Minding Your Mantels

On Friday February 9 The Home Stylist was included in a very nice article on decorating fireplace mantels.There are a lot of great tips and ideas in this article.

Take a look:Here is a link to the Buffalo News article hosted on Builder Online

New Before and After Decorating Photos

Just wanted to spread the news that I finally added over 16 new before and after decorating photos to The Home Stylist website. And The Style Store on the website is now up and running too. You can find online decorating consultations, pre-selected resource books and recommended tools in one location.

BEFORE:

AFTER:





Be sure to visit the Before and After Gallery on TheHomeStylist.com

Also check out The Style Store on TheHomeStylist.com

Small decorating challenge - Kitchen Storage

Small decorating changes can make large differences in how a room looks and feels. Here is a simple decorating challenge for you. Show me how you store items in your kitchen. The more unique the better.This homeowner uses a vintage shoe-shine box. It has room for the wooden spoons and spatulas. And a nifty carrying handle. Isn't it cool! The best part is that the homeowner is kinda a shoe freak. It is a great match of passion with function.





Show me what you have. Send me an e-mail with a photo. I'll share them with others.http://mailto:julie@thehomestylist.com

Extra seating

I was recently working on a client's home where we needed to fill in a big empty corner. I simply took the ottoman and added a pillow - viola - an extra chair. With a magazine rack beside it, you have a nice spot for reading. The best aspect was no money was spent.



If you have no-cost "fill-in-an-empty-spot" ideas, please send them to me. I would love to share them with others.

What are you watching?

A New year often brings new goals. What is your goal this year?For a few people this year a goal will be getting your house ready to sell.

If you doubt that thoroughly preparing your home for selling is optional, just take a look at Nielson ratings on HGTV shows.

The top 10 HGTV shows are:
1. House Hunters
2. Design on a Dime
3. My house is worth what?
4. Designed to Sell
5. House Hunters International
6. National Open House
7. Hidden Potential
8. Designer's Challenge
9. Buy me
10. Divine Design.

With 7 out of 10 shows centered on real estate, the public expects to see your house in its best possible light.

Home staging is no longer an option.What are you watching?

Authentic Christmas Decorating

This year I have been in the Christmas spirit a little earlier than usual. I have been helping a family decorate their home for a Holiday Tour of Historic Homes. Both sides of the family are from Swedish decent. They wanted their home to reflect their heritage and interests.

To me this is how decorating should be done, authentic and true to passions not just by the hottest trends. Yes, you need to be up-to-date but balanced with your personal interests.

The newest issue of the magazine "domino" came out the other day. Guess what holiday decorating style was featured? Yep, Scandinavian. I love it when authenticity meets what happens to be cool. Some of the Christmas tree ornaments that are on this Holiday Tour of Homes tree are exact what was on page 63-64 of December's domino.

Swedish decorating is very organic and simple. Here are a few pictures from that house (by the way - the house was built in 1890):

The red berries and ivy came direct from the nearby yard. (no cost decorating at its best).

Even the presents under the tree are wrapped in a simple authentic style. The tree has only white or straw ornaments in keeping with the style.

Some of the above ornaments were personally woven by the homeowner.

I would love to see how you authentically decorate for the holidays. Please send an e-mail to me with photos. I would love to share them. Send them to julie@thehomestylist.com

The new "it" room

Over the years specific rooms in houses are pushed by the media as the new 'it' room to focus remodeling and redecorating efforts on. In the past the master bedroom was in all the magazines and TV shows before that it was the dining room. There is a new 'it' room on the horizon.

Did you guess?

It is ...The laundry room.

Recently I bid on several spaces in a competitive and prestigious Decorator's Show house.

(If you have never been to a Decorator's Show house. It is usually a major fund raiser that gets a donated mansion. Each room is awarded to a decorator to design. The public then purchases tickets for a tour. If you have never been to one, I highly recommend searching for one in your area because you will get lots of fabulous ideas to use in your own home and help a charity at the same time).

For an upcoming Decorator's Show House, I was given the Laundry room to make over. I can't wait. Not only is the laundry room the new "it" room but this Show House's laundry room is in terrible shape so the before and after photos will be dramatic.


I have never been this excited about laundry before!

Here is a little peak at the before photo.





Stay tune for the occasional update on the progress of this room.