it's all in the details

The details certainly make a difference when it comes to painting the rooms in your home. Most enthusiastic homeowners are happy to have found a color they love and get it on the wall, only to miss a few key details.

The overlooked details often stand out more than the lovely new paint and that's not really what you had in mind when you selected the perfect paint color, is it?

(designer William Powell's home, from Fall 2009 Home & Design magazine)

One thing that finishes a paint job is painting the underneath of the bulkheads in your room. The goal here is to eliminate strips of your ceiling color (often white) around your room. The unpainted "strips" break up your space and leave your room feeling incomplete. (See the beautiful brown room above; very complete!).

You'll also notice that the brown room has a painted vent and speaker cover. This prevents white "dots" from appearing around you newly painted room. You might also use vent covers with a metallic finish and coordinate them with your wall color (silver for grey rooms, bronze for brown walls). For rooms that have a decorative finish ask your painter to use the same finish on your covers.

Another often-overlooked spot is the inside your window frames. Frames set back into your wall (versus flush with your walls) should be painted your wall color. This completes your room's color and prevents your windows from being surrounded by white stripes.

(Forbes & Lomaz's "invisible lightswitch," from Traditional Home Nov. 09 magazine)

Painting your light switch and outlet covers is another finishing detail you should not overlook. A warm, golden-colored room with 10 small white rectangles around it is not very visually appealing. If the covers are painted to match the wall color, or if coordinating decorative covers are used, your paint color, and not your boring white covers, will shine.

If your walls are covered in wall paper consider the Invisible Lightswitch (shown above; unfortunately, a lot of their switch cover products don't fit our traditional switches, but they have a fairly common outlet cover size).

Finally, if you repaint your walls don't forget your ceiling (consider using the same color as you walls or a lighter or darker shade of that color) and your baseboards and trim. A fresh coat of paint on your trim work will enhance the entire room (and cover any drips from the wall color)!

If you are going to all of the effort of painting a room (and it's work, whether you hire a professional or do it yourself) why not complete the job with the details that will show you knew what you were doing (even if you didn't). I'll never tell.

Happy decorating!

fabulous lake house color

(sun filled family room, painted in Sherwin-Williams' Totally Tan, ceiling in SW's Interactive Cream)

I love a color challenge and this client, who was building a house on Lake Anna, VA, presented a great one. We selected colors for her then not-yet-complete house in her office in MD.

Ideally I'd make color selections in the house, but that's not always possible. Instead, we worked from photos of the construction, counter top and cabinet samples. We selected paint colors for 13 rooms during an almost 2 hour meeting. The fabulous results are shown here via photos sent from the client.

(family room into kitchen, painted in SW's Harmonic Tan, ceiling is SW's Netsuke)


(kitchen, painted in SW's Harmonic Tan, ceiling is SW's Netsuke)

We selected a warm color pallet and kept the colors soothing and neutral so the lovely outdoors could be the feature of each room. To keep the rooms feeling spacious and open, we painted the ceilings a lighter value than the wall color versus white.

(from family room to entrance, the wall to the right is SW's Tatami Tan)

(lower level, with huge tray ceiling;
walls are in SW's Favorite Tan, the tray ceiling is painted with SW's Sawdust
and the remaining ceiling is SW's RIce Grain.)

There's a lot to love about this waterfront house, including the wall colors, which happily take a back seat to the fabulous views! If you are looking to create a whole-house color pallet you can save time and money by hiring an interior designer—even if done from a remote location.

Happy painting!

new online decorating magazine

Former Domino magazine editors have launched and online decorating magazine, Lonny Magazine.


If you've never seen an online magazine, they are kind of cool in that the pages "turn" when you click ahead. Many online retail catalogs have had this set up for a while and now magazines are starting to do it.

I still prefer the paper version of a magazine to the online version, but good stuff is good stuff. The fall issue is the premier issue, so click here and check it out!

Happy decorating!

stylish & pretty reusable bags

Along with my love of magazines and stationery, I also love a great bag. Whether its a purse, a tote, beach bag or something to hold work files, I love carrying something stylish to get the job done.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the mail today and found a big yellow envelope addressed to me. It was from a fellow designer, Marie Whitehill, who I "met" during a recent SDP webinar. I was a presenter during the webinar (it was on business forms—boring stuff, but important & useful for a business owner!) and sent Marie my files after the event. It was my pleasure to do so.

(Black on White Swirl collection bags from Mixed Bag Designs)

Well she went and mailed me a thank you gift. And, not just any gift, but these fabulous reusable bags (not something that usually goes together -— fabulous and reusable) from Mixed Bag Designs. They are so great that I had to A. thank her publicly and B. share the bags with you!

Mixed Bag Designs' site says they wanted to design a "great looking reusable grocery bag…a bag with no logos, a bag that could be used for groceries and a million different things..." They succeeded! I just started poking around on the site, but see that the bags come in all sorts of colors and sizes.

Now I must plan a shopping trip for today so I can use my great new bags! And I was just in Target this morning...

Thanks Marie and thank you Mixed Bag Designs for making such a great product!

Little black ribbon

Just like the little black dress in the fashion world, a little black goes a long way in decorating.

I just added shiny black ribbons to dried corn cobs and dressed them up a bit — like a sequin top with your favorite jeans!

(fall decor with a little black ribbon makes a great impression)


(a close up of the great contrast between the corn and ribbon)

I love finding ways to dress up traditional fall decor. Find containers, ribbons and colors that match your existing decor and use it to make fall items fit into your spaces. You can spray paint or embellish pumpkins (bronze metallic paint or sequins glued down the ridges) to dress them up and make them pretty.


