What Decorating and Life Have In Common

August 10, 2018

Happy Friday! I’m popping in today to share a post I originally shared over 5 years ago. I remember at the time I was contemplating with whether to make some big changes in my decor. And looking back, I was also feeling a little uneasy in my life as well. The idea of change wasn’t sitting well with me so I wrote this post.

Here I am some 5 years later thinking about change again. So what better way to refocus my thoughts and energy than to take my own piece of advice. This post has as much to do about design and decorating as it does about living life to the fullest. Sometimes you need to step back and look at things in a different way before moving forward.

DESIGN LESSONS FOR YOUR HOME and LIFE

1. Styles Change and So Should You—I know that not everyone is like me and has their décor in a constant state of change, but I do believe that as people change the décor they surround themselves with should change as well. This doesn’t mean changing every piece you own, just change the things that no longer fit your lifestyle or taste. Surround yourself with only those things that bring you joy. Life Lesson: This also goes for the people you surround yourself with! Life is too short to have people in your life that don’t lift you up.

2. If you Love it, Buy it–If I had a penny for every time I’ve said those words to a client, I’d own a private island. If you buy things you love, you’ll always find a place for them in your home. Be fiscally responsible but don’t walk about from things that spark your happiness. And remember, bringing something new into your home may shine a light on something you should let go of. Life Lesson: You never regret anything you do out of love!

3. Trust your Gut–Design is as much about looking good and it is about feeling good. If something doesn’t feel right about your décor, take the time to study it and figure out what it is that bothers you. Your home should make you feel comfortable and at ease! Life Lesson: Pay attention to the feeling in your gut when you are around people and situations that don’t make you feel good. Instinct and intuition are all-powerful. Learn to trust them.

4. Design Should be a Marathon, not a Sprint–I do it and I know many of you do it as well….rush the design process. We want immediate gratification instead of holding out for the right thing. Decorating your home should be a process, with time given to understanding the look you want, the way you live in the space and the way you want your home to feel. Taking time to create the living space you dream of will result in a home that you’ll love for years to come. Life Lesson: Whenever you want to make a change in your life, work at it each day and make it a habit and not expect it to all happen over night.

5. Design for the Space you Live in, Not the Space you Dream Of–I’ve worked with clients who buy things with the idea of it working in the home they “hope” to live in one day and not the home they actually live in now. While it’s always good to buy pieces that can function in different ways, don’t get caught up in buying furniture or decor that is not suited for your current living environment. Make the most of what you have, with where you are! Life Lesson: Find and appreciate every moment and every thing that exist in your life today. Tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone and neither is that water front mansion that may be your dream home.

6. Too Much of a Good Thing can be Bad–Good design is about lots of little things coming together to create a beautiful space. Too much of the same thing whether it be color, a pattern or an item can turn tasteful décor into décor gone bad. Life Lesson: All things in moderation.

7. Sometimes You Have to Challenge Yourself–Getting in a rut with your design style is easy to do. We all become comfortable with what we have and the idea of implementing a change can feel overwhelming. As with life, you need to challenge your design style from time to time. Try incorporating a new color into your décor or rearrange your furniture to create a different look for a room. Change your thought pattern from “I’ve always done it like this” to “What if I did it like this?”. Life Lesson: To grow and be the best that you can be in life you have to challenge yourself to do things that move you forward and expose you to new ways of thinking and doing.

8. You Have to Look Up as Well as Ahead–Ceiling are an important part of décor and often times they get neglected which can cast a negative view on a space. Consider your ceiling as the 5th wall and paint it or treat it in a way that enhances your décor. If paint is not your thing think about a ceiling medallion for the chandelier or enhance your crown molding. Life Lesson: Creating a vision for your life and your career is one of the surest ways to make it happen. Whether you believe it or not, your thoughts do become things and what you think you become!

9. Interior Design is Not About the Stuff, It’s About What you Do with That Stuff–Taking the time to create a living environment that allows you to live your best life and to nourish your spirit are the things that matter most in design. Create furniture arrangements that allow you family to connect, hang photos that tell your family story and decorate with items that give you a sense of comfort and joy . Life Lessons: Who you are defines what you do & What you do defines who you are! Life is 10% of what happens to you, and 90% of how you react to it.

10. The More you Love Your Decisions, the Less You Need Others to Love Them. Social media can definitely spin you into the comparison trap and leave you feeling less than. Remember that you were put on this earth for a purpose and to create your own path. Don’t let anyone dull your sparkle or dim your light. Life Lesson: You are the captain of your ship and your happiness is in your hands.

