As you are in your kitchen a lot this holiday season, it may occur to you that it is in need of an updating, beautification, and all-around general home value addition.

Did you know that an updated kitchen can add value to your home for resale? But it isn’t all about the money.  Your time in your kitchen, which is usually considerable, can be an enjoyable addition too.

In today’s episode, I share several beautiful kitchen features that can be a great addition to your kitchen design, if your space and budget allow. If you are thinking of kitchen renovation in 2023, these ideas could help.

Your bookcases add personality and beauty to your room and home, but to be beautiful and pleasing, it takes some planning and consideration. It should feel balanced, interesting, elegant, and creative in its final form.

In this episode, I share 5 of my top tips for bookshelf styling during the holidays. If you want to learn how to style bookshelves like an Interior Designer and add some holiday flair to the mix, this episode is for you.

The holidays are a wonderful time to spend with friends and family. But it can be such a busy time that if we are not careful, we can get to the new year exhausted and frazzled. Heaven forbid! In today’s episode, I share some tips and ideas for organizing and making this holiday season the most enjoyable.

So if you want to be calm, cool, and collected to spend quality time with your loved ones this holiday season, this episode is a must-listen.

Does it drive you crazy, as it does me that Christmas decorations go up in stores before Halloween? It seems that it is getting earlier and earlier each year.  Now that it is Halloween, let’s look at how to create a timeless look with beautiful holiday decor.

Decorating can be overdone and distract from the ambiance of the room (but really, that is rare). In this episode, I share my top 5 tips for curating a collection of holiday art and décor that will stand the test of time and add that festive feel to your home for years to come.

I love the decorations and lights of the holidays and if this is something that you love too, this episode is for you.

For some people, it can be intimidating to have an interior designer over to their house. Well, if you knew me, you wouldn’t worry about a thing!

Having been in the industry for so long, I have seen disastrous messes. There have been times when I walked into a home and wondered why the owner called me as their home looked so great. A client once told me, “If I want my house clean, I tell my wife Sheree is coming over.” She would whip that place into shape, LOL. But really, I don’t care. If you don’t have time to clean, no worries. Most of the time, we designers are very concerned with the end outcome, not the current state.

In this episode, I share some helpful tips on how to prepare for an interior design consultation. Are you planning on consulting an interior designer? Listen to this episode.

Why do colors impact us? I believe it is because we (each of our bodies) have a color scheme.

We all have either a warm or cool color base to our skin. I have seen through the years that if our skin is warm-based, we love warm colors. If our skin is cool-based, we love cool colors. So, we feel the most relaxed and comfortable with colors like our skin tones.

How can color play a role in how you feel in your home? When your home has the perfect color scheme, you'll love going home and it will feel as good as it looks. If you find this fascinating, keep listening!

Performance fabrics have come on the scene in the last few years. They are not only beautiful but also very practical.

Now you might ask, what are performance fabrics and why would you even want to consider them for your home?

Well, let me tell you in a nutshell! Performance fabrics are awesome, a miracle with kids and pets and you will soon be telling all your friends about them. If you want to learn more about performance fabrics and why you need them, listen on. 

Motorized window coverings are cool. They are not inexpensive, but if you have the budget for them, they are well worth the expense.

Smart home technology has created ways to automatically close window coverings at a certain time at night and automatically raise them when you want in the am. They come in blackout or semi-opaque and pretty much, you can set them up any way you want. Did you know there is an inexpensive way to have motorized window coverings in your home? If you want to find out more, this episode is for you! 

Area Rugs have been made and traded since biblical times. The Bible mentions wonderful products and the people were merchants in all sorts of things.  They manufactured clothes in blue, beautiful embroidered work, and chests of rich apparel. Items made with textiles, yarns, and products made of cedar and other woods were among their merchandise. Obviously, we have come a long way.

These area rugs come in all sizes, shapes, and prices. Today on the show, I share with you 5 of my favorite types of area rugs to use in today’s home. I have some fabulous suggestions for which area rug to choose for your room. There have been many strides made in the last few years to have beautiful, very rich-looking area rugs for fabulous prices. I always love when you can get this luxurious rug look for great prices. So, if you have been looking for rugs to go with the interior of your home, this episode is for you.

Color is one of my very favorite subjects in Interior Design.

Did you know that the color scheme for your home should be based on your skin coloring or your skin undertone? How do you choose your color scheme?

