Q I have some very large (2 story) windows in my home. We face south, so the sun is very damaging. I do not wish to hide the beautiful view nor the architectural style of the windows, yet they need to be treated. What can I do? Kris K.
A. Dear Kris, If there is a great deal of sun and glare, you need to install motorized sun shades (inner perimeter.) You could also have the glass treated to help reduce the sun and glare. Beautiful window treatments could then be designed to enhance the size and shape of your windows. The fabric should complement and enhance the style of the room. You can get help from a qualified window specialist, as to a wide variety of treatments, or send in a request, with sizes of windows, shape, placement and colors in your room, and I could assist you. Joni
Friday, January 25, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Q. My husband and I are on two different wave lengths when it comes to decorating. He likes sleek and contemporary, and I am very traditional. How can I make us both happy? Brenda S.
A. Dear Brenda, At least you each know your tastes and who you are and feel comfortable. Congratulations! Perhaps each of you could make some concessions. An Eclectic apprfoach is a great style and can be very effective. Combine pieces of both styles. Choose colors you both agree on. Some furniture styles are very classic and can be used in either contemporary or traditional decor. Once you begin to look at pieces in that manner , you may find a wonderful marriage of taste that has evolved for both of you. Happy hunting!
A. Dear Brenda, At least you each know your tastes and who you are and feel comfortable. Congratulations! Perhaps each of you could make some concessions. An Eclectic apprfoach is a great style and can be very effective. Combine pieces of both styles. Choose colors you both agree on. Some furniture styles are very classic and can be used in either contemporary or traditional decor. Once you begin to look at pieces in that manner , you may find a wonderful marriage of taste that has evolved for both of you. Happy hunting!
Q. We have a limited budget, but I do want my home to be beautiful with quality to it. I love beautiful fabrics and great pieces of furniture. Where do I start?: Maggie L.
A. Dear Maggie,
Remember, an unlimited budget is not necessarily synonymous with good taste. Sounds to me that you have a jump start because you have good taste as well as the desire for a successfully planned home.
Work from a basic floor plan. Include the correct size pieces, samples of fabric, and color swatches., and window treatments, etc. Do not deviate from the finished plan. You can do these steps slowly, as your budget will allow. There are many knock offs of expensive, beautiful designed fabrics that you can find at great savings. These can be incorporated in your room as drapery, pillows, table skirts, etc. Watch for sales and closeouts. You can find some great quality pieces that way. Check out garage sales for pieces to refinish that can make a statement. Make use of color and paint for a unique individual look. Do as much of the work as you can by yourself. It'll be great!
A. Dear Maggie,
Remember, an unlimited budget is not necessarily synonymous with good taste. Sounds to me that you have a jump start because you have good taste as well as the desire for a successfully planned home.
Work from a basic floor plan. Include the correct size pieces, samples of fabric, and color swatches., and window treatments, etc. Do not deviate from the finished plan. You can do these steps slowly, as your budget will allow. There are many knock offs of expensive, beautiful designed fabrics that you can find at great savings. These can be incorporated in your room as drapery, pillows, table skirts, etc. Watch for sales and closeouts. You can find some great quality pieces that way. Check out garage sales for pieces to refinish that can make a statement. Make use of color and paint for a unique individual look. Do as much of the work as you can by yourself. It'll be great!
Questions & Answers
Q. We just moved into a new home where we plan to stay a long time. We want to decorate & furnish the entire house. However, I am overwhelmed and confused by the magnitude of the project. How do I do this without losing my sanity? Sandy G.
A. Dear Sandy,
Doing an entire house can be overwhelming to one who is not trained or has never done this before. However, it can be fun, exciting and a great learning experience. You do need to do some soul searching and some homework. First, ask yourslf what is your lifestyle? How many people in the family? What are the ages of the children? Do you have pets? How do you like to entertain? From these types of questions will emerge a profile of your family and the stage you are in. If you have very young children, you may need some easy maintenance, few accessories, easy care fabrics and be a bit more casual than if the children were grown.
Ask yourself who you are. That may take some time to figure out, but once you do, please feel comfortable with it and proceed with your decorating style to project that. Aftger all, it is your home.
A whole house project is a lot to do. I suggest breaking the project down into rooms and stages of work. This way you illiminate confusion, and see you results as you go forward. In this manner, you will have tangible results early on and will be able to decide if you are on the right track, and better control of your budget.
Set your priorities. Which rooms are most important? Begin by clipping colors, furniture styles, fabrics, drapery styles and accessories, etc. that you love from magazines. Go to the library and research various periods.
Once you are set with your style, have a feeling for the colors you like and would be comfortable living with, then decide whether you have the time, enough knowlege of style, etc. and the various resources to proceed on your own or whether you would like the services of a designer. A designer will help you sort out all of these things, and can be an excellent resource for you of product and talent to make all of your needs a reality. Even with a designer, doing all of the above, will help keep you focused and assist the two of you to make a great team in making your home fabulous. Good Luck!
A. Dear Sandy,
Doing an entire house can be overwhelming to one who is not trained or has never done this before. However, it can be fun, exciting and a great learning experience. You do need to do some soul searching and some homework. First, ask yourslf what is your lifestyle? How many people in the family? What are the ages of the children? Do you have pets? How do you like to entertain? From these types of questions will emerge a profile of your family and the stage you are in. If you have very young children, you may need some easy maintenance, few accessories, easy care fabrics and be a bit more casual than if the children were grown.
Ask yourself who you are. That may take some time to figure out, but once you do, please feel comfortable with it and proceed with your decorating style to project that. Aftger all, it is your home.
A whole house project is a lot to do. I suggest breaking the project down into rooms and stages of work. This way you illiminate confusion, and see you results as you go forward. In this manner, you will have tangible results early on and will be able to decide if you are on the right track, and better control of your budget.
Set your priorities. Which rooms are most important? Begin by clipping colors, furniture styles, fabrics, drapery styles and accessories, etc. that you love from magazines. Go to the library and research various periods.
Once you are set with your style, have a feeling for the colors you like and would be comfortable living with, then decide whether you have the time, enough knowlege of style, etc. and the various resources to proceed on your own or whether you would like the services of a designer. A designer will help you sort out all of these things, and can be an excellent resource for you of product and talent to make all of your needs a reality. Even with a designer, doing all of the above, will help keep you focused and assist the two of you to make a great team in making your home fabulous. Good Luck!
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