Let your kids redecorate - it’s a great teaching tool!

“The easiest way to teach children the value of money...

is to borrow some from them.”  Anonymous

Preteen room by decoratorJennifer Mullin of Ideal Spaces in Alabama - charming!

Is your son or daughter begging for a bedroom makeover?  This is a great chance to teach them about budgeting and let them express their personal taste.

First, set a budget.  Decide how much money your can afford for the project and decide if the child has to contribute to that fund.  For the lessons in this article, it’s not really important for them to contribute, since it’s about budgeting and planning, rather than earning.

Next, decide the parameters.  Are the floors off-limits?  But an area rug is okay?  What about paint?   It’s reasonable to let them choose the wall or ceiling color, but what about the trim, molding and doors?  Can they paint the furniture, or buy new?

Once the limits are set write them down on paper along with the budget and have everyone sign the decorating contract.  Then let them shop!  Make sure they understand that they only have this amount of money, that it needs to account for sales tax and shipping, if applicable, and help them create a complete plan before they ever lift a paint brush or buy a comforter.  Teach them to ask about return policies at stores and how to care for packaging and save receipts in case they need to take something back.

Make sure the contract states that you get to review the plan before implementation to assure that the limits were kept in mind, but otherwise try to keep your hands off the project.  Not only will your kid feel valued by being trusted and allowed to express some personal taste, they’ll come to understand the real cost of goods, learn to prioritize and make choices they must live with, and begin to learn to budget.  Priceless!

For another great article on teens and decorating try this one by Heidi Tyline King and Mary Wynn Ryan.

How to hide a huge TV with paint

[Television]: It's the menace that everyone loves to hate 

but can't seem to live without.  ~Paddy Chayevsky

Many homes have enormous TVs in the living room, but who wants that to be the first thing your guests see?  Instead of an expensive and huge entertainment cabinet, why not use paint to camouflage it?

Before, the light walls made the TV stand out.

After, the darker walls help the TV blend in to the room.
(Makeover by Rivalee Design)

In this room the walls started off light yellow and the big TV stood out in stark contrast and overwhelmed the room.  We painted the walls dark grey which not only minimized the appearance of the TV, it also absorbed some of the visual impact of the dark leather sofas and dark wood furniture, making the room feel bigger, less cluttered, and more focused on the people and conversation in the room, rather than the TV.

Don't be afraid of darker paint.  It really can make a room feel bigger and more inviting and make everything fit the space better!

What to expect when you "reface" kitchen cabinets

If you are basically happy with the layout of your kitchen refacing can be a fast, practical solution that gives you the look of a whole new kitchen for thousands of dollars less than new cabinets, and saves the environment a lot of waste.  Here are answers to common questions about refacing:

Before refacing, stained, faded, white washed oak cabinets.

When should I reface?

If you cabinet boxes are in good shape, if you like the basic layout of the space, and if you are trying not to change the counters because you've already installed expensive granite counters and have now decided to change the cabinets, too.

When should I NOT reface?

If you cabinet boxes are in bad shape (e.g., waterlogged mdf cabinets) then you will want to replace the cabinets instead of refacing, and if you are going to overhaul the entire layout of the space it might make more sense to start from scratch.

After refacing, new cherry cabinets with rich pecan stain.

What am I getting when I reface?
Refacing means that you will be using the old boxes, but that the outer skin, side panels, doors and drawer fronts will all be new.  Until you look inside a cabinet, every surface you see will be a new surface.


What do I have to decide?
Just like when you choose new cabinets, you must make a number of choices: wood species, color/stain finish, door style, hinge style and finish, and hardware style and finish.


What are my options?
You can add new pullouts inside your old cabinets, convert cabinets to drawers, and even add new cabinetry to the kitchen in addition to refacing the existing cabinets.


How long will it take?
That depends, but the kitchen featured here was refaced in three days and the homeowners endured much less mess and disruption than they would have with all new cabinets.

Refacing can be a great option that saves you both time and money.  Fair warning: you may come across contractors that tell not to reface your kitchen.  Many contractors prefer to start any remodel from scratch, some don't really understand how refacing works, and others may just want you to take on the bigger project because it's a bigger paycheck.  If you are considering refacing, talk to your designer about it or ask a refacer directly if the job is appropriate rather than relying on the opinion of your contractor.

If you have any other questions about what to expect with refacing or kitchen remodels in general, don't hesitate to email me.  Happy decorating!

Teaching kids gratitude while clearing the clutter from your home

Want to clear the clutter from your home, teach your kids great habits, and encourage gratitude in your home?  Start this new holiday tradition.

1. Set a day on the calendar for "making room" and be sure that each person or child you want involved will have time free that day.  This can be a good activity the day after Thanksgiving as a way to reflect on the meaning of gratitude, or chose a day closer to Christmas as the kids are getting more and more excited about the new toys they want.
2. On the given day, start off by reading "Too Many Toys" by David Shannon.  It's a great way to help kids relate to and understand the idea without any lecturing.
3. Set a timer.  Adjust the time based on how much you want to declutter.  Older kids and adults can probably handle an hour or two, but with younger kids, limit the time to thirty minutes.  
4. Set the example by choosing some number of things from your own closet, craftroom, or storage area to give away.
5. Have the kids choose the things they are ready to give away (you can determine how many items that should be).
6. Then let the kids celebrate by making up their Christmas wish list.

This should be a time for appreciating gifts from the past, and for learning that generosity returns only to those who are generous.  By making this an annual ritual you will not only keep the clutter down in your home, but also help teach the kids, and reminds yourself, of the importance of generosity and gratitude.




Happy Holidays!