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Organizing: Road Trips |
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Labor Day weekend signals the season for fall road trips. Cooler
weather means football games and tailgate picnics, foliage tours, fairs
and festivals. Plan ahead and you will be able to take advantage of great
weather and activities at the spur of the moment.
Get clear driving
directions. Expedia, Mapquest, and AAA are good sources, but be sure to
double check the directions before you leave, particularly if you a
driving a long distance. Remember maps? These no- tech back-ups take
little room. Include one with your directions.
Clear out the car
and trunk in advance, keeping the necessities for road safety and
emergencies handy. Doing this before each trip will insure that you will
have everything on hand.
Make a list of the things you will need on
the trip all the way to your destination. Then pack starting with the last
things on your list and working your way up to the top. For a picnic, the
table or blanket will be the last thing packed and the first thing out of
the car.
Be prepared to bring home bargains and unexpected finds.
Tie-down cables, cords and rope, collapsible crates, bubble wrap, and old
blankets will help protect the car and your purchases. Even a storage
compartment or roof rack may be considered depending on the type of trip
and potential buys.
Finally, your cell phone, charger, and a spare
set of keys will ensure peace of mind when traveling. Have fun and drive
safely!
~ Pam Faulkner, Faulkner House Interior Redesign
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Real Estate Staging |
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Selling your home in September? It may be easier than you think. Cooler temperatures mean less landscape maintenance and watering. If your children are in school it will mean less to tidy up during the day. Fall buyers are motivated to find a home and move in before the cold weather and the holidays. Another bonus-the color of fresh fall flowers and the changing of the leaves add to the curb appeal of any home.
Having a
sparkling clean and organized home is half the strategy of staging it for
sale. Removing clutter, cleaning closets, organizing cabinets, garages,
cellars and attics are extremely important tasks that will make most of
every square foot of your home. The more actual and perceived square
footage of your home, the more valuable your home will appear to a buyer.
An organized home makes the space feel larger. Clear out old toys
and pack away only the most used, put away most of your knick-knacks and
remove unneeded pieces of furniture. This will open up space in your home
will allow your potential buyers to see the architecture, not your
possessions. Buyers do look everywhere, so make sure that when they open a
closet or cupboard that they see how much space is available for their own
belongings. Disorganized closets and stuffed drawers can signal to the
buyers that there isn't enough storage space in the house.
Clean
it like you mean it. A clean home gives a buyer a sense of security that
they are buying a well maintained home.
Consider washing and
sealing your home, deck and driveway. Avoid high pressure cleaning which
can chip away paint and raise the grain on wood. Don't forget to wash your
home's windows inside and out to give your rooms extra sparkle and
light.
Every thing you do to show your home at its best is worth
every bit of time and effort you put into it. Buyers look for a well
maintained home. They will find it right where you live.
Lori
Brasseur, LB Designs
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Herndon Curves Makeover |
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When
Omairah Iqbal, the owner of Curves in Herndon, decided that her
facility needed a makeover, she turned to Faulkner House Interior Redesign
to help her implement her ideas for an even more fun and welcoming
atmosphere.
The entry was full of information for its members, each
competing for attention. It was time to shape up this area and give it a
more coordinated feminine and serene feel.
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Herndon Curves Unveiling |
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Come
to Herndon Curves, 720 Grant Street, Suite F, on September 17th for
its makeover unveiling, see its colorful and fun new look and get tips
from guest experts on diet, fitness, health, beauty and more.
For
information, click on the link or call 703-707- 9011.
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Faulkner House at the Remodeling & Home Decor
Show |
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If you love to get new ideas for your home while shopping for
accessories and furnishings all in one place, the fall Remodeling &
Home Decor Show, September 21-23, 2007 at the Dulles Expo Center, is an
annual must-see event.
No matter what your style, this show offers
an abundance of design inspiration, remodeling tips and new ideas. Speak
with over 500 experts and shop, compare and save on all of your home
improvement projects.
This year Faulkner House Interior Redesign
will be giving a presentation at the show on Holiday Tablescaping and
Decor. Come see how the things you own can take on a completely new look.
