Message Boards

There are message boards of every size, shape, color and material, but here are a few ideas you can make yourself— probably out of materials you have around the house.

Several years ago, my husband and I did a modest remodel of our kitchen. We took down the over-the-island cabinets and found another home for them; I love recycling! Next was the kitchen island itself; made of solid oak, it was hard for me to simply put its parts into the dumpster. I did have to retrieve some as my handy hubby was quick to toss them. I made a message board from one of the doors by simply painting the inside panel with chalkboard paint— that was the simplest thing ever. As a postscript, we have used nearly every piece of that oak island for a variety of projects, including a sample door for paint colors to my clients what painted oak might look like; it has been a huge success.

You could use this idea on a cabinet door that is currently in your kitchen, as long as it is within easy reach and convenient to change as needed. Another idea would be to paint a window pane or two on a window that is facing a less than attractive view, with chalkboard paint, again as long as it was within easy reach.

My next idea is to use an old picture frame with glass. I gave one away recently, then I had this idea; it figures! I went to Goodwill and spent $4.99 on a frame measuring 16X20 inches. Next I painted the frame, I used black as it is the easiest to use in my kitchen. I put the glass on a piece of grid paper and wrote out Santa’s List, Naughty and Nice and then some names (fictitious of course). I used dry erase pens, but you could use any kind of marker that will stick to glass and easily wipe off. Rubbing alcohol works well to remove markers.  

This message board is further made interesting by placing some left over Anagluypta or embossed wallpaper, to give the board some texture. You could use any type of wallpaper, wrapping paper, or rice paper that you might have on hand. Of course, you could find a backing paper that suite the room in which you wish to use your message board, e.g., children’s bedroom, playroom, or home office. My suggestion would be to use a pale-colored design to avoid competing with your messages. Any color will work as long as it is pale. You can find great paper choices at stationary stores, art stores and of course on line.

Once you have completed your board, find an appropriate place to hang or lean it up against a wall. The nice thing about using a glass surface is that it is easily changed with the season, or just a fun place to doodle for small children while you are busy in your kitchen or office.

Santa's List

Chalk Painted Cabinet Door

Stenciling a Subtle Design

I have not done stenciling myself, so you can imagine how excited I was to learn that my daughter had decided to tackle this project on her own. We had talked about it and discussed colors and where it would be effective— the whole process— but I left it up to her to do her own creating. She will admit, it took her some time to gain the courage to jump in, and then the job had to be put on hold. I know how hard it is to get back to a project once it has been postponed mid-way through.

Her newly built bathroom was nearly complete, that is to say it was pretty and has been functional for some time, but she wanted the commode area to have a little design in and of itself. Her plan is to add some shelves and baskets over the tank for more storage, but before that, she wanted a simple trellis design stenciled onto the wall directly behind the commode.

The first thing she did was plan where the stencil would begin and mark it on the wall with a light pencil; then, with an all purpose, temporary fixative to hold the stencil pattern to the wall, she began. She used paint same color as the walls, except the stencil paint was a high gloss, while the walls were a softer finish. With a small foam tool, she stamped the glossy paint over the stencil as far as the stencil would reach; then she carefully removed the stencil from the wall and allowed the paint to dry a bit; next, she repositioned the stencil with the fixative and began the process over again.

The finished wall is so subtle and pretty, she said she was inclined to do all the walls, but she restrained her impulse and is happier with the end result. Covering all the walls would have detracted from some of the other pretty elements in the room. While the commode area is separated from the room in a manner of speaking, it isn’t the focal point; but it did need a bit of attention, and this detail is just right. The effect is not unlike seeing a shadow on the wall; sometimes you can see it and sometimes you are not sure it is there.

This is a project that she can be immensely proud of, and it is surprising how lovely it looks; it is a detail that is unexpected and therefore gives the room an added element of elegance. This technique can be used in many different ways, and a higher contrast can add more drama. You must decide how much of one effect over another you wish to add to a room or a portion of a room. This bathroom is a case of “less is more”.

Some Criteria I Use for Painting Furniture

Many people find it difficult to paint wood furniture, and I completely understand the dilemma. To paint or not to paint can be a difficult decision, so here are a few guidelines I use when making that decision.

Number one is usually the quality of the piece. For example is it in good to excellent condition? Is it a fine piece, an old piece? Is it a family heirloom? All of these questions should be asked and evaluated honestly. I do not posses fine museum quality antiques, but I have plenty of pieces considered to be antique. For the most part, I would prefer to restore them, or if in acceptable condition leave them as they are; but that is not to say I would not paint some of them under certain circumstances. Answering no to any of the above questions would eliminate my concerns about painting or not painting a piece.

When decorating a room, I look to see how “heavy” the feel is in the room. Usually, when there is a lot of wood, a room can appear to be dark and heavy, which is fine if you are looking for a cosy reading room or library like room. Too much wood can have the appearance of a cave; think of the wood paneled rooms of the 1960s and 70s, just add plaid upholstery and you can transform a room back in time. If you wish to add a lightness to a room, consider painting some of the wood pieces. Even painting the frame of an upholstered chair can lift the room, especially with new upholstery in an updated pattern or color.

The tea cart shown here required such a decision. My client has had it for probably 40+ years. It is solid oak, and it is in excellent condition; however, she felt it was too granny now and wanted a change. She is an artist with an eclectic style, which I love. Color is very important to her; with her dining room walls painted a pale blue, with lots of bright sunlight entering the room, she thought she would like to bring in some orange, the complimentary color to blue. I fully agreed, and we decided on Annie Sloan’s Chalk paint in Barcelona Orange, with a dark wax finish. It turned out beautifully and she loves it. She says it makes her happy instead of bringing her down, as it did before. It looks fantastic in the room, and no one would call this room a “granny room”.

