From Dining to Designing

Forcing Spring

2012-02-14T13:31:00.000-08:00

I am most likely the only person in the northeast who is disappointed by the incredibly mild winter we have had, but I will admit the grey, bland countryside is beginning to make me a little crazy. So, to brighten these long, grey days a bit I've decided to force spring upon us a little earlier than usual. Forcing, according to our friend, Katherine Whiteside (author of several garden books including, Forcing, etc., is "the magic that happens indoors when bulbs think that summer has arrived." While her book describes, in detail, how to force certain bulbs from another hemisphere to bloom in your winter kitchen, she also explains that woods, fields and many backyards contain twigs that can be cut and coaxed into "springlike blooms and leaves." Gardening is as foreign to me as learning Chinese, but this is a little tip anyone can perform! Forsythia, a huge, gorgeous yellow plant that blooms like mad in our area in mid-March, is as abundant as Starbucks in LA. A week ago Joe cut a bundle, placed them in a vase and plopped it in our kitchen window. A few days later the beautiful yellow bulbs popped like strippers jumping out of a cake (bottom photo). Today I hit the yard with a pair of scissors and several vases, filled them with water, added twigs and placed them in direct sunlight. Hopefully by the weekend as the temperatures dip back down below freezing, our living room will be filled with little pops of sunshine!

The Valentines Day Buzz

2012-02-13T10:37:00.000-08:00

Call me crazy (and many do), but Valentine's Day and all of the hoopla that surrounds it is one of the most over-rated holidays of the year. If you're married or in a relationship, anniversaries are the time to over indulge your other half, not Valentine's Day when prices on everything from romantic dinners out, flowers, chocolates, hotel rooms, etc, sky rocket. If you really want to please your honey, get them DRUNK! Well, maybe not drunk, but a little buzz never hurt anyone!
HERE'S WHAT'S BUZZIN:
This is a perfect cocktail for a cold, winter night, so why not whip one up tomorrow for your love, sit by the fire and after a few sips you'll be as happy as can be! While you brew up a fresh pot of coffee, in a glass mug (looks the best AND isn't too hot to touch) add the following:
1 1/2 ounces of Irish whiskey or rum
1/2 ounce of hazelnut liqueur, like Frangelico
1/2 ounce Irish cream (Bailey's)
Top it all off with hot coffee, a little whip cream and enjoy!

World Traveler

2012-02-10T18:32:00.000-08:00

As I flew up and down the aisles of our local market searching for exotic spices, I overheard a couple arguing about Valentine's Day gifts. Lingering between a hot Indian curry and spicy Italian olive oil, I heard the woman squeal, "taking me to a casino in Connecticut isn't my idea of romance!" The thrust of the argument stemmed from the husbands inability to get creative in the Valentine's Day gift department and the only solution, according to his wife, was to head to an island in the Bahamas or climb the Eiffel Tower, ski the slopes of Northern Utah or watch the falls of Niagara. Just as my urge to plunge through the curry powder and coconut milk started to crescendo, the husband exclaimed, "but honey, I can't afford any of that. Someday, maybe, but not today. Today you will have to settle for sitting next to a warm fire in Poughkeepsie!" I finally got a glimpse of them walking towards the checkout counter, both silent, with a cart full of potato chips, frozen vegetables, beer and a whole lot of baggage! They both missed the boat here, actually, because you don't have to spend a fortune to make someone feel like a million bucks! A few weeks ago a friend called me asking for advice on how to celebrate her forthcoming anniversary. Funds were low after the holidays and as she saves for a summer vacation, cash flow has dried up. I suggested she take her boyfriend on a trip around the world, right in her own apartment! If you don't cook, order in from your favorite restaurant and set a romantic mood by lighting candles...that's the Romance 101 part, but here are a few more simple, inexpensive ways to jazz up a boring night; I've fallen in love with a series of CD's Joe found on Amazon called "Putamayo Presents," compilations of African, French, Italian and Spanish songs, with each CD consisting of about an hour of out of this world tunes. Because I'm a nerd, I like to arrange the music around whatever we are cooking. For example, last weekend we had friends for dinner and Joe cooked an amazing Boeuf Bourguignon so, channeling Julia Child, I played "French Cafe" throughout the evening. Not quite Paris (it was 17 degrees that night), but a mood was set and our guests enjoyed escaping reality for a few hours. Back to my friend and her anniversary, I also suggested popping down to Urban Outfitters (or online at www.urbanoutfitters.com) where I found this totally cool 8'x12' canvas of the world for $39.99! Hang it on a blank wall for a splash of color, place it behind your bed as a headboard or use it as a tablecloth (it has the thickness of a painting tarp). The point is, you don't have to travel far to make a world of difference!
QUICK TIP: planning an exotic Valentine's Meal for your other half, but don't know what to do? Stay home and create a romantic mood with lighting, music, wine or cocktails and delicious food. It's easier and cheaper than you think!

Good Mood

2012-02-08T17:52:00.000-08:00

Some people begin to sweat, twitch and have total meltdowns when it comes to choosing a paint color, and I just don't get it. Then again, I can't imagine operating on someone or fixing a car or teaching a room full of students, so I guess that's why I do what I do. Today I met with a client who, like many, became so overwhelmed with the process of redoing her mudroom, she just stopped...three years ago! Feeling defeated, she called on me to help pull her out of the design slump she'd fallen into, so I picked her up, bought her a cup of coffee and started at the beginning. I've said this over and over, but to avoid the overwhelming sense of doom when approaching any house project, pick it apart by the tiny pieces and go from there. I asked my client if she could spare a few hours of her day for a little field trip, so we hopped in my car and headed 50 miles south to the Garment District of New York City. When we pulled into the parking structure on the corner of FAB and ULOUS my client began to sweat..."what on earth am I supposed to do here?" After smacking her across the face (actually, just buying her another coffee) I told her just to follow me, her design guide, and relax. As we sipped our lattes we roamed the gritty, colorful streets of this west side jewel. She ooed and awed over certain colors, fabrics, textiles and furniture. Our tour took us to one of my favorite fabric stores, MOOD (if you're a fan of Project Runway, you've seen this great store many times) where three floors are filled with everything from leopard print leather to soft suede. You can buy fabric to make a jock strap or to cover a chaise lounge (we actually ran into a woman who was buying fabric to make her boyfriend a tie for Valentines day..great idea, I thought!). The cool thing about a store like Mood (www.moodfabrics.com), swatches are free! So, we grabbed some of our favorite swatches and headed back out to, you guessed it, STARBUCKS for more coffee! As we sipped our fourth coffees of the day, I laid out the fabrics we chose, asked what her favorites were and went from there. She responded to the piece above, on sale in the store and online for $7/yard!! YES, $7 A YARD! After explaining that we could make our own cushion for an entry bench in her mudroom for far less than anywhere else, she began to see my vision clearly. While the choices were overwhelming at first view, when we zeroed in on one of our favorite patterns, the rest took shape. Using my Benjamin Moore paint APP on my iPhone, I scanned the fabric which popped up several color options. Before we finished our last sip of coffee, we had the mudroom design completed!
QUICK TIP: The key in not getting overwhelmed with a house project is to break it down into the small pieces. If you are redoing your master bedroom, for example, what is your dream piece? A new bed? If so, start there. Put your ideas onto a piece of paper in list form then create an idea board by cutting out things you like from magazines. Don't just tag pages..we all know that can lead to piles and piles of magazines, which can overwhelm you. CUT THEM OUT, put them on a piece of cardboard and build your vision. Choose a paint color. A fabric for your chaise. Soon you will see your ideas come to life and your vision become a reality.

CHEAP TIPS FOR A SAFE LANDING

2012-02-06T16:31:00.000-08:00

I'm at the tail end of a staging project this month and as we come in for final approach, I'm well aware of the tight budget and long list of finishing touches that remain before I bring this one in for a safe landing. If you've renovated your house or decorated a room in it, you know that the little details can send a budget into outer space. When it comes to staging a house, typically the budgets are as tiny as a bag of airline peanuts, so creative, inexpensive ideas are key. This sixties house in upstate New York has a long, cavernous almost runway-like hallway with white walls and blond wood floors, so to warm it up a bit and add visual interest to the walls I decided to add a little artwork. With the help of my co-pilot (notice her paw in the lower right-hand/paw corner of this photo) I managed to navigate the turbulent shelves of the local Barnes & Noble bookstore, where I found interesting art books for 75% off (a great way to find beautiful prints at huge discounts), then popped over to the Christmas Tree Store where I found silver 11x14 frames on sale for $1.99 (Michael's Arts and Crafts stores also sell frames for under $2). While I normally wouldn't chop a book into pieces, I knew sacrificing this one would pay off in the end. For less than $30 I turned a stark, bright hall into a warm, inviting runway!
QUICK TIP: If you've looked at the pages of design magazines and wondered how they achieved a perfect line when hanging several frames on one wall, here's the trick: First, I place my frames on the floor in the order I want on the wall. In this project I hung ten frames in a row, so I placed them all on the floor with four inches between each. Then, I measure the distance from the first frame to the last and determine where the first and last frames will go on the wall, and place nails accordingly (by measuring from the floor up to nail placement). Once I've put the nails in place for the first and last frame, I take a piece of string and tie it tight between the two nails. The string acts as a guide for placing the remaining eight frames (note, because I have 11x14 frames spread 4" apart, I work my way down the string with my tape measure and pencil, placing a mark everywhere a nail needs to go).

Make a big statement in the bedroom

2012-02-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

Why not make a big splash in the bedroom, I say? No matter what you've heard Dr. Ruth preach, bigger is often much, much better, especially in the bedroom! Take this tiny Manhattan pad, for example, where the ceiling height is actually greater than the square footage (ceilings in this 10x10 room are 14' tall), so if we can't go out we might as well go straight up! The platform bed in this room, as small as it is, was dwarfed by the enormous ceilings, so to make a dramatic impact we added an over sized canvas. Instead of purchasing tacky poster art or spending a fortune, I headed to the Home Depot and purchased a canvas drop cloth for $9.99, built a frame out of 2x4 pieces of wood, stretched the canvas and stapled it to the back. For the design I drew inspiration from an old Art History book and in a few big strokes created a huge impact in this small space.
QUICK TIP: The old school projectors we used to have in elementary school can be purchased on ebay for as little as $10 or new versions are available in arts and crafts stores. Find an image you love, place it on the projector and trace it directly onto a wall or canvas for instant, dramatic, inexpensive art!

EGGCELLENT COLOR CHOICE

2012-01-31T17:26:00.000-08:00

OK, I'll admit this tip is going to sound like a bunch of bullsh*t, but stay with me for a second, if you will. The world is an odd place sometimes and, well, so is Martha Stewart. Twenty years ago (Jesus, how could it be) I received one of my first copies of Martha Stewart Living, featuring a story on choosing paint colors by....take a deep breath....matching EGGS. After reading this piece, where Martha walked us through her chicken coop (because we all have one in our backyard) choosing her favorite eggs by color, I thought Martha had totally lost her marbles and gone koo koo for coo coo puffs. The take away lesson from Dr. Diva was for all of us to draw inspiration for interior paint colors from eggs. Oh Martha! I thought she was about half a dozen eggs short of a full carton after reading that one, but twenty years later I met my (color) match. In the strange way the world works, while I mocked Martha all those years ago, Joe was digging through the flock looking for the perfect eggs. Yep, Joe not only worked for Martha at the time but helped produce that piece. So, after wiping the egg off of my face, I decided to put this lesson to the test. A dear friend of ours raises chickens on her property and offers the eggs to locals and recently I was lucky enough to get a dozen of these delicious, organic treats. With color on the brain (I'm working with a client who hired me to choose paint colors for her entire house), I decided to start the day with a fresh, lovely omelet. When I opened the carton I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful colors that sat in front of me. Right there, half a cup of coffee into my day, I had my color palette for my client. I grabbed my favorite choices, ran to Lowe's and after a few awkward stares and giggles from the employees, walked out with two gallons of gorgeous paint colors!
QUICK TIP: If you find a color that inspires you GRAB ONTO IT and run to Lowe's or ACE Hardware where they use a color matching machine, free of charge, to match whatever color you bring into the store. A little birdie told me this was a GOOD THING!

TO BEAD OR NOT TO BEAD

2012-01-30T15:13:00.000-08:00

Well, it's back to work Monday which means it's time for me to hit the idea boards again for the cottage kitchen I'm designing. While my client has agreed eliminating the upper cabinets will free up much needed money from our tight budget, if you've shopped for a new kitchen in the last decade you know what wallet busters they can be. Kitchens, hands down, are the most expensive part of a home to update. But, I'm not giving up despite the big challenge of a tiny budget, so I headed to Lowe's for an estimate on kitchen cabinets. As I've mentioned in past blog entries, Lowe's is one of the only big box stores that provides free drawings and free estimates while you wait (make sure to call and make an appointment first, especially if you live in a big city). They carry an impressive range of cabinets at just about every price point, with lead times (time it takes from order to install) of 4-6 weeks. Now, you might ask, how will modern day cabinets fit into a hundred year old cottage? To make my budget-conscious client happy, I priced the least expensive cabinets and suggested adding a little design twist for a big impact: bead board paneling inserts. Bead board typically comes in 4'x6' sheets for $40-$60 and can make a dramatic change in any space. If we choose the least expensive, flat cabinet fronts and add breadboard to both the wall behind our shelves and the cabinets, we can achieve a classic look for a lot less than you'd think! The look above was achieved merely by adding bead board paneling for less than $200 and picking the right paint color. It's that simple (sometimes).

Say it isn't Sew!

2012-01-27T10:05:00.000-08:00

I'm about as good of a seamstress as our wonderful pup, Canyon (note, she doesn't have THUMBS!), so when Joe bought me a sewing machine a few years ago it was like buying Helen Keller a pair of reading glasses; a lovely thought but not terribly useful! While I channel Betsy Ross with high hopes and big expectations of transferring my creative thoughts to fabric someday, today I need a quick solution for recovering some throw pillows for a client. While rummaging through her basement looking for extra lighting, I came across spools and spools of vintage fabric. If I hired the local upholsterer to make a few throw pillows, the cost could sky rocket beyond our budget (quotes ranged from $75-100 per pillow), so I flew down to Michael's Arts and Crafts store and picked up a few packages of sewing tape for $3.99/each. I grabbed her old throw pillows, wrapped them with the retro fabric find from the basement and with a few strips of sassy tape, created fabulous pillows without lifting a stitch!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Ten minutes each pillow
COST: $3.99 for tape. Fabric was a sweet find in the basement for FREE
QUICK TIP: Before tossing out old fabric think of interesting ways to re purpose it like creating new pillow covers, drapery, recovering dining chairs or even framing pieces of it in a cool frame. Getting creative is easier and CHEAPER than you might think!

A (GOOD) PICTURE IS WORTH A MILLION BUCKS!

2012-01-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

When we lived in LA one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday afternoon was to drive around the Hollywood Hills searching for Open Houses. I'd usually talk a friend or two into joining me, with the promise of a happy hour margarita after viewing million dollar listings. Tuesdays in LA were my favorite as far as real estate snooping is concerned (if you didn't have to work, that is) because Tuesdays are "corral" days where Realtors profile their new listings to other Realtors, but leave the doors open to the public. In order to showcase the properties, 99.9% of Realtors offer cheese and crackers and ALWAYS champagne and/or wine. One year I had a friend visiting from Sydney on a Tuesday, so instead of a boring brunch in Beverly Hills, I took her on a home tour in the Hollywood Hills, complete with free champagne and caviar! It's kinda like eating your way through the samples in Costco or Sam's Club, only with views and rich people! The motivation behind my real estate hunts wasn't only the free booze, I loved seeing how people designed their homes, what renovations were happening, and getting the inside scoop on the market from hungry Realtors (while I ate their cheese!). I digress. Here in the Hudson Valley I have yet to attend ONE Open House because, quite honestly, they just don't happen here. Sad. Oh well. So, my fantasy house browsing happens on the web, where I land at least once a day just to see what's out there. The photos above are from a house in a neighborhood about three miles from where I'm sitting. Take a look. Any guess on the list price? Get ready....$15,000,000.00!! Yep, that's FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS. Any idea why I'd blog about this today? Two things shock me about this house..well, far more than that, but I'd be writing for days if I went through my entire list. These two photos represent two incredibly important elements about design and real estate, in my opinion. Let's address the top photo first. This is an excellent example of where staging the space would have been a good idea. I don't care if you live in 1,500 square feet, NEVER, EVER place a fake plant anywhere! A little space planning here would go a long way. Instead of placing the chairs in front of the window, I'd put the table in the corner where the plant is and flank it with the chairs, so as potential buyers walk through and sit, they stare at the view and not the sad bedding. If you can't afford to hire a designer, invite friends over after you've "fluffed" things, give them a glass of wine and ask for their HONEST opinions. Remember, you're selling so what you like doesn't matter, it's about what the potential buyer wants! Now, the kitchen...this, by the way, was the best shot of this space. As I design a tiny, tiny kitchen in a cottage this month, I'm constantly aware of space saving ideas, creative ways of organizing, etc. Can you spot the one thing that jumped out at me like a hooker in the Red Light District? A $15 million dollar house, and nowhere to hide the trash can in the kitchen?? Smart design, my friends, doesn't have to be expensive! The homeowner here was clearly more interested in displaying his cock (upper left) and gigantic hood, and less about form and function. The lesson from this: little details can make a huge impact!

QUICK TIP: If you are listing your home, no matter what the price, make sure you take GOOD pictures of your space. In the techie world of today, many potential buyers come and go on the Internet and if you don't grab them in a few shots, you never will! Also, staging doesn't mean spending a fortune. The bedroom here could be spruced up for well under $50 with fresh linens, good space planning and some artwork hung on the walls!!

Tip of the Ice (cream) berg

2012-01-24T11:35:00.000-08:00

I've written about this great company before, but it still ranks as one of my favorite gifts to give. Now, if the recipient lives in Alaska or the Rockies, I'd suggest a warmer treat, but then again ice cream, especially Graeters, can be enjoyed year-round! It's easy for any of us to slip into a post-holiday, middle of winter BLAH mood, so why not brighten someones day by sending this cool treat? www.graeters.com sells a variety of delicious flavors of ice cream and sorbet, packs the pints in coolers and usually delivers the day after an order is placed! Want a special snack for the big game next Sunday or a last minute birthday surprise, ice cream is guaranteed to be the LAST thing anyone would expect to receive and probably the favorite. By the way, if ice cream isn't your cup of tea, Graeters sells other delicious treats too! So wipe away the winter blues by sending a little bucket of something cool!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Orders placed online usually ship the following day for one day arrival.
COST: Minimum order of six pints range from $60-$80.
QUICK TIP: Try to think outside of the regular Valentine's Day Box of chocolate and order something sweet, like six pints of red sorbet?? Whatever you choose, the recipient will love the gift and think you're pretty cool for sending something original!

Open your mind

2012-01-23T11:33:00.000-08:00

It's Monday, so that means back to the idea board for the kitchen I'm designing this month in a cute, Hudson River cottage. The bottom photo, while charming and very cottage, isn't terribly efficient. And, while some might cringe at the thought of open cabinets or shelving, it can be a clean, hip look IF you are somewhat organized. In this case, my client is single and doesn't have a lot of the knick knack the rest of us have, so open shelving is a great option AND it helps to lighten up the heavy wall in her kitchen. Our grand design plan doesn't stray from the original footprint too much, but I am adding approximately 5' of extra cabinet space (where the armoire is standing in the bottom photo) which will provide ample storage for cereal boxes, coffee filters and other unsightly items we won't want displayed on the shelves. Also, by eliminating the upper cabinets I've drastically lowered the overall cost and impact on our design budget. If you're still rolling your eyes, withhold judgement until you see the final product!
QUICK TIP: If you're remodeling your kitchen and don't have a huge budget but want to make a big impact, think about tweaking the cabinets. If open shelving isn't your cup of tea, try removing some of the doors, replace them with clear glass or, depending on the style of your home, remove the center panel of the doors and replace them with chicken wire, stainless mesh or fabric. It doesn't take a lot to make a big change!

Painting your life

2012-01-20T11:14:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time in Hollywood I worked for a celebrity diva who, basically, made me totally crazy every single day. Sometimes when she knew she'd been particularly nutty, she'd throw me a tiny bone like a Starbucks gift card or banana peel, hoping that would make me realize her absurd demands were somewhat reasonable. While she'd rarely pay a compliment in person, she always wrote incredibly thoughtful cards and thank you notes (I convinced myself it was a lovely servant she had locked up in her house somewhere, hired only to write sappy notes to people). One Christmas, after a particularly rough year, the diva handed me a card which read, "I love the way you paint your life." After I used it to light a fire and spent the tiny check inside on ill-fitting pants and man-makeup, I thought about that strange scribble in my card...the way I paint my life. Hummm. Sure, I love to paint, but what was this nut ball talking about? Well, years later, here is how I deal with paint in my life. When I headed out to the guest house where we store our Christmas ornaments I noticed cans upon cans of half-empty paint, strewn around like abandoned coke cans in a refrigerator. So, I brought them inside and emptied the contents into plastic containers, adding a swatch of the paint to a sticker on the outside with the name of the room assigned to the paint color. Next time my life calls for a little paint I will know just where to find it!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: five minutes
COST: $0
QUICK TIP: I love to repurpose old paint cans as cool, FREE storage solutions. After emptying their contents and cleaning them out, I remove the labels (especially with silver paint cans) and place several together on their sides attached by art puddy (used to keep dishes in place on shelves, etc.). Five cans (three on the bottom, two on top) make excellent desk organizers in your office, plastic bag storage in a laundry room or a perfect landing spot for gloves, scarves and other mud-room necessities in a hall closet!

Lighten Up!

2012-01-19T10:39:00.000-08:00

Don't beat your self up or feel shame whatsoever, because we've all been there. It's almost a month after Santa popped into town and you still have tinsel spread around. But, it's okay. Now, if you leave your outdoor lights up all year, that's another story, but lingering ornaments inside is expected. The rush of the holidays, for me, is like having a huge meal after a fast. I'm stuffed, mildly sick, and don't feel like doing anything but slithering into my favorite stretchy pants and curling up on the sofa with a good book. At some point, however, you have to face the Christmas music and, well, PUT IT AWAY! I know this sounds corny, but I try to make the disassembly process as fun as the decorating. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I like to buy new storage containers, head to after Christmas sales and pick up a few goodies for next year and, most of all (and probably strangest), I love to re-organize my ornaments before putting them away. Hands down Christmas lights are probably the biggest pain in the neck to re-package. Stuffing them back into their original boxes is like trying to put toothpaste back into the tube. It aint gonna happen! A few years ago I just gave up and decided the collateral damage from my holiday decorating would always be the replacing of Christmas lights. When you have seven trees, however, that can get pricey! So, I've devised this cool little system I hope might help. The week BEFORE Christmas I head to Target or walmart when plastic bins are marked way, way down (they actually put the prices back up after the holidays, you guessed it, because we're all searching for them). I then cut cardboard pieces slightly smaller than the inside measurements. When the lights come down, I wind them up on the cardboard and neatly stack them in the bins. In December when the trees are all up I'll throw up the lights, pour a cocktail and enjoy the tree instead of hitting the stores for more lights!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes to make, hours to un-decorate
COST: Bins: $3.99/each at Target
QUICK TIP: I like to pack each bin according to tree. Family room tree lights and ornaments all go in red containers, for example, living room in green, etc. I also pack surge protectors WITH the lights so, again, in December I'm not running all over the house looking for them when it's time to decorate!

Tray Chic Tip

2012-01-17T10:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I feel like I'm living in my own Happy Days spinoff, "Joanie Loves Tchotchke" because when I look around at all the things I've collected over the years, I just can't believe HOW MUCH I've accumulated. My Yellowware infatuation started in college, assembling my Fiestaware dishes began around the same time, lusterware, jadeite, vintage posters, camping memorabilia...well, the list goes on and on and on. But, I love everything and like to think I have tasteful, classic pieces. I've also convinced myself that someday I will have ten houses, each themed to incorporate my knick knack perfectly. Until I strike it rich, though, I have to make do with the limited amount of square footage we have. I spend most of my days helping clients squeeze as much room into their tiny spaces and I do the same at home. For example, a hutch I picked up at an antique store in upstate New York for $65 serves dual purposes in my home office. The lower, concealed section houses my wireless printer, paper, ink cartridges and other office supplies, while the upper section displays some of my favorite vintage pieces. To make room for everything (I also do this in our kitchen) I incorporate cool metal trays I found at the Pasadena Swap Meet in California for $2/each and using them to separate stacked glasses, spices and other goodies. I'd hate to hide my favorite things in a dark cabinet, so these cool trays allow me to display my chic things!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: Vintage trays with floral pattern can be found in just about any antique store from $1=10/each
QUICK TIP: If you're tight on space and heavy on tchotchke's like I am, get creative in your organization by incorporating the pieces where you normally wouldn't. Use an antique sugar bowl to store paper clips in your office, let that great vintage cocktail shaker double as a vase or find a chic way to repurpose that tray!

wal-art

2012-01-13T14:41:00.000-08:00

I'm not a snob. Truly, I am not. But no matter how hard I try, I just can't bring myself to do certain things like dine at an all you can eat restaurant, fly Southwest Airlines across the country, drink Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, wear a track suit in public or SHOP AT WALMART! I know they spent a fortune to rebrand their look, freshen up the stores and try to appeal to a softer, more gentle crowd. Well, that crowd is far from "soft and gentle" and I've been in many, many walmart's around this lovely country. Every time I walk into one I feel like I'm going to be robbed, beat up or dismembered. OK, maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but if you have an opportunity to visit both a walmart AND a Target in the same day, get back to me on your thoughts about the cleanliness, the employees and the clientele. That said, I have been blown away by a few things I've found at walmart. That means, you guessed it, that I've been shopping at hell-mart recently. I love to pop into antiques stores of every kind looking for great deals and, on occasion, I'll stroll the aisles of hell-mart looking for hidden treasure. Two years ago, for example, I found great stock pots made by LODGE cookware, so I snapped one up for Joe for $45 and he uses it almost every night. This weeks experience with the big W was a surprisingly lovely one. Well, strike that. I headed into a store about thirty miles north of us and immediately turned around when I smelled vomit and could see the lines were longer than security at JFK. I headed home, logged onto walmart.com and was pleased to land on my greatest new find. Once you create an online profile with the walmart.com/photo department (takes about five minutes), you can upload and order photos for either one hour, same day or next day pick-ups at no extra charge. To test this service from keyboard to in-store checkout, I ordered an 11x14 poster. I clicked the option to "text" me when the order was ready and, low and behold, an hour later I received a text from walmart, drove to our nearest store and for $5.99 and NO HASSLE at all, I had a fantastic poster and snapped up a snazzy frame on my way out for $5! For a client with an amazing photo collection, I've suggested we scan them, upload them to the walmart/photo site and create canvases (shown above) for a unique, inexpensive alternative to framing. An 11x14 canvas is only $19.96 and 16x20 is $29.96. Imagine your hallway with various sized canvases showing off your holidays, family gatherings and other favorite photos? Alert the media, I think I'm in love with a little mart called Wal!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Two hours from download to pick-up
COST: $19.96 for a canvas version of my favorite photo
STRESS LEVEL: Finding creative ideas for cheap, cheap, cheap..LOW

This tip takes the cake!

2012-01-12T10:28:00.000-08:00

The beginning of 2012 has found me with nothing but kitchen on the brain (and what a-holes the Republicans are, but that's for another blog..). Designing a kitchen is one of my favorite spaces to attack in a home because, hands down, it is where we store the most crapola in our homes. If I had a dollar for every drawer I've opened in a clients (or friends) kitchen and found items that had absolutely nothing to do with that room, I'd be a millionaire. Now batteries, rubber bands, coupons, tape and other like-products are expected in a Kitchen, but hair scrunchies, tampons, condoms and socks have ABSOLUTELY NO PLACE in the kitchen. And, yes, I've seen THEM ALL! As I hunker down to design a small cottage kitchen this month, I'm faced with my favorite task of finding creative storage solutions in tight spaces. My client just happens to have fantastic taste and wonderful family heirlooms and doesn't mind if I put them on display. Take this fabulous cake platter, for example, I pulled out of her basement and suggested we use as an organizational station next to her cooking area. Using the cake stand not only displays this beautiful piece, but creates an interesting (and organized) landing pad for things like cooking oil, spices, etc. So don't hide your treasures, pull them out and put them on display!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: $0
STRESS LEVEL: Getting creative for free: LOW

Mellow the yellow!

2012-01-11T11:51:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'll admit this is a little hard to see in the photos, but trust me, a little tweak goes a long, long way. I recently staged a beautiful home perched high on a hill overlooking the Hudson River. The lovely owner had painted this magnificent modern home in light yellow tones and purchased artwork at a chain discount art store. So, here are just a few things wrong with that last sentence, and I shared all of this with the owner, so please don't email me and accuse me of being a design snob. If you are listing your home for a certain amount of money (let's just say this place is a tad above most budgets) never, ever buy cheap art and attempt to pass it off as an original. It's better, in my opinion, to leave the walls blank. And a yellow house is never, ever a good idea unless you own a mustard company or enjoy the color of urine. Yellow, just so you know, tends to make skin tones look more grey/green and while that might pass in a mortuary, it certainly shouldn't appear in your home. This huge fireplace actually faces south and the river, so gets bright sunlight all day. Yellow, especially in bright sunlight, looks like you're eating at McDonalds under the golden arches...have I gotten my point across? This isn't to say, by the way, yellow can't be a beautiful, peaceful room tone. A small bathroom, for example, or babies room, possibly, but NOT a living room. So to fix this minor designer misstep, I warmed up the yellow tone by taking it away from kid-mustard to more of a grey-poupon. I removed the tacky artwork and replaced it with a dramatic mirror I purchased at Home Goods for $55. The mirror reflects the river and rolling hills and even when you're facing away from the gorgeous view, one look in it reminds you, once again, why this house is so special.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Three hours
COST: One gallon of Bonjoir Beige from Lowe's: $25, mirror from Home Goods: $55.00
STRESS LEVEL: feeling less intense my mellowing the yellow: LOW

A Blank Slate...or Granite...or.....

2012-01-10T10:06:00.001-08:00

I mentioned last week an exciting new project I'm working on in a sassy little cottage on the Hudson River. The best part of a project like this, in my opinion, is the client. She is open to fresh ideas, she's hip and sassy, her place is adorable and she's done what I suggest many do before attacking a big project...MOVE IN and LIVE with the space before making major changes. When I met her late last summer (before her big move) we discussed knocking down walls, adding French Doors, etc. and now that she's had time to actually adjust to living in the space, her opinions about how she would like to use it have changed too. The last few houses I've lived in have had the same impact on my design choices where, upon first glance I might assume the flow and function should look a certain way, and after living in the space my design mind totally shifts to a new planet. And that is exactly what has happened here. Now, I'll admit this photo does not do this adorable cottage justice. The kitchen, located at the back of the house, is a large, open space of approximately 20' x 14' with one side serving as a sitting area and the other functioning as the kitchen, with cabinets against only one wall (well, they actually stretch onto another wall with only a minimal amount of counter space). Because it looks like a kitchen fit for a frat house or nursing home and with nothing in the middle of the room but beautiful wood floors, I'd call this a huge, clean slate. So, what do you think? What would you do? Because the client is single, loves to cook and entertain and prefers clean lines and modern surfaces, I've decided to throw out a few ideas like moving the radiator from under the window (in the center of the photo. Radiators, for the most part, can easily swing either way..like many politicians). The window provides a beautiful view of a field and the Hudson River, so it seems strange to have it wasted. Why not put the sink in that location? I'd also remove the cabinets above and replace them with simple shelving and a bead-board backdrop to maintain the integrity of the rest of the cottage. Rather than a stainless or colored dishwasher, I'd opt for a facade similar to whatever cabinetry she chooses (that way it will blend with the cabinets, creating the illusion of more space). Aside from the overall design of a space, it's also important to focus on how YOU want to feel in the space (I know, I'm getting very Oprah here, but stay with me..). Because this cottage is fairly small, each piece of furniture in it needs to serve multiple functions. The armoire placed in the kitchen, for example, is both beautiful but functions as plate and linen storage. One suggestion I will make is to add two fabric-covered chairs to this kitchen dining table situation. That way, when she has guests over she can pull the two fabric chairs into the adjacent living room for extra seating. Yet another way to mix more modern pieces with classic styles. Because I don't want to bust the budget, I went to overstock.com and found a few fantastic pieces for under $200! Also, Pier1 has amazing sales post holiday on furniture. Wow, this entry is about as scattered as I am, but you see what happens when you get excited about designing a space. So, here's how I start from scratch; I take a piece of paper (or create a word document) with the budget on top and make a list of MUST HAVE's (Stove, Refrigerator, etc.) and I create different price tiers; Viking Stove, Tier 1 (for most expensive), GE stove tier 3, etc. I call all manufacturers in our area to see availability and I jot down the contact person, phone number and date of availability on my grid. That way there aren't any surprises when I meet with my client. Want the Viking stove? Well, it's $5,000 and takes eight weeks to deliver. Is the GE looking better? So, here starts my first kitchen renovation of 2012. Let's see how it goes! Stick with me, email your ideas and check back for the progress.

Shaken not Pissed

2012-01-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

A quick glance around our house and it's plain to see someone in here is a collector! I blame Martha Stewart for launching my fascination of yellow ware bowls, Fiesta ware dishes, Bauer pottery and jadeite vintage bowls during my freshman year in college. Yep, while most college aged kids were spending Saturdays searching for beer bongs, I was combing the aisles of antique stores all over Southern California searching for little gems. Years later (I can't bring myself to admit how many years!) I haven't slowed down searching for nibbles and bits to add to my ever-growing collectibles. I'm trying to raise the bar on one collection in particular, my vintage bar ware goodies. I love vintage everything from glassware and ice buckets to bar tools and cocktail shakers. As much as I love my cocktail shakers, and maybe you've experienced the same problem, when I use them I rarely am able to get the lids OFF. An engineer friend explained the problem to me but, true to form, I checked out midway through his explanation. Then, good old Santa Clause found this great Oxo stainless steel shaker at Bed Bath & Beyond. It's simple, clean design is no fuss, no muss, AND it gets the job done over and over without the lid sticking! And, we were pleasantly surprised to flip through the pages of Saveur Magazine and their 100 must-have tools of 2012 which placed this great little shaker at #6!! So, head out, grab an oxo and plan to shake away the pain!!!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Order online or find in stores. Bed Bath & Beyond carries the Oxo shaker for $29.
COST: BB&B carries for $29 but you can find online for as low as $19.99!
STRESS LEVEL: Shake, shake, shaken all night long: LOW

DOG YEARS

2012-01-06T22:30:00.000-08:00

(In the process of creating my new design site, I've gone through four years of blogs and realized I was missing my co-star more than I thought when I landed on this entry from june of 2010. Instead of blogging new today, I'd like to reflect on our little guy we miss so much! If you have pets, you know...wow, do they make an impact on your life! So, if you don't mind, here is one way I tried to work through that great loss...)
Life is ruff (pardon the pun). This morning one of our best friends headed on a new journey. If you don't own pets, you probably won't understand, but for those of us lucky enough to share life with these precious gifts from God, saying goodbye to them is incredibly painful. While I've only shared three years with Bones, it felt like twenty-one. For me, he was my best friend, my therapist, my hiking buddy, my warm blanket on a cold night and my cold, wet kiss on a hot summer day. The star of my life, Bones was also the star of many blog entries, as he'd insert himself in photos, sleep on my feet as I researched design ideas, swatting at me for attention. He was a lucky dog and we are lucky to have shared his life. He attended glamorous Hollywood photo shoots with Joe, slept in the back seat of my Mercedes on a hot southern California day, swam in his grandmothers pool in Palm Springs, traveled across the country in a motorhome rented just for him (and his sister). Born in Southern California, this hot dog lived a full life. While he preferred sprawling out under the steamy sun, he gladly hopped through mounds of snow with his sister in the cold New York winters. He barked at cows in Texas, chased deer in our back yard, pulled snakes out of our reservoir and spent countless hours staring at the cat from his window on the world. But now he is gone. Moved on to a giant, comfy sofa in the sky. While I know he's in a much better place, the pain of his absence lingers like the weight of a thousand designer chests on my heart. I understand that death is a part of life, but the pain of losing a loved one is often overwhelming. Where will that pain go? WHEN will that pain go? When my grandmother passed away I cooked some of her favorite dishes to celebrate her life, providing her own comfort food to make me feel better. A few months ago I bought designer pillows to jazz up an old sofa and Bones, true to form, took a liking to them immediately. Every day I'd come home from work to find him perched on the sofa he once ignored, sound asleep on the pillows he loved. It warms my heart to know that he had a comfortable, full life, but now I need comforting and he isn't here to provide it like he did so many times. Some people plant gardens when a loved one passes, so I thought of doing the same. Bones loved spending time in our yard. In fact, the last few months found him in a particular corner of it digging a hole. So, I plan on filling it with a beautiful plant that will remind me of our lovely Bones.

Heavy Metal

2012-01-05T12:33:00.001-08:00

Only when I put my Christmas decorations away do I realize how much crap I truly have. Well, I shouldn't call it "crap" because I love all of it, but wowzah, do I have a bunch of shit! To beat the post Christmas blues I did the one thing that makes me happy AFTER Christmas...I hit the sales! And I'm not talking like the day after Christmas fight with screaming children in boiling hot stores kind of sale, I wait a few days. I went to Target on New Year's eve and you could have shot a canon through the place! Not a sole around, and while the Christmas section was picked through like the buffet at Sizzler on a Sunday afternoon, there were still great deals to be had. 70% off and I just couldn't resist, so I bought even more goodies for next year (just when Joe thought I was nuts for putting up seven trees this year and extending the train to zip around the entire living room). This is actually what I call "Post Christmas Therapy" because instead of feeling blue about packing up, I get revved up over all the red hot deals! Home Depot and Lowe's were also great stops on my shopping spree for inexpensive plastic containers (you can never have too many and, of course, I color code mine according to holiday) and, by the way, holiday items are even cheaper this week as retailers try to get rid of everything (also visit West Elm, Pottery Barn, Horchow, etc. on line for great discounts of up to 75% off!). I try to make the process of packing up a fun one, by re-packaging my ornaments and other decorations in new containers, playing Christmas music and, yes, talking to my ornaments (something best done alone) as I pack up and say goodbye. As the process evolves and my ornaments get tucked away I transition the Christmas music out, and my iTunes songs on (by the way, I take pictures of everything BEFORE packing them up so I know what ornaments are where. Vintage mercury balls get photographed, placed in a special container and the photo attached to the outside. That way, should the box move during the year I will know to use extra care when handling it). Inevitably after taking apart seven trees, our house looks like Christmas was murdered in every room. Last year I came up with this handy little idea to get all of the little broken bits, left over ornament hooks and other objects too hard to see...I use magnetic paint (purchased at the Home Depot for $9.99, also great for painting on a wall as a magnetic board for coupons, etc.) and paint two coats on the inside of a metal dustpan. Bye, bye tinsel...see ya next year!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Fifteen minutes to paint and dry. Taking down Christmas: DAYS
COST: A quart of magnetic paint at the Home Depot: $9.99
STRESS LEVEL: sad to say goodbye to Christmas, but happy knowing it will come again

Stop Bending Over!!!

2012-01-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

I just remembered I actually know a person named Ben Dover. Isn't that strange? Well, as I recall, he was too. At any rate, as we roll out of 2011 and stroll into 2012 I've found myself with a cool, new job to get the year off to a real bang; destroying a kitchen and designing and building a new one on a very, very tight budget. So, I thought it would be interesting to take you along for the ride with me as I document the progress, shop for fun kitchen items and hopefully take a sad kitchen and turn it into a space my client will love. My first design meeting with the client is tomorrow, so I've popped on my iPad and created a quick room sketch using the fantastic, easy to use APP called HOME 3D (only $5.99!). This way I can sit with my client tomorrow morning and, with this sassy APP, manipulate the room, add furniture, appliances, etc. as we chat about taking her space from drab to fab. Isn't technology crazy? I know my client loves to cook but she's purchased a small cottage on the Hudson River, so big appliances are out of the question. Also, with a small budget big, expensive items are also OUT. Now, don't cringe when I say this, but Lowe's actually has a fantastic design department for Kitchens and Baths. Before my techno-licious iPad arrived on the scene, I used to go to Lowes, pretend to be a customer and have the associates draft a blueprint for me (a free service), then hand it to a client and we were off and running without needing to stop for a four year degree in drafting. For my budget conscious client I will suggest we save a little by placing Lowe's pre-built cabinets along one wall, hang open shelving above and, because she lives in a cute country cottage, use a bedroom armoire in her kitchen for dish and linen storage. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Back to my cook and her tiny kitchen. As I was brainstorming in the aisles of Lowe's I came across this sassy space AND back saver. Because she has heavy baking appliances, I found this fabulous heavy duty shelf unit that tucks underneath a cabinet and with ONE FINGER, can lift out and up while holding up to 75 pounds and lock into position, creating extra counter space. And the price, you ask? $125! You can beat your flower, but you can't beat saving this much dough!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Installation takes about thirty minutes
COST: The appliance heavy-duty hideaway shelf at Lowe's is $125 and can be purchased online or in store
STRESS LEVEL: Saving your back and cash: LOW

Am I outside???

