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Happy Halloween!
It's a dead man's party who could ask for more, everybody come and leave your body at the door....
This time of year is filled with Oingo Boingo, The Monster Mash and of course, we all know who you gonna call....Ghostbusters!
Decorating for Halloween is no different than the other holidays. Odd numbers and varied sizes are always important. I believe in decorating that we don't ever want to make something disappear unless you really don't like it. The trick is to blend. But if you are going to put up molding, you want to SEE it, don't paint it out. Our eyes like to be led, they like room to enjoy what they see.
There needs to be a focal point and then things that lead up to it. Size and scale are important too.
Check out my youtube page for an amazing Halloween makeover!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
The Odd Couple
We have all laughed at the antics of Felix and Oscar of the Odd couple for years. It's funny but part of why it's funny is because it's so true. Ok, they are caricatures of reality maybe but we all know someone who is very neat and very particular about things and we all know someone who couldn't care less about those details.
However, every couple has to combine the rituals they know with those of their spouse. Do you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, Christmas Morning or afternoon. There are all kinds of different traditions. Do you clean up your dishes right after you use them or leave them in the sink and clean them up before going to bed. Maybe you like to do them in the morning. Do you pay bills every week or only once a month. We have all had arguments over leaving something out or keeping something clean or not.
You see we all have our "clutter quotient". We aren't comfortable unless there's a certain amount of clutter around us. Some people like lots of accessories, some are minimalist, some are somewhere in the middle. Some people never throw anything away, others are brutal and throw it out if you haven't used it in 3 months.
Each person in the couple may have different "clutter quotients" and you have to figure out what works for the two of you. Be patient, discuss it quietly and you won't be calling each other Felix and Oscar.
However, every couple has to combine the rituals they know with those of their spouse. Do you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, Christmas Morning or afternoon. There are all kinds of different traditions. Do you clean up your dishes right after you use them or leave them in the sink and clean them up before going to bed. Maybe you like to do them in the morning. Do you pay bills every week or only once a month. We have all had arguments over leaving something out or keeping something clean or not.
You see we all have our "clutter quotient". We aren't comfortable unless there's a certain amount of clutter around us. Some people like lots of accessories, some are minimalist, some are somewhere in the middle. Some people never throw anything away, others are brutal and throw it out if you haven't used it in 3 months.
Each person in the couple may have different "clutter quotients" and you have to figure out what works for the two of you. Be patient, discuss it quietly and you won't be calling each other Felix and Oscar.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Bob Vila and Ty were right!
You've watched Bob Vila say it on This Old House, you've seen Ty say it on Extreme Makeover. Every carpenter you've ever seen or met has said it....Measure TWICE, cut ONCE. It applies to everything you do. It's also important to READ the measurements carefully. My client, Ann, just had a very expensive mistake. She ordered an 18" window. She thought that the glass area was 18". The 18" included the frame and the glass area was only 12". She got it installed and hated it. She had to have the contractor remove it, order a new bigger window, make a bigger hole and install it again. That's a very expensive mistake.
This is also important in space planning. An acquaintance of mine mentioned using my design services and never did. She felt that she could save some money by doing it herself. Six months later she came to me and asked if I knew someplace she could sell some chairs. She apparently had bought too many and now had purchased items that didn't fit in her home. Had she hired me, she would not have had this problem. The chairs were expensive and cost more than my services. It's always a good idea to measure whatever it is and make sure it works on paper first before you spend a lot of money or have to redo it all together. As the only saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So listen to your favorite carpenter, he knows what he's talking about.
This is also important in space planning. An acquaintance of mine mentioned using my design services and never did. She felt that she could save some money by doing it herself. Six months later she came to me and asked if I knew someplace she could sell some chairs. She apparently had bought too many and now had purchased items that didn't fit in her home. Had she hired me, she would not have had this problem. The chairs were expensive and cost more than my services. It's always a good idea to measure whatever it is and make sure it works on paper first before you spend a lot of money or have to redo it all together. As the only saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So listen to your favorite carpenter, he knows what he's talking about.
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