Fashion accessories make an outfit complete. From that perfect hobo bag, layered strands of beads, an ultra soft pashmina scarf to a killer pair of shoes there is no doubt adding that special piece can make you feel like a fashionista…
Wallpaper does the same for your home.
courtesy of freshhome.com
Could we have a harder group of people to decorate for than the teenaged male?
They are not exactly outspoken when it comes to the decor of their rooms. In fact most of the teenaged guys I know tend to shrug and mumble, “I don’t know…whatever…” Don’t be fooled. They really do care they just don’t want to talk about it.
They have long out grown their cutesy themed rooms. They may appear indifferent to the whole design thing but they really do want a comfortable space for hanging out or studying or they may want a space to reflect their various current interests. Over the years I have had requests from guys (reluctantly dragged into Seven’s with their parents) ranging from an all black room to a room with different colors on every wall to giant sports murals to snowboarding wallpaper.
Many of us as parents would draw the line at an all black room though. Sorry guys.
But I have come up with a few different ideas for you.
When many of us were growing up did we ever think we would be parents — let alone parents of pre – teens? Yikes! I know I never pictured it for myself that’s for sure.
My mother’s words have often come back to haunt me, “You just wait! Someday your kids will act the same way.”
Some days life is like a field full of land mines. You never know what you may say that will send off the fireworks. It is great for everyone if the pre-teen in the family has a neutral corner or bedroom to retreat to.
I remember enjoying the Chronicles of Narnia when I was younger and I think it is great how those books have stood the test of time. My own kids have read them and loved the cinematic interpretations too.
If your pre-teen is like mine, why not give them a room that reflects their interests (fleeting as they may be) ?
Got ugly wallpaper? (courtesy of photobucket)
I am a pushover when it comes to helping friends out with their projects. A friend recently purchased a house that needs a lot of work. Initially she called me to help her figure out her paint colors and before I knew it I committed myself to helping remove all kinds of wallpaper from her walls. “How did that happen?” I wondered dazedly after I left. How did she rope me into stripping wallpaper of all things?
It must have been the sob story about how busy she is and how she can’t possibly get it all accomplished. About how she hasn’t a clue how to go about it and wouldn’t want to mess up the walls.
Or it could have been the fact that I secretly like to strip wallpaper.
“WHAT? You like to strip wallpaper?”
CL Designs Kaleidascope
Winter. Blah. Michigan. Double Blah…
I don’t mean to offend those of you who love the snow but I rather enjoyed our respite last month from the white stuff. However this being Michigan, deep down I knew it wasn’t going to last long.
I suppose being stuck inside is a good thing. It has given me time to take a look around at my walls and consider changing a thing or two.
Instead of overexerting myself by shoveling the driveway, I think I’ll get a work out by taking home a bunch of wallpaper books and figuring out a plan for my house.
If you are looking for a great pick me up this winter consider some of these beautiful wallpaper patterns. I have paired them with paint colors if you need ideas for coordinating some other areas around your house…
With so many paint + primer products out there these days how do you know which one is the best? Is it really true that you can skip the primer? Do they really work?
First, here is a little information on both. Primers typically have better adhesive properties and are made to bind and seal the surface you are getting ready to paint. Paints have more solids and are made to go on more thickly and give you color and better performance.
“Wallpaper, Wallpaper! Where for art thou, Wallpaper?” — A quote from Juliet after having too much time to contemplate her naked castle walls while waiting for Romeo to show up.
I myself have lamented on the rather un-adorned state of my dining room walls and wondered what in the world to do with them. The problem lies not in the lack of choices but in the abundance. Shall I faux finish them, use metallic plaster? Shall I just paint them? Ahh…”Tempt not a desperate man” or woman!!
A powder room is a terrific place to let your inner design diva free. Typically a small, seldom used room –unless you have lots of kids or guests–you can experiment with different design elements without worrying about moisture and overuse.
Silly me, I opted for a mudroom when we built our house and deleted the powder room off of the garage to make space. While having lockers and storage is great, I wish I could have squeezed a powder room in (especially when the kids have to speed through the house to get to the bathroom).
Anyway, back to the design dilemma. I love wallpaper and paint so if I did have a powder room I would be hard pressed to choose one for the walls. One of my favorite things to do is look through new wallpaper books at the store and envision where in my house I could hang some of the beautiful patterns. I also love to flip through my paint samples looking for colors I have not used before.
Long, long ago in the age of beige, people were craving a little color. Because the idea of painting an entire room anything other than beige or off white was too intimidating for most, along came the Accent Wall. A section of color painted in a room was the solution– a tentative way for homeowners to dip their toes into the color pool so to speak.
