The Diva's Home

Ask the Diva!™ Painting Kitchen Cabinets

2010-07-15T20:34:00Z

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Help! What Colors Do I Use?

2010-07-10T23:38:00Z

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Divas Don’t Do This! Beauty Shouldn’t Hurt!

2010-07-05T20:27:00Z

It seems that many people just have no idea where on the wall they should hang their pictures. I have seen people hang really small pictures in the middle of a wall as high as they can reach. You have to lean back and look up at them to see the subject matter. Very uncomfortable!

Most decorators and designers will tell you to hang them at eye level. I’ll tell you a little secret: They don’t actually mean EVERYONE’s eye level. The average is that the middle of the picture should hit around or a little above five feet. This is on an empty wall.

When you are hanging pictures or mirrors above furniture, you can hang them lower. There should be a gap of at least three to six inches between the top of a table, chair, sofa, or mantel and the bottom of the frame. The picture should look like it is part of the vignette you are creating, and not an afterthought.

If you are hitting your head on the frame when you sit on your sofa, maybe you should go lie down and take a nap! J I have never had that problem, but if you do just add another pillow to your back. (Just remember not to go overboard with the pillows!)

When you hang your pictures too high on the wall, when you are sitting you will not be able to see them very well. If you are going for a gallery effect, then the first pictures that you hang will be the ones at eye level. Then you can arrange the rest around those.

If you are hanging pictures in a hallway, use narrower frames to keep bumping into them to a minimum. (A few less drinks at cocktail time, though not as fun, will keep you from knocking them off too!) Save the larger, chunkier frames for spaces that are out of the way of traffic.

Remember, if you have to crane your neck unnaturally to see the painting, or stand on a stool to look in the mirror, it’s TOO HIGH! Décor should be about comfort and you shouldn’t have to hurt yourself to see the beauty.

Picture from photoxpress.com

Copyright© 2010 Christina Rodriguez. All rights reserved.

Your home can be a relaxing haven where you shake off the stresses of your day when you arrive. Peaceful, light-filled rooms that have positive flowing energy can be yours with just one phone call. Contact me, Christina of Diva by Design™, at info@divabydesign.org, or (956) 970-2040 to bring a new harmony to your surroundings.

Christina Rodriguez is President of Diva by Design™, an interior decorating, home staging, and redesign company. She is also a proud graduate and affiliate of The Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. If you would like to know more about home staging as a business, click here.

The 5 Elements of Feng Shui ( Not to be confused with The Last Airbender elements)

2010-07-02T17:56:00Z

The Five Elements

There are five main elements in feng shui theory. They are wood, fire, water, earth and metal. Each element plays a crucial role within the space that you occupy, whether it is your home or your office. After you have used a compass and your home’s floor plan to create the bagua (energy map) the next step is to look at the elements that control each of the eight areas.

Each element has a particular life area that it influences. Knowing what areas those are helps with creating the design of your home and the use of furniture and accents that demonstrate that specific element.

Fire – As you can imagine, anything that has to do with fire inspires a passion that burns deep within. The fire element also adds a high amount of energy to anything that you do. This includes your work (career), your leisure activities and for couples, your sex life.

Water - Water is a refreshing element. Water flows freely bring with it an abundance of good fortune. In ancient rituals of many cultures, water was used as a purifying agent. Using the water element in your home adds purity, abundance of energy and a fresh feeling.

Earth – Have you ever heard of someone who is “down to Earth?” The Earth element brings a feeling of stability and security to your home. Mother Earth nurtures all who live on it and within it. The same goes for the earth element in your home – it nourishes each family member.

Metal – You may be wondering why metal is an element. It seems so hard and impersonal. Actually, metal is used to represent efficiency and clarity of mind and purpose. Your work will have both a well-defined purpose and good qualities when the metal element is present.

Wood – Think of trees. They provide oxygen for all living creatures that need it. The wood element equals health to the body. Healing cures using feng shui include the wood element in their composition. Prosperity in your home is also governed by the wood element.

Each feng shui element serves a different purpose in the home. The associated colors and areas that work best with each element help you to build positive energy throughout your home. Each area will be strong in a particular element and give you a certain feeling when you enter that room.

Copyright© 2010 Christina Rodriguez. All rights reserved.

Your home can be a relaxing haven where you shake off the stresses of your daywhen you arrive. Peaceful, light-filled rooms that have positive flowing energycan be yours with just one phone call. Contact me, Christina of Diva byDesign™, at info@divabydesign.org, or (956) 970-2040 to bring a new harmony toyour surroundings.

Christina Rodriguez isPresident of Diva by Design™, an interior decorating, home staging, andredesign company. She is also a proud graduate and affiliate of The StagingDiva Home Staging Business Training Program. If you would like to know moreabout home staging as a business, click here.

Divas Don't Do This! Hiding Under a Bushel

2010-06-29T01:44:00Z

This week’s decorating blunder (#4) is near and dear to my heart. When I got married I had this discussion with my husband. He now agrees with me. Let in the light! Don’t put up heavy curtains to block the light! And please, please don’t use aluminum foil either! It’s tacky. (I have seen this all too often!)

How can a diva shine in the dark?

There are other methods for blocking out sunlight besides heavy, dark curtains (and foil). During the day you can put up sheer curtains that will filter the harsh sunlight. Letting in the light can help make a small room feel bigger than it is. Dark and dim won’t necessarily make your room cooler. Just stuffy.

Sunlight plays a big role in Feng Shui also. One of the reasons that windows should not be completely covered is that Chi enters and leaves through the windows as well as the doors. If yours are covered with dark, heavy curtains most of the time, you are causing the energy in your house to become stagnant.

Keeping your rooms dark can also bring on depression. Our bodies need sunlight to stay healthy. Using dark curtains in the evening, when the sun goes down, makes the room feel dark and small. Instead, use shades that filter light but also help to illuminate the room and provide privacy in the evening hours.

Ask the Diva!™ Live and in Person!

2010-06-23T17:35:00Z

You Can Stage It!

Hi, fellow divas! Next month will be a chance to ask any decorating, home staging, and Feng Shui questions you may have in person. I will be giving a free workshop at the Harlingen Public Library here in Harlingen, Texas. There will be giveaways and refreshments (who doesn’t like free food?).

When you come to the workshop you will be training in what to do when staging your home for sale, and basics in Feng Shui. You will leave knowing how to make your home stand out from the crowd. You will also learn how to incorporate some basic Feng Shui fixes to help bring more wealth into your home.

I f you are having trouble selling your home, this workshop will show you what to do to make your property more appealing to a wide assortment of people. You will also learn how Feng Shui can bring more positive energy in, and help your visitors feel more comfortable and ‘at home’ in your property.

Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee that you will sell your home immediately, but if you follow my tips, tricks, and secrets your property will stand out from the others in the area and have a better chance to sell.

All you have to do to sign up for the workshop is to call the Reference desk at the library. The phone number is (956) 216-5823. Just let them know that you want to sign up for the Home Staging and Feng Shui workshop on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 from 6:30 – 8:30. I am looking forward to meeting you!

Of course, you can always meet me by hiring me to help you decorate, stage, or re-design your home too! J

Divas Don’t Do This! Overstuffing Your Rooms

2010-06-21T17:10:00Z

OK Sassy Decorating Divas! You’ve all seen this BIG mistake!

Putting in furniture that is too large for the room! I know, you’ve read and heard decorators saying to use larger furniture in a small room to make it feel bigger. They don’t mean EVERY PIECE OF FURNITURE IN THE ROOM.

Please don’t buy every piece of a ‘Michelin Man’ size furniture set, pack into a room and say “Done!” It is so not sassy or stylish!

Large furniture is okay for a large room that needs to be divided up, but most people get larger furniture than they need. A living room set comes with a loveseat, sofa and probably a side chair. You don’t have to use all three pieces in your living room especially if it is too small for them.

Just choose the main piece and then mix in some furniture that ‘goes’ but doesn’t necessarily match. Matchy-matchy is just not that cute or creative. I know that you are creative (just go back and read my post If You Can Dream, You Can Create).

Refer to your vision or style file to see how others have put rooms together and then measure the dimensions of the room (bedroom, bathroom, family room and living room) before purchasing furniture to be sure it will fit.

You have to leave space around the furniture groupings for Chi to flow smoothly around the room. Too large furniture makes for a ‘stuffed’ room and stuck Chi, or energy. You won’t feel comfortable and neither will your guests.

Next time we will discuss Decorating Blunder #4!

If you are reading this article, comments are welcome! Make sure to leave one below. I try to answer any questions you may have.

Divas Don’t Do This! Taming the Pillow Monster

2010-06-14T22:13:00Z

Last week’s decorating blunder was using too many accessories! Remember….remove at least one thing!

This time we will discuss:

TOO MANY THROW PILLOWS!

Pillows are fun, but if you have to throw them on the floor to make room on the couch (or the bed), you have WAY too many! If you can’t decide which ones to keep, put some of them away in a closet and bring them out when the seasons change. If you don’t have room in a storage closet, you just have too much stuff!

Yes, decorating divas, it IS possible to have too many things!

If you have to clear your couch to make room for sitting, now your room is completely thrown off by the sea of pillow icebergs all over the floor. That’s not attractive to guests. Besides, your friends get embarrassed if they have to ask where they should put the pillows. Don’t make them work for a seat!

Use pillows sparingly and where the room calls for it. Couches are for sitting and talking or watching television. The occasional family member who wants to sleep can use the arm of the couch or bring their pillow out for a snooze.

When you do pare down, you will find that the energy it took to move all those pillows starts winding it’s way into other areas of your room. You may find that your wealth or health increases just because you made room for it!

Copyright© 2010 Christina Rodriguez. All rights reserved.

Your home can be a relaxing haven where you shake off the stresses of your day when you arrive. Peaceful, light-filled rooms that have positive flowing energy can be yours with just one phone call. Contact me, Christina of Diva by Design™, at info@divabydesign.org, to bring a new harmony to your surroundings.

Christina Rodriguez is President of Diva by Design™, an interior decorating, home staging, and redesign company. She is also a proud graduate and affiliate of The Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program . If you would like to know more about home staging as a business, click here .

If you are reading this article, comments are welcome! Make sure to leave one below. I try to answer any questions you may have.

Basics of Feng Shui

2010-06-11T18:35:00Z

Photo from photoexpress.com

What is Feng Shui?

It sounds like something you order at a Chinese restaurant, but Feng Shui is actually a method of organization and design that brings harmony and peace to your home or office.

Feng Shui is a spiritual system that began in ancient China about 3,000 years ago. There are many complex notions that go into Feng Shui but a simple paring down of the philosophy has become popular in the Western hemisphere today. Basically, Feng Shui revolves around the “chi” or energy that surrounds all life.

The words Feng Shui literally mean “wind water.” Both concepts are associated with prosperity and good health in the Chinese lifestyle. To have good energy flowing through your home, use the basics of Feng Shui.

What is Chi?

Alignment and balance are the core and essence of Feng Shui. Your state of mind and your energy have an effect on the places that you live and work. Also, whatever the condition of your environment is, it can affect your internal state.

You can work on your inner state of mind by meditation or prayer. The outer environment can be changed physically. Inner and outer states are two sides of the coin. You can’t separate the two. So if you feel uncomfortable in your own home, it’s time to make some changes!

Chi is energy or the force of change and transformation.

In a given living space, each room has its own energy. The energy has to be allowed to flow freely throughout the items within the room to create a total atmosphere of positive things. Who knew that a bathroom had energy? It certainly has a lot of other things, but Feng Shui teaches us that even a bathroom can bring calm feelings to each family member.

Feng Shui theory says that you can affect the energy around you simply by creating a space that is favorable to your life. This involves knowing the five Feng Shui elements, Feng Shui colors and how the energy moves throughout each room in your home.

What is next week's lesson?

Next Feng Shui Friday we will discuss the five elements of Feng Shui.

Copyright© 2010 Christina Rodriguez. All rights reserved.

Your home can be a relaxing haven where you shake off the stresses of your day when you arrive. Peaceful, light-filled rooms that have positive flowing energy can be yours with just one phone call. Contact me,Christina of Diva by Design™, at info@divabydesign.org to bring a new harmony to your surroundings.

Please feel free to leave comments. I enjoy your feedback! Thank you!

Divas Don’t Do This! Or….Six Not so Sassy Decorating Blunders

2010-06-07T20:46:00Z

Blunder #1

Though divas strive for perfection in all that we do, mistakes are a fact of life. But that doesn’t have to include home decorating. Knowing what to avoid can save you both time and money! This week’s blunder is……..

Using too many accessories

It is a well known fact that a diva can never have too many shiny things. It is also a fact that you can knick knack yourself to death. Give your rooms a break! Don’t cover every surface with bobble heads, figurines of unicorns (teddy bears, kitty cats, puppies, etc.), or glass whatevers. You are creating clutter!

Remember the fashion rule about looking at yourself in the mirror and taking one thing off before leaving the house? Well, it is also a great rule of thumb for decorating with accessories. Take a good look around your room and take one thing out!

Though if every surface in your room is covered, take more than one!

Photo by Christina Rodriguez

Your eye needs a place to rest before moving on around the room. If you have things (no matter how beautiful) cramming every tabletop or shelf in the room, No one can see them individually. And no one can enjoy them because they are feeling crowded out!

If you have the opposite problem, (which is rare) then place a chair or a floor vase in the empty spot until you come up with something better. Talk yourself out of using a stand loaded with collectibles. It’ll be harder to move than the vase when you do find an item for the spot.

Photo by Christina Rodriguez

Plus, if you have been reading my posts, you know that it is very bad Feng Shui to have clutter in your home! Stay tuned for Blunder #2!

If you just want to say ‘hi!’, or comment on what you have read, feel welcome! I try to answer any questions you may have. If you would like to reprint this post or any portion of this article, go ahead. Just make sure to include all of the underlined copyright information below.

If you are reading this article, comments are welcome! Make sure to leave one below. I try to answer any questions you may have.

Ask the Diva!™ Wednesday!

2010-06-02T17:54:00Z

Today's question was inspired by an article I read on The nest, '9 Decor Trends to Skip .' So the question is......"Why is a trend not necessarily great style?"

The opening line of '9 Decor Trends to Skip' says, "Just because it's trendy doesn't mean it will work for everyone." This is true because all of us are unique and we must be true to our own sense of style. You don't have to follow the trends to be stylish!

In my soon-to-be-released e-course, Sassy Decorating Secrets, I teach you "that following fashion trends is not a way to design rooms that last the test of time". This is one of the guidelines of 'good design'.

While some trends may eventually become classic design, this is not always so. If you read design magazines and feel that you have to change your rooms every time something new comes out, then you are just following trends and not developing your own personal style.

If you really like something you see, then by all means use it! But don't have it all over your house. When it does go out of style, you will have to change every room to avoid them looking outdated! It takes time to develop a sense of style. If you change your style every time a new trend arises, you will never know what truly works for you. This is true in both decorating and fashion.

You must learn the basics of good design before you can move on to personal style. If you are interested in learning the basic principles of design and Feng Shui, send an email to me at info@divabydesign.org and I will add you to my mailing list for Sassy Decorating Secrets. The first 100 people to sign up for the course will receive $10 off the regular monthly tuition!

If you are reading this article, comments are welcome! Make sure to leave one below. I try to answer any questions you may have.

Copyright© 2010 ChristinaRodriguez. All rights reserved.

Your home can be a relaxing havenwhere you shake off the stresses of your day when you arrive. Peaceful,light-filled rooms that have positive flowing energy can be yours withjust one phone call.Contact me,Christina of Diva by Design™, atinfo@divabydesign.org, or (956) 970-2040 to bring a new harmony to yoursurroundings.

Christina Rodriguez is President of Diva by Design™,an interiordecorating, home staging, and redesign company. She is also a proudgraduate and affiliate of The Staging Diva Home Staging BusinessTrainingProgram. If you would like to know more about home staging asa business,click here.

Quick Home Makeover Tip #5

2010-05-31T21:48:00Z

Paint the walls! – While this makeover tip isn’t exactly quick, it adds a lot of impact for little money. You can paint an entire room in as little as an afternoon depending on how much preparation your walls need.

To prep the area, you need to move all the furniture to the center of the room and cover it with drop cloths. Take down all your curtain rods, outlet covers, and switch plates. Keep them in plastic baggies and tape them to your window so that you don’t lose them or accidentally throw them away at clean up time!

Take all pictures, posters, artwork, and nails off of the walls. Seems so basic doesn’t it? (Someone will forget!)  Fill any unwanted holes with spackle or joint compound and let dry. Pull down any spiderwebs with an old damp sock taped onto the end of your broom handle. (clean sock! Diva shudder.) Then wipe down your walls with a damp rag, tape off your moldings, and prime!

You can paint the entire room or just one wall as an accent. The accent wall is the quickest of course! And can have just as much impact as painting the whole room! Don’t forget to use your sassy style file as inspiration for choosing your paint color!

(Another great tip before you paint would be to purchase samples of 3-5 colors and paint them on boards and tack them to your wall so you can see what each color looks like during different times of the day. This will save time, money, and ugly walls!)

It is the little things that mean so much in life. For your home, that adds up to a big change in how you feel and function in your living quarters. Use these few simple tips (and the previous ones!) to redefine any room in your home to suit your family. Quick changes can be made at any time and most can be redone again and again as your taste changes!

Copyright© 2010Christina Rodriguez. All rights reserved.

Your home can be a relaxing haven where you shake off the stresses of your day when you arrive. Peaceful, light-filled rooms that have positive flowing energy can be yours with just one phone call.Contact me,Christina of Diva by Design™, at info@divabydesign.org, or (956) 970-2040 to bring a new harmony to your surroundings.

Christina Rodriguez is President of Diva by Design™,an interior decorating, home staging, and redesign company. She is also a proud graduate and affiliate of The Staging Diva Home Staging BusinessTraining Program. If you would like to know more about home staging as abusiness,click here .

Ask the Diva!™ How to Paint a Faux Tuscan Finish

2010-05-26T16:37:00Z

Today is the continuation of last week's Ask the Diva!™ question with how to paint a faux Tuscan finish on your walls. There are many ways to achieve this type of finish, but if you just want something quick and easy you can follow the simple directions below.

photo from fotolia.com

Painting a Faux Tuscan Finish

What you will need:

Two colors of paint
paint roller
sponge, rags, or color washing paint brush (depends on which is more comfortable for you)
painter's tape
drop cloth
joint compund or spackle
10-in-one tool (Lowe's) You can open paint cans, scrape, fix cracks and holes in the wall, hammer, put holes in the lip of the paint can to let paint drip down into can, and so on with this one $10 tool!

Instructions:

Practice your finish on a board first to get the look you want and then get to painting on the wall!
Prep your walls. Wipe down your walls to get off any dirt, spiderwebs, or stains. Fill in any holes or cracks in your walls with joint compound or spackle. Mask off your baseboards and/or crown molding with the painter's tape. Remove any switch plates and outlet covers. Use drop cloths on the floor.
If you are covering any color other than something in the white family, I recommend that you prime the walls before you paint. The color will show through even if the paint you use says only one coat needed. (Ask any artist what colors they use to prime their canvases based on what background they intend for their painting.)
Paint your walls with your base color and let dry overnight.
Using your sponge, rag, or brush and your second paint color, randomly cover a 3' x 3' section. Any larger and your paint will dry before you can work it enough to blend the way you want it to.
Using your sample board as a guide, blend your color onto the wall. You do not want to see your sponge, rag or brush marks! Step back from the wall every so often to check your work. You can see better where you may need to blend or add more color.

It's that easy!

Lowe's has their Valspar Signature Colors Tuscan Accents two-step paint process that can help you take the guesswork out of which colors to choose. (No, this is not a commercial for Lowe's!)

You can also refer back to my post Choosing Color with Feng Shui and Color of Comfort to help you decide which colors to use.

Happy Faux painting!

Copyright© 2010 ChristinaRodriguez.All rights reserved.

Your home can be a relaxing haven where you shake off the stresses ofyour day when you arrive. Peaceful, light-filled rooms that have positiveflowing energy can be yours with just one phone call.Contact me,Christina of Diva by Design™, at info@divabydesign.org or(956) 970-2040to bring a new harmony to your surroundings.

Christina Rodriguez is President of DivabyDesign™, an interior decorating, home staging, and redesign company.She is also a proud graduate and affiliate of The Staging Diva HomeStagingBusiness Training Program. If you would like to know more abouthomestaging as a business,click here.

Quick Home Makeover Tip #4

2010-05-25T00:12:00Z

This week's tip is to add molding to your rooms. This sounds expensive, but it makes a big difference. If you do it yourself you can save money. You can also save on the cost by enlisting the help of friends who have done this before. This takes time, but it is well worth the investment and the money.

You can change the baseboards according to the style of your home and/or the decorating style you have chosen for yourself. If you are going to sell your home one day, choose moldings that go with the style of the architecture. Baseboards can be fancy or plain. (Divas like the fancier ones!)

Use chair rails to divide walls in your dining room or down the hallway. This gives you the look of wainscoting. They make picture rail moldings that you can place higher on the wall to set your artwork on. You can even combine more than one along the walls to make a picture gallery without using nails to hang the pictures. Then you can change the artwork at will.

Adding crown molding is a great way to add instant architecture, change the look of your rooms, and makes a great selling point. Crown molding also adds the illusion of height to low ceilings. Don't forget to add moldings around your windows to make them a feature and more substantial.

Home Depot or Lowe's are good places to find different types of moldings. Look in the Yellow Pages for businesses that specialize in moldings. There are usually a few.

Paint or stain your moldings before you install them. It will save you time and you won't have to tape off the floor, wall, or ceiling. You can touch up the spots where you nail them in after you are done with the install. you can really personalize your rooms this way. And you can impress visitors when you tell them you did it yourself!

Your home can be a relaxing haven where you shake offthe stresses of your day when you arrive. Peaceful, light-filled roomsthat have positive flowing energy can be yours with just one phone call.Contact me, Christina of Diva by Design™, at info@divabydesign.org or(956) 970-2040 to bring a new harmony to your surroundings.

Copyright© 2010 Christina Rodriguez. Allrights reserved.

Christina Rodriguez is President of Diva byDesign™, an interior decorating, home staging, and redesign company. Sheis also a proud graduate and affiliate of The Staging Diva Home StagingBusiness Training Program. If you would like to know more about homestaging as a business,click here.

Why I Decorate

2010-05-21T23:50:00Z

Today I was reminded by Maria Killiam in her blog, 'Colour Me Happy ' that I have left something out of my own blog. Why do I stage homes, redesign homes, and just flat out decorate? So that is what I am going to tell you today!

Since high school, I have been interested in interior design. It began with my first issue of Elle Decor magazine. The rooms were so beautiful and I wanted to live in all of them! I have always moved my furniture around 'just for a change'. I've since learned that other designers and decorators got started doing this too.

I can't enter an undecorated room without seeing what it could be inside my head. I probably move furniture in my sleep!

Along the way, I got a minor in Studio Art. Learned about 3D design, basic design, interior design, and Feng Shui. I have never NOT been interested in decorating. Even when I got sidetracked by opening a children's daycare center! Eventually, I realized that it wasn't my calling and here I am.

I have found that blogging is a great way to share my expertise and to let people know that I am available to help them achieve the home of their dreams.

What do you want in your home? I believe that your home should be a refuge from the stresses and day to day grind of the outside world. When you arrive at your door, all the worries of the day should fall from your shoulders like rain. When you enter your home your entire being should just say "Ohhhhhhhhh! I'm so glad to be here!"

Is this how you feel when you walk through your door? If not, let me help you!

Your home can be a relaxing haven where you shake off the stresses of your day when you arrive. Peaceful, light-filled rooms that have positive flowing energy can be yours with just one phone call. Contact me, Christina of Diva by Design, at info@divabydesign.org or (956) 970-2040 to bring a new harmony to your surroundings.

Copyright© 2010 Christina Rodriguez. All rights reserved.

Christina Rodriguez is President of Diva by Design™, a home staging, redesign, and interior decorating company. She is also a proudgraduate and affiliate of The Staging Diva Home Staging BusinessTraining Program. If you would like to know more about home staging as a business,click here here.

Ask the Diva!™ About Tuscan Style

2010-05-20T03:36:00Z

Judy from Florida asks, "I'd love to learn how to faux EASILY so I could turn my dining area/kitchen into "tuscan". What is Tuscan anyway?"

This column will be in two parts. The first is an explanation of Tuscan style. The second will be an explanation of how to easily faux paint a wall.

Tuscany is a region in central Italy. Its capital is Florence and it is known for its wines. Many consider Tuscany to be the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.

photo from fotolia.com

Decorating Style

inspired by elements of nature
sun-washed hillsides
rustic stone farmhouses
crumbling stone walls
intricate wrought iron
marble flooring
hardwood furniture
warm colors

Homes

Solid and substantial
terracotta roof tiles
deep-set windows framed by sandstone
wooden shutters
outdoor patios, loggias, or porticos
water fountains in a central courtyard
marble statues
tall cypress trees
walkways of stone or brick

photo from fotolia.com

When you decide to decorate in Tuscan style, you must take all of these elements into consideration. Many people will use warm ochres or yellows on their walls and call it 'Tuscan', but natural stone walls or stucco walls with Venetian plaster colored in soft white or gray are more authentic.

Tuscan rooms traditionally have low ceilings with heavy wooden beams and plaster ceilings. Flooring is wide wood planks, rough stone, terracotta bricks, or clay tiles. The windows are left uncovered to let in more light.

Since the walls are soft white or gray, color comes in the accessories. Terracotta, brick, ochre, green, and golden yellow are associated with Tuscany. Blues and greens are added in to visually cool the rooms.

Furniture is usually heavy and made of wood. Cupboards and armoires with door fronts that are open and filled in with chicken wire are used in any room to store dishes, linens, and clothes. Kitchens have open shelving and free-standing cupboards. These display ceramics and pottery.

Copper pots are stored on wrought iron racks. There are lots of terracotta containers and majolica dinnerware. The kitchen table is a long, wooden family style like a farmhouse. Tuscan style is more rustic and brings the outside in. It is a more comfortable and easy style.

Copyright© 2010 Christina Rodriguez. All rights reserved.

Christina Rodriguez is President of Diva by Design™, a home staging and redesign company. She is also a proud graduate and affiliate of The Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. If you would like to know more about home staging as a business, click here.

Quick Home Makeover Tip #3 - Phase Out Old Fixtures

2010-05-18T00:59:00Z

Whether you are staging your home for sale, or just updating, adding new fixtures to your home is one of the simplest changes you can make to define your style. Builders use whatever is cost effective (read cheap) and generic enough that you don’t really notice them. They are selling the architecture, not the décor.

If you want to personalize your home, change the light fixtures, the switch plates, the electrical outlet covers, drawer and cabinet handles in the kitchen and bath, faucets on the sinks, and even the door handles.

Using the color scheme in each room as a guide is a great way to determine what the finish of your fixtures should be. Also, refer to the pictures in your style file to see what was used in those rooms.

Polished silver lends itself to a more contemporary or modern style. Bronze fixtures work well with darker colors or an Old World feel.

I am not knocking builders, we wouldn’t have houses without them, but they tend to choose bright brass fixtures, so be careful if these are your choice. Make sure the fixtures have a unique shape, or you can always paint them for a custom look if the fixtures have a classic shape.

Don’t be afraid to use pattern or floral switch plates or socket plates. If you have wallpaper, you can buy clear plastic covers and insert the paper to blend in with the wall. You can also paint them to match if you don’t want the plates to stand out.

Instead of painting or changing out the cabinet doors in your kitchen or bath, change out the cabinet handles. This is a really quick way to change the look of your kitchen. It saves money too!

Changing the faucets to go with the handles will also bring your kitchen and bath up to date. High pouring faucets allow you more room in the sink especially when cleaning large pots and pans.

New handles on the doors can change the look quickly and easily. They are really easy to install. If yours are rusty or weathered from use, change them! Many people stop noticing the fixtures after a while and installing new ones can really perk up your décor. These changes can be expensive or inexpensive, but have a large impact on the look and feel of your home.

Ask the Diva!™ About Updating Your Home for Sale

2010-05-12T19:01:00Z

This week's question has to do with home staging. When you are updating your home it is good to think about what someone else is looking for in a home if you are thinking about moving. If you're planning to live in your home long-term you can be a little more creative and personal.

"Chris, I am updating my house. When decorators say update does that mean every surface? I have changed lighting, flooring, stripped all wallpaper, and repainted with a neutral color. My bedroom and bath I put a very light blue almost white. It used to be periwinkle on the walls and Wedgewood on the ceiling. I want to continue painting the boys bathroom. I bought 5 gallons of the spa blue color. I don't know if I should go with that or something more neutral. I am trying to appeal to the most buyers if we have to sell. I am making all repairs to damaged doors, windows, and shower (a crack developed over time). I would like to put a shower with a bench built in but, feel a tub is a must for a young family. Help!"

Carol from League City, Texas

Wow! You are doing a lot of work! Well you have three good questions here. Let's take each question one at a time:

1.   “When decorators say update does that mean every surface?”

When home stager's or decorators say ‘updating’ they usually mean bringing your home into the decade we're living in. If your furniture is from the 1980s, or your lighting fixtures are builder grade, even your paint colors, or your flooring. Depending on how recently you've changed any of these things, it could mean every surface. But if you've made changes to your home since you've moved in, then you most likely won't have to change everything.

2.   “I bought 5 gallons of the spa blue color. I don't know if I should go with that or something more neutral."

Many studies have shown that blue is a universal favorite color. But it does depend on the color of blue. If it is a dark shade then I would say don't use it. If it is a paler shade of blue, you should be okay. Just because a home stager or decorator tells you that your home should be more neutral to appeal to more people, doesn't mean that you can't use color. Check out decorating magazines or look online to see which colors of blue seem to be popular.

3.   "I would like to put a shower with a bench built in but, feel a tub is a must for a young family."

You are right in thinking that a tub would be great for young family. Have you looked around your neighborhood lately and noticed who is moving in? Is it mostly young families, or do you have young professional people, or do have older homeowners moving in? If you see that it's mostly young families buying homes in your neighborhood, then your best bet is to put in a tub. Young professionals may like the idea of a garden tub, or the shower with a bench seat if it has extra sprays or a rain shower head. If you have older people moving in, a shower with a low threshold is great idea. As you can see, it all depends on the people who are buying homes where you live.

Thank you Carol for your question. It sounds like you've done your homework and you're on the right track! If you have any more questions, you can always e-mail pictures to me and I can help you with specifics. Have fun updating your home! It always feels good to get those little nagging repairs out of the way.

