Designing From the Heart

Well, I know it's been a while since I posted, but between the end of school and lets just say life, I've been a little preoccupied.  I've also taken on a new project and I wanted to share my new adventure with you. I can't say this is something that came out of no where, but this is the first time I am making something happen.  I have been given the opportunity to help a mother and her daughter at our church make there house into a home. Our church recently had a service day for the community and our motto is "Serve where you are gifted". I thought...hmm, I would love to use my creative design skills some how to help brighten someone's life, and God did just that! He gave me this sweet family and I am thrilled to be helping them.


When I first visited this home, immediately it didn't match the vibrant, loving, and giving personality of this mother and daughter! It was very depressing! Picture this: dark rooms, lots of clutter, white walls, hunter green and dated "ivy" everywhere! 
Well here, I'll show you.

Dark and dingy breakfast area! Yikes, she needs more storage! We'll have to get a storage cabinet for containing the clutter. Dark yukky colors need to be brightened up with happy colors!

The Kitchen...

Dull, Dark, and Dated!

Let's make it light and bright!

The dated cabinets with ivy stencils have to go! Ivy only belongs in the garden...I'm just sayin'! Lets update by painting them all one neutral color and add new hardware to give them a fresh look! A cute valance, a dash of happy color, and a way to contain the clutter!

   The Living Room...

Living room looks more like a storage garage!

The Design Plan

The living room looks more like a storage garage than a warm and inviting place to hang out as a family. I propose a warm color on the walls, comfy sofa, rug and some lamps for that warm homey feeling! We need a good entry catchall piece for bags and shoes and some curtains with color will soften the room.

The Little Girl's Room...

Buy, buy depressing dark cluttered room!

My daughter came up with this plan all on her own! Now it looks like a little girls room!

The little girls room is soooo depressing and doesn't reflect her personality at all! Let's bring in some color and function to make this a place for her  and her friends to hang out. I picked a soft teal blue for the walls that will grow with her...not pink!

BTW, my 10 year old daughter designed the little girl's room plan! Can't wait until she old enough to go into business with me! 

Mom's Space...

Looks like mint chocolate chip ice cream!

 

Tranquil and serene will be soooo much better!

Mom especially needs a place to relax that is tranquil and warm! I love using warm grays and lavenders to achieve this! I will start with a simple quilt bedding set from Target and build around that! I like to bring in that grown-up sophistication with a hit of silver and mercury glass for a little sparkle. Every girl needs a little sparkle!

I am very excited to be doing this for this family and I hope you enjoy watching our progress! We will be painting on Saturday. I will be sure to keep you updated on the transformation!

5 tips to tackle any room on a budget!

I love using natural elements like jute rugs and woven blinds as a economical way to bring in warmth and texture.

We all have rooms we love to hate! But who has the money to make it over? Well, you do and you just don't know it! I did my living room using some of these tricks. You would think I spent a lot of money, but in actuality I didn't! Even on a small budget you can take your rooms from blah to beautiful, by following these 5 budget-friendly tips!

1. Devise a plan!

Never start a project with out a plan! Go through magazines and cut out pictures of things that inspire you and then go from there. Even an inspiration shopping trip can spark your creative juices... just snap a shot of things you love! Because when you have a plan you won't spend unnecessary $$$!

Keep your inspiration photo's in a folder for easy access!

I like using cork boards to pin up photos and ideas.

2. Shop your home! 

You never know what you have lurking in the attic or in storage ready for the next yard sale. Put on your creative goggles and take a "new" look at your "old" stuff!

For instance, the 80's called and wants their lamp back! But wait you can't have it, because with a little spray paint this guy has great potential! 

I primed him first with Krylon spray primer.

Look for things with good bones and classic lines and repaint them!

Look at me I am now! A beautiful lamp with classic lines and a new linen shade! All I did was spray paint him all over with a dark bronze paint and and added classic linen shade. Now he's happy to be in 2012!


