Amber B Design Studio

Interior Design & Decoration for the South Florida region

My Hand Painted Wall Design

by Filed Under: design, dining room, Featured, painting, personal design style


 

 

 

 

 

I am constantly inspired by design ideas and have lately been stretching my comfort zone to try new ways to express those inspirations into my own home. A room can completely be transformed through paint. Whether it’s a whole new paint color on all of the walls or a special treatment to one wall section… paint can change a room’s vibe and overall style. I have always loved designer Kelly Wearstler’s unique take on design and the way she can effortlessly push the envelope. Take for example, her iconic foyer with those gorgeous coral walls…

image via Vogue
How cool is that picture?!? And then my jaw dropped again when I saw a similar style, but on drapery panels…
The home of Christine Dovey, designed by Meredith Heron and seen on Style at Home.
And I am in awe of this modern hand painted look also seen on Kristin’s living room wall from the blog, The Hunted Interior…

I knew I had to apply it in some way in my own home. And if I got it totally wrong, it’s just paint, right? There’s really no tutorial for this project. Just some leftover white paint, a two inch paint brush and your creativity. I would paint a couple of brush strokes and then step back to make sure it was coming along how I planned. That’s all there is to it! And my husband really likes it, too. He walked in and said, “wow, I really like it!” Win win for me! It was also a great validation for me that I didn’t just do something completely crazy. 🙂

How I Built A Room Around One Chair

by Filed Under: chair love, chairish, design, interior design, living room, personal design style


Where do you find inspiration when decorating a room in your home? Do you start with a fabric, some art or a color scheme? Maybe, you begin by finding an eclectic, must have chair and build the entire room around that one piece of furniture. I was recently asked by Chairish to do just that. Chairish, an on line site that sells curator approved treasures for your home, reached out to me to participate in a fun challenge… I had several vintage chairs from their site to choose from and I had to build an entire design around that one piece! I knew right away that I wanted to select a chair that had character on its own, was a bit of a break from my norm {to make this a true challenge for me!} and a show stopping piece with some color. Below is the mid century modern gem that I chose…

This iconic Arne Jacobsen style Egg Chair and Ottoman is a fun, chic addition to any space when looking to add some modern flair. I knew I wanted to design a living room space that didn’t take itself too seriously, was eclectic and fun, while also staying true to modern roots. If you know my style, I always like to mix things up. My spaces tend to have several design styles tie in together. To me, it makes a room feel collected over time and unique. So a collected space that reads both modern and eclectic, fun and whimsical, was the direction I tried to go with. I hope you like it!
The Design


The egg chair was the jumping off point for this whole design and encouraged me to have some fun with color. Once this chair was chosen, I knew that the pillows needed to be fun, vibrant and full of pattern. Since the bright pops of color come in through the egg chair, pillows and art, I stayed more neutral with the area rug and the soft green drapes. The walls will also be a soft gray, almost white color, which allows the bright pieces to shine. I also selected some other pieces from Chairish, such as the Brass Bamboo Coffee Table and the Tripod Floor Lamp. I always love to mix metal finishes in a space, so these two accessories do just that. The stunning sunburst mirror in the brass finish adds a hint of glamour to the room, while the dipped wooden stool brings a rustic touch. For me, it’s about creating that balance between different styles, textures and finishes. This iconic egg chair is a statement piece on its own and I hope that I brought it to life in this living room design. Make sure to check out Chairish for your next vintage find. To view more amazing vintage chairs on their site, click HERE. To find out where all sources are from the design board, click on the links below.

Before and After Updates {A Client’s Living Room}

by Filed Under: before and after, design, e-decorating, e-design, interior design, personal design style


I have some wonderful updates of a client project to show you today! A little while back, an e-design client contacted me to help bring a more eclectic, bohemian style to her living room. This space is directly off of the foyer and is the space they gather when entertaining and spending time with their family. We kept some of her current furniture pieces and accessories, but added many new pieces to finish the look. I showed you the design plan a few posts back, but here is a refresher..

The Design Plan

Here is her reading nook {the top left corner of the room} before…

Reading Nook Before


And here is the after…

After


I love the new light wall color and the way her chair and bookcase fit into the design plan. The corner gallery wall is fun for a space like this. It adds depth to this side of the room, giving the illusion of more space. The woven ottoman adds interesting texture and is a great way to break up all of the upholstery pieces seen in the seating.

She also made progress on the fireplace mantel. Here is the before…

Before


And here is the after…

After


The mirror and waterscape vases bring a more eclectic, unique vibe to the room, which was exactly what she was looking for. The room had great bones, but it was more traditional in style than she wanted. We removed the oversized chairs and replaced them with more streamlined, modern seating. I can’t wait to show you more progress to come!

