After The Holidays . . . One Step At A Time!
If your holiday decorations have made their way back to storage, you might be experiencing withdrawal from all things sparkly and bright. It could make you feel a bit turned upside down!
The great reason for continuing to have all of those “pretties” placed about could be to distract you from some of the household “to-do” items you may have missed back in the fall. (I have seen decorations left up until Easter!)
Now that the New Year has arrived, are you feeling a little challenged by the notion of adding one more thing to your list of resolutions? How about considering this option? Create a “love” list instead! Isn’t it time to make 2011 the year of “Loving The Home You’re In?”™
I’m here to share with you how simple it can be by taking small steps, which add up in a big way. You can lead a well-designed life!
Rather than have you immediately focus on big areas or big projects, in the next couple of weeks, I’m going to share small steps to help you better embrace those projects when you’re ready for them.
Here’s a good “Love List”, to start:
1. Start with one room or a small cluster of spaces. Getting one area completed not only makes for a positive impact, psychologically, it’s allows for a better focus of how the dollars are invested. Trying to spread a one room budget, throughout an entire home, still leaves for projects unfinished. Of course, expansion to other areas is totally up to you!
2. Clear the clutter. While this might seem obvious, clutter is not only about “junk”, but unless something serves a purpose, is a true treasure, or enhances the room, it’s hard to see the proverbial forest for the “stuff”. This doesn’t mean you are 100% permanently removing those things, it just allows you to start with a fresh perspective. For example, I’ll often have clients strip down bookcases, before I arrive, place the items on a table in a dining room, and we’ll “shop” in there, first, before eliminating or deciding to add or update the shelves. The transformations are always amazing!
3. Take a room assessment test. Now that the room has been somewhat cleared, take a look at what’s going on in the background. Do the floors or floorcoverings need attention . . . cleaned, replaced, or a new area rug? Are the walls and trim scuffed and in need of touch-up or repainting? Does the ceiling show stains from leaks? Without lamps, is the room dark and relying on one lone ceiling fixture? Do you have any trim molding details which are not in proportion to the size of the room or any molding at all? As a designer, I take a good look at the bones of a space. I can often tell if the homeowner is spending more dollars on furniture and accessories, in effort to compensate for some missing architectural definition or function. Temporary or cover-up solutions are only band-aids and don’t necessarily address what the “design doctor” might really need to order.
No matter the style of your home, when completed, there are certain items that will make it sparkle and shine!
I’ll continue to share some special tips and advice, throughout the month, along with some regular posts. I’m in the process of practicing what I preach, so the Horton household has been receiving some attention to the little things, as well as some business housekeeping. A new logo, an updated website, and even a name tweak is in the works! (Thanks to Aimee O’Boyle, at Creative Montage for her amazing talents!)
Stay-tuned! 2011 is going to be a great year for “Loving The Home You’re In”™ !
All my best! ~ Wanda
