Many people find that certain areas in their home tend to accumulate massive amounts of clutter, and sometimes attempts at organization can be met with even more mess and frustration. So to simplify the process, focus on the 3 main clutter-catchers in your home:  open bookshelves, the office, and your bedroom closet. Here's a few quick tips from TGI on how to combat this clutter and create simplified and beautiful spaces in your home.

Baskets are perfect storage tools. They can hide anything from magazines and random papers, to kids toys and dog toys. They are great to store under your bed, a nightstand, in closets or even on the stairs, like this basket from Ballard Designs. The white magazine boxes are from Ikea and the multi-purpose Utility Basket is from Pottery Barn. No matter how much clutter you have, everything can appear tidier when concealed in coordinating baskets.

To keep everything looking beautiful but still organized, color coordinating is key. Keep binders, baskets, pencil holders, frames and hangers all consistent in the same color scheme. This will instantly create a clean and orderly look.

A fun example of this can be seen in the home office of one of my favorite reality-tv stars, Bethenny Frankel. By using all-white office furniture and sticking to her signature color of red as an accent, her office has a streamlined look without lacking personality.

Now if you go to the other-end of the spectrum and if you have your spaces so squeaky clean that nothing is on display it can start to feel cold and impersonal. To avoid this, make sure to incorporate  a few personal touches. Keep out a favorite family photo, an antique or bring a potted plant into the mix. It's important to seek a balance on open shelves between showcasing a few treasured items and keeping out groupings of books or stacked magazines. Just try to keep the majority of content in concealed storage bins or behind closed doors.

Find more inspiration images like these, visit Houzz and leave a comment if you have a tip to share!


TGIF :)

This July, TGI has been introduced to Thom Filicia's new collection of fabrics from our friends at the Kravet Showroom and we are in love! His line balances fresh designs, with quality fabrics and budget-friendly pricing. Flipping through his samples, we saw a use of fun prints mixed in with clean and classic textures to create a collection that really exemplifies his design aesthetic: timeless beauty with personality.

Thom's video on the Kravet website is a great way to hear him further describe the collection and really shows the range of his designs.  We think his solid textures are so practical for upholstery and his prints are perfect for fun pillows and drapes.

We're such big fans of Thom's that we've already placed an order for his woven, blue-gray fabric for an upholstered, ottoman. It fits in perfectly for our client's fun & sophisticated living room and will wear beautifully with 100,000 double rubs! What's better than that?

T.G.I.F :)

Photos courtesy of Kravet

No home is fully finished until it is accessorized and has that "lived in" feel. Although they may not seem like a big deal, accessories really are a crucial component in completing a room, so you can't neglect them! With all that said, the cost of finishing up an entire home, or even a small room or apartment, can add up quickly. We have compiled a list of some of our favorite accessories vendors, which happen to be super affordable too!

1. Z-Gallerie: Z-Gallerie has a huge assortment of art and accessories. It is all beautiful and classic.  There is an extensive collection of "Art under $100." They have basics like silver candle holders and pieces that could be a focal point like artsy vases and sconces.

2. Global Views: Global Views offers an extensive line of unique accessories. They are not afraid of color or vibrant, worldly things. They also offer a sophisticated line from Barbara Barry. If you're looking for something like nothing else, try Global Views.

3. Arteriors: If you're looking for elegant and subdued, Arteriors is great. The textures and finishes are high end and for a good deal.

4. Ikea: Ikea is the place to go if you're on a major budget. Despite the super low prices, their accessories are pretty long-lasting, especially the artwork, which is the best deal they have. Many staple items like white frames or candle holders are inexpensive and are great if you're planning on buying in bulk.

5. Home Goods: Home Goods is bargain central. It is a huge mix of items and the floor is always changing, so if you see something  you think could work, grab it, because it probably won't be there tomorrow. They have framed art, furniture and worldly accessories from African Safari to Beach-inspired.

6. Pier 1 Imports: Pier 1 has many accessories and gifts. Everything is very colorful...

7. Uttermost: Uttermost has styles from very traditional to abstract. They use a lot of wood and metal to create inspirational, very down to earth pieces.

8. Roost: Roost carries many modern and eccentric accessories. Everything is hand-made and quality is ensured.

Many of you know that "going green" is a good thing. Simple things like switching the type of light bulbs you use, recycling and driving less are great ways to help the earth, but what about when it comes to remodeling? Building a new home or even redecorating can present challenges for using sustainable  materials. So today we thought we'd share with you a list of some of our favorite eco-friendly vendors. From fabric to flooring, these vendors are making green design accessible for all. Click on their links to learn more:

1. Lee Furniture: Stylish and sustainable furniture featuring soy based cushions, water-base finishes and FSC certified wood frames.

