Whenever you are designing a room, whether you are accessorizing, redecorating, remodeling a room in your house, or moving to a new home entirely, the number one route to a successful outcome is to have a well thought out PLAN.
Read MoreSeen Around Town: New Tile Showroom
Just a quick post to introduce the new and improved Fitzgerald Tile showroom! The huge warehouse and showroom recently moved
Read MoreCorn Muffin Recipe
This Corn Muffin recipe comes from the historic Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts , and it is a favorite!
Read MoreMatching Lampshades to Lamp Bases
Lamps. We all need them. Overhead lights, if they exist in a room, are not conducive to reading or creating a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere. For spaces where the furniture arrangement may be flexible, and light is needed at eye level, lamps are the only option. And it is not that easy to find a good one!
Read MoreMantel Styling
As promised, here are some practical tips for styling a mantel, and I’ve included inspiration boards to illustrate a few possible suggestions which can be adapted for your particular style and colors. There are an endless variety of ways to style a mantel, but they all fall into 2 main categories: symmetrical and asymmetrical, or balanced.
Read MoreTurn a fireplace into your home's best feature
Fireplaces. There is nothing more gracious or appealing than a room with a fireplace. It gives the room a focal point, a mantel to decorate, and an instant air of home…home and hearth go hand in hand, after all. In my fantasy, I have fireplaces in multiple rooms in my house. And it IS possible to have this even if your house is currently lacking the charm of a fireplace or has a fireplace that is lacking charm…whichever.
Read MoreLove it and List it - Staging Tips from a Pro
Whether you are planning to sell your home in the next few months or the next 5 years, now is the time to start getting it ready so you can enjoy it AND have it ready to list when the time comes. There are some things that can be done ahead and some that should be revisited closer to listing.
Read MoreTales from the Kitchen: The Best Quiche Recipe
Ask anyone and they will have an opinion on quiche. From “real men don’t eat quiche” to “how can anything with cheese and bacon be bad?” If you hate it, you probably haven’t had GOOD quiche….
Read MoreThis is the quiche recipe that will ruin you for all other quiche…quiches…whatever…
Creating the Perfect Home Office
There are a lot of things to think through when designing a home office. Whether you use the space to work full time from home or just as an organizational hub for volunteer and household activities, it needs to be functional. BUT it also needs to be attractive - especially if it is adjacent to the public rooms in the house.
Read MoreA German Mulled Wine Recipe
We are celebrating the new year here with a special hot mulled wine beverage courtesy of my daughter, Jenna, who recently returned from a trip to Germany.
Read MoreThe Best Way to Decorate Around a Television
If there is a suspiciously large, flat, rectangular TV-shaped package under your tree, you may be about to encounter a new decorating dilemma for Christmas. OR maybe you finally caved and purchased one for a family member who wants to watch the Super Bowl in gloriously large detail. You are not alone. Nearly every household these days has more televisions than occupants, and how to integrate them into the décor is always an exercise in creative problem solving.
Read MoreHoliday Decorating Projects; before and after Part 2
Shortly before Thanksgiving, I got a message from an innkeeper who had just discovered that we offered a holiday decorating service. She was wondering if it was too late to hire us for an installation that needed to be done the week after Thanksgiving in order to be ready for the local Christmas Prelude celebrations which include tours of the historic inns…including hers. We were able, with some juggling, to squeeze in a site assessment visit, a couple days of shopping and her installation just in the nick of time!
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