Monday's Musings: Bulletin Boards

the sweetest thank you card, invitation to next weeks BBQ, your little one's newest crayola drawing, this years school picture of your nephew....where do we put all these treasures and reminders? The refrigerator is most people's favorite spot and maybe inside the junk drawer that we all have in our kitchen? Bulletin boards are a great way to consolidate all of these pieces and collectively display them for all to see. I used to have one in my kitchen and it was the first place people would go and check out when they came over, they loved it! Here are some great DIY bulletin board options to check out which may inspire you to give it a try!

Here is my attempt and I am pretty happy with how it came out!

via Decor Pad

Sorry I have been so absent from blogging these days.......honestly, I have been struggling getting motivated. I have been busy working, hosting and taking care of many other important things that I just can't seem to justify spending so much time on my computer......especially when it is so beautiful outside and all I want to do is be out there tending to my flower garden and soaking in the sun:) I promise to try to strike some kind of balance so I can give my readers something to enjoy! Your following means a lot.......xo

Design Tip of The Day: A Tidy Home!

Keeping your home orderly and clean with kids is not an easy task as many of you moms know. Does your house look like this most of the time?

via OurHumbleAbowed

I don't have kids but when you live in a smaller home where every room gets used to the full, keeping up with it daily is needed. Jenny a fellow blogger at LGN shared this great cleaning list to help moms avoid the BIG cleaning day once a week. Today, life is too busy for some to set aside one full day of cleaning, so I think this list below is great. Just 30-40 minutes of fast paced cleaning and your home can look put together especially when the unexpected friend pops in! I have been using some of the points already and plan on using more soon.  Thanks Jenny!

CLEANING CALENDAR

DAILY

MORNING

o   Make beds

o   Wipe down bathroom counters

o   Empty dishwasher

NIGHT

o   Load dishwasher

o   Wipe down kitchen counters

o   Take out the trash

o   Quick sweep or vacuum, especially in the kitchen

o   Spot clean the floor or Swiffer

o   Declutter living areas with pick up basket

o   Chore of the day

WEEKLY

MONDAY            Deep vacuum

TUESDAY           Windex mirrors and windows

WEDNESDAY    Scrub the toilets and tubs

THURSDAY        Mop the floors

FRIDAY              Swing Day

SATURDAY        Laundry

SWING DAY

1^st       Wipe down all furniture and cabinets

2^nd      Scrub oven, microwave and fridge

3^rd      Wipe down all walls, mouldings and doors

4^th       Spot clean upholstery and rugs

How to Arrange Furniture!

I want to share some helpful tips to arrange rooms in your home. Recently, I have been asked about furniture placement in a living room and ideas for a beautiful dining room. There are some basic questions that you can ask yourself before decorating...seriously contemplating these questions will help you to get the room you truly want. I think these images below really capture the suggestions but remember they are only suggestions, you can really do whatever feels best to you! So you have any specific rules of thumb that you live by when arranging furniture? Leave them in a comment below for us to read! Thanks!

• Look at the entrances to the room. Do you have doors? Do they open in or out? If they open in, you will need to allow room for those to open fully.
• Do you use the room as a pathway to another room? Is the room a destination room? In other words, is the room one that people go TO or go THROUGH? If they go through, you need an easily navigable pathway from one room to another.
• How do you want to feel in the room? Do you want it to be cozy and intimate? Do you want an open and spacious feel? Furniture in a cozy room tends to be places in closer groups. A open feel needs more space between pieces.
• Are you going to use the room for entertaining? If so, you need flexibility in your furniture choices. Extra seating may be placed out of the way and be moved into use when company comes.

Here are some dining room and living room measurements to consider.

Between the sofa and side chairs, designers normally allow 48 to 100 inches. But you should adjust the space according to your family's needs. If you feel more comfortable with the chairs closer or if you are better able to hear conversations, then move them closer.

If you are using a coffee table in front of the sofa, the normal placement is 14 to 18 inches from the sofa. But again, if you have short arms or long legs, adjust the table until you are comfortable.

For television watching, the normal guideline is to place the television at 3 times the size of the screen. But with some of these new big screen TVs, 3 times the size of the screen is in the next room!

Three feet of space is recommended for traffic lanes. But if you have large family members or lots of kids, I would recommend allow an extra foot for safety for your furniture and for your family members.

In the dining room, a average adult needs a depth of 20 inches for a dining room chair, plus 16 inches to scoot back the chair back from the table. Again, adjust the measurements to fit your family.

At the dining table, you should allow 24 inches per person or more. If your family tends to gesture as they eat, as mine does, allow another 6 inches.

In order to serve your guests, allow 46 inches between the wall and the dining table.

A Galley Kitchen!

A very dear friend recently asked for some help with a design for her new kitchen! So I wanted to post some inspiration photos that I think would help her greatly with the size and shape of her current kitchen. Some of the challenges is that the space is quite small as with most older homes and there is a doorway leading into the dining room and on the same wall a door leading to a storage space and into the basement. The placement of the two doorways limits the use of space on one wall but the opposite wall is a straight run without interruption! She wanted to know……. should she embrace a galley or l-shaped kitchen design. I have given it some thought and think a galley style kitchen would be best for the space. One reason is the l-shape can only go one way and cabinets or appliances on that wall could interfere with passage in and out the basement. Think about carrying laundry or moving larger storage containers and having to maneuver around that.

Notice the suggestions from a kitchen designer.......
Galley kitchens are great since you have everything you need at arm’s length. So if you have a small house this is a nice design to try for your kitchen. Here are tips on how to make your kitchen a galley kitchen.

Like what is mentioned above, a galley kitchen is filled with cabinets on both sides. So, the very first thing you need to do is to install cabinets. It is dependent on the homeowner how many cabinets should be installed. But make sure they are ceiling height cabinets placed over both countertops. Make sure that there is a unity of design in your kitchen so you should use the same material and color for your kitchen.

Next, mount lights under the cabinets of your kitchen to provide a better, dramatic look. This idea will turn your old kitchen into a modern room. Do not only install lights under the ceilings, but also under cabinets especially those are in the countertops.

You can also opt to change the position of your appliances once in awhile. Try to use a smaller sized refrigerator since the kitchen is small. Avoid placing the garbage can to one corner but, instead, use a trash compactor under the counter, garbage bin inside the cabinet of the sink or a garbage disposal in the sink. Since you have two counter tops you can arrange your appliances on top or put them inside cabinets if not in use.

A galley design kitchen is very practical for small spaces. A galley kitchen is always a practical solution for space challenged homes.

With that said, I would say keep the range, sink and dishwasher on the same wall with a window above the sink that the homeowner wanted. Natural light can never be underestimated in a small space and brings charm into the room! On the opposite wall, I would have the refrigerator and a small banquet. I love banquets in kitchens, they provide a great place to eat for two. So that quick breakfast on the run can be had there or it can even be a workspace and serving station when you have company. You can just tuck backless stools right underneath when you don’t need them and you have the extra storage on top! I think they are so versatile. So enough of my babbling on and on, here are some amazing photos that demonstrate my thoughts for her. Enjoy!

Nice straight run design for a smaller kitchen!

If you take this L-shape and make it straight, this is a great layout for the full wall! You would just need change the cook top to a range!

The small nook on the right wall, this is sort of a banquet. The counter top height would match the other part of the kitchen and have room enough for at least two stools. Love it!

Design Tip Of The Day: Throw Pillows!

Have you ever wanted to change the look of your living room or bedroom with the seasons? We are now in the winter season with spring ahead of us. Why not change the appearance of your home by having accent pillows that bring color in with the seasonal changes!Esty as you all know is such a great website for finding handmade products from designers all over the world. I came across Suzani and Ikat textiles on pillows that are out of this world! Be Still, Elegantouch and HomemakerMovement on Esty have some beautiful and lively fabrics that would look great in your home. I have chosen my top picks, what are yours?



Design Tip Of The Day!

20% off SALE AT DESIGN STUDIO in Somerville!

I recently featured a favorite local interior design shop in October. Until the 20th of November they are having a 20% off accessories and gift (Purchase and Carry Only) sale! Just mention the advertisement on Facebook at the register to receive your discount!

Design Tip of the Day! White Paint

Elsie de Wolfe said "Believe in optimism and plenty of white paint." The women who invented interior decorating were full of big advice.

For years I wanted to paint an entire room white. So many people talked me out of it every time I mentioned it. Well, last winter I finally did it with the help of my husband and once it was finished I was so excited! I loved it! The most challenging part was choosing the right white for my bedroom. I wanted a calming and soothing effect without the clinical feeling that some whites may have. I searched out some advice and settled on Benjamin Moore's Dove White, we were not disappointed! We added some white linen drapes, a sea grass rug and some other accent pieces and just loved the complete result!!

Below I am going to share with you some favorite whites used by designers along with some rooms that I think are splendid! 

FARROW & BALL POINTING 2003

BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC-17

PANTONE PRISTINE 11-0606TPX

 White paint is used in these rooms below as a backdrop or blank canvas for their artwork, lovely furniture pieces and decorative items. If you have a favorite white room in your house email me a picture and I will post it for all to see!

Design Tip Of The Day! Remove Clutter

Clutter and "chotchkies" in your home not only look bad, they make you feel bad. Don't feel overwhelmed the minute you wake up because you are surrounded by so much stuff! A tip that has proven true so many times is.......If you haven't used it or looked at it over the past 2 years and there isn't some sentimental attachment to it......Get rid of it! No, you don't have to throw it away but consider these options that will make you feel better. Donate your "stuff" to a local women's shelter, the local Goodwill Store or put a free sign on it and leave it on the front lawn and someone will take it! I have done it and it works! Garage and rummage sales are also a good way to rid yourself of unwanted physical and mental clutter. Let me know when and how you have done it! Your efforts will motivate others!