• How to Design Small Spaces at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House

    Who says small can’t be beautiful and spectacular?  We have examples here of exquisitely designed small rooms in a New York City townhouse. As we all know, every large city has its share of challenging small spaces but interior designers know the secrets to transforming problems to winners. The Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club hosted their annual decorator show house and invited top interior designers to revive a Federal-styled townhouse in NYC’s Upper East Side. The townhouse like many a home in New York had a few small, narrow rooms that were problematic to interior design. In our first photo above, Palm Beach designer Stephen Mooney had to overcome the problem of a very narrow room.  By applying a sunny yellow color scheme and cream colored furniture, Mooney achieved a bright and cheerful space for the client to do some work in.  The designer also chose small-scaled furniture: a small desk and chairs, narrow console table, as well as small light fixtures, accomplishing a beautiful and highly functional space. Designer Barbara Ostrom also had to deal with a tight space – an alcove of about 6 feet wide by 6 feet long.  She created a home office, complete with built-in bookcase.  Ostrom also applied a light color scheme – all white with a pale yellow sisal carpet by Stark – to keep the room bright and airy.  She then installed architectural woodworking and an archway above the desk, giving the room distinction and an elegant focal point. The desk is from Dakota Jackson and the Reagan Hayes desk chair is upholstered in a leopard print Scalamandre silk. Almost an afterthought is this very narrow room designed by Felicia Zwebner.  Most people would probably just use this room as storage space but Zwebner imagined a luxurious and intimate sitting room – great for quiet reading or creative thinking!  To create this jewel-like space, she chose a golden wall covering from Stark and an ochre marble from Artistic Tile. The monochromatic color scheme helps create an illusion of a larger space. She also added a round mirror from Vaughan to provide reflection and depth to the room.    Interested in learning more about interior design?  Take a look at Sheffield School's Complete Course in Interior Design.  At Sheffield, you will learn how to transform a space, create color schemes, and select furniture, lighting, and accessories.


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  • Are You Creative? Do You Have a Head for Business? Are You an Entrepreneur?

    I'm a creative person, and I know many other creative people. We all think deep creative thoughts and we love the process of making things. I like to write. Others I know are great in art, illustration, photography, jewelry making, interior design, embroidery, fashion design, screenplay writing, and product design. But few of the people I know are entrepreneurs. That means that few of us (me included) would risk their security and steady job income to open up our own businesses - enterprises based on what we create. Yikes! Being an entrepreneur puts a completely different template over what we creatives do during the day, right? I know you're attracted to this blog because you have a love for the creative arts. You probably make something, either as a hobbyist or as a serious pro or somewhere in between, but you might not want to "risk it all" to start your own business. We've all known people who have tried and failed in such endeavors, so we don't want to be like them, right? And deep down, are we all that confident about our creative skills? We can contribute our creativity to others in a defined job environment, but can we build a business sustained by what we dream about, make and fashion, and develop? IF you have the guts to go for creative business glory, I encourage you. Period. I ENCOURAGE YOU.  You heard right. I'm not going to try to talk you out of it, but only if you have the passion to pursue a creative business. Creative people are dissatisfied with things as they are. They have a strong desire to make things better, more beautiful, more elegant, more ... something! The only way to feel satisfied as a creative person is to have courage, focus, and vision - and to take action on your ideas. Your creative outlet may be to help others make things. It could be assisting with craft time activities geared to young children or seniors. But you might want to base a business on your creativity. Mark McGuiness, the business coach pictured above, has what he calls the 5 Components of Creative Entrepreneurship. These are elements of success for any creative enterprise. Create (Don't Compete) Lead (Don't Manage) Communicate (Don't Be Shy) Automate (Don't Duplicate) Accelerate (Don't Stand Still) Mark's creative entrepreneurship formula is also worth repeating here: Creativity + Productivity = Success It's helpful to visualize the end result of your creative work. Imagine what it will be like to design a new jewelry collection and have your own jewelry business. Visualize how you'll decorate a client's new living room and have your own interior design firm. Imagine how great your new photography website will look, promoting your creative services to the public. Hold that end result in your mind, and it will help fan your passion and intensity while diminishing fear and uncertainty. But never start a business in a vacuum or, worse yet, in an atmosphere that is not supportive to you and your creative mission. Jettison your nay-saying friends and tune out the negative family members who don't believe in what you'd like to accomplish. That doesn't mean to blindly forge ahead, however! Do your research, and definitely seek out fellow creative folk in the community who can give you good feedback and criticism. Feedback. Criticism. You need both before you plunge into any creative business endeavor. Hey, if you want to merely sell earrings of your own design at the holiday church bazaar, knock yourself out. But if you want to become Earrings R Us and open up stores across the country, then you'd better seek out friendly, but knowing feedback and criticism - the earlier in your business planning process, the better. This means finding


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  • Spring Decorating is a Breeze

