A wrong set of keys unintentionally led Greg and Mary Berzinsky to their beloved home.

Transplants from Johnstown, Pa. (him), and Leonia, N.J. (her), Greg and Mary found their way to Philadelphia separately and adopted the city as their own. They met at a party and decided to buy a house after getting engaged in February 1992.

But costs at the time kept them from buying in the heart of the city. A friend mentioned that the eclectic neighborhood of Spruce Hill, a pocket within University City and at the time a more affordable option, might interest them. Two months later, the couple went to see a graceful home shaded by century-old trees.

"But when the Realtor went to open the doors, she realized she had the wrong keys. They were for the house across the street, which was also for sale," recalls Greg, 49. The Realtor suggested they take a look.

Only two other families had owned the house with the wide porch, built in 1900 by William S. Kimball, a developer who designed many of the houses in Spruce Hill. The semidetached dwelling was outdated and needed work, but details such as pine and oak flooring and thick, wide chestnut moldings captivated the couple, who share a passion for period architecture.

Adds Mary, 46, chuckling: "And then there were some things we didn't expect" - such as the cracked plumbing stack missed during a home inspection.

Even so, Greg and Mary, an architect and interior decorator, respectively, easily imagined this grande dame being restored to its original splendor, but with features for their modern family, which includes Victor, 15, and Ava, 13, as well as Streak, a rescued greyhound, and a languid kitty named Tim.

After purchasing the 3,700-square-foot Colonial Revival house, the Berzinskys, with the help of experts, started the task of installing new electrical, plumbing, heating, and central air conditioning systems. Then the kitchen and adjacent sunroom got an extensive overhaul.

Greg and Mary rolled up their sleeves and did a lot of the dirty work: framing, flooring, siding, and installing doors and windows.

"As the renovations were winding down, we had my sister's wedding in the house," says Greg, whose firm, Berzinsky Architects, is within walking distance. "It all worked out . . . although we did make everyone promise to stay only on the first floor."

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Glitch led to dream house

Argington comments on a recent ChicagoTribune.com article about the changing trends in decorating rooms for babies and children and the challenge of gender-neutral nurseries for interior decorator Marika Meyer.

Bohemia, NY (PRWEB) October 03, 2012

According to the ChicagoTribune.com article, Meyer says, These days, neutrals are the new pink and blue. Parents don't want to compromise the home's sophistication just because there are children in it. Keeping the walls neutral allows them to have both."

ChicagoTribune.com also interviewed Sonu Mathew, designer for Benjamin Moore Paints, who believes that gender-neutral paint choices are part of a larger cultural movement that allows children more creative freedom. Mathew adds, Before World War II, trends in fashion and design pointed to boys wearing pink just as quickly as girls would wear blue. So today, we're going back into that space where things are more level." Mathew goes on to describe yellow as optimistic, energetic and confident, which are all very important words for children.

Newell Turner, editor-in-chief for House Beautiful Magazine, suggested during the interview that there is a subtle psychological tie-in to color selection, reports ChicagoTribune.com. Turner responds to Mathews statement describing yellow as the most versatile gender-neutral color there is."

Argington spokesman Clay Darrohn comments, No matter what the trends in decorating for baby bedrooms happens to be, Argington furniture is suitable for just about every dcor. We pride ourselves on creating pieces that can fit in any room and that will be an attractive option for any designer or expectant parent. Trends will change, color choices will come and go, but our furniture is designed to withstand those trends and the test of time.

Argington is a New York based manufacturer of fine baby furniture and nursery bedding. Proudly offering sustainable products that are organic or eco-friendly, Argingtons products are also designed with mobility and multiple uses in mind to make the lives of parents easier.

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Scott Darrohn Argington 855-347-4228 Email Information

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Argington, Maker of Fine Nursery Furniture Sets, Comments on New Trends in Children’s Nursery Décor

Just as we change our wardrobes from season to season, we should also change our homes. Watch as videographer Leeanna McLean and interior decorator Tracey McDonell Reid help you transition your home from summer to fall with five helpful tips. Not to worry, these tips are hassle free and cost-effective.

