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June
2009 Newsletter
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HELLO!
It's probably
safe to assume that all of us have either been affected by this difficult
economy or at least know someone who has suffered in some way. Where thoughtless spending was the
norm in past years, creative spending is now a way of life for most of us.
Today it's about getting more for your dollar, discovering what you can do
without and spending more time at home. Vacations may be forgone, remodeling
projects are being scaled back or put on hold, and beginning a new
decorating project may be the last thing on your mind.
But...today,
because we're spending more time in our homes, it's as important as ever to make
your home a place that nurtures you and your family. The good news is
that a decorating project doesn't have to cost a lot, which brings us to the
theme of this newsletter - Decorating on a Budget!
Join us as we
share some great finds, tips, and resources for inspiration!
Amy |
Timeless Design by Billy Baldwin
Photo from Veranda 2002
IN THIS ISSUE
Hello!
Timeless Inspiration
Design Trends
Fabulous Finds
Inspirational Blogs
Decorating Diva’s Dish
Quick Tip
What’s New in our World
Keep in Touch
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TIMELESS INSPIRATION |
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Billy Baldwin
Billy Baldwin
(1903-1984) is best known for interiors that can be described as classic yet
modern. You'd be hard pressed to find anything gaudy or excessive. He was
about simple lines, order and simplicity. His signature look is as fresh
today as it was thirty years ago.
He's best known
for his use of cotton, color, lack of color, geometrics, wicker, and armless
slipper chairs (pictured to right); despising jumble and clutter,
satin and damask, showiness, fake fireplaces and false books (real books he
regarded as a capital decorative element).
Although he was
strongly influenced by European (particularly French) design, he was very
proud to be an American Designer. According to an article in
Architectural Digest, he once said, “We can recognize and give credit where
credit is due, to the debt of taste we owe Europe, but we have taste, too -
in fact, we're a whole empire to taste. That is my flag, and I love to wear
it.”
Digging into his
biography, you realize he was all about his client, rather than his own
personal ego - which is something that I personally feel very passionate
about. He encouraged homeowners to embrace the things they loved. He wasn't
about filling every nook and cranny with beautiful, yet meaningless pieces;
preferring that clients keep a wall blank until they found a
piece of art that they loved. He encouraged clients to use their budget to
buy what they truly wanted, emphasizing them to slowly add pieces to complete the room
as they could afford it.
While he was famous for creating simply beautiful rooms, he was also very
careful to make sure that they were rooms that you could live in. Rooms that
would be comfortable to the people that spent time in them.
A
favorite quote by Billy Baldwin is "Decorators should never insist on
throwing out everything the client has. Even when they are far from perfect,
loved possessions add personality." His philosophy is as true
today as it was back then. |
“Be faithful to your own taste because nothing you really like is ever
out of style.”
~Billy Baldwin
www.architecturaldigest.com
Featured in a
Blog by Patricia Gray |
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DESIGN TRENDS |
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Beauty on a Budget
It's true, a
designer really can do amazing things on the slimmest of
budgets and so can you. Although decorating on a budget is not really a new trend, it's
definitely a trend that's growing by leaps and bounds; one that' is
definitely here to stay. Stephen Stills sang the song "love the one your
with" (I'm going to be singing that all day now!). Those lyrics can be
applied to what's inside our homes today. Chances are you're ready for a change, but find
it's not a really great time to start a total re-do of your home. This
economy can be tough on all of our pockets. That doesn't mean you have
to wait for a wind-fall of cash to improve the beauty of your home. Redesigners (design professionals who specialize in the rearrangement of the
furniture, artwork and accessories you already own) have known this for
years. Today, even Nate Berkus is jumping on the bandwagon!
Before and After Pictures from
Nate Berkus' Budget Home Makeover - Oprah.com
You might have seen Oprah a month
or so ago when Nate Berkus went into a neighborhood and helped 3 families
hold a furniture swap. He then redid their rooms on less than $500.00 spent
at target. For a moment, Nate was actually having a panic attack, because he had never
before been put in the position of designing with a
limited budget.. As we settle
into our homes and wait for things to pick up, why not think creatively about
how we can make our spaces more beautiful? It doesn't need to cost a lot
and can be lots of fun. In fact, according to Oprah's organizer, Peter
Walsh" clean out your closets and hold a garage sale or sell items on
e-bay. You might end up
making money!
Quick Tips
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Take it from Billy Baldwin...less really is better. Start by clearing a room
of all the clutter. Then add only things that are meaningful or beautiful
to you.
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Explore the rest of your home for furniture and items to use in that room.
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Look for items to re-purpose. A chest can be a coffee table, a mirror can
double as a tray for candles. Old game boards can be hung as wall art.
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Group collectibles together instead of randomly around a room. This creates
a focal point for items that you love and helps to reduce the feeling of a
clutter.
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Merely
rearranging furniture can change a room. Create two or more conversation
areas such as a main seating area for watching TV and a smaller area for
reading a book or chatting with a friend.
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A gallon of paint is still the least expensive way to freshen up a room.
Don't be afraid to use color - it's easy to change if you don't like it. A new coat of color will instantly bring warmth and a punch to any room.
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FABULOUS FINDS |
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Keeping within the theme of the Decorating on a Budget, here are some items
we found that create a big punch, and are easy on the pocketbook |
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Nate
calls them Spanx for furniture. The worst thing about slip covers is that
they only look good if no one has sat in them, however these new slip covers
might just solve that problem! $89.99 to cover a sofa at
Target
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This
nifty little flood light is $10.95 at
Lowes. Tuck it into the base of an indoor tree or plant to provide both
backlight and uplight.
This little gizmo will
add ambiance to any room,
create beautiful shadows
and supply
a new source of accent light.
A
must have
in our book!
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Krylon has spray paint for many types of projects.
Did you know they have one for plastic? Now you can choose from 30
colors to refinish everything from your favorite outdoor plastic furniture
to an old plastic watering can. |
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Home
Depot has
vinyl plank flooring that's a cinch for anyone to install and
it looks really nice. You can cut and score to fit any area. One edge of
each plank has adhesive for easy installation. Best of all, it's less than
$2.25 a
square foot. The bathroom to the right was done by a friend (who happens to
be
woman) in about 2 1/2 hours one night. Pretty impressive!
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INSPIRING BLOGS |
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The Lettered
Cottage one of my favorite blogs to visit. Designer Layla Palmer is adorable
and it's always fun to see her latest find at the local flea market or TJ
Maxx. She's so creative and blogs regularly as she and her hubby remodel
their home room by room.
Layla has tons of
ideas and it's always fun to check in and see what's new at the Palmer home.
Hubby Kevin is a keeper because as she dreams, he makes it a reality. There's
always something new to see. One of my favorite design projects is the
kitchen remodel. Kevin added crown molding to the original cabinets and it
turned out simply beautiful... as you can see to the left. Don't you love how she
took the doors off her cabinets and used storage baskets? She's all about
the details! You're sure to be inspired if you visit
TheLettererdCottage.com
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DECORATING
DIVA'S |
(OUR BLOG) |
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Speaking of remodeling kitchens, we've been following a kitchen that a
friend of mine is doing on a tight budget. Lori and Bill Kusters wanted to get a
fresh new look for their 1950's kitchen that hadn't been touched for many
years.
Lori asked me for advice to get started. I created the Inspiration Board
below based on some of the thoughts and ideas for the kitchen that she has shared with me.
Check out the links below to follow along with the project. In the next few
weeks, we'll be posting final photos and a tally of what they spent. It's
looking pretty fabulous!
Click to see...Step
One,
Step Two,
Step Three,
Step Four,
Step Five
We'll also
be blogging about some great ideas for outdoor rooms!
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QUICK TIP |
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Before you give away a piece of furniture or embark on a treasure hunt at
your local flea market make sure to really look at items and consider how
items could be refurbished or repurposed.
re·fur·bish
(r-fûr b sh) tr.v. re·fur·bished, re·fur·bish·ing, re·fur·bish·es. To make
clean, bright, or fresh again; renovate.
re·pur·pose
(r-pûr p s) tr.v. re·pur·posed, re·pur·pos·ing, re·pur·pos·es. To use or
convert for use in another format or product.
Check out these
pieces I found on the web from Kate at
Centsational Girl...
amazing what a bit of spray
paint can do!
a
highchair as a night table
a piano bench becomes a coffee table
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WHAT'S NEW AT APG |
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It's
been busy around the office at APG! We're working on some new things that we
hope to be able to tell you about in the next few months.
We
have instructors for Dish on Design's Decorate
Fabulously Workshop in 12 states now, and will soon be adding more!
Workshop reviews have been really wonderful. We are so happy to hear that
everyone is having so much fun learning how to Decorate Fabulously! |
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On a personal
note, we've been trying to eat healthy! This is my new favorite salad and
it's so easy! Simply layer spinach leaves, pine nuts, sweetened dried
cranberries, and gorgonzola cheese (form of mild crumbled blue cheese) and
top with a light dressing. I actually make my own dressing by mixing 1/3 cup
of balsamic vinegar, a tablespoon of honey (less if counting calories) and several dashes of sesame seed
oil (my favorite), lemon oil or olive oil. It's eye candy for your table top and tastes as good as it looks! I
brought it to a grill-out last weekend. It was a crowd favorite!
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KEEP IN TOUCH |
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Tell us how you
really feel. We would love to hear what you think about this newsletter and
suggestions for upcoming issues.
After all, this is written just for you! Feel free to contact us anytime
with questions or suggestions at
info@assistantproductgroup.com
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www.DishonDesign.com |
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