Amber B Design Studio

Interior Design & Decoration for the South Florida region

Our Basement Kid’s Nook Reveal!

by Filed Under: art, basement, design, kids and design


Our basement was finished in the middle of May, and I am excited to show the first complete nook in the space! The basement was renovated primarily as a fun place for the kids to play. It’s also great for us, because all of the toys can be relocated to this floor! So, I thought it would make sense to start with one of their spaces first. We had the contractors paint an entire wall with chalkboard paint as a great place to get creative and have fun! This zone is for drawing, crafting,and anything they can imagine up!  Enjoy!

Design With Kids in Mind……………………………..

Sorry for the large amount of photos! It was a sunny day, so I went a little crazy. Our windows are not very big in the basement, so it was great to be able to have this natural light stream in. We have had a lot of fun with this chalkboard wall. I wrote this bear quote from one of our favorite book series… The Berenstein Bears! When we’re ready to erase and draw something new, we just use a white sock. To really get it cleaned, I occasionally go over the chalkboard with a wet cloth. You might be wondering if the chalk mess is an issue on the carpet. To fix that problem, we only buy dust free chalk, which my mom found at Staples. {Thanks, mom!} When they really get coloring, some chalk dust falls to the baseboard. But, it is really minimal and easy to vacuum. Much easier than regular chalk would be! We keep the chalk and sock eraser in small plastic cups in a basket. The plastic cups can easily be washed out, when needed. The Oh The Thinks You Can Think quote was done on canvas as an inexpensive, whimsical way to add some art. I wrote about the simple process, HERE. The rest of the art has come from the creative kiddos. They love that it is truly their space and feel proud to show off what they have made! We love being able to have this extra square footage in the house and the kids love it, too.

Happy Friday!!

There’s Still Time To Shop My Tastemaker Collection!

by Filed Under: arcadian home, design, personal design style


I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend! I wanted to pop in and say that there is still time to shop my Traditional Eclectic Tastemaker Collection from Arcadian Home {2 days left, in fact!}. As promised, here is a round up of some of my favorite pieces still left in the collection…

This coral rug would look pretty in a little girl’s room or chic layered over a jute rug in the living room. I love this colored paired with golds and mushroom browns.

These trays would work well on a dining room buffet filled with serving ware or on a coffee table with a few small books and a vase of fresh flowers.
 
I think I have to pick this one up for myself! It would look amazing as part of a gallery wall in any room.

I love this mushroom brown color paired with coral! This would look stunning in the same room with the striped runner, above. So many possibilities with poufs. Kinda wish I had one in every room!
There are still 2 shopping days left to take advantage of these amazing discounted prices.
Happy Shopping!!

My Curated Collection for Arcadian Home is Live!

by Filed Under: arcadian home, design, personal design style


I am so excited to make this announcement today! My curated design collection for Arcadian Home just went live and will run until July, 30th at 11:59 pm PST. If you are new to this site, Arcadian Home is a flash sale site that brings the best of home decor to one place. The items are discounted from their regular retail price, so you will always find a great deal when shopping here. There are so many choices and brands to shop from… be prepared to be on their site for a while, since you will fall in love with it! If you are not currently a member, sign up is free and only requires an e-mail address and password! Here is a sneek peek into my sale…

I want to thank Arcadian Home for asking me to be their designer for this tastemaker collection. I truly believe in every single item in my little curated shop. I would put all of it my own home or suggest it all for clients. It truly represents my style and aesthetic, which is traditional modern, with an eclectic twist. Since I love to blend different styles together to get that collected look, I aptly named this collection The Traditional Eclectic. Start your shopping HERE!! If you see something you love, act fast on it, because items sell out quickly on this site. Throughout the sale, check back here, as I will be featuring my favorite items from the sale! Make sure to also pin your favorite pieces and mention them on twitter and facebook to help spread the word! Also, a special thanks to my e-design client for allowing me to feature her keeping room as the design inspiration for the collection.  🙂

My family might only care about this little tidbit, but as a side note, if you just visit the main page HERE, you will see all of the sales scroll by, including my own. I said to myself, ‘Oh! There I am!’ Pretty cool, I think!  🙂

Happy Shopping!!

