WELCOME 2013 WITH DESIGN RESOLUTIONS IN GREEN

It's a new year and time for some newness! When was the last time you really refreshed the look of your home? Even if it was at the start of the millennium (that was 13 years ago now!) or even if you're renting, your dwelling could be in need of a refresher. Although we may be entering another year of caution - not too many home renovations to be happening as in years past - refreshing the look of your home need not require an entire overhaul. In 2013, why not try a new shot of color (the color of the year: emerald green) and take some time to rethink the design style of your home: re-energize your outlook by what you look at... with a little shift and shopping thrift.

 

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(RE) PURPOSE (RE) USE (RE) CYCLE: Or in a word UPCYCLE! Whether it’s your own pieces stuck in the garage, tucked up in your attic or buried in a closet, refinish and switch out some existing pieces in your spaces to refresh your home for the new year. Find a new use for something old. A pair of side tables together (but not bumped) can become your new coffee table or relocate a ‘matchy’ bedroom bench into the dining room for new seating. You can even update that bench with the look of a slipcover, made simply from a drop cloth. While clearing through the clutter, let go of pieces you know you will not use. Donate undesirable items to to help Sandy Survivors in New Jersey/New York or your local Goodwill, Salvation Army and Vietnam Vets thrift shops. Your trash could be someone else’s treasure and help them to refresh their home. An afternoon activity can be made by holding a garage sale. With a little time and effort organizing, the money you make from the sale you can treat yourself to a new addition or put it towards supplies to re-style your home.

 

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(RE) VAMP your accessories: What you’ve had upstairs, bring down. What you’ve had downstairs, bring up. Check in the garage and closets for some forgotten treasures. Gather similar shapes into a collection. Inexpensive or old pieces can have new life with a simple coat of spray paint or dipped for an on trend two-tone effect! This is the time to try a new color, like all white, grey, or go for the color of the year: EMERALD! Try varying  the finishes: two flat with one high gloss. If groupings aren’t getting enough variations in height, try a stack of books. Books stacked by color create impact, or books turned in reverse create texture. Books can also be unified by covering them in white or tan Kraft paper - you may already have left over from your holiday gift wrapping.

 

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(RE) LAMP your space: Just like you change your accessories every time you change your outfit, change your lamps from room to room. You’ll be amazed how a space is transformed with new lighting at no cost! Minimal updates to refresh lamps can be a quick spritz of spray paint. Add an updated shade in a new shape, color, pattern or cover an existing shade with new fabric.

 

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(RE) PLANT your entrance, terrace, or outdoor living space: Give seasonal style to your stoop! What do you or your guests see when they come up to your home? Have trees or bushes overgrown? Is there a composition or rhythm in your garden? Try adding some colorful or decorative plant containers. Weather-worn chairs can give a rustic touch or paint in a pop of color for a wow effect. Adding chairs to your entry can help give height to your entry composition. Even if you aren’t into flowers, visual interest can be added through contrasts of solid or variegated plants, pops of color through pots, or textures from leaves. Even coordinated decorative pillows on a back patio can expand the living space from inside your home out. Existing outdoor furniture, containers, and even your grill do tend to fade (especially in sunny Arizona and South Florida!) so spruce it up with a fresh coat of spray paint. Even some left over Jacobean wood stain works on a terracotta pot: it will chip away and looked aged over time.

 

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(RE) PAINT your space inside and out: Even if you live in a development with restrictions (i.e. all the same color) chances are, your front door, garage door, or trim (esp. near the garden) could benefit from a fresh coat of paint to make your home look crisp (and even spark inspiration for your neighbors). Over time, no matter what quality of paint you use, it just doesn't look as fresh. Inside, why not try a new neutral (like a warm grey) and an accent wall in a grassy green or indigo blue? Even glossy white moldings can be refreshed in an afternoon. Freshen all doors in another afternoon with a new coat of semi gloss. If you have the freedom, paint your front door a new color. If you can't do outside because of a community association, at least paint the interior face of your door a new color like black, red, yellow, - or go for that shot of emerald green!

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(RE) THINK your space: Do you over use one space and under use of another? Bring balance to your home by re-thinking the way you use your space. For example: A home office littered with magazines and cluttered with books can be reorganized by relocating reading materials to an underused dining room to create a library, or create a reading corner in your great room. Another space solution for the new year can be converting an underused room into a child's craft space or play room. Taking the time now to plan how a space is used, will save you time later when you need it the most.

