Amber B Design Studio

Interior Design & Decoration for the South Florida region

More Project Classic Living Updates

by Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, design, design services, interior design

It is always so much fun to see projects wrap up and clients start to enjoy their new space! I originally started working with these Sarasota clients when we both lived in New York. Now both of us are in South Florida and it means the world to me to have return clients and help them make the most of their new home. Yesterday, I showed you the newly styled bookcase in her office. Now, it’s time for two more spaces! The dining room is complete and I can just picture family and friends gathering and enjoying each other’s company!

Dining Room at Project Classic Living

The pendant over the dining table is massive in person and just what this space needed! I like to go oversized with lighting, as a few select larger pieces make a space feel bigger compared to several smaller accessories. The living room is almost complete! We’re just waiting on the finishing touches to call this space done!

Living Room at Project Classic Living

I’m so excited with how this room is shaping up! The oversized coffee table will be perfect for family board game nights. To shop the exact furniture and accessory pieces in this post, you can go to my Like to Know it page (AmberBDesign) and be redirected to the exact product link! See you back here soon. Wow, two posts in two days?!?

Love the Look: Double Islands

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

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!

From Concept to Reality with E – Design

by Filed Under: amber b design, before and after, design services, e-decorating, e-design


I am excited to share this post with you today, as it gives an inside look into the e-design experience. I have shared the projects that this client and I have worked on before, but this update is pretty special! I have been working with this sweet client on a few of her rooms and she just recently put the house on the market! She kindly shared with me, the photographer’s pictures of the home, including the rooms I designed! It was fun to see the photographer’s vision and also take a look back at where the room started, as well as the original design plan. So, here we go!

My client and I originally started working together when she asked for help with her master bedroom. Here is a before picture of the space…

Before

A bedroom with two windows and a bed

 

A room with a couch, dresser and tv.

My client loves a blend of modern with traditional and even a splash of eclectic bohemian. Here is the design plan I came up with…

The Design Plan

A collage of different types of furniture and accessories.

I also included a gallery wall mock up for the wall space around the television…

A white dresser with a mirror and a lamp

Here are the fun after photos taken by photographer Danielle Benham…

A bedroom with a bed, pillows and a window.

 

A bedroom with a bed, dresser and tv.

 

A bedroom with a bed, dresser and mirror.

After Photos by Danielle Benham

Isn’t that fun to see the concept all the way to completion?!? I just love it! But we’re not done yet! I also helped her with her first floor bathroom. This was an amazing transformation, with new flooring, additional molding and tiles removed from the walls. Here is where we started with the room…

Before

A bathroom with a toilet, sink and mirror.

Almost everything was replaced in this space! Here is the design plan..

The Design Plan

A collage of different types of furniture and accessories.

And here is an after photo, taken again by Danielle Benham…

A bathroom with a toilet, sink and mirror.

I am thrilled with how this room came out! There is also a new marble floor that you can’t see in this image, but what a transformation! And that is a wall stencil- not wallpaper. What a great impact for under $50! You can purchase that stencil HERE. I am so happy with how it came out and super excited to hear that her house sold very quickly! My amazing client and her husband both did a great job implementing these designs. I am currently working on her bonus room in her new home and I can’t wait to show you those plans!!

Thanks again to my client for allowing me to share these pictures and to the talented photographer, Danielle Benham, for also letting me share her talents!

 

What is Happening Around Here…

by Filed Under: #projectvintagegem, blog, design, design services, e-decorating, e-design, local clients


Sorry for the lack of posts as of late! I have been happily plugging away on some design projects that I can’t wait to share with you! There is something about this time of year that is so optimistic. The Holiday decorations have been put away, routines are back again and I feel energized to get more accomplished. That’s a great feeling, isn’t it?!? This is always the time of year I start to organize and make changes, both in the decor of my home and in business. If you have stuck around here for quite some time {thanks Mom!}, you may realize that I have had more business name changes than Puff Daddy. Well, maybe it’s the same number of changes. Let’s count… First, there was Puff Daddy, then Puffy, then P Diddy and now- just Diddy. Ok, so he has had four. He does have me beat by one. I went from Simple Dwellings Interiors, to Amber B Interiors and now officially… Amber B Design! I have always wanted to use the name Design for the business. It’s not a big change from Amber B Interiors, but it makes me happy. The links on my sidebar might be broken for a bit, but should be up and running soon. I think I might keep the blog name as Simple Dwellings, since that name does have a special place in my heart and has been around since the beginning. But all of my social media accounts {for the most part} have changed to Amber B Design.

