In less than a week daylight savings time will end and we’ll be stuck with darkness even before we drive home from work.  This affects us in many ways, one of the worst being depression. Don’t let shorter days and limited light keep you from living!

Capture as much light and sun as possible in these 5 easy ways:

1) Grab a Sunny Spot – Pull your favorite chair up to a window or glass door.  Not only can this be your personal refuge for reading or enjoying the change in seasons, the chair captures warmth from what sun there is and makes you feel comforted and safe. Just 30 minutes a day sitting there will give your body the amount of vitamin C it needs to keep your mind alive.

2) Let the Sun Shine In – Open up the window treatments.  Many of us grew up with the concept that to keep the cold out, close blinds and drapes.  This is not only unnecessary but makes our rooms darker and dismal.  If you have double paned windows, you don’t have to worry about heat loss and the morning sun is the best for starting your day off right.  In the winter, take down valances and cornices to expose as much of the window as possible.

3) Winter White – Scandinavians knew the secret to surviving winter darkness.  Living without sun for months on end made them experts.  Their secret was effective use of color.  White painted furniture and white washed walls made any room bright and cheerful, no matter how black the night (or day!).  Use light colors; add white, cream or linen colored pillows and throws around the room.  Ban dark colors until spring.

4) Grow a Winter Garden – You may not be able to plant outdoors, but this is the time for flowers and plants inside.  Succulents in a long wooden bowl in the kitchen window do great and add the green you crave.  Bring home an orchid or bromeliad for the table and watch the smile it brings to your families face.

5) Ban Traditional Christmas Colors –  The holidays don’t always have to be red, green and gold.  Use fresh new colors like fuchsia, aquamarine and orange.  Arrange colored ornaments in a bowl on the kitchen counter.  Using silver keeps your decorating fresh through New Years Eve and stays modern and clean looking right through the season.

Add your personal suggestions below.  Love to hear from you!

For most men, looking at or even thinking about home furnishings ranks somewhere between a visit to the dentist and getting a letter from the IRS.  We’d rather do anything else but be dragged to a furniture store and asked such questions as “What do you think of this one, honey?”  As a designer working with couples, I have seen that deer in the headlights look on men’s faces too many times.

 Guys may think they don’t know much about interior design and wouldn’t know their settee from their settle, but we sell ourselves short.  With just a few simple lessons, any man can become not only good but downright talented when it comes to decorating.

Men have a real knack for space and proportion.  While woman look at color and eye catching patterns, men understand spatial relations and how balance makes for a good room layout.  Many of the great architects down the centuries have been men.  Men excel at cooking and at designing automobiles.  How is designing your living room any different?

Lesson One – Color is not out to get you.  Believe it or not, there is something beyond Navajo white and blue.  While your wife may bring home swatches of pinks and lavenders, you can one up her big time by impressing her with your knowledge of such manly colors as Sedona Rock or Wilderness Cabin.  I’ve found most men are open to color more so than their mates.  In the animal kingdom, males flash bright colors and strut their stuff to get attention.  Somehow, human males have become drab and this just goes against nature.  Whenever I show clients color options, it’s always the man who goes for the saturated reds and greens.  But then he somehow retreats to his comfort zone and ends up with beige.  Don’t be afraid to take the plunge.  You can do it. 

Lesson Two – Get out of that Dad Chair.  Face it, our fathers and probably their fathers had the one chair in the house that was just theirs.  Usually a recliner or at least something in brown leather, it became a man’s one and only refuge in a room he probably had no input in designing.  Men aren’t like dogs who need just a bed and a bone to be happy.  We need to escape the Dad Chair and join the rest of the family.  Leather is great; it’s comfortable and forms to your body like an old pair of jeans.  But look at lighter colors, neutral and vanilla shades that are more modern, hipper and look like part of the room plan, not an afterthought.  Next time you are in a furniture store, tell your wife you want to look at tufted chairs and textural fabrics.  By the time she comes to, you’ll be far away from the recliner section.

 Lesson Three – It’s not like matching your shoes to your belt. Don’t let our good looks fool you, we have an imagination.   If you can figure out how to sneak in that weekend in Vegas, you can select furniture without breaking into a sweat.  One thing that really makes me crazy is when people say they want a bedroom “set”.  We are not in the days of Ozzie and Harriet anymore.  You don’t need to match the bed with the night stands and the dresser.  Open up your parameters and see that mix and match makes a room more user friendly and not so staid.  Recently I told a young father to go home and throw around words like “coordinate” and “complimentary” in describing his vision of the bedroom.  I think I may have personally saved their marriage!

