Eye for Design
By Lorette Mawson

It’s time to create an outdoor haven to relax; whether you are dealing with a small budget or one that allows you to splurge, summer is about having a place to kick back, relax and entertain.
With today’s selection of patio furniture, staying on budget is an easy task. Basic chairs and tables can be jazzed up with inexpensive seat cushions, tablecloths, and various-sized lanterns. These can be found pretty much anywhere, from hardware stores to home decor stores. The same goes for outdoor rugs, which you can find in sizes and prices to fit any budget.
For splurging, canopies are a wonderful way to enjoy dining in the great outdoors. They come in many price points, with some that have closed-in sides to keep pesky critters at bay.
Even if you only have the space for a little corner, making it comfortable with a great lounge chair for soaking up the sun, along with a small side table for a nice cold drink, you should create a spot to enjoy. If only our summers would outlast our winters, we could really get into some outdoor lounging.

Eye for Design
By Lorette Mawson

As I sit here listening to rain and howling wind, I am reminded of the beautiful afternoon I recently spent raking. Considering everyone is ready to get outside and enjoy the outdoors, adding curb appeal can be a great project if you are thinking about selling your home or if you just want to perk things up a notch.
I always start by walking around the property, looking for peeling paint on windows, railings, fences, etc., and making sure all of these are still safe. Once that is done, I stand back and take a look at the front door: is it tired looking? How about light fixtures: are they in good condition or could they use sprucing up? New paint and light fixtures are great ways to start amping up your curb appeal. Other ideas include replacing door hardware and numbers if they have seen better days.
Now time for the fun. Consider adding a wreath to your door and maybe some planters. If watering is not your cup of tea, the selection of artificial shrubs you’ll find these days is stunning, and by adding mini-lights at Christmas, they can become a focal point year-round with no work required.
Another quick and easy way to add curb appeal is using window boxes. One of my favourite things is to change them with the seasons.
Finally, illuminating the walkway to your front door with solar lights will lead your guests or potential buyers directly to that newly painted front door. Let’s hope the weather cooperates so we can all get outside and enjoy this beautiful season.

Eye for Design
By Lorette Mawson
http://www.DecorateWithLorette.com

We are approaching that time of year when, quite frankly, I am ready to say goodbye to winter, open up those windows and welcome spring.
This time of year seems to get me motivated to spruce things up a little, which brings me to something I love to do: reinventing things I already have. During these economic times, we are being frugal with our money. It always amazes me how some good old-fashioned elbow grease, paint, fabric or new handles can transform something familiar into a thing of beauty.
Just because a piece was bought for a certain place, does not mean that it cannot be used for something totally different. I have seen china cabinets brought into bathrooms and a dresser used as a TV stand. Remove doors or change colour; there are many possibilities.
This is also great time to declutter. Because we spend more time indoors in the winter, things sometimes get a little disorganized. Sometimes that means we have to make a furniture purchase; if this is the case, I always look for furniture that is multi-purpose. For example, I just purchased a set of cubes that look like ottomans, and which provide extra seating in my living room. The seat can be flipped over to become a tray that comes in handy as a table for drinks. They also provide storage space for things like toys, magazines. They are soft, so kids don’t have to worry about hurting themselves. Multi-purpose furniture like this makes life a little easier.
So, whether you purchase a new item or you reinvent something that you already have, it is all about creating a place you feel comfortable in and that you love to come home to.
If you are interested in purchasing cubes or other interesting items, check out Leon’s Buy and Sell outside of Exeter. They have new items, as well as affordable items that, with a little tender, love and care, could be great pieces. You just have to think outside the cube.

Eye for Design
By Lorette Mawson
http://www.decoratewithlorette.com/

Since we are having, shall we say, an old fashioned winter, I thought why not talk about colour? This seems to be the time of year when we all could use a little colour in our living spaces. I am going to start with a quick definition of what each colour represents, which may give you the colour inspiration you need for your home.
One of my favourite colours is red, which is a colour of expression and energy. When used on walls, it has a wrapping effect.
Orange is a colour that represents warmth and nature. An upbeat colour, it also makes some feel hurried, so it may not be the best choice for a room where you want to relax.
Yellow, the happy, hopeful colour, is also considered an intellectual colour. This would make a good choice for an office or a classroom.
Right now, I wish I were seeing this colour out my window: green. Green is associated with nature, nurturing and harmony, so this would be a good colour for a bedroom, bathroom, reading area, office, or library. Many possibilities.
Purple, or violet, is associated with luxury, sophistication, and wealth. It can be overwhelming in large quantities, but very striking in accessories.
We’re seeing a lot of white these days; some see white as crisp and clean, others as sterile, and some find it stark and impersonal, while others find it calming.
The final colour I want to address is black. Black is the mystery colour, the colour of the unknown. It’s also a solid and grounding colour, and it’s a formal colour.
Knowing how colour can affect us should help you in choosing colours for your home. Other colour inspiration can come from a piece of fabric you love or your favourite clothes. We seem to gravitate to colours we love when we are buying clothes.
Soon, summer will come and we will be back to the great outdoors, but for now, I hope this little bit of colour knowledge will give you some inspiration, unless white is your colour of choice.