Great, now that’s out of the way… let’s talk design projects. I am currently working on a local design project that I refer to as #projectvintagegem. The apartments in this building have such character and charm. My client has just moved into this apartment, hence the boxes.

Before

Oh, my client’s precious cat!! I am also working on my first commercial project, which is a wine tasting room that is part of their production facility. Here is some inspiration to show you the direction we are headed with that…

Inspiration

It has been a real challenge to push my creativity further with this commercial project. But, I have learned so much and am grateful to have that opportunity to bring myself out of that comfort zone.
In March, I am ecstatic to be working again with a wonderful client. Room by room, she is renovating her 1930’s Georgian Brick colonial. We first completed her daughter’s sweet, delicate nursery…

more on the nursery here
And then we moved onto her eating area in the kitchen…

more on the kitchen here
There is still a full reveal coming soon, since this spot in the kitchen is only about 90% complete. One of the rooms we will be tackling in March is their sun room. Currently, the walls, windows and all trim are wood stained. That look won’t stay that way for long. Here is my inspiration for that space…
via

Deep blue walls were made for her space! For some reason, when a design idea hits me that I know will work so well, I just want to sing in an operatic voice. Is that just me?!? Probably should have kept that one to myself. Needless to say, I can’t wait to show you that reveal. 
Thanks for checking back in! 

My Favorite On Line Shops for Clients (and Myself!)

by Filed Under: design, design services, e-decorating, e-design, new design source


I have been busy with e-decorating projects lately. As I was sourcing pieces for clients, I realized that there are several stores I often go back to, knowing they have reliable, pretty things. So I thought it would be fun and useful to pile that into one post. Here are my favorite go to shopping sources for clients (and myself!)

West Elm for pretty much, anything!

Home Decorators Collection for mirrors and rugs.
Anthropologie is a bit pricey, so I usually just source knobs and hardware. The choices are beautiful and would take any furniture piece to the next level.
Etsy is a great source for accessories, pillows and art. You can type key words into the search engine and great sources pop up! I find a lot of my new favorite shops that way.
After I find my etsy pillows, I come to Pottery Barn for the down filled inserts. The prices are surprisingly affordable for inserts.
Z Gallerie is a great source for unique accessories. They can be pricey, so I usually suggest a piece and then ask e-design clients to check out Marshall’s first. You may find a similar option for less!
World Market is an amazing source for great looks for less!
What are your favorite go to sources for shopping? Join the conversation- I can’t wait to see what you love!

Completed Projects and Thanks

by Filed Under: design, design services, e-decorating, e-design


Hope everyone is doing well! Is time flying for any of you, or is it just me? It seems like there are less hours in the day, lately. Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess. 🙂  I have some completed e-design projects to show you all- a living room and a master bedroom! These spaces are for two separate clients. I love when projects can be so different, yet share a common thread.

Living Room (Click on images to make larger)

For the client’s living room, she had most of the furniture pieces in place and needed some side tables and accessories to pull it all together. She has this gorgeous secretary desk which we will paint a dark color. I can’t wait to see the results!

Master Bedroom

This client was looking to make some major changes in her master bedroom. We will start with this new farmhouse bed- it will be stunning. Adding pops of color through the drapery and art will give this space great character.

Both clients love to mix new with vintage and love antique pieces. They are girls after my own heart, because I also believe that an eclectic mix of new and old, modern with traditional, makes a space that much more interesting and unique. It really speaks to the homeowner’s style and personality when treasures are added to a room! What I also appreciate about both of these clients is the ability to just roll with it when things don’t go as planned. We had some minor snafus and changes along the way, such as the drawer pulls not fitting with the pre drilled desk holes, furniture refinishing mishaps, etc. I am truly blessed to be able to work with such amazing clients and fun people! It has been a true joy!

