Re:Fresh Design Studio

Re:Fresh Design Studio has a New Home

2010-01-05T01:56:00.006-06:00

This blog has moved!

Please take a moment to update your RSS Feeds, bookmarks and blogrolls so that you don't miss any new posts!!

The new site is: http://www.refreshdesignonline.com/blog/

Click on the link or image below to go directly there.

Don't worry, you will see all the old content on the new blog!! :-)

{Get This Look} A Front Door with Impact

2010-01-04T01:42:00.000-06:00

Today's post will be very quick as I'm working on the final touches on my new blog layout and website all day. Please come back tomorrow to be redirected to my new site!! For now I'll leave you with an easy {Get this Look} idea for your door.

Try painting the inside of your door black. It creates interest and a bold focal point in a small entryway and is super simple to do for a weekend project.

image from Elle Decor

{Quote of the Week} Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T11:22:00.000-06:00

 Happy New Year! 

I hope 2010 brings you lots of joy, success and happiness. May you learn to broaden your horizons this year and find more things to love! I have a feeling this is going to be a great year.

{Inspired By} My Bedroom Inspiration Search

2009-12-31T12:10:00.000-06:00

Still working on my bedroom idea search and found a few that I really like. It seems like the theme here is neutral walls with a pop of color in the bedding.

Ideal Home

I love the art above the bed, the chandelier and pillows and the gold lamp.

Home and Gardens

Loving the round pillows! And elephant prints and the vintage phone on the nightstand. Although the scale of that nightstand looks way too small to me.

Living Etc

Bright and one large fun graphic behind the bed adds a pop of interest that I like.

Living Etc

Love the lamps, and gray/yellow color combo.

Living Etc

Wallpaper behind the bed is great and the face pillows are fun!

Ideal Home

Ahh, doesn't this room feel so peaceful...

Country Homes and Interiors

A little nautical feel to this room and loving the plank walls and black and white bedding.

Country Homes and Interiors

Liking the stripped rug here as well as the mirrored nightstand. And look at those floors!

Lots of inspiration here folks, but I'm starting to see a theme...

{DIY Idea} Fabric Wall hanging

2009-12-30T00:40:00.000-06:00

Homes and Gardens

Here's an idea I've seen a few times and I like the fact that this can be a bold option for a headboard that is much less permanent and easy to switch out of your tastes change quickly like mine! All you need to do is hang a rod over the bed and drape a fabric remnant over that. Easy Peasy.

2010 is Rapidly Approaching

2009-12-29T11:53:00.001-06:00

Hey there blogland!

Today I thought I'd do a New Year's Resolutions/Goals post after being inspired by the series over at Discover:ID and various other blogs. Maybe I'll actually stick to them this year if I write them down for all to see!

So, without further ado, here are both my professional and personal 2010 Goals:

1. Launch Re:fresh Design Studio (the ID business) website and reveal the new blog layout. Find ways to successfully market my business. It's getting closer everyday to being done and I'm getting really excited! I hope to have it launched shortly after the new year.

(Sneak peek at my new logo! Stay tuned for more!)

2. Increase blog readership on my blog and remember to be a better commenter on other people's blogs. (I tend to read fast and move on, so I need to slow down and get my comments in).

3. Clean out one closet in my house per week and organize, organize, organize! Take before and after photos to stay motivated.

4. Better my photography skills with the camera that I have and work towards saving for my dream camera.

5. Keep up with my new weekly posting series and schedule for the blog. I'm a much better blogger when I have a (loose) schedule to follow! Of course I give myself leeway to post about whatever I want, whenever. Like today I wanted to do a resolutions post instead of a DIY idea. :)

Mon: {Get this Look}

Tues: {DIY Idea}

Wed: {Designer Tip}

Thurs: {Inspired By:}

Fri: {Quote of the Week}

6. Try to accomplish more DIY projects. Maybe one a week would be a good goal for now. And of course I'll make sure to blog all about it.

Chairs I painted and re-upholstered in 2009

7. Keep working on my house, updating one room at a time as we can and share the pics with you all!

8. Find a space in my house to create a proper office nook. Find a thrift store desk to revamp, and work at the desk each day instead of on the sofa!

Those are all the goals I can think of today, but I'm sure I'll be adding to this list as I come up with more ideas in the wee hours of the night ;) How about you guys? Have you made resolutions/goals for 2010 yet? Or do you not bother because you know you'll never accomplish them? I've always been somewhere in the middle, but 2010 is going to be a big year for me so I figured they were worth writing down and getting out there in the world!!

{Get This Look} Serene Bedroom

2009-12-28T13:53:00.000-06:00

I'm loving this bedroom from this month's Elle Decor.

The sereneness of the pale blue walls, the uniquely shaped headboard that you could easily DIY, the black lampshades and the brass of all the light fixtures in the room (yes, brass is back, just not the shiny brass. Dull, antiqued brass is much better). I like the symmetry of the nightstand, lamps and pictures above the lamps. The natural rug (looks like seagrass or jute) and the all white bedding. I also really like the bench at the end of the bed with it's curvy legs. You could easily reproduce this look in your own home without spending much money.

I can't wait to get started on my bedroom makeover, but I'm going to take my time and find lots of inspiration first!

{Quote of the Week} Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T02:16:00.001-06:00

Here's a quote I've always loved from childhood. I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas day with your friends and family members! Thank you so much to all of my readers this year! Without you guys I wouldn't have had the courage to start this blog this year, but I'm so glad I did! Thanks for taking the time to read Re:fresh Design Studio this year. We have lots of fun changes coming in 2010 and I can't wait!

Merry Christmas!

{Inspired By} Large Prints

2009-12-24T13:54:00.000-06:00

I'm loving these enlarged horse prints that are showing up everywhere. What a great way to create a focal point in a room. Now this wouldn't have to be a horse, it could be a flower, another animal, your child. The cool part is that it is blown up large! Hope you guys are enjoying Christmas Eve!

Apartment Therapy 2009 Homies Award

2009-12-23T18:34:00.000-06:00

Hey Friends!

I'm so excited to see that I was nominated for a Homie award from Apartment Therapy! I'm nominated along with a bagillion other AWESOME design blogs so I have no doubt that I won't win, but it is still fun to see some votes for me.

So if any of ya'll out there love my blog as much as I love writing it, please go here to cast your vote for me after signing in to an account you can create!! It's super easy and quick! Thanks, loves! I truly appreciate all my readers out there. You are why I do this!!

Here are the details on the voting schedule:

{Designer Tip} What a Gem!

2009-12-23T00:51:00.003-06:00

SHOP AT THRIFT STORES!

I found this pair of nesting side tables that I am now using as my coffee table in my living room. When I first saw it I was attracted to the bamboo-like legs and glass top. I figured I would paint it once I got it home, but now that I've been living with it for awhile, I really like it the way it is! There are some rough spots and the color is chipping off so I might go over it with some bronze paint to take away some of the shiny gold-ness of it. My point is, if you can't find something you like in the mass stores, head to your local thrift and you might just hit gold! ;)

How about you guys? What is the best thing that you have found in a thrift store? Or what have you been searching for that you just haven't found yet?

{DIY Idea} Petal Pillow

2009-12-22T12:04:00.000-06:00

This DIY project idea comes courtesy of Do It Yourself Magazine. I saw this pillow and just thought it was so cute. It would be a fun way to spruce up your sofa or bed and I think anyone could do it! Here are the step by step instructions from DIY mag:

Step #1:

What you’ll need:
Plate
Felt
Tailor’s chalk
Rotary pinking cutter
Cutting mat
Needle and thread
Pillow

Get Started
1. Using a plate as a template, trace a circle on a felt piece with tailor’s chalk.

Step # 2:

From the outside edge, draw a 2-inch-wide spiral into the center of the circle.

Step # 3:

On a cutting mat, cut along the line with a rotary pinking cutter. Careful! The cutter is sharp.

Step # 4:

To start your flower, fold the circular center of the spiral up and over. Secure the base with several hand-sewn stitches in a matching thread.

Step # 5:

Complete several inches of running stitch along the spiral. Holding the thread, gather your fabric and secure it to the flower’s center. Continue stitching, gathering, and securing until you have a rose. Finish with a simple whipstitch, and trim off the leftover felt.

Step # 6:
Repeat Steps 1 through 5 to construct a second, smaller rose from your trimmed leftover felt. Secure the felt roses to the pillow.

Step # 7:

For the stem and leaves, hand-stitch small wood beads to your pillow fabric.

DIY Tip: Save time -- and your fingers -- by hot-gluing a strand of fun beads to the pillow. A simple running stitch of embroidery floss or pearl cotton is a great alternative to beads.

And there you have it! A cute, cheap pillow to give your home some fresh color during the winter. Now, you may be thinking that I am a bad blogger because these are not my own pictures and I haven't actually done this craft myself but I am here to say that if I had more time before Christmas, I would definitely be trying this cute pillow! Unfortunately I still have to clean my house for company and finish my shopping and wrapping presents. So for those of you that are WAY ahead of me, you can try this project this week. But I'm guessing most of us will have to put this in our DIY files and pull it out another day. I think that is totally acceptable and I still want to be able to share fun DIY projects with you every week, even if I have no time to do them myself right now. Someday I will!!

{Weekend Update}

2009-12-21T13:28:00.001-06:00

This weekend was very busy, but great. We celebrated an early Christmas with my husband's family and got to enjoy making homemade ravioli with the family, playing games, and just relaxing and laughing together. I love this time of year.

We also celebrated my grandma's birthday on Sunday with a huge bunch of us from my side of the family. We snacked and ate ice cream cake which I love!

In between all the gathering madness, we've been working hard on my new website and blog makeover. I am so excited to be able to share this with you all very soon! My extraordinary programming husband has been working extra hard to get this launched soon! I am so looking forward to starting this new online interior design business. It's definitely a dream coming true and will hopefully be the perfect arrangement for us in the future. I hope to share a few sneak peeks with you this week so keep coming back this week! :)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are starting your (short) week off right today!

Image from House and Home.

{Get This Look} A Touch of Wallpaper

2009-12-21T11:53:00.001-06:00

I've posted before about wallpaper and how it is really coming back big these days. In my opinion it still must be used with care and in small doses and in a more modern print that the typical florals of the past. So with that being said, here are a few examples of ways to use wallpaper sparingly in your home.

