PINK

For all of you feminine girly-girls...this one is for you!

Black Antiques, Mirrored Furniture, and X stools... check, check, and check!

Hot!

This power color combo has been going strong now for a couple of years...and I have to say, gray & yellow, you've still got it! It's a really happy cheerful combo without being too feminine.

PS. I say lemon instead of yellow because it sounds more spring-time-zesty coming out of my mouth :)

Here are some of my favorite home decor items & rooms featured in gray & lemon!

ZGallerie Laquer Vases in Lemon

Ikat Pillow by All Modern

Jill Rosenwald Links Vase

Fabric.com



Makes me crave some spring time weather! Which here is GA is so close I can taste it!

Happy designing!

Heather

How to paint small spaces!

I've had my fair share of paint color consultations with clients. Often I get questioned on how to paint small spaces to make them appear larger & which colors help this task. No, the only answer isn't white...and no, I don't even think there are certain rules that apply to every small space. I do think that over time I've come across things that work well. Here's some of my best advice on how to paint smaller spaces.

Tip one

Painting the entire room one color, including base moldings, crown moldings, windows, and any paneling. This can make all the planes melt together which helps the eye focus on the color, rather than boundaries & size of a room.

Tip Two

Some of the best advice I was given was choosing sharp colors. According to designer Mark McCauley, choosing a palette of sharper colors as opposed to duller ones are better for smaller rooms. Sharp as in BRIGHT. Hot reds, electric blues, yellows, and greens. This can enhance a rooms clarity and openness.

Try my favorite blue of the day- Fine Paints of Europe Delft Blue 4003

Tip Three

I'm not always a fan of accent walls....most times I feel that if a design is well thought out and complete, there would be no need to add this. But, in a really small space, adding an accent or clear focal wall in a darker, richer color can also trick your eye into thinking the room is more open. Almost like that focal wall is receding.

GREEN

As you know by now, my heart generally belongs to black when you're talking favorite colors. However, my favorite color-color is most definitely green. Check out these furniture & home ideas that are sure to leave you feeling green with envy!

Martha Stewart Collection

Floor stenciling! See this post about where to find amazing stencils!

 Wild animal prints are featured in the most sophisticated of interior designs...Cheetah, Leopard, Zebra, Giraffe, and Snakeskin .... just to name a few.

Often clients ask me if I thought they would get sick of an animal print piece because it's considered trendy. I do believe you can over do it. But by simply adding one or two animal print accents to your space, you can turn a room from drab to fab in an instant. I have to say what once was started as simply a fad is most definitely here to stay.

Welcome to the jungle...

I love these zebra print ottomans with a Greek style leg.

Zebra print wallpaper.

"Does the front door facing my staircase create bad Feng Shui?"

I've probably been asked this more in the last two months than ever before... and the short answer, is yes.

The main door of your home in Feng Shui, is called "The Mouth of Chi". Feng Shui followers believe that having the front or main door of the home facing a staircase directly can create bad energy. This allows the 'energy' or 'chi' to rush up or down the stairs, thus leaving the main floor without enough energy nourishment. You're basically letting all the good stuff fly right out the front door ;)

Fengshui.about.com states "In case of a big foyer with a staircase further from the door, the energy can settle in and nourish the space, gradually and harmoniously finding its way to other areas of the house. When the foyer is small, though, and the staircase is facing the main door directly, the energy takes a rushed and fragmented quality, being forced to quickly rush up or down the stairs."

Interior Design practices to promote good energy in a foyer will sometimes include adding elements to slow down the energy so it can settle in a nourish the space. Ideas would be adding a live plant, area rug, mirror (although never facing the entrance directly- which reflects the energy out, instead of inviting it in), or strategically placed artwork.

Good Feng Shui

I love this space...period. But for the focus of good Feng Shui, notice the symmetry of two wing chairs and two floral arrangements complete with area rug to slow the energy down and allow it to nourish your space. Also, staircase (complete with rolling arm rails) not directly facing the front entrance.

