Last week I hated my Living Room. Truly hated it. When I looked at it, all I saw was a sea of brown, surrounded by some brightly colored artwork that just seemed to show up the dull “brown-ness”. I had become my own worst client, I couldn’t see past the ugly. My Living Room has a big window at the front. Most things fade quite quickly; I have the curtains drawn, widely, and I like to have as much light as possible in my home. As a result, everything fades and the fabrics erode quite quickly from the sun (rather odd when you remember that I live in New Jersey, not exactly the sunshine capital of the world). The furniture had faded over the last year, and as I re-decorated the room for Spring, I took out most of the plants and colorful blankets that had been the accessories for the last few months. I guess, in my haste to remove the Winter, the room was left feeling colorless and boring, lacking in life. The life and color now being outside, instead of inside. In my head, it became the worst Living Room that anyone had ever seen. A vintage (old?) golden, brown sofa, an old (vintage?) brown chair, an old, collapsible oak table and a vintage (genuinely old), standing radio sitting alongside a nicely rusted, generously sized, wrought iron chair from outside. The entire combination had morphed into a 1940’s sitcom, with all the good bits taken out. As I panicked in my brown-ness, I mentally scanned my house for replacement pieces of furniture. There were none I could use. There was no hope, I decided I MUST drive to the store right that very second before I was swallowed up by the awfulness of it all. I drove to the store, really fast (but not over the speed limit) and I found a purple sofa and a lovely, oversized slipper chair with an exaggerated pattern of zinnias bursting with orange and dark green….perfect (!?) I looked at the furniture as I took out my credit card, and I walked out of the store. A cafe mocha, no whipped cream, and a half hour later reality hit. I was calm as I made the list of what I wanted, needed and didn’t want in my Living Room. With list in hand, I went home and began to empty the room. The old, brown chair was the first to go…. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

If anyone ever doubted the power of plants, they should meet one of my best friends. Just when I start to dread the cold Winter days, she always calls to tell me that she has lots of extra flower bulbs to share. Over a cup of tea, we go through them, and she tells me which is which, and how soon they will flower. We talk excitedly about how she ordered too many, and that there is not enough windowsills to put them on, but just the idea of having them makes us both happy. We spend the afternoon together, and I make a mental note to thank her again, and remember how grateful I am to be her friend. Winter in the North East can be brutal. The skies are gray, and the garden is either covered in snow, or hard, misshapen chunks of mud. We know that Spring will eventually be here, but it is sometimes hard to believe it when we look outside. The bulbs really cheer me up, and are ridiculously easy to grow, but, more importantly, they are a positive sign of life – a green light at the end of a gray tunnel. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the change of seasons, but I also miss not being able to enjoy my garden for months on end. So, what do I do? For one, I make a huge mess in my kitchen sink, and I honestly don’t care. We are always so concerned with keeping our houses clean, and doing things properly, that I love grabbing a pile of newspapers, spraying water around, and turning my kitchen into an impromptu potting shed. Frankly, even if I had a lovely bench like the one above, I would still use my kitchen; why not be inside, warm and cozy, while you plant flowers? By now, the dog has already scratched the floors with wet, snowy paws, and the house is eternally dusty from the heating system, so I just decide to enjoy my time with the dirt. I keep a bucket of potting mix, lots of empty terracotta pots, and a giant spoon nearby for emergency planting (you never know when you may need to pot a plant in a hurry). I play my favorite music, and for an hour or two I plant and prune, and wonder what they will be when they grow up. I move them from window to window, seeing if they need more light, and noticing who blooms first. I save my jam jars, pot up extra bulbs and pass them onto another friend. Even if you don’t love to garden, it’s impossible to dislike a plant in the Winter….  Gorgeous photograph from http://www.gardentrading.co.uk For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #Friends #KitchenLove #Plants #Winter

So, I was washing a big pile of rocks and shells in the sink the other day (as you do) and my mind began to wander to all the other bits and pieces in your home that can (and should) be washed. Whatever your style, from organic to plastic, lots of things in our homes could really benefit from a big bowl of warm, soapy water. No matter how good a housekeeper you are, dust and grease settle around your home in the most peculiar places; after a while, everything starts to look a little dull, and it is time to give them some love. Here are a few ideas to get your favorite bits and pieces clean again….. Plastic Plants: Fill a sink, or bath, with warm, soapy water (use dish-washing detergent, or shampoo). Swish around in the water. Rinse, and dry. Real Plants: Take them outside, or place them in a large sink. Use a spray attachment, or a small watering can, to wash all the leaves and flowers with cold water. Silk Plants: Find a bag big enough for the plant. Fill the bag with salt, add the plant, and shake it around. The salt will stick to the dirt. Lightly brush the salt off with a paintbrush. Nature Collections: (Pine cones, rocks, shells, twigs, minerals, charcoal, horseshoe crab shells etc) Most can be rinsed gently in cold water, but not for long, and should be dried as quickly as possible (we once washed a dead starfish, didn’t dry it, and days later it turned to mush). Vases: For normal stains, dust and mineral build-up, try a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Let sit for a while, then rinse with warm water. I sometimes use small pebbles with soapy water if the stains are stubborn (raw rice is often recommended, but I find it is not abrasive enough). Bone China Ornaments:  Place them on a towel. Take some warm, soapy water and gently wash the ornaments with Q-tips, or a small paintbrush. Pat and air dry. Cut Glass and Crystal:  Line the sink with a towel. Wash them one at a time. Scrub with a soft toothbrush to get into the crevices. Rinse in very hot water, then leave to air dry (the hot water makes them dry quickly with (hopefully) no streaks. Books, Paintings and other things you’re not quite sure of: If in doubt, a dry, soft paintbrush is often the easiest (and safest) way to clean these. Gnome borrowed (and returned) to http://helpfindmygnome.blogspot.com/ For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #caringforartificialplants #gnomes #householdcleaningtips

Just when you think we are becoming totally reliant on homogeneous technology, a trend returns that reminds you that people still crave things that are beautifully designed, original and useful. A few years ago, most of the children I knew could not tell time (unless it was digital) and anyone who wore a watch was considered old-fashioned. Now, an over-sized watch is the newest, must-have accessory of the season. And, yesterday, my daughter asked me for a camera for Christmas – a new Polaroid Camera (“because they print instant pictures, and are so cool”). So, with dinosaur thoughts on my mind, here are a few basic ideas that may have been forgotten. Divide your Room:  Everyone wants wide open spaces in their home, but sometimes we are not quite sure what to do with them once we get them. Why not keep the space, but create the illusion of smaller, more intimate areas by using a bookshelf, dresser or wall unit to visually separate the room. Add Organic:  Regardless of the style, a home always needs some organic moments to make it feel warm and welcoming. If plants seem like too much work, add a bowl of something that comes from nature (pine cones, shells, twigs, rocks etc). Use Clocks: With digital time, we are fine until the power goes out. Gone are the days when a clock was a coveted family heirloom sitting on the mantle, now, they are affordable, useful works of art. Keep the Dining Table:  Busy lives mean that more meals are eaten at the kitchen sink, on the run, or in front of the television. It also means that eating together has become less common. Why not try to reclaim the dining (kitchen) table, keep it clear of household debris and use it more often? Living a modern life doesn’t have to mean abandoning the basics, it just means we may have to tweak them now and again. What about a gorgeous spa bathtub with a rye grass privacy screen? For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #DesignStyle

It’s Summer time here in New Jersey. Suburban weekends are filled with the sound of lawnmowers and the roads are busy with traffic as people head to the local garden center. I am one of those people. Each Spring I plant coral colored geraniums in my window box at the front of my house. For years I tried to be adventurous with different types of flowers, but lack of water and excessive sunlight soon led me to accept that geraniums were the tried and true flower that would survive in my window box until Fall. Being originally from England I tend to gravitate towards the more haphazard cottage style of gardening. I like things to be unstructured and interesting. Loosely translated it means I can be a lazy gardener, but I prefer to think of it as welcoming and nicely imperfect. When I first moved into my house the front door was covered by a screen door that is normally found at the back of a house. It was rusty and old and white. The concrete steps were crumbling and the landscaping was very formal. It was totally at odds with the 1930’s house that I had bought. The house looked rundown and I was embarrassed when people came up the steps to visit. Over time I replaced the front screen door with a non-traditional one and painted it dark red. Such a small thing immediately directed the focus to the entrance of the house, before the white door had just blended into the white house. The concrete was replaced with limestone, and later on a small overhead porch was added that matched the existing roof line. I dug out the formal conifers and planted perennials instead. It took me ages to make these decisions; I wanted to reclaim the character of the house and I wanted the improvements to appear seamless. To fight against the bones of my old house would have been exhausting, and would have looked ridiculous. A lot of houses in my neighborhood are getting makeovers this year. New doors and windows are everywhere and I often stop to wonder about the contractors who install them. Do they (or the owners) try to match the improvement to the integrity of the house? No less than 10 homes in my neighborhood have installed the exact same front door this year. I am sure that the owners saw the door, loved it and bought it right away. I live in a middle class neighborhood with nice homes, but these are not expensive homes. The door in question looks confused by it’s new surroundings, and the houses that once had character seem to be struggling to find a new identity. If you absolutely fall in love with a door that does not suit your home then try to modify some of the other features about the house. Change some of the plants around the doorway or install a different style of house numbers; both ideas are quick and inexpensive but they would begin to create a story around the door that would support your decision. It is similar to decorating inside. When we buy a new sofa that is totally different from the other furniture, we have to integrate it into our home. If we don’t rearrange our home around it it looks like we have just dropped a new sofa into an old room, it screams brand-new and everything around it is uncomfortable. When you are considering purchasing a door the first idea is to look on the Internet. Do a search of houses similar to yours and see what you like the look of. If you have a 1930’s home then maybe a wood door in a simple design would work for you rather than a shiny brass one? If the door you like is too formal for your home maybe you can modify it? You could scratch the lacquer off the brass to make it less shiny (!) or order it in a different stain/paint color to make it look more interesting. Alternatively, if you want a more formal look consider the new finishes that are available; matching hardware is always more formal but look beyond the obvious. There are beautiful nickel, copper and iron options too. Inquire at the Home Improvement store; ask if the doors can be painted to order and the hardware changed before installation. Don’t assume that what is in the store is your only option. Be creative. Ask questions. Buying and installing a door can be expensive, take the time to make an informed decision. Another idea that I use all the time is to take a photograph of the front of the house, then photocopy it about 10 times in black and white. Take markers or crayons and draw in the improvement you are thinking about doing. Play with it – change colors and styles as many times as you need to. This will give you a very good idea of what it would look like. We rarely see our home the way other people do so an actual photograph of the Outside can be a very useful tool when considering changes. I think we underestimate the impression of the front door. Next time you come home, stand outside for a while, take a good look. Do you like what you see? For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

Even though it is the Holiday season, many people are still trying to sell their homes. Always a daunting process, I thought I would share some ideas, hopefully made easier from a more personal perspective. Several years ago, I was faced with the possibility of selling my own home. During the process, I had to get several Realtors in for assessments. One of them told me that it was a wonderful old house, and would appeal to a quirky owner (the thought of 10 cats and a cupboard filled with an infamous canned food, beloved by Monty Python, came to mind) and the other, was not shy in saying that my house was cozy (small) and shabby (without the chic). What was good, is that it gave me the chance to see my home through the eyes of someone who saw it from a very different perspective. Some of it seemed quite harsh, but truly, they were giving me the reality of the housing market, and I learned a lot from talking to them: The first thing I learned, was that selling a house is about filling the needs of as many people as possible, not about how much you love the crooked staircase and your quirky gargoyle collection. It is no longer about you, it is about a commodity. The second thing I learned was to be realistic. eg. A mansion, in a not-so-good neighborhood, no matter how much money you put into it, will probably never get you the return that you hope for. Likewise, a small home will always appeal more to couples or young families looking for a “starter” home. Depersonalizing was the next lesson. Not a bad word, it just means that you have to edit what you have, so that the house is the main event. Family photos and “stuff” are a distraction. At the very least, keep mementos corralled in one area, not spread all over the place. Clean it up – the outside and the inside. Buyers are fickle; first impressions can prevent someone from even wanting to look inside (put garbage cans, broken Halloween decorations and green hosepipes in the garage). Also, a house that is tidy looks bigger, welcomes you in and makes you want to see more. Make your home feel cared for. Open the curtains, fluff up the pillows and let in the light. Water your plants, and get rid of ones that are past their prime. Every room should have a purpose. Spend some time making sure your rooms look like what they are supposed to be (computers in the office, baskets of clothes in the laundry room, television and photos in the family room etc). A spare room that is filled with “leftovers” puts people off – it needs an identity. If you want to fix things prior to the sale, be wise in your choices. Many states have mandatory inspections, and you may have other things to repair that are far more important (and expensive). Finally, your home should smell good. At the absolute least, change the kitty litter, empty the garbage and open the windows (no air-freshener please!). If you can, bake something in the stove or light a natural scented candle. Make people feel at home with these favorite, comforting scents: Apple pie, cinnamon, coffee, vanilla, chocolate chip cookies…. Lovely, airy photograph from: http://www.softlineonline.com/blog/?m=201104 For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

At last count, I have 46 coffee cups on my shelf, and, I am the only one who drinks coffee. When I was younger, I began collecting them as souvenirs; an easy way to preserve a memory, and remember the places that I had visited. As I got got older, I traveled less, apparently needed more caffeine, and I started to search for larger cups to begin my morning with. Even though travel was no longer a priority, I still liked the idea of having lots of different cups. Ever fussy, I decided the new cups had to have meaning – a saying, a symbol, or simply something that made me smile when I reached for it. They all have a story, and they are all precious in their own way, but they also need somewhere to live. Years ago, we used to have Mug Trees that sat on our counter. Mugs came in matching sets, and often the tree was made of wood, with little wooden arms sticking out on an angle to hold the handles (I guess that is why they called it a Mug Tree). But, they did take up extra room on your counter, and I always worried that they would tip over if they weren’t balanced right. I don’t want to think about the careful placement of my mugs when I am putting them away, so I never quite embraced the Tree. Another thing I have seen, is to find a wall mounted, or ceiling hanging, decorative holder. They are usually made of wrought iron or stainless steel, and it is a nice way to show off a few special mugs, while adding a bit of color to your kitchen wall. Even a pot rack, with those “S” shaped butcher hooks, might look interesting filled with cups and mugs in a lovely large kitchen. Have to confess though, my favorite of all, is the simple cup hooks with the safety tab. They easily screw into the bottom of a shelf, give you twice the amount of space, and will hold cups of all shapes and sizes safely. (I have been using the same ones for nearly 20 years, and they are less than a dollar each). I am sure not everyone spends time thinking about their coffee mugs, or confesses to having 46, but however many mugs you may have, and regardless of how you store them, why not enjoy them as a collection of memories instead of just things? For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #Coffeecups #EasyOrganizing #KitchenLove

Have to confess, there was a time when you could barely see my living room walls; if I could put a nail through it, or find a gizmo to attach it to, everything  got hung up. Not sure where this obsession came from, but I think, initially, it was because my house was small, and I wanted to display my ever-growing collection of vintage hats and clothing. But, honestly, I also know that I saw my walls as an endless opportunity, a blank space just waiting to be decorated. Years later, I continue to cover my walls; moving things around to fill a corner that needs a little something, or hanging a new item that I might find at a flea market. I justify my actions by telling myself that there is a practical side to what I do, and that I am providing homes for things that otherwise would be lying in a cupboard, unappreciated. And, with that delusional thought, here are some of my favorite “hang-ups” for you to share. Unfinished Wooden Peg Hooks, like the ones in the main photograph (above), can be used to hang just about anything. Easily painted or stained to match your home, I have used them for handbags, coats, towels, necklaces, scarves, clipboards, belts etc. (Found in most craft stores and Flea Markets). Safety Cup Hooks are larger than regular cup hooks, and have clever little spring-catches at the top that prevents the cup from falling off. Find them at your hardware store, or on-line. (I have had mine for over 20 years now, and they are still as good as new). Binder and Bulldog Clips. So much stronger than you think, and only limited by your imagination. Here, they have used them to hang boots and label baskets, making a great entrance-way look organized and stylish for very little money. And, finally, one of my favorites, the cork-board. Perfect for inspiration, miscellaneous business cards or just a few things you want to keep, but don’t quite know what to do with….. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #EasyOrganizing

I confess, I can be a bit stubborn, and, sometimes, when someone says that it can’t be done, I ask “Why not?”.  To me, decorating belongs in the Land of “Why not’s?” – a place where rules are simply things that other people made up. Don’t get me wrong, when I started out on my decorating  journey, I also followed the guidelines about what I should (and shouldn’t do). Because, that’s what you do when you don’t know. I put up flowery curtains, painted all of my rooms cream, and bought a platter that said “Turkey” on it. (For my first Thanksgiving dinner, of course. I wouldn’t have dreamed of serving turkey, unless I had the appropriate platter to put it on). Fortunately, after a while, we all decide that we really do (or do not) like flowery curtains, and we start to sift through our own style. We may, or may not, keep the Turkey platter, and we decide to paint the walls a darker shade of cream. We watch design shows, and pour over paint samples, but now and again we hesitate, and we wonder if what we want to do is really okay. Here is a list of some design things that really are okay (despite what you may have heard). Hang artwork at whatever height you like, wherever you want to. (And, use the smallest, most effective hook you can. Art weighs a heck of a lot less than you think). Go ahead, use dark paint in a small room, and add big furniture (but less of it). Makes it cozy and dramatic at the same time. When buying/remodelling a home, consider whether or not you want a formal Dining Room. Many people don’t use it, and it can become a clutter collector. Don’t have one “just because”. Not every room has to have a “pop of color”. Really. There are lots of neutral rooms that are truly beautiful. It’s okay, put a bed in front of your window if you want to. Give the Master Bedroom to your children, or use it as an office space. Do you really need a gigantic bedroom? As you can see, the point is that design rules are just guidelines to get you started, or, as the late, great Katherine Hepburn said  “If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun!” Gorgeous bedroom from Bungalow at Home For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #BreakingtheRules #findingyourdesignstyle

I turned the heat on the other night. I wasn’t proud of it, but unexpected cold temperatures and a rainy day made me want to hibernate under a blanket with hot chocolate and a years supply of books and magazines (or, even better, Project Runway and Design Star on the television). I wasn’t ready for the cold. My flip-flops were still by the door, and my skin was still brown from too many days without SPF700. But, here it is, Fall, Autumn, whatever you like to call it, attacking us with no warning in mid-September. Temperatures that soared up to a 100 Fahrenheit (37 Celsius) a week or two ago, have now plummeted to around 50 Fahrenheit (10 Celsius) at night.The annual flowers are struggling, and this morning I watched my daughter walk to school on frost-bitten grass. Sneakers soaked, she was happy to kick at the wet ground seeing the patterns that they made. Here, where I live, the seasons are very defined. I find myself looking forward to the next one just as I get tired of the one that I am in. But, no matter how many time it happens, it always takes me a while to transition. For several weeks I demonstrate confusion; a coat with a summer skirt or flip-flops in the rain. I often feel displaced and unhappy that I have to adjust my lifestyle once again to follow the changing weather patterns. When I look outside I see that the world is so much more organized than I am. Weeks ago, I noticed squirrels with acorns and chestnuts in their mouths, deer eating the plants as if it could be their last meal; they had a purpose, they were getting ready, they know that Winter is not far away, they know what they are supposed to do. My garden has that worn look that tells me it is tired and ready to be pruned; the weeds are in full glory, and the roses are loving the colder weather that lets them bloom more brightly and longer than usual (no surprise that the English-grown roses are far more beautiful than mine). When I look at the garden, and the natural evolution of the seasons, I wonder at myself. Why does it take me so long to accept the reality of the seasons? Is it denial, a resistance to change, or is it just a blind optimism that things go on forever? Regardless, it is here and I being pushed to embrace the colder weather. We carved pumpkins the other day. Early, I know, but my goddaughter is staying with us, and she had never carved one before. When we had finished, we put candles inside them and placed them on the step to be admired. Despite my initial reluctance, it was a welcome shot of color in my nearly spent garden. Looking at them made me happy. I instantly found myself glad for a new excuse to redecorate the front of the house; ideas were forming in my head, and I wanted to go outside at that moment to see what I could do to make it look pretty for the next couple of months. Inside my house, I am making it feel more cozy; swapping bowls of shells for buttons, and layering quilts and blankets wherever someone may want to sit and put their feet up. Tomorrow I’ll prune the plants and move my favorite geraniums in from the sun-room. I’ll get the snow-blower checked and stock up on salt for those icy days. Try on Winter coats, hats and boots. Drink hot cider and eat apples (or maybe just apple donuts). Admire the organization of the squirrel… For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

