"COLOR ME BIGGER"

Have you ever been in a small room in your house and wondered how nice it could be if you just made it feel bigger? Well, you can. Without spending a fortune on remodeling you can virtually expand a room simply by changing the color choices. Start by painting the room. 

When it comes to painting there are a lot of colors to choose from. Sometimes trying to decide on a color can feel overwhelming. So relax. When I have a paint project I go to Lowes. There's usually a color expert behind the paint counter who can make a variety of helpful recommendations. If I'm still having trouble deciding, then I go to the kitchen department in the store and ask for the interior designer. They can sometimes help me come to a decision. 

Lowes offers a variety of paint choices, but I always purchase Valspar . I love this paint's Signature Series. This paint is primer and paint all in one which gives better coverage. It also has low odor, low VOC which matters when I'm painting indoors. Its important to me because I want to finish painting without having to stop every few minutes because I'm feeling woozy from the fumes. 
Painting your space can transform you and your room, so take some time before making your color choices. Color can make or break a room, so realize that getting the right balance of color is just as important. And I'm sure you'll agree, after all is said and done, bigger does feel better.

For more on color: http://www.hgtv.com/color-central-find-your-color/package/index.html

Deck the "Halls"

Recently, I had the opportunity to decorate a home with an unusual layout. What I thought was unusual about this layout was the way it resembled a long hallway. Although it had an open floor plan, it still felt like a hallway every time someone entered it. And since the home was a combination of office and living space, I had to make that constant hallway effect disappear. So, my resolution was to keep it economical, contemporary, yet simply stated. By opting to go with indoor/outdoor area rugs that would subdivide the spaces, I would achieve my goal.


My selection of indoor/outdoor area rugs was limited, but I did manage to find some great buys at reasonable prices while shopping at Lowes. I started with the home's entryway. In order to create visual interest, I chose the rug with the dragonfly motif and positioned it lengthwise. This position visually created a needed extension in the doorway. A sort of Zen transformation took place when I set a beautiful tall Japanese floor lamp at the base of the rug. This finished and defined the space for the entryway.


The next target was the same wide hallway leading to the work area. Here, I created a living room space. This time I chose to go with a more neutral pattern. The rug had a well defined border which anchored the heavy furniture and created a much needed focal point in the middle of the room. It was placed perpendicular to the entryway between the entertainment center and leather sofa, transforming a 10x12 foot hallway into a living room.


Finally, I tackled the 20x20 foot work space. The main goal in this area was to create a contemporary look that didn't feel overstated. Since the furniture in this space took up most of the room, I positioned the desks against one wall and kept the rug at the ends of the desks. This placement increased the apparent size of the room by drawing the eye from the desks, to the rug, to the open floor space. This created a spacious work area with a flowing traffic pattern.


By separating the seemingly long hallway into spaces, a look was created. All it took was strategically placing area rugs. The space that once was a long hallway, now was a home with character.


For more great ideas go to Area Rugs 101. 

"Its Pumpkin Time"

Ah, Fall... I love this time of year!  Mainly because this is the time when I see a lot of creativity. I enjoy seeing how people tend to come up with the most clever ideas. Whether it be decorating their homes, or making special holiday dishes they grew up with. And for the month of October, this usually means, "Its pumpkin time!" 

I for one, remember growing up in a household where my mother made the most delicious pumpkin pie.   Of course, the crust was always homemade. She would never have dreamed it any other way. But what sticks in my mind, besides me licking my plate was the special detail my mother took to create the perfect pumpkin pie for our family. My mother would make the pie crust so decorative with beautiful little handmade designs, it made you not want to eat it. Mostly, because you didn't want to ruin the beautiful pie, but you knew you were going to anyway because it smelled absolutely divine. Also, my mother would quickly whip up some cream topping for us, as well. And as always with a big smile, my mother would ask us if we wanted another piece. Of course, everyone quickly ate their last bite to come running back into the kitchen for another slice of pumpkin pie. That is how I remember my pumpkin time.

It's funny how the smell of pumpkin brings me back to that time. The things we notice and take for granted as kids become the memories we cherish as we grow older. Maybe, you can create some wonderful memories for your family. 

There are some wonderful variations on the traditional pumpkin pie recipe on the food network channel.  For example here is a fabulous one: 
 Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart.