To Latch or Not To Latch: Modern Ideas for Childproofing in Style

Walk down the child supply aisles of nearly any store, and you will have a vast selection of childproofing products well within reach of your adult fingertips. Plastic devices, door knob covers, latches, locks, corner cushions, and door stoppers are found aplenty. But the question is: do you really want to deck out your entire home with those little white gadgets gleaming on essentially every surface? If your slightly guilty-parent answer is “no,” don’t sweat it. There are ways to keep your kids safe in your home while still living in an adult-friendly environment.

A fundamental part of childproofing is simply de-cluttering. The fewer opportunities for trips, slips, and tumbles, the smaller the Band-aids® you have to keep on hand. Well, almost. By keeping your home organized and tidy, you reduce the risk of haphazard accidents. Keep your hallways and stairs clear. Have designated storage pieces and hooks installed up high at your entry points for shoes, umbrellas, and backpacks. Be vigilant about keeping surfaces clear of clutter in the kitchen, home office, and bedrooms by having designated homes out of sight and reach for small appliances, supplies, and accessories. Store books and magazines properly on upper shelves or in magazine files or decorative baskets. Keep toys from totally having the run of the place by collecting them in bins, baskets, or cubby systems and purging what your children have outgrown once or twice a year.

Also, consider ways to swap out child-hazard elements for something both kid friendly and visually appealing to go with your decor. To me, placing those corner cushions on the four points of a coffee table ruins the look of a perfectly good table. Try something more modern that serves the purpose but also eliminates a hard, pointed surface altogether in your living room seating area by using cluster ottomans instead. Whether leather or upholstered, these soft surfaces can fulfill the role of a table without posing a threat during a fall while they add a stylish touch to your furniture arrangement.

Make smart storage choices in your family’s home to do away with the need for all the latches and locks that ultimately just make your daily tasks a little harder to carry out. In the past, latching the double cabinets below the kitchen sink was a staple to keep harmful cleaning products out of the reach of children. But why wasn’t it commonplace to store things like cleaners and bleach in upper cabinets or in the laundry area instead? Today’s homes tend to offer more storage solutions with upper cabinets, more than one “linen closet,” and both shallow and deep heavy drawers below the sink and cooktop in lieu of cabinetry. Take advantage of your storage space and “move it on up” if you would rather your child not have access to a grouping of items. However, when it comes to electrical outlets, do go ahead and use the little clear covers to cover your bases low down.

Find the balance that will work for your family and your children’s stages of development. Keep them safe and you happy by blending storage and safety solutions in a fashionable manner. And provide your youngest children with plenty of appropriate stimulation at their fingertips to help keep them from steering into unlatched waters.

Appeared in the South Texas Family&Health Issue in the Valley Morning Star Friday, April 29th.

Valley Cotton & Today’s Home Textiles

With today’s Easter Sunday announcement of Harlingen’s Algodon Club Royal Court, I thought it fitting to highlight the role of cotton in today’s home textiles. When it comes to the vast uses of cotton fabrics, the list of modern possibilities seems endless. More and more emphasis is placed on using products that derive from the words “sustainable,” “organic,” “pure,” “eco,” and “natural.” Incorporating cotton-based products into your home that were grown through responsible farming practices can help check all of these facets off your eco-conscious list.

When considering purchases in the departments of bedding, clothing, and house wares, think about cotton playing into your selection. This multi-purpose finished product has so many versions, from simple and casual to exquisite and luxurious. You have the option to play down guest bedding to understated and clean or dress up the master bedroom in lavish and rich, all with the same material base. Cotton upholstery fabrics leave consumers with literally countless options for the finish work on couches, chairs, ottomans, and pillows, all the while being an easy to maintain fabric that works so well for active families.

Add cotton elements to your kitchen in your rugs, towels, pot holders, aprons, and placemats. The use of cotton towels, rugs, shower curtains, and toiletries in the bathroom offers you absorbency, variety, and durability, making it a product of choice. Let cotton clothing take the brunt of the rough-and-tumble kid years, as well as fill out the polished and professional ensembles that make up adult closets.

Whether you desire breathable, longwearing, light, durable, or dressy, cotton really is “the fabric of our lives®.”

Congratulations to those selected for the 2011 Algodon Club Royal Court. And may your family have a blessed Easter as we celebrate our Risen Savior.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star April 24th.

10 Things: Organization & Design for Your Office Space

Here is an even split of tips to start you off in the right direction to makeover your office space, whether home or commercial, while keeping some basic keys to organization and design – you guessed it – in mind.
Organization
1. Create a storage spot for everything. Go back to the basics of organization with the motto “a place for everything, and everything in its place” and apply that principle to your work station. Set up a specified spot for everything you need in the categories of paperwork, supplies, and equipment, and use appropriate storage tools at your disposal like bins, containers, magazine files, and decorative boxes.
2. Modernize your inbox and outbox. Don’t. Just. Stack. Have designated holders for mail and incoming paperwork to be sorted, filed, reviewed, handled, mailed, etc. Set aside frequent time to process so your workload does not pile up on you. Shred or toss anything extra or unneeded right away that does not fit into your established categories.
3. Process and store all your paperwork in a streamlined manner. Pick a method that works for how you work, and use it full throttle. Do you like files in drawers? Notebooks on bookcases? Bins and file boxes on shelves? Let your system encompass everything you process and store for speed and accuracy.
4. Master the art of paring down. Utilize your space to its max by not having too much on hand that just takes up space. You do not need 2 staplers and 3 jars of pens on your desk, now do you?
5. Maintain an “invisible doorman.” Just as a doorman lets in permitted people and keeps others out of a building, serve as your own gatekeeper and keep your work space just that – working. If it belongs in another area of your home or office building, do not let it hit your desktop and clutter your space.

Design
6. Balance personal and professional. Find what’s right for your work environment and allow your furnishings and décor to reflect what you do, who you are, and what you bring to the table for your clients.
7. Add in visual interest in doable doses. Incorporate a bold color, pattern, or print in something like an area rug or wall art instead of in wall colors or furnishings to keep things fresh put professional and approachable.
8. Light it right. Use lamps to light your desktop and a seating area, if applicable. Leaving all the lighting to commercial fluorescents only is a colder, sterile, draining environment day in and day out.
9. Cover your bases top to bottom. Think about the design details from up high to down low to establish an inviting, put-together work environment. That could incorporate displays on shelves to pleasing art on the walls to a good high-traffic area rug beneath your space.
10. Incorporate color where you can. Add in fresh flowers, a printed throw pillow on a side chair, a cluster of small pottery on a coffee table, or a repeated color in your framed art or fabrics to keep from working in a bland environment that does not foster or display your neat, stylish side.
Topic provided at the request of the North Harlingen Rotary Club.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star April 17th.

Dynamic Color Combos for the Season

Vibrant mixes of two stand-alone shades can create a powerful combination that stands out in home design and makes your color choices “pop.” Let’s examine four popular color combos and impactful ways to use them.
Navy & Teal
The contrast of a dark and bold blue together really catches the eye and can be used in various, striking ways. Navy fabric panels framing living room windows from floor to ceiling are nicely paired with large, square, printed throw pillows in teal arranged on each end of the sofa. Teal shaded dinner and salad plates shine atop printed navy placemats on the dining table. I also like to see teal jewelry and handbags carried when wearing navy slacks or a striped navy cardigan.
Yellow & Aqua
Two bright shades collide and sparkle when yellow and aqua are used together. Perfect for spring, this color combo highlights and brightens rooms and wardrobes alike. Mix yellow and aqua in draped blankets and throw pillows on the couch or in trays, accessories, and glassware on a coffee or console table. Hang a blend of wall art that incorporates these two hues for a modern collection. Yellow and aqua also look distinguished in a tablescape centerpiece or fun melamine dishes used through the summer months.
Lime & Chocolate
Though used extensively, I would not say this duo is on its way out any time soon. This mix is popular for the color scheme in both girls’ and boys’ nurseries and bedrooms, right up to college dorm accessories. These shades are more widely accepted in larger home furnishings, such a brown leather sofa or lime shaded cushions on patio furniture. They can be blended in seating areas amongst the pillows, rugs, and draperies, as well as throughout the home in wall paint colors, art work, bathroom towels and shower curtains, and all forms of bedding.
Hot Pink & Gray
Oh so chic, pink and gray are climbing the popularity chart. You will find the two again in nurseries to designer living rooms to bedroom comforters and shams. The contrast of bright and bold with muted and upscale makes it a go-to for paper products like invitations and note cards, as well as in advertising and logos. Mix the two in kitchen accessories and home décor, and you have a notable look fit for today. So go on – blend bold and bright colors to create your own impressive settings right in your very home.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star April 10th.

Outfitting the Perfect Patio

As the temperatures rise, lingering outside in cool spaces is at a premium. There are ways to turn your plain patio slab into just that – a prime location for spring lounging. Pour a tall glass of lemonade and ponder your yard’s options.

The main fixtures of a desirable patio setting are furniture pieces. You can invest in new seating staples or take your patio furniture out of its storage space, give it a good washing, and set it out. The right outdoor living feel is all about the arrangement and the accessories. Look at the examples currently set up in local stores that display whole patio furniture sets. You can incorporate the simple, like a round table with four chairs. Or you can splurge on a more lounge seating feel with small couches, side chairs, console tables, and an overshadowing umbrella. Arrange your pieces similar to a living room layout, creating a close conversation area outdoors. To take it a step further, add a small side bar or portable kitchen island for a drink and snack station. Just bring the ice when you are ready to soak up the warm evenings.

Accessorize your space, making it welcoming right through the summer. If you do have lounge seating, mark off the area with a large outdoor area rug, which come in a variety of appealing materials perfect for a patio space. Having a small outdoor coffee table and an end table or two beside your chairs allows for setting down icy drinks and laying out little serving trays of finger foods and seasonal snacks for weekend guests or a family Saturday afternoon in the backyard. If you have a patio table and chairs, update their look and their feel by adding outdoor throw pillows in brighter, perhaps “wilder” printed fabrics than you would ordinarily use in your home. An acrylic serving tray left in the center with coasters, a covered stack of cocktail napkins, a couple of bottles of Italian soda, and any other small serving supplies would be handy to have at the ready.

Soften the perimeter of your updated space by adding some potted plants or a potted herb garden to tend to and really use in your everyday cooking. Add a stack of lounge cushions in case the kids would rather lie out in the grass while they play. Ultimately, bring some touches of the indoors out so you essentially expand the square footage of your home’s living space as you open up new lounging and entertaining possibilities as well.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star April 3rd.

Symmetry: Two-by-Two Double Take

Symmetry is defined as “being the same or corresponding on both sides of a central dividing line; harmony or beauty of form that results from balanced proportions.” To me, symmetry in home design can be boiled down to “when you love it, buy two.”

Furniture and accessories placed with symmetry in mind are striking and very pleasing visually. It is all about balance and repeating the same placement of items opposite of each other. There are simple, standard symmetry techniques that can give a casual room a furniture leg up to look polished and professional.

Lamps are one of the easiest items to place to show a dash of symmetry. Two of the exact same lamp bases with matching shades are perfect pieces to place on end tables that flank the couch or on nightstands that flank the bed. To take it a step further, set two matching lamps on a sofa table behind the couch toward the two ends of the tabletop to provide soft light for your main seating area.

Ottomans are another décor item that can be used symmetrically. Two small ottomans placed side by side in place of a coffee table or placed alongside your seating area for additional seating or as an appealing break between two seating areas in a larger living room work well. Forgo a chest at the foot of the bed and use two ottomans instead for bedroom seating and a nice hotel feel.

Side chairs are an additional top pick for creating symmetry in your furniture layout. Flank a fireplace with two occasional chairs facing each other. Situate two side chairs beside each other with a small table in between in place of a loveseat in the living room. Create a small seating area using the same principle in an oversized bedroom or an area of the living room, a reading nook, or a landing.

Follow Noah’s example of two-by-two and double up on small furniture and accessories to lay out a symmetrical feast for the eyes that causes your guests to give you the ultimate home décor compliment: a double take.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star March 27th.

Setting More than the Table: The Dish on Dishes

Plates, bowls, cups, serving platters – they fill our kitchen cabinets and embellish our tabletops. When it comes to quantity, though, it would be no surprise if your “cup runneth over” in your kitchen space. You can put some of those lesser-used pieces to good use in new ways to save cabinet space and get the full scoop out of your dishes.

Use tea cups or small bowls, sometimes called “finger bowls,” as drawer dividers. They can hold many things from rings and earrings to ponytail holders, cotton squares, and eye shadows neatly separated in a bathroom drawer. Place a pasta serving bowl on your back entryway or foyer table to hold those everyday essentials that seem to scatter, such as keys, sunglasses, loose change, and the day’s mail. Use a collection of attractive juice glasses on the bathroom counter to hold cotton swabs, toothbrushes, and cotton balls.

Keep office supplies sorted and orderly around the home office desk by using soup bowls or good-looking mugs to hold pens, pencils, paperclips, and rubber bands. Line up individually wrapped snacks on a serving tray for easy access on a low pantry shelf. Think granola bars, popcorn, and cookie and cracker packets. Use mixing or serving bowls for the same purpose, as well as for small kitchen items like measuring spoons and cups and kids’ supplies like arts and crafts components.

Shift your attractive dishes that do not get used for daily meals into decorative pieces. Display them on a buffet or incorporate them into a table centerpiece. Bowls or other dishes displayed in a line on shelving in the den can hold movies, books, and music or note cards, envelopes, and stamps.

Think outside the plastic the next time you have a desire to turn something more formal into something more functional for your everyday spaces. And that’s the dish on dishes.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star March 20th.

NEW! iPhone 3G Case Designs Now Available

New iPhone 3G case designs are now available on Zazzle!
Check out the modern designs you could add to the technology you just cannot be without . . .

My Zazzle Gallery

10 Things: Making Spring Break Work for Your Home

Here are 10 small project ideas that can each be easily accomplished in a week while still having plenty of warm weather vacation time to enjoy.

1.) Paint one room in your home. Bring warmth to your living room, add a spa feel to your bathroom, or create a dining room ready for guests, all with the efforts of a smooth paint roller and a steady hand around the edges.
2.) Shuffle your wall art. Taking down the things hanging on your walls and reordering them to all hang in different applicable places can renew their visual interest without spending one red cent. Just get a little spackle and touch-up paint ready for unused nail holes.
3.) Rearrange your furniture. Bet you could have guessed this was coming next. Moving the big pieces around, too, can be a breath of fresh air for spring right indoors. Get some placement ideas from online images and reposition your couch, chairs, tables, and beds for a new feel and a new look without a new buy.
4.) Arrange new centerpieces on your dining table and buffet. Use simple pieces that can stick around right up until it is time to pull out your fall decorations again. Think glass, grass, sand, shells, rocks, candles, bright fabrics, and other spring and summer elements that make your list of favorites.
5.) Prep the closets for higher temperatures. As the flip flops make a comeback, get the whole family on board with arranging closets and dresser drawers to just move or remove the winter pieces and bring the shorts and t-shirts front and center. It is a great time to gather unworn or outgrown winter clothes and donate them. If those cords didn’t see one day of jacket weather this season, they probably won’t next year either. Let them go, and make room for things that will get plenty of use.
6.) Shop for shoes. As the winter boots get stored away, take advantage of early spring sales to replenish your footwear wardrobe. For kids moving up a size, tackle the size-and-select job when they are out of school and ready to show some toes again.
7.) Clean out your products. Sort through the bathroom drawers and cabinets and throw out medicines, makeup, and other personal care products that are past their prime, haven’t been used in a long time, or have changed in color or consistency. Replenish your supply with new bottles of sunscreen, aloe for sunburns, any makeup that needs updating, lotions or creams, and medicines to treat the basics of a cold or allergies.
8.) Stock up on household basics. Now is a good time to make that run to the store and purchase essentials like paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, detergent, etc., and replenish your cabinets for the season ahead.
9.) Tackle the dirt at entry points. Replace or really give the floor mats a good beating that sit at your front and back doors, inside and out. The more stuff clinging to shoes that you can stop from ever crossing the threshold, the less cleaning up you have to do this spring.
10.) Swap accessories. Whether you get together with friends for an exchange or just reorder your accessory drawers and shelves, put away the scarves and pull out the colorful necklaces and purses to get set for a bright Valley season ahead.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star March 13th.

Making Monochromatic Work in Your Home

A monochromatic decorator’s scheme can work in real homes and not just in magazine layouts. By applying some of the same techniques used by the pros, you can have a professional decorator’s touch minus the photo spread price tag.

When you flip through the pages of home magazines, it can be the layering and repeated use of a color in one featured living room, kitchen, bedroom, or bathroom that is quickly eye-catching and desirable. Look at the elements that draw you in; you are likely focusing on wall color, fabrics, wall art, and decorative pieces. Using the same or similar color palette in one room or area of your home can be pulled off to create a cohesive look.

The monochromatic look works when a.) it is not overdone, b.) it touches on the different heights of a room, and c.) it is spread out nicely in a way that looks purposed but not sterile or choppy. So, first, choose an accent color that you would like to feature in a space. This can come from similar-colored items you pull from different rooms and bring together in one area or a shade you want to keep an eye out for in items you plan to add to your home when shopping. Components to keep in mind are paint, wall art or framed photographs with a similar setting or background, accent pillows or fabric throws or towels, area rugs, lamp shades and bases, pottery or sculptural pieces, and small items such as candles and books.

Painting just a wall or a room one standout shade sets the backdrop for a monochromatic layout boldly and with purpose. That can be achieved with a $20 to $40+ trip to the hardware store. But the same goal can similarly be achieved without picking up a paint brush. To ensure you touch on all the right spots, think high, mid, and low for your colored accents. Placing a short stack of books with the same colored spines alongside a tinted glass vase on a high shelf draws the eye up. Hanging frames, artwork, and photos on the wall around eye level fills in the mid section, along with the placement of lamps and throw pillows. Scattering decorative boxes, ceramics, and modern knickknacks on coffee and end tables, right down to an attractive area rug brings the eye lower. You visually take it all in and connect the dots to see the same shade throughout the space, creating a unified look.

You do not have to be matchy-matchy to pull off monochromatic with style. The right blend of shade and neutrals can meld together to reveal a space planned out with a good eye and a crafty hand for a colorful outcome.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star March 6th.

The Art of the Silhouette

When you hear “silhouette” in the context of home décor and immediately think of those old, framed family cut-outs in black of everyone’s profile that always seems to include the girl with the pronounced ponytail, you need to be introduced to the modern silhouette. She’s quite a beauty.

Silhouettes are all the rage in current design concepts, and they are popping up on walls as decals large and small, in frames that would rather display furniture profiles over those of people, and in all matters of paper products. If you would like to see them casting some shadows on your walls, you are just a few suggestions away from implementation.

Wall decals (which are essentially big sticker murals) that display the silhouettes of tree branches, chandeliers, candelabras, birds, and furniture may rank at the top of the list of the most popular and can make a big visual art impact. You can search for near-countless varieties online, and more and more selections are showing up in-store as well. The process of adhering them to your wall is not as daunting as you may think. A good eye, a steady hand for burnishing, and some patience can turn a plain living room wall or bedroom backdrop into a focal art piece without ever lifting a paintbrush.

Hanging a collection of framed silhouette art is gaining in popularity as well. If that self portrait isn’t your style, you may consider adding in silhouette art featuring furniture or accessories, right down to lamps and high heel shoes. One thing I really like about small-scale silhouette art is the ability to add something you admire to your home that regularly comes with a huge price tag, such as Louis XIV chairs and dangly chandeliers covered in crystals to the hilt.

Apply the same principles to modern invitations, note cards, and stationery. Using silhouettes of anything applicable to the theme, whether wedding, shower, or birthday in nature, conveys your message and can add a simple elegance to your future event from your first mailing. If you just want a great set of note cards for yourself for your personal correspondence, look for options that can add your initial or name and one graphic that truly reflects you and your style.

Silhouettes have a brand new take in today’s home. Whether you dress them up or dress them down, this shadowy art element can be used in limitless ways to add unique personality and flair to any room in your home.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star February 27th.

Turning Dated Items into Today’s Decorative Elements

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is an age-old saying that may be harsh, but it can definitely have some truth to it. In the spirit of spring cleaning and (hey, why not throw in another famous saying?) “out with the old, in with the new,” here are some ideas to turn garage sale finds and items seemingly lost in storage into fresh, functional home décor items.

Repurposing everyday items into bold statements can make big decorative impacts. Old doors, ceiling tiles, and window frames or shutters can end up on walls as modern art. Whether you pull old pieces out of storage, the family barn, or someone else’s yard sale, giving new life to a staple from yesteryear can decidedly bring it into today with a got-to-have-it feel. Wooden doors can be sanded and painted or refinished and hung as wall art, turned into a twist on a bed’s headboard, or connected together with multiple hinges and used as a louvered room divider. Antique ceiling tiles, whether simply cleaned up like new or spray painted with a glossy acrylic finish, can be turned into an eye-catching design item when hung in a cluster on the wall or assembled as a grouping on a mantle shelf. Window shutters or frames can serve as “framed” wall art or be turned into a side or coffee table with added legs or another base.

The same goes for side tables, benches, occasional chairs, and smaller items like serving trays, picture frames, and ceramics. Replace elements that are no longer functional or safe. Refinish and renew surfaces with some elbow grease and the appropriate mix of bold paint choices, fabric batting, and upholstery fabric to make an outdated piece nearly unrecognizable and yet totally desirable. What once graced your grandmother’s porch can be turned into a stylish entryway bench. A dated ceramic bowl can be reinvented and now hold a collection of jewelry on a dresser. Think about giving something new life and putting it to work in your home before you just give it the ol’ heave-ho.

