Most people would prefer to live in a beautiful home. They plan to get around to fixing up their ugly home someday. They are in no rush. But should you be? 

It is not just about the pretty. It is not just that a beautiful, healthy home looks and feels great and supports you in your journey to BE the person you want to be so you can live the life you dream of.

It is not just about the benefits of having a perfect space for you.

It is about the cost of not having one.

Why Should You Care?

We all need a place to decompress, recharge, rebuild, be inspired, relax, release stress and allow our bodies and minds to prepare for the next day.

While most of us would admit we wished our homes felt like a sanctuary, we know that it is not. Or if it is, maybe just one small area of it. 

Do you have areas for quiet? For study? For meditation? For working out? For reading? For contemplating your navel and the meaning of life?

Every day we do not have the ability to recharge and rebuild, we fall a little more behind, both mentally and physically.

When your space is better, you are better.
When you are better, the world is better. 

Is Your Ugly Home Stuck in Another Time While You Have Moved On?

We all grow, change and evolve.

You are not the same person as you were five years ago. Does your space still look the same as it did then? Is it still really supporting you and who you are now?

Is Your Ugly House Stealing Your Sense of Well-Being?

If you are into the Wu-Wu stuff, a sense of well being is one of the highest states of mind we can achieve. Our space can support that. 

It can also stress us out. When we have too much clutter, or it can feel overwhelming. As I am sure you know, stress affects our emotional and physical health. Usually a lot more than we realize until it is too late. We say we just don’t have time to deal with the clutter and the mess and the updates.

Really, we don’t have time NOT to.

Is Your Ugly House Making You Sick?

I don’t mean are you sick of looking at it, haha! I mean is it physically making you sick because it is filled with synthetic materials emitting fumes and chemicals, from your flooring, rugs, furniture, paint, and more? Often we are so used to it we don’t realize how much better we would feel in a house that uses eco-friendly materials. Learn more in my article, Eco-Friendly Interior Design- Why it Matters.

Is Your Ugly Home Causing You to Not Take Care of Yourself?

We all need space and time to nourish and care for our physical, mental, and emotional needs. Does your home provide space to do that? Are you lacking a quiet comfortable place to read and learn, meditate, or work out? Does your bathroom feel like the perfect spa or like your college dorm? 

Self care is a habit that needs to be developed and your home can support that, or hinder it.

Does Your Ugly Home make you feel Dis-connected from your Surroundings?

One important aspect of our mental and physical well-being is feeling a connection to nature.   Biophilia, which translates to “love of life,” describes our connection with nature as a biologically driven need to interact with other life such as animals and plants. If our home is disconnected from nature, it can make us feel uncomfortable.  Learn more in my article, Feel Good with Biophilia, or The Colors of Summer- Bring the Outside In.

Does Your Ugly Home Have Bad Feng Shui?

Our feelings are influenced by our connection to the building, and the objects around us. The arrangement of things and how we interact with them make us feel good or bad and affect our health, wealth, and relationships. How does your space feel? Hope your feet are not facing the door when you sleep…..

Is Your Ugly Home Stealing Your Personal Growth?

Do you take time for getting to know yourself and for personal growth?  Is your house a comfortable and inspiring place to do that? If not, how much are you losing because of it? Where will you be in 6 months or a year from now? Not in the same place, but so much more behind because of lost opportunity.

Is Your Ugly Home the Enemy of Your Best Self?

Are you being your best self, so you can DO the things that create the life you want to HAVE? Is your space supporting the person you want to become, not just who you are now? If not, how much are you losing in your life that you could have? 

 If you are interested in transforming yourself, I highly recommend Jim Fortin’s Transformational Coaching Program, called TCP. It has been an ongoing journey and learning experience for me. You can read about my first round of this program in my article, Lose Weight, Quit Smoking, Get Healthy and Peaceful Without Pain.

Get on the Wait List for the next TCP Program.

Check out the Jim Fortin podcast to learn more.

Don’t Let Your Ugly House Steal YOur Happiness

As you can see, an ugly house, which you may not have thought was affecting you or being very important can have a big impact on your well-being. That adds up over time, day by day to big changes in how you feel about a lot of things. Take action.

Aligned Design

My philosophy of great Interior Design, which I call Aligned Design, considers three key factors; art, science and energy. The intersection of the three is where the magic happens.

The “Energy” is all about connection and is what I described above in ways our perfect space can support us.

Connecting to yourself, your story, who you want to be and what you need in your space to support that journey (transformative design).  Connecting to the energy around you in and surrounding your home (Feng Shui) and to nature (biophilia). This connection creates another level of “feeling good” that is hard to put into words, but when you feel it in your space you will love that it is there.

The “Art”,  is the creativity of “Interior Design”, and includes beautiful furnishings,  decor, lighting, finishes, color and architectural details, all artfully arranged to look beautiful and function perfectly with our lifestyle.

The “Science”, is about using color science to take your color to the next level. Color has power and affects the way your design looks and how you feel. Science contributes knowledge and products for sustainable and eco-friendly designs that help you stay healthy and protect our planet.

It is important to consider all three together at the same time, as they all affect each other.

Your home is like your body, a system that works together. To be healthy, you need to consider all the parts as a whole. 

Start with an Aligned Design plan that considers the art, science and energy of your home together, and then implement as time and money allows.

Are You Ready to Transform Your Ugly House?

Imagine what that would feel like.

Just say Yes and let’s set up a consultation and get started.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

I learned to solve all my Interior Design problems by dancing.

