Wallpaper! Up-style your space in a day.

Why are you waiting? If you are haunted by thought that wallpaper is only found in your Great Aunt Millie’s home or it is impossible to remove? Good news - the 21 century version is removeable, can be peel and stick and is totally hip.

I headed to a new client’s home yesterday to give her some fresh ideas to make her home her own. A decorating suggestion for the dining room, already painted navy, this wallpaper, but just the back wall.

York Wallpaper Peacock Pattern

Fun, yet just a bit sophisticated, and will tone down all that navy and add just the right bit of pizazz. Plus, it will be a showstopper when looking into the space from the foyer. And, that entryway right outside the dining room had a fantastic blue/grey tile. The paper will meld the color palette and tile pattern together and join the two rooms.

Here’s what is great about decorating with wallpaper - if you don’t like it in this color, it comes in 4 other color waves! Take a pick.

Ironically, my 2nd client in the day who is building a new home mentioned that she wanted to add wallpaper to her powder room. Well I just pulled out my phone showed her the paper saved in my gallery and she went gaga over the same paper. Then she pulled her phone and showed me the the color of the vanity going in, a beautiful, rich blue. BINGO! She too can use the same paper, but will get a completely different look! Her floor tile, the room size and papering of all the walls will have a completely different style and ambience. Won’t her powder room needing guests be wowed. Here’s her space.

Wallpaper can do a couple fantastic things for your home.

• It can help you create a color palette. Wallpaper is an easy way to help you choose colors for your home OR coordinate the existing colors in your home. You can pull a few colors from the pattern and use those as inspiration for a whole home color palette, or just the room. Too, the wallpaper pattern and its colors can create that tread that joins what’s already there.

• You can use wallpaper to create mood and personality. If you want to shake up a space, create ambiance, or a bit of surprise - there is nothing easier than using wallpaper to achieve that goal.

• Wallpaper can fool the eye. From brick, shiplap to a subway backsplash tile, there is a wallpaper that looks like an expensive design application but will cost you way less.

• It’s almost instant. Wallpaper can be up in a day (or even in an hour or two) giving you immediate results.

• It gives a space dimension. It can create texture, make a space feel larger, create depth, or ground a space.

• It can be used anywhere. On a ceiling, in a closet, to line the back of a curio, cabinet or door. It can be used to up-style a desk, chest, dresser or lamp. The remnants from a project can line a drawer. The spaces it can go are endless.

I can’t wait to see the results of these rooms with the wallpaper application and the finishing touches the paper brings. If you want to add wallpaper, but need a helpful push, a wee nudge, send me a message or give me a jingle and I’ll alleviate your wallpaper phobia, and squash those thoughts of the ghosts of wallpaper past. - Julea.

Home Office Paint Colors for Home Schooling

I was lunching (al fresco of course) with my friend and Benjamin Moore paint associate Mary Hoffman the other day. As we were catching up and discussing 2020, one of our talking points was how many of my clients have inquired about creating a great home office and e-learning environment. Delightfully in the e-mail yesterday came this wonderful, expert advice from Benjamin Moore’s corporate Color Director.

For any age, a home-schooling environment should be conducive to focus and concentration, while infusing color moments that can spark creativity.  Creating this balance with wall color s is important to avoid boredom or creating a space that may be too aggressive for school-related activities.  It is also important to take the other elements into consideration – beyond furniture and flooring, to include school-related supplies, accessories and other moments that may be good ways to introduce bold or saturated color, while maintaining a backdrop that is not distracting. 

Pre-school: There are two directions one can take with this age group.  I think a very pale blue like Polar Ice 1660 or a soft yellow like Fresh Air 211 would be a nice backdrop.  Another option is a warm white like Mountain Peak White OC-121 as a wall color with accents in primary hues coming from furnishings and small accents, and even toys/teaching tools.  That way there is a balance between lively colors that are eye catching and a wall color that is subdued and will not distract kids, especially when young attention spans are limited.  

