​There are many elements of good design that go into choosing the appropriate accessory.  Style, color, size, proximity to other accessories and a sense of balance are all needed. It takes time and sometimes trial and error. What looks good in the store may not necessarily have the same effect in your home. Many times professionals need to be called in to complete a room successfully.
        
Accessories generally fall into the category of functional and decorative. Functional accessories are objects that not only look good while complimenting chairs, tables and other furniture, but also fill a need. Some functional accessories are lighting fixtures, fireplace equipment, clocks, mirrors, decorative hardware, vases, books and pillows. When well selected, they lend a personal touch and appear to blend with their environment. When ill-chosen, they will either fail to create the needed compliment to a completed whole or worse, attract your eye as a negative force, (as in “What were they thinking?”)
        
Decorative accessories are more for appearance than function.  But they often fill other more psychological needs. Plants and art, (paintings and sculpture) fall into this category. The nesting instinct and the “desire to acquire” are fulfilled, making your home a reflection of your own personal good taste, as well as a place to live and hang your hat.
        
Collectibles also make wonderful accessories and personalize a space. The very word defines the acquisitional need in many of us. Whether collecting bottle caps, baseball cards or dolls when we were kids, or the very same when we got older, for different reasons (perhaps to recapture our past childhood), people love to collect things from their travels, as well as their personal interests or hobbies. Such items may be of monetary value or not, but they are important to the collector. Showcasing collections is the challenging part and should be made to compliment the rest of the décor while not overshadowing it.
        
The world of art is a vast and beautiful one to explore as you accessorize. Whether your interest is paintings (traditional to contemporary in oils, watercolors or other media) or sculpture (bronzes to woods to three-dimensional objects made from garden tools), art has been with us through the ages from prehistoric cave paintings (telling the story of daily life through pictures) to the abstract world of collages and non-representative shapes and forms. Posters, lithographs and serigraphs are other art forms. Whether the collection is worthy of being displayed in a museum or not, art is generally selected more for personal taste than investment. Although people enjoy the quest as well as the result, such accessories lend a special touch to a home.
         
Art does not have to “match” the décor. In truth, such accessories seem to lose their artistic value rather than enhance the space when they “match”. They should be appropriately placed, sized well for the selected wall, and hung at the right height for viewing. If the color values blend, that is an added plus. Form can coordinate with the furniture style, but need not. For example, a fine collection of contemporary art does not look out of place in a traditional home.
                 
In hanging artwork, the rule of thumb has been to hang it at eye level when standing, but many designers and professionals prefer to place them slightly above eye level when seated. Generally, this is no more than 8” –10” above sofas or low units such as consoles, credenzas or tables. This not only enables the art to be viewed more effectively, but creates a cohesive arrangement with the furnishings surrounding it.
        
Groupings are popular and pleasing to the eye. If you are unsure of how to place the pieces, use the floor! Lay out all the objects on the floor in the same amount of space as on the wall. Move the pieces until they create a pleasing and unified presentation. Measure their locations and then hang them. If you want to be very sure, take a large piece of paper and trace the location of the pieces, marking where the wires will fall to the bottom of your picture hook. (Using two hooks together enables the art to hang better). Then put the paper on the wall with easy to remove masking tape. Put up all hooks in marked locations. Remove the paper and hang the artwork in the designated spots.
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There are also special moldings that can be placed at the ceiling to enable art to be hung by wire or fish line on mirror, irregular stone surfaces, or where a collection will be relocated or changed often. This gives great flexibility without damaging your walls.

Plants, trees and floral arrangements are lovely and needed accessories, bringing in a little of the outside. Plants add warmth and a sense of artistic beauty to a space whether they are the real thing, petrified or artificial. Silk are great, but dried is not so good according to Feng Shui. If they are real, water and feed them! If they are not maintained, their beauty is lost. If they are artificial, make sure they don’t look plastic or they will do more harm than good to the décor. Live plants and trees and professional arrangements on tables, in entryways and alongside furniture often provide the finishing touch to complete a room.
        
So-how do you start to accessorize? After the basic furniture is placed in the room, look at the wall space and empty spaces in bookcases, display cabinets and on tables. Certain areas need a focal point to unify the furniture setting. Go shopping at home first! Are there pieces you would like to display that you’ve always loved or have been in the family for a long time? Do you have a hobby or interest that has made you a “collector”? Perhaps it’s old trains or dolls, or pen knives or owls. Perhaps its photos you’ve taken of your travels or posters you’ve collected from various museums. As long as they are presented and framed well, they make excellent accessories.
        
