The Organizing Bug Strikes Again

December 30, 2011 By

The Organizing Bug Strikes Again

A couple of weeks ago I was stricken by the organizing bug.  It happens to me a few times a year, but especially this time of year, and when it happens, no drawer, closet or cupboard is safe. Sometimes I can feel this bug coming on slowly, and other times it hits with no advance warning. But the approach of the New Year always makes me want to start off the year organized; if I can start January this way, there’s a good chance I can keep it up throughout the year. As much as I try to keep things neat and tidy, with our family’s busy lives things sometimes get out of hand. Maybe you can relate.

I walked by our messy, disorganized hall closet, and the bug hit with full force.  It had been a long time since I had given this closet my attention. (It is so much easier just to close the door and ignore it!) Something had to be done; it was now or never. I took everything out of the closet and piled it on the floor. Every last piece of paper, box, bag, and scrap came out. It surprised me how bad it had gotten: there were receipts from last Christmas, wrinkled wrapping paper scraps, envelopes filled with miscellaneous photos, and games and toys that had not been played with in years. I was ruthless. I threw away trash, and made a large pile of giveaway items. I sorted the remaining items and put them neatly back in the closet—games on one shelf, gift wrap supplies on another shelf, and so on. Now there is even empty space on some of the shelves, which I don’t plan on filling any time soon.

Those of you who know me know that I hate clutter. It doesn’t mean that my house is never messy (on the contrary! Sometimes it is very messy!), and it doesn’t mean that I am not the culprit occasionally. Personal correspondence, business paperwork and my kids’ school work pile up, and soon I can’t see the counter top anymore. It does mean, however, that once a week I tackle the paperwork on the counters until the surface is visible again. I am far from perfect, but keeping clutter to a minimum saves my sanity.

A few years ago, I caught an Oprah episode with professional organizer Peter Walsh. He challenged viewers to try this experiment to combat kitchen clutter: I took his challenge, and I urge you all to try it too, as it will be eye- opening. Here’s what you do: Transfer the entire contents of your kitchen utensil drawers into a large box. Place this box in another area of your house, away from the kitchen. (I placed my box in the laundry room.) Every time you need a utensil for cooking, go to the box, get what you need and put it back in the kitchen drawer. At the end of three or four months, you will see which items you really need and use, and which items are just taking up space. Get rid of everything still left in the box—you won’t miss them, and your kitchen drawers will be clutter free.

I can feel the organizing bug coming on again. Next: the bathroom cabinets.

 

Filed Under: Organization Tagged With: ,

Tips for a Beautiful Christmas Tree

December 15, 2011 By

I am truly a lucky person. Not only do I get to decorate my own tree for Christmas, but, as part of my design business, I also get to decorate many of my clients’ Christmas trees. It is such fun to take a bare tree and turn it into something magical. In this column I’ll share some decorating tips with you so your tree this year will be your prettiest yet.

1         While real Christmas trees smell heavenly (and the kind of tree my kids still insist on every year), I’m really coming to appreciate several features of artificial trees. As a decorator I particularly like that the branches can be bent and shaped to be where I want them to be. If you need to move a branch up or down an inch or two, or bend it to secure an ornament, an artificial tree allows you to do this. With a real tree, you’ll have to be creative to fill in any bald spots—use cut pine branches, or more ornaments, or silk flowers and floral picks.

2         Another great feature of artificial trees is that they come pre-lit! Stringing the lights on the tree is my least favorite part, but having lots of lights really makes the tree come alive at night time. Start by tucking and weaving Christmas tree lights on the branches near the base of the tree.  Once the inside is covered, then move to the outer edges of the branches. How many lights is enough? Rule of thumb is approximately 100 lights per foot for any tree above 4 feet tall. For example, for your 6-foot tree, plan on using six 100-light strands. For smaller trees, fewer lights are needed.

3         After the lights are on, then you can add garland or ribbon, or anything that wraps around the tree. Don’t skimp on the garland—for that same 6-foot tree, you’ll need about 80 or 90 feet of garland. I love beaded garland; it looks beautiful when it catches the light and it hangs beautifully on the branches. Wired ribbon is fabulous too. Try tying large bows and letting the ribbon “tails” cascade down the tree. Very pretty.

