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Great Tips for Decorating and Decluttering Your Kitchen

Are you redecorating your kitchen inside your home? Do you want to add style to your kitchen but also keep it organized and maintain its functionality? This was the charge given to us for the kitchen shown here.

This customer wanted a taste of french country, and yet a classic kitchen.  She and I were delighted with the finished product!  She doubled the size of her kitchen and was able to enjoy the use of this wonderful new island!
When you do a room addition or renovation, you are so happy to complete the project, that clutter and “things” left sitting around will be a thing of the past!
Here are a few tips on helping you stay tidy…

Courtesy of iVillage, check out these excellent tips that are perfect for decorating and decluttering your kitchen.

  • Keep the top of your refrigerator clear of clutter, unless you’d like to feature a modest display of your favorite (and most beautiful) cookbooks. Make sure you add bookends to offset your display.
  • Set up a creative display of your glassware in your kitchen. Feature your pretty glasses on the second shelf in your cabinet, while keeping the glasses you use every day on the bottom shelf, if your cabinets have glass panes.
  • Install a rack underneath your cabinet, and use it to hang and display your beautiful wineglasses.
  • Change up the decorative items (aprons, tea towels, potholders, picture frames, knick knacks, etc) you have inside your kitchen each season. Reflecting the time of year with your decor is a great way to decorate.

Let Janine Terstriep and the staff at The Decorative Touch help you create a kitchen that meets your needs for both style and function.

Tip of the Week #17: Thanksgiving Tablescapes

To all of you can I just say THANK YOU! Yes, it is the season to give thanks, and without you my loyal customers, readers, and friends, I would be so much less.  I know you are the reason I am successful, and I am so very grateful! I do know you have a choice in your interior design specialist, and I hope I always exceed your expectations. It has always been my pleasure creating wonderful spaces with YOU!! HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF YOU!

AND speaking of Thanksgiving, I have enclosed a few photos of some great tablescapes to inspire you before your guests arrive.  If you are anything like me, you are already thinking about the Christmas decor! But lets hold off just a little longer. There are still some wonderful Fall inspirations to allow you to let mother nature show off her best! If you can get your hands on some cut bittersweet vines or cranberry stems you will be able to see some beautiful bursts of color right now. Add a few candles, gorgeous glassware, and ta-da take a peek…

And again, thanks for being so loyal to me….Happy Turkey Day!

Sincerely,

Janine

Eddie Ross thanksgiving tablescapeEddie Ross

thanksgiving tablescapeImage from HGTV

thanksgiving tablescapeImage from HGTV

thanksgiving tablescapeImage from Country Living

room with with animal prints

Exotic and Chic Animal Prints

It’s true, if used incorrectly animals prints on multiple large surfaces can immediately make a room appear tacky. If used correctly, sparingly throughout, the look will not only be exotic but very chic. We found some interior designs on ELLE Decor that used animal print perfectly. The prints are either on the floor, as upholstery for a few pieces of furniture or the throw pillows. The key to keeping the look elegant is to use prints on a few small pieces, or one large piece such as a rug or carpeting— but never all together. What do you think of the designs, are they exotic and chic?

room with with animal printsroom with with animal printsroom with with animal printsroom with with animal printsroom with with animal printsroom with with animal printsImages by Simon Upton for ELLE DOCOR

Decorative Accents: Sunburst Mirrors

You have probably seen these mirrors everywhere. But did you know that sunburst mirrors have been around for centuries? In fact, Louis XIV is said to have started the trend. If you are looking for an interesting wall piece, a sunburst mirror might be just the right accent. Whether placed above the bed or a piece of furniture, they can add texture and interest to just about any space. Just check out a few examples below.