    Bright colors are popping out all over the place – in fashion, in jewelry, and in home décor.  I’m sure you’ve already been blinded when you walked into a store and saw all that orange and lemon yellows glaring at you.  Fashion is one thing, but living in it at home day in, day out is another.  By choosing just the right amount of pops of color and mixing it with neutrals, you’re going to achieve a refreshing spring like home without all the blinding headache. In our first interior above, we’re highlighting the color of the year, emerald, with the Murphy mid-century style sofa from Room and Board.  Our pops of color appear in deep reds, salmon pinks, and sunny yellows.  Essentially this room has a complementary red-green color scheme but reinterpreted into today’s color vibe so it doesn’t look like your grandmother’s living room.  To successfully carry off the bright pops of color, we toned it down with a soft muted green upholstery and brown woods as in the mid-century coffee table by Pierre Jeanneret.  The Glass Pebble table lamp from Palacek shimmers in blue-green hues.  The three-drawer Ermitage chest is from Grange and the baroque Barcelona mirror is from Joss & Main.  We brought in touches of spring with yellow oncidium orchids and a beautiful 18th century porcelain vase from Bardith Antiques.  The second room above is awash in a citrus color scheme of soft yellows, sage greens, and chartreuse. The design features two current trends – the artisan look and the botanicals passion.  The Evie two-drawer chest from Joss & Main shows off the artisan touch – the chest was stripped down and hand-painted with tree branches and birds.  The Safavieh rug and the Simon pillow also reflect botanical prints. Another popular trend is the craze for Chinoiserie.  We introduced Asian influences with a Chinese cloisonné dragon bronze urn from Avalon antiques.  Rounding out the room is the chartreuse Mimi chair from Christopher Kennedy and a fun cable pouf from Overstock. With just a few touches, you can refresh any room with the colors of spring and sprinkle it with the latest trends.  Try it!     Interested in learning more about decor? Take a look at Sheffield School's Complete Course in Interior Design. At Sheffield, you'll learn how to transform a space, create color schemes, and select furniture, lighting, and accessories.


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  • Using an Inspiration Room for Interior Design

    I feel as though I should preface this article by saying that I am a Wedding and Event Planner and am by no means an Interior Designer...in fact, I am the opposite.  I know what I like but have the hardest time actually putting it all together. The idea for this article came from Pinterest.  I love it oh so much, but it has become my undoing...all of these pins where the rooms look so gorgeous and I keep thinking, "Oh, I can so do that" just keep getting pinned and pinned. Then I keep thinking of all that I haven't done and how my kids' bedrooms are just so ho-hum. {Sigh}  So, here is my post on inspiration rooms and how I plan on re-doing the boys' room. First off, I love blogs...love, love, love them.  My favorites usually have to do with mom stuff, interior design and finally, weddings.  Amanda at Dixie Delights combines both mom and interior design...it's like heaven when I look at her photos.  I am a huge fan and am using her little one's 'big boy' room as inspiration for my boys' room.  For this post I am specifically focusing on the artwork as my inspiration (since that's as far as I am in my own room re-do!) I adore this room!  I want to take every element out of it and transplant it into my boys room...it's perfection in my opinion.  So, here is how I decided to start...with the art work of course!  I love the crab painting by Catherine Lovett but it is a bit out of my price range.  So, I found something similar that I really like on etsy and purchased that.   The artwork from Recycled Wood Art is much easier on the budget and still similar in feel.  Plus, it's an original painting and not a print, so I don't necessarily have to frame it (big budget saver!!). Next, is the art work and prints on the wall. I love how they are clustered together so I started on the hunt for similar items in the light blue/teal hue to compliment the crab.  I hail from West Virginia and it's very important to me that it is represented in my home...the easiest way, a map.  Dixie Delights highlights maps of Georgia and Savannah on her wall, so again, I went to etsy and found this sweet map of West Virginia.   The map from Blast From the Past is also an original and not a reproduction which I really like but this one will have to be framed.   I also found this graphic print from Jessica Sutton - JSGD.  It's perfect.  My Jack loves to "rawr" like a dinosaur (he's 2) so I knew I had to have this from the moment I saw it.  Plus it follows closely to my inspiration room photo without being a complete knock-off. The next item on my list to purchase is from The Old Try Print Shop.  They are my new favorite and I love that they are Southerners also...making it so much more appealing for me.  I am going to purchase this print of lightning bugs (yes, lightning bugs and NOT fireflies to all of you non-southerners out there).  I love it and it reminds me of my childhood.   I have also been scouring etsy for small, original watercolors to frame but have yet to purchase anything.  Here are a few shops that I have found items that I like for now.  I keep adding them to my favorites on my etsy account, so that I can easily find them when needed.   Art by Susan Windsor Art by Seaside Studios UK Art by Tricia Herald ___________________________________________________________________________________ For more information on our Interior Design course, please visit our website at the Sheffield School.


