
Unique old-fashioned desk in Novato.
I love this desk because it is so natural. I think rooms can get so stuffy when they are filled with color and pattern. It always helps to throw in a little texture, and this knotted vintage desk would be a great solution. The top is a vintage door, with even [...]
Posted by ohbrooke on 09.30.2008 at 1:22 pm// Tagged: craigslist treasures, design solutions , craigslist treasures, interior design, texture

My adorable and talented sister was on View From The Bay on ABC Network yesterday. She did a spot on creating your own stencils with posterboard, tracing paper and an X-Acto knife. This is such a great way to make patterns in your home. You can design your own, or Shannon says she gets her [...]
Posted by ohbrooke on 09.30.2008 at 1:09 pm// Tagged: design solutions, painting tips , decorating, painting, Shannon Kaye, Stencils

I am not afraid of color, pattern, or paint. Because of this, I am drawn toward elaborate paint treatments, bright colors and stylized rooms. I learned that as I moved all of my furniture out of my Sacramento house, and tried to sell it, the patterns and colors on the walls stood out. While they [...]
Posted by ohbrooke on 09.25.2008 at 10:45 am// Tagged: seller hints , decorating decisions, selling your home, staging

Wonderful Graffiti creates all kinds of different vinyl lettering for a range of projects. I love this set of vinyls as applied to a painted vintage highboy.
screenshot from http://www.workstatetest.com/.
Posted by ohbrooke on 09.23.2008 at 11:05 am// Tagged: design solutions, painting tips , furniture, redecorating, vinyl lettering

Just in case we forget what side of the bed we sleep on…
Posted by ohbrooke on 09.22.2008 at 7:34 pm// Tagged: design solutions, making your rental a home , bedroom decorating, master bedroom

Still in dire need of small decorative items, but the transformation is nearly complete. Here are the before and after pictures of the living room in our new condo.
Highlights:
Walls painted a warm beige color (Lady Finger) by Benjamin Moore. Ceiling painted slightly darker for a cozy feeling
New dark chocolate hardwood floors
New ceiling fan with dark [...]
Posted by ohbrooke on 09.21.2008 at 3:06 pm// Tagged: design solutions, making your rental a home, me, painting tips

Getting organized is one of the most important steps to making your house feel like a home. I would rather spend hours organizing than relaxing because it feels so good after you’ve done it.
Unclutterer is a great blog about organization that I subscribe to. It gives great tips on laundry organization, office organization, home organization, [...]
Posted by ohbrooke on 09.19.2008 at 8:18 am// Tagged: making your rental a home , organize, Unclutterer

One of my favorite poster designers is the late Saul Bass. The now playing “Burn After Reading” that I am still laughing about, having seen it this weekend (I love a good Cohen brothers film), has a Saul Bass-inspired movie poster that I love:
I am going to use these posters as reference for color schemes [...]
Posted by ohbrooke on 09.15.2008 at 2:00 pm// Tagged: design solutions, making your rental a home

I have a pattern when cleaning the bathroom that involves only one rag. I think we could all use a few cleaning tips to keep us more efficient. Do you have easy cleaning tips?
Here’s the procedure:
1. Clean the windows with window cleaner.
2. Fill the sink(s) up with hot water and a little Lysol Disenfectant. Using [...]
Posted by ohbrooke on 09.11.2008 at 11:32 am// Tagged: landlord tips, making your rental a home, seller hints

A recent conversation with my friends over whether or not a chandelier is practical in the bedroom spawned this gallery of beautiful chandeliers above the bed.
My say? A bedroom shouldn’t be practical. A dining room or living room, yes, but a bedroom should be your fun retreat. I had a chandelier in my master bedroom [...]
Posted by ohbrooke on 09.10.2008 at 2:09 pm// Tagged: design solutions, making your rental a home