Sunday, June 17, 2012

The Striped Walls Are Done!

On Saturday, I painted fireplace wall in the living room of my neighbor's condo.  I started at 10:00 am and finished up by 5:00 pm.  I have a little clean-up to do to make the stripes a little more crisp.  I used the Frog Tape, but because of the wall texture, it's hard to get a tight seal.  My neighbor is very pleased with how it turned out.  The stripes definitely added the color that Jeremy was desiring for this space.  I think it looks good.  Most people I showed the stripes to either loved them or hated them.  I like to do things outside the box, and this look is definitely outside the box.  My neighbor liked it, so that's the important thing.  Take a look:
Before

Before


After



After
I will help my neighbors find artwork, new lamps, rug, pillows, and other accessories to complete the room.  Over the next weekend, I will paint the foyer the same color as the stripe.  Check back to see this transformation.  

Friday, June 15, 2012

Decorating Tip

I subscribe to several decorating magazines and website.  I love nothing more than to have a new edition of Traditional Home, Elle Decor, or House Beautiful waiting in my mailbox.  In the June issue of House Beautiful, a designer provided what I would call a basic decorating tip:


"Never push furniture up against the walls. By pulling your seating arrangement in, you warm up a space & create flow." -Betsy Burnham -- House Beautiful

This is so true.  I find myself pulling sofas and chairs away from the walls of my friends' homes.  Even though my living room is small, I still maintain at least 6 inches of wall space between the wall and the back of my sofa.  I think the room pulls you in when the furniture is not pressed up against the walls.  Try this out for yourself and see if it doesn't make your space more inviting.