On my show this week I gave the Maxim Family Basement a very colorful, Art Deco inspired makeover. It is a huge space with lots of potential but the layout is awkward and intimidating. They love South Beach, they love bold color, and it’s a household...
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Splurge & Save: Deco Basement
Posted on April 08, 2010
Change Out the Old Cans
Posted on April 07, 2010
If you’re like me, you’ve got old “can” recessed lighting that’s about 8″ in diameter (exaggerating a little). I just ordered these instant adapter kits that actually turn this old lighting into a nice drop pendant....
Make Your Own Mercury Glass Vase
Posted on March 10, 2010
On my HGTV show Splurge & Save yesterday I made mercury glass vases to add a nice tough to a traditional style space. I’ve been asked how to do this project so I thought I’d post the very easy DIY recipe for making mercury glass vases...
Splurge & Save: Chic Outdoor Space
Posted on March 03, 2010
On my show last week we met Stephan and Pascal Jean. They had a huge backyard that was for the dogs, literally. They empty space had tons of potential. They wanted an entertaining family oasis but had no idea how to spend their budget of $8500. That’s...
Splurge & Save: Tuscan Country Kitchen
Posted on February 18, 2010
On my show Tuesday I did some major kitchen surgery for a total of $9000. Keep in mind, granite counters alone often cost that. Annilese grew up a city mouse. Surrounded by concrete, she was craving a taste of the country, so she saved up, and bought...
Splurge & Save: Modern Playspace
Posted on February 10, 2010
On today’s episode, with a budget of $4000 and not much furniture to start with, I had my work cut out for me. What it needed? Color, storage and seating. It was an empty space because Dianne had a habit of returning everything she buys, and they...
Splurge & Save: From BLAH to MOD
Posted on February 03, 2010
Yesterday on my show Splurge & Save I took a traditional living room space without a lot of pizazz and gave it a mod face lift. It was a great success! The homeowners seem to really love the design. Here’s the before and afters as well as the...
Organize the Kitchen
Posted on January 27, 2010
The nesting mode is taken to new levels when one is preparing for a family addition. For me, the key word for every room is organization. It’s time to strip down to the basics. I’m starting with the kitchen. What does a gal do when she finds...
Prepping for the Burbs
Posted on January 26, 2010
We were lucky enough to have a family apartment in Manhattan owned for many decades and bought on the cheap way back when. Even more fortunate for me was the gift of it’s redesign. But I had a very tight budget with a very long “honey-do”...
Round Two: Preparing for 2nd Bambina
Posted on January 25, 2010