The Starting Point Of Design–Revisited

August 14, 2017

Happy Monday! We made it through another weekend which included a hodge podge of tasks and projects. Most of our weekend was spent at the new house cleaning the kitchen, bathrooms and floors. We also moved all of my Christmas decor into the garage storage unit. Yesterday we spent some time shopping for sofas and also swung by At Home to pick up a few things. If you haven’t been to an At Home store, I highly recommend you do. The store is massive and there are lots of basic decorative items and stylish decor and super affordable prices.

This week is going to be extra busy with client meetings, more packing and shopping for a new dishwasher. When we were cleaning the kitchen we noticed that the dishwasher had some mold build-up which made me cringe. So, a new dishwasher just made it to the top of the ‘must-buy’ list.

Since I’m in the beginning stages of creating a design plan for our new house, I thought I’d share a post I wrote back in 2011. The post, entitled The Starting Point Of Design outlines things to consider when beginning to develop a design plan for a room or a whole house. I hope you’ll find these tips valuable no matter what stage of decorating you are in.

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Design Chat: Accessorizing Bookshelves and adding the finishing touches

February 14, 2017

I received an email from one of my blog reader, Megan who was looking for help with the wall decor and accessorizing the built-in bookshelves in her family room. The bookshelves and the walls have been empty for 3 years and Megan doesn’t know where to start with a decorating plan. She is also struggling with the sofa, which she’s not a fan of but others in the family are.

Here’s a look at Megan’s family room…

And here’s my design vision for Megan’s room…

THE COLOR PALETTE

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The tan sofa, beige walls and white built-in shelves create a neutral color foundation for the room. The area rug has different tones of red, browns and green in it so that should be the jumping off point for accessorizing the rest of the room.

The expanse of white shelving surrounding the TV needs a major pop of personality. Beyond getting the right mix of accessories, I recommend that Megan either paint the backs of the bookshelves in an accent color or cover the backs with a grass cloth wallpaper. Wallpaper would achieve two things–1) color and 2) visual texture which would really enhance the space.

When painting the backs of bookshelves, I usually recommend that you go a shade or two light or darker than your wall color.

ACCESSORIZING

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When it comes to decorating bookshelves, the items you decorate with are just as important as how you arrange them. Here are a few tips on accessorizing bookshelves and a graphic with accessory groupings that always work.

Create depth ‘top to bottom’ and ‘front to back’. Arrange items so the pieces are not at the same level or position of the shelf. Your accessories should feel layered and not uniform.
Vary the size, scale and shape of your accessories. Decorate with a variety of items to create visually interesting arrangements. And also keep in mind that if your shelves are adjustable you can create wider openings which will allow for larger decorative pieces.
Create balance from shelf to shelf and side to side. As you arrange items, step back to make sure the overall look of each shelf and each side of the fireplace feels balanced.

For more bookcase decorating tips, read my post 5 Ways To Style Your Bookcase.

WALL DECOR & SOFA STYLING

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Wall decor is one of the most important elements of accessorizing a room. In many cases your wall decor will serve as the focal point for the room. In Megan’s room, the wall decor will provide a dominate impact statement within the room so it needs to be dynamic.

I recommend a large piece of artwork flanked by starburst mirrors for the most visible wall in the family room. A piece of art will add color and draw you in to the room. Mirrors will add a graphic detail and enhance the light coming in from the opposite window.

To enhance the sofa, Megan should add accent pillows and a small-scale bent arm floor lamp at the end of the sectional providing much-needed task lighting.

FUNCTIONAL DECOR

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The other decorative items I’d recommend is a console table behind the sofa, an accent chair near the built-ins and curtain panels for the windows.

A console table will visually extend the partial wall behind the sofa and create an additional surface for a lamp and accessories.

The accent chair will provide additional seating and create a more balance space, filling the now empty corner.

Curtain panels will add softness and another pattern element within the room.

THE LOOK

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Unique accessories and colorful wall decor is all that is needed to bring Megan’s room to life.

Best Of ConfettiStyle: Anatomy Of…

September 9, 2016

Dissecting the details is one of my favorite things about designing a space. Over the years I’ve learned what essential components need to come together to make a room sparkle and come alive. Today I’m sharing four great posts with you, tackling some of the most common decorating challenge many people face.

