Color has meaning and emotions!

July 11, 2019

Did you know that color has meaning and emotions? No? Well, they do!! Many companies will spend thousands of dollars on a color specialist to get the right color for their products or office/building. That’s how important color is!

thought it would be fun to give you some insight behind each color.

  • Red. An intense color that can pump the adrenaline and increase your appetite. That’s traditional red was commonly used in dining rooms. Brick reds are much more classic, warm, and have an earthier feel. Cherry red, think energy and romance! Whichever color red you choose, red commands attention. Did you know that the reason surgeons wear blue scrubs is to give their eyes rest while working on the inside of the human body?!!
     
  • Orange. Enthusiasm, creativity, and warmth! It’s also the one color that is most often used in fast food advertising!!

  • Yellow. Sunny, bright, and welcoming. Yellow will lighten your mood and lifts the spirits. Although yellow is a happy color, intense yellow can be difficult on the eyes. It’s that very reason that you should avoid using intense yellow in a young child’s room. Soft yellow, howeveris easy to live with and can coordinate with every color.

  • Green. Think nature. Can also be restful, balancing, tranquil and invigorating. Most medical facilities will use green to comfort patients. In the entertaining world, many people will wait in a “green” room before a performance. Dark green has a more conservative, traditional feel, while light green has a more natural and soothing earth tone feel to them. Green will work well with almost every color.

  • Blue. Calm, meditative, and clear thinking (surgeon’s scrubs). Blue also invokes clarity, honesty, and loyalty. Blue is the color most often used in bedrooms.

  • Purple. Luxury, wealth, romance, royalty, and sophistication. Purple is often associated with being magical and mysterious. Purple was heavily used during the Victorian age due to its quiet elegance and formal look. Lighter purples convey femininity, splendor, and even romance! Light purples are great in children’s bedroom!!

  • White. Think purity and freshness.

  • Black. Elegance, power, and strength.

  • Brown. Comfort (earth), stability, and security!

As a designer, I have seen first hand what the wrong color can do to a room! If you choose the wrong color, then everything else that follows, will not work. Color is the building block of good design.  If you’re not sure about the color, consider hiring a designer. This way, you’re guaranteed your design will work.

Creating a beautiful room with paint!

June 27, 2019
Creating a beautiful room involves many different elements: color, creativity, placement, furniture, and accessorizing. One of the most important and intimidating is the process of color. Many of my clients will fall back to neutral beiges (when done right, beiges can be very cozy), which may result in the room feeling half done. Working with a certified “Color with No Regrets Consultant” can help take the guesswork out of the process, resulting in a beautiful room!

Here are just a few tips to consider when choosing color:

1. Keeping the wall and floor color in similar tone will make the room appear larger.

                    

2. Lighting makes a significant impact in a room. Will you be using incandescent, LED, or fluorescent? Each gives off its own effect.
 
3. Did you know that every color has a warm and cool version? If you choose the wrong version, it could have a devastating effect in your room. Color can literally make or break a room!!
                                                                  
     
                                          SW6957 Undercool (cool)                          SW6533 Mild Blue (warm)
4. Using color at least 3 times and in 3 different zones will create interest and movement in a room.
 5. Ceilings are an excellent area for adding additional interest to a room.
These are just some of the things to consider when decorating a room. As a certified color specialist and owner of Abella Home Staging & Redesign, I have seen rooms that would have otherwise been beautiful, fail due to the fact they chose the wrong color. Don’t make that mistake!! Hiring a color specialist is pennies on the dollar when you consider what the labor and paint will cost you!!

Art of Accessorizing

June 13, 2019

The appeal of a beautiful room has many aspects, physically, visually, and emotionally. Every room needs careful attention, from floor to ceiling. Each step builds upon the next. Careful consideration must be taken when accessorizing and creating a room. Keep in mind the style and “feel” you are trying to create. What story are you trying to convey?
Here are just some things to consider:

1. Create interest by using unexpected art for accessorizing.
   
     
  2. When decorating, odd numbers work best.
  3. Placing a mirror over a mantel will only reflect the floor, so don’t do it!!

 4. Use old windows, textiles, etc. to create a unique display.
  5. Create your own art or accessories.
6. Hire a professional like Abella Home Staging & Redesign; we’re not as expensive as you think and you will have a one-of-a-kind room.
Whatever you do, have fun doing it. The key is to use art and accessories that feel personal and reflect your taste!!
#Imagines via Pinterest
#AbellaHomeStagingRedesign

Vacant Staging

June 6, 2019
Are you frustrated your vacant home is not selling? Afraid it may not sell? These are just some of the concerns many sellers deal with when selling their vacant home. Most homeowners have no clue what it really means to have a vacant house.  

Vacant homes suffer from neglect. This is where I can help. As a stager and decorator, I know what the buyers want. I can help get your home ready for the market. Eliminate the stress on how to best present a vacant house. Just staging a few rooms can make all the difference in the world.

If you’ve brought home before then, you know that falling in your love with the house is critical. If you’re a first-time buyer, what draws you into the house? Emotional connection. Buyer may have a list of items they want the house to have, BUT it’s the emotional connection that will actually get them to make an offer. Buyers are attracted to a good design house. They picture themselves living there. 

If your home is not presented that way, then the buyers won’t come. 
Selling your home is not an easy process. Because your home is vacant, you worry about vandalism. The carrying cost is a significant financial burden.  Not to mention the stress it puts on your family.
We can help! Staging your home will shorten the time your house is on the market. This will enable you to return to your normal life. 

So before you list your vacant home consider staging it. I promise it is worth the investment.

Redesigning Your Space!

May 30, 2019

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into a clients house, only to hear them say how frustrated they are with their home. “I hate my kitchen.” “My bedroom is a mess; it’s a dumping ground for everyone.” “I don’t know what to do with my family room,” and on, and on, it goes. How can anyone feel right about that? Your home should be a place where you can retreat from this crazy busy world. Not where you come home, and all you see is frustration because it’s not what you have envisioned. Does this sound familiar to you? Who wants to go back to that? No one I know!

Then one day you decide, “That’s it. I’m redoing this space.” Good for you. Where do you begin? You look to magazines for inspiration, but let’s face it, it can be overwhelming. “Where do I get that sofa?” “That rug?” “That dining room table?” “What type of kitchen cabinets should I purchase?” But still, you stay optimistic, “I can do this.” Now comes the costly decision process. “Will, that counter go with that backsplash?” “What kind of flooring should I use?” “I like this dining table but not those chairs. What can I do about that?” “What size area rug should I use for that space?” “What size chandelier should I use in my dining room?” OMG!! Decision, decisions, decisions! And if you make the wrong decision, how much will that set you back? 

This is where I come in. I take away all that stress, all that worry. I know where to shop, what’s trending, what’s not. Please think of me as your personal guide to shopping, here to help you every step of the way. Rest assures when space is completed; you will “FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR HOME AGAIN.”

My goal is to give you the home you desire. So when you come home after a hard day’s work, your home becomes your sanctuary. A place to relax and let out all the worries of the day. No more fretting about how you hate the way your house looks

Please take a look at this brief video that I have created. This will give you a good idea of what can be done, then make the decision today to redesign your space!!

Painting your kitchen cabinets

May 2, 2019

Painting your Kitchen Cabinets



Should you paint the kitchen the cabinets? I’ve seen kitchen cabinets that the only thing that is going to save them is a paint job. The biggest problem, I think is the paint job itself. If it’s done right, it can look amazing, but if an amateur does it, well let’s say, not so lovely.

The other problem is what color to paint the kitchen cabinets. Dark? Light? Medium? Perhaps a color? That all depends on your preference. Unless of course, you are selling your home.

I do like white cabinets. When you are shopping for kitchen cabinets, you will see samples of kitchen cabinets in many shades of natural wood, shades of white, antique white, and some shades of color. 

Here are some samples of painted kitchen cabinets.

As you can see, painting the cabinets completely changes the look of the kitchen. That’s why I highly recommend it.

You can then change the countertops and backsplash to change the look of your kitchen further. Painting your kitchen cabinets is a great way to update the look of your kitchen without breaking your budget.

Are there any colors out there that you have used and found that works well when you’ve painted the kitchen cabinets?

All imagines Via Pinterest
#AbellaHomeStaging


Styling your foyer

April 18, 2019

Styling your Foyer

You know the old saying, “You only have one chance to make a good impression“?Well, your foyer is that “One Chance” to make that good impression. It should reflect your style. 

Many times this area is neglected or just overlooked. But I think it’s a valuable space, if not the most important space in your home.

This is the space that will welcome your quest. It set the tone for the rest of your home. So if it’s neglected what is that saying about your home?

I believe your foyer is a great place to try different design elements you may not have considered before. Here are some ideas you can implement in your space.

1.  Love the color but was afraid to add it to your space? The foyer may be a great place to add color. It’s small enough space that you can try out a new bold color.