To see how we started this topic visit the Feng Shui section of the blog.

Happy FRIDAY...which to me usually means tomorrow is my Monday...but you can at least enjoy it for me. Have a great weekend!

Heather

Pictures from feelgoodhomedesignblog.com

"I deeply believe that a beautiful decor can have a beneficial influence on our lives." Albert Hadley 

Here's my directory of colors & the positive or negative energy of them. I sincerely believe that colors affect our moods dramatically...and since this is the year we are returning to color I figured a little cheat sheet might be of some use!

 Blue

Soothing & Calming. Powers of healing & relaxation. Since it is the color of the sea and sky, Feng Shui associates it with adventure and exploration. Navy blue is considered the color of intellect and wisdom.

Blue paint of the day:

Sherwin-Williams Blue Mosque

Black

Black symbolizes money, income, power, and emotional protection. Great for careers...think it's perfect for a home office?!

Orange

The color or organization and strengthens organization. Feng Shui uses this color to show a sense a purpose.

Orange paint of the day:

Sherwin-Williams Marquis Orange

Purple

The Feng Shui energy of color red is the energy of arousal and always signifies richness and luxury.. It is hot, passionate, rich and celebratory. Chinese color of luck. If used too much, though, it can bring restlessness, bursts of anger and over stimulation. (Much like yellow).

...and I mean that in the nicest way possible! I can't tell you how many clients have asked or sometimes begged me to arrange their built-in book shelves, which nearly every other home here in Georgia has. Actually, as we speak I have a car load of accessories waiting to be arranged at one of my client's homes. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with them.

My main objective is to fill them with a combination of truly interesting pieces as well as the meaningful things my clients already own. Getting these to all jive together in harmony is sometimes easier said than done...and most of the time I become super OCD for about two or three hours until I finally go..."okay, that's it".

Usually I begin by taking down all the fake greenery...I know...most people do not want to hear that because they spent good money having these done, but they have got...to...go. I also spend a good amount of time taking down 100 books and leaving 4 or 5 for fillers. A thirdly, as a general rule, having less is more. Take down the 6 or 7 small items and replace with 3 larger, more interesting things.

 I happen to come across some inspiration on Pinterest that I really liked. I will compile a group of the one's that I've worked on personally at a later date.

 Minus the mini tea cups and...shoe, I think this is adorable for a cottage of beach home.

Happy Designing!

Heather

Visit my full blog HeatherElizabethDesigns.Blogspot.Com !

From my professional blog:

heatherelizabethdesigns.blogspot.com

Christmas is over and things are starting to get back to normal here...if normal even exists in my world. It's been a wild few weeks but I'm excited about some very exciting things on the horizon.

With a New Year rapidly approaching, I figured I'd take it easy on you and give you something to clear your mind...

Top 5 "ghost" pieces of the... day :)

 I've used this photo before because I love & need a black desk in my life. But the other thing I adore here are the acrylic side panels. They make the desk so much less-imposing while still using a powerful color.

The classic Louis Ghost Chair. Possibly the first acrylic or lucite piece that made me fall for it hard. Nursery, office, dining table, living room, master bedroom, foyer, front porch, ....I really can't think of a place I wouldn't want to use this bad boy. Sometimes I think it's because I play with so much color all day long,  I naturally gravitate to a strict lack of color. It allows my mind to just...breathe a little.

An adorable guest or young child's room utilizing another top 5 clear idea, nesting tables.

I love this space (did I mention the wing chair in the left corner? yum!) The acrylic or lucite cocktail table is one of those pieces that I think adds some flair to any type of space. This mostly modern & neutral room welcomes it with open arms. I think this looks great in the midst of a bunch of antiques, stretched out in a completely traditional space, or even in a room bouncing with color...just to ground it a bit.

Yes...I do believe I am in love. Thoughts?

Heather