Selecting interior paint colors can be intimidating, tricky, and expensive if done wrong. What can an ordinary person do and how can one make color selections like a professional interior designer? What are the guidelines for selecting a color?

In this episode, I share 10 tips on how to choose colors according to your skin color and the lighting in your home. This is a deep dive, but simplified - and one I think, you will learn a lot! 

Do you know what the ultimate dream team is for a new build

First, you are starting with your architectural plans. Once they are approved, you take those plans to your contractor. This is also a great time to have your interior designer review the plans too.

Why is an interior designer important in these beginning phases of your project?  Keep listening to find out more!

Dust, mess, noise, workers going in and out of your home, living in the rubble, etc... are some of the disruptions and chaos your family will endure during a home renovation, especially if you have to live in your house while it is being renovated.

What if I told you that all those things can be minimized if not eliminated with proper planning? Preparation is key to staying sane and happy when the house is in disarray.

In this episode, I share five tips for surviving and thriving during renovations. Whether you are planning a renovation or you are in the middle of one and are overwhelmed, this episode is for you.

The difference between a great interior design and just going out and buying furnishings willy-nilly is the Design Plan. But how do you plan for furnishings? Where should you spend the money, and where can you save it?

The furnishings in your home can either add value to your home investment or diminish it. In today’s episode, I am sharing the 3 ways to strategically invest in your home furnishings. So if you are planning to purchase home furnishings, this episode is a must-listen.

Home renovations are undoubtedly stressful. While you will be thrilled with how your bedroom or kitchen renovation turns out, you may encounter challenges that complicate the process.

In this episode, I share four things you wish you knew before your home renovation or remodel. If you're thinking about renovating your home, tune in first before taking action, and save yourself from costly mistakes and regrets.

Trends, just like fashion trends, come and go. The problem with interior design trends is that frequently remodeling and purchasing new furnishings is a considerable investment and time-consuming. In today’s episode, I am sharing some hot trends in 2022. Although these trends are popular for 2022, I don’t see them going anywhere soon, and may be worth the investment.

I often get asked the age-old question, "Will I get more money for my home if I renovate it before I sell it?" 

So, what is the answer? Would you really get more money for the sale of your home if you renovated it first? We can start with, "Do you have the money to invest in doing that right now?" That could automatically answer the question. If you are wondering whether it would be worth it or if you should renovate or add an addition to your home before you sell it, this episode is for you.

Two weeks ago, I started to talk about the 3 Ethnic Furniture Styles. We’ve touched on the Country French and Bohemian furniture styles. Today, I will talk about the Oriental Furniture Style, sometimes called the Asian Furniture Style. This refers to furnishings that originated in the continent of Asia. This Oriental Style has a classic, timeless appeal and will never go out of style.

If your heart yearns for your home far away, you may then utilize items you brought from your heart country, items you found here or abroad that represent your country, and/or items you inherited from your family or others.

So if you want to learn more about the wonderfully beautiful and stylized Oriental style, this episode is for you!

Are you an adventurous, free-spirit person? One who does not like or want rules, and is drawn to items that are unusual and cool. Do you love collecting unconventional, unusual, thought-provoking items from your travels? If you do, chances are, you may be a bohemian person. And that you may want the bohemian style in your home.

Bohemian style is also called Boho. Those two terms are used interchangeably. If you want to learn more about the wonderfully beautiful, exciting, and carefree Bohemian style, this episode is for you.

I am so excited to you start another furniture style category, and so the next 3 episodes will be about 3 Ethnic Furniture Styles. In talking about these ethnic styles, you may be from somewhere else in the world and want touches of your country in your home. It can bring comfort, add familiarity and represent a part of who you are at your core…

Or you may just love and feel drawn to the French, Bohemian, or Oriental style or items from your own country.

Many times these ethnic styles start with a simple transitional base as we discussed in Episode 6. But if your heart yearns for your home far away. You may then utilize items that you brought from your country, items you found here, and/or items you inherited from your family or others.

In today’s episode, I am talking about the Country French Furniture Style. So if you want to learn more about the wonderfully beautiful and romantic French style, this episode is for you.

The Mid-Century Modern furniture style is characterized by its clean lines, minimal decorations, bold colors,  gentle curves, and organic shapes. This style originated in World War II to the mid-20th century -  hence its name.

Thanks to its elegant simplicity and timeless aesthetic, Mid-Century Modern furniture is still highly popular in contemporary or modern interior design. If this simple style appeals to you, keep listening to learn more.