I love the wallpaper pattern in this powder room - treillage and teahouses. It adds whimsy to a room that had previously been too dark!

A few weeks ago I wrote about adding color into our homes – especially during these potentially dull winter months.  I mentioned that a powder room is the perfect place to experiment with colors that you might want to use in other rooms, and it reminded me how much fun it can be to decorate these rooms.  They’re the perfect spot to embellish with personality, whimsy and charm.  For me, it was important that our master bath be a serene room – with mostly neutral colorings and harmonious music and lightly scented candles.  But I feel the powder rooms downstairs were the ideal locations to have fun with colors, textures and unexpected accessories.  Here’s how I transformed these rooms into adventurous and unique spaces.

 The first idea was in our more ‘formal’ entryway.  I decided to make it very romantic – almost baroque.  I mentioned in another blog that the firey-red walls were inspired by a paper hand towel, and I built up from there.  I put matching red shades with a tasseled braid on the pre-existing candle scones.  Both beautiful and, I think, practical, a venetian-inspired silk brocade made a skirt under the sink (attached with Velcro!) – it’s the perfect place to store any extras we may need. There’s a window, where I hung a roman shade using the same fabric, with a deep ledge where I put a small silver tray with a collection of perfume bottles, which I know my female friends love!

The second powder room is right off our kitchen.  All the fixtures were already black, so being on a budget, I hung a chic black and yellow trellis-like wallpaper with matching fabric curtains.  A mixture of black toile, solid yellow and white and yellow hand towels tie it all together.  I had paper hand towels made by artist Ginny Bauer (see more of her work here: – http://www.ginnyspaperlinen.com/) to match the wallpaper’s circular motif.

Remember – you don’t need to make extensive changes to update your powder room! My updates were nearly all simple, cosmetic changes.  A change of paint color, an unexpected accessory, or fresh new towels will give the room a new feel.  Here are a few quick and inexpensive ways to freshen up your bathroom –

• Update the surfaces – repaint cabinets, change out hardware, or resurface worn fixtures.  With todays wide variety of cleaning products that both clean and restore luster and gleam, your bathroom can look like new in no time.
• Add storage – A storage piece such as an antique armoire, a bamboo etagere or a modern brushed-nickel tower is practical – storing towels and bath products – but also can add flair to the room by displaying unique items – a collection of shells, perfume bottles or funky jewelry.
• Architecture – having some shelves along the top of the door for added storage or display will add depth to the room (I also love to display items along the window sill).  A marble ledge under a mirror is timeless, and is a great place to display treasures, or keep your hand soap at the ready.  Hooks and racks for towels and bathrobes will keep them within reach and can be vintage or modern, and come in all prices.

What’s most important about updating a powder room is that it appeals to you.  It should go beyond just the functional purpose and be a room of style and comfort where you and your guests can indulge all 5 of your senses – sight, scent, sound, touch & taste.

Winter is the perfect time to test out adventurous decor - whether exotic animal prints or deep reds, blues, greens, & golds, these colors and patterns are sure to cure your winter blues.

Our holidays that just passed were a time of celebrations and bright colors.  During the first few weeks of winter, many hang their brightly colored lights and break out festive flatware with pride. Once the holidays are over, however, we often lose a lot of these bright and cheery colors, at a time when many of us (especially here in the north east!) need them most.

 Too often during the winter the view outside in our northeast is shrouded in fog, with muddy brown-grey lawns and bare trees under a gray sky.  If that’s what you see when you look outside – it’s the perfect time to put some color inside your home.  Sometimes, we’re all afraid to add those splashes of color indoors.  I’ve had a number of people tell me that they’d like to paint their family room apple green or their bathroom a deep red, but something seems to always hold them back – whether it’s a skeptical family, a fear of mis-matched fabric, or the feeling the new shade may quickly lose its appeal.  I’ve been there too, so here are some of my tips and tricks to getting used to some new and vibrant colors.

