On lighting - easy ways to add control

     Lighting.  Seems like every home magazine or designer emphasizes the importance of good lighting.  I TOTALLY get that.  To read.  To entertain.  To illuminate.  To add a little drama. Makes perfect sense. I'm not talking about a couple of dimmers on the overheads.  Good lighting needs a collection of sources, scattered around the room, creating little pockets of interest.  They direct our focus, create a little intimacy and introduce some spacial depth. 

     Now comes the issue - finding easy ways to control to them.  Sure, there are some techno-futuristic keypad systems that are right out of the Jetsons.  Can we say $$$ to purchase and $$$ to install?  I want simple solutions that anyone can use and not have to spend a fortune (or need an electrician or DIY background).  

     Fact is, most homes are like mine - with few electrical features already built in or hardwired. Some fixtures, like art lights, could use an easier way just to turn on and off. (Right now, with each one, I have to bend down and manually plug them in to baseboard outlets.)  Same is true for some table and floor lamps.  How many times have you stumbled across the dark room trying to find the light switch or gotten out of bed to shut off the lamp by the door?  For other table and floor lamps, there may be the need to have more control with light levels. When reading?  They should be a beacon of light. During dinner or a cocktail party?  How low can you go? Too much light = too little mood. In my mind, the best party lighting evolves - starting a little lively to get the conversations going, but then lowering to a sexy nightclub noir as the evening progresses. 

     One initial solution for the light level issue is simply the choice of bulbs.  Makes sense. There are 3-way types...Check.  And for 2-socket lamps, you can also try one high wattage bulb and one low.  This mimics the output of a 2-way bulb with the key difference being the wattage levels are set to your specific needs (e.g. 15W and 75W) - no need to rely on the preset levels of the mass produced combo bulbs...Check again. Well...these work...sort of.  Yes, they do add a few more brightness options, but they don't satisfy all situations. What if there are additional light sources?  Candles in the room.  Fire in fireplace.  Changing light from outside.  More often than not, you're left to settle with what you have - the lights are just a little too bright or a little too dark.  And the biggest pet peeve of all?  The announcement when lights are being adjusted.  You're enjoying a certain get-together and you decide to enhance the vibe.  Click, click.  HEY EVERYONE, I AM TURNING THE LIGHTS DOWN!  So much for subtlety...

     So what gadgets do I swear by?  Remote switches and plug-in sliding dimmers found easily online or at Home Depot/Lowes.  I first stumbled on the idea of remote switches during the holidays. Seasonally, Home Depot sells a remote key-FOB looking switch for operating Christmas tree lights. No more crawling under the tree to plug them in. Just plug the base unit into the socket and plug the lights into the base.  The handheld device sends the on/off signal.  Simple.  After the tree was down, I realized there were much more broader applications.  Soon they were added to my art lights. Wow.  No more trips around the room, hunching over, fighting with the prongs and the outlet!  The art is now lit (and enjoyed) more often due to the sheer convenience.  Who knew?  There are similar models sold out of season, but the remote device is different - designed more like a wall switch. (Created I would imagine for those who want to mount it by the door or bedside where a hard-wired version would typically be.)  They also come with specified frequency codes so that you can coordinate multiple bases/outlets with the operation of a single switch.  Nice.

     Sliding dimmers are the other must-have device.  Talk about control!  I knew they came attached to some types of floor lamps, but I never realized they could be purchased separately or had smaller table versions.  Like the remotes, they operate with a device plugged into the wall and your fixture plugged into the device.  The floor units have a slider extension that adjusts with your foot.  By dragging it up or down, you have total say in the lamp's output.  The table unit has a more discreet slider mechanism that's fixed on the end of a cord.   It can easily be tucked alongside the lamp or behind any tabletop decor.  I love both of them.  They make for perfect lighting. Every time.

     Now comes the best part - their cost. Retail, most of these remote switches and sliding dimmers fall within a $9-$20 range.  Not sure why there is price fluctuation on some of the similar models.  Marketing?  Better materials/design?  Don't know for sure.  They have all worked fine for me.  Additionally, there's also the potential for cost savings.  Dimmers actually lengthen the life of their bulbs when they are used at lower levels.  No crazy explanation.  Less wear?  Longer life! I've seen it.  

   So take a look at your room.  See what lighting you already have and maybe, just maybe, consider what options you may want to add.  With the thought of easier and more controllable operations, you might be inspired to change your fixtures around or introduce something new in places that were, shall we say, stuck in the dark.

Till next time...

On entertaining - stock up on the classics

  
     Whether you’re looking to start or build your entertaining toolbox, you can’t go wrong with simple, white dinner plates.  I know, I know.  How boring?  How generic.   Really?  How creative is that?  Well, consider them kind of like a blue blazer or string of pearls.  Classic.  Dresses up or down.  Versatile.  Timeless.  A core item that never does you wrong.

     Let’s first consider that the white dinner plate operates on a couple of different levels.  First it serves as the base frame or matte border for the table designs around it.  All of the other items are like accessories.  Linens, chargers, accent plates, flowers can be dictated by the mood of the moment.  Holiday cheer?   Fall Harvest?  No problem.  The decision is yours.  Second, (and from a cook’s standpoint) the white dinner plate is also the best platform to showcase the food.  It keeps the focus on where it should be.  Nothing to distract your eye. And better still, nothing to conflict with the food.  A heavy winter roast can look somewhat odd served on sunny summer flowers.  Not a huge catastrophe in the scheme of things, but why introduce it?