 

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(RE) ORGANIZE to (RE) Energize: Recycle those old magazines you have stacked in a closet or piled in a corner - but not just by dumping them into the recycling bin: You can also include them into your donations to your local thrift. This is another way to help people people on an even smaller budget than yours. Let go of paper piles, and even go through those boxes of old cards. Ask yourself: Is this really adding any value to my life? When clearing clutter, this is a GREAT question to keep at the top of your mind - It makes it easier to just let things go. Tiny tee shirts you've outgrown can help cloth another - let it go. And to clear clutter even more: take photos of mementos you have put away in storage boxes: use these as the images to create a new gallery wall to tell the story of you. For storage boxes for other items (even Christmas decor) they need not be fancy: You can pick up a pack of 10 office file boxes for $15 at Staples (they stack great, fit through tiny attic spaces and are EZ to carry up stairs because you can't overload them!)

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WELCOME 2013 with the promise to (RE)-Salute your home with a (RE)-Style! Don't get overwhelmed ~ Just tackle over time throughout the year - Organize your plan of attack on Pinterest and with Olioboard. Try some thrift shopping this year or venture out to other areas for a newer assortment (location has a LOT to do with items sold at thrift stores). Try a little furniture refinishing project. Try a refreshed editing approach to your accessories. Try a new color - even white can be a refreshing new color to update a dark  space. Apply yourself and surprise yourself for 2013! And if you live in an already perfect home, then take the time to apply these resolutions to help a friend, a family member or neighbor. You’ll be glad you did...

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WELCOME 2013 with a REFRESHED look!

Thanks for stopping by...

 

Glass Thrift Lamp Revamp - Wood Stain & Why

A few months back while out thrifting, I spotted a lamp. I let it go, but couldn't stop thinking about it. Chancing it, I went back to the thrift place (Faith Farm- Ft. Lauderdale), and it was still there. When I see stuff like that, I take it as a "sign" (it was meant to be!)and get it. What made it even more spectacular though was it was 1/2 off that day - so it was only $5. I had shy-ed away from it because it was blue, but I loved its shape and look. I thought I'd probably find some way to change its color, but keep the look and I did. Paint would have been too opaque - It would have highlighted the texture - but not let the glass peek through the hatching. Using a wood stain in ebony did the trick!

Loved the bamboo detail, and the glass peeking through the hatching...

Using the wood stain - it captured the texture, but not the glass...

The only thing is: I guess because the humidity is high in South Florida, it takes a while for wood stain to dry. Having the ceiling fan on helped...

I also had painted the shade - I did take a few pics, but it was with the other phone that was giving me trouble. I spray painted it, and it looked like a solid black linen shade when the light is off... but when the light is on, it has an amazing textured / worn look....

The little B&W vase in the back corner I picked up thrifting in Ft. Lauderdale, probably back in March; it was only $2. The table it's on I thrifted back in the 90's for my apartment. It originally was all light wood _ironically as light as the Ikea baboo platters I hung behind it!). It was such a good price (only $9) and I needed a table, I bought it and painted it two toned. I painted the bottom black, and just used Old English furniture polish to make the top a little darker. It's been with me for about 12 years. It could probably use a quick coat of stain on the top...

Both stacked books were gifts: The bottom book is actually the box cover to the Ralph Laren book my old boss gave to me when I set the launch for American Living (by RL) for the store. The top book, our previous neighbors gave to me after we had a garage sale about 2 years ago...

The thrill of thrift... mixing old and new for a little afternoon redux...

So that's my "Wood Stain and Why" and so glad I gave it a try!

(I think it's going to be my next "go to" remedy for a redux.)

 Thanks for stopping by!



HOLIDAY HOME: ORGANIZING HOLIDAY DECOR TO DECORATE

Was your home a wreck this weekend? A wreck from putting away the extra pots, pans and dishes from Thanksgiving dinner, tearing down and packing up Fall decor - and of course the fun part - breaking into the storage boxes of all your Christmas decor? I don't care how organized you are - ti's the weekend for decor havoc! But it's all good... and thankfully it's all up! The next home wreck will be in January, when it all comes crashing down lol.... And even though the 'extra' non-Christmas decor has been edited down, the window panels have been changed, and this years decor is in place, one space just isn't feeling right - so I'm going to paint the dining room! Here's a peek at some oh my

Thrifted gold finds to add to existing silver:

$1 gold glass balls and $6 brass sconces

Dollar Store finds:

Champagne gold stars & elegant ornament hooks.

