Building The Nest

Add The LIGHTer Touch

2009-11-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

With Daylight Savings Time behind us and losing one more hour of light each evening, your home might be suffering from dark corners, walls and more.

I have a solution for you that is pretty inexpensive and is going to add brightness, depth, comfort and wow!

Introducing you to remote controls, cheap fixtures and an array of bulbs, you will be able to spruce up those areas in your room that you would normally leave alone.

The Affect

Let me show you what I mean. Below is a corner without any light coming up on the back wall. It's very shallow, dark and uninteresting.

Below, the picture demonstrates how you can turn this space into something more, by adding that "LIGHTer Touch".

How is this done? It's very simple…read on…

Remote Controls

First of all, if you have a wall outlet that comes on with a light switch and you don't mind using it to control your uplight/backlight for this affect, use this outlet and save some money on a remote control. But remember, ambient fill light looks best when it is not "washed" out by more intense light in a room.

Remote controls are not expensive and are very convenient. Lazy people don't use these controls, smart people do. Most of us would not turn on our accent/ambient lighting if we had to go around the room and click on each light individually, sometimes following the cord to get to the switch that is really to be found… under the couch…

Menards home improvement store carries this single remote (see below) all year long. It sells for about $10. It is a very safe and effective device. It can be used indoors or "outdoors" (nice during the holidays to control lights and Christmas expressions outside). You simply plug the module into a nearby outlet. It is best to have this device out of sight. If you can't, buy a long enough extension cord that accommodates a grounded three prong plug. This way you can hide this module under a couch or behind a plant and keep your visible outlet free of a "hanging black module".

Here is how easy it is to install. First locate your outlet. Plug the module into the outlet. Next plug in your light fixture. If you use a light switch controlled outlet, be sure the switch is in the "on" position. You can plug in your remote wherever it is convenient. Kids love to play…so you may want to secure the remote. You can Velcro it to the wall, place it on a table or store on an upper shelf.

This White remote control system above is selling at Lowe's home improvement store during the Christmas season "only". It sells for $20, but wait, it controls THREE plug-in devices. Yes, that means you are paying less than $10 for a single control and only have ONE remote that allows you to individually turn on/off virtually any device within 100 feet of this handheld remote control. This is an INDOOR remote and cannot be used in outdoor outlets. Also, you can only have one of these in your home because our experience has been that they are all the same frequency. If you want, you can buy three packages and have all the #1's be in one room (and have a remote with them) and the #2's in one room and so on. They install just like the single one shown above.

Light Fixtures

The light fixtures that you may use, need to meet a few requirements. First, they need to be able to clip, mount or stand safely in your corner, so that the bulb is always free of objects. Second, they should be installed out of reach of small children, and third, be able to house the light bulb you have selected.

These light fixtures do not have to be expensive or decorative. If you choose to place them out of sight visually and only see the light they will project, use 6" clip lights (see below – we get them at Menards).

I bought an old goose neck desk lamp at the thrift store for $1 and it works great. It has a stable base and allows me to direct the light.

The Drama

I placed the desk lamp on the floor out of sight in the sun porch to fill in the corner behind the corn plant. At night it looks stunning and really defines the space and creates intriguing shadows on the ceiling.

Fixture, Bulb and Placement

Screw a bulb in and clip it to your plant stand or pot behind your furniture. This is a great time to put your furniture on the angle and "enlighten" your room. This lighting also helps add some light to all those plants you brought indoors for the winter.

Fluorescent Bulbs

Fluorescents bulbs are coming down in price all the time and they are getting smaller and can be purchased as a "flood" light. Here are some that are compact and enclosed in glass. The flood light is going to push the light forward which will create a better cadence of light. The bulbs may cost more than a normal incandescent bulb, but it burns longer, cooler, and takes a fraction of the wattage.

Before and After

I added a clip-on light and compact florescent bulb to the base of the plant basket and put it on a remote control. What an easy way to wake up a dark corner. These lights left on at night make a wonderful night light too. We leave some of these on when we are away to add to the security of our home.

Don't forget that you can use these remotes for turning on your indoor holiday lights and Christmas tree. If you are going to use more than one of the "single remotes", be sure you buy different frequencies. They are listed on the front of the package, ie "A" , "B", etc.

Enjoy this delightful affect and may this joyous season be filled with the Light of the world – Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

See you in January!

A “SHADY” Project Indeed!

2009-10-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

Continuing from last month, in learning how to decorate with shoe polish and paste wax, here is another project to try. Lamp shades can be a bit tricky to do, but if you don’t mind a rustic look, it is the easiest to accomplish with this type of polish application. (See last month’s demonstration on “how to apply” the polish or wax application) The shade needs to be fabric or a material that can absorb the polish.

Start small and right next to the vertical “seam” of the shade, to get a feel of how much and what colors look best. The seam is the part of the shade that you would normally direct to the back of the lamp or to the side, if facing an outside window.

The finished product looks best in Tuscan, European, or an antique looking setting. Some shades look better off, than lit. Don’t be alarmed by the strong scent of the paste wax. This will greatly diminish within a day or two, leaving behind that wonderful color and texture.

You will have to gauge how much to put on your rag or brush. The heavier you make it, the bigger the imprint in your shade. You may want to make evenly spaced round twirls in the shade, placing them close together. Here we just rubbed in basically one direction. If you prefer a less modeled appearance, keep your polish drier when applying. Dab your cloth in the polish. Rub it into the cloth real good. Then start swirling the polish stained cloth into the shade, using two fingers under the cloth.

Here it is lit with a 40W soft bulb. It fits an antique aged setting. You could hang a tassel on it or a chain with a broach. We use flat head pins to attach the ends of a tassel or chain to the top lip of the shade. Hot glue may work best for you. To avoid poking through the shade, put your pin in at the greatest angle that you can, keeping the length of the pin in the top boarder of the shade.

As you can see if you don’t wear some rubber gloves, you will have fingers of a different color… literally….and it takes days to get them back to normal.

Rough Pottery or Vases

These containers need to have a rough or porous surface to them. The polished high gloss ones won’t work. When we purchased these potted ferns, we knew the bases were a bit too white for what we were going to use them for. Knowing we had some cordovan (burgundy/black) shoe polish at home, we knew this was going to be an easy fix.

When you have lots of crevasses and grooves, use a brush of some sort. Tooth brushes work great! I just happened to have a real polish application brush. Dap it heavily in the wax and start swirling it on the base, filling all the grooves and valleys.

Again be careful not to rub off the polish before it’s time. Cordovan has two color values to it: burgundy and black. Depending on what your texture is, the burgundy will come through on the high spots After waiting about 10 minutes for the wax to be absorbed, you take a small cloth and start rubbing off the wax, focusing on the high spots.

This will reveal a fabulous look and feel to the vase. I have, in the past, added some brown polish on top of cordovan after it has been wiped off to allow for an earthier feel to the pot.

Well, there you have it! Rub & Buff and Blow your friends away with these and maybe even some of your own ideas. We often use paste wax to touch up wood frames, furniture, age old documents, change the color of a silk plant leaf (toning down some of the real limey green colored plants), and even polish a pair of shoes….
It’s always best to be able to test your surface somewhere out of sight before moving forward in your design plan. Even if you did a not-so-good job the first time, you could start over on the same surface again. Maybe this time you could change your polish color, use a fork to add lines through the wet polish. Let your imagination “shine”!
If you have used this technique on other surfaces with success, leave a blog comment for others to read!
Until next time, be sure to use your talents to bring Glory to our GREAT DESIGNER…

LET IT SHINE

2009-09-01T16:32:00.000-07:00

First let’s introduce our subject matter with a little riddle: What six letter English word, that if you just capitalize the first letter of the word, you not only change the pronunciation of the word but the meaning of the word as well? See below.

polish to Polish = from shoes to Poland

We’re going to do some decorating with shoe polish. That’s right, shoe polish, the paste wax kind. It can be used for more than just shoes. We will use brown, black and cordovan (burgundy) today to bring new life to some ordinary household items. Any surface that is porous, rough, absorbent or made of wax can be for the most part altered in its color.

Rough Ceramic Lamp Bases

I had a client use her grandfather’s old electric shoe shine polishing brush to take her big old white Aztec style lamp bases to a whole new level of wow! She used black and brown, swirling them together in different locations on the base so that they would coordinate with the slate tiles on the headboard of her new bed.

This new finish we had her do, made these lamps “keepers”! For $4 and 40 minutes of work, she saved herself over $300 “not” buying new ones.

A friend of ours did the same to her lamp in her African room. She chose to keep the polish heavy towards the bottom and after the top rings she lightened the amount of polish to give it a light modeled affect. Pretty cool huh!

So how do you do it?

Supplies needed

The supplies you will need are some wax paper or newspaper. I like wax paper because it does not bleed through and you can rip a piece off just the right size for your work space. You will also need some latex or rubber gloves, shoe polish brush, old toothbrush or some rags, and the star component, “paste wax” used for shoes (any brand you like). The darker the better.

Candles

Let’s start with a bland white candle. You can use any lighter colored candle such as moss green, yellow, pink, beige, etc. Just as long as it has a lighter value, so that it can still take a dark color of polish.

If the candle you are using has a buffed shiny surface on it, dull it down with a kitchen scrub pad by going over it in an “up & down” direction. This will allow the new paste wax to absorb into the candle. Whatever texture you leave on the candle from this pad, will determine what kind of design will remain as the polish fills the crevasses.

I took an old wash cloth, dabbed it into the black shoe polish, getting a good heavy load of polish and began firmly tapping it into the base of the candle. You decide how dark you want it.

Preferring to have some color differentiation, I dabbed brown shoe polish on top of the black and proceeded to take the brown completely to the wick.

I have another idea to share with you. What would it look like if you took your rubber stamps from a stamping kit and made imprints on the soft paste wax, cleaning off the stamp after every imprint? Let it stand for some time, about 20 minutes. You could slightly rub it or just leave it alone. You should try this one yourself. I suppose you could roll crinkled up tin foil over the soft polish on the candle to make some interesting markings too. Use your imagination!

Decorative Tapers

Sometime you may have a rather decorative candle that you would prefer to just display. Give the wick a good make over by adding some black polish to it. You may have to clean the wick off, of any wax and then apply polish. A “burned wick” makes the candle appear that it is being used, and not “for sale”. This simple technique can add a touch of “visual warmth” to any room.

Precaution on Handling

Polish is soft and wipes off easily “until it is dry”. This means you need to use special care when handling the candle during application. I hold the candle with one finger on the top and one underneath it, being careful not to touch the sides.

Depending on the effect you want to accomplish, the longer you let the candle sit and dry, the more color and texture your candle will have. You may simply want to age a candle a bit. Just take some polish and rub it up and down the side. Wipe off the majority and you have a nicely aged candle.

Blooming in August

2009-08-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry for “leaving” you last month. Today we will build a floral arrangement step by step that coordinates with a red and gold color scheme. Let’s get started.

Start with a nice container.

If you are using glass that can’t secure foam with tape or hot glue, you may want to use floral clay. Work it good to soften it and shape it into a mass in the center. Be careful that the clay is not too showy through the glass. Keep it away from the sides of the container. I usually make two layers so that I can obtain height to the center flowers. Wash your hands after shaping the clay.

Cover the clay with some moss.

Be creative. Think texture when deciding what you want in your arrangement. I have a good friend that gave us some peacock feathers. Yes, these are peacock feathers. I use 20 gauge steel wire to wrap the ends of the feathers together. Leave about an inch of wire to secure in the clay. On some pieces, you might want to turn the end of the wire up to keep it from “turning” in the clay.

I added a layer of these feathers early on in the composition. This piece will be viewed up close, from all sides on a dining room table so I want it to have interesting detail.

I took apart a bird’s nest fern and placed and even number of leaves, embracing the shape of the container. Based on the shape, I am allowing the leaves to draw your eye out the sides with little leaves coming forward.

Normally you would have the larger blooms at the center of the vase, but in this case I need to keep your eye moving outward. I positioned an even number with most of the weight on the left and right side.

Keeping true to our color scheme, gold flowers add a richness to the bouquet and brightens the palette.

I thought it would be interesting to keep with the red pallet, but change the size and texture of the bloom. These are placed higher in the arrangement, drawing your eye up and creating a pleasant triangle shape.

To add interest and an airiness, a plant similar to pussy willow was added.

Berries repeat our colors and fills gaps in the base of the arrangement. They make the arrangement fun looking.

I added some additional moss to hide stems and placed feathers throughout. The final finished piece is formal, subtle in color combination, airy and light feeling.

Final note: When purchasing your greens, florals, and botanicals, remember that you do not have to use them the way they come. Cut them apart, extend their length with wire or shorten them with a quick snip. To add a sense of realism, give the stems a bend and in most cases turn the blossom’s face upwards as if trying to catch the sun.

If you are a little uneasy as to what you want to put together, make a bouquet in your hand before cutting. This may help you catch the vision. You may want to take a trip to your florist, greenhouse, or accessory store and see what is being created. These creations will take on a whole new meaning once you start making your own.

It was once said, "Children in a family are like flowers in a bouquet: there's always one determined to face in an opposite direction from the way the arranger desires." Remember, only GOD can make a flawless arrangement…until next time GOD bless you!

Revitalize & Rejuvenate Those Silks

2009-06-02T11:38:00.001-07:00

If you can go “green” and have a “thumb” that can keep your real plants looking beautiful…PRAISE the LORD!

I do my best to keep about twelve live ones thriving indoors. But what about keeping a tree alive in the house in North Dakota? Other than a fichus tree, it may be quite difficult. That’s when silk plants and trees are best used to add “life” to a vacant, lifeless space. Some may be skeptical because they say they are hard to clean. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. You just need to know the secret. NEVER use water, never. This turns dust and dirt to mud and causes spots to form on your foliage. You could use a “silk plant” cleaning spray, but it can be expensive. Sure you can use one of those nifty dusters on occasion, but this is only for those light touch ups.

Let me show you the best way to clean silk plants of any kind.

Silk plants gather dust just like any other accessory in your home…sometimes big dusty cling-ons.

They can look dull and gray. Take them outside or into the garage. If it is too cold, keep them inside and put a sheet or plastic under them in a well ventilated area. I took this tree outside on the patio.

Use a glass cleaner and spray the daylights out of them! The glass cleaner to use must contain ammonia, ammonia D, or amino carboxylic acid….basically Windex with ammonia.

Don’t use the sprays that have the “orange” cleaner or the ones with “vinegar” in them. We use the “Our Family” brand Glass Cleaner with Ammonia. It’s affordable and works great!

Start at the top and spray the entire plant down with the cleaner. I mean drench it!

This means you may have to move some of the leaves to get to the inner most parts of the plant.

Work your way down to the base. You may even spray the stalk or bark and the filler (like sphagnum moss) used to top off the base of the container.

Let it stand for about 15 minutes or so (depending on temperature and wind) and watch as the ammonia causes the dust and dirt to dissolve off the surfaces. Avoid leaving a gray streaky residue. This means you need to spray it again. If your plant has a heavy build up, you may have to repeat this dousing one or more times.

Before you bring the plant back into its space, give it a good shake to cause any remaining droplets to fall off and the dirt with them.

Wipe down the container if needed and you now have a silk plant that looks healthy, shiny and richer in color.

It will look like brand new for just a couple of dollars and 15 minutes of time!

As you can see I almost used a full container of cleaner.

Don’t be skimpy in applying the solution. It’s cheaper than a new tree!

The same method works wonderfully on silk flowers and dried arrangements, especially eucalyptus. It is best to test in an area not in full view. This will tell you if the dyes used are color fast.

Next month we will discuss floral arrangements, “dressing” your plants and foliage combinations. No watering and weeding needed here….Amen!

“Building the Nest”

2009-05-08T14:40:00.000-07:00

The title for this month is just perfect. Think of what a nest is. It offers security, comfort, relaxation and a place to get to know others. Keep these thoughts in mind as you arrange furniture, creating niches, conversation spaces, reading areas, an entertainment spot or tranquil place to rest. No matter what, you should always feel physically and emotionally comfortable in any of these “rooms” and your body placement will determine how long you stay. Sometimes this just means you have to angle a chair more so that you can easily talk to the other person, adding some foam and batting to sagging couch cushions, or placing some down filled pillows & a throw on a couch or chair. Color, textures, style and the amount of furniture and accessories greatly influence the feel of your room. Review earlier posts.

Focus on your “Focal Point”

Every living room has that one special something; a fireplace, a piece of furniture (maybe a sofa, armoire, or entertainment center) or some other type of architectural element that creates a fantastic focal point. Identify this point and half the battle of living room furniture placement has been won!

Creating “Real Estate”

This is an interesting term to describe the freeing up of the baseboards (where the wall meets the floor), with the smart use of the furniture in your room. Move things away from the walls, embracing that open space in the middle of your room. Your room will appear to be larger, thus creating and enhancing that “real estate”. This could be achieved by simply pulling your couch away from the wall at an angle and placing a sofa table behind it with a lamp and maybe adding a nice silk tree.