Thanks to my amazing client for allowing me to share these sneak peeks and her great progress!

A Peek Inside My Friend’s Home

by Filed Under: design, interior design, personal design style


I have a treat for you today! Inspiration is everywhere and I am always intrigued with how others decide to decorate their home. What personal mementos are important to them, how design styles shape the way they live and just an overall curiosity for how people decorate. My good friend Deanna, is no stranger to great design. Ever since we met a few years back, I have loved her sense of style… both in fashion and interiors. Our kids are the same age and great friends, so I am lucky we get to see each other often and chat design. And when I approached her about taking a few pictures of her gallery wall for the blog, I was so excited she said yes! Deanna has created a large gallery wall of meaningful art around her television, blending the TV into the art wall, tricking the eye into seeing more than just the television. Her vision for her mid century modern home is amazing. The furniture pieces and art she has collected along the way are fun, eclectic and work so well with the character of her home. So without further adieu, let’s let the pictures do the talking…

The colorful foliage picture above the piano portrait was left by the original homeowners of the house. It is an artist’s abstract interpretation of the home’s backyard. 

I always tell Deanna this one is my favorite! How could you not fall in love with this art piece? 

In this image, you can see a glimpse into the foyer. I have always loved that oversized paper light fixture. She recently painted the inside of the front door red and found the bridge art print when shopping at IKEA. The scale is perfect for that wall!

The silhouette print was actually a school project made by her son! The bird prints are from Target.

One last snapshot of this stunning gallery wall!

Deanna tackled this gallery wall project in a very thoughtful way. Let’s take her ideas point by point, so you can recreate this look…
1. Mixing symmetry with asymmetry. Deanna used symmetry with the vintage chairs sitting on either side of the television, but then juxtaposed that look with an asymmetrical gallery wall of art. 
2. Mixing large and small prints and using the whole wall to hang the art. Don’t be afraid to go floor to ceiling with art! It doesn’t always have to be at eye level. She used various sized pieces to fill in the wall and arranged them in a way that was aesthetically pleasing to look at. Just take it one art piece at a time and step back every now and then to see where you need to fill in the gaps. Once Deanna hung all of the pieces, it actually made the space feel larger and the wall looked taller than before. It’s a great illusion! 
3. Not every inch of the art piece has to be shown. Covering a portion with a piece of furniture or object is a great layering technique. Deanna did that when she placed some of her piano portrait a few inches behind the chair. 
4. To achieve this eclectic look, mix up your frame finishes and combine store bought prints with vintage, collected pieces. There is a time and a place for the same frame finishes and that might be when you are doing a symmetrical gallery wall. For this look, mix it up!
5. Use meaningful art! So many of these pieces tell a story, which is exactly how your home should be! Being surrounded by meaningful memories, such as the silhouette made by her son, is priceless.
6. Shop around your home when creating your gallery wall. Deanna actually had all of these prints in her home already, but on a different wall. Arranging them around the television makes them feel like new art pieces! 
Thank you so much, Deanna, for letting me crash your beautiful house and show it here on the blog!   

2014’s Parade of Homes in Central New York!

by Filed Under: design, interior design, parade of homes


Every year, my mom and I go off for the day and attend Central New York’s Parade of Homes. It is an annual event with a collection of newly built homes, all decked out and decorated by local interior designers. The event has been featuring about 8 homes in recent years, but this year, it has 12 homes! We loved that there was more to see. So, we put on our most comfortable shoes and went out for the afternoon to the Town of Clay, where the Parade is held this year. It did not disappoint! There is something so amazing about a brand new home. All of the finishes are custom, the paint colors and floors are all fresh and new. It’s like opening a present on Christmas!! So without further adieu, let’s take a look at my favorite highlights of the Parade…

The Ashfield by Miller Custom Homes


This home had a calm, serene color palette. And who doesn’t fall in love with white kitchen cabinetry?!? I loved the lanterns above the kitchen island and the stenciled wall in one of the bedrooms. Stencils were seen throughout the homes in the Parade this year. Each very thoughtful and unique!

The Timbercrest by Sciuga Custom Builders


This home had me at hello with its soft, buttery yellow siding and the entire exterior design. I also loved the pebble stone fireplace surround in the living room. Such a chic, rustic touch. And then the custom banquette in the kitchen! How smart and creative is that built in bench?!? I loved that the interior designer took it one step further with the stripes down the center. Such a thoughtful touch. The bench also doubles as storage for additional kitchen towels and utensils. So smart!

