Eye Candy For the Home!

Originally posted in 2008.

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We often hear that every room should have at least one focal point. Exactly what is a focal point you may be asking? A focal point in a room is a place that naturally draws your eye to it. It is the place in the room that creates the most interest and where you can make your talents shine.

Sometimes the focal point is an architectural feature like a beautiful bay window overlooking your garden or a lovely or commanding fireplace. The true nemesis for most decorators and designers is that it is often the TV. Ugh! Some rooms have more than one focal point. The first room below is an example of that.

You have a fireplace, a big window and a TV. In this room the sofa is facing the TV but there are also views of the fireplace from the sofa and other chairs are placed to also enjoy the outside. The more focal points the more fun you can have making it all come alive. 3 is probably the limit though as more than that and your eyes are just confused.

In this room it is the TV area that ranks first, fireplace and then the outside. Form needs to follow function. What that means is what you do in the room is just as important or more so that the aesthetics. The trick is mastering both.

This was one of the most challenging rooms I have ever done. It is a long and narrow room and the fireplace is placed in an odd place. Not centered but at the end of the room. Logistically the TV had to be the focal point because if I used the fireplace all the furniture would have been at the end of the room and very unbalanced. Why do builders do things like that? Arrgh! I remember my frustration and that Laura did about five other rooms while I struggled with this puzzle.

This room is in one of my most favorite houses of all times. Staging this house for sale was amazing. This house was eye candy at every turn and sold the first day on the market. One of the many things that I love about this room is no TV and thoughtful architecture. That made placement of the furnishing so easy and created a very welcoming home.

If you are decorating a room with none of these possibilities then you need to create a focal point. As an example you can choose a beautiful piece of art, a beautiful mirror with a table or buffet beneath it and a pretty floral arrangement. A focal point is eye candy. It should automatically pull the eye there.

Entryway Focal Point

This kitchen area has the most beautiful garden outside the window which is the focal point but you also have to make it look great on the inside. I could have moved right into this house.

Other things that can serve as focal points are what are called "case goods" in the industry. They would include large pieces of furniture like a grand piano, an armoire, buffet, etc. In a bedroom the focal point is almost always the bed.



The thing that cannot be a focal point is an upholstered piece like a sofa or chair. Why? Because they disappear when you sit on them. Makes sense, right? This room's most outstanding feature was the pair of antique overstuffed tiny sofas. This small room had no focal point other than the window looking out to the street. That wasn't too interesting so the room is designed with the two little sofas facing each other with exceptional art above each as the focal points of the room. It is so cozy and comforting.

This was a fun room to decorate. Here the window and armoire are the focal points because the TV is in the armoire. It was fun to come up with something that made this room a little different by placing the drop leaf table behind the sofa.



When arranging your furniture in the room~follow this simple rule for best results. Choose or create a focal point and then address your focal point with your largest piece of upholstered furniture. You can be creative and do your own thing of course, but if you neglect these two things your room will always feel a little off. Have fun creating your own little world at home! It is a great place to be and the stage upon which you live your life! Enjoy it!

Cape Cod Shop Keeper

This may be the prettiest Autumn shop window ever!
Taken last fall on on trip to the Cape.

Guest Room Resdesign

Potential visitors and house guests, rejoice. We have done a little re-do in our guest room. We got rid of our double bed and you now may sleep more comfortably and more soundly in our lovely Queen with its, pillow top and memory foam mattress. I am feeling a need to apologize for the bed you have heretofore been subjected to. So sorry! But now I think you will find your stay most comfy.

I kept a lot of the things that had been in the room and kept the bed on a diagonal. The diagonal gives you the most feet to work with in a room. Also I do not want the bed in front of either window so if almost has to go this way anyway. The cottage was constructed before queen and king bed were even thought of as possibilities.

We did however find a new headboard via Craigslist for a real bargain and it was in perfect condition. It is an iron bed with a burnished brass finish so it looks great with the dark furniture in this room. We purposely did not get a foot board as it can cramp Lowell's 6'8" frame if there is one. I rearranged some of the furniture and took out a few things and I think it looks much more spacious and workable. I try to keep the armoire empty but stuff always creeps into it, but I promise to clean it out for you if you come! And the closet has shelves in it too so you will have places to put your things.


I looked for a new bedding ensemble but decided to keep the one I have as I could not find anything I liked and I have always loved this quilt. And the best part it also allows me to keep the red accessories I do love. There is something about the red that is just so cheery. I really like it with the latte paint. I don't know why it shows up as kinda yellow...no yellow in it at all! I really didn't have to do much at all to make the room work so much better for guests.

I think every guest room needs a chair and a place to put luggage . So I brought in a chair from the library and our guests can use the upholstered tall organ bench at the foot of the bed to put their suitcase on. The best part is the soaking tub and shower, etc. are right next door.

I am using this small drop leaf table as a night stand. The great thing about it is if our guests need a little extra surface space for their things they can just pull up the leaf and voila!

The only problem with a cottage is it is still a cottage after all you can do. So if you are a young person you will probably be out here camping at the Ritz Coleman with your Grandpa! Of course any adults that would like to try the cots and sleeping bags are welcome. It is still the Ritz Coleman as the bathroom with running water and a hot shower are just feet away. Now if you have to camp, is there any better way?

So come, you all! We are ready for your visit. You know our door is always open to you and we'll keep the light on for ya, just like Motel 6. Oh, and a great private guided tour of the City just for you is included, as well, and the cooking is not bad either!

Ambiance in the Dining Room

I agree with this card's sentiments except if what is on the table is good it makes the whole experience for your guests just that...a memorable experience, not just a meal. A big part of that is creating the ambiance in your dining room.

Setting the Table

A few days before the dinner I went shopping to get some pretty flowers for the front porch. Well, I got side tracked and landed up buying some new tableware! I never did get the flowers! I have been wanting and saving up for some new white dishes for quite awhile but just hadn't found what I wanted. I found these at Cost Plus World Market and love them. I landed up buying placemats and napkins to go with them and the most awesome glasses were conveniently located just a few doors away at Pier One Imports. Although I purchase tons of dishes over the past several years for the business, I cannot remember the last time I picked out new dishes for us. It was fun. I gave most of the ones from the business away because they were only sets of four.

The placemats match these napkins.
I decided to use my chocolate brown tablecloth.

The swirled flutes came from Pier One years ago, the new ones are the red and orange striped water glasses. They are individually blown and each of the stripes are different shapes and widths, etc. These glasses flat out make me happy. I even love emptying the dishwasher now! I know I am weird, what can I say?

Wish each and everyone of you
could have come over to join us.
Someday, OK?
You come to CA we'll cook for you!
Deal?

Simplify Your Dinner Party!

Easter

Do you enjoy giving Dinner parties? What are some of your tricks for working through them efficiently and without killing yourself in the process? We use to do it a lot more than we have in recent years. But this year we are resurrecting it and have picked up the pace. Retirement is so great for doing more of the things you enjoy and less of the things you do not! We have learned a few things that help us stream line the efforts that I thought I'd share today.

Cheers!

We have had or will have four sets of dinner guests in the last two weeks of this month. One thing I have noticed is the luxury of having a few days to get ready for one, cuts down on the stress and makes us both feel a lot more relaxed and able to enjoy our company.

The Crab Feed

I remember Jim's grandmother use to have things ready days in advance when she was having guests and I use to think it was strange. Now, being a grandmother myself, I am totally on board with it. You have heard me say this before but, the old gray mare ain't what she us to be! Everything takes longer these days. So by planning ahead for that, it really does make it even more enjoyable now, than when we were younger and in the frenzy of everyday life. Here are some things we have learned about dinner parties.