2. Benjamin Moore Natura Paint: A virtually odorless new line of paint that comes in endless color combinations with zero VOCs.

3. Enviroglas: This small business converts recycled glass and porcelain into elegant floors and countertops. With extreme durability and low maintenance, these sustainable surfaces will also add visual interest to any space.

4. Lumber Liquidators: This accessible company carries bamboo and cork flooring in a variety of finishes. Both materials are rapidly-renewable resources, providing more sustainability than traditional hardwood floors.

5. Robert Allen Pure Style: A line where at least 50% of the fibers in their fabrics are sustainable, organic and/or recycled, leaving an end product that is completey recyclable.

6. Interface Flooring: Carpet Broadloom and modular carpet tiles using natural and recycled content. Interface also practices the latest tech-science, Biomimicry, to take the first step towards becoming a fully-sustainable company.

TGIF :)

When most people think of wallpaper, images of old and dated florals from grandma's house may come to mind, but TGI would like to take this opportunity to defend wallpaper and introduce you to the new papers and styles of 2010! On a recent visit to the Duralee Showroom, we went through wings and wings of the latest papers from Thibaut Wallpapers and had to share with you some of our findings!

Full of color and texture, today's updated papers could easily serve as the inspiration for an entire room. We saw metallic and floral prints with large-scale patterns and subtle color palettes creating a more refined and sophisticated feel. These papers are fashionable and decorative without being over the top. We noticed famous designers like Candice Olson and Kelly Wearstler designing wallpaper lines in similar aesthetics as well. There now seems to be an understanding in the industry that wallpaper is coming back in a big, yet understated way.

Below are some of our favorite styles (click to enlarge):

These are the latest grasscloth papers that provide a warm texture in a modern way. In my opinion, textured wallcoverings like these bring so much more to a room than paint can offer.

When it comes to deciding which rooms to paper, I always recommend dressing up the showcase rooms in your home: the powder room and dining room. You can always get away with doing something a little different in these rooms, so select papers that amp up the style factor and have some fun!

Some other creative ways I love to see wallpaper are as a feature wall in a bedroom behind the bed or even on the ceiling! The wallpaper then becomes the focal point of the room and really makes a statement!

Here are some of the wallpaper samples we picked up from our latest showroom visit. My hands-down favorite is the champagne and oyster floral on the bottom right:

My hope is that this post helped to open some minds to the new possibilities in wallcoverings!

Enjoy the holiday weekend everyone :) TGIF!

This week at TGI we we had the task of specifying light fixtures for a client's new home. The search started for us by browsing the website of Circa Lighting, and we quickly fell in love with their beautiful and extensive line of fixtures. They have a great mix of elegant, classic and whimsical lights available in a variety of finishes, and needless to say, we're obsessed :)

Circa's pieces also help reflect the design aesthetic of TGI...defined best as an "updated-traditional." A refined style seen here in some of my favorite fixtures:

I think lighting is a great way to bring personality to a room, whether fun, soft, or dramatic, it can really set the tone for a space. It also acts as that finishing touch to a room, completing a look just as you would by adding jewelry to an outfit :)

Now something fun about Circa Lighting I've discovered through Twitter, is that they were featured throughout the latest Sex and the City movies! Each piece, like the SATC wardrobe, is a statement piece, and their fixtures really added to the overall style of the movie. So be on the lookout the next time you catch one of the flicks, and the next time you're looking to dress up a room, be sure to take a stroll through Circa Lighting's website!

TGIF :)

Tracy Garfield Interiors is growing! For the summer, MSU Junior, Alli Good will be joining me as an intern, assisting in my day-to-day business as TGI nears its one year anniversary. Recently, Alli was accepted into the upper-division of the MSU Interior Design program and I couldn't be more excited to have her on board! With a wonderful enthusiasm for design and a background in journalism, Alli will be taking over my social media networks as well as this very blog to keep you all informed with our recent happenings, finds, and project updates!  Be sure to check back next week for TGI's newest blog from Alli!

And don't forget to follow TGI on Twitter at @tracyginteriors and become a fan of Tracy Garfield Interiors on Facebook!

