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The 2011 IKEA Catalog arrived in the mail recently and, as usual, is jam-packed with wonderful organizing ideas! Since we are discussing communication this month, I thought I would tie in my Catalog review with a quick review of IKEA’s communications strategy.

IKEA has a fantastic website at ikea.com that is customized for 39 different countries in over 30 different languages! That alone merits nominating IKEA for a world business communication award! In addition to their website, they have a YouTube channel currently featuring 12 videos of “Swedish cooking with Jørn” and one of their latest U.S. commercials. IKEA also has a Facebook page (aimed at U.S. residents). While IKEA corporate does not appear to have a Twitter account, individual IKEA stores, like this one in Pittsburgh, do, offering coupons and special deals to followers.

IKEA applies its trademark creativity to its social networking communications strategy. To promote a store in Malmö, Sweden, IKEA used a unique Facebook strategy, posting photos of the new showroom and allowing fans to win products in the photos by tagging them with their names. The video below explains:

Despite an incredible reputation for environmental stewardship and its electronic communications capabilities, IKEA still prints a large paper Catalog each year. (Although this year the Catalog is also available as an iPhone app.) There is something wonderful about getting the Catalog. It is more fun to thumb through than just clicking through pictures on a website. I usually end up using the paper Catalog as a starting reference point but then switch to the website to find out specifics on pricing, sizes and new products.

So, without further ado, let’s get to the good stuff and review the 2011 IKEA Catalog!

First, what are some of the new products?

IKEA KIVIK Chaise. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

The KIVIK chaise is an elongated sofa that you can stretch out on and put your feet up while you are watching TV or reading. In a pinch, you could probably use it as a guest bed as well. It comes in 7 colors and the top layer is made of memory foam to comform to your body. The chaise can be mixed and matched with other pieces in the KIVIK sofa line to create the sofa of your dreams. If you are looking to reduce the number of pieces to clean and move in your family or living room, you might consider swapping a sofa and ottoman for one long chaise.

IKEA KIVIK Sofa Bed. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

IKEA KIVIK Sofa Bed. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

If you really need a sofa that doubles as a guest bed, however, the new KIVIK sofa-bed is a great option. It includes storage space for linens and pillows in the armrests!

The FÖRHÖJA wall cabinet is a cute little shadowbox shelf almost 10 inches deep you can use to creatively display your treasures. Here they have used it for toys, but you could put anything from photos to plants to books to china. Although the Catalog picture looks like it comes in blue, the website shows only a black or white option.

IKEA FÖRHÖJA wall cabinet. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

IKEA FÖRHÖJA wall cabinet beneath kitchen cabinets. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

Here is another Catalog shot where the designer stacked FÖRHÖJA cabinets beneath regular kitchen cabinets to provide an open shelving appearance.

IKEA Halogen Bulb E26. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

As of August 1, 2010, IKEA began phasing out incandescent light bulbs in its stores with the goal of eliminating incandescent bulbs by January 1, 2011. IKEA will continue to stock compact fluorescent bulbs, and LED lamps as well as solar powered products like the SUNNAN work lamp.  (For every SUNNAN sold, IKEA donates a lamp to UNICEF to help children in India and Pakistan to be able to read and study after dusk). New for Fall 2010, are halogen bulbs that fit standard light sockets. Halogen bulbs use 30% less energy and last 2-4 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. The new halogen bulbs seem to come in standard and chandelier/night light sizes. IKEA also offers lightbulb recycling to address any environmental concerns with disposal of new lightbulb technologies.

IKEA GODMORGON storage box. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

IKEA GODMORGON storage box. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

The GODMORGON series has a new clear storage box for cosmetics with a tilt-up cosmetic brush section. The box is designed to fit in a bathroom cabinet drawer but if your drawer is a nonstandard size it would also look attractive sitting on the counter or on a storage shelf.

IKEA EKBY ALEX shelf with drawer. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

The new shelf with storage drawer addition to the EKBY line is great for situations where you need to store items that need protection or are unattractive (like loose paper or miscellaneous small objects) with other solid objects you want displayed.

