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Are neutral walls colors boring? Most designers feel that as long as you have small bursts of color and contrast with furniture and accessories, you can stay with a neutral backdrop. I don’t actually suggest brightly colored walls often…I pretty much only incorporate them if clients request it, and even then I try to steer them into painting only an accent wall. I’d rather the color in the room come from fabrics, rugs, art & accessories. I do love dark grey, taupe or brown accent walls to add drama… still neutral, but really interesting. A dark accent wall is a great weekend project: talk about immediate gratification.

1.  Hang most everything 57″ on center. This standard represents the average human eye height, and it’s what the galleries and museums use. This also applies to groups of pictures…just think of the collection as one piece. Most people hang art too high.

2.  Relate art to wall size. Smaller pieces are for narrow walls and bigger pictures (or groups of pictures) go on large walls. Seems pretty basic,  but often I see a tiny picture on a huge wall.

3.  Relate art to the furniture that sits below it. The art should not be wider than the furniture. As a general principle, the art looks best when it’s about 75% of the furniture’s width.

Today is the first day of Autumn and just like clock work, the mornings and evenings are becoming cool and crisp. You will be spending more time indoors now, and it’s time to make your home comfortable and cozy with rich textures and colors.  Velvety throw pillows on the sofa, a warm blanket on the reading chair, poufs, spice-scented candles, tea lights, stacks of firewood by the fireplace.  All these things makes gathering spaces comfy.

But…if you are a little tired of the traditonal colors that usually go along with fall decor, read on!

Pantone Inc. is considered to be the authority on color trends. This is the collection of current colors for 2012, used both in women’s fashion and home interiors.

You are not meant to incorporate all the colors, by the way.  Use the neutrals ( gray, brown, and off-white) and add one or two of the bright colors for a little punch of interest here and there.  Bright Chartreuse is my go-to pop of color with an occasional touch of Rhubarb this year.  Here are some pics with some of my favorite new (non traditional) fall color palettes.

I’m into stainless steel carts right now.  They are super versatile and look great, too. A cart can be an extra work station in the kitchen, providing extra counter space for food prep. It’s also excellent for entertaining/parties as a beverage cart or a place to set hors d’oeuvres. It can store cookbooks, pots & pans, baking supplies. There are so many uses. Best of all, it can be moved around to where it’s needed…kitchen, dining room, living room, even roll it outside when you’re having a BBQ.  And after, push it up against a wall or into a corner. I feel like everyone should have one!  

Soft goods are a  vital part of creating everyday well-being in the home. Curtain panels, bedding, linens, towels, rugs, pillows, throws. They add warmth and comfort and improve acoustics.  They are the cozy touches that give you the feeling that you are home. Be generous with them!

Does  your Realtor want to schedule an Open House? Hopefully you have already gotten your house professionally staged and it’s in tip top shape, but here’s my Open House Checklist, just in case!

1. House is clean, top to bottom.
2. Windows washed, inside and out.
3. Beds made.
4. Dishes washed and put away.
5. Trash bins emptied.
6. All signs that a pet lives in your home have been removed.
7. Clutter put away.
8. All window treatments opened.
9. All lights on.
10. Subtle music playing.
11. Fresh guest towels in the bathrooms.
12. Fresh flowers in the foyer.
13. A bowl of lemons or fresh fruit on the kitchen counter.
14. Thermostat set at a comfortable temperature.
15. Fireplace going during the Fall & Winter months.
16. Battery operated candles are on.
17. Garage door down, and no cars in the driveway
18. Decks & patios swept clean.
19. Lawn mowed & edged.
20. Family stays away during the hours of the Open House.

I just love open storage to showcase organized everyday items and favorite things. I still like to have plenty of regular cabinetry for the functional items that are not-so-pretty, but mixing in some open shelving adds a light hearted touch and can break up the monotony of cabinets.

The kitchen is more than the room where we cook. It’s the heart of the home. If any of you have ever watched the HGTV television show, Divine Design, with Candice Olson, you have seen the amazing before and after kitchen transformations. I love how she frequently knocks down the wall between the kitchen and dining room to integrate the two, which is so much more comfortable and informal. I also love the creative backsplashes. Her signature look is a blend of modern and traditional, and she understands that the kitchen needs to be functional in form and design. Simple, practical, with quality in details. Never plain. Timeless. Love her.

I like to think of a home as dynamic, evolving thing… a work in progress. Great enough to relax in and enjoy, but never really finished to where you would say, ”That’s it, I’m done!” Just as your wardrobe evolves over the years, you should look for ways to update and improve your home so it does not look tired or dated.  I’m not saying to buy new furniture every three years. As a matter of fact, unless a piece sags, rips or has stains that can’t be cleaned, it can be fine for a decade. Ten years is the usual life of soft furniture, like a sofa. And even if it is in decent shape after a decade, it may start to look dated, so it might be time to make a change.

However, smaller things, such as a new accent wall color, lamp shades, pillows, artwork, accessories, and even furniture layout, can be updated and changed any time.  Just like an outfit can look completely different by changing the accessories & shoes, so can your living room.  The transformation can be gradual, picking up something special here and there, and getting rid of things you no longer care for or don’t find useful.

The room functionality of your home needs to transition as your life changes, also.  Our house has changed a great deal over the years as we went from a couple, to parents with small children, and now to having “tweens”. Offices & guest rooms have changed into nurseries,  toy/play areas,  media rooms, etc. over the years, depending on what we needed at the time. But that’s a topic for another day!

Ps. the above house is from the movie, Father of the Bride. Still one of my favorite houses ever!

People always ask me if there’s anything they should do to the house before I come to stage it to sell. Here is my list!

Make Repairs. Address leaky faucets, cracks in the wall and ceiling, replace torn screens, etc. Buyers over estimate cost of repairs, and tend to focus on them. Your home needs to look well maintained.

Next, pack up personal belongings. Remove photos, portraits, religious items, personal awards, and collectables.

Clean. Every room must be clean top to bottom. This includes windows, the fireplace, and steam cleaning carpets.

Organize closets. People will look inside. Closets must be neat to appear more spacious: a space ready for their items, not crammed with yours! Pack your off-season clothes and items seldom used. Keep only what you really need for the next few months.

If you simply don’t have the time or energy to address all of these things, and really want to list your home soon, a good stager will help you get it done or hire people to do it for you. But… the staging process will be more cost effective if you can get some of the work done yourself!