My Favorite Things

We all know that Oprah has her favorite things and so do I; only mine have to do with interior design. I'm often asked by clients and friends what furniture items I like to use most when decorating. In no particular order, here's my current faves...

WING CHAIRS: Enjoying a renewed popularity, these functional chairs have been a classic staple in home furnishings for hundreds of years. Originally, the side "blinders" were designed to block the occupant from cool drafts and keep the warmth of a nearby fire from escaping. Today it's more about the traditional safe feeling one gets when seated - ls though you are being embraced by luxury and privacy - no other seating provides quite the same ambiance. Current design trends for the wing back include very pronounced "blinders", extremely tall backs and the side "blinders" can now be seen on everything from sofas to upholstered headboards. Nothing updates the wing back like covering it in a contemporary fabric with a large scale motif.

BANQUETTES: Though they were out of fashion for a period, I have always loved banquette seating for eating areas, family rooms, attics and bedrooms. A sense of nostalgia is conjured up when I see one. They are far more functional than just a couple of chairs because they free up critical space, provide the most amount of seating , allow for extra storage under the bench and gives you plenty of opportunity to bring in your sense of style with colorful fabric-covered bench cushions and pillows.

DESKS BEHIND SOFAS:. Most designers adhere to the principle of not having the back of a sofa displayed prominently in a room design. Typically a sofa table or console is used to hide this less than flattering side of the largest seating surface in the room. I prefer to use a writing desk instead. I love its dual purpose; not only are they aesthetically pleasing to the eye, they provide valuable new work space. With the advent of wireless technology more people use their laptops in every room of the house so I find this little surface is big on function.

GAME TABLES: Likely due to current economic conditions, I am convinced that more people are staying - and playing at home. The majority of my clients this year have requested a game table in their family rooms. As for seating, I do see more clients investing in upholstered, tub chairs with casters so they can easily be wheeled from one area to another allowing for optimum seating. Whether these tables are used for homework, snacks, cards or board games they are likely here to stay. Styles range from inexpensive to luxe and many come with game components like chess pieces and interchangeable game boards.

TUFTED SOFAS: Not much to say, I just love the textural and visual interest tufting provides to what can be a vast piece of upholstery. Tufting comes in and out of vogue and can be found on the seating surface, back of the sofa or both. It looks great in both leather and fabric but I do prefer using it in a solid, velvet fabric as the play of light and shadows from the tufting breathes life into the piece.

FUN ACCENT TABLES: These little jewels can provide more than just a hard surface for your drink, they can be real conversation pieces if you let the furniture reflect your personality. I've seen fun table bases like the kangaroo table above from Butler Specialty Company to airplanes, globes, film reels, anchors, and so on. Finishes like mirrors, gilding and paint can provide some much needed interest to a dark, lifeless corner of your room.

There you have it, a few of my favorite things. If you'd like to share your favorite things or have a decorating challenge feel free to blog back or call me up.

My Studio Xmas Tree 08

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

The first snowflakes have really done the trick for my holiday spirit! I've been busy the last two days decorating my studio and my home. I'm having an open house here at the Decor & You Studio on December 6th from 10-4. So, the pressure is on to deck my own halls in style. Here's some photos of this year's tree.

My inspiration was the peacock. I thought the blue would complement the decor of my studio's french country sitting room. I also wanted to pay homage to this historical building, so I added a lot of sugared fruit. You'll notice the focal points and the use of lots of wide ribbon. Let me know what you think!

Trimming the Tree - Designer's Secrets Revealed

Real or Fake? As a decorator, I prefer artificial trees and garland as they hold heavier items better than fresh evergreens and allow one to wrap and bend the branches to hold items in place. Trees today look so real, last for years, are good for those with allergies and are more flame resistant than their real counterparts.

Lighting: If you don’t have a convenient pre-lit tree, and want to store the tree in pieces you can light each section of the tree in pieces. Start near the trunk on the bottom row and make a slipknot out of the lights, securing it to the branch, pull tight. Bring lights from the center of the tree all the way toward tip of branch, wrapping it around twice at the tip. Then, wrap lights around every other green working towards the tip for moderate lighting. For intense lighting, wrap every green. I use a formula of at least 100 lights per foot of tree. There is an art form to lighting the tree properly – it takes time, but is well worth it. Start on the inside at the base of your tree and wrap the branches with the lights. This will prevent the unsightly green cords from showing so profusely.

Focal Pieces: Place the large statement piece deep enough into the tree so they are fully supported. Place smaller ones near the top and larger ones near the base of the tree.

Ribbons & Fabric: People have been using ribbon for years – the decorator tricks are to use plenty of it, only use wired ribbon and anchor it inside the tree – never on the tips. You can place ribbon in several patterns:

• Vertical: You can run the ribbon down the tree vertically for a symmetrical look. Start a little ways down from the tree top to allow room for your top decoration. Anchor the beginning of the ribbon by wrapping a branch around the ribbon. Then make a half loop and drop down about one foot before anchoring it to the rear of another branch – never the tip. End with a pretty tail for a finished look.


• Double Hurricane: This is one of my favorites. Lay two ribbons on top of each other folding the doubled ends over to create a loop. As in the vertical style, attach the doubled loop to to the tree by bending a branch over it, the pull the ribbons slightly apart highlighting the two ribbons. Next, continue on a diagonal, making half loops every foot or so as you work down the tree – spreading the ribbons apart so you can see the tree through the space between them.


• Freestyle: This is an economical use of ribbon scraps. Randomly place the strips in your tree in half loop patterns, securing with branches as you go. This tricks the eye into thinking you have yards of ribbon swirled in your tree.


