The Adorable Fairy Doors!

I spend at least one to two hours reading every day. When you make it a practice to read on a daily basis, a whole new world is opened up to you. The amount of information available on the internet is staggering. Casey, my daughter-in-law and partner, reads as much as I do and several weeks ago she happened to read a blog that mentioned "Fairy Doors" and we both thought it was the cutest idea! As I began researching this unusual topic, I was surprised to find how many people have added "Fairy Doors" to their homes and businesses.

I think this craze began in Ann Arbor Michigan (click on the second door on the Ann Arbor page to view sightings). Visitors and children are enthralled with hunt. Check out the "Fairy Door" Google installed in one of their conference rooms; the title on the Fairy Door is "Giggle," how appropriate! Perform a search in Google for "Fairy Doors." There is a lot of information out there (resources and blogs) regarding this subject. Judy Santoni and her girls visited Ann Arbor, click HERE to read their story. You will see that the possibilities are limitless!

If you have small children or grandchildren, this is a perfect idea to add a bit of magic to your home or business. What child wouldn't would love having a "Fairy Door" to visit? There are so many creative and imaginative things you can do with these. Start a tradition by encouraging children to clean their room, then, if they don't clean their room, the cleaning fairy comes to tidy up the room and leave a note saying she is disappointed and will visit again later hoping the room will be clean next time or maybe every night the fairy is moved to a different spot and, of course, you might mention the fairy door is only magical when they don't touch it.

You can purchase "Fairy Doors" from Enchanted Fairy Doors Shop or Monkeytail and Wellington or purchase dollhouse doors and adorn them yourself.

'Tis the Season!

I love the Christmas season! Everyone seems extra friendly during the holiday season. This year (and I still can't believe it), I am not going all out with my usual Christmas decorating. Because I was out of town at the beginning of December, and also because Jerry and I are going to Casey & Owen's (my son & daughter-in-law and my two granddaughters) home to celebrate Christmas with them, I decided not to put up a tree this year. YIKES, this is a first for me and it feels strange! Next year, though, I am planning on decorating as usual and hosting a Christmas Open House.



This year Casey has been busy decorating her house with a little inspiration from Anthropologie. If you have visited the Green Hills store, you may have seen lots of stacked wood and their famous handmade snowballs. These snowballs are the cutest and are so easy to make. We asked our sales person if she knew how they were made and she spilled the beans. Jackpot!!!



Here is how to make indoor snowballs that "won't melt in your house!"

1. Crumple up white kraft paper to the desired size. (Be sure to vary the sizes)
   
2. Wrap the crumpled ball with plastic wrap at least 4 or 5 times.
3. Wrap outer layer in Glad "Press & Seal" with the sticky side out.
   
4. Roll sticky ball in artificial snow. (Artificial snow can be purchases at Target or any craft store.)
5. Voila' ... you have the cutest snowballs ever!
   

Who knew they would be so easy and inexpensive to make?



Look how cute these jars are with the white lights, silver ornaments, and snow.

I love decorating with live greenery. Not only does it look great, it smells even better! Take time to enjoy the sights, smells, and good eats of this holiday season!

Making a difference in a community!

Lee McElwee, our office manager, made the comment after seeing the movie Blind Side, "This movie inspires you to want to do more." I hope this movie will inspire everyone that sees it to do more for humanity. Our entire family and several friends are going to see the movie on Thanksgiving night. I have heard rave reviews about this movie. I can't wait to see it; I love movies based on true stories.



This movie made me think about the nonprofit organization in which Dandelion Interiors is a member. The group is WCAA (Window Coverings Association of America), which is a nonprofit organization for the custom window treatment industry. This organization sets the standards for business owners that fabricate and/or sell window coverings. WCAA members are committed to educating themselves and providing the highest quality custom window treatments. Dandelion been a member of this group for over 10 years and we have dedicated ourselves to maintaining these high standards. In fact, I believe in this organization so much that I am an active WCAA board member.

This year, our members decided to get involved with Habitat for Humanity after Julie Coleman and Jill Robson spoke with Lisa McIntyre at Habitat for Humanity. Jill Robson was instrumental in securing the donations for the hardware and linings that were used in the homes. The hardware was donated by a local company, United Supply Company and the lining was donated by both Read Window Products and United Supply Company. The cost of the fabric was paid for with our local chapter's funds. Additionally, many of our members donated lots of time to fabricate the drapery panels. Very proud to be a part of this giving group.

