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decorating tips: Bookcases ~ A Novel Idea - 06/09/09 08:23 AM
Photo courtesy of Country Living MagazineI love books, so I think loving bookcases goes hand-in-hand with that. I have a pair of bookcases my hubby made for me as a gift one year - I love them if for no other reason than that he made them for me, but they absolutely came in handy as well. They will be coming with us when we down-size.I also have a pair of bookcases with drawers in my son's bedroom that will be repurposed into bookcases for my home office. They are pine, but I plan on painting them. My problem comes in … (12 comments)
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decorating tips: It's Time To Come Home ~ Finale - 03/16/09 10:15 AM
My "It's Time To Come Home" series has come to an end. We've talked about Color, Paint, Flooring, Lighting, Window Treatments and Accessories. There are links to each post at the bottom. This final segment is really about the most important part of your home - YOU!
We can add color, paint, window treatments and accessories, but your home is not your home without you, your family, friends and other loved ones enjoying it. Sharing how your day went with your family in your "just-right-shade-of-red" dining room; kicking back and playing a board game while sitting on the "this-carpet-feels-so-good" floor; getting ready … (9 comments)
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decorating tips: Spring Ahead ~ Not Just For Clocks - 03/06/09 07:50 AM
As we move our clocks ahead an hour this weekend and get ready to welcome Spring (I know, there is still snow on the ground), it is also a great time to start thinking about freshening up our homes that have been "closed up" for so many months. Interior Redesign may help give your home that freshening up it needs.
Spring-cleaning refers to more than just housekeeping. Spring-cleaning is also a time to clean out the clutter, banish winter from our homes, and lighten up our rooms. Redesigning a room, or rooms, in your home is a great Spring-cleaning project, as … (16 comments)
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decorating tips: It's Time To Come Home ~ Lighting - 02/12/09 08:12 AM
Lighting can make or break a room, but many people don't give it a second thought. That paint color you labored over choosing can wind up looking like the worst choice you've ever made based on the lighting you use in that room. Let's take a look at the three basic types of lighting.
Task lighting is lighting that performs a function for a task. Task lighting should be in every room in your house. From desk lamps to table lamps, before purchasing a lamp, keep in mind what tasks you will be using it for. Reading lamps should be above eye … (19 comments)
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decorating tips: Mount Sinai Adult Ed Program for Spring 2009 ~ Window Treatments - 02/03/09 10:39 AM
Photo courtesy of Smith & Noble
The Spring 2009 Mount Sinai Adult Education Program booklet is out! You can view it online here, as well as access the registration form.
My class on Window Treatments will take place on Thursday, March 12, 2009, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in room HS 107 of the Mount Sinai High School, North Country Road, Mount Sinai, New York. The class fee is $10.00; free to senior citizens.
We will be discussing the wide variety of window treatment options available and how to decide which is the best treatment for your windows. Bring pictures of your own windows!
I … (9 comments)
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decorating tips: It's Time To Come Home ~ Flooring - 01/27/09 08:42 PM
One of the largest single surfaces in your home is the floor. This article will take a look at the many options available in flooring and which one, or combination of choices, will work best in your home.
Wood ~ There is nothing that evokes warmth and timeless appeal more than wood floors. Wood does not harbor allergens, is renewable and easily recyclable. Many decorating magazines show homes that utilize reclaimed or salvaged wood. You can add stencils, borders or medallions (or a combination of the three). Wood floors are favored in living rooms, dining rooms, and family … (22 comments)
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decorating tips: It's Time To Come Home ~ Window Treatments Part II - 01/23/09 10:22 AM
Photo courtesy of Smith & Noble
Types of Window Treatments
Draperies - heavy material with pleated panels. May draw across the rod or remain stationery on either or both sides of the window.
Drapes with Cornice Photo courtesy of Smith & Noble
Cornices - horizontal treatment across the top of the window. Usually made of wood. Maybe padded and covered with fabric.
Valances - horizontal treatment across the top of the window. Generally made from fabric.
London Shade Photo courtesy of Smith & Noble
Lambrequins - a cornice that extends down the sides of the windows, sometimes to the floor.
