Design 101

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In Design 101 we will address basic interior design principles, common interior design problems, the components of various decorating styles, and share ideas on collecting, displaying and taking care of antiques and other items in your home. Need some advice on a design problem? Write us!

Contents
5 Easy Steps To Choose Wall Paint Color
Antique White Ironstone: Versatile and Affordable
The Art of Hanging Art Work
Cleaning and Storing Your Vintage Linens
Cottage Style
Creating Separate Living and Dining Areas From One Living Space
Creating an Outdoor Room
English Country Style Rooms
Design for Your Entry Way
Design Inspiration
Essence of Country French Interior Design
Gifts for the Design Conscious
"Green" Interior Design
Spring Cleaning

5 Easy Steps To Choose Wall Paint Color

One of the most basic design skills is the ability to choose colors. Seems simple enough, but amazingly there many people who avoid color because they do not know how to choose it. For those who feel overwhelmed by the color charts, try these five simple steps to picking wall paint color.

1. At your local paint or home improvement store pull color strips that represent the dominant colors in your room. If you do not have a good color memory take some fabric, a pillow, carpet sample, anything that will help you pick colors that are as close as possible, in shade and tone, to what is in your room.

2. Then select color strips that represent less dominant colors in the room. Choose these colors from items in the room like a print fabric, a rug, a piece of art, a porcelain collection or anything in the room you would like to highlight. If you have only solid colors or textures, choose lighter or darker shades or complimentary colors (see a color wheel for ideas).

3. Take your color strips out of the store into natural light and fold the strips that have the existing dominant colors in the room to show that specific color. Line these colors up and one by one add a color strip from the second group of less dominant colors. Now it is just a process of elimination. Toss the ones you hate. From the love and like groups, choose at least three colors and purchase tester pots or have the smallest quantity possible mixed, and paint a 2 foot by 2 foot square of each color (2 coats) next to each other and at eye level in the room in question.

4. Live with the colors for at least a week. Observe the colors at different times of day and night to see how they may change with the light. Place the patterned or dominant solid color in the room by the samples. Which makes the pattern pop? Which warms the room or cools it down? Which creates a soothing or vibrant atmosphere?

5. Pick the color the best achieves your goal.

Remember, take your time. Live with the color samples as long as necessary to make a decision. Get other peoples opinion if you need to. But ultimately the object is for you to be happy with the choice.

To learn more about using color check out:

5 Ways to Use Color In Small Spaces
5 Ways To Connect Rooms With Color
Color Characteristics

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Antique White Ironstone: Versatile and Affordable

Antique white Ironstone is a wonderfully versatile decorative accessory. No matter your style, French, English, American Country or Cottage, antique white ironstone fits. Pitchers, tureens, platters, bowls, in styles from simple to ornate. You can't help but love it!

A Little History

In 1813 in Staffordshire, England, Charles James Mason patented a china that was harder than the earthenware and porcelain of the day. Mason's Patented Ironstone was the first and probably the best known of all the Ironstone produced.

By 1840 many companies in England were producing Ironstone. The plain white undecorated version had reached America where it was an instant success with rural households. By 1870 Ironstone was being made in the U.S. and England. Competition and changing tastes spurred the introduction of new patterns, which reflected nature, architecture, even important events.

By the end of the 1800's Ironstones popularity was on the decline with consumers being drawn to newly affordable decorated china.

Versatile, Available and Affordable

The same plain white ironstone china embraced by 1800's rural America fits perfectly into today's English, French, and American Country decor. With the variety of patterns that were produced, you can easily find two or three that fit your chosen style. The Gothic style and its variations seem very English to me with their clean architectural lines. But any pattern would fit an English Country Style room, since ironstone was first produced by the English and the same pottery was used for Transferware .

For the Country French Style room the patterns that were fashioned after nature like Lilly of the Valley, Pear and the very decorative Sydenham Shape remind me of French Faience, but are much more durable and easier to find.

And of course any pattern is perfect for an American Country or Cottage Style room. The simpler patterns with little or no ornamentation work well with Modern interpretations of these styles.

Because of Ironstones durability, many pieces have survived generations of use. Platters, tureens, gravy boats, pitchers, to name a few, are available in battered to pristine condition. The prices reflect the patterns availability and the pieces condition, with hard to find patterns and pieces in excellent condition priced the highest. But a few chips or some discoloration adds a sense of history to a piece and does not detract from its display value.

To learn more about white ironstone read White Ironstone, A survey of Its Many Forms by Dawn Stoltzfus and Jeffrey Snyder or visit the White Ironstone China Association, Inc.

