Why is art so intimidating? Is it the expense? The worry that we like the “wrong” kind of art? Not knowing what to buy or where to buy it?  Art for the walls of our homes doesn’t have to be expensive art bought from galleries and auctions. While it is wonderful to collect art, decorating our walls doesn’t need to be a huge investment in the art market.  The best rule for buying art is to buy what you love.

If you buy art that you love, it will make you smile whenever you walk into the room.  Art can also be much more personal. Framed family photos and heirlooms are lovely hung in large groups or enlarged. You can have them printed in all black and white for a cohesive look.  There are even companies that will print your photos on canvas to make your photos really feel like works of art.

Creating gallery walls is a wonderful way to display art.  As opposed to one large piece over the sofa as was tradition, creating a space to display a number of works is visually more interesting. Mix in fine art with family photos and children’s masterpieces for a personal wall of art.

Reader’s Question:

Answer:  The best carpet cushion to use in a radiant heat flooring application would have the lowest R-value possible.  Carpenter’s product that would be the best suited for heated flooring is the Emerald 1/4″ product.  It has a density of 8 pounds per cubit feet and is approximately a R-1.  There are some low profile rubber products that have R-values that would be alternative to bonded cushion.

This living room is full of charming farmhouse furniture and accessories.  The room itself is a standard design with wood floors, recessed lighting and crown molding.  It could be a renovation or new construction, and demonstrates how well farmhouse style can fit into a home. Neutral wall color lets the colors of the curtains, furniture and accessories stand out.

Vintage finds add character to the room. An old painted trunk makes for a charming coffee table with storage in the seating area.  Vintage inspired lamps throughout the room create lighting zones and accent lights for reading.  Comfortable seating in pretty slipcovers in natural linens and cotton make for easy cleaning.  This is definitely not a living room where you’d be afraid to put up your feet.

The wide plank wood floors offer a rustic charm.  A jute rug with a colorful border that coordinates with the colors of the room centers the seating area.

This living room shows how charming farmhouse style can be. Mixing in vintage and antique pieces let the homeowner’s personality shine through to make the room feel comfortable and personal. Fabrics and furniture further the feeling of comfortable farmhouse charm.

We hope you are enjoying the time spent with people you love; that’s the best gift of all!

The Tent: You can put up a real tent in the living room or have the kids construct their very own with blankets.  You can use cushions for a place to sit and gather around for stories.

The Food: Make something easy and that still carries the camping theme.  Try hot dogs, potatoes, and a vegetable.  The dinner should be an easy clean up that requires few utensils.  Put down a blanket you don’t care too much about so if there are messes, you can toss it in the washer without a worry.  For dessert, make s’mores in the kitchen; after all, s’mores are a camping tradition!

The Activites: Having flashlights will be fun for the kids; they can make up a shadow puppet holiday story and share with everyone.  Instead of scary stories around a fire, try to gather around one flashlight and have everyone talk about what makes this time of year special to them.

It’s the perfect time to cozy up and eat a few melty s’mores so do something fun with the family this season!

Set up a gift-wrap center: Whether it’s a card table in front of the TV for a few weeks or just a spot on the floor, prepare a place for wrapping. Include good paper scissors; an office-style tape dispenser that can be used one-handed; and your gift-wrap supplies including paper, ribbon and tags. With just a little planning, you have a go-to space for everyone in the family to wrap gifts.

Pace yourself: Unwrapped gifts scattered around the house look and feel like clutter, but wrap them and you have instant holiday decorations. When you come home after a day of shopping, take part of the evening to wrap up and label the spoils of your labor.

Pre-sort: Will some gifts be brought to a family member’s home and others stay? Are certain presents planned hostess gifts? Create separate sections for each category of present, so it will be easier to pick up the ones needed at the right time.

Make a list, check it twice: Before wrapping your gifts, be sure to make a list of whom you’re giving what to, so that you know when your shopping is done.

Keep it simple: This may mean just one style of wrapping paper and ribbon so that you don’t have to worry about balancing colors. It may involve using stick-on bows or thicker wire-edged ribbon that makes it easy for your gifts to look splashy with little effort. You may want to have a few holiday bags for those gifts such as footballs that just don’t work with wrapping paper.

