Tips for Brightening your Home to Cure the Winter Blues

Winter can be pretty gloomy especially in Chicago where I am based.  Waking up in the dark and getting home in the dark doesn’t help.   Light or the lack of it, affects how we feel, our mood and energy levels.  There is even a medical condition called SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder, which  is caused by the disruption […]

How to Bring Old World Charm to your Christmas Dinner Table

Dining table decorated for Christmas in vintage old world style

Christmas is a time for celebrating our traditions and honoring memories while gathering with friends and family.  I love to incorporate the old with the new in my holiday table decorating, weaving in vintage pieces which have meaning to my family and recall the past.  I also like to add some element of the outdoors into […]

Fireplaces – The Heart Of Your Home

Traditional and classic fireplace and bookcase design for Chicago North Shore living room

Are you happy with your fireplace? Is it the focal point of your room?  Whatever the season and whatever the style, a fireplace beckons and draws us in. The fireplace has long been thought of as the heart of a home and a commanding presence in most rooms. This makes it a natural focal point. What exactly is a focal point […]

6 Design Ideas for Fall to Bring the Outdoors into Your Home

Bathroom in Earth tones and a textured tile

Now that Fall is here, the unique organic shapes and patterns of nature come into sharper focus. Fall means cooler weather, warm spiced pumpkin lattes and being cozy inside our homes. Just because the weather is getting cooler outside does not mean you cannot enjoy the visual appeal and feeling of being outdoors inside! We here at […]

Rug Ideas for Large Rooms on a Budget and Tips for Sizing a Rug

Living room rug, custom size wool rug

Rugs add comfort underfoot and create a defined area in our rooms.  They create cozy and inviting seating areas while breaking up an expanse of hardwood flooring. A common problem many people face is finding the right sized rug for their room, especially large rooms.  You don’t have to shop for a pre-made rug in the perfect […]

6 Key Design Principles to Follow When Decorating your College Dorm Room

college dorm room ideas, college dorm room decor, dorm room style, how to decorate your dorm room

This blog post is not like all those other blog posts about decorating your dorm room.  For all those students starting or going back to college this fall and their anxious parents, I am going to give you some insider tips from the design world that will help you transform your dorm room so that it […]

4 Ways to Decorate Your Walls With Artwork

  This week’s post is about a subject many people find difficult.  If you have large blank walls, it can be challenging trying to think how to decorate them with artwork, even if you have pieces ready to display.  You may think the artwork you have is too small or too big.  If you group […]

How to Define Your Design Style for Your Home

Are You Traditional, Transitional or Contemporary? Many of my clients have difficulty describing and expressing their preferred design style.  Sometimes it is hard to know what the terms Traditional, Transitional and Contemporary mean, especially when shelter magazines talk about “the New Traditional” or “updated Traditional”.   A classical fireplace design, combinations of different patterns both […]

How to Design Your Home to Include Your Pets – Top Tips

Award winning Master bedroom design in pale blue, lavender and grey. Luxury bedroom design Lake Forest, North Shore Chicago

I have not seen the Secret Life of Pets movie yet, but I bet their homes don’t feature some of these great ideas for designing your space to work around their baskets, litters, bowls and bedding!  We love our pets but we often forget to think about them when planning the layout of our furniture and kitchens. […]

How to Avoid the 4 Biggest Mistakes with Window Treatments.

Whether you consider yourself traditional, transitional or modern in style, window treatments make a big design statement about possibly the most important architectural feature of your home, as well as provide warmth, privacy and light control. You may have a great view from the window or one you would rather hide. You may have large open windows […]