A New Start

Moving can be a challenge, but making your new space feel like home can be an even bigger one!  I have moved many times in my life….many, many, many times.  I am 33 years old, and have never lived in a home for longer than 4 years.  I recently got married and moved in with my husband!  It is a beautiful old San Franciscan.  My husband, who had been living there for 2 years had all the essentials….bed, sofa, giant TV.  Now that the wedding is behind us we have started working on making the space more of a home.  We may not live here forever, but we want it to be as great as possible while we do.   As we move through the house, I thought I would write to you about the changes we made and how we transform the space.

Step 1: Start an idea book

Pinterest is great…but if you want to start putting your house together the only way to do it is to download the Houzz app and start an idea book!! Not only is it full of amazing inspirational photos that you can search for by room, color, style, etc, but you can also source the products used to create the space!  It’s also great for you and your partner to have so that you know you are on the same page.  You and your partner may be using different words, but mean the same thing.  I thought I really like the whole Mediterranean style…turns out I really only like arched windows, tile roofs, cobalt blue and lots of white! Instead of trying to explain my style to my husband it is a lot easier for me to just show him pictures and vice versa so we can understand each other’s ideas.

Step 2: Paint Palette

Since we live in a beautiful old Victorian, all the rooms have beautiful moldings and coved ceilings that I would love to showcase.  Choosing the right paint color is key.  If you are looking to paint your entire home, like we are, it’s nice to choose all the paint colors at the same time.  Even if you want all the rooms to be different colors, it’s nice if your whole home tells a cohesive story. We found a paint color that we really liked, but we didn’t know which room we wanted it in.  We eventually decided we couldn’t find a better color for our kitchen so that eliminated it as a possibility for the other rooms in our home. The only color you will see throughout is a semi gloss bright white on all the molding and a flat white on the ceilings.

Instead of painting test patches on your wall, paint large pieces of cardboard.  This way you can test the color on different walls and even different rooms to see how the lighting affects the color.  From our living room we can see both the hallway and the dining room, so it’s important that the colors compliment one another.

Step 3: Windows

Having a lot of windows is great…but it can also get pretty pricey.  Think about what types of window treatments you would like for each room. We will be doing drapes in both our living and dining rooms, but drapes may not be the best option everywhere.  Our hallway and kitchen windows, for example, are great places to try roman shades.  They keep the area feeling nice and open, but still soften and dress up the windows.

Step 4: Rugs

We have hardwood floors throughout, which I love, however we also want area rugs.  Not only will this be helpful with keeping our rooms a little warmer, but it also helps ground the room.  At the moment we are in midst of playing a little game of musical rugs.  If you are going to invest in an area rug, make sure you love it.  In this home it might work in our living room, perhaps the in the next it would be better in the guest room.  Versatility is a great feature in a rug. 

Step 5: Furniture

Luckily for me, my husband hadn’t purchased too much furniture prior to us getting married.  Well…there may be a few other “antiques” but let’s see if they magically disappear.  Now we are looking for pieces that offer us storage and can be used for years to come.  This is also an area where we can try to merge our styles so that hopefully we can both look at the space and feel like it represents us. 

Stayed tuned for our room by room changes!  We'll be starting with our entryway...

Nursery Magic

A friend of mine recently told me that she and her husband were expecting their first child!!  Since it is already glaringly obvious that their little one will have two AMAZING parents, I started wondering how they could make their nursery fit such a lucky baby.  Setting up a nursery can be a challenge to say the least.  Where do you even begin?! Here are some ideas to help you make a beautiful space for your new baby.

Many parents struggle choosing the right paint color for the nursery.  I'm still in a conundrum over what to paint my dining room!  It becomes especially tricky if you aren't sure about the sex of the baby.  I would skip the step entirely, consider installing shallow shelves running across the width of your walls to display children's books.  Not only is it a fun and colorful piece of wall art, but also a clever way to store your books.

Now that your walls are sorted, think about the floor....babies tend to spend a lot of time on them.  Look for plush soft rugs for your little one to roll around on!

Closet dividers can be a really useful way of organizing your baby’s closet.  Babies grow so quickly that you may have clothing of all different sizes at the same time.  When I helped a client with her daughter's closet we came across a few outfits that her little one never even had the chance to wear because she couldn’t find it when she was the right size to wear it!

Storage becomes increasingly important when there is a baby around.  Access to storage is just as important.  Don’t forget about the area under the crib.  It’s a great place to keep extra diapers, wipes, lotions.

Finding cribs and changing tables are pretty key items for nurseries, but don't forget about the things that will make the space comfortable for you during those long nights.  A great chair is a must have for parents.  If there isn't space to have a large bed in the room along side a crib, consider a day bed.  It will be  great for you to have a place to lay your head and stretch out!

*To my friends: Congratulations!!  I can't wait to help out in any way I can!!!

The Dream Closet

We all wish we could throw open double doors to our own private boutique, center island and all, and call that our closet.  More often than not, we don't have that option.  That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of ways to make your closet beautiful.  

Make sure you map out the space at hand.  Whether it is a walk in or not....every square inch should be utilized.  I personally hate folding clothes which makes hanging space essential for me.  Raising the hanging rod so that there is space to add a second rod below is a great way to increase your storage space.  

Reconsider what you keep on your shelves.  Stacks of t-shirts tend to get messy very quickly if you are grabbing for one everyday.  Don't spend all weekend getting your closet in shape only to find it disheveled at the end of the week.  Jeans, however aren't as complicated to fold and will look neat and clean when stacked on an open shelf. 

Instead of clothes, consider using your open shelving for shoe storage!  The key to maximizing your storage space is alternating the direction your shoes face.  Not only does this allow you to fit more shoes per shelf, but it also allows to you see your shoe's heal size!

Bring in a piece of furniture to give your closet a custom look.  Place a dresser or an armoire in your closet for the drawer space you need and put in shelves and closet rods around it for a perfectly designed space!

Full length mirrors are essential for getting ready in the morning.  Whether you have a walk-in or not, you can always find the space for one.  If you have paneled doors, add a beveled full length mirror to the existing door.  Another option is to replace your sliding closet doors with mirrored doors....remember to choose the beveled ones!  Beveled edges cost more, but the look is much nicer.  Straight edged mirrored doors will make your space look dated. 

Use the right products to keep your closet looking beautiful!  The best thing you can do for yourself is to change out your hangers!  The slim fit velvet hangers not only saves your space, but also prevents your clothes from slipping off.  Wooden hangers are really only useful if you plan on hanging 5 things in your closet.  If your wardrobe goes beyond that....switch to the slim fit!

Acrylic shelf dividers are also great!  They help keep your stacks neat and orderly.  I also like to use them for purses so that they can all stay upright.

I hope you all are able to beautify your closets...if not, call me!