I had to write this title. As I did all I could think of were putting hooks all over the wall and attaching my children to them. Of course I never would, but it’s a funny visual. It is time to decorate my daughter’s room again. She is 10. Gone are the days of looking at the Disney color charts, and picking out the pinkiest pink in the entire universe. This time she, asked what her budget would be, when could I start and how many friends could she invite over to help. Her budget is $35, excluding paint and of course her friends can help. However, I know who will be doing most of the work. The color she picked is called vintage purple, just the name makes me happy. It conjures up visions of daisies, worn out leather and great guitar rifts played in an open field. But I digress, this is after all her room, not mine. I never tire of decorating; as soon as she asked for my help, I found myself sketching layouts and writing down ideas. Decorating and design are an inexplicable joy for me, I will never push for a client or ask to redo someones home, but if you ask for my advice I can guarantee you that my head has already started the planning process. Before I forget, yes, I will post before and afters of her room as soon as it is done. For most people having a baby is all about the cute clothes and the squidgy, little faces, for me it was also another opportunity to decorate. My inspiration for her room was a wonderful set of curtains that were bright, lime green with abstract yellow blobs on them. I painted two walls yellow and the opposing ones green. The ceiling was painted sky blue with white clouds. Of course we had glow in the dark stars, how could you not? I also found glow in the dark paint at the craft store (which really does work and lasts forever). The accessories and crib were all red, yellow, blue and green. It was an easy palette to decorate with. As she grew up, and started to walk, she loved the colorfulness of it. Add to the room a few hundred toys and it became a kaleidoscope of messy color. Ever the lazy mother I drew pictures of her clothes and taped them to the outside of the drawers. I was determined that from an early age she could learn to find her clothes and put them away. Little did I know that just because she knew what to do, didn’t mean she would actually do it. Apparently I was lazy and naive. But when she was little my theory worked really well. As she figured out the pictures (eg. a t-shirt, pants, dress, underwear) I added the words so that she could learn through recognition. It became a game for her and an artistic outlet for me. I continued the theme and drew things on the walls around the house, writing the name next to them so that she could learn what they were. A word of caution, if you ever do this, do not use a permanent marker, years later I still have the words “Chair” peering through the paint in the living room. I have used every product available and still the words continue to bleed through. I wrote it seven years ago…. When she was five she had to have a pink room. I, foolishly, let her pick the color. It was a bright, fuchsia pink that became quite dark when I began to paint the wall. It looked horrible. I immediately went out and got a new, softer pink, trying to convince my daughter that it was the same color, that it had just faded when it came out of the can. I still feel bad that I lied to her about it. We (I) decided that the pink room needed fairies. My friend and I found wall stickers of fairies. I painted a tree and the fairies danced around the tree. I painted her lampshades to match and glued the fairies on them (it’s ok to do this, it dims the light a bit but it is not hazardous in any way). Her Aunt gave her a lovely canopy for her bed that had flowers around the top, it matched the fairy theme and became a little hideaway for her and her friends to sit in. I found 5 large pink circles of carpet that became lily-pads for them to hop on as they made their way around the room. She still has them and her friends still play with them like giant pieces of hopscotch. About 2 years later we hit the Pop Star phase. Hannah Montana ruled our universe for approximately 5 months. Everything had to be Hannah. We took down most of the fairies, hung up a Hannah poster and tried to make the room look a little more grown up. I gave my daughter a budget of $25 and we went to Target. She bought a pink and orange beaded curtain for her door, a pink lava lamp, a pink and purple laundry hamper and some other accessories. She was so excited to be able to buy her own things and working within a budget made her feel very grown-up. It was a good lesson for us both. I would really recommend doing this with young children. As abruptly as it started, the Hannah phase finished. In came the Jonas Brothers and a need for a more sophisticated room. She and her friends were starting to hang out in her room more and she was, I think, a little self-conscious that it was so cluttered and some of the items were a little young. I have always let her keep her room the way she wanted. Now and again I make her clean it up, but as long as her bed is made and there aren’t any actual living fungi anywhere I give her carte blanche to do with it whatever she wants. So now here we are, ready to paint again. It is going to be purple (vintage, of course, which makes me smile – it’s kind of a murky, faded purple) less cluttered and a more mature version of a girls room. I broke the bad news to her, it had to be cleaned before we could paint…….She was shocked and told me “But you’re a house designer, can’t you do it all for me?”