Living Room Design

January 5, 2023
I recently did a living design for a client. She hadn’t purchased any furniture in a few years, and it showed. When I walked into the space, I noticed that the sofa’s back was exposed; that was the first thing I saw.

I knew I had to change the layout of that space. She had a piano that she didn’t use, so with some convincing on my part; she gave it away. This allows me to extend the space further. I intended to put the TV  where the piano used to be, opening up the room. 

We decided on a color theme that she liked, navy and taupe, and off to shopping, we went.

This area is where the piano used to be; now the TV and the fireplace console reside. It ties the two spaces together, creating a much larger living space.

We also touched upon the dining room. I’ve seen this happen quite enough. Once the space is complete, my client winds up doing more because the area adjacent to it usually needs to be updated as well. We kept the table and replaced the chairs and credence. 

Decorating for the Holidays

December 8, 2022
Decorating for the holidays is fun but can also be stressful. So I’m here to give you some pointers on how to decorate for the holiday.

The first thing you want to do is decide on a color theme. The color theme doesn’t have to be green and red. I chose Turquoise, White, Pink, and Chartreuse Green. It coordinates nicely with my color theme for the home.

I tell my clients to make it look like it was done by a professional, create vignettes, and not line it up. My famous saying is don’t decorate like, “Ducks in a Row.” Vignettes create a better design.

I start by layering it and keep building it. It creates depth.
Add some whimsical elements. My tree topper is not your standard topper. Instead, it reminds me of Dr. Seus, Whoville.
Even your wrapping paper should match your color theme.

Here is an excellent example of vignettes. I also use a lot of pine cones and flowers to fill in the gaps.

Brick Patio Remodel

November 10, 2022
When I bought this home, I knew it would need work. The outdoor patio was a disaster but also a hazard. They use indoor tiles outdoor. Who does that? Not only did it not withstand the cold, but it was also very slippery when wet—causing a tripping hazard.

I needed to address this immediately! Just look at all those cracks and loose tiles!!

It’s a nice size patio. And once the bricks were installed, it was more functional.

 

Black Gutters

October 13, 2022

As you know, black seems to be the hot trend these days, from windows to door. But how about gutters? Yes, they are trendy.

I recently did my gutters and decided to go black. Black gutter will not show up dirt like light-colored gutters. If you want low maintenance option, try going black.

I love the way it looks!

I needed to get gutters since my house did not have any gutters. I also needed to replace some of the fascia boards as well. My shutter was red at that time.

All done, including painting the door and shutters black!

What do you think?

 

Creating Storage/Work Area Outdoor

September 29, 2022

When I added my new tool shed, it created an area that wasn’t being used behind the shed. So I thought it would be an excellent area to store some hidden items from view and easy access.

I wasn’t sure how to handle that area, but I knew I wanted a clean look. Putting grass behind there was not feasible. Hard for the landscapers to get to. I didn’t want to use gravel, weeds would grow there, so I thought, why not astroturf. Looks clean, is easy to install, you can cut it with scissors, and best of all, there are no weeds!

 

Wasted Space!

I hang up my hoses, ladders, and shovels

A great place to do my projects.

Front Door Update

September 8, 2022
Your front door is where you greet your guest and family but it’s also where the public gets its first view of your home. It’s their first impression.

My front door wasn’t leaving much of a good impression. It was time to update. I was not too fond of the way it seemed disconnected. I wanted to make it look like one unit. I also noticed the trim on the top of the door was upside down! I had to fix that.

 

The door looked bigger just by painting it all as one unit. So elegant!

 I love the way it looked I decided to paint ALL  exterior doors black!!  My storage shed.

My Side door.

My Tool Shed.

Replacing the Deck and Handrails

August 25, 2022
When I moved into my current house, I knew that there would be many projects I needed to undertake. Some required immediate attention, others could wait, and some I needed to wait until it was in the budget. The deck and stairs were one of the projects that needed immediate attention.

It seemed unsafe to me, and I was starting to buckle and fall apart—time to replace it. 

Buckling on the deck

The previous owner’s dog chewed rails.

I would have loved to use trek decking, but it wasn’t in the budget, so I used cedarwood for the deck and vinyl for the handrails.

I had to wait a year before I could stain the deck. The wood needs to dry; otherwise, it could have a patchy area since the wood may not absorb the stain thoroughly. I used TWP wood stain in Cape Cod Grey. (It has since been banned in NY!!). I’m going to have to find another stain when it’s time.