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Category: Uncategorized

07
Aug
2014

How to Mix Different Flooring Styles Throughout Your House

categories: DIY Projects, Home Decor, Uncategorized

Flooring……

…………..It’s not the same old matchy-matchy anymore

As I stood in a marvelous “parade of homes” home the other day I looked down and counted FOUR, yes 4 different types of flooring all coming together in a medley of color and texture. Two types of wood, carpet, and tile. And guess what? It looked GORGEOUS! YAY! Even more endorsed flexibility in design. Yes! Yes! Yes! Decorating becomes more and more fun as we go!

Now, that being said, there was a common theme color in those floorings. They were all neutral shades. The wood tones were DULL (a new thing) not shiny, in a soft chocolate and another in a light tan with darker knot holes. The carpet was a great shade of taupe-ish, and the tile was another earthy tone. It worked!

Back to the “dull” thing. It was fabulous. I really can’t say what type of finish was on the wood and I didn’t think to ask anyone, but it looked as though there was no finish at all. In fact, it looked dusty. Isn’t that perfect? A floor that is supposed to look dusty? My daughter would kill for that. She has a beautiful dark, shiny floor that is the bane of her existence. It’s like owning a black car (ask me). Nothing looks better when it’s clean and nothing looks worse when it’s dirty. Not so with these cool floors. Wide planks, tongue and groove (I know…a sweeping nightmare, but gorgeous none the same.)

So if you are in the throws of remodeling, redecorating, or even buying/building a new home, remember that flooring is once again an almost anything goes (as long as it “goes”) designer’s choice (the designer being YOU!) Shop around, create your portfolio ala Candace Olson style. Take your time and enjoy!

09
Feb
2014

February and Zinnias

categories: Uncategorized

February…

…………….and thinking about Zinnias

I love the month of February, it is the beginning of the in between time. To me it means we’re still in winter and can cook all those feel good meals and dress in the comfy cozy clothes that cover most of our physical foibles, yet the thought off a coming spring just around the corner. Yeah…I really like February.

We can keep ourselves busy by using this interim period to clean from under the beds, change furnace filters, redecorate a bedroom in time for some romantic fun on Valentine’s Day, and of course………..

………………checking out the yard and making our gardening plans.

Outside

We can scratch our outdoor itch by doing some pruning and cutting back those late fall blooming shrubs and plants. I know we have some Blue Mist Spirea and some Russian Sage that we are going to get to in the next couple weeks.

February is the beginning of the end for the dormant season in many parts of the country and a great time to prune and shape trees. Remember your goal is to help plants develop even and aesthetically pleasing growth. Don’t prune if your trees/shrubs have already set buds. If you do you will cut off the new life for year. If there are branches that cross each other or grow inward, eliminate them. Branches that have become leggy….off they go. If some branches have been damaged by heavy snow prune them off.

If perennials appear to have given their all, clip them back to the ground and wait for a couple months to show signs of new life. Some of them will surprise you!

Inside

Now is the time you can start seeds so they will be ready to transplant with a good root base established. I use the trays I have purchased annuals in from the nursery the year before. They work great. Plant the trays, sit the tray on a card table or other surface in front of a sunny window and enjoy the mood of spring in the air (even before it is).

If you’re lucky enough to have a greenhouse now is a great time and so therapeutic to spend time sprucing up the place in preparation for the hours you will enjoy there.

A great website for purchasing seeds

http://www.burpee.com/

A lot more economical than the twirly racks in the grocery stores!

09
Feb
2014

What’s not to love about February!

categories: Uncategorized

There are so many cool February Factors. See below…..

February 2^nd WAS Groundhogs Day. The cutest little Punxsutawney Pennsylvania groundhog shows his face [or not] and determines how many more weeks of winter we will have. Six more weeks, sorry.
February 3^rd ~ my anniversary!
February 10^th ~ Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
February 14^th ~ Yup! Valentine’s Day
February 17th ~ President’s Day
^·And this year! Tah-Dah ~ The XXII Winter Olympic Games, Feb 7^th -23^rd

Then of course there is:

American Heart Month
An Affair to Remember Month
Black History Month
Canned Food Month
Creative Romance Month
Great American Pie Month
National Cherry Month
National Children’s Dental Health Month
National Grapefruit Month
National Weddings Month

