Office Makeover – 99% complete!

So, please don’t judge because I am obviously not an awesome photographer but I wanted to share the progress on my office.  I’m very happy with how it turned out and it is already functioning so much better for me!  I say 99% complete because, as designers, we are always tweaking and improving upon things in our homes…we can’t help it!

Anyway, here’s where we left off…I moved my desk to under the window which made me hugely more productive and I added a second desk as a credenza on the other wall.  Here’s an “in progress” shot:

Love, love, love my desk under the window!

After working at my new desk for a couple of months, I realized I needed a lamp at night…so the search began!  I knew I didn’t want a task lamp or something that looked too functional.  I think that lamps are kind of like sculptures so it was important to find one that I really loved and…voila!  I fell in love with this lamp!

West Elm – Turned Table Lamp
I was so excited when I got it that I opened it that night and took a quick picture! Love it!

Meanwhile, my family had been working diligently to finish my pink chairs for my birthday!  You can read more about the transformation in my previous blog post.  I couldn’t wait to see how they would look in my office!

The chair, desk and lamp are a great combo!

Note: it is usually suggested to add pops of color in odd numbers…therefore, it worked out that I only ended up with 3 pink and 1 silver chair.  The silver chair stays in the living room while the 3 pink chairs “balance” each other in the office.

The chairs in “action”!
A bit messy but very functional.
Another messy shot of the office…

So, the last step (for now) was to get the credenza a bit more organized.  And when I say organized, I really mean I need more bins to hide my stuff! I went to Target and found these cute black & white chevron bins that hold a lot…and we know how much I love chevron!

The end…for now!

Overall, I love that my office is crisp, functional and can easily transform back into a dining space.  All I do is add tablecloths over the credenza and desk and I instantly have 2 buffets!  And, most importantly, my office allows me to think creatively while designing for my clients.  What more could I ask for?  Hope you enjoyed the blogs, thank you for riding along on my journey!

“the one” – outdoor pillows summer 2012

Hi all!  It’s been a while since I shared a design crush with you!  I am in love with these outdoor pillows and can’t pick out which is my favorite!  Outdoor pillows used to be so boring and now there are all these options full of style and personality.  I love mixing & matching all the patterns & colors!

What do you think?  Which one is right for your patio?

Crate & Barrel – Marimekko Pillow
West Elm – Echo Pillow
Crate & Barrel – Topiary Pillow 
Pottery Barn – Ikat Pillows
West Elm – Sunset Pillow
Pottery Barn – Ikat Multicolor Pillows
Ballard Designs – Outdoor Pillows (multiple fabric options)
Pottery Barn – Palace Pillow

Enjoy the outdoors & Happy Designing!

DIY – The Bentwood Chair Transformation

Hello!  Meet my new chairs and see their journey to my dining room!

So, I had the bright idea to get inexpensive chairs and paint them pink to add a pop of color to my dining room/office.  Of course I chose pink…not shocking at all given my obsession with the color.  Not just any shade of pink, naturally, it had to be the Pantone color of the year for 2011 (when I started this project) Honeysuckle…which will look fabulous!  I had to assure a lot of people, especially my family (boys) who did not see my vision…now to find chairs!

These photos were my inspiration for doing painted chairs…I showed my friends and family, but some people still couldn’t envision pink.

   

It’s funny how I was always drawn to the simple, classic shape of the Bentwood chairs.  It actually took me several months of on and off scouring Craig’s List for the “right” chairs to take on the festive pink hue and not break my piggy bank.  I was so excited when I finally discovered these “gently-worn” vintage Bentwood chairs and purchased all 4 for $20!

Seriously needs help!

I did a lot of searching for fabric to recover the chair seats…a lot of searching, actually.  In the end, I decided I liked the simplicity of the wood seats instead.  So, my dad had to remake them because the original seats were in bad shape.

Stripped down and ready to sand & prime
My grandpa makes the best helper! He’s always ready to tackle a project with me!
A few of the chairs needed a bit more repair…we called in my uncle Doug, our “body man” to do his magic!

After getting them home and inspecting them further, I discover that one of the chairs has a slightly different shape and is shorter than the other 3. My family thinks no one would notice but I decide to highlight the difference and paint that chair silver.

The 3 pink chairs got tinted primer, they look like I coated them in Pepto-Bismol at this point…

After lots more painting, sanding, clear coats…basically blood, sweat and tears from my family, my chairs arrived for my birthday last year!  They look great in my apartment and I’m so happy with how they turned out!  Huge thanks to my family for all their hard work!!!

The pink is fabulous! Check out how well it coordinates with my original Jeff Kapfer bag, too!
Love how the silver turned out, too!
All 4 chairs ready for a party!
The silver chair adds a little sparkle to my living room!

Stay tuned for the blog post on the completion of my office with the new chairs!

my collage wall

So, about 3 years ago, I started collecting fabric swatches, wallpaper samples and fun wrapping paper pieces in the hopes that I would someday assemble them into a cohesive collage.  I had the intention of filling the small wall outside my bathroom with all these bright color fabrics and canvases.

I am so proud that I finally finished it and am able to share photos!  It makes me happy every time I walk by it!  A lot of people have asked for instructions…unfortunately, I was in such a “zone” when actually completing it, that I didn’t take very many pics of the process.  Here goes:

1.  I spent quite some time trying to decide on the right combination/balance of color & pattern all while mixing the frames with the canvases.  I laid everything out on my dining room floor for 2 days and kept tweaking until I got it the way I wanted it.

2.  I used old wrapping paper and cut out the overall size of each of the pieces and taped them all up on the wall.  I actually couldn’t take a good photo of this because the tape kept falling down.  However, I got one pic which hopefully gives you the idea.

3.  I started with the largest which is the “wish” piece and hung it slightly off center to the wall.  I tweaked each one a bit as I filled out the collage around it.  It is not important to have consistent space in this type of organic collage.  It is actually more appealing to have random spacing between the frames.

I’m very happy with how it turned out…have I mentioned that?

 

happy 2012 – year of the bean

Hope you had a wonderful holiday with family & friends!  I enjoyed mine immensely and I’m gearing up for the new year. At this time of year, we often reflect on our lives and strive for a few improvements.  My goal this year is to be more authentic in my personal and business life.  I am very grateful for my friends and family as well as my wonderful clients and I look forward to a great 2012!

Tabs & I on New Year's Eve

The Year of the Bean – “the bean represents the origin of all things”

– My wonderful best friend gave me this necklace for my birthday in November.  Her timing was uncanny.  Turning 36 this past November was kind of a turning point for me and I feel a renewed sense of vitality.  I had been letting stress and external factors bog me down for the past few years and I was ready to make healthy changes in my life.  Imagine my surprise when I opened this necklace!  I wear it every day and it inspires me to keep on my path to success!  Thank you Noelle!  You are the best!

New Adventures – Creative Director for a Wedding

– I am so honored that my clients, whom I worked with for the past several years, have asked me to be involved in their daughter’s wedding this fall.  She is also a past client and the experience of working with them again is very special to me.  This is a wonderful opportunity for me to stretch my expertise and develop new skills.  I have always loved entertaining and the idea of throwing elaborate parties so this is really a dream adventure!  Also, I couldn’t be happier that the big day falls on my birthday!  What a way to cap off my 36th year!

A Look Back at 2011

– I am so grateful for the projects I was able to work on this past year.  After 12 years of designing, I get such a thrill out of finding the “perfect” pillow/sofa/lamp/etc for my clients homes and helping them bring their vision to life!  Here are a few of my favorite rooms from 2011.  Time to get the professional pics taken!

2012 Goal – Be more like Tabs!

– My sister is seriously my best friend and makes me laugh harder than anyone I know.  She has such an infectious optimism and has fun wherever she goes!

i love this photo - it captures the essence of my sister

 

Wishing you much happiness & success in 2012!