Author Archives: Linda

It’s a great time for decorating…so I thought I’d share some great ideas for tablescapes and more.  I’l be sharing some great places to buy last minute gifts and decorations also.

With Easter table settings, you can express your creativity – and more is more. So bring out your pastel tablecloths (a soft pastel paisley tablecloth would be great!) and napkins, white dinnerware and cups – and head over to Michael’s for some inexpensive faux daisies, forsythia etc.  Check out the wedding aisle for some tulle and other fabrics that you can fill an inexpensive vase with – and you’re on your way.

Some Easter Bunny glasses from CB2

These are just a few ideas for you to consider – so use your imagination and unearth all your pastel table items – and have wonderful and decorative Easter.  And – Happy, Happy Passover to all my Jewish friends as well.

In my home in Great River, NY, I will be fast at work the next few days – getting my tables ready for Easter.  I’ll be borrowing some ideas like these above.  It’s fun to finally bring some bright, happy colors to the table after the dreary winter we had on Long Island.

If you would love to have some beautifully decorated rooms in your house, call me at 631 793-1315. 

One of my favorite things to do is to redo kitchen cabinets.  It’s a great money-saver and it can really transform your kitchen.  Here’s one that we did not too long ago.

First, we had the homeowner add some crown moldings – then we did a base color and the first coat of glaze

This is a gorgeous look, but it suited the wife’s style more than the husband’s.  So – Emily went into her “change the wall color etc” mode…

With the wall color change plus some of the furniture and accessories changes – I think she really achieved a beautifully blended look that suited both the husband’s and wife’s styles.

After seeing Episode 2, you begin to get the real method behind the madness theme in this show – The first look is supposed to be good and the second…better. If my clients ever start making me change the wall color after approving one – I would be out of business! However – on Emily’s blog – we learn that the production company is OK with this and the cost to re-do is included. 

If you notice the orange accent wall in the picture above, that was the “re-do” wall in this episode.  Emily says that men love accent walls.  That must be so because my husband had accents walls all over his house (that I changed after moving in!).  Most were done with wallpaper (nothing worse than wallpaper for a decorative painter!).  In this episode, Emily painted the accent wall orange – for the husband.  It really wasn’t good – and I am a lover of that hue.

All images from “Secrets” from HGTV

I love what Emily did here – the ikat pillows and the chairs (and that great velvet chair in the corner). She brought in more the Madmen look into the room – but softened it to suit the wife’s aesthetic. I am still not in love with the door that remained in a wood tone – but it does blend with the floor.  I would have painted both the moldings and the door in the soft gray because I think it stands out too much and it’s not a great standout look.

On the Accent Wall Change. On her blog she tells readers that the accent wall looked great on TV but the wallpaper (an Asian grasscloth) installer did a really bad job, complete with seams showing etc.  She had to bring in another installer (a woman who she said she would never give out her name because she’s so good and she’s be afraid she’d get too busy!).  Oh brother – I hope my clients don’t feel that way!  But, I digress.  This installer came in and removed the badly done grass wallpaper and re-did it perfectly. 

I think she did a beautiful job.  I am really starting to love this show.  Would love to hear what others think!

Speaking of grasscloth/fabric looks on the wall.  I just love the look of grasscloth etc on wall…accent wall or full room walls.  It’s a lovely way to bring in texture to your room.  At our studio, we do install wallpaper – but one of our specilaties is doing faux fabric and grasscloth looks on walls and other surfaces.  In the Hamptons, we did a beautiful raw linen look/parchment on nightstands, so it’s a great effect even on small accents in your home.

A faux raw silk finish that we did in Garden City NY

Or I could paint and antique a beautiful Anaglypta (raised wallpaper) and trim it with molding to create a faux tin ceiling panel (only in a copper and perhaps with verdigris) that would keep it traditional but more informal.

I can see some beautiful gold and red striped silk panels (or faux silk, if we’re being more practical) to finish the first few parts of this room. 

