Classic and Affordable Lamp and End Table Pairings

Hi Everyone, Before we get into the beautiful collection of (mostly) affordable table and lamp and end tableView full post »

Yellow Walls – Why Do You Hate Them So Much?

Hi Everyone, Thank you so much for your kind notes and comments. My back is still sometimes sore, especiallyView full post »

I Got Hit By A Car Today, While Walking On A Sidewalk!

Yes, that’s right; at about 12:30 this afternoon. I had a doctor’s appointment this morning for aView full post »

36 Cheap Sofas and Chairs That Look High-End!

Dear Laurel, Is it me, or am I just imagining that the furniture cost has gone through the roof? And, are thereView full post »

How to Find Anything on the Internet + Blog Theft!

Hi Everyone, First of all, before we delve into today’s topic of how to find anything on the Internet, IView full post »

Ultimate Master Bedroom Suite – Flex Space Galore!

Hi Everyone, Oh dear, I have zero discipline. This was not supposed to be yet another post about my bedroom. However, IView full post »

Little Known Secrets On The Design Process

Guys. Dahlings. Kind Readers.   Before we dive into the little-known secrets of the design process, I haveView full post »

A Change of Kitchen Renovation Plans – Months Later!

Hi Everyone, before we get into a change of renovation plans. Yuck, but I’ve been sick the last couple ofView full post »

Light Blue Wall Colors-Don’t Make This Mistake!

Betty Bluper thought she had chosen a fantastic pale blue wall color. Please read what she had to say.   DearView full post »

How To Mix Patterns – Designers’ Secret Formula

Dear Laurel, I’m so confused about how to mix patterns in a room. For instance: Can you mix stripes? And,View full post »

A Refined Soothing Color Palette Inspired By Nature

Hi Everyone, Before we get into today’s topic, “A refined, soothing color palette,” pleaseView full post »

I Can’t Stand My Ugly Stone Fireplace – What Can I Do?

Dear Laurel, I loved your post about the ugly brick fireplace. Well, I have an ugly stoneView full post »

Coffee Table Styling Using What You Already Have

Hi Everyone, Before I get into today’s topic about coffee table styling using what you already have, justView full post »

Timeless Furniture Pieces, Plus Tips For Getting The Best Deal!

And Happy Fourth of July weekend! I hope you’re having a good holiday. This year, I’m hanging outView full post »

Our Home’s Difficult Floor Plan Is Giving Me Fits!

Dear Laurel, I don’t know what we were thinking, but our home has the most difficult floor plan, andView full post »

9 Gorgeous Benjamin Moore Cool Gray Paint Colors

Dear Laurel, I know I’ve read somewhere that the gray paint trend is dead. And, thank God, I thought. But,View full post »

The Open Concept Bathroom – Holy Crap Is Right!

Hi everyone, what a gorgeous day, again in Boston. I just got back from an event at the Otis House for aView full post »

Tour of Historic Deerfield, MA Prepare to be Blown Away!

Hey Everyone! Happy Father’s Day and also Juneteenth Day, if you celebrate this federal holiday. Today,View full post »

30 Inspiring Butler’s and Kitchen Pantries, Old and New

Hi Everyone, this is part II about butlers and kitchen pantries. If you missed part I, which focused on theView full post »

The Butler’s Pantry Like You’ve Never Seen It!

Hi Everyone, Ahhh… this was supposed to be one post. However, I got so into the first part that the secondView full post »

Darryl Carter Did The Most Dreadful Room I’ve Ever Seen!

To be clear, it was not I who said that, nor would I ever. In fact, just the opposite.   I’mView full post »

Eight Years Later – Is HGTV Still Misleading Us?

Hi Everyone, Many of you may recall a post I wrote eight years ago titled 12 Ways HGTV is Misleading Us. PleaseView full post »

Are Green and White Rooms Trendy or Passé?

I hope y’all had a good Memorial Day weekend. Mine was pretty quiet, but that’s not a bad thing.View full post »

I’m Afraid Our New Rustic Home Will Be Depressing!

Dear Laurel, I hope you can help me via a blog post, as I bet others also have this issue. But, here’s myView full post »

Classical Interior Architecture – The Most Important Element

A while back, after this post came out about blue paint colors, Val wrote this comment concerning interiorView full post »

My Interior Design School Portfolio from 1988-1991

You may have gotten here from this post about interior architecture if you’re on this page. However, ifView full post »

The Beacon Hill Hidden Garden Tour 2022

Hi Everyone, I hope everyone is doing well, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the last post about the beautifulView full post »

A Gorgeous Kitchen Remodel Done Right!

Below is a real Dear Laurel letter from a kind reader regarding her recent kitchen remodel.   Dear Laurel,View full post »

He Wants To Keep His Big Black Sofa, But I Hate It

Oh, Laurel, Well, I’m on my second marriage, and we’ve just hit a decorating snag.   And canView full post »

Chicago As You’ve Never Seen It Before!

Hi Everyone, Thank you again for all of your kind wishes! It worked. I’ve been testing negative sinceView full post »

30 Astonishingly Beautiful and Best Front Door Colors

Happy Mother’s Day!   My mommy and me the summer of 1958, Evansville, Indiana. This is a specialView full post »

Evansville Indiana – The Little Known Truth About It

Hi Everyone, For those of you who didn’t see my email, yes, I have Covid. I’m just finishing up DayView full post »

15 Hideous Fabric Mistakes (I Made Most of Them)

Although I no longer take interior design clients, I did for 24 years, counting the years working for others.View full post »

French Door/Transom Design + Stair Railing Part II

Hey Everyone, Hope you’re all doing well. I’m on a plane flying to Nashville! I’m going toView full post »

New Staircase Railing Design – Ugh, It’s Not Working!

Last Sunday, we looked at staircase decor, design, and mistakes.    Today, I will share more relatedView full post »

Staircase Decor, 3 Common Mistakes + what to do instead

Hi Everyone, Happy Easter and Passover!   A while back, I received a real Dear Laurel note asking aboutView full post »