A long-time college friend of mine suggested that I open my house up this weekend for a Regatta Race ending party on Sunday. I haven’t entertained, or had a party, ever here because I only got my kitchen installed very recently.

I pushed out a simple email to friends, colleagues and people I’ve recently met and was astounded at the response. I was thinking less than half would make it, but in reality it looks like I’ve got a 98% yes response. In attempting to think about how to accommodate this many people in a relatively small place I decided to turn to Costco to purchase almost everything I need to throw this party together.

See what I bought!

If you’re thinking about doing a partial or full renovation on your kitchen, be prepared for this to be an investment and probably take longer than you might anticipate. That’s a bummer, I realize, but I’ve lived through it myself and I do this for other people. Read about my most recent reno.

Sometimes it’s the smallest things that get me excited when helping clients or in my own home. I decided on a complete kitchen renovation in the end and although I hated living through that, I’m so glad it’s over and done with now. Come to find out though the finishing touches of the kitchen is what I seem to appreciate most.

Here is some of what I discovered.

I just had the pleasure of going to Westerly Rhode Island this past week for some rest and relaxation and I can honestly say that I came home more inspired than ever. We stayed in a beautiful bed and breakfast called the Margin Street Inn (LINK) where I witnessed the true beauty of timeless decor.

Just as a black turtleneck or cashmere wrap coat will never seem dated, the decor at the Margin Street Inn gave off the same vibes.

Regardless of your particular taste, there’s something so comforting in being surrounded by excellent taste.

I recently hosted a young woman from Spain who was doing a research project at Massachusetts General Hospital. She was here for a month and if you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I’ve been under construction. My primary objective was to get her room set up and looking good – despite what the rest of my house might look like….. Here is what I did

Whether I’m working with a client or undergoing my own renovation or decorating projects, decor as in life seems to be a series of endless decisions and compromises.

Making decisions on anything from paint color, wallpaper, color of hardwood flooring, tile selection (for floors, walls, backsplashes), lighting (so important), area rugs, carpeting, and on and on – can be incredibly mind boggling.

I have listed some of the key ingredients you might want to consider when decorating your bar cart or cabinet.

Here are some Amazon finds that have helped me through this renovation process for various reasons.

I’m in the middle of a reno and I’ve been getting questions. Here are the answers to some recent questions I got.

I’m living through a renovation project and the dust . . . just keeps on coming.

Finally, I’m beginning to see the kitchen renovation as something that will happen . . . eventually. Cabinets will be the week after the 4th. Appliances are ready to be delivered. My countertops that were backordered are now in stock.

Here are some of the decisions I may about this reno.

The summer months bring on more hosting opportunities and being ready for them can feel overwhelming, but preparing ahead of time always makes the visit and time with your guests more pleasant and memorable.

I recently hosted a young woman from Spain who was doing a research project at Massachusetts General Hospital. She was here for a month and if you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I’m under construction. Click to see what I did.

It’s true. I’m crazy. I’ve undertaken 9 renovation projects of my own for the properties I’ve lived in, flipped, rented, then lived in . . . then sold in the past 12 years. It’s been a lot and i’ve learned a lot. Here are some really important things you should know.

You know I’m a lover of finding items for my home and my clients in different places. The reason? Unique items make a home feel curated over time. It infuses the personalities, interests and dreams of people when they have an item from a different country, or something that reminds them of the past. There are so many ways these items can be used to make a home a home. Here are a few.

I love hardwood floors and area rugs. I’d have them in nearly every room in my home if I could. I understand that sometimes tiles work better in bathrooms, etc., but a small rug there looks great as well.

So, what makes a rug good quality? Here are a few things pointers.

The accessories are the items that warm up a home. The toss pillows on your sofa, the throws on your bed, sofa or a comfy chair you can curl up on. I think of rugs as large accessories as well. I have some other ideas for you in this blog.

I am so pleased that wallpaper is having a moment right now. I always have felt it brings so much character to a room. Although every room doesn't need and probably shouldn’t have wallpaper, there are some that just scream for it.

When trying to decide on furniture, go for the classics. Regardless of your taste for traditional contemporary, farmhouse, and on and on, great lines of furniture matter. Remember function matters. I love a well-designed chair, sofa or sectional, but it needs to work for you and your needs. Here are some other tips to help you determine what is for you.