Let There Be Light!
What better way to start the New Year than with a master bedroom makeover that focuses on light. The client had only three requests: make the room lighter and brighter, replace all the current furnishings, and make sure that everything is durable. We listened. The very first thing we were able to install is the […]
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 […]
3 Ways to Transform Your Master Bedroom
Recently we had the good fortune to transform a client’s master bedroom from lackluster to luscious. There are many ways to do this, but my top three favorites are: 1. Personalize your furnishings. These clients are avid birdwatchers, and recently moved to a condo overlooking the Willamette River that teems with local waterfowl, raptors, and […]
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 […]
Six Things I Learned Hosting My 50th College Reunion Kickoff Party
Planning a party is a great motivator to make improvements that you have been putting off. We were expecting about 50 people on June 8, so in late May we asked our gardener to spread a coat of fresh mulch over all of our flower beds, and to power wash our driveway, upper deck, and lower deck, which were covered with a […]