No Room Left Behind!

Guest Room Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Long ago I read Karen Kingston’s enlightening book, “Creating Sacred Space With Feng Shui,” and much of what I read has become a building block for how I work with my clients to define their current and future space. When it comes to clutter, Kingston’s belief is that we are tied to everything in our home by invisible strings of energy.

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Blooming Wonderful

Test arrangement for Nellie's upcoming wedding

I can hardly believe it’s “that” time of year again but yes, yes it is indeed! Wedding season snuck up on me in the form of lovely Anel “Nellie” Resendez and her upcoming uber colorful and equally large wedding. While the actual event is still a month away, I’ve been busily testing (and re-testing) color arrangements until I come up with one that I feel suitably embodies her exuberant, creative and fun spirit. Regardless of the outcome, bright pink peonies will be the star flower in that bouquet!

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Sexy Spaces

Courtesy of High Fashion Home

There are certain spaces that are so compelling to me that they conjure up fantasies of  wine-filled nights or whispers of things I hardly ever share. In my opinion there are a lot of elements that need to come together to make a room truly “sexy”. I love layers of sensual textures, neutral but warm toned walls, dark woods, shiny chrome, sparkly glass, and softness underfoot. Cozy rooms seem more intimate to me. Rooms that have just enough luxe beauty to make them interesting and a bit forbidden. Think Marie Antoinette if she were to move into the W Hotel and make it her own. Supersexy!

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Cheap vs. Chic

I am mad about New York-based designer James Huniford. This room he designed above and everything in it – yes please! His rooms are places people could actually live in, and that’s important to me. I don’t want to merely possess a space, I want to be a part of it. I am smitten with his individual pieces and his intense attention to detail. Craftsmanship matters, especially when you are deciding which pieces will be an “investment” and which are functional and less costly.

Speaking of less costly, anyone that has worked with me knows that I don’t advocate spending money on expensive furnishings just because they exist. There has to be a reason. There are times I get really upset flipping through my Elle Decor, Veranda, Traditional Home, or Dwell – they show amazing rooms meant to inspire a wide and varied readership but likely only 2% of that readership could actually afford to purchase the items in those same rooms. This morning I was reading Veranda and came to their New and Noteworthy page. I was excited they featured a Huniford chair, at a not-insignificant cost of $3700, but dumbfounded that they also featured a Bottega Veneta trash can, or as BV calls it, Intrecciato Nappa Paper Basket, in woven leather, for $850. A trash can. Made of leather. To put my trash in. (Insert blank stare here) I am confused as to who they believe their demographic is.

There is probably nothing anyone can say to me to make the purchase of this “paper bin” worthwhile. If you are willing to go that route I will happily purchase you an equally stylish trash can and take the remaining $800 and donate it to one of my favorite charities (or suggest you do the same). Of course there is a huge gap in stylishness between a $9.00 bin and a higher-end container, but a stylish bin to hold your trash never needs to cost three figures. In fact, I just found a gorgeous bin made of capiz shell for $45 and that felt weirdly indulgent.

Things that are well-made are almost always more expensive and worthwhile. Like absolutely everything from de Gournay.

However, things that are beautiful, or chic, don’t always need to be expensive. Many people are conditioned to believe that if they get it at Target, it’s cheap or if it comes from Home Goods, it’s tacky. While this can be true, both of these stores offer some amazing finds if you know what you’re looking for. I wouldn’t buy my next sofa at a discount store as I already made that mistake and regret it every time I sit down on it. However, I’m redoing my bedroom on a really tight budget and my investment will be my mattress. I’ll be using a Thomas O’Brien for Target vintage modern bedding set mixed with the Nimbus Duvet cover from Anthropologie and have a gorgeous room I’m proud of.

Neither are totally expensive, but both feel amazing and look great. So while I don’t always agree that you can outfit your complete home on the cheap, I strongly believe that you can make it completely chic within any sized budget.

All my best,

Melisa

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What Exactly is Eclectic?

 

Courtesy of Anne Sage

If I had to define my style as an interior designer, I’d say I’m eclectic. But what does that really mean? In my mind, eclectic design is a colorful mix of periods and styles with the unifying themes being comfort and interest. To me, an all white home cannot be eclectic, but others would disagree. I also don’t think bohemian and eclectic are interchangeable words or styles because a bohemian style feels very ethnic or very period – say, 1960’s or 70’s. However, an eclectic space will have touches of bohemian in it. It will also have industrial, traditional, modern, contemporary, and ethnic in the mix but it will rarely be minimalist, although I’m sure it’s possible to do an eclectic-minimalist home.

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Heavenly Hardware

SA Baxter's delicious custom house candy!

Among the easiest and most cost effective things to do to freshen up a room is to change out the hardware. Light plates, outlet covers, door knobs and drawer pulls are easy to remove and replace and can take a space from outdated to awesome, usually without putting a huge dent in your budget. However, if you too dream of the day you can custom-design everything in your world (down to the toilet tissue), then you will love the land of SA Baxter and their bespoke house hardware.

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All Your Stuff = A Disastrophe Waiting to Happen

photo from anjulismith.soup.io

We have too much freaking stuff. I’m not kidding you. I know you know it. I know you probably live it. It’s how I met some of you (thankfully!) and it’s the reason I keep doing what I do. I want to help you. I really do. However, you have to want my help. You have to be ready to get help. As my new client Janel says of working with me, “You have to be willing to get rid of a lot of shit!”

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