Are you stuck with your renovation project's to-do list? 

It's true - somethings never seem to change - like your to do list. But if you're like many of my clients, there comes a time when you just have to go ahead and get your project going.

But where to start? You can start here by reading a few posts written for people just like you.

A little confirmation helps you to know you are not alone. So here are some ideas for you to read to get you started. The link below is a short piece about the need to block out time and make a commitment to get started. It might start with contacting a contractor, builder or architect or you might start by visiting home centers and kitchen and bath stores. 

Start here first

Great, now you're warming up to moving ahead. But you still have questions or concerns about building or renovating. The more you understand the building process, the better you will be when the time comes to find your kitchen and bath cabinets, plumbing, appliances, tubs, etc.

If you're in a coastal area, you want to make sure that your home will be built for longevity.

Now read this

It's really that simple. Once you understand what's needed in the construction process, you can jump to the fun part - design and decorating. However, before you head back to Pinterest to get ideas, let's take time to discuss how you plan to use the room you are building or renovating.

This part will make you relieved and ready for a great change

In the end, your project is about creating your vision of the best home. Home should be a place to be comfortable in with everything that pulls at your heart strings. And by the way, I value this quote from The One Thing book that says "Perfection gets in the way of what is possible". In other words, it's okay to want something wonderful, but don't let the fact that it isn't "perfect" (nothing is here on earth you know) keep you from enjoying all the wonderful things about your home. 

If you're still frozen, consider calling an expert to help you make decisions and who values the things that you love. 

Mary Alice Smith - 732 608-7583

M. A. Smith Interior Design 

Residential and Commercial Interior Design

E-mail: masmith@masmithinteriordesign.com 

Allied Member ASID

Member of Kiwanis Club of Greater Toms River 

Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce

Website:  http://masmithinteriordesign.com

Serving Coastal New Jersey homeowners and businesses for twenty years

The Most Important Advice For Decorating Your Home

Keep it Clear and Simple

I captured this image on one of my morning walks. What I like about it is its clarity and its simplicity. It's the same thing when you hire people to help you decorate or renovate your home. To have a successful design project, you must have clarity about how everyone in the project will work together and who, when, where and how things will be accomplished. 

It’s as simple as that!

Here are some of the ways to make your renovation successful: 

Collaborate: Getting along with everyone is a win-win attitude. (Being pushy or demanding will only render a lot of push-back = slow progress)
    

Communicate: Roadblocks to communication stifle creativity and progress. There are so many ways to communicate today - text, email, phone or in person. Do whatever works for all involved in your renovation to keep the momentum going.

Finally and really important: Be ready to go to Plan B, or C, etc. Sometimes the best ideas need some time to appear. Your redesign will get done. So having an 'open attitude' is the key to success. 

It's simple!

After years of working on interior design projects, I've noticed that having a ‘yes’ attitude makes all the difference. It's okay to communicate your needs and wants, but keep your mind open for new ways of solving a problem.

For professional help, for a nudge to get started, for the best year ever,

 call Mary Alice at:

                            732 690-2030

M. A. Smith Interior Design

1288 Beauchamps Place, Toms River, NJ 08753

E-mail: masmith@masmithinteriordesign.com

Allied Member ASID

Member of Kiwanis of Greater Toms River 

BIO

http://masmithinteriordesign.com

Blog: Coastal Confidante Blog 

Blog: BestDesignCoach.com

Serving New Jersey and Metropolitan New York City

Part II - Designer's Best Kept Secrets to a Successful Project

Renaissance at Manchester NJ new Lobby's Installation Day

The minute you see the photo above, you may have wondered why I used this image today. Yes, it's a lobby and not a home. But the design process to arrive to this special installation day is the same, whether for residential or commercial design.

The process starts with gathering information as I discussed in the last blog post. We discuss how a room is used or will be used. What do you like or dislike when you think of the room as it is now. And, what changes in the room would make you happy.

