Living Well

Four Tips For Selecting Lighting For Your Home

I am so excited to be included in a recent Traditional Home magazine story on lighting and thought I’d share four tips on selecting lighting for your home.

Tips for selecting lighting as seen in Traditional Home — As Seen In Traditional Home, Dana Wolter Interiors

Selecting the perfect light fixture is a great way to marry function and beauty while adding a custom touch to your house.

In many interiors, lighting isn’t given the attention it deserves. It’s often an afterthought, but well-chosen light fixtures—from chandeliers and pendants to wall sconces and lanterns—can be the element that adds that final hint of drama to a beautiful room.

Here are four tips we often implement when selecting lighting for our clients whom reach out to us here.

Four tips for selecting lighting for your home:

1. Include Lighting As A Statement Piece

In this soft gray corridor, we incorporated unlacquered brass lanterns to draw the eye upward and act as the perfect punctuation mark to tame a long hallway.

They not only make a statement but they provide needed light for the space.

Tips for selecting lighting for the home — Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography

2. Incorporate Sconces For Dimension and Soft Lighting

Sconces are often the jewelry that completes the little black dress of an interior—offering soft, sculptural light that can break up a long wall and add dimension. These gorgeous accent pieces act not only as accent lighting but also as artwork that personalizes the space.

Ornamented brass sconces with white shades act as delicate accents and balance artwork across the way.

Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography

3. Create Drama In A Small Space

Dramatic lighting used in small spaces can offer high impact in a diminutive package. It’s the ideal place for sculptural lighting that catches your eye.

We selected sconces in the same patina in the home’s powder room for consistency and to act as counterpoints to a gorgeous gilt mirror.

Paired with a gray grasscloth wallpaper and gray-flecked marble, the fixtures take on a new life.

4. Include Task lighting Where Needed

Another tip for selecting lighting for your home is that decorative fixtures need to be paired with task lighting in high-use areas like a kitchen. Recessed lighting, mixed with the more decorative ambient light from the lanterns, ensures that every surface is illuminated.

In the kitchen, we chose lanterns with a patina finish to hang over the island. While the kitchen has varying shades of gray, the patinated lighting acts as a casual counterpoint to the dark waxed island while popping against soft gray cabinetry.

I hope you found these four tips for selecting lighting for your home useful as the options for lighting are limitless.

Have fun and experiment with your own by mixing finishes and scale, along with new and antique, for a look special to you. The layering is half the fun.

xo,

Dana

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Living Well

Living Well: 2017 In Review

I’ve always been proud of how our designs change how people live- because they do. I’ve seen time and time again how a beautiful, well-functioning home can add to the quality of a family’s life and save them from costly mistakes.

While the reason we do what we do hasn’t changed, we gave it a name in early 2017. We added to our Vision Statement “To change people’s lives through the art of Living Well in their home.”

So, in keeping with Living Well in my own life, I thought it would be fun to look back at what 2017 held for me. Here is a recap- the good and the bad- that took place.

We began the year opening my new office in Mountain Brook, AL. I kept my office in my home for several years to stay close to my children, but now that they are older and my team has grown, it was time to move out. We are now in the heart of Mountain Brook Village, so still close to my own home which I love.

AFTER:

January also included installing our #DiamondsOfDesign vignette for the AmericasMart market in Atlanta, GA. It was their 60th anniversary and to celebrate, they had 10 designers from across the country create spaces based upon a style icon from the past 60 years.

Dana Wolter Interiors, photo courtesy of AmericasMart

In March, we installed our spaces in the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle’s Southeastern Showhouse in Atlanta, GA.

Designers from across the Southeast were asked to participate in this showhouse, and we loved being included. The house is a James Means’ creation where his designs were based upon Classicism and craftsmanship. The renovation/addition was by Yong Pak of Pak Hyde & Associates.

Here are a few pictures from our Mudroom photographed by Emily Followill:

March came with a family trip to The Ritz Carlton St. Thomas for spring break. It was a much needed break, and the fresh air and scenery were exactly what I needed.

We were thrilled to learn in early April that we were a Finalist for the 2017 ADAC and Veranda Southeast Residential Designer Of The Year award.

Though we didn’t win, it was a fun few days celebrating and catching up with design friends.

Talking with my friend, Arianne Nardo, of The Editor At Large

Rebecca and me heading to the awards’ ceremony

2017 also included publications of our work. We loved this feature here in Charlotte’s Peachy Magazine featuring one of our designs from years’ past. It’s an example that good design doesn’t go out of style….

Mountain Brook Magazine featured one of my favorite renovations. The backstory to this project is a feel good story for all, so be sure to read here .

StyleBlueprint did a wonderful feature on our work. You can see the article here.

I also visited New York a few times for work and for fun. I love the city and find inspiration from new sources so easily there. When I was there in July, I drove over with my friend Vicki to see the Traditional Home Hamptons’ Showhouse in July. It was filled with amazing talent and every space was gorgeous.

Vicki and I enjoying the Hampton Showhouse with Jill Waage, Traditional Home’s Editor In Chief

I can’t leave out moving TWO of my girls to college. While it is always time for them to go back to school when the time comes (and this is Lucy’s junior year), it is still emotional for me. Not sure why- because they are doing amazingly well, but I just miss them.

Mother/Daughter senior trip to the Grand Velas in May

We took over Traditional Home’s Instagram feed here in October and it was a ton of fun.

I enjoyed showing their followers around Birmingham, AL. People are always pleasantly surprised to see how urbanized our city is and all that it offers in the Deep South.

We had several installations this year, and for our amazing clients, we are always grateful. Here are some pictures of a few of the homes(photography by Graham Yelton):

If you are ~~still reading~~ following me here on Instagram, you know I recently had hip surgery. It was a big decision for me to go through with it as I have had hip pain for over three years. Quite frankly, I just became tired of being in pain and not being able to walk long distances. It has been a rough few weeks, but every day I seem to be a little stronger. I just pray 2018 will be pain free and that I will be able to walk as far as I would like without thinking twice. I’ve learned it’s the simple things that I take for granted, like bending over to tie my shoes (I can’t do this for six weeks post op). If you see me walking into my office barefoot, you will know why.:)

And while 2017 has been a pretty good year for business and accolades, what I am most grateful for is my family. Living Well for me is enjoying my family and creating memories with them whenever I can. I recently turned an extra room in our house into a tv room, and I have loved watching all of the many movies we did over the holidays.

So here’s to Living Well in 2018, whatever your definition may be. If it includes transforming your home into one that works hard to live up to your definition, give us a shout here. We’d love to hear from you.

Happy New Year-

Dana

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Living Well

After Pictures- Southern Style At Its Best

It’s always fun to go back to a finished project and see how a client is LIVING in the home.

I am always amazed at how your surroundings can completely revamp how you feel and live.

After all, #LivingWell in your home is about making your home work for you and your family. Making it special to you.

We made a two day visit to professionally photograph this home, and I loved seeing the hustle and bustle of everyday life for them. This family of five stays on the go, and their home needs to work hard for them.

Southern style at its best- spaces that invite guests in to visit, spaces that are workhorses for their needs, and in the end are just really pretty rooms.

I think we succeeded in making it just that….

It is their forever home, but when they bought it a year ago, there wasn’t much to it that made it feel like it was their own.

While I can’t show you the full room pictures, I can give you a glimpse….

You might have seen this picture of the foyer on My Instagram that I posted last week, or this one today……

And here are a few more……..

Kitchen Banquette Detail-Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography

Details on the loveseat in the bay window, Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography

If you feel like your home isn’t helping you make the most of your life and your family’s, email us here. Let us help you #LiveWell in your home, too.

xo,

Dana

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Living Well

Fly My College Girl and A Few Other Summer Highlights

I’ve been little sporadic blogging this summer, but that doesn’t mean lots of exciting things- personally and professionally- haven’t been going on. I don”t know where to start, so I thought I would give a few highlights.

I have been super focused right now on packing up my middle daughter, Ellie, and moving her into college TOMORROW. Lots of mixed emotions as I don’t think a move with my second child will be any easier than it was with my first.

