DEAR ROSE MARIE: A quick, easy and no cost way to give your room a new look is simply using what you already own. It’s what we in the industry call interior redesign. In just one day and with a little bit of work you can have a completely new room.

Where you start is by completely emptying the room. I know this is a lot of work but it is essential in getting a new look. It’s hard to see how a room can look different with everything where it currently is. Just like an artist, you need to start with a blank canvas.

So first remove your accessories, lamps, plants and then your artwork. Place them where they will be out of the way. Put breakables on the kitchen counter or dining table and lamps on the floor, along a wall so you don’t trip on them. Keep like items grouped together, just how it’s done in the stores. Place artwork by size and try not to lay them in front of each other. The best place to put them is either down the hall or in another room.

Now it’s time to move your furniture. Try to get everything completely out of the room. If not, move it as far out as you can. Be very careful not to hurt yourself; this is not a one-person project. I use carpet installers’ moving glides, but even the little moving discs are helpful for those heavy items. With the room completely emptied, it’s OK to take a short break, but remember everything needs to go back in. You can figure spending about four to six hours for an average-sized family room.

Your next step is to stand in the middle of the room and take notice of the lines in the room. This is easiest to do by looking down at the floor and baseboards. Do you have any angled walls, floor tiles set on a diagonal, or does your carpet and tile meet on a diagonal? Always work with the angles in the room versus against them. Don’t be afraid to place your furniture on an angle. It’s what will give your room a new look and one that is more interesting than before.

Do you have any architectural focal points like a fireplace, great view, built-in bookcase or entertainment unit? Of course, in the family room the television is the primary focal point. Watching television is the main function of the room. It’s important to identify your primary focal point as the next step is to place your furniture.

Start with your sofa and place it addressing the television. What I mean by addressing is that when you are sitting on the sofa, the television is in your line of sight. The sofa does not have to be directly across from the television; it could be on an angle to it, but it shouldn’t be at a right angle. You don’t want to have to turn your head completely to the side to watch television; it’s just not comfortable.

Once your sofa is placed, is there another important focal point in the room you want to see while sitting on the sofa. If you can’t see it, try placing your sofa in different positions until you can see both. Or are you OK if you can see it from another piece of furniture? So, next place your love seat or chair at a right angle to the sofa. If you have a third chair, place it on a diagonal across from this grouping to balance your furniture arrangement in the room. If you don’t have another chair, take one from another room that you’re not using.

Now it’s time to bring back your lighting. A trick to lighting your room is to place your lamps in a diagonal, or preferable, triangular pattern. This ensures that you won’t have any dark corners. Place your trees and floor plants next. If there is a plug nearby, accent them with a floor uplight.

The next step is artwork. You want your artwork to relate to the items around it. Don’t just have it floating on the wall. It’s always best to anchor it to the floor with a piece of furniture or floor plant. A very large piece without something underneath it will give you an uneasy feeling. The bottoms of the artwork should be level with the floor or the piece you’re hanging it over. Only stagger artwork up a staircase.

Try not to place the same pieces of artwork in the same places. This is one thing that will give your room a new look. Just because it was over the sofa before doesn’t mean that’s where it has to go again.

The final and finishing touches are your accessories. Start with the focal areas in your room, normally the coffee table and mantel. The rule of odd numbers and asymmetrical arrangements always work; they are more interesting and pleasing to the eye. Just like with your art, switch things around. It’s been proven that after 27 days we no longer take notice to the things around us. If you are uncomfortable with accessorizing, look in model homes and magazines for placement ideas to follow.

As with all decorating, it’s about balance, proportion and simply how the room feels. If something just doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not properly placed. So move it around until it does. That’s the beauty of interior redesign. Follow your instincts and with these simple steps you’ll be surprised and amazed how different your room will look without spending a dime.

• Candles – Decorated Tapers or slide on Flower Rings
• Change out your Candy Dish – Valentine Hearts, Jelly Beans, Jaw Breakers, Candy Corn, Ribbon Candy
• Have a Small Table Top Holiday Tree and Change the decorations every month
• Change the photos in a couple frames for the celebration of the month – 1st Day of School, Pool Parties, Halloween Costumes, Opening Christmas Presents, Holiday Family Get-Togethers
• Use Decorated Finger Tip Towels and Soap in your Powder Bath
• Change the table topper on a side table. There are always Great Themed Fabrics in the discount fabric stores. A small topper can be made with less than a yard. This is my favorite thing to do, but I place a topper on my kitchen table. I then place a piece of glass over it so we can sit there and not worry about getting it soiled.
• Bring out any Dolls or Figurines. I have a Singing in the Rain Doll for April Showers and old Holly Hobbie Figures for Mother’s Day and Christmas Barbies.
• Change your Potpourri – Seashell in June, Pumpkin in November, Pine in November
• Use Small Themed Gifts bags for your potpourri or candy.
• Change the cover on an accent pillow. It is easier to store the pillowcases, then 12 pillows.
• Keep it simple and just change your napkin ring holders and not all the table linen.

ONE LAST WORD – If you only want to change one area each month, have a small table in your entry, living or family room which you can easily decorate each month with one or two items.

ANY MONTH – Birthdays, Nationality, Home Town, Current Town

• Old Birthday Pictures
• Dutch – Tulips, Wooden Shoes
• New York – Statue of Liberty, Jacks, Picture Books
• Las Vegas – Playing Cards, Dice, Slot Machine

JANUARY – New Years

• Party Hats, Noise Makers, Champagne Glasses, Confetti

FEBRUARY – Valentine’s or President’s Day

• Hearts, Cupid, Candy, Roses, Lace
• President’s Silhouettes or Pictures

MARCH – St. Patrick’s Day, Spring

• Shamrocks, Leprechauns, Rainbow, Pot of Gold
• Butterflies, Flowers, Watering Cans, Kites

APRIL – Easter, Passover, April Showers

• Bunnies, Chicks, Baskets, Candy
• Umbrellas, Rain Boots & Slickers

MAY – Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, May Day

• Mother & Child, Hats & Gloves
• May Pole, Ribbons

JUNE – Father’s Day, Summer

• Pipes, Slippers, Fishing, Camping
• Beach or Pool Items, Cotton Candy, Fireflies

JULY – 4th of July

• Anything Red, White & Blue, Sparklers
• Stars, Flags, Fireworks

AUGUST – Barbecues

• Chef’s Hat, Mitts, Hot Dogs, Popcorn

SEPTEMBER – Start of School, Autumn

• Pencil or Lunch Boxes, Book Bags, Old Uniforms
• Leaves, Rakes, Scarecrows, Cinnamon, Gourds

OCTOBER – Halloween, Columbus Day

• Costumes, Cob Webs, Cats, Spiders, Candy Corn
• Globe, Ships, Maps, Nautical Items

NOVEMBER – Thanksgiving, Elections

• Horn of Plenty, Pilgrims, Indians, Turkeys
• Election Buttons, Bumper Stickers, Campaign Hats and Signs

DECEMBER – Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Wonderland

• Holiday Decorations
• Snowflakes, Snowmen, Icicles, Sleds, Skates, Mittens, Pine Cones

# 1 Look around your home for items you could easily change or use in a different way. How about using a fun container for your florals or silk plants, instead of an ordinary basket or planter – ice bucket, picnic basket, hat box, garden pail, watering can, briefcase, umbrella stand, gravy boat, water pitcher or an old colander.

# 2 Simply re-arrange or move your items to a different room. After a while we do not see the things in front of us. But placing them in a new setting, we seem to appreciate them again.

# 3 Exchange accessories with a friend. We sometimes tire of what we have, so instead of throwing, packing or giving them away, why not trade out some items with a friend for a while. We’re always borrowing jewelry and clothes, so why not accessories.

# 4 Bring out an old childhood treasure and display it.

# 5 Visit your local thrift or discount stores and search for “A Find”.

# 6 Don’t pass up those yard sales. Remember, one person’s trash is another’s treasure.

Here are some fun and simple decorating ideas for the different areas of your home.

KITCHEN & DINING ROOMS
• Put your flowers in one of the containers mentioned above.
• Add a table cloth to your table. To keep it clean, place a piece of glass over it.
• Add or change the seat covers on your bar stools.
• Tie your napkins with a fun, colorful item – ribbons, pipe cleaners, beads, ivy, shoelaces, leather, pony tail holders, bandannas.
• Add a colorful dish towel.
• Cover your bulletin board with a fun novelty fabric or wallpaper.

From - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ExclusivelyByMaritza

LIVING & FAMILY ROOMS
• Change the pillows on your sofa or wrap them in a fun fabric.
• Change out your candle colors.
• Drape ivy or a flower garland on the edge of a picture.
• Change the photos in your frames. Get them out of your albums, boxes and drawers. During someone’s birthday, it is fun to place photos from past years in a couple of frames. How about pictures from past Fourth of July or Halloween parties. What about old school pictures for September.
• Change out a couple flowers in your floral arrangements.

BEDROOMS & BATHS
• Change your accent pillows on the bed. Bring out one of the secondary colors from your bedding.
• Place your make-up, hair items, or jewelry in a novelty or colorful hat box. They look pretty and they hide clutter.
• Place your perfume on a mirrored tray.
• Group different sized and colored candles on a mirrored tray, or use an 8 x 10 frame and sprinkle glitter, confetti or pressed flowers under the glass.
• Use an accent table lamp on the bath counter as a night light.
• Add colorful hand towels.
• Put potpourri in a small gift bag on your dresser or guest bath counter.
Don’t be afraid to be creative in your home. Have fun and always remember, it is your home, so have something you love to look at in each room.

