Creating unique table settings for Thanksgiving!!

Creating unique table setting for Thanksgiving isn't that difficult to do. There are so many great little nuggets of decor that you can use, it's easy!! All you have to do is, get creative!! 

 For example, take this setting. What a great idea. Write something you are grateful about. After all, isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about?

You can get the kids involved in this one. Write their names on paper, and then cut out construction paper to use as a mat. You can use store brought, or fresh pinecones as stands.

This one can be a very aromatic setting. Use cinnamon sticks and a sprig of evergreen!! Smells wonderful!!

Want to be more creative? Sew those cute little burlap pouches and insert your utensils!!

Spray paint maple leaf, and let dry. Then write your name in marker. Can't get any easier then that!!

So which one do you like? Which one will you try? Why not try more then one? I know I am! I'm going to use the gold leaf, pinecone place card, and the aromatic utensil setting. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

At Abella Home Staging & Redesign, we believe any home can be beautifully transformed. We believe in delivering a custom-made look, but without the custom-made price tag!! Call us and let's get started today.

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Creating Thanksgiving Centerpieces

Creating Thanksgiving centerpieces can be a lot of fun! You don't have to make it complicated. Using simple decoration items, you can make beautiful centerpiece.

Use plastic pumpkins as centerpieces. Spray painted it gold, or any color to match your table setting. Cut out the center, and place flowers. Finish  setting by using ribbons around utensils.

Here is another example of painting pumpkins.

              

I love this one. Use fresh vegetables to create beautiful and organic center piece.

Very simple centerpiece. Fresh pumpkin and sprigs of leaves.

Create a centerpiece using a box and fill it with all you favorite items.

As you can see, you are only limited by your imagination. Think outside the box. You'll be surprise what you can create.

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At Abella Home Staging & Redesign, we believe any home can be beautifully transformed. We believe in delivering a custom-made look, but without the custom-made price tag!! Call us and let's get started today.

My new slate walkway!!

My new slate walkway is finally done!! So proud of myself. This is my first attempt, and I must say, not too shabby! It was hard work, but worth the effort. Now, I have a great place to store some of my outdoor items, and I don't have to worry about mud or weeds.

When I had my new shed built, there was dirt between the new shed, and the old shed. There was also a height difference, as well as step where the brick ended. This was going to make retrieving the snowblower, a bit difficult.

There was some storage area behind the two sheds. I thought this would be a great place to store some items. 

But it was unkept, and I knew it would get muddy at times. Making this area some what unusable.

I decided to use the slate that I had scattered around my yard. I had original wanted to get rid of it, then thought why not recycle it instead.

I used most of it behind the old shed. But ran out of it before I could get to the other side.

Since I didn't have enough for the area behind the new shed,  I decided to get creative, and use turf grass. This way, it gave me a nice clean area, and it would prevent weeds from coming through. I had some left over brick from a previous job, so I used it along the borders to make it look appealing.  Can't help it, that's the interior decorating coming out of me!!

 I used sand to level out the slate. Leaving it kind of thick, so it can settle on its own time.

And it finally did settle in nicely. Granted, it's not all leveled, since some of the slate is thicker then others, but it's good enough for behind the shed!!

Here is what it looks like, all together. Not bad!!

You can see how I was able to utilize the space. I hung up my ladders, as well as my hoses.

It is now a great area to store my outdoors items. Nice and neat!!

I decided to have cement poured between the shed. This would make getting the snow blower out of the shed easier. Which is important in the winter!!

In the end, I was very happy the way it turned out. Now I have to get the rest of my yard in better shape then what it is now, but that is another project altogether!!

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At Abella Home Staging & Redesign, we believe any home can be beautifully transformed. We believe in delivering a custom-made look, but without the custom-made price tag!! Call us and let's get started today.

Vinyl Flooring, hot new trend!!

Vinyl flooring is the hot new trend!  With all the different styles and colors, it's easy to see why. But that is not the only reason, it can be completely water proof or water resistance!!

Gone are the days when vinyl flooring was something you would find in grandma's house. Todays vinyl flooring comes in planks that look like wood. They are beautiful, long lasting, and best of all, water proof/resistance. 

There are three different types of vinyl flooring:

1. Vinyl planks click and lock. Simply click it and lock in place. Water resistance. Easy to install.

Best Laminate

2. Self-stick Plank flooring. Self-stick edge tabs adhere to one another. Water resistance. Easy to install.

Bargain Outlet

3. Loose lay vinyl plank flooring. Simply lay next to one another. No glueing, no clicking. no adhesive!! Very easy to install. Best of all, water proof!!

efloors

Vinyl flooring have come a long way since we saw it on grandma floors. Today vinyl flooring are so realistic, they can pass for real wood!! They are easy to install, making it easy for anyone to install. They are ideal for basement, where moisture can reside. And they can go be installed over most existing floors!!

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At Abella Home Staging & Redesign, we believe any home can be beautifully transformed. We believe in delivering a custom-made look, but without the custom-made price tag! Call us and let's get started today!

Up and coming color trends!!

What is the up and coming color trends? According to Pantone, there are 4 color palettes that are emerging strong. So what are they?