I have painted, stripped, refinished and antiqued lots of furniture in my time; and I am always happy to see the change. A couple of years ago, I found an old, round, oak table in an antiques store. The base had been partially stripped and I could see that it was quarter sawn white oak, but had been painted white. There was another table, a reproduction, priced more than a hundred dollars higher than the table I was considering. When I returned to purchase the table, the reproduction was sold, lucky for me. Whoever bought it was either not aware of the quality of the older table or didn’t want to have to strip and refinish it. The round oak table comes in very handy when we have large sit down gatherings. It came with two leaves, and seats six to eight people, all for under $200— now that’s a bargain.

If you are faced with a painting decision, I recommend you get an estimate on both painting and restoring the piece. Cost can be a factor that helps you decide which to do. With respect to family heirlooms, I would check with family members outside of your immediate family to find a new home if it does not suit you or any immediate family member any longer. The age of a piece of furniture does not necessarily make it a valuable antique, so painting such a piece would not devalue it; besides, once a piece is painted, it can always be stripped and the natural wood restored.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Fall

Hand Made Halloween Cards

My Little Goblins

The Three Bandits

The seasons in Southern California certainly exist, but they change on more subtile terms than they do for our neighbors to the east. We embrace those subtile changes just the same. With Fall and Halloween upon us, I enjoy seeing many of the elaborate decorations people put up around their homes and front gardens; I do miss the little goblins that used to roam the streets, but I understand that safety is far more important.

My decorating for fall usually starts in September, but I am slipping. I have only just put out some fall decorations. One tribute to Halloween I do incorporate is a picture of my little goblins from more decades ago than they would prefer acknowledge. I keep the picture of them heading out to Trick or Treat in their cheap, drugstore-bought costumes (they insisted they wanted to be like the other kids), posed among some fall pumpkins and vines. The picture is part of my annual decor; it always appears somewhere in my home, not always in the same place—that is part of the fun of decorating!

I do have the good fortune to have a very talented cousin, and I made it to his special Halloween Card list several years ago. His cards are always handcrafted, and his imagination and talents are honorably displayed each year somewhere in my home. This year, I felt the black china cabinet was the perfect place to enjoy them; they stand out in spooky fashion against the black background.

Whatever your preference for fall might be, you should embrace what you have and love. Whether it is a few photographs or natural elements from your garden, you can always find a place to show off the fall season in your home. Naturally, candles enhance fall with their spicy scents and fall colors. Placing them around your favorite photographs, gourds and vines will bring you hours of delight as they flicker in the now cooler evenings coming earlier and earlier.

Wreaths are another favorite of mine. I have several on different doors and in windows around my house— inside and out. Your front porch is a perfect venue to welcome your guests. A wagon full of real or realistic pumpkins from the crafts store sitting on a bed of straw, along with branches from your trees and vines from your yard, will add to the authenticity of your display. Additionally, you can pop in treasures from your past here as well, like a goblin toy or trick or treat bucket your children carried.

If you have a collection of lanterns, your front porch is a good place to gather and display them, again, using natural branches, vines and pumpkins to complement your display. The lanterns can hold candles and safely bring beautiful light to you entry.

Remember, you have lots of memories stored away in your home. All you need to do is pull out the photo albums and frame a few favorites, bring your fall and winter throws and quilts out of storage, and add some natural elements to your design to create a uniquely personal fall display.

Estate Sale Shopping

Small chair as book stand

Every once in awhile, I like to shop an estate sale; most often, a company holds such a sale in interesting or easy-to-reach locales. Many of the pieces I have found at estate sales have been placed in rooms that have beenselected for them; however, from time to time, the pieces move from room to room.

Shopping estate sales is fun as long as you have an open mind and are willing to shop out of order, so to speak. I may go looking for something specific for one client and find something that I need for another client; the item has been on my radar for sometime, but has not yet presented itself, and then, there it is. I often find myself looking at a piece, wondering why it has caught my eye. My brain goes through its catalog of clients and needs until it hits me that the piece would be perfect for a specific person. I like to shoot a picture and text it to my client to let him or her decide if I should pick it up. At times, the client may want to stop by in persona and take a look or pass on it entirely.

Sometimes, when shopping with my daughter, we come across something that we do not actually need, but the piece draws us into considering it for one of our homes. Such was the case with the little chair pictured here. Estate sales often run for several consecutive days, the first being the most expensive day, because everything is at full price; the second and subsequent days offer 25%-50% off, and the third day may offer items up to 75% off. We found this little chair on the third day of the sale, making it a super bargain and hard to pass up. Also, with the inventory at its lowest, we actually saw the chair, since I’m not sure I saw it on the previous visit.

The chair is a sturdy little oak piece with nicely turned legs, but otherwise fairly plain and modest—a perfect piece for a small corner of a room. The chair is of standard height, but has petite dimensions; I imagine it was at one time a child’s chair. It found a home in the corner of my daughter’s bedroom just outside the bathroom. It can be employed as extra seating inside or out, for parties, I suppose; but for now she’s happy to have it hold a few books. There is no guarantee that it will remain in its present location, but the corner previously seemed a bit empty.

Estate sales can have everything and anything a person has collected over a lifetime. Many things are ordinary items we all have, but many interesting books, pieces of art, furniture, garden and garage items may be found as well. If you need extra serving pieces for buffet dinners, estate sales might be a perfect place to add to your collection. You will find an interesting collection of shoppers as well. It can be a fun and expensive day out for some or just an interesting day.