4         Place your largest and most special ornaments first. Think creatively for a moment—do you have a collection you can display on your tree? Tea cups? Teddy bears? Snowmen? China dolls? The possibilities are endless. Can you imagine a tree decorated with delicate teacups? How unique and beautiful! On a tree I helped decorate this week, we used the client’s collection of Santa Claus dolls—they were large and colorful and really added a festive holiday touch. We placed those first, then filled in the rest of the tree with a variety of ornaments. Use wire to secure your items to the branches.

5         If you use clear glass ornaments, be sure and place them right next to the light bulbs so they really sparkle.

6         Floral picks and artificial flowers are a decorator’s best friend. Tuck floral picks into the branches and use large-size artificial flowers poinsettias, or amaryllis, or hydrangeas to add color and texture.

7         Make it personal: Make sure your tree reflects you and your family. My favorite ornaments are the photos of my kids. Their cute little faces are tucked in right alongside the other ornaments, and they are the ones I enjoy looking at the most. Happy Decorating!

Filed Under: Holiday Decorating, Seasonal Decorating Tagged With: ,

Secrets to a Successful Monochromatic Room

November 29, 2011 By

Interior designers adore color. We are like kids in a candy store when we look through paint swatches and fabric samples. Take us to a tile showroom we become giddy with excitement. So we are delighted when we are asked to design colorful rooms for clients. There are several color schemes on which we like to base our designs. In this article, I will focus on one popular color scheme called the monochromatic scheme. Monochromatic literally means one color, and in this type of scheme, one main color is used throughout the room. Designing a monochromatic room seems like it would be easy, but it does take some skill to keep this type of room from looking overpowering or boring.

For example, let’s look at the color blue. In a monochromatic blue bedroom, blue would be the dominant color for the walls, bedding and window treatments. However, in order to keep this room from looking flat, a variety of blues are used. The walls can be a soothing shade of gray-blue; the bedding can be a paisley pattern with lots of blues, grays and a little white, and the draperies can be a deep blue silk. Blue can also be incorporated into this room with artwork, accessories and an area rug.

The secret to making monochromatic rooms interesting is contrast. Make sure your bedding and headboard coordinate but don’t match exactly, and make sure they stand out against the walls. Make sure your window treatments are not the exact same color as the walls. Keep your dark wood dresser—the contrast will be beautiful against the gray-blue walls. And mix up the textures as well. The silkiness of the drapes will contrast with the nubby chenille of the chair upholstery, and can you substitute your wooden night stands for two chrome and glass tables? That will add even more contrast.

Throw pillows are a great place to add texture, even if the colors are all the same. Dress up plain blue pillows with beaded trim or fringe; look for a blue stripe fabric for additional pillows, and even throw in a little bit of faux fur for a fun and playful touch.

With texture, subtle pattern and tints, tones and shades of one main color, your monochromatic bedroom will be a peaceful and beautiful haven.

Filed Under: Bedrooms, Color, Home Decorating Tagged With: ,

Listen to Goldilocks—furnishings should be “just right”

November 4, 2011 By

Goldilocks was right– there is such a thing as “just right.” Have you ever walked into someone’s living room and noticed that the furniture is just too big for the room? This is an error of scale. It can happen quite easily, and I see it frequently when I look at homes. It happens because people don’t take measurements before they go shopping. It happens because they decide to buy the entire living room suite of furniture, and then use it anyway, even after they realize it is just too big. It happens because people don’t realize that furniture looks properly scaled in those large furniture showrooms, but is, in fact, too large for their own home.

It is also possible to undersize furniture and accessories. I see this problem as well, especially when people buy large new homes with high ceilings and big rooms. All of a sudden, the furniture and accessories that filled their old living room get lost in the large new space.

Scale refers to the relationship of sizes between objects. Objects that are too big or that overpower a space, or are too small and get lost in the space are said to be out of scale. For example, a delicate chair placed next to a bulky leather recliner will be out of scale. Similarly, a lamp with a large, heavy base will be out of scale if it is placed on a small end table.

