"Private" Bath Essentials | by a Salt Lake City Designer

So, it's half way through the bathroom poll on this page, and I'm somewhat surprised that of the options available, they are all pretty well equal. This means that most of us want a big shower, separate from the tub, great finishes and double sinks! OK, that's pretty basic, but there are endless ways to achieve these few little essentials.

In my last house I had three bathrooms, all with their different styles and functions (so to speak). I mean, they all had showers, tubs, toilets, sinks and fairly nice finishes, but one was reserved for "day" guests, one for "overnight" guests and the other was for the master (Perry).  The very best part of having three bathrooms is the ability to keep your "private" bathroom essentials private!

So the conversation started on my facebook page (Regeneration Interiors) this week about how to do that if you only have one bathroom. It just so happens that Perry and I had discussed that same thing this past weekend. We love our bathroom, it's quite functional for us, but it is the only one and so when guests ("day" or "overnight") are here, our stuff is just out there for all to see!

My shower before.

We have stuff sitting on the counter, because who has a bathroom with enough closed storage space? and who wants to have to put every single thing away and pull it back out every single day? We also have a glass surround in our shower, so all the bottles, tubes and bars of soap are there in the open as well.

Not only does the glass surround make it impossible to hide your essentials, it is hard to keep clean! The tile in the shower is a pain to scrub, but possibly the worst part of all is the glass!

I never dreamed that this blog would turn in to a "how to clean your house" informative, but here's what I've found! I have a squeegee in my shower and after each shower we use it to clear all of the glass, this doesn't stop every spot, but it sure cuts down on them. I'm not going to promote any particular product here, but let's just say that the best thing I've found was once promoted by Billy Mays (God rest his soul!).

Those of you who know me personally and know my craziness will not be surprised that I have to buy hand soap  that matches my bathroom colors because.... well, because they have to match! I don't care what the scent of the soap or the brand, if the color is right, it works for me. What might surprise you though is that I also bought mouthwash, shampoo, razors and body wash that is the color of the bathroom. Why?, do you ask. Because it has to match! Now, I'm not saying that you have to change all of your products to match your bathroom, but it is one way to get a neater look with little effort.

(a little side note: when I worked at Thomasville Furniture, I actually ordered M&Ms to match the upholstery that we were showing at market! I mean, you can't have the candy clashing with the upholstery!)

OK, back to the bathroom...

Dental Organizer!

So, I set out to find the perfect solution to the bottles and tubes that were in my bathroom. What I found is that your imagination is the limit of what you can find and prices range from $9.99 to well over $20.00/container. We've all seen soap dispensers in every style, color and theme. There are little jars and cups and toothbrush holders to go with every design! and I bought a good selection! (it's research, people!)

So, I don't like my toothbrushes out on the counter, because I couldn't find ones that matched the bathroom and it's unsanitary!  The toilet in my bathroom is next to the sink, ewwww!  I did find this "dental organizer" when I was out shopping today but resisted buying it, but it is a good solution to keep them handy and sanitary.

Silver finishes create cohesive look.

What I do have on my counter is cotton rounds, cotton swabs, tissues and mouthwash. I put the mouthwash in a decanter that has a glass turned upside down as the top, this way you always have the glass to use as well. I bought a soap dispenser, even though my soap matched, I didn't like the label showing. I found glass jars with silver lids for the cotton rounds and swabs and even found a matching one with a candle!  I found the tray that allowed me to utilize the back of the toilet without worrying about the jars falling off.

My shower after!

I found soap/lotion dispensers for the shower as well. It took some time to find plastic ones and I was afraid of glass in the shower. I actually found these in the kitchen section and found that the kitchen ones were nearly half the price of the ones in the bath section.

Well, I hope this has given you some ideas about how to have your private essentials out for all to see, but make them look as neat as possible. The key to keeping any area with lots of items seem less cluttered is to have the same colors and finishes. Our eyes then relate them to each other thus the illusion on less clutter!