2012-01-03T10:09:00.001-08:00

It's a good thing I resolved to make no resolutions this year, because always high on my list is "be on time!" Well, my last post said I'd be back on Monday, January 2nd with fresh, new ideas and, guess what? I totally forgot yesterday was Monday! So, let's pretend today is the day I said I'd start fresh, new, incredibly interesting ideas, okay? Actually, one of my plans this year with Hechtips (now FOUR YEARS OLD) is to evolve this blog into a more cohesive, structured website that's easier to navigate, more fun to read, and more unique, like me! I started this blog four years ago when Joe and I were in the throws of an incredibly expensive renovation with a terribly low budget. How did we manage to finish? Well, we did it ourselves. Joe, admittedly, is kind of a lumberjack where I am more like lumberJane...or at least I was until I met Mr. Do-It-Yourself! While working as an Interior Designer in Los Angeles I collaborated with carpenters, painters, architects and other artists to transform my crazy design ideas into reality. When working with a private client, I'd pick out bath tiles and my carpenter would work his magic to make my ideas look beautiful in person. On set, art directors often fluffed my work to make it shine on camera. In our home, however, the fluffers and art directors were nowhere to be found, so we had to learn to do it ourselves. From hanging drywall to tiling a shower, installing a toilet to hammering cedar shakes on the second story addition of our home. At the end of the day we were exhausted, but walked away with new found energy knowing we'd done it ourselves. So, I decided to put it all in writing because I was shocked that, yes you can do it yourself!! But just like your kids want a bigger bike or the newest iPad, your husband wants to trade in his Ford for a BMW and you want to breath new life into your old house by painting it, I want to make this blog more ME. So, I'm working on it. While a January 2/3 launch would have been great, I'd rather not rush it. Now, don't expect something like Oprah.com or Martha Stewarts website because, unlike those rich bitches, I'm a poor dog just trying to scratch out a living here. Hopefully, at the very least, it will continue to interest you, make you laugh and possibly give you a few ideas...like this one...We live in the woods and every morning take Canyon on a walk (actually, she walks us) and when we return inevitably we leave traces of our walk everywhere. To make our shoe-stop a little more interesting, I added pebbles from our property to the bottom of plastic boot trays I found at the Home Depot for $5/each. Not only do they look interesting, if we've walked through rain or snow, the pebbles help absorb the water and make less mess!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: Pebbles were free but you can find at any hardware or garden store. Plastic boot trays were $5 at Home Depot
STRESS LEVEL: Low

The Cold War

2011-12-26T08:37:00.000-08:00

Merry Day After Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!!! I say it every year, but holy moly did this holiday season come and go in the blink of an eye! It seems like yesterday I peeked out our front door and snapped this shot on Halloween, where an early Nor'easter dropped over two feet of the white stuff in our neighborhood. There is something about a fresh snowfall, like this magical season, that makes me stop, take a deep breath, reflect and let go of the nonsense and noise of life, if for just a second. And boy oh boy has this year been one big pile of steaming bile, but I've decided to focus my energy on the things and people I love, and not waste one minute on the rest. Stay tuned, however, for an incredibly juicy tell-all about the nonsense that got us to where we are today, the evil that continues to chase us with incredible venom and hate and how we, together, survived it all. But, I won't take up anymore space on my design blog feeding an idiot with a law degree who hides behind a monitor waiting to pounce and destroy, I shall switch my focus back to my passion; design, decorating, living a fulfilled life on any budget while telling colorful stories along the way. Yesterday was a fantastic day which started by sipping coffee next to our Christmas tree, opening presents while a roaring fire warmed our cold bodies and beautiful music whistled in the background. The afternoon found us packing up goodies (including our automobile-hating pup, Canyon) and heading north to Joe's fathers home. While I was excited to spend the day with Joe and his family, it was hard not to feel the ache on my heart where the absence of my family gathered around our tree, laughing and sharing, was felt like the weight of a heavy donkey....ur, umm, buffalo...standing on my chest. Then, thirty miles north of our home, the front door was thrown open and my feelings of loneliness and heartache were replaced by warm hugs, huge smiles and a house filled with enough holiday spirit and love to light all of Manhattans Christmas trees! In the haste of the day, I allowed myself to get sucked into the vortex of negativity, but sitting in a warm home brought it all back. Presents don't mean a thing, it's the gift of connecting with people, caring, listening and sharing life that matters most. Well, who am I kidding, presents are pretty cool, too! As we cleared the Christmas dinner off the table, fancy video games, cameras and iPads were replaced with good old board games. Joe's brother, Todd, took one look at them and said, "are we really going to play with these vintage things?" and I realized, holy shit am I old, and more importantly, how cool it was to disconnect ourselves from modern technology and re-connect with what really mattered. I hope everyone is having a safe, happy holiday connecting with loved ones. Enjoy, and check back with me on Monday, January 2nd for my FOUR YEAR anniversary blog and much, much more!!!

Behind Curtain #2

2011-12-16T07:23:00.000-08:00

An Interior Designer who doesn't like curtains I'm sure sounds like a mechanic who refuses to work with tools, but it happens! While I can appreciate their beauty in certain settings, for the most part window coverings make me feel like I'm walking into a funeral parlor; heavy, constricting, dark and depressing...the opposite emotions I try to evoke when designing a space. Practicality often trumps my aesthetics, however. For example, on occasion I enjoy sleeping in. While the windows in our bedroom act as dramatic frames for the natural beauty outdoors, I curse the sun when it shines in my face before I'm ready for my morning close-up. Now, when the sun doesn't shine, especially during the winter months in the northeast, I also question my love for the coffin liners. When we woke up this morning the temperature on our LL Bean digital thermometer read 16 degrees (great gift idea, by the way!!). Touching the window felt like sticking my hand in an icebox, so I decided to bite my design pride and purchased curtains at Ikea (I know, I know..any REAL designer probably wouldn't shop for curtains at Ikea, but I'm planning on this being a short lived love-affair!). Curtains, especially lined, serve as excellent insulators for windows and doors in the cold winter months. Once again the Swedes pulled through in a pinch, as I snatched these up for $19.99/pair AND they come ready to cut to size any window. The process is as easy as cutting, folding and ironing, unless you want the drama of longer curtains that pillow on the floor. Because we have a shedding dog, I don't need anything else lingering on our floors. So, I measured the length I wanted, cut and folded the excess over. Ikea provides a strip that when placed under the fold and ironed over, creates a secure seam that won't come undone until you're ready. While I can be a cold, hard bitch when it comes to my opinion of curtains, I'll be a warm one this winter thanks to an easy, inexpensive little trick!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Thirty minutes to cut, iron and hang four windows worth of curtains
COST: $19.99 for two curtains. Digital thermometers available at Home Depot, Lowes, Target, LL BEAN, start at $12.99
STRESS LEVEL: Warming up on a chilly night: LOW

Oh, yes you CAN!

2011-12-15T09:40:00.000-08:00

This tree makes 24 I've decorated so far this holiday, but something tells me I'll do a few more before old Saint Nick slides down the chimney next weekend! Christmas traditions are as varied as the people that celebrate this wonderful holiday. Some families cut a fresh tree on Christmas Eve while others, like me, decorate multiple trees the moment the Thanksgiving turkey is cleared from the table. Big, fat, small, skinny, fake or real, they come in all different shapes and sizes, and all have a story to tell. Take, for example, our sassy friend, Diana, who decorates six trees in her Hudson Valley home every year because she loves the colors, the process of unwrapping and hanging each ornament and the smile ignited by fond memories. I've mentioned many, many times in the past, I love for a tree to tell a story of the house it's living in...and Diana's do just that as I discovered while decking her halls with gay apparel. An ornament her son made in preschool still hangs with pride on the family tree twelve years later, tinsel purchased in 1975 glistens in the light as if freshly cut and with each unwrapped decoration came an even more colorful story. Then, there's the fun, unapologetic fake white Christmas tree in her kitchen. A Martha Stewart designed tree, Diana snapped this one up at a steal last year just days before Christmas. I suggested she hang all red and silver ornaments so they'd pop, and Diana had a great idea for an even bigger POP...coke cans! Initially I thought she'd had a bit too much caffeine, but as is the case in Interior Design, when you're passionate, you really can't go wrong. We washed a few dozen cans thoroughly and placed them on the tree with ornament hangers. Not only is Diana's tree unique, interesting and fun (just like her), but my experience decorating it was too, and will be one of those holiday moments I will cherish forever.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: One loses track when having fun..
COST: Martha tree in white was $250
STRESS LEVEL: Knowing that you CAN do it: LOW

I CAN WALKIE AND TALKIE AT THE SAME TIME!

2011-12-14T07:06:00.000-08:00

Situated on a little over ten acres in the middle of the woods, I couldn't be happier with the location of our home. That peace and quiet, however, has its drawbacks too. But, I'll get to that in a second. Just before I sat down to type this entry today I was performing my usual multi-tasking morning ritual of washing dishes, cleaning the kitchen and checking email while the cast of the Today Show buzzed about nonsense in the background. Over the humm of Al Rokers forecast I could have sworn I heard someone talking to me...is our house haunted? Have I completely lost my mind and am now hearing voices? No. It was sweet, lovely Joe downstairs in his office (the complete opposite side of our house, one level down, behind a staircase with a washer running next to him in the laundry room). Now, maybe this experience is unique only to me, but something says I'm (hopefully) not alone. I love Joe dearly, clearly, but he often chooses to start a conversation with me when I'm otherwise engaged; brushing my teeth, washing dishes, in the shower or on the phone. He thinks I'm hard of hearing while I beg him to step in my shoes, turn on the faucet while I stand 100 feet away and ask him a question. A multi-tasker I am, but sonic hearing genius, I am not (is there such a thing?). Moments ago, in fact, I heard what I thought sounded like, "look outside, a gorilla is stomping on your shoe!" After walking through our living room, down the stairs, past our loud laundry room and into Joe's office....he smiled at me, pointed at his monitor and said, "did you see this great deal?" After feigning a smile I headed back upstairs and added two things to my "to do" list: call ear doctor immediately and buy walkie talkies for Joe for Christmas. Every retail giant from Target and Walmart to Home Depot and Best Buy sell a range of walkie talkies. These great Motorola talkies cost $19.99 at Best Buy with a range of 23 miles!!! Prices can go into the hundreds, but these seemed good enough to do the trick. Need to talk to me? Click your walkie. Working outside in the yard and need a little help? Click the walkie. The sound is remarkably clear, unlike trying to decipher what someone is saying while you're under a shower head! No fear of being too far away from a cell tower or going straight to voicemail, these puppies work anywhere. Which, back to my initial statement about how great our remote property is, we often go for long runs alone through the woods and, god forbid one of us fell, etc, the walkies could save the day! So, while my sweet Joe mumbles something downstairs about a Hollywood Starlet coming for Christmas (or did he say he wanted me to buy starch at the market?), I'll order a little device that won't make me ever think twice!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: many models are sold out online, but Best Buy has in stock
COST: Prices range from $11-$300+. This Motorola model at Best Buy is $19.99 with a range of 27 miles and battery life of 24 hours. What's not to love?
STRESS LEVEL: Hearing clearly: LOW

Not your mothers folding chair!

2011-12-07T15:48:00.001-08:00

Joe is in LA this week, so last night I poured myself a glass of wine, lit the Christmas trees and did one of my favorite alone-time activities...wandered through the pages of old photo albums. No iphone, ipad, ipod, itunes or on-demand tonight, just fun reflection. What did I learn? Without doubt, I got my flare for the creative side of life from my mother, a full-time working Queen of domesticity since the day I was born. From German pancakes on the weekends to homemade advent calendars for Christmas (I hang one every year she made out of felt in 1975!), creative summer parties to treating a guest like royalty; a visit with my mom feels like a perfect vacation. To walk into my mothers home, whether in the midst of construction, after (or before) a move, at the end of a crazy week or the beginning of a long holiday, my mother gives those around her the gift of knowing they matter. Of course you can expect clean sheets and bath towels waiting for you upon arrival, but it's the little details that make you, the guest, feel like a million bucks. Slippers and a robe in the closet, hors d'oeuvres waiting when you arrive, meals you'd never have in any five star restaurant and a warm, inviting, radiant smile that brings you in, hugs your soul and makes you feel like the most important person on the planet. People often compare her to Martha Stewart but, unlike Martha, my mothers not a power bitch. Nor is she a millionaire. She created a brilliant, rich life for her family because she just knows how to do it! A real domestic diva, after all, doesn't dip your toilet paper in gold, she offers your roommate that doesn't have anywhere else to go her seat at the dinner table. Class is not learned in the classroom. It is practiced every day of your life. Open a door for someone, express your love, be grateful and thankful and, when you can, offer someone you normally wouldn't a seat at your table!
SHE'S NOT ONE IN A MILLION, SHE IS THE ONLY ONE!
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm still the one at the table that talks about farts, boobs, idiots, fucking, sucking and pearcing...all thanks to my Philosopher father who will be mentioned in a later post...but no matter where you sit on the side of whatever fence, you should always offer your guests a comfortable seat! Metal and plastic-pretending-to-be-leather folding chairs are NOT COMFORTABLE for anyone unless they've lost all feeling in the butt cheek area. As you prepare for holiday meals, prepare to have extra people at your table and grab these great bamboo folding chairs at Target for $19.99/each.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: NONE
COST: $19.99/each
STRESS LEVEL: offering a nice seat for a guest: LOW

Back to the closet...

2011-12-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

No matter how much planning and preparing you do for the holiday, take a deep breath, because you have NO CONTROL over what your guests might say or do while visiting. So, take it in stride. Your son comes out at the dinner table? Poor yourself another glass of wine and be thankful he's there to tell you in person. Your daughter announces she's pregnant with the rock 'n roll guys baby (maybe), just think, next year you'll have a baby to shop for. Your husband announces he enjoys wearing ladies panties and dressing up like Barbara Bush? Pray that he isn't your size and just go with it...some things, after all, you just can't change or control. However, the cluttered mess of guests EVERYTHING, you can manage. At this point last year we were preparing to host two houses full of family and friends flying to the east coast to celebrate my mothers birthday and Christmas. Because our house only had one, tiny coat closet on the main floor (gotta love old houses) we had to get creative in the closet department. This is when Bed Bath & Beyond and those fabulous 20% off coupons come in handy (if you don't get them in the mail everyday like I do, go online and download. Doesn't matter if they're expired, they'll take anything and often multiple coupons for one transaction). I purchased large hooks for the door of our closet where I could hang purses and bought a hanging sweater organizer, placed initials on each cubby and every time a guest returned they knew where to put their gloves, hats and bags. The night of my mothers party when the house was filled to the brim, I bought an inexpensive rolling rack at Bed Bath and Beyond and put it in a guest room on the main floor. Instead of tossing them on a bed, the coats and scarves were totally organized on a lovely rack. So, as your guests come in for final approach sit back, relax and have a great time AFTER they hang their coats in the right place!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Fifteen minutes
COST: Rolling rack at Bed Bath and Beyond: $39.99, fabric hanging shelf $19.99, purse hooks at Home Depot: $5.99
STRESS LEVEL: Let it flow, let it flow, let it flow: LOW

Not naughty, just nice!

2011-12-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's December 5th and I've just decorated my 15th Christmas tree. I'm sure an intervention is right around the corner, but before you rush to judgement, not all of the trees are in our home. That, even I will admit, would be a tad excessive. Apparently when you admit to liking something, people assume you will like it in their home too! Why, oh why, didn't I say I love $1,000 dollar bills??? So, in the last two weeks I've decorated trees from the desert of Southern California to the woods of the Hudson Valley in New York (that sounds far more glamorous than it is), I've done fake, I've done real, I've done big and I've done small. And I'm sure before Chris Cringle hops on that sled one snowy night in a few weeks, I will decorate a few more! Last night found us at a neighbors house helping her raise a 15' tree while two un-interested teenagers watched from the sidelines. Once the tree was up, the holiday music spun, I was knee deep in pine when I heard the roar of a piano behind me. The teenagers that seemed bored to tears just moments before, sprung to life, resuscitated by the holiday spirit. As we struggled to light this behemoth tree, I realized I'd neglected to involve the kiddos in some way. They didn't hate decorating, they just thought it wasn't their job. Once we got Mr. Douglas Tree lit, the game was on! One of the kids grabbed a huge stack of Christmas cards from past years out of a box and asked her mother if she could throw them away, "I mean, what do we do with this junk?" so I inserted my two cents and came up with a few extra projects to keep the kids busy while Mom cooked, cleaned and prepared for holiday parties.
RECYCLE!! I like to take old holiday cards and make garland strands out of them or ornaments. If you have a favorite card, cut it out, make a hole at the top and either thread a string through it or add an ornament hook. If you've got a house full of kids, this keeps them busy, busy, busy! And, if you've got tails that wag around your tree, these ornaments will never break!
YUM YUM WITH THE GUM GUM!! Another fun project for kids is to fill a biscotti jar (I found ours at Target for $8) with sugar and make gumdrop figures for a creative centerpiece!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: One hour
COST: Card ornaments: $0, Gum Drop Centerpiece: $10
STRESS LEVEL: Keeping the little ones occupied while you work on big holiday projects: LOW

Stress-Free Holiday

2011-12-02T11:38:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but for us it's been a pretty rough year. But, instead of diving into the nonsense, we tend to escape every once in a while. Now, when I say "escape," I don't mean in a Lindsey Lohan I'm so drunk I can't remember my panties, kind of escape. That would be unhealthy. No matter what kind of bullshit you might be swimming in; financial, job nonsense, relationship crapola, family drama...focus on something YOU love to do. I just happen to love Interior Design, so when I get down I often re-arrange a room in our house, repaint a wall, pull out an old fabric and fantasize about how to repurpose it or buy an old vintage travel trailer and redesign it as an office. One of the many reasons I love this time of year is because it provides an opportunity to put the breaks on life and reflect, not only on the year (which I'd rather not do), but on past years, past victories, happier times, sad times and anything and everything that brought you to today. I've often told clients that I approach the design of a house in the same way I decorate a Christmas tree. I want both to tell a story. A cold, stale living room with nothing but $1,000 vases and white doves tells about as interesting a story as a white tree with white feathers. Unless, of course, your last name is White, I guess. My point, and believe me I do indeed have one, is that no matter what happened yesterday or six months ago, we all have the ability to move on. I love looking at my Christmas tree (well, we'll call it tree #4 in our kitchen) and stare at all of the ornaments because they, too, tell a story. I see the one a teacher gave me in high school as a secret Santa gift, an ornament an ex gave me in happier times, a handmade piece from my Grandmother and a shiny new one my Mother bought last year when visiting us in New York. The ornaments and this tree are like a time machine to wonderful memories. So, as I swim in my lake of melancholy today, I remind myself that no litigious, miserable person anywhere can take away my past or my future, as long as I focus on the present. Which reminds me, I'm visiting dear friends I haven't seen in ages tonight and want to make them my favorite holiday libation; candy cane martinis with a twist:
COME DOWN CANDY CANE LANE...
Here's what you'll need to make a great night even better.
1.) A great friend or many...
2.) Candy canes. Crush some to use as garnish
3.) 2 oz of Strawberry Vodka
4.) 4 dashes of white creme de menthe
5.) 2 1/2 oz cranberry juice
I start by chilling martini glasses for a half hour (dip under water and stick in the freezer). Then I crush the candy canes on a plate into tiny, tiny pieces (it's great to think of people you don't like while doing this, it releases negative energy and creates tiny sand-like pieces of yummy! Take martini glasses out of freezer, wet rims and roll around in the candy cane. In a cocktail shaker mix 3, 4 and 5 with ice, pour into glass and serve immediately.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes for drink prep
COST: under $5/each
STRESS LEVEL: Staying level with good friends and family: LOW

Happy Holigays

2011-12-01T07:02:00.000-08:00

Growing up in Redlands, California I will always remember one of our families favorite holiday spots; a local florist who turned his 1,000 square foot shop into a winter wonderland right in the middle of southern California. Trees took over the space like the pages of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (a favorite storybook when I was a kid) in every color from black, white, red and the traditional green spruce. Trees and garland were draped from the ceiling and ornaments were so plentiful they hung off the limbs like an over-dressed bejeweled drag queen. But, it was tastefully done and the second one stepped into this magical space, you were immediately swept up into the spirit of the holidays. Yesterday I took a good look around our place and decided it was time for me to stop with the tree decorating. Our home was starting to look like an over-produced drag show, so I've reluctantly decided that seven trees was about three too much. That doesn't mean, however, I can't dress up our tables! For Thanksgiving I used dried leaves and pine cones from our front yard and for Christmas I've shifted to a more frosty, white theme. My mother taught me the fine art of creating visual interest on a table by simply hiding boxes of various sizes under a tablecloth to create different levels. In this wintry design, I've taken inexpensive vases and votive holders from Michael's Arts & Crap store (none cost more than $3). I downloaded cool designs from the internet, wrapped them on the inside of the vases and traced them with glue (work on the outline first, then fill in the center). Working over a pie plate or outdoors, I then poured glitter over the glued areas and let the vases sit over night. Instead of using boxes under our tablecloth (the dining table is a bit too crowded for that), I turned glass pie plates upside down then added candles for the final, glittery effect. A little splish, a little splash and I can't wait for a holiday bash!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: 1 hour for design, 24 to dry
COST: Five vases of various sizes from Michael's: $12
STRESS LEVEL: The weather outside is frightful, but inside is so delightful: LOW

WE FOUGHT THE TREE AND THE TREE WON

2011-11-30T11:46:00.001-08:00

Can you tell, by chance, that this is the week we've chosen to decorate our trees? And, yes, that was a plural "trees" because I can't just have one! Last year, as much as I resisted, I started faking it and I've never been happier. If you get the right fake tree the results can be absolutely stunning. Artificial trees have stronger branches to hold heavier ornaments, most are pre-lit and they never, ever die! But, they don't come with that delicious smell that fills your home with everything holiday, so that's why I buy fresh garland, fresh wreaths and a few trees of various sizes so that smell can live in our home as we zip through the holidays. After spending a fortune at various tree lots and nursery's on garlands and trees, I popped into the Home Depot last year where I was pleasantly surprised to find garland, gorgeous wreaths and Christmas trees for far less than anywhere else (a 9' tree at a farm was $100, at the Home Depot $35). This year, however, we seem to have brought home a ruffian tree as the moment we stepped in our front door, it wanted nothing to do us, our living room or the incredibly expensive tree stand we purchased to house our tough tree. Just like last week when I discovered that I prefer a board game of Scrabble to the fancy app on my ipad, this new tree just wanted an old trick...so we dug through the attic to find this vintage tree stand. Still, this stubborn old mule wouldn't have it, then I realized the trunk was so over saturated with water the bolts were driving right into the trunk and not supporting a thing. So, to stop the deep dive into the tree, I grabbed furniture pads and the problem was solved. A straight tree is a happy tree (humm) and now our house is filled with sparkle, that great smell and a few pine needles.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: This year, THREE days to get the tree in the stand!
COST: 12' strands of garland at the Home Depot are $9.99 and our 9' tree was $35
STRESS LEVEL: Enjoying that sweet smell of the holidays over and over: LOW

