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Decorating Features by Gail McCauley.

Gail McCauley is a feature writer for the Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute (PQI). She helps bring the PQI message to a wide range of websites and newsletters through her monthly articles on the decorative power of paint.
Gail, who lives in Scottsdale AZ, is also a freelance writer for nationally syndicated shelter magazines such as Good Housekeeping’s Do –It-Yourself, House Beautiful’s Home Remodeling and Decorating, House Beautiful’s Home Building, Log Home Living and Timber Frame Home magazines. The majority of the original content authored by Ms. McCauley focuses on providing innovative ideas and inspiration to do-it yourself decorating enthusiasts. Ms McCauley is also a media member of the International Interior Design Association.(IIDA)
The following features are published on this site with the kind permission of Gail McCauley and new features are added at intervals.

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Coastal RetreatsCreating a coastal retreat focuses on connecting a living space to an environment. Lifestyles are easy and interiors are oriented to the sea, subtly incorporating beachcombing keepsakes throughout the home decor. Often eclectic in style, a touch of the coast can aesthetically coexist with any color scheme or decor.

Mountain Retreat Regardless of the location or the architectural style of your summer retreat, it is possible to create a mountain-like atmosphere. Allow majestic scenery and a crisp mountain air appearance to permeate your summer living space with the flexible use of paint, color and design.

Kitchens Regardless of whether your dream kitchen consists of a cozy farmhouse eatery, a contemporary bistro, or a traditional dining area; the creative use of color represents a budget friendly way to rejuvenate this hard working, all important family space.

Selling your Home However, before you place the “for sale” sign in front of your existing residence, there are several cosmetic adjustments that aid in expediting the rapid sale of the structure. Although many folks consider sprucing up the home’s interior, far fewer homeowners explore the immediate advantages associated with treating exterior surfaces and surrounding areas of the home to a refreshing update in paint color palette.

Romantic April With today’s increased emphasis on comfort and relaxation, celebrating the home during warm weather months can easily be achieved by creating romantic outdoor living vignettes where family members and friends uncover contentment and charm outdoors

DormsDorm living is all the about the three “f’s”: function, fashion and fun! Can you think of a more favorable way to creatively fashion a transitional space than with the exciting use of color and paint?!

Spring At the forefront of spring and summer’s residential interior and exterior trends, optimistic and cleaner colors relay a feeling of patriotism. Exciting intensities of reds and blues serve as prominent color stories.

Thanksgiving Get a jump start on this year’s Thanksgiving decorating plans by incorporating harvest splendor in non- traditional areas. Instead of that “same old, same old” Thanksgiving centerpiece in the dining area, dazzle your dinner guests with autumn’s innovative colors and textures in unexpected spaces!

Hallways.Traditionally, Thanksgiving marks the onset of winter holiday festivities. A wonderful way to highlight a designated theme using today's "hottest" contemporary color schemes, a carefully executed display of hallway and landing color often provides the visual thread that can link together the entire Thanksgiving holiday home. Part of the joy of decorating for the holiday season is that there are no rules! Regardless of whether you choose to implement an earthly fall-like palette or a shimmery white winter wonderland, the opportunities to add paint color to hallways and landings are ever-expanding and limited only by the imagination!

Holidays As the holiday time clock continues to tick, relaxation is premium and appears to be at a minimum! Every precious moment seems to be occupied with shopping, parties and preparing our homes for visiting family members and guests. Taking a minute to enjoy a project with the little ones around us is one refreshing way to “stop to holiday time clock”, if only for a brief period of time!

Home Haven As Today’s homes are as interesting and diverse as the families that inhabits each residence. Reflecting the recent surge in home improvement projects, paint offers a budget friendly method of highlighting interests that are unique to each family in a functional and aesthetic manner. Regardless of the architectural style, size or age of the home, do-it-yourselfers are increasingly turning to quality paint products to add value to the place where they relax and enjoy the company of family and friends.

Fall and Winter Color Trends. Closely paralleling current design trends, contemporary palettes reflect a flagrant desire for quality as well as the importance for consumer choice in the "color" marketplace. Traditional American heritage, nature's all encompassing world and cultural fusion are a few of the predominant influences that forecasters have indicated as dominating themes for the upcoming fall and winter season's color stories

Tweens Living Space.Commonly defined as children between the ages of 9 and 13, today's "tweens" are a rapidly growing and influential market of the population. Large discount stores are particularly adept at capturing this market's attention, as their products are both contemporary and affordable. Both boys and girls enjoy up-to-the-minute products, particularly in today's hottest color combinations.

Spring-Summer colors.Last year color was all about finding contentment and relaxation throughout the home using a thoughtfully considered, yet expansive palette of comfort creating hues. The commencement of 2004 recognizes continued nurturing of colors, but also offers cheerful optimism combined with obvious fortitude. Directions in color for spring and summer 2004 can be broken down into recognizable category groupings. Sunbaked shades represent earthy colors that appear to be scorched and weather beaten.

Decking.The key to designing a successful outdoor living space is to create an area that reflects the architectural character of the home as well as the personality of the homeowners who inhabit the space. With regard to porch, patio and deck design, first contemplate the activities that you want your family to pursue within the space. Then, ponder the ways in which you can divide the space into distinct areas for each activity.

Re-energizing an Entrance COLOR, COMPOSITION AND CUSTOMIZATION.
The integration of these three key concepts can 'make or break' the way that a home is perceived by visitors, upon entering from the outdoors to inside the home. Whether preparing an existing home for sale or anticipating the purchase of a home in the near future, explore the advantages that thoughtfully considered paint applications can provide with regard to re-energizing a home's entrance.

Remodelling Projects. It is not unusual to find remodeling projects that result in the creation of very specific areas for each member of the household. The home library, media space, craft room, massage suite, spa area or wine cellar are but a few distinct 'zones' that are growing in popularity amongst many of today's contemporary homes.

Sheen Level. As far as sheen level goes, the higher the gloss level, the easier the surface is to keep clean. From a practical standpoint, paint enthusiasts have long enjoyed the selection of high gloss paints benefiting any area that requires frequent washing and is subject to a high amount of foot traffic. These paints produce the toughest and most stain resistant finishes.