More News and Info!

Hello friends! I have some very exciting news!! I am moving my blog to my website. I'm absolutely not tech-savvy so this is an interesting move for me. However I think I've got it! PLEASE let me know if you have any trouble with the new blog. You can email me at homestyledesigner@yahoo.com

Head on over to   http://www.homestyledesign.biz/  and click on the blog button. 

Thank you friends!!

FINALLY!! I think...

Thank you for your patience!  We have been without internet for an eternity...or a few weeks. But when we are talking internet, it is the same!

I think we will have service now going forward so watch for upcoming posts.

He is in the details

As you know, I am person of faith. I know that God is in the details of our life. He loves us and He wants the best for us. This was made clear to me in what could be describe as a random, happenstance kind of event. Not even an event so much as a inconsequential meeting. Let me explain.

My husband has just returned from a month in Australia and New Zealand. Because of his artificial heart valve, he is on blood thinners and needs his blood checked every 6 weeks. I had schedule an appt. for him, however, he found a different place to go and we headed out. I won't bore you with the details, but we were taken to the wrong dept. we sat there a few minutes when a lovely lady came in and sat down. Being very friendly, she struck up a short conversation. In that brief moment she mentioned that she does home staging. Say WHAT????? REALLY???? We didn't have much time to talk, just at that moment, they came to take us to the correct location. We exchanged cards and I'll let you know if we connect. It was affirmation that He is aware of me and puts those in my path that can help me or act as a quick reminders of His love for me.

Watch for His love and examples of it in your life. He is in the details!

3 F's and 3 P's

Form, Function and Faith.  Priorities, Principles and People.

What does this mean with regard to interior decorating? If you read a couple of  posts back, or if you have read my book Your Divine Dwelling you have a good idea! Let's discuss shall we?

Form: the visible shape or configuration of something

Function: work or operate in a proper or particular way

Faith: strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.

Priorities: a thing that is regarded as more important than another

Principles: a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning

People: the men, women, and children of a particular nation, community or family

What does all of this have to do with interior decorating? Well, simply put...everything!! Our homes are our refuge (condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble) It is where we relax, rejuvenate and make memories. These things should be reflected in our surroundings.

For more on this, purchase your copy of  Your Divine Dwelling~ the Spiritual Aspect of Interior Design. 

Email me @ homestyledesigner@yahoo.com

OrganizeDesign

I wanted to talk about OrganizeDesign today. My definition of OrganizeDesign is pretty much what it says. Organizing and designing in a functional, fabulous way. I haven't mentioned it for awhile. As I wait, somewhat patiently to move and get settled, it has come to mind. Also I wrote sometime ago about the book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and felt it was time to address this again. (I will discuss the book more in an upcoming post.)

We moved to Texas without purchasing a home first. It has been an adventure! Not necessarily one I would advise. The difficulty with this type of move is you don't know what to get rid of so you basically don't get rid of anything! Yikes!! Well, let me clarify, we got rid of the stuff we knew we didn't love anymore, but that was minimal.

Now that we have chosen a home I have been mentally going thru the "stuff" we have and trying to decide if I still love it and/or still need it. I feel that we will get rid of a lot of décor items, but we do need to purchase somethings as well. ie, master bedroom furniture, couch for the great room, kitchen chairs, etc.

The day the truck was loaded, furniture, boxes etc. were brought out to a staging area so they could be placed in the truck. I will confess, it is an eye opening experience to see most of your belonging on your front lawn all at one time! When they are neatly tucked away in closets and storage rooms, etc. it seems like so much less. It was a bit shocking! I kept saying to the friends that were helping load the truck, "why do two people need so much stuff"? Probably shouldn't have said that in ear shot of my husband. ;)

So, where are you in this? Have you cleaned out, decluttered, given away or had a garage sale lately? Are there items you no longer love? Are the "loved" items stored in a fabulous, creative way? What are some of your most difficult storage issues?

I LOVE a storage ottoman!

This breadbox works great to store stamps, stapler, paperclips, etc. Perfectly at home in the kitchen!

Have the faces you love where you can see them!

Your Divine Dwelling

My new book "Your Divine Dwelling" is available for $12.00. This book was truly a labor of love. I hope you are inspired.

Learn how your home, décor and accessories is a good indicator of what is important to your family. Its not about trends, its about your family's core. It is about form, function and faith. Priorities, principles and people. Your home tells your story. Is it saying what you want it to say? Your Divine Dwelling will guide you room by room in an easy to follow format of how you can tell your true story. This book is not about the latest styles in home décor. It is about discovering your beliefs and how you can share those through your own personal style.

If you would like a copy, leave a comment or email me at homestyledesigner@yahoo.com. It will be available on amazon.com soon.

Lets Relax....

*

I am getting very excited to get settled! Although I am having a wonderful time with my daughters family, it will be nice to have a place to call home. We are finalizing things and hope to be moving in just over two weeks. Yikes!! It has be an interesting adventure to come to Texas without a home to move into and then to negotiate on this home while the hubster is in New Zealand and Australia. Not an adventure I necessarily want to do again or would suggest you try. As I have looked at the pictures to try and mentally arrange our treasures, I always pause at this picture. This will be a lovely spot to relax.

