design – Designing Goldilocks

DIY: A window valance

If you were to fast-forward 1o years into the future and research homes that were decorated solely from online purchases during the pandemic, you would see my house.

When I say I only shop online, I truly mean I only shop online.

I don’t remember the last time I stepped foot inside a store. It may have been Target earlier this year. And it was only because I needed a humidifier.

Before that, it was probably an At Home store last fall for bathroom accessories. And Macy’s in December, but that was for Christmas shopping.

I was slowly decorating the home and buying pieces as I gave myself permission to.

But when you’re in a pandemic and strongly encouraged to stay home, what do you do? You put the decorating plan into high gear.

And when you shop only online, you have to hope your vision for the space plays out well in real life.

I have been fortunate when shopping online at Target because I already know what the decor items look like. Besides, a faux plant is a faux plant is a faux plant. How wrong could it be?

But there are only so many fake ferns that one can buy before you have to face the fact that if you don’t want your style to grow weeds, you’re going to have to trust your judgment and take some chances.

Enter window treatments.

The house came with blinds as a standard feature, and they are perfectly fine on their own. But I always envisioned adding curtain panels to spruce up the window and add a touch of elegance to the rooms.

But a professional job would have meant booking an appointment for someone to come into the house to take measurements and install.

And as you may recall from my last blog post, I am not allowing strangers into my home for the foreseeable future. (See “Home repairs in the age of Covid,” August 3, 2020.)

So that meant shopping online for rods and curtains. Because neither John nor I had hung curtains before, we decided to start small: the window in the bar room.

John wanted a green valance to go with the Irish vibe in the room. So I searched. And searched. And searched some more. But the only green valances I could find were for kitchens or Dutch doors. Not exactly the look we wanted in a home bar.

Also, the bar room is adjacent to the living room. So whatever style we chose for the bar room would have to complement the living room.

Then finally, I happened upon a maroon valance at Target with a swag reminiscent of a herald’s banner, which ties into the pub vibe. The valance scrunches a bit too much for my liking, but it only came in one size.

The color wasn’t our first choice but the maroon works with the dark wood tones in the bar and mirror. And it complements the grey, black and white colors in the living room.

For the rod, I picked a simple matte black French pipe that matches the foot rest at the base of the bar. Of course you can’t see the curtain rod, but I know it’s there.

The rod and valance were delivered the following week. The rod came with an anchor, but the weight of it was light enough that we would only need the screws.

The next weekend, John set up the ladder and drill and got to hanging the rod. For those who are new here, John suffered three strokes almost three years ago that left his right hand almost useless.

So that meant drilling the screws into the wall and holding the rod with only his left hand, all while standing on a ladder. Did I mention he was right-handed before the stroke?

Because I tend to overly supervise in these situations, I was more useful to John siting around the corner while he did the installation himself. And can I tell you what a wonderful job he did?

The rod extends evenly across the window. The valance is straight. And the treatment provides the warm homey feeling we were hoping for.

With the window in the bar room done, it’ll soon be time for bigger DIY projects: curtain panels and rods for the large window in the living room and – gasp! – the sliders in the kitchen.

I’ve already started shopping online. But don’t tell John just yet. I don’t want to scare off my personal handyman.

So what is a design trifecta?

I’ll attempt to answer this question by asking another question:

When it comes to decorating your home, what do you want your furnishings to accomplish?

Let me break it down a little further.

If you need a new couch for your loft, what do you want that couch to do? Do you want it to provide seating? That would be function.

Do you want the couch to look pretty? That would be style.

Do you want a couch that you can relax on all weekend, melt into, maybe even take a nap on? That would be comfort.

Often times, furniture does one or two of these things. But when it does all three, well, that’s the design trifecta.

I’m a firm believer that furniture and home decor can encompass all three elements. It just takes a little more work – as in a little more shopping – to find the perfect pieces. It’s not always easy.

Have you ever been to a friend’s house for dinner and sat on the most uncomfortable dining chair? It may have looked fabulous in the space, but your backside paid for it the next day.

The chair had style and function but lacked comfort. Any maybe after the soup, it started to lack function too.

Or maybe you dated a guy in college that had the most comfortable recliner, but it was hideous to look at. Because it lacked style.

Small spaces beg for the design trifecta. They have to. There’s not a lot of room to waste. The design plan has to be smart all the way through – from the couch to the bed to the dining suite to the kitchen accessories.

Larger homes have more space to work with, but they also have more room for error.

The couch is too puny for the room. The dining table is the wrong shape for the space. The bar stools are too tall for the countertop. The cushions on the patio furniture are too thin. The living room doesn’t have a side table in reach to set down a beverage.

