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Great Tips for Decorating and Decluttering Your Kitchen

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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.

room with with animal prints

Exotic and Chic Animal Prints

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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

C.R. Laine show room

Tip of the Week #15: Wall Art

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Another great way to display a collection of art is to anchor it on either side of a beautiful bombe chest.  This photo is from a new collection from C.R. Laine furniture and was on display at the spring furniture market. I loved how the artwork really helped make the room setting shine.

Accessories and art are the final touches that make all the difference in a room scene. At The Decorative Touch we do all the final touches for you so you can relax! Why not just leave the key under the mat and come home to a beautiful, finished living space you will love to show all your neighbors. Get ready, the holidays are just around the corner.

Janine

C.R. Laine show room

Tip of the Week #14: Colorful Inspiration

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Well, for those of you who fear color, this beautiful photo should inspire you to let your fear subside. This year the words “POP of color” are all the buzz and C.R. Laine Furniture has done a beautiful job to create a room of furniture that not only is gorgeous, but functional as well. When choosing your daring color palette, consider having one room that really dazzles the senses like this one. Shades of peacock blue are the colors this year chosen by Sherwin Williams Paint to be the ones that will really stand out.  I think this photo is certainly a representation of an outstanding use of color. Don’t you? C.R. Laine room
Why not step out of your comfort zone and get a little more daring?  Call your designer today.
Happy Inspiration,
Janine

Tip of the Week #13: Complete with a Lamp

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LampDo you feel like there is just something missing from your room? You can’t quite put your finger on it, but for some reason it doesn’t feel complete. Chances are you’re right, and that finishing touch is a lamp. Adding lighting to your room is one of the most important factors to completing a room. Lamps serve two very distinct functions—to illuminate and decorate.

When choosing the finishing touch for your room the function and style must be taken into consideration. You don’t want a well lit room that doesn’t match your decor. Accent or desk lamps should be used in areas with other focal points because they cast light downward. Table and floor lamps cast warm light which are inviting for multiple situations. And for drama, torchiers should be used because they shine light upward to bounce off the ceiling and wall.

After you figure out what function your lamp will serve you can choose the style. Keep it consistent with what you already have in the room so the design flows. Lamps come in every style so you are sure to find something that fits.

Once you have it place it, plug it in and enjoy the illumination and decoration!

Janine

Tip of the Week #12: Inspiration

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Have any of you seen the July issue of Architectural Digest?   The article and photos of Cher’s Indian Fantasy are amazing!  What I really love about this is that this home is such a reflection of the home owner. If you don’t see Cher reflected in this space, you are missing something.  She is exotic and over the top in her performances as well as her use of large scale accessories that enhance the rich neutral palette chosen for this daring diva. I commend her designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard. He truly represented the spicy, bold, woman who lives in this space. And yet, this feels serene and romantic at the same time. Bravo!

I do love Architectural Digest as one of the best design resources for great “ahhh” photos. If ever you need great inspiration there is always something wonderful between the pages of this magazine.  Perhaps our lives are not so grand, but there is always something to modify into our own space. For example, the neutrals chosen for Cher could be a great starting point for many of you, and your accessories like hers  should reflect your personal taste. Accessories are the “jewelry” of the home.  Choose those that make you feel at home. Maybe you would prefer more color, look to your closet. What we wear reflects what we love.  As always, look to your designer for expert advise!
Happy Inspiration,
Janine

Janine’s Tip of the Week #9: Wallcoverings

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To those of you who cringe at the idea of wallpaper and have lived through the “country craze” of blue and mauve days, may I re-inspire you to think again about the beauty of great wall covering?  You cannot transform a space more quickly than with great wallcoverings, and the artists today are out to capture your heart.

Take a peak at what York Wallcoverings has to offer in their Ronald Redding Collections. Menswear prints have never been the same!  Take a look at their Manuscript collection for the true traditional home. It makes you want to add a library on to your renovation.

Also, Thibaut Wallpaper & Fabrics has a new book called Filigree that is very lovely and full of delicate glamour that is modern and simple, with an elegant flair.  It might be the perfect fit for a new look in your foyer, dining room or bath!

Just open your mind to what wallcoverings can do. For a little more investment wise, it gives you a major transformation and makes an ordinary space extraordinary!

Strip with Damask by York Wallcoverings

Thibaut Wallpaper and Fabrics

Filigree Greenbriar by Thibaut Wallpaper & Fabrics

Janine

Jennifer Aniston’s Stylish Platform Bed

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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

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.

Janine’s Tip of the Week #1: Design Homework

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KitchenAre you considering redecorating or remodeling, and yet have no idea how you want the space to look? Are you completely unsure of your own style?

Before calling your interior designer, start by doing a little homework.  I always give my clients a little research project: Go to your favorite bookstore and invest in 3-5 design magazines in your project category. Are you interested in kitchen remodel? Are you interested in a fabulous new great room or are you focused on your master bedroom?

By diving into a few magazines and creating a scrapbook of your favorites, you are sure to tell your favorite designer a lot about the look you have in your heart. Just by looking at someone’s favorite tear outs, it’s easy for me to see what is consistent.

And remember, decorating is a FUN and exciting process. Enjoy the peace of mind a professional can bring to the process of successful interior design.

Janine Terstriep