Debbie Wiener's Blog

If you just want to add some privacy to your windows without making a big deal or stealing attention from your seating area, keep the material on the windows simple. Your focus will remain more on the colorful upholstery fabric and rug.

If you happened to miss me on today’s webchat for the Washington Post, don’t worry! You can still listen to it here:

http://live.washingtonpost.com/home-front-07-01-10.html

Tune in today to the Washington Post Home Webchat to hear all about Slobproof living from me!

We are giving away a new copy of our book Slobproof: Real Life Design Solutions to one of the people who comments on this post telling us about the Slob in their life. It can be a husband (or an ex-husband), kids or pets. Share your funny stories!!

If you want to really emphasize your windows and make a design statement, the fabric can be dramatic. Your eye will be drawn beyond your seating area to the window.

Check out this great video, I shot while in the factory!

Get wool rugs. Wool is soft, it’s beautiful and it resists staining. It doesn’t mat as readily as synthetic fibers. It’s extremely hard wearing and family friendly and I’ve yet to hear about any client with allergies having a reaction to a wool rug. I’m not saying that nylon rugs or the new indoor/outdoors rugs should be used. They should be in the short-term— until you budget for wool rugs and redecorate.

If you’re like me, the little stars living in your home aren’t out on opening night- they’re home ruining your house! Perhaps it’s your partner or spouse (and here I really mean husband) who made a mess and forgot that you don’t have maids and servants on a twenty-four hour schedule.  Tired of watching your family ruin your furnishings?  Don’t despair- you need not resort to plastic slip covers.  Just decorate with your slob(s) in mind to save your home and your sanity:

1. Keep Wite-Out on hand at all times.  It may be obsolete for correcting typos, but it’s a miracle when it comes to camouflaging dings and scuff marks wherever you have white trim around your house- like door frames, baseboard molding or chair rails.
2. Think your family belongs in an institution?  Then cover your walls with institutional paint!  Use what the builders choose for dormitories, gymnasiums, locker rooms, hospitals and cafeterias.  These acrylic-based paints are specially formulated to give a thick, consistent coverage with greater durability than home use paints.  And because they are made for closed spaces, they have no unpleasant odor when painting indoors.
3. Laminate your most heavily used dining chairs, if most of your slob’s dinner is left on his chair.  Almost any fabric can be laminated, just ask your fabric store or decorator where to send it.  New flat finish laminations provide an invisible, moisture and stain proof barrier on fabric, making it virtually indestructible and inconspicuous too.
4. Not into coasters?  Neither am I.  Protect wood finishes from wet glasses, hot cups and scratching with clear glass tops made to fit your table tops.  Sure, you’ll have to wipe them, but you’ll protect what’s underneath from everything your slobs may put on top.