Monday

This & That Tuesday: The Blues Never Felt So Good

Sofia Vergara at the 2012 Golden Globe Awards
Kate Spade Hera Navy Satin/Fuschia  Satin Shoes



1. AngeloHOME Sutton Midnight Blue Sofa @ Overstock $452.99
2. Honeycomb Area Rug @ Target $199.99-349.99
3. Button Tufted Upholstered Bency-Navy @ Target $299.99 
4. Berlin Indigo Table Lamp @ ZGallerie $159.00
6. Digital Deco Turntable Art @ ZGallerie$139.95-499.95
7. Pink Greek Key 16x16 Pillow Cover @ ElemenOPillows $21.00

Now that the hard part of the week is already over....let's keep the momentum going.

Motivational Monday: Week Beginning Blues

Today's Motivational Monday is all about beating the week's beginning blues. If this glamorous yet elegant space by Mary McDonald Interiors does not move your week in the right direction, I don't know what will! The perfect hues of navy blue sing harmoniously with touches of fuchsia accents.

The honeycomb patterned rug is carried through to the white molding. This architectural detail adds depth to the room and is that designer "pop".....the Blues never looked so good!


Stay tuned for Tuesday's THIS and THAT to see how you can achieve this look for under $2,500!

Wednesday

Flowers to Inspire

Flowers aren’t just for gardens!

Floral prints and patterns have grown to be popular in fashion, but also in interior décor. Ranging from small details in soft goods such as pillows, window treatments and wall art to bolder choices like furniture upholstery and wallpaper, it’s not uncommon to find flowers in a room outside of the typical vase arrangement.

Last night’s season premier of the White Room Challenge was anything but typical. Designers were pushed to use 1500 flowers in a 10x10 white space. The outcome…..proof that anything is possible.

Carissa’s Bistro

Saadia’s Artsy Loft

Matthew’s Keeping Room

David’s Sitting Nook

If you like the literal translations of bringing the outside in through flowers, there are tons of unique products that can help you do just that....some of which the HGTV designers were trying to achieve.

Saadia's Sofa Inspiration
Flower Chairs by Moroso
David's Coffee Table Translation
Floral staircase designed by Cast

Although the challenge results are not something you'd like to incorporate in an everyday space, they can serve as a spring board of inspiration to think outside of the box. Here are a few ways to brighten any space with nature's petals.

Floral Print Wallpaper....far from your Granny's version





If you are living in a rented space or do not wish to make permanent changes, vinyl decals are a great alternative!



Decals can also be used to make large wall murals along with printed canvas, or the good ole paint.


Speaking of wall installations, check out this bathroom 3-D ceramic tile! Talk about adding dimension to a small space!



This same affect can be achieved with something as simple as paper.


On a smaller scale, framed fabric or paper is always a refreshing addition




And lastly we have to mention the obvious....pillows and upholstered furniture. The options are endless which lends the opportunity to rotate in and out with the seasons.

Handmade pillows by Bed Buggs on Etsy
Chairs and Settees found online at Target


So much flower power....I can go on and on. Can't wait to see next week's challenge!

Thursday

What You Looking at Miles!?

Selecting art or an interest point for a large wall over a sofa can be expensive and discouraging. After sourcing for a recent guest bedroom / office project with 11ft ceilings, I was stumped on what to put over the sofa. I knew I did not want to just purchase art, and needed to add a personal touch, so I set out to creatively incorporate a graphic or image of the client’s iconic figure, Miles Davis.

I originally wanted a photo of Miles Davis printed on a 60x72 canvas, similar to the following image, but it got to be too pricey for the allotted budget.


The next idea was to have the imaged printed as a sign/poster, and have it framed to resemble this black and white pop art.


Unfortunately, the specialist at the print shop advised me the image would be not be good quality when blown up. So, back to the drawing board, again!

I entertained the thought of doing a collage of Miles Davis images in different sizes and make a frame “cloud" over the sofa.



This is a pretty common concept, so it did not satisfy the “wow” factor I was going for. I was strongly considering this option when a light went off….multiple frames to make up the one image…..DUH!




I quickly Googled the idea, and how to break up an image across several pages. I came across a life saver website, www.blockposters.com, that allows you to upload an image, and it does all the work for you!  I downloaded the file, had it printed on photo quality paper and framed each page. The rest is history!




Miles Davis certainly made an appearance in the space. Mission accomplished!



Friday

Bare All Lighting

Baring all has become a way of life in music, television, movies, relationships, and now lighting!  When searching chandelier inspirations, I’ve noticed a rising trend is striping away the fabric of existing lampshades and revealing the original craftsmanship of the wire frame.




This idea is very shabby chic and whimsical, but with a vibrant paint color, stylish light bulb, and a creative edge, the lighting concept can become a glamorous statement.





I love the look of a single lamp light, but Donna Walker has taken the idea to new heights with her Skeleton Lamp cluster.



PROJECT:
I’ve come across an amazing vintage lamp shade at a local Goodwill. I was immediately attracted to the silhouette and shape, not to mention, the existing fabric is in great condition, and the gold trim speaks to my Hollywood design style.




A perfect lamp base would set this baby off!  However, after seeing the various transformations of wire lamp forms, I am inspired and no longer content with preserving my find. This weekend is the perfect time for upcyling. 

The first step is finding the must have paint that will pop in any space.

Any color ideas or suggestions?


Monday

Duct Tape and Sheets Make BIG Impact at a Small Cost

The booth at Paris on Ponce with Heather Means is taking off. Our upcycled Hollywood Glam meets Happy Chic product stands out from the other vendors. However, our booth design did not stand strong, nor match our vibrant product. So Heather and I had to put our thrifty thinking caps on and brainstorm ideas on giving the space a much needed face lift.

We want to provide an inviting environment so buyers will want to come into our booth/space. However, this must be done on a tight budget. After all, the goal is to maximize profit and minimize spending. We agreed the two main areas that make the most visual impact are the walls and the floor.

The Walls:
Other booths used burlap to cover their walls, and that just doesn’t fit with our style. However, purchasing yards of fabrics with prints/patterns is costly. So, I proposed using King or Queen size flat bed sheets since it comes in large sizes providing more coverage and prevents us from matching the pattern repeat several times.




Of course this same concept can be used in homes, especially apartment or rental spaces where wallpapering is out of the question or out of the budget.



If you're not interested in covering an entire wall, framing options also make a large statement.



Click here for step by step instructions on HGTV's website for the various application methods to install fabric wall covering.

Because we used two different prints on the top and bottom of the side walls, we needed a border to hide the seam….decorative tape to the rescue!  This particular print is from Michael's, but there are several great options to choose from.


If a border isn't enough to tickle your fancy, try creating an entire wall installation using duct tape.

Love the random falling pieces of tape... it says effortless while still making a graphic statement.

The Floor:
We couldn’t stop the taping there….we took it to the floor using yellow duct tape to create a random/effortless chevron pattern. The much needed pop of color ccamouflaged the gray painted floors that screamed penitentiary and whispered Help! 




Because duct tape comes in just about every color under the sun, the possibilities are endless.Here are a few other amazing ideas using duct tape for the floors in interior spaces.



The thought of having to remove duct tape and its sticky residue  from my home floors is not appealing. However, applying duct tape to a rug is also an option to give the same eclectic affect.




I am very intrigued by this idea of reviving an existing rug. I am thinking of turning this into a DIY project for my breakfast nook that is in much need of a rug underneath the table....stay tuned for results.