When shopping for art, go to several galleries and shops. Learn about the art form and the artist. Don’t be hasty, but don’t ignore the pull of a work that attracts you from the start. Art is very personal, but if you choose to become a collector, make sure you know and check the value of the pieces (independent appraisal companies are available) before you buy.
        
The style and the mood often affect the selection of the main accessory which will usually be the focal point of a room or a setting in the room. It is often difficult to visualize how a major accessory will look until you actually put it in the space. For this reason, certain shops allow a “take home on consignment” arrangement, where you pay in advance with the understanding that you may return what you don’t like for a refund. This is the best possible approach to accessorizing if you are not retaining professional help. You can also look at magazines and take design books out of the library to see how the pros do it. Go to show houses where many designers do model room settings, as well as model homes, where accessories often “sell” the houses. In short, it takes time, education and patience, but the end result is worth it because accessories make all the difference. Don’t rush. The right piece is worth waiting or searching for and the quest can be so much fun.

Uniquely Natalie is a great place to find accessories for your home at great prices!

​This is an open letter to Dads (and their families, of course).  Father’s Day “officially” comes once a year, but while we want to celebrate and respect you, Dad, all the time, on this day, you get a free pass.  You can relax with the sports channels, play golf, tennis, fish or veg as the spirit takes you and we won’t ask or expect you to do a thing around the house.

Of course, on the day after and subsequent days before the “official” start of summer, you don’t get a free pass.  This doesn’t mean that your spouse and kids (or anyone else you impress into service) are exempt from helping, but since not much time is left – you, the “Uber Dad”, must be their fearless leader.  So here’s my list of things, large and small, that seem to be on “every dad’s” to do list.        

1. Do some deck refurbishing.
2. Take out and clean the patio furniture.
3. Get the annual planting done and see that hoses, sprinklers, etc., are in working order.
4. Clean the barbeque and check if it needs a propane refill or wood burning logs.
5. Are those heavy sun umbrellas still in the shed or basement?
6. Are your painting or staining projects finished?
7. Are the gutters and leaders emptied of winter debris?
8. Did your grass get its first cut and re-seeding?
9. Is your garage in order so you can find your outdoor sports equipment for backyard or vacation fun?

              
By the way, are you having fun yet?  If you’ve checked off at least five of the above, you should be getting high marks from your dear ones.  If you’ve done more, you should enjoy #10.

Get out that hammock, find a shady spot, and relax! P.S. – If you didn’t even make it to #5, forget about the hammock and get started.  You’ve still got a shot at Fourth of July!
              
And to all the Moms who double for Dads as well, feel proud of yourself and for all your accomplishments and enjoy the day, as well.
​
Happy Father’s Day to all!

​“Official” summer has arrived and it seems everything happened so quickly after Memorial Day.  We move outside, weather permitting, and it seems we’re moving in all directions, as well.  It’s the month of graduations and Father’s Day – the first month of summer and hopefully, the month of vacations for some.  Our social life has revved up and with it, the need to get our house inside and out, in order – but the warm and sunny weather seems to defeat our best intentions.  You, of course, are ready – right?

The backyard furniture is out and clean, the flowers you planted are blooming, the barbecue is awaiting your culinary craftiness, and the garage is organized so you can easily access the pool toys, backyard games, sports equipment and vacation “take-to’s”.  If a graduation party has as its destination your home, you are ready to enjoy the fun and are well prepared (like a plan “B” if it should rain).
              
Now, there is no “Jewish guilt” here (well maybe a little) – just a friendly reminder to help you enjoy the rest of the summer.  Take the time to make a plan for all you need to accomplish and then plan a block of time to accomplish it (a plan and a plan, remember?).   Don’t wait for the first rainy day because that might not arrive until August!
              
By the way, August is “move to college dorm” time which is a perfect time to attack your high school graduates, soon to be a collegiate's, wondrous abode.   After you actually find the floor and address what can be taken to fit in your darling’s new room that is the size of their walk in closet at home and hang in their new closet, which is probably no bigger than your old 30” refrigerator, you’ll realize that for the first time in many years, you will see their room clean, vacuumed, with the bed perfectly made (and it will hurt your heart).
              
