Apartment Therapy

I love nothing more than seeing someone recognized for their efforts and talents, especially when they least expect it! A few days ago my friend Rodellee had her L.A. home featured in Apartment Therapy and was so thrilled that she shared with all of us on Facebook. Just 2 days later, my blogger friend Kristin had her beautiful home featured there too and shared her excitement with her blog readers. These are two talented ladies with two very different styles. :)

First up is my friend Rodellee, we met here in Orlando, she then moved to L.A. with her hubby about 1.5 years ago and has had nothing but the best of success with everything she's pursued there-I'm so proud of her. She is a fabulous stylist, is the owner of Adore Vintage online shop and really knows how to work a camera too! It's only natural that her vintage style and love of mid century modern design would grace not only their home but the online pages of a fabulous design website also. Here is her feature in Apartment Therapy where you can click to see more images. She just moved on Wednesday into a new home and I'm look forward to seeing what she does with it!

Next is my sweet friend Kristin who I've know for a couple of years now, we met online via blogging and she always has the most fun projects and is ultra talented as well. I don't know how she finds the time between caring for her boys and hubby but she's really done a lot with her home. I can really relate to her personal sense of style: a cozy cottage feel with traditional and rustic elements that has a warm but clean look and really feels like a home. She is the blog writer behind My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia and owner of the Etsy Shop 'Uncommon Linens'. I hope you'll check out Kristin's feature in Apartment Therapy also as there are many more great images of her home!

How about you? Have you, your home or even your business every been featured somewhere that surprised you or that you're proud of? I'd love to hear about it and share a link if you can!

Happy Weekend!


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Decorating Mantras to Live By

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! The weather here is just stunning with warm breezes and sunshine, not a cloud in the sky. Best of all, my hubby hopped on a plane from NYC and I picked him up from the airport on Friday just hours before his father's surprise birthday party. He is home for his spring break, it will be the last time we see each other again until he is done his first year in May so we are making the most of every moment. This was the longest time we've ever been apart for (9 weeks) including while were were dating and living in two different countries!

This past week was very busy for me, I was booked solid with new design and staging clients every day while I planned the decor for my father-in-law's surprise party and hubby's arrival also. I finally had a chance to relax and curled up with a few magazines this morning that I haven't had the time to read. One is called Fresh Home which is a new magazine that I received a free issue of as a trial. It's a few months old, the Fall 2010 edition had a lot of great holiday ideas which I plan to keep for next year. I also stumbled upon a page with a list of 5 decorating mantras to live by. They come in the form of an excerpt from Marni Jameson's book titled: House of Havoc. I thought I'd share them with you because I believe in each of these myself.  

These five things alone will change the way you feel in and about your home!

Do you currently live by any of these? Maybe you need to have fresh flowers in your home regularly or super soft sheets. I'd love you hear what YOUR decorating mantras are!

Happy Weekend,


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Loving What You've Got

Today's post is a candid look into my thoughts towards my home.  I want to be open and real and put it all out there in the hopes that my little story might help someone else. I've been having an unhealthy relationship with my house. I've spoken negatively about it to others, not felt proud to be its owner and have secretly delighted in the thought of eventually moving out of it one day in the near future.

I have the wonderful privilege of often times working in some very expensive and beautiful homes -the kind you see in magazines. And while my clients hire me to transform their already lovely homes into something even more beautiful, arriving home after spending my days there has sometimes left me feeling a bit deflated when it comes to my own home. For 3 years (of the first 3.5 years that I've lived in this home) I have disliked many aspects of it and could easily list a hundred things that I'd love to change from landscaping to structure and finer details like the doors, kitchen flooring, etc.

Nearly four years ago (before we were married and before I moved down here from Toronto) we had planned to buy a beautiful, new home together. I was so excited about going through that selective process and anticipation of our first home together as a couple.We did begin the house hunting process within a new home development but quickly realized with the housing market in FL being what it was at that time, it just didn't make sense. So, we currently live in what was my hubby's grandparent's  3/2 home and the home he grew up in, which includes some of their vintage furniture (thankfully I was able to talk him into dontating the ugly floral sofa)-sentimental for him, not so much for me. During our first married year I did have some limited resources to change the paint colors and make some very minor changes, but not much else. I had started to wonder if it would ever look and feel the way I had envisioned. Working in the design industry doesn't help I suppose. Likewise, I love reading design magazines and blogs but after seeing such beautiful transformations and not always having the time or personal design budget for such projects myself, it at times has made me feel that my house is inadequate. That was until about 6 months ago.