Some common errors of scale that I see are:

  • Furniture that is simply too large for the room. Take measurements of the room before you shop. Be aware that certain styles appear larger than others: a sofa with heavy rolled arms and a high back will appear larger in your room than a sofa with a lower back and simple arms, even when they are the same size. Also, please resist buying more furniture than will fit in the room, even if it is a great deal.
  • Small pieces of artwork floating high on large walls. To remedy this problem, select artwork that fits the wall size and shape. Large walls need large art arrangements; small walls need smaller pieces. If the artwork is too small, try it in a grouping with other pieces or move it to a smaller wall. Also, hang the artwork lower and closer to the furniture, always relating it to the furnishings around it.
  • Small accessories on large mantels. If you have a large-scale fireplace and mantel, your accessories should be large as well. Small items will get lost on the shelf and make no impact. Try tall and wide ceramic vases or chunky candleholders instead of tiny knick-knacks. To add height you can use a stack of books or a decorative box. If you have a large-scale piece of art hanging above the mantel, you may not need any accessories at all– you can let the art speak for itself.

What would Goldilocks say if she came to your house?

This article appeared in The Tri-City Voice on November 4, 2011.

Filed Under: Accessories, Furniture Tagged With: , ,

Bring Fall Colors into Your Home

October 7, 2011 By

Autumn has arrived, and many of you are decorating for the season. In autumn we tend to gravitate toward the rich colors of nature. Just picture the reds, gold and browns of fallen leaves, and the warm, earthy colors of pumpkins, gourds, pomegranates and cranberries. You can bring fall colors into your home by changing your accessories for the season. As the weather gets chilly, think warm and cozy. Drape a soft throw blanket over the arm of your sofa, and trade the brightly colored throw pillows of summer for new pillows in dark, rich fall colors. For extra punch, add pillows in faux suede or animal prints. Along with your throw pillows, change your kitchen towels and placemats, bath towels, and possibly even your bedding. Some people like to have two bedding ensembles – one for spring in crisp, bright colors, and one for fall in luxurious colors like mocha, cinnamon, eggplant and sage.

It is fun to have a set of dishes for each season. A basic set of white dinner plates can serve as chargers for salad-sized plates in different colors and patterns. For example, how about a set of Halloween plates for fall and snowman-themed plates for winter? I have a set of pumpkin colored dishes that I bring out in the fall, and I use dark brown linen placemats and napkins with them. A friend of mine uses her white dishes at Christmas time, with colorful holiday-themed table linens and beautiful red water goblets. It is a very festive table.

The space above your kitchen cabinets can be a great place to create a seasonal display. Try creating a grouping using a pumpkin, an odd number of large decorative oil bottles, a platter on a stand and some greenery. In winter, try a family of snowmen or a collection of antique children’s toys. Use wrapped boxes to add height to some of the shorter items if necessary.

Decorating for fall means bringing natural elements into your home. To create a centerpiece for your dining room table, arrange pillar candles of varying heights (odd numbers are more pleasing) on a large platter, tray or cake stand. Choose candles in rich colors such as forest green, pumpkin, or paprika, or stick with ivory if it will work better with your existing decor. Surround the candles with fall leaves from your yard, and add a trio of miniature pumpkins. Among the leaves, nestle a few shelled walnuts, pomegranates, acorns, seedpods or small pinecones. Light the candles and enjoy the glow. For a fun Halloween look, surround the pillar candles with candy corn or chocolate kisses.

Another way to bring nature into your home is with bare tree branches or curly willow. Fill a floor vase with the branches, or gather an armful, bundle and tie with a beautiful wide ribbon. Place your decorated bundle on a tabletop or on your hearth. Fill a large glass container with pinecones or nuts and tuck in an arrangement of dried flowers.

To bring some holiday red into your room, fill a glass cylindrical vase about one-third full with fresh cranberries. Add water, and top it with a white floating candle. Place three of these vases on your dining or coffee table for a very festive look. A word about candles: Don’t wait for a “special occasion” to actually light the candles! Every night can be made special with the glow of candlelight.

This article appeared in The Tri-City Voice on October 7, 2011.

Filed Under: Color, Holiday Decorating, Seasonal Decorating Tagged With: ,

Grab peace of mind by collecting documents in one place

October 4, 2011 By

A couple of weeks ago, I gave a presentation on home staging at the regional conference of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). I was only a little bit nervous, as I knew my material quite well, but nevertheless I was glad when I was finished and I could relax and enjoy the rest of the conference.

The theme of this year’s event was Transforming Lives. This may seem grandiose, but I’ve got two friends who are professional organizers who tell me about clients becoming very emotional when their spaces are finally free of the chaos of disorganization that once loomed so heavily. Getting systems in place and things is order is very gratifying.  I too have seen how people’s lives are changed for the better after their interior space becomes a harmonious reflection of who they are and how they want to live. One client still tells me, even a few years after finishing his design project, “I love coming home everyday.”

