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Malvern, PA: Home Design Jackpot Starring UpHome and Knots and Weaves
People are always asking me where I shop. The answer, of course, is everywhere. On a recent trip to the great tourist destination of Malvern, PA, I stopped into two of my favorite places that I don’t get to visit nearly often enough. Shhh, don’t share my secret decorator sources!
We started at Knots and Weaves. Ostensibly a rug store, you can find some gorgeous designs. It’s times like these I wish I knew how to take good photos. I had to stop myself from rolling in this beautiful wool and silk room-sized beauty. I would have brought it home with me, but I would have had to leave my little one in payment. No deal.
On the second floor, they’ve got lots of fun goodies, like these farmhouse tables…
even gifts and accessories.
More rugs…
and more rugs. Pretty.
Just down the street, UpHome showcases even more charming designs. It’s places like these where you’ll find truly unique pieces. My new goal is to have enough friends and throw enough parties that I need this amazing copper chiller bowl.
I have a thing for industrial lighting. It doesn’t fit into my current home design, but I feel a remodel coming on!
It’s places like this where adorable and affordable gifts just cry out. Who loves flour de lis?
Something comfy?
Three little piggies!
And who doesn’t love wisdom on barn board? It’s what Pinterest is built on, for heaven’s sake!
There are plenty of other sweet destinations in Malvern, but my assistant can only take so much. There she goes.
Next time maybe we’ll stop here.
By the next time I get there, these new shops and buildings will probably be chock full of sweet new secret sources. Check back, won’t you?
West Elm is Here in KOP!
Need a shot of color? West Elm at King of Prussia mall is your new go to spot. Yes, it’s finally here.
West Elm is part of the Williams-Sonoma group, which also owns Pottery Barn, but the look is more fresh and caters to a younger crowd. The price points seem slightly lower than some of the other brands in the company, and the focus is on local and green whenever possible.
I had a chance to get the inside scoop this week when they opened. The official opening was May 16. It is pure eye candy, but also very comfortable. Speaking of comfortable, their bedding is lovely.
They are happy to share design trends, like this color blocking of books, with an unexpected twist of turning the spines in to show a more neutral bookcase.
Window fashions are affordable, and a splash of color for windows that won’t break the bank. With lengths available up to 118″ for about $100 each, you can add a lot of fun without making a life long commitment.
I personally love that they sell trendy terrariums already made, and paper flowers, which are very, very hard to kill. Who has time to fuss with live plants?
Need a new idea for that old pot rack? Use it to drape paper Bougainville. Yep, that’s a splash of color, for sure.
My favorite spot was the rack of blue glass. I could just lose myself in that calming color wash. I try to keep my own personal dust catchers to a minimum, but these are calling my name.
Did I mentioned that they have furniture? If you are considering something other than a boring brown couch, consider grey as your new favorite neutral. The microfiber on this one is so soft.
But if that’s not to your liking, then chose from the wall of samples and test their fabrics in your own home. Ooooh, sample swatches! I told you, this place does color!
If you see something you like, ask the store staff. They really seem to want to show off their ideas so you can DIY at home. They are also proud of their simple and local decor, including this wall of reclaimed lumber from the Callowhill (Philly) area. Metal bread pan forms, originally used in a bakery in the Philly area, inverted and staggered, make up the front of the check out counter.
These lovely ladies are Kendall Coleman from West Elm, me, and my blogger buds Carrie and Jeanette.
West Elm, welcome to my regular shopping route.
Disclaimer: I was treated to an opening party and small gift, but I would have made it in there sooner rather than later, and these are my own opinions of this new KOP hotspot.
What’s In? Style, Trends, and Fads
Recently I went house hunting, and visited three homes in a well-heeled neighborhood. The first was brand new, and had many of today’s best home features. The second home was about 30 years old, and felt very comfortable. The third home was right next door to the second home, and just made me feel sad. These three homes explained perfectly the difference between style, trends, and fads.
Due to copyright, I can’t show the realtor pictures of these houses, but I can show you my pictures and links to the listings until they are removed, so you might see some broken links here.
Style is timeless. It may not be your preferred taste, but always looks well-done. Style is comfortable, inviting, coordinated. Ideally, it allows for updating with just minor changes, hence the idea that it is timeless. You may prefer a modern style setting, but a well-done traditional setting will be just as comfortable for most people, and vice versa. Style can be neutral or colorful, but often has a decent amount of color built on a tasteful neutral base, like we saw in the first house. True style will allow for newer and older pieces, flowing together in a look that reflects the homeowner, and not one particular store, brand, or decade.
Trends typically last about 10 years. They are adopted by the masses and hard to escape in the media. We like to have our homes “On Trend,” but not trendy. Colors, furniture styles, and finishes all fall into this 10-ish year cycle. You can probably remember trends lingering in your past, like mauve carpet, avocado appliances, and flocked wallpaper. More recently, we’ve been seeing trends of pendant lighting, seagrass carpets, stainless steel, and granite counters. In homes, fireplaces kitchens, bathrooms and overall color schemes are usually where you’ll see the telltale signs of aging trends. Spending money to update your home in these key areas will serve you well, both to get maximum enjoyment from your home, and to have it in good condition when you are ready to sell. For $1.195M, here’s this listing. http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/268-Ravenscliff-Rd_Wayne_PA_19087_M49354-89331?source=web
Fads have a much shorter lifespan, usually less than 3 years, and sometimes much shorter. These fads are the bread and butter of fashion magazines, including home fashions. Every year, I see an article stating that wallpaper is “back”. (Please, no.) Pantone picks a color of the year; this year it’s emerald. Last year, tangerine. Honeysuckle the year before. One of my designer friends mentioned that everything is horizontal stripes in New York this year. I’m not sure what the craze was about for chevrons last year, but I can do without those kinds of fads (and drains on my wallet).
This last house that we toured yesterday had so many fads, they were inescapable. Pickled wood floors, tile and grout counter tops, pink (faded and stained) carpets, floor-to-ceiling mirrors in the bathrooms (eewww), small pass-through spaces in the kitchen walls, a massive curved leather sectional, black lacquer dining room table, I could go on and on. I couldn’t even bear to take a picture in this space, because it was so depressing, dated, and unloved. The 1980′s was screaming out from every corner of this house! Do you recognize some of these trends? Here’s the active listing. Would you pay $800K for this, knowing you had to address or remove each of these little “time stamps”? (Remember, it is immediately next door to the home above!)
Is there a fad that lives in your house? What style choices have you made that stand the test of time?
Color Inspiration {Decorator’s Home Office Makeover}
A colleague of mine visited my newly redesigned office last week. We were talking color, and she asked where my inspiration came from.
You already saw the furniture I came to this office with. I didn’t have the funds or the stomach to replace or paint everything, so black was a given.
You might have noticed the little leopard chair with the recovered seat. Although it’s a neutral, it made sense to incorporate a brown into the office. The blinds would stay, and if all went well, I would keep the hardwood floor, so there would be brown tones in the room. So, oddly, a couple of brown pieces figured heavily into the inspirations.
I thought I really, really, really wanted a pink office, but I couldn’t find a pink that I could sit in. I’m much happier with the blues. What I knew for sure is that I wanted the bookcase to be an accent color, not the same as the walls. Here are my picks.
This is a color direction, but not a full color story. The yellow goes on the walls. The gray goes on the bookcase. The right white (you know there are a million white choices, right?) gets chosen for the trim.
So let’s talk accent colors. This is where most people go wrong, by not telling the whole story. Bring all of the colors together and play with them. This is where I bring in my pink.
Nice, but not quite right. Feels a little bubblegum to me. Let’s try another combination.
These ended up being the colors that informed all the rest of my choices. I still carry these swatches around town in my purse, so I can pick up the perfect accessory if I see it. If you aren’t as confident with color selection, I can help you with your very own custom color kit that fits in your purse.
A trick that helps most people is to look at the swatches in the same concentration as they will occur in the room. So more yellow, less pink and blue.
At this point, there’s one more mistake to avoid. Many people will pick a color for the walls and never look back. However, it’s a good idea to use your initial color story to just inform your product selection. Paints can be mixed in a million colors, but your accessories and other choices are manufactured in limited selections. So start with a palette and adjust your choices after you’ve made a few product selections. The sofa that Yu end up loving may indeed be a blue, but it may be a shade different than the one you chose for your blue walls,for example. It’s great to be able to choose Color with No Regrets!
By the way, there are plenty of high-tech ways to do color selection, and I use boards when needed, like this one I made for a client,, but there’s no better way to choose colors than with good old color chips in the space where you are actually making changes. (Below, just in case you’ve been able to resist the siren call of Pinterest.)
I wanted a functional colorful office with lots of feminine touches. What do you think?
How to Give the Gift Of Organizing and Decorating
What’s the best gift for someone who has everything? The gift of organizing!
We know you want to help your (sister, wife, mother, son, bachelor friend), but you’re worried that you don’t know what they need and you don’t want to offend. We’re here to help.
One of our packages is perfect for someone who says they need more help, more time, more space, and more peace. Try bringing the idea of professional organizing up in conversation and seeing how it’s received. If it goes anything like this, then a gift is a good bet.
You~ “Wouldn’t you love to have one of those organizing makeovers like you see on HGTV?”
Them~ “That would be my dream!”
Please know that our paid gift certificates are refundable at any time, for any reason. Period. You simply need to let us know at the time of purchase if the cash price should be refunded to you or to the recipient upon request.
It’s super convenient. You receive a gift certificate in email, so you can order right up to the last minute. We even offer several creative ideas for wrapping, so you have something great to put under the tree.
Professional Organizing Gift Certificates
Choose from any of these packages or talk with us about something custom.
Organizing services in any amount. Organizing projects start at $350, or get them started with just $50 or whatever amount is right for you. Gift certificates can be applied toward larger projects that the recipient chooses.
Fun gift idea: Purchase some pretty stacking boxes from Target, IKEA, or your favorite organizing store. Wrap your gift certificate inside. Include a label-maker for extra credit. We can help you source all of these, if needed.
Paper Organizing Solution: $68.90 Includes a FreedomFiler premium set and a stylish sea grass file box. Just ask us if you’d like to add on hanging folders in your choice of colors and hands-on services. Local pick-up or shipping available.
Fun gift idea: Nothing says “paper management” like wrapping the box in newspaper and tying the bow with a letter opener or stapler. Add on a paper shredder for an even more impressive package.
Color with No Regrets color consultation: $150 The perfect gift for someone who wants to refresh their nest with a new color scheme for walls, furniture, or just a few key accessories. In about an hour, they’ll have a color scheme that will work in more than one area of their home. This patented color selection system helps them pick colors that they love, even if they think they “aren’t good with color”. As a bonus, they’ll receive a Custom Color Kit after we meet. This is normally $29, but included in your gift through 12/24/2012.
Fun gift idea: Purchase a glass Mason jar, fill with Skittles or M&M’s, roll your gift certificate and tuck it inside. Your gift says “color”!
Photo Organizing Gift Package: $305 This is a great package to help those overwhelmed with their paper and/or digital photos. It includes an acid-free, lignin-free, archival quality LegacyBox to safely store up to 2400 photos plus mementos, a PictureKeeper to backup up to 16,000 photos from a Mac or PC, and a 2-hour on-site appointment to help organize, safeguard, and enjoy photos. (Like all packages, this can be customized for your needs.)
Fun gift idea: The box is the gift. This measures 15 3/4w x 13 1/4d x 5 3/4h and is heavy, including the photo dividers inside. The sueded camel top is lovely. Include the gift certificate inside.
Complete Room Redesign: $525 If she’s already organized, but wants a fresh need look, schedule us for a complete room redesign. In just one afternoon, we’ll create a completely transformed space with a pulled-together, decorator look, using things you already own. Can apply to any room in the house. Our goal is always to have them say, “It looks just like I always wanted, but better!”
Fun gift idea: Wrap up a new home accessory like a pillow, and add a gift card for a lunch out. Tell her to make plans for an afternoon out while we redesign her room. This shows one of our actual completed redesigns.
Ready to order an organizing gift certificate or decorating gift certificate? Call us at 856-905-3202.
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