One of the things I love about interior design is the variety of ways that I get to help people. From color and lighting to flooring and furniture, my job encompasses a great deal for both home and office. One service I don’t often mention is window treatments. Whether you are looking for ready-made or customized solutions, I can help. Of course there are countless scenarios for wanting or needing new window treatments, but here are just a few:

Ugly or naked windows. I help my clients appropriately dress their windows, functionally as well as fashionably. Windows may be left naked because of a challenging style or shape. Sliding glass doors, French doors, bay windows, cathedral windows, Palladium windows, triple hung windows, or corner windows would all fall under this category. Another explanation for naked or outdated treatments in that the homeowner may simply be at a loss for a solution. This is the perfect time to call in for extra support and advice.

The custom treatment. Some people simply love to have unique, personalized things. Nothing wrong with that! I provide custom design solutions and one of a kind creations as well the flexibility from shopping at home. With an extensive fabric library, my clients are able to touch and feel materials in person. Custom treatments allow for the freedom and creativity to design with every individual in mind.

Efficiency and control. In addition to being pretty, window treatments are an easy way to help insulate your home or office in the winter and keep you cool in the summer. Another primary function of window treatments is light control. Whether you need to diffuse direct sunlight, reduce glare on your TV or computer screen, or block that pesky street lamp from outside your bedroom window, treatments are the trick. Light control would also include room darkening options for those who work late shifts.

So regardless of your why, at least you know who. Lavender & Lotus Interior Design is the place to call for help with windows.

Source

Often overlooked, ceilings present a great deal of opportunity in creating unique and interesting spaces. If you have any doubt on their importance, you need only watch HGTV for about 3.4 seconds to hear someone comment “I love the _____ ceilings.” Am I right? Here are a few examples of well considered ceilings.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Let me tell you a little story about Larry, a lawyer that lives in Laconia. Unfortunately Larry is pretty lonely these days. He longs for a lasting relationship with a lovely lady. A likeable guy, Larry is good looking, drives a Lexus, and makes a fantastic lasagna. So why no luck in the love department? Well if you look around his house, Larry lives like a lazy loner. His limited furnishings can be summed up by a lava lamp and a La-Z-Boy. Any lady would be leery of a love interest that lived in such conditions.

Luckily, Larry’s friend Linus knew of a local gal that could point him in the right direction. “I think her name is Leduc from Lavender & Lotus,” he said. “Let her fix up the living room at least.”

This week I’m looking for an introduction to your brother or friend who struggles as a bachelor. Making changes to his home environment could be the shift to help him romantically. Help is just a call or click away!

A common design challenge homeowners seem to run into is knowing how to arrange or display framed artwork or photos. While there is no perfect recipe for every home, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Frame style, size, and matting: Using the same configuration on every piece will create a more formal look. For a more casual display, play around with 2 or 3 combinations of frame style, size, color, and matting.
• Subject matter: How do the images relate to one another? Photos and artwork can definitely be combined, but grouping certain colors or frames will help to harmonize the collection.
• Mix it up: Throw in something unexpected. This may be something more three dimensional like a wooden box, scuplture, or letter to represent the family name.
• Hanging: (I love this trick!) Cut a piece of paper to the same dimensions of each item to be hung. From there, tape the paper to the wall in the configuration you desire. This technique allows you to rearrange the items until it’s just right. Once every item is placed, you can measure/mark the “nail spot” on each piece of paper, and hammer right through. Ta da!

Remember, there is no perfect solution - do what works best for your home. Here are few images to help inspire you.

Sources: desire to inspire, Cynthia Benson, design is mine, design is mine, elle decor, Sally Daffodil

It’s Christmas Eve! My goodness. For what it’s worth, I’m feeling less stressed and more festive since last we spoke. If you are still looking for a bit of holiday spirit, perhaps try these spirits. (The name is silly, but they’re good).

Rudolph’s Nose

1 ounce vodka

1/2 ounce triple sec

1 ounce cranberry juice

1 ounce cherry juice

fresh raspberries

champagne or sparkling wine

1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and cherry juice. Shake then pour into a champagne flute.

2. Add 2/3 raspberries into the glass, top with a splash of sparkling wine or champagne.

(Please drink and drive responsibly).

Another detail that can add a lot of character to a room or home are the doors. It would be easy to play it safe in this regard, but look how fun it can be to step outside the box!

When it comes to Art Deco, the word GLAMOUR says it all. A middle ground for modernism, Art Deco was geometric, streamlined, super sleek and sexy. This style occurred during the financial boom of the 20s-30s, but was short lived because of WWII. Examples of Art Deco architecture include the Chrysler Building, Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, and hotels in NYC as well as Miami.

Characteristics of Art Deco include: rounded silouettes, glossy exotic woods, sunbursts, chevrons, zigzags, shiny metals, mirrored furniture, bling, bling, and more bling. Think Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Think flapper girls. Think King Kong. Think the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz.

Moving right along… Art Nouveau. Considered avant garde for it’s time, this style is an exaggerated expression of lines in nature. Nothing slow, straight, or simple here! Art Nouveau is intricately detailed with curling tendrils, stylized flowers, dragonflies, butterflies, peacocks, and women with flowing hair. The whiplash lines common to this style remind me of wildflowers dancing in the wind. Art Nouveau became especially popular in decorative arts such as metalwork, glass, jewelry, etc.

I love the complexity of this style, in moderation. Creating an entire room or house might feel too much like living in Rivendell (Lord of the Rings). What do you think?

Next up, Arts and Crafts. One of my absolute favorites, this style developed in response to the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. At a time where machines were quickly replacing talented artisans with inferior products, the Craftsman Movement was about celebrating traditional skills and creativity as well as emphasizing the natural qualities of materials. Important names to note during this period are William Morris, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Gustav Stickley.

Qualities to describe the Arts and Crafts style: earthy color palette, natural materials and finishes (wood, stone, slate, leather), built in’s (cabinetry, shelves, benches), stained glass, dark/rustic hardware, beefy/tapered columns, handcrafted textiles and ceramics, and an overall emphasis on nature.

Honest to goodness, I love this style. Arts and Crafts is classic, a great balance of not-too masculine or feminine, it’s architectural, and I love the emphasis on nature. See for yourself.

Have you ever noticed the frequency of birthdays this time of year? Between friends and family, there are more September birthdays than I can count! Statistics show that most birthdays actually fall between August and early October.

Let’s review some possible theories behind this fact.

1. Daylight savings: With less daylight, couples may go to bed earlier.
2. Change of season: Colder temperatures may encourage couples to seek alternative sources of heat.
3. Severe weather: Frequency of power outages during the winter months… and
4. Holiday beverages: Enough said.

Why am I bringing this to your attention? Because you may know a mother who is expecting any day now. She may need help finalizing details of the nursery, and I would love to help. Also, you may know of someone with a birthday approaching. A gift certificate for my services is a unique gift that she will appreciate for years to come.