BIG DEALS

2011-11-29T08:14:00.001-08:00

If you've made a list I'm sure you're checking it twice and thinking to yourself, "how do I have so many people on my list? What will I buy them? HOW will I pay for all of it without taking out a second mortgage on my house?" Well, search no further than your keyboard and my blog for the next few weeks because I might have a few trinkets that will be perfect for that special person. The most important thing is not to lose sight of what the holidays are all about; take time out of your hectic schedule to acknowledge the people who have an impact on your life in some way. If money is an issue, bake your favorite cookies or cake, send a card or donate to a charity in that persons name (most charities never reveal how much has been donated). Once upon a time when I worked in tinsel town my boss had well over 400 people on her list. Planning the perfect gift happened months in advance but, inevitably, in the weeks leading up to the holiday that list grew to a size that would rival Herman Cain's list of mistresses. One year my boss decided to send wine nestled inside a glass vase to everyone on "the list". Immediately I thought, what if they don't drink? Even worse, what if they have a problem? After raising the question one morning, my task became calling everyone on the coveted list...over 400 people...to subtly ask if they drank alcohol. Some did. Some didn't. Some started drinking at 9am. And some hung up on me. What I learned from that experience was unless you are gifting to key players in your life, it's never a good idea to assume anything about anybody. Simplicity is the key AND it saves money. That year of the wrath of grapes, my friend Majken was working at a ski resort in norther Sweden, unable to make it home for the holidays. To give her a little warm hug from the other side of the world, I sent her a small Christmas tree, a box of ornaments, lights, a holiday CD and a few little wrapped gifts along with instructions on what to do: 1) Play music 2) Set up tree 3)decorate, etc. For less than $25 (a bit more after shipping internationally) I gave a good friend something that told her I was thinking about her. So, if you have someone in your life that can't make it home for the holidays or is extra lonely this time of year, do the same thing. If it isn't a tree, send them the ingredients and tools to make a delicious cake. I know it sounds so simple, it's not the gift you're giving it's the thought and love that went into preparing it. Here are a few other favorites I've used throughout the years when I've been on different ends of the budget spectrum:
1.) Did you know most airlines will turn your miles into magazine subscriptions, gift cards or you can gift your miles? No matter how many miles you have, many airlines will give gift cards to any store (from Macy's to Amazon) for as little as 100 miles.
2.) Most banks and credit card companies offer a service where you can upload photos to a debit card. One year my friend, Aliyah, gave the teachers at her daughters nursery school gift cards with her daughters image on them. Unique, sweet, thoughtful.
3.) Gift cards seem so totally boring, I know, and it's always fun to open something, but why not get someone an Amazon card or American Express gift card where they can purchase whatever they want, wherever they want.
4.) I can't believe the leaps and bounds in technology today, but last week I was playing Scrabble with my niece on an ipad and I thought, wow, I really miss the OLD game boards! Instead of getting the latest techno whatever, how about a box filled with BOARD games; monopoly, scrabble, sorry. Retro is IN and it makes for better conversation and bonding.
5.) If Grandparents are on your list, why not give them something they will adore and not cost a penny! Start a BLOG. It's incredibly easy and you can make it a family event, but posting pictures and video everyday so your loved ones can check in on your from anywhere in the world! www.blogger.com is a great one, I've been using it for four years now!!
6.) I mentioned this one last year and I still love it, turn your photos into a story book at snapfish.com, kodak.com or google to find other great companies. You can manipulate the photos, add text, include a leather bound cover..unique, inexpensive and simple to make.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Depends on what gift you choose, but the Christmas tree photo above took little time and created a lasting impression on my friend.
COST: Tree above cost $9.99 at the Christmas Tree store but deals can be found anywhere. Don't get fancy, it's the thought that counts here. Find inexpensive, shatter proof ornaments perfect for shipping at Home Depot, Walmart, etc.
STRESS LEVEL: Gifting while not going broke: LOW

Enlightened

2011-11-28T06:58:00.000-08:00

I've been on a bit of a blogcation, but am back with (what I think are) great ideas for holiday shopping, decorating, organizing and, most important, saving money so you can do it all over year after year! While I've always loved the holidays, when my career started in Television as an assistant to a celebrity sixteen years ago, I quickly began to despise it. The search for a perfect holiday card, shot by the best photographer, directed and produced to the point of bringing all on set to tears began in early September. While I am the first to admit that I start fantasizing about my Christmas tree in late August, searching for red "sparkly" eye-lashes for a third-rate diva was never high on my list. But, it was my job, so I had to shut up and just do it. Probably my least favorite moment was my first holiday with said-diva, where I stood on a ladder on December 22nd decorating the tree in her living room while her kids played video games on a different floor (far from the servants like me), her pre-teen daughter screamed at the top of her lungs about refusing to fly coach to see Grandma and Mr. Third Husband, referring to me as "hey you" asked when I'd be finished so he could "chill out" in his living room alone. For a nano-second I felt sorry for the diva, until she walked in the room and told me I'd missed a large, gaping hole on one side of the tree. In that moment, as the distant howls of carolers could be heard streaming out of a happier neighbors home, I decided to switch the course of my future. The following year I hired a tree decorating service at a rate so astonishing you'd slap yourself and throw your TV out the window (in 1995 I believe the rate to decorate a divas home was $8,000 for one fake tree and a few swags of fake garland). I did this, not because I don't like to decorate, but because I never wanted the energy in that house to change the way I felt about my own traditions. Last week, for example, I sat in my parents warm living room in Southern California surrounded by family and one incredibly excited niece. Her enthusiasm for everything holiday is what reignites the spirit in me. So, after we cleared the turkey off the table, we turned on our favorite holiday tunes and began to trim our tree. One little trick I shared with her (and a little something to excite the kids), is to decorate with the tree lights OFF. That way, any "giant gaping holes" can be easily spotted where bright lights tend to mask the spaces. While I don't have kids of my own, I took great pleasure in watching my niece, Devin, carefully place ornaments one at a time then step back, light the tree and flash a smile brighter than any star I've ever seen. That, in my humble opinion, is what this time of year is all about.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: One hour to decorate tree with LIGHTS OFF
COST: Priceless
STRESS LEVEL: when done your way because you love doing it, LOW

Ligthen Up!

2011-11-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

I'm so sick and tired of losing power I could scream, but there wouldn't be a point because no one would hear me out here in the middle of nowhere. As long as I'm on the topic of lights (or lack thereof), I thought I'd offer this great little tip I used for a client recently who has a gorgeous, 4,000 square foot farmhouse in the Hudson Valley. The converted barn is totally stunning, with 20' ceilings, exposed beams, beautiful wood floors, sliding barn doors, etc. It's truly a masterpiece in architecture and design, however, where it succeeds it fails miserably because it's incredibly dark. So, to lighten things up a bit I used an inexpensive trick I learned from my partner in crime, Joe. Clip lights, purchased at the Home Depot or Lowes (normally used for construction projects) make great lighting. Now, my lovely Joe uses them in the kitchen (when I first met him I thought he was straight..I mean, who uses construction lights while cooking Boeuf Bourguignon a la Julia Child??) I prefer to use them in hidden places on the floor, behind furniture, underneath plants, in front of artwork or beautiful curtains. When I place several in a room, I plug them into my fabulous remote control lighting system, so I can walk in and light up a room in seconds (look back at my blog about this great device available during the holidays at Bed Bath & Beyond). This morning, while searching the net, I found this photo of a ballroom designed by my friend Matthew Robbins (search his name in www.marthastewart.com and you'll see the gorgeous weddings he's designed) where he used a similar concept of up lighting to brighten up a dark space. So, whether you have a ballroom or a room barely large enough for a ball, it's all about the lighting!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Ten minutes
COST: Clip lights start at $2.99/each
STRESS LEVEL: Being able to lighten up fairly easily: LOW

Stick 'Em where the sun don't shine!

2011-11-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

Last month I stumbled upon a blogger who was making fun of people who collect leaves for fall holiday decorations, and while I found his story amusing, I don't totally agree with him. Make fun of us if you will, but I love everything about the holiday season. Well, maybe I'm not crazy about the tacky blow-up snowmen and Santa's people place in their yards, but I give them kudos for making an effort! One of my favorite things about moving to the east coast from California is this month when the leaves change from rich green to vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. In LA palm trees don't change colors in the fall, so I swoop up every bit of this beauty that I can and try to savor it through the holidays. I'm sure Martha Stewart has figured out a way to harvest certain trees to produce the perfect color leaf this time of year, but I simply look down and pick up what I like. A quick trip to Michael's (or any place that sells craft products), I picked up a can of 3M spray adhesive, cleaned off my glass vases and sprayed my beautiful leaves into place. After trimming the bottoms, I've got a lovely fall/winter table scape that lasts and lasts. While you can use real candles (only use small tea lights as larger candles can cause a fire danger if not watched closely), I prefer to use my battery operated candles to leave the worries behind. So, make fun if you will, but I'll enjoy a good dinner by candle (and leaf) light tonight!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Thirty minutes
COST: 3M adhesive is $5, glass vases at Michael's start at $1.99
STRESS LEVEL: Leafing the nonsense behind: LOW

Pretty in Pink

2011-11-08T06:35:00.000-08:00

(clearly my iphone takes smaller pictures than my blogger is used to, so click on image to enlarge!)
If you've been following my twists and turns in design over the past few years, I'm sure you've observed the shift from traditional design projects to staging homes for the real estate market. While that wouldn't necessarily be my choice of focus, the reality is I drive a gas-guzzling SUV that needs filling once a week, Chase and Citibank want to get paid every month and, on occasion, I'd like to eat. In other words, if I want to get paid for what I do, I have to adjust to the market and for the last several years fewer and fewer people are hiring Interior Designers to pick out the perfect wallpaper for a powder room, instead I'm editing and "fluffing" their homes so they can get as much money as possible out of them. If your living room looks like the lobby of Applebees or Fridays, chances are you need a little editing. In today's market buyers are more picky than ever, where a few years ago potential buyers often narrowed down the big purchase to a few favorites, today they're often looking at at least a dozen. Anything...a loud paint color, questionable artwork, political items or religious paraphernalia...can turn off a buyer. Also, little tweaks can result in huge returns on your investment. Take this temporary wallpaper I've featured before (I used it in my vintage trailer in a teal color), sells on Amazon or www.urbanoutfitters.com, goes on like shelf paper and will NOT pull off drywall or make you nuts like regular wallpaper when you go to remove it. Create a dramatic twist in an entry, a half bath or back splash in a kitchen. The little things are what count these days, so don't miss a beat!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Amazon can deliver the next day. Installation is quick and as easy as wrapping a present. Just measure, cut and apply (can be re-applied several times for perfect alignment)
COST: Ranges from $65 for 100 square feet on www.urbanoutfitters.com and lower on Amazon.
STRESS LEVEL: Creating a cute space for little moolah: LOW

If these balls could talk!

2011-11-07T06:35:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, no need to hide the children, I'm not going where you think I am with this entry. I am, however, going to show you how to make mouth-watering, perfectly delicious balls anyone will fall in love with. For the record, these are Joe's yummy balls, but I have the pleasure of enjoying them with some regularity, so naturally figured I'd share them with you. Last week saw an incredibly unusual October snow storm pound the east coast, leaving us out of power for the better part of a week. So, we headed to higher ground at Joe's fathers home where power and fresh water were abundant. One of Joe's favorite comfort foods to make on cold, winter nights is spaghetti and meatballs, which happens to be his fathers favorite too. One night while I did laundry, showered and used as much power as I could at the in-laws, Joe whipped up this Italian delight. In the southwest we make chili when the temperatures drop (at least at my house we did), and in this Italian home they prefer meatballs. After a few hours of savoring the smells wafting from the kitchen, we sat around the dinner table, filled our plates to the rim and enjoyed a lovely dinner while lamenting about cold that lingered outside.
You gotta have balls: Here's how you get them to perfection!
2 cups breadcrumbs soaked with about a half cup of milk (enough to make a moist paste, but not runny)
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1-2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
One bunch of flat leaf parsley
4 eggs
6 cloves of garlic
Salt/pepper to taste
Stick the garlic, parsley and cheese in a food processor to get it ground up. Next, combine everything in a big bowl, let it stand in the refrigerator for about thirty minutes and then form the meatballs. After preparing the sauce, cook meatballs in the simmering sauce for about an hour.
THE SAUCE: use two sticks of butter and a few tablespoons of olive oil, six cloves of garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, hot pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. Sweat the onions and garlic in the butter and olive oil for a few minutes, put the herbs in until it's aromatic, then dump in four 28 oz cans of whole peeled plum tomatoes. Let simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally, then stick an immersion blender in mix to make it smooth as silk.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Approx two hours
COST: Under $15.00
STRESS LEVEL: Enjoying a great meal on a cold night: LOW

THE HOSTESS WITH THE MOST-ESS

2011-11-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been in jail with Lindsey Lohan or hiding under a rock like Kim Kardashian, chances are you know the east coast was hit with the first noreaster in decades last weekend, which dumped 32" of white stuff in our front lawn, knocked power out until yesterday and wreaked havoc from Maryland to Maine and everywhere in between. Of course, this native Westerner LOVED the cold, wet stuff and was more disappointed that it melted as quickly as it did (note photo was taken this morning...five days ago we couldn't walk, now, sadly, it's gone!). The part I didn't love, however, was feeling hopeless with no power. In our neck of the woods no power doesn't only mean we don't get to watch our favorite reality TV shows, it means no water, which in turn means no showers, no flushing...you get the nasty picture here! So, we grabbed our goods and headed to a little slice of nirvana known as Joe's Dad's house. Equipped with an earthquake kit from the west coast, this down time also forced me to come up with a different kind of survival kit for the east coast. Actually, my camping supplies came in handy for this week long power outage, using my battery operated candles, solar powered Christmas lights, Coleman lanterns and bottles and bottles of water. This morning I ran to Target and bought a large plastic bin and filled it with canned food, water, a battery operated radio, extra batteries, matches, flashlights, a can opener and several other goodies that should last at least a year. I marked the outside with today's date so I know how long the canned goods can survive. Now that I've prepared us with emergency supplies, hopefully next time the power goes out we won't feel powerless! To thank Joe's dad and stepmother for hosting two gay guys, a dog with attitude and two suv's full of dirty laundry for a week, I hopped on over to Ikea and picked up these cute little bottles for $1/each and the festive holiday napkins, also for $1/each. Because they were such a great deal, I picked up several to use as hostess gifts throughout the holidays. For a holiday party I might fill one jar with candy cane martinis, for another maybe I'll put special eggnog, for a Thanksgiving get together maybe I'll fill it with gourmet olive oil. For our sweet hosts from this week, however, I filled it to the rim with tasty candy. Nothing says THANKS like a trip to the dentist!!!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: Jars and napkins are $1/each at Ikea or you can find similar bottles at Home Goods, Pier1, etc.
STRESS LEVEL: Feeling the power of power: LOW

Hang it up!

2011-10-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

Rude people suck. Rude people standing in line ahead of me shouting on their cellphones are even worse. If you really, truly are important enough that a phone call can't wait until you've finished your transaction then, quite honestly, you should be powerful enough to have staff members carry out such common, low-brow tasks as depositing a check at the bank or ordering coffee at Starbucks. Well, make that two things I don't tolerate. I also can't stand a messy pantry. Today, while waiting in line at Starbucks behind an obnoxious, sweaty jerk screaming on his cellphone about nonsense, I thought to myself, "humm, I bet his house is a pig sty!" No, I'm not experiencing just another angry Monday, this is how my creative mind (albeit often crazy) works. While I love tackling large home renovation projects, I thrive on small organization tasks. As I've said before, once you put systems in place it's fairly easy to follow an organized routine. Take this laundry pantry, for example. Our old home doesn't have modern day conveniences like broom closets in the Kitchen. In fact, we don't have a coat closet on the main floor, let alone a place to hang our brooms! When dealing with cramped spaces, you've got to roll up your sleeves and get creative. Anything that serves a similar purpose should live in the same place (you wouldn't put pots and pans in your garage, would you?). Why, then, do people scatter cleaning supplies or other like-products all over their homes? To create a clean, organized space I took a small closet, found hooks that fold so I can close them when things aren't being used, and hung everything with a hole in it! If it didn't have a hole, I drilled one through the handle. Now we don't have to wander all over the house looking for brooms and cleaning supplies, because they're right where we left them last time. Now if this jerk would hang up his phone so I could get a cup of coffee, my day would be off to a much better start!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: One Hour
COST: Hooks from Home Depot that fold start at $2.99/each
STRESS LEVEL: Hanging out in a clean, organized area: LOW

Light Bulb Moment

2011-10-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

It can happen almost anywhere, any time of day whether I want it to or not. Random design ideas float in and out of my already crowded brain like passengers zipping through a busy airport terminal. Usually I'll be shopping for something totally unrelated when it comes to me; why not use that as a ____ instead of a _____. Sometimes I'm strolling the aisles of the Home Depot searching for paint and I see a drop cloth I can use for fabric on an outdoor sofa, or a window shutter I can hang on a wall as an organizer for mail/homework/shopping lists. If I see an interesting planter I picture buying an inexpensive piece of glass, filling the planter with interesting pieces and using it as a coffee table, perfect for sparking conversation. Even the Salvation Army can be a treasure trove of fantastic design ideas. Those hideous store-bought dining room tables? Paint them wacky colors in high-gloss! Vintage jackets, cut them up and frame them as a collage on a wall. Sometimes it's nice to walk into a huge chain store and find everything you need within arms reach, but design you'll talk about for years are the pieces you create on your own, that spark curiosity in anyone who enters your space. With seasons rapidly changing on the east coast, I've found myself with similar challenges in totally different projects; lighting. Lighting can kill a place or bring it back to life. When showing a home to perspective buyers, lighting is everything! To brighten up a cool, dark space on the Hudson River I headed to Home Goods where I found these simple, HUGE lamp shades for $12/each. While Home Goods didn't carry the conversion kit I needed, everyone from Target and Walmart to Ikea and Home Depot do. It's a very simple process to turn just about any lamp shade into a unique chandelier. What looks like a long extension cord with a switch, simply attaches itself to the shade where the lamp would rest and plugs into any outlet on the other end. To hang in the middle of a large room, I paint the cord the same color as the ceiling/walls and use cable nails and hooks to secure tightly to the surfaces (what your cable man probably used to keep your wires tight to the baseboards, also available at the hardware store). For far less than any store bought lamp you can light up a room with a bright idea!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Ten minutes
COST: Lampshades at Home Goods: $12 conversion cord at Target: $9
STRESS LEVEL: Bringing good ideas to light: LOW

Back to the future

2011-10-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

I met an interesting couple this weekend at a party and enjoyed talking about everything from building computers to choosing the perfect love seat for an over-sized guest bedroom (he is an engineer and she is a stay at home Mom). The second he said he was an engineer I flashed back to 1990, sitting in a stale, bright, cold room plopped at an ugly round table on a Saturday morning preparing to take the SAT's. I wasn't prepared for the questions I was about to face, I knew anything I said was going to be wrong and make me look like the moron by brother had told me I was for years, and I broke into a flop sweat. Well, I guess meeting Mr. and Mrs Engineer wasn't quite as dramatic, but this man is building a computer in his spare time, and not the calling 1-800-DELL kind of building, literally building a computer from ground up! In my spare time I pick out wallpaper and throw pillows for my vintage trailer that smells like mouse pee and moth balls! Then, Mrs Engineer asked a question and my fears were put to rest; "so where do you like to shop for cheap furniture? Any good deals around here?" I felt like the only Doctor at a party, even Mr. Engineer asked where he could find a chair similar to the one he had as a kid. I shared a story about a recent job where I designed a 1970's bungalow in the Hudson River Valley head to toe in retro-chic. In Manhattan you can make your face and your living room look like 1973 without leaving a two block radius, but an hour north of the city it's a little more complicated, unless you know where to go for the goods! George Nelson has designed a line of mid-century modern clocks for Home Goods (can also be found at TJ Maxx and Marshall's). These Eames-inspired pieces cost close to $1,000 at stores like Design Within Reach and Roche Boibois, but a mere $29.99 at Home Goods. So, if you want your pad to look like you're livin in the good ole days, head to Home Goods where prices (and products) are retro-fabulous!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Home Goods are located across the country, clock sets up in seconds
COST: $29.99 for this and other styles (like the classic multi-colored number spotted everywhere)
STRESS LEVEL: Getting a big bang for my buck: LOW

NO MO!!!

2011-10-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

Born, raised and corrupted on the west coast, I have said many times how totally blown away I am after moving to New York state. I, like many I imagine, thought the state would look a lot like its mascot, Manhattan...big, crowded, dirty, loud with a urine scented cloud floating overhead. Boy was I wrong! Just 50 miles north of Manhattan our neck of the woods couldn't be more polar opposite from my early visions of crime and filth. That beauty, however, comes at a cost. Growing up in the southwest, I longed to live somewhere with an abundance of greenery, lakes, weather, changing seasons, snowstorms and thunderstorms. Well, we've got all of that for sure, but with all of those things I love about summer (like rain and thunderstorms) come nasty, wretched mosquitos! And boy do they love me! We had an unusually wet summer this year (thanks to Hurricane Irene), so our ponds and lakes runneth over! Those moist areas, which surround our house, tend to be nirvanah for mosquitos. Last month I read an article in Camping Life Magazine about controlling the mosquito population around your home during the summer months, and this product was top rated at doing just that. The Therma Cell Mosquito Repellant Lantern is not only attractive, it KILLS MOSQUITOS within a 20 foot radius. This isn't the bug zapper we've all seen, it's a quiet, clean way to keep the bugs at bay. We popped onto www.homedepot.com, ordered a few for $19.99 and enjoyed a lovely evening under the stars, mosquito free!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Comes assembled
COST: $19.99/each
STRESS LEVEL: Saying NO MO to the Mosquitos: LOW

Mirror Image

2011-10-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

As I stood in an endlessly long line at the grocery store last night I found myself doing (what I assume) everybody does. I grabbed a few smut magazines (not the big boob, naughty photo kind, but the modern day smut of celebrity gossip) and I was shocked that A.) I had no clue who half of the people photographed were and B.) why did I care enough to flip the pages so quickly, dying to see what celebrity "does this too." Jennifer Aniston pumps gas!!! NO! Then again, secretly, it made me feel a little better inside. It's been a remarkably crappy year for us, so to step outside of our reality for a second, even via the pages of a silly magazine, was refreshing. It was also interesting to see in the septic tank of Hollywood where image is everything, we can't wait to see these untouchables do something, well, "normal." Britney Spears spills whipped cream on her chest, Drew Barrymore picks her nose in public and, don't fall over, JENNIFER ANISTON PUMPS HER OWN GAS. Wow. Funny how it's so easy to get caught up in day to day nonsense and forget that we all put one shoe on at a time, brush our teeth (hopefully), slip, fall, get back up again and, even, on occasion pump our own gas. My afternoon daydream was quickly interrupted as I hoped back into my truck, looked in the rearview mirror and saw a bedroom waiting to be assembled in my backseat. To save a client money on a property he plans to rent weekly as a vacation unit, I headed to the good old city of Pararamus, New Jersey and my home away from home of Ikea. The entire bedroom was furnished (I know it doesn't look like much, but simplicity was key) for UNDER $300. Bedframe, mattress, sheets, pillows, window seat, accent pillows, artwork, lamps and mirror for under $300! One of many great design tricks I use over and over, is tricking the eye by strategically placing a mirror. While it isn't totally clear in this image, the mirror lightens up a large, blank wall and reflects the million dollar view of the Hudson River. Now, when a potential renter walks into the master bedroom instead of seeing a large, blank wall, they will see the glowing image of the Hudson River outside!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: Mirror at Ikea: $19.99
STRESS LEVEL: Keeping up my good image: LOW

OH GOURD!!!