Make sure to check back later this week for some photos of our fall mantel! Now the pressure is on to finish!  🙂

I also want to give a huge thank you to Patty from her blog, Patty’s Epiphanies for nominating Simple Dwellings for the Liebster Award! Thank you so much! Stop by Patty’s blog, where there is always so much great inspiration!

An E-Design Before and After!

by Filed Under: design, design services, DIY, diy stencil, e-decorating, e-design


A while back, I ran a room design giveaway on my blog, and Melissa was the winner! She chose to make changes to her master bedroom, and she is well on her way! She has made so many great changes and accomplished a lot in a short time. Here is the before:

Before:

After in Progress:

After: Stencil Wall Complete!

Melissa has made amazing progress on her master bedroom! The stencil was tedious work, but she did a fabulous job. Originally, we were going to go with stripes for the bed wall. When Melissa had the opportunity to use a stencil, we went for it! I am so glad she took on this project- the results are so worth it! Melissa has a great DIY blog, The Happier Homemaker. Make sure to stop by and check it out. She discusses her stencil project HERE. She is currently running a stencil giveaway, so make sure to enter today!

Gathering Inspiration for Design Clients

by Filed Under: design, design services, e-decorating, e-design


I am knee deep in e-decorating projects, and I love it! When I am gathering inspiration for clients, I find that pinterest is a great source. The first component that I present to my clients is the inspiration board. It has a collection of inspiring rooms and ideas, with some specific pieces for the space. Lately, the designs I have been putting together make me want to re do some rooms in my own home! More on that later…
Here are some inspiring spaces that show a glimpse into the direction of some of my most recent projects:

Color palette and concave mirrors:

Baskets for blankets:

Symmetrical Gallery Wall Around TV:

Gold/Brass Accents:

Lantern Style Lighting:

What’s on your to do list around your home? I can’t wait to share my new ideas for mine!

Featured in i village and in Great Company

by Filed Under: design, design services, e-decorating, e-design, personal design style


I am so honored to be featured in i village as one of their spotlight e-decorators. I was contacted by a writer for i village and asked if I would like to take part in their round up of decorators who offer e-design services. Lia did such a nice description of Amber B Interiors and I am so thankful to even be included in the post. Here’s a little sample of my page:

  
It was so amazing reading about the other 14 decorators who were chosen, because their work is always stunning and I have followed so many of their blogs since I began my own! To get a chance to share the same post as these talents is ridiculous! To view the post in its entirety and read who the other decorators are, click here! (I’m on slide 12!!) While you’re on the i village web site, browse around! This site discusses everything from health and beauty, to design, entertainment and fitness. Enjoy! And thanks again to i village for the amazing opportunity!

E – Design Giveaway!!

by Filed Under: design services, e-design


I am so excited to have my very first e-design giveaway!! I started my e-design business last summer and thought it would be fun to do a Happy 1 Year Giveaway on the blog to thank all of you for your readership and support! I am giving one reader a full, one room design of their choice. That’s a $115 value! Here are some of my designs, to give you an idea of the range of styles I have created in the past: (Click on images to make larger.)

With this giveaway, Amber B Interiors will complete the whole design process, from beginning to end. It will start with a design questionnaire to fill out, so I can get all of the information I need to create a functional space that reflects your style. I will then present you with an inspiration board, giving you the ideas I have for the space. Once you’re on board with the ideas, I will start your own design, complete with a design board presentation, detailed furniture/accessory placement and a shopping source list for all items, all sent to you through e-mail. Maybe you’ve been weary to use a decorator for your home, so this is the perfect opportunity to give it a try! You may even be a designer yourself, looking for a different set of eyes for your space. Whatever the reason, it would be fun to work together!

It’s super easy to enter this giveaway!

– Follow this blog, through Google Friend Connect.
– Tell me why you have chosen to enter this giveaway.
– Please leave your e-mail address in your comment, if you are not linked up to a blog!

Additional Entries:

– Blog about this giveaway, with a link back to this post. (+1)
-Tweet about this giveaway, with a link back to this post. (+1)
-Mention this giveaway on facebook, with a link back to this post. (+1)

The winner will be announced this Friday! Good luck!