Marie Antoinette Interiors

On The Job: Make Home Office a Productive Space

2012-01-14T13:02:00.000-08:00

By Toni Berry Contra Costa Times Correspondent

For many of us, home isn't just where the heart is; it's where the office is, too.

It's been said that productivity can be achieved when you are relaxed, organized and want to stay in the space. I have worked from a home office for 28 years. The first space was shared with the laundry room. I use to take calls between wash loads.

The second space was shared with the dining room; I used the dining table as a desk and the hutch for files, price lists and reference guides. Now my space is completely on its own. Nothing in this office is designated for anything else but my work, and that has kept me productive, happy and sane.

If you're not feeling good about your home-office space, here are four ways to make it -- and you -- more productive, happy and sane.

Find the order

Take an inventory of your home office. How much of the contents of your space are used frequently? How much of it has been sitting for weeks, months or maybe years? Before taking another step, declutter. Decide what office supplies you need; for everything else, carry it to the car and take it to a charity. This is a first step to a room redo, and you can't do a redo in a cluttered room.

Clean

When your environment is clean, your mind is free to be creative and productive. If you have old work, old newspapers or old magazines muddling your desk, clean them up.

This also is the time to put a fresh coat of paint on the walls. A favorite color and one piece of nondistracting art on the wall will do wonders for lifting the mood of your home office.

Set priorities

When your home office is devoted to other activities, it's hard to focus on work. You inevitably will be distracted by the other activity. So, figure out what items in your office are used for work and what items aren't. If you have a television in your office that is not used for work, remove it. I'm not saying that your home office shouldn't be personalized -- it should be, of course -- but if those personal items draw your attention away from your work, they have to go elsewhere. A few pictures and mementos can be used to personalize your space, but don't overdo it.

Organize

Now that you've successfully done the first steps, it's time to organize your remaining space. Divide your room into zones. Zone 1, storage, is for items that can go in a closet. This would include office supplies and rarely used reference materials. Zone 2, desk items, is for only the bare necessities -- pens and pencils, computer, stapler and tape. Everything else needs a home inside a desk drawer to prevent a cluttered desk. Zone 3, display, is for books and magazines. Use organizers that go on a bookshelf. These organizers can be grouped together and be reached in a moment. Zone 4 addresses light in your office. If it's too dark, open up windows, remove heavy curtains and replace with sheer shades, or bring in lighting fixtures. When you can see clearly you are more likely to stay in that space. Also make sure there is good ventilation and temperature control. If you are too hot or cold, you will quickly want to leave your office.

By Toni Berry
Contra Costa Times Correspondent

Home Office Challange

2012-01-07T17:24:00.000-08:00

Imagine having one spare bedroom in your house that has to play four roles---storage room, media room, guest room, and home office! Up to the challenge, my clients and I decided to tackle the job!

But first they called me in to give them guidance and sound advice "before" they began the process. A few decorator tricks-of-the-trade made this room go from a cluttered, disorganized mess to a beautiful, functional and productive room that anyone would love to have in their home!

BEFORE; Mismatched desks and chairs, no storage cabinets for papers or files, a tired futon, a red wall that made the space dark and dreary, a closet that was stuffed to the gills with old clothes, boxes of papers and everything else that couldn't find a home in the rest of the house!

Beefore...a mess!

Dark and dreary with bad seating!

Before, poor storage in the closet!

AFTER; new built in desks with lots of storage above and below. Matching desk chairs, and keeping the floor color and cabinets color gives the room a larger feel and a pulled together look.

Putting mirrors on the closet doors also enlarged the space. A closet system was installed to meet the storage needs with a 3 sliding doors instead of 2 makes getting access easier.

A armless love seat was added to maximize space. A wall light was added for reading.

Two small but useful leather cubes that allow putting up your feet for comfort and storage.

Making full use of the window elevation with modern cabinets. The center lower cabinet houses the printer. The window treatment allows for full control of the light for TV watching and for computer glare reduction.

A wall hung TV with a low, shallow console below housing media equipment. A cabinet over the door way was installed for even more storage.

I think you'll agree...mission accomplished beautifully!

5 Fabulous Decorating Solutions For Winter

2011-12-11T14:53:00.000-08:00

When the days are short make your rooms long on comfort and style. Look to create rooms that drive out the chill. And if you haven’t finished decorating your home for the Holidays yet, here’s a few of my warm and cozy ideas that you can implement right now.

· I love white fabrics and sparkling accessories, they are natural choices for winter decor because they add much-needed light to a home's interior. Softer than the bright whites of summer, winter whites come in a variety of pale colors. Winter whites will cover a bed's dark shapes the way snow blankets the landscape of the outdoors. Sink into the layers of winter with lavender, pale pink, mint green and white flannel linens, a fluffy featherbed, a winter-weight duvet, and a transparent bedcovering of icy voile.

· Candles -- and lots of them -- cast a warming glow to every corner of a room, especially when company's coming for dinner. Keep a stock of white candles, mirrored, silver and sparkling accessories, and frosted glasses on hand to keep the look fresh and inviting; simply create new groupings from your stash every time you set the table.

· And don’t forget the Hearth. In the winter, rearrange the seating group in your living room so it faces the fireplace. Winter white lampshades maximize the wattage of every bulb without creating glare. Add a string of votives to the mantel and a group of pillars on the coffee table to multiply the warmth and power of the fire to ward off the chill.

· The celebration of the season starts at the front door. Greet family and friends with a wreath that suits the whole season, greenery, sparkling ornaments (inside or out) and the ever-present candles on a console table in your entry/foyer are just as suitable all months as they are for December.

· Greenery is always visually appreciated, but choose branches of leaves rather than pine boughs. Or, put pine boughs out for the holidays and switch to eucalyptus leaves in January for a fresh change of pace. A sprig of greenery, such as evergreens, on the nightstand is a gentle reminder of nature's cycles

If you keep colors light in winter, your spirit will maintain its lightness longer during the stretches of time that the sun takes its leave. I know this first hand as I live in a canyon. In the winter months our sun sets here behind the hill at about 2:30 in the afternoon. So I’m practicing what I preach.

Designing Eye: Understanding the misunderstood room! By Toni Berry Contra Costa Times Correspondent

2011-11-19T15:53:00.000-08:00

Make no mistake -- Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah. This is dining room season.

However, many people don't appreciate how important the dining room -- what decorating professionals call the most misunderstood room in the house -- is all about.

I find the dining room to have the importance of the holiest room in the house. Some women in their 20s and 30s may not understand that, but women of my generation, as well as our mother's and grandmother's generations, know how this room really works.

It's the calm, quiet room with a table and chairs where we pay our bills, fill out tax returns, review report cards and conduct private conversations on important family matters. It's the place where we plan weddings, baby showers, baptisms and christenings. It's where we serve buffets, luncheons and dinners, celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and gather for funeral receptions, graduations, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and New Year's celebrations.

All the special events of our lives are all centered in this room.

A very good friend of mine, who is 92 years old, moved from her home of 45 years to a small condo. She was willing to give up everything -- even her mother's antique stove -- for this move; the only thing she would not budge or negotiate on was her dining room. The condo had to have a space large enough for her dining room furniture. All of it -- the table with two leaves, eight chairs, hutch and serving buffet.

She got it. She told me that the memories the dining room and the furniture in it held for her were priceless. When she looked at this furniture in its proper place, she could remember the details of raising her family. It meant so much more to her than just a room.

To some of us, the dining room is a symbol of a little class, manners and good taste. My mother adored her dining room. Whenever we ate in the dining room, I could see the unmistakable pride on her face, her sweet smile as she placed the fabulous Italian food in front of her family. This was the room she could serve us with grace and poise, and we would all be on our best behavior.

The manners she taught us in the kitchen were tested in the dining room. After my father died, she moved from our childhood home and gifted her dining room furniture to my sister. Now another generation is being served; when I sit at that table and in those chairs at my sister's house, the warm memories flood back.

Sometimes the problem with dining rooms that are not used is that you lose the opportunity to make memories and moments. Those are the only things that really make a house a home.

And perhaps that's what is not understood by so many.

Toni Berry is an interior designer at Marie Antoinette Interiors.

Contact her for a Dining Room you'll always remember!

925.862.9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com.

Orange You Glad ?

2011-11-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

Because it’s almost Thanksgiving I thought I’d share a few rooms that may inspire you to add a little orange into your life. It’s a beautiful, bright color that works well with blue, (I know that sounds strange but it is one of the newest color combinations being shown now) and when done right, it can add just the right amount of happiness and pizazz. Use the holidays and colors of the season as a guide for color in your home. Color schemes are often right in front of us; we just need to be more observant!

Orange, a close relative of red, sparks more controversy than any other hue. There is usually strong positive or negative association to orange and true orange generally elicits a stronger "love it" or "hate it" response than other colors. Fun and flamboyant orange radiates warmth and energy.

Interestingly, some tones of orange, such as terra cotta, peach, and rust have very broad appeal.

How the color orange affects us physically

Stimulates activity

Stimulates appetite

Encourages socialization

Put The Autumn Back In Your Home...5 Easy Tips!

2011-10-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

This time of year is perfect for adding seasonal accents to your home. Materials are abundant everywhere. Hang a fall wreath on the front door; throw some gourds and twigs on a side table and it looks fabulous! You could do a little more if you choose. But it doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. Especially if you live in a rural area as I do. I usually pick up leaves, turkey feathers (yes we have wild turkeys running around here in Sunol) buckeyes and walnuts on my morning run. That’s what I like about a California Autumn; sunny, warm and full of beautiful nature and all for us to bring inside!

Here are a few of my “Autumn Tips” to help you transform your home into a fall delight.

Remove all table top runners and tablecloths that are in the styling of summer/spring and replace them with runners and tablecloths in autumn colors like rust, green, browns and burgundy. They don’t have to be expensive these will be used as a back drop for the arrangements under which they set.
Make your own dried leaf arrangements for the runners and tablecloths above. All you need is a vase and pruners to get this done. Use clippings of evergreens and cones mixed with twigs and turned leaves to create a focal point for the table or mantel. Remember that Scale is what makes these types of arrangements striking. Choose an oversize urn, large pottery from the garden shop, even an umbrella stand can make a striking vase for this arrangement.
Mood lighting…….as the summer sun ebbs and the fall filters the flood of light, try a string of lights or two along the mantel or your sideboard in the dining room. Wrap the tiny lights, around a fall garland and add gourds and pumpkins. Keep the lights on for ambiance lighting through the fall season until Christmas rolls around. If you have large plants or tall trees in your home, whether real or fake, add plant lights to the greenery and direct the light upwards for drama and a warm feeling to the room.
If you have simple hard window treatments like shutters or blinds, you can dress these up a bit to give a warmer feeling to the room. Hang ready made panels on simple rods at the sides of the windows in a heavy textured fabric. This will add a sense of weight and warmth to the room. Choose a color like amber, rust or copper brown for an impressive effect.
Add throw pillows and blanket throws on the sofa and arm chairs. Use the same guide lines as the window treatment panels above for colors and textures. To get a truly lush look use 5 to 6 pillows for the sofa and 1 or 2 on the arm chairs. You can even place small rectangular pillows on the dining chairs to soften the look of the dining room.

Decorating for this season can be minimal or it can be an explosion of decorations. Less is often more, but in the spirit of true holiday decorating, more is acceptable. If you plan to grace everything in your home with a reminder of the autumn season, remember to stick to a theme, to develop continuity and always maintain elegance.

How to Treat Your Windows!!!

2011-09-02T22:09:00.001-07:00

I started in this business 25 years ago designing and manufacturing window treatments. Even though I have worked in this industry for far longer than that my favorite part of interior design has been window treatments. In my opinion they are so important they really do make or break a rooms potential.

    Let me explain. Window treatments have come a long way since animal skins and oilcloths were thrown across the small tiny openings that passed for windows in primitive houses. The word "window" from the Norse, literally means "eye of the house through which the wind enters". Over the past two decades that I have been designing them they have evolved into an art form and have come to be a primary element that can bring beauty and comfort to every room in your house.

    There are many types of window treatments to choose from in a variety of styles, material, colors and fabrics. They include draperies, curtains, blinds, shutters, shades, valance's to name just a few. Each may be adored with decorative curtain rods and finials made in wood, iron, metal, or gilded composition material.

And all the above can be purchased at varying price points. There's something for everyone and every pocket book!

    When a window treatment is a success it will bring a combination of style and decoration to the room. They are called on to be both aesthetic and a functional key in design to not only set or match the tone of a room but also deliver light control, privacy, and views on demand. Not an easy task but when accomplished its wonderful!

    The style of a window treatment will be determined by many factors, size and shape of the window, design theme, furniture used in the room, architectural features, the need to control light and function and privacy needed. I lean towards cleaner lines in my designs, but I always let the clients preferences dictate the finished product.

    I noticed that we humans are always drawn to the light source in a room, the window. Let the eyes of your home be adorned with something beautiful to look at.

If your windows need treating, you're in luck! Starting September 5^th through the 31^st Marie Antoinette Interiors is having a SALE! 20% Off & A Free Design Consultation!

Designing Eye: Working some house paint magic!

2011-08-19T17:02:00.000-07:00

The architecture may be remarkable, the setting impressive, yet consciously or not, the first thing we notice about a house is its exterior paint colors.

It captures our attention and speaks to our emotions. Chosen correctly, it can convince us that a small house looks larger, a squat house has height and gives a plain house some much-needed flair. And in a neighborhood full of look-alikes, it can make a single home stand out.

As someone once said, "If the barn needs painting, then paint it." And summer is the best time of year to paint the exterior of your home. But what color?

If the thought of choosing paint colors for your home's exterior paralyzes you to the point of putting it off another year, here are tips to help you get started this summer.

Consider architecture
Look at your home carefully. The architecture and style, or lack there of, often will determine what and how many colors you will need.

One idea that many homeowners have used successfully is to select one primary color for the body, and select a trim color in the same family but a different shade, perhaps two or three shades lighter. This is a safe bet, but if you'd like more interest or drama brought to your home's exterior, choose a trim color that is darker and from a different color family.

A pale yellow home might look more dramatic with a bright white trim and a red front door as opposed to a pale yellow home trimmed in a much lighter version of the same color.

The roof matters
Don't overlook the roof color when selecting the ideal exterior paint colors. You want to ensure that your roof and paint colors flow into a beautiful exterior house design.

Also look at all the existing elements that won't be painted -- the driveway and the chimney, for example. These elements should play a role in shaping your color choices.

For a facade that's partially stone, using a similar color will visually connect the house. If the fixed colors are intense, like a terra-cotta tile roof or a brick red facade, a neutral color such as sand or a warm white will bring balance.

Optical illusions
Remember that when dealing with the major surfaces of your home, a light color will make your house look larger. This may require you to rethink your shade selection and opt for a darker color.

Darker color tones saturated with pigment lend themselves well to very large homes lacking in trim. The color makes the statement, taking the place of missing architectural interests.

Complementary
It is also a good to choose colors that complement each other. Many paint brands have historical and architectural paint colors already grouped for you.

One such selection that works well here is the "America's Colors, California Expressions" line by Benjamin Moore. The line has great color combinations that work perfectly for most California Ranch, Bungalow and Mission-style homes.

Think big, paint small
Before painting your entire home, consider painting a small area to see how you like the color palette you've chosen. It's a big project, so you don't want to repaint after you realize that those "perfect" colors are making you ill.

I paint two coats on several 20-inch-by-30-inch foam boards and move them to different sides of the home to see how the color changes in alternate lights. The most important side of the house is the front, so make sure you view the painted boards there for several days before making the final decision.

Designing Eye: Big Solutions For Small Spaces

2011-07-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

Many people live in a small home, a small room or just a small space. And often these spaces can feel pretty cramped. But if you believe, as I do, that small can be just as beautiful as big, use these guidelines to maximize your space with stylish, transforming and eye-deceiving tips.

Sheer drapery adds an open feeling

• Go vertical. Draw the eye up with vertical lines and tall pieces. Eliminate chair rails, which cut the room visually in half and make it feel smaller. Use vertical striped patterns, and make sure your window treatments go all the way to the ceiling.

• Look through it. Use glass tables, which don't take up much space but also don't stop the eye, creating an illusion of largeness. Sheer or mesh window coverings allow some sunlight in and add a more open feeling.

• Remove or open doors. An open entry between rooms will prevent the space from feeling boxy and broken up.

