Hi gang!
 
Let’s talk about color. First, here are some pretty interesting stats about how DIYers feel about color, courtesy of KILZ®:

• Men redecorate more often than women (men – 27% and women – 24 %). Both sexes said they redecorate about once every four years.
• More so than women, men are influenced by a paint color's name. (Who knew?) 14% of the men said they choose a paint by its name, but only 9% of women did the same.
• Of those surveyed, 91% were happy with the current color choices inside their home. Men were more content (95%), whereas more women were itching for change, with 89% saying they were currently content with their home colors.
• 71% believe a neutral is the way to go.
• 45% of the DIYers surveyed said a new interior wall color provides the greatest rejuvenation after a major life change.

If you are ready for a change, here are some tips you can think about as you choose a new color for your walls:
 
These days, the names of foods and nature are in. Wheat. Mushroom. Clay. Champagne. Apple crisp. But here's the inside scoop: all the colors are pretty much the same, year after year, with just a tweak or two. Don’t choose a paint because of its name – and never select a color in the store. Remember, a vibrant shade can always be neutralized with gray.
 
Be brave! For example, instead of doing that lighter beige, try a saddle brown. Having said that, neutrals do tend to outlast trends. If you want to play it safe, you can go neutral and add color with accessories like pillows.
 
When it comes to making that final decision, there's no rule other than look at it with your eyes. Bring many samples home and hang them on the wall. Look carefully and with a critical eye, keeping in mind that colors only work with what they're standing next to.
 
Finally, be daring – you can always take it off.
 
Ciao!
Lisa

Hi gang!

I cannot stress enough the importance of jewelry for your home. By jewelry, I refer to any metallic items you find in your rooms. I am referring to chandeliers and light fixtures, doorknobs, curtain rods, cabinet handles, hinges, and accessories. House jewelry is no less important to a well-designed room than a watch or a necklace is important to a great clothing wardrobe.

I have designed rooms that required loads of money, labor, painting, and sweat. At the very end of most projects, the item that has the biggest impact, the most drama, and highest wow factor always ends up being that chandelier that gets hung or those knobs drilled onto the cabinets at the last minute. Sometimes that light fixture was just an off the shelf $149.99 brushed nickel big box store item. Interesting that the rest of the room might have cost a small fortune. Sometimes those cabinet knobs cost only $5.99 each. Funny that the kitchen cabinets might have cost tens of thousands but the knobs totaled less than $200…

You can spend a small fortune on that house jewelry too! No gorgeous mahogany front door is complete without that top of the line Baldwin door handle entry lockset. And what could be more important than the front of your house? You can spend thousands on just cabinet knobs and handles too. With chandeliers, it goes without saying.

IKEA has a cabinet handle “Lansa” that I use often for a contemporary look on kitchen cabinets. They come in different lengths and can even be turned sideways and used as a towel bar on the side of a cabinet. They match beautifully with the handles on stainless steel appliances. At between five and ten dollars each they are a fraction of the cost of similar looking handles on the market.

What is your favorite metal finish? Brushed nickel, bronze, black iron, or brass?

Hi everyone!

Scent is one of the most evocative senses, triggering long-forgotten memories, and subtly influencing our moods and the feel of a space. Here are a few ideas to help you start thinking about what kind of scents to use in your home:

• Green tea can complement a Zen Asian room theme
• Wood scents might be a nice way to add a feeling of richness, character, and “age” to a brand new tract home
• Peppermint and citrus increase the feeling of alertness and are great used in a home office
• Lavender and chamomile scents are calming and can be used in a bedroom or any space that you want a relaxing feel
• Everyone loves the smell of a kitchen while baking. Vanilla and chocolate are great scents to create the feeling of warmth and “home”
• Apple and cucumber smell light and fresh and can actually make a room feel larger
• Pine and evergreen evoke the holidays
• The smell of leather and wood is perceived as “expensive”

I very rarely design a room without that final vase of flowers, bowl of fruit, or grouping of candles. Smell just adds that final dimension to a room’s design. How do you plan to incorporate scent into your home?

I love these colorful pillows from Trina Turk! This photo is also a great example of mixing floral and geometric patterns. If you’re scared of mixing patterns, don’t be! Mixing patterns can be a great way to add arty flair to a room.

Patterns stand out and star best when placed with a solid backdrop. Your backdrop can be solid additional pillows, bed linens, upholstery, or wall colors that complement. Be sure to have solids in a range of colors as backdrops for any patterns you use.

Feel free to mix solids, florals, and/or geometric pillows, but make sure there is a common ingredient – a color, a line quality, scale – something must unify them. When in doubt, assess your pattern pairings by asking yourself “would I wear this scarf with this shirt?”.

If you don’t want to spring for brand new pillows, you can also purchase pillowcases from a store like IKEA – or you can go a step further and sew your own! Here’s a quick article about how to sew your own pillowcases. Go to your nearest fabric store, and go to town!

What are some of your favorite patterns?