Design Insights and Inspiration

E – Design Board Reveal & A Sweet Client Note

March 3, 2014 by Amber Filed Under: design, e-decorating, e-design, living room, personal design style

I am excited to share a completed e-design board project with you today! My client was looking for a living room space that mixed traditional with modern, neutral with pops of color. She is so excited with the outcome and I have to say, I am too!!

E- Design Board Reveal…

The living room sits right off of the entry, so we incorporated the foyer into the design, as well. All of the color inspiration comes from the floral pillow shown at the bottom of the board. With that color palette, I sprinkled blues and greens throughout the space. My client really loves the quirky, whimsical art print shown at the top left side of the board. I love having fun with design. I think it’s important not to take yourself too seriously when decorating your home. Have fun with it and inject your own personality into the space. I always love walking into a space that makes you smile!

My client was so excited with the design and wanted to share her thoughts on e-design with all of you…

It was like a very close friend who happens to be a talented designer stopped by my house one day and helped design my living room. Only Amber never physically visits, everything was done via email! Amber was able to design a space for me that was exactly what I wanted.

Everything Amber picked out was something I would have picked out if I knew what I was doing! When she put the design board together I was blown away by all her selections. Amber didnâ€™t leave one thing to chance. She stayed within the budget I gave her. All the sources she cited were wonderful and very familiar to me so even the shopping has been fun.

Iâ€™ve continued to ask Amber questions and she is always pleasant with a very prompt response.

If you are on the fence with this type of service jump in â€“ it is an extraordinary value from a very talented designer. It is money well spent. I think I have spent 10 times the price of her service on books and magazines just trying for the look that Amber gave me.

I loved working with Amber so much that I gifted her design service to my daughter for her living room. We are all excited to see what Amber does for my daughterâ€™s living room.

Wow! Thank you so much to my client for taking the time and sharing her experience with working together. I am truly lucky to have such amazing, fun clients to share this experience with! She has already begun making purchases for the room and I can’t wait to share after photos, when it’s complete.

Changes to Our Family Room & A Guest Post

February 26, 2014 by Amber Filed Under: design, family room, guest post, personal design style

Even though it is still freezing outside, the bright sunshine reminds me of spring and gets me excited to make changes in our home. Even if it’s just moving some accessories from one room to the next or a new pair of pillows to add to the room’s color scheme, I am a happy camper. So here are some subtle, fun changes that recently went on in our family room…

Target can do no wrong lately with their Threshold line and Nate Berkus accessories. My new tray is a Nate Berkus beauty and the Threshold ottoman it sits under was a surprise from my hubby for Valentine’s Day!! This ottoman will end up all over the house, because it is so versatile! We can use it as a bench at our kitchen desk, a side table in our family room or a place to rest our feet. I love furniture pieces that have so many uses.

The man head plant has been moved from our dining room to the family room. Surprise, surprise… it’s also from Target! I really should do promo work for them. 😉

Head on over to Jordan and Janette’s blog, The 2 Seasons, where I am guest posting today! My topic over there is also small changes with big impact. See you there!

A Quick, Simple Way to Tackle Painting Projects

February 24, 2014 by Amber Filed Under: blog review, painting, painting tips

My motivation to complete house projects comes when I get ready to entertain. I will be hosting a house full of friends soon and that is the perfect way for me to finally tackle some much needed projects around the house. So when a representative from the Paint Brush Cover contacted me to review their product, I was on board! I had some walls that needed retouching around the home, but knowing me, I never finish a painting project in one sitting. I might do one wall one day and then move on to the next wall a few days later. But, I always dread washing out the paint brushes! Sometimes, they are still wet when I am ready to start painting again. But luckily, I don’t have to worry about that any longer! The Paint Brush Cover allows you to keep your paint filled brush safe in an airtight container for days, even weeks! Made of a clear, durable plastic, it ensures that your paint brush stays safe and ready to use, no matter how much it’s tossed around.

I had to try this out for myself and I started on our dining room wall…

Lovely wall scuff marks!