So what all of a sudden changed you might be wondering? I had to make the decision to see things differently. I read the book 'The Secret' for the first time 6 months ago after hearing about it for so long and realized that this was an area that I really wanted to work on if I was ever going to love my home. If you haven't read the book, it is all about bringing what you want into your life by visualizing it, the laws of attraction, power of positive thinking and not only dreaming of it but whole heartedly believing you will in fact receive it without a single ounce of doubt. I'm not into new age stuff, I believe in God and the power of prayer, but I thought this couldn't hurt, after all it's about changing your thoughts in a profound way.

Every day I started to focus on what was 'right' with our humble little abode. It's 50-year-old flaws started to become charming, and little by little I started to see the older hand-me-down vintage furniture from P's grandparents (that I was dying to get rid of before) as wonderful DIY transformation opportunities. I've even changed my design style a bit to allow for more vintage charm and have even embraced our 90's oak kitchen cabinets which I may or may not paint out at some point.

What's funny is I am always able to have this positive point of view within so many other areas of my life but was having such a hard time when it came to our home. I think it had to do with something deeper though-pride. Even though they've seen my portfolio, I felt that if clients or even my new friends saw our home they'd wonder how it was that I was a Designer. LOL. But the truth is that we spend our money on world travel, not home renovations. Hopefully one day we will have enough for both. For now, it is just us two so we like the freedom of travel. ;)  As I spent more and more time writing my books (and this blog) and less time working in large, elaborate homes in favor of smaller and quicker design projects for the everyday home owner, I started to feel more myself. You may have noticed that I added an  e-Design services page to this blog. I really enjoy creating mood boards for DIY home owners and those that are just looking for some fresh inspiration for their home. While I've always worked within all budgets, somehow I am enjoying working on the smaller, more challenging homes so much more. Hmm, maybe because they remind me of my own home and all of the endless possibilities!

Once I stopped fighting my house and started shifting my mindset, I started seeing so much more possibility. Part of it was embracing the fact that we were NOT moving any time soon, so I just accepted it and I am now embracing what I do have. I love that we have a home with a new roof that keeps the heavy Florida rain out day after day each summer, a floor plan that allows us each to have our own home offices while still making room for guests and a kitchen that is small yet is the hub of so many wonderful meals. I may not have my dream kitchen, a stunning backyard for entertaining or a large walk-in closet to house my clothes, but to me this is home. It is where we laugh together, work at our own pace, live boldly and love deeply.

It's so easy to find all of the imperfections in our home, our life or ourselves. but as I learned in the secret and more importantly my relationship with my home, the more that we dwell upon what we don't want, the more it will actually appear in our lives, because we are in essence calling upon it without even realizing it. This is because in life whether it's something we desire or dislike, what we focus on and think about is what will come our way. So, why not focus on what we do have, what we do love, which aspects of our body that we're most proud of instead of the ones we always feel still need improvement.

I'm not suggesting that we cannot think about what we'd want to improve upon-we should. However, instead of saying 'I really need to lose 10 lbs' or 'I have to quit smoking'. Think of it in a different way- 'I'm working towards a more fit and healthy body. I'm detoxifying my body now for a future of health so I can enjoy my life and my family.' Then, visualize what you want to look like. In the case of weight loss you can cut out images from a magazine if that works for you or pull out an old photo of yourself from years gone by. This involves focusing on what will be instead of everything that isn't right at the present moment.

How about YOU? Have you had to shift your thinking about your car, job, house, your body, spouse/children or another relationship that wasn't everything that you wanted or dreamed it would be? Have you read The Secret? Did it help you in a positive way? I'd love to hear from you!



P.S. Sorry for the long post, sometimes background information is helpful when telling one's story. I'm trying to work on making future posts shorter so you won't all fall asleep. *wink*

My Inspiration Room & Bathroom Eye Candy

 

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I find inspiration for blog posts, my books, and creative decor projects in so many great places. I am so grateful to have so many of them available to me in the form of blogs. There is a specific room in our home though that always seems to bring about inspiring ideas: our guest bathroom.

This is really no new phenomenon, for my entire life (even as a child) I can remember being inspired in there. Whether I'm blow drying my hair, soaking in the tub or taking a refreshing shower after a sticky FL day, my mind seems to wander to a creative place that I don't seem to experience anywhere else.