This image shows wallpaper as the focal point of the room behind the fireplace. Any more of this paper and it would feel too overwhelming, but this amount is perfect. I love it tied in with the solid upholstered chairs and ottomans.

This room has a dash of wallpaper on the ceiling. I love this idea. Keeping the walls bare and light keeps this room from feeling heavy. Notice that the bed linens, pillows and curtains are not coordinated in the same pattern, nor should they ever be. (IMO)

This is a great idea for those wallpaper-phobes. Adding a touch of pattern with wallpaper to the back of buffets, cabinets or bookshelves can be high impact with a low commitment.

Images from House and Home

{Quote of the Week} Happy Friday

2009-12-18T09:58:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you all have a relaxing weekend coming up. I know I could use some good sleep and time to finish up my last minute Christmas shopping! I have some exciting blog changes coming up soon as well as the addition of my business website for Re:fresh Design Studio, so make sure to stay tuned!!! I can't wait to share it with you all!

{Inspired By}: Etsy Lamps

2009-12-17T00:34:00.000-06:00

Found here

Found Here.

I LOVE all of these! Talk about inspiration for clients!

{Designer Tip} Styling on a Budget

2009-12-16T10:56:00.001-06:00

Here are 5 tips that I enjoyed reading from Lonny Magazine:

Images and tips from Lonny Magazine and interior designer, Vanessa De Vargas

{DIY Idea} Stool Update

2009-12-15T11:03:00.000-06:00

So I was feeling the urge this weekend to DIY something. Anything. Cue lightbulb. I had some fabric in my basement that was sitting around, I was bored with my kitchen stools...

So I took them apart by taking out the screws and lifting off the cushion.

I spread out the fabric on the floor and stapled it on all around the cushions.

I then reassembled the chairs. All of this took me maybe 30 minutes tops.

I now have a fun punch of pattern on my kitchen stools. It was a super easy, quick way to jazz up my boring stools with a fun punch of personality!

{Get This Look} Cheery Bedroom

2009-12-14T13:20:00.002-06:00

I've been searching for bedroom ideas so that I can redecorate my master bedroom and also my guest bedroom. My hubby might think this is a little bright for the master bedroom, so I'll be taking tips for the guest room from this photo. I love a bright, cheery room. Especially on a cold, winter day!

What I love/ideas to steal for your own home:

1. A patterned rug on the floor adds a fun pop of color, defines the sleeping area, and adds soft comfort on those tootsies in the morning.

2. White walls, trim, sheets and bed skirt keep things bright and neutral. Add that pop of color on the duvet, pillows and curtains. This makes it easier to change your color scheme whenever you'd like.

3. Add another pattern with the curtains. Make sure to mix the scale of your patterns and keep them in them same color family. ie:the pattern on the rug is large, so adding a smaller scale pattern in the curtains looks better and an even smaller scale like the check pillow on the bed ties the whole thing together.

4. Love the dash of black in the lamps as well as the mirrors and one pillow. Black keeps the room grounded and from looking too candy coated.

5. An unexpected item: the front pillow on the bed does not necessarily "go" with anything else in the room. It adds a fun unexpected twist, but doesn't look out of place.

Image from Canadian House and Home

Silver Sparkle

2009-12-10T21:08:00.001-06:00

Here's a little peek into the mini silver tree that I set up in my living room. We put the larger tree in our family room and it's not quite finished so I'll just show you this one for now.

I used a small side table that I normally keep up in my guest room to set the tree on.

For the tree skirt, I just grabbed some leftover linen fabric I had and wrapped it around the base of the tree to cover up the unattractive parts. I'm pretty happy with it.

What do you guys think of it? Do you have more than one tree in your house? Anybody use non-traditional trees like this silver one or do you just stick to the green variety?

Color Infusion

2009-12-08T12:50:00.000-06:00

I'm loving these bookcases with navy blue painted on the back of them. This is a great way to showcase color in your home without painting an entire wall with it. The blue looks great here with the green walls as well. Take note that all the furnishings are neutral. If your wall colors are bright and colorful, then stick with neutral furnishings so the room doesn't look too crazy and colorful.

Image from Canadian House and Home

Stuck

2009-12-07T13:17:00.000-06:00

Hey guys!

I'm busy working on content today for my new website and am feeling a little writer's block. Anyone have any good recommendations for help on writing web content? Any good book suggestions or interesting websites to check out? Any ideas you all have would be welcomed! Thanks!

Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis Flickr

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree...

2009-12-04T11:08:00.000-06:00

Well today is the day that I have decided to go ahead and pull out all the Christmas boxes out from under the stairs and start decorating. When you have a five year old little friend around who is so excited about Christmas and decorating the tree, it's hard to say no. So we'll have a busy day today going through all the boxes and adding our favorite decorations on the tree.

It probably won't end up looking as pretty as this tree, but we'll do our best! How about the rest of you? Have you decided to finally put up your Christmas decorations? Or will you be putting it off a little longer? It is snowing here today so I figured the holiday season has begun! :)

Trying to get in the mood

2009-11-30T12:22:00.001-06:00

Everywhere I look, Christmas decorations are popping up. As soon as Thanksgiving is over it seems like people(and retail stores) are just hopping to get the Christmas spirit going. Now, although I love the Christmas season, I'm not really in the mood to rush Christmas this year. It's probably because there hasn't been snow on the ground yet really and I need that to feel Christmas-y. And this year has flown by so fast that it just doesn't seem right that I will be turning 28 already in January.

But since many of my friends and family are already putting up those decorations, I figured that I better get in the mood for Christmas ASAP or I'll be too late in putting up the tree when I get back home. I was browsing through some images to get my Christmas ideas flowing so I thought I'd share some inspiration with you!

Hopefully these images will spark your decorating imagination as well as mine!

Images from here.

Hot Cider to warm my soul and cold feet

2009-11-30T12:00:00.001-06:00

Well, I'm still in Arizona and unfortunately the weather has been a bit chilly the last few days here. Much warmer than back home in Minnesota, of course, but still quite cool for my idea of Arizona. It's been about 64 degrees and cloudy during the day and down to about 30 degree at night. Similar to fall in MN. So, I've been thinking about ways to warm up and this cider recipe looked so simple and yummy and easy to do that I thought I'd share with you all.

Hot Spiked Cider

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

6 oz. hot apple cider
3 whole cloves
1 stick of cinnamon
1-1/2 oz. bourbon

Hope you enjoy!

Recipe from here.

Giving Thanks

2009-11-25T12:26:00.000-06:00

As Thanksgiving approaches tomorrow, I realize that I have so much to be thankful for this year. My family, my friends, my health, writing this blog and reading all of the other wonderful blogs this year has really opened my eyes to all the beautiful design that is out there and has encouraged me to follow my dreams and start my own design business. It is a lot of hard work, but I have been inspired by those out there who are already doing it and are very successful.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with lots of family and relaxing time as well. I'm spending the day with my parents and relatives on Thursday and then Friday morning my husband and I are heading back to Arizona to spend the week with his grandparents again. I am so thankful that we are able to go and help out during this tough time for them. I'll be back to regular posting on Monday from AZ!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Centerpiece ideas from Better Homes and Gardens

Switching Teams

2009-11-24T22:34:00.000-06:00

Okay friends, I just got back from seeing New Moon and I am so happy! It was MUCH better than I was expecting! I really went into it thinking that it wouldn't be that good because the Twilight movie was not that great but I figured it would just be fun to see the second book come to life anyways. BUT I was pleasantly surprised with the movie. Sure, it had it's awkward moments and a few cheesy lines, but it stayed pretty true to the book and in my opinion helped speed up the plot line a bit. New Moon was my least favorite of the 4 books because it seemed to drag on too long, but the movie did a good job of speeding through some of the slow parts.

And I'm pretty sure that because of this:

that I have officially switched teams. I mean, reading the books, I was always pro-Edward all the way, but in the movie these two:

have WAY more chemistry than these two:

So what do you guys think? Have you seen it yet? Do you agree with me or are you still Team Edward?

House of Habit

2009-11-23T22:11:00.000-06:00

While reading this months (final) edition of Metropolitan Home, I came across these unique, custom made furniture legs. Designers can customize each leg by choosing the height, color and material. They can be shipped to a furniture maker or used to update existing pieces of furniture. This product is available to the Trade only. A few of my favorites from House of Habit:

Painted

Stones

Glass

Metal

Leather

DIY: Chalkboard Frame

2009-11-19T15:01:00.000-06:00

Here's a DIY idea, I stumbled across today while browsing House and Home. This would be such an easy thing to recreate at home. Just take any old picture frame or mirror that you like, and paint either the mirror glass or frame backing with chalkboard paint. Chalkboard paint is available at any hardware store and it comes in many colors.

I plan on trying this idea myself by finding an old frame or mirror at a thrift store and then going to town with the chalkboard paint. How easy!

Bright and Cheery

2009-11-18T22:15:00.000-06:00

Who says wallpaper can't be fun and modern? For more updated wallpaper ideas, check this out.

{Image from Canadian House and Home}

$6 and a trip to Goodwill

2009-11-17T14:29:00.001-06:00

Instant chic way to display a bar.

How to work with your existing trim color

2009-11-16T16:51:00.000-06:00

When you flip through most design magazines, you'll notice that almost all of the rooms in the magazines have at least one thing in common. There may be many more things, but what I notice the most is that most rooms have white trim. I love white trim. Mainly because I live in a home that has oak trim as well as oak doors, and oak cabinets. Really, in my opinion, that is just way too much oak. Now, oak can be beautiful if it has the right stain, but the oak in my home has a stain that keeps getting more orange with age. Oak tends to do that, so if you have an stain with an orange tint, it is just going to get stronger over time.

(Google Images)

White trim is nice because it fades into the background and allows for any paint color. White can also act as a nice contrast against darker colors allowing for the trim to stand out for things like crown molding. So, for those of us that live in homes that don't have white trim we have a couple of options. We can paint the trim white to update our homes (which is a huge undertaking) or we can take a clue from the tone of our existing wood trim or furniture and use colors that complement it. Also, some people truly like wood trim and that is completely fine too. It's all about personal taste and then choosing wall colors that will complement the tone of that wood and bring out it's natural beauty.

