Archive for the ‘DIY’ Category
5 Quick & Inexpensive Pick-Me-Ups For a Tired Kitchen
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
Are you living with a kitchen that has seen better days? I certainly am! My house – purchased almost 5 years ago – was built in the 70′s and the kitchen had not had updates of any kind. Eventually I will remodel. But when I do, it will be the kind of remodel that includes knocking down walls, moving windows, adding an exterior door and will cost tens of thousands. Business is getting better all the time, so hopefully the day is not far off when I can have the sleek and modern kitchen of my dreams like this beauty by Bulthaup.
Maybe you are living with a kitchen that is outdated, or even a new construction home with a kitchen that is bland and boring. If you aren’t ready for a full blown remodel, it doesn’t mean you can’t inject a fresh feel into your kitchen and do it affordably. In the meantime, why not make some quick and relatively inexpensive improvements that will make your kitchen more enjoyable and livable for now?
Today I’m sharing 5 ways to freshen up your kitchen without a remodel. These quick and lower cost improvements are also great for people who want to make their home look it’s best before putting it on the market.
1. Lighting: Just a few improvements in your kitchen’s lighting can make a dramatic impact in how warm and beautiful it looks and make your kitchen more functional. Under-cabinet lights are available in both plug-in models you can install yourself or hard-wired versions that will require an electrician. Getting ones that have a low and high setting means you can set them to bright so you can see to cook, and then turn them down to a soft glow for ambience when you are entertaining. This is especially nice in open plan homes because it makes great accent lighting. Placing them toward the front of the cabinets gives the best light over your work area. In the kitchen below, the under-cabinet lights cast a beautiful glow on the tile backsplash and light the countertop beautifully making it easy to see what you’re doing.
via Gardenweb
Updating ceiling light fixtures is another quick way to improve lighting. Removing an old dropped-ceiling fluorescent fixture and replacing it with track or spot lights gives a more contemporary look and better light. If you have higher ceilings in the kitchen, consider a chandelier to replace a nondescript ceiling light or ceiling pendants above a breakfast bar or kitchen island.
2. Backsplash: Changing your backsplash is a quick way to add interest or color without all the work and expense of changing out your countertops. In the kitchen below, the single row of 6″ x 6″ glass tiles adds shine and complements the color of the painted cabinets. Although glass tile is not cheap, you don’t need much to do a simple backsplash like this.
via HGTV, designed by Beth Haley
This beautiful stainless steel backsplash below is done in peel & stick tiles that require no grouting. They are carried at Lowe’s and are manufactured from 60% recycled material. When adding a new backsplash, take care to choose a material that relates to something else in the kitchen. The glass tiles above relate in color to the cabinets. The steel tiles below relate in finish to the cabinet and appliance hardware.
via Lowe’s
3. Paint and Paintings: Giving the walls a fresh coat of paint in a new color will give you an instant transformation. But an even easier way to add color and interest to a kitchen is to add art. Just as in other rooms, be sure to use art that is large enough for the wall to really make an impact. In the 50′s kitchen below, the bright orange countertop didn’t go well with the gold linoleum. This home was going up for sale and the client didn’t have the budget to change flooring or countertop. So the large colorful art with oranges, golds, reds and greens pulls together the disparate colors in the room.
You can incorporate art even when there isn’t much wall space. Inexpensive printed giclee canvases are easy to wipe clean, so they can be placed anywhere. Here I used art above the backsplash and below the wall cabinets to add a bit of color to this bland kitchen. Colorful accessories continue the color scheme.
4. Flooring: Kitchen flooring takes quite a beating. If your kitchen flooring is looking shabby, and it is different from the rest of the flooring in your house as is often the case – then changing it can be a relatively inexpensive project with big results. If you have old wood floors that are beyond refinishing, consider painting them. Painted checker board patterns are popular, but the kitchen below is very contemporary. I know this is unusual, but the dramatic black floor and charcoal wall work well against the white cabinetry and yellow tile behind the stove with a bright yellow chair as accent. Light colors like soft aqua or muted yellow-green work well in a kitchen too. Again, just be sure to relate the color to other finishes in your kitchen.
via apartmenttherapy.com
Other great flooring options are cork, or Marmoleum. Cork and Marmoleum both come in tiles and can be handled by an experienced do-it-yourselfer. Linoleum comes in a great range of patterns including ones that look like stone. Installation of the large sheet material is better left to a pro.
via apartmenttherapy.com
5. Hardware: If you have that shiny brass hardware from the 80′s – RUN – DON’T WALK, to your nearest hardware store! Your cabinet drawer pulls and handles and kitchen plumbing fixtures are like jewelry for your kitchen. Updating them is like getting a new tie to wear with your favorite suit, or a new necklace to wear with that classic dress you love. And just like a new tie or a new necklace, new hardware will change the look of your kitchen equally as effectively. But before you are tempted to pick the cheapest ones you can find — let me say this: hardware is something that you touch everyday. It should feel good in your hand and be of a good quality.
Choose a style and finish that works with the rest of your home. With thousands of styles available, you can create any look you want — from simple traditional or contemporary styles — to highly decorative statements. Although it is possible to successfully mix metals in your kitchen, the finish should relate to other things in your home such as your light fixtures or other metals found in adjacent and visible rooms. In the first two photos below, these simple hardware styles complement the style of the cabinetry. The turquoise glass knob echos the color of the aqua glass inserts in the cabinets, while the ornate tree shaped pulls work well with the elaborate leaf design carved into the wood.
With so many choices available, it can be overwhelming. But just choose one of the above five steps to get started. For most people, the kitchen is the heart of the home, so making it more appealing will give you a big payoff in enjoyment for yourself — or in speed of sale if your house is going on the market.
If you still aren’t sure which changes would be the best for your kitchen, I can help you decide your first step. Give me a call or email me today to set up an in-home visit or online consultation.
You may also like:
Painting Kitchen Cabinets: Which Color Would You Choose?
Home Staging Success: Portland Home Sold In One Day … See How
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Tags: Art, backsplash, cabinet hardware, cabinet knobs, cabinet pulls, faucet, Flooring, Kitchen, kitchen cabinets, kitchen remodel, Lighting, paint, plumbing fixtures, stainless steel
Posted in Art, Colors, Cool Ideas, DIY, Design Dollars, Design Tips, Flooring, Home Staging, Interior Design, Kitchen, Lighting, Uncategorized | No Comments »
The 3 Layers of Light Every Kitchen Needs, Part 1 – Ambient Light
Sunday, June 20th, 2010
One of my absolute favorite home improvement projects is updating kitchen lighting. I think that’s because most kitchens have such crummy lighting and once you make the necessary changes, the impact is so dramatic. You feel like you’ve really done something!
I’ve always lived in older homes because my husband and I are attracted to unique properties — no cookie cutter tract homes for us. And so far circumstances haven’t come together for us to build a custom home from scratch. That’s definitely on my bucket list! But until then, it means I’ve dealt with some pretty awful kitchens. My 1950′s Cliff May designed California ranch style home may have been a mid-century modern masterpiece – but the the kitchen had literally only ONE wall sconce for a kitchen light, ONE kitchen drawer and FIVE linear feet of counter space. Not kidding! Then there is my current home which is a very contemporary open plan tri-level custom home built in the 70′s. It had that horrible dropped-ceiling fluorescent light fixture in the kitchen. Talk about an awful glaring light. I hated it every time I had to turn it on.
So, without dredging up further painful kitchen memories – here are
The three layers of light every kitchen needs! - Part 1 – Ambient Lighting
Ambient Lighting: This is your general source of light. It’s usually provided by a ceiling fixture of some type. Of course, lighting coming from windows counts too. Most older kitchens have a single fixture on the ceiling, or if you’re lucky, you might have a second one over the sink. In many kitchens from the 70′s it’s going to be that big fluorescent light hidden behind white plastic. My best recommendations to improve the ambient lighting include:
- Track Lighting – These are easy to install and fit right over the old j-box. They range from inexpensive systems found at big box stores to very high end systems available in many finishes and with many styles of spot lights that can be attached to the track. Track lights allow placement of several spot lights along the length of the track. Check with an electrician to be sure how many spots you can add to the track so you don’t overload the circuit.You can extend a single line or create L shapes, U shapes, or a square track configuration. If you are replacing a single old light fixture this now gives you ambient light throughout your kitchen instead of a single source. Spots can be aimed at the floor or also at artwork on the walls or down on a kitchen table.
- Recessed Can Lights – preferably adjustable – These are easiest to place in a ceiling with an attic above, but there are types that can be retrofitted from below. This usually costs more than track lights, and installation is best left to an electrician. They are popular because they provide lots of light without giving your ceiling a cluttered look. They don’t have quite as much flexibility in angle adjustment as the spots on a track light, but they still will allow you to aim the lights where needed.
