I love crisp lines and modern pieces, but I’ve never warmed to the minimalist aesthetic.  Too much cold and not enough cozy.  Fabric, for me, is the key to having both.  Because I move so much, and windows sizes, and the challenges of floor to ceiling dimensions, and molding to casing dimensions are so unique to the space, I end up getting a lot of custom window treatments.  It is expensive.  I remind everyone that in my quest to flip 10 homes and make a million – a modest nest egg if I am going to live to 100 – creating distinctly different color palettes for each home is part of the fun of it.

Zimman’s . 80 Market Street . Lynn . MA:  Hundreds from which to choose.

Fun is a non-negotiable, because when all is said and done I will have moved roughly 20 times.  I will have lived in properties while they are being renovated more than 10 times (remember some go through multiple phases, separated by years).  Being covered in sawdust and searching for a fork to eat your Chinese Take-out under a tarp covered in sheetrock dust, on your hands and knees, after a long day at the office – is NOT fun.

Bring a power bar.

So you’ll have to indulge my desire to purchase the latest, and often trendiest in designer fabrics.  I do like a bargain so always have a trip to Zimman’s . 80 Market Street . Lynn . MA on my T0-Do List.  They have a dizzying selection from which to choose, and a Sales staff that are knowledgeable and design savvy.  From the low-end to To The Trade Only, if they don’t have it, they can get it.  That means that anything you can find in the Design Center in Boston, can be yours!   They are currently having a FALL SALE Event – 20% off any in-stock fabric (sorry – this doesn’t include anything from the Design Center) with the use of their custom services.  They will upholster pieces (and they will pick up and deliver) and fabricate custom curtains and/or roman shades.  Their service includes deploying an expert to handle measurements and later do the install.  These kinds of one stop shops are hard to find, usually require the use of a designer, and can be costly.  Zimman’s is a great alternative.

Preparing for a new life.

Other tips for economizing include semi-custom curtains.  I do this again and again.  I buy an off the shelf curtain in a versatile neutral, in linen, or silk, and then add a cording or trim in an accent color of my choice.  In the new condo I will re-use my white linen curtains (currently trimmed in a navy and white Samuel & Sons velvet trim) in the living room.  I will strip that off and replace with either tan or pink trim to complement my overall color scheme.

Turkish Linen …. I can’t wait.

Today I got the fabric for my sofa.  Zimman’s will come and collect it next week and make it new to me – all over again.  See, I can have new and OLD, all in one piece – so can you.