Carefully determine what your favorite numbers of guests is and stick to it whenever possible. You can invite all your friends, just not all at the same time. More dinner parties are more fun anyway.

Valentine's Day

We like 4, 6, 8 and at the most 10 at our table. By sticking to these numbers we only have to involve the dining room table either adding or subtracting leaves and tableware. Bringing in extra tables requires moving things all around and not being able to sit all together anyway. The logistical nightmare it sometimes produces often puts a damper on things.

We have had many, many dinner parties that were a lot bigger than the ideal, but for comfort and less work at one time, make your number smaller for sit down, more formal dining. I have learned that when we have a huge group I don't really feel like I visited with anyone very much when the evening is over. Plus all the cooking, prep, clean-up etc. is exhausting.

Easter

The exception to the numbers thing, is when we have a party out on the patio and deck. We can have a lot of people, and it is more casual. It is served buffet style and we have lots of tables. We supply all the main things and our guests usually bring a side dish or dessert or drinks. A lot can be said for that casual type of get together, but I really love doing a fancy dinner now and again too. Our cottage can accommodate a large crowd easily outside when the weather permits. Inside dining requires a lot more planning.

Having guests for dinner two days in a row is a great idea for us. As an example, last week we had the missionaries over for dinner on Wednesday and then had some long time friends over for dinner the next night. Just 4 for dinner each time.

We served the exact same dinner for both nights. I bought a large package of tri-tip sirloin steak, divided it in half, Jim threw half of it on the BBQ and then we served it with baked potatoes and the trimmings, fresh asparagus and a nice green salad. For dessert we had chocolate ice cream and some small cookies. Doing this saved a lot of thought, list making and shopping, money, time and work. And our guest were happy and we enjoyed entertaining them in this more simple way. The best part we had no left-overs, it was just perfect. It was just working smarter to achieve a good outcome each night.

I love to do fancy dinners, but sometimes simple food is best. And I rarely make a dessert. It is usually something like sorbet or ice cream and cookies or something fancy from a bakery. I don't enjoy making them, so I just don't! You can't love it all, I guess. Another thing I rarely do is try new recipes when we have company. I like going with the tired and true for our guests.

Of course I love doing the tablescapes~
that is my favorite part of getting ready!

Tomorrow night we are having our Family Home Evening group over for dinner. We host it every four months and this month we are doing a belated Cinco de Mayo dinner. These are all friends that are empty nesters, so we enjoy having this time together each month. When it is your turn, you supply everything, including a short spiritual lesson. So three out of four months everyone gets to just come and enjoy with no worries! If one of the four couples cannot attend we invite a guest couple and that has been fun too.

So yesterday I did all the planning and shopping. I also kept in mind our great-nephew, his Dad and Jim's mom are coming to dinner next Saturday. I planned to serve the same thing again for both dinners. I organized all the food, measured out all the ingredients. Jim cleaned out the frig and got things organized for the week. I combined that with shopping for the whole week so I don't have to go back to the store again. Getting that stuff done along with cleaning, etc. was enough for one day for me and Jim spent most of the day painting outside.

Mother's Day Centerpiece

This morning we got up early and set up our assembly line and made 24 of the chicken Enchiladas in a flash. Two dinners done in a short amount of time is appealing to me. I rarely cook for just one day. If you are going to make one of something, why not make another?

The hard work was done yesterday so it was just a nice time to do something while chatting and enjoying a leisurely morning together. I also got the table set and made preparations to make chili relleanos and Mexican rice tomorrow. We have planned a simple dessert and all is under control.

Another thing we have learned over the years is if your guests are coming at say, 7:00, we plan to be completely ready but 5:30 so we can just relax a bit before they arrive. It makes all the difference in how much we enjoy the evening. We know ourselves well enough to know that we will fill the time available working, unless we set a self-imposed deadline.

Entertaining and exhaustion are a bad combination for me and it motivates me to plan ahead and pace myself. Jim has a lot more stamina for the social things than me. For me it can be draining for him it is exhilarating.