- Chandeliers - If you have a high ceiling in your kitchen it can be a real style statement to include a chandelier. Select one that is an appropriate scale to the room in general so that it will provide sufficient light.
- Monorail Lights - These function pretty much the same way as track lights, but they hang lower from the ceiling, so are best used in rooms with high ceilings. In fact, this is my fixture of choice for kitchens with exceptionally high ceilings because they can be extended several feet down from the ceiling putting the light where you need it and putting light bulbs within easy reach for changing. Unlike tracks which are always straight lines, the monorail can be curved in any shape. You can have fun creating a curved application that looks graceful and puts light anywhere you want it.
- Skylights, Windows & Solatubes®: These won’t help you at night, but a skylight or one of the tube style daylighting systems will brighten up your kitchen so much, you may be able to skip turning on the lights even on a cloudy day. And you may want to evaluate your windows too. Could you increase the size? Add one?
You may also like:
Luxurious Bathroom Style – Chandeliers
Simplicity – Leonardo da Vinci – and Light Switches
Painting Kitchen Cabinets: What Color Would You Choose?
Tags: Ambient lighting, chandeliers, halogen, Kitchen, Lighting, monorail, pendant lights, sconces, task lighting, track lighting
Posted in DIY, Design Tips, Interior Design, Kitchen, Lighting, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Industrial Style Bathroom Design – Perfect For Lofts
Friday, June 18th, 2010
I love decorating lofts and especially like it when there are great industrial elements to the space. If you are going to decorate your loft in industrial style, carry that look right through to the bathroom. I’ve pulled together a collection of items that would create that look and a couple of industrial style bathrooms I particularly like.
This first bathroom is a spectacularly high end space with a decidedly industrial style. The large concrete tub and steel walls work beautifully with the warm colors of glass in the chandelier. I am drooling!
This bath is on the opposite end of the budget spectrum. The vanity was made by a fabricator who welded the steel frame to which ash wood shelving was added. Matching baskets take the place of drawers and keep items looking tidy. My favorite detail is the mirror mounted on a bar in the middle of the window. I love the idea of putting on my make-up with natural light coming in directly on my face. Can’t beat that! And when the day isn’t sunny, they’ve mounted long narrow light fixtures vertically in between and on either side of each window. Best direction for light to shine on your for your daily beauty regimen (although I wouldn’t choose fluorescent).
source
So, how can you pull together an industrial look? It takes the right accessories and materials. Raw steel and concrete figure prominently. But adding natural elements like wood and natural sea sponges gives it warmth.
The bathroom faucet and shower fittings below are the Waterbridge collection from Sonoma Forge. They are perfect with custom concrete sink & shower surround, or even solid surface materials with recycled glass.
Lighting fixtures found at industrial house continue the look.
The toilet roll holder is from Wire & Twine — but I just can’t imagine even the most basic do-it-yourselfer not being able to whip this up in one quick trip to a big box store. Can you?
So, what do you think? Are you ready to create an industrial style bathroom?
Are you a loft dweller? Then you might also like:
Defining Space, Not Dividing Space – Interior Design Tips for Lofts & Open Plan Homes
Window Treatments for Floor to Ceiling Windows
Soaring Ceilings and What On Earth To Do With Them
| Get the Latest On Hot Design Trends, Trade Secrets, DIY Tips & Design Advice |
Tags: Bathroom, bathtub, chandelier, concrete, industrial style, Lighting, loft, sonoma forge, steel, wire & twine
Posted in Bathroom, Cool Stuff, DIY, Design Tips, Interior Design, Lighting, Lofts, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Portland Interior Designer’s Top 10 Tips to Make Your Small Space Look BIGGER: part 2
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
Are you selling a small home that is vacant? There is a bonus tip at the end of this article just for you!
Have you moved into a small home, either because you’ve downsized or it is what you felt was best for your budget? If it’s feeling a little claustrophobic, it doesn’t have to be that way. Click here to read Part 1: Top Ten Tips To Make Your Small Space Look BIGGER!
6. Paint Color Tricks of the Trade: Lighter and cool, soft colors like pale aqua, pale blue or pale green all tend to recede and help make a small room feel larger. Conversely, vibrant warm colors like red or orange, advance and feel closer to you, so opt for lighter, cooler colors. Painting adjacent rooms in the same color makes them feel visually more like they are part of the same room. This is especially effective if you have open entryways between the rooms.