Larger art and larger scale furniture makes the room appear larger!

• Go big. Hang large artwork on the walls to give the appearance of a larger space.

• Mount lights. Wall-mounted sconces take the place of lamps, saving space while lighting up the room.

Extend the wall color up to the ceiling for a larger appearance!

• Connect the ceiling. Wall treatments and paint colors that continue onto the ceiling gives the walls the appearance of extending up indefinitely.

• Large furniture. Look for a large-scale piece, such as a round table in a corner or a big, comfy chair, to trick the eye and make the space feel larger. You can make a compact room feel much bigger by choosing a few large, bold pieces rather than many smaller ones.
• Hang mirrors. With mirrors you can play with light and reflections, which creates the illusion of a bigger space. Especially effective placed across from a window.
A smaller space simply requires a more creative approach with decorating. Small is beautiful!

Top 10 Reasons you need a Decorator!

2011-07-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

1. You have ideas, but don't know how to implement them.

2. You have a difficult room...too many focal points or details in the wrong places.

3. You don't have the TIME, ENERGY OR DESIRE to do the design or decorating work.

4. You need a major make-over, but you're on a budget. Decorating mistakes are expensive, and a decorator can make sure they don't happen.

5.You have major work to be done, but you need to work in stages. A decorator can set you up with a prioritized plan and a time line if needed.

6. You think you know what you want, but are insecure about whether your ideas will work or not.

7. You want to update a room without throwing everything out and starting over. If you don't have a talent for creating an eclectic space, call a professional.

8. You have furniture and accessories that don't quite fit, but you just can't let go of the family heirlooms or you can't afford to replace them. A decorator can help you "Re-Purpose" old hand-me-downs.

9. You are trying to achieve a specific style or period of design in your decorating, but just can't quite make it happen.

10. You are unsure about color combinations, proportions, mixing patterns, composition, and style.

All the indicators above are reasons to call for help! A "consultation" will go a long, long, way in avoiding mistakes and regrets!

If Walls Could Talk What Would Yours Say?

2011-06-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

Trying to find just the right wall treatment can be tricky! Framed art, wallpaper, and hand paint murals can come with a hefty price tag. But what if you could add something beautiful that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg? Here’s a solution for you …Wall Trendz Appliqué! These beautiful appliqués are suitable for many room styles from modern to classic. You may have seen them for children’s rooms but check these out for grown ups!

For a large wide wall where several large pieces of art might look contrived, use a long Wall Trends Appliqué at mid height. By painting the Wall Trendz Appliqué in a darker tone of the wall color visual interest is created in a decorative but not imposing manner. What a statement!

Can’t find just the right headboard? A Wall Trendz Appliqué applied to a plain surface headboard, in an accent color, adds just the right touch to an otherwise boring headboard. And if you don’t have a headboard, you can apply the Wall Trends Appliqué directly to the wall instead of a headboard. What a statement!

Turn your bathroom into a real “Spa” with an architectural decorative Wall Trendz Appliqué element. Look at this beautiful tub treatment, almost looks like it was carved of granite. What a statement!

So let your walls make a statement, with the limitless, easy and affordable Appliqué. Visit their web site http://www.walltrendz.com/ . They even have an instructional video to show you how to do it for you DIY’ers !

And as an added value feel free to use our code "MarieAntoinette" in the Shopping Cart at check out for a discount!

Interior Decorator Finally Finishes Room!

2011-05-23T15:06:00.000-07:00

AFTER

“Toni, I want to give you an update on my living room since I am now enjoying the shock and rave reviews from my friends! The usual comment is, “Oh, you finally finished your living room”, and my usual response is, “Oh yes but actually I just made a phone call”!

As you know we remodeled the house 5 years ago. I had sloooowly been working on the decorating but just could not get it completed. (My advice to anyone contemplating a remodel is to hire an interior designer along with the architect and the contractor!).

I put in new carpet, drapes and reupholstered furniture but it never had the pop that I was hoping for.

Your column, "Why you hire an interior designer" a couple of months ago really gave me an idea, and I am so glad I called you.

I think that column was the most useful one ever written in that it takes care of the big issue of “how to get it finished”!

I have watched decorating shows for years on how to rearrange furniture

(not that I learned very much) but you did it all at once. You rearranged the furniture, brought in pillows in the right colors and fabrics to add that pop of brightness across the room, brought in a tall tree and flower arrangements to finish off the details, and it was done! And all within my modest budget. Thanks so much! ~Roseanne Slingsby, Pleasanton.”

Before

AFTER

The above letter was sent to me by a reader who actually called on me to help her select a new paint color for her family room addition not the living room she is so joyfully writing about.

It was while she led me from the front door to the back of the house where the family room was located that I quickly glanced to my left and saw the beginnings of a beautiful living room that was almost complete in its decor. It just needed a few finishing touches but I bite my tongue and proceeded to the family room.

At the end of our one hour paint consultation, I mentioned that her living room was far closer to the finishing point than she thought.

I also told her that with little effort on her part, I could provide a few accessories to pull the room together and give her a sense of completion in that room so she could continue on with the new paint we had chosen for the family room. She was so relieved.

She gave me a budget, and I stuck to it. A week later I was back at the house with everything she needed to put the finishing touches in the living room.

How wonderful it was to see her face glow when I finished. She saw her room come to fruition.

The Moral of the story………….It’s the details, the accessories, how and where they are placed in the room that make it warm, inviting and lived in! If you do not know the “how and where”, make a phone call!

Toni Berry at Marie Antoinette Interiors
925 862-9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com

Transform a Coffee Table to an Ottoman or an Ottoman to a Coffee Table !

2011-05-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

I love furniture that can multi-task and be beautiful at the same time. If you are thinking of changing your old coffee table or ottoman for new ones, think again. Perhaps you can keep it by transforming it into something more useful and attractive.

Transformation # 1. When a client told me she and her husband like to put their feet up on their newly purchased, hard surfaced coffee table but were tried of moving throw pillows off the sofa to do so, an idea was born. Why not have a custom cushion made in one of the fabrics used in the room to cover the table on occasion! The cushion transformed the table into an ottoman during TV watching time and it is easily stored away when the need for a coffee table arose.

In this case the same fabric was used that covers the dining chairs and throw pillows on the sofa so it coordinates nicely. It has a “firm” foam core and wrapped in Dacron batting on both top and the bottom, giving it a more structured look and allowing a tray to sit upon it as well. We also made both top and bottom in the same fabric and “Scotch Guarding” it for durability. I designed the fashionable 3” button in the center for a smart tailored look. This can be done to any coffee table, new or old saving you $$$ in the purchase of a new Ottoman/Coffee table that are so popular right now in furniture stores.

Transformation # 2. On the flip side of the story above is the Leather Ottoman in my very own living room. A few years ago I thought I couldn’t live without leather tufted Ottoman Coffee Table and bought a very handsome one. Although it is wonderful to put our feet up on it, it’s not so much for drinks and appetizers when guests come. So in the spirit of the true DIY’er that I am, I transformed it into a hard surfaced coffee table by adding a large wooden table tray to the top.

In this case I went down to my local Home Depot with my measurement and purchased an unfinished wood table top. I stained and finished it in a bronze/gold metallic paint and added two bronze iron drawer pulls (also from Home Depot hardware department) attaching them to the top of the table tray. Viola, now the tray acts as a stable location for drinks and looks great in the room too! This table/tray easily stores away when I want to enjoy the ottoman as an ottoman. This can be done to any shaped ottoman, saving you $$$ in the purchase of a new coffee table.

So keep what you have, be it table or ottoman, and transform it into something more useful and attractive easily!

Call me at 925-862-9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com if you need someone to help you with your Transformations!

Visit http://www.marieantoinetteinteriors.blogspot.com/

Save 25% On The One Hour Color Consultation In Your Home, Not In The Paint Store!

2011-04-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

This joyous season it the prefect time to say...it's a pleasure to have served each and every one of you!

And in the spirit of Easter, Spring and New Beginnings I'd like to invite you to take advantage of a little discount I'm offering. 25% Off on "Color Consultations"!

If you are thinking of painting and dreading the thought of going into the paint store, looking at all those tiny paint chips, here is a way to save you time, frustration and possible mistakes!

A "Color Consultation" will give you a chance to see actual color chips right in the very space they will be painted, in your home! I will help you choose what color to paint based on the furnishings in your home, give you color options and choices on where to apply that color, and leave you with a large color chip of the paint!

Just my way of saying "Thank You" and wishing you and yours a joyous Easter!

Click Here To Print Your Coupon

Save 25% On The One Hour Color Consultation

in Your Home, Not In The Paint Store!

Brighten the Dark Passage: Decorating Tips for the Hallway

2011-04-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

Hallways often become that dark passage way to and from other areas of the home and very often don’t get the attention they deserve. Is your hallway in need of decorating ideas? The hallway of your home may be wide or narrow. You may have architectural interest or you may not. No matter what style or size of hallway you have in your home, there are simple and easy ways to make your hallway passage way a brighter nicer area that is more in keeping with the rest of your home.

You want people to enjoy the journey down the hallway on their way to another destination, so take a bit of time to customize this area with a few (or all) of these hallway decorating ideas.

1. Paint all surfaces in the hall the same color, ceilings and walls to unify it. Choose a rich color tone, one that is neither dark nor light to bring some color to the space. Paint with a semi-gloss finish will reflect light if the hall is dark. If budget permits, add new interior doors with frosted glass inserts, a nice European look, and will light the hall with natural light from the bedrooms. Not for everyone but great for the new modern look in homes. If the hall is too long, paint the end wall 2 or 3 shades darker than the rest of the hall. This will give the illusion that the hallway is shorter. If the hall is too short, paint in the same color and hang a mirror on the end wall for more depth.

2. Lighting, if you have just one ceiling light or bowl type fixture replace it with newly purchased track lighting. You can direct the light fixtures hanging from the track to certain places on the walls (where the art is hanging) to create drama. Wall sconce’s are a good choice also for adding mood and softness to the space and can be placed in a pair flanking one large or a grouping of wall art.

3. The flooring, if possible use the same carpet, tile or wood as the rest of the home. If not one or several carpet runners with some design and color to complement the walls adds a nice touch and gives a finished look to the space.

4. Art or wall accessories. Try a mixed collection of large and small art and or photos leaning on different lengths of the same color ledges. My favorite place for ledges is Pottery Barn, great price and available in many lengths and colors. When using ledges in all the same color your photos or art work can be in different frames, it’s the ledges that give unity to the arrangement. Now direct a light fixture on each grouping for drama as in an art gallery. You can also do a family history wall in the same manner described above on ledges.

You'll be glad you spent the time to incorporate some of these hallway decorating ideas into your space. It just might turn into one of the most inviting spaces in your home!

If your hallway or other room in your home need a "makeover" give me a call to arrange an appointment!
925-862-9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com and Visit us at YELP !

The Power of Flower Decorating

2011-04-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

Spring, finally! While my beautiful Lilacs, Geraniums and Wisteria are in full bloom in my garden , I’d love to bring a bit of the Spring Garden inside too. And there may be no better way to do that than to redo just one room, in a new spring color and with some flowers.
Garden themed rooms have always been popular for the stimulating color and cheery designs. Start with none other than the traditional floral print. Florals offer us a built in blueprint to create a good uplifting color scheme. More over most floral patterns have a range of shades and colors that coordinate effortlessly with a variety of solids, mini prints, plaids and stripes.

Fabric companies such as Robert Allen have made decorating easy by coordinating fabrics in books that mix and match with each other by color groupings.

If you’d love to have a garden room in your home, here are some tips on using floral patterns in the room.

• Pick florals that will coordinate with colors already in the home. If you have green carpeting, for instance a floral with pretty green leaves will do well. If you have tan carpeting or just prefer a more neutral look, some of the tea stained floral designs would be perfect.

• Try to balance your floral print pattern with the plain surfaces, on walls, floors, sheets or curtains. Most florals are beautiful but can be busy and a little can go a long way. Using plain backgrounds on these surfaces will also give you a degree of flexibility in updating your accessories from time to time.

• An easy way to create a color scheme is to choose the background color of the floral pattern for the paint color of the room. Then, look carefully at the floral to decide on the secondary and accent colors. A rule of thumb is the secondary color will be a pleasing mid-tone that may be used for carpeting, bed skirts, pillows, upholstery and trims. The third color is usually a brighter accent color. Use this color in smaller accessories, trims and accents throughout the room, pictures, vases, welting on pillows, tie backs, chair seats and the like.

• Keep the design principle of repetition to balance the look of a floral pattern. Repeat fabrics within the room so the patterns are seen throughout the room.

• A floral area rug can do wonders for that garden feeling you’re after. They add color and pattern, however make certain that their scale won’t clash with the scale of floral fabric used as the predominate one in the room. If the rug is large scale then the fabrics should be a medium or small scale floral pattern.

• Hang artwork that includes floral themes. Select mats and frames that compliment the art’s color palette.

• Replace some of the furniture with real garden furniture. Small accent tables in white iron perhaps. Also, wicker can be very comfortable when cozy floral seat cushions are added.

Re-Upholstery, The Victorian Goes Modern

2011-03-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

If you have a chair or sofa in your garage or basement that has seen it's better days, don't throw it out! No, in this era of "recycling" it's the right thing to do and the most fashionably too!

Meet the Victorian sofa I bought in 1973. It was broken down then, but what remained in tact was the needlepoint medallion. It caught my eye and I brought it home thinking I had just made the purchase of my life! I re-finished the wood, cleaned and repaired the tattered rose needlepoint medallion back. I had it re-upholstered in a beautiful rose colored velvet with new silk gimp. I loved it and used it in the living room, the bedroom and the hallway.

35 years latter when it became apparent that it's use had long exhausted itself, and the style in my home had changed, I sold it to an antique dealer. I don't regret having sold it BUT if I had it to do over again...I think this is how I would Re-Upholster it. A new coat of white paint and a beautiful cotton fabric with big splashes of color would be just right. So modern and hip!

Here's one I found at www.blugirlart.com . It is almost identical to my old piece isn't it? The fabric is a colourful and vivacious and I love it almost as much as I did my old one in 1973!

Think you'd like to re-upholster one of your old pieces of furniture...give us a call at 925.862.9064. We have lots of bold, beautiful upholstery fabrics just waiting to be put on your old furniture.

LOVE YOUR HOME AGAIN, GET A MAKEOVER

2011-03-07T16:43:00.000-08:00

THE ROOM MAKEOVER

Have you fallen out of love with your home? Are you bored and uninspired by your surroundings? Think a different home might reflect your present taste and lifestyle needs better? Do you wish you could just move out and start over new someplace else? If you answered YES to any of the above questions then perhaps it’s not a “startover” that you need, but a “makeover”!

A room “makeover” will give any space in your home a fresh new look and improved functionality using the things that you already have. I’m not talking here about throwing out all your old things and buying all new things. Because usually it’s not the things you have that are the problem, but rather the way they are arranged or combined. Simple changes, using the basic design principles that I’ll share with you below, will make any room in your home more livable, more coherent and more visually pleasing. And that’s what makes us fall in love!

Pick a room in your home and apply this knowledge. You’ll be surprised at the difference you can make without spending a dime.

1. Locate the Focal Point

Every room needs a focal point. It can be a natural focal point, like a fireplace or a window with a view, the bed, or it can be an entertainment center with a TV. Once you have identified it, everything else in the room should revolve around it and focus on it.

2. Arrange the Seating Area

Form your seating in a U-shaped or L-shaped configuration facing the focal point. Anchor the seating/conversation area with a rug whose color coordinates with the upholstery of your seating, and place a coffee table within easy reach.

BEFORE

AFTER

3. Include Two of a Kind

Using pairs of armchairs, end tables and lamps can create a cohesive and balanced look in the room. If you don’t have matching end tables, you can use two of similar height and finish. Just don’t go overboard with pairs. If everything in the room is one of a pair, it can get monotonous, so mix it up a little.

4. Add In the Light

Make sure the room has sufficient light, in the form of general lighting (recessed cans, chandeliers) and task lighting (table and floor lamps). Accent lighting can be used to highlight a painting or as an up light on the foliage of a large plant. Put all the lighting on dimmers so you can control the overall mood and ambiance of the room.

5. Place Art at the Correct Height

Avoid the mistake of hanging your wall art too high. Art should be hung at eye level only in rooms where people are usually standing, like foyers and hallways. Otherwise, art should be 6-8 inches above a sofa back or 8-10 inches above a console, buffet or desk.