TGIF :)

One of the fun, new projects I’m working on right now is a bedroom makeover for a good friend of mine from high school. She hasn’t had her bedroom furniture or décor updated since she was just a little girl, so with her recent graduation from college, her mom thought it was about time to give her room a more modern, grown up look to reflect her new, grown up life.

We started this process by looking for furniture and defining our color palette. After pulling a few inspiration fabrics from the design center, she was drawn to a palette of black and white with a pop of aqua blue. With our new color scheme in mind, we then decided to have our furniture pieces act as our black and white and let the paint, throw pillows and table lamps be our accents of blue. In addition, we decided to incorporate accessories with silver mercury finishes to add a modern touch.

Next week we’ll be making our final decisions and begin placing orders, so I will keep you all updated on how the project is looking once we things get started. Until then I thought I’d share some images of the pieces we’re considering to get a better idea of the look we’re going for.

I’m very excited to be working on this project and help make this new bedroom a reality for a wonderful friend of mine. This should be one fun makeover!

Side Note: For followers of my most recent post, the laundry room project is nearly finished! We’re just waiting on artwork to be framed, so as soon as we get that in I’ll be putting pictures up for all of you to see the complete transformation!

One of the current projects I'm working on is the remodel of a laundry room. We’re looking to update the existing appliances and materials to make this a more clean, modern and organized space.

First we’ll be replacing the outdated washer and dryer with new, energy-efficient, front-loading units. Next, we’ll give the floor a face-lift by removing the existing linoleum with new 13” ceramic tiles in a variation of light neutral tones.  After the tile is in place we plan to paint the walls a light, pale yellow with new white trim woodwork to make this small space a little brighter.

The other additions we’ll be making to this room will be a foldout ironing board wall unit, a closet shelf system organizer, semi-flush mount light fixture and a roman shade for the window. The ironing board wall unit will be a great space saver and will eliminate the bulky collapsible ironing board currently being used. The new closet system organizer will have adjustable shelving to allow enough space for mops, brooms and vacuums to be stored upright, with smaller shelves for cleaning products running alongside. Having this new shelving system will be a great way to stay organized and ensure plenty of room for all necessary items. The new light fixture will be a semi-flush mount, dropping down a little bit lower than the existing fixture, to bring in an updated look and give added interest. Lastly, the new roman shade will provide a more modern window treatment and will help bring out our white and yellow color scheme. We plan on using a small-scale striped fabric that will look clean and tailored.

After all additions are in place we’ll plan on accessorizing with a linen fabric tack board, wire storage baskets, a small watercolor painting and some potted plants. Most of our project is already underway, with the new appliances, flooring, and paint job already complete. Once the project is finished I’ll be sure to post the “after” pictures. Stay tuned!

Ever since I started blogging, I've been wanting to do a "Favorite Things" blog as a way to share a glimpse of my personal style and the furnishings I love. With the holidays right around the corner, I thought now might be a fun time to show you some of my favorite pieces... a little "wish list" if you will :) The furnishings I've selected exemplify an "updated traditional" style, a cross between modern and traditional that I've come to love.

While researching pieces for this entry, I have to say that I got a little overexcited and couldn't manage to fit them all on here, so you can look forward to more "Favorite Things" entries to come. Next up, I plan to explore fabrics & wallcoverings, but take a look at my first favorite findings...enjoy!

Chairs: from Lee Furniture, these chairs feature earth-friendly upholstery in organic fabrics. I'm a huge fan of this company for the range of styles they carry and their ecological conscious through their construction and materials.

Stools: from Global Views and Wisteria, these occasional pieces are the perfect accent for a bedroom or living room. The upholstered stools provide extra, accessible seating while the drum stool offers a stylish resting spot for books or accessories.

Lamps: from Shades of Light, these lamps are a great way to instantly add personality to any room. Keep your lamp shades simple, then add a punch of color through ceramic bases or  texture through a metal-woven base.

Mirrors: from Ballard Designs and West Elm, these mirrors are a fun way to fill your walls,  make a decorative statement, and reflect extra light into your space.

Vases: from Global Views these ceramic pieces work beautifully in a small groupings to provide accents for a kitchen or dining room. Placed along a buffet or displayed on shelves, these vases make for a beautiful collection.

Dishes/Bowls: from Global Views, these items are more great display pieces. The ceramic, magnolia plates and metallic dishes can be grouped hanging on a wall or placed on tables to hold colorful fruit or candies. Use the larger tourines and trophy bowls to house floral arrangements or seasonal items. All of these can be used interchangeably in many different rooms.