7. Monochromatic Color Palette: A serene, monochromatic color palette will go a long way toward making a room feel larger. Highly contrasting color schemes and lots of pattern tend to make the room feel smaller. This doesn’t mean you have to make everything beige! Not by a long shot! Look at these three rooms in shades of lavender, aqua and neutrals.
Besides a monochromatic color palette, the lavender room above also employs a see through coffee table and a minimum of furnishings. Notice there are no side tables. The floor to ceiling curtain panels make the most of the ceiling height and pull all the way back from the windows to expose the entire view.
Although I would like to see all the clutter off the floor, this small room is enhanced by the shades of aqua.
Notice that the single large painting makes the space feel big even though it just accommodates a loveseat and two smaller chairs. The side chair and coffee table are not bulky and have long legs, allowing you to see the floor. Notice also that the pattern on the rug is on the diagonal.
8. Move Away From the Wall: When furniture is all pushed back against the wall, it feels like they are lined up like prisoners in front of a firing squad. Whenever possible, create furniture groupings that are away from the walls and that leave room to walk around them. Keep natural traffic patterns clear and avoid placing the back of a sofa toward the entry. It feels like a barrier to entry and immediately psychologically shrinks the room. In super tiny rooms, you may not be able to group furniture away from the wall, but might be able to angle a loveseat in a corner. This is another great trick to making a room feel a little bigger by directing the eye along the diagonal, which is the longest line in a room.
9. Light Expands Space: A well lit room always feels bigger. Maybe it’s because you can actually see the whole room! Provide lighting in all 4 corners. To preserve precious floor space, consider using track lighting, wall sconces or table lamps instead of floor lamps. Accent lamps pointing upwards and torchiere style lamps wash the ceiling with light and make the most of the volume of the room.
10. Stealthy Secret Storage: Clutter is the nemesis of a small room. But you do have “stuff” and need to keep it somewhere! Choose closed storage over open front storage to keep a room serene. A book case with doors will hide paperbacks & other less attractive belongings. Think floor to ceiling and wall to wall when building in storage units. The long lines don’t break up the room and give you maximum storage space. Find secret spaces like a storage ottoman to keep extra items. Entertainment units that hide all of your dvd’s, cords and audio-visual equipment are a blessing to the small room.
Bonus Tip!! Selling a Small Vacant Home: If you are selling and your property is small and presently vacant, this tip is just for you. PUT FURNITURE IN THE HOUSE!! It is absolutely true that a tiny room will look bigger when furnished than it does empty. If you are looking at the small rooms and worried that they will look crowded with furniture — potential buyers will be worrying about the same thing. A professional home stager — ME of course 
— will use all of the above tips to furnish your property so buyers will see that it can look beautiful and that furniture fits with room to spare.
For more help with any of these tips for making your small space look and feel bigger, call me today to set up an in home consultation. You’ll be on your way to getting the Look of Large! 503.816.4394
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Tags: aqua, Art, chair, coffee table, Decorpad, Design Tips, Flooring, Home Staging, Jeffrey Bilhuber, lavender, Lighting, monochromatic. colors, paint color, Rafael de Cardenas, small space, storage
Posted in Colors, Cool Ideas, DIY, Design Tips, Furniture, Home Staging, Interior Design, Lighting, Living Room, Space Planning, Storage Solutions, Top Ten, Uncategorized, Window Treatments | 2 Comments »
Portland Interior Designer’s Top 10 Tips to Make Your Small Space Look BIGGER: part 1
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
Are you living in a smaller space than you have in the past and feeling a little cooped up? Do you want (or need) to downsize, but you’re not sure how you’ll feel in a smaller space? If you are selling a smaller home, your place could be perfect for those looking for smaller or starter homes. But the very people who are looking for those smaller spaces may have a hard time imagining how to live in them. Whatever your reasons are, I’ve got 10 great tips for making small spaces feel B-I-G-G-E-R!
1. Fewer Pieces … of Anything! In small rooms, the more pieces of furniture you put in, the more crowded it begins to feel. Think carefully about each piece you put in. If you have a coffee table, will you really need side tables too? It also begins to feel more crowded with lots of accessories on top of tables & shelves. A few nice, large accessories will create stronger focal points and give the illusion of a spacious room. Even with art, which is hanging on the wall, a single large piece of artwork will make a place feel larger than groups of small pictures.
