21
Feb
2020
So is gray in or out?
LuxeSpecs – February 21, 2020
Colors go through cycles. Gray has been in for many years now - maybe 10 or more. In the cycle of design that is a long time! Many of my clients had a warm base of wood or stone and therefore NEVER wanted gray. I just finished a renovation at...
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17
Dec
2019
Furniture Goals
LuxeSpecs – December 17, 2019
How attached are you to your furniture? When I paid $1000 each for Kindle Queen Anne dining chairs in the ‘80s I expected them to be with me forever! But the next house had 12-15’ ceilings and they looked like dollhouse furniture. Our son moved back to Arizona and the...
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25
Nov
2019
Replacing or Framing a Bathtub
LuxeSpecs – November 25, 2019
Today’s “in” look is a free standing tub but if one wants to age-in-place, a lower tub is a better option. You can specify the tub you want. Most showrooms have tubs you can try for comfort. The back slant and length are important. If the tub is to have...
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22
Nov
2019
Pineapple Pumpkin Pancakes
LuxeSpecs – November 22, 2019
18
Sep
2019
Remodeling dilemmas!
LuxeSpecs – September 18, 2019
Remodeling with someone that knows what they are doing makes all the difference. After thirty years in interior design, the input on this last project used all of my resources combined experience! We left the travertine in the large entry because it had a beautiful inlaid pattern. All of the...
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11
Sep
2019
Home Office Increases Productivity and Pleasure
LuxeSpecs – September 11, 2019
Home offices range from a collection spot to dark paneled walls lined with books, an enormous desk and an executive chair! Perhaps your home has several functional work spaces to separate personal from business. At High Point Market, I saw cabinets doubling or looking like bars with drop-down lids concealing...
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19
Aug
2019
How To Add a Contrast Wall
LuxeSpecs – August 19, 2019
We’ve all been in the white wall phase for a few years now and it’s time to add some contrast! The new photos on my Paint and Wall Finishes board on Pinterest will give you inspiration to add a dark wall -charcoal, navy, purple? You may need a second opinion...
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12
Aug
2019
The Joy of Yellow in Design
LuxeSpecs – August 12, 2019
I have had a yellow room in my home during most of my adult years! This year every shade of yellow is big in women’s fashion. Which means we will see more and more of it in home furnishings. See some examples on my Paint and Wall Finishes board on...
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08
Jul
2019
Wrigley Mansion Kitchen Renovation
LuxeSpecs – July 8, 2019
Celebrated Chef Christopher Gross has designed the most stunning kitchen at the Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix, Arizona! Recently while enjoying Happy Hour with friends, Chef Gross gave us a tour of his renovated kitchen. The large rectangular layout in blue is gorgeous and provides many workstations for various tasks to...
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11
Jun
2019
Mosaic Tile Patterns Create a Focal Point!
LuxeSpecs – June 11, 2019
Mosaic tile patterns are great for kitchen backsplash and bath focal points! When designers consider spaces prior to construction, placing focal points is a top priority! Open design kitchens call for an interesting treatment to be viewed from a distance. Upon entering a bath, the item with the most impact...
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02
Jun
2019
Design Projects Evolve
LuxeSpecs – June 2, 2019
The first picture shows a bare wall in a great room. The house is a builder flip. I have worked with this contractor for 35 years and weighed in on the layout. With a large bare wall as the focal point for the entire living area, it was important to...
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02
May
2019
Litchfield Park Townhouse Renovation
LuxeSpecs – May 2, 2019
The building contractor and his wife have done their past two homes in contemporary style so the new trend is their comfort zone! The total re-design of major appliances in the past ten years has made it possible to have a kitchen that blends seamlessly with the overall design instead...
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15
Apr
2019
So what do you do with Grandma’s china?!
LuxeSpecs – April 15, 2019
So what do you do with Grandma’s dishes? They are not selling for much on eBay or in consignment stores. You can think of creative ways to use them! We combined the new rabbit dishes with Limoge dishes from the early 1900s for our holiday table. There were only four...
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06
Mar
2019
What is Wrong With This Room?
LuxeSpecs – March 6, 2019
What is the problem with this room? Often an interior designer is asked this question. Luckily they know the principles and elements of design and can figure it out! In this case, the bathroom ceiling was too high. The remodeler framed in a lower ceiling to correct the proportions and...
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27
Feb
2019
Selling Your Luxury Home?
LuxeSpecs – February 27, 2019
Want to sell your luxury home? The Wall Street Journal’s Mansion section suggested the following for items for the best resale. (Friday, January 4, 2019) Light filled, bright, southern exposure with retractable glass doors and windows Ceilings at 10’ - vaulted or cathedral A butler’s pantry with extra dishwashers, extra...
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