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Making the Bedroom a Haven

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Ah, the bedroom. It should be a place to regroup from a challenging day at work, a place that promotes sleep, and a place the exudes comfort. A haven. Is this how you would describe your bedroom? If not, what is getting in the way? Are you constantly stepping on the kids’ toys when you get out of bed in the morning? Is the laundry taking over your floors? Do you need to replace those scratchy linens? All of these things can be getting in the way of the bedroom of your dreams. If you are looking to take back your bedroom, here are a few tips that will help you transform your bedroom into the room you have always wanted:


Consider paint color: You know that color can affect your mood and it can also affect your sleep. While you may love bright colors, they can also stimulate your senses and aren’t very sleep friendly. Try choosing softer colors instead. A softer palette will make it much easier to unwind from the day.

Invest in some good linens: Throw out those scratchy and worn linens.  Instead, purchase soft linens with at a quality weave, typically 300-thread count or higher. Higher thread counts are not only more durable, but they also softer. The lovely bedding set in this picture is from Peacock Alley. Don’t they just make you want to climb into this bed with a good book?

Light it right: The right lighting can really make a huge difference in the bedroom. If you enjoy reading at night, a side lamp is a must. This way, you don’t have to get up to turn off the light. Also, purchase a dimmer, which can be found at most hardware stores. A dimmer is a inexpensive way to enhance the mood of the bedroom.

Janine’s Tip of the Week#7: No Space for a Dining Room?

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After having recently read this post on Apartment Therapy, it reminded me of a project a did a while back for one of my clients. My client wanted to create a dining space, but just didn’t have the room for a formal dining area. To modify the client’s small space into a more functional dining area, I had a contractor build-in a long bench that could accommodate more people at the table. My client’s breakfast nook was wide but narrow, so we built in a 10’x18″ bench that also doubled as a great storage unit. The contractor made it with 3 compartments that have hinged openings that she can hide any rarely used kitchen items, and it really created a win-win solution. Now her kitchen table nestles into the nook, and she has 4 other seating spots around the other sides and a large “bench” that could seat as many as 6 in that family. The finished result? A functional dining area that this family can really enjoy!

Janine

CRLaine Furniture Spring Preview

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To my young-at-heart followers: take a peek at what CRLaine Furniture has in store for you this Spring as part of their new introductions. How fun is this new look?  Try taking a spin off that old wing back chair and oversize it. Then, jump-up the fabric scale and here comes one for the trendy folks out there!  I love how they paired it with a more conservative yet “young”  gorgeous sofa that will be very timeless.  This room welcomes you to 2010. Time for you to make your home your haven!
Janine

Decorative Touch Featured in Kansas City Home and Garden Magazine!

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I am thrilled that I was recently featured in Kansas City Home and Garden Magazine’s March/April issue. Here is a copy of the published article:

8 Kitchen Decorating Tips

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Having an airy, well-organized and well-decorated kitchen does not only complete your home’s total look, it can also help improve your home life. If you love to cook then it really makes sense that you create a kitchen that helps you enjoy the time you spend cooking.

Here are some of decorating tips for your kitchen:

1. Buy the most beautiful and expensive kitchen tools you can afford- if you do a lot of cooking at home, make sure you invest in the finest kitchen tools. They will not only help you prepare the best meals, they will also add to the beauty of your kitchen. Cheap kitchen tools will make your kitchen look cheap. And if these kitchen tools don’t last long enough for you to get the best value out of them then they will cost you more money in the long run. Always go for quality.

2. Have a designated space for everything- make sure you have ample storage space for food, cooking utensils, towels and other items. Keep your kitchen organized. This will help make your kitchen appear bigger.

3. Use cookbooks as kitchen displays- if you have hardbound cookbooks, you can use them to decorate your kitchen. Place your cookbooks in a closet with glass display if you have that.

4. Consider putting up decors that go with the holidays or the seasons- put up carved pumpkins during Halloween, place a small Santa on your counter during Christmas, use pretty curtains during spring and put up other small decors that can help you get into the spirit of the season. This can be extra fun in homes where there are little children.

5. Decorate your kitchen with small plants- plants can be a lovely addition to the kitchen. A small herb can be placed near the window or on the counter. The herb can also be used for cooking so it serves dual purpose.

6. Group items according to function- when organizing your kitchen, you can put items in clusters based on their functions. Like baking tools in one area, bread toaster and coffee maker in another. Clustering can help a kitchen stay organized.

7. Buy items that complement each other aesthetically- make sure that the items in your kitchen match. These days with so many brands available, it has become so easy to buy kitchen items that match the theme of your home.

8. Think about the lighting of your kitchen- lighting is a key element in design. Make sure you put good thought into your home’s lighting including the lighting in the kitchen.

Alternatives to Sofas and Chairs

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When it comes to picking out furniture for your home, sofas and chairs are probably a couple of the first things people pick out. The more you shop around, the more of the same you may begin to find. For those of us who are creative and yearn for a different comfortable environment to kick back and relax in and on, there are some alternatives to the norm.

More and more designers are taking an alternative approach to the sofa and chair combination. You may want to look into an oversized floor cushion. They are surprisingly very fun, especially when you might have a few children running wild in the house. Floor cushions are able to sit below your sight line, so you can park it in front of the television for the kids, while having a loveseat further back for you and your spouse. This way everyone has a perfect sight-line while having a family movie night. They are informal and highly comfortable, making it the perfect fit for a relaxed family. They aren’t for everyone though. I doubt when you have the grandparents over, they’ll want to plop down onto it.