2. Reduce “Visual Weight” of Furnishings: Believe it or not, the style of your furniture is even more important than the actual size. Select seating pieces that have open space under the cushions (8″ or more is good) rather than upholstery or skirts down to the floor. Think “leggy”! Because you can see under the furniture, it doesn’t stop your eye, and the room feels bigger. Glass table tops can be seen through, so they don’t take up as much “visual space” even though they may be just as large as a wood table. No sharp corners on these because it is a bit easier to bang your shins. I’m speaking from experience here. Simple, clean lines are also easier on the eye than very ornate pieces and keep the room looking bigger. I would tell you this even if I didn’t love modern design. I swear!
3. Smoke & Mirrors: Okay, well I was kidding about the smoke. That won’t help you at all. But mirrors are pure magic when it comes to adding the look of large! Consider putting sheet mirror on an entire wall. In a miniscule kitchen I once had, I had mirror custom cut to fit on the wall behind the sink and continued it under the cabinets above the backsplash. It was amazing how much bigger my kitchen felt with the windows on the other side reflected in this mirror. Or you can try standing a large, framed floor mirror against a wall. It will feel like an open doorway into another room, thereby expanding the space. Just remember the one cardinal rule of mirror placement: The mirror needs to reflect something beautiful and bright – not a vacant white wall.
4. Floors – the Foundation for an Expansive Feel: That’s expansive – not expensive! Having the same flooring continue throughout your home will allow your eye to move past the boundaries of the doorways, making each room feel a little bigger. If you have tile flooring, setting it on the diagonal always makes the room look larger than setting it square. This is a great trick for tiny bathrooms!
5. A Room With A View: Opening up any views the room has will improve the feeling of extra space. Window drapery panels should be floor to ceiling and the curtain rod holders should be set at least 8″ to 10″ past the sides of the glass so that when the drape is pushed back, it exposes the entire window and gives the maximum view. Hanging the draperies this way makes the window look larger too. Do you own your home? If you have smaller windows, replacing them with larger ones or with French doors will visually expand your space into the great outdoors. If you don’t have a view, consider a full wall mural of an outdoor scene. A good one can really make you feel like you have more space. Continue reading part 2, tips 6 through 10 … PLUS Bonus Tip For Home Sellers!
Tags: Design Tips, Flooring, floors, mirrors, small space, wall coverings, Wall You Need is Love, Window Treatments, windows
Posted in Cool Ideas, DIY, Design Tips, Flooring, Home Staging, Interior Design, Space Planning, Top Ten, Uncategorized, Window Treatments, windows | No Comments »
Portland Interior Designer Shares: Where to Shop In The Pearl District – Lux Lighting
Friday, March 26th, 2010
Portland Interior Designer Shares: Where to Shop in The Pearl District – Lux Lighting
(Photo: Pearl District Bridgeport Condo featuring monorail lighting, George Kovacs Floor Lamp, Kartell pendant lamps – interior by Pangaea Interior Design)
If you are moving to the Portland, Oregon Pearl District from somewhere in California (who isn’t? — I did!) or any other sunny place, you are probably noticing that there just isn’t as much light here with the cloudy and rainy days we often have. In fact, for the whole first year I lived here, I would think it was around 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening when it was only 2:00pm!! So today I’m sharing a little of my expertise on designing lighting plans and where to buy the coolest contemporary lighting fixtures and lamps.
Many of my clients living in the Pearl District are in one of the wonderful Lofts, Condos or Townhomes in buildings like 937 Condominiums, Bridgeport Condos, Streetcar Lofts, The Elizabeth, Indigo @ Twelve West, The Encore, The Wyatt or The Henry – just to name a handful. If you are not lucky enough to have a corner unit, although you may have floor to ceiling windows, they are probably all on one side and you have big lighting issues further back in your home. To complicate matters, you may have concrete ceilings or walls and steel studs. Enough to stop the DIY design enthusiast in their tracks! Many of my clients call me for help in designing a lighting plan for their Pearl District loft or condo. If you want a truly unique and upscale look, I have many “To-The-Trade” resources. But lots of my clients hire me to help them come up with a lighting plan, and they want to do their own shopping at retail stores to keep their costs down. They then run their favorite options past me for advice before making their final decisions.This is a great way to avoid any expensive mistakes! With a lighting plan consultation you can be sure you have all your lighting needs addressed and that it all looks great together.
