An amazing new app for your iPhone: ColorSnap

This is an awesome new app from Sherwin-Williams.  Simply snap a photo on from your iPhone or any android phone and it will match your photo to a Sherwin-Williams paint color.

I tried it out and took a photo of my dining room rug. The rug is a pseudo-oriental with a botanical pattern. I snapped the photo and the app asked me to pick a spot in the rug to use for the paint match. Turns out that the background color of my rug is Fired Brick.

And the app is free!  Here's a link: ColorSnap by Sherwin-Williams

Packing 102: Start well in advance.

So you have an accepted offer on your house...or you are about three to four weeks away from moving, it's time to start packing. Waiting until the last minute can add to the stress of moving and, quite frankly, make your life a living you-know-what in the 11th hour before moving.

Start by packing up the things that you don't use on a daily basis. By skimming through your belongings, you can keep your house comfortable to live in during this time by being selective about what you pack.

Start by packing up everything that you have in storage in your attic, basement or garage. Then move room-by-room and pack everything that you won't need during the next 20 days. Closets are a great place to start too. Pack up all clothing that is out of season or that you only wear two or three times a year. Then head into the kitchen and pack up all those gadgets that you can't let go of but you rarely, if ever, use. And pack up the excess glass wear, plates, etc.

Keeping what you need on hand will make the last days of living in your current home a joy. And knowing that you are making head-way in packing daily, you'll sleep better at night.

From an article in the current issue of Bloom Magazine

Simply Tasteful Design

Interior decorating—simplified. That’s what Matthew Cole does as the brains behind Bloomington Staging & Design.

The goal is always to make a home look as great as possible. Here’s the difference: When Cole is staging a home that’s up for sale, he leans on his 20-plus years of experience in real estate to create a look with the broadest possible appeal. Design jobs, however, are tailored much more closely to the tastes of the owner.

Either way, it’s a matter of helping homeowners make the most of their space. “It’s like cooking dinner and not having a recipe,” says Cole. “They’ve bought the ingredients and don’t know how to use them. I go into people’s homes and try to use everything they have, and give them a fresh perspective of how to use the space.”

Most jobs take no more than three or four trips, says Cole. First, he’ll stop to check out the space and talk to the homeowners about what they want most. Next comes a design plan—furniture ideas, color shades, the occasional structural change. Clients might pursue the plan on their own, or ask Cole to suggest painters and other service providers, or hire him to manage the entire job. Finally, he keeps an eye out for just the right finishing touches. “If I’m out and about and see a perfect item, I’ll snap a photo and text it to them,” he says.

What Cole doesn’t do is traditional interior design where the drapes are perfectly matched with new upholstery and paired with wall paper. “My design is based far more on functionality and simplicity. This also makes me more cost effective because I can complete a job for as little as two or three hundred dollars and give the homeowner a whole new way to look at their space and live in their home.”

The biggest mistakes he sees? “People who try too hard to make a house look staged with over-the-top bouquets of flowers and knick-knacks,” says Cole. “They are trying too hard to make it look perfect.” “I want my houses to look like people are living there—just somebody with really good taste.”

Contact Matthew Cole at 812-606-8558 or visit www.bloomingtonstaging.com

From an article and photo in the August/September issue of Bloom Magazine


Check out the Home Beautiful section of the current issue of Bloom Magazine.

Packing 101: Using wine and liquor boxes

Whether I am working with someone as their home stager or as their Realtor, one of the biggest worries of the homeowner is packing. Before (hopefully) the home owner has put their house on the market, they have started to declutter through packing, not by putting things in closets and cupboards. As I always say, "you are planning on selling your house, so you'll need to pack eventually. Why not get a big chuck of the work out of the way now."

Start by going to your local wine shop or liquor store. Their leftover boxes are the perfect size and strength for your packing needs. These boxes are designed to hold mass amounts of weight and the size makes them perfect for a single person to lift and move.

Then work your way through your house. Start by packing up items that you rarely use (that set of china that only gets used during the holidays or the sports equipment that is out of season). The decluttering process is one of the most important parts of prepping your house to be marketed, so go room-by-room and start the process by packing up all those rarely used and seasonal items.

And make two separate categories of boxes. The ones that hold the items that you know you want to keep and the boxes that hold items that you plan to take to Goodwill or sell at a yard sale. Pack...purge...pack...purge...

If you really want to do it right and can afford to, rent a storage unit to hold the boxes of items that you'll be moving to your new house. You'll be amazed at how easy it will be to fill up the unit.

Piace' is Bloomington's Newest Boutique

We are thrilled about the opening of Piace'. Located next door to the Buskirk Chumley Theatre on Kirkwood, this shop offers women's (and a small section of men's) casual and chic clothing. Co-owner Johnna Davis said that they planned on buying limited quantities of each item so that you don't end up wearing the same think that the person seated next to you is wearing. Perfect.

The small men's section currently features a very cool jacket priced around $80 and several great shirts priced from the $20's to $40's.

The shop is located at the site of the failed condo project called 120 Kirkwood. I have to say that Piace' is a far better use of this great downtown location. The renovation of the original building has created a beautiful space for this boutique. Check it out.

Polychrome Painting

While in Terre Haute for a conference, I spent a little time in St. Stephen's Episcopal Church which is located on 7th Street across if ISU. I was quite taken by the painting style of the trim and rafters of this building, pictured here.

I went back to my hotel room to do research about this 'candy cane' style of painting. The website for St. Stephens says that when they remodeled the church in the 1960's, they wanted to capture the interior design concepts of St. Mary's Church Ulford, Surry in England. This style is know as Polychrome and dates back to the 13th century in the case of St. Mary's Church.

Further research shows that the candy cane was not invented until the 17th century by European Christians. So my initial thought of 'why paint the trim to look like a candy cane' evolved into 'how lovely if the candy cane was created in the style of a beautiful English church'. If you are even in Terre Haute, Indiana, you should visit this lovely church and take in a little 13th century decor.

Creating the right dining atmosphere for a dinner party

Tonight we're having some friends over for a dinner party. I'm working on creating an atmosphere that is both elegant enough for a Friday night dinner invitation and also casual enough that people feel comfortable putting their elbows on the table and laughing loudly. These are my favorite kinds of dinner parties.

The table is set with silver (faux) chargers and candelabras. The china is simple and white with more pattern in the salad plates. The crystal is lovely and real. And the napkins are the one thing that adds a bit of color to the table.

The candelabras, or chadelabras as Sandra Lee of Semi-Homemade calls them, were a great find. They have such classic lines, yet are obviously not trying to be silver or pewter. They say elegant and fun and very approachable. The best part is that they were only $14 at my local discount retailer. As always, new candles are being used and they were lit and allowed to burn for a minute or two to give them that "I'm not a new candle" look. My mother always taught me to do this.

The music tonight will be light jazz playing softly in the background. I find that everyone appreciates this, whether your taste lends itself to classical, rock or blue grass.

And to enhance a fall feeling, when the dinner plates are cleared, the guests will find a lovely and colorful fall leave on their charger. (it also will distract the eye from the fact that they are not perfectly polished!)

Product Review: Calphalon 3 Piece Set from Williams Sonoma

I just received my order of this three piece set of Calphalon cookware from Williams Sonoma. They are an ideal size for a family of four or less. Cooking for more than four may to too tight in these pans. But for us...perfect!

These were only $79.99 for the set. The original price as $245.00. It is a great opportunity to upgrade your cooking ware without breaking the bank. I'm all about the bargain.

Check 'em out at www.williams-sonoma.com.

You'll notice a small bottle of olive oil in the back of the photo. This is a bottle of white truffle oil from The Olive Leaf on College Mall Road in Bloomington. It is the perfect host/hostess gift. Thanks Jennifer!

A Nearly Perfect Day for Leaf Gathering

People spend money on buying fall decorative items at Micheal's or Hobby Lobby. Why not use the real thing and create your own fall accents.