First up, we have accessories on Monday. Tuesday is favourite fall colours. Wednesday Tracey and Leeanna discuss fabrics. Thursday is bathroom renovation day with a special look at tiles. Last but not least, we explore wallpaper on Saturday.

We all lead busy lives and we at Metroland Media Group's Durham Region Division want to help make yours a little more enjoyable. Your Life will present a daily one-minute quick tip to make the day a little easier.

You'll find nutrition and fitness ideas, cooking tips, wine selections, finance tips and more. Make Your Life your first stop every morning.

We have gathered several experts from across Durham Region to help make your life a little bit easier.

Our experts are :

- Bill Bath -- golf instructor, http://www.golfyoda.com

- Melissa Boyd -- owner/fitness instructor of Mindful Balance, http://www.mindful-balance.com

- Cathy Brown -- chef, http://www.heritagehousecatering.ca

- Chuck Byers -- wine consultant, http://www.chuckbyers.com

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Decorating Week: Five helpful videos on home decorating

Enter a world of possibilities with a visit to The Blue Door Interiors in Ladner Village.

Proprietor Jana Walker offers an eclectic mix of antiques, "refurbished, repurposed, reinvented furniture" and more at the new store.

"It's all about the art of mixing. It's out with the boring and in with something that gives you a little bit of feeling to it," she says.

Walker is an interior designer/decorator with over 30 years of experience, including working abroad in places like England, the Bahamas and Florida.

"Interior dcor is about providing options," she says.

She brings in items from countries like India and Australia.

"I have wonderful consigners who are great pickers," she says. "They find me great pieces."

Walker has lived in Ladner for 25 years.

"It's about bringing something different, and exciting, and wonderful to Ladner. I love this village."

She also offers in-home consulting services.

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Walk through 'Blue Door' to improve your decor

The Ellis Boston Antiques Show is a mainstay of Bostons cultural offerings. Now in its 49th year, the charismatic show features over 40 of the finest antiques exhibitors from across the country and around the world. As part of the shows distinctive offerings, award winning interior designer Sally Wilson, ASID of Wilson Kelsey Design will be sharing her ideas on how to incorporate antiques into both traditional and contemporary interiors.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) September 30, 2012

As part of this years event, New England Home magazine will sponsor a lively visual feast and panel discussion Designing With Antiques. Editor-in-Chief, Kyle Hoepner will moderate the discussion as prominent Boston designers share their expertise and ideas on how to incorporate antiques into traditional and contemporary interiors. Sally Wilson, ASID, an interior designer and antique maven from the award winning firm Wilson Kelsey Design, will be a featured panelist along with interior designers Jude Miller from American Dural and Charles Spada from Charles Spada Interiors.

A longtime aficionado of antiques, combined with the design talent to blend them within a variety of settings, Sally Wilson, ASID will offer tips on what to look for, how to get it, and pitfalls to avoid. Wilson Kelsey Designs expertise with a sophisticated and eclectic mix of antiques and contemporary furniture was previously showcased on the cover of New England Home magazine with a French-style salon. The room was furnished with a mix of periods, adeptly combining Louis XV, Louis XVI, Dutch pieces, gilded mirrors, Italian crystal and iron chandeliers, and architectural millwork. The harmonious mingling of these elements created the elegant tone of the salon. Using antiques instantly gives a room a certain weight and sense of history. I particularly love mixing periods, so that a room looks as if it were put together naturally, over time, says Wilson.