It’s true. Doesn’t matter what type of dancing. Belly dancing, Persian dancing, salsa, and more. There are lessons there. And, it is a lot more fun to learn them dancing than in a classroom

Art Is Guided by the Same Principles

The older I get, the more I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

And sometimes that includes feeling the principles in how you move your body and express yourself.

It always seems to come back to this alignment between art, science, and energy that I combine when I am creating a perfect space for myself or you.

Interconnectedness of Dance and Design

There are lots of connections between dancing and designing a room. 

1. Movement & Flow: Just as in dance, where fluidity and grace are key, a well-designed space should enable ease of movement and a harmonious flow between its different parts.

2. Balance & Symmetry: Whether it’s balancing your weight on one foot during a pirouette or ensuring that the furniture in a room is symmetrically arranged, the concept of equilibrium is pivotal in both realms.

3. Emotion & Expression: A dance is more than just steps; it’s about expressing emotion. Similarly, a room is not just furniture and walls; it’s about conveying a mood or sentiment.

4. Attention to Detail: In dance, every hand movement, every facial expression matters. In design, it’s the same – from the color of the throw pillows to the texture of a rug, every choice contributes to the whole.

5. Rhythm: As in dance, rhythm in design can be established by repeating patterns, colors, or shapes, creating a visual tempo that guides the eye.

6. The Spotlight: Just as a dancer uses the focal point on stage to captivate the audience, so does an interior designer use a centerpiece or focal point to draw attention in a room.

7. Adaptability: Dancers adjust to the music, the space, the partner. Similarly, a good interior designer adjusts to the constraints of a space, the needs of the client, and the available resources.

 I get inspired by dance and apply it to art and design.  It’s a testament to the universal language of art and creativity and how understanding one form can inspire creativity in another.

Solving Design Dilemmas

So what do I mean I learned to solve all my Interior Design problems by dancing? There are so many ways and examples, 

such as how to mix styles.

Mixing Styles

Merging dance styles isn’t about merely mashing two forms together; it’s about putting them together in a manner that feels organic and new while still respecting their origins.

Let’s draw a parallel to interior design:

Imagine if you’re merging two distinct design styles, say, mid-century modern with rustic. Here’s how this dance choreography analogy can be applied:

1. Understand the Base Style: Just as in choreography, it’s vital to understand the core essence of your primary design style. If mid-century modern is your predominant style, recognize its key features: clean lines, organic curves, and functional form.

2. Introduce Elements from the Secondary Style: Now, take elements from the rustic design: raw wood, handmade items, and weathered materials, and incorporate them in a way that complements the mid-century modern vibe.

3. Maintain Essence: While adding the rustic elements, it’s crucial to maintain the essence of the mid-century modern style. It’s not about cluttering the space with mismatched items but choosing elements that augment the primary style.

4. Fusion, Not Confusion: The goal is to create a cohesive look that feels fresh and unique but still rooted in its origins. Every choice should be deliberate and not just a random addition.

5. Telling a New Story: The merged style should narrate a new tale, one that carries the legacies of both styles but stands on its own.

In the same way, a choreographer uses movement to weave a story that fuses two dance styles, an interior designer can blend elements to create a space that sings a fresh, harmonious song of its own.

The beauty lies in the balance, in understanding the essence, and in ensuring the fusion creates something novel while staying true to its roots.

Eclectic Versus Fusion

For example, I see dancers that want to do a belly dance/flamenco fusion. They do some classical belly dance moves, then some flamenco moves, and then back to belly dance. They alternate the twor recognizable elements and assume because they are together in one piece, they have created a “fusion” of styles. Really, it is just a bunch of moves mixed together.

It reminds me of what many people do in a room and they call it “eclectic”. That is an elegant way of saying, “I threw a bunch of things together that are unrelated into a room with no plan or story”.

A real dance artist will know the classical Egyptian moves and feeling well, and also the flamenco. They will notice where moves are similar in their feeling, flow, intention. They will naturally notice where a move of one style could “go with the flow” and move into something from the other style seamlessly and beautifully, creating a new “move” in the process, different from the 2 separate moves that inspired it.

They know the rules of both styles enough to break them and create something even more powerful by doing so.

Making Magic with a True Fusion of Styles

True fusion, be it in dance, design, or any other art form, is about creating a harmonious blend where the result is a beautiful and novel offspring of its parent elements, rather than just a juxtaposition.

1. Superficial Fusion vs. Deep Fusion: In the dance example, merely alternating between belly dance and flamenco is superficial fusion, much like putting different styles of furniture in a room without a connecting theme. It lacks depth and intention.

2. Understanding the Essence: True fusion requires a deep understanding of both styles. It’s about recognizing the essence of each and finding places where they want to combine naturally. Like noticing the rhythmic footwork in both flamenco and certain belly dance styles and blending them to create a novel movement.

3. The Narrative: Every dance tells a story. The same goes for a well-designed room. This narrative gets lost when styles are jumbled together without thought. But when fused with understanding, they tell a compelling tale that carries the flavor of both, but the uniqueness of something new.

4. Breaking Rules Creatively: Knowing rules well means you can break them intentionally, not accidentally. It’s the difference between creating a masterpiece and making a mess. A dancer or designer who understands both styles can take risks, pushing boundaries to create something revolutionary.

5. The Emotional Connect: Beyond moves or objects, both dance and design are about evoking emotion. A true fusion evokes feelings that resonate with both styles but also elicits something new.

Whether it’s dance or Interior Design, true fusion is an art. It’s not about mere combination but integration. The resultant creation should not only reflect its parent styles but should also stand on its own, captivating and novel.

