Choosing the Best for Your Nest
By Nicole Powell
Designing and decorating your home is like building the perfect nest. Choosing colors, fabrics, and decor is only the beginning. Your home is a reflection of who you are, and is also a combination of life experiences, travels, and personality. Whether you are building your first dwelling, revamping your current home, or looking to expand, let these few “nesting” tips inspire you to gear up for spring!
Where do I begin? I always try to tell clients to consider the things they love in their daily lives and to go from there. Think about where you or your family spends the most time, be it the kitchen, family room, or outdoors. Focus on this area first. It’s important to build your nest starting with the things you love—I guarantee these will find their way into your decor.
No two nests are alike. I say this in every issue of North Valley Magazine, but color is the easiest and most cost-effective way to update your space in a matter of hours. My personal favorite: blue. Any shade of blue can work in any decor scheme, from Tuscan to transitional. It is the perfect backdrop for practically any color scheme, and can also be used as an accent color in any space.
Living large in a small space. The trick to any small space is to use that space wisely. Using a few large pieces instead of several smaller pieces will give the illusion of a bigger space! Good news: It doesn’t cost money to resolve scale issues. Work with items you already have and move them around. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how, in a few short hours, you can have a fresh new look!
Clearing the nest: less is more. I try to stick to this rule: If I haven’t used it, worn it, or seen it in a year, I give it away. By doing this, I create a place to make and display new memories. For quite some time, I have been rotating my son’s artworks in and out of 11 x 14 frames in our hallway. It allows the whole family and our visitors to share in his masterpieces and prevents them from piling up in the drawer, never to be seen and appreciated. Every item should have a place. If it doesn’t, it’s sure to get lost or become unnecessary clutter.