(The former Lobby before updating)

For instance, our design committee at Renaissance discussed the dissatisfaction with the old layout of the room. We discussed how much seating should be included (as well as a change in color scheme). Once I had the basic information on the flow (or access from one area to the next) and the need for ample seating, I measured and then created the floorplan you see below.

We expanded the carpeted area to the rear of the room and shortened the carpeted area in the front of the Lobby. This created a more open feel and direct access from one hallway to the other.

The intent of the space is to add seating arranged for conversation.

However, the space is not meant for lengthy meetings, so we left out the use of side tables next to the sofa and armchairs.

The result is a more updated, open and airy lobby that is a great departure from the former layout.

Yes, floorplans are helpful. But sometimes a 3D drawing gives our clients an image they can understand.

This drawing shows the highback wing chairs that work beautifully in a room with a high ceiling. Also, it's more interesting to vary the heights of sofas or chairs.

We stayed on course with the committees' request to keep the traffic flow around the seating area and within the seating area easy for residents to use.

So now you know this designer's secret to successful projects - start with information gathering and design spaces that are comfortable to use for all.

From new construction, renovations and room refreshing, we work a plan and plan your design around your life, your family and your budget. 

Part I - Designer's Best Kept Secret to a Successful Project

Photo courtesy of Urban Electric Company 

Did you look at the photo above and immediately start to think about your own living room or family room? Maybe the paneled wall attracted you or the amazing wall sconce. Perhaps the throw pillows are something you've been meaning to add to your sofa. All those thoughts are so important. You see, you need to have a vision first, if you want to achieve anything in life or in designing your home. 

As I mentioned in the last blog post : I always ask my clients - "How do you want to use the room or space (indoors or outside)? Do you need more seating, less seating, more space for entertaining perhaps?"

Simply put - it's function first. Yes, I know you have numerous Pinterest Boards (as I do). 

But, before we get excited about that sofa or dining room table, let me hear from you how you use the room now and/or how you'd really like to use the room. 

The view from my office to the Dining Room (formerly the  Living Room)

In our home over the last ten years, I've asked myself that same question - How do we want to use the room now? 

We had a Living Room and a Family Room. But since the family is all grown up, did we really need two rooms for seating? 

Perhaps the former Dining Room would serve better as my home office and perhaps the former Living Room would allow more seating for our Dining Room table. 

Let's start the design journey with questions. Let's be open to ideas that you would never imagine before. 



What area of your home could be reimagined into the most wonderful space you never imagined before?

Five of my Favorite Myths or Secrets about Decorating your Home with Paint

Photo courtesy of Country Living 

1. Dark paint colors make a room look smaller - wrong! Dark paint colors give a small space the oomph it needs to look important. There is a warm and enveloping feeling that you can't always get from a pale shade of paint. 
2. Trim has to be either stained or painted white. Please give this one myth up ASAP! In our own home we used a medium shade of gray on our formerly lackluster white interior doors. 
3. Gray paint is not a warm color. Wrong again! Yes, some grays are cooler grays, but there's a warm gray for everybody. We used Benjamin Moore's Edgecomb Gray on our hallways and Foyer. It's a beigy/soft/greige that changes throughout the day. It's perfect if you want to be 'engaged' but not commit to gray. 
4. Everyone in the house has to love the color I choose. Trust me, not everyone has the faintest idea of what paint can do for a house. For instance, if your toddler craves purple, would you respect her choice and paint your home purple? If you're unsure on what color to select, look into hiring an interior designer to help make the best choice of color. 
5. All paints are the same, so buy less expensive paint. After twenty years in the business of interior design, I can speak as an expert. Do buy good paint, it will look and last better than cheaper paints. 

Lastly, (as much as I love my painters) let them do their work but save the color selection to you or your designer. Not every color looks the same in every house. I've seen paint colors in my clients homes that I would have loved in my home. But, we have different light, floor color, furnishings and all that can change how a color looks. 

