Author Archives: Laurel Bern

My style is definitely steeped in history and tradition, but at the same time, I love to keep it new and fresh and ever-evolving. I love timeless rooms that one can’t really tell exactly when they were done, however, sometimes to keep things interesting, we add a bit of the unexpected. In my blog I share what I love about interior design and in my shop I offer a few of my favorites.

Classic and Affordable Lamp and End Table Pairings

Hi Everyone, Before we get into the beautiful collection of (mostly) affordable table and lamp and end tableView full post »

Yellow Walls – Why Do You Hate Them So Much?

Hi Everyone, Thank you so much for your kind notes and comments. My back is still sometimes sore, especiallyView full post »

I Got Hit By A Car Today, While Walking On A Sidewalk!

Yes, that’s right; at about 12:30 this afternoon. I had a doctor’s appointment this morning for aView full post »

36 Cheap Sofas and Chairs That Look High-End!

Dear Laurel, Is it me, or am I just imagining that the furniture cost has gone through the roof? And, are thereView full post »

How to Find Anything on the Internet + Blog Theft!

Hi Everyone, First of all, before we delve into today’s topic of how to find anything on the Internet, IView full post »

Ultimate Master Bedroom Suite – Flex Space Galore!

Hi Everyone, Oh dear, I have zero discipline. This was not supposed to be yet another post about my bedroom. However, IView full post »

Little Known Secrets On The Design Process

Guys. Dahlings. Kind Readers.   Before we dive into the little-known secrets of the design process, I haveView full post »

A Change of Kitchen Renovation Plans – Months Later!

Hi Everyone, before we get into a change of renovation plans. Yuck, but I’ve been sick the last couple ofView full post »

Light Blue Wall Colors-Don’t Make This Mistake!

Betty Bluper thought she had chosen a fantastic pale blue wall color. Please read what she had to say.   DearView full post »

How To Mix Patterns – Designers’ Secret Formula

Dear Laurel, I’m so confused about how to mix patterns in a room. For instance: Can you mix stripes? And,View full post »

A Refined Soothing Color Palette Inspired By Nature

Hi Everyone, Before we get into today’s topic, “A refined, soothing color palette,” pleaseView full post »

I Can’t Stand My Ugly Stone Fireplace – What Can I Do?

Dear Laurel, I loved your post about the ugly brick fireplace. Well, I have an ugly stoneView full post »

Coffee Table Styling Using What You Already Have

Hi Everyone, Before I get into today’s topic about coffee table styling using what you already have, justView full post »

Timeless Furniture Pieces, Plus Tips For Getting The Best Deal!

And Happy Fourth of July weekend! I hope you’re having a good holiday. This year, I’m hanging outView full post »

Our Home’s Difficult Floor Plan Is Giving Me Fits!

Dear Laurel, I don’t know what we were thinking, but our home has the most difficult floor plan, andView full post »

9 Gorgeous Benjamin Moore Cool Gray Paint Colors

Dear Laurel, I know I’ve read somewhere that the gray paint trend is dead. And, thank God, I thought. But,View full post »

The Open Concept Bathroom – Holy Crap Is Right!

Hi everyone, what a gorgeous day, again in Boston. I just got back from an event at the Otis House for aView full post »

Tour of Historic Deerfield, MA Prepare to be Blown Away!

Hey Everyone! Happy Father’s Day and also Juneteenth Day, if you celebrate this federal holiday. Today,View full post »

30 Inspiring Butler’s and Kitchen Pantries, Old and New

Hi Everyone, this is part II about butlers and kitchen pantries. If you missed part I, which focused on theView full post »

The Butler’s Pantry Like You’ve Never Seen It!

Hi Everyone, Ahhh… this was supposed to be one post. However, I got so into the first part that the secondView full post »

Darryl Carter Did The Most Dreadful Room I’ve Ever Seen!

To be clear, it was not I who said that, nor would I ever. In fact, just the opposite.   I’mView full post »

Eight Years Later – Is HGTV Still Misleading Us?

Hi Everyone, Many of you may recall a post I wrote eight years ago titled 12 Ways HGTV is Misleading Us. PleaseView full post »

Are Green and White Rooms Trendy or Passé?

I hope y’all had a good Memorial Day weekend. Mine was pretty quiet, but that’s not a bad thing.View full post »

I’m Afraid Our New Rustic Home Will Be Depressing!

Dear Laurel, I hope you can help me via a blog post, as I bet others also have this issue. But, here’s myView full post »

Classical Interior Architecture – The Most Important Element

A while back, after this post came out about blue paint colors, Val wrote this comment concerning interiorView full post »

My Interior Design School Portfolio from 1988-1991

You may have gotten here from this post about interior architecture if you’re on this page. However, ifView full post »

The Beacon Hill Hidden Garden Tour 2022

Hi Everyone, I hope everyone is doing well, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the last post about the beautifulView full post »

A Gorgeous Kitchen Remodel Done Right!

Below is a real Dear Laurel letter from a kind reader regarding her recent kitchen remodel.   Dear Laurel,View full post »

He Wants To Keep His Big Black Sofa, But I Hate It

Oh, Laurel, Well, I’m on my second marriage, and we’ve just hit a decorating snag.   And canView full post »

Chicago As You’ve Never Seen It Before!

Hi Everyone, Thank you again for all of your kind wishes! It worked. I’ve been testing negative sinceView full post »

30 Astonishingly Beautiful and Best Front Door Colors

Happy Mother’s Day!   My mommy and me the summer of 1958, Evansville, Indiana. This is a specialView full post »

Evansville Indiana – The Little Known Truth About It

Hi Everyone, For those of you who didn’t see my email, yes, I have Covid. I’m just finishing up DayView full post »

15 Hideous Fabric Mistakes (I Made Most of Them)

Although I no longer take interior design clients, I did for 24 years, counting the years working for others.View full post »

French Door/Transom Design + Stair Railing Part II

Hey Everyone, Hope you’re all doing well. I’m on a plane flying to Nashville! I’m going toView full post »

New Staircase Railing Design – Ugh, It’s Not Working!

Last Sunday, we looked at staircase decor, design, and mistakes.    Today, I will share more relatedView full post »

Staircase Decor, 3 Common Mistakes + what to do instead

Hi Everyone, Happy Easter and Passover!   A while back, I received a real Dear Laurel note asking aboutView full post »