A fireplace is the focal point of a living room, so it's important to have something that doesn't make you recoil every time it catches your eye. My friends Heather and Neil had this unfortunate reaction when they moved into their 1940s traditional house in Santa Monica.
The living room was drowning in wood. The floors, the banister, and the fireplace were all made of oak in medium-dark shades. Typically, this is not a problem (better than carpet, right?). But for this couple, the sheer amount of wood proved a bit oppressive. They wanted a focal piece that would complement the natural light. "While it's great to have a fireplace, and one flanked by windows, it was dated and terrible and not our taste at all," Heather says.
Heather and Neil embarked upon a plan to modernize the fireplace and make it their own. Seeking a bright and airy look, they applied two coats of adhesion primer (eliminating the need to sand it) followed by two coats of white paint. The boards on the front and top of the fireplace were changed to accommodate the television. And finally, they transformed the sconces flanking the fireplace with RustOleum hammered finish grey and new shades from Pottery Barn.
Our friend Antonella's up to her old tricks again...making her beautiful house even more beautiful. When we last visited her, she was transforming her office space.
Now she has moved onto the dining room and re-covered six dining table chairs with a bold new print. This nifty little intervention cost $68 and took less than six hours.
There's no reason your home office has to reflect the drudgery of bill paying, document filing, and to-do lists. Like any other room, it presents an opportunity to make a statement. And, if you work from home, your business will benefit from surrounding yourself with sources of inspiration and stimulation.
I was reminded of this fact when I saw my friend Antonella's office makeover. The space has great bones with built-in bookshelves and a generous desk. Because structural work was not necessary Antonella relied largely on surface treatment and a couple key furniture pieces to transform the space.
The big day has finally arrived. You've decluttered, sorted and arranged your goods. The alarm goes off at the crack of dawn to awaken you for your final preparations. An "early bird" is waiting in the driveway even though your announcement said the sale begins at 8:00 a.m.
The kids bust their way into your neatly organized garage and start to go through all the toys as if they have never seen them before. They cry when they realize you are selling a plastic badminton set they got as a party favor two years ago.
As your husband comes into the garage to help, he spots the Bill Cosby sweater he wore on his first date and decides that it shouldn't be in there because it may have some vintage appeal. Then, right as you open the garage, you realize you forgot to get change for your twenties. Oh, it's going to be a long day.
But it doesn't mean it can't be fun. Here are a few things you can do to temper the stress of it all.
