3. Letter from the Editor 4. Books...Valuable Decorating Tools! 6. Staging a Kitchen 8. Three Quick Color Fixes 10.

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Douglas McKinney
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2 3. Letter from the Editor 4. Books...Valuable Decorating Tools! 6. Staging a Kitchen 8. Three Quick Color Fixes 10. Yours Redesigned

3 Move over, summer--autumn is coming! With the start of school, bells start ringing--and so do earlymorning alarm clocks. Paper piles swell as hand-outs and homework stream into the house and shorter autumn days bring a hectic round of sports, activities and events. Can the holidays be far behind? Before you get caught up in all a new school year brings, take time to really look around at what nature is showing us. Gardens are now in full bloom, the farmers markets are over flowing and there is a slight nip in the evening air. Now is the time to take advantage of the last summer colors by bringing in a vase of cut flowers or take advantage of all the end of summer sales and freshen your outdoor spaces. Add an exterior area rug, new chair cushions or for more fun, add an outdoor firepit. I hope you enjoy this issue of the mini-mag. My goal is to inspire and motivate you to create the home you deserve. Regardless of your budget, any room can be transformed with creative ideas. For more ideas or to help you develop a plan, call and schedule a consultation today. GraceAnn Simoni

5 f we take time to read them...why not decorate with them? Books can add interest to any decorating project. Used books are every where and can be purchased at tag sales, flea markets, library sales, and discount book stores. Here are 10 ways you can work your book collection into your space: 1. Color -The bindings of hard cover books can be beautiful and a simple way to add color to book cases, a wall unit, or below built in seating like a window seat. 2. Elevations - Use books to create highs and lows on table and mantel-scapes. This will eliminate the look of accessories on parade. Lamps too short, no problem, lift with a book. Add dimension by stacking three books on a table and elevate an urn, plant or even a photo to create more interest than each item would have alone. 3. Ambiance - Look what a cozy area, I want to live here. Place a book on the table, next to a chair with a glass of wine or cup of coffee and you create instant ambiance. 4. Interest - Have a shelf placed high in the room? Book it. It is great place to store books and it gives the whole area more interest with the added texture and color. 5. Purpose - Add books to an unused nook and create a cozy reading nook. Place on the floor, with big comfy floor pillows. 6. Filler - Have a long wall? Give it purpose by adding book shelves and create a wall of function and visual interest. Great look for a long hall or an empty room. Group books by color to create a dynamic artistic effect. 7. Furniture - Create a chair side table with over size books stacked to chair arm height. Add a piece of glass to protect the books. Create an interesting coffee table, by stacking smaller books into four legs and top them with piece of glass. 8. Statement - Place great books on a coffee table open to beautiful images. Roll 6-8 pages and tuck into the spine. It will create rounded cones of color. 9. Story teller - People are known by the people they meet and the books they have read. A book shelf tells a lot about the people who live there. 10. Pleasure - Be sure as you build your book inventory to add plenty of books that you love. Books for pleasure, education, kids, cooking, and color should fill the shelves.

When it comes to staging a kitchen, you have to decorate the space in such a way that people will be able to imagine themselves cooking, and eating, and

6 When it comes to staging a kitchen, you have to decorate the space in such a way that people will be able to imagine themselves cooking, and eating, and enjoying their lives in that space. You want the room to inspire them, to excite them, and to make them eager to get started on their new lives within it.

7 Even in the largest of rooms, you still have to try and optimize the space to support the efforts of the chef. That means that most of the counters, tables, and horizontal surfaces should be occupied with functional utensils, which will actually aide in the culinary arts. However the great opportunity for decorating in a kitchen comes from the walls. These open surfaces aren t generally useful in the preparation of food, and as such are your blank canvases, across which you can stretch your imagination. Artwork, decorative pieces, novelty cabinets and curios, are all ways to fill your kitchen with beauty and delight, without cutting into the spaces valuable floor room. The atmosphere you create when staging a kitchen is very important. You want the very air to seem inviting. Scented candles which evoke aromas of fresh food, or yummy treats, are one way to create an overall effect in the environment.

Color is undeniably one of the easiest ways to take your space from blah to Ah-h-h. However, it is also the element of the decorating process that intimidates people the most.

8 Color is undeniably one of the easiest ways to take your space from blah to Ah-h-h. However, it is also the element of the decorating process that intimidates people the most. So instead of doing a complete makeover, let s explore some quick and easy fixes that can make your space more inviting and make others think I wish my room looked/felt like this!

1. 2. Begin with Art. Chances are you don t even see what is hanging on your walls anymore.

It is the area of the room where the eye rests the longest.

Mats can be changed at a framer s, or you can DIY it by purchasing a mat.

Consider an accent wall, a ceiling, or the back of your bookcases.

Think of the feeling you want in the space and let the color communicate the look you are trying to achieve. 3.

9 1. 2. Begin with Art. Chances are you don t even see what is hanging on your walls anymore. Yet, art is in the most important zone of the space, what I call the Power Zone. It is the area of the room where the eye rests the longest. Simple changes such as changing the mat can bring art to life and add a punch of color in your room right where it is needed. Mats can be changed at a framer s, or you can DIY it by purchasing a mat. Another even more cost effective idea is to paint the existing mat for a dynamic look. Add a pop of color in unexpected places. Consider an accent wall, a ceiling, or the back of your bookcases. Each project is easy to do and adds interest to a space without a huge commitment in time or money. Think of the feeling you want in the space and let the color communicate the look you are trying to achieve. 3. Replace or transform a dated chandelier. Are you still staring at a sad, brass chandelier that has seen better days? Take a trip to one of the home improvement stores and prepare to be amazed at the variety and pricing of lighting choices. If that is out of your budget, then simply use inexpensive acrylic paints and sponge and do a quick faux paint finish. You don t even need to remove the chandelier, just paint it in place.

10 Get the home you want, with the house you have. TM

DIY Woven Art: Inspiration And Instruction For Handmade Wall Hangings, Rugs, Pillows And More! By Rachel Denbow READ ONLINE

DIY Woven Art: Inspiration And Instruction For Handmade Wall Hangings, Rugs, Pillows And More! By Rachel Denbow READ ONLINE The Paperback of the DIY Woven Art: Inspiration and and More! by Rachel Denbow