Achieving Balance and Visual Interest

Balance is a big word that carries a lot of weight…literally! When thinking through how you want your room to look, each piece of furniture or accessory, even wall hangings, have “visual weight” to them. This means that they take up atmospheric space. We don’t have to get into the science of it all, but your rooms should reflect good visual balance.

Avoid putting all your tall pieces of furniture on one side of your room. Doors and windows help to balance the height of furniture. If you have shelf units on one wall balance the opposite wall with something of similar visual weight. Such as, two large pieces of wall art, a framed door, or even a draped window. Even your accessories should be a different heights that allow the eye to travel through the room moving up and down.

When mixing your different sized pieces of furniture together consider the scale of each one. You don’t want to put a delicate accent table next to your overstuffed chair. This chair would require a larger side table. Many times you can make your large couch on one side of the room be balanced on the other side, by placing smaller pieces in a grouping; say two small chairs and a table.

Balance is not just the size and scale of the furniture, but color and pattern as well. Be sure to mix these throughout the room. If you have some bright blue pillows on your couch, then you should have this color in at least two other places in the room. Be sure they are not all in the same location. This could be accomplished by flowers in an arrangement, candles on a table or the colors in your drapery.

Go with the “Flow”

One more thing that is crucial in creating a beautiful nest (room) is to be sure that you don’t block the traffic flow in the room. If you have only one entrance into the room, avoid obstructing it. Place your furniture in a manner that will allow passersby to walk behind or around the seating arrangement instead of through it.

Live & Learn

When deciding on how to arrange your furniture in any room, listen to your instincts. Once you have placed all your furniture, wait to decorate the walls for a few days or even a full week. This will give you a chance to get used to the new placement, to see if you like it and can live with it, as it is. Live in the space for a bit, to determine how it makes you feel. If something doesn’t feel right, you can always move it, and use these tips to help you bring your room back into balance. This also keeps your walls from acquiring unwanted nail holes from hanging wall art that was hung prematurely.

Pictures speak a thousand words

I hope to use step by step pictures on future topics to better show the how-to-steps to using my tips and techniques. If you have a topic for me to cover in the future, post it in a comment and I will do my best to cover it. Look for fun deco ideas in upcoming months; such as cleaning those silk plants with the greatest ease and at virtually no cost, how to make an interesting and beautiful silk floral arrangement, changing the color of your candles, lamp bases, & shades. I will share instructions on how to make easy and unique window coverings, on where to hang those drapery rods and how long those drapes should be. Learn how to shorten those ready-made blinds. I will touch on trends, new color schemes, and more.

There is much to learn when “building the nest” for the comfort of your family and the friends who visit you.

Inching Up to Your Furniture

2009-04-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

Your room should be put together the way you live and especially your furniture arrangement. Many people feel the need to follow a designer’s complete advice because they want their room to look perfect. Take a minute and think it through. Is it going to be functional and accommodate my needs? Ask the Lord for wisdom, discernment, knowledge and understanding….even in the way we decorate our homes! Our Great and Marvelous FATHER created the whole earth and its inhabitants. He is definitely able to help through a design project.

So, if you decide you want to do some rearranging of furniture; whether it’s in the living room or any other room in your home, let’s consider some basics:

1. First, determine how a room is going to be used, who will be in the room and the traffic path(s).

2. What is the focal point in the room, i.e. fireplace, picture window, entertainment center, and so on?

3. You may want to draw your room to scale using graph paper and cut out shapes that represent your furniture, windows, along with the swing of each door. (If the door opens up into the room, you will be limited to what size or type of furniture you can use in this area). One thing I like to use is, the “Room Planner” at www.slumberland.com. You can even select doors, windows, furniture and accessories from the side list. This is a great “visual”!

4. Try to keep your seating or conversational pieces, such as a sofa or a chair, “within” 8 feet of each other. This will allow for a more intimate and convenient space to converse. It is best to either keep this seating across from or at a good angle to each other.

5. Creating visual movement in a room helps to soften it and make it interesting. This is achieved by placing furniture on an angle or bringing it away from the wall. There is a tendency to do what is referred to as “perimeter decorating”. This is where your furniture ends up on each wall, following the outside perimeter of the room, leaving an arena in the center. Not good!

6. Edit your furniture. Look closely at what you have in that space. If you have something in the room that doesn’t serve a purpose, doesn’t add to the ambience and is only taking up space, consider moving it to a different room or better yet, give it away. Less is better and you get to be a blessing too!

7. The standard distance between a couch and coffee table is 14-18 inches, but if you have longer legs or shorter arms, adjust the spacing to accommodate your need. Give yourself at least 24 inches from a bed to a wall and 30 inches to a dresser or door.

8. Establish 24-30 inch walkways. This will give you plenty of space to move about your rooms and protect your furniture from unnecessary bumps and rubs.

9. Avoid cramped dining room seating by giving each person 24 inches out from the ledge of the table (minimum). If you plan on moving about the table to serve your guests, you will need 46 inches from the wall to the table’s edge.

10. The big TV’s… Uff da! (That’s Norwegian for “Oh, My!”) They say that whatever the size of the screen is, in inches, you need, at the minimum, three times that distance “away” from the TV. i.e. If you buy a 32” LCD, you must allow at least 96” or an 8 foot space between it and you when watching.

Remember, these measurements are only standards. The kind of spacing you should have will depend on the size of your family and how many guests you intend to entertain. Other factors that will influence spacing is how you will use the room, the furniture you decide you “must” keep and the size of the room itself.

