Looking for the spirit of Christmas

Inundated by too many ads has bummed me out this season.  Almost to the point of feeling "Grinchish," particularly if I hear another Christmas Carol and this is only the 5th.  Twenty-four more days to go.  Oh, noooooooooooooo!

So, I decided to take a hiatus from blogging while I look for my Christmas spirit.

'Til next year, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Kool Kwanzaa and, my personal favorite - the changing of yet another season. 

May we know that the "things" are just things.  May we take a moment to tell our loved ones how much we truly love them. 

Take time for yourself, too, to catch your breath and "be in the moment of this season."

How do you handle change?

Do you embrace change?  Do you dig your heels in, resisting any change in your environment, even when you want to make a change?  I notice this trait a lot when it comes to decorating and I try my best to be respectful of how each person functions but it surprises me how little thought folks give to their own process.

Knowing how you deal with change actually helps you with the process.  Working with someone you can trust makes the process easier.  You should feel as comfortable with your decisions as you do with your favorite pair of jeans.  In other words, Trust your gut!

Decorating, like life, is a process - a journey.  It is not the destination, but rather it is the journey, that really counts.  One way I've learned to make the process fun is to take baby steps for "the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step."  It's a statement attributed to Lao Tzu, Confucious and the Buddha but what it really means is to be still before you make a step in any direction.

Let's face it: change is inevitable.  Change can even be fun! 

After 28 years of living in designers' paradise, I packed up my stuff and moved to Richmond, VA.  Why?  The answer is simple:  I knew the changes coming were important to me.  My daughter married and settled in Richmond.  I was always very "hands-on" in  my design work and I wanted to be close to my (future) grandchildren. "Adios, Naples - Hello, Richmond." 

I was fortunate to see the end results of what I'd envisioned.  Seven years after the move to Richmond, I'm beyond thrilled to enjoy the fruits of grandmother-hood.  I still love design but nothing compares to being with my family.

Taking a moment to watch the leaves fall.

Things I've Learned From My Clients

Decorating therapy is like chicken soup for the homeowner's soul.  I learned this in Mrs. W's hospital room.  I received a telephone call from Mrs. W.  She said that she broke her hip but it was okay to move our appointment to the hospital.  This was a first but who was I to argue with one of my favorite clients. 

            I lugged the swatches and photos to the fourth floor and was greeted by an ailing but determined LOL (little ol' lady).  I saw her pain- and her bare derriere - as she moved from the wheelchair to her bed, but still she was determined.  I admired her spunk as she unrelentingly planned for her future.  She saw her future through the renovations we were planning not the months of physical therapy ahead of her. 

            There it was!  I discovered the true meaning of decorating therapy as I left the hospital LOL (laughing out loud).  Thank you, Mrs. W. and all my clients, for all the things I've learned from you.

Do you know the difference between a couch and a sofa?



Madame Recamier reclining on a couch.



According to the Dictionary of Design and Decoration, a couch (aka recamier, named after Mme. Recamier 1800) was designed for one person to recline with one high end and frequently one upholstered arm.

Settee c. 1700s

The sofa was a later invention (mid 19th century) designed to be more comfortable than its predecessor, the settee.  Some folks in England still call it a settee, which puzzled my American friend when she visited England and was invited to sit on the settee.  She did not know where to sit.



The sofa was characterized by upholstered seating for two or more and upholstered arms on both ends.  Twenty-first century home owners live a more casual lifestyle, often reclining as well as sitting on their sofas.  So, are they couch potatoes or sofa spuds?

The Salem Sofa by Stickley Furniture

Whatever you call it, you probably want it to be comfortable - sitting & reclining.  It's a little like "Goldilocks" - observing the way different people sit and how they define comfort -- but it's wonderful when we find the one that "is just right!" 

Do you know your gifts?