What is Habitat for Humanity?

• They are a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian ministry founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live. They build homes for people in need, regardless of race or religion. They welcome volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds.
• The houses are simple, decent and affordable to low-income families around the world. See what Habitat houses are like around the world.
• Whenever possible, they build energy-efficient, sustainable housing. Learn more about our construction and environmental resources.

This week, Jerry Green and Johnnie Davis installed drapery panels in two Habitat for Humanity homes. Originally, they were scheduled to install draperies in three homes, but they ran into a snag when they noticed a doorbell was installed over the window in one of the homes. The homeowner was disappointed, however she was assured that we would return with a solution and she would have her draperies soon. Our group is providing draperies for nine new happy homeowners.



This is Jill, chapter Vice-President, steaming the panels after Jerry and Johnnie installed the draperies.

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments regarding activities you are involved in to give back to your community, the earth or anything you do to make someone's life a little better.

Decorating for Thanksgiving

Spring and fall are my favorite seasons. I think the fall colors are inspiring. The cooler weather always gets me in the decorating mood, I begin pulling out my fall/Thanksgiving decorations. This year, I purchased a few new items to add to my collection. Decorating for the holidays is an easy and inexpensive way to totally change the look and feel of your home.

I found this classic turkey a couple of years ago at Williams Sonoma. He will always be part of my Thanksgiving decorations. The swag/pumpkin garland came from Pottery Barn. These decorations made a perfect addition to my dining room table.


Since my house has been the gathering place for Thanksgiving for the past 15 years, I always seem to adorn the dining room more than any other room in my house. We will have 18 -20 people ready to gobble down the feast on Thanksgiving day. I picked up this cute pheasant at Z-Galleries this year. They had a great sale on their accessories.

I added my rusty wire pumpkin to a bookshelf in my family room and sprinkled a few dried leaves around the base for added interest.

I had to purchase the adorable ceramic pear and pumpkins from Z-Galleries. The price was too good to pass up. I added a few fall leaves that were kissed with a touch of glitter.

Of course, I always have to burn a few spice candles and brew some spiced cider to complete the mood. Now all I have to do is work on my menu, determine what dishes my family will bring, go to the market, cook the turkey and dressing, set the table . . . . Whew, I think I am tired already. Happy Thanksgiving, hope all of you have a great day with your family.

Favoriate Finds at High Point Fall Furniture Market

Jerry and I returned from High Point Furniture Market recently. High Point Market runs for seven consecutive days. Everyday designers walk until they feel like their legs will fall off and then get up the next day and do it all over again. There is so much to see at this market. I wonder if anyone can see it all. You can tell in the videos I am still perfecting my video skills. Just use the pause/rewind button if I moved to fast in the video. More videos showing you what's new when I visit Atlanta's Merchandise Mart in January and High Point again in the spring.

Below are some of the showrooms I found interesting at this market.

*Song: Stop and Stare by One Republic

Loved the furniture pieces and accessories in this showroom.

*Song: Fireflies by Owl City

More great furniture pieces. I love the distressed looking furniture. So much less fussing and worrying over dents and scratches.

Song: Hallelujah by Brandi Carlile

Great outdoor pieces.

*Song: Show Me What I'm Looking For by Carolina Liar

Great lamps with great pricing.

*Song: Free by Sarah Brightman

Beautiful glassware.

Blending Family Heirlooms Into Your Space

I love the pieces that my Grandparents and Great Aunts have handed down to me. That special chair or maybe the bowl that always had the best homemade potato salad at the family gatherings. Those things bring back memories every time I see them.

This past weekend when I was in Huntsville visiting, I helped Casey blend an antique corner china cabinet and several pieces of glassware that her Grandparents had given her into her dining room. Casey's dining room walls are a deep red color and the china cabinet is a dark wood color. The challenge was to create a display that was not too old fashioned. Casey likes mixing old pieces and new pieces together and that is exactly what we did!

First, we pulled out the pieces from her Grandmother that she loved, then we looked over things that she had in her cabinets and picked the things that would mix well.



