by Diana @ The Devine Home on February 23, 2010
On my growing list of 100 “must have” items that will help transform a house into a home: LAMPS. They truly do light up our houses and make them feel like homes.
When it comes to lighting, the general rule of thumb that I follow is that you should have as much light coming from the floor as you do from the ceiling. That means both table and floor lamps are key to make rooms feel warm and inviting.
What’s popular now are glass base lamps. You will find them in beautiful colors like these Optic Sea Glass lamps from Crate and Barrel {above} or clear like this one from Ballard Designs {I love it paired with the sea grass shade!} 
I’m also seeing some Mercury glass lamps out there but so far, they are still pretty expensive. I’m sure at some point we will see them at TJ Maxx, Home Goods & Marshalls.
We’re also seeing lamps with great texture {think wood, paper} and some wonderfully-graphic/architectural shapes. Updating your light fixtures is one of the quickest ways to give a room a facelift.
We’ve talked a bit about what’s hot . . . but sometimes it helps to know what’s NOT. Take a look at this blue specimen. I have also seen it in burgundy, hunter green, pink, etc.
If you have any of these around, you can go ahead and chuck the pleated shade. Spray paint the entire lamp base (silver/brass and all) and you will give it a whole new life in this century!
Pleated shades are generally out, texture (linen, burlap, silk) are in. Cone-shaped shades are still out there but short/shallow drum shades are really where it’s at.
One last little rule I follow on table/floor lamps. Arrange them in your room so they are connected by an imaginary triangle. This placement creates a balance in the room and helps to create that perfect warm & inviting look we all love.
by Diana @ The Devine Home on February 22, 2010
Spring is just around the corner, right? I mean, despite the foot of snow on the ground we are less than a month away from the first day of spring which is March 20.
The longer I’m back on the North Coast, the more spring becomes my favorite season. That’s because it’s the season farthest away from winter!
After six months of being hermetically sealed in our house, there is just nothing like open window season and catching the scent of freshly-cut grass as it wafts in and perfumes the house.
Since moving into our Cottage In the Woods, we have done an updating project at the house each spring. Last year was the kitchen and this year it will be, in part, the living room fireplace.
We will be getting rid of our 10-foot brick fireplace surround. 
It’s just a monstrosity. (Here it is during one of my projects!) This is one of the rooms that has stayed exactly as it was when we bought it. Aren’t the builder white walls so . . . in need of warming up?!
We are tearing out all that brick and in it’s place we are putting in some very simple built-ins. That means more to decorate {happy dance!}
We have also ordered a sectional for this room which will arrive in April. My husband wants to be able to watch TV with his legs up and since I refuse to have recliners, we got a sectional with a chaise.
Since most of our money will be going for the built-ins, sectional and my husband’s new flat screen TV, I’m on a very tight decorating budget, as in, I pretty much have to re-purpose existing things in the house to dress the living room.
I’m planning on using the lamps from our master bedroom in the living room. I am also reusing our sofa console table but I can’t use our existing coffee table because it’s rectangular and won’t fit with the sectional.
So 
I’m also scouting thrift stores for a small round table to use as a cocktail table. I love this one from Maine Cottage but umm, as beautiful as it is and as much as I would love this table, $1,590 IS NOT in the budget! I’d like to find something similar and then paint it a color like this “sprout” which is one of 40 custom colors Maine Cottage offers.
I know spring will soon be here, so I’m keeping busy counting down and getting ready for a fun redesign of our living room. Let’s see, just how many days until spring . . . ?
by Diana @ The Devine Home on February 19, 2010
How happy does it make me that the sun is shining today and that I can take a few moments to get away from it all with the March issue of Country Living Magazine?
I have subscriptions to alot of shelter magazines but without a doubt Country Living is my favorite and this month’s issue is no exception – sooooooooooooo much good stuff!
Some of the photography just transported me away . . . I mean, take a look at this goregous barn-style house.
