Have You Ever Considered Having an Estate Sale?????

I have to admit that there a parts of the decorating business that are not my strong suit, knowing the history and value of some of my clients treasurers falls into that category....that was until yesterday!!!! I met Debbie & Stacey McArdle of Iron Horse Appraisers and Estate Sales...these ladies know their stuff! Debbie is an Appraiser and Stacey runs the Estate Sale side of the business. Their knowledge is amazing and so interesting, but what sets them apart is the care they take with their clients and their beloved things. Debbie is so kind in pointing out that even though WE may think that Aunt Millie's vase should be worth hundreds, it truly only has a value that the market will bear. If nobody is looking for that particular item, then the value decreases, when Aunt Millie's vase is in high demand, then the value skyrockets! So I learned that my Grandmother's dishes have great value....to me, but not the resale market, which is just fine with me...and probably my Grandmother too.!!

Stacey did share with us one of the latest trends out there...... Young women are buying vintage clip-on earrings and using them as shoe clips on ballet shoes and flats! How cute is that?!

I'm so excited to have a wonderful place to send my clients who are willing to part with their family heirlooms and treasurers, and want to be sure that they get fair market value....with a little history lesson included!!!!!

I encourage you to take a look around your own space to see what may be lurking in the back of the closet...who knows it could just be the next big trend!!!!

Please look at the favorites bar for a link to Debbie and Stacey information!!!!

Paradise Found.....Where is yours?

I have found Paradise!!!! It’s been hiding in the panhandle of Florida all this time…..who knew!!!!! Well actually many people have already found this treasure and until a month ago I had only read of the beauty this place holds. Tucked between Pensacola and Panama City, the beaches and small towns nestled in between, along 30A are the best kept secrets around. Small shops, local artists, family owned restaurants and views to die for are just some of the magic along this stretch of road that runs along the shore.

If you are truly looking for Perfect, look no further that the towns of Seaside, the original master built community, then venture to Watercolor, Alys Beach (pronounced Alice) and Watersound. Try as I may, I could not even find a blade of grass out of place in these beautiful beachside communities. For a little more casual feel, try Seagrove Beach, Grayton Beach and Santa Rosa Beach. I found Santa Rosa Beach to be the place we will be staying next. It feels like what I think Old Florida must have been like, laid back, no high-rises, quaint and beautiful beach houses and some of the most beautiful sunsets on the coast.

Have I mentioned the people yet?????? Southern hospitality abounds here from the locals to the many folks that drive over from Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and surrounding areas. I decided to ditch the “you guys” in favor of the much friendlier and easier y’all! Us northerners can use a dose of southern hospitality now and then. It’s really nice to slow down, ask where folks are from and talk a spell. I know more about some of the folks I met in the pool and saw once or twice than I do of people I’ve been in business groups with for the 8 years!!!! That tells me I guess I need to hang out in the pool more!!!!!

The most interesting part of the trip was that this time I truly paid close attention to lifestyle, more than usual. We rented a condo on the beach and saw a significant difference between the way we live in Illinois vs. the way you live at the beach. Now in summer I do live in flip-flops from the moment my toes wont freeze until the moment they turn blue from the cold. Beach living however is much more laid back, casual and natural. There is no room for fussiness when living at the beach. Fabrics and surfaces need to be durable and easy to clean. I found the carpet in the condo we were staying at to be not such a good idea. As much as they try, keeping the sand and dirt out I believe must be a never-ending task. Colors play a significant role in the beach feel as well. I purposely did not book one condo because of the décor being in very dark reds, black and other heavy colors. Now I do realize that this is a matter of taste, but who wants to feel weighed down at the beach? Although I’m also not a fan of kitschy colors either, somewhere in between with sand, sea and sky colors with some fun brights thrown in for a wow factor now and then says beach house to me. And white….lot’s of white!!!! Scary with little ones, but again fabrics and surfaces that are easily cleaned make all the difference in the world. Here is the perfect place to paint your trim with ultra high-gloss marine paint!!!!

I believe not only the scenery, but the way of life is what inspires the many local artists to practice their craft. From tiny little road-side haunts, to bigger galleries, this stretch of 30A is full of some of the most creative, and friendly folks you will have the pleasure of meeting. Check out the Favorite Things sections for a little shop called, 30-A Art and Junk, here I found a hand-painted pineapple sign that I was sure was made just for me!

While I understand that not everyone is a beach person, some crave the mountains, some long for the woods, while others find their energy in the big city. We all long for that perfect place to call home, for me now it would be on the beach in the Panhandle of Florida with occasional trips to California…..still along the beach, do you sense a theme here???? What can I do about that while still living in Illinois until the magical day comes that moving is a real option? I can bring the beach to me. I’ve already started to transition my “Midwest” décor to a more shore oriented theme. I will continue to do that until I feel I have met a good balance of where I am and where my heart is. I’ll show you the progress now and then to give you inspiration of how you too can live your dream even before you move!

Til next time……make the living EZ!

Travel Humor

When’s the last time you laughed at the airport???? All we hear about in the news is how difficult and expense air travel has become. So many rules and regulations, albeit for our own good. Through all the hustle and bustle of getting through the airport, I recently had a very humorous moment after noticing the airports attempt to make passengers travels a little more light hearted.

Immediately after exiting the security check at Milwaukee’s Mitchell Field is a big sign stating “Recombobulation Area” I loved it!!!! They hit the nail on the head with this one!!!! After taking off you shoes, jacket, belt and just about everything else your’re wearing, how much more Discombobulated can you be!!!

Thank you Mitchell Field for making the travels of your passengers just a little more fun! It’s those little unexpected moments that make life just a little more EZ!

My question to everyone is….when’s the last time you took a minute to laugh during your busy day????

Til next time…..make the living EZ!

Welcome!

For those of you wondering what has taken me so long to write since my last newsletter, the name of the new blog for Fresh Look should say it all….EZ Living. What does that mean? It means that doing a newsletter on Constant Contact had become a not so easy or fun process for me to which the answer was not to write anymore. Since not writing and sharing ideas did not truly fit into my master plan, I decided to transition to a blog which is much easier and more fun to create!

Where did the name EZ Living come from? From the core of what my business is built on and what I strive to make my lifestyle. Fresh Look Interiors is not just about moving furniture, picking out paint colors and helping folks shop for the perfect accessory. It’s about helping people live the best lives they can. Making a room pretty doesn’t cure all that’s wrong in the world (it does make it look better though!) It’s really about helping people to understand why a room does or doesn’t work, what steps need to be taken to fix the problems, who to turn to for expertise in an array of lifestyle matters. Furnishing not only myself, but others with positive, informative and interesting ideas, styles, and items that are a new find, or great hidden treasure along with people who can help us bring fun and beauty to our homes and lives. Also we will be starting to feature our “Favorite Things” section full of great new “things” to make living not only EZ, but happy as well!

The new EZ Living Blog will be bringing guest writers on occasion, along with ideas, thoughts, pictures and locations of people, places and things to create a comfortable, easy lifestyle….whatever that may mean to you. Best of all, now I can hear from you as well!!! The more you share your stories and “favorite things” with EZ Living, the more exciting it is for all of us!!!

Welcome to EZ Living, where life may still get in the way, but through it all we can still see the beauty, comfort and happiness and creativity the world has to offer.