•  Your windows are a perfect place to give colors a try in any room.  When I re-did my kitchen a few years back, I experimented by draping my multi-hued, paprika colored paisley fabrics around the windows.  These impromptu valances added richness and a depth that inspired me to continue with earthy, strong colors throughout the room as the decorating project continued.
• There are lots of colorful options in your bedroom, specifically on your bed.  Duvet covers, sheets, blankets, shams and pillow cases all come in a variety of colors and patterns that will instantly transform the entire room.  You and your partner may fall in love with the new color choices and want to spread it to your walls and accessories! Give it a try!
• Creating a powerful powder room can really be so simple – hang some colorful hand towels by the sink, or have a basket of  bright wash cloths by the tub.  A variety of soaps or perfume bottles on the counters can also add variety to a monochromatic bathroom.  This is also the perfect room to test out a new paint color you’ve been thinking about for another room.  Not what you expected? Tire of the paint job quickly? You can avoid spending the time and effort painting a larger space by testing it in your powder room, or behind a hanging print or mirror.

A bit of help to get over your color-phobia, start small to comfortably commit to splashes of hues and paints that will transform and otherwise ‘blah’ space. If your home feels drab in those post-holiday winter months, dare to do something about it. You’ll enjoy and, hopefully, love it!

My living room becomes the perfect place for hot cocoa, a board game or entertaining with an extra ivy-print throw, leopard pillow and roaring fire.

When we dress to venture outside during the winter, it’s all about layering – a cotton t-shirt under a wool sweater under a down jacket, paired with all the accessories – hats, gloves, scarves and, if it’s cold enough, maybe even a pair of  silk long johns under your jeans.  Layering gives us the flexibility to add on for extra warmth, or be more comfortable once we’ve made it into the office or back home.

 Layering inside during these winter months can also make our homeswarmer, more inviting and even gives us the flexibility our winter clothes can.  Here are some ideas to make your home even cozier than usual.  Even if you live where the frigid fingers of winter don’t reach – adding a light winter layer in cottons, light fabrics and bright colors offers a visually exciting seasonal change and makes stripping back the layers in spring even more satisfying – so these ideas are for you too!

• Take out your throws and put them on the arms of your sofas, the back of a chair, the bottom of a bed or over an ottoman.  Richly textured and colorful woolen throws or luscious chenille are perfect for the winter months and add a great sense of style to a room.
• Add extra pillows and cushions – especially in your TV room.  An easily grabbed pillow makes the floor a perfect place to watch a movie and eat popcorn, or set up a game of Scrabble on the coffee table.  You can even add small pillows on the backs of your dining room chairs for extra back support!
• Lay down some area rugs – even if you already have wall-to-wall carpeting.  Adding an area rug is a great way to define an area like a reading corner, coffee table or entryway.  Go for bold colors and intricate patterns if you have neutral sisal or other low pile rugs already down.  To prevent bunching and sliding, use a rug pad underneath.
• -To add warmth to a table, drape it with a patterned quilt or rug – like a kilim or silk oriental.  Use lamps, books, framed pictures and candles to create a cozy vignette.
• For your throws, rugs, pillows, etc don’t be afraid to mix patterns.  This is the time to be creative and adventurous – use paisleys, Indian florals, chintzes, toils, crewel ware and embroidery – whatever you like best and appeals to you!

 Enjoy the winter outdoors whether you’re sledding, ice skating, skiing or having a snowball fight, but be sure that the house you and your family come home too is layered, cozy and warm – ready for the winter weather sure to be coming our way.

One of my favorite winter traditions - a personalized gingerbread house. A lot of fun to decorate, and it can be a great gift for someone with a sweet-tooth on your list!

Each year it seems that the eternal question of the holidays is how to get just the right gift for everyone on your list? We all have to shop for so many – parents, children, friends, extended family, co-workers…there’s no shortage of people to shop for, but sometimes we all have a shortage of ideas! I’ve avoided giving gifts that send the recipients to the after-Christmas returns line by following some simple advice – you should give what you would most want to receive.  For me, that means giving gifts that will make homes cozier, warmer and happier places – a perfect chance to spread my philosophy of turning home into haven.  So here are some of my gift ideas for the holidays – great gifts I think for anyone on your list! And remember – hand-made gifts can sometimes be the most memorable – especially in these times of belt-tightening!

