How to Hang a Window Scarf Slide Show

3 Decorating Mistakes to Avoid

A good way to save money when decorating your home is to avoid making costly mistakes. Here are three decorating mistakes many people make.

1. Buying furnishings before having a plan can result in impulse purchases of things that you may not need. The best way to avoid making this mistake is to decide on your personal decorating plan before you go shopping. Based on your plan make a list of what items you will need to purchase and stick to the list.

2. Painting the walls a "safe" neutral color that will go with everything can end up being a costly mistake. One of the least expensive and most effective ways to make a room look magnificent is with color. When the walls are painted linen white it is often necessary to add more fabrics and accessories in order for the room to feel furnished. Painting the walls a color costs no more, and can create a mood or feeling that brings a whole new design element to the room. The key is to first decide on the feeling you want to create and then use the right colors to achieve it.

3. Buying furniture that is not the right size for the room can bring costly consequences. When the furniture is too large it can make the room feel cramped and limit placement options. When it is too small it can necessitate buying more furniture than is necessary in order to create a sense of balance and make the room feel furnished.

No mater what your budget is, you are sure to save money if you begin with a plan.

How To Mix and Match Patterns

An easy way to add interest to any room is to add accessories in a variety of fabrics. I know many people are afraid to mix and match patterns, however, it is really quite simple. Begin with a pattern that is already in the room. If there are no patterned fabrics in the room then find a print that has the colors from the room and a pattern that you love. Remember, decorating is emotional....you want to surround yourself with things that make you feel good.

Follow these 3 tips and you can't go wrong:

1. Have only one of each type of pattern....one large overall print like the floral above, one stripe fabric, one geometric like the diamond and one texture like the tweed.

2. Each of the fabrics you are introducing to the room should include one or more of the colors from the rooms' color scheme.

3. If the ambiance is extremely formal or very casual then the texture of the fabrics should reflect the feeling of the room. Silky fabrics or fabrics with a sheen like silk and velvet tend to be formal, while nubby textures with a dull finish are more casual. If the room is neither extreme, then you can add a combination of both textures.

Remember, your homes' decor should reflect your personal style.

Western Style Home Decor Accessories

Do you love all things western? Perhaps you have great memories of a vacation you had on a dude ranch......or maybe it's the sense of adventure of the wild west that gets your imagination going.....or you could be like my husband and love old cowboy movies. Decorating with a western theme can be a fun way to personalize a room.


Use accessories that say "wild west" like these to set the stage. The waste basket below with the leather trim and horse shoe would be a nice addition to a home office or a child's room.




This wall hook with the cowboy boots is both practical and decorative.







The wall mirror below with the western frame would be a fun addition to any room.
Earth tones are a good choice for a western theme, a color scheme including the color rust with shades browns and tans. Wooden furniture could have a distressed finish with either a weathered looking stain or dark wood tones. Black wrought iron, burnished copper and
brass would be my choice for metal accents; and a soft leather on the sofa and chairs would pull the entire look together.

Remember, when decorating your home surround yourself with things that make you feel good. You may not want your entire home decorated with a western theme, however, if you love western decor then find one room in your house to show off this fun side of you.

Dress Your Windows for Spring

Spring is just around the corner. It is the time of year I love watching my garden come alive as the leaves on the trees start to show their colors and the tulips emerge from the ground. It is amazing to watch as the earth gives birth to an array of colorful flowers. Now is a good time to welcome the outdoors in by removing heavy drapery panels that block out the light and the view. You can replace them with sheer swags that softly frame the window.

Above is a single scarf that frames the window and softens the look of the wood blinds.

Here there are two swags draped on the same foam rod to create an asymmetrical design. In both pictures the window scarves are hung on a foam rod. This type of rod simplifies creating the swags because you are able to pin the scarf to the rod and control the fabric.

How to Organize Your Bookshelves

Bookshelves can be an important design element in a room; unfortunately, they often become a catchall for unrelated objects and end up an eyesore. With a little bit of planning and the creative use of accessories bookshelves can become an important design feature.

Even a small shelf unit like this one can add charm, and be a good way to feature treasured keepsakes.


Here are some tips for how to arrange bookshelves.

• If you have matched sets of books then put them together on the lower shelves, stacked side by side, to create a solid foundation. If you do not have matched sets, then group books of similar size together on the bottom shelf
• On the middle shelves arrange groupings that include accessories and books. The accessories could include a small piece of art on an easel, decorative plates or bowls, candles, statues or other collectibles.
• For added interest make sure each grouping includes a variety of heights. Lay a couple of small books down on their side, next to a tall vase or candle holder. Also try to include a variety of shapes.
• Add color with candles or plants. Include a variety of textures like wood and glass and metal all in one grouping.
• If you have over sized books too tall for the shelf they can be placed flat with other books stacked on top of them.
• All of the books should be brought to the front edge of the shelf for a neat, uniformed look.
• It is usually a good idea to remove the dust jackets and display the books binding.
• Use the top one or two shelves to display art or other accent pieces. This will help create a balanced display.

An organized and balanced arrangement can make your bookshelves a beautiful design element. Keep them feeling fresh by using seasonal items as part of the presentation. If after organizing your shelves you find the need to add more accessories please visit my on-line store http://www.roseinteriors.com/  .

Ideas for Arranging Living Room Furniture

This is a great time of year to re-arrange your furniture. Especially if you are like me and you are stuck in doors because of all of the ice and snow outside. No need to go shopping, just work with what you have to create an entirely new to a room set-up.

Having your furniture pulled away from the walls in the living room can create an inviting and comfortable grouping. One of the challenges to setting up the furniture this way is "where to put the electric cords from the lamps". For some of my clients we placed an electric outlet in the floor under the sofa. This option however creates a permanent change you may not want to live with. See the layout below to see another way to deal with the cords.

In this layout there is a table lamp on either side of the sofa. The dotted red line represents the cord. One cord runs under the sofa; both cords plug into the outlet on the wall under the window. By placing the table under the window you are eliminating a pathway where people could walk and trip over the cords, making it possible to plug them into the wall. Placing them here keeps them out of site. An extra safety measure would be to tape them down to the floor. If you use tape make sure it is a color that will blend in with the floor you are taping to.

Another consideration for this type of an arrangement is having enough lighting. Here, in addition to the lamps on either side of the sofa, there is also a lamp on the table under the window and a floor lamp in the corner. Of course a ceiling fixture or wall sconces could also be used. It is important to have light in all sections of the room. You can use dimmers to control the light and keep the room from getting too bright, or just use low watt light bulbs.

One more thing to consider when creating a seating arrangement like this is to make sure you have a minimum of 3" to walk through the room. The above layout has 36" on three sides of the arrangement, which is enough to easily go from the entrance of the room to the wall with the sliding glass doors.

If you have any questions regarding a decorating project please contact me at info@RoseInteriors.com

Save Money on Your Heating Bill

Cell shades (also known as honeycomb shades) can save you money on your heating and air conditioning bills. They work like a storm window and trap the air in the cells. In the winter they keep the heated air in and in the summer they keep the cool air conditioned in. As shown below you can get single, double or triple cell shades, the more cells the more energy efficient the shade.

They can be light filtering and are available in a large assortment of colors and fabrics. Even the light filter ones block out up to 90% of suns damaging ultra violet rays.

The shades shown here are made by Hunter Douglas and come with a lifetime warranty.

Working from Home

I am glad I work from my home and I don't have to commute. Here is a photo from my office window....it was taken at 1pm and the weather man says there is lots more snow on the way. My window is over the front porch and it looks like the tree may come through the porch roof. I think it's time to get some of that snow off of the branches.....working from home does have its advantages, however, sometimes extra little jobs pop up.

Ideas for Setting a Beautiful Table

Tablecloths are the foundation of your table setting, use them to help create the ambiance for your event. Do you want a formal feeling or more casual? Perhaps playful or festive would better describe the gathering you are planning. The colors and materials you choose for your tablecloth, napkins, runners and accessories can set the tone.

Of course there are a variety of materials you can select from, including paper which is more casual and can be thrown away after being used, making clean-up easy. There is a large assortment of paper goods to choose from including specific holiday themes. A vinyl table cloth with paper napkins is another option, which also tends to be more casual and is often used for outdoor affairs or a children's party. A third choice of course is fabric, which can be used for either a formal or casual occasion.

I prefer to use fabric tablecloths. They may cost more to purchase, however, in the long run they are less expensive then paper because they can be used for years. You can put them with matching or coordinating fabric napkins or with paper napkins. Unlike the table linens our grandmothers used, today tablecloths are available in a large selection of washable fabrics that are easy to maintain. The key is to wash them in cold water and dry them in a cool dryer, removing them from the dryer as soon as they are dry.

As far a color goes, your cloth should coordinate with the room the table will be set up in and with you china pattern. For added interest, select a tone on tone cloth like a damask, or a textured cloth like a pin tuck or crinkle. The food should be the focal point of the table, do not select a cloth with a busy pattern or print that will take away from what is on the menu.

Use accessories like napkin rings, a centerpiece, candle holders or a table runner to indicate the theme of the party. If the themes colors (green for Saint Patricks' Day or red for Christmas) do not go with your rooms color scheme then use neutral accessories that look good with your decor. You can still make it special and festive by using fun, over the top glittering accents you would not use everyday. Or use natural items that are appropriate for the occasion like dried leaves and acorns for Thanksgiving or rose petals for Valentines day,

One way to change the look of a plain tablecloth is to add a transparent, shimmering organza overlay;or sprinkle sequins or glitter on top of the cloth. The idea is to make it special and different from what you do every day.

To determine the size your tablecloth should be, measure the length and the width of your table and decide how much fabric you want to come down on each side (that is the drop). Add the drop X 2 to the table dimensions and this will give you the size the cloth should be. For a formal look you can have the cloth go to the floor. If you add a leaf to your table remember to add in the size of the leaf.

Tablecloth Colors and Texture.... How to Use Them to Create the Perfect Setting

When deciding what color tablecloth to use, keep in mind the food should be the focal point of any table setting. I suggest avoiding a cloth with a busy pattern. The cloth should compliment your rooms decor and your china pattern.

Select a color that is already in the room. It does not have to be the exact hue, it can be several shades lighter or darker. Be sure that it also looks good with the china and serving pieces you will be using. Add interest by selecting a color that contrasts the dinnerware while complimenting it.

The texture of the fabric you choose can also add interest and set the tone (formal or casual). The three cloths shown below all have a sheen to them which tends to make them more formal. Their lustrous surface along with their tone on tone pattern create interesting textures without being busy.

All of these cloths are machine washable and are available in a variety of colors and custom sizes. Visit http://www.roseinteriors.com/ for more information

Tablecloths Can Create an Elegant Setting

Tablecloths can be used to set the mood for a party or event. The beautiful damask cloth shown below creates a formal setting. Don't be afraid to be creative when setting the table, mix and match patterns as we did below by adding a stripe table runner and napkin rings.

Tablecloths are the foundation for creating beautiful table settings. Use them to help create the ambiance for your event. Do you want a formal feeling or more casual? Perhaps playful or festive would better describe the gathering you are planning. The colors and fabrics you choose for your tablecloth, napkins, runners and accessories can set the tone.

The tablecloths, napkins and table runner shown here are available in variety of colors and custom sizes at http://www.roseinteriors.com/