October 1999

Hi everyone!!  I hope everything is fine and your looking forward to the fall season and holidays.  The temperatures are just starting to drop a little in Florida, but it really does not seem like fall yet.  Of course, we don’t get a true fall, but when the humidity finally lowers that’s fall to us!

I can’t wait until it cools off enough to get back in the garden.  Our summer temperatures are brutal to the flowers and gardens, and by the end of the summer, everything is leggy and ugly.  I believe a FALL FIX-UP is in order—outside and in!  Fall is the busiest time of year for decorating and fixing up our homes.  We want them perfect for the holidays, family and friends.  It’s time to get started!!  The holidays will be here before we know it!  I’m telling you this for my own benefit as well as yours.  Let’s get started together!

We still haven’t painted the living/dining room yet, but it’s coming soon. Blocking out the time to start any project is the hardest part.  Once we are into it and begin to see results, excitement builds and we push until the project is done.  Before you know it, we have completed a major project and are so proud of ourselves!  Whatever your projects are, consider starting them soon.  We will have fun and accomplish our goals at the same time.

What texture does….. Texture enhances colors and enlivens tone on tone patterning or solids.  It adds depth to what might otherwise be considered rather flat fabric or elements.  Many of today’s colors are beautifully accented with texture. We should always introduce a certain amount of texture to every décor. It will visually stimulate the eye, and help produce a beautiful room.

If you can’t decide what pattern to use decorating, consider selecting a favorite solid color and then add texture to create drama and personality. Texture can be added with materials with a “character” of their own such as wood, wicker, tile, marble, glass, metal etc. It can be added with decorative embellishments such as tassels, bows, cording, and other trims.  It can be added with faux painting techniques, wallpaper and window treatments to name a few.  Many beautiful homes have been created with very little color, or just one main color.  However, the key to the success of this style is adding lots of interesting texture so the home will be visually exciting and beautiful.  Texture in decorating is a wonderful thing!

One of our most underused decorating assets for accessorizing is our silver.   We all have some silver treasures tucked away and only bring them out for special occasions.   We enjoy creating a beautiful tabletop for special holidays and parties, but quickly return the silver to the china cabinet.  Why not keep it out and use in areas to dress up our tabletops, bookshelves, mantels, dressers, chest, bathrooms, nightstands etc.  Indulge and pamper yourself with these wonderful pieces in your home. - A silver basket can hold fresh linens and soap.  Small bowls offer the perfect spot for potpourri, bath salts, soap balls, jewelry, candy, mail etc.  Silver trays are beautiful for holding perfume bottles, cup and saucers, bud vase, books etc. Candlestick holders can be used anywhere in your home for an elegant display.  Silver picture frames can be used beautifully on tabletops and bookshelves.  Group several silver items together to establish a collection of wonderful items, staggering the sizes and shapes.  In the retail market, there has been a resurgence of silver decorative items and picture frames.  These are not fine silver, but just as effective decoratively.  The use of silver in any form will add sparkle and elegance to your decorating. 

Taking Care of your silver…

1. Not all silver polish is recommended for silver-plate.  Be sure to check the manufacturer’s label.

2. After cleaning, always rinse with warm soapy water.  Then rinse again with fresh water and dry thoroughly with a cloth.

3. Use only silver polish.  Do not use metal polish as a substitute.

4. You can have your silver sealed with an acrylic lacquer by a reputable silversmith.  This prevents tarnishing for an extended period of time. 

5. Recommended polishing products are: Wright’s Silver Cream Cleaner, Tarni-Shield Silver Cleaner, and Hagerty Silversmith’s Spray Polish.

6. Polishing cloths are helpful to have for quick touch-up cleanings.

Let’s start with the language of color.  First, all colors in the spectrum are derived from the three primary colors- red, yellow and blue.  Mixing two primary colors creates secondary colors.  For instance, combining yellow and blue create the color green.  All other colors are know as tertiary colors and are formed from a variety of combinations of primaries and secondaries.  Lightening or darkening colors with the addition of black or white produces shades and tones.  While decorating our homes, we use a combination of these colors in a variety of ways.  Consider some of the following "rules-of-thumb" for every room in your home. 

1. Yellow, red, orange are warm, lively, and “advancing” colors (they appear nearer than they really are).  These colors bring large rooms down to a more intimate and cozy scale. Creating a warm, inviting décor.

2. Blue, green, and violet are cool, tranquil, and “receding” colors (they appear farther away than they really are).  Use these colors in small rooms to give them a larger scale. Great for halls, baths, bedrooms, kitchens etc.

3. “Primary” colors (blue, red, yellow) are the most forceful colors and should be used carefully.  Fun colors to decorate with, but less is more with this color scheme. This is one of my favorites, however I like to use these colors as accents to neutral foundation elements. 

4. “Secondary” colors (green, orange, violet) are less forceful than primary colors, and are wonderful for decorating.

5. “Complementary” colors sit opposite each other on the color wheel (red & green), and work very well together in a color scheme.

6. “Tertiary” colors can be used for depth and sophistication in a decorating scheme.  Varying amounts of neutrals are added to tertiary colors for the best look. (Taupe, beige, wheat, white’s etc.)

7. “Neutrals” include white, black, and variations of gray.  Soft warm colors of low-intensity, such as beige, ecru, taupe etc. are considered neutrals when decorating.

Just for your information, in case you haven’t noticed we have stepped up our free drawings from monthly to weekly for signing up for this newsletter.  We will soon have a winners page on the website for you to see who’s winning their choice of a free color scheme guide each week. 

Have a wonderful month…….

HAPPY DECORATING!

September

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