A Little About Novica and My Special Gift

by Filed Under: design


Handmade treasures and unique design items that tell a story can be the most cherished pieces in your home. I am excited to work with Novica again, a company that provides just that. Novica is in association with National Geographic and they have developed a site that allows you to purchase unique, handmade items from artists around the world. They are bridging the gap between us (the consumer) and the many talented artisans around the globe. When you receive your items from Novica, it comes beautifully wrapped with a handmade ribbon and story about the artist. Many of these artists were struggling to feed their families and this site gave them hope to continue doing the craft they love. When a company representative reached out to me, I was able to search their site and find my own unique treasures. It was difficult to narrow it down, since there are home decor items, furniture, jewelry and clothing, just to name a few. I did find a beautiful beaded basket and I can’t wait to share it with you!

The Novica Experience

I was so impressed with the packaging and the thoughtful way they made this gift special. I chose the Beaded Rattan Basket called, Night Thunder and can be found HERE.  I loved the zig zag, chevron like shape. It came all the way from Bali and was handmade by Wayan Sukerni. The intricate bead work makes this basket a treasure! I knew it could fit anywhere in my house and I was excited to play around with its placement. Here is where you come in handy! I love it in so many places, I need your help in the decision!

On the Mantel 

  
On the Bookshelf

On the Dresser

See my dilemma? This basket can go anywhere! It’s a great dilemma to have, though, because versatile pieces always make the best accessories. Please visit the Novica site HERE and in the comment section of this post, tell me your favorite things from the site! Also, please help me solve my design dilemma and find a home for my beautiful new accessory. You can also visit their site by clicking on the following links below. They currently have some great featured items:

Women’s Clothing from Central America
Blue Dresses
Short Skirts
Balinese Dangle Earrings
Peruvian Silver 950 Jewelry
Cotton Dress

Happy Shopping!!

{E-Design} We’re Going Outside!

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


A little while back, one of my former clients reached out to me again, asking if I could help her with the exterior of her home. This is my first time working with a client on an outdoor space, so I was up for the challenge. The timing is actually funny, since I just helped a neighbor choose exterior paint colors for her siding. So when my client e-mailed, I thought… did you just talk to my neighbor??? 🙂 Paint colors show up differently outside, since there is the sunshine and outdoor elements to consider. Darker colors show up a bit lighter outside. But when you work with amazing colors that are tried and true and always work, how can you go wrong?? Here is Option 1…

The Plan Option 1 ………………………………………….

{Click on board to make larger}
My client has a brick ranch and she is considering painting the brick. The above board shows the options for painting the brick. I suggested the brick be painted the medium toned gray seen on the top left corner of the board. The shutters would be the deep gray/black, the trim would be the pale gray/white and the door the sea foam blue color. A palette of grays with a pale blue is a bit unexpected and fun. Here is Option 2, where they don’t paint the brick…
The Plan Option 2 …………………………………………
{Click on board to make larger}
This option basically stays the same, but the front door color changes. The teal blue/green seen on the top left of the board would be the choice. It would work really well against the red brick they have, bringing that pop of color. When I suggested landscaping, I found this amazing house from my blog friend Jane (seen on the top right of the option 2 board.) Her friend is selling his house and the front yard landscaping is wonderful inspirartion for my client.
I can’t wait to see if my client decides to paint the brick or not! What would you do???

Styling Kid’s Bookshelves {Our Basement}

by Filed Under: basement, design, kids and design, personal design style, shelf styling


When we had our basement finished, we decided to add tons of storage for books, kid stuff and anything that needed a home. The storage we decided on seemed too much at first, but who am I kidding? With kids in the house, it will fill up quickly. I am proud to say that there are more shelves filled now, than empty! The contractors built this shelving unit by connecting ready made cube units, with a total of 54 cubes in all! Since it goes up to the ceiling, we decided to keep the top three rows for our stuff and the bottom three for the kiddos, which is more in their reach. To make this a proper before and in progress, I’ll show where these shelves began…

Before

The above picture is a true before shot, since it is even before the carpet is installed. We have made a lot of progress since then, and I am happy to say that the kid’s shelves are pretty much complete.

After in Progress

Now I am very realistic, and I know these shelves won’t stay this organized for long. But it’s a great start, right?? Here are some tips when styling kid’s shelves (especially when you have 27 to do!!)

1. Mix it up by laying some of the books vertical and some horizontal. When the spine of the book is showing, they can see the title and it will still entice them to find their favorite!

2. Layer in some of their favorite stuffted animals and sculptural toys. It’s a great way to add texture and for them, it makes them smile to see their beloved items on display.

3. Face some of the titles out, so they can see the cover. It’s a great idea when you are low on books and have a lot of shelves to style. It also comes in handy for them to find a book that might have otherwise been lost on the shelf. I plan to switch these books up over time, so I can display ones that interest them at the moment or one they might have forgotten about. (For example, if the siblings are not getting along, you can display a book about sharing… in a very subtle way! hint hint!  )

We’ll see how long this lasts, but at least the books have found a great home and will be used a lot! That’s what it’s all about.