The Art of Mixing Styles in Dance

In my choreographies, I frequently delve into the realm of fusion, an artful blending of different dance styles. For example, I united contemporary and ancient forms, by pairing modern silk butterfly wings with the ancient art of Persian Miniature dance.

Persian Miniature dancing is a classical tradition where dancers animate the pages of ancient paintings.

My dance weaves a tale of metamorphosis of a person from innocent childhood to the wisdom of old age, conveying a narrative of resilience, growth, and beauty, much like the emergence of a butterfly from its cocoon with a modern design element to help tell the story.

That is the artistry, the magic, the creative force that makes something beautiful. It is the unique expression of the dancer. It tells their story. No one else can do that.

Use that same artistry to create your perfect space, which is a unique expression of you. It is the dance or alignment of  creativity, color and connection that tells your story.

The Art of Mixing Styles in Design

I am personally drawn to creating what I call “Modern Global” style—a unique blend that echoes a simplified and more elegant version of Bohemian style, drawing inspiration from the vibrant colors, intricate textures, artistry, and eco-conscious sensibilities of diverse cultures such as Morocco, India, Turkey, Mexico, and Greece, among others. These designs are inherently tied to nature, evoking the myriad hues and rhythms of the great outdoors.

This style marries the vibrancy, artistic flair, and resonance of Global Style with the elegant simplicity of modern design. It’s a harmonious dance between the two: exuding elegance, and highlighting art, celebrating curves and an organic fluidity.

In essence, “Modern Global” is a curated symphony of the world’s artistic treasures, distilled through a contemporary lens.

The understanding of mixing styles I gained as a dancer helps me get to know and express your story and style, as we are all unique.

Are You Ready to Create Your Perfect Space?

Are you ready to tell your unique story and find the alignment of all the things you love that will create the perfect space for you? Enlist the help of an expert to take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

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Call 907-362-0065 today

Transitions Make Magic Happen

Its the moments between the moments, the transitions, where the real magic happens.

Every dance is made up of a series of moves, but how a dancer goes from one move to the next shows what they are made of and creates the flow of the whole performance.

What happens in that space between the moves? I bet you never thought of that. 

Is it like watching a slide show, where you see one picture, and then the next and the next?  Or is it like a film or video where the transition between moves is seamless so you do not notice any break in the action?

And is it truly a work of art, where each transition is just as beautiful as the move that came before and what comes next?

The most amazing dancers put their hearts and souls into the transitions! Take a photo during any part of it and it will be a beautiful moment.

The transition leads the audience from one part of the dance to the next, telling the story in such a way that nothing breaks the magic.

Even in moments where there seems to be a pause, the energy continues to flow and move, pointing o what is coming next.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

How does this relate to Interior Design, you wonder? Well, transitions play a pivotal role in weaving the enchantment, whether on the dance floor or within your living space. Welcome to Part 9 of my insights, drawn from my experiences in dance, on the art of crafting your ideal environment.

As I grow older, I’ve come to realize the profound interconnections that exist within the realm of artistic expression. The very principles that underpin the mesmerizing beauty of dance are equally applicable to the realm of Interior Design, or indeed, any other form of artistic endeavor. All it takes is a discerning eye, an attentive ear, and a receptive heart to uncover these shared truths.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

Learn more in some of my other articles:

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : Surprise Me.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Learning to Tell a Great Story.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.

How Do Transitions Relate to Interior Design?

Ever walked into a house and instantly felt a sense of tranquility, with each room flowing seamlessly into the next? Conversely, have you ever felt slightly overwhelmed or uneasy, unable to pinpoint why, while navigating another home? This feeling often hinges on the art of transitions.

Transitions are the bridges between distinct spaces. They manifest in entryways, hallways, staircases, and even doorways leading to different rooms. Beyond the indoors, a window offering a view of the outdoors acts as a transition, merging the external and internal environments.

Within rooms, transitions might be found between separate seating arrangements or areas dedicated to diverse functions. Think of them as choreography in the dance of interior design, guiding your movement and experience.

Harmony emerges when there’s a purposeful connection between these spaces. Whether it’s through congruent colors, shapes, textures, or other design elements, these transitions create an interwoven tapestry of design that pleases the senses and soothes the soul.

Creating Beautiful Transitions

Enhancing transitions within your home’s decor is effortlessly achieved through the strategic use of color.

A clever approach involves selecting a consistent color that appears in each room, even if it serves as a subtle accent in some spaces while taking center stage in others. This establishes a unifying thread throughout your home.

Alternatively, you can experiment with varying shades of the same color or opt for a monochromatic color scheme that spans your entire living space.

Another effective method is to designate a primary color as the foundation for your interior palette, with all other rooms harmonizing with this chosen hue. This way, your home’s color schemes work together seamlessly, creating a sense of cohesion, whether you’re employing complementary, triadic, diadic, or other color schemes.

Transitions from Outdoors to Indoors

The entryway of your home carries immense significance, particularly if your home serves as your place of business. It’s the initial point where visitors form impressions about your residence and, by extension, you as the owner. This impression is shaped by various factors, including the exterior aesthetics, colors, landscaping, surroundings, neighborhood, and the design and color of your front door.

For this Bed and Breakfast, the flow between the exterior and interior is not working well.

While the exterior boasts a vibrant dark teal blue complemented by a striking hot pink door, the interior’s existing paint palette hasn’t been updated to match.

Then you enter and experience the transition to the interior. Do they go together?  How does it feel?

The entryway is painted in a shade of blue, which works well since it belongs to the same hue family as the exterior color. However, when you peer through the doorway, you transition from the yellow living room with its assorted accents of rust and blue into the red kitchen

The yellow walls aren’t a major issue because yellow stands opposite to blue on the color wheel, making them complementary. However, the presence of red clashes with the teal.

