Other Tips
- The Secret Isn't a Secret
Any More - Home: A Safe Haven for Children
- Why Choose Décor & You?
- Give Your Home or Office a Physical
- Evolving Families
- Birthdays, Anniversaries and Holidays
- Rags to Riches Homes
- Nurturing Your Happiness
- Believe & Achieve
- Every Home Needs One Inspiration
- Photographing the Events of Our Lives
- The Heart of the Home: The Kitchen
- The Idea Center of the Home: The Master Suite
- Building a Home: Call Your Interior Decorator!
- Collections
- Why Not Devote a Room to Health?
The Secret Isn’t a Secret Any More
Everyone is talking about the book (movie and C.D.) called "The Secret." Television talk show hosts and church Sunday school classes are reading and watching this pop culture phenomenon for a reason. It’s about the law of attraction and how it applies to you. The theory is that if you truly believe you are something, then other people like you will be attracted to you and you will live the life you want.
Did you ever notice that people who get to the top dress as though they’ve always been there? The same words apply to your home, your office, and everything that surrounds you. The way you see yourself has everything to do with who you are.
Here is a game you can play. Take a good look at yourself and your surroundings. What image are you projecting? Others cannot see anything that isn’t there, so your plans for someday do not apply to what is for now. If you see the potential in your home interior you are the only one who sees it.
It is time to stop planning and start taking action. Don’t keep your plans and dreams for the places you live and work a secret any more. Contact Décor & You to change your ideas into reality.
Home: A Safe Haven for Children
The National Child Care Information Center reports that Ohio has 2,888,339 children under the age of 18. News stories are filled with tragic stories of childhood injuries. Parents do not want harm to come to their kids, but accidents happen. Here are some ideas from Hunter Douglas, the window fashion people, to reduce the odds of your child being injured.
Infants need cribs that meet safety standards for 2006. Keep cribs and furniture away from windows and make certain your child cannot reach anything dangerous, either in or next to the bed. Toys, mobiles, curtain tie backs and wall decorations can be treacherous.
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are essential. Change batteries with the time change. No exceptions. Lead based paint must be removed or encapsulated in homes build before 1978.
Buy toilet locks until your children are too big to topple in. Cover all electrical outlets. Pick up small toy parts, buttons and coins that might choke your child. Use safety gates at both the top and bottom of stairs. Lock up prescriptions, vitamins and household cleaners. Use doorstops to protect little fingers. Always place non-skid pads under area rugs. Landscaping under windows and steps can cushion a fall.
If you open your windows in warm weather install locks that limit how much the window opens, and place grates with quick-releases over the screens. A window screen will not stop a moving child.
Children are fascinated by fire. Never leave lighters and matches where a child can reach them. Have a fire escape plan and go-to spot to meet in an emergency. Teach your child his name and yours, your address and phone number as soon as you can. In emergencies, even adults forget phone numbers. Post the following phone numbers by every phone: fire, police, poison control, your pediatrician and a responsible neighbor. Draw pictures next to the numbers if your child doesn’t read.
It doesn't matter how beautiful your home is if it isn't safe. For more safety ideas check out these web sites:
www.cpsc.gov
www.kidpower.org
www.childrenssafetynetwork.org
Why Choose Décor & You?
There are lots of reasons we think we’re better and smarter than all the other interior decorators and designers. Here’s just one reason. Money.
When you begin a relationship with an interior designer all involved parties must understand the financial intricacies of the relationship. There can be no mysteries or surprises or the partnership will crumble along the way. A contract is a good idea.
There are as many systems of charging for design services as there are designers. Most are vague. Some charge hourly fees based on their reputations and experience, and receive kick-backs from the stores where they take clients to shop then charge an hourly fee on top of that. Some designers take the attitude that if you have to ask you can’t afford it. This is unfortunate.
Décor Designers have an easier system. Unless a client wants a simple consultation on paint color or furniture placement, we do not charge an hourly fee. Our profit comes from buying at wholesale and selling at retail, exactly like a furniture store. Belonging to a buying group of 110 decorators who have negotiated wholesale pricing with over 300 manufacturers allows us to spend time with every client getting to know what they expect and want without worrying about a time clock.
The one most essential issue is that all parties involved understand how much things cost and how much money is available for the project. When doubt exists there is no plan. Without a plan there is no project.
At Décor & You we compare our client/decorator relationship to that of a client/realtor. Realtors pre-qualify their new clients. It just makes sense to show home buyers homes that are in their budget. Interior designers need to understand the project budget so they show clients items that fit their financial plan, too.
We like to pre-qualify our clients to build a partnership based on trust that we won’t take advantage of them. We ask if they have thought about how much money they have set aside for the project. If they do not know, we give them price ranges of each piece of their project and let them decide what is right for them and their wallet.