We are doing a mix of custom and store bought finds for her dorm room. I’ve tried to spend a little more on the items that can be reused and go more for “look” on the basic items.

The girls want to be surprised, so they haven’t seen anything yet. I am a little nervous about not having feedback from them but I’ve had a hip, college intern this summer who approved. Hopefully, they will feel the love that has gone into creating their room by this old, not so cool (at least in my daughter’s eyes) mom.

I will try to share some picture on social media so you can see how it turned out. Be sure to follow along here on Instagram……

Our office closed the week of the Fourth of July and I headed to the beach. My oldest, Lucy, is working in New York this summer and Ellie was at the lake, so Danny and I took Ann and friends to Watercolor in Santa Rosa, FL, for the week.

I loved having some time (well, as much as they would give us) with these girls, and the rest was good for all. The one on one time with my hubby was icing on the cake.

Am I not like an old person? Sitting in the sun all covered up :). How times have changed…..

It’s a good thing we rested as my team and I came back to a huge install. This is a new construction we have been working on for over two years, and the cute couple, who built their forever home, were moving in that week.

The scope of the project covered all of the finishes/ details in the house, and the beginning of the summer included lots of attention to making sure all went seamlessly. We selected all of the upholstery, furnishing, accessories, window treatments, etc…, for the entire downstairs and a few things in the media room. The home is stunning with custom touches throughout.

It’s these custom touches that make a house go from pretty to pretty incredible. Lots of fabric cuttings going back and forth, creating a “catch your eye” focal point in each room, blending of finishes, making sure everything works with the piece next to it without being too perfectly matched….. You get the point. It’s custom what we do and attention to detail is our specialty.

Upholstered doors against the slab of Calcutta Gold marble turned out beautifully in the bar, Dana Wolter Interiors

Custom banquette fits JUST right in the breakfast area, Dana Wolter Interiors

It’s been a fun project as we’ve blogged about it here if you’d like to read more.

I headed to the Hamptons at the end of July to celebrate the opening of the Traditional Home Showhouse in Southampton. It was a lot of fun and the two homes are gorgeous. Lots of stunning details shown on Traditional Home’s Instagram here. Be sure to look for more pictures of the homes in next summer’s issue.

Pictured here with Jill Waage, Editor In Chief, and Vicki Carra of Traditional Home

We’ve also been diligently working on a few new rooms that have been added to the scope of a current project. It is a stately house with great bones with a cute, active family that lives in it. Lots of beautiful stone throughout- but it needed some softness and layers and unique details added into the mix. We’ve brought in an architect to make the rooms flow better. It doesn’t matter how pretty a space is if it doesn’t function well for your family. Right??!

Curating a few fabrics for the foyer, Dana Wolter Interiors

Stay tuned as we are sharing some exciting news soon. In the meantime, wish me luck moving in my girl.

I am going to miss her infectious laugh and the relaxed feel she adds to the house. Wondering if crying when dropping off college kids is embarrassing to them. I am only asking for a friend 🙂

Have a great day and thanks for reading,

Dana

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Living Well

Living Well: Tips On Incorporating A Mirror Into Your Interiors

As I was going thru some photos of my work recently, I was reminded of something important…..

When hanging a mirror, not only is the placement important, but also be mindful of what it reflects.

See what I mean?

Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Elton Photography

I also love incorporating a mirror in an entrance way when possible. The picture of this foyer is from several years back, but I still love how it adds reflection and softness to the space.

Hope these tips help when you are deciding where to hang a mirror in your home. Have a great day, everyone-

Dana

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Living Well

Easy Ways To Create An Inviting, Outdoor Living Space

With summer in full swing and warm weather here to stay, I find myself wanting to spend a little more time outdoors.

Maybe it’s the Southerner in me, but I love the idea of grilling, sharing a meal, or even drinking my morning coffee outside.

Every home should have an outdoor area. It doesnt have to be large, just big in style to invite you to sit down and relax.