The product says it fits most 1-3″ brushes and my 2 1/2″ brush fit like a charm! As you can see from my paint can, I don’t finish in one day! 🙂 So when I was done for the afternoon, I tried placing my paint filled brush in the cover to see what would happen…

Days later, I was so excited to still see the paint brush wet and ready for the project! I could even see wet paint on the inside of the brush cover, proving that this really works.

I like that the cover is clear, so you can do a quick look to see what paint you used last. Perfect for the avid painter! The inside of the cover wipes clean with just a wet paper towel…

And now, a room/wall set for entertaining!

I will definitely use this product for future painting adventures! Anything that makes my life easier is a thumbs up in my book! To order your very own and make painting easier, order HERE.

Projects I am Working On at the Moment…

February 22, 2014 by Amber Filed Under: design, e-decorating, e-design, personal design style

I am happily moving along on client projects, both e-design and local. There is nothing that gets my creativity flowing more than figuring out a floor plan layout and design. I truly love every step of the process. Today, I am showing you the inspiration side of design. For me, it’s all about gathering ideas when starting a room design. And inspiration can come from anywhere… the colors from a book cover, nature, a fabulous art print or pinterest! Here is the direction we are heading on some of these rooms…

A Cozy, Vintage Inspired Cottage

via

Patterned Drapery

via

Neutrals With Nature

via

Whimsical Art… How cool is this???

via

Black Doors and Windows

via

So that is where I am headed with recent design projects and I couldn’t be more excited!!

How about you… what gets your creativity flowing???

A Simple, Creative DIY Art Piece with Jordan!

February 20, 2014 by Amber Filed Under: art, design, DIY

I am so excited to have a special guest blogger here with us today. Jordan, from the blog The 2 Seasons, is here to share a very creative art project and a colorful way to fill a wall space in your home. Jordan shares a fun design/DIY blog with her mom Janette. Not too long ago, Jordan and I realized we lived near each other and share so many of the same interests! I can’t wait for you all to see this creative art project…

Hello, everyone! I am Jordan, the daughter half of the mother/daughter lifestyle blog called The 2 Seasons. My mom Janette and I have been writing our blog together for the past three years. I am so pleased that I discovered Amber and her blog. Plus, we found out that we live very close to each other, and we had the opportunity to meet in person. That was fun!

DIY Modern Art using leftover house paint

As a southern girl who now lives in central New York, I have learned the winters here are very long. I try to do things that will keep me busy, and this is the perfect winter-time project. We love color here at The 2 Seasons and making modern art during the gray months is one way to incorporate color into our traditional homes. My mom made a couple of modern art projects (here and here), and I followed to make my own. We have a blank wall in our study, and I definitely wanted to add some spring color in the form of DIY art. Some people say this isn’t art but that instead it is making home decor. Whatever it is called, it is a great way to create color and interest for your walls while the winter blasts away outside. Plus, it’s an automatic conversation piece.

We discovered the artist Cassandra Tondro and all of her amazing work. I found out she also had some Youtube videos that teach how to make your own art out of left over house paint. It looked like a fun project, and I decided to give it a try. I am happy to report that I had great success following her method, and I am about to share it with you.

Modern Art Set Up

To get started, you need a canvas, plastic drop cloth, old house paint, gloves. The first step is to find an area where you can spread out a couple of layers of the plastic drop cloth. I worked in my basement so the photos are not the best.

Make your own modern art

Once the plastic drop cloth is on the floor, take your canvas and map its size. I just marked the sides/size with Frog tape. You can also use a felt-tip marker if you don’t want to use tape.

Make your own modern art

Here is the plastic marked with the size of the canvas. This serves as the guideline for where the paint goes.

Make your own modern art

The next step is to get your paint ready to go. Remove the lids and stir each can of paint so that it is well-mixed. Put on some fun music, and take your first color and start pouring. This is when you determine if you want to make a design and how you want your colors to blend and mix.

Make your own modern art

The next couple of pictures all show me adding the color to area.

Make your own modern art

I had a lot of paint samples that I used. This project uses a lot of paint. The Habitat Restore sells house paint at a deep discount so if you need additional colors be sure to check out your Restore. Also, you can sometimes find discounted cans of mistake paint at Lowe’s and Home Depot.

