Posts by Paula Nuspl
5 Ways to Cozy Up Your January
When I was a kid, I remember when we put all the decorations away, the house seemed so dark, cold and colorless. Given that I grew up in the Midwest, the snow and cold didn’t help matters much. My mom felt it too and decided how she could ease that transition from the holiday back to the regular routine. After she took down all the standard Christmas decor, she replaced it with her growing collection of snowmen. The red, green and gold of Christmas gave way to many shades of blue, white and silver. It made so much sense and such a difference. Now the dreary drag of post-holiday let-down was lessened by a wintery scene that still felt joyful and warm.
Read MoreThanksgiving is not a speed bump to the ‘next’ holiday
Thanksgiving was a special time for my family growing up. One of my fondest memories was watching “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” on TV. After watching Snoopy and Woodstock prepare their Thanksgiving meal of buttered toast, pretzel sticks, popcorn, and jelly beans, I was very grateful for what we had for our dinner! On Thanksgiving morning, my brother, sister and I would wake up to the early, faint smells of the turkey roasting and hurry downstairs to watch the “Macy’s…
Read MoreIt’s Dark Already?! 5 Soulful Ways to Bring Light Inside for Fall through Winter
You may be clinging to those last glimmers of light. “WAIT!!!” You think…”It’s so dark already! I’m not ready for this!!” I understand your plight. Some time around the end of August or beginning of September, I sense it. I notice the angle of the sun has shifted and shines differently than it did during the summer months. A smile comes across my face because I know the autumnal sun has arrived, my favorite time…
Read MoreConfessions from a Laundry Room office
When people ask me what I do and I tell them I am an interior decorator, usually the first thing they say is “Oh, I bet your house is GORGEOUS!!!” Or if I visit someone’s home for the first time they say “I’m so embarrassed to have you see my house! It’s not decorated like I want it!” Or, “It’s a mess!” I think to myself, “Oh, if only you knew.” So here is my confession:…
Read More10 Things a Decorator Does
Problem Solving: Storage, Color, Scale, Light, Space, Feasibility Study the size and scope of your project. Expertise: Prevent costly mistakes Help you decide if your budget is realistic What do you want to achieve? Access: a) Wider range of resources. b) People who specialize. c) Saves valuable time & money.
Read MoreWhy HGTV Ruins Design and is Bullshit
Yep, that’s right. I said it. And I think I heard some of you audibly gasp! I know some of you love to binge watch all those home decorating shows featuring bantering partners, shiplap and total makeovers. It’s entertaining to be sure, but the reality is, it is all bullshit. HGTV gives a very narrow scope of what real projects are, what the real design process looks like and effectively ruin your entire perspective of what it is truly like. I want to give you an inside look into what IS real, how you can actually afford it and make it your own! Keep reading…….
Here are some pet peeves of mine when it comes to these shows and how to balance them with reality! Tell me if you’ve uttered any of these while watching one of these shows: