design – Page 3 – Designing Goldilocks

I get it from my Mama

Growing up, I remember our house always being clean. Decorated. Updated.

I remember going to the store with my Mom to buy a new piece of decor, or to just look around and see what new items had come in.

I remember my Mom rearranging the furniture in the house because it needed a refresh. She still does that today.

I think that is where I got my bug to decorate. To make sure my house is always presentable.

I remember my Mom hosting interior decorating parties at home. I remember going to other women’s houses and my Mom being able to call out which items were from interior decorating parties.

I remember items in the house not having a purpose; they were “just for looks.” And carrying that idea into my own spaces as an adult.

I remember the formal living rooms being for company and off-limits to the kids. I think that is why I still hold a soft spot in my heart for floorpans that have the formal living and dining rooms.

Formal. Does formal even exist in the design world anymore? Everything is cozy. Relaxed. And there is nothing wrong with that. But cozy and relaxed can still look nice. There is no reason for a house to not look beautiful at best or well put together at worst.

Today, my Mom shops at dollar stores. If she allows herself to splurge at Kohl’s, it’s always with a coupon. And not a holiday goes by that she doesn’t show up at my door with a table runner or matching spoon rest and bowl. It was my Mom who pointed out the Hayworth Collection at Pier 1 Imports that now outfits my living room and master bedroom.

For years, I just assumed this is what you do. You buy a house or condo or even rent an apartment, and you decorate it. It wasn’t until recently that I realized that a decorated home is not everyone’s reality.

So it must have been something that was ingrained in me at an early age. Or maybe it’s hereditary. Or maybe I just became accustomed to living in spaces that were organized and put together. But whatever it is, I got it from my Mama.

*The Hayworth Collection outfits the living room, thanks to my Mom who spotted the mirrored furniture during a shopping trip to Pier 1 Imports.* Photo by Cindy Hernandez

Mirror mirror

If you’re like me, you buy something at the store with the intention of setting it out. One day.

Over the years, you come across the item. You could get rid of it.

Or you could set it out now. But the space just isn’t ready for it. So you wait, knowing one day the space will be ready and this item is going to look great.

That was the case with a collection of chevron mirrors I bought back at my condo when I thought I would be living there forever.

I bought the two smaller mirrors at Target. I wanted three. They only had two, so I grabbed them, thinking I would find a third one at another location.

I found the large- and medium-sized mirrors at Bed, Bath & Beyond. All with the intention of hanging them up. One day.

Well, that day never came at my condo, but the day did come at Goldilocks.

The larger mirror works perfectly on the wall near the entryway. I am a firm believer that a mirror belongs in the entryway, if you have an entryway.

The two smaller pieces fit just right on the half wall behind the front door.

The medium-sized piece works alone in the hall leading into the bathroom.

The mirrors hang on separate walls, but they are close enough to each other to tie the spaces together.

And like I said all those years ago, the room would be ready for the mirrors. One day. And today was the day.

Every entryway should have a mirror. Photo by Cindy Hernandez

Three smaller chevron mirrors tie the spaces together. Photo by Cindy Hernandez

Paralyzing Goldilocks

The design blog you are reading was two years in the making. The idea came to me when John and I bought our house.

Construction of the house took a year.

Then there was the busy-ness of moving in. And getting settled. And then the holidays. I also needed a laptop.

After I ran out of excuses, I sat my ass down and punched out 12 blog posts over the course of a week just to “get some in the can” as we used to say in my newspaper days.

Most of these posts were written a month ago. And more posts are ready to be written if only I could peel myself away from news about CoVid-19 long enough to set out an Easter dish towel and take a picture of it.

I’m not alone.

Shortly before I launched the blog, I created an Instagram account – designing_goldilocks – and began following other design bloggers, influencers and hobbyists. Partly for inspiration and partly to share the love with them in the hopes that they would return the favor.

But in between the colored eggs, bunny figurines, and gingham tablecloths, I have realized these women have more than the love of designing their home in common with me. They have anxiety.

Instead of curling up in bed to IG stories of springtime tablescapes, I lie in bed and listen to their struggles of the day. My struggles of the day.

On March 12, my employer sent me home with my laptop in response to the coronavirus pandemic. I haven’t left the house since.

Not even to check my mail.

I haven’t driven my car.

I haven’t stepped over the threshold of my front door.

I ventured into the alley today to bring in the trash bin and immediately turned back when I saw two neighbors driving up on their bikes.

I’m afraid someone will pass the virus on to me and then on to John who falls into the sensitive group category.

Because I haven’t left the house, I have had to subscribe to a grocery delivering service. The first time a delivery came, I answered the door and retrieved the bags from my shopper wearing a mask and latex gloves.

The second time, I advised the shopper to put the groceries in the box that John set out on the front porch and then drive away. Once I deemed enough time had passed, I opened the door and retrieved the bags. Also while wearing a mask and gloves.

My anxiety is at an all-time high over this pandemic. I barely open the windows and let in fresh air for fear the virus is wafting in the air.

