If you pursue a major design or redesign project in your home that carries a significant budget, it may be important to you to choose a “timeless” or “classic” style that will endure the test of time. This is wise thinking as a way to ensure your space will look good for years to come and won’t require another remodel if you would need to sell it. Today, I’ll cover styles that have been popular for years and are almost certain to remain popular well into the future. They’re characterized by classic elements and the ability to adapt to remain contemporary without losing the features we know and love.

True or false: Updating your kitchen is easy? False! Of course it’s not easy, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun and rewarding. True or false: Updating your kitchen is expensive? False! Wow, you’re not very good at this, are you? The good news is if you read the rest of this blog, you will become very good at updating your kitchen by getting inspired by five ideas, each under a hundred bucks. And this is absolutely true!

Honest answer: When you think of ways to beautify your home, do pattern and texture come to mind? Based on my experience, “P&T” are far down the list of ways to spiff up a space –below basics like color and light and style and furnishing and flooring and window treatments and a few others, if they make the list at all. If you’re guilty of overlooking P&T, you’re in good company. While P&T may eventually work their way into the redesign of your home, they often are overlooked as important strategic choices. In this blog I aim to elevate P&T to the TOP of your thinking. They can be great tools to help you love where you live®.

I was flipping through my design magazines and came across several articles on home features we no longer use. Some were interesting. Some fun. Some I had never heard of. Some brought back fond memories from my growing up years when a home can mean so much. Read on for five of my faves.

So what’s your design style? If your answer is “Um…you mean the design style that I would say is mine?” Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many people are left baffled, muddled and befuddled when that question comes up. The good news is that by reading today’s blog you are certain to become non-baffled, de-muddled and un-befuddled if the style question pops up. More importantly, understanding your sense of style will serve you well, whether you’re redesigning one room in your home or doing a whole home makeover. It’s a critical element that will help you love where you live®! So if you’re unsure of what design style(s) you might be, read on for some easy ways to help you figure that out!

You may doubt whether I snagged the best thrift store find ever. However, after reading today’s blog I think you’ll either agree fully or at least agree it’s ONE of the most epic finds ever found. Following are the steps I took to turn this “not too bad” neglected piece into a true beauty.

When writing blogs, typically one finds little opportunity to write Mwhah, hah hah! In this case I feel justified as I am about to describe to you, dear reader, the Tale of Frankenpot. Mwhah, hah hah! (If you just imagined an eerie castle flashing in the night sky by a massive lightning strike, kudos to you.) Caution: If the drama of this tale overwhelms you at any point, please pause your reading and return once your heart has returned to its normal rhythm. Warning: This story starts out scary; however it resolves to a happy, and I think quite lovely, ending. Read on. If you dare!

An interior floor plan is a two-dimensional rendering of a home’s interior – from a full house, partial section or simply a single room layout. It can be used to define everything from architectural features such as doors and windows down to the smallest accessories like tiny pillows for poodles. Okay, that may be stretching it a bit! Read on to gain a basic understanding of interior floor plans.

As a redesign consultant, I get many questions about kitchens, family and kid spaces, and primary suites. Recently, the little-thought-of powder room has grabbed some attention. Way to go, tiny but mighty PR! You are one of the rooms guests see the most, and you deserve love, too. In this post, I’ll share easy upgrades to give your PR more pizazz, helping it feel more lux with little fuss or muss – and with little impact to your budget.

Imagine hearing the following sentence in the deep baritone of dramatic movie announcer guy: “In a world where colorless homes dominate America’s residential landscape, a hero emerges from the world of interior design who chooses colors with confidence, banishing forever the scourge of the bland beige box.” You can be that hero. You can bring color into your home like a kick-butt chromo warrior! Half of the battle is learning the three color-choosing mistakes you must avoid and how to solve them.

Read on, chosen one. Read on.

Roy G. Biv, remember him? He typically spells his name and, in all caps, smashed together: ROYGBIV. He was the fellow you were likely introduced to in elementary school or through a kids TV show as a way to remember the seven colors of the rainbow (light spectrum) red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Not only is that a fun way for kids to remember the rainbow, it works for adults, too!

Since I’ve already hit on the topics of seven and fun and color, I’m going to keep things rolling today and share seven fun facts about color. The world could use more fun and color these days.

Circulation and Flow. Two common interior design concepts. So what do they mean and how do they differ? They are easy to confuse and often used interchangeably by mistake – most notably when using both circulation and flow to describe circulation. Confused? Read on and you’ll be referencing and articulating “circulation” and “flow” with ease.