The most straightforward solution is to repaint the kitchen. It could be refreshed with a neutral white, a similar yellow, or perhaps a shade of blue or green that harmonizes better with the exterior color. Furthermore, a makeover is in order to modernize the entire area and bid farewell to the outdated 1990s faux painting.

Just envision the welcoming atmosphere that would greet you upon entering.

Transitions Between Rooms

Transitions happen in every space where there are entrances and sightlines into adjacent rooms, regardless of whether it’s an open concept or not, as seen in the previous example.

In the illustration below, you’ll notice that the two rooms share a similar color palette. They both feature the same wall color, and there are resemblances in the colors of the bed, rug, and pillow in comparison to the living room pillow.

I could change the wall color or the bedroom to an off white or gray, which still ties in to colors in the living room and the transition is still beautiful.

Or, I could pick a clashing color that may look nice in the bedroom, but in the context of the transition between rooms does not work as with this green.

Transitions between the Outside and Inside

Another important transition is between the outside and inside. Wherever you have windows with views you want to highlight, the transition is important and can often be the focal point of the room. Find similarity in colors and patterns you see outside and bring them into your interior in your art, decor or wall colors.

For example, in the bedroom below, the whole design is based on the view and the colors of ocean and sky. To create the smooth transition from outdoors to indoors, and make the room feel one with the outdoors, the color of the wall, bed, bedding, furnishings and even my custom designed fractal art all were harmonious with the colors  and patters of the outdoors.

In the design below, the colors of the forest, sky,

and trees were used in the furnishings, pillows and rug.

Get the Look

See some of my energy art in the designs above on Society6 and Fine Art America.

“Icefield” and “Arctic Night” by Mary Ann Benoit of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

“Watercolor” fractal art collection by Mary Ann Benoit of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. 

Are You Ready to Create Beautiful Transitions in Your Home?

Knowing the elements that craft your ideal space, are you prepared to bring that vision to life in your home? If you were certain that the perfect environment would elevate your life, you’d jump at the chance, right?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

Aligned Design©– All Rights Reserved.

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Prices are subject to change without notice.

Call 907-362-0065 today

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Being fearless with color can lead to incredible transformations in your home. Embrace colors, and you’ll be amazed at the transformation they can bring to the energy of your space.

Fear of getting it wrong often leads us to stick to safe options like white, gray, or beige. But here’s the thing:

1. Start Small: Test a bold color on a small wall or piece of furniture. It’s less commitment and gives you a feel for how the color works in your space.
2. Sample First: Before you commit, paint a small patch on paper that you can move around and look at in different lighting throughout the day.
3. Ask for Help: A color consultation with a professional color strategist can save you a lot of time and money and help you get it right the first time.
4. Trust Your Instincts: If a color makes you happy, chances are you will love the energy of the room every time you spend time there.
5. It’s Just Paint: Worst case scenario – you don’t like the result. It’s okay. You can always repaint.

Color is an opportunity to express yourself. Don’t let fear hold you back from creating a home that feels like you.

FEAR

Color Brings Joy

Your home should be a place that brings joy, and color is a powerful tool to create that feeling. Embrace the fear and go for it.

I am not saying that your walls should be wild and colorful, although that would be cool!

You could go wild and colorful in a small space.

Add Color in Accents

Your walls could be neutral and you could be brave with colorful accents, art or lighting!

Your walls don’t have to be bright. They could be pastel!

Play with Color Harmony

You colors could have lots of high contrast.

Your colors could be soothing and monochromatic.

They could be dark and comforting.

Invite Color from the Outside In

The could highlight the colors of the outdoors and bring the outside in.

Try No Color at All

You could even go dramatic with black and white!

Lose the Fear

Color should reflect what you love. Why let fear hold you back from exploring  new things?

Take the fear and uncertainty out of picking paint colors by relying on color science, rather than just using your eyes.

We all see things a little differently due to our vision. If we measure color and use color data, as well as our eyes, we can remove the guesswork, risk and fear.

Color science helps determine what colors work together perfectly because of their hue, chroma and values. Science helps solve color issues related to the light in your particular house. It brings your color to the level of extraordinary.

Are you ready to let go of fear? Think of how good you will feel to have extraordinary color in your home.

Aligned Design

My philosophy of Aligned Design, aligns art, science and energy in your space. The intersection of the three is where the magic happens.

When your space is better, you are better.
When you are better, the world is better. 

Your home is like your body, a system that works together to be healthy.

Start with an Aligned Design consultation to create a holistic plan to create your perfect space.

Imagine what that would feel like.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

Get Your Free Report

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Retirement is a time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Many retirees choose to move to a new home during this time, whether it’s downsizing to a smaller space or moving closer to family and friends. Adjusting to a new home after retirement can be challenging, but with a few tips and tricks from Northern Lights Home Staging and Design, you can quickly and happily settle into your new space.

Before You Move In

Now is the perfect moment to consider the colors for your new space and how they will harmonize with your belongings. If you are considering repainting, doing so before you unpack can save you significant time and effort. To set yourself on the right track, why not consider a color consultation? Expert guidance on paint colors can make a world of difference. The right colors will seamlessly blend with the existing fixed finishes of your new home to complement your belongings and ensure that your new space becomes a true reflection of your style and personality.

Enlist Help for Unpacking

Unpacking can be a daunting task, especially if you’ve accumulated a lot of belongings over the years. Enlisting the help of family and friends or hiring professional movers can make the process much more manageable. Having a plan for unpacking, such as prioritizing essential items and organizing by room, can also help you feel more in control of the process.