So the “lazy hazy crazy” days of summer await.  Spend it well – fill your “to do list “with check marks for accomplishments and enjoy the summer – for it will never come again.

The wet April brought us spring in May (finally!) but Memorial Day, graduations, and Father’s Day signal oncoming summer.  Did we blink away spring?  The trend this year is to add living space to your home by moving out – out on the patio, that is.  It’s not a new idea to add an outdoor kitchen to that old barbecue, but folks are doing more – much more for their summer entertaining (and possibly year round) space.​

​Her plan was costly and the extension portion of the project would leave her with little money in her budget for decorating. In the past, whenever she needed more room, she just added on to her present home. She naturally turned to this alternative once again. After I walked through the entire space, however, I realized there were other options. When I studied the floor plan of the entire house, I discovered that by moving some interior walls and allocating rooms differently, I could create a large master bath and closet area as well as a more impressive master bedroom and sitting room.

What becomes clear to me when I visit a homeowner for a two-hour consultation (sometimes within two minutes!) often eludes the people who have lived there for years.  Spaces can be redefined and maximized, often without building costly additions, which not only boost your budget, but permanently increase your taxes. Going through the process of building an addition isn’t easy either, often requiring surveyors, architects and town filings which not only cost money, but take time as you go through the process.

Without a doubt, a project that forever changes the footprint of your home must be budgeted, planned and executed thoroughly and carefully. Sometimes all the money you would have allocated to build up or out will be spent redoing the space plan and redecorating what’s existing. But, in the end, it’s the better and smarter way to go because you’ve maximized your space and updated your investment. In other words, for the same money, you’ve actually finished your project. While it’s fun to decorate (or at least I think so) there should be a goal of completion. At some point it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor – not when you’re thinking of selling, but while you’re actually planning to live there for a good long time.

So what should you look for in creating your ideal space from what’s existing?

• ​See if you can swap living room and dining room locations to get a larger dining room. Smaller living rooms can become a sitting room, music room or library.
• If your dining room abuts the garage, see if you can bump into that space to widen your dining room and create a niche for a server or breakfront.
• Open the wall between your existing dining room and kitchen and create a larger and more functional space.
• Open the wall between your kitchen and den to create a great room with better seating and flow.
•  “Walk through” (i.e. break through) your walk-in closet to add another space in your master bedroom from an adjacent area that can be redefined.
• Add pocket doors between two bedrooms to create a sitting room.
• Reclaim unused bedrooms that can do double duty as exercise, craft rooms and offices or just make one a walk-in closet.
• Get professional help to save you time and money and give you the space you need.

​I often feel the loss of my mom but especially on Mother’s Day.   I recall what made my mom so special with mixed feelings of loss and love and why she is so dearly missed.      

​Tip:  The best room designs are the ones that are classic and timeless.  The style you select whether traditional, contemporary or eclectic (a mixture) should be one you can live with comfortably and happily for a long time.
              
​If you are madly in love with Art Deco, South Western, or minimalist contemporary, ask yourself if you are a rugged individualist or just feeding into a temporary romance.  In the first case, you may truly enjoy this style for your home for as long as you live there.  In the second, you may find it a “what was I thinking” moment, and as painful and perhaps more expensive than the removal of a tattoo of an old flame.

So what’s the difference between fad and fashion in furniture design?  How do you choose to be timeless for the long haul and not to be stodgy or stuffy?  I always tell my clients and club members that selecting a furniture style is really a history lesson.  In good design, there is nothing new under the sun, just interesting variations on old themes.  Making a choice should be a learning adventure to discover the options and the possibilities.

What’s right for you?  If you have teenagers, toddlers, a large dog and two cats perhaps delicate Louis XVI or Sheraton English may not be the ticket, even though you admire it. So, it’s not only about what style you like, but what style you can live with and enjoy.  Maybe the classical styles turn you on, but you don’t know how to marry them with today’s architecture.  Identify what you like on the internet or in furniture stores that offer diverse styles or specialize in one.  Do a little homework.  See what appeals to you in magazines as well as room settings.  Check out what goes with these styles before you make the final determination and, above all, sit on the furniture before you make a purchase.  If it gets high marks for style and is not comfortable (remember how high heels shoes look when you get ready to go out and how you feel in them by the end of the evening), think twice before you buy.

