Living Rich in a Readymade World

Copyright 2006 Melissa Galt

These days decorating doesn’t have to be about custom design. It can be about where to find it now and how to make it work for you.  There is such a wealth of readymade elements both at retailers, online, and in mail order catalogues. You can do it yourself or get the knowledge and expertise of a professional decorator, transforming your house into a home without ever leaving your chair. Best of all you can have it all immediately. No waiting, no anticipation, just take it home today.  The trick is in knowing what to buy and how to make it not look like everyone else’s.  Read on for the real scoop on living rich in a readymade world.

Firstly, it’s not what you have that gives you style, but what you do with it that really counts.  Using the big box retailers for decorating is a real time saver, but it's up to you to personalize.  Certainly photo frames are easy to make yours. Consider theming the groupings; a family wall is usually a real favorite. Another option is to do a travel wall with collage matting so you can display multiple photos within one frame. You can have one frame dedicated to each trip.  You can also do groupings of individual frames united by a theme.  Think about forming a collection or two, displaying the frames en masse for greatest effect.

Layer your rooms to create maximum character. Start with the floor adding rugs, even over wall to wall carpet. Rugs are artwork for the floor and anchor furniture arrangements. To add depth to your upholstery, layer pillows and the occasional throw for softness. On your tables be sure to include practical ideas like a coasters along with room for a book or even a plate of food.  (I always make sure there is enough space on the coffee table to put up your feet.  Life is about comfort!) Lamps are another opportunity to build layers and can really add personality and punch.  Don’t match them unless you have matching tables (boring and formal).  Have fun with the variety of shapes and sizes available, not to mention the host of shade variations, including beaded or feathered. Once you’ve got the basics of rugs, upholstery, tables, and lamps you are ready to add drapery. This is often an overlooked element and really necessary to finish a room.  Whether your goal is to frame the view, control light or gain privacy, draperies are important in bringing softness and color vertically in a room. Last but not least are the artwork and accessories. Find pieces you really enjoy rather than just adding elements to take up space. Remember it’s your home, so make it count.

Go for comfort, not just good looks! I know you saw that really cool chair in that catalogue and had to have it, only to find that no one, including you, will sit in it, because it is woefully uncomfortable. Remember it needs to function as well as look good.  Upholstery in particular is for sitting on, not looking at, so be sure you either are familiar with the maker or can sit test it. Tables need to be the right height. For a coffee table 17-18” is usually optimal, end tables need to be at a comfortable height coming from the arm of the seating piece next to it. Too low and they are awkward.  Too high and you’ll knock things over when you reach. On many elements you can check them out on approval before making a decision, which is very helpful because seeing them in context is important. This is often the case with rugs, lamps, artwork, and even some tables.

Little changes make a big difference.  Consider changing the hardware on your kitchen cabinets. It is a seemingly little change that has a big impact.  Changing a light fixture over a breakfast table can make a dramatic and often very cost effective improvement to a room. Save your old chandelier to put back up when you sell your house so that you can take your favorite light fixture with you. This stretches your decorating dollar and becomes a flexible and lasting investment.  Changing plate glass mirrors to framed mirrors also really finishes off a bathroom.  (Do any of us really want to see ourselves reflected so much anyway?)

To avoid boredom with your interiors change your accents with the season.  Think hot colors for the winter and fall months with reds, oranges, golds and persimmons.  For the summer and spring try cool blues, fresh greens, crisp whites and soothing lavenders. By changing out your pillows, an art piece or two, a couple of accents or even a rug, you can transform and re-energize a room.

Need to add life to your spaces?  Add greenery.  Whether you've got a green thumb or do better with silk plants, greenery in every room really brings the room to life. This isn't a license to run wild with flowers, though.  Absolutely no plastic and no dried arrangements please (they look dead and are!).  Buying good silks and taking care of them is easy and cost effective. They will last indefinitely and require only a once a month spritz of floral cleaner (no wiping, it dissolves dust on contact.) Real plants need a good deal more care, and you have to consider light, temperature, and water needs. Living plants are often not ideal for those that travel frequently or have pets who tend to dig in the soil or bite the leaves.

