In feng shui, the color red brings the feng shui fire element energy.  I don’t profess to be an expert in feng shui but I do try to include something red in most rooms I design, but let me share what I have read with regard to the color red.  The feng shui energy of color red is the energy of arousal. It is hot, passionate, rich and celebratory. Red is the Chinese color of luck and happiness, the marriage color in India, and the symbolic color of love and romance, courage and passion in the West.

Some of our favorite finds and things which offer that touch of red.

A cranberry glass bowl such as this one would be a rare find.  Check out your local antique stores and auctions.  Cranberry glass is very valuable as it contains gold and is quite intricate to make.  For more information check out Fenton Art Glass.  The way light plays on the glass is lovely.

Nothing says romance, passion and love like chocolate covered strawberries as offered by the Red Envelope. Purely decadent.  Almost to pretty to consume.  We left these treats out on display as we prepared one of our staging projects for a photo shoot – only to come back a day later to an empty plate.  What a surprise???

It doesn’t always have to be fancy or elaborate, red and white linen aprons and dish towels from Libeco Lagae are a must have for any household.  Every single project we touch has something from Libeco, whether it be a dish towel, napkin, tablecloth or even a full set bedding.  Their ready made duvets and pillow shams are wonderful.

Pottery Barn pillows are a staple in our BjtO Designs inventory.  This would make a terrific Valentine’s gift.

Etsy is becoming one of our favorite web sites for finding unusual handcrafted items.  We buy a ton of pillows every year as it is a great way to introduce color and sentiment into a room that might otherwise seem blah or far too neutral.

Now for the elaborate and “wow factor”.  If you haven’t discovered One Kings Lane, here is your chance.  Introducing Michael Taylor’s Bamboo chaise and console table at a very reduced price.  A bit more than a pillow from Etsy but these are treasures… I think you will agree.

To top it off every house needs a Wolf dual fuel stove with what else but

RED KNOBS

Last but certainly not least, a pair of stools with bright red bases and metal seats.  Available from one of my favorite shops, European Country Antiques on Huron Avenue in Cambridge.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all…

THREE DESIGNERS INSPIRED BY THREE ALES
Souce: Maine Cottage

Inspiration can come from almost anywhere. This week we chose to feature 3 our favorite ale labels as design inspiration. We asked 3 designers at Maine Cottage to pair an occasional chair and side table together based on their favorite beer label.

Blue Moon is a favorite ale of Maine Cottage’s Creative Director, Lauren Russell. The ale label inspired her to group the Adeline Arm Chair in Gimme-A-Ring / Marine with the Wendy Side Table in Almond Soy. The Adeline Arm Chair is a timeless chair that coordinates well with any design style. And, did you know that the pattern called Gimme-A-Ring was coincidentally inspired by the patina of drink rings on an antique side table? To bring it full circle, the pedestal on the Wendy Side Table follows the circular shape of the moon in the label and the fabric.

1 – Adeline Arm Chair in Gimme-A-Ring / Marine
2 – Wendy Side Table in Almond Soy

Duvel’s logo has a font that is very old world and strong. It carries the duo-tone palette of Tomato and Ale well. Our Interactive Director, Amber Shriver, selected the Hazel Chair because of its simple lines and very strong structure and chose to upholster it in Otto / Tomato . The Infinity Stool in Ale is the ideal height for a low profile occasional chair like Hazel. The best part? When you are done with your beer the Infinity Stool can be placed in front of the chair as a foot rest! We LOVE multifunctional pieces.

3 – Hazel Chair in Otto / Tomato
4 – Infinity Stool in Ale

Senior Designer, Sarah Wright, chose the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale label for her inspiration. The label is traditional in style with a fresh lime green ground color. The label looks hand-crafted just like every piece of Maine Cottage Furniture. Notice the loops around the words “Purest Ingredients” and “Finest Quality”. The Camille Chair has classic, strong lines that mimic the lines of the label. Sarah placed the Camille Chair in our Leaflette / Ale fabric and painted it Wheatgrass. She pairs it with the Cecilia Tall End Table in Creamsicle. Refreshing color combination, wouldn’t you say?