When I think of summer, some of the things that come to mind are: Crisp White Linens, Soft Sheer Panels, Watermelons and Strawberries, Picnic Baskets, Sunflowers and Daisies, Straw Hats and Beach Blankets, White Wicker Furniture, and Lemonade. We want to feel more comfortable and have easy care maintenance with quick and easy clean-ups. So take these ideas and use them as decorating themes throughout your home, inside and out.

BRINGING THE OUTDOORS INTO YOUR HOME
The winter is over, the days are longer and the sun is shinning bright, so let’s freshen up our indoor’s.

1. Open the blinds and let the sunshine in when you’re home. Use soft sheer panels to dress your windows to give them a clean and fresh feel. Add garlands of flowers to your existing window treatments, daisies are one of my favorites. If your room is lacking light, add a mirror across from a window to help bring the sunlight in.

2. Add the calming sound of water with a fountain. Place it in an area where it can be heard from a couple different areas in your home.

3. Bring a casual feel of the outdoors in your family room, with a white wicker chair, stool or side table. Yard sales are a great place to pick up these pieces this time of year, because people have bought new for their patio. You can spruce them up with a can of white spray paint.

4. Have fun and theme your kitchen and entice your senses with watermelons and strawberries. Use placemats and napkins for your table, a bowl or pitcher for the counter, and a couple small prints for the walls. Or how about bringing some Surf and Sand to Las Vegas with a beach party theme. Use a beach towel for a tablecloth and place a bowl or pail of sand on the table with shells and candles.

5. Freshen and brighten your color scheme and add pillows, flowers and painted frames. If you have navy blue add a sky blue, terra cotta add peach, hunter green add moss. Then add white, as it brings a crisp, fresh and clean feel to every room.

6. Punch up your accessories with wonderful summertime containers. Picnic baskets are great for hand towels in your baths and for storing your newspapers and magazines. You can also tablescape your coffee table with a straw hat, a basket with greens trailing out, and then use a beach blanket as a runner. Terra cotta pots also bring the outside in. Group a couple different sizes together on your table, fill with sand and place a single candle in the middle of each pot.

7. Summertime also means fresh flowers. When you’re out grocery shopping buy just the $3.00 bunch of flowers and place them throughout the house in bud vases. You can pick up bud vases at most thrift stores for around 25 cents. Place them in your entry to greet your guests, master bed and bath to welcome you in the morning and remember those unexpected corners and niches throughout your home.

8. Pull up those area rugs and let your tile and wood floors shine through for the summer. Give your feet a cool touch and your room a new look.

9. Decorate indoors for the holiday that we normally celebrate outdoors, the 4th of July. Add red, white and blue to your greenery and floral arrangements with flags, flowers, candles and ribbons. Make a patriotic table topper and add some no-sew pillows to your family room.

10. Bring the sky indoors with clouds. Watch for the newest decorating theme of air in dishes, linens and glassware. Paint a faux sky of clouds in your kitchen, bath or children’s room.

BRINGING THE INDOORS OUT TO YOUR PATIO AND YARD
Whether you live in a home, apartment or condominium you can enjoy the outdoors. Here are ten ideas to extend your entertaining and living space outdoors.

1. Arrange your patio into separate areas just as you have in your home. Have a dining area with your table and chairs, living area with chairs and side table, and an area to relax with lounge chairs.

2. Use comfortable furniture with cushions and pillows. If you have a covered patio and the furniture will be protected, don’t be afraid to use regular furniture. You can save money by buying at a thrift or consignment stores and have all the comforts of home, outdoors.

3. Set your patio table with fun outdoor dishes, linens and colorful potted plant as a centerpiece.

4. Add lighting so that you can sit, read and relax. Use table and floor lamps just like you do inside. Plus don’t forget accent lighting to make your patio twinkle. Use up lights on plants and trees and drape Christmas lights around your patio railings or cover. Follow the same principle for proper lighting placement as we do indoors. If your furniture is properly placed, your lighting will fall on a diagonal or triangular path.

5. Bring out some of your favorite accessories. Use frames, vases, pottery, potted plants and have a throw for when the evening gets cool.

6. Install fans and misters for those hot evenings to bring the air conditioning out.

7. Soften the hard surfaces of your doors, windows and patio cover with fabric. Treat them with easy care fabrics that can be removed and washed, since we do have a bit of more dust than other parts of the country. Pole swag treatments or simple rod pocket valances or panels work best. Use inexpensive fabrics from the dollar stores that you won’t mind replaces after a couple seasons.

