A holiday stroll in Andover ...

Great to give or get: colorful coasters from
Metamorphosis Studio in Andover

If you are in the Andover area tonight, the annual Holiday Stroll will be taking place. Streets will be blocked off so that pedestrians can walk through the center of town and enjoy special shopping, music and holiday festivities between the hours of 5pm and 9pm.



I will be spending some time at 10 Essex Street in the new retail showroom of Acorn Interiors. My friend, Paula Bakies, has recently relocated her workroom to this great center of town location. She is just across the street from Glory Restaurant and slightly behind Metamorphosis Art & Design.

Looking for the perfect item to finish a space?
The artists at Metamorphois Art & Design can create a unique
piece that reflects your taste and color preferences.

“Lazy Susans” are a top-seller at
Metamorphosis Art & Design

Metamorphosis Art & Design will be open and will be offering hot chocolate, cookies, and there will even be a craft opportunity if you are so inclined. Take a look at their schedule of art classes being offered while you are there. Paula’s equally-talented sister, Mary, will be teaching a class on calligraphy there in January. Art classes would make a nice gift for that person who has everything, don’t you think?

BEFORE

Looking for a thoughtful gift? How about a “Before and After” for someone who could use a little design help? This window seat area was nice, but in its unfinished state is wasn’t very comfortable and as
a result it wasn’t being fully utilized.

AFTER

After consulting with this new client who took home a gift certificate for my design services from a fund-raising event, I presented her with a number of fabric choices to coordinate with the existing colors in her living room. We placed an order with Paula at Acorn Interiors, and she brought our design to life.

Now this area is a favorite go-to-place for this family
of four (plus one very cute dog named Skittles).

While I was there, I helped them solve a privacy
issue for their front door. By adding a sheer panel with
linen that matches the window seat trim, we were able
to add a designer touch in a small way that
really made a big difference.

If you are interested in giving “the gift of design” just send me an email. I will gladly offer virtual design services for those outside of my traveling distance.

Click here to see more
“before and afters”
from my design files.

10 Steps to a Perfect Room

Sally Morse of Hunter Douglas with Paula Bakies of Acorn Interiors

Recently I was a guest at a design presentation at the Wyndham Andover hosted by Paula Bakies of Acorn Interiors. To a full house, she presented guest speaker Sally Morse, Director of Creative Services for Hunter Douglas, who shared her design tips on how to
create a perfect room, in ten simple steps.


Guest Denise McCarthy looks right on trend
in stylish hot pink, black and white.

The tables were decorated with custom ottomans designed by Paula which were raffled off at the end of the evening. My favorite (shown above) was a stylish combination of animal print fabrics. Other raffles included select items from guest vendors like Donna Dreher of Threads Couture who specializes in custom embroidery. She has helped me on many occasions with my design projects just as Paula has.




A beautiful side table was sent home with one lucky guest, courtesy of Todd Francis Construction and Francis Restoration of Hampstead, NH.

Katie Blue Nagy and Elaine Trepiccio, the talented designers behind metamorphosis art & design gave away a highly coveted lazy susan from their design collection. Here are some more unique items that they show at their Andover location ...

www.metamorphosisartanddesign.com

And I am sending one lucky winner two complimentary tickets to visit the summer design show house that I am participating in at Tapley Hall in Danvers to benefit the Danvers Historical Society. Reflecting on Danvers History through Interior Design runs from July 11th through August 1st and will have thirteen designed spaces, a boutique of designer items for purchase, and special events scheduled at Glen Magna Farms, another Danvers historical property.


Here are just some of the ten steps that Sally
shared with the audience (after a delicious
meal and yummy dessert, I must add!) ...

Be inspired ... Start with an inspiration print/fabric to set the tone and build the color scheme of the room. Using three colors in a space will add the most interest, whether you choose complimentary or contrasting colors. The key is using the right proportion (one color being the star, the other
two as supporting characters).

Set the stage for conversation ... Create conversation areas with your furniture placement. Avoid placing furniture up against the wall, bring pieces closer to each other, and always have a table for your guests to set a drink on : )

Illuminate your space ... By strategically placing light in the corners of a room, even a small space is visually enlarged. Using lamps in unusual places – like on a kitchen counter – add an inviting softness and ambiance to a utilitarian room.

Use window treatments ... to define your decorating style while adding privacy, safety and security to your home (an often overlooked benefit!) Well designed treatments add value to your home while reducing energy costs by cooling a house in summer and keeping out drafts in the cold of winter.

Add yourself to the space ... Use design trends as a guide, but don’t forget to include the objects and mementos that are personal to you. They tell your unique story and make your house your home.



Summer toys were donated by each guest to benefit the children of Lazarus House in Lawrence, a charitable organization that provides food, clothing, shelter, job training and medical assistance to local families struggling to meet their day-to-day needs.
To support their mission of helping others to move beyond poverty, click here.



If you have design questions of your own, take a trip over to the Hunter Douglas website where Sally and her daughter Jen answer any design questions sent their way! Sally will be back in New England in July, and has generously offered a free consultation to anyone who donates $250.00 to Lazarus House, the charity chosen to benefit from the nights event.

If you are local and would like more details about this special offer, please contact Paula at Acorn Interiors.


Thank you, Sally, for sharing what you know in such an entertaining way! And thank you, Paula, for hosting such a fabulous event, and for always helping to make my spaces – and the homes of my clients – look picture perfect!

xo yvonne