Join Kathy Passarette of Creative Home Expressions as she talks about bringing the indoors out in this class on combining the pleasures of nature with comfortable living areas, by transforming your outdoor spaces into living spaces. You can access the brochure, with registration form, here.

Where: Mount Sinai High School - Room HS107
When: Tuesday, March 11, 2008, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Fee: $25.00

Feel free to bring pictures of your own outdoor spaces for tips and advice!

Photo courtesy of Pottery Barn

Romantic Decor Extends To The Bathroom

Small or large, master or family, new or old, bathrooms are a part of our homes, and their décor should reflect the care we have put into the rest of the house. Your bathroom can be as romantic as the rest of your home. Take some facets of decorating from your other rooms and transfer them to the bathroom.

A great place to get ideas is from model homes. While these newer bathrooms are generally larger than the norm, you can condense the decorating to fit your own bathroom.

Fabrics are a wonderful way to add some warmth and texture to a bathroom. With all the sleek surfacing of the tile, countertop and fixtures, fabric brings a little softness in to the mix. A soft valance over shades or blinds and a fabric shower curtain, in conjunction with a shower liner, brings beauty to a necessary element. Even if you have shower doors, they can be camouflaged with fabric.

Soft, fluffy towels on your towel bar in a color that coordinates with your bathroom bring fabric over to another area. Bathroom rugs will not only take the chill off your feet but also help break up large expanses of tile.

If you have a tub separate from your shower, place some candles around the perimeter, indulge in some bath salts, a headrest, tub tray and lotions. A bath can be quite relaxing after a stressful day and what better way to do that than when you pamper yourself.

Bring in small frames with your favorite photos for the counter or shelves. A well put together plant or small floral arrangement will bring in some color and help break up long countertops.

A small crystal-type chandelier is the ultimate in romance. While you need good task lighting, a chandelier will give you soft lighting and add to the atmosphere.

If you have a linen closet inside the bathroom, you can dress up the door with a romantic motif by gluing decorative wood elements to the door. This is an inexpensive touch that adds a lot of impact.

So take the time and care that was given to the other rooms in your home, and decorate your bathroom, making it into an area you can retreat to at the end of the day, and a pleasure to wake up to in the morning.

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

Add Some Romance To Your Valentine's Day Decorating

These tips are simple and easy, requiring almost no time, and items you may already have around your house. Don't worry about red and pink not matching the rest of your home's décor. This holiday is more fleeting than Christmas, so it won't affect your overall decorating scheme.

•· Instead of dining where you always do, choose a new spot. Move a small table in front of the fireplace or into the center of your living room. If the weather permits where you live, go out onto a porch, patio or deck. A beautiful view, whether mountains, city lights, or the stars will add an ambiance that no amount of decorating can top.

•· Create a romantic atmosphere with music wafting through the room. Dim the lights or turn them off, use the glow of candles to not only enhance the romance factor, but to add that attractive glow to your own face.

•· When setting your Valentine table, use your good linens, dishes, silverware and glasses. A small vase of flowers and candles on top of a mirror placed in the center of your table will reflect the candlelight as well as the flowers.

•· No fireplace, no problem. Get the "Ambient Fire: Ultimate Video Fireplace" for 10.99 at Amazon.com, with 9 different fireplace scenes to fit your mood.

•· Scatter rose petals or heart-shaped confetti over the table's surface to add to the décor and romance of your meal.

•· Drape clear, white, or pink bead garlands in your chandelier. The clear beads will reflect the light adding that starlight quality to your surroundings.

•· Visit Omahasteak.com, or visit your local stores, for prepared meals that only need heating up in the oven. Or arrange for a take-out meal for two from your favorite restaurant. Not having to spend hours on preparation will allow you to have a more relaxed evening.

With everyone strapped for time these days, you can offer your spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend or significant other a romantic, enjoyable, and relaxing evening. What other way to show someone you love them then to take the time to make an otherwise standard dinner a romantic affair!

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

Getting Organized

I recently came across this website called See Jane Work, which has some great items for organizing your home or office (or both!). From agendas and calendars to desktop items to storage and organization, this site has it all and with decorative style.

Beware: You could spend hours looking through all their items! If you start now, you can be on your way to a fashionably organized and clutter-free home or office by the end of the month.

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

New Year, New Room

Interior redesign is taking items you already own and reusing them. The best part is that it doesn’t cost you anything if you do it yourself. If you have a room that you feel could use a facelift, but you still like your “things” give an interior redesign a try.

Start by emptying the room of all but the heaviest pieces. This includes most furniture, accessories, plants, pictures, lamps, wall décor and any other items you may have in this room. If the heavier pieces are staying in place, you don’t have to move them around at all.

Put everything into another room and group them together (i.e. pillows, candles, pictures). Clear your mind of how the room used to be and look at the room with fresh eyes. Do you have a focal point in this room, a fireplace or large picture window? Start to bring in your seating pieces and place them so that they are taking in the focal point. Once you have these pieces set in a pleasing arrangement, start to bring your other furniture pieces in – tables, occasional chairs, plant stands. If you could use another side table “shop” through other rooms in your home and see if there is something you can use.

Once the furniture is done look over your current accessories from this room. If you want to change something out, “shop” from your other rooms, the basement and even the attic. You may have something that you had forgotten about that might refresh this room.

Starting with pictures or wall décor, re-hang these items to take into account your new furniture arrangement. Try not to fill every wall with something as the eye needs some place to rest and when it can’t rooms tend to look cluttered.

Now it’s time for the rest of your accessories. Place the lamps you will be using (you may decide to trade out your bedroom end table lamps for your living room lamps) so that each seating area has some lighting. Bring in any throw pillows and place them on your furniture, and so on.

You don’t have to bring everything you took out back into the room. You can pack it up for the time being and bring it out again in six months. Or you may find that you like it better in another room. You will find that you have a new appreciation for these pieces.

copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions