Redesign Right

There is nothing like a new year to refresh the spirit

and savor the anticipation of what lies ahead. It is

also the time we all reflect and take stock of our lives

and that around us. As this year unfolds, take the

time to make your home a better place to be. A good

place to begin is decluttering your home. Start by

removing things that invaded your house last year,

extra magazines, toys that your children have out-

grown, clothes in closets that no longer fit, and so on.

Put your house on a diet and remove the clutter.

In this months issue we share a variety of ideas. We

hope that you are inspired to make changes and

create the room you deserve. If you have any ques-

tions or would like to schedule an appointment,

please feel free to contact us. No matter how large

or small your project is, we would be delighted to be a

part of it.

In the interim, pour yourself a drink, and sit back and

enjoy this month’s issue of “from our house to

yours.”

Sincerely,

Wallpaper is back,

use it to create

instant drama on

the back of a

bookcase.

Mix together in a large bowl:

3 cups Bisquick

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup of sugar

2-3 Tablespoons orange zest (or juice)

Mix all ingredients in the large bowl. Using a big spatula or spoon knead the dough 10 times.

Form the dough into a ball shape and drop the dough out of the bowl onto �oured parchment

paper and pat it into a circle. (It will be sticky, �our your hands) Brush dough with milk and

sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons of sugar. Cut dough into eight wedges (like a pie) but don't

seperate (unless you really want to).

Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Carefully seperate the wedges. Wisk together the juice

of 1/2 an orange and 1/2 cup or more of confectioners sugar. Drizzle over scones.

Mix together in a small bowl:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 egg

Put your house on a diet. Just like our bodies, time packs on the pounds to our rooms

as well. Out dated magazines, newspapers, mail that needs sorted, toys the kids don’t

even play with anymore, the throw pillows on the sofa the dog chewed on, time to get

rid of all of it. Make a game of it and involve the entire family. Start in your

children’s rooms and work your way out to your public spaces. An overflow of

children’s toys and clothing will invariably impact the rest of your house. The goal is

to eliminate a minimum of 10 pounds from each space to help you claim your space

again. You will feel so good when you reduce your clutter and claim your space.

Floral Fine-tuning-Simple things can really date your house. If the colors in your

floral arrangements are “back in” then time to eliminate them from your space. Silk

arrangements more than 3 years old are generally tired and dated. Dried arrange-

ments were very popular at one time, but make a room look like it has been neglected,

so eliminate them now. Today’s floral arrangements are simpler and more organic, and

the design more simplistic. There is also a huge trend back to green plants. But if

your green thumb is failing, and your plants are more dead than alive, then out with

them.

Color can-make a room look larger, smaller, taller, shorter, and dated. Add color to

instantly give your room a space-lift. From as complete as painting the entire room to

small punches like adding color to the back of a book shelf, color can simply make

your room more desirable. Afraid of color, call in an expert, (like me) to help you add

color to your space. A professional will remove all the fear of color selection.

Quick Fixes-Change out throw pillows and add an area rug particularly for the

winter months. Each adds instant warmth and gives a room a more polished feel.

Important tip to keep in mind with area rugs, anchor it to the largest piece of furni-

ture and never use smaller than a 5 x 8 with a sofa.

You staged the old house and it sold more quickly than you anticipated. It

is time to pack things up and get ready to move on with your new life. How

exciting, but also a bit overwhelming to get the moving process started.

Let me share some easy tips that will make the moving and even worse,

the unpacking process easier.

Don’t take it with you and then decide if it will stay or go. First of all, if you are using professional movers, why give

them more money. Second of all, make a decision to only take what you truly need or love. Be brutal and walk

through each room, making a list of what stays and what goes. This is also a great time to call in a professional, who

can space plan your new home and help you decide if that pair of chairs will really �t. Decide whether to throw,

donate or sell what is left that you don’t need or want. . You may be surprised how selling your cast-o�s at a garage

sale, can bene�t your pocketbook, plus someone else has to haul it away.

