Mary Tyler Moore passed away this week causing a flood of memories of her characters from her TV shows. As Laura Petrie, her home was Mid Century Modern eye candy. As Mary Richards, her stylish studio apartment was dreamy. Her Minneapolis sunken living room had a pull out couch that turned into her bedroom.
How does your house make you feel when you are home? Life is stressful; coming home should be an instant relief. If you are avoiding certain rooms in your home because you feel uncomfortable in them, it is time for a change.
Feng Shui literally means Wind Water. Wind represents the energy we cannot see but can feel. Water represents the energy in our physical spaces we can see.
Feng Shui is based on principles based on the cycles of nature that have transcended various cultures for over four thousand years empowering people to facilitate changes in their lives. It creates balance in our lives as we connect to our environment, supporting us to shift, evolve and grow.
Dear Claudia,
I need tips on how to blend two households. I am moving into my boyfriend’s house. We are both in our 50’s. His taste is very “Ikea”, Swedish style modern simplicity, and I am eclectic/eccentric with antiques and funky mix. His house is fully furnished, as is my funky eclectic apartment, which is FULL of stuff. Quite honestly even my glassware would clash with his, not to mention my furniture, art pieces, and smalls. Any ideas on how we can do this so that it looks great, fits us both, I feel like I’m at home, and he doesn’t feel like he lost his?
~Anonymous
The definition of a “Real Estate Flip” is as follows: Profits from flipping real estate come from either buying low and selling high, often in a rapidly rising market, or buying a house that needs repair and fixing it up before reselling it for a profit as in “fix and flip.”
The desire to sell your house is not enough. Being proactive by preparing your home for sale can translate into a quick sale for your asking price. Keep in mind, no amount of staging will help an over priced home.
My ‘staging tips for sellers’ class is offered throughout the area. Attendees may have a long timeline or are moving quickly. It is never too early to start the process.
Summer flew by. The older kids are back to college, and the younger ones are about to start. It is time to get back on track and back to a routine. Even if your kids have been out of the house for years, there is that feeling that September is the beginning of a new year. At least it is for me. Read more
Last weekend I attended The Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck. The three-day fair is filled with antiques, vintage, flea market, handmade and repurposed items. The pages of Country Living magazine and childhood memories come to life. Read more
The best time to put your home on the market is when both you AND your house are ready. Whether you are selling ASAP or have a much longer timeline, don’t rush the process if your house is not ready. Sellers can sabotage the sale of their home if they are too anxious or too attached. Homes sell all year round, but the key is to prep before making it pretty.
Redesign is an instant makeover
By simply reworking rooms with what you already own, you can have a “new” room by rearranging furniture and accessories. Shop the home, move stuff around. During a recent staging consultation, I redesigned a living room in less than 15 minutes.
“I believe that the objects that bring us pleasure and comfort, that make us feel everything’s all right in the world, have their origins in the styles and sensibilities we were exposed to growing up.” — Nate Berkus