Xavier Gets a Big Boy Bedroom Via City Furniture

The little man turns six this weekend - cue my bucket of tears!
So how fitting it is that I was able to revamp his bedroom as an early birthday present in partnership with the folks from City Furniture
I've used City Furniture for many projects over the years including this and this because they have insanely good collections at an affordable price.
However I'd never used anything from their kid's collection so was excited to learn they'd revamped their kids offerings, with some insanely stylish options.

I chose the full size bed from the Ryder collection and the grey dresser from the same collection. Mixing colors from the same collection is always a fun option, and one you can easily get away with especially when designing for kids. 

Be sure to infuse your child's personality throughout his or her space. All of Xavier's favorite things are on display here: bowling, travel, Roblox, reading, soccer, saving, personal art and his love of fashion via hats and ties etc 

The beauty of this room makeover is that his bedroom had seemingly been made for this collection. I painted his room myself when we purchased this home in 2014. 

These store bought curtains in white and navy inspired my choice of the Ryder bed in Navy.

This before photo shows his old bed with Teenage Mutant Ninja bedding. It is a  is a cherished memory since it's the day he decided to carry out his very own science experiment - with powder ! God bless that memory but he's happy as punch with his newly updated bedroom. 

His new headboard allows him to sit up in bed and practice his reading, plus snuggle with his favorites - Fluffy, Mr. Sonic and Mickey. PS, I tried to give these away since I thought he was now such a big boy, but he was mortified and placed them on the bed himself. 

The brass hardware on the Ryder dresser is a surprisingly stylish feature for a kids collection and one of my favorite elements in the room. This is his first dresser and he's been excited to have drawers for all his clothing. And there you have it, a stylish yet playful bedroom for my growing little man and a room that's both fun and functional and one he'll enjoy growing up in.

I acknowledge that City Furniture is partnering with me to participate in this bedroom makeover. As part of the program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services for promoting City Furniture. However all expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post also complies with the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Trade Commission Guidelines.    

My Powder Room Gets A Much Needed Makeover - With Black Walls

Yes, people, yes! My powder room finally has the swagger I always knew it could. It's been living a low key life, looking good, but far from the absolute  fabulosity I'd always wanted it to be.

This summer I teamed up with The Home Depot to change all that. And somehow, even with a hurricane that threw us off course for a few weeks, we've pulled it off.
* PS, no panic, that mirror will make a reappearance someplace else in my home. Run, not walk to over to The Home Depot blog to see the full step by step transformation and let us know what you think.

For more behind the scenes bonus pics like this of the little man cuteness, head over to our Facebook page.

Source Guide

Walls: Shiplap via The Home Depot

Paint: Behr Limousine LeatherTile:Tilebar 

Vanity base: HomeClick 
Sink: Overtsock

Faucet:  Overstock

Mirror: Target

Countertop: Custom (quartz) 

Disclaimer:

*I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in this bathroom program. As part of the program I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services for promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post also complies with the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Trade Commission Guidelines.    https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5100913852196686506#editor/target=post;postID=8263862025335705511;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=6;src=postnamehttp://www.livelaughdecorate.com/2017/10/my-powder-room-gets-much-needed.htmlhttp://www.livelaughdecorate.com/2017/10/my-powder-room-gets-much-needed.html

Hello Loves! What's New?

What’s new! Hey loves, yes I know it’s been a NY minute since I’ve really checked in right?

Life’s certainly whizzed by since I first started this blog six years ago, and a lot has changed, so here are a few things that’s new and popping for your girl:

1.       Xavier started kindergarten! Yes, this little man who turns 6 in November, is enrolled in a dual language program where he learns both in English and Spanish throughout the day. This means a trip to Spain is inevitable. We did Italy this year so I kinda set the bar very high. Pray for me and send me some damn coins.

2.       I’m single. Yes! Shockingly sad but true. If you follow me on IG you may have read that I’m newly divorced. Painful ordeal, especially since I shared so many great marriage tales here over the years, but I’ve learned that God never gives you more than you can handle so I’ve turned that pain into some powerful moments of reflection. I’ve also been dating myself for a few months and I gotta say, I’m one fabulous chick! Who had to find herself again, but still damn fabulous. In due time I’m looking forward to meeting some honest and emotionally available dudes who can embrace a real woman. And if you know any, then hint hint! lemme know

3.       I treated myself to my very first photo session and loved every minute. Clearly. The pics here, including my new bio pic, are a few from the shoot with the talented folks at TYE Studios and makeup artist extraordinaire Makeup By Valunthinee 

4.       Your squad is your tribe! Don’t ever neglect your friends because lemme tell you, some real ass friends have come through in this year in some major ways. Nurture those relationships for life.

5.       NWD continues to grow and produce some kick-ass design projects. We are shooting a feature for this local design show soon and yes, I'm hella excited! But which project will it be? Stay tuned to find out!

6.       I recently launched biz chat, a way for young designers/professionals to connect with me formally for some basic tips on how to thrive long term in this business. Note: it aint easy, but nothing worthy ever is.

7.       I hired a bookkeeper. BEST. Decision. Ever. I prefer to spend my time designing and writing and not languishing in excel/invoice purgatory. Seriously.

8.       I’m working out. Consistently. I decided I wasn’t going to try to lose weight in a set time frame but instead just workout consistently and make healthier eating choices aka there went my Saturday pizza bingefest. Yes, that was a thing. Though Xavier continues to eat his medium cheese pizza oblivious to my pain! And I quit drinking RedBull. That was one major addiction but my caffeine overload was outa control.

9.    I’m finally getting my house completed and have partnered with the Home Depot to tackle some major updates including  Xavier's bathroom and my powder room and with the fabulous folks at Purple Drywall to complete my laundry room.  

10. And of course I'm praying for all the people on the islands and regions that have been devastated by earthquakes and so many hurricanes this season. Please consider donating here if you can.

So how have y’all been? I miss the days of blog hopping so plan to pop over and see how some of my blogger faves are doing this weekend. Huge thanks for all your love and support over the years as well. It’s meant the world to be able to share and be so open in this sacred space.

Love over Hate. Always.

Enough said. 

Feeling Floral, Flirty and Fun.

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I'm pretty much an all black or white wearing kinda girl, with a splash of color here and there. But this summer I fell in love with a floral jacket, and boy, did those florals have me singing and loving all things floral, flirty and fun.

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Floral wallpaper, throw pillows, bathroom tiles? Who knew! Are you feeling this floral trend? Or do you like your florals in the live form only, in a vase filled with water? Holla at your girl. And by the way, Happy Freaking Hump Day!

Hello 2015 - A Year of Purposeful Planning

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It's another year people! CANNOT believe we're in 2015. That means we've been blogging for almost four years. Where, oh where, has the time gone? 
Truth is I've missed chatting in this space on the regular, missed hearing of all your musings, your joys, triumphs, cheering you on through pain. So, among the handful of goals I've set for this year is to  spend some more time on these pages. Writing, even in the midst of chaos, still fuels my soul.
So what have we been up to?
A LOT! 2014 was our busiest year yet. The hubs and I bought a house. Renovation is never ending. My clients are all snickering at the irony! I took a selfie. Shocking. I know. There were lots of fun design projects, and a handful of challenging ones that drove us to drink an extra glass of wine every other night. Design, my lovelies, is not for the faint of heart. But who am I to complain about sipping more wine? 
In the breaking news division, we got published in a national magazine - a huge deal that still has me pinching myself. 

We tackled our first model unit....

Three vacation homes

 

A modern vintage bathroom 

And took part in my very first One Room Challenge which made my home office very, very happy. 

There was even a major moment for the Human Resource department aka the department led by moi. After years of swearing off interns (because we'd had too many moments of horror with past interns) I decided to give it another shot with Amanda of The Homebody Interiors and guess what? She was so amazing that we hired her. Yep, sometimes you gotta give things one more try.

Lots of changes in store for this year and we're insanely excited. I'm always trying to push myself as a designer/business owner and I'm looking forward to seeing where that push takes me this year. I'm also challenging myself to be a more purposeful planner as our first image in this post suggests, and to chatting with you more on these pages. 

Oh Tray! My Love Affair With These Little Gems

If you've followed me on this blog over the years, then you know I have a love affair with trays, aka there's a 99% chance a space I design will have a tray, or two.

A tray to me is not only functional i.e. a perfect item to hold a dinner plate or some snacks, but they're a great opportunity to add texture, color and layers to any large surface.They're also one of the most budget friendly items you can add to a space. Hint: I've never spent over a $50 on a tray. 

For this project, I used this textured tray from HomeGoods, as the foundation on which to help add depth to the table and draw your eye upward to the mini statue of the diver.  

 

This gem of a reflective gold and white tray from Target didn't need to be messed with. A simple bouquet of flowers is all it needed to showcase it's beauty. 

