|
You Know Your Home Décor is Frumpy and Stale when?.
As a decorator, I have gone into many different homes and met homeowners with questionable taste. One thing I am shocked about is people living in a time warp. I recently had a client who hired me because they had an "ah- ha moment" seeing their living room style on a circa 1980's sit-com rerun. Yes, their living room had not been restyled in 25 years. Sometimes people just decorate like their mother did because that is all they have ever known. Let's not be frumpy and stale. So how can you tell if you are living in a time warp and need to freshen up your home's look?Here are just a few of the telltale signs: Look up. What do you see? If you see a popcorn ceiling or glitter mixed with ceiling paint, you have an outdated look.Now, look down. Do you see dark carpeting? over 10 years old? Do you see wall to wall plush carpeting? The trend is most definitely hardwood floors with gorgeous area rugsLook to the side. Do you see any fake wood paneling whatsoever? The darker and shinier it is, the worse it is. No paneling!What do you see on the wall? Please don't tell me that you see white paint. The trend is color, color, and color. Don't be bland! A rich complex color can bring your room up to the new If you removed a picture from the wall, will there be a telltale sign that it hung in that exact spot too long? Paint fades over the years, ya know. Be sure to change the accessories around every few years. I bet that picture is hung way too high also. Is it hung more than 6 inches from the top of the sofa? See told ya. Do you have over 5 photographs of children who are now grown? Subtract points if the frames are all different types and sizes. How about the furniture? Is it lumpy and bumpy (formally known as cascade back style)? It reminds me of rolls of fat. Yuck! The updated look it smooth sleek lines with classic styling. Toss it to the curb with its buddy, the extra large lazy-people recliner. Speaking of the couch, please don't let me see a knitted afghan folded over the back of the sofa. I love things made by Grandma too but it doesn't need to be the focal point. It is no longer fashionable to place a folded blanket of any kind over the back of the couch. How about the accent pillows? The old style of placing matching pillows at each end of the couch is dated too - just because they came with the couch doesn't mean you have to use them. Spice it up with pillows of contrasting colors, unique motifs, and hip textures. Let's check out the kitchen. This is an easy room to tell if is out of date. On the floor, do you have bold geometric vinyl? Are your appliances harvest gold or avocado? Do your cupboards lack character? Do they have their original knobs and pulls? Are the counters a color like 70's Brady Bunch orange or even 80's country blue? It really pays to redo a kitchen but if you can't right now, update the knobs, get a rug, and gallons of paint.And the bonus question:11. On your bathroom counter, is there a grouping of lotions and potions? The big pump bottle of everyday moisturizer? On your bedroom dresser, you don't have your collection of perfume bottles of scents you haven't worn in several years, do you? Don't you remember your mother doing this? Let's not decorate how mom did. Now you know if your décor is frumpy and stale. You also know a few ways to make it fresh. Next, how about those pleated slacks? Julie Dana is a professional Interior Redesigner and Accredited Staging Professional. Her company, The Home Stylist, offers online decorating consultations, do-it-yourself decorating plans and real-estate staging.Visit http://www.thehomestylist.com to take a fun style quiz, vote on a color poll, and sign up for free decorating e-newsletter.
MORE RESOURCES:
05/23/2024
This Architectural Gem Enticed New York Transplants to Call Connecticut Home
A Manhattan family found an exceptional English-style manor built in 1911 in Connecticut and turned to Sanchez+Coleman Studio for the refresh.
more info
|
05/23/2024
Inside a Three-Story Oasis of Serenity In Naples
AC Hotels Naples 5th Avenue by DLR Group showcases interiors that embody relaxed luxury that is channeled by nuanced materials.
more info
|
05/23/2024
Recharge in a Restored Spanish Farmhouse in Menorca
Atelier du Pont employs abundant local stone to transform a late 19th–century Spanish farmhouse on Menorca into the Son Blanc inn natural wonder.
more info
|
05/22/2024
Milanese Elegance Meets New York Boldness in This Chic Home
An art-inclined family returns to Italy after nearly a decade living in New York City and melds the best attributes of both locales their flat.
more info
|
05/17/2024
AvroKO Turns to Warm Brutalism for the Jay Hotel
Warm brutalism may sound like a contradiction in terms, but it aptly describes the interiors of the 24-story, 360-key Jay hotel by AvroKO.
more info
|
05/17/2024
Rockwell Group Updates a Historic Hotel in Boca Raton
Rockwell Group renovates, expands, and coheres a 1926 hotel property in Palm Beach in the firm’s signature luxury and consideration of site.
