Have fun with murano glass beaded wallpaper

Faux glass bead wallpaper makes for a lovely and glamorous look for your wall anywhere in the home. The wall coverings shed beautiful light to give an impact. They give a statement to any space and are available in a wide array of colors. This is an easy way to bring color and texture into your home while making an impression on the space itself.

Guest blogger: Katherine Fountain

Organic Design

Organic design

In today's society the use of organic materials is becoming not just a trend but also a necessity for people with extreme allergies. Many products have “off gassing” that contributes to air quality in the home. Designers are working with organically made products to create a more healthy environment.

• Organic bedding made with organic cotton

• Organic rugs and carpets made of wool, jute, bamboo, cotton, and hemp.

• Flooring made of bamboo and reclaimed wood.

• Low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) paints

These are just a few materials you can begin to change when designing or redesigning your home.

Guest blogger: Rebecca Plank

Easy Art

We were looking for a way to do some inexpensive art for kids and teens rooms when we stage vacant homes. These were a breeze to make.

Fabric circles made from embroidery hoops and different patterned fabrics.

Fabric squares and rectangles made from different sized canvas stretcher bars and patterned fabrics.

All materials found at our local Hobby Lobby.

Decorated Stair Risers

I wanted a new look for the stair risers at my Smart Move Design office but didn't want to paint. This was done in an hour using wrapping paper. (I found the paper at Hobby Lobby and it had a nice one inch grid on the back for easy cutting). I cut the paper to size, painted modge podge on the risers, placed the paper on the risers and smoothed it out, then trimmed with an exacto knife.

Adding Luxury to Your Home

One of the easiest ways to add luxury to your home is through custom, decorative paint treatments. Sponge painting? Très 1990. Want murals in your kids’ rooms, entry hall inspiration to greet your guests? Maybe harlequin diamonds or a chair rail? Whatever it may be, decorative paint treatments are a simple and chic method for upping the luxury in your home life.

Last year we had the pleasure of working with Sarah Moribito of Sarah Harris Designs in the 2010 Parade of Homes. This year she will be working with us once again and bringing her talents to the Sciuga and Pigliavento homes in the 2011 Parade of Homes. Give her a call to bring her talents to your home.

Parade of Homes 2011

Smart Move Design will be the designer for 2 homes in the Parade of Homes this year. We will be representing Sciuga Builders and Pigliavento Builders. The Parade of Homes will be held in Liverpool, NY in September 2011 with 10 builders participating in the event.

Feng Shui in the Home

Feng shui can get quite in depth, however the basics are easy to follow. Color is something that gives a room a new energy. In Feng shui, there are five color elements. They include wood, water, metal, earth, and fire. Wood promotes development and creativity in the home. Metal creates attention and energy in a space. Earth represents the stability of a home, fire represents energy and passion, and water shows wealth and promotes communication. Earth is light yellow or beige. It is to be used in the northeast part of the home or the southwest. Then there is metal which is white and gray. It is to be used in the west and northwest part of the home. Water is blue and black. It is for the north part of the home. Wood is brown and green. It is for the east and southeast parts of the home. Feng shui has many categories and elements to it. The key is to bring in color and light into your home to make it a better place and make you happier and healthier!

Source: http://fengshui.about.com/, http://www.thespiritualfengshui.com/