So, I’m sharing my favorite retail lighting specialty store in the Pearl District. It’s Lux Lighting on the corner of NW Glisan & NW 13th. Their showroom will just knock your socks off with the latest in modern, contemporary and transitional lighting. They carry a huge array of brands. Some of my personal favorites are Foscarini (I have their Big Bang Chandelier in my own entryway – fabulous!,) Flos, George Kovacs, Luceplan, Modernica, Robert Abbey, Pablo and many, many more! They have amazing and unique high-end light fixtures and lamps as well as amazingly affordable and beautiful designs. I have always found Lux Lighting’s sales staff to be knowledgeable and willing to help with tricky lighting design issues.
Here in Portland, and especially in the Pearl District’s high rise lofts and condos, coming up with a great lighting plan is important to feeling good in your home.
** The first layer of light, ambient lighting (or overall general lighting) can be addressed through ceiling fixtures. Monorail and track lighting are two solutions that give a great amount of flexibility to your lighting through the myriad choice of spot lights and pendants. This will be especially important in the deeper recesses of lofts, condos or townhomes that have windows on a single side. Balance the amount of light so you have as much light toward the back of the space as you do near the windows.
** Task lighting is the next layer. Reading lamps and above counter lights in the kitchen are two good examples of lights that make it easier for you to function in your home. Think about the tasks you perform – cooking, reading, working at a desk – and add extra light to shine directly on your work space.
** Accent lighting is what really brings your space to life and adds that designer look. This includes lighting for your art, “up lights” that wash light onto the ceiling, and decorative lamps that are beautiful in their own right. Since many of the newer construction buildings feature lofts or condos with high ceilings, this is the perfect opportunity to add drama with a spectacular chandelier.
I also want to recommend Red’s Electric as my go-to resource for installation of all lighting elements in high rise condos, lofts and townhomes in the Pearl District. They have experience in these buildings and know how to work with all of the concrete, steel and special restrictions. Please tell them Pangaea sent you!
If you have one of these great Pearl District lofts, condos or townhomes and need help lighting up your space, call me today to schedule a lighting plan consultation! 503.816.4394
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Tags: 937 Condominiums, accent lighting, Ambient lighting, Big Bang Chandelier, Bridgeport Condos, condo, floor lamp, Flos, Foscarini, George Kovacs, Indigo @ Twelve West, Interior Design, Lighting, loft, Luceplan, Modernica, monorail lighting, Pablo, Robert Abbey, Streetcar Lofts, task lighting, The Elizabeth, The Encore, The Henry, The Wyatt, track lighting
Posted in DIY, Design Dollars, Design Tips, Interior Design, Lighting, Lofts, Pearl District, Shopping, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Portland Interior Designer Shares: Shopping In The Pearl District – PH Reed
Friday, March 26th, 2010
Portland Interior Designer Shares: Where to Shop In The Pearl District – PH Reed
(Photo of Dellarobbia Grant Seating Group, via PH Reed Furniture Store in Portland Pearl District)
In my work as a Portland Interior Designer, shopping in the Pearl District is one of my favorite job duties. I specialize in modern interior design emphasizing warmth, comfort, and sustainable options in home decor. Portland’s Pearl District is home to some great furniture and accessory stores and also wonderful art galleries showcasing both local and national artists.
Some of my clients choose to work with an interior designer so that they can gain the access I have to shopping at “To The Trade Only” stores. But I also have many clients who are trying to keep costs down by hiring me to help them develop a decorating plan and then doing the shopping themselves. Then they bring me back again to help them decide on the best pieces once they’ve seen what options are out there. So, I thought I would help you along by sharing my very favorite retail furniture, accessory and lighting stores in Portland’s Pearl District.
When I first came to Portland, Oregon over 4 years ago to see if I would like to live here, I spent some time checking out the Pearl District Furniture Stores to see what was available. I immediately fell in love with PH Reed on the corner of NW 11th & Glisan. I was blown away by the great selection of contemporary furnishings, accessories and lighting. When I finally moved into Portland, I purchased my platform bed, dresser and nightstands here. To this day, it is still one of my favorite sources for interior design inspiration in the Pearl District. The store is laid out in room vignettes that are packed with great modern decorating ideas. One thing that I think is cool – but you would never know just by looking at the showroom – is that the store is divided into one half with more affordable brands and the other half with higher end brands like Dellarobbia. Since they have carefully curated their collection of beautifully designed furniture lines, you would think it was all high-end. But don’t let the high class look keep you standing on the sidewalk. Go on in. You’ll find great design to be more affordable than you might have expected.
If you are looking for sustainably made furniture in the Pearl District, be sure to look at PH Reed’s Creative Elegance Furniture – a member of the Sustainable Furniture Council. The environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and fresh, contemporary designs are a winning combination.
