Amber B Design Studio

Interior Design & Decoration for the South Florida region

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Small Apartment Hacks {A Book Review}

December 16, 2013 by Amber Filed Under: blog review, design


I was recently introduced to the book Small Apartment Hacks by accomplished author Jenna Mahoney. This book is a compact, great resource when you are looking for quick and creative ways to decorate and entertain in a small space. Let’s face it… at times, we all wish we had just a little bit more space in our homes. This book gives clever tips on how to maximize every square inch of your home or apartment and make it the best, most functional that it can be! It gives us useful , fun ideas when entertaining with style in a small space. Even the cover already gets the wheels turning for dwellers in compact spaces…

Your sofa can double as book storage; your bicycle can become wall art when not in use; and your coffee table can double as a dog bed! Author and freelance writer Jenna Mahoney is currently the travel editor at Bridal Guide Magazine and has been a magazine writer for publications such as Allure and Redbook. She has also been an on line contributor for publications such as Elle and the Tory Burch blog.

I love when Jenna delves into the topic of storage, because we could all use more of it in our lives! She encourages the reader to make use of your wall space and think vertically. Shelving can be installed up to the ceiling, creating more space to store things and also giving the illusion of a taller ceiling. She also reminds us of the useful square footage behind a closet door! Purchase an over the door hanging system to store shoes and any small accessories.

One of my favorite parts of the book discusses procrastination! Just do it becomes the mantra that we need to embrace for any organization changes to occur in our homes. She encourages us to set dates for the cleaning and organizing. Once we are held accountable and the tasks are in writing, it gives us a plan of action and a schedule that might be easier to keep!

I love the Tolstoy quote she uses for this section:

“True life is lived when tiny changes occur.” – Leo Tolstoy.

The book is even in a small size, perfect to decorate your shelf with, too!

To start organizing your space and beginning your action plan, purchase this book HERE! 

Thank you so much to Kourtney and Ulysses Press for this book to review!

An Amazing Giveaway with Pattern Pod and a $50 Gift Card to True Value Hardware!!

December 9, 2013 by Amber Filed Under: blog review, design, giveaway


Tis the season for giving and I am thrilled to bundle up a huge giveaway for you, today! Three lucky winners will each receive a free pattern of their choice, from Pattern Pod and one very lucky winner will receive both the pattern and a $50 gift card to True Value Hardware!! Let the games begin…

and…

I was recently introduced to Pattern Pod, a new design resource created by textile designers Kristen Dettoni and Geraldine Blanchot. It is an innovative site that brings your favorite pattern to life!

So what can you do with the pattern, once you have won???

Their site is amazing and inspiring, because you can choose your favorite pattern and have it printed on almost anything you can imagine. Just picture finding a pattern you love and being able to have that print on pillows, wrapping paper, i-phone cases, wallpaper… the list goes on and on! Pattern Pod makes that a reality! I was so blown away by the creativity of this idea and all of its possibilities. Here are a few of the gorgeous prints and the very creative ways they can be applied…

Pattern 19 used as wall paper
Pattern 139 used as holiday candle holders
Pattern 135 as a holiday star ornament

There are literally endless possibilities, limited only by your imagination! To make it even better, if you like the pattern but not the color way, there are various color options for most of the patterns! And as an extra bonus for bloggers and those of you on social media channels… you can also use these patterns to digitally enhance twitter pages, blogs, etc.! To view more of the ways you can use these patterns and more, visit HERE.
I am so excited to be receiving my chosen product very soon! I have decided to select Pattern 46 in Aqua for wrapping paper! To me, this print looks like delicate snowflakes, making it a perfect choice around the holidays.
My Selection…
Pattern 46 in Aqua

If you are one of the three lucky winners, you will download the pattern of your choice to your computer and then choose to purchase the coordinating product on which your pattern can be printed. The ordering process is very simple when creating your pattern and selecting how you want to have it printed.

This is the very clear and simple tutorial I followed for my wrapping paper order. Pattern Pod works with sites like Spoonflower and Zazzle to bring your pattern to life.

Are you ready to win a Pattern Pod Pattern and bring an amazing print to life? For this giveaway, three winners will be chosen!

And one of the three winners will win both the pattern and a $50 gift card from True Value!! True Value has everything you need this holiday season, from tools for the DIY person in your life, to holiday decorations the kids will enjoy!

* This giveaway is for one Pattern Pod pattern of your choice and a $50 gift card to True Value Hardware. Once you have that .jpg pattern saved to your computer from Pattern Pod, you can visit sites like Spoonflower or Zazzle and purchase the coordinating product to get your pattern printed. The giveaway does not include the purchase of the product on which to have it printed.

Details for the Giveaway…

1. Visit the Pattern Pod site HERE and leave a comment on my blog, telling me your favorite pattern.

2. Follow Pattern Pod on Pinterest HERE and Facebook HERE. 

Additional Entries (Please leave separate comments for each additional entry!)

1. Mention this giveaway on your blog, with a link back to this post. (+1)
2. Tweet about this giveaway, with a link back to this post. (+1)
3. Mention this giveaway on facebook, with a link back to this post. (+1)

The 3 winners will be announced next Wednesday! (December 18th) Good luck!

You can also follow Pattern Pod here:
Google +
Linkedin




The Toddy Wedge: A Great Spot for Your Phone

June 17, 2013 by Amber Filed Under: blog review


I was recently contacted by a representative from Toddy Gear about their amazing Wedge and I was so excited to try it! I had never heard of the Wedge before but loved its genious idea. There are so many times I am browsing my phone, needing a spot to rest it upright for better reading and viewing e-mails. The Wedge allows you to do that, while also being a cleaning device for your phone… two creative ideas in one! This device has a small ledge to rest your phone or tablet and it’s beanbag like stand makes it sturdy enough that it won’t slide when you are browsing. The wedge comes in several colors and fun patterns to match your style. The pattern is on one side, while a matching microfiber fabric is on the back. The microfiber is for cleaning the dust and fingerprints that always accumulates, while the fun patterned side is silky for the polishing! Let’s take a look at my new phone toy…

The Toddy Wedge

I was given the Bubbaloo Wedge, which can be found on their site HERE. Overall, I am extremely happy with this product and I know it will get a lot of use! It’s lightweight and small enough to take anywhere. It can easily fit in your purse or briefcase and work in any space. I can picture myself using this at the park, airport, kitchen counter, etc. Usually, when I want to clean my phone, I have to hunt for a cloth. With the wedge, it’s always there! You also can’t beat the price… $14.99!!
Visit their site HERE to try out your Toddy Wedge! While on the site, their are also great gifts for kids- the Screensters come in a variety of characters and can be your child’s toy as well as a screen cleaner for any mobile device! Here’s a peek at that page on their site…
Screensters
Happy Shopping !! 

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Amber... a wife, mom and interior decorator. I am the writer of Simple Dwellings and the designer behind Amber B Design. Blog topics are all things design, with the occasional DIY attempt! Thanks for stopping by Read more...

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