(House Beautiful)

For example, for wood that has an orange or honey tone such as pine and oak, a medium green works well to bring out more of the yellow tones in the wood and calm the orange. If you go with a blue, that will bring out more of the orange tone. An orange paint color will blend it with the wood and the wood will become lost. Yellow walls will bring out both the yellow and orange tones of the wood which creates warmth, but doesn't enhance the wood at all.

(Googe Images)

Dark finishes, such as mahoghany, walnut or cherry, stand out against a light color, whether it's a tint of green or blue or a hue from the sunny side of the color wheel. In the same way, light wood shows up boldly against dark or strong color on the walls.

If the dominant color in the wood appears to be red, then a green background will enhance and intensify the wood's hue.

Golden-yellow woods look great with warm red as well as earthy greens, teal, or eggplant.

Brown woods with yellow undertones complement buttery walls yet stand out boldly for high-contrast drama.

(House Beautiful)

Light walls with dark wood creates high contrast and allows the trim to stand out.

Antique woods may combine several tones so they can look good against a variety of light or dark colors.

So, if you're like me and aren't a huge fan of the tone of your wood trim or you just want to enhance the natural beauty of your trim I hope this helps you find some ideas that will make you happier with your home!

I've got the 5 month blogger itch

2009-11-12T12:11:00.000-06:00

I just read an article that talks about the 6 month blogger Itch. And now I know what it is that I am going through. Well, it has been 5 months since I started this blog and as much fun as it has been, I have been dragging the last couple of weeks. Sometimes it is tough to come up with new content everyday. Especially when I am reading many of the same things on other design blogs. I need to pick up my slack a little bit, find some inspiration and keep blogging! Because I really love doing it and I want to be able to help and inspire my readers on a daily basis by showing them lovely design, talking about why it works and ways that they can achieve the same look in their own home. Sometimes it is hard as a blogger when you don't receive feedback via your comments section. Bloggers want to know that their readers enjoy what they are writing and I am no exception!

So, all you peeps out there reading this blog, please take a moment and write me a little comment if you guys enjoy what you're reading! I'd love to hear your feedback and thoughts about what you would like to see more of on this blog, how I can help you achieve your design goals in your home and I'd really like to know more about you, the reader. I really do appreciate all of you that are reading my blog and I know you are there because I can see my stats! So please introduce yourself and let me know you're there so I am motivated to keep going! Thanks, everybody! ;)

Oh and stay tuned because I am working on adding design services to this blog soon as well as a link to my website and portfolio!

Have a wonderful day!

Catching up and Black walls

2009-11-11T13:43:00.000-06:00

So I've been a little MIA these days on the blog, but it has been a busy couple of weeks. I had a great time volunteering at the ASID sample sale last week. Even though I didn't have time to do any shopping and share pictures with you guys, it was still fun to see all the great discounts there. Hopefully next year I'll actually be able to do some shopping there. I'm going to start saving NOW!

My mom hosted her first jewelry show this past weekend as well and it was so fun to help her out and ooh and ahh over the beautiful jewelry she designs. The sale was quite the success and hopefully I can start to share some of the jewelry on this blog someday soon! She really has gorgeous stuff!

On a totally unrelated topic, what do you all think about black walls? I saw this picture from Canadian House and Home and I am really loving it. I think in a space with lots of windows, or in a bedroom if you like things dark in there (I do), a black wall could be really fun and moody. Obviously, white bedding and other light accessories is a must to keep the room from looking like a dungeon.

Just yesterday I was checking out Pottery Barn online and saw this gorgeous star pendant similar to the one in the photo above and fell in love. I wasn't sure if I wanted to get it or not, but seeing it in this photo has me thinking I definitely should!

So what do all of you think about black walls? I'd love t hear your thoughts!

ASID Sample Sale

2009-11-05T11:06:00.000-06:00

Here is where I will be working today:

I can't wait to check out all the designer showroom goodies that will be discounted 50-80%! This event is open to the public on Friday and Saturday so be sure to stop by if you have time and find some great new items for your home!

International Market Square
275 Market St., Suite 700
Minneapolis, MN 55405

Find more details here.

Quiz me

2009-11-03T13:04:00.001-06:00

Hey everybody!

Today I was visiting the Young House Love blog, where they posted about the Ethan Allen style quiz they recently took.

So I decided to try it out as well and see what my results were and how accurate they might be. I took it twice and here were my results:

And here are some images that went along with the global style results:

I'm definitely attracted to these two spaces, but do they define my style? I'm not sure since I took the quiz again and came up with these results:

And here are some images that went along with the metro style results:

Now these images I love. They are fun and contemporary with pops of color. Interestingly enough though, my home looks more like the global images above, but I am always more drawn to metro images like these. Hmmm. Well, I guess we would have to say that my style is a mix of both global and metro (as Ethan Allen calls it) then.

If you want to try your hand at figuring out your style, try the Ethan Allen style quiz for yourself, here.

If anything, it's a fun exercise and may give you some ideas for your home!

Trick or Treat

2009-10-31T19:31:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!

Hope you all have a fun and safe weekend!!

Nursery Design

2009-10-28T15:41:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of friends that have recently had babies or will be having babies really soon. So, I've been thinking about nursery design these days. Here are a few of my favorites that I've found along the way.

Found via Spearmint Baby

Holly Mathis Interiors

Centsational Girl

Found via Little Green Notebook

Oh, and I can't forget my good friend, Angel who designed the cutest room for her little man, Silas.

*Unfortunately I don't have sources for the top six images. I started saving these cute photos long before I realized I'd need the credits for the blog. If you recongnize where one of these photos are from, please let me know and I will give proper credit. Thanks!

Lessons Learned by Reading Design Magazines

2009-10-27T11:47:00.002-05:00

Every month I've been finding myself looking forward to the day that the latest issue of Coastal Living arrives in my mailbox. I started receiving it because of my ASID membership, but I had never really paid much attention to it before that. I am finding that I really enjoy checking out the Idea Houses in each issue. I also like that not everyone on the internet is blogging and talking about the latest issue before I can get my hands on a copy. Each issue is still a new surprise, unlike House Beautiful (which I love) that is written about so frequently that I've seen all the photos online before the issue even arrives in the mail. So hopefully I am not ruining the surprise for any of you that have yet to read the latest issue of Coastal Living, but I was excited to show some fun photos of the Seawatch Idea House from the November issue. I'll start by showing you the floorplans of the house. I love looking at the floor plans so I can understand the flow of the home. It's like putting together the puzzle pieces and seeing how everything flows together.

I like the upholstered walls in this room. It adds a layer of texture and coziness to the space. I also like the uniqueness of the limed oak fireplace with no mantel. Such a clean look. I also am really drawn towards the bird prints on either side of the fireplace creating symmetry.

An interesting feature of this room is the matching fabric and drapery. The designer, Phillip Sides, had the fabric backed with paper or latex so that it could be applied to the walls. Probably not my favorite look, but innovative nonetheless.

What I am loving about this kitchen is the light fixture over the island and the fact that the island is a different wood than the black and white cabinets. What a fresh way to mix it up and add interest to a kitchen. The shades really tie in the medium stain on the island for a cohesive look. Also, notice the back of the stools with the handles on the back. Unexpected touches like that keep things interesting.

Seriously love the mix of patterns here. I want to get better at this. This is a playful space. I am especially loving the fabric on the chair. Here is a close-up shot of the fabric.

I think it looks great on the chair, bench at the foot of the bed and as pillows. Something to take note of is the repetition of fabrics in this room. Even if this room is not your favorite, you can learn the value of repetition by studying this photo. It really helps move your eye around the room and creates harmony in the space.

This kid area is so cute with the reading light cubby holes. They are covered in raffia and embellished with nailheads.

This room grabs my attention for so many reasons. I love the botanical coverlet which acts as the color source for this bedroom. The blue walls and green draperies are colors pulled directly from the coverlet. The bamboo bed adds a great natural, textural element that goes with the botanical coverlet. Also I love the unexpected table at the foot of the bed and the striped rug.

Every room you see in a magazine is an opportunity to study and learn from. You may not like the design or the colors, the design may be good or really bad, but as a designer I learn from both the good and bad points in every room. As a client you can study these rooms to learn more about what you like or dislike in any given room, thus helping you and your designer out. I encourage you to pick up a few design magazines and pay attention to what appeals to you in different rooms. Tear the pages out and take them shopping with you or save them for when you are ready to work with a designer. It will make the overall process easier for everyone involved.

Find more images of the Coastal Living 2009 Seawatch Idea House here.

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Creating an Inviting Entry to your Home

2009-10-26T14:34:00.001-05:00

Today I was searching for ideas for entryways and came across some great examples that I thought I'd share with you. Since the entry is the first area of your home that guests see, it is important to set the tone for the rest of your house there. Entry's should be welcoming and organized. It is likely that most of us throw down handfuls of stuff there when we are walking in the door from our busy days and I'd say it's safe to assume that we don't want our guests tripping over all our piled up stuff when they come to visit us. Entryways are also a great place to get creative and add some fun color. They are usually small spaces to don't be afraid to make this a "wow" space. So here are a few examples of entryways that are both welcoming, colorful and organized:

This is probably a larger foyer than most of us have, but I love the symmetry of this space. Some ideas that we can take from this example are: Using two console tables, matching mirrors, plant and lamp all add to the cohesive look to this area. Including a unique set of doors and a fun light fixture will add interest to the first room in your home.

Bright and airy walls and door add to the open feeling of this entry. A simple furniture piece covers what looks like to be an unsightly radiator. Simple artwork and some fresh flowers are welcoming. Notice only one pair of boots are here, not ten pairs. The patterned rug adds some subtle texture and interest here.

This is one of those "wow" entryways for people who love color. For those of you that think this is too much color, don't be afraid to paint one wall or use bright colors in the accessories and furniture with neutral walls for this small space. If you are someone who wants a completely separate entry space from the rest of your house, adding seamless glass doors like this that are un-framed will visually separate the space without looking heavy.

Using some standout pieces in any entryway is really fun. Take a look at that beautiful ghost chair. Usually seating in this area is a must to aid people in putting on their shoes, so an extra garden stool shown here under the table is great. A beautiful container for storing umbrellas is a wonderful way to keep the entry neat and organized. The table in the space allows enough room to throw down mail, keys and other items that you might need in this area.