Personalize Your Living Space

Buying new items for your new home can be an exciting and fulfilling experience, allowing you to personalize your living space and make it feel more like your own. When shopping for new items, be sure to read in-depth product reviews from unbiased sources to ensure you’re making a wise investment. Consider investing in items that will improve your quality of life, such as comfortable furniture, high-quality bedding, and kitchen appliances.

If you’re not sure where to start, contact Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. They can help you to make great choices to make your new place feel like home.

Set Up Your Bedroom First

Your bedroom is where you’ll spend a good portion of your time, so it’s essential to set it up first. This will give you a comfortable and familiar place to rest and recharge after a long day. Be sure to prioritize items such as your bed, nightstands, and lamps, and take the time to personalize the space with items that bring you joy.

Investing in high-quality bedding can transform your sleeping experience and make your new home feel more comfortable and inviting. Opt for a two-sided duvet in designs that you can change according to your mood. You can also find high-quality cotton sheets that are soft and breathable.

Make a Few Updates

While you probably don’t want to go into full renovation mode right after moving, you may want to make a few improvements once you’re settled in. Updating window coverings can give a room a fresh, new look while also changing the amount of light in your living space.

You may also want to update a few appliances to ensure they are energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing. Refrigerators can be a big draw on your energy needs, so put that one at the top of your list to consider. Also, upgrading your range hood can decrease the amount of cooking smells that permeate your kitchen and home. If you have an older one, look into upgrading.

Add Some Personal Touches

Incorporating personal touches into your new home can help you feel more connected to the space and make it feel like your own. Displaying family photos, hanging artwork, or showcasing your collection of books are just a few ways to personalize your new home. By incorporating these sentimental items, you can create a warm and inviting space that feels like home.

Protect Your Investment with a Home Warranty

If you’ve recently moved into a new home, it would be wise to consider investing in a home warranty. A home warranty can provide peace of mind and financial protection in case any unexpected repairs are needed on home appliances, systems, or major components.

Unlike homeowner’s insurance, which typically only covers damages caused by natural disasters, a home warranty can cover everyday wear and tear on items such as your refrigerator, air conditioning unit, or plumbing systems. With all the uncertainties that come with moving and homeownership, this deserves a look. A good warranty can provide this extra layer of protection, which is a small price to pay for the potential peace of mind.

Meet Your Neighbors

Meeting your neighbors is an excellent way to start feeling connected to your new community. Take the time to introduce yourself and get to know your neighbors. You can also attend community events or join local clubs or organizations to meet like-minded individuals and become involved in your new community.

Explore Your Surroundings

Exploring the area around your new home is a great way to familiarize yourself with your surroundings and find new places to enjoy. Take a walk through local parks, visit nearby museums, or try new restaurants to get a better understanding of your new location. By taking advantage of unique opportunities in your new community, you can create new experiences and make lasting memories.

Join Community Groups

Joining community groups is an effective way to meet new people, form friendships, and become an active part of your new community. There are several options to choose from, such as fitness groups, book clubs, or volunteer organizations like Rotary, that can help you stay engaged and active during your retirement years. Consider joining one of these groups to expand your social circle and add more joy to your daily life.

Make a Smooth and Enjoyable Transition

Adjusting to a new home after retirement can be challenging, but by following these tips, you can quickly and happily settle into your new space. Setting up your bedroom, adding personal touches, and exploring your new neighborhood are all excellent ways to make the most of your retirement and enjoy your new home.

This article was written by Suzie Wilson of  Happier Home for Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

Need Help Setting Up Your New Home?

Get your home set up to be perfectly aligned with who you are with and Aligned Design consultation.

Learn more about Global style design in my article, Tell Your Story with Global Style Interior Design.  Curious about what Global Style might be right for you? Take the quiz below. Ready to try to get the look in your own home? Try one of my Edesign packages.

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com

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Examples may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission for sharing them with you if you buy something, at no additional cost to you.

Paying for College by Flipping Houses

If you’re an adult looking to head back to school, expect to pay through your nose for it: A college education will set you back anywhere from $10,423 to $39,723 in most places. Flipping houses is a potentially fast, convenient way to save up the money you need for college. An average flip takes 177 days (close to 5 months), according to an ATTOM report, with a typical gross profit of $64,900 – which is enough for your tuition and then some.

If you’re interested in house flipping, Northern Lights Home Staging and Design offers some tips on getting started.

Getting into the right mindset

House flipping takes time, money, and patience. There will be challenges, ranging from absentee contractors to market downturns. It’s important to have a practical, committed mindset if you’re serious about making money from flipping. You’ll have to treat it as an investment, build up your skills, create a reliable team, and focus on growing a business.

Finding fixer-uppers with good potential

To turn a significant profit, you have to be discerning with your fixer-upper. First, consider the property’s location. You want something in a desirable neighborhood with, preferably, rising property values. Ask yourself if you’d want to live there, and why. Second, consider your fixer-upper’s condition. Factor in any repairs or upgrades you’re going to have to make to it.

Getting a mortgage

Purchasing a fixer-upper and upgrading it will require a significant amount of money. Some flippers purchase houses through hard cash while others do it through financing options like loans. Some examples are the FHA, VA Renovation Loan, and HomeStyle Renovation. Non-mortgage options include zero-percent credit cards, personal loans, and a home equity line of credit.

Improvements to attract buyers

Adding functional and aesthetic upgrades to your fixer-upper can make it more attractive to buyers, netting you a bigger profit at the end of the day. Some examples are adding a fresh layer of paint, modifying the washroom, adding smart home accessories, and setting up a security system. Again, it’s important you think about whether any upgrade is worth it. The Balance covers some upgrades that are not worthwhile.

