Atlanta Mart

Having just returned from the Atlanta Mart I am excited to share what is new in interior design!

First things first, eco friendly. Interiors are improving with the use of natural and recycled materials from counter tops to flooring, I saw lots of fabulous reclaimed items at Kalalou, a home accessories showroom we use quite frequently here at A Village Gift Shop.

Second, I saw lots of time worn looks, white washed woods with classic neutrals, new but with a feeling of worn and comfortable.

Third, Color. Sherwin Williams introduced the color mix for 2012 - very beautiful combinations Neutral- think piles of pebbles, weathered wood, earthy clay
Reds- brilliant flowers, glowing ember and colors of fire
Blues- clear beach water, faded denim, lakes and crisp blue sky
Greens- roof top gardens, natural forest ferns, and seaweed

Shopping my way through 3 buildings with 18 stories in each one can be overwhelming but when you look at all the textiles, rugs, home decor, lighting and furniture you just don't get tired - you get inspired!

Most showrooms sell a variety of items, and I am seeing a theme of mixing it up, new with antique modern with traditional. What ties the rooms together is the balance of the items and the combination of color and texture.

Lighting is always one of the most important elements in creating a beautiful home, and the market was not short on fabulous fixtures. Lighting as a showpiece in the room is very big.
Statement fixtures are in much like a statement piece of jewelery.

For many years, we did heavy window treatments, then we lightened up the look and kept windows simple. Well now we will dress our windows again, simply but beautifully, with lots of fabulous trim and fabrics.

We are going to see lots of metallic in paint and in wallpaper. It will also be present in our furniture finishes. Just a bit of shimmer can add so much to a room. I really enjoy seeing a bit of metallic in rooms on the ceiling with a metallic paint or in the drapery.

There is really never anything new just reinvented a combination. This is what I love about redesigning rooms for my clients. Let's use what we have first in a new and exciting way and then bring in what we need for fun touches to our homes.

Light Up the Dark to Banish the Winter Blues

Here in the Midwest, darkness is king for most of the winter. Days are short, the sun does not show its face often enough, and our home can end up feeling very gloomy.
We have the answer for the dark and gloom - more light! Sounds like the obvious answer, right?, but we find that many of the homes we visit do not have enough sources of light for the size and function of their spaces.

In any room, you need to have a variety of lighting to make the space welcoming, cozy and well-lit for the room's purpose. Small rooms require at least 6 sources of light and larger rooms will require 8 or more. The type of light you add to the room will depend on the functions of the room. Is this where you read, do needlework or the daily crossword puzzle? Is this where you sit to relax at the end of the day? Or is this the space where you gather with family and guests for birthday parties or to watch the big game?

If you could use a little help banishing the dark and gloom in your house, consider reevaluating the light sources in each room.

Place lamps in every room with the appropriate wattage for that room’s activities.

Lamps should be placed in a triangular pattern through out the spaces

Chandeliers should not be too bright - dimmers make a lot of sense here - and should be hung 32” above the table top.

If the room will be used for activities like reading, knitting, or cooking, make sure you have ample light near where these tasks will be performed.

The three types of light to consider:

Ambient - the primary light source of your room: can lights, overhead lights, or ceiling fan lights

Accent - light specifically made to draw attention to

something: think about a light shining on a painting, lights in the china hutch or a niche light

Decorative - this is the diva of the light world: these are mood setting lights that just look pretty, like the cute little lamp shaped like a turtle, or a candle

Last minute holiday magic!

If you have been too busy to decorate for the holidays up until now, try a few of these quick, last-minute tricks to give each room in your home instant holiday magic!

I love a mini tree, so cute and easy to do. Stay with one color theme, traditional red and green, or red and white. Do not be afraid to try a new color combination like blue and brown for example. You do not have to have a lot in your home to look festive.

Use your beautiful wrapped gifts as decorations throughout your spaces, small packages down the center of your dining table, or on table tops adds holiday sparkle.

If you have lots of books around your home take stacks of three or four and tie ribbon on them and have some laying down on your bookcases and some standing up.

Fresh flowers always festive and a treat to all the senses, stop by your local florist and bring home a gift for yourself.

Enjoy the season, by not stressing out over your homes holiday decor, simple touches will wow your guests.

Holiday Decorating Tips

Many of you may be decorating your home in the upcoming days for the holiday season. We wanted to give you some decorating tips and share some of our favorite trends that we're seeing! This season, we are seeing brown and bronze everywhere! It's a wonderful mix with traditional red and gold, especially. We are using this in most all of our clients' homes this season. Below are some of our quick, easy to follow decorating tips that anyone can implement into their home this year!

-Use the same color ribbon throughout your home
-Cluster family ornaments on garland and run it on your banister or on top of armoires
-Use fishing line to hang ornaments from chandeliers and over islands with cup holders
-Use greeting cards as part of your decor~run ribbon in an empty frame and tape or glue cards to the ribbon
-Make fun bunches of stick greens and ornaments to decorate your banister instead of the traditional garland
-I love holiday runners and fabric! I use this to drape under village houses or to just add a nice layer effect to a rooms' decor
-Make sure to change out photos in frames throughout your home, you don't want a beach scene in the winter! Find fun, family seasonal photos. Also, add a touch of greens or a bow to frames as well~so cute!

Make plum the star color of your décor

Great article on Cincinnati.com from this weekend. Glad to be a part of it!
Read here: Make plum the star color of your décor

Inspirational Wall Quotes

Today, we posted on Facebook about a book that we are carrying in our Village Gift Shop called "Eat Your Peas For The Cure". It is an inspirational book that we are selling a lot of. Having inspiration in your life is important and one one that people are adding a bit more to their life, is by adding inspirational quotes on to the walls of their homes.

Below are a few images of ways people are using these in their homes, and not over-doing it. Some are serious, some are comical. No matter which direction you choose, if you choose to use quotes on the walls of your home, make sure it means something to you and your family. Let it inspire you on a daily basis.

A Splash of Color - PINK

Are you looking to add a little PINK to your decor, but are concerned about adding too much? Here are some inspiration images to show you how you can add just a little and have it come out looking perfect.