Fall Floral Arrangement

Here's another idea for fall decorating. When you have a dinner party or just need a hostess gift, hollow out a small pumpkin and arrange fresh flowers in it. You can use floral pins to attach the "lid" back on for extra decoration. Also notice that I dry brushed some white gold onto this one for a little extra sparkle. I bought two $5 pumpkins and a fall floral bunch at the grocery store and made two for under $25.

Marvelous Monday Giveaway

It's that time again...just a little late in the day (sorry folks!!)

Just follow the links below to win. 
When you visit our Facebook Page, you will see this week's prize.

 

Click Here

Marvelous Monday Giveaways

So who doesn't like free stuff?! 

Welcome to the first of many Marvelous Mondays!  I'm a little late getting this out due to technical difficulties, but this is the first of many giveaways.  Every monday morning you and your friends will have the opportunity to win free prizes.  Prizes will range from home decor items to fun gift cards!

2011 Color Trend Forecast - Color is in!

Color Trends for 2011 are calling for more color this year. A fun, colorful room needs to be anchored and balanced by neutrals such as black, gray, cream or white. Try your hand at painting an old piece of worn out furniture to make a fun statement in the room. Choose a colorful rug or textile to set the color scheme for the room. Then fill in with coordinating solids and simple prints and accessories. Color your world pretty!

Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Houston!!

So here's and update on our experience at Extreme Makeover.  I was called in to help with the final staging at the house built in Houston's Third Ward.  The weather put the building way behind schedule and we waited several days for the call to come. 

When we arrived, it was a seeming circus.   But you didn't have to be there long to realize it was organized chaos.  Hundreds of volunteers coming and going, and was it ever hot! (I think I lost 5 lbs that day sweating)  Anyway, I thought when I arrived there would be a nice finished home with air conditioning.  Ha! Not hardly.  The home was still under construction inside and out.  There were no finished stairs, painting to be done, kitchen cabinets and appliances going in, tiling in the master bathroom - you name it. 

For the first 4 or 5 hours we did whatever we had to in order to get the rooms ready.  Finally, we could move in some accessories and smaller furniture.  The show designers were on set by this time, and I was paired up with Michael Maloney to work on the great room, dining room and eventually the kitchen.  The family was scheduled to come in that night to see the inside of the home.  However, when I left late that night, there was still much to be done.  We finished the living, dining and kitchen (sort of) before I left.  I will tell you that it's not as easy and simple as they make it look on the show. 

This was a fun experience and I met all the people on set.  I have a new appreciation for the show and what it takes to pull off this build in 7 days.  The Houston episode will air sometime this fall.  As soon as we hear when the airing will be, I'll post and update.  Look for me, I'll probably be in the episode cleaning a window (really funny story).  At least I can prove that I'm totally qualified to clean a window!

Top Ten Decorating Mistakes - #3 Ignoring the Focal Point

Adding the Emphasis!

The focal point of any room is like the exclamation point on a well worded sentance.  Emphasis in interior design is simply enhancing or creating a focal point in the room. A successful focal point immediately draws the eye to a specific point in the design. It does not have to be dynamic in pattern or bold in color because size, color, line, texture, woodwork and ornamental detail can all be used to attract attention.

Below are some of the culprits that detract from a focal point and some of the natural remedies:

The culprits:

• Large furniture that may completely block a focal point

• Too much going somewhere else in the space that detracts from natural focal point

• Busy Décor - too many detractors

• Room Domination - any item in your room that screams for all the attention even though it shouldn't

• Conversation area facing another area of the room

• No defined focal point at all.


The remedy:

• Determine what your focal point is in the room first.  If there isn't a natural focal point, create one.

• A fireplace, a window with a view, a large painting, or a grouping of smaller paintings are all eye-catching, and each can serve as a focal point.

• Create a focal point using color.

• Every room should have a “wow” factor if you don’t have something in the room to highlight, create it.

• Once you have established what the focal point is, play it up.

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