     So what’s my reasoning for blogging this?   I wish someone had told me.  I had to learn the hard way – twice!  My first and only formal china pattern was, well, too formal.  Not a heavy laden pattern, per se.  But just enough to scream “Be on your best behavior.”  Great for the holidays and very special occasions, but for anything else, it was a little like wearing a tux to a neighborhood bar.  Way overdressed.  I had no options.  My tables were either run of the mill cafeteria utility or “dinner at The White House”.  My second mistake was when I decided to recharge my kitchen by replacing my everyday set with one that was deep red.  Let’s be bold I thought.  Unexpected.  Fun!  They were from Sur La Table so they had to be fashionable, right?  Wrong.  I couldn’t wait to get rid of them.  I never really thought I had an opinion about colored plates until I had to look at them.  Everyday.  Every meal.  Every time I reached into the cabinet.  I soon began to despise this color.  The “wow factor” was over, quickly.  And insult to injury?  Color or pattern-intensive plates show wear almost instantaneously out of the box. Utensils scratch them. Dishwashers fade them. Oh yea, and chips seem to be magnified due to their contrast with the white innards.  If only I had been saved from myself…

     So, do yourself a favor.  Start smart (or build smart.)  Stock up on white dinner plates, both casual and formal.  You may have others to swap in and out.  But, you'll be back.  These beauties never go out of style.

BLOG NOTE: And don't worry about breaking up traditional 5-piece place settings either.  Does anyone really entertain this way anymore?  Way too matchy-matchy.  Shake things up.  Buy only the pieces you like, and most importantly, use.

On changing it up - the prop closet(s)

     Early on, I went early to a dinner party to help a friend set the table.  When I asked him for the napkins, he replied "they're in the armoire, a.k.a, the prop closet."   Huh? Oh I get it.  Wait...that's perfect!

     I absolutely fell in love with this term.  It conjures up backstage images of set designers rummaging around a storage room trying to construct their latest vision.   The room would look like some home store on steroids - this pattern, that piece, this period, that color.  Kind of like the clothing designer sample room in the movie Devil wears Prada.  The possible combinations are endless.


     While most of us don't have the luxury of either the space for or money to fill a room like that, the idea is still right on.  Keep as much of a variety of items on hand to give your creativity some space to breathe.  I'm not talking about large, cumbersome items or amounts (no hoarding, please).  These should be things that are generally pretty small and can be easily tucked away.  Table linens, china, candlesticks, picture frames, vases, votives, coasters, glassware, serving trays and bowls are just some ideas.

     Where do you get all these things?  My advice - acquire them over time.  Styles change, your tastes change, seasons change, and most importantly, prices change. Collect ideas from magazines, department store displays, friends homes.  Don't buy too much right away, just start with just a few "foundation" pieces.  Wait for mark-downs/sales.  Search flea markets.  Check out outlet stores.  You may not find the exact item you want, but I've found equally good substitutes that convey the same look for dramatically less cost.  And don't underestimate the power of Ebay.  Just about anything you could want is being sold there.  Finally, if you are lucky, never pass up the heirloom family treasures - filled with memories, loaded with style.  Your objective: the more diverse the mix, the more unique it is.

     For those of us who are a little more crafty, don't forget to keep around some tools like floral foam, wire,  string and duct tape.  (I also have chicken wire!)  You'd be surprised how often they can be used.  And when buying these items, don't be afraid to stock up a little.  You'll smile on some future project when you wish you had more of "something" only to realize you already do!  

     In the end, it's about you and your vision.  What other decorative elements do you already own that could be put to creative use?  Gather them up.  And get them into your own prop closet.  
                                
  

On capturing the ideas - my notebooks

     I love my notebooks.  As thoughts, ideas and images come to me, there's nothing like collecting them all in one place.  I used to think think sheer memory alone could handle all the information.  Well, not so much.  Too many frantic times rifling through stacks of junk, trying to find that one article, note or photo.  I also tried a "deluxe filing system". With all the organization stuff available now at The Container Store and Bed, Bath & Beyond, how could this not work?   I did everything by the book - creating file folders, labeling boxes and even color coding tabs!   Nope, still not right.  Way too much effort and, more importantly, not easily accessible.  Notebooks give me so much freedom.  Freedom to write.  Freedom to sketch.  Freedom to attach photos, business cards, spec sheets, or even fabric swatches.  In many ways, notebooks operate like an interior designer's "concept or mood" bulletin board - a comprehensive display that visually encapsulates of all their thinking.  I guess it simply comes down to portability.  By having my notebook with me, I feel more readily available to capture the unexpected.

     So I created this blog in essence to share my notebooks with you.   I'll post whatever inspires me along the way and maybe it in turn will inspire you.  There will be renovations to consider, parties to plan and stuff to buy (well...maybe someday.)

     I also encourage you to begin collecting your own of thoughts and ideas.  Determine which method is best for you.  And realize, while it may feel like you're producing some random design "catch-all", over time you'll realize its true value.  Like when a project moves from a "what if" to "how soon", you'll already have a more focused perspective on the products and style(s) that excite you.

     Now get started.  You'll see it makes daydreaming about what is possible just a little more fun.

     Till next time...



Post Note:  
     There are many outlets to buy notebooks.  If you like spiral bound or 3-ring versions, Staples and OfficeMax have the best selection. Experience speaking, be sure to buy one with a plastic cover.  Cardboard or fabric are great at first, but easily get tattered when being carried around by sweaty palms or spilled on at Starbucks. My new favorite?  The artists sketchbook.  Weighty, bound with blank, unlined pages of thick luxurious paper. Paper and art stores have them.  I found my latest at Barnes & Noble - with a cool Jonathan Adler designed cover.  It inspires creativity all by itself.