Friday, May 23, 2014

Happy Memorial Day Weekend And A Thank You To Our Sponsors

TGIF! And happy, safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend to everyone. 
We would also like to send out a huge thank you to our recent sponsors for their continued support of our blog.
Decor Planet
via


Rustico Tile and Stone - Leander, TX, US 78641
via

Be sure to check them out for amazing bathroom vanity, tubs, faucets and tile options. Don't forget to check them out. Happy Shopping!!!

**If you would like to become a sponsor,  just click on the contact button and we'll be happy to discuss some partnership options.**

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

The Hollywood Reveal - Living Room/Foyer


So I'm still recovering from my big 40 birthday celebration which involved dinner made by two of my favorite foodie crushes, chefs Nina Compton and Shirley Chung, finalists from last season's Top Chef. If you've followed me here or on IG you know that I'm a foodie at heart, so major kudos to the  hubby for such an amazing treat, and to Xavier for showering me with happy birthday tunes and kisses all weekend.
Speaking of treats, one of my favorite projects of the year has been designing the winter home of my clients Karen and Carl.
They purchased this South Florida home to escape the harsh winters of the Northeast. Just a short walk from the beach, it was a great find for them both to squeeze in some quality time as a couple, yet large enough to welcome family and friends who too craved some Florida warmth.
When Karen contacted me in January the living room looked like this:
 
They had brought this VERY heavy sleeper sofa from their home in Maryland, but it looked so sad and lonely in this massive space and Karen was simply stumped. She was also a tad worried because a dozen women from her book club, plus family members were slated for back-to-back visits in early March. That's right. Roughly six weeks to design the main living areas of this five bedroom home, plus the master bedroom. 
You'll remember the presentation we made in this post and how frantic I was when trying to pull said presentation together here and here.
It was a daunting task that also involved refinishing the ceilings, painting all the rooms, changing out all the interior and exterior doors, updating all the lighting. Let's just say we sweated bullets as we prayed that custom items would be ready on time.
  This is what the living room looks like today. Neutral tones with the bold pops of color Karen yearned for. 
Some background:
Karen is one of those clients that I connected with immediately. I mean, the kind of client you hug on the first meeting and miss terribly when the project is over. A kindred spirit, she often marveled how I read her mind as I would often source items she had considered for herself or already owned in her Maryland home. It was a joy to shop with her on our various excursions because she had a clear sense of her style and would fall head over heels in love with an item, or knew and told me right away if her heart didn't skip a beat and we'd move on.
From our initial consultation I learned that she loved orange and purple and wanted them both throughout the space but was nervous that the two bold colors would stage an unholy war if paired together. I think we proved that the two can live very happily together.


The Cole chairs in purple, were a delicious treat we found at Wassers Furniture. A great South Florida resource for designers, as they can customize almost anything with a variety of fabric options and can expedite orders - which we kinda needed since we didn't have the luxury of the usual 8 to 16 weeks custom orders can often take.
This super sized and comfy sofa from KOM Furniture seats many and was the perfect balance for the purple accent chairs. Throw pillows from my favorites Home Goods and Z Gallerie were budget-friendly finds.
I envisioned a mammoth coffee table that was a little rough on the edges and this Beijing coffee table from my long-time fave Addison House was the perfect find. You can seat an army around that table, and they did!

This diver was a nod to Karen who grew up at the Jersey Shore and went to the beach here everyday. It was one of the first things she spotted during the reveal and fell hopelessly in love with.

We wanted lots of light to filter in so wanted window treatments that made a statement of their own but simply framed the windows. This Kravet fabric was a splurge, but oh so worth it. 

This woven leather chair, also from Addison, is sooooooooo comfy and became Karen's favorite chair to chill in. It's delivery was down to the wire - pun intended. 


In such a large room, it was important to create little vignettes throughout for moments of pause. This mirrored chest offered both storage and just a touch of glamor and its reflective surface helped bounce light around the room.
Karen loves African ancestral pieces, and I fell in love with this tribal vest from KOM and knew it would tell its own tale in their home.



Lets slide over to the entryway shall we?





Karen scored these very statuesque pieces, who fit perfectly at the entryway. An over-sized mirror reflects more light and draws the outdoors in. The scroll bench is a place for Karen to sit for a minute before she headed out to the beach and provides additional seating for guests. 


 

The new frosted doors along the entryway and all along the very long hallway add some architectural interest and a modern touch. The buffet once sat all alone in the dining room, but I knew the minute I first saw it that it needed to hold court here instead.

 We added the x leg ottomans for extra seating.
These lamps from Overstock made my heart sing and definitely hold court atop the buffet/console, right next to their new BFF, the giraffe I snagged at Home Goods.
Photo Credit - Circle Ten Media
Fresh colors are a must in every home, and I was pleased as punch that tulips were in bloom for this reveal. But yes, it's okay to cheat with "other" florals when you're like Karen and not in your home for much of the year.  I promise I won't talk smack.
That's all folks. For now. We'll check out the rest of their home over the next few weeks because it's a lot to share! 
I might add, that Karen and Carl were a designers dream. They were clear about their vision but gave me plenty of room to execute said vision. They're back home for the summer and I've truly missed our daily emails and calls! Looking forward to updating the guest rooms and baths next year and to seeing them both when I visit DC this summer. 
             