It’s always interesting to see what’s new in the world of professional organizing. Vendors displayed a variety of new products, from filing systems to closet organizers to specialized storage boxes for game boards. Just looking at the items made me feel like I should go home and reorganize some closets and file drawers. My home office is in pretty good shape, but I recognize that there is definitely some room for improvement elsewhere.  If you come over, promise you won’t look in our hall closet.

One particular product caught my eye, as it looked to be very practical. It is called the Grab-n-Go Box. It is designed to hold all of your important documents, keeping them in one place, ready to take with you in case of emergency. The inventor is a professional organizer named Suzan Harnish. Suzan and her husband found themselves facing evacuation due to a raging fire in the canyon near their home. While she knew where all of her important papers were in the house, she didn’t have them all in one place, and didn’t have time to retrieve each one. Fortunately, the fire was contained and they were spared, but from this experience, Suzan realized an important need and created the Grab-n-Go Box.

The sturdy metal box comes with dozens of pre-labeled file folders and forms to fill out by hand or on the computer, along with a helpful guide. The folders are organized into color-coded categories and include space for financial, legal, and medical documents, just to name a few. Suzan consulted with attorneys, insurance agents and financial planners to make sure everything was covered. There is even a category called “Passing On” which holds documents relating to a person’s final wishes. The Grab-n-Go Box concept is one we should all embrace. One never knows when disaster might strike; it would provide great peace of mind to know that important documents are all in one place, organized and accessible.

Filed Under: Organization

Three Different Looks for the Same Living Room Set

September 23, 2011 By

Q. I have navy blue living room furniture – a sofa and two matching chairs. They are a few years old, but are in good shape and I want to keep them. My walls are white right now and are in need of paint, and my carpet is neutral beige. What colors can I use for my walls and other furnishings to redecorate my living room?

A. It sounds like you have a great neutral palette to work with. My first question to you would be: “How would you like this room to feel when you are done?” The answer to that question will help guide your choices. We will look at three scenarios to see which one works best for you.

Scenario #1: “I want my room to be dramatic and formal. It is the first room you see when you walk in and I want it to be a showstopper.” If this is your goal, then I suggest dark, rich colors. Pairing navy blue with deep burgundy and gold will give you a formal, dramatic look. Purchase a large Oriental area rug with a lot of pattern, in colors of burgundy, gold and navy) and use it to anchor your seating area. It is OK to place an area rug over carpeting as long as it is big enough, and you use a special rug pad underneath to keep it from becoming a tripping hazard.

Paint the walls a deep golden brown color and use dark wood for your end tables. For a coffee table, consider a glass-topped table so the rug pattern shows through. Add curtain panels in a silky fabric the same (or similar) color to the walls. Use dark wood curtain rods with beautiful carved finials. Add several throw pillows to the sofa and chairs in burgundy and gold-mix patterns and textures: some stripes and geometrics will work well with the rug. Look for pillows with gold fringe, tassels or rope cording for a more formal look.

Scenario #2: “I want my room to be light, airy and casual.” If this is your goal, how about the classic combination of navy and white? Paint your walls a soft, creamy white, which will make your navy blue furniture really stand out. Hang some artwork that contains a lot of blues – perhaps with a nautical for a coastal casual look. Mix your woods and add lots of textures-for example: a light wood coffee table with wicker baskets underneath, and end tables in a medium wood tone.

Hang a pair of swing arm wall lights above the end tables instead of lamps. This will be an unexpected touch, and will free up space on the tables for accessories like family photos, vases, or a stack of books. Add throw pillows in a variety of fabrics in the colors of blue, white, cream, and tan. Look for linen and other casual fabrics. For the windows, consider Plantation shutters, white painted wood blinds, or soft linen panels in cream or white.

Scenario #3: “I want my room to feel clean, uncluttered and modern.” For this goal, try pairing the navy with a blue-based gray color for the walls. For the windows, look at Silhouette window shadings, which will filter the light and provide a very clean modern look. For your tables, look at metal finishes and glass or stone tops. No ornate details. Keep accessories to a minimum, but make the few you do decide to use really count. For example, on your glass topped coffee table, place one large glass platter in a striking color like red, acid green, or purple. Anchor the seating area with a large solid-color area rug in a charcoal or silvery gray. For more drama, choose an area rug in a contrasting color like red or purple. Hang abstract paintings over the sofa and a collection of black and white photographs on another wall.

