Welcome to My Blog
Welcome! C'mon and pay a visit!
posted by Shari @ 12:31 PM
11 Comments
What's On Your Mind?
Express your concerns, share your interests, pose questions, swap ideas
Express your concerns, share your interests, pose questions, swap ideas
11 Comments:
Get Eclectic! Many people wonder whether they can arrange their home into a cohesive look if they own furniture and accessories obtained from many different places and of varied styles. I say Yes! because really the more disparate the styles, the easier it is to put them all together into a beautiful, interesting look. Try putting a bright contemporary print table runner on a traditional kitchen table, and it really stirs up the energy. More on this shortly.
Sorry to say that the Home Depot Expo is closing, and as I've been checking there from time to time, there are some interesting items remaining - anyone looking for lighting can find some very interesting chandeliers, mini chandeliers, floor and table lamps at fairly reasonable prices.
Also rugs - they are selling their carpet samples for $1 for small and $2 for larger ones. They make ideal mats for your front door and great for the floors in your car. Check them out.
Another fun thing is to find ceramic tile sample boards which can be used for their tiles or broken out for mosaic projects. Have fun!
Reflections on Tile
A short time ago, we did some renovations of our home and I learned a lot about tile. So much about renovations is subjective - lots of choices, it is all about a certain balance between what you reeeeally want and what is feasible, isn't it?
Here is some info on tile, which is a wonderful material to have in your home, regardless of what effect you wish to achieve.
Porcelain Tile...
is created by using a fine clay and baking it at a very high temperature. It is a hard material, and the pattern or color in it goes all the way through. When it gets chipped, which is rarely, the damage doesn't show because of this. Porcelain tile, like it's cousin Ceramic tile, is durable and can mimic numerous materials such as marble, granite, stone, even moss or wood! Check out www.porcelana.com (a Spanish company but with a showroom in Rockville, MD) and www.morristile.com (also in Rockville) to see some really gorgeous, unusual styles.
Rectified Tile...
is a type of porcelain tile used when very little grout is desired between the tiles. It gives a rather contemporary look, and is especially effective with larger sizes, such as 18x18" or 18x21 rectangles. Very low maintenance, it is created by baking a very large slab of porcelain and cutting it afterwards, with great precision, into tile, instead of using forms for individual tiles. If you choose rectified tile, make sure your tile setter has experience, as lippage can occur. This is when the very straight edges don't line up so as to create a tilt which contradicts the smooth effect and feel of the floor!
Ceramic Tile...
is a really beautiful, less costly alternative to porcelain. Depending on the space between the tiles and how straight or tumbled the edges are, you can achieve some beautiful effects, ranging from contemporary to traditional, but particularly gorgeous and effective towards the rustic.
Next up, choosing colors and maintenance of grout and how not to drive yourself crazy about it!
The hardest thing with a blog is visiting regularly and updating. (speaking from experience)
Hi Shari:
I am looking forward to reading interesting things in your new blog.
Thanks for checking in! I have been reflecting on the fact of life called "change," which is always with us, and the good and the bad of it.
I relate it generally to what I help some of my clients approach, perhaps with trepidation. For example, there are folks changing from a couple to a family with a baby,or mid lifers going into the empty nest phase and thence into another, hopefully creative and productive phase.
My recent organizing task which I can share with many of you who are recognizing that it is time to move into another phase brought on by the simple need for more space! I am finally going through my son's baby and little kid clothes, consigning some, passing much of it on to loved ones with little ones, and sending some to charity. Maybe I'm keeping a few too! Throwing this out to folks out there. I am a person who is by nature one who keeps things as they represent those I love. I try to show by example that though change may be sad in some ways, it is so beneficial. What is it they say, if you let go your hands of the things you are holding onto, you will have open hands to hold that which is about to come to you.
Art Glass and Stained Glass
If you are an art glass lover, I have three resources for you in the DC area to explore. Near Tysons Corner is a beautiful art space called Habatat Gallery (this is the correct spelling) Go visit! I always become very inspired when I see what other folks are doing.
The Washington Glass School, located in Mt. Ranier, is a wonderful place to learn a range of methods of working glass. They have a terrific class called Glass Lovers' Weekend, which I took last summer, in which one can learn a series of methods of warm glass work, slumped glass and the use of molds.
The school is run by three artists who are fun to work with. They also offer glass blowing, working with recycled glass, metal working too, among other techniques and related topics. You can also rent studio space.
For stained glass classes, I have tried Virginia Stained Glass, which is located on Port Royal Rd. in Springfield, VA. Lots of fun classes and a whole group of students who are great help. They sell a lot of supplies as well as finished stained glass in many beautiful styles and various purposes. If anyone else knows of a great place to see or create art, let us know!
By the way, this past weekend, my husband, son and I visited Chicago, where there is a stained glass museum at the Navy Pier. After seeing the gorgeous pieces displayed there, I am all "fired up" to get started on a glass project this summer.
New Homes and Renovations
Very interesting discovery I made while on vacation at Deep Creek Lake, Maryland recently. We had the good fortune to stay, along with our friends and family, in an almost new home. We had plenty of room and had ample deck space to really enjoy ourselves. There were a total of 12 of us, plus company here and there, plus a couple of dogs. We stayed in for meals most of the time. The kitchen was designed and equipped for us to do so, and it was a lot of fun!
Here's the thing: the materials and surfaces of the kitchen were Easy To Clean.
When choosing materials to update your home, particularly in high-use/high traffic places, make sure your materials are Easy To Clean!
A side issue, for any of us who are trying to maintain a nice balanced diet, is the Beautiful Kitchen Snacker Sydrome. "I'll just clean up a bit in this beautiful kitchen - wow, it is so nice to wipe this counter! and so on ... then: "maybe I'll just have a quick snack here,mm this looks good," as you go by the fridge.
Don't do it! Enjoy your beautiful kitchen but don't grab anything to eat while you're in there!
Hope you're all having a wonderful summer, getting ready for fall, school, packing away your vacation things, maybe even cooling off a bit? Enjoy your day today!
Hi All, Here is an additional thought about selecting tile: be aware of what purpose the room will have when tiling the floor. For example, in a heavy traffic area such as powder room or laundry room, consider a smooth surface, non-skid tile. Skip pitted or grooved styles that are really gorgeous, but will collect dirt and cause you to be scrubbing waaaay too often. Other areas of your home will lend themselves to textured tiles, such as a master or guest bathroom. ~ Have a beautifully decorated day!
Working with a client who needs to purchase a desk for her daughter who is 8 years old. Trying to figure out where in her bedroom it will fit in best. Among other things,
I asked what could be removed from the rather small room, so we started with the remaining furniture to be placed.
Very important to decide for how long will your child be using the furniture, particularly the desk? Might it be a better idea to purchase a larger, more "grown up" desk so they can use the same one until they leave home, rather than replace over time? Consider purchasing furniture that will take them thru the years - classic lines, not too cutesy tho some look so adorable in the catalog! Reserve the really cute things for decor items such as pictures or posters for the walls, special throws or other textiles, blankets, rugs etc. In other words small stuff, not big pieces of furniture.
More on practical desk options in next post. G'night!
Your house gets cleaned up really well when you know that company is coming. I know it is a big pain in the tuckus, but it looks sooo nice... Well, invite friends and family over often - your house will stay looking tidier and you'll get more of a chance to see your loved ones.
I would consider myself an introvert but always am glad for having had people over. It makes me want to do it more because I have a better idea and system about how to set up and clean up.
Happy Firday evening!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home