Room on a diet

Wow, I'm in a mad rush to lose those last five pounds because I simply cannot avoid wearing a bathing suit any longer! Weight loss and serious workouts are heavy on my mind this week, and so my personal thoughts have transcended into my professional life - hence the resulting thought process on design. We've chatted in the past about the importance of continually trimming a room, and we know without a doubt that less is more, but honestly, have we taken heed to this advice? I know that we all felt good last summer after shedding winter's excess from our rooms, but I'm sure that over the course of the last cold season a few extra pounds have crept back into our rooms. So just as we wind up our spring weight loss programs and convert our wardrobes to a lighter, sexier style, we should also put the excess baggage in our rooms on a diet so that they can look their best in summer's new outfits (a few pounds of extra textiles and heavy accessories can get the heave ho).

Spring and summer fashion means...

• for windows: lighter fabrics - lightweight textiles such as gauze and cotton should replace heavy chenilles and flannels with summer fabrics that can flutter freely spring breezes
• for floors: area carpets can be rolled up and hardwood floors revealed.
• for fireplace mantels: strip them down to nothing but a fabulous silver or chrome-gilded mirror hanging above to reflect that glorious summer sunlight.
• for coffee tables: clear off everything except for a simple vase of fresh flowers. Perform a similar summer ritual on your end tables.

Here are some addition helpful hints to achieve a fabulous summery look:

• If the room still feels dark and heavy, grab a can of white paint and a brush and paint tables, old dressers or even dated lamp bases to offer a new Hamptons chic look to your rooms.
• Sometimes adding a splash of bright, popping colour can instantly warm up a room. Use hot pinks, lime greens or cherry blossom reds as accents.
• When we feel like the gym is paying off we bring out the white pants - and you know how you don't want to wear white pants if those extra few pounds are still sitting on your hips. Use the same fashion advice and color evolution in your rooms; lighter fabrics as well as less furniture and accessories help show off the structure of the room and the sexy curves of the architecture.
• Help keep the floor minimally dressed by hanging funky hooks on the wall to get towels and jackets off the ground in smaller spaces such as bathrooms and foyers.
• Remember that rooms that smell good, magically look better! Think cheery, fresh summer scents like lilac, coconut and Tahitian freesias. Ahhh don't you just love summer?