So for us the pacing is essential. I know that seems weird to you young ones, but you'll be on broad with it someday yourselves. If you want to do what you've always done, you have to compensate for the old gray mare and sire, in all of us.

Compensation = growing older more gracefully.

It is also about enjoying these more stress-free, best times in our life, as best we can. We love the age we are now more than any other, we feel very young at heart. We are working on making this age the best example of compensating for the old horses within us, while keeping the glue factory at bay, for as long as is humanly possible! We are hobbling along at a pretty good pace and trying not to break a leg! They shoot horses don't they? Makes perfect horse sense to us, anyway.

Love you guys, have a great night! Thanks for putting up with my corny horse jokes!

Old Gray Mare!

Old Gray Sire!

Tomorrow...some recipes for the Mexican Fiesta and some tablescape photos. (Nellie, I got my new white dishes at long last!)

Let There Be New Light!

Remember when I showed you this a few weeks ago? Well, I took the plunge and ordered in online. Well it has arrived! What a fun and exciting day that was for me. It took forever but finally came UPS, and we are the last stop of the day so it arrived while Jim was out biking. I told him we did not need to put it up that night but he wanted to...so of course I wasn't going to argue! Bless his generous, workaholic heart!

To say it was well packed would be an understatement!
We had a tree's worth of paper and packing material.

I could see a bit of a raised eyebrow as he opened it...not sure what he was thinking probably something like... "I will never understand this but...OK. I'm there. I'll put it up!" He is such a good sport about my house ideas. I do so love him for that because I know he does it to be sweet to me. In turn, I try hard to have a pleasant environment for us to call home.

It didn't take too long at all and he was done.

So here it is. Just a little touch, but I really enjoy it and truth be known he does too. He added a dimmer switch and some frosted bulbs the next day and now it is perfect. He told me it looks like it has always been there and it looks like it was meant to be there. That is the highest form of a compliment to a decorator I think. Anyway, I am happy he is happy and he is happy I am happy. So, win/win.

As an aside, I have to tell you this funny thing that happened a few Sundays ago after I had posted the first piece about the chandelier. I have found out recently that several men, whom I never would have suspected....read the blog (I love you guys by the way!) Anyway, one who shall remain anonymous but whose initials are JJ came up to Jim.

You know how men in suits kind of posture when they want to share something important ...they stand side by side and lean towards each other just slightly. (It true, notice it!) Anyway JJ says to Jim, "Seriously Jim that fan is outdated...you need that chandelier!" Maybe ya had to be there, but it was so funny and cute and I loved it! I have always had a special place for him in my heart but it grew bigger that day.

Chandeliers For Sale

And I'm having one of them! Ever since I helped my friend redesign her bedroom (featured in an article I wrote for Blissfully Domestic at the time.) If you just clicked on the link you know why I have been coveting. Well not really coveting, just borrowing her idea and fabulous vision! Thanks, to you my good friend! I have been wanting to add a chandelier to ours and take down the OUTDATED ceiling fan. I have looked and looked and this week I found the perfect one!

Here it is without its lamp shades,
and here it is with them..

I think it will be awesome with our winter white and brass wrought iron bed and I am so excited about it. I love it because it is not stuffy or too formal, it is whimsical and airy and only 18 inches wide and long~ perfecto for over a bed. It will go great in our sparkly cottage decor! Yay!

Cannot wait to get it. This will add just the element of surprise and romance to the master and will be the first thing I see each morning when I open my eyes and look up! We need to make our bedrooms special. A quiet and pretty place, a place of refuge, just for you and your spouse to begin and end your days.

And if you don't have a spouse, do it for yourself, you deserve a pretty place to because it can sometimes get pretty ugly out there in the world anymore.

Beauty, order, cleanliness and bit of ambiance can bring comfort and peace into your life. Who does not need want and seek that? This is one way to shape your environment to achieve it.