This year make your gift-wrap process easier and more streamlined, and you may have time to sing a few holiday songs and even bake cookies.

Remember, you don’t have to do it all.  Let your guests bring their favorite side dish that way, you don’t have to slave away in the kitchen and they get their special dish at the Thanksgiving feast—everyone’s happy!

Decorations: Make it fun for everyone—have some craft time with the kids where they can create the decorations.  You could do the classic Turkey by tracing their hands and then have them decorate the turkey.  You can also use the decorated paper turkey for place setting assignments; just add your guests’ name.

Be prepared: Plan ahead. Start cooking dishes or prepping them the day before.  This will make Thursday go by much more smoothly and it allows you more freedom to mingle with family and friends.

A fun activity for everyone: Pass around a gourd in a circle of everyone and whoever has it says what he or she is most thankful for.  You could also have everyone write down what they’re thankful for on a piece or paper and then draw them out of a hat.  This gets everyone back to the route of why we’re celebrating Thanksgiving.

It’s Thanksgiving, so enjoy the day with your loved ones because whatever you do, will be time well spent!

Blue and white china has been inspiring interiors for hundreds of years. First imported from China, blue and white porcelain was coveted throughout Europe. It created a design craze that resulted in Europeans replicating the porcelain and colors into their own unique designs.  You’ll find blue and white porcelain, ceramics and pottery from a number of European countries, including Holland, England and France.

Both the color and patterns of this famous china can inspire design throughout the home. Textiles and rugs are two of the many design elements influenced by blue and white china.  Patterns and colorways replicate the designs on the china. Wallpaper is another place you’ll find blue and white inspired designs.

Porcelain and ceramic tiles used for floors and backsplashes are other materials inspired by blue and white china. Delft tiles from Holland date back hundreds of years and are still being produced today. These can be used in kitchens and baths as accents or backsplashes.

The classic combination of blue and white can work in any decorating style from traditional to transitional. Look around your home for objects that inspire you.

As you can see in the dining room above, there is a mix of three different sets of chairs around the table.  It still looks elegant with this collection of chairs.  The chandelier is a great way to add sophistication to the space.  The neutral patterned wallpaper enriches the entire room, without overpowering it.  The storage cabinet in the back is a perfect solution for storing plates and decorations.  The mirror makes the room feel bigger; if you have a mirror hanging just make sure to have it reflecting something pleasing to the eye.  A buffet area would allow for extra space to place food or drinks that are easy to access during the holiday meals.

Make the holidays interesting by having special table settings and decorations around the room.  Cut into a gourd or pumpkin and you can place your guests’ names there for place settings.  Candlesticks or vases with flowers are always a great option for centerpieces.  Get the kids involved and have craft time. You can display their special crafts as centerpieces for the table or décor for around the house.

Have fun with your dining room decorating this holiday season! There are no rules as long as you enjoy it.  Get creative and enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

For people in wheelchairs, there are requirements that can make a home work well. Basic elements such as halls and doorways wide enough to allow for wheelchairs to pass through are a must.  Open floor plans often help provide the space for wheelchairs to maneuver among furniture and architectural elements.

Flooring is also important. The best choice is tile for a number of reasons. First, the smooth surface makes it easy to move through a home in a wheelchair. The sturdy nature of tile also means that it will hold up under some potentially rougher than usual traffic. Finally, it’s one of the easier materials to maintain.

Kitchens and bathrooms require some special consideration. They have to be large enough to handle a wheelchair, include a shower with easy access and toilet that is set higher. A lower sink with space underneath works well, and drawer storage is obviously better than a traditional medicine cabinet.

For a kitchen, upper cabinets are not particularly useful, although most homes include them. Plenty of lower cabinet or open shelf space within reach from a sitting position is critical. Having a prep/work surface at table level will make fixing meals much easier, and a faucet with a pull-out spray helps with cleaning up.

Today’s designers and home suppliers are addressing the needs of people with wheelchairs. If this is a concern for you or a member of your family, let us know if you would like more information.