IKEA RETUR recycling system. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

The RETUR series gives us another attractive and space-saving way to store recyclables. The shallow bins (about 8 inches deep) can be attached to the wall and lifted off when it is time to empty them.

In addition to all the great new products, the Catalog is full of style ideas. Here are just a few that could help you with your organization.

IKEA EKBY JÄRPEN/ EKBY BJÄRNUM. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

The designer of this living room creatively used the EKBY JÄRPEN/ EKBY BJÄRNUM shelving above the window to add more space for books. Blinds were used instead of curtains to maximize the window space.

The designer in this room did some really creative work with shelving, putting the EKBY JÄRPEN/ EKBY HÅLL shelves on the upper-half of the wall, leaving the lower half free for small furniture and photos. Isn’t it cool that the shelving also turns the corner of the room to maximize storage space!

Storage idea from IKEA PAX wardrobe system. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

Here’s a great jewelry storage tip from the designer of the PAX wardrobe system. Loop long necklaces in a loose knot over a closet rod!

Have some fun and take your own browse through the IKEA Catalog! What products are you most excited about for 2011? Please share in the comments.

Célestine, l'héroïne de Le Journal d'une femme de chambre, Illustration by Octave Mirbeau (1848-1917). From the Wikimedia Commons.

It is the end of the month and time to give a quick summary of April at Ruly along with sharing some news updates and reviewing some of my favorite comments.

This month’s theme was design. We peeked in on Washington’s cherry blossoms and discussed what makes a great outdoor living space.

There was a great article in the New York Times recently discussing the Milan Furniture Fair and raising some interesting questions about modern design theory:

“There is one question that everyone should sensibly ask before designing or making something to show at the Milan Furniture Fair. Does the world need another chair?” . . .

“[D]esign’s intellectual focus has swung away from producing tangible things, like furniture, toward the abstract process of applying design thinking to ethical issues, such as social, environmental or humanitarian problems, and developing sexy new technologies, like data visualization.” . . .

“. . . [E]xplained Ilse Crawford, the British designer who co-curated the Eindhoven show as a department head there. “Design needs to be seen more as a critical process, and less about making things look good.”

–Alice Rawsthorn, “Furniture Designers Are Shifting Focus,” The New York Times, April 11, 2010.

We reviewed three major design styles: Colonial, Victorian and Contemporary, and gave suggestions for how to best use these styles in your own home.

We reviewed the design for the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington, D.C. and profiled the fundraising efforts of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.

The Foundation continues to be successful in their fundraising efforts. They have raised at least one million dollars in April and have received donations from some of America’s largest corporations, most recently a $300,000 donation from PEPCO. Their list of donors is starting to read like a who’s who of the corporate world. It is wonderful to see so many companies supporting this important monument to freedom and equality. The Foundation still has about $13 million to go so please download the free Yahoo! search toolbar that generates 5 cents per search.

I showed you my budget patio furniture makeover and gave tips on spray painting lawn furniture and an economical way to sew your own patio furniture cushions.

It is a good thing that I saved some money on my patio furniture because shortly thereafter our HVAC system failed and had to be replaced! Despite some wallet shock, in the long run, we will be saving money and energy and we fixed some previously unknown problems with our furnace installation.

I also told you about my countertop clearing project. Giving suggestions here and here for organizing tools to help get your stuff out of the way. I also showed you my own countertop makeover in progress and more creative suggestions to achieve a naked countertop.

For more horizontal surface decluttering ideas, check out the video interview with Peter Walsh at unclutterer.com.  You may recall that Peter Walsh is the author of “It’s All Too Much,” the first Ruly Bookshelf review.

Ruly Ruth discussed the delicate politics of decorating with your spouse, particularly male-female differences in home decor.

We saw how professional designers Lisa Quinn, Lauri Ward and the Designed to Sell team at HGTV work with limited budgets of $2,000, $500 and even nothing at all!