The list is seemingly endless.

And I’m not writing about this because I have design trifecta running through my house. No, but I am writing from the experience of failure.

I had limited space in my condo and had to be smart about the pieces I brought into it. And I chose wrong over and over again. In fact, in the 18 years of living there, I never conquered the space limitations.

I had a living room that had only one uninterrupted wall. The front door and a fireplace took up another side. A sliding glass door took up another side. The fourth side was open to the kitchen.

It was frustrating trying to create a functional living space that didn’t look cluttered. It was nearly impossible. No, not nearly impossible. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.

That’s when I realized I had to be smart about the furniture I chose. Each piece had an assignment: they had to provide function, style, and comfort. All at the same time.

Think of the Murphy bed.

You often see the Murphy bed in a room that has to do double duty, typically a guest bedroom and an office.

When guests are over, the bed comes down from the wall. When the guests are gone, the bed is lifted back up and the room is an office again. Cubbies and shelving on the underside of the bed add style and more function for the office. It’s genius.

It has to be genius because most of us cannot accomplish the trifecta on our own for every piece of furniture we bring into our homes. We either don’t think about it, or it’s too time-consuming, or we focus on comfort or style and forget about the other two elements.

John and I will soon be shopping for a couch for the loft, which is where I got my example above. A part of me is excited to bring a new piece of furniture into the house. The other part of me is nervous about picking the wrong piece for the reasons I’ve outlined in this blog.

We have a couch in mind that we saw at American Furniture Warehouse a year ago. The couch hits the design trifecta – function, style and comfort. But I wouldn’t be me if I still didn’t worry that it’ll fall short in some area once we bring it home.

The couch is also priced right, which actually makes it a design quadfecta. Oh, did I not mention the forth element of home decor?

This couch is in the running for the loft and hits the design trifecta of style, comfort and function. Photo by Cindy Hernandez

Why the C-table is a design trifecta

Whoever invented the C-table must have had me in mind.

I have two C-tables. One of them, a red and black one, I keep near my favorite spot on the couch.

It holds my cup of coffee in the morning, my glass of wine at night and my bottle of water in between. I can’t live without it.

If you’re thinking, “She’s going to write another love letter to a table, isn’t she?” The answer is yes. This is a design blog, after all, and I hear personal stories are popular. (See published posts for “The story of an accent table,” April 13, 2020.)

Now back to the C-table.

I bought my first one at Pier 1 Imports several years ago. I was living at my condo at the time and space was at a premium.

I loved that I could move the table around to where I needed it.

The tabletop, legs and base are shaped like the letter C, allowing the base to slide under a couch or chair and the tabletop to practically rest on my lap.

I’ve used the table to polish my fingernails. I’ve used it as a TV tray. I set my phone on it. Notebooks. Laptop. You get the idea.

Even in the new house, the C-table is perfect.

I don’t have space on either side of the couch for end tables unless I block the flow of traffic in and out of the room. The C-table solves that problem.

I bought the second C-table during the construction of the new house. It is situated next to a chair in the living room. It hardly gets used but it’s there because I’m sure the time will come when I’ll need it.

To be honest, I bought the second C-table more for the green-leaf design that I’m brining into the living room. But that I found the perfect pattern in a C-table was a match made into decor heaven.

I’m being silly now. But these small wins in the design world are astronomical when it comes to furnishing a home. Function is key. Yes from the outside, it’s all pretty stuff. And sometimes that’s all it is.

But if you can design a space that is functional, stylish and comfortable, well that’s the design trifecta.

*The C-table is a great alternative* when space is limited. Photos by Cindy Hernandez

Decor subscription box

There’s a subscription box for everything it seems. Clothes. Cosmetics. Food. There’s even a subscription box for pet stuff.

But have you seen one for home decor?

If there’s one out there, I’ve yet to come across it. So I decided to have some fun and create a box myself.

I’m always trying to think up ways to help people decorate their homes without breaking the bank. I’m always trying to brainstorm tips on how to give their house a fresh look without redoing the whole decor.

So I thought the decor subscription box would help take the guesswork out of it for them and allow me to curate items based upon their styles and interests.

I thought about my ideal customer: a woman who wants to bring some of the latest finds into her kitchen, but is too busy to shop for them herself.

Not a problem. I can do the legwork for her after gathering information about her space and lifestyle. Here’s what I learned.

Her kitchen has a neutral palette that invites pops of color. She likes practical items but also enjoys little surprises.

She entertains friends for brunch, but also likes nice pieces for her own visual pleasure.

Of course, a real consultation with a real customer would require an in-depth interview or questionnaire to fulfill the boxes over the course of the subscription.

