100th Post!!! PRIZE POST!!!!

OK- so this is actually my 115th post. I didn't celebrate my 100th post, and now that my friend Michal is celebrating her 200th post with a prize, I thought I should do the same. (I am such a copycat.) So- let's pretend- this is my 100th post! - I am going to give away some "book boxes." I think these are a great "tool" as I discussed in this post. They can hide remote controls, and other non-decorative items, and I LOVE using them under accessories to adjust items, to make them "just the right height."

From the Import Collection- it is the set of 3 shown- only people in the continental US please. I will end the contest when I get back into town. (I will be gone until Monday)

To enter- just leave a comment, telling me what you would hide in the boxes. Since I average about 3 comments per post- this is a good contest to enter! Not many have odds like this! I will come up with a fair, unbiased way to determine the winner.

Good Luck!

Tamlynn's Questions Part III How low should I go?

This post is also in response to Tamlynn's response- I thought she asked a very good question commenting on this post.

Tamlynn asked, "You mentioned lowering the mirror. Should the other artwork in the room be at the same height?"

So- how high do you hang something? I am going to share with you the rules I follow, by which I mean- the rules that everyone should follow. :)

1. If you are hanging something above a piece of furniture, the item should have a relationship with the furniture. Which means that it should not be hung very high above it.

This cork board above the files is only inches above it- that is perfect. The items on the files, (like the letter "K" and the flowers) overlap the item hanging above it. This is how it should be. Here the half round wall art is above the console table, again, not too far above. The flowers "overlap" the art above. The flowers are KEY here- they tie the two pieces together- solidifying their relationship.

Notice the mirrors above the console at the top of the post- same thing. Not hung too high, with the topiaries tying the pieces together. If there were no topiaries, I would move the lamps inward, so they would overlap the mirrors. If they were on the outside of the mirrors, not overlapping- that would be wrong. (in my ever so humble opinion)

2. OK- so what if the wall art is not hung above a piece of furniture? If it is just on the wall? In this case- the art should have a relationship with the wall itself- in size and scale. (This is where a lot of people have items that are too small, or too few.) Generally speaking, these items should be hung at "eye level." Yes- "eye level" is different for different people- and that is OK- a home with very tall people might have art hung higher than their short friends- but when the art is in scale and proportion to the wall itself, this is not going to be very noticeable. Note that the "eye level" rule is only the case if it is NOT above furniture- the relationship to the furniture rule supersedes the eye level rule.

Notice in this photo, the chair overlaps the mirrors. Again, this is good. If the mirrors were more to the left, (or shorter and hung entirely above the chairs) not "overlapping"- the area would be far more disjointed and lack the "put together" feel that is created when a relationship is created. (This is what I was referring to in your room, Tamlynn)

And so- back to your house- the piece above the piano should be lowered, (put something in the vase to use to "tie" the wall art to the piano) and the piece above the melodophone seems to be about the right height. :)

Thanks again for your very good question. Photos from today's post came from Ballard Designs.