Kitchen Storage: Old Ways Work Well Today

Plantation House on Kauai

Recently, we visited one of our favorite old haunts on the island of Kauai, the Grove House, established by George Wilcox, one of the first sugar plantations in Hawaii. I am always amazed at the generous proportions of the home and how seamlessly the additions to the home were incorporated.

The ceilings are tall and the verandas are generous, allowing the doors and windows to be open to the trade winds while the interiors are cool and dry, protected from the frequent rains that keep the island so lush and green.

Many of the necessities of farm life in the mid-1860’s were incorporated into the home, and are still in use today. The kitchen, while modest by today’s standards, is efficient and serviceable. They still use the old wood burning stove, which keeps the kitchen quite warm, even in the summers! The kitchen has a composting bin, which is air-cooled to the outside, which keeps unpleasant odors from accumulating. It is handy to remove the waste to the outside compost pile. While composting is making a comeback today, having outside access might be a good thing, but probably less practical in today’s kitchen.

Dishtowels air dry under the sink while hanging on dowels that slide out for easy access. This is a convenience that continues today in many forms, proving that some old ideas are well worth preserving.

I have always loved the pots and pan storage ideas employed at Grove Farm, not that they are unique to this home, as many homes of the era made good use of the space. The practical storage of platters and cutting boards, separated by thin vertical panels makes perfect sense no matter what century you are living.

Several years ago, when we replaced our builder wall oven, for an under-the-counter oven, wide enough for just about anything, we had to deal with the old oven cavity. It was no problem for me with handy hubby willing to take on the task. I had been wanting to get cookie sheets, platters and other awkward sized cooking pieces out of dark, hidden cabinets and up where I could reach them easily. The solution was to add the vertical dividers to separate cutting boards, platters and cookie sheets.  

Above the newly acquired storage, I had more space, and handy hubby added a horizontal shelf, high enough to allow for storage underneath for more frequently used items. On the added shelf, I store all the long boxes for parchment paper, aluminum foil and plastic wrap. These are easy enough for the vertically challenged to reach, as long as you don’t push them too far back when returning them to the shelf; however I do keep a collapsable step stool between the cabinet and refrigerator just for retrieval purposes. On the uppermost shelf, which not not many can reach, I keep the lesser used kitchen items.

To make the best use of your space, you must first determine how you want your space to serve you, then break down what can be added or deleted to serve your purpose. Having a handy hubby around, admittedly is one of my most prized gifts; but you will find lots of folks willing to take on the task for a reasonable fee. I think finding the space is the most challenging problem; but if you have a space that isn’t working well, think about how it can better serve you and go from there.

Downsizing and A New Lease on Life

I have been working with a designer friend and her long-time friend and client who is downsizing. We needed to decide what to keep and what to sell or give to charity; this was no easy task, since the client was downsizing was from a 5,000 square foot home down to a home measuring just under 2,000 square foot country cottage built in the late 1930’s. The house had been maintained nicely, and some improvements had been made, but paint was the first order of business. 

We also had to determine which pieces of furniture were the most important to the client, and then determine what actually would fit. In their present condition, the pieces to be moved were not going to suit the new cottage surroundings. We determined that painting and stripping of dark, shiny finishes would have to occur in order to make the furniture fit into the French Country Cottage theme on which the client had decided.

At this point, I thought my work was done, but not so fast, I discovered. There was a round oak table with a heavily grained surface that needed to be painted to add a little elegance. There also was a corner cabinet with a shiny and somewhat more modern look that needed some work. Once we got into the house, a neighbor donated a tiered pie crust table painted in a Shabby Chic type finish, but it was a bit too busy for our plans. Additionally, two perfectly sized, upholstered side chairs appeared, we were thrilled with the lines. Off to the Pacific Design Center we went for fabrics, looking for the perfect covering for the chairs and a pair of settees that found their way to the little cottage by way of the same sharp-eyed neighbor, again the perfect scale for the scale of the room.

Once we chose the fabrics, we embarked on a search and rescue mission downtown to find some additional pieces that would suit the clients needs. The client found a dainty bench with an upholstered seat, a wee bit dowdy, but perfect for a space in the living room just outside of the dining room. I added it to my painting projects, now up to four pieces.

As with all design projects, this one was a journey and a fun one for the three of us, especially for me, a new friend. We will continue working with the client, and soon we will be deciding on artwork; there is no shortage of pieces to choose from, the client is a very talented artist.

It has been especially rewarding to be able to use many favorite pieces that have strong sentimental meaning to the client. We hung her grandfather’s antique mirror in the dining room; it looks like it was meant to be in the room, and its guilt frame ties into the chandelier and new shades with the gold lining— a perfect compliment. We have more to do to bring this little cottage up to date; but as I mentioned, it is a journey, so we are enjoying the ride.

Oak table painted a Dark Engine Gray

Less Shabby More Chic Tiered Table

Second Hand Store Bench

Art is in the Eye of the Beholder

Art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. In the design mind, anything can be art; it just needs to suit the viewer. During my visits to clients’ homes, I have come across some of the most interesting and colorful artwork. The colors and subject matter are what bring rooms to life and identify a room or home as unique to the homeowner. Sadly, too many clients are a bit reluctant to embrace their artwork, and I am speaking mainly about paintings here. They often want to make excuses and say it doesn’t have to be in this room or used at all, if I think it’s not the right a particular room.  

What I love is embracing a client’s art work, because it is personal or has special memories attached and truly expresses the occupants’ unique individuality. Additionally, artwork is a great jumping off spot for color selection in the room.

Art can be displayed in any room and I especially, like it to be a surprise. It is easy to see why the painting of chickens shown here would make a great one for the kitchen, but the kitchen in this house really does not have wall space to spare or give the picture its due. The client had it at the end of a dark hall, and felt badly that it was not in a more prominent place because of its importance to the couple. 