5 – Camille Chair in Leaflette / Ale and Wheatgrass
6 – Cecilia Tall End Table in Creamsicle.

What’s your favorite ale?

Calm January Design by Meg Crossley

Gentle reader, if you are anything like me, the hustle and bustle of the holidays leave you spent. I have been over-stimulated for months — too much food, too much drink, too many do-dads all around the house, just too much of everything. January has become one of my three “clean up my life” times of year. Second to April’s spring cleaning but somehow a little more involved than September’s back-to-school organizing (let’s admit, that is just a hold-over from school days so that the older I get, the less important it seems), January is my new get-it-done month. What needs to get done is for me to create a calm and serene surrounding in which I can relax and undo my Christmas season damage.

My first step typically involves finding some inspiration — something I can leave on my computer desktop, print off, or tape to my corkboard, as a way to keep me inspired and on track. Below are this year’s offerings:

Notice how each relies on a limited colour palette, a few well-placed objects and one or two pieces hanging on the wall. They are the antithesis of holiday houses, and a welcome breather for me. Enjoy.

For more ideas for de-cluttering, browse our Home Organization Tricks photo gallery.

Photo credits:
1-2. La Maison d’Anna G blog, photography by Marcus Lewett
3. Japanese Trash blog
4. The Style Files blog, photography by Bo Bedre

For 2012, to Preserve and Protect is the connection between human beings and their environment.

According to the folks at BM… “Our lives are enriched by conservation and enhancing the natural world. Preservation is a call to embrace the wonder of nature and the rhythms of its changes. The journey along the way becomes as important as the outcome.

For 2012, Color Pulse will focus on four key elements that support the theme of preservation: Heritage, Process, Protection, and Enlightenment. We are enlightened to move forward towards a kaleidoscopic vision for a sustainable future.”

Preserve and protect certainly resonates with me and prompted the team at BjtO Designs to explore the connection between our design concepts and nature.  How does adding color, scale, balance, style and function support preservation?  Here are three unique projects…

This casual dining area overlooking a salt marsh leading down to Marion Harbor is enhanced with marsh grasses collected from outside the window and arranged simply in an antique pitcher.  The house was sited on this waterfront property with many conveyances for preserving the vast salt marsh.  It is a uniquely designed house – resembling the bow and stern of a ship with walk out decks which are reminiscent of ocean going luxury liners.

view off deck overlooking marsh on Hammett’s Cove…

The kitchen eat-in area had an awkward view of the marsh and harbor beyond, so our in-house artist Louise created her version of the beach grasses and buoy just outside the window.  In order to accommodate the ship design the outside wall angle was such that it obstructed the view.  Our design approach to offset what may be seen as a flaw, was to recreate what was just outside the window but not readily visible.  The home owners were great bird and nature watchers and it was important to them that the natural habitats be preserved.

the view from Cove Street…

screened in porch overlooking the view

living room and dining room just inside screened in porch…

The view which changed daily, offering up something new to see everyday we worked on this project.  The common denominator was the sand, the rocks – the beach grass, hence we redesigned the room by using Benjamen Moore’s carrington beige on the walls and selecting very neutral furnishings with a punch of blue, coral and rust.  All very organic in look and feel.

At BjtO Designs our design decisions are always influenced by what is outside the windows.  The way a house is sited on a piece of property affects the natural light, available sunlight and how the shadows fall in a room.  The colors outside need to be in harmony with the colors inside – whatever is in the line of vision is important.  The change of seasons also plays a role in how the room will look year round and needs to be factored in.  Land preservation and conservation is not only a genuine interest of mine it greatly determines how we approach our projects.

Not all of our projects are waterfront properties, yet it certainly is a perk!  However, working in many of the lovely Boston suburbs offers the same challenge of blending nature and interior design. This region of the country offers the broadest range of historic homes and modern design.  Our office is in Lincoln MA, the home of the Gropius movement and modern design side-by-side with homes from the late 1600s.  This diversity of architecture, preservation of the Minute Man National Park, balance of urban and rural farmland along with the Charles River conservancy makes for such a special place to work.  Benjamen Moore’s emphasis this year to preserve and protect really resonates with all of us at BjtO Designs.

