It’s important that living, dining and family rooms feel warm and inviting— whether you’re trying to sell your home or decorating it to live in.
Here a tiny dining room, that was barely more than a hallway from the front of the house to the kitchen in the back was, given a dramatic face lift.
Old wood chairs were re-painted and an inexpensive wrought iron Ikea fixture is dressed up with beaded red shades.
As one might expect in a home from the early 1900s, the old plaster walls were less than smooth. To visually minimize this issue and save money, the walls were repainted and then a wash of a second deeper color mixed with glaze was added over top. This textured look gave depth to the room while making the bumpy walls no longer an issue.… Continue reading
Many of us live in older homes that have layers of wallpaper that have been there for years. The thought of removing it becomes a roadblock to redecorating because we’re afraid of all the plastering work that will be needed if we take it down.
This is particularly true when you live in a home with plaster and lath construction, which was popular through to the 1950s when drywall… Continue reading
I redesigned this kitchen with paint and accessories instead of ripping out cabinets and putting in new counters. It was even featured in Woman's Day Magazine! Runner on the counter is from the Debra Gould Home Collection
Many families don’t have tens of thousands to spend on a new kitchen, or they don’t want to live through the significant inconvenience of ripping out this critical room and waiting for it to be rebuilt from scratch.
I did it once on my second property and it was a nightmare. The day after I moved in with my toddler I had the kitchen ripped out so that I’d have better cupboard space and a spot for a dishwasher. It took over two months to complete and in the meantime we lived in a construction zone with all the dust, noise and danger that entails.… Continue reading
Whether you are decorating your house to sell, or planning on staying where you are, this before and after story will help you see the potential that waits in the next room.
Studies have shown that renovating the main bathroom in a home has an estimated payback of 60% to 65% when the home is resold. But it can cost well over $5000 to complete, not to mention the
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Every two months you’ll get a newsletter filled with free home tips and articles to help you whether you’re moving right now or not. Here’s what one reader says about Six Elements News:
“Your newsletter is a perfect combination of openness, knowledge and professionalism. Thanks… Continue reading
Very sensitive to the subtleties of color and how each hue is effected by those around it, Debra Gould was dubbed "as color conscious as Matisse" in a magazine cover story.
A house is just an empty shell until we make it a home by filling it with color, furnishings, art and special objects that have meaning for us.
Through thoughtful placement of these, we build an environment that enriches us, provides sanctuary and also one that is welcoming to others. They feel it as soon as they enter our space.
I’ll be sharing a number of books with you that I have found helpful in learning about design and color— more importantly they inspired me to think about interiors in a new way.
I have all of the books I’ll be recommending in my own library and I hope you will find them as inspiring as I have.
I welcome your feedback and any recommendations you have for similar finds. You can also send me your color and design questions for me to answer in an upcoming issue of Six Elements News.… Continue reading
