2008 March |

Los Angeles Interior Designer: Tips on Organizing Your Home

Here are a few tips to help keep your home organized and orderly. Enjoy!

1. Labels. Whether it goes in a box (unless you are a mind-reader you will never know what’s inside), plastic storage bin or even on the shelves in you pantry, using a label-maker can help you help those around you keep things in their place. My theory is “a place for everything and everything in its place.”

2. Cedar Blocks. If you are storing anything made of wool or cashmere, do yourself a favor and drop in a cedar block. The moths will hate you, but your garments will love you.

3. Sachets. When you open that plastic storage bin filled with your mother’s old recipes or photographs (which you insist you will put into albums one day) how nice to be greeted with a fresh scent rather than stale air. Drop a lavender sachet into anything you are storing (suitcases, shoes, and holiday decorations) and smile when opening the box.

4. Paper. Using paper (from drawer lining paper to old wall-covering) to line the interior of drawers, closets and storage containers adds greatly to your enjoyment when it’s time to pull things out for daily use. Do it for yourself and enjoy.

5. Notes. We all would like to think that we will remember everything. The reality is we remember very little. So when packing away almost anything that has memories attached (photo’s, books, gifts..etc.) write a note to remind yourself of the date received, who gave this to you, who is in the picture… etc. You and your family will thank you one day for this thoughtful and helpful footnote.

Interior Designers Beverly Hills: When Guests Need to Freshen Up

Into every house a guest may wander and at some point that guest may need to freshen up. Regardless if you live in a studio walk-up in the East Village or a rambling Colonial in the mid-west, you will need to give thought to where you will guide your guests who need to… well, powder their nose!

It may mean they are sharing the same space that you and your curling iron occupied moments ago or it may be that lovely small suite of rooms off the entry hall where guests can powder, primp and linger until they are ready to face the growing crowds in your drawing room. Either way here are some thoughts.

I hate walking into a powder room over-run with daily stuff.

In other words clean the place up. If I’ve got to go then the last thing I want to see is the collection of concealers, cover-sticks, deodorants and hair products that went into pulling you together for either day or evening. I love you, but I don’t love you that much.

Put your shit away. If you are strapped for space then sweep it all into a basket or plastic storage container and chuck it into the closet in your bedroom but don’t, I repeat, don’t make me look stare at your errant product collection.

I hate having to guess where things might be.

It’s all about balance, isn’t it? Put your things away? Yes. Hide everything from me? No. Not unless you want me using your window shade as a hand towel. The drill is simple really. Stand outside your powder bath (or bathroom designated for guests) and let your mind wander. Let it wander so far away that you forget where you are.

Now walk through that door and I dare you to fumble your way through the potty process without having your blood pressure slam through the roof. Let’s start with the paper products. Are they present?

Are they stocked for company (much less politely stated are there more than three squares left on the TP roll?) with back-stock located in a reasonable and logical location (rolls tossed in a basket on the floor; backup rolls stacked neatly on a shelf or cabinet. .etc.).

Please don’t make me rummage through every drawer and cabinet in this and the adjoining rooms trying to find a fresh roll or TP or a new box of tissues. I won’t be happy and neither will you when I’m done rearranging every cabinet I’m forced to sack.

And please don’t be cute with the location of the waste basket. Next to the sink is fine. Tucked behind the WC is reasonable, but please spare me (again) the hunt through cabinets and closets unless you want me to simply chuck my used tissue or finger towel behind your toilet for the next guest to discover.

Los Angeles Interior Designer: Prepping for House Cleaning

Spring seems to have a personality this year. From my perch in Los Angeles, it feels sassy and bold, as if it’s carrying a very “in-your-face” mentality. We hit 80 degrees before February ended and this first week of March has not been far behind.

I know that my friends in other parts of the country are not enjoying the same experience, but it has set me thinking that some type of spring cleaning is lurking just around the corner.

Much like when you seen the car in your rear view mirror flying toward your bumper at speeds that will only be stopped by your resting automobile and you brace for the inevitable; that’s how I feel (today) about the house cleaning projects which are just around the corner. So to begin the preparation process I thought we would consider a few internal exercises to prepare our souls for the coming season.

1. Find a quiet place. Either in your home or away, find a quiet spot. It should allow you to be distraction-free for at least 30 minutes and it should be a spot that pleases you.

2. Settle into your retreat location. Your favorite spot has now become a destination for you. Get comfortable. Sit is a comfortable chair. Plant yourself cross-legged on the floor. Even recline but definitely be comfortable.

3. Close your eyes.

4. Picture yourself involved in your happiest memory. Stay with that memory and allow the emotions to wash over you time and time again.

5. Experience these emotions fully. Feel yourself laughing, crying, singing…etc.

6. Now picture yourself wrapping those emotions in your arms and begin to carry them back with you to the place you are seated.

7. Decide that those feelings will be what you will carry with you for the day and see how one set of happy memories can influence your moment, your hour and your day.

Interior Designers Beverly Hills: My Kingdom for a Mirror

On entering a home I hate not having a mirror handy. As we all know, all too well, wind, rain or just a treacherous seatbelt can put an end to even the best hair days. “My kingdom for a mirror” is my cry, so I can assess the damage.

Is it too much to ask for a simply framed, mercury-coated, plate glass panel artfully hung in a friendly way that says “Before you walk into the crowd just around the corner you may want to fix that birds-nest of a ‘do’ teetering on your forehead!”

Or the even more intimate suggestion that hints to you: “While we love you dearly we fear the children will be spooked by those false eyelashes masquerading as earrings.”

A casual glance in the mirror (that tool of vanity for which we thank the warlords of Dynastic China) can either send you scampering into the social fray without a worry in the world or cause your fingers to speed-dial a hair and makeup rescue team from the nearest beauty emporium.

Worse still, I hate having every surface in the room mirrored. Remember, just a glance. That’s all I need, just a glance. I don’t need endless repetitions of my rumples, wrinkles and wind swept atrocities’ spun round me like the lame’ clad cast of A Chorus Line. Remember, just a glance.

Links

::Surroundings:: The blog for Chameleon Interiors is full of design inspirations, trends, ideas, and events!

Ballard Designs James Swan partners with Ballard Designs in Ballard’s upcoming April 2009 catalog. Shop Ballard’s home furnishings online.

Buzz on Antiques Buzz Kaplan, Executive Director of C. Mariani Antiques, gives readers the latest “buzz” on antiques.

C. Mariani Antiques, Restoration & Custom “It’s like the Louvre, only with price tags.”

Cote de Texas French design on the Texas Coast. Yes, it does exist!

James Swan & Company, Inc. Beverly Hills Interior Design Firm

James Swan’s Press See what the press is saying…

La Dolce Vita features all of the elements that make up La Dolce Vita, or “the sweet life”: interior design, fashion, travel, great food, and inspiring people and places.

Laurel Street Blog A web home for the house

March 2008

Los Angeles Interior Designer: Tips on Organizing Your Home

Los Angeles Interior Designer: Tips on Organizing Your Home

Interior Designers Beverly Hills: When Guests Need to Freshen Up

Interior Designers Beverly Hills: When Guests Need to Freshen Up

Los Angeles Interior Designer: Prepping for House Cleaning

Los Angeles Interior Designer: Prepping for House Cleaning

Interior Designers Beverly Hills: My Kingdom for a Mirror

Interior Designers Beverly Hills: My Kingdom for a Mirror

DesignQuotient™ Smart Design Daily

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Recommended Books

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