Mary Alice Smith of M. A. Smith Interior Design - an interior designer serving New Jersey, Ocean and Monmouth County, the Jersey Shore and metropolitan New York, CT 

To schedule an appointment call: 732 690-2030

M. A. Smith Interior Design 

masmith@masmithinteriordesign.com

Allied Member ASID

Member of Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce

Member of Kiwanis Daybreak of Toms River

http://masmithinteriordesign.com

Blog: HouseZenGarden and Best Design Coach

Take Comfort! Take Control! Get This For Your Renovated or New Bathroom If You're Into Innovation

The Spa Like Water Closet for Today Lifestyle

Get Innovation in Your Bath For Your Unique Lifestyle!

Yes, it's true - the bathroom above has more 'Zen' appeal than most of us have in our homes or even our yoga studios. But it does give you a glimpse of the ever changing, improving trends in bathroom products. In 1904, old style toilets were made of enameled cast iron and featured a wooden tank! But today - today's toilets have features that will have your guests talking, if you add one of these tanks to your remodeling, renovating or building lists.

For starters, Kohler's Single-Flush Gravity models enjoy the "widest range of design, shape color or installation options." So, may the 'force' be with you while you save up to $99 per year on your water bill according to their brochure Bathroom - Toilets, Seats and Bidets.

If you really want to go all out on trends, the Numi Toilet is the one for you! Here are some of its features that get people talking:

• Automatic open, flush and close
• Self-cleaning wand
• Precision air dryer
• Deodorizing filter
• Ambient lighting
• Integral speakers
• Touch-screen remote
• Heated seat
• Foot Warmer

If I had the Numi - I would never want to leave my bathroom!

Don't worry if the Numi is not on your list, you can still get innovation like you never dreamed of back in the day. As they say -you can never go back and in the case of the toilets, that's a good thing!

Mary Alice Smith of M. A. Smith, Ltd. - an interior designer serving New Jersey, Ocean and Monmouth County, the Jersey Shore and metropolitan New York areas.

To schedule an appointment call: 732 690-2030 or email me at masmith729@comcast.net.

M. A. Smith, Ltd.
Interior Design
732 690-2030
masmith729@comcast.net
Allied Member ASID
http://masmithinteriordesign.com
Blog: HouseZenGarden and Best Design Coach
Serving New Jersey and Metropolitan New York

 

The last sacred space - The Master Bath

Create.Coach.Collaborate

Photo courtesy of WalkerZanger.com

For awhile we were told to create bathrooms for eventual resale purposes.

While I partially agree with that, I also believe the bathroom is a place to show your individuality.

We all wince when we see harvest gold or pink tiled baths (which were obviously someones idea of their dream bathroom a long time ago.)

But you can have your cake and eat it too when you go about designing a new bathroom. You can select surfaces, like the tile above (yes, that's ceramic tile!) to show your love of wood, or make use of an acorn accent tile for a border.

The trick is to know when to stop.

Observe and learn about what is considered classic design.

Steer clear of trendy patterns or bold colors.

What's your idea of a beautiful bath?

 

M. A. Smith, Ltd.

Interior Design

732 690-2030

masmithinteriordesign.com

bestdesigncoach.com

housezengarden.com

masmith729@comcast.net



Compromising is win-win even in a Bathroom

Photo courtesy of Crown-point.com

Today is the second post on bathrooms. When clients decide to renovate a bath,
they will usually end up spending 1/3 of their budget on vanities.
So it's very important to weigh all the pros and cons before selecting the vanity
for your new bath.

In the photo above, it is evident that there was a need to mix classic
and rustic in this small space.

What I like about the design of the bathroom above are the following details:

• The white cabinetry helps a small space appear larger
• The elevated center cabinet raises your eye upward and gives depth to the space
• The arch of the mirror adds a element of 'softness' to all the linear things going on with the cabinet doors
• The sconces add whimsy and interest without being overwhelming
• It appears that there is a nod to the feminine and the masculine preferences (a win-win approach)

What do you like about your bathroom?  What do you keep thinking you would like to change - someday, in your bathroom?

M. A. Smith, Ltd.
Interior Design
732 690-2030
masmithinteriordesign.com
bestdesigncoach.com
housezengarden.com