The story is about the twist on “country tradition” that the home owners used in their decorating – lots of bold colors. The home is decorated in everything from pieces of old gates, barn doors, items from IKEA &Pottery Barn, hand-painted signs and items won on Ebay!
Then there’s the fabulous & fun transformation of a closet into an office. Maybe not a new idea but it’s a timely makeover for reclaiming space. Many of us are trying to use what we have. People are staying put instead of buying a bigger house. This closet makeover is a perfect example of making every inch of square footage count . . . makes me wish I had a spare closet!
I am not a big fan of wall paper in general however, I do like using it in places like this! Wall paper in a” throw away” space like a closet or powder room can make a big impact since it’s unlikely you have a lot of wonderful architectural details.
They give a step-by-step on how they transformed the closet as well as a shopping guide. Love it!!
My favorite article is called “Natural Instinct”. It’s about the transformation of a Connecticut home. The home is done in a fresh palette of colors and painted furniture {which is my personal weakness!} plus, her lilacs are AMAZING! I even got an idea to tuck away in my personal style file. 
Look at the amazing detail around this bathtub! I’m hoping in the next year or two that we will be able to remodel our master bathroom – it sooooooooo needs it! I have extra vertical space above the bathtub area and I’d love to do a similar treatment with the arch and built-ins. A little detail like this can turn a boring boxof a space into something really special. {*sigh*}
Make sure to pick up the March issue of Country Living magazine to read all these articles plus more! Now to get ready for a client meeting . . . back to reality.
Have a super weekend!
by Diana @ The Devine Home on February 16, 2010
True Confession: The month of February is the reason I left Ohio 20 years ago. As I sit here looking out at the gray and snowy skies, I find it hard to believe I “got tired” of the warm and balmy San Diego winters. But, love brought me back to my snowy roots and since I’m here by choice, I try to make the best of it.
Now that Valentine’s Day is over, I’m slogging it out on a day-to-day basis with gray skies, tons of snow, and temperatures hovering in the mid to high 20s. I just pray for strength to hold on until spring!
While I’d love to be able to fly away to some place warm and exotic today, that’s not in the budget or vacation plans any time soon. So my little winter pick me ups are flowers! I love fresh cut flowers – whether from the back yard or local market. They. Make. Me. Happy.
When I was at the super market the other day I picked up a bouquet of white tulips. I love their simple graceful stems. So effortless but gorgeous. At home, I searched for a container and had to get creative with this pot since it has a drainage hole in the bottom.
I put the tulips into a canning jar and then popped them into this chalkboard pot. Voila! Flowers: My perfect winter pick me up.
So, my question for you is: What gets you thru these nasty winter duldrums? Share your little pick me ups with us and together we can make it thru these last six weeks of winter.
by Diana @ The Devine Home on February 11, 2010
Valentine’s Day saves the month of February in my book. Here on the North Coast February is oppressively depressing: six more weeks of winter {can someone please have a talk with that little rodent?}, tons of snow, and not enough sunshine to fill a cup. So you can understand why Valentine’s Day saves the month – it’s something good to look forward to!
I don’t really decorate much for Valentines but I do put a few love-ly touches here and there. They are simple, nothing fancy, but the holiday is a nice excuse for me to change my decor a bit. ;o)
This fun polka dot heart {above} is from one of the towels hanging from the dishwaser handle.
In the window I have my giant green paper clip with this small touch of love – vintage flash cards that I got on My Sweet Savannah’s Etsy store.
I also tucked a few into this faux fruit basket.
Isn’t it fun to find touches of whimsy in unexpected places?
On my growing list of 100 “must have” items that will help transform a house into a home: LAMPS. They truly do light up our houses and make them feel like homes.
If you have any of these around, you can go ahead and chuck the pleated shade. Spray paint the entire lamp base (silver/brass and all) and you will give it a whole new life in this century!