2011-10-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

On our morning walk through the crisp forest that surrounds our home (I like to think of it as a scene from my favorite childhood story, "WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE") I picked up fallen leaves, pine cones and other pieces of natures discards to decorate our house for the season. Joe quietly charged ahead as Canyon, our fearless leader, navigated the cold, damp woods with us in tow. Proud of my unique finds, I got home, dried them off and placed them on our table until my tired brain decides to find some creative energy. After a nice, long, hot shower I turned my computer on and found this email attachment from our friend, Michelle, and while I feel the polar opposite about this magical season it made me giggle. And, yes, my table and mantle are filled, positively FILLED, with f'ing gourds and I love it! So, today we will take a little break from holiday decorating ideas for a little laugh. Photos are courtesy of www.marthastewart.com who, by the way, also has great ideas for fall decorating!

IT’S DECORATIVE GOURD SEASON, MOTHERFUCKERS.
by Colin NIssan

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get my hands on some fucking gourds and arrange them in a horn-shaped basket on my dining room table. That shit is going to look so seasonal. I’m about to head up to the attic right now to find that wicker fucker, dust it off, and jam it with an insanely ornate assortment of shellacked vegetables. When my guests come over it’s gonna be like, BLAMMO!Check out my shellacked decorative vegetables, assholes. Guess what season it is—fucking fall. There’s a nip in the air and my house is full of mutant fucking squash.

I may even throw some multi-colored leaves into the mix, all haphazard like a crisp October breeze just blew through and fucked that shit up. Then I’m going to get to work on making a beautiful fucking gourd necklace for myself. People are going to be like, “Aren’t those gourds straining your neck?” And I’m just going to thread another gourd onto my necklace without breaking their gaze and quietly reply, “It’s fall, fuckfaces. You’re either ready to reap this freaky-assed harvest or you’re not.”

For now, all I plan to do is to throw on a flannel shirt, some tattered overalls, and a floppy fucking hat and stand in the middle of a cornfield for a few days. The first crow that tries land on me is going to get his avian ass bitch-slapped all the way back to summer.

Happy My Day

2011-09-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Today is my friend Lora's birthday and while I couldn't join her in Nashville to celebrate, I headed to her favorite store to find a little bling. Missoni, the Italian Fashion Designer, has created a line for Target of everything from melamine plates (remember my obsession with Orla Kiely's line a few years ago) to sheets, sweaters and handbags. This limited edition is only available while product lasts, so head to a Target before it's all sold out. Sadly, I was too late to my Target (actually, a woman snatched up the last weekend suitcase by Missoni before I could get it), so as I headed out tail between my legs, a "clearance aisle" caught my eye. These fabulously designed paper products were a hot item this summer (of course I bought them at full price for my retro camper), but now are 50-75% off! Even if I don't use them this year, they will be fabulous for next summer or as stocking stuffers this Christmas. My journey today was intended to be all about Lora, but now I'm all about the savings!
COST: pack of napkins $1.50, paper plates $1.50. Also comes in green, yellow and blue
STRESS LEVEL: Losing a steal but finding a great deal: LOW

Thinking inside the box

2011-09-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok, I guess I'll give the pumpkin obsession a break, at least for a day. But, if you want to snatch up some great deals before they're gone, head to Marshalls or Home Goods where they have pumpkins and goodies of all shapes and sizes that won't burst your budget. Even if you're a witch, you'll love saving a few dimes on these fun holiday finds! Speaking of managing your moolah, I use this time of year to do my quarterly clean-out of junk. You read correctly. Not only do I spring clean, I summer, fall and winter clean, because I tend to collect fabric samples, paint samples, design magazines, etc. throughout the year that if not managed, would make my place look like the set of Hoarders, so as I bring out the holiday goodies I always look at what is hiding behind them, decide if I can use, sell or give them away. I've mentioned this every year and this one is no different. I just opened my gift card drawer where I have several from many vendors like Target, Starbucks and Macy's to Barney's and JCrew. While I've used all of them, most have a balance of $5.00 or less (and, if you've shopped at Barney's you know even a diet coke costs more than that). Instead of tossing them out, google "gift card donations" to find a local women's shelter, abuse center, etc. who would gladly take unused gift cards. It just takes a few people to help many in need. So, that's the first thing I do in my clean sweep of closets in the fall. Then I pull out items I haven't used in ages, like this vintage metal picnic basket. I found it years ago and thought it would make a great planter or look chic in a mid-century bathroom to display towels. Well, that never happened. Instead this lovely little picnic basket has moved from California to New York and never seen the light of day. Until now. I ran to Office Max the other day to buy a little file cabinet and got distracted by the holiday window decor at Pier 1 next door. When I finally made it into Office Max, I was shocked to find the cheapest file cabinet was well over $100. Then I wondered how many holiday things I could get for that amount of money and headed right back out the door. When I returned to my messy office this picnic basket was staring at my like a hungry dog drooling over a juicy steak. It's neat. It inspires me, as crazy as that sounds, so I didn't want to put it back in the closet until my next cleaning, so I repurposed it as a file cabinet. Re-imagining a piece is what fun design is all about. Hang an old farm chair on a wall in your kitchen and place cookbooks on it. In a more modern kitchen, purchase stainless steel toolboxes on wheels (Husky makes them up to five feet tall) and use as utencil storage. Terra cotta roof tiles as wine storage, an old mirror as a centerpiece with candles and rose petals on it. You get the idea. While it's great to think outside of the box in design, sometimes it's better to stare directly inside the box until a great idea pops into your head!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: Zero
STREE LEVEL: Saving money by using something I already had: LOW

You Light Up My Life

2011-09-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year? Unfortunately, the last three years since moving to New York, as beautiful as it is, have been pretty ugly. But, I've decided, like the lyrics in Celine Deon's song, "a new day has come" to look ahead, not back, and grab onto every moment. Moving forward, I will try my best not to let dramatic, horrible people get me down (depressed about dealing with nasty lawyers, I came across an interesting blog, www.rudyveritas,com, about a gentleman who worked closely with Rudy Guliani's campaign, only to be brought down by a horrible US Attorney...it's a good read, if you have a moment). I'm really no different from the clients I choose to work with. And, I believe, that is one of the main reasons I love what I do. Years ago, unhappy at work, single and facing major uncertainty in life and love, I moved into my first apartment in West Hollywood, California (I was 28). Small, dark and located on a loud street in the heart of the action, I was thrilled with my new pad because it was MINE. Sure, some friends mocked me, others judged the neighborhood, but I didn't care. This tiny place, while a rental, was something I could call my own. Slowly I collected furniture from friends, auctions, garage sales and before I knew it I had created a peaceful, while humble, abode in the middle of a chaotic city. That's what I try to do with clients every day. Some are going through divorces or other major life changes, forced to sell homes, waiting for a baby, etc. and one major part of what I do is create calm and sanity (or at least I try), in a world that has become uncontrollable to my clients. A few weeks ago I helped someone pick a sofa they'd been questioning for three years. That one choice helped this client find peace. Last month I walked into another clients home two days after she'd moved in. For all who have moved, you can relate to what any home looks like a few days in...overwhelming, exhausting and daunting. I made her a cup of tea and walked through the apartment throwing out ideas for furniture placement, showed her how wonderful her art would look in unique areas and a few days later she called to tell me she was so excited about the possibilities, she pulled an all-nighter and re-arranged the place on her own. Before my Celine epiphany yesterday, I was browsing the aisles of Marshall's and happened upon this pumpkin made of twigs, wrapped with white lights. It just made me smile so I had to grab it. When the check out clerk said, "that will be $5,95" I smiled even more. It's the little things that matter.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Making a quick change: Not too long
COST: Priceless (pumpkins at Marshall's are on sale now so get them while they last)
STRESS LEVEL: Feelin HIGH on life: LOW

The Gemini Pumpkin

2011-09-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I absolutely love this time of year, from the crisp air and changing colors of the landscape, to the decorated shops and houses, all of it just makes me smile. Typically I'll head to the grocery store in September and buy small pumpkins, squashes and gourds I can leave on my table through January. On our morning hikes through the woods I gather fallen leaves, acorns and pine cones to add to the decorations. When it comes to pumpkin carving, however, I like to step out of the traditional triangle eyes and jagged mouth box, and create my own, unique decorated pumpkins. I love to use carved pumpkins as vases, coolers filled with ice for beverages, serving pieces (if serving soup or salad, for example), in bathrooms I fill them with potpourri, and by our front door I fill them with candy and let it ooze out of a goolish mouth. Because I'm a Gemini (known for having two faces, which hopefully all know I do NOT) I thought it was somewhat appropriate to create this fun, illusion when you walk in our front door. I always carve my pumpkins from the bottom up, so in this one I added the fun greeting on one side, downloaded a template online for the spooky face, traced it on the opposite side then carved away. To get the exact look I wanted I had to do a little adjusting, but the final outcome, in both of my opinions, is pretty cool!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: One hour
COST: Pumpkin was $8, downloading template was free
STRESS LEVEL: Having a spooky good time: LOW

One Bright Tip!

2011-09-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

There is nothing I love more than repurposing something in a fun, creative way. Take an old flower pot, for example, paint the inside a fun color and fill it with things you like, put a glass top on it and use as an outdoor cocktail table. An example from a tip last week, use old sweaters as fabric for seat cushions, purchase inexpensive clip lights at the Home Depot or Lowes (they're usually $1/each) and paint a bright color to use as lighting anywhere in your home, hang vintage knobs on your bathroom wall as towel holders...you get the idea. Last Christmas Joe made fun of me when I purchased a remote controlled switch socket at Bed Bath & Beyond, until he saw how useful it was and how much time we saved. The system is sold around the holidays to help with multiple lit ornaments...plug your Christmas tree into one socket, push the button on the remote and light the tree from anywhere in your house. For us, with three Christmas trees, lit ornaments in every window, etc. it helped to turn everything on and OFF in seconds. After the holidays (this is where the repurposing comes in) I simply plugged our house lamps into them (each set comes with 3-4 sockets controlled by one remote. Plug a socket into an outlet, add an extension cord if desired or power strip to plug as many lamps as you'd like). Again, Joe mocked me and said it was like having a clapper, but at the end of the night to walk into the room, grab the remote and turn off all the lights in one second, hey, I'll take that! In staging jobs it makes it incredibly easy for a realtor to show perspective buyers when they walk in and can light up the house in seconds. So, when contemplating that purchase of something you might think is a bit silly, imagine the possibilities and just CHARGE IT!!!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Seconds
COST: This system is called the "Remote Controlled Switch Socket" on Amazon for $16.99
STRESS LEVEL: Lighting up in seconds: LOW

NO MO Mosquitos!

2011-09-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

I mentioned last week to have your pumpkin carving tools ready today when I would hopefully have a few great, unique ideas to share. Well, low and behold I was shocked to find NOT ONE pumpkin in the Hudson Valley. The Grinch stole Christmas, but it looks like Hurricane Irene tried to steal Halloween by destroying many of the eastern pumpkin farms, making supply far less than the demand for this time of year. I was promised, however, that a huge batch would arrive by the weekend, so you'll have to save the carving for next week. Speaking of Hurricane Irene and ALL THE RAIN we've had this summer (which, as a Seattle born kid I LOVE), but can't stand the mosquitos that flock to every pond or sitting pool of water in our area. For some reason I could be in the middle of twenty people freshly dipped in honey, yet I'd be the only one suffering from mosquito bites. I can't stand them, so after reading an article in Camping World Magazine about the best repellents on the market (earlier this summer, by the way, I went camping and stuck dryer sheets in my pockets and they worked like a charm at keeping those pesky jerks away) I stumbled upon this great outdoor lantern at the Home Depot called the TempCELL mosquito repellent lantern. Add a few cartridges of repellent (which last 12 hours) and enjoy a peaceful night outdoors without the buzz of mosquitos in your ears!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Order online or walk into any Home Depot or Lowes
COST: $24 per lantern
STRESS LEVEL: Enjoying a bite-free meal outdoors: LOW

Blind love

2011-09-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

I learned a few lessons last week after I staged a home on the Hudson River. #1 I will NEVER attempt to assemble an entire house of furniture by myself. This task alone (actually MANY tasks) is the main reason I no longer have a burning desire to have children for fear they'll ask for Christmas gifts that require assembling! Clearly, I have been damaged from the experience of working with tiny tools, attempting to comprehend a 100 page Swedish instruction manual, and, at the end of the day, realizing I'm no spring chicken. One of many great things that came out of last week, however, is realizing furnishing an entire house doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. As I mentioned on Friday, the entire house, from sofa to platform beds, rugs to barstools, utensils to wine glasses in a three bedroom, three bath home cost under $2,000! Beyond finding a certain look for less, I was able to source quality pieces at great prices with just a little hunting. One of the most expensive pieces to a home design puzzle can be the window coverings. If you've done it, you know. A friend of ours recently spent a bit over $1,000 for ONE window covering (half my entire furniture budget for this project). The home from last weeks project is situated directly on the Hudson River with homes pretty close, so coverings were essential to show perspective buyers how private this unique space is. Because I couldn't wait a month for a special order or spend money I needed for other pieces, I hopped on over to the Home Depot where they have cut-to-fit wood blinds, roller shades and other window coverings for incredibly good prices. These windows called for wood shutters, in my opinion, so I measured each window on the inside and headed over to the Home Depot. Because none of the windows were standard sizes, each shade had to be cut. The free service took only a few minutes, so while they cut I zipped around the store and in less than ten minutes walked out with great blinds at a steal of a deal!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Thirty minutes to install nine window blinds
COST: $25/each
STRESS LEVEL: Loving a great deal: LOW

House Calls

2011-09-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Someone was in need, so Dr. Design came to the rescue (ok, that sounds cheesy, but it's been a pretty long, exhausting week)! The photos above are not meant for the covers of House Beautiful or Elle Decor, they were meant to please a client desperate to furnish a three bedroom home on the Hudson River in less than a week. While I didn't post photos until today, this project was actually completed, by MYSELF, in three days. The task of sourcing furniture and accessories in the Hudson Valley of New York is hard enough to do in three days, then add an incredibly tight budget and you've got a great challenge! That budget, you may ask?? Well, I was given $2,500 to furnish the entire place (minus mattresses and televisions) and came in at $1,765.98 for everything including sheets, pillows, rugs, lamps and lightbulbs, glasses, plates and utencils. All it took was a little creative online shopping, digging through discount furniture chains and some patience. If you have questions about any particular piece, please feel free to email me at paul@paulhechtdesigns.com. My sources were Ikea, Target, Home Goods, Home Depot and The Christmas Tree Shoppe. My best finds, by far, were sheet sets at Target (the inexpensive sets at Ikea, in my opinion, are total junk) for $19.99, a 36 piece dinnerware set from Ikea for $19.99 and twenty piece cutlery set from Ikea for $9.99. These items are all well made and can often take a huge chunk of any budget, so I was thrilled to find great deals that anyone could find with a little searching. My point, and the point of this blog, is that ANYONE can make a comfortable space on any budget. Okay, my hands are killing me from the tiny tools I had to use in building many of these pieces, so I'm off for now. Back next week with more Hechtips!! (scroll down to Monday of this week to see the clean slate before I loaded her up!)
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Three days
COST: Of EVERYTHING was $1,765.98. I purchased; a sofa and leatherette chair in the living room with a rug and tv cabinet from Ikea, wicker chair was found in the garbage so I spray painted it and added a throw pillow from Ikea, artwork from Home Goods, swede lined chest from Home Goods, glass round dining room table from CB2 floor sample sale, chairs and covers from Ikea, two platform beds in Full and Queen from ikea, mirrors from Home Goods and Target, trundle daybed and sheets from Ikea, dinnerware, flatware, glasses from Ikea, vases and barstools from The Christmas Tree Shoppe. Phew!
STRESS LEVEL: Filling a house with cool things in three days: LOW

Don't sweat it!

2011-09-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I came home with a truckload of pumpkins and gourds for decorating this fall, then I looked around and realized I'd forgotten item #2 on my to-do list from yesterday (#1 was to go food shopping, but the pumpkins one that battle!). #2 was "clean out closets and make room for more crap." My annual tradition of a fall clean out actually had the opposite outcome this year. Last winter was long and cold, which meant many nights by the fire eating yummy meals prepared by Joe. Those yummy meals added up and some of my favorite winter sweaters no longer fit. Instead of throwing them out in a fit of rage, I decided to repurpose them. Last year I made cool pillow covers out of vintage t-shirts for a fun summer look, so this year I thought I'd take some of my best looking, no longer wearables and turn them into fashionable dining room chair designs. These chairs had easily removable seats, so I took them off, removed the old fabric and cut a piece of the sweater that best modeled the cool design. By using a staple gun, I attached the fabric to the seats, flipped them over and enjoyed killing a few birds with one design; I cleaned out my closet, organized my new things and created a fun, whimsical look in my dining room for fall and winter.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Thirty minutes
COST: Nothing by repurposing old sweaters into chair covers
STRESS LEVEL: Creating a new look for NOTHING: LOW

HEY PUNKIN!

2011-09-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

Okay, the holidays are just around the corner and I couldn't be more thrilled about it. This is quite possibly my favorite time of year. If you've read for awhile, you know this is when I start collecting fallen leaves and pine cones on my morning walks to make table arrangements for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I begin to plan out my holiday decorating (obsessive, yes, but then again I'm totally obsessed with this time of year), so this morning when I walked through the grocery store and spotted buckets filled with gourds of all shapes and sizes, I ditched my list and spent grocery money on holiday treats (oops, sorry about that Joe!). So, grab yours and check back in next Tuesday for some great pumpkin carving ideas and other ways to decorate for the fall season with gourds!

Enjoy a flick in the shade!

2011-09-13T16:51:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about the back to school season (besides the absence of screaming children in stores, coffee shops, restaurants, etc. in the middle of the day) are all of the sales on summer goodies. Typically I buy off season anyway, so picking up a staple that can be used year after year doesn't bother me when it's off season. For example, now is NOT the time to buy an artificial Christmas tree, ornaments, tree skirt, garland or other holiday goodies (best time is in February online... I picked up great, funky, hip ornaments at West Elm for $.50/each in February and in November they were $10/each) same goes for summer fare. Target had awesome outdoor chairs, umbrellas, cookware and anything and everything summer and, of course, I bought in July only to find most of the items marked down 75% yesterday. So, when I happened upon this steal of a deal on Overstock.com, I had to pick it up. I love the idea of stretching a sail cloth across an area of our yard during the summer and serving friends cocktails while enjoying the great outdoors (here, however, we'd be eaten alive by bugs, so this is better suited for Southern California). Because this sail cloth is normally $125 but marked down to $35, I thought of an interesting way to repurpose it...I LOVE the vintage movie projector I picked up on ebay a few years ago for $15 (it plays movies, slide shows, or anything you heart desires) and thought it would be cool to flip the sail cloth on its side and project movies off of it while our guests enjoy sipping and munching on outdoor glories of summer. Summer might be over, but the sales are just beginning!!!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Overstock ships in 7-10 days. Set up of sail cloth takes about 20 minutes
COST: Shipping is $1, so sail cloth cost $42.95
STRESS LEVEL: Entertaining our guests while saving money: LOW

A Clean Slate

2011-09-12T06:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know how parents do it. Some days I can barely haul myself out of bed, pay enough attention to our dog so she feels loved (and won't eat our expensive pillows), remember to brush my teeth and put two same-colored socks on. Growing up with two working parents, I'm constantly amazed that we didn't arrive at school hungry, dirty and naked. By 7:30 AM we had been washed, ironed, clothed, fed and dropped off at school in a seemingly effortless routine. I approach designing a house with a similar philosophy. If someone told me I had to take care of a kid for a week, I'd probably have a nervous breakdown and start bleeding out of my eyes. With kids back to school, a client decided to decorate his weekend home from soup to nuts. The only problem (and challenge) for me is the budget of $2,000 to decorate a three bedroom, two story home. So, today, as kids grab their sack lunches and jump on big yellow buses, I'm starting with a clean slate-floored house. Check in Friday for the final results, resources and costs of everything I put in the house.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five days (most likely less). So, start out by measuring the spaces. For this fairly tight living/family area the space has to serve dual purposes of formal and casual living, so I jumped on line to get measurements for the average sofa. Once I had that, I cut newspapers in the size of the sofa I liked and moved it around the space until I found a configuration that worked for me. This is a GREAT way to plan the space before moving all of the furniture in. So, now that I've done that, it's off to shop.
COST: Less than $2,000
STRESS LEVEL: Turning a blank slate into something comfortable: LOW

Enter, Stage Right

2011-08-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

I know I've mentioned this before, so my apologies for beating a dead donkey, but a slumped market calls for innovative ways to keep certain freelance careers afloat. Take interior design, for example. Five years ago I had clients in Los Angeles requesting fabric samples for $15,000 sofas. Three years ago I designed a $5,000 daybed for a teenager in Manhattan. Today pockets aren't nearly as deep, purse strings are much tighter and design budgets are as shallow as a politician in Washington. After years of wild success and brief lulls, performers like Cher and Madonna went on "Reinvention Tours" to cater to new, younger audiences. In the same vein, I've had to adjust my business to meet with current market needs, which in this drab real estate market means I'm doing less interior design and more staging. Work is work, though, and what I've found in staging homes are principles that easily translate to anyone looking to spruce up their space with little or no money. Take this rustic Adirondack cabin I've staged this week. When I asked the owner what his budget was he replied with a short, yet honest, "little to nothing," so I took it in stride and hit the ground running. Why stage a space, you might ask? If you have a small or incredibly large space, more often than not it's difficult for a potential buyer to visualize how they might use it. We've all walked into model homes which most likely would never catch our glance, but once inside the clean, new, beautifully decorated home we fall in love. Most model homes spend thousands and thousands of dollars to dress the models, where Mr. and Mrs. Everyday have pennies. So this week I approached this job as if I was designing on my budget. That budget is about $65. Luckily this homeowner had gorgeous, mid-century furniture so I got off to a good start. When all is tallied up in the room you see, the value is $27,500 (not including the artwork). Can you guess which pieces I bought? I spent a total of $64! Perched on the 1960's $12,000 sofa are two throw pillows from Ikea ($9/each) that match (and I hate when accessories match artwork) the original Klimt painting above the fireplace (of undisclosed value). The Philipe Stark nesting tables sit on a $10 rug from Home Goods and resting on top of the tables are three vases from Ikea for $15. Finally, above the sofa is a vintage floral print I found at a local tag sale for $5. I believe this proves that you truly can have champagne taste on a boxed wine income!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Three hours
COST: All accessories purchased at Ikea and Home Goods for under $65
STRESS LEVEL: Setting the stage for a good sale: LOW

Oops, I did it again!