Re-purposing| by a Salt Lake City Designer

Yesterday I posted a story about a client whose house I'd worked on and shared some tips on things we'd done. Today I'd like to share another client's tale. 

Ms. Margaret writes: (the following is an excerpt from her letter)

Dear Ginny,

I cannot began to tell you how pleased we are with the wonderful job you did in designing and decorating our old historical home in Newton. I was just at my wits end as to what to do and where to began. I knew the house would be my dream home if it were decorated properly. It was so much fun working with you and seeing my home come together so beautifully.

Buffet from England

The amazing way you turned the old side board, that was the gift brought to me from England, into an island for my kitchen and how you found the used round table and chairs at almost no cost and turned the old chest of drawers into a buffet for the dinning room. 

You have exquisite taste and talent and you made our home the very best it could be with items I already had just rearranged and just a very few additions that were chosen and arranged with your expertise. You are indeed passionate about your work as a designer and decorator . You may use me as a reference if ever needed. Several of my friends and guest that viewed my home were sad to learn that you had moved away and would not be available for their decorating needs.

We want to thank you for all your hard work and for making the old house into my dream home.

In sincere appreciation for a job well done,

　

                                                                                    Margaret 

Thanks Ms. Margaret, I had a great time doing your house too!

Margaret's house is about 100 years old and has some "quirkiness" that most old homes have. The bones were great, but the rooms needed some "un-updating". The previous owners had tried to modernize the house, but had really only succeeded in taking away the character of the home. The one room that needed the most help was the kitchen. It was a large room, but they had only put cabinetry on 2 walls and there was just a large open space in the middle of the room. There wasn't a lot of counter top space so we decided it needed an island. 

Margaret had an old sideboard that was brought from England by a family member who had lived there. The piece had gotten wet during a heavy storm that had broken out a window and the veneer on the piece was destroyed, but the structure was still in great shape. Because the storage was ample and the piece was going to be thrown away otherwise, I decided to do a make-over project! (My dad is my handy-man and he does great work and he gives me a great rate... I would recommend him to anyone!)

We added "bead board paneling" to the back, sides and doors. We painted it to match the cabinetry that was in the kitchen. We made the top like a large tray and then set the tile in the "tray". We used unfinished newel posts, turned upside down for the legs.  The best part of this makeover is that the tile top and legs are not actually attached to the sideboard and can be removed and the piece again used as what it was intended to be. The finish was already ruined so the new surface and finish would still be appreciated! 

Saved from the dump!

Unfortunately, I don't have photos of it in place (I'm terrible about not taking "after" pictures) but hopefully you can get the idea from these before-during photos. This is such a simple thing to do and made such a difference in the kitchen. This "make-over" not only gave new life to the kitchen it gave new life to a piece of furniture that was headed for the dump! 

Transitions

Where is life taking you?

We all go through transitions in our lives, some are for good reasons, some aren't, but there are ways to make the most out of these transitions and prepare ourselves for great futures. One of the ways to do that is to create an environment in which we can thrive. Something I like about the work I've done is that I get to help people go through these transitions in their lives and be a part of their path.

I had the pleasure, when I lived in Alabama, to be part of helping folks transition their houses into homes. I'd like to share one their stories and some tips for how we got great results. (I'll be sharing more of these stories in upcoming posts.)

Dr. Chuck writes:

Months after I had moved into my new house following a divorce, I needed some help arranging furniture, getting my artwork out of my closets and the attic and onto the walls, updating my school aged daughter's "baby furniture", adding some plants to the decor, and most importantly, doing all of this on a very tight budget! Ginny stepped in and helped give me direction and the motivation I needed to transform my house into something I could be proud of.

I have always been afraid of and resistant to change, so I feared that having a decorator help me would be a stressful thing for me. With Ginny the process was anything but stressful! Not only did she understand my situation and my fears, she worked around my eccentricities and made me completely comfortable with the process. She intrinsically knew what I needed and where to find quality materials for bargain prices in order to easily stay within my budget. Not only did she make recommendations and suggestions, she did all the shopping for me, grabbed a hammer and the hardware to hang my artwork, and went straight to work. Simply put, Ginny helped me transform my house into a home.