This entry screams real life to me. Families have a lot of "stuff" and it all needs a place to be. Take ideas from this entry by hanging wire baskets to store mail and other items that pile up in this area. Large baskets on the floor can encourage your children to toss in their mittens and scarves and keep this area organized. Hooks for jackets, umbrellas, watering cans and brooms can make it easy to keep the entry clean and accessible to grab items on your way out the door. A bench with built-in storage will allow you to keep unsightly items hidden away.

Another way to keep your kids stuff organized is by adding cute cubbies like these to encourage each child to take care of their own space. If you don't like to look at all of your jackets and boots, adding doors to this shelving unit will hide everything away.

Add some drama to your entry by painting the walls a dark, rich color and adding a small, comfy sofa to sit on. Some fun artwork and lighting will finish off your welcoming and cozy entry.

Adding subtle stripes to your walls with paint can make the entry area interesting without going over the top. A mirror is nice to check yourself before you walk out the door and plant life is always a good idea here. Adding two chairs on either side of a console table adds to the formality of an entry, where a bench will be more casual.

Hopefully these ideas will help you get going on creating a welcoming, organized and interesting entryway that you will be proud to invite your guests into your home to see!

Images from House Beautiful and Canadian House and Home

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Welcome back?

2009-10-23T16:53:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! I made it safely home from Arizona and am catching up on laundry and unpacking. Unfortunately I left a sunny, warm Arizona and was rudely welcomed home to cold, wet snow. I had a great time visiting my husband's grandma and grandpa and other warmer climate relatives. It was so great to see how well grandma is doing despite the brain cancer and I'm so thankful we got to spend some quality time with her while she still knows what is going on. It really is amazing to see answered prayers.

Here is a photo of my last day in Arizona and what greeted me here in MN upon my arrival today. Here's hoping you have better weather where you are and that you had a great week while I was gone! I'll be back to regular posts on Monday!

Off to warmer weather!

2009-10-16T10:03:00.000-05:00

It has been cold, snowy, rainy, you name it, here in MN. Sort of a depressing fall. So tomorrow we are off to sunny Arizona where the latest temps have been in the upper 90's and have even reached 100 this week! I can't wait to enjoy some warmth during the coming week and spend some quality time with some family. I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures while I'm there and share them all with you! I know a flea market is on the to-do list for the weekend and I hope to find some good stuff. We also plan on doing some hiking and swimming and whatever else we come across. Hope you all enjoy your weekend and upcoming week!

Also, be sure to check out Kristin's blog, Discover:Interior Design today. I've been featured in her At Home Series! Thanks, Kristin!

Unique Headboards

2009-10-13T13:20:00.000-05:00

Image from Domino

Image from Cottage living via Little Green Notebook

Image from Little Green Notebook

All other images from House Beautiful

Headboards are a quick way to inject some interest into a bedroom. Many of these headboards can be DIY using some plywood, batting, fabric and a staple gun and will be less expensive than most headboards you can buy. Even using a folding screen or an old window or door can be an easy way to create the look of a headboard. Not only will a headboard ground your bed, but it will also help to establish the bed as the focal point of the bedroom, not to mention add some serious personality!

Inspiring Interiors: Thom Filicia Style

2009-10-12T13:11:00.000-05:00

I haven't been able to get my hands on a copy of Thom Filicia's book, Thom Filicia Style:Inspired Ideas for Creating Rooms You'll Love, yet but I have seen his work in pictures on the internet and I really like what I see.

I love his style, the layers of interest he creates in his rooms and the masculine touch to the decor.

Here is a peek into his Designer Visions Showhouse that was featured in the November issue of House Beautiful.

When I first saw this room, I fell in love with the large horses on the wall. I'm not sure what it is about them because I don't particularly like horses, but the sheer size of them is striking and beautiful. Definitely a focal point worthy of your attention. The unexpected pops of yellow on the chairs is fun and make the traditional klismos chairs feel modern. I love the round rug with the round table, the pattern on the drapes, the lantern style light fixture above the table and the reiteration of the round shapes in the room with the sculpture in front of the window.

Bright and colorful place settings are simple, yet glamorous. I don't think you'll be bored at a dinner party in this dining roon.

Grass cloth wall coverings, 2 fabrics on the sofas, the movement of the rug, the light fixture over the seating area and the two leather wing back chairs add so much interest to the living room. I can't decide what I like the most.

How great is the rope railing along this staircase? I love how unique this is. The one stripe leads you up the stairs in a clean and simple way with lots of impact.

This landing at the top of the stairs is so warm with the grass cloth wall covering, large, eclectic art in similar gold frames and wall sconces.

I'm not really a fan of this bathroom. It would be fine on it's own I suppose, but to me, it looks out of place with the rest of the home. Too cold and modern for this home.

This console table is amazing! Obviously that fact that it is white helps to keep it from looking gaudy-instead it looks clean and sculptural. The basket and grass cloth walls add texture and the simple lamps and mirror add symmetry that is pleasing to the eye.

A shot opposite the bed in the bedroom. The floor lamps are beautiful and create a nice symmetry around the dresser. The pop of color is so nice in the dresser and striped ottoman.

This bedroom shot is my favorite. I love the moody, dark gray walls broken up by thin white stripes, the copper starburst mirror, and the quatrefoil 4 poster bed. Notice how your eyes follow the lines on the walls and on the bed. Perfection.

All images from House Beautiful

Snow Update

2009-10-12T10:21:00.000-05:00

I'm seeing about 3 inches already this morning. Ahhhh....Winter has arrived too fast!

Hope it is still beautiful and fall-like in your area. I'm sad to not have a fall this year since fall is my favorite season. I guess MN is skipping a season and just going from summer to winter this year!

Seriously??

2009-10-10T11:19:00.000-05:00

I know that I live in MN and the likelihood of snow is possible at any time of the year really, but seriously? It's not even Halloween yet! I remember being so frustrated as a kid when it would snow on Halloween and we would have to wear our winter coats OVER our costumes! I really don't think it should snow before Halloween though! Argg... Here is what I woke up to this morning:

It's almost noon now and the snow still has not melted. I haven't even brought my plants in from the deck yet. Better get on that... Hope some of you out there are still enjoying fall in your neck of the woods!

On my To-Do List...

2009-10-08T12:52:00.000-05:00

I'm thinking of using multiple vintage hooks in my entry, similar to this.

Probably without the duck though. I'd love to paint the inside of my door black as well, but I think our home association might have a problem with it.

If you can, painting the inside of your door is a quick way to add some interest to a small entryway and call attention to that area by giving it some punch!

Things I love...

2009-10-05T16:51:00.000-05:00

about the 2009 Coastal Living Idea Cottage:

-The open space with soothing color pallete and pops of color.

-the texture of the rug

-the pillows on the couch add color, pattern and texture

-the large scale pattern on the stairwell

-the interesting light fixtures. 2 pendants over the dining table and amazing entry fixture.

-the tile in the kitchen going all the way up to the ceiling accentuates the tall ceilings, large hood, and light fixtures.

-the mix of metals in this home is beautiful

-the mix of light chairs, with heavy upholstered chairs on the ends creates a unique, lived-in look in the dining room.

-the mosaic art is a stunning color source for the home.

Great job, Coastal Living!!

Household Management Tip

2009-10-01T11:04:00.000-05:00

For those of you out there who are desperately searching for the instruction manual when your furnace doesn't seem to be working or can't find the cleaning instructions for your carpet or sofa when you spill something, I have just the thing for you. Since I was tired of having those same problems, I decided to take a clue from my interior design project binders and create a master folder for all my household appliances, furniture, paint samples & formulas, home insurance, and home association details. Any information pertinent to the the care of my home is stored in this three-ring binder. So, if I need to find my paint samples to bring to the store with me, I know exactly where they are.

I chose a typical three-ring binder to store all the info.

I labeled the binder Household Manual with my label maker:

I used clear plastic sleeves to slide all instruction manuals, floor plan, paint samples, etc into:

I labeled each section according to use and location. Ex: Kitchen appliances, Furniture, Paint, Garage, Insurance, etc.

So there you go! It's a super easy solution. Now, I have one place to go to look for anything household related that can help me out quickly when a problem or need arises. This manual has come in handy on more than one occasion and has saved us a lot of time since we are no longer running around the house trying to figure out where that certain instruction manual we're looking for is lying around. This will also be something that will come in handy when we decide to sell our house. Potential home buyers will be happy to see that all the information they need about the stove, furnace, AC, dishwasher, etc will all be in one place for them to reference.

So the next time you find yourself searching for that elusive paint sample or instruction manual, I suggest you take a few minutes and create one of these household manuals. You'll be glad you did!

Do you have any other ways to easily organize household information? I'd love to hear all about your tips in the comment section!

Blog Award: Honest Scrap

2009-09-30T15:23:00.000-05:00

Thank you to Kristin @ Discover:Interior Design for honoring me with the Honest Scrap award. I had a hard time coming up with ten things, but it was fun to go through the process!

Here are the rules I must follow, upon receiving this award:

Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award.
Share “10 Honest Things” about myself.
Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.
Tell those 7 people they’ve been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving.

10 Super-Honest Things About Me

I have been called a perfectionist, not because I do things perfectly, but because I want to do things the best I can. Often times the realization that I can't do things perfectly paralyzes me into doing nothing at all.
I have big dreams and ideas, but tend not to follow through. See # 1.
My hands and feet are always cold. Even in the summer.
I really don't like ironing, doing the dishes and putting away laundry. Or cooking, cleaning the bathrooms and vacuuming. Haha, I'm no Suzy Homemaker. But I love and need a clean house to feel sane.
I often wonder how I'm going to make it through another Minnesota winter.
I LOVE to read. Since childhood, I have read almost anything I can get my hands on. These days it is mostly blogs and magazines. But novels are the best and a great way to escape.
Yoga is the best thing I have ever done for myself.
I feel the most productive when I am stressed. I need a deadline.
I love the feeling of accomplishment after I complete a DIY project. I secretly wish I was a handyman like my dad who knows how to fix everything!
I appreciate that my parents took the time to teach me how to do things for myself instead of just doing things for me all the time. Because of that, I can cook, do basic maintenance on my car, fix minor things around the house and have a sense of competence trying a new DIY task that I've never done before.

Here are seven amazing bloggers I've chosen to participate, whose blogs I enjoy reading everyday!

Small Budget? No problem!