We were exploring the newly painted bedroom that has given the couple such a sense of peace and tranquility, when they asked about a bright, colorful painting they had hung on the wall. Was it appropriate? I told them I thought it was great; they both loved it and it was full of color and energy, contained in a relatively small space. It is not the focal point, but a point of interest in a sea of cool, calm colors and furnishings. The couple had added a taller dresser since I had been there last and loved the storage the dresser provides; however, it displaced a painting that had been the color inspiration for the room. I suggested we put the painting that had such special meaning to them above the taller dresser, as it had stronger colors than the previous picture-- which we moved to another room and it made a beautiful vignette. 

The painting that has such special meaning, pictured here, is of three lovely ladies, that a friend painted shortly before the birds left this world: from left to right, Aunt Bea, Grace, lovely in classic black and white and finally, Topaz in the foreground. These birds were great layers of heavenly eggs and are fondly remembered by my clients.

One of the perks of my job is meeting so many diverse clients, with such great talents, like raising chickens, growing great fruits including my favorite boysenberries, and sharing their their bounty with me. The granddaughter of the client who shared these beauties likes to make labels for the eggs, giving credit to the current laying birds. My thanks to these wonderful people for sharing with me, not only their art, but tasty treats as well.

The Senses and Design

We are fortunate when we can enjoy a combination of positive effects on several of our senses at the same time. In the world of design, our senses of sight and touch offer pleasures, but our sense of smell is a likely third; it is oh so satisfying when flowers and greenery produce color, scent and texture all at once.

Bringing the outdoors in is a goal for most of us living in a temperate climate. While I am not a landscaper, I do know what I love to see and smell and Salvia Clevelandi, Winifred Gilman is a favorite for my eyes. I love it in the garden near an open window or door, so I can take in its lovely scent whenever a breeze comes up.

I like to make good use of plants in decor by using the real thing, whenever possible. Even dried plants can give off a pleasant fragrance in dried arrangements, or tied in a bundle and hung in a closet or shower. I like to use eucalyptus branches in these areas as well, especially hung in a shower; the steamy atmosphere helps bring their sweet, fresh scent into the surrounding areas-- for me, truly heaven sent.

Even a particularly lovely piece of furniture that needs protection from water spillage can be enhanced with a dry arrangement of local native or succulents as a centerpiece. One should never water a succulent on a table top; it should always be watered sparingly and on a surface that can be easily wiped up. Once the water has settled in the container, there is no danger of leaching moisture onto the surface of the furniture. An arrangement can sit for quite a long time, and infrequent watering will make a happy situation for both plant and table top.

Lavender is another favorite, both in the garden and in the house. These plants do well in our dry climate and are a favorite to dry and use as a sachet for drawers. Let me mention rosemary as well, which adds another sense, the sense of taste. Rosemary’s flavor adds to many savory dishes. Growing theses plants makes it easy enough to snip off small branches to bring into the house frequently, to add to an arrangement of roses or to use all by themselves. 

One of the great characteristics of these plants is their structure. They offer so many opportunities to display them creatively. They look lovely against a plain wall, or one enjoy the shadows they cast in the evenings. In addition, they bring fragrance to the room and the soul. With their color, scent, texture and taste, they have the makings of a long lasting and beautiful arrangement.

Sleepy Bear Cabinet Grows Up

Over the decades, useful and once treasured furniture pieces often get pushed aside for newer pieces, much like toys in the toy box. These pieces are associated with fond memories, and those memories make them hard to easily cast off; so we often find space for them in a garage or attic. The furniture piece in a garage can hold all sorts of things and so becomes useful, but mostly forgotten, in its new home. Small houses are always in want of more storage, and re-thinking the possibilities for an old piece of furniture can yield a better use for rediscovered items.  

Here is where this story begins--again. The cabinet lived in the garage, gathering dust, while storing gardening tools, seed packets, and a few moving blankets, along with some outdoor decor items. Adding more square footage to a master bedroom afforded more wall space to accommodate the cabinet inside to store more grown up things than when both the girl and the cabinet were young. Gone are the onesies, diapers, shirts and shorts and a few little dresses and caps; now the cabinet stores travel supplies and extra bathroom supplies; and a few shelves added will once again store shirts and shorts and possibly a sun cap or two.

The cabinet needed a good cleaning. Then We removed the screws that held the massive handles, meant for small, chubby hands. We filled the holes with a wood filler so we could select more modern drawer pulls without having to match the spacing of the old holes. We lightly sanded the piece, then primed and painted it a neutral color. We found fun drawer pulls at Anthropology, for a more sophisticated look.

The harder decision was what to do with the fuzzy, sleepy bear decal on the cabinet. At first, we thought we could cut out the panel and insert a glass panel with either a sanded glass or another decorative style of glass. The problem was that whatever is stored inside will show to some degree through the glass. Next, we remembered antiquing old mirrors long ago, and thought that might be a good solution, to reflect some light, while obscuring the contents of the cabinet; however today’s mirrors are constructed of better grades of silver or reflective material than days of old; today’s mirrors do not degrade nearly as easily as they used to, so we scrapped that plan. Next, we used some Anaglypta or embossed wallpaper, which is paintable and adds texture and interest to an otherwise pretty plain surface. This type of wall covering was first used in Victorian homes by inventor Fredric Walton, who patented linoleum floor covering in 1860.

Today’s embossed wall coverings are much softer and easier to work with and will not harden nearly as hard as they used to in olden days. Once we cut the piece and glued in place, it was painted a light gray paint and added a silver glaze to achieve an antique look.

Now the piece has an entirely new and fresh look and will serve for many decades to come. Happy memories now live inside while serving a modern girl with modern needs.