If you are currently working with a designer are you comfortable with the financial part?
Give Your Home or Office a Physical
This time of year we think a lot about our health. Look at your home. Is it healthy, too? Seriously, park your car across the street and approach your home or office at the front entrance, the way a doctor would approach a patient. Spider webs, weeds and fingerprints can appear from nowhere. Are the outdoor lighting fixtures clean? Has ground cover splashed up on the ground level siding? And take down the Christmas lights now… yes, they do show from the street! Cigarette butts are disgusting even if they aren’t yours. Concrete mold is dangerous when it gets damp and slippery.
A shoddy entrance suggests a lazy resident. You could be the nicest person or the smartest professional, but your visitors may not be able to get past your peeling paint. The entrance to your home or office is the first impression you make on guests, so take advantage of this first opportunity and shine.
Next go inside and take digital photographs of every room from every corner. Like a body scan, a room scan can show trouble spots. Print out all the photos, group them by room and check for problems areas. Make a list of the things that are missing, prioritize that list and get to work.
No time for a home physical? Call a Décor Designer to write a prescription for a beautiful, healthy home for you.
Evolving Families
My mother was a homemaker. Dad worked in an office. Brothers and sisters completed the family. We ate meals at home, did homework, took care of personal hygiene and slept. We walked to school. We played anywhere we could walk or ride bikes. In the summer we would play outside until dark. Everything happened outside. Families met in churches and schools and lived in smaller, functional homes nearby.
Now families may or may not attend church, but still gather in large spaces inside their homes. The Great Room is a relatively new phenomenon in modern homes based on past gathering places like church community rooms and grange halls, only they are in our homes. Great Rooms are open to the food production area (kitchen), eating area (dining room), and meeting area (recreation room) all in one huge temperature controlled environment. Elaborate windows and ceiling angles even look like soaring sanctuaries. We don’t have to go outside to see outside.
Social evolution is fascinating. The popularity of home offices and home based businesses, made possible by computer technology is bringing the workplace into the home. You can exercise at home and even home-school your children. Homes are the nucleus of families with all the components of an entire community.
Considering the importance of security in our lives today it’s no wonder we have turned inward for safety. The family of 2006 is living in an elaborate house where almost everything is provided. With a few exceptions, like fresh food, homes contain everything needed for social, emotional and physical well being.
CBS news states that $350 billion is spent on home improvement each year. If you wonder why look at the changes that have taken place in the families. Let a Décor & You expert help you stay in control of spending and make the best selection for your home.
Birthdays, Anniversaries and Holidays
Giving gifts can be fun when you plan ahead. If you take some simple steps today, then shopping will be a snap. Here is a secret stolen from my best friend who is a natural MGG (Master Gift Giver).
MGGs keep master lists of gift ideas all year long in their PDAs. When it’s time to celebrate a special occasion they have a resource for a gift that has meaning. MGGs know that a gift without meaning is just a pretty package, but a present with meaning to both the recipient and the giver is amazing.
Three years ago my friend, the MGG, heard her mother say she was tired of her 35 year old bedroom. The mom had updated the look every so often, but in a piecemeal way that left the room looking tired. The daughter chose to afford to do something significant, saved money for the gift, and this year called us two months ahead of time to arrange the surprise. We met, established a budget and plan that used the best of the old in combination with some beautiful new items. When she was out of town we installed the new design. Every morning and night her mother will be touched by a fabulous, thoughtful present.
How easy is that? Instead of worrying that your gift will bring joy (and not be a big waste of your money when it isn’t used) you’ll know that your loved one really wants it. Listen, write it down and smile. It might be huge or tiny, but you will look like a hero in the tear-filled eyes of your friends and family for always knowing exactly what is in their hearts.
Rags to Riches Homes
How many times have you seen a rundown house and thought, “If only someone would renovate that disaster it could be beautiful.” These homes always have something unique that lures us into believing that we are the one and only person capable of understanding this house. They call to us to rescue them.
Totally remodeling beautiful old rundown houses is the worst and best thing you can do. Nothing is more beautiful than a museum quality remodel. If you tried to build one of these “lovely ladies” today the cost would be prohibitive. That’s why the cost to remodel one is prohibitive.
When you get the itch to tackle a rags to riches house, and definitely before you buy it, talk to architects and building remodeling contractors with impeccable reputations. Do not buy without complete knowledge of the potential problems you’ll run into. Go to the closest city administration office and get building code regulations and ask questions about the required licenses you’ll need. Whether you do the work yourself, or not, you are legally responsible for everything that happens in, around, and next door to the dream home you are about to create.
