Bored with your home?  Looking for some easy, affordable ways to freshen things up?  Look no further!  Here are some quick fixes to update any room in your home.

Option 1: Paint

Get rid of the boring beige.  Below is a great example of how a little color on the walls can brighten up a space and make it feel larger.

 Work to find the right balance of light and dark.  This will prevent a room with dark walls from feeling small.  The light floors, cabinets, and ceiling are a beautiful contrast to the navy walls.

Don’t be afraid to try a bright color.

That said, neutrals can also make a statement when the right hue is used.  Notice how crisp this color looks with the white trim.

Try a pattern to make a bold statement in a small space.

Consider putting the pattern on the floor.  It is a great way to provide color and visual interest in any space.

Option 2: Revamp or upgrade a light fixture

This is a great example of how an old brass chandelier can have a new life if you have the time for a little DIY project.  Try a spray paint with a gloss finish.

I had to throw this in.  I made a wine glass chandelier to go with my thesis project back in college.  It took 36 wine glasses, fishing line, and a single light bulb.

I love using chandeliers in different spaces such as bedrooms, closets, or bathrooms.  They add a touch of nostalgia and intimacy to a room.

A funky grouping of fixtures can make a dynamic statement.

Option 3: Make your bed the throne of your bedroom

Reinvent your headboard.  Try a found material like the one below made of old plank floor boards.

Consider reupholstering an antique headboard with a bold color or pattern that draws the eye.

If you don’t have room or the budget for a headboard, consider a wall decal.  They are an inexpensive, fun way to give a room character.

Option 4: Reupholster or refinish

Find a piece of furniture that has good bones but is in sad shape.  Give it some TLC and the end product can be stunning.

This console has an old school finish, but a carefully applied coat of paint gives it a lovely new life.

Option 5: Invest

Invest in ONE “statement piece” of furniture per room.  It can be a piece that you lovingly refurbish or one that you choose to splurge on.  Whether a chair, desk, mirror, accent piece, table, or rug, the choice is up to you, but one thing is certain – it must steal the show.  What is your eye drawn to in the images below?

The kitchen is a gathering space.  Along with the friends and family who often congregate here, the kitchen is home to a million types of utensils, appliances, pots, pans, junk drawers, and much more.  The amount of “stuff” we accumulate in our kitchens can be overwhelming.  There are never enough nooks, crannies, cupboards, drawers, or shelves to put everything away.  Instead of trying to hide the things that make your kitchen a kitchen, consider a different way to store or display them.  They just might blend right in when given the right home in plain sight.

This is a beautifully simple kitchen.  Everyday items become the visual focal point from countertop to ceiling on butcher block shelves.

 I love the vintage table used as an island, open display of kitchen knives, and unique wall pattern that contrasts the plain white cabinets.

Try putting your coffee grounds, sugar, flour, and other household staples in glass jars instead of hiding them in cupboards.  The different colors and textures provide visual interest.

If you don’t have space on a shelf for your spices, try using the bottom side – buy matching jam jars with metal lids that you can tack to the underside of a shelf.

Warm up stainless steel with a few accents that bring your personality into the kitchen.

Pick two styles of containers/baskets that have different textures to organize open shelves.

Layer objects of varying size and scale.  Stack shelves of different lengths and widths to give a wall depth.

The perfect spot for every utensil.

Combine shelving and basic wall-hanging elements to create your own storage unit.

Now lets switch gears and put all of these pieces together.  Below are a selection of beautiful kitchens that caught my eye. Enjoy!!

There are two spaces in a home that people want to remodel most: the kitchen and the bathroom.  Unless your home is a new-build, it is highly unlikely that you love every nook and cranny of your bathroom.  For most of us in older homes, condo’s and apartments, there are a number of things in this space we would like to change, but don’t have the budget or ability to follow through on.  Before you decide to blow up your bathroom and start from scratch, take a look at some of the beautiful abodes we found and our tips to take your bathroom from ho-hum to your personal sanctuary.

Warm and cozy, the collection of unique mirrors in this bathroom are tied together through a simple coat of paint.  Try finding a few mirrors that have interesting frames at garage sales or thrift stores, spray paint the frames to match, and voila, your own wall-feature is complete.