Sleepy Bear Before

Sleepy Bear All Grown Up

A Great Estate Sale Find

You just never know where you will find the next great thing! Tag sales, garage and yard sales, flea markets and sometimes the side of the road can be the most unlikely places you will find just what you are looking for, albeit not as recognizable in its current form as you imagine. Maybe you are looking for a particular object and maybe you are just looking at interesting things, but when you stumble upon something that is out of the ordinary you need to take advantage of the moment.

Recently, while shopping at the monthly Estate Sale I like to frequent and, after a quick pass through, a second tour landed me at this old carpenters work bench. When my client found me, she noted that she too had looked at this same item. It is a bit low for a typical kitchen cart or island, but when you are vertically challenged as many are, it is nearly perfect. My client has been looking at kitchen carts on-line as well as checking out new carts in trendy shops around town, but nothing really hit the spot until we pondered this old work bench. Just imagine the history that this piece might tell if it could.

Under the books on the shelf below the top, is a hinged box used to store small tools. It is a perfect spot for little used, but necessary serving pieces. These pieces tend to take up valuable space inside cabinets and make preparation a challenge
when you have to unload half a cabinet to get to the piece you need. With those items off the valuable shelf space, everything is easier.  

The bench’s surface area is the perfect size for an additional work space for chopping vegetables or mixing a batch of cookies, it is the perfect height for a small stool and rolling out a pie crust while standing. Of course, no food is placed on top of the table without a cutting board or some protective surface for cutting raw foods. Good sanitation demands care. However, there are no worries about putting a glass on top that may sweat or a bottle of wine that may stain a nicer countertop. 

A piece such as this is great in a vintage house, but it would also fit in a more modern kitchen as a useful accent piece to add warmth and a sense of history-- a nice change from the stark, utilitarian look. 

We have considered adding a couple of inches to its height by adding casters, but so far the piece suits the needs of the cook; the taller cook can use the other surfaces in the kitchen. The bench has found a new and unexpected use in this vintage kitchen; a perfect compliment to the two cooks that can now work happily in unison.

Old Work Bench

Working Kitchen Bench

Thank You, Julia Child

Peg Board with Chalk Board Paint

Pots and Pans within Easy Reach

I am not certain that Julia Child was the first person to think of peg board in the kitchen, but it certainly became a popular idea as seen in the recent movie, Julie and Julia and was the inspiration for this vintage kitchen. My client’s kitchen probably was a very satisfactory work space in 1930, with an ice box taking up some space and cold storage near the buffet. However, in today’s kitchen the refrigerator was a huge obstacle to get around and made an otherwise comfortable workspace for two or three people, a one person kitchen.

The answer was to move the refrigerator around the corner and into what had been a small pantry in the laundry room. This answer required the partial removal of a wall that separated the kitchen from the laundry room as well as the removal of the pantry walls in the service area. By removing about 18 inches of wall space behind the refrigerator along with the header above the door that lead to the laundry room, and adding a full glass patio door in the laundry area, the kitchen became a light filled, open and more modern work space. The refrigerator was rotated 45 degrees and moved into the expanded laundry room.

Moving of the refrigerator has been a long-standing plan for my client, and now that it has been accomplished, the floor space seems to have doubled, as three people can comfortably work in the space.

Storage was still an issue for this small kitchen, and that is where Julia Child’s idea to hang her most often used pots and pans on a peg board comes into play. My client had a contractor remove walls and extend the laundry room and add the full glass door, but the peg board was a fairly simple task to tackle with a drill, and some furring strips to allow space for hooks behind the peg board. While Julia’s kitchen peg board was the iconic aqua of the 1950‘s, today’s kitchen enjoys a practical application of blackboard paint; the plan is to outline the pots and pans, as Julia did, with a chalk pen. My client plans to experiment with pots and pans for a little while to make sure everything hangs in the most convenient place. One the two cooks has the reach of a typical six footer and the other, who falls far short of that lofty reach. The addition of trim around the peg board was a finishing touch, purely for aesthetics.

My client plans to add an additional work station below the peg board, but for now a narrow bookcase serves as a place holder as well as attractive storage for cook books and some bulky pots that have no place in the already packed cabinets. This is a clear case of using something you already have, in a new way. It is often beneficial to think outside of conventional uses for furniture pieces; bookcases can go almost anywhere, they are great storage units.

Add a Touch of Whimsey to a Room

I like to suggest adding something unusual, something unexpected to a room, to give it a sense of originality, something that makes the room very personal to the people who live in it.  I call it a touch of whimsey.  A very serious, well organized and cohesive room can be transformed into a unique one by the addition of a small, but very unexpected shot of personality that no one else has.

Rose Bowl Find

Several years ago, I worked with a client who needed to transform a very large and modern room.  The client was in transition, moving from a romantic style to a more modern and sleek room that would better conform with the home’s architecture.  Knowing that this was a transition period for the client, I suggested that she choose a light fixture that had a touch of whimsey, anything she liked.  The space was off center from the room, but a necessary spot of light.  I should not have been surprised when she followed her earlier desire and when with something light, airy and definitely romantic.  She appreciates the clean and simple lines of modernism, which now showcase the gorgeous views from her hilltop home.  I’m sure she still smiles when she looks back and sees her touch of whimsey.

Another client found a little old wooden bird cage at a flea market.  This was a case of falling in love with a great piece and needing to bring it home; she just had a connection and wanted to use the cage.

Once the room was painted a cool, soft gray-green and the coved ceilings were showcased  in a crisp white, the little bird cage made a nice statement in the corner of the living room.  Thoughts of what to put in the cage ranged from the silly to the predictable, but we settled on whimsey.  The cage is light weight and hangs from a pretty light blue ribbon, reminiscent of the sky.  Inside the cage are five felt pillows shaped like clouds and outlined in blue embroidery thread.  One of the clouds has a yellow lightening bolt embroidered on it and cannot be seen until one is close-- now that is a surprise.

Something out of the ordinary and unpredictable is the difference between a stuffy, but well organized room and a fun spontaneous room.  I have come across plenty of couples who have hobbies and collections that are the bane of one person in the relationship.  I find it a perfect solution to marry the two opposing styles.  If one partner loves collecting super hero characters, for instance, the other can position one or two or three in a bookcase in an otherwise serious room.  A formal living room, takes on a much less serious tone with a super hero strategically placed somewhere in the room: under a lamp on a side table, off center on the mantel, or sitting on a coffee table along with more serious items.

Of course, one should not get carried away with whimsey, or it becomes chaotic and childish, but used sparingly a whimsical item can be a fun object d’ art.  Keep the serious collections in a personal room, in an office or den, or part of a family room.

New Uses for Old China Cabinets

China cabinets have been a subject in my column before, I know, but this topic has a new twist.  Most china cabinets new and old come in two pieces; that is, the top or glass portion is usually a bit narrower than its base and secured by screws and possibly a bracket to hold it all together as one piece.  Years ago, I had a friend ask me what she could do with a piece she had inherited from her mother, a piece she really didn’t want, or need, but “Mother wanted me to have it”; so the need to keep and use it was strong.

My immediate idea was to take the top off (storing it until a use could be found for it) and to just use the base as a buffet, which is what my friend did.  The buffet sits in the dining room with the matching table, and the room is no longer overwhelmed with too much furniture.  I had suggested that if they had space in a bathroom, a metal base frame could be made for the glass portion and the piece could be painted and used to store pretty towels and toiletries.   The base being open, would not overpower a small room.  However the home really did not have space for.  Oftentimes, an older home ( 60 years or more) might accommodate such a piece.

Now, this friend is refurbishing a home that is from the turn of the last century, and I got to thinking about the upper cabinet piece that  hopefully being stored.  The piece might be a perfect solution to furnishing a century-old home, in either the kitchen or bathroom.

In the kitchen, it could easily sit on a counter top, making it look somewhat built-in, painted to match the base cabinet.  This situation would not have been out of the ordinary in those days, as pioneer folks really did use what they had or could find in a neighboring farmhouse.  Mix and match became a design trend; but back in the day, it was simply a way to make ends meet.  It’s funny, how somethings come full circle.

Alternately, this upper cabinet piece could be a great linen cabinet upstairs in the bathroom or hallway near the bath.  Again, it could be placed on top of an old dresser and secured to the dresser with brackets, or fastened to the wall as a permanent piece.   Depending on the decor sensibilities of the room, the pieces can be painted a fun color to enhance the bathroom, as an accent piece or painted to blend into the walls.  Bright colored towels can provide the accent color.  

If the glass has broken in the storage or transportation, a mesh or chicken wire can replace the glass.  Painted a silver, gold or black to match the other fixtures in the bathroom or kitchen to give it a true “farmhouse” feel, along with new handles or cabinet pulls.

Of course, both pieces could be re-united and painted and placed in the old farmhouse and given new life in a new space with a outlook for another hundred years.

There is usually a solution, if you can keep an open mind and are not in too much of a hurry for the finish line.   Remember that decorating is a journey; have fun along the way.

Tile to the Top

Whether you are remodeling or building from scratch, tile in the bathrooms and kitchen is a good choice.  While solid surface countertops still reign superior in most homeowner’s minds, the backsplash is another thing entirely.  Tile and stone pieces are a great option.  Stone pieces and mosaic tiles are usually mounted on a mesh backing, making installation much easier than was the decades ago fashion of placing the pieces one piece at a time.

In showers, more often than not, I am seeing tile or mosaic stone being used from floor to ceiling for a continuous look.  This process eliminates peeling paint in very moist environments.  It is also a cleaner look from a design aspect.  Allowing tile to reach the ceiling, gives you some more options for adding a design element, such as running subway tile in a vertical pattern, or alternating colors into vertical bands to give the room a greater appearance of height.  Running several contrasting  horizontal bands is another design option.  In small spaces use less contrast, but enough to add interest in what might be a dull and uninteresting space.

In kitchens, where you use tile as a backsplash behind a cooktop, you can create again a greater sense of height and you can highlight a fancy hood vent.  If you have a sink that does not overlook a window, adding an attractive tile with open shelves will feel less closed in than having cabinets above the sink.  This area can become a focal point for displaying some of your favorite decorative pieces or most-often used dishes and bowls; if they are colorful or unusual, they are not only useful, but pretty additions to the kitchen decor. 

Open shelving in kitchens over a counter-to-ceiling wall of interesting tile can add special interest while allowing for storage and display options.  In an eating area, where the kids sit, might be a great place to store materials that they can access easily, especially in a space-saving banquet area.

There are so many choices when it comes to wall tile.  Stone, glass, porcelain, and ceramic tiles are available in smooth, metallic, clear, solid and tumbled finishes.  I like to remind clients to consider the relationship between the counter and the backsplash choices, which need to be coordinated in both color and patterns.  Too often, clients choose a speckled countertop that may have a lot of color contrast, which they love, but then choose an equally busy backsplash over the counters; and are not usually very happy with the finished look.  It is best to choose one or the other to be the big splash of design or color contrast which is not to say you cannot have a dash of contrast in both places; but you need to use some restraint in one place or another.

