I managed to incorporate 'taste' into our bedroom by converting one of our armories into a mini-breakfast bar. It has everything we need for a quick breakfast-in-bed - a small refrigerator, a microwave and, of course, coffee & tea to get us going!

It’s hard to believe that Armoires were designed to hold armor during the Middle Ages, since they’ve become an essential element for almost any design scheme! They come in a variety of shapes and finishes, and can fit in any budget.

Because an armoire is often one of the largest pieces of furniture you may own, it tends to be a focal point of the room it’s in. However, like a book or a bottle of wine, the outside appearance may have nothing to do with the contents! Here are some of my favorite armoire applications, which go far beyond storage for clothes, and may give you inspiration to change the way you use your armoire!

• A tech station: A large TV can easily take over your family room. To keep the look you’ve created for your home, without sacrificing that great TV, house your TV, BluRay/DVD player, music system and multitude of remotes in an armoire. This way, it all remains out of sight until you need it for the big game or a movie night. It could also work in a home office for your laptop, printer and (if you still have one!) a fax machine.
• An ‘anywhere’ pantry: A good friend of mine, a wonderful hostess with lots of style, is tight on space. Still, whenever I was invited for dinner, the table would be set with a beautiful collection of serving pieces.  One night I asked her where she kept those gorgeous pieces hidden in her tidy compact kitchen. She confessed that her pantry was actually the elaborately painted armoire in the living room. I peeked in and the inside was fitted to hold serving plates & trays, dinner & stemware – all safe, dust-free and out of view.
• Home exercise center: One year at High Point furniture market I saw an armoire marked as the complete workout area. Doors opened to reveal a folded-up treadmill, there were shelves designed to hold free-weights, and, of course, there was a place t plug in a TV! In my yoga room, I have 2 matching armoires for my yoga mat, my many yoga DVDs and CDs, light weights and anything else I might need for my morning yoga.
• A Breakfast Bar: In our bedroom, I converted an armoire to a small breakfast bar. Nothing too extensive – there’s a small fridge, a small microwave, and any ingredients we might need for a leisurely weekend breakfast (or brunch!). There’s also space there for a tea set, coffee mugs, plates, and silverware – so no trip to the kitchen is necessary.

The versatile, functional, stylish armoire allows for the creation and organizing of a personal space that can be enjoyed at will and then closed off and shuttered.  An armoire can help bring order to an extra space that needs organizing.  There’s even a hint of secrecy and mystery with an armoire that a simple closet doesn’t quite convey!

Our cabana, photographed beautifully by Keith Scott Morton for my latest book 'The Soul of the House', is the perfect place to relax, eat & get out of the heat before jumping back in the pool.

I’m sure most of us are in spring-cleaning mode (especially since spring seemed to come early this year!) It is so satisfying to polish the furniture, scrub the floor, clean out the closet and open the windows for that fresh spring air! This is also the perfect time to rake up those old leaves, trim the hedges, plant some flowers and get the outdoor furniture ready for a summer of barbeques and pool parties. Spring cleaning is all about creating a fresh start after the cold winter months. It marks the arrival of warm weather and a few months for outdoor living!

I view my garden as an extra room that I get to open in the spring. It’s like a seasonal family room – a multi-purpose room where entertaining, dining, relaxing, and ball-playing are all possible.  I see the room as a flexible space that can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion, with trees and bushes instead of walls, outdoor furniture defining the spaces, and fresh flowers to add color, texture and fragrance.

When I’m designing an outdoor space, I always think about comfort.  Of course, the furniture must also be durable since it is outside all season, but that is no reason why your backyard shouldn’t be just as comfortable and inviting as an indoor space. Here are my tips to create an area that will become the summer hot-spot for your friends and family.

• Your furniture doesn’t have to be confined to a patio or deck. Spreading your furniture to more than one spot outdoors will allow for more seating & dining options while entertaining. One of our favorite outdoors spots is a wrought-iron table and chairs underneath a flowering arbor. It’s a small space, but it’s perfect for breakfast for 2 or drinks for four.
• Use your container pots, garden accessories, or odd pieces of outdoor furniture to creating inviting nooks and crannies. Vary the height and color of your potted flowers, just as you would with candles or other accessories inside. Find a use for a curbside treasure – I once used a little oak chair as a stand for a large galvanized bucket of geraniums. Placed by the gate into the garden, it served as a welcome to all our guests.
• A garden umbrella, or maybe two, can be useful for providing shade and shelter. If the stand is light enough, it can be moved throughout the yard as the sun changes. At night, an umbrella can provide a lovely sense of enclosure, especially if they are lit with little white lights or hanging lanterns.
• For those chilly summer nights (which we all know can happen!) there’s nothing like an outdoor fireplace – either built in or portable – or, as we have, a fire pit. The warmth can also extend your outdoor nights into the fall months.
• If you’re a dog-lover, as I am, make sure there is a comfortable spot for your four-footed friend outside! A sturdy water bowl, a nice area to run without destroying too many plants, and a nice shady spot will allow your pet to enjoy the outdoors with you and your company.

