Fabrics, Textures, and Materials: What are some of their names?

I'm sure you've come across the name of a fabric that was unfamiliar to you and thought, "What does that look like?" How many times have you seen the fabric after you've learned the of name and though "Ah! So that's what it's called!" I know that has happened to me many times!! Here are just some of the fabrics, textures, and materials, and their corresponding names. I can't list them all. The world of Textiles and their terminology is huge!! There are just too many out there, but this may help.

Jacquard

Lame

Matelasse

Moire

Boucle

Brocade

Chambray

Crewel

Batik

Burn-Out velvet

Chintz

Some names you may recognized, others you may not. The world of textile and fabric is a huge one. Decoding the names may be at bit overwhelming!! Arming yourself with knowledge is key to deciphering that code. But let's face it, that is a daunting task!! This is a good start!!

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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!!

Eight Biggest Design Mistakes People Make!

As an Interior Decorator and Home Stager, I have seen my share of homes! Many times the mistakes people make are the same. Sometimes, they are easy to fix. Other times, not as much!! By knowing what to do, and what not to do, you can avoid these mistakes.

1. Furniture. Having too much or not enough. Most of the time it's too many pieces. To avoid the
    mistake of having the furniture not fit, measure the room first. You would be amazed at how many
    people DO NOT do this simple task!!

2. Color Scheme. Often it's a lack of color. Or they add color, but it's in one area only. For example; 

    yellow pillows on the sofa and but no where else. Notice how you eyes linger on those yellow 

    pillows? 

The Eagle's Nest

3. Wall Art. Most of the time, people hang wall art too high.  Good rule of thumb, 60" from floor to center of the picture. With an exception of wall art hanging over the sofa, then it's 8" off the sofa.

Proud Home Staging

4. Clutter. Nothing ruins a good design faster then clutter. Less is more!!

5. Lighting. Here's a formula you can follow, when deciding if you have enough light in a room. 

    Multiply length x width of the room, then multiply 1.5 = wattage.  For Kitchen, multiply 2.5 

    instead of 1.5 for wattage. Don't forget about ambient lighting.

Arcadian Home

6. Focal Point. Each room should have a focal point. In the bedroom, it's the bed. In today's home,

    the TV seems to be the focal point. Group your furniture around the focal point, and if necessary, 

    use an area rug to ground the space.

Houzz

7. Matchy-Matchy. A look that is outdated and boring!! Add piazza and character to your room by 

    designing a room that co-ordinates rather then match.

Designing Home

8. Accessories. Don't line your accessories in a row. Instead, group them in odd numbers, 3 being the perfect number. You can add in different height, texture and color (all blue but different shades of blue). Don't forget about scale.

Design Rooms

These tips should guide you in achieving the room you desire. If you would like your room to be filled with happiness every time you walk in, contact us!

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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!!

Radiant Orchid: Pantone color for 2014!

Radiant Orchid is Pantone's color of the year for 2014. Expect to see this color everywhere in the next few months. What a beautiful color!  “An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm". said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. I couldn't agree more!!

Pantone

In Style

The Haughty Hedgehog

So my friends out there, keep your eyes open. In the next few months, you will see an influx of Radiant Orchid out there! Will you be using this color in your design theme? Perhaps purchasing some item of clothing instead? My guess is, no matter what, you will probably have SOMETHING in this color!!

Decorating for Christmas!!

Decorating for Christmas can be a long and daunting task. I know, it takes me three days to complete the look I'm striving for, but the outcome is very satisfying!! Nothing makes it feel like the holiday then a decorated home. Are you ready for the holidays? Are you looking to change your color theme? Last year I went from a more traditional Christmas theme of Red, and Green, to a more contemporary theme of Turquoise, Chartreuse Green and White. I love it. Don't be afraid to change the look of your holiday decoration. Here is a look on how I decorate for the holidays.

My living room. As you can see, I kept the Christmas decor color the same as my living room color theme.

I love to decorate my chandelier by adding more bling!! It sparkles when the lights are turned on!!

I brought this 4' tree last year from Ballards. The perfect fit for this area of the living room.

I even decorated behind the sofa. Sort of "leave no stone unturned"!! Notice the deer theme?!!!

In the dining room, I once again decorated the chandelier. I use tie backs to hold the greenery in place. Don't be afraid to create your own.

Centerpiece for the dining room table. Uh more deer please!!

Using the decor that is already there, I add the finishing touch by adding turquoise gift box, acorns, greenery, and some glitter covered leaves. 

Once again, I use acorn, glitter covered leaves and tiny turquoise ornaments for a pop of color.

When you light the candles in those crystal candle holders, they sparkle!! So pretty!!

Centerpiece for the kitchen island.  Notice how I kept the same color theme throughout?