Marketing your property is essential if you want to find buyers. Know your ideal buyers and target your marketing toward them. Also, price your property based on what your buyers can afford. Be sure to feature high-quality photos or videos of the property to give them an idea of the fixer-upper. Working with a good realtor can help raise your property’s profile. You can also conduct social media and other ad campaigns to cast a wider net.

Professional staging can help your property stand out

Staging a property is prepping it to make it look extra pretty for visitors during viewings. To stage a home, you clean, declutter, furnish (or refurnish), change up the lighting, add decoration, and make other changes to make it as attractive as possible. Working with Mary Ann Benoit of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design can be well worth it. She has the experience as well as an eye for what makes a home extra attractive.

You can opt for online education too

Online programs are an option if you’d like to learn while you work on growing your business. Furthermore, online programs are more affordable than in-person learning, and you can typically learn at your own pace. If you’d like to house flip full-time, you could do so while keeping up with your studies. For example, going back to school and earning an online teaching degree can help you obtain a teaching license.

Managing documents for your house-flipping business

You can expect a great deal of paperwork when you get into house flipping. If you’d like to store or share files, PDFs are often the preferred format over Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. This deserves a look if you want an online tool that allows you to convert these types of files to PDFs by simply dragging and dropping them into the tool.

House flipping can be very lucrative, and a lot of fun as well. Like with any other business or side gig, it will take some time for you to see any returns – meaning it could be a while before you have enough for college. For better chances of success, make sure to run the numbers before investing any money into a fixer-upper.

This article was written by Suzie Wilson of  Happier Home for Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

Marketing Your Property for Profit.

After all your hard work, make sure you get the most from your sale with home staging.  I can help you sell fast and for more, wherever you live.

Offer your buyers a great tip on getting their new home set up   with an Aligned Design consultation which combines color and design advice and can even create some custom art and decor for  your new home.

Learn more about Global style design in my article, Tell Your Story with Global Style Interior Design.  Curious about what Global Style might be right for you? Take the quiz below. Ready to try to get the look in your own home? Try one of my Edesign packages.

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com

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Prices subject to change without notice.

Examples may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission for sharing them with you if you buy something, at no additional cost to you.

With the home buying and selling process comes a lot of paperwork. It can be overwhelming, but there are ways to make it easier. Northern Lights Home Staging and Design has compiled some tips and tricks to take the stress out of this process.

Find the Best Rates

Before you start looking for homes, it is important to know what budget you can work within. Carefully estimate what you can afford to buy and research mortgages that will fit your needs and budget. Knowing your budget will help narrow down your options and save time when looking for homes.

Use Tools to Make Collaboration Easy

Digitizing documents into PDF forms helps you keep them organized and easy to find in one place. A PDF merger saves time by quickly merging multiple documents together, eliminating the risk of losing track due to clutter. Conversely, you can use a tool to streamline documents—you may consider this option to delete pages from a PDF for free, so you don’t have to handle massive file sizes.

Track Timeline and Deadlines

A timeline document is an essential tool for tracking key dates and deadlines in the home buying or selling process. The Balance notes that these dates can be used to keep track of important events, such as closing day, as well as any tasks that need to be done before a given deadline. Crosschecking these timelines ensures all steps are completed on time, which is critical for a successful transaction.

Plotting key dates in advance is an important part of the home buying and selling process. This will ensure that documents are properly retrieved from storage or sent to other parties to be completed on time. Setting reminders ahead of time is a good idea.

Gather All Your Documents

When selling your home, it’s important to be prepared. Realtor.com suggests collecting necessary documents such as title deeds, mortgage details, and tax information beforehand so that the process is smooth and you get paid promptly once closing day arrives. Not only will this save time, but it can protect you from any potential issues during the sale.

Consider Online Banking

Online banking can help keep track of closing costs, taxes, and legal fees associated with any transaction. It also makes it easier to file taxes at the end of the year since all transactions are documented. Additionally, tracking expenses online eliminates worry over paper receipts getting lost due to clutter or forgetfulness which could lead to unexpected fees in the future.

Color-Code Your Physical Files

Color coding files is a great way to simplify organization during a hectic time. Different colors can represent different categories so that documents are easily identifiable at a glance. This eliminates the hassle of searching through tons of files just to find one document, thus taking away the stress from an already difficult situation.

Stay on Top of Your Budget

Moving to a new home can be an exciting time, setting your sights on a new life ahead, but it is expensive. To make sure you keep track of your budget, create a document listing all your expenses. On the list should be major payments from both parties, as well as estimated costs and what you actually spend. This can identify where potential savings might have been made.

Buying or selling your next home can be a daunting process with the long list of paperwork you have to handle, but by digitizing and organizing documents, color coding physical files, listing expenses, and researching mortgages beforehand, you can make sure that everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Taking the time to prepare ahead of time will make the home buying or selling process much more straightforward for you.

This article was written by Suzie Wilson of  Happier Home for Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

Tips for Before and After You Buy

Before you buy, you are probably trying to sell your current home as fast and profitably as possible. Home staging is the best way to make that happen and keep your stress levels low while looking for your new home. I can help you sell fast and for more, wherever you live.

Once you buy your new house, if you are like most folks, you move in quickly and everything remains where it is initially placed.  Why not get your colors and design right from the start! Let me help you with an Aligned Design consultation which combines color and design advice and can even create some custom art and decor for you and your new home.

Learn more about Global style design in my article, Tell Your Story with Global Style Interior Design.  Curious about what Global Style might be right for you? Take the quiz below. Ready to try to get the look in your own home? Try one of my Edesign packages.

