Amber B Design Studio

Interior Design & Decoration for the South Florida region

Ready for the New Year!

by Filed Under: #ProjectClassicCoastal, #projectclassicliving, amber b design, amber b design at home, family room, living room, local clients

It has been a while since I have opened up this blog and did some writing! I do miss it and want to check in every now and then with changes around our home, design project updates and anything and everything design. So, let’s jump right in! After the holidays, the house always feel so much more bare than before the tree went up. That wall where the tree stood was empty before Christmas, but why does it feel so bare now?!? So, I do what I have always done and shop around my home to switch things up and breathe new life into old accessories. Of course, that becomes a domino effect and moving things from one room to another leaves an empty space where the accessory was before! It’s never ending, but fun at the same time.

Our tree was to the left of the television in our family room. So… not liking that empty space after the holidays, I moved our living room ladder in there!

An old ladder with a new home!

I love the casual, family friendly vibe the ladder brings to this room. I think it was always better suited in here! As a reminder, here is the ladder in its first location, our living room-

Without the ladder in the living room, that corner is now a bit empty…

I have always admired the look of a tree in a home, but for some reason, I am just not seeing it in here. So I decided to look at Pinterest for some inspiration and came upon Shea McGee’s family room and her pedestal in the corner…

Inspiration via Studio McGee

I think that idea is a perfect solution for my space, because I can change out the greenery and vase from time to time and seasonally! So, I will keep you posted on that corner of our living room when I find the detail pieces.

My design business, Amber B Design, has been having fun making houses feel like home and transforming the look of a space! Over at Project Classic Living, the office bookcase is in and all styled up!

The office bookcase

Stay tuned, because I have much more design afters to share with you! I will definitely check back into the blog and write more often, as it’s a new year’s goal for me to write and catalog fun things in design. Here’s to a great new year and as always, thanks for stopping by!

Before and After: Project Casual Trad

by Filed Under: #projectcasualtrad, amber b design, Ana Gil Photography, design, interior design, living room, local clients

I am thrilled to introduce Project Casual Trad to you today!! This was such a fun design project to work on and before and afters always amaze me! I’m so excited to do what I love and when I am able to see a project transform and get it documented by a super talented photographer, it’s the icing on the cake! The after photos are all from Ana Gil Photography and she is a gem to work with. Her talent is inspiring and her enthusiasm is infectious! Ana introduced me to this client after photographing her family. The homeowners were looking for a living space that was warm, inviting, bright and a modern/traditional mix. They wanted some color, but in a subtle, relaxed way. Without further adieu, here is the space!

Before

After

I love this picture on the mantel that Ana took!

Before (The other side of the room)

After

It was so much fun being a part of this project and seeing the space take shape. Thank you so much for stopping by!!

Project Bedroom Refresh… The Final Reveal

by Filed Under: #projectbedroomrefresh, amber b design, before and after, design, guest room, interior design, local clients, sarah heppell photography


Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. Ours was packed with fun family events and finishing up our Christmas decorating. I am ready to show you the final reveal for Project Bedroom Refresh! Up today… the front guest room. My clients were wonderful to work with. It was a blast for us all to see the three rooms take shape. And the final icing on the cake was seeing Sarah work her photography magic. There is something so rewarding and exciting about seeing the finished designs through her lens. We worked with my clients dresser and table lamps. We refreshed the space with a new wall color, headboard and accessories. On Friday, I mentioned that there would be a bit of a change in this space and not incorporate all of the same colors. I went without the blue in here, but you’ll notice the neutrals and even some buffalo check, helps to tie the three rooms together. So let’s get right to it! Here is the room when we began…

Before

And here it is now…

After

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All After Photos by Sarah Heppell Photography

I hope you enjoyed the tour of Project Bedroom Refresh! I have more exciting projects to show you after the New Year!! Stay tuned later this week, to see some snippets of our home for the holidays.

 

Project Bedroom Refresh… The Reveal Part 1

by Filed Under: #projectbedroomrefresh, amber b design, central new york design, design, interior design, local clients, sarah heppell photography


It is like Christmas came early around here… it’s reveal day!! I love being able to see a project from beginning to end. And once my favorite photographer, Sarah, puts her magical stamp on the project, it’s ready to reveal! I have loved working with Sarah on several design projects. She shows every room in its best possible way. So let’s get right to it! First up, will be the master bedroom. My clients wanted to update their bedroom, as well as their two guest rooms. They hadn’t been decorated in some time and they were looking for a major change. They like a traditional style and were ready to infuse some modern design to the mix, as well. Here is where the master bedroom started…

Before

 

 

We kept most of the furniture for this room and gave it a design update. And here is where we are now…

After

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All after photos by Sarah Heppell Photography

I hope you enjoyed day 1 of the Project Bedroom Refresh Reveal! Up tomorrow… the back guest room. Have a great day!

