We did 3 commercial Christmas decorating projects this past week (I’ll share some more before and after photos in another post). We used 1200 yds of ribbon, installed over 230 ft of garland, decorated 15 wreaths, hung
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What height stool do I buy?
Vanity stools, Counter stools, bar stools…which one do I need?
Stools are a great small way to change and upgrade the look of your room. These seats can go a long ways toward furthering the design details of the room – they are an opportunity for a splash of color in a monochromatic sea of cabinetry, or a place to add some softness and texture with a fabric and upholstery details. There are many choices – fabric, leather or wicker, wood or metal, swivel or not, legs or pedestal, casters or not, backs or not and if so how tall…but by far the most important thing to get right for functionality is the seat height. Too low and your chin will be resting on the counter and too high and your legs will be wedged uncomfortably beneath it!
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Trade Secrets: Throw Pillows
Throw pillows often seem like an unnecessary extra, but they are sometimes the glue that holds the whole design scheme together. And while you might find ready made pillows that fit the bill, sometimes custom pillows are the best way to get exactly what you need.
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The Truth About Performance Fabrics
What do we mean by performance fabrics? Do they sing and dance? Twirl a baton? Do magic tricks? DO THEY ACTUALLY PERFORM??
For the premium price, maybe they should…and maybe they do perform magic tricks, in a manner of speaking…
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2019 Color of the Year...and the winner is...
The much anticipated Benjamin Moore 2019 Color of the Year was announced today and it is….drumroll…
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The joy of slipcovers - and the secret to getting a deal!
Slipcovers are a great option for re-purposing your upholstered furniture. If you have pieces that are comfortable and have great lines but worn or dated upholstery fabric, slipcovers are a less expensive alternative to reupholstery and are potentially washable as well!
I have met many clients who immediately dismiss the idea of slipcovers because they associate them with something that looks like this…
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3 Tips for Creating a Dream Kitchen
Updating a kitchen is on my mind lately…I’ve had the privilege of helping many clients create their dream kitchens over the last 20 plus years. Researching new trends and gaining knowledge about the latest available options is one of my favorite pastimes. And my own kitchen saga taught me a few things early on as well.
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Kitchen Remodeling Decisions
A kitchen HAS to be a functional space, but it should also bring you joy – even if you DON’T love to cook. Everybody has to eat and food lives in the kitchen so by definition, you will spend time there, regularly…it is probably one of the hardest working and most used rooms in the house. It is also one of the most expensive to remodel, so making good choices is of the utmost importance –
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Seen Around Town: Fabulous Fabrics
On a recent visit to the Boston Design Center looking for fabrics for a couple of current projects, we came across these fabulous finds! I am a total sucker for anything embroidered...embroidered linen or silk makes me swoon. The textures we spied included embroidery, appliqué, and some unusual embellishments.
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Home Sweet Office
With the advent of technology and our increasingly interconnected society, the possibility and plausibility of working from home is rapidly rising. Documents can be shared and worked on cooperatively in cloud applications, and meetings and brainstorming sessions can be held via video conferencing. Even if a home office is not a primary work space for you, it is likely at least a part time work space and a location from which to manage personal finances and household activities. There are many advantages of an office at home, and let’s face it, you can’t beat the commute!
But all offices, whether at home or in a commercial setting, should be both functional and inspiring.
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Luxury Bathroom Remodeling
Create your perfect bathroom while avoiding the
"design fad" trap
You might renovate your bathrooms once in the time you live in your house…maybe twice if you stay there for more than 30 years, but in any case, whatever you do will need to have staying power. Having worked on dozens of bathrooms with clients over the last 25 years, we have the benefit of much experience. We have seen many trends come and go and have learned to discern which are fads and which are new classics.
Here are some things to consider when creating your perfect bathroom:
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Trade Secrets: 4 Ways to Transform your Space with Paint
Well, it's groundhog day and apparently we have 6 more weeks of winter. Honestly, no matter what the furry rodent says, we in New England KNOW that winter weather is capricious right up to (and sometimes into!) May. But spring is coming...eventually!
The good news? Trapped inside during winter is the perfect time to spruce up your house in time for the spring flurry (no pun intended) of activities. And one of the most effective ways to make changes is with paint.
There are many places where new paint will make a big difference:
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