1. Ephemeral. We are going to see a lot of pastels.  There is a move towards softer colors. The world has become a much more stressful place. People are looking for a way to destress, and color is one way to achieve that. Rooms that are painted in pastels have a quiet, calming, relax effect. Pastels will be seen in just about everything, from fashion, to accessories, to appliances.

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2. Bijou. Think jewel tones, amethyst, violet. Metallic finishes, think sheen, iridescent, pearlized finishes. This is just about finishes and the material being used will have a great impact on the finish. 

Ralph Lauren

3. Footloose. This is a palette about nature. It's about kicking back, relaxing and bring the garden indoors. Think flower colors, blue, green, yellow, orange, taupes.

Sunlight Heritage Homes

4. Mix Bag. Technology today has made the world a smaller place. Cultures are blending. Think bright bold colors. This isn't just a trend, this is life and it's here to stay. Global eclectic mix. A good global mix is almost unidentifiable. You shouldn't be able to identify the culture.

iDesignArch

HGTV

What do you think of this up and coming color trend? Can you see yourself doing any of these palettes? Which one is your favorite? One thing for sure, people are being bolder then ever. Gone are the days when you would buy furniture and keep it 20-30 years, like our parents and grandparents did. We have become a disposable generation, which may not be a bad thing when it comes to design and color! It keeps our design young and fresh and I like that!!

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What material should you look for when buying an area rug?

When buying an area rug, the material is the most important decision you have to make. Are you looking for durability? Softness? A more casual look? Or a more formal look? What are the pros and cons? So many factors to consider when choosing an area rug. Here are some helpful tips!

Wool

Pros: Great for high traffic area, repels water, pleasant to walk on, excellent insulator. Formal

Cons: Tend to absorb moisture, shed fuzz, and can be costly, depending on the quality.

Chenille
Pros: Luxurious soft pile, incredible soft. Looks amazing. Has a sheen to it. Formal look.
Cons: Not suitable for high traffic areas. Can be expensive. Can't use a rotating brush vacuum as it will tangle the fibers. May not be color fast.

Bamboo

Pros: Organic, durable,  great for allergy sufferers. Great for high traffic areas, easy to clean. Casual.

Cons: They don't offer any cushion or softness. Not recommended for humid areas.

Cotton

Pros: Natural product, inexpensive, easily washed, strong and durable. Casual.

Cons: Because they're cotton, they can easily soil and stain. They are found in flat weave, so they tend not to be plush.

Leather
Pros: Soft, stain resistance, easy to clean, incredible unique pieces. Formal.
Cons: Leather does not do well in damp or humid rooms. They tend to be somewhat masculine in natural due to their consistence. Very expensive!

Polypropylene
Pros: Very durable, easy to clean, can be used outdoor, great for kitchen and dining areas. Casual
Cons: Can be crushed or retain a fold, sensitive to heat over 300 degrees.

Sisal, Jute, and Seagrass
Pros: Natural fibers, very strong. Casual, great for beach cottages.
Cons: Impossible to remove stains, coarse, not comfortable.

Sheepskin
Pros: Incredible soft, luxurious, great accent piece. Very warm. Formal.
Cons: Difficult to clean. Need sheepskin specialty cleaner. Stay away from sunlight. High maintenance.

Silk
Pros: Luxurious, incredible soft, has a sheen. Formal.
Cons: Expensive, not as strong as wool, sensitive to moisture.

Synthetics
Pros: Easy to clean, durable, stain resistant, very inexpensive, mildew resistant. Casual or formal.
Cons: Not as pleasing as natural fibers.

As you can see, different material for different uses. At one time or another, I have had just about every type of area rug mentioned in this blog. With the exception of sheepskin and leather!! But who knows, that may change soon enough!!

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Building & organizing my shed

Building and organizing my shed was a time consuming project, but well worth the time and effort. I needed a shed to put all my tools and yard items. So, I brought one of those pre-fab shed and had my contractor, New Island Remodeling, put it together. They did a great job as usual!!

Reading those instruction was time consuming!!

We're almost there!!

Construction is done, now the fun begins! A lot of work on my part, but worth it. I painted the inside and the outside. Why you ask? Because it  brightened up the inside, and protects the outdoor against the elements.

This shed came with two shelves! Very handy, it allowed me to store my tables and outdoor area rug. I added hooks to hang items that were large or bulky.

I added a peg board and even added a table. This allows me to use it as a small work station. 

I labeled all my items. This way when my CHILDREN use the items, they know where to PUT IT BACK!! No excuses!!

I brought these white storage cubes from Home Depot. They are great because they are plastic. I brought  six of them. They come 2 in a pack.

I brought these fabric storage bins from Target. They're called Threshold Fabric Cube. They come in different colors. They fit perfectly in those white storage cubes.

I use PVC tubing and cut them on an angle, then nailed them to wood. This allowed me to store my long items, without taking up space!

Lastly, I use these hooks to hang my ladders, hose and eventually my snow shovels!!

It's not done until I add some piazza to it!! Couldn't help myself!!

Now it's all done. It gives me lots of storage space. I'm very proud of what I accomplished on my own!! But I'm not done yet. I will be adding cement (no I will not do it), sometime in the fall. This way, there won't be such a big step getting in or out of the shed.

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