Ginny is a wonderful person with a pleasant and infectious positive "can do" attitude. She is very easy to work with and simply has a knack for doing what she does. She works hard and does excellent work for a very reasonable price. I can fully recommend her to anyone without reservation.

Thanks Chuck! I thoroughly enjoyed working with you! 


One of the main things I remember is Chuck's daughter's room. The furniture was painted white and had colorful knobs, perfect for a baby or even a little girl, but she was ready for a more grown-up space and some place that was going to function throughout her teenage years. The pieces were in great shape, very functional and even the finish was great; we just changed the knobs. We opted for brushed nickel knobs and a matching mirror (much the same thing that I did in my room) and completely changed the feeling of the furnishings. This would also have been great with glass knobs and a mirror-framed mirror for a little more glamour. There are so many options in decorative hardware, I recently found a website that has literally hundreds of different kinds of knobs, pulls and hardware for any style, theme or budget! (I've contacted the company and will post the link as soon as I get the permission to do so.)


One other thing that I remember was that Chuck didn't have an end table in his den, but he had a great little dinette table he wasn't using and the size and scale were great, but the legs were just a bit too long for an end table. We decided to cut the legs off at just the right height to meet the arms of his sofas and it worked great! This is a great way to get a piece you need and use a piece you no longer need. I love the idea of repurposing! It is budget friendly, but it is also ecologically responsible. Before you throw out old and get new look carefully at the items you have and see if you can refinish, recover or repurpose. 


Sometimes the best thing I can do for a client is inspire them. I'm so happy to read that Chuck was able to feel at home and feel proud of his home. Chuck has a beautiful house, it just didn't "feel" like home to him at the time. By using what he had, rearranging his beloved objects and collections, we made the space personal, warm and nurturing (much like Chuck, himself) and we did it on a budget he could be comfortable with. That is my whole purpose, to help others love their spaces! If you are in a transition of any kind be it moving, empty nesting or downsizing, think about how updating your home (even just one little space) can help improve your state of mind!

Inspiration (and broken rule)

What inspires you? What makes you feel like singing or dancing? Can you see that translated into a space you could live in? Do you get a feeling from a song that you want to feel when you walk in your living room? Or, does walking into your spaces make you feel inspired? Should the spaces we live and work in inspire us? Shouldn't we run from spaces that bring us down?

I'm trying to figure out how I feel about where I live! This is the first full week I've lived here and I haven't quite found my spot. One thing I love about this condo is that it is easy to clean up, after all, it's tiny. But, I LOVE our bedroom! It's very small only 10' X 12.5', but it looks and feels much larger. We have a king size bed, two night stands a triple dresser and lots of light.

Now, I didn't have anything to do with the amount of light that comes into the space, the window and door were already in place, but Perry thought I was crazy for thinking that all of the other furniture was going to go in the space and not feel cramped. I did better than that, I think it actually feels larger than it is!

How did I accomplish this? Well, I used a very calm and light color palette. Some people would look at this and say there is NO color palette. The furniture is painted black! The "rule" I broke was painting wood! I don't know about your family, but in my family, you don't paint good wooden furniture. But! I say, if it's broke, fix it! And while the furniture wasn't broken, it wasn't quite right either.

This furniture was pine, and while it was in great shape, had nice lines and was completely functional for us, I wasn't wanting the country look that it had. I was interested in making it a bit more modern, so I painted. (forgive me father!) By adding the brushed nickel knobs (my "jewelry" if you will) it appears more contemporary and has a bit of "bling".  I found brushed nickel framed mirrors and hung them over the dresser for a very contemporary look, especially compared to the mirror that went with the set.