And be sure to visit our selection of white ironstone in our English Country section, Country Style section, Cottage Style section and Country French Style section.

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Creating Separate Living and Dining Areas from One Living Space

Many newer apartments, condominiums and single family homes have been built with a living area instead of a separate living room and dining room. The developer leaves it up to the owner to create two living spaces from one rectangular or L shaped space. While an open plan can create the illusion of more square footage, not everyone is up to the task of dividing the space to create two rooms that are both useful and attractive. Here are a few suggestions you can use as is or as a jumping off point for your own creation. NOTE: One rule applies regardless of the solution you choose, the colors in the fabrics, rugs, paints, woods etc., have to work together.

Area Rugs are by far are the simplest solution. One area rug for the living room area, which all the furniture is placed around or on, and a separate rug for the dining room area that is placed under the table. Separate rugs suggest separate areas.You can use area rugs on top of carpeting. Just purchase the right type of pad for under the rug to keep it from moving.

Furniture Placement is another simple way to create two spaces out of one. Placing a sofa with its back to the dining room area creates a partial wall between the two. A sofa table behind the sofa provides a place for lighting for living area and a buffet for the dining room area. If you want to more fully obstruct the view from one area to the other without loosing light and the open spacious feeling, an open back bookcase/display unit can be placed in the center. This would allow people to move from one area to the other through openings on either side of the unit. Or you can place the bookcase/display unit with its side against the wall and create one larger opening.

An Art Wall is another way to visually divide one space into two. A grouping of art work can define the beginning and end of a space. It doesn�t matter if it is four large pieces, or twenty smaller ones, the eye stops at the end of the grouping. (You should read our article on The Art of Hanging Art Work if you choose to use this approach.) Furniture placement should work with the placement of the art work, not independent of it.

Faux Architectural Elements can create a division of the space. Placing two tall narrow bookcases across from each other and perpendicular to the wall will give the appearance of an architectural division of the space. The same effect can be achieved with columns, drapery panels that are hung from the ceiling and reach to the floor (puddling of the drapery adds a touch of opulence) or even beads, if that�s what appeals.

Creating two spaces from one larger space is a fairly simple task, and it need not cost a lot. These are only a few of the many options available. And we would like to point out that these methods can be adapted to; create an entry way for homes that have none; carve out an office or work out area from a large family room; even divide a shared children�s bedroom into two visually separate areas to provide a little privacy.

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Cleaning and Storing Your Vintage Linens

By the time the holidays were over, I had used almost everything from my collection of vintage table linens. I had a basket full of table cloths, placemats, dinner napkins, cocktail napkins and table runners spotted with everything from lipstick to wine. Vintage linens require a little more care than your everyday stuff, but it is worth it.

Cleaning vintage linens:

Whether I am dealing with vintage linens that I have just purchased that have yellowed or are spotted, or I am cleaning ones that are soiled from use, the process is the same:

Either fill a sink, tub or large bucket with hot water, dissolve the appropriate amount of OxiClean or other oxygen bleach. Mix with a wooden spoon until it is dissolved (do not use the spoon for anything else but linen cleaning after this);

Add the linens (do not mix color with white or natural, embroidery and trim should be tested for color fastness, cotton and linen only, no metallic thread as it can react with oxygen bleach);

Swish the linens around with the spoon and let them soak overnight if necessary;

Pour off or drain the soapy water and rinse with clear water with white vinegar added. Rinse again with clear water. For a much more detailed procedure and alternatives visit: Antique Linens. This is an excellent article with photos that show the amazing difference proper cleaning can have on vintage linens.

Layer two white bath towels and lay them flat. Place the wet rinsed linens flat on the towels. Roll the bath towels, from the narrow end, to absorb the water. DO NOT WRING!!

Iron the linens while they are still damp, using a hot dry (no steam) iron. You should iron the reverse side of monogrammed, embroidered and damask weave linens, to insure their best appearance. Place a thick white towel on your ironing board for best results.

Storing your linens:

Do not store linens in cedar or any other type of wooden cabinet or drawer unless it is lined. Acid in the wood makes brown stains that are almost impossible to remove. Use acid free tissue to wrap linens before putting away;

Lay linens flat or roll them on an acid free

cardboard roll. Wood dowels wrapped in batting and unbleached cotton can be used also;

Do not fold linens along the same lines all the time. This will weaken the fibers along the fold;

If the linens are to be stored for a long time, use acid free tissue or clean cloth between the folds;

Do not wrap linens in plastic. The plastic prevents fibers from breathing and will hold in any moisture, allowing mold or mildew to grow.

This may seem like a lot of work, but it's not. Just a little more of your time is required then when you throw something in the washing machine. After all, you don't have to stand and watch them soak! And this extra effort will be rewarded the next time you set your table with these beautiful and well cared for vintage linens.

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Gifts for the Design Conscious

If you have a friend, relative, spouse/partner who is particular about what they buy for their home, we have a gift solution for you. Giving an Antique or vintage item ensures a more unique gift, with quality and design not often found in modern mass produced pieces. And you do not have to break the bank to purchase a great gift!

A few ideas:

For someone who just moved into a new home or loves the one that they are in a custom house portrait would be a fantastic gift. It comes matted and ready to frame. Price based on the complexity of the house.

For someone who enjoys serving tea, a a vintage tea set at $215, or a vintage damask tea/luncheon size tablecloth. for $20.

For someone with a green thumb, a vintage English pottery planter by Mason’s for $60. You might add a fern or ivy topiary to finish it off. Our Porcelain planter for $15 has great cottage style, just fill it with a flowering plant.

For those who love to entertain there are vintage silver plate demitasse spoons $30, or sterling silver demitasse spoons for $100. Or our set of 12 vintage art deco plates for $85 are perfect for hors d'ouevers.

For a more masculine gift there is an antique ice fishing lure $125. A vintage brass blow torch makes a unique and masculine bookend $45, or a vintage U.S. Navy Wardroom bowl to hold pocket change or keys for $20.

If you are looking for unique hostess gift consider our small hand carved sandstone bowls. Use them for tea lights or paper clips or keep one on the kitchen counter filled with sea salt to use while cooking, $11. The wooden childrens shoe lasts or forms are wonderfully decorative, just $25 per pair, or a vintage Belgium linen dish towel that is not only pretty but great for lint free drying of crystal, $19

These are just a few ideas. Our store has pages and pages of beautiful items that make unique gifts to be admired and appreciated for their beauty and sense of history.

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English Country Style Rooms

Visually, English country style rooms have a lot going on. When I see photos of rooms in the British Country Living Magazine, or in books such as The English Room, by Keith Irvine and Chippy Irvine, my first thought is that a lot of dusting is required to maintain those rooms. But despite my cleaning fetish, I will admit that the English country style is my favorite. It is classically eclectic, informally formal, and allows unlimited creative possibilities.

If you start with an empty room, it will have a beauty of its own. Architectural details such as moldings or wooden ceiling beams already provide character and visual interest. The walls will have color, everything from deep jewel tones to softer lighter shades that highlight the architectural detail of the room. The floors will be of natural materials that age gracefully, like stone tile or wood.

The furnishings in an English country style room will be worn and comfortable, having been handed down for generations. The famous English Interior Designer, John Fowler called this a look of pleasing decay�. The room will have a mix of styles because the pieces have been accumulated over generations, and from different parts of the old British Empire. The wood furniture will have imperfect finishes and the upholstered pieces will be in various patterns, some of it almost threadbare. The floors will be covered in a mixture of oriental rugs whose colors have softened over time.

The walls are covered in paintings, prints, porcelain, pottery and mirrors. Even the thought of the labor involved in the weekly dusting of an ornate gilt Rococo mirror is not enough to stop me from wanting one. In the English country style room, window treatments are designed to frame either the beautiful architecture of the window or the view beyond. The fireplaces have stylish andirons, fenders with seats and a fire screen for when not in use. Pillows made from pieces of old oriental rugs, needlepoint, tapestries, or antique fabrics are found in abundance.

But the thing that makes each Country style room unique and that I find most fascinating, is the use of collections. Shelves of transferware, lusterware, Staffordshire figures or Masons Ironstone. Table tops covered in snuff boxes, tea caddies, Limoges boxes, sterling silver vesta cases or sea shells. Floor to ceiling cases filled with books, groupings of framed family photos and miniatures, everything from the beautiful to the bizarre is displayed, having been accumulated over a lifetime or two.

Creating an English country style room allows you the freedom to choose pieces from many periods. After all, you are trying to create the feeling that several generations have contributed to make the room what it is today. The imperfections that time and use may have left on a table or cabinet do not really matter, it gives them character. If your rooms lack architectural detail you can give them a little or a lot. And best of all you get to be surrounded by the things you love no matter how few or how many.

Be sure to visit our English Country Style section to see our wonderful selection of Antique and vintage pieces to help complete your room or add to your collection. And our Rugs section has vintage, semi-antique and antique oriental rugs that are perfect for the English country style room.

