Here is my favorite Way to change my Mood in an Instant

Need a winter boost? Add a touch of Spring with white tulips for your desk or dining table.

Set a few flowers to set your mood for the day

If you need a late winter lift, rest your eyes on a bouquet of flowers like the ones above. White tulips are always a pure, simple way to add classic beauty to your home. Like good design, they are always in style.

M. A. Smith Interior Design 

732 690-2030
masmithinteriordesign.com
bestdesigncoach.com
housezengarden.com

5 Easy Ways to Become Healthier this Year

Photo courtesy of Health Magazine 

A Healthy Home = A Healthy Life

It may be part of the new year, but if you’re like me, you’re thinking of going more ‘green’ at home and with your diet.

Where to begin? Here are 5 ways we are updating our home and our menu this year:

• Instead of using a ‘caustic’ cleanser, clean porcelain floors with a mixture using white vinegar and water with a drop of detergent (non-caustic). 

• We are decreasing our use of plastic. This means instead of water bottles of plastic, we will use our filtered water in a glass container. Also, we are changing to the use of glass for storing food vs. plastic bags.

• This year we’ll install an under counter water filtration system. The American Plumber WLCS-1000 will decrease the contaminants often found in local water supply systems.

• Our microwave will be quieter than usual. According to one of my new books, The Paleo Cardiologist and also an article by Dr. Joseph Mercola on Huffington Post it’s suggested that foods that are microwaved may create high levels of electromagnetic fields in your kitchen and may cause issues with the heart (according to Dr. Magda Havas of Trent University.)

• Since starting to follow the Bulletproof Diet plan, we now eat more organic greens and protein. No need to consume greens or proteins hampered by pesticides. Just the thought of pesticides affects my appetite!

Find the Way to Your Best Summer Today

Ever hear of the song that goes "Summertime, Summertime, sum-sum-summertime...?

As a child my summer was a mix of enjoying my friend's pool, traveling to visit my grandparents in Buffalo and trying to stay cool. Back in my day, we didn't have AC until my teens. To keep cool we swam mostly at Bar Beach near Roslyn. But at least once a summer, we'd head out to Jones Beach.

Jones Beach taught you how to deal with the waves and under toe. It was a favorite beach for Long Islanders who wanted the whole package - a boardwalk, sand and waves and open air restaurants or a pool.

Now, summer for this designer is a mix of work, relaxing and enjoying our Barnegat Bay and beaches.

Bucky looks great next to our new door color 

While I spend many hours in my office, designing, scheduling, etc. I am in full view of our home and the areas I'd like to spruce up. 

Like many of my clients, I'm busy and have only minutes to schedule the next project. 

To get things done, I've found the best plan is to choose at least one item that can be accomplished in a week.

Last week, our new side door (the prior week's project ) received a coat of paint that I love. It's Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue.
We also added a whale door knocker for that extra charm. 

The other story in this picture is our dog Bucky. Bucky had quite a bit of surgery and was recovering, but looking pretty good despite his ordeal. 




Dog and owners' doing fine. 


In the next blog post, I'll give you a peak at what I do to restore a feeling of 'Zen' in my busy life. 

M. A. Smith  LLC Interior Design
1288 Beauchamps Place, Toms River, NJ 08753
732 690-2030

E-mail: masmith@masmithinteriordesign.com

Allied Member ASID

http://masmithinteriordesign.com
Blog: HouseZenGarden
Blog: BestDesignCoach.com
Serving New Jersey , NYC and CT 

Do you feel Stressed about Decorating for the Christmas season?

Do you feel Stressed about Decorating for the Christmas season?

Photo courtesy of CNN.com



It's the official start of the Christmas season! You say "Hooray!" and then you start to think about all you have to do in 
just a few days.

Then, in a second,"Hooray!" shifts to -

stress and anxiety.

What's a person to do, who has

no time now to keep up with just daily work, home and garden tasks?

The answer is complex yet simple - Lists=Organization= A Plan

Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I find the act of making to-do lists moves me into the can-do mentality. Mix a list with a calendar and you have the ingredients for getting things done and

 keeping things under control.

I would love to go on, but it's time to make my list, fill in my calendar and start enjoying the Christmas season!

Call interior designer, Mary Alice Smith in the New Jersey and metro New York City area at:

732 690-2030

Take a minute to check out my website and blogs:

M. A. Smith LLC Interior Design
Best Design Coach Blog

What You Can Do This Week To Make Your Home Look Great

Photo courtesy of PotteryBarn.com

When it's time to refresh your home, sometimes a complete re-do is necessary. But for you lucky ones, it may just mean a trip to your favorite home accessories store.

Just adding a little sparkle or color to a room with an accessory like the one shown above, may be all you need to light up your life. Other quick ways to add some life to your tired rooms are:

• Mirrors - especially mirrors framed with gilt or silvered metal
• Glass Hurricane globes to hold your favorite scented candle (or unscented)
• Lamps - ceramic table lamps warm up a room and add color to a room as well 
• Throws - not beige, but colorful throws in red, orange or French blue
• Sofa pillows - color and patterned pillows are a fast and easy update

My new mantra is keep it colorful, keep it lovely, and change it up for fun once in a while!