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset — Image from Dana Wolter Interiors

I always try to soften an outdoor area so it feels like an extension of a client’s home. Don’t be afraid to add accents and traditional indoor furnishings to your outdoor room. Outdoor upholstery, throw pillows for furniture, rugs, and other design touches will create a welcoming feel.
Below is a picture of my own outdoor space. As you can see, I have kept a similar color palate to the inside of my house and just added some greenery and pops of color in my throw pillows.

With all of the hard surfaces you find on a terrace, greenery is always a nice way to soften the space as well. I am a big fan of succulents because they are EASY to maintain and a great way to add texture to a table.

outdoor space — Image from Dana Wolter Interiors

I would love to hear how you’ve brought the indoors out at your home.

Happy outdoor living,

dana

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Living Well

Friday Favorite

Good Morning and Happy Friday,

I came upon this outfit as I was doing a little online shopping and while I love the outfit, I love the colors for an interior even more.

enno-top-cameo-pink — Image from Piperlime

Lilac, pink, and gray are big colors right now and I think this color palette would be beautiful in a bedroom. I love how peaceful and serene these colors read together, but the pop of color can really make a room come alive.

What colors are you into these days? I would love to hear from you.

Have a good one,

dana

Living Well

Friday Favorite

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a Friday Favorite, but I saw this image on Pinterest and I couldn’t resist.

How cool is this piece of bluestone that has been scored to work like a drain? I love the creativity and uniqueness of hiding something that is needed, and I will definitely keep this design in mind for future projects.

Have a good one,

dana

Living Well

Exciting Things Are Happening For DWI

I am thrilled to share with you that DWI has received some great coverage in several publications over the past month.

I am excited to have been selected as a member of Coastal Living and Southern Living‘s Designer Network. The design network is made up of a group of editorially recommended designers for readers of these publications. I am thankful to be one of three designers from Alabama to be selected in this group, and I look forward to the opportunity to connect with readers of these magazines.

Hunter Douglas asked Traditional Home readers to chose from the 10 up- and- coming New Trad designers whose work they most admire. As I’ve shared with you, I am honored to have been selected, and appreciate all of the support.

Traditional Home also shared the results from the Ethan Allen virtual mood board contest based on a local landmark. If you’ll remember, I created a family room inspired by Vulcan Park and Museum. Thanks to nearly 7,000 votes from you, I won. Thank you!

If you haven’t already seen these publications, check them out.

Dana

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Living Well

Five Tips For Prepping Your Garden For Spring

With spring right around the corner, I am ready for my garden to be filled with color and fragrance.

Before I go any further, let me assure you that I am no expert when it comes to gardening. I have been doing my homework, though, as I am trying to learn more about what I can do now to make it as pretty as it can be.

Below is a picture of my garden last spring. It’s this time of year mine looks the best, and while I love it, life gets in the way so I do not always nurture it as I should.

Dana Wolter Interiors Blog | Thoughts, Tips, and Trends for Today's Design Dana Wolter Interiors — My garden last year. Image from Dana Wolter Interiors

I am trying to do better, hence the reading and researching. Here are a few tips that stood out to me that I thought might be helpful to you as well:

1. Create a composting area

This is something I really want to begin doing. The compost can be a ready-made compost bin or we can build a compost bin using spare bits of wood. Not only will we have somewhere to put garden waste, but the plants will benefit from the rich compost created when it all breaks down! Make sure you have a good mixture of grass clippings, vegetable peelings, paper and woody prunings. To help the process along, we will have to turn the compost with a garden fork each month to keep it aerated.

How To Start a Compost Heap ~ it's really easy, affordable, useful, and sustainable. Composting recycles kitchen and yard waste, diverting up to 30% from the trash and consequently reducing landfill waste. Compost adds nutrients and introduces beneficial organisms to the soil, and helps promote plant growth. — Image from apartmenttherapy.com

2. Prep the beds.
Remove winter mulch, leaves and any other debris from your beds. Cut back the old dead growth of deciduous grasses and perennials to make room for the new growth. Any weeds that appear in your garden will be easiest to pull now, as the roots are shallow. I have done this and am making one more go around this weekend.