Click on any of the image below to view the entire post.

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Learn how to use accessories to pull together any space in your home in the Anatomy of A Well-Styled Room post.

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Often time the vignettes you have in your home tell a story about you and your family. In my Anatomy of A Vignette post, I give you tips and visual inspiration for creating vignettes that are dynamic and personal.

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Do you want to get your linen closet organized and looking pretty once and for all? Read my tips for an Organized and Stylish Linen Closet.

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And your bathroom needs to decor love too! I’ve outlined 10 tips for Accessorizing & Styling Your Bathroom to help you pull your space together.

Let the accessorizing and organizing begin!

Design Lessons From The Pages Of Magazines (via Pinterest)

April 8, 2016

Ever since Pinterest came on the social scene, I know many of you, myself included have all spent countless hours looking at design photos, saving the images that serve as inspiration for our current or future homes or that can be used as a source of inspiration in our jobs as designers, decor enthusiast and design bloggers.

I often use images found on Pinterest to share an idea with a client, highlight an accessorizing concept or to help me pull together a color plan. Whether you like Pinterest or not, analyzing room photos is a great way for anyone to up their design game and learn what makes a well-design space just that, well-designed!

Today I’m going to share a few rooms from some of my favorite design publications and point out the design details that came together to make these spaces what they are. Consider this a mini design lesson using visual aids.

If you want more insight into how Pinterest is changing the world of interior design and how we decorate our homes, check out this article.

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Thanks for stopping by today and thank you to everyone who left wonderful comments on my Swap It Like It’s Hot Post earlier this week. If you haven’t had a chance to check out all of the blogger projects, please do. There’s lots of great inspiration to be found.

Happy Weekend!

image source: 1) My Domaine 2) House Beautiful 3) House Beautiful 4) Country Living 5) Domaine Home

Design Guide: Key Measurements You Need to Know When Decorating Your Home

January 8, 2016

On Monday I’ll be outlining my full list of blog goals for 2016 and one of them is to develop a series called Design Guide. I wrote the first Design Guide series last year, all about sectional sofas. I’ve been so surprised at the response this blog post and pin has gotten and just how many people are struggling with sectional sofa decorating. I receive emails weekly (4 this week alone) from people who’ve found the blog post and want additional decorating tips for their sectional.

The Design Guide series will fulfill my desire to share my design knowledge with you so that you can decorate your home with confidence. If there is a design topic you’d like me to write about just leave me a comment below.

Today’s post is the first installment of the Design Guide series for 2016 and it’s all about the key measurements you need to know when decorating. Before you jump into the guide, let me say that while these measurements are ideal in most situations, they won’t work in others. Every home is different and every design layout and plan requires some adjustments so keep that in mind as you read through the guide. Your home needs to work for you and your family so make adjustments where they are needed, so they will work for your decor.

FURNITURE PLACEMENT

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DINING ROOM FURNITURE:

♦ Allow 36″ – 48″ of space between the back of each dining chair and the wall or furniture behind it to so chairs can be pulled in and out with ease.

♦ The distance between the top of the table and the chair seat should be about 12″. To determine the best seat height for your table, take the height of your table and subtract 12 inches. Example: A 30″ high dining table (standard height) works best with chairs with a seat height of 18″ (30″-12=18″).

♦ For comfortable dining chairs, look for chairs with a seat depth of between 16″ and 18″.

♦ For rectangular dining tables, allow a minimum of 24″-28″ of table length per person and keep in mind the width of the chair seat may impact the space needed for each place setting at a table.

LIVING ROOM FURNITURE:

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♦ 18″ is the ideal distance you want between the couch and the coffee table.

♦ Walkways between furniture and walls should be at minimum 36″ to allow for easy movement in all directions.

♦ The ideal amount of space you should allow between two chairs placed side by side in the living room is 42″. A standard size side table will easily fit between the two chair.

♦ The height difference between an end of table and the top of a sofa arm should be 1-2″.

ARTWORK

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♦ When hanging artwork over a sofa or another piece of furniture, leave 5″- 9″ of space between the top of the sofa/furniture and the bottom of the art. You want to have some separation between the two elements.

♦ When hanging an art grouping above a sofa or piece of furniture, the grouping should be approximately 2/3 the width of the furniture below it. Your goal is for the artwork to be balanced (not too large or too small) with the element below it.