2011-08-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

Bless her heart. Poor Britney. It seems like she's back on a good track, though, as we haven't seen her private parts, caught her shaving her head in public, passed out on a park bench or screaming at her boyfriend while carrying a baby in one arm an an ice-blended mocha frappacino in the other. Thank goodness I don't have her problems (but if I did, I have some high-powered attorneys in my family who would help me out in a second!). Sometimes, however, one persons mistake can be your shining moment. Take, for example, a little project I have this week staging a home for the real estate market. I finished the job last week and went overboard (just a tad) dressing all of the eleven thousand square feet of home with yard sale finds, inexpensive lampshades from Home Goods, rugs from Ikea, dishes from eBay, and towels and sheets from Target. While the homeowner gave no budget for dressing this huge, open, empty home, he was shocked when I did the entire place for under $1,000. Once photos are taken I will upload here so you can see how far a dollar can stretch in 11,000 square feet! Because I'm a perfectionist, the scratches on the walls in the entry left by a previous renter made me totally crazy. The homeowner, ready to get this place on the market, didn't want to wait a few weeks for a painter to show up. So, I headed to the Home Depot to the "Oops" aisle. Ever been? Well, I've talked about it before. If someone custom makes a color and decides midway through their shopping expedition to discard it somewhere, Home Depot gathers those paints and offers them for resale at drastically reduced prices. Two summers ago I discovered a beautiful color for outdoor trim from a can of discarded paint. Retail for the Ralph Lauren custom mixed paint was $37 and I paid $5. Today I picked up two gallons of paint; one in white for the entry and one in black semi-gloss to paint a table I found abandoned behind the house. If I had purchased them for full retail at a total of $67.00 I most likely would have pulled a Britney, instead I took advantage of someone else's mistake and walked out the door for $9.50.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Painting entry and table top: Two hours. Saving money at Home Depot: Ten minutes
COST: Two gallons of paint from the OOPS section of Home Depot: $9.50
STRESS LEVEL: Finding a great deal without having to steal: LOW

Out of the pool and back to school!

2011-08-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

After traveling for the last week (even hechtips needs a vacation now and then...although a funeral isn't necessarily the ideal place to relax) I've got to tip my hat to the parents of the world. I have no earthly clue how you do it day in and day out, how my parents did it and certainly no idea how I would ever do it. After flying, spending time in line at restaurants, checking in at hotels and walking around the crowds of summer, it's clear to me that parents have a full time job trying to keep children in line. As the bright sun of summer begins to set and teachers prepare for the new year, parents run around shopping for back to school gear. Because August was always one of my least favorite months of the year, I feel for all of the kids leaving the long days of summer behind as they prepare for long school days. Whether you have kids heading off to college or back to junior high, there are many ways to make the transition less depressing for them and much easier for you. A few years ago, for example, I helped a college bound teenager face her new life away from home by making the dorm room her own. By bringing in fun pieces like beanbags and shag rugs from Pottery Barn Teen, exchanging the boring desk chair with something fun from Ikea and adding great sheets and other accessories, the new space felt more like home and less like a prison cell. I've also done the same for kids heading into a new grade or transitioning to a new school. Why not make that few weeks before school starts something as exciting as decorating a Christmas Tree or preparing for Halloween. You don't need to go overboard. Maybe tell them they have a $100 design budget, can paint one wall, choose new sheets, etc. and make it a tradition every year. That way they can get excited about what lies ahead. In a young kids room I developed a way to organize the toys in their bedroom in a similar way to how they are organized at school. I picked up inexpensive shelves from the Home Depot and colored bins, labeled them and had the kid participate in the process. They felt pride and ownership in the project, their room and will be totally prepared for the first bell of the new year.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Two hours
COST: Shelves at Home Depot; $75, colored bins; $4/each
STRESS LEVEL: Helping organize a kids room that ISN'T mine: LOW

Red White and You

2011-08-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love picnic tables. I'm not sure why, exactly, but there's something about their simple, utilitarian design that peeks my interest. I've been fortunate enough to travel to places like Sydney, London, Rome, Amsterdam and Copenhagen. I've had a picnic sitting next to the Seine River in Paris, enjoyed a bowl of Gelato on the steps of the Duomo in Florence and I've observed red-painted faces march by the St. Louis arch for a sporting event. While the designer in me loved studying the intricate details of each cities unique architecture, I kept coming back to one common variable; everywhere I went I headed to a park or other public gathering spot and perched myself on a picnic table. Whether sitting in front of the Chartres Cathedral or on the beach in Honolulu, picnic tables are always the same. One might expect (or at least I did) to see a wildly colorful, larger than life design in Sweden of the picnic table. Nope. I assumed a clog-theme in the Netherlands. Wrong again. The world is an overwhelmingly enormous place yet one tiny, seemingly insignificant thing is present around the world. A picnic table. Who'd a thought? And this, my friends, are some of the thoughts that keep my busy mind up at night. So, in designing an outdoor space for an art collector in Manhattan I thought of the most simple dining room table; a picnic table. While I could have gone to a fancy design store and spent $10,000 on a table that would leave the guests saying, "faaabulous dahling" I chose to go with a completely universal look. I went to the Home Depot, purchased a picnic table for $99.00 and created an original piece by adding my own splash and sparkle.
HERE'S WHAT I DID: As the summer winds down stores begin to prepare for fall by getting rid of everything summer. Lowes and Home Depot now have picnic tables (normally $99) marked down to $75. I grabbed a gallon of semi-gloss outdoor house paint and painted stripes on the table top. If you want to be really funky and cool, use four different colors and paint every other piece of wood. Next time you want an escape, take this piece known around the world and add your own twist to make it perfect for your little world!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Under an hour
COST: $75 for wooden picnic table (assembled) at the Home Depot
STRESS LEVEL: Creating a unique piece without taking a chunk out of the budget: LOW

Ghost Hunting

2011-08-02T07:26:00.000-07:00

Oftentimes modern design, especially furniture, is far more pretty to look at than it is to sit on. Open any design magazine today and you will find some designers idea of simple, elegant, "clean" modernity, but is it realistic to live in this kind of world? Form following function often leads the modern race, leaving a lot of us standing still scratching our heads. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the design principles of a far more simplistic, clutter-free life, but I just can't picture myself exhausted on a Thursday night with my dog and a bag of Doritos, kicking up my heels on a $10,000 sofa! Oh yeah, that's the other thing about living simple; it costs a lot of money! Unless, of course, you take advantage of modern technologies, like Google, and let your fingers do a little investigating. I'm currently designing not one, but nine structures on one piece of property. Each range in age, look, style and size, so I've approached this project by giving each structure a separate story. One is 1970's Danish Modern meets SoHo Chic, another is classic Asian flare, a small bungalow is vintage country while another is 80's modern. The 80's modern structure is probably my favorite, set in an old barn built in the early 1900's (rumors say it might be haunted) with 20' ceilings, exposed beams, polished wood floors and cool architectural features like floor to ceiling sliding barn doors to separate the dining are from the living room. I'm sure you're scratching your head asking, "wait...a barn is modern??" but, yes, in the world of design anything can be anything. I love to do the unexpected when designing a space. If I'm staging someones house for the real estate market or designing a kitchen from scratch, I try to take the fine line of design and twist it a bit. So, why not create a modern space in a rustic setting? I, of course, will share photos when I am finished, but today I'm focused on the dining area where I'm using a gorgeous white-washed oak table from the 1940's and pairing it with incredibly modern Louis Ghost chairs. Louis Ghost chairs are all the craze in modern design, with their simple yet chic design, they can survive inside or outside with their acrylic construction, they come in clear, black or other various colors. Most stores sell them for $410/each, but this designer lives in the modern world so I'm always looking to save a buck. After a quick search of the Internet I found the same exact chairs on Amazon for $61/each. Are they comfortable, you might ask? Just have a few glasses of wine and everything looks (and feels) divine!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Amazon takes 3-5 days to deliver if you are a Prime member.
COST: Louis Ghost chairs by Philipe Stark at Kartell: $410/each. The same chair on Amazon: $61/each
STRESS LEVEL: Saving big on cool designs: LOW

Memory Cards

2011-07-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

It seems like everyone is on vacation but us. Sad. Oh well. I'm actually deep in the throws of a fairly large, exciting project which I will share with you after I wrap it up in a pretty bow. In the meantime, if you are splish splashing your way down a beach or tanning your fanny somewhere fabulous, when you get home keep those exciting vacation memories alive by creating a fun keepsake. If you mention this to your kids they might start crying, but school is just around the corner, and what better way to help them through some of those days then to have a cool display to remember the fun they had in the sun. This would also make a great host gift if you're staying with friends and family on vacation, or a neat project for the kids on a rainy day. Grab a few cheap key rings at the dollar store (usually a bag of ten for $1) and with a hole puncher, punch out holes in postcards, napkins, maps, etc. from your favorite vacation spot. I still have a paper coaster from the Bulldog bar in Amsterdam, a place I visited TWENTY years ago (eeeeek). So, before the bright memories of summer fade into the cold, dark months of winter, create something cool before your kids go back to school.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Thirty minutes
COST: $2 for twenty keychains at the Dollar Tree or other Dollar chains
STRESS LEVEL: Creating a fun way to keep memories fresh: LOW

Stick to this tip

2011-07-25T06:42:00.000-07:00

I've designed a little bit of everything, from apartments to homes with guest apartments. I've worked with limited budgets and some where the sky was the limit. From Beverly Hills to Beverly the hillbilly, my design portfolio is as unique as the clients I've worked for. One thing I have found in my strut around the design block is absolutely everyone has one thing in common when painting their home; they never know what to do with the paint after the project is finished. I recently staged a home for the real estate market and when I went hunting in the basement for paint I stumbled upon 32 cans of mismatched paint cans. Someone had made the effort to write what can went to what room, but the ink had been buried by paint and time. Another home I worked in last month had four shelves of paint marked with faded pieces of tape, unrecognizable to anyone. Now, in today's incredibly tech savvy world there are many ways to figure out what color is on your wall if, for example, you need a little touch up. Companies like Benjamin Moore and Standard Brands have created APPS for your iphone where you simply photograph a wall and the smart app will tell you the color, formula and where to buy it. I, too, was incredibly excited when I found this cool, FREE app, but quickly realized it wasn't perfect. Because the app relies on your phones camera to "scan" the wall (by taking a photo of it) if your flash is on, if the sun is shining too bright (or not) the phone will read a different color. So, despite the fancy dancy technologies of today, use this simple tip and you'll never have to wonder what the color is tomorrow. Any paint store will give you stir sticks for free. Grab as many as you can and after painting a room, slap some on the stick and write the color and color code (located on the sticker Home Depot, Lowes, etc. places on the paint can) on the stick. Tie them all together with a little bit of rope and hang them somewhere you won't forget! Next time you want to freshen up your abode, grab the stick and head down the road!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: Free
STRESS LEVEL: Doing it right the first time: LOW

Fenced In

2011-07-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

When I lived in LA I was used to strange things lurking outside my window at night. One weekend several years ago I decided to buy a new toilet, so removed the old one and placed it in the courtyard until I could haul it off to the dump. A few hours later I returned home from the hardware store to find a dwelling-challenged individual sitting on it, assuming it was a public restroom strategically placed outdoors for HIM. Another occasion, after moving into my first apartment in West Hollywood, I woke up in the middle of the night to a woman standing below my bedroom window placing a food order. She was not talking on a cellphone, rather staring right at me as though she were in line at Dairy Queen. After moving to the east coast three years ago we have late night visitors of a different kind. A few nights ago I thought I heard someone in the bushes outside our front door, so I turned on the porch light to reveal a buck and his little fawn munching on a bush a few feet from our door. It's one thing to look out your window and see a strange, drunk woman ordering french fries at 3 AM and another to catch a giant deer with antlers looking you in the eye. We planned on placing deer fencing around the perimeter of our property and, well, we just haven't gotten around to it yet. A recent jog down the aisles of the Home Depot found me in the deer fencing aisle where I happened upon unique fencing solutions. One in particular is sold in 4'x6' pieces, constructed of sturdy pine, framed on the outside with a woven pattern on the inside. Immediately the deer slipped my mind as I thought of a dear client in need of a good nights sleep in her new master bedroom. To create an inviting headboard, I purchased this cool piece of wooden fence for $54, placed two coats of a maple stain in it and hung it above her bed. While this fence won't keep the deer away, it gave this client a cool place to retreat to at the end of the day.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Two hours
COST: $54 for fence section at Home Depot and $3.99 for maple stain
STRESS LEVEL: Figuring out how to give someone a good nights sleep: LOW

Lightening

2011-07-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

I was watching an episode of Bravo TV's "Million Dollar Decorator" last night and, once again, felt like throwing my glass at the TV. If I wasn't holding a vintage Jadeite tumbler, I probably would have tossed it at the screen. What annoyed me was the pompous way the designers maneuvered through their day, spending clients money as though they were playing a game of monopoly. $6,000 for a lamp? Yes, $6,000 for a lamp, and this designer snickered when he saw it and said, "that should do, and if it doesn't who cares, dahhhhling!" To calm myself down, I headed over to my back of tricks I picked up today at Ikea. Shopping for a client at a nearby antique store, I decided to pop into my favorite corner of Sweden (In Paramus, New Jersey) to escape the heat, grab a cup of Joe and cruise the aisles to see what's new. I stumbled upon these great lamps for a shocking $19.99! No batteries, no plugs, no light bulbs because these babies are solar powered! While I initially thought these would be perfect for my vintage camper, they're also the ideal weapon to have when battling summer thunderstorms. Next time the power goes out, your fun doesn't have to end! Just remember to pop out the solar panel, let it sit in the sun for twelve hours, and you'll be good to glow for up to 8 hours!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: No assembly required, just expose solar panel to sun for 12 hours
COST: 19.99 at Ikea or www.ikea.com
STRESS LEVEL: Having a lightbulb moment while watching dark, nasty designers: LOW

Cheesy Blog

2011-07-18T11:29:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things is also my biggest downfall. I can't ever walk away from a cheese platter! Blind fold me and put me in a large, dark room filled with alligators and dead fish, and I will still sniff my way to the cheese tray. I just can't help myself. This weekend was sweltering on the east coast, so as we sat in our steamy misery we tried to come up with something simple, cool and LOW fat for dinner. To chill out before our main meal, we sat around our cocktail table (in front of two, huge fans, of course!) and sipped chilled chardonnay while appetizing on chunks of Parmesan cheese. We usually think of Parmesan as something to grate and put on pasta, over a salad or into a boiling bucket of yummy, but chopped up and served with a cold beverage is simply divine! The chardonnay brings out the deep flavors of the cheese (or other way around???). Our next course was a wonderful, easy to make salad of tomato, cucumber, onion and feta cheese with a simple olive oil/garlic/salt and pepper dressing. On the main course, I'll confess, I totally cheated by purchasing a delicious bowl of vichyssoise soup at our local eatery, BUT, I added my own chilly flare by carving out chilled cantaloupes and using them as chilly, tasty bowls (so they sat flat, I shaved a bit off the bottoms with a cheese slicer). For this meal we thought outside the ice box and used daily lovelies in cool new ways.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Fifteen minutes
COST: Parmesan cheese: $4.99, soup $3.75 and bottle of wine $4.25 (don't judge...tough times!!)
STRESS LEVEL: Chilling out on a hot night: LOW

Look at the bright side

2011-07-14T08:03:00.001-07:00

I'm in search of cool, inexpensive lighting solutions for a property I'm working on with multiple structures, mostly barn-like in design and feel. So far my search is looking pretty grim, then I stumbled upon a great find as Joe was thumbing through his Grower's Supply magazine (everything for the garden lover from deer fencing to greenhouses). To my surprise, Growers Supply also has barn lighting at incredibly good prices. My first search this morning took me to the obvious places like Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn (because I need them quickly), where I found one style for $199 (pictured) and a very similar design at Growers Supply for $39.95!! With a little searching I can save this client a lot! (by the way, in the Growers supply version I would NOT use the same lightbulb and, for a darker more antique look, I would purchase a can of Rustoleum spray paint for $3.99 and darken it up a bit)
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: 3-4 days for shipping
COST: Overhead pendant light from Growerssupply.com is $39.95
STRESS LEVEL: Having a lightbulb moment that didn't cost a fortune: LOW

Jarring Memories

2011-07-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

If you recall, a few weeks ago I talked about collecting jars and re purposing them for useful things like salt shakers, salad dressing jars, etc. I'm not sure how my recent fascination with jars was born, but I started looking at the interesting shapes that our capers came in from the local grocery store, the okra jar, Joe's special jam and many other glass containers that, for the most part, went unnoticed in our house, tossed in the recycle bin after they served our purpose. Last night we emptied a jar of Kim Chee, and once again my mind raced with ideas for the rebirth of this cool jar. Don't get me wrong, not all jars are second life-worthy. Pickle jars, for example, will always smell like pickle no matter how hard you scrub! As we race towards the second half of summer (can you believe?), with the school year on the not-too-distant horizon, I thought of a few cool ideas for kids. In the Fall I'll show you some hot ideas for jar pumpkins and Christmas snow globes, but for now we'll focus on the kiddos and summer vacation. If you're heading to the beach, the mountains or Grandmas house, why not create a memory jar of the experience? Get your kids involved by collecting sand and seashells, pine cones and twigs, rocks from the campground or postcards from the edge. Then, when you get home and the excitement of the trip has worn off, make a collage inside the jar with all of the items you collected. The kids will never forget the project or the trip! Another great way to teach kids about recycling and re purposing, is to clean out the jars and let them design their own back to school desk space, using the jars for organizing everything from pens and pencils to rulers and paper clips. In a funky bathroom renovation, I recently glued the bottom of jars in a haphazard formation on the wall next to the medicine cabinet. I then filled them with soaps, cotton balls, etc. for an eye catching, space saving storage space. So, before you toss out that jar, wash it up an set it aside until a creative idea pops into your head!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: Free
STRESS LEVEL: creating a cool message in a bottle...urr, uhm Jar: LOW

Shutter UP!