The Madison by Mark Antony Homes


His homes never disappoint and are always the classic, chic homes of the Parade. I loved this great room vibe with the kitchen and family room. The designer used the same paint color in most of the first floor, keeping a continuous flow throughout the spaces. I loved the details on the dining chairs and the gray finish of the trellis table. The kitchen is huge and even features a custom window seat, which I loved! The fireplace is simple and elegant and I loved the deep hearth for baskets!

The Chardonnay by Pigliavento Builders

{This mirror is also a TV!! So cool!}

This home above was designed by my friend, Taylor. She did thoughtful, creative touches in the children’s spaces. Love the vintage look in both of these kid bedrooms!

The Glenwyke by Smolen Homes


This was one of the smallest homes at the Parade at about 2400 square feet. But bigger doesn’t always mean better and the builder and designer did a great job with thoughtful touches and precise details. The beams in the great room brought the spaces together and made this home shine! I loved the banquette that was tucked away in the kitchen. The cabinetry was beautiful and made this area so bright and energetic. I also loved the modern soaking tub with its sleek shape. And the boy’s bedroom was so cool with a full map on one wall! That would be a fun space for any child to hang out! 
The Brittany by Signature Crest Builders


Lighting can make or break a room and I thought the pendants over the kitchen island were fabulous! I also loved the locker style system for the mud room. Sneakers and sports equipment can easily be tucked away in the bottom compartment!
So there you have it… my review and favorite moments of this year’s Parade of Homes! If you haven’t stopped in yet, not to worry! It will be running until June 22nd. To learn more about the Parade of Homes before you head out, visit HERE.
Thank you so much to this year’s sponsors for gifting tickets for me and my mom to the Parade of Homes this year! We had a blast.

Our Family Room {Before and After}

by Filed Under: design, family room, personal design style


I live by the motto that a home is never finished… as our design styles change and we continue to gather more ideas, the editing of a room always comes into play. I will forever be making changes to our home and I think that’s fun! Even if it’s just moving an accessory from one space to another- that’s a change! For our family room, I realized our long sofa wall with the horse print, needed something more. There was too much empty wall space for me on either side of the print. I finally tackled that project, after thinking about it in my head for months. {I love it when a plan works out the way you imagined it would!} I also switched from floor lamps to table lamps and added consoles behind the sectional. I have been showing snippets on instagram {amberbinteriors}, but here it is in all its entirety…

Before



And After…


I am so excited with the changes and I smile when I walk into the space! I wanted to add the consoles with table lamps, because our floor lamps were broken in places and there was an awkward space behind the sectional that needed to be filled. The kids liked going behind there and I always worried someone would trip on the lamp cords. So, these changes helped in both of those areas. Since the sectional is so long, I used two Threshold desks from Target for the consoles. It was a great cost saving alternative and brings a nice pop of color to the room. As for the wall space, I knew it needed more than just the one horse print, but I wasn’t sure what- until now. The botanical prints are actually free printables from Poppy Talk. I printed them out at Staples for only $1 a page! I chose the 11×17 size they had and then filled them in matted frames to fit 11×14 images. The two mirrors need no introduction! They are the Wales mirrors from Home Depot and are currently on sale! I also have one in our bedroom and I love the look and the under $30 price tag!! If the site says they don’t have any in your local store- try anyway! They said my store didn’t have any left and there were actually 3 there, including the sample! Sometimes, it pays to be persistent.

So for now, I think I can sit back and relax with this room. Now… what room to change next??

E-Design Project {Accessory Board}

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


I recently finished a master bedroom project with an e-design client. She already had most of the furniture pieces in the space, but was looking to change things up by adding new bedding, pillows, accessories and just an overall updated look. My accessory design package is called This and That and it’s a great design package if most of the pieces are staying in the space, but you want a little refresh. She loves the plan and I can’t wait to see the after photos…

The Design Plan


The updates are soft and neutral, which is just what my client was after. The sunburst mirror shown in the middle of the board is the suggested accessory for the wall space over the bed. I have this exact mirror above my bed and the scale is great! At 30″ in diameter, it will be the perfect dimensions to replace her smaller mirror that is currently in that spot. Neutral doesn’t have to mean boring… as long as the soft, muted colors have different textures and color variations, neutral can be chic and perfect for a serene master bedroom. I will be including her comments to me about the design board on my design services page in the testimonials section, because it truly made my day. And if anyone is on the fence about e-design, her comment might help those curious to know what it’s all about! Here’s what my client had to say about the experience…

Seriously,  all I needed was a stack of books and I no longer hate my bedside table.  You are so talented.  I loved all the ideas and they are so me – probably why I picked you. 

