Breaking the Rules

I have been reading about blogs, and am seeing that those that have been around a long time do well. I read today that their are so many design blogs, by many designers, that you can be mind boggled by even trying to find one.  I sure hope that the few that are following me, that you tell all your friends to tune in.  I see that charity blogs get a very lot of hits.  I am right now, my family's charity. 

An article about "Anya Sarre" had a great little saying: " Always dress to impress, accentuate your best features, and know when to Break The Rules."  This is exactly what we have been talking about lately. 

Who made the rules?????  Rules are made to be broken and you can do it.

I have been talking about before and after pictures, forgetting the in-between.  I have been really working to get you before and after  and now an in-between.  I will paint the hallway tomorrow, and then really let it dry before striping.  The woodwork is all done, and looks great.  I want you to know that I used Sherwin Williams, oil based semi gloss enamel.  I like enamel on woodwork, it is kind of old fashioned, but I believe it looks much better and is easier to clean and touch up.  I don't think you need a picture of the woodwork as I am sure you can picture it.

However, on my banana leaf painting, I have come along now to in between;

 

It is still a long way from my retro dish, but it is starting to take shape. That is one good thing about being an artist.  In my daily reading of all types of magazines, even some from way back, I get inspired.  What inspires you?  When I am finished with this painting, I hope by Saturday, I will let you know why I did it and how it will affect my art business.

 

Let's talk about outdoor furniture today.  Look at what you have, and make a list of what you want.  No matter how much you have, you always want something more.  If you have very little, you try to do with what you have.  For many years I was the later.  I had to look for ways to make something that cost pennies look like a million bucks.  There was an old saying, " A champagne taste with a beer pocketbook".  I think that is true of many people.  So stay on our journey and make the beer into champagne.

 

I told you a few days ago, that now is a good time to shop for outdoor furniture as it is on sale everywhere.  Use outdoor furniture inside.  Wicker, bamboo, rattan, woven water hyacinths,  or even find these at resale shops or moving sales.  You can even make your own tables, using old table bases painted however you want them and put on a glass top.  If you cannot afford a glass top, find any kind of round and put a tablecloth on it with a topper of another color and wella! you have a new look.  Moving sales are my favorite, as you can find all these things.  Be there early!  Both of my grandmothers used tablecloths on their tables.  My generation only used them for entertaining  or holidays.  That is because placemats, and table runners became popular.  Here is a neat trick I like to use, combine two placemats together, one on top and a larger one on the bottom, it just gives a neat look.  Depending on what you have, combine several different ones.  I told you before, I love placemats.  Always look for sales and you can have a drawer full just like me. Resale shops and yard sales usually have placemats.  Keep your eyes open.  Here is a website that I use for tablecloths for parties and they are very inexpensive: www. tableclothfactory.com.  I use them a lot.

 

Start checking the newspaper or online for garage sales as you can become addicted to them.  I love, love, love them.

A bit of bouncing around

I have mentioned Retro in previous blogs.  This seems to be a big trend now.  Even restaurants and businesses are going retro.

Furniture from the 40's, 50's and even the 60's is termed retro.  There are even retro colors.  They are the same ones you know only bolder or brighter.  Turquoise was a great retro color, along with red and bright yellow.  Today these colors are used a lot only in different shades.  I wrote about turquoise the other day, only a quieting color, calm as Caribbean waters.

A lot of these retro pieces have character that many other types do not have.  You either love it or don't care for it.  I have children who absolutely love it.  You cannot match it today with what is on the market, but you can mix it in.  It mixes well with things.  I will say that Martha Stewart has a few pieces that I would classify as retro pieces for the kitchen.

I  have also been noticing vintage Murano glass in magazines.  I've seen lamps and accessories that I know are of older style.  It is a romantic look.  It also mixes well with retro as there are some beautiful colors.  It mixes well with any type if furniture except country.  If you are lucky enough to find a vintage lamp,  Take it to a lamp shade store, and get a shade that does it justice. 

That is a whole other thing in design, Lampshades.  They come in variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.  I have even found nice ones at resale shops and trim them.  There is a lot you can do with lampshades.

 

This is one idea out of a magazine.  I have others, but at this second, I cannot put my hands on them.

You can add fringe to the bottoms, or any other type of embellishments.  I have even see denim pockets attached to them.  Use fabric glue.

 

I will look for other ideas and put them in my blogs as I find them.

 

When it comes to color in any of your rooms, if you are stuck in the same old thing, don't follow any rules, look to a garden for inspiration.

 

Vary the size and shape of items in your room.  Use a floor lamp for a different height instead of a table lamp.  I bought a Lucite floor lamp with a table and a magazine rack attached t it at a moving sale.  The shade is awful, and I want to find a prettier shape then make silk flowers ( not buy ones) to attach to it. The ones I have a pattern for are much more elegant.  I have the pattern, that is available to designers and workrooms.  If you are at all interested, write me and I can arrange for you to get one.