Lesson Four –   Up your game.  I don’t know what it is about men holding on to everything.  Don’t let your house become full of unnecessary items.  We all like our “stuff”, but there is a limit.  Go back to the basics.  Keep accessories to a minimum.  The idea of the man cave probably started when someone’s girlfriend got sick and tired of looking at the trophies, framed team jerseys and collection of beer glasses that were filling up her dream house.  The poor guy was banished to the den, the basement or even worse, a corner of the garage.  Keep the peace in your home and be a part of the family room by learning that you can live with a lot less than you think.  Not to say that your needs should be disregarded.  But that poster of the cat clinging to the branch that says “Hang in there, Baby’ was probably better left at your college dorm room.  You’re a grown man now.  The time has come for adult art.  Finally, think about how easy it will be to straighten up when you want to make a good impression on that first date.

 Lesson Five – Sofa and the Single Man.  We need to stand proud and shout “I’m not going to take it any longer”.  Men have needs, too, and one of these is comfort.  Work with your designer to find sofas and chairs that fit you.  Today one size does not fit all.  You can buy furniture that’s scaled to your frame.  Sofas come in different depths.  Cushions can be anything from pure down to solid core foam.  We don’t have to sit on tiny dining room chairs and feel that we are attending a tea party.  It’s up to you, gentleman, to make your voice heard.  The biggest lesson you need to learn here is not to be a passive participant in your own home and its design.  Have a say in what’s comfortable for you.  Sit in many options; don’t be talked into something just because it’s pretty or on sale.  In this business, you get what you pay for and it’s not the time to be frugal.  A recent study showed that men spend more time using their home furnishings than women do.  Flex your designer muscle.  Your house can look good and be a restful respite from the world. 

 I’ll keep this short, as most of us suffer from ADHD and have the attention span of a tsetse fly.  If you think you have successfully completed this course, then it’s time to consider Interior Design for MenGraduateSchool.  Classes start soon.  If decorating your home still scares you, don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Hire an interior designer to lead you in the right direction.  It’s bad enough someone has to pick out your clothes.  Don’t let your wife or mother make the decisions you will have to live with for years.

 Now, let’s talk the biggest screen TV we can find….

It’s important for our homes to be a physical and mental refuge from today’s unrelenting world.  The place where we gather defines our mood. Our personal space should enrich our life, not make it more stressful.  Here are 5 ways to return home at the end of a long day to a peaceful house.

Start with the entrance and front door.  Paint your door a soothing color like eggplant or chocolate brown.  Plant an assortment of pots of flowers on the front steps, like a mixture of wildflowers.  Keep it simple and opt for a natural woven door mat, not one with funny sayings or crazy patterns.

Keep your kitchen stress free by banning clutter, especially on kitchen counters.  Contemporary cabinetry often uses sliding doors at counter level, where you can store toasters, blenders and the like for easy access, but hidden.  Don’t let your kitchen table end up being a computer desk or the spot where you dump your keys and mail.  Keep it clean and ready to set for dinner.

One word about bathrooms: SPA! This room, more than any, is your personal sanctuary.  Paint it a restorative color.  Roll white fluffy towels and keep them in a basket or on the tub decking.  Use a silverware divider or handled plastic bins for toiletries and make up.  No more searching around your vanity drawers for what you need!

Home offices and children’s playrooms are an important part of todays home. They will never be completely organized and don’t need to be.  The key is to close the door to that space when not in use.  In real life, there are just some spaces that are what they are.  Resist the urge to try and de-clutter this space, but go to the rooms where you can relax.

The best place for renewal and recharging is the bedroom.  Use the bed only for sleeping and intimacy.  Take the TV and computer out of the bedroom completely.  Keep excess pillows and unnecessary items off  the bed. If every bedroom looked like the pictures in magazines, we’d be exhausted by the time we removed all those pillows from the bed just to get into it!  Have scented candles in the bedroom, you don’t even have to light them to enjoy the fragranced as you sleep.

In these times where pressure and stress run high, it’s important to have your sanctuary so you can start each day refreshed and ready to face new challenges.  Your house can do this for you if you allow it.  When you get home tonight, look around and see where and what you can improve in your own home.  Have fun and enjoy your new peaceful surroundings!

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Californians have accepted and grown to love the ranch style. But it can be more than that. There are ways to make your rancher special. First of all, be realistic. Your home is never going to be an Italian villa or an English tudor. You have to be true to the bones of the house. That doesn’t mean you have to be boring.  Beef up the base and crown mouldings to 6 or 8 inches from the 3 inch standard builder issue. Add trim around doorways, windows, even cased openings between rooms.

Use colors and tones that evoke a rich and warm palette. Give the rooms an identity by texturing the walls with striated patterns or glazing. Replace carpet with hardwood, rough stone or slate, even breaking up the standard living/dining room area with a curved hard surface walkway.

When it comes to furnishings, use a few large pieces that make the rooms look bigger and more important. Off white sofas with industrial chic is a hip look right now. Throw in an antique chair covered in rich velvet and you’ll end up with a room that looks sophisticated, modern and very architectural!

