Most of us are sheltering now, so I decided it would be appropriate to write about getting creative and decorating with what we already have or can find in nature for free in our collective backyards. Many of our home projects have been put on hold indefinitely while we try to flatten the curve and also reassess our financial situations which may look very different from a few short weeks ago.

Want to create your dream room but don’t even know where to start? What if I told you there’s a tool that can help get your ideas organized and on the right path from the get-go? It’s called a mood board, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or the most experienced interior designer, every interior design project starts with a mood board. I totally get it - design projects can be overwhelming under the best of circumstances. So I’m here to show you how you can make your own simple interior design mood board to help get your project off to a strong start and not waste time or money by going in the wrong direction.

Picking paint is one of the most challenging parts of designing a room. I've done it enough to share designer advice, tips, and tricks on what to do and what costly mistakes to avoid when choosing interior paint palettes. When picking paint, whether it's a neutral palette or saturated color, these paint selection guidelines will help you find shades that not only can you live with but you love.

Forcing - refers to the process of getting your spring-flowering branches to bloom early. Essentially, by cutting them and bringing them indoors, we’re tricking them into thinking it’s spring. Whether it’s forsythia, quince, or spring-flowering fruit tree branches like cherry or plum, putting together a floral display with these spring harbingers can provide the winter mood lift we need.

When winter is dragging on long after the holidays have come and gone, (perhaps the only time some of us may be excited about cold weather) saucer magnolias suddenly appear to perk us up with their large goblet-shaped flowers that bloom on bare wood.

Magnolia x soulangeana typically blooms from mid winter to early spring, depending on variety and climate, when most other garden plants are still in deep in winter sleep. In Napa, CA where I live, it’s mid February and they are blooming all around town now.