I help busy professionals create comfortable and contemporary spaces so they can relax and enjoy their homes. If you would like help coming up with a decorating plan and help in making your selections so that the end result is a space that looks fabulous, call me today to schedule a consultation! 503.816.4394
Tags: accessories, contemporary furniture, Creative Elegance, decorating, Dellarobbia, design advice, design trends, DIY, Furniture, Interior Design, Lighting, modern furniture, Pearl District, PH Reed, retail furniture, Shopping, sustainable design
Posted in DIY, Design Dollars, Design Tips, Furniture, Interior Design, Pearl District, Shopping, Sustainable style, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Home Staging Portland Style: Tips For Pet Owners, Part 2 – Making It Easier
Sunday, January 31st, 2010
In part one of this article, I focused on your pet’s safety and well being during the marketing of your home. If you want to be sure that your furry family members survive and thrive during the marketing of your house, please read Home Staging Portland Style: Home Staging Tips for Pet Owners, Part 1 – Pet Safety.
Those of us with pets have special challenges when it comes to making sure our homes are clean, odor free and ready to show at a moment’s notice. Not everyone loves animals the way we do. Some have allergies and nobody likes pet odors! So, although you will do more work than most sellers in preparing your home for sale, and you’ll have to stay on top of odors, pet hair, pet dishes & beds daily, the following advice from a professional home stager who owns 2 dogs and 6 cats will help make the process as easy as possible.
First, buy all new pet beds and make sure you buy ones that have easily removable covers for laundering. Pet beds get smelly over time, so rather than fighting to get an old bed clean, just do yourself a favor and start with fresh new beds. Throw the covers in the wash weekly to keep them clean. That may seem excessive, but many people are highly allergic to pet hair and dander, so washing weekly not only keeps them odor free, but helps to assure that a potential buyer doesn’t have an allergy attack halfway through the house.
Vacuum daily while your home is on the market. Use one of the vacuums that has a hepa filter. As well as the rugs, vacuum your upholstered items,the pet beds and any curtains that collect pet hair as your animals brush past them. I actually bought one of the iRobot brand Roomba automated vacuums. I am amazed how much that helps to keep pet fur at bay, although it does need to be emptied often. I also chose to keep protective blankets on upholstered pieces that were favorite sleeping spots, (for the pets — not me) only removing them when we put the cats and dogs into their dog run and cattery. I laundered them regularly.
Pet beds need to be out of sight during showings. I have big dogs with big dog beds. I slide my dog beds underneath my own bed where they cannot be seen. If yours won’t go under the bed, or you have a platform bed and they would be visible, then buy a large plastic crate with a lid into which you can toss the beds, blankets, & toys and set the whole business inside a closet. It’s fast and helps to seal away pet hair. You can do the same with an attractive chest which can remain in the room. Fast & easy! For smaller pet beds, think about hiding them in plain sight. Take a look at some of the ideas in these photos. If the entry holes are simply facing to the side or back, nobody has any idea they are pet beds, so you don’t have to worry about hiding them before showings. In fact, these are great ideas for incorporating your pet’s belongings into your home decor even if you aren’t selling your home. I love the contemporary walnut pet bed. And the little doggie murphy bed is a great idea! Click on the photos for their sources.
Empty cans of wet cat or dog food smell horrible. Even to me, a big-time pet lover. Rinse them thoroughly before throwing them in your indoor recycle bin, and remove them to your outdoor recycle bin as soon as possible. Remove all trash & recyclables to outdoor containers each morning when you leave the house.
Pet food bowls should not be left out in the house for showings. Having a dog run or an outdoor cattery gives you a place to keep water and/or food available. To make things easier for myself while my home was on the market, I used paper plates to feed our cats their canned food because I could just toss the used plates in the garbage and I took our garbage out daily. This saved me time washing their bowls and putting them away. You can also put clean pet bowls in a plastic crate with a lid, along with toys & blankets to get them out of sight quickly. By the way, the paper plate idea did not work for my big dogs — they tried to eat the plates, ripping them to shreds. Big mess!
Litter boxes need to be scooped relentlessly. To make it as convenient as possible to keep them scooped, I kept a container right next to each litter box with plastic grocery bags and a scooper inside. If your container is attractive looking, nobody will know what is inside. This made it quick and easy to scoop out the litter box with the supplies right at hand. I just drop the scooped litter into the plastic grocery bags, tie them shut and take them directly to the outside trash. The container with bags & scooper can quickly be placed inside a cabinet or closet if it isn’t attractive. Also, providing the type of litter boxes with lids will keep you from having to do so much sweeping of litter kicked out of the box. Some of them also have a filter in the top to help absorb odors.