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Cottage Style

Cottage Style is many things to many people. Martha Stewart showcased her new pink cottage in the May issue of Martha Stewart Living. The guest cottage is on the property of her Maine estate. Using a background of soft pink, she has placed beautiful furniture and antiques to create a lovely retreat. I just don’t think I would want to spend the weekend there. The reasons “why” are the very essence of Cottage Style design.

Although Cottage Style is widely interpreted, there are four elements that all rooms share, the essence of Cottage Style: The rooms are comfortable. Everything in the room should convey that this is an informal space. All Cottage Style rooms are useful. There are no just for company rooms (except of course a guest room). And being that cottages are generally smaller homes, the rooms are naturally smaller.

The seating should be comfortable. You should feel that you can sit down anywhere, take your shoes off, put your feet up, place a beverage on a nearby table and relax. If the seating isn’t comfy and you have to worry about the upholstery, you haven’t created Cottage Style. Slipcovers are big part of Cottage Style. They are informal and since all the rooms are lived in, you can easily clean them.

The floors are usually wood or tile and area rugs, sisal, or floor cloths are used to warm up the space or provide color.

Painted furniture is very much in the Cottage Style. Old pieces with original finishes or new pieces that have been aged add warmth and informality to a room.

Collections or groupings of items add interest and convey a sense of time to a room. They give the feeling that over the years these pieces have been collected. You can group photos in different size and style frames, display ironstone or transferware on shelves or in a cabinet, group candle sticks, wooden boxes, whatever interests you.

When considering how to decorate wall space, do not confine yourself to paintings, prints and mirrors. Think about using quilts or framed textile pieces like lace, plates, architectural pieces, trays, old signs, anything you like that you can hang on the wall.

There are many interpretations of Cottage Style. You can go rustic with a lake side cabin décor, or feminine with faded florals, flounces and white wicker. By utilizing the four elements, or essence, of Cottage Style; comfort, informality, usefulness and smaller spaces you can create a personal version of Cottage Style.

If you would like more information about Cottage Style and to view how others have made the style their own, visit Cottage Living Magazine, you can even get a free issue. For great Antique and vintage Cottage Style accessories, be sure to visit our Cottage Style section. Create a Cottage Style bathroom with vintage style fixtures. Visit Vintage Tub & Bath. Free Shipping PLUS $100 Off the purchase of a tub, faucet, drain, and supply lines at Vintage Tub & Bath - Coupon WEB100

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Green Interior Design

Have you noticed lately that every magazine you pick up has an article about going green? Green cars are energy efficient and have low emissions. Green products for the yard have no harmful chemicals. Green building materials are made from renewable resources or recycled content, give off low emissions with no ozone depleting substances and can be recycled. The same is true for green products for use in the home.

But green interior design is more than just buying new products that are made from environmentally friendly materials and recycled content. Going green with your interior design includes using refurbished vintage and antique items. Many of us have been green for years and never knew it! Purchasing antique and vintage wooden furniture not only saves trees, but the solid wood construction is free of the emissions that wood composite products may give off. Antique and vintage rugs are made from natural fibers and often used vegetable dyes. Just send them out to be professionally hand washed and they will be free of dirt and allergens also. Well made antique and vintage upholstered furniture can be reupholstered or slip covered, saving both wood and space in the land fill.

Walk through any Antique Show or Flea Market and you will see hundreds of items that can be repurposed to fit today's life style. Many of the more creative dealers have done the thinking for you and created new objects from old materials. I purchased a fabulous kitchen work table made from old barn wood. The old wood has character that you cannot find in a piece made from all new materials. And it was half the price of a new piece. Keep an open mind. Don't look at objects just for what they are, think about what they could be. Even if you can only think of a decorative use, who says you can only hang pictures on a wall? Repurposing items will give your home a unique character and add personality to rooms that are lacking it. And you will get great satisfaction from living in a home where you are surrounded by objects that give you pleasure and from the knowledge that environmentally, you did a good thing.

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The Essence of Country French Interior Design

Country French is one of the most popular decorating styles today. Of the four styles we concentrate on (Cottage, Country, English Country and Country French) Country French receives the most visitors. There are countless books and magazines with beautiful photographs of rooms decorated in the traditional style of Provence, but when it comes right down to it, most people are at a loss as to how to create a room that is truly Country French.

Country French Basics

The first impression one gets from a Country French room is rustic. Terra cotta tiled or wood floors. Linen or cotton fabrics printed with natural dyes. Hand blown bubbled glass, and pottery rather than porcelain.

