Making a small house feel big(ger)

One of the nicest bloggers I have ever met is Luciane who writes the blog, HomeBunch. Although we have never met and live many, many miles away from each other I consider her a friend. Isn't that just the nicest perk of blogging?

Luciane just had her third baby and like my kids, there is a good little age span between her oldest two and her new baby. I can tell you from experience - it is amazing and wonderful and completely disrupts your world as you knew it! 

I will be guest posting for Luciane today and you can find me here talking about how to make a small house feel bigger. I am honored that she asked me to help fill in while she gets back to her regular (and I assure you very busy) schedule. While you are there, if you are not familiar with her blog (get your head out of the sand!!!) take a look around - she puts so much effort in to each and every post and features some incredible homes. Go back on Friday for her weekly feature - Cool or Fool? It will be sure to give you a smile! 

Thanks Luciane for asking me to guest post for you today! xo

What do I do with this?

I got a new toy business tool for Christmas. I knew I wanted it ... but honestly, I wasn't entirely sure how I would use it. I have to admit ... although I feel like I am fairly proficient using my computer (I mean seriously, I can write a blog, right?), I am not all that up on the latest technology. I am still an old-fashioned girl who would rather take notes (and draw) on a pad of graph paper.

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I also have to admit that at first it kind of stressed me out (a huge understatement if you were my daughter trying to help me!). One of the first things I tried was to load my work photos onto it. It turned out to be really easy but I went about it in a very convoluted way which made it way more confusing than it needed to be. And I had a little moment (another understatement) where I questioned how in the world was this going to make my life easier when all it seemed to do was take more time (wasn't life easier when we just printed out photos???).

But I was determined to make this work so the next thing I did was research different apps that were available. I googled which apps would be most helpful for interior designers and loaded a couple onto my ipad. The first I put on was Dropbox which is supposed to give you the ability to sync all your documents and photos from your computer to your iphone to your ipad. My daughter added another app called Evernote which I think is similar - where you can put notes and documents and presentations on it and it will sync from your computer to your ipad and iphone ... but I haven't had a chance to play with it yet. I added an app called mySurface which shows the images of most quartz and Corian surfaces. And last, I added Houzz.

So today, I wasn't so sure how it was going to work, but I threw the ipad in my bag anyway as I left for my appointment to meet with a client to look at her existing laundry room and help her come up with ideas to make it more functional and stylish.

My ipad turned out to be invaluable. The first thing I used it for was to show her some inspiration photos on Houzz. I had only added the Houzz app a few minutes before I left for the appointment and I was so grateful that I had.

Having an image to show a client is much more helpful then trying to explain an idea. We were able to come up with a plan quickly ... 

Even down to the counters. I was also able to show her ideas that I had done for other clients (via my photos) and a quick search on the internet showed which products we could use for a wall mounted ironing board. I know that I have just barely scratched the surface, but I am already sold. 

So tell me, how do you use yours?

Color boards

When I am selecting new paint colors for a client, I like to use large poster-size sample boards with a 1" white edge around it. The white edge is crucial in keeping the sample from competing with the existing wall color when you hold them next to each other. The boards allow me to move the swatch from wall to wall and room to room (unlike painting a swatch directly on the wall itself). I prefer to use foam core boards as they stand freely on their own and although they are more expensive, they hold up nicely. (I explain in more detail about my boards and how to select a paint color in a post I wrote last year ... you can read that post here).

One of the things I have wanted to do for a long time is make up some new sample boards. I painted most of the boards that I have been using over six years ago and as paint color trends have changed, some of my boards are out-dated. I used to use more yellow-based neutrals - colors like Philadelphia Cream and Monroe Bisque. But these days I am using more gray based neutrals.

I also wanted to come up with a general palette to help simplify paint selection. I tend to gravitate towards the same colors that I know work well and it is a lot more efficient to bring out paint boards that I know will work when helping a client select paint rather than trying to flip through fan deck after fan deck for a new color.

Last week I selected 20 or so of my 'go-to' neutrals along with a few new ones, added some new blues and greens and came up with a new group of boards to help me when I am working with clients. I purposely selected neutrals with different undertones (blue, green, yellow, pink) so that I would have a color that will work with any wood, stone or carpet that is existing.

To make my boards, I tape off the edge of the board first with blue painter's tape and then paint two coats of the paint with inexpensive foam rollers. When the paint is dry, I remove the tape and label the paint color in the lower margin with a black felt pen (Sharpie). NOTE: This time I had some trouble with the tape pulling off a bit of the poster board paper when I removed it which isn't really a problem except that it doesn't look as clean and neat as I would prefer. I thought it might have been the tape but when I painted the backs of some of my previous boards they were fine ... it turns out the new foam boards I purchased were a lot less sturdy then the ones I have previously used. Next time I would get a less sticky painter's tape to prevent that from happening. 