So, what about fads, i.e.: the style and color flavor of the month, according to the furniture industry?  You know they’re in business to sell you something—something you don’t already have, whatever it is.  It’s up to you to decide how often and how much you want to do to your home in terms of scope and cost.  Practically speaking, you know upholstered pieces can’t last forever, so you may choose to give your old furniture a face lift by recovering instead of replacing, or find it is more cost effective to start anew.

So what's the bottom line?

• Choose what you like with an eye toward your ever-changing lifestyle
• Invest in quality for the long haul
• Don't get caught in the "flavor of the month"
• Go for accessories that personalize, not homogenize
• Make the learning journey to create your beautiful home part of the experience and share it with those who live there
• Think shopping consignment for great buys on “oldies, but goodies” with true quality and value. Uniquely Natalie Quality Consignment can be an unexpected answer to your desire for an eclectic look)

​​It never stops being fun for me to see a decorated room emerge from an empty space.  First the rugs go down and that color pattern draws you in.  Then the furniture arrives and people say, “How come the room looks bigger with things in it than without?”  But, when the window treatments go up, it’s always the “ah” factor.  “Ah, now the room looks warm, elegant, inviting – finished!”

Window treatments, along with accessories, create that finished look whether your room has a beautiful view or you face a brick wall.  But windows can be challenging to dress.  So, let’s examine some general parameters to help you meet your challenges.  First let’s determine the difference between “hard goods” and “soft goods” according to designer workrooms.  As a general rule, workrooms describe “hard goods” as items that cover the window and create privacy, while “soft goods” frame the window, but don’t cover it.

            Let’s identify a few types that cover or just decorate windows: 

• Silhouettes and duettes are “honeycomb” type products made of material that is sheer or in a fabric that can be pleated.  It rides up and down and can come with a silver backing to become “shade darkening” for bedrooms, or can be selected in sheer fabrics of various colors with no backing for public spaces. 
• Luminettes are vertical silhouettes which open like curtains and have replaced verticals in many homes. 
• Blinds in wood, metal or vinyl are available in different thicknesses of slats, in white, colors and wood tones. 
• Drapery curtains in choices of sheer, opaque (can’t see through) or semi-opaque (light can come through) can be used as window dressing if they flank the window, but can also cover the window for privacy if they are on a “traveling” rod. 
• Cornice and valances generally just cover the molding above the window.  To determine the height, start with no less than eight inches and go up to eighteen inches depending on the height of your ceiling and the size of your window.  (HINT:  Cut a piece of cardboard or wood to see the proportion)
• Swags and jabots (draped fabric) over poles or just on a covered board (dust board covered in fabric) add elegance and softness to formal room settings. 
• Poles (painted or not, plain or fluted) with rings, decorative brackets and finials (end pieces) are popular today, with stationary side panel curtains. 

​
            These basic styles and many combinations thereof, along with the hundreds of choices of fabrics, are the reason why even designers often puzzle over the perfect pairing of window and design. 

​Several years ago, I met a woman whose large home was a challenge because it’s many spaces seemed to have no individual style, particularly a large loft area, which she had claimed for herself.   As I left one of our early meetings, I walked with her to the closet in which she had hung my coat and noticed a huge amount of boxes on the top shelf.   When I asked her jokingly what she was hiding from me, she replied, “Oh, they’re just some of the dolls I like to buy.   I keep them up there and in the attic because my husband can’t stand seeing them all over the house”.   All told, she confided, she had 167 of them!   When I asked her to open a few of the boxes, I realized her collection was not only valuable, but beautiful – a perfect backdrop for her personal loft space and there it would not take over the entire house.   I designed a series of glass cabinets to cover almost all the walls along with a ½ wall of similar shelving as a pseudo-railing, enabling viewers from both below and above to see the doll vignettes.   Her collection was artfully displayed with room for it to grow, and husband and wife were both pleased with the result.

Personal collections from frogs, to teddy bears, to penknives, provide interest in rooms both public and private.   Personal photography, when framed appropriately, is a great art accessory and also enables you to relive your family history with friends and loved ones, as well as remember the places you’ve been.   The key is to avoid clutter and present it well.   Every year at holiday time, the seasonal collections come out – but people forget to put away something to make way for something!   Remember, you don’t have to see all your possessions at once.   Store it for a while and bring it back at a later time, and you will appreciate it all over again.   If you’re a reader, make your library special.   Build or buy appropriate shelves and categorize your books for easy re-use.   Bookshelves can also hold picture frames and other accessories for interest and variety.

