Holiday Prep 101: Entry Halls

Holiday Prep 101

To help you give your home a WOW factor before your holiday guests arrive, we’ll do a series of 3 blog posts with tips on how to whip your house into shape for the holidays.  Our first suggestion:

 *Start at the beginning. Take a good, hard look at your entry hall.  This is the first indoor area your guests will see, so it’s got to be good, right?  A few tips:  Mirrors are always great in these spaces—they reflect light, make it brighter and seem larger.  And--a mirror will allow you and your guests to check yourselves in the mirror on the way in or out.  

A mirror in your entry hall will bring a sense of refreshment and calm to visitors, BUT--make sure the mirror does not directly face the door (that is considered bad Feng Shui).   

For more Feng Shui tips, check out this video.

*Think about scale.  If your entry hall is small, you don’t want your guests to feel cramped.  Make sure that your decor items are a good fit for the space.                                                                                       

*Clear out clutter.  Don’t have an entry hall, but want to spruce up your hallways in general?  Try this:  clear out wall clutter.  Hallways can be narrow spaces, and you want to avoid closing them in.  And…it can be difficult to step back and admire artwork or photographs in a narrow hallway, so chances are that they’d “show” better elsewhere.

To check out more fabulous holiday decor pics, visit Polka Dots and Rosebuds and click on  our Portfolio! 

2013 Holiday Design Tips & Trends: Go Natural!

Polka Dots & Rosebuds Interiors 2013 Holiday Design Tips & Trends--go natural! 

Whether or not you are a do it yourself-er, you're most likely starting to think about your holiday decor--what's in, what's not, and "What can I do to make this year really special?"  Here are a few things to get you going--with bonus DIY tips!

Get earthy. Use natural colors, earth tones—soft blues, mint, light teal greens, grey and chocolate—w/silver as your “bling.”  

DIY Tip:  Do NOT throw older, traditional décor away.  Remember—whatever is old will eventually become new again--and can hopefully be used in a future DIY project!

       Think rustic.  Add rustic charm- with natural materials like tree bark, pine cones mixed with porcelain and throwing in furry woodland creature ornaments for warmth.   

      DIY Tip:  Let your crafty self go crazy--wrap ornaments in twine, kint and/or crochet ornaments, make burlap flowers and metal ribbons.  

Share the joy. 
Use your new earthy, texture driven décor at home—AND as gifts.  Wrap a few extra ornaments in twine, knit or crochet a few more ornaments, and use as gifts. 

       DIY Tip:  You can also use the materials for gift wrapping.

 For more ideas and images, check out the Holiday Decor portfolio on www.polkadotsandrosebuds.com!

How To: Prep for Your First Meeting With an Interior Designer

How To:  Prep for Your First Meeting With an Interior Designer

Have a lot of questions and specific requests for the space you’re decorating?

Unsure about what you should and should not do before you meet with an interior designer?  To help you deal with that, here are a few things to do and consider before your initial meeting with your designer.  With a little prep, you can make the process organized, simple, and stress-free.

Before you meet…

Relax.  Leaving a client feeling accomplished and stress free after any meeting is a goal for every designer, especially the Polka Dots and Rosebuds team.  so take a deep breathe, and know that we’ll do everything we can to make your experience a great one. 

Decide your overall goal(s).  Do you want to improve the use and efficiency of space, including storage and organization?  Do you want to incorporate a particular color into the design?

Think about your needs.  What activities will take place in the space?  For example, if you have children or plan on entertaining, durable furniture would be the way to go. Stain and water repellant fabrics are always a plus as well.  Or do you want to create a bedroom that is a soothing retreat?  Lighting and color will be especially important here.

Make a list of what you like/don’t like about the existing space.  If you are modifying an existing space, what do you currently like about the space? What do you most want to change? Why?

Determine dates.  What is your time frame for completing your design project? Is there a date or impending event by which your project must be finished?

Set your budget.  Having a realistic budget is key to having a successful project.

Pin it!  Pinterest is a wonderful tool to help you gather great ideas and looks that you love.  Check out Polka Dots & Rosebuds Interiors owner Liz Toombs’ Pinterest page here.  Click to follow, and start a new board for your upcoming project.  You’ll be amazed at all of the cool ideas you’ll find!