Tag Archives: fun

Homework Friendly Space

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Homework is no joke these days! At a recent Back-To-School-Night, my son’s chemistry teacher said the kids should expect an hour of homework every night. I’m sorry…say what? That’s one class out of 7 and some kids are in sports or clubs with practice and activities every day. I remember a similar night for one of my kid’s teachers in elementary school where a parent was asking why they didn’t have homework. Um…because they’re in first grade. Duh! Once the homework years roll in, there’s a lot of it and it’s best to get in some good habits early.

Finding or creating the perfect spot to do homework is easy but keeping that space clutter free can be the challenge. By easy I mean people have natural places they go to that’s comfortable or inviting, where they can be productive. For some it’s in the hub of the household – a kitchen table or the central island. For others (like myself) it’s a bright but quiet desk area.

Having bins or drawers or shelves near a favorite site for studying helps keep tools, papers and books handy. Being able to put everything away neatly and easily helps keep people like me sane. This article in Houzz has some fantastic ideas. My favorite is the sneaky shelf hidden under the kitchen island top. So clever!

If you have any great study spots, share them with us. We always like to see and learn new ideas.

Cozy Gifts for Anyone on Your List

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Holidays are filled with seasonal music, seasonal scents, seasonal sights and typically a seasonal credit card bill. Shopping for family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and host gifts to take to all the parties can get extremely expensive! And in a season of Marie Kondo teaching everyone to purge, gifts need to be useful or meaningful.

I love this article from Houzz with recommendations on cozy gift ideas. The best part about this list is that the recipients will feel pampered while receiving some lovely upgrades to their home environment.

 

I also found this other fantastic list of gifts under $20 that work for a variety of people in your life:   https://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/holidays/cheap-stocking-stuffers

Wishing you and your family a relaxing and joyful holiday season!

 

Backyard Parties

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Most people are pushing for summer barbecues, but my favorite time of year for an outdoor party is the fall. Typically the fall means cooler days, cooler evenings, less pollen and less bugs.  Plus the weather is much more conducive to enjoying a fire pit.

Check out this fun article on how to create a great outdoor space for entertaining:

 

Inviting friends and family is the easy part so take a little time to figure out the details. Think about the flow of the space, add extra seating groups and make sure you have good lighting. Food and drinks are important but don’t forget about the music – Spotify has lots of great playlists. Definitely add in a s’mores moment if there are kids involved. Although adults will love this, too.

Your guests will be delighted and hopefully be inspired to host a backyard party of their own and invite you!

What Is A Vignette?

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And No, it’s not something you put on salad… A vignette is just a fancy term for what I like to call a “Moment”. I’m sure that really clears things up! As I walk through a client’s house I’m always quick to say “I love this moment you’ve created here” as I wave my hand over some table or mantle or chair. They typically look very confused. I assure them it’s a compliment.

A vignette is a variety of items placed together to create a focal point or an area of visual interest. The items are different in nature and size and scale and texture and purpose. But when put together in a grouping they compliment each other to create an interesting visual moment. There’s that word again…

If you’re interested in creating a vignette in your own space, check out this article with the ABC’s of how to pull it off.

A Healthy Lifestyle

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The #1 resolution at the beginning of a New Year is always health related. I want to eat better, lose a few pounds, workout more, etc.  The question is: How will I set myself up for success? Personally, I’d like to hire a nutritionist, a chef, a trainer and a house-keeper as long as we’re dreaming!

Being a realist, I’d say let’s start with the resolution that will have the best impact…exercising. If we can get exercise into our daily/weekly life, then we will also mentally feel better. And that will encourage us to eat a more healthy diet. Soon we’ll be feeling so good that the motivation to maintain this healthier lifestyle will come much more easily. Once we have a new way of living our New Year Resolutions can modify to something really fun…like traveling more!