Source Guide
Sofa, Tribal Vest and Diving Sculpture: Kom Furniture | Purple Accent Chairs: Wassers Furniture | Coffee Table and Woven Leather Chair: Addison House | Rug: Gilt | Mirrored Chest: City Furniture | Curtain Fabric: Kravet/Eeva pattern via Designer Discount Fabric | Living Room Lamps, throw pillows and accent storage boxes: Home Goods | Foyer Art and Orange Throw Pillows: Z Gallerie | Cow Hide Rug in Entry: Ikea | Copper Lamps:Overstock | Gold and White Tray: Target | Foyer Buffet/Console: Scan Design | X-Leg Benches: Overstock | Frosted Interior Doors: Sheridan Lumber | Floor Mirror: City Furniture | Frosted Gold End Tables: Wayfair | Foyer Bench: Shop NWD |Living Room Paint: Chop Sticks by Sherwin Williams (SW 7575) | Foyer Paint: Copper Wire by Sherwin Williams ( SW 7707)

Saturday, May 17, 2014

1 Score & 2 Decades ago.....

I do not know what future holds but I do know Who holds the future.

I wanted to write a long poetic post about all the things I've learned as I celebrate turning 40 today. The highs, the lows. My greatest accomplishments, my deepest regrets.
Instead, my 40 years can be summed up as such: I'm a woman who is thankful to have made it this far. I'm a seasoned soul, who is simply happy to be alive, healthy and loved. A woman who is grateful to have a mountain of love and support to shoulder me along this journey. Because after all, in the words of a dear blogger bestie, consider the alternative. 
Displaying image.jpeg
Via Pinterest
Yep. Forty is feeling kinda fabulous.







Sunday, May 11, 2014

Happy Mother's Day


when a child takes your hand. smooth skinned little hand in your hand ploughed by life

To all the mothers and mother figures, who never tire of giving us a helping hand. Happy Mother's Day.


images via

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

The 2014 African American Top 20 Interior Designers



When I started designing 10 years ago, I had a VERY difficult time finding designers of color, much less designers whose work had been featured in major design magazines. Then one day, the very newspaper I worked for featured interior designer Cecile Hayes and I was blown away. Hayes, born and raised in South Florida had been tapped to design a space at the newly opened African American Research Library. She would become the first African American Designer featured in Architectural Digest and the first African American as well as the only designer from the South to be named to Architectural Digest’s Top 100 list of influential designers in the world. I had the pleasure of meeting Hayes at her home years ago and am eternally grateful for her sage design advice and incredible warmth.
Fast forward a few years and finding designers of color is no longer akin to finding a needle in a haystack. 
To celebrate and showcase their work, designer Kimberly Ward  created an annual list of 20 top African American designers. Hayes, designer Darryl Carter, and 20 other African American designers will be feted this Thursday through Saturday in Atlanta at a series of events and soirees. 
Since half of my designer besties live in Atlanta, I'm bummed as heck that I can't be there this weekend to celebrate. I'll follow along and cheer them on via Instagram and Twitter for sure.
Anywho, go ahead and check out their work from the links below. Pretty sure you'll be blown away by their talent as well.
 
The 2014 African American Top 20 Interior Designers




Linda Allen * Linda Allen Designs* LindaAllenDesigns.com LosAngeles

Nile Johnson * Nile Johnson Design * NileJohnsondesign.com * DC

Alicia Lamar *Alicia Lamar Home *AliciaLamarHome.com  * Los Angeles

Anishka Clarke *Ishka Designs* Ishkadesigns.com * New York

Lorna Gross- Bryant *Savant Interior Design  * SavantID.com *Bethesda, MD

Tiffany Brooks *You and Your Decor  * YouandYourDecor.net *Chicago

Robin Wilson * Robin Wilson Home * RobinWilsonhome.com  *New York 

Joan Goodwin * Verandah Interiors  * Vcustomdesigns.com  * Columbia, SC

Rae Revelle * Ray Norris Design *  RayNorrisDesign.com  * Arlington, VA

Joy Moyler  * Joy Moyler Interiors  * Joymoylerinteriors.com * New York

Marian Akinloye * MA Design Studio  * MAdesignstudio.com *  New York

Erin Shakoor * Shakoor Interiors  * Shakoorinc.com  * Chicago

Michel Boyd * Smith Boyd Interiors *  SmithBoydInteriors.com * Atlanta

Elaine Griffin * Elaine Griffin  * ElaineGriffin.com  * New York

Ron Woodson * Woodson and Rummerfield *  WandRdesign.com  
* Los Angeles

Sheila Bridges * Sheila Bridges * SheilaBridges.com  * New York

Lisa Turner * Interior Obsessions  * Interiorobsession.com  * Los Angeles

Janice Palmer * Palmer Design Group * PalmerDesignLLC.com * Atlanta

Roderick Shade  * Roderick N. Shade Interior Design  * Roderickshade.com  * New York

Howard Brown * Howard Brown Design *  HowardBrownDesign.com * Atlanta





2014 HALL OF FAME DESIGNERS

Darryl Carter * Darryl Carter * DarrylCarter.com * Washington DC

Cecil Hayes * Cecil Hayes * CecilHayes.com  * Miami  


Blog Design by Get Polished