6. Group the Accessories in Odd Numbers

Placing accessories in groupings of 3, 5 or 7 is more dynamic and visually interesting than even numbered groupings. Use tall, medium and shorter items in the same grouping and place them in a triangular pattern, with the tallest on the end or in the middle. Don’t let the accessories dominate. Add only those that will enhance the overall look and feel you are going for.

These are the basic design principles used to create a successful room “makeover”! And here’s one last tip; before you begin, empty the room of all clutter and items that are not being used, are broken or worn. I promise you, you’ll LOVE your home again and be amazed at how different all your things will look and not a dime spent! You can do this!

By Toni Berry at Marie Antoinette Interiors

925-862-9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com

Custom Bedding Sale with a Free Design Consultation

2011-03-05T16:46:00.000-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Only-11-Days-Left.html?soid=1101365189164&aid=JzMERgOQDE8

Don't Forget To Make Your Bed

2011-02-12T20:05:00.000-08:00

I almost never leave the house without making the bed! Perhaps because my mother hounded us, when we were children, every morning as though not making the bed was a really bad thing. So the habit continues with me, but with today’s new bed clothes such as duvets, comforters, coverlets and new bed styles it’s so much easier. If you’re longing to update just your bed, now is the time to do it…bedding has never been more beautiful and more attainable.

Here are some ways to combine style and fashion with comfort and ease;

Streamlined beds: Simply upholstered headboards are big plus. Covered in a coordinating fabric, they add another element of softness. Platform beds, also with fully upholstered sides and foot boards give a real Zen Minimal feeling to the room. Tip; if you’re bed has always been somewhat feminine this is a fabulous way to add some masculinity to the bedroom!

Lots of layers: In addition to your spread or comforter use coverlets, duvets and/or a throw folded at the bottom of the bed for warmth as needed. All of the above can be custom made to be reversible, which gives your bed several different seasonal looks for the same price. Tip; Instead of another comforter or throw folded at the bottom of the bed simply fold lengthwise an inexpensive twin blanket in a coordinating or bright color for a luxurious look. Less expensive and easier to keep clean too.

Color: Neutrals are very popular, especially the “chameleon neutrals” that shift and change color with the light. These add a sense of glamour and sophistication to the bed. Keeping the large spread or comforter neutral allows you to add large shams and pillows in brighter colors for more interest. Very bright neon’s are big for young children and teens. Tip; Check out Pottery Barn Teens or Target if your refreshing your child’s bed, they have totally whimsical patterns and graphics of all kinds on their bedding groupings and at great pricing.

Big-scale designs: “Out” are itty, bitty, tiny prints and “In” are big medallion prints, large damask, aviary, paisley, bold horizontal strips and giant floral patterns too. Tip; Often a great pattern is available as a sheet and not a comforter or a spread. No worries just buy 2 sheets and sew them together into a bag, leaving an opening at one end. Make the outside dimensions the size of your old comforter (or new) and insert it into the bag. Sew in Velcro, buttons, ties, or a zipper at the opening and voila, you just made a “Duvet”!

Decorative Pillows: Still the best element of the well dressed bed in my opinion; fewer but bigger pillows are right on trend. The larger 26” x 26” Euro Pillow is very comfortable if your headboard is made of wood or metal and they are great to prop yourself up in bed with. Tip; Good Housekeeping says that your decorative and bed pillows "shouldn't take up more than half of the bed". Ok, but remember you have to schlep them all off and then all back on the next morning, so keep it simple!

By Toni Berry at Marie Antoinette Interiors

925-862-9064 or http://www.blogger.com/goog_1360126770

http://www.marieantoinetteinteriors.blogspot.com/

Custom Bedding Sale With a Free Design Consultation

2011-01-27T22:20:00.000-08:00

It's no surprise that the perfect bedding does not come in a bag. No, the perfect bedding is custom made for you. It is luxurious, inviting and romantic. It makes the bedroom a retreat from the cares of the world. When bed therapy is needed, there's simply no substitute for custom bedding.

Custom bedding turns an ordinary bedroom into extraordinary. Bed skirts, bedspreads and comforters, pillow shams and duvets - no matter what your style, we'll make custom bedding that fits you (and your bed) perfectly. And all Marie Antoinette Interiors custom bedding is made right here in the USA at our local workrooms.
Here are 4 reasons you should consider Custom Bedding instead of mass produced in a bag bedding;
1. Custom bedding will fit perfectly.
With all the variety in bed and mattress dimensions, it's a challenge to find bedding that fits. Extra deep mattresses require a custom fit. Our bedspreads, comforters, duvets and bed skirts are made for your bed. We measure the bed, the box spring, and the risers or legs for a truly custom fit.

2. Custom bedding is made in fabrics you love.
You don't have to settle for cheap fabrics from big box stores, or catalog ensembles in limited fabrics and pillows. Custom bedding will complement the window treatments and other furnishings in your room — perfectly because you will have the advice of a decorator choosing the right style fabrics and trim. We have thousands of fabric choices and sample swatches will be ordered for your approval before we begin sewing.

3. Custom bedding is made just the way you like it.
Whether you want Euro shams for reading in bed, or a reversible duvet or spread, an extra long bolster pillow, we'll make everything to your preference. We can add trimmings, banding or other dressmaker details to make your bedding unique to you.

4. Custom bedding is beautifully crafted.
We're obsessed with quality, from the number of stitches per inch to the choices of fill weight in a comforter. We specify how buttons should be sewn and how zippers should be installed.

Are you tired of your miss matched, ill fitting old bedspread and pillows? Imagine your bed with beautiful new Custom Bedding! Enjoy a FREE in home consultation with Toni Berry ~ Professional Interior Designer to help you choose the best style coverings for your bedroom or guest room. Yours now and at 20% savings!

This Sale is for a limited time only (sale ends March 11th), so call now to book your FREE appointment.

925.862.9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com

Bed Pillows Make The Statement

2011-01-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

The main focal point in any bedroom design is the bed and the decorative bed pillows on it! You've probably seen design shows on TV or pictures in magazines with those alluring looking beds that have all those beautiful and inviting plumped up pillows, haven't you?

You might have even looked at your own bed and thought how great it would look with some decorative pillows. Maybe you even tried this yourself but couldn't quite achieve the look that you wanted. Luckily, it isn't that hard to get this look, just follow these guidelines that will lead you to success.

The first thing is you need to buy the right kinds of pillows. Chances are the regular bed pillows that you sleep on every night aren't going to do the trick. You want decorative pillows that have interesting fabrics and designs. The key is to choose pillows with fabrics and patterns that compliment the overall look of the bedding beneath them and the room itself.

You can use interesting fabrics like silks, brocades and velvets as well as interesting accents on the pillows such as tufting, fringe and embellishments for a old world look. For a more contemporary look you can choose cottons with flat flanges and welts. What you choose really depends on your bedroom design.

The key to the plumping is that you have to set up the pillows in layers. Don’t lay them down flat like you do when you're sleeping. Arrange them standing up leaning on their edges and in cascading rows.

The back layer of pillows should be a bit larger than the rest. You want to have either three or five pillows for this back row depending on how wide the bed is and the size of the pillows. Stand them up on the edges and lean them against the headboard.

The second layer of pillows should be a little smaller than the back layer because you want to be able to still see the decorative back pillows. You'll also want less of them as you want the pillow arrangement to extend out from the headboard in a triangular shape. So if you used three pillows in the back row use two in the row in front of it. Set those on their edges and lean them against the back row pillows.

For the last layer I like to use a bolster pillow or an assortment of three small different shaped pillows or both if it is a King size bed. It is this last and final layer that can be the most charming and welcoming to the bed. Place these a bit haphazardly so it doesn’t appear too contrived or staged.

Viola! Now your bed is making a statement, beautiful and inviting!

The Cocoon Room, AKA The Bedroom!

2011-01-04T13:41:00.000-08:00

“In questa camera da letto ho pianto ed ho riso” my Italian grandmother was speaking of her bedroom. It translates to “In this bedroom I have cried and I have laughed”. The range of emotions felt in this very special room is what she was trying to express to me. This is the “cocoon” room, where we go to retreat from the world and to renew our spirits. This room requires calm to counterbalance the stresses of the day. I have some simple Grace Notes on this room, the bedroom, they are as follows.

• Have the lights on dimmers………mood is everything.

• Layer the draperies, it will allow you to control the light and privacy but also the acoustics. This is the room that should be sound proof from noise outside and from the rest of the house.

• Put soft plush carpeting underfoot. Upgrade the pad under the carpet to a softer feel.

• Keep fragment burning oils, candles or simple Glade Plug ins to scent the room with an aroma of flowers or clean linens.

• Even if you have a very small bedroom, try to create a sitting area. A small fully upholstered chair and an ottoman will serve as a place of rest morning and evening.

• Make sure your night table has a large enough top surface for items like a journal, a bedside water decanter and glass, your favorite picture of your loved one, a pen and paper tablet and enough room to place a tea cup and saucer.

• Try mounting wall lights (lamp and shade style) over the nightstands. It will give you more room on the top of the nightstand and most have swing arm cranes so you can move them closer to you when reading in bed.

• Listen to soft music in the bedroom it will settle your nerves.

• Do not pay bills, talk about finances, argue, and work on the computer or any thing of that nature. It changes the spirit of the room……..

A few years ago I was asked to do the interior design work for only the first floor of a home. When I asked if I could go upstairs, just to get a feel for the way the family really lived, I was told that upstairs where the bedrooms were was off limits. No money was going to be spent there. It bothered me that they did not appreciate the full potential of how important a bedroom is to the soul and to the well being of the person to whom it belongs. We are told that we spend one-third of our lives in bed. And most of us spend an average of 12 hours a day in our bedrooms, tidying up, dressing and undressing, arranging our wardrobes, exercising, reading, reflecting, writing, talking on the telephone, listening to music, planning our lives, daydreaming, loving, sleeping, nursing a cold, eating meals on a tray, napping………….It is possible that we might spend half our lives in this environment! So, it should be beautiful, a private sanctuary, it should nourish you and comfort you when you need it. Go ahead “piange e ride” in your bedroom.

Decorating For Christmas? Here's How!

2010-12-03T14:02:00.000-08:00

I just finished unpacking 8 boxes of Christmas Décor! When I was a child and young teen, it was my favorite decorating project, and it still is. And Right now most of us are in the full throws of getting our homes DECORATED. I have to admit even novice Decorators do well at this time of year. Here are some professional tips anyone can use to make your home easier and quicker to decorate.

• First remove all your table top decorations leave the lamps of course. Clear as much of the space as you can to make room for all the Christmas décor. You’d be surprised to know how many people just add the Christmas decorations to what is already there. This makes for a cluttered look and nothing is really seen or appreciated. So, put all the decorations that have been out all year into a large box, now put that filled box out of the way in a spare room. Now that all that stuff is out of sight the room may appear a little barren. But not to worry, here’s your chance to get everything dusted and maybe a little re-arranging of furniture is in order as well, after all the tree in coming!

• Second get all those Christmas decorations out and place them nicely on the cleared surfaces. One of my favorite elements in Christmas decorating is the Nativity Manger. Because it is dear to me I give it top billing so I place it all by itself in a prominent place of honor. I place the rest of the decorations in different places in the room every year too that way it looks fresh and new each year.

• Third, the Tree. At our house it’s a constant battle, fresh or fake! Either way it’s got to have a little space around it and that’s the reason behind moving some of the furniture out of the room not just out of the way. Remove the arm chair or that large end table; it’s just for the season that the tree is in the room. Give the tree some space, it will appear much grander and will become the focal point in the room.

• Next some grace notes on sprucing up the living room. If budget permits, replace throw pillows with Christmas Throw Pillows. Replace small lamp shades with holiday motif ones. Put a holiday area rug in the center or at the entrance of the room. Clean all ceiling light fixtures (glass) install dimmers switches where you can to keep the Christmas glow in a room.

In store displays and in some homes, Christmas decorating has become a huge, grand, overdone extravaganza. If this is not for your style, don’t feel intimidated, many of us don’t buy into that! Simple heart felt family decorations are what I like to decorate with most. In fact I have 3 really ridiculously cheesy plastic dime store Santa’s from my childhood in the 1960’s. They are so wonderfully cheesy that I love to watch my guests looking at them and wondering “what is she thinking?” They really are not a good companion to the crystal and silver, but they mean a lot to me so they stay for that reason. So at Christmas bring out the old decorations and mix them with the new it’s a great time of year for “Cheesy” and “Decadent”.

By Toni Berry at Marie Antoinette Interiors

925-862-9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com

http://www.marieantoinetteinteriors.blogspot.com/

New Stylish Solutions For The Family's New Room!

2010-11-16T20:26:00.000-08:00

The Family's New Room for Laurie and Don!

The family room, it’s the place where we almost always find the true meaning of home. The space that is even titled after the very people we love most, our family.

As for my clients Laurie and Don, their beautiful families are raised and now have flown the nest. Leaving them with a family room that has always had its architectural problems. They have arranged furniture in countless ways, never really feeling right. The fireplace never functioned properly with smoke drafting into the room not up the chimney. We have two windows and a sliding glass door, the views are spectacular, but the glare bothersome and difficult for viewing television comfortably. The room is also completely open into the eating area and kitchen, great for entertaining and raising a family but not so much for intimate adult gatherings or movie night.

The Design Board, a way to show you how it will look!

Set to correct and improve on some of the room’s problems, they came to me for some real solutions, sage advice, and a list of questions to answer.

Make a problem wall a feature wall with a deep paint color and a new use!

Fireplace re-do and color selection was first. Don and Laurie knew what they wanted in a fireplace as far as functionality so a very modern gas insert with a lovely frame was chosen. Then, the surrounding area was given a face lift with marble and granite. A new mantel and the wall above the mantel was the new location for the TV. A warm neutral color for all the walls except one, it was the problem wall. Not big enough for anything and always a problem as to what to put against it as it was open to a staircase that went down to the garage at one end. Instead of trying to make it disappear, I thought to make it an accent feature visually by painting it in a warm Java color.

While Don and Laurie worked on the fireplace and paint I worked on the Design Board. With a footprint of the floor plan and the room’s color cards, I met Laurie and Don at a local retail furniture store. Together we choose furniture that was small in scale but could still seat 6 people comfortably for viewing the TV. We kept one existing leather arm chair and ottoman because it worked with the new fabrics of the sofa and another small print chair. We selected tables and lamps together by email and telephone conversations in front of the computer screen. We even choose the area rug on-line. I had drawn on my plan a beverage credenza for that problem wall (mentioned above) and Laurie found that piece at a close out sale, it worked perfectly and it was exactly what I was envisioning.

Open to the kitchen, smart valances in the drapery fabric marrys the rooms togethr.

With all these windows, the treatments had to be perfect. It took a couple of house calls to really define the style of drape, the fabric and of course the function. Laurie knew she had to have something for the glare, and I knew we had to control the light and not make the room too dark, so I suggested fabric roller shades in the exact wall color for a seamless look when down. When the shades are up, the views are wonderful and only stationary panels are necessary to give a finished look and to set the styling. I found the perfect fabric, in a similar color of the accent wall, and designed a wonderful Grommet treatment with it. I choose to hang them from modern wood hardware with a nickel metal trim that was repeated in the grommets, lamps and furniture trim. I used the same fabric to fashion smart, streamlined roman valances over the eating area’s sliding glass door and the window over the kitchen sink.

Problem Corner Soved With Drapery Panels

This project took several months and the Design Board went a long way in communicating the anticipated feel of the room when completed. The fireplace, the new TV placement, the window’s glare and light control, the odd problem wall, all of these issues were addressed first and the solutions were beautiful! Don and Laurie love the new family room in their home now. And they are so happy that they worked with a designer/decorator that worked through each step with them in the process!

Draperies Follow American Tradition!

2010-11-16T15:45:00.000-08:00

Ethan Allen 4 Poster Bed with Urn Finial

Joan lived in her home for 15 years with the original verticals and mini blinds in the windows. She came to this home with beautiful Ethan Allen traditional mahogany master bedroom furniture, but just couldn’t figure out what would be best to put on the windows to replace the blinds. So riveted in indecision she did nothing! Joan said she tried time and again to look at different styles and try to envision what might look good but she just couldn’t get anything that would also go well with the existing custom made bedding ensemble she purchased when she bought the bedroom set.

