Now I often say on this blog that rules are made to be broken. However, let me clarify on that very topic. Rules are made to be broken within reason.

Bad design

Now mixing up chairs is always a good idea….mixing the wrong chairs, well that is a bad idea. There are so many things wrong with this design. The hostess chairs are way to big for this space. In other words scale is all wrong. The side chairs are way to small….making your guests feel inferior to those who sit at the ends. And the style, let’s just say it is good to mix them but this is way off. In my opinion, the one that counts, this room needs help. If this is your room give me a call, I can give you the 411 on how to decorate this space properly and not make your guests feel like midgets.

Good design

Instead choose a scale that is appropriate to your room, and in context with the other furniture pieces, like above. It is good to mix and match, however, not to the point of falling into wonderland….even Alice herself would feel out of place in the first dining room!

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Shower niches

I have done many, many shower remodels over the years and one of the best installments any bathroom addition can have are shower niches. They are easily built into the 2×4′s and can be as tall as you like. It creates a wonderful storage solution for all your shower accessories and keeps them neat and tidy. Having shampoo bottles and soap all over the shower floor and shower seat just looks messy!

While this ledge (shown above) does provide some storage it limits you on overall storage space and can use up valuable shower space; not to mention looks messy. If the option is available always install cubbies to maximize on your shower solutions.

Another recommendation is to add a small shaving niche. If your shower is small and does not have a seat it can prove to be difficult to shave if you are a woman. Add a small cubby for your foot to make shaving comfortable and easy!

What are some of your favorite shower features?

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…..So here it is 2013. I cannot believe another year has passed! Where does the time go? As We step into this New Year, and we all profess resolutions that we may or may not stick to I hope all of you, my readers have a spectacular and abundant year. Heres to moving onward and upward!

xoxo

Amanda

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Tools for a Harder-Working Garage

While Webster defines the garage as “a shelter for automotive vehicles,” most of us use our garages for much more than that. Dad stores his tools, tires, and to-dos; mom pulls in with the minivan and piles up potential craft projects; and the kids create chaos with endless amounts of sports equipment and toys. In the end, we often don’t even have room for the cars.

Short of shuffling all your gear to the trash, how can a garage fulfill its storage responsibilities when so many users are demanding space? Well, with a handful of creative solutions and clever organizational strategies, you can transform your space into a multipurpose marvel that holds a three-car garage’s worth of stuff in a two-car garage’s amount of space, no garage sale needed.

Use Your Walls to Double Your Space

Clearing clutter from the floor is the first step to getting the garage in working order, and that means utilizing every inch of the walls and ceiling. Here are a few tricks for getting the most out of your available space:

• For items that don’t get accessed often (such as holiday decorations and luggage), either install a cable-lifted storage rack or create a sliding storage system for rimmed plastic bins along the ceiling. This makes use of previously dead space and gets larger containers off the ground. Pulley systems for raising bikes are also available.
• Install a two-foot-deep shelf around the upper perimeter of the garage to provide additional storage space for bulk paper items and dry goods, small plastic bins, paint supplies, etc. With the typical two-car garage boasting three 24-foot long walls, mounting shelves like these roughly gains an extra 150 feet of usable space.



• Pegboards have long been a go-to for garage gurus, but have you ever thought about them three-dimensionally? By hanging several separate framed pegboards perpendicular to the wall on vertical hinges (sort of like leaves in a book), you gain plenty of surface area for hanging tools without taking up much wall space. Plus, the divided pegboards make categorizing items a breeze. Consider painting outlines of the tools in their appropriate spot on the pegboard so everyone knows what goes where.
• If your garage walls are unfinished, screw small hooks on the ends of neighboring studs, then stretch a few short bungee cords between them to create a makeshift crate for tall garden tools, sports equipment, or balls.

Give Storage Spaces a Dual Purpose

Once you’ve established a place for all of your items, find ways that you can make your garage goods do double duty. With many users vying for usable space, your storage solutions have to do more than just contain things in order to hold their own:

• Whether you have repurposed kitchen cabinets, plastic bins, or a large metal storage locker, paint the outer doors or lids with a coat of inexpensive chalkboard paint then affix a cup nearby to hold chalk. Kids will love being able to “color” on the garage furniture, Type-A moms can quickly scrawl labels describing what’s inside, and your resident handyman will appreciate being able to jot down measurements for whatever project’s in progress.
• Enrich your shelf’s life by utilizing the space underneath as much as you do that on top. Screw small hooks to the underside of a shelf to hold hanging tools and toys, or glue the lids to several jars to the bottom surface and twist the containers into them for stowing small items like nuts and bolts, sidewalk chalk, and nails.
• Save yourself some drawer space and add magnetic strips along the back of your cabinet doors to hold lightweight metal tools and paintbrushes in easy reach.

