9.23.13

Decorating For Fall

Decorating for the fall season is on my mind because technically, the calendar says I should since the first day of fall is this week. Being a “summer” girl, I’m not so psyched about the cooler temps and waking up to frost on the ground. However, that being said… Autumn in New England is most spectacular, with various color bursts anywhere you look. I absolutely love taking long drives in the CT country this time of year and witness the gorgeousness that mother nature provides us.

So decorating for fall inspires me and reminds me that even though my toes are cold in the morning, it is a wonderful time of year to display the vibrant colors that we see outside, inside. You spend a lot of time in your home, it should be well decorated and reflect your personality whether that be traditional, whimsical or eclectic. My motto is… A well decorated room should always feel and look comfortable, well put together and invite lingering and conversation. Does yours? If not, get off your butt and do something about it!!! (or at the very least, call me, I’ll motivate you)

I wanted to share with you some of my absolute favs for fall decorating. Hopefully you will be inspired with these wonderful and inexpensive ideas.

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The mantle is a wonderful focal point to display a beautiful fall arrangement or vignette.

Southern Living

Fall decorating doesn’t have to break the bank. Simply go out to your backyard and pluck some flowers and fill hollowed-out pumpkins, squash or gourds with beautiful flowers, grasses and leaves to make a nice arrangement. I love these!

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Here is another example of a great inexpensive idea. One that, personally I do each year with my munchkin. Go for a nice walk and collect some acorns, fill an apothecary jar and voila, you have a nice display. You can also fill with beans, popcorn and lentils.

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Don’t forget to add a bit of whimsical decor to your hutch in your kitchen. It makes your kitchen decor come alive and you will have a whole new fresh look for your room.

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It may be obvious, but decorating the outdoors for curb appeal is also important. Here are some fun fall decorating ideas. Don’t you love this wheel barrel arrangement by Tiff? I think it’s spectacular!

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I love this photo I found on Pinterest from Traci at beneathmyheart.net

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Okay, so now you have some great ideas for both outdoor and indoor decorating. When it gets closer to Halloween, I’ll post some super cute pumpkin decor ideas. Stay tuned and come back often!

Until next week… Happy decorating! ~Melanie Langford

FYI: Should your CT home be in need of an expert interior designer to create a comfortable and beautiful space that improves your quality of life, click here to contact All About Interiors.

Filed in: Fall Decorating
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9.16.13

How To Decorate For Maximum Resale Value

It is all about how you decorate for maximum resale value in order to attract buyers and make them feel at home when preparing a home to go on the market. Often, a buyers’ decision to put in an offer is equally determined by the floor plan as it is the overall “feel” of the home which is exhibited by staging the home. Builders show off out model homes in fantastically beautiful decor instead of showing the home empty. Why do you think that is? It is important to create a space that is warm and inviting to the general public.

Before getting to the decorating process, there are a lot of important steps to consider, such as curb appeal and extremely important things like de-cluttering, depersonalizing, and making necessary repairs. After those things are accomplished, sprucing up your house’s decor is another important step before putting your house on the market for potential buyers. These tips will show you how to decorate for maximum resale value and attract the most number of buyers.

Get inspiration from model homes. They are the best example for what a staged home should look like. Model homes are completely staged by professional designers to maximize the beauty of the house and attract the most buyers as possible. They are perfect examples of what you should be doing to your home to make it market ready. It is important to notice all of the little details added to each space to make it warm and inviting and leave a lasting impression in buyers’ minds.

Go through your home and make sure each room has a specific purpose. As silly as it may seem, buyers can become easily puzzled on how to use a space if it isn’t immediately obvious. If a room is being used for more than one purpose, it can be confusing. Make sure each room has its own identity, for example; a guest bedroom OR an office, not both. A few staged key pieces to get the point across what purpose the room serves, is all you need.

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Neutral spaces are great for resale because neutrals give the buyers a chance to imagine a blank canvas. To add some interest to a space and keep it from getting boring, you can try either painting an accent wall or ceiling with a lighter or darker shade of whatever neutral you’re using. This is a great way to add depth and flavor to the space. This little bit of dimension will make the space more visually interesting and inviting.

Countryliving

Accessorize with color. Accent pillows, a throw, vases, a base to a lamp and other pretty accessories in coordinating colors will bring the neutrals from bore to score without turning off buyers, because all the colors are easily changeable. Fresh flowers are a great way to bring in some color and add an organic element. Take a peek at last weeks blog 5 easy ways to add color to home decor for more tips.

www.niceandnicer.com

Creative artwork adds character. You can go on Pinterest for some wonderful DIY ideas for wall art or purchase some inexpensive artwork such as photos from www.AllPosters.com that you can put in a simple black frames and hang throughout your home. All staged model homes adorn some nice pieces of artwork because it gives a home the appearance of a warm and finished look.