Begin your plan at the end. Be prepared to spend at least twice the amount of money you think it will take, and more. Be prepared for a divorce if you are married and working on this project together. Know it will take at least twice as long as you plan.
When your home is complete it will be so wonderful you won’t believe you are lucky enough to live there. The craftsmen of 100 years ago created masterpieces that deserve our respect and honor. Enjoy and be prepared to live there forever.
Nurturing Your Happiness
Six years ago on September 11th Americans become a nation of thinkers:
About security
About family
About happiness
A senseless tragedy forced us to turn away from the corporate ladder and the glass ceiling long enough to question the meaning of our lives - lives that were touched in a way so extreme that only a complete reversal of thinking could save our sanity.
Today nurturing your happiness as an individual requires you to think “inside the box” you live in, selfishly. But, there are so many changes in ways to think that it is hard to get a handle on where to start. Here is a great suggestion: make a list of three things that make you happy and figure out a way to do them soon. You might finish a project, redecorate your home, and start to exercise.
Nurturing your happiness as couples and friends requires conversation. Set aside a small time period to look at your dreams together. Again, list three top priorities and schedule them in your calendars now. Hold each other accountable for total commitment to doing these things.
Nurturing your happiness as a family requires respectful listening and patience. Set a couple of goals as targets with rewards along the way for progress. If you as a family want to take a trip to Europe your family may need to cut back on expenses for a year or two. When your family reaches a target amount saved, say $500, celebrate it by doing something together that is free and fun for everyone like holding a family sleep over in tents in the backyard.
If nurturing your happiness involves your home or office interior call us at Décor & You to plan your project. We want to help you be as happy as you possibly can, and we want you to love the space you’re in!
Believe & Achieve
Giant box stores and the media want us to believe that anyone can achieve the same results the experts do in our homes and businesses by becoming do-it-yourselfers. Why do they do this? Could it be the money they make on products and advertising?
In his book, You’ll See It When You Believe It, Wayne W. Dyer guides the reader through steps to reaching inner peace and personal transformation, and in the process allows us to see ourselves honestly. Dr. Dyer’s methods (detachment, synchronicity and transformation) are similar to those an interior decorator uses to make your home or office special, saving you money by avoiding mistakes
It is very hard to look at a space that you see every day without emotional interference. You see things that others never see, and you don’t see things that everyone else notices right away. This is natural. Our minds play tricks with our eyes, hearts, memories and dreams. Your design professional is trained to see with an unbiased detachment.
Synchronicity is a way people communicate on multiple levels. In this case, the designer and client connect through words said and unsaid. Interior decorators hear the client’s words, see the client’s space, and imagine the possibilities. As a doctor listens to his patient’s symptoms and prescribes a cure, a well educated decorator listens, looks and presents solutions to the client.
It is a constant source of surprise that there are people who don’t see things the same way. We forget that our differences allow us to move together in a perfect world. Synergy exists because we think in radically different ways and work together to form abundance. You are a genius in one arena; the person next to you excels in another. Together you create greatness.
Let an expert translate your dreams for your home into a space you love. Unless you absolutely thrive on doing home improvements based on weekend warrior television, hire a decorating expert. It’s ok to let go. You don’t have to do everything to be a complete person in a world that demands nothing of you.
Every Home Needs One Inspiration
Have you ever noticed that some homes feel better than others? As you walk through the home that good feeling follows. An exceptional décor plan lets this happen. It is created using a color scheme, a texture or a style that runs through every room.
Now, have you ever noticed a home that made you feel uneasy or anxious? There probably was no common thread, inspiration or plan. Decorating one room at a time without a total plan causes this. Too many homes today look like furniture showrooms: each room beautiful but unrelated to the one next to it.
Every home needs an inspiration. One is enough. Pick one beautiful fabric, or the colors in one amazing artwork, or a furniture style from one time period. Be consistent, stick to an overall decorating plan, and enjoy feeling good in your home!
Photographing the Events of Our Lives
Photographs can be art. Photographs can be snapshots. Both have a place in a home, but they are not the same. One is an investment; the other is charming.
Studio portraits depicting the events of our lives are a great American tradition and family snapshots are easily available now with digital cameras. Grouping them in beautiful frames on a side table can add warmth to a room in a way that nothing else can. Being in a home without family photos is like being in a motel. But remember that photographs do not lie. They are what they are. Art is for walls. Snapshots are for tabletops.
Art photography is being collected now with enthusiasm, but this was not true forty years ago. Museums and galleries would not display or sell it. Through education and patience professional photographers are being recognized in the art world. Major museums finally are exhibiting the work of exceptional photographers. Originals and prints make great additions to a decorating plan. Have them professionally matted and framed and hang them on walls away from daylight and moisture.
Studio portraits depicting the events of our lives are a great American tradition and family snapshots are easily available now with digital cameras. Grouping them in beautiful frames on a side table can add warmth to a room in a way that nothing else can. Being in a home without family photos is like being in a motel. But remember that photographs do not lie. They are what they are. Art is for walls. Snapshots are for tabletops.
The Heart of the Home: The Kitchen
The most expensive room in the house is the kitchen. It’s also the social center where friends gather at the end of a lovely dinner party for one last story. Pictures and report cards are posted on the refrigerator in celebration of successes. Treasured recipes are stored in special boxes until they are passed down to another generation.
Good things happen in the kitchen, but it’s not just Mom’s room any more. Now phone base units and chargers live here. It’s the communications center of the busy family. Keeping this in mind isn’t it time to make the heart of your home a little more user friendly? Think about your family and friends, and how your kitchen works for them. Computers, entertainment centers, seating, warming drawers, recycling bins, lighting and wine coolers. Is it time to update your kitchen to match the way you use it?
The Idea Center of the Home:
The Master Suite
Where do you get your best ideas? Where do you go to think? What do you crave when you’re exhausted? Where can you go to get away without leaving?
The master suite is the place where ideas begin, decisions are made and brilliant solutions come in the middle of the night. Comfort and beauty are obviously the key elements, but furniture placement and function – while not as obvious – are just as important.
Décor & You decorators design master bedrooms, baths and closets around the people who live in the rooms. We listen to your dreams and concerns before offering unique choices exclusively for you. Décor & You can provide the furniture, flooring, draperies, lighting, mattresses, linens, accessories and art that define the room; it’s up to you to supply the life altering family discussions and private moments.
Building a Home: Call Your Interior Decorator!
Working with a plan for furniture placement and room usage is way too important to put off until after a home is built. As soon as the drawings are “almost” complete ask your interior decorator to spend an hour or two with you discussing traffic patterns and placement of your furniture, art and lighting fixtures. You can save a small fortune by addressing electrical and plumbing issues before you sign off on the plans. Nightmares really can be avoided with some really good advice.
Your builder will appreciate you knowing where telephone and cable outlets are needed, which way the front door should open, where the chandelier will hang, how high the bathroom cabinets need to be, what color the metal door hinges and knobs are, where the tile ends and the carpeting begins… not to mention paint color. Builders do not like surprises or changes. They charge extra for these things.
So, find time to meet with just one more person before you sign a contract to build a home. Have your interior decorator look over your house plans, not to change things but to fine tune the small details in your dream home.
Collections
Hooray for collections. We love them in homes. They give us hints about the true passions of the people who live there. Collections are fascinating for both the collector and the observer. They give us something to talk about, a common ground.
Displaying a collection deserves some thought. Football memorabilia is fantastic in the den. Granny’s cups and saucers look great in the breakfast nook. Antique samplers are beautiful lined up along bedroom hallways. The rule to follow is casual with casual, and formal with formal. Show off your treasures in a room similar to the place it was originally used, if possible.
Some collectibles are made solely for the sake of being in a decorative collection like china figurines, clocks and glass pieces that are fragile and expensive, especially if they are vintage or antique. You will want to display them in a case or shelf where they are safe. Many furniture companies make and sell display cases and coffee tables that are perfect for grouping small collections.
Large collectibles and collections create security and display challenges. Special cases and shelving can be built, or even a room addition or building might be needed.
Your collections define you and tell your story without words. They also give you joy and pleasure when you see them. So group your treasures in appropriate rooms where everyone can enjoy them safely and they can be enjoyed by everyone.
Why Not Devote a Room to Health?
If, like many Americans, you’re into health and fitness you may want to consider rearranging some space in your home to make exercising easier and safer. It’s a case of making your residence match your lifestyle instead of making your “stuff” fit in a house designed for out-of-date traditions.
Use the space in your home in a way that exactly matches the way you live. If you workout frequently imagine an exercise room custom designed just for you. How many pieces of equipment do you want? Think about the flooring: soft or rubbery? Will the walls be covered in mirrors, cool colors or high energy graphics? Consider including a television, sound system, telephone, whirlpool, sauna, steam room, towel racks and definitely ceiling fans.
Now think about the way your life will be improved. Your body and mind are the obvious benefactors. The rest of your family, the lethargic ones, won’t have to look at equipment they do not consider works of art. Also the safety issue: you won’t have to worry about the kids getting their fingers caught in the gears. Another consideration is privacy.
Talk to your family about the ways you are trying to fit your lives into your space. If something doesn’t fit, change it.
Why hire a decorator for this project? Because you’ll put it off, stop before it’s finished, and worry if your choices are right.