♦ For a single piece of art, the center of the image should be at 56″ – 60″ from the floor, which places the middle of art at eye level. Naturally if the entire family is extra tall or short, you can and should adjust the art so it feels comfortable for viewing.

♦ When hanging multiple pieces of artwork in a stacked layout above a piece of furniture, handle the art as if it was a single, larger piece. The space between the top and bottom piece of artwork should fall at 56″ to 60″.

♦ For symmetrical gallery wall displays, hang wall decor pieces about 2-3″ apart. For asymmetrical and artistic layouts, arrange the wall decor so it’s pleasing to you. Keep in mind you want the overall arrangement to feel balanced top to bottom and left to right.

WINDOW TREATMENTS

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♦ It’s always a good idea to hang drapery rods as high as possible above window casing/trim which will make your room and windows feel taller and more expansive. A good rule of thumb for the average window is to mount the rods 5″ to 10″ above the trim.

♦ The trend today is for window treatments to skim the floor. Letting your drapes puddle on the floor is matter of preference and tends to look best in more formal environments.

♦ To give the impression of wider windows extend the drapery rod 6″ to 12″ beyond the window casing not counting the length of a finial is you are using one.

♦ Many people hang curtain panels for decorative purposes only. If you want your drapes to be functional, your panels should be 2 to 3 times the width of the window. You can have custom drapes made in the appropriate width or you can hang multiple off the shelf panels together to achieve your desired width.

LIGHTING & CEILING FANS

LIGHTING OVER A TABLE:

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♦ The bottom of the chandelier should hang between 30″ – 34″ above the surface of the table for ceilings that are between 8′ and 9′ high. Higher ceilings will require the light fixture to be hung higher, approximately 3″ for every additional foot of ceiling height.

♦ Height–the higher the ceiling, the taller the chandelier. The rule of thumb is 2.5-3 inches for each foot of ceiling height. A standard 8-foot ceiling will accommodate a chandelier that is 20-24 inches in height.

♦ Diameter–add the height and the width of the room space together. Treat that sum as inches, and you have the suggested diameter of the chandelier for that room. For example, if the room is 20-feet by 18-feet, the sum is 38 feet. The approximate diameter of the chandelier should be 38 inches.

LIGHTING IN AN OPEN AREA:

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♦A chandelier should be hung in the center of a foyer or entryway.

♦If your foyer has a window above the door, the chandelier should be centered in the window so that it can be seen from the outside of the home.

♦If an entryway is two stories tall, the chandelier shouldn’t hang below the second floor.

♦ A fixture hung in an open space like a foyer should hang approximately 7′ above the floor.

LIGHTING IN THE KITCHEN:

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♦ The standard distance between a kitchen island and a pendant light (top of counter to bottom of light fixture) is 30 to 36 inches. Adjust the height to ensure the view across the island is not obstructed.

CEILING FANS:

♦ To determine the fan size that’s most appropriate for your space (fans are sized by the number of inches that their blades span), first determine the square feet of your room by multiplying the room’s length by its width. Then use these suggested guidelines:

For rooms up to 75 sq ft, choose a 29″ – 36″ fan
For room 76 to 144 sq ft, choose a 36″ – 42″ fan
For rooms 145 to 225 sq ft, choose a 44″- 48″ fan
For rooms 225 to 400 sq ft, choose a 48″- 54″ fan
For rooms over 400 sq ft, choose a fan that is 54″ or larger
For large great rooms, a fan as large as 72″ may be appropriate
If the room is over 400 sq ft, consider using two fans

RUGS

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♦ Rugs under a dining room table should be at least 24-30″ wider and longer than the table, allowing the back legs of the chairs to stay on the rug even when the chairs are pushed out.

Here’s an easy guide to follow:

♦ Area rugs under a bed should extend at least 18-24″ beyond each side of the bed. Also note you can place runners at each side of the bed as an alternative to a full area rug and runners can be placed along the side or at the foot of the bed.

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♦ For standard size living, family there should be between 12″ – 24″ of bare floor between the edges of the area rug and the walls of the room. Smaller rooms should have between 6″-10″ of bare floor exposed.

♦ In living and family rooms, the rug should be larger enough so that the front legs of furniture sit on the rug.

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OTHER MEASUREMENTS YOU NEED TO KNOW:

♦ Allow 20″ to 28″ inches for leg clearance below a desk and the seat height of the chair should be 14″-18″ with your feet flat on the floor.