Recently I was getting ready to meet up with a design client and I almost couldn't leave the house, one idea after the next kept popping into my mind for some future books that I've already begun writing (even though I'm still in the final stages of the first one). I had to keep running into the bedroom and jotting everything down so I wouldn't forget. Eventually I brought the pen and paper into the bathroom with me. I call this my creative flow, it's not everyday that I get a total downpour of creative ideas and I was sad to leave for my appointment because I would have loved to have sat at my desk in front of my laptop and continued writing. Thankfully, I have my notes so hopefully today I can pick up where I left off.

Let me also say that my bathroom is not dreamy, so it's not about the decor. LOL. We live in a 50 year old home and have the oh so lovely yellow tub, toilet, sink combo  in our guest bathroom (which is also my bath since our master bath is the size of a powder room!). But it doesn't end there, we also have inset accent tiles in yellow too and the baseboard tiles too along with toilet roll holder and built in toothbrush and soap holder on the wall.

Our master bath finally has a while toilet and sink and a stand-up shower but has the lovely blue tiles, etc. I hope to replace the sink, tub and toilet but feel like it's a bit of a waste without removing the rest. We can't afford to remodel either one (they both need a complete overhaul) so I've worked with the counter top colors and incorporated a serene and spa-like feel as best as I could with paint, framed art, towels, elegant shower curtain and some pretty counter top accessories. We did invest in a new white framed mirror to replace the builder basic one, a new sink faucet, lighting and accessories. With $500 spent it looks a million times better than when I moved into hubby's surfer/beachy themed bathroom.

When I browse blogs, watch HGTV or look at pics online, I can't help but dream about what our bathroom would look like if we did remodel. Here are some bathroom pics and soaker tubs that I think are gorgeous, all for different reasons.

The colors have me here and I love marble. So peaceful looking, Sarah Richardson never disappoints.

Here is another design from Sarah. Traditional, Elegant and so functional.

I love this chair in the bathroom and the soaker tub is divine. That stand up shower is huge! Yet another beautiful design by Sarah, she is my favorite designer-creative, bold and incredibly talented.

This has such charm and it perfect for a shabby chic cottage. I think what I love the most is the window right at the tub level (on a large, private piece of property of course) as well as the tub and paneling. Photo from My Home Ideas.

This is a Candice Olson design. I love the clean lines and sparkly glamour.

Again with the soaker tub! This one is by Michael Smith (designer for the Obama's new digs). This bath was featured in House Beautiful.

I love the color teal, it doesn't exist anywhere in my home but wouldn't this make for a fun children's bathroom? Pic is from Canadian House and Home magazine.

 

Spa bath from House Beautiful. So clean, crisp and inviting.

I love this mirror and vessel sink, the cabinet color is spot on too! Another bathroom by fabulous Sarah Richardson Design.

I wouldn't normally go for this green but this would make another great color scheme for a kids bathroom. It's so bright and cheery. I found this on the Better Homes and Gardens site.

I love the natural elements in this little bath. Simple yet so clean and fresh. Photo from Apartment Therapy.

I'm a huge fan of the blog Young House Love. Sherry and John have a knack for transforming rooms. Their home is gorgeous. Check out their bath reveal! I love the color scheme and materials they used. Their powder bath is gorgeous too, I adore the two-tone stripes! I hope to use them in a bedroom some day. :) Do you love their style as much as I do? HERE  is their house tour of dramatic before and after photos.

Do you have a special room in your home that seems to evoke creative ideas? Maybe it's a tranquil hammock in your yard? Your comfy and dreamy bedroom? In a poolside lounge chair on your back porch? I'd love to hear about what rooms or other places inspire you!

Budget Decor Inspiration!

I've been feeling very creative and inspired this weekend and thought I'd create a quick post about some budget and no-cost decor ideas. Some of the best pieces in my home were created with a little paint, some scrapbook paper, or a small piece of fabric. There are loads of things you can do to revamp a room in your home. With this you simply use what you have. Here are some ideas:

1. Paint it Pretty!-If you've got several pieces of furniture in a room that lack a cohesive feel or are just plain outdated, a quick coat of paint will give them new life. If you want to take it one step further you can replace the drawer pulls or knobs with something more contemporary or whatever the style you desire. You're pretty much guaranteed to get a winner if you stick to classic colors like black or white. You'll want to sand the piece lightly first to remove any varnish and to rough it up so the paint adheres better. If you want something fun for a kids room or something a little more coastal, some beachy blues make for lovely coffee tables, nightstands or even a bed! You can use leftover paint you may already have, find some on craigslist or invest in a small quart-size can. Be sure you get the finish that you want.