Mirrors also help small spaces feel larger and reflect the colors of their surroundings so there is less need for artwork.  The use of reclaimed wood, likely from a wood shop table in this case, offers a touch of nostalgia.

A chandelier can completely change the feel of a space.  I love this wire one, it adds dimension and a touch of the whimsical to the already soft color palette.

Are you a bookworm?  Then bring some of that love for literature into your bathroom.  These backlit shelves give a very simple room color and personality.  Accessorize the shelves with a few objects that pull out the brightest color in the space.

This look is clean and fresh.  The vintage wall-mounted mirror offers some open storage, as the pedestal sink and subway tile create a balance between matte and glossy finishes.

Love the use of an antique armoire and bold colored claw foot tub.  To get a little extra spice, try adding a cool printed paper, wallpaper, or fabric as the insert panel in your storage unit.  The one shown was likely a china cabinet with glass panels.  Try painting the outside of your old claw-foot tub.  Both are easy weekend DIY projects that could transform you bath quickly.

Yay storage!!  To the women reading this, show off your shoes and handbags!  They are works of art in their own right.  This will give you a place to store them and admire them.  I also love how this bathroom makes use of the vertical space, and who doesn’t love a charming ladder.

A very easy way to change the feel of your bathroom is with a fun new shower curtain and a floor length mirror.  The chunky frame on this mirror is the perfect opposition to the ethereal shower curtain and playful tub.

This was too clever not to show.  What a great way to reuse an old bike and give a pedestal sink a little bit of storage for hand towels or other necessities in the bike’s basket. It feels funky and retro.

A great use of color and asymmetry.  This is a great idea for a small space.  You get a full length mirror, sink with vanity mirror, little bit of counter space, and 2 drawers all in one wall-mounted piece (gotta love the one leg!).

 An organic or sleek ledge is a beautiful, easy accent to add to a bathroom.  Put it on the longest wall to help elongate the space.

Storage is key in most bathrooms.  Pick a wall and turn it into a sort of apothecary cabinet.  Keep colors the same and hide unruly items like hair dryers, etc in boxes or baskets.

Ladders can be an great addition to any bath.  Simple and easy management for towels or magazines.

If you have very little space, one of the best things you could do is add a recessed Robern cabinet.  They come in many configurations and depths.  I used to have one with interior electrical outlets in our old home.  This is brilliant because it can hide razors and toothbrushes while charging so they don’t clutter the bathroom counter.  They also have a mirror defogger which is great when you are in a hurry and can’t see your mirror.

January is the month of resolutions and slogans like “A new year, a new you”.  Slogans that we tend to forget about by the time month two of the New Year actually rolls around.  In the past, my personal resolutions have been a lofty statement filled with vague ideas and good intentions, but no direction on how to get there.  So this year I decided to try making my resolutions on a smaller, more intimate scale.  For example, instead of saying that I am going to get organized, I focused on what I could do in my life to make that happen, and for me that meant finding simplicity – in my home, at work, and in my relationships. To me, simplicity means decluttering your life of the things that hold no personal value to you, get in the way of what really matters, and stop you from expressing who you genuinely are.  Try taking a fifteen minute inventory of all aspects of your life and what is most important to you in those areas.  Now come up with five improvements that if made would create positive, progressive changes in your life.

This week we are focusing on the home office space.  To be happy and productive at your desk, the environment it sits in needs to reflect who you are and how you like to work.  The goal is to strike a balance between form, function, comfort, and style.  You will notice how different all of these office spaces are – some feature very clean lines and little color, while others are highly stimulating with bold patterns and a plethora of eye candy.  Focus on what speaks to you and gets your creative juices flowing!

Tip 1: Have ample lighting and preferably some natural light in your work space.

Tip 2: Organize and declutter!  Find a system for storing your stuff that works for you – it can be baskets, bins, drawers, jars, shelves, etc.  Get creative, it should be a reflection of how you function.

Tip 3: Make use of the space you have.  An office doesn’t require a room to itself.  It can be integrated seamlessly into your home, creatively disguised behind a curtain, or tucked neatly into the confines of a closet.

Cheers!

-Collette

For the Home

1.  Add some great pillows to refresh your rooms.   This Hermes accent pillow offers a pop of color and a touch of class, available in multiple colors.

Or this beautiful digitally printed pillow from ABC Home.