The Ellis Boston Antique Show runs October 18th 21st, 2012. A Gala Preview will be held Thursday, October 18th to benefit Ellis Memorial and Eldredge House, Bostons first settlement house for the care of children and their families. The panel discussion will be held on Friday October 19th at 1:30 p.m. The show is held at the Cyclorama, The Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street in Boston. The Ellis Antiques Show is a Boston mainstay produced by Fusco & Four/Ventures, LLC. http://www.ellisboston.com

About Wilson Kelsey Design

Praised for creating elegant, yet genuinely livable homes, the husband/wife team of Sally Wilson, ASID and John Kelsey, CAPS continues to garner acclamations for their design talents. Their firm has been published both locally and nationally and has received numerous regional and national awards including The Institute of Classical Architecture and Classical America New Englands 2011 award for Best Residential Interior Design and Interior Renovation; American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) New England Design Excellence First Place Awards for a Residential Bath and a Residential Space, Dream Home Awards inclusive of a Gold Award for Best Kitchen Remodel, a Silver Award for Best Design of a Condo/Townhouse/Loft, and a Silver Award for Best Bathroom Remodel; a COTY Award for Best Kitchen over $150,000 presented by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and Silver Prism Awards for Best Kitchen Remodel over $150,000 and Best Interior Design of a Living Area sponsored by the Builders Association of Greater Boston.

Based outside of Boston, Massachusetts, the duo is unique in that they bridge the gap between architect and decorator. They share a strong technical background, including the ability to read and prepare architectural drawings. The former producer of This Old House referred to their work as heavy-duty interior design. In organizing their firm, they have divided the labor between them into the hard and the soft. John designs and details the hard interior architectural detailing, cabinet design, lighting, interior construction drawings, construction field supervision, and consultant coordination. Sally initiates and implements project concepts inclusive of interior design, furniture, decorative lighting, antiques, fabrics, and color and finish selections. The homes they design are elegant and sophisticated but always with a sense of comfort and livability. With backgrounds in commercial and corporate design as well as private residences the team specializes in a variety of project types.

WILSON KELSEY DESIGN

Phone: (617) 292-3380

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2012 Ellis Boston Antiques Show Features Guest Speaker Sally Wilson, ASID of the Award Winning Boston Interior Design ...

Georgella Rothacker Ray (nee Deck), 93, of Elyria, formerly of Cincinnati, passed away peacefully Wednesday, September 19, 2012, in her home. She was born March 23, 1919 in Cincinnati, and has been a resident of Elyria since 2000.

She was formerly employed as an interior decorator with Callico Corners in Cincinnati. She enjoyed playing bridge, golf and painting with watercolors and spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Georgella is survived by a daughter, Ruth L. (Larry) Russ of Elyria; grandchildren, Scott (Shelly) Russ, Jason (Ginger) Russ, April (Stephan) Schlegelmilch, Rob (Deanne) and Mike (Marcie) Fitzpatrick; and 15 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Ralph Rothacker in 1996; second husband, James Ray; brother, William B. (Sylvia) Deck in 1991; and parents, William H. and Eva May (nee Fisher) Deck.

A funeral service will be 11:30 A.M., Friday, September 21, 2012 at Epiphany United Methodist Church, 6635 Loveland-Miamiville Rd., Loveland, with Pastors Scott and Jason Russ officiating. Burial will be in Rest Haven Memorial Park, Cincinnati.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Heartland Hospice, P.O. Box 10086, Toledo, OH 43699-0086. Dicken Funeral Home, Elyria, handled arrangements.

For online condolences, visit http://www.dickenfuneralhome.com.

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Georgella Rothacker Ray

Carmi Martin on her search for a partner: Pinagdaanan ko na yung gumulung-gulong ako, umiyak ako, and everything just to find the right guy.

Papasok na si Carmi Martin bilang kontrabidang si Divine sa 3rd generation ng Luna Blanca.

Makakasama ni Carmi sa third book ng Luna Blanca sina Heart Evangelista at Bianca King na gaganap sa twin title roles.

Kasama rin sa cast sina Christopher de Leon, Mark Herras, at Lani Mercado.

Sa presscon ng Luna Blanca noong Martes ng hapon sa mezzanine ng Imperial Palace Suites, nakausap ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) si Carmi.