This collection of coffee table books at this home, needed a great pairing. This gold leafed tray, stacked with simple candle holders, an orchid and coral did the trick. 

Sometimes, simple is best. This client is an avid reader, so I added some of his favorite books to this coffee table tray. Style and function. Don't be afraid to add personal items such as books and little mementos when styling your own tray/vignette.

 

I remember this installation well because I had two trays that I loved equally but couldn't decide which one to use. Then voila, I decided to layer the thinner glass zebra print tray atop on the wooden tray, and just like that, a little symbiotic tray relationship was formed.  

In a nutshell, I've never met a tray I couldn't love or use somehow so stack up on these gems whenever you stumble on em. And don't be afraid of trays that have a little chip here or there. Those can easily be touched up with a little nail polish or Sharpie action or just be left alone. A little dent or scrape just adds character. Do you use trays in your own home designs? What's a favorite place to score a good tray? Holla. 

Designing Clients - A Pink Influenced Tablescape

I love it when a client embraces their newly designed space and continues to collect items that reflect their personality. You know, the client who switches things up a bit for a new season, or just because. 
Such is the case with our fab client Meagan, aka MsGlamSugar, whose home we designed here and here.
When I first met Meagan, it was clear she had some amazing style. I even asked her why the hell she called me for help? But thankfully she did and I've been happy to not just help turn up the glamor in her home, but we've fast morphed from client/designer to become good friends. 
So I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw how fun and fab she'd recently styled her dining room table. Hello, she had me at hot pink place mats.
This is how we left things back in December. 

Some serious black and gold glam, if I may say so myself. But to add some color for the summer she recently styled her table like this: A blue and white runner adds a hint of coastal flair but the setting remains glam with gold chargers, black and white plates and candle holders in different shapes and finishes.
Love the gold-dipped vase? Ms. Meagan is a little DIY diva. She followed an amazing tutorial from the blog TwoTwentyOne
She scores extra points by adding fresh flowers to said vase. Y'all know how I feel about fake flowers. A huge, HELL no.  

Layers, mixed patterns and textures are key to a great table setting and Meagan nailed that here layering pink, gold, and black and white. She's also a bargain hunter.
The runner she found at HomeGoods on clearance for under $10. I sourced the gold candle holders and candles from HomeGoods as well. The glass candle holders are from the Hobby Lobby and were just $3.50. The napkin rings were a $1. Sidebar - Hobby Lobby is new to South Florida and Meagan and I are both shocked that we'd never heard of them until recently - another fab client Janeka alerted me over on IG a few weeks ago. I have yet to go because when I do, I foresee loading up with a gazillion items and I need to make room in my garage (I can't believe I now have a garage!) to hoard it all. 

And there you have it. A colorful, classic and fun tablescape for a very glamorous client done by said glamorous client. She did her thing and made me proud.
If you've been rocking out your tablescape for the summer or for any season or reason, feel free to share a pic or tag me on Instagram and I may just feature it here on the blog. Holla. Holla. Holla. Thanks again for sharing Meagan!

Source Guide

Gold chargers, black and white plates: ZGallerie | Blue and white runner, pink place mats and gold candle holders: HomeGoods | Napkin rings, glass candle holders and napkin rings: HobbyLobby

1 Score & 2 Decades ago.....

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. 

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Yep. Forty is feeling kinda fabulous.

Happy Mother's Day

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

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Some Family Time

A rare thing happened last weekend. I took some time off to be with my men.
If you own your own business, then you know that a day off can be a rarity. You are after all, head cook, bottle washer, CFO and HR all rolled into one, which is a LOT of freaking titles. 
While I'm usually pretty good about shutting off the work valve on Sundays, my Saturdays are usually spent meeting with clients, shopping for projects, checking out what's new at the fabric store and design centers etc., often times with Xavier in tow. 
I've had a lot of guilt about that recently, guilt that he spends so much time schlepping around with either the hubs or I, who also often works on Saturdays, when he should be running wild in a park with other kids. So after a manic few weeks of back-to-back project installations and renovations, my brain froze. It had had enough. I cancelled my Saturday appointments and we took Xavier to the park.
 

He of course had a blast, zipping around pretending to be a soccer star, marveling at the birds, at the clouds, at a water fountain and making friends with everyone he came in contact with. The kid is a natural charmer. Be warned little ladies.
The hubby, who got a fancy camera for Christmas, took the photos - with a lot of sprinting back and forth no less. 
A simple, simple thing some time off, but what a gift it was.

All photos by PFQ Photography.