2.  Light up a personal photograph with this freestanding picture light from Visual Comfort.

3.   Add a cloche to a window sill or side table for year around green.  This one is from Arteriors.

4.  Add a dash of color and an abundance of warmth with a beautiful throw like this one from Designers Guild.

Or this one from Missoni.

For the Ladies

1.  Express your love on custom notecards from a printer that can do letterpress.

2.  Beat the chilly air with an infinity scarf.  Many styles exist so check out Etsy for your favorite.  The one below is from deroucheau.

3.  An exquisite piece of jewelry offers the perfect amount of holiday sparkle.  I love the modern elegance of David Yurman pieces found at davidyurman.com

The Merrakesh Necklace below from Stella&Dot offers holiday glitter at a delightful price.

4.  The accessory on every woman’s arm, a hand bag.  Here are a few beauties that I couldn’t resist.

A daytime purse that can hold everything you need, from a brand that is renowned for its quality.  Find it in stores or online at Coach.

Shiny and bright, this raspberry patent leather Kate Spade bag is a steal.

Or this great evening clutch from Sondra Roberts; find at Nordstrom.

5.  Who said that plaid was just for the boys?  This Burberry jacket is a chic version of an age old classic.

For the Men

1.  Whisky Rocks to keep the spirts cold without dilution.  The natural soapstone is reusable after a quick rinse and a little freezer time.

2.  Lululemon Vent Tech Shirt for all manly activities…keep ’em dry and smell free.  An added bonus is the fun little note on the hem.

3.  A Paradigm gift certificate to spruce up the bachelor pad.

4.  Liquid Image HD Snow Goggles let you record your action on the slopes with the push of a button.  Those silly cameras head cams are a thing of the past.

5.  A personal beer holster keeps you hands free whether on a hike or in the backyard for a barbecue. Available at redenvelope.com

For the Foodie

1.  Custom Knife from either Cut Brooklyn or Middleton Knives Handmade in the USA and they are stunning…order in advance as they take time to craft.

2.  Le Cruset in a fabulous color (cassis)  like this one below.  Available at muliple locations.

3.  Cooking classes to hone or learn a new skill.  Try Escoffier in Boulder or French Culinary Institute in NYC.

For the Kids

1.  Makerbot – Let the kids design their own toy and then watch their creation come to life with this 3-D printer.  You’ll be as impressed as they are…and you can make things to use as well (note the spatula on the website).

2.   Paint a wall with chalkboard paint or white marker paint so they can paint on the walls without getting into trouble.

3.  A Downhill Toboggan…because snow is a coming and memories last a lifetime, just ask my brother.

4.  Start a tradition of buying them a themed ornament each year depicting what they are interested in at that time.  Let them open it before Christmas so they can hang it on the tree.  This is a tradition started by my Colorado “Grandparents” and I looked forward to it every year as a child.  An added bonus is they will have a tree full of ornaments once they start their own families.

For the Bookworm

1.  Interesting or beautiful books for their coffee table.

2.  The Kindle Fire – because it’s now in color and there is nothing better than being able to turn a page with one hand!

For the Oenophile

1.  Corkcicle – a reusable, nontoxic gel that freezes in a BPA free plastic icecicle shape to keep your wine cold without the large, messy bucket of ice.

2.  A classic waiter’s corkscrew from Chateau Laguiole.   Most connoisseurs prefer less gadgety items when it comes to serving a nice bottle of wine.  Featured is the oak barrel handle but for those inclined, they offer bone designs as well.

3.  Wine Bottle Tags for organizing their cellar.  Available at multiple sources.

For the Pet Lover

1.  This has to be the most stylish modern pet bed I’ve seen.  It’s from Vurv and it’s handmade in Canada.  They have other great products as well.

2.  A trendy feeding bowl for your pooch from These Creatures.

Thanksgiving originated as a celebration of the harvest for early settlers in the United States. Today, we carry on the tradition by gathering family and friends around our table for a bountiful meal. As a little girl my mom used to let my sister and I “design” the table centerpiece. With a table that seated sixteen as our canvas we had plenty of room to let our imaginations run wild! Gather your family and have some fun creating a table that is worthy of such a special meal.

1. Go natural! Re-use mini pumpkins and ears of corn, gather colorful fall leaves, or wrap bundles of wheat in thick ribbon.