Embrace the mid-century aura of your home and be proud of what it represents! 

We need to furnish our first home, but have a limited budget. Any advice?

Everyone has a budget and these days it’s more important than ever to stick to it. The rule to remember here is: you get what you pay for! Don’t be lured into buying “packaged” rooms, where lower end furniture stores put together a sofa/chairs/end tables/ lamps grouping for one flat price. A well designed room is made up of diverse elements and takes time to create properly. Invest in a few good, well made pieces and they will last for years. Add as your budget allows. I’ve always believed it’s better to have one classic, timeless sofa alone in a room, than a space filled with furniture that won’t last, just to fill the emptiness.

If you are starting out, you will need the basics, of course, but choose well. Trends are fun to follow, but be careful you don’t make a big ticket purchase that will look dated quickly. Talk to a designer and educate yourself about furniture construction, fabrics and styles. Explore every options: flee markets, consigment stores, showroom closeouts, even garage sales. You may find that hidden treasure that everyone else has passed by.

If you plan to move in a few years, think about what will travel with you and be usable in new rooms or configurations. Above all, enjoy the process, love what you buy and have fun with it!

 Welcome to Design State of Mind!

For a first post, I thought it made sense to let you know a bit about me.. so here is my first list of favorite design elements!  Enjoy

 Favorite individual piece –The 54” Braziliance Commode is a two drawer cabinet designed by Dorothy Draper, one of the most iconic interior designers of the 20^th century. Originally created in 1939 for the Quitandinha Resort inSao Paulo,Brazil, the styling captures the South American craze that swept theUSA in the 30s and 40s.  With classic oversized acanthus leaves, carved serpentine moldings and a shell carving in the center, it exudes class and sophistication.  Approximately $7000 through your design professional.

 Favorite color – No doubt about it, there is nothing that can beat basic black.  This one color goes with every design style and brings out the best in any fabric or finish.  Use it in high gloss for the dining room with a funky crystal chandelier, in a soft gray tinted black for that sexy, sophisticated bedroom or upholster a slick mid century chair in plush black velvet.  This is the hottest in color for an all around perfect accent in your home.

 Favorite fabric – After more than a  few years of earth tones, I’m seeing the re-emergence of stripes, plaids and paisleys in vivid colors.  And not a moment too soon.  Mixing a bright , fun palette in unusual combinations, these patterns are bringing life and excitement back to interior design.  Whether it’s a sign of our improved emotional state after the last couple of tough years, or just imagination gone wild, it’s great to see their return.  Use these colorful, fresh fabrics everywhere, from dining room chairs, to throw pillows or even wallpaper your powder room for that wow factor.

  Favorite new look – Although the avocado green appliances of my childhood still haunt me to this day, I’m crazy about the new color options being shown on washers and dryers.  Bright reds, navy blues and soft grays allow us to bring the utilitarian laundry room into the new century.  Just like flat screens have taken the television out of armoires and cabinets and put them on display, now you can be proud to show even this room to your friends and not have to hide it behind bi-fold doors.  Now when friends tour your home, you won’t have to stand in front of the door and say “oh that’s just the laundry room”.

 Favorite comeback look – Michael Taylor single handedly turned the design community on its ear in the late 1970s and 80s with his organic, beachy southernCalifornialook.  Michael died of AIDS in 1987 but his signature style is back with a bang, starting with his famous basketball shaped sofa pillows. No other style from that era is more au courant than theTayloraesthetic: interiors of textural fabrics, sexy curves and casual comfort.  Other designers, such as Donghia that were big in the late 70s and 80s are also experiencing a resurgence of interest.

 Favorite design era – The 1930’s have always fascinated me.  It was a time of incredible wealth as well as a time of belt tightening.  Simple living was balanced with opulent design.  People gravitated to the movies to escape, and the movie sets were over the top.  You cannot watch a Busby Berkeley musical without being amazed at the creativity and fantasy.  The extensive look of metallics, glass and mirrors into the home brought a new brilliance into design.  Throw into the mix the most creative time of Frank Lloyd Wright, Corbusier and The Bauhaus.  What more could you ask for?

 Favorite place for inspiration –PARIS.  What more can you say?  Not only does the city of lights spark romance, it’s also the catalyst for design inspiration.  The history, the architecture, the furniture shops and the famous flea markets all add up to the best place in the world to feel creative.  Only the French can make design look so effortless.  Whether you purchase a trinket or bring home a container of French antiques, anyone can feel special with a bit ofParisin their homes.  There are numerous, beautiful coffee table books on French style.  Check them out.

 Embrace the things that are your personal favorites.  Make your home fun, the place you love to come home to and most of all your inspiratio.  Take the time to explore and learn the new concepts, ideas and trends.  You’ll be glad you did.

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