If you are a Pink Thumb,–know you are one in hundreds of thousands! I give programs about the extreme challenges of western gardens–but inside our homes, it isn’t any easier to raise a plant. Here are the biggest reasons most westerners (and easterners) have trouble raising houseplants:

1) Our homes are BONE dry inside (jusy dry if you live in the eastern US). Yet many houseplants on the market are tropical plants! (Think:  Rainforest)  (And perhaps your bathroom!)

2) Plants need light. Yet our window ledges at this time of year can be frigid, as is the floor and air next to a tall window.

3) Again–Plants need light.  But often, when we give them western or southern light, they BAKE in the west. The strong southern sunlight is exemplified through our glass windows.

4) Let’s admit it–We forget to water them!  Best way to handle this, is to set a certain day of the week to water them. Maybe for you, it’s early Sunday morning, or perhaps, when you do some weekly chore that seems somewhat related. (For me, it’s on the week-end, because generally, I do “some” cleaning on the week-end, to make the house look nice, and plants are a part of that overall look. A half-dead plant does not contribute to the overall look.)

There ARE plants that are extremely easy to grow in your home. (I know, you’ve heard this before—) In order to keep this blog to a typical blog size, I’ll continue next blog with easy to grow plants for pink thumbs.  Why make this a big challenge, if it needn’t be?

Remember, our homes must fit us like our favorite shoes! Ask yourself,…..”Does the Shoe FIT?” If not contact us. We help people create attractive, up-to-date, functional, and easily maintained homes that fit them perfectly.

See you back February 15th! (And remember, plants make excellent gifts!)

Water-jet technology cuts precise shapes with a single blade, twice the thickness of a human hair. We can use it for floor design, mural design, and backsplashes–shapes and patterns that would be unthinkable with a traditional cutting tool. Yet it is cost competitive with other cutting techniques, and often able to cut designs not otherwise economically achievable.

Like most computer-generated design, you get a representative drawing before creating the real thing. Is it for your next project? If you think you may be relocating in 5-7 years, create a general enough pattern that other’s can live with the design as well. (Vs. your family crest!)

Remember, your home needs to fit YOU and YOUR living style, like your favorite shoe fits. Ask yourself, “Does the Shoe …..FIT?” If not, contact us. We help you create the environment that says who you are, not what magazines currently feature that may NOT be your living style!

        ***Sorry I missed you the end of December; I unexpectantly had to go back in the hospital, but am now looking toward a GREAT 2012 for us all!!–Sharon

Well, we all like festive lighting, but this certainly didn’t sound too environmentally based. ….Until he told us the entire lighting cost would only be a fraction of last years’ cost!  HOW?

They switched for the holidays! Today’s LED Holiday lights are reliable, fairly inexpensive and EXTREMELY economical to use. They will pay for themselves in a very short time, and continue to be economical to use for a long, long time, because they last much longer than any of our bulbs. Besides–there are no bulbs to break or go out.

L.E.D. stands for light emitting diodes; they are not bulbs at all, but produce a good white light (the current ones, not the earlier ones).

Although LEDs began being marketed about ten years ago, they were mainly used as novelty accent lighting for commercial buildings. As technology has progressed, LEDs are moving into offices and are just beginning to be seen in our homes. Recessed lighting seems to be the best interior method of handling LEDs at this point….in addition to strings  of light. They are the new lightinhg technology. Isnt it time to switch?

Remember your interior and exterior surroundings need to fit YOU like your favorite shoe fits you, in order to be functional and attractive. Ask yourself…..”Does the Shoe FIT?” If not, contact us; we are the experts in interior spaces and yard space. You’ll be glad you called or wrote us.

However, dual flush models cut the water consumption by providing full flushes to dispose of solid waste and half flushes for liquids. A new dual flush toilet runs approximately $300, but I’m told there is a conversion kit for your existing toilet that only costs $99.00 and is available at major retailers. It is called the Perfect Flush, and it works with a top-mounted push-botton box.