2009-09-29T23:27:00.000-05:00

At my casa, small budget is the name of the game. Since we're still newlyweds (kind of-we've hit the 2 year mark) and I've been in school most of our marriage, we have not yet had the luxury of 2 full-time incomes. But because I am a designer I have a constant itch to have the house fully designed, like, RIGHT NOW! Obviously that is not going to happen anytime soon, so we've slowly been buying pieces here and there and I have been stalking places like Home Goods and Goodwill for inexpensive accessories and furniture that I can revamp like my chairs that I recently shared with you.

I do really like how our humble abode is coming together though and it has been fun to try to figure out how to turn pieces of furniture that I don't really love into something that I do.

So last weekend I decided to take control of our dining room table. This table has actually become a funny story for us. When my husband and I first started dating we went to IKEA together because he wanted some help picking out an inexpensive table for his house which he shared with 3 other guys. So of course we picked out the most basic table that sat 4 and could be banged up by a bunch of single guys. Indeed it did get banged up a little, but we decided to keep the table when we moved into our home together because we wanted to spend our money on a sofa and other accessories instead of a table. Little did I know that the table I picked out for him years ago would get stuck in our home a few years later! If only I would have known.... ;)

Anyways, I wanted to make a change that would be big impact with low cost. I chose a mahogany stain that I had left over from a previous project and went to work! So here is the table that I started out with:

The table had been lightly stained with a few coats of poly so I began by sanding the table down to rough it up so the stain would adhere.

Next, I applied the stain, making sure to do long strokes across the entire length of the table going with the grain of the wood. The stain I used had poly already mixed in which allowed me to skip the final step of a separate poly and was a great time saver.

As you can see the table definitely needed a second coat. I let the table dry overnight, then lightly sanded any drips or rough spots again and made sure to completely wipe off using a tack cloth. I then applied a second coat of stain and let dry. I think it turned out great and it is amazing what a difference it makes in our dining space.

I really like how my white dishes stand out against the mahogany tabletop now. It feels much more contemporary and gives this piece a whole new look for cheap, cheap, cheap!

If you feel yourself getting tired of the furniture in your home, but are not ready to replace it, staining or painting is such a quick and easy fix to instantly update your home.

Design Crush: Kishani Perera

2009-09-28T22:30:00.000-05:00

I've recently seen some of Kishani Perera's work floating around the internet and I have fallen in love with her designs. I love the colors that she uses and the way her rooms are a bold statement with pops of color drawing your eye around the entire space, but do not feel overdone in any way. Here are some of my favorite images of hers:

I love how this gallery grouping of mirrors in black frames adds some drama to the floral wallpaper background.

This wood stack next to the fireplace is gorgeous and I love the mix of different wood tones in this room,

The pops of color in this space are great against the bluish gray walls and draw the eye around the room.

I absolutely love how serene this room feels with the muted pink walls and flowy, white drapes. The mix of the dark table with the white chairs is gorgeous and the rug adds fun, textural interest.

What can I say? This room is stunning. The pops of bright pink against the gray makes me happy and the lucite table on top of the zebra rug is amazing! I love how everything else in the space is a neutral backdrop.

I love purple, but it can sometimes look childish in a room. This purple is done perfectly and adds a touch of glamour to this bedroom mixed with white.

Pretty.

More dark gray and purple. Love that combination and the oversized chandelier is a beautiful focal point and I love the round back of the chairs.

The mix of colors in this space are lovely. The shadow cast off the pair of sconces adds great interest to the walls in this small, cozy room.

To see more of Kishani's beautiful work check out her website and her blog. All images are from Kishani's website.

Barclay Butera

2009-09-24T14:31:00.001-05:00

Today I attended an event at the local design center here in MN, International Market Square. One of the main speakers was Barclay Butera. He was a really a lot of fun to listen to after hearing all the buzz about him on the internet through design blogs and articles written about him.

Image found here.

His presentation was called Decorating in a New Economy. He brought up some good points about how good customer service really needs to be the cornerstone of your business. He spoke about things that he learned from his mother, also an interior designer, who had a very successful career. It was interesting to hear that when he presents his design proposal to a client, he line items everything out so that there are no surprises for the client. He says this works especially well when a client has a specific budget, but lets say they love the fabric used in the master bedroom and want to also use it in the living room. Barclay can then point to that line item and say okay we can do that, but here's how much you will be going over budget. He says that it is a great way to get the client to agree to go over budget when they can see every line item in front of them and make informed decisions without having to guess that they must have been overcharged for something. He also shared many pictures of spaces that he has designed over the years and ones that have made covers of magazines, etc. I didn't get a chance to take any pictures myself because I didn't want to be that girl, but I found some of them to share with you.

This was a show house he did one year and said that it was the greatest compliment when the homeowner decided to buy the full suite of furniture that he designed for this house and he didn't have to return any of it after the show.

This is the living room of one of Barclay's homes. Barclay said that he incorporates some kind of animal print in almost all of the rooms he designs.

Barclay loves blue and white and you'll see that combo in many of his rooms.

I love this one. Barclay likes to add unexpected design elements like the antlers above the fireplace. "Have fun with your designs, he says, there are no rules in design."

I believe this one was on the cover of House Beautiful.

Many of his projects have gorgeous views. He mentioned that if there is a great view he will not use window treatments.

Blue and white again. I love the freshness of this one with the white and pops of blue with the dark wood contrast.

Can you imagine this view!!

This is Barclay's home that he bought from Lucille Ball's son, Desi. He wrote Desi a letter asking him to let him buy the house (there was competition) and that he would keep the integrity of the house and design in the time of his parents. The lights above the bed are the lights that Lucille bought her husband and are original to the house. The pictures above the bed are photographs transferred on to lucite and Barclay said they took a day to hang!

This was a 900 square foot space that Barclay designed so that you could appreciate the view throughout the whole space.

There was also a Barclay Butera book signing in Kravet today, but unfortunately I did not make it in there in time to see his new fabric line, but I hear it is gorgeous! Barclay also has a furniture line so many of the pieces in the homes he designed above are his own.

Images from Barclay Butera's website.

2010 Color Forecast

2009-09-21T10:59:00.000-05:00

Sherwin Williams 2010 Color Forecast has come out with the new colors they've predicted for next year. Here are the descriptions from their website, categorized into 4 groups-Rooted, Treasured, Simplified and Refreshed (you can click on them to see them larger and read the descriptions):

I'm really loving Rooted and Simplified and am already picturing rooms designed in these color palettes! Which ones are your favorites?

2009-09-19T21:25:00.001-05:00

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Random Thoughts for the End of the Summer

2009-09-18T14:55:00.001-05:00

Alright. So, I might have a problem. Lets see I've been blogging for about 4 months and this is officially my fourth blog header design.

It looks like I'm averaging about one per month, although I definitely did not plan it that way. Apparently I like to play around with graphic design. I see these headers as a pretty good representation of myself and my design style. Ever changing, constantly evolving and (hopefully) improving day by day.

I can honestly say that at this point, I have a much greater appreciation of different design styles than I did while I was in school. When I was in school, I didn't have much time to go out and explore all that is available in the design world for inspiration. I had to rely on what I knew and liked at the time, and then all my time was spent working on my projects with my limited school resources of outdated design magazines and discontinued fabrics.

After graduating, I've been exposed to many more design styles, other than my own, through blogs, the internet, and design magazines now that I actually have time to read and pay attention to these things. So, although this summer has been slow as far as work goes, it's also been a great learning experience for me to explore design and figure out more about my aesthetic, how I want to design, and how I want to work and run my business. So although my husband jokes that I must stay at home all day and eat bon bons, I assure you that I do not. :) I've been researching, cataloging ideas, working on DIY projects, learning to sew, designing, writing on this blog and reading about things that I hope will be of use to me in the future as I start my own design business.

Now, to say that all this researching isn't fun, would be a lie. How lucky am I to be in a industry where your required reading is design magazines, and blogs? How cool is it to be able to research new product lines that add function and style to a space? How amazing is it to go to furniture and fabric showrooms and be surrounded by gorgeous things? I think it's pretty great and sometimes I need to remind myself of that when things are slow and not much money is coming in, because I know that someday this economy will get better and someday I'll have clients coming out of my ears! And then, hopefully I'll look back on this time and think, wow, I was really lucky to have that time to learn more about myself and the interior design industry so that I can do this business the right way, the first time!

p.s. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on my headers! Which one is your favorite?

Sweet Deal

2009-09-17T12:37:00.000-05:00

If any of you out there love these lamps from Restoration Hardware, then you are going to LOVE the deal that I found!

Restoration Hardware-Rowan Pharmacy Task Table Lamp $269

Restoration Hardware-Franklin Pharmacy Task Table Lamp $159

Ok, so you like those, but they're a little pricey, right? Well, how about this beauty?

I was lucky enough to stumble upon this Restoration Hardware look-alike lamp at TJ Maxx for only $19.99!!!!!

So, hurry, run! to your nearest TJ Maxx to snag one of these babies up for yourself! When I was there yesterday, this was the only one!

Unique Floor Design

2009-09-14T12:07:00.000-05:00

Just had to mention quickly how much I LOVE these floors in Tori Spelling and Dean McDermot's kitchen! What a unique design and gorgeous wood!

Image found here while browsing Hooked on Houses.

Thrift Store Revamp

2009-09-14T00:56:00.002-05:00

My recent project was painting and reupholstering two chairs that I found at the Goodwill for $4 a piece. What I liked about these chairs was the backs. I immediately pictured them painted in a creamy white color to really make the criss-cross design of the backs pop.

So, I took them home and began the revamping process by unscrewing the bottoms of the chairs and pulling out the old staples. It turns out these chairs had been reupholstered three times!

Underneath all that fabric was a nasty pile of dust and foam so I scrapped it all and layed down a new layer of foam and batting.

The easiest thing to do is place the plywood seat on top of the foam and trim around the edges with a scissors. I ended up having to use two pieces of foam because of the shape of the chair. I used a glue gun to glue down the foam pieces to the chair so they won't slip around when sat upon. I then wrapped a layer of batting around the foam and stapled that down. Finally I took my fabric and cut it to the size of the seat by laying the seat on top of the fabric and trimming around the edges leaving about 2 inches of extra fabric. Then I stapled that down on top of the batting. The key to getting a smooth fit is to pull the fabric tight as you staple your way around the perimeter of the seat. When it comes to the corners, wrap them as you would a present and staple the overlapping fabric. You can go back later and trim the excess fabric off if you wish.