Readymade doesn’t necessarily mean cheap.  Consider your sources, and instead of being locked into bargain basement and everyman looks, try the more exclusive catalogues like Horchow, Gumps, Frontgate and Chambers. Whatever you can imagine is likely already there for the ordering.  Certainly there are also many online sites with goods from all over the world.  You can purchase mementos from trips you haven’t even yet taken.

Perhaps you haven’t a clue about decorating or don’t have the time or interest to make this transformation a reality.  That’s alright. All you need to do is know who to call to make it happen.  Even if you aren't going custom it still makes sense to call in a professional decorator or designer and have them work with you to create a master plan to avoid expensive mistakes and lost time in returns.  Often if you explain you want it all immediately and are willing to go with off the rack goods, readymade couture for the home, they will work with you exclusively on that basis.

Make a road map of the changes and improvements you want to make in each room. This can be a list by room or even a sketch if you are feeling artistic. Keep a file by room of favorite finds in catalogues and magazines. (Be sure to look up the resource in the back of the publication.)  Bookmark favorite online sites for quick and easy future reference.

Lastly, plan a celebration, a housewarming for each room or the whole house. This gives you added incentive to get the project off the ground and move forward. Remember too that people are coming to your house to visit you, not your stuff, so relax and let them bring something to contribute.  Consider registering at some of your favorite retailers for some finishing touches. This sure beats getting bath goodies or another tie that you really won’t use!

Inspiring home designs

So when you redesign your home, what exactly should you do to it? If you’re short on inspiration, here are a few ideas to get you started.

The place where many people like to really go to town with their design ideas is in babies’ and children’s rooms – you can paint them bright colours, do imaginative pictures of fantasy environments, draw pictures of the child’s favourite characters from books and TV, and so much more besides. If you do this, why not let the child join in with the painting and show you what they want, with you just being there to help make their decoration dreams come true. However, one thing to be careful of is to keep redecorating their room as they get older – you don’t want them to be embarrassed to bring around friends when they’re a teenager because of their babyishly coloured room.

Another idea could be to make an ‘outdoors’ house, taking inspiration from your garden in how to design your home. This means lots of greens and blues, lots of plants, outdoor fragrances, lots of windows – a real outdoor feel indoors.

Indeed, the best way to design a home yourself is often to just pick a theme and take it as far as it will go. I know a couple with a ‘space house’, complete with portraits of rockets and black ceilings with painted stars – it sounds silly, but it’s really interesting to look at. Whatever you’re passionate about, make your house show it.

Don’t forget, though, that redecorating doesn’t have to be all about tearing things down and buying new stuff. You can get a long way with a few posters, ornaments, or just reorganising or repainting your furniture. You really don’t need to break the bank and hire a handyman to get your ideal home, as a little work can go a long way.

Tips For Decorating a Fireplace Mantel

If you are looking to give your room a focal point or something to highlight it, look no further than the fireplace mantel that's already there. Many tend to leave their fireplace mantels bare, failing to realize that they can decorate their fireplace mantel so that it become attractive enough to become the room's focal point.

Many homeowners fail to realize that they can do many things on their fireplace mantel to make it more interesting and appealing. Fireplace mantels that come straight out of a magazine page are not the only fireplace mantels that can be regarded as attractive. With a good dose of creativity and fun, even the drabbest of fireplace mantels can be made attractive.

A fireplace mantel is a decorative surface that you can decorate in either a symmetrical or asymmetrical manner. If you want to give the fireplace mantel and the room a formal air, go with decorating the fireplace mantel in a symmetrical fashion. However, if you want to give an air of coziness and informality, go with an asymmetrical decoration. You can achieve an asymmetrical look for your fireplace mantel by grouping odd-numbered objects in different sizes and even color. However, there still must be balance in the asymmetrical decoration in order to create the best effect.

When to Decorate Fireplace Mantels

Holidays and special occasions are especially great times for you to start decorating and showing off your fireplace mantel. For instance, Halloween gives you the opportunity to use lights for decorating your fireplace mantel and show off some of your creativity. Other times you may want to decorate your fireplace mantel are Labor Day, Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can even decorate your fireplace mantel using seasonal themes. Keep in mind that when it comes to decorating your fireplace mantel, it is best to give your creativity free rein.

Fireplace Mantel Decorating Ideas

* When you are decorating your fireplace mantel, avoid using anything that is made from inflammable materials. Use decorative objects that aren't inflammable.

