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Greenhouse Fabrics just introduced a fresh new fabric line called “Anna Elisabeth” which I am very happy to bring to you. The Anna Elisabeth brand “is brought to you by a diverse team of women here to assist you with fabric selection, research, and insight. Each with a unique design background, ….” I love the tag line on their website: “It’s time to make a statement.” Yes, indeed! The Anna Elisabeth line is inspired by Paris, and the Greenhouse website will delight your sense of adventure for fabric and travel. I really love that you can use their website to easily sort the line by color, style, category and usage – or search it by keywords.  I have the complete Anna Elisabeth sample collection in my inventory, so let’s explore this new line together for your indoor or patio decorating project. If you are not sure if Paris is a good source of inspiration - here are some of my photos of a wonderful trip that I took to France with my family a couple of years ago. It was truly inspiring. So give me a call and let’s bring a touch of Paris to your interiors.  If you install window treatments, like I do, you have to be a dog lover! Here are some of the furry friends that I’ve met during some recent installations: Champ, Maverick, Tucker and Bubbles. They are always very curious about my sample bags, and tools - and of course whether or not I have any treats stashed away. I just love these furry residents of the beautiful homes that I decorate. It’s always nice to make new friends.  We have a fun shop here in Sudbury named “Laurel Grove” where owners Michelle Palmer and Isabelle Palmer sell vintage furniture and home décor items. Here’s a photo of Laurel Grove’s location at 339 Boston Post Road (Route 20) on the east side of town. Their website is: https://laurelgroveshop.com/  They were awarded Best of Boston Home 2019 - congratulations! It’s nice to have Sudbury on the map for an outstanding retail home décor shop (as well as many other redeeming qualities which I totally enjoy in my home town.) After touring through their large 2-level shop just this past week, I spoke with owner Michelle Palmer. Michelle told me about how she and her daughter Isabelle Palmer, an interior designer, rotate the shop’s offerings and products seasonally. With the Summer season coming up they’ll feature many beach and nautically-inspired items, perfect for all of the Metro-west residents who spend their summer vacations at the Cape or up the coast in Maine. Several on-line reviewers have described the shop as having a “farm house” or shabby chic vibe, and I concur. Plus, there lots of clever and ingenious gift items with inspirational messages that are sure to delight. I just couldn’t resist snapping a photo of an adage I totally identify with.  The Laurel Grove website describes the shop as "… a special place where we hope our community can gather to find gorgeous, unique home décor and gifts and also inspiration and warmth. In it, you will find an eclectic mix of home accents and gifts ranging from vintage to handmade to new.” I agree with that, especially since the offerings at Laurel Grove change dramatically with the seasons, so they're always introducing new things that warrant a look-see. One of the other things that I like about the store is that Laurel Grove is a retailer for chalk paints, including Maison Blanche. For those who are skilled and adventurous enough to paint their own furniture pieces, I suggest you check out Laurel Grove and their extensive selection of paints, finishes, supplies, and samples with various techniques applied.
 If you love the vintage look in painted furniture, but wish to have Laurel Grove do your painting for you, they are happy to do that too - https://laurelgroveshop.com/pages/laurel-grove-custom-painting  For other tutorials on painting furniture, I recommend you check out Jann Newton’s website. I'm connected to Jann through our work on window coverings and soft fashions for your home (with textiles), and this gifted lady has lots of talents, that she shares with her blog readers, related to painting furniture. With antique season coming up, Laurel Grove is the perfect place to visit beforehand to consider the range of painting possibilities (and colors) available. It’s nice to have that info in mind when you shop the Antique fairs and mentally assess just what you will do with the treasures you find. For those of you in the Boston area........ 2019 Brimfield Show dates in Brimfield, MA: - May 14-19, 2019 (only a month away!!) - July 9-14, 2019 - Sept 3-8, 2019 I certainly enjoyed shopping at Laurel Grove this week and hope you stop in yourself during your upcoming travels through Sudbury. You'll be glad you did!   So, you've set up an appointment with an Interior Designer to get the ball rolling on your newest project, and now you’re starting to wonder what to do next. Rest assured that everyone has this question. Since I see things from the other side (e.g. the Designer’s side), here are some suggestions for you to effectively prepare for a discussion about your ideas and needs during your initial appointment.
