Gilmore is a 27 year old who loves decorating and is a self-proclaimed expert on just about everything. At least she likes to think so. Copyright 2011. Consult a design professional before beginning your project.
I was looking at bath accessories in a home improvement flyer & I saw something that just made me think "Where have you been all my life". It was a tp holder, that was just a simple hook, that you can slide the tp on & off of. This got me thinking, why have we been bothering with that pesky wall mounted thing that was so complicated that no one took the time to change the roll? It just meant more chores for me. Why wasn’t the hook the idea to begin with? It seems like it should have been because before the tp holder, there wasn’t anything close to that. However, there were plenty of hooks. Then it was just a case of the status quo & the same tp holder being mass manufactured & no one could think outside of the box. It makes me wonder what other simple ideas are out there that no one has though of yet?
Easy mural tip
It seems like murals have really hit it big on the decorating scene. Whether it’s a sweet butterfly scene for a girl’s room, or a Tuscan view for a living room, they seem to be everywhere. People say that it is so easy to do this yourself, well it is if you can draw. I think anyone can paint, they just have to have the right tools. It’s a great hobby for anyone, & a lot of fun if you’ve never tried it before. You might want to start with something simple like painting words on the wall over a doorway.
However, other people are going to see this, so making it look like a professional is easy, just get a projector. This way you can resize your image to fit the wall, & then just trace the outlines. They do this all the time on the decorating shows. It’s quick & easy to do with a projector rental. Projector 123.com delivers the projector to your house by FedEx, you can live anywhere in the United States. This saves the hassle of driving all over town & asking “Do you have a projector?”. Then you just return it by fed ex. This is great because there are no surprises. You are the artist so you can make the mural look however you want, & save a lot of money in the process.
All is right with the world
Yes, Matt won the final "Top Design". I was ecstatic, even though Carisa did the better room. His room was just way too closed off, but that’s because he had to make a room for his daughter. I think he’s been the more consistent designer overall. I was shocked that Carisa had such class & said this was the best possible outcome. Maybe she really did grow up like the judges told her too. I don’t know why I like Matt, he’s actually quite pompous & says horrible things & seems to be quite prideful, but at least he smiles while he is doing it.
In the end, I think they should’ve got to keep the apartments they designed for themselves, so that had me yelling at the TV until the very end. It’s just cruel to go through all that work & even ask your daughter what color she wants her bedroom to be, & then not get it as an extra prize. I felt like both the designers were expecting it. Well at least I am now out of the vicious circle that is my "Top design" addiction, & I am now safely addicted to "Shear Genius".
Tags: top-design, bravo, reality-tv, tv, decorating, design, home
How do I love thee…
One of the easiest ways to make your home feel welcoming is to be a good cook. This will always have people gravitating towards the kitchen & staying for hours. I’m not a good cook, but I do know what I like to eat. Hopefully, I will be able to translate this into becoming a better cook.
Whenever I go out to eat, I seem to order shrimp. This can be an expensive habit so I was looking at Shrimp Recipes that I can make at home. I love shrimp so much that I feel like doing a little cheer for it, “Gooooo shrimp”. I’m not usually that peppy, but I am a huge fan of seafood. I may even wax poetic about it & say:
- S=Savory
H=Healthy
R=Regal
I=Insanely low in calores
M=MMMM MMM good
P=Protein.
I think one of the big reasons that I love shrimp so much is that I’m not usually a big meat eater. However, I still have to get my protein somehow. Plus, it’s just very, very tasty.
Decorative Photography
On decorating shows, they always say something like "just frame any photos that you see around the house". I really like this idea, it personalizes artwork & tells a story & keeps the space from looking like a dentist’s office. This can be anything from candid shots of your friends, to a close up shot of your favorite flower. I am by no means a photographer, but here is how I (occasionally) get good shots to use in my decorating.
1. The inclination is to take the picture straight on. However, the picture is much more interesting when taken from an angle. I once read an article about how to get great travel photos & it suggested not even looking through the viewfinder, this will make for much more relaxed photos.
2. Take several dozen photos, don’t worry about getting the perfect shot, if you just take enough pictures, one of them will work.
3. Find interesting subjects when you go for walks or take pictures of a favorite building. Think of everything as art, even if it’s just a lamp post.
4. Zoom is your friend. Zoom will help you pick up details & turn it into real art because the subject won’t be framed, it will just be the best part of the subject & there won’t be another picture like it.
5. Don’t underestimate lighting. It is probably the biggest factor. Try taking photos in all different kinds of light to find out what you prefer.
6. Photoshop can fix a lot of things. Pretty much everything looks better & more professional when it is put in a sepia or black & white tone.
7. Put the picture in a nice frame, this will hide a world of evil. Try a very large mat & crop the photo down very small for an interesting, modern look.
Tags: art, crafts, diy, decorating, photos, photography