• Candles – I think everyone should have a ready stock of all shapes and sizes – whether to add mood lighting to a table at dinner, to safely place under glass in entryways, or, of course, for those nights when the power goes out! I love giving hand-dipped tapers, multi-hued beeswax sticks, thick pillar candles of different heights, and even fun shapes like imitation logs.
• Fresh flowers – have a beautiful bouquet delivered.  It’s a perfect way to boost someone’s spirits and to let them know you’re thinking of them.  You could even do a flower of the month delivery for someone special on your list.
• A throw – it doesn’t have to be cashmere, but it does have to be soft, warm and stylish.  A comfortable throw on a chair or sofa is like an invitation to sit down and curl up with a good book or a movie and a cup of hot chocolate.  And we all need that reminder to relax!
• Fluffy towels -  pair them with some special soaps, body wash or bath salts to complete the bathing experience.  We use towels every day so there’s no such thing as having too many!
• Delectable Treats – Hearing the song ‘Let it Snow’ and realizing that the cupboards are bare is enough to send anyone into a panic.  So giving a basket of goodies – crackers, cheeses, olives, pastas, wines, or even all the ingredients for a fondue party is a great way to thank your holiday host, or prepare someone for the cold and snowy days ahead.
• A journal – whether it’s simple and leather or bound in vintage fabric, I love the look and feel of a great journal – and the possibilities of the blank pages inside.
• -A donation to Habitat for Humanity, one of my favorite charities – helping give the gift of home to someone is the best of all possible gifts. Another that I especially remember at this time of year is Doctors Without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.org)

Enjoy your holidays, and enjoy the gift-buying process! I’ll be back after the New Year!

914Inc Magazine has selected 28 women entrepreneurs in Westchester county, including Chris Madden, C.E.O. of Chris Madden Inc., and will honor all of them this Thursday at the first annual AWE awards ceremony, where Chris will be the keynote speaker!

Chris’ advice to up and coming entrepreneurs? “I can tell you because it happened to me…a lot of people will say no it can’t be done…but you can’t accept no ever.”

See 914Inc’s interview with Chris and read about all the honorees here:

http://www.westchestermagazine.com/914-INC/Q4-2011/Westchester-Countys-Most-Accomplished-Women-Entrepreneurs/

Even your bathroom should be open to tasting - I love a glass of wine or tea in the tub or a quick breakfast at the vanity.

       Let’s face it – our homes should be our havens – it’s my mantra and a concept I have been sharing with women for years.  With the cold weather coming, along with holiday meals and parties, this is certainly the right time to think about how to make the most out of our homes – for both hosting a Thanksgiving meal and especially relaxing afterwards! One of the best ways I’ve found to make your home a haven is to have each and every room appeal to your five senses – sight, sound, smell, touch and taste.

            We all immediately know how to include the first four senses into every room but, how, many ask, do you get the sense of taste into a room? If this were Willy Wonka, we could all hang edible wallpaper, but the answer is much simpler than that.  Incorporate taste by allowing the pleasures of eating and drinking to occur anywhere in your home – from the front porch to the edge of your bathtub.  No area should be off limits!

            I have tables and trays throughout our house in all sizes, and eating in each room provides a different dining experience.  In the summer, we eat outside as much as possible – whether it’s just Kevin and me under our arbor, a staff lunch on the back patio, or a party by the pool.  This time of year, of course, we dine almost exclusively indoors – sometimes at our kitchen breakfast nook, at our formal dining room table if there’s company, or our smaller informal one if it’s just us.  When we have time, I love lighting a fire in the living room and eating right on our coffee table.  If there’s a great movie or big game on, I’ll set up trays in the TV room and have a front row seat.  In the bathroom, my tub is just wide enough to fit a cup of tea or glass of wine during a relaxing soak, and if I’m in a rush I’ll have my coffee and breakfast in front of my vanity while I’m getting ready to tackle the day.  And it doesn’t always have to be a full meal – you can put a bowl of fruit, candy, mints or nuts in any room for an extra snack!

            With Thanksgiving tomorrow and then the winter holidays, it’s good to think about your dining and seating options and know that you don’t need a large dining room and a banquette table to accommodate all your guests! Spread out and enjoy dining throughout your home – treating your friends and family to every special room.  Then let them indulge their five senses – the aroma and taste of the wonderful food, the great views, the feeling of warm bread and crisp linen, and soft candlelight that casts a glow over the whole scene.

