Happy Valentine’s Day!

I have been very fortunate to be blessed with many “contributors” and resources behind the scenes at Stagetecture. One of them is my great Interior Design intern – Rachel Morgan here in Jacksonville, Florida. Rachel has helped me on numerous projects and she loves decor and helping homeowners with design dilemmas! Rachel continues her feature on Stagetecture called “Get the Look”. Where she has taken a theme and created a Olioboard design to help you get the look at your home.

Valentine’s Day is no longer just for couples. It is day for children, family, and my favorite, a day with your friends. There is always that issue of how to decorate without getting too much into the traditional Valentine’s Day. Well believe it not there are plenty of ways to have a unique Valentine’s Day. In this article I’m going to tell you how to get the traditional and how to create a very easy transitional look for both kids and adults for Valentine’s Day this year.

Traditional Red & White Valentine’s Home:

[ad#co-1]

Holidays are fun because you can go outside the realm of simple vases and art to draw inspiration. You can now use your favorite foods and drinks.

• In this case I used a vase of Edible Arrangements Chocolate Covered Strawberries and red velvet cupcakes.
• For the traditional look stick with the traditional colors red and white and if you need a third try something like black or chocolate brown.  Now don’t forget balance is still a factor in decorating a table as well. Too much red can drown out all the other details like the strawberries and the cupcakes.
• Last don’t forget to accessorize. Your table jewelry in this case would be the napkin rings and dinnerware. I’m all for sparkle so deck down the table. Let it scream I love you!

 Creamy Pastel Valentine Interiors:

Now for the transitional look I drew my inspiration from Alice in Wonderland. With this in mind I came up with the name “A Sweet for My Sweet.” Now this can be done with any table because the colors should be fun. I believe the darker the table the more your items should stand out. When doing a themed Valentine’s Day table first figure out whom this party is for. In this case I’m going with a transitional table setting that works for both kids and then adults later. In this case choose two themes that will work with the same color scheme. This makes it much easier later. A tea party is an awesome theme that will transition into the adult version with just a few tricks.

• The first trick is dinnerware. Switch glasses and plates. Kids only need teacups and dessert plates and for the adults bring out your colorful champagne and wine glasses along with the more decorative plates.
• Another thing that will amaze your kids is handmade place cards. Place cards are an optional for adults; it depends on how formal you want the part to be.
• Last your food should mimic your colors. Hand make cookies and cupcakes with your kids and for the adults bring out the chocolate covered fruit or if this is a late party do an awesome gourmet dinner.

Celebrate love and life on Valentine’s Day the way you want to celebrate it. Have fun!

For more Valentine’s Ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

[ad#co-1]

As many people know it can sometimes be a little difficult to keep up with those pesky resolutions. Well choosing one that involves your everyday life as well as your families would be a great start. Doing something that both benefits your life as well as the life of others is a great way to spend your year. I’m talking about a sustainable new you. Here are some great cost effective ideas to help you be more sustainable this year.

 Sustainable Bath Ideas for your New Year’s Home

1. Make compost, or if you don’t want to build your own compost heap, give your organic waste to friends. They’re not difficult to find and for some it might be easier to make.
2. Xeriscaping with drought-tolerant native species in your yard. Plant shade trees and vines to keep cool in the summer. Plant deciduous shade trees to cut summer cooling bills. Put them on the west and east sides of the house to let light in during the winter. You can easily find this information via internet but you can also go to your local nursery or hardware store.
3. Reuse paper bags. There are a variety of reusable bags out there. You can find them in your favorite grocery store.
4. Separate recyclables, and recycle ‘em. Honestly how many times have you thrown recyclables in the trash because the recycle bin was full? Recycle bins come in all sizes now.
5. Install a solar water heater; they’re often cost-effective even in cloudy areas.
6. Install low-flow showerheads. With less water to heat, you’ll save water and energy
7. Use compact fluorescents, which screw into ordinary incandescent light-bulb sockets but use far less electricity. There are different sizes, shapes, and colors to choose from.
8. Buy efficient appliances with smarter designs, like front-loading washers (they use half the water and detergent of top-loading washers). Check efficiency ratings you could save up to 13 percent of your household energy use.
9. Use non-toxic cleaners. Borax, vinegar, baking soda, salt, and lemon juice are a few of the many natural alternatives.
10. Install faucet aerators. They work like low-flow shower heads; most have an on/off control to let you cut off the water while soaping up.
11. Caulk and weather-strip, and insulate walls and ceilings. This is an easy DIY project.
12.  Fix leaky pipes. Even small ones can waste thousands of gallons of water a year, and most can be easily repaired by replacing worn parts. It saves you a ton of money in the long run.
13. Install low-flush toilets and drop from six gallons per flush to one and a half. It saves money as well as water.
14. Talk with your neighbors. If you find you don’t have time, cancel a trip to the shopping mall or put the TV in the basement. You’d be amazed how a walk to the park or some simple gardening can save you money. The less time you spend inside the better.
15. Research is golden. There are many other ways to be sustainable. You just have to want to do it. What better way than to make it a resolution this year.