Diadia. emphasizing simplicity, commented that one of her budget decorating tips was to paint all the walls gloss white and use her art collection to add color. In another comment she also indicated that she was eliminating all of her grass in order to plant a low-maintenance groundcover.

We discussed spring cleaning rituals from the Victorian era and the 1950’s and reviewed a list of the most ambitious spring cleaning blog checklists. We also shared quick tips for spring cleaning your office space.

After we replaced our HVAC system, one of my spring cleaning tasks this month was to get our air vents vaccuumed. Each vent cover was removed and a long air hose with a rotating brush attachment was inserted far into the duct work to suck out any collected dust. Afterward, the cleaning company “fogged” all of the ductwork with a spray that kills any remaining mold or other health-impairing impurities.

As I went around the entire house clearing spaces around each of the numerous air vents, it became obvious that our home could use a deep spring cleaning! Dust collects in unusual places, particularly those you don’t visit very often. There is no way I can “purify” everything right away but I will gradually take it room by room and may perhaps have my “spring” cleaning done by the fall. I had to sympathize however, with my sister-in-law’s recent Facebook post:

My room is a disaster. The idea of cleaning it makes me want to cry.

We discussed principles of green design inspired by Earth Day Richmond.

There were many great comments and suggestions on this post.  Ruly Ruth pointed out the efforts of Terracycle to collect garbage like drink pouches and candy wrappers and turn them into products for sale, like backpacks and pencil cases. Lou suggested using vinegar and baking soda for cleaning before using harsher chemical products and Mary reminded us that if you toss in a few “extras” with your recycling you could jeopardize an entire recycling collection. Shelby commented to inform Ruly readers about an online book club discussing the book Greening Your Small Business by Jennifer Kaplan, a parter at Greenhance, an environmental consulting firm.

While pumping gas in my car this morning, I realized another easy green initiative. When you have the option whether to receive a printed receipt, unless you are really going to use it, decline.

I also have to cite my sister-in-law’s Facebook page for her tongue-in-cheek link to Moonpads, a washable menstrual pad. I am such an earth mother that I do think about the waste generated in this regard but have yet to do anything about it. Having gone the cloth diaper route for my children and finding that to be really no big deal I guess I would say I would be willing to at least try it but it does seem a bit daunting (or “gross” as my SIL’s friend commented).

We finished out the month with a wonderful Ruly Mix from Danny Stewart-Smith who also shared some great content and pictures on Japanese interior design. I love Dan’s mix and find it instantly relaxing and soothing.

Finally, I received a wonderful behind-the-scenes comment that made my month regarding last month’s post about budgeting:

“I wanted to tell you that I have been working with a homeless woman who has just gotten disability. For the first time in her life she has some money to manage. I printed off your budgeting sheet and shared it with her and we developed a budget from that.”

I am having a ball writing for you each month and I thank all of you for reading and commenting. On Monday I will be back to introduce a new theme for May. In the meantime, please enjoy these wonderful YouTube videos showcasing how to add some style to your spring cleaning routine by dancing.

"The FSA (Farm Security Administration) home supervisor has helped this woman make her dress of flour sacks and decorate her curtain with splatter work. Osage Farms, Missouri." (1939) Photo by Arthur Rothstein. From the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

For my design research this month, I went to my local library and checked out a variety of books on home design. After paging through tons of gorgeous interiors, one thing that really struck me is how much we associate “design” with “wealth.” It is not that hard to have a gorgeous home if you have unlimited funds. There are tons of wonderful choices and you can hire any number of incredibly talented professionals to help you. The 2010 DC Design House, (which you can tour at the Washington Post website by clicking here) for example, boasts a $200,000 kitchen complete with 37” flat-screen TV above the stove, a $14,500 custom-quilted rug made of cowhide, and $40,000 worth of AV equipment in the “man cave.”

But what if you are like most of us and can’t afford any of these things? Are you destined to live in an unstylish and boring home? Not a chance!