Gardening Tips for beginners — Image from grit.com

3. Fertilize the soil

Now’s the time to make sure your soil is properly balanced and ready for new plants. Once the beds are all cleaned out, it’s time to till the ground. This will help aerate and loosen up soil that has compacted over the winter, which will encourage the soil to absorb nutrients better. It will also make it easier to plant.

4. Prune

It’s time to prune back tree or shrub branches have been damaged by the cold, snow, and wind. Make sure to do so before buds begin to break into bloom or you’ll stress the tree and get a tiny crop, if any. Use a handsaw for any tree or hedge larger than ½ inch in diameter. Shaping hedges with hand pruners, rather than electric shears, prevents a thick outer layer of growth that keeps sunlight and air from reaching the shrub’s center.

veggie garden with formal hedge edges — Image from paradiseexpress.blogspot.com

5. Order bulbs and seeds

Decide now what flowers and plants you want in your summer garden. Order the seeds or the bulbs from a local plant shop like my local favorite Leaf and Petal or online. Hold onto the seeds and bulbs until the warmer weather arrives, but make sure that the seeds and bulbs will not deteriorate or lose quality if they sit for some time.

flower garden — Image from howardrice.co.uk

Let me know how it goes for you, and if my efforts pay off, I will share my progress as well.

Happy Gardening,

dana

PS If anyone feels extra inspired and wants to come to use these tips on my garden, I will happily welcome you, and I know my garden will too.

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Living Well

We’ve Grown, And In The Best Way

I am overdue in sharing some exciting news with you.

Abbey proudly welcomed William “Jackson” Dunn on January 14, weighing seven pounds.

Emma Lake and Jackson — Proud sister, Emma Lake, loves her brother.

Mom and Jackson are doing well. I, on the other hand, am missing Abbey. Hurry back Enjoy this precious time with him, Abbey.

Around the time Abbey left to go on her maternity leave, I hired Tyler Hergert as a Junior Designer, and she’s been a wonderful addition to the firm. Tyler is organized, laid back, and easy going, and she has a great eye for design. Tyler went to The University of Alabama, and graduated with a degree in interior design.

We thought it would be fun to ask Tyler a few questions, so you could get to know her better.

Favorite store to window shop…. Anthropologie and Elle

Movie I’d watch over and over again…. Now and Then!

My guilty pleasure is…. Candy! I love all types of sour candy.

My hero is…. My mother. She is the strongest and kindest person I know!

If I could trade places with anyone, it would be…. Kate Hudson. She is so chic and seems down to earth.

I can’t live without… My cell phone or my planner.

My go-to for inspiration….My Pinterest boards. That is where I store all of my favorite designs and ideas! I also have a large collection of interior design coffee table books that I browse through often for ideas.

Quick design tip….Your home should reflect your personality, so pick items you really love rather than following a trend. Surround yourself with pieces that make you happy!

I am thankful for the growth in DWI, and look forward to sharing with you what’s ahead for us in 2015.

Have a good one,

dana

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Living Well

Five Ways To Make An Impact in A Powder Room

Maybe you like to play it safe with the interiors of your home, because, after all, your home is an investment and it’s expensive to make changes.

But if you are looking for a place to go bold and daring, the powder room is the perfect spot.

It’s all about the details in the powder room, and just because its the smallest room in your house, doesn’t mean it can’t have the most impact.

Below are five ways to make your powder a really special room:

1. Add a dramatic color or a unique wallpaper.

2. Make the powder room as cozy as possible. In my book, the smaller the better, as long as everything is to scale and can fit nicely into the space.

tiny bathroom in white, black, and gold. — Image from Apartment Therapy

3. Select unique lighting. Incorporate a sconce or two, and if overhead lighting is a must, select a unique chandelier that fits the space.

Powder room — Image from Segret To Secrets

4. Make the sink as special as you can. I love using marble to create a vessel, and it also adds some texture to the space.

5. Accessorize. Pull in pretty linens such as a hand towel and use special soaps. Fresh flowers instantly brighten the space, and cost very little to do so.

DanaW_Tuscaloosa_165-L — Dana Wolter Interiors

Make the smallest room in your house have the most impactful. Because powder rooms are used only briefly, they are the ideal place for drama and beautiful style. Their small scale allows you to indulge in lavish materials and bold effects that you might not dare otherwise.

Go ahead– take the risk, and be sure to let me know how it turns out.

dana

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Choosing The Perfect Headboard

When decorating a bedroom, choosing the type of bed can be one of the hardest things to do. It is usually the focal point of the room, so it is essential to get it right.

Today, I am sharing a few tips that will help you pick one that anchors your room in a perfect way.

One of the most important factors to consider is the size of the bedroom. How much space do you have for the bed?

Keep the size of your headboard in proportion to the bedroom space and ceiling height. While I don’t mind bigger scale pieces in a bedroom to create a cozy space, you do want to make sure there is room for bedside tables and perhaps a place to sit in there as well. The larger the room, the larger the headboard can be without swallowing up the room visually.

headboard1 — Image from Dana Wolter Interiors

Consider the look you are going for in your bedroom. To work well as a visual focus, a headboard must not only look good, it must also fit within the context of the room.

If you prefer a more elegant, sophisticated style, a complementary upholstered headboard that’s covered in a rich textile, such as velvet or suede would compliment the room best.

satinheadboard — Image from House Beautiful

Bold, patterned fabrics add a splash of color and create a focal point for the room.

For a more airy and light feeling to your bedroom, a minimally detailed headboard with soft curves and caning may be for you.

Headboards with straight lines in wood or sleek leather tend to have a more masculine feel.

masculine headboard — Image from Tidbits and Twine

Regardless the style of your bedroom, keep in mind the scale of your room, ceiling height and decor style and you are on your way to a gorgeous headboard.

Enjoy your day,

dana

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Living Well

Exciting News For The New Year

New year, new ideas.

We have decided to spice things up and we are now sending out a newsletter periodically.

The newsletter will include a variety of design tips and tricks. You’ll receive ideas on how to create beautiful rooms, learn about my “must-haves”, find out my favorite paint colors, and so much more.

In the first newsletter, I give a few tips on how to make a dramatic impact in a room.

slliving pics of home 2 — Dana Wolter Interiors

You won’t see this information anywhere else from me, so sign up now. The newsletter is ready to be sent, so to receive it, please click here.

Have a good one,

dana

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Living Well

Inspiring Tablescapes for Thanksgiving Entertaining

Are you ready?

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and there’s no time like now to start hammering out the details.

If you are like me, you ~~haven’t done the first thing to prepare~~ are determined to make the festive day smooth and stress-free. After all, the holiday is about coming together and giving thanks for all we are grateful.

BUT…….. Long before the food is served, your table will make a first impression.

Some of the loveliest tables aren’t necessarily about the china or silver, but rather the natural elements that suggest the occasion. I love fine china and silver as much as the next person, but what really makes the table for me is a thoughtful arrangement, place cards, or special linens.

As mentioned in a previous post, unique napkin folds are an simple way to add elegance to your table. If you haven’t already, watch this video as I show how easily napkin folding can be done in a unique way.

Below we are sharing some of our favorite tablescapes from Pinterest.

Green and white plethora of pumpkins — Take advantage of what nature provides. The varieties of pumpkins, gourds, and garden plants lend themselves to beautiful arrangements. Image from The Daily Basics.

I love the mixture of colors, tones and textures at this table. Image from Martha Moments.

Handmade place cards are such a nice, detailed touch. Image by Cottage and Vine

Instead of place cards, why not use words that are reminiscent of Thanksgiving such as thankful, grateful, appreciative and fortunate. A wonderful way to bring the Thanksgiving spirit to your table. | The Glamorous Housewife — Instead of place cards, use words that remind you of giving thanks. Image from The Glamorous Housewife.

It’s important to remember that you don’t have to break the bank to create a memorable setting. Image from Griffanie.

Beautiful and simple are the words for the day. Here’s to getting your table ready to give thanks,

dana

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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

Wednesday Wisdom

For today’s Wednesday Wisdom, I am sharing some wise words from Thomas O’Brien.

