I don't mind gifts for the home. Trust me, if I was gifted a vacuum cleaner or a coffee maker or a clever kitchen gadget,…
Secret Recipe: Craig’s Banana Ice Cream with Cookies and Cream
I love bananas so naturally I'd want to fuse a traditional vanilla-based ice cream with bananas.
Fear is the Latest Trend
Fear is the power that fuels inertia. I read somewhere that the all-white room is a byproduct of fear.
Downsizing, Yes, but Don’t Forget Upsizing Too
Many of our clients struggle with the challenges of downsizing. But what about upsizing? Typically out of college, we land our first job, maybe we shack up in a trendy urban neighborhood, then get married, celebrate a first born. But the inevitable arrives, planning for that second (or third) child?
Salon Style: Origins and Influence on Today’s Décor
Not for the strict minimalist, unless carefully and obsessively arranged, this approach involves hanging all the pictures closely next to and atop one another in order to fit them all in.
The Best: My Favorites from Art Display to Outdoor Grills
Back by popular demand, here's our roundup of eight superlatives. Call them our favorite things or our go-to brands. When you seek the best, you get what you pay for and you won't be disappointed.
Why is Ironing So Satisfying?
Attacking the noxious wrinkles with a steam wand or heavy German steam iron stirs up a feeling of gratifying satisfaction and completes with a sense of primitive accomplishment that I feel like I can conquer the world.
Isn’t Paint Just Paint?
The one thing that will completely transform a room is an exceptional paint job. It's the type of application that people can understand and relate to, though rarely give much consideration to the varying levels of quality.
20 Questions I Don’t Know the Answer To
There's a lot I know – and a ton I don't. Here's some questions to ponder with me.
Before Company Arrives, Review This Checklist
Our homes never looks as good as when company arrives. Or as worse as just a few hours before. Here's my “fluffing” routine, as I…
What I’ve Learned From Professional Photo Shoots
It's Not All Smoke and Mirrors My first assumption was, when flipping through shelter and home magazines, that nothing was "real". Objects were dropped in…
Luxury Cushions for your Tush
Let's face it, regular 'ole foam cushions are basic. And admittedly it's my job to shed light on things you never knew you needed until I…
Here’s My Design Bucket List
I get to dream up a lot of fun creations from project to project. I keep an informal list of all the fun things I'd…
The Ultimate Luxury: Lack of Choice
We now spend most of our time ... clicking the "compare" button so we can ruminate over decisions within our decisions. Until we're paralyzed by them.
Our 450° Dinner Party
Since we entertain a lot, I'd say we're getting to be pro's at orchestrating dinner parties. We even keep a dinner party journal to log…
Don’t Let Pets Discourage Your Decorating Dreams
No one understands the love for pets as much as we do. And I'd say about half of our clients have pets and nice things at…
Getting Your “Pillowscape” Right
No room is completely styled without an essential symphony of pillows. It's a key opportunity to pull together all the colors and textures that the furnishings,…
Why Does Everything Take So Long?
We're so impatient. Trust me, I'm the worst in that regard. Though ironically I'm perfectly suited for this job because I aim my shepherding powers directly at…
Shut Up About Marble Countertops Already
I love marble. Everything about the natural, ancient quality of its surface. The porous, timeworn signs of a material that has endured hundreds of millions…
Why You Can’t Get a Good Contractor (Hint: It’s not the Economy)
Answers to this age-old question are staring you in the face.
16 Surprising Gizmos & Gadgets of an Interior Designer
I'm a bit of a product junkie. I love tools that do the job efficiently and make life more satisfying in the process.
Why I Dread Styling
You might be thinking, "What?! You design interiors for a living, how can you dislike styling?"
Generally, I don't care for anything that comes off as forced or deliberate. The exercise of filling a space with objet d'art , tchotchkes, bric-a-brac, knick-knacks completely stresses my brain out ...
Light up your Artwork the Right Way
Lighting your walls to highlight artwork or other features may seem easy at first, but there is a right and wrong way to do it. People…
How to Make the 13 Layer Bed
Yes, you read that correctly. I love making the bed. It brings a certain calmness and order to the impending randomness we face each day. For…