Last but certainly not least is my favorite redesign.  The home owner was a very talented artist who worked along side me and spurred me to give it my all for this staging project.  It’s a twist on this year’s theme – preserve and protect can also extend to family history.  A perfect example of preserving our heritage, protecting the family’s heirlooms and gaining enlightenment in the process was experienced in total with this room redesign…

Lincoln redesign…

The use of the Historical Color, HC-7 Bryant Gold adds the drama and warmth the living room was lacking.  A trunk found in the basement had been in the home owner’s family for generations but in need of some TLC. Our Jack-of-all-trades, Claudio made it whole again – now used as the coffee table, anchored by a threadbare but lovely Oriental rug which had also been in the family for years.  Three tables were strategically placed around the room, used as lamp stands as well as offering a way to display the owner’s art books and decoratives.  Two royal blue wingback chairs were purchased second hand and gave the color contract that made the room pop.  For me the pièce de résistance is the wonderful artwork, some of which was done by the home owner and some was done by her Aunt.  All fun loving, colorful and adding whimsy.

Aunt’s blue cow…

Balls and baskets…

Coffee and Pickles…

Adele if you are reading this blog, thank you for helping me take my staging/design efforts to a whole new level!!  I will forever be grateful…

Big News Flash for 2012:   2012 Color of the Year

Just Plan Ahead:   Benjamen Moore’s Color Trends for 2012

Too Much Color:  Pantone Color of the Year 2012

Other Ideas from the Pros:  Browse AD and Get Ideas for 2012

Signing off with a Happy New Year wish to all for 2012!

Fondly, Beth

Update, Upgrade and Upstage…

Favorite Kitchens

Favorite Bathrooms

Favorite Living Rooms

Favorite Dining Rooms

Favorite Bedrooms

Favorite Nooks and Crannies

Favorite Artwork

More from BjtO Designs in 2012…

As we head into the holiday and winter season, fireplaces become much more of a focal point. Most projects we work on include a fireplace or two. Not all are as cozy and lovely as this one.  Fireplaces are often big and dominant, unfortunately not always in a good way!  It is our goal to make the fireplace, mantel and surrounding wall as warm and inviting as the fire glowing inside.

We would like to share one such fireplace transformation that the entire team at BjtO Designs worked on.  This fireplace and surrounding wall was in desperate need of a makeover…

The family room was a catch all room.  It contained or barely contained all the children’s toys, family TV, books, CDs, videos, DVDs and electronic video games.  In the center is a fireplace which is hardly noticeable except for the dominate brick and dark pine mantel hosting an assortment of “stuff”.

Step one – emptied the room to see what we had to work with…

Step two – ripped up the wall-to-wall carpet and prepped for hardwood flooring, to match the rest of the house.  Enclosed the faux beams on the ceiling which allowed us to repair some water damage and transition  from country to a more traditional and upscale decor.

Step three – removed the raised brick hearth which took up floor space and served very little purpose.  The vents above and below the firebox were also eliminated.

Step four – in parallel we selected a very neutral gray stone tile which had a slight iridescent speck as we worked out a design for the fireplace wall, mantel and hearth.  Mike Pezzella, Easton Kitchens and Baths finish carpenter or “magician” helped translate the hand drawing that my assistant Meredith Moore and I had created.  With Mike’s creative workmanship he was careful to steer clear of country and colonial trim moving to a traditional style.  Mike literally gave the fireplace a “mask” by resurfacing the chimney, working directly on top of what was there.

Step five – installed the red oak flooring and installed the gray stone tile using the smaller tile to frame the firebox.  The red oak flooring was a much warmer look than the harsh brown/red brick and worn beige wall-to-wall carpeting.  The doors on the lower cabinets were remade to match the shaker style in the kitchen.  It was simple yet so very elegant.  What a transformation.  Well done Mike and crew at Easton Kitchens and Baths!

photo by Tyra Pacheco, South Coast Images

Step six, seven, eight, nine and ten – have BjtO Designs reappoint your book shelves, arrange your furniture, install recessed lighting, select a flat screen high definition TV then sit back and enjoy…

 For more inspiration here is a link to several revamped fireplaces featured by Better Homes and Garden.  They will help you spark up your room…

As defined by Wikipedia, a dilemma: (Greek: δί-λημμα “double proposition“) is a problem offering two possibilities, neither of which is practically acceptable.  One in this position has been traditionally described as “being on the horns of a dilemma“, neither horn being comfortable. This is sometimes more colorfully described as “Finding oneself impaled upon the horns of a dilemma”, referring to the sharp points of a bull’s horns, equally uncomfortable (and dangerous).  This may be an overstatement to say the least and certainly not a pretty picture.  Can you imagine!