It is said the conversion only takes about 30 minutes to install, and can save a familyof four about $100 a year in water costs–so you recoup your initial expenditure right away. Other similar products are Select A Flush and Aquanotion’s Two Flush.

Although interior design doesn’t always address commodes, they are part of our interiors. Want a quiet flush? Toto is the brand for you. Want a standard toilet with a strong (no pun intended) reputation? American Standard is one of the brands to look at. You probably already know there are many styles, colors, and heights available in toilets. There are also self flushing models (for homeowners), warm seat models, and oh my, what else!

Even when discussing a commode, you have options on what is best for you, your life, and your budget. Remember, your home should fit you like your favorite shoe. If not, give us a call. We help people just like you with your home interior and yard problems every day, making them happy people.

Let’s consider a few often overlooked components that affect curb appeal. First we’ll take the bigger items, in later blogs the smaller things. First, realize the garage door is ofen the most prominent feature of a home’s front. They are often flat, lackluster slabs of steel or vinyl. Trade these for doors with mouldings, windows, or a carriage house look.

Second, is the siding dreary aluminum, vinyl, or asbestos siding. Often under it, you’ll find well-preserved wood clap boards that could be repaired and painted for a much improved image. Today, fiber cement siding, with high fire resistance, is available that resembles real wood and require no work.

Third, the front door is the focal point of your house–or should be. Replace the door with perhaps a mission style oak door, or a six panel colonial with blown glass windows, ar arc top French doors. Achitectural salvage yards are great places to begin a search.

Invasive procedures aren’t always necessary. Next blog, we’ll discuss the accents that can transform your home’s exterior appearance.

And let’s hear from you readers what you’ve done to improve curb appeal of your home. Your home needs to fit you like your favorite shoe. Ask yourself—DOES the shoe fit?  If not, contact us, we’re the licensed and awarded design company that handles interior and exterior spaces based on YOUR life style.

 Power strips are hidden. Sinks and ranges are integral to the counter. Allmilmo makes a counter top that slides open to reveal the sink and cooktop below. Berloni’s 2-in-1 kitchen furniture contains the functional needs of cooking and cleaning on one side, while the other side functions as a work desk and for relaxation. (This concept works particularly well with open-plan homes.) Poggenpohl has a walk-in professional kitchen with decorative panels that conceal the kitchen when not in use.

Stainless steel appliances continue to be a favorite, as they integrate so wellwith a variety of cabinet finishes. Ariston’s ovens feature controls designed right in the handles. Ellea has a series of extremely compact, jewel-like ventilation systems.

Many of these concepts are available in American products, but all can be obtained in America, regardless of where it was manufactured.

Remember, your surroundings need to fit you like a favorite shoe. Ask yourself, “Does the Shoe …FIT?” If not, give us a call. We are the licensed, awarded design company that specializes in creating surroundings to fit YOU.

The rug itself can be either painter’s canvas with two coats of gesso or the backside of a piece of vinyl flooring. Here are some instructional steps from Sherwin Williams paint company on making one, using the back of a piece of vinyl flooring.

     1   Purchase a 10′x12″ piece of vinyl flooring.

     2. Map out the design by using painter’s tape. Design can be your own or a copy of a piece of art perhaps blocked in square by square from a grid you draw over the original design or art that you admire.

     3.  Apply the paint, tinted with floor enamel. If you take your artwork to a paint store, they can help you get the proper paint and color(s). After the artwork is painted on the rug, allow it to dry

     4. “Antique” with one coat of faux finishing glazing liquid tinted brown. This liquid is made by major paint companies.

     5. Top the dry rug with 2 coats of polyurethane so the clost can be damp-mopped.

And there you are! These “rugs” look great over hardwood flooring, tile, vinyl. Be sure to choose a style and colors that fit your design scheme to give everything a consistent look.  Remember, your surroundings need to fit you like your favorite shoes. Ask yourself…..”Does the Shoe FIT?” If not, give us a call. We are awarded in interior and exterior design, and have helped many hundreds of clients just like you.