Elementary: There is a pretty wide range for elementary students as they could be just a step up from pre-school, or on their way to Jr. High.  A soft green could be nice, like Spring Valley 438 or maybe Cedar Grove 444 for something slightly darker.  I also like Mt. Rainier Gray 2129-60 and Breath of Fresh Air 806.  Again, the wall color can be the back drop for other things happening in the space from furniture, to school supplies, to even white boards or bulletin boards with school-related items on it.  I’d also suggest using chalkboard paint in spots where it makes sense, using a darker color so the chalk stands out well, for instance Downpour Blue 2063-20 or maybe Jack Pine 692. 

Jr High: Now that the student is getting a bit older, the wall colors that will be appealing and will create an atmosphere conducive for studying may be a bit more nuanced.  A few colors that may appeal to this age group include Wales Gray 1585, Airway 828, Stonington Gray HC-170, or Vintage Taupe 2110-70.  There may also be opportunities for a “whiteboard” with notable, so a lighter color will work best to show off dry erase markers.

High School:  With tastes becoming more sophisticated and different school demands, the palette may expand to include some darker hues, and even variations on white for a modern look that also lends itself to schooling.  On the darker end of the spectrum, Van Deusen Blue HC-156 or Chelsea Gray HC-168 are nice choices, while Simply White OC-117 and Cloud Cover OC-25 could also work well.  Other options that appeal to this age group include Smoke Embers 1466, Gentle Gray 1626, or Ocean Air 2123-50.

Benjamin Moore Dry Erase Board Paint: Transform Any Wall Color Into a Dry Erase Board with Notable Dry Erase Paint. Find Your Perfect Color.

BEN® CHALKBOARD PAINT - Chalkboard Paint, available in any color, lets you turn virtually any interior surface into an erasable chalkboard.

Excitedly, I met with a new design client last week and picked Benjamin Moore’s Pale Smoke 1584 for her home office. I’ll be following up this post with my picks and home styling suggestions for her home office re-boot in another blog post. Stay tuned! - Julea

Have a decorating dilemma? You may be looking for some decorating or remodeling guidance, validation, or you are struggle with just pulling it all together. My 2 hour design consultation is a great option to meet your goals. Call or text Julea @ 708.543.8597.

5 Home Staging Trends to Watch - REALTOR® Magazine

© Dasha Petrenko - AdobeStock

Staging professionals offer up ideas for prepping properties

September - October 2020 REALTOR® Magazine

How has the pandemic influenced home stagers? Bloggers from REALTOR® Magazine’s Styled, Staged & Sold team of staging professionals offer up ideas for prepping properties.

Send cozier vibes. “Cozy is the new ‘luxury.’ We’re using more place settings on tables, setting up a coffee station with a tray, mugs, and napkins, displaying magazines and books on coffee tables, and draping fur throw blankets over beds—all of this conveys a more homey feel. Outside, we’ll have a fire pit surrounded by chairs or a hammock on the lawn.” —Krisztina Bell, No Vacancy Inc. and Virtually Staging Properties Inc.

Give prominence to the home office. “We’re seeing the home office as an area to stage. We either stage a room that was clearly built as an office or we create a space for use as an office. The rise of people working from home means showing a space that can be used for that purpose. We’ve invested in more desks and office items to support the growing request.” —Jennie Norris, International Association of Home Staging Professionals

Spotlight outdoor living. “The ‘bonus room’ may now be your livable outdoor space. Home staging will not stop at the back door. From pretty porches that offer an optimal first impression to an outdoor haven that expands the home’s living space—staging in 2021 will embrace the entire property.” —Julea Joseph, Reinventing Space

Bring on the natural light. “The pandemic has created a higher level of anxiety. Studies suggest that natural light from great windows or enclosed outdoor spaces can boost people’s mood and, over the long term, improve mental health.” —Karen Post, Home Frosting

Offer contactless services. “We’ve offering our staging clients a safe and cost-effective way to enhance their property’s appeal and engage buyers with new virtual staging consultations and ‘staging box’ services. After our experts take a virtual tour of the seller’s home,, we provide ‘staging box’ options with front-door delivery. The box includes things like sofa pillows, rugs, wall art, lighting, bedding, and tabletop accessories, with detailed placement instructions and other guidance as needed.” —Patti Stern, PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

Reprinted. For digital article https://magazine.realtor/home-and-design/feature/article/2020/09/5-home-staging-trends-to-watch.