* Fruits make wonderful fireplace mantel decorations. A simple, but striking fireplace mantel decoration is a vase or pitcher full of lemons and limes. The contrast of colors draws the eyes to the fireplace.

* Decorate the space below the fireplace mantel with cones.

* Add depth and illuminate the room by placing a mirror on the fireplace mantel.

* Avoid giving your fireplace mantel a "firing line" appearance. Don't simply line up the objects or use objects that are of similar heights. Make your fireplace mantel look dynamic by mixing up objects of different sizes.

Home-Design - when to call in the professionals

When you’re redesigning your home, the first question you need to ask yourself is whether you’re going to hire a professional or do it yourself. The answer depends on what you’re planning on doing.

There are plenty of things that you can do yourself quickly and easily: painting, putting up shelves and cupboards, all that kind of thing. Anything you can find in the DIY shop will come with instructions that should let anyone who is reasonably experienced in DIY put it up.

However, if you want to do something more complicated – converting a room into a bathroom or a kitchen, or building an extension, for example – then you’re going to need a professional.

When it comes to home design, however, it can be tough to know exactly who to hire. For basic things, you need a handyman, but for more complex projects you might need a builder. To do anything in the bathroom, you probably need a plumber. If you’re giving your whole house a makeover, you might even want to hire a professional designer, who will look at the overall picture and come up with ideas to make your house a better place to live in.

While pro designers can be expensive, they are usually worth the money – you wouldn’t think it from the amateur jobs you see on some TV makeover shows, but they really do know what they’re doing. There are some cowboys out there, though, so make sure the person you’re used has all the relevant qualifications: it’s best to ask for references, as that means you can go and see for yourself houses that they have worked on previously, and see if you like them. Be careful on judging them simply because they’re not your taste, however – remember that a good designer will reflect what the people asked for, not just force their own tastes on people.

Designing Your Signature Life, Part 2

Copyright 2006 Melissa Galt The Parts and Pieces: In the second and final part of this series about designing your signature life, we’ll talk about how Entertaining and Homemaking, Travel and Adventure, and Personal Image and Style play key roles in creating a life you truly love. We’ll also address the larger goals of attaining balance, leaving a legacy, and actively creating a life plan. As we discussed in Part 1, designing your signature life is not just about your home interiors but is instead about every aspect of your life. Designing a signature life will enable you to get what you want by making a plan, establishing goals and creating a map to get there. By demonstrating flexibility and patience in each step you’ll be able to maximize your potential and the opportunities we each have. It’s about creating a life as unique as your own signature! Entertaining and Homemaking Too often people want to entertain, but are afraid. They are waiting for the house to be decorated, for that next promotion, for the kids to be grown up and gone. Entertaining is not about waiting! It is not about the perfect décor, your status at work, whether the kids are home or not; instead it is about sharing time and experiences with friends and family. If they are truly coming only to see your latest drapery or hear about your raise, consider getting new friends! Entertaining is a chance to invite others to share in a bit of your life, a bit of your home, and a bit of you. It doesn’t have to be grand, expensive or involve a caterer, although that can be fun too! Think about having a potluck with a handful of friends. Or maybe a leftover surprise dinner where everyone brings leftovers or cooks up something from things they have had for awhile in the pantry. Better yet, have everyone chip in $5 and order a pizza. It can be that easy. Entertaining can also be about hiring the experts. Get a caterer, develop a menu, hire a party planner, and let them take care of the details! It isn’t about the scale of the party, but about bringing people together and mixing it up. I throw parties for every reason or no reason at all. Few of my friends are comfortable doing this. Yes, it can be a lot of work if you let it. The choice is yours. Travel and Adventure Where do you want to go?? Many of us want to travel, but we don’t seem to go anywhere because we don’t plan it. We are very routine oriented and can’t seem to break loose for that spontaneous road trip or weekend with the girls. Planned or unplanned, it won’t happen if you don’t just do it. Taking a trip used to require loads of time, a travel agent, and tons of money. Now it requires a few clicks of a mouse with no agent in the middle, and you can do it for pennies. Of course, if you can do it all out and want to, I say go for it. But don’t miss an opportunity to experience another country, city, state, neighborhood, or culture. Don’t wait until you physically incapable of moving around freely, with all the resources, but with hindered ability. None of us knows how long we will remain able bodied, so appreciate your good health while you can and take every opportunity to explore your world. Travel is about exploration, adventure, trying new and different things that are sometimes exciting and sometimes scary. It is about tasting unfamiliar foods, smelling new smells, experiencing other customs, seeing different living environments, appreciating alternative architecture, touching novel textures, and hearing unique sounds. It is about taking a bite of life! It is about living bigger. Often travel really makes us value home that much more. And sometimes we really need that extra dose of perspective to appreciate what had become ordinary to us but is really quite special. It can also make us realize how big the world really is and put our lives and our own challenges in a new light. Personal Image and Style Renowned costume designer to the stars, Edith Head, once said, “You can have anything you want in life, if you dress for it.” This may well be true. The key is in making a personal statement and showing a sense of unique style. I always get a grin out of those that try to tell me to wear scarves. It won’t ever happen. It is not my style. It was my Mother’s and sister’s style and they did it with panache and grace. But not me. It would be comparable to making a man wear a bowtie that didn’t fit his own sense of style. Finding and defining your own sense of style is very important. It is tantamount to creating your personal image signature. I have a business associate who always wears a hat. It makes a big statement about her and gives her a unique importance. She also stands out from the crowd and wants to. Some gentlemen wear suspenders or a pocket handkerchief with same panache and are remembered for that. Clothing and image are inextricably tied together. What we wear, like it or not, makes a statement loud and clear about who we are and what we are about. Are you flashy? Sexy? Elegant? Professional? All buttoned up? Bohemian? Tailored? Frumpy? Old Fashioned? Dated? Fresh? Do you have savoir faire? Do you vogue? Are you saying what you want and mean to say based on your wardrobe and personal presentation? Is it a consistent message or are you all over the board? Fashion and image also relate to your interiors. Typically when you have truly defined yourself at this moment in time, you are consistent in your appeal. Your interiors will suit you as your wardrobe suits you. You will appear as a cohesive whole and not a series of confused fragments. Working on one aspect leads to subconscious work on the other aspect, and there is professional expertise available at all levels for all aspects. The Goals and Benefits: Getting Balance Often we think of balance as something that will eventually just happen or we will magically find it. The truth is that it is up to each of us to create it. What represents balance to one person may not to another. It is an individual definition but typically means that our life is flowing smoothly, our goals are on track, we feel on purpose and secure, and we are making time for our priorities. When out of balance we feel stressed, burned out, overloaded, and stretched too thin. It happens a lot but few realize that it is really a matter of evaluating priorities and delegating those that don’t mean as much. Yes, we can do it all, but we don’t have to and it isn’t healthy to. Achieving a healthy balance is about looking forward to each day, knowing that we can tackle the responsibilities at hand, that we have rewards to celebrate, and that we are truly living by our own design and not anyone else’s. A Life of Legacy When we are living a life of our own design, when we are writing our signature on the world each and every day, we are making connections to a legacy. We are forming alliances and relationships with many that will feel a lasting impact. Very rarely do we get a chance to know how much we have influenced another’s path, but instead have to trust that each encounter is never coincidence but intentional and with reason. We have a great deal to learn and a great deal to teach while in this life. It is by crafting our legacy and our significance with purpose and passion that we will make the greatest difference. A Life Plan Creating a life plan is not an exercise we will do once and forget, but instead it is about learning the tools and skills needed to continually shape and redefine our goals, priorities and passions. As we grow and change, our priorities will shift. What was important in our twenties seems silly in our thirties, and different still in our forties and fifties. We cannot predict, but only be open and flexible to opportunities, directions, and experiences, always keeping in mind our personal core values and seeking a fit with those values in all we do. Creating a signature life is about learning the interior of you and finding the happiest way to share and express that with the world. It is about feeling fulfilled and secure in all you are and do, despite the frequent hiccups in everyday living, and occasional disasters and thunderstorms of tragedy that invade every life. Find your signature, design your life. LIVE.