3. I love this one! Customize your store bought finds!

I am all the time seeing beautiful ready-made drapes in the stores. But what is the deal with them all being 84"... that's a big "no-no" in the design world! But I don't let that stop me, because all you need to do is add a coordinating fabric to the top or bottom and you've got a high-end custom look that didn't break the bank!

This hand-me-down dining room was the perfect place to do this trick!

When I did this room for the homeowner, I was told at first that they didn't have the budget to do it! But being the first room you see when you walk in, I felt like I had to offer them some economical ways to make it beautiful. We found these ready-made drapes on mega sale at a local fabric store and she loved the pattern. But they were 90" and we needed 96"! All we did was add the brown to the bottom and they worked beautifully! Slip covers for grandma's chairs and a new rug made this hand-me-down boring dining room ready for guests!

If you can't sew, your local tailor can do it for you for usually around $20!

One more trick I use! I used some left over fabric from the curtains and made coordinating pillow by simply making a band around a plain gold lumbar pillow. I even added a trim to give it that high-end custom look!


4.  Can't afford art for your room? Make your own! 

Check out these idea's for inspiration and then make it all about you! After all, isn't that what your home should be about?!

Unexpected objects keep a room from feeling too formal and fussy!

My husband and are wine lovers and we recently took a trip to Napa and came home with these wine crates with our favorite labels. We picked them up for $5 at the wine shops. I stained them a darker tone and then hung them on the wall to display our favorite bottles. I added a butterfly plaque at the top to complete the vignette.

 

Use your vacation finds as art! My kids love to scour the beach for shells, but we end up with buckets full! So before I threw them out, I came up with this idea. I just glued them to burlap and left the glass off of the frame for 3D art!  Now I am reminded of our family vacations every time I look at them on the wall.

Frame pretty paper!

This one is soooo easy! With all the myriad of scrap booking papers available, there is no excuse to not use those beautiful prints in a room to pull your colors and look together. Even wrapping paper and wall paper can make for beautiful and unique art!


5.  Let nature be your guide!

I love using natural elements in a room. So when I am looking to finish off a design, I hit the yard with a basket and cutters in hand! I love using simple branches and greenery from the yard, even moss and lichen add great natural texture to a room! I also use natural woven shades and natural jute rugs as an economical way to design with texture!

Tea Olive branches in small bottles give my entry table new life!

A simple glass hurricane is filled with a birds nest.

As much as I love a glass vase filled with flowers, I can't afford to have them around the house all the time! So I use things from the yard like branches and bushes to fill them in the interim. It's organic and adds life to a room.  I will even simply fill a glass hurricane with a nest or moss, too!

I know that you can do these things! All you have to do is get creative and you can create a beautiful room regardless of your budget! HAPPY DESIGNING!

Three Ways to Decorate with Shells!

Okay, I know you all have them, if not, they are pretty much available everywhere! Sea Shells! I love the beautiful form of a shell, the shapes and colors, and better yet, they're not expensive. And yes, free... if you take a trip to the beach! Road trip!

As the weather gets warmer, we all dream of lounging on a beach somewhere. But what if you want to create that feeling at home? I have three ways you can incorporate shells in your decor. So every time you see them you are reminded of the serenity of the ocean. 
 

Put them in a cluster to add a sculptural element to a stack of books or magazines. Use them on a stack of books in a book shelf.

 I took several small shells and created a monogrammed tray for my entry table. I took this tray from boring to "Tray Chic"! 

Create a memory with your found shells! 

I love this one, because my philosophy is that your home should tell your story. These are shells my kids found on the beach at our favorite vacation spot. The shells sat out in the garage in a bucket forever, until I decided to make them into art. Now every time we look at them they bring back happy memories. 

Lay out your design first then glue them in place.

