Archive | June, 2012

It’s Do-Ovah Time

By on June 30, 2012 in Bedroom, Bookshelves, Cottage Style, Dining Room, Paint

Do-Ovah’s are my favorite part of the job!  They really educate and motivate my clients to be able to do something creative with their spaces on their own.  I feel like such a proud momma when I hear from them that they completed what we talked about and they love it.  The downside of the Do-Ovah for me is that I don’t always get to see the finished product.  But sometimes, a client finishes it AND sends me proof.  Here are just a few do-ovah’s from the past few months…

DO-OVAH #1 – Concord, MA

This do-ovah was for a client who was moving to the area and had to make all the decisions from several hours away.  She hired me to help out with the kitchen & family room area that had a confusing layout and clearly dated built-ins.

BEFORE

Her style is light and bright cottage feel, and we went through her Pinterest Boards (best design tool eva) to see what ideas she had for the space.  It was not in the budget to rebuild the bookshelves, so we had them painted white and added crown molding at the top to lose the scalloped edge for a less 70’s feel.  The trim around the windows was also painted white and the walls were painted in Benjamin Moore Sliver Sage 506.  They are thrilled with the transformation…now onto the furniutre options.  I hope they keep me posted!

AFTER

DO-OVAH #2 – Acton, MA

This client lives in a beautiful historic home with lots of charm.  They hired me for several rooms in their home, but for their dining room in particular they wanted to give it a whole new look, but didn’t really want to paint.  Um, yeah about that…

BEFORE

Often times people think that if they have the dark woodwork in historic homes they shouldn’t paint it (I’m one of those people)  but here’s the thing, you don’t have to choose light colors to make it look good.  In fact, I think yellow is one of the worst options because it doesn’t enhance the tone of the wood…it competes with it…making it look too orange!  Luckily, my client is someone who will take design risks (YIPPIE!) and didn’t completely pass out when I suggested to paint it PURPLE!

AFTER

Benjamin Moore Kasbah AF-640 to be specific.  The furniture did not change, but doesn’t the room look so much more pulled together?  It’s so soothing!

I love how the beautiful woodwork just pops against the new color.  Seriously, is that door amazing or what?!?

Oh, and speaking of the door, we were also working on the master bedroom and they said they needed a new headboard!   Rather than purchasing a new one, I suggested that they use an extra door and paint it then hang it horizontally…and guess what…they did it!  Doesn’t it look stunning?

Note to self: Do not go up to your son’s Lacrosse coach in front of a bunch of other Mom’s (none of which were his wife / my client)  and say how much you really love how his headboard turned out.  Um, yeah, we got a few funny looks!  I guess that’s just the part of my job…RUMORS!

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Houzz is in the House

By on June 4, 2012 in Uncategorized
So excited to have one of my  favorite websites as a guest blogger today, welcome Houzz  to Do-Ovah.
Hello everyone! My name is Becky and I’m a contributor at Houzz, a home design site focused on helping design professionals and homeowners manage the remodeling and decorating process. Thanks so much to Megan for having me!
So, I’m here today to talk about kitchen trends. No, not Carrera versus Calcutta marble. Not marmoleum versus bamboo flooring. Not stainless versus enamel. Most of us don’t have kitchens like we see in magazines, the ones that are bigger than my entire first floor. The trend I’m loving is paring down and storing wisely, so you can work with what you’ve got and turn your existing kitchen into your dream kitchen on a budget. This trend includes all of the brilliant and efficient storage solutions currently on the market and what you’ll be able to do with the space they save.
First, relax and imagine a light, airy and uncluttered kitchen and think about how you and your family will use it. Next, pare down. Pull everything out, cabinet by cabinet, drawer by drawer, and place like items together. Ask yourself some not-so-tough questions: Did you know you had three identical barbeque sets? How many omelet pans do you really need? Do you have to keep five different sets of china or do you want a bright kitchen that feels larger than it really is? Do you want to hang onto that bread maker you got as a wedding gift ten years ago and used once or would you like a window where you can watch your kids play in the backyard? With all of these things in mind, start sorting everything into “keep,” “throw out” and “donate” piles.
Next, head over to Houzz and seek out storage solutions that work for you and the stuff you have left in your “keep” pile (more on how to do this below; I promise it’s easy). If the pile is still too big, watch a few episodes of Clean House and Hoarders.  Nothing makes me want to drive a carload of stuff to Goodwill like watching Hoarders!
Here’s an example of how to use Houzz. I entered “kitchen storage” into the search box and then selected “photos.” I can then scroll through the photos, and click on “Add to Ideabook” when I see one I like. I can create as many different ideabooks as I like from there — for example, “Kitchen Storage,” “Ideas to Show Contractor” or “Favorite Backsplashes.” Some people like to get very specific, while others like to make one giant ideabook containing all things kitchen-related.
Once you’ve pared down your kitchen items and found the smartest and most efficient storage solutions, you’re ready to receive your reward! While our natural instincts tell us to cover every inch of kitchen wall space with cabinets, your hard work means you’ll no longer need to. Instead, you can add art, windows or one of my favorite kitchen trends, extending the backsplash from counter to ceiling.
Another reward for losing the clutter? Replacing bulky and dark upper cabinets with light-colored open shelving.
This move makes everything look so much larger and brighter. This is a very attainable and inexpensive makeover for any halfway-decent DIYer. If you do choose a layout like this, there are two rules you need to follow:
1.) Play around until you find a pleasing composition of your china, serving pieces and glassware.
2.) Be aware that this will require some extra dusting. Store your stepladder near the kitchen and place pieces you use often on the shelves so that they will be washed regularly. When one little area is clear, take advantage of the opportunity to give the shelf a wipe down there.

I hope I’ve inspired you to find some storage solutions that will make your life easier and your kitchen dreamier!

Find more kitchen storage ideas from Boston kitchen and bath designers and more design professionals at Houzz.

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