Hello to Rhoda’s friends! I just love Rhoda, don’t you? I have gotten to know her mostly online like many of you, and yet it’s amazing how much of her warm personality comes through my computer screen. I was so excited when Rhoda asked me to fill in for her today. As a way of introduction, I’m Anita Joyce. That’s me in the photo. I’m waving at you with my eyes (but it may be hard to tell.)
I’m the author of the blog CEDAR HILL FARMHOUSE
and the book, FRENCH ACCENTS, FARMHOUSE FRENCH STYLE FOR TODAY’S HOME.
Enough about me, I know you’re here to see Rhoda’s gorgeous house, great ideas, and warm heart, and you got me instead. *sigh*
But what if I had some tips for you? Would that make it okay? (Please say ‘yes’!)
Here are my top 5 decorating tips.
TIP 1 Use at least one wow piece per room.
Well you can certainly have more than one, but I like to have at least one piece that is truly unique in each room of my house. I like to spread ‘the love’ in each and every room. For my porch, I added this French crib that I converted to a settee. It sets the tone for the space. That’s my statement piece, so I don’t need much else on the porch to make it feel special. Well I also have these wonderful views too.
It’s my special place, that back porch.
TIP 2 If you can’t remove something you don’t like – disguise it.
For a long time I had a table in my dining room that I didn’t want any more. We had paid a lot of money for it, and so it was difficult to get rid of it. But the dark wood wasn’t working in my room, so I covered the table with a white table cloth. I didn’t want to paint it, and I didn’t want to spend money on it. Using a tablecloth I already had on hand was the perfect solution (and free.)
TIP 3 Minimize patterns to save money.
I know that sounds odd that patterns cost money, but sometimes they really can be more expensive in the long run. If you buy furniture covered in trendy patterns, it will look dated down the road, and you will probably want to replace it before the chair or sofa actually wears out. If you buy furniture that is a solid color, you probably won’t feel that the piece looks dated so soon. The same thing goes for bedding. This linen bedspread is a classic, timeless look. Hopefully it will look just as fresh and elegant 10 years from now. Because there is no pattern to the bedspread, it is difficult to determine when exactly it was made.
TIP 4 Declutter bookcases or shelves
When Country French magazine came to photograph my home, they looked at my shelves and started pulling things out. They removed and removed and removed. I stood there with my mouth open. I watched in horror as they moved pile after pile to my kitchen. Soon my counter-tops were covered in… stuff. It was awful and yes awesome at the same time. I was horrified, but in the end, I had to admit it looked better. I try to keep the things in my cabinets pared down as much as possible.
TIP 5 Photograph your house.
That’s right, take pictures of your home. That is one of the biggest secrets of the blogging world. Bloggers have typically beautiful homes because they are constantly photographing them. I think it’s looking at the photos that helps them to really improve how they have decorated the room. It’s one thing to see it in person, but when it’s a photo, certain issues are hard to ignore. I usually decide to lose weight after seeing photos of myself. When I had a very dated wall color, I was able to ignore it until I saw it in a photo. For this room, after I saw the photos, I decided I wanted curtains in the room.
A big thank you to Rhoda for the invite!!!
You can find me at CEDAR HILL FARMHOUSE.
Really great tips! Thanks!
Thank you Melanie. I’m so happy to be here.
Great tips Anita and happy to see you at Rhoda’s today!!
Thanks Shirley. I’m just a ninja, ha!
Anita, It was fun having a visit from you. Yes, I love Rhoda and check her out everyday, but it was fun looking at your beautiful home. Thank you for all the tips. I agree, the curtains did add warmth to the bedroom. I love your porch as it is so inviting!
Oh thanks so much Melesa. So glad you enjoyed my post.
What useful tips, practical advice is so valuable. Thank you, glad to meet you virtually, glad you visited us thru Rhoda’s lovely blog.
Sonja, lovely to meet you too.
Thanks, very useful tips. Nice to meet you ; )
Happy to meet you also Rhonda.
Great tips, Anita and wonderful to see you at Rhoda’s place! Happy Wednesday, Pam @ Everyday Living
Thanks Pam. This is a happening place!
Nice to meet you Anita. Thank you for the great tips. The photo tip is something I have never heard of and I’m going to try it.
Oh Jeri, I hope it is helpful to you.
Fabulous tips! Thank You So Much Anita!
I am re-doing, remodeling, updating…whatever you want to call it… my childhood home. It is near a Lake so we call it a Lake House. So these tips will help!
As for tip 4… when I started putting “stuff” back up… after we had painted and stained etc. and the room(s) were evolving into something new. I too found that de-cluttering looked so much more fabulous!
My parents and (all of us as a family), my brother later in life , my niece (for one year) and now ME have all lived in the Lake House. This house has a story to be told… and so I am trying to bring that out in me re-do! YOUR TIPS will help!! THANK YOU!
Nancy, what a wonderful and noble project. I hope your home continues to bring joy to your family in the years to come.
Hey, Nancy, yes so glad I found them and now they will all go through. I have no idea what flagged to hold it like that.
wonderful tips! Thanks for sharing!
I enjoyed the hints and love your style!
Your house looks so fresh amd inviting! Thanks for the good tips. They are keepers for sure.
Great tips! So many of them I already follow! Especially the one about taking a picture! Those of us who follow blogs are so used to seeing that staged, perfect (less than lived in) look, and I was always so critical of my own home but once I snapped a few pics (everyone’s a photographer with an iPhone!) I realized my home DOES look pretty good! Also love the decluttering tip too- I recently removed a lot of stuff from my wall unit to polish it and before I had a chance to put it all back in I realized I liked it kind of bare! Thanks for sharing your tips with us!
Lovely post Anita! and I love some of these tips. Thanks for some useful ideas – especially the “paring down” – something all of us “collectors” need to do!
sheila
http://www.maisondecinq.blogspot.com