|
Greetings!
This issue is packed full of information to
bring you comfortably back indoors with
organizing tips, how to preserve precious items,
and how to bring color into your life this fall.
I want to dedicate this newsletter to all of
the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Please help
them in any way you can and lets all pray that
they recover quickly and put this tragety behind
them.
Thank you,
Lori
|
Color Inspiration brings home alive! |
 |
|
Before — This was a lifeless,
boring, dining room. It had too much
clutter, improper furniture placement
and the focal point of the beautiful
windows was ignored.
After — This is an example of
what color can do for your home in this
dining room. We changed the color from a
very generic, white color to very warm
and dramatic colors. This highlighted
the architectural features, accented the
special wood moldings around the windows
and gave a warm glow to all of the
beautiful furniture. After all was
painted the interiors were redesigned.
Better furniture placement made the room
more inviting and interesting. The green
and lush backyard even came alive with
the contrasting red interior dining room
wall. The clients finally got the
“Wow Factor” they desired!
Irene Woodworth~One Day Redesigns,
Inc.
|
|
Arrange For Entertaining |
|
|
|
When arranging furniture for
entertaining there are many easy ways to
make sure your evening fun lasts well
into the night.
First, consider slipcovers. They are
versatile and inexpensive and can help
you to easily create a warm a welcoming
place to plop down while enjoying
inviting conversation. Plus, once the
festivities are over, slipcovers can be
easily removed and tossed into the wash.
How’s that for easy clean up?
Next, take care in furniture
placement so that your guests are
invited to stay a while by grouping your
seating together in an L-shape to create
a cozy intimate area and encourage
conversation. A U- shape is a more
formal layout and can consist of a sofa
flanked by two chairs on either side,
thus creating a more flowing traffic
pattern. Add end tables for your guests
to set their drinks. Use an ottoman with
a tray placed upon it as a coffee table,
which could also be used as easy to move
additional seating.
Last but not least, use rugs to
create “rooms” within rooms or to create
other conversation areas in your home.
~ Amy Owens, Dynamic Redesigns
|
|
Book Review:Saving Stuff |
|
|
|
Learn from the experts how to
preserve and store your valued and
valuable possessions using simple
techniques and supplies that are easily
and often inexpensively obtained. This
is not a "stuffy" reference book but one
that is practical, informative and
interesting. It combines basic step by
step instructions with a behind the
scenes look at how the Smithsonian
manages to care for the treasures in
"The Nation's Attic". This is one "how-
to" book you may find yourself reading
from cover to cover.
Saving Stuff: How to Care For and
Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms,
and Other Prized Possessions by Don
Williams and Louisa Jaggar 368 pages
Smithsonian
~ Pam Faulkner
|
|
But everyone has a toaster! |
|
|
|
You’re right, so why shouldn’t you
leave the toaster, the coffee maker, and
other small appliances on the counter
when you are selling your house? Look at
these two pictures. Do you look at the
picture on the left and think, “Wow,
this kitchen has nice counter space.
Look at all of the appliances you can
have.” I don’t think so. You see the
appliances, not the counters. In the
picture to the right you can imagine
your toaster and coffee maker on the
counter and see that you would still
have room to work.
The same idea applies to inside the
cabinets. The potential buyers need to
see the actual space, not how many
things you can put in that space. When
you are ready to put your house on the
market call a professional
Redesigner/Stager to help you with many
more insightful suggestions like this
one. We live in our homes very
differently than we sell our houses.
Nancy Faust ~ Interiors Redesigned by
Nancy
|
|
Quote of the Month |
|
|
|
"One of the greatest discoveries a man
makes, one of his greatest surprises, is
to find he can do what he was afraid he
couldn't do". Henry Ford
Barbi Ford~Design by Redesign
|
|
Designer Tips Using Accessories |
|
|
|
Every home should have some
accessories and accent furnishings.
It makes a home look comfortable and
lived in. It shows your personality,
tastes, and likes. However, what to do
with accessories can be a challenge.
Here are some good guidelines to follow:
- Think in 3's...tallest
object in back, middle height object
off to the right or left, the
smallest object in front. Place
everything within a few inches of
each other.
- On a silver tray, arrange all
the same color and different sized
candles in a large grouping.
Don't forget to light them even if
there is no good reason!
- Place the same type of fruit
in a pretty crystal bowl. Use
fakes they will never go bad and
look better than real.
- Have greenery in the same
type of pots or containers. Yes,
make it silk!
- Place an area rug in
front of the sofa which brings in
added color and texture. The size
should be a 5'x8'.
- Use 18" square pillows on
your chairs and sofas, and don't
forget to add a throw for interest.