more info
|
05/16/2024
California Cool Meets Swiss Precision In This Beach Home
Soak in the sunshine and the wire-brushed Douglas fir planks that make up the flooring and ceilings at this beachfront getaway retreat in Malibu.
more info
|
05/03/2024
Stonehill Taylor Designs a Biophilic Hotel Haven in Boston
Raffles Boston, a new build that melds residential and hospitality spaces, features a 147-key nature-inspired hotel by Rising Giant Stonehill Taylor.
more info
|
05/03/2024
Get Ready to Party at This Maximalist Florida Eatery
EDG Interior Architecture + Design delivered a maximalist setting for Fiolina in Boca Raton that invites all guests to have a fun time.
more info
|
05/01/2024
Ski Straight into This Rustic-Chic Aspen Home
Rising Giant Rowland+Broughton turned a rustic 1990's mountain dwelling into a modern Aspen home with expansive windows and oak millwork.
more info
|
04/29/2024
Uncover An Engaging Work Atmosphere At LinkedIn’s Toronto HQ
At LinkedIn’s Toronto headquarters by CannonDesign, company values are expressed via witty graphics and connection-conducive spaces.
more info
|
04/26/2024
Peek Inside This Award-Winning Boutique Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Things are looking up at The Morrow Hotel by INC Architecture & Design and Rottet Studio with a fresh, light scheme that encourages relaxation and positivity.
more info
|
04/24/2024
6 Vibrant Ventures: Where Creative + Locale Collide
Check out these projects designed by Interior Design’s Top 100 Giants that reflect the city they are built in.
more info
|
04/23/2024
Unwind in the Chase Sapphire Lounge at LaGuardia Airport
Restorative biophilia, rain showers and tasty cocktails are just some perks of the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LaGuardia Airport by Corgan and ICRAVE.
more info
|
04/18/2024
Kimpton Hotel Theta Offers an Escape in the Heart of Manhattan
Embrace the soothing modernist motifs that predominate Kimpton Hotel Theta crafted by Crème/Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design and Lucid.
more info
|
04/18/2024
Rainbow Hues Inform Autodesk's Innovative Office in Atlanta
Discover how Corgan took inspiration from Atlanta's BeltLine project when developing the floor plan for software behemoth Autodesk’s latest regional outpost.
more info
|
04/18/2024
Studios Architecture Designs an Eco-Friendly School in Washington
Studios Architecture updates a 1920's redbrick structure for the next generation of students at Raymond Elementary in Washington.
more info
|
04/17/2024
NicoleHollis Transforms a Storied Space into a Chic Duplex
NicoleHollis crafts up a New York duplex penthouse with hints of the firm’s signature nuanced textures, art curation, and tailored livability.
more info
|
04/17/2024
TPG Architecture Reinvents the Office to Prioritize Connection
Though this financial firm’s New York office can accommodate 300 employees, TPG Architecture skipped the sea of desks in favor of intimate team rooms.
more info
|
04/17/2024
Inside Boston Consulting Group's New York Locale
Seeking to expand its headquarters at 10 Hudson Yards, Boston Consulting Group took over an additional floor designed by IA Interior Architects.
more info
|
04/10/2024
Innovation Thrives in This Postpandemic Workplace
Clive Wilkinson Architects and WRNS Studio deposit a light and airy workplace for financial-software company Intuit in Mountain View, California.
more info
|
04/10/2024
6 Restaurants and Bars That Inspire Appetites and Awe
Across the Americas, from Canada to Argentina, a fresh crop of restaurants and bars is serving up truly innovative F&B design.
more info
|
04/10/2024
Immersive Design Greets Visitors in the Flogistix HQ
Rand Elliott Architects engages visitors in the mysterious world of Oklahoma tech company Flogistix with dramatic lighting and high-tech LED elements.
more info
|
04/08/2024
Inside a Historic Palace Turned Boutique Hotel in Italy
Discover how the striped facade of an Italian duomo inspired the renovation of the Palazzo Petrvs, a boutique hotel by Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva Architetti.
more info
|
04/08/2024
Learn How Design Can Manifest A Brighter Future In This Gensler Tome
Penned by Gensler global cochairs Andy Cohen and Diane Hospins, Design for a Radically Changing World is a call to (design) action.
more info
|
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Unique Tin Can Candle Holders
Ah yes the good old Tin Can. The tin can has been around for years, providing many different projects to be made from tin cans.
Furniture Bench - The Many Varieties & Uses For One In Your Home
Furniture benches are benches that can be used indoors and for literally any room of the house. For example, a furniture bench would work perfect for entry ways or foyers.
