During these last days of August, Kansas is blistering hot. Despite the heat, I have nothing but the cool, crisp days of autumn on my mind because I’ve been decorating my home for my annual fall open house. The Nell Hill’s team and I are having a blast filling my house with the bounty of the season, … [Read more...]
Fall for Earth Friendly Wicker and Bamboo
I still remember the glee I felt when I moved into my very first apartment. After years of decorating and redecorating my childhood bedroom (and every other room Mom would let me get my hands on), I finally had a place of my own to trick up. To stretch my decorating dollars, I liked to hunt for … [Read more...]
Marvelous Mirrors
Mirrors make fabulous decorating tools, adding style, brilliance and glamor to myriad spots in your home. These twinkling treasures became especially dear to me when I moved into my historic home and learned that years ago, when houses were built to protect against the weather, people relied on … [Read more...]
Turn on to Great Lamps
I have a deep and abiding respect for lamps. How could you not admire these workhorses, which not only brighten up our lives, but look like a million bucks while doing so? Like fine pieces of art, lamps bring character to our homes and help finish a room. And, like art, high-quality lamps can be … [Read more...]
Brew Up a Creative Coffee Table Design
Coffee tables are on my mind this summer because I just got one of the new coffee table ottomans we’re carrying at Nell Hill’s, which are upholstered with antique rugs. I’m smitten with mine because the rug covering my ottoman has tiny snags in it that I imagine came from someone’s kitty, … [Read more...]
The Best Seat in the House: How to Pick the Perfect Chair
Each morning, while it’s still dark outside, I pour a cup of strong coffee, snuggle into my favorite chair and mentally prepare for the day. No matter how haywire things may go, the day always starts out right, thanks to my comfy chair. I asked Beth and Rich, two of the talented interior … [Read more...]
Got Veggies?
Dan is on a healthy eating crusade, which means now I have to watch everything I put in my mouth, too. Don’t get me wrong – it’s not that I’m against eating healthy. Far from it. It’s just that in the mad rush of the day, I usually grab what I can on the go. But now that Dan’s filling our … [Read more...]
Enliven Your Home with Artwork
I love it when customers bring in photos of their biggest decorating dilemmas. Sometimes, they just don’t like a room but they don’t know why. As I look through their snapshots, it’s easy to see what’s bugging them. Even though they have filled the rooms with beautiful furniture and nice accents, … [Read more...]
Garden Statues Add Style
Once the pariah of the decorating world, garden statuary is now super chic. If you haven’t yet, invite your statuary inside, featuring it front and center in your displays year round. … [Read more...]
Take the “Man Cave” Up a Notch
Does the guy in your life have a “man cave”? You know, that sacred spot he’s carved out for himself in your home, the one outfitted with the ugly recliner he can’t live without and the other dubious furnishings you’ve banned from the rest of the house? He may ardently declare his love for this … [Read more...]