- There should be at least one
clock in each room that really
works.
- Keep like with like.
Crystal with crystal, clay with
clay, etc...
- Use prints to expand and
soften the size of a piece of
furniture. For example, hang the
same size prints on each side of a
TV armoire.
Marleen Prater~Remixed Rooms
|
|
LB DESIGNS IS GROWING AND WE NEED YOUR
HELP! |
|
|
|
I have some really cool ideas for
opening a commercial space for all of
our do-it-yourselfers out there and I
need to know just what kinds of services
and products you would be interested in.
Please, please, please, click on the
link below to go to a marketing
questionaire I have on my web site. I
want this place to be everything you
want, and need, but in order to do that
I need your imput.
Everything is completely confidential
so please fill out everything you feel
comfortable with and leave blank
anything you wish.
Your comments are greatly appreciated
so feel free to add your own words also.
Thank you so much for your time and
interest. I will keep you posted on the
progress.
I can't wait to tell you whats
happening!!! :)
Lori ~ LB Designs
|
|
Calendar Update~ LB Designs writes
articles for "The Town Common" newspaper |
|
|
|
For those of you who are not
familiar with "The Town
Common" weekly community
newspaper that covers the
Triton Regional district,
you must pick one up.
It covers all of the fun
community news that we never
really get to read about. It has
a calendar of events, covers
school news, local sports, and
has various articles from local
professionals on health,
business and finance, computers,
and of course your local
decorating professional, me!
Please grab one at many of
our local restaurants and stores
now or get a subscription at
their web site .
http://www.thetowncommon.com/
|
|
|
|
Make a Home Organizing Center
|
|
|
|
How many of you have a place in your
home, usually right inside the door,
where everything from school papers,
mail, shoes, keys, toys, and even your
pets stuff end up in a big heaping pile?
And let me guess, you can never find
anything you’re looking for? You
constantly miss appointments? And you’re
always running late? Sound familiar? You
need a home organizing center. Just
follow these few simple techniques and
you’ll be on your way to being more
organized and less stressed.
Designate an area, preferably right
inside the door, where it is easily
accessible for everyone. Make sure it
has enough space for some type of
storage piece and wall space either
above it or beside it. What we’re
looking for is an area that can hold all
of the items in your “heaping pile”, but
in an organized and orderly fashion.
Wherever your “stuff” ends up now is
probably a good place because it’s
convenient, so let’s make better use of
it.
Find storage pieces that can be used
for double duty. For instance, a
cushioned bench with cubbies underneath,
an armoire that can hold a computer with
shelves for papers and mail, and room
underneath the desk area for storage, a
large bookcase with multiple shelves, or
even something as simple as a few wall
shelves and a rolling plastic drawer
caddy.
Take inventory of your stuff and
decide what types of containers you will
need to organize everything. If you have
kids, use a cube or basket labeled for
each child and have them put their
shoes, backpacks, toys, etc. in their
own basket when the walk in the door.
Place them underneath a bench or table
or on a shelf so you can also use the
space for something else.
If you have older children or other
adults in the home hang a file basket or
bin on the wall, one for each person
with their name on it. When you bring in
the mail, sort it into each bin and
throw away any junk mail immediately.
Hang another bin or have another
designated spot like a shelf or basket
for outgoing mail. This way, as you walk
out the door, it will be right there to
take with you.
Add some hooks on the wall for your
car keys, umbrella, purse, and pet
leashes.
Make a message center by hanging a
chalk board, write on calendar, or cork
board to leave notes, reminders, grocery
lists, and keep track of appointments.
This is invaluable with teenagers for
leaving little notes or reminders about
chores or so they can let you know their
whereabouts.
Planning an area to help get you and
your family get organized is easier than
you might think. It will save you time,
frustration, make your home look less
cluttered, and even help the kids learn
how to take on a little more
responsibility for themselves.
Lori Brasseur ~ LB Designs
____________________________
____________________________
Give a gift of life
I will be walking in a fundraiser to
help fight cancer at the Landry Stadium
next weekend. It is an event where we
raise money and have someone on our team
walking from Friday, Sep 9th at 6:00 pm
until 12 noon on Saturday, Sep 10th.
There will be entertainment, food and
games for the kids, so be sure to stop
by and remember your loved ones who have
passed on, and the survivors of this
terrible disease.
We have all been affected by Cancer,
either ourselves, or through a family
member or friend. Please help me reach
my goal by making a donation and we can
fight this disease together!
Thank you in memory of my grandmother
and with hope for my father and best
friend.
Lori
Please click here to make a donation
|
|