Examples may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission for sharing them with you if you buy something, at no additional cost to you.

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Bohemian style celebrates warm earthy colors, metals and jewel tones. Bohemian decor often uses deep browns, greens, grays or other neutral colors for base colors, then accessorizes with saturated purple, fiery orange, and electric blue and other jewel tones.

Bohemian style lovers are often carefree, dislike rules and want to follow their heart’s desire!

Do you like vintage furniture and light fixtures, globally inspired textiles and rugs, and love displaying your collections of cool things found at markets. thrift stores and in your travels?

I bet you like glamorous fabrics, lighting and accessories with well-worn items, antiques or cool pieces from other styles. Anything goes if it makes you happy. More is more!

Bohemian style is a global design style. Global styles are all about your worldly adventures and telling your story! They are usually very colorful, rich in bold designs and natural textures, patterns, colors, and arts and crafts of various cultures.

Get the Look and Celebrate Your Favorite Color- Blue!

A great way to get the look of Bohemian style is with a beautiful area rug. It can become a focal point for your room and help guide the color scheme and your choices for accents and accessories such as throw pillows, art, lighting, and more.

Celebrate your favorite color by picking a rug that highlights it and build the rest of your room around the work of art you picked for your floor.

One of my favorite colors is blue, so here are some examples of my favorite blue Bohemian or global style rugs.

My Favorite Blue Global Style Rugs

I changed the look of the following living room by changing the rug and sometimes the paint color. See how the room changes its look and feeling just by changing the pattern of the rug and shades of blue in the room, while still using the same art, furniture and accessories.

CRAIL AREA RUG

I love the colors and the abstract modern watercolor design of this rug.

BARN AREA RUG

This rug has a Transitional, Bohemian, Vintage vibe.

THOUSANDSTICKS AREA RUG

Love the rich teal colors in this  Bohemian, Vintage rug made in Turkey.

BEVERLY AREA RUG

Love the colors and the textured look of this more contemporary design.

KENMARE AREA RUG

One of my favorites, I just love the design and colors of this Bohemian, Vintage rug.

And for those of you a little scared of so much color, you can still get your blue fix with the rugs, furnishings and art and go neutral on the walls.

LIMESTONE AREA RUG

I love the vintage look of this area rug, and it is a great rug if you love darker blues.

KAI Area Rug

Here is a beautiful Bohemian-style rug that you could use with a dramatic blue room or a more neutral room. I have also used some of my fractal art, called Bioluminescence in this design.

Let’s Create Your Global Style Design

Are you ready for your house to go to the next level where your house looks great, feels great, and supports you to be great? Imagine that. 

What’s it like when you are living in the perfect space for you?

My philosophy of great Interior Design, which I call Aligned Design, considers three key factors; art, science and energy. The intersection of the three is where the magic happens.

Creating a space that envelops you in your vision of beauty and color, while fine-tuning the energy of your space to promote wealth, health, love, and perfect self-expression aligns you with the universe, allowing you to live your best life so you can make a positive impact on the world.

Global style Interior Design is part of the art of great design and one of the things you are really going to love about creating the perfect space for yourself. Are you ready to immerse yourself in rich beautiful colors and truly tell your story?

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

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Every Part Must Do Its Part

Music is made of parts and every part is critical to making the magic happen. When they work together perfectly, then you have created a masterpiece!

All music has a structure. This usually includes a series of parts in order such as an introduction, a verse that is repeated several times with variations, a chorus or bridge that is different, and often the memorable highlight of the piece, a few more verses, and an ending. Often there are solos in the chorus.

All of these parts help build and tell the story and create something “delicious to the ears” as my drum teacher Amir likes to say.

Within the structure, there are more parts. These are the instruments, which layered together create a rich, delicious song for your ears. Eash has an important role to play in the final result.

The drums keep the rhythm for all the instruments. The bass is the bridge between the drums and the melodic instruments, playing both rhythm and melody. And there are several melodic instruments.

The melodic instruments usually take turns supporting each other with one or two playing the main role while the others back them up playing supporting roles or harmonies.

In the video below I created a 13 beat piece of music and played all the parts myself. Even as a one-woman band, I needed to make sure all the parts would work perfectly in harmony with the others and each supported the whole.

Mary Ann Benoit performing all the parts of her composition, For the Love of 13’s.

In many pieces, every instrument has a chance to be the star for a short time during a solo or by playing a more prominent part, while the others back them up. But, there should only be one star (at least at a time).

The magic happens because of the layers, which work in harmony for the greater good of the musical composition.  The collaboration creates something much more beautiful than any particular part or instrument on its own.

Even if all the instruments are the same, the layers of all working together to create one piece is magical.

Khoda, performed on Dafs and Frame Drums by students at Amir’s School of Music.

Yet, every part has a chance to shine. The piece needs just the right number of parts, no more or less.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

What does this have to do with Interior Design?

Your perfect space has a structure, tells a story, and is layered with pieces that all have their supporting roles and time to shine. When done in perfect harmony, that is when the magic happens.

This is Part 2 in my revelations from lessons learned from playing music on how to create your perfect space.

The older I get, the more I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

To learn more, see Part 1, I Learned to All my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music.

You might also enjoy my series on lessons I learned about Interior Design from dancing:

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing: The Magic of Transitions.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : Surprise Me.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Learning to Tell a Great Story.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.

Intro, Verses, Chorus and Finale

Like a piece of music, your design also has a structure. You can think of it as an introduction, verses that lead to the dramatic chorus, more verses, and an ending.

