Confused over what Furniture to Buy for your Home?

Is the act of buying furniture for your home like looking the perfect shoe at your favorite store?
So many choices, so little time...

Photo courtesy of Elle Decor

It's so exciting at first. You have a goal to make your home beautiful. You start looking in magazines, websites and books. But, at some point you may get a sinking feeling that you are stuck, unable to make a decision and going nowhere fast with your dream home.

Just as in the photo of the shoes above, there are so many styles to choose from in home and fashion these days. How can you decide which is right for you? When you talk about your dilemma to friends and family it may only confuse the issue.

The good news though, is that you are not alone! Most of my clients start out this way with great dreams followed by apprehension. But what always solves their stalemate is actually simple - it's action! As Zig Ziglar once said: "...action follows goals".

When I work with clients, the first thing I do is ask them the questions that reveal what furnishings they need and then we determine what styles they love. Once I understand my client's goals, I can create a plan of action and before long, we are on the way to creating the home that will make them happy and glad they solved their dilemma!

How to turn a Rainy Day into a Red Letter Day

I know we need the rain, but that doesn't make me love a rainy day like today. So to lift my spirits, I pulled together a few things that bring an instant smile to my day.

1. A picture of a house with red doors. (Red's my color, just so you know.)

Photo courtesy of Collette's Cottage Blog

2. Red nail polish on my fingers reminds me of Chanel and everything glamorous, when I don't feel glamorous.

Photo courtesy of Essie.com (Color: Fishnet Red)

 3. Red walls are tantalizing to see. I have used red on many a wall in my house, but now use red as an accent color (pillows, maybe my front door someday, throws, etc.)

Benjamin Moore's Million Dollar Red courtesy of Stellarspaces Blog

Question: What lifts your spirits on a rainy day?

Straight talk about Stripes in decorating your Home

Kravet Zebra Stripe

When I mention the word 'stripe' for fabric or wall coverings, most people think of vertical or horizontal stripes. But as you can see, the Zebra print above can be used as a stripe in your home too.

• Stripes can be used for adding a pinch of pizazz in a room that has solid fabrics. Think about using a stripe fabric on a throw pillow, or on one wall of a room to make it the focus of attention.

• This zebra stripe would look great on a three-panelled screen in the corner of a room or as a fabric for an ottoman or as a rug. Also, stripes can lead your eye 'up' and visually lengthen the look of a room's ceiling height.

•  Remember that when using stripes in decorating, a little goes a long way to add that certain something that makes a room 'sing.'

Stuck in a decorating rut? Don't worry, be happy, read on!

Today, I'm working on design for a client's new home. However, a month ago this same client expressed some concerns, that might stop her from realizing her dream of the perfect bedroom space.
While my client's concerns were real, she was not alone in her concern about ever having her dreams come to life.

Interior Designers research many fabrics for a Design Project

At parties, organization meetings, in stores or just about anywhere I hear the following comments from people about their homes:
I can't finish or get to my decorating project because -

• I can't make a decision and there are too many choices - it's overwhelming!
• I am afraid of making the wrong choices, which will cost me more in the future to fix.
• No one is listening to what I want!
• It could take too long, and I don't have the time to work on it now.
• I need someone to bounce ideas off who won't steer me in the wrong direction.

It's true, as interior designers we use our abilities and experience to create beautiful rooms. But our core strength is the ability to create a vision with a plan and then execute it so that the job gets done. It's as complex and as simple as that.
Maybe you know someone who is stuck in their dreams of the perfect kitchen or family room. Perhaps the best thing you can do for a friend and as a friend, is to point her/him in the direction of an interior designer.

It's as loving and as simple as that!

For more information on how to make your home beautiful without adding stress to your busy day -

Call Mary Alice in the New Jersey and metro New York City area at:

732 690-2030