Remember walking into a home and seeing a bold color kind of standing on its own looking lonely and heavy in relation to the rest of the room?
Remember the strong reds, blues and greens that covered a single wall in almost every room? What was once an unpredictable pop of color is now, well…sort of predictable.
Welcome to 2010 and the introduction of (drum roll please…) the Feature Wall.
Feature wall? Sounds like a marketing gimmick. Just a new name for an old concept. Well no, not necessarily.
In a couple short weeks school will begin again. Here are some suggestions for turning boring student rooms into something a little less vanilla. Most student housing has rules about what you can and can’t do with your new home away from home — so please double check before getting too carried away.
Wallpapering is not something we generally think about tackling over the summer although on those really steamy days it could be nice to hang out in the A/C or when it rains. Given the number of rain days lately I am sure we can find some time to hang a few rolls. Feature walls, small powder rooms, entryways all make great spaces to paper. Even the backs of the bookcases should not be excluded from a little wallpaper pick me up… (Plus with these fresh summery patterns I don’t know how anyone could resist!!)
In honor of Mother’s Day I wanted to share this with you…
Thank you for the wisdom of our mothers. No matter what the situation they will in some way lend a helpful tip or suggestion or sometimes just point out the blatantly obvious.
I recently left a message with a client to see how her painting was coming along. I first met her a few weeks ago at her bungalow style home. We had a great time selecting colors, discussing her goals for the space etc… It was all a little bittersweet as she is intending to sell her cute little house in the hopes of finding another with a more functional kitchen.
I heard back from her today and asked about her painting progress. She apologized and said she had fallen behind over the last few weeks because her mom had passed away. She expressed how tough it has been for her. Of course painting was the last thing on her mind!
We talked a bit more about how she was holding up and how she is getting back to normal. She has started on a couple of the rooms. “Painting is great therapy,” she confided. “I like the colors and how they change the feel of the rooms. And it helps keep my mind off things.”
And then she said to me, “You know Alissa, even though my mom is gone she’s really not that far away.”
She went on to explain that in her enthusiasm to see the wall color, she painted the walls even though she knew the ceiling should have been done first. I smiled because I have done that before myself. She later painted the ceiling and of course, dripped on the wall. As she watched that drop of paint land, she told me she clearly heard her mom say as if standing right next to her, “You know, you should have painted the ceiling first.”
So thanks to all the moms of the world who offer us those practical bits of advice. Thanks for sharing your wisdom even though sometimes you are convinced we don’t hear you. (As a mom myself I am hopeful some of what I say sinks in.)
Thank you. And always remember even when you are not around you are never very far away.
As for my client, I am glad she is doing okay.
Here are the colors we picked to brighten and soften her house. (Hopefully her mom would approve!)
We are using the 1038 Everlasting as the main color and the 2144-50 Soft Fern to brighten the tiny kitchen. The HC-111 Nantucket Gray will go on the fireplace wall and on the stairway risers.
If you need a pick me up for your stairway check these out…
Photo courtesy of door sixteen
Photo courtesy of Riverwood Stair Co.
I love the look of the black and white floral pattern.
The plain black looks great in the picture on the right.
You can choose any color you like to show off your staircase.
Painting Tips: Prep the stairs by cleaning with TSP and water, lightly sand and remove the dust. If you are painting the risers only, mask off the side of the tread where it meets the riser, apply two coats Metal and Wood Latex Enamel or Porch and Floor Latex and you’re finished. If you are painting the treads, paint every other one and go back the next day to paint the remaining treads. That way if the kids need to get to their rooms they can step over the freshly painted steps without damaging your handiwork!
Another great idea…Wall Pops
These are from the Tribeca Series. We can order Wallpops for under $20 per package (minimum of 2 pkgs). They are basically stickers that you can put on any vertical surface.
Courtesy of high-heeled foot in the door
courtesy of Thibaut Designs "Ginko"
Oprah says wallpaper is back. But for Seven’s it never left.
As you know, I love paint. Can’t I love wallpaper too? Why can’t there be two loves in my life?
As I look at my walls and ceilings, I just crave a little more, oh, I don’t know, pattern? Texture? Interest?
Don’t get me wrong, I love you, paint. But I think I need more. Things have been a little boring lately. Don’t you feel it too?
Thibaut Shangra La
Wallpaper is back. And I had a chance to hang some last weekend.
They say hanging wallpaper with a spouse could result in a trip to divorce court. I have not heard what they say about hanging wallpaper with your grandma. So I was understandably nervous about it. She is such a classy lady and quite fussy about things. I could not sleep the night before thinking about how long it had been since I last put paper up and whether my skills would be good enough for her.