Have you ever noticed how some rooms look comfortable and draw you in and there are others that look disjointed and cluttered? In some of our previous blog columns, I have discussed paint color, area rugs, lighting and more. Although these elements greatly influence the mood and feel of a room, furniture placement determines a room’s functionality while adding physical and visual comfort.

Next month we will discuss balance, “creating real estate” in your rooms, visual appeal and furniture placement ideas.

In the meantime, enjoy the great blessings and gifts the LORD has given you and in all things be thankful…

Lighting Do’s & Don’ts

2009-03-02T07:09:00.000-08:00

Use the correct wattage – ALWAYS. You can go lower but not higher. Take note of the sticker wrapped around the socket or somewhere on the light fixture. It will tell you what types of bulbs & wattage limit you are to use. You can place this sticker somewhere else on the fixture after you read it, so that it doesn’t become part of the design…

Safety first! Most light bulbs get hot, but halogen & xenon bulbs get very warm. When using these in uplights, canisters, etc. protect them from children and pets. Most under cabinet lights are xenon, so even though they get warm, they won’t start your cabinet on fire. Use caution as you would with any electrical device.

My bulbs get stuck! Before you screw any incandescent bulb into its socket, run three sides of the screw thread through a bar of DOVE soap or Socket Lube (purchased in the lighting section of your how-to-store). If neither is available, take “bar” soap of any kind and wet it. Let it sit for awhile until it softens. It can’t be “dripping” wet when you go to use it. REASON: By placing this material on the threads, it allows the bulb to screw in easier, prevents it from getting stuck in the socket and makes for smooth removal, especially if it is hot. The soap never melts and last a long time.

How “wide” should the middle of the lamp be? The neck of a lamp should be in proportion to the arms on the sofa or chair that it is casting its light on. Whatever the size of the arm on your furniture, the neck of the lamp (the middle part between base & socket) needs to be at least 1/2 – 2/3 the width of the arm of the furniture.

How “tall” should my lamps be? Sit down near the lamp. Look at the lamp, if you see the bulb it is too high or the shade it too high. Some fixes are to buy a shorter “harp” (the metal piece that the shade attaches to with a finial), purchase a longer shade that comes down farther on the lamp neck or a shade that attaches itself to the socket of the lamp rather than to the harp. The harp can be removed by pinching the ends and taking off the lamp (save it). You could hot glue some decorative trim to the shade also.

Pink is wonderful! If you have to use a general light bulb like most of us have in our homes, you may want to consider “pink” bulbs sold in most stores. Pink? Yes, this bulb enhances color, warms a space visually, and it doesn’t look pink at all. Try it, you will be amazed!

Where to buy bulbs. In the Grand Forks area, Menards has the best selection and price on light bulbs. Their lighting staff are knowledgeable and helpful.

Wall switch control. Try to utilize the outlets that turn on by your wall switch. You can use a divider to add more than one electrical cord to an outlet. Most wall outlets only have one that turns on with the switch. Older homes may not have this convenience. But wait! I have a solution.

Remote controls? Shop your Menards store for remote controls ($10 each). They come with a module that plugs into a regular 110V outlet in your home. You then plug the lamp, light, or appliance into the module base. When you press the on or off button on the remote control, it works whatever you plugged into it. Cool! If you want to have more than one light come on with this same control, you can attach an extension cord to it or a divider and then plug in your devices. Sometimes you can buy a remote that has the same frequency (A, AB, F, etc are on printed on module) as another remote and then you can use these on each side of the room and have two remotes that do the same action. Take note of how much wattage these remotes can handle. Read the package. I have been using these remotes for over 10 years. There is also X10 and Smarthome remote systems that you can purchase on the Internet. They do more things, but you pay for the added features.

How high should I hang my fixture? Contemporary spaces look great with a lower-hung pendant light. I normally recommend hanging a pendant lamp 28 to32 inches from the top of the table surface to the bottom of the pendant. The width and length of your table will help determine how high to hang it as well: a larger table can support a pendant being a bit higher, whereas a smaller table looks best with a lower-hung pendant.

In a traditional setting, a chandelier is comfortable at about 30”. Sit at your table or counter. If you wear glasses, and looking straight ahead of where the light should be, take note of the space where your glass upper frame edge it in relation to the fixture. You should be able to block out using this edge, the rim of the globe where the light bulb is in the fixture. The last thing you want in a gather space is a blaring light bulb in your eyes!

Where do I install a recessed light? In a kitchen, the center of the canister should be lined up to the edge of the counter. Always try to install “eyeball” or “tiltable” recessed lights. If you make a mistake placing it in the ceiling, you can compensate by tilting it.

What size of recessed do I install? Many electricians install 6” cans with a 75W frosted flood coming “straight” down. NOT GOOD! Unless your ceiling is higher than 10’, have a smaller canister installed. They range from 3” to 5” and many are tiltable. Use Halogen bulbs.

Spot verses Flood Light bulb. Think of it this way; spots have a narrow beam width of light and floods have a wide beam width of light. Floods work best if you need to light a large area and create less drama. Spots focus your eyes at a particular area and create lots of drama. The rule of thumb is, try not to let the bulb be seen….just the light it emits. This will determine how big the bulb will be in “size”. They are anywhere from 1 ½ to 4 ½ inches wide. Some are long necked and some are short necked. Size and length of the bulb’s neck is determined by the fixture it is being screwed into. All lights will tell you what kind of bulbs you can use in them.

Frosted or Clear Bulbs? When should I use a frosted or clear bulb? Frosted bulbs are the ones you cannot see its lighting filament. They are best used in lights where you do NOT see the bulb. Examples are torchiere, table and sconce lights. The frost makes the cadence of light coming from the bulb to have a soft diffused edge to it. You won’t be able to see the spokes of the shade on the ceiling, the rays will emit like a glow next to a wall.

Halogen & Xenon (zeen-on) These bulbs are considered some of the best lights to accent just about anything from an area rug on the floor to uplights in a tree or below a sculpture. The light is pure, intense, a white yellow hue and can cast its beam quite a distance. It is used in most tract, rail, recessed and directional light fixtures. When you want to create drama or attention to something, use a halogen bulb!

Bottom line...we are to let our light shine. We don’t have to short change ourselves by living in dark homes. Welcome yourself and your guests into a room that is filled with warmth, comfort and visual appeal!

Lamps, Lights and Bulbs, oh my!

2009-02-02T07:28:00.000-08:00

Last month we discussed 3 sources (ambient, directional & positional) and 4 types of light (ambient, task, accent and decorative). Now we will focus on how to implement these into your rooms. Remember, each and every room in your home should have ambient, task, accent, and decorative lighting in them. Yes, at least one of each. It’s easy and fun to do. You don’t necessarily have to spend gobs of money. Be creative and shop wisely.

As humans we are drawn to light and to shadows. Light causes us to be energized. Shadows create intrigue and drama….yet are very relaxing. Decorate in layers of light. This means that with each type of light, you can have more than one of each, in a room. Create depth in your room by placing decorative lights throughout, to fill the dark corners. Think of it this way; would you wear the same clothes everyday? The same it true of the light in your room. Change it daily by only turning on certain ones together and later mixing them up.

Let’s light the living room! Most people have table lamps and a ceiling light. That takes care of two types (task and ambient), but let’s take that up a notch. First table lamps don’t need to match each other, but they should compliment one another through their style or design. Use interesting shades, adding color or texture to the room. Add an artificial tree in a corner and place a stake uplight (accent) in the base with a 55W halogen flood in the socket and use a remote control to turn it on. Watch the light dance through the foliage and on the walls & ceiling. Place some puck lights or a panel light (special ambient) with halogen or xenon bulbs in them, above a hutch or cabinet to cast a warm glow up on the ceiling – great to have on when watching TV or just relaxing. Accent a wall hanging with a tract light or arc fixture coming out the top of art work. Turn your couch at an angle. Add a “glass top” accent or sofa table behind it. Place a canister light (ambient or accent) on the floor with a 55W halogen flood bulb under the table. Place a delicate leafed plant on the table and watch the light make beautiful shadows on your ceiling. Place 2 small shaded lamps (decorative) in the bookshelf on two different levels (have the cord run out the back – you may have to drill a hole and place a new end on the cord). Make an arrangement of candles (decorative) on a piano or coffee table. If your piano is up against a wall, you may add a strip light (ambient) to the upper back of it. It will not interfere with the sound or moisture to the piano’s insides. This is not a high wattage light and usually just peels and sticks to the back of the piano. Use a remote or wall switch to control. Position a piano light (task) in the center of the pianos top surface. If you have a cove ledge near your ceiling, you could place rope lighting in it – it’s a wonderful affect!

Lighting helps to create an atmosphere in your home for relaxation, conversation or entertainment. Consider adding some of these helpful ideas and see if you enjoy the “feel” of your home even more.

Let Your LIGHT Shine

2009-01-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

You can decorate a wonderful room, but your work won’t be appreciated and enjoyed if no can see it. No, I am not talking about having your eye glasses checked at the door. Every room should incorporate four TYPES of lighting so your guests don’t have to feel their way around the room. Each has it's own contribution to the room's ambiance.

In good light design, your goal is NOT to see the light bulbs unless it is part of the presentation such as in a chandelier. Direct view of a light bulb can be distracting, blinding, and obtrusive.

First let me mention that there are 3 basic light SOURCES:

Ambient where the light come from all directions like a ceiling light fixture; Directional where the source emits “parallel” light rays that do not diminish with distance, like that of a track light with a spot light bulb in it. Then there is Positional lighting, in which the rays are not parallel, but diminish in intensity from the source as occurs when you use a table lamp with a frosted 60W bulb. Ambient lighting comes from all directions, while directional and positional lighting come from one source.

Four TYPES of Lighting:

1. Ambient. Ambient is general light that fills the room. The light is diffused and produces an overall glow. It should be inconspicuous and blend into the surroundings. Recessed ceiling cans with frosted flood light bulbs, subtle cove lighting, and wall light the comes up from the floor, flooding the wall with a soft spray of light.

2. Task. Task lighting provides lighting for a specific area and task. Lighting for reading, crafts, or writing are examples of task lighting. You could use a desk lamp, piano light, under cabinet lights (varying from florescent to halogen puck lights). Take into account that task lighting can be visually invasive in that it isolates it’s light to one spot and is not always so esthetically pleasing. Choose yours wisely, trying to shield it’s light source or bulb from view through dark shades or metal housing. You could have it be part of a floor lamp, like the ones you see that have a torchiere at the top and in the middle a goose neck light that you can turn towards you and it has it’s own control switch.

3. Accent. Accent lighting brings attention to a particular part of the room or object in the room. An example would be lighting accenting a painting or sculpture. Accent lighting is the most dramatic type of lighting. Track lights with spot bulbs, an uplight in the base of artificial trees, kick-plate rope lighting, recessed lighting that can be tilted towards the subject and houses a spot bulb. The bulb you use determines your overall affect on the subject(s). I will discuss this next month. Ultimately this light should draw your eye to a certain spot in the room because of the drama it has created.

4. Decorative. Decorative lighting is treated as a design element. An example would be a dramatic wrought iron candle stand or small decorative lamp shaped like a butterfly. Yes, I said candles. We forget that not all decorative lighting is “electric”. It is not made to give out much light, but provides a decorative touch. I use small shelf lamps no higher than 10” that are nicely shaded, sometimes with beads along the edges. Another type are the ones sold at Gordman’s having a decorative short base with a taller glass globe facing upward. These are nice to use on dressers, shelving, in deco birdcages, ect. The styles vary from contemporary to Tuscan. The shade faces up so you don’t see the bulb in them. Very affordable too!

A well-lit room looks warm and welcoming. But don't forget the light bulbs. Natural full-spectrum bulbs can make everything in your room look better, including you, but may not be real interesting in your space. Although everyone is going “green”, fluorescents do not cast a nice “beam” of light, they tend to offer a cold cadence of “Blue-White light and visually, the shapes aren’t very decorative. LED lights are way to sterile and are a brittle color contrast to most items to which they are lighting (a blue overtone on a yellow surface) – not good!

There is a reason why there are 250 kinds of light bulbs at your how-to-store. Next month I will give you a few tips on which bulbs you should use, lighting techniques that can add some wow to your rooms, some safe guards, installation tips, and some shopping advice.

Until then remember Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” There’s no better light than this! See you in February.

Basic Area Rug Design Concepts

2008-12-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

Understanding basic design concepts is very helpful when selecting an area rug for your room. A few basic principles in design coordination include:

Rugs create the mood. A rug’s shades add intensity and relevance to a space. For example, an area rug can open up and brighten a space by using lighter shades or in contrast, darker shades close it in and make it more intimate.

Think Opposite! One design myth is that if you have a patterned sofa in the room then the flooring should be one solid color to avoid making the space seem too busy. If the proper care is taken to ensure the patterns complement each other, pattern on pattern is not only acceptable but can add depth to the décor. A good rule in selecting pattern on pattern is think opposite.
If you have a small pattern on the fabric, look at rugs with large patterns.

Florals, plaids, stripes and damasks (rugs woven with an elaborate pattern) can work together providing they have size distinction and coordinate in color.

Texture adds depth. Adding a rug with looped pile or a combination of cut pile and loop pile on top of a smooth surface floor creates another layer to the design.

Special shapes and sizes are important. Sometimes what is needed to make a space look unique is to avoid using the standard rectangular rug. By using a round, octagon or oval area rug you can enhance a space. In most cases, these shapes tend to cost more and are harder to find.

“Never try to match” the main fabric color. Find a rug that uses as its main color the “same family of colors” found in the swatch you are coordinating. Great sales are going on right now for the holidays. Many stores that carry area rugs, including Menards & Lowes, HOM Furniture in Fargo (the best selection of rugs in North Dakota) runs special offers. If shopping at a How-to-Store, even though a rug may look similar to a rug in a Designer store like HOM in Fargo or Grand Forks Glass & Paint, unless it is the “same” manufacturer, it’s a “knock-Off” and is usually of lesser quality. Decide if your budget can afford the better quality.

Rug Pads are essential no matter where you put your area rug. Depending on your rug size and shape, you can pay anywhere from $25 - $90 for one. They offer safety, durability, and comfort to your rug along with protection to your floor. If you can’t afford the pad, don’t put the rug down until you can purchase the pad. Now we’re not talking about a rug that comes with a rubber backing you throw into the wash machine when it is dirty. The rugs mentioned above are cleaned by a professional at the same time you have your carpets done.

What kind of Pad do I use? If your rug in going to lay on top of carpeting, there is a special “tacky” pad that is sticky on both sides and is cut to fit the size of your rug, coming in about one inch from all sides to allow for some movement. You will need to remove a plastic film from both sides of this pad before you lay it. It’s kind of like a huge Post It Note. This pad does a great job holding your rug in place and keeps it from bunching or sliding along the carpeted surface. Unless you have heavy furniture anchoring two sides of the rug, always use a pad. If not, the rug will twist and eventually break the weave and/or backing to the rug, creating a permanent visual and physical deformity in the rug.

If you are placing a rug on a hard surface like concrete, laminate, vinyl, wood, etc. there are a couple of styles of rubber pads you can use. In our area they come in 2-3 thicknesses. The thicker the pad the better the stability of the rug on the surface. If you need to clear a door or need to avoid tripping issues, use the thinner pad. The pads have an open weave to them with little pillows of rubber connected to each other. You can see through this pad. Cut to fit the area rug, coming in one inch on all sides to allow for some movement until the rug settles on the pad.

An area rug can truly be a wonderful addition to any room, making it feel more finished, interesting and rich.

“Let’s Go Shopping”

2008-11-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

Let’s Review

First you chose an inspiration piece – something that you liked well enough to design your room around. This gave you your second step, your color story.

Now on to step 3 “Let’s Go Shopping”

Determine what things cannot be changed in the room. Let’s say you have to keep the furniture, and the floor covering. Be sure your color story embraces the colors of these pieces that have to stay.

Every shopping trip needs to have a budget and a list of things you need. First, start at home. It is always better to start with what is bought and paid for. There may be things throughout your home that can be moved, rearranged, added to, spruced up, etc. These items express your personality, history and life experiences…really personalizing your surroundings. Here’s an example. You have a great wall print, but if you have it re-matted or change the frame, it now becomes a fresh and complimentary addition to the design. Sometimes gathering some interesting shapes and various styles of things, like some pottery and figurines, and you spray paint them all one color. This connects them together visually. Think about using items in a new way. Like an end table in the living room may make a great night stand. Avoid being too matchy, matchy. End tables should coordinate; they don’t need to be exactly the same. For instance, you can have a round one and a square end table that are similar in style. The same goes for lamps. We will discuss lighting in another design step later on.

Examine all the components you presently have that contain your colors. Remember you have a “main” color used about 60% in your room, “supporting” color at 30% and your “accent” color at 10%. Do you have what you need for each of these colors? I’d like to suggest that you use your accent color at least in three areas of your room.

At this point in the design process you should consider finding elements that contain patterns that “marry” your color story. These will be things that can bring or join everything together. These things could be an area rug, throw pillows, draperies, etc. Remember to keep true to your style that you chose at the beginning. It could be great color, but the wrong style. Like adding a side panel to your window in your contemporary room that is great pattern with your colors in it, but it is a Victorian style.

Purchase needed items close to your project time. Most stores have detailed return policies. Bring a zip lock bag or something to store all your receipts in. Some stores do not print out the name of the items you are buying, only item codes. You may want to pen in key names for each of your items on those receipts. You may forget where you bought something and then can’t find it on a receipt. If you purchase something that is slightly damaged, don‘t be afraid to ask for an additional discount. Watch for sales, and Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons never expire….even though they have an expiration date on them!!! Happy Shopping!

Step 2 : All About Color

2008-10-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

Your point of inspiration has been determined. Now we are going to get a crash course in color. First lets define some terms. Another name for “color” is “hue”. Tint is adding white to a color. Tone is adding gray to a color. Shade is adding black to a color. Value is the lightness or darkness of a color.

If anyone ever doubted the importance of color to our existence, imagine a world of only black and white. Color is relative. Surrounding colors greatly affect the perception of a color. Adjacent colors will influence the visual perception of each color.

You must ask yourself, “Do I want my new surroundings to perk me up or calm me down?” What this means is depending on the colors you select, the furniture style, lighting, and accents, they can and will affect your mood. The Color Wheel would be very helpful in the next step of this process because it enables us to understand the relationships that colors have between each other.

Let’s define Color Relationships:

Primary Colors: red, blue, yellow: the three basic colors from which others are made.

Secondary Colors: orange, green and violet. A secondary color is obtained by mixing two primary colors together.

Monochromatic: color schemes using one color in a range of values and intensities. These color schemes are the most restful to the eye. Using any shade, tint or tone of one color. Ex: If you did a room in blues, you would use the paint colors on a swatch that shows you the varying values of that color. This pallet could be used in draperies and window treatments, pillows, accessories, etc.

Related or Analogous Colors: colors that fall side by side on the color wheel. Except when their values are very intense, these colors are also relaxing to the eye. You may do a room in Green, Blue-Green and Blue, again these colors could be used in anything in the room.

Complimentary Colors: colors that are opposite one another on the color wheel. Using them together creates a very bold, vibrant effect. That impact is softened when one color predominates and the other is an accent. A good example of this is how sports teams often pick these colors for their uniforms & logos because of its impact visually. How about the Minnesota Vikings?

Aggressive (Warm) Colors: Reds, oranges and yellows.

Receding (Cool) Colors: Greens, blues and violets.

Your next step is to pick out the three major colors from your inspiration piece that best tell your color story. Go to a How-to-Paint Store to find color swatches (single color samples) that best represent your color choices. Do NOT keep a sample that has varying hues of your color on it. Cut yours out and discard the others for this step of the project. Take these three colors and neatly attach them to a 3x5 recipe card. You will use this card along with a photo (or actual) of your inspiration piece to help make purchases and decorating decisions for the rest of the room(s).

Next you need to determine which of the three colors will be the main color at 60% of the room. Then choose from the two remaining which one will be the supporting color at 30% usage in the room. The last color will be used as an accent in 10% of the space. Neutrals don’t count: whites, tans, black and gray. Neutrals are in the background and aren’t taken into account.

Using this information as a guide, you will create a room that has great color balance, visual appeal and an end result that looks professional and complete!

How to Start Decorating a Room:

2008-09-02T19:53:00.001-07:00

Step 1 - Style & Color

After you have determined how the room is going to be used, select a style and color scheme. Lets say you are going to decorate your living room to function mainly as a gathering space where you will listen to music, play games, enjoy conversation, etc. Do you want a Traditional, Tuscan, Victorian, Modern, Contemporary, or an Eclectic style to your room? There are so many styles to choose from and one or perhaps two of them will appeal to you! They will be reflective of your unique personality and style. If you are unsure of what style best reflects who you are, take the time to just look through books, magazines or walk through a home furnishing store to take notice of the things or styles that appeal to you most! You are not there to buy...just to browse and get ideas. The Internet is also an excellent place to go, to get an education on what the different decorating styles look like and it is just waiting.....at your fingertips.

Now find a point of inspiration for your color. This could be a dish, picture, a favorite pillow, bedspread, or a fabric on a piece of furniture. The inspiration could come from something as simple as a paper napkin or a pretty greeting card. The goal is to find a direction to send the room into a finished project that has a distinguishing color scheme and style. This was the procedure we used in selecting the colors for our wedding. I just happen to love the colors displayed in the plumage of a peacock. That was my "inspiration" and the color theme just fell together from there.

Good design brings together many pattern categories that contain your selected color scheme. Never deviate from your color pallet and don't be afraid to mix patterns in your room. The couch, chairs, window treatments, area rugs, pillows, throws, art work, etc., may contain patterns such as prints, geometrics, plaids, stripes, solids and textures. Each of these patterns can be of varying scale within their pattern. You could have a pillow with large stripes and a pillow with vary narrow stripes. They just need to have the same colors as in your pallet.

Tip: Take a picture of your inspiration piece and take it with you when shopping. (Stored in a digital camera doesn't count---Print it out in color.)

This first step is most important. Much like laying a good foundation. Everything depends upon it! Rome was not built in a day and neither will your decorating project. Take the time to learn each step and think through the processes involved, so you can come up with a good vision of what you would like to live in! Literally. In Step 2, we will go more in depth with selecting a color scheme. Take the time to develop Step 1.
You will be glad you did!

Audrey Zejdlik