TOP

LIVING ROOMS

Living rooms are just that, rooms we live in! It is crucial that these rooms have plenty of storage to hide all that stuff away when company comes.

Living rooms are the perfect room in the house to get your feet wet with color. Painting an accent wall is just how to start.

With the open floor plan mentality, make sure to regroup the furniture so that your room says just that - OPEN.
Choosing neutral colored furniture is also a good decision. It will stand the test of time.

Living rooms are a great space to hang artwork and mirrors. Having side tables, with drawers or shelves to store extra items, is great in this room. Neutral furniture is timeless and can be easily changed with the seasons with colorful pillows and/or throws.

Kind Words - Dave and Bonnie Bisbee

Love fireplaces, but don’t like the way yours looks? Cover it!
This wood surround that has been stained, with added tile, is the answer. It is less expensive than you think. Remember, in your home you don’t need to get rid of something, just make it better!

DINING ROOMS

Dining rooms are a luxury. They say “I have the room to have parties and family gatherings.” Staging this room is important. Normally this room is not very large and you need to use every square inch wisely.

Bold colors in a room are great if staged correctly. The dining room is the
perfect room to start in. This is a great room to add drapery as well.

Make sure the table fits the space. A long narrow room would call for a
rectangular table, where a square sized room would call for a round table.
Use side tables, dressers, and/or buffets in the dining room. Not only do they look beautiful, they are great for storing linens, extra glassware, dinner ware, and serving trays. This will be convenient at meal times and will also free up space in the kitchen. And we all could use more space in the kitchen.
 

Neutral color palette? It works in this dining room because the wood floor grounds the space. While the large wood furniture gives the room presence.

Window scarfing works wonders to soften the windows and makes the room seem grander.
Plants/silks are always good to give energy to a space.
Your glass buffets - use them as a display case - not a storage unit.

The dining room is a great place in your home to reflect the Seasons. This can be done with centerpieces, dinner ware, glasses, napkins and tablecloths.

Dining rooms are where we make a lot of memories. Holiday, Birthdays...
Make this space reflect that. They are your memories!

KITCHENS

Kitchens are said to be the heart of a home. It is where everyone seems to gather. Next to the bedrooms, this is the room where you spend most of your time. Make sure it’s organized and beautiful to look at.

Breakfast bars are great for mealtime, homework, and serving food for parties. Lighting in a kitchen is important. Make sure the lighting fits the task.

Kitchens are the number one room where you need to clear away clutter. 
Only take out an item when you use it. Your kitchen will look better and you will have space on the counter for, let’s say...COOKING!
If you don’t have a breakfast bar and lack the space for a full table, opt for a small narrow table instead.

With a little sweat equity from the home owners, this dated kitchen with its previously dark cabinets was transformed. One gallon of primer and one gallon of paint later, this kitchen is not only brighter but visually expands the space. The kitchen now has a clean, crisp look. The home owners used my favorite color from Behr Paints - Baked Scone.

MASTER BEDROOMS

This room needs to be a retreat. Yet it seems to be the last room in the house to get any attention. Make sure this room is only used for rest and
relaxation. This means out with the office!

Your bedroom is a sanctuary. A place where you have breakfast n bed on
the weekends. A good book and fresh flowers on your night stand. This room needs to be reorganized in such a way to support a good nights sleep.

With large pieces of furniture make sure to balance the room out with visual weight. The dark drapery in this bedroom does just that. Anchoring the window with a low bench makes the room flow better. Night stands with storage are great for turning clutter into calm.

You can never have too many pillows. They are beautiful to look at plus
they have a functional side. Propping yourself up on a Saturday morning to have breakfast in bed. Remember, things in your house can be beautiful and have a purpose. When choosing accent pillows be sure to pull a color out of the bedding. This also works when choosing window coverings.
Chose your art carefully in the Master Bedroom. Make sure it is peaceful to look at.

Kind Words - Dave and Bonnie Bisbee

BEDROOMS

All bedrooms, whether they are your children’s or guests’, the same principles apply

When placing furniture in a bedroom make sure there is a solid wall behind the bed. This is a feng shui principle. Fresh flowers by the bed with a good book make this a tranquil space. Furniture pieces varying in scale give the room character.
If the walls are a light color, spice up the room with the bedspread and
window coverings.

BATHS

Bathrooms are the smallest rooms in the house. This room needs to be
tranquil and de-cluttered. Using the most of the space, with cabinets, towel rods, hooks and containers, will make this small room seem larger.

This bathroom uses clean lines and earth tone colors. Tranquil decor and
plush towels make you feel as though you are at a spa.