Give Yourself Room to Grow

On a clear day, punching the garage door opener quickly doubles or even triples your workspace, depending on the size of your driveway, so make expanding to the outside simple and easy:

• Include one or two mobile workbenches (essentially carts on casters) that can be rolled out into the driveway when needed. Whether you create your own or purchase one ready-made, you can also set larger tools like chop saws and drill presses onto wheeled stands.
• With little more than a piece of plywood and a couple of hinges, you can build a flip-down workspace that folds out of the way when not in use. Such a desk is ideal for walkways that must be kept clear when you’re not working.

What other ways have you found to stretch the boundaries of your garage as a multi-purpose room?

Jessica Johnson works for www.extraspace.com and contributes to the Extra Space Storage blog, exploring various aspects of organizing and storing possessions. Extra Space Storage has locations across the U.S., including a Lakewood self storage location.

I’m thrilled to have been chosen again to be a Verizon Ambassador for their new Windows 8x phone by HTC. My role over the next few months is to test this phone and give y’all my honest opinion on how it works, and how user friendly it is. So far so good. Now we did have a fabulous webinar explaining the different applications and functions of our new phones, but I have to say this is the first time I have been excited about a phone since the launch of iPhone.

One of my favorite features so far are the tiles on the home screen. They are easy to customize and they include everything from fun to use aps, to Facebook to the latest and breaking news. I also love the fact that the tiles themselves can be customized. They can be as big or small as I want and I can place them anywhere I choose on the home screen. The best part? I was able to do this without instruction. A phone that is this user friendly and easy to use…one that is what I consider intuitive, is a phone that I can recommend.

Now I am off to use the camera…and BTW, it has photo features to customize my pics and it has different lenses! OMG, I am in heaven!

**As part of the Verizon Wireless Ambassador program, I received a free device and service in exchange for my honest opinions. Thoughts and opinions here are 100% my own. **

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Choosing an exterior color palette for your home can be tricky because many factors need to be taken into consideration. Mistakes can be made easily and if you overlook three key things you’re sure to fail before you even get started.

In the past few months I’ve been working with a local contractor on his new spec house. (I also helped him with the exterior of his farmhouse.) The colors of this spec house were extremely important to me for three reasons. I wanted something different, I wanted to honor the houses architecture and I also wanted to respect the subdivision. This french inspired home felt fresh, modern and I wanted the exterior to feel the same. When Choosing colors there are 3 things to consider:

1) What is the theme in the neighborhood you live in?

2) What is the style of your home?

3) Where is the homes location? For example, are you in the Arizona desert or Mountains of Vermont?

Choose your main exterior color first. This is the start of your palette.

Choose accent colors for drains and trims, and decide on a stain or paint color for your doors

For me I wanted classic with a spin. Drains and trims were done in a charcoal brown and shutters in a deep forest green. Fresh, different and Awesome!

If uncertain of your color choices paint your blueprints. It’s a great way to get an overall feel of what your color palette will look like.

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This past weekend I was in a Marriot in Florida and was disappointed to find such poor lighting in their main bathroom off the lobby. Now to the naked eye most would not see the issue, right?

Poor lighting example

It’s like a finding waldo example only this game might end badly when you go to apply your lipstick. Here’s the issue: The can lights are about 3″ past the the vanity. This effect highlights the vanity beautifully, but without additional lighting around the mirror the woman looking to fix her make-up, fluff her hair or pull that object out of her eye is going to be completely in the dark. As soon as I leaned in over the 24″ vanity to fix my lip gloss I might as well have been putting it up my nose because I couldn’t see anything. And when I stepped back to grab some light…..well I was so far away from the mirror I couldn’t tell my nose from my ears.

Design tip: Always layer your lighting especially in a bathroom. Put everything on dimmers and make sure there is plenty of light no matter where you stand. Have questions or comments? Email me at info@abhomeinteriors.com

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About a year ago I wrote an article on The Secret To Perfectly Organized Bookshelves. Bookshelves may seem like a utilitarian place to store books and odd ball items for display but they really are not for the faint at heart. Our homes have beautiful architectural details that if styled right can instantly give your room a face lift, and showcase your most prized objects with style. Today I helped a client style her book shelf for with items she already had and  the results were stunning.

Before

After

Don’t be afraid to edit. Many of my clients over decorate their shelves and want to show off everything. Instead, rotate your collections and books for a more organized look. Use like minded items, like pottery, colors, finishes or objects that display well and are easy on the eyes. Always leave room to add new books or found items and remember to have fun with it! And if you’re not entirely sure what to do, give me a call! I am happy to help. My team and I can come out ourselves, or I can do a virtual appointment with you to get you on your way.

What is the most challenging aspect of designing and decorating your bookshelves?

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