Monday, March 10, 2008

You’ll enjoy the same experience

We love to get letters like this in the mail! Meg Coulter made a great impression on some recent clients...

Dear Meg,

Just wanted to drop you a note to tell you how much we have enjoyed working with you on an entry rug for our new home.

From the moment we met you, your genuine enthusiasm for our project never wavered. Between several visits to our home with trial rugs, going over sample colors, and finally a preliminary color rendering of our custom rug, you were always professional, courteous and very helpful. You made the process fun!

We look forward to the delivery of our rug this summer, and feel confident that it will look spectacular! Thank you so much for your stellar service. It would be our pleasure to recommend you and Madison Millinger to anyone.

Warmest regards,
Brian and Karen D.
Lake Oswego, OR

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Sunday, March 2, 2008

Big Design for Small Spaces

The latest issue of Remix Magazine from Prometheus Real Estate Group features an article by interior designer and Madison Millinger partner, Todd Dewey Jantz:

Four great ideas for getting the most out of your living space


Each month we’re flooded with images of beautiful interiors from Elle Décor, Metropolitan Home, House Beautiful and others. You love your home and still wonder how they do it, especially in today’s smarter and smaller designed living spaces. Basic concepts that trade professionals use to make your home look like a show house aren’t as hard as you might think.

1. If you’re working with a small space pay attention to scale
Purchase your room anchor pieces in a smaller scale designed for today’s more common living arrangements. A mid-size sofa or a modestly scaled dining room table will give your home the illusion of more space. You can always reuse them in a larger home in the future – in a den, an informal eating area or as a desk.

2. Choose a sofa that anchors the room yet isn’t the focal point
Pick a simple clean style. It’s what designers call a foundation piece for building a timeless room. To express a bit more style in the room, let your club chair have some color or additional flair as an accent piece. It is less expensive or move to another area should your design tastes change.

3. Watch your color choices
Choose neutral color for your foundation pieces. It’s all about what trade designers call ‘figure ground relationships’ – neutral upholstery fabric on a neutral wall will be much more blended than a red sofa against a neutral wall. It’s also much less tiresome to have something neutral in the long run. Are you really going to like that red sofa in 5 years?

4. Define your space with area rugs

If your apartment has a short pile carpet, run an area rug in your living area or dining room to better define the space making it a bit more intimate. A good quality area rug will be with you for many years, adding color, grace and sophistication to your living space. You can buy a small rug to sit in the center of your seating group for impact and style.

Be confident, trust your instincts, and get going!

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