News from Sensibly Chic Interior Design

SEPTEMBER
2010

THE DESIGN DIVA DISHES
DESIGN TRENDS AND LIFESTYLE TIPS

Greetings!

Thanks to all of you for your support last month as I moved my baby into her freshman dorm. I am happy to report that both of us are doing well and finding ways to adjust to our new lives. This month I am giving birth to two new babies. No, I am not pregnant with twins! But I am starting two new blogs, one called "Ask the Design Diva" and one called "Save or Splurge."

"Ask the Design Diva" will serve as the "Dear Abby" of design, and it will answer one question per day on any subject related to decorating. To submit questions for that, email questions to askthedesigndiva@gmail.com.

"Save or Splurge" will help find lower cost options for higher priced items you love but might not be able to afford. Photos for specific items or room designs that you would like replicated at a lower cost can be sent to saveorsplurge1@gmail.com.

In order to get these up and running, I need LOTS AND LOTS of questions and photos. Please send in as many requests as you'd like, and ask your friends, neighbors, family, coworkers, and anyone else you can think of from anywhere in the world to send them to me, too. Don't you love the internet?

This month's theme is Decorating for Fall, and I approach it from an entertaining perspective. The Trend Report will share some new ideas to include in your fall decorating. I did something different for the Color of the Month, you'll have to read through to see what it is. The Green Report shares how to prevent heat loss before the cold weather sets in. Finally, The Recipe of the Month is warm, delicious Apple Butter, that you can make in your crockpot for yourself or as gifts for your friends.

Thank you in advance for your help in bringing my two new babies into the world. I will let you all know their due date as soon as it is determined!!

Best,
Barbara Green

Decorating for Fall

Life is for sharing. Why work hard for a beautiful home if you aren't going to share it with the people you love? Since my family is scattered across the country I love to entertain the friends that have become my family here in North Carolina. So lets look at decorating for fall from an entertaining perspective. Of course you'll want to set the stage for a warm welcome. If one wreath is good, wouldn't two be even better? Simply hot glue some colorful leaves to a grapevine wreath and tie with some pretty ribbon. Candles light the path in the evenings while the hay bales add a touch of whimsy.

Once inside, add some rich autumn hues to your decor with pillows and accessories. You don't have to stick with orange and brown. Persimmon, wine, mustard, olive, and rust are also options for an autumnal room. If autumn is your favorite season, your home can have that feeling all year round with the use of a decorative mural.

Good fabrics to include in your fall decor would be large scale paisleys and rich, deep plaids. Even something as simple as a tablecloth can really transform the look of your room.

Think beyond the pumpkin and fill bowls and vases with artichokes, squash, or pears and almonds as shown below. Other great vessels for seasonal decor are rustic wooden bowls and baskets.

Finally, give a full sensory experience to your guests by lighting candles in seasonal scents such as spiced apple, cinnamon and spice, or pumpkin pie.

Trend Report

by Article Author

Last year I advised you against decorating with plastic pumpkins and encouraged you to use decor items that will look festive right through to Thanksgiving. This year, you can add one or more of the following trends:

Chunky Pillars

Replace your scattering of tiny votives with thick pillars grouped in sets of three. Use rich colors such as pomegranate and purple to really stay on trend. Position them on a decorative plate or in a large bowl with crystals covering the bottom.

Metallics
Metallics have been a huge trend this year. For fall, try infusing your decor with a few accents of copper or bronze to add glimmer with the colors of the season. These metallics can be added inexpensively with pillows or accessories.

Texture

Now that the weather is turning cooler you can "feather your nest" with textured fabrics to add extra warmth and comfort. Keep the color palette simple, but the textures intriguing. Suggested fabrics are silk, linen, velvet, microsuede, and chenille. Also look for textures accomplished by quilting or ruching fabrics.

Color of the Month

by Article Author

I had a really hard time choosing a color of the month because I really wanted it to go with the autumnal theme, but orange is always for October and brown is for November. When I have a hard time deciding which pair of shoes to buy, I solve that problem by buying them both! So here you have, for the first time ever, two colors of the month! They are persimmon and pomegranate, or persimmanate for short.