If you need a little design inspiration for your home, without spending a lot of money, below are some fun choices from professional designers. See what the pros do on budgets ranging from $2,000 to $500 to nothing (yes, nothing!).

$2,000 Budget

HGTV’s Designed to Sell helps homeowners spruce up their homes on a tiny budget (generally less than $2,000) with the goal of helping the properties sell faster and for a higher price. Seasoned real estate agents tour the homes and give their brutally honest opinions about each room. The designer then addresses the problem areas and the sellers help to implement the changes with a little sweat equity. (I can’t imagine how enormously popular this show must be in today’s real estate market!)

Below is a sample before and after Designed to Sell makeover:

There is a companion book for the series called, Designed to Sell: Smart Ideas that Pay Off, that highlights examples from the series and intersperses designer and real estate agent tips. What are the top four things you need to do to make your house show better?

1. Finish any incomplete home improvement projects.
2. Paint walls.
3. Replace dirty or worn floors.
4. Green up the lawn and plant flowers in the landscaping.

I really love the concept of this show, the great host, Clive Pearse, and fun designers, especially Lisa LaPorta. The only issue I have, however, is with one aspect of their design philosophy:

“If there’s one thing the Designed to Sell team preaches, it’s that you have to make sacrifices in daily living to reap the biggest reward in selling. In this living room, for example, the new furniture arrangement wasn’t as conducive as it could be for watching TV. [The television is against the wall, blocked by two chairs in the way and practically impossible to watch from any angle.] It was, however, the best way to show off the room’s spaciousness while still making it seem cozy. What’s more important to you: being a couch potato or pocketing more money when you sell your house?”

–Designed to Sell: Smart Ideas that Pay Off

To me, excellent design is about matching the functional with the decorative. If you can no longer watch TV in the room designated for watching TV, I would say that is a design failure. Insulting the homeowner for wanting to watch TV occasionally doesn’t seem like a winning strategy here. The buyer may want to watch TV too, after all!

Nonetheless, the book is packed with numerous creative ideas, especially about furniture placement, that could make a huge difference for not a lot of money. Simple selling tips, like decluttering and making sure your house is a comfortable temperature, are also woven throughout the book.

$500 Budget

Lisa Quinn is the queen of the budget makeover. Her book, $500 Room Makeovers, showcases a variety of creative ideas to make dramatic and interesting rooms on a shoestring budget.  She uses a lot of IKEA furnishings in her designs and creatively uses materials for maximum impact. Some of her design projects include using children’s crowns from Burger King as a stencil for wall treatments or even spray painting them and gluing them to windows instead of curtains! If you are looking to stretch your decorating budget it is hard not to be inspired by this book. One of my favorite projects is a painted “slate” floor treatment she used on a patio. There is also a great first apartment makeover where she transforms the bedroom (which starts off as nothing more than two mattresses stacked on the floor) into an asian-inspired retreat with canopy hanging.

For an example of a typical Lisa Quinn project, see the video below.

One of the challenges of budget decorating, however, is that it tends to look, well, “budget.” What I like about Lisa Quinn’s approach, however, is that she doesn’t try to make her budget makeovers look like more expensive alternatives. She embraces the budget aspect and uses fun accents like wild colors, crazy lampshades and unusual homemade art, to make her rooms look fun. You don’t compare a Lisa Quinn room to a more expensive one because the concept is just completely different.

“[T]here’s a lot of fear and loathing out there concerning home decoration. In fact, many people are too full of dread to even start the process. And the ones who do take action are often tethered by the perceived expense, afraid to step outside the boundaries of cookie-cutter decor. I believe that living in a home that doesn’t reflect your personal style is like wearing someone else’s shoes: They may do the job, but they will never feel right. . . . I say go easy on the wallet until you’re more certain of your individual style. In the meantime, take some chances while the investment is small. . . . Eventually, you can create a home that truly represents you and the things you love.”