Where is your favorite spot to relax?

*this picture is from the listing

Memorial Day 2016

  

                                                         A day to remember

Welcome Home...I hope!

We have an accepted offer on this home and are hoping to be moved in by the middle of June.

Reunited!!

Reunited and it feels so good! The Kirkland's store in the town I lived in closed several years ago. To say my life hasn't been the same is not an over statement! I have loved Kirkland's since I first discovered them. On my way back from the inspection on our new home, I passed this beautiful sign.



                                          

Joy!! It felt like seeing an old friend! What décor store do you enjoy?

Hello, y'all!

Hello from Texas! Things are going very well. We arrived on Mothers day, unload the truck into storage on Monday, looked for homes in the afternoon on Tues. and all day Wed. Submitted an offer on Thursday and it was accepted on Friday! If all goes as planned we will be in our new home mid June. We could not be more excited!

Mama, Mommy, Mom, Mother...

These special woman answer to so many names and give so much. Happy Mothers day!

It's HERE!

Here it is!!! I am so excited to announce that my new book "Your Divine Dwelling" is now available!
It has been a labor of love and to finally hold it is wonderful! If you are local, you have until Friday to purchase. With our move this Saturday, I won't be able to mail them until Wednesday May 11th at the earliest.
To purchase please email homestyledesigner@yahoo.com.

Spring has sprung! Or has it?

Spring has come to Minnesota...I think! If you have ever lived here you know that just when you think it is safe to put away the winter gear, mother nature says "not so fast there".

So today we are talkin' curb appeal. How does yours look? Stand at the sidewalk or curb and take a look see. If you were seeing your home for the first time, what would you think? What needs to be cleaned up, changed or loved more?

I love flowers. I want to love gardening. I don't, at least not now and not yet. Maybe someday. All the flowering plants that I have are in pots. For some reason that is easier for me and it works. It still brings color to the front of our home. For now that is just fine. How about you? Do you consider yourself a gardener?

Your challenge for next week: Consider your curb appeal. What's it lookin' like?

We got us a convoy....

These little goodies are going on the drive to Texas. Breaker, breaker... One of our daughters will be helping with getting the vehicles there. We will make great use of these, my hubster said he'll pass on this!

It's back!

Have you heard the phrase "everything old is new again"? Well it's true! Gold fixtures are back! Actually they have been for a couple years. Bathroom, kitchens, lighting, as well as hardware. What do you think about gold/brass? We have lived in a brushed nickel, oil rubbed bronze, nickel era. Now that many have made the switch to the "new" finishes, so has the design world...back to where we were. Tell me what you think. What finish to you have? What finish do you love?

overstock.com     amazon.com

The Move and Exciting News to come!

I have been spending a lot of time packing for our upcoming move. The move-exciting, the process-not so much! We will leave for Texas on the 7th of May. It is becoming very real!

I  have some very exciting news that I will reveal later this week! Stay tuned!!



         

How to... The List!

The question...where do I start?
The answer...the list below!


1. Budget

This may seem silly to even mention, however, I have been amazed at the number of clients that contact me AFTER they have made unwise purchases.

2. Needs/Form and Function

Spend some time determining how the space will be used, the floorplan, and who should be involved in the discussion.

3. Color

Color is SO important when designing a space. You should consider natural lighting, artificial light as well as the weather. Yes, the weather. If you live in a region that experiences many gray and gloomy days gray might not be the best choice for a wall color.

4. Style

If you are not sure what your style is, visit google or magazine photos to get an idea of what speaks to you. If you are on pinterest, pin photos and then look for trends in what you pinned.

5. Clean

Make sure you start with a clean space. Declutter and organize before you begin a new design.

6. Redesign

Redesign is an economical way to create a new room. You are able to create a refreshed space spending a minimal amount of money or no money at all!

7. Price

Take the time to do some online window shopping. Price out what you want and where and how to spend your budget. It is awful when you realize that you have spent most of your allotted cash on the wrong items.

And there you have it! This is how to get started. If you are looking for additional decorating tips I just happen to have a book to help you with that! See it right there on the right column? You can purchase it on my website or on Amazon. 

Happy Easter!

Faith and Decor

Last week I did a presentation for high school girls of faith. They are looking forward to graduation and then college.  With that brings excitement, joy, some sense of fear of the unknown and adult life.  This of course applies to all of us. We all can have a sense of excitement, joy and fear of the unknown regardless of our age or stage in life. With that in mind, we discussed how to create a space that invites the spirit. A few of the ideas we discussed:

1.Surround yourself with images of your faith, be it artwork, sculptures or quotes. They serve as a visual reminder of what makes us strong.

2. This does not have to be expensive. You can be create your own artwork by being creative.

3. Keep a journal of your spiritual experiences. This will be a gift to you when you find yourself in a difficult time. Choose a color and style that brings you joy.

