I’m all for beautiful decor, don’t get me wrong. But, the function of a room needs to be considered above all. All of the great design in the world won’t cure if a room functions properly for your needs. Here are things to look out for if you’re in the process of re-decorating your home.

Fixtures are the things that can add such visual interest in a home and shouldn't be overlooked. They’re what jewelry is to an outfit – the finishing touches to a beautiful room. You know I’m a fan of mixing metals completely within the realm of possibility and can look much more interesting than a match-matchy look of only one metal. Here are some examples of fixtures that I love.

Nothing dates a home like outdated lighting. What a difference lighting can make to a room. It’s one of the most cost-effective things you can do uplevel a room, or an entire home. Here are some of my favorites (links included)

Paint is the easiest and least expensive way to improve the overall appearance of a room. Period. Here are some colors that are excellent choices.

I wish I knew then what I know now. How often have you said that in your lifetime? The truth is we don’t know what we don’t know. The cost of this is not low – it can be high as in really expensive mistakes we make because we were unaware of some decorating principles.

This is the start of a 10 week mini-course taking you through fool-proof decorating.

There are so many ways to create a functional and beautiful kitchen, it can be difficult to know where or how to begin.

Here are a few suggestions, especially, if you might be interested in keeping certain elements of your kitchen.

Although many people don’t want to make major improvements to their home, most homes need work at some point. Here are some additional ways to enhance the value of your home with some simple swap outs or updates.

The kitchen is the heart of the home and when it needs some love, we’ve got to deliver. Here are a few more ideas on ways to upgrade a kitchen.

The New Year is the ideal time to think about what changes you’d like to make to enhance your home. We spend so much time at home, we should love our space, don’t you think?

This week, I’ll be focusing on some ideas to upgrade a dated kitchen.

There are some key factors of a home that scream builder grade, meaning that the most basic materials are used in new construction (depending on the cost of the home of course) primarily due to costs. Builders provide relatively lower allowances for everything from cabinets to fixtures, lighting, etc. to keep their costs down and profits higher. Whether you’re in a new home or your own home has lost its edge, here’s a four-week series on how to upgrade the look and feel of your home within a reasonable budget.

We’re gearing up for the New Year and although it’s the perfect time to set up New Year’s Resolutions, it’s always a great time to be editing out the items that no longer serve us.

Simple? Yes. Easy? Not so much. It will take time. Depending on your timeline, you could do as much or as little as you want. Given that I’ve moved 7 times in 7 years, I have this down to a science now and continually go through my things (clothing, shoes, outerwear, junk drawer, pantry cabinet, etc.) to remove what I no longer need.

Here are a few guidelines to help you get started.

Mirrors reflect light and bounce light off of one another. Here are some pointers on using mirrors to bring light into your home.

If you’re thinking of repainting a room, you may want to consider white paint. White on white is a favorite in contemporary decor, however, if you’re looking for a warmer, less monochromatic look and feel to your room, infusing it with color can be done. Here are my tips on how to seamlessly use all white decor.

When I moved into my Boston condo I felt grateful to have an entryway, albeit a small one. With no windows. It needed some love which is an understatement. The floor tiles were cracked, the light fixture was dated, the walls were plain. But, I had an entryway. In Boston. Cheer up. So I took some steps to brighten it up!

You may be thinking about a room renovation or perhaps a bigger set of projects and are confused about where to begin. I get it. The first major decision is what room to focus on. Kitchens and bathrooms tend to bring in the greatest return on investment, but also tend to be the most costly and time intensive. Regardless of what space you want to tackle, here are some steps that I suggest when undertaking a renovation on your own or with a contractor.

There are a few reasons for using odd numbers over even when thinking about pendant lighting over a kitchen island, when grouping items together on a mantel to decorating a bookcase, side table or coffee table.

Our brains work in mysterious ways and odd numbers of items work well in these instances. Read more to find out why…

I’ve become a practical gift giver and appreciator of utilitarian items for myself and others. Things I will actually use that won’t take up a lot of space – physically or mentally – in my home.

Here are a list of items that I believe are useful and will be appreciated by the recipient.

Here are some of Nancy’s faves from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Whether you’re thinking of a small refresh with a kitchen backsplash or a total gut and renovation in a bathroom – tiles are an obvious consideration for both projects. First off, I’ll explain the options and pros and cons of each material. Then, we’ll talk about classic styles (shapes) you can not go wrong with.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when paying homage to your location when decorating your home.