The Design Lazies

Well, vacation time is over, and my 69 year old Mum has just left. After spending three wonderful weeks together, I have concluded that either I am one of the laziest people I know, or, she is a super-human alien from another planet. Unfortunately, I have documented proof that she is not an alien, which I guess means I can be a wee bit lazy. So, on behalf of all the lazies, I thought I would offer up some design ideas that are quick and (almost) effortless:

• If you do nothing else, make a good impression. Paint, stain, or at least, de-cobweb and clean your front entrance. Throw away any dead plants, and fix anything that is broken. If you can be bothered, add a colorful plant.
• Remove the pillows that came with your sofa, and replace them with ones that you really like. (They don't have to "go" or match).
• Have some fun, and display a collection that you had forgotten about. Or, store away some things that you don't love quite as much as you used to. Keep your collections, together, in one spot. (Plastic Trolls on a shelf will say that you are quirky and love Trolls, but scattering hundreds of them all over the house might say that you have 37 ferrets and knit sweaters out of dryer-lint).
• Use an over-sized, real rug in the bathroom. It gives more personality to the space, and it won't get damaged from a few wet feet.
• Buy a lamp that is a different size and shape from one that you already have. Every home needs more light; they add instant architecture, and are, of course, practical.
• Change the lampshades that you have. If they are plain, then buy a patterned one, and vice versa. 
• Be mindful of your furniture legs. Too many "legs" showing in a single room make it feel uncomfortable. Mix your skirted pieces with exposed legs.
• Always have a real plant, or a bunch of flowers (twigs) in your main living area. It will make you happy, and people will assume that your house is cared for and, therefore, "decorated".

And, finally, being lazy doesn't mean that you can't be creative. Forget about what you "should" do, and consider these ideas for your more traditional pieces:
        - If your dining room table has begun to feel too formal, use kitchen chairs instead. (Check out bulk stores, flea-markets and garage sales for inexpensive options).
        - Bring an outdoor bench inside. Use it in any room for extra seating. (Add pillows or paint, if needed).
        - Hang your chandelier in your foyer, kitchen, bathroom, office or bedroom, and put something more unexpected over your dining table.
         - Move your china cabinet into your living room. Accessorize it as if it was a bookshelf. (This is one of my favorite things to do). Take the doors off if you like.
         - Place a bedroom dresser by the front door to store your gloves, keys and any last minute things that you might need. Or, take inspiration from the main photograph above; removing the drawer makes it far more useful (the open space could also store books or games) and it would be perfect in a large bathroom or cozy guestroom.

Thanks to Sacramento Street for the lovely photograph.

What's your Style?

Have you seen the recent decorating shows that try to define a homeowner's style? Apparently, we crave a label, and it is their job to come up with fancy names that tell us who we are, and how we should decorate. I was watching one the other day; after several minutes of very intense questions, the designer declared loudly (with a triumphant flourish) that the style was "Bohemian Classic Traditional with a hint of Asia". Really? What they ended up with was a lovely room, but I am not quite sure if it will ever live up to its rather grand and obscure title.

Maybe we think that it makes decorating easier, and giving it a name helps us know where to begin when we are feeling a little lost. Whatever the reason, I think that style is a very elusive entity, something that can take a lifetime to grow. But, for those days when we just can't wait, there are a few easy ways to figure it all out.

One of the simplest, is to take a look at your favorite clothes and accessories. Write down some words that  truly describe your personal style, and use the exact same words to find items for your home. eg. classic, eclectic, polished, comfortable, modern, simple, bright/shiny, fitted, vintage etc.

Another idea is to look around your home at what you already have; what do you enjoy, and what do you wish you didn't have? Do you prefer easy-to-clean surfaces, copious collections, a large or small television, squishy or straight-backed sofa's, familiar or original art, rustic or modern, carpets, tile, linoleum or hardwood, chandeliers, lamps or recessed lights. Be honest with yourself, keep what you love, and don't worry about what other people may think.

If you're still not sure, take a few moments to think about your ideal home, and how you would want it to feel. This isn't a pipe-dream, and it may not be your current reality, but it will help you to create your own design inspiration.

Of course, how could I write about this without mentioning some of the fun on-line quizzes that will tell you your design style. Here are just a few for you to do ...

http://my.hgtv.com/style-finder/stylefinder.esi
http://www.homegoods.com/hghq_quiz.asp
http://www.furniturefirst.com/furniturefirst/find_style.inc

Back to Basics

 

Just when you think we are becoming totally reliant on homogeneous technology, a trend returns that reminds you that people
still crave things that are beautifully designed, original and useful.