These two colors are so rich and elegant, especially when paired together. The billiards room below was draped with fabric to give the feeling you've been transported to a pool hall in Morocco.

If you are unsure of using those deep colors on the entire wall, you can always add it with some small accent pieces such as the canvases and pillows below. If you liked the idea of the mural in the fall decorating section but aren't able to commit to that much pattern in a room, these tree branches would be super easy to paint yourself!

Green Report

by Article Author

Did your Dad ever ask you if you lived in a barn when you left the door open? Well, you may not realize it, but the cumulative effect of little air leaks throughout your home can be equal to or more wasteful than leaving the door open! According to the federal government, you can save from 5% to 30% per year on your energy bill by simply reducing drafts in your home.

First, check for air leaks around the exterior doors and windows. If you can see daylight around a door or window frame then warm air is escaping in the winter and cool air is escaping in the summer, costing you extra money. There are also instances where you can't see daylight, but weather stripping has aged or cracked, and no longer provides a tight seal. Also check that your exterior caulking is properly adhered for extra protection.

Next, inspect all electrical outlets and switch plates that are on exterior walls. This is another sneaky way to lose energy efficiency, but is easy to prevent. All you need to do is to pick up foam outlet sealers made especially for this purpose and sandwich them between the wall and the outlet or switch plate cover.

Wall or window mounted air conditioners offer more opportunity for warm air to escape, so if you can't remove them for the winter, be sure to wrap them with air conditioner sealer to prevent air from penetrating into your home.

To prevent warm air from escaping through the attic hatchway you can invest in an attic insulator kit which is simple to install with only a screwdriver.
First, check for air leaks along the baseboard where the flooring meets the walls, and again where the walls meet the ceiling.

All of these improvements are both easy and inexpensive to do, so your home should be drafty no more!

Quote of the Month

by Article Author

Article Subheading

It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it. ~Albert Einstein

Recipe of the Month

by Article Author

Who wouldn't love to wake up in the morning to the scent of warm apples and cinnamon wafting through their home? This month's recipe allows you the opportunity to do just that, plus enjoy some delicious apple butter on your morning toast. Ladle some into canning jars and wrap with a ribbon for a unique holiday gift for teachers or friends.

Crockpot Apple Butter

CROCK POT APPLE BUTT
4 - 5 pounds of peeled, cored, and chopped apples
3 C sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp. cloves
Dash salt
3/4 C water

Fill crockpot with chopped apples, add the rest of the ingredients and stir until evenly mixed. Cover and cook on low overnight. If butter has too much liquid, remove lid and cook on high until desired consistency.

For a lower sugar version, substitute one 12 oz. can of frozen apple juice concentrate in place of the sugar and water.

Community Outreach

by Article Author

Most people say there are only two things guaranteed in life: death and taxes. Well I would like to submit to you a third guarantee: No matter how bad your life is, there is always someone worse off than you. I believe that it is more important to give than to receive. Additionally, it has been my personal experience that when I give generously, whether it be of time or money, the rewards I get are exponentially greater than anything I might have given. In this spirit, I am going to share with you each month opportunities available for us all to give back, for we are all greatly blessed, even in these times of struggle.

CommunityQUEST
In my personal quest to share the needs of local charities I was lucky enough to find out about CommunityQUEST.org . This website was designed to help charitable organizations collect donation items and increase their visibility in the community. Charities are able to post their needs and volunteers are able to offer their services. The website also has a calendar listing upcoming charitable events. Be sure to check out the website and find someone to serve. Life is so much more rewarding when you are helping others.

Save 15%	Fall Decorating Sale Time to start getting your home decor ready for the busy holiday season ahead. Save 15% on any custom window treatments, custom bedding, or custom furniture. Mention Offer DDD0910 when scheduling your consultation Call 704-987-0277 NOW so you don't miss out!
Offer Expires: 9/30/10 Not good on orders placed before 9/1/10

Thank you for reading "The Design Diva Dishes." I hope you enjoyed this issue and will forward it to your family, friends, and co-workers using the link below. Have a great month, and I'll see you again October 1st.

Please call me at 704.987.0277 or email me at sensiblychic4u@aol.com with any questions or comments.