The Bow on the Package

Here you see a room after it was furnished. The major thing it is lacking is the "dressing" what I like to call, "The bow on the package". Yes, the furniture is gorgeous and the room looks really nice. The client has already hung her Thomas Kincaid and placed a couple of family pictures on the mantle. That's enough isn't it?What do you think? There really is plenty of lighting in this room with all of the recessed lighting in the ceiling. The fireplace tools seem like a nice homey touch. With all of that beautiful furniture why would you want to distract from it? Well, you don't want to distract from it. You want to enhance it. You want to warm the room up and rid it of it's sterility. That is what a good accessory installation can do for you.


























Now you are looking at the same room fully accessorized. Notice how much it has "warmed" up. A lamp on the table, light accessories on the built in shelving and a floral on the cocktail table. Not a HUGE investment, just enough to finish the space. This is a room that also serves as an invitation.













Another great example of a fully furnished room sans completed accessorizing. The client did some some light accessorizing but it still didn't quite reach the level of warmth she was hoping to attain.

I moved a few things around and then finished by adding the needed elements. This room, like the first one featured, is the first thing you see when you enter the home. It should say to all who enter "Come in, have a seat, join me and be comfortable."

If you have the eye for accessorizing then I suggest you get busy. If you don't feel you can do it alone, then call us. You can rent a designer for the day. We will work with you to create all of the finishing touches your home is crying out for. Decide on a price range before you begin.There may be a few pieces here and there that you'll just "have to have". Spend the money on them. You'll find that they are well worth the investment because those pieces are also going to be conversation pieces. Spend wisely not frivolously.
Before you go out shopping with your designer, take digital pictures of each space you need to attend to. Bring the camera with you when you go shopping. This will cut down on returns and spontaneous purchases. Don't be afraid to hire a designer to go shopping with. Yes, you'll spend money on their services but you'll save a Ton of money and time in the end result. As Nike says, Just Do It. If you have any questions on this post please click on the word "comments" and enter your question. I'll be happy to reply. If you have some ideas to add to what I have just shared, please do so.

Thanks so much for your time.

Diana

813-259-4959

Your Crowning Glory

If you were getting ready to go out to a Black Tie Charity event would you NOT style your hair? If you were standing up for your Best Friend in her wedding would you show up in all of the "beautiful garb"( I use the term loosely) and unstyled, come as you are hair? Absolutely not. Think about this the next time you say, "I don't really need window treatments. Besides, they're expensive."

Why do folks go to all of the trouble to create a beautifully decorated home and then act as though there are no windows in the house? Anyone? Sound familiar? Your windows have been neglected long enough. As a matter of fact, they rang me on the phone the other day and they're looking for a new residence. One where they can be treated with dignity and respect. They are begging for your attention and they are hoping to get it soon.

I have been creating window treatments for a very long time. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I've heard, "We really like keeping the windows open." Sometimes (1 in 222,000 times) this is true. Open windows do bring beauty to a home. When they are dressed properly. Unless you live out in the middle of a secluded desert island, you still need to give them some sort of privacy treatment. You can wait a while on the fluff and all of the pretties that accompany most treatments. Don't put off the privacy treatments any longer. start there and build out as you can.

Here are a few examples for you to consider...

Sometimes a simple roller shade fits the bill. They deliver a certain charm with out taking away from the overall appeal of the window itself. Rollers come in very modern/contemporary styles as well as traditional looks. They are very inexpensive if you steer away from custom fabrics.

Romans offer a lot of versatility. This particular style can be raised or lowered. It all depends on the level of privacy you need that day.

A very simple, natural woven, flat fold style is shown here. They combined them with easy stationary panels just to give them an extra little punch.

Maybe you are an all around traditionalist. Beautiful wood and faux wood blinds fit well into any home. They run the gamut in pricing so make sure you are comparing apples to apples if you are price shopping. Not all wood blinds are the same.

These aren't your Momma's verticals. These are beautiful woven panels hung on a traversing rod. Great for a modern or contemporary setting. They can be drawn completely off of the window and rest on the walls if you like having an open window during the day. You can decide on a center split or you can choose to have them pull to one side or the other. A soft look to enhance the beauty of the room.

Did you say "Verticals"? Yes, they are. The beauty of these verticals is they are wrapped in a sheer fabric. You decide the level of privacy you are after and they perform as commanded.

Any questions? What are you waiting for? If you've heard me say it once, you've heard me say 20 times. Run. Don't walk. Get those windows dressed and get it done fast before they abandon ship and go out in search of someone who will "Treat" them well!!

Thanks for your time and if you have any questions email me at DianaDoti@tampabay.rr.com

See you soon!!

