I’m downsizing from a large home to a condo. HELP!

In the recent economic turn down, it became more common for people to scale back their lifestyles and for many this meant a smaller space. Empty-nesters also face the issue of how to adjust from a five bedroom home to a condo. The first thing to do is be very honest with your self. What do you have to keep and what can go? Many of us become pack rats after many years of living in a large home. Do you really need that much stuff?

Measure your existing furniture, using only what you are sure fits in the new rooms. Purchase sofas that are sized for this kind of space. Many manufacturers make “apartment” or “mid-size” sofas. Buy upholstered pieces with a narrower silhouette, not big rolled arms. You’d be amazed how often you can actually achieve MORE sitting area in the same footprint by using English or track arm sofas that have a width of about four inches. I also always like to use rolling ottomans and stools. They can go anywhere for extra seating and when not in use store under a console or cocktail table.

Use every available space!  Open up under stairwells for storage. Build shelves to the ceiling.  In bathrooms, cut out niches in the walls and in the shower area for display of soaps, candles and towels. Beds with built in drawers saves space when there isn’t room tof it in a dresser.

Use less furniture but make it work harder. Look at drop leaf dining room tables that seat four daily, but can open up to accommodate more on special occasions. Use the center island as a buffet. The second bedroom in a condo can do triple duty as a den/guest room/office. Don’t be boxed in by rules. Rooms don’t need labels. This is where the old adage “less is more” comes in. Make it your motto!

There are many great books on the subject as well as a renewed interest today in building smaller houses and how to live in 100-200 square feet.  With a little ingenuity and creativity it can be fun!

Do you ever look at a house on TV and wish it was yours? Do you want to decorate your home to look like one you saw on the small screen? How we see others live on television shapes how we see our own homes, what we aspire to and offers a possible blueprint for perfect living.

In the 1950’s, no longer did we have to leave the comfort of our own easy chairs to get a peek at the neighbors. We could compare and contrast our spaces with other families, from Ozzie and Harriet to The Dick Van Dyke Show. The middle class was in, family and suburban life was on the rise. We moved from more formal homes to tract houses and twin beds.

The mid-60’s even reinforced the concept that we want what we see on TV with Bewitched and the nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz.  Samantha and Darrin were modern, fun and seemed to live in the perfect house.

In the 70s, The Brady Bunch was the epitome of upscale California suburban living. Arguably the most recognizable house on TV, the stone planter, open stairway and orange laminate counters were mimicked by builders and designers for years.

By the 80s, shows like Dallas, Falcon Crest and Dynasty depicted a more opulent lifestyle, while The Golden Girls put hip Florida senior living on the map.

In the 2000’s, Mad Men about the advertising industry in the 1960s, brings us back to Mid-Century modern decor. They do a remarkable job of re-creating the time and romanticizing days gone by. By enjoying these interiors, we see a strong example of how trends and styles recycle. We’ve gone full circle from the 60’s back to todays home.

Over the years, interiors on TV have shown us simplicity, glamour and reality as well as iconic rooms and design disasters. We have been given rooms to admire, color palettes to copy and the diversity of our own lives. Our homes and lifestyle has been reflected through the lens in subliminal messages of how we should live.

Television has given us many memorable rooms from The Mary Tyler Moore Show single woman apartment, to the mess of Rosanne to the grandeur of Downton Abbey.

So whether you are a Don Draper, miss your Brady Bunch childhood or still like to fantasize about the homes of the uber-rich, the line between our lives and the media has shrunk.

Sometimes we have to look at our room like we have never met before. We live in our homes every day and often need to step away to get a fresh perspective -the placement of furniture, color on the walls, carpet on the floor. Could being too familiar with your home be holding you back from creating the rooms you really want?

For many of us, it’s hard to make the effort to redecorate because the idea alone exhausts us. We give up before even beginning. This is sad, as our environment should stimulate us and provide us with enjoyment, not be a burden.

Look at 3 easy ways to get yourself out of a funk and get your design mojo on:

Take a break. When I go on vacation, I love the feeling of coming back home and walking into the house. I see the rooms and furnishings differently after a short absence. Sometimes I look around and am pleased, but often I see things that I didn’t notice before; like how a chair fabric takes on a different hue or how the sunlight is washing a wall. Not everyone can take a holiday, but even a small time away, even a work day, can give you the break you need. Play a game with your family. Ask them to  turn away and describe the room. Then have them turn back. What they see when really looking can be very revealing and it may tell you where to start!

Stow it away. There is an old rule that applies to fashion and travel. When you dress in the morning, look in the mirror and remove one accessory. When you pack, take one thing our of the suitcase before closing. In both cases, that extra item wasn’t needed at all. The same thing with interior design. Clutter is the enemy. Over time you may have colleTced one too many vases/pictures/plants. Just by removing that one thing, you have changed the dynamics of the room. One less pillow, one less gift from your Mother-in-Law and eventually you will see the space and shape of the room, not just what’s in it. This is a big move to understand the potential for creating a fresh new space.

Forget the rules. No where is it carved in stone that the bed has to be on the “bed wall” or the cocktail table in front of the sofa. Play with your space, move things around, try seeing your rooms as more than you think they are. Recently a friend bought a small condo with a sleeping alcove but no place for a dining table. We removed the bed, got him a sleeper sofa and made the alcove into a real place for dining. Suddenly he was able to utilize the whole space. When he entertained, he  could accommodate more people. By letting the sofa do double duty, he made three usable areas out of two.. Consider your rooms and what they could be if there weren’t labels attached. Open your mind to what they could be. How fun is that?