The bathroom is where a little decor goes a long way. There isn’t much space in this room so keep your accents and stuff to a minimum. Make sure the accents match the room. Like candles, soaps and bath items that make sense in a bathroom.

EXTRA ROOMS

SUN ROOM

Let the windows and scenery from outside be the focal point. Adding plants help bring the outside in. Keeping this room clutter-free makes it more inviting. The layout of the furniture and natural elements of this room speak for themselves. Don’t fight against what works in a room. Let it work for you.

PATIO

CURB APPEAL

Don’t judge a book by its cover. That’s easier said than done. The outside of your home says a lot about who you are. What do you want it to say?

Green thumb or not. These days they are making the plants hardier and the plant food even more so. You can do it!
The financial return on landscaping is 100%.

This home had no more curb appeal than a small bush. Adding a fence helped define the space, as well as keep the dog and children in the yard. 
Have newer construction and no trees? No problem! Just “build” a tree swing.

Planting flowers, shrubs and trees in the corners of your lot softens the
edges. It gives a cozier feel up against the fence.

Have a corner you don’t know what to do with! Build it up and add plants and flowers. Plant from the back forward. With the tallest in the back and shortest in front. If you plant mostly perennials you will be able to enjoy them year after year. And be able to add a few annuals each year for color.

This living room has a beautiful fireplace. Painting the accent wall behind it makes it the focal point. Choosing this color was easy. We just pulled it from the homeowners’ painting that is above the mantle.

It is your home. Make sure it reflects you!

Kind Words - JoAnne DelPizzo

Don’t be afraid to move things around. This living room has a fireplace but it wasn’t being used in the summer months. We simply moved the sofas around and put a table behind one sofa for added storage. Round coffee tables also work well in small spaces. They visually give you more floor space.Is is your home. Make sure it works for you!

If your dining table is modern make sure the dinner ware and centerpieces coincide with that. Keeping the same feel with the window coverings and artwork.
Make sure the table is positioned under the light fixture, leaving enough room for your guests. This was they can comfortably get in and out of the chairs. Also make sure they layout works for you the other 23 hours of the day.

Having a centerpiece on a dining room table, whether it is set or not, will beautify the space. Centerpieces are not what they used to be. 
This one is made with 2 vases in varying sizes and a piece of fabric.

In kitchens with high ceilings make sure to use the space above the cabinets. Greenery, vases or display items are a great option. They warm up the space while at the same time visually bring the ceiling down. This makes the room seem cozier.

After

Less is more in a bedroom, especially the master bedroom. Let the furniture have a purpose to create that calm feeling needed for a restful night sleep. Window scarfing works wonders in this room. A bench added below is great for enjoying the scenery or reading a good book. If the bed frame takes over the room, make sure the bedding doesn’t. Neutral bedding tones down the large bed frame.

After

In any bedroom, window coverings accentuate the windows and give
a more elegant and finished look to the room. Plants/silks give life to the room, while the mirror reflects the natural light and expands the space.

After

After

Taking a fabric shower curtain to the ceiling formalizes the space. Matching the fabric of that from the bedroom will also add to the flow from one room to another. It will also give your home that designer feel.

After

After

You don’t need to remove older cabinetry. If it is in good condition, just prime it and paint it. Voila! A fresh new bathroom and for less than $15. This is my favorite color. Behr Paint - “Baked Scone”.

The bathrooms in our home have a purpose. Design and stage them accordingly.

Kind Words - John Norwell

A patio is another room in your house, just without walls. Put your
outdoor furniture in groupings conducive for parties. It will also visually
expand this space. This metal table was the wrong color so we spray
painted it the right color. For less than $20 in now fits in perfectly on
the patio. Plants are also great on the patio. They bring the space to
life.

After

After

Don’t forget your lower level is still part of your house. You pay for it
you might as well enjoy it!

This fireplace was lost on a white wall with only a ceramic tile surround. Painting the wall behind it with an accent color and surrounding the fireplace with a mantle made it pop! Instead of being lost it is now the
focal point of the room.

Simple scarfing softens the room and gives the room a finished look. Plants are great for the energy of a room. And remember, what you can see on the outside adds to the beauty of the room on the inside, as well.

Laying pavers for a patio is great idea. It visually adds another “room” to your outdoor space.

Stepping stones are a great way to keep your grass alive in heavy traffic areas.

Plants and flowers by the gate say, “Welcome”.

Involve the kids in landscaping. This area was given to the daughter
to plant any way she wanted. This way you are beautifying your yard
and making family memories together.