7 Amazing Accessorizing Tips

Posted on February 27, 2020 by tammy

Accessories bring a room together making it look polished, comfortable and well styled. Well-appointed accessories can make an ordinary room extraordinary. Taking care to arrange a home’s accessories is an essential part of interior design, giving a room an exclamation point, or finished look.

Here are seven principles for arranging home accessories to add style, design elements, and a finishing touch to any room.

1. Color

Accessories can be any number of objects in a room. From accent pillows, a vase, or trio of vases, sculpture or architectural pieces, many items qualify as accessories, so there needs to be some unifying element to prevent the space from looking random or haphazard. A common color scheme can help group all the varying elements together. Choose up to three complementary colors and use them to tie in all of the accessories.

2. Asymmetrical Balance

Asymmetrical balance can create more interest, especially if there are only a few items or pairs of accessories, like candlesticks, to work with. Artwork is a common complement to a room’s focal point (think a painting over a fireplace mantle), but it doesn’t always have to be centered. Offsetting an appropriate sized piece of artwork to one side opens up the opposite side for other elements like tall candlesticks or tall vases of flowers to create an asymmetrical vignette.

3. Accessorizing in Layers

Layering multiple groupings of the same element creates depth. Multiple vases of different heights in the same color scheme, multiple heights of decorative candlesticks, and multiple sizes of framed black and white photos are just some examples of layering elements. Once you’ve created a layered focal point or space, adding smaller complimentary elements among the layered pieces can achieve even more depth.

4. Vary Heights

When decorating a space, a great design will create a flow the eye will follow. If elements are too similar or symmetrical, the eye will gloss right over them, not seeing the added interest they bring to an area. Create movement by varying the heights and sizes as well as the arrangement and flow of all designer pieces in a vignette.

5. Group Accessories

Accessories that are similar in style can be grouped together to increase impact. An example of grouped accessories might include a vase of fall colored flowers, a bowl of pine cones, and a dark bronze wall sconce or a collection of vintage leather bound books.

6. Mix Textures and Materials

Using accessories that are too similar, or are made from the same materials, such as all wood, or all crystal, or all rustic metals, diminishes their impact. Mix and match metals, solid fabrics, patterns, textures, and finishes to keep a space interesting but cohesive. Pair opposites such as soft with hard, round with angles, color with neutrals and smooth with textured for more impact.

7. Spotlighting

Literally spotlighting an element enhances a room’s focal point. Adding directed overhead lighting over a painting would draw more attention to your carefully designed vignette.

Accessorizing a room is one of the most important aspects of a great interior design. If you implement these seven principles, you will design a beautiful and unique space and create a polished and finished space.

Have a flair for design? Wish you could be designing interiors for a living?

Click here to learn more about how you can be professionally designing interiors in a marketplace with an abundance of clients. Our course is fast, affordable and the most hands-on in the industry.

The Academy of Home Staging and Design

“In Less Than a Week,

We Can Change Your Life”

What’s Hot and What’s Not in 2020

Posted on January 15, 2020 by tammy

We are always excited to see predictions for the new design trends for the coming year. Everyone from magazines, to paint companies, have an opinion as to what will be in vogue. Some trends from the preceding years, turn out to be impractical (white kitchens) and we are glad to see their demise. Here are some trends that seemed to be agreed on:

As we become more and more aware of preserving the world around us, many experts are predicting sustainability will becoming a focus with natural woods, bringing the outdoors in as design elements, and if you want to improve your home even more the use of services as All Service Plumbers in Dana Point could help with any plumbing issue you could have in your home. Fast, Friendly, Knowledgeable Atlanta plumber Services provide excellent service without the pressure or scare tactics that other companies use to drum up business. Recycled materials will be used everywhere from furniture, floor covering, even artwork. We will also see a design trend towards reuse as vintage pieces see a resurge in popularity.