Laundry Rooms--To Stack or Not To Stack

Laundry rooms are without a doubt a service area, but they can be attractive, colorful and functional spaces.  In two recent cases, I faced with the question of whether or not to stack the washer and dryer.  In the first case, stacking was the most practical application given the available space, a very awkward room inside the garage.  

Removing a deep and poorly spaced shelf was the first practical thing to do.  The client was using it for storage with predictable results:  things were out of sight and got lost.  The shelf was too high and too deep.  What seemed like a good idea in theory was disastrous in practice.  

Once the shelf was removed, it was clear that stacking the washer and dryer was the answer to this awkward room.  The space once occupied by the washer became available for easy-to-reach narrow shelves to hold laundry products within easy reach of a person of any height.

The second laundry room was an addition added to the existing room.  In this space, the washer and dryer could be useful either side by side or stacked.  Stacking the appliances in this instance improved the storage capacity of the room.  Since only tall people could access cabinets above the washer and dryer easily, stacking would permit the space for a tall cabinet into which anyone could reach for laundry or cleaning products.

In this second situation, stacking allowed more visual space and made room for a folding table or desk, adding another definite advantage.  This laundry room provides a corridor to the back yard and patio where the homeowners hold summer parties.  As an additional bonus, this space make a great landing place for food, buffet style, keeping insects outside and off the prepared foods.

Changing out the old door with windows in the top half for a door with a full window from top to bottom floods the room with light, making it feel even roomier.  Tall ceilings and more windows are the answer to many small room problems if they can be made to fit into the remodeling plan.

Stacking the laundry makes a lot of sense for most applications, but side by side appliances allow for a counter on top for folding, if you are lucky enough to have windows above the machines for light and air circulation and do not have to reach into upper cabinets.  

Make sure you look at all the aspects of your situation, keeping in mind that light as well as storage need to be considered.

The Open Space Living Concept

One of the most sought after living styles today is the open space concept with the  living room, dining room, and kitchen prep area all in one large room.  With today’s lifestyles, this concept makes a lot of sense.  Compare it with days gone by, where the cook was confined to the kitchen and the guests and family were elsewhere in the home.  Formal dining rooms are not the norm for today’s more casual dining; they are nice if you have a very large home with staff doing the cooking and serving, but this arrangement is not so common today.

The beginning of the open space concept may have begun with a pass-through from the kitchen to the dining room.   The pass-through may have been revolutionary in its day, but it is a bit too closed in for today’s living.  

One of the first things most people have to decide when considering the removal of an upper wall, is the cabinetry on that wall and where to store what is in those  cabinets.  The same is true when considering removal of floating cabinets over an island or peninsula.  It may be wise to open the cabinets, evaluate what is stored in them and determine where else the items can be stored.  You may even find a lot of things you considered “lost” because they were unseen and not easily accessible.  The things you still need and use, albeit less frequently, can be stored in other cabinets. This exercise forces you to really access the items need to be in your home; so making careful choices is important.

If you happen to have such a pass-through and wonder how to modernize it or truly open the space, there are few things you need to consider.  First, you will want your kitchen to be attractive and uncluttered enough to be on constant display.  You will want your cabinetry to coordinate with the rooms to which it is open, i.e. family room, dining room.  

If your cabinets are old, outdated or shabby, painting will be the easiest fix.  You can consider removing some of the door fronts and keeping some open cabinetry on upper cabinets for some of your pretty or frequently used utensils.  The most important thing to keep in mind with open shelves, is the view you will present to the rest of the room.

Another consideration is the lighting that will be visible from the living spaces into the kitchen area.  A new, attractive light fixture might be a nice accent to add to the kitchen.  Color will be another consideration; you will want the two or three combined spaces to be cohesive.  The rooms need not be the same color, but they should coordinate; consider a bolder value of the same color from room to room or a graduated value of color among the three rooms.  Color too will give an open concept a subtle room division.

The pass-through kitchen will require some amount of DIY skill, or you can hire a contractor.  You will need to determine if the wall separating the kitchen and other rooms is load-bearing before you swing the sledge hammer.  There may be electrical wires or plumbing pipes in the walls, so go slowly and check in the attic or have someone who is skilled in construction help you determine these issues.  Oftentimes, a post or pillar will be necessary to hold up the end of a load-bearing wall.

When you have cabinets on the kitchen side of the pass through wall, you will want the cabinets to remain for storage, so a half wall will be your division between the rooms, still giving you a visual open space.  A half wall may give you an opportunity to have a console on the living room side of the half wall, to be used for games or if it is a dining space, a buffet server for parties.

Removing the entire wall between the kitchen and adjoining room may be more ambitious than the average DIYer can manage, and there are more things to consider.  For instance, you will have flooring issues to deal with, as the removal of a wall will leave a two-by-four or two-by-six space where the wall once was.  Leaving a partial wall would not necessarily require new flooring or patching.  The ceilings in both renovations will need to be addressed, but dry wall is more easily applied than flooring with the necessary matching.  

Removing cabinets above an island and peninsula can be among the most liberating and enjoyable renovations one can undertake.

Easter Egg Garden

When I was a child, the markets sold cottage cheese in cartons decorated for Easter, and my family bought the cheese in these cartons.  We eagerly consumed the cheese  so we could use the cartons for little Easter Baskets to play with until the big day and the fancy baskets arrived Easter morning.  We would fill them with cotton and sprinkle bird seed on top and water them; soon we had our own little grass gardens in which the Easter Bunny left a brightly colored egg.  

On a smaller scale, we would take an egg shell and press cotton balls into the largest half, again sprinkle either bird seed or grass seed in the cotton soil and water it.  We would tend our egg gardens daily and report the progress of the seeds that would sprout.  It was a fascinating lesson for us as small children to be able to watch germination on a daily basis.