She called on me to help her find the best solution to her window dilemma. As Joan was chatting away I was busy absorbing the excellent craftsman ship of her beautiful furniture, the wonderful slate green walls, and the luscious custom bedding in a blue green and red paisley print. Joan even had a fabulous traditional wing back chair in the room to complement the purely American Traditional Styling of the room! So far so good. It was all beautiful but with two large picture windows of metal mini blinds, it seriously ruined the effect!

The Urn Finial

I approached the design of the windows in keeping with tradition….draperies! I removed the blinds and put in Vignette Fabric Shades. These are perfect for older windows, like Joan’s that are not double paned. They act as sound absorbers and give great insulation for warmth in the winter and coolness in the summer. They also roll up into a neat little cassette, so they virtually disappear when not in use unlike the blinds that have a stack. I choose a shade color that matched the window casings so they look very natural and do not take the eye away from the window drapery itself.

Robert Allen's Fabric for drapery panels with hand made gathered tab tops!

Joan and I both loved the little red detailing in the bedding that appeared on the edges of the shams and the spread. So I selected a fabric for the drapery panels that had that red and some of the other colors as well. This fabric is a very traditional Robert Allen Jacobean Print and worked perfectly with our bedding. The style of the drapery heading was again in keeping with the style of the furnishings; the 4 little urn finial that topped her 4 poster bed was a perfectly matched with Robert Allen’s Bedpost Collection of wooden hardware. I matched the hardware color and finish to the Ethan Allen furniture to complete the look and give a subtle continuity to the room.

Robert Allen's Bedpost Wooden Hardware...Urn finial a perfect match to the Ethan Allen Urn Finial!

We also brought the same fabric into the adjoining master bathroom as a traditional valance. The large windows in the tub area needed some updating as well, so we put Vignette’s there too!

The Master Bath with Traditional Valance!

Joan was impressed that I took the time and the effort to take into account all of what was already in place…I just picked up where Joan left off, continuing her theme….and finished her master bedroom into a place of complete harmony! Ethan Allen would be proud!

Color Your Home Confidently, The Do's & Don'ts!

2010-11-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

Color is such an important part of making a home look and feel great, but it can be a bit scary to make color choices.

But it doesn't have to be. Avoid common mistakes, learn a few tricks, and you'll feel confident about choosing color for your space.

THE DON'TS

Don't choose colors in a paint store. Colors change drastically depending on the light, so they can look very different in your own home. When deciding on colors, make sure to look at them in the space they will be used. Get a sample of paint from the store and use it to paint a large poster board. Then hang it on different walls and live with it for a few days. That should really help you in feeling certain about the color choice.

Don't forget the ceiling -- it's the fifth wall. A white ceiling may be the best choice, but don't just leave it white by default. A room looks much more finished when the ceiling is deliberately painted to coordinate and harmonize with the decor. For seamless harmony, add a little of the wall color to the ceiling color paint to give it a tint and a hint of the wall color.

Don't ignore accessories. While paint is the most common way to add color, don't forget that incorporating pillows, fabrics, area rugs, and other accessories is a great way to add splashes of color and reflect your personality. Remember the "60-30-10 Rule" of decorating -- 60 percent is the wall color, 30 percent is the furnishings color and 10 percent is the accent color.

THE DO'S

Do understand the psychology of color. Colors evoke reactions that affect us physically and mentally. When you understand how colors shape your feelings, you can choose ones that help you feel wonderful in your home. When we painted our master bedroom a soft blue after years of beige and green flowered wallpaper, it turned into a calming retreat where we both can relax.

Do create flow from room to room. In most homes, you can stand in one room and see into other rooms, so there needs to be a smooth continuity. Not all rooms should be painted the same color, but the colors need to work together. Carry elements of one room into another. The easiest way to do this is to paint the moldings all the same color throughout the home. You also can achieve the same flow by painting the ceilings the same color as well.

Do use inspiration. If you have a large piece of furniture or a treasured accessory, let it awaken your color creativity. The background color in a piece of art can become your wall color, a favorite antique can inspire the color for pillows, a lampshade can become the molding color. About 20 years ago I told a friend to paint a wall in her kitchen "delft blue" to match the blue in her china. Years later she moved from that home and it has changed owners twice more. I recently went into that home and there was that same blue wall. As I sat and had a cup of tea with this new homeowner, she asked if I liked the way this blue wall accented her china. Evidently, each homeowner found favor with the delft blue wall and each had china to go with it.

If you are still struggling with choosing a color with confidence contact Toni Berry at Marie Antoinette Interiors for a Color Consultation. A one hour session will bring you years of satisfaction!
925-862-9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com.

Tile and Wood Get Married At Home!

2010-10-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Toni,
I read your newspaper articles in the Tri Valley Herald, which I enjoy very much. Now I need a professional opinion. The majority of my flooring is tile...you walk into the entryway which is 12' long, by 5' wide, and then the floor lengthens out to the left and right, which is the hallway on one side, and a short hallway to the kitchen/dining room on the other side, which is all tile. The hall bath and laundry room are also tile. The living area, 22'X14'. is straight ahead, and is carpeted. I wanted to remove the carpeting and extend the tile floor. Of course, the tile is no longer being made. My question.....should I extend the flooring with a complimentary tile, a completely different tile, or should I put down wood floors, since any tile I put down will not match either? I have asked all my friends and get a completely different answer from each one. I appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you so much for your time.
Sue Rainey

Hi Sue,
It is always nice to hear that someone out there is reading me! Your question is "do I continue the tile from the entry, halls, bath and laundry into the living room area"?

Without actually seeing the space it will be hard to really address what would be best for you and your home. But I can take a stab at it here; I am assuming that all the existing Tile you mentioned is of one pattern/color, and unless you absolutely love that tile pattern/color and can find a good match, DON'T put down more of it.

Your living room space is graciously large, 22' x 14', I'd go with real wood because tile and wood always marry well together! Then I'd place a beautiful area rug in the living room under the seating grouping for warmth, sound absorption, and to add a bit of color and texture. In fact, to tie all the spaces together and to add harmony, you can order a "custom sized" area rug for the living room, entry and halls (because these areas are open to one another and can be seen together) all in the same or similar rug pattern. This will unify the spaces together beautifully. See the picture for an example of tile and wood. They are both natural green products that lend themselves well to one another.

Hope this helps you in your decision making process. If you need further assistance just give me a call and we can make a time meet so I can actually see the space and give you more options. (you can even invite all those friends to join us) This could save you hundreds of dollars in mistakes by the way.

Thanks again for reading and for asking such a great question.

Toni Berry
at Marie Antoinette Interiors

When It Comes To Drapery; Don't Throw In the Towel!

2010-10-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

While present at an installation of Roman Shade Valances in my client Teresa Smith’s family room, she mentioned that “someday in the future” she’d like to have draperies in her dining room and living room. With shutters on two windows in the dining room, Teresa thought no drapery was necessary. I expressed to Teresa that shuttered windows with drapery can still function and that the draperies would warm the room physically and esthetically. And while there were some draperies in the living room over the French Doors, they seemed out of scale and in the wrong color to enhance and showcase Teresa’s lovely furnishings, in particular a lovely little Harlequin Fainting Couch.

Living Room Before

Living Room After with Drapery

As I absorbed the colors in the art, on the furniture and in the patterned rug, it became clear to me that the color that should be at the windows in the form of draperies was a “Plum Raisin”. I asked Teresa if she had any thing I could take with me in that color so that when she was ready I’d have it in my studio as a reference to pull drapery fabric sample possibilities. She scurried around and said “wait I think I have an old towel in the garage in that color”. She gave me that towel and it sat for months on my work counter waiting for Teresa to call me back.

Suddenly while I was thumbing through fabric books for another client entirely, my eyes fell upon a “Plum Raisin” damask by Robert Allen that would be just perfect for Teresa’s living and dining room drapery. I quickly ordered a fabric sample memo and sent it off to Teresa in the mail with a note…”when you’re ready, this is the fabric!” More months passed and then the phone rang…”I’m ready…let’s do it!”

Dining Room Drapery Over Shutters Adds Softness

When we installed the draperies we were both so pleased. The color and the pattern of the fabric made the rooms come alive! Even the shutters looked better! And to think it really came about because she gave me that towel in just the right color!

As some of you know finding the right fabric takes time and patience. I love it when unexpectedly I find the perfect fabric. And I love it even more when my client trusts me enough to know when a fabric is perfect! So go ahead through me a “towel”, let’s see what I can make of it!

I Love Beautiful Drapery!

Here are some details of custom drapery;

Large Scale Hardware For Large Room!

Hems That Break Like Men's Tailored Pants!

by Toni Berry of Marie Antoinette Interiors

925 862-9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com

A Teen’s Room IS Their Home!

2010-10-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

Make no mistake; A Teens room IS their home, within your home! And they have some definite opinions as to how to decorate it!

As a teenager my room was decorated in Peace Signs, Peter Max pillows, orange bedspread and drapes and of course my favorite faux leopard skin Beanbag pillow! My mother loved that I took an interest in decorating the bedroom that my sister and I shared. She knew Fashion better than any woman I have ever known and she knew that my generation’s Fashion statement was coming through in my teenage bedroom’s décor. She let me decorate according to the latest Fashion trends and rarely stopped me from expressing myself in that way. And I did the same with my two children. I selected the furniture according to what I could afford, but the décor was all up to them and I believe that is how it should be.

And that is Pottery Barn’s philosophy too! Their marketing department is wise enough to know that teenagers want their own look, not just hand-me-downs from their parents or older siblings. Check out their web site http://www.pbteen.com/ or pick up the PBteen creative catalog filled with fabulous saturated colored walls and fun accessories for ideas. Why look at that, I see a lot Peace Signs and Beanbags as I leaf through the catalog! I guess Fashion repeats itself right?

Here are some design tips on helping (only if they ask) to decorate your teenagers bedroom.

• Start with a theme! Sport, music, favorite place, or passionate topic can be a theme! Use it for a springboard to decorate with your accessories and soft furnishings.

• Select the bedspread! With the theme in mind, choose spreads that will delivery a burst of color and vitality.

• Choose the wall and ceiling paint! Using one, two or three colors from the bedspread paint the walls and the ceiling.

• Pick the wall art! Murals make a huge impact. Large 6’ x 4’ ones give color and can double as a headboard, very cool!

• Add furniture pieces that function as sleeping, storage and work spaces! Bookcases, bed platforms, wall to wall shelving, and component type furniture is the answer to a well organized room.

A teen’s room is an expression of who they are, what they like and where they hang. It’s their home and no mistake about it!

By Toni Berry at Marie Antoinette Interiors
925-862-9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com
http://www.marieantoinetteinteriors.blogspot.com/

A Little Privacy Please

2010-08-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

"Hi Toni

I'm trying to give my office which is located in our living room some privacy from the rest of the room/house and my thought was to hang draperies from the ceiling . . . I was wondering if there was a certain type of rod I need to get in order to attach it to the ceiling rather than a wall?
What do you think? Love reading your posts! Thanks! Colleen"

Hi Colleen, Yes, I think partitioning off a segment of your living room with drapery panels is a very stylish and versatile idea.

Hanging drapery from the ceiling is easily accomplished with a special bracket called a "ceiling mount bracket". The drapery rod just cradles in the bracket. Rings go on the rod and the drapery panels are pinned or clipped to the eye in the ring and hang beautifully. The up side of this is you simply move the panels out of the way when you don't need the privacy and to expand the room. Also, you can hang a different drape, in a different color, when you tire of the first! The drapery in the photo below is a soft neutral linen, just enough to softly separate the space.

The fabric styling is important because the drapery functions as a wall so the color and texture should add to the room's ambiance as a decorative element. The blue drapery panel above is complete with trim and wood pole and rings to complement the style of the room.

Glad to help,
Toni Berry

Custom Drapery & Valance Sale With A Free Design Consultation!

2010-08-17T17:50:00.000-07:00

Now Custom Is Truly Affordable!

Imagine your windows with beautiful new custom draperies, just in time for the holidays!

Imagine a FREE, in home consultation, with Toni Berry - Professional Interior Designer,

to help you choose the best look for your windows.

This can all be yours now AND at a 20% savings!

Drapery & Valance Sale is for a limited time only, so please,

CALL NOW to book your FREE appointment.

925.862.9064

Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com

(offer expires on September 30th, 2011)

Viva La Fashionista!

2010-08-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

You may not consider yourself a Fashionista, but suffice it to say in today’s world Fashion is everywhere. We simply can’t escape it. It’s in the cars we drive, the places we go, even the food we eat. And no where, other than the run ways of Europe, can more Fashion be found than in our homes. Every major Fashion Designer is now designing home fashions right along with their apparel lines. Hence as an interior designer and decorator of homes, I use the same rules and guidelines in decorating that Fashion Designers use in apparel. Dress your homes as you would dress your selves; fashionably!

Here are some very fundamental fashion rules that apply to dressing yourself and to decorating your home;

• Invest in classic pieces. Spend the largest percentage of the decorating budget dollars on pieces that will last a life time; a handsome dining table, a well constructed sofa in a classic color, a stylish area rug.

• Spice up your neutrals with a color accent. Paint one wall or several elevations in your favorite accent color. As time goes on and you tire of it, re-painting it will be less expensive than replacing a sofa if it were in that favorite accent color.

• Too tight looks uncomfortable and too loose looks unkempt. Keep scale and proportion in mind when purchasing the primary or anchor pieces of furniture for the room. For example a Cal King bed in a small bedroom might be too overwhelming, and a small sofa in a large family room with vaulted ceilings will look lost.

• Accentuate the good, play down the bad. Call attention to your room’s best features with lighting, color, and furniture arrangements. Similarly downplay the unattractive elements in the room by “painting them out” or camouflaging them with the same color wall paint. This works well in hiding vents, pipes and odd doors. Arrange your furniture so the best vocal point is obvious, like the picture window or the beautiful fireplace.

• Pull an outfit together with COLOR. Mindfully begin with one main primary color in a room. Then add a secondary color, but use less of it. Then add a third bright color, in smaller amounts on artwork, trims and accessories.

• Fabulous shoes can make an outfit. A good flooring foundation can do the same. Consider a beautiful area rug; pull the colors and patterns found in it for use throughout the room. Attractive carpeting or lovely hardwood floors can have the same effect.

• Changing your accessories can change the look from day to night. Upholster in plain textured fabrics. They’ll allow you to decorate around them as you change your mine, update seasonally, or move to a different home by merely changing out pillows and accessories. So choose a tan or gray upholstered sofa for the long term and outfit it with orange pillows for fall, red for winter and steel blue for spring.

• Fashion adaptability; choose wardrobe pieces that can be worn with a variety of other pieces. Just like that little black jacket that looks as great with its matching skirt as it does with jeans. A great chest of drawers or armoire can take on many roles in many rooms as your needs change or you move from home to home. A large ottoman can stand in for a coffee table or extra seating. These workhorse pieces adapt with you and will give you more than your money’s worth over time.

Dress your homes as you would dress your selves; fashionably! And viva la Fashionista!

If you'd like some help updating the look and style of a room in your home, call me at 925.862.9064 or email me at toni@marieantoinetteinteriors.com and we can chat!

Gossip Your Way To A Free Design/Decorating Consultation

2010-07-20T11:18:00.000-07:00

Spread The Word Around and Get A Free One Hour Design/Decorating Consult
The Referral Program!

How it works! Simply refer a friend, family member, or colleague to Marie Antoinette Interiors. When they purchase any of our services YOU get a Free One Hour Design Consult. That's right you pay absolutely nothing for a full hour of Design Time!

What you receive! A One Hour Design Consultation in your home! You may use your FREE Hour Design Consult any time you wish. In one hour you will get trusted advice on new draperies and window treatments, selection of new paint colors for any room, new furniture arrangements (yes we move furniture) and placements, or whatever design or decorating help you may need!

Just refer a friend or colleague and you receive this valuable reward as our Thank You for Spreading The Word!

CALL... Toni Berry at
Marie Antoinette Interiors
925 862-9064, or email Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com

How To Decorate A Man's Cave!

2010-06-28T15:59:00.000-07:00

A Man Cave is defined as "a dedicated area of a house, such as a basement, workshop or garage, where a man can be alone or socialize with his friends." Simple enough, but if you can't spare an entire area, then a corner of a room will work just as well. The idea is to give him a unique space that makes him feel like it's his house, too — a fact that can get lost with decorating and styling.