Area rugs create warmth and can bring in color and or texture. They help define a space, particularly in an open floor plan home. If there are any problem areas in your flooring, they can do a great job in hiding those spots. Just make sure the rugs aren’t in awkward spots that it makes it obvious you are trying to hide something unpleasant.

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A light home is a bright home. Light is one of the most important factors in any home on the market, because light makes a space feel fresh and open and also enhances the size of the space. Buyers hate to walk into a dark, dingy space so it is crucial that you choose window treatments that are lightweight and easy to keep open during showings. For dark corners or rooms without enough natural light, supply them with a beautiful lamp and a high-wattage bulb.

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With these tips, it is easy to create an atmosphere that will make buyer’s feel like they are walking into their future home. It so important to speak to a buyer’s psychology and make them feel welcome and attracted to a space they can live in for years to come.

Should your home need assistance in staging in the CT area, please Contact interior designer and home stager, Melanie Langford of All About Interiors.

 

 

Filed in: How to decorate for resale value
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9.9.13

5 Easy Ways To Add Color To Home Decor

If you want to add color to your rooms but are afraid of your home looking like a Crayola box, I have listed 5 easy ways to add color to your home decor without committing to a whole room of color.

You must have been sleeping away the year if you haven’t heard or seen that this year, in interior design, it’s all about color. Don’t panic, you don’t have to paint your entire room or do anything drastic. In fact, classic spaces are often kept mostly neutral and have added touches of color throughout to bring out brightness and pops of color.

So how do you do this tastefully you might ask? Here goes… 5 easy ways to add color to your home~

1. Textiles- The most obvious way would be to add a pop of color to textiles. A few throw pillows coupled with a throw will do the trick. It is simple, inexpensive and easy to change out as trends change. Rugs and linens can also add interest and brightness to a neutral space.

www.decoratingdiva.com

Design Tip: Choose three patterns that work well together and compliment each other but aren’t too matchy matchy.

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2. Paint a piece of furniture- A humdrum ordinary piece can light up a room if you slap some color on it.

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3. Frames- Add color to your wall with frames or mattes.

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4. Wallpaper the back of a bookcases- A cheery wallpaper can become a focal point to an otherwise ordinary bookcase that you wouldn’t necessarily notice.

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5. Accessories, art and lamps are nice touches of color to add to any room. Again, extremely inexpensive and can be changed out as the seasons or trends change.

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And to throw in another … just for good measure!~

6. Flowers Ahh, flowers! What a perfect way to add an organic element (every room should have at least one) and color too.

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I hope you will use these tips to brighten up your spaces. If you enjoyed this read, check out weekly for more decorating tips!

Until next time~ happy decorating!

Melanie Langford- All About Interiors

Filed in: 5 Easy Ways To Add Color To Your Home | Color
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9.2.13

Design Trends for 2014

It is my job as a designer to keep ahead of what’s up and coming design trends for 2014. Interior design is ever changing and never stands still. Even though there are still several months to go in 2013, it’s time to take a look and see what is up and coming in 2014.

Tracking trends is all about observation of what is happening in a variety of industries from fashion and travel to what is lining the store shelves in the upcoming months and years. Because it takes time to produce and manufacture products, you may just now be noticing in stores, what trend watchers saw 12-18 months ago. So what is trending for 2014?

Color

Recently you may have noticed bright colors of pinks and orange popping up everywhere. But as appealing as those colors can be, most homeowners have found it a little difficult to decorate with orange and pink. These colors may still linger over the next several months but the color yellow will definitely be taking their place as the next uplifting color.

Neutralizing these bright colors, homeowners will be using softer shades of natural, organic colors to pair with these pops of color.

Yellow is the trending leader for 2014. This color can be quite tricky. Too strong and it can be blinding, too light and the punch can be lost. Try pairing it with grey, taupe and sand to get the perfect accent color in the space.

Source: sweet-living-home-inspirations.blogspot.ca

Teal Blue is still a popular choice and is a wonderful color to combine with most other colors. Update this look by pairing it with the still popular spa blue.

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Red continues to appear on runways however, instead of a bright red, a toned down, darker apple red is being paired with a medium blue and butterscotch that provides an Americana style.

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Khaki sends an organic color message. When combined with other colors such as cognac, black, brown, sage greens and water blue it offers an appealing decorating palate. Khaki has a wonderful stability for being the dominant color with strong gravity to pair it with a brighter color.