As you enter the room, the flow to your focal point is like your introduction. All the supporting pieces that create the meat of the room and the story are like your verses. The focal point or main attraction is like your chorus or bridge and then you have an exit or end. All working together, tell the story of the room.

Play Your Part

Like instruments that each add a different sound and unique character to the music, your design parts include your flooring, furnishings, accessories, art, and lighting. They all need to coordinate and work together to create something more beautiful together than any individual part. The parts all have roles to play. If they are not contributing to a better “whole piece” than it may be “clutter” and should be removed.

Take a Solo

Musical compositions often allow the instruments to take a solo and have their time to shine while being supported by the other players.

Your art is often the focal point or soloist. Why not take a cue from music and change out your art to change the look and feel of your room from time to time. It creates a more interesting composition.

Here is an example of this same room (an Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design), with different art or “soloists”. See how the energy of the room changes by changing the art?

https://northernlightsstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FB_change_art.mp4

Playing with One Instrument or Many

One playing with a group of similar instruments, each piece still needs to add to the overall texture of the compositions in the Daf arrangement for Khoda above.

This neutral living room is an example of a musical piece with all the same instruments, due to the similar neutral colors. Each part stands out with its different patterns or textures to add to the final design.

This monochromatic and neutral design as the same feeling in that all the parts are very similar, but the subtle but interesting differences of the individual elements creates a beautiful layered final design.

In the Edesign below, all the parts are very different, as when you have a musical piece with many instruments. When the parts are so different, extra care must be taken to make sure all the parts work in harmony (such as with your color palette).

Are You Ready to Create Your Masterpiece?

Now that you know some of the elements that work together to create your perfect space, are you ready to take action to make it happen in your home? If you knew absolutely for certain that creating a perfect space would create a better life for you, you would do it, wouldn’t you?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

Get Your Free Issue of Seasonal Living Magazine!

Contrast is the Key to Striking Beauty

While in my doumbek class last week, my drum teacher Amir Etemadzadeh, who is a native of Iran was talking about the importance of being able to distinguish clearly all the notes we can make on our drums. The more notes, the better.  The more clearly they are different from each other, the better and more beautiful it sounds to the listener.

Amir describes it as creating a beautiful and delicious meal and all the notes are like the spices and layers that make it delicious to the ears. 

As he waxes poetic about the beauty of contrast and how critical it is to distinguish the doum from the slap, and how the Teks and Kas should be as bright and high as possible, my mind wanders to Interior Design and the importance of contrast there as well. 

In music, if the notes are not easily distinguishable, they can all start to sound the same, and some notes will make others sound muddy or dull because each is not living up to its full potential. Your playing becomes boring for the audience.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

What does it have to do with Interior Design?

Just as a drummer wants their music to sound delicious to the ears, we want our rooms to look delicious to our eyes. Contrast is one of the keys to creating great beauty.

This is Part 1 in my revelations from playing music on how to create your perfect space. 

The older I get, the more I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

You might also enjoy my series on lessons I learned about Interior Design from dancing:

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : The Magic of Transitions.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : Surprise Me.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Learning to Tell a Great Story.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.

How Does Contrast Relate to Interior Design?

Contrast is important in creating interest and making you feel something in the room. You can create contrast with color, texture, shapes, lighting, levels, patterns, sizes and more.

The more contrast between things, the more they each stand out and shine with their own inherent beauty, complimenting each other, rather than one stealing the spotlight and making the other look dull.

There is a lot of complexity to this subject. Today, I will focus on color.

Creating Contrast with Whites and Neutrals

As my teacher spoke about the sounds of the drum, the first thing that came to mind was how important contrast is when using the color white.

White. How seemingly simple but how complex. Many, when confused about color will say, lets just paint it white and be done with it. Haha, well, that just opened a big can of worms.

There are so many whites out there, it is amazing. Why? Because white is a color, just like any other, and is ultimately, the least saturated or a low saturation of a hue. Example, take a blue and reduce its chroma until it looks white, It is still that same blue, but with very little chroma. That is why all whites look so different.

P. S., it has nothing to do with so called “undertones”, which is just a word people use that do not understand color science to subjectively describe what they see.

No big deal, until you decide to mix whites in your space. One white can make another look muddy, or dirty, or just “off”.

Why? You need to make sure there is enough difference in chroma to easily distinguish the two whites. And there should still be some color harmony between the hues the whites come from. Whites that are opposites on the color wheel look better together than ones that are so close to each other that they look off.

Neutrals are the same as whites. They just have a little more chroma.

Finding the beauty of a neutral palette using various shades of whites, off whites and neutrals with enough contrast to see all the variations can be gorgeous. Throw in a variety of shapes and textures to add even more interest and variety.

Get the Look

 Here is an example of a beautiful and relaxing Edesign I created using whites and neutrals with contrasting colors and textures.  

Creating Contrast with Opposite Colors

Of course, you can get maximum contrast with saturated hues. The highest degree of contrast comes from either using black and white, or opposite colors on the color wheel, which creates a complimentary color scheme.

Maximum Contrast with Black and White

Maximum Contrast with a Complimentary Color Scheme

Blue and yellow are opposites or compliments on the color wheel. Each makes the other look even more vibrant.

In the Edesign below, the green in my Spring Fractal Art is the complement of the purple walls. It has the effect of making the art really pop!

Are You Ready to Create Beauty Through Contrast in Your Home?

Now that you know some of the elements that work together to create your perfect space, are you ready to take action to make it happen in your home? If you knew absolutely for certain that creating a perfect space would create a better life for you, you would do it, wouldn’t you?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

Get Your Free Issue of Seasonal Living Magazine!