make Your Home Feel Like YOU
 
 
Houzz.com just published the last in my series of 8 articles about how to make your space “feel” a certain way – they dubbed it “Mood Makers.”  Here’s my latest post with lots of decorating ideas for making a house your unique home: 
Please let them know if you like my articles – I’m working on an idea for a new series for them now.  Have a great weekend!
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Do Function and Beauty Hook Up in Your Home?

June 27, 2012 by 2 Comments
William Morris famously said, “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”   Being one of the most realistic Interior Decorators I know, this is one of my favorite quotes!   I’m always looking for ways to marry function and beauty in a space.  With a little planning and foresight, your home can be both practical and pretty.
 
189251 0 4 7285 traditional entry Do Function and Beauty Hook Up in Your Home?
  
Check out The Decorologist’s latest article here on Houzz.com about making your space both beautiful and functional.   Before you go there and see what it’s called, can I just please say that I don’t make up the headlines or opening verbage for these articles?  Actually, I do make the headline up – but then they change it.   So hard for me to give up control . . .
 
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How to Make Your Home Feel Peaceful

June 1, 2012 by 2 Comments
After a long day we all want to come home to a place that feels peaceful — a place to recharge, restore and relax.   It’s one thing to create a space that is visually beautiful, but it’s quite another to create a space that can make you feel calm and at peace with the world.
 
 
327774 0 4 9197 contemporary bedroom How to Make Your Home Feel Peaceful
Phoebe Howard
 
 
How do you design such a space?   I’m sharing my insider secrets on foremost design website, Houzz.com.  Click below for the complete article:
 
 
 
pixel How to Make Your Home Feel Peaceful
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