More Decorating Commentary

A few days ago I posted about planting at least a few flowers that coordinate with your interior colors so you'll have plenty of fresh flowers for your summer arrangements. My friend Lisa reminded me that it's equally important to plant coordinating flowers and shrubs within the view you have from various rooms. Again, it may seem like I'm stating the obvious, but it can make a huge difference. We're lucky to look out on trees from our family and living rooms. In the family room, I have my birdhouse collection sitting on the window sill that looks out to the bird feeders ... in the living room I've been using the evergreens in the view as my accent color, and will eventually paint the walls a soft green.


My friend Karen brilliantly executed this philosophy with a house she staged for selling. With the furniture moved out, the views dominate each room. She did a fabulous job with new paint colors in all the rooms to bring the outside colors in.

I guess this has been on my mind a lot, since I know the long, bleak Wisconsin winter is just around the corner. Hopefully we'll be working on the living room, so I'm looking at colors now, but will also look at them against the winter scape.

PS Do you watch Top Design? Wednesday is my Bravo night!

Home Decor Duh

I may be stating the obvious, but plant flowers outside that match or coordinate with your interior colors. I have been having a great time with cut flowers this summer, because I have annuals and perennials that look great with the inside of my house (makes me feel less guilty about the weedy mess they are growing in!)















Now, some people take it a little to far and select pets to go with their furniture (we have been accused of that more than once). For the record, our dog was rescued and we chose him because he matched us, not our decor.

My other stating-the-obvious gardening tip is shop now for discount perennials. You have good planting weather through at least October, and you can save more than 50% of the in-season retail price. The way I look at it, the risk is worth the potential gain, especially if your taste exceeds your budget, the way mine always seems to do.