Well, today’s home owners can image the dilemma of trying to figure out if they can sell their home for adequate money and quickly enough OR should they make the changes needed to accommodate their family or life needs.  No matter what the ultimate decision, resale should always be factored in.  I found a very helpful article by MSN Real Estate -well worth reading, email us for a copy.  Many of the issues discussed are things that we at BjtO Designs preach to our clients.  It is always the whole package, not just a list of things to do that will make the difference and this is often hard to convey.  Every house needs a “wow factor”.  Hiring a home stager or renovation management consultant is so well worth the money before you head out and make costly errors.  The range for this type of service is $250 to $1,000 depending on experience and expertise.

Here is a preview of a house we will feature in upcoming blogs…

Focusing on bathrooms:  on left is the before and very dated, mis-matched master bathroom.  Simple changes, totaling $7,500 transformed this bathroom into a “wow”!

When this 1980s house was built the contractor must have taken advantage of a special on bathroom cabinets as the same laminate style with gold etching was used in all the bathrooms.  Might have been lovely (maybe not) in the 80s but certainly dated

and worn looking in 2011.  This kid’s bathroom was transformed with a new slate floor, bead-board wainscoting, new double sink vanity with gray granite counter and topped off with a large mirror framed with 4″ painted pine.  All clean, uniform, fresh and traditional which will transcend buyers’ expectations in a decade.

The updates that we made with our client were very geared toward improving the appearance but also being practical and durable so as to survive three young children.  The items selected were of quality but not over the top in price, all rather affordable.

These home owners are GenXers with a very active lifestyle which includes extensive travel.  Every single update was made with their personal style in mind and then weighed against resale preferences on down the road.  More to follow on this fun and all encompassing project…

This Norman Rockwell painting, Cousin Reginald Catches The Thanksgiving Turkey was shown to me by my Father one Thanksgiving as it was reprinted in the local newspaper.  It struck a chord with my father as he grew up on a farm and knew just how nasty a turkey can be, plus he loved Norman Rockwell’s humor.  I thought he was so sophisticated that he knew the name of the artist.

There are so many works by Rockwell depicting ordinary life of my Father’s generation. Freedom From Want or better know as Thanksgiving Dinner is a more widely known Norman Rockwell creation.  For those of you who are interested in Americana and Norman Rockwell it is well worth a visit to Stockbridge, MA.  The Norman Rockwell Museum is a must see in particular, The Saturday Evening Post Exhibit. Who is today’s Norman Rockwell?

Without thinking too much about it in specific terms, I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed.
—Norman Rockwell

Mark Cutler from Elle Decor Style Guide has this to say…
I love displaying family shots, especially if you can mix them up a bit. Of course you’ll have photos of the kids, but don’t forget photos of you as a child, your parents and even their parents. A true trans–generational display can really be inspiring. There are some tricks to pulling it off though; here’s what you may want to consider:

• Keeping all the frames the same…strength through unity
• Maybe copying all the images so that they are all black and white, or sepia, it will make them appear as a much more cohesive group.
• Layout your design first. I really like to group them in a tidy way, similar to the image below, it feels much less cluttered to me.

Or you can forget all the rules and just go for it.  I always admired the traditional or as my daughters might describe the look, “old fashioned” collection of family photos going up the stairs.  The four generations of family completely arranged by happenstance which adorns the pine green walls of the Odence household has become quite a conversation piece as guests congregate in our front entrance.  Some may say it is messy, I like to think it has character, certainly in keeping with the 1910 house.

For more ideas and notes on the subject of family photos and how they might be displayed check out this article on 20 Great Ways to Display Family Photos.  If you are still unsure of how to start or don’t trust yourself, here is a link to The Perfect Picture Wall.