Homes will be going from hard edge lines to soft and welcoming with soft feminine colors such as pinks and soft cozy fabrics. Floral wall paper is also predicted to be popular as well as geometric designs. Sherwin Williams has announced their paint color of the year as Naval. Benjamin Moore announced their choice of color as First Light, a pale blush pink. Sherwin Williams also offered “Romance” , a dusty shade of pink as one of 2020 colors.

Architecthural Digest is predicting Japaneese Influences that speak to minimalism and eco friendly design.

Good Housekeeping is predicting high-contrast decor, black and white to add boldness in a space. Many sites suggested black was going to be making a comeback in design

While the design trends are always interesting and fun to follow, a good rule of thumb is to buy quality pieces that will stand the design test of time and to allow trends and fads to be implemented in paint colors and accessories, unless there’s a piece you fall in love with. Ask any real estate agent who has tried to sell a house with avocado green sinks and orange countertops and they will advise be cautious when making big changes with trends.

How to Make Your Resolutions – Reality in 2020

Posted on December 31, 2019 by tammy

Most of us start out the year with a list of resolutions, things we are determined to do to change our lives. For most people that determination starts to diminish as the months go on. We come to this time of the year and start making resolutions again, the sad thing is that they are often the same resolutions. Experts say there are things that you can do to change this cycle and actually make your resolutions a reality.

Visualize

Picture what you want to achieve, but actually visualize how the change will effect your life. You want to start a new career, picture yourself doing it. See yourself out there doing the job, depositing your check, taking your family out to eat with your profits. Visualize your achievements. Want to loose weight, picture how great you will look in that little black dress you saw online. Coaches tell this to their athletes all the time, picture yourself crossing the finish line in first place or getting that knock out. You need to do this with your goals for your life.

Break up your goals into steps, It is easier to move forward on things, if there are steps to conquer. Many people make the mistake of trying to take on too much at once. Any journey is easier when you have a map to guide you and it will be a lot less overwhelming.

Vision boards can help with visualizing and creating steps. Whether or not you believe that what you put out to the universe is what happens in your life, the fact is, keeping your goals in front of you helps. When you constantly see what you want to achieve you are more apt to work towards getting it.

Make a Commitment

Making a Commitment-especially a financial commitment is a high indicator of success. Many people say they want to lose weight or get in shape, you have a better chance of doing it if you sign up and pay for a gym membership. We get calls all the time from people who say they have always wanted to be an Interior Designer or Home Stager, most of them will never do it . The ones who do are the ones who make a commitment and sign up. I have heard lots of students who tell me, let me put the deposit for the class down and I will make it happen. They always do. You have heard the old adage, “put your money where your mouth is”, it’s true. Stop talking about what you are going to do and actually take steps to do it. People spend money on frivolous things all the time, (check out my Starbucks App) but often they hesitate on spending money on things that will really change their lives. Invest in Yourself, it will be the best investment, you ever make.

Accountability

Putting money down does not guarantee success. This time of year, gyms and weight loss centers make a ton of money off of people who will not actually follow through with their commitment. Accountability helps keep you on track. Share your goals with family and friends, we tell this to our incoming students, all the time. You have more impetus to succeed when you have shared what you are doing publicly. They can also be a good source of encouragement when you are working toward your goals.

An Accountability partner can be helpful. We often have students who register for classes together, this helps them have someone to go through the process with. When you have a partner it’s easier to keep going and you are more motivated to succeed.

Coaching also works on this principal. When you know you have to speak with your coach every week, you keep the commitments you make and you move forward towards your goals. Accountability works, this is why we include coaching, after graduation to help our students get their businesses up and running.

Celebrate Your Successes

No matter how small your successes might seem, Celebrate them. It’s those small successes that will eventually lead you to where you want to be. There will always be setbacks and a learning curve on anything you do, don’t beat yourself up about it. Setbacks are part of the learning process, dust yourself up and keep moving forward. If you move over the setbacks and celebrate your successes you will have a more positive outlook. A positive outlook will help you keep going toward your goals.

Set New Goals and Resolutions

It’s important to always be growing and moving forward. When you reach one goal, put another one in its place. If you break up what you want to achieve, you can move forward faster. Who doesn’t like to cross things off their to-do lists.