 

 

 

 

 

Before and After: Project Classic Living {The Bathroom}

by Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, bathroom, before and after, design class, local clients


We are now at the final day of the before and after series from Project Classic Living. To catch up on all of the previous posts for this home design, visit HERE. I love this house and working with these clients. We have other future projects in the works, so this is not the end of this gorgeous home tour. My clients had already been working with a contractor for the bathroom and brought me in for the finishing touches and to bounce off ideas for the overall design aesthetic. I actually created a pinterest board for this design and you can view it HERE for comparison between inspiration and final result. We discussed a couple of different flooring options and patterns and they ultimately decided on the hexagon tiles, which work so well with the home’s traditional charm and character. There is a dramatic difference between the before and after, since plumbing was moved and the space was completely gutted. The after pictures are by the talented Sarah Heppell. Enjoy!

Before

A bathroom with a toilet, sink and mirror.

 

A bathroom with green and white tile, sink and tub.

 

After

A bathroom with white tile floors and walls.

 

A bathroom with a sink, mirror and flowers in the vase.

 

A bathroom with white cabinets and a sink.

 

A vase filled with pink flowers on top of a table.

 

 

A bathroom with white walls and a sink.

 

A bathroom with white tile and a sink.

After Photos by Sarah Heppell

I hope you enjoyed the home tour and the before and after series! It was so much fun for me to look back at where we began and then how we finished. And this bathroom, even with its deeper and longer vanity, looks bigger now than before! I love when that happens. We added function and the appearance of more square footage. Win, win!!

 

Before and After: Project Classic Living {The Dining Room}

by Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, before and after, design, dining room, local clients


Hope you all had a great weekend! My Mother’s Day was wonderful, being spoiled by my kids and husband. They are amazing! We had my mom over for dinner on the grill. It was absolute perfection! I am back today, with another before and after to show. Today, it’s all about the dining room. To catch up on all things Project Classic Living, visit HERE. For this space, we kept all of the existing furnishings. In time, we will replace the wood end chairs with light, upholstered pieces and also add a bar cart. The main change in this room was with the paint! We added a deep color to the back of the built ins, allowing the white kitchenware to shine. We also lightened up the walls, added art, accessories and new window treatments and lighting. And don’t miss that new pink ceiling! I just imagine my clients having a dinner party, with the lights dimmed. Everyone will have a glow to their face! As always, the amazing after photos are by Sarah Heppell. Enjoy!

Before

A dining room with a table and chairs, a chandelier and a cabinet.

 

A dining room with a table and chairs, and a door open.

 

A wooden table with two lamps and a mirror

After

A dining room table with chairs and flowers in the center.

 

A white cabinet with many different types of dishes on it.

 

A dining room with a table and chairs, a mirror and a corner cabinet.

 

A dining room table with two lamps on it

 

A mirror and some books on the table

 

A dining room table with chairs and flowers in the center.

 

A vase with white flowers on top of the table.

 

 

A dining room with a table and chairs, a mirror and a window.

 

A dining room with a table and chairs in it

After Photos by Sarah Heppell

Thanks for stopping by! I love the brass accents with the drapery fabric color and with that pink ceiling!! Up tomorrow, the before and after pictures of the nursery.

Before and After: Project Classic Living {The Foyer}

by Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, before and after, design, foyer, interior design, local clients


Welcome back to another fun before and after! Today, we are focusing on the foyer. This is the first impression upon entering through the front door, so we really wanted this space to set the tone for the house and connect the other designs. We added a meaningful gallery wall going up the stairs, added function with an entry rug and vintage coat rack and also updated the foyer furniture with a new demilune, lamp and accessories. Let’s first take a look back at where we began. And of course, the gorgeous after photos are by the talented Sarah Heppell. Enjoy!

Before

A hallway with a mirror and a wooden cabinet.

A staircase with wood treads and white railings.

 

A white door and wooden floor in the hallway of a house.

After

A foyer with a mirror and a table in it

 

 

A staircase with many pictures on the wall

 

A staircase with wood treads and white risers.

 

A coat rack with a scarf hanging on it.

 

A white door with two framed pictures hanging on the wall.

After photos by Sarah Heppell

We kept the wall color and sconces, but the rest is new. And we are not finished! We are currently in the works to install a stair runner. Wait until you see which option they chose!! Thanks for stopping by. Up tomorrow… the before and after of the kitchen. The eating area was a clean, blank slate, which was fun to design!

