Friday, January 30, 2015

So Many Keys, So Little Doors: Getting Rid of Weight

Everything we carry adds weight to our lives. Today, take a moment to eliminate unused keys from your key chain. You know, those keys that “might” go to something important but you haven’t actually used in years, even decades? If you’re extra motivated, pull the mystery keys out of your junk drawer, too. Give yourself 15 minutes to run around the house and try to figure out what they go to, then pitch them. Afraid some enterprising person might dig through your trash and use the key nefariously? Assuming you just checked to make sure they don’t open the doors to your home, trust me, no thief is likely to figure out what they go to, either. 



Feel bad throwing all those keys away? You have options! There are online organizations that will collect your keys, melt them down for scrap metal, and donate the profits to charity — check out Key For Hope and Keys For Kindness. You might also consider giving or selling them to an etsy artist who uses keys in their artwork, like the amazing work by Michael seen at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Moerkey. Check out his key bowls - they are amazing!  







Ready For Some Deep Cleaning?: Carpet Cleaners to the Rescue



Whether it’s time for spring cleaning or your dog just had an unfortunate accident, having a good carpet cleaner is important to the long-term maintenance and appearance of your home. No matter how good your vacuum may be, sometimes life calls for a deep cleaning. Here in the Seattle area we have three folks we love to recommend. 

Restore One and Nelson Carpet Cleaning are both small, family run businesses that both myself and my contractor-husband refer out all the time. We love having personal relationships with our subs and contractors, because we know they’ll go the extra mile for our customers. 


Mario at Restore One will also restretch your existing carpet if it’s buckling and needs some coaxing to lay flat again. (Note, buckled carpet is not just an eye sore, it’s also a safety hazard, especially in homes with folks who have reduced mobility or failing eyesight. Be sure to get that fixed - it doesn’t require having to get all new carpet!) I have also had him clean upholstered furniture I got off Craigslist - making my $50 steal of a chair worth hundreds once he did his magic.


Another fantastic resource is Alpine Specialty Cleaning. They are larger company but still provided exceptional service. They also offer a broader service list, and they are my go-to provider for drapery cleaning. 

So stop looking at the spills from the holidays, forgive your cat or dog its transgressions, and get your home ready for a wonderful year by having one of these carpet cleaning companies come out to your home. You might just be amazed at how new your home can feel!


Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Want To Use A Bright Paint Color On Your Wall? Learn From This Home Depot Ad

Flipping through decor magazines is a great way to find inspiration for your next room makeover, and the ads can be as illuminating as the articles. 

This Home Depot ad shows a great example of a successful way to use a bright color on your wall (here, a clear Caribbean-style teal) without having an over-powering room. 

The key? Nearly every other element in the room is neutral. Natural woven blinds, pale grey couch, Sisal rug, white trim, brown and gold tables… Aside from the couch pillows that tie directly to the wall color, even the accessories are gentler, more muted versions of the bright teal wall color. 



Understanding this balance is useful in two ways: If you are burdened with a bunch of beige furniture that you didn’t really want, using a vivid wall color is a great way to create a lively room without investing in new furniture. Or if you are starting from scratch in a room, you know that you can choose basic, neutral furniture and pair it with a personality-filled wall color that you can easily change down the road with the times, or your mood.

Have fun decorating, and here’s to being happy at home!

Monday, January 19, 2015

What To Learn From High End Design: It’s Okay To Swag Your Chandelier


If you live in a home where the right spot for your dining table is unfortunately not centered underneath the location for your ceiling fixture, you don’t necessarily have to pay for an electrician, drywaller,  and painter to come move it. As seen in the Dec/Jan issue of Gray Magazine, even in high-end design it’s okay to choose a light fixture with a cord or chain and swag it to meet your needs. 

A lot of my clients really worry that it will look cheap, messy, or half-done, but I have found that once the room is complete, there is enough to enjoy in the room that that extra bit of cord or chain is the last place your eye will look. 

The only limitation is that you’ll need to choose a fixture that hangs from a cord or chain, not fixed stems, and then you’ll have to make sure you anchor the hook or other swag system well into your ceiling to carry the weight of the fixture. Other than that, you have a faster, less-expensive solution that will leave you flexibility in the future if you decide to change up the room again, or stage it in a different way to sell.


Have fun choosing your new fixture, and here’s to being happy at home!