Adding sparkly items (metal pieces, mirrors, glass or sequins) to "rough" fall leaves, pumpkins, wheat or tree branches provides great visual contrast. Whatever your decor style, the key to lovely displays is layering and varying textures and shapes.

Happy decorating!

"Where should I begin?"

Do you struggle with how to begin your design projects? Does your living room just stare at you, giving no answers, suggestions or feedback? I hear this question a lot from clients and I have a few tips to help you figure out where to start your next design project.

Start with the item that has the most limitations. For example, if you are reupholstering an existing sofa, purchasing an area rug and window treatments and painting you need to determine which of these things has the most limits.

Retail purchases are the most limited in that you are limited by what the store carries. They may carry something you LOVE, but it's still the most limited as far as selection goes.

Custom fabric treatments (upholstery or window fabrics) are going to provide you more options than retail. Your budget will be your most limiting factor here, but there are thousands of custom fabric options available. You'll need to work with a professional to access to the widest fabric selections, but he/she can assist you with selecting the proper fabric type for your project.

Finally, your least limiting option is paint color. Paint can be mixed in any shade you desire. You can bring anything inspiration piece to your favorite paint shop and ask them to match any color.

So as you are planning your design projects, select retail items first, followed by custom and then select your paint color last to tie all of your selections together. It's easy to jump into paint color first, but that can limit your future selections, which are already limited.

I always suggest starting with an inspiration piece to get any room started. This helps with any purchases (retail or custom) and can be anything—art, fabric, a printed card, pillow, rug or a flower. Anything that catches your eye can inspire a room!

Then shop with that inspiration piece with you so you can coordinate colors.

Happy decorating!

meet a fabulous faux finish artist

I love picking the brains of artists. They are a wealth of knowledge (and of course creative) and I always learn something when I beg them to answer my questions!

I recently met and have began working with Dee Cunningham, artist and owner of Deelite Design. Dee specializes in murals, faux finishes, decorative painting, trompe l'oeil and more. After brainstorming with her about my own kitchen cabinets and a client's dining room wall, I decided to ask her a few questions so I could share her with you!

(trompe l'oeil niche (it's all an illusion!) and the lower half is faux wood, by Deelite Designs)

1. When we met to discuss my kitchen I was happy to learn that you can faux paint metallic finishes and tiles (to simulate a tile back splash). What other treatments do you offer that most people may not know about/consider for a paint treatment?
When people think of "Faux" they usually think of sponge painting or ragging. Those techniques are a solid foundation for more interesting and complex finishes. There is a whole world out there of faux finishes, or as I like to call them "artistic finishes" because it’s more than just a sponge or rag. I do a lot of plasters, metallics, crackles, lime plasters, faux bois (woodgraining), faux marbe (marbling), as well as the staples: color washes, blended glazes and striae. Walls are only the beginning. In addition to walls, I've painted ceilings, floors, furniture, and will be learning a special (green) product that can go over existing counter tops. The product is super durable, and can achieve effects such as granite, onyx, and other natural stones.

(oak cabinets before)


(oak cabinets after, by Deelite Designs)

2. More on kitchens. You offer many custom treatments for cabinets. Explain how these treatments are better than/different than me opening a can of latex paint and rolling it myself? And, what are the benefits of oil vs. latex paint on woodwork?
Cabinets in kitchens probably get more abuse than any other surface in the house besides counters. A homeowner can certainly paint their own cabinets, but may be disappointed if necessary preparation and quality products are not used. I follow a regimented set of steps in order to make sure the client's cabinet finishes don't fail. Latex enamel paint has come a long way and can be used on cabinets, but for a tough finish, I still use oil. Oil closes well and doesn't soften with humidity. Painting cabinets can be more cost effective than refacing and certainly replacing. Plus you can get custom colors (the entire paint deck!) to match your decor.

(mural, the girl is on canvas, by Deelite Designs)

3. Do you paint murals and what do people need think about when considering a mural and hiring an artist for that type of job?
Murals are my specialty! Murals don't have to be just for kids’ rooms. I have done "murals" that are more like a custom piece of art for the client. I also do decorative painting by adding accents or flourishes to walls, ceilings, etc. When considering a mural, think of placement, subject matter, size, and level of detail. When I paint murals, I ask a lot of questions. What is the budget? Why a mural? Do they have reference images? Can the mural be executed on canvas and installed? I like to do canvas murals because they allow me to work in my studio and not in the client's home for months. The canvas is married to the wall and is virtually undetectable unless you walk up close and feel the texture. The biggest bonus is the mural can be taken down if the client were to move or change the purpose of the space thus saving their investment.

(tree painting, featured on HGTV's "My Big Amazing Renovation," by Deelite Design)

4. What is your favorite paint treatment and is there anything you won’t paint?
If it stays still, I can paint it! I have painted surfaces where I was very apprehensive about the paint sticking, and in such cases I make the client aware of this. I don't think I have had to say "no" yet to a client. The closest to "no" is, "I’ll try it out on myself first and let you know." I have painted walls, ceilings, floors, furniture, glass, tile, etc. It’s all about research, proper preparation and practice. I don't really have a favorite paint treatment. My favorite moments are when the work is complete and the client is happy. The whole picture comes into focus and the vision has been achieved.

(ceiling before)


(faux mahogany ceiling, after, by Deelite Designs)

5. What trends are you seeing now in paint finishes?
Trends right now are all over the place. I have seen modern treatments with graphic patterns, traditional and completely unique. I do think that the trends of faux finishes follow trends in interior design and fashion. I have seen less "old world" crumbly plasters and "Tuscan" interiors and more "Transitional" looks, cleaner lines and personalized interiors. Less browns and tans and more clearer colors. Faux finishes can be tailored to any interior design style. The possibilities are endless!

You can view more photos of Dee's work on her website. Happy decorating!