Just in time for Thanksgiving - my Harvest Dinnerware Collection! Available now at JCPenney.

Some people consider the holiday season from Thanksgiving until New Years to be the most wonderful time of the year, while others think of it as a period of stress and are overwhelmed by the decorating, entertaining, house guests and these days – deadlines.  Although no one can grant the gift of extra time, I can offer some suggestions on how to celebrate more simply and be more relaxed – helping you enjoy your winter holidays!

I’ll focus on Thanksgiving in this post – since it’s right around the corner! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, but I think the commercialism can often diminish the meaning of the day, and can increase the stressful expectation and details.  So go back to our roots and stick with simplicity – a memorable and delicious meal with the people in your life you are most thankful for.
Here are some tips on creating a beautiful and hopefully stress-free Thanksgiving, whether you’re hosting or a guest.

• Use nature for decoration inspiration – apples, squash and gourds are great seasonal pieces – display them on an entry table or mantle with some tea candles safely inserted to set the mood! You can also put candles in a tall glass container.
• Hallowed out pumpkins with a battery-operated candle inside are not just for Halloween! Include them in your display as well.
• For your table, keep it simple with a white or natural-colored cloth.  For a punch of color, used jeweled tone napkins like gold of emerald green.  For a centerpiece, let nature guide you again.  Wash and dry some purple plums, figs, lady apples and champagne grapes to display in a glass bowl.  Encourage guests to nibble at the centerpiece!
• If you’re a guest, make sure a gift doesn’t add last minute stress for your host! If you’re bringing food, arrive with it prepared to be served, or bring your own serving piece to arrange the food when you arrive.  If you’re bringing flowers, have them all ready in a vase or container.
• Put your guests on the spot – have everyone share one thing they are thankful for.  It will make for thoughtful conversation and reinforce the basic principle of Thanksgiving.

Plan ahead, keep it simple, count your blessings and include others in your good fortune – that’s my Thanksgiving advice.  Enjoy this wonderful holiday!

Pumpkins, mums & Autumn leaves are natural and simple decorations for Halloween!

I still remember when the norm for a Halloween costume was a ghost in an old sheet, or a hobo with some black make-up smeared on their face.  But, today, it seems that the mantra is: the scarier the better! We get lots of zombies, vampires and witches trick-or-treating on October 31^st in our neck of the woods. But when I decorate for Halloween, I prefer a more traditional approach – more autumnal than scary – but always fun.  Here are some of my ideas for quick and easy ways to spruce up for Halloween and appeal to all 5 of your senses.

• Visual Vignettes – I put hay bales and corn stalks by the doors, and always include lots of gourds and pumpkins (carved and un-carved).  I love making candle displays on the mantle and hall table and decorate with candies in tall, clear covered jars.  Just remember to be safe with your candles! Or even try those wonderful battery operated candles – they’re sold in most home stores these days.
• The Smells of Fall – There are many candles out there that can give a room an autumnal smell – mulled cider, pumpkin pie or cinnamon, for example – but nothing compares to the real thing! Baking a pie (or even heating a ready-made one up in the oven) or having fresh cut mums and sprigs of cinnamon inside will have your home smelling like fall in no time.
• Spooky Sounds – I love to have my CD of gothic organ music playing around Halloween – it’s just creepy enough for all the trick-or-treaters when I have it playing on our outdoor speakers.
•  A Funny Feeling – I’ve always loved the feeling of the inside of a pumpkin while it’s being carved – the gooiness of the pumpkin and the seeds mixed in is a great tactile sensation. Or, for your décor, think about those spider webs sold at almost any store – they always felt real to me! Having a realistic and furry plastic spider stuck in the web adds another layer and another texture to the ambiance of this holiday.
• Tasty Treats – at Halloween, it’s all about sweet and savory – whether the candy from trick-or-treating or freshly bobbed apples baked into a pie.  However you satisfy your sweet tooth – enjoy! Speaking of teeth – I have to mention our next-door-neighbor, a dentist, who gave out brand-new toothbrushes Halloween night.  It made many parents smile when they looked over their kid’s Halloween loot.  And don’t forget your change for the Unicef collectors!