You will also want to place litter boxes so that they are not in view even though you have the odor completely handled. One great solution is to keep the litter box in your garage and install a cat door so your cat can get to the litter box. I’ve also used a decorative free standing screen in a corner to hide a litter box from view. The photo below shows one of my favorite solutions to hiding a litter box. This is made from an Ikea chest with a hole cut in one end. It has enough room to house the litter box, plus the clean up tools and other cat items. The open grid design means there is light and ventilation inside for the cats. As long as the litter box is kept clean, nobody will have any idea what it is for. Doubles as a bench too! Other photos show cabinets turned into places to hide beds or litter boxes. Although the skirt around the sink is a little funky for my taste, it could work in a tiny apartment if other options aren’t possible. Besides, I couldn’t resist the picture of her cat “Tony” sitting in the sink. Very cute! Click on the individual photos for sources & details.
(Oh yeah, these photos are NOT from homes that were professionally staged, so you still need to lose the clutter on top of the cabinets and keep the toilet lid down.)
It’s essential to be sure that carpeting does not have any pet odor or stains. If your pet has had an “accident”, the most effective enzyme action odor neutralizer I have used is called “Stink Free”. Great name, huh? This is great for a minor spot here or there. But if you have very much staining & odor, remove the carpet & pad from the affected rooms. Instead of re-carpeting, It would be best to put flooring in such as wood, laminate or tile, that can be easily mopped up in case of any new accidents. Don’t even consider leaving the carpet in and giving a “carpet allowance”. Anyone detecting the odor or stains from pet urine will run, not walk, out of your house.
Outdoor dog runs and catteries still need to be kept clean. Keep a poop scooper, rake, shovel, & trash can right there for quick and easy clean-up. Having a surface that can be hosed down to wash away urine will also make it easier to keep it clean, healthy for your pets and odor free.
I know this sounds like a lot of work — and it is. Been there, done that, bought T-shirt! But having this all organized efficiently and staying on top of it daily will make the whole process easier. In no time at all your house will be putting it’s best foot paw forward and you and your critters can move on to a new and wonderful home!
This post got “4 paws up” from Shirley, Izzy, Leeloo, Bubu, Buzzy Max, Suki G, Zipper Jane, and Otto!
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Tags: carpet, Home Staging, ikea, pets
Posted in Cool Ideas, DIY, Home Staging, Pets At Home, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Serving Up Sustainable Style: Eco-Friendly Serving Trays
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
During the holidays, if you are the type who loves to entertain, serve up your refreshments on sustainable and stylish serving trays. Whether you use serving trays to place on an ottoman in your living room in lieu of a coffee table, or you want a convenient way to get your hors d’oeuvres (yes, I had to look up the spelling) from the kitchen to your dining table or buffet, these trays will make a design statement while being kind to the environment. I hope you see one that will work with your decor. I’m a fanatic about detail and color coordination, so I have different trays to complement my color palette and design style for the living room, family room, dining room and my bedroom. One of my personal indulgences is to have coffee in bed every morning. It’s enticing to have a beautifully set tray and an inexpensive way to add a little elegance and style to your entertaining.
This first tray will complement even the most minimal modern decor. The Enos serving tray produced by Staach is hand made in the USA out of solid maple from domestic wood from certified sources . The bottom is lacquered in clear, white or red and the top is finished with food safe mineral oil. I think it is destined to be a classic design icon. Found at 2modern.com.
The Ibride Tray is made from reclaimed wood and totally rocks in an eclectic decor. Hang this up on your wall as art in between use. Found at Clio-Home.
And for you DIY types, here’s a fun project. Find an old cupboard door and use paint, handles and a little creativity to make your own serving tray in any color or style you like. This one is from Craftynest. It would be very fun to do a collage on one of these if you don’t have painting skills. A great way to recycle and re-purpose. Remember to use zero VOC paints, adhesives and finishes.
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Tags: 2modern, Art, color, Dining Room, DIY, do it yourself, entertaining, environmentally friendly, green design, modern design, portland interior design, serving tray, sustainable, sustainable materials, sustainable style
Posted in Art, Bedroom, Cool Ideas, Cool Stuff, DIY, Dining Room, Kitchen, Living Room, Sustainable style, Uncategorized | No Comments »