My Bedding Picks-Comforter vs. Duvet

IT's always a great day when I meet a new client.  Today I headed out to Nazareth PA to talk about putting some 'OMMPPPHHH' into a four year old home for a family of three.  One of the spaces I will be working on is the master bedroom and that got us talking about bedding.  'So which should I use-a comforter or a duvet?'  There is no right or wrong answer....just preference.  There is a lot of thought that goes into making that decision so kick off your shoes and get on your jammies.

A comforter is a blanket filled with natural or synthetic insulative material and encased in a shell/covering. It gives a cleaner look because it isn't as bulky as a duvet.  You can use your comforter all year round but may wish to add a blanket at the end of your bed if you want more warmth.  If you are looking for an affordable quick bedding purchase, you can find a 'Bed In A Bag' in bedding stores everywhere.  The downside is that washing it is difficult because it is bulky; may require a professional dry cleaning.

A duvet is a soft flat bag traditionally filled with down or feathers, or a combination of both, and used on a bed as a blanket.   It is usually placed in a duvet cover to keep it clean (like a giant pillow case!).  This combination gives an overall fluffier look.  Makes me want to dive right into it. Two great advantages of this bedding is that you can change the duvet cover to suit your decor and you can wash the cover  real easily (without all that pounding and pushing of a comforter into a washer and dryer).  Disadvantage is that it can get hot under that cover (you may want to put it away for the summer).  They also require a little extra fussing when making your bed.

Here are a few bedding looks I put together that I adore:


For a luxe coastal hotel suite look, this coral bedding from R. Jabbour & Sons is crisp and chic.  Looks fabulous with dark wood toned furniture.  Use a creamy white paint like Benjamin Moore™ OC-17 White Dove or wrap the room in a hug from a teddy bear using Behr PMD-51 Cardamom and add beachy accents (buy some hurricane vases and fill them with seashells & coral you pick up on vacations).  Can you smell the ocean?

 click here to go to bedding product page        click here to go to sham product page

 

click here to go to throw pillow product page

For a bedroom with feminine flair try this Urban Outfitters look. I love the ruffled bedding because it reminds me of a wedding dress.  And the wiener dog pillowcases keep it fun and young.  The Sherwin William Calico paint will keep the space relaxing and calm.

click here to go to Waterfall ruffled duvet product pg        

click here to go to Weiner Dog Pillowcase product pg

This look is fun and flirty.  I dig it against the black.  Its from Target.  You can liven it up by painting Valspar 253-6 Still Tidewater on the wall behind the bed.

click here to go to the bedding product page

Want a spa-in-a-box complete bedroom makeover with one click? Try this new Athena 10pc. Comforter Set with Bonus Ottoman from JCPenney (for an extra $10 get a brand new master bathroom-just kidding!).  Paint this mushroom Benjamin Moore™ HC-125 Cushing Green color on the walls for an earthy soothing feeling.

click here to go to this bedding product page


And if you are looking for over-the-top, cotton candy-meets-leopard bedding for Teresa Giudice of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, this would be it!! Its from Horchow.

'Is this pink and frou-frou enough for you Teresa?'

 

click here to go to bedding product page

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R. Jabbour & Sons has a great selection of luxurious bedding. They first opened its doors in New York City over 80 years ago.  Passed through four generations of family, R. Jabbour & Sons continues to be a trusted and highly knowledgeable resource for the finest bed, bath, and table linens.  Its loyal following of customers rely on the utmost attention to detail and service.

My Favorite Pumpkins This Fall

"Rock-a-bye pumpkin, on the tree top.."  

I skipped as I left the pumpkin patch today with the hottest green pumpkin! I love the look and taste of granny smith apples and this one looks like one on steroids.  Pumpkins can make a fun statement and dress up the outside and inside of your home.  They can have brilliant color, fun imperfections, and last longer than a bouquet of flowers (try bringing a bouquet of gourds to your next dinner party).  

This blog entry is dedicated to pumpkins, the squash-like fruit that range in size from less than 1 pound to over 1,000 pounds. To all the people and pumpkins out there, I hope the weather is grand by you.  It has been raining cats and dogs the last two days around here.  I have been going bananas with all the rain. Then the sun came out today, I felt a slight breeze, and smelt that autumn air. I am finally getting into the Fall season! Seems like everyone has--except for my mail carrier who is rockin' shorts (you go girl!).  

So after checking on the progress of a reno project I am working on in Easton PA I  pulled on a purple tweed sweater and headed to Grim's in Breinigsville.  I wanted to see what pumps besides the classic orange were all the rage this year. Grim's is a great place for pickin' pumpkins and they have a giant corn maze that is carved out differently each yr.     

Orange, orange on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?  At this pumpkin patch, about a million.  I asked if I could win a prize if I guessed how many could turn into Cinderella's stage coach.  

I fell in love with an enormous albino White Pumpkin and slipped it my phone number;

Then I did a double take on some pumpkins covered in peanut shells.  These pumpkins looked like they were painted the most gorgeous water colors, then dreadfully drowned with the shells like warts. They are appropriately called Peanut Pumpkins.  

I filled a cute little red wagon with my pumpkins, downed some honey sticks, and headed home.  I couldn't wait to place my pumps all around my house.  It is so much fun.  Here are some great sites with ideas of how to decorate with pumpkins this fall: 

• BHG (love the window box display and potted pumpkins)
• Martha Stewart
• Today Show video (ideas from Southern Living from 2009)
• Good Housekeeping (using pumpkins without carving them)

I added pumpkins to my front door, in my front mulch, and to my bird bath.  I am waiting for my homeowners association to approve some minor cosmetic changes to the front of my home, so until then, it's all about the pumps. 

Get creative with where you place your pumpkins.  Happy October!!

As Seen On News: Adding Fun & Function To Kid Spaces

click here to see video

Maybe it is time for you to give a child's room a facelift; and I don't just mean their bedroom.  This applies to playrooms, mudrooms, foyers, and bathrooms.  

It is essential that kids of any age have a place where they can feel free.  Today I presented my ideas on WFMZ-TV 69 News at Sunrise.  Click here to see the segment (2 parts).  What a fun morning!!!!  Here is a recap:

Three goals your kids space should be designed to do:

-Create a happy and inspirational room;

-Set their imagination free; and

-Increase their motor skills.

1. Color. Let your children’s personalities come through.  Use colors that interest them.  Warning-don’t go too bright.  Shades of blues and pinks are popular because of the natural and psychological effects they have on people.  For example, soft shades of blue triggers associations with the sky and a psychological sense of calm.

Pink is another calming color.  It enhances the mood by calming heart rate. Interesting research was done reporting that Baker-Miller Pink (a pepto bismal, bubblegumy color) suppressed angry, antagonistic, and anxiety ridden behavior among prisoners.  It is used to calm violent prisoners in jails.  No joke :).  

How To: In this bedroom I created vertical stripes in two tones of light pink, and used her love of avocado green, which is a deep color, for the accents.  Trick-The bed canopy is made from a window box I flipped over and upholstered.

2. Make walls fun and functional by adding a large wall mural and placing hooks on it that hold supplies.  I call the one below a Tree System. This is not only fun but a valuable addition to a room with little space. 

In a playroom it can hold art supplies and costumes.

Use in a mudroom or foyer, to hold outdoor items in a creative way!

How To: grow your own Tree System using painter tape.  Just tape out your design then paint your wall. Next, peel the tape to reveal your design! My daughter assisted me in this fun part.

3. Storage. Use window boxes below your windows on the inside of your home to hold toys.  Bookcases are also great for storage, especially ones with large opening. IKEA is a great place to go for storage in kid spaces. I am a big fan of their Expedit series.  Variety of finishes and sizes and the storage bins come in diff. styles too.  

How To: I labeled the bins using chalkboard paint covered thin mdf rectangles I bought from Michaels.  I attached them using chothes pins.  Now children can read them without looking into the bins & I can easily erase and re-name each one.

4. Add a chalkboard, but not your Momma's chalk.  Chalkpaint can be tinted to almost any color these days! And you can turn an entire wall where your children can really express themselves.  I went to Buss Paints in Emmaus, PA to get tinted paints and Magnetic paint to create a wall so fun and funky!

How To: Roll on Magnetic Paint (needs 3 coats).  Buss Paints in Emmaus, PA carries it.

Then prime it and paint it Benjamin Moore Newt Green.

Then create 9 equal boxes using painters tape. And using a round template (My 6 yr old and I used a giant bowl), hold it up to the middle of each square and trace it with chalk. Paint each square Benjamin Moore Venezuelan Sea.  

5. Reuse the gold contractor chandelier that came with your home and turn it into a brand new one!

How To: Take off each sleeve and cover the socket with painters tape, then place each sleeve back on.  Then Sand it lightly.  Prime it with paint spray (I used a red color from Rustoleum), then spray it again with red paint.

6.  Create a little reading nook using a paper lantern.  You can find them on-line and at Pier 1.  Turn it into part of your theme like I did creating a miniature hot air balloon.

 

How To: Using a hot glue gun, glue the ribbons down in a pattern, then add a light mini bird cage (I bought it for $1 at Michaels).  Up the effect by adding ribbon to your vinyl window shade using fabric glue or fabric tape.  

BEHIND THE SCENES:

I would like to thank Buss Paints and Wallpaper for the magnetic paint and the chalkboard paint.

327 Main Street, Emmaus, PA 18049-2704, (610) 965-5466

And thank you to the nice gentleman from Lowes who cut the 8' board into 2 pieces for me to use on the show! 

'Crack!'

And thank you to the little girl on my daughters school bus today who asked if I was the babysitter (made my yr!).

Hope you get some great ideas and let me  know if you try any of these!!!!

Have You Heard of A Virtual Designer?

With the rise in home and garden television shows, the popularity of internet shopping, and a budget conscious society, homeowners are more knowledgeable with home decorating and design options.  Although dressing a space may still be overwhelming, for some, a push in the right direction is all that is needed.  This has changed the traditional way interior designers/decorators work with clients.  There are more ‘a la carte’ services, making it more affordable for anyone to use a professional.  One 'a la carte' trend on the rise is to hire a professional virtually to pull a room or multiple rooms together.  I call this a Virtual Designer.

So how does a Virtual Designer work?  This service is mainly done on-line.  Through e-mails and phone calls,  a unique design plan is created that sticks to the budget set by the client, and can include paint colors, space planning, and a list of products that can be purchased on-line or locally.  This gives homeowners a ‘map’ to a finished space that they can work on within their own time frame.  Below are two examples I have done working on a tight budget:

AND

Of course traditional face to face client-designer/decorator meetings are more personal and room planning is more thorough, but for the more confident homeowner or renter, this is a great option.  People now have access to hire designers from any where and dwellers of all income levels now have a way to get a designer space.  Tip-make sure you hire an experienced professional who you can reach by phone to clarify questions.  

Add Personality to A Family Rm & Dining Rm

This seven foot gallery of frames will capture lots of colorful memories in my client Kims' family room (including her little girls' sweet smile as shown).  These frames and the throw pillows are just a few of the added decor details to make Kim's home feel fun, unique and personal.  I dedicate this blog entry to creating spaces that express your personality and shout 'Ahhhh....I'm home and loving it here!' 

Kim is a very hip and fun working mother and wife in Lansdale PA.  She is so busy that it is hard for her to find time to shop for decor items that express her personality.  After discussing what made her unhappy with the current look of her family room and dining room I set to work to find furnishings that would make her shout 'Ahhhh....I'm home and loving it here!'

PART I - THE FAMILY ROOM

I found some great buys and colorful decor pieces including this very cool art display frame (see above).  This frame allows you to easily change out your kids artwork and has a pocket to hold more art.  It, along with all the other frames, were purchased from Target (click here to see how this design came to be).  Combining black and white frame finishes create drama on such a large wall space, and the touch of yellow give interest and make it unique.

After hanging the frames we concentrated on bringing in light, color and warmth to the rest of the family room.  We were working around a large brick wall to wall fireplace, that felt dark. 

BEFORE

AFTER

The new furnishings give this room a comfy, cozy feel, and all the small sentimental details placed around the space, warm the heart and shine.  The brick wall is no longer taking over the space;  And now there is lots of storage for the kids toys and dvds.  Also, see the blue grey color framing the photo?  That is the color the walls will be painted in a few weeks, giving the room a relaxed state of mind.

 

I found this 42" mirror for a great price.  I loved the detail in the frame but it was grey.  No problem - a quick makeover using celery green spray paint changes the look completely.

BEFORE

AFTER

PART II - THE DINING ROOM

Dining rooms are allowed to be over the top and more dramatic than a soap opera.  This is the place to 'go big or go home'.  Kims' dining space needed a focal point, some sparkle, and punches of color.  A bit of architectural impact was also needed because she did not want any fabric on the windows.  

BEFORE

AFTER

Be creative with your decor; this is not the room to be shy in.  I add lots of different lighting in dining rooms from candles to overhead and accent electric lights so you can really turn up or down the volume.  The crown and chair moldings you see will be added soon (I drew the ones in the photo to visualize the finished look).

BEFORE

AFTER

This room is now dramatically set for Susan Lucci to step in and give one of her sneaky temptress performances.