The Decorator Wears Many Hats...

In my business, I seem to split my efforts with 50% interior decorating and 50% home staging. When I am wearing my staging hat, I work mostly with Realtors, real estate investors and builders to stage vacant properties. (I also work with homeowners to stage occupied homes but the majority of my work is staging vacant properties to create that 'model home' feel. It seems to have become my niche!)


This past week I was missing-in-action in the blog world because I was frantically pulling together a vacant property that was completed within 7 days from bidding on the job...only 4 days after I found out I got the job!! Hey, I never miss a deadline so a few things had to fall by the wayside this week!

I don't have the pics of this project yet but here is a before and after shot of a vacant I did in the winter that sold in less than 90 days....off season...

Homestyling101: Before Shot

Homestyling101: After Shot

We had no budget to replace the window treatments and could not leave a $1+ million dollar home with grand windows and no treatments...so, we worked with what we had! We were happy with the turn-out and the quick sale....and that is the adrenaline rush you get with staging! 

I am clutching to my books...and loving my new one!

Ok...if you don't already know from my previous post about my love of books...you can catch up here...then you will understand why this New York Times article, "Ikes ReDesigns Classic Bookshelf, Foreshadows the Demise of Books' saddens me....is the furniture industry (mainly Ikea) really ready to abandon our beloved glossy, wonderfully smelling books for tchotchkes?

NY Times Article

Don't get me wrong, as a decorator, I rely on a good set of tchotchkes in every room but books are also an integral part of every room I design. I also can appreciate the convenience of a Kindle...and I would absolutely get one for any fiction books I read. But there is something to be said for opening the glossy pages of a photography book, a design book, a travel book and even a children's book that cannot be replaced by technology.

Do you think books are on the demise or do you adore them as much as I do?

From the creator of the Design Sponge Blog

The same day I read this article, I also received my advance ordered copy of Design Sponge at Home....I am reeling over the beautiful pictures and the new book smell.....it is a MUST read! And Ikea....I have a spot on my traditional bookshelves for this little masterpiece!

Copper for the Kitchen

Some women daydream about purses, shoes, vacations or diamonds....me, when I actually have time to be alone with  my thoughts, I somehow always end up day dreaming about re-designing my kitchen. I start thinking about the kitchen I currently have and then my thoughts wander to the kitchen in my next home: my forever home. And when I see pics like this- it just gets my blood racing!

Traditional Home

Granite counters were never really a part of my 'dream' kitchen- there was always a cool black soapstone counter involved but this amber granite started to peak my interest.....until I saw this:

Traditional Home Bilotta Kitchen

I thought I died and went to heaven....genius! Copper countertops.....I am in love. It is a little bit industrial and a little bit of glam. And paired with that ogee backsplash tile from Artistic tile....I have died and gone to kitchen heaven...

Traditional Home by Regina Bilotta

What countertops are in your dream kitchen?

Favorite Things in My Town!

First off, my apologies for being so bloggin' lazy this week! I have had little time to sit down and write with all the back-to-school preparations and birthday celebrations going on over here!

Anyway, today I am linking up to one of my favorite blogs, Centsational Girl. Kate, the Centsational Girl herself, is having a"Favorite Things in My Town' link up party...and I am showing up fashionably late! (The link up was two days ago....oh well...better late than never!)

Centsational Girl

I live in the beautiful and historic Yorktown Heights in Westchester County, New York. I have lived here for almost 10 years and this town is not getting rid of me anytime soon! What I truly love about this town is how it has the historic flavor of the Revolution, mixed with lots of country, small-town flavor and remarkably it is only about 45 miles to New York City (perhaps my favorite town of all!). Here are some photos of what I get to enjoy around my neck of the woods!

Yorktown Heights: Progress with Preservation

Another one of my favorite spots to visit in my neighborhood is Hilltop Hanover Farm, a crop farm in our town that is an educational and functional crop farm. There is a beautiful old home on the property that serves to educate children and patrons on healthy and sustainable food production.

Hilltop Hanover Farm

During the harvest season, those who are up to the task, can pick their own vegetables...or for the less inclined, you can just stop at the farm stand for the freshest veggies and flowers!

Hilltop Hanover Farm Stand

And to think that one day I could be picking my own veggies and the next day I could be picking my favorite show here:

NYC

Yes, I am a very lucky girl and I love where I live!