Big Advice

Last weekend I spent a lot of time sitting on my deck looking through magazines- the weather was so beautiful!  The May issue of House Beautiful had a lot of great design tips so I thought I'd share and add a little too....

TOO MANY CHAIR AND TABLE LEGS CAN MAKE A ROOM "NERVOUS".  A SKIRTED PIECE OR TWO WILL MAKE IT FEEL GROUNDED
If you have a sofa and two chairs in a room, skirt the chairs and put legs on the sofa or vice versa

ONE PAIR OF PILLOWS LOOKS SKIMPY, USE TWO PAIRS IN CONTRASTING PATTERNS, COLORS, AND TEXTURES
and sizes

THE MOST INDESTRUCTIBLE FABRIC FOR DINING CHAIRS IS LEATHER OR VINYL
There are so many great looking faux leathers right now..They are my favorites for dining chairs or barstools

LOVE YOUR CLOSETS.  PAINT THEM, PAPER THEM, HANG PICTURES IN THEM TO INSPIRE YOU.  AND DEFINITELY LIGHT THEM.
I hang some of my kids art work in the closets...I love to open the hall closet and see the monkey painting Marianna did in third grade

SMALL SCALE FURNITURE ONLY MAKES A SMALL ROOM LOOK SMALLER.  TRY A HIGH BED AND A TALL HEADBOARD.  YOUR ROOM WILL GROW.
I love to wallpaper powder rooms.  Even if it is a small space, hang a big bold print.

CURTAINS ARE LIKE RUNWAY DRESSES. THE TALLER THE BETTER.
If you have an 8' ceiling, hang the pole right under the crown moulding

USE A RUG INSTEAD OF A BATH MAT.  IT WAS MADE TO WITHSTAND A LOT MORE WEAR THAN THE OCCASIONAL WET FOOT.

YOU NEVER GET TIRED OF A WHITE ROOM.

THE MOST VERSATILE COFFE TABLE YOU'LL EVER OWN IS AN OTTOMAN TOPPED WITH A TRAY.
I personally have one of these..though I wish my kids (all four of them if you know what I mean) didn't just dump the tray on the floor when they want to put their feet on it..

NOTHING SOFTENS A LONELY CORNER IN A BIG ROOM LIKE A POTTED TREE
Just make sure it's alive and pretty...and light it up with a $7.00 uplight from IKEA!  So cozy