I feel fine when I’m locked in my office and working my day job. I’ve even taken on extra hours to keep myself occupied. And the extra money won’t hurt. But once I punch the clock, the anxiety kicks in.

I love my house and I love being at home. I’m a homebody by nature and never saw the appeal of buzzing around town on weekends. But social distancing by choice and social distancing to save your life are two very different realities.

The thought of something deadly lurking on the other side of my front door has made me sick. It has paralyzed me. And I’m not the only one. My fellow designers are living the same paralysis.

Maybe there is a connection between creating the perfect home and anxiety. There is something about order. Organization. Everything in its place.

I have kidded a few times these past two weeks about picking a fine time to start a design blog. Just when I’m about to write about purchases from my favorite stores, a global pandemic hits and forces retailers to temporarily close their doors out of an abundance of caution for their employees and shoppers.

But maybe the blog is just what I needed during these scary times. And not just to keep my mind focused on something I love, but for the community of women who otherwise would not have been in my life during these scary times.

Getting a grip on our freshly poured foundation back in September 2018. Photo by John Hooks

Putting metals to the mettle

Every home decor has a metal.

Gold. Silver. Nickel. Brass. Antique brass.

Some decors have a combination of metals. I used to think you had to be either/or. That was, until I started designing Goldilocks.

Because John and I wanted yellow for the exterior color, we kept with the warm color palette and chose brown for the interior walls. This made it easy to go with the standard sable-colored cabinetry. And when I think of yellow and brown, I think of gold metals.

But I had a growing collection of silver and grey furniture at my condo that I wasn’t about to part with. Plus, the kitchen appliances and vent hood were going to be stainless steel and the chandelier over the dining table, silver.

What to do?

How was I going to mix the cool effects of grey and silver with the warmth that exudes from yellow and brown?

Enter the monochromatic artwork we found for the dining room walls. The art pieces include gold, silver, grey, cream and black and help transition the warm color scheme in the kitchen into the cool color scheme in the adjoining living room.

I realize now that it would have been okay to mix the metals without the monochromatic pieces. But the artwork gave me the permission I felt I needed at the time to cross the color palette lines.

What metal is your house? Have you ever thought of metals in this way?

These monochromatic art pieces help mix the warm browns and cool greys throughout the main floor. Photo by Cindy Hernandez

Artwork placement mistakes to avoid

One of the most common design mistakes I see is artwork that is too small for the space.

I once heard a photographer say when you have the shot just right, take one giant step toward your subject. NOW it is just right.

The same can be said about artwork. Just when you think you have the right size, go bigger. Even if it’s just a tad larger.

This might mean you have to go with a different piece. Or you have to shop around for a similar subject in the right size. It sometimes means you have to shop for the size, and then settle on the subject.

But trust me, it will make all the difference on your walls.

Artwork is supposed to stand out.

Artwork is supposed to make an impact. A statement.

It’s supposed to garner attention. Provoke thought. Stimulate conversation.

It can be a drawing, a painting, a family photo. Whatever.

Lord knows you paid a lot of it, so make it count. Fill the space as much as possible. There is nothing worse than having the blank space on the wall dwarf the piece of art you thought worthy of adorning your home.

If your artwork is small and you’re determined to use the piece, hang a collection of small pieces to create a larger display. If you do this, though, go with three pieces. Yes, three. Or five. Just as long as it’s an odd number.

The other mistake I see is placement that is too high on the wall. Your visitors should not feel like they are peering up at the Empire State Building. Artwork should be at eye-level. Who’s eye-level? I recommend the person in the house of average height.

Instead of extending your arms upward as you place the art against the wall, extend your arms outward. Not up and out. Just straight out.

Test this out. See if it works. If the size of your art was right from the start, you may just have a natural eye for this stuff.

This canvas of mason jars is perfectly placed at eye-level. Photo by Cindy Hernandez

Avoid the temptation to place artwork higher on the wall in order to fill the space. Instead, always shoot for eye-level. Photo by Cindy Hernandez

Toothbrush holder-turned-vase

I love taking an item intended for one purpose and using it for another.

Case in point. Bathroom accessories.

The toothbrush holder to be exact. Who really uses the toothbrush holder?

I mean, I understand the purpose and I get its handy function. But do we really want our toothbrushes on display? I think not.

But that doesn’t mean I won’t buy the toothbrush holder if it is part of a collection.

Take the downstairs bathroom, for instance.

I bought the toothbrush holder that came in the white and chrome hotel collection, but instead of using it to hold toothbrushes, I use it as a vase. I place a single stem of something or other in the center hole and leave the other two holes empty.

In October, I displayed a single maple leaf.

For Christmas, a sprig of holly.

In March, some clover.

For Easter… well, you get the idea.

This allows me to purchase the items in a collection so that all of the pieces match, but without being so predictable in how I use them.

Give it a try. Or better yet, tell me how you’ve recreated an item’s purpose.