My neighbor's grandson, Ben, dreams of becoming an architect even though he has a learning disability, dyslexia.  Ben is about the same age I was when I knew I wanted to be a designer but I did not know that I was dyslexic.  His ability to envision and his struggle with numbers and words reminds me of my youth.  Fortunately, today we know more about learning disabilities than when I was growing up.  I devised ways to compensate for my disability and my faith in my gift to design saw me through college and sitting for the NCIDQ exam.  Having both dyslexia and a gift taught me to be compassionate.  I believe we all have areas where we excel and areas where we struggle. 

            I love to share may passion to design with others to help them create what they cannot quite see for themselves.  I knew how very special my gift was when a model I'd just completed was sold.  I have a ritual of blessing a home.  I walk through every room observing how much like the vision I had in the beginning is to the end result.  The final touch on the Isle Verde Model was a package wrapped with paper with fish designs - that was in Naples, Florida; so, the paper was very elegant - a boat tied to the bow and a card wishing an imaginary mom and dad "Happy Anniversary."  I met the couple who bought the model.  They loved everything in it - every detail spoke to them - but when they told me it was their anniversary, I knew there was something magical in what I'd created.  I do believe it is a gift and I hope Ben, and others like us, will find a way to overcome the struggles to share these gifts. 

            I hope you know your gifts - those things that makes you uniquely you - and that you have as much fun with them as I've had in my design career. 

            However, if you are decoratively challenged, I hope you'll call me.

Do you know the color of your soul?

Picture a beautiful bright rainbow breaking through rainclouds.  The storm has passed.  The sweet smell of negative ions fill the air - a clean, fresh smell.  A feeling of hope - a new day.

          Shades of gray and brilliant  colors of the rainbows prism inspired this year's Fall Furniture Market.  Could it be a sign of better days ahead?  I certainly hope it is so.  While we wrestle with color trends and an uncertain economy, maybe we can take a hint from nature.

(Fabrics from the Stickley Showroom at the2011 Fall Furniture Market featuring grays, blues, yellows & peridot green.)

          Nature is one of my favorite sources of inspiration when it comes to creating a color palette.  So, you can imagine my shock when someone asks, "Do blue and green go together?"  I reply, "Look at the sky and the trees.  They're beautiful."  The same rule applies when someone asks about mixing different wood species.  I cannot imagine a forest of trees all one color.

          When I talk to someone who is color blind, it makes me appreciate that I am blessed with a gift to see colors and combinations of colors.   Like an artist who learns all the rules of art and, then, breaks them, I've learned to appreciate the evolution of color in historical designs and, yet, love to revive those same designs with new color combinations and patterns.

          My favorite style is Oriental - a nod to my Chinese ancestry - but with my own twist.  I have used the same fabric for twenty years.  It is a 20th century interpretation of oriental fans - a timeless combination, especially when you examine the layers of sixteen colors. 

So, there is my secret formula:  find a design/style you love and choose a complex palette.  You'll be able to play with different colors through the years and discover the many seasons of your heart and soul.

Of course, if you are color challenged, I invite you to contact me - we'll find the perfect colors for you!

Do you know what's in and what's out?

The Fall Furniture Market at High Point, N.C. is underway.  It's always fascinating to see the trends that influence furniture manufacturers.  One year everywhere you went there was hot pink and another year there was black - lots of black.  Did it have to do with the economic slump?  Did it not look sooooo big in black?

Last fall the theme was peacock blue.  But what do you do if you hate pink or black or peacock blue?

My solution is to decorate for my clients likes rather than the current trend.   In other words, I encourage you to be yourself.  What colors do you like?

My three year old granddaughter can answer that question without hesitation.  She loves, loves, loves pink and purple!  Do you think she'll grow out of it?  Probably. 

Some adults like one color one year and another color another year but others are comfortable with the same colors from year to year. Do you know how you trend towards colors or are you swayed by trendy fashions in your home as well as your clothes? 

Do you want to know my secret?  Then, catch next week's blog for what is new at Market and how I solve my own color and style challenges.