Tip 1. Take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. Use every day items in a new way. Make it fun, unexpected and special.
Tip 2. Add the element of fire. Many fireplace companies are making portable fireplaces. Here the homeowner uses one as a space divider and focal point. They are clean burning, enjoyable and create a conversation piece.
Tip 3. Reversible draperies. Custom draperies are WORTH the money. But to get more bang for your buck, add a decorative fabric where lining would typically be. This allows you to turn the draperies around for different seasons or moods.
Tip 4. Details. One reason designers are worth their weight in gold, they think about the details. I purchased this sofa at highpoint back in October. I didn’t want just another “beige” sofa. I wanted something special, different, but not for obvious reasons. Every time my client has a guest to her home they are shocked and thrilled by this little inexpensive DETAIL.
Tip 5. Size matters. If you take ANY tip from this post, this is the one to REMEMBER. Im a Nazi about scale and proportion. Always go for the gold. Go big or go home. My philosophy is do less with more. Get rid of the clutter and knick knack tchotchke’s. Do a few choice pieces, in a larger scale and call it a day. Back away from the crap!
Tip 6. Walls and ceiling’s. So often homeowners forget about walls and ceilings as decorative potential. Throw some paint on it and it’s finished. Add DETAIL and interest with nailheads. This not only allows a visual stopping point to relieve the eyes, but adds visual interest with the particulars, in an area not thought of as important.
Tip 7. Storage. Get creative. Book shelves and furniture are not always the answer. Use some fabric and your walls become a great place to store magazines, drawings, and anything else the kids can throw in there with a wall pocket.
Tip 8. Rethink. This goes back to making the ordinary into something extraordinary. Rethink your storage solutions. Does it need to be the way it has been for 100 years? How great would this be in a dining room as wine storage? How about in an office as paper storage? Or blueprint storage.
Tip 9. Mantles. I love making mantles larger than life. Extended mantles past their “expected” areas is one of my trade marks. It creates visual balance, intrigue, and a great area for display.
Tip 10. Mirrors. This is in designers 101. It is one of the easiest solutions to ALL problems. This little work horse can create such magic in the simplest and least expensive ways!