Create a simple record keeping system to track what you actually have in a simple 3-ring binder. Each box will have a

color coded number that will relate to a list in your binder. That way you know where to start when you begin the

unpacking process. The color coding will relate to the space the box goes, i.e. blue for bedroom, green for family

room, etc. Be speci�c to get back to living your life more quickly. Then in the new home, apply the color stickers to

the door or opening of each room, no more, “Where does this box go?”

Create a zone where all packing supplies are kept. Boxes, wrapping materials, packing tapes, markers and colored

stickers will help you be more e�cient and get the job done. Always have more supplies then you think you need.

Remember to keep the box sizes manageable, the temptation is big boxes so you can pack a lot of things. The reality

is you have to carry and move them, so keep them easy to transport particularly if moving yourself. Do add wardrobe

boxes to your mix so clothes can be transported on hangers and simply hung up in the new closet when unpacked.

Create a box �lled with cleaning supplies, simple tools, picture hangers, etc. This box will come in handy when you

actually start the unpacking process and need to hang, open or clean something before you can move on.

A goodie box with snuggly throws for a quick nap, snacks, and favorite toys to help occupy the kids while you are

getting settled. Also, have the phone number at the ready for the local delivery place so feeding the troops is easy.

Happy Moving!

One of the best things in the world is crawling into a comfortable bed at

the end of a day. But deciding what size is best for your needs can

become a bit overwhelming. Queen, Full, King, one is larger than the

other, but do you know the true difference in sizes? You also need to

consider how much room the bed will take up in the room.

Here is an overview of bedding details to help you make wise decisions and ensure crawling into bed is the joy it should be.

Ma�ress Sizes

* Twin-39 x 75” (99 x 190 cm)

* X-Long Twin-39 x 80” (99 x 203 cm)

* Full or Double-54 x 75” (137 x 190 cm)

* Queen-60 x 80” (153 x 203 cm)

* King-76 x 80” (198 x 203 cm)

* California King-72 x 84” (182 x 213 cm)

Sheet Sizes-Fi�ed and Flat

* Twin or Single-39 x 75”(99 x 190 cm) Flat-66 x 96 inches (167 x 243 cm)

* X-Long Twin-39 x 80” (99 x 203 cm) Flat-66 x 102” (167 x 259 cm)

* Full or Double-54 x 75” (137 x 190 cm) Flat-81 x 96” (205 x 243 cm)

* Queen-60 x 80” (153 x 203 cm) Flat-90 x 102”(228 x 259 cm)

* King-76 x 80” (198 x 203 cm) Flat-108 x 102” (274 x 259 cm)

* California King-72 x 84” (182 x 213 cm)

Comforter Sizes

* Twin--68 x 86” (or 173 x 218 cm)

* Full/Queen--86 x 86” (or 218 x 218 cm)

* King/California King--100 x 90” (254 x 229 cm)

What do all these numbers mean when you go bed shopping? A twin bed provides 39” of sleep-

ing space width; however is the shortest of the op�ons. A full provides 27” of sleeping space for

two. A Queen provides 30” per person and finally the king provides 38” per person. The other

factor to keep in mind is the overall footprint of the space. Furniture should be placed to ensure

no stubbing of toes when you get up at night. You also need to keep in mind the func�onality of

the other ways you will need to work around a bed. When space planning, keep these numbers

in mind:

* Space required to make bed- 1’6”

* Space between twin beds-1’6” to 2’6”

* Space required to open drawers- 3’

* Space to get in and out of bed-2’.6”

Debbie Correale, IRIS, IDSCertified Redesigner, Home Stager

and IRIS Approved Trainer

West Chester, PA

610.955.8202

Redesign Right...

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The Right Decorating Choice

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sale"...The Right Staging Choice

Your Color Possibilities are Endless...

Interior Redesign & Home Staging

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