Amber B Design Studio

Interior Design & Decoration for the South Florida region

Love the Look: Double Islands

by Filed Under: amber b design, design, design services, e-decorating, e-design, kitchen Leave a Comment

I hope you all are off to a great week! I am excited to share that for this past year, I have been working remotely on a new home build in New York. I have worked with these amazing clients in the past and they are currently in the process of building their dream home. When we looked at the kitchen layout, the builder suggested an island that had an oblong, non symmetrical shape. While it filled the space well, it made it tricky for pendant placement. I also love a symmetrical design whenever I can, so I knew I wanted to reconfigure the island layout. We had some extra room in the kitchen to work with, so I presented my clients with the idea of either a small sitting area in the kitchen or a double island.

Small sitting area in kitchen: Inspiration

Image via Better Homes and Gardens

Double Island: Inspiration

Image via House of Jade Interiors

I honestly loved the look of both approaches, but they decided they did not need an additional lounging area in their kitchen. So a double island it is and I couldn’t be happier! This option will function so well for their family and how they will use their new home. The island closest to the range will be the work island and main prep space. The island after that will serve as the eating and hang out spot, with pretty counter stools for sitting. The functioning layout will be similar to the inspiration image above, but we will do pendants above the work island and recessed above the sitting island. I couldn’t be happier with the way the kitchen will look. We have selected most of the finishes and cabinet design and I can’t wait to see it all come together. The main cabinetry will be a creamy white shaker and the island will be a deep walnut stain. The marble like quartz will go on all of the counters, tying the spaces together. Except the bar area… that will be its own gem and I can’t wait to share more about that niche of the kitchen soon.

If you also live outside of Florida, my e-design option works best and can be such a cohesive, stream lined process! So much can still be achieved remotely, even an entire new build! Stop by my design services page to get started. I look forward to hearing from you!

It’s Been a While…

by Filed Under: #ProjectClassicCoastal, amber b design, amber b design at home, design, personal 2 Comments

I’m still here, even though it’s been such a long time since hitting submit on a blog post! There have been so many times I wanted to start writing and then you know… life gets busy, this past year was crazy, that I kept procrastinating on the first post back. I have been keeping up every now and then on Instagram (AmberBDesign), but have always loved writing in this creative outlet. So where to begin?!? A few posts back, you can scroll down and see that I show pictures of our “new home.” Well, that was a new home for just a little while, lol! We had an amazing opportunity to move and relocate from NY to South Florida and we jumped at the opportunity. It’s funny how we didn’t move for almost 15 years and then we move twice in less than one year! But, we saw it as an amazing adventure for our family and now we want everyone we know to come to the sunshine state! Little did we realize that a few months after moving, Covid would hit. Moving here allowed us to spend so much time outside. I also had waaaaay much more time than I thought at home organizing and getting our house to feel like a home. So without further adieu, if you haven’t seen it on Instagram, here is a little tour…

Our Home

I love this home for all of the natural light that pours in! It’s also a fun experiment to see how our furniture fits into a totally different space. We were able to keep most of it and it’s like it was meant for these rooms. I have future plans for some of these spaces and it will be great to document that progress here on the blog.

And below is one of the reasons why I love living in South Florida…

I have continued with Amber B Design both locally and with E-Design. A local project that is almost complete and almost ready for the final install, #ProjectClassicCoastal …

Rendering by the amazingly talented Jane Gianarelli

If you have made it this far in this lengthy post, thank you!! 🙂 I hope to be back on this platform more often, sharing design tips, home projects and client design work. It’s been a little over a year since moving here and it’s definitely been a fun adventure! Basically living in flip flops year round is a dream. I do miss our out of town family so much and hope we are all able to reconnect and visit soon!! If this year has taught us anything, it’s definitely to take time for the things that matter most. I’ll be back to share more and thanks for checking in!!

Why This Works

by Filed Under: design, interior design, why works series 1 Comment

Happy Wednesday! Welcome back to another installment of Why This Works… where I show a designed space and discuss why I think it works and is great design. Today’s home is gorgeous all the way around… it’s the 2019 Southern Living Idea Home. The site for this year’s home is Crane Island, in Amelia Island, Florida. The home was designed by the super talented Heather Chadduck. Every corner of this home exudes that coastal, laid back charm.

The living room in this home makes you want to linger and spend time for hours! The textures used in the first layer woven area rug and plant basket contrasts nicely with the colorful patterns and fabrics used on the furniture and striped rug. I love when different metal finishes are used in a space, because it gives that collected over time look to a room. The aged brass mirror and coffee table mix with the hurricane sconces and lantern pendants. Different wood tones are also brought in through the console table and ceiling beams, adding more character to this new build. There are subtle coastal touches, which I love in an island home. That is seen through the bird art, coral accessory and palm leaves. Small scale patterns mix well with bold, oversized prints, giving a balanced approach to the textiles. Now, we look into the foyer and see the continuation of the laid back, coastal style…

Interior Design by Heather Chadduck Interiors

I love that this space is so well thought out and designed. Always remember the power of a well designed foyer, too! Often, this space can be overlooked and the focus can be more on the living spaces. But this area is often seen and used just as much… so attention to detail is important here, as well. I love that Heather has the ceiling painted blue! It draws your eye up and is a great way to bring in a color from a nearby room. The textures, patterns and coastal influence continue in this foyer, with the woven consoles, lantern pendants and beautiful bird art. Overall, these spaces and this whole home work!! What are your thoughts? To see all of the rooms in this gorgeous Idea House, visit Heather’s site, HERE.

Before and After: Project Casual Trad

by Filed Under: #projectcasualtrad, amber b design, Ana Gil Photography, design, interior design, living room, local clients 2 Comments

I am thrilled to introduce Project Casual Trad to you today!! This was such a fun design project to work on and before and afters always amaze me! I’m so excited to do what I love and when I am able to see a project transform and get it documented by a super talented photographer, it’s the icing on the cake! The after photos are all from Ana Gil Photography and she is a gem to work with. Her talent is inspiring and her enthusiasm is infectious! Ana introduced me to this client after photographing her family. The homeowners were looking for a living space that was warm, inviting, bright and a modern/traditional mix. They wanted some color, but in a subtle, relaxed way. Without further adieu, here is the space!

Before

After

I love this picture on the mantel that Ana took!

Before (The other side of the room)

After

It was so much fun being a part of this project and seeing the space take shape. Thank you so much for stopping by!!

Why This Works

by Filed Under: design, inspiration, interior design, why works series Leave a Comment

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you may remember the blog series I used to write on Wednesdays, titled: Why This Works. Basically, I select a room I have found that I absolutely love and I break down the reasons why I think it works. Over the past few years, I have really gravitated toward a clean, modern/traditional aesthetic. I love bright, open spaces that feel warm and welcoming. So, I think this living room designed by the super talented Bria Hammel, is a great space to kick start this series again!

All above designed by Bria Hammel Interiors

Am I right that this space is stunning? Ok, let’s break down why I think it works! The light and bright walls really allow the colorful furniture and accessories to take center stage. The wood beams are able to stand out and they are complimented by the gorgeous storage cabinets on either side of the fireplace. The natural woven area rug really grounds the space, while also bringing in a great dose of texture. The plants help to bring the outdoors in, while also introducing green to the room. Both the lantern pendant and the beautiful windows help to draw your eye up, giving the illusion of more space. The patterns in this room also work so well together. The subtle ticking stripe of the sofa is complimented by pillows that have a larger, more oversized pattern. The mantel art and accessories are simple, yet create a great graphic impact. I always love the look of a floating console behind a sofa, especially when you can work in a pair of lamps. The addition of the floor lamp and pendant allow different light sources in the room, which is a great way to bring that collected over time style to a space. So as always, Bria knocked it out of the park on this one! You can connect with her on her web site HERE as well as get her look with her on line SHOP Brooke and Lou. I hoped you liked the return of Why This Works. I hope to get back into this series more often!!

A Little Tour of Our New Home!

by Filed Under: amber b design, amber b design at home Leave a Comment

What a whirlwind these last few months have been! It’s a fun type of whirlwind, just busy! We have moved about a half hour away from where we were before and slowly but surely, settling in. I have some rooms to show today, but I’m excited for future plans for these spaces, too. I hope you enjoy the tour…

The Dining Room

 

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The dining room in this home is so similar to our last, even down to the linear light fixture.

 

The Living Room

 

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This home has plantation shutters, which I love! The plan down the road is to soften the windows with drapes, too. It will add some texture and I know I will have fun deciding on the right fabric!

 

The Family Room

 

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We don’t use ceiling fans very much, so I can’t wait to find the perfect light fixture to replace the fan. It has been fun seeing how our furniture also works in this home. The layout of the pieces hasn’t changed much and we’ve been enjoying the different details and natural light this home has. I promise more pictures in the future, but I’m still amazed we have some spaces unpacked! It’s safe to say I don’t want to move again anytime soon! 😉 It is a process for sure, but we’re excited for this new adventure. Thanks for following along!!