8. If you’d like to spend more afternoons outside and need sun control, add operable shades. You can use a retractable awning, woven shade, or make a rolled or roman shade from fabric.

9. Use candles for a wonderful inviting and romantic candle lit setting in the evening.

10. Don’t be afraid to add artwork. You can hang them directly on your home, just make sure that they are properly secured and you use the proper tools not to damage the stucco. If you have a wood patio cover, add stenciling to the wood beams and supports.

When bringing the indoor’s out, the main things you have to keep in mind are easy maintenance, sun control, and properly securing items for our sometimes unexpected winds. So enjoy the summer, both indoors and outdoors and have fun decorating.

Pre-Planning.  We’ve talked about planning many times before and it’s just as important to take the time and plan your home finish selections, as we do when decorating with furniture and fabrics.  You’ll want to spend some pre-planning time before going to your design center appointment.  Start with making a list of the following items:

• Items you must have in your new home.  Maybe a sink in the laundry room would make hand washing easier.  Or a desk in the kitchen is a must for a central computer space.  Or a walk-in shower is a necessity since you’re not able to step into a tub.  “Must haves” are those items that you need to make your life easier and a necessity to making your home functional for you.
• Items you would like to have in your new home.  “Like to have” is different than “Must have”.  You’d like to have a wine chiller, central vacuum, and intercom system or maybe accent lighting under the kitchen cabinets.  “Like to haves” are those items that you would just like to have if your budget allows.
• Items you do not want in your new home.  Did you hate your wall-to-wall carpet in your hallways?  Did the glass block in your master bedroom just heat up the room?  These are the items that you have already had in a home and never want again.

 The next thing on your list needs to be how much you are willing to spend on your upgrades. 

You won’t be able to put a number to each item, but if you have a general idea of your budget, it will help you stay focused and not overspend without making the conscious decision to do so.  With the number of upgrades and options available, it is very easy to get excited and their costs add up quickly. 

 Upgrade Options.  Depending upon your builder and home, there can be hundreds of items available to upgrade.  We’re going to look at the most common items that most builders offer as upgrades. 

Flooring - One of the items I would consider upgrading is your flooring.  This will be a large part of your budget and a long-term item that is not quickly replaced.  Purchase the best carpet you can afford.  A good quality carpet with proper maintenance will last 10 to 15 years.  Always upgrade to the best pad for the carpet you select. 

 If selecting tile, look at the larger size tiles and place them on a diagonal.  Placing them on a diagonal will normally add about 10% to the cost, but it opens up any area.  Consider placing a hard surface; such as tile, stone or wood in your traffic flow areas instead of carpet. 

 Upgrade your Foyer by adding a tile medallion or patterned design in the floor.  A tile rug design using a tile border and then placing a smaller tile inside the border at a different direction than your floor tile, is a simple and inexpensive upgrade. 

 Counters - Consider a solid surface for your counters if tile is your standard. A solid surface is easier to maintain.  If upgrading all the counters is not in your budget, upgrade the kitchen since it gets the most use.  If you choose to select the standard tile for your counters, consider upgrading the tile backsplash with a deco liner or accent tile. 

 Cabinets – You will probably be given different cabinet woods, stain colors, door styles and additional areas as upgrade options.  If the standard is acceptable to you, you would be better to stay with the standard and then add additional cabinets in some of the areas that are offered.  It is normally less expensive for the builder to add the extra cabinets, than for you to do afterwards.  To dress up your cabinets, you can add hardware after you move in. 

 If you do not like the cabinets, by all means upgrade to what you like.  This is not an item that you will probably ever replace and much more expensive to change at a later date.  If you have to limit the upgrade, first select the wood that you like, then the stain color and finally the door style.  Again a flat panel door can be upgraded with hardware.  

 Electric - Many builders also offer electrical packages, additional outlets for electric, phones, cable, and ceiling fans, and extra can light locations.  I would add anything that you feel you will need.  I have found that it is less expensive and easier for your builder to add these items, versus you doing them later.

 Paint – Flat paint is the standard in almost all homes.  You will have to repaint your home within a short period, as standard flat paint is not scrubable.  You can only gently clean flat paint. Be careful cleaning, otherwise you’ll be down to the wallboard. 

If your builder will allow you to select a color of your choice and at least a low sheen or eggshell finish, upgrading is normally cost effective.  If not, consider having your home painted before you move in.  It is less expensive for a painter to paint your home without furniture.  Or, if you have the time, you’ll save thousands by painting it yourself. 

 Windows  - In our climate the Low “E” windows really do help with heat control.  Windows are expensive to replace at a later date.  You are not able to take advantage of the credit you’ll receive from the builder for the standard windows you are switching out. 