I took advantage of a slow week while I was home trying to recover from my cold / allergy attack and painted 45 new boards! Although I think the paint fumes set me back a bit in my recovery, it was really great to go out for my first couple of paint selection appointments this year and have all new boards! It makes my job easier and I know my clients appreciate the nice visual. 

Happy Monday Everyone! 

Don't judge a book by its cover

Can you believe I am still fighting this crazy cold / allergy thing? But I am not letting it get me down. I spent half of Saturday working and the other half at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood seeing Wicked (my second time - the first was in NYC last summer).  It did take 13 cough drops to keep me from coughing through the performance however!

Our seats were not the best ... but it did give me a better view perspective of the gorgeous ceiling!

Have you seen it? I love the story. It is clever and filled with laughs, but the message is profound and the music beautiful (understatement). Both times it has also brought me to tears. One of my favorite parts is in Act 2, scene 8, when Elphaba and Fiyero finally get together and profess their love for each other.

Elphaba: I just wish...


Fiyero: What?


Elphaba: I wish I could be beautiful... for you.


Fiyero: Elphaba...


Elphaba: Don't tell me that I am, you don't need to lie to me.


Fiyero: It's not lying! It's... uh... it's looking at things another way.

That is the kind of love that I long for - love that isn't skin deep. And I suppose it has to start with ourselves first. It certainly isn't going to come from our culture - at least not here in Southern California.

I love that ... "You are beautiful not for the shape of the vessel, but for the volume of the soul it carries." When I read it it made me think of the musical ... but also something else. 

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." 

 Ephesians 2:10 NLT

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Filing images

I'm still not feeling 100% and am slow getting back to my regular work schedule ... but I am making progress in the office organization and have moved on to my computer files (it is just never-ending!).  One of my favorite files these days are my pinterest files. Besides being a wealth of inspiration, pinterest is also a wonderful organizational tool.



I used to use a 3-ring binder of pages I had clipped from shelter magazines to help communicate ideas with clients. Sometimes I would have them take the binder and tag pages they liked so I could get an idea of things they liked, their style, color preferences, and just as important, what they didn't like. It was a good way to "get into their head" so to speak. Other times, I would use the binder to help illustrate an idea ... for example an image of a particular window treatment.

But today, although I still thoroughly enjoy reading my favorite shelter magazines and occasionally will still clip a page or two, I find that a good portion of my inspiration comes from design blogs and online magazines. When I see an image I like, I can just pin it on one of my pinterest boards to resource for later, or to share with clients.

I know I will be using this wonderful filing system much more this year. And even though I am an old-fashioned girl who still prefers to sketch on a pad of graph paper I am trying to push myself to get more tech-savvy. In fact, I am looking forward to discovering even more new tools on my brand new ipad soon (thanks family for the great Christmas gift!).

These are just a few of my favorite images. The sources are listed on my pinterest page.

My first "opportunity"

January 1st and I am still under the weather. Bah.
What does that really mean I thought so I looked it up just to make sure ...

under the weather 1. Somewhat indisposed; slightly ill. 2. Slang a. Intoxicated; drunk. b. Suffering from a hangover.

I kinda of think I'd prefer to have the second - which would mean I was actually celebrating or at least recovering from a night of fun (well, kind of just kidding but I would rather not be sick). Since I am not feeling well enough to venture out and I couldn't lay around and watch the Rose Parade all day (REALLY??? I was soooo disappointed this morning!), I thought I would take advantage of the opportunity ...

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And go through my monthly files. You can read about my simple system here. I figured tax time will be here before I know it and it can't hurt to get a head start, right? And I was reminded while I had papers spread out on my office floor that I do this every year - I come down with a bug and use that opportunity to stay in (and in pajamas no less) and clean out the files.

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But today I got a little obsessed and went though all of my files. It felt so good to get rid of papers that were cluttering up my file drawer (receipts for bikes we no longer have, and things that have been in the 'to be filed' file so long they do not need to be filed anymore!). This year I want to get rid of all my excesses ... I want to have just what I need and nothing more. And why not start with the papers I decided. 

And speaking of files  ...

Have you seen this?

So creative! You can read more about it here and see how it was done. Hope you are inspired!

Have a fantastic Monday :D

Hello 2012

The sun comes up as it does everyday and yet this day is different. Not like any ordinary day ... this is a day we call new, a beginning, an opportunity to start fresh. No regrets for the past because today is a new start. Kind of like getting a do-over. That is encouraging, right?

Did you make a list of things you wanted to accomplish this year? Or change? I have not done that really but one thing I do know is that today feels like a fresh start. And I like that. I feel inspired to make this year the year where I take advantage of every opportunity whether it is the opportunity to love more, or give more, or grow, or learn. No missed opportunities. That is my goal prayer. 

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

-Psalm 51:10 

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