I am ready for a long and glorious summer of entertaining and relaxation. Summer is my favorite season – because I love being outdoors. Since I spend so much of my time in my yard, I’ve created a space where  I can be just as comfortable as I am inside – and I hope you can do the same.

A view of the mansion at the Hillwood Museum and Gardens from the French Parterre.

There is something awe-inspiring about visiting an old home – especially of a historic figure (whether a statesmen, writer, actor or artist).  I recently enjoyed a trip to Mark Twain’s home in Hartford, Connecticut.  Twain felt, as I do, that our homes are more than just a place to eat and sleep.  He said: ‘To us, our house was not unsentinent matter – it had a heart and a soul…” It was such a pleasure to see his study where he penned The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

The reason visiting a historic home is so enjoyable for me is twofold.  I love learning the history of a place and diving into a different era, but I also see how a home can be almost autobiographical – so personal and particular to the personality who loved it, lived in it, and perhaps even created it.  Being in Mark Twain’s study, I could feel his presence in the room. It was unmistakably his room.

Another home that I was excited to visit was Thomas Jefferson’s in Virginia.  SO many of us in the design world are familiar with the architecture and style of Monticello, but seeing it in person was a different experience.  Of course, I was most interested to see his, what one guest on our tour called, ‘sanctum santorum’.  His room of his own.  Although it was more than just a room – Jefferson’s personal space consisted of a suite with a bedroom, study, green house and library – quite an enviable personal space! To be in such an historic place was wonderful and to see the design sensibilities up close and personal was such a treat.

In Washington DC, the former estate of Post Cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post is absolutely worth a visit.  She imagined her Hillwood estate (now Hillwood Museum & Gardens) as a museum while she was still alive, and had it established as one in her will for after her death. One of the museums most beautiful exhibitions is Merriweather Post’s collection of Imperial Russian items – paintings, porcelain, Faberge eggs, books and garments.  History comes alive in every room of the house, and in the 25 cres of gardens.

The next time you’re travelling, whether on vacation with your family, or even on business, try and make it a point to visit a historic home in the area.  Educational, fun and beautiful, you may even find a fresh design idea for your own home on your travels!

To Learn more about the places I talked about in this blog, please visit their websites listed here and visit as soon as you can!

http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/

http://www.monticello.org/

http://www.marktwainhouse.org/

The flowers in my garden are always an inspiration - especially during the spring! Bring the vibrant colors that are outside into your home for a fresh look.

Even though the winter in the northeast has been surprisingly mild, I’m still looking forward to spring. Spring rejuvenates us all.  It always sends me from room to room in our house, looking for ways to freshen up my surroundings. The nice thing is that it doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul of each room.

Here are some ideas that I’ve used to get ready for spring -

• Throw pillows: if you’re tired of your sofa or easy chairs, but don’t have the budget for new slipcovers, why not buy or sew a few throw pillows in an exuberant splash of color to add a fresh palette to your home? Sherbet tones – pinks, limes, greens and yellows – will add hot Palm Beach hues to your rooms.  Don’t just do small squares.  Experiment with other shapes, like circles, triangles, oversized squares and others.  Try different fabrics and trims, including tapestries, sheeting, dress-making fabrics, various ribbons and even old rugs.  They’ll add a burst of new life to your sofa and chairs.
• Change of hearth: when winter has finally passed, why not use your fireplace as a mini-showcase? In fall and winter, the fireplace takes center stage in the room.  But in spring and summer it usually stands empty and looks rather forlorn. To spruce up this important area, try placing a decorative screen in front of the hearth.  Many types of screens are available at department stores and antique shops.  Another option is placing a large basket of dried flowers, or a bushy fern plant, inside the fireplace.  This adds a hint of color and nicely masks the blank opening of the hearth.
• Lighten up: During winter, heavy, lined draperies serve as wonderful room insulators.  But during the warmer months they can make even the largest of rooms appear stuffy and stifling.  To lighten up your interior, remove, clean and properly store all draperies.  In their place, hang filmy, light-filtering sheers or lace panels.  They afford instant privacy without cutting out sunlight.
• Pack it away: This is the time of year to let the sun shine in.  Overly cluttered rooms during the spring and summer seem fussy and can create a claustrophobic feeling.  For these reasons, why not pack away some of your treasures and create a more open and airy look?  This spring, in lieu of porcelain vases and figurines, why not group a small trio of ivy topiaries on a table top? Or why not put away your collection of candlesticks and replace them with a large bowl of fruit? Use your imagination and ingenuity to create clean-looking vignettes, filling your interiors with a carefree attitude.

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.