                                    

I created this piece by putting together branches, white balls and white flowers, to coordinate the colors for the Christmas decorations. This is one of the benefits of creating your own decor. Plus you can custom make it to fit any items you want.

                            

Finally the show piece, the Christmas Tree. All dressed up and ready for it's debut!! 

It's even prettier when it's lit!! It seems to come alive with color!! If you need help decorating, give us a call!!  Happy Holiday decorating!!

#AbellaHomeStaging

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!!

How To Create A Beautiful Room!

Creating a beautiful well design room can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Did you know there are guidelines that can help you? Notice how well put together a designer's room always looks? Want to know how it's done? Here are some just some of the guidelines that can help you when decorating your room.

1. Balance. Have you achieved balance horizontally, vertically? Is the room "heavier" on one side verses the other? What about color? Does it hit all three zones, Skyline, Power zone, Function zone? Do your metal finishes co-ordinate? Bronze with bronze, satin nickel with satin nickel?

Abella Home Staging & Redesign

2. Harmony. Do your rooms tell a story? Do all the rooms flow together, is it it "choppy"? Although there's nothing wrong with mixing different styles together, what you don't want is one room that's shabby chic, one that is contemporary, one traditional and so on.

Toll Brothers

3. Proportion. The relation between one item to another in terms of size. Is the lamp too big for the table? Too small?

A Stroll Thru Life

4. Scale.  Make sure your furniture is to scale. Is your sofa too large for the room?

Simply Modern Home

5. Style. Have you achieved your desire look? Do all the elements work together? Does it have flair?

Abella Home Staging & Redesign

6. Color.  Again does it hit all three zones, Function, Power, Skyline? Or do you have in one area only, creating unbalance in the room?

Freshome

7. Rhythm & Flow. Keep the room moving. This is where you're going to repeat things. Be true to the form. Round with round, square with square.

Abella Home Staging & Redesign

These guidelines are a great starting point. But if you find you're having trouble, it may be worth it to hire an Interior Decorator. The cost of a mistake is much more pricer then the cost of hiring an Interior Decorator!!

#AbellaHomeStaging

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!!

Drastic changes that can affect your home & pocket book!!

A while back I saw an episode on "The unsellable" on HGTV where Sofie Allsopp, recommended the seller change out her dinette set. Although I loved the changes, it cost the seller $650 for the new dinette set! Ouch!! It gave me pause to think, do you have to change out your furniture to make a dramatic change? Not really. There have been times when I though changing out the furniture would be ideal, but it may not have been in the budget to do so. Their are other ways to get that a drastic change without hurting your budget. Here are just a few suggestions:

·    Reupholster your sofa. That will totally change the look of the
     room.

Do It Yourself Divas

·    Add new chair or  recover existing chairs to your dinette/dining set.

Be an Interior decorator

·    Paint you furniture instead of replacing them. Much less costly.

Decorating Ideas made easy

These are just some ideas that you can do. Don't be afraid to think outside the box. Just make sure you use the right paint. Or if you are hiring out, make sure they are qualified to do the job.

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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!!

Simple Storage Solutions!

There's have been many times when my friends and family have utter these words to me, "Oh my gosh, you're so organized, how do you do it?" Well I have to admit, I love to organize. I know some people may say "You need help!". But honestly, I think they're a bit envious of the fact that I am so organized. So how do I do it? It's easy for me, but maybe not so much for you! But it can be. Once you're organized, it's easy to maintain. It's getting organizes that most people find hard. There are so many storage solutions out there, it easier then it's ever to get organized. 

So how do you get started? Take one step at a time. There are four step to getting organize:

1.  Planning- You have to schedule a time to do this project, so set a time. Even if it's just a few minutes. Just plan to "do it" as often as possible, until the project is done.

Artful Care

2. Sorting- Sort your items into three piles, keep, discard, unsure. The unsure pile is usually the difficult one. Rule of thumb: If you haven't use it in over a year, chances are, you're never going to, so discard it. If this is a problem, I have a solution. Pack these items in a box and set aside. If after 4 months you did not open the box, then those items can be discarded. DO NOT OPEN THE BOX. Simply discard!

Life@OSU

3. Shop- Once it's sorted you can go shopping for the containers you will need. Keep in mind your style. Decorative boxes or see-thru containers, you chose.

                                      

                   

The Container Store

4. Reassemble- Putting it back can be the tricky part. You may have to go back and fine tune it to get it right. But it's all about convenience and finding the right spot for that item. You want to place these items in the order that you need then the most.

Julie Sprouse

That's the basic conception behind organizing. Any one can do it, however if you feel so overwhelmed and don't want to tackle it, you might want to invest and hire a professional organizer. Once it's done you will feel a sense of peace and harmony and that to me, is worth everything!

#AbellaHomeStaging

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!!