Above all else, Halloween should make you laugh with its silliness, while the kids go to bed counting candy and recounting the excitement of their day. So have fun, be creative and make this Halloween a day to remember – whether it’s scary or more simple and traditional.

It's a hectic time - but don't forget to pamper yourself! I did with this late-morning fall-themed brunch.

It’s been almost a month since school has reopened for yet another year.  And, although my sons have been out of school for some time, I still remember how stressful the ‘back to school’ season can be – the shopping, the early mornings, the sports try outs, club meetings or play rehearsals and, of course, their bedrooms!  I’m sure anyone who is a parent has heard the excuse that their son or daughter simply has no time to clean their room – so here are some of my tips to make it easy for them, and help create a bedroom that’s both fun and functional.

And if you’re like I was, when you look into your child’s room after they’ve left for school, you want it to be neat – nothing miraculous – but the bed made and clothes, toys, papers, etc off the floor and put away.

          Here are some ideas that worked for me to make sure beds are made…

• Have a ‘no excuses’ bed – meaning – there is no excuse for not making the bed! Have rewards and penalties – pizza night that week if the beds are always made, no pizza night if they’re not!
• Keep it simple and uncomplicated – a light-weight duvet in the summer and a heavier quilt in the winter – something that can easily be tossed over the flat sheet.
• Build a shelf where all stuffed animals can be kept – easy for them to come down at bed time, and be tossed back up in the morning.

And keeping everything in its place…

• Be sure to have enough storage. A desk in a larger bedroom is a perfect place to keep all school supplies, or, in a smaller room, think about adding built-in counter space, cabinet drawers and shelves. 
• Any shelving lined with baskets is perfect for organized cubbies – whether for toys, papers, or even baseball caps.
• An attractive hamper or laundry bag hanging from a closet hook makes it easy to keep soiled clothes off the floor and ready for the laundry.

Or course, it’s not always easy to make kids follow these rules! But I’ve discovered that the best way to give them a head-start towards keeping their room neat is to keep them involved – especially in decorating their spaces – guide them as they chose wallpaper or paint (if their room is at that stage) and let them decide, with some guidance from you, what goes on their shelves and help show them how their storage space is allocated. 

Best of luck and remember – these magical years fly by – so enjoy them!

Love using my green and white plates for entertaining - some of these I got from my friend Lynn von Kersting, some on shopping trips, and even some from my JCP collection.

I love to entertain my friends and family.  I’ve blogged about entertaining outside, but with fall here and winter slowly approaching, I wanted to share some of my tips for hosting the perfect party – regardless of location.  Some of my favorite ideas that always work for me:

-Start by deciding the theme of the party.  Once you have a theme, choosing a menu will be easier.  Sometimes the easiest theme to choose is seasonal – have a party celebrating the coming of fall or the start of the winter holiday season.

- Arrange food on plates and stands of different heights.  This will make it easier for guests to serve themselves.  Consider having more than one table with food/drinks – this way your guests can move around and mingle!

-I love collecting plates and mixing them with my vintage or antique silverware and trays – to unify your look, use the same color napkins.

-Remember – it’s all about the comfort of your guests (and yourself, of course!) so plan ahead – think about who’s coming and how you can make the event as enjoyable as possible for them.

-Having trouble planning in advance? Keep the five senses in mind can help keep all the aspects of your event organized.

• Sight: Have a beautiful place setting with seasonal flowers or greens
• Scent: Candles come in a variety of odors to match the theme of any party
• Sound: Always have a good mix of music at the ready! Play something simple and soothing in the background so your guests can talk and enjoy the music.
• Touch: Keep everyone comfortable with soft chair cushions and napkins.
• Taste: Have a variety of snacks and drinks so everyone’s palette will be satisfied.

- Always have a back-up plan.  Particularly if you’re outside – the rain could put a damper on your party unless you have some indoor activities pre-planned.

Don’t stress about hosting your next party or event! Keep it fun, simple and comfortable.  If your guests are having a good time, so will you.