1 National Freedom Day
2 Ground Hog Day
2 Candlemas
3 The Day the Music Died – Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash in 1959.
4 Create a Vacuum Day
4 Thank a Mailman Day
5 National Weatherman’s Day
6 Lame Duck Day
7 Wave All you Fingers at Your Neighbor Day
7 Send a Card to a Friend Day – obviously created by a card company
7 Winter Olympics Opening ceremony
8 Boy Scout Day – celebrates the birthday of scouting
8 Kite Flying Day – in the middle of winter!?!
9 Toothache Day
10 Umbrella Day
10 Clean out Your Computer Day – second Monday of Month
11 Don’t Cry over Spilled Milk Day
11 Make a Friend Day
11 White T-Shirt Day
12 Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday
12 Plum Pudding Day
13 Get a Different Name Day
14 Ferris Wheel Day
14 National Organ Donor Day
14 Valentine’s Day
15 Candlemas – on the Julian Calendar
15 National Gum Drop Day
15 Singles Awareness Day
16 Do a Grouch a Favor Day
17 Random Acts of Kindness Day
18 National Battery Day
17 President’s Day – third Monday of month
19 National Chocolate Mint Day
20 Cherry Pie Day
20 Hoodie Hoo Day
20 Love Your Pet Day
21 Card Reading Day
22 George Washington’s Birthday
22 Be Humble Day
22 Walking the Dog Day
22 International World Thinking Day
23 International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
23 7 Winter Olympics closing ceremony
23 Tennis Day
24 National Tortilla Chip Day
25 Pistol Patent Day
26 Carnival Day
26 National Pistachio Day – it’s a nutty day!
26 Tell a Fairy Tale Day
27 Polar Bear Day

All the reason in the world to have a party and celebrate. There truly is something for everyone! J Who decides this stuff?? Thanks for smiling with me!

23
Nov
2013

Tricky Corner Beading

categories: Uncategorized

Tricky Corner Beading

………where to tape for what kind of look

Are you ever stumped when you want to tape off a wall to paint and you have rounded corner beading?

I think my husband excels here. He is the best taper-offer I know. And it’s surprising the different effect you can get depending on where you decide to tape. We have a wall in our family room area that we have accented in green. He taped just inside the round corner bead so we have a strip of the main wall color outlining this edge of the green wall. This placement of the tape tends to give the wall a more contemporary look. We didn’t know that going into the project but we discovered it is true. In the evening when the accent lights are on that wall, the green almost disappears into a void and gives the illusion of an open space where the green wall actually is. It’s really interesting. We’ve even had a few people go up to it to look really close to see if it’s a wall or an open space.

On another accented wall he taped right down the middle of the corner bead because I didn’t want a different color showing on either edge of the two different walls. It completely takes away the rounded look and gives each wall a straight edge.

So be brave, paint that wall you don’t know what to do with a bold wonderful color and don’t let rounded corner bead scare you away from creating a fabulous, fresh look in whatever room you like!

I didn’t know some people are scared to paint a wall, but come to find out, they ARE!

13
Apr
2013

DIY Garage Door Makeover Ideas

categories: Uncategorized

GARAGE DOORS! They take up a goodly amount of visual space on our homes, don’t they? And sometimes, that’s not so good. And they’re super expensive to replace. I’ve always said that you get more bang for your buck with paint. What a fun and bargain-basement way to give your whole house a facelift! You’ll love it ~ and if you’re really brave or simply wonderfully artistic there are a lot of faux designs that are fabulous!

MAKEOVER

Now, before you run out and grab some paint, research and ponder a little.

Is your garage attached to the house? If the answer is yes, then you should take care to paint the most visible space on your house a color that blends or matches the trim or siding, or just leave it white.
Also, consider: Do I want the garage door to match my front door? If the answer is yes, then, once again, choose a color that complements the entire house. A beautiful red FRONT door might look fantastic. Whereas, a big red GARAGE door may look hideous!
If your garage is not attached and sits back from the front a ways, stand WAY back, take a look and see what color would add to the curb appeal. You may be able to take a little more decorative license and have a lot more fun with the color.

Let’s DO IT!

Choose a quality EXTERIOR paint.
Prime the door first. I have it on good authority that the paint that contains the primer is a……….shall we say……marketing ploy. This professional painter said it is chemically impossible to prime with the same product with which you paint. Just an FYI…you choose. Me? WE always prime first.
Brushing and rolling is tedious but is certainly do-able. Spraying is definitely quicker, but you have to be really careful of the overspray. 12” painter’s paper is NOT wide enough to guard against the overspray. Even on a calm day. Trust me….

BHG has a website where you can plug in different colors and check it out, somewhat, before you make your decision on the color. It shouldn’t be too tough though following the above guidelines.

Have fun! Send me a picture.