Recently, a client asked for some type of meditational garden space in their back landscaping. It was to be its own entity, but blend into the yard. We didn’t have hundreds of feet to devote on the labyrith. But we had enough to create a small version in approximately 30- 35 sq. ft. .

The whole idea is a bit like Zen, as you travel the paths of a labyrinth, walking in circles, or in this case, curved, organically shaped paths, you are to appreciate the beauty along the paths that take you to the center. By the time you reach the center, you are refreshed of mind and body.

In this narrow-pathed personal labyrinth, we still  had space to create along the way a shady garden strip, a hummingbird garden strip, a trellis garden strip, a water feature, a butterfly garden strip, a zen stone garden, and a small sculpture.  Both client and I loved creating it.

The labyrinth idea would not need to be circular in nature, but by doing so, it adds to the feeling of “getting away,” as you walk within the circle.  To be really effective, give it some low level night lighting.

Remember, your surroundings need to fit you like a favorite shoe fits you. Ask yourself, “Does the shoe….FIT?” If you need some help; contact us, Breay Design, the Space Specialists.

How many times homeowners move into this lovely home, but become more aggrevated with time because an architectural detail doesn’t align with other things! Here’s an example, and some solutions. The shallow niche in this dining room wall did not align with the center of the room. The chandelier and the bay window were aligned. So as you sat at the dining room table,  the niche seemed oddly placed & disturbing.

Typically, the table would be centered along the axis of the room, but this emphasized the misalignment. So I suggested some alternatives. The first was to break up the niche by adding both a high boy cabinet as well as a lower small serving table or buffet, or even an easy chair or rocker.

The second suggestion was to move the table perpendicular to the window and niche, to somewhat camoflauge the line of axis by the strong table line going in the opposite direction.

The third solution, our preference, was to put the table on a diagonal in the room. A strong diagonal line will always take attention from other things, in this case visually obliterating the axis line of the architectural elements. The accent paint was taken off the niche wall, as we didn’t want to call attention to it; accent paint was put on the large wall across from the entry so upon entering the home, one’s attention would be drawn across the room, with the diagonal table pointing in the same direction. This accent wall would be a good place for artwork.

Good space arrangement will always improve a problem. Remember your interiors need to fit YOU like your favorite shoe. Ask yourself, “Does the Shoe….FIT?  If you need some help, contact us. We are the interior and exterior space specialists that have helped hundreds of homeowners, and given hundreds of workshops and programs on design.

Our homes generally have some harmony built in, which is a help to us. “Most” of our rooms have 90 degree corners, rectangular walls, doors, and most of our windows are rectangular……..So is most of our furniture (sofas, chairs, many tables, even some area rugs)  Harmony might come in the form of a certain color being repeated often, such as a light tone on the walls, a deeper tone in some upholstery, perhaps in a stripe, or part of a print. If our furniture and accessories are all of a certain style, we also have harmony. You’re getting the picture. See if you can find elements of harmony–and elements of contrast in the sketch of a home office.

Harmony is a good thing, as when a space, inside OR outside has harmony, we feel calm. There is orderliness to the space. It settles us.

Have you noticed, though, that most newer homes have a arched window, some of the walls are curved, or running into other spaces creating a shape NOT rectangular. Oval and circular area rugs are common. And a color may be in several pieces, but we usually like using it in varying tones of that color (values), and in stripes or prints so everything isn’t the same. You see, we need harmony—but we also need a little contrast so we don’t become bored with too much of the sameness.

How you create harmony with a little contrast depends on your personality and how you live. Your homes, inside and out, need to fit you and your life  like your favorite shoes. Ask yourself, “Does the Shoe…FIT?” If not, give us a call or write about your problem on this blog for an answer. I always welcome people sending in problems. We’ve been giving unique solutions for people’s spaces for decades. We are the Total Space Specialists.