It was manna from heaven when I received today’s e-mail from Thibaut introducing the Shangri-la Collection. The room sets in this collection are the best I have seen from Thibaut. I always love a little  mix and matching of design styles to keep it fresh. Noticed… and liked… Greek Key tape on the sheers like...Read More

Chinoiserie is one of my all time favorite words…I like how it looks on paper and I love the way it sounds (sheen-waz-a-ree). Chinoiserie, according to Webster, is a style that reflects Chinese qualities or motifs, an object or decoration. Europe fell in love with the Asian influence of China and Japan in the early...Read More

Choosing exterior paint colors doesn’t have to be rocket science.  Our expert Mark Masica of the Edina Hirshfields teaches us some new things about color that will help you the next time you’re up to your ears in paint chips. Use the LRV (light reflective value) rating of a color. LRV is sometimes found on...Read More

Choosing exterior paint colors is among the hardest decisions a homeowner can make. After all, everyone else seems to have an opinion about the outside of your house – because they have to look at it all the time. But choosing the right color scheme is of top importance according to exterior paint expert, Mark...Read More

Faux Bois is french for “fake wood,” as it looks like wood but it’s not.  Replicating the faux bois look appears to be easy, fun and fairly inexpensive. These photos are showing a painted base, then one or two (I can’t remember what the Old Masters rep said, I’ll find out) layers of stain that...Read More

March Madness is once again upon us. As millions of hoops fanatics are swept away by college basketball euphoria, it may be time to try to make sense out of the madness that can be your children’s trophy collection — by creating displays that will make those victories live on. Here are some creative ideas...Read More

My daughter recently wanted to paint her room lime green, and that can be a tricky color to choose, especially with conflicting mother/daughter opinions! So in order to keep the peace, we went together to the store to look at samples. She had plenty of ideas on what color was “the one,” which didn’t jive...Read More

No matter how large or small your living space, it seems there are always areas that aren’t used efficiently.  Whether you have a guest bedroom that no one enters or a dining room where no one eats, think about ways you can creatively use the space where you dwell. Use Your Furniture: One way to...Read More

In my family, basements used to be referred to as dungeons – dark, musty and old! It was all we knew – both among friends and family. Then, with the onset of a new century, two kids and a promotion, most of our friends moved from their starter homes to bigger houses with walk-in closets,...Read More

Red: Hot or Haute? When thinking of colors in terms of their color temperature, red is at the top of the scale for being a really warm hue. It is commonly referred to as the color of fire and flame and it sizzles in terms of sensuality. Red is a romantic valentine or a sweet...Read More