 If you follow these tips then you and your Designer will have a much more productive initial meeting – and that will allow you to get rolling on your project even faster. During your initial meeting your Designer will be happy to discuss all your preferences and needs, and your preparation ahead of time can make it a truly enjoyable and productive session!  We’ve all heard about staging a home to prepare it for a faster and higher priced sale by transforming the home into a more welcoming, attractive and visually appealing offering that anyone might want. Traditionally you would either declutter your home and rearrange your furniture to the best of your ability, or you would hire a professional staging company to sort everything out and truck in other furniture, art, lights, carpets and greenery to make your home more photogenic. There’s lots of online information about how to go about staging a home. For example, here’s a great article from Herd: The Houlihan Lawrence Blog entitled “21 Home Staging Tips and Tricks to Sell Your Home Fast”: http://www.houlihanlawrence.com/blog/21-home-staging-tips.html  But its 2019, so technology has now started to edge its way in to the home staging business with “Virtual Home Staging”. After all, why spend time and effort decluttering knick knacks, repainting walls and rearranging furniture when you can do it all digitally? The photo editing technology has gotten so good that you can start with an empty room and fill it with whatever furniture you desire. You can show how a room would look if it was repainted or remodeled. You can even make the grass greener, the sky bluer and the time of day sunset. It’s easy; all you need to get started is to take a photo and upload it so that it can be edited. If you really want to see the state of the technology, and what can currently be done with today’s software, here are the websites for the 12 market leaders in Virtual Home Staging:
I can see how virtual staging can be a very cost effective and useful tool for realtors and home sellers – but like most technology it can be abused. Here’s a great Wall Street Journal article that highlights the disappointment some buyers are having when they finally visit the properties that have been virtually staged – only to find out that the photoshopped images don’t match the actual home - “Buyer Beware: Hollywood Special Effects Now Permeate Property Listings”: https://www.wsj.com/articles/home-sellers-doctored-photos-challenge-buyers-bots-11551708001 So, if you’re looking to sell your home, you might want to look into virtual home staging as an option to help speed up your sale and increase your price. Just remember that real buyers are actually going to eventually visit your home so the difference between the online photos and the reality can’t be so far apart that the buyers think they are visiting a totally different property – so perhaps what you really need is an Interior Designer to assist you (hint, hint….).  Every day we use the stools in our kitchens and family rooms. And every day we walk on the carpet runners that we have throughout our houses to protect our floors and give our hallways a splash of color. But when’s the last time that you really looked at your stools and runners? Take a close look. Are they looking a little worn and dated? This happens to all of us since they're hiding in plain sight. So what to do…….. Custom cushions are great way to add color, texture, and seating comfort to your home. Whether on banquettes, window seats, stools, chairs, or other hide-away niches in your home - a custom cushion can truly make your seating look first class. I love to do cushions, and have literally dozens of cushions in my studio right now to attend to. Take a good look at the cushions in your home and determine if a refresh might be in order. While you’re at it – you might want to take a hard look at your runners too. Here’s a Serena and Lily stool I recently ordered for my client’s new kitchen renovation, with one of my custom cushions on top. We also ordered new wool floor carpet runners from Surya (I’m a Surya dealer – in case you didn’t know), so the whole kitchen color scheme of blue, white, and neutrals came together with a flourish.
Cushions and rugs are definitely high-wear and high-traffic essential décor items for your home. Take a look - perhaps you could use an update? Call me, and I'll show you all the exciting new durable and kid-friendly fabrics and rugs.  Last week I attended a really fun (and snowy) afternoon at the Boston Design Center (BDC) where LuAnn Nigara, of the “A Well Designed Business” podcast fame hosted a panel discussion on “The Next Generation of Design.” LuAnn, a charismatic, entertaining, and insightful host interviewed Kyle Hoepner (Editor-in-chief of New England Home), Tori Mellott (Style Director for the Creative Services of F Schumacher & Co) and Rachel Reider (of Rachel Reider Interiors) about how the design industry has changed in recent years and how we, as designers, can best serve the needs of younger clients today.  The BDC description of the event was:
The panel specifically discussed how millennial clients, in the 20 to 40 age range, have a radically different value proposition for interior design services and a different mindset on how to acquire furnishings for their homes. The panel was unanimous in their conclusion that the younger client today is seeking the design process to be “an experience,” an opinion that I heartily share and have showcased on my website in the “Client Journey”. What a terrific event, thanks BDC for inviting me to attend! I was joined at this event by many of my Boston area colleagues, and after the panel discussion, I had the pleasure of having lunch with LuAnn and my friends from the Massachusetts Window Coverings Association of America (WCAA) Chapter. In the photo below, you’ll see - from left to right - Renee Rucci, Julie Wood (past president of the National WCAA Organization), me (Barbara), Julie Gould, LuAnn Nigara, and Linda Woodard. It was great fun to get all of us drapery people together for an interesting afternoon full of lively discussion. LuAnn, along with her husband Vince and business partner Billy, owns WindowWorks in Livingston, New Jersey – so she had lots of great insights specifically applicable to the window coverings business.  