 

The Lucite helps create lightness in a darker area of my room.  I will do some before and after pictures this week.

 

Do you have a dark corner or area?  Write me and let's see if we can deal with it.

Kitchens Again

Since we have been talking kitchens lately, let's just continue on a bit.

If you have old tired plain cabinets, here are a few tricks.  Buy some very narrow trim and cut it to put a window frame on top of your cabinet doors.  Depends on how much money you have to spend, you could even go fancier on moldings.  You could use inserts such as a mesh wire and frame it. Paint the inside of the frame one color and the outside another color a shade or 2 lighter, and the trim white or a shade you like.  You can even give them a retro look.  At craft stores, there are wood pieces or a heavy pressed paper that you can glue on and paint over.  At home improvement stores, they also have medallions or other types of embellishments that can be used for the same purpose.  You could even use the plastic ceiling rounds, the small ones, for the center of each door, and find something small for the center.  This could be very plain, all painted in one color, or in several.  Use your imagination.

Once you look for these embellishments, you may also find other places for them.  They are great everywhere. I like to use different things where least expected to add impact.

If you have the money, consider crown molding in the kitchen.  If your cupboards touch the ceiling, add a molding at the ceiling.  Another alternative is paintable wallpaper on the ceiling.  You could even make it look like wood by using a stain or leaving it white as the ceiling color.  If your ceiling is another color, you can paint it the ceiling color.

Does your kitchen have a problem?  Do you like it the way it is?  Is it a happy kitchen?

Tell me about your kitchen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A bit about your home!

A house should be a reflection of the people who live there. 

If you want to feel a part of the tradition that you were brought up in or one you have seen, it is very easy.  Start your own tradition!!  Mix things from a lot of different periods.  If you have a lot of antiques, and feel you are stuck in the past, go beyond.  Color, Color, Color!

It is easier than ever to design with cultural treasures you have collected or are beginning to collect, from around the world. 

Take ideas from places you have visited or been to, it is so easy with cameras or smart phones.  Even in stores, TAKE A PICTURE of something you really like.  An old Cliché, "A picture is worth a thousand words".

Yesterday we talked about layer upon layer with a picture of pillows.  The following is another way to layer color, this time in a bathroom:

 

Notice, that plain old orange crates have been whitewashed and towels rolled up in them.  Imagination!  Texture and patterns are visually stimulating.  I think this is a great idea for a bath off of a pool area for pool towels.  Notice the compliments of color in each area.  This could be a garden of flowers in all colors.  Don't be afraid to experiment.

 

Look back on design in the past 50 years.  It is easy online or at the library.  There are what I will call Retro shops popping up all over and in magazines many pictures or reproductions of the retro look.  Many pictures of retro ideas, combined with things that are newer.

 

If you are not ready to redo something in your house, get a group of friends together, discuss ideas, help each other with their projects.  This is brainstorming. what a lot of large corporations do to come up with ideas.  One person can't possibly come up with all these ideas.  Look at a design magazine.  They are made up of  lot of design articles by many not just one person.  And believe it or not, many of these ideas have been around for a long time coming from greats like Carlton Varney or Sister Parrish.

 

Try something new each week, say for one year.  I started with fresh flowers.  Each week I buy a different color.  The next week, change throw pillows.  Now I have a habit doing these two things.  Each week, fresh flowers, and a change of throw pillows. Remember early on I told you about my grandchildren saying they will never buy a throw pillow because of me.  I have all colors of pillows and store the ones I am not using in the attic.  Make a list of what you own in a notebook, things that are put away, check it out from time to time, you may have something packed away that you can use.  Recently, it was a couple of light fixtures from my mothers house.  One crystal chandelier is in the master bathroom over the tub, and the other is going in the hallway.  Later, I will show you some pictures. I move accessories around each time I dust.  These things become habits and sometimes it is all you need to lift your spirits.  Make a wish list for each room of your house.  Try and check off one item each month.  It really will work.  Many times you can find these things on sale, or at Marshalls, Home Goods, T J Max, or Ross.  My favorite place to look besides these places is Dillard's and Macy's.  I have found that Hobby Lobby has some of the prettiest artificial flowers, so I add some here and there.  Today, I changed a vase on my Dining Room table to Pink and White tulips.  It was in my family room with just white tulips, and I found some pink ones on sale and added them to my whites.  Really looks pretty.

 

 

Just look at the beauty in nature.  This was clipped out of a magazine, I really don't know when but the combination of color just jumped at me.  I am going to do my pool area adding some purple and pink for fun.

 

This is how an idea starts. Feel free to ask me questions on how I can help you make some very small changes.

 

Tomorrow, back to the subject of light,  I jump around consistently.