This article appeared in The Tri-City Voice on September 23, 2011.

Filed Under: Color, Home Decorating

What to do with your kids’ art

September 9, 2011 By

The kids have started school again, and pretty soon parents will be faced with a problem: what to do with all of their kids’ art projects. During the preschool years, the sheer number of paintings and drawings is staggering. As the kids get older, there are fewer art projects; still each one is special, and deserves recognition.

Before I go on, let me give you my permission not to save every single piece that comes home. If you do, you will quickly be inundated. Some can be displayed temporarily on the refrigerator or bulletin board, and then surreptitiously sent to the recycle bin. My sister-in-law, a preschool teacher, will tell you that for young children, the joy lies in the process of creating, not so much in the final product. This means that they will be more excited about the act of painting rather than the finished painting itself. So, by all means, ask them about their artwork, celebrate it, display it, and then take it down to make room for the next masterpiece.

My own kids are older now—one in college and the other a high school junior. But when they were younger, I was pretty selective about what I saved. I kept writing samples, such as stories and essays, and meaningful pieces of art: ones that showed my kids’ abilities, and ones I know they truly made themselves. I also kept ones I particularly liked and ones my kids particularly liked, and those two were not always the same. Whatever you decide to keep, always label them with your child’s name and date—you think you will remember, but believe me, you won’t.

Below are some ideas for ways to display and preserve your children’s art:

  • Display art on a large magnet board, or a series of magnetic boards. These can be attached to closet doors or to the back of their bedroom doors.  Or how about magnetic strips used as a border around your child’s room? And did you know there is magnetic paint available? Why not paint a large rectangle on one of the walls in your child’s room and use that for display? Trim the rectangle with picture frame molding and instantly you create a fun area for display.
  • A series of clip boards arranged in a grid pattern on your wall is also a neat and tidy way to display art. Several masterpieces can be stored on the clip boards and new pieces can be easily added.
  • Hang a clothesline in their bedroom, mudroom, family room, kitchen or laundry room on which you can easily attach several pieces of art with clothespins. For every new piece that goes on the clothesline, one piece comes off. This will keep the display fresh and tidy. There is a wide variety of cute and whimsical clips you can use to hang their artwork on clotheslines: just do a quick online search and you’ll find clips with frogs, birds, flowers and lots more. Or just paint wooden clothespins in colors that coordinate with your own décor.
  • Take digital photographs of special pieces and compile them onto a CD. You’ll always have them, and they’ll take up a lot less space.
  • Photograph your child next to several pieces of his art. Create a scrapbook with these photos.
  • Turn the digital photographs into a 12-month calendar to give as gifts to family members. You could also have these photos printed on coffee mugs, puzzles, mouse pads and T-shirts.
  • Create placemats by having artwork laminated.
  • Purchase frames at discount stores or garage sales and arrange an “art gallery” in a hallway. Select frames that make it easy to take the art in and out so you can have a constantly rotating collection. Check out www.dynamicframes.com  for really great hinged frames specially created to store up to 50 masterpieces and make artwork displays very easy to change.
  • Select a few favorites and have them professionally framed to display in more prominent locations in your home.  In my home there is a black and white drawing my daughter  created that looks like anything I might buy at an art gallery.
  • Investigate www.theartblossom.com, a service that will turn your child’s artwork into museum quality prints and greeting cards.

This article appeared in The Tri-City Voice on September 9, 2011.

Filed Under: Accessories, Art, Home Decorating

The Right Color Can Do Wonders to Transform a Room

August 26, 2011 By

Not only can colors add a lot of personality and character to a room, they can also help solve your decorating challenges. The right color can make a large room seem more intimate, a small room seem more spacious and even fool the eye into thinking that a narrow room is wider or that a low ceiling is higher.

If your room is very small, with little natural light and you’d like to make it seem as large as possible, choose a light, cool color and paint everything-walls, ceiling, doors, even trim-in that color. Flooring material should also be in a similar color, for instance a light maple hardwood, or a light-colored carpet. Tile installed on the diagonal will draw your eye into the room and visually make the room seem larger. Minimize contrasts in the room for a spacious feel, so upholstery and window treatments also should be in a similar color. Add interest with textures and tone-on-tone patterns. Add a few sparks of color with artwork and accessories.