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  • Our 2012 Interior Design Snapshot and 2013 Decorating Trend Predictions

    In 2012, we had a year of excitement in the field of interior design - but only if you were looking at color and contemporary furniture design. Here's my frank evaluation of the year that was. Color palettes were bold and daring, and strong color blocks dominated both the fashion and home design industry. Pantone's Tangerine Tango led the pack with bright hues replacing cooler jewel tones and muted metallics. Mid-century modern continued as a furniture trend and style influencer. There was a glut of "antiques" from the mid-1900s on the market, and young homeowners followed their Mad Men tastes and turned their homes into hip lounges. Personally, I think this was a dreary trend that will soon be waning. Many mid-century pieces were mass produced and they were boring and brown and drekish when they were first produces; time hasn't been kind to them. There are mid-century gems, however, that deserved attention, but I doubt if a majority of homeowners and designers were particularly discerning. Buyer beware! Modern furniture continued to be sleeker, more sculptural, and more creative. I'm a huge fan of contemporary furniture. Rather than reaching back to the past for inspiration - or creating past styles "with a twist" (a way overused design concept) - many furniture designers created completely new ways to sit, dine, relax, and sleep.  I loved the way handmade home goods counterbalanced the glut of mass-produced items, e.g., hand-woven upholstery, bulky yarn rugs, hand-carved wood legs, fine inlays, and bright and colorful dyes on casegoods. There was caution in the air last year with home decorating. People curbed their spending on luxury goods and furnishings due to breath-holding over the U.S. presidential election and the stalemate in the U.S. Congress.  So what's ahead for our industry in 2013? No one has a crystal ball and can predict with any accuracy how interior design will go from year to year. HOWEVER, the home design industry is very much in line with fashion, and by looking at fashion edicts - those predictions on colors, for instance, from industry leaders like Pantone - we can definitely predict the hot colors that will show up in a wide range of products, from fabrics and home textiles to flooring, appliances, and wall covering. So here are my predictions (but don't blame me if they don't come to pass!). Professional decorating will hit a new industry high. Many people who weren't decorating last year, or who either held back or settled for quick design fixes at a cash-and-carry stores or discounters like Marshalls/HomeGoods, will come back into the pro designer fold again this year. I'm very confident about this prediction. After the U.S. presidential election and the "fiscal cliff" issues were resolved, many homeowners are now moving forward with decorating projects. Many interior designers I know are busier than they were before the recession, and that's an excellent trend.  The color palette is cooler and more muted this year. Pantone's cool-yet-bright Emerald is their 2013 Color of the Year, and Sherwin-Williams followed suit with a muted shade of green, Aloe. Benjamin Moore embraced Lemon Sorbet, which is on the cooler side of a warm color (it's yellow-ish, but also a color that's barely there, a true goes-with-anything tone). Softer pastels will be big this spring, and I think we're definitely over the color block trend and heading towards a zillion shades of a single color that will all form a single-color matrix within a room, like a room that's decorated with 14 different shades of blue or 24 different shades of green.  I can't see anyone taking the contemporary furniture design lead away from the Italians. They just continue to push the innovative envelope, and their work is extraordinary. Many of the old-favorite furniture makers from the United States come across a bit too traditional, fussy, and quiet for younger buyers. They're hitching their wagons to older homeowners, the traditional decorators of the past, but they're missing the boat on younger couples who are roaring into the interior design space. With wall colors and general decorating palettes swinging towards the muted side this year, I predict that there will be a stronger uptake on sculptural, contempoary, startling signature and focal pieces for rooms. Italian companies will finish first, French companies second, Dutch companies third. You heard it here first! Handmade furniture and accessories will continue to grow in the New Year. I'm just facing reality. As more elements of our lives become mass produced, we yearn for unique artisanal touches in our homes. The mark of a skilled craftsperson, the tactile quality of an artist with imagination - these objects will continue to gain in popularity and command more of our spending and attention.   If you're interested in learning more about wedding and event planning, we encourage you to explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world. Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses. Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter.


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  • Room of the Month

    Every issue of Sheffield's Designer Monthly features a Room of the Month where we analyze an interior using a simple Three-Step Method. It's beyond the scope of this Web site to teach you every nuance, but you will get an inkling from our Room of the Month Analysis articles.

  • Sheffield Student Successes

    Here's your chance to read more about the accomplishments of Sheffield students in our Sheffield Student Postcards. These are just some of the Sheffield success stories that have appeared in Designer Monthly over the years.

  • Decorating Children's Rooms

    Getting bored with the ubiquitous design ideas for kids' rooms you seem to see everywhere? We thought it was time for some fresh looks for Baby's nursery or Junior's room; Don't miss these favorite Sheffield articles on decorating rooms for children.

  • Green Design

    In our Green Design series, we look at sustainable, low-impact elements of design. Check out these great tips to add both a sense of style and responsibility.

  • Wedding & Event Planning

    Don't miss these favorite Sheffield wedding and event planning articles.

  • The Little Things

    Our Little Things columns place a spotlight on those home accessories that are often overlooked, and we'll show how they can be improved to make a world of a difference.


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