DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Week
*Beware of the Glaring Distraction… I always advise incorporating natural sunlight into a space where you work. The sun invigorates you (charges your batteries so to speak), and when you’re working on an important project, any little extra boost can be helpful. With your home office, however, you need to be extra careful where you position your desk and at what times of the day the sun will burst through the window. Work too close to a window during the peak sunny hours, and you can end up with a glare in your eyes or on your computer screen that can prevent you from working. If you position your office near a window, you might want to install sheers, shutters, or window shades to allow you to enjoy the view when the sun is subtle. Maybe even purchase a cheap glare blocker for the computer screen.DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Week
Looking to spruce up your sleeping space? A quick, low-budget bedroom makeover is a great way to bring new energy, harmony and balance to your nocturnal world. Let’s start with the basics: bedding.
*Insider info on bedding dimensions
There are certain things in this world that remain difficult despite the fact that everyone wants them to be easy. Buying bedding when you don’t want to purchase a packaged set can be one of those things. For your convenience, and in the hope that you’ll mix and match your bedding, here is a sizing chart:
Mattress Sizes:
–Twin: 39 x 75 inches ( or 99 x 190 cm)
–X-Long Twin: 39 x 80 inches ( or 99 x 203 cm)
–Full: 54 x 75 inches (or 137 x 190 cm)
–Queen: 60 x 80 inches (or 153 x 203 cm)
–King: 76 x 80 inches (or 198 x 203 cm)
–California King: 72 x 84 inches (or 182 x 213 cm)
Fitted Sheet Sizes:
–Twin: 39 x 75 inches ( or 99 x 190 cm)
–X-Long Twin: 39 x 80 inches ( or 99 x 203 cm)
–Full: 54 x 75 inches (or 137 x 190 cm)
–Queen: 60 x 80 inches (or 153 x 203 cm)
–King: 76 x 80 inches (or 198 x 203 cm)
–California King: 72 x 84 inches (or 182 x 213 cm)
Flat Sheet Sizes:
–Twin: 66 x 96 inches (or 167 x 243 cm)
–X-Long Twin: 66 x 102 inches (or 167 x 259 cm)
–Full: 81 x 96 inches (or 205 x 243 cm)
–Queen: 90 x 102 inches (or 228 x 259 cm)
–King/ California King: 108 x 102 inches (or 274 x 259 cm)
Comforter Sizes:
–Twin: 68 x 86 inches (or 173 x 218 cm)
–Full/ Queen: 86 x 86 inches ( or 218 x 218 cm)
–King/ California King: 100 x 90 inches (or 254 x 229 cm)
DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Week
– Look for meaningful pieces that tell your story.
– Use discretion; not every surface has to be covered.
– Don’t be an overzealous accessory queen or king.
– For dramatic effect, choose wall art that is large in scale.
DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Week 12/1
*Stay Flexible I love functional fixed objects. Floating shelves coming out of the wall, for instance, are a great space-and money-saving way to add style, display, and storage to a room. In the entryway, however, consider keeping fixed objects like this on the narrower side. Chances are high that you’ll be carrying large things through the entryway. Even an armload of groceries can be annoying if your path is crowded by immovable objects (and it’s a leading cause of bruised funny bones!) Even if you need someone to help you move it, make sure furniture in the entryway is movable for those times you’ll need to haul things through. It’s all about foresight.
*Make an “unexpected” umbrella basket I could tell you to build an umbrella basket from scratch, but between the need to make it water-tight and the cost of the metal you’re likely to buy and need to bend, it’s not really worth it. Instead, find a decorative, plain metal or ceramic container that strikes your eye — just keep size in mind. (Tall and square floral vases, old metal wash bins, even small wine barrels can work well.) Once you find a gem, re-purpose it as a place for umbrellas. If the finish isn’t exactly what you like, but the size and shape are, then use faux finishing techniques like stencils, metallic finishes, and color washes to make it fit tightly (or clash brightly) with the theme of other furnishings in the entryway.
DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Week 11/16
*Bring the island home Are you looking at these layouts and feeling jealous of the extra counter space and storage space provided by an island? There are ways to grab those benefits without actually contracting a professional to install an island for thousands of dollars. You don’t even need all that much floor space. Mobile islands are an excellent way to add size to your kitchen. Keep it about as tall as your counters so you can pull it right up to them and so it is tall enough for guests to sit at on stools. The more height it has, the more shelves or racks you can install for a huge boost of storage space. If your kitchen can’t support more than a couple of people, you can move the island through the doorway and you’ll have a great serving space and further increase the connection between the kitchen and the adjacent space.
*Measure twice… The kitchen, because of cabinetry, makes vertical space more precious than usual. When purchasing countertop appliances, pay attention to all their dimensions — height especially. For tall items like a mixer, you’ll want to be careful that you can stow it deep in the counter, under the cabinets, when it is not in use. You shouldn’t own any small appliances that are taller than the height between your counter and your lowest cabinet.
DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Week 10/28
Can your entertaining spaces handle hosting? Here are some tips for accommodating huge groups:
*Stimulate the senses Have music and thematic scents to inspire your guests to get into the groove.*Take control of your lighting Controllable lighting makes your entertainment space much more variable. Here are some high-style lighting solutions listed in order of estimated cheapness: candles, dimmers, mood lighting, natural rock salt lamp.*Proper serving dishware Not enough cups, plates, and forks can really be a bummer. If you are hosting a very large group, opt for cheap but fancy-looking plastic serving gear.
DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Week 10/4
*Add life to your lighting– Pressure-treated woods (plywood or 2x4s)
– All weather-resistant stains
– Synthetic plastics
– Bead board
– Repurposed wood and metal
DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Week
*Closet investment pays off There will always be cheaper solutions than a large standing armoire or wardrobe. From a designer’s perspective, though, so much style and ambiance can be brought by a single large wardrobe piece that it’s worth it. Decreasing the number of containers you have for your clothes frees up open space. It’s also easier to base the cohesion of your style around one central object than to consolidate the look of several pieces of furniture. Finally, painting or refinishing a big old armoire will tighten your design style and provide a sense of achievement as you get ready each morning.
*Neat nightstands lead to Nirvana Your nightstand is too closely affiliated with your bed – the center of rest in your life – to be messy. Put some thought into basic organization on the surface, and be sure to put the few seconds needed into tidying the nightstand each day to remove clutter and chaos from your sleeping setting.
DIRTY LITTLE… Tips of the week 9/5
*Highlight what you want If you want to draw attention to artwork or a sculpture, then lighting is key. Track lighting with directable heads is always a cheap and easy option to put the spotlight on a focal point.
*Everyone has a secret stash Furniture can be storage, too! Or, should I say storage can be furniture? The truth is you can go in either direction. If you are looking for more space, one of the quickest solutions is to find multi-functional pieces, like an ottoman that opens up for use as a chest. Or, vice versa. You could upholster a chest or lay a soft blanket over it and use it as an ottoman. Pretty soon you’ll be looking at every piece of furniture you own, wondering how you can hollow it out! Furniture that can store things is a far older concept than, say, modular furniture. That means that if you look hard enough you can find storage furniture in whatever design style your need!
*Modular furniture works Furniture that can be separated into several pieces is in vogue right now. Designers love to camouflage modular pieces in all sorts of creative ways. Modular furniture is one of the best ways to spend money on new pieces because it saves lots of space and brings tons of unique style. The possibilities, if you look online or at showrooms, are truly endless and typically quite affordable. Here are some of the best ideas I’ve seen:
–The classic: a couch that splits into a love seat and a chair.
–Box-style shelves that can be attached to each other in almost any formation and at different angles.
–Big circular capsules that split into two comfy chairs and a cafe table.
–A high coffee table that can turn into a low coffee table with three Japanese-style sitting pads, a comfy chair and side table or a guest bed complete with a headboard and nightstand.
DIRTY LITTLE… Tips of the week 8/22/12
*Exit Courtesy There is one piece of furniture that I consider essential to an entryway — a chair. People need a place to sit down while they put their shoes back on! Other seating, like a bench or a window seat, is preferable, but if you’re dealing with a small space then a chair is ten times as good as letting your guests hop around on one foot pulling on their shoes. Another great thing to keep in the entryway — a shoehorn. If guests have an easy place to tie their shoes before they leave, it will make the memory of your home that much better.