All white textiles cleaned and pulled together.

Quick sketches of decor plans.

Since our dining space is the first space you walk into when entering our townhome, I've taken the extra step to really paying attention to the lighting and feel of this space. It was great neutral & modern in charcoal, it was happy & fresh in turquoise, and it was crisp & cooled down in blue... But with doing whites this year for holiday - it looks too cool (cold) with whites against the blue. To warm it up, I'm going more mocha or chocolate, which will still work with our pale grey walls, as well as relate back to the TV wall in the living room. It will also warm the space better when paired with some of the gold pieces I'm mixing with the existing silver ones. I already have plenty of paint in the garage, so this will be a great way to use it up and transform a space for $0.

Holiday decor storage staged in the garage.

Using file boxes makes it easier to pass through

our attic opening in the MBR closet.

Left over paint stash.

Christmas decor transformation to be revealed shortly... Either my phone or flickr is experiencing a delay today with the photo uploads. I can't wait to see every one's vignette's, makeover transformations and especially those Pottery Barn re-interpretations you make into budget friendly DIY's...

Holiday inspirations.

Getting a look together.

Brass bells from Dollar Store will add

the right touch of gold to existing silver...



Thanks for stopping by and

WELCOME new followers of Focal Point Styling!



5 TIPS ON HOW TO ARRANGE FURNITURE

style & photo by NYCLQ

Just moved and don’t quite know where to begin placing furniture in your new space? Looking to revamp or restyle your existing space? Here are some tips to help you arrange your furniture in a new or existing space. Sometimes, a simple shift is all that is needed. Also, keep in mind your color selections to work with your furniture arranging. Painting a wall a dark accent color, similar to the oversized piece, can help make it disappear into the wall. This can help to make the space feel more open. After you've painted and cleared the space, here are a few suggestions you might consider when confronting your furniture placement and design dilemmas:

style & photo by NYCLQ

1. Plan & place large area rugs and furniture pieces first. Your frustration level will definitely increase if you try to start the process with small tables and accent pieces. Think of it this way: they’d always be in your way and would need to move it and move it back again. How exhausting would that be?

style & photo by NYCLQ

2. In rooms with cathedral, vaulted, or industrial ceilings, place your largest furniture pieces close to the highest wall. Furnishings such as oversized entertainment centers or oversized bookcases will work best on the tall wall to help anchor the space. It’s about balance, scale and proportion.

style & photos by NYCLQ

3. In loft, long, or open spaces, try angling your furniture. When your key furniture pieces – sofas, lounges, and chairs are all lined up flat against a wall, you lose the opportunity to create intimate conversational groupings. Take away the look of a room resembling an office waiting area, and add interest to your space.

style & photo by NYCLQ

4. When selecting furniture to be placed in a smaller room, try these thoughts on for size:



• To make larger objects feel less obtrusive, paint the wall the same color as the item. It will ‘appear’ to disappear, and thereby open up a space.
• One large oversized piece can work in a small space to make it feel large (as long as all other pieces are in proportion to the space.)
• Try to find case good pieces that are tall and shallow to give your small space more height
• Try tailored styled upholstered pieces with rounded corners.
• Include transparency: Lucite and glass tables can give needed surface space without taking up ‘visual’ space to your eye. These surfaces will also help bounce light around the room, making it feel larger.

style & photo by NYCLQ

5. If your largest wall consists of all or mostly windows, you can create a ‘soft wall’ by installing a ceiling track for panels. If space permits above window, you could also try installing a double-hung rod for layered sheers and panels. The rod, after well anchored to wall, can give the ability to hang artwork from.

BEFORE

Also to consider is how you will REALLY best utilize the space. When we purchased this town home, the dining space was naturally set adjacent to the kitchen and living area, but it felt forced and cramped when furniture was placed. But our layout has another space at the entrance of our town home.

AFTER (just ONE version)

BEFORE

WHY anyone would sponge an already stucco textured wall is behind my comprehension.

AFTER

SOLID modern neutral helped anchor the space.

So rather than cram the dining space next to the already existing kitchen counter, I purchased bar stools and converted the front area to the dining room, which helped give more space for a functional living room. To further unite the spaces, two same styled ceiling fans replaced the chandelier and builders white fan.

One last tip: To help SAVE YOUR BACK (and floors) invest in SLIDES to help move furniture with easy... Grey carpeted ones for wood floors, and the plastic for carpet or tiles furniture moving.

Happy Shifting!!