 Appliances – There are all kinds of wonderful appliances now; even blenders that can be built into your counter with interchangeable pieces.  You should do your homework on what you want and price them out before selecting.   Appliances are easier to change later than other items.  Although, you’ll have to consider any cabinet or counter remodeling you would have to do with new ones. If your builder is giving you an upgrade for the standard, you’ll probably have more credit money to use.  But if the standard is very base grade, you might want to price what you want out before upgrading. 

 There are many other upgrades you will be offered.  If your budget doesn’t allow you to upgrade everything you’ll want, upgrade as many of the permanent items.  Then at a later date, change or add some of the items that were on your “Like To” list; such as: security systems, decorative paving, patio covers, faucets, light fixtures, window tinting, window sills, window treatments, and moldings. 

With each one, ask yourself: Is this something that I absolutely want?  Is this something that I can easily add or replace myself after I move in?   Is this something that will cost me more to add afterwards? 

It is great that the builders are making all priced homes more custom.  Another wonderful thing about upgrading, is that they will be done when you move in.  Be smart in selecting what items you upgrade and make sure and do some research on the items you are considering and what a fair price for them will be.

Furniture is the foundation of your design in any room. It will be the most expensive portion of your design budget and one that you will not easily change. Which is why it is so important to have a written plan when starting your shopping. You don’t want to end up buying something you really don’t need or spending your whole budget on one piece and then not be able to finish the room. So let’s start with the first step, planning and arranging.

PLANNING & ARRANGING - When putting together your plan, if you are going to be incorporating existing furniture pieces, it is important to have the room properly arranged with those existing pieces first. If you are lacking pieces to use, borrow from other rooms in the mean time so that you can visually see how the room with be arranged. When arranging a room you need to consider your focal points, room shape, architectural features and elements, traffic flow, and use. The design statement of, Form Follows Function is very true, so your room must properly function first, before you can consider buying new. When you have properly arranged the room, the pieces you will need will automatically present themselves. Write down what those pieces are and what their measurements will be. This now gives you your first step in your shopping list. If you are purchasing all new, you will need to take the time and draw a floor plan and layout the furniture. Sizes can be deceiving when shopping because a large sofa can look small in a 10,000 showroom, but in your 12 x 15 room it could be very oversized. Many styles have large arms, which can amount to an additional 24” on an upholstered piece.

Whether using existing or buying new, one quick check to make sure your furniture is properly arranged in any room, is that the room has adequate lighting. A Trick Of The Trade is that the lighting should fall on at least a diagonal or best a triangular pattern. This insures that there are no dark areas of a room.

BUDGETING – Now that you have your list of furniture pieces, it is time to write out your budget. Keep in mind that, “Budget is not just what we can afford, but what we are willing to spend.” Look at each piece you have written down on your list and think of what you are willing to spend for that piece and then what your budget will allow. As with anything, there are all price ranges for furniture. If you haven’t shopped for furniture in a while, do some research before heading out. If you have Internet access, browse through a couple furniture sites to get a feel for the price ranges of the furniture you are considering. Also, read through the advertisements in the newspaper.

Another thing to consider when budgeting is quality and use. It is always best to purchase the best quality you can afford, but if you are working on a budget, consider how often the furniture will be used. You can purchase a lesser quality sofa in a living room that is just for show versus your family room. Your coffee table will get more use than a sofa back table. Your kitchen set will get more use than your formal dining room. A couple questions to ask yourself when budgeting for furniture are: Who will be using it? Where will it be used? What will it be used for? How long do you plan on keeping it? and How often will it be used?

PICTURES – With the work steps out of the way of deciding what you need and how much you want to spend, you now can have fun spending time pulling together pictures of furniture pieces you like, fabrics and styles. Gather up decorating magazines, books, advertisements, photographs you’ve taken at models and tag what you like and write why you like it. Maybe it is the style of the piece, the fabric, color, the shape of the arm or the overall feel of the room. Place all of these items in a decorating folder, which you will take shopping with you. This step will help ease your frustration when looking for something in particular and also help the Salesperson at the store in locating for you exactly what you want. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.

SHOPPING – You are now ready to go shopping with confidence on what you need, where it will be placed, what the size will be, and what you want it to look like, because you are going to shop with the following items; your furniture list, budget, your decorating folder of pictures and swatches, samples of your carpet, tile, paint, fabrics, wallpaper and a tape measure. Now all you have to decide is where you are going to go. There are many furniture stores in town with more opening every day. You have already been looking at ads, so start with the store that seems to meet your budget and style. Look in the yellow pages and call a couple stores before you go. You can also consider hiring an Interior Designers to help you shop. They know most store’s styles and price ranges. Interior Designers will charge you an hourly fee to shop, but most will pass on the trade discount provided by the stores that offer them. This alone will save you time and money when you shop.