A few years ago, most of the children I knew could not tell time (unless it was digital) and anyone who wore a watch was considered old-fashioned. Now, an over-sized watch is the newest, must-have accessory of the season. And, yesterday, my daughter asked me for a camera for Christmas - a new Polaroid Camera ("because they print instant pictures, and are so cool").

So, with dinosaur thoughts on my mind, here are a few basic ideas that may have been forgotten.

Divide your Room:  Everyone wants wide open spaces in their home, but sometimes we are not quite sure what to do with them once we get them. Why not keep the space, but create the illusion of smaller, more intimate areas by using a bookshelf, dresser or wall unit to visually separate the room.  

Add Organic:  Regardless of the style, a home always needs some organic moments to make it feel warm and welcoming. If plants seem like too much work, add a bowl of something that comes from nature (pine cones, shells, twigs, rocks etc).

Use Clocks: With digital time, we are fine until the power goes out. Gone are the days when a clock was a coveted family heirloom sitting on the mantle, now, they are affordable, useful works of art.

Keep the Dining Table:  Busy lives mean that more meals are eaten at the kitchen sink, on the run, or in front of the television. It also means that eating together has become less common. Why not try to reclaim the dining (kitchen) table, keep it clear of household debris and use it more often?

Living a modern life doesn't have to mean abandoning the basics, it just means we may have to tweak them now and again. What about a gorgeous spa bathtub with a rye grass privacy screen?

Controlling Closet Madness

A big topic among my friends at the moment, seems to be their closets – not enough space, and not enough clothes. Ok, so we all know that isn’t quite true, but  I think most of us can relate to having a lot of things that are hanging up, but still nothing to wear. We go to get dressed, and what we thought we had is suddenly too big, too small or woefully outdated. Somehow, the more room we have, the more clothes we have, but the less clothes we have to wear. Not sure if that last sentence makes sense, but you know what I mean.

Because we have to wear clothes every day, our closets are a constant source of delight and despair. So, for those days when you feel like tackling the confusion, here are a few ideas…

- Schedule a chunk of time to go through your closet. Try things on. (We all know that looking at them isn’t quite the same as wriggling into them).

- If you are not ready to give items away, but know you won’t wear them anytime soon, put them in a secure plastic bin and store them somewhere away from your closet.

- Organize according to your own lifestyle, and what you wear the most. Be honest with yourself; keep clothes that you need all of the time in the middle, right in front of you, and seldom used clothes to the outer edges.

- Use the back of the door for accessories eg. a few hooks will take up no extra room, and will easily hold your belts, scarves, jewelry and handbags.

- Invest in non-slip, slim, strong Huggable Hangers. These hangers are half the size of regular ones, allow you to hang twice as much, and your clothes won’t slip off.   (Generic versions  can be easily found online and at most stores for about 50 cents each). I promise, they will change your closet life.

- Double your space. Hang two railings, one below the other, for your clothes that are not full length, or, just add this Closet Doubler and it will do the work for you.

- If you have a shelf in your closet use Over-the-Shelf dividers for t-shirts, sweaters and cardigans etc. It will keep them neat, and stop things from falling on your head when you least expect it.

Finally, take a look in there every now and again, maybe you will find  something wonderful that you had forgotten about (New York Post, circa 1962)

A Porch (by any other name would be as sweet)

My neighbor is having a new porch built. It is replacing the old one, and not drastically different, but there is something about the actual word that just makes me want to sit outside (maybe with a cup of coffee) and watch it being built.

A porch always looks so optimistic; it welcomes you into a home, and implies that wonderful things could happen on the other side of the door.

My own porch is barely big enough to stand on, but I still love having it. It shelters me in the Winter, when it is snowing and my frozen hands are filled with groceries, and it keeps the entrance cool when it is unbearably hot in July. The rest of the time it is an accessory to my small house, framing my red door, and showing people where to go when they want to visit.

I am trying to grow tomatoes and strawberries on it this year. Usually, the squirrels eat them, so I decided to put them in a hanging basket, and am hoping that they will get enough sun to grow a few pieces of fruit.  I also have petunias in a wrought iron basket, lined with a bit of moss; they are starting to grow, and the flowers are lazily playing hide and seek with the doorbell.

As small as it is, I know the possibilities for my porch are endless. But, even if I do very little, just saying the word makes me very, very happy!