This is a great project for people with young children. Go out into the yard or a park and have them search for the most colorful leaves. Then take them home and press them between pages of a book. Have the children check on the leaves every couple of days to see how the colors change or don't' change. Then help them to research why...then tell me because I haven't the slightest idea.

But I always pick leaves, dry them and then use them all fall to add color to table settings or any number of other ideas. This year Martha Stewart is having you use dried fall leaves to decorate hand made thank you notes. The possibilities are endless and the cost is zero.

Deal of the Day!

Super deal from Williams-Sonoma. This three piece set of Calphalon non-stick cookware with a saute pan, deep dish fry pan and lid for $79.00. (regularly $249) I just ordered this myself. And all dishwasher safe.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com

The Simple Elegance of White Hydrangeas

Today was spent putting the finishing touches on an event for the IU Foundation. In conjunction with One World Catering & Events, this evening is to be the final dinner in a three day long program.

The design for the tables was simple elegance. Being the third catered dinner in a row for these IU Foundation members, I wanted them to have an evening that felt less staged and much more like they were dining at a fine restaurant.

The morning was spent putting together 20 bouquets. We used white hydrangeas, bundled together, in a simple yet elegant clear vase. The hydrangea stems looked beautiful in the vase. Water was then topped off to the absolute top of the vase making them look as if they were not filled at all, crystal clear and gorgeous.

The assembly took place in the newly finished kitchen at the One World Catering & Events headquarters. Then we packed up the arraignments and took them over to the IU Auditorium.



Upon arrival at the Auditorium, I found out that an IU employee had decided to change the lovely and elegant white linen table cloths to a poly-blend-shiny material mimicking satin...with matching napkins...in off white. And the napkins were draped off the side of the table and not placed to the left of the plate, as planned (and as would be correct). The table settings shifted from one that would be fitting in a high end restaurant to one that would be fitting for a wedding reception. We all have different taste.

But the point is that the simple elegance of white hydrangeas is always beautiful. We used five stems per bouquet. Choosing each stem individually and then placing the next up against the flatter side of the flower of the former stem and rotating the bouquet each time we added another stem. Just like Ina Garten showed me how to do.

The Change of Seasons in Staged Homes

It's time to finally give up summer and embrace fall. In homes that are staged, it is important to keep the home seasonally up-to-date. Nothing says "no one's been here to take care of things" like last seasons center piece and decorations.

Here, with a simple change and only $10, the color focal point of this dining room in the Winston Project has been made current for the fall season with the purchase of local mini pumpkins and squash.

It's sometimes the simplest things that make the biggest difference. Happy Fall!

Find of the Day!

Now this was a deal! On a shopping trip to Indianapolis for a client, I came across these two leather club chairs. The color was a perfect shade of brown and the leather was super soft.

The best part is that they were only $199! Found at HomeGoods on 86th Street. HomeGoods is the housewares store for TJ Maxx and this location is really great.

As with any of these types of stores, you have to look past a lot of 'not so great' merchandise to find the really great products. This store currently has an amazing selection of rugs of all sizes and many priced under $100.

Your Source for Vintage Textiles

The finishing touches of a room can truly bring it to life. One of the best ways to add these touches is with textiles. Whether you create a custom pillow cover or drape a throw over the arm of a chair, these soft accents create a finished look.

To be truly unique, use vintage textiles imported from Europe. One of the best sources for this is www.Textiletrunk.com. Search hundreds of samples online.

So venture out side of the "Bloomington box". Order vintage fabric and have a local craftsman transform it into the perfect accent for your home.

The Tudor Project is complete

The Tudor Project was a recent job for Bloomington Staging & Design. This home is located in Hyde Park and has great curb appeal. But when left unfurnished, it did not show its best. After being on the market for a while, the owners decided to have the home professionally staged. It was an interesting project because the style of the home, including true Tudor exterior, a large and imposing front door and mass amounts of stained oak. To furnish this home in an old English/Tudor style would have made the home more unapproachable to many buyers.

