Can you please tell my friend why she shouldn’t put Ikea furniture in her mansion?

In my experience, there are a number of reasons people have an expensive house with inexpensive furniture. (Not all of them are good reasons.)

I stumbled across the show Tiny House Hunters the other day. Holy unrealistic expectations, Batman! I mean, there’s no way you’re going to get a kitchen with full-size appliances, separate offices for you and your husband, and a bedroom big enough for a king-size bed (plus plenty of space to walk around the bed) in a house that’s less than 400 square feet and costs $35,000 including delivery. It just isn’t happening!

There’s nothing like coming home and being greeted by the pure joy your dog feels when he sees you. That big-grinning, tail-wagging ball of fur has been waiting ALL DAY for his human—and now you’re here! Truth be told, you’ve been looking forward to seeing his sweet face, too. Sound about right?

Getting great quality at a great price and getting it right now just doesn’t happen. You’re going to have to let one of the three take a back seat.

Oh, man. My job is soooo cool! I get to help my clients create a home that makes them happy the moment they walk in the door. One that is beautiful, just right for the way they live, and gives them a sense of rejuvenation. To do all of this, though, I have to ask what seems like a million questions…

Help! I’ve heard that I should choose my paint color before I start on my room, but I’ve also heard that it should be the last thing you pick. What’s the right time to pick my paint color?

Both. Wait! Hang on, don’t throw up your hands in despair just yet! Let me tell you why.

A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a new client of mine when she mentioned that she was in the process of KonMari-ing her home. The look on my face must have shown my confusion because she laughed and said, “I promise it’s an actual thing!” After hearing her rave about this amazing organizational method, I decided to check it out.

This past weekend I binge-watched the latest season of Project Runway All-Stars. As I sat there mesmerized, it occurred to me that there are so many takeaways that can be applied to designing your home.

“Wallpaper – good, bad? What are your thoughts on how it adds to or detracts from home value? I’m intrigued by it – but reluctant to take the plunge.”

Before I answer your question, I think I should warn you: I’ve been traumatized by all the wallpaper in my life…

I’m on the hunt today for art to hang in our master and guest bathrooms.  As if you hadn’t already figured it out, I’m not big on being super traditional and proper, especially when it comes to bathrooms. Let’s face it, weird noises (and smells) happen in there…