Sorry. I have not posted all month long. I have been way way way too busy for this blog and even for interior design at all. (sadness) I've been working on other jobs and since those are paying jobs, I had to forego NOT getting paid as I start up my own business. But I WILL be back in April after I return home from NYC, (hopefully) freshly inspired. The sooner I get my business set up, the sooner I can start earning! (yippie!) But I am so grateful for the other jobs I have had so I'm not complaining.

Some things for me to look forward to working on:

• Business cards (in the flesh!)
  
• A business plan including ALL the write-up's
  
• Professional photography of my work (?)
  
• A completed website
  
• Shameless Advertising
  
• And so much more....
  

I MUST make one for my very own. :-)

This is my current living room color scheme. Greens, browns, ivories, natural wood tones, etc.


I love these colors and I'm consistently drawn to them wherever I go. BUT, I'm interested in branching out to include a few additional colors in my living room scheme. My inspiration is Orla Kiely's mulit-colored Stem Print pattern. I first saw this pattern a couple of years ago on some design blog and I just love it! I can't afford $200 + for her Stem Print pillow-but, it's just too cute! I guess I am going to have to figure out an alternative even if it means hacking my own version. (I'm thinking about attempting this by creating a petal-shaped pattern, cutting petals out of different $.50 felt sheets and ironing them on a linen background, maybe with a little hand-stitching thrown in for good measure. Gimpy? Maybe.)

I love these Marimekko fabrics and I'd love to have one of these patterns in my living room somewhere. Problem is, the patterns are all very large in scale so they wouldn't do well for pillows. I have been considering adding a bold patterned curtain to my LR windows so one of these prints could work. It's just that they're over $50 per yard and I need 5 1/2 yards. YIKES! Not happening. The other option is to get a single yard of my favorite pattern and stretch it over a canvas. This is a really popular way of displaying Marimekko fabrics, probably because they're so pricey (and they make great art). Hmm...what to do what to do....

A few more MooCard ideas:

We just got this new duvet from Anthropologie over the weekend. I've had my eye on it for ages and It was way on sale so I jumped on it. I absolutely love it. The duvet pictured is slightly different from the one we purchased at Anthropologie. Ours has green/yellow/peach birds instead of the blue/orange/gold birds as shown. I'm not convinced that the blue shade on our bedroom walls is working with the new duvet though. The color would have worked perfectly with the other chinoiserie duvet (with the blue/orange birds) but at the time of purchase, I did not realize there were two different color-ways. Oh well. The pattern rocks and I am making it work no matter what even if that means painting the walls. *think* Yes, I will be painting the walls, I just decided. I will be on the lookout for the perfect shade of greige....stay tuned.






Speaking of Anthropologie, I am hoping to infuse a bit of its' eclectic vintage feel into our bedroom's decor. For starters, I'm going to replace the ceiling fan with a crystal chandelier. YES, I said crystal chandelier. It's going to be awesome! It's from my parents' dining room in the 1920's co-op they just bought. I am also going to make a tufted upholstered headboard. ( I've had the foam core for months but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.) Next I will get a large 8 x 10 rug which will cover a good bit of the wood floors and soften the entire look of the room. I'd like something very textural like woven heathered-jute.

(By the way, none of these projects will be attended to until the summer time if I have money by then.)

I'm finally going to order some Moo MiniCards. I've always wanted a reason to order some and I think they will help me decide if I like the idea of miniature business cards. They are smaller than what I'd prefer, 1.1" x 2.75", but they'll be close enough to give me an idea of what to expect if I decide to get cards that are 1.25" x 3". What I like about Moo cards, so I've heard, is that they are printed on a thicker card stock than a regular business card and they have a lovely matte finish. You can also order up to 100 different designs, meaning I will be able to test out ALL of my ideas until I find the few I like best. Here are a few more:



By the way, if you're looking at this, leave a comment with your thoughts about these designs.

Been working on some ideas for my business card. I've decided to have them cut to 1.25" x 3" instead of the standard 2" x 3.5". I will also get them with rounded corners.

Back Side:



Front Side:







Other Options:

• Paint Colors
  
• Flooring
  
• Furniture
  
• Window Coverings
  
• Rugs
  
• Lighting
  
• Textiles
  
• Accessories
  
• and more.... 