The second most dominant impression is of the color palette. The traditional colors of Provence are russet, ochre, bright blue, sunflower yellow and green. More modern pallets would add beige and pale olive to the list. All of these colors are taken from the environment. Ochre ore is found in abundance in the area and provided a living for many people. The many shades of green are inspired by the olive trees and olives. The wonderful blue comes from treating wood with copper sulfate to prevent rot.

It is important to remember rustic and the color palette when choosing the specific elements of a room.

Country French Specifics

The flowing lines of the fleur-de-lis or a scroll pattern are echoed in Country French furniture. Armoires are very popular pieces, with curved tops and sculpted curved moldings for the panels on the doors. A lower cupboard or dresser like piece can be used if space is an issue. The graceful but simple curve on a Louis XV table or chair leg, and the comfortable style of an upholstered fauteuil(arm chair), are classic Country French. The furniture can be wood tone or painted (using traditional colors of course). The addition of a gilded mirror helps highlight the rustic aspect of the room.

Fabrics are cotton or linen and printed using the Country French color palette. Toiles, classic floral patterns, paisley and stripes are combined in a room. Linens for table or bedroom can be in the printed fabrics or solid linen with a simple monogram. French quilts are a bit different than American quilts, in that a solid piece of fabric is usually used for each side. Those made from printed fabrics have a different print on each side and the detail is added through the stitching or quilting. The all white marriage quilts are similar to those made by the Amish, but the detail or quilting is made more 3 dimensional by adding stuffing to parts of the design, a trapunto type design. The beautiful quilts are thrown over tables to make colorful table clothes or folded and placed on the back of a sofa to add color there, and of course they can be used in the bedroom.

Pottery for the table repeats the Country French color palette. Whether it is solid color or decorated with hand painted patterns, the shape of the pieces echo the curves used in the furniture. Quimper and other types of faience reflect the colors and traditions of provincial life. The pieces are displayed on shelves and dressers. Terracotta and green glazed pots hold herbs and flowering plants to be moved in and out of the house. Utilitarian items like wooden and wire baskets, enamelware pitchers, buckets and canisters, and copper pots are displayed and used.

To create your Country French room, keep in mind the basics of the traditional color palette and the rustic nature of the style. When you are making decisions on the pieces to place in the room, remember the specifics of Country French style; the lines of the furniture, the types of fabrics used, and the types of pottery and accessories used and displayed.

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Design Inspiration

You are standing in the doorway of your _________ room (you fill in the blank), studying the space, and you say to yourself that a total overhaul/ freshening up (pick one) is in order. Then you ask yourself, "Where do I begin?" No matter what your style is, or will be, the answer is the same. You need inspiration. Something that will focus you, motivate you. Even if you plan to hire a designer, you need to know what it is you want.

The following is a list of books that will not only provide inspiration, but may also answer some questions you have about what comprises French Country style, English Country style, American Country style or Cottage style. The books all have tons of color photos of rooms, furniture, fabrics, and accessories. They are not all new books, but the contents are not dated (a quilt that was an antique in 1997 is still an antique today). All the books are available through Amazon.com, some for as little as $3 plus shipping. Check them out. Order one or two. Study them. They may have rooms you want to replicate, color schemes you love, or accessories that personalize the room and reinforce the style. Hopefully, they will get your own ideas flowing. By spending a few dollars and some time, you could come up with the room you have always wanted.

Keep in mind that the accessories the you will see used in these books, the transferware displayed on shelves, the ironstone in the kitchens as well as the wire baskets, enamelware, even the gold leaf mirrors, are available at ComfortableStyle.com.

French Country

Provincial Interiors: French Country Style in America, by Betty Lou Phillips. How to create Provincial interiors with what is available in America. Contains lists of suppliers, color schemes, information on the use of fabrics. The styles shown tend to be on the more formal, grand scale.

New French Country: A Style and Source Book, by Guy Bouchet and Linda Dannenberg. Discusses how the style evolved. Contains chapters on color, fabric, pottery, elements and accents. Has both the more formal country style and the rustic.

French Country Living, by Caroline Clifton-Mogg and Christopher Drake. This book showcases the more rustic simpler style. It is closer to my idea of French Country.

English Country

English Country, by Judy Fowler. According to the publishers review this book captures the "crumpled-down look" that makes English country so popular.

English Country: A Little Style Book, by Caroline Seebohm and Christopher Simon Sykes. This book shows how worn and faded fabrics and rugs thrown together with time worn furniture with good lines can create an elegant and comfortable room.

Country Style

Country Living - Shortcuts to Decorating Country Style, by Caroline Atkin. This book gives easy to implement ideas to transform your rooms to country style through the use of color, fabrics, furniture and accessories.

