Sometimes it's all about the accessories!

 

Sometimes it's ALL about the accessories.  Take a look at this traditional room.  See how there's some really good pieces, yet the overall effect is "blah"?  The after photo shows how the right accessories, such as art, plants and pillows, can really make the difference between boring and terrific!

Connecting the indoors with the outdoors...

Especially in S. California, where a lot of living is done outside, it's important to connect your home to the outdoors as much as possible. This can include replacing windows with French-style doors or sliders. The investment in your home will yield results as your property becomes far more desirable. Imaging the home pictured without all the generous doors and sliders. And even in a traditional home, the replacement of windows with sliders and doors can have an amazing impact!

BEFORE & AFTER: Oahu, Hawaii condo with a view.

These are the before and after shots of my friend Mark's condo on the island of Oahu. It's really one part staging (using what he had, including a cool Danish-modern teak dining table) and one part interior design. It's what's often called "re-design"... using elements you already have mixed with new items. (And yes, we replaced the ugly fan and cheap pendant light!) Like many people, Mark likes a mixture of modern and traditional.


BEFORE: Living Room #1. Inexpensive and over-used "college-age" furniture is too big for this compact condo. None of the woods in the room coordinate, neither does the rug.


AFTER: Living Room #1. New colors, new furniture and a fresh perspective. Exciting pops of blue contrast well with the neutrals. The wood "coffee table" in the previous photo was painted espresso and re-purposed as the corner table. Instead of a side chair, the espresso colored ottoman keeps the view open when the drapes are pulled.



BEFORE: Living Room #2. Clutter everywhere. No place to store DVD's, books, etc. And that halogen floor lamp? Ugh.



AFTER: Living Room, #2. It's important to remember that Staging and interior design really are different. In this case, Mark really needed storage and a workstation. Normally, I would not fill up a space like this, but we got the storage and work area Mark needed while keeping it stream-lined. The modern milk-glass front armoire hides his computer, and the buffet with the milk-glass top makes a great entertainment console.



BEFORE: Dining Room. A great Danish modern table but the space has nothing else going for it.



AFTER: Dining Room. More pops of blue in the new end chairs and the art, plus a soft green on the accent wall, really dress up the space. An alabaster pendant light completes the scene.

ARTWORK: Mark loves modern, abstract art. For the main wall we found some exciting, mid-range priced originals (above photo). The opposite wall reflects Mark's love of nature with photos of his native New Hampshire ordered off the internet (below).

By the way, here's Mark's view. Not bad, huh? Can you see the plane in the upper-left corner?

Home Accents: Designer Wall Clocks -Glam and Stylish !

Wall clocks are an integral part of any home. This common piece of utility can also be interesting and stylish, adding the extra dose of oomph to your walls . Every piece chosen with care, keeping in mind functionality and purpose will surely make the interiors of the room more flattering!

Some of the parameters to be kept in mind when choosing are size, purpose and design. The variety of wall clocks are immense and with a little help from my selection of unique stylish wall clocks you might just find your own unique design.

Study and Home Office

This clock is just soo unique..place it on a shelf and it will masquerade as books and look into it for time. A totally fun and fabulous piece of art :) I would love to recommend it for study or home office. I think even teen's bedroom would be better off with something quite as special as this.

I specially love the colors, they are so bright and lively !!



Living Room

Living room is a open and friendly place which reflects your personality to a great degree. There are a huge number of options available, but I have a better idea for using the walls ! The next three pictures show different styles of the same.

If you like things simple and yet elegant this could be the one. Would be perfect for a beach home, but anyone can get a piece of beach into their living room in this. Its so pristine in looks and stylish at the same time. My pick of a perfect clock for understated elegance.

The sea shells are so interesting in the clear background!

The novelty of having twelve little photo frames assembled as a clock is beautiful !!

The eccentric and fun ! Different views of a globe as markers will surely draw anyones attention..Go for it if its your personality !!

Dining Room

How about a clock for the dining room? With dining room clocks one can choose to place looks before convenience. With emphasis on aesthetics one can be creative and pick interesting designs. Here I have picked one a little on the crazy side and how well it reflects on the style and purpose of the room..Forks and spoons !?! The stainless steel sheen is uber cool and cheerful.

It is sure to be a conversation starter and appreciation guaranteed !


Kitchen

Kitchen clock are a little tricky to pick. It has to be easy to view and also hassle free. With a demanding surrounding of a kitchen a little cheer and sense of humor will surely be much appreciated. Who wouldn't love a cuppa hot tea/coffee to get away from the stress?

The design is super cute and the quirkiness is adorable !

Teen Bedroom

For teens and bachelor pad something more spirited and interest grabbing is required. The next few are just that ! Its exclusive and sporty. It might just be THE thing your room's missing.

This clock is super cute ! Any one can so simple maths but for geeks this clock will be an extension to their personality. Ideal gift for someone maybe :)

How about upcycling your abandoned skateboard ? Its a memento from your childhood, add a simple clock mechanism to it and give it a new lease of life. Same can be used on many other surfaces too.