Putting a fresh coat of effort on countless items that have seen their better days can make adding decorative pieces or furniture to your home a DIY budget saver. Look at pieces that may otherwise be headed for the trash with a creative eye to feel out their potential. Now what can you do with some basic tools, some paint, and some fabric?

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star February 20th.

“How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways...”

To pay tribute to Valentine’s Day, let’s ponder the many ways in which we love design.
Design can make us marvel at architecture • stare at display windows • try on shoes we can’t afford • line up more throw pillows on one bed than we have fingers on one hand • paint multiple swatches on a wall to pick the perfect shade • need designated closet space to store purses, plural • measure twice and cut once • value the concept of having “one in every color” • dedicate long weekends to small projects • flip through magazines and take notes • want the perfect layout when arranging furniture • willing to put our monogram or initials on just about anything • notice the difference a font can make • buy a laser level with an ingenious built-in measuring tool • see that new couch as an investment • anticipate the words “sale” and “red tag clearance” with delight • explain almost any purchase with “but I wanted one” • want to press our noses up against glass display cases; but it just doesn’t seem appropriate at this age • free to choose and choose again • have too many favorites to count • think of IKEA as an amusement park for adults • see a bold print or pattern and immediately wonder what we could do with it • love the changing of the seasons for all the different table centerpieces they offer up • know the difference between turquoise, teal, and aqua • put chocolate brown with just about any other color and make it work • feel as if the space we live in is a real representation of us • spend 20 minutes in an aisle full of lampshades • get over a burn from a hot glue gun because the finished project seems pretty worth it • think about how addresses will look on a custom rubber stamp first when house hunting • salivate over the creativity of products on Etsy • debate the pros and cons of leather-versus-upholstery very seriously • find new meaning in “shop ‘til you drop” • sacrifice comfort for the style we so highly value • cook something just for the tools and dishes we’d get to use doing it • know there isn’t just one shade of white • get serious with a pair of scissors • rearrange to our heart’s content • take pride in making our home our haven.
We love design because it can mold us, distinguish us, and create for us an environment of our choosing. Here’s to a very Happy Valentine’s Day and all that we love so much.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star February 13th.

Bringing the Outdoors In for Spring

If you have been more cooped up indoors during our colder spells this winter, you may be looking forward to the changes that a little spring weather will bring. To turn over a new leaf in your home now that involves more than ensuring the Christmas decorations are all stored away, consider adding some earthy, outdoor touches inside when things start to warm up.

Some of the simplest ways to bring some spring inside is to mix in some outdoor elements to your indoor spaces. This could add a whole new twist to “the grass is always greener on the other side.” Buy ornamental grass decorations in small metal containers, vases, or table runner centerpieces. One of my favorites is a square or rectangular plot of faux wheat grass. Line up 3 to 5 containers down the middle of a dining, coffee, buffet, or sofa table for a striking, modern centerpiece or add to a kitchen or bathroom window sill or countertop for a touch of green without the maintenance.

Dried naturals are another popular and cost effective decorative tool to wield throughout the home. Tall vases with dried natural or curly branches in large bunches add height to dining, buffet, or foyer tables. Fill a decorative glass or wooden bowl with natural twig ball decorations that come in a variety of sizes and colors, and set it on a coffee table, or add a medium-size glass vase full to a guest bathroom. You can purchase a mixed set that also include small seeds, twigs, and decorative pieces. Use a colored set to pick up the shade of throw pillows, wall art, or accessories to add more pops of color to a room, or use white or natural for a retreat-like feel.

For larger impact statements, think big(ger). Area rugs come in natural weave jute and woven rush grass that add textural and natural elements that are eye-catching seating area anchor pieces. For something more whimsical in certain settings, a plush carpet grass rug really does bring the outdoors in. Top your tables with place setting chargers made from wooden beads, bamboo, or river rock stones, and there will be no need to head outside for a picnic setting.

Take things you like about nature and add their components into your decorations, tableware, furniture, and accessories to meld the division between indoors and outdoors. You might just put a little more than a spring in your step.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star February 6th.

Warming Up With Spring Designs

Thinking ahead beyond this frigid weather to the warmth of spring, here is what my Zazzle gallery has to offer in spring-forward designs for invitations, announcements, and custom note cards in a variety of colors:

My Zazzle Gallery