For more green living tips on Stagetecture, click here.

I have been very fortunate to be blessed with many “helpers” and resources behind the scenes at Stagetecture. One of them is my great Interior Design intern – Rachel Morgan here in Jacksonville, Florida. Rachel has helped me on numerous projects and she loves decor and helping homeowners with design dilemmas! Rachel continues her feature on Stagetecture called “Get the Look”. Where she has taken a theme and created a Olioboard design to help you get the look at your home.

Thanks Rachel for all that you do!

Taking a concept and making your own can be a little difficult. Sometimes you can go a little overboard and your room becomes more of an obsessed mess, than a beautiful oasis. Well here are a few tricks to get your dream bedroom. The challenge when creating a dream bedroom is where to start, and how to take your fantasy and turn it into reality. Try these tips to create a dream bedroom that you always wanted!

Created by Rachel Morgan using Olioboard

[ad#co-1]

How to Create a Dream Bedroom

First find one item you want to be your focal point. This can be a pillow, painting or even a piece of furniture. What you don’t want to do is to find too many focal pieces. By using one focal point it regulates those urges to add more.

Next is using that focal piece to bring in the other items, there is a catch, your items should be less prominent than your focal point. If you want to add interest, choose different textures.

Last is that there must be a balance. When bringing in something with great detail, bring in another item with little to no detail. This makes sure that your eyes don’t travel but instead settle on the gorgeous items you chose. So remember Focal piece, pieces that compliment your focal piece, not overwhelm it, and last balance it out.

While your bedroom can reflect your fantasies and dreams, ensure you don’t let it get out of control! Remember there is always a chance to add or detract with bed linen, wall color, accessories and more. Everything doesn’t have to be displayed day one.

For more “Get the Look” Ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Look for more Olioboard ideas on Stagetecture in the upcoming weeks!

For more bedroom & living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

I have been very fortunate to be blessed with many “helpers” and resources behind the scenes at Stagetecture. One of them is my great Interior Design intern – Rachel Morgan here in Jacksonville, Florida. Rachel has helped me on numerous projects and she loves decor and helping homeowners with design dilemmas! Today, Rachel is starting a new feature on Stagetecture called “Get the Look”. Where she has taken a theme and created a Olioboard design to help you get the look at your home.

Thanks Rachel for all that you do!

[ad#co-1]

Hollywood glam to me is acquiring a rich look with using the least amount of color as possible. In this space gold, silver, and white are used to make the space look glamorous.

• The lamps, vases, mirrors, and even the tie backs on the curtain sparkle. The damask pattern is a great pattern to use in a rich space such as this.
• The complexity of the pattern gives it a sort of difficulty which screams rich. The mirrored dresser and the antique finishes give the room an old but expensive look.
• The white breaks up the silver and gold so that the space doesn’t become gaudy. With these simple finishes and the lack of color used it gives the room an extravagant, lavish feel without breaking the bank to do so.

What details of Hollywood Regency style or ‘Hollywood Glam’ do you love?

For more interiors ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Thanks Rachel for all that you do!

-Ronique

How to Decorate with Simplicity this Christmas

[ad#co-1]

Holidays can be a little tricky to decorate. You don’t know how much is too much. Pretty soon you start to cross that line of simple elegance to creepy obsessive. Well here are a few tips on how to make it festive and inviting.

• First choose your color scheme. If you go out and just start buying things nothing will look cohesive.
• Second is to manage your home accessories. For example collecting reindeer is an awesome hobby but when you have so many that no matter where you’re sitting there is always one starring back then you might have too many out. Take out a few and spread them throughout the house. It’s better to have one large or three different sizes clustered together. This brings in a very nice impact that will say Christmas not creepy.
• Last your Christmas tree should go with the theme of the house. This way it doesn’t look out of place but rather a part of the space. Always assume the amount of space a tree takes up. Then go out about a foot to factor in Christmas gifts. Having your tree in window is nice but when it’s in a high traffic area it becomes a hindrance rather than a compliment to your reindeer

So you want your space to feel sophisticated and grown up, well here’s an easy way to get that look.

• First choose a monochromatic color scheme. This gives the room a simple yet ingenious look that makes it much more inviting.
• Next bring out some bling. Christmas is the one time a year when sparkle is encouraged. Don’t be afraid to step out of the ordinary. Christmas does not have to be traditional. A silver tree with blue ornaments or a tree covered in blue ostrich feathers makes the tree more interesting. Don’t forget that the tree’s size should match the ornaments. If a tree is small, large ornaments will only weigh the tree down. If you have some large ornaments you’d like to use mix them in with smaller ornaments to balance it out.
• Last bring in more sparkle with some candles. Candlelight makes a room feel cozy. If you find that perfect candle holder and you don’t want to destroy it with wax then consider LED candles. They now can be controlled by a remote control and don’t be afraid of sprucing it up with your favorite holiday scent. If it looks like Christmas, it should smell like it to.

For more holiday ideas on Stagetecture, click here.