Five Fave Updates for Fall

We know that Fall doesn't officially arrive until September 22, but it definitely feels like summer is ending. Maybe it's the sound of kids walking to school outside my front window, or maybe it's the fat Fall issue of Vogue that's in the mailbox . . . the seasons are getting ready to change.

You might be in the mood for some changes in your home decor as well. Here are five easy things you can do to introduce a new burst of seasonal energy in your home.

Add some green. Try a brighter, deeper green on an accent wall, or just on one piece in your room.

In this home office, we used Benjamin Moore's Dill Pickle on one wall, as well as bits of green in the accessories (colored pencils and file folders). We also love Split Pea from Benjamin Moore, which we painted on this bedroom accent wall and then picked up in the pillows, below.

Place a pouf. We've written about our love for poufs before. Fall is a great time to incorporate a pouf in a deep jewel tone or a strong neutral.

Here we've teamed a gray Moroccan pouf with the Everett Striped Chair from West Elm . . . which brings us to our next idea . . .

Go gray. OK, maybe not your hair, but how about your walls? Or a sofa? Or a rug? As we said last month, gray is really the freshest neutral for your home.

Pick a printed or patterned pillow. A new trend we're loving is two-sided pillows, each featuring a different color or pattern.

Both of these fun pillows are from Anthropologie, always a great place for unique home items.

It's like getting two pillows for the price of one. Just a single new patterned pillow can really wake up your sofa or bed.

And finally, incorporate a personal artifact into your decorating. Maybe it's a painting you bought on the streets of Spain, or some shells you picked up on your summer beach trip. Below, Lauran hung an old metal winery sign that she got at an Italian flea market (and hand carried back on the plane home!) in her dining room.

To add a little "zen" to her home, Jill showcases a Balinese sculpture and prayer beads that she bought at The Dry Garden Nursery.

Try one or two of these ideas this Labor Day weekend . . . and your home will be ready for the changing seasons.

Style to Sell Success!

We just completed a Style to Sell project and we love the way it turned out. This was a full staging, meaning we brought in everything -- furniture, rugs, accessories, etc. Our goal was to make this cute little bungalow fresh and colorful.

We'll start with the "after" photos . . .

And here's how the house looked when we first saw it . . .

Of course, we can't take all the credit for the transformation . . . the homeowner and real estate agent put in a lot of work cleaning, painting and fixing things up.

Inspiring, isn't it? Of course, no one's real house is going to look as perfect as a staged home, because everyday living means everyday messes, stacks of paper, etc. But you can refresh your own house -- without putting it on the market -- by taking these three steps:
1) Declutter! Pretend you are moving, and challenge yourself to keep only those things you would take to a new home. Box the rest up and donate or recycle it.
2) Paint! Lighter neutral colors always look fresh.
3) Use colorful accents! Notice the pops of color in the pillows and artwork we chose.

Just try this 3-step refresh strategy in one room -- you'll be amazed at the difference.

One Love: Pillows!

It's no secret that every decorator considers a great pillow to be their "secret weapon" -- something you can add to the mix to make a big impact for a small cost. We go crazy for pillows, and our inventory probably numbers over 100 of them.

Pillows play a major role in our new "Room Refresh" service (only $395 to update a room). Here are two projects we recently completed -- just try to imagine them without the pillows, or even with just solid pillows alone. The effect wouldn't be as fresh or colorful.

At many retailers, you can buy just the pillow covers without the insert, so you can easily switch out your pillows for less.

Here are two great new options at Ikea right now -- grab them while you can!

For more pillow inspiration, follow our Pillows pinboard on Pinterest. We're adding new stuff all the time!

Design in a Snap!

We just completed a quick interior refresh for a lovely client who wanted to bring more color to her living space. This is an "after" picture . . . .

The "before" pictures are very tasteful as well. Her home was remodeled two years ago, saturated with browns, beiges and off whites -- as seen in the next four photos.

In preparation for spring, she asked us to refresh the rooms with brighter colors. We used her new doormat as our color inspiration:

We set out to find accessories in these key colors -- chartreuse and aqua blue. We visited Lotus Bleu in San Francisco and discovered just the right pillows, plus a throw and a basket. Then we added ceramics and glass accessories from West Elm in complimentary whites, blues and greens. Here are the results . . .

 We also incorporated some items she already had to create new displays for her dining room table and for the window shelf in front of her sink.

This is a fun and quick way for us to work with clients -- bringing a burst of energy to their rooms at a reasonable rate.

Going Global in Your Home

The global/ethnic craze that started a couple of years ago with Ikat fabric and Moroccan rugs is still going strong -- and we are glad! Check out the new book by Australian designer Sibella Court, Nomad: a global approach to interior style. It's packed with textures, patterns and colors from around the world, all incorporated in brilliant ways within the home.

This book it truly a feast for your eyes, and inspirational beyond belief. It's making us look at our artifacts in new ways. And even if you've never traveled farther than the next state, you can find global treasures in antique stores and flea markets everywhere.

The new West Elm catalog, called roads less traveled, features goods handmade in Morocco.

The photos are breathtaking and just invite you to jump into these rich colors and luxurious textures.

Of course, it's always great to see how real people incorporate these trends within their own homes. The new Elle Decor features the space of designer Steven Johanknecht. Look how he carefully combines the kilim rug, a throw from Mexico, Navajo-inspired pillows, and raw wood.

And his outdoor space is just as inviting, with an eclectic mix of copper bells, colorful pillows and bright globe lights.

Yesterday we found our own great example of a global-chic Indian-inspired pillow at Nest, a unique boutique on Fillmore in San Francisco. We love the little shells at the corners and the tiny mirror sewn in the middle.

What do you have hidden away in your cupboards that might make interesting decor? Textiles, knick-knacks and ceramics from your travels might be just what you need to bring more individuality to your home.

Mad about Tangerine Tango

Pantone's 2012 Color of the Year -- Tangerine Tango -- has been making quite a splash in the design world.

Here at Visual Jill, we've always loved this vibrant orange-red -- just look at our logo, above. Last week we were so inspired that we actually painted our dining room wall Benjamin Moore's Orange (2011-10).  It adds such energy to the room!

Of course, our affection for orange doesn't stop there! We restyled our couch with some new pillows too.

(Gold, orange and black/white pillows from CB2, Faces pillow from Erica Tanov, orange side table from CB2)

And elsewhere . . . we've infused some Tango into our entryway via pillows, artwork, a throw and a scarf . . .

(Pillows from CB2 and BoConcept)

. . . and brought the brightness to our kitchen through a new teapot and our favorite barstools!

(Tea kettle from Le Creuset, Jam Lift barstools from KCC Living)

The Tangerine Tango craze is showing up all over the blogosphere and print publications. Last Sunday's San Francisco Chronicle Style section focused on the hue, and the Note to Self blog pulled together a sampling of tangerine goodies too.

We're so glad the world is embracing this sunny, optimistic color. We think it's here to stay!

Diamonds are a decorator's best friend

Bold graphic diamond patterns are hot in the home decorating world right now. The British Ideal Home magazine called out this trend in its November 2011 issue, and we're now seeing diamonds everywhere.

We just purchased the frizzle pillow from CB2 -- and we love how it looks next to our funky retro diamond flea market lamp.

We also love the Chicago building prints from CB2, featuring abstract photographs of famous architecture from the windy city that look like geometric shapes.

Over at West Elm, the Souk Rug and the Embroidered Diamond Links pillow offer other interpretations of the diamond trend.

We say -- invest in diamonds this winter!