Here are 5 "how to decorate a Man Cave Tips";

1. Celebrate his glory days

Include memorabilia from his past. Whatever sports, hobbies, or adventures he has had in his life should be showcased and positioned in a prime location within the space. For my husband, I framed an old 1972 newspaper article that featured a photo of us on his beloved Harley Davidson. It was quite a surprise for him, as he hadn't seen it in 30 years.

2. Think handsome, masculine
Use masculine patterns such as geometrics, plaids, tartans, checks or stripes. Do not, even for a moment, think of using anything with a floral pattern. Heavy, sturdy and deep colored fabrics work best in a man cave. Leather, suede, tweed, corduroy and denim give the durability and texture that will please the masculine psyche.

3. Size to fit
Use furniture to match his size. If he is a big guy, don't furnish the room with a lot of small pieces that he may not feel comfortable using. Choose sofa, tables, chairs, bar stools, lamps, trays, pillows and, of course, the television in a size best suited to his scale. I made the mistake once of purchasing my husband a beautiful leather office chair for his desk. The chair's proportions were perfect for the desk but not so much for my husband.

4. Don't get artsy
Hang art that you know he will enjoy, even if it doesn't go with the theme of the space. Don't use art that doesn't have a relationship to his profession, his sports or his passion.

I have a friend who gave her husband a very expensive oil painting for his man cave. Although he liked the painting, he did not want it hanging in his man cave. He wanted the broken neon beer sign that his brother gave him. So I suggested we have the old classic neon beer sign, repaired and cleaned. When she hung that in place of the expensive painting, he was happy and now she has a very expensive painting for her foyer.

5. Feet Up!
Make sure the coffee table in the man cave can stand up to use as a foot rest, snack table and stress reliever. Choose a well-made solid wood or metal coffee table that can take some abuse. A glass, fabric, or plastic coffee table just won't do it. He's got to be able to arm-wrestle on it.

What Is A Scaldino? Little Heater In Italiano!

2010-06-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

They’re all the rage! If you've visited a really nice hotel lately you've probably seen a “Scaldino”. In Italian, Scaldino translates to “little heater”. The Scaldino, as we know it today, is the mini comforter at the end of the bed that warms the feet and protects the spread from the suitcase or other objects you might place there.

But the word Scaldino originally meant an apparatus that housed an iron pot of hot coals. As seen here, it was a wooden or metal cage into which you carefully place the pot of red hot coals and put it between the sheets of the bed. My grandmother used them in Northern Italy. She would prepare the Scaldino and place it into the bed a half hour or so before getting into the bed to warm it.

I find it's a quick way to give any bedroom a new look. Using a neutral colored bedspread, coverlet or duvet on the bed, you can add a Scaldino (with matching pillows) in any decorative fabric for a complete new look. I have even used surplus fabric from the draperies in the room or a treasured tablecloth for Scaldinos. They are far less expensive than a folded comforter as they take less fabric and labor. Think of it as a colorful accessory that can be changed seasonally or just to freshen and change the look of the bed.

I like them because of there versatility, price and because I love all things “Italiano”!

Master Your Bedroom

2010-06-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

Do you need a place in your home where you can retreat to? That’s what I thought; your answer was probably a resounding “yes”! My client Sarah did too. She and her husband have a beautiful home. Lot’s of warm colors with practical yet elegant furniture, and all the areas in the home are finished; even the nursery for their beautiful Gavin is totally appointed and affectionately decorated. But they left the master bedroom for last, and not a moment too soon did Sarah ask me to design a master bedroom that was modern, simple, and peaceful.

After spending a little time discussing what she wanted, her likes and dislikes, I prepared a “Design Board” for Sarah with color, fabrics and furniture. With this she would get a clear picture of what I thought she might like and what would work in the space. Then, keeping within her strict budget guidelines, we detailed or specified each of the design elements, paint, bedding, window treatments and furniture.

Beautiful cool blue walls, we used Benjamin Moore’s # 2136-60 Harbor Haze in a flat finish to give the room a soft feeling. On the ceilings we used #1038 Everlasting to bring the high ceilings down a bit for a more intimate setting.

Bedding was modern and understated. A fitted bedspread in a handsome brown with blue starburst embroidery made the bed less feminine. Adding a blue silk throw at the foot of the bed, shams in the same fabric ties the colors together. Using a sateen stripe on the larger shams, which go with the drapery panels, also coordinate the ensemble nicely. The last little touch was the modern round pillow with a blue button sets the contemporary style of the room perfectly.

Window treatments for a bay window are always a bit tricky. We decided on flat, sheer, brown and blue silk Roman Shades. The shades are detailed with a solid brown banding, the same solid brown fabric that is on the round pillow. The side panels are sateen brown and blue stripe and hang from simple rods with Cufflink Rosettes from the Robert Allen Hardware Collection.

Soft walls, deep rich colored bedding, and modern simple draperies and shades at the windows made for a retreat that they will enjoy for years to come!

Your Artwork Solution

2010-05-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

For many, I consider artwork the finishing touch to a perfect room. It's one of the room design elements that can instantly warm up a space and make it feel like home. Art can expand a space both visually and emotionally, give us a window to the world, add color, create a theme, and deliver some welcome doses of personality and interest to a room. And since there is artwork offered in every price point, it need not be expensive to do the trick.

But there are some spaces that pose special decorating challenges. Spaces that feel too large, rooms that seem small or narrow, or furnishings that just have no character. Can you relate? This is where creative art placement, a fix if you will, can help minimize problems and provide pleasing solutions.

Though there is countless “tricks-of-the-trade” to hanging artwork, here are some suggested ways to fix, with artwork, several common decorating dilemmas!

• One way to expand a small room is to hang a large landscape print with a faraway horizon. This will create the illusion of more space.

• To broaden a narrow room, paint one wall a darker, richer color. Hang an exciting print on that wall, and then hang a framed mirror on the opposite wall. The reflected art will make the room appear wider.

• In a room with a low ceiling try using a darker floor covering. Then choose a light color to use on both the ceiling and walls to draw the eye upward. Hang prints with strong vertical lines to heighten the ceilings. Using a portrait format (taller than wider) will add to the sense of height.

• If you have a room that is small, dark, and cramped, introduce a breath of fresh air with some beautiful landscape prints to bring the outdoors in and brighten space with bursts of color.

• Hang prints with strong horizontal lines to create the illusion of increased length in your room. For best results use the landscape style format and prints with light expansive colors. Several prints hung side by side in a row will compound the effect. Panoramic vistas work very well for this situation.

• Use prints to open up a space in rooms with few or no windows. Landscapes, windows and doorways lead the eye outward to create the illusion of added space and light.

• To scale down a large room, hang a series of prints together on a large otherwise blank wall. Find collections of 2, 3, or 4 prints - hang them together to create an optical illusion of diminished space.
Whatever decorating dilemma you may have, consider the solutions that artwork can bring to the space. It can provide another "window", a flash of color, and a hint of another time and place. Remember though, in addition to any problem-solving value art might provide, it should be something you enjoy looking at, something that makes you happy whenever you see it.

When Is Your "Some Day"?

2010-05-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

I recently received an email from a woman named Donna, who had read one of my articles in the Newspaper and kept it for 3 years until she finally had the courage to call me in to help her. The article was about a former client named Suzanne, who had also waited for me to come and help her finish some decorating she had started and failed to finish. Donna really related to Suzanne’s dilemma and thus her email to me was titled “Some Day”. Below is a passage from her email to me…

{ At this stage of life I have apparently completed my "tweener" years - that time devoted to parenting and care giving and all the blessings and responsibilities affixed to such a stewardship. I have long nourished seeds to decorate but the activities of youngsters often curb the image one dreams as ideal. And "later on" live in parents find it difficult to have their lifestyles altered by major home revisions.

"Some day" has arrived for me - the 2010 calendar is depositing days into the receptacle of eternity past with frightening pace -- so before my own clock runs down and is "used up" I'd like to know very up close and very intimately the feeling of "fabulous space," -- at least for one floor. Like Suzanne, I have read a slew of decorating books and articles, viewed videos, attended home shows, and frankly learned little. Sigh. Evidently I have little natural aptitude in this area. I know what I want and I also am aware if I begin this venture using my own extremely embryonic and anemic talents that the final image will be a patch work result that will stray far from the desired goal. I have "image visions," but without a professionally directed strategy it becomes a hallucination. }

Paralyzed by her descriptive and beautiful style of writing I contacted her and set a time to visit, discuss, and begin transforming her “Some Day” into “Today”! Call me at 925.862.9064 or email me at Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com to discuss your "Some Day"!

Donna's favorite color is Turquois. These are the inspiration photo's for the Turquoise we will use in her home. Stay tuned for pictures of Donna's finished home soon!

Sprucing Up Your Laundry Room!

2010-04-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

The Laundry room is often the most neglected room in the house. It's not usually a room that we make a priority to decorate because we do chores there.

But a work space easily could be turned from drab to fab by treating your laundry room with the DLC (Designing Love and Care).

I recently gave my old laundry room some DLC and now I actually look forward to going in there and having some quiet time to myself, even if I am just doing the wash.

If you have a laundry room that needs some attention, follow the tips below to transform your laundry room. Keep in mind, if you are the one in your household who does the wash, decorate the laundry room for yourself.

Paint the walls your favorite color. If you don't have a favorite color, then choose bright and energetic shades such as yellow or orange. On the other hand, should you desire your laundry room to be a place where you can relax, choose blue or green. Your walls should be a color (or colors) that make you feel happy. My laundry room color is Benjamin Moore's "Quiet Moments." I choose it because that's what I need.

If you don't want to paint, use pictures to give walls character. It doesn't matter if it's a painting by a famous artist, a picture your child drew or a movie poster. I made a shadow box of my first childhood sewing projects, and made satin bulletin boards with photos of my daughter and mother sewing in my laundry room.

Keep your feet cozy. Add a couple of soft rugs or mats to the floor in front of the washer and dryer to keep your feet snug and warm. Rugs also help to absorb any water that may drip or spill. Simply choose the rugs with the color/design and texture you like best. Because my laundry room is also a sewing room, I found an inexpensive carpet remnant and had it installed wall to wall. I'm in there for hours at a time so a soft floor made sense to me.

Get nature involved. Plants, live or artificial, add life and color to a room and can easily infuse a room with vitality. I keep dried lavender in a sand bucket on the window sill. It's a leftover from my daughter's wedding shower and it makes me smile every time my eyes fall upon it.

Music makes a difference. Include a radio or CD player in your laundry room so you can listen to and sing with your favorite tunes as you work. Makes for a happy worker.

Light up your life. If the lighting is dull in the laundry room, or there is not enough of it, do yourself a favor and get brighter bulbs or additional lighting such as floor, table or task lighting. Poor lighting puts strain on your eyes and can make you feel tired. I installed under counter fluorescent strips, canned fluorescents in the ceiling and a beautiful chandelier. The chandelier was a joke at first, but I found one for $15 at Lowe's and I just couldn't pass it up.

Keep it cool. A laundry room can often feel damp and warm. A small fan can help circulate the air and be a great comfort on a hot day.

Add convenient cabinets, shelves, hanging clothes rack, hampers and a wastebasket. It is essential that some form of organization exists within your laundry room so you can store soap, keep clothing off the floor, and have a place where delicate clothing can hang to dry. I installed closet valets on the sides of the wall-mounted cabinets, perfect for hanging clothes right from the dryer. They slide back and out of sight when not in use.

Add a printed fabric. The ironing board, the window and even a little chair cover are all places where you can bring in beautiful print fabrics to support the new color and style theme. I used a linen damask fabric at the window as a shade.

The Do's & The Don'ts of Choosing Color For Your Space!

2010-04-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

I may be dating myself here but do any of you remember when the gray NBC Peacock was first broadcast in Color? Well I do! My family bought a new color TV set (to replace the black and white set) and it was beautiful! Rabbit ears antenna and all, I remember how excited we were to finally see the Rose Bowl Parade and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color and, of course, that colorful Peacock opening up right before our eyes! Color, it has the capacity to lift us, move us and transport us to other places and times.

Color is such an important part of making a home feel great. But it can be a bit scary to make color choices unless you know a few simple tips. Avoid these common mistakes and learn several tricks, and you'll feel confident about choosing color for your space.

DON'T...

...choose colors in a paint store. Colors change drastically depending on the light, so they can look very different in your own home. When deciding on colors, make sure to look at them in the space they will be used.

...forget the ceiling, it's the fifth wall. A white ceiling may be the best choice, but don't just leave it white by default. A room looks much more finished when the ceiling is deliberately painted to coordinate and harmonize with the décor.

...ignore accessories. While paint is the most common way to add color, don't forget that incorporating pillows, fabrics, area rugs, and other accessories is a great way to add splashes of color and your unique personality.

DO...

...understand the psychology of color. Colors evoke reactions in our bodies and affect us physically and mentally. When you understand how colors shape your feelings, you can choose ones that help you feel wonderful in your home.

...create flow from room to room. In most homes, you can stand in one room and see other rooms, so there needs to be a smooth continuity. Not all rooms should be painted the same color, but the colors need to work together. Carry elements of one room into another. The easiest way to do this is to paint the moldings all the same color.

...use inspiration. If you have a large piece of furniture or a treasured accessory, let it awaken your color creativity. The background color in a piece of art can become your wall color; a favorite antique can inspire the color for pillows; a lampshade can become the molding hue.

The most important thing to remember about color is that it should make you feel good. So be courageous and pick some color!

Marie Antoinette Interiors wants to help you celebrate in style!

2010-03-31T18:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter In Color From Your Decorator!

Save 25% Thinking of painting? Don't know what color? In celebration of this wonderful time of year, here's a great way to get some COLOR in your home!

For the entire month of April we are offering 25% off on all

"COLOR CONSULTATIONS"!

Offer Expires: April 30th, 2010

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DESIGNING EYE; Draperies Are Back!

2010-03-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

IF IT'S BEEN A WHILE since you've purchased any window treatments, you might not be aware of the new styles available.

There are just so many choices, it may be a bit overwhelming.

Here's the fashion curve. In the 1980s, opulent swagged draperies, loaded with fringe and tassels and topped with elaborate valances, made some windows seem like over-the-top debutantes. As the 1990s progressed, there was a move away from excess, and minimalist decorating styles led to a desire for plantation shutters, bamboo blinds, Roman blinds and tab-topped panels.

But now draperies are back, and in a big way, with more fabric and hardware options never seen before.

Velvet is prominent. One of the best fabrics for draperies, it catches the light, and when done in rich dark tones it has great visual weight. Velvet is perfect if your room is short on furniture.

Exquisite gossamer sheers in dramatic colors such as cocoa and smoke are a trend, as is combining two tones of sheers. Some have subtle iridescent fibers and are interwoven with other unexpected materials, or have embossed or printed patterns. If you have beautiful views or would like a lighter treatment, this is a lovely option.

Longer, loose pleats — or none at all — are popular. They look less prim and proper than the shorter, tighter ones. Double, rather than triple, pleats are used for the same reason. This styling detail works well if the fabric has a large pattern repeat. It makes the print more visible.

Draperies with grommets are a simple treatment that can be quite dramatic. If your style choice is modern, this is perfect. With the right pole and finials, this treatment can be casual or slightly more formal.

Extra-long fabric puddled on the floor has been replaced with floor-length draperies. But I still like the fabric to puddle just a few inches, the way that well-tailored trousers "break" over a shoe.

Fun patterns that exhibit a sense of whimsy are becoming more popular. Everything from zebra stripes to Zen-like modern motifs are emerging.

Instead of lavishing fabric on swags and valances, the trend has turned our attention to creative hardware. Rods, finials and tie-backs in wood, metal, glass or ceramic are treated like jewelry. This hardware is as important to the entire look of the treatment as the fabric itself.

Most designers advocate having draperies custom made, but if you can sew, many instruction books are available. Although the results might not be as impressive, the cost will be.

Another economical way to go is with ready-made draperies, packaged and available at your local department store. Keep in mind that with ready-made drapery you're limited in the sizing and they usually are not as full or rich-looking, and they may not be lined.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR BATHROOM LARGER WITHOUT A CONTRACTOR!

2010-02-20T16:42:00.000-08:00

If you have a home with a large, luxurious bathroom, read no further; skip on ahead to the next post. But if you don't and you'd like your little bathroom to appear larger without adding any more square footage, you've come to the right place.