By the 1950’s and the advent of suburbia, homes became stripped down to be affordable to the masses. Levitt construction was the classic example of homes meant to be expanded and enhanced at some future time. Many of them were, but over the years the “addition of space” superseded the “addition of grace.” The gracefulness and elegance of classically appointed rooms, which lost ground in favor of space, now is most definitely popular again.    

So where did it all come from? A little history lesson if you will:
It all began with the Egyptians who may be remembered for their impressive tombs, but also actually perpetuated the column which was a throw back to ancient culture and even Stonehenge. These columns were copied and embellished upon by the Greeks who also added the moldings that were eventually organized and categorized by their conquerors, the Romans. Got it so far? Good. So now the “classical” style of molding, columns and architecture traveled through the centuries, appearing and re-appearing in different countries at different times – always referred to in some way as classical or neo-classical (new classical).

Today we are experiencing yet another classical revival and our interest is heightened by the desire to improve the value of our homes as well as enhance its interior space for personal, empowerment and pleasure. Long Islanders have gone “crown molding happy,” more often than not, painting it white and using a substantive color on the walls, a departure from the brown stained molding and white walls of the 1970’s that might still exist in some homes.

Columns have taken the place of bearing walls in an effort to create more open space. Non-supporting columns have added architectural interest whether fluted or straight, round or square, contemporary or traditional. Half-columns applied to walls (pilasters) adorn doorways and fireplace mantles and they create a feeling of timelessness.

Fireplaces, themselves available in wood-burning, gas or electric, while not in every room as in days of yore, are appearing more and more in living rooms, dining rooms, as well as dens, bathrooms and bedrooms. Wainscoting (literally meaning wood applied to the wall) is most popular as chair rail with panels below. It is often painted white to match the rest of the trim, or stained a wood tone if applied to the entire wall and separated by chair rail using raised panels or applied moldings.

All in all, our homes have become more gracious and more interesting (as long as we don’t get too pretentious) by our architectural additions. So dress up your space with the classics and see how your furniture, no matter what your style, will be enhanced.

Natalie Weinstein, Allied ASID
 
It's a New Year! As we look back at – on our accomplishments and our intentions, we now get another chance to move ahead.  Perhaps in the past few weeks you were able to reflect on friends, family and other special people who have loved and inspired you throughout the year.  In your gratitude, perhaps you’ve also been thinking about ways to be a better person to yourself and others in the new year.   

I like to talk about ways to begin anew. How does your home make you feel? What would you change if money was no object? First you need to make a "Wish List" and a "Needs List". Think about what easy fixes would make you feel better.  Then maybe you'd be willing to wait for the bigger projects if you put in some “sweat equity” to get your home in shape.
                  
While renewing and redoing begins in the New Year with resolutions, remember it is just beginning!  And to continue with new beginnings, here are a few tips if this is the year for a home renovating project:

1. Discuss needs and wishes and determine whether you want to undergo a major or minor project and inquire about funding.
2. If major renovation is required, are you willing to move out or get storage pods, if needed?
3. Make a list of priorities before you call in a professional team (designer, architect, and contractor) and look at magazines, homes in the neighborhood, etc. for ideas.
4. Bring in the professionals for a consultation before you hire anyone, get references and make your final decision.
5. Start with the interior designer and get space plan alternatives.
6. Next bring in the architect for a feasibility study of interior plans and to make exterior drawings.
7. Check town or municipality requirements and decide who will file plans.
8. When the plans are finalized, give the same plan to all general contractors bidding your job and be sure to get references.
9. Compare contracts and prices to make sure of what’s included and what’s not and how long it will take to complete.
10. Schedule payments based on accomplished work and make sure your team is working together.

Happy New Year!  Look for our seminars and "how to's" throughout the year to keep you motivated and on track in creating the beautiful home you deserve.      

​ Statistics tell us that the two most popular New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight and get organized.  So it’s no surprise that January is National Clutter Control month.  Funny isn’t it?  It’s almost as if clutter were an uncontrolled epidemic, one which needs a clean slate and a “new-year” to attempt to contain.  But if we do things the same way as last year, we’ll probably get the same results.  So how can we change?  Most of us need help - and help is all around us if we reach out and are willing to hold ourselves accountable.
            Exactly what does accountability mean – in business and in life?  This past year, I renewed a friendship with a young man, Hal, who was dead on arrival at the hospital after a horrific car crash.  By a miracle, he was revived and after 2 years of excruciating surgeries and rehabilitation, he defied the odds and returned to a normal life.  As I was enjoying his company at a business summit, I asked him how he did it.  He wrote a book about his experiences, started a successful life coaching business, appeared on national T.V., all while in his 20’s.
            Hal smiled and said it wasn’t easy – but it was simple.  “I simply held myself accountable for the things I could control,” he said.  “Each action that takes me toward a goal, even the smallest step, is an accomplishment and I never let myself off the hook.  I set my sites on the next step, determine a deadline, and hold myself accountable.”  What a powerful concept and what an inspiring young man.  As a life coach, I could see why he is successful and how his basic tenet could be applied to everyone and almost everything. 
            So let’s apply Hal’s rule.  What if we could find ways to assure our accountability?  We could establish a nucleus of people who could show us how to work towards our decluttering and organizing goals – coaches to help us get to the finish line, people like personal professional organizers, feng shui experts, garage and storage fabricators- or people like me, helping people like you. So let’s begin with some basics:

• Start with a plan.
• Leave time to execute your goal.
• Set small goals- i.e. one drawer, one shelf in your pantry, a pile of clothing, etc.  Add a new accomplishment every day and reward yourself when you do (but not with fattening food or you’ll have broken your other New Year’s resolution!)..
• Establish a system:  keep, throw away, give away, can’t decide (Don’t make the last one your biggest pile).
• Accomplish one space (i.e. bedroom, kitchen, bathroom) and it will spur you to go on to other areas in the house.
• Create a new organization habit, i.e. set out clothes the night before, designate a place for keys, glasses, etc. and only put them there. (You’d be surprised how much time you’ll save).

And don’t forget- ask for help if you need it- and hold yourself accountable.

​The holidays are almost behind us, and I hope it was a happy one for all you.  I also hope it was a safe one.  With visitors still remaining, and New Year’s celebrations coming up, here are some helpful hints for keeping your home and life accident-proof today and beyond:

• If you have young children or young visitors, you might want to purchase a child-proofing kit with grip and twist door knob covers, latches and plug protectors, heat resistant oven door locks, and cord channel kits to protect against trips and falls.
• Why not update your door locks with electronic deadbolts?  A set with a numeric keypad avoids leaving or losing keys for visiting family.
• If you don’t have a monitored alarm system, perhaps now is the time to invest in one, especially if you have plans to travel away from home this holiday season.
• I always worry about “trip and fall” situations, so make sure your entry is free of fallen leaves and other debris, and replace all burned out light bulbs with LED ones to avoid a “man who came to dinner” situation.
• Consider using HEPA filtered air purifiers throughout the house to avoid the spread of germs in this major cold and flu season.  Perhaps preventatives like vitamins, Airborne, or other products of your choice, can add an extra layer of protection.
• At all times of the year, fire extinguishers and smoke and C02 detectors are a must, but especially when holiday lights, candles, fireplaces and lots of cooking are occurring.  Be sure to check the batteries.
• You might be thinking about redoing or updating your bathroom in the coming year, but in the meantime, adding a non-slip floor mat in the shower and some grab bars can avoid a major accident for elderly or very young visitors.

Let’s all keep safe and healthy and look forward to a great New Year.

The holidays are calling us – in every shop and marketing campaign – but in truth, somehow, they still seem to overtake us and our good intentions of “being ready”.  That’s why, as the pressure mounts to get things done, up goes the stress level and our enjoyment evaporates.
               
We all know that entertaining at home is really a holiday gift that should be shared with friends and family, and the best hosts are the ones who are relaxed (or seem so) and enjoying themselves.  How do they do it?  What holiday magic have they learned that many of us have not yet mastered?  I think we all know it’s not magic, but good planning and preparation (easy for me to say).  The good news is we still have time on our side, so let’s use it wisely:
               
Start by doing a quick clean up.  Get rid of whatever is worn, torn, or broken and begin your “to-do” lists for gift giving and home decorating.  Make them realistic – and affordable – and evaluate the way you’ve done things in the past.  Maybe it’s time to change.