Along with retail stores, here is a list from my book A Decorating 10! of different places to shop for furniture,

1. Yard Sales

2. Consignment Stores

3. Thrift Stores

4. Hotel Liquidations

5. Model Home Sales

6. Rent-A-Centers

7. Estate Auctions

8. Bankruptcy Sales

9. Unclaimed Items At Storage Companies

10. Clearance Centers

Plus a couple extra – Classified Ads, Trade with a Friend, Garden Centers, Second-Hand Furniture Stores, Swap Meet, Flea Market and Antique Malls.

Shopping for furniture should be an enjoyable and exciting time, not a chore. If you go prepared you will eliminate the frustration and time spent and also be making an informed and smart investment in your home. Happy Decorating!

The fall is a wonderful time for us to enjoy here in Las Vegas.  We may not have the beautiful changing of the leaves, like other parts of the country, although a short trip to Mt. Charleston can put you in the mood, but you can give your home that fall feeling with just a few simple decorating touches.

I mention the changing of the leaves because growing up in New York that was a special time where we use to make a yearly pilgrimage to Vermont or New Hampshire for a weekend.  You had to make your reservations months in advance and hope that you timed it just right to see the most stunning colors on the trees.   Even now when I think of fall, I’m reminded of the beautiful colors that Mother Nature creates for us.  No matter what your color scheme is, you can incorporate brick and fire red, burnt orange, yellow and/or gold that you see when nature changes the leaves from green to brown into your home with fall accents.  If your colors are blue and yellow, add some burnt orange candles or a throw.  How about plum and green?  Adding gold will give your colors a rich holiday feel and red will give them an extra punch of unexpected color.  If you have all neutrals, add some of each for a wonderful warm and cozy feel.  Pillows are great inexpensive accessories that can bring in a lot of color and make a room more comfy.

The colors of fall are all warm tones, which will give your home that welcoming and comfortable feel.  Funny that nature picked those colors for us as we enter our cooler season.  Just like the colors we have around us in the summer are cooler colors of grass green and water blues.  I guess Mother Nature knows what she’s doing. 

Take an afternoon and rearrange your furniture.  If you have a fireplace, change the direction of your sofa and place it facing the fireplace so that you can sit there and enjoy it.  Or, bring in your small table and chairs that have been out on the back patio and place them front of the fireplace.  If they are not decorative, dress them up with a table cloth and quick slipcovers.  Take the time and sit there in the morning with your coffee instead of, at the kitchen table.  Another favorite of mine by a fireplace is two comfortable chairs with an ottoman.  Even though we’re in Las Vegas, turn those fireplaces on and sit in front of them to relax with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, even if it is for a few minutes.  Take the time to de-stress from the day and enjoy your home.

Even though we bear some 100+ days in the summer, we are fortunate to be able to enjoy our outdoor living areas all through fall and into the winter.  So make those areas comfortable and inviting.  Add some cushions and pillows to your seating to make them more comfortable and warm.  Pull out the throws and keep a couple for outside.  If you don’t have an outdoor fireplace, look into making a small fire pit or even group together a bunch of candles to give a warm and romantic glow. 

Have fun and transform your Powder Bath into a fall mountain retreat.  Add some fall colored hand towels to your existing towels and tie with raffia and tuck in some twigs.  Place cinnamon potpourri in a wooden or rustic basket.  You can find some great baskets at the craft stores.  I like the ones that look like apple barrels, as they remind me when we went apple picking at my Aunt’s farm.  Place a garland of fall leaves around your mirror to dress it up. 

On your front door hang a wreath of fall flowers and change out your door mat.  Change out the flowers in your pots to marigolds in yellow and orange or my favorite, red geraniums.  If you don’t have a green thumb, purchase artificial plants and place in your outdoor containers.  I place them in foam, but then add dirt to the top instead of green moss because it gives them a real appearance.  Also, make sure you purchase real looking flowers and ones that grow in nature in the color you’re buying.

Spruce up your plants and add some fall color with preserved leaves, berries, and pine cones.  Warp the containers with fall themed fabrics, tie with a wonderful wired ribbon and place a grouping of a couple small pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, and evergreen around the container.

The fall is a beautiful time of year here so take some time to bring the outdoors in and spend some time falling in love with your home again.

October is the start of the holiday season and I know we are all getting busier and busier in our lives, but I feel that it is important that we take some time to renew and revive ourselves at this time of year. So here are a couple quick and easy decorating changes that you can make to welcome in the Fall and the enjoyment of the season.

