INSPIRE CREATE INNOVATE
So, as a little girl I looked forward to Easter and being able to wear a pretty spring dress, white hat, lace socks and carry a patent leather purse. How much fun! Don’t you think your living room looks forward to a little “Easter” update as well?
Here are some of my favorite spring items to add a bit of “bonnet” to your pad!
Happy Spring!!
I am so looking forward to the fresh flowers and new opportunities in store! I thought it might be fun to move my newsletter to my website. What do you think? I welcome your comments and suggestions!
The theme for this month is: MORE, MORE, MORE!!!
More ideas, more color, more energy! I don’t know about you but I’ve been very busy with lots of exciting endeavors and I can’t wait to share them with you here.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman
So, here is a photo of “command central” as I have fondly named my new desk. It is important that my apartment not look too much like an office or I will feel like I am always at work. Looks great & functions even better!
Charity Project: Habitat for Humanity 2010 with St. Louis AT HOME magazine. I’m also very pleased to announce my involvement in this year’s Habitat Design Project with AT HOME magazine. I am on a team with several talented designers and we are working hard to transform the interiors into a warm & inviting home for a very deserving family! Please view my Target list if you are interested in donating. All will be completed by mid-May and I will keep you posted on the progress!
Upcoming Events: As many of you know, I launched DesignSpeak last October and I am very committed to educating consumers about design and where to purchase locally. I am very exited to announce our first ever “design decoded: kitchens & baths” event! This is a free seminar for homeowners seeking design advice. We will have refreshments, goody bags and giveaways! Space is limited, RSVP now to kimberly@designspeakstl.com!
Next Up: I am working on getting photos taken at several of my clients’ homes. I am very pleased with how my projects turned out last year and am anxious to show them off! Here is a sneak peek at one of my installations. The frames turned out beautifully! This project was one of my favorites this past year. My client was so wonderful to work with and she had such a fun design aesthetic that it really didn’t feel like work!
Blazing Trails with the Girl Scouts: I am honored to be a part of such a fun group of young professionals whose goal is mentor recruitement for the wonderful Girl Scout Organization. So many great opportunities to become involved! We are hosting a fun adult camp-out on April 17th to get you motivated and just have fun! To learn more, please join us for Happy Hour at the Moonrise Hotel on March 23rd.
Exciting News: Stella & Dot Jewelry – My sister recently enlightened me on my lifelong obsession with jewelry. “Obsessed” is a little harsh…Maybe a bit co-dependent is more accurate? I will admit it is hard for me to go to the gym without earrings…is that wrong? So, I guess it comes to no one’s surprise that I’ve finally decided to start my career in jewelry as a stylist of Stella & Dot. They are a wonderful company and I have admired their jewelry line almost since its inception. I’m very excited and I am planning my first trunk show to introduce you all to the line! Visit my webpage for more info.
That’s all for now! Stay tuned for more updates!
-K
Here’s a fabulous example of breathing new life into something old!
My client and I were busy searching for “vintage” Anthropologie-looking sofas (but at realistic prices). Luckily, she discovered that her grandmother’s antique sofa was not being used in her mother’s basement and we began a mission to update it for her young family!
Here’s the before photo:
We researched a variety of leathers and fabrics and decided that this mossy green velvet would be durable and maintain the vintage feel of the sofa. Naturally, a lot of work needed to be done in order to get it back “in shape” so to speak! The upholstery company had to re-stuff the cushions and reinforce the frame.
We also elected to strip the wood to its most natural state and give it a lighter stain. With the dark Victorian-era wood stain applied to the heavily-carved frame, the sofa appeared too “dated” for lack of a better word. We wanted it to feel vintage but fresh! Notice, the more subtle color that lets the carving stand out without overpowering the sofa.
Thank you Custom Furniture Works for such an amazing job!!
Here’s the finished product; now it’s time to search for beautiful pillows!
So, after a couple years of deciding that I needed a larger media stand (you’ll see what I mean in the before photo) and not finding one that fit my budget and vision for the room, I decided to get creative. When most people do home improvements, they tackle DIY projects. I prefer the HDDI method, also known as, Have Dad Do It.
My dad is very skilled as a carpenter but committing to a time frame is not his forte because he is in high demand. Luckily, my grandpa and my cousin were willing to help out with painting and hauling the completed piece to my apartment. Now to get my dad on board with my concept. As you can see by my sketches, I was definitely more focused on the little accent pieces…I did give him dimensions, I’m no dummy! The goal was to get the baskets of movies in the console but still functional and hide all the wiring to my components. I’ll let you judge the photos for yourself. I bet you are already thinking of your very own HDDI project! Thanks for all the hard work guys!
So, I just found out that one of my favorite places for inspiration, Hable Construction, is no longer making all of their pillows out of fun wool felt patterns. And this year is the last year for the wool felt stockings…now here are the results of my web search for unique, colorful stockings! Happy Holidays!
