Decorating Around Kids, Cats & Dogs
You can have great interiors with kids and pets if you take into consideration during your planning stages the special challenges posed by living with the little critters. Here are some of the ways I’ve discovered through my own experience and that of my clients. For Colors, Think Medium Tones. Very dark and very light solid colors […]
The Secret to Living Artfully
Portland has many fine galleries, and they are well worth exploring, but I’m going to let you in on the best kept secret in town for becoming acquainted with REAL art: the Portland Art Museum’s Rental Sales Gallery (RSG). I’ve used their services many times for myself (see the painting above, presently hanging over my […]
4 Tips for Downsizing
If you or someone you know is thinking of moving to a smaller home or a retirement community, here are some tips that will help make your transition smoother. 1. Start a “TO DO” notebook Here you will list the tasks that need doing, as well as names of professionals whose services you may need […]
Living in Your Living Room
This inviting seating area in the sunny bay window looks like it has always been here, but truth to tell, it just happened last week. That is, the completion of the room happened last week, but was actually year in the making. Let me back up to show you what the living room of this […]
Nothing Like a Party!
There’s nothing like a party to get things done around your house and garden. When I was planning my son’s 40th birthday party in early May, I got busy making sure our deck was party-ready. Deferred maintenance becomes really obvious when you start envisioning things from a guest’s point of view. Here are four essentials for turning […]
California Country Living, Victorian Style
On February 16, 2018, I was in Potter Valley, California, working on the historic Spotswood House, when I saw this view behind the house of antique farm equipment, with an enormous willow just beginning to leaf out. This photo perfectly captures the feeling one gets while being on a working farm that has been in operation since the 1880s. In 2001 […]
INTERIOR DECORATING or INTERIOR DESIGN?
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Have you ever wondered what the difference is between interior design and interior decorating? Using our home library as an example, I will illustrate the difference between these two essential concepts: interior design requires conceptualizing and outlining changes that require construction, whereas interior decorating refers to changes in color, furnishings, window treatments and accessories. The photo […]
Realizing Dreams: Master Bedroom Makeover
A few months ago Helene Cogen moved from Miami, Florida, to Portland, Oregon, because her children and grandchildren live here. She had owned a home here for years, but only used it in the summer, so it was furnished like a beach house–very casual, with lots of white wicker furniture. With a permanent move, she wanted […]
The Doctors’ Decorating Dilemma
When I first met Drs. Lainie and Jon Yarris, both emergency room physicians, they had been raising their three children in this charming Craftsman home for eleven years. When they weren’t working at their demanding jobs, they were doing activities with their children and with friends, who also have children. Their dilemma was how to arrange the […]
Subterranean Transmogrification
One expects transformation with a remodel. The results of this particular basement remodel are so dramatic that I’m calling it “transmogrification.” The beautiful space below . . . used to look like this: Since I’m not an engineer or an architect, I called upon Wade Freitag at Craftsman Design and Renovation to help with the construction design for this […]