All the fabrics are all creamy off-white. I didn't use any accent colors, no accent pillows, and minimal accessories. I think the lack of color and accessories is exactly what makes the space feel calm, but it doesn't feel sterile or boring. The sheets are luxurious, the coverlet is silk and has a wonderful pattern to it, this adds texture and richness to what would otherwise be a "flat" space.

All of the accessories are in brushed nickel or silver. This gives the room sparkle and is lighter than any other metal finish, again, lending a calmness to the room. The artwork is my own photography from vacations we've taken and framed in black frames with cream mattes keeps with the overall scheme.

Personalized Accesories

The very best thing about this room, it was done on a budget! When you move as often as we do, you can't afford to decorate elaborately and expensively. And, I am the self-named queen of budget shopping! I did this entire room for about $500.  Keep in mind I had the furniture, I just painted it. The breakdown goes something like this:

Lamps - $120
Knobs - $28
Paint - $25
Art - $26
Bedding - $200
Accessories - $20
Tray - $8 (I made it myself)
Mirrors - $90
The overall look - Priceless

My whole goal is to show you that you can have beautiful spaces without breaking the bank. The art and accessories are personal and that is what you want in your master bedroom. This room doesn't necessarily make me want to dance and sing, but it does inspire me! It is a place to relax and sleep without distraction and it inspires me to know that no matter how small the space or budget I can create something beautiful!

Editing

My fireplace in Auburn, Alabama

We live in a culture and society that loves to edit. Don't believe it?  We don't want to take hours or days to read a book, we'll go see the movie when it comes out (let someone else edit the parts we need to know). Written letters became shortened into emails which now are shortened down to text messages. We all know that "roflmao" is a seven word sentence, and no one minds that we don't spell out words anymore to say what we mean. R U with me? We can't be bothered to "clutter" our text messages, emails or FB posts with extra letters or words, so why do we clutter our homes/offices with unnecessary stuff? Look around you right now....what do you see that you don't need to see or even want to see? I'm not talking about things that are out of place, if they have a place, then put them away and see what's left.

As I said before, my husband and I just downsized. Not just a little bit, we reeaaallly downsized! We went from 2700 sq. ft. to just under 600 sq. ft. Some of you have heard me whining about the space, but let me tell you, it actually feels good to live so "edited". (except for the things that I've realized I needed!) We had to make some pretty tough calls about things that we loved, but now that the decisions are made and the stuff is gone, we don't actually miss it.

I literally had to think about things like, just how many pairs of underwear do I really need?! Ok, so that's maybe a little more than you needed to know about me, but the point is this...clutter, even when it's good stuff, is like noise around us. Sometimes you don't realize how noisy it is until you turn off the television and the kids are asleep! All of a sudden you think..."Wow, that silence "sounds" good!" It's the same way with the things with which we fill our homes (offices)!

Now, I'm not suggesting that you sell or give away everything you own, I'm talking about editing. Keep the very best and let go of the rest, it's like shedding a few pounds, not going anorexic. I've always been a lover of layers of accessories. My friend, Denise, pointed this out to me. I never thought about the fact that I "layered" accessories, but when she said it I took note. I noticed my fireplace mantel.

I had beautiful artwork above it. I had a mantel clock and a pair of obelisks, some grape vine orbs and on the hearth a plant, a beautiful basket and fireplace tools. What was I trying to do, display everything I had there because it was the focal point? I'm not saying I didn't love it; I did! but I could see what she meant.

Now I have to say, I still love the warm, cozy feeling of lots of accessories, and there is nothing wrong with it, but I feel fresher and calmer when my eye has a place to rest in the room. (And it's so much easier to dust when you only have a few, carefully chosen items!) Maybe I'm just at a place in my life now where I am seeking calm and quiet; visually speaking. Or maybe I've gotten lazy and don't want to dust, whatever the reason I'm encouraging a more minimalist look.

Not only do you have less to distract you, you also have more time to enjoy the best of what you have. Think about your favorite music, now think about listening to it all... at the same time! If you love your accessories and can't stand the thought of getting rid of things, pack up some and rotate them out every few months, then your room has a fresh look and you can appreciate your treasures more!

It's not that I don't enjoy days of reading a good book, I'm just looking for a "quieter" place to read it. "LOL"

The Rules of the "prose"!

My great-grandmother's clock.

Do you all remember the "rules" of writing a poem? Remember? You were in school and you had to write a poem using iambic pentameter? how about a Haiku? or a Sonnet? There were rules, if you didn't use the right number of syllables or lines, it wasn't Haiku, or a Sonnet or a Limerick. However, even without following the "rules" you were still writing poetry. Sometimes the most beautiful poems don't follow any of these rules!

Just like with designing your space, there are "rules". Rule may be a bit too firm, maybe we should say there are guidelines. There are certain aesthetics that work and look good and flow well. Just like a poem with the correct number of lines and the correct number of syllables per line, they look pretty on the page and they sound nice when read, but not everyone loves the same poem.

What I'm getting at here is that we should not design, or decorate our spaces with rules that someone else used. I love to use things or place things in ways that don't necessarily follow a rule. One rule that I hate is when people tell me I have to group my collections instead of spreading them around the house, "that way they make more of a statement", I was told by a decorator. Maybe I am not trying to make a statement with my collection, maybe I just like to have them around me, in every room.

My favorite collection is my clocks. I have great clocks that came from my grandmothers and some that I bought. Some that were given to me as gifts. With them all in one room, the ticking would drive you crazy (talk about "pentameter"!), but that's not why I don't want them in one room (although my children have said that I'll someday be known as the crazy clock lady because the ticking is loud even spread around the house). I love to see my clocks in every space in my home.  So, for me, I try to collect clocks that suit the decor of the room, or decorate the space around the clock!

Are there "rules" to design and decor that you don't like? or maybe that you don't understand? or maybe you haven't ever heard the rules...share with me! I'm going to be talking the remainder of this week about the "rules" that I like and don't like. I'm here to tell you to break the rules and create your own beautiful "poem" in your space!

Regeneration Interiors & The Designing Prose

On the advice and encouragement of my family and close friends, I have finally decided to start a blog. I have two things that I think I do very well, one is decorating and the other is writing, so combining the two, just might work. 


I have had a desire for several years to start my own interior redesigning business. I've done several small jobs and worked with another redesign professional on projects she had, but I felt that I could take it to the next level. About a year ago I took some classes in staging and interior redesign, I'd had the skills, but I wanted to have the credentials. I had a good friend who worked with me on some copy for a potential website and collateral materials. Because of other things going on in my life I had to shelve the ideas for a while. 


I've recently moved to a new city, to a new phase of life and decided since I was in the "starting over" mode, it was probably the best time to start something new as well. The name I had decided upon last year for my interior redesign business was Regeneration Interiors.  Regeneration is about new life. It's a second chance; a new start. The act of making again. That just happens to be the place I'm in and so the name not only defines my idea, it defines where I am at this moment.


Having just moved from a 2700 square foot house with four bedrooms and three baths, formal and casual spaces, large garage and a beautiful backyard to less than 600 square feet total including storage and a balcony, I am living the struggles of downsizing, re-thinking everything about how my space functions and "lives". In our last house the master suite was larger than our entire space now, we've had to reevaluate what's really important and what we can live without. (but that's a story for another day)


My mission is to help others reinvent their home or office environments, and create a space that meets their lifestyle, functionality, and design aesthetic. Through this blog I hope to inspire others to make their living spaces and work spaces into spaces that renew and revitalize them. I believe that our homes should be spaces that we want to spend time in, we get so little time in them. I think that no matter what size your space and no matter how large or small your budget, you can have a space that reflects who you are and that feeds your spirit and prepares you to go out in the world every day. 


I hope that you will follow along with me on this journey of regeneration. I hope that those friends and family members who encouraged will be proud of what I do here! I welcome comments and questions and I will attempt to give ideas and provide answers to help you create the home you want and one that you love!