Amber B Design Studio

Interior Design & Decoration for the South Florida region

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!

Admiring the Work Of Kimberly Blok

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


When sourcing original art for clients, I often browse through etsy. There is so much photography talent out there, and I just found my new favorite source. Kimberly Blok is a natural light photographer, capturing beautiful still life, floral and landscape images, just to name a few. Here are some of her beautiful pictures, available for sale on her etsy site:

Wouldn’t this be so sweet for a nursery??

I would love this in a kitchen. Simple and beautiful!

Nautical Beauty

I have really started to notice and appreciate great photography. These items are so simple, but when photographed this way, they become works of art! If you live in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area, Kimberly also does family photography. Check out that site here!
I have decided that I would love to learn how to take better pictures! Does anyone know of a great camera that is both affordable and takes high quality pictures?? Please share!

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!

Why Hiring a Decorator Can Save You Money

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


There has always been an assumption out there that hiring an interior decorator is an extravagant extra and not an accessible option. It can be scary to trust someone else with your home and belongings. But I believe that if you develop a good relationship with your potential decorator and your ideas and personalities gel, go for it! There are so many unique ways to achieve affordable design help. E-decorating, is a quick, less expensive option and can be a lot of fun. Of course it’s always best to be able to see the room in person, but e-design is a great way to hire a decorator without a strong financial commitment. And in this economy, it’s always great to think creatively when it comes to saving money. You might think I am crazy to say that hiring a decorator can save you money, but think of it this way:

Recently, I had a client say to me that she attempted to decorate, but it didn’t work out as she planned. Now she has furniture pieces that she wished she didn’t purchase and wants to make some changes. Decorators can show unique tips and ideas for achieving a designer touch in your space.

Isn’t it amazing how big window 2 looks? It’s the same size as #1! Hanging your curtains high and wide is a great visual trick for achieving a grander space.

Instead of replacing your store bought piece of furniture, dress it up with the addition of new knobs.

All knobs via
You can also repaint furniture to give it new life:
  

Some decorators not only have full room e-decorating services, they also have smaller design options and can solve decorating dilemmas for under $30. So, give it a try! Why not?!? And if you are an interior decorator/designer, I would love to hear your views on offering design services on line.

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!

Shop Around Your Home for This Styling Trick

by Filed Under: e-decorating, e-design, family room, shelf styling


Styling shelves and tables are always a work in progress… you either change them seasonally, get bored with the arrangement or find new treasures that you want to include.  Even better yet, you shop around your home and look for new treasures! I always tell clients to see what they have in their home first, before going out and buying new items. Maybe you can re purpose an old item, give it new life with spray paint or move things from one room to another for a change. I always love fun changes that are also free! Working with one of my most recent clients, we talked about styling the coffee table. I suggested to shop around her home for books and small trinkets or vases. A great tried and true idea is to stack a few hard cover books on the table and add a vase of fresh flowers, or an unexpected accessory on top. It’s functional, because you will always have your favorite books within reach! Here are some great styling ideas for your coffee table:

Flowers or little treasures paired with books bring great texture and interest to the table. It’s a mix of the practical with the pretty; something with straight lines vs. something sculptural. It’s a great pairing! Take a look around your home… I’m sure you’ll find amazing treasures!

Which of the above photos is your favorite??

Dressing Up Plain Drapery Panels

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


A great way to achieve a custom look for less, is to dress up plain drapery panels with ribbon trim or extra fabric. It’s also a great way to bring in your accessory color and add a decorator’s touch.

You can also add fabric to panels that aren’t quite long enough:

Source: bhg.com via Kate on Pinterest

When I present this idea to clients, I always like to provide them with a helpful DIY link, showing them how to easily complete the project. There is one site that I always like to go to, for great tips… House of Fifty blog! Janell shows how you can easily finish almost any DIY project! To dress up your drapery panels, follow her no-sew tutorial HERE!

Have you dressed up your drapery panels??

The Power of Paint- A Before and After E-Decorating Project

by Filed Under: e-decorating, e-design, paint colors


I have written here before about the power of paint. It’s amazing what a different color can do to totally transform a space and make it look new. A recent e-decorating client contacted me for help with choosing the paint colors for her home. When working on the living room colors, we not only had the wall color to consider, but also all of the trim work and built in wall shelves.  The previous owners had all of the trim in a stained wood finish, and my client was looking for a change. She suggested painting out all of the trim white, and I was right there with her. I knew we would make a great team, because I was about to suggest the same thing. We all love a great before and after, right? Here is a before shot of the living room, with the furniture from the previous owners:

Before:

And here are the after photos, with the new paint:

After:

I love how the nook is lighter and brighter! The painters did a phenomenal job covering the dark wood. It looks like a new space. The wall color is Classic Gray, the trim throughout the room and bookshelves is White Dove and the back of the bookshelves is Dragon’s Breath, all by Benjamin Moore. I am looking forward to working on the design for this room! It will be fun to pick accessories for the shelves that will pop against the painted backdrop. A big thanks to my client for letting me share these photos!

What have you painted lately that has transformed your space? I would love to see photos- I’ll post them on my blog!

Why Two Minds are Better Than One

by Filed Under: e-decorating, e-design, paint colors


When working with clients, I try my best to truly listen to their wishes and how they envision the space. With a recent nursery e-design project, I worked with an amazing client with great ideas for the room.  She is having a girl and I wanted to go with a wall color that was a little unexpected. I immediately thought of Palladian Blue by Benjamin Moore. It’s a soft blue and would look great with pinks and creams. Here are a couple of the inspiration photos I used:

The client ended up finding beautiful pink and green bedding on sale and was thinking about changing the wall color to match with the bedding. At first, I thought it would be great to keep the blue wall color, because pink, green and blue also look great together. Here is a great example of that working well:

After seeing the bedding at her home, she really loved the idea of green walls instead, so we tweaked the design a bit. We ended up going with Hancock Green for the walls, which is a soft, pale green. Here is an image of this color in a nursery:

She loved the new color choice! Here is the final design board, with the color changes:
(Click on board to make larger)

She loves the design and has already purchased most of the items! I am so glad she is truly happy with the outcome, and I have to say, I also love the changes! Two minds were definitely better than one with this project, and we made a great team.