♦ Bookshelves that are used to hold books, including oversized art books should have depth of at least 15″.

♦ For optimal viewing, size your TV based on its distance from the sofa. To get the minimum screen size in inches, divide the viewing distance by 3; for the maximum, divide by 1.5. Already have a TV? Use these guidelines to position your couch. Aim for a 15- to 20-degree viewing angle to the center of the screen.

♦ Always measure your rooms, ceiling height and doorways before you go shopping for furniture to ensure pieces will fit through doors and in their planned space.

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These measurements will get your started on a solid design plan for your home.

Design Chat: Styling Super Sized Sectional Sofas

October 12, 2015

Happy Monday friends!

I’m back with another Design Chat session. We’re talking sectional sofas again (they appear to be a design challenge for many folks) but this time it’s all about the most ideal way to arrange pillows and what style of coffee is best for an extra large sofa.

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Here’s what Casandra asked…

“Shelly, I have a leather sectional that is 12′ on one side and 8′ on the other. It is perfect dimension for our room, but I am struggling with the accessories. Placing the pillows as suggested looks off balance and no coffee table is nearly as long as the long side of the sofa. Any tips?”

The pillow placement that Casandra is referencing in her question came from the styling suggestions I shared in the Design Guide below. The design guide post, which has been pinned over 2500 times outlines the do’s and don’t to styling a traditional sectional. I didn’t go into styling an oversized sofa like the one that Casandra has so we’ll talk about that today.

Design Guide: Styling A Sectional Sofa

Sectional sofas come in many different sizes and can even be custom-made to fit your room dimensions. The most important tip I would share when it some to dealing with an extra-large sectional is to pay attention to the proportions of the accessories and furniture that surround it. Accessories and furniture that are too small will make the room and sitting arrangement feel off balanced and if all the pieces in the room are too large, the room will be overpowering and uncomfortable.

DON’T: Don’t place to many pillows on the sofa and definitely don’t line them up like soldiers. The pillows should accent the sectional and provide additional visual interest, color and/or texture.

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DO: The living room below shows the ideal way pillows should be placed on a large sectional. Pillows are grouped in clusters to accent/frame the sofa at the ends and in the middle.

Lillian August for the 2012 Hampton Designer Showhouse via Blulabel Bungalow

DO: Use pillows in a mx of patterns and colors to play off accent colors used throughout the room–the pillows should become part of the overall design of the room and not stand out like a sore thumb.

House Beautiful

DO: Pillows don’t have to all be the same size or shape–in fact a mix of sizes and shapes will add even more visual interest. Because a sectional sofa is a large rectangular shape and sits in a rectangular or square room, I’d suggest mixing in a round and/or oblong shaped pillow for visual contrast or even trying a larger size pillows mixed with smaller sizes on the ends of the sofa.

The yellow pillow in the center of the sofa below draws attention there and takes it off the ends of the sofa.

Bassett

DO: You might also want to group more pillows in the center verses on the ends which will add visual weight to the center of the sofa and help balance each arm of the sofa.

Bassett

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Now let’s talk coffee tables…

DO: I’d suggest a square coffee table. Trying to find a rectangular table that fits the dimensions of a large sectional sofa probably won’t happen and in many cases it could give the sofa an unbalanced feel. The bulk and girth of a square coffee table is a better balance against a large sectional and its overall dimensions.

Decor Pad

DO: When placing a square table in front of the sofa, don’t try to make it a perfect balance to both arms of the sofa. Place it where it’s a comfortable fit in front of the longest section of the sofa or place it so that it sits in the middle.

HouseBeauty

DO: Another option is a round coffee table. Just like with pillows, introducing a round shape into the room provides a contract to the straight lines of the sofa and takes the focus off the table being a different scale than the sectional.

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Balance and scale are two of the most important design principles when it comes to decorating your home. When working with furniture that is oversized, those elements become even more important to achieving a look that not only feels good but that looks good too.

Casandra, I hope these tips help!

cover image via Bassett Furniture

32 Tried and True Interior Design Tips

July 9, 2014

HGTV

A lot of you sent me emails and told me how much you enjoyed the post 32 Fashion Tips That Never Go Out of Style so I thought I’d bring you another installation, this time all about Interior Design.

When it comes to design, there are so many ‘design rules’ out there and if you try to follow them all, decorating your home can become more challenging than you imagine. But it you take the time to understand and follow a few tried-and-true principles of design, decorating can be fun and inspiring.

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