Amber B Design Studio

Interior Design & Decoration for the South Florida region

How Do You Like Your Kitchens??

by Filed Under: design, kitchen, painting, personal design style


My favorite look is an all white kitchen… white cabinets, some sort of white stone for the counters and some sort of white tile backsplash. {Or, the same white stone carried up as the backsplash… dreamy!!} But as our design tastes tend to change over time, I have also recently had my eye on the look of painted cabinetry in soft, muted colors. Taupe/gray cabinets with that same white stone lends depth and charm. Here is a round up of some great kitchens, where they have done just that!

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Mix it up with bold contrast…

Black and white…

Now, one might argue that these kitchens are gorgeous already. I mean, look at them??? Is that really how mine would look if I painted my cabinets? So, I thought it would be fun to also include an amazing before and after of a kitchen that changed their builder grade cabinets from a stained finish to a wow gray! Julia, from the blog Hooked on Houses, showed us this…
Before…

After…

To see the chosen cabinet color and more photos, visit HERE.
So… how do you like your cabinets???

Moody Walls

by Filed Under: design, paint colors, personal design style


Even though spring is on its way around here, I have still been enamored with deep colors and moody walls. For the most part, I like to keep walls light and airy and bring color in through the accessories. But, there are some rooms that can tolerate a dose of a deep hue that is bold and dramatic. I think it’s a touch of the unexpected when you have deep walls in one room in your home. Dark walls can be great for bedrooms, offices or any space with a ton of natural light. Here are some great spaces where the walls take center stage. Without this deep wall color, each room would be so different!

I am a fan of dark walls in my own home and have painted our living room a deep brown color…
It’s Mink by Benjamin Moore and I love it! Designer Bailey McCarthy has recently used it in her home and I love how she wrapped the color on the window trim, too…
Although it might seem strange to be talking about such deep, saturated hues when spring is finally here, but these rooms are proof that it’s a chic look year round!
How about you… do you stick with light walls or do you like deep hues?? Do tell!!

You Need to Check Out This Etsy Shop!!

by Filed Under: design, etsy, personal


The best thing about blogging and working in the design business is building relationships. Relationships that last and grow and can support one another. One of my past e-design clients, Sandra, has opened up her own etsy shop and I couldn’t be happier for her! I have worked with Sandra on a few of her spaces in her home and even worked with her daughter in creating a fun room to call her own. Sandra’s new shop, Swanson Lane Home is a true reflection of her eclectic, vintage style. From collectible French pieces to Hollywood Regency style, this shop has it all. I love putting a space together that looks collected… a room that doesn’t feel too matchy matchy, but rather looks like it has been put together over time. By adding some pieces from Sandra’s shop, you will get that style. Here are a few of my favorite accents from Swanson Lane Home…

If you know Sandra, then you know she has poured her heart into this shop. Every piece has been picked with love, because they truly reflect her style and personality. Head on over to her shop and get inspired! Act quickly, because some of these accessories might just have to find a way into my home!!

I’m Feeling Blue Lately

by Filed Under: blue decor, design, e-decorating, e-design, paint colors, personal design style


That is, in design, of course! In many ways lately, I have been incorporating blue, either in small or big doses. Many shades of this color have shown up in my local and e-design projects, as well as in my own home! I thought I would dedicate this post to one of my favorite colors and why it continues to work so well in design…

With a coastal twist 

Blue patterned draperies
A statement blue sofa
Blue all over
Bits of blue sprinkled throughout
Blue as an accent

Amber B Interiors… that’s me!!  🙂
Subtle blue accessories


I have always been a fan of blue in all of its shades. I love that it goes with so many colors.
What’s your take on the color??

{E – Design} A Chic, Fun Playroom

by Filed Under: design, e-decorating, e-design, kids and design, living room


Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! I wanted to check in and show you an e-design board that I recently completed. My client was looking for a fun, stylish space for her family to spend time together and relax. It will be used as a playroom, but since it is off of the upstairs hallway, they also want it to be a chic room that flows with the rest of their home. I wanted it to be fun and colorful for the kids, but also neutral with a modern/traditional mix, like my client enjoys. My client already has a sofa and bookshelves for the room. I came in and added additional furniture, accessories and paint colors.

The Design



The Floor Plan



The wall color is the soft gray on the top left corner of the board. The dark brown/black shade will be for a full wall chalkboard. The coral color is for the back of their existing bookshelves. The triptych octopus art will go above the sofa. She will be able to recreate this art piece by following this tutorial. The pillows are on the bottom of the board and really bring the color palette together. I am so excited she loves the plan and can’t wait to see after photos!

