Oh Christmas Tree

was walking my dog one night last week and noticed that many of my neighbors have put up their tree. It is a sight that I just love - the twinkling tree visible through the window. I guess that means it is time for me to get out my holiday decorations and perform the annual ritual of adorning my house from head to toe. Over the years I have developed a “method to the madness” of decorating my home. I thought I might share some of my thoughts on this subject with you and inspire you to create your own version of the “method”!
Start with the biggest part - the tree. If you have a pre-lit, skip ahead to the next step of tree decorating. You can never have too many lights. Ten strands of 100 lights for a 7 foot tree is a good guideline. Work from the inside of the tree to the outside wrapping lights to the tip of each branch. Sounds like a lot of work - but your tree will shine. Put the topper on next. It needs to be eye-catching as most people tend to look up at the tree top first. It will give you a better feel for how to proceed with the rest of the tree. Garland would come next if you want to add it to the tree. It adds color and texture in an unexpected way. Start at the top and go horizontally leaving enough slack to make the garland swag as it goes across. Drop down for the next row on the back of the tree. Add your ornaments next. As a guide, consider basic ball ornaments as fillers and use 10-20 per 3 feet of your tree. Larger ones should be put toward the back near a light so they will glow from deep inside. Your favorite ornaments should hang in a visible spot and on the outer tips of the outermost branches. Ornaments show off the best when suspended from a branch. The same rule 10-20 per 3 feet of tree applies.
Many of you have collections of angels or Santas that you put out during the holidays. Select 2-3 places in your home to set up your displays. It could be the dining room table, the mantel, or a side table. Remember the “less is more” rule and just display a few pieces in each grouping. Add some greenery and a pretty holiday mat under it all and you are set.
I like to dress up the outside of my home with lots of simple wreathes with big red bows. It is a Christmas tradition and gives a welcoming, homey look to visitors. Since it is on the outside of the house, the bigger wreathes look more proportionally correct.
Homes with lots of outdoor lights look really great too. To me, it says the person who did all that decorating on the outside, loves Christmas as much as I do.
Happy holidays everyone!

Colors Lead the Way in Senior Friendly Design

Americans are living longer these days thanks to modern medicine and healthier lifestyles. As a result of all this good stuff, the elder segment of our population is mushrooming and many new living issues have cropped up. Today’s focus is the role of color in design for empty nesters and seniors, whether they age in place at home or downsize to an age restricted community. Good senior design addresses furnishings for their safety as well as colors for their living environment.
The human eye undergoes major changes with age. Vision and color perception diminish over time. These changes can make everyday life quite challenging. A very important part of every senior design I do is to create a color scheme for elderly eyes that will improve their quality of life. The key to this is good use of color contrast in their living environment.
I always start with the walls and the doors since they are the biggest surfaces in a room. My recommendation is to use light colors for the wall in a matte finish. They increase light reflectance and do not cause annoying glare that can be hard on someone with cataracts. Furniture and fixtures show up easily if their colors are in contrast to a light wall color. In addition, when contrast colors are used on the baseboards and floors, it is easier to identify the edges of a room. Skillful use of contrast finishes can define a doorway and indicate the top and bottom steps of a flight of stairs. These painting ideas help make life easier for our aging population. One final word about paint- use low VOC paints to cut down on fumes which can affect the respiratory systems of some seniors. It is also eco-friendly.
I have some additional thoughts on color and pattern. Skip wallpaper patterns with large stripes. They tend to appear as bars in motion to senior eyes and can affect mobility. Wall coverings in small patterns are always winners. Be wary of using two intense colors side by side in the same room as their borders can appear unstable and jumpy. Limit the bright intense colors to grab bars, levers and light switches. It will make them easy to find.
Making the right interior design and color decisions can go a long way to a better life and comfortable living environment for our older citizens. Through my interior designs, I hope to impart a sense of safety, comfort and enjoyment for all seniors. They deserve the best in this new stage of living!

The Fifth Wall

I want everyone to start looking up. To the ceiling that is! For years we have come up with color schemes for the 4 side walls in our homes. We have agonized over using the right shade of beige or blue. Many sample paints have been put on our walls to be stared at and pondered about. I have done it too! My friends and family have seen many paint cards taped up to my walls over the years. I am willing to bet that there is a can of “Ceiling White” paint gathering dust in the dark recesses of your garage. That color was a staple for our home for years. Are you ready for a change? I want to get you thinking about putting the same efforts into ceiling color decisions that you put into the rest of your walls.
If you are building or remodeling, there are architectural details available for the ceiling. A tray ceiling is easy to add during home construction. It can be contrast painted to highlight its features. I have seen rectangle and octagon styles that definitely make a statement. Paint a strong accent color on the angled sides of the tray for a great look. Also, a decorative painter can create the “look” of a tray on any ceiling. It is lovely!
Decorative crown moldings can be added into the tray ceiling. They also go nicely along the top edges of any room. It creates a level of interest wherever you want to add to the look of your home... The different shapes of the moldings can be layered for a more dramatic look. Painted or stained, it is a dimensional detail for your décor.
Decorative medallions can be added to the center of a ceiling alone or around a light fixture. You can “fake it” by faux painting the “look” of a medallion or center design on any ceiling They can be painted in just about any color and could be made like the design on an oriental rug you may have in that room. How about making the ceiling look like you are inside a luxurious tent for a little girl’s room? If you can dream it, I know the perfect person to create it for you.
Even just a coat of paint in a color other than white makes for a great look. In a sunroom, you could paint the ceiling a soft blue, like the sky and feel more like you are outdoors. Dark paints used on the ceiling can add a great bit of drama to a room. Any wall color can be mixed with white to create a tint for the ceiling that is low risk.
Well there you have it. I hope that I have sparked your imagination to think about your ceilings and enhance your interior décor style. If nothing else, at least

give your ceiling a fresh coat of that “Ceiling White “paint and the whole room will brighten. Just in time for spring!

The Best Vintage Christmas Tree for a baby boomer

You will love this video on my tree and the history of some of the ornaments and decorations we all grew up with in the 50's and 60's. The smell of the pine is just an added bonus. Enjoy

A Rainy, Stay Indoors Kind of Day

It has been rainy,chilly and cloudy here in Richmond, Virginia for the last couple of days. I have lots of time to catch up on my work and do some interior decorating kind of thinking and planning for the upcoming Christmas season. Here is my checklist: 1. Keeping readers up to date on the latest vintage holiday tree plans on Facebook-check! 2. Offering discounts on our holiday decorating service for your Christmas tree, mantel and windows- check again! 3. Postcard and online reminders of the sale- check,check! 4.Have some colorful and cheery red and green plaids and stripe fabrics to make into winter slipcovers for furniture and pillows- another big check!
And in the meanwhile, I will continue to come up with great ideas for you. Stay tuned.