Make your own Modern Art

Once you are happy with your colors and design, gently place the canvas on top of the paint. You can do an undercoat on the canvas beforehand if you want, and allow it to dry first. That is a way to add an additional color to your creation.

Make your own Modern Art

Take your hands and rub them on the canvas to get out any air bubbles and to spread the paint around and cover the canvas.

When you think you have covered the whole canvas, pull the canvas directly up from either a side or straight up. I pulled up from a side. Take it to an out-of-the-way area to dry for a couple of days. The colors need to dry and set so they won’t run when you hang it on the wall.

My canvas measured 24 x 36, but I also had a small canvas on hand. Since I had a lot of paint on the plastic, I decided to make another small creation using the same colors.

The possibilities are endless, and this would be fun for all ages.

The painting now has a home in our study and I LOVE it!

I would like to thank Amber for allowing us to guest blog for her today. We hope you stop by our blog and feel free to like us on Facebook or follow us on Pinterest.

Cheers!

That is definitely gorgeous art to me!! And I also love to put on some music when I paint. 🙂 Thanks so much to Jordan for stopping by and sharing this amazing DIY paint project with us! Be sure to check out The 2 Seasons blog to see what Jordan and Janette are up to next!

Just as Cool as Waterlogue

February 16, 2014 by Amber Filed Under: Uncategorized

You may have heard all the buzz about the new Waterlogue app. It is truly amazing and can turn any image into the most amazing watercolor. It makes a plain picture look like a painting! But, for those of us that don’t have iphones and ipads, it’s not available yet. I am patiently waiting for this app to turn up for android users. So for now, I can try FotoFlexer! I first heard about this web site through my blog friend Emily and I love it! It is an advanced on line image editor that gives special effects to regular pictures. I had to try it out for myself…

My regular photo…

Edited with FotoFlexer…

Another effect…

Pretty cool, right??? This will keep me busy until Waterlogue finds its way to other smart phones!

How about you… do you like to add special effects to your photos??

Write a Valentine’s Note with Bic Magic Markers

February 6, 2014 by Amber Filed Under: blog review, holiday

Would you like to remind your Valentine how much you love them?? A representative from Bic Magic Markers contacted me recently about trying their marker product that adheres to glass surfaces. I have always wanted to try writing on mirrors and I am now addicted! I thought this is the perfect time of year to write little love messages around the house! Since it is a non toxic, water based marker, clean up is easy with just a wet cloth. I have been having fun writing on all of the mirrors in our home…

They come in other fun, vibrant shades like blue and florescent yellow and I chose the colors above for my valentines!

Writing this in our foyer mirror will make me smile as we head out the door! The red turned out more like a deep coral, which I love! I think it matches the pillow very nicely.

Not only can these markers be used for Valentine’s Day, they are also perfect for birthday parties! My daughter will be celebrating hers soon and she wanted the party room to have a personal message for her big day. {She picked out the phrase, color and design that I wrote. Future crafter/decorator in the making??} The marker used above was the pink.

I went even more crazy and used the white on our living room mirror…

They were exactly right when they said it will wipe off easily with a wet cloth. It couldn’t have been simpler…

After it was wiped off

I know I will continue to use these for many more events or just to have fun. Through the end of February, you can purchase these markers at a discounted price of $5 at Staples! For that price, you can either get the 1 pack jumbo chisel or two pack bullet tip.

Happy Writing !!!

Thank you to the representative from Bic which supplied the materials for this craft project

My Dream Bathroom with Decor Planet

February 5, 2014 by Amber Filed Under: bathroom, design

If you have been a reader of my blog for a while, you may have seen my posts about wanting to renovate our bathroom. This is a project we hope to tackle within the next few years and my mind is constantly spinning with how I would like it to look! I have always loved a white bathroom, just like I love white cabinetry in a kitchen. I imagine loads of whites, grays and soft blues in this bathroom. I can just picture subway tile, chrome fixtures, glass knobs and a true spa like feel. When I was recently introduced to Decor Planet, a site that has everything you would need for a bathroom renovation, I was hooked! You can truly get luxury style at a discount with this site and if you live in the NYC area, you can pop in and see the choices for yourself in one of their showrooms. Since I am always putting together virtual design boards with e-design, I thought it would be fun to create a dream bathroom with items from Decor Planet!

