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Articles by Neila Deen
Lessons Learned To Avoid A Stressful Move
As a designer, she'd helped others move. But her own move proved a bigger challenge. It's been said that moving is one of life's most traumatic events, right up there with switching jobs and losing a loved one. Having experienced all three - and having just recently moved with a toddler in tow - I can honestly confirm that, yep, moving is pretty stressful. We decided to move when our rent rose higher than what we were willing to pay for our apartment.
The Second Rule of Home Staging: Keep It Fresh
The overall goal of home staging is to make your home shine. After paring down to just the essentials, the next staging step is to give your home a light makeover to make it look - and feel - neat, fresh and pleasant. Buyers don't expect everything to be new, but they don't want to be turned off by worn items or unpleasant odors. A good rule of thumb to go by: If it looks old, worn or dirty, then clean or replace it. A clean, fresh-smelling, attractive home tends to sell.
The Second Rule of Home Staging: Keep It Fresh
The overall goal of home staging is to make your home shine. After paring down to just the essentials, the next staging step is to give your home a light makeover to make it look - and feel - neat, fresh and pleasant. Buyers don't expect everything to be new, but they don't want to be turned off by worn items or unpleasant odors. A good rule of thumb to go by: If it looks old, worn or dirty, then clean or replace it. A clean, fresh-smelling, attractive home tends to sell.
The Third Rule of Home Staging: Add a Splash Of Color
When it comes to staging a home for sale, the classic advice to keep color schemes neutral is still spot-on. White or pale hues make a space feel simple, serene and more expansive. These unobtrusive colors act as a blank canvas; they allow potential buyers to imagine themselves living in the home. But many homeowners who already have colorful walls or furniture may wonder if it's possible to keep some color in their staged home. The answer is absolutely yes.
Lessons Learned To Avoid A Stressful Move
As a designer, she'd helped others move. But her own move proved a bigger challenge It's been said that moving is one of life's most traumatic events, right up there with switching jobs and losing a loved one. Having experienced all three - and having just recently moved with a toddler in tow - I can honestly confirm that, yep, moving is pretty stressful. We decided to move when our rent rose higher than what we were willing to pay for our apartment.
How to Make Your Living Room Look Bigger
If you don’t have room for a 10-foot sofa or giant media console, you’re not alone. Those of us who dwell in an apartment or urban neighborhood frequently find that space is at a premium. If this describes your experience, you can choose to look at your limited living space as a creative design challenge. The key to living happily and beautifully in small quarters is combining space-saving and multifunctional solutions while expressing your personal style.
The Joy and Anticipation of a Summer Garden
Like some gardeners, I’m too hard on myself. And I’m especially hard on myself when I don’t see enough flowers in the early summer shoulder season. After the spring flush, it’s hard to accept that nature ebbs and flows — that it almost needs to — and that even a showy garden should embrace the quieter moments as purposeful. I’m learning to enjoy the green this time of year — all the foliage in its diversity of texture and form.
Fix It or Not? What to Know When Prepping Your Home for Sale
When you make the decision to sell your home, it can be tricky to know which changes would make your home sell more quickly or boost the sale price — and which would be a waste of your time and resources. Each home (and each homeowner) is different; that’s why we’ve come up with eight key questions to ask yourself before making any changes to prep your home for sale.
Jump-Start Your Kitchen With These Minimalist Essentials
Whether you’re setting up your kitchen for the first time, downsizing or just aiming to simplify your life with a more minimalist kitchen setup, this guide is a good place to begin. If you own only the 22 items on this list (we’ll assume you’re starting with a can opener) you’ll be in good shape to tackle everything from pancakes to roast chicken. What you won’t find here: cake pans, a turkey-size roasting pan, a food processor or any highly specialized tools and appliances.
How to Choose a Paint Color You Can Live With
While many homeowners are attracted to bright colors, I often find my clients are most concerned with making sure the palette in their home feels “livable.” After all, a color you love in a stunning photo may not be a color you will love to see on your walls every day. With that in mind, here are some tips for choosing a paint color you’ll enjoy in real life. 1. Don’t Buy Paint on the Spot It’s important when you begin the process of selecting a paint color to start with a wide palette of options.
19 Design Tricks to Maximize a Small Kitchen
Designing a small kitchen may seem like a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity to pull out some clever tricks for maximizing its function and increasing its visual size. Here are some of my favorite ways to do just that. 1. Play Both Sides of an Island An island is a great place to include storage, but sometimes items can just get lost in the back of such a deep, low cabinet.
7 Tips for Working With an E-Decorating Service
If you’re stuck on where to begin a room design, can’t figure out a functional furniture layout, are confounded by window treatment options, need advice on where to hang art, feel completely helpless when choosing colors — or all of the above — e-decorating (also referred to as “e-design") may be the perfect solution.