One of the reasons that I really loved the afternoon was that I’ve spent a lot of time listening to LuAnn’s podcasts (especially as I drive to client appointments all over the Boston area). LuAnn interviews top designers and professionals in marketing, law, and other fields that participate in the design industry. Her podcasts are really interesting since the business of design is far more than just the beautiful décor we deliver to our clients. Like any industry, the business side is just as important as the creative side, and that’s why some businesses, like my own, have been around for 18 years, and others don’t last. Thanks, LuAnn, for your dedication to the podcasts and for always finding interesting people to interview -- I learn something new from every one of your podcasts. You can listen to them here: https://luannnigara.com/a-well-designed-business/ To cap off the afternoon event at the BDC, Waterworks hosted a reception at their new 1st floor showroom, a gorgeous kitchen and bath showroom you will certainly want to see for yourself. Below are photos of some of the new offerings from Waterworks; first-class designs that will meet the test of time…what I strive for in my designs with my valued clients. The whole day was so great that I was very glad that the "real" snow held off until we were all out of the BDC and driving home in that wonderful Boston traffic. As always, if you want to tour the Boston Design Center for a project of yours let me know and we can make the trip together.  Extra wide roller shades are always tricky for 3 main reasons: (1) most vendors don’t carry fabrics wider than 106” - so you have to split up the window with multiple shades, (2) the fascias (or headrails) are usually open at the bottom so you end up looking at the less appealing underside of the roller mechanism, and (3) freight charges now apply to anything over 60” in length, so it is outrageously expensive to get an extra wide shade shipped; the shipping cost alone on a long shade can routinely cost over $120. But, since most people want to let the light in and savor their view of the outdoors, a number of my clients have needed really wide shades (over 108” – or 9 feet wide) so I’ve looked for a good quality vendor that can meet this need with a single shade. After tapping my network, a colleague of mine in the Massachusetts Chapter of the Window Coverings Association of America (WCAA) introduced me to Porter Preston, a shade and drapery hardware vendor in Waterbury, CT. Last week I had the opportunity to visit Porter Preston in person. The people there were great as they showed me around, and I was very impressed with their shade offerings. I am happy to say that Porter Preston solves the three problems listed above both stylishly and cost-effectively for my clients. Their selection of extra wide fabrics makes the “problem window” no problem at all. They’re even close enough to Massachusetts to enable me to pick up the shades (and drapery hardware) for quick-turn projects if needed. Plus, they’re happy to support New England small businesses, just like us. I’m glad to be able to add them to my stable of vendors. Pictured below are some of the manual and motorized shade options available from Porter Preston. Note the fascia (headrail) and how it wraps underneath so that the working parts of the roller are not visible. This would look great in any setting in your home with wide windows or French doors, so that the view is the star of the show, not the window treatment. I had a project last Summer with a modern living room overlooking the pool. These shades would have been perfect and would have provided an additional solution for my client to choose from.
To better meet my clients decorating and window treatment needs I’m always on the lookout for new vendors that solve the latest design problems. Porter Preston is yet another way for me to do that. Here's the link to their website if you want to read more about them: http://www.porterpreston.com/ Thanks for welcoming me so warmly, Porter Preston! (…..and the chocolates in your welcome package were divine – my daughter loved them…..)  I’ve always been an advocate of using the latest technology to help my Interior Design clients get a better idea of what their design choices are – before they have to commit to painting the room, purchasing furniture, selecting fabrics or having me fabricate custom window coverings. In fact, one of the mainstays of my design process is to prepare computer design renderings of what the room would look like in different configurations and with different styles or treatments using the “Dream Draper” software. You can read all about how I go about this on my website’s “Design Renderings” page here. I’ve also integrated the Color Muse device that helps determine, match and select colors of any object (paint, fabric, furniture, accessories, etc.,) into my business. Here’s the blog from 23 July 2017 on that. I’ve even got some apps to allow me to take better photos on my iPhone and to edit out unwanted items in the photos before I load them into Dream Draper so that I can start with a blank canvas. Here’s the blog from 26 March 2018 on that. But these days the technology moves so fast that now “Augmented Reality” (AR) is starting to make waves. What’s “Augmented Reality” - it’s a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a composite view. Since smartphones and computers are becoming ever more powerful this technology is getting ready to explode – and not just for video games. Here’s a great example that I recently ran across: the Dulux Visualizer App. “The easy to use app lets you pick a colour from anywhere, and, with