Once I had the seats upholstered I prepped the chairs for painting by sanding them down to create a rough surface for the paint to adhere to. I then used a spray paint primer, let that dry and did three coats of Rustoleum Heirloom White spray paint.

Because this chair had a lot of detail, I went back with a very small brush, sprayed some spray paint into a small container and used that to go through the tight grooves of the chair.

The last step is to attach the seat back to the frame by screwing it back on tightly with a screwdriver.

Here are the final results!

{fabric close up}

Hope you enjoyed reading this as part of Metamorphosis Monday!

DIY Plywood Art

2009-09-04T13:55:00.000-05:00

Hello readers! Today I want to share with you a super simple piece of art that I created last week. I promise that anyone can do it. It is so simple and fun! All you need is a cut-to-size (whatever size you'd like) piece of plywood, some leftover paint, and letter stencils. I picked up my plywood at Home Depot, used the leftover paint colors that I had from when we painted our living room, kitchen and dining room 2 years ago and picked up the stencils at Michael's. Total cost: $14. Here's how I did it:

1. Take your piece of plywood and whitewash it with paint color of your choice. I used white paint, mixed with some water to achieve the whitewash look.

2. Once the whitewash is dried, take out your letter stencils and arrange how you would like your quote to layout on the board. Start painting stencil with a stencil brush, making sure to dab the paint on, don't brush it, to achieve a smooth look.

3. After I was finished with the stenciling, I decided to add some more interest by taking the paint stir sticks from each of the colors I used and drizzled the paint all over the board in a random way.

After this step, all you have to do is let the paint dry and figure out where you will put your new art! See, I told you it was easy. If you want to hang your new painting, buy a picture hanging kit found at almost any store and attach it to the back to hang on the wall. If you don't want to hang it, you can easily lean it against the wall on a shelf or bookcase. I chose to temporarily lean it above my kitchen cabinets since I have 12' ceilings. I love the interest it adds to my otherwise still bare walls up there.

It would also be fun and easy to add graphic objects to your board as well such as a bird stencil or the outline of a city skyline or circles and squares for a geometric look. The easiest way to do this is to find an image you like online and print it out and cut out the inside of the image to create your own stencil. You could also add texture to your art by layering on images cut out of balsa wood or some other thin wood veneer which can be painted or left as is. Have fun being creative and come up with your own ways to make your piece stand out!

Happy creating!

Interior Design Stars? Are you out there?

2009-08-31T11:31:00.008-05:00

I must vent. After watching last night's episode of Design Star, I am once again disappointed in the cast as well as the challenges and the claims of being talented interior designers. First of all, I thought this was a show about interior designers, not landscape designers. Why was it necessary to re-design a yard? And why another group challenge at this point in the game? No one from this episode stood out as a design star with any real talent or ability to comfortably host their own design show. Not to mention the embarrassing budget oversight this week! $11,000 for a white vinyl pergola? $5,000 over the total budget? Ouch. The only saving grave was when Clive offered up another $5,000 so that they could actually buy furniture for their clients to sit on in their backyard.

Week after week, I have been watching this show hoping to see something exciting or creative from the cast and every week I see nothing. I mean not only are the time restrictions ridiculous for these challenges, but often times the budget is too. When they do seem to have a big enough budget, the designers are not using it wisely in the least. And the judges? I love Candice Olson's work and I like Genevieve's show and Vern is great, but I am appalled by the things they praise on this show. I'm hoping that they are just trying to squeeze out a little bit of praise for these people from what little good is part of their designs and that they are not truly impressed with the designs. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way because I have been reading on other blogs pretty much the same things I've been mentioning here. I truly hope next season shows a much better choice of design star wannabes and a better mix of challenges without such crazy time restrictions so that these people can actually design something creative and inspiring. I honestly don't think I will watch the winner of Design Star's show this year because I can't stand any of them. Here's a before and after of the yard from this week's challenge. You be the judge.

So, what do you guys think? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

images from hgtv.com

Why don't you...

2009-08-27T22:25:00.005-05:00

Switch it up and try a painted floor in your house? I love this look in the following images because most likely your neighbor is not going to have these kind of floors and painting floors is a simple way to change up your flooring in a snap! Make sure to add a few coats of polyurethane though so they are protected and also know that part of this look is loving the little scratches and inevitable wear and tear that will come with them. But that's part of the greatness in my opinion.

Most images from House Beautiful

Renovating an Industry

2009-08-24T10:23:00.003-05:00

I came across this great article in the NY Times last week and although I'm sure many people have seen it already, I thought I'd post the link anyways. I think it really speaks to the future of interior design and how designers have to be more willing to work with clients that have much smaller budgets these days than they have been used to in the past. I love that I am part of the generation that has grown up using computers everyday and can easily use things like blogs and social networking sites to offer design services to people more readily than what was available in the past. It's exciting! You can go here to read the article for yourself and feel free to leave me comments about your opinion on this article! Thanks!

What's that thing called, again?

2009-08-17T20:38:00.006-05:00

One thing I always had a tough time memorizing in my History of Art and Architecture class was furniture styles. I tend to get bored trying to memorize things and instead focus more on the way a piece looks and I learn to distinguish furniture by certain features, rather than by their proper names. Am I the only one who does this? Or does memorizing furniture types come naturally to you? In order for the names to really sink in, I made myself a handy little chart to study or take a glance at when I forget. :) Usually "doing" is one of the best ways for me to learn. So I thought you might like to see my chart and maybe it will help those of you that have the same problem as me!

{Click on picture to enlarge the furniture goodness}

A few of the pieces are always especially difficult for me to distinguish because they look very similar to other pieces that we all know and love. Here are the distinctions:

Channel Back Wing Chair- this chair is exactly the same as a typical wing chair that we all know and recognize except for the back of the chair has "channels" or large ridges in the way it is upholstered.

Breakfront-this piece is extremely similar to a china cabinet, but you'll see that the difference lies in the detail on the top of the piece.

Tuxedo Sofa-this sofa is characterized by the tall, straight lines of the arms and a high back.

Pembroke Table-similar to a Butterfly table but the difference is in the legs. A Pembroke has long, skinny, tapered legs.

Studio Couch-this is a half-sofa, half-bed type piece that reminds me of a classy futon.

Spoon back Chair-this chair is a larger chair that has a deep curved scoop to it's shape, similar to a spoon.

So there you have it! Hopefully this will help some of you out if you are studying for a quiz, furniture shopping or just trying to figure out what style of furniture you like and just want to know what to call it!

Design Styles

2009-08-13T13:21:00.015-05:00

So I was reading jeune marie's blog today and she was talking about the Home Goods StyleScope quiz and what her results were for her design style. I thought it might be fun to see what my results would be so I took the quiz too. Here's what it said about my design style:

I thought it was a pretty good description of what I like and I think the pictures above are a good representation, although my home definitely does not represent this right now. My home is more earthy casual in my opinion. And while I like earthy casual and all that goes with that style, I have been wanting to shake things up in my home for quite some time now. I've been realizing that my style tastes are constantly evolving and I have a much greater appreciation for all different types of design styles than I ever did before. One thing I do really like about my home is all the different textures that I have in different objects around my house. I've always been drawn to texture in fabrics, vases, baskets, ceramics, furniture, etc. Just for fun, I went around my house and took pictures of all the different textures that I currently have out in my space. Take a look! What kinds of cool textures do you have in your house?

Would you do this in your home?

2009-08-13T00:00:00.010-05:00

After seeing the fish tank toilet that I previously posted, I figured there must be other weird/cool ( ?) design elements using fish tanks. My husband has been jokingly wanting a unique fish tank built into a railing in our home that looks from our entry down to our basement and so I decided to see what is out there in they way of fish tanks. I've been pretty iffy on whether or not these tanks are cool or just plain tacky. Although these first few images are okay, I'm still leaning towards tacky. What do you think? I'll let you decide for yourself...

Hanging Aquarium

Island

Coffee table

sink

Fish Tank Toilet

2009-08-12T23:54:00.003-05:00

Cool or crazy?

I kinda like it, but its kinda gross too. It must be an ordeal to clean. I could see it in a unique hotel or restaurant possibly. What do you think?

Summer Boredom=New Header

2009-08-11T00:45:00.003-05:00

Playing around with a new image for Re:Fresh Design.

You like?

Catching up on Life

2009-08-04T13:53:00.011-05:00

So, it's been sort of a crazy few weeks. I've been out of town spending some time with family as well as working a few design events including the USGBC Mississippi Headwaters chapter LEED Home Tour. On the interesting side, I got to meet a cast member of the season 2 HGTV Design Star show while working the LEED tour. Josh lives in MN and is a huge proponent of the green movement. It was interesting to hear a little about his background and how he has really catapulted into success since his tv stint on Design Star. I got the impression that he wouldn't do reality tv again but that he has been able to leverage his time on tv to really position himself as a green expert and get some marketing for his business through other tv and trade show appearances. He now has a pretty successful green design business with offices in both MN and CO. Pretty inspiring! I found out that we actually went to school together for a semester as well before he left for design star-what a small world!

In other fun design news, I attended the Elkay Evening on the Lake again this year which was a blast as always. A large yacht on Lake Minnetonka with sushi, an open bar and great weather. You really can't go wrong with that! It was a fun event to network with other designers and see some of Elkay's latest products. I didn't bring my camera along, but here are some photos of the boat we were on that evening. Not too shabby...

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I'm starting to feel the summer coming to a quick close and I want to be sure to take full advantage of the last few days. We'll be going out of town again this weekend to do some camping with some friends and I'll be back next week with some interesting posts, I hope!

House Beautiful 2009 Kitchen of the Year

2009-07-23T17:33:00.009-05:00

The House Beautiful 2009 Kitchen of the year is located at Rockefeller Center in NY. Last year my husband and I were there celebrating our first wedding anniversary and I wish we could be there again this year. The kitchen of the year would definitely be one of our spots to visit. I would also be heading to the fashion district since we didn't have time to do that last year (instead we went to a Yankees game :).

Here are a few pics from House Beautiful and a video tour with the Barefoot Contessa that you can watch as well!

Dream Vacation Home

2009-07-22T10:55:00.002-05:00

maluna

Isn't this amazing? Can you imagine living in a place like this?!

Wish List

2009-07-21T20:34:00.006-05:00

A few things I've been lusting after...

I see a kitchen in the works.