Before and After: Project Classic Living {The Living Room}

by Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, before and after, design, interior design, living room, local clients


As promised from last week’s posts, I am now ready to show the before pictures of the living room from Project Classic Living, as well as some new after photos! It’s always fun to show how a space began, so we can appreciate how far we have come. The before pictures are taken by myself and the really pretty after photos are all from the very talented Sarah Heppell. For the living room, they wanted a light, neutral space that was a blend of traditional and modern, while also working with the character of the home. Here we go!

Before

A living room with brown leather furniture and fireplace.

 

A living room with two couches and a baby seat

 

A living room with hard wood floors and furniture.

We really wanted to try out a sectional in this room. We were so thrilled when we found one that was a perfect fit! We lightened the walls, added new furniture and accessories and were able to keep some existing key pieces. We kept the beautiful media cabinet, mirror and wall frames.

After

A living room with a couch and fireplace

 

A table with two blue and white stools in front of a mirror.

{This is the mirror, above, that we kept. It was on their mantel. We just changed the orientation and hung it vertically.}

A living room with two windows and a large cabinet

 

 

A living room with white walls and furniture.

 

 

And one more time, for comparison…

Before

A living room with brown leather furniture and fireplace.

 

After

A living room with a couch and fireplace

All after photos by Sarah Heppell Photography

I hope you enjoyed the before and after! Next up… the foyer!

Project Classic Living Reveal {The Dining Room}

by Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, design, dining room, interior design, local clients


Today is another reveal day! To catch up on all things Project Classic Living, visit HERE. We are now moving on to the dining room! I planned to have this space flow with the rest of the home, but it is a bit of a diversion. It doesn’t have any of my signature blue in it, but the drapes are the same fabric seen in the living room. I went soft and neutral in this room and layered on the textures. Don’t forget to look at that pink ceiling! It’s a subtle pink, but one that brings a soft glow to the room. We kept all of my client’s existing dining furniture and buffet. The rest is new! In the future, we plan to add upholstered end chairs to the table and a sleek brass bar cart. Enjoy the abundant pictures, by the super talented Sarah Heppell Photography.

 

A dining room table with chairs and lamps on it.

 

A dining room table with chairs and flowers in the center.

 

 

A white cabinet with many different types of dishes on it.

 

A dining room table with two lamps on it

 

 

A dining room table with flowers in the center.

 

A dining room table with flowers in the center.

 

A dining room with a table and chairs in it

Images by Sarah Heppell Photography

Drapes made by Windows by Melissa, Drapery Fabric by Tonic Living

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed today’s stop on the tour. Up tomorrow… we finish with the nursery and bathroom!

Project Classic Living Reveal {The Kitchen}

by Filed Under: #projectclassickitchen, #projectclassicliving, amber b design, design, interior design, kitchen, local clients


Welcome back to another reveal day! This is such a fun week!! Today’s post is all about the kitchen. To catch up on all things Project Classic Living related, visit HERE. The kitchen was the second room we worked on together, after the nursery. I wish I could take credit- but the gorgeous white cabinetry, counters, backsplash, lighting and overall layout were already finished when I started working on the space. The gorgeous wall color {BM Revere Pewter} was also chosen, so the bones were perfect to work with. My clients did a fantastic job selecting all of the finishes and this 1930’s home has an unbelievable before and after for this space. The contractor did an outstanding job making this space light, bright and modern, while also keeping with the classic style and character of this home. I came in for the window treatments, gallery wall, accessories and dining area furniture. For this space, we wanted an overall casual, relaxed dining feel. The more formal dining area is in the next room, so we kept this space laid back for everyday use. And of course, the wonderful Sarah Heppell put her magic photography stamp on this room, too. Let’s take a look!

 

A dining room table with four chairs in it

 

A dining room with a table and chairs, and pictures on the wall.

 

A kitchen with white cabinets and black and blue curtains

 

A kitchen counter with a cutting board and sink.

 

A cake on top of a white pedestal.

 

A kitchen with white cabinets and wooden floors

 

A clock hanging on the wall in a kitchen.

 

A plant in a vase on the table

 

A kitchen with white cabinets and a stove.

 

A dining room with a table and chairs in it

 

All images by Sarah Heppell Photography

I hope you enjoyed the kitchen tour! The gorgeous drapes and shades were made by Windows By Melissa and the fabric was found in my local work room. Tomorrow’s reveal will be… the Dining Room! {You do get a little peek of the dining room in one of the kitchen shots!!}