Organizing guru Peter Walsh offers 7 helpful tips in the February 2012 edition of O Magazine.

1] Make your rooms multitask. (A guest room can also serve as a TV room or office with the right layout and organization.)

2] Focus your fridge. (Use Fridge Binz to organize like items. I actually use these at home and have bought them for several organizing clients.)

3] Use easy counter canisters. (I’m not a fan of canisters on my counter, but if you use them, get a set that allows you to see what you have.)

4] Rethink your linen closet. (He folds the top sheet, fitted sheet and 1 pillow case inside the other pillow case to store it neatly in a package. He also uses only white sheet sets to simplify things.)

5] De-junk your junk drawer. (Instead of a drawer, he stacks clear, labeled boxes to hold tape, clips, batteries, pencils, etc.  I organize my drawer regularly while I’m in the kitchen on the phone.)

6] Establish a free-money box. (Put all your gift cards, coupons and vouchers in one place for easy access when you’re going shopping. I use a folder but a bright storage box works too.)

7] Standardize your food storage. (He uses only one brand of food storage containers to simplify the look and lids.)

Posted by Heidi of Carl Williams Interiors

As spring approaches, I am going to post a few spring cleaning/organizing tips. To start, identify the real culprit.

Organizing guru Peter Walsh identifies five types of clutterers with their own distinct habits and psychological hang-ups.  Which kind are you?

1] The Behind-Closed-Doors Clutterer: Your home looks pristine but the closets and drawers are over-flowing disasters.  This category is usually comprised of perfectionists, or time-crunched working moms.  His suggestions include getting over the expectation of perfect homekeeping; starting with small, manageable tasks for 15 minutes each day; and enlisting a friend to help.

2] The Knowledge Clutterer: You have stockpiles of books, magazines and articles you will never have the time to read.  Perpetrators are book club members, interior design enthusiasts or recent college grads showing off.  Peter suggests going digital whenever possible; keeping only current issues of magazines; and establishing clear limits.

3] The Techie Clutterer: Your drawers, cabinets and desk are a tangle of cords, chargers, remotes and USB drives. These perpetrators include 20- and 30-something Apple devotees, eBay enthusiasts and grandparents terrified of pitching the cord that connects their digital camera to the computer. Suggestions include banishing boxes in which to hide these things; label all wires; store smartly in small, labeled boxes.

4] The Sentimental Clutterer/Family Historian:  You hoard baby clothes, kindergarten projects, deceased relatives’ tchotchkes and memorabilia.  These clutterers are typically parents, empty nesters or women who have suffered a loss and feel responsible to preserve family heirlooms.  Peter suggests establishing a hierarchy of value to the stuff; starting a family history wall of photos or shadow boxes; and establishing limits on the kids’ artwork.

5] The Bargain Shopper/Coupon Clutterer:  You pride yourself on bargain shopping and stock three years’ worth of products. Perpetrators are stay-at-home moms, retirees, and Costco members. Help yourself by limiting your purchases to those that you will use immediately; recognize that you’re being had; find a new hobby.

Most of us can identify ourselves as one or more of these culprits. As always, start with small, manageable tasks to gently lean into a more organized life.

Posted by Heidi of Carl Williams Interiors

For most people there really is a ritual to bathing. Very few people I know take a bath as a quick, daily cleanse. For me it’s akin to meditation. Where traditional meditation is a challenge for me, relaxing in a hot bath is very easy. I have enjoyed the ritual in every home environment I’ve had for the past 25 years. That includes small apartments with tiny bath tubs too shallow to sink into fully. And it’s a ritual that can be enjoyed on any budget since bath salts, candles and music are inexpensive. The only requirement is a tub.

Recently a friend of mine renovated a master bathroom that previously had a shower only. She wanted a place to enjoy the ritual of bathing and the shallow tub her kids bathed in downstairs was not what she had in mind. Her husband is a creative advertising guy and was instrumental is selecting the design elements for the new bathroom. Her main input was that she cared more about the experience than the actual finishes. What struck me about that comment was the reality that more people focus on the look of a room rather than the experiences. We all know plenty of people with gourmet kitchens filled with commercial appliances that rarely do more than boil water or cook frozen pizza.

Our clients often ask us to help make their bathrooms more spa-like. And of course this includes the layout, finishes, lighting and accoutrements. But the ritual of bathing has little to do with the actual bath tub or room.

For the past 11 years, I’ve been fortunate enough to have a large master bathroom with a deep, cast iron pedestal tub. The antique chandelier I carried home from Italy is on a dimmer switch and casts a sparkly glow around the room. Speakers in the ceiling with separate volume control allow music to delicately swirl in. The toilet is hidden in a water closet so the only visuals in the room are beautiful. My grandmother’s footstool has been painted chrome, the seat covered in white terry cloth. This sits next to the tub to hold books or magazines. My candle and drink rest in a tray that stretches across the pedestal tub floating more than a foot from the three walls surrounding it, allowing my head to roll off the back of one end. I like to dim the lights to low and light at least one scented candle (something subtle — not too much perfume). I also use good bath salts and play spa music quietly. Since I’m the first one up in my household, I bathe while it’s still dark and everyone else is asleep. Sometimes I read or flip through magazines, but often I just relax in the half-light of a candle. I sometimes drink herbal tea or fresh orange juice. Part of the ritual includes drying with a thick towel and wrapping up in a cozy robe afterward.

