Yellow is a risky wall color to use in interior design. If used correctly, it can be uplifting and encourage creativity and confidence….but if used incorrectly, it can create a sense of fragility and anxiety. If you’re going to use yellow on your walls, take great caution in the shade that you choose and observe the type of light that you get in the space before before making your final shade selection.
For this children's playroom, I selected a sunshine yellow to compensate for the lack of natural light in the area.
Stuck with a sea of concrete? Add pattern, depth, intimacy, and interest by using diagonal stone pavers to create a terrace pattern with dwarf plant material growing through. Make sure to check with your landscape professional to determine the irrigation needed, so you don't end up with a ground full of bird baths.
Some people have a love-hate relationship with their friends, I have them with Casablanca Lilies. They are abundant this time of year - you can get and endless and fresh supply at any Whole Foods or local Farmer's Market in Los Angeles. Their trumpet shape is divine and they add an organic sense of elegance to any room scheme.
BUT...their pollen-bearing anthers are more annoying to me than a perfectly matched bedroom set...and actually even more annoying than real friendemies. Not only do they stain their own beautiful white blossoms as they shed, but they are also guaranteed to do a number on anything of value to you in their vicinity. A few years ago after a not so nice incident with a white Prada blazer, I decided to take matters into my own hands by cutting out the yellow, pollen-bearing anthers from inside the lily (which ironically also helps the flowers last longer).
Some people use tweezers, I've found it easiest to gently gather the anthers with a damp towel with one hand, then simply use small scissors with your other hand to cut them at their base.
Wallah...beautiful Lilies without the stains.
If you find yourself looking down (or up) at your alarm clock when you're hitting the snooze button, chances are that your bedside table is not the same height as your mattress...which means that you've broken the first rule in bedroom design. So before you make that impulse buy, make sure they line up properly.
If you're not wanting to part with your tables or bed and your bed design can stand a lower box spring, then look into replacing your box spring to a height that will put your mattress at your end table height.
Here's a shot of two new items in our Plush Home line; the Laurier Bed and an updated Mondrian Bedside Table. Coming soon....
I always suggest classic and timeless furniture for large and expensive pieces. So when you're in the mood to be funky, a single smaller piece of upholstered furniture (ottoman, small bench, throw pillows) is a perfect opportunity to have fun with a fabric that airs on the trendier side of things. If you pick a piece that itself is classic enough to stand the test of time, a small yardage requirement won't be a huge expense when you're ready to re-upholster.
I selected this funky ripped jeans look on our Plush Home Park Avenue Ottoman for a musician's media room. The torn, rock & roll fabric fits right in with his guitar collection, amps (or speakers or whatever you call those things), record memorabilia...and if we get sick of this look in a few years or just feel like update, we can easily re-upholster, add some new throw pillows on the sectional and create and entirely new vibe.
Some people will do anything to make sure that every wood piece in their house "matches" exactly the same....I'm definitely not one of these people. Just like you wouldn't (hopefully) match your shoes exactly to your bag and nail colors and eye shadow, don't do this with your furniture. "Matchy Matchy" is reserved for overstock furniture sets that are.....well, overstocked for a reason.
I have no issue with mixing in varying wood stains and types with one another, as long as they flow well together. Remember, mixing is good...but "random" is bad.
In rooms that feel wood heavy, I like to include some textured furniture. Here's one of my favorite Plush Home go-to pieces....The Barcelona Console. Shown here with with textured faux croc, pieces like this are a great way to mix up a room and add a little flava.
Our styles and tastes are constantly changing, so I always encourage “updates” to your home design. Just as, hopefully, your wardrobe look has changed since Friends was on prime time, there’s no reason your living spaces should look like a time capsule.
The quickest and least expensive way to update your space into a Plush Home is by updating your accessories. Find new items that reflect how you feel today. But as you install your new gems, be sure to get rid of the old stuff. Adding new accessories, without replacing the old ones won’t solve your problem….it will actually makes it worse.
Also keep color schemes and groupings in mind when selecting new items. Unless you are going for that “worldly” Bed & Breakfast look, don’t be random with your selections. Think it through and keep it clean.
I am constantly amazed at how many of my friend's little kids are more adept than me on a computer. Although this generation will most likely be challenged in penmanship, they'll definitely be creating magic via their keyboards. I guess it's the compromise of technology - after all before the typewriter, Old English style writing was the norm. I can accept this. But what I can't accept is an increase in mindless computer games, and a decrease in arts and crafts.
I first discovered my love for color as a child splashing paints on paper bags and cardboard boxes. It was those formative years that helped me arrive to my design philosophy today. So I'm dedicated this Tuesday's tip to encouraging the kids in your life to paint...before they learn to Photoshop.
