Click on the link below to see my latest vacant home staging video - then go to the Real Estate Staging Tab for the details!
​drive.google.com/file/d/1EHX1YIWbJbpwtBB6WJBBbWg_Y2pvXZa1/view?usp=sharing​

The Adventure Begins

One of my more recent adventures involved the redesign of a living room in a beautiful 1 1/2 story Cape Cod built in 1939. The home is situated on a lovely wooded lot and has had three owners. The second owner was a local architect who remodeled the home in 1961 to give it a more contemporary flair. The current owners have an eclectic style and show their reverence for the one of a kind treasure they are fortunate to inhabit by incorporating some of the history of the home into their decor. My job was to assist them in selecting a sofa, occasional tables, and accessories, as well as helping them to place the artwork they had selected. What a joy is has been working with this wonderful couple to create a smart, sophisticated, sentimental, living space.
I believe the results speak for themselves!
The owners chose the color palette - gray, white, blue.  We incorporated some very personal items such as a reupholstered chair that is a family heirloom and the blue prints for the home which the owner had framed.  We hung the print above the gently curved sofa. When I first saw the living room, I pictured a curved sofa there.  Furniture from the 30's always seemed to have curves incorporated into the pieces, for example, bow front buffets and vertical curves on the backs of art deco  upholstered chairs. Therefore, I felt like a curved sofa would be a natural, updated, fit while giving a nod to the age of the home.
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 The first order of business was to find something to fill the corner behind the piano. We decided on a pedestal and agreed the owners would go in hunt of the perfect piece to top it. They found it somewhere near Santa Fe, NM - a very interesting piece!
     From there, the room progressed with the purchase of the sofa, occasional tables, artwork, and accessories.  I loved the idea of including the blue print as a way of bringing a personal touch to the room .   I selected the silk pillows to draw in colors from the palette the owners had chosen and to dress up the sofa. I couldn't resist a touch of "bling" in the small pillow on the chair! The pattern on that small pillow replicates the pattern in the area rug. 
The artwork above reflects the owners' interest in African artifacts and abstract paintings. The oil painting was created by a local Blair County artist and the owner found it on display at SAMA (Southern Alleghenies Museum of  Art) located in downtown Altoona, PA  (sama-art.org).  
We have been working on and off since January to complete the room. Creating a space that speaks to your soul is not always a quick process but selecting pieces that hold special meaning to you is always well worth the time and effort! 
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June 2019

​Many thanks,
Blair Living, for including me in this issue!
MAY 2019
Pre-teen Bedroom
Dining Room Redesign
​​April 2019

On Friday, April 12, 2019 I was honored to present my program entitled WORK WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT! at the PAFCS Conference at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, PA.  We explored the question, "Does Beauty Matter?" and discussed principles of design, psychology of color,  furniture placement,  lighting,  artwork displays, aromatherapy, "room jewelry" and mindfulness with regards to decorating. Thank you, teachers, for being such a great audience!

Living Room Redesign 

January 2019
BEFORE and AFTER                                                           

    ​ In January 2019, I was asked to redesign a living room for a family of three. The draperies needed to be updated and they wanted to purchase a new sofa.  It was time to take this living room to the next level and create an inviting space for them to gather as a family and, also, to entertain friends.  I was thrilled to accept the challenge and I was extremely excited because the homeowners chose the sofa and then I was given free reign to exercise my creative capabilities - a designer's dream! They were pleased with the results, texting me: 
   "It's so cozy and makes me love my home even more then I did before!!!!"
​      Mission Accomplished!

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​  The first step in this redesign: 

The homeowners knew they wanted to replace their old sofa with a midnight blue, leather, Chesterfield sofa so I sourced it and they bought it -  a timeless beauty!
Next, I found this bold fabric locally and used it to create my one of a kind window treatments.  This fabric brought the drama I was looking for!
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​​I had purchased this ottoman awhile ago not knowing when I would use it......it came in handy for this redesign! The blue and green fabric united their green leather chair and their blue leather couch.
I added warmth to my redesign  by upcycling a table and used pictures to tell the family's story and make the room personal. And, I always like to add a little element of surprise! 
For me, redesigning YOUR space is about YOU.  I use what YOU love, adding what I know will appeal to YOU, and keeping in mind what YOU plan to use YOUR space for.  Decorating is personal. It is not always about the latest trend. When I redesign YOUR room, I incorporate my understanding of how YOU live, how YOU use your space, and what YOUR needs are in the room, as well as incorporating my understanding of YOUR personal style.  
I love mixing it up for YOU!