One thing leads to the next

2009-07-17T13:08:00.006-05:00

This morning I had an appointment with a client who wanted window shades in her sunroom addition that would block the ugly neighbor's house without obstructing her beautiful large windows and the amazing view she has to the Mississippi River. We quickly chose a textured shade that was very simple for only the windows facing the neighbors house. It will let light in during the day if she wants privacy and at night it will be opaque for ultimate privacy. After we decided on that, the client brought up that she would like to replace her drapes in the family room. So we choose the fabric for those and worked with the custom drapery designer that was at the appointment with us. From there we moved downstairs to the family room where she mentioned that she was tired of the fabric on some large throw pillows and she rarely used them because they didn't go anymore. So we ended up choosing a new fabric to cover the pillows and also to replace the cornice window treatment she had in her office so that the fabrics would be coordinating now. We also chose a new paint color for the family room as well. We ended up replacing much more than we had originally set out to do (which usually happens) and it was such a fun meeting because of it. This client is one of those clients that is really up for anything. So fun! Of course it was a refresher for me as well to remember how to properly measure for window treatments. Here is what I normally do:

First, measure the width of the window from the outside of the trim and/or the inside of the trim depending on where you will be mounting the hardware. Second, measure the length of the window. Measure above the window to the ceiling and below the window to the floor. Also measure the wall space to the left and right of the window. While you are doing this make sure to note any special architecural details and angles if they are bay windows. Make sure to check that there are no obstacles in the way of placing hardware such as a cabinet door opening in the kitchen or a window that is close to the wall corner. When figuring out how much fabric I need for the fullness of draperies and curtains, it works best at 2-1/2 or 3 times the width of the curtain panel to get desired fullness. And there you have it-pretty simple!

Images from here.

In style...again

2009-07-12T23:10:00.011-05:00

Since wallpaper is becoming hot again, I thought I'd do a little searching for some fun and modern papers. Here's what I found...

Paper Mills

Nama Rococo

Sum

Walnut Wallpaper

So enjoy looking at all the cool stuff out there now and after you've found the perfect wallpaper, here's a few steps on how to do a general estimation for how much wallpaper you will need for your space:

1. Multiply the height and width of each wall. Add the figures together.

2.Divide the total by 30(or another number depending on the wallpaper's repeat) to get the number of rolls needed.

3. Subtract 1 roll for every 2 openings (doors and windows). Wallpapers are packed in double roll bolts.

4. You need to know the width and the length of the paper and the pattern repeat. (straight match or drop match)

5. If you are having a professional install it for you, make sure they measure the room to be sure everything is correct.

Easy enough, huh? Now if only I could convince my hubby that it is easy to wallpaper!

Learning to Sew

2009-07-10T17:55:00.005-05:00

I'm really excited because my MIL found me a $5 (yes that's right) Brother sewing machine at a garage sale. It is in perfect condition, works like a charm. I've been wanting to learn how to sew for a while now, but wasn't wanting to shell out the big bucks for a new machine. So, now I can fulfill my summer goal of learning to sew without having to spend anything. Yay!

Here she is in all her five dollar glory:

So for my first project I plan on sewing some basic pillows with these fabrics that I had leftover from my school days:

So now I'm off to find some simple pillow instructions to give this a whirl. I think I spotted some that look interesting. Wish me luck!

Ice Hotel

2009-07-08T19:13:00.003-05:00

Doesn't this look like an amazing place to vacation? I would love to stay here in the Ice Hotel in Sweden. You sleep wrapped up in long underwear and a thermal sleeping bag with reindeer skin atop a bed of snow and ice. Usually this is just for one night and the next night you sleep in a warm room. When you sleep in the cold room, you wake up to a warm glass of lingonberry juice and head to the sauna to relax your muscles. Sounds refreshing and very cool.

And beautiful. Can't you imagine a romantic night here with your honey? Perhaps a unique honeymoon or an anniverary celebration....

Where is the most unique place you have stayed for a vacation? I'd love to hear about it!

Fair Trade?

2009-07-07T20:05:00.007-05:00

I just received my first issue of this in the mail today....

because it now replaces my subscription for this canceled magazine...

Fair trade? Probably not. But it is nice to have a magazine sent as a replacement, I guess, that I am vaguely interested in. It is a nice gesture and I'm sure it was the best they could do. The shelter mag selection out there is a little spare though and I'm hoping some new ones pop up soon! I did just start receiving this one and I like it so far.

It is a new version of a DIY magazine, which I find to be geared a little more towards women than some other DIY magazines and it has some fun ideas to try. Any other new magazines or even old, that I may not know about? I'd love to hear what some of your favorites are that may not be the typical ones we all know and love.

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-05T16:18:00.005-05:00

How I spent my weekend.....

Strolling through Minnehaha Park and the falls with my hubby, and sailing on Lake Calhoun. Fourth of July was spent with great friends barbecuing and sitting by the bonfire. What a great way to spend a summer weekend! Hope yours was just as relaxing!

Budget-Friendly Accessories

2009-07-02T21:44:00.004-05:00

Found all of these at Home Goods for $14.85 total. Not a bad find! I plan on putting this arrangement in my entryway on a blank wall to jazz things up a bit. I may add more keys to this arrangement at some point as they have many different keys in frames at Home Goods. I love Home Goods for so many reasons. First of all-it's design on a budget there. Which I need right now. Lots of brand name items for lots, lots less than other places. Kinda makes you wonder why they are marked up so much at other stores... I like to send friends and family there when they are looking to find some cute things for their house and don't want to spend a lot of money.

What about you guys ? Any of you out there have great Home Goods finds? Other favorite places to find deals?

International Market Square

2009-06-29T21:08:00.012-05:00

International Market Square (IMS) is the main design center for the upper Midwest. It hosts offices for designers and about 70 showrooms to the trade and some to the public as well. I first started going there while in interior design school and now have become quite familiar with many of the showrooms there. Some of my favorites include: Kravet, Francis King, Hoffsommer and Russ, Holly Hunt, Waterworks, Fantasia, and Schumacher.

Kravet and Schumacher and Hoffsommer and Russ have amazing fabrics and a huge selection.

Kravet Showroom

Francis King, Holly Hunt and Kravet have beautiful furniture to suit many different styles.
Holly Hunt Image

Francis King also has amazing accessories. I could spend an afternoon there.

Francis King Showroom

Waterworks and Fantasia showrooms are my favorite showrooms for plumbing fixtures and tile.
Waterworks Image

Fantasia has beautiful recycled glass tile that I love and is priced well.

Fantasia Image

During my internship we worked on a kitchen backsplash with this tile and I loved it. Someday I hope to have it somewhere in my house.

One of the many perks of being a designer in MN is showroom access to all of these and more of the amazing products out there in the design world. I love going for the afternoon and browsing the showrooms to see what is out there and enjoy the showroom design, even if I don't have a purpose for going there or a project I'm working on. Hopefully soon I'll have lots of clients that want to go shopping there with me!

Yoga

2009-06-29T20:38:00.004-05:00

A little off the subject of design, but I just got back from an amazing yoga class and I feel so much better. I started doing yoga about 6 months ago when school was pretty stressful and I was having a lot of muscle aches and pains and trouble sleeping. After my first class, I immediately felt better, just the stretching aspect of yoga was just what I needed after a long day of sitting through design classes. After a few months I started noticing my legs and arms getting stronger and my aches and pains lessening. I also had a better handle on some of the stress I was feeling from my last year of school. I always feel so refreshed after an hour long yoga class twice a week. I love that you don't need any equipment to practice it (except a mat if you want) and you can really do it anywhere from at home or outdoors or even in your hotel room on vacation. Yoga really has a lot of health benefits and is great for people of all ages. I've even had the five year old that I nanny for enjoy doing it!

Some of the benefits of yoga include:

Flexibility: Stretching your tight body in new ways will help it to become more flexible, bringing greater range of motion to muscles and joints. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your hamstrings, back, shoulders and hips.

Strength: Many yoga poses require you to support the weight of your own body in new ways, including balancing on one leg. Some exercises require you to move slowly in and out of poses, which also increases strength.

Muscle tone: As a by-product of getting stronger, you can expect to see increased muscle tone. Yoga helps shape long, lean muscles.

Pain Prevention: Increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain. Many people who suffer from back pain spend a lot of time sitting at a computer or driving a car. That can cause tightness and spinal compression, which you can begin to address with yoga. Yoga also improves your alignment, which helps prevent many other types of pain.

Better Breathing: Most of us breathe very shallowly into the lungs and don't give much thought to how we breathe. Yoga breathing exercises focus the attention on the breath and teach us how to better use our lungs, which benefits the entire body. Certain types of breath can also help clear the nasal passages and even calm the central nervous system, which has both physical and mental benefits.

Mental Benefits

Mental Calmness: Yoga practice is intensely physical. Concentrating so intently on what your body is doing has the effect of bringing a calmness to the mind. Yoga also introduces you to meditation techniques, such as watching how you breathe and disengagement from your thoughts, which help calm the mind.

Stress Reduction: Physical activity is good for relieving stress, and this is particularly true of yoga. Because of the concentration required, your daily troubles, both large and small, seem to melt away during the time you are doing yoga. This provides a much-needed break from your stressors, as well as helping put things into perspective. The emphasis yoga places on being in the moment can also help relieve stress, as you learn not to dwell on past events or anticipate the future. You will leave a yoga class feeling less stressed than when you started.

Design Intelligence

2009-06-26T11:35:00.002-05:00

I was emailed an interesting article today from Design Intelligence about using design to better society. I always like reading articles like this because they plant a seed in my head about ways to use design talents and ideas in a way that not only beautifies and enhances space and increases function, but takes it a step further and really benefits society in some way by addressing a need/issue and presenting a solution to that issue. You can check out the article here.

Plinth and Chintz

2009-06-24T11:04:00.006-05:00

I don't know if you have heard of Plinth and Chintz or not, but I must share this site! The mission of Plinth and Chintz, as stated on their website, is this:

To bridge the gap between the student / educational community and the professional / manufacturer community of the interior design world, and not to die of boredom while we do it.

The website is a series of articles geared towards interior design students, emerging professionals and professionals. The articles are written by designers and students in the industry offering up their advice and experience in everything from finding that first job, to etiquette while dining out with clients and co-workers, to math tips for designers, and dressing for the job. You could spend a full day delving into these articles and you wouldn't even be close to finishing. There is so much good information on this site! Designers can even write for the site by contributing articles on subjects where they have something to share and add with other designers.