Here's how easy this is! All I did was remove the glass from the frames. I laid out my burlap and came up with a  shell pattern and then hot glued them directly to the burlap. Lastly, cut the burlap to fit the frame and framed it without the glass. Then just hang them where ever you want! You could even do a cluster of them.
Instant and inexpensive art that tells your story! 


Just a side note...
I want to thank those of you who take the time to read my blogs, I love sharing my ideas and I hope it gives you inspiration... buuut I need followers! So if you like my blog, be sure to become a follower and share me with you friends! Thanks guys!

 

"Cheap, Cheap" Easter!

That's right Easter weekend is upon us and what have I done to prepare? NOTHING! So here I am with friends coming in... oh 2 days, to join us to celebrate and I haven't even shopped! What to do, What to do?

So, I do what I do best. Scourer the house for things I already have to create an Easter table setting... because the way the table looks is just as important as what's served on it! Then, I can cross one thing off my list. Here's what I did in just an hour and I didn't spend a dime! This is what I call "use what you have" decorating.

I started with picking a theme and I thought a garden theme would be fitting for the special occasion. Let's call it "Elegant Garden". So I grabbed anything I could find that fell in line with my theme and started putting it all together. 

My moss balls, an antique cheese dome - which I filled with a beautiful nest, Mrs. Bird is the guardian of the nest, my garden lanterns from my porch, and greenery from the yard in little glass bottles are a great start. I set all this on a layer of natural textures, then threw in my fine china and crystal to create that elegant feeling! I have to say I was pretty proud of my creation and better yet it was freeeeee!

As I finished though, I noticed I had these cool branches I didn't use. Hmmm? I'll hang them from the chandelier for some garden whimsy! Now we have an Easter Table ready to be enjoyed!

All I have left to do now is buy the ham, and other items for the lunch, dye the Easter eggs, make the Easter cup cakes, clean the house... and most of all celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord!  

Happy Easter!

Let's get kitchen savvy!

This week I'm in the kitchen to share idea with you that saves waste and money!

I am trying so hard these days not to be wasteful. But, like a lot of moms my kids have me cut the crust off their sandwiches. Every day, as I made their lunch, I watched the ends of 4 pieces wholegrain bread met their demise, so wasteful!

Two weeks ago I decided put a stop to my wastefulness and started putting them in a baggie and keeping it in the fridge. Now I can make healthy homemade bread crumbs anytime and I am saving money at the same time... its a win, win! But be sure to cut off the crust before you make the sandwich... no one wants peanut butter and jelly flavored bread crumbs!

The other night I made Italian Breaded Chicken Cutlets out of the once doomed bread ends.  Everybody loved them! I let pieces of crust dry out on a pan for an hour, then put them in the processor with seasoning to make yummy - and healthy - whole grain bread crumbs. 

So I wanted to share my savvy kitchen trick and the recipe with you. Of course, you could use them in whatever calls for bread crumbs, like meatloaf, meatballs, and chicken fingers.

 Italian Breaded Chicken Cutlets:

You will need: 
1 package of skinless, boneless, chicken cutlets
Olive oil

For our homemade bread crumbs:
2 cups of whole bread crusts (that's about what I had)
1/4 cup of grated parmesan
1 tbl italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion salt 
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper 

Grind all together in a food processor until it is all crumbs.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan on medium high, pour crumbs on a plate and coat chicken (you can dredge for a crispier crust, by dipping in flour and egg first. However, I was trying to keep mine simple and light. ) Place chicken in pan and fry until crisp and golden, usually depends on thickness of breasts. Cutlets only take 2 to 3 minutes per side. 


Crispy Trick: Don't take out the cooked chicken and place on a plate. To keep it crispy, I use my cookie cooling rack and place a paper towel underneath to catch the drippings. It keeps it crispy on both sides! Mmmmm!

Serve with wholegrain cheese tortellini and salad.

Hope you liked my cool tip! Let me know your kitchen savvy ideas.

My home office is finally done!

Well,  it took some doing, between recovery from surgery, to having to pay for said surgery, the office is 95% done and I am soooo excited to show you the results! I only wish I was able to paint it! If I did I would choose SW Oyster Bay, it's a beautiful blue gray.

It looks warm and inviting at night, too!

Recycle, Reuse, Re-invent

I had to use all the creative juice I had to finish it because, my budget was only $250! So, I went on a hunt through the house and dug up some stuff I could re-invent.  

Lets start with storage. I had to get the stuff off the floor, I needed shelves! I found my child's  old toy cubbies in the attic and painted one in  SW Decor White. I added casters to lift it off the floor to make it easier to move. I have another one that I am going to paint and then put a table top on them for my project desk... but that's another blog!

I added baskets to contain all my samples and make it more stylish.

 

These drapes were a great find at Pottery Barn on sale for $43.99 a panel. I took them to a seamstress and had them add a coordinating fabric to the bottom to make them fit the height of the window. This is a great design trick to customize your store bought drapes.

I love up-cycling things that would normally just be thrown away

 I "up-cycled" used cans for storing all my extra paint chips and seperated them by color family.

 

Bulletin Boards

I love to display things that inspire me, so I used these boards I found in my sons closet to display inspiring photos and projects.

 I made a custom board out of a gorgeous frame I picked up at a yard sale for $5. It is solid carved wood with an old patina... I grabbed it and ran! I added a light aqua to the frame and then quickly wiped off the excess to keep the old antique look. I covered the board with Ballard Designs Arden Blue outdoor fabric. BTW, Ballard sells these type boards for $89!

 

The Accessories

Finding the decor for the office took some doing with such a limited budget, but I was able to score some pretty great accessories at a great deal!

I found these wall plaques at Target and they were peeerfect! 

 I bought the lamp at Target and I loved it so much I bought two! The picture is from HomeGoods and ties all the colors in perfectly! I added a bench and this PB burlap butterfly pillow to anchor the picture.

 The rug was another great HomeGoods find! The pop of pattern adds personality.

So that's it. I hope you got some ideas of your own! Remember, even if you don't think you have the budget to makeover a room,  just look around your house to see what you could reinvent! Don't forget to search those stores for great deals!

Refresh a room with colors for spring!

This room from "Style at Home" magazine is spring inspiration!

I loooved this room the minute I saw it and I thought it would be fun to "Build-a-Room" on a budget based on this gorgeous room.  I had fun searching high and low for accessible products that would give you the same look and feel as the room in the picture. 

Here's what I came up with!

Lets say we are starting with a basic neutral room. I know I tell you this all the time, but the foundation of every room should be neutral... no bright green or floral sofas! This allows you to add in colors you love, when you love them! Then anchor the room with a beautiful natural seagrass or jute rug for texture.  

Then start poppin' in the color! Start at Target for some cool lamps and this tray...not a huge investment, so you can justify changing them out when you are ready.

Next, I love adding in colorful accent furniture like the aqua chest of drawers in the picture, they most likely painted  it themselves - search thrift stores and flea markets for an inexpensive one to paint.

Try this deep Aqua Blue from Sherwin Williams:

Nothing changes the feel of a room like adding throw pillows...they are a designers best friend! I love these pillows from Target and Pier 1 ranging from $20 to $25. The yellow one in the middle is $68 from ATG.com. 

Finally, I think adding in pattern and color on your accent chairs is a great way to keep your room from being to predictable and it helps reinforce your color story. Again, Target is the place to go for this awesome slipper chair. Two flanking a fireplace or completing your conversation area are perfect!

I love natural rustic wood coffee table in the picture and I found this one on the Ballard Designs site for $349. Awwwsooome!

There you have it!  I just recreated the look of that beautiful room with everything you need to get the look for a little over $1000!

A lot of people look at a room and don't know where to start. Let this room inspire you and now I have given you the tools to recreate the look! You have every thing you need right here! So all I can say is go for it!