There is still time to begin a small garden of grass before Easter, if you start right away.  Naturally, you can use any small basket or vessel that is water tight, fill it with soil or cotton and sprinkle either grass seed or bird seed on top and water.  There is no need to bury the seeds; they will sprout sitting on top of the cotton or soil.  Place the egg or basket garden near a window and keep the soil moist; then watch the seeds grow before your eyes.  Once you have a healthy egg or basket of greens, you can add them to your centerpiece along with some decorated eggs or candy eggs. 

You also can place each half of an egg shell garden into an egg cup and place one at each setting on your holiday table as a party favor.  Add a toothpick with a small card along with each guest’s name, and you will have a clever place card sitting in a field of greens.  An entire centerpiece could be fashioned from eggs, grasses, baskets and your imagination.  A few spring candles added to the mix will help illuminate your table.

What I love about this tradition is how simple it is and how it helps connect children to the growing process, albeit in its most simple form.  It is also one of the least messy projects you can do with very young children.  Who knows, it may inspire little gardeners; and you will benefit from their enthusiasm for years to come.

Design Reality vs TV Design

The design craze brought on by ever-present TV shows sparks some reality checks in my everyday business.  It is all well and good to see a room come together in under thirty minutes, given commercial breaks, but quite another when living through any type home redesign.  I do believe that most people are sophisticated enough to realize this difference, but somewhere in the back of many minds is the hope that a redesign can actually happen as seen on TV.

A dash of reality must come into play at some point with any design.  I try to remind clients that the project should be considered a journey, with changes along the way. When clients select a designer to help pull together, their home or a room--even in a small way--sometimes they must adapt to new circumstances.   As a designer it is my job to listen and help point out all sides of a design choice; what is good for someone else is not necessarily a good choice for the client, even though he or she might love the look.

I find TV shows and magazines are great jumping off places for clients, allowing me to see in what direction they are leaning, and to what colors or styles they are drawn.

There are good choices and better choices;  I like to give my clients the options as I see them and know that ultimately, the choice belongs to the client.  For instance, hallways often lend themselves to artwork.   Hallways usually are just long pedestrian pathways with little interest; so why not add some color or artwork.  With proper lighting, a hallway can become a small gallery.  Unfortunately, not all hallways are created equal; some are small with plenty of doors to break up the space; and others are so wide they seem like another room.  

A narrow hallway can be tricky.  It may not be wide enough to enjoy art work, or there may be utilities such as a thermostat stuck on the wall, leaving little agreeable space for artwork.  Recently, I had to deal with a hallway in which the client had placed a series of small, framed pictures; they were interestingly spaced, but people could not appreciate them unless they had their back against the opposing wall.   The pictures were not really noticed unless people came out of the hall bath, which hardly did the pictures credit.

My solution to this problem was to make a tight group of the six pictures at the end of the hall.  The wall is actually the end of the guest room closet, when the door is open; it is what you see at the end of the hall, as you pass by or enter.  The color on the wall is interesting and draws the eye toward it and now the picture grouping is an additional draw.

It would be a mistake to not take advantage of lesser walls; they too can be focal points, as in this case, an example of living with a design choice and then changing it after some consideration.

In many situations, where living with an arrangement for a short time is preferable to making expensive purchases without knowing if the set up is conducive to one’s lifestyle.  The client and I also visited some earlier choices for room uses and discovered that in reality, the client will be more likely to use a given room in a way other than originally planned.  The experience of living in a home is a good thing that helps sort out what is important.  

Suitable Window Coverings

Every window should have an opportunity to become its best self.  Windows add light and ventilation and sometimes a great view, but not always.  That said, you need to determine how your windows will function best for your room and your needs.

First assess where the window is in the room; is it on the north, south, east or west wall?  Then, you can move on to what effects north, south, east or west light and ventilation will have on your room.  For instance, if you have a view, you will want to capitalize on it-- nothing trumps a view.  If your view is to the south or west, you will have sun issues that need to be addressed to protect your furnishings and floors; consider tinting so you can enjoy the view.

With a view window, you may want to consider no window coverings at all which will work if you do not have a privacy issue or need thermal protection; tinting will also help with thermal conditions.  In the case of a view without the need for privacy measures, I usually recommend nothing at all, or “dummy panels”, non-functioning drapery panels that add color, design and interest to a room to enhance the view outside and the decor of the room inside.

If you have a window without a view or an unpleasant view, I usually look outside to see what can be done to alter the view.  A block wall is decidedly uninteresting until you plant a clinging vine on it, flowering or not.  However, beware that non-flowering vines usually are deciduous, turning red in the fall and dropping their leaves in winter, leaving a skeleton of branches on the wall.  If planting will not work, I suggest covering the glass with a semi-opaque film, then adding pretty drapes or blinds.  You want the light, but can avoid the assault of an unpleasant view.

Odd shaped windows are a challenge and usually require custom coverings; those can be expensive.  Again, consider the above solutions if they apply.   Custom is sometimes the only way to go, but it does not have to be expensive.  Sometimes, off- the-rack drapes can be adapted easily with the help of a seamstress or your own sewing talents.  There are plenty of good, off-the-rack options; you just need to think outside of the box.  Add some trim, on the leading edge of the panel, or top or bottom, to add length, width, or interest.

Shutters are usually an added bonus, adding value when selling your home.  However, they are expensive and view limiting.  To take advantage of the view, you will want to have the widest possible louvers, or open the shutters during certain times of the day; but you will have to make sure the blinds will not interfere your furnishings.

Always, think of how you will use the room and its location before investing in expensive window treatments.  Sometimes the easiest solution is the best.  Consider a room divider screen as a window treatment,  allowing ventilation; the design options are unlimited.