2011-07-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Oh, the sounds of summer; crickets whispering in the dark, kids playing in their backyards, birds chirping in the morning, thunder rumbling over an orange sunset, and in our neighborhood the whine of a donkey in our field. Yep, I couldn't believe it when I saw it. We've had wild turkey, deer, coyote, raccoons and even the occasional fox visit, but never a loud, stinky donkey. We still aren't sure how this one wandered into the field to chew on bushes skirting the barn (at least we won't have to do it, so thanks Donkey!), but this poor, old ass was clearly looking for something to munch on. I'd never heard a donkey before moving to New York, nor had I seen one close up. Wow, are they ever ugly! A few weeks ago Joe read an article in Organic Gardening magazine about the benefit of mules and lawn maintenance, but I hope I've convinced him that a riding lawn mower will do just fine (after observing this one munch away in a hideous hunched pose, almost spying on our every move, the sight made our eyes sore). After the ass picked up and moved on her merry way, I headed into our garage where I found old shutters abandoned by a previous owner. Still fascinated by the incredibly slow pace of the old donkey, I came up with some cool, quick tips. If you don't have shutters in your basement or attic, head to Home Depot or Lowes where you can find them for as low as $19.99/each. The two examples above are solid or slatted. I've used the slatted, hung above a desk, for storage by placing mail or file folders in the open slats. Either example can easily be transformed into indoor/outdoor coffee tables by adding stair banister legs to each corner and a piece of plexi glass ontop, resting on felt pads. For an interesting headboard, use two behind a bed, hung on a wall (it would even be cool to add wallpaper or fabric pieces to the solid squares of the hard, non-slatted shutter, or paint a different color for a little flare). If you have a country theme in your home, remove the old medicine cabinet from the bathroom and hang one shutter (hinges are already in place) over the hole as an interesting, country medicine cabinet. And, if you spot a donkey in your yard, just slap the shutters on the outside of your windows and slam them shut, so you don't have to hear the annoying gasp from a big, ugly ass!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Most take under ten minutes
COST: Shutters start at $19.99/each for the size big enough for headboards or tables (36")
STRESS LEVEL: Getting inspiration from an ugly, old donkey: LOW

Bright Lights

2011-07-07T15:33:00.000-07:00

I absolutely, positively despise attorneys. Of course, those in my family are excluded from that judgement (one, a former Attorney General, might come in handy some day). They are, in my opinion, simply paid to lie. Casey Anthony and OJ Simpson, in my opinion, are murderers who simply had enough money to pay scum-sucking attorneys to get them off. Disgusting. Truly, utterly pathetic. Feeling like she was put on trial, I helped a dear friend stage her home to sell as she faced a nasty divorce from an even nastier husband. The husbands new girlfriend, you guessed it, is an attorney, secretly acting on this behalf. To lift her spirits I helped whip her house into shape. Now, a few months later, she's still fighting the legal eagles that circle above her home, anxious to bite whatever they can, like vultures feasting off rotten, dead animals. Instead of falling deeper into a dark hole, I pulled my friend into a safe place by showing her there would, someday, be a bright light at the end of this tunnel. Her ex husband and his ugly girlfriend will live a pathetic existence for the rest of their lives, while my friend will move far, far beyond. So, while the hideous New York attorney girlfriend searches for a glimmer of life, I purchased hip lights for my fantastic girlfriend. Taking the high road out of town, took us to a world of opportunity.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: These fab pendant lights from World Market cost $39.99/each and PLUG IN so need no hard-wiring.
STRESS LEVEL: Lighting up a dark situation: LOW

BRAND RECOGNITION

2011-07-05T06:59:00.000-07:00

I had an interesting conversation with a friend this weekend about (the hopeful) forward projection of my design career. This, of course, came after watching several episodes of Bravo TV's snotty design series, "Million Dollar Decorators" where we follow a group of self-absorbed, over the top, incredibly nasty Interior Designers as they decorate homes for the rich and famous. So far discussions on the show have focused more on plastic surgery, first class lounges and champagne rather than pillows and fancy dishes. Which brings me to my frustration and reason for raising it as a topic of conversation. My friends first observation was that, in order to move my career forward, I need to brand myself. He continued with, "for example, you can't be all over the place, showing photos of beautiful homes you've designed on your website while blogging about painting a travel trailer. If you want to lure in high-end clients, you need to ACT high-end." While I listened, absorbing his every word as constructive criticism, I had to quietly disagree (and, after two margaritas, I knew it was best to keep my mouth shut!). I don't want to pretend to be anything other than who I am, as a person and as a designer. In the last few months I've worked in homes ranging in price from $500,000 to $3.2 million. While I purchased a few items at high end stores, most of my products (if they aren't repurposed from the home owner) come from places like Home Goods, Target and Ikea. My point, my reason for writing this blog and the philosophy behind every space I design, from million dollar homes to hundred dollar travel trailers; you don't have to spend (or have) a million dollars to live well. H&M designs inexpensive, hip, modern clothes that mimic high-end brand names. Isn't my brand my style? Well, I could go on and on, but instead I will share (what I think is) a great design idea at a fantastic price. Two clients, two totally different budgets for a kitchen remodel. Both wanted a modern farmhouse look, so for the higher end budget I went with the Rohl apron sink in white porcelain for $1,643 and was pleasantly surprised when I walked into Ikea and found a close contender for my other client at $312 for the "Domsjo" double porcelain apron sink (single sink version was only $179!!!). Both versions put smiles on my clients faces and at the end of the day that's the only recognition I need!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: ROHL sink took three weeks to deliver. Ikea sink came with me that day!
COST: ROHL sink at my local kitchen store: $1,643. Ikea Domsjo sink: $312.
STRESS LEVEL: pleasing both ends of the spectrum: LOW

Getting Framed

2011-07-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

In college my favorite piece of art was a framed poster of Van Gough's famous print "Starry Night." After college I evolved into a more sophisticated art collector by hitting the Gallery of "Z" for other framed beauties (if my Art History professors knew I shopped at Z Gallery for art, they would take back my degree!). By the time I got my own place, poster art was kicked to the curb and replaced with things I actually liked. I've never been a fan of art matching furniture, throw pillows, etc. Buy something and hang it on your wall because you LOVE it, you love looking at it, love the way it makes you feel, etc. NOT because it was on sale at Target or Ikea! What I've done many times in our home, and more recently for clients, is take a beautiful fabric (sometimes a pillow case or piece of a favorite childhood blanket, etc.) and I frame it. On one of my many journeys around the design block, I came across gorgeous fabric that was far too expensive to cover anything in our home, but I thought a piece of it would look gorgeous in a simple frame. When staging a house last week, I employed the same technique to jazz up a drab wall by purchasing large, white frames at Ikea for $12.99/each and framing different colors of fabric. The texture of the fabric makes the three dimensional piece interesting, beautiful and far more creative than an expensive poster of tulips from Z Gallery!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Fifteen minutes
COST: Frames at Ikea $12.99/each and fabric was found in clients attic
STRESS LEVEL: Making good use of my art history degree (sort of) LOW

Red Lobster

2011-06-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

I'd like to think of my culinary self as someone who will eat just about anything. Tripe in Italy, done that (didn't mean to, of course!). Gefilte fish in Sweden, done that too! Crawdads in New Orleans, ohh yeah! Meatballs at Ikea, you better believe it. Living with someone who loves the fine art of cooking certainly helps broaden my palette. So, you will understand my shock when a month ago, while brainstorming where to eat on a Saturday night, Joe the cook extraordinaire suggested we head 35 miles north to Poughkeepsie, New York and dine at the lovely chain of Red Lobster. Humm. That, I can honestly say, is something I never thought Joe would ever suggest. Thankfully, however, I now can say I've eaten lobster in Poughkeepsie! Joe's birthday is today and I thought I would surprise him with a dinner at that same lovely establishment until our dear friend Diana showed up at our front door with one of the most unique gifts for this tough cookie. She brought us a meal of fresh Lobster, corn on the cob, watermelon for dessert and wine to drink it all down! Truly one of the most unique, thoughtful gifts I've seen. I figured I would steal this great idea for my future gift-giving closet for those on my list who seem to have everything, a meal is a great idea! If you aren't right around the corner from the gift receiver, places like Dean and Deluca (www.deandeluca.com) will ship cakes and complete meals anywhere in the United States and Canada. The personal touch, however, is hard to beat! I'd better sign off and get cracking!!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Because the lobster was already prepared, we just warmed it up and got cracking!
STRESS LEVEL: A meal delivered to your door with zero prep necessary: LOW

An Apple a day

2011-06-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

If you ask a kid today what they think about Apples most likely the response would be, "I love my ipad!" Now, don't get me wrong, I love my ipad too, but that isn't the first thing that comes to mind when I think about these lovely, juicy, yummy pieces of fruit. As we approach the holiday weekend, I can't get my mind off of Apples. We live in the big apple, I love to eat apple pie (maybe I'll make that this weekend, only in individual ramekins so each guest feels special), I work on an apple, I talk on an apple, listen to music on an apple...you get the idea. Last night while sipping a martini I thought, humm, what would this taste like with a little slice of apple? While I love martinis and apples, I'm not crazy about appletinis (too sweet in my opinion), so for that subtle taste of WOW, I added a few slices of apple to our bottle of vodka (simply slice up an apple, I use Granny Smith, and drop them in a bottle of vodka and let sit for a few hours). After sitting for a few hours the taste is simply fantastic! This weekend while celebrating the fourth of July, bake an apple pie and follow my tini tip...a guaranteed hit!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Two hours
COST: Free
STRESS LEVEL: Chillin with a good apple: LOW

Potty talk

2011-06-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

One more thing I love about my new project (the vintage trailer I bought to use as my office) is the challenge in designing a small space. At 12' long and 8' wide, that's a whopping 96 square feet which incorporates a wet bath (that's a lovely, compact bathroom with shower where you sit on the commode and hold the shower nozzle over your head), dinette, full kitchen with stove, sink and refrigerator and a rear couch that converts into a queen size bed. The bath in this trailer totally grossed me out. For starters, I kept picturing thirty five years of rear-ends perched on this potty. That alone made me want to toss it out! At any rate, I faced my fears and got to work in this tiny space. Because I might someday use it again as a shower, I painted the floors with porch and floor paint we had left over from another project. Instead of ripping out the nasty wallpaper, I primed and painted right over it. I placed some left over wallpaper from the main trailer area on the vanity, painted it white and spray painted the handle in a mat black finish. For something a little different I decided to paint aqua stripes on the walls and floor. Because I don't want it to look perfect (for more of an artistic feel), I didn't use painters tape and simply traced lines with a pencil and channeled my childhood lesson of "coloring within the lines." For the final touch of a curtain, I ran to the Christmas Tree Store and purchased a set of curtains for $5.99 (only used the valance in the bathroom and will use the other panels in the main trailer). To add yet one more element of 70's flare to this little room, a furry seat cover from Kmart was a must for $5.99! A few hours, a few dollars and I can finally open the door to this room and say, "phew, it's finally done!!"
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Three hours
COST: I used paint left over from other tasks, only purchasing curtains and the toilet seat cover for a total of $13.50
STRESS LEVEL: No longer afraid to open the door: LOW

Which came first, the chicken or egg salad?

2011-06-21T09:00:00.001-07:00

I know it stinks up a kitchen when you make it, but nothing says summer (to me) than a nice, cold egg salad sandwich! It's also incredibly easy to make, lasts for a few days and can keep the kids (and mates) happy! The thrust of everything I do from dining to designing relates directly to the state of my bank account....it's about as empty as my stomach right now, so I approach projects (like cooking a meal) with a budget in mind, how long it might last, how many times I can reproduce it as something else, etc. My loving partner in life, however, prefers to make batches of anything for as many as possible (even if it's only the two of us) often spending well over $100 for one meal that we inevitably end up throwing out the next day. Now his meals are always a bit more high brow than my low cost egg salad, but mine cost so little I can head out to a movie tonight and not hate my guts for spending more on a diet coke and popcorn than I did on my last meal! So, while Joe runs to the grocery to prepare a fancy chicken meal, I'm heading to our pantry to make yummy egg salad.
THE EGGCELLENT LUNCH
The longest part of this process is boiling the eggs and waiting long enough for the finished product to cool down. There are 101 ways to boil an egg, believe it or not, but for this batch I use six eggs and get the water boiling FIRST. While the water boils, I allow the eggs to come to room temperature. I then carefully place them in the boiling water for ten minutes. After taking them off the heat I empty the hot water and replace it with cold, allowing the eggs to sit for a few minutes. The easiest way to get the shell off in one piece (two, actually)??? I run the egg under cold water after cracking it on the bottom of the pan. The shell slips right off! I then grab a medium sized bowl, chop the eggs as small as I can, throw them in and add:
2 tablespoons of minced onions
2 tablespoons of minced celery
1/3 cup of mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
Dijon mustard to taste (not too much, because it can overpower)
Mix it all together and throw it in the refrigerator to cool down!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Thirty minutes to cook, thirty to cool down
COST: not much
STRESS LEVEL: Welcoming summer with a yummy, inexpensive sandwich: LOW

You're going to love it in an instant!

2011-06-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

I'd like to think of myself as a fairly patient person, in most circumstances, but sometimes I just can't take it. For example, after a lovely dinner out on the town, I can't STAND waiting for the check. When I want to leave, I want to leave. After a long flight, heck even a short one, the worst possible part of the journey is waiting for the under-paid, incredibly ticked off airline employee to line up the Jetway perfectly with the plane. By the third attempt I'm usually ready to peel my skin off and pull the oxygen mask down. And don't get me started on the people that stand and chat on moving sidewalks...PEOPLE!!! The same can be said for my morning cup of Joe. If I don't have it, watch out! If it isn't good, the day might go down hill quickly. On a recent camping adventure to the Catskills (and my vintage trailers maiden voyage), I employed my new calming exercise of deep breathing while waiting thirty minutes for camp coffee to brew. Just as I was prepared to strap my trailer to my back and march it around camp to calm down, the coffee was ready...a teeny, tiny cup of it! So, I came home and researched other ideas of coffee on the fly and found this great, instant brew from my favorite neighbor Starbucks. The VIA line (not sure what it stands for but INSTANT is somewhere in there) is not what you think. At least for me, the thought of instant coffee made me want to hike to Colombia to pick my own beans, but this is not your mothers instant coffee! Starbucks line, sold both online and in stores, comes in different strengths and flavors (regular, extra bold, medium, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon spice or mocha) and after adding hot water is ready in ten seconds. Before you jump out of your skin, dive into a hot cup of Joe! (perfect for long road trips, at the office, camping or during a power outage!)
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Ten seconds
COST: at www.starbucks.com packages of 12 start at $8 but I'm sure a quick google search can find it for cheaper.
STRESS LEVEL: Calm in an instant: LOW

You light up my life

2011-06-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

I overheard someone once ask, "do you really want to live in a beige world," when commenting on the color choices in my home. My answer; yes, in fact, I do! When you paint your walls in a monochromatic, simple tone the door to bright, colorful furniture, fabrics, window coverings, etc. opens wide. A few weeks ago I picked up these great, very retro, Eames school chairs at a garage sale. In this example I think form will follow function as a few minutes parked on these babies, and your tush will be saying OHHH BABY, so maybe I'll use them as side tables or, as I've done in the meantime, placed them on either side of a beige bar console, against a beige wall in my very, very beige room. Sometimes all you need is a little splash of color to make a tidal wave of difference! Another example, last night I took a friend to Home Goods where we purchased bright orange lamp shades with white embroidered leaves to spruce up a few boring lamps in her home. UPS uses to the slogan, "What can brown do for you" and I ask, "what can a little color add to a brown wall??"
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: a few minutes
COST: Rare garage sale find chairs, $10/each, bright lampshades at Home Goods, $15/each
STRESS LEVEL: Coloring my life HAPPY, LOW

Fluffing the Seat

2011-06-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

It's shocking how much material the United States Government has given us in recent months. Clearly, I'm in the wrong profession because what most people are talking (and reading) about today is Anthony Weiner's, well you know, and in recent months the number of cheating, lying, nude-photo taking men in politics has far outnumbered the amount of positive achievements in Government. When was the last time you heard good news about the state of our economy, the parties coming together, wars ending, oil prices falling, etc. BUT, chit chat about what congressman put his thing where is all over the place and, quite honestly, I'm tired of it. To escape the nonsense, I decided to help a friend fluff her backyard furniture. Still quite attractive, but need of attention, for less than $10 we put our hands to work and forced some excitement into the once-sad table and four chairs. In my opinion the retro floral print was fabulous, but time was not on its side, holes had appeared and water was trapped under the cushions giving anyone who sat down, a gunky behind. We headed to walmart and found an outdoor, padded tablecloth for $1.99 and purchased two cans of Rustoleum spray paint in Forest Green for $2.99/each. By cutting the table cloth in half, we were able to salvage half of it to use as an actual tablecloth, while we cut four sections out of the remaining cloth to cover four seats. A few clicks of a staple gun to the back of each seat, and the new covers were ready for some hot action!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Less than thirty minutes
COST: Under $10 for all materials at walmart
STRESS LEVEL: Taking a seat without getting wet, LOW

Right on, Target!

2011-06-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading the last few months you know my main focus has been restoring a vintage travel trailer to use as my home office. The process has been challenging and incredibly fun; I set out to do the entire project for under $500, including making it road-worthy with new tires, etc. Well, I've gone just a wee bit over that budget and I have Target to blame for most of it! My search for everything vintage took me to the aisles of Target a few weeks ago...actually, my search for toothpaste, detergent and diet coke took me to Target, my wandering eye led me to the aisles where I spent the most money. If you want affordable, hip, fun outdoor items for your summer fun, head no further than the round, red Target in your neighborhood. For $1.99/each I found these great orange and turquoise tumblers and the set of three nesting bowls, which mimic vintage Bauerware bowls from the 60's, were $19.99 for the set. Made of tough plastic, they are perfect for the great outdoors, come with lids so you can store your food AWAY from the great outdoors when you're finished, and the price is hard to beat!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: These are only available in stores and, at least on the east coast where winter was long and cold, people are snatching these up
COST: Cups were $1.49-$1.99 according to size, nesting bowls were $19.99
STRESS LEVEL: Great deals on cool things: LOW

Martha, Martha, Martha!!!

2011-06-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

I'm often asked if my tips are actually my own, and yes, for the most part they are. Sometimes I pass along a great recipe from Joe, an idea I heard from my mother, a cool item I saw in our favorite magazine, etc. and when that happens, for those litigious lawyers that might be reading, I give credit where credit is due. So, what am I to do when I open my Martha Stewart Living magazine today only to find one of her GOOD THINGS was something I did weeks ago?? Last weekend I went camping with Joe's Aunt Peggy, and the prep work that went into our little jaunt to the Catskills was exciting on many levels. I think one of the reasons I've loved trailers and RV's for as long as I have is the notion of living on a smaller scale, taking your home wherever your heart desires, and enjoying the great outdoors while your mobile villa sits just steps away. The hunt for great camping dishes (I'll share those with you tomorrow), fun tablecloths, coming up with easy to make fireside recipes, is all part of the fun. What on EARTH does a campground have to do with Martha Stewart, you may ask? I'm getting there. Like Martha, I enjoy collecting many things, old and new. From Fiestaware and Jadeite dishes to yellowware and McCoy pottery, milk glass to silverware, reading the pages of Living over the past twenty years (oh God, did I really type that...20 years....lordie) have taught me a lot. The designer in me often finds great shapes in the most random places. Jelly jars, for example. I have a new found love of collecting jelly jars. What will I do with them, I don't exactly know, but before our camping excursion I thought to take a few, pop holes in the lids and fill them with salt, pepper, sugar, etc. Flash to today and Martha...with the same, exact GOOD THING suggestion of using empty jars for outdoor entertaining, filling with salt and pepper, etc. Humm, look at that. I learned something from an ex con! Next time you think about tossing out an old jelly jar, think again...really hard...and you might come up with a creative use for it; like hanging fishing wire around the top, adding a votive candle and stringing at various heights in a tree, use smaller jars as juice cups, or my all time favorite...use it as a TIP jar!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: No time at all
COST: Free
STRESS LEVEL: Finally figuring out how to use my new collection: LOW

Home Shopping

2011-06-09T07:18:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not you don't have to spend a lot of money to make a big impact in your home, and sometimes you don't have to spend a penny! Today I helped a friend fluff two rooms in her home. I attacked the living room first (in fact, before the front door closed, I grabbed a gorgeous quilt I saw on her sofa and hung it on the wall with thumb tacks, so my before photo isn't totally accurate). I didn't spend a penny in the rooms you will see today and tomorrow. Even the paint I used to highlight a wall in the living room and family room were found in her garage, paint brushes I found in her toolbox and all the other goodies I spotted throughout her house. Because my process is often scattered and a bit haphazard, I asked her to leave for a few hours so I could "do my thing." What she said upon her return is what makes my job so great, "what is so great about how you work is you really get in touch with the owner. Using my stuff makes it so much like my home, a home I wasn't really able to create." Oftentimes we are so used to our space we forget some of the great things in and around it, which makes shopping in a clients home a blast for someone like me. For example, when I saw the quilt I first asked if it would be okay for me to hang it, and after hearing the story (her incredibly artistic daughter made it as a gift for her) I loved it even more. This room, everywhere you look, tells the stories of the people who live in it. On one wall I moved a large, closed armoire into the dining room and replaced it with open shelving, so I could highlight some of the families collections, photos, etc. I found the fabulous antique rocking horse hidden in a corner of the den, so I decided to make the LIVING room about how this family has lived. They've traveled the world, they love history, art, culture, color and now the room speaks to that. The two high back red chairs were crowded in a small dining room, but find new life in the large, open living room. So before you head out to buy something for that nook or cranny, look around your home because there might be something lurking in the corner from granny!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Three hours
COST: ZERO
STRESS LEVEL: Making someone happy in their home: LOW

Cool It!

2011-06-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

I have to say, I LOVE winter. Joe, who grew up on the east coast and moved west when he was in his early twenties, HATES it. It would be safe to say the same of my mother who grew up in the harsh winters of Michigan, only to move west as an adult and never turned back (with a brief stint in Colombia, Missouri and Santa Fe where we had mild winters as I recall). In my mind, it's much easier to warm up then it is to cool down. There is nothing worse than sleeping in a hot house, with no air conditioning in the dead of summer. The charm of our hundred year old house quickly wears off once you realize our air conditioning involves a hand and a magazine working together in rapid motion. So, to cool down this summer I've come up with a few hot tricks. To keep Canyon, our dog, cool on hot days I add ice to her water bowls and periodically spray a water bottle next to an open fan (not too close to her so she thinks she's in trouble, but close enough to send a cool mist her way). I drink ice water all day and to make it more refreshing and energizing I make lemon, lime, basil, clementine, watermelon, YOU NAME IT ice cubes for a little kick in my daily water intake. These also make great summer cocktail additions. When adding a sprig of mint to an ice cube or clementine, the regular vodka tonic takes on new meaning. For those watching calories this summer who hate the taste of diet tonic or soda (both with no sugar added), I make a tray of lemon and lime ice cubes and cranberry cubes. I cut up the fruit, add it to the bottom of the ice tray, include water to the top and in just a few minutes I have a great addition to any drink! Cranberry ice cubes are pretty to look at and take the bite off of nasty diet tonics or sprites. So, chill out and enjoy this summer with a cool drink!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Thirty minutes to freeze cubes
COST: Zero
STRESS LEVEL: Staying cool on a hot day with something yummy: LOW

Summers Buggin!