As with all elements of design, paying attention to each of your senses allows the experiences you have in a space to be something more than the space itself.

Posted by Heidi of Carl Williams Interiors

I’m currently reading a book called Soul Space by Xorin Balbes, and its message is what I have known on some level for a long time.  Since I work in the field of interior design and home organization, it speaks to me and I want to share some of the insight by paraphrasing key points.

Where you live and what you live with are an extension of who you are, and it is sending a message to the world about your thoughts and dreams.  Consider the possibility that “interior design” includes designing not only your physical surroundings, but also the way you think, dream, live, love, and perceive the world.

When you intentionally create a space that promotes growth and change, you support a natural process.  Consider the following scenarios:

1] As you open the front door, the glow of warm light beckons you inside.  You set your bag on a handmade table near the door and slip off your shoes, placing them and your coat in the neatly organized hall closet.  The serene, beautifully appointed living room draws you in.  You sink deeply into a soft, comfortable chair and drape a finely knit, cozy throw over your legs.  The sky, visible through a large, clear window, is soothing.  A feeling of calm and revitalization washes over you.  You close your eyes and enjoy the quiet luxury of a catnap before preparing a light supper.  You’re home.

2] As you open the front door, the knob rattles.  It’s loose again.  The door sticks, and you have to force it open with your shoulder.  You make a mental note to call the super.  You stumble into the dark hallway as you grope for the light switch.  The bulb blows out, leaving you in a gray wash of dim light.  The hall closet is crammed to capacity with coats, sweaters, and things you haven’t seen in years.  You throw your coat on a living room chair instead.  The seat cushion is faded and worn.  The air in the room is stale.  A feeling of stress and irritation washes over you.  You’re home.  You look around at the clutter and decide to put your coat back on and grab a bite to eat at the local diner.

You get the picture:  There is energy that fills your space regardless of the actual items.

A beautiful space should allow you to be yourself to the fullest — not just a beautiful shell, but a place where your soul can flourish.  And good designers should be able to help create not only a beautiful space, but one that suits your soul and invites you to dream to your heart’s content.

Posted by Heidi of Carl Williams Interiors

Rainn Wilson (actor from The Office) started a website called Soul Pancake to get people around the world to discuss “Life’s Big Questions”. One of his beliefs is that the making of art is no different than prayer. That there is not a difference between lifting up a paintbrush and touching it to canvas than to bowing in prayer. (or playing music, or creating something beautiful, or making people laugh) All are expressions of the Divine.

And maybe anything done with passion and love is Divine. Creators who are moved in some way to create something that in turn moves others is Divine.

I can tell you that the work we do at CWI is done with passion and with love. When three creative minds work together the recipe includes: ideas, passion, disagreeing, agreeing to disagree, seeing things in a new way, respecting differing opinions and ultimately a cake baked with love. I had never thought of it in this way until I heard Rainn Wilson’s interview but I truly believe that creativity is Divine expression.

Leaving the world a little better, a little more beautiful than it was before is a gift. Some people were born to be teachers (a great gift to the world). Others were born to make beautiful music or create machines that make people’s lives easier or to be doctors or healers. Some were born to make the world more beautiful, which is Divine.

Anybody, on any budget, can make the world a little more beautiful — even if it’s your one little space on the planet.

Start looking around your home and garden and don’t strive to make it look like anyone else’s or to spend more money than you have to uphold an image.

But keep it clean, maintained, organized and express your Divine creativity.

Posted by Heidi of Carl Williams Interiors

Good residential design incorporates personal items, souvenirs, family photos and heirlooms into a space.  And this can be accomplished in any design format.

People do this naturally when they are not hiring designers.  I grew up with framed school photos of all of us on the wall, and my mother would proudly display every macrame’d, decoupage’d, painted, stitched and glued thing we ever made.

As designers, we ask clients to provide family photos and meaningful treasures so we can artfully incorporate them into our design.  The end result might be unexpected, which is all the more fun to see your personal item displayed in a way you hadn’t considered.  Or your old family snapshots enlarged, changed to a sepia tone and professionally framed in a large collage.

If we know you practice yoga or travel, it’s fun to sneak in a little something here and there for a personal element of surprise.  Even amateur photography or children’s artwork can look stylish when displayed properly.

Regardless of style, every home should reflect the personality of its owner.  If instead you purchase a showroom display and move it to your house, the impersonal energy transfers with it.  You can feel it and so can everyone else.

That’s why when it comes to residential design, we take it personally!

Posted by Heidi of Carl Williams Interiors

Now that the air is as crisp as the apples, nothing says “cozy” like the warmth of a fire.  I, for one, am a wood-burning fire kinda gal.  Others love the ease and cleanliness of a gas fire but the Montana in me likes the crackle and smell of a “real” fire.