Shirred … (19 comments)
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decorating tips: It's Time To Come Home ~ Window Treatments - 01/21/09 11:27 AM
Drape Photo courtesy of Smith & Noble
Due to the abundance of information on window treatments, this post will be in two parts.
Window treatments -- besides "color" these two words alone can strike fear into the hearts of homeowners. When you think about all the choices to make about window treatments - material, fabric, color, size, options and hardware, it's not surprising that many new homeowners still have paper shades on their windows five years later. However, if you break it down, deciding what kind of window treatments to use on your windows can be a stress-free decision.
… (8 comments)
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decorating tips: It's Time To Come Home ~ Color - 01/18/09 07:45 PM
Now that we've discussed the applications available for your walls, let's look at colors - not only for use in those applications, but also in the other accessories you may bring into a room. It is not unusual to ask a client what colors they feel good wearing, because you can translate those same colors used in clothing lines into the home. Color is an emotional choice and chances are if you are happy wearing certain colors, or think you look good in certain colors, you will surround yourself with those colors in your home. Also look to accessories like … (13 comments)
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decorating tips: It's Time To Come Home ~ Walls - 01/16/09 10:10 AM
Walls - they are what enclose your home from the outside world and separate rooms within your home. The dictionary defines walls as "a vertical structure forming an inside partition or an outside surface of a building." For the purposes of this article, we will be discussing the interior walls of your home.
This part of the series will be broken down into Paint, Wallpaper, Faux Techniques and Other Options. I hope you will visit some of the websites listed to get more of an in-depth idea of these different treatments.
Paint ~ Paint is probably one of the … (13 comments)
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decorating tips: It's Time To Come Home ~ Series Introduction - 01/15/09 01:22 PM
Photo courtesy of Sienna Plantation (Texas)
http://www.siennaplantation.com/homes.php
Whenever something happens in the world that affects us, the one place we can truly feel relaxed and comfortable is in our homes. As 1930's former film star and interior decorator William Haines said, "The only real freedom we have is our home. Only there can we express anything we want."
This year I plan on writing a series that will assist you in making your home the welcoming sanctuary you can retreat to at the end of the day. The basic foundation of the series is the message that "It's Time To Come … (13 comments)
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decorating tips: Affordable Decorating Tips - 03/16/08 07:04 PM
One of the easiest things to do, without spending any money, is to look around your rooms and clean up any clutter. This includes too many knick-knacks on display, too many family pictures, too much of anything. Remember, less is more. Your accessories will make a bigger impact when they can be fully appreciated. If too many things overwhelm your eye those special items will not stand out. If necessary, pack up some items for six months and then rotate them back out.
Move things around. Furniture, accessories, and pictures. Move things to another room to see it in another light.
Make … (11 comments)
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decorating tips: Simple Ways To Accessorize For The Holidays - 11/30/07 09:08 AM
Photo courtesy of Pottery Barn
To help keep your decorating simple yet seasonal, Kathy Passarette of Long Island, New York based Creative Home Expressions, a interior decorating, home staging and redesign firm, offers these tips:
Clear glass vases from Pottery Barn (starting at $24) or apothecary jars from decorator discount stores such as Home Goods (starting at $12.99) offer a wealth of opportunity for decorating. Fill these creative "blank canvases" with Faux Cranberry Vase Filler from Pottery Barn for $14, German Glitter Stars Vase Filler for $19 or Pinecone Vase Filler for $14. These make a great statement and give you a … (14 comments)
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decorating tips: Safe Candles - 11/06/07 10:31 AM
These pillar candles are from Restoration Hardware and run on batteries. I think of them as safe candles. Great for putting in among greenery for the holidays or even on a table without having to worry about pets or little ones knocking into them. I think these are a good option for, not just decorating, but for home staging. They come in four sizes: votive, small, medium and large. They range in price from $10.00-32.00. Batteries are not included.
They also come in a string version for lining the mantel and in Christmas tree lights.
No drips, no smoke, no fire. Here's … (30 comments)
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Kathy Passarette, L.I. Staging/Decorating
Mount Sinai,
NY
More about me…
Creative Home Expressions
Office Phone: (631) 987-3097
Email Me
Thoughts, tips and experiences from Kathy Passarette of Creative Home Expressions, Long Island, New York.
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