The design plan will presented on a concept board, commonly known by designers as a "mood board". A mood board is a collage of inspiration photos, paint colors, textiles, flooring, furniture, lighting and other elements that make up a room. I create my mood boards digitally using a graphics editing program called Adobe Photoshop. Created this way, they can be viewed from a person's computer, uploaded to the web, or printed as a hard copy. Anyone can create a mood board, either digitally or physically as in the case of traditional collage making. I encourage everyone interested in home decor to learn how to make their own mood boards. They are an invaluable and inspirational tool for everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals. That being said, not everyone has the time or the know how to put elements together to create a cohesive design plan. That's where I come in. Clients will send me detailed photos of their spaces, explaining what their dilemmas are. Next we'll go through a short question and answer session via the internet that will enable me to better understand their likes and dislikes. I will then get right to work creating their custom mood boards. That's it! In about a week or so I will have designed a plan that they can implement at their own pace whenever they're ready. Of course, I will be available to help with the implementation process and can be of assistance as a personal shopper for as little as $25/hour.

Common Questions and Answers:

Q. How much does a custom mood board cost?
A. Interior designers are among some of the highest paid professionals in this day and age. In fact, clients must pay literally hundreds of thousands of dollars for design services. My approach is different in that I aim to provide an affordable service that anyone can access, at a fraction of the cost. Rather than paying costly designer premiums, my clients will be able to order their custom mood boards for just $200. However, as an introductory offer I will be designing custom mood boards for just $50 to the first 5 people to sign up. The next 10 people will receive their custom mood boards for $100. This includes a complete visual design plan with specific instructions on every element in the room. The elements will be numbered with the price and source, along with additional suggestions and ideas for each element.

Q. How soon will I get my custom mood board?
A. The turn around time for CMB's are about a week.

Q. What do I do after I receive my custom mood board?
A. Every element on the mood board will have specific instructions enabling you to go at your own pace and budget to complete the project.

Q. I don't think I can do this by myself. Can you help me?
A. Of course! For $25/hour including travel time I can come to your home and help you get started. I can even go shopping with you and help you pick out the elements. Whatever you need, even if it is just someone to bounce ideas off of, I can be of assistance.

Q. What if I can only afford to purchase a custom mood board and nothing else?
A. The great thing about a mood board is that it's an all-in-one, comprehensive design plan. Many people spend months and months making purchase after purchase in an effort to decorate their homes, yet they still wind up dissatisfied and possibly even more confused about what they want. This is because they have not had a specific direction and focused plan of action. My advice? Get a plan FIRST, then at your own pace you can start saving to put the plan into affect. Perhaps you only have a $100 budget. Wonderful! Take that $100 and purchase something off of your custom mood board. You won't have to feel guilty about making an impulse buy because you know you've purchased something that's a part of an overall design plan. It will all come together in time and having a goal to work towards is so much more comforting (not to mention cost effective!) than being confused and disappointed that you don't have it all together. Of course, if money is no object, you'll be able to implement the plan right away, seeing the complete project through in as little time as it takes to purchase and install all the elements.

I will be adding to and editing as time goes along but I just wanted to start somewhere by getting this information posted.

The Hotel Adagio is the gorgeous boutique hotel we stayed at during our honeymoon in October of 2006. I was truly captivated by the unique, modern decor and I have to admit that without a doubt the Hotel Adagio has played an influential role in the development of my personal style. Unfortunately, I was not able to take many quality shots during our stay but I thought I would post a few pictures that I found around the internet.

I want to say a big thank you to the Apartment Therapy community! They helped us out with some clarity for our living room light situation. Despite having a very low quality photo, I sent our question over and got plenty of feedback in return. A lot of people felt that the Le Klint 172 would work well while most people thought that we shouldn't have any pendant lighting at all!! A few people agreed with us about the PH 5 pendant being a good mixture of our table lamps and our dining room pendant.. (I still love it and wish I could use it somewhere.) You can read their comments here, if you want.

My interest in home design and decor has been developing at a rapid pace for almost three years now. It wasn't until I got engaged in the summer of 2006 and realized that I would soon be making a home for myself and my new husband that I began exploring the world of interior design. Boy have I learned a lot since then! As I said in an earlier post, most of what I've learned is from trial and error and a whole lot of studying! I study everything! I study my surroundings and the interiors of all the places I frequent regularly, I study books, magazines, catalogs, design shows and decor blogs, and I study my friends and families' homes. I take absolutely everything in. I promise you, go anywhere with me and wherever I am, I will be noting every last detail. To a fault. Because of this, I feel like I will never stop learning because I can't help but absorb all I see. Fortunately, since I am pursuing interior decorating as a career, I will have an outlet to pour all of this learning into. Eventually.

I recently picked up a book called Apartment Therapy: Real Homes, Real People, Hundreds of Real Design Solutions. It's by Maxwell-Gillingham Ryan, founder of the popular shelter blog ApartmentTherapy.com. In the introduction of this book, the author has a couple of solid things to say about the home. Listen to this....

I used to think of home was the place where we cook, eat, and sleep. I now understand it as a force that shapes our daily lives. More than just a physical shelter, the home is both a second skin that protects us from the world outside, and an emotional center that nourishes us and supports our inner-most dreams.

Whether you live in a rental apartment in New York City or own a house in Seattle, your home is the one space on earth that you can call your own. You owe it to yourself to make it as beautiful, organized, and healthy as you can.

By taking care of our home, you are taking care of yourself. A healthy home will nurture and support you.

Now, I would caution myself to remember and consider that my TRUE home is not on this earth but with Jesus in eternity. No dwelling place on earth can compare to the beauty that is my future home in Glory, much as it's hard for me to even comprehend this. But I can appreciate this quote because I think it resonates with my reasons for why I do what I do, for my home that is. Our home is a shelter, a nourishing center, a protection, and a second skin and I absolutely believe that it should be all these things. I believe this because I believe that I personally am called to live my life in and from home. Right now, I have the great privilege of being able to work from home which is something I do not take for granted. We also plan to raise a family together so being a mom will be a couple of decades worth of work that will take place primarily at home. It's also a great possibility that my children will be educated at home. (But more on that later, much later.) I love to have people in to our home, and I want to be more hospitable to do so more often. I also, and you could say first and foremost, want my home (our home) to be a place of refuge for my dear husband. I want him to come home to a place of rest and be blessed for his hard work outside of the home.  I know that my husband could be blessed by our home even if we lived out of a cardboard box because it ultimately has to do with the homemaker's heart and desire to serve (or her lack). But since I have been blessed with more than a cardboard box, for right now at least, I've been endeavoring to be the best steward I can be. 

Say the words ceiling fan and I cringe. They're big, they're bulky, and they're usually hideous. *shudder* Plus, the light they cast is glaring, unflattering and pretty much bunk, especially if it's the only source of light in a room. Ew. So when I moved into my husband's house, switching out the ceiling fans was one of the first things we did. We went to Home Depot and picked out an attractive fan that we thought would match our new home's decor. Then we bought three of them and put them up in our living room, office, and bedroom. That was two years ago and, well, things have changed. For one thing, our style has shifted towards a definitively more modern aesthetic. Not that we weren't going for modern before, we just didn't know exactly what "modern" was or, for that matter, what our style was. We've made many a change in our home over the past two years, as opportunity and budget would allow. We've also made many a mistake because of not fully understanding our own tastes. You'd think it would be common sense NOT to try and decorate your house when you don't know what you like, but alas, we learned by doing. (I don't necessarily recommend this, however.) Slowly but surely we are making fewer and fewer mistakes while making more assertive design decisions that are relevant and consistent with our sense of style. One such mistake, which we could only see in hindsight, was the purchase of the aforementioned ceiling fans. Don't get me wrong, the fans would be great in the right context. In fact, they will probably stay in the bedroom and office where they're.....getting by. But now that the living room opens up into the dining room and kitchen, the lighting/ceiling fixtures from all three "rooms" must work together and that ceiling fan definitely doesn't work. It's not even centered! Lame-o. We ripped that thing down months ago and we've been living with a few little pokey wires that are hanging down 6" from the ceiling. Now I just have to decide if I want a ceiling fan w/a light, just a fan, or no fan and a light fixture instead.



Here are a few fans that we like:












And here are some light fixtures that we like:










Here's a sampling of some of the current lighting in our home and our possible choices for the living room:








Notice that the mention of the practicality of a fan in Florida didn't come up. Yeah, it would be very practical to have a ceiling fan. Some would say it's a necessity, and believe me, this past summer we could have really used the extra help in keeping our home cool. Yikes.... But some of those lighting choices above are just too amazing to pass up. I don't know, I think it could be worth it to endure the larger electric bill in the summer if I could have one of those lights in my LR. Let's face it, I tend to ere on the side of form over function.

My favorite shelter magazine, Domino, is shutting down. Their last issue goes out in March. What a bummer. I had just sent my check for another 1 or 2 year subscription. (can't remember which) They will probably be sending me a sub. to another magazine but I have no idea which one. I used Christmas gift money to buy subs. to Metropolitan Home, House Beautiful, and Elle Decor but they aren't as good as Domino in my opinion. Oh well. :-( I thought about getting a Dwell subscription too, but since I picked up over 2 years worth of back issues for $5 at a garage sale, I figure I had better go through and exhaust those before I get any new issues. I also receive (as gifts) subscriptions to Cooking Light, Bon Appetit, and Southern living.