Happy Thanksgiving!

All of us at The Lifestylist Brands would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. May it be filled with family, friends, love and great food!

Great Design Never Ends

I saw a commercial recently for One Kings Lane and I can’t remember exactly what the saying was, but it was something close to “Great Design Never Ends”. What a great and true tag line – designing your home shouldn’t have a completion date – it should evolve and change just like you do.

When I bought the Home Idea Factory one of the biggest appeals to me was that it was a huge raw space and I’d never have to add on. After 11 years I still love it and never want to leave, but whenever I’m home to enjoy it I’m making small (or large) changes that keep it fresh and exciting.

I’m on my way right now to Rochester to attend the Ronald McDonald House Household Sale – something I’ve made a point of attending for quite awhile. A few years ago I was asked by the Rochester Builders Association and @home Builders to stage a home using only items that had been donated to this sale. It was a daunting task – the home was over 2,000 sq ft – but we did it and some of those ideas that we did are still my favorite. Recycling great items and also helping a wonderful organization like the Ronald McDonald House are great reasons to get back to Rochester every year.

I can’t wait to see what I find this year, and I already have a mover lined up to bring all of my goodies back to Dallas – I’m ready to shop!

The Martha Stewart American Made Contest

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It's so hard to find companies that only make American Made products these days, but what's even rarer than that is a woman owned company that is over 20 years old and only sells American Made products.

Babette Holland was making beautiful furniture, vases, mirrors, and accessories in her Tribeca NY studio when the World Trade Center was hit only blocks from her. She has always been an advocate for animals and was a huge influence before and after for getting animals off the streets and into loving homes.

Shortly after that she was diagnosed with MS, but was worried about what the effect would be on her business if her clients and others knew she was struggling with this disease. She shared in her own words on our Lifestylist page what she has been going through, and how she has decided it is time for her to come forward and educate people about MS.

She has been honored by having her company included in the Martha Stewart American Made contest, and is close to winning but needs everyone's help to help her over the finish line.

Please visit the Martha Stewart page, enroll then you can vote up to 6 times a day until Sept. 22nd.

Someone like Babette never asks for help, so I'm thrilled for a change I can be the one to help her dreams come true!

Trend Tracking in Las Vegas

LVFM Jan 13 242 LVFM Jan 13 210 LVFM Jan 13 177 LVFM Jan 13 119 LVFM Jan 13 14 LVFM Jan 13 4It is so exciting to see the changes that are coming in the design world. Technology is making a huge difference in the way we live, and with LED lighting becoming more affordable there are some really exciting changes coming in lighting and how we use light.

As a Lifestylist® it's really important to me that I keep up with changes and trends so Sunday I'm heading to the Las Vegas Market. Usually  go for a day or two, but there are so many great seminars this time I'm going to spend a few extra days to learn about what's new and what we'll be seeing in 2014.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for updates right from the show.

Decorating Details: Doorknobs

Doorknobs 7 Doorknobs 2We have been making some changes to The Home Idea Factory including creating a new test kitchen / dining space that I’m thrilled with! My contractor did an amazing job, and he really understood what the Lifestylist Design philosophy was all about.

Creating a great team is what can make a room go from ordinary to extraordinary, and finding the perfect doorknobs is a great example of the difference a designer can make. Mike our contractor kept things moving smoothly, and when it came time to buy and install the door hardware he went with a polished brass with a tulip doorknob. Just that small detail held back the overall look I was trying to achieve. the space is an open loft with block walls and its needs a little color and softness to make the space inviting instead of cold.

I decided to try and find glass doorknobs with satin nickel hardware and went to all of my local home improvement stores and architectural supply sources spending hours and hours in the car with no luck. But I know what I wanted and wouldn’t give up.

Then I remembered about amazon.com and decided to give it a try and sure enough, they had them at a great price – under $10.00 a set! I got them quickly and they are exactly what I was looking for.

Here’s a link to what I found – think of what a difference they could make in your home’s personality!

Home Design Brightens Up

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When you walk model homes today you can definitely see a difference in the attitude of buyers - we've gone from dark, gloomy homes without a lot of color to light open floorplans and design that bring the outdoors in.  White kitchens and baths are trending, and the more natural light the better in every part of the home.