The Smart Approach to Country Decorating, by Margaret Sabo Wills. "Explores the roots of Country and lays the groundwork for creating the look in any style home."

Cottage Style

Cottage Style Decorating, by Cynthia Overbeck Bix . This book explains Cottage style and its elements, also has a Resources section. Great photos and lots of them.

Cottage Style, Better Homes and Garden. Shows the variations of Cottage style. Discusses windows, walls, floors and artful accents.

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The Art of Hanging Art Work

Pictures from a wall calendar you loved, family photos, prints purchased at an Antique Show or Flea Market, original water colors or oil paintings are just a few of the things you can use to decorate your walls and enhance your rooms. How do you get these treasures from the "raw" state to a "hangable" one? How high do you hang them? What is the best way to group pieces? How do you prevent your walls from looking like Swiss cheese when you are done? Don't let those bare walls intimidate you. Read on for the basics in hanging art work.

What can you hang on your walls? Anything. From traditional paintings, prints and photographs, to textiles, architectural salvage, old tools, porcelain, even chairs. What ever you want to look at or display, you can hang on the wall. The trick is in making it look good. Nontraditional items like old tools, architectural salvage (brackets, corbels, ironwork) obviously do not need to be framed. They can be hung on nails which are placed to discreetly support the item. Small items, like old keys, fossils (my son collects fossil sharks teeth), button hooks or whatever you collect, can be placed in shadow boxes that are available at most craft stores. Velcro is used to hold the items in place. To avoid the expense of custom framing your "raw" art, have it matted to fit a standard sized frame. If you are going to hang antique plates, do not use wire plate hangers. They can damage the piece and destroy its value. The adhesive hooks made for hanging plates are the best. They do not put any stress on the piece and they are removable. You can purchase them online from the Container Store. They come in three sizes for small to large pieces. Floating shelves, available at most craft stores, are also a great way to display nontraditional art, like porcelain figurines, dolls, toy soldiers, the possibilities are endless.

Your art is now ready to be hung. If you are hanging a single piece, make sure it fits the space. An 8x10 frame above a sofa is going to be lost. A small piece can be used above a mantle or table if there are other items to help fill the visual space. A lamp, candle sticks, a bowl below the art work, all work to fill the space. When creating this type of arrangement, odd numbers of items usually look best. A single piece used on a wall should be at the eye level of an average height person, about 54 inches off the floor. Anything hung above a sofa should start about 10 inches above the top of the sofa so people will not hit their heads on it if they lean back. If you are creating a grouping of pieces a vertical arrangement will help give the impression of height, while a horizontal arrangement will help give the illusion of width.

The best way to create a grouping is to lay it out on the floor first. Use kraft paper or tape together newspaper to create the dimensions of the space to be filled. Then lay out the pieces you want to use. The arrangements that are usually most pleasing to eye are those that when outlined create a basic geometric shape like a square, rectangle, circle, oval or isosceles triangle. When selecting pieces to create the grouping you can mix traditional and nontraditional, but they should relate in some way. Some designers strongly believe that the frames should be of the same color to make the wall less busy. Other designers believe that mixing different colors and types of frames adds more interest. I think that using frames of the same color creates a more formal arrangement and also lets you focus more on the art than the arrangement. Using a variety of frames creates a less formal feel where you first observe the overall arrangement, then the frames, and finally the art. So choose the frames according to the style you are going for. Maintain consistency in the spacing between items, but do not allow so much space that they appear to be floating apart.

When you have come up with an arrangement that pleases you, I recommend that you use a level to make sure everything is straight. SAVE YOUR SANITY AND INVEST IN A LASER LEVEL. (For an investment of less than $20 you can save endless hours of frustration and hundreds of holes in your walls.) Once you are assured that everything is straight, trace the shapes onto the paper. Then mark on the paper the spot where the hook should be nailed for each piece. If you are using a lot of pieces in your arrangement, number each piece and its spot on the paper. Then use painters tape to attach the paper to wall (use your nifty laser level to make sure the paper is straight). Use a hammer and nail to make a small hole where each hook should be placed. Remove the paper and install the hooks. (If you are hanging a heavy piece make sure you are using strong enough hooks. Talk to the people at your local hardware store if you think you may need wall anchors, to make sure you use the correct support). Then hang the pictures according to your plan. Stand back, make sure everything is straight, and enjoy!

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Creating An Outdoor Room

It is the time of year we all want to be outdoors. Is there any better way to start your day than sitting in the cool morning air with a cup of coffee, enjoying the beauty of flowers and plants? Having a special place to sit and read, enjoy a beverage, and relax is a luxury anyone with outdoor access can afford. Whether you are working with a balcony or vast acreage, the process is the same. In as little as a few hours you can create an outdoor room.