Ikinagulat daw ni Carmi ang pagpasok sa teleserye dahil wala nang pasakalye pa ang pagiging kontrabida niya.

Sabi niya, Actually, noong binasa ko yung script, sabi ko, Aba! Okey 'to! Hindi man lamang unti-unti? Bad kaagad!

Hindi man lamang nag-isip-isip. Talaga namang doon sa sukdulan kaagad.

Ang ibig sabihin, hindi na kailangang i-workshop pa ang character niya dahil bihasa na siya ganitong mga role.

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Carmi Martin on her search for a partner: “Pinagdaanan ko na yung gumulung-gulong ako, umiyak ako, and everything just ...

Jean Francois is a single guy who loves adventure travel rock-climbing, hiking and backpacking, in particular. While scaling sheer rock faces in the far corners of Earth, he collected special souvenirs along the way, and took lots of photos. He recently bought a pint-size, one-bedroom house that was just the kind of place he wanted to call home. But it was missing that personal touch.

Jean Francois bought a sofa and positioned it in the tiny living room, but then drew a blank when it came to filling the rest of the space with his few, but meaningful, possessions.

After traveling for months at a time, this confirmed bachelor wanted a space to come home to, where he could relax with friends or get comfortable with a good book. We had to come up with a multifunctional plan that included his sofa, carpets and travel mementos, but one that also used his small, 200-square-foot living room and dining room to maximum advantage. I wanted this space to be a true reflection of Jean Francois' personality and his passion for adventure travel, so I came up with a design that made the most of his photos, artifacts and other souvenirs.

First, we opened up the space by removing a corner cupboard and a bulky electric radiator under the window. The old ceiling came down, and we installed recessed lighting along with new insulation and drywall. Jean Francois' comfy sofa took up residence in the former dining room, along with a stylish, low coffee table with a hinged top that swings up to create the perfect working surface. The walls in this old house were uneven, and to deal with that we used the oldest trick in the book we covered them up with gorgeous, textured chocolate-brown cork wallpaper that is masculine yet provides the perfect backdrop for the art and accessories we chose. A pair of indigo-and-white geometric print area rugs, one for each "room," helped to separate and anchor the two spaces, while uniting them in appearance.

I wanted the casual dining-room area to be a place where Jean Francois could entertain a few friends in relaxed comfort. A stylish, yet welcoming, burnt-orange settee is flanked by two tall full-height custom bookcases, providing lots of display space for his travel mementos and books. We installed mirrored tiles on the wall behind the settee to reflect light and give the illusion of more space. If I had to choose one "showstopper" piece in this makeover, it would be the custom-made table designed specifically to reflect Jean Francois' personality. This solid, round steel table sits on a base that incorporates actual rocks, bringing to mind the many cliffs he has scaled. It's a raw, yet refined, piece that reflects its owner's personality to a T.

To make this space even more personal, we used some of Jean Francois' own photos to create tall photography scrolls that we positioned on either side of the doorway leading into the front hall. Fresh paint, a stylish new flat radiator, new full-height draperies and the soft new lighting all combine to give this space a completely different feel. It's still compact, but multifunctional and hardworking, doing triple duty as lounge, library and dining room.

Best of all, this bachelor-pad makeover was designed with Jean Francois in mind. We took care to create a space that would truly be home; a place where this world traveler could hang his hat, at least temporarily, while he plans his next adventure.

Interior decorator Candice Olson is host of HGTV's "Candice Tells All." For more ideas, information and show times visit http://www.hgtv.com/candice-tells-all/show/index.html.

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Bachelor-pad makeover has personality plus

Rina is a city girl through and through. Husband Nilesh enjoys living in their new suburban home, and wants to help his wife get over her culture shock so they can settle down and enjoy their new space. The solution? I was hired to bring the city to suburbia.

The family room in this young couple's home was stuck in a time warp. Faux finishes of every description, a stucco ceiling, a worn carpet and a dated fireplace insert created a culture shock of their own an '80s time warp, to be exact.

Rina missed the exciting vibe and trendy flair of her former downtown haunts, but the extensive changes that would be necessary to update this space were daunting for the young homeowners. Fortunately, our team has lots of experience with transforming spaces from dated designs to new-century cool. "Hip" and "trendy" were the watchwords for this reno, so we set about creating a space that would help Rina warm up to suburban living.

The sheer scope of this job was impressive.

My grand plan involved a fireplace makeover, removal of the dated wainscoting and a smooth, freshly drywalled ceiling complete with recessed lighting. An unsightly bulkhead would be nicely camouflaged within the design of club-style banquette seating, and the rest of the room would be filled with modern furniture, a work space and a media center. Everything would be centered on the focal point of this room, the fireplace.

The clock was ticking, so the crew dug in and gutted the room. Once we were down to a blank slate, it was time to rebuild the club-inspired party room from the ground up. We installed a wooden floor that blended with the flooring in the rest of the house. We also tackled the rough walls with their various faux finishing treatments. Smoothing them out involved "skimming," a tedious but necessary process that banished the ragging, sponging and stenciling for good. Did I mention the crackle finish? Yikes!

The family-room fireplace got a classy face-lift with the installation of a new gas insert and a surround made from a gorgeous, cream-colored quartz stacked stone with a natural sparkle just the thing to glam up the place. We flanked the fireplace with a large glass-fronted display case and a media center.

Directly opposite is a swanky lounge area, complete with the rich, custom-made banquette and Rina and Nilesh's reupholstered tulip chairs, all positioned around a round, quartz-topped cocktail table with a pedestal base carved to resemble a tree. Plentiful throw cushions give the banquette a feeling of cozy comfort at the end of the day, this space has to be glamorous, but livable, too.

Perhaps one of the coolest features of this room is the lighting accent that hangs above the table. A recessed light in the ceiling shines down on a group of crystal drop pendants, making them sparkle and adding just the right touch of classy elegance to this space.

To finish off the furnishings, we placed two charcoal loveseats on a creamy, textured area rug and added an oval ottoman in the center. Creamy drapes flanking graphic printed roller blinds for the patio doors and a small work center tucked into the corner add the finishing touches to a hip and cool, but still functional, gathering place.

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Trendy décor makeover revives a dated family room

Gertrude Brooks Hankin, 90, of Jenkintown, interior decorator for several buildings developed by the Hankin Organization, died Thursday, July 19, at her home.

Mrs. Hankin was the wife of Perch Hankin, one of the founders of the Hankin Organization.

Born in Philadelphia, she graduated from Overbrook High School, attended Bucknell University, and earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts at what is now Arcadia University in 1943 after marrying Mr. Hankin in 1942.

She worked in the chain of millinery stores operated by her parents in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Delaware.

Son Mark, founder of the Hankin Management Co., successor to the Hankin Organization, said in a Monday interview that his parents' firm built and operated the George Washington Motor Lodges in King of Prussia, Trevose, Plymouth Meeting, and Allentown and operated Howard Johnson motels in Horsham and Willow Grove.

Mrs. Hankin was responsible for the interior decoration at all, Mark Hankin said.

The firm also developed, among other locations, the Willow Grove Bowling Lanes and its three restaurants, whose decoration she managed, he said.

Mrs. Hankin was a founding shareholder of the Bank and Trust Co. of Old York Road in Willow Grove and the Bank of King of Prussia, for whose offices she was the interior decorator.

She was president of the local chapter of ORT America and of the auxiliary of the Home for the Jewish Aged, both in the 1960s, Mark Hankin said. She was a member of the Israel Bonds organization.

Besides her son, Mrs. Hankin is survived by another son, George; daughter Madeline Nappen; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Her husband died in 1990.

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Gertrude Brooks Hankin, 90, interior decorator