The Voice of East Bay Living

These photos are of doors and entrances in San Miguel,Mexico.Each one is a different color and marks the boundary between one house and the next. Why don't you be daring and paint your front door an exciting color? My front door is Chinese red and I love the color and the energy that it attracts.

This backyard was completely overgrown with weeds and blackberry bushes. When these owners cleared everything out, they discovered this great stone fireplace. They added green grass and plants, creating a lush and useful setting.

This elegant home listed for over two million dollars needed an uplifting statement at the front door. We added some very striking matching Asian stands and some very tall plants. The house sold in five days

If you are feeling extra ambitious in the New year you might want to consider tiling your stairs. This house had a definite south of the border feel but needed some additional help. The owner found this great Mexican tile and used it on her stairs,patios and bathrooms.

Have you considered painting your old fashioned bath tub gold?? Also, notice the detail on the claw feet of the tub-great touch!! This was done by Adele Crawford who is a master of color and much more.

My French friend, Monique created a whole wall of ties that she had saved from her husband's collection after he retired from the business world. The colorful display was placed in one of her bedrooms.

You can create a wonderful scene in any room of your home by displaying interesting hats. In this photo you see hats mixed with an art deco clock..Enjoy

This Beautiful Spanish Mediterranean home had a private patio framed with arches but it was empty. By adding a sofa, coffee table and plants we created the feeling of an outdoor room.

This house had been painted pink, dirt for the front yard and no fence. We had the house painted a color that blended with the neighbor'shome, landscaped the front yard with a grassy front lawn & plants, and surrounded it with a charming fence.

The hearth of any home is truly one of its focal points. Here the mantle has a beautiful picture, candles and the side shelves that are spaciously arranged. When we present a home in cool weather, we always have a fire going to create a warm environment.

This house was full of odds and ends. It also had an enormous amount of books . We cleared everything out except for some quality furniture and decorating items. The couch was covered with fabric (a total cost of $45.00).The fabric was attatched with safety pins and duct tape. This is a great quick fix when you don't want to spend alot of money on a new couch.

This house is an adorable bungalow. The elderly woman who lived there had given up taking care of the house and garden. All the landscaping was trimmed, the house was re-painted inside and out and then decorated with warm furnishings.

The wood paneling in the wall behind the hanging fabric was stained. We covered it with a large oriental rug, added a white couch and polka dot pillows (from Ross).We found the white sofa for one hundred dollars at a local second hand store.

The first step in creating a wonderful home environment is to clear away clutter. The rule is the following: If you have not used it in six months it is HISTORY....this goes for clothes as well as stuff around the house-books,magazines,piles scattered here and there. The other simple rule is SEE...SIMPLIFY...SELECT... Your environment will begin to feel lighter and less burdened by objects. You can then give your space a good cleaning, including the windows. There is a lot of wisdom in the expression, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness."

Greetings, My name is Sheila Sabine. I have been a residential fine homes specialist with Prudential California Realty for nearly twenty years. One of my main passions is making living spaces beautiful. I have transformed hundreds of homes using simple and cost effective techniques. I am very excited to begin a conversation with you and share my ideas so that you can creates some magic in your own home. When you live in a space that inspires you, it makes a huge difference in how you view your environment and how others feel when they come to visit.