Whoopie Goldberg's "New" Jersey Digs!

Can't judge a book by it's cover! I was quite surprised to see the style and taste of comedian Whoopie Goldberg in these photos of her new home.



click to enlarge photos

Though cheaper than her NY apartment she recently sold for about $1 million dollars more, the New Jersey Colonial was reported to have been purchased for $2.8 million dollars. You definitely "get more the money" in West Orange New Jersey! That amount would buy you a much more modest home here in Los Angeles. The beautifully maintained 1927 New Jersey Colonial boasts 9,486 square feet, that includes 23 rooms with 8 bedrooms and 6 full baths. This is definitely the type of home that requires "staff". Not only will staff be needed to maintain this European style, antique filled home, but the exterior boasts expansive lawns and gardens, swimming pool, carriage house, green house and who could do without the requisite servants quarters?

The home seems a little over the top European for my tastes and perhaps hers too, would love to see how she decorates it for herself.

You've come a long way baby, uh huh!

MAKEOVER A BATH!

Bath Makeover Before & After

It is true one of the most important makeovers you can do to your home is to makeover or remodel the bath(s) and kitchen. If you are new to remodeling it can seem daunting so I reccomend start small and redo a bathroom. This way you will get a sense of what it is like to have construction going on in your home on a much smaller scale.

Also, in most cases a bath can be done much quicker and with a much smaller budget. You will also learn if you like or are pleased with whatever workmen or crafts people used on the project and if you would be happy using them on another home improvement project.

To begin, think of the look you want, search magazines. Create your budget and allow a little extra for the unexpected. Replace tile if it is old, cracked or extremely dated. Ceramic tile is most durable and requires less upkeep than natural stone. Replace the vanity and fixtures.....today you can even buy prefab vanities that look great, save money and cut back on the wait for a custom cabinet. Can you do without your medicine cabinet? If so get a vanity with more storage and add a great new decorative mirror. Coordinate the fixtures.....brushed nickel, bronze/oil rubbed copper are great choices today. When you have chosen the look you want it is best to purchase/obtain all your fixtures ahead of time, so that it will be ready to be installed when the work begins and you are not running around still shopping in the middle of the project. Finally, decorate! Replace the linen, art and any old plants or florals. Enjoy!!!!

LIVE LIKE THE RICH AND FAMOUS - CHEAP!

Ever looked through interior design or home decorating magazines and thought how beautiful a space was and how nice it would be to have a room just like that? Many of the rooms created in high-end magazines like Architectural Digest or Metropolitan Home are created with budgets as much as $100,000.00 or more! For many of us that puts us right out of the game. However you can have a space that draws inspiration from these well done, high end abodes. In many cases you can include some of the very same decor pieces used in these spaces and mix with much less expensive inspirations.

Start by looking through magazines and find some rooms that you really do like and mark the pages or tear out the images. Make certain to be reasonable in what you want.... are you wanting that super modern space replicated in your room though the image you like greatly depends on the super modern architecture of the space in the photo and you live in a 1930's Spanish Colonial? Once you are clear in what you really would like to have time to start a shopping budget. Decide on how much you have to put into your shopping to create the look you want. If your budget is $8,000.00 and you will need to get furniture you will need to apply perhaps half or more of this budget to furniture the rest can be spent on decorative items i.e. rugs, window coverings, vases art prints.

If you are reading this you have a computer....one of the best ways to shop is online! Look for things using a search engine by typing in product description, also most major home furnishing stores now have websites to shop from. You will find lots of things to choose from and can find great bargains and in many instances you can make purchases without having to pay taxes. I can't stress enough how important it is to measure! Make certain all what you get will fit comfortably into the space. Measure first! If you are not comfortable with making purchases without actually seeing the piece in person, try to locate the item in a store in your area. I have found items in local stores then went online and purchased it cheaper in many instances. If you have the time and don't mind not having the instant gratification it can be a great way to go. Also take a hard look at the inspiration you like, notice that these designers do not use a showroom set of furniture, there is a lot of mixing and matching you will have to do this too.

Turn it over to the experts. If this all seems too much and you are not confident in your DIY skills turn it over to a decorator. A decorator can actually save valuable time and possibly money with their savvy shopping expertise. Either way you can have that beautifully well decorated room in your home too!

Change a Room Fast - PAINT!

One of the quickest and easiest ways to change the look of a room is to paint. In my business this is the first thing I often consult on in doing a room makeover. If you have been thinking of doing something new to a room or are ready for a change, paint!

