lorettajwillisDESIGNER

A Mother’s Love ~ A Home Well Designed

Loretta Willis — Sun, 13 May 2012 17:21:51 +0000

So many childhood memories are deeply set and rooted in our mother’s love for us, and why is that? When I reflect back over the type of home that I grew up in I don’t recall how large or small our home was, how expensive or inexpensive the furniture or the number of bedrooms or baths; I remember how I felt about being home and how well my mother cared for me. I remember how well she loved me, the fun we shared and how she tried to shelter me from painful situations with my father and others in the world outside of our home. I think of her sacrificial love that served on us while doing everything in her power to meet our daily needs. These are the attributes from a mother’s love that drives good design in the home, it springs forth from the needs of those who reside there and fuels the types of purchases that mothers make. The longer I live the more I appreciate and desire to honor my mother for modeling such a wonderful picture of a mother’s love, it has shaped who I am today as a mother of three wonderful children who have been an integral part of driving the design of our home. May your love as a mother drive the design of your home for generations to come!

A Woman Is Her Home

Loretta Willis — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:42:04 +0000

Who is Woman?
A woman is her home.
And what is her home?
It is acceptance, inspiration,
it is safe, it is love.
Those who live there look to her guidance,
influence and nurture.
What is her home?
A place of beauty, of treasures and joy.
Most of all it is a place of cherished things,
family, relationships.
Who is Woman?
A friend, a wife, a mother,
a home to those she loves.
ljwillis

Design Flow

Loretta Willis — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:19:55 +0000

Upon entering a home it doesn’t take long to experience a “mood, feel or sense” within the four walls. The design flow can affect this tone drastically. Similar to a route or traffic flow making sense, the design flow can be the best combination of creativity and function. Are items arranged in your home in a way that enhance the flow or obstruct the flow? If the latter is true it’s time to do a little re-arranging especially if it is a heavily used space like a family room where scale and function are key design elements. Clutter can also disturb the flow of your home. The mere word probably brought to mind an area that you have been meaning to de-clutter for quite some time. Spring seems to be an easier time to de-clutter a space with usually less effort than you’ve envisioned it to take. I lovingly challenge you to take a walk through your home with an eye for design flow and make the necessary changes that will enhance the flow by removing all obstructions!

Spring Into Design

Loretta Willis — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:38:50 +0000

As we enjoy the expectations of springtime and the potential of new beginnings we should also consider bringing Spring into our home by focusing on a piece of furniture that still has potential but whose look is outdated and shows signs of wear with its frayed edges and slumping cushions. We all have a piece like this and it is shouting for a little tender loving care that can happen easily with a great fabric that will usher your room into an updated look at half the cost of a new piece of furniture. Locate a great re-upholsterer and have the sofa or chair(s) recovered to bring new life and excitement to your home as you spring into designing a fresh new look!

Beauty & Peace

Loretta Willis — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:53:26 +0000

Building a home is so much more than choosing the elements of good design; it’s about the people who live there and providing an interior space where family members will thrive at what they were created to excel in. Once you get past finalizing a great space plan, choosing furnishings that at the time seem as though you can’t live without you realize that life keeps moving day by day and family relationships are depending upon one another to be assets in their lives rather than liabilities. So often the tone within the home is set by the “tone” that is encouraged and modeled from the top down. A peaceful tone modeled by the parents will eventually find its way to the children which will eventually make strife and discord an uncomfortable roommate, uninvited and asked to leave. So, as we go about surrounding ourselves with beautiful things in our homes be sure that a culture of peace remains an attribute that is highly cherished. Then neighbors passing by will not only admire the exterior of your home but upon entering your home they will be greeted with beauty and peace.

Design With A Master Plan

Loretta Willis — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 01:08:31 +0000

Good design begins with a great plan. It will govern major purchases, control impulse buying and offer a higher degree of satisfaction in the end result. A master plan forces thought into the function and layout of a space that fits your needs for your present season of life as well as provide application for the future. It takes into account proper scale, function, color and space planning that enhance the livability of your home while you enjoy the evolution of the process. We are more likely to take the time to plan our relationships, marriage, children, careers, higher education, recreation or retirement but seldom take the time to plan for good interior design. Before you make another purchase for your home take the time to work with a designer to develop a plan and then work the plan and enjoy the beautiful result!

Decorating Trends~The Finishing Touch

Loretta Willis — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:18:00 +0000

After months of condensing ideas into a design plan, the walls and windows have been treated, the flooring and furnishings installed, it all comes down to the details involved around making the space your own and a reflection of your family. Usually items that cannot be bought and that hold a special value in your heart must find the right place in the life and feel of your room. That unique accessory reminds you of a special occasion, a lifetime achievement, a photo of someone/something you love should take its rightful place and even celebrated every now and then when noticed by others. It’s part of the little joys in life sometimes that motivate us to continue on in our pursuits and the happiness they bring. Love well, live well and play every now and then, it will serve you well one day when your children find themselves looking for just the right finishing touch in their home.

Love & Home

Loretta Willis — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:28:53 +0000

The light of love leads us home because love is first experienced in the home around people who love us. Is love the foundation of your home? It simply means that the environment you create, the way you serve, the advise you give, your tendency to believe the best, to protect and encourage is all done from the motivation of love. It is the one thing that should fuel our desire to create a beautiful home; our love for our family!

The Perfect Piece

Loretta Willis — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:41:44 +0000

Designing a room allows you to test many scenarios, placements and items while paying attention to the foundational pieces that make a room functional. Often you’re left with THE focal point piece that will not only make the room unique but exciting as well. This one piece will set the tone and feel of the room and will reflect the exact emotion that you had in mind. This piece will be a keeper, one that the kids will want someday. I found such a piece this week and my client shared my excitement as we both sat a while admiring its placement in the perfect spot. These are one of the most gratifying and exciting moments for a designer and worthy of reflection.

What’s In A Room?

Loretta Willis — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:18:16 +0000

What’s in a room? Life is in a room; simply because you live there! When planning or designing a room, make careful study of fitting in the items needed that will enhance the use of the room. Start with the most important pieces and work your way up from there. Be sure to include something old, something new, something traditional and something inviting a flare. Keep predictability at bay and you’ll end up bringing Life into this room!