But this is just a mock box. A concept. An idea that can grow into something larger if the appeal is there. So just humor me for a bit.

For the June box, I selected items I recently ordered from Target and Sur La Table, two of my favorite places to shop for home decor.

Because these boxes tend to have a theme, I chose the green-leaf motif that I’ve been obsessed with lately. What better way to decorate for summer than with an island vibe, right?

Here’s what I came up with:

A grey storage bin from Target serves as the box that can be used to organize pantry items.

The mango wood cheese cutting board and leaf platter from Sur La Table go hand-in-hand and can serve as decoration behind the stovetop.

When it’s time to host friends, they can be set out on the counter to serve bruschetta, cheeses and desserts.

The colorful dishtowels, also from Sur La Table, are festive enough for company but practical enough for everyday use.

The faux plant … well, the faux plant is just cute. But the plant, also from Target, is that unexpected piece that finishes off the look whether on display with the appetizers at brunch or just to add some life to the kitchen when no one’s home.

So what do you think? This box was simple, I know. But it was a start.

Would you buy a decor subscription box (or know someone who would)? If so, how much would you pay for it?

What would you do differently?

Leave your suggestions in the comments section below.

A subscription box of home decor items are ideal for the busy woman who wants style but is too busy to shop for the decor herself. The cutting board and platter (bottom) add pops of color to this neutral kitchen. Photos by Cindy Hernandez

How do you pick an area rug?

I’m stumped.

I need an area rug in the living room, and I don’t know which way to go.

I want something with a pattern and some color, but I don’t want the design to be so busy that it draws the eye downward.

The main purpose of this rug is to extend the life of the carpet, particularly the high-traffic areas on each side of the sofa and the sliver between the sofa and the ottoman.

The main colors in the room are grey and silver, which some would argue provide no real color at all. The walls, ottoman and throw pillows are brown. In accent pieces, I have black-and-white stripes and the green-leaf motif.

I thought about going with the popular black-and-white striped rug, but I’m afraid the room is too monochromatic already. I’m drawn to green, but given the leaf motif throughout the room, a green rug might be too predictable.

I could play it safe with brown. But if I’m going to spend the time and money on a rug, shouldn’t it add some pizzazz to the room?

Now you see my dilemma.

What are your thoughts? Check out the living room in the photo below and offer your ideas in the comments section.

This room needs an area rug that adds color without being the focal point. Photo by Cindy Hernandez

Demise of a decor store

One of my all-time favorite home decor stores announced this week that it is going out of business. Pier 1 Imports.

I’m disappointed, but I’m not surprised.

The company earlier this year announced that it would be closing some of its stores and filed for bankruptcy.

Then the pandemic hit, putting a financial strain on non-essential businesses and hindering Pier 1’s ability to find a new buyer. Now the company is looking to close all of its stores.

People just aren’t buying furniture and housewares like they were decades ago. Nor are they spending the kind of money that one would need to shop at Pier 1.

Just this week I posted about shopping at the store’s clearance section for the Hayworth pieces I have been collecting over the years – smoky mirrored furniture reminiscent of the opulent Hollywood Regency era.

But even before the bankruptcy, I had a sense the store wouldn’t be around for long. So after John and I decided to buy the new house, I shopped for as many Hayworth pieces I could afford and moved them into storage until the house was done.

Over time I became known at the Pier 1 near my condo. The salespeople would see me walk in the door and immediately show me the newest Hayworth piece to move into the clearance section, sometimes offering an additional discount in order to unload the piece.

If it hadn’t been for my gut telling me to drop into the store to see what new pieces had been marked down and if it hadn’t been for the salespeople’s personalized service, I wouldn’t have the furniture I do and at the price I could afford.

If Pier 1 gets its way, it’ll dwindle down its inventory. And if I get my way, I’ll have a few more discounted Hayworth pieces to add to my collection.

The dresser from the Hayworth Collection at Pier 1 Imports has been on my wish list for years. Photo by Cindy Hernandez

When to splurge on decor

So you’ve bought some decor on sale. You’ve shopped the clearance section. You even found some pieces at a garage sale.

But there’s a piece you just gotta have and it’s not going down in price anytime soon.

What do you do?

The rule of thumb I use is, if I’m still thinking about the piece the next day, the next week, the next month, I buy it.

Or if there’s nothing like this piece anywhere and it’s unique, a statement piece, a conversation starter, a head-turner and the presence of this piece will elevate the space, I buy it.

Take, for example, the ottoman with leaf motif from At Home Stores.

The price: $30.

Did I need it? Nope.

Did I want it? Yup.