Here are a few decorating techniques to help you push back the walls and make your bathroom not only look and feel larger, but also make it more attractive even if it stays exactly the same size.

Pick soft pale cool colors. They tend to give the illusion of more space and the feeling of serenity and luxury.

Open up the space with more light fixtures. Recessed "can" lighting can be installed into the ceiling. Wall sconces flanking the sink can add mood lighting. Skylights, larger windows or Solatubes also can bring in more light.

Vanity cabinets take up too much floor space in a small bath. Replace it with a pedestal or wall-mounted sink. These sinks not only open up the floor space but actually add a sense of style.

Remove wall shelves, hanging racks, or decorative accessories on the walls that cut into the room's space and make it look smaller. Even the smallest piece of furniture or accessory that sticks out into the room can stop where your eyes go and make your room "shrink." This one piece of advice can enlarge the room by providing the illusion of expanding your small space without adding a single square foot.

Install a larger mirror in front of the bathroom sink. The mirror will reflect all the light in the room, and pick up the color and pattern. Or consider a collection of mirrors arranged artistically in the place of one large mirror.

As with the walls, the floor will appear to open up if it's done in a light color. Or place one large light-colored rug over your existing flooring.
Nothing's like clutter to make a small space feel even smaller. Pare down on the towels. Select one piece of art instead of lots of small pieces. Use one decorative accessory instead of lots of small ones. Store whatever else you really need out of sight even if it means putting it in a hall linen closet.

Trade a frosted-glass bath or shower door for a clear glass one. Or eliminate the door altogether and install a shower curtain that can be pushed back to one side when not in use.
Add depth by painting a mural on the largest open wall. Or hang a large framed picture of a garden or landscape. This helps to expand the look of your space by visually enlarging the feeling of the room.

These decorating techniques can be used to enlarge any room in the house, but they are essential to expanding the space in a bathroom. And you don't need to call a contractor!

Drama At The Foot Of The Bed!

2010-02-03T20:48:00.000-08:00

I have a very large Master Bedroom. It is long and narrow. We have placed the bed on one of the narrow walls at the end of the room and lined the dresser, armoire and chest on the long walls. Though I like the arrangement of furniture this way it has left a large empty space in the center of the room or at the foot of the bed. It needs something…but what?

Please help, Tracy

You’re so lucky to have the space available for several beautiful options. The bed is typically the focal point of any bedroom, but in a master bedroom with gracious proportions you can really play up the drama!

Try these suggestions to fill the space at the end of your bed;

Add visual weight with a small writing desk and stool placed at the foot of the bed that will bring charm and function to the space. You can also hang a chandelier over the desk or bed to further define the space.

Turn your room into a retreat with a settee or loveseat that can add color, grace and great a place to lounge. Make sure it’s proportions are not greater than the bed. You don’t want it to look like a living room, but a bedroom with a soft place to fall.

Need a place to sit and put on your shoes or kick them off, double benches or upholstered chairs will do the trick. This solution packs a bigger punch when done is duplicates. Two small vanity benches is sometimes more visually interesting than just one bed bench. And two small slipper chairs are just perfection.

Like to read the morning paper and have your breakfast in the bedroom? Try a small table and a pair of elegant French chairs at the foot of the bed. Done in a finish that blends rather than contrast with the bed, it will make it appear as though they were perfectly appointed!

That’s just a few wonderful solutions. Can’t wait to hear which one will suit you best!

Toni

DESIGNING EYE, "For Big Rooms, Think Anchors Before Accessories"

2010-01-17T11:45:00.000-08:00

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?

"I just moved into a new home. Though I love the new floor plan, my furniture and accessories don't seem to work as well as they did in our old home. I think I need more accessories as these rooms are larger than the rooms in the old home. What can I do to make it look right?"

Often, the problem is not the lack of accessories. It's too many accessories and not enough furniture. What is missing in many cases is a piece or two of large scale furniture acting as an "anchor" in the rooms.

Every room needs at least one or two anchors, depending on the size and scale of the room. These anchor pieces should be large enough to be the heavyweight in the room. A room without one of these large pieces will look unfurnished or make all the accessories look like a lot of misplaced floating objects.

The solution is easy enough. Take these real-life examples.

-- The dining room has a lovely glass table, four fully upholstered chairs and a little console table with a small mirror over it. I replace the small console and mirror with a large credenza, displaying all the dishes hidden in the kitchen. The credenza's large scale fills the wall's length and width more appropriately and becomes the anchor piece in the dining room.

-- The living room has a lot of small accent tables with small lamps and four small occasional chairs, making it too fragmented, busy and cluttered. I replace the chairs, tables and lamps with two larger arm chairs, one larger table and a table lamp. Accent lamps work in small spaces but they cannot do the job of a good-size table lamp.

-- In this room the couch, functioning as the first anchor piece, is done in rich burgundy chenille and has a handsome command of the room. The coffee table, however, is dwarfed in its presence. So off it went to another room and in comes a wonderful old square pine work table from the den.

Well-worn from years of use and full of family memories, all it needed was shorter legs. No problem, we just shortened them. That's right. We literally sawed them off. This larger scale table became our second anchor in the living room. All the accessories on this table made more sense because the space around the accessories could be seen and appreciated.

Bottom line, this client has all she needs to make the rooms work. We just shuffle some of her existing larger pieces of furniture around, add some new pieces and redesign some old pieces.

So remember, always start with the anchor piece and accessories around them, not the other way around.

2010 New Neutral, Going Gray!

2010-01-04T23:01:00.000-08:00

After seeing several prestigious Show Homes here in the Bay Area this past summer and also attending a Color Update Course this past fall, I've been persuaded into believing that this years new color neutral is GRAY!

It's everywhere, and though Pantone, the leading color predictors, have chosen Turquoise as the dominant new color for 2010, it is the color Gray that is showing up on the walls, in upholstery and on flooring! And slate and charcoal grays seem to be leading the way in popularity.

If you're looking for high contrast, sure fire drama, and even a soothing effect, gray walls are a good place to start a neutral color scheme in any room of your home.

Our favorite gray paint is Benjamin Moore's "Flint AF-560" from their new Affinity Colors Collection. Shown on the walls of the entry way pictured above in a matte finish, with trim painted "White Dove" in a hi-gloss finish. Beautiful and sophisticated, I think I'm liking it!

While it's impossible to update your home every year with all of the latest and greatest colors of the interior design world, you can add a splash of the new color here and there to help yourself stay with the flow and the times!

If your room is flowery and light like the one above, you can use a dark gray on only one wall for drama. This will also make the white sofa and pale summer colors pop! Notice that the sheen used on this dark gray wall is done in a high gloss finish for a reflective value.

Another place to try a little gray is in the bedroom. This room was left with it's original pink walls and traditional four poster bed. We removed the pink quilted bedspread. By adding a gray flannel comforter and shams over white linens, then adding a few brown pillows we achieved a truly modern yet understated look. This is a perfect example of not having to change everything in a room to update to a new look and color. And this can be without breaking the bank!

Want to add a little sophisticated gray to your home? Not sure where or how to begin? Call for a "Color Consultation" and get the confidence you need to get started. Phone 925.862.9064 or email Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com today.

IS IT A HOME OR IS IT THE MALL?

2009-11-29T19:33:00.000-08:00

As an interior designer and decorator one would think that during the holidays my home would be “over the top” with Christmas décor! But you might be surprised to know that mine is not, in fact it’s just the opposite. Why? Because I've realized through the years that if the decorations are over done, it looks and feels contrived. It can also start to feel overwhelming and cluttered. I've decided I still want my home to look and feel like my home, but with a “touch of the season”, not a “touch of department store or shopping mall”.

Here is some sage advice for keeping your home’s décor simple and understated for the Holidays.

• Start with the front entrance, use simple greenery to adorn the door: it’s your Happy Holiday welcome.

• Real pine garlands and sprigs from your garden will go a long way to bring in a touch of the season and small hints of that wonderful aroma.

• Loosely wind some pine garlands around your banister. Pull the pinecones up on top then wind small white lights and ribbon through it.

• Place a rope garland of greenery on your mantel. Let it hang loosely off the ends.

• Evergreen picks are great for sticking in bowls, urns and containers and will transform any centerpiece into a festive one.

• Use lifelike picks to fill in your artificial or real Christmas tree. (Yes, mine is artificial!)

• Mix your pine greens in with other arrangements that you might have for an instantly winter transformation.

• Bring in some oversized pine cones for texture, beauty and drama.

• Buy some holiday ribbon and use generously in and around your decorations.

• Use ribbon to tie napkins, tie up tableware, to hang ornaments on tree, and to hang ornaments from chandelier.

• Try glass and crystal ornaments as they reflect the lights so well.

• Clear glass containers and bowls are great for candles, potpourri, Holiday decorations and just about anything you want to display.

• Little white lights displayed on the mantel will draw your eyes to it and become the focal point.

• If you have one keep logs burning in the fireplace whenever you can, nothing says Holidays like a warm fire.

• Place a tray with a “Hot Coca or Tea Set” on the coffee table. You may already have one in your hutch; why not turn it into a centerpiece!

• Appeal to your other senses, smell and hearing. Play soft instrumental Holiday music and plug in the Glade Holiday room oil. Place a bowl of Holiday Potpourri in simple white bowls, or burn Holiday candles.

• Throw a real red or white wool throw on the sofa or chair. It will beg your attention.

Now curl up in the throw, have some hot cocoa, smell the cinnamon and pine in the air, and listen to the music and be thankful that you are not at this moment in a shopping mall! Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving from your Decorator

2009-11-19T08:39:00.000-08:00

Doesn't seem possible that it's that time of year when we all join together to give thanks. But it is and I am one very thankful lady for so many reasons.

We are all gathering at my house this Thursday and I'm cooking up a storm for friends and family. I can't wait to dig out all the old recipes. But if you are hunting around for a new recipe I have one to share with you here below. It's a crowd pleaser for sure! And I threw in a new prayer (who couldn't use a prayer?) that I came across. Written in 1860, it couldn't be more true today!

At this time of Thanksgiving I count among my many blessings your friendship, loyalty and support.

I am so very thankful for the confidence you have shown in me and my work. And I wish you and yours a most bountiful Thanksgiving Day !

Thanksgiving Creamed Corn Italian Style!

I give thanks to my Tennessee mother in-law, Ruth, for the best creamed corn I've ever tasted. But a few years ago I tried this recipe for creamed corn and everyone in our family raved about it. I think it's because it calls for "Romano" cheese and the Italian-Americans out number the southerners at our table! ! So here is my recipe!

1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 (16 oz.) packages frozen corn
1 pint half-and-half cream
1 pint heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup grated Romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and blend together with the flour.
3. Add the corn, half and half, heaving cream, salt and sugar. Stir and heat until mixture begins to thicken.
4. Stir in cheese and pour into a 2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 minutes.

Happy Thanksgiving and Tanti Auguri,

~Toni~

LIGHTING BEYOND ILLUMINATION

2009-11-14T15:52:00.000-08:00

Now that we've said so long to daylight saving time, what can we do to make our homes brighter? Lighting is the easy, affordable answer and it will allow the introduction of dramatic design elements and upgrade your life.

Lighting does more than perform a illumination duty. It also creates atmosphere and expresses personal style. Whether you hang a chandelier, install accent lighting outdoors or simply plug in a beautifully designed table lamp, lighting can make or break a room.

Here are some illuminating tips to help you choose the right lighting:

• Illuminate a room in proportion to the space. Lighting designers figure proper illumination by first multiplying the square footage of the room by 1.5. For example, a 15-by-20 foot room is 300 square feet. Now multiply that number by 1.5. In our example, 300 times 1.5 is 450, so that's the amount of wattage you need to properly light a room, dispersing that 450 watts through lamps, ceiling lights and task lighting. For concentrated task areas such as work spaces, multiply by 2.5.

• For great lighting accents, install wall sconces about 60 inches above the floor and spread them 8 to 10 feet apart in hallways, fireplace walls or flanking a dining hutch.

• Place a 20-inch tall candelabra lamp stick with a dark shade on each side your fireplace mantel, the console behind the couch or in the hallway for an elegant glow to the room. The dark shades will add a sense of masculinity to the space.

• When deciding what size chandelier you need, add the rooms dimensions together, but substitute inches for feet. For example, in a 12-by-16 foot room, you would add the 12 to the 16 to know that a 28-inch diameter chandelier would be ideal. To determine the diameter of a chandelier that hangs over an existing dining table, just divide the table width in half. For example, a table width of 48 inches would accommodate a 24-inch chandelier nicely.

• To hang a chandelier in a dining room with 8-foot tall ceilings, the bottom of the chandelier should fall 30 inches above the tabletop. Add 3-inches for every additional foot of ceiling height.

• If many of your existing light fixtures need replacing, new inexpensive lighting from a local home improvement store will work wonders. They show lighting in grouped collections for just this purpose.

• And my very favorite: Buy small silk shades in alternating colors that work with the color scheme of the room. Use these to replace the old grungy glass light covers most often found on your dated 1970s brass chandelier. They just snap right on the small bulb. You can also paint the shiny yellow brass finish in a gold, silver, bronze or black metal paint, for that wrought-iron look and a wonderful way to update and change the whole ambience of a room.

THREE ONE HOUR CENTERPIECES!

2009-11-12T18:21:00.000-08:00

For you DIY'ers here's a fast, beautiful, and inexpensive centerpiece to make yourself in one hour max!

At your local craft store, buy 7 branches of Bittersweet, 3 branches of Persimmon, 2 woody twig type branches for height, and a small piece of Styrofoam. Use any solid colored (non glass) vase you may already have or purchase a new inexpensive one at the craft store.

Randomly cut each of the branches a different length (as in nature) but leave the 2 woody twig ones nice and long. Beginning with the longest ones first and working down to the shortest, arrange them carefully in the vase that has the piece of Styrofoam in the bottom. No need to glue them into the Styrofoam, it will hold them gently as they lean against the vase. The idea here is to have the centerpiece look as though you just went out and cut these beautiful branches in the woods, brought them indoors and stood them in a vase. Which is exactly what you are doing, you're just going to the craft store instead of the woods for the branches!

Voila`! I made mine in less than an hour and its costs was minimal. My inspiration was one I had seen at Pottery Barn for about $335.00. Ouch, that was inspirational! This one is just as pretty and fits my pocket book! Now go make yours, you've got exactly one hour!

FALL CANDLE RINGS

Freshen up your old candlesticks! Purchase or make small grapevine rings to use as a base, or bend a piece of coat hanger into a circle. Next, wire on small stems of berries, leaves, and flowers using thin wire wound tightly around the base. Use fresh flowers for a one-use decoration. Or find pretty silk blooms for a longer-lasting design. Perfect for the food presentation at the buffet table!

PRODUCE CENTERPIECE

What better way to celebrate the Thanksgiving harvest feast than by creating a centerpiece using gorgeous green vegetables. To make the asparagus and green bean wrapped candles, stretch two sturdy rubber bands around a white pillar candle, then insert vegetable stalks underneath the band. Cover the bands with a circle of satin ribbon and arrange on one of your platters with a few white mums and coffee berry sprigs. To make the artichoke candle base, just gut the inside of an artichoke and insert a smaller pillar candle! This delicious centerpiece works well at the table as it is low and streamlined. For large gatherings use two to three of them on the same table!

FASHION? OF CORSET MATTERS...

2009-10-20T21:21:00.000-07:00

I love how corsets look on the body. They tighten the waist, accentuate the bust and give a nice curve to the top of the hips. They are flirtatious, playful and elegant and being a Fashionista at heart, I thought I'd share with you a little corset history!

Though commonly associated with the Victorian upper class, corsets originated in the 16th century and, by the 19th, had become a hallmark of fashion for nearly all females. Practically essential for women of aristocratic birth, corsets were also adopted by working middle class women aspiring toward similar ideals of fashion.

So, what happened to the corset? In 1960, DuPont introduced Lycra to the manufacturing process, making whalebone or metal-framed corsets obsolete, and transforming the corset proper into the girdle. Then in the 70s bra-burning feminists brought cries for less restrictive, more natural feminine fashions. But the corset never completely vanished, no it's still here and it's still absolutely the hallmark of fashion!

What has all this got to do with window treatments you might ask! Well, if you like what a corset does for the feminine body, you might like what it can do for your window fashions!