Eye for Design
By Lorette Mawson
http://www.DecorateWithLorette.com

Depending on your situation, getting your home ready for the buyers’ market can be a daunting task. The job can range from small touches to quite a makeover.
To begin the process of selling your home, I suggest starting at the point where a potential buyer drives in your laneway. For me, the front door has to be your focal point drawing buyers in. I suggest painting your door an eye-catching but pleasing colour. Also, if the hardware on your door is outdated, you should consider changing it.
My next step would be to take a walk around the property and fix anything broken, such as railings, fences, laneway cracks, peeling paint, etc.
As we approach the indoors, the most important steps are to clean and declutter. Put away seasonal items such as decor and clothing; you may have to rent storage or find a friend who will lend you a spare room.
Next fix anything broken inside, including taps, lights and railings. Outdated items such as cupboards can be transformed with some paint and new hardware. When giving your walls a fresh coat of paint, keep the colour fairly neutral to appeal to more buyers. Colour can be added through art and accessories.
Window treatments that are outdated can be replaced inexpensively with a bamboo or vinyl blind, making it clean and simple.
You may also want to store some of your furniture pieces if your rooms are too cluttered. Sometimes moving items to another room or changing an item’s colour or hardware can give a new perspective.
Try to make the sprucing up experience enjoyable by having a painting party; inviting friends to help seems to make things like less work.
A home stager may help, although I find the television shows on home staging a little unrealistic; after all, people still have to live in these homes while selling them, and with busy lives, children and jobs, the showcase look can be hard to maintain.
Once you get your updating done, the key is to try keep it as clean and clutter-free as you can, and hopefully the right buyer will walk through that eye-catching front door.

Eye for Design
By Lorette Mawson

Well here we are drawing close to that magical day. But in today’s busy world, it seems increasingly harder to get prepared for this beautiful time of year. Here are a few suggestions for last minute gift ideas and decorating.

Personalized gift-giving
Let’s start with the gifts, especially for the hard to buy for whom we seem to leave until last. Perhaps the best answer is something homemade; everyone has a talent of some sort, and it is also rewarding to give a gift your personal touch.
Are you a baker? Present your treats on a Christmas plate or in a Christmas tin, or wrapped in cellophane with a bow and possibly an ornament. If flower arranging is more your talent, how about a centerpiece? You could use Christmas mugs or bowls; use your imagination! For knitters, your handiwork always makes an excellent gift.

Simple decorating
When it comes to decorating, one easy and inexpensive solution is the easy to find pinecone. Put a bunch of pinecones in a basket, with a ribbon tied on. Or put pinecones in Christmas mugs in a row of three or five on your mantle or table. You can also make a wreath out of pinecones, again topped with a beautiful bow. I also recommend filling glass containers with pinecones, ornaments, or Christmas candy or candy canes.
Really, you do not need to spend a lot of money. With some imagination, you can achieve beauty in your home for the holidays without breaking the budget. Remember that the time you spend together is what makes the season magical.

Eye for Design
By Lorette Mawson

As we approach that magical yet busy time of year, this month is a great time to think about how to give your home a festive look for the holidays on any budget.
My first suggestion is to look to the great outdoors. I draw inspiration from my backyard, but you could try a walk through the park looking for pinecones, or a drive out to the country roads in search of greenery such as cedar, spruce, pine, or festive red dogwood.
Dollar stores are a great place to find inexpensive Christmas items, including Christmas mugs. Put a group of three together with a mini poinsettia in each or pinecones for a great look. For an added extra sparkle, a can of spray paint will go a long way. While at the dollar store, pick up a stack of Christmas boxes and wrap bows around them with a sprig of greenery to make an inexpensive festive decoration. The possibilities are endless.
If your budget allows for a little more splurging, fill outdoor urns and window boxes with greenery. Home stores can provide you with lots of reasonably priced items like Christmas throws, pillows, placemats, and tablecloths. Don’t forget candles: they are available at all price points and always add glow and warmth to a room.
For big spenders, remember that nothing is more festive that real greenery. Visit greenhouses/nurseries for some boxwoods for your urns, window boxes etc, and maybe some fancier greens. For the indoors, think about changing your art or area carpets. Now is the time to buy or bring out your fine china, crystal, wonderful centrepieces and candelabras. Also, if you are fortunate enough to have high ceilings some large-scale wreaths or arrangements in a smaller urn loaded up with greens and some hydrangeas or willow would look great on a buffet or in your foyer.
But all in all, just enjoy the season and the time you get to spend with family and friends and know that you really can have a beautifully decorated home on any budget.

Decorator and home stager Lorette (Vanneste) Mawson lives in McGillivray Township with her husband and two daughters.
For more, visit http://www.decoratewithlorette.com or call 519-294-0651.