{Before and After} Project Colorful Oasis

by Filed Under: #projectcolorfuloasis, amber b design, Ana Gil Taylor Photography, before and after, design, interior design 4 Comments

Everyone loves a good before and after, right?!? Well it’s a very happy Friday then, because I have a complete overhaul to show you! When my client found this apartment, we started from scratch. She wasn’t bringing any furniture from her other home, so we had fun creating a new colorful oasis that she shares with her husband! She knew she wanted the living area to be fun, with loads of color and personality. For the master bedroom, she wanted a calm retreat to relax in at the end of the day. We wanted the home to have personal photos from their travels and an overall space that felt meaningful and personal to them. The before pictures show the apartment when we first met. The wheels were already turning for what this new home could be. And luckily, I had my friend and super talented photographer Ana with me for the final photos! We have worked together before and Ana Gil Taylor Photography knows how to make a space shine! So here we go… enjoy the before and afters of Project Colorful Oasis!!

Living Room Before

 

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Living Room After

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Before Living Room TV Wall

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And After

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With this apartment rental, there were elements we couldn’t change and had to work around, like the fire alarm, sprinkler system and venting. But we tried to distract the eye as best as possible, by instead drawing you in to look at the oversized artwork and other colorful elements in the space. Luckily, the apartment already had a great paint color! We worked with that, as it was a great base for the design.

Before Master Bedroom

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After Master Bedroom

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Thank you so much for reading and checking out this transformation! Have a great weekend and I’ll see you back here soon with more details from this apartment makeover!

All after photos by the incredible Ana Gil Taylor Photography

Photo Reveal: Project Classic Trad

by Filed Under: #projectclassictrad, amber b design, bathroom, central new york design, design, interior design, living room, sarah heppell photography Leave a Comment

I am beyond thrilled to reveal the photos from Project Classic Trad!! This was such a great project to be a part of, with amazing clients and an overall style that is right up my alley… a blend of traditional with modern. Today, I’m showing the living room and first floor bathroom. I couldn’t be happier to be working with Sarah Heppell on this project. She brought the rooms to life through her pictures and showed a sun filled space on a very cloudy day. That takes talent!! Here is the photo overload… enjoy!!

 

Project Classic Trad 1

{I love that we upholstered my client’s favorite wing chair in new fabrics. Tonic Living has the best fabric options to choose from and a local upholsterer created this magic. I call it business in the front and party in the back!}

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All photos by Sarah Heppell Photography

Thank you for stopping by and checking out the photo tour of Project Classic trad! Have a great day!

Project Farmhouse Gem Reveal!!

by Filed Under: #projectfarmhousegem, #projectvintagegem, amber b design, design, interior design, sarah heppell photography Leave a Comment

I guess it’s reveal week on the blog! I am thrilled to show you the after photos from Project Farmhouse Gem. You may remember some of these furniture pieces and accessories, as they are from Project Vintage Gem. My client has recently married and moved from her city apartment into a farmhouse. I was asked to come back and design her sunroom in her new home and it was fun to reconnect and see what we could use from the first project. We worked again with the wonderful and amazing Sarah Heppell and had the best time looking back on when we all met. Sarah also photographed my client’s wedding and brought over the new album, so that was such a special day for so many reasons! Let’s get right to the photos, shall we!?!

 

 

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{of course my client’s cat Willow had to make an appearance in this photo shoot, just like in Project Vintage Gem!!}

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Thank you for stopping by to check out this latest project! A special thanks to my clients for allowing us into their new home. And thank you to Sarah for these amazing after photos and for being the incredible talent you are!!

Project House on the Lake Reveal!!

by Filed Under: #projecthouseonthelake, amber b design, Ana Gil Taylor Photography, beach, beach inspired, design, interior design Leave a Comment

I just love reveal time!! It’s fun to see a project take shape and see it through a photographer’s eye. I had the pleasure of working with Ana Gil Taylor Photography for the photos in Project House on the Lake. This master bedroom has a gorgeous window that looks right out onto the water, so we wanted to make sure and include that view. Let’s get right to the photos, so you can see who was the impromptu star of the show!!

 

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{my client’s dog became the star of the show!! Great picture, isn’t it?!?}

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In this space, we wanted a coastal nod, but a subtle one. We took the colors from the landscape outside and brought it right into this space. I hope you enjoyed the tour! A very special thank you to Ana for capturing this master bedroom in such a beautiful way!! You are a true talent!