We decided on martini glasses, two antique platters, several vases, a cake stand, ice cream cups, a soup tureen and a hand embroidered hand towel. We purchased three cupcake candle holders to add some interest to the cake plate and crystal knobs from Anthropologie. Those crystal knobs really did the trick to help the cabinet come alive.



Since this corner of the room lends itself to be on the dark side. We decided to leave the doors open on the cabinet. What a difference leaving the doors open made. When the doors are closed the reflection from the glass made it very hard to see what was in the cabinet. With the doors open you can see everything clearly. We have already had a little resistance to the idea. Maddie (the eight year old) and Owen (my son) were trying to be helpful and closed the doors. We've now enlightened them when it comes to open China cabinets.

As we studied our creation, we decided the addition of a few funky plates would add even more charm. Here is one of the plates Casey ordered.


When you receive a family heirloom, many times with very little effort you can create a very unique look. Try covering an old chair with a really cool fabric and you'll fall in love with the chair all over again. I'm sure Casey's grandmother will be love seeing her China cabinet being enjoyed by her granddaughter and great granddaughters!

I Love Shopping at Anthropologie

This weekend, I went to visit Maddie & Morgan, my granddaughters in Huntsville, AL for Halloween. While I was there Casey, my daughter-in-law and I went shopping at Bridge Street mall which is an upscale outdoor mall in Huntsville, AL. One of the stores we love to shop at is Anthropolgie. We love seeing what new things they have out on their shelves. Casey and I both love their clothes and their home accessories.

Their clothes and home accessories are not the only things that are unique, their store displays are always something everyone notices. I decided to share some photos to show you what I mean. Yesterday, we entered the store and see the snowy forest of Birch trees adorned in the latest fashion.

I love these Owl teapots. The teapot allows you to place tea leaves into the strainer. I think I might be getting one for Christmas!!


I love the sweater and the tree displays made from either paint sticks or those woods wedges you can get from a home improvements stores.

I think I am loving gray this year.

Notice the displays made from hangers on the wall. Anthropologie always tries to only use recycled materials for their displays.


I think I need those champagne flutes.

Casey and I had a great day and walked away with several treasures from Anthrophologie. In Tennessee there is a store in Green Hills.

Painting a Room? What Color Primer Did You Select?

In a recent issue of the Sherwin Williams publication, "Stir," there was an interesting article regarding primers. It's a great article for anyone getting ready to paint a room; even if you're hiring a painter, make sure to discuss what color primer they will be using.

Take note of the paint swatch and the end result of each of the samples. You will notice the bottom sample produced the brightest and clearest paint color. The bottom sample used the gray primer that Sherwin Williams recommends and the results were stunning. It matched the paint swatch exactly!

Below is an excerpt from the article:

Conventional wisdom tells you to use a white primer or one tinted with the topcoat color. But sometimes there’s a better choice, and it’s the Sherwin-Williams Color Prime® System of gray-tint shades for primers. We’ve found that many of the bold, deep, vivid, and transparent hues in our palette reach their true color in fewer coats when applied over a gray-tinted base coat.

Here’s how it works – Primer tinted to the right shade of gray creates the ideal balance of light absorption and light reflection to more successfully achieve the correct topcoat color, and achieve it in fewer coats. So with the Color Prime System, you’ll get the color you’re looking for and you’ll save time and money. And that’s not all, tinting a primer to the recommended gray shade ensures better touch-up, superior hide, more uniform color, and less streaking. Which adds up to an easier job for you, and customers pleased with a job well done.

When painting a room yourself always consult with your local paint professional. Give them details on what type and color of paint are currently on the wall. Many paint stores now offer small paint samples; these samples are inexpensive, so be sure that you don't skip the important step of doing a test on your wall. The color test should be at least an 18" square. I suggest doing this test on both sides of a corner, if possible. Live with it a couple of days. Then, if you love it after two days, you are ready to paint.

Once a room is painted, even if they don't love it, most people don't decide to re-paint until years later. Since wall color can make or break a room, take time to get it right the first time.

Don't forget that Sherwin-Williams "Colorsnap" and Benjamin Moore "Ben" offer color matching apps for iPhone users!