–Lisa Quinn, $500 Room Makeovers

$0 Budget

Lauri Ward pioneered the concept of interior design through re-using your existing furniture and objects.  Her first book was called Use What You Have Decorating. The book gives excellent before and after examples of how you can refresh a room often by improving furniture placement, swapping furniture from adjacent rooms or just removing excess stuff. In many of the makeovers she spends nothing to improve a room’s feel. The changes are not necessarily dramatic. The rooms look similar to where she started, except more elegant and more streamlined.

“My personal philosophy never encourages the sentiment, ‘Throw it all out and start over again!‘ If there is one fundamental precept that I would never abandon it it the notion that no one is a blank slate; we all have ideas about what we care for or what makes us feel uncomfortable. Your belongings define your own private world and their history merits respect. When you use what you have, your home truly mirrors who you are.”

–Lauri Ward, Use What You Have Decorating

Below is Lauri Ward’s list of the 10 Most Common Decorating Mistakes

1. Not defining your priorities.
2. An uncomfortable conversation area.
3. Poor furniture placement
4. A room that is off-balance.
5. Furniture of different heights.
6. A room that lacks a cohesive look.
7. Ignoring the room’s focal point.
8. Improper use of artwork.
9. Ineffective use of accessories.
10. Using lighting incorrectly.

There are some really great and simple tips in this book that are easy for all of us to understand and apply. Some examples,

• “Place your sofa against the longest wall.”
• “Create a U-shaped conversation area.”
• “The difference in height between sofas and chairs should be no more than 5”.
• The end tables should not be more than 2 1/2” higher or lower than the arms of the sofa or loveseat.”
• “No matter how much stuff you have, you need to have some surfaces free of objects. I strongly recommend that windowsills be kept clutter free.”

Lauri shares more of her decorating tips at her blog, redecorate.com/blog.

I hope these resources inspire you to achieve a design style in your own home that reflects your personal taste.  Even if you have champagne taste and abhor budget looks, these resources might provide the inspiration you are looking for about how to creatively stretch your budget to achieve a designer look.

Are you a fan of Designed to Sell, Lisa Quinn or Lauri Ward?  Who is your favorite budget designer?  Please share in the comments.

President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford in the living quarters of the White House, Washington, D.C. (1975). Photo by Marion S. Trikosko. From the Library of Congress prints and photographs division.

Home Sweet Home.  Our homes are one of the most personal statements about ourselves.  It is the haven we retreat to–our shelter from the big, wide world.  Ideally, your home is the place where you are the most authentic version of yourself, where you can let your hair down and relax.

When your home houses not only you but your mate or your children, there can be conflict over the home decor.   While stereotypes tell us that home is the province of the female and that only women care about home decor, experience tells us that men have very strong opinions too about what goes into a home and especially where money is spent.  Some of the common tensions found between men and women when it comes to home decoration are:

1. Masculine versus feminine designs.
2. Traditional versus modern.
3. Color.
4. Money.  Men and women have different ideas about what is worth spending money on.  While a woman might love an investment in expensive draperies, for example, a man might prefer to spend that money on a surround sound system for the TV or an automated sprinkler system.

This music video captures the universal male-female dynamic in a brilliant and humorous way.  My favorite line is, “So if relationship conversation slips into a discussion about silicone caulk,  that’s ok, it’s just the way that men and women talk!”

HGTV’s Designing for the Sexes is a decorating show where a professional designer is brought in to resolve decorating differences between couples.  The differences between couples when it comes to decorating style can be dramatic.  Take, for example, the titles of some of the episodes:

• “Moroccan versus Retro Backyard”
• “Sports Bar versus Elegant Family Room”
• “Warm and Cozy versus High-Tech Kitchen”

Who could possibly resolve these differences?  It takes a special designer to be sure, one who has a command of both masculine and feminine design preferences.  The first host of the show was Michael Payne, a man who is always impeccably dressed.  A short radio interview with Mr. Payne is below.  My favorite part of the interview is at the end when he describes his own home remodeling project with his wife as the “House of Payne.”