Floor cushions also have the ability to draw attention to the floor covering and the present colors in the pattern and coordination. Sitting on one can be isolating, since it’s not the same height as normal furniture. This is why another great place for the cushion is in a child’s bedroom. Put it in the corner and you got yourself a little reading nook for your kid. Cushions can be pricey, but are a worthy alternative.

Another alternative is a long upholstered free-standing bench, also known as a day bed. Purchasing a couple daybeds to face each other with a narrow coffee table in between to put in a small room sets a great scene for a conversation area. If you ever have a small group of friends over, it’ll be a classy and simple area for your conversations. Sometimes these daybeds are even a good choice for a grand bathroom. They can also be a good foot-board at the end of your bed in the bedroom.

If you go with one of these setups I’m sure you’ll appreciate the unique quality that it brings out to your home. When it comes to comfortable sitting don’t be afraid to go the non-traditional route. It’ll be exciting and it could leave you very happy.

How To Create an Eclectic Decorating Scheme

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Decorating your place can leave you with many questions. One of the biggest questions is: “Where do I begin?” You can get a good start by deciding on a style. Starting here will allow you to begin envisioning the space as it will be and allow you to begin estimating cost. Here are just some ideas for an eclectic style of design:

Let’s start with a little color – If your furniture and accessories have a variety of colors, you may want to go neutral with wall color to ground or tie in the other pieces. Since your furniture doesn’t match in eclectic style, trying to match one of the pieces you love with your wall color may result in a color clash of another item.

Turning to furniture – There are some furniture styles that can be combined and some that shouldn’t. Look for common elements in furniture to mesh together the styles. Use the lines, materials, colors or upholstery to keep styles on track. Your contemporary sofa will mesh nicely with an Asian table for example, as both have straight, clean lines.

Don’t forget the accessories – Some accessory styles clash and some don’t. Formal Victorian with rustic pieces can actually blend together quite well. What won’t work is a modern piece of artwork next to an antique lace runner. There’s nothing to tie the items together. Be sure to have accessories that are varied, but related in some way – color, theme or texture. You get the idea. Your prized piece of carved wood African art can be placed with a rustic wooden bucket by virtue of both being wood. So there is a way to work in your prized possessions or travel souvenirs.

To bring the eclectic style in your living room, you may need to make a few small changes to get the look that works. You don’t need to completely makeover your room or break your budget – as eclectic room can incorporate so many design elements, just be sure to take steps to define the eclectic style in your living room. There are no hard and fast rules for eclectic living rooms, but combining elements for harmony help define one.

How-to: Decorating on a Dime

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If you’re in the boat with most people around the country these days, you are looking for any and every way to save money. Home decorating may be one of the last things that you think of as an essential, but studies show that being in a relaxing, cozy environment can reduce stress and promote good feelings. This could seriously help with those days you come home from the office totally wiped out.

Decorating your apartment can actually be done on a pretty mild budget, especially if you choose to follow some of these decorating on a budget ideas.

First things first, you need to know what kind of décor style you want in your pad. Look through some home decorating magazines and such for ideas. Keeping a scrapbook of which styles you like is a great idea to take with you when doing your shopping. Compare styles you like with the features in your apartment to make sure they’ll work. You’ll want to start small, so choose one room to do first.

Shop second-hand! This may not be your first option, but there can be some real treasures that others don’t want anymore. I recommend your area’s Craigslist website. I always find a plethora of options at great prices! Another place to check is the classifieds in your local newspaper. If you’re like me, run up to the Salvation Army or closest thrift store and check out what they have on hand there. I wouldn’t be too worried if the item isn’t in the best shape. A fresh coat of paint or handmade slipcover can do wonders for older furniture.

Shop at discount stores, such as Big Lots, Marshalls, or whatever local discount store you have around. Department stores and such send their unsold items to discount stores, so you’re getting the same quality product at a massively reduced (and awesome) price!

Add some color to your room. Painting can be an inexpensive way to create a dramatic change to a room. You can also decorate your walls in alternative ways, such as applying vinyl wall décor or hanging fabrics.

Create your own artwork! I am impartial to this idea since I am constantly making art already, but try it out sometime even if you don’t feel you are “artistically inclined”. It could be as simple as creating a paper collage or painting leaves to arrange and frame. The process of making art can also be therapeutic and help you clear your head. If you really feel you don’t want to try your hand at creating artwork, buy a cheap calendar of images you enjoy and frame them.

DIY projects There are an overabundance of ideas for do-it-yourself home decorating options that you can find on the internet or in decorating magazines. Look out for a future article about such ideas to help you livin’ up your living space.

What are you favorite decorating-on-a-budget tips? Please share (I personally desperately need it).

Décor Double Take: Something’s Gotta Give

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kitchen-adI saw the movie a long time ago, but to all my movie going friends out there, another great designer-friendly movie that I will never forget is Something’s Gotta Give. How wonderful was this family room? Doesn’t it just make you want to sit down and relax? Oh, how and I could go on about how fantastic the kitchen was with all that great white cabinetry. The overall theme screamed vacation. Wouldn’t it be fabulous to have a beach home that felt this rejuvenating? It was a beach home that we all long for—I can almost smell the ocean air and not to mention the views! And Dianne Keaton and Jack Nicholson were quite a pair. It just feels good to see love can happen at any age.

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Photo Credit: Sony Pictures