2. Frames are Fun!-One great thing you can do is round up a bunch of old frames you no longer use and create a wall collage. Pick one place in your home where all photos can be displayed vs. having random photos all over the place. It looks more substantial on one wall and a great way to cover a wall. You can use what you have or pick up what you need at a yard sale or flea market for anywhere from 10 cents to $1.00. Round up all the various mis-matched frames and sand them and then spray paint them all black. To create uniformity, take the photos you have and scan them into your computer where you can print all of them in black and white or if you have them on file, simply print in black and white. There are loads of free programs online that will change a color photo to black and white or sepia, such as http://www.resizr.com/, which will also let you resize and crop them too. Put them in the frames and arrange them in a neat pattern on your wall.

3. Paper or Photo?- When it comes to what you put inside your frame, you are not limited to just photos. You can create lovely framed works of art by simply picking up some gorgeous scrapbooking paper or fabric from the clearance section of your local craft or fabric store. I've had a white matted Ikea frame for about 10 years and it is in mint condition. It was hiding in my closet since I had no use for it. I found a space above the doorway to my kitchen that lacked art. I replaced the photos I once had with some beautiful scrapbook paper. The frame is rectangular and has spaces for (3) 5x7" photos so I placed a subtle striped lemongrass colored paper in the middle and on either side I have a beautiful damask/floral that has a lovely shimmer too. This project was FREE as I had all the materials already. I was then inspired to add another one to a shiny chrome-looking square frame which now houses a pretty pale blue and cream damask printed scrapbook paper.

4. Custom Creations- I spend most of my days as a designer, creating spaces for other people. Many of these spaces include a lot of custom pieces such as upholstered chairs, drapery and the like. In January 2008 I decided I was going to make more of an effort in my own home to take the time to create some custom pieces. One of my favorites is my office chair. I bought it from Craigslist in great condition but it had one flaw-the fabric on the seat was hideous! It needed to be reupholstered. Lucky for me, I was actually looking for a chair that I could make my own. So, I headed to Calico Corners and happened to stumble across a fabric I'd been eyeing for about a month-it was on sale! I wound up getting half of a yard for just $4 and the chair in mint condition cost me $30 so I got a custom office chair for just $34! You can do this too. If you're new to it, start with smaller pieces like simply re-upholstering the seats of dining chairs. If you want the look but are afraid to tackle it yourself, take your materials to a local reupholstry shop. Custom drapery, ottomans, recovering of a sofa, and throw pillows are all within reach!

5. Odds and Ends-Sometimes we purchase some great things but we tire of them so we switch them up with other, newer decor items. Other times we've purchased something or got an amazing deal but aren't sure what to do with it just yet. I encourage you to pull those things out of the closet, basement, attic (wherever they are!) and use them to update your space. For instance, I purchased a beige linen drape (just one) that came from Goodwill brand new (the Target locally donates a LOT of surplus items so I love shopping there!) for just $6. I intended to use it for the guest room as more of a sheer behind the existing set of drapery panels only it didn't match the way I thought it would. I wondered what else I could use it for. Then it hit me-our laundry room has a rollershade but it's the vinyl type (we do not have a glamorous laundry room yet!) so it was a great way to put it to use. I hung the panel with a short black rod that I had bought for our kitchen window but never got around to using. Voila! Instant beautified window treatment! Later I may use a damask pattern stencil and some white paint to jazz it up further!


Just be creative-think of all the vases and flowerpots you have and how you can use them different of freshening your kitchen with some existing new placemats or a runner. Maybe all you need is a few new toss pillows for your bed to complete the look. They are relatively inexpensive at discount stores and are relatively simple to make. Use existing down-filled or poly-filled inserts from older pillows you don't use and let that be the stuffing. Now have some fun and pick up a small piece of some inexpensive fabric and a zipper! Use what you have. No vase filler? Use coffee beans, lentils or white rice inside a glass hurricane and place a candle for some coffee table appeal. Keep your lamp base and simply spray paint it for a new look, or maybe just replace the shades with a pair of inexpensive new ones.

If you live in the Orlando or Central Florida area and would like advice or other design services, you can contact us by visiting our website.

*In case you were wondering, the cheetah print pillow in the photo is one that I created with an invisible zipper sewn in and used an existing unused down-filled pillow insert to complete our guest bedding.

Stay tuned on Monday for my before and after reaveal of a little vintage footstool I'm tranforming!