Some of us have small rooms, but rather than make them feel spacious, prefer to accentuate their coziness. A recent redesign client of mine described her small home as a “jewel box.” She chose rich colors such as caramel for her walls, green for her sofa and chocolate-colored leather for her side chair. With accents of gold and burgundy, her room exuded a warm, welcoming charm.

To make a large room seem smaller, choose darker warm colors, such as the caramel, green, and burgundy mentioned above. To increase the coziness, add a variety of colorful patterns and textures on upholstery, pillows and window treatments. A large area rug with a dark-colored border will also help to bring in the walls and create the appearance of a smaller room.

A monochromatic color scheme in cool, restful colors such as gray-blue or mossy green will create a calm and peaceful feeling in a room. Minimize contrasts in the room by repeating the same color in fabrics and window treatments. On the other hand, a three-color scheme, emphasizing warmer colors and incorporating vibrant patterns in fabric, accessories and art will create a lively, vibrant mood in the space.

To make a long, narrow room seem wider, your objective is to visually extend the walls outward. To do this, paint the two opposite long walls in a light, cool color, and paint the short walls in a darker shade of the same color. Limit the number of patterns and colors in the room. If your aim is to make the long, narrow room seem shorter, use a darker color on the opposite long walls, possibly even a patterned wall covering, and a lighter shade of the same color on the short walls.

To make your ceiling appear higher, paint a border on the ceiling using the wall color. Trim the border in a darker color, and use a lighter color on the ceiling inside the border. In contrast, to bring down a high ceiling, use a darker color than the walls, and paint a border on the walls in the same color. Trim the border in a contrasting color, or use a wallpaper border. One of the easiest ways to change the look and feel of a room is with color.

This article appeared in The Tri-City Voice on August 26, 2011.

Filed Under: Color

Look Around you for the Most Current Design Trends

August 12, 2011 By

I spent a very busy but enjoyable week last week at the national conference of Interior Redesign Industry Specialists in Las Vegas. As part of the conference, we also attended the Las Vegas Summer Furniture Market. As one of the presenters at the conference, I gave two sessions-one on selecting paint colors, and the other on current trends in interior design. It was exciting to see the design trends I spoke about live at the furniture market! I’ll share some of those design trends with you in this week’s column.

Green and Natural
This trend has had, and will continue to have, tremendous staying power in the industry. “Green” is definitely still “in.” Everywhere we look, we see furnishings and building materials made from natural elements such as stone, cork, bamboo, and wood. Materials made from recycled elements are hugely popular as well: counter tops made from recycled glass bottles, handmade tiles made from discarded porcelain tubs and sinks, even baskets and containers woven from recycled newspaper and magazines. Using natural materials in your home feels comfortable, and the look is certainly beautiful.

Mix and Match
The days of the matching sofa, loveseat, chairs, with matching coffee and end tables have been over for a while, and mixing and matching is more popular than ever. Just look through home furnishings catalogs to see countless examples of mixing textures, colors, patterns and styles. Think of contemporary leather dining chairs with an old world chunky wood trestle table. Think of striped chairs with a floral sofa and small geometric print on the drapes. Mixing and matching makes a room more livable and fun.

Bold, Dramatic Color
In a recent episode of her television show, Candice Olsen featured an old, traditional china buffet revived into a modern piece by painting it high gloss teal. It looked amazing! Bold pops of color and drama are everywhere you look. How about a bright orange accent wall, or lime green kitchen chairs, or an entry wall covered in large-scaled patterned wallpaper? Even new brightly-colored throw pillows on your sofa or bed will add some fun and pizzazz to your space.

Metallics
At the furniture market there were numerous examples of wall coverings, fabrics and furnishings. There were fabrics with metallic threads running through them-very luxurious looking! Mirrored chests, headboards in painted metallic finishes, gorgeous handmade wallpapers featuring coppers, golds and silvers-the look is elegant, modern and very unique. It’s easy to overdo the metallic look, so use some restraint. For example, I just finished a powder room with beautiful gold and green metallic wallpaper, and another client of mine is in love with a mirrored bathroom vanity. Just one or two touches of metallic in a room are enough to make a great statement.

This article appeared in The Tri-City Voice on August 12, 2011.

Filed Under: Styles & Trends
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