Making a space feel collected -versus a room that looks like it was installed in one day- is best achieved through layering different elements in unexpected ways. Mix up your pieces as this creates depth and interest. You never want all of your furniture or its woods to “match” as this looks too much like a showroom floor.

There are several ways to layer effectively while looking less than perfect. Check out the images below.

The picture above is a great example of how layering artwork can make a space feel like it has evolved over time.

The picture above shows how important it is to mix the woods found in a room. You see stained, painted, and gilded all in this very small space, yet it works.

web-kampakishome.jpg4 copy — Dana Wolter Interiors

This master is a good example of how important it is that not all of your upholstery have legs. Again- it is a collected you are striving for- and you need some of each to balance the other out.

Who knew a breakfast area could have so many layers?! You have a stainless steel table top, mounted onto a painted wood base, that sits on a cowhide rug. Again you have the exposed legs of the ghost chair sitting next to a skirted banquette. Mixing is key.

Hope you found this post helpful. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Have a great day, everyone-

Dana

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Living Well

Friday Favorite

It’s my favorite day….Friday!

Today’s Friday Favorite is a picture of a dining room install from several years ago.

I love the uniqueness of this upholstered dining room table. It adds a lot of look, softness, and durability to the space, all without breaking the bank.

For me, a well designed room comes down to the details. They are the finishing touches that can take a room from pretty to pretty incredible.

Keep in mind, details should not be obvious. Instead, they should enhance and balance the overall feel of the room.

I hope you have a wonderful Friday,

dana

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Living Well

Wednesday Wisdom

Happy Hump Day!

Do you share your home with those you love? Or, do you rarely invite guests over because your house isn’t perfect?

The more happiness and laughter that enters your house, the more it will feel like a home.

While interiors make your home pretty, the people inside are your best accessories.

Recently, I had a friend make a comment about my home always having fresh flowers and looking “magazine ready”. While I wish that was the case, it is far from the truth.

Most days, my foyer is filled with the clutter of clothes, shoes, bags and books, much like the picture below.

Yes, that is only one of two different pairs of shoes. Who knows where the matches are?!

I’ll take the disorder, though.

The mess we make living our lives fills our home with memories and turns it into much more than a mere dwelling place.

Homes are meant to be lived in, and I hope my friends and family always feel “at home” when they are in mine.

Have a good one,

dana

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Living Well

A Balancing Act

I just came back from the sixth annual “What’s New, What’s Next” event at the New York Design Center. What a great time I had!

Louisa and Allyson joined me for a fun night in the city!

The energy in the building was amazing….. Over 70 showrooms participated in the event that featured product introductions, informative lectures, and book signings all day long.

As mentioned before, I had the privilege of joining Traditional Home Senior Design and Market Editor Tori Mellot in a panel on mixing traditional and modern design.

Chad Graci of Graci Interiors and Katie Lydon of Katie Lydon Interiors discussed with us how incorporating modern touches into spaces can push- but not overstep- the boundaries of traditional design.

panelphoto — All of us before the panel.

We were given ten items ahead of time that were a mix of modern and traditional, and we were asked to distinguish how we would balance the modern with more traditional pieces and the traditional pieces with more modern ones.

Below are a few of the images given to us and my interpretations for each.

I could see placing this modern chandelier into a similar breakfast area. The scale of the piece would obviously need to be smaller and I would balance the hard lines of it with some sort of upholstery and wooden dining table like below.

Another image I was given was this Mr. Brown console.

I love this piece and would not hesitate to place it in one of my interiors. I would soften the piece by placing something upholstered under it, such as the style of the two stools in the picture below.

As for the top of the console, I would create a layered vignette, with a piece of artwork or a mirror as my starting point, such as below.

A final image I would like to share are these Bolier nesting tables.

I love these tables as they are very versatile and could be used in many different interiors. I could have easily replaced the Baker tables in the picture below with one set of these.

I would also have used the tables near upholstery that is skirted, as shown in the image below.

“What’s New, What’s Next” continues to unite the industry and become a benchmark for introducing new products and celebrating the very best in design. Thank you, Traditional Home, for including me in the discussion. I was extremely honored.

Here’s to finding the perfect balance in your home,

Dana

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