It would be fun if we could just afford to buy all new furniture every time we want to make a change in a room that feels dated or boring, but for many of us that is not possible. Consider changing the color instead. Going from white to color can make a dramatic difference in a room. Changing from a dated color that may have looked good when last painted in the 80's to something more contemporary may be all you need. It will instantly feel fresh, clean and new.

Deciding on a color may seem daunting when you look at all the selections and the fear of making a mistake by picking the wrong color or shade may make you hesitant. I recommend you not running out to the nearest paint store and just looking at all the many, many selections, this will make the decision harder. Instead think of how you would like the room to look first. What would be a nice compliment to the furnishings you already have? Picture or visualize the room in the color that comes to mind. Find the color in something you have around the house, then take it with you to the paint store. Bring the color swatch home and look at it in the room and in different lighting. It is also important to pay attention to how the paint store has the color grouped; greys can go from dark charcoal to lavender, so the grey closet the the reds will tend to look a little purple on the wall. Some paint stores now let you purchase small samples of a color so you can test it on the wall, this may be a good way to go if you still are not confident in your selection.

If you are a Do It Yourselfer you can save money, but remember that a neat paint job is essential! Make certain you purchase all the supplies needed to do a good job. You can also save yourself and employ a painter for a few hundred dollars more (depending on size of room) and the good thing is that he/she will already have all the supplies needed to do the job. Lastly consider a decorator to help with this decision. A decorator can take all the stress out, make certain correct color selections are made & set you on the right path to beginning your room makeover. As they say, it is so worth it!

Painted hallway Before & After

The Best in Design Mag

INTERIOR DESIGN MAGAZINE

For the latest in design I like to look at INTERIOR DESIGN magazine. Here you can find some of the best and boldest in design. Unlike some other magazines I actually do enjoy checking out the ads, here you will see what some of the manufacturers are producing that's new and innovative and some times just plain bad ass. It is indeed a publication geared more for the industry so I wouldn't recommend subscribing to this pricey magazine, but do pick up a copy from time to time or when you are looking for some inspiration for an upcoming home improvement project. Most things found here and in other design magazines can be purchased through your designer or decorator.

HOT CHOCOLATE!

Mocha, espresso and cocoa are not just words to talk about the ever popular and trendy cups of java ,they are used to describe one of the hotest colors in design today. Brown can be found in every room in fabrics, accessories and furniture. It is considered a great base color for a room because it complements surrounding colors, making them come alive. When it comes to chocolate brown, it is all about shape — the more simple the piece, the better it looks. Through Interiors by Rohmi I have used a lot of brown, especially in furniture. Today's chocolate brown furniture has clean lines without a lot of detail, which allows you to mix several pieces without overpowering a room and making it look too dark. For a stronger, darker look, go with modern furniture because its simple geometric shapes are shown off best by dark brown. Working with chocolate brown is simple if you remember the basic rule — keep proportions while balancing everything accordingly. This color always acts as a great anchor, so it is all about using it as a base. Any color paired with brown looks new, teal-inspired shades combined with brown are a fresh alternative to spa blue and brown schemes so prevalent last year.

Feel Better This Spring, Get Out the Clutter!

I'll be addressing this topic again, but wanted to take a moment to discuss it briefly. In my business I visit so many homes and I realize that many people have a large accumulation of things. I myself fall victim to my own clutter especially my home office! But oh what a difference it makes when it is cleared. Spring will soon be over and Summer is fast upon us. This would be a great time to find an area in your home you know needs addressing and tackle it!

There is actually a physical reaction we have when we are in spaces that were once filled with clutter and then cleared and made neat and tidy. You actually feel good in them and want to be there and linger, in some cases you may not want to leave it (there are some Feng Shui elements that help with this as well that will be discussed later).

Removing clutter will reduce stress. You will gain time and energy in your life. By clearing these critical areas of your home you reduce the amount of time worrying, looking for things and house cleaning. Have you been saving books and magazines that you plan to read or re-read some time in the future. If you have not read them in the last three years, do you really think you will read then in the next three? It is unlikely. I know you are saving many of them as references. With the Internet, you have all the reference material you will ever need right at your fingertips. Get rid of books and magazines. Put them in the donation box. If you really cannot stand to give things away because it all has value, have a garage sale. Make it a challenge to have tons of stuff at your sale. When it is over, take whatever does not sell and donate it to a charity. Promise yourself you will get rid of the leftovers.

To sum up clutter, it robs valuable time from your life. It takes away some of your life energy and makes you wonder how you will ever organize it all. Do not organize it all; get rid of a lot of it!