Check it out!

Why use an Interior Designer?

2009-06-23T12:45:00.006-05:00

Ten Reasons to Work with a Designer
*excerpts from American Homestyle.

1. Interior Design, or decorating, looks easy - until you try it yourself. Your little weekend project stretches on for months. You realize you can't return that sofa that looked so perfect on the showroom floor. And as a whole, things are just not going as well as planned.

2. The ability to solve problems. Whether you're plagued by lack of storage, a featureless room or poor traffic flow, a designer is an expert in understanding color, scale, light and space.

3. The expertise to prevent costly mistakes. Most people remodel or redesign once or twice in their lifetime. An experienced designer will ensure you journey down a smooth and well traveled path.

4. Access to a much wider range of resources. The world of interior design is limitless with your designer at your side. "Trade only" is no longer a closed door.

5. Contacts. Any design is only as good as its execution. Designers know and work with the best workrooms and trades-people. Their connections and clout make sure the job is top-notch.

6. Guidance. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of design is selecting from the multitude of choices available. A designer knows the sources and can help edit down the options and offer seasoned advice to steer you through the process.

7. Better quality and longer-lasting style. Timeless designs and well manufactured furnishings coupled with keen insight equals a longevity that an interior designer can help you achieve.

8. Help set priorities. A designer will give you advice on how best to spend your money now - and plan for future phases of the design process.

8. Arbitration with your significant other. A designer can be the third party with out vested interest and help ease through disagreements.

9. An advocate. Designers work with trades-people, showrooms and manufacturers on a regular basis and have more leverage to get things repaired or replaced when needed.

10. The ability to get the job done. How often have you just not been able to get the job completely done? It is the designer's job to follow through with every aspect of the process and see that each detail and every element is complete and to your satisfaction.

image from Molaia Design.

I found this article and decided to post it because I really like how it explains how designers can help their clients and make their lives easier. I think it is especially important these days to be able to let people know the value of interior designers and how they can get things done right the first time, especially in this economy when people are into DIY and saving money. I may come up with my own reasons and include them in my FAQ section of my website for my interior design business.

Working Girl

2009-06-19T16:59:00.003-05:00

I am so excited that I found Polyvore today! What a fun tool to put outfits and rooms together. Here's a casual office look I put together to test out how the site works. I'd wear this to meet clients, working at the office or running around to pick up samples.

2009-06-18T17:55:00.005-05:00

Here's a kitchen that I'm loving.

I like how it feels fresh, open and inviting.
The glass tile on the wall over the buffet is interesting. I like how it doesn't cover the entire wall and highlights the shelves.
I love the built-in storage nooks, pantry space and coffee machine.
I like how the dining table in the middle of the kitchen doesn't crowd the space and adds so much more workspace in the room.
The wood floors are amazing!
The bright pops of orange keeps your eye moving throughout the space.
I like the industrial looking chairs paired with the marble-topped wood table.
I love the Wolf hood and range combo.

Images from Fiddlehead Design Group.

Art on a dime

2009-06-17T10:16:00.003-05:00

The other day I bought a few white frames from Ikea to put on the shelves in our bedroom. I really wasn't feeling any of the artwork there, but I was also hoping to find some for cheap. So I came home and created these two pieces. I took the first letter of both my name and my husbands. Then I grabbed our favorite quotes to use in the background. I figured it would be an inspirational piece of artwork to look at as we wake up in the morning. I'll post pictures when the artwork is in the frames and the shelves are complete!

The Emotional Side of Color

2009-06-16T17:11:00.006-05:00

Blue-serenity, loyalty, sincerity, justice, peace, sadness, anecdote for red

Yellow-optimism, cheer, wisdom, warmth, irritability, hostility

Red-love, passion, courage, danger

White-joy, hope, purity, innocence, cleanliness, enlightenment

Green-growth, birth, envy, refreshment,wealth, compassion

Gray-steady, stable,negotiable,protected, dignity, resignation

Orange-active, bold,cheerful,fun, exuberance

Color is an amazing tool that allows us to evoke a certain feeling or mood. If we take advantage of color we also reap the physical benefits as well. For example, blue reduces blood pressure and is good for concentration. Yellow sharpens memory and aids digestion. Red increases blood pressure and aids digestion. Green is good for rejuvenation, balance and absorbs the after image of color (used in operating rooms). Orange decreases irritability, decreases hostility and improves social behavior. Take a moment to consider how color affects you in the rooms you design and live in.

Images courtesy of: Room Envy, Orange Room, Country Living, ShakinStyle, Coastal Living.

Summer Reading Wish List

2009-06-15T13:30:00.015-05:00

One of the things I love to do in the summer is to grab a lawn chair, a fruity drink and lather up with sunscreen to sit outside and enjoy a good book. Here are a few interior design books on my summer reading wish list.....

This book looks like a great reference book as well as a good tool to work on interior design drawings from sketches, to plans, elevations and sections. I have a pretty good handle on Auto Cad at this point, but I would definitely like to improve my hand drafting and sketching skills. In a client meeting we won't always have the luxury of Auto Cad near us and should know how to quickly sketch an idea or plan concept.

Has anyone read this one from House Beautiful? I love the magazine so I can only assume the book will be just as good.

This book looks really interesting. I think that most of us would like our design work to help the world and not hinder it. Coming from a social work background, I often struggle with the fact that I left a field dedicated to helping people, but finding ways to help people creatively with design is the best of both worlds for me and helps relieve some of that guilt.

I have this book and have only skimmed through it so far to help with writing my letter of agreement for my design business, but it has tons of forms that interior designers use in their business practices from contracts, to purchase agreements and other legal forms. It even includes a CD-ROM of all the forms so you can easily use them and make them your own.

I started reading this book while I was in school for my Professional Business Practices class. I love this one because it is filled with practical information that every designer needs to know before starting her own business. I have to finish reading this one this summer since I didn't get through it during the school year.

I'm hoping this book will help strengthen my perspective hand drawing skills. (one of my summer goals) Find out more about it here.

So those are just a few of the books on my list, but I know I will be constantly adding more as cross some off of my list. I'm hoping the library carries a few of these or I will be reading these at a slow pace so I don't break my piggy bank.

How about you? Do you have any great interior design books on your shelf that you can't live without? I would love any and all recommendations you might have!

Today's Inspiration-My Garden

2009-06-12T15:00:00.003-05:00

Where to find inspiration

2009-06-12T12:13:00.010-05:00

Anywhere! No, really if you pay attention to the little details in life you can find inspiration everywhere. For me, spring and summer are the best seasons to find inspiration because there is so much beauty outside-flowers, grass, blue skies, clouds, rain, fresh scents, breeze, and even those little floaty cotton things.

Here's a list of 10 places where I find my inspiration....

1. Nature-if a color combination exists in nature, then it is automatically beautiful and acceptable to use in your home.

2. Design Magazines-(duh!) you can always find amazing things to look at and copy here. Some of my favorites include: House Beautiful, Interior Design, Metropolitan Home, Traditional Home, Coastal Living and I could go on and on.

3. Blogs- yes, it's true, I spend hours a day reading blogs and overwhelming my brain with all the gorgeous photos, and interesting writing, swoon-worthy rooms and crafty crafts that are updated everyday, non-stop. I literally find a new blog every day that I love and can't stop reading. It's awesome. Check out my blog roll for some of my faves.

4. Books-although I've been spending a lot more time lately reading blogs than books, I still love getting lost in an intriguing story and imagining the beautiful environments that the characters in the books are living in. The more descriptive the writing the better, but I love leaving some details up to my imagination too!

5.Interior designer's websites-I frequently google search designer's websites in my area for inspiration on many things such as website layout and ideas, business structure and pricing, their portfolio work and styles and their press. Today I found this website and blog. I'm officially in love.

6. The Internet-the world wide web is my oyster...I am constantly soaking up knowledge wherever I can get it and the web is by far the fastest and most broad source of information you can find. Google anything and you can find some inspiration.

7. Food-what's not to love? Seriously, look at the colors of your food. Hello, inspiration!

8. Garage Sales- Other people's junk is your treasure. I think it is a real talent to be able to look at someone else's throwaways and see all the possibilities it still has left in it. I am inspired by Censational Girl's blog almost daily-she is the queen of re-purposing. Check out one of my favorite re-designs she recently posted.

9. Showcase Homes-In my last post I talked about the 2009 ASID Showcase home here in MN. I loved being able to talk to the designers who created this lovely home and to be able to draw on the creativity of their work. If you have any of these showcase homes in your area, I highly recommend going on the tour.

10. Creative People- Surround yourself with creative people and you will be constantly inspired by what they do and how they live their life. Take notes. I've been lucky to spend my time with my mother who creates gorgeous handmade jewelry, my aunts who create unique handmade cards, interior design students who have blossomed after three years of design school, ASID members who have been in the industry for many years and my husband who always comes up with great graphic design ideas for websites, my business cards, my logo, and countless other things. I'm so thankful that he always pushes me to do my best, leave my comfort zone and take leaps even when I am feeling like a million other people already do it better.

Thanks for reading about my design inspiration! Where does yours come from??

Kitchen image from http://www.fiddleheaddesigngroup.com/

2009 MN ASID Showcase Home

2009-06-09T12:49:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I attended the 2009 ASID Showcase Home here in Minnesota. This year's house is a Mid-Century Modern home that was remodeled and redecorated to fit into the needs of a family with two young kids. It was a really fun day for ASID designers and industry partners to visit the house and meet with the designers (Public tours are open Wednesday-Sundays). Each room was designed by different designers working collaboratively to make the house as a whole flow together. Meeting the designers was really fun and I loved listening to them describe their rooms and thought-processes about their design. I think they did an amazing job and I was really impressed. My goal is to someday be one the designers on a ASID Showcase home! I only have a few sneak peek pictures to show you unfortunately, as we were not allowed to take photos. I'm hoping that once the tours are over at the end of the month that they will post more pictures for us to see. I'll post them here if they do. If any of you have access to Msp/St. Paul Home magazine, they did a big feature on the home this month with sketches of each room and a list of products used and where you can find them. I'll try to scan some pages in later today but I'm not sure how they will turn out. In the meantime, enjoy a few sneak peeks...