My Dream Bathroom ………………………………………

vanity, sconces, mirrors, rain shower head, claw foot tub, faucet

I could spend the day in this bathroom, if it were mine! I added a rug and some decor pieces to finish the space, but the main renovation pieces are all from Decor Planet! To view the pieces from the site that are on my board, click on the words below the design board.

There are endless possibilities with this site. Not only can you find loads of accessories to choose from for your bathroom, you can also read their blog for how to’s and advice on tackling projects yourself! I am now more excited than ever to get this renovation started.

Make sure to stop by Decor Planet and tell me your favorite bathroom accessory!

Decor Planet sponsored this post, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

How I Present Designs to Local Clients

January 31, 2014 by Amber Filed Under: #projectcoastalchic, design, local clients

So many times in the past, I have shared e-design projects that I have completed and have discussed how I go about completing virtual design boards. Since I am now moving into servicing local clients as well, I thought it would be fun to share a glimpse of what goes into meeting and presenting to clients, in person. Our first official time meeting is usually in their house, where we discuss the space and what the client would like to change. Before meeting, the client has already filled out the same form I give virtual clients. Having this information ahead of time helps me go into the initial meeting, knowing a little bit about the space and what they are looking for. {They don’t have to fill out the entire form, since most of the questions will be covered in person, such as the floor plan. But, seeing the space ahead of time gets the brain turning a bit faster for me! Also, it gives them an idea for what we will be discussing at the initial meeting, so they feel a bit more prepared themselves.} I bring along a bag filled with my tape measure, additional questions and graph paper to draw out the floor plan.

Local Client Project #projectcoastalchic

I take as many pictures as possible, so I remember the space from every angle. I also take close up pictures of fabrics, accessories that they would like to keep in the space. For this family room project, the client would like to keep the Waverly fabric valances on the windows. I immediately went to the fabric store and bought a half yard of this fabric, so I can take it everywhere with me and compare it next to other suggested fabrics for the room. Next, I get to work at home, drawing out the floor plan and putting together the inspiration board. This board, which will be presented and given to the client, shows my design vision, floor plan options and some specific pieces chosen for the room. One of my best investments has been a staple gun! I use that to staple pretty fabric to the plain white canvas board, to make the presentation look more warm and welcoming. For this presentation, I chose a creamy duck canvas fabric that resembles the color of the drapes we will use in the space. I think it’s great to cover the board with a fabric that also ties into the presentation and compliments the design! And now, it’s presentation time…

Luckily, she loved it and we are now moving onto the installation part of the process, which I find so exciting. I live vicariously through my clients and get just as much joy as them, seeing their space come together and click. It also helps to have amazing inspiration to draw from and show the client, such as Emily’s bookshelves and Courtney’s warm living room!

With e-design, once the client likes the vision, I move forward with the design board and get the second virtual presentation ready. With local clients, it’s now all about going into the space and creating the vision! The shopping, sourcing and styling all come into play now, which is so much fun!

So that’s a little sneak peek into my design process. I know it’s different for every designer, but I have found that this works for me. 🙂

Using Bar Carts in Different Ways

January 24, 2014 by Amber Filed Under: #projectcoastalchic, design, entertaining, organize, personal

I have been working with a local client {#projectcoastalchic} to add some warmth and texture to her family room. When you first enter the family room off of the kitchen, there is one large wall that also sits next to a door to the garage entrance. I thought it would be pretty and fun to add a little entry spot/organization station for resting your keys, mail and anything else they may need. There are fun ways to make a station like this both functional and beautiful. I instantly thought of using the Threshold bar cart from Target!

Target Bar Cart

Not only can this be pulled out and used for entertaining guests, it will also be amazing to make this an organization station! We will be hanging a framed chalkboard above the cart, so the family can write down grocery lists, practice/game schedules and anything they need to know before heading out the door. When they have a large dinner party, this amazing cart on casters can be easily rolled into the kitchen/dining area for drinks and appetizers. It is without a doubt that bar carts are no longer a trend, but here to stay! Here are some creative ways to use this versatile furniture accent piece: