The DECO-Zone

Inspired At County Fair For Decorating

Inspiration is everywhere. As an avid photographer from early on, I always carry my camera.

This past week we went to the Lorain County Fair. This is still a rural county fair. So many amazingly talented folks.

It was hard not to be inspired by everything we saw.

The colors are so vivid & fun.

Looking at these wagons filled with flowers had me thinking as a Stager. Given the right property, these wagons filled with flowers would be awesome Curb Appeal.

These colorful baskets are a great way to see color, scale & texture used in a unique yet creative decorating display.

Inspiration and creative ways to express ourselves is all around us.

Okay, where can i and my camera go today to find inspiration?

Till next Monday,

DesAnn Collins

DSA Trainer & Staging Director

www.DesignByDesAnn.com

More Bling…Less Bucks by Triple D Productions

WHAT: More Bling, Less Bucks Webinar

WHEN: September 21, Tuesday, 7-8 PM EST

WHERE: Webinar or Recorded to listen at your convenience

FEE: $39

HOW: Register by Clicking: More Bling, Less Bucks Webinar

Triple D Productions:The Dynamic Decorating Duo-JoAnne Lenart-Weary and Sandy Dixon are presenting a fabulous Webinar-More Bling, Less Bucks. Combining years of experience and creativity with the challenge of working wonders on a budget, they’ve developed a list of 50 tried and true ways that decorators or stagers can utilize to WOW any room and all their clients!  This is the first time, JoAnne of The Decorating and Staging Academy and One Day Decorating, and Sandy Dixon of Interior Arrangements, have joined forces to share their expertise and the joy of the process of creating beautiful rooms. 

Learn how to Generate WOW!

¡ Working  creatively  to provide
¡On-the-spot, low cost solutions that
¡Will not only jumpstart rooms, but make your clients jump with joy!

You’ll learn about and see examples of 50 Ways to WOW with:

• Furniture Finesse
• Color Cues
• Let there be Light!
• Window Treatments
• Art Smarts
• Accessor-ease: shelves, mantels, tables

Learn where Triple D Productions get their inspiration plus favorite decorating books, websites, and blogs.  Hear JoAnne and Sandy’s best advice for incorporating WOW into your business and delighting your clients. Also, watch for Special Offers for Webinar Attendees.

Attendees will receive a downloadable worksheet to take notes and reinforce your learning on the day of the event. It will also be recorded, so you can join JoAnne and Sandy Live or listen in your own home, at your convenience.

More Bling…Less Bucks Webinar by Triple D Productions-$39

September 21, Tuesday, 7-8 PM EST

Budget Decorating: Redesign For An Office

A client  needed a “space-lift” for his office. We needed new waiting room chairs, art and something to hold their office supplies. The budget was small. Actually I LOVE hearing that. A small budget equals large creativity possibilities.

The “hunt” was on. We scowered the Flea Markets, Consignment stores, big retailers and a few garage sales.

We found an old Radiator ($10) an Isaac Mizrahi placemat($1.37) and ordered great new leather chairs.

You, like me, have probably faced a radiator that needed a redesign. The challenge is to blend them into a space and to re-make their image into something beautiful rather than utilitarian.

We put the Isaac Mizrahi placemat into an old frame. We then hot glued that frame on top of a long wooden empty rectangel frame and hung it between two Ansel Adams prints for their conference room.

Do you like to hear “Tight budget” I do. We would love to hear about your amazing transformations of Trash To Treasure!

DesAnn Collins

DSA Staging Director & trainer

www.DesignByDesAnn.com

Largest Garage Sale for Interior Decorators

Need Purple glass bottles?

The Rt 127 corridor garage sale is perfect for Staging, Decorating and just pure fun.

My husbands worst nightmare would be me going next year, with a large truck. Actually a fantasy for me. Hundreds of miles of treasure to try and capture.

The sale starts in Michigan and follows I 127 all the way to Alabama! HGTV usually has a “special” every year on what two of their reporters journey is like and what treasures they find.

You can buy everything there, even “Cracklins” and Hot Dogs. Pure Americana. From Purple glass bottles to old metal signs.

Look, even Darth Vader is a collector!

Anyone else out there a Garage sale Junkie? Perhaps next year we could caravan together with our 18 wheeler behind us to carry our “treasures”!

treasures at The 127 Corridor Garage Sale

 I’m going to plan to go to this unique sale next year….sshhh..don’t tell my husband.

DesAnn Collins

DSA- Staging Director

My Ongoing Affair with Design Star

Design Star, you did it to me again.  I keep hoping for the design “high” I used to get and once again, I was disappointed.   Yet, everytime I vow to end the relationship, I get drawn in with hope this is the week the contestants are going to “bring it.”  Nope, another week of quasi-design with not one bit of creativity.  I eagerly prepared for our time together. I took a shower, slipped into something comfortable, and settled in with my chocolate pudding, ready for that heady feeling I get when I see creativity in action.  But I was left unsatisfied.   For the last 35 years I have made my living creating beautiful rooms.  For the last 11 years, I have focused on teaching others to do the same.  The talent and creativity I see everytime I teach a class, blows me away.  I want to gather up the Design Star candidates and help them find their inner creativity.  So what did I learn from this week?

#1 Product driven Design…disappoints. Anyone can buy stuff and set it in a room, but that is not what makes a room rock.  It is a combination of

The Winning Kitchen on Design Star

 product used in innnovative ways.  Both teams seems to have similar props and used them instead of their design abilities to fill the void.  Each room had some positive elements but nothing that was stellar design.

#2 A kitchen needs color. Each team took a conservative approach with wall color, how disappointing. I don’t mean the walls should be red, but at least increase the value so the wall color had some body to support the heavy elements of large appliances, granite, etc. 

Too much Stuff...Everywhere!

#3 Remember what you are selling.  This was a photo shoot for Sears to showcase appliances. Photo styling is much like staging, you use the props to showcase the selling feature.  In this case, it was like a before photo as there was so much “stuff” it detracted from the true star of the shoot, the appliances.  In fact, I can’t wait to use the photos in a classroom to show what not to do when staging or styling a kitchen.

#4 “I never would have thought of that”  This is my mantra when I decorate spaces.  Every room I create needs to knock their socks off, but not just because I bought a bunch of pretty things.  The DS team doesn’t seem to get this.  Last night again, showcased predictable design.  The difference between a DIY and professional project, is taking the project to a new level.  I have yet to see that happen.  I want to watch the show and say, “Wow, I never would have thought of that.” 

#5 Eat, Pray, Love-Design Star is going to make me fat, as I eat through the episode in frustration,  I pray the show is going to be worth watching, and I want to love the end result.  So far…not so much.

Join me next week for my thoughts on the next episode.  JoAnne Lenart-Weary, Creative Director

Interior Decorating Journey

When you are shopping for a clients decorating project do you ever feel a little like Indiana Jones?

You search and search for just the right treasure. I’m certain the other shoppers around me think I’m a little off. Well they are half right. I am known to scream like a little girl when I find treasure.  So excited, and like a child it is hard for me not to run immediately to my clients homes to show them my treasures.

Perfect Shutter Treasure

The Dining room project, “El Fresco”, is truly a labor of love.

We are using these 100 yr old shutters instead of fabric for our window treatments. These shutters are perfect. remember to always measure, measure, measure. 

Not only are these terrific in color and wear but they fit perfectly.

Color check at the half way point

Here is a sneak peek of the Color washing, half-way through.

We are now looking for the perfect Slate tile for the floor.

Watch as our journey to “Fearless Design” land continues.

Next week we hope to reveal the new floor.

Be fearless,

DesAnn Collins

DSA-Staging Director & Trainer

www.DesignByDesAnn.com

Creating One-Of-A-Kind Spaces

Creating a one-of-a-kind space for clients is exhilarating! Interior Decorating a room from the top to bottom is always a joy. In Home Staging we are always looking to entice the buyers. It has to be all about “them”, our target market.

Creating an all out design of work to be truly good needs to function and be about the client.

We have been working on this project for a few months now. There were a few things the clients want. One, they LOVE their chandelier. Two, they want to display a few prints in the room. Three, the furniture needed to stay. Four, their window’s architectural features make it challenging to change.

One- Chandelier. Patti expressed her love for it and said, “You’re going to make me get rid of it right?”  Well after a little research we found almost an exact match to a Murano Italian Glass Chandelier. It stays.

Dining room beforeInspiration prints

 These prints are fantastic. They are Cool colors and we need to incorporate them into a Warm palette.

My GREAT painter, Rikk Mayr, is doing my Faux work.

Here is a “SNEEK-PEEK” of our ceiling. This is only at the half way point of the ceilings completion.

Creative way of bringing the Cool Blues into a Warm space

I must also say that if it weren’t for my confidence with Color this would be a scary project.  I am boldly moving forward with the design as I have my DSA Color With No Regrets education.

I found the most fabulous 100 yr old shutters. We will be using them as window treatments. They are rough, chipped paint and perfect for this application. I’ll post on them next week.

Fearless…No Regrets Design.

Happy Decorating,

DesAnn Collins

DSA- Staging Director & Trainer

Don’t forget the Windows

Windows make or break a room. In the photograph on the right the window treatments only came to the base of the window.

