WINNER:
Don Shan art print.
Congratulations to Lori in Connecticut, our winner of yesterday’s Don Shan art print! Lori won this great prize simply by leaving a comment on yesterday’s post so that her name was entered in the random drawing for the print. She now gets to pick the print of her choice from Don’s great ETSY store.
From Bosheree08, ETSY
From Park and Beach, ETSY
Remember to leave a comment on today’s post before 8pm Pacific (for those of you new to blog reading, the comments are located at the bottom right side of today’s article, right after the ads), and you’ll have a chance to win either a handpainted name sign or a linen pillow cover. If you want to visit the ETSY stores of the contributors to see more options, click HERE for the pillow or HERE for the sign. Check tomorrow’s post to see if you are one of the lucky winners!
Travel: to go from one place to another; take a trip; journey.
My journey started 8 months ago when I decided to start a home decorating blog using my design skills to offer free decorating advice to people who wanted a little help. A whole new experience, but one I really wanted to explore. Along the way my best friend, Cindy, decided to join me on the trip and has added another layer of fun for me and a different voice to the blog. Along the way we’ve overcome a few roadblocks, blazed some new trails and passed a “milepost” or two. Now we’re celebrating 200 posts!
The best trips are ones you take with friends and/or family. They’re exciting, fun and relaxing as you enjoy spending time in a new environment but with familiar people. That’s what we try to offer through Your Decorating Hotline every day: a little excitement, some fun and chuckles and some time introducing a new environment, all shared with some familiar and lots of new folks.
Terrie’s Favorite Posts
Wednesdays are our shared day – we usually offer personal opinions and or share a Top 10 favorite – and today is no different. We’re each sharing five of our favorite blog trips (topics), a reflective reminder of our journey thus far.
One of the most popular posts continues to be COLOR FORECASTING AND TRENDS FOR 2010. If you’re thinking of making some changes, read this for some trendy ideas.
I was a florist on one of my former “journeys” and I love to share how easy it is to enjoy fresh flowers in your home. I’ve written several how-to articles and this is a fave: HOW TO MAKE A BASIC FLORAL ARRANGMENT
We’ve had so many great opportunities to answer questions and offer assistance that it’s hard to pick a favorite. I helped Jason with his entry, hall and dining room; advised Jessica, Janet and Sue and others with color issues; Cindy helped with a challenging room arrangement, given kitchen advice and gave great suggestions on a childrens’ room. If you’d like to read about these and more, click the “Reader Question” category in the sidebar. Because gray is the “hot” new neutral and lots of us are working with brown things we still own, I’m going to choose one of the posts that shows how those colors can work: GRAY AND BROWN
I think my favorite “how-to article” is by Cindy. She came up with such a clever idea to cover that unsightly fuse box cover that we all hate. Read her great idea here: ART OF CAMOUFLAGE
Accessorizing is a topic close to my heart. I firmly believe it’s something that can be taught and learned. I love sharing tips and suggestions to help you create that special look in your homes. Those pesky potshelves / ledges are always a challenge and one of my favorite posts is full of ideas on how to dress them up: DECORATE LEDGES LIKE A PRO
Cindy’s Favorite Posts
Picking 5 out of 200 posts took a bit of consideration but I kept going back and rereading the following posts, so I finally decided they’re my favorites!
I’m crazy about Christmas and so one of my favorites just had to include this holiday. I really appreciated all the time and effort Terrie took to illustrate a variety of great ideas and instructions in MANTEL DECOR STEP BY STEP.
One of my favorites is actually two posts – I’m slipping them both in because they ran two consecutive days and both discuss hanging art in your home. Check out HOW TO HANG ART AT THE RIGHT HEIGHT and TIPS FOR HANGING ART IN YOUR HOME.
Perhaps REINVENT, REFURBISH AND REUSE OLD FURNITURE is a favorite post because I’m so pleased with the results of my efforts updating a piece of furniture that’s more than 25 years old so it works in our new home.
Color is an important element in decorating and I think Terrie’s post titled COLOR FOR HOME DECOR EXPLAINED does a great job of explaining color terms and importance to readers.
One of my favorite posts resulted because of a reader’s great remodeling efforts and willingness to share her story with us. KITCHEN BEFORE AND AFTER chronicals the update of an old kitchen and provides inspiration for all of us regarding “sweat equity” and making a house your own.
We hope you’ve enjoyed joining us on this trip down memory lane and will stick with us as we forge ahead with new ideas to share, new advice to help make your home perfect for you and new inspiration and projects. A few things we have planned are tips for decorating small rooms, a series on decorating styles, a series on pattern and how to use it effectively, what to do with your mantel, and how to accessorize a bookcase like a pro. Travel with us as we explore these topics and more.
Your Favorite Posts?
So now we’ve shared some of our favorites and we’d love to hear from you. What posts caught your attention? What did you find helpful? Did we address a favorite topic or solve a problem for you? Was there something that was informative, inspiring or made you chuckle? What would you like to see more of in future posts? We’ll use your input to shape the next 200 posts – so put your two cents in! Remember too, leaving a comment makes you eligible for today’s great prize giveaaways!
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Thanks for helping comment! I have really enjoyed your blog and have caught up with most of the back posts since I discovered you last monthl. I move area rugs around to refresh my space-I change from dark winter rugs to lighter rugs for the spring/summer.
It is so fun to hear from everyone out there who is reading the blog – it gives a nice feeling of community! I agree with many of the other comments but I especially like the pictures included in the blog that show the progression of different projects are super helpful – you give an description and then include a photo that shows the example – so helpful for those of us (me!) who have trouble understanding just by reading text. I also really like the ‘thumbs up/thumbs down’ feature – fun to consider the different perspectives!
Keep up the good work – I’m behind a few projects so once I get caught up, I’ll have more questions for you both!
Kathy / Everett, Wa
Hey Kathy – you’ve given me a couple of other article ideas that will be showing up soon so hope you’ll keep checkin’ in. We’re always glad to help.
Hi there,
I am recently new to your blog but am REALLY loving it! And your re-cap of favourite posts has come at just the right time. My partner and I are looking to revamp our kitchen over the Easter break with a lick of paint and some new handles etc but are struggling to decide on colour. So between Cindy’s “Kitchen before & after” favourite post & “Terrie’s Colour forecasting for 2010″ we will be well armed with direction & inspiration to take on our kitchen makeover!
Thanks & keep up the great work!
Ann-Marie
p.s – I would be totally stoked to win either the sign or the pillow – I ain’t picky
I love your blog. i have been reading it for a couple of months now and am so happy I found it. You have some really great info. I am leaving a comment and hope I get entered into the drawings for the name plaque or the pillow. They are so cute! Great giveaway!
Found your comment entered on the wrong day, so moved it to today – good thing you mentioned the drawing items! Glad you enjoy reading us…..
Hi,
I am responding on Wednesday, couldn’t find comment section though on today’s email. I went back to Tuesday. Thank you for sharing your talents in decorating. Your expertise and enjoyment of this area is so helpful to encouraging the nesting instinct so many women have.
Diane in Michigan
I moved your comment to the right day so you could be in the drawing. Glad you enjoy the blog Diane – keep reading !
Congrats on reaching an important milestone!
My favorite post isn’t an actual topic, rather a day of the week– Wednesday. That’s when Terri and Cindy often pick a decorating topic and give their thumbs up/thumbs down opinion. I find this approach refreshing and always interesting. Keep up the good work!
I have been reading your blogs from the very beginning, and I can honestly say I’ve LOVED them ALL! You have never picked a topic I’m not interested in reading. I’ve actually saved every one of the blogs in a file, so I can quickly refer back to them when I’m in need of some great information! That will probably be soon, as my husband and I have another “updating” project on the horizon! Thank you again for all the great information you’ve provided and congrats on this great milestone!
We love our faithful readers and we’re so please you’re enjoying our efforts. That makes it all worthwhile. Be sure to share the news with friends and family too. And, if you’re starting a new project, how about sharing the before / after photos with us?
I’m so pleased someone forwarded this site. I’m always open to new ideas.
What do you do with an open staircase? Love this site!
Why, climb it of course
Are you looking for paint ideas or bannister ideas? Let me know some specifics….
Glad you’re enjoying the site.
This is by far the best website out there! Terrie is always willing to help with any decorating dilema or question! She has helped me a great deal in finding the right wall colors and curtains for our main living area. I always like to come back to get more ideas as we decorate other areas of our home. Thanks Terrie – your website ROCKS!!!
Thanks for the compliment Jessica. Keep the questions coming and I love seeing the photos as your progress. It’s FUN!
Had a little trouble finding the comment place, so thanks for helping. I was looking on the sidebar, not the bottom of the post.
So sorry for the confusion – it’s hard to find I know so I’m glad you perservered. Cindy and I have realized that lots of readers may need a little primer on navigating the site, so we’ll be doing an article on that coming up soon.
I loved the tips on Christmas mantel decorating. It is the one place in my home that aside from stockings hanging is a little bare. Up to this point, I had only thought of the tree as the main focal point and now I can use your advice to draw the attention to the mantel in my family room as well.
I also enjoyed the kitchen remodel article. My husband and I replaced the hardware and light fixtures in our kitchen and bathroom and it really made a difference. It was an easy, inexpensive facelift for both rooms.
I agree with the other blogger’s comment about including pictures with your tips and advice. It is an easy, step-by-step way to follow the points you are making.
I’m glad you’re finding articles of interest. I agree that kitchen remodel was pretty amazing! I can’t imagine spending 2 years of my life doing it though!
Hope you find time to keep reading now and then.
Lovin’ your blog!!
I love that you use tons of photos to illustrate your articles! I understand principles, but have difficulty with the application part (just doing it) :]
I really like the articles on accessorizing the most–walls, ledges, bookshelves–and would love to see one about accessorizing coffee tables.
Have you considered doing an article on “staging” a room? Sometimes I just want my kitchen or living room to look spectacular for when guests come over
(yep, I want to hear some oooohs and ahhhhhs). I have read articles about people who have had their homes staged for moving and then don’t want to move because of how functional and beautiful the room is!
Truly, all your posts have been inspiring, motivating and thought provoking. I’m so glad to hear that you are aiming for another 200 posts–yay!
Blessings,
Sindy
There are some excellent ideas here and we’ll definitely put them in the mix. Cindy has experience in redesign and that’s a lot like staging – using things you already have but with bigger impact so she’ll likely have some great suggestions for that. And we’ll always cover accessorizing since it’s a never-ending source of interest to most readers.
Thanks so much for the kind words.