Take Time for You

It’s always important to recharge. Don’t be so focused on achieving your goal that you forget to enjoy your life, after all you are setting these goals to make your life better. Rest, Laugh and be with the people you love. Being with the people you love is your reason Why you do what you do , so it’s good to remind yourself of your motivations.

Cheers to 2020 and to making your Dreams a Reality!

Here’s How to Mini-Flip and Stage Your Home This Fall

Image

Home staging is becoming known as a must-do for home sellers.

The reason? It works.

According to a report from the National Association of Realtors, 58 percent of sellers’ realtors believe that buyers offer more money for staged homes than for unstaged, and 77 percent thought staging made it easier for buyers to visualize themselves in the home.

Staging can be even more effective if you do what’s being called a “mini-flip” on your home first.

Rather than a full remodel, which has been shown repeatedly to have a low ROI, mini-flips involve deep-cleaning, painting, perhaps putting in new flooring and lighting, and/or refinishing cabinets, depending on what your particular home is most in need of.

So how can you improve your chances of selling your home this fall, and being in your new one by the holidays? Here are a few tips.

Focus on decluttering and deep cleaning first.

Decluttering and deep cleaning have some of the highest ROI of any home project out there, according to data from HomeLight.

Whether you tackle this yourself or hire professionals, a decluttered, spotless home makes it much easier to see what actually needs attention. Maybe those cabinets don’t look as dated as you thought. Maybe the master closet carpet just needed a good steam clean, not a full replacement.

In addition, getting rid of things you no longer need will make it much easier to gather ideas on how to stage your home and which rooms might benefit from it the most. Without the visual (and mental) clutter, you’ll be ready to start making your home look the best it possibly can.

Paint, paint, paint.

Painting is a relatively inexpensive, low-effort project that has the potential to absolutely transform a room.

If your walls are dingy, or faded, a new coat of paint will make them look fresh and new. If you have a room that’s painted an unusual or vibrant shade, repainting it in a neutral color like an ivory or gray will make it appeal to a much wider range of potential buyers, while also creating an air of calm and peace.

Don’t make any staging decisions until after you’ve painted, as your colors and selections may look very different in a repainted room than they would in the original.

As the weather gets colder, embrace “hygge.”

This Danish term for warm, cozy living became popular in the design world a few years ago, and since then many designers and home stagers have called upon principles of hygge to stage homes that are inviting and welcoming.

Ways to incorporate hygge when you stage your home include:

Creating a cozy sitting area by moving your comfiest armchair next to a window, and adding a few plush throw pillows.
Add warm rugs in key areas, like in front of your fireplace and on cold bathroom floors.
Open up the home to natural light with long, sheer curtains.

Add in just a few thoughtful details, like artwork, tasteful seasonal flower arrangements, and accent decor.

It’s important when staging your home to stick to the essentials—you don’t want to visually overwhelm potential buyers.

However, you also don’t want the home to look bare. There should be art on the walls (even DIY art can help stage your home if it’s done well), a light flower arrangement or two, and some tasteful accent decor. Fall-themed pillows in rich oranges, reds, or browns, candles, and seasonal wreaths are just a few options.

Mini-flipping and staging your home before selling can offer you huge returns both by speeding up your home sale and earning you a higher selling price. And if you’re in the staging business yourself, be sure to connect with your local real estate agents about working with mini-flippers!

Color Psychology and Its Importance in Home Staging

Image

When designing or staging a home, embrace the opportunity to let your expertise shine, and create a place home buyers can spend quality time with loved ones, unwind from a hard day’s work, and something that reflects them in the best way possible. Remember, staging is only one part of the house selling process. You need to make sure you carry out your other due diligence, and this article from TheAdvisory will help you do just that. Today, we’re going to delve into the importance of color in home staging, and how it can affect not only the mood of a room, but the mood of the people inhabiting it.

As you decide what colors to add into a space, you have to think about the purpose of that specific room. Some questions to ask yourself include: What is the intention of the room? What emotions do you want to evoke? Who inhabits this room most?

Then it’s time to select the most tasteful variation of the color to add into the space.

Red

Depending on the shade you choose to bring in, hues of Red are often associated with energy, joy, warmth, and sophistication. Lighter shades of red have been known to promote energy and passion, while darker shades instill a sense of sophistication.

With that being said, red is considered the most powerful color, and it is often not well received in bedrooms, or rooms where calm and relaxation are desired. Living rooms can be a great area to add corals and burnt orange hues with accent pillows, or other home decor accessories. Maroons and pure reds are better suited for a dining room, bringing about a sense of warmth and richness when paired with rustic naturally dark toned dining room furnishings.

2. Yellow:

Yellow is a great color to tie into a space to bring in a sense of happiness, brightness, and positivity. It’s a great way to brighten up a space that may lack natural sunlight, or is a high energy area for your family. Yellow helps to stimulate the left side of the brain, which produces creativity and deep thinking.

Yellow is a great color to incorporate into a kitchen or office. With gold being a trending accent color right now, it’s an easy variation of yellow to tie into a home office using office supplies and desk accessories. Keep in mind that yellow is the most eye catching color on the spectrum, so it’s important to limit how much you introduce into a space due to its overwhelming properties.

3. Green:

Being the color most found in nature, green exudes feelings of harmony, growth, and vibrancy. It is a simple way to bring some of the outside, in, which creates a fresh and harmonious space for potential home buyers.

Darker and more raw shades of green are a great way to bring nature into the home, both with home furnishings, and fresh plants. Plush green living room sofas and accent chairs are a unique way to bring in raw green hues into a space, while balancing it out with crisp whites to give it a modern, vibrant feel. While lighter greens, which promote calm and harmony, like mint or emerald, are great to incorporate into kids rooms. It can add a pop of color while promoting a calm atmosphere, appealing to home buyers with a young families.

4. Blue:

Blue is most commonly connected to feelings of tranquility and relaxation. More muted blues are often associated with the ocean, which creates a serene tone in the room. Pastel blues help to brighten up a space, while lowering stress. Blue is the mostly widely accepted color, and appeals to wide range of individuals, making it a great color to stage a home with.

Kids’ rooms, bathrooms, and bedrooms are the perfect spaces to incorporate shades of blue. Bedrooms are meant for sleep and relaxation, so tying it in through accent walls, curtains, and bedding accessories will have a softening effect. You want potential home buyers to envision a space they can retreat to, so choosing a shade like dusk, is a great way to promote calm, and create an area where they can unwind from the day’s stresses. In the bathroom, pair denim shades of blue, or lighter shades, with white appliances, for a clean look that will appeal to a wide range of tastes and styles.

5. Purple:

Purple combines the energy of red with the stability of blue, and instills a sense of luxury and royalty in a space, while also inspiring creativity. Lighter shades of purple are often brought in through fresh flowers, or used as an accent color against neutral and natural colored furnishings. With spring right around the color, lavender and orchid are shades that can really freshen and brighten up a space.

Purple is also a great color to bring into a hobby or office space, with its ability to inspire creativity and deep thinking. Darker shades like eggplant and plum can be brought in through desk chairs or accent chair pillows. Desk accessories, and purple accent vases with fresh plants, paired with white or natural toned furnishings, are great decor pieces that establish a professional yet creative environment.

6. Black:

Black is a prominent color that can make a space feel both elegant, and sophisticated. Different hues can also, help to bring an industrial urban look to a space through lighter greys, silvers, and pure black accents.

Black is a great color to incorporate into a bathroom, with a stark white contrast to create a classic and clean look that can be accessorized with an accent color of the home buyer’s choice. Blacks versatility makes it easier for potential buyers to envision making the space their own. It is also a great color to tie into an office space, to create a classic professional design, or a dining room through industrial styled lighting andpewter colored cast iron dining chairs.

7. Brown:

Similar to green, brown is a natural color often derived and most associated with nature. Tieing browns into a space can instill a sense of warmth, comfort, and stability. Darker, more raw browns, like umber and pecan tones, can add a richness to a room, while lighter hues can create a modern, simplistic space when paired with white and lighter green shades.