The Lifestylist® Brands are  super busy and we are getting to work on amazing homes that are innovative and "push" the normal boundaries we've been working with. We are even working on a residence with it's own bowling wing!

Here's a few photos of some of the clubhouses, residences and apartments we've been working on - let us know what we can help you with.

The Domestic Lifestylist®

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Have you "liked" our Domestic Lifestylist Facebook page yet? We are getting ready to add some great new features that you won't want to miss - hope to see you there soon!

Spicing Things Up

Spices throwaway 12Spices throwaway 3The Lifestylist test kitchen is almost complete! As I was taking everything out of drawers and my old pantry I realized now is the perfect time to check expiration dates on everything and get rid of things that aren't as fresh as the rest of the ingredients I use in my dishes.

I was amazed that most spices didn't have expiration dates on them, but here are a few simple tips that can help you decide whether to keep or trash you pantry inventory.

* Smell - always the easiest. If something smells "off" or in the case of spices has no scent at all it's time to replace.

* Appearance - if something looks off as far as color or texture get rid of it immediately! The last thing you want to do is make yourself or your guests sick. Faded spices can mean that their strength isn't what it should be and will throw off the taste of your dish.

* Expiration Dates - I do trust these and if somethings past that date will get rid of it. It just isn't worth ruining a dish of dinner party to save a few dollars.

* Moisture - if something get introduced to an outside moisture source I would get rid of it instead of having to worry about mold or having it compromised.


My sweet contractor made me a spice rack and I can't wait to start filling it. My favorite source for the freshest spices is Penzeys. They have opened quite a few stores and they also can be purchased online.

My new absolute spicy find though is Tabasco Spicy Salt. I've never found it in the stores but you can but it at their online store. It's a blend of their very own slat that is mined on Avery Island, Louisiana and ground red pepper. It has quite a kick and a little goes a long way. I use it on everything!

Doing The Most Good: Giving Back to the Salvation Army

Salvation Army Hurricane 6Salvation Army Hurricane 7Salvation Army Hurricane 1Salvation Army Hurricane 3It's heartbreaking to watch the news today and see the devastation in Moore, Oklahoma. My sister and her family live in Edmond, OK and I have clients that have land lease communities very close to where the tornado touched down.

People always think that "trailer parks" or "mobile home parks" are the worst places to be during a disaster like this, but that just isn't true. I was glad to hear that the Yes! Communities in this area only sustained hail and wind damage and no one was hurt. Their on-site managers made sure that everyone got to where they needed to be and are now busy helping them get emergency supplies and repairs. That's one of the advantages of living in a well run land lease community - there's always someone there to help.

If you would like to help the people of Moore that were affected by the storm, I encourage you to donate to the Salvation Army. They truly do the most good with every dollar that is donated.

Get Inspired on Houzz

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We love Houzz and think it's a great place to get your inspiration book started.

Happy Mothers Day!

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Happy Mothers Day! I was reminded today as to why I became a Lifestylist® - my mother is the perfect example of who to live your life with style. We celebrated with homemade cinnamon buns and a cruise around their lake - how did you celebrate with your Mom?

Super Bowl Party Recipes

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The Super Bowl isn't only about football - it's also about getting together with family and friends and having a great time.

Being a Lifestylist® is all about Life Celebrating Style, and we've put together some quick and easy recipes that will make any gathering an event to remember.

Our Pepperoni Pops are one of our favorites, but you can find all of them on our Lifestylist Recipe page.

Getting Started on Spring Cleaning With The Domestic Lifestylist®

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Finally! We are actually getting some sunny days again, and it's making me think that it might be time to clean some of the windows in The Home Idea Factory.

We love The Huffington Post and all of the great ideas that they share. They just did a story on cleaning tips - which is your favorite, and do you have one that isn't in the article?

One of the Lifestylist® favorites is a product I found over 20 years ago when I had a home in New York City - Dr. Bronners. Their organic castile soap is good for everything from washing your hair, cleaning dishes or using as a cleaning solution everywhere in the home. It's super concentrated so you use 1 part soap to 40 parts water!

I've been only using Dr Bronners to wash my face and as a body was ever since I discovered it, and my kids now only use it too. I love the Peppermint fragrance - it smells so clean and fresh! My Domestic Lifestylist® side loves cleaning my home with it as well -it actually makes cleaning fun!

You can find this wonder product at most health food stores or on their website.

Quirky Takes Their Grudge Against OXO To The Streets

OXO Spinner 5It's just not easy doing business these days. Even when you constantly try and do the right thing, play by the rules, do everything you can to make the world a better place and treat your customers and employees like you would like to be treated, someone comes along and attacks everything you have worked so hard for.

OXO, a wonderful, ethical company that is known for it's ingenious products and ideas sent me an email today about a competitor that is accusing them of stealing a product idea and proceeded to put up a billboard stating these charges 2 blocks from the OXO corporate office. The CEO of Quirky - Ben Kaufman then staged a picket line outside of OXO to draw attention to their charges.

I guess they didn't realize that OXO doesn't only have smart designs, they are also really smart about marketing and intellectual property. They have been very supportive of the blogger community and came to us with the facts on this matter - all very well researched and stated.

It turns out that Quirky never went to OXO to voice their concerns and allegations even though the companies are within blocks of each other in NYC. When the President of OXO Alex Lee met with Quirky CEO in 2012 about product design and innovation Lee asked Kaufman "what steps Quirky took to protect the intellectual property (IP) of this broad community when inventors submit their idea in an open and public forum". Kaufman responded "Nothing. Speed to market is our best protection."

Almost every day I find another person or company that is using my trademarked term Lifestylist®. I spent a lot of time and money almost 15 years ago to trademark the term because I believed in it and wanted to protect it in the right way - legally. I've trademarked other terms and uses since then and it amazes me how many people never search the US Patent and Trademark records to see if a term they want to use is trademarked before they tie it to their brand.

So I am going to do for OXO what I hope other people will do for me. I'm going to share the OXO story, and I'm going to buy their products and support their brand. How we spend our hard earned dollars is the easiest way to let a company know what you think about their business practices and products. Up until now I have never heard of Quirky, but in the future I won't be spending a dime on any of their products just on principle.

OXO did a beautiful job of addressing this issue in social media and it is well worth reading. And leave it to them to change this into a positive - they are offering to give a "Patent Process Primer" to anyone interested so you can learn the correct way to protect your own intellectual property.

It's really easy for anyone to write anything these days whether it's right or wrong, and the responsibility of the blogging and social media community to bring to light injustices such as this. I really appreciate OXO sharing this important lesson with all of us and showing us how to protect our own intellectual property.

The 2013 International Builders Show

What exciting times these are for the building industry! The economy is starting to get back on track, and consumers are more positive about their futures and the thought of buying a new home.

The Lifestylist Brand is all about “Life Celebrating Style” and it’s great to have something to celebrate again! Attending The Builders Show and seeing what is new is the perfect way to start this New Year. It’s the first year that the show is being held in Las Vegas in awhile, and it seems like there are going to be exhibitors showing that haven’t been there in awhile. I’m also excited to see The New American Home – we were the Lifestylists for the 2011 home and I appreciate now more than ever how much work goes into each home.

On Tuesday I will be speaking on a panel discussing “90 Design Trends in 90 Minutes”. It was really hard to chose which ideas to talk about and it promises to be a fast paced program filled with great ideas. If you are attending the Builders Show I hope that you’ll come and join us.

It’s going to be really tough to get to do and see everything that I want to in 2 days, but I promise to take lots of notes and pictures and share what I see and hear here.

Fear of Cooking

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I'm always amazed how many people are afraid to cook. They think they don't have the skills or the knowledge to put together a meal so they depend on eating out, take out and convenience foods.

Last week we were invited to visit the spectacular new Thermador Culinary Experience in California. Not only are there beautiful kitchens displayed with the cool new products that Thermador offers, it also has working kitchens where Chef Kyle will help you experience first hand what a difference these appliances can make in creating your own culinary creations.

Being a Lifestylist® is all about Life Celebrating Style, and we love being in the kitchen and sharing that time with friends and family. When we got ready to prepare our lunch in the Culinary Center they asked us to pair up with someone. Holly said that she would love to cook with me, but she didn't know how to cook.

Holly and I looked at the recipe for Pecan Pie and we jumped right in. We quickly realized how much easier it is to cook with the right appliances and tools, and working together our pies were in the oven in no time! By the time lunch was over, Holly no longer was afraid of cooking and she couldn't wait to share her new culinary skills with her daughter and family.

Cooking should be a labor of love, and it can be lots of fun to spend time in the kitchen. Try taking a cooking class with friends and I think you might be surprised how much you might begin to enjoy spending time in the kitchen.

Cleaning Up in 2013

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It always seems like when it gets colder I start nesting. It's so dreary outside now is the perfect time to clean out closets and do those tasks I don't want to do when it's gorgeous out.

The domestic side of the Lifestylist® Brand is not only about what I do for myself and my family, but what I can do for others.

There are great sales right now on clothing and home items, and the colors that are available are gorgeous. There were some deals that I couldn't walk away from, but we have a rule in my family - if something comes in, more needs to go out.

There are lots of important non-profits that help women "dress for success" and give them the skills and clothes to be able to successfully interview and land a new job. We are also very involved in groups that help homeless families and abused women get back on their feet, including Shared Housing and Genesis Women's Shelter. Knowing that I'm going to be helping others by cleaning out my closets helps me to dig a little deeper and let go of things I might have held on to than can have a better use with someone else.

Today was a great day - I got some great new looks in my closet and helped a lot of women in the process. Recycling at it's finest!

How To Find The Perfect Contractor

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You would think that finding a contractor or designer to do work on your home would be easy, but take it from this Domestic Lifestylist® it's not. When I decided to add a test kitchen to The Home Idea Factory I started thinking about having people in my home, and trust became even more important than the cost. Fortunately for me, I found Mike Clark and his team, and my test kitchen is closer than ever to being a reality.

Here's some tips for hiring a contractor.

Kitchen Trends in 2013

Thermador Oct 11 29t's looking like this Lifestylist® is going to be spending a lot more time in the kitchen this year, and we couldn't be more excited! Our test kitchen is coming along really well, and we have a lot of kitchens we are designing for clients which is always lots of fun.

January is going to be a month spent on the road. Besides working with all of our clients we have been invited to the beautiful Thermador flagship design center to see what's new as well as work on new appliances for the future.

The International Builders Show will be taking place in Las Vegas, and it is always a great source of trends in home design.

We'll have lots to talk about and share, and we are also anxious to know what you think about the new trend to brighter, whiter kitchens. Susan Serra, one of the premiere kitchen designers just did an article for Cultivate on Kitchen Predictions for 2013 that has lots of great information so we wanted to share. What do you think will be the top kitchen trend in 2013?

Great Plates

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I love it when my kids call me for advice - especially when it has to do with looking for a source or product they need for their homes.

My daughter decided to start out the New Year with some different plates -the ones that she had were chipped and a bunch of them had gotten broken.

I am a frugal Lifestylist®, and as luck would have it I found some great plates at The Dollar Tree that are an amazing deal! They had dinner plates, bowls, and mugs all for $1.00 each. I love that they are a simple white with a raised beading around the edge, and at that price they are almost less than paper plates! It's a good thing she's in Florida because I think I bought up every one in Dallas.

White is a great choice for your table - it doesn't fight with whatever color your food is, and you can easily add color to your table top with napkins, placemats, and flowers.

Hope For 2013

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Another year is almost behind us, and I think most of us are looking forward to a fresh start in 2013.

Last year made it clearer than ever that nothing is more important than relationships. I feel so fortunate that I was able to spend time with my cousins I hadn't seen in years, had some great sister time and what was most important, got to spend a lot of quality time with my kids and grandkids.

Being around the grandkids reminded me how wonderful it is to always be looking forward to tomorrow and the opportunities it brings. The amazement of what a fantastic job my kids are doing as parents, and how talented their Jr Lifestylists are keeps reminding me how important it is to spend time with family.

Here's hoping that 2013 is filled with hope for all of us, and we remember what brings us joy.