Another Design Option for Double Stack Windows

Our clients, Jenelle and Earl, contacted us several weeks ago and decided it was time to add draperies to their living room. As the conversation continued, we found out their daughter is getting married and they were be going to hosting the wedding reception at their home. What a perfect way to use part of the wedding decorating budget! We proposed two different styles that we thought would be perfect for their space. After reviewing the renderings we created, they decided on the Basketweave style panels. Since the panels were going to be almost 17' long, we felt like the Basketweave would add extra detail and break up the length of the draperies.




It was a win-win for everyone! Jenelle daughter will have a beautiful space for her reception and Jenelle and Earl will have fabulous Basketweave draperies in their home to remind them of their daughter's wedding. Since these windows produced a lot of heat and light, I also recommended tinting their windows with Vista film from Solar Insulation and adding Hunter Douglas Duette Duolite Shades. The Duette Shades from Hunter Douglas are two shades in one. The top of the shades is a sheer Duette and the bottom shade is a semi-opaque Duette. I love these shades. They one of my favorites!

Nashville's Home & Garden Show

Friday afternoon, we visited the Nashville Home & Garden Show at the Nashville Convention Center. You could find everything from a Jalapeno dip to a solar Wind Turbine. I took a couple of pictures with my iPhone to give you a glimpse of some of the vendors we visited. I loved the Total Quality Environmental booth with their full Wind Turbine on display.



Lively Landscaping, I love water features in a backyard.



Fire Pit Art ~ Very cool fire pits, I love the two plain ones on the right.

Solar Insulation ~ We found our friends from Solar Insulation. If you are experiencing excessive heat or glare problems, window film can substantially reduce these issues. We recommend window film to almost every client. Window film not only reduces heat and glare it also reduces UV rays, which can severely damage window treatments, hardwood floors, wood furniture and upholstery.




Perma Glaze ~ This company can restore or change the color of any piece of porcelain, tile, fiberglass or acrylic. If you have a bath with an "out of date color," this company can change the color at a very reasonable cost.

Winell Lee ~ What a grand fireplace mantel.


All Phase Exteriors ~ These gutters certainly make a statement.

Step Into Africa

I know this blog does not contain any decorating tips, but I wanted to share this opportunity from World Vision that our church, Community Church of Hendersonville, is hosting.


We are the only church in Tennessee hosting this unique event. We have over 320 volunteers signed up to make sure everything is perfectly setup and all the tours run smoothly. "Step into Africa" starts September 13th and runs through September 20th. Click learn more about "Step into Africa." The cost is FREE. We are expecting 5,000 - 8,000 people to tour the exhibit next week. Each person will experience the exhibit with a headset and is guided by the voice of a child in Africa. The purpose of this event is to create awareness about the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Click here to view a video. After you tour the exhibit our church is offering the opportunity to sponsor a child. So many children in Africa are orphaned, both parents have died from AIDS and these children are left to fin for themselves. Jerry and I have been sponsoring a young girl, Julieth Issac Nassary, for almost two years. We know we can't help everyone, but we can help someone. The cost is only $38 per month.

A lot of people ask "How do you know if the money is really going to the children?" World Vision is accountable to a third party company; 87% of the funds given to World Vision goes directly to the children only 13% is used to run the organization.

Another Design Option for a Bay Window

John and Marlene wanted to added window treatments to dress up their dining room. They also wanted to make sure the design we selected included privacy during the day, since this window is close to the road.

We suggested adding Hunter Douglas Silhouette Shades which would give them the option to have filtered privacy during the day and total privacy at night. Then we also suggested stationary Ruche Top Draperies mounted on a custom wood pole with decorative finials. Once we presented them with the rendering they loved the entire design concept. You can see the final results look fantastic!

Beautiful Window Treatments for Bay Windows!

Our clients, John and Marleen have in a beautiful home on the lake and of course all lake homes include a beautiful view. Marleen loves to retreat to her master bedroom to read and gaze out at the beautiful view. What a perfect spot for a relaxing retreat.

John and Marleen wanted to add window treatments to warm up their space. We decided to add a swag style top treatment with stationary drapery panels. For privacy, we installed Hunter Douglas Eclipse Duette Shades. These shades provide almost total blackout, which makes for a perfect sleeping environment. The rendering convinced them to move forward with the project.