Rev up your windows with the same flirtatious, playful and elegant look that corsets give the feminine figure! And guess what Marie Antoinette I have discovered fabulous drapery tiebacks reminiscent of feminine corsets. Check out these, one laces up the front through grommets, the other features button and ribbon closures at the center and yet another in leather, left untied teasingly at the top for that, well, sexy look. Perfect for a dramatic dining room or luxurious bedroom, these corset tiebacks can add a little bit of "Glam" to your room!

My friend Liz Ware created these "corset tieback" patterns for her company "Details Pattern Company". Her original couture pattern designs are inspired by runway fashion and Hollywood glamour, and her patterns capture those same beautiful dressmaking details for the window fashions industry.

And if you think you'd like to see your window dressed in one of Liz's designs give me a call. We can select just the right fabric appropriate for your style and give your window a flirtatious, glamorous look. Call 925.862.9064 or email Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com for an appointment.

Does fashion matter, of corset it matters!

'DESIGNING EYE" Window Dressing Secrets

2009-10-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

THE BEST WINDOWS are well-dressed. If you've seen one, you know instantly that it didn't just happen by chance. No, it took time and some planning to pull it all together.

Think of dressing your windows as you would dress yourself for a special occasion.

Take time to look at home decorating magazines to see what the latest fashion is. Plan a shopping trip to several stores that offer ready-made draperies to see if they will accommodate your particular window size.

Call in the help of a designer or decorator to brainstorm some ideas for your windows that you might not have thought of. All this preparation and research will result in a great window treatment, special occasion or not.

For fabulously well-dressed windows that are just irresistible, here are five window dressing secrets:

Don't be afraid of color. Many people play it safe and select neutral window treatments. Mixing two colors in window treatments is a simple way to inject energy and excitement into a room. Select tones from opposite sides of the color wheel — pair golden linen shades with deep wine cotton velvet panels — to brighten and add punch to your windows.

Vary textures when mixing neutrals. If bright colors don't appeal to you, mixing subtle colors in wonderful textures can instantly bring elegance and ease to your rooms.

For example, combining rich silk in an earthy bronze with delicate, sheer georgette in a creamy color results in a beautiful effect that goes with any décor.

Woven reeds, grasses and bamboos used in roman shades perfectly complement any textured neutral panels.

Use a corner to your advantage. In homes with wall space between two corner windows, use panels or draperies with one side stacking to the left, the other to the right. Panels meet in the corner for the dramatic look of one continuous window.

In contemporary homes where windows meet without wall space in between, designer screen shades are a wonderful solution. When closed, the windows appear as bold bands of color; when open, shades virtually disappear for an unobstructed view.

Give small windows big impact. Don't be stumped by small or unattractive windows. One terrific way to make small windows appear larger and dramatic is by using light-colored panels that start well above the window and puddle onto the floor.

To enhance the width of a narrow window, use panels significantly wider than the window and hold them open with tiebacks — the effect draws the eye outward. Build on the visual impact with details such as ring tops, prominent wood poles, finials and brackets or grommets.

Design in stages. If your dream windows are a little out of reach right now budget-wise, don't fret. Designing windows is an evolving process that doesn't have to be finished all at once.

When you move into a home, privacy and light control are most important, so focus on installing functional blinds and shades that will be the foundation for your window treatment masterpieces later. Then, when time and budget allow, layer luxurious panels and draperies or add architectural details like cornices and sconces.

Reach Toni Berry at Marie Antoinette Interiors, 925-862-9064 or Toni@MarieAntoinetteInteriors.com. For more design advice, go to www.marieantoinetteinteriors.blogspot.com.

MAKE OVER THE OFFICES OF THE DANVILLE LIVERY

2009-09-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

Dark, cold, cluttered, and dated, the offices of Asset Management Group in the Danville Livery begged for some help and a serious make over!

THE CHALLENGE:

Make these offices brighter, warmer, and more stylish without replacing the mix of office furniture. Two adjoining offices with a clear view of each from the other. Two different types and style of furniture in each; one Antique Golden Oak, the other Modern Cherry.

Worn grey green carpet, dingy white walls, charcoal colored mini blinds at the windows, outdoor barn light fixtures providing shadowed and little light, and vaulted ceilings with a lot of exposed brown beams to which all the electrical conduit was attached and visible. Ouch!

THE SOLULION:

First, we selected a new wall color that went well with both the oak and cherry furniture. Benjamin Moore’s Richmond Bisque is a soft light cream with a little yellow tint to it. Red accent walls, one in each office, in #1259 Beaujolais. This warms the space and gives each room a much needed focal point, giving both offices continuity. All the beams and the electrical conduit were painted in the same wall color to make it disappear visually. The window, doors, and all other trim in a Bone White for a brighter cleaner look.

Second, new red carpeting was chosen in a smart small geometric pattern. The deep red color anchors the rooms while giving both spaces continuity.

Third, leaving most of the office windows bare allowed in a lot more light and the beautiful views of the oak trees out side. The few interior windows were covered in 2” bone white wooden blinds to match the trim color, updating the look and brighten the space.

Fourth, new lighting and lots of it. Simple semi-flush opal glass light fixtures were attached to the bottom of the painted beams. Allowing light to illuminate from the top and the bottom of the fixture, eliminating shadows.

Fifth, the final decorative touches. Nature prints matted and framed to give a sense of professionalism to the space. Plants, vases, wood carvings, and even a jar filled with candy for the reception area was included.

The make over was meant to complement not distract from the existing office furniture. By adding bright colors, textures, lighting, and accessories the office now has a professional ambiance to it. After all it is an office and quite an Asset to the Danville Livery Mercantile I might add!

Visit The Danville Livery Here

Designing Eye: Area rugs - Inside Bay Area

2009-09-18T15:52:00.001-07:00

Designing Eye: Area rugs - Inside Bay Area

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THE SEPTEMBER NEWLETTER IS HERE!

2009-09-11T12:38:00.001-07:00

Full of information on Fabrics and a 25% OFF Sale Coupon. good for the entire month of September!

PATTERNS, SOLIDS AND PRINTS, OH MY!

2009-09-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

Nothing has a greater effect on the look of upholstered furniture than the fabric. It's the most visible indication of fashion and quality. It's also the part of an upholstered piece to show soil and wear fastest.

So how do you select a fabric that has the style, durability and feel that you want? It's all in knowing what to look for, and what questions to ask. First, I'll point out some basic decorating and shopping considerations, and then we'll look at the differences between fabric types.

Things To Consider When Selecting A Fabric

Style - First, the fabric should be appropriate to the style and character of the piece it is covering. A traditional frame will usually look best with a more traditional fabric style. Second, the scale of the pattern should be appropriate to the room size. As a rule, large repeating patterns look better in larger rooms. Also consider whether the fabric color is warm or cool, and be sure it's the right "mood" for the room the furniture is going into.

Color - Color is probably the number one reason people select certain fabrics. But certain color fabrics may not be the best choice for durability and stain resistance. If you have small children, you're probably better off choosing a color that won't show dirt easily.

Durability - Will the furniture be in an area of the house that receives the heaviest traffic? Pieces subject to daily heavy wear need to be covered in tough, durable, tightly woven fabrics. Generally, fabrics that have their pattern "woven in" will wear better than printed fabrics.

Thread Count - The higher the thread count, the more tightly woven the fabric... and the better it will wear.

Fade Resistance - Will your furniture be exposed to constant direct sunlight? To reduce the chance of fading, make sure your choices include fabrics that are sunlight resistant.

Cotton -This natural fiber provides good resistance to wear, fading and pilling, but is less resistant to soiling and wrinkling. Surface treatments and blending with other fibers often compensate for these weaknesses. Durability and use depend on the weave and finish. For example, damask weaves are formal; canvas weaves such as duck and sailcloth are more casual and durable.

Linen - A great, fresh look. Best suited for formal living rooms or adult areas because it soils and wrinkles easily. While it won't withstand heavy wear, linen does resist pilling and fading.

Silk -This beautiful, delicate fabric is typically used in formal areas but it can be very strong when backed with another fabric for durability.

Wool - Sturdy and durable, wool and wool blends offer good resistance to pilling, fading, wrinkling, and soil. Generally, wool is blended with a synthetic fiber to make it easier to clean.

Acetate - Developed as imitation silk, acetate resists mildew, pilling and shrinking. On the other hand, it offers good resistance to soil and tends to wear, wrinkle, and fade in the sun. Not a good choice for furniture that will get tough, everyday use.

Acrylic - Developed as imitation wool, and resists wear, wrinkling, soiling and fading. Low-quality acrylic may tend to pill excessively in high-wear situations. Better-quality acrylics are manufactured to resist pilling.

Microfiber - A term used to describe a new category of upholstery fabrics with a velvety, suede-like surface. Made from ultra fine polyester fibers, Microfiber fabrics are durable and pleasant to the touch. An excellent value, durability and clean ability.

Nylon - Rarely used alone, nylon is usually blended with other fibers to make it one of the strongest upholstery fabrics. Nylon is very resilient; in a blend, it helps eliminate the crushing of napped fabrics such as velvet. It doesn't readily soil or wrinkle, but it does tend to fade and pill.

Polyester - Rarely used alone in upholstery, polyester is blended with other fibers to add wrinkle resistance, eliminate crushing and reduce fading.

Regardless of color, fiber, thread count or grade, upholstery fabrics should always be chosen to serve your needs, both fashionable and practical. There are countless choices out there, and I carry most of them in the Robert Allen Upholstery Fabric line. I always order several sample memo of the fabric choices for my clients so they can live with them for a few days. Makes all the difference in the decision making process!

Most important, be sure to pick a fabric that you can truly LIVE with. And, if you grow tired of it in a few years, remember that virtually all upholstery can be re-covered!

Do you have a sofa or chair that needs re-covering? I'm offering 20% off Upholstery Fabric for the entire month of September! Call 925.862.9064 to see how much you can save!

ASK A DESIGN QUESTION? Should I reupholster the old, or buy the new?

2009-08-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

Q. DEAR TONI: We have a sofa and chair that have seen better days and we're considering reupholstering them. Is it smart to invest in reupholstering or just buy new? Colleen.

A. DEAR COLLEEN: Reupholstering is a great way to refresh your sofa and chair, but you need to take a couple things into consideration first. Reupholstering most times is less expensive than buying new. I say most times because there are a couple price factors involved in reupholstering that will affect the total cost to reupholster a piece. First, are the pieces you're considering the style you want to keep for the next 10 years? If you're going to invest in reupholstering pieces, you'll want to keep them for quite a few years in order to recover the costs.

Were they good quality pieces when you bought them? Are the frame, springs, and cushions still in good condition? In my opinion, unless the pieces were good quality pieces to start with, I would NOT suggest reupholstering them. An exception to that thought is if the piece has sentimental value to you. Today you can purchase fairly inexpensive sofas and chairs, so if you paid less than around $1,500 for the two pieces to begin with, they are probably not worth reupholstering because you can buy new.

In estimating how much it will cost to reupholster, let's look at your sofa and let's assume it is an average size sofa of 86 inches long by 36 inches deep, exposed feet, loose back cushions in good condition. The two costs that you'll have are fabric and labor. If you select a plain solid fabric that is 54 inches wide, you'll need approximately 15 to 17 yards of fabric depending upon the style of the sofa. If you're looking to select a print fabric that has a pattern repeat, you'll need to add another 10% to 35% more fabric depending upon how large the pattern repeat is. Now fabric has a very wide price range, from just dollars per yard to over a hundred. Let's take an average price of $35.00 per yard which will give you a good selection to choose from. Along with the fabric, you have your labor costs. Reupholsters range in price also from about $50.00 to $80.00 per labor yard.

So let's do the math, using the average yardage needed, fabric and labor costs so you can compare reupholstering to buying new. If your sofa needs 16 yards of solid fabric, the fabric costs $35.00 per yard, the reupholster charges $60.00 per yard; it will cost $1,520.00 to reupholster your sofa. If you only paid $1,000 for the piece and it does not hold any special memories, I would suggest buying new. But if you originally purchased a good quality piece for a couple thousand dollars or more, that still has a good tight frame and the springs and cushions are still in excellent condition, YES you should reupholster it. I have many clients that have reupholstered a piece two or three times because it was a good piece or has special sentimental value to them.

Reupholstering is a wonderful way to transform a piece of furniture and extend its life, but do the math first to make sure you're investing wisely!

Do you have a sofa or chair that needs re-covering? I'm offering 20% off Upholstery Fabric for the entire month of September! Call 925.862.9064 to see how much you can save!

Contra Costa Times: Designing Eye: Picking a paint color

2009-08-17T21:51:00.001-07:00

Designing Eye: Picking a paint color - By Toni Berry
Contra Costa Times correspondent

Editor's note: Today we launch a new column by interior designer Toni Berry. Each month, Toni will focus on a topic to give us some quick tips to make sure we're spending our money wisely as well as getting the most style that we can. View Full Story

$ TIPS For The Perfect Porch !

2009-08-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love a good porch! Most of us are so busy we sometimes forget to use that outdoor space or room to nurture ourselves. My friend Kate has a sun porch at her home that is to die for! When you have lemonade on her porch you are transported back in time to when life was simpler. You're a child again and it's summer! The level of relaxation you experience is so healing and you don't have to spend a lot to catch that feeling again.

Here are some tips I picked up from Kate and others who have great porches;

· Use old wicker with lots of pillows and cushions for seating. Nothing says "come and nap a while" like an old wicker sofa. $ TIP, any small outdoor settee will do and Orchard Supply has them for under $50. Just make sure you lavish it with pillows.
· Make use of accent and end tables painted in soft colors like sherbet orange and green. $ TIP, don't worry that they don't match, they're not supposed to! Get indoor tables and paint them with outdoor paint.
· Add a sisal or grass rug under the furniture grouping, a clean area designated just for bare feet. $ TIP, Walmart has the most inexpensive outdoor rugs available, but you can use your old indoor rug, that has seen better days, too.
· Include baskets of magazines, books and journals to write in. Once you're settled you may not want to get up again for these things. $ TIP, use an inexpensive laundry basket, they're bigger and look neat and tidy on the porch floor.
· And you simply must have a tray with a pitcher, glasses and festive napkins on one of those tables. $ TIP, you can pick these up at any discount store for $10.00 or less. Just make them colorful and playful, remember the porch is where you unwind.
· Add outdoor candles or small lamps for the evenings. $ TIP, use an old lamp. Paint it a soft cream color. Replace the shade with an inexpensive paper shade from Target. Paint the shade a soft color similar to the color used on the table. Run an extension cord to the nearest outlet.

If you're trying to decorate on your own strength and running out of ideas, enlist the help of a decorator like myself. My "TIPS" could save you time, energy, and $ in the long run. Call Toni Berry at 925.862.9064 to discuss what you're looking for!

Blessing On Your Doorpost!

2009-08-09T22:02:00.000-07:00

On a recent visit to a new client's home I noticed a funny little brass bar affixed to the frame of her front door sash. I thought it might be a security mechanism and I took note of it because it had some writing on it and I was curious as to what it meant. I didn't ask her about it, but wished I had.

A few days latter I went to another new client's home and there it was again! A little metal bar, the size of a cigarette affixed to the doorpost of the front door. Now that I've encountered two of these in one week, it's time to find out just exactly what these little gizmo's are!

So I asked my client, she smiled and said "why that's my Mezuzah"! She went on to explain that every Jewish home displays them as a sign of their faith. And inside each of these little cylinders or bars is a small piece of parchment inscribed with the biblical passages of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13- 21, "write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates". Because I had never heard of or seen a "Mezuzah" I took a picture of it and thought I'd share it with all you.

As we spend time, money and effort on our homes to make them beautiful it's also nice to stop and regard our homes as a real blessing to ourselves and to others, don't you think?

And here's wishing all of your homes a beautiful blessing;

GOD BLESS THE CORNERS OF THIS HOUSE AND BE THE LINTEL BLESSED. AND BLESS THE HEARTH AND BLESS THE BOARD AND BLESS EACH PLACE OF REST. BLESS EACH DOOR THAT OPENS WIDE TO STRANGERS AND TO KIN.AND BLESS EACH CRYSTAL WINDOWPANE THAT LETS THE SUNSHINE IN. AND BLESS THE ROOFTREE OVERHEAD AND EVERY STURDY WALL. THE PEACE OF MAN, THE PEACE OF GOD, THE PEACE OF LOVE TO ALL. Irish Home Blessing

THE CURE FOR COLOR PARALYSIS AND COLOR ANXIETY!