Transform Your Home With Color

Have you seen that commercial with the couple standing in the middle of their empty family room? They are staring at these large, blank, white walls. The husband breathes a heavy sigh and the words "It looks great..." (or something along those lines) and asks the wife..."what do you think?" Her reply is "It looks like we couldn't figure out what color to paint." Brutal but honest. Are you suffering from White Wall Syndrome? I say to you, heal thyself. Don't be afraid of color on your walls.The worst that can happen is you paint over it. Reality in today's world is not the repaint but the time to repaint right? Maybe we can help you get it right the first time.There are a lot of Paint manufacturers out there. I am going to reference Benjamin Moore because most of us know where to go to get the Benjamin Moore brand without having to drive into the next universe.

Let us start at the beginning. First things first, don't start with your walls. Begin with the fabrics you will have in the room. What I mean is this- if you already have your furniture and it is not going to change in the next 12 months or more, that is where you start. If you are purchasing new furniture then you will need your fabric swatches from the new upholstery. Lay your fabrics all out on the table/ottoman in the room you are wanting to paint. Lay them together and overlapping so that your entire palette of fabrics will be seen all together with your possible paint selections. Look closely at the fabrics in front of you. Which color is least represented in the group? If you have a pale aqua background with a deep chocolate pattern, which is the dominant color? The Aqua? "Wait" you say, "I can't have chocolate walls!" My question to you is, Why not? Create a beautiful and opulent feel in your room. Keep the trim and doors a bright white. Please, don't forget the ceiling. It too is a wall and will suffer from neglect.
You still insist you cannot have chocolate walls, "The room will get too dark for me!" Okay. It's alright. Let's look at the aqua. Because in this case you only have 2 color choices. Aqua and Chocolate right? You can take the aqua color and go with a deeper version of it and still be able to pull off a fabulous room. You have to be careful if you want to go with a paler version of the color because your walls could end up looking like they are merely another version of white. Remember, your trim and doors are still going to be a bright white, it keeps the color palette looking crisp and fresh.

After your color goes up on the walls it's time to add more color. This palette opens the door for some fabulous accents with pillows, art, area rugs, and so much more. Don't be afraid of color. Use it and live in it.

You want that bright and airy feeling.You also want warm and inviting. Don't despair.You want your fabrics to be conversational. The point here is to choose a paint color that will allow your furniture/fabrics to come to life. Choose color that will give you bright, airy and still warm and inviting. Am I making sense? Let me ask this question....Do you love your fabrics? Do you love your upholstery pieces? Don't you want them to come to life the way you imagined they would when you bought them? POP!? Use the fabric to find the right hue. Don't try to guess it. If you can't take your fabric with you to the paint store then grab every paint swatch of "pale to deep aqua" and "chocolate"(insert your own colors here)you can find. Bring them home and lay them out on your fabrics. The color will choose itself. You won't have to guess.

Now, in spite of all of this, you are still petrified...call a Designer. Ask them for a simple paint consultation. Most designers offer this service. Isn't it worth the consult fee? Time is money, if you have limited time, spend the money on a Designer. In the long run, it will save you money as well as give you back much of your valuable time.

Benjamin Moore offers a program on their website where you can "try on" color combos before you start. It can give you a feeling for your color before you leap. It won't be exact because color will change in your own lighting. Swatches are the way to go. If you buy a sample jar and paint a small swatch on your wall, you could still be misled. Imagine a huge white wall with a tiny square of color. Your color will be intensified by all of the white. Keep an open mind. A small square can give you a feel, but remember, it's only a sampling. Still cannot decide? Call that Designer I told you about. You can reach us at 813.259.4959

Why Hire a Professional?

Why Hire a Professional?

• Between work, kids, spouses, sports scheduling, volunteering and chores are you just too busy to try and tackle one more thing?
  
• Have you started to decorate a room/ your home and left it half finished?
  
• You know you want your room to look like the picture you pulled from the magazine but you don’t know where to begin?
  
• Is your home an older home that you want to decorate in a manner that reflects it’s history?
  
• Have you been busy “collecting” pieces over the years and now you don’t know how to pull it all together?
  
• Is it time to renovate? Do you want to add a room?
  
• Are you finding yourself at an impasse on design style with your spouse or significant other?
  
• Do you think the choices you have made so far are boring? Do you need help just to jazz up what you have already?
  
• Have you toured one too many Model homes and yet still can’t find that right look?
  
• Are you interested in items that are labeled “To The Trade Only”?
  
• Are you tired of the hassle of trying to pull it all together yourself?
  
• Do you want something unique? Something that reflects your personal style?
  
• Are all of your local retailers all showing the same things and none of them reflect your tastes?


• Do you want to see some beautiful faux painting throughout your home? Custom Murals?
  
• Are you tired of living in chaos and tired of being unorganized in your home?

If you have decided that any of the questions listed above are followed by you saying “Yes” then you need to hire a Professional Design Consultant. You can decide in what capacity you need to utilize our skills. If all you need is someone to come in and consult with you on items you already own, then call and ask what it would be for a 2 or 3 hour Consultation.

If you need someone who will simply take over your design project for you, call now. Run. Don’t walk to the phone. Relieve yourself of the pressure you have placed on yourself. You will be grateful to yourself for having made the decision to trust a Professional Design Consultant.
You can reach us at 813-259-4959