Carmela Abella

Is wallpaper making a comeback? Wall paper was very popular in the early 1900's but since then it has hit hard times. Just recently in the past, wallpaper was synonymous with chintz-loving grandma or high-end designers. But with the internet, homeowners are re-discovering wallpaper once again.Wallpaper can dress up a room or hide imperfections on the walls. As a redesigner, I love using wallpaper as accent wall. And as a homestager I have at times, recommend using paint-able wallpaper to had flaws on the walls. So what should you know before you go out and buy wallpaper?

• What are the cost? Retails brand can run from $25 to $250 a roll. Designers can cost upt to $500 a roll.
• Should you hire a professional or do-it-yourself? If your walls aren't plumb or the paper is high-end, you may want to consider hiring a professional. Professional charge anywhere from $30-60 a roll. Not counting the cost of the roll or the removal of old wallpaper.

Once the decision to wallpaper your room is made, the next decision is, what type of wallpaper should you use? Plain paper? Vinyls? Metallic? Nonwovens? Embossed? Or grasscloth?

• Paper- Can be coated or non-coated. Non-coated makes stripping more difficult to remove.Usually coated with thin vinyl or acrylic film for better stain removal.

• Vinyl- Durable sheets of rubbery plastic, laminated to paper or nonwoven backing. Stands up to scrubbing, scrapes and splashes.

• Metallic- Metallized films and foils are laminated to either paper or nonwoven backing. Metallic can add sheen and piazza to any space but they tend to highlight flaws so be careful!

• Nonwoven- Easy to hang and strip. Made of synthetic and paper fibers glued and pressed together.

• Embossed- Raised patterns pressed into vinyl or paper. Great at hiding flaws in the walls. They even come paint-able!

• Grasscloth- This is wallpaper made of strips of real grass woven into sheets. Backed by either paper, fabric or nonwoven materials. It gives a natural element into any room. Delicate, best used in low traffic areas.

Romancing you home can be easier then you think. With Valentine quickly approaching and people suffering from winter blues, sprucing your home may be the cure for boredom. So why not get it ready for Valentine's Day? When we think of romantic homes, we naturally think of Victorian homes, perhaps a nice English Cottage or even a Tudor home. Seldom do we think of Contemporary, Ranch or even Mediterranean style homes as having a romantic feel to it, but if you decorate it right, any home can have that romantic feeling. Having the right look and feeling is very important when decorating or even staging a home to sell.

Here are just some ideas that you can implement to get the desire effect:

• Pay attention to the detail of your home. Do you have a lake or ocean view, perhaps a beautiful garden? Don't hide it, instead play it up. These elements have a natural romantic feel to it. They will naturally enhance any room.

Do you have problems with wet basement flooring? Recently a client hired Abella Home Staging & Redesign to design a man cave in the basement. The issue with the basement is, it sometimes gets flooded. What kind of flooring do you put in basement that has water issues? I had to find a viable solution. Carpet was no good, mold issue. Wood, out of the question. Laminated floors, adhesive gets wet making the tiles pop up. Floating floor, water will damaged the particle boards. So I did some research and found two great products.

1. First product is called Place N' Go Flooring. Place N' Go Flooring is recycled composition which is totally waterproof.

• No adhesive and easy to install.

• Kids and pet friendly.

• Can be used in any room.

Unlike conventional laminated floors, it won't swell or buckle in high humidity. And if you get floodes, you just pick up the the tiles, let dry and put them right back. What is the secret? It's an interlocking covering that is adhesive free. Simply put it over your old existing floor. Damaged a tile? Simply pull it up and replace it. Easy to maintain, just damp mop using regular cleaners.

2. Second product is vinyl plank flooring. Vinyl plank flooring is a relatively new type of floor covering which has the look and beauty of hardwood but without the expenses and is much more durable.

• Has the appearance of real hardwood flooring.

• Even comes in textures.

• And many different styles to choose from.

Vinyl plank flooring is completely made out of vinyl so it's waterproof. It has an interlocking system that you just click together. It has the all the same benefits as the tiles but with the look of wood. Both products are great and can be used in basement where water may be an issue.

Organization made simply. Many people are overwhelmed when it comes to organizing their homes or office. In fact as a home stager & redesigner of Abella Home Staging & Redesign, that is the number one problem I often encounter. But it shouldn't be the case. My goal is to show you that it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, it can be easy and fun.

There are four basic steps to organizing:

1. Plan & empty. Organizing takes time, so set some time. It doesn't have to an all day affair. Whatever time you can devote. If it's only 20 minutes, than tackle a small job. Once that's done, it will inspire you to continue and tackle those bigger jobs.

Mainstream Mom

2. Sort it out. I like to put items into piles, items to keep, items to discard, items not sure of. The items you're not sure of can be difficult pile. Here is my rule of thumb, if you haven't used it in a year, you probably don't need it. If you're still unsure, put the items in a box and tape it up. Put the box away for 4-5 months, after that period has passed and you haven't missed those items, discard the box. You won't miss it.

HGTV

3. Shop for the items you need. Now comes the fun part. Shopping. But before you head out the door, there are some things you need to do. Measure your space so you can get the right container size. Figure out what kind of style you want, decorative boxes or clear plastic ones you see through. Will it be hidden or out in plain view, that will determine what kind of boxes you may want.

In order to suceed

4. Reassemble, putting it in order. Now that you sorted and boxed your items, you can start to place them on selves or units. This is the tricky part. Where to place the items. Try to place items where you need them the most. Take some time to figure it out. This may need some tweaking as time goes on. And remember to stay on top of it, it's easier then to start all over again!!

Simplified Bee

This method can be applied to any organizing task. Something to consider when selling your home. Once it's all done, you will have an area that is both functionally and beautiful. There is an old saying that I think really applies to organizing "Out of chaos comes beauty" !! Couldn't have said it better!!

Tangerine Tango, Pantone color of the year for 2012. Love it!! "Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with lot of depth to it". That's what Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone Color Institute is saying and I couldn't agree more. A warm earthy color that will go well with just about every color, especially brown which is so prevalent these days.

Pantone

As a homestager and owner of Abella Home Staging & Redesign, nothing will update a home more by using touches of color. Especially if it's popular color. You can update the look of any room just by adding pillows and accessories. And when you tire of it you can simply switch it out. Here are some examples of Tangerine Tango.

Sweet Suite10

The Marietta Daily Journal

Design Addicted Mom

Keep a look out for this color popping up everywhere in you local retail stores. And have fun using it in your designs!!