The first step is to define your space..

If you have a balcony, it is already defined for you. Those lucky enough to have a large balcony can create areas for different uses, like eating or lounging. Use outdoor area rugs or floor cloths to differentiate the areas or large flower pots or planters to divide up the space. Those with small balconies have to choose one activity to be done in the space. My first home was a condo in downtown Washington, D.C., The balcony was three feet deep by 6 feet long. I was determined to have an outdoor room and managed to create a little "escape" despite all the restrictions.

Those who have a yard need to choose an area for the outdoor room. Select a space where you can envision yourself spending time, under your favorite shade tree, the sunniest spot in the yard or a preexisting deck or patio. You then create the boundaries of the space. The hardscape of a deck or patio creates its own boundary. Like those who have large balconies, large patios or decks can be subdivided into different activity areas with the use of an outdoor area rug or floor cloth for one or each area.. You can also divide the space by using large flower pots or planters. If you are creating your outdoor room by carving an area from a large grassy expanse, there are several options for defining the area. Stone pavers or bricks can be laid in a formal or informal style depending on your taste. Sink metal edging along the perimeter of your chosen area to contain pebbles or mulch. And of course you can use the existing grass and use flower beds or flower pots and planters to create the boundaries.

The second step is to furnish the space.

How you furnish your outdoor room is limited only by your budget. Yard and Estate sales and Flea Markets are great placed to pick up outdoor furniture at great prices. And with all the new paints on the market you can spruce up or change the color of anything. Buy cushions or make your own using fabrics made for outdoor use. Colorful throw pillows create a cozy feeling and help soften the lines of iron and wooden furniture. Bistro sets are great for creating small eating areas. Benches not only provide multiple seating, but can also be used to create boundaries. Use groupings of various size flower pots to provide color. On a small balcony window boxes hung on the inside of the rail add color and soften the architecture. A small electric or solar powered fountain can provide pleasant background noise and create a sense of coolness, or create a water garden in a large colorful pottery planter. If you plan to use the space in the evenings, you might like a fire pit or chiminea. For evening lighting mix votive and citronella candles. The possibilities are endless, just make sure what you use is weather resistant and that if it is not you have a place to store it.

Provide privacy or screening.

If your outdoor room is visible to all your neighbors you might want to create some privacy. On a balcony, line the railing with window boxes hung on the inside and plant them with a mixture of trailing and tall full plants. You can also anchor a trellis in a large flower pot or planter box and train ivy or a flowering vine up it On large balconies, evergreens planted in pots or topiary roses or hibiscus can be used.

For larger spaces screening plants in pots or in the ground can create a lovely green wall. A trellis anchored in a large pot or planter with a climbing vine and flowers provides privacy and creates a boundary. Hang plants on pole hooks stuck in the ground or in large pots. Or you can build a simple screen with wooden or vinyl lattice.

Creating an outdoor room is easy when you follow these design principles. Regardless of the size of the space, or your budget, you will have created a relaxing escape and expanded your living space.

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Spring Cleaning

Spring is here. Time to take our cue from nature, clear out the winter stuff and clean and freshen our environments for the coming seasons. A proper spring cleaning make take you a day or two, but I promise when you are done, you will feel pounds lighter, at least mentally.

How should one go about properly cleaning their home? There are as many methods as there are people cleaning. For those of us who are "particular" about these things, we have developed a system that we believe is best. But there is always room for improvement. "Home Comforts The Art and Science of Keeping House", by Cheryl Mendelson, is a book everyone should own, and read. After reading selected parts, not only were my own methods validated, but questions to which I had been given conflicting information were answered. So, with the help of Ms. Mendleson, we offer this efficient and effective system for cleaning your home.

Cleaning your home "from top to bottom" sums up the system you should use. Start at the top of your home and work down, floor by floor. Ms. Mendelson recommends going from dry to wet, meaning on each floor doing rooms without sinks etc. first and finishing with bathrooms, kitchens. She also recommends starting with jobs that require waiting periods, like airing beds, laundry, so you can do other things while waiting. And when working in each room start at the top and finish with the floor. With a vacuum or duster clean crown molding or the area where ceiling and wall meet. I find it helpful to clear clutter as I go. Use a plastic bin or box to deposit items that need to be put away elsewhere in the house and a bin for those things you no longer use or want that can be donated to charity. Dust all surfaces, including window sills and baseboards, and wipe down woodwork, especially around door knobs and light switches, and spots on baseboards. Vacuum any upholstered pieces, and finally vacuum or wash the floor. The system is the same for bathrooms and the kitchen, start at the top and work down with the floor being last.

You will find that having a "system" helps speed things along and keeps you from getting diverted. The bin system is especially helpful, in that there is an immediate solution for the odd items and clutter. So throw open those windows and start cleaning!

Note: Be sure to check out Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendelson for advice on everything from laundry to wood floor care. She even shows you the proper way to fold a fitted sheet!

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Design for your Entry Way

Your homes entry way, or foyer as my mother likes to refer it, provides the first impression visitors have of your home, sometimes the only one. Do people step through your front door to be confronted with clutter? Or is the space so stark they want to keep their coats to ward off the chill? Do you want guests to feel that your home is a warm and welcoming place? That's not hard to accomplish, and it can be done for very little money. Here are a few tips to help transform your entry way.

The original entry way to my 1940's Cape Cod style home measured about 4 feet wide by 5 feet deep. To the left was an archway to the living room, to the right was an archway to the dining room and straight ahead was a miniature coat closet and a "tunnel" stairway up. This center hall entry way is common in houses of this vintage. What can be done with a space made up of openings and doors? Plenty. First, the light. If you have a solid door, as I did, change it for one with windows to let in light. The door should be architecturally sympathetic to the exterior style of your home, and have as much glass as security allows. You will be amazed at what this small change can do.

Now that you have let in the light so you can see, the walls and woodwork have to be addressed. Here are some truths about color:

Common space areas should be painted or papered in a color or colors that work with the rooms which are open to them. If your living room and dining room are entered through openings off a hallway, the colors should be complimentary. In very small houses, doing all the rooms the same color will make the space seem larger because the eye flows over all the areas with out interruption.

In a small space, like an entry way, high contrast between walls and woodwork (including doors) makes a space seem smaller. Deep red walls and white woodwork are a nice combination, but not in a small space. Your eye does not flow over the space, which would give the illusion of a larger area, it stops and starts at each color change, breaking up the space and making it smaller.

What ever color you choose for your woodwork and doors, it will hopefully be some shade of white and will definitely be consistent through the whole house.

So, what do these color rules mean? Let's use the example of my original entry way, with only openings and doors to deal with. Suppose that the living, to the left, is painted a deep cinnamon color, and the dining room to the right is painted a blue/gray. What would you choose for the entry? There are three easy choices:

If you take the color strip that you chose the cinnamon color off of, and follow it through to its lightest shades, you would come up with a warm pinky/beige color that would be light enough to enlarge the space and it would work with the existing colors in both the living room and dining room.

The same holds true for the dining room. If you were to go to the lightest color in the blue/gray family, you would probably come up with a cool, very pale almost white blue/gray that works with both rooms.

Your third choice would be to get the color chart for all the beige/off white paint colors available and to choose one with a tone that works with both rooms. The white woodwork will provide a subtle contrast that sets off the color with out shrinking the space.

Needless to say, the color would continue up the stairs and include the hallway above. And I would paint the ceiling the same color as the walls, again to visually enlarge the area. If your entry way includes a hallway leading to the back of the house, that should be included also.

To further tie the entry way to the adjoining rooms, use a rug at the front door and a runner for the hallway that has a pattern that uses the colors of those rooms and is in a style that is complimentary.

Maybe you live in a newer home, with a two story entry hall, and a bit more square footage to consider. The rules are the same. The color you choose should be complimentary to the rooms that are open to it. You do have a larger choice of colors because you can use deeper tones than a can be used in the small space. But the color should continue into hallways and stairways that open to each other, and rug and accent colors should be pulled from the palettes of the rooms which are off the entry way.

Some homes have no real defined entryway. The front door may be at one end of the living room. Creating an entry way for these homes is not difficult. If you have the skills or want to hire someone who does, you can build a half wall that should give you at least a three and a half foot wide space and at least one third of the width of the living room. Or you can purchase an open shelving unit, full or half height, to use in place of a wall. The unit must be open, meaning that you can see through to the other side, otherwise you will create a dark claustrophobic space that is very unwelcoming. The wall that makes up the other side of the entry way can be painted in a color that is a few tones lighter or darker that the living room, to further differentiate the space. If the living room is light, go darker, if the living room is dark, go lighter. And finish off by differentiating the flooring with the use of a runner, some type of tile, or wood flooring.

Take a critical look at your entry way. If it's not conveying the feeling you want guests to get when they enter your home, then its time for a redo. By following the advice we have provided, you can change the impression of your home that visitors first receive, and maybe even change the whole feel of your home by tying the rooms together visually.

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