Decorating

Hot Color Trends for Cold Weather

As you take down your holiday decor, be sure to bring in all the props you’ll need to stay warm until (perpetually elusive) spring arrives. And color is a great way to make warmth happen! Understanding what emotion colors represent, current color trends and practical ways to implement those colors just might help you make [...]

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Mom’s Laundry Room: Keep Out

I miss my old laundry closet in my last house. It was 2nd floor, and it’s only purpose was providing clean clothes. Now I have a laundry room off the kitchen, which forces certain mudroom functionality on a space overwhelmed by needs, especially since I no longer even have a mudroom. There is great temptation [...]

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Refinishing a Finished Basement

Basements rarely get top priority when you move into a house. This was the case for us. It was already finished when we bought it a year ago. Finished, but not particularly inviting. Dark gray walls, gray berber carpet, and mismatched furniture. We had other rooms to focus on. But that all changed on a [...]

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2012 Color of the Year!

Pantone has declared that Tangerine Tango is the color of the year for 2012. I’ve always been a huge fan of orange – but “Tangerine Tango” is so much more fun to say! Now, let’s look at Pantone’s picks over the past four years. What do you notice? Bold. Fun. Energy.

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My New-ish Kitchen

It’s no secret that we bought a house with some design challenges. We’ve been attacking each room with resourceful fervor in hopes of a grand finale dream kitchen. We’re talking new appliances, flooring, cabinets, countertops, backsplash, and lighting – the works! Then I read this: On average, a midrange (meaning not upscale) minor kitchen remodeling [...]

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Placeholder Redesign: Master Bathroom

We’ve all been there. You want to make a big change in your home, but now is not the time to be spending. Whatever your situation, you still want to improve your room’s form and function NOW. Here’s a case study of an ugly master bathroom that needed some interim love. Dark green-ish walls, tan [...]

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Improving Small Closet Functionality

Ok, this is going to be a relatively boring post. There are no flashy design ideas, splashy colors or totally room makeovers here. Even the title is boring. But if you’d like to see how you can make your small closet work harder for you for just $36, read on. First of all, here is [...]

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Picking the Right Front Door Color: Before and After Case Studies

We bought a house with a pink front door. Seriously! While our real estate agent fiddled with the lock box, we couldn’t help but notice the pink paint, worn out welcome mat and the dirty lights. We were skeptical of the house before we even step foot inside. And yes, the inside of the door [...]

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Use What You Have Porch Design

There is something romantic about a porch. Writing A Pretty Porch with a Purpose post got me inspired to get my own porch spruced up. But after updating eight rooms inside over the past four months, I’m low on funds and energy for this project. So I did what any sensible girl would do…I shopped [...]

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A Blue Tween Room for Girls

Got a tween girl in the house? Then you know how hard it is to please her. “Too old for toys, and too young for boys.” If you want her to take (some) responsibility for keeping her room manageable, you’ve got to include her in the design process. My daughter’s latest room (yes, there have been many [...]

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