I love adding new decorating elements and accessories to my home, and with the change in seasons, there are plenty of fun shopping options to pull in colors of the season. This weekend, one of the quickest ways to add fresh autumn colors is to decorate your front entrance.
3 Ways to Display your Kid’s Artwork
With the start of September and the start of school, it’s time to come up with a decorative way to display your kid’s artwork. As a parent of four kids, we always encouraged art projects, painting, and clay in our home. We always tried to instill self-expression through some form of art or crafts. When they were little we had a large bulletin board in our laundry room, and each child got to decide which one or two pictures they loved the most, and they hung it proudly. Through the years, I collected folders per year of their best artwork. Even though my children are in their 20’s and early 30’s they still enjoy the extraordinary paintings, papier-mâché and pottery pieces we have saved through the years. Some are beautiful, and some are hysterically bad!
One of my children, Rachel, went on to art school, and I am very blessed to have several large pieces of hers hanging in my home. The featured photo on this post displays one of my favorites!
Are you tired of your couch?
I often hear from my clients one of their biggest frustrations is not-liking their old couch. The issue is that they are holding out for the right look, waiting for their kids to be a bit older, or it’s not in the budget. Whatever the reason, if you find yourself tired of the look or color of your couch here are 3 things you can do to quickly change the look and add a fresh style to an old piece.
5 Reasons to use a Pouf in your Home
Poufs are a fantastic decorating element to add to a room. They are a versatile decorating item that serves many purposes. I wanted to show you an example of an office redesign I did where we added a lovely white pouf that added texture and softness to the room:
Do you love the look of a barn or sliding door?
I posted a video of a condo redesign that I recently did that featured a sliding “barn-style” door that several people commented on (if you missed that video, click here to view), and I wanted to delve into these types of doors as a decorating element. If any of you are HGTV Fixer Upper fans, I know you’ve seen farmhouse style homes featuring old and new barn doors. The style is nice as it works well in a small space, no swinging door. Those of you who wish they could use a pocket (hidden) door but don’t have space or want to deal with the construction, consider a sliding door as the door and hardware options are unbelievable due to the popularity of this style.
Continue reading Do you love the look of a barn or sliding door?
Innovative Ideas for Small Space Living
My last article covered living in a tiny house, this week I would like to focus on innovative decorating and multi-purpose items for any small space living.
You know I love fantastic design ideas, and this one is a doozy! It’s a bookshelf that converts to a table, the surprising feature; nothing has to be moved for the conversion to occur. It is part of the EVE Collection made by German Smart Living, take a look:
Another idea is a wall bed, or you may have heard the term Murphy Bed. These beds are built into the wall or a cabinet, when open, the bed releases. These can be somewhat pricey, check out a few options on Wayfair. If you are a DIY type, you may want to build this yourself, click here for instructions from Bob Vila.
Furniture that can serve multiple purposes is a fantastic use of space. For example, a chair that converts to a pull-out, such as this one from Wayfair. Ikea lets you design your own sectional that can convert to a bed, the options are incredible, and you won’t believe how it all pieces together, click here to view. There are many pull-out sofa options, click here to see various styles from Houzz.
A parsons table turns into a full-sized dining table! How is that possible? Check out this fabulous idea:
I added additional decorating ideas to my small space IdeaBook on Houzz for you to check out for inspiration, enjoy:
I hope you enjoyed these fantastic small space living ideas! If you need help re-imagining your space, give me a call 610.955.8202 or email to set up your consultation!
By Debbie Correale, founder and owner of Redesign Right, LLC. You can learn more about her at RedesignRight.com. Find her on Facebook.com/RedesignRight, Twitter @RedesignRight, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Houzz, Google+ and Instagram. Feature Photo from Houzz: Black and Milk | Interior Design | London.
Could you live in a tiny house?
There are a couple of routes you can take with a Tiny House – go the RV or trailer route where you are flexible and can bring your home with you where you want to go. The other option is to have a tiny house permanently built for a particular location. Or you can downsize so much that you are living in a small space, like a studio apartment in a city you have always wanted to live.
How to Become an Interior Redesigner and Home Stager
Do you have a natural flair for decorating, color, and design? If you are looking for a career that would be fulfilling and use your creativity, I have the perfect course of action for you!
Continue reading How to Become an Interior Redesigner and Home Stager
Reupholster or Buy New
Do you have a couch or chair that is showing its age? Perhaps it’s a piece that you inherited or has fond memories, and you are not sure if you should try to reupholster it or not. To help you in this challenging decision here are a few things to consider:
Staging your Home with Kids or Pets
If you have pets or children, it can be a challenge to live in your home while you are trying to sell the house. First of all, you will want to get your home professionally staged. A fresh pair of eyes viewing your home in its best way is what you want. Once the house is staged, be sure your Realtor takes professional photos.
Home staging tips for living in your home with kids or pets while trying to sell:
Staging and selling your home with kids:
- All walls and floors need to be clear of marker, paint, and stains. If you have a playroom that has wall-to-wall carpeting that is beyond a good cleaning, replace it. Fresh paint always brightens a home; if your walls are badly marked up, painting is a good idea.
- If you have a designated playroom, you will want to stage the room so that it appears multi-purpose. All toys, games, puzzles, should be stored in bins with lids, preferably in a closet or out of site. The walls will need to be clear of taped up stuff, etc. Staging the room as a sitting area or small dining area can transform the space from playroom to a general use room.
- Kid’s rooms that are theme-decorated are super cute and would appeal to someone with kids; however, think about ways to downplay the theme. All stuffed animals and things need to be corralled in bins and stored out of sight. Think under the bed and closet storage. Maximize space by purging or giving away any grown out toys or clothing.
- Have an emergency plan in place if you get a call from your Realtor that they want to show the house. Every family member should have a job, have a big bin ready for loose things that can be stored in your car.
Staging and selling your home with pets:
- Living with pets can numb you toward their smell and odors. Carpeting should be professionally cleaned or replaced so that there are no smells when a potential buyer walks into your home.
- Anything related to the pet should be out of sight. Beds, toys, food, kitty litter.
- Be sure that your yard is clear of all animal droppings.
- If you have furniture that has been destroyed by a pet, you are better off removing it, or carefully decorating so that damaged areas are artfully displayed.
- Have an emergency plan if your Realtor calls and wants to bring over a prospective buyer. Grab all pet-related items and put them in your car, and bring your pet. You cannot show your home with the pet in the house. There is nothing worse than a barking or whining dog locked in a crate; it can quickly turn a potential buyer away. Also, many people are allergic to animals, and a home with pets could be an instant issue. Or they may be fearful of pets, either way, removing the pet from the house during a showing is essential. Have an arrangement with a friend or neighbor who can take your pet if you are unavailable.
If you need help with your home staging, give me a call 610.955.8202 or email. I have many options available where I come in and instruct you in 2 hours or less how to stage your home, or you could opt to have the Redesign Right team completely stage your 
home with what you already own in a day.
By Debbie Correale, founder and owner of Redesign Right, LLC. You can learn more about her at RedesignRight.com. Find her on Facebook.com/RedesignRight, Twitter @RedesignRight, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Houzz, Google+ and Instagram. Feature photo from Houzz: Cook Architectural Design Studio.