Gift giving – what if you….

• Had a family lottery to eliminate so many presents
• Purchased gift cards
• Shopped online
• Just exchanged greeting cards with personal messages
• Or, if you’re in the Fortune 500 category, hire a personal shopper and send them off to complete your list.
• If gift giving is part of your celebration, be sure you’ve wrapped a few extra presents so when unexpected guests turn up, no one will feel left out.
• What about the kids? Have you planned anything special for them to keep them happy and occupied?

Now – your home

• Don’t plan a renovation project too close to the holidays.
• A fresh coat of paint can transform a room easily (and try a new color that works)
• Use holiday decorations as seasonal additions to your home.  They can usually transform a room into something special all by themselves. 
• More may not be better.  Proper showcasing can make inexpensive objects look grand and beautiful.  Try to group holiday accessories as you might any collectible.  For example, your existing bookshelves may be the perfect place to display a whole Christmas village or Chanukah menorah collection rather than adding an additional table taking up needed space. 
• Make your staircase a focal point with decorative garlands and plants (if the steps are wide enough).  This is especially effective since your entry sets the tone of the whole house. 
• Fireplaces can look wonderful when dressed for the season with mantle covers, candles and Christmas stockings or dreidels and Chanukah cards. 
• Place your tree or giant dreidel in an area for greatest enjoyment, leaving enough space for presents and people opening them.  Think about rearranging the furniture just a bit for maximum use and affect. 
• Do your decorations overwhelm your guests? Is there still room for comfortable seating or should you move things around in advance to accommodate everyone?
• To ensure that guests don’t turn up when you need to get in the shower or bath for the only private time you can salvage, set the time for folks to arrive and don’t leave it too open ended.
• If guests are staying over, make sure their quarters are prepared and user friendly (empty drawers and closet space, clean towels, fresh bed linens).  Do you want to decorate that area with holiday décor?
• Is your coat closet empty?  Are there extra hangers in it?
• Do candle holders have candles?
• Check out the powder room.  Add fresh scents, decorative paper hand towels, and a candle or two.

And finally, find a wine you love to serve, open a bottle now, pour a glass, make your lists and remember what the holidays are meant to be.  Enjoy the anticipation of celebrating traditions with family and friends - and when the day comes, if you’ve prepared, it will become a happy memory for the future. Best wishes from everyone at Natalie Weinstein Design Associates & Uniquely Natalie!

P.S. – For immediate furniture and accessory delivery, visit Uniquely Natalie our quality consignment shop for beautiful additions to your home affordably. 

Call Natalie Weinstein Design at 631-862-6198 for GIFT CERTIFICATES for an in-home consultation in the new year!  Visit www.natalieweinstein.com to view our work.

​Less than a year after the 911 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, Lee Ielpi called my employer, a renowned photographer and brand consultant, and asked if he would document a number of artifacts recovered from the WTC site by the FBI, before they were put into the museum exhibits at the Tribute WTC Visitor Center. My boss asked me if I would like to help and I said, "Anything for Lee".

The sight of these artifacts was an emotional and overwhelming experience. One of the artifacts was the turnout coat and fire helmet of Mr. Ielpi's son which my boss decided only he could photograph out of respect to his friend Lee. Totally overcome by the emotion of this experience my boss asked if I could do the rest of the documentation. The objects included police revolvers that were melted from the extreme heat, twisted pieces of the building, and fragments of the aircraft and personal effects of the victims. Then I was handed an American flag folded in the customary Marine manner. The flag was tattered around the edges and the colors of the fabric were distorted due to the extreme heat of the burning buildings. I was told that this was the flag, rescued from the rubble, and was found at the World Trade Center site by people working on the recovery. I decided to gingerly unfold the flag, as I touched the fabric it was as if the souls of thousands of people were crying out, "Always remember us and what happened so we will not have died in vain". I looked through my camera and adjusted the angle slightly; all I could think of at that moment was "our flag was still there" words that resonated from our national anthem. That is what I named the picture that later became an iconic image for the Tribute WTC Visitor Center because the flag itself is on display in its galleries.

Wire for sound from soft backyard music to guest participating karaoke (Invite the neighbors so they won’t complain).  