2. Incorporate rich earth tones and natural cream colors – combine varying textures to provide depth and interest.

The wood, brown string, and cream candles create a beautiful color and textural contrast.

The colored glass votive candles and sheer ribbon are simple and elegant when used with this white/gold china.

A great table runner with an interesting print paired with a bold napkin and antique style silverware.

Sleek and sophisticated. Clean table lines and a white vase allow for the pheasant feathers to really pop.

Pillar candles warm up this monochromatic palette.

First impressions are everything…so dress up your entry before hosting your next fall gathering.  Have fun with it – grab some leaves and make a garland or wreath for a pop of color, add some lanterns for a warm welcoming glow or use straw bails if you have access to them. 

We love the scattered lanterns on the above porch and the oranges against the white facade. 

Dislike orange?  Keep it neutral with cream candles, beige straw, and dark gourds.

Like the script letter on the white pumpkin…so easy but elegant.

Keep it simple and just add a great wreath to your door.  These are from William Sonoma and Etsy.

October is the time of year when pumpkins make their seasonal debut in and on everything from lattes to front porches. The traditional orange pumpkin is the most common type of pumpkin and is a well-known symbol of the fall season in America. As a little girl, I vividly remember getting to carve and decorate my pumpkin before Halloween. While I firmly believe that you can never be too old to carve a pumpkin, I have found some really fun, fresh ideas to update this tradition.

1. I have fallen in love with these white and grey pumpkins! They offer a modern design twist. You can use them as a table centerpiece, on your mantle, or just to spruce up your home for fall.

2. Consider painting a pumpkin to reflect your design personality and match the decor of  your home.

3. A pumpkin doesn’t have to be just a pumpkin.  Here are some creative ways to make your pumpkin aesthetically pleasing and functional.

4. Turn your pumpkin into an edible masterpiece.  One of my favorite desserts is called Pumpkin Luv – here is the recipe.

1 box yellow cake mix (reserve 1 cup of the dry cake mix)
1/2 cup butter – melted
1 egg – beaten
1 large can of pumpkin (29 oz.)
1 cup evaporated milk (or 1 c. heavy cream)
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs – beaten
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup reserved cake mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter – cold

DIRECTIONS
 
Bottom:
Take 1/2 cup of melted butter, 1 beaten egg and remainder (minus 1 c.) of the dry cake mix, combine and press into the bottom of personal size custard cups or bowls.

Filling:
Take 3 beaten eggs, the can of evaporated milk, the can of pumpkin, 2/3 cup brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Combine and pour over the bottom of each.

Topping:
Crumble together the reserved 1 cup of dry cake mix, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 c. cold butter. Cut with pastry cutter until crumbly. Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts if desired. Sprinkle over the filling.

Bake: on center rack at 350F for about 50-60 min. or until top is light brown (it will still jiggle a bit). Let cool completely. Top with whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream.

Delicious!!

I attended ICFF on May 17th.  As usual there were so many talented vendors and beautiful products that I hope to incorporate into my designs.  Here are a few of my favorites.

 Rocking Lamp by MineHeart.  I think this would be so cute in a kids room.

A great rolling credenza by AKMD – love the wheels!  Please come home with me…

A simple, rustic mirror from Grain.  Great for a powder room or a Nantucket cabin.

This piece was a favorite!  Great design and details for a bar cabinet.  Great job Urbancase!

Finally, a great functional bedside lamp.  Thank you Cerno!

Probably the most interesting product find this year…cork countertops.  You can cut on them, fabricate them like a chopping block for the kitchen or use on a vanity.  I know what you are thinking, because I was too, bacteria city!  Not so…I learned that cork is anti-microbial, naturally water & heat resistant and self healing (if you cut on it you’ll never see the slice).  They demonstrated a red wine spill and no stain!  Great new kitchen product. 

Fun lights from Iacoli & McAllister.  Available in many happy colors.

I’m really not obsessed with birds like it may seem…but I am obsessed with the digs they live in.  Even though I don’t have a patio, I couldn’t resist this one below when I was running through West Elm last week.

Porcelain Bird House from West Elm $8.99

Modern Birdhouse Canopy by StudioLisciouson Etsy $78.00

Ralph Modern Bird House from Remodelista $196.00

Bird Shelter from VesselUSAon Etsy $175.00