Copyright© 2010ChristinaRodriguez. All rights reserved.

Christina Rodriguez is President of Diva by Design™, a home staging and redesign company. She is also a proud graduate and affiliate of The Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. If you would like to know more about home staging as a business, click on the link above.

Quick Home Makeover Tip #2

2010-05-10T21:39:00Z

Last week the quick home makeover tip was using area rugs. Tip #2 is using mirrors to enhance your space. Just as with area rugs, mirrors come in all different shapes and sizes. Look in your ‘style file’ and see what kind of mirrors are in your pictures. Look for something similar when you go shopping. Home stagers can use this information as a guide when staging a client'shome.

This week's tip is going to be a little different because we are going to incorporate some Feng Shui. Adding mirrors to your hallway, adds length and depth to your home. Also in long corridors, the Chi moves too fast, and a mirror is a way to slow that energy down.
Here are the dos and don'ts of mirrors in Feng Shui:

Do

•   have frames around the mirrors
•   keep your mirrors clean
•   replace your mirrors when they break
•   make sure they reflect your whole image

Don't

•   have joins or mirror tiles
•   hang mirrors opposite from each other
•   place them opposite the bed
•   place them opposite the doors
•   place them directly opposite of windows

Let's discuss the don'ts first. In Feng Shui, mirrors should reflect the entire image. A mirror should never distort or cut into the image of a person. This is because the mirror then symbolically cuts into the Chi of the person reflected.

When you hang mirrors opposite from each other, you are creating restlessness and the Chi bounces back and forth between the two mirrors. Your home is for relaxation and you don’t want to create extra discomfort.

Don't place the mirror opposite the bed (at the foot). Even a diva is not at her best first thing in the morning, and looking at yourself when you first wake up may not be very encouraging! So instead of a mirror across from your bed place a pretty picture.

When you place a mirror opposite the door or window, it reflects the Chi right back on its self and it doesn't allow energy to flow freely around your home.

Now to the dos! In Feng Shui, a mirror should always have a frame around it. This is because the frame contains the Chi of the image reflected in it.

Keep your mirrors clean so that the reflection is never distorted. If your reflection is distorted, this symbolically distorts your Chi. (And you never want to distort your Chi!) This is the same reason why you should replace your mirror if it gets cracked or broken. The cracks or breaks symbolically cut into the person that is reflected in the mirror.

When you do find a space to hang your mirror, make sure that what it is reflecting is beautiful. You don't want to reflect just a plain wall or an ugly view, or even the ceiling unless the ceiling is beautiful. There are other ways to use mirrors in your room besides actual ones that hang on the wall. You can use mirrored objects such as highly polished surfaces, shiny door handles, metal pots, and glass bowls. You can have a lot of fun with mirrors because there are so many different frames, shapes, and styles.

All of the information on Feng Shui came from The Practical Encyclopedia of Feng Shui by Gill Hale.

Copyright© 2010 ChristinaRodriguez. All rights reserved.

Christina Rodriguez is Presidentof Diva by Design™, a home staging and redesign company. She is also aproud graduate and affiliate of The Staging DivaHome Staging Business Training Program.

Creating Your Own Future

2010-05-07T17:49:00Z

"The future is not something we enter, it's something we create." - Leonard Sweet

Sitting back and letting life happen to you only leaves you wondering where the time went. If you want something, Don't sit and wish for it to happen. It never will.

You must change your mindset. Ask yourself, "How can I make it happen?" Write it down. Here are three questions to get you started:

What do I want my business or life to look like in 3 years?

2. What do I want my business or life to look like in 12 months?

3. What do I need to start doing in the next 9 days?

Make a list of your steps, put them on your calendar or to-do list and then DO them!

The worst that can happen is that someone will say no to your dream. That is because it is YOUR dream and they are not in a place to help you realize that dream. Keep persevering and you will find the person who is.

Use that 'no' to spur on your determination. I have been told a few times in my life that I would never be able to do something. Did I give up? NO!

I used that frustration to go on and accomplish what they said I couldn't. As Amy Oscar said in her post, Finishing on Story, Spirit, Seed, " I understand that what called to me was not God - nor the angels - for no outside force can or will compel us to this kind of commitment. What called to me was me.... a person who finishes things...." Thank you Amy!

You are the only one who can accomplish your dream. Go on and inspire yourself to create your future!

Copyright© 2010 Christina Rodriguez. All rights reserved.

Christina Rodriguez is President of Diva by Design™, a home staging and redesign company. She is also a proud graduate and affiliate of The Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.