 

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Patterns

Strong geometric patterns have been seen on fabric and furniture for the last 3 years. In 2014 we will see those dominating lines softened and classic, floral patterns replacing the angles. Try updating your current look by introducing floral pillows to your existing decor. Pairing geometric patterns with soft floral as you see below (from Kravet fabric), will work well. Go for it and have fun!

Some of the stronger floral patterns can be overwhelming for some. Ease into the bolder floral prints by combining them with a white or neutral background. Consider a solid white sofa with floral pillows or a floral inspired rug if you are easily “the faint of heart” regarding floral.

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Texture

Designers have become very particular about what touches our skin. Our home interiors need to feel good as well as look good. We want to be as pleased as much in the touch and texture as the color. Natural elements such as warm woods, soft comfortable fabrics, textured tiles that bring dimension and smooth sleek surfaces will be the main focus for 2014’s home decor. Notice the focal point of this bathroom is the textured wall.

www.houzz.com

Male Influence

Trends are an illustration of what is occurring in various aspects of our society. As men are spending more time in the home they are becoming more interested and involved in decorating their home. Although they still lean towards comfort rather than appearance, the good news is they finally understand there is more to a beautifully designed home than an overstuffed recliner. A male’s decorating style is similar to a well tailored wardrobe. It is strong, sturdy, and robust in deep color tones. A style both woman and man can embrace equally.

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Personality

Accessories tell a story about the people who live in the home. They should reflect your true personality, whatever that may be, eclectic, quirky or traditional. The most exhilarating homes are the ones that are decorated with objects that inspire and provoke conversations. Now is the time to pull out your travel memorabilia and collections to display and tell a story to all that enter your home. What is your story?

For assistance with updating your home in CT, contact interior designer, Melanie Langford of All About Interiors.

Filed in: Design Trends in 2014 | Trendy Trends
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September 4, 2013 - 5:22 pm

HP - I totally agree about the male point of view of design being sturdy and deep in color.

September 4, 2013 - 7:37 pm

Melanie Langford - Hello~
Thank you for responding! More and more, the male role plays a part in design. Fortunately, most females agree with this design concept. Thanks again! Melanie

September 30, 2013 - 1:02 am

mohan sharma - Its amazing…..:)

October 2, 2013 - 10:19 am

Melanie Langford - Thanks for stopping by my blog! I hope to see you here more often! Love your input! Enjoy your day. Melanie

October 7, 2013 - 2:15 pm

Melanie Langford - Thanks so much for sharing my blog post! ~AAI

November 6, 2013 - 6:19 am

Singing the blues in 2014 – interior design colour trends for the year ahead - Brabantia Life | Official Brabantia blog | Brabantia Customer Help and Tips - […] designer Melanie Langford agrees that blue is going to be big news in 2014. She says Teal Blue will be a popular choice as it’s easy to combine with most other colours. “Update this look by […]

November 27, 2013 - 2:14 pm

Michelle R - What are your thoughts on kitchen flooring? We are building a house next year and I would like to have a dark flooring.

November 27, 2013 - 8:20 pm

Melanie Langford - Hi MIchelle,
I will assume you are talking about hardwood? I like dark hardwood given the right wall color, countertop color and cabinet colors that work well and play off eachother. The downside of dark hardwood floors are you will see every scratch more so than lighter or medium ones. If you are talking about tile, then make sure you layer your light and dark on the other elements in the kitchen. I hope this helps. Good luck and thanks for reading my blog! ~Melanie

January 7, 2014 - 6:44 am

Singing the blues in 2014 – interior design colour trends for the year ahead | Brabantia Life | Official Brabantia blog | Brabantia Customer Help and Tips - […] designer Melanie Langford agrees that blue is going to be big news in 2014. She says Teal Blue will be a popular choice as it’s easy to combine with most other colours. “Update this look by […]

8.26.13

Hanging Vignettes In Three Steps

Often, I am asked questions about hanging vignettes so today, I am talking about how to do it in three simple steps. I am posting this tidbit of info for all those out there who have also asked the very same question. I hope this is helpful!

STEP 1 This step goes back to elementary school when tracing objects was essential. Place the mirrors (or frames) on thin craft paper and trace around the outside. Cut along the traced edge.

 

2 Affix a small loop of painter’s tape to the back of each piece of paper and stick on the wall in the arrangement you want. This is so easy even a NON DIY-er can do it!

3 Mark on the pieces of paper where you want the nails to go then hammer them in. Try to avoid your fingers. Once the nails are in, rip the paper off and hang up your mirrors/frames.

bing, bang, boom — just like that, you have a perfectly hung wall vignette! Simple, easy and now stand back and admire.

What do you think, darling? Easy enough?

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Stylishly yours,

Melanie

 

 

Filed in: Accessories
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