2011-06-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

Summer Buggin, makes me so maaad, summer buggin makes me wanna scram!!!! Ok, enough of my version of Summer Lovin, but we're not even to the official day of summer and I'm already over it. Well, sort of. You see, on an airplane the crying baby always sits next to me. On a two lane road with no passing zones, you'll find me putzing behind the slowest driver. When laying out in the sun, I'm the first to burn....you get the idea. So, with the warm days of summer comes the swarm of nasty bugs, that usually camp out right over my head, annoying no one else around me. And I ask the Mosquito Gods, why me? I make sure I remove all hair product, scented lotions, etc. before a night out in the yard, but they still find me. Those nasty little buggers. I bought a mosquito repellent wrist band at Bed Bath & Beyond the other day in anticipation of a camping excursion this weekend with Joe's step mom, Peggy. Don't waste your $2.00 on this stupid thing because it ATTRACTS BUGS! What works? You ready? Dryer sheets! I put a hat on with a bounce fabric softener sheet underneath, and the bugs stayed away. Who knew? I also put them in my pockets and on my pants, so I looked a little crazy, but the annoying bugs stayed far, far away!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: As soon as I brought out the sheets, the bugs were gone!
COST: Free
STRESS LEVEL: Learning that they also keep MICE away (put them in drawers, etc.) LOW

Crossing the line

2011-06-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

Every now and then life stinks. Take this couple I know. A few years ago they moved across country to help out a family member in need. Today that family member, with his nasty girlfriend in tow, is suing the couple for no other reason than to be awful, disgusting human beings. When I heard the story, and I mean no disrespect to those in my family who practice law, but I realized lawyers are just paid to lie. The law has nothing to do with truth whatsoever. When you think about it, the truth is very easy to tell. Long stories, usually, mean big lies. I feel sorry for our friends as they swim through shark infested waters, so I decided to surprise them with a room makeover. While I sent them off to the movies for an afternoon, I got to work re-arranging their living room (Ms. Manners would interject here and say I was rude for suggesting they redo a room, but they asked ME if I would work on the mess in their large, overcrowded living room). As I arranged new sitting areas and created restful spots for them to escape the noise of the day, I kept thinking about what they gave up, what sacrifices they made for this apparently ungrateful family member (they no longer consider this person family and think the toxic girlfriend has been stirring the pot more than anyone). They described their home as "sad and depressing" because it represented everything they HOPED it could be and the disaster it has turned into. And it made me think, while listening to their story I thought about crossing the line and telling them what I really thought about this jerk and his (clearly loser) girlfriend, but instead I gave them what I could...a home they'd enjoy coming back to, hanging out in and a necessary calm in the midst of an awful storm. One take-away from the many things I did was to create a picture wall of gorgeous art they've collected through the years to remind them of better places and times. I have several ways of creating the perfect straight line. One I've used before, where I place two nails a certain distance apart, make sure they are level, tie a string between them and mark where the nails will go in a series. Here, because time was not in my favor, I hung a piece of blue painters tape on the wall and marked it with a level to make sure I was right in line. Took a few minutes to leave a lasting impression.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: Free
STRESS LEVEL: Watching the smile on my friends faces grow when they walked into their home: LOW

ON SECOND THOUGHT

2011-05-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

I'm all about mirrors lately, but I'm working in a home that needed updating in the bathrooms, so instead of draining the homeowners wallet, I gave each bath a minor facelift which, I believe, gave major results. This half bath on the main floor had not been touched since the home was built in 1994. The vanity was a single piece of laminated wood. The mirror was very similar to a dresser mirror, attached at the back, bulky and just not suitable for a half bath all of your guests will see. The other problem, as pointed out by several guests, the very dated floral wallpaper. So, I removed the wall paper and carefully disassembled the attached mirror (so not to destroy the vanity below, which could cost more than $1,000 to replace). I found cute sconces at a local lighting store for $45 for the pair, a cool mirror at Pier 1 in the sale section (when purchasing anything at a place like Pottery Barn, Pier 1, etc. off the floor, examine closely and if you find the tiniest defect, bring it to the attention of a manager. In this case, the glass and frame weren't compromised, but there were a few scratches on the frame I could easily fix, but ended up saving my client another 10%!) For less than $300, we took this 90's bath for a walk into 2011!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Two days
COST: Mirror was $145, Paint $36, Sconces $45
STRESS LEVEL: half a makeover for Full effect: LOW

MIRROR, MIRROR

2011-05-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

I have a love-hate relationship with mirrors. I hate looking into them, but love what they can do for a room. As the real estate market began its downward plunge a few years ago, the number of houses for sale went up and the desire for interior designers (and money to pay them) went down. To stay afloat in rough waters, designers like me have had to reinvent themselves. Purchasing $10,000 sofas and $900 throw pillows have gone out the window, shopping at high end furniture stores have been replaced by chains like Ikea and Target, and big budget makeovers are merely a distant memory. More and more people are hiring designers to stage their homes to make them shine for the drab market. There really isn't a set formula for staging a home because, just like people, every one is totally different. A job I'm currently working on, for example, sits high on a hill with gorgeous views of the Hudson river and valley. In this market, however, breathtaking views don't necessarily guarantee a buyers breath will be taken away by the house. While this home is fairly new and striking in many of its details, some of the bathrooms needed updating to make it as pristine on the inside as it is on the out. While I would never advise a total room makeover if you're putting something on the market (remember, your tastes might not be the same as a potential buyers), bathrooms and kitchens tend to be the areas people are most turned on (or off) by. In this 1990's version of a guest bathroom, the Formica counters just weren't cutting it. To make a drastic change without spending a dramatic amount of money, I simply replaced the counter tops with Carrera marble and an under mount sink, new faucet, back splash tiles in glass (from the Home Depot), and to add a special touch to the mirror, I added crown molding by using liquid nails to affix the wood directly to the mirror. For less than $2,000 this bath (with two vanities) went from blah to WOW!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Two days (to jazz up mirror, twenty minutes)
COST: The entire bath project: two carerra marble counter tops, two Kohler under mount sinks with Kohler faucets, glass cut tile, new knobs for dated vanities and new lighting fixtures above each vanity cost $1650.00. The wood for the mirror cost $25, a tube of liquid nails $3.75.
STRESS LEVEL: if this house doesn't sell HIGH

Well, hello, Bourbon!

2011-05-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Nothing says summer like a hot day and a cold drink! Rumor has it we're supposed to see the sun, at least for a little while, this weekend, so Joe has already started planning our "southern style" dinner for Saturday night. Why southern, you ask? Why not! To compliment the steak and other southern delights he's whipping up, I thought it would be fun to explore other drink options. Last summer we loved sidecars, this summer I thought we'd ride on the Bourbon train. This yummy concoction is easy to make and incredibly easy to drink. So, as I do my sun dance praying for good weather this weekend, I'm also shaking my groove thing (a funky cocktail shaker I picked up at a flea market) and making this cool drink!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Ten minutes for first one including simple syrup, three minutes for those that follow
WHAT'S IN IT: PER DRINK: 2 shot glasses of Bourbon, 4 tablespoons for fresh grapefruit juice, 1 tablespoon simple syrup (however much you make, just make equal amounts. We put 1 cup of water and 1 cup sugar in a pot and heat until liquid and, well, syrupie). Top it off with four basil leaves and shake away in a cocktail shaker with ice. Add a lemon or wedge of grapefruit skin, and enjoy!
STRESS LEVEL: No stress after a few sips!

A GREAT FIND SHE WON'T MIND

2011-05-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have found me out in the pouring rain, on top of a beautiful bluff overlooking the Hudson River, desperately trying to help a housewife put together an outdoor space before her family arrives for the holiday weekend. Working with a tight budget can be tough, but the world of outdoor accessories is a big one. When designing an outdoor space I like to think of it the same way I do an inside space; it should be comfortable, it should reflect the taste of the homeowner and, most importantly, it should be able to withstand the test of time (and the elements). For example, my parents live in Rancho Mirage, California and live most of the year outside (when it isn't 110!). Their outdoor furniture is as beautiful as some of the pieces inside: monochromatic in color, interesting, unique and comfortable. While the space isn't huge, it is fairly large so just like an open plan living area, we created several spaces outdoors; a sitting area with sofa, chairs, coffee table and outdoor rug, a dining area, lounge area and more casual cocktail area. One of the major issues, however, in their neighborhood: WIND, so to face that battle head on planters need to be weighted down inside with rocks and bricks, glass tables become plexi-glass tables and the heavier the piece, the better. In our neighborhood with the ever-changing weather (yesterday it rained like the the end of the world for most of the day, this morning it's muggy and sunny...two months ago it was below freezing) outdoor pieces need to be strong enough to survive. Our wooden benches are covered with a coat of boat varnish, I use Rustoleum spray paint on chairs and sunbrella fabric on all outdoor cushions, sprayed with scotch guard (found at the grocery store) before they go out for that extra layer of protection. I'm treating this clients outside space with the same care and concern I would our own, however her area is high on a hill so needs to combat wind and other elements not found on our street. To dress up a few areas, I found these great wire lanterns at Z Gallery that can be hung or placed on a table. Powder coated for protection, they won't rust or lose their shine! Drop a few battery operated candles in them, and they'll never lose their glow either!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: half a day to set up an cool outdoor space.
COST: These huge, cool lanterns (18" high) are on sale for $9.99 at www.zgallery.com
STRESS LEVEL: Cool pad with a hot view: LOW

JUST MAP IT!

2011-05-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

I popped into a friends house who has been desperate to dress up a boring corner of her home office for the last few YEARS. Sometimes people are so afraid they are going to make the wrong decision, they end up making NO decisions which, in the end, is more frustrating than making a mistake. Just like when you're lost on the road and you pull out the GPS for guidance, my friend whipped out her phone and dialed me for a little wine and design time. When I saw the same paint swatches on her wall I'd seen two years ago, I took a sip of wine, and started to come up with a fun design. Last time I was in the space I had just wallpapered a small bathroom in Manhattan with maps I found in old National Geographic magazines (found at garage sales, flea markets, etc.). I tend to prefer the older Nat Geo maps because they fade into interesting colors, the paper tends to be a bit thicker and, quite honestly, they're just more interesting. But, we didn't have time for that now. My friend got freaked out at the thought of removing the maps and wallpaper glue after her tastes changed. That fear kept her from doing anything at all. I knew if I left our little happy hour without doing anything, nothing would be done to that cute little space. I told her about my new find of easily removable wallpaper, but again, knew this was falling on design-deaf ears. So, I started walking through her house and found a pile of AAA maps in her library. I looked for push pins and double stick tape and, while she put together an appetizer platter, I splattered maps all over her wall. When she came back she was shocked how good it looked just to have SOMETHING on the wall. She liked the way it looked, so I promised to return and DO IT RIGHT, which won't take too much longer than this fly by- the- sip- of -my- wine design did. Step one was simple; I just started hanging the maps with thumb tacks, starting at the ceiling line and working down, where I cut around the counters. Now that we've committed to the look, I will use an iron to steam the wrinkles out of the maps and double stick tape to ensure they don't go anywhere. In each corner, I will put thumbtacks and for an extra "pop" add a frame in the middle of the map by purchasing crown molding from the Home Depot and nailing it up. The glass free frame adds a three dimensional texture and frames out a section of the map. It would also be cool to head to and arts and crafts store and purchase several inexpensive frames of various sizes, remove the glass and backing and hang them haphazardly on the wall. Whatever you do, don't be afraid to be bold, JUST DO IT!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: This wall took ten minutes
COST: $0
STRESS LEVEL: Once my friend saw how cool it looked and were able to map out the next steps: LOW

VOTIVE WITH A MOTIVE

2011-05-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

In the Northeast it seems like we've gone right from the cold, dreary days of winter to the wet, soggy days of spring. When the weather doesn't cooperate, it's hard to motivate, but I get through it by looking forward to the sunny, warm days of summer. My collections vary from yellow ware bowls and fiestaware to melamine plates and vintage Christmas ornaments. Now I've adopted a new obsession and admiration for jars of various sizes and shapes. Everything from jam jars to old mason jars, their simplicity and universal design make them useful pieces in anyones home. For example, last summer I made vases out of various sized jars and placed them on an outdoor table, filled others with spices, put water and food coloring in mason jars for a fun fourth of July centerpiece and this year I've decided to make votives out of a collection of mason jars we found in our garage in Pasadena. While any paint will do, Lowe's sells paint specifically for painting glass, but I just use any old can I have around. So, here's all you have to do to create cool lighting for hot summer days. I pour a small amount of paint in the jar, rotate it around and place the jar upside down for several hours. Once the paint has thoroughly dried, stick a votive in and enjoy. If you want hanging votives, I loop fishing wire around the neck of the bottle (or picture hanging wire).
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes to make, two hours to dry. Use this same technique for vases only use GLOSS paint.
COST: If you use bottles around your house and paint you've already got, ZERO. Interesting bottles and jars can be found at antique stores for pennies.
STRESS LEVEL: Finding a way to motivate on a gloomy day: LOW

TRAY CHIC

2011-05-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

Google's blogger has been down for the last few days, so I'm back with a few cool tips. Well, at least I think so. A few years ago my Aunt Judy gave me this cool metal serving tray for my Birthday. I've used it so much, it was time to give it a new life. After the completion of my trailer transformation (if you haven't been following me, I purchased a vintage trailer and turned it into my office) and a camping expedition on the horizon, I've now turned my focus to fun things I can take with me on camping trips and use outside at home during the summer. With a few straps of leftover wallpaper from my paper project, I trimmed a piece that fit perfectly in the bottom of my tray (if you don't have reusable sticky paper like mine, check out the new cool designs in shelf liner). I then took the legs from an old, rotten outdoor side table, removed them from the old and attached them to my fancy, sassy new tray. In under twenty minutes this plain Jane tray has become a chic outdoor table.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Fifteen minutes
COST: Zero, by using things I had around the house
STRESS LEVEL: creating a fun spot to rest my drink on a hot summer day: LOW

Money DOES grow on trees!!

2011-05-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

Well, not exactly, but I discovered a place that saves me a HECK of a lot of money. Actually, my Mother discovered it this weekend, so I had to drop what I was doing and zip over to take a look. Before I get there, can you guess what I paid $1 for in this picture? Actually, the ENTIRE room was designed (including furniture) for less than $300! OK, I'm getting carried away here. So, I hopped into THE DOLLAR TREE store (have seen them, but quite honestly, they scared me...like bed bugs kinda fear...call me a snob). The pillows, vases, light bulbs and other accessories you can't see were all purchased for $1/each at the Dollar Tree. When my Mom called me from the aisles of the store in her neighborhood in Southern California, I jumped online to www.dollartree.com to search locations and was shocked to find hundreds within fifty miles of us. Like dating, the first few were pretty awful. Dirty, stinky, mildly annoying. Then, the third one was just right. For kicks and giggles I popped into the Target store next door (the holy grail of retail shopping, in my book) and checked the prices for the same items I was purchasing at Dollar Tree: windex, soap for an upcoming camping trip, paper products, candles, etc. At the end of the day, window cleaner is window cleaner in my book. Pledge is pledge. Laundry detergent I hate to skimp on because, after all, my snoring face is on it for the better part of the day, so I like it to smell good. Other products, though, don't need to be expensive. For my every day cleaning/etc. items I saved $68 compared to what I would have spent at Target. That's a night out! In staging a home I hate to spend $30+ on throw pillows, so at $1/each WHO CARES!! So, while money doesn't grow on trees, if you shop at Dollar Tree from time to time you'll have enough extra to buy, say, a apple or pear tree! Not bad in my book!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Well, I roamed the aisles for about an hour
COST: Just in daily home products alone, I saved $68 in one shopping (the room in the photo was designed by using a sofa from the "as is' section at Ikea, rug from overstock.com, coffee table from a roadside flea market and pillows and accessories from the Dollar Tree.)
STRESS LEVEL: Taking the pain in the pump away slightly by spending less on paper products and soap: LOW

FRIDAY'S HOT LIST

2011-05-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

If you told someone you used an old trailer as a guest house, they most likely would think you had gone a little nuts, but I say why not? Now that the green is coming back after a long winters nap, our property has several cool little spots to hide an awesome trailer. Once upon a time I was actually planning on buying a mid century modern house in Palm Springs, California and using an airstream as a guest house, pink flamingos and all! Now, in a totally different climate I've decided to do that very thing. Only this time it's not an Airstream, it's a 1970's Serro Scotty (the cool aqua colors give it away), and our house is a hundred year old Farmhouse, not exactly "mid-century modern." My needs were the same, though. Joe started working from home and I NEEDED to get the heck out! Actually, I love camping and have always wanted a trailer, found this one at a great price on Craigs List and have started the restoration process. This week I found several cool, very 70's things to add to my trailer, so thought I would share. My Mother picked up the fabulous pink flamingo (I'm ordering another one in light blue) from one of the coolest party stores I've seen in Palm Springs (Party Lab @ www.partylab.com for $8.95). The solar powered blue lights (featured earlier this week) were a great find at Ikea (they also have great solar powered table lamps of all sizes), and I was thrilled to find the aluminum and mesh folding chairs at Target for $10/each. Last year I went nuts for Orla Kiely's line of melamine dishes at Target and now I see melamine everywhere, in every color. I popped into the Christmas Tree Store and found aqua colored bowls for $2, aqua placemats (6 for $1) and while skipping through the aisles of Home Depot I stumbled upon battery operated lights with velcro backing, so you can stick them anywhere....not very 70's but on my budget that's more like 1971, it helps to save! So, as Joe types away at his computer and takes call after call, I'm typing away in my cool, hip mobile office. And, oh yeah, I bought a 10'x10' piece of astroturf to finish off the look!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: 2 hours
COST: all under $20
STRESS LEVEL: Having fun in the sun: LOW

THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS AND DOGS

2011-05-05T12:58:00.001-07:00

The truth is, only if you have animals do you understand the true impact they can have on your life. Last year we lost our lovely Bones (behind Canyon in this photo) and, honestly, not a day goes by that we don't think about him. If you don't have animals, most likely that comment makes your eyes roll, but the starring roles in our house are always played by our K-9 friends. What does that mean, you ask? Your favorite chair, new sofa or expensive rugs are no longer your prized possessions if you have animals, because everything in your home is theirs. Trying to keep animals off of furniture is like praying that politicians won't lie, babies won't cry on airplanes and Monday mornings won't suck. I kinda feel like a smoker. If you come to our house, guess what, it's going to smell like smoke. Or, in our case, DOG. We try and try to get rid of the lovely scent of animal, but even our yuppie puppy stinks from time to time. So, before we have guests over I race around the house cleaning up after Canyon with help from my favorite Doctor. Purchase Pet Fresh or Fabreze and you'll simply mask the smell (often making it smell like Floral Poo), to get rid of it entirely I scrub everything with a rag drenched in Dr. Bronner's organic castile soap. Trader Joe's carries this great product (or Cost Plus, Target, etc.) that not only removes dirt and grime but takes paint, grease and other messes far away. Because my favorite spot to read the Sunday paper is Canyon's favorite spot to nap every day, it gets a bit nappy from time to time. So, I grab a wet rag, fill it with Dr. Bronners, scrub the heck out of the sofa then wipe it clean with another wet rag. The pungent smell of.....well.......is long, long gone!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Five minutes
COST: $7 at Target
STRESS LEVEL: Swiftly cleaning with this nifty soap: LOW

BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL

2011-05-04T12:14:00.001-07:00

Whether I'm shopping for a the perfect sofa for a client or toothpaste for myself, I'm always on the hunt for cool things. Yesterday, while shopping for a great client, I found some fantastic things at Ikea to make your summer a whole lotta fun! If you've been reading the last month, you know I purchased a vintage trailer and am in the process of renovating it on a tight, tight budget. My plan was also to make this trailer a home office (I'm sure that sounds tacky, but you'll have to withhold judgement until I am finished), so I'm looking for fun, 70's retro things to go along with my vintage trailer. Ikea carries an entire line of solar powered lights that, actually, are pretty cool. Even if you don't plan on camping this summer, if you dine outside or hang by the pool long after the sun sets, these inexpensive, hip creations from our Swedish friends might just do the trick to add a little flare to your fire. I picked up a string of solar powered lights in a light blue to match my trailer. Picture it...my trailer wrapped in lights with a pink flamingo (thanks to my Mother) standing proud next to it, while I sit in my very 70's orange plastic folding chair (bought at Target for $10.) It's been raining for the last two days in our neighborhood so I haven't had a chance to test these babies, but once the sun comes out I'm throwing them on my trailer to light up the night!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: lights need full sun exposure for at least four hours to work for at least five hours
COST: A string of lights in various colors or solids at Ikea cost $19. Table lamps start at $9, also solar powered and a great addition to any outdoor dining area or living space without the worry of tripping over wires or, God forbid, electric shock!
STRESS LEVEL: Hanging out under my special blue lights powered by the sun: LOW

A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

2011-04-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we spent Easter Sunday with Joe's parents. I've always found it interesting to watch friends with their parents and/or siblings, because it is an interesting snapshot into how they became who they are today. Take Joe's dad, for example. At first glance you can certainly tell that they are related, but beyond the physical similarities one might think they have nothing else in common until you talk to Joe Sr. He loves cars. He obsesses about his tools and the organization of them. Initially one might think he's quiet and reserved, but start talking and the man has a lot to say! So, while Joe and Joe were talking cars and other tool-like stuff, I was in the kitchen with Peggy, Joe's step mom. As part of the ten dishes she prepared for Easter dinner, she featured one that had been on Joe's list of favorites for years. Broccoli casserole. Apparently Peggy used to make this dish when she and her parents would take Joe camping in upstate New York when he was a kid. It's simple to make, delicious and lasts long enough to enjoy for days. Her secret recipe?? Potato chips on top!! After the Joe's gobbled up this dish, we came home and made it the next day. If you're feeding a herd this summer or just want something quick, easy, inexpensive and delicious, try Peggy's special!
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
2 ten ounce packages of frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and strained
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups crushed potato chips (or crackers)
2 tablespoons melted butter
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl combine broccoli, mayonnaise, cheese, soup and eggs. Mix well with metal spoon. Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with crushed chips and pour the melted butter evenly over the crackers. Bake for 35 minutes or until set and browned.
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: 45 minutes
COST: Less than $7
STRESS LEVEL: Serving a delicious meal without breaking the bank: LOW