Roomspinners Interior Redesign, Staging, and Color Consultation: August Newsletter

Ready to change a boring room?  Here are some quick tips to add color and update your plain lifeless room. 

·    Find an "inspirational piece" and pick one color that you absolutely love.  Paint one accent wall that color.  Select a couple more colors that coordinate with that color for other accessories.

·    Depending on your "piece" next select a theme to match your new colors.  Some ideas can be nature, sunsets, florals, architectural buildings, etc.

·    Go through your home and see if you have any candles or florals that will work in your room to make your new color combination alive.

·    Purchase some new accent pillows in your new color in one shade or two shades to add color accents to your furniture.

·    Find pictures from old magazines, the internet or posters from your local art/craft supply and replace in some existing frames that you already have.  Or you may purchase some frames at your local thrift store and paint in a neutral color like black, brown or white to coordinate your new look together.  Sometimes it is fun to find a photo and enlarge one section and use an oversized mat with a frame which highlights the picture even more.   

·    Another idea for décor is to go to your fabric store and check out some interesting decorative fabric and get some stretcher bars  and staple your fabric for wall art in your new colors.   

·    You can bring nature indoors with some simple accessories.  Find some twigs from your garden and garden stones.  Use a clear vase and put an arrangement together. 

Before you know it you have brought new life into a lifeless room.  If you don't have time or don't feel confident to start a new project, then pick up the phone and contact your Certified Interior Redesigner or Certified Color Consultant and they will be happy to get you going in the right direction.  Inspiration and motivation will get the job done!    

~ Irene Woodworth, IRIS, DCI - One Day Redesigns, Inc.

 

Though a Tea House is Japanese, the title suggested by an old movie serves as the inspiration for an Asian-inspired party built around appetizers and small tastings of dishes.  A tea ceremony is built around time honored rituals.  This party is build around casual dining and conversation.

                                                             (This gazebo pictured before embellishments) Consult the menus of your favorite take-out restaurant.  Some appetizers are relatively simple to prepare yourself either from scratch or may be purchased frozen and ready to cook. You might supplement with selections from one or two restaurants. This can work well as a co-op party and is particularly effective for introducing newcomers or groups of people.  Ask guests to bring an appetizer from their favorite restaurant.   Assemble serving plates and platters at lease an hour in advance.  Garnishes may be prepared up to a day in advance.  Be sure to identify the dishes to help guest who may have food allergies.

Decorations may include floating a single flower and leaf in a shallow bowl of water along with tiny floating oil globes (available in candle shops). Large banana, cannas or other real or silk tropical leaves may serve as placemats or runners.  Contemporary or Asian inspired lanterns, candle holders, mats, planters, serving pieces and figurines may be combined with a few iris, cannas, mums or orchid blossoms to create your Tea House of the August Moon tablescape.

Invitations will intrigue your guests if you compose your invitation in a font like Tempus Sans ITC on parchment looking paper.  Then wrap it around chopsticks, tie with cording or ribbon and if you like, finish with a wax or paper seal with an Asian character stamp.

~ Pam Faulkner, Faulkner House Interior Redesign