By doing these few things, you will be on your way to exciting new rooms and be ready for your best year ever. Any journey begins with the first step. But don’t just take a step.. make the leap!

As we look towards spring and want to shake off winter, thoughts turn to our personal environment: our home. Painting is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to update and refresh.

You’ve probably seen them. People at Home Depot or the local paint store, holding a handful of paint swatches with puzzled looks on their faces. For most of us, selecting a paint color is difficult. Beyond deciding which blue matches your eyes or what green is closest to your daughters bed spread, there is a psychological impact of color in our lives.

Every color we encounter in a space has some impact on how we feel. It can make us feel happy or sad, literally give us a headache or put a warm and fuzzy feeling into our hearts. A recent study by Olympic Paints found that yellow, an old standby for babies rooms, can actually provoke anxiety and babies in yellow nurseries tend to cry more.

Color can affect our appetite, work productivity and even our lovemaking. The saturation or intensity of a color can also alter how you feel. A soft blue can bring back fond memories of childhood while a strong, dark blue can be oppressive.

Don’t let the paint color you choose have the wrong effect. That perfect pink in the store can look like Pepto-Bismal in your bedroom. Terra Cotta might seem the correct selection for that Italian look, but can be dreary and depressing when it surrounds you.

The next time you are stymied and overwhelmed with the choices in the paint department, think beyond what might be neutral or safe, yet remember, color is a psychological tool can can hugely affect your mood and life. Use it well!

On the next post: A Primer On Specific Colors and How They Affect Your Psyche.

Recently I was asked by a client to help with a bathroom remodel they badly needed. We were unable to enlarge the space due to adjoining rooms, but she wanted to know – “How can I make a small space look bigger than it is?”

Bathrooms can be tricky because there is rarely much continuous, uninterrupted space. Mirrors, shower doors, tub and tile surround can all make the room seem cut up. A good solution to this is to use big tiles, 18″ or more, if possible. Keep the grout lines to a minimum and match your grout to your tile for a more cohesive look. Laying tile subway style elongates a room while big squares are currently a trending look. Be careful with mixing patterns. If you like granite counter tops, use a simpler floor tile. I’ve never been a fan of the vessel sink, the ones that sit on top of the vanity. They add another dimension that is just not needed. Use simple, wide porcelain under mount sinks instead, for a classic, lean look.  And always use frameless shower doors. Another easy and effective change, it will modernize your room like nothing else.

Color is important… gaudy colors are not helpful when you first wake up in the morning! Paint your bath a soothing color like ochre, cream or anything organic in base.

Store anything and everything you can away. Cut out niches in the walls make use of even the littlest available space. Stow toiletries away when not in use.  Open shelving lets light through. Remember, clutter is the enemy here.

Here it is, the last day of 2013.  Like every year, it’s over much too fast and so much happened in interior design… so many new thoughts, ideas, concepts and creative ideas.  I can only imagine what the new year will bring… and excited to see where the industry goes and what imaginative and fun rooms we’ll see in 2014.

Here are 3 trends I predict will be big in the new year!

Warmth make a triumphant return: For the past few years we’ve seen Mid Century colors make a huge splash… the lime greens, oranges and bright blues have become ubiquitous.  I hope to see less of these cool colors and warm, homey hues make a comeback.  Look for browns, tans, and khaki to be used in rooms and on walls inside and out.

Getting lost in big upholstery: Big, soft and enveloping furniture will be everywhere.  Sofas that are deep and over stuffed will help us forget the world outside and the stress of life.  We’ll want to sink in and be lost in comfort and tactile fabrics.

Escaping the tech world:  In 2014, there will be a backlash against a TV and internet in every room.  We will find that we need a place to decompress and escape, and there will be a big push for rooms that are tech free… quiet and peaceful.  I’d like to see libraries and rooms for reading and meditation becoming the must have in every home.

Happy New Year in your own space!

The holidays are nearly upon us. As we pull old decorations from storage, it’s a good time to explore the latest design trends to liven up your home and entertaining this year!

3 creative ideas to make this holiday unlike any before:

Tweak your Christmas colors: We all know red and green as the colors of the season. This year explore the whole palette available to you.  Silver and white are very hot this season and always a sharp and sophisticated element to transition into New Years Eve.  Introduce chocolate into your holiday decor.  Not only does it add warmth and modernism to the room, it brings that organic feeling inside.  Keep to tones that suggest a culinary experience, like latte, cocoa or cinnamon.  Use ornaments with stripes, polka dots or abstract designs.

Twist your tree: We all like to unwrap the ornaments and discovering the one that’s been in the family for generations, brought home from vacation or made in grade school.  This year, do something completely unexpected.  Decorate your tree in only one color or with just blue lights.  I’ve seen trees hung from the ceiling upside down, completely covered in high heels or with dog toys. Metallics are a huge trend this season. Revive the pink aluminum tree from the ’60s!  Consider purchasing a live tree in a pot and plant it outside after the holidays.  It’s renewable and enjoyable year around!

Party like it’s 2014: The key word this season is innovation.  Mix things up and keep the energy high.  Throw a costume party and invite guests to come as their favorite holiday character.  Decorate the house in a fiesta theme but make it black tie.  Ask friends and family to bring the tackiest ornament they can find and have a prize for the most outlandish!  Mix and match your dishes and glasses or add tropical prints to the holiday decor.  Put palm fronds in a vase with pine cones and ban poinsettias from the property.

Whatever you do, have fun!  Enjoy the love and laughter of friends and family and happy holidays to all.