You went way beyond my goal and gave me even more than I expected.

You met and exceeded my expectations.  I am so happy with the way the room is going.

Thank you so much to my client for these special words! When she referred to her nightstand, she was planning on having me source a different one, since she wasn’t sure it worked in the space. I asked her to try it out with some new accessories and keep the nightstand. Instead of paying a few hundred dollars for a new furniture piece, I wanted to use what she had and just improve upon it with new accent pieces and books. Luckily, she went for the idea, saving money in the long run. I am so thrilled that she enjoyed the process so much!

If you would like to refresh your home and add that touch of something special, I have client openings for June!

{Master Bedroom E-Design} Using a Fresh Color Palette

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


I love it when clients give me a challenge and cause me to push my ideas and color palette a little further than I would normally go. Such is the case with my most recent master bedroom project. My client said she loves purple and emerald green and wanted to incorporate them into the design. I have had a lot of experience using green, but have only used purple in one past design project. {Which actually happened to be the board she most admired!} I don’t have anything against purple at all, I just haven’t used it much and was up for the challenge! Purple is one of those colors making a fast comeback this season and would add a fresh dose of color to any room. Once I visited my favorite etsy pillow shop, I knew I found the right shade! Here is the final design plan I presented…

The Design Plan



The Floor Plan



The pillows at the bottom of the design board tell the fun color story of the room. Now why have I waited so long to use purple?? I love the way the colors came out and I cannot wait to see them installed in the space! My client also loves the ideas and I couldn’t be happier for her. One of my favorite etsy shops for pillows came to the rescue and had the perfect palette for this purple and green color combination! Studio Tullia is one of those shops that carries fresh hues, chic patterns and is a one stop shop for adding color to your space. I then brought in Catilin Wilson’s Greige Greek Key pillow to add a neutral tone against all of the fun color. This is truly one of my favorite projects to date and I am so lucky to have the chance to work with clients that push those creative boundaries for me!

Who knows… an unexpected color just might be your next favorite, too!

Completed E- Design Project {The Den}

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


Happy Easter weekend! I wanted to check in for a bit to show you a recent e-design board that I completed. My client was looking to combine modern with traditional in her den/living space off of her kitchen. She loves neutrals and a soft color palette, but also appreciates a dose of color in the accessories, particularly blue. Well, that is right up my alley, since I cannot seem to get enough of blue these days! Here is the completed design plan, which has a coastal inspired vibe with a little bit modern/little bit traditional…

The Plan


I love that Jacobean floral pillow from Kravet and I have been using it on a few projects, recently. It does a great job of bringing together a soft, neutral palette. The pillow can be found HERE. I gave my client a couple of different options for the empty wall space above the sofa and she chose the Octopus art shown on the top right corner of the board. You may have seen versions of this art floating around the web and may have even seen the ultra expensive version in Bill and Giuliana Rancic’s home. Well, Heather, from the blog Southern State of Mind, shows you how to create this look at a fraction of the cost! I know it will look amazing in my client’s home, too!

Happy Weekend and Happy Easter!!

A Great Place to Shop That Also Helps the Environment!

by Filed Under: blog review, design


When shopping on line, I haven’t found many sites that offer unique home decor items and gifts while also helping the environment and creative artisans. Sounds like a tall order, if you ask me! But the creators of Uncommon Goods do all of that and so much more. Half of the items in the shop are made by hand and several items are even from recycled materials! With Earth Day right around the corner, now is as good of a time as any to think about how we can make the world a bit greener. And I can definitely appreciate the hard work ethic of this company… their belief is that it is their responsibility to use their business as a way to positively impact others. I was truly blown away by that powerful message. And now, onto some of the amazing products from this very special site!

The chef in your life would love this reclaimed wood cookbook stand!
Can you get any more beautiful and whimsical than this handmade butterfly map? The regions on this map are populated by colorful butterflies. What a great way to bring some color into a space!
This personalized love cuff made from real birch bark is the perfect gift for your loved one! I can’t get over the detail and craftsmanship of this piece!
It’s safe to say I am very impressed and hooked! Anytime I can find a special, one of a kind gift that also supports crafters and the environment, I’m sold. I could go on and on showing more crazy unique items, but I want you to check it out for yourself! Start your shopping HERE. If you make a purchase, let me know. I would love to see what unique find you fell in love with. I’ll post it here on the blog. 🙂
Happy Shopping !!!
This post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods, but all of the opinions are my own, as always!