Photos: Z Gallery, This photographer’s life, Decor Pad,

Difficult Spaces: The Hallway

The hallway can be a challenge to decorate. Often they are long and narrow, which makes placing furniture difficult–if not impossible. A great way to make the most of your hallway is to use it as a gallery. The long lines of the hallway make it an ideal space to display family photos or your favorite artwork. Not sure how to place the photographs? Consider a grid-style configuration like the one in the photo below. Also, by placing photos in the same style of frame, the viewer is drawn to what’s in the frame instead of the frame itself. Who wouldn’t stop to look at the photographs when walking through this hallway?

Jennifer Aniston’s Stylish Platform Bed

Sometimes I run across something so interesting that I can’t wait to share it with you, and this is one of those moments. A friend who follows this blog sent this to me and this bed is such a beauty. This is Jennifer Aniston’s very-own platform bed, just was featured in the March issue of Architectural Digest. Isn’t it great?

What really makes this bedroom so great are those oversized lamps and the tile headboard. The bed is enormous, so you would have to have a large enough bedroom to accommodate such a large piece of furniture, but it sure makes a stunning focal point. A bedroom like this is clean and sleek, without the look of old-fashioned “matching” furniture. It’s just another way to think about the bedroom as a true haven!

Janine

CRLaine Furniture Spring Preview

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

News: Are You in the Market for New Upholstered Furniture?

Miles-accessorizedI just got back from Norwalk, OH from the Norwalk furniture factory and wow, was I impressed. Norwalk has been transformed, cleaned up, and streamlined into a #1 US custom-made furniture option. Under new ownership and new vision, this company is another one of my favorites.  The employees just gleamed  with pride as we toured the factory, where we witnessed fine upholsterers and seamstresses putting the final touches on their product. It was such an honor to see each phase of the upholstery process.

After 25 years selling fine furniture, I have an even greater appreciation for what goes into the final product. I have just gotten a new chair in my studio, the Quincy chair,  and would love to share more about Norwalk with you. If you aren’t able to stop by,  be sure to check out the Norwalk Web site. It is well worth your time. I especially love the Copley Square collection as it fits almost everyone, but the new Elise Chair is a beauty. And if comfort with a flair is for you, take a peak at the Milford.

Have fun with Norwalk. They have really taken a step in the right direction.
Photo Credit: Norwalk Furniture

Janine’s Tip of the Week #2: Furniture Selection

decorativetouch4I often get asked: Where do I begin in my furniture selection for this room?

Well, again each case is different, but most of the time the largest piece dictates the space.  I often start with either the area rug or the sofa. Which piece is going to have more pattern?  If the area rug is the busiest and has a large-scale pattern, I start with that first. Then the sofa will be smaller or medium pattern. For instance, a tweed or texture looks great with larger patterned pillows. Additionally, I might choose leather or plaid/paisley patterned chairs  to complement the rug colors.  As a general rule of thumb, I like to work from that one large pattern; it makes it easier to find the perfect “go with” items.
Janine Terstriep

Fun with Faux: A New Kind of Area Rug

A faux rug is cheaper and easier to clean than a real rug and you can customize the pattern and color to match your room Courtesy of HGTV.com

A faux rug is cheaper and easier to clean than a real rug and you can customize the pattern and color to match your room. Courtesy of HGTV.com

Ever feel like there’s just something missing from a room despite your best decorative efforts? The space is furnished beautifully, some of your favorite contemporary art work is peppered throughout and you’ve even recently put that fresh coat of Lemon Meringue paint on the walls.

Yet, still, the place craves something fixed, something permanent that surpasses the mobile ornaments. If this sounds like you, check out one of the newest home décor trends that’s sure to solve the problem of filling that empty space: painted faux area rugs. These splendid little creations bring depth and character to any area imaginable, be it a front porch stoop, a pool patio deck or a game room. Using a variety of different techniques, the patterns are usually created by an artist or designer on paper, scaled to fit the desired floor space and then, using a number of materials including tape, stencils, fabric, wood or even string, are painted on virtually any flat surface to create an impressive “rug.” And the best part is that it’s permanent, and customizable to fit your taste! Click here for more information on painted faux area rugs.

By Natasha Khairullah