Trendspotting

.Tamara

Both at the Maison & Objet show in Paris and more recently at High Point Market, I had the opportunity to attend several presentations on trends in home furnishings. Trend reports are always good fun and I manage to take them both seriously and not seriously at the same time. Seriously, because I’m fascinated by the ways cultural, economic and political events influence our collective appetites for different colors and styles in our home environments. Not seriously, because it’s hard to keep a straight face when fed such nuggets of wisdom as “antlers are out” and “Caesar busts are in”. The Maison & Objet trend seminar … View This Article Trendspotting →

My Design Tour Through Paris

.Tamara

In early September I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a “designers’ tour” through Paris. Led by Parisian decor maven Deb Barrett, the tour granted access to specialty fabricators and studios and provided guided introduction to the Paris flea markets and the Maison et Objet home show. Considering that I also opted to tack on visits to the Louvre and Versailles, my week in Paris was an absolute visual feast. I think what makes France such a design destination, and inspiration to design lovers around the world, is its combination of historical wealth in the decorative arts and its continued commitment … View This Article My Design Tour Through Paris →

Design Destination: Denmark

.Tamara

One of my greatest influences as a designer was my semester spent studying architecture and design in Copenhagen in 1995.  As a student I was won over by the warmth and simplicity of Danish Modern;  it’s a pared down aesthetic that doesn’t sacrifice comfort for good looks. With mid-century Danish Modern styles enjoying a resurgence of popularity today, Copenhagen is currently experiencing a renaissance as a cultural and design destination. It is a city of acclaimed restaurants and celebrated designers. With this being the 20th anniversary of my study year abroad, it seemed like the perfect time to revisit Denmark on a family vacation. While I … View This Article Design Destination: Denmark →

5 Solutions for TV-Challenged Spaces

.Tamara

Do you have a room that simply does not have a good place for your TV? You’re not alone. It’s probably the challenge that comes up most frequently when I work with clients. Houses built before 1950 were certainly not designed to accommodate televisions, and I would argue that most houses today are still not designed with proper consideration for optimum TV placement. The most common problems I see are lack of sufficient wall space (due to window placement, doorways, etc) and too-high traditionally styled mantels that lend themselves neither aesthetically nor functionally to hosting a TV screen. Over the years I’ve … View This Article 5 Solutions for TV-Challenged Spaces →

Will Getting Tidy Change My Life?

.Tamara

One of the things that drew me into the profession of design was a love of beauty, and beautiful things in particular, from clothing to art to furnishings. But having too many beautiful things quickly causes those things to lose their luster, turning them into STUFF. Stuff to be cleaned, maintained, and stored. As a small-house dweller who loves beautiful things but also craves order and a serene environment, I’ve long been on a cycle of binge-purge-binge-purge with my possessions. A sort of bulimia of stuff. Living this way, I never felt I could stay organized for very long. It … View This Article Will Getting Tidy Change My Life? →

My New Office

.Tamara

Earlier this year I decided it was time to move my home-based business to an office location. As much as I enjoyed working from home the past four years, my 64 square foot dormer office was barely enough room for me and one overweight tabby cat. I was bursting at the seams with catalogues, sample books and other tools of the trade. So, I was very excited to find an office building very close to my home offering affordable 1-2 person office suites.  I’ll miss my faithful feline assistant, but now I have enough space for an actual human assistant (TBD)! Come and … View This Article My New Office →

Easy Decorating: The Guest Bedroom

.Tamara

If you’re fairly new to DIY decorating, a guest bedroom is the perfect place to start. I am currently learning to ski, and in skiing terms I would rate guest bedrooms an easy, green circle level. The reason for this is that while you can play around with color and style, the main ingredients in a guest bedroom are fairly constant. Here are the basics every comfortable guest room should have: