I was itching for a project. A little creativity. Supplies I had in-house. Relatively quick to accomplish. And I had a boring white lampshade. It looked just fine as it was. But fine isn't fun. Fine is a little boring, even against the brilliant lusterstone walls of the dining room. So it was craft time. I didn't really have a vision when I began, which isn't always a great way to start. But sometimes, if you wait for a vision, you don't ever actually start. I knew I was goi

We're planners. But sometimes even the best-laid plans don't work out. So when a last-minute school decision collided with an unfurnished apartment, we got creative. Like most, we didn't want to make any big investments in furniture and decor, because this isn't anywhere near the final stop in her housing life. Lucky for us, the basement was stocked with some pretty cool pieces we'd saved over the years just waiting for a twenty-something to re-purpose into fab apartment deco

Paint. It offers an instant transformation. It's inexpensive. It lets you stay on trend. It can hide flaws. It's a decorator's best friend. Really, it's the SPANX of the design world, if you think about it. But for so many clients, friends, and family I work with, the challenge of picking a color overwhelms the joy that comes from all of the above. For some it's the commitment. What if I don't like it later? For others it's just not knowing where to start. And for some, it's

Need inspiration? Look up. “Tradition” says the ceiling needs to be white. It also says you can’t wear white after Labor Day or drink red with seafood. So when you’re considering painting your room, don’t forget the fifth wall – the ceiling. There are so many ways to make this work beautifully. You just have to figure out the effect you want to create. Do you love the color you’ve selected for the walls and want to envelop yourself in it, creating a warm, cocoon-y feel? Pain

Bit by mauve toilet and honey oak saloon rail bit, I’ve transformed our lovely but very much built in the 80s home to a bright, colorful, eclectic haven that friends and family all seem to love – even if they wouldn’t design their homes in the same ways. One of the last spaces standing, climbing to be precise, was the entry staircase. It begged for a redo, so wanting to be as up-to-date as it’s recently installed slate floor, stunning ceiling art, and ceiling and dramatic wal

Sometimes you just have to get something down on paper. As someone who built a career as a professional communicator before being tempted down the path of color, fabric, and fun that is decorating (for me), I know that sometimes the most effective approach is to start typing. You can always edit later. Or throw it away. But usually the kernel is there. Decorating is the same. I’ve seen family, friends, and clients deliberate endlessly about the merits of six essentially ident