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.
Please join us at a special fall event this November 4th through 6th!
We are pleased to be a part of the West Michigan Design Center’s
Fall Color and Design Crawl on 29th Street!
You could even win a flat screen TV!
Seven’s is giving away a prize package valued at $250.00 which includes a custom design consultation! I will be introducing our newest line of colors from Graham Paints and showing off some really beautiful metallic plasters and wallpapers!
Hope to see you there!
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.
I have to admit that sometimes as a designer I run a little short on creative color ideas. When I think about what inspires me I turn to nature and all of its beautiful colors and textures.
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!!)
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?