Since this four bedroom home has all bedrooms on the second floor, chances are that the buyers will be a younger couple. So we furnished this home with fresh and contemporary furniture that had classic lines. We wanted to make this home appealing to the most number of buyers and make this home look as updated as possible.

The photos above are of the family room, which opens into the kitchen. The room has very high ceilings and a tall brick fireplace. Since this was the 'family room', we used furnishings that would appeal to the entire family. It is now kid friendly and at the same time, elegant enough for entertaining friends and co-workers.

Bloomington Staging & Design will be holding a publicity event at this home in the near future. If you are not already on our emailing list for invitations, please let us know by contacting Matthew Cole at matthew@bloomingtonstating.com.

Setting the Table Part II

The art of still life. This photo, taken a the Macy's Flower Show in New York this year, is an amazing example of creating the beauty of a still life oil painting on your dining room table for buffet. Using gorgeous arrangements of fresh fruit, crystal, china and silver, the outcome is stunning.

This particular table setting was designed for a buffet event. A silver champagne bucket was used to hold fresh baguettes (partially shown in the back ground of this photo). Over sized wooded candle sticks were used to embellish the olde world setting. Simply and elegantly beautiful.

Setting the Table

One of the most simple ways to add beauty to your home is setting the table. Whether you are having a dinner party for ten, or a simple dinner for yourself, correctly setting a table can add elegance and style to your home. And the best part is that it is not permanent. A day or two later, you can change the entire setting.

The best set tables incorporate a blend of textiles, china and stemware. The color and design options are endless. The table in the photo to the right has a formal attitude. Place mats, instead of a table cloth, add a more modern look to antique china.

And never underestimate the use of stemware. Each place setting should have both wine glasses and water goblets. Serving two wines with dinner? Then make put out both red and white wine glasses for each guest.

The center piece then ties everything together. The center piece of this table, a photo taken on a trip to San Fransisco, uses candles, a wine bottle and serving pieces to create a still life of sorts. The center piece does not always have to be flowers.

Most importantly, let your creativity come through. If it doesn't seem that it looks right, keep playing with it. After a few adjustments, it will all come together...for the next couple of days.

BTW, Martha always says to set the table a day ahead. Not only does it free up time on the evening of your dinner, but you get to enjoy what you have created a little longer.

New York Window Staging

Taken late night on a recent trip to Manhattan, this photo is of designers putting together the window display for the new Diane von Furstenberg store in the meat packing district in the city. And window staging is much like home staging.

For a mystical and memorable scene in this window, these designers have used color, shape and lighting to create a lasting reaction. And that is exactly what one wants to do when staging a home.

Keeping in mind that clouds and bright colors are not the staples of home staging, the idea is to create a space that will be memorable. Simple designs and great lighting will make any home look special. The key is to find the correct mood for the home. By looking at the home's architecture and layout, one can find exactly what direction to head in.

The key is to create a scene that makes a home buyer say "wow, this is where I want to live, this is the decor that speaks to me". And for the window display designer, they work to make the consumer say "wow, this is where I want to shop...this is the image that speaks to me".

My Bloomington Kitchen Remodel...page 15

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

Range View During

Range View After (stainless back splash is on the way)

Refrigerator Wall During

Refrigerator Wall After

We are 99% done with this project! The counter tops are being swapped out for a more tasteful version of what we have. Silestone is a wonderful product, sans the sparkles. Other than that, we are waiting for the stainless back splash above the range and we are home free.

Above are some before & after photos of the project.

My Bloomington Kitchen Remodel...page 14

Day 24. Mariah Carey wins. Yes, the counter tops are still lighting up the sky, even after they worked for two days to remove the sparkles. Next stop...new counter tops. Our builder, Brent Thompson, has come to the rescue and is negotiating the replacement of the counter tops. Within two weeks we should have respectable surfaces in place sans the glitter.

The range is to be delivered tomorrow. New photos of the 'nearly completed project' will be up by the end of the day once the range is in place.