For a real-life (and somewhat unusual) example of how a husband and wife decorate as a team, we turn to our favorite social columnist, Ruly Ruth:

“Visual Spatial Orientation”–the art of arranging objects within a defined space. This applies to the physical organization of items in a 3-D environment…..aka interior design as well as the organization of physical clutter–i.e., papers, notebooks, books, toys, etc.

Some people are phenomenal at this art. I am not. This is one of my least perfectionist areas. To say the least….color selection, patterns, lines are not so important to me….no wonder I never took art classes.

Meet my husband and me. My husband is a USMC helicopter pilot–he is my polar opposite. He is EXCEPTIONAL at visual spatial orientation—he can easily picture and work in a 3-D environment. Visual concepts come very easily to him. In our family, he is the physical organizer of all things—furniture, toys, books. He HATES this part of his job and often gets very frustrated and wonders why I can’t do it like he can. He can look at something, and figure in less than 5 minutes the best way to place objects. I can try my best and mess around and won’t come close. Some military families are able to have the wife move the family and pre-arrange the house. I’m so bad at this that when my husband was gone and my kitchen was driving me crazy, I had to call a girlfriend to come redesign things for me. It was exactly what I wanted and I LOVED it! (Thanks, Amber!) She was paid in dinner and wine, by the way…the cheapest, best advice ever!

However, we seem to be more the exception than the rule. Traditionally, home design was marketed to women. We, the females, seemed to mainly choose the furniture, patterns, design of the home. The true home-makers. Although with HGTV and other such channels, we are seeing the influx of men in the design field and their expertise and insight added to the “female” point of view. We’ve even seen more masculine design stores pop up.

It took a few years and couple of moves to finally relinquish what I thought should always be the female’s job: interior design and organization. Once I accepted my downfall in this area, it made life much better in the sense that I could ask my husband in advance to do whatever the given task was. (The more advance planning given, the better the outcome I’ve decided.) Also with his wood-working and furniture-building skills, this has become a really good combination.

But then there are still the women that can decorate and choose interiors like no one else on earth. My friends Caryn and Cherie–mentioned only in alphabetical order since both are so phenomenal at this. They describe colors in words I use for food. They talk about couches and sizes and colors and lines of furniture as if they were couture clothing. And even “Look at this cute little guy! Love him!” (To describe a custom-designed chair.) And obviously in their relationships they are both (wisely) the dominating decorators. Hats off to them!

I suppose my Ruly Ruth challenge for the month of April is to get everyone to evaluate their personal decorating skills. And see if there’s truly a passion for this in their lives, or if you’re like me and have more of a fleeting interest. And for those like me whose interest needs a spark, I challenge us to keep reading Ruly and refresh ourselves with different decorating styles and ideas. Maybe even implement one!

Have you experienced design conflicts with your spouse?  How do you resolve them?  Please share in the comments.  Have a great weekend!

Now that I have my patio furniture project completed, I am moving on to some quicker spring cleaning/design projects in the home. The first project I have in mind is countertops, clearing them bare — particularly in the kitchen and bath.

Good design is not only beautiful but functional as well. Open up any picture in a magazine of a showcase home and what will strike you about the kitchens and bathrooms is that the counters are completely bare! Take these examples:

Kitchen Equipment Co. Kitchen by Kitchen Equipment Co. X. (c. 1920 - 1950) Photo by Theodor Horydczak. From the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Modern Kitchen from this_could_be_my_house. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

Baker estate. Bathroom in Baker house. (c. 1920 - 1950) Photo by Theodor Horydczak. From the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

8200 Wolf Pen Master Bathroom. Photo by Kairos Photography. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

Why are we so obsessed with minimalist countertops? There is something about flat, open space that appeals to all of us. Clean countertops give us subliminal messages about opportunity. “Hey, gather up the kids and make some cookies, there’s plenty of room here!” “Go ahead, try out that new makeup routine!” “There’s plenty of space to think here. Spread out that project!” Clear countertops are also a great visual trick to make us think the room is large enough (or has enough storage) that there is no need to put anything on the countertop.

There is also a functional aspect to minimalist countertops as well. It is far easier and faster to clean a countertop with nothing on it! Lifting and moving objects to clean underneath takes a surprising amount of time. Also, if the countertop is messy, chances are you have spatters on the objects that were on the counter as well, so you spend time cleaning those items too.

Is it possible for us mere mortals to live like the fictional, completely elegant people in these designs? I challenge you to find out. For the next several days, try clearing as much off of your countertops as you can. Take things out of the kitchen and bathroom that don’t belong there and store or dispose of them. Remove duplicates, broken items and things that just don’t seem to get used. Remove at least one item that you are convinced always has to stay out on the countertop and store it somewhere else.  With what’s left, think creatively about how you might get down to a completely clear (or almost completely clear) countertop.

For inspiration, I have provided some examples below of creative storage options for the most common countertop items.

In the Kitchen

Paper Towel Roll

Wall-Mounted Perfect Tear Chrome Paper Towel Holder. At amazon.com.

Real Simple suggests you get your paper towel holder off the counter by using a wall or cabinet-mounted dispenser. Kitchen Bath Ideas has one design where the paper towel roll hides in the kitchen island In our home, we solved the paper towel roll “problem” by not using paper towels. We have a bunch of rags we store in a kitchen drawer that we wash and reuse. Dirty rags go in a basket near the trash.

Dish Soap/Sponges/Dish Washing Utensils

Oxo Steel Soap Squirting Palm Brush. From amazon.com..

Oxo Good Grips Suction Sink Basket. At amazon.com.

The kitchn.com suggests you replace the bottle of dish washing soap with a soap-dispensing dish wand. Some people like to use suction-cup holders to mount the sponge in the sink, like this one. In our kitchen, the false drawer cabinet fronts beneath the sink are very small tilt-out drawers for holding sponges and dishwashing tools. GetSheila tells you how you can adapt your own cabinetry to use this trick.

Produce/Bananas

3 Tier Hanging Copper Baskets. At amazon.com.

The kitchn.com suggests you get your fruit bowl off the counter and into a stylish and retro hanging basket.  Keep it freshly stocked to encourage you to eat more and to add a little style and color to your kitchen.

Dish Drainer

Collapsible Over the Sink Dish Drainer. At amazon.com

We started using the top rack of the dishwasher as our dish drainer and eliminated the need for a dish drainer on the countertop. We also have almost no items in our kitchen that must be hand washed (thank goodness!). If you do a lot of hand-washing, what are your options? Perhaps a sink-mounted, collapsible drainboard?

Knife Block

Magnetic Kitchen Knife Holder At amazon.com

Wüsthof Under-Cabinet-Swinger Knife Storage Block. At amazon.com.

A knife block is certainly convenient and keeps your knives ready to use when you need them. If you aren’t doing a lot of cooking, however, the knife block is probably just in your way. If you are lucky, you might have a special cabinet drawer for knife storage that you could transfer the knives too. Real Simple suggests you mount your knives to the wall with a metal magnetic strip. (Not sure about this tip with small children in the home. The knife block is already tempting enough.) If you are a woodworker, eHow has instructions for building an under-cabinet knife block or you can buy one ready-made. The under-cabinet knife block might be a good childproofing idea as well. Kitchen Bath Ideas also proposes a side-mounting knife block for your kitchen island

Apparently, I am being too verbose and have hit the size limit for WordPress! I will finish up my countertop clearing suggestions in the next post.

Victoria of the United Kingdom on the morning of her Accession to the Throne, June 20, 1837. Engraving from 1886 book "True Stories of the Reign of Queen Victoria" by Cornelius Brown. From the Wikimedia Commons.

On Monday, we discussed Colonial style, a classic, understated formal style common in Washington homes. Today, we go another direction and explore the frilly, feminine Victorian style, popular during the reign of Queen Victoria, 1837-1901. Most women have a weakness for Victorian style. Left to our own devices, we might cover our entire homes in ruffles, lace, floral prints and decadent embellishments. Most men, however, find little appeal in Victorian style and either tolerate it for the sake of the women in their lives or banish it from their homes.

First of all, who was Queen Victoria? She was Queen of the United Kingdom during the nineteenth century and is most well-known for a couple of reasons. First, she ascended the throne at the age of 18 and lived to age 81. Her reign lasted 63 years and 7 months, the longest of any British monarch before or since. (Queen Elizabeth II’s reign is currently at 58 years 60 days). Secondly, she had nine children and 42 grandchildren, and her descendants are associated with royal families throughout Europe. Third, she had a famous romance with her husband (and first cousin!) Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Victoria and Albert married when Victoria was just 20. Albert died 21 years later and for the rest of her life, Victoria was his mourning widow and always wore black (although a later romance with a servant named John Brown is rumored). The romance between Victoria and Albert is legendary and is the subject of a current exhibition at Buckingham Palace called “Victoria & Albert: Art & Love.” Jonathan Marsden explains below for The Royal Channel.

Victorian style is based on the preferences of Queen Victoria. Victoria was raised in a very strict environment where she was not allowed to interact with other children and had to share a bedroom with her mother every night until she became queen at 18! Victoria also reigned during a period of great prosperity and power for the United Kingdom. The video below is a great overview of the British empire during Victoria’s reign.

What does Victorian style look like? As an English style, it has a lot in common with Colonial style and wooden embellishments and paneling are a definite characteristic. But Victorian style goes much further, adding layer upon layer of embellishments and a hint of romance. Ornate carving, detailed laces, ruffles, doilies on the furniture, houseplants, lush carpeting, flowers, ribbons, jewelry. It’s the stuff of dollhouses and princesses. The video below is a delightful compilation of photographs of original Victorian interiors with Chopin.

Victorian style had great influence around the world but especially in the United States. During the Civil War era, Victorian style was in abundance. Many of us may also recognize Victorian style in the homes of our grandparents and great-grandparents.

Victorian style is wonderfully fun to use but it is also a difficult style. It is very easy to go wrong and create a design that just says “old lady” rather than “romantic elegance.” Victorian done right has some whimsy and fun to it. In the historical photos above, you can also see that often the delicacy of Victorian elements were counterbalanced by darker wood tones and heavy, more masculine features. It is as though you are matchmaking between design elements in your room. Think of the dark wood paneling dating the lace curtains.

If you decide to use Victorian style in your decorating, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Less is more. One or two large decorative Victorian pieces is a lot for one room and a few well-placed accessories are better than glass cabinets filled with knickknacks. If men live in your home, you will hear griping when the feminine elements are getting out of control.
2. Mix in contrasting elements. Remember to add some less decorative, simpler elements to your design and/or heavier, masculine pieces as well. The eye needs a chance to rest after looking at a lot of detail and it helps the viewer to better appreciate the detailed pieces. A frilly item like a fringed tablecloth, for example, contrasts nicely on a thick-legged table or an upright piano.
3. Mind the florals. Bad floral patterns uglify a Victorian design quickly. Be careful with your floral choices. Often it is better to go to the artistic extremes–either super-realistic or graphic and modern–for a floral pattern with timeless elegance.
4. Dark tones help. The darker tones add a masculine element (and a romantic tone) to balance the design. Black, dark brown, deep purple, dark red, forest green and other similar shades add drama.
5. Don’t be cheap. Using cheap-looking materials won’t work in Victorian style. Your pieces don’t have to be truly expensive but they should at least look like they are. Cheap brass accessories, orange-toned woods and boring floral patterns will give the wrong impression. The Victorian Trading Company is a great source for affordable yet elegant accessories, clothing, stationery and other fun things.

Are you a Victorian at heart? What do you like best/least about Victorian style? Please share in the comments.