Interior Design by Kerry Ann Dame

This month, we’d like to share one of our recent Mini-Makeovers for a dining room. In a room that already has furniture, a Mini-Makeover brings in decorator touches that complete the room scheme and add warmth and sophistication. Adding window treatments, art and accessories makes all the difference between bland and beautiful.
When I arrived, the dining room had a beautiful light dusty aqua paint color chosen by the homeowners, a nice French country cupboard, and a pewter chandelier. A beautiful table and chairs in a light driftwood stain were on order.

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Since the dining room adjoins a large, open great room, we decided that a large rug would be needed to anchor the table and chairs and absorb sound in the space for a more intimate feeling. As soon as I saw the paint color, I knew that a light carpet with an exotic pattern, such as an Oushak, would be the perfect blend of formality and softness for this relaxed Low Country home. After we tried several different rugs in the space, the clients chose a beautiful aqua carpet with a paisley motif.
Because dining rooms usually have a lot of wood, I like to add draperies. They bring softness and color into a room with hard surfaces. I usually use panels to the floor so we get the most decorative effect out of the fabric.
For the draperies, we definitely wanted some pattern. Since the entire house has a very serene feeling, I didn’t want a busy pattern. We chose a print that resembles a toile and features a palmetto tree. The background matches the wall color and we kept the style simple so the window wall adds some pattern but doesn’t take over the space visually. We added pale yellow braid to the edges to dress things up a bit.

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The final touch was an oil painting discovered by the homeowners at a local gallery. With its sweeping arc of beach and pale gold and aqua tones, it couldn’t be more perfect. The result of our Mini-Makeover is a richly decorated space, created with just a rug, some draperies and a beautiful work of art.

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Kerry Ann Dame is an interior designer and co-owner of Posh Living, a home store in Surfside Beach. She can be reached at (843) 238-0078 or online at PoshSurfside.com

Published in South Carolina Woman Magazine

By Layla Altman

Last year I brought you our Holiday gift ideas to spark some life back into gift giving.  This year I have decided to share ideas on holiday decorating & entertaining!

Wishing everyone the warmest of Holiday Seasons and a Prosperous 2012!

A is for Angels– A whimsical and heavenly decoration for trees and tables.

B is for Bowls– Fill bowls with painted pine cones, colored Christmas balls or old glass bead necklaces for added holiday color.

C is for Collections – The perfect time of year to show off your holiday collection of decorations like Christmas tree finials or nutcrackers.

D is for Dinnerware – Mix & match decorative dinnerware patterns to add a special touch to those Holiday meals.

E is for Embroidered – Embroider a pillow or towel with a holiday quote like, “May the spirit of the holidays warm your heart and home.”

F is for Flowers – Poinsettias, mini-roses, red and white tulips as well as Cyclamen are just ideal for adding color to your home for the Holidays.

G is for Glitter – Use a lot of it!  You can make almost anything go from tired or ordinary, to sparkling with life!  Use on things found in nature or store bought decorations.

H is for Hummus – An easy and healthy appetizer to have while making the main course.

I is for Indigo – Don’t be afraid to branch out of your traditional decorating color scheme.  Shades of blues like indigo, teal, aqua and robin’s egg blue are just as festive.

J is for Jewelry – Use costume jewelry to decorate old, boring napkin holders.

K is for Knits – A warm chunky throw, or cozy mohair blanket for that chair by the fire.

L is for Local – Shop at local business to find holiday decorations right in your own neighborhood.

M is for Mistletoe – A holiday must at any doorway!

N is for Napkins– Don’t hold back!  This is a perfect opportunity to spunk up the table with bright colors and fun patterns.

O is for Oak Acorns – There are so many exciting craft projects you can do with oak acorns.  Spray them a color and string them together with wire to create garland.

P is for Paper – Add ribbon & a bow to your pillows to make them look like presents.

 Q is for Quality – Buy one nice, well-made decoration each year item instead of lots of cheap ones.

R is for Recipe – Spice up your holiday menu and try that new receipt you’ve had your eye on.

S is for Slipcovers – Make slipcovers for your Dining chairs out of solid fall colors or festive plaids and stripes to bring the Holiday spirit into your room.

T is for Tinsel – I grew up with a tinseled tree and I mean you could hardly see the ornaments!  This sparkling decorative material mimics the effect of ice or icicles.

U is for Used Furniture– You can’t feel bad painting a used piece of furniture for the Holidays.  A small console table for the entry would be a great piece to look for.  Use stencils to make fun decorative designs in paint.

V is for Vellum – A semi-transparent paper that looks pretty for holiday cards or invitations.

W is for Wrapping – Use only three different wrapping papers to give the bottom of your tree a color scheme that coordinates with the decorations on the tree.

 X  is for X-Factor  –  The latest music can really bring a party to life.

Y is for Yarn – If you have the talent for knitting, flaunt it!  Knit a cable globe ornament and you can use it to decorate bowls, on doors knobs, hooks or the tree.

Z is for Zebra – The simple design of a black and white Zebra print is a fun pop to add in your holiday decorating scheme.

The History of the Christmas Tree – Legend has it that a Monk came up with the idea of using the triangular shape of the Fir Tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the 7^th century.  The first known decorated tree was seen in 1510.  It was only decorated with candles.  By the early 1600s real silver tinsel was invented.  Then tree decorations also incorporated small beads, silver wire ornaments, wafers and golden sugar- twists as well as paper flowers.  By the time the tradition reached England, the custom was to have several small trees on tables, one for each member of the family, with each person’s gifts stacked on the table under their tree.

Layla Altman is a Co-owner of Posh Living, a design shop in Surfside Beach.

Copyright 2011 Posh Living, LLC