Happy Friday !!

The New Knobs Are On!

by Filed Under: before and after, design, family room, personal design style


I was determined (as stated in my last post) to go and find new knobs for our coffee table drawers. Since I like the finish of the table, I decided to just make a small change by adding decorative glass looking knobs. We have pops of green throughout the space, so a pretty green knob was a good choice for this space. Here is where we started…

Before

And here are the new knobs…

After

I found them at Target for $14.99 for a 4 pack! That’s a very small commitment, so I can always change it up when I am looking for a new color scheme. This last picture shows how the green is pulled from the suzani pillow in the background. I like to find the small hints of color from a fabric and pull out accessory colors from that. It’s less obvious and makes for a fun, unexpected color palette. It also draws your eye more to that little hint of color that you might not have seen otherwise.

Any small changes around your home???

Small Change Idea

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


Am I the only one who walks around their home, thinking of what to change next? Well, I know I’m not the only one, because my mom and I often confess that it’s a regular occurrence in our houses. I am constantly thinking about design, so why not ponder what to do next in our abode? Especially when it’s a small change with minimal impact on the bank account! Our family room coffee table has a warm wood stain. It has three small drawers with wood stained knobs to match. I am ready to say goodbye to the wood knobs and go for a pop of color, to add a pretty little detail to this table…

Currently

Changing out the knobs to a dresser, table or kitchen cabinets is a quick, inexpensive fix that can transform the look of your room or furniture piece. Since some of our pillows have a mulit colored suzani print, I may pull a color from the fabric and go with colored glass knobs for these drawers. I did find pretty (look alike) glass knobs in a deep teal green that would be perfect. We also have small touches of green sprinkled throughout the room, so that would be a great color to choose. Even though you won’t see the knobs when you walk into the space, it will be a pretty, unexpected touch when you go to sit on the sofa. And the price for these knobs is great, too! In fact, I might just go there today and make this happen!  Since I really don’t want to paint the coffee table, adding new knobs could be just what this table needs.

So please confess… do you also walk around your home, thinking about what to decorate next???

A Unique, Creative Door

by Filed Under: barn door, barn door hardware, design, personal design style


There are some design ideas that stop me in my tracks. I love a great wow factor in any space and you’re in for a treat today with this idea. Forget about the rule that you need a standard door for every room’s entrance or that you can only have curtains/closet doors to close off storage spaces. Installing a barn door to any room is such a fresh, unique way to separate spaces and close off unsitely areas in your home. I have been racking my brain trying to think of where I can install barn door hardware in my own home. So here’s some beautiful inspiration to get me started…

Barn doors work with modern, rustic and traditional spaces and definitely add that wow factor. Whether they are bright and add a pop of color or whether they blend in with your space, installing a barn door is a genious idea! Where would you put one in your home??
This post was sponsored by Barn Door Hardware, although all of the ideas and opinions are my own.

Creating a Gallery Wall Around Your TV

by Filed Under: basement, design, gallery walls


We are slowly plugging away at the basement projects and making this space feel like home. The first pictures went up on the wall yesterday! It was a very rainy day here, so why not install a gallery wall around the TV?!? I have pinned several gallery wall images to my pinterest boards, some symmetrical and some asymmetrical. I decided to work with the various sized frames I had and installed an asymmetrical gallery wall around the TV. Once we find a media console for the space under the television, I can complete the rest. But for now, it’s nice to see this wall take shape…

Gallery Wall Around the TV

This gallery wall definitely has an eclectic mix of pieces inside the frames! When we lived in Europe, we collected artist renderings of the cities we visited. There is also a mix of modern art, watercolors found on etsy and framed pieces of fabric. What I like best about this gallery wall is that there is no rhyme and reason to hanging these prints. I just started on the left side corner and worked my way around. Of course, I needed to step back to see if they all worked together, but there is no special symmetry or specific spots to worry about. I LOVE the symmetrical look, but I don’t quite have the patience for that. Now that the frames are in place, we can adjust the art pieces as we see fit and change them up. Since this is a basement and the TV will allow for many hours of basketball/football viewing, we can purchase sports inspired prints over time and eventually make this a vintage looking sports themed gallery wall. But for now, we can enjoy these prints that have been sitting on our office floor for a month! The fun part will be going antiquing with my mom soon, to see if we can find a cool media stand with some character. 
Have a great weekend and Happy Father’s Day to all wonderful dads, including my amazing husband!!