Regardless of the flame origin, everyone can agree that a fire adds instant ambience to a room.  As designers we can help guide furniture and finish selections, but each homeowner has to create seasonal ambience themselves.  A scented candle, a flickering fire and something simmering on the stove adds the finishing touches of ambience.

We can help make sure you have good seating around the fire and a nice hearth and mantle.  We might suggest chairs that swivel so you can face the fire to read but turn to visit with company at other times.  We might add pillows to a hearth that doubles as seating.

Fireplaces are also natural focal points in a room so it’s a perfect place for eye-popping art or a beautiful mirror.  Make sure that your mantle is scaled properly for the size of your fireplace.  And subsequently make sure whatever you display on the mantle or above it are also to scale.  With few exceptions, miscellaneous small items usually do not work.

Once you have the basics in place, the most important  call to action is to actually use the fireplace.  Even during burn bans, you can always light several candles instead of wood to get some flicker and ambience.

And don’t forget to have something simmering — like roasted butternut squash soup to go with maple braised short ribs, browned butter noodles, and pastry-wrapped baked apples with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce for dessert.

Sound good?  Subscribe to the Carl Williams Interiors monthly newsletter by emailing us at info@carlwilliamsinteriors.com and we will provide all the recipes in our October issue.

Happy fire season!

Posted by Heidi of Carl Williams Interiors

“Oh, the fun of arriving at a house and feeling the spark that tells you that you are going to have a good time.“  -Mark Hampton

Even if you’re not a designer, you know what I’m talking about when you think about a home that feels inviting from the minute you walk in the door.  We’ve already talked about creating a good entry, but beyond that, there is the continuity of style and energy.

October is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to start transitioning decor from summer to fall.  And for those of us who decorate for seasons and holidays, it’s time to get out the Halloween accessories to get in the mood for hot cider and pumpkins.

One thing I am adamant about for my own home is changing the mood seasonally. Not only do I decorate for holidays — in part because I have small children — but also I like the idea of warmer, cozier fabrics as the weather turns cold and it’s time to light fires and bake with apples and cinnamon.  I’m no longer interested in linen and coconuts and shells or bright colors.  Now I want cozy fabrics and heavier throws to snuggle under while reading a book.  I used to swap out sisel rugs for wool and all pillow covers, as well as slipcovers and lamp shades.  Now I simplify with a change of pillow covers and accessories to create warmth during the fall and winter months.

Any transition period is also a good time to get organized and purge items you no longer love or use.  Additionally, it is a great time to add a few accent pieces to not only your clothing wardrobe, but also your home wardrobe.

A few new pillows and accessories can breathe new life into an old space.  So can re-arranging the furniture.

If you entertain for the holidays, think about how you want your home to feel for guests and yourself.  And strive for a space that let’s people know they’re going to have fun!

Posted by Heidi of Carl Williams Interiors

A Gap Analysis in CEO lingo is loosely paraphrased as the steps it would take to get from where you are currently to where you want to go.

For instance, for career goals you could write a description of your current job as if you were giving it to someone introducing you as a speaker. Then write a new description of yourself as if it were 15 to 20 years from now. The steps it would take to get from the first introduction to the second is referred to as the Gap Analysis.

Now do the same for your home or living space. How would you describe it currently? Now describe it as you would like it to be. Are the colors different? What does the furniture look like? Is it more organized? How about textures, textiles, art, accessories?

The Gap Analysis is where a designer or professional organizer might fit in to help clarify the end result and transform the space from ‘before’ to ‘after’. But even on your own, allow your imagination to envision your ideal living space and then Mind the Gap!

-Posted by Heidi of Carl Williams Interiors

As the three of us (Carl, Michelle and Heidi) get closer to launching our furniture line, we settled on a name that means several things to us.  Triple Vision Collections will make its debut later in September.

The name Triple Vision references the three of us and our unique design ideas, as well as furniture designs from past, present and future.  As it turns out, three is a “magic number” in many arenas.  Here are a few references to the Rule of Three…

Rule of Three (Writing):

In literature, the Rule of Three says that things that come in threes are more effective than any other number.

Rule of Three (Karma):

The Rule of Three states that whatever energy a person puts out into the world, be it positive or negative, will be returned to that person three times.

Rule of Three (Design):

In interior design, the Rule of Three can be considered in various aspects: progression and spatial composition;  the Work Triangle in kitchen design; color and fabric schemes; arrangements with furniture or groupings of accessories and vignettes; balance within symmetry using a focal point;  use of threes and odd numbers.

The Rule of Thirds:  A graphic design and architectural design principle.

Rule of Thirds (Photography):

The Rule of Thirds is one of the first things that budding digital photographers learn about in classes on photography and rightly so as it is the basis for well-balanced and interesting shots.

The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that your photo becomes more balanced and will enable a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally. Studies have shown that when viewing images that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the center of the shot – using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image rather than working against it.

Posted by Heidi of Carl Williams Interiors