Oriental Area Rugs - Know Before You Buy an Oriental Rug
Did you know that you can usually tell the country from which an Oriental rug originated from its design and style? While we often think of 'Oriental rugs' as having an overall defining style, the truth is that there are many styles of Oriental rugs, most of them growing from traditional patterns and materials common to the country or area in which they originated. Experts in Oriental rugs spend years learning the variations of patterns, materials, colors and weave that are characteristic of the different areas of the Orient.
Looking for a Butcher Block Table?
Butcher Block Table - A Working Piece Of FurnitureA butcher block table combines the light and versatile design of a work table with the traditional look and durable practicality of a butcher block cutting surface.Many kitchen islands are essentially free-standing cabinets.
The Benefits of Massage Recliner Chairs
Massage recliner chairs are different than traditional home recliners. These innovative chairs offer a wide range of options for massages and comfort.
Decorating for Real Life and Real People
I spent a recent weekend curled up with a stack of decorating magazines. I read them cover to cover - usually back to front, but that's the way I read most magazines and newspapers.
Discover the Designer Within
Limperts Academy of Design, an international awarding body for design courses, is launching its biggest ever promotional campaign this autumn, aiming to raise public awareness about the possibilities of professional design.With the help of television advertisements airing this September on satellite television and in cinemas, Limperts Academy hopes to tap undiscovered design talent and give people with creative flair the skills and confidence to turn this into a new career.
Liven Up Your Walls With Decorative Plates
Decorative plates are often overlooked when decorating a home. Yet, it's the details that really make the elements of a room come together-and decorative plates are a detail present in most rooms.
What a Five-year-old Taught Me About Decorating
My 5-year-old grandson is getting his own room. He's very excited at the prospect and quite determined to put his own personal stamp on the decorating process.
Make Your Own Fishing Decor from Fishing Gear
Decorating with old, used fishing gear is fun, creative and inexpensive. It's pretty easy to find unique fishing gear to use as decorating items for your log cabin or home.
Add Summer To Your Home
Here's a decorating challenge just for fun in this hot humid mid-summer month. What colors are hot this summer? Turquoise, Coral, Raspberry, Green and Candy striped colors.
Reasons to Consider a Professional Designer for Your Interior Decorating Project
When one is considering a new look for an existing room the question always arises, "Do I need to hire a designer for my new project"? This depends on you and on your available free time, patience, creativity, resources and many more factors.---You might want to hire a professional designer if:Your time is at a premium with little free time for such a product.
Home Décor Tips To Impress Your Friends
Step 1: Pick a motif and go with it! Don't pair your childhood bedspread with a new wrought iron bed and lace curtains. Choose colors that remind you of things you love.
Are Candles Safe?
I love candles! I have candles of all shapes, sizes and scents in every room of my home. I'm the woman at the local candle shop sniffing every single candle and calling out to her friends "Oh, you gotta smell this one!" So you can imagine my horror, my shock, my disbelief, when my neighbor told me that burning candles could be dangerous to my health! Say it ain't so!The first stage was denial.
How to Properly Clean Hardwood Floors
Good care and maintenance of a hardwood floor enhances its life and appearance. Solid hardwood floors can be easily cleaned, and a daily cleaning routine is a must in order to protect the floors from grit and dirt that are most damaging problems.
Top Tips for Keeping Your Home Tidy
You've got so much tidying to do, so little time. So what's a person to do? You can either lower your standards and just ignore the mess, or you can think smart and keep your house tidy with little effort.
Outdoor Cedar Patio Furniture Goes Indoors!
It would be obvious to assume that the sudden boom in Patio Furniture sales was due to the hot new trend of building "Outdoor Rooms" that originated on popular Home and Garden TV shows and in Outdoor Decor Magazines. But there's another less obvious explanation as well.
Embossed Votive Holder Shade
Create the look of a Stained Glass Votive HolderSupplies Needed:Most items can be found in the Scrap booking/Stamping section of your local craft store.Straight-Sided Clear Glass Votive HolderVellumCraft Markers of various colorsHole PunchDecorative StringEmbossing Powder in your choice of colorVersamark Ink PadEmbossing Heat ToolScissorsTape Measure or Ruler1.
The Magic of Color
Deciding what colors to use when decorating your house can be a real challenge. Do you want a soothing atmosphere, vibrant or warm and cozy? The choice does not have to be complicated if you understand the workings of the theory of color.
Decorating? Then Make a Smart Flooring Choice!
Set the stage for your beautiful room decor with a smart flooring choice. And no matter what flooring material you choose, it should be serviceable for your lifestyle.
|