So, now I think that I’d better call my client.  Blogging has helped me figure out the room for my client – and I have some visuals that will help her to see what I’d like to do in her room.  All without sketching (which I still may have to do!)…but at least now I have killed two birds with one stone – a blog post and a mood board!

Wish me luck!

So Many Beautiful Things to Look at…Too Little Time:  I always try to make it to the New York Gift Show in January and August at the Javits Center and the Piers.  I missed the show last August because I was in the throes of creating a room for the Designer Showhouse at Caumsett State Park – and so…I couldn’t make it.

But I made it this January – despite the frigid temperatures and snow.  I have to say that the show was pretty good – a few of my favorite companies were noticeably absent.  But, there were a few new ones that made up for it.  Here are some of my finds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You might not want to be that obvious (or would you?), but in this post, I continue to give some ideas to build up the romantic qualities of the bedroom – layer by layer. I call it “Layers of Love.” Maybe you can bring out the “Let’s Make Out Pillow” once you’ve created your Love Retreat!

After re-doing my own bedroom when I was single, I told my soon-to-be-husband that I was creating layers of love for Valentine’s Day.  I did all the things that I am telling you in this post (well – almost all of them!) – and six months later, we were engaged.  I think that it all really helped to set a mood for us.  Designing for all of the senses is important every day – but for Valentine’s Day…it’s extra important!

 Drape Fabric: If possible, add draped curtains or gauzy fabric to the bed. This gives your bed a cocoon-like aura that’s so romantic. Here’s a great (and inexpensive) idea that we did for a beautiful home that we staged in Muttontown NY.

Area Rugs: You want a tactile experience for your feet as well, so why not bring in something luxurious – such as a soft rug.

Accessories that Set the Stage for Romance: If your budget allows, bring in opulent silks, velvets, tapestries and textured fabrics for the bedding, pillows and throws.

 Lighting: Besides candles, bringing in beautiful lighting can help set the mood. Chandeliers not only look beautiful but they can also cast a lovely glow in the bedroom. Remember to install a dimmer switch as you don’t want harsh lighting overhead. I’ve also seen two small chandeliers over each nightstand – and the look is so beautiful and romantic.

Lamps with beautiful silhouettes or gorgeous damask fabric and beaded lampshades on the nightstands (also on dimmers) add another soft dimension. You might want to have an uplight in a corner to cast a beautiful shadow. Think about how a beautifully lit plant in a corner can look with an uplight gently delineating its curves on the walls.

Art for the Bedroom: Think about adding a scene that both of you love – a landscape or perhaps a place that you vacationed together (Paris, Rome…Hawaii). You don’t want to be overtly sexual with your art – just a suggestion of the love and togetherness that you both share.

Make it personal: Perhaps you made (or received from your love) something that was special. Make sure that that is prominent in the room. My husband made me a small framed photo of our initials that we carved on a bridge in Paris. He added the words “On a bridge in Paris.” I love this present every time I see it and it reminds me of how much in love we were then and are still today. You might even consider making something special for your love for this day. Some decorative cupcakes, a heart made out of construction paper (remember doing that in gradeschool?). It doesn’t matter how beautiful – it’s the thought that counts.

Mood Music and Sounds: Continuing the sensory experience, you may want to add some soft music to your love recipe. Pick your beloved’s favorite music and add it to your ipod for that special night. Be it classical or contemporary, music played so softly in the room will add to the romantic mood. You can also think about a sound machine to add forest sounds or some gently moving waves.

Lastly, Add Something Sweet:  Whether it’s chocolate or some simple Sweethearts from your childhood, adding something for the palette finishes the layers of love.  Don’t forget some champagne (or red wine, if you are eating chocolate!). Forget your diet today – it’s allowed!

So start doing some of these things and I know that you will have a beautiful Valentine’s Day. Give yourself permission to just linger and cuddle and enjoy some special time together.


Happy Valentine’s Day to All! 

Link to purchase Alexandra Ferguson’s pillows