Learn tips and tricks to make your holiday decorating easier and more
enjoyable.
I'll be giving my presentation at 2 p.m. on September
22nd, right after Lee Snijders of HGTV's "Design on a Dime". Nothing like
having Lee as a warm up! He will be on at 1 p.m. and I will be on at 2
p.m. so come to see Lee and stay for me! For the entire schedule and show
times click on the link below. Home Decor will be in the South
Hall.
Remodeling & Home Decor Show - September 21-23, 2007 at
the Dulles Expo Center.
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Accessory of the Month: Throws |
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Few accessories are as versatile and practical as throws. They can
provide color, pattern and texture to a room, soften the lines of a wooden
chair, make a formal sofa less rigid, make a room feel more cozy and
welcoming, and they are wonderful to snuggle under.
As we move
toward cooler days and nights, throws will become more available in stores
and through catalogs. Check the care tags when you are making your
selection. Some must be dry cleaned or hand washed. Also check the size
when you compare price and quality. Some throws can be quite small, which
could be fine for displaying over the arm of a rocker, but too small to
cover an adult.
Department stores and catalogs are good sources.
The ones shown above are from The Company Store. You might also check the
smaller boutiques and even craft shows this fall for more unique styles.
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A Decorating Challenge |
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Last month I asked for suggestions, both funny and serious, for using
this interesting cake pan that a reader noticed in a catalog. The results
were not as varied as with the previous Challenge. Perhaps most people
couldn't get past the fact that it was a cake pan, though some did. Here
are some of the suggestions and comments. (In case you are interested, the
pan is available from Solutions.com.)
- Use it to bake a white pound cake, add M&M spectators on the
seats in two different team colors. Have M&M peanut football players
on the field. The variations including having the candies pushed into
the cake at different levels to give the effect of a "Wave", Chicklet
Gum signs in the stands and having Gummi Bears in the stands and on the
field
- Use it to bake a Harry Potter Quidditch Field.
- Use the pan for a snack bowl-who bakes anymore?
Most of the suggestions were variations on the first. The Quidditch
stadium and the snack idea were very different takes. Thanks to all of you
who sent in ideas and to those who e-mailed from the beach suggesting
using it for a sand stadium! Glad you had fun with the Challenge. If you
have an unusual item that you would like to submit, email me at
pam.faulkner@faulknerhouse.com.
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Fall in Love With Your Home |
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Scheduling has begun for my Fall Redesign Parties. If you've
never been to one, these mini decorating presentations will clue you into
design secrets, tips and techniques that will jumpstart your redesign
projects. The fun, informative and free programs are held in real
homes like yours. You will learn through demonstrations and hands-on
opportunities how easily a room can be transformed using the things you
already own coupled with innovative techniques and a fresh approach to
arranging and combining furnishings.
The Fall Redesign Parties will
focus on making your home cozy and welcoming as the weather turns cooler. Fall Entertaining, Under an Hour Holiday Decorating Ideas, and
Personalized Party Planning are just a sampling of the choices
How can you get "in the know"? Call or email me now for information
about attending or hosting a Redesign Party at 703-689-9886 , FaulknerRedesign@aol.com or pam.faulkner@faulknerhouse.com
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Acknowledgements |
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The Redesigner's Notebook is devoted to tips and articles
relating to interior redesign, decorating, entertaining, organizing and
related subjects, and will include contributions from members of the
Interior Redesign Industry Specialists association, I.R.I.S.,
listed below.
If you have an interest or question that you would
like to see addressed, or a community event that you would like to see
included that relates to our subjects of decorating, real estate staging,
entertaining and organizing please contact me. Your comments and
suggestions are always appreciated!
~ Pam Faulkner, Faulkner House
Interior Redesign
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Previous Issues
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Pam Faulkner, Faulkner House, Oak Hill,
VA
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Interior Redesign Industry
Specialists
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Barbi Ford, Roomspinners, Covington,
WA
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Juliana Hind, Roomspinners, Maple Valley,
WA
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Lori Brasseur, L B Designs,Salisbury,
MA
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Irene Woodworth, One Day Redesigns,
Boise, ID
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