So often a homeowner will create a wonderful space but forget about the window. It can be the room’s crowning glory. My sister just put beautiful window treatment over plantation shutters. The shutters looked great alone but just not finished. Now it is stunning. Having trouble with your windows need some help? To find a good window fashion designer go to: 

Learning from Design Star…All about Emotion

Come on Design Star contestants, you represent the best of the best…supposedly.  I almost quit  watching this week, but I am tenacious, loyal, and was eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes and couldn’t reach the remote.  For me, watching a good episode of decorating TV is tantamount to sex, and well…you get the picture.  The learning point this week was good design is wrapped in emotion. As important as aesthetics are, the “Feeling” is even more important.   The Red Team brought negative emotion to their design.

Two new teams: Red (Nina, Stacy, Courtland, and Tom), and Blue  (Alex, Michael, Casey, Emily) took on this week’s  challenge to create functional common areas for the fireman of the “deserves to be decorated” FDNY.  The spaces needed to be

The Winning Space

 multi-functional and yet, aesthetically pleasing.  Bue Team was declared the winner with their group effort.  They demonstrated what TEAM means including covering for Michael who shot himself with a nail gun.  A number of stand outs, such as Alex’s skyline wall graphic  with lights representing 7 lost fireman from 9-11, Emily’swell-meaning but amateurish attempt at a coffee table, Michael’s  (with a bit of help) desk area and Casey’s canvas of a fireman.  My disappointments (but who I am to talk…they won) was once again the color story.  Why blue violet on the walls and fire engine red?  The competing levels of saturation hurt my eyes. 

Red Team included Cruella DeDecorator Nina, who decided to be unique and unusual with her standout feature…she created a…are you ready…wait for it…WALL ART! A bulletin board adorned with braille stating the fire companies motto.  The problem, if you have to explain it, it doesn’t work.  Nina also made the furniture decision to add leather to the space without any space planning which meant a reclining chair, couldn’t recline.  As a result Cruella DeDecorator is Cruella DeGone. 

 Although I think the Red Team are individually talented, they took a depressing approach with black ceilings, charred looking panelled wall, and an overall lack of concern for the power of emotion when designing a space.  Tom’s decision to open the original ceiling was a good one, but not the place to paint it black. I also was cheering for him when he wanted to knock down a wall but his team mates prevailed and the wall stayed intact. Darn anyway!  I think he has a sincere desire to create amazing spaces but the logistics of the team relationship tie many of their hands. 

Just when I was feeling sorry for poor mis-understood Nina, she opened her mouth.  ”I have a lot of charisma and personality, and people can’t handle that, but I am living in the Nina Show.”   At that comment, I turned to my cat and said, “Can you believe the arrogance.”  With a run to the door, I realized even he wanted to get away from last night’s episode.  I do want to say, if Nina was as talented as she claimed to be, I would have been calling her names but loving the inspiration she shared.  I never truly saw the talent she insisted was there. For more endearing Ninaisms, see her exit interview here, where she makes the loss everyone’s responsiblity…except hers. 

Next week I will tune in again to see if other personalities emerge, since Nina won’t be overshadowing the group.  I hope the rest  step up to the plate and show their decorating chops and some chutzpah.  We need true charisma and oh yes…knock my socks off!  

JoAnne Lenart-Weary

Creative Director-The Decorating and Staging Academy

Founder-One Day Decorating and JLW Interiors

Decorating Dos and Don’ts-Part Five

Let’s wrap up the Decorating Don’ts.  Continue adding to your outline because after receive the dos and don’ts, we will be offering a rocking webinar filled with tips how to be a successful presenter. 

Decorating Don’ts

#4.  Don’t place furniture around the perimeter of the room. Placement is the most significant element in creating a beautiful space.  Nothing can impact a room more quickly than a simple redesign of the furniture.  Bringing the furniture in from the walls will actually make the space appear larger, more interesting and create multiple areas of function.  (Prop-Show a couple of before and afters of actual spaces after a redesign or rearrangement)

#3. Don’t use area rugs smaller than 5 x 8′.  It is important that the rug is large enough to make an impact and not get lost under the coffee table or look like a flying carpet in the middle of the space.  Also, connect the rug to something in the space so it has a purpose.

#2. Don’t think you have to sacrifice beauty for comfort.  Whether it is a reclining

Lazy Boy proves a Recliner can look Great

 chair, an area rug, a sofa,  functionality is important. But today you can find comfortable, quality components of a room without sacrificing the aesthetic. 

#1.  Don’t think you can’t afford a decorating professional. Today’s decorating world offers a variety of specialities.  From a color consultation to redesigning your space using what you have, or One Day Decorating, giving you floor to ceiling decorating advice that can happen timely, to full service decorating professionals, there is a service to fit your every need.  (PROP-your company marketing materials, tips sheet and/or business card to encourage them to remember you.)

Okay, now get ready the new posts will focus on the top ten decorating dos. 

JoAnne Lenart-Weary

Creative Director-The Decorating and Staging Academy