. So, I asked “Would you like me to clean your room, organize it, paint and redecorate it while you’re at school, sweetie?”. “Yes please” she said………… Well, after I had stopped laughing, she really did have to tidy her room. Fortunately for her I can’t resist a decorating job, and I have been dying to redecorate her room for a while now. The only instructions I have is to not look under the bed or in her desk, that’s where her private things are. As bad as I can be, I promise that I won’t look. She is at the stage where I am not sure I want to read everything that is going on in her head, some things are better left unsaid. The fact that she told me where not to look made me giggle. I decided to treat her like a client. I asked her what her requirements were (hamster, hermit crabs, lava lamp, books and cd player by bed) and what she did and didn’t like about the room (not enough space, too much clutter, too babyish, loved the windows and the light, still liked her flower canopy and beaded door). We discussed some options and decided that the bed and sofa would stay where they were, but everything else I could move if I wanted to. After sketching up a plan I told her I would try to start this week. Darling that she is, she even offered to pay me a fee… For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

Like everyone else, I am often distracted by the new and the shiny! Trends are a part of our life. We get bored, and before we know it someone reinvents an old classic; we are always happy to embrace the newness, and pretend that it really is different than before (for example, why am I wearing Jeans combined with Leggings that are now, frighteningly, called Jeggings?). The latest trends in home design are similar to the ones in fashion. If we aren’t careful, we become victims of an overused, and short-lived, media darling. With home accessories costing more than fashion accessories, it is foolish to go straight to the obvious choice. To me, Granite is the expensive “Jeggings” of home design. Granite has been the star of the show for the last few years. Sometimes, I hate to say it out loud, but people have bought it for the prestige. Don’t get me wrong, I totally understand the appeal, but let’s not be so blinded by the press that we overlook all of the other available options. Natural Stone has been around since the beginning of time, originally in very posh houses, that often had gilded picture frames and tassels on their curtains. Now that it has become more mainstream, it is the number one choice for homeowners. I understand why, but please don’t limit your ideas. Counter tops are a big fashion element of your kitchen, plus, they need to work hard for you every day, efficiently. They are an investment. Some things to consider: What type of surface do you need? Are you like me, do you need somewhere that you can put a heavy pan down without thinking about it, or are you more careful when you cook? Do you want your kitchen to look bigger, smaller, old fashioned, modern? Do you want a dark or light color? A busy pattern, a glossy surface? How much maintenance are you willing to put into it? Would it bother you if the color/surface changed with age? What is your budget? Next, you need to see and feel what you are considering. Go to some of the larger hardware stores or kitchen showrooms. Ask questions. Get samples if you can. Visit a granite showroom and ask what they charge for direct installation. Look at their less popular, more unusual stones. Alternatively, think about combining a less expensive counter with a unique edging. Man-made counters are far more durable and appealing to the eye than they used to be. My mom has a laminate counter top that is edged in a beautiful, native wood. I honestly didn’t know it was laminate until she told me, because of the clever design combination. If you want something unusual, that is not typically used in a kitchen, check out the reviews online. Don’t just believe what you imagine to be true in your head. Thoughts: Poured concrete, Soapstone, Marble, Granite, Wood, Silestone (a Quartz composite) Stainless Steel, Corian, Laminate, Formica, WilsonArt stone and laminate, Glass, Tile and Slate. It’s worth the time and effort that you take into making this decision. A counter top should be a timeless and beautiful addition to your home; something that you enjoy working with every single day. Don’t get caught up in a trend, or, like Jeggings (cringe) you’ll lose your originality and be bored with it in a few weeks. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/