Las Fabulosas: Home & Happiness
By Shirley Velásquez for Las Fabulosas
You’ve already rid your home of the things you no longer use. Next is finding smart ways to keep it organized and chic. “The trick to making spaces look polished and finished is allowing the eye to see open horizontal spaces and only keeping visible what looks stylish,” says Helene Segura, an organization and productivity expert with LivingOrder in San Antonio. Try some of these fine-tuning tweaks to make your home show-ready.La Antesala
Add a classic-style coat rack (with a wood base and metal hooks) on the wall, which gives everyone a place to hang up their belongings when they walk through the door. “If you have a larger entry, consider mudroom pieces that come in styles that range from locker room flashbacks, to country-chic, to gorgeous teak,” says Segura.
La Sala
If your functional furniture lacks a little jazz, opt for a clean, contemporary look. Consider spray-painting pieces in a cream color to add instant glamour. Forget utilitarian storage boxes. Instead, try ones that are made out of posh materials, such as velvet, leather or horn. Add rustic accents with bronze or wooden baskets. “For a uniform look, purchase varying sizes in the same style or buy sets of three in multiple colors within your color palette,” says Segura.
La Cocina
Families spend much of their time here. So keep it spacious. After you’ve cleared counters and used all of the cupboards and the upper reaches of the cabinetry, all that should be visible are neutral-colored earthenware containers to store grains, sugar, flour or any other foods.
El Dormitorio
If you’re using the area under your bed to store items, add a sham or trimming to hide what’s underneath. Also don’t cram the space. “Use long, rectangular plastic containers sorted by category,” says Segura. They make it easy to find what you need later on.
El Baño
Cabinets with glass-paneled doors create the effect of open space. Eliminate the cluttered look inside by using neutral-colored fine ware jars to stash bathroom supplies. “Tame what’s hidden in the bottom cabinets with a combination of bins with brushed nickel, stainless steel helper shelves or drawer systems,” says Segura.
Shirley Velásquez is an editor and writer at ELLE magazine. She has contributed to Woman’s Day, Glamour, InStyle, Latina, The New York Sun, and Border-line Personalities, an anthology of essays written by Latina writers. She is a frequent contributor to Las Fabulosas.
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