*You control the circulation If you are worried that your circulation path is not intuitive enough, don’t worry because there is an easy fix. Throw an area rug or runner where the path should be. I guarantee people will be drawn to it. People cannot resist walking on the right path; it’s a fact of life. Especially when it’s a nice soft rug. This is highly useful if the architecture of your room makes it hard for you to make the path a direct straight line between entrance and exit.
DIRTY LITTLE… Dorm* tip of the Week
You can “paint” with light Add some color to the walls of your dorm room with out painting them.
1. Gel filters — take a cue from the the world of photography and pick up a pack of colored lighting gels or filters. Having these thin plastic sheets handy can help change the atmosphere of a room by simply inserting a piece of the colored gels into an existing fixture or sconce. Under $20 for a multiple color pack.
2. Floor can lights — Hidden neatly behind a potted plant or sofa, I suggest using a series of three, evenly spaced floor cans to create a symmetrical and luminous effect along a wall. Use colored bulbs. For under $10 bucks a pop, that’s a pretty cheap solution.
3. Colored bulbs — The simplest way to add color for just a few dollars. They are likely to be less powerful than the two previous options. These bulbs come in almost any color for $2-$5, depending on wattage.
DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Week
*Don’t be afraid of the do-over
It happens. You finish the first coat of a new color after priming and then it hits: You hate it. This is a part of the painting experience and is not the fault of your taste. In fact, you have to always listen to your taste or your gut feeling even when it tells you to go back to the color drawing board. Changes in lighting between the paint store and your home are often the culprit in a color mishap. Here’s a way to help prevent the dreaded total do-over: Bring a color wheel or larger dry sample back to your home to examine it under the various conditions of your lighting. Do this before moving on to painting large sample swatches. This might save you a big step.
*Get your own Magic Wand
This is one of the few places in this book I’ll tell you to spring for something other than the most inexpensive option, but fortunately it’s not even close to a budget hog. Buy a substantial paint brush and roller. For trim and corner painting, you’ll need a smaller brush that has an angular cut to the hairs. Your rollers need to be appropriate for your wall surface. If your wall (or ceiling) is porous or has texturing, you’ll want to use a large-nap roller. Flat or smooth walls call for a low-nap roller. Also, cheap and disposable plastic liners for your paint trays make it easy to clean up and allow you to reuse the trays on another job. As for overall quality, it’s best to just ask. Any hardware store attendant will help you pick a good brush. (If there’s anyone left in this world you can trust not to pull one over you on, it’s a hardware store manager!)
DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Week
*Create a dashing door Taking ques from our European neighbors, painting a door black, red and any color but white adds some inexpensive curb appeal and shows a bit of your colorful side.
*There’s no need to fumigate If paint fumes bother you, try using low-VOC paint. (VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds, and paints low in them are better for the environment and less harsh on your nose.) For a cheaper, home-grown solution, drop a few squirts of vanilla extract into the paint can and breathe easier. (Note: the fumes are only masked, not eliminated.) It won’t affect the color.
*Create architectural emphasis with paint A bold idea for an art “nook”: use the same color to paint almost to the midpoint in the wall, leaving about a 2-foot-wide vertical stripe of white space. Then hang artwork in the center. The artwork can be wider or narrower than the stripe; the effect will still enhance it.
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DIRTY LITTLE…Tips of the Month
*Work with one small space at a time Try to create vignettes and groupings of seating with furniture that provide additional conversation areas and help break up your room. Don’t just throw a comfy sofa in a room next to the hand-me-down coffee table and call it a day; it will feel empty.
*Kick out the hangers-on I have literally been in hundreds of homes, and it’s inevitable. Somewhere in the home you can find a hideous futon, halogen lamp, or other item leftover from someone’s college days. Think about a before-and-after picture of your room makeover that rids you of these impersonal standard-issue items.
*When working with wood… Many design styles will call for lots of wood furnishings. Avoiding buying a set of furniture or decor is a great way to save money and stay original, but that means you need to have an eye for matching distinct items. When purchasing wood furnishings, a good rule of thumb is to not have the color of all the wooden items in a space differ by more than three shades. If you absolutely love a piece but it is too dark or light, you can always sand it and add a new finish
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