Choosing paint colors seems to be one of the most daunting tasks for many people when decorating. Color on the walls is a very important decision as it can completely change the mood and entire look of your design plan. Color has the ability to unite furnishings that may otherwise seem unrelated. It can make a room look larger or smaller, play up or minimize architectural features and compliment or contrast with elements in the room. Color is one of the most exciting and vers

If you are hosting a dinner party during the holidays, here are a few tips to set the perfect table! Start by deciding if it is going to be a formal for more informal party. You may choose to serve a buffet style meal; this allows more space to decorate the table with pretty things, rather than trying to squeeze in lots of serving platters. Either way, make it special. Consider a color theme and keep to that theme by incorporating those colors when choosing the linens, dishes

A significant part of planning, when it comes to design, is function. It is important to understand how a space will be used in order to plan the layout of the space. That not only applies to the type of furniture and placement of the furniture, to offer functionality, but also takes into account traffic flow around and through the room. In a kitchen, the layout is also important to allow for functionality, traffic flow and efficiency. However, beyond the floor plan, organizi

Kitchen islands are a popular feature. A well-planned island layout can allow a smooth workflow and provide a comfortable space for preparing and cooking food. Islands also provide space for dining, entertaining, working and storage. If you have a small kitchen, don’t assume that an island won’t be possible, or that you can’t include the options you want. There are many possibilities for making an island work, even where space is limited. Kitchen designers can find a cabinet

There are several good programs on HGTV devoted to budget friendly design. To start, I recommend looking for a room that gives you inspiration, a room that you want to try to reproduce. Choose a design that will be fairly easy to reproduce, nothing too exotic. You may not be able to recreate it exactly; your room may not be the same size or have the same number of windows or doorways. First pinpoint what is about your inspiration room that you like best. Is it the colors, the

One of the reasons is because the designer typically chooses three colors and repeats various shades of those colors throughout the main living spaces in the home. Usually all three of the colors will appear in every room, even if only showing up in a few accessories. This creates a cohesive pallet and ensures that all of the rooms relate and feel like they belong in the same house. Think about the big picture to give a home flow. That does not mean that every wall in the mai

Recently I have worked with a few projects where the living rooms are pretty small. So how do you get those rooms to both function and look good? First keep the wall color and the floor color light and neutral. When the walls, floors and ceiling are all light you visually open up the space. If you are placing a TV in the room, you always need to consider where it will go. With today’s open floor plans, you may only have one wall, so there is only one option. It is important

This is the time of year when we often have out of town guests. We love being with family and good friends during the holidays. Why not make their stay feel warm and welcoming by adding a few special touches to your guest room. Offer amenities like that of a fine hotel. First take a good look at your bedding. Does it look fresh, new and inviting? Do the walls and window treatments look coordinated with the bedding? If you have hard surface floors, add an area rug or a couple

The bathroom is one of the rooms that you will spend time in everyday. So waking up to a beautiful space will help put you in a happy frame of mind to start your day right. Bathrooms are small, so they are easy to create a dramatic difference with little effort 1. A new coat of paint on the walls will create a big change. If you have white fixtures and a white cabinet or pedestal sink, consider painting a bold dark rich color…instant drama and elegance! If you have dark cabin

Family rooms can become overwhelmed with kid stuff, so how do you keep the hub of the home kid friendly, yet capable of being a place where you are proud to entertain adults? The first step is to declutter. As children accumulate more toys, it is important to remove some of the older ones that are less often used or that they have outgrown. Next choose furniture pieces that can perform double duty. Functional pieces like a storage bench or storage ottoman can keep toys and ga