You Voted. She Painted. This Pro’s Entry Is Now Leafy Green
I recently asked Houzz readers to help me choose a new color for my home’s entryway and stairs. It was time to repaint and although I still liked the original bright blue-green color, I was ready for something new. You can see the original blue-green color in the top left photo. I then rendered options for new colors and posted a poll in a Houzz discussion, with a voting deadline of Aug. 1.
You Voted. She Painted. This Pro’s New Entry Is Leafy Green
I recently asked Houzz readers to help me choose a new color for my home’s entryway and stairs. It was time to repaint and although I still liked the original bright blue-green color, I was ready for something new. You can see the original blue-green color in the top left photo. I then rendered options for new colors and posted a poll in a Houzz discussion, with a voting deadline of Aug. 1.
Which Paint Color Should a Designer Pick for Her Entry?
My home serves as my very own color laboratory. When I renovated the home, I intentionally designed a few areas that would create easy opportunities to change the colors at a future date. One such area is the entry. The front door surround as well as the stair treads are currently painted Soft Spruce by Benjamin Moore, a bright teal color. My husband and I have enjoyed this color, but we’re ready to try something new. And we want your help.
What to Know About Working With an Interior Designer
As an interior designer, I’m very sensitive to my clients’ needs and the important decision they made to hire me. After all, we will be collaborating to make significant decisions that affect their space and finances. If you’re thinking about hiring an interior designer, something that you may not have considered is how to be a good client — and by that I mean one who contributes to a productive and cost-effective relationship.
Couple’s Once-Dreary Bedroom Suite Now a Cozy, Light-Filled Space
Bright pops of color add cheer to the warm white bedroom, while watery blues create calm in the bathroom Becky Harris40 minutes ago Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected." I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
8 Ways to Create a Home That Helps You Recharge
4. Find a Home-Based Hobby You Enjoy It might sound counterintuitive: Get more energy by doing more. Aren’t we just making ourselves more busy? But finding an activity we enjoy and that can totally absorb our minds — whether it can be done at home or requires going out — will ultimately wake us up. Is there something you’ve always wanted to do, such as painting, gardening or sewing, that you can set up a space for at home?
New This Week: 6 Stylish Not-White Kitchen Cabinet Colors
White is a classic, always-in-style color for kitchen cabinets, which is whywhite is still the most popular color for kitchen cabinets, according to the latest Houzz research. If you’re looking to branch out from white, you might struggle with where to begin. Here are six not-white cabinet colors worth a look. 1.
Why You Might Want to Work With an Interior Designer
A designer describes how a pro can help you get the most joy from your remodel while minimizing headaches along the way Yanic SimardMarch 29, 2021 Toronto Interior Design Group is a trusted one stop shop residential interior design boutique-style firm crafting timeless interiors. More When people consider hiring an interior design professional for the first time, they often don’t know what to expect. Television can make it seem as though designers are magicians.
7 Soothing Bedrooms to Inspire a Serene Space
It is my sincere hope that in these trying times you are finding your home to be a true sanctuary. Arguably the room that we most associate with being a safe haven is our bedroom. In light of just how important these spaces are, I’ve assembled seven examples of bedrooms that exude calming, soothing vibes, with a few tips on how to set up your own similar space. 1.
How to Go Through a Deceased Loved One’s Belongings
I cleaned out most of my folks' place when one of them died. The other was in a nursing home, so we transferred him closer to two of us. I had about 2 weeks to take care of business. My older bro took care of the antiques and my mother's brother did the financial end. Since I knew what mother had arranged prior to her death, my job was easy and most of the furniture and her clothes as well as household items disappeared quickly once I started to contact folks.
Hearts on Houzz: 25 Looks That Bring the Love
As the old adage goes, home is where the heart is — and if these 25 photos are any indicator, those hearts can come in just about any shape, form or style. From lighting to wallpaper to landscaping and much, much more, heart-shaped designs are a popular and versatile look in home design. Let us know in the Comments which heart touched yours the most. 1.
Powder Room Palettes: 10 Browns That Are Anything but Blah
See how paint, tile and wallpaper in shades of brown bring beauty to these powder rooms Bryan Anthony1 hour ago Houzz Editorial Staff; writer, design enthusiast, reader, avid traveler. More The color brown is often described as “boring” or “blah,” but as these stylish powder rooms show, brown can also be bold and beautiful. Check out these 10 powder rooms that feature paint, tile and wallpaper in shades of brown, and tell us which one blows you away. 1.
Powder Room Palettes: 10 Beauties in Black
The color black is a great way to infuse a space with mystery, sex appeal and drama — like a classic black dress or suit, a black room never goes out of style. Check out these 10 powder rooms that feature paint, tile and wallpaper in shades of black and tell us which one catches your eye. 1. Perfect Imperfection The vanity wall in this Austin, Texas, powder room by Studio Seiders is covered in black zellige tiles.
Powder Room Palettes: 10 Handsome Dark Blues
Dark blue is a versatile color that brings a touch of drama to any room. Softer than black and more sophisticated than lighter blues, it is the perfect hue for many people. Check out these 10 powder rooms that feature paint, tile and wallpaper in shades of dark blue and tell us which one brings the drama for you. 1. Blue-and-Gold Beauty The dark blue wallpaper with images of birds and trees in gold creates a stylish backdrop in this North Carolina powder room by D. Stone Builders.
Where to Store the Towels When You Don’t Have a Linen Closet
Our toilet literally splashes when you flush sometimes. Sometimes it's just droplets you don't even see, but the other day I saw it splash right up. If we put the lid down before flushing, it would get wet when it does this. That thought grosses me out more than keeping it up when flushing. (On the bright side, we have great water pressure.) And yes, replacing both toilets in our house is definitely on my to-do list this coming year!
Powder Room Palettes: 10 Silvers That Shine Brightly
Silver might signify second place in the Olympics, but when it comes to powder room design, these sterling spaces are worthy of first prize. Check out these 10 powder rooms that feature paint, tile and wallpaper in shades of shiny silver and tell us which one catches your eye. 1.
Powder Room Palettes: 10 Glorious Golds
See how paint, tile and wallpaper in shades of radiant gold bring the bling to these powder rooms Bryan Anthony33 minutes ago Houzz Editorial Staff; writer, design enthusiast, reader, avid traveler. More While all that glitters might not be gold, these gilded powder rooms are the real deal when it comes to eye-catching design. Check out the following 10 powder rooms that feature paint, tile and wallpaper in glorious shades of gold and tell us which one glitters the most for you. 1.
New This Week: 6 Calm, Refreshing Bedrooms
The last thing you want in your bedroom is something that’s eye-opening. After all, your bedroom is a place to power down and get some rest. That’s why soothing color palettes and soft textures work so well in bedrooms. The following six designs give you a jumping-off point. 1. Blue and Beautiful Designer: Christine Gee of G-Interiors Location: Southlake, Texas Size: 168 square feet (16 square meters); 12 by 14 feet Homeowners’ request.
8 Ideas for Extending Your Porch and Patio Season
Update on my 11.05 post. It's 11.13.18 - getting the first freeze of the year, down to 26 - yikes! Unusual to have a freeze this early in SE Texas. Most of the freezes are mild - around 30 F. Ran around wrapping pasture pipes/bibs, draining hoses, etc. Reminded me of the time when I owned a blue 124 Sport Spyder made by Fiat. It was a convertible, two seater. I use to ride around in the winter with the top down and the heat blasting. Loved it! LOL
10 Ways to Add Warmth and Personality to Your Bathroom
Just love that roman shade in #1! Wonder what the room would have looked like with a floor that incorporated some brown. If #2 had a colored ceiling or molding it would have made it cozier by cutting that vastness of white. Love it otherwise, especially the sink. Have given myself a long time to warm up to vessel sinks, but it just isn't happening. Wonder if people who buy them end up thinking they were a good choice or a fad that they should have passed on.
5 Bathroom Remodels That Nod to Midcentury Modern Style
Renovating a midcentury house to suit today’s modern needs while honoring the architecture requires finesse. While the original bathrooms have their charms, they often lack updated conveniences such as improved storage options, more comfortable heights for vanities and toilets, low-flow plumbing and energy-efficient lighting. However, when you’re working these needs into a renovation, the midcentury modern spirit can be kept alive with thoughtful nods to the era. Here’s how five designers did it. 1.
6 Ways to Mix Wood and White Accents in the Bedroom - Western Living
Six designer ways to combine wood and white accents in the master bedroom. When you think of a palette of wood and white, a sleek kitchen might come to mind, or even a modern sunroom. But this neutral and serene pairing can also be a winning combination for the bedroom. White adds a clean, calm feeling to a room, while the warm tones and organic textures of wood create depth and visual interest, particularly against a white backdrop.
6 Ways to Mix Wood and White Accents in the Bedroom - Western Living
Six designer ways to combine wood and white accents in the master bedroom. When you think of a palette of wood and white, a sleek kitchen might come to mind, or even a modern sunroom. But this neutral and serene pairing can also be a winning combination for the bedroom. White adds a clean, calm feeling to a room, while the warm tones and organic textures of wood create depth and visual interest, particularly against a white backdrop.
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