Designing Your Signature Life, Part 1

Title: Designing Your Signature Life, Part 1 Word Count: 1026 Summary: Are you writing your signature on the world each day? Learn how to create a life plan that will reflect your own personal style and that allows you put your unique stamp on everything you touch. Keywords: signature style, life plan, design, decorating, personal style Article Body: Copyright 2006 Melissa Galt The Parts and Pieces: In Part 1 of this 2 part series about designing your signature life, we’ll talk about how Interiors, Career Choices, Relationships, and Entertaining and Homemaking can all be wonderful opportunities for you to express your unique style. Designing your signature life is not just about your home interiors but is instead about every aspect of your life. It is about truly designing your LIFE! Designing a signature life will enable you to get what you want by making a plan, establishing goals and creating a map to get there. By demonstrating flexibility and patience in each step you’ll be able to maximize your potential and the opportunities we each have. It’s about creating a life as unique as your own signature! Interiors Designing your home interiors is a process of self discovery. Each decision leads you closer to defining yourself, where you are right now and where you are headed. The elements you bring into your home represent the experiences you have had and those you still want to enjoy. The artwork you include is inspiration for everyday. The way you arrange furnishings indicates whether you are ready to invite others in or prefer to maintain a more solo existence. Your signature style at home can be read much like your signature on a piece of paper. Someone who doesn’t know you can learn a lot by looking around at the choices you have included. Those that do know you and pay attention will learn more and know how to contribute to your life at this point. Your office interiors reflect your success and future visions as well as providing an environment that fosters productivity and accomplishment. An office is a significant statement about your career choice. Incorporating awards, recognition and evidence of your achievements reinforces your abilities and gives notice of your credibility. An inviting, comfortable space is something you can look forward to working in. Interior design and decorating makes a fundamental impact on the individuals living in, working in and visiting a space. The impact is positive or negative based on the effectiveness of the design and sensitivity to its users. Design is a personal statement and needs to be a fair representation of the occupant. Career Choices Designing your career path can be complicated and involve several moves, shifts in talents and experience, and even additional education. It is about finding your purpose and your passion and merging them into a rewarding path. It is about being willing to explore a variety of interests and pursuits and expand your horizons beyond the site lines. It is about limitless thinking. It is about creating a life, not just a job. A career is also just a part of what we do and who we are. It does not define us or limit us, but instead allows us to give to others and make a positive impact on those around us. Many people feel trapped by their work. They may be unhappy and complain relentlessly, but they are unwilling to make a change. Notice they are not unable, just unwilling. I am not suggesting that anyone randomly and irresponsibly quit their job; few of us can afford that. But we are all capable of making change, setting new goals, looking toward new horizons. Creating your signature life is all about the willingness to do this, and about knowing who to ask for guidance and direction. Often a career or business coach is an invaluable investment when making a career transition or move up the ladder. Networking with other professionals and business associates is another important means of exploring new opportunities and paths. Being discreet but determined in your quest is often the real key. Don’t allow naysayers to discourage you. They are simply frustrated that they themselves are afraid to make a change. Relationships There is a wonderful old adage that says we are each the sum total of those we surround ourselves with. Are you really surrounding yourself with people that are positive, successful, excited about life, and making a difference? Or instead do you find yourself bogged down by those who are complaining, whining, and absorbed in victim thinking? It is a choice of who you attract and allow in your life. It is not an accident. When you exhibit an upbeat attitude, optimism, and a generous spirit, typically you will attract the same types of people into your life. This isn’t to say we don’t all have gray days and down moments, but it is to say we have a choice in how we process the events in our lives and whether we consider something a failure or merely a lesson learned, however painful. In the same way we often settle for less than we dream of in our work lives, we may also settle for less in relationships. We stop trying. We tell ourselves that what we have is better than having nothing at all. The result is often unhappiness and unhealthiness on both sides. Relationships require continual care and feeding regardless of whether they are with family, friends, romantic partners, coworkers, or acquaintances. When they are neglected they will wither. This applies even to our relationship with ourselves and our own spirituality. It is important for us to consistently feed ourselves kind words, good self-talk, and a faith beyond our own abilities. When we forget to do this, we find our well running dry, and our faith may falter. By keeping ourselves strong and our beliefs whole and active, we are there for ourselves and for others. In Part 2 of this series we’ll look at the remaining areas of your life that call for your signature style and also address the bigger issues of balance, your influence on the rest of the world and creating a life plan that is continuously adjusting to your age and circumstances. Creating your signature life is about fulfilling your potential, being bold enough to leave your mark on the world, and feeling fulfilled and secure despite the often volatile nature of everyday life. Find your signature. Design your life. LIVE.