2009-07-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

Paint is absolutely the least expensive decorating product you can purchase to dramatically change the look of your home's interior or exterior. But For many it comes with a high price: color anxiety.

Some may call it paint paralysis - frozen in fear of using paint color inappropriately. But we make color choices every day - and often with confidence we are unaware of. We may be able to dress ourselves, our kids and our husbands, but an entire wall of color can be irrationally intimidating. It seems so easy to get it all wrong, so you freeze, right!

If you're losing your way in the quest for color, agonizing over countless paint chips that are now looking all the same and overwhelmed at the amount of time you're spending on indecisiveness, then you'd be wise to enlist the help of a color consultant. If you think this might be too expensive, think again. The cost of a color consultation will save you hours of time in repainting if you don't like it and find you've made a mistake in the color choice.

In a little over an hour, the color consultant visits you in your home, takes an overview of your spaces, your lifestyle and your personality. Out of that discussion you develop together a paint strategy that will tie everything together by:
*enhancing your home's decor through the use of well-chosen paint color
*creating a beautiful space making the most of your furnishings
*developing an entire color plan which you can work on room by room over time or simply fine-tuning your great beginning

At the end of the color consultants visit you will have a 3"x 5" color card of each of the colors specified. You will know exactly where each color is to be painted, trim, ceilings, niches, baseboards, windows, ect. ect. And you will also know what sheen each color will have. This knowledge goes a long way in keeping the paralysis and anxiety at a minimum!

Are you paralyzed and anxious about what color to paint your rooms? Have you painted only to be unhappy with the results? Get some peace of mind and make a Paint Color Consultation appointment. Let me help you get just the right color, in the right place, at the right price! Call 925.862.9064 for an in- home Paint Consultation!

Get more information at Benjamine Moore Paint

MARIE ANTOINETTE...IS THAT YOUR REAL NAME?

2009-05-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

Yes it's true, Marie Antoinette is my real name and Toni is just a nick name that I adopted in junior high school because Toni was shorter, easier and way cooler!

I was born in Italy and customarily the first born is named after a grandmother. In as much as I had a grandmother named Antonia (father's side) and a great grandmother named Antonia (mother's side), they named me Maria Antonietta after them both. Grandparents and other family members called me Nietta for short.

After our arrival to America and when I started grammar school, the nuns of Saint Callistus Catholic School decided to translate my Italian Maria Antonietta to the English version Marie Antoinette. It was their attempt to Americanize me! From then on I was called Marie Antoinette and my childhood friends called me Antoinette. My parents however spoke only Italian in our home so they continued to call me Antonietta. When my younger siblings learned to speak my name they couldn't pronounce Antonietta so they formed the name Teta in baby talk. The baby talk stuck because they still call me Teta and so do their children. My niece and nephews call me Auntie Teta!

When I hit Junior High School in the late 60's Marie Antoinette or any version of it was just too "square"! And writing the entire name on homework assignments was a pain. So as in the masculine version of Anthony, Tony is a short nickname, I did the same with Antoinette using the feminine version of Toni. From that moment on I have been known as Toni. But my family in Italy still calls me by my Italian name, Antonietta.

When I started my business in 1984 I named it the English name "Marie Antoinette Custom Home Interiors" just to keep it simple. Yea, right!

So here are all my real names in order of appearance! Maria Antonietta, Nietta, Antonietta, Teta, Marie Antoinette, Antoinette, and Toni.

And yes that is my real name, driver's license, business license, passport and Social Security Card, Marie Antoinette.

WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO...and get 15 % off doing it!

2009-05-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder where the term Roman Shade came from?

Evidently in the heyday of the Roman Coliseum, the crowds would sit through a day-long program of events in the open air. The sun got pretty hot up in the stands (And if you've ever been to Rome you know how hot it can get!) so long awnings were constructed that opened into the arena and offered some sun protection. The awnings were held out on poles that extended into the stands. When they were not in use the shades pleated back on themselves, much like our modern Roman shades. The difference was that the original Roman shades hung horizontally out from the wall. Today's Roman shades hang vertically in front of the window.
Roman shades, regardless of their place in history, still offer excellent sun protection, privacy and unlimited design options. Roman shades can provide the finishing touch in rooms from casual to traditional to cutting edge contemporary.

If you have never tried roman shades they make a handsome addition to any room. They are versatile and come in a variety of elegant styles. You can use them for insulating your windows instead of mini blinds, pleated shades, or verticals. Roman shades can be light filtering or they can be used for darkening a room by using a blackout liner. It really depends on what you want your window treatment to do. Generally you can fit custom roman shades into any décor style beautifully!

There are a variety of styles for your roman shades. The most popular include:
Plain: plain styles are great for rooms where you want the window treatment to fit in with the rest of the décor by not emphasizing the window. These have horizontal pleats that fall in a uniformed pattern every six inches. They usually come lined and you can choose the type of liner you need.
Flat: the flat folded style of this roman shade will be a great way to showcase a variety of fabric patterns whether they are large or small.
European: this is true European style with a versatile shade that has a relaxed feel to it. The sides of the shade curve up so that when it is drawn it creates a casual and soft ambience to your room with beautiful random folds.
Soft Fold: many people like the soft fold style because it gently cascades down the shade. It gives a gentle fold every six inches and makes a more uniformed look.

If your windows need a face lift, give them a Roman Shade lift. We're having a sale on them now, "15% Off", through the end of June, just in time for the heat of summer! Call me now for your appointment. 925 862-9064 or email to berrys@gloryworks.com to set up a time to see samples and fabrics for your new Roman Shades!

See Fabric Roman Shades Styles

Summer's Around The Corner, Welcoming Guest Rooms

2009-05-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

Yeah, it happened again! I'm absolutly trilled, what an honor! This is the second time AVA LIVING has featured me, Toni Berry from Marie Antoinette Interiors and one of my rooms on the landing/cover page of their web site. If you love Interior Design you'll love AVA LIVING! Desginers from all over the world post their work. And it's a great place to get ideas for your own decorating and design projects. Check out http://www.avaliving.com/ and see more of what you're looking for!

Announcing The Winner of Project Color!

2009-05-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

The Fourth Annual "PROJECT COLOR" Painting For Charity Giveaway! After entries from all over the SF Bay Area, MB Jessee staff voted...and the WINNER is The Mission Neighborhood Health Center in San Francisco.
Mission Neighborhood Health Center is a 39 year old community based health center , and a cornerstone in the Mission community. It is a leader in advocacy efforts for culturally and linguistically competent health and human services for Latinos in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. It humbly serves over 13,000 patients and renders over 66,000 health care service visits annually.

Toni Berry from Marie Antoinette Interiors donated the Paint Consultation for the new colors to enhance and compliment the existing Murals that flank the front door to the center. MB Jessee employees, friends, and associates will donate a full day to paint the center on June 20, 2009. This is a "before" picture of the building as it is today. Check back for an updated post of the "after" transformation!

Learn more about the Mission Neighborhood Health Center and MB Jessee Painting !

Decorating Tips From Our Italian Moms

2009-05-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

Many of you know, I have a beautiful Italian mother. She lives in Trieste Italy, but for years while raising her family, she lived here in the US. I remember affectionately all that she taught me about keeping a home and decorating (one in the same) too. After all I learned all my skills and everything I do well from my mother Lucia! So with that in mind I asked my Italian girlfriends, what they fondly remember about their mother's teachings of home keeping and decorating. Here's what they said;

Maria C. said, "The most important decorative part in my mom's house has always been the "centrini all'uncinetto", all around the house at the bottom of vases or ceramic decorations or a big one at the center of the table." These were traditionally handmade by any woman in the house and this craft was also a big part of the "housewife learning skills" before getting married."

Enza said, "The two tips I remember from my Mother the hand embroidered linen sheets and pillow cases. She would fold them over so the embroidery would show. And she always had the formal rooms wall papered."

Maryanne said, "She loved white or cream colored lace tablecloths. She always kept one on our dinning room table. When we ate outside, she would use a plastic white lace tablecloth! My grandmother was fond of very ornate furniture. The more curves it had, the more she loved it. I remember them very well because it was mine and my sister's responsibility to polish these ornate pieces and it would take us forever to do them. My mother in law loved intricate glass figurines that she kept on her tables, buffets, dressers, etc... Many were Murano glass."

Maria M. said, "She keeps a lace ecru runner on the dining room table with crystal which goes with everything."

Annette said, "My Italian grandmother's concept for home design was that everyone should feel comfortable and welcome in your home. She chose her furnishings for comfort first and style second. She also decorated with eclectic style using family handed down items along side drawings from grandchildren and photos of family to fill her space. And of course everyone was always greeted with a big hugs and the loving words "are you hungry honey, I have some fill in the blank (soup, spaghetti, meatballs, etc) in the kitchen I can heat up."

Theresa said, "She was a pretty plane Jane and kept everything and didn't throw away anything."

Rosie said, "She did everything, very well and with pride. From painting the house to making the mattresses, cleaning, cooking, washing everything by hand, making curtains, bedspreads, knitting, crocheting, etc. She liked to paint white the antique furniture pieces that we had. Oh, oh, she took Ikebana classes and made wonderful arrangements. She loved to cook savory and sweet. There is so much she could do.... I am tearing up so I will leave you with this: her favorite decorating tip was to love everybody, being sweet, sweet, sweet, caring and generous."

It was clear to me after reading my Italian girlfriend's responses that Italian moms decorate from the heart. They keep the home in good running order, and they make it look lovely at the same time. This is a gift, and this is our gift by virtue of birth. Thank you friends, and thank you to our Italian moms!

Ask A Design Question, Hardwood vs. Carpet, Which Is It?

2009-05-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Toni, You have visited our home a couple times and I am just getting ready to put down wood flooring. Love the wood. My question is, I have a drop down living room and stairs as you enter. I think I want to keep carpet on the stairs (safety and to keep costs down), but I am trying to decide whether to do wood in the living room or carpet that as well.

Thanks,

Anne Reed

Dear Anne,I remember your beautiful home very well, and am so glad you asked this question! You are right about carpet on the stairs to keep the cost down. And yes, I would definitely do Hardwood floors in the living and dining room. Here's why, by using one unified floor (Hardwood) throughout, the space will appear larger and more gracious. This adds a sense of grander proportion to your small entry (because from the entry all the spaces can be seen) that adjoins all the rooms. Hardwood always adds a warm richness to any room and will increase the value of your home. Hardwood is classic, durable, elegant, and comfortable. Keep in mind the color of the wood should complement the wall color and the furnishings.
So Hardwood it is!

~Toni

Want more information about "Wood vs. Carpet", click here!

Ask A Design Question, What Color To Paint?

2009-04-25T21:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Toni, we need a new paint color for our living room. We live in a Craftsman Home with walls which are two thirds wood paneling on the lower and one third off white on the upper. We'd like a warm color to complement the wood and update the look of the room. Any suggestions? Clueless in a Craftsman

Dear Clueless Craftsman, Orange is this year's hottest color. Whether your main wall color or simply an accent, it's always warm, vibrant, and cheerful. In this picture you can see that using orange on the upper third of the wall really helps to warm the room without overpowering it. They took the color one step further by using it on the sofas as well.
This room's orange is from Benjamin Moore's Paint, called Soft Pumpkin 2166-40. The warmth of orange will really give the wood in your Craftsman Home a new look.
Go for it,~Toni

Does The TV Really Have To Go Over The Fireplace?

2009-04-25T14:09:00.000-07:00

THE ?: Does the TV have to go over the fireplace?

Dear Toni, My husband and I have a large 13 x 24 ft. family room, he loves TV and I love to read by the fire. Presently we have the TV placed to the left of the fireplace and we fight for the space. We are shopping for a larger screen TV and my husband insists that it must be placed over the fireplace. I do not agree. My question is, does the new TV have to go over the fireplace? Is this the only place we can put it in this room?
Thanks for your advice, Ann

THE SOLUTION: Divide and Conquer!

Dear Ann, No, you don't have to put it over the fireplace! Here is a great solution to your problem. Typically, we like one focal point in a room. But that rule can be broken by having two, one less prominent than the other.
Since your room is a generous 13 x 24, you can easily create two cozy seating areas with specific purposes instead of one large space that does not allow for different activities.
As my floor plan above shows, the main focal point is the TV area. By placing the TV on a large console and by positioning the sofa in front of it with a side arm chair you have created a larger more prominent area. The secondary, less imposing area is the fireplace hearth/reading area. Place just two chairs and a bench to further separate the space. Both areas are anchored by the two area rugs in the same color. One smaller by the fireplace and one larger by the TV. Using furniture in the same color family and texture makes both areas relate to one another nicely.
This is a good start on designing a space plan that works for you both. And if your husband will wear wireless head phones while he watches TV you will be able to hear the crackling fire while you read! Good luck Ann! ~Toni

Are you stumped, can't figure out where or how to make your furniture work in your room? An hour of advice can save you money and time. Call 925.862.9064 for a "Design Consultation Appointment by the Hour"!.

What's Your Style, Take A Quiz To Find Out!

2009-04-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

Do you know what decorating style best describes you? If you've ever wanted to know for sure, I have discovered how you can find out and have a little fun doing it. Just go to www.sproost.com and take this little on-line quiz. Its easy and very visual- you simply take a look at a series of photos of rooms and give your reaction to each ranging from hate to love, and it analyzes your style based on your answers.
After taking the quiz myself, it said my personal style was mostly Classic and Traditional. I was skeptical of the quiz at first but I have to admit, it was right on the money. Here's how they accurately describe my Classic taste or style in room design;
"What's old is new again! The beauty of Classic style is how well it takes all of the beautiful forms, colors and textures of the past and reinvents them in a way that feels both fresh and inspired.The style itself is a mix of European influences, French, English, Italian antiques and replicas are often used together. Furniture is well proportioned and comfortable and the rooms give off an air of sophistication and grace. Oil paintings depicting still- life or nature scenes and emphasizing symmetry of pairs helps maintain the traditional nature of the room. Windows are often covered with opulent fabric shades and/or drapery.Traditional rooms give off an air of history that seems to say "I was here long before you, and will remain long after you've gone." And yet, even with this level of sophistication, the rooms are soft and inviting."
And its true, I love mixing old antiques with modern furnishings. I love beautiful fabrics at the windows and spread all over the room. And most of all I love to show off my European, Italian heritage in my rooms. I believe every room in my home should have a little "Italian" something in it, just for fun!
Go ahead, take the quiz, you might be surprised at the results!

Want to do a room in your home in your "decorating style"? Call or email me to make an appointment for a free 15 minute phone consultation!

Take this quiz to discover your personal style!

Throw Pillow Fight. Is Your Interior Designer Really Putting Your Health At Risk?

2009-04-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends, I just love a good Pillow Fight! For some time now the powers that be would like it if they had no competition! So they are passing laws that would make it illegal for some Interior Designers and Decorators to do business. Watch this video of a designer that was hit pretty hard for her illegal decorating!

http://vodpod.com/watch/1486816-is-your-interior-designer-really-putting-your-life-at-risk?pod=idpc

I just hate to be bullied, don't you?

Fabrics Go Green In Pure Style!

2009-03-18T22:42:00.000-07:00

Remember back in the day when we all had cotton curtains? I remember in the 1960's, my mom washed them by hand in the bath tub, hung them on the clothes line to dry in the sun, brought them in, sprinkled them with a little water, ironed them and hung them back up! Now that was 'Eco-Friendly".

Today's beautiful fabrics come in many colors and qualities and now one of those qualities is Eco-Friendly!

I recently attended a "Fabric Trunk Show" given in San Francisco by Robert Allen Fabrics. They have introduced a new line of 'Eco-Friendly" fabrics for the home called 'Pure Style" Everything from alpaca, bamboo, mohair, hemp, wool, cork and of course our favorite, cotton. These extraordinary fabrics are all made of recycled, organic or sustainable fibers colored with low-impact dyes and finished in environmentally responsible treatment processes. Now that's saying a lot.

These exquisite fabrics are designed for making a conscious choice to reduce our environmental impact without sacrificing one bit of style.
To see and read more about these great fabrics just click on the link below, then click again on the "Pure Style" thumbnail!

Is it time to refresh your draperies or curtains? If so call me for a window treatment appointment. I'll bring to you the very latest in "Eco-Friendly" fabric books for you to see and feel right in the comfort of your own home! Call 925.862.9064 or email me at berrys@gloryworks.com

Beautiful 'Eco-Friendly" Fabrics from Robert Allen...