Now that you’re ready to workout regularly,  set-up a space in your home dedicated to exercising. This article is great for thinking through what your home gym should look like based on how you enjoy working out. Give yourself room to move around, mirrors, plenty of light and a view, TV or stereo to keep yourself entertained.

 

Outdoor Decorating for the Holidays

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My husband is known as a Clark Griswold in our neighborhood during this time of year. He LOVES outdoor decorating with the flashing candy canes, wrapped trees and bushes, deer family, santa with gifts and a huge snowman in the middle of the yard. One year we even had a Candy Cane Forest with Buddy the Elf in the middle of it. He says it’s “for the kids” and they do love it, but let’s be real…it’s just as magical for him.

Recently, my son’s friend was dropped off at our house and he complimented the outdoor display. He said his mom was feeling really good about hanging the wreath on the door that morning at their house…but now she was feeling super inadequate. We all had a good laugh!

This article has some good ideas. Checkout #8 – this blew my mind! Also, in #2, there’s a reference made to NOT turning your front yard into Disneyland, but I say go for it. Afterall, it’s for the kids!

 

Let’s Clean Up the Laundry Room

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The laundry room in my last house almost caused a divorce. Well…maybe that’s a little dramatic, but it was one of the top reasons we moved. Maybe if I’d read this article sooner and had more than 36 sq. feet to work with we would still live there. In my defense the laundry room was also the room between our garage and the kitchen, so you can imagine the shoes and coats and bags and sports gear and laundry all piled up to be tripped over constantly. Like I said…that was our last house!

I love good Before and After photos and this article has plenty. One thing I always suggest to clients is that they make the laundry bright and inviting. You’re going in there to take care of  a mundane task so the space should be pleasant. Make sure it’s functional and organized and there’s a place to store everything – out of site if possible.

Check out the Before picture on the 3rd example. I’ll be curious to know if you shake your head too!

 

Dorm Room Contests

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Wait…is this really a thing??? Had I known there was potentially prize money and bragging rights, I would have pushed my daughter to take her dorm room design to the next level!

Some of the ideas in this article are very creative and inspiring. While other ideas make no sense to me. Why would I put astro-turf on the wall next to my bed? Ouch! Some of the rooms had me wondering whether or not these people had a roommate to blend their style with.

While sharing a small room with another person is challenging, you also need to make sure there’s a place for all of your stuff. Then an even bigger challenge is having appropriate storage that keeps all functional items out of sight. This becomes essential when you have a student trying to create a calm, relaxing, zen-like space. Clutter becomes chaos pretty quickly especially in a dorm room that functions as your bedroom, living room, dining room, study room and closet all-in-one!

While there’s a lot of hoopla surrounding decked out dorm rooms, the most important factor is that your student feels comfortable. I tried to steer my daughter away from an all white comforter, but that was the crisp, clean vibe she was going for. The good news is that she knows how to use a laundry machine.

Cheers to a great school year! Go Dukes!

 

Kid Space

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One of our favorite areas to design in a home is the “Kid Space”.  There tends to be more whimsy in the design as imaginations soar.  Colors, fabrics and patterns are often bright, bold and playful.  Basically, we get to be kids again!

from nytimes.com

from nytimes.com

Our philosophy is that form always follows function, so the most important aspect of our design is that we meet the client’s needs.  We believe there are 3 main functions of a “Kid Space” and we design accordingly.

#1  All kids need to read (or be read to), so make sure to incorporate a comfy spot with books close at hand.

#2  All kids need to develop fine motor skills so let’s make it fun!  Drawing, coloring, painting, building blocks and legos are all great ways to help master those skills.  Your “Kid Space” should definitely have an area for this type of creativity.

#3  All kids develop socially through imaginative play.  In your design, include an area as simple as a box with dress-up and costumes or as elaborate as tents, kitchen sets and pretend workshops with tools.

There’s nothing more inviting than a sweet space for kids where their imaginations can run wild!

from vogue.com

from vogue.com

One last tip…Make sure you hang or display all the masterpieces and creations.  Kid art trumps all design rules!