augmented reality technology, allows you to see the colours live in your living space. You can save as a video or photo; which you can also share with your family and friends if you’re finding it difficult to narrow down your colour choice." Here’s a link to their website if you want to see even more detail: https://www.dulux.co.uk/en/articles/dulux-visualizer-app Ikea has even launched their new “Ikea Place” app: “Available on the App Store, IKEA Place lets you virtually ‘place’ furnishings in your space. From sofas and lamps, to rugs and tables, all of the products in IKEA Place are 3D and true to scale so you can make sure it’s just the right size, design and functionality for your room." I’m not sure where all this technology will end up – but these tools sure help with the upfront planning – and I’m sure that the emerging AR technology will make things even better. So, if you run across any great technology that you think would be useful in Interior Design drop me a note.  So, we’re just a couple of days away from 2019 and you’re thinking about doing wallpaper this year? What a lovely idea to freshen up any nook or room in your home. But, like fabric shopping, there is just so much out there and it’s hard to know where to begin to find the wallpaper of your dreams. For starters, take a look at this beautiful bedroom from Serena and Lily, which is both classic and updated at the same time. Looking closer at the wallpaper (Wentworth in color blue), it’s a lovely tile-inspired pattern that works well to soften the white architectural elements in the room. I just love a blue bedroom (I have one myself) and this one just makes me smile.  Here’s another example, in this case a beautiful mural wallpaper displayed at the Schumacher Showroom at the Boston Design Center (BDC). It’s a perfect example of how wallpaper can make a stunning statement in your home. It’s so fresh and inspirational, perfect for your more formal living room, dining room, or master suite. Can’t you envision this paper adorning your home and totally transforming your look (and outlook)?  As you can see in the photo below from the Lee Jofa/Brunschwig and Fils showroom at the BDC, the Chinoiserie motif and a blue/white color palette pair wonderfully for an elegant current look.  My super savvy and stylish executive client Alison recently completed a full-gut renovation of her kitchen and dining room, and I was privileged to help her with the lighting, wallpaper, furniture, and window treatments. We selected a fun Serena & Lily wallpaper (Luna Stripe in Color Ocean) to introduce a bold and happy blue to her dream kitchen. Below is a sneak peek at the dining room side with the wallpaper and the new window treatments that I fabricated and installed just before Christmas. As you can see, the space is still coming together, and we are expecting the chairs and accessories this week. I’ll be sure to update you with more photos once it’s all finished - wait until you see the kitchen side of the space! But the main point is that the wallpaper is the star of the dining room for sure. I just love the offerings that Serena & Lily has in blue and white.
While on a November 2018 visit to the Phillip Jeffries showroom at the BDC, I was intrigued by this gorgeous handcrafted wallcovering with real wood called “Against the Grain”. I have a sample of this wallcovering in my Phillip Jeffries sample books, but the small sample doesn’t do the paper justice. Can’t you envision this in a home office, den, or basement teen and man cave? Talk about a statement. And isn’t that just what wallpaper is supposed to do for a space -- make a statement unlike any paint can?  Ditto on the “make a statement” remark for the beautiful Thibaut paper shown below, also seen in large format at the Thibaut showroom BDC. It combines several elements which I love -- grasscloth background, a medallion pattern for interest and harmony, and a metallic touch, which I’m afraid you cannot truly judge just from the photo. We’ll just have to see it in person together.  Finally, here’s a photo of another Thibaut paper (Ming Trail) that a client and I are currently considering for a nook in her master suite. She's a landscape architect and this inspiring bold pattern would certainly conjure the essence of her craft all year long.  Shopping In-Person for Wallcoverings Definitely THE BEST place to shop for wallpaper and wallcoverings here in the Boston area is in-person at the Boston Design Center with me as your guide. The showrooms at the BDC for Phillip Jeffries, Thibaut, Cole and Son, Schumacher, and Lee Jofa/Brunschwig and Fils will give you the absolute best selection and largest portrayal of the pattern and colors for your most time-efficient selection process. Wading through on-line photos of wallpaper is not the best use of your time (believe me!) and I can help you streamline the process to pinpoint the very best options for your interior project. Plus, the helpful designers at the BDC will give us samples right there, and we can coordinate the papers with the multitude of fabric vendors also at the Boston Design Center. So, if you still think wallpaper offerings are “so yesterday,” I invite you to join me on a shopping expedition to the Boston Design Center in 2019. Send me a note and let’s schedule an excursion today. The BDC has recently undergone a total renovation and I would love to show you around. To help you with a starting place for your wallpaper search, here are the websites of my five favorite wallpaper and wallcovering manufacturers and vendors:
My very best wishes to you for a Happy New Year! May 2019 delight your senses, bring you peace, and bestow on your family blessings and joy.  |
Barbara PhillipsBarbara Phillips, interior designer and owner of Center Stage Interior Designs, has delivered impeccable window treatments and design services to both residential and commercial clients in Massachusetts since 2001. Categories
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