2. Scale is everything!! If you have a large foyer, then make sure you put in the right amount of furniture. That’s very important. Too many times I see the entrance is packed with too many pieces.

3. Your foyer will set the tone to your home’s style. If you have a contemporary home, then your entrance should reflect that style. It lends to the character of your home. It gives balance to your place.

4. Don’t be afraid to add an area rug. It will add color, introduce patterns and add depth and dimension to your foyer. Just make sure it can stand up to heavy traffic.

5. Don’t be afraid to go bold in your designs. Add geometric shapes, unique decor and generally have fun with it. Show your personality.


6. Do you love wallpaper but were scared to use it in another room? Then why not try it out in your foyer. Just make sure the wallpaper you use will easily transition from the entrance to the rest of the home.
7. Add some local flavor to the space. If you live in a tropical area, then don’t be afraid to add some tropical designs element. In this case, the stairway depicts the local landscape.
8. Sometime a foyer will be a transitional zone, where the indoor meets the outdoors. This allows you to add some outdoor element in that space.
 
9. The foyer is the first place you enter when you’re coming home. So it should have a place to put your stuff, like keys, gloves, and scarf. Don’t be afraid to add a dresser (if space permits it), console table or even a chest
As you can see, there are many ways to design your foyer. The most important to remember is to create it!! Don’t neglect it. Make it the space warm and inviting to your guests.


All Images Via Pinterest

#AbellaHomeStaging


Office design

April 4, 2019

Office Redesign

As you know, I recently painted my desk with Fusion paint. I love how it came out. But now I look around my office and realize it needs some tender loving care— time to work on it.
You see when I moved into this house two years ago; I did not do anything to this office. I kept the original color because I happen to like it. I still do. But I was not happy with the look of the walls. The walls had holes and could use some patching.

And although I liked the color, I decided to go a bit warmer in tone. So I set off to redo my office. And oh boy did I take on a project!! 

This was my office before I did any work as you can see it’s nice enough.


I did not like those sliding doors!! Especially that piece of trim!! What exactly was the purpose of that?!!!


First I wanted to paint the walls, that meant doing some patching. Lots of patching. And I realized why they had that piece of trim. It was to cover up the track!!



Then I went about and removed all the trims that were there, including the baseboard trims.



This was the trim they had installed. It looked like they ran out of one trim and decided to use whatever they had left. Geez, what horrible artistry!!



This is what I had in mind. As you can see they are no right angles!! So no 45-degree cuts. That’s the beauty of this project. And even though I have a miter saw, I have never cut right corners. This seemed the perfect solution to adding trim work.


I had to spackle all the holes and fill in the small gaps with caulking.




Came out beautifully. I was pleased with the results.


And all the baseboards trim match!! No more mismatch. Filled in all the gaps and freshly painted.


So much better than before. 


Well, this project is done. It took me a couple of weekends to do. But it was worth doing it on to the next project. 
#AbellaHomeStaging


Painting my desk with Fusion paint

March 21, 2019

Painting my desk with Fusion paint



Recently  I wrote how beautiful Fusion paint is. And I decided I wanted to paint my desk.  I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I have been postponing it because I would have to empty my desk and I wouldn’t be able to use it until it dries. 

I use my desk every day. It’s where I do business, so it wasn’t easy for me to give it up. I also love the color of my desk, but you will see there were worn spots that bothered me and even some chips and nicks I wanted to address. So I decided to paint it.

As you can see it’s a nice finish, but I was not too fond of that worn out spot.

 I emptied most of my desk. I had to move my computer to another area.

You can see how beautiful this paint finish is. I love it. I did wind up putting varnish on it only because my desk takes a lot of abuse. I wanted that extra durability.

Ok, all said and one. I love how it turned out. Do you have any projects you want to tackle? Then consider using Fusion paint. It won’t disappoint!!
All imagines via Pinterest

Mural wall treatments!

March 7, 2019

Mural Wall Treatments

This coming year you will be seeing murals taking over our homes. This new trend is just as exciting as painting accent walls were back in the old days.

These mural are big, bold and add a “wow” factor to any room. Unlike wallpaper, there are no repeat patterns. Instead, it’s a bold statement.

Some of these murals are even self-adhesive. They are making it very easy to apply and peel off. There are pre-cut designs, so all you have to do is peel and stick, it can’t get any easier than that.

I don’t know about you, BUT I all love these design murals. I think where I can put them? How about you? Is this something you would do?

#AbellaHomeStaging
All imagines via Pinterest