Mike Campo & Terri Swain's Blog

“sweet dreams is like a hug. i know that sounds sappy, but this is the perfect nice, comfortable blue, with just enough teal. paint any room with this, and it becomes the happiest room in your house – but not in a clownish, perky way. my kind of happiness means serenity and atmosphere.” David Mitchell on Benjamin Moore’s paint color “Sweet Dreams”
terri swain 215-262-9686

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the dining room is a good place to experiment with bold color on the walls, particularly a warm color such as a burnt orange, red, or cocoa brown. lit by candlelight or lamplight, it’s warm and romantic and creates an inviting environment for conversation and enjoying food. by daylight, it is dynamic and exciting and makes a great backdrop for wood furnishings. strong wall color works especially well with white or cream-color woodwork – the light trim gives the eye a place to rest and keeps the bolder hue from feeling overwhelming.
– no place like home by: stephen saint-onge
terri swain
215-262-9686

designer Marshall Watson’s take on SHERMAN-WILLIAMS cozy color…”Humble Gold has such warmth on a gray winter day. It just snuggles into you. There are so many colors in it — gold, yellow, pink, red. That little blush brings out the rosiness in your cheeks when you come in from the cold. It’s not a sharp color. That’s what makes it cozy and inviting.” click on text to view the color!!!

notice how the fabrics in furniture are mixed? you can have a basic, neutral tone on the sofa and add rich textures on throw pillows. try partnering chairs in solid fabrics with some upholstered in a pattern or in leather. bring wooden chairs into the mix too, for richness and variety.
you don’t have to cover up all your windows, especially if you have great views. install shades that pull up out of the way by day yet add privacy at night.
rugs anchor an area. do your rugs take over the room, or could adding them bring it together?
no place like home – stephen saint-onge

terri swain
215-262-9686

repurposing materials in creative ways has many different benefits, including reducing our energy footprint. by reusing something, we reduce the amount of waste we produce and save the energy that would have been used to create something new. the definition of energy as a concept is somewhat transitory. in today’s world, energy is most often created from fossil fuels that are then used for power, including the light in our homes. there are cleaner ways of producing power, but until these become the norm, we must be more aggressive in reducing energy use. reevaluating home much light we use in the home is a critical step in this process. the fact is, often we use too much light in areas that do not require it. eco-chic home – emily anderson

terri swain
215-262-9686

vinegar- distilled white… this kitchen staple is a workhorse! Distilled white vinegar helps kill bacteria, mold, and viruses and can be used for disinfecting, deodorizing, and cutting grease and wax build-up, as well as removing stains on carpet, countertops, pots, pans, and coffeepots. be sure to use distilled white vinegar to avoid a lingering aroma; the smell will disappear almost immediately.
•for an all purpose cleaner, fill and empty spray bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar. this can be kelp on hand for all-purpose cleaning around the home. use on countertops, glass surfaces, chrome fixtures, and tile.
•to freshen a toilet bowl, pour two or three cups of white vinegar into the toilet bowl, let sit for a few hours, then scrub and flush
•for windows, fill a spray bottle with water and a quarter cup of white vinegar. use newspapers in place of paper towels for a streak-free finish. you can still toss them in the recycling bin when you’re through.
•wood floors will avoid the streaky look when you add about a quarter cup of white vinegar to your pail of water. be sure to wring your mop out well so as not to over-wet the floor.
•add a quarter cup of white vinegar to your washing machine’s rinse cycle. this will help to rinse out the detergent completely and leave your clothes feeling soft and free of static cling. fresh living – sara snow

terri swain
215-262-9686

with little ones around in the family room, the decorative objects that used to be displayed on tabletops make way for train sets, race cars, blocks, and so on. eventually you get the space back, but for a while many rooms get put on hold design-wise.

if you family room is more about the kids and their needs, storage solutions for all those toys, art supplies, and games can accommodate their needs and yours. cubbies with baskets for toys or big bins where everything goes at the end of the day let you clean up quickly and restore a sense of order to the room.

because young kids tend to want to be where you are rather than in their own rooms, a family room that doubles as a play room is key. plan the space to serve both adults and kids by creating a main seating area for the parents and dedicating another part of the room as a play area, with a small table and chairs for building or crafts and beanbag chairs for reading. the most important thing about this kind of room is that it should be fun and happy. it’s a family room, with the emphasis on “family” – a place where adults as well as kids are comfortable.     “no place like home” stephen sanit-onge

terri swain – 215-262-9686

the bedroom is where you begin and end each day. it is such and important part of daily life, yet most people put the design of the bedroom on the back burner. the rest of the house is “done” from a design standpoint, and even the kids’ rooms look great, but the parents’ room is left to become an afterthought or a catch-all room for miscellaneous pieces of furniture. you just close the door and say “I’ll deal with that room later.” “later” becomes months, and time flies by. this room could do so much for you, but it stays stuck in time and zaps your energy level.

the bedroom should be energizing, uplifting, relaxing, soothing – whatever meets your needs in this space. it shouldn’t be about someone else’s idea of a bedroom, but rather, what you like. it’s not like any other room in your house, because you are the one you’re designing for.

you can’t control what life hands you, but you can create a safe  and inviting world inside your home. why not make  your bedroom a space you can actually like being in? even if you don’t have a big budget to be creative with, there are things you can easily do to make it more comfortable and much more of a haven for yourself.

a haven. that is a good word to describe what a bedroom can or should be – a place to get away from it all and recharge. it does not matter what size bedroom you have. it’s how you work what you have that counts. i think the bottom line is to surround yourself with things you love.                   – No Place Like Home, Stephen Saint-Onge

 terri swain – 215-262-9686

    if you were a set designer or director creating the film setting for your own life story,– what would you want your home to look like??…… if you’re stumped by the prospect of defining your personal style, think about films you’ve seen lately. did any of them have a house in it that you loved? if so, there was something you were responding to, and it was telling you what you liked.   check out no place like home by stephen saint-onge.           terri swain   215 262 9686

the dining room is truly about mood and about setting a stage. the dining room should reflect your tastes and the way you live – don’t feel like you have to use the same kind of furniture your grandmother did (or that you have to use your grandmother’s furniture). perhaps a rustic French farmhouse style with an American twist – French stainless steel chairs around a table made of long barn boards set on industrial metal legs. dining rooms are a great place to mix it up  a bit. you can have a wooden table as the focal point and surround it with chairs in different finishes or upholstered chairs. you could even have a metal table –  zinc top tables can look industrial or rustic. bring in mismatched vintage chairs, long benches, or church pews for an eclectic look. instead of electric overhead lighting, you might opt for resting lanterns along the table or hanging candle-holders over the table.                 taken from:   no place like home, Stephan Saint-Onge

terri swain       215-262-9686