Picking the Perfect Paint Color

Helping my clients select just the right designer colors is one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of a home remodeling project.

It begins simply enough. The living room needs a new coat of paint, perhaps a fresh start for both of you. But what about something different this time? No more off-white. Maybe a color that is bold and creative, but also educated, witty and ironic.

There’s the high-style and pricey route, like that English company, Farrow & Ball, and its Evelyn Waugh paint names like Dead Salmon, Arsenic and Churlish Green, for $90 a gallon.

Or there’s the mainstream route of the American brands, and their own winking-at-you names, like Townhouse from Ralph Lauren, and Love Affair from Benjamin Moore. A trip to the paint store seems as if it might help narrow the choices, too, until you stand before the wall of infinite paint shades. The feeling sinks in: the horror of the fan deck.

Eve Ashcraft calls this anxiety the “vortex,” and she has spun it into a thriving business as a color consultant who can, in spite of her low-key Midwestern manner, name-drop some of her clients. (read more)

 

The Paint Doctor Is In By Penelope Green (New York Times)

Three Keys to Preparing for a Successful New Home or Remodeling Project

I've recently been doing a number of remodeling projects in the last few weeks, and this article by Richard Taylor absolutely hits the nail on the head. Enjoy!

You have some sort of picture in your mind of how you want your house to look, to function, to feel. How do you communicate that to your Architect, and to the people who’ll be building the walls and installing the countertops? The key to success in a new home or remodeling project is making sure all parties – you, your Architect, and your contractor - all fully understand that picture in your mind. Here are a few ideas to help you make your vision crystal clear:

1) Collect and Organize

Whenever you come across something that appeals to you for your house, take a photo of it; tear the page out of the magazine; or print it from your computer. Even if the photo or drawing only has a tiny thing you like, get it on paper. (read more)

Three Keys to Preparing for a Successful New Home or Remodeling Project by Richard Taylor

Retro Remodeling

This website is a wonderful resource for those planning a "Mad Man Era" kitchen remodeling.

With no idea how to go about decorating the pink bathroom in the midcentury home she and her husband had bought in Lexington, Ky., Judi Forston typed “1959 Ranch” into Google. “I thought I’d find something architectural and scholarly about houses built in that era,” Ms. Forston said. Instead, she found retrorenovation.com.

Since Ms. Kueber started her Web site in 2007, it has become the epicenter of a small but devoted group of mid-century design enthusiasts, a go-to destination for homeowners who spurn the latest décor trends in favor of re-tiling their bathrooms in turquoise mosaics from the Eisenhower years or installing Dishmaster kitchen faucets whose bulky forms recall those of a late-model Studebaker. (read more)

Restoring the Retro House by Steven Kurutz

What is good design? Experts weigh in

I am honored to have been asked to contribute to a Houston Chronicle article on interior design:

Modernism shook the world with its radical departure from classic and traditional styles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The modernists brought their attention to craft and "less is more" and "form and function" mantras to the masses, along with the concept that through an improved built environment, we could improve our lives. Out of that philosophy has grown today's sustainability movement, which focuses on conservation, reuse, adaptibility and our relationship to the natural environment.

The next movement has yet to present itself, so meanwhile, we asked a few Texas designers and architects, "What is good design?"

Julie Schaff Risman, furniture and interior designer, owner of the Inside Story Design, San Antonio; www.insidestorydesign.com:

Some of my guiding principles: Follow the rules of scale and proportion. Don't use small furniture in a large room with high ceilings. Better a few larger items than many small ones. Expensive purchases (furniture and rugs, for example) should be classic and enduring; other, less-expensive items can be more trendy — think pillows and accessories.

Mix materials and style to create interest - wood, glass, stone, metal and fabric. Mixing antiques with modern pieces makes a room interesting and not predictable. All of one material or style creates what I call the furniture showroom effect.

Your home should tell your story. Art and artifacts from your travels, collections and artful photos turn a house into a home and prevent the model-home look. Always add an organic element to a space: plants, fresh flowers, seagrass, shells and salvaged items breathe life and warmth into a space. Edit - if in doubt, leave it out.

( read more )

By Melanie Warner Spencer Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle

Decorating a Luxury Bathroom

Luxurious bathroom remodeling is one of the things that I most love to do for my clients here in San Antonio.

Luxury bathrooms have become one of the hottest trends in home décor in the last few years. Now more than ever bathrooms are becoming spa-like retreats where people go to unwind and relax after a hard day. To make your bathroom a luxurious retreat that will make you feel like royalty, check out some of these tips and ideas.

Lighting

Task lighting is important in any bathroom, but for a luxury bathroom it's also important to include ambient lighting. To create a romantic, rich look consider including a chandelier and possibly sconces. Look for materials like gilt and crystal to amp up the rich look. And most importantly, don't forget to include dimmer switches on all the lights.

Vanity

If you're starting from scratch and you need to put in a new vanity consider purchasing an antique marble-top chest of drawers and putting a sink in it. You'll lose some of the storage because the plumbing will need to be accommodated but depending on the chest you should still be able to get a drawer or two (this also works with old cabinets and buffets). This idea isn't for the faint of heart because once you've altered the piece you can't go back, but the results can be well worth it. [ read more ]

Decorating a Luxury Bathroom by Lauren Flanagan

Piano for Sale in San Antonio

Piano for Sale: HYUNDAI BABY GRAND PIANO

$3500 - FREE Local delivery (up to $100)

1993 Hyundai G-50A Baby Grand Piano in Very Good condition. Original owner. Plays and sounds fantastic.

Interested?

Contact owner at 210-240-9209 or Julie.Risman@gmail.com to schedule an appointment to see and play this wonderful piano.

Details:

• Purchased new in 1993
• Serial number: ILLG0318
• Finish: High Gloss Ebony
• Matching piano bench included
• 55" String length
• Dimensions:
  • Length: 4' 7"
  • Width: 4' 8"
  • Height: 3' 2"

  

• Minor cosmetic wear only
• FREE local delivery to San Antonio area (up to $100)

Tips for selecting plumbing fixtures

Selecting the right fixtures is an essential - and challenging - aspect of any kitchen or bathroom remodeling.

Plumbing fixtures come in varying metals, faucet types, and control options.  There is a style to match your decor, and your family’s lifestyle. From faucets that turn on with a slight touch, to fixtures that cascade water out in a waterfall, there are ones that are perfect for your home. Here are tips to choose plumbing fixtures that will enhance your sink, tub or shower area, and be a joy to use every day. ( read more )

How to Choose Plumbing Fixtures to Match your Decor Style by Ronique Gibson