• Create focal points for socializing with seating, re:  sofa areas, dining areas, built in seating on deck, bar stools around kitchen area (everyone loves to gather ‘round the ­­­­­­chef).
• Create eye appeal with colorful plantings and planters that flower throughout the summer season as well as the perennial greenery that is a design staple.
• Use outdoor area rugs to define space and create an outdoor “room”.

And . . . . . . . . . . . . if you’re lucky enough to have the space and funds, build your own pool house!  Here's one which includes a full kitchen and bath, fireplace and T.V. and comfortable seating located at poolside.  It is an all year ‘round “destination” hang out room that adds a new dimension to a stay at home getaway!

​You can start with the front door or even the front porch and while tulips are still in season, set them in a container that “loves their floppiness”, even an old bird cage or watering can or any old container to welcome you, as well as visitors.

• Daffodils, pansies and forsythia make a great pop of yellow in any room and are easy to arrange together.
• Mason jars or any glass jars make wonderful containers and if they are too large just put a smaller holder inside it.
• If you are having company, especially for Mother’s Day, set each place with an individual small flower arrangement or create “break-aways” for a long middle of the table centerpiece.
• Think “greens” as well as yellows, whites and pinks”.  “Grass” looks great as a backdrop or a centerpiece.
• Think fruits and vegetables mixed with flowers or on their own.
• You can keep your table “pastel airy” with soft light colored dinnerware and fabric placemats before you add your floral touches.
• Think different heights and widths of complementary containers.
• Perhaps you’d like to choose a theme to dress a table (i.e. - in the fall, our design firm was selected to create a table setting for the Long Island Harvest donor dinner and chose the sunflower as our theme.  It was on chair backs, placements, in the white pumpkin centerpiece and even in specially made cookies!)
• For a special dinner, perhaps one single flower can be artfully placed in a bud vase, napkin or across a serving plate for each guest.

              
So where should you bring spring flowers into your home?  EVERYWHERE – from powder room, to entry foyer, to bedrooms (guest and yours), to living rooms and dens, and of course, your dining room and kitchen.  From table tops to shelving units to window ledges, in baskets, boots, jars, vases and almost any container, your home will be brightened with the touch of spring only fresh flowers and plants can bring.  Just remember – water them, cut the stems and when their life is over, say good-bye!

By Natalie Weinstein, Allied ASID, IDS
Natalie Weinstein Design Associates

No – it’s not a dance or a party.  It’s just my way of saying it’s time to take that ball (all your clutter) and head it toward the goal post or basket – a big basket (I fear your wastebasket isn’t big enough).  Super Bowl is over and your guests may not be coming back until Easter or Passover, but look at the calendar.  How much time do you need to get your house in order?

​In January, I had small group sessions on clutter control in our Uniquely Natalie shop.  These were even more helpful than the larger seminars because people were able to open up and share and the group, as well as myself, could be supportive – in a tough love way.
              
Cleanup is only the first order of business.  The next is to take an assessment of the physical needs of your home – the roof, air conditioning, appliances that are on their way out and other items that might not look like you are “decorating” but can build up to big ticket numbers if left unattended.  The garden cleanup is another project that needs attention by you or others.  In short, your home can only take care of you if you take care of it.
              
Now for the old and tired furnishings.  Are they going to be replaced, reupholstered, used as place holders?  Is the floor plan a good one for your home and your lifestyle?  Can you benefit from a re-assessment of usable space?  Is this the year you are going for a major renovation – kitchen, bathroom, extension?  As always, the first action needed is a plan of action.  It shows intent and can be backed up by doing research to create a viable budget for your wants and needs.  So far, no money has been spent, but the time you spend to do your planning can save you lots of money – and stress, as well.

• Think out of the box and maybe out of your comfort zone.  Check out the internet and magazines for design and renovation ideas that appeal and see if some can work for you and your home.
• Would you consider a fresh coat of paint to enhance your existing furnishing?
• Are your window treatments dated and too heavy?  Try removing most of them, leaving just the sheers, or putting up new sheers to let light and spring in?
• Would new accessories refresh or is it time to clear out the display cabinets and leave only what you truly love so people, as well as you, can actually see these items and enjoy the view?
• Have you ever visited a consignment store? – Our Uniquely Natalie shop is filled with truly beautiful quality pieces that will fit into your budget and still look new.  

       
So get the momentum going.  How will you welcome the coming of spring in your home and life?