It's that time of year that causes us to refelct on a our lives and want to make changes. Our motto at sajInteriors is "Change your home Change your life!" If you are feeling the renewal and redecorating bug, hopefully you will find these ten tips very useful. Happy decorating!
1.Find inspiration. This can come from anywhere. Look in magazines for ideas, HGTV and FLN Networks have a ton of design shows that offer great inspiration as well as great design tips. Tear out favorite photos from magazines, get pics from internet. get postcards of artwork, color chips, that favorite scarf or pillow are also inspiring. maybe it's your favorite flower, or cologne packaging. All of these things can inspire a great room. Find pics of your fantasy room, you may not be able to duplicate it but you can certainly incorporate some aspects of it.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
3. What's your style? Gather all of your pics and ideas together, you will see a common theme. Do you see masculine, feminine, clean, tailored, traditional, modern, bohemian, or cottage? Like most people you probably have a mixture of several styles and that's fine. This step just helps you pinpoint so that you can focus on what to look for when shopping. As you flip through magazines or an item in a store, ask yourself, "Do I love this?" If you cannot honestly answer "yes" then don't waste your time or money.
4. Consider how you will use the room. Be honest about how you live. If you don't use your formal dining room that the builder "designed" for you why waste the real estate? If a game room is what you really want then design accordingly. Practical needs always trump style. This photo is a FABULOUS way to mix the practical needs with incredible style!
5. Assess your stuff! This is a biggie, you have got to take stock of what you have. When I go into a clients home one of the first things I do is photograph. I take pics of everything, seeing each piece separately gives me a clearer vision of what needs to happen. When I am redoing my own home I still photograph everything. Sounds crazy, right? For me, the pics give me distance from items that I "see" every day and this allows me to be more creative so I can honestly assess my needs. These pics can also help you clear away unnecessary clutter, you can pile your pics into keep or give away stacks!
6. Draw up a floor plan. Look at the main parts of your room(bones) and decide what will be your focal point. This can also show what needs to be downplayed as well. Look at traffic flow. This is a great way to play around with new floor arrangements. make small cutouts of your furniture and try something new!
7. As Kenny Rogers sang, "You better count your money" and in decorating there is NO greater mistake than underestimating what things will cost. Figure out what you can spend and be realistic! If you are remodeling it will ALWAYS cost more than you think, so add a buffer to cover those unexpected costs. Make a list of your wants and needs this will help you determine your budget. Also, decide on what approach you want to take, i.e. do everything at once ,one room at a time, or a piece at a time.
8. Research, research, research! This is very important. Once you have an idea of what you're looking for, find out what's available. "You better shop around" says Smokey Robinson and so says ME! There is so much available. Check out websites,design blogs, window shop with your camera, buy home design magazines for more resources. Get paint samples and fabric swatches. Keep this all in a box for later use.
9. Create a design scheme. Consolidate all of the information that you've collected. Have images of your favorite pieces from magazines, or photos that you've snapped in stores or from websites and put it all together. Designers call these "Mood" boards. This lets you see at a glance how everything will "feel" when pulled together, hence the name "Mood" board!
10. Make a decorating schedule. Even if you don't like the "To Do" list, this step can be very helpful in saving time and money. Make a list of everything that needs to be done and/or ordered. Know when to order the sofa, the chairs, the rug, etc. Hire the painter, send the bench to the upholsterer. Breaking your project down in steps is what every decorator does. This prevents you from feeling overwhelmed as well as makes sure that no important steps get overlooked
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Brown + blue bedroom: Lacquered turquoise dresser + Farrow & Ball's 'Mahogany'
Brown + blue bedroom: Lacquered turquoise dresser + Farrow & Ball's 'Mahogany'
Originally uploaded by xJavierx
Monday, December 14, 2009
1929 Armstrong Linoleum - Turquoise Living Room
It looks like Turquoise was also the "Color of the Year" back in 1929 as well!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Color of the Year!
Pantone has just announced Turquoise as the 2010 Color of the Year!
"Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of well being"
A team of 8 color forecasters work for Pantone, based in Carlstadt, NJ. Twice a year the company serves up a rainbow of nearly 2000 shades, tones, and tints, its color gurus announce which ones are hot!
For more information on this fabulous process go to http://www.pantone.com
"Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of well being"
A team of 8 color forecasters work for Pantone, based in Carlstadt, NJ. Twice a year the company serves up a rainbow of nearly 2000 shades, tones, and tints, its color gurus announce which ones are hot!
For more information on this fabulous process go to http://www.pantone.com
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
don't even ask :-)) (Poland, Sopot)
The Photo of the week!
These 2 buildings really look like this. No Photoshop! There is a jazz club and a restaurant inside it. This is in Sopot, Poland
These 2 buildings really look like this. No Photoshop! There is a jazz club and a restaurant inside it. This is in Sopot, Poland
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
One of the things that I am blessed to be able to do is work with great people in the industry and collaborating with them to bring the very best to our clients! Mike Mitchell runs his own very successful painting business here in the Little Rock area. He is extremely well organized,professional,and courteous. I always enjoy and look forward to an opportunity to work with Mike. Our latest project together was for a local couple, the Washington's, who have a beautiful home that they decorated themselves. They knew they wanted to update the paint colors in their spacious home, but weren't sure which colors would be right to preserve the integrity of their home, yet still show off their prized collections. We all sat down together and worked out a paint plan that would accomplish their goals.The Washington's not only love the outcome but were very impressed with Mike Mitchell and his team's incredible attention to detail. You can see a small sampling of Mike's work yourself. Feel free to contact him for a consultation at 501-626-8767
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