Brown is a great color to tie into a living room with natural colored coffee tables, entertainment centers, leather sofas and to apply it to your garden space to the retractable awnings, furniture or other decoration Dining rooms are also a great place to introduce shades of brown through raw wood tables and lighting fixtures made from non-conventional wicker materials. This helps to create a warm and comforting area where families can envision enjoying eachothers’ company. Adding fresh plants to the space can add to the natural feel, while mushroom colored rugs offset the darker brown hues.

Create drama in your Stagings with these easy DIY faux arrangements

Posted on April 26, 2018 by admin

Glass Vase and/or Colored Sand will be your number one priority in arranging your faux succulents. Be careful not to do too much color, taking away from the plant itself, or other design elements, you can also go for the more simple approach of just using the glass vase. This arrangement adds to an artistic side of a potential buyer, or could be what they’re missing in their own house. The best part is – It won’t break the bank! Faux succulents are now available at multiple different locations including target.

Design is all about Color!

Posted on April 26, 2018 by admin

Blue

As tried and true blue, you bring a no-nonsense attitude to most endeavors, and your strong belief in the things you undertake is often the key to their success.

Green

Celadon indicates that you are a good listener, have genuine compassion, and allow others to express their hopes and fears.

Red

Red is the color with the most energy. It can trigger responses for example, stop signs or fire hydrants. It can signal that you’re maybe a bit tempestuous, someone who seeks out new experiences and surroundings.

Yellow

Yellow is a color that signifies friendship. With this in mind, you want to keep the yellow brighter, reminding of sunshine, instead of dingy. Great for any room.

Purple

“Purple, in its darkest values (eggplant, for example), is rich, dramatic and sophisticated. It is associated with luxury and creativity; as an accent or secondary color, it gives a scheme depth. Lighter versions of purple, such as lavender and lilac, bring the same restful quality to bedrooms as blue does, but without the risk of feeling chilly”

Orange

“Orange evokes excitement and enthusiasm, and is an energetic color. While not a good idea for a living room or for bedrooms, this color is great for an exercise room; it will bring out all the emotions that you need released during your fitness routine. In ancient cultures, orange was believed to heal the lungs and increase energy levels.”

All information was provided by: https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/colors/g1370/room-color-meaning/?slide=1 and https://freshome.com/room-color-and-how-it-affects-your-mood/

Using Artwork to Decorate A Home

Posted on October 13, 2017 by theacademy

Using Artwork to Decorate A Home

A home is a reflection of the people who live there. Your client’s home – or their space you are designing – should reflect their personal style and their interests. A very good interior design can make your property feel better. It should also be inviting to others who are visiting. That’s a lot to ask, right?!

Luckily, decorating a home doesn’t have to be labor intensive, expensive, or involve too much work. Artwork can help make a house a home and make it more appealing to the client’s visitors and to the client themselves every day! It can also be confusing, and it’s easy to buy too much or too little, or stress over design decisions, making using artwork to decorate your home more stressful than it should be, and even if you have issues with pests in your home, you can check out Pest Control Markham Exterminator to get help with this

Here are 7 easy ways to use artwork to decorate a home and make sure your client’s personality – and the beauty of their home – shines through!

1. Don’t focus on price. Some pieces of art are expensive, some are not. Both can be equally beautiful. Anything can be art – a cool, unique tapestry, personal photos, even found objects – and even pieces of art purchased can be inexpensive. Try scouting out local artists, especially if they’re just getting started. The piece may be by a famous artist in a few years, and you’ll know you helped them get there! Also, some pieces, like canvas art, can be customized and personalized without sacrificing quality – all for a very affordable price for those clients looking for a great value!

Canvas art by Canvas Press

2. Make sure you have art the client loves in every room! Don’t neglect the kitchen, entryway, or bathrooms – if you can’t find the perfect piece for your cleint, you can get a customized piece of art. Just don’t leave blank walls! Visitors feel more comfortable in a lived-in space!