I shared with them my list of steps in creating a beautiful space. Check back in to see that complete list!

How to Tidy up your Space

Let's talk organization. Is this something you are constantly working on? I, like about 3 million other folks just purchased The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I have not read the entire book yet but two tips I have grabbed onto in the first 25 pages or so, is storage is part of the problem! A little here and a little there organizing is part of the problem! As I contemplated this, I must say I agree. As some of you are aware, OrganizeDesign is a service I offer my clients. This service just might evolve in time.

It is time to be more thoughtful in the "tidying up" of our spaces. We have been a society in search of stuff. It has come to define our "success" and our accomplishments. How silly! Our success and accomplishments are in how we treat people, our beliefs and our faith.

I look forward to reading and implementing the ideas in this book. Have your read it?

How to...

How to curb an obsession: First admit you have one and two decide if you want to curb it.

I am obsessed with pillows, rugs, curtains, pitchers and cake plate/stand. As I have said before I love to change my home seasonally, so most of these items are necessary...right? I have light, medium and dark colored curtains, pillows and rugs. This makes it so much easier to change things up.

I cannot explain the cake stand and pitcher obsession. I might need some therapy for that one! What is your obsession?

Planning for Change...

There are lots of things going on this week. New services to add, possible name change, {business, not me ;)}business planning, blog posting, social media updates, possible products to sell, presentations...SO much to think on and plan for in the future. All these things are keeping me focused on what I can control instead of what I cannot. (ie house selling)

UPDATE:My second book has been through its final edit and is now waiting for a cover. Hopefully that will happen today. Book three, more of a booklet really, is a quick look at home staging tips. It is complete and ready for printing. The fourth book is, at this point, just in my head. It will soon take shape and plan to have it ready for purchase by this time next year, if not sooner! Big things are happening and I am grateful for a supportive community of family, friends, and business associates. What is on your agenda today? Whatever it is, enjoy!

Here's whats new...

Two amazing artist friends just purchased an art gallery, and I was honored to assist them with the redesign of the space. Today is their opening day and I could not be more excited for them!

My friends are CrAzY talented, don't you agree?! And yes, that is a piece of cardboard on the right side of the picture. It was a place holder as we did the wall gallery of their beautiful copper art.

We were so close...

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, we put our house on the market and we had an offer in 9 days!!! Unbelievable! I started packing like a crazy person! I could taste it....the warmth....the sunshine...family. And then after 2 weeks of inspections and a little back and forth...it was over. The buyers canceled the purchase. Even though I was a real estate agent for about 7 years, I was a seller. I was excited, nervous and crazed.

Now what?! I have asked myself that over and over. We are back on the market and we have had showings.

Here is what I know:
It is in the Lords hands.
It has been confirmed to me that now is the time.
I have inner peace.

Here is what I don't know:
Why that deal fell through?
When we will get another offer?
What am I supposed to learn from this?

I want to learn it quickly so we can move on, literally and figuratively. And maybe what I need to learn cannot be learned quickly. Perhaps it is patience and faith, neither can be learned quickly and without some discomfort. I will keep you posted on the move and the growth.

Blizzard...and I'm not at Dairy Queen!

Yesterday, or as my grandson says, "lasterday" we had a blizzard. School was canceled, some stores closed as did some roads. School for today was canceled last night. Is the landscape beautiful? Yes. Does everything look like a freshly painted room? (my frame of reference) Yes. Do I love the 2 1/2-3ft wall of snow the plow leaves in front of my driveway? Ummm, NO! Really!! You can't just make one more trip around the end of the cul de sac and push that into my yard? You put the entire street of snow into my yard.  Oh, well. I guess you get paid either way. No need to be kind. Rant complete!
Now I'll just take a deep breath and focus on the beauty of the day!

Snow no more...

2016 will bring a move for us! We are going from the Midwest to the south. I for one am DONE with the cold and the snow! We have our home on the market and wow, isn't that a lot of fun?!?!?!?! Actually, its a bit early to say that...we've been on the market for 6 days. Six days and we have had 4 showings. When it's cold and snowy and January in the Midwest, I think that is very good! But now I'm ready for an offer. ;)  I know, I know, relax and take it easy. It could take some time. So for now I dream of a new home and constantly clean and organize this one. How's YOUR 2016 looking so far?

What will it look like?

                      2016 has arrived! Are you excited? What will this next year bring and what will we create? We can sit back in a 'wait and see' posture OR we can make things happen! One is easier and one is more fulfilling, complete with growth. When we step out and actually do and be it is amazing! We all have potential far greater then we can imagine. Others see it in us, believe in us. If for no other reason, let's do it for them! When you accomplish something that seems unattainable the feeling is like no other. Have you felt it? This year I plan to create what I want from life. To strive to reach my potential, to see myself as others do...as God does. He has given all of us gifts. They are different but all are special, important and necessary.  Take some time to create the life and experiences that you want, that are necessary to reach your potential.

Emotional             Physical             Spiritual         Creatively

What will 2016 look like?

2016!

Have a Safe and Happy New Year!