If space ships and future toys appeal to your boys than this is PERFECT !! The alien arms with bright lights are unconventional and spooky. The piece is so striking that it deserves a corner of its own.

I am sure butterflies clock in black and white or colorful will appeal to many girls. Good solution for a girl's bedroom.

Sun Room and Portico

I totally love this driftwood and shells clock. Perfect for outdoors and difficult to pass !

The carved metal wall decoration has a clock as well. I think it will add a lot of style and grace to any room. Iron makes it durable for a long time too.

Livingroom : Same room with Different looks !

I am amazed at how different color schemes and room accents can transform any room ! Even with the same basic furniture, a living room can speak of different personalities and influences. The set of pictures I am putting up today shows how a simple living room with existing furniture consisting of three seater sofa and a modern coffee table and lamp, can be transformed to look elegant, stylish, bohemian, shabby chic, contemporary etc.

These pictures are bound to inspire you and the combination of colors are stunning to say the least. Look closely and you might just be able to create your perfect design for a living room.

The Romantic Elegant

This setting is uber stylish, lush and romantic. The beautiful shade just brightens up the room with blood red as the focal color the whole setting is just sparkling and eclectic in its feel.

I love the beveled mirror and the fab rug !!

The Kitschy Dynamic

If you love dynamic then this is just that !! The pattern, vibrancy and truly eclectic combination of colors gives the room a real edge. The atmosphere is so cheery and the selection of artifacts is truly unique. Each and every corner has its own story to tell.

This room is not for the ordinary and it speaks volumes about style and personality !

The Pure and Meditative

You love the look of white ! The color is sleek as well as sophisticated and with just the right amount of creativity and interesting mix of pieces the whole look can be awe inspiring. The room is in some ways pure and meditative with the monochromatic scheme weaving magic here !

The mannequin and the little pig in white are such interesting focal pieces !

The Casual Contemporary

This casual contemporary and totally modern take on the living room is fantastic ! The laid back and easy going attitude is easily showcased, and very carefully created by an interesting mix of medium. We have here blown up art and black ceramic vases with unique wooden art thrown it too. The color orange is known as a color for joy and conveys sociability and confidence.

The sheer riot of colors in this room makes it one of my favourite here !

The Classic Elegant

This look is just so different from the one above that its difficult to imagine that the existing furniture are the same. The whole look is elegant and almost bordering on formal. The clean lines and classic furniture give the room a modern and sharp look.

The wooden coffee table balances the black and white furniture perfectly to make it harmonious.

The Vibrant Whimsical

The color scheme here is that of black and white but with teal blue in the background. Teal is by far one of the most vibrant colors..and makes for some very uncommon but beautiful combination. The black and white echoed in the frames, rug and cushion adds to the vibrancy to the room and adds to the visual appeal !

The arrangement of frames on the wall is so curious and add a certain whimsy to the whole room !

Sofa Covers and Cushions : Designs and combinations !!

I am have been looking for some inspiration for dressing up my sofa in some lovely colors and uplifting the mood of the entire room :) And what an amazing collection of pictures I have to share with all of you !! Sofa and love seats in neutral are simple and easy options but if you really need to add that extra oomph to your room decor and make is really appealing look no further.


Sofa covers in themselves are not enough, combine some amazing mix of cushions in lovely colors and tones and you will have a winner ! Interestingly its not just the Sofa cover and cushions but also the carpet or rug that makes the complete combination. Take a look at each of these pictures and see for yourself how each of them add to the complete look :)


So lets get into discussing these lovely designs and colors, get inspired to create your own rooms and design the best for yourself !!

Sofa Covers : Combination and Designs

I Love this for the sheer simplicity !! Ivory white and green and a lot of light streaming in, what a lovely ambiance it creates. The rug is so amazing...with the weaving and knots. Add to it the wall hanging and the cushions with plants and leaf motifs in the same color. Totally Fab !!

Combination : Ivory white + Yellow green

Pink and Yellow is not a usual combination, but in pastel shades they just left me asking for more ! This design will transform any livingroom, The sofa cover in pale pink is so gorgeous with the whole set of cushions in various colors inspired by the carpet and wall hanging.

This living room echos of a set of colors reflected in the floor rug, cushions and the wall painting. Truly inspiring !

Combination: Pink+Blue+Yellow(all in pastel)

Staging is more important than ever...

Folks, just like real estate agents have the Realtors Association, home Stagers have the International Association of Home Staging Professionals, or IAHSP. The IAHSP conducts surveys of markets conditions and how they apply to the home staging industry. And the most current info shows that staging is STILL an essential part of selling a home:

Fully 94.6% of all homes that are staged by a member of the IAHSP sell within 35 days. A non-staged home remains on the market, on average, for 175 days. Yes, my friends, you read that correctly. So the solution for those who either want or need to sell their home is, Home Staging!