I saw it on a shopping trip one Saturday, stayed thinking about it all week, and bought it the next Saturday. It can be used as an ottoman or as extra seating.

The fabric has a leaf motif that goes perfect with the C-table I bought at Pier 1 Imports. It adds color to the sea of grey and silver that’s running throughout the room. It’ll round out the nature look I’m going as I bring in more faux plants and succulents.

When you think of all that it does for the space, the ottoman was a steal at $30.

*The ottoman with leaf motif adds color, style and function to the room,* making it a steal at $30.
Photo by Cindy Hernandez

Shop the clearance section

A favorite piece in my house is the buffet from the Hayworth Collection at Pier 1 Imports.

I had been eyeing the piece for years, picturing dinner parties with charcuterie boards set out for guests to enjoy. A glass of wine in one hand and an appetizer plate of meats, cheeses and nuts in the other.

The problem was I lived in a 1,000-square-foot condo with absolutely no space for the buffet, let alone guests. In the new house, space was not a problem.

The hurdle now was the buffet’s $1,000 price tag. The Hayworth Collection is not inexpensive. Even on sale, the prices can be steep, which is why I always headed for the clearance section.

Even before ground broke on the house, I shopped for Hayworth pieces in the hopes of finding a bargain. My persistence paid off when I found a buffet for $200.

The piece had minor scratches I could live with and a loose foot that John and my Dad easily fixed. The buffet moved straight into storage where it waited a year for the house to be done.

Today it serves as a sofa table on the main floor between the living and dining areas. It’s the first piece I see when I come downstairs in the morning. It’s the first piece I see when I walk in the front door. It’s the first piece I see when I come in from the garage.

But what I love more than the buffet itself is the deal I got just by shopping the clearance section.

The buffet from the Hayworth Collection at Pier 1 Imports was only $200 in the clearance section, a savings of $800 because of minor scratches and a loose foot. Photo by Cindy Hernandez

My design blog is for you

Are you a Mom with no juice left at the end of the busy day to create a soothing space for yourself?

This blog’s for you.

Are you a career woman who doesn’t want to spend the weekend making more decisions, especially on trivial matters like flowers and succulents?

This blog’s for you.

Are you just design inept?

This blog’s for you. And for anyone you know who may have said yes to any of these questions.

I get it. Decorating your house is stressful. It’s time consuming. There are so many choices, and you don’t know where to begin.

Wallpaper or paint? And if paint, what color paint? And what about the finishes? Flat. Satin. Gloss. High-Gloss.

The decisions are seemingly endless. The process is so tedious, it can make you want to throw in the towel. But are they monogrammed towels? And what about thread count? And I haven’t even mentioned the cost.

I’ve had no formal interior design training. Nor have I worked in the design world. But I’ve owned homes, new and used, and know a thing or two about picking out furniture, settling on colors, choosing artwork, and organizing spaces.

And I have done all of this on a budget. Because I believe interior design and home decor do not have to be expensive to make your home pretty and comfortable.

Don’t get me wrong. If you want to spend one-grand on a club chair, be my guest. My house holds a few pricier items, too. But only because I wanted to spend that kind of money, not because I thought I had to spend that kind of money.

On my blog, you will learn the reasoning behind the design choices I’ve made for my home that you can replicate in yours. I share budget friendly decor options and explain why I splurged on pieces to round out a look.

If the posts don’t address the design challenges you’re facing, reach out to me on my contact page or leave a question in the comments section. You might find your dilemma is the topic of my next design post.

My blog is for the busy, exhausted or uninspired, so send me a design question. Photo by John Hooks

Design with an open mind

Sometimes the house dictates the decor.

Take color, for instance.

Blue is my favorite color, and dominated my design choices in terms of color for years at my condo.

Dinnerware: Dansk Blue Mesa.

Master bathroom accessories: Tommy Hilfiger Elizabeth Anne.

Kitchen motif: Sunflowers with a blue backdrop.

But blue does not work well in the new house. The color that does work?

Green, which comes as a big surprise to me because green is my least favorite color behind pink. But I like it.

It could be that green complements the brown walls and cabinetry. Think tree trunks and leaves. It could be that the house has tons of natural light. Think sunshine and vegetation.

I could have gone with blue if I wanted to. The living room and master bedroom suites are grey and silver, both of which are cool colors. The blue would have fallen in line on the color palette.

But that’s just it. The silver, grey and blue do not provide a colorful range. Once I opened my mind to green, and saw the life it breathed into the decor, my love for the color grew like ivy. Now it’s the color I gravitate to.

Fortunately, the interior decor world is ruled by indoor trees, succulents and fig leaves.