Quick Tip # 1 – Your sense of smell is a great avenue to rekindle memories and bring the change of the season into your home with a new aroma. How many times have you walked into a friend’s home and the smell of cookies baking immediately brought back memories of spending time in your Grandmothers kitchen. There are some wonderful new scented candles and potpourri introduced every holiday season. Place a couple new candles around your home and a large bowl of potpourri on your coffee table. I love the potpourri that has large pieces of pumpkins, cinnamon stick and scented pine cones in them. Along with jump starting your nose, they are beautiful to look at and make a great fall accessory.

Quick Tip # 2 – Even though I know that we are welcoming the cool down in the temperature, there is nothing like the look and feel of a great chenille throw to snuggle up with. A soft thick throw will ignite your sense of touch and bring back memories. Maybe for you it was a time that you sat in front of a roaring fireplace with your kids when they were little, your father when you were small or even last year with your loved one while you were relaxing after work with a glass of wine. Look for a throw that brings in some of the colors of the season that will coordinate with your color scheme.

Quick Tip # 3 – Create a photo table of past years pictures of family and friends in your entry. To make this very quick and easy, use one of the small skirted tables that you put together by just attaching the legs. Then purchase some great seasonal novelty fabric; maybe one with autumn leaves or pumpkins and simply drape it over and tuck the ends under, so a no-sew project. Then purchase a piece of glass for the top and simply place the pictures under the glass. Even the smallest of entry ways should be able to accommodate for a 24 inch round table. On top place just one picture frame with a saying welcoming your family and friends to your home and the season.

Quick Tip # 4 – Give your bathroom an autumn facelift with new towels. Now you don’t have to purchase all new bath towels, just new fingertip towels that you place on your counters. There are great ones with embroidery or quilted designs on them and they are fairly inexpensive. New trends in guest towels are disposable paper towels. Check out the discount home stores for even season napkins. Roll them, tie with a little bit of raffia and place in a basket. Add some silk leaves, greens and braches for an extra fall feel.

From - www.decorpad.com

Quick Tip # 5 – Create a quick floral arrangement with dried branches, leaves and flowers for your living room coffee table, guest bath counter and don’t forget your own master bath. Start with two tall and fairly narrow containers, you’ll need one that is smaller and will fit inside the other. The inside vase is where you’ll place your floral arrangement. Fill the vase with silica sand instead of floral foam and just start placing the stems inside. I like silica sand since it is easier to work with, it holds the stems in place and if you are using a clear vase it is attractive to look at. With your floral vase completed, place it inside the larger vase. Now the outside one just needs to be large enough so that you have room to now fill around the inside vase on all sides with any of the following: dried leaves, candy corn, dried or very small pumpkins, Indian corn, potpourri, fabric, pine cones, silk flowers, branches or anything else that brings the look and feel of the autumn season in. Then as the holiday or season changes, you can quickly change out the arrangement in the vase and the decoration around it. How about paper snowflakes, ribbon candy or Christmas tree ornaments for Christmas? With then an arrangement of poinsettias. For New Years you can leave the poinsettias and place noise makers around the vase. Valentines Day would be a great time for even real roses, hint hint, and then fill the outside with the little heart candles with the sayings. Easter could be a spring bouquet with jelly beans. I think you get the idea. It is really something very quick easy and fun to do to give a room a quick seasonal change.

Quick Tip # 6 – Warm up your bedroom with a new quilt for the end of the bed. I know that you may not change out your bedding every season, but it is nice to have a summer/spring and fall/winter ensemble. Bedding ensembles can be expensive and then you have to have a place to store them, but you can make a dramatic change with just a few accents. A quilt always brings in the look and feel of the fall and winter because it brings the sense of warmth. With it you can add a couple new accent pillows in chenille or silk. You will be seeing a lot more silk this season as it is being called the new chenille. At the different home stores in town you’ll be able to find some great decorative pillows with wonderful trims for under $40.

Quick Tip # 7 – Fall is a great time to bring the outside in with color and textures, but here in Las Vegas it is a wonderful time to start spending some more time from the inside out. We are very fortunate to live in a mild fall and winter climate and need to take advantage of that and enjoy our surroundings. Sometimes it is nice to have a change of scenery, even if it is as simple as eating dinner on the back porch. So dress up your patio with touches of fall. Gather up some of your pillows, throws, candles, accessories from inside and take them out to make it your second living and dining room for the season. If you don’t already have an outside fireplace or fire pit, create one with an iron or pottery container. There are some inexpensive ones in the home stores that you can purchase complete. There is nothing like sitting outside on a crisp evening, watching a fire and relaxing with a cup of coffee or your beverage of choice.

Enjoy the changing of the season, renew your spirit, revive your home and create new memories for next season.

Designer-rooms can be re-created for a fraction of the cost and within your own budget. The secret is taking it step-by-step and looking at each individual design element in the room. You simply need to dissect the room and look at what was done in the expensive original and then re-create those elements with creative decorating, careful planning, being a savvy shopper and taking a hands-on approach to some of the projects.

Start by analyzing the picture and deciding what the room’s focal point is? Is it an architectural feature, such as a fireplace? Is it the furniture? How about a fabulous piece of artwork or a wall gallery? Or maybe a wonderful window dressed with eye-catching window treatments. Next, what are the outstanding elements in the design? Is it the wall treatments, fabrics, furniture styles, finishes, or color scheme? It’s important to recognize what theses features and elements are, as they are probably what drew you to the picture in the first place and you’re going to want to make sure you re-create them. Also pay close attention to the furniture, artwork and accessory placement. Even if your room is smaller or a different shape, try and re-create the placement, this way your room will have the same flow and feel.

Now look at each item in the picture and complete what I call a Design Element Checklist. This will help you stay focused on the design when you are out shopping, so that the end result is your pictured dream room. Note the following things about each item if they apply: Shape, Finish, Texture, Style, Color, Size, Accents, and Pattern or Fabric. An example would be to look at a lamp base; Shape – Urn, Finish – Iron, Texture – Smooth, Style – Traditional, Color – Black, Size – 21”, Accents – Tassels, Pattern or Fabric – Don’t apply here, but for those items with have fabric, you will want to make a note of the Pattern – Floral and type of Fabric – Chintz.

With your Design Element Checklist and Inspiration Room Picture in hand, lets’ look at the elements you will be re-creating and some less expensive versions you can do.

Flooring – If you don’t want to change your current flooring, you can change the look with a room-size rug, have a carpet remnant bound, add a tapestry fabric or trim to the edge of an area rug, remnant or inexpensive sisal, or paint a floor cloth.

Wall Treatments - Instead of patterned wallpaper, you can paint and then stencil or stamp a design. Faux paper can be re-created with paint. You can also save a lot of money by doing your own faux painting. There are some wonderful web sites, books and tapes available to help you.

Lighting – Remember to keep the design elements in mind, but you can always repaint it, change the shade, and add embellishments. Don’t be afraid if you find the perfect lamp at a yard sale, thrift store or consignment shop and it doesn’t work, because it is inexpensive to re-wire it. The electrical and lighting department of a home store can guide you.

Upholstered Furniture - If you already have the basic shape, or can’t afford to replace the piece, you can change the look to be your room’s body-double by slip covering, adding back and accent pillows, adding trims, or even a skirt. If you will be purchasing new, take notice to the body shape as well as the shape of the arms. Also, are there exposed feet, a flounce, or fitted bottom? What type of back does it have? Is it a tight back, fitted pillow back, or loose pillows? What types of embellishments are used? Are their nail heads, cording, or tassels? With upholstered pieces, the fabric will make all the difference in getting the look you want. Even if the shape is a bit different, if the fabric is similar, you can achieve your look. So pay close attention to the pattern, color, texture and number of fabrics used. Fabrics can range in price from $ 3.00 at your dollar stores to well into the hundreds. So be a savvy shopper here and take your time to find a similar fabric.

Wood Furniture - Look for an unfinished piece in the shape, style and size you want and finish it yourself. Re-finish a piece you have or watch for a piece on sale, in consignment, in the classifieds, or at a yard sale. If you have some basic skills with tools, be adventurous and build it yourself. Also, don’t forget to look at the drawer and door hardware used.

Window Treatments - If you can sew, have a friend who sews or can do a no-sew treatment, you will save a considerable amount of money. Look at the hardware used. If it is iron, try spray-painting a PVC or wood pole with metallic paint. You could also cover the pole with a metallic fabric to give the illusion of metal. Be creative and walk through a hardware store for copper tubing or silver plumbing pipes and then spend a little extra on the finials. Here, as same as your upholstery, be a savvy fabric shopper. Pay close attention to your fabrics and embellishments.

Artwork – Original artwork is expensive, but you can re-create the look and feel with posters, painting your own, creating an image with your computer and canvas or photo paper, having an art student paint something for you or having an image enlarged to the size you need. If the image will be framed, find an inexpensive way to re-create the image and spend the money on the framing.

Accessories – You will probably not find the same accessories used, but try and decorate with ones that have the same design elements. Complete a Design Element Checklist for each accessory that you want to re-create. Remember you can re-finish them to match your room. If floral arrangements are used, think about taking a class at a local craft store.

Any room can be re-created in an affordable way if you follow the same design principles and elements used in the designer-room. You just need to do some homework, stay focused on your room, pay attention to the details, and always take your checklist and picture with you when shopping.

Happy Decorating!