What's Keeping You From Making Your Home A Haven?

Living Well

What’s Keeping You From Making Your Home A Haven?

I have been thinking a lot about simplifying lately.

I made “simplifying” my word in January for 2015. Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s because my children are beginning to leave my nest…. I don’t know what it is, but I do know I want to take off the roller skates, relax and take time to slow down.

This certainly doesn’t mean I want to sit around all day. Not practical and certainly not my personality. It does mean, though, that I want to stay above the chaos of everyday life and say no to things that I don’t have to do or that don’t touch my heart.

I have been doing a lot of simplifying around my house this summer. If you could see the stuff- yes, all the stuff- my girls and I are taking out of my house, you would be amazed. As I have mentioned before, I do not like to let things pile up, but when I do, there is nothing better than cleaning out.

via stay positive | — Image from staypositive.me

Like my own home, I am running into a lot of homes lately where I see rooms that either serve as catch alls or rooms that are completely empty.

Sure, if you just bought a house, I can understand you having one or both of these kinds of rooms. But if you have been living in your home for a few years and you still have an unused room, ask yourself why?

What are you waiting on?

Stop a moment and take a good look as to how this room needs to function for you. Don’t wait- do it now. Life is too short and too stressful for your home to not be a place to retreat.

And while this home that a family of four recently moved into didn’t need simplifying, it needed a plan and a purpose for a few rooms, and we have been working on giving them a plan for each. I am still waiting on a few pieces to come in, but I love where it is going.

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset — Image from Dana Wolter Interiors

What do you think?

If you could use help turning your home into a haven, email me. I would love to talk to you about how we may be able to help.

Take time to simplify,

dana

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Living Well

How To Find The PERFECT Paint Color

Have you ever chosen a paint color, knowing it is the “perfect” one, only to have it painted to discover it looks completely different than what you imagined ?!

If so, you are not alone!

Take the guesswork out of choosing a color by following this process. It will ensure the color you achieve on your walls is what you are hoping for.

The important first step in choosing a paint color is getting it out of the store. Choose a handful of hues, or borrow the entire fan deck of colors, and bring the chips back home.

paint2 — We like to make our own swatches so we can be sure the color is what we think.

Nothing will help you choose a color better than seeing the hue applied to the wall.

Take the samples home and brush them on the walls of your room. If your walls are dark, paint the samples on a white piece of poster board so the current color doesnt interfere with the new ones.

Look at the colors at all times of day, from bright morning light to golden afternoon light to lamp-lit darkness. Sun, or lack thereof, can make a huge difference in how a color reads.

Always paint two very good coats to get a good idea of what the color is going to look like on the wall. Once the test sections are dry, hang artwork over them, push furniture in front of them, and stand back in the room to see how they look.

paint1 — This image shows your the difference in one and two coats.

When choosing a sheen, remember that flat paint gives you color closest to the original cardboard paint chip, where semi gloss paint will have a moderate reflective quality.

Remember with so many color choices available, it is necessary to take your color for a test drive before you buy.

paint4 — These are some Sherman Williams and Benjamin Moore colors we tested for a current project we are working on.

Happy painting,

dana

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Living Well

Fall Favorites

The leaves are beginning to fall, the air is cooling off, and the days are getting shorter. Football is in full swing and pumpkins are showing up everywhere.

This only means one thing… Fall is here!

As a way to celebrate the beginning of this new season, I wanted to share a few of my fall favorites from Pinterest. As mentioned in my last post, Pinterest is my go-to for all things inspiration.

cashmere blanket. The wine bar will be cool....Temperature wise, it is wine after all. — With cooler temperatures, who doesn’t love a cashmere throw? Image from The Little Corner.

Cindy Smith and Patrick Lewis's Prohibition Room offers rustic luxury at the 2013 Adamsleigh Showhouse - Traditional Home® Photo: John Bessler Sponsored by Lee Industries — I love the rustic elegance of this room. The ambiance of the room makes me want to wrap up in the blanket pictured above and enjoy a nice glass of red wine. Image by Cindy Smith and Patrick Lewis

Chocolate Pumpkin Cups ~ Can you believe these adorable little cups are entirely edible?? — Can you believe these adorable cups are edible? I am sure this is a project my girls will love! Image from Oh, Nuts!

It’s time for sweaters and booties! Image from fashionablelittlethings

As you know, I am all about simplifying and this image screams serenity and peace. Image from Savy City Farmer.

As I transition my garden from summer to fall, I added pumpkins to my planters. Image from Dana Wolter

flowers — This is an arrangement I used on my tables for Thanksgiving last year. Image from Dana Wolter.

Even though I am sad to see the summer sun slip away, autumn is an incredible time of year and I am looking forward to enjoying all that it has to offer.

Have a good one,

dana

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