E – Design Client Sneak Peek {Before and After}

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


I am so excited to show you this before and after today! My client has worked very hard to finish up on the rooms I have designed. Today, I am able to show you an amazing sneak peek of the living room. When my client hired me, she was looking for a complete change in her space. She wanted a start fresh on all of the seating and an overall relaxed, coastal/traditional/vintage inspired vibe. This design was aptly named #projectfarmhousechic. This is the space when we started…

The only item staying in the room was the television. We also kept the wall color, which is a soft, pretty gray. Here are the design boards I came up with…

The Plan



The Media Gallery Wall



I am over the moon excited to share the progress so far…

Sneak Peek


Yay to my amazing client!! I love that you can see the media gallery wall through the mirror. She did such a wonderful job on the plates/mirror installation above the sofa and I love how the pillow combination came together. Originally, we were going to go with the CWD Greige Deco pillows, but my client really started to love the way blue was entering the room. So, we made the switch to the Navy Deco and I couldn’t be more thrilled. There is so much more going on in this room and I can’t wait to post more about this design! Thanks so much to my client for allowing me to share her living room with all of you!

If you would like to work together to make your house a home, please e-mail me and see my Design Services page for more information! I am currently booking clients for May 2014.

Embrace Color & Be Fearless

by Filed Under: design, paint colors, personal design style


There are some home renovations that stop me in my tracks and make me love the career of design that much more. Some spaces remind me of how much fun using color can be and how decorating and surrounding yourself with pieces you love, is so much more important than worrying about everything matching and being ‘perfect.’ I have been following Bailey’s blog, Peppermint Bliss, for a while now. And I think what inspires me most about her design work is her ability to be daring with color and go for it, no matter whether it’s a popular trend or not. She is a trendsetter in her own right, bold and just plain fun. Her most recent work was shown in Style Me Pretty Living and gives great examples of how being bold and having fun with design can pay off…

all images via style me pretty living, photographed by kimberly chau
Crazy, right? Are you inspired yet?? I think Bailey is the one who made pom pom/tassel fringe cool again! I seriously cannot stop looking at this home remodel. Often times (myself included), we can be a little safe with color choices, worrying that we may tire of it soon. This home feature reminds me to step out of my comfort zone a little and try something a bit more daring. To see more of Bailey’s fearless projects, including her own home, stop by her blog, here.

Read Any Great Design Books Lately??

by Filed Under: blog review, design, gift ideas


Design books have a special place in my heart, because I love to take them out from time to time, pour over all of the great inspiration and learn a few new design tricks. When design books also give the history of a city, culture and way of life, I’m especially inspired. So I was very happy to receive an e-mail from a publishing company rep introducing me to Stealing Magnolias: Tales from a New Orleans Courtyard. The book was written by Debra Shriver and highlights the wonderous city that is New Orleans. The book has a great mix of design with history, exploring the city’s rich architecture, food, local customs, music and so much more. I have always been in awe of this city and although I have never visited yet, this book makes you feel as though you are there, experiencing everything New orleans has to offer. Here are some of the amazing highlights and gorgeous imagery from the book…

Could you imagine anything more grand and beautiful! While New Orleans is known for extravagant architecture and design, they also have a laid back, relaxed style that I love. I could just move into the room in the second image! To read more about this book and get your own copy, visit HERE.

I think that I may say that an American has not seen America until he has seen New Orleans.
-Mark Twain

Our Tee Pee Reveal {Now in the Family Room}

by Filed Under: design, family room, kids and design


Don’t adjust your screen… this is a new post! Yesterday, I revealed our new tee pee in the finished basement. The kids love it and for now, they have decided that it would be fun to bring it upstairs. They wanted to watch cartoons in it, so it’s now in our family room. I actually think this is a great idea, since the picture quality is so much better to show all of you! That’s probably not what the kiddos had in mind, but works for me and the blog!  🙂 So here is the second reveal, in much better lighting, of our new tee pee…

The Family Room Reveal


So there you have it! Enough tee pee pictures for a while. I am so glad we did this. It’s fun, whimsical and will create so many great memories. Luckily, it’s easy to move. This will probably not be the last location. 🙂

E – Design Board Reveal & A Sweet Client Note

by 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 didn’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.
I’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 – 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 daughter’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.