• Frame: Create one or more triangular shaped frames around your statement piece. You can add more drama by placing bows at the top and edges of the triangle. Use the same half loop, anchor to branch technique as in the other methods.

Fabric: Lightweight fabrics like tulle, satin or lame make dramatic tree trimmings. You would use this in place of ribbon. The formula needed is two yards per foot of tree. Fold the fabric on top of itself to create a rose shape and secure with floral wire. Then attach it to the tree similar to the vertical ribbon pattern – making sure the fabric loops are full and billowy. For more drama, pool the fabric under the tree as the skirt.

Garlands: Made out of everything from popcorn and cranberries, to paper snowflakes, feather boas, to plastic beads and tinsel, garland should be hung before adding ornaments. For a seven-foot tree, use 48 to 60 feet of garland. You can either tuck the garland a little deeper into the tree for more depth or hang it in a wedding cake pattern, where the garland drapes near branch tips – you will need a few more strands to do this properly. Start at the bottom and attach garland by twisting a branch around it, drape the garland horizontally, be sure to space it evenly. You can use garland of one color or combine two colors and bead sizes.

Ornaments: Now it’s time for ornaments – the options are limitless today. Use the proper hooks or floral wire for the weight of the ornament. Think dimensionally – meaning, apply the shiny ornaments deeper in the tree where they will reflect light. A classic decorating mistake is to hang the ornaments on branch tips.

Fillers: These space fillers like angel hair, birds, feathers, fruit or floral picks complement your theme. You can insert a pick directly into your tree or wire it to a branch with floral wire. Place picks as you would find them in nature – don’t hang a bird upside down for example.

Treetop: It’s best to stick with your theme here but a tree topper tends to be a very personal item – some insist on the same angel they’ve used for years. That’s fine just jazz it up with a large bow or some finials or a cluster of crooked branches for dimension. Scale is important – a large tree calls for a large treetop, narrower trees look better with smaller toppers.

I hope you received at least one new idea for trimming your tree this holiday season. Let me know how it goes - I'd love to see photos!

How to Decorate without Breaking the Bank!

Five Simple Steps to Decorate Your Space

without Breaking the Bank:
Colleen A. Lora, C.I.D.

We all know about the economic conditions these days, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice style. I'm always asked, "How can I make my space look new without spending a lot of money." Read on:

• Color: Here is where you get the most bang for the buck. Think beyond beige, explore the science of color and re-visit the color wheel. How do you want to feel in the space? Do you want a serene bedroom? Do you want to bring the outdoors in? Having a baby? There is a whole psychology to color selection and mood is created easily with a gallon of paint. If you are afraid of making a mistake, contact a decorator for a color consultation.
  


• Area Rugs: So many people have beige wall-to-wall carpet. Just by laying a colorful area rug down you anchor the whole space and bring some art to the floor level. For further punch, bring in coordinating pillows or a throw to tie it together.
  


• Window Treatments: If you don’t have window treatments or are living with blinds only it’s like getting dressed up and going out without your earrings – it just looks unfinished. Drapery panels bring the eye up and bring color to areas often overlooked. If you like to change your designs with the season, invest in reversible drapery panels. Just by flipping them around you can create an entire new look.
  


• Space planning: Most people live with the same furniture arrangement for years. If you can’t imagine it any other way – bring in a decorator to help you draw up some floor plan options. There are also some free room planning tools available on the internet. You can achieve a whole new look by new furniture placement or by bringing pieces from another part of your house into a new room.
  


• Think Multi-Function: If you need a coffee table, look for a storage trunk or ottoman and get two uses in one. If you don’t want to spend a fortune on artwork, get some beautiful fabric remnants or gift wrap and wrap artists canvas, attach with staples and hang on the wall. Did you recently invest in a flat screen TV? Don’t feel compelled to buy that entertainment unit – you can use a chest of drawers or a sofa table under the flat screen to house the other electrical components in a more stylish way.
  
  If you liked the information provided and want more decorating advice please contact Colleen A. Lora, award-winning decorator with Décor & You at clora@decorandyou.com or call her at 614-855-1700. Décor & You was voted “Best Interior Design Firm” by Columbus CEO Magazine for 2008-2009.

Thanks for the Support

As my friends and clients know, I recently entered a national design competition that culminated at the World Market in Las Vegas. Happily, I won several awards. The most prestigous of which was a 2nd place award for Single Space Design. The real highlight of the award ceremony was that my award was announced at World Market by internationally acclaimed interior designer and author Mary Gilliat.

Mary has written nearly 40 books and has become a mentor of mine since I joined Decor & You. She is truly a remarkable woman - she hosted the first ever decorating show on television many years ago on PBS.

The submitted room design (you'll see the before and after photos) was a dining room for local residents Bev & Bob Stonecypher. They were the MOST gracious clients to work with - I can honestly say that no job has ever gone so smoothly. The decorators out there will understand that those projects are a rare treasure. On the day we completed the room the Stonecyphers and I sat down and enjoyed a bottle of wine and some great laughs. I'm pleased to say they retained me once again to work on their great room!

I also won an award for my work in progress at the Estates at New Albany - a high end apartment complex nearby. They retained me to do their clubhouse floorplan, furnishings and